Question:
Celltrion has confirmed it will build a biosimilars plant in China and may merge its healthcare and pharma units.

A spokesman told Bioprocess Insider: ŌĆ£Celltrion plans to build a plant in China in a move to directly advance into the worldŌĆÖs second-largest biopharmaceutical market. Celltrion signed a business agreement with the city government of Wuhan and the provincial government of Hubei Province on 20 January 2020.

ŌĆ£The companyŌĆÖs business roadmap centers on building a plant with a production capacity of 120,000 liters in China to boost capacity amid rising demand. The plant will not only manufacture biopharmaceutical products but also include CMO business,ŌĆØ he added.

The spokesman went on to say that ŌĆ£Celltrion will eventually also set up its sales and manufacturing infrastructure in China and a portfolio of 16 products tailored for the Chinese market will be set up by 2030.

The comments came after Celltrion chairman Seo Jung-jin announced plans for the China plant at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference last week.

Also, according to the Yonhap News Agency, Celltrion will sell Remsima, a biosimilar version of Janssen BiotechŌĆÖs autoimmune disease drug Remicade (infliximab), in China.

The subcutaneous formulation of Remsima was approved by the European Commission for patients with rheumatoid arthritis in┬ĀNovember 2019

Celltrion Healthcare, the firmŌĆÖs distribution arm, has applied for a further extension to the marketing authorization to include inflammatory bowel disease.

This EU decision is expected in mid-2020.

Merger?

In related news, Celltrion is considering merging its Celltrion Healthcare Co. and Celltrion Pharm Inc businesses.

According to a regulatory filing published last Friday (here in Korean), the firm is conducting an internal review to assess such a merger.

Celltrion Pharma is the firmŌĆÖs drug business, while Celltrion Healthcare handles distribution in overseas markets.

According to the Pulse newswire, Seo shared the possibility of a merger at the JP Morgan conference.

He told delegates such a move would create synergy by integrating development, production and distribution.

Enhanced ADC platform

Seo also shared details of CelltrionŌĆÖs drug development plan, which will involve a new platform technology and drug repositioning.

According to a company statement the tech ŌĆō the Antibody Delivery Enhancing Domain (ADED) ŌĆō is designed to increase the delivery efficiency of antibody-drug conjugates and their cell penetration.

Celltrion said the approach ŌĆ£has the potential to enhance cancer treatments.ŌĆØ

Celltrion partnered with ADED developer iProgen Biotech last year. At the time the firm said the plan was to develop novel ADCs against validated antibody targets, including HER2 and CD20.

South Korea’s Celltrion, which has been building a massive biologics site in Songdo, has decided it is time to build some operations next door in China.

The biosimilar maker intends to build in China a plant capable of producing 120,000 liters so it can cash in on that market, Chairman Seo Jung-jin announced at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, the Yonhap News Agency reports.

RELATED: Celltrion and Samsung duel shaping up as both pledge billions of dollars to biologics

“We are in the final stage of signing a contract with the Chinese government. We will soon announce details of the plant," Seo said Wednesday during the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

RELATED: Roche’s patent cliff just got steeper as FDA approves Celltrion’s Rituxan biosimilar Truxima

The company is conducting a Phase III trial of its biosimilar of Jansen’s Remicade in China. Celltrion also has biosimilars of Rituxan and Herceptin approved in other markets that it might take to the world’s second-largest drug market.

While short on details, Seo last year said the South Korea company intended to lay out $33.6 billion on its pharma business over the next decade. It intends to invest in its biologics operations, ingredient business, as well as artificial intelligence to create an e-commerce market for its drugs.

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We’re three days into the new year. For most of us, Wednesday’s hangover is a bad memory. We will spend

Iraqi militiamen were back at it again today outside the US Embassy in Iraq, but this time they were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from a new contingent of 100 US soldiers who were deployed to protect the embassy after yesterday’s violent protests:

FOX NEWS – The dozens of pro-Iran militiamen and protesters camped outside the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad were met Wednesday with tear gas thrown by U.S. Marines guarding the compound.

Smoke rose from the building after protesters lit a fire on the roof of the enclosure’s reception area, one day after militiamen stormed into the compound and smashed windows before pulling back.

It was one of the worst attacks on a U.S. diplomatic mission in years.

The demonstrators were protesting the deadly U.S. airstrikes that targeted an Iran-backed militia over the weekend that killed 25 fighters. Those strikes were in response to a rocket attack on an Iraqi Army base that killed a U.S. contractor and injured several American troops.

By Wednesday morning, the protesters had set up around 50 tents, along with a makeshift clinic. Cooks with aprons were serving meals out of giant pots.

Outside one of the gates, a Shiite cleric recited verses from the Muslim holy book, the Koran, through a loudspeaker.

Elsewhere, demonstrators could be seen hurling rocks over the walls of the embassy compound before U.S. troops responded by firing tear gas from the roofs of the buildings.

Some 100 U.S. Marines arrived at the embassy late Tuesday to bolster security as President Trump has denounced the actions by protesters, vowing the situation in Baghdad “will not be a Benghazi.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has, on January 2nd, managed to take some time out of his busy party and backyard cricket schedule to front Australian media, where he has asserted that one of the real tragedies of the on-going, cataclysmic fire catastrophe is milk that’s had to be poured out.

Morrison and Minister for Water Resources David Littleproud fronted media a short time ago for a large and at-times rambling press conference in a bid to quell rising fury from the public in regards to the complete lack of visible action from the Morrison Federal Government as the fire issues have worsened and the associated death toll has risen.

Remarkably enough, the Prime Minister singled out the NSW town of Cobargo, which was virtually flattened as the fire front swept through the town just before New Year’s. Rather than suggest that people losing their homes, and even their lives, Morrison suggested that the biggest tragedy for Cobargo was dairy farmers having to pour milk down a hill due to blackouts shutting off refrigerated storage.

“In particular, down in Cobargo and places like that, where dairies have been milking and they simply have to pour the milk down the hill because of the lack of power to those areas at this time. That is the tragedy of what is occurring as a result of these disasters.”

READ MORE Scotty From Marketing Spent Yesterday Faffing About With Cricketers

In a remarkably defensive and at times visibly angry appearance, Morrison repeatedly passed the buck of immediate fire response onto the states – though he did assert Commonwealth assistance was being made available whenever it was needed.

The Prime Minister was repeatedly grilled on the links between climate change and the conditions that have severely exacerbated fire conditions, and it was on this issue that he became visibly annoyed.

Tersely, he snapped “What we will do is make sure our policies remain sensible, that they don’t move towards either extreme, and stay focused on what Australians need for a vibrant and viable economy, as well as a vibrant and sustainable environment. Getting the balance right is what Australia has always been able to achieve.”

Shortly after that, he closed his response off with a curt “thank you very much,” before storming off and ending the press conference.

The Prime Minister did not field any question, nor did he provide comment on, his extraordinarily ill-timed Hawaii holiday, nor his reported past 24 hours spent entertaining a variety of guests at Kirribilli House.

All in a day’s work for Scotty, folks.

The men were travelling along Ferry Road, Haxey, in a blue Ford Fiesta when the car left the road and came to rest in a ditch.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at around 10.45pm.

The passenger suffered potentially life threatening injuries and the driver was also seriously injured.

Ferry Road, Haxey

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The annual population growth rate of the United States over the past year continued a decades-long decline, dropping to its lowest level in the past century.

According to newly released estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population grew by 1,552,022 since 2018, an increase of one-half of one percent.

That rate of growth is slower than during the Great Depression of the 1930s, a period which had until the past decade marked the smallest expansion of the U.S. population since the overall number of inhabitants briefly dropped in 1918

Several factors help explain why the U.S. population growth rate is slowing:

Declining fertility rates, more deaths

Forty-two states and the District of Columbia all had a drop in the number of births recorded over the past year. And with the number of deaths continuing a steady decade-long rise as more and more post-World War Two baby boomers reach old age, the number of births outnumbered the number of deaths nationwide by fewer than 1 million for the first time in decades.

That birth-driven increase in population did not occur this year in West Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, all of which had more deaths than births.

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Fewer immigrants

The estimated number of people moving annually to the U.S. from other parts of the world has steadily declined from the decade's highest total of 1,046,709 in 2016, the final year of the Obama administration.

This year's expected total of 595,348 immigrants would be the lowest yet in the Trump administration, which has proposed new restrictions on immigration and slashed the number of refugees being granted asylum.

Many states have also had residents leaving for other states. Over the past nine years, New York is the state with the largest out-migration, losing 1,379,210 of its residents. They are among more than 2.5 million residents of the U.S. Northeast who have moved to other regions, making it the most widely abandoned part of the country.

The Midwest has had the second largest exodus. Of the 1,666,043 Midwesterners who have left since 2010, 865,873 hailed from Illinois.

In contrast, the 912,038 people who moved away from California over the past nine years were outnumbered by 1,021,544 moving there from abroad.

Other states have had far more people moving in from elsewhere in the country than leaving. Texas has been a top recipient, with 1,145,629 arriving from other states and another 818,757 from abroad since 2010. It's nearly matched by Florida, with 1,289,614 residents of other states moving there and 1,107,039 more coming from abroad.

These demographic shifts will likely have consequences when U.S. congressional districts are reapportioned based on the 2020 census.

"From the calculations I've done," says William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, "Texas could gain three seats, Florida could gain two seats. California fairly likely could lose a seat for the first time in its history."

Frey predicts the aging of the workforce and the shrinking population growth rate will also have political ramifications.

"You know, a lot of our decline of births, or at least slow growth of births, can be countered by immigration from abroad," he tells NPR's Here and Now. "And so immigration is going to be a much bigger part of our growth. So this is something to pay attention to as we move ahead into the next decade. What is our immigration policy going to be? How are immigrants going to fit into the rest of our society, in the rest of our economy?"

"The big safety valve in all of this," Frey says, "is immigration."

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Question:
While kids are out of school Burger King restaurants in the United States are offering two free kids meals for one adult meal in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

>>Which Dayton area restaurants are offering carryout, delivery and curbside service?

The offer, reported by Bloomberg earlier this week, is available online or through Burger King’s mobile-phone app.

Burger King is offering orders for carryout and delivery.

we’re thinking about you. we believe restaurants will have an increasingly essential role in feeding our country. so whether you’re ordering at BK or elsewhere, use minimum contact methods like drive-thrus, pick-up or delivery. take care, https://t.co/tWSdfUbbGu

cc: @whitehouse — Burger King (@BurgerKing) March 17, 2020

Jose Cil, CEO of Burger King's parent company, Restaurant Brands International Inc., discussed the new offer on Tuesday after participating in a conference call with President Trump, according to Bloomberg.

article

Burger King will start offering free kids meals at their US restaurants.

This announcement comes as several cities and states have told restaurants to close their dining rooms and only fulfill take-out and delivery orders. At the same time, many school districts across the country have either closed or started teaching students online, which has caused problems for families who rely on school lunches to feed their children.

Burger King restaurants in the United States will start offering two free kids meals for one adult meal, Bloomberg reports. The offer will reportedly be available for orders placed through the restaurant's online or mobile apps.

Jose Cil, CEO of Burger King's parent company, Restaurant Brands International Inc., discussed the new offer on Tuesday after participating in a conference call with President Trump. The call included other restaurant leaders and was focused on the coronavirus pandemic's effect on the restaurant industry.

According to Bloomberg, Cil said, "We work closely with each of our franchisees. We’re going to get through this. We have a strong franchise system and a very strong franchise model.”

Cil also said that the company was working with its franchisees on a case-by-case basis to determine whether to provide aid.

Burger King isn't the only company making changes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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DoorDash, a restaurant delivery app, recently announced several changes to their policies to limit the amount of contact customers make with restaurant workers and delivery drivers. The company also announced that they would be waiving commission fees for pick-up orders for restaurants already using the service.

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It appears Boxing Week deals weren’t good enough for a pair of alleged thieves in Langford, B.C.

The pair were captured on camera hustling a flat screen television out of the Victoria suburb’s Superstore, and into a waiting SUV — before fleeing in a panic with the door still open and the TV hanging out.

READ MORE: More downtown Vancouver store owners say violent shoplifting is getting worse

Shannon Burnside told Global News the duo actually pushed her out of the way as they scrambled out the store’s “in” door, and partially loaded the television into the vehicle.

She said the SUV then almost drove off without one of the men “who was literally caught with his pants down.”

In the video, one of the alleged thieves can be seen appearing to break his stride to pull his pants up as the SUV jerks to a stop for him to jump in.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: Vancouver police change tone on rise in violent shoplifting incidents

Management at the Superstore declined to comment. Global News has requested comment from the West Shore RCMP.

Burnside said staff at the store thanked her for shooting the video, and wondered where the security guard had been.

If you own shares in CPS Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:CPSH) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Modern finance theory considers volatility to be a measure of risk, and there are two main types of price volatility. First, we have company specific volatility, which is the price gyrations of an individual stock. Holding at least 8 stocks can reduce this kind of risk across a portfolio. The second type is the broader market volatility, which you cannot diversify away, since it arises from macroeconomic factors which directly affects all the stocks on the market.

Some stocks mimic the volatility of the market quite closely, while others demonstrate muted, exagerrated or uncorrelated price movements. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk' in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. A stock with a beta below one is either less volatile than the market, or more volatile but not corellated with the overall market. In comparison a stock with a beta of over one tends to be move in a similar direction to the market in the long term, but with greater changes in price.

View our latest analysis for CPS Technologies

What CPSH's beta value tells investors

Looking at the last five years, CPS Technologies has a beta of 1.37. The fact that this is well above 1 indicates that its share price movements have shown sensitivity to overall market volatility. If the past is any guide, we would expect that CPS Technologies shares will rise quicker than the markets in times of optimism, but fall faster in times of pessimism. Beta is worth considering, but it's also important to consider whether CPS Technologies is growing earnings and revenue. You can take a look for yourself, below.

NasdaqCM:CPSH Income Statement, January 1st 2020 More

Does CPSH's size influence the expected beta?

CPS Technologies is a noticeably small company, with a market capitalisation of US$13m. Most companies this size are not always actively traded. It has a relatively high beta, suggesting it is fairly actively traded for a company of its size. Because it takes less capital to move the share price of a small company like this, when a stock this size is actively traded it is quite often more sensitive to market volatility than similar large companies.

What this means for you:

Since CPS Technologies tends to moves up when the market is going up, and down when it's going down, potential investors may wish to reflect on the overall market, when considering the stock. In order to fully understand whether CPSH is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as CPS Technologies’s financial health and performance track record. I highly recommend you dive deeper by considering the following:

Financial Health: Are CPSH’s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why we’ve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Past Track Record: Has CPSH been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of CPSH's historicals for more clarity. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.

Everybody knows in Ghanan that Danchehall artiste Stonebwoy loves his mother to the bone and does not take comments about her who is late very lightly.

For the first time, Ghanaians have been privy to see the tattoo of Stonebwoy’s mother on his back after concealing it for years.

The BHIM Nation president whilst marking 5 years since the death of mummy shared the screenshot of tattoo on his back.

He claimed he does not go anywhere without his mother’s protection and support at his back.

1Gad added that he is actually celebrating 5 years for his mother.

Stonebwoy lost his mom in the year 2015. Prior to that, Stonebwoy has constantly been spotted hanging around his adorable mother.

For months, Stonebwoy got devastated by his mum’s demise.

See Photos Below:

Preface

Many Americans are disgusted and concerned about the dysfunction and abysmal results from Washington, D.C., and so are we. However, this paper is not about adding to the depressing national dialog about politics, but about how to change the system by taking action that will work.

Too many people—including many pundits, political scientists, and politicians themselves—are laboring under a misimpression that our political problems are inevitable, or the result of a weakening of the parties, or due to the parties’ ideological incoherence, or because of an increasingly polarized American public. Those who focus on these reasons are looking in the wrong places. The result is that despite all the commentary and attention on politics in recent years, there is still no accepted strategy to reform the system and things keep getting worse.

We need a new approach. Our political problems are not due to a single cause, but rather to a failure of the nature of the political competition that has been created. This is a systems problem.

We are not political scientists, political insiders, or political experts. Instead, we bring a new analytical lens to understanding the performance of our political system: the lens of industry competition. This type of analysis has been used for decades to understand competition in other industries, and sheds new light on the failure of politics because politics in America has become, over the last several decades, a major industry that works like other industries.

We use this lens to put forth an investment thesis for political reform and innovation. What would be required to actually change the political outcomes we are experiencing? What would it take to better align the political system with the public interest and make progress on the nation’s problems? And, which of the many political reform and innovation ideas that have been proposed would actually alter the trajectory of the system?

Politics in America is not a hopeless problem, though it is easy to feel this way given what we experience and read about every day. There are promising reforms already gaining traction including important elements of the strategy we propose. It is up to us as citizens to recapture our democracy—it will not be self-correcting. We invite you to personally engage by investing both your time and resources—and by mobilizing those around you—in what we believe is the greatest challenge facing America today.

It is often said that “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”1 Today the challenge for Americans is to participate not only as voters, but also to participate in the reform of the political system itself. This is our democracy, and the need is urgent.

This report is about politics, but it is not political. The problem is not Democrats or Republicans or the existence of parties per se. The problem is not individual politicians; most who seek and hold public office are genuinely seeking to make a positive contribution. The real problem is the nature of competition in the politics industry.

Katherine M. Gehl & Michael E. Porter

JAMMU: A Border Security Force jawan on Wednesday suffered a bullet injury in the firing by Pakistan army in Poonch district, a police official said.

The jawan was manning a forward post and was hit by a bullet in the left leg from across the border in Mankote area of Mendhar sector, the official said.

He said the injured was shifted to hospital and his condition was stated to be “stable”.

There was a brief exchange of fire between the two sides following the incident, the official said. (AGENCIES)

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The new coronavirus is a respiratory illness, and it typically spreads via airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs or sneezes.

Live coronavirus particles can survive for a time on surfaces. It lives longest on polypropylene plastic.

New research suggests the virus' life span is anywhere between three hours and three days on surfaces, depending on the material.

A graphic shows how long the coronavirus can live on surfaces.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The new coronavirus is a respiratory illness, which means it typically spreads via airborne droplets. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, droplets carrying viral particles can land on someone else's nose or mouth or get inhaled.

But a person can sometimes get the coronavirus if they touch a surface or object that has viral particles on it and then touch their mouth, nose, or eyes. The life span of the virus on a surface depends on myriad factors, including the surrounding temperature, humidity, and type of surface.

A study published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested the virus could live up to four hours on copper, up to a day on cardboard, and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

The coronavirus can also live in the air for up to three hours, the study authors said.

How long the coronavirus can survive on surfaces

The researchers compared the new coronavirus' life span on surfaces with that of the SARS coronavirus in a 70-degree Fahrenheit room at 40% relative humidity. They found that both coronaviruses lived the longest on stainless steel and polypropylene, a type of plastic used in everything from Tupperware to toys. Both viruses lasted up to three days on plastic, and the new coronavirus lasted up to three days on steel.

On cardboard, however, the new coronavirus lasted three times longer than SARS did: 24 hours, compared with eight hours.

how long covid 19 can live on common surfaces More

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

Temperature and humidity play a big role in how long the virus can survive.

A recent study found that an 18-degree Fahrenheit jump, from 68 degrees to 86 degrees, decreased how long SARS lasted on steel surfaces by at least half. New research also found that increases in relative humidity reduce how readily the virus can spread between people.

Basically, humidity is how much moisture is in the air, or how clammy your skin feels outside. As relative humidity approaches 100%, sweat less readily evaporates into the air. That mugginess makes it challenging for viral droplets to survive in the air and spread between people.

You're unlikely to get the coronavirus from your Amazon package

Despite that daylong life span on cardboard, it's unlikely that anyone could contract the new coronavirus from a cardboard box, like those that Amazon delivers.

That's because shipping conditions make it difficult for the coronavirus to survive.

"We know that viruses are likely to only live a few hours to a few days under the sort of conditions we expose packages to, including shifts in temperature and humidity," Rachel Graham, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina, previously told Business Insider.

Some coronaviruses, including this new one, have a viral envelope: a fat layer that protects viral particles when they travel from person to person in the air. That sheath can dry out, however, killing the virus.

"There is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Coronavirus may stick around longer than you think — here's what you need to know

The new coronavirus, COVID-19, is a pandemic. Reported illnesses range from very mild to severe, including death. Scientists and medical experts anticipate widespread transmission will occur in the U.S. in coming months and recommend social distancing, among other measures, to slow the spread. Call your doctor and stay home if you are sick. Get more information at CDC.gov/coronavirus or call the Tennessee Department of Health coronavirus information line at 877-857-2945 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. EDT daily. Knox News is making this coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers, including nonsubscribers, to help people stay safe.

Schools, businesses and restaurants across the country have cut hours or closed entirely for deep cleaning amid the spread of COVID-19. However, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the coronavirus can live on surfaces and in the air for hours, sometimes days.

The virus spreads between people who are in close contact with one another through infected droplets, much like the common cold or flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists from the CDC, National Institutes of Health, Princeton and UCLA sprayed an aerosol that mimicked the microscopic droplets created when an infected person coughs or sneezes onto surfaces including plastic, stainless steel, cardboard and copper to represent a variety of household and hospital settings.

Newsletter: Stay safe and informed with updates on the spread of the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: CDC issues information on virus lifespan CDC says coronavirus 'does not spread easily' by touching surfaces or objects. But it still 'may be possible.' USA TODAY

How long the coronavirus can be infectious in an experimental setting

Plastic: 3 days

Stainless steel: 3 days

The coronavirus can live on polypropylene, a type of plastic used in everything from Tupperware to toys, and stainless steel for up to three days. Although the CDC has only reported person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, study leader Neeltje van Doremalen at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told the Associated Press that "it’s theoretically possible" that someone can get sick by touching contaminated surfaces.

Cardboard: 1 day

The COVID-19 virus can be infectious on cardboard for 24 hours. The CDC has said that it is unlikely that the coronavirus can be transmitted from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks "because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces." Experts say you don't need to be worried about being exposed to coronavirus on boxes delivered by Amazon or on your takeout food bag.

Copper: 4 hours

The coronavirus can sit on copper surfaces for up to four hours. The virus can live on coins made of copper, like pennies, more often than cash. Rachel Graham, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina, told Business Insider that "this shouldn't be a huge concern."

Air: 3 hours

The findings of this study show that the virus can linger in the air for about three hours. Close contact with people infected with COVID-19 can transmit the virus through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. This is the most common way to spread the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: How to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home It's vital to clean surfaces you touch every day amid the coronavirus outbreak. Here are mistakes to avoid. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY

How to clean surfaces with coronavirus

Preventative methods like cleaning and disinfecting surfaces often helps slow the spread of COVID-19. The CDC recommends putting on disposable gloves before touching anything that could have the virus on it.

First, you should clean the surface with soap and water before disinfecting. Then, use a diluted household bleach solution, an alcohol solution with at least 70% alcohol or an EPA-registered household disinfectant to rid the surface of germs.

When you're done, immediately throw away the gloves. Do not touch your face or any other surface. Last, wash your hands to make sure that no harmful bacteria are left.

Email Allie Clouse at aclouse@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @allie_clouse. If you enjoy Allie's coverage, support strong local journalism by subscribing for full access to all our content on every platform.

Someone in WA will be absolutely loving 2020 after taking out division one on the first day of the year, and the agent who sold the winning ticket is buzzing too after a tough 2019.

The winning ticket was sold in Carramar, in Perth’s north, ahead of Wednesday night’s draw, matching numbers 23, 24, 37, 25, 20 and 43.

The ticket was worth a cool $1 million.

NewsXpress Carramar owner Ray Pigdon said it was the best change of fortune coming off the back of a tough 2019.

“2020 has been a perfect start,” he said.

“Given we had a ram raid at our store last year, it’s nice to start this year with the first division one prize of 2020.

“I’m hoping the ticket has been sold to one of our regulars who have stuck with us.”

Play Video A WA Police spokesperson said the incident was still being investigated and anyone who witnessed the crash can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The West Australian Video A WA Police spokesperson said the incident was still being investigated and anyone who witnessed the crash can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Mr Pigdon’s store was among those damaged when a ute was rammed through the front doors of Carramar Village shortly after 4am on June 6.

The ute had allegedly been stolen and two people fled the scene.

“They have ram raided the centre front-on, then done a three-point turn and reversed into the shop taking out everything in their path,” Mr Pigdon’s wife Julie told Community News at the time

“They’ve smashed through our roller shutters and all our stock at the front as well as glass shelving and cabinets.”

She said thieves had taken a safe containing cash, scratchies and stamps.

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday observed its 22nd Foundation Day as 'Citizens' Day' as a mark of protest against the amended Citizenship Act.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, congratulated party workers on the occasion and said TMC is observing the day as 'Nagorik Dibas' (Citizens' Day) at the booth-level.

"We are observing the foundation day of @AITCofficial as 'Nagorik Dibas' (Citizens' Day) in every booth of #Bangla.

We all are citizens and Trinamool will continue to fight for the rights of the people. Jai Hind. Jai Bangla.

"#Trinamool22 Today @AITCofficial turns 22. The journey which began on January 1, 1998 has been full of struggles, but we have been steadfast in our resolve to fight for the people. We thank Maa-Mati-Manush for their constant support. Our workers are our biggest assets," she tweeted.

The TMC supremo had last week instructed party workers to conduct various programmes to mark the occasion.

The district TMC leaders have organised flag-hoisting programmes and street corner meetings to discuss and highlight the achievements of the party and speak against the amended Citizenship Act, party sources said.

Banerjee, who has been at the forefront in opposing CAA and NRC in West Bengal and across India, has been crisscrossing the state, holding protest marches and rallies against the new citizenship law.

The TMC was founded by Mamata Banerjee on January 1, 1998 with an aim to oust the then Left Front regime from power.

The party achieved its goal in May 2011 after forging an alliance with the Congress.

Danish actor Claes Bang is poised to become TV's newest sex symbol when he makes his debut as Dracula tonight.

Bang, 52, best known as The Affair's Sasha Mann, plays the world's most famous vampire in the BBC's new three-part adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic.

Fans are already impressed with what they've seen, with one declaring the tall, dark and handsome leading man to be 'very sexy'. Another tweeted cheekily: 'Claes Bang as the Dark Prince would have my neck anytime he wanted...'

Meanwhile early reviews of the mini series, which will air on three consecutive nights from today, suggest Bang ditches his signature cloak to appear in the nude on more than one occasion.

Claes Bang (left), 52, best known as The Affair's Sasha Mann, plays the world's most famous vampire in the BBC's new three-part adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic (right)

Early reviews suggest Bang ditches his signature cloak to appear in the nude on more than one occasion. Pictured, Bang strips off in a convent in a promotional shot from Dracula

Fans are already impressed with what they've seen, with one declaring the tall, dark and handsome leading man to be 'very sexy'. Another shared this cheeky tweet above

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, journalist Michael Hogan noted Bang spends 'an eyebrow-raising amount of screen-time naked'.

Dracula marks Bang's most high-profile English-language role to date and marks the culmination of an exciting few years.

The actor, who is married to artist and photographer Lis Kasper Bang, had his breakout role in the 2017 Ruben Östlund film The Square, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for best foreign language film.

It has been followed by turns in The Girl in the Spider's Web and The Burnt Orange Heresy, in which he starred opposite Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Debicki and Donald Sutherland.

The BBC adaptation follows lawyer Jonathan Harker (John Heffernan) as he travels to Transylvania to meet a new client, which turns out to be Dracula (pictured together)

One review noted Bang spends 'an eyebrow-raising amount of screen-time naked'. Pictured, the actor, topless and covered in blood, in a scene with nun Sister Agatha (Dolly Wells)

Bang's Dracula performance has made headlines already, prompting fans who were shown a preview to take to Twitter to share their excitement. Pictured, wiping blood from his mouth

But to British TV viewers he is likely to be best known as Sasha Mann, the charismatic, A-list movie star who played Helen's (Maura Tierney) love interest in the fifth and final season of The Affair.

Bang's Dracula performance has made headlines already, prompting fans who were shown a preview to take to Twitter to share their excitement.

One viewer who attended a preview screening in London this week tweeted: 'Claes Bang is an INCREDIBLE Dracula! I love Claes a Person, and as an Actor SO much! His interpretation of the Transylvanian Count was witty, devious and, (also), very sexy.'

Another agreed: 'Holy Transylvania, #Dracula is incredible. #StevenMoffat and @Markgatiss have done it again. This is a Dracula redefined for a new era - suave and cool, intimate and sexy, deliciously funny and horrifyingly grotesque. #ClaesBang is the Count of a generation. @BBCOne #BFI.'

To British TV viewers he is likely to be best known as Sasha Mann, the charismatic, A-list movie star who played Helen's (Maura Tierney) love interest in the fifth and final season of The Affair. Pictured, in a scene with Noah (Dominic West) and Whitney (Julia Goldani Telles)

The show's overtly sexual nature was also noted by Matthew Moore of The Times, who revealed the series includes a 'sex scene between Dracula and Jonathan Harker (John Heffernan), the [British] solicitor dispatched to his Romanian lair'.

He wrote: 'The sexual tone is clear from the outset. Even before the opening credits roll a character is asked plainly: "Did you have sex with Count Dracula?"'

But Moffat, 58, insisted the sex in the show should be seen as an act of destruction, rather than an act of romance.

Speaking at a screening, he said: 'He’s bi-homicidal, it’s not the same thing. He’s killing them, not dating them.'

The BBC adaptation follows Harker as he travels to Transylvania to meet a new client.

It is only once he is in the castle of Count Dracula that he realises he is a prisoner, rather than a guest. Dracula also stars Dolly Wells as nun Sister Agatha.

Dracula begins on BBC One at 9pm tonight

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum

Late last year, actor Michael C. Hall announced a new supergroup called Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum. Formed alongside fellow musicians and former Broadway co-stars Peter Yanowitz (The Wallflowers) and Matt Katz-Bohen (Blondie), the trio previously shared its debut single with the slow burning “Ketamine”. Now, the band is back with a second offering.

Titled “Come and Talk to Me”, it’s a much more upbeat and colorful listen. Hall’s falsetto leads the way on the dance track, riding high above disco-style synths provided by his bandmates. “Come and talk to me, my lover,” the Dexter and Six Feet Under star lures in almost loop-like repetition. Hear it for yourself below.

These two singles will appear on Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum’s debut EP, reportedly out in April. Outside of music, Hall recently had a role in the Amazon political drama The Report starring Adam Driver and Annette Bening. Additionally, Hall, who previously starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and David Bowie’s Lazarus musical, appeared in a 2019 Broadway production actually called Skittles Commercial.

In a new interview with Billboard, Hall said that his past Broadway projects helped lead to the formation of the new band,

“Well, Hedwig was the first chance I had to front a band, albeit dressed in full drag and platform heels… and it gave me a good taste of what that feels like. But, I was playing a character and singing someone else’s songs with a bunch of musicians who were playing someone else’s songs, whereas in this case, it really belongs to all of us and emerges from us, so it’s a very different thing. But yeah, I think Hedwig was maybe what led me on the road to feeling what it was like to front a band, which led me to, in a way, doing the David Bowie musical, Lazarus. In hindsight, all roads seem like they were leading to this.”

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The ball has dropped, and the roaring 2020s have arrived. If the top Bay Area news of the past decade are already out of sight and out of mind, brush up on all the new laws now in effect across California.

But if you’re spending the day off work and prefer to tune out the news about new laws, upcoming primaries and a presidential election, indulge your “so last decade” binge-watching habit by checking every title off the lists of the 20 best Bay Area movies of the decade and the top 10 Netflix shows of 2019.

Of course, with a new year and new decade, you could turn inward with a look at our horoscopes section to forecast what personal developments await you, or the probability that you will stick to your resolutions. For help reshaping your resolutions to maximize sustainability and success, we’ve got you covered there.

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Cartoons: Trump’s exaggeration about low-flow toilets Beyond your better health, greater prosperity and success, the Mercury News and East Bay Times wishes you a Happy New Year.

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Question:
FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Parents, students and Florence One Schools leaders are preparing for the new school calendar that’s been adopted for the 2020-2021 school year.

The calendar- billed as a modified year-round model- will have students in the classroom about two weeks earlier in August to make way for more time off throughout the year.

The school board approved the calendar for every school in the district last week.

“Continuous learning and then some refresh time is going to create an environment where we’re going to see even more growth,” Director of School Improvement Hayley Cagle said.

Cagle explained how the district is helping ease the transition to the new schedule.

She said daycare will be offered at elementary schools this year during the new break periods.

“We wanted to take that into account we wanted to be fair,” Cagle said. “So those students will have a daycare at school during the fall and the spring intercession. And this year that will be offered free.”

The district will also be lenient with parents and staff who had already booked plans in August.

“The first two weeks of August when we’re going to be coming in- we don’t normally come back then,” Cagle began. “We have agreed to excuse those days if they already have them booked.”

Spencer Scott heads up the non-profit group First Steps for Marion and Florence Counties. He’s been in touch with daycares, which he says are planning for the new schedule.

“We have spoken with our child care providers and they’re excited about it as well because it will give them the opportunity to have the kids during that time frame,” Scott said. “They are saying we’re gonna be ready during those days.”

Some parents remain on the fence.

“I’m for it and against it,” Vonnie McDonald said. She has an eighth grade son in the district. “High schoolers not being able to get a small time job during the summer to have that experience out in the real world.”

The district says the new system will make better use of classroom time and ease burnout on both teachers and students.

“I really hope once they get in the schedule and they see how it plays out they’re going to realize they do like the schedule and their students like the schedule,” Cagle said. “And that we are doing whatever we can to help their students learn and grow.”

You can view the schedule here:

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FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Changes could be coming to Florence One Schools’ schedule.

The district is considering adopting a ‘modified schedule,’ which would shave off between two and three weeks of summer vacation in favor of more time off throughout the year.

“We want to maximize that classroom instructional time by planning a schedule that will fit around our quarters and our semesters,” Director of School Improvement Hayley Cagle said. “We are looking to do whatever we can to motivate our students, to motivate our teachers.”

The preliminary plan would have two week break periods for every 45 days, Cagle explained. The time off may be spread out in the fall to accommodate sports schedules.

“We know teacher burnout is a problem,” Cagle said. “We know student burnout is a problem. And when teachers and students are able to have that instructional time and then have a time of rest… We feel they’re looking at that as a positive and that will assist them and us moving forward.”

The school year would still last 180 days for students and 190 days for teachers. The time of day school is scheduled for would not change, either.

The district sent out a survey last week that Cagle said showed favorable results from stakeholders and staff members. She said 83 percent of staff were interested in learning more and 73% of stakeholders responded favorably.

Some on social media criticized the survey because stakeholders could cast multiple submissions. Cagle said the district stood behind the integrity of the survey.

The idea was inspired by Timrod Elementary, which has been using a modified schedule since 2015. The school’s principal says since then she’s seen a drop in disciplinary issues, an increase in student achievement, among other perks.

“Before we moved to the modified calendar, we had a hard time recruiting teachers,” Principal Michelle McBride said. “Now we have an overwhelming amount of teachers who want to come to Timrod because of our new schedule.”

She said the schedule has worked well for the school.

“We have fully embraced our calendar and we can’t see ourselves going back to a regular calendar because we’ve had so much success on the modified calendar,” she said.

The schedule could go into effect as soon as the 2020-2021 school year for the entire district. A final decision is expected to be made at the next board meeting. Count on News13 for updates.

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From Inequality Media

He's maybe the most dangerous politician of my lifetime. He's helped transform the Republican Party into a cult, worshiping at the altar of authoritarianism. His spineless political posturing places party above country, even as foreign governments undermine our democracy.

In pursuit of power, he's damaged our country in ways that may take a generation to undo.

The politician I'm talking about is (Moscow) Mitch McConnell.

He refused for almost a year to allow the Senate to consider President Obama's moderate Supreme Court pick Merrick Garland. When Trump became president, McConnell got rid of the age-old Senate rule requiring 60 senators to agree on a Supreme Court nomination so he could ram through not one but two Supreme Court justices, including one with a likely history of sexual assault.

When Trump became president, McConnell got rid of the age-old Senate rule requiring 60 senators to agree on a Supreme Court nomination so he could ram through not one but two Supreme Court justices, including one with a likely history of sexual assault. He has rammed ultra-conservative, hyperpartisan, unqualified judges through the Senate confirmation process. The Senate has confirmed 187 Trump appointees to lifetime federal judgeships; seven of those confirmed nominees were given a "not qualified" rating by the American Bar Association. A quarter of federal circuit judges are now Trump appointees, shaping the courts for decades to come.

The Senate has confirmed 187 Trump appointees to lifetime federal judgeships; seven of those confirmed nominees were given a "not qualified" rating by the American Bar Association. A quarter of federal circuit judges are now Trump appointees, shaping the courts for decades to come. He has turned the Senate into a "legislative graveyard" by refusing to take up over 300 bills passed by the House. He's blocked bipartisan legislation that would enact universal background checks for gun purchases, lower the cost of prescription drugs, get big money out of politics, provide election security funding, protect voting rights, and on and on. He's gleefully adopted the nickname the "Grim Reaper" in a shameless show of pride for his refusal to pass anything that helps the American people. Under his leadership, what was once known as the world's greatest deliberative body has become a partisan lap dog.

He's blocked bipartisan legislation that would enact universal background checks for gun purchases, lower the cost of prescription drugs, get big money out of politics, provide election security funding, protect voting rights, and on and on. He's gleefully adopted the nickname the "Grim Reaper" in a shameless show of pride for his refusal to pass anything that helps the American people. Under his leadership, what was once known as the world's greatest deliberative body has become a partisan lap dog. He has already violated his oath to be an impartial juror in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial. He openly declared, word-for-word, that he would not be an impartial juror in the trial, proudly saying that he would be "coordinating with the White House counsel" and that "there will be no difference between the president's position and our position." He is not even pretending that the Senate trial will be fair, blatantly violating his oath to "do impartial justice" in order to protect Trump's interests. Imagine the foreman of a jury announcing before a trial that there will be no difference between the jury's position and a defendant's.

We need to ensure that McConnell's legacy is forever one of hypocrisy, inaction, and obstructionism.

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Visitors and locals to downtown San Antonio celebrated New Year’s Eve in style Tuesday night as fireworks displays and college football activities pervaded the area.

The official Celebrate SA event featured plenty of food trucks, carnival games and rides, 2020 swag, and music to dance the decade away.

Celebrate SA organizers expected about 70,000 people throughout the night, and the 60,147 attendees from the Valero Alamo Bowl, which featured the University of Texas Longhorns and Utah Utes, had something to do with it.

THANK YOU to the 60,147 fans in the Dome tonight! Only 30 minutes of football left this decade – you can catch it on @espn if you’re not here! 📺 | https://t.co/46kRRPNV8K pic.twitter.com/4qUmEkHEid — Valero Alamo Bowl (@valeroalamobowl) January 1, 2020

Dick Stewart just moved to the small town of Spring Branch about 35 miles north of San Antonio from Longview, and this is his first year celebrating in San Antonio.

On a typical New Year’s Eve Stewart would typically stay home in his East Texas home where large parties and fireworks are not the norm.

When asked if he was excited about the upcoming fireworks Stewart replied, “I’m beside myself, aren’t you?”

As crowds continue to grow, the color burnt orange seemed to be the theme of the evening, and spirits were high.

A decade is an arbitrary 10-year span, especially since people can’t even agree on when this decade ends: with the arrival of 2020 or 2021? Still, it’s a good moment to take stock.

For the West, this decade marked the end of the post-Cold War triumph of liberalism — the belief in economic and individual freedom balanced by welfare programs and regulation at home, and support for a “liberal world order” abroad. In a way, the stage for the end of liberalism was set in the late 2000s by the financial crisis and the failure of nation-building in Iraq. But the full consequences became evident several years later.

By the end of the 2010s, much of the West was consumed by right-wing populist fever — with the ostensible leader of the free world as populist-in-chief — with a radical socialist revival underway on the left.

This decade also saw an unprecedented rise of identity politics, in the United States and in many other Western countries. The intense focus on racism that began with the fatal shooting of black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012 addressed some real issues. But it also turned into a zealotry that often ignored facts, assigned collective guilt, and inflated trivial offenses. Talk of “whiteness” and “white privilege” became mainstreamed.

Gender politics followed the same trajectory, from valid concerns to polarizing rhetoric of “rape culture” and “toxic masculinity.”

Moreover, thanks to the social media explosion and the spread of technology that made it easy to capture and share videos, progressive identity politics became wedded to “attack now, check later” public shaming of perceived bigots.

The emergence of white — and white male — identity politics toward the decade’s end, culminating in the election of Donald Trump, was certainly not just a backlash against the excesses of progressivism. However, when racial and gender labeling is normalized and the stigma of racism is diluted by trivial accusations, this ultimately plays into the hands of the far right.

It is not an accident that as the decade of tribalism comes to an end, we see the comeback of violent anti-Semitism, now even in America, perpetrated by extremists of all stripes.

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If we continue down this path in the 2020s, the future is grim. Optimists point to the good things that are being overlooked, including progress in medicine and in fighting poverty. But without a return of true liberalism, no gains are secure.

Cathy Young is a contributing editor to Reason magazine.

Two weeks ago, on my travel blog , I explained why fear of coronavirus led to me cancelling a trip to France this summer. France doesn't have a coronavirus problem but I have a feeling it will-- we all will-- by summer. As you can see above, South Korea didn't have problem last week; but they sure do now-- a big surge in identified infections and a death of a man who has been hospitalized for more than 20 year. (In other words, medical professionals are failing to contain this in their own facilities.

This is the updated advice we'd pass along to Bernie's campaign:

Health Risk

• This contagion runs far ahead of visible symptoms

• It also hits older people much harder than younger people

Health Precautions

• Immediately reroute Bernie’s schedule away from rope lines and other hands, hugs and crowding

• Quickly refocus national surrogates’ on-site activities away from locations with highest numbers of travellers from Asia, such as Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego, in favor of campaigning in South Carolina and Super Tuesday states’ rural areas, where the virus is unlikely to spread as quickly.

Political Risk

• Much worse than suspension of March 3 elections would be appearance that: (a) Berners had alleged political motives for suspensions, (b) which are later perceived to have been justified by public health precautions

Rhetorical Contingencies

Contagious new and stealthy viruses remind us that:

• "Each one of us is easily infected by anybody in our community who faces financial barriers to getting check-ups and treatment, so Medicare For All is a necessary protection for all of us"

• "Each country’s safety now depends on maintaining communication and cooperation with other countries, while minimizing disruption from mutual suspicion and hostility"

• "We remember when news of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite suddenly changed our national culture and catalyzed our development of new technologies and industries. In response to today’s sudden viral pandemic threat, and to the slower but surer threat of climate collapse, we need another change of culture, to resist these threats against all of our people, and all peoples."

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
Mr Scindia left the Congress, his party of 18 years, on Tuesday (File)

Jyotiraditya Scindia is among the two candidates named by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.

The announcement followed moments after the 49-year-old four-time Lok Sabha MP joined the BJP.

Mr Scindia left the Congress, his party of 18 years, on Tuesday.

One of the reasons for his switch was said to be the promise of a Rajya Sabha nomination by the BJP, something that had proved to be a tough ask for him in the Congress.

Elections will be held for three Rajya Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh on March 26. In this, with the votes of first preference, the Congress and BJP are fixed as one seat each and the fight is on for the third seat.

According to sources, the Congress refused to give Mr Scindia a first preference seat that would secure his nomination.

Mr Scindia, a key Madhya Pradesh leader considered instrumental in the Congress's victory in the state election in December 2018, had to step back as Kamal Nath was made Chief Minister.

Over the past year, Mr Scindia, who also lost last year's parliamentary election, felt slighted and undermined in the Congress.

Sources say a Rajya Sabha nomination for him was strongly opposed by Kamal Nath. By the time he came around, Mr Scindia's talks with the BJP leadership, especially Amit Shah, had gone far.

The BJP sensed an opportunity to pull in Mr Scindia when he was denied a Rajya Sabha seat by the Congress six months ago, according to sources. That was the time he received the first feelers from the BJP.

There were several secret meetings over the next few months, according to sources.

Mr Scindia was 31 when he was first elected to parliament from Guna in Madhya Pradesh in 2002, as he won a by-election held following his father Madhavrao Scindia's death.

He subsequently served as union minister in different Congress governments.

"Scindia could have been Congress nominee to Rajya Sabha but only Modi-Shah can give cabinet post to the over-ambitious leader," said Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, one of Mr Scindia's rivals.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at former party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP on Wednesday, saying that he got worried about his political future and ‘abandoned’ his ideology.Also Read - 'Only Person in Congress Who Could Walk Into my House Anytime,' Says Rahul Gandhi on Jyotiraditya Scindia

Notably, Jyotiraditya Scindia, a former four-term Lok Sabha MP as well as a former Union Minister, on Tuesday brought to an end his 18-year-long association with the Congress. Also Read - 'While You Were Busy Destabilising Govt': Rahul Gandhi Breaks Silence, Attacks PM Modi For Madhya Pradesh Muddle

Speaking on the issue, Rahul said that Scindia joining the BJP was a ‘fight’ between two ideologies, with Congress being on one side and the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS)-the BJP’s ideological mentor-on the other. “I know Jyotiraditya’s ideology as he was with me in college. He got worried about his political future, abandoned his ideology and went with the RSS,” said Rahul Gandhi. Also Read - When Jyotiraditya Prompted Rahul Gandhi What to Say: Video And Memes Go Viral After Scindia's Exit

Rahul Gandhi, Congress: This is a fight of ideology, on one side is Congress & BJP-RSS on the other. I know Jyotiraditya Scindia's ideology, he was with me in college, I know him well. He got worried about his political future, abandoned his ideology and went with RSS. pic.twitter.com/VUD9SgPn1m — ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

He further said that having been Scindia’s friend for a long time, he knew that Scindia won’t get respect in the BJP and will realise this later. “What is in his heart and what is coming out of his mouth is different,” said the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad.

On being questioned why he is not sending his ‘core team members’ to the Rajya Sabha, he said that since he is not the Congress president anymore, he was not deciding on the party’s Rajya Sabha nominees.

Rahul Gandhi on being asked why he's not sending his core team members to Rajya Sabha: I'm not Congress President, I'm not taking decisions on RS nominees. I am informing the youth of the country about the economy. Who is in my team, who is not in my team is of no consequence. pic.twitter.com/BMOueCCGnM — ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

Not being given a ticket to the Rajya Sabha is reported to be one of the reasons that led to Jyotiraditya Scindia jumping ship to the BJP.

While the Democrats plotted to overthrow the President….

It’s tough to pick only 10 accomplishments from such an extraordinary year, but here are just a few of the biggest things President Donald J. Trump has gotten done for the American people in 2019:

Americans saw plenty of Washington at its worst this year, with one party in Congress obsessed with a partisan impeachment stunt and obstructing progress at every turn. But despite getting no help from the far left, America today is soaring to new heights.

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Poor old Rudolph (Picture: North News)

It takes a strong soul to brave the icy waters of the North Sea on the first day of the year – but apparently a strong pair of trunks are optional.

One man and his Rudolph suit were among hundreds who chose to nurse their hangovers with a freezing dip at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside this morning.

The sunshine did nothing to warm the chilly waters off the coast of North East England but that didn’t stop people running in and out of the waves with giant grins on their faces.

But the chills may have got the better of our man in a mankini, who was later spotted protecting his modesty by giving Rudolph a head of hair made of seaweed.

Quite the sight (Picture: NNP)

Some immediate regret showcased at Whitley Bay this morning (Picture: North News)

If you keep your arms above water everything is fine (Picture: PA)

Somehow still smiling in the sunshine (Picture: PA)

Santa seems to have lost his way after Christmas Day (Picture: North News)

Local Panama Swimming Club had organised the New Year’s Day Dip in previous years but today it was not officially organised by any group or individual.

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Instead the event was spread through word-of-mouth but people had been urged not to take part due to safety fears.

Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade had warned members of the public against going into the sea, stating that they may not have realised there are no official organisers and no apparent safety precautions in place.

In a statement on social media, the organisation said: ‘A few years ago, the event was organised by a local swimming club.

‘However, their participation has now ended and we are concerned that most people taking part will be unaware of this change.

‘To be clear, we are not saying that going into the sea is a dangerous act.’

They added: ‘With the prospect of hundreds of people entering the water in one go, we are concerned that participants may go further into the sea than they would normally, and will also be at risk of cold water shock given the time of year and cold sea conditions.

‘We are releasing this message because we have genuine concerns that a serious incident could take place and that those involved may be expecting a level of organisation and safety cover that will not be present.’

They may look like they’re enjoying themselves but these poor souls are actually now frozen in this position for all eternity (Picture: PA)

It’s incredible they’ve managed to crack a smile (Picture: PA)

At least your head is warm (Picture: PA)

Despite warnings, hundreds took part in the Whitley Bay dip (Picture: PA)

It appears the warning didn’t stop swimmers taking part today – to the amusement of those watching at the sidelines wrapped in coats, hats and scarves.

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And there were more brave swimmers stripping off and splashing around at the beach in Kinghorn, Fife, in Scotland.

Almost 200 people took part in The Loony Dook, which dates back to 1986 when it was jokingly suggested as a cure for Hogmanay hangovers.

Now the New Year’s bash raises money for charities with the Kinghorn event raising £1,295 for the RNLI.

Three brave women were spotted wearing bright pink Flintstones inspired costumes while one man took the plunge in a shirt and tie along with two hot water bottles.

Yabba dabba don’t do this at home (Picture: SWNS)

Well it’s one way to shake off a Hogmanay hangover (Picture: SWNS)

Almost 200 people managed to make it into the water in Fife (Picture: SWNS)

Someone’s got the right idea (Picture: SWNS)

Neil Chalmers, a helmsman at Kinghorn Lifeboat Station, said: ‘We’re delighted. It’s really great to see the community out to support us.

‘We’ve had a really busy year with 82 call outs which is a record number for us.

‘Fundraising events like this help to fund the training and equipment.’

Other places where people were crazy enough to swim today:

The pleasant waters of Salford Quays, Greater Manchester (Picture: Rex)

Oh dear…perhaps someone should remind her what happened (Picture: Rex)

This woman turned a worrying shade of purple during the Scarborough Lions Club charity New Year’s Day Dip in Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Picture: PA)

A lovely day for dogs at Saltburn-By-The-Sea, North Yorkshire (Picture: Getty)

The Saltburn dip takes place each year in aid of the Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (Picture: Getty)

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.

For some people, a bar might look like a fun way to spend a Friday night. For others, it could be a painful reminder of the darkest time of their life.

Lee-Anne Richardson has been sober for six years. Since she quit drinking, she's found it difficult to find places to go and things to do that don't involve alcohol.

So she decided to build a new resource — Sober City Halifax — to help other non-drinkers facing similar challenges.

"Basically, it's a place for information on where to go, what to do when you're newly sober in Halifax," she told CBC's Mainstreet.

Richardson, 36, said the site can be used by recovering alcoholics and newly sober people, as well as the "sober-curious" or people who are just taking a temporary break from drinking.

She compiled a database of restaurants, cafés — even bars — that offer decent selections of non-alcoholic drinks and an atmosphere that's friendly for people who aren't drinking.

I see you, newly sober person sitting in your families living room stressing out and wondering if you should just drink to avoid dealing with the bad feelings! You can make it through today and you can make it through tonight. You're stronger than you think. —@SoberCityHFX

Richardson said it can be problematic for a recovering alcoholic to be in a place that reeks of beer or is full of rowdy drunk people — but they might feel like they have to put up with it if they want to keep hanging out with their friends.

She said getting sober in a city like Halifax can be challenging.

"Before I quit ... I said I can't get sober because I live in a port city, there's universities, everyone drinks. It's just part of our culture," she said.

"It's so hard to be sober here. It's getting better, but there's still a lot of work that needs to be done."

'I'm never drinking again'

A few years ago, Richardson said her life was controlled by alcohol.

"I was homeless a couple of times, my self-esteem was non-existent, relationships were falling apart," she said.

She still remembers the day she quit: March 2, 2014. She woke up at 2:30 in the afternoon after a night of drinking, fearful that her addiction might someday end her life.

"There was something in me that felt different, and I knew right then that that's it: I'm never drinking again, and I'm gonna turn my life around," she said.

"And I did."

Since she quit drinking, Richardson said her life has greatly improved. She said even those who only drink socially could benefit from taking a break from booze.

"I mean, you're no longer putting actual poison in your body," she said.

"It's good for mental health as well. I found as soon as I quit — of course, I had counselling as well — but my anxiety disorder basically was drastically reduced, and almost cured within a few months of quitting."

Richardson hopes Sober City Halifax will be a go-to resource for those who struggle to maintain both a sober lifestyle and a social life.

She also wants to open up conversations in the restaurant industry about creating more options for people who don't drink.

"Once they realize that there's quite a lot of sober people out here, and we have money, and we want to go out and have fun, then I can definitely see a lot more things opening up in the city for us," she said.

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In the 2010s, millennials struggled to build wealth amidst the fallout of the recession and student-loan debt.

But one expert thinks millennials will come out on top in the 2020s and finally gain financial footing for five key reasons.

Millennials are likely to enter their peak earning years and become members of double-income households, receive a wealth transfer from their parents, buy a home, and overcome their student debt.

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The past 10 years have seen millennials cope with myriad financial hardships, but there might be a brighter future waiting for them in the next decade.

The 2008 financial crisis left many millennials financially behind: The oldest have been playing catch up in wealth building after entering a tough job market, while the youngest became risk averse by watching the recession unfold. And both age groups have had to balance this all with the weight of student-loan debt.

But Jason Dorsey, a consultant, researcher of millennials, and president of the Center for Generational Kinetics, told Business Insider that he anticipates many positive financial changes for millennials — who will be nearing their mid-30s to age 50 in 2030 — over the next 10 years. According to Dorsey, the generation will finally find its financial footing for five key reasons:

The average student-loan debt per graduating student in 2018 who took out loans is nearly $30,000. But millennials will be 15 or more years past traditional college age on average, and many will have figured out how to manage their student-loan debt, Dorsey said.

Many millennials will enter the mid-career stage over the next decade, which Dorsey said is prime time for increases in earnings through promotions and career changes. Mid-career is typically the stage in which one earns the top tier of their income.

"The Great Wealth Transfer" will see an estimated $68 trillion pass down from boomers to their millennial children over the next 30 years — and it could make them even richer than previous generations. Dorsey said it's likely this significant wealth transfer will begin in the 2020s.

Millennials have traditionally delayed homeownership as they've struggled with debt and living costs, but they're set to fuel the US housing market in 2020. Dorsey has also seen signs that millennials are finally buying houses, an investment that historically leads to wealth creation, he said.

Financial troubles have also caused millennials to delay marriage, but as they age, they're becoming more ready to commit. As a result, more millennials are teaming up into two-income households, which Dorsey said is another positive sign for wealth building.

The predictions finally spell good news for a generation that's barely seen income growth since 1974 and whose wealth levels are significantly below where they should be.

"The next 10 years may finally be the decade where millennials feel a more solid financial foundation, especially after the long economic headwinds and recovery many of them have faced due to the Great Recession, wage stagnation, rising cost of real estate, and student-loan debt," Dorsey said.

An old video of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, that has been making rounds on social media, shows him being interviewed live on an Indian TV show during which he admits that he was asked to work in a Bollywood film by the late Indian actor Dev Anand.

"You won't believe it but I was once I asked by a brilliant Indian actor, who we all look up to, to act in one of his upcoming film. In fact, he even turned up in England to request me, but I was puzzled," The Express Tribune reported on Thursday citing Khan as saying in the video.

The premier was then asked details about who asked him and why he rejected, to which Khan said, "I won't name him because it'll be embarrassing."

But upon being pressured by the host to reveal the actor's name, Khan confirmed it was Dev Anand.

"For me it's strange, to think that just because I'm a cricketer, doesn't mean I can be an actor as well. It doesn't make sense to me."

"(Indian-origin director) Ismail Merchant also once asked me to act in a film, but again I was puzzled because I can't act. I couldn't even act in a school play, let alone a film," Khan was quoted as saying.

This incident was mentioned in Dev Anand's autobiography, "Romancing with Life".

Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox - subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what's happening in the world around you – in real time.

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Question:
New Zealand for the second time in as many games squandered a winning position against India and allowed the Super Over miseries to pile on in Wellington after their earlier loss in Hamilton.

Here’s a look back at New Zealand’s tryst with Super Overs. Till date they’ve only won once and that was against Australia.

West Indies vs New Zealand in Auckland (2008)

The big hitting Chris Gayle was in town and after both sides had tied on 155. The southpaw clobbered Daniel Vettori for 25 runs as he played out the full over. Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor had their task cut out but Suleimann Benn picked two wickets as New Zealand could only manage 15.

New Zealand vs Australia in Christchurch (2010)

428 runs were scored in 40 overs as Australia and New Zealand matched each other shot for shot. The Super Over battle however was quite the opposite as Tim Southee bowled with fire. He dismissed David Warner for a duck and Australia could only manage 6 runs. Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill needed only three deliveries to finish it off and were helped by Shaun Tait’s wayward bowling as well.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand in Pallekele (2012)

Mahela Jayawardene, Thisara Perera took charge initially and with a little help from Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Lankans were able to score 12/1 with Jayawardene being run-out by Brendon McCullum. In response, the Kiwis with Martin Guptill, McCullum and Ross Taylor could not find the boundary even once and surrendered in rather tame fashion.

West Indies vs New Zealand in Pallekele (2012)

New Zealand batted first this time around and Ross Taylor took Marlon Samuels to the cleaners. Along with Brendon McCullum they plundered 17 runs of six deliveries. However, Southee began with a no-ball which Chris Gayle smashed for six and then smashed one of the fifth delivery to eliminate the Kiwis from the World T20. West Indies eventually went onto win the tournament.

England vs New Zealand in Lord’s (2019)

Possibly the most memorable World Cup final in the history of the game saw a tied Super Over after Ben Stokes had somehow managed to bring them to a tie in the 50th over. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler each smashed a boundary off Trent Boult as England scored 15. New Zealand with Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill had Jofra Archer, a bowler they had found difficult to tackle earlier in the day, to contend with. Neesham slammed Archer into the crowd of the second delivery to set it up, but Guptill could not complete a second run as Jason Roy threw accurately to Buttler. Both sides finished on 15 runs. And Engand were awarded the World Cup on the basis of a boundary count rule, which is now defunct.

England vs New Zealand in Auckland (2019)

Months after the Lord’s drama, England and New Zealand were at it again. In a rain affected 11-overs a side game, both managed 146. Eoin Morgan and Jonny Bairstow did substantial damage to Southee’s confidence and took 17 runs of six deliveries. With no Jofra Archer around, the Kiwis would have breathed a lot easier but Chris Jordan restricted them to 8 runs and England took the series.

India vs New Zealand in Hamilton (2020)

A brilliant knock by Kane Williamson went in vain as he failed to take his team over the line in the final over against Mohammed Shami. In the Super Over though Williamson got the better of Jasprit Bumrah and hit him for a hat-trick of boundaries to set India a target of 18. The first 4 balls were okay. Southee had 10 to defend from the last two. That’s when Rohit Sharma got into fifth gear and smacked two sixes of the last two balls to break all Kiwi hearts.

India vs New Zealand in Wellington (2020)

Needing just 11 runs off the last two overs with seven wickets in hand, New Zealand dug a hole for themselves yet again, taking the game to a Super Over two nights after doing the same in Hamilton. With no Kane Williamson in the team and Guptill injured Tim Seifert and Colin Munro managed 13 runs in six balls and India got there effortlessly. KL Rahul smashed 10 runs off the first two balls before he was caught. Then, a fired-up Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson finished the game in style.

Ian Smith might as well author a book on New Zealand's tryst with Super Overs. Kane Williamson's men have featured in three Super Overs in the last year including the historic 2019 World Cup final. On each occasion New Zealand have lost, the last two coming in T20I series at home against England and India. So imagine the state of Smith's heart, having commentated on each of the games, including the close finish in Hamilton on Wednesday.

For those whose nerves are too frayed to relive the finishes all over again, ESPNcricinfo has spared you the gory details and put together handy summaries instead.

January 29 2020, Hamilton, v India

To begin with India did not even know there would be a Super Over. Defending nine off the final over in regulation time, Mohammed Shami started it watching Ross Taylor bludgeon a full toss high over midwicket for six and then finished it slinging in a pitch-perfect yorker that bowled Taylor, which meant the scores were tied. Indian captain Virat Kohli walked up to the umpires to shake hands, only to be told there would be a Super Over.

Then Jasprit Bumrah, who had bowled the second-most expensive spell in his T20 career, struggled to find the precision he is known for giving away 17 runs. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, experienced hands at handling pressure situations, were at the crease. Tim Southee, New Zealand's most experienced fast bowler was once again entrusted by Williamson to bowl it, despite his mixed history with Super Overs.

New Zealand have played seven Super Overs in T20is and Southee has bowled the last five of those. But only once before today did he have to defend. It was in a group match of the 2012 World T20 in Pallekele, where New Zealand needed to defend 17 again and to do that he had to keep Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels quiet. Southee started with a no ball, Gayle crashed him for a six. He finished the over with a full toss, Samuels lobbed him high over a leaping Martin Guptill to seal the match with another six.

Today, Southee started strongly, giving away only three runs off his first two balls to Rohit. But Rahul then smartly moved outside his off stump and lapped him for an easy four, putting the pressure back on Southee. Rohit returned strongly, whacking an in-the-slot ball and a length ball for consecutive sixes, leaving Southee and New Zealand shaking in disbelief. Again.

November 10, 2019, Auckland, v England

The Super Over was nowhere in sight when Jimmy Neesham, defending 16 runs off the final over against England, had just given three runs off his first three balls including a wicket. Then Chris Jordan walloped a six, ran a two, and lapped a four leaving Neesham smiling in disbelief.

Southee failed twice in executing the yorker and both went sailing over the straight boundary as Eoin Morgan and Johnny Bairstow set a target of 18 for New Zealand, two more than the World Cup final. This time, however, New Zealand were not so far behind on boundary countback, needing just one more to level things up.

Unfortunately for the hosts, Martin Guptill was tied down at the non-striker's end as Tim Seifert attempted to negotiate the variations of Jordan. Although Seifert did get a four, off the second legitimate delivery, the next was a dot followed by his dismissal, courtesy of a brilliant lunging catch from Morgan running back at cover. Guptill could then only run a single against a perfect yorker, as Jordan wrapped up the match with another dot ball.

July 14 2019, Lord's, v England

You haven't really forgotten how this one played out have you?

Baby boxes that allow people to anonymously leave newborns at firehouses have been added in two more Indiana cities, giving the state nearly 20 of the potentially life-saving devices.A baby box was dedicated Sunday at the New Haven Fire Station in the city that's just east of Fort Wayne. Another baby box that was dedicated Monday at the Columbia City fire station, also in northeastern Indiana, became Indiana's 19th baby box.Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder Monica Kelsey, who was herself abandoned as an infant, said the effort to equip firehouses with the boxes aims to eliminate situations where babies are placed in danger by women or parents seeking to abandon their infants.“Women want and need anonymity,” Kelsey, who is a firefighter and medic, told The Journal Gazette.The baby boxes are containers with a door to the outside of a fire station building. When they're opened, an alarm sounds to alert on-duty staff, nearby volunteers or emergency dispatchers that a child has been placed there. The boxes contain warming and cooling features and they lock after use. The boxes are legal because Indiana is one of five states that have a Safe Haven law. That law allows a person to anonymously surrender a healthy baby 30 days old or younger at any hospital emergency room, police or fire station without fear of criminal prosecution.Kelsey said Indiana had nine surrenders at baby boxes during 2019.

Baby boxes that allow people to anonymously leave newborns at firehouses have been added in two more Indiana cities, giving the state nearly 20 of the potentially life-saving devices.

A baby box was dedicated Sunday at the New Haven Fire Station in the city that's just east of Fort Wayne. Another baby box that was dedicated Monday at the Columbia City fire station, also in northeastern Indiana, became Indiana's 19th baby box.

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Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder Monica Kelsey, who was herself abandoned as an infant, said the effort to equip firehouses with the boxes aims to eliminate situations where babies are placed in danger by women or parents seeking to abandon their infants.

“Women want and need anonymity,” Kelsey, who is a firefighter and medic, told The Journal Gazette.

The baby boxes are containers with a door to the outside of a fire station building. When they're opened, an alarm sounds to alert on-duty staff, nearby volunteers or emergency dispatchers that a child has been placed there. The boxes contain warming and cooling features and they lock after use.

The boxes are legal because Indiana is one of five states that have a Safe Haven law. That law allows a person to anonymously surrender a healthy baby 30 days old or younger at any hospital emergency room, police or fire station without fear of criminal prosecution.

Kelsey said Indiana had nine surrenders at baby boxes during 2019.

The Passion Translation (TPT)

6 My son, if you cosign a loan for an acquaintance

and guarantee his debt,

you’ll be sorry that you ever did it!

2 You’ll be trapped by your promise

and legally bound by the agreement.

So listen carefully to my advice:

3 Quickly get out of it if you possibly can!

Swallow your pride, get over your embarrassment,

and go tell your “friend” you want your name[a] off that contract.

4 Don’t put it off, and don’t rest until you get it done.

5 Rescue yourself from future pain[b]

and be free from it once and for all.

You’ll be so relieved that you did![c]

Life Lessons

6 When you’re feeling lazy,

come and learn a lesson from this tale of the tiny ant.

Yes, all you lazybones, come learn

from the example of the ant and enter into wisdom.

7 The ants have no chief, no boss, no manager—

no one has to tell them what to do.

8 You’ll see them working and toiling all summer long,

stockpiling their food in preparation for winter.

9 So wake up, sleepyhead. How long will you lie there?

When will you wake up and get out of bed?

10 If you keep nodding off and thinking, “I’ll do it later,”

or say to yourself, “I’ll just sit back awhile and take it easy,”

just watch how the future unfolds!

11 By making excuses you’ll learn what it means to go without.

Poverty will pounce on you like a bandit[d]

and move in as your roommate for life.[e]

12–13 Here’s another life lesson to learn

from observing the wayward and wicked man.[f]

You can tell they are lawless.

They’re constant liars, proud deceivers,

full of clever ploys and convincing plots.[g]

14 Their twisted thoughts are perverse,

always with a scheme to stir up trouble,

and sowing strife with every step they take.

15 But when calamity comes knocking on their door,

suddenly and without warning they’re undone—

broken to bits, shattered, with no hope of healing.[h]

Seven Things God Hates

16 There are six evils God truly hates

and a seventh[i] that is an abomination to him:

17 Putting others down while considering yourself superior,

spreading lies and rumors,

spilling the blood of the innocent,

18 plotting evil in your heart toward another,

gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong,

19 spouting lies in false testimony,

and stirring up strife between friends.[j]

These are entirely despicable to God!

20 My son, obey your father’s godly instruction

and follow your mother’s life-giving teaching.[k]

21 Fill your heart with their advice

and let your life be shaped by what they’ve taught you.[l]

22 Their wisdom will guide you wherever you go

and keep you from bringing harm to yourself.

Their instruction will whisper to you at every sunrise

and direct you through a brand-new day.

23 For truth[m] is a bright beam of light

shining into every area of your life,

instructing and correcting you to discover the ways to godly living.

Truth or Consequences

24–25 Truth will protect you from immorality

and from the promiscuity of another man’s wife.

Your heart won’t be enticed by her flatteries[n]

or lust over her beauty—

nor will her suggestive ways conquer you.

26 Prostitutes reduce a man to poverty,[o]

and the adulteress steals your soul—

she may even cost you your life![p]

27 For how can a man light his pants on fire and not be burned?

28 Can he walk over hot coals of fire[q] and not blister his feet?

29 What makes you think that you can sleep with another man’s wife

and not get caught?

Do you really think you’ll get away with it?

Don’t you know it will ruin your life?

30 You can almost excuse a thief if he steals to feed his own family.

31 But if he’s caught, he still has to pay back what he stole sevenfold;

his punishment and fine will cost him greatly.

32 Don’t be so stupid as to think

you can get away with your adultery.

It will destroy your life,[r] and you’ll pay the price

for the rest of your days.

33 You’ll discover what humiliation, shame,

and disgrace are all about,

for no one will ever let you forget what you’ve done.

34 A husband’s jealousy makes a man furious;

he won’t spare you when he comes to take revenge.

35 Try all you want to talk your way out of it—

offer him a bribe and see if you can manipulate him

with your money.

Nothing will turn him aside

when he comes to you with vengeance in his eyes!

Image courtesy of pixabay.com. Used with permission.

Whale-watchers off Dana Point got the Christmas gift of a lifetime last week when a trio of gray whales was spotted frolicking with scores of dolphins and sea lions.

Capt. Steve Plantz is a lifelong ocean explorer who has led tours with Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari for the past two years. He said to see the gray whales alone would have been a sight, but to see all the sea creatures floating in unison was a rarity.

Plantz took a group of whale-watchers out to sea on Christmas Eve aboard the Manute’a, a 50-foot catamaran sailboat. The goal was to find marine mammals, including gray whales, who are most often spotted between December and May during their annual migration from north of Alaska to the lagoons of Baja California.

What the 49 passengers witnessed instead was a water ballet among the animals.

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“It’s definitely a top-tier kind of sighting,” Plantz said.

In a video published Friday, aerial footage captured by drone pilot Grayden Fanning shows the whales swaying from side to side as Pacific white-sided dolphins jump and spin, cruising the pressure wave created by the massive mammals. Nearby, sea lions splash while a flock of seagulls flies overhead.

Plantz said there were two adults and one juvenile among the whales. He thinks a courtship was brewing, which piqued the curiosity of the dolphins.

The boat includes an underwater viewing area for passengers — whom Plantz described as ecstatic about the water show — to observe the dolphins. It’s not uncommon to see the animals this time of year, he said, when they come in closer to the shore as the waters cool.

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The tour lasted longer than the typical 2 1/2 hours as the excursion traveled farther from the harbor, following the whales down the coast toward Camp Pendleton.

Dana Point was recently deemed the whale and dolphin capital of the world. Plantz said seeing both sea creatures swimming alongside each other really drove that message home.

“It’s a special treat to see that.”

Starting at 10 a.m., families can enjoy creating winter crafts and activities. Children of all ages are welcome to come to Spring Hollow Lodge at Sharon Woods Metro Park to enjoy getting out and having some fun.

The event ends promptly at 2 p.m., so make sure to get there early to enjoy all of the free family fun. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.

Joe Van Artdalen

More information about Columbus Metro Parks

The Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks serves Central Ohio citizens with natural area parks that are clean and safe. Covering over 27,000 acres of land in Central Ohio, residents have 19 parks to visit and enjoy along with more than 235 miles of trails.

Created in 1945, the mission Metro Parks is conservation and providing open spaces that encourage people to experience and discover nature. More than 11 million enjoy the parks annually, whether individually or through Metro Park sponsored programs and events.

All Metro Parks:

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park

Blacklick Woods Metro Park and Golf Courses

Blendon Woods Metro Park

Chestnut Ridge Metro Park

Clear Creek Metro Park

Glacier Ridge Metro Park

Heritage Park and Trail

Highbanks Metro Park

Homestead Metro Park

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Pickerington Ponds Metro Park

Prairie Oaks Metro Park

Rocky Fork Metro Park

Scioto Audubon Metro Park

Scioto Grove Metro Park

Sharon Woods Metro Park

Slate Run Metro Park and Living Historical Farm

Three Creeks Metro Park

Walnut Woods Metro Park

For more information about Metro Parks, programs and other general inquiries, visit metroparks.net.

Check out the rest of WeekendScene here.

Zoë Glore is an assistant editor. Feedback is welcome at zglore@cityscenemediagroup.com.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, said he was not bothered by the alleged plot to remove him from office.Oshiomhole, who is facing the threat of removal by some state governors, said he remained committed to plans that would move the APC to greater heights.He spoke while addressing scores of party faithful in Iyamho, his home town.Oshiomhole, urged his supporters to remain focused and continue to support the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).He said there were facts of history which nobody could change concerning his reign as the national chairman of the APC.He said, “I became chairman precisely on the 24th of June, 2018. We won the first election in Ekiti State.“By the special grace of God, we also won the next election which was the Osun State’s governorship election.“The next election was the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and by the special grace of God, we won the presidency and our President was re-elected for the second term.“We also won more seats in the Senate and we won more seats in the House of Representatives.“Unlike in 2015, we managed our victory more creatively, smartly and we conducted peaceful secret ballot and our party won all the principal officers that were there to be contested.“We went to Kogi State and we won. We then went deeper to the South-South, Bayelsa State, the heart of the Ijaw nation.“We fielded a candidate; a humble man from a very humble beginning and as we can see, we have Bayelsa State.“By February, he will be sworn in and the number of the APC governors will increase.“So, I am proud to say that under my chairmanship, we won one state in the South-South. It is not just another state, it is a very special state, the state that produced the immediate past president.“I have no enemies; I have brothers and I have sisters. Some may be happy with me today some may not be happy with me tomorrow but that is alright.“We have quality minds because the governance of our country and the quality of politics must reflect the quality of the people who are in it.“So, we are not just celebrating good people today, we are celebrating quality re-union with my brothers and my sisters.”

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.