Question:
Green shoots appeared to be emerging in the auto sector on Wednesday with Maruti Suzuki India reporting 3.9 per cent increase in total sales during December.

Driven by festive season and heavy discounts, the country's largest car manufacturer sold 1.33 lakh units as compared to 1.28 lakh units year-on-year.

Domestic sales grew by 3.5 per cent at 1.25 lakh units against 1.21 lakh units in December 2018 while exports grew by 10.2 per cent at 7,561 units in December 2019 as against 6,859 units in the same month of previous year.

Passenger car sales went up by 9.1 per cent at 91,341 units against 83,729 units while passenger vehicle sales grew by 2.5 per cent at 1.22 lakh units against 1.19 lakh units year-on-year.

While the mini-car segment showed a decline of 13.6 per cent at 23,883 units from 27,649, the compact-car segment (New WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire) reported 27.9 per cent jump in sales at 65,673 units from 51,346 units. Taken together, the mini and compact segment clocked a gain of 13.4 per cent.

However, the mid-size Ciaz reported 62.3 per cent drop in December 2019 sales at 1,786 units from 4,734 units in the year-ago period. The sale of vans (Omni, Eeco) too crashed by 51.8 per cent to 7,634 units from 15,850 units.

Amid slowdown in economic growth and weak demand environment, the automobile industry saw a significant decline in sales during 2019 due to increase in the cost of acquisition of a car, more stringent safety and emission (BS 6) norms, increase in vehicle insurance expenses and hike in road taxes in many states.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

The country's leading carmaker Maruti Suzuki India recorded 2.4 per cent year-on-year rise in car sales at 133,296 units in India during December. A major reason for the rise has been attributed to a higher demand for compact models such as New WagonR, thereby offsetting a slump in smaller cars. Maruti had seen a 3.3 per cent drop in sales in November.

In a statement to the stock exchanges, Maruti Suzuki India said it sold 124,375 vehicles in the domestic market in December, compared to 121,479 vehicles sold in the same month a year back. After including exports and sales to other original equipment manufacturers (OEM), the firm clocked a 3.9 per cent rise in sales to 133,296 vehicles, the company said.

Mini cars comprising products like Alto, S-Presso and Old WagonR saw sales drop 13.6 per cent to 23,883 pieces. However, the compact category, which includes cars like New WagonR, Swift, Celerio and Dzire, saw nearly 28 per cent rise to 65,673. Mid-sized Ciaz saw a 62.3 per cent drop in sales to 1,786, while utility vehicles sale rose 17.7 per cent to 23,808 units. During April-December, Maruti's domestic sales had dropped nearly 17 per cent at 1.1 million units.

Maruti Suzuki India, which had posted a 2.3 per cent increase in sales in October breaking a series of seven straight months of decline, fell in November posting a 3.3 per cent drop in its passenger vehicle sales over the last year. The company dispatched 139,133 units to its dealerships across the country last month against 143,890 units in October last year. In absolute terms, this was Maruti's highest sales in any month this fiscal.

India's automobile industry is bracing itself for a unique challenge in the first quarter of 2020 when the transition of BS-IV to BS-VI emission norms has to be made at the stroke of midnight on March 31, 2020. No BS-IV vehicle could be sold from April 1, 2020, which means automakers would have to reduce their inventory on BS-IV models to zero by then. The exercise is likely to see companies show extra caution in dispatching cars to dealers in the next few months, which may cause a continuation of the decline in wholesale numbers.

Also read: It's a wrap: The best and worst of cars in 2019

Also read: Maruti Suzuki Dzire is the highest-selling passenger vehicle in first eight months of FY20

Ponce, Puerto Rico (CNN) The Ponciana Condominium building here is one of the most distinctive in the island's second-largest city. It's a 12-story structure, just south of downtown, with medical and commercial units on its first three floors and residential units on the remaining nine.

But after a series of tremors and aftershocks that have rattled Puerto Rico's southern coast since December 28, the tower now sits empty.

Ponce authorities declared it uninhabitable shortly after a mandatory evacuation prompted by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake left cracks and fissures on three sides of the building. Ivette Campos says her elderly aunt was one of those residents who were quickly evacuated.

"They kicked all the residents out as well as people in the doctors' offices, and nobody truly knows what's going to happen with the building," Campos said.

The Ponciana was cleared of residents since an earthquake and aftershocks.

Mayor María E. Meléndez said that there are areas in Ponce that "were severely affected and we estimate the damage to be above $200 million, in addition to the losses sustained by businesses that have had to shut their doors."

Read More

Hayman Island Resort, Funnel Bay and Cruise Whitsunday's Reef Suites were among the 24 developments that drew the most investment. Images: Monique Preston, Supplied.

Hayman Island Resort, Funnel Bay and Cruise Whitsunday's Reef Suites were among the 24 developments that drew the most investment. Images: Monique Preston, Supplied.

THE region has seen plenty of exciting developments with many more promised for new year, and behind big projects is big money.

LAST year saw the much-awaited reopening of Daydream and Hayman islands, the reveal of the refreshed Airlie Beach Foreshore and the upgrade of the Whitsunday Coast Regional Airport.

This year even more developments are set to begin including the Funnel Bay development and the Shute Harbour restoration.

For those interested in the numbers behind these projects, here's a list of the top 24 completed, planned and in progress developments that drew the most investment in the Whitsundays.

Data is accurate as at October 1, 2019.

1. Hamilton Island (over 10 years): $750,000,000 (in progress)

2. Daydream Island Resort: $140,000,000 (completed)

3. Hayman Island Resort: $135,000,000 (completed)

4. Shute Harbour restoration: $50,000,000 (due for completion early 2021)

5. Funnel Bay development: $50,000,000 (due to commence construction)

6. Whitsunday Coast Airport: $40,000,000 (completed)

7. Proserpine Entertainment Centre: $10,700,000 (funding signed off)

8. Cruise Whitsundays Reef Suites: $8,000,000 (completed)

9. Airlie Beach Hotel: $7,000,000 (completed)

10. Airlie Beach Foreshore: $6,300,000 (completed)

11. Beautiful Bowen project: $5,000,000 (stage 1 completed)

12. Pavillion Arcade: $4,300,000 (in progress)

13. Hook Island Eco Retreat: $4,000,000 (in progress)

14. Proserpine main street arcade: $3,600,000 (in progress)

15. Lake Proserpine recreation hub: $3,000,000 (in progress)

16. Hill Inlet upgrade and expansion: $2,000,000 (in progress)

17. Heart Reef Island: $2,000,000 (completed)

18. Proserpine Water Park: $1,700,000 (completed)

19. 74 Taphouse and Eatery and Whitsunday Islands Brewing Company: $1,000,000 (completed)

20. Camp Island: $1,000,000 (completed)

21. Flagstaff Hill Interpretive Centre: $1,000,000 (in progress)

22. Indigenous Bush Tucker Trail and Paddock to Plate venue, Flagstaff Hill: $1,000,000 (in progress)

23. Reef Ecologic underwater sculptures: $971,610 (in progress)

24. Palm Bay refurbishment: $750,000 (completed)

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.

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Voice of OC continues to be a media leader in taking an investigative approach to every daily story that examines Orange County’s institutions — from city hall to the county jail, from arts centers to community projects.

And in 2019, Orange County’s nonprofit newsroom yet again set a new standard for uncovering waste and abuse across the county — reporting out a huge batch of accountability stories that readers won’t find anywhere else.

Read the stories below to see our most shared and most read investigative stories of the year. We invite readers to tell us what they think was the most impactful accountability reporting of the year in the comments section.

Santa Ana Approves $25 Million Police Raise, But Not Funding

Feb. 7 Santa Ana City Council members granted raises to police officers and sergeants totaling $25 million over the next two and a half years, without the ability to actually pay the $4.3 million cost for this fiscal year. Read the Story »

JESSICA RUIZ, Voice of OC

Westminster Police Chief Placed on Administrative Leave

Feb. 20 Westminster’s police chief, Ralph Ornelas, is on administrative leave pending the results of an outside investigation into “possible policy violations,” according to city officials. Read the Story »

Orange Sued for Allegedly Violating State Election Law

March 5 District elections could be implemented in Orange, following a voting rights lawsuit claiming the city’s current at-large election method disenfranchises the Latino electorate and hinders the election of Latino candidates. Read the Story »

Santa Ana Prepares to Sell Off Dozens of Public Land Parcels for Development

March 8 Council members opted this week to send 23 of the city’s 88 undeveloped, public land parcels out for private real estate bids — continuing a years-long battle between city officials pushing for commercial growth through development and affordable housing advocates who see a built-out city already feeling the effects of gentrification and lack of community spaces. Read the Story »

OC Gives Sheriff Sole Control of Crime Lab, Against National Recommendations

April 10 The move to put the crime lab scientists under a law enforcement agency directly contradicts the national best practices Sheriff Don Barnes and DA Todd Spitzer cited to justify the change. Read the Story »

ADAM ELMAHREK, Voice of OC

Santa Ana Mayor Accused of Personally Renting Out City Property and Interfering in Pot Shop Enforcement

April 24 In sworn testimony, Mayor Miguel Pulido was accused of running a side business personally renting out city-owned property and interfering with police decisions about which illegal pot shops to raid. Pulido denies the allegations. Read the Story »

Police Union Bribery Alleged Under Oath by Two Officials

April 24 Two top Santa Ana officials, including a former police chief, alleged under oath the city’s police union leader engaged in bribery of City Council candidates in 2016, saying Sgt. Gerry Serrano told candidates they had to agree to fire then-Police Chief Carlos Rojas in order to benefit from $400,000 in campaign spending. Read the Story »

Surveillance of Councilman Gathered Evidence of Felony Residence Fraud, DA Said

April 30 It’s first time in years Orange County DA officials have been known to place a politician under surveillance for alleged residency fraud. Read the Story »

Private Anaheim Spending Advisory Group Criticized for Ties to Business and Lack of Transparency

May 7 Anaheim First, a private group that’s going to make spending recommendations to the city on $250 million over the next decade, is facing heavy criticism for a lack of transparency and close business ties. Read the Story »

Three Westminster Police Officers File More Bullying and Retaliation Claims

May 16 The Westminster Police Department fostered a culture of bullying and retaliation for years under former police chief Ralph Ornelas, three police officers allege in separate legal claims filed against the city. Read the Story »

JESSICA RUIZ, Voice of OC

Grand Jury Finds Lack of Sheriff’s Department Oversight in Illegal Jail Phone Recordings

June 4 A lack of oversight allowed the illegal recording of more than 30,000 phone calls between inmates and their attorneys inside county jails, according to the Orange County Grand Jury. Read the Story »

Grand Jury: A Simple Vitals Check Could Prevent Inmate Deaths

June 6 A simple check of inmates’ vital signs as they come into Orange County jail facilities could save their lives, according to a new Orange County Grand Jury report. Read the Story »

Rackauckas Secretly Cleared Deputies Accused of Lying About Informants

June 11 Former District Attorney Tony Rackauckas quietly decided last year to not have prosecutors tell defense attorneys about 10 sheriff deputies suspected of lying about or concealing records about jail informants. Read the Story »

DA Records Refute Public Reason for Not Prosecuting Santa Ana Police Sgt. Gerry Serrano

July 2 DA records contradict its public statements for why the DA’s office did not file DUI hit-and-run charges against Santa Ana police Sgt. Gerry Serrano, who now leads the city’s influential officers’ union. Read the Story »

Judge Rules Against OC’s Immediate Destruction of Public Records

July 3 Orange County officials likely are breaking the law with a policy allowing immediate destruction of public records and another rule banning public commenters from asking questions of county supervisors or addressing supervisors by name unless they have permission, a Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday. Read the Story »

Irvine Becomes Latest OC City To Adopt Controversial Agenda-Setting Policy

July 11 The Irvine City Council, joining at least six other Orange County cities, has adopted a controversial temporary policy that potentially shuts some council members out of holding public discussions on issues that others on the dais don’t want. Read the Story »

Ex-Santa Ana Police Officer Faces Federal Charges Over Videotaped Beating

Aug. 2 A federal grand jury indicted former Officer Brian Booker with three felonies for allegedly beating a man who was complying with police commands and then lying about it in official reports. Read the Story »

Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery Apparently Died in Kansas, Not OC

Aug. 16 A county statement last week that Woolery apparently died in Orange was not corrected until Voice of OC inquired Friday afternoon. Read the Story »

OC Picks Lowest-Ranked Firm of 5 for Airport Food Spot

Sept. 10 Two supervisors succeeded in overriding the results of a competitive bidding process for a lucrative food spot at John Wayne Airport. Read the Story »

OC Approves New Policy to Immediately Destroy Public Records

Sept. 16 The policy change comes after a judge found the county failed to cite a valid legal justification to destroy records before two years. ACLU lawyers say the new policy goes against the court ruling, while county officials say it’s entirely legal. Read the Story »

OC Moves Millions From Health Agency to Help Cover Sheriff Overruns

Oct. 1 Orange County Sheriff’s officials outspent their revenues by $33 million during this last fiscal year – prompting county officials to pull millions of dollars from other departments like the Health Care Agency to cover the shortfall. Read the Story »

SPENCER CUSTODIO, Voice of OC

OC Fairgrounds Gave More than $100K in State Money to Private College while Fairgrounds CEO Sat on the School’s Fundraising Board

Oct. 9 Orange County Fairgrounds CEO Kathy Kramer joined the fundraising board for Vanguard University, a private Christian college, in 2017. Since then, the fairgrounds has paid the school over $100,000 in contracts and sponsorship deals brought up to the fairgrounds Board of Directors by her staff. Read the Story »

OC Fairgrounds CEO Kathy Kramer to Leave Post

Oct. 15 Fair officials confirmed Kramer’s departure, which comes after Voice of OC revealed Kramer sat on the fundraising board for a private college that the fairgrounds has given state money to. Read the Story »

Criminal Probe Underway Into OC Fire Authority Event With Political Candidates

Oct. 16 The Sheriff’s Department is examining an event at the fire agency’s headquarters that triggered concerns about using government resources for political campaigning. Read the Story »

Fullerton City Officials Target Local Bloggers in Lawsuit, Want to Search Private Computers

Oct. 25 Fullerton city attorneys are asking an OC Superior Court judge to keep local resident Joshua Ferguson, and the blog he writes for, from deleting confidential records and to appoint someone to look through electronics to find the records. Ferguson filed a public records lawsuit against the city last week. Read the Story »

OC Deputy Sheriff Inmate Shackling Policy Draws Public Protests

Nov. 25 On Sunday, a host of community members came out to the Theo Lacy jail facility in Orange to support judicial restraint of a new policy by Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes to shackle inmates while they are transported to court and while they await court hearings in holding cells. Sheriff Barnes appealed the decision, arguing restraints are safer for inmates being transported to court. An appellate court decision is expected next month. Read the Story »

State Investigating Secretive Group That Routed $170,000 to Santa Ana Election

Nov. 27 The investigation centers on Californians for Ethical Patient Care, which was one of the largest spenders in the Nov. 6 Santa Ana City Council election. Read the Story »

JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

OC Sheriff Kept Evidence Booking Crisis Secret for Almost Two Years

Dec. 4 Sheriff Don Barnes’ spokeswoman declined to say why county supervisors and the district attorney weren’t told of the scale of the issue sooner. Read the Story »

Santa Ana Councilman Publicly Calls Out Dark Money Campaign, Welcomes FBI Interview

Dec. 9 Councilman Juan Villegas, who also works as a special officer at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, is publicly alleging that one the key people behind the controversial 2525 N. Main St. project admitted to him their involvement in a dark money campaign to influence the 2018 Santa Ana city council elections – which involved hiding $320,000 in campaign money through a shell company. Read the Story »

OC Supervisors Accused of Failing to Hold Sheriff’s Department Accountable

Dec. 11 The Sheriff’s Department has faced controversy in recent weeks over revelations that an internal audit found hundreds of cases where deputies failed to follow policy in booking drugs, cash, photos, and videos in criminal cases by the end of their shift. Read the Story »

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question: MADURAI: Orator and writer ‘Nellai’ Kannan , who was booked for his ‘provocative speech’ against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam at an SDPI meeting in Tirunelveli city on Sunday evening, was arrested around 8.30 pm on Wednesday.A senior police officer told TOI that Kannan was arrested by the Tirunelveli city police in a guest house in Perambalur district. The officer said he will be taken to the Trichy GH to confirm if he is fit to travel to Tirunelveli, where he will be produced before the judicial magistrate. If doctors say he cannot travel so long, he will be produced before a judicial magistrate in Trichy. “In either case, we will act on the directions of the magistrate. We will hospitalise him or remand him in jail under judicial custody as they say,” he said.As he was arrested, BJP workers raised slogans against Kannan while SDPI cadres condemned the arrest. When he was taken out of the guest house, some protesters attempted to throw slippers at him.On Monday night, the Melapalayam police booked him under Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505(i)(b) (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity), and 505 (ii) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the IPC.On Tuesday afternoon, Kannan was taken to a private hospital in Tirunelveli as he complained of chest pain. He had to be discharged in an hour as there was a strong protest by BJP cadres on the hospital premises. His family claimed that he will be taken to a hospital in Madurai but maintained confidentiality over the place fearing protest by BJP cadres.Police said Kannan’s family took him to Madurai on Tuesday and then to Perambalur, where he was arrested due to pressure following the protest by senior BJP functionaries on the Marina on Wednesday. BJP national secretary H Raja, L Ganesan, C P Radhakrishnan and Pon Radhakrishnan along with 100 party workers were arrested for the sit-in protest in front of Gandhi statue on the Marina beach front. They had set a 24-hour deadline for the TN police to arrest him.

Chennai: Well-known Tamil orator 'Nellai' Kannan was on Tuesday night arrested by the police on charges of inciting hate towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

On Sunday, participating in an anti-CAA meeting organised by the SDPI and other parties at Tirunelveli in south Tamil Nadu, Kannan had in his speech used certain Tamil slang words implying that that Modi and Shah should be harmed.

State BJP leaders had submitted a complaint to the Director General of Police accusing the local police station of not registering an FIR against Kannan and demanded action.

On Tuesday afternoon, senior BJP leaders, including former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, staged a demonstration in Chennai seeking his arrest.

Kannan had on Monday got himself admitted to a hospital but was discharged following which he had gone underground.

On Tuesday evening, tracking his mobile phone signal, the police located him in Perambalur district in central Tamil Nadu and immediately detained him. A senior police officer said that Kannan would be handed over to the Tirunelveli police – the jurisdictional authority – which would formally arrest him.

Kannan, who is known to practice Hinduism and sport the tilak on his forehead, however, has contempt for right wing politics. At Sunday's public meeting, he used certain words implying that he expected Muslims to harm Modi and Shah.

His remarks had not gone down well even among a section of Muslims who felt that they had the potential of portraying them as violent people.

“We have booked him for inciting hatred and intent to provoke breach of peace among other provisions of the Indian Penal Code,” a senior police officer said.

Weekdays at 11:30 a.m. EST, Newsfeed Now will be streaming the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak utilizing our newsrooms across the country. If you miss the live report, you’ll be able to see a replay minutes after the stream ends.

(KARK/NEXSTAR) – The United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases.

A nurse is dead. A paramedic is in critical condition. Coronavirus is taking a toll on New York City — and the men and women on the front lines of the fight. https://t.co/HQQsGEKORv — The Associated Press (@AP) March 27, 2020

According to a running count by Johns Hopkins University, the number of people infected in the U.S. topped 82,000 on Thursday. That’s just ahead of the 81,000 cases in China and 80,000 in Italy.

Italy has the most confirmed deaths of any country with more than 8,000. More than 1,000 people have died in the U.S.

Other stories in today’s show:

STIMULUS DEAL: The US House is taking up the historic $2 trillion coronavirus aid package. While there are some disagreements, both parties see the need to pass the bill as urgent. Washington reporter Jessi Turnure joins the conversation.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, accompanied by White House Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland and acting White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, walks to the offices of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

For the full story: CLICK HERE.

A WIFE’S LOSS: The wife of a Johnson County man who lost his battle with COVID-19 is speaking out. She wants people to know about who her husband was beyond the disease. WDAF’s Sherae Honeycutt reports.

For the full story: CLICK HERE.

HOUSECALL: Ring doorbell video captured a man dressed in a doctor’s coat on the doorsteps of a home in Alabama Wednesday afternoon. Turns out, he’s a real doctor who’s making house calls to several of his patients if they can’t leave home during the coronavirus pandemic. WKRG’s Blake Brown reports.

For the full story: CLICK HERE.

ACTS OF KINDNESS: WGNO Reporter Kenny Lopez is collecting acts of kindness to share some good in these stressful times.

For the full story: CLICK HERE.

Weekdays at 11:30 a.m. EST, Newsfeed Now will be streaming the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak utilizing our newsrooms across the country. If you miss the live report, you’ll be able to see a replay minutes after the stream ends.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday played down the privilege motion filed against him by Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao in the upper house of the Parliament.

Rao filed the motion against Vijayan after hearing that the Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution moved by him against the Citizenship Amendment Act in its specially-called session on Tuesday.

Feigning ignorance of the motion, Vijayan told the media here after the weekly cabinet meeting, the Assembly has its own rights and privileges and these could not be violated.

"The Rajya Sabha functions as per rules. Similarly, the Assembly has special protection and it cannot be violated. Still, nothing could be ruled out since strange things are unfolding in the country," he said.

On Tuesday, the assembly saw both the state's traditional political rivals - the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front passing the resolution against the CAA with the lone BJP legislator O.Rajagopal voting against it.

To another query in the manner in which Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has reacted to the protests against CAA, Vijayan pointed out that such remarks need be deemed only his personal observations.

"Even the Central government is making an all-out bid to explain its stance on CAA," he added.

sg/vd

We are kicking off the new year the same way we ended 2019… with some snow showers. The snow globe continues this morning with a lake effect snow band dragging the flakes all the way from Lake Ontario through southern parts of the North Country and all the way to Waitsfield Vermont!

Snow showers continue through the day today, but eventually, become more confined to the higher terrain this afternoon as we turn on the upslope snow machine!

Most folks in the valleys can anticipate a quick dusting, while the higher terrain is looking at 1-3″ Hey Jay Peak… how does a foot of fresh powder sound?

We settle down with the snow overnight Wednesday and start off Thursday with sunshine and a few passing clouds.

Then things get a little dicey… We are tracking multiple low-pressure systems, the first of which will bring us a bit of wintry mix but mostly rain Friday afternoon and evening.

Heading into the weekend we cool our temperatures and watch for accumulating snow especially in our higher terrain. Stay tuned for the latest on this forecast as we iron out the fine details!

Happy New Year!

-Skytracker Meteorologist Haley Bouley

A number of those detained are suspected of having set rubbish bins alight. Others are suspected of having thrown objects at cars, busses and police vehicles. The arrests were mainly in the Brussels West, Brussels-Elsene and Brussels South policing areas and to a lesser extent in the Brussel-North policing zone.

The police report that the situation was tense in a number of areas of the city, including the area around the Lemonnierlaan in the city centre, Kuregem in Anderlecht and Zwarte Vijvers in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek.

There were reports of a ca rand a scooter being torched in Molenbeek. A car was also set alight in Vorst.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney announced on Sunday that he would self-quarantine after fellow Senator Rand Paul announced he had tested positive for COVID-19.

What does President Trump think of that?

“‘Gee, that’s too bad.’”

When asked by a reporter at the White House briefing Sunday if he was being sarcastic, the president denied it. Watch the full exchange and judge for yourself:

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
(Gateway Pundit) – RINO Senator Susan Collins (ME) joined her fellow RINO Senator Lisa Murkowski and criticized McConnell’s promise to coordinate the impeachment trial with the White House.

“Everything I do during this, I’m coordinating with White House counsel,” McConnell recently told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “There’ll be no difference between the president’s position and our position as to how to handle this.”

Above: Murkowski, Collins

“Exactly how we go forward, I’m going to coordinate with the president’s lawyers,” McConnell said to Hannity. “The case is so darn weak coming over from the House. We all know how it’s going to end. There is no chance the president is going to be removed from office.”

McConnell is also pushing back on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demands.

Susan Collins wasn’t happy about McConnell’s defense of the President after the Dem-controlled House railroaded him and denied him due process.

Susan Collins is the second GOP Senator to criticize McConnell.

“I’ve heard the Senate majority leader saying that he’s taking his cues from the White House,” Collins said this week in an interview with Maine Public Radio. “There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging this in an impartial way.”

Collins’ criticism of McConnell comes shortly after Murkowski called the Senate Majority Leader’s statements “disturbing.”

“And in fairness, when I heard that I was disturbed,” Murkowski said last week. “To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so when I heard what Leader McConnell has said, I happened to think that further confused the process.”

The Democrats denied Trump due process, denied him legal counsel and denied his 6th Amendment right to face his accuser, in this case, Eric Ciaramella, the ‘whistleblower’ who coordinated with Schiff to launch the impeachment inquiry.

Speaker Pelosi continued her reign of tyranny and refused to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate unless they bow to her demands.

The Constitution is absolutely clear about the Senate’s authority. Article I, Section 3 says: “The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments,” Breitbart’s Joel Pollak wrote.

thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/rino-senator-susan-collins-joins-murkowski-and-criticizes-mcconnells-promise-to-coordinate-impeachment-trial-with-white-house/

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she’s open to calling witnesses as part of the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, but she says it is “premature” to decide who should be called until senators see the evidence that is presented.

Collins also said it was inappropriate for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, to pledge “total coordination” between the White House and the Senate during the impeachment trial.

“It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us,” Collins told Maine Public Radio in an interview Monday.

Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment — an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said.

Collins, who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nation’s most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office.

“There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging that’s in an impartial way,” she said.

Collins is the second Republican senator to criticize McConnell, who recently told Fox News he would be working “in total coordination with the White House counsel’s office and the people who are representing the president” during impeachment.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said last week that she was “disturbed” by McConnell’s comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate in how the trial is conducted.

“To me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what Leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process,” Murkowski said.

The remarks by the GOP senators come as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer hailed as a “game changer” a news report detailing the role of White House officials in withholding aid to Ukraine, a key element of the impeachment effort.

The New York Times reported new details about efforts by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and other officials to cut off the aid to Ukraine. Senate Democrats are seeking to call Mulvaney and three other White House officials as witnesses in the impeachment trial.

“Simply put: In our fight to have key documents and witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game changer,” Schumer said. ”Will the Senate hold a fair trial, or will it enable a cover-up?”

McConnell said last week that he is not ruling out calling witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial, but he indicated he was in no hurry to seek new testimony.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

January 01, 2020 11:14 IST

'What amazes me the most is that today users communicate with voice-activated speakers like as if they were talking to another human being, using words like "please," and "thank you," and even "sorry"!', says advertising guru Sandeep Goyal.

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/ Rediff.com IMAGE: By 2020, 50% of all searches across the Internet will be voice-based.

The one big trend that will dominate the decade of 2020 is the emergence of voice as a potent force in the digital world of tomorrow.

Most would be surprised to know that by 2020, 50% of all searches across the Internet will be voice-based.

Also, by 2020, 30% of all searches will be done using a device without a screen.

At one end of the spectrum, 40% of the adults now use mobile voice search at least once daily.

At the other end, 20% of the adults use mobile voice search at least once monthly.

The two extremes are coming together faster than anyone ever imagined.

What's even more surprising is that 9% of the 55 to 64 age-group also use mobile voice search.

Both globally, and in India.

Today, 20% of the searches worldwide on a mobile device are voice-based.

25% of all the queries on Android devices, in fact, are voice-based.

Reliance Jio alone has 90 million users of Google Assistant today.

What's more, 60% of smartphone users across the world have tried voice search at least once in the past 12 months.

And yes, 55% of teenagers are using voice search on a daily basis.

Photograph: Ashish Narsale/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Today users communicate with voice-activated speakers like as if they were talking to another human being.

Already, 22% of houses in the US have smart speakers; by 2022 this number will exceed 55 per cent!

But what amazes me the most is that today users communicate with voice-activated speakers like as if they were talking to another human being, using courtesy words like "please," and "thank you," and even "sorry"!

Interestingly, we search with voice just like we speak.

No wonder, voice search queries are longer than regular text-based searches.

Voice search queries tend to have three-to-five keywords in length, compared to one or two words in text search.

So, come 2020, there is going to be a whole new paradigm shift triggered by the enhanced, and consistently growing, usage of voice in things digital.

Now to video, the other major driving force that will dominate 2020, and beyond.

As per a Cisco report, by 2020 there will be close to 1 million minutes of video crossing the Internet per second.

Video is expected to make up 82% of Internet traffic by 2021.

By 2022, online videos will make up more than 84% of all consumer Internet traffic -- 15 times higher than it was in 2017.

In the past 10 years, mobile video consumption has risen by 100%, year-on-year.

Can statistics tell a bigger story of what the future holds?

Today, more than 8,000 million videos are viewed on Facebook every day.

In 2020, the big leap forward will be the virtual reality video.

Facebook's new Horizon social VR platform alone will phenomenally expand the experience of travel and event participation.

This is already evident in the 360-degree videos of National Geographic that are transforming sensory experiences like never before.

It is in keeping with these apertures and opportunities that research agency Kantar reported that 84% of marketers plan to increase their investment in online video advertising over the next 12 months.

Photograph: Ashish Narsale/ Rediff.com IMAGE: In the past 10 years, mobile video consumption has risen by 100%, year-on-year.

But why is video important?

Well, for starters, 97% marketers assert that video helps them increase user understanding of their products and services.

81% of businesses in 2020 are, therefore, most likely to use video as a marketing tool (up from 61% in 2019).

The reasons are not far to seek.

46% of users act after viewing a video ad.

And if they enjoy the video their purchase intent increases by a whopping 97%.

Research shows that including a video on a Web site's landing page can boost conversion rates by up to 80%.

For those who require any more convincing: Tracking studies show that a Web site is 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google if it includes video.

Video, in fact, increases organic search traffic on a Web site by 157%.

In 2020, a voice content strategy will no longer be optional for brands.

Voice in the decade ahead will revolve around 'youtility' marketing... how it can prove to be a real and compelling utility for you... not just rooted in information and in being ever-helpful, but in using more complex API-driven interactions that will enhance consumer experience through more layers of specificity and nuance.

The insight on video, going forward, simply is that users do not always watch a video with the intention of buying something, now or later.

But watching video leads to discovery.

And triggering of intent.

Leading to evaluation.

Finally purchase.

So, video is a critical part of every stage in the customer journey.

And brands have no choice but to participate in that journey.

In 2020, and after.

So, the dawn of the new decade is going to be about the 2Vs that will drive another very important V... Voice and Video that will drive consumer Value for brands.

Grab country head for the Philippines Brian Cu is greeted by drivers at a company event. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA -- The head of Grab Philippines said Thursday he got a P50 refund despite using the platform "a lot," responding to criticism on social media from users who found the rebate from the ride-hailing firm smaller than what they expected.

With 3 million active users and P19 million in refunds ordered by the Philippine Competition Commission, the rebate will run at an average P20 per user, said Grab Philippines country manager Brian Cu.

"I, for one, who use it a lot, got P50," he told ANC's Headstart.

The refunds had a "big impact" on Grab's financials, as it sought a new way to monitor fares to avoid drawing the competition monitor's ire, he said.

Watch more in iWant or TFC.tv

Grab recently completed the latest tranche of refunds worth P19 million, which brought total reimbursements for the year to P40 million, Cu said.

Cu said the last round of refunds was due to "deviations" in pricing, not excess charges. He said Grab was looking at the average instead of a range to monitor fares so "we wouldn't be in violation anymore."

"It certainly dampened our 2019 holiday season. It had a big impact on the financials but were taking it all as an expense with the company and not passing it on to the consumers or drivers," he said.

The refund stirred conversations on social media, with some questioning the amount they got back, P1 for some users.

Cu said Grab banned thousands of drivers for canceled bookings, refusal to accept trips and other violations.

"What happens when he cancels, he gets a negative rating in the app. If he cancels consistently, he gets suspended. And once he gets back and does it again he eventually gets banned on the platform," he said.

Cu said they are ready to face Congress to reiterate that they are not overcharging riders and to explain further their pricing.

"We should work with the government, with the netizens, with the riding public...We're really just trying to work together for a better transport future for the country," he said.

Hong Kong: A march drawing tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong on New Year's Day spiralled out of control as police fired tear gas at crowds before halting the event.

Tens of thousands of people march through the streets of the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong on January 1. Credit:Bloomberg

The violence broke out during the largely peaceful march as masses of citizens pressed authorities for further concessions in the Chinese-ruled city.

In the Wanchai bar district, some protesters had sprayed graffiti and smashed cash machines in an HSBC branch when riot police moved in, pepper-spraying crowds in a tense face-off. Tear gas was then fired into the crowds, affecting families and children.

The protesters, some with gas masks and clad in black, regrouped and formed their own lines as police blocked roads to prevent large crowds from completing the march as night fell.

Elizabeth M. Hinricher, 94, of Flandreau, died Monday Dec. 30, 2019, at Avera Flandreau Hospital.

Betty is survived by her husband Elmer, five children, James, Richard, Mary, Patricia, Lois, 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Betty was preceded in death by her daughter Sharon C. Nygaard, one great-grandson Quinten, her parents, five brothers and five sisters.

Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 3, at Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church in Flandreau with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation is 4–6 p.m. Thursday with a 6 p.m. scripture service at Skroch Funeral Chapel.

For online condolences, visit www.skrochfc.com.

A funeral in northeastern Germany ended in a hospital trip for some after mourners were accidentally served a cake laced with hashish, police in the city of Rostock said on Tuesday.

According to authorities, a group of mourners who had just attended a burial gathered at a restaurant to have coffee and cake — a German afternoon tradition.

But after chowing down on the cake, 13 mourners — including the widow — suddenly reported feeling dizzy and nauseous.

According to authorities, one woman had to be taken via ambulance to the hospital during the funeral, while the others sought medical treatment later on in the day.

They then later reported the case at the police station and pressed charges, a spokesperson told news agency DPA.

The incident at the funeral took place in August, but police said they waited to report on it out of respect to the mourners.

Read more:5 facts about cannabis laws in Germany

Watch video 04:45 Share Medicinal cannabis Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3CSZx Medicinal cannabis

18-year-old baked cake 'for own use'

Authorities later determined that the drug-laced cake was brought in by a restaurant employee in charge of baked goods, who asked her 18-year-old daughter to make some cakes for the funeral.

The 18-year-old did, indeed, bake cakes for the funeral — but also baked a separate hash cake that the planned to consume herself or use on a different occasion.

The restaurant employee then accidentally took the hash cake from her freezer at home without discussing it first with her daughter.

The 18-year-old is now currently under investigation and faces 13 charges of negligence and bodily injury as well as disturbing a funeral and violating Germany's narcotics law.

Read more: Is hemp really a green miracle plant?

'Hash brownie' party busted in Darmstadt

Also on Tuesday, police in the city of Darmstadt said that several young people were taken to the hospital after over-indulging on "hash brownies" at a party.

Six people between the ages of 19 and 24 had to be treated at the hospital after apparently underestimating the strength of the substances baked into the brownies.

At least one of the party-goers consumed so many that he collapsed at the party, police said

rs/msh (AP, dpa)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

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Question:
Technique allowed the tech giant to delay paying US taxes on international earnings for years, and pay a lower tax rate overseas

Google says it will no longer use 'Double Irish, Dutch sandwich' tax loophole

International tax authorities were welcoming in the New Year after Google’s parent company, Alphabet, announced it will no longer use a notorious tax loophole known as the “Double Irish, Dutch sandwich”.

The technique allowed the tech giant to delay paying US taxes on international earnings for years, and pay a lower tax rate overseas. It is thought to have allowed American companies to cut their tax bills by hundreds of billions of dollars, but is finally being closed by authorities.

A Google spokesman confirmed the company would scrap the intellectual property licensing structure, by which international profits are channelled through Ireland and on to Caribbean tax havens, putting them outside the reach of US tax authorities.

This will simplify Google’s tax arrangements in line with efforts by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to limit international tax avoidance, following changes to US and Irish tax law.

It is estimated that by the end of 2017, some of America’s most profitable companies, including Apple, the largest by market capitalisation, had sequestered more than $1tn offshore, using the “double Irish” to park billions in “ghost companies”. Companies including Google, Cisco, Pfizer, Merck, Coca-Cola and Facebook all avoided a 35% US corporate tax rate, which has now been cut by Donald Trump.

Like other multinationals that make use of tax minimization schemes, Google has always said it pays all its taxes.

Appearing before a US Senate subcommittee in 2013, Apple chief executive Tim Cook claimed the company paid “all the taxes we owe, every single dollar”.

“We don’t depend on tax gimmicks,” he added. “We don’t stash money on some Caribbean island.”

But five months later, under pressure from the European Union and the Trump administration, Irish officials began to crack down on the loop hole. In 2017, US authorities gave companies until the end of 2020 to end the system.

Google now appears to have acted. In a statement, it said it was reacting to changes in US tax law designed to limit the ability of companies to cut their US tax bills.

For more than a decade, Dutch, Irish and US tax law allowed Google to enjoy an effective tax rate in the single digits on non-US profits, estimated at around a quarter the average tax rate in overseas markets.

Filings seen by Reuters showed that in 2018 Google moved €21.8bn ($24.5bn) through its Dutch holding company to Bermuda, up from €19.9bn in 2017.

“A date of termination of the company’s licensing activities has not yet been confirmed by senior leadership, however management expects that this termination will take place as of 31 December 2019 or during 2020,” the filing with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce said.

“Consequently, the company’s turnover and associated expense base generated from licensing activities will discontinue as of this date.”

Under the Double Irish, companies shift taxable income from an operating company in Ireland to another Irish-registered firm in an offshore tax haven. Dutch tax law allows untaxed profits to be moved to a tax haven without incurring a withholding tax, so a Netherlands-based company is used in the middle of this “sandwich”.

The Dutch Google subsidiary was used to shift revenue from royalties earned outside the US to Google Ireland Holdings, an affiliate based in Bermuda, where companies pay no income tax. This allowed Google to legally avoid triggering US income taxes or European withholding taxes on the bulk of its overseas profits.

“Including all annual and one-time income taxes over the past 10 years, our global effective tax rate has been over 23%, with more than 80% of that tax due in the US,” the company stated in the Dutch filing.

After Donald Trump’s tax reforms dropping the tax rate to 15.5% from 35% came into effect in early 2018, Apple announced plans to repatriate $252bn in cash over five years.

But despite the end of the “Double Irish” and “Dutch Sandwich”, tax experts warn that little is known about how specific companies have adjusted their tax arrangements.

“Based on what we have been able to see in the past, there is no reason to think that planning [by multinationals] hasn’t already evolved several generations beyond the kind of classic ‘Double Irish’ that is now officially coming to an end,” Chris Sanchirico, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, told the Financial Times.

In 2017 the Guardian and other outlets reported on the Paradise Papers, a huge trove of confidential documents regarding offshore investments. The reports revealed that Apple, for example, had found a new tax structure to exploit, routing international profits through Jersey.

“US multinational firms are the global grandmasters of tax avoidance schemes that deplete not just US tax collection but the tax collection of almost every large economy in the world,” Ed Kleinbard, a former corporate lawyer and now a professor of tax law at the University of Southern California, said at the time.

The era of Google using a pair of controversial loopholes to save billions of dollars in taxes on overseas ad revenue is coming to a close, according to a new report from Reuters. In 2020, the company will no longer take advantage of the so-called “Double Irish” and “Dutch sandwich” loopholes, which allowed it and countless other corporations to shift money from Ireland to the Netherlands and Bermuda, sheltering billions from taxes in the process.

The move comes as regulations aimed at changing how companies skirt taxes take effect in both the US and Ireland. Previously, multinational organizations like Google were able to use a network of affiliate organizations located in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Bermuda to collect and hold money made overseas, thanks in large part to lenient Irish tax laws.

Google used companies in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Bermuda to collect and hold money earned overseas

The name comes from the strategy of moving money from an Irish subsidiary to a Dutch holding company, and then back to an Irish shell company located in Bermuda that has the rights to license Google intellectual property, thus the “Dutch sandwich” in between. Bermuda has no corporate income tax, making it a lucrative final stop to report income. The whole process effectively avoids paying US income tax and European withholding taxes on overseas profits, although some money is still paid to the Irish government.

In 2014, facing mounting pressure from the EU and the US, Ireland closed these loopholes. Companies were given until 2020 to comply with the new regulations, which is why Google is just changing its tax structure now. Google continued to use the tax scheme to funnel money around the globe until the deadline. According to Reuters, the company moved $23 billion to Bermuda in 2017 alone using this tax avoidance strategy.

In the US, the Trump administration has also tried to incentivize companies to return profits to the US by lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018 allowed companies to return money made overseas to the US without facing more US taxes. These changes could prove critical for Google, which is sitting on tens of billions in overseas earnings.

“We’re now simplifying our corporate structure and will license our IP from the US, not Bermuda,” a Google spokesperson told The Verge. “Including all annual and one-time income taxes over the past ten years, our global effective tax rate has been over 23%, with more than 80% of that tax due in the US.”

To be very clear right up front, this is a list for lovers of lowbrow. While some of the later entries may pass for highbrow, that’s mostly a statement on Hollywood’s lackluster offerings in the lowbrow comedy department of late. (Unfortunately, there are profit motivations to explain this.)

In 2019, we’re forced to suffer through “Long Shot” and “Late Night,” when ten years ago, the yearly options were plentiful. It’s a shame, but thankfully we have the old classics to get us through this sad, sad drought.

2010: ‘The Other Guys’

2011: ‘Bridesmaids,’ ‘Horrible Bosses’

2012: ‘Ted’

2013: ‘This is the End,’ ‘We’re the Millers’

2014: ‘The Other Woman’

2015: ‘Get Hard,’ ‘Trainwreck’

2016: ‘Bad Moms’

2017: ‘The Big Sick,’ ‘The Disaster Artist,’ ‘Death of Stalin’

2018: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’

2019: ‘Jojo Rabbit’

Family Builds Electric Fence Around Their 'Offensive' Signs To Keep People From Stealing Them

The Election Cycle, who cycles 1,000 miles across the United States, met one family who had taken extreme measures to protect their Trump lawn sign on his New Jersey pit stop by electrifying their fence.

The Paitakis family lived in Franklin Township, New Jersey. They said it started out with one sign and then after six Donald Trump lawn signs were taken from their own yard, they decided to build an electric fence and a dog cage around their new signs. This is to protect it from getting vandalized or stolen.

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The reporter says, "Eventually they added this electrified fence. If they even touch the sign, they're going to get zapped."

He further states that "Their son says he witnessed a thief. He stopped in front of the sign, got out of the truck, got the sign."

The news report also states that it is not just Trump's signs but Hillary Clinton's signs as well. "The amount of yard signs being stolen is reflective of the amount of enthusiasm that's out there."

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John Paitakis, a member of the family, stated that "We started out with a smaller [fence], but people were actually crushing it and stealing the signs."

Because of what was happening, they opted to install a camera in a nearby tree. It would be taking pictures of any of the trespassers and which would then lead to the police identifying the potential suspects.

The reporter asked the Paitakis family on what their neighbors think of what's happening to them. The Paitakis family then stated that they did not find much support from their liberal neighbors.

"I spoke to one guy, a little bit of a liberal. I said we have our Trump signs in a dog pen, and he says, 'That's right where they belong.'" John Paitakis stated.

Sources: America Now / Photo Credit: ABC News

C. Vivian Stringer, who coaches Rutgers University's women's basketball team, sent condolences to radio host Don Imus' family on Tuesday in the wake of his December 27 death of complications from lung disease.

Imus had referred to members of the women's team by using a racial slur during a 2007 episode of his radio program. His comments had come in the wake of Rutgers' Scarlet Knights having lost an NCAA championship game to Nashville's Lady Volunteers.

Stringer acknowledged the controversy in her prepared comments to the press. "The Rutgers family has found peace through the years, and we are proud of our response to the hateful words that he had years ago. As African-American women, we don't feel that we should be treated ― or anyone else should be treated ― like that. We are proud of the positive change it has brought about and the lesson that came with it — women and African Americans should be treated with respect, not only in the media, but in all walks of life. It is our prayer that Don finds eternal peace in his passing and we wish his family strength.

"He genuinely felt, I think, remorse for the words he said. Everybody makes mistakes and says things that they shouldn't say. I think that our players learned a lot from that, and I'm proud of them and our basketball team," Stringer continued.

She also said that she had not thought of Imus' comments in years, but that "to say that it didn't hurt is not true."

Stringer admitted the controversy was permanently a part of her legacy as a Rutgers coach.

"I'm tied to that now. No getting around that. It is what it is. Proud of the way the team responded. Proud of the support we got from so many fans and people. Proud of the fact we stood up for what's right. All our players learned a really good lesson," she said.

She expressed forgiveness for his statements and turned an eye toward the future. "We accept it, and we move forward."

At the time, Imus had reacted to the controversy by saying "what I did was make a stupid, idiotic mistake in a comedy context," according to The New York Times.

He was suspended from his own show for two weeks in the wake of those remarks. MSNBC, which simulcasted Imus' show on their network, also suspended broadcasts of his program, with executives calling the comments "racist and abhorrent" according to The New York Times. Imus agreed with the suspension, but insisted that he was "not a racist."

Stringer had called Imus' comments "racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable and unconscionable" at the time.

Later, Imus met with Stringer, and according to Stringer said that he "didn't come to save his job but to save his soul."

The 37-year-old woman who allegedly set herself on fire at Panjagutta Police Station died on Tuesday midnight. The woman S. Lokeshwari suffered over 80% burns. Police said that she disclosed to them that mental and physical harassment by a person S Praveen Kumar led her to take the extreme step.

In 2000, the woman got married to Srinivas of Chennai. Srinivas deserted her after they had a daughter, and died in 2015. Meanwhile, in 2012, she got acquainted with Praveen Kumar in Tirupati, which led to love. They moved to Hyderabad in 2013 and stayed at a rented home in BS Maqta. He promised to marry Lokeshwari even though he knew she has a daughter.

Lokeshwari used to work as a manager in Praveen Kumar’s jewellery store in Somajiguda and looked after it when he went to other countries for work, said Panjagutta Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Thirupathanna.

In June of 2014, Praveen lodged a complaint against Lokeshwari and others regarding gold ornaments and cash which were missing from his store. She, along with her associates, were arrested by police who recovered the missing ornaments and cash. The case was charged and they settled the matter in December 2014.

There on, Praveen started to avoid Lokeshwari. She stayed in Hyderabad for some time and went to Chennai in 2017.

The ACP said that Lokeshwari visited Hyderabad along with her house owner P Arasakannan on December 27, 2019. On the same evening, she lodged a complaint against Praveen alleging that he cheated her and requested to recover ₹ 7.5 lakh from him.

Based on her complaint , Panjagutta police sub-inspector B Vijay Bhaskar Reddy asked Praveen to come to the police station for inquiry. Denying allegations levelled by Lokeshwari, Praveen sought time as he was on business tour to Bengaluru.

“She purchased two litres of petrol on December 31 from a petrol pump by showing her Aadhaar card, concealed it in her bag and started to search for Praveen in Panjagutta. But she did not find him,” the ACP said, adding that she attempted to end her life as she was mentally disturbed because of the alleged harassment and cheating by Praveen.

She doused herself in petrol, set herself on fire at Punjagutta bus stop and ran into the Police Station premises. Constables put off the fire and rushed her to Osmania General Hospital. The Police said that a constable M Mounika recorded Lokeshwari’s statement at the hospital on Tuesday night. Police registered cases under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 420 (cheating) and 417 (Punishment for cheating) and took up investigation.

After post-mortem examination, her body was preserved at the hospital’s mortuary as her relatives could not afford to take her body to their native place for final rites.

Firefighters in McHenry County this month raised more than double the amount they brought in last year for The Salvation Army of McHenry County's red kettle campaign, officials said Tuesday.

Firefighters from more than half a dozen area fire departments participated in the Firefighter Red Kettle Challenge on Dec. 21, the second consecutive year for such an event, said Jeff Pal, volunteers and community relations manager for the McHenry County organization. Firefighters staked out spots outside Jewel grocery stores in Cary, Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Huntley and McHenry, netting $23,172.85.

Last year was the first year for the firefighter challenge, Pal told the Northwest Herald on Tuesday. Last year, firefighters from Crystal Lake and Algonquin manned red kettles collecting money for the organization, Pal said. But this year, they wanted to host a challenge.

"Part of it is to be competitive," Pal said. "Part of it is hoping you make a difference."

This chapter of The Salvation Army provides food and services to families in need in McHenry County.

Last year's firefighters brought in about $10,000, Pal said.

This year, the winning firefighters from Fox River Grove/Cary/Barrington Countryside fire departments, who staked out the Cary Jewel, collected $12,849.59 for The Salvation Army. Coming in at second place were firefighters from the Crystal Lake Fire Department, who collected $3,282.27 at the Crystal Lake Jewel, according to The Salvation Army. In third place were Algonquin/Lake in the Hills firefighters, who netted $2,608.89 outside Algonquin Jewels.

Huntley firefighters, who rang at the Huntley Jewel, collected $2,444.50 on Dec. 21, coming in at fourth place. In fifth place were McHenry firefighters, who rang outside of the McHenry Jewel, and brought in $1,987.60, according to The Salvation Army.

"Algonquin really wanted to win," Pal said, but firefighters on the Fox River Grove/Cary/Barrington Countryside team expressed the same sentiment.

The money raised will be used throughout the year to help McHenry County residents in need of assistance. Programs and services differ so as to meet the needs of residents in the communities, according to The Salvation Army.

"That's going to individuals who truly need it," Pal said.

A holistic approach to “doing the most good” is used, without discrimination, whether in terms of disaster relief, emergency assistance, substance abuse rehabilitation or educational programs for children, according to the organization.

Pal said Lt. Darrell Cook with the Crystal Lake Fire Department played an integral role in creating this firefighter challenge. “He is the bridge. He brings so much passion and leadership to the firefighter challenge,” he added.

Pal said he hopes the firefighter challenge expands next year. Lake County firefighters are "looking into starting something like this," Pal said.

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Question:
After five years, have increased passenger fares by 1 to 4 paisa across various classes. On the New Year's eve, the announced fare across its network, effective from today, that is January 1, 2020.

Which fares will get costlier?

Ordinary non-AC, non-suburban fares were increased by 1 paise per km of journey and in mail/express non-AC class, the will be 2 paisa per kilometre. On the other hand, for AC classes the fare will be 4 paisa per kilometre.

The fare hike is also applicable to premium trains such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Tejas, Humsafar, Mahamana, Gatimaan and other special trains. Well, for example- in the Delhi-Kolkata Rajdhani, which covers a distance of 1,447 km, the hike at the rate of 4 paise per km will be around Rs 58.

Exceptions:

Pass holders are spared. The hike will be applicable for only 34 per cent of the travellers on Indian tracks, while looking into the affordability concerns of daily commuters, the restrained from hike for passengers over suburban sections and season ticket holders, which constitute 66 per cent of its total passengers.

There will not be any change in the reservation fee and super fast charges and the hike in fares will not be applicable to tickets already booked. The hike will have no effect on catering charges either, officials said.

The ‘marginal’ hike is expected to bring in another Rs 2,300 crore to the revenue of the cash-strapped national transporter and the railways said that the additional revenue will be used for the modernisation of the network. Like- augment passenger experience through modernization of coaches and improved station infrastructure. Further, Railways claimed that the burden of 7th Pay Commission on has necessitated rationalization of fares.

But is that enough? Listen to this podcast to know more

New Delhi: In a shock to millions of passengers across the country, Indian Railways on Tuesday hiked passenger fares for sleeper class by 2 paise per kilometre and for 3AC, 2AC and AC first class by four paise per kilometre.

According to a commercial circular issued on Tuesday, the new fares will come into effect from January 1, 2020.

In the circular, the national transporter stated that passenger fares for sleeper class in mail and express trains have been revised by 2 paise per kilometre, while for 3AC, 2AC and AC frist class, fares have been hiked by 4 paise per kilometre.

The Railways also increased fares for passenger trains by 1 paisa per kilometre.

It also said that the fares of premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Humsafar, Vande Bharat, Duranto, Rajya Rani, Mahanama, Gatimaan, Garibrath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva and Suvidha Express will also be revised to the extent of the above proposed increase in class-wise fares as per the notified fare table.

The circular also stated that there will be no change in reservation fees, superfast surcharge etc.

It also said the difference of fares on tickets booked before January 1, 2020 will not be collected from the passengers.

The increase in passenger fares in sleeper class from New Delhi to Patna for a distance of 997 km means that passengers will now have to shell out approximately Rs 20 more per ticket. For AC coaches, passengers will have to pay Rs 40 more for the same distance.

Shoes reputedly owned by Gaddafi feature in the collection (Niall Carson/PA)

Republican society hopes to secure museum status for Troubles collection BelfastTelegraph.co.uk A collection of Troubles-era artefacts that includes shoes reputedly owned by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is attempting to secure official museum status ahead of a major expansion. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/republican-society-hopes-to-secure-museum-status-for-troubles-collection-38826551.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/972ef/38826548.ece/AUTOCROP/h342/bpanews_98b6d520-c28d-4c7f-b221-35c3c08667b4_1

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A collection of Troubles-era artefacts that includes shoes reputedly owned by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is attempting to secure official museum status ahead of a major expansion.

Over the last five decades, the Roddy McCorley Society in west Belfast has amassed a large number of items related to the conflict and associated with the republican tradition.

It includes decorative shoes the Libyan dictator apparently gifted to IRA leader Joe Cahill during a visit to his North African regime to secure arms for the Provisionals.

Among the weaponry the IRA obtained from Gaddafi’s Libya were tonnes of Semtex explosive used in some of the most notorious bomb attacks of the conflict.

Nine years on from Gaddafi’s death, relatives of those killed continue to campaign for compensation from the current Libyan authorities.

Kevin Carson curator of Roddy McCorley Society living history museum in Belfast holds a pair of Col Muammar Gaddafi’s shoes (Niall Carson/PA)

As well as the dictator’s shoes, the Troubles collection also includes a bed and blanket from Long Kesh/Maze prison and a badly damaged Army issue rifle a member of the public apparently found close to the site of the Narrow Water bombings which killed 18 soldiers in 1979.

The society has already secured Belfast City Council backing to transform the collection’s present home, in three rooms above the Roddy McCorley Social Club on the Glen Road, into a purpose-built museum facility.

As part of the process it is hoping to achieve museum accreditation. The society recently met with officials from National Museums NI to discuss its ambitions.

Society committee member Kevin Carson said the official status would enable it to loan and swap artefacts with other museums throughout Ireland.

“We started in one room and then we took over a second room and now we have a third room and, even at that, we haven’t enough space to put on show all the stuff we have,” he said.

“We do look forward to getting museum status. Me and other members of the committee have travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to tie up with other groups and museums and collectors to hope in the future to actually exchange parts of our exhibitions back and forward, so stuff from Belfast could be on show in Cork or Mayo or Derry or Donegal, but we need to have proper museum status.

“We are going through the process at the moment with meeting all the groups that would be great assistance to us to turn ourselves into a museum.”

A rifle found near the site of the Narrow Water bombing in 1979 (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Roddy McCorley Society was formed in 1972 as a vehicle to raise funds for the families of republican prisoners.

The collection of artefacts began with art crafted by those prisoners, such as Celtic crosses and leather wallets.

While the society tells the story of the Troubles very much through a republican prism, the collection also includes several loyalist items, donated by ex-prisoners from the other tradition who have visited as part of peace process reconciliation initiatives.

Mr Carson said Gaddafi’s shoes were “very valuable” and continued to generate significant interest among visitors. A TV crew from the Middle East visited during the summer to film Mr Carson recounting the story of the shoes.

“Joe Cahill, one of our major republican personalities over the years, had been in Libya on a number of occasions to meet Gaddafi and on one of the occasions he met Muammar Gaddafi in the desert after a great long journey in the sun and heat and dryness, because Gaddafi in those days could never stay in one spot,” he said.

“Joe on that occasion was presented by Muammar Gaddafi with these slippers as a souvenir of this visit.”

The director of National Museums NI, Kathryn Thomson, said: “The story of our recent past is one that is distributed through a network of museums, visitor attractions, and tours across Northern Ireland.

“At National Museums NI we work with this network as part of the development and programming of important exhibitions such as the Troubles & Beyond at the Ulster Museum.

“Where relevant we are always willing to offer curatorial and other expert advice and support to community led initiatives.

“Within this context we welcomed the opportunity to visit the Roddy McCorley Museum recently and look forward to seeing their project develop.”

PA

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

New Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera reportedly hired Jack Del Rio as his defensive coordinator Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

It is unclear who else will be part of Rivera's staff, but JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reported Bill Callahan, who served as interim head coach following the firing of Jay Gruden, and most of the defensive staff will not return.

Finlay added that offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell is among the holdover offensive assistants who will interview with Rivera but noted that none of them "definitively" have a job.

While Del Rio is known for his defensive prowess, he has plenty of experience as a head coach as well. He served in the position with the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine seasons from 2003 through 2011, when he was fired after Week 12. He was also the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2015 through 2017.

The 56-year-old finished with a 93-94 record and never advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs as a head coach, but he did as a defensive assistant.

He was the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 through 2001, the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2002 and the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2012 through 2014.

Baltimore won a Super Bowl during his tenure with Ray Lewis leading his linebackers unit, and Denver reached a Super Bowl but lost. In four seasons as a defensive coordinator, Del Rio directed groups that finished in the top three in the league in yards allowed three times.

What's more, the 2000 Ravens defense he was involved with allowed three, 10, three and seven points (on a kickoff return and the point after) in four playoff games before lifting the Lombardi Trophy.

The Redskins now have a coach with championship pedigree and a track record of success who brings name recognition to that side of the ball.

Del Rio will take the reins of a unit that ranked 27th in total defense and 27th in points allowed under Greg Manusky in 2019.

While there is work to be done, Del Rio will have plenty of talent, including safety Landon Collins and a strong line that features Jonathan Allen, Matt Ioannidis and Montez Sweat.

The Redskins also own the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, which they could use to select Ohio State defensive end Chase Young.

Offensively, Washington ranked 31st in yards and 32nd in scoring under O'Connell, but he is viewed as a brilliant young offensive mind and helped rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. and wide receiver Terry McLaurin improve over the course of the season, which could help him appeal to Rivera.

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / February 21, 2020 / Selecting the right Realtor at the start of your home buying journey is crucial. Chicago Realtor Laura Topp offers her top tips to help you pick the best Realtor for you.

Before selecting a Realtor, there are several points to consider:

Knowledge of the local market - "You need a Realtor who has a deep, personal knowledge of the geography you are considering. Someone who understands the area inside and out will help you find the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood," advises Laura Topp.

Pricing Expectations - Being given the correct market price of your home is important so that you have realistic expectations of what your home will sell for and how much you will be able to afford when buying a new home.

Build a relationship with your Realtor - This is not just a transactional relationship. "You need to connect with your Realtor and feel like you can be completely honest with them about your expectations," Topp urges. "A forthright relationship is important; a Realtor cannot help you if you are only saying what you think they want to hear."

Home structure and knowledge - Know exactly what kind of home you are looking for and consider the size, style, and acreage. Deciding what you are looking for prior to selecting your Realtor will help inform your decision of what Realtor to go with, as some specialize in certain types of housing.

More isn't necessarily better - Find a Realtor that will carefully examine listings beforehand to bring you only what is relevant. Looking at everything that comes up is a waste of time and energy for you and your Realtor.

Education - As a client, you want a Realtor who will help explain every aspect of the home buying and selling process - remember that they are the experts and that they have important knowledge and experience to impart to their clients.

Questions to ask your Realtor before you commit to working with them:

What is your availability to speak with me?

Most Realtors have very flexible hours. It is important for your Realtor to know your schedule and you to know theirs.

Do you have a team or are you an independent Realtor?

This will help you understand if you will have additional help and resources when purchasing your home. Working with a team has an added benefit of having access to more market knowledge more people to rely on.

How are you paid?

"It is different from market to market, so ask up front because it all depends on your area, if you are buying or selling and the brokerage that each agent works with," says Laura Topp.

Have you helped people buy or sell a house like the one I'm looking for?

It is important to know if your potential Realtor has experience in the type of home you are looking for and even more so in the area.

What makes this property valuable?

This is an important question because it allows you to see what value a property has from the Realtor's perspective.

Armed with these tips and questions, you will surely be able to build a relationship with the right Realtor that will greatly benefit you on the road to real estate ownership.

About Laura Topp, TOPP Chicago Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway KoenigRubloff

Laura Topp is a broker associate at Berkshire Hathaway KoenigRubloff and is licensed in Illinois and Indiana. She works with both buyers and sellers in the Chicagoland area. Topp specializes in all facets of residential real estate from single family homes, condos and new construction to luxury homes, foreclosures, multi-units, investment properties and 1031 exchanges. For Laura's news, visit https://thenala.com/media-room/media-room-detail/laura-topp-topp-chicago-real-estate-berkshire-hathaway-koenigrubloff and for more information, please call (773) 419-0076, or visit https://www.toppchicagorealestate.com/.

For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361.

SOURCE: Laura Topp, TOPP Chicago Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Chicago

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/577205/Working-with-the-Right-Realtor-is-Imperative-Says-Leading-Chicago-Realtor-Laura-Topp

Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken Jr, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr, Derek Jeter. The biggest legends in American baseball history all set records and achieved international fame playing with Louisville Slugger bats, the players’ names immortalized in the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Hall of Fame in Kentucky.

But what about the men and women who worked in the factories, the artisans and engravers who produced their iconic bats for America’s favorite pastime? What were their names, and what were their stories?

Those are the questions being answered right now in Louisville, Kentucky. As part of the city’s biennial celebration, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory dug out a trove of old photos, many black and white, from decades and decades of the company’s history. The pictures were a snapshot into not only the company’s past but of post-war American life. But many of the proud faces’ identities were unknown.

Ruby Judd worked at Louisville Slugger for 50 years filling ordered filling orders and doing quality inspection. She was identified by her niece, Laura Quiggins, who said: ‘She was very proud of her job, very proud of the product that they put out'

An unidentified man whittles down a baseball bat. In celebration of Louisville, Kentucky's biennial, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is hosting an exhibit that showcases vintage photos of employees that worked in the Hillerich and Bradsby factory over the years. A local campaign asked family, friends and former colleagues to help identify the nameless faces

The Hillerich and Bradsby is a woodworking company that began in 1856 and manufactured various items such as golf clubs butter churns before it made its first bat in 1884. Maril Addams (pictured) is seen operating a lathe on golf club heads

A local campaign advertised the museum exhibit and showcased the photos in regional media. That’s when friends and colleagues of former workers began collaborating with the effort, and now many of those earnest, nameless faces have been identified.

‘Back in those days, people took such pride in their work,’ says Laura Quiggins, who identified her aunt, Ruby Judd, who was an inspector and order filler more than 50 years ago for Hillerich and Bradsby, the company which began manufacturing Louisville Slugger bats. ‘Nowadays, it’s like people just go to work to get the paycheck – “What’s in it for me?”

‘She was very proud of her job, very proud of the product that they put out,’ Quiggins tells DailyMail.com. ‘It’s so simple, but a little piece of wood made people famous, and those people made the bat famous.’

The effort came about when the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory was asked to participate in the Louisville Biennial, and curator Bailey Mazik thought of the photos she’d seen in archives and desks, folders of workers in the factories, men and women working for a company that began in 1856 and manufactured everything from butter churns to golf clubs to the famous bats – production of which began in 1884. The company receives information about former players on a daily basis, she says – but this was something new and special.

An unidentified man carefully works on a persimmon golf club head at a table saw at the Hillerich and Bradsby company

Employee Bill Lesch inspecting rough-turned timber. 17-year-old,John "Bud" Hillerich began making baseball bats in the 1880s after watching Louisville's major league team star player, Pete "Louisville Slugger" Browning break his bat during a game

Employee Ray Sizemore weighing a roughout in 1975

Quinton Jackson is pictured dipping bats in an undated photo

An unidentified employee is seen branding bats. Rena Jenkins, a longtime current employee who began at the company in 1977 instantly recognized a former employee by the name of Georgia Hines. She told DailyMail.com: '...she was a little bitty lady. She probably weighed maybe 110 pounds fully clothed...but she could engrave a bat. Back then, that was her job. She was the only one that did that back then'

‘One of our former vice presidents was kind of an amateur historian himself, so he collected a lot of these and organized these and wrote down a lot of employees’ names,’ Bailey Mazik says of Jack McGrath, who retired in the 80s.

Polly Basham (left) stands with two Hillerich and Bradsby employees in front of a wall of baseball bats

She adds: ‘It has been important for us to know who these people are and to celebrate their hard work.’

One of those people was Quiggins’ Aunt Ruby.

‘She was an inspector and an order-filler,’ Quiggins tells DailyMail.com. ‘She inspected the bats and, when someone placed an order for them, she did the quality assurance … She had worked in several departments, because she was there for years.’

Aunt Ruby, who married and had two children, ‘loved her job,’ Quiggins says.

‘My grandfather worked with wood a lot and made things with wood, and he was a whittler. So she said going into work was like going into Dad’s house. She had built a big long 18-by-12 cedar closet in their house, so their house smelled like cedar – and she said that’s the only smell I don’t smell at work, is cedar. She smelled oak and all the other woods. She said it was a family-oriented place … Everybody knew everybody. She loved working there.

‘That was the place to work, back in the day. It was General Electric, Ford and Hillerich and Bradsby.’

Employee Arthur Peyton branding a bat in an undated photo. Today, Louisville Sluggar churns out 1.8 million bats per year

Unnamed employee is pictured dipping bats. Recalling post-war America, Laura Quiggins told DailyMail.com: ‘That was the place to work, back in the day. It was General Electric, Ford and Hillerich and Bradsby'

Employee inspecting bats before they’re shipped out. January 15, 1958

Willie Leonard is pictured in an undated photo working on metal golf club heads

The company has always been based in the Louisville region, and the Kentucky city has become almost synonymous with baseball bats. Tributes to players and their bats are included on a mile-long Walk of Fame through the city, and the Museum is easily identifiable by the world’s largest bat standing proudly outside of it.

Paula Dyer, another woman who identified her aunt and uncle – both Hillerich and Bradsby employees – echoed the sentiments of Ms Quiggins.

Hillerich and Bradsby was the ‘name I grew up with,’ she says. Her Aunt Polly and Uncle John ‘Buck’ Basham started in the 40s and retired in the 70s.

Buck was a WWII Army veteran, and Dyer’s mother and father had worked for Hillerich and Bradsby before leaving, helping her own parents get their jobs.

‘They would get up in the morning ... they were dedicated employees,’ Dyer says of Polly and Buck. They would get up at four in the morning; they would never be a minute late. They never missed a day.’

She adds: They were proud to work there, yes. It was hard work; they never complained too much about it. I remember, Uncle Buck, his hands would be stained.’

Employee rubbing bat with steel wool prior to final finishing operations in 1953

Employee operating sanding machine

Unidentified employee applying polish to bats. Every baseball bar cores measure 37 inches long by 2.75 inches in diameter, these raw wood posts are called 'billets.' Despite their uniform size, the wood can vary in weight which is what distinguishes different models

Employee weighing roughouts to determine for which model they’re best suited. Date unknown

The Bashams were so proud, in fact, that they incorporated their company’s product into the cabin they built saving wages, she says.

‘It was a two-story cabin, beautiful cabin, and the stairs – instead of plain old rails on each step, it was a Hillerich and Bradsby baseball bat, she tells DailyMail.com. ‘And you know, none of us have pictures of it and it’s so sad.’

Uncle Buck died in 1976 at the age of 60 – only two years retired – and Aunt Polly passed away in 1999.

‘To be able to recognize them for their hard work and dedication ... I just love it,’ she says.

Paula Dyer, identified her aunt Polly and uncle John 'Buck' Basham (pictured polishing a golf club head) in the trove of pictures on display at the Louisville Sluggar Museum & Factory. She told DailyMail.com 'They would never be a minute late. They never missed a day. They were proud to work there, yes. It was hard work; they never complained too much about it'

The Bashams were proud of the work they did for Hillerich and Bradsby, so much so that they incorporated their company’s product into the cabin they built saving wages. ‘It was a two-story cabin, beautiful cabin, and the stairs – instead of plain old rails on each step, it was a Hillerich and Bradsby baseball bat,' said Paula Dyer to DailyMail.com

Employee (William White) packing mini-bats. March 2007

Rena Jenkins, a longtime current employee who began at the company in 1977 as an 18-year-old on the switchboard, helped identify former workers from the binders of folders such as Georgia Heins.

The effort to name and picture so many people excited her and made her happy to help, she tells DailyMail.com.

‘It is a legacy,’ she says. ‘It goes back so many generations ... I think they realize the history.’

She adds that she still believes the company makes ‘the greatest bat in the world’ and ‘it’s as American as apple pie.’

She’s worked everywhere within the company from accounts payable to shipping and purchasing and in the warehouses and factories, helping her get to know so many employees over the years who were equally proud of their work. One of them was Georgia Heins, who she recognized amongst the pictures.

‘She was real nice; she was a little bitty lady,’ she says. ‘She probably weighed maybe 110 pounds fully clothed and maybe with her pockets lined. She was 5’2, 5’1; she was a small woman, real skinny, but she could engrave a bat. Back then, that was her job. She was the only one that did that back then.'

An unidentified female employee is seen placing a gunstock cutout on a table saw. Hillerich and Bradsby produced wooden rifle stocks and billy clubs for the U.S. Army during WWII

An unidentified employee works on a metal bat at the Los Angeles, California factory

An undated photo of an employee weighing roughouts before they are cut down to the shape of a specific baseball bat model. Baseball bat cores used to be made of Ash wood but have since been changed to Maple wood after Barry Bonds broke the single-season home run record using Maple bats in 2001

She tells DailyMail.com that the company has always been ‘like a family.’

‘There was a lot of us that started young, so we were young and inexperienced. We learned off of some of the older ones, and we all started having babies and raising our families, and everybody was always here for everybody else.’

Many of the positions, she admits, ‘were tedious jobs – but they just had a little assembly line, and then you had a lot of husband and wives worked here. And then you had several that met their wives here and married.’

‘Years ago, whenever you had a baby, they used to send us a full-sized personalized bat with a letter from the president [of the company] saying: “Welcome to the Hillerich and Bradsby family.” And they would send us a personalized bat with the day they were born, their height, weight and all of that. So each of my kids have that.’

Bill Kaiser giving a golf lesson to the 'Louisville Power-Bilt girls' in an undated photo

Two employees pictured in 1974 prepare golf clubs for shipping

An unnamed employee is pictured meticulously wrapping a golf club

Archivist Mazik says that emphasis on connectivity and support has ‘been important and implemented in our company for as long as I can tell.

‘We all really make a point to know each other, all different departments, all different kinds of jobs. It has been really special to me to see how employees keep in touch with each other and how they take care of each other.’

The exhibit will run through the end of January, but Mazik hopes it can lead to even further historical research and memorialization of the people responsible for the building blocks of America’s favorite pastime.

‘I want to sit down with some of these folks, do formal oral histories that we can archive,’ she says.

Laura Quiggins (left) stands in front of the worlds largest baseball bat outside the Louisville Sluggar Museum & Factory in Kentucky. Quiggins (right) poses next to a photo of her aunt Ruby Judd who was a long-term employee of Hillerich and Bradsby. Quiggins explained to DailyMail.com, '...it was a family-oriented place … Everybody knew everybody. She loved working there'

Authorities call on athletes to elevate Cuba in Tokyo-2020 Games Authorities call on athletes to elevate Cuba in Tokyo-2020 Games Authorities call on athletes to elevate Cuba in Tokyo-2020 Games

Authorities call on athletes to elevate Cuba in Tokyo-2020 Games

Havana, Dec 31 (Prensa Latina) Roberto Leon Richards, president of the Cuban Olympic Committee, and Osvaldo Vento, president of the National Sports Institute (INDER), congratulated the Cuban athletes, who are focusing their work on the Tokyo-2020 Olympics, for the new year.

On his Twitter account, Richards congratulated the athletes, coaches and the Cuban sports movement, to whom he sent a big hug, convinced that the Olympic event in Tokyo, Japan, will be another scenario of victories for them.

For his part, the INDER president recalled a statement by the historic leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of that heoric deed.

'Let's remember Fidel as a permanent motivation for the commitments to come. He insisted that sports encourage the people, entertain the people, excite the people and make the people happy. Congratulations,' Vento twitted.

To date, Cuba has 26 qualified athletes for the Tokyo-2020 Olympic Games in boating (4), cycling (1), artistic gymnastics (2), wrestling (2), modern pentathlon (2), shooting (5) and track and field (10).

According to the Cuban Sports Institute, the number of athletes for the Olympic Games must exceed 100 and Cuban athletes are expected to attend qualifying events from January 5 and May 24, 2020.

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