Question:
A zoo in Germany has said that all the animals inside a monkey sanctuary have died after a fire broke out there on New Year's Eve.

Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, fruit bats and birds were among the estimated 30 animals killed after the fire broke out in the 6,500 square foot enclosure at Krefeld Zoo that was built in 1975, the BBC reported.

Locals raised the alarm just after midnight on Wednesday. When firefighters arrived, the blaze in the enclosure could not be contained before the building had burned down to its skeletal structure.

German media outlet Deutsche Welle reported that an initial police investigation found that sky lanterns may have ignited the roof of the enclosure and caused the rest of the structure to go up in flames, although the zoo has not confirmed this.

"Like a miracle... they are only slightly injured."

The zoo said two chimpanzees -- named Bally and Limbo -- survived the blaze. https://t.co/p9LUQbnv1o — CNN (@CNN) January 1, 2020

Witnesses described how the cylindrical paper lanterns with little fires inside were seen flying near zoo, according to Gerd Hoppmann, the city's head of criminal police.

Fatal fires in the past spurred authorities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia where Krefeld is located to ban the miniature hot air balloons in 2009, DW added.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Krefeld Zoo said: "Our worst fears have become reality. There are no surviving animals in the monkey house. An unbelievable tragedy rolled us shortly after midnight. Our human monkey house has burned down to the basic scaffolding."

In a Facebook update on Wednesday afternoon, the zoo said the fire "destroyed monkey house completely—two chimpanzees survived."

It said that "like a miracle" two chimpanzees named Bally and Limbo managed to survive the fire and were only "slightly injured and are now housed in two boxes in the gorilla garden," which had not been damaged.

Read more Tourists Forced to Flee after Apocalyptic Australian Bushfires Turn Sky Red

However, 48-year-old Massa, the oldest living silverback gorilla in the European endangered species breeding programme, died in the blaze, according to German media as cited by The Guardian.

"At the moment, active help at the fire site is not possible, as the house is at risk of collapse," the zoo's statement said, adding, "We are grateful for donations at all levels" and that it would eventually build a new monkey house.

The zoo it was thankful for the offers of assistance, but added: "We are still in shock and cannot yet say exactly if and where help is needed."

The zoo will remain closed on New Year's Day. Newsweek has contacted Krefeld Zoo for an update.

More than 30 animals, including rare apes and monkeys, were killed in a fire at a zoo in Krefeld, Germany, during the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2020. Photo by Ascha Steinbach / EPA-EFE

Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees were among the dozens of animals killed in a New Year's Day fire at a zoo in in western Germany.

Witnesses reported seeing low-flying Chinese sky lanterns, miniature kite-like balloons with candles inside, drifting over Krefeld Zoo, according to Gerd Hoppmann, head of the city's criminal police force.

Police and firefighters responded to reports of a fire at the zoo, just before 1 a.m. local time.

More than 30 animals -- nearly all the animals in the zoo -- were killed in the fire, according to news reports. The list animals lost in the fire included five orangutans, two gorillas, a chimpanzee and several monkeys. Some birds and fruit bats were also killed.

Though officials with the zoo, located near the German-Dutch border, originally reported all the residents of the ape house were lost, later reports revealed the rescue of two chimpanzees. A separate open-air gorilla enclosure was unscathed, leaving a male silverback gorilla, Kidogo, and his family unharmed.

Zoo officials described the rescue of the two chimps, female Bally and male Limbo, as a "miracle."

Sadly, the oldest living silverback gorilla in an endangered species breeding coordinated by European zoos, a 48-year-old ape named Massa, died in the fire.

While private firework shows are allowed in most German states and cities, Chinese fire lanterns are banned.

A liquor store in India is usually off-limits for women. The question 'log kya kahenge' haunts women the moment they even think of stepping into a liquor shop. Of course, the bucketload of judgement and the prying eyes of the shopkeeper himself are added bonuses. *smh*

Liquor stores across the country may have moved from shady corners to upscale malls, but it’s still not the most comfortable space for a woman to browse through aisles looking for that perfect drink. Raised eyebrows are the norm in most liquor stores when it comes to women stepping into them.

Source/TOI

To see a woman asking a bottle of whiskey off the counter is a big shocker for people at the store. But it's 2020 for crying out loud and it's time to make peace with the fact that women also drink!

It seems like the government in Madhya Pradesh is paving the way forward for this progressive outlook. For the first time, the state is set to introduce women-friendly liquor shops in some cities to make women have a comfortable time liquor shopping, reports TOI.

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The report states that two stores dedicated to women will be opened in Bhopal and Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur will have one women-friendly theka each.

Special care will be taken to ensure that these outlets are stocked up with high-end foreign liquor brands that are loved by women. The local brands that are not registered with the state won’t find a place in the store.

“No additional duty would be claimed on these foreign liquor brands as they will be brought after paying the duty from other countries. These shops would open markets for the sale of expensive liquor in the state,” a government official told TOI.

The shops would have foreign liquor brands that were previously never sold in the state. In order to generate revenue, and apart from this, the state will organise wine festivals in cities like Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior.

MONROE, Mich. (AP) — A southeastern Michigan police officer is credited with pushing two people out of the path of a suspected drunken motorist who nearly slammed into them and then fled the scene.

Monroe police said the officer had pulled over a vehicle early Sunday along the city’s Telegraph Road when an SUV came barreling toward the back of his police cruiser.

The officer quickly pushed two people over the roadway’s guardrail to prevent them from being hit, Monroe Police Capt. Jon Wall told WDIV-TV.

“He heard what sounded like a car slamming on its brakes, which was squealing the tires, which alerted him to look into that particular direction,” Wall said.

The SUV went up on a sidewalk before its driver put it in reverse and fled the scene. Police pursued the SUV and soon arrested the motorist.

Walls said the suspect is facing several charges, including fleeing, resisting and obstructing.

A British lady who lost her husband to her own mother who then had a child for him has said she will never forgive her.

The heartbroken lady identified as Lauren Wall, 34, from Twickenham, south-west London reportedly married the man when she was only 19.

While they were preparing for their wedding at that time, Lauren’s mother reportedly paid £15,000 to support her dream wedding, and also joined the couple on vacation.

According to Lauren, her mother and her now ex-husband got along so much that she couldn’t suspect that they were having an affair. But her biggest shock came, when Paul decided to move out and nine months later, her mother Julie gave birth to his child announcing they were together.

READ ALSO – Nigerian Model, Chika Lann Throws Sister Out Of Her House For Allegedly Trying To Snatch Her Oyibo Husband

Speaking in an interview with Daily Mail, Lauren said: ‘Paul always got on really well with mum. I never thought it strange though, as she was his mum-in-law and he was just being friendly. They’d laugh a lot together. I didn’t think to be worried at all. Who would?’ I couldn’t wait to settle into marriage but the ink was barely dry on our certificate when Paul changed.’

Lauren also disclosed how his sister saw text messages between her mom and her estranged husband. When Lauren confronted her mother, she denied there was anything going on saying, ‘You’re crazy.’

As things got out of hand between the pair, Paul stopped wearing his wedding ring and walked out on Lauren and their seven-month-old daughter.

Sharing her first reaction when she heard that her man had moved in with her mum, said: ‘It was sick. It’s one of the worst things a mum can do to a daughter.’

Sarah Tew/CNET

CES 2020

Gamers who've been around since the days of Atari may find it hard to believe that games today are of the same stock: games that started with a few beeps and bouncing lights have evolved into complex narratives with graphics so sharp you can see a character's every eyelash.

While developers continue to improve games' graphics, the hardware is naturally getting better, too. But what if the new trend is high-quality games without hardware?

In the next few years, it's becoming less likely that you'll need a console at all to play video games -- a trend we expect to see highlighted at CES 2020 in Las Vegas next week. The year 2019 saw a huge shift toward cloud gaming platforms, which let users play games online across various devices through a host gaming server.

Google, Microsoft and Apple over the last year all launched gaming services that don't require consoles, and it's quite likely that we'll see other tech and gaming titans tossing their hats into the cloud gaming ring in 2020. (That said, consoles will be getting a new lease on life later in 2020 with the expected arrival of Sony's PlayStation 5.)

Technically not a cloud gaming service, Apple Arcade launched in September. With a $4.99 (£4.99, AU$7.99) monthly subscription, users get access to over 100 games that are playable on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV. Some games have started rolling out for Mac as well.

Apple Arcade makes casual play easy wherever you are and doesn't require an expensive console purchase. Instead, subscribers download games from the App Store.

Google's cloud gaming service, Google Stadia, launched in November, offering console gamers a serious gaming option, minus the console. Though Stadia still has some kinks to work out, CNET's Scott Stein's review of Stadia says the service works over TVs, laptops and Pixel phones, the controller is comfortable to hold and it's easy to resume saved games when swapping devices -- delivering on some of the promise of cloud gaming.

The early-edition Founder's pack costs $120. The pack includes a Stadia controller, a Chromecast Ultra, a short USB-C-to-C cable, a Destiny 2 game download and three months of a $10-per-month Stadia Pro subscription service, which is needed to access of all of Stadia's online features. A more affordable version of Stadia, along with some major game titles, is due out in 2020.

Read more: Google Stadia vs. Microsoft xCloud: The battle for cloud gaming

Microsoft's Project xCloud gaming service could give Stadia some hot competition -- CNET's Oscar Gonzalez calls it "the cloud gaming service to watch." Though xCloud is still in preview, Microsoft plans to release more features in 2020. The service is meant to be an extension of Microsoft's consoles, and the company said it would be integral to its next console, the Xbox Series X. Project xCloud's unlimited storage space means that players can access Xbox games without having to download them -- a major benefit.

New platforms on display at CES 2020 will likely give us a closer look at this trend. For example, iiRcade says it's the first standup arcade game with a built-in online game store platform for downloading a library of new and classic titles. While it's not full cloud gaming, iiRcade demonstrates one of the ways that cloud gaming can be tweaked for multiple gaming mediums.

Gaming isn't a one-size-fits-all experience, but few people would turn their nose up at a more convenient or accessible experience. Cloud gaming opens more possibilities and audiences -- whether the console is removed from the equation or serves as an extension of the playing experience. While it's unlikely that we'll see consoles disappear completely, cloud gaming is already shaking up the industry.

A 29-year-old man was found shot and killed in his apartment at a Bronx housing project Wednesday morning, and cops are investigating the death as the first possible homicide of the new year.

The unidentified victim was found by his girlfriend at 10:30 a.m. at Bronx River Houses on E. 174th Street lying face down on his bed with a gunshot wound to his neck and another to his head, police said.

No weapon was found in the apartment, but sources said a shell casing was recovered.

NYPD detectives are investigating and an autopsy by the medical examiner will determine if the case will officially be ruled a homicide.

Craig McCarthy contributed to this report.

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An Iraqi soldier stands guard in front of the US embassy. Ameer Al Mohmmedaw/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

Topline: Amid worsening U.S.-Iranian relations, President Donald Trump sent additional troops to the Middle East on Tuesday night, in response to an attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad earlier that day, which he was quick to blame on Iran.

After Iraqi citizens stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, Trump said that the attack was “straight from Iran’s playbook” and that the country was “fully responsible.”

His administration immediately responded by deploying an additional 750 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to the Middle East on Tuesday night, with another 3,000 on standby in the next few days. Sources told the Associated Press that they will go to Kuwait, although the official destination hasn’t yet been confirmed.

That’s in addition to 100 marines and two Apache attack helicopters that were deployed to reinforce the U.S. embassy earlier on Tuesday in a “show of force,” according to NPR.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed on Tuesday night that the deployment was “in response to recent events” in Iraq, as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate.

By Wednesday, most Iran-backed militia and protestors began to withdraw from the U.S. embassy, defusing the situation somewhat.

According to the State Department’s last update, all American embassy personnel in Baghdad are safe and there are currently no plans to evacuate.

Crucial quote: “This will never ever be a Benghazi,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on New Years Eve. The president also praised the “fantastic job” and “instantaneous” response from U.S. marines, as well as the efforts of the Iraqi government in defusing the situation.

Big number: 14,000 U.S. troops in total have been sent to the Gulf region since May, amid concerns about Iranian aggression, according to the Associated Press.

Key background: Iraqi citizens attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tuesday morning in an enraged response to a Sunday U.S. airstrike that killed two dozen members of an Iranian-backed militia. Protesters broke into the U.S. embassy Tuesday, shattering windows, lighting fires and chanting “Death To America,” in one of the worst attacks on the embassy in recent history. They were responding to U.S. airstrikes on Sunday that killed 24 members of an Iranian-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, on the border between Iraq and Syria. The U.S. believes Kataib Hezbollah carried out a missile attack on a Iraqi military base Friday that killed an American contractor and wounded American and Iraqi service members. Critics say the U.S. response was disproportionate and violated Iraqi sovereignty, while the New York Times reported that the weekend airstrikes resulted in the “most serious political crisis” in years for the U.S. in Iraq.

Trump was quick to place the blame on Iran: “Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!”

Charging that Iran was “fully responsible” for an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, President Donald Trump ordered about 750 U.S. soldiers deployed to the Middle East as about 3,000 more prepared for possible deployment in the next several days.

No U.S. casualties or evacuations were reported after the attack Tuesday by dozens of Iran-supported militiamen. U.S. Marines were sent from Kuwait to reinforce the compound.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday night that “in response to recent events” in Iraq, and at Trump's direction, he authorized the immediate deployment of the infantry battalion from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He did not specify the soldiers’ destination, but a U.S. official familiar with the decision said they will go to Kuwait.

“This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today,” Esper said in a written statement.

Additional soldiers from the 82nd Airborne's quick-deployment brigade, known officially as its Immediate Response Force, were prepared to deploy, Esper said. The U.S. official, who provided unreleased details on condition of anonymity, said the full brigade of about 4,000 soldiers may deploy.

The 750 soldiers deploying immediately were in addition to 14,000 U.S. troops who had deployed to the Gulf region since May in response to concerns about Iranian aggression, including its alleged sabotage of commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf. At the time of the attack the U.S. had about 5,200 troops in Iraq, mainly to train Iraqi forces and help them combat Islamic State extremists.

The breach of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday was a stark demonstration that Iran can still strike at American interests despite Trump's economic pressure campaign. It also revealed growing strains between Washington and Baghdad, raising questions about the future of the U.S. military mission there.

“They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!” Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon, though it was unclear whether his “threat” meant military retaliation. He thanked top Iraqi government leaders for their “rapid response upon request.”

Burdwan (West Bengal): Five persons of a family, including two children, were killed after a sand-laden truck lost control and overturned on a hut in West Bengal’s Purba Burdwan district, police said Wednesday.

The incident occurred Tuesday night at Shikarpur village adjoining Damodar river under Galsi police station limits, a police officer said.

While five persons, including a two-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl were killed on the spot, one person was rescued from the debris and admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. He is on ventilator and in a very critical condition.

The incident sparked off angry reprisals by the villagers who set ablaze several trucks, dumpers and earthmovers protesting sand mining on the river bed, prompting heavy police deployment in the area, the officer added.

PTI

The white owl ''hung in front of us for half a second, wings spread, great eyes gazing straight at us. Then it lifted up and vanished into the darkness''.

1974: We left for a two-year working holiday in the UK, with three sleeping bags, three suitcases and a 4-year-old son.

1976: We came back with three sleeping bags, four suitcases, five tea-chests, a 6-year-old son and a 5-month-old daughter.

We'd thought we might not be able to have any more children after Pete, so when we got the brilliant news from a Margate doctor that Beth was pregnant, we decided it must have been the English mild ale. I won't say which of us had been drinking it.

Beth had a glorious pregnancy, though the sight of 40 fried eggs in the seaside hotel kitchen where she was working did send her sprinting from the room.

Our carefully eked-out photos (I'm talking camera-with-roll-of-film days) show her and her lovely, slowly-swelling cargo, plus small son and small son's stuffed cat, as we strolled the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, did brass rubbings in Canterbury Cathedral, took Pete to glimpse foxes in Kentish woods.

The baby was due at the end of 1975. By that time, we were living in half an 18th century farmhouse in a West Sussex village. It was two storeys of mellow bricks, leaded windows, a stone front doorstep that centuries of feet had worn into a dip. It was charming, rustic, bone-shakingly freezing.

As the UK winter bit, all three-and-a-bit of us moved into one bedroom to save on heating. On the coldest nights, our curtains froze to the inside of the windows. Washing on the line rained little shards of ice when you shook it.

We made it to Christmas. Snow didn't fall, but sleet did, and we huddled around the coal fire (global warming? Never heard of it) to unwrap presents that had come all the way by sea from New Zealand.

Later, we went for a walk, saw robins on bare branches and genuine carol singers outside a genuine thatched church. Neighbours who'd only nodded to us before now smiled, shook hands, went "All the best for your new arrival".

That new arrival came in the middle of the night, at the turn of the year.

Two hours into 1976, Beth shifted in bed, panted, shifted again. "I think you need to make a phone call."

I hurried 50m to the village shop, and the square red telephone box outside it. Britain's National Health System had briefed us on what to do. I inserted two pennies, dialled St Catherine's Hospital in Chichester, crossed my fingers.

Two minutes later, I was heading back to the cottage, under a sky glittering with northern constellations. "The ambulance is on its way," I told Beth, who was now dressed and perched on the edge of the bed, taking slow breaths. On the other side of the room, Pete slept on.

The ambulance came just 20 minutes later. As Beth and her bulge got in, the driver told me "Don't worry, chum. We always look after you Australians."

I went back inside, muttered "Australians??" a few times, and lay in bed, fretting.

3am. 4am. 5am. Nothing would have happened yet, but I couldn't wait.

I checked on Pete, ran back to the phone box, inserted more pennies. (We'd built up an emergency stack on the mantelpiece.)

I was answered. I was transferred. I was put on hold. Finally, a West Sussex accent came on. "Muster Hill? You've got a booful daughter. Happy New Year, luv."

Helen Mary had reached Planet Earth. I knew my face was split by a huge, stupid grin.

David Hill David Hill's son Pete with new baby sister Helen Mary.

Pete was still fast asleep. I shook him. "Pete? Wake up, son. You've got a little sister." Our 5-year-old stared, sprang out of bed, peered under it. "Where?" he went.

We'd arranged to park him with friends a few miles away. I rang them, too (of course they wanted a 5.20am call), helped a yawning small son into his clothes, and we drove off.

The road to our friends wound through bare, silent winter woods. We slid along a tunnel of oak and beech that flicked past in our headlights. Black branches arched above us.

The bird came with no sound. From a tree just ahead, a white owl swooped down. It hung in front of us for half a second, wings spread, great eyes gazing straight at us. Then it lifted up and vanished into the darkness.

A white owl. The bird of the Greek Goddess Athena; a symbol of female knowledge and power.

Pete had slept through it. Twenty miles away in Chichester, our daughter had been in the world for less than three hours. I drove on, my back prickling.

Of course no parent forgets the birth of a child. But this time, I felt I'd been sent a sign. I'd been blessed. And her life has blessed us ever since.

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday, Helen Mary.

* David Hill is a freelance writer from Taranaki.

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TEXARKANA, TEXAS – The Texarkana Texas Police Department arrested Gavin Baber, 20, of Texarkana Texas, for Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury on Saturday morning.

Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 2400 block of North Akin Road to the report of a fight. When they arrived, they found Baber and a 49 year old man involved in a physical altercation in the street. The officers separated the two men and discovered that the older man had an injury to his left eye.

It was determined that Baber and others arrived at the residence shortly before the fight to pick up the victim’s stepson. Witnesses said that the victim demanded that Baber leave the property before Baber threatened and attacked him. At some point during the fight, Baber managed to gouge the victim’s eye with his fingers.

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LifeNet Ambulance responded to evaluate the victim’s condition. He was transported to Christus St. Michael Hospital, where it was later learned that his optic nerve had been severed and the injury was considered serious. It is believed that he will likely lose his eye as a result of this assault.

Baber was arrested and transported to the Bi-State Jail. He remains in custody with a $100,000 bond.

He’s been teaching Londoners how to stamp out racism and build bridges for more than two decades, one year giving more than 300 presentations.

Leroy Hibbert was the one called in to train hundreds of London police officers after a blackface scandal opened the force up to criticism.

Now the 48-year-old is being honoured as a “Distinguished Londoner,” a new category on the annual mayor’s New Year’s honour list released Wednesday.

It recognizes 11 Londoners for their achievements and charitable work, including an Olympic bobsled champion and a seven-year-old girl who fought leukemia for much of her short life.

“I just say ‘wow,’ ” Hibbert said when asked about being part of the inaugural group of Distinguished Londoners on the annual roll call.

“I was humbled, I was thankful. Although you do the work because of the love I have for the people, it’s nice to be recognized.”

Hibbert, who was born in Toronto but moved to London as a youngster, does multicultural outreach for LUSO Community Services. He’s seen the city’s population grow and its “cultural and racial makeup” shift dramatically since the 1970s, describing it as “one of the greatest things I’ve seen.”

But that diversity has also sparked challenges, he said.

“There are actually still pockets within the community (where) racism exists, discrimination exists, ethnic misunderstandings also occur,” Hibbert said.

But he said he feels Londoners are increasingly having the tough conversations.

“The racism that has happened maybe 50 to 60 years ago was very blatant,” Hibbert said.

“Now it’s very different in that it’s very subtle. There are a lot of unconscious biases and a lot of micro-aggressions that take place. It’s still very hurtful. It can be exhausting for racialized community members to keep fighting these battles are that are not as ‘in your face,’” he added.

It’s a history London knows well, marked by episodes such as a racial slur hurled at two black actors – in town to appear in a play about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And as recently as this fall, a Western University student who called out a professor for using the n-word in a lecture faced an onslaught of racist attacks.

But there’s one lesson that keeps Hibbert plugging ahead.

“People can change. That is one thing that’s an encouraging factor for me,” he said.

“Where people are now, isn’t where they’ll end up.”

mstacey@postmedia.com

twitter.com/MeganatLFPress

OTHERS ON THE MAYOR’S NEW YEAR’S HONOUR LIST

Hayden Foulon (posthumously), Distinguished Londoner

Foulon died in November 2019 after a years-long battle with cancer, throughout which she advocated for childhood cancer awareness and research. Foulon, who loved school, Paw Patrol, and singing the Beatles, even struck up a friendship with Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner.

Brian Hill, Distinguished Londoner

President of the N’Amerind Friendship Centre board, Hill convened the organization’s first municipal all-candidates debate last year and has championed reconciliation and multicultural relationships.

Don Campbell, Distinguished Londoner

As head of the Summerside Community Association, Campbell is a champion for the southeast neighbourhood and has built a Canada Day event that now draws more than 6,000.

Gary Doerr, accessibility category

Doerr, who has rheumatoid arthritis, is an organ donation advocate after having his life saved by a liver transplant. The accessibility champion has served on the accessibility committee, the paratransit advisory committee, and the board of Independent Living Centre.

Patrick Fleming, age-friendly category

Fleming, a longtime social worker at London Health Sciences Centre, supports seniors with depression through a weekly session in the geriatric mental health program. He also works in the community helping older adults and sharing his knowledge with other professionals and organizations.

Renee Silberman, arts category

Serenata Music, a non-profit chamber music concert series, was developed by Silberman with the goal of featuring both established and rookie artists, and has since included more than 30 Juno Award nominees or winners.

Alexander Kopacz, sports category

The Olympic bobsled champion won gold for Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics, but it was Kopacz’s Western University coaches who helped push the athlete – then a varsity shot putter – toward the sport with a bobsleigh training camp.

Carla Garagozzo, housing category

Garagozzo has been a driving force in helping to house seniors – veterans, in particular – in London by creating the Italian Seniors Project. The organization has since developed two affordable housing projects, including the 52-unit Residenza Italia at 1109 Hamilton Rd.

Arthur McClelland, heritage category

McClelland holds a wealth of knowledge about London and Middlesex and its heritage properties and buildings. He’s a popular speaker among historical societies and leads tours through local villages and hamlets for other heritage advocates.

Rob McQueen, environment category

The creator of Forage City London, McQueen has brought together nearly 2,000 people to talk plants, host food workshops and take nature and weed identification walks. McQueen, a former tradesperson, also volunteers extensively and has most recently helped design a drop-in centre for teens.

news, local-news,

A YOUNG Eyre Peninsula couple celebrated Christmas as millionaires after winning the $1 million division one prize in X Lotto. The couple held the only division one winning entry nationally in the Monday and Wednesday X Lotto draw which was drawn on December 23. An SA Lotteries official called the couple to inform them of their win, the woman answered the phone but interrupted the official to make sure her husband would get to hear the news at the same time. The woman said she only played sporadically and had marked her numbers at random. "They weren't special beforehand, but they definitely are now," she said. When asked how they planned to spend their life-changing windfall, the thrilled couple confessed they were looking forward to house-hunting in the new year. "We'll definitely be buying a house but after that we don't know," she said. "I don't think the news has really sunk in yet," the husband added. The couple who wish to remain anonymous, purchased their six-game marked entry online.

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Apple previously used graphics chips or GPUs in its iPhones and iPads that were designed by Imagination Technologies. An iPhone 11 is seen in this photo. (Image source: Bloomberg) Apple previously used graphics chips or GPUs in its iPhones and iPads that were designed by Imagination Technologies. An iPhone 11 is seen in this photo. (Image source: Bloomberg)

UK chip designer Imagination Technologies Group Plc said it’s struck a new license agreement with Apple Inc, reviving a business relationship that had all but ended in recent years.

The company, which was sold to Chinese buyout firm Canyon Bridge Capital Partners for 500 million pounds ($663 million) in September 2017, said Thursday it “formed a new multi-year license agreement under which Apple has access to a wider range of Imagination’s intellectual property in exchange for license fees.”

Apple previously used graphics chips or GPUs in its iPhones and iPads that were designed by Imagination Technologies, but it moved to its own internal chip designs starting with the iPhone X in 2017 and the iPad Pro in 2018. The US company also uses its own graphics processors in the Apple Watch. It told Imagination Technologies in 2017 that it would stop using its intellectual property in new products within two years.

When Imagination Technologies, then a public company, announced the loss of Apple as its biggest customer, its stock plummeted. The British company said in 2018 there may be “material uncertainty” regarding the future of the company if Apple doesn’t pay any royalties on its latest generation of iPhones and iPads.

It’s unclear if Apple has paid those fees, but Imagination has argued it would be “extremely challenging for Apple to design a GPU in a way that allows them not to pay royalties to Imagination.”

The company didn’t specify on Thursday which intellectual property the latest agreement covers, but Imagination’s IP related to graphics and artificial intelligence could be key to future Apple devices. The iPhone maker uses a combination of supplier deals and acquisitions to build up its portfolio of patents and designs. Last year, Apple acquired Intel Corp’s modem unit to design cellular chips for future devices.

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UK-based chipmaker Imagination Technologies on Thursday announced Apple has replaced a licensing agreement first signed in 2014, though details of the deal, including what technology it covers, remain unknown.

Imagination Technologies ("Imagination") announces that it has replaced the multi-year, multi-use license agreement with Apple, first announced on February 6, 2014, with a new multi-year license agreement under which Apple has access to a wider range of Imagination's intellectual property in exchange for license fees.

Announced in a brief press release posted to Imagination's website , the new agreement sees Apple pay out licensing fees for multi-year rights to a "wider ranger" of the British firm's intellectual property. What IP is involved in the agreement was not divulged in today's statement:A former Apple collaborator in the GPU design space, Imagination saw its fortunes tumble in 2017 when the tech giant decided to shift GPU operations in-house In April 2017, Imagination announced Apple planned to stop using the firm's IP in its hardware designs by 2019. The firm was heavily reliant on licensing revenue from the iPhone maker, which came out to some $81 million in fiscal 2017. Apple's abrupt pullout left Imagination flailing to stay alive as its stock plummeted.Shortly after the announced breakup, Imagination entered a " dispute resolution process ", accusing Apple of "unauthorized use of Imagination's confidential information and Imagination's intellectual property rights." In its defense, Apple said it stopped accepting new IP from Imagination in 2015 , adding that the firm only decided to apprise its shareholders of the situation after Apple invoked a contract clause to pay lower royalty rates.The chipmaker sought to sell itself in June 2017 and ultimately found a buyer in China-backed equity firm Canyon Bridge.For years, Apple relied on Imagination's PowerVR technology in its A-series system-on-chip designs, silicon that can still be found in certain iPads, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K. In 2017, however, Apple introduced its own integrated GPU design with the A11 Bionic chip powering iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Subsequent A-series designs rely solely on Apple tech.

KARACHI: A multi-storey residential building in Karachi’s Ranchore Lane area that collapsed suddenly on Monday was reportedly constructed on the foundation laid for only shops, ARY News reported.

Talking to journalists, Salman Soomro, the plot’s owner, said that he had got constructed the shops on the land by a local builder around 15 years ago. Later, another builder had approached him and asked to sell the roof of the shops, he added.

Soomro said that he had sold the roof to the builder, adding that the builder had erected a six-storey building on the roof of the shops. The plot owner maintained that he did not know about the material used in the structure of the building.

Read More: Karachi building collapse: Building erected despite major structural flaws

Earlier on December 23, a six-storey building, which was tilted down earlier in the day, had been raised after getting construction permit of ground plus one floor.

According to the map, obtained by the ARY News, the builder had constructed the high-rise residential building in Ranchore Line by violating the laws of Sindh Building Control Authority.

Sources had said that SBCA’s than assistant and deputy directors had raised questions over the building but the former DG SBCA had allowed the builder to construct the multi-storey building.

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Things to Do: Take in Unity Concert, Kristin Chenoweth, bagpipes and Children's Day

SUNDAY

Music for the Maid of Orleans at Unity Concert

Tallahassee Community Chorus presents its annual Unity Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Unity 15: Voice of Light will celebrate the power of female heroism with a performance of Richard Einhorn's powerful oratorio “Voices of Light” alongside a screening of Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent film masterpiece “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” The Florida State University Women’s Glee ensemble will join the chorus for this performance. Note: Some scenes in the film may not be suitable for younger viewers. Tickets range from $6 to $22, and attendees are also asked to bring a donation of nonperishable foods, paper supplies, craft supplies or office supplies to benefit The Oasis Center for Women & Girls and Refuge House. Visit www.tcchorus.org or call 850-597-0603.

TUESDAY

Music: Kristin Chenoweth goes for 'Elegance'

Opening Nights presents Emmy and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth performing songs from her album “The Art of Elegance,” a collection of American Songbook classics, Broadway and well-known standards, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Chenoweth is a classically trained coloratura soprano who originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway blockbuster “Wicked,” for which she was nominated for a Tony Award (she won a Tony for her role in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”). She’s also familiar to TV viewers as Olive Snook in the series “Pushing Daisies (for which she won an Emmy), as media consultant Annabelle Schott in “The West Wing” and for repeat appearances on “Glee.” Tickets are $80 and $65. Visit https://openingnights.fsu.edu/events/kristin-chenoweth/.

THURSDAY

Music: Bagpipe delights

If you were fortunate enough to catch the Silk Road Ensemble’s Opening Nights performance featuring Yo-Yo Ma and a host of international musical maestros in 2017, you will recognize Cristina Pato. She and her gaita — a Galician bagpipe — helped weave the cross-cultural spell that captivated the audience in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Pato returns with her quartet for an Opening Nights performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Opperman Music Hall. The wide-ranging program will fuse the influences of Latin music, jazz, pop, traditional and contemporary music. Tickets are $45.

Saturday

Museum: Children's Day Celebration

The Museum of Florida History, 500 S. Bronough St., is hosting its 37th Annual Children’s Day Celebration: History on the Horizon event from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The Museum hosts a fun filled day for families and children of all ages with free performances, exhibitors, games, and its newest temporary exhibit, Florida Inspired. Enjoy live performances by the Tallahassee Ballet, Capital City Music Therapy, Young Actors Theater, and others. BJ’s Party House returns this year with face painting and balloon art. Dozens of exhibitors offering hands-on learning and free activities will be set up throughout the Museum and R. A. Gray Building. Free parking is available in the garage next to the Museum. Face painting and balloon art tickets can be purchased on site. Proceeds support educational programs at the Museum of Florida History. All other activities are free. Follow the Museum’s social media pages and website or call 850-245-6400 for more information.

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ATHENS (Sputnik) - Bulgaria's Bulgargaz and Russia's Gazprom have agreed for Bulgaria to start receiving Russian gas directly from the TurkStream pipeline rather than through Romania starting 1 January to save some 81 million leva ($45 million), the Bulgarian gas company has said in a statement.

According to a statement, the Russian and Bulgarian gas giants signed an additional agreement on 30 December under which Bulgaria is to switch from receiving gas from the Negru Voda point in Romania to its own compressor station in Strandzha where the fuel will come from Turkey.

"The financial gains from changing the receiving point are estimated to be approximately 81 million leva. Bulgargaz and customers in Bulgaria will save by no longer having to pay for access to and transit through the territory of Romania worth an approximate 76 million leva", the statement read.

Lower prices set by the Bulgartransgaz operator for gas via Strandzha adds an additional 4.6 million leva to the total savings.

The company has promised lower gas prices in the next three months and said it was in talks with Gazprom to negotiate better prices for Bulgaria. Sofia has also voiced a readiness to transit Russian gas westward to Greece and North Macedonia.

TurkStream is a projected 570-mile twin pipeline to run from Russia through the Black Sea to Turkey, at which point one of the branches will continue further up to southern and southeastern Europe. The launch is scheduled for 8 January, as both branches are now filled with fuel.

Russia has been supplying gas to Bulgaria since 1974 and is currently the only exporter of natural gas on the Bulgarian market. Last year, Bulgaria finished building a 7-mile segment of a pipe to link TurkStream to the so-called Balkan Stream pipeline network of Bulgaria and Serbia.

In 2018, a record number of new mayors were elected across British Columbia, many of them promising big changes in their communities. In 2019, many of them tried to implement their promises, with mixed success.

So what will 2020 hold?

There's no crystal ball for predicting how politics will play out across 162 different municipalities — but here are some big stories likely to come up over the next 12 months.

Mayoral opposition in Vancouver and Surrey

Opposition has begun to grow against the agendas of Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart and Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, with divisive budgets passed by both earlier this month.

In Surrey, the opposition is somewhat splintered, with three independent councillors and one from a different political party voting against McCallum. And in Vancouver, while most councillors support the mayor on some policy issues, the largest opposition group (the NPA) is wracked by a dispute between the board of directors and elected officials.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, left, and Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, right, have made it a priority early in their terms to work together. (Justin McElroy/CBC)

Policing in Surrey

Speaking of Surrey, arguably the most substantive policy switch by any B.C. local government in 2019 was the city's move toward an independent police force. The province tentatively approved Surrey's plans to do away with the RCMP, but created a joint task force to oversee the timeline and details.

It's unclear if the task force — chaired by former attorney general Wally Oppal — will approve a full switch and if it will meet McCallum's start goal of April 2021.

SkyTrain to UBC

In Vancouver, the big mayoral promise — an extension of the Millennium Line from its planned terminus at Arbutus Street all the way to UBC — remains more muddled.

Vancouver's council and the TransLink Mayors' Council approved the project, but it will require more than a billion dollars in federal funding.

Stewart said in an October interview that the city needs a commitment from the federal and provincial governments to make sure the line runs to UBC.

The proposed connection to UBC would include four new SkyTrain stations. (City of Vancouver)

Massey Tunnel and North Shore fixed links

Other proposed transportation projects will also be in the headlines in 2020, though the municipalities involved might have less of a say in how they turn out.

The province has promised next year will finally see a business case delivered for a new tunnel that would replace the aging Massey crossing between Richmond and Delta, while a provincially-funded study into options for a new link between the North Shore and Vancouver will also be completed.

Official Community Plan consultations

Next year, Vancouver fully embarks on city-wide plan consultations, while Port Moody, White Rock and the District of North Vancouver are scheduled to consider changes to their Official Community Plans (OCP).

In those smaller communities, mayors were elected on a promise of slowing down growth, and new OCPs will allow opportunities to put new regulations on the height or form of new buildings in town centres.

Budgets under control?

In both Vancouver and Metro Vancouver, budgets for 2020 were passed with significantly higher property tax increases than usual — seven per cent in Vancouver, and six per cent in Metro Vancouver.

In both jurisdictions, elected officials have asked staff to provide more consultation for the 2021 budget, in hopes it might be easier to identify possible savings.

Developer donations

While the provincial government banned corporations from donating in local elections, the people who run companies are still allowed to donate to whomever they choose.

That's caused controversy in many municipalities, as company owners and managers gave money to mayoral and council candidates across the region — often in jurisdictions where they were planning new projects.

A number of actions are underway that could change how the rules are interpreted in the future, from municipalities considering new rules around transparency, lobbying the provincial government for further changes, or lawsuits by concerned citizens.

'Compassion fatigue'

Several mid-sized municipalities passed new bylaws in 2019 cracking down on panhandling activity, and mayors in other communities warned that growing homeless populations, mixed with modular housing projects created by the provincial government, were spurring a backlash.

"We need help in the worst way, and the meantime, the reservoir of public sympathy is fast evaporating because of the level of crime related to addiction," Nanaimo Mayor and former NDP MLA Leonard Krog said in September to the government.

Krog has since asked for the province to institutionalize homeless people who are severely mentally ill.

Victoria byelection

While B.C.'s local elections aren't for another three years, there is a byelection in Victoria that will be watched closely.

Laurel Collins resigned from council after being elected with the NDP in October's federal election, and a number of candidates are expected to run to replace her. With Victoria city council often in the news — and occasionally raising the ire of the province — the expected March byelection will provide an interesting glimpse into the minds of voters in B.C.'s capital city.

North Van Pigeons

And finally, a quickly escalating drama over the ban on owning pigeons in the District of North Vancouver will likely resolve itself next year.

After CBC News revealed that the only person affected by the pigeon ban lived beside a councillor who explicitly asked for the ban and in the past said it affected her property's value, the district launched an internal investigation and both North Vancouver and the councillor in question were taken to court.

All three proceedings should conclude in 2020.

Just minutes into New Year’s Day, a teenage boy was shot and wounded in the leg on the North Side of St. Louis. A few minutes later, four people where shot in a different neighborhood, three fatally. By morning, the police were investigating 10 shootings, including five deaths, across the city.

And the year wasn’t even a day old. Nor was the violence limited to St. Louis, which in 2017 had the nation’s highest murder rate.

In a country that has become accustomed to gun violence in all its forms, 2020 was off to a typical start. Gunfire echoed across the country in shootings from St. Louis to Philadelphia, and from Michigan to Texas.

In Cleveland, a man who news reports said was firing off rounds to celebrate the new year accidentally killed his girlfriend. In Florida, near Orlando, two men were killed in a shooting inside a nightclub. And in Baltimore, which closed 2019 with the city’s second-highest number of homicides on record, the police were investigating two killings that happened a few hours before midnight.

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Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University has further extended the winter break keeping in view the continuing protests against the amended citizenship law in the country. The university was to reopen on 6 January.

According to an AMU notice, the decision to extend the vacations again was taken after a meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday. A detailed schedule for the reopening of the university "in a phased manner" will be notified after the review of the situation.

On 15 December night, the university had announced an extended winter break following violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on the campus.

Over 60 people, including 40 students, AMU security staff and policemen, were injured in the violence. At least four students who received serious injuries are still being treated.

A number of injured students had alleged that police and the Rapid Action Police (RAF) indulged in excesses. Police have booked 56 persons, including a number of students, for holding a protest which later turned violent.

On December 24, nine days after the violence, the RAF filed a separate FIR in which around 1,000 unidentified students were booked for violence.

Students have also formed a coordination committee for continuing their peaceful protest against the CAA on the campus.

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The winter vacation of Aligarh Muslim University has been extended. The university was scheduled to open on January 6. No new date has been given.

On December 15, the winter vacation was advanced by a week and hostels were vacated after several students were injured in a clash with the police after a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act allegedly turned violent.

An official statement from the public relations office of AMU said due to overall prevailing situation, winter vacation of Aligarh Muslim University for students as well as for the teaching staff, had been extended and the university would not be opening on January 6, 2020.

The decision was taken at a consultative meeting of the Deans of Faculties, Principals of Colleges and Polytechnics and other functionaries of the university under the chairmanship of AMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday.

“A detailed schedule for opening of the university in a phased manner, the conduct of remaining examinations which could not be held in December 2019, commencement of classes for the next semester and the duration of the summer vacation shall be notified by the university in due course of time so that there is no academic loss to the students,” said Mujib Ullah Zuberi, Controller of Examination.

He added that students are advised to regularly visit the university website.

Sources said the university administration was waiting for the situation to defuse. “There are 10 thousand non-resident students, many of whom are still carrying on peaceful protest. Many resident students didn’t leave the city and continued to stay with their friends,” said a source requesting anonymity.

Over 60 injured

Over 60 people, including 40 students, AMU security staff and policemen, were injured in the violence. At least four students who received serious injuries are still being treated.

A number of injured students had alleged that police and the Rapid Action Police indulged in excesses. Police have booked 56 persons, including a number of students, for holding a protest which later turned violent.

(With PTI inputs)

2019 was quite the year for the royal family, with some big highs like births and engagements, as well as some lows. No matter how much went on however, that doesn’t mean that 2020 won’t be another year full of some ups and downs for the House of Windsor.

The royal family doesn’t appear to be slowing down when it comes to their plans for the next calendar year. Here are some big things to potentially look forward to.

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall:

Photo: Getty Images/Chris Jackson

Rumors are more rampant than ever that Queen Elizabeth is preparing to invoke the Regency Act after her 95th birthday in 2021, which would allow her to basically step back from all her duties as Queen while still retaining her title, and giving Prince Charles the ability to somewhat rule in her place. However, the Queen has made no moves to suggest this is true, though she has been slowly preparing her heir for his eventual role as King, giving him more responsibility and increasing his public profile and presence.

As for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, they aren’t expected to have any large celebrations on their calendar, though their public roles could increase with more engagements as they take on more responsibilities.

Prince William and Kate Middleton:

Photo: AFP/Aamir QURESHI

After a big year which saw the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge become the sole heads of The Royal Foundation, they are looking ahead to another big year as well, which will include new initiatives and more focus on their charity work.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle:

Photo: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

After a year that saw them welcome their first child together, there was a lot of turmoil for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who not only started lawsuits against publications that they felt invaded their privacy but also took a six-week break at the end of the year from their royal duties. As for what fans can expect from them in 2020— the couple may once again team up with Prince William and Kate as they all take on more work following Prince Andrew’s stepping back from royal life.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi:

Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Another royal wedding is set to take place in 2020, as Princess Beatrice officially ties the knot with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Details about the pair’s nuptials have remained under wraps thus far.

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Chamber of Commerce director yesterday voiced optimism that regulators are poised to take “the first step” in ensuring Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) fulfills its obligations towards consumers.

Debby Deal told Tribune Business she drew encouragement from the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA) planned probe into how BPL calculates its fuel charge as a sign that it will increasingly bare its supervisory teeth towards the state-owned energy monopoly.

The head of the Chamber’s environment and energy committee, she said URCA’s just-unveiled draft 2020 annual plan also explained that a lack of funding and staff with the necessary expertise had impeded its initial efforts to properly regulate BPL.

“I can see now why URCA was not much in the picture as it didn’t have the resources to do what it needed to do,” Ms Deal added. “That’s good for us to know. A lot of us wondered why URCA was not in the picture - we saw a lot of fines for BTC on the communications side, but very little to do with BPL. They didn’t have the funds to hire the staff to do what they needed to do.

“Now they will expand their staff we’ll be able to see better results, maybe, in the actions of BPL if they are questioned as to what they’re doing. Whether that happens is a whole different ball game.”

Ms Deal added that URCA’s planned investigation into BPL’s fuel charge, which typically makes up 50-60 percent of consumer bills, was “good news even if they find nothing” as it suggested the regulator was prepared to act in the interests of consumers.

“I’m very grateful that this might be the first step in making sure their [BPL’s] actual mandate comes to fruition. BPL is supposed to provide safe, reliable and cost efficient energy, and for 40 years they’ve not given us safe, reliable and cost efficient energy,” she told Tribune Business. “Now they can start looking into some of this stuff.”

This newspaper reported last week that URCA is set to examine whether BPL customers have suffered “possible harm or mischief” after detecting “troubling trends” in how it has been calculating fuel charges.

The regulator, in its just-released 2020 draft annual plan and budget, pledged to impose “clear regulatory oversight” over how BPL determines this portion of customer bills given that it can create “inefficiencies causing significant cost to consumers”.

Identifying this as a major 2020 priority, URCA revealed it plans to “develop a comprehensive methodology” for how such fuel charges are calculated and applied at both BPL and throughout the wider Bahamian energy industry.

It admitted it had wanted to undertake such a “regulatory intervention” in 2019, but was thwarted by a “lack of available resources” - something that has plagued URCA’s efforts to oversee the Bahamian energy industry ever since it took on this responsibility in 2016.

However, the regulator said its New Year’s objectives are to ensure “the fuel charge accurately reflects the actual cost of fuel used by BPL in providing electricity to its customers”, and that “the fuel charge only reflects the fair and efficient costs of fuel used, and does not pass on costs resulting from failures by BPL to properly manage its electricity system”.

“Over the course of 2019, URCA has reviewed the gazetted rules pertaining to the calculation and application of the fuel charge, and tracked the posted fuel charge for the period,” it said, “noting trends which are of concern to URCA, particularly in relation to costs experienced during BPL’s period of supply challenges in New Providence during 2019.

“In reviewing the need to address any possible harm and/or mischief that may have been caused to consumers through the fuel charge during the period, URCA is currently seeking to address BPL’s power quality deficiencies during 2019 through a comprehensive investigation.”

URCA added that this probe will be able to address “any fuel charge impact” that BPL consumer suffered in 2019, and unveiled its “fuel cost recovery” regulation project for the new year.

“Moving forward, and noting that the fuel charge mechanism can result in inefficiencies causing significant cost to consumers, URCA considers it necessary to ensure that there is clear regulatory oversight of the fuel charge approach wherever it is employed in The Bahamas,” URCA said.

“URCA therefore proposes during 2020 to develop a comprehensive methodology for the derivation and application of fuel charges within the sector.”

The “fuel charge” portion of BPL bills is designed as a pass-through, meaning that the utility passes on to consumers the full costs associated with purchasing the fuel used to generate electricity. It is supposed to be a ‘cost recovery’ mechanism, meaning that BPL earns no profits from the fuel charge.

However, there have long been suspicions that BPL uses the “fuel charge” to disguise inefficiencies elsewhere in its operations, and wraps other items into this levy that further burden Bahamian businesses and households besides the pure costs of fuel.

The language in URCA’s draft 2020 annual plan will likely reinforce such fears, and suggests there may be some credibility to these concerns. The issue is a vital one for Bahamian households and businesses, especially if they are being forced to unduly pay for BPL’s inefficiencies, given the portion of customer bills that the fuel charge typically accounts for.

URCA’s ambitions are also likely to be greeted with some scepticism given its confession that the energy sector has operated without effective regulatory scrutiny despite being handed this responsibility in 2016 with passage of the Electricity Act.

HOWELL — A movie theater was evacuated and a person was arrested on New Year's Day after fireworks outside the building were mistaken for real gunfire.

Township police on Wednesday evening said responding officers found no evidence of gunfire but did find evidence of discharged fireworks. Officials said after 6 p.m. that a male suspect was arrested but they did not immediately provide more details.

Police said the theater manager confronted a male who they believed had set off the fireworks.

Inside the theater, meanwhile, panicked people called 911 after confusing the bangs with gun shots.

A commenter on the Howell police Facebook page said she was watching a movie when theatergoers heard the noise.

"The entire theater ran to get out. What a god awful experience. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone," the commenter said.

Police from Jackson and Lakewood also responded.

More From WOBM News:

Ajay Devgn’s first look from Bhuj The Pride of India as IAF pilot Sq Ld Vijay Karnik is impressive, see pic

bollywood

Updated: Jan 02, 2020 09:59 IST

Ajay Devgn will be seen as an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot in one of his upcoming films, Bhuj: The Pride Of India. Director Abhishek Dudhaiya shared the first look of the film on Twitter on the first day of the new year.

Sharing the picture, Abhishek wrote: “It’s a privilege to present @ajaydevgn sir’s first look as Sq. Ld. Vijay Karnik from my upcoming directorial film #BhujThePrideOfIndia . #14Aug2020.” He also revealed that the film will open in theatres a day before Independence Day this year. Ajay plays the lead role and will be seen as Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik.

It’s a privilege to present @ajaydevgn sir’s first look as Sq. Ld. Vijay Karnik from my upcoming directorial film #BhujThePrideOfIndia . #14Aug2020. pic.twitter.com/5pZiORdXjs — Abhishekdudhaiya (@AbhishekDudhai6) January 1, 2020

Ajay has worked in number of patriotic films, with another of his upcoming films, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, also showcasing similar sentiments.

Bhuj: The Pride Of India tells one of the many stories of bravery, selflessness and commitment, shown by ordinary people apart from the armed forces during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. The period drama looks back into the journey of 300 women from Madhapar village of Gujarat’s Kutch district, who played a pivotal role in helping India win the war. The women came together to rebuild and repair the only runway in Bhuj, which was crucial for the war.

Also read: Ananya Panday equates struggle to not appearing on Koffee With Karan, Siddhant Chaturvedi has a savage reply

The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Hate Story 4 actor Ihana Dhillon, singer-actor Ammy Virk and South Indian actor Pranitha Subhash. For Pranitha, who has starred in a number of movies such Porki, Saguni and Dynamite, Bhuj: The Pride of India will also mark her Bollywood debut.

Speaking about working with Ajay Devgn, she had earlier told IANS: “Ajay sir is so disciplined on sets. He is so natural when it comes to acting and the best thing about him is that as soon as the director says action, he gets into the character and gets out of it as soon as the director says cut. There was so much to learn from him and I feel blessed to have worked with him in my first Bollywood film.” The film is slated to hit theatres on August 14.

(With IANS inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more

New Delhi [India], Jan 1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate five DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories to the nation on Thursday, which would boost indigenous research capabilities in the defence sector.

During the event, the Prime Minister will unveil a plaque and also address the scientists.

The event is being organised by the Aeronautical Development Establishment, DRDO, at Bengaluru. DRDO will also showcase some of its innovative products to the Prime Minister at an exhibition.

A PMO release said that Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy will also be present on the occasion.

The release said the Prime Minister had suggested that at least five DRDO labs should be identified exclusively for innovation by young scientists up to the age of 35 years.

He made the suggestion in 2014 while addressing a gathering after giving away the DRDO awards.

The Prime Minister had also called for involving the youth in defence research-related activities in a big way to ensure that India remained abreast of global technological advancements in the field. (ANI)

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