In the news today Nov 21
Four stories in the news for Wednesday, Nov. 21———OLAND TO ENTER NOT GUILTY PLEA, FACE TRIAL AGAINDennis Oland is expected to enter a plea of not guilty this morning, as the murder trial for his father’s death gets under way. Oland will be re-arraigned in a Saint John courtroom, before the much-delayed case proceeds to opening statements and possibly the first witnesses. The murder trial will be heard by Justice Terrence Morrison alone. It is the second time Oland will face trial for the second-degree murder of his father, multimillionaire Richard Oland. His 2015 conviction was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered.———FISCAL UPDATE TO LAY OUT COMPETITIVENESS PLANThe federal government will release a fall economic update later today that will seek to close the loop on some of its outstanding mandate commitments, leaving the door open for the Liberals to use next year’s budget as their 2019 election platform. The document will also include Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s long-awaited plan to help Canada compete for investment dollars, which many warn has become increasingly difficult following major tax and regulatory changes in the United States.———PETS FORGOTTEN IN DISASTER PLANS: RESEARCHERA Calgary researcher says the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire shows how often pets are overlooked in disaster planning. Mount Royal University’s Kim Williams interviewed people involved in Canada’s costliest natural disaster, including first responders, politicians, evacuees and animal welfare workers. Of the 40,000 pets there at the time, between 1,200 and 1,500 had to be left behind. Williams is recommending an electronic database of pets’ health records and that an animal welfare expert should be included in emergency operations centres during disasters.———ASSAULT DETAILS IN EX-CFL PLAYER’S COURT HEARINGA woman who was beaten by former Saskatchewan Roughrider Justin Cox says she feared for her life the day he broke her nose and left her bloody and bruised. The former defensive back pleaded guilty in September to assault causing bodily harm for the August 2017 attack. His ex-girlfriend says Cox began assaulting her in the parking lot of a Regina mall and continued to beat her as he drove. The Crown is asking for one year of jail time, probation, anger management and substance abuse training. Cox is to be sentenced in early December with a date to be set next week.———ALSO IN THE NEWS:— Matthew Vincent Raymond, accused of killing four people including two Fredericton police officers, is due back in court today. The judge is to rule on application for assessment to determine fitness.— The National Energy Board will hear oral traditional evidence from Indigenous groups in Calgary as part of its review of the marine shipping impacts of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.— Statistics Canada will release its wholesale trade figures for September.The Canadian Press
VICTORIA – The British Columbia government filed a constitutional lawsuit Tuesday countering an Alberta government bill that would limit fuel being sent to the province.It comes weeks after the B.C. government asked its highest court to decide if it has the right to limit the flow of bitumen in the Trans Mountain pipeline.Alberta Premier Rachel Notley saw some irony in B.C.’s position.“It’s very interesting, on one hand they don’t want our oil and on the other hand they’re suing us to give them our oil,” she told a news conference in Edmonton on Tuesday.The latest legal action further strains an acrimonious relationship between the two provinces over the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.Attorney General David Eby said B.C. is prepared to ask for an injunction and financial damages against Alberta if it restricts the flow of fuel.Notley said the lawsuit is just one of several tactics to create uncertainty over the Kinder Morgan pipeline project.“They must think everybody was born yesterday,” Notley said. “They are still reserving the right to play legal rope-a-dope until the cows come home. That is not a thing we are going to let happen.”Plans to triple the capacity of Kinder Morgan’s existing Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby have pitted Alberta and the federal government against B.C., which says the risk of a bitumen spill is too great for the province’s environment and economy.Eby said the Alberta and the federal government are causing delays by refusing to accept B.C.’s invitations to join legal cases, or take legal arguments straight to the Supreme Court of Canada where the outcomes are final.The B.C. government has filed a reference case in the provincial Court of Appeal to determine if it has jurisdiction to regulate heavy oil shipments. It also joined two other lawsuits launched by Indigenous groups opposed to the $7.4-billion pipeline project.Eby said the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Alberta’s Court of Queen’s Bench challenges the constitutionality of Alberta’s law because it is intended to punish B.C.“We believe it would be reckless in the extreme and therefore highly unlikely that Alberta will actually attempt to use the powers they granted themselves in Bill 12,” he told a conference call. “If Alberta did take the remarkable step of attempting to use this law, we are prepared to immediately file and injunction. We will not hesitate.”Notley bowed out of a Western premier’s meeting on Wednesday in Yellowknife, saying she could not discuss issues like a national prescription drug plan in the presence of B.C. Premier John Horgan while his government is trying to stop the pipeline project.“Pharmacare does not grow on trees,” Notley said. “In order to protect and improve the things that matter to people, like pharmacare, we need a strong, functioning national economy.”Before he left for the meeting, Horgan said he didn’t expect tensions over the pipeline to dominate discussions among the premiers.Kinder Morgan has ceased all non-essential spending on the project until it receives assurances it can proceed without delays, setting a May 31 deadline for those guarantees.Notley said Alberta and the federal government are both working on plans to ensure the project proceeds. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has offered an indemnity to backstop the pipeline project.B.C.’s nine-page statement of claim alleges the intent of Alberta’s bill is to hurt to the province.“A significant disruption in the supply of gasoline, diesel, and crude oil from Alberta to British Columbia would cause British Columbia irreparable harm,” the document asserts. “In addition to economic harm, a sudden disruption in supply could injure human health and safety in remote communities.”
Updated at 11.02pmA JUNIOR DOCTORS’ strike planned for next Wednesday has been postponed for a week and is looking more likely to be called off entirely after progress in talks today at the Labour Relations Commission.Doctors’ union the IMO is demanding an end to shifts for NCHDs running in excess of 24 hours. They also want the HSE to bring in a plan aimed at achieving compliance with an EU directive on working hours.A two-day break in negotiations between the two sides was called on Tuesday, so teams from the union and the HSE could draw up a plan for a ‘roster verification process’.Officials examined work schedules at two hospitals yesterday to examine work schedules, and to see what needs to be done to bring the rosters into line with the IMO’s demands. The talks today were due to focus on a plan to roll that process out to all hospitals.The IMO has confirmed tonight that a proposal tabled during negotiations today will be discussed with the union’s junior doctors’ panel on Monday. A decision will then be made on whether to put it to a wider ballot of all NHCD members.The union has agreed to a one week suspension of the action, but the strike threat remains on the table.Assistant Director of Industrial Relations at the IMO, Eric Young, said the situation “remains uncertain”. He added:“[…] if the proposals are not acceptable to the IMO NCHD Committee the HSE will be obliged to put in place adequate contingency plans to allow the industrial action to proceed on 2nd October”.This article was originally posted at 10.05pm.Read: Nurses row in behind planned strike action >
BRITISH ROYAL ACCOUNTANTS have come under fire from MPs, who claim the Royal Family must cut their cloth in order to repair crumbling palaces.The British parliamentary public accounts committee also called on the royal family to raise more money, finding that they are dipping into reserves too often. The report revealed that the palace’s reserves now stand at an “historically low” £1 million.Officials claim that this is due to last year’s diamond jubilee celebrations, however.Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said that, while nobody was accusing the royals of profligacy, it was important that the Treasury and the royal accountants get their house in order.“The household needs to get better at planning and managing its budgets for the longer term — and the Treasury should be more actively involved in reviewing what the household is doing,” she said.The queen received a grant of £31 million from taxpayers funds last year. This covered staffing, travel and maintenance. The Sovereign Grant will rise to £36.1 million this year.RepairsThe report said that there was a large number of repairs needed at royal palaces, with 40 per cent of the estate in need of repairs.The Victoria and Albert Mausoleum, where the late queen Victoria and her husband prince Albert are buried, has been waiting for repairs for 18 years, the report said, while other problems include walls riddled with asbestos.Some of Buckingham Palace’s 775 rooms have not been refurbished for 60 years, a palace official told MPs.Open the gatesThe income disparity has led to calls to turn Buckingham Palace into a more accessible tourist attraction. It is currently only open during August and September, when the Queen is on holiday in Scotland.Officials say that they have considered the idea, but that the constraints of setup costs have put paid to the ideal.Read: Ireland cares about the royal baby almost as much as the UK…Read: Two arrested after man ‘climbs fence’ at Buckingham Palace
Parents, start forwarding this to your kids. Apple’s hiring. As we know, a lot of college students are stuck with the same menial jobs their older siblings had years before them: working at a sub shop, coffee shop, Foot Locker, etc. Besides long hours and no time for homework, these aren’t exactly the type of jobs that give you benefits either. But wait! Apple is offering what sounds to be a dream job for students who are sick of asking customers if they’d like fries with that. Apple’s customer support group, known as AppleCare, offers a program for college students that allows them to work from home on a flexible schedule, and with benefits and perks. As an Apple At-Home-Advisor, you would help customers with technical support for Apple’s products and accessories — both software and hardware. We’re talking a full scale of products from iPhone to Apple TV.These advisors don’t have to be a computer science major to apply for this job. Apparently, all college majors are considered for the year-long opportunity. And, good news: you don’t even have to be super smart — at least GPA-wise. You simply have to be enrolled in classes at a desginated college and have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher.Of course, salaries are determined on qualifications and experience, but we hear it’s about $10 an hour. Apple will provide you with a free iMac and telephone, and will reimburse you with up to $50 a month to pay for your Internet and phone service. You’ll also receive full health benefits. That’s a pretty good deal considering you can work in your pajamas, which you’ll probably end up wearing to class anyways. Apple is looking for students to work 16 hours a week during the school year, and 40 hours a week during the summer. There’s a four-week-long full-time training course, which is done at your “home office,” (AKA bedroom).Apple describes the ideal candidate thusly:An ideal fit is someone who is passionate about technology and experienced with computers, and who likes helping people and putting a smile on someone’s face. You must enjoy troubleshooting and fixing problems, working independently without in-person supervision, exercising multitasking skills as you manage multiple systems and applications, and giving people yet another positive Apple experience. Judging by the Web site, it seems there are only a handful of universities on the list right now, but it’s worth contacting Apple either way to see if your eligible to apply. Check out Apple’s job site for more information.Photo via 9to5Mac.com.
Feb 16th 2018, 12:04 PM By Daragh Brophy 82 Comments Related: How would a Dublin drug injecting room operate? We spoke to the boss of the Sydney centre > Dr Eamon Keenan, National Clinical Lead of HSE Addiction Services, said today’s announcement was ”a significant public health development in Ireland” which would allow “a marginalised group of society, injecting drug users who may be homeless, to access a harm reduction service that will improve their health, access them into a range of medical and social services, and contribute towards a reduction in drug related deaths”.‘Wrong decision’But some were not happy.Independent Dublin City Councillor Cieran Perry said he was disappointed that the HSE continued with the process of opening a supervised injection centre in Dublin.Perry said “This is the wrong decision. There is no evidence based research that Supervised Injection Centres work and I believe they normalise drug use at a time when we should be encouraging detox and rehab. The money spent on this facility would be far better spent on funding services to help those suffering from addiction.”Today’s HSE statement said that a key element in the success of the pilot would be “a demonstration of consultation and ongoing engagement with local stakeholders from the surrounding area”. We know that engagement with drug treatment works, however successful treatment and rehabilitation is only possible if someone is still alive. Share694 Tweet Email5 An external evaluation of the pilot phase of the facility will be carried out by an independent agent engaged by the HSE.It added that specific structures would be put in place to ensure proper “operational, clinical and supervisory governance arrangements”.This will include a clinical governance committee to ensure the facility is providing “appropriate clinical intervention to attendees and that these interventions are in line with international best practice”.‘Positive step’CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland Tony Geoghegan said:“With one person a day dying from a drug overdose, this is a real positive step in taking a proactive and progressive approach to drug policy. Truly it will save lives. This service is designed to improve public amenity, improve the health of people who use it and be cost effective. Now the focus must turn to ensuring that it delivers these outcomes, so that other medically supervised injecting centres may be licensed as soon as possible.In line with protocol, a 14-day standstill will now be observed prior to the formal award, the HSE said.Read: ‘It takes me away from this world for the day’: Life as a homeless drug-user on the streets of Dublin >Read: ‘An example of how bad it can get’: We counted 13 syringes down this tiny Dublin alleyway > Updated at 6pmTHE COUNTRY’S FIRST supervised drug injecting centre will be operated by Merchants Quay Project, the HSE announced this morning.Merchants Quay already provides a drop-in service, Night Cafe and other supports for people who are homeless and struggling with addiction issues in Dublin.Its support centre is based at the Riverbank building on the quayside of the Liffey.The new facility will provide access to clean, sterile injecting equipment and have trained staff on hand to provide emergency care in the event of an overdose. Staff will also provide advice on treatment and rehabilitation.Proponents of such centres argue that they also help alleviate the problems associated with injecting on the street, including drug-related litter.There are over 100 such clinics around the world (the first ‘official’ one was opened in Switzerland in 1986) and most are located in European countries.An evaluation group established to review the tenders for the project included HSE Procurement, HSE Social Inclusion, an academic expert, An Garda Síochana, Dublin City Council and an external public health expert.It is envisaged that the preferred bidder will operate the facility for an 18 month period, by means of a licence to be granted under the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injection Facilities) Act 2017. Injecting cubicles in the Sydney supervised injecting centre. Source: Rick RycroftThree deadlines for the announcement of who would be awarded the tender to operate the centre have been missed in recent months.Announcements had been expected in November and December, with the HSE initially saying that the pilot project was anticipated to open before the end of 2017.The opening of a pilot project has been a part of government drug policy for several years.The 2016 Programme for Government explicitly stated that the current government “will support a health-led rather than criminal justice approach to drugs use including legislating for injection rooms”.However, the plans met a number of snags, including delays in legislation and resistance from local businesses.New laws needed to be passed to make the operation of such centres possible in Ireland – that happened last May, and the management and operation of a pilot centre was put out to tender by the HSE in August. Source: TheJournal.ie/YouTubePlanningIt emerged late last year that planning permission would be required for whichever organisation won the tender to operate the project.The Dublin Business Alliance – a lobby group made up of the Licensed Vintners Association, the Restaurants Association and the Temple Bar Company – has been vocally opposed to the introduction of supervised injecting centres, and sought a number of Section 5 Declarations in relation to planning laws around the centres.Essentially, a Section 5 Declaration is lodged to determine whether planning permission is needed to change the use of a premises into an injecting centre.It was determined that for a number of premises listed in the tendering process, planning permission would have to be sought before an injecting centre could be opened there.The DBA argued that the laws underpinning injecting centres are not properly thought out. Source: TheJournal.ie/YouTubeThe Ana Liffey Drug Project, which researched and originated the legislation to underpin the setting up a pilot injecting centre, had also tendered for the project.“This is an important public health initiative for responding to this reality of people injecting drugs on our streets,” Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne said in a statement today. Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Friday 16 Feb 2018, 1:50 PM
20,198 Views This opening of a supervised injecting facility (SIF) shows that as a society we are putting some of Ireland’s most vulnerable people first and providing a much needed service.Tony Duffin, the CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project, said it was an “historic day for people who inject drugs in Dublin and for addiction services in Ireland”.“We will support our friends at Merchants Quay Ireland in their work to establish the pilot Dublin medically supervised injecting centre and we will work to help them ensure it is a success. ‘Truly it will save lives’: Dublin supervised injecting centre to be operated by Merchants Quay The organisation already provides a drop-in service, Night Cafe and other supports for people who are homeless. It is also in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government. This is a very welcome development and critical to the success of this pilot initiative will be the engagement with all stakeholders, including the local community. This pilot facility seeks to bring vulnerable people into a safe and clean supervised setting while also helping to reduce drug litter and open injecting in our communities. Short URL Merchants Quay Project will be required to have in place a specific plan in this regard and will be required to employ a community liaison worker to engage local businesses, communities and residents in a meaningful manner. The establishment of a pilot supervised injecting facility is a key action in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, our health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. http://jrnl.ie/3855540 
Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram Following the death of the world’s oldest person on Saturday, Japan’s 117-year-old Nabi Tajima, reports have been circulating around the world about the new title holder of ‘Oldest Woman in the World’, said to be Greek woman Katerina Karnarou.While official documents and electronic records have confirmed Karnarou from Krestena in the Peloponnese to be 112 years old, turning 113 on July 25, she is not in fact the oldest woman in the world.According to US-based Gerontology Research Group, another Japanese woman named Chiyo Yoshida is due to turn 117 in a matter of days, and according to their records, is in line for the title in the Guinness World Records.Nonetheless, 112 is an impressive achievement. Karnarou has lived through Greece’s turbulent modern history, and survived her own personal ups and downs.“I’ve been through sad times,” Karnarou told reporters.“My husband died, my children died at a young age. Luckily, I had great in-laws. My son was in the navy, he was a brigade general. He came to Athens and bought a house. However, he died young and didn’t get to enjoy it.”
It seems like it was just yesterday that we learned all sorts of exciting new details about Pokemon Sword and Shield, the first core games in the RPG series coming to a home console the Nintendo Switch. Those details included the open-world Wild Area, first looks at new creatures, and the new Dynamax feature for super-sizing your partner Pokemon. We even got to play the game for ourselves.Of course, over the past few weeks Pokemon Sword and Shield have also been dogged by the dumb National Pokedex controversy (that the Pokemon Company even responded to) as fans simultaneously complain about graphical quality while also demanding artists shift more resources toward bring back all one thousand monsters. But forget that noise. Here’s a giant cake monster and all sorts of other fun nonsense in a surprise new trailer.That cute confectionery creature is Alcremie, a Fairy-type Pokemon and one of several new monsters revealed here. After appearing in the demo, electric Corgi Yamper was officially revealed. Rolycoly is a rock-type Pokemon who literally rolls coal. And Duraludon is a steel-dragon Pokemon with both light and heavy metal abilities.An early criticism of the Dynamax feature was that all it did was make Pokemon bigger, a step back from the redesigns of Mega Evolutions. However, for select Pokemon at least, the Gigantamax ability also offers similar changes in appearance and moveset along with changing size. Alcremie becomes a wedding cake the size of skyscraper and shoots high-calorie missiles. Snapping turtle Drednaw and raven taxi Corviknight also become even more fearsome.And we saw some new people as well. Chairman Rose heads up the business end of the Galar gym tournaments with his assistant Oleana. Someone has to manage those sponsorships. Depending on which game you get you’ll also face different gym leaders. Sword players go up against fighting expert Bea while Shield players take on ghost expert Allister.Expect more details on Pokemon Sword and Shield to come even faster as we approach the November 15 release date. For more on Pokemon check out the Detective Pikachu pop-up exhibit coming to San Diego Comic-Con and learn more about the upcoming mobile game Pokemon Masters. Stay on target Mint-Condition Set of Pokemon Cards Sold For $107KNew Trailer ‘Pokemon Sword and Shield’ Reveals Team Yell Punks 
Becky Lynch Now Playing Up Next Credit: @JasonWetzel83 8/16 WWE Live Results: Bismarck, North Dakota— Ricochet def. Cesaro.— Cedric Alexander and Titus O’Neil def. EC3 and Mojo Rawley.— Alexa Bliss and Dana Brooke def. Dana Brooke and Sarah Logan to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.— Drew Gulak def. Tony Nese to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.— Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson def. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, and The Viking Raiders to retain the RAW Tag Team Championships.— Becky Lynch def. Lacey Evans to retain the RAW Women’s Championship.— Seth Rollins def. Baron Corbin to retain the WWE Championship.Source: WrestlingBodyslam.com@BeckyLynchWWE best picture I got of the man #WWEBismarck pic.twitter.com/PQpperQU61— Jason Wetzel (@JasonWetzel83) August 17, 2019 The Miz WhatsApp How To Win A Trip To Meet The Miz And Becky Lynch Now Playing Up Next Are Becky Lynch And Seth Rollins Dating? Videos Articles Now Playing Up Next Now Playing Up Next Facebook Pinterest WWE Female Superstars Get Green Light To Bounce Between Brands Wrestleview Live #65: Reviewing and discussing WWE Clash of Champions from Charlotte Twitter Now Playing Up Next Recommended videosPowered by AnyClipHow To Win A Trip To Meet The Miz And Becky LynchVideo Player is loading.Play VideoPauseUnmuteDuration 0:34/Current Time 0:03Loaded: 100.00%0:03Remaining Time -0:31 FullscreenUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Replay the list Charlotte Flair And Becky Lynch Involved In Brawl At An Unlikely Location Videos Articles Google+ Mike Tedesco RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR WWE Clash of Champions Results – 9/15/19 (Rollins vs. Strowman, Kingston vs. Orton) Will Becky Lynch Be Able To Continue Fighting With Fractured Jaw? Video: Watch the live WWE Clash of Champions Kickoff Show from Charlotte tonight
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard claims the title race is wide open after ending Hearts’ unbeaten run.Goals from Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield sealed the win for Gers despite a late consolation from Jimmy Dunne.That win moved the Gers five points behind the leaders and Gerrard feels the League title is up for grabs.He revealed to Sky Sports: “I thought they were sensational. We have beaten a good team today. I said it before the game and I wasn’t telling lies – Hearts are where they are on merit.
Owen reveals why Liverpool didn’t offer Gerrard a new contract Manuel R. Medina – September 6, 2019 According to Owen, the Reds wanted to sell Gerrard two years before he left the club and that’s why they didn’t offer him a contract renewal.“We’ve beaten a good team today because we went to war with them and we matched them in the war and then our football shone through and that’s what you have to do in games like this.“This result had nothing to do with Livingston and it doesn’t heal the Livingston performance which just wasn’t good enough.“The challenge for me and the team now is that can we make these home performances away from home and that’s when we will find consistency.“Today doesn’t heal Livingston, but it was certainly a statement and has blown the title wide open and made it a little bit better looking for us.”
The American Soybean Association (ASA) and the Taiwan Vegetable Oil Manufacturers’ Association (TVOA) signed a letter of intent on October 3, for the purchase of 1.6 to 1.8 million metric tons (58.8 to 66.1 million bushels) of U.S. soybeans between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 1999. TVOA Chairman Ling-Yi Wang and ASA Executive Committee member Dwain Ford, a soybean producer from Kinmundy, Illinois, signed the letter initiated by TVOA as part of an Agricultural Goodwill Mission to the United States. “Taiwan is buying from the United States because we can reliably provide them with both the quality and the quantity of soybeans they need,” Ford said. “We are very pleased to strengthen the relationship between soybean producers and our customers in Taiwan because they have been an extremely good trading partner for U.S. farmers.” Although the final terms, quantities, price, and conditions for the purchase of the soybeans will be negotiated privately between the end users and private suppliers, the estimated value of this quantity is approximately $370 million.”ASA is always working to develop new customers for U.S. soybean producers, but we also have to take care of our existing customers, and Taiwan has been a very good customer,” according to Ford. ASA staff and consultants located in the United States and in 15 overseas offices promote U.S. soybean exports in more than 80 countries. ASA’s activities to expand international markets for U.S. soybeans and products are made possible by producer checkoff dollars invested by the United Soybean Board (USB) and various State Soybean Councils, as well as by cost-share funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Doug Magnus, Chairman of USB’s International Marketing Committee and a soybean producer from Slayton, Minnesota, met with TVOA representatives and observed the signing of the letter.The Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan sent 18 procurement missions to the United States between 1978 and 1993. These missions resulted in the purchase of U.S. agricultural products worth $11.6 billion, which was extremely helpful to the mutual beneficial trade relations between the two countries and job opportunities in the United States. Since 1995, the ROC has been the fifth largest overseas market for U.S. agricultural products in general, including being the fourth largest market for U.S. soybeans and the largest consumer of U.S. agricultural products worldwide in terms of per capita consumption.The Agricultural Goodwill Mission from Taiwan also visited Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Washington, D.C. in order to demonstrate the ROC’s continuing goodwill and willingness for purchasing U.S. soybeans.
Basheerbagh: City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar on Wednesday awarded eight e-Cops officers for their excellent performance in CCTNS (The Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems) vertical. The CP appreciated awardees including K Jyothi (WPC of Ramgopalpet PS), Chary ( PC of Hussaini alam), K Bala Vijaya and M Mounika (WPCs of Panjagutta), B Sandhya (WPC) and K Amarnath( PC) of Tappachabutra, P Pavan Kumar Yadav ( PC of Begumpet) M Ramesh babu (PC of Banjara Hills) for their dedication to update the 100 per cent data in CCTNS.
Hyderabad: Grameena Vikas Kendram is on a mission to produce regenerative cotton clothes through a global initiative RESET (Regenerate the Environment, Society, and Economy through Textiles). The Kendram is cultivating cotton in 250 acres of land with 232 farmers in 26 villages of the two Telugu states aiming to create the world’s first regenerative cotton value-chain. Also Read – Hyderabad: Intermediate student dies of cardiac arrest in class Advertise With Us This global initiative has been designed keeping in mind about the climate risk management, soil building and other concerns faced by the farmers and aims to cover 62,500 acres and 15,000 farmers in the coming five years. Textile industry is the most polluting industry after food industry. Although cotton occupies only 5% to 7% of India’s gross cropped land, it consumes over 50% of India’s pesticides. Also Read – Vemulawada school seized after road accident Advertise With Us Exposure to such toxic chemicals affects the health of farmers and is often carcinogenic. The increase in usage of chemical fertilizers continues to destroy the soil. To control these toxic emissions and prevent the environment, RESET started producing cotton with regenerative principles by not only focussing on reducing the carbon emissions but also on increasing soil carbon sequestration. Advertise With Us To give a more relatable number, a T-shirt made of conventional cotton uses 2700-3000 litres of water, while its organic counterpart only consumes 300 litres. It is also generating 30% additional income for the tribal cotton growers in the two Telugu states. Tomorrowland, one of the world’s biggest electronic dance music festivals, celebrating their 15th anniversary in Belgium (Europe), aspires to send out a powerful message by opting for sustainable T-shirts for their crew-members. RESET, a futuristic innovation by Grameena Vikas Kendram, has partnered with Urban Fibres, Belgium to produce 30,000 crew T-shirts for Tomorrowland. The entire RESET ecosystem with farmers, ginner, spinner, knitter, dyer and garment workers, all located in India, have taken the utmost care at every step to ensure no toxic material is included. Production of Sustainable T-shirts is closely monitored, right from the selection of the cotton seed to the sewing of the label. At the farm level, no GMOs used and no lethal chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers used. These T-shirts were made of 100% cotton as elastane can hinder recycling, cotton labels replaced polyester and unisex models were chosen to avoid surplus along with careful selection of the dyes for fabric and printing. At the end of their life, T-shirts will be collected and recycled into high-quality garments such as jeans. “The story of your T-shirt does not start at the retail outlet but begins its long journey as a small seed in the hands of a farmer and it is very important for every customer to know how it is produced. It is the responsibility of the consumer to demand sustainably produced clothes and necessary to know the story behind its production. At the end, T-shirt is not made to go into a landfill or burnt, but it can be shredded, respun and new clothes can be made from it increasing the life of the cotton.
Members of the public gather on the Mall in Washington as officials gather on the Capitol platform, DC, on 20 January, 2017, before the swearing-in ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump. Photo: AFPDonald Trump took the first ceremonial steps before being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States Friday—ushering in a new political era that has been cheered and feared in equal measure.“It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES – THE WORK BEGINS!” the Republican billionaire tweeted before tracing his predecessors’ steps to St. John’s Church and the White House.There he was greeted warmly by President Barack Obama, capping a transfer of power that has been peaceful yet rancorous.“Mr President-elect, how are you?” Obama asked, after having deposited a letter in the Resolute desk and departed the Oval Office for the last time.Hundreds of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in the center of the nation’s capital to celebrate a man whose short 19-month political career has defied all predictions, and many norms.In the cool Washington dawn, his most ardent supporters ignored intermittent light rain and began to make their way by metro, car and on foot to take part in history.“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Thomas Mendenhall, 68, a retired banker from Missouri. “We just want change.”When Trump descended the escalators of his glitzy New York tower in June 2015, his run for office and his supporters were dismissed and even mocked.But shortly before midday Friday, Trump will place his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s bible, recite the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol and become the most powerful man on earth.His staff, many shunned by friends for supporting a man who has been labeled a racist and bigot by his critics, will become power players in the White House.In the primaries, Trump dominated a crowded Republican presidential field with smash-mouth rhetoric and star power. He rode that same wave of anti-elite sentiment to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.At 70 years of age, he is the oldest man ever to begin work in the Oval Office.But the real estate mogul and one-time television reality star is also a political neophyte—he will be the first president never to have held elected office, served in the government or the armed forces.For Trump’s supporters, that is a central part of his appeal.“He’s somebody that’s not a politician” said 59-year-old Sandra Jackson-Carter, a salon owner from Bakersville, California.“He’s going to unite the country and make America great again,” she said. “This is history. There’s nothing better.”Big changes -For his critics, Trump’s arrival in Washington on Thursday onboard an Air Force jet was more like a hostile takeover than a traditional changing of the guard.Small demonstrations popped up across the city center on Friday, with shouts of “not my president” and “No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA.” Some tried to prevent Trump supporters from passing, but police intervened.A much larger rally is planned for Saturday.On Thursday evening, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside a pro-Trump event, heckling and shouting at departing guests and lighting protest signs on fire before police used chemical spray on the crowd.Trump enters office with a 37 percent approval rating, the lowest on record, according to a CBS News poll.Most of Obama’s White House staff have cleaned out their desks and the normally busy corridors of the West Wing were unusually quiet Friday. Staffers expressed relief at the prospect of rest, but foreboding about the road ahead.That sentiment is echoed across many of the world’s capitals. Trump has vowed to tear up Obama’s policies and re-examine decades-old alliances with Europe and in Asia.One of Obama’s last acts in office was to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and declare trans-Atlantic ties vital for the world order—a statement that would have been a banal platitude before this rocky transition.After the Obamas and Trumps had morning tea at the White House, they will travel the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol.Addressing the nation -After promising to “faithfully execute the office of president of the United States” and “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Trump will deliver the most important speech of his life.Inaugural addresses—from Lincoln to John F. Kennedy—echo across American history. Phrases like “malice towards none” and “ask not what your country can do for you” have been carved into the vernacular.The most noted inaugural addresses had sought to lift Americans’ gaze up from the rancor and troubles of the day toward the horizon and a better tomorrow.Trump aides are promising an address that is at once short—at around 20 minutes—and philosophical.“It’s going to be a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country,” said incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer.“He will discuss what it means to be an American, the challenges that we face, as members of the middle class, that they face,” he said.“I think it’s going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens.”After his speech, Trump will attend a luncheon inside the Capitol, before heading back to the White House to begin the business of governing.
Valve grabbed the headlines last year with a number of announcements, not least of which was the introduction of Big Picture Mode and a move to support Linux with Steam. Gabe Newell also confirmed in December that Valve will be releasing a Steam games console, and an early version of the so-called Steam Box has appeared at CES.Valve isn’t developing the Steam Box alone. Instead it has taken the intelligent move of teaming up with a hardware company already experienced in creating tiny PCs. That company is Xi3, and the codename for the Steam Box is fittingly “Piston.” Whether that name remains for the final product is unknown, but it makes a lot of sense to keep it.There are very few specific details about Piston, but Xi3 already has a number of tiny PCs available to purchase. They start at $499, are small enough to be picked up with a single hand, and have the option of running Linux if you desire. It is thought Piston will be based around the design of Xi3’s $999 X7A performance PC.The Piston demo unit brought to CES has four USB 3.0, four USB 2.0 ports, four eSATAp ports, two Mini Display Port ports, and one Display Port/HDMI port. There’s also audio in/out, SPDIF optical audio, and Ethernet connections.The components inside will include a 1TB hard drive and a CPU/GPU combination you can choose to upgrade. It’s safe to assume the performance on offer will be well beyond what any of the game consoles on the market can produce, and it needs to be if Piston intends to support the next generation of games being released when the Xbox 720 and PS4 launch.Hopefully more details will be released soon as to what hardware Xi3 and Valve are using, and most importantly what the price point of Piston will be.via Polygon