Question:
A yellow box indicates where an AI system found cancer hiding inside breast tissue. Six previous radiologists failed to find the cancer in routine mammograms. (Image via NorthWestern University) A yellow box indicates where an AI system found cancer hiding inside breast tissue. Six previous radiologists failed to find the cancer in routine mammograms. (Image via NorthWestern University)

Written by Denise Grady

Artificial intelligence can help doctors do a better job of finding breast cancer on mammograms, researchers from Google and medical centers in the United States and Britain are reporting in the journal Nature.

The new system for reading mammograms, which are X-rays of the breast, is still being studied and is not yet available for widespread use. It is just one of Google’s ventures into medicine. Computers can be trained to recognise patterns and interpret images, and the company has already created algorithms to help detect lung cancers on CT scans, diagnose eye disease in people with diabetes and find cancer on microscope slides.

“This paper will help move things along quite a bit,” said Dr Constance Lehman, director of breast imaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who was not involved in the study. “There are challenges to their methods. But having Google at this level is a very good thing.”

Tested on images where the diagnosis was already known, the new system performed better than radiologists. On scans from the United States, the system produced a 9.4 per cent reduction in false negatives, in which a mammogram is mistakenly read as normal and a cancer is missed. It also provided a lowering of 5.7 per cent in false positives, where the scan is incorrectly judged abnormal but there is no cancer.

On mammograms performed in Britain, the system also beat the radiologists, reducing false negatives by 2.7 per cent and false positives by 1.2 per cent.

Google paid for the study, and worked with researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago and two British medical centers, Cancer Research Imperial Centre and Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Last year, 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 41,760 deaths were expected among women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Globally, there are about 2 million new cases a year, and more than half a million deaths.

About 33 million screening mammograms are performed each year in the United States. The test misses about 20 per cent of breast cancers, according to the American Cancer Society, and false positives are common, resulting in women being called back for more tests, sometimes even biopsies.

Doctors have long wanted to make mammography more accurate. “There are many radiologists who are reading mammograms who make mistakes, some well outside the acceptable margins of normal human error,” Lehman said.

This is a visualization of tumor growth and metastatic spread in breast cancer. Screening aims to detect breast cancer early, before symptoms develop. (Image via Google) This is a visualization of tumor growth and metastatic spread in breast cancer. Screening aims to detect breast cancer early, before symptoms develop. (Image via Google)

To apply artificial intelligence to the task, the authors of the Nature report used mammograms from about 76,000 women in Britain and 15,000 in the United States, whose diagnoses were already known, to train computers to recognise cancer.

Then, they tested the computers on images from about 25,000 other women in Britain, and 3,000 in the United States, and compared the system’s performance with that of the radiologists who had originally read the X-rays. The mammograms had been taken in the past, so the women’s outcomes were known, and the researchers could tell whether the initial diagnoses were correct.

“We took mammograms that already happened, showed them to radiologists and asked, ‘Cancer or no?’ and then showed them to AI, and asked, ‘Cancer, or no?’” said Dr Mozziyar Etemadi, an author of the study from Northwestern University.

This was the test that found AI more accurate than the radiologists. Unlike humans, computers do not get tired, bored or distracted toward the end of a long day of reading mammograms, Etemadi said.

In another test, the researchers pitted AI against six radiologists in the United States, presenting 500 mammograms to be interpreted. Overall, AI again outperformed the humans. But in some instances, AI missed a cancer that all six radiologists found — and vice versa.

“There’s no denying that in some cases our AI tool totally gets it wrong and they totally get it right,” Etemadi said. “Purely from that perspective it opens up an entirely new area of inquiry and study. Why is it that they missed it? Why is it that we missed it?”

Lehman, who is also developing AI for mammograms, said the Nature report was strong, but she had some concerns about the methods, noting that the patients studied might not be a true reflection of the general population.

A higher proportion had cancer, and the racial makeup was not specified. She also said that “reader” analyses involving a small number of radiologists — this study used six — were not always reliable.

The next step in the research is to have radiologists try using the tool as part of their routine practice in reading mammograms. New techniques that pass their initial tests with flying colors do not always perform as well out in the real world.

“We have to see what happens when radiologists have it, see if they do better,” Etemadi said. Lehman said: “We have to be very careful. We want to make sure this is helping patients.”

She said an earlier technology, computer-aided detection, or CAD, provided a cautionary tale. Approved in 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration to help radiologists read mammograms, it came into widespread use. Some hospital administrators pressured radiologists to use it whether they liked it or not because patients could be charged extra for it, increasing profits, Lehman said. Later, several studies, including one that Lehman was part of, found that CAD did not improve the doctors’ accuracy, and even made them worse.

“We can learn from the mistakes with CAD and do it better,” Lehman said, adding that AI has become far more powerful, and keeps improving as more data is fed in. “Using computers to enhance human performance is long overdue.”

She and Etemadi said that a potentially good use of AI would be to sort mammograms and flag those most in need of the radiologist’s attention. The system may also be able to identify those that are clearly negative, so they could be read quickly and patients could promptly be given a clean bill of health.

Although developers of AI often say it is intended to help radiologists, not replace them, Lehman predicted that eventually, computers alone will read at least some mammograms, without help from humans.

“We’re onto something,” she said. “These systems are picking up things a human might not see, and we’re right at the beginning of it.”

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A yellow box indicates where an artificial intelligence (AI) system found cancer hiding inside breast tissue in this undated photo released January 1, 2020. — Northwestern University handout via Reuters

CHICAGO, Jan 2 — A Google artificial intelligence system proved as good as expert radiologists at detecting which women had breast cancer based on screening mammograms and showed promise at reducing errors, researchers in the United States and Britain reported.

The study, published in the journal Nature yesterday, is the latest to show that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the accuracy of screening for breast cancer, which affects one in eight women globally.

Radiologists miss about 20 per cent of breast cancers in mammograms, the American Cancer Society says, and half of all women who get the screenings over a 10-year period have a false positive result.

The findings of the study, developed with Alphabet Inc's DeepMind AI unit, which merged with Google Health in September, represent a major advance in the potential for the early detection of breast cancer, Mozziyar Etemadi, one of its co-authors from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said.

The team, which included researchers at Imperial College London and Britain's National Health Service, trained the system to identify breast cancers on tens of thousands of mammograms.

They then compared the system's performance with the actual results from a set of 25,856 mammograms in the United Kingdom and 3,097 from the United States.

The study showed the AI system could identify cancers with a similar degree of accuracy to expert radiologists, while reducing the number of false positive results by 5.7 per cent in the US-based group and by 1.2 per cent in the British-based group.

It also cut the number of false negatives, where tests are wrongly classified as normal, by 9.4 per cent in the US group, and by 2.7 per cent in the British group.

These differences reflect the ways in which mammograms are read. In the United States, only one radiologist reads the results and the tests are done every one to two years. In Britain, the tests are done every three years, and each is read by two radiologists. When they disagree, a third is consulted.

'Subtle cues'

In a separate test, the group pitted the AI system against six radiologists and found it outperformed them at accurately detecting breast cancers.

Connie Lehman, chief of the breast imaging department at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, said the results are in line with findings from several groups using AI to improve cancer detection in mammograms, including her own work.

The notion of using computers to improve cancer diagnostics is decades old, and computer-aided detection (CAD) systems are commonplace in mammography clinics, yet CAD programs have not improved performance in clinical practice.

The issue, Lehman said, is that current CAD programmes were trained to identify things human radiologists can see, whereas with AI, computers learn to spot cancers based on the actual results of thousands of mammograms.

This has the potential to “exceed human capacity to identify subtle cues that the human eye and brain aren't able to perceive,” Lehman added.

Although computers have not been “super helpful” so far, “what we've shown at least in tens of thousands of mammograms is the tool can actually make a very well-informed decision,” Etemadi said.

The study has some limitations. Most of the tests were done using the same type of imaging equipment, and the US group contained a lot of patients with confirmed breast cancers.

Crucially, the team has yet to show the tool improves patient care, said Dr Lisa Watanabe, chief medical officer of CureMetrix, whose AI mammogram program won US approval last year.

“AI software is only helpful if it actually moves the dial for the radiologist,” she said.

Etemadi agreed that those studies are needed, as is regulatory approval, a process that could take several years. — Reuters

WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A man surrendered to police after spending hours holed-up inside a suburban Detroit hotel room following a reported domestic situation involving a woman.

A caller told 911 dispatchers about 2 a.m. Wednesday that a naked woman was screaming in a hallway at the Hampton Inn in West Bloomfield Township, northwest of Detroit, WXYZ-TV reported.

Police spoke to the woman who they believe is the man’s wife. She was taken to a hospital.

The man was taken into custody later Wednesday morning. No threats were made by the man who police earlier had said they believed was armed with a gun.

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana has emerged as the new darling of advertisers. For Khurrana, 2019 has not only been a dream run at the box office, but also as a celebrity brand endorser for those trying to reach out to the guy next door.Khurrana, who has given seven back-to-back hits, including ' Andhadhun ', which fetched a National Film Award for best actor, is now the face of 15 brands -from eyewear (Titan) to watches (Daniel Wellington), and clothing (Turtle) to men’s grooming (The Man Company). He has also signed four more brand endorsement deals that will be disclosed early next year. What clicks with Khurrana is his very high 'Emulatability' score, as per Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB).Emulatability is an amalgam of people liking or loving the celebrity, respecting him, identifying with him or wanting to be like him. “Ayushmann’s clever choice of reel roles has made him score very high on 'identify' with, besides the other parameters of ‘he is like me; if not, I would like to be like him’. He has easy familiarity and seems to be friendly and fun, affable and authentic. Hence, his movies are doing well, and he is in demand with brands,” said Sandeep Goyal, veteran adman and chief mentor of IIHB.Another important dimension behind the increase in Khurrana’s brand salience, as per Goyal, is that unlike most celebrities, he is not distant and forbidding. "So, his relatability is very high, contributing to him being seen as 'endearing'.” Industry estimates put Khurrana’s combined earnings at around Rs 35 crore in 2019. He, however, says that all commercial interests are looked after by the YRF Talent team. “I am very bad with numbers, so endorsements and deals are looked after by the team. What I focus on is whether or not the ethos of the company I am endorsing is similar to mine,” Khurrana told ET. This, he added, was the main reason why he picked up stake in the Man Company. “I am sure that I will not advertise for any fairness cream or tobacco or pan masala products, ever,” he added.Khurrana has cemented his position in the industry as the poster boy of content cinema doing diverse films with relatable and relevant stories, be it his debut film ‘ Vicky Donor ’, where he played the role of a sperm donor, or his latest film, ‘Bala’, where he played role of a young man suffering from male pattern baldness. “I am just fortunate to work with incredible script writers, directors and producers,” he said.

In an effort to keep thousands of people with mental illness from becoming homeless, a coalition of L.A. County officials and homeless advocates is urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to put $500 million into his January budget proposal to shore up financially struggling board and care homes.

The money, according to a fact sheet submitted by the California County Behavioral Health Directors Assn. and the Steinberg Institute, is needed to preserve potentially hundreds of homes that are on the brink of closure because the state reimbursement rate is too low to cover their rising costs.

A recent survey by the California Community Care Licensing Division found that 39 board and care homes closed in Los Angeles County over a three-year period, leaving only 159 in operation.

Generally located in small apartment buildings or single-family homes, board and care homes provide shelter, three meals a day, housekeeping and medication management to residents. Those serving indigent residents — the majority — are reimbursed $1,058 a month by the state, or about $35 a day, and cannot charge more than that.

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Los Angeles County and others across California have been using local funds to augment the state rate. L.A. County provides additional funds for about 2,000 board and care beds.

The one-time expenditure of $500 million, the coalition says, would buy time for the state to enact a new funding structure for reimbursement. Doing so would put threatened board and care homes on a more permanent financial footing and support more services for their residents, advocates and county officials said.

“The loss of a board and care facility permanently reduces the state’s and counties’ capacity to house vulnerable populations of persons who are aged, disabled or have a mental illness,” the joint statement to the governor said. “Without these facilities, the growing aging population and others who are homeless or at-risk for homelessness will likely find themselves with no other options but to live on the streets or in more expensive levels of care such as nursing homes and hospitals.”

Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

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Board and care homes are licensed by the state under the categories of adult residential facilities and residential facilities for the elderly. But the number of them that serve mentally ill residents is unknown because those licenses include other types of homes.

Many operators say they are in the red and have no margin to maintain their facilities, which has led to more frequent citations by state inspectors.

The coalition based its $500-million request on a rough calculation of what it would cost to raise the state’s monthly reimbursement to about $2,600 for 60% of the 45,000 California residents who receive nonmedical out-of-home care payments.

In a separate letter to Newsom, the Steinberg Institute, a homeless advocacy nonprofit founded by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, proposed a new funding structure based on the state’s homes for people with developmental disabilities. Those homes receive funding based on each resident’s needs, with a cap of about $8,000 a month.

Two other statewide organizations also signaled their support for the budget request.

The California State Assn. of Counties “is supportive of the proposal seeking state assistance to stem the loss of board and care homes in our communities,” Executive Director Graham Knaus said in a statement. “We cannot lose this critical piece of the housing continuum on which counties depend for providing shelter to a spectrum of vulnerable people. This is one of a number of critical proposals needed to address homelessness.”

The County Welfare Directors Assn. of California has not taken an official position on the request for one-time funding, but is generally supportive, “as the loss of board and care homes is an issue our members are seeing locally,” Executive Director Cathy Senderling-McDonald said.

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SEATTLE -- There will be gusty, mild and wet weather to ring in the New Year!

Seattle benefits from the Rain Shadow but the rest of Western Washington will be wet.

Wednesday will be breezy with passing showers with snow in the mountains. Thursday will be breezy and wet with more snow in the mountains.

Quite breezy on the last night of 2019. Stay safe but have a blast. #happynewyear #Q13FOX pic.twitter.com/UxzioBOAzY — Walter Kelley (@Walter_Kelley) December 31, 2019

The weekend looks similar with passing showers, breezy conditions and a lot more mountain snow. Drive with care up there and Happy New Year.

United Way of Greater Stark County has launched a fundraising campaign to assist those who have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 crisis.

Funds donated to the COVID-19 Impact Fund will help hourly, low-wage workers who have lost their jobs or have reduced hours because of the pandemic.

"We know that all of us depend on each other for a healthy community. The same priority guides our concern for those most economically vulnerable in this pandemic," said Maria Heege, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Stark County. "Our community is facing unprecedented times, and many families need your help. United Way has established the COVID-19 Impact Fund, a dedicated resource for working families affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. We are committed to mobilizing 100% of the collected funds to provide financial assistance to help meet families' basic needs during the COVID-19 crisis. Together, we will weather this storm."

Those who need assistance may be eligible to receive one-time assistance with their rent or mortgage payment. To apply, visit uwstark.org/covid or call 330-491-9960. Support will be given to those meeting the eligibility requirements and until funding is exhausted.

Donations may be made at uwstark.org/covid, or by texting STARK to 50503. Message and data rates might apply.

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
The University has also begun registration for the PhD Common Entrance Test.

Periyar University is expected to announce undergraduate exam results today. While many reports claim that the Periyar University UG results will be coming today, the official website of the university,where the results are always hosted, has no update in this regard.

Periyar University Result Link

Last year for the November UG exam, Periyar University had announced the result on January 5.

After the results are announced today, candidates can access it online at periyaruniversity.ac.in using their roll number and/ or name. It has been seen earlier that immediately after the results are out, the website stops responding. In such cases, students are suggested to keep patience and wait for a while.

The University has also begun registration for the PhD Common Entrance Test.

It has also released the time table for PRIDE practical examination. The University established a directorate for distance education namely Periyar Institute of Distance Education (PRIDE). The PRIDE started functioning from the year 2001 - 2002. PRIDE is held annually for selecting candidates for admission to UG degree, UG certificate, PG degree, MBA, MCA, MSc (IT), PG Diploma Programme, BLIS, MLIS and UG Diploma courses through distance mode.

For the previous PRIDE, hall tickets were released on January 30.

Click here for more Education News

Periyar University (PU) is expected to declare the result for undergraduate and postgraduate examination for exams held in November 2019 today, January 1st, reports say. All the candidates who have appeared for this year’s exams will be able to check their result online from Periyar University website - periyaruniversity.ac.in.

Once the results are announced, candidates will be able to check the same from the official website. Further, candidates will have the option to request for exam revaluation, re-checking on the PU website for 10 days from the result declaration.

As timing for result announcement is unknown, candidates are hereby advised to check the Periyar University website every few hours for any result update. Also, our website will have any updates on the Periyar University UG, PG result 2019 and candidates can check it there as well.

Around 1.50 lakh students combined appear for UG and PG exams conducted by the university at 105 affiliated colleges at Periyar University. The university offers several UG and PG courses and also has a distance learning education programme called PRIDE.

How to check Periyar University UG/PG result

A longtime reader who was a senior official government in a previous Democratic administration sent me this:

I’m sorry if this question strikes people as impolite. A 78-year old man who had a heart attack less than five months ago and refuses to release his complete medical records is the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. If Bernie Sanders is nominated and elected president, what are the odds he can complete a full term? The answer is about 50-50.

A team of nine cardiologists recently published a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association that can help answer that question.Their study tracked the expected mortality and life expectancy of people who survive a first heart attack (myocardial infarction) at ages 65 and older. The scientists’ data are comprehensive, covering what happened to 22,295 heart attack patients admitted to U.S. hospitals from October 2004 to December 2006.

Their analysis provides two ways to estimate a person’s expected mortality and life-expectancy based on age and cardiac history. Both methods produced nearly identical results. The likelihood that a person of Senator Sanders’ age and heart history will die within one year – that takes us through September 2020 – is 25 percent. Further, the median period of survival for those patients is about five years, so the likelihood that someone of Senator Sanders’ age and heart history will survive through the next presidential term is about 50-50.

This is far from typical. According to the CDC, the odds that a 78-year old American will die within one year are just over 4 percent, and the odds over five years are less than 23 percent. Moreover, 45 people have served as President of the United States, and four of them died in office from natural causes. The historical likelihood that a president will die in office for medical reasons, therefore, is less than 9 percent.

The analysis of Senator Sanders’ prospects could be more precise than 50-50, if we knew a common indicator of his current cardiac status, called the “the left ventricular ejection fraction.” This measures the blood volume a person’s heart pushes out with each heartbeat. According to an interview by NBC News with the president of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Richard Kovacs, the results are closely associated with a patient’s expected mortality rate. By this measure, the normal blood volume level is 60 percent. At 40 to 50 percent, the functioning of the heart’s left ventricle is said to be mildly impaired; at 30 percent to 40 percent, moderately impaired; and at 30 percent or less, severely impaired.

It is certainly reasonable that voters know those results for a 78-year old potential nominee with a heart condition. Thus far, Senator Sanders has refused. If he persists and is nominated, voters will have to consider very carefully his choice for vice president, since the odds that a vice president would succeed a President Sanders for medical reasons during his first term will jump from an average 9 percent to 50 percent.

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Lady Gaga got a midnight kiss from a mystery man.

The “Shallow” singer, 33, was spotted kissing a man who wasn’t Dan Horton on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas following her residency performance. Wearing a sequined gown, Gaga and her new beau passionately made out as confetti fell around them.

The casanova’s name is Michael, TMZ reported Wednesday. No other information about the “A Star Is Born” actress’ suitor is known.

A rep for Lady Gaga didn’t immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.

Over the summer, the pop star was spotted making out with audio engineer Horton after she had split from fiancé Christian Carino.

JOHANNESBURG - A manhunt is underway after two women were killed and six others wounded in a drive-by shooting in Melville, Johannesburg.

The shooting took place just after midnight at a restaurant.

Police said in a statement that a vehicle approached the restaurant and fired multiple shots at patrons sitting outside.

The two victims are aged between 30 and 40.

The wounded were rushed to nearby hospitals. Police said that two of the victims are in critical condition.

Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela has condemned the incident.

Mawela urged the investigators to ensure that no stone is left unturned in ensuring that the suspects are found and brought to book.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have information is urged to call the crime stop number 08600 10111 or by giving a tip-off on the MySAPS app, anonymously if they so choose.

Q: First question, the US Ambassador to China said today that Washington has implemented so-called reciprocal measures, and he hoped China will ease restrictions on US diplomats meeting local officials in China. Can you comment on the statement and whether China will ease the restrictions? My second question, can you confirm or comment on Japan's statement today that one of its citizens has been detained in China on suspicion of spying?

A: Regarding the first question, my colleague stated China's position on the US restrictions on Chinese diplomats' normal, work-related activities in the US. You said the American ambassador was restricted. I wonder where he said that, what exactly he said and what specific restrictions he faces in China? As I recall, Ambassador Cui Tiankai to the US said just a few days ago that the former American ambassador to China visited all Chinese provinces in three years' time, while Ambassador Cui hasn't visited all the states in the US during his term of six and half years.

The Chinese side has a positive attitude on and provides assistance to American diplomats' normal, work-related activities in China. So I wonder if the American ambassador can make some clarifications on his remarks regarding when and what kind of restrictions he met with?

On this issue, we hope the US side can face up to the facts, provide convenience for people-to-people exchange and normal work-related activities between our two countries rather than setting obstacles or, even worse, shifting blames.

Regarding your second question, I'd refer you to the competent authority as I'm not aware of the specifics. But I'd like to underscore the fact that the treatment that the Chinese side gives to foreign citizens suspected of violating Chinese laws is entirely lawful. Regarding this case, we will provide necessary assistance in pursuant to the Agreement on Consular Relations between Japan and China for the Japanese side to fulfill its consular duties.

Q: We have seen that the demonstrations in Catalonia, Spain and London, the United Kingdom are becoming more and more like those in Hong Kong, especially concerning the violent offenses like arson, blocking airports and smashing shops. The violent demonstrators there claimed that they copied the "Hong Kong experience", and they wanted to make the places "another Hong Kong". However, Western politicians and media talked very few about this and some of them even clammed up. They believe those cases in Hong Kong are "democracy and freedom" while those in the West are "violence and rioting". I wonder what's your comment?

A: We have taken note of the developments in Catalonia, Spain and London, the United Kingdom, as well as the Western countries' attitude on these cases. Relevant media reports and comments have drawn much attention from the Chinese people, but we believe these are internal affairs of Spain and the UK that should be properly handled according to law.

However, as you said and the Chinese people have noticed, some Western politicians and media have apparently adopted different attitudes towards illegal, violent offenses that took place in different places. This tells us at least two things.

First, democracy and human rights are only a hypocritical cover for Western interference in Hong Kong affairs.

Second, there can only be one single standard and one single attitude towards violent offenses. In the end, double standards and connivance will hurt oneself as well as others.

Judging from the relevant developments in recent days and the performance of some Western politicians, more and more people have come to realize that "human rights", "democracy" and "beautiful sights" preached by some Western politicians are just illusory as a mirage in the desert or the Sirens' song on the sea. Those who cannot distinguish right from wrong and stand firm will only end up getting lost and destructed.

Q: On October 17, David Stilwell, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in his speech at the Wilson Center that China and the US are in a strategic competition, that the US must change the way it deals with China, and that ideologies do not matter that much now. He also wantonly criticized China's social system. I wonder if you have any comment?

A: I noted the relevant reports. Mr. Stilwell's speech exposed the serious ideological prejudice of some people in the US against China as well as their deep-seated mindset of hegemony and double standards.

In his speech he wantonly criticized China's social system, embittered by our country's pursuit of national rejuvenation. In fact, the Chinese people have the best say in whether our system is good or not. Our practice in the past years has spoken volume. We just celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China. The international community all spoke highly of the tremendous progress China made in the past seven decades and its important contributions to world peace and development. Altogether leaders of 178countries and heads of 36 international and regional organizations sent congratulations through various means. History and practice have shown that the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a right path consistent with China's national conditions and needs and is hence endorsed and supported by the Chinese people. Polls by multiple foreign institutions show that China enjoys the highest domestic support rate regarding its social system and development path among all the countries surveyed. Since it is a right and successful path, why should we change course? Since it enjoys the people's support, why should we give it up?

China and the US differ from each other in history, culture, social system, development path and national conditions. Neither side could change the other. The US idea of transforming others according to its own wish is wrong, and it will never work. China will not be manipulated. We will steadfastly follow the path and direction we have chosen. It is never China's intention to change the US. Likewise, the US should not dream of changing China. It should learn to respect the legitimate right to development of China and other countries with an inclusive and equal attitude. If a country is always fantasizing about altering others, its hopes will surely end up being smashed glasses. Only by learning peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation can all share a galaxy of brilliant stars.

There has indeed been competition and disagreement between China and the US. However, I'd like to stress that we must not let our mind be controlled by prejudice and apprehension, or let our relationship be defined by conflict and confrontation. What we need is to have those differences properly handled through equal-footed consultation, and keep working to expand common ground while setting aside differences. We hope the US will discard the obsolete Cold-War mentality, return to reason, view and handle relations with China correctly and work to consolidate rather than undermine mutual trust and cooperation.

Q: Vice President Wang Qishan will attend the enthronement ceremony for the new Japanese emperor tomorrow. Can you tell us your expectations for this visit?

A: As the special envoy of President Xi Jinping, Vice President Wang Qishan has set off to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in Japan.

China and Japan are important, close neighbors linked by the sea. During the G20 Osaka Summit in June this year, President Xi met with Prime Minister Abe and reached important consensus with him on building a bilateral relationship in keeping with the demand of a new era. Through this visit, China will work with Japan to maintain the momentum of high-level exchange, step up practical exchange and cooperation in various fields, and move forward the bilateral relations on the right track.

Q: First question, Iran says that a Chinese special envoy is visiting Tehran tomorrow. Do you have any information on that? Second question, is President Xi Jinping definitely going to the APEC conference in Chile?

A: On your first question, I have nothing specific for you at the moment. China and the Gulf countries keep friendly and close exchanges.

Regarding your second question, China attaches high importance to the 27th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Chile. APEC is an important Asia-Pacific mechanism for economic cooperation. China stands ready to work in concert with other sides to ensure fruitful outcomes of the summit and to deepen APEC cooperation for more tangible results. China supports Chile in successfully hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting this year. As to China's attendance, we will make an official announcement in due course.

Q: Further to the Japanese national detained in China, has the Chinese side clarified the cause of the detention to the Japanese side? Some in Japan say this incident might dampen the momentum for improvement of China-Japan relations, I wonder what's your comment?

A: As I said earlier, you will need to ask the competent department for specifics on the case. I can assure you, China is a country with rule of law. The relevant authority does not detain foreign nationals without due cause. As I just stated, the Chinese side handles foreign nationals who have violated Chinese laws in accordance with law. On this case specifically, we will facilitate consular access for Japanese officials based on the Agreement on Consular Relations between Japan and China. We hope the Japanese side will remind its citizens to respect China's laws and regulations and to not engage in illegal and criminal activities in China.

Some said this case will affect the amelioration of bilateral relations. Well, I think such interpretation or speculation is surely an exaggeration. There is no need to link an isolated case with overall relations, which is a completely separate matter. As I said, Vice President Wang Qishan will attend the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito tomorrow. We stand ready to work with Japan to make sure bilateral relations could advance along the right track.

Q: According to media reports, Indonesia's president-elect Joko Widodo was officially sworn in on October 20. President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice President Wang Qishan attended the inauguration ceremony. Could you share more information? What are China's expectations for cooperation with Indonesia's new government?

A: At the invitation of the Indonesian government, from October 18 to 21, President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice President Wang Qishan traveled to Jakarta for the inauguration ceremony for President Joko Widodo's second term and paid a friendly visit to the country. Vice President Wang met with President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin respectively.

Vice President Wang conveyed President Xi Jinping's warm congratulations, cordial greetings and best wishes to President Joko Widodo on his succession. He said that China and Indonesia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. Both are major developing countries in Asia and the world. The significance of China-Indonesia relations transcends the bilateral scope. China appreciates President Joko Widodo's commitment to promoting the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership and to seeking synergies between the BRI and Indonesia's development strategies. With the care and support of the two heads of state, the Jakarta-Bandung high speed rail project made smooth progress, which has become an example of infrastructure cooperation between the two countries.

China and Indonesia, both belonging to the Oriental civilization, boast distinctive historical and cultural heritages. Both are developing countries, emerging economies and important members of the G20. As such, the two sides are well-positioned geographically, historically and culturally to enhance cooperative relations. There is also a practical need for mutual learning and win-win cooperation. We believe that under the leadership of President Joko Widodo, Indonesia will achieve greater progress in the next five years. We also stand ready to work with Indonesia to bring bilateral relations and practical cooperation in various sectors to a new level.

MISSOULA — The Missoula Food Bank is reporting that they made their holiday food drive goal of $250,000.

In a Facebook post Wednesday morning, Food Bank said that so many generous donors, including Patt and Terry Payne, pushed them over their goal on the very last day of 2019.

They go on say, that they do not take for granted the incredible support of this community. The final total collected was $250,308.96.

Every dollar makes a difference and keeps healthy food on the tables of children, aging adults, and others in our community who face the threat of food insecurity in their day-to-day lives.

KPAX TV, KAJ TV, First Security and Glacier Banks are proud sponsors of this annual food drive.

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In honor of a brand new year, Hailee Steinfeld has buried her relationship with Niall Horan in the past with her new song, ‘Wrong Direction,’ where the singer laments about how she fell ‘in the wrong direction’ with her former love.

A year after Hailee Steinfeld, 23, called it quits with Niall Horan, 26, the Dickinson actress seemingly resurrected her music career out of the ashes of her failed relationship with the One Direction member. Days after announcing that her new song, “Wrong Direction,” would be released on New Year’s Day, fans eagerly awaited Hailee to spill the tea on what went “wrong” between her and Niall. What they got was a thoughtful ballad about the former couple’s breakup and how Hailee is reckoning with how she was treated during the time they dated.

In the song, Hailee begins with a straight forward lyric that sets the tone for the tune. “I don’t hate you,” she somberly sings. “No, I couldn’t if I wanted to.” But, Hailee didn’t shy away from telling the subject of her song, “I just hate all the hurt that you put me through.” Throughout the entire piano ballad, the “Love Myself” singer confesses how she “was crazy to give you my mind, my body” throughout the turbulent relationship. Clearly, the song isn’t exactly a burn to her former flame, but more so an accounting for a courtship that simply wasn’t built to last and Hailee’s own perspective on their time together.

Hailee didn’t mention Niall by name when she announced the new single on Dec. 29, but that title wasn’t terribly subtle. Adding fuel to the fire, Hailee shared a series of photos from 2019 on her Instagram stories along with the message, “Thankful for all the lessons, the love, the heartbreak, & the memories.” Fans immediately expected this to be a reaction to Niall saying that his upcoming album (due in February or March 2020) is all about breakups. “There’s all these different sides to a breakup,” he told Jimmy Fallon on the Dec. 12 episode of The Tonight Show. “It’s not all sad, all the time. When you break up with someone, it’s not just like, I’m sitting at a window. I’m looking out. I’m feeling sorry for myself. It’s raining against that window.”

“Sometimes you’re like out on the town, throwing some shapes and you write songs like ‘Nice To Meet Ya!’ And then the sad ones come,” he added. “On this album, I just kind of wanted to write a nice mix of the ups and downs of that.”

Hailee and Niall split in December 2018 after a year of low-key dating. At first, reports claimed that their schedules were just too busy for romance. She was about to go on a major press tour for Bumblebee, and he was busy with his solo music career. It actually seemed to be one of the most amicable splits ever. Hailee even went so far to deny claims that she threw shade at her ex in January 2019. After she shared Julia Michaels’ Instagram Story about dating narcissists to her own account, some suspected she was subtweeting Nial. “No hidden messages, my loves,” she tweeted. “Just reposted an interesting read that I’m sure some of y’all can relate to. Nothing but love!”

“Wrong Direction” follow’s “Afterlife,” the single she released in September for her new Apple TV+ series, Dickinson. Though she has released a handful of songs and made appearances on other people’s tracks, fans have been patiently waiting for a follow-up to her 2016 debut, Haiz.

Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Singer and actress Hailee Steinfeld has released the lyric video for her new song "Wrong Direction."

The 4-minute breakup ballad is now on YouTube and other digital platforms.

It contains the lyrics: "I don't hate you. No, I couldn't if I wanted to. I just hate all the hurt that you put me through. And that I blame myself for letting you."

People.com said that since Steinfeld teased the song title earlier this week, fans have been speculating it is about Niall Horan, the 26-year-old, former One Direction singer she broke up with a year ago.

Steinfeld, 23, can now be seen in the Apple TV+ series Dickinson, which was recently renewed for a second season.

Taiwan’s Air Force General Shen Yi-ming (AP Photo)

Taiwan’s top military official was among three people missing on Thursday after a helicopter made an emergency landing in a mountainous northern area near the capital Taipei, the defence ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said it had sent a team to rescue the 13 people aboard the Black Hawk helicopter, who included Taiwan’s chief of general staff, Air Force General Shen Yi-ming, and several survivors had been found.

“Some crew are still trapped inside, while some have come out,” a military spokesman told a news conference broadcast live on television, although further details would not be available until troops reached the area of the crash.

The helicopter made the emergency landing in New Taipei City after aviation authorities lost contact with it at 8:22 a.m., the ministry said.

The incident comes a week before democratic Taiwan holds presidential and parliamentary elections on Jan. 11.

President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking re-election, cancelled election campaign activities scheduled for Thursday, and urged authorities to make every effort for the rescue.

The United States, which has no diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer and main arms supplier, sold it 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters in 2010.

It was not immediately clear whether the helicopter involved in Thursday’s incident was one of these.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory to be brought under Beijing’s control by force if necessary, regularly calls the island the most sensitive issue in its ties with the United States.

Taiwan says it is an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A we say goodbye to 2019, 2020 is on the horizon with hopes, dreams and a list of wishes for the new year.

Instead of taking a look back at 2019 let's take a look forward to 2020 in South Lake Tahoe. What does this year have in store for us?

The past year was not always a good one. We saw hate, internet bullies, rampant misinformation, long-time businesses closing up, and a growing division in the community. But, we also saw new financial investments in town, a start of better communication, celebrations of what is good, and an increased police force and fire department.

What is waiting for us in 2020?

Leadership - In 2020 there will be a new fire chief and city manager in South Lake Tahoe, and perhaps another top-level manager. In November's election, two City Council seats will be on the ballot. Over in Douglas County, two commissioners ended up in a fight in 2019 and meetings can be very contentious, especially when talking about Lake Tahoe...will that change in 2020?

Cell Tower Ordinance - In the coming weeks a new communications ordinance will be voted on, one that will provide a guide for all future cell and microcell towers. The public has had, and will continue to have, input on what it will say.

Vacation Home Rentals - The issues of vacation home rentals in the city limits was covered in the last election, with the result requiring their being phased out. But, a lawsuit may put a hamper on that.

Elections - Three members of the City Council still have two years left in their terms, but two are at the end of their four-year term as mentioned above. It is unknown at this time if they, Mayor Jason Collin and former Mayor Brooke Laine, will run again.

New Taxes - Voters in the Lake Valley Fire Protection District will vote on a new parcel tax to fund new equipment. Also coming, El Dorado County will be asking local voters to add more to their parcel taxes for snow removal.

Recreation Center - The extra tourism taxes added onto hotel and vacation home rentals for a new recreation center have been sitting, waiting to be used for what the voters approved. That fund continues to grow. Hopefully, plans will be finalized this year.

Electric Buses - Tahoe Transportation District is having two new electric buses built for South Lake Tahoe. They will be docked at Lake Tahoe Community College's new bus charging stations. Will the school district follow their guide and order more of their own since grant funds are now available for infrastructure?

Courts - In the El Dorado County Superior Court, Councilman Cody Bass is scheduled for a jury trial on federal tax charges. Defendants accused of the murder of a pot dealer in South Lake Tahoe in 2016 are still in jail - will they ever be tried?

Affordable Housing - Discussion has been going on for a long time, but is 2020 the year we see ground break on new project(s)?

Marijuana - New marijuana businesses should be opening in 2020, starting first with an approved microbusiness at the Y and another on James Street. Retail sales only businesses were stopped by court action in November.

There will be many more issues in town in 2020, some already known and some not. Hopefully, the public and leadership can discuss them in a thoughtful, constructive manner without the hateful conversations that took place last year. Nothing good can come out of division.

Let's have 2020 be the year of kindness, compassion, and progress. One where neighbors can be neighbors and unity is put back into community.

Happy New Year!

#BeKindSLT

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige feels like a failure when big actors turn down roles in blockbuster Marvel films.

The 46-year-old film producer – who has been President of Marvel Studios since 2007 – deals with rejection on a regular bases as actors turn down iconic roles in the blockbuster franchise, but has said he can’t help feeling as though he’s done something wrong when big names walk away from movie deals.

Speaking at a Q&A at New York Film Academy, Kevin said: “It happened the other day, with an actor. There’s an actor we want for something, they come in, you give a big pitch and you can sort of tell they’re not into it. [You think] ‘I guess I’m a failure, I’ll show them, we’ll cast somebody even better.’ “

Dictator Kim Jong Un said North Korea was no longer obligated to comply with a self-imposed moratorium on testing nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In remarks Tuesday to party leaders– and shared on state media Wednesday– Kim also warned of introducing a “new strategic weapon” in the near future.

Kim’s audience also heard him accuse the United States of making “gangster-like demands,” according to Reuters.

At times smiling or slapping the podium, Kim charged the U.S. with maintaining a “hostile policy” that included holding continued joint military drills with South Korea, adopting cutting edge weapons and imposing sanctions,

KIM JONG UN SAYS NORTH KOREA NEEDS TO TAKE ‘OFFENSIVE MEASURES’ TO PROTECT COUNTRY’S SECURITY

“The world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future,” Kim said, using the initials for North Korea’s official name–the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, according to Reuters.

While saying he no longer felt bound to honor a moratorium, the rogue leader gave no clear indication that a resumption of such tests was impending. He also appeared to leave the door open for eventual negotiations with the U.S.

Kim has used the diplomatic stalemate to expand his military capabilities by intensifying tests of shorter-range weapons. His arsenal is now estimated to include 40 to 50 nuclear bombs and various delivery systems, including solid-fuel missiles designed to beat missile-defense systems and developmental ICBMs potentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Kim has also strengthened his negotiating position, moving the diplomacy closer to an arms reduction negotiation between nuclear states rather than talks that would culminate in a unilateral surrender of the weapons he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.

HARRY KAZIANIS: NORTH KOREA’S KIM HAS THIS GOAL IN MIND (NO, HE’S NOT CRAZY). HERE’S HOW TRUMP SHOULD RESPOND

Lee Sang-min, a spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, said North Korea carrying out its threat to showcase a new strategic weapon would be unhelpful for diplomacy.

Kim’s comments published in state media Wednesday were made at a key, four-day meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee as talks between Washington and Pyongyang have faltered over disagreements on disarmament steps and the removal of sanctions.

President Donald Trump said he had a good relationship with Kim and thought the North Korean leader would keep his word, Reuters reported.

“He likes me, I like him. We get along. He’s representing his country, I’m representing my country. We have to do what we have to do.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“But he did sign a contract, he did sign an agreement talking about denuclearization,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Montana man was arrested Wednesday in the death of his wife who was originally believed to have been killed in a vehicle crash.

Daniel Scheihing, 70, of Billings was being held on charges of deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence at the Yellowstone County jail.

Scheihing was the driver of the GMC Yukon involved in Tuesday’s crash near Billings, Lt. Brandon Wooley said in a press release. The SUV swerved off the road and hit a power pole. A 72-year-old female passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt, was found dead at the scene, the Billings Gazette reported.

Investigators believe Scheihing’s wife was killed prior to the car accident but police have not released details about how they believe she died. Her name will not be released until after an autopsy, Wooley said.

Police searched a home listed as belonging to Scheihing early Wednesday before his arrest.

It is not known if he has a lawyer. No one answered the phone at his home Wednesday.

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LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — A 35-year-old New Hampshire man was fatally shot in Lawrence on New Year's Eve, authorities said Wednesday.

The Essex District Attorney's Office said Wilson Javier, of Salem, New Hampshire, was killed shortly before midnight Tuesday. Lawrence Police responded to a report of shots fired at a local apartment complex.

Javier was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and pronounced dead.

The Essex District Attorney's Office, Essex State Police Detective Unit and Lawrence Police are investigating. No arrests have been made.

Tom Brady Uses Protection Stones, And Other Top 'Talkers' Of 2019That time the six-time Super Bowl champion revealed that his supermodel wife has him use protection stones...

Boston's Favorite Spots For Inexpensive Italian FoodLooking to satisfy your appetite for Italian fare without breaking the bank?

Boston's Best Day SpasIf you are looking for some pampering and relaxation, maybe a day spa in the place for you. Here are the top rated spots in Boston.

To Do List: Holiday Pops, Harlem Globetrotters & Outdoor SkatingThe kids are just about on Christmas break and you’ll be looking for ideas to get everybody out of the house and moving.

Small Bites: Where To Celebrate National Cupcake Day In BostonCupcakes are having a moment, and with good reason. Here are some of the best in Boston.

Weekend To Do List: Ski Chalet In The City, Holiday Market, Tea Party ReenactmentWant to cozy up by the fire of an après ski chalet – in the city? It's just one option on this weekend's To Do List.

MONTRAL -- Across Quebec, 3D printing companies are active and working to fight the coronavirus.

They make prototypes of masks and visors; valves; devices for opening doors without using one's hands; and other medical equipment to supply hospitals that fear shortages.

Since Sunday, dozens of Panthera Dental employees in Quebec have been hard at work manufacturing various prototypes of equipment designed to protect caregivers.

“We understand the importance of the thing, something big is happening and we can help,” said Béatrice Robichaud, co-founder of the company specializing in the manufacture of dental medicine products.

Panthera Dental has around twenty 3D printers and as it is well known in the medical community, the company has received many requests related to the pandemic.

“The federal government, the provincial government, hospitals in Quebec, and even hospitals in the United States called us to find out what we could do,” said Robichaud. “What sets us apart from other companies is that we already print medical equipment, so we can create sterilized and reusable products.”

She said she has presented various prototype equipment to medical authorities, and that her company continues to research while waiting to see what type of equipment the authorities will need.

“There is a global shortage of certain medical devices and each country is trying to produce for itself, so we cannot count on the others, we must be able to produce between our walls,” she added.

Public health authorities have also contacted the 3D printing company Fablab to put its printers to work and help doctors.

“We are part of an unofficial group, there is a network that has been formed with doctors and people from public health and we are discussing what is possible to manufacture,” said Fablab production manager Vincent Charlebois.

Voxel Factory, which is located in Montreal, sells professional 3D printers designed for businesses. Sales director Francois Lahey is also in contact with various hospitals.

“There are currently discussions to know what the needs will be. It is important to wait for the authorities to tell us what they want, to properly meet the requirements of the medical staff,” he said, adding that his company is one of the largest suppliers of 3D printers in Canada.

Small businesses that do 3D printing are also in demand. The Eric Paré Photo Studio, which has a single 3D printer, was contacted by a doctor, who wanted to have a visor made to protect herself from the risks of contamination.

“It's a doctor I know, so we printed a prototype and this doctor will present it to the medical staff where she works,” said Christian Dion, an employee at the studio.

The improvised manufacturing of medical equipment involves health risks, but in France and in Italy, companies initiatives which mobilized to 3D print the material had great success. Some of these initiatives play an essential role in the fight against the coronavirus.

The Italian Minister for Technological Innovation Paola Pisano has also congratulated and publicly thanked entrepreneurs who have succeeded in creating respiratory valves thanks to 3D printing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 24, 2020.

National Library Of Jamaica Extends Poetry Competition Submissions Deadline To Jan. 3, 2020

Story Highlights Persons interested in participating in the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) Poet Laureate of Jamaica Prizes for Poetry competition are invited to submit entries by January 3, 2020.

Submissions are being accepted for any of the following: the Edward Baugh Prize for Poetry, Michael Cooke Prize for Poetry, Louise Bennett-Coverley Prize for Poetry, and the Poet Laureate of Jamaica, as also the Helen Zell/Young Writer’s Prize for Poetry.

Entries will be judged by a panel from the NLJ led by Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna Goodison.

Persons interested in participating in the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) Poet Laureate of Jamaica Prizes for Poetry competition are invited to submit entries by January 3, 2020.

Submissions are being accepted for any of the following: the Edward Baugh Prize for Poetry, Michael Cooke Prize for Poetry, Louise Bennett-Coverley Prize for Poetry, and the Poet Laureate of Jamaica, as also the Helen Zell/Young Writer’s Prize for Poetry.

Entries will be judged by a panel from the NLJ led by Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna Goodison.

The winners for each category, which carries a cash prize of US$1,000, will be announced during Jamaica’s World Poetry Day celebrations in March 2020.

Director of Special Programmes at the NLJ and Coordinator of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme, Abigail Henry, told JIS News that the initial December 20 deadline was extended to facilitate participation by more persons.

“We extended the deadline to give people a little extra time over the Christmas break. It is not often that we see prizes that carry such a large cash award for poetry, to foster the development of new voices of young people emerging in poetry in Jamaica. We are encouraging everybody who is eligible… and persons interested in developing their voice and a career in poetry to get their submissions in,” she said.

Ms. Henry, who described the competition as an “excellent programme”, contended that “it is not just about the prizes”.

“It is about being part of this network of young writers [for whom] we are putting together workshops and event activities geared towards developing their craft and poetic voices. We encourage everyone who is eligible to take advantage of this opportunity,” she added.

Ms. Henry said since the competition’s inception three years ago, there has been an emergence of new voices in poetry.

In a bid to further nurture these talents, she said poems that were shortlisted for prizes in the competition over the years will be published in an anthology by the administrator of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme, the NLJ.

Copies of the publication will be distributed through the NLJ, and will be available at select bookstores.

The Poet Laureate of Jamaica Prizes for Poetry competition is a collaborative initiative of the NLJ, through the office of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica, and the United States-based University of Michigan Helen Zell Writers’ Program.

It aims to recognise talented young Jamaicans who are interested in pursuing a career in poetry.

Persons may contact the NLJ for submission criteria and other information at (876) 967-1526 or (876) 967-2516 or visit the website at www.nlj.gov.jm.

If saving money is high on your list of New Year's resolutions, then there's a simple way to ensure you have a nice nest egg at the end of 2020 - without it feeling too taxing.

Rather than make drastic promises that are difficult to keep, UK parenting site PlayPennies has challenged Brits to start by saving a single penny and adding one more every day.

The money-saving approach, which lasts for 365 days, could net you almost £700 over the course of the year.

It works by putting one penny away today and adding an extra penny every day, so that your saving matches the day of the year - for instance 1p on day one, 100p on day 100 and so on.

The scheme starts with you saving one penny on the first day, before adding a penny every day for 365 days

It means on the final day you will put £3.65 into your piggy bank, bringing the total amount saved in a year to £667.95.

Because it's a case of saving just a few pounds each day by the end of the scheme, the plan is designed to feel accessible.

You could also try the challenge in reverse, by starting with a £3.65 saving and working backwards.

The parenting site suggests the money-saving approach is 'a low impact way to work towards that holiday or wedding dress'.

Rather than make drastic promises that are difficult to keep, UK parenting site PlayPennies has challenged Brits to put aide just an extra penny everyday (stock photo)

The money will come as a welcome boost to many during the festive season, after shoppers spent millions of pounds Christmas shopping last year.

Plus, four in 10 UK adults were expected to make the most of sales from Boxing Day, spending an average of £186 each and a total of £3.7billion, according to Barclaycard.

Meanwhile, online sales were set to rise by 10 per cent on 2018 to £1.14billion.

Opinium Research surveyed 2,002 UK adults online for Barclaycard between November 29 and December 3.

Pogba did not travel to East Lancashire with the rest of the squad at the weekend, after making substitute appearances against Watford and Newcastle United.

Those two cameos off the bench added up to around 70 minutes of action after almost three months out injured for the 26-year-old.

Solskjaer has indicated the midfielder simply required additional rest.

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