Question:
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Thursday, Governor Tate Reeves announced his request for disaster assistance for Mississippi citizens impacted by the Pearl River flooding and severe weather in February 2020.

Reeves is requesting Federal Declaration for Public Assistance to help recover from the flooding and storms.

“Mississippians are strong and resilient, but the historic flooding and severe weather we experienced is more than anyone should have to recover from alone. When disaster strikes and a fellow Mississippian is in need, we lend a helping hand. I want to thank all the hardworking men and women who helped complete these damage assessments to ensure every community hit can receive the necessary assistance to recover,” said Reeves.

According to a media release from his office, joint public assistance damage assessments were conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance personnel, along with local governments.

Assessments began on March 9, 2020, in the following counties: Attala, Carroll, Claiborne, Clay, Copiah, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes, Leflore, Warren, and Yazoo. After the completion of all damage assessments, it was determined that each of those eleven counties met the threshold to receive assistance.

Issaquena and Sharkey Counties were also included in the joint damage assessments, but due to ongoing flooding, the damage could not be assessed. The damage in these areas will be assessed at a later date.

Reeves also stated he also requesting disaster assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Central Mississippi communities affected by the Pearl River flooding on February 10-14, 2020.

He sent a letter to SBA Director Kem Fleming asking that low-interest loans be made available to aid small businesses and property owners in Hinds and Madison Counties damaged by the historic flooding.

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves announced disaster assistance for Mississippi businesses and residents affected by the Pearl River flooding on February 10-14, 2020.

He sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting a Federal Declaration for Public Assistance to make loans available to those impacted. The declaration covers Hinds and Madison counties, as well as the following adjacent counties: Attala, Claiborne, Copiah, Holmes, Leake, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Warren, and Yazoo. Residents and businesses in those counties can apply for low-interest disaster loans from SBA.

“The historic flooding we experienced in February was more than anyone anticipated—and more than anyone should have to recover from alone. The people and businesses in the path of the Pearl River are still recovering from the recent devastation and deserve a helping hand. Working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, I am committed to helping Mississippi businesses and communities get back on their feet and thrive,” said Governor Tate Reeves.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at Disasterloan.sba.gov. Anyone applying through the website can also receive one-on-one assistance by calling the SBA helpdesk and speaking with a customer service representative.

Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Mohanlal, the complete actor is all set to release his ambitious project Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, very soon. Recently, the senior actor opened up about the comparisons between Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham and Baahubali, the Prabhas starring Telugu blockbuster. Mohanlal suggested that the Priyadarshan directorial cannot be compared with the SS Rajamouli directorial.

According to the complete actor, Baahubali is an out-and-out fantasy film that reminds us of the old Amar Chitra Kadha comics. When it comes to the SS Rajamouli directorial, the makers had the creative liberty to showcase anything they think fits the bill due to its fantasy element. It was clearly a great advantage.

Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, on the other hand, is an epic historic film that is based on the life of the historical character Kunjali Marakkar IV. The creative liberty has been very limited with the project, as it is based on a true story. But still, the historical drama can be called a complete Priyadarshan film.

As reported earlier, Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham which was slated to hit the theatres on March 26, 2020, has been postponed due to the coronavirus scare. According to lead actor Mohanlal, the team is yet to finalise the new release date of the project. However, the makers are planning to have a special screening of the Priyadarshan directorial on March 19, Thursday, for the officers of the Indian Navy.

The official trailer of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, which was released on March 6, Friday, has totally won the hearts of netizens. The trailer, which was simultaneously released in five languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, has already crossed 10 Million views (including the views from all versions).

The extraordinary trailer of the Mohanlal starrer suggests that something very special is in store for the Malayalam cinema audiences. Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, which might hit the theatres in April 2020, is expected to break all the pre-existing collection records of the Malayalam cinema.

Popular rapper, Naira Marley who is also the CEO of Marlians has added more soldiers to his army as he just signed Zinoleesky, Mohbad, Cblack and Fabian.

Naira Marley brought the four artists on stage during Marlians in Lagos, and later in the day made it official on his social media page.

Also Read: Naira Marley Ordered To Appear Before Court Over Alleged Car Theft

According to reports, the signed artistes have been cohabitating with the popular rapper even before the official signing and they already recorded loads of songs with the Marlian Music Imprint.

See his tweet below:

PATNA: The state capital and Muzaffarpur ushered in the New Year with very poor air quality. The air quality index (AQI) of Muzaffarpur remained ‘severe’ on Wednesday, whereas that of Patna was in ‘very poor’ category.According to the figures released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI of Muzaffarpur was recorded at 465 on Wednesday, which was the worst in the country. Patna’s AQI, on the other hand, was recorded at 365. Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) officials stated that the overall AQI of 365 for Patna was the average of AQI level at planetarium (439), BIT-Mesra, Patna (372), Eco Park (312) and SK Memorial Hall (321).BSPCB chairman Ashok Ghosh told this newspaper on Wednesday that the air quality of Patna and Muzaffarpur deteriorated because of three weather conditions — low wind velocity, increase in moisture level and decline in temperature. “Vehicle movement even at night on December 31 was another factor for the increase in AQI level at Patna and Muzaffarpur,” he said.“The overall AQI level of the city has increased drastically. If we had only one air quality monitoring station at the planetarium, then Patna’s AQI level could also have been in severe category,” he added.The BSPCB chairman further said one more air quality station would soon come up at Muzaffarpur and another at Gaya. “The data of one monitoring station in a city is not sufficient at all. I personally think that at least four stations are needed in any city to get a broader scenario with regard to air pollution, but for bigger cities like Patna, 10 air monitoring stations are must,” Ghosh said.BSPCB is, in fact, in the process of installing two more air quality monitoring stations near DRM office at Danapur and Government Boy’s High School in Patna City by January 15.Pradhan Parth Sarthi, professor at Department of Environmental Science of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), said weather factors like low wind velocity, foggy conditions and low temperature have led to thermal inversion phenomenon in the atmosphere, which, in turn, has trapped the suspended particulate matter in the lower level of atmosphere. “The conditions can improve only with northwesterly wind and rainfall,” he added.

There will be no Latin America-focused emerging market report on Jan. 1 owing to the New Year's Day holiday

Dec 31 (Reuters) - Mexico's peso firmed in its last trading day for the year on Tuesday as increasing investor confidence about global growth prospects and significantly better U.S.-China trade relations sent the dollar to six-month lows on fading safe-haven buying.

An index of the greenback against six major rivals .DXY was down 0.3%, putting the currency on track to log meager gains for the year. FRX/MKTS/GLOB

Mexico's peso MXN= rose 0.4% to 18.865 per dollar by 1630 GMT, while the benchmark IPC stock index .MXX fell 0.3%. Other major Latam stocks and currencies marked their last trading day of the decade on Monday.

In a tumultuous year for Mexican markets, the peso was set to end the year up around 4%, building on 2018's bare minimum gains, while stocks rose 4.5%, recovering from a 15% fall last year.

After starting on a positive note, investors turned nervous when a trade deal with United States and Canada that was salvaged in September 2018 was revisited to ensure its labor provisions could be enforced.

As amendments to the deal were under discussion, a second blow came when U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to impose tariffs on all goods from Mexico in response to a surge of illegal Central American immigrants across the southern border.

Mexican assets plunged on the possibility of yet another tariff war.

But tariffs were averted just days before they were to take effect after the United States and Mexico struck a deal, with Mexico agreeing to expand a controversial asylum program and deploy security forces to stem the flow of migrants.

Toward the beginning of the second half of the year, Mexico's central bank began an easing cycling in an attempt to boost the economy, which had slipped into a mild recession in the first half of the year.

The bank began cutting rates by 25 basis points in August - its first cut in five years, and implemented three more cuts that took the benchmark interest rate to 7.25% in December.

Data showing consumer prices slipping well below the central bank's target in early December signaled easing was likely to continue into 2020.

Officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States signed a fresh overhaul of their trade deal in December, aiming to improve enforcement of worker rights, which helped Mexican markets end the year on a high note.

(Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler)

((susan.mathew@thomsonreuters.com; +91-80-6749-1130))

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions to make big changes in their lives. A lot of these promises are related to health – particularly physical health . It’s wonderful to try to eat healthier, work out more and get stronger, but we often neglect our mental health.

The truth is, many of us have trouble changing our physical health due to poor mental health. Don’t let a barrier in your head keep you from achieving your health goals in 2020. A lot of people will tell you that it’s easy for the first month or so but then life gets in the way and they revert to their old ways. The best way to stay on track is to sort out the mental stuff first, so that you can focus on the physical.

One way to improve your mental health is through hypnotherapy . Many of our poor health choices are the result of bad habits we can’t seem to break. Through hypnosis, you can replace those deeply imbedded beliefs you have regarding diet and exercise with more positive and health-conscious thoughts. A hypnotherapist can bypass the conscious mind and help you flip the switch on old habits. Once you’re mentally ready, you’ll find it easier to stick to your goals.

Start off the year right by treating yourself to some sessions at Positive Changes Hypnosis Centers’ Hamilton location. Don’t listen to the naysayers who tell you that you cannot achieve your goals for 2020. Everyone can use a little help getting started, so why not try hypnosis to increase your odds of success?

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
Joe Biden leads the Democratic primary field in Pennsylvania with 22 percent, according to a new poll, but that is down from 30 percent in October.

Former Vice President Joe Biden remains the front-runner in Pennsylvania among Democrats, according to a new poll, while just 41 percent of registered voters said President Donald Trump deserves re-election.

In the latest Franklin and Marshall College poll released Thursday, Biden was supported by 22 percent of Democrats, but that was down from the school’s October poll.

Biden was followed by Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at 15 percent, Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 14 percent and billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg with 7 percent.

The remaining Democratic primary candidates had 6 percent or less support in the poll.

F&M College’s October poll had Biden with 30 percent, leading Warren, who had 18 percent, and Sanders at 12 percent. Bloomberg had not yet entered the race when that poll was taken.

When asked who their second choice for president would be, 26 percent of Democrats said Warren, followed by Sanders and Biden tied at 18 percent each, and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg with 11 percent.

A statement from F&M College pollsters said the contest between Biden, Warren and Sanders "is driven by ideology" with 72 percent of Sanders voters and 73 percent of Warren supporters identifying themselves as liberal, compared to just 40 percent of Biden supporters.

Pennsylvania’s primary is on April 28.

Twenty percent of Democrats said healthcare is their top issue in picking a candidate and 42 percent said honesty is the quality they want most in one.

Trump’s numbers remain worrisome for Republicans, but while only 41 percent said he deserves re-election that is up from October when 37 percent said he did. Fifty-seven percent said it is time for a change in the White House, compared to 59 percent in October.

Asked to rate Trump’s job performance, 21 percent rated it as excellent, 17 percent as good, 12 percent as fair and 49 percent as poor.

Of the respondents supporting Trump, 83 percent said they would vote for him no matter who ran against him, while 87 percent of people opposing him said they would vote against him regardless of which Democrat challenges him.

Trump and the top three Democratic candidates are all underwater when it comes to their favorable/unfavorable ratings. F&M College found that Trump was at 41 percent/55 percent, Biden was at 43 percent/47 percent, Sanders was at 39 percent/54 percent and Warren was at 37 percent/46 percent.

Regionally, 51 percent of respondents from southwestern Pennsylvania said Trump should not be voted out while 33 percent said it is time for a change.

Among the Democratic candidates, 22 percent of southwestern Pennsylvania voters chose "other" and 31 percent said they had no preferred candidate, while 15 percent picked Sanders, 14 percent went with Biden and Bloomberg, and Warren received no votes.

Natural gas fracking has become an issue in the race with several Democratic candidates promising to ban the controversial extraction practice. Fifty-five percent of southwestern Pennsylvania respondents oppose a fracking ban and 28 percent support one.

Philadelphia (67 percent) and Allegheny County (61 percent) had the strongest support for a fracking ban while southwestern and central Pennsylvania (47 percent) had the strongest opposition to a ban.

Overall, state voters support fracking 48 percent to 44 percent.

The F&M College poll surveyed 628 registered voters between Jan. 20 and 26. The margin of error is plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for the poll and plus or minus 9 percentage points for questions to 292 registered Democrats.

Nearly two-thirds of registered voters in Pennsylvania say they are highly interested in the 2020 elections — nearly as many as during the lead up to the 2018 mid-terms, according to a new poll.

Of those, 41 percent believe President Donald Trump has done a good enough job to deserve re-election, while 57 percent say it’s time for a change.

Those are among the findings of a new poll from Franklin & Marshall College. The poll of 628 registered voters included 292 Democrats, 251 Republicans and 85 independents. It was conducted Jan. 21-26 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points.

The poll found that 38 percent believe Trump is doing a good or excellent job — slightly higher than in October.

Meanwhile, the preferred presidential candidate among Democrats in Pennsylvania has grown murkier since October. Former Vice President Joe Biden continues to lead, favored by 22 percent of Democrats; but he had been favored by 30 percent of Democrats in the last F&M poll in October.

Biden is followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, favored by 15 percent (up from 12 percent in October), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, favored by 14 percent (down from 18 percent in October).

That cluster is followed by former mayors Mike Bloomberg, favored by 7 percent, and Pete Buttigieg, favored by 6 percent.

Regarding Trump’s favorability rating, the poll authors note it’s similar to that of former President Barack Obama at the same point in his successful re-election campaign.

As usual, Trump is far more popular among Republicans, with 77 percent having a positive view of his performance, as opposed to 31 percent of independents and eight percent of Democrats.

Overall, 57 percent of those surveyed said it’s time for a different president and, of those, 87 percent said they will vote against Trump no matter what.

Regarding overall enthusiasm, people who consider themselves liberals show the most, with 78 percent saying they are highly interested. That compares to 68 percent of conservatives and 61 percent of moderates.

Some of the poll participants agreed to be interviewed by the news media.

Brian Taylor, a Philadelphia-area Democrat, says he plans to vote for Sanders because of “his authenticity, his accountability and his consistency.”

“He is also trying to take down money in politics, which is one of the biggest threats to our democracy in the modern age,” said Taylor, 29, who works for a non-profit counseling people living with HIV.

He disagrees with those who argue only a moderate Democrat can defeat Trump. Rather, Sanders champions policies that benefit working people, which will win over people from both major parties and independents, according to Taylor.

Andrew Maietta, an Allegheny County Democrat, says he leans toward Biden, adding “I’m not crazy” about the policies of Sanders and Warren.

“I’m not in favor of the free college and I think they are a little too far to the left,” says Maietta, a retired professor of filmmaking.

He says he’s also considering Sen. Amy Klobuchar, for reasons including his view her policies are “more centered,” and she doesn’t generate the level of disdain he believes many Republicans feel toward Democrats such as Biden or Hillary Clinton.

Rick Hall of McKean County is a registered Democrat who says he doesn’t always vote as a Democrat and is “underwhelmed” by the Democratic field. He further says “I do not like Trump” and Trump’s handling of foreign policy “scares the crap out of me.”

Still, he says “unless the Democrats come up with something else, I’ll have to vote for him.”

Moreover, Hall, who is 68 and retired after spending most of his career in the steel industry, believes Trump “has done a good job” on domestic issues including the economy.

Scott Mcgowan, a Libertarian, says “Trump shoots his mouth off and creates problems.” However, while stressing the election is still nearly a year away, he says, “If it was today it would be Trump” getting his vote.

Some other poll findings:

Just over half of the voters surveyed believe Pennsylvania is “headed in the right direction,” with 33 percent saying they are “better off” financially than a year ago, and a strong majority saying they expect to be the same or better off financially in a year.

On the other hand, only 38 percent believe the United States is headed in the right direction.

Forty-eight percent of voters support natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania, with 44 percent opposing it. However, 49 percent believe the environmental risks outweigh the economic benefits.

Forty-eight percent favor a ban on natural gas fracking, while 39 percent oppose a ban.

More from PennLive:

Listen to the latest episode of PennLive’s political podcast, Battleground Pa., on your favorite app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts. Battleground Pa. examines the changing political climate across the state leading up to the 2020 election.

news, story, article

By Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA

Bolgatanga, Jan. 1, GNA – The New Year will be filled with God’s abundant grace and Ghanaians will achieve great success, Reverend Dominic Ziba, the Head Pastor of the Holy Ghost Temple of the Assemblies of God Church in Bolgatanga, said on New Year’s Eve.

“As we welcome the New Year, believe that God is on your side and certainly your defense will be from heaven, the grace will be sufficient and in 2020, you will do better than you did in 2019, you will achieve better than you did in 2019”, he said.

Speaking on the theme: “On the ticket of open heavens”, to a jubilant congregation of both the young and old who put on show their dancing skills to usher in the New Year, Reverend Ziba quoted Matthew 3:16-17, and prayed to God to “open the heavens and grant us divine interventions.”

“When the heavens are opened, we are divinely enabled to overcome weaknesses and achieve divine support from the heavens as we enter the year 2020,” he said.

The Head Pastor urged Ghanaians to act responsibly and allow God to choose a leader for the country in the build up to election 2020 saying “the God who chose Ghana and ordained Ghana will select a President who will lead us to His own glory”.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the Pentecost International Worship Centre as part of its coverage of the 31st December Church activities to welcome the new year, in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Reverend Emmanuel Kyei Boate, the Resident Minister, urged members of his congregation to give thanks to God in all things.

He called on them to put their trust and hope in Jesus, “Fear not, because God is the one who holds the key to everything that happens,” he said, and prayed to God to lead them through the New Year and beyond.

At the Saint Cyprian Anglican Church, Reverend Father David Akurikiya in an interview with the GNA, thanked God for the year 2019 and called on Ghanaians to bury their differences and live together as brothers and sisters, especially as the elections approaches.

“Let’s not use politics to spoil the nation Ghana; your political opponent is not an enemy, let’s live together and work as a team to lift the image of Ghana high. I pray that God will give us divine direction and the grace to live peacefully as a nation,” he said.

At the premises of the churches visited, the GNA observed the presence of Police personnel; some were stationed along parts of the Municipality, especially areas without street lights, while some personnel patrolled the Municipality to ensure the safety of residents.

When the GNA extended its coverage of the night activities to drinking spots to ascertain the patronage, it observed that patrons who were mostly the youth, were drinking and dancing to loud music.

Some patrons who spoke to the GNA said “We are happy to live up to the end of the year, we have to drink and dance to show the joy in us. Some chose to go to church to show appreciation, we are also here to drink to the glory of God.”

GNA

Suspects arrested in last week’s spree of eight anti-Semitic attacks are being quickly released right back into the neighborhoods they terrorized thanks to “bail reform” legislation — which doesn’t even take effect until Jan. 1.

The most recent case of revolving-door justice came Saturday morning, with the release, with no bail, of a woman charged with punching and cursing at three Orthodox women, ages 22, 26 and 31, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn at dawn the day before.

The accused assailant, Tiffany Harris, was hauled in handcuffs before a Brooklyn judge on 21 menacing, harassment and attempted assault charges.

“F-U, Jews!” Harris, 30, of Flatbush, allegedly shouted during the attack.

“Yes, I was there,” Harris later admitted to cops, according to the criminal complaint against her.

“Yes, I slapped them. I cursed them out. I said ‘F-U, Jews.”

As she stood before a judge in Brooklyn Criminal Court with the hood to a navy blue jacket over her head, Harris was in familiar territory.

She still has an open harassment and assault case on the Brooklyn docket from November 2018.

And last month, she was sentenced to no jail time for felony criminal mischief in Manhattan, court records show — a case for which she had repeatedly failed to make court appearances.

Brooklyn prosecutors didn’t even bother requesting bail Saturday, as they could have, given that the reform law, approved in April, technically doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1.

“The de Blasio administration has made it clear that we all need to get into compliance with bail reform now,” said a law enforcement source.

“If prosecutors had asked for bail, corrections would release them immediately,” or they would be sprung on Jan. 1, the source said.

Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Laura Johnson even made mention of the coming bail reform legislation in ordering Harris freed.

“So I’m releasing her on consent and also because it will be required under the statute in just a few days,” the judge said.

“Ms. Harris you’re being released on your own recognizance.”

She was issued an order of protection barring contact with the three victims — and a court date of Jan. 10.

Harris broke into a grin when approached by a reporter. “Why do you want to know?” she said. ”Goodbye.”

The legislation requires arraignment judges to set free suspects in any non-sexual assault that doesn’t actually cause a physical injury, even in cases of hate crime attacks.

“If there is an injury, then bail could be requested, because then it would be considered a violent felony,” explained Insha Rahman, who, as director of strategy and new initiatives at the Vera Institute of Justice, worked closely with legislators and the governor’s office in drafting the controversial reforms.

The no-injury loophole will mean a quick get-out-of-jail free card for all but one of the accused attackers in the eight Hanukkah-timed, anti-Semitic bias crimes that have terrified the city’s Orthodox communities.

“You have to beat the hell out of somebody — or murder them — for there to be any consequences,” said former state lawmaker Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Anti-Semitism. “Otherwise, you are set free.”

He continued: “It’s open season in New York — open season on innocent people. On Jews, on Muslims, on gay people. It applies to anybody. But it’s the Jewish people in particular who have been targeted.”

Only one of last week’s eight attacks resulted in an actual physical injury — that of a 65-year-old Jewish man who was punched and kicked on Monday morning at East 41st Street and Third Avenue in Manhattan.

“F–k you, Jew bastard!” the petrified victim told cops his assailant shouted.

The suspect in that crime, Steven Jorge, 28, is indeed alleged to have injured his victim, and so was ordered locked up with no bail pending a psychological examination.

Jorge, though, is the exception.

On Friday night, a suspect in another of the hate attacks was similarly sprung with no bail, though in her case she was at least ordered to attend twice-monthly mental health appointments.

“You f—king Jew, the end is coming for you!” that suspect, Ayana Logan, 43, allegedly shouted as she swung a handbag at a 34-year-old Orthodox mom in Gravesend.

The mother had been holding the hand of her 3-year-old son when the unprovoked attack happened, according to the criminal court complaint against Logan.

By Saturday night, Logan, Harris, and Jorge remained the only suspects apprehended in the hate spree. The assailants in the remaining five attacks remain at large.

Rahman and other reformers argue that the vast majority of suspects in minor assaults are quickly released anyway — and that the new bail reform lets judges set conditions for release that can address the underlying mental-health issues.

“That can be mental health counseling, a stay-away order, which wasn’t readily available before, as conditions for release,” said Rahman.

Suspects are getting none of that during their pretrial stays in city jails, Rahman noted.

“Money bail, and keeping someone temporarily detained with no care, doesn’t address at all the long term concerns” of community safety and the well-being of suspects, she said.

But in the city’s Orthodox neighborhoods, there was outrage in learning that even when violent bigots are caught, they’ll be immediately released.

“They were released on bail?” a 32-year-old Orthodox man asked a Post reporter near where the three women were attacked. “Disgusting.”

Steve Benjamin, 30, of Borough Park, said, “We’re scared to walk at night in the street.

“There is a lot of hate here and I don’t know why. People in the community are scared. It’s very dangerous. It’s just like remembering the days before World War II. I don’t let my kids out alone.

“It should be more justice — they arrest them, but they let them out of jail a day later.”

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A decade is ample time for big moments and things to change.

Over the past ten years, Cornwall has experienced some major events, especially when it comes to politics, weather and the opening of major developments and infrastructures.

As we come to the end of the 2010s, we look back at some of the big decisions and incidents which impacted our county in that timeframe.

And there's no better way to start than with a good old pasty.

The pasty becomes a protected food

The savoury treat became a protected food in 2011 following a long campaign to prevent it being copied by imitators.

The announcement meant only pasties prepared in Cornwall and following the traditional recipe can be described as Cornish after the European commission awarded the dish "protected geographical indication" (PGI) status.

Campaigners celebrated the decision, saying it was important for the local economy – thousands of jobs are involved in the pasty industry – as well as for consumers.

While the status doesn't stop other producers from making other type of pasties, they can't sell them as 'Cornish'.

But with Brexit and the UK's looming exit from the EU, some now fear that Cornwall's favourite snack could lose its PGI status.

If that were to happen, anyone in Romania or Yorkshire could make pasties and call them Cornish.

Winter storms

In early 2014 several storms tore their way across Cornwall – washing away buildings, flooding homes and toppling cliffs.

The relentless wind, rain and waves caused millions of pounds’ worth of damage to infrastructure and tested the resilience of coastal communities and flood defences to the limit.

Storm Hercules may be the name people remember but, in total, 12 major storms battered the region between December 2013 and March 2014, the wettest winter on record.

The towering waves caused extensive damage in several coastal communities in Cornwall, particularly in Fowey , Kingsand, Looe , Mevagissey , Porthleven , Penzance and St Ives .

Iconic rock formations were shattered, historic harbour buildings demolished, sea walls toppled and beach cafes devastated.

Vast swathes of sand and shingle were ripped out, shifted around and sucked out to sea.

More than 360 properties across Cornwall were flooded, while coastal protection assets in 145 locations were damaged.

The Cornwall economy was also affected by a huge reduction in rail passengers coming to Cornwall, due damage to the line at Dawlish in Devon.

Minority status

In April 2014, it was announced that Cornish people would be granted minority status under European rules for the protection of national minorities.

The Cornish gained the same status as other Celtic communities the Scots, Welsh and Irish.

The status means that government departments and public bodies are required to take Cornwall's views into account when making decisions.

It ensures that the rights of national minorities are respected by combating discrimination, promoting equality and preserving and developing the culture and identity of national minorities.

Dick Cole, leader of Mebyon Kernow, which campaigns for Cornish devolution, said at the time: "This is a fantastic development. This is a proud day for Cornwall."

Cornwall becomes all blue

In May 2015 General Election the Conservative Party won all six seats in Cornwall, wiping out Liberal Democrat representation in the county.

The Tories took St Ives, North Cornwall, and St Austell and Newquay from the Lib Dems.

The outcome transformed Cornwall's political landscape from a Lib Dem stronghold in the 2005 election.

It was the first time since the 1920s that all of Cornwall's MPs were Conservative.

Cornwall Coliseum is demolished

In April 2015, demolition work started to tear down Cornwall's most iconic music venue. Suitably named, the Cornwall Coliseum was a giant of a building and acted as a magnet for massive bands and solo acts beside the sea at Carlyon Bay.

The Coliseum’s main entertainment auditorium, with a standing capacity of 3,300, was opened nearly 40 years ago with a concert by The Who but there had been halls on the site for many years before that.

In its heyday the venue welcomed the likes of Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Bon Jovi, The Jam, Cliff Richard and Simple Minds. But it fell into disrepair in the 1990s, marking an end to Cornwall's golden era for music.

During its final years, the Coliseum had already begun to decline, with buckets placed around the hall to collect the rain coming through the leaks in the roof. The final concert at the venue, by Cornwall Youth Brass Band, took place in 2000.

It was knocked down three years ago to make way for a multi-million pound beach development, but work is yet to begin.

Poldark effect

Winston Graham’s historical (and, often, hysterical) novels were big enough, but then came the BBC series in the mid-’70s, which made stars of the likes of Angharad Rees.

However, things got even more stellar with the 2015 reboot making international stars of Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson.

(Image: BBC/Mammoth Screen/Mike Hogan)

The popularity of the Poldark novels and TV series has been eagerly seized upon by the bodies that operate Cornish heritage sites, as well as many others involved in tourism in the county.

We might moan constantly about the appalling accents, but the ‘Poldark effect’ has seen a substantial increase in visitor numbers and revenue.

Primark opens

The clothing giant opened the doors to its first Cornwall store in Truro in November 2016.

There was mass excitement when it was first announced that the popular Irish clothing and accessories store was considering its first Cornish location back in 2013.

The shop has become famous for its cheap and cheerful clothing, stocking everything from party outfits to sportswear and lingerie to work wear.

For a long time Primark was one of several big brands which didn't exist in Cornwall, alongside the likes of H&M, Nando’s and John Lewis.

The store had a big knock on effect in Truro, helping to boost everything from sales at newsagents and jewellers to eateries and even the local butcher.

The Man Engine

The largest mechanical puppet ever built, the Man Engine was the sensation of 2016, not just in Cornwall where he strode like a mighty mining colossus, but also across the globe where it made gigantic headlines.

The Man Engine was created to mark the 10th anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape being added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

To celebrate this, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Partnership commissioned an exciting summer-long set of inspirational events and experiential happenings entitled Tinth.

The most spectacular event was the two week awe-inspiring journey of the Man Engine - a monumental moving, steaming ‘beast’, the likes of which has never been seen before - which made its way from Tavistock to the far western tip of Cornwall between July 25 and August 6, 2016.

People came out in their thousands to see him travel the county spreading the word of Cornwall’s mining heritage.

Jaws dropped and spirits were raised as Cornwall’s celebrated engineering tradition was reborn for a new generation.

A30 dualling at Temple

The A30 is one of the oldest roads in Britain and, for many years, subject of jokes about being one of its biggest car parks because traffic ground to a frustrating halt so often.

Love it or loathe it, travel by car in Cornwall is practically impossible without taking into account the A30, which has evolved to be the transport spine of the entire county.

In September 2010, the green light was given to remove one of the last bottlenecks on the A30 at Temple on Bodmin Moor, after years of campaigning.

During its busiest time, the section of road carried about 40,000 vehicles a day, even though the recommended capacity for a single carriageway was 13,000.

Work on the £60 million project finally began in the summer of 2015 and was completed two years later in time for the summer holiday season, making travel in and out of Cornwall much more efficient and seemingly safer.

Coverack flood

It was July 2017 when a freak flash flood swept through the Cornish seaside village of Coverack.

The village on the Lizard peninsula became the centre of a huge rescue and recovery operation after it was engulfed in a terrifying torrent of water.

(Image: Peter Wood)

The drama unfolded on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, with a sudden thunderstorm in Falmouth Bay. As heavy rain began to fall, the villagers put their sandbags – little realising the onslaught which was to follow. At around 2.30pm, a huge bombardment of golf ball-sized hailstones began.

It has been reported that as much as an inch of rainfall came down in 15 minutes – rushing off the slopes behind the village and swelling to a tremendous size. Huge waterfalls cascaded over the seawall, houses were completely flooded and the roads were ripped apart by the force of the water.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured though many had to be rescued by the emergency services, and the village was left reeling from the incident. Around 350 tonnes of debris were removed from Coverack’s roads in the days following the flood.

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.

Funding for tech startups has been on an inevitable upswing for years, a result of a virtuous circle where wildly successful tech companies on the public markets whet the appetites of investors and investors’ backers to find more diamonds, a push met by a pull from the rush of talent with entrepreneurial aspirations out to put that money to work.

2019 has felt a bumper year in that longer trend, with 9-figure rounds ($100 million or more) and “unicorn” statuses so prevalent that the numbers have started to cease to be news items in themselves.

With 2020 now just days away, a look at the 50 biggest funding rounds for start-ups in the past year draws out some trends. We’re pulling out the top five below for a closer look, but it’s interesting too to see some of the other trends emerging across the rest of the pack.

Automotive remains a huge pull when it comes to raising big bucks: part of the reason is because the space is capital intensive, as it straddles both software and hardware (that is, not just equipment but cars).

Capex is another reason for some of the other big investment rounds of the year, such as the biggest of them all, for an internet data center startup.

Asian companies figure massive in the list and account for 7 of the 10 biggest rounds in the list.

Small players: there were only three companies in health tech in the top 50, only one in education technology, and only three in the areas of AI and robotics. I don’t know if that means these areas simply don’t require as much capital investment, or if these challenges are simply not as interesting right now for investors as those more squarely focused on revenue generation and business needs.

Hopefully the former, as the wider tech world faces a lot of cynicism and skepticism from the public and could use a better profile from solving actual problems.

Note: for this piece, we have focused on investments made in pre-IPO technology companies, and on new equity investments rather than secondary or debt rounds.

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Question:
A police force has defended using a drone camera to shame people into not driving into a national park during the lockdown, while another force said it was introducing roadblocks to stop drivers heading to tourist hotspots.

A new law came into effect on Thursday allowing police to use force to make people return home.

Derbyshire police tweeted drone footage taken near Curbar Edge, in the Peak District, and said they had checked the numberplates of vehicles in the car park and found that some cars were registered to addresses in Sheffield, a 30-minute drive away.

Police said members of the public should not be driving anywhere to walk their dogs or exercise. However, the Guardian checked with the Cabinet Office, which is overseeing restrictions on movement, and a spokeswoman confirmed that the guidelines did not prohibit driving somewhere for exercise or dog walking.

Derbyshire police tweeted: “Despite posts yesterday highlighting issues of people still visiting the #PeakDistrict despite government guidance, the message is still not getting through. @DerPolDroneUnit have been out at beauty spots across the county, and this footage was captured at #CurbarEdge last night.”

It added: “Some number plates were coming back to keepers in #Sheffield, so we know that people are travelling to visit these areas. Daily exercise should be taken locally to your home. Under government guidance all travel is limited to essential travel only. Travelling to remote areas of the #PeakDistrict for your exercise is not essential travel. PLEASE, #StayHomeSaveLives.”

Quick guide UK lockdown: what are the coronavirus restrictions? Show Hide What do the restrictions involve? People in the UK will only be allowed to leave their home for the following purposes: Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible

One form of exercise a day – for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household

Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home Police will have the powers to enforce the rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings. To ensure compliance with the instruction to stay at home, the government will: Close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship

Stop all gatherings of more than two people in public – excluding people you live with

Stop all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals Parks will remain open for exercise, but gatherings will be dispersed.

A spokesman for Derbyshire police insisted there was nothing sinister about the drone deployment. “It’s not Big Brother. It’s just to illustrate the fact that people are going out and making these journeys against the government’s rules. The rules are clear that people should avoid all non-essential travel and exercise and walk their dogs near their homes. If they drive into the Peaks and have a collision or breakdown or go for a walk and fall over, we’re the ones who will be called, or mountain rescue,” he said.

The drone operator was not hidden, he added. “The pilot was standing next to a liveried police vehicle close to the car park while people were coming in and out.”

Civil liberties groups criticised the sweeping powers given to police on Thursday, including the power to force people to go home, as “authoritarian” and “chilling”. Police vowed to use them if they had to do so.

Play Video 4:04 Coronavirus lockdown in the UK: the dos and don'ts – video explainer

Fines will start at £30, offenders can also be arrested, and police say they will try to persuade people to obey a lockdown that few expect will end in three weeks time.

Clare Collier, the advocacy director at Liberty, said: “We’re extremely concerned by the extent of these coercive powers. This is a pandemic and so it should be treated as a public health issue. Instead the government is treating it as a criminal justice issue, putting resources into detaining and criminalising.

“What’s concerning is what this heavy-handed approach will do to the public’s relationship with the police in the long-term. And while some people will feel reassured by a firmer police response to the pandemic, others will feel fear, especially groups who are already over-policed.”

Play Video 3:09 Squats, drones and angry mayors: policing coronavirus lockdowns around the world – video report

Silkie Carlo, the director of Big Brother Watch, said: “These are chilling powers that create a serious risk of arbitrary policing. Authorities are right to take robust measures to protect public health, but in truth the only way we can control the spread is through well-informed community cooperation, not just criminalisation. Basic safeguards are missing from these extraordinary powers and I’m afraid more draconian powers still are to come from the Coronavirus Act.”

Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, who was involved in negotiations with the government about the powers, said: “I am confident the overwhelming majority of people already understand the gravity of the situation we face. There will be a small number who do not and we will engage with them, explain to them and encourage them to go home. If they refuse to do the right thing, we are fully prepared to use these new powers.”

Under measures announced on Monday by Boris Johnson, members of the public are allowed out of their homes for one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk or cycle, alone or with members of their household.

The government guidance does not specify how long this exercise can last or how far a distance it can cover. It does not specifically ban driving somewhere to walk a pet or exercise, but makes clear that all non-essential travel should be avoided.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Police move on a group of three people from Cardiff Castle on 26 March. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

In North Yorkshire, police said they would set up checkpoints to determine if drivers’ journeys were essential. The move was being introduced to ensure motorists are complying with government restrictions, North Yorkshire police said.

“Officers will be stopping vehicles and asking motorists where they are going, why they are going there, and reminding them of the message to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives,” the force said in a statement. The checkpoints will be unannounced and could be anywhere across the county.

The assistant chief constable Mike Walker said: “The new and significant restrictions … spell out very clearly what each and every one of us must do to save lives. The message is clear and the warning stark: stay at home, save lives.

“These are the lives of the people we know and love. Our partners, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, grandparents. You may never be in such a position again where your simple actions will lead directly to saving lives.”

Police in west and mid-Wales have begun stopping drivers to check that their journeys are essential, and are also patrolling public spaces and tourist hotspots.

Andy Williams, a Dyfed-Powys roads policing inspector, said: “More people on the roads means a greater likelihood of vehicles breaking down or being involved in an accident, which puts extra strain on the emergency services. These extra interactions also increase the chances of the virus spreading and putting more people’s lives in danger.”

On Wednesday North Wales police sent a family of five home after they were caught travelling from Merseyside to Llanfairfechan for a day at the seaside. In a Facebook post, the force’s Conwy coastal unit said: “Officers are out patrolling and it is pleasing to see that most people are sticking to the government advice.”

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Police are pulling over drivers and threatening fines of up to £960 as Britain's new coronavirus lockdown laws take effect.

Officers in Cornwall have warned they will stop motorists suspected of heading to the beach and search their boots.

In Derbyshire, police shared drone footage of dog walkers in the Peak District, shaming them for conducting non-essential travel.

Civil liberties groups have reportedly slammed the police for 'Orwellian' behaviour, describing the drone recording in Derbyshire as 'over-the-top policing'.

Officers were handed the right to enforce the Health Protection Regulations yesterday afternoon.

Have you been affected by the coronavirus outbreak? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk

(Image: Handout)

They are now able to fine anyone outside their home without good reason, with penalties starting at £60 but rising to a maximum of £960 for repeat offenders.

The authorities can arrest anyone who refuse to comply.

Anyone who does not pay the penalty, which can be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days, will be dragged before the courts, which have the power to issue an unlimited fine.

Derbyshire Police shamed walkers in the Peak District on Twitter yesterday.

A video uploaded by the force showed a car park filled with vehicles near the beauty spot of Curbar Edge.

In the clip, a list of activities were deemed 'non-essential', including dog walking in the Peak District, heading to a vista to watch the sun set, stopping for an Instagram photograph and driving to a place for a walk.

Derbyshire Police tweeted: "Despite posts yesterday highlighting issues of people still visiting the #PeakDistrict despite government guidance, the message is still not getting through.

" @DerPolDroneUnit have been out at beauty spots across the county, and this footage was captured at #CurbarEdge last night.

(Image: Plymouth D Section Response/SWNS) (Image: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)

"Whilst the government has advised to take one form of exercise a day, it is not appropriate to be getting in your car and travelling to take this exercise, particularly to a location, such as the Peak District that in normal times can become busy.

"We saw last week where such places in Derbyshire and other parts of the country became dangerously overcrowded, making social distancing extremely hard, and in fact today our officers have had to break up a group having a picnic.

"These are all lovely things to do but not in the middle of a pandemic that is literally costing people their lives.

(Image: Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

"Our actions and the government’s advice are there to keep you and others safe and ensure that our NHS is able to cope in order to save as many lives as possible."

A spokesman for the force told The Guardian the footage was not ' Big Brother ' behaviour.

They said the video showed people were breaking Government rules, adding that they should walk their dogs near their homes.

It comes after police set up road blocks in the streets to enforce social isolation.

On Wednesday a family-of-five from Merseyside who arrived in North Wales for a day out at the seaside were stopped by police and told to return home, The Liverpool Echo reported.

Check points were established in Plymouth, Devon, and in several places across Cornwall.

As of yesterday, a total of 150 vehicles were checked in Penzance, Hayle, and St Ives to find out whether their journeys were essential.

Plymouth D Section Response took to Twitter to share a picture of their roadblock.

They tweeted: "We are continuing our work again this morning with road calming measures and enquiries ref essential travel, consider this now the norm.

"Officers have also deployed to various supermarkets to assist with queuing flows and social distancing."

Rajkummar Rao in Ludo. (Image courtesy rajkummar_rao )

Highlights The film will be directed by Anurag Basu

The actor will be seen sporting 2 drastically different looks in the film

Ludo will also star Abhishek Bachchan and Fatima Sana Shaikh

We bet you won't be able to identify Rajkummar Rao in the new look from his forthcoming film Ludo. The 35-year-old actor shared the first look from the film and It is anything but conventional. In the first look, Rajkummar Rao can be seen dressed in a green lehenga and he sports hair extensions. He can also be seen sporting dramatic makeup. The look has been trending on social media big time. In the second picture, Rajkummar Rao can be seen dressed in a retro look. The actor sports long hair and flashy clothes and he can be seen wearing flashy clothes. Sharing the look on Instagram, Rajkummar wrote: "Happy New year, guys."

Take a look at Rajkummar Rao's post here:

Ludo, directed by Anurag Basu, is reportedly a dark comedy, which also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Pankaj Tripathi. Speaking of the film's star cast, Anurag Basu, in an interview with news agency IANS last year, said, "I am extremely happy to have found this talented new generation cast, though I will trust my old friend Pritam for music as always. It is my pleasure to be working with Bhushan Kumar for my next that is a dark comic anthology."

On the professional front, Rajkummar Rao was last seen in the film Made In China, co-starring Mouni Roy. He also has Roohi Afza, opposite Janhvi Kapoor and Chhalaang, co-starring Nushrat Bharucha in the pipeline. The actor will also be seen in The White Tiger, an adaptation of Aravind Adiga's Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.

A secondary school Special Needs Assistant (SNA) was unfairly dismissed after an allegation that he used cocaine on school grounds.

A secondary school Special Needs Assistant (SNA) was unfairly dismissed after an allegation that he used cocaine on school grounds.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has ordered the school to pay the former SNA €1,000 for the unfair dismissal.

WRC Adjudication Officer Kevin Baneham stated that there were “alarming deficiencies in the decision to dismiss” the SNA who denied all drug related allegations.

One of the findings of the dismissal letter to the SNA was that drugs were on the school campus in December 2017 and Mr Baneham states that no such allegation was ever made.

The investigation into the SNA was sparked by an incident which occurred on the last day of the school term in June 2018.

On the day, the school organised a break-up party, with a staff sports day and some lunch.

This finished at 5pm and some staff went out later to a local pub.

However, while there, an Assistant Principal (AP) said that he had walked into a bathroom on two SNAs.

He saw the two SNAs were standing with their back to the door and he felt that something was wrong.

According to the AP’s statement, the other SNA had his hand up to his face and the two scurried into cubicles.

The AP said that he believed that this was drugs. The AP has previously told the principal that he had been offered cocaine at a Christmas event in December 2017.

The SNA who was dismissed denied all allegations of drug use. The second SNA made a statement that he was shown cocaine at the June incident but did not want to partake.

However, Mr Baneham stated that the second SNA’s statement “was self-serving and unreliable”.

Mr Baneham stated: “In a re-enactment of the classic Prisoner’s Dilemma, he laid blame on his co-accused. This is ‘Operation Save-My-Job’.”

The sacked man has looked for other SNA roles but did not have reference to obtain such a role.

Online Editors

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Each year, Google reveals the fastest-rising search terms people searched for. Eyewitness News took a look at the top search terms for each year of the past decade and some of them may surprise you.

In 2019, it appears that most people were curious about Disney+. The streaming service launched in November.

The men’s World Cup dominated 2018 searches. Team France defeated Croatia 4-2 for the title that year.

In 2017, Hurricane Irma led all searches. Several islands in the Caribbean were affected when the storm hit the region in September—it also caused widespread damage in Florida.

Powerball led all searches in 2016. The Term skyrocketed when the jackpot topped $1 billion in January of that year.

In 2015, Lamar Odom was the most searched term, as the former basketball player married Khloe Kardashian. Later that year he was discovered unconscious in a Nevada brothel.

Sadly, the death of Robin Williams led all searches in 2014. The comedian died in August of that year.

The fatal accident involving actor Paul Walker dominated searches in 2013. The Fast and Furious star died in November of that year at the age of 40.

Tragedy also struck in 2012, when legendary singer Whitney Houston died. Her name was the most searched term that year.

In 2011, then 13-year-old Rebecca Black became a music sensation when she released the catchy song “Friday.” The song went viral, kind of becoming an “ear-worm” stuck in the heads of millions of people.

Finally, way back in 2010, it was iPad leading all searches. Apple released the device that year and if you remember a lot of people were unsure if it would be a hit. To date, Apple has sold more than 350 million of them.

OTTAWA -- The federal government has hit pause on a popular immigration program that allows people to sponsor their parents or grandparents to come to Canada.

The parents and grandparents program normally opens for applications once a year, and often in January.

But Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino has given notice that the application process for 2020 is being postponed.

"These instructions will allow the Department sufficient time to complete the development of a new application intake management process for the parents and grandparents sponsorship program, to be implemented in 2020," he wrote in a set of instructions published Dec. 20, and circulated by his department to the public this week.

The application process for the wildly popular program has been reworked several times in recent years following criticism and problems with the system.

Applications used to be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis in person, but that system was scrapped after people effectively bought their way to the front of the line by hiring couriers to ensure their forms were at the top of the pile.

The Liberals then moved to a lottery system, which was criticized for being too random, and then an online program that in 2019 saw all the spots snapped up within minutes.

The Liberal government promised after that to review the system yet again, but a decision on what would happen for the 2020 program was delayed by the federal election.

The program will reopen at some point next year, according to Mendicino's instructions that were posted online.

"The Minister intends to issue further Instructions relating to the intake management process for the parents and grandparents program by April 1, 2020, at the latest."

About 20,000 people are admitted annually under the parent and grandparent category, but it currently takes about two years to process an application.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2019.

Appearing on Fox News, former congressman Trey Gowdy said he believes if the impeachment trial were held today “the president would win. And I don’t think he’d lose a single Republican senator and he might pick up one Democrat.”

Gowdy suggested Republicans get the trial over with without witnesses since they have the numbers, saying “if you have the jury and you know how they’re going to know how they’re going to rule, go ahead and get it over with. And then the president can say whatever he wants to after the trial is over.”

Gowdy also revealed he believes Pelosi’s stalling tactic is about putting GOP Senators in swing districts in “tight spots” which she thinks might help Democrats take back the Senate in 2020.

“This is about putting a handful of Republican senators in tight spots in November, Cory Gardner and Thom Tillis and Susan Collins and Martha McSally. Put them in tight spots, make them cast difficult votes.”

WATCH:

This article first appeared on TheConservativeOpinion.com

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Question:
Two-season limited event series “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” had been set to premiere April 12th on AMC, but we’ve learned this week that the premiere has been delayed.

The new spinoff series, which tells the story of the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse, will now be arriving on AMC “later this year.” We have no new date at this time.

According to Deadline, the series “had wrapped filming but was in post-production on the last few episodes, which has been impacted by the COVID-19-related company closures.”

Filming on “The Walking Dead” and “Fear the Walking Dead” is also on hold.

In “World Beyond”…

“Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, good & bad.”

“Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest. Pursued by those who wish to protect them and those who wish to harm them, a tale of growing up and transformation unfurls across dangerous terrain, challenging everything they know about the world, themselves and each other.”

AMC has postponed the series premiere of The Walking Dead: World Beyond — the second spin-off in the popular zombie apocalypse franchise — due to coronavirus-related production shutdowns. Deadline reports that the series was initially set to premiere on April 12 but will now move to sometime “later this year.”

The article confirms that while World Beyond has finished filming its first season, post-production on the last few episodes has been disrupted by production shutdowns due to the current pandemic.

World Beyond joins several other television shows and films in being halted or delayed over the coronavirus outbreak. Season four of the critically-acclaimed FX series, Fargo, was also slated for an April premiere date but will now be pushed back.

Another factor worth noting in the television network schedule is the lack of new content to air later this year. With so many shows shutting down their production, many networks will face a shortage of programming in the fall. AMC is making a smart business move by withholding World Beyond for later months when they may be short on content.

According to Deadline, AMC and other ad-supported networks will also have to contend with major advertising companies restructuring their content because of unemployment, a plummeting stock market, and cross-cutting measures amid the health crisis. Networks will be more selective in ad spending, preferring to wait until later in the year to delegate rather than using it now.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond is moving its premiere date from Sunday April 12th to later this year. Follow here for more updates. pic.twitter.com/1Ncc4VViUt — TWDWorldBeyond (@TWDWorldBeyond) March 20, 2020

The latest spin-off in The Walking Dead franchise will further “expand the universe.” Instead of focusing on already established characters, it will aim toward a younger demographic by focusing on the “first generation raised in a surviving civilization of the post-apocalyptic world.”

“Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest,” the article continues.

It stars Nico Tortorella of Younger fame, Aliyah Royale, Hal Cumpston, Alexa Mansour, Nicolas Cantu Annet Mahendru, and Julia Ormond.

Dozens of fans are tweeting about their disappointment over the postponement in the comments section of the above tweet. Several people expressed their dismay at having one less show to watch during the quarantine. Some wondered if this news would mean the planned Rick Grimes films would also wind up delayed.

“Why though? By the looks of it, it seems our quarantine might be extended. What better time for people to watch the new show when we’re all going to be home anyway?” asked one user.

What term do you want to search? Search with google

EditorsNote: fixes “Luka” in fifth graf

Dec 31, 2019; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) warms up before the start of their game against the Dallas Mavericks at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Paul scored 17 points — including 13 in the final 4:31 — to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a come-from-behind, 106-101 home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

With less than three minutes remaining, the Thunder trailed by seven.

But then Oklahoma City reeled off a 14-2 run — fueled in large part by Paul — to end the game.

The win was the third in a row and seventh in the last eight games for the Thunder.

Dallas had a chance to regain the lead in the final minute, but Danilo Gallinari tipped the ball away from the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic right into the arms of the Thunder’s Steven Adams.

Oklahoma City converted at the free-throw line to put the game away.

Two players who were questionable going into the day — Gallinari and Dennis Schroder — led the Thunder with 20 points each.

Gallinari returned after missing four games due to ankle soreness. Schroder missed Sunday’s game because of ankle soreness.

Doncic scored 35 points to lead all scorers but struggled from behind the arc, going just 3 of 16 on 3-point attempts. He was 9 of 13 from inside the arc. Doncic added 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Doncic dominated at the start, scoring 17 first-quarter points to help the Mavericks build a 12-point lead 12 minutes into the game.

The Thunder closed the first half with a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to one going into the half.

Three Oklahoma City players produced double-doubles. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Nerlens Noel had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Adams had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The loss was the second in a row for the Mavericks, who were without Kristaps Porzingis for just the second time this season. He was a late scratch due to right knee soreness.

Slideshow (37 Images)

The Mavericks were also without Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed the game after sustaining a hamstring injury early in a Sunday road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo played for the first time since Nov. 22. He missed 17 games due to a hyperextended right elbow. Diallo played 19 minutes and scored four points.

—Field Level Media

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Sonam Kapoor Ahuja celebrated her New Year with her sister Rhea Kapoor, husband Anand Ahuja and her friends. In the video, Rhea and Sonam who are twinning in black with their girl gangs are wishing their fans.

2019 has ended and 2020 has begun. Many of our beloved B – town celebs jetted off to exotic places ahead of the New Year while a few others decided to stay home and be with their family members and friends to celebrate the special occasion. While Sara Ali Khan decided to stay home, and Virat Kohli partied with Kareena Kapoor Khan, and . Ahuja celebrated her New Year with her sister Rhea Kapoor, husband Anand Ahuja and her friends.

Rhea Kapoor has shared a video on her Instagram story in which we can see Rhea and Sonam who are twinning in black with their girl gang are wishing their fans Happy New Year. Later Sonam is searching for the boys and then they finally spot Anand Ahuja who is busy taking a picture or video from his phone. Anand has shared a cute picture of Sonam hugging him tightly and giving a smile as they celebrate New Year together.

Check out the Sonam and Rhea's video here:

Check out Sonam Kapoor & Anand Ahuja's pic here:

Before entering 2020, the Veere Di Wedding actress had shared a loved up video on Instagram with husband Anand Ahuja as the couple bid adieu to the decade together. Sonam also wrote about everything she gained and lost in this decade and this overwhelming post is winning hearts. In this adorable video, Sonam, who is ringing the New Year in Rome, was seen kissing her husband. Meanwhile, on the work front, Sonam has given two movies this year including Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga with Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao and The Zoya Factor opposite Dulquer Salmaan. Besides, she is also working on her home production Battle of Bittora. However, the movie is yet to hit the floors as Sonam is yet to find a lead actor for the movie.

Also Read: Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja bid goodbye to the decade with a kiss; Says ‘May love lead your way’

Credits :Instagram

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(Gateway Pundit) – Independent County Circuit Judge Don McSpadden suddenly recused himself from Hunter Biden’s paternity case Tuesday morning.

Hunter had a child with 28-year-old Lunden Roberts after meeting her at a DC strip joint where she worked as a stripper and she is demanding a hefty child support payment!

Ms. Roberts dragged Hunter Biden into a nasty court battle after he has ‘refused to pay child support for over a year’ and refused to pay her $11,000 legal bill.

Above: Lunden Roberts

Hunter Biden claimed in a sworn statement that he is in debt and unemployed and he is refusing to turn over the last 5 years of his financial records.

Lunden Roberts’ attorneys are asking that Hunter Biden be held in contempt of court for refusing to turn over his financial records related to Burisma and the Chinese private equity firm.

The Democrat Arkansas Gazette reported that Judge McSpadden recused at 10:20 AM without explanation.

McSpadden filed an order at 10:20 AM Tuesday saying he was recusing “pursuant to the Administrative Plan of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.” A hearing in the case was scheduled for Tuesday. Attorneys for Lunden Alexis Roberts had urged the judge to find Biden in contempt of court at that hearing for not providing financial information for the past five years. “One of the clearest indicators of a judge’s integrity is when he or she recuses from a case,” said Clinton Lancaster, one of Roberts’ attorneys. “It highlights the ethos and values that make the judiciary such a powerful, separate branch of government. Our client sincerely thanks Judge McSpadden for his time and attention to what has become a difficult and convoluted child support matter.”

The Daily Mail reported that a ‘defrauded investor’ Joel Caplan filed a motion in Independence County, in an effort to become a part of Lunden Roberts’ case.

Joel Caplan claims he was swindled in a scheme known as the ‘China Hustle’ and Hunter Biden’s bank records will show he was part of the scheme.

Caplan told Judge Don McSpadden to ‘follow the money’ and in a 30-page filing, lays out how he was allegedly swindled out of 10 years of his life savings in a ‘multi-billion dollar stock scheme known as the China Hustle.’ Caplan, who filed papers from Jerusalem, Israel, claims many Chinese nationals made fortunes from the ploy, which involved presenting fake company documents and claiming they were genuine investments when they were actual frauds. Then the Chinese Nationals went on to use the ill-gotten gains to influence politics and even ‘bribe’ individuals, such as Biden, Caplan claims. Caplan points to Donald Trump’s claim in October that Biden received a $1.5 billion payday from a China-based private equity fund. Biden has denied the claim, saying that he has not taken money from China. He said he bought into a Chinese investment fund after his father left office for $420,000. The $1.5 billion was the amount the fund aimed to raise in China for investments. Still, Caplan wants Biden’s bank records in an apparently far-fetched attempt to trace back the billions of dollars that went missing in China, in his bid for ‘justice’ and to possibly regain his lost savings.

Private investigator Dominic Casey also asked to be a part of the case and claimed he has obtained Biden’s bank account records, the Daily Mail reported.

The judge in Hunter Biden’s Arkansas paternity case has recused himself today, hours after an attempt to make the businessman’s Ukraine dealings the center of the case, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com. Judge Don McSpadden, of Independence County, didn’t give an explanation when he announced he was recusing himself at 10.20am. McSpadden’s recusal came two hours after ‘defrauded investor’ Joel Caplan, who wants to be made a party in the case, filed a witness statement from ex-Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. Shokin claimed he was fired in 2016 because he was leading an investigation into Burisma and refused to shut it down, despite pressure from Hunter’s father, then-VP Joe Biden.

thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/breaking-judge-in-hunter-bidens-paternity-case-suddenly-recuses-himself-as-lunden-roberts-attorneys-ask-for-hunter-to-be-held-in-contempt-for-withholding-financial-records/

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