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How Much Is The Title Loan Industry Worth

Dana R
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How Much Is The Title Loan Industry Worth

At one point or another, you’ve probably seen an ad for a title loan. Lenders emphasize how quickly and conveniently you can obtain money, and that you won’t even need to authorize a credit check. For many cash-strapped consumers, title loans seem like the best possible solution to their money woes.

Of course, the adage “if it seems too good to be true, it is” certainly applies when it comes to the title loan industry. Read the fine print on these title loans and you’ll find that the interest rates are extremely high, with the average APR being 300 percent. That means if you get a title loan for $1,000, you’re paying $250 per month in interest. And if you can’t pay off your loan, the lender can repossess and sell your car.

How do these title loan companies stay in business, and exactly how much is that business worth? We took a look at the numbers to find out.

The Worth of the Title Loan Industry

Despite their fees, there is a huge market for title loans, and over 2 million consumers in the United States borrow title loans every year. The average amount of a title loan is $1,000, and borrowers pay an average of $1,200 in total fees for those loans. Add it all up, and title loan companies make approximately $3 billion per year in fees.

The Biggest Players in the Title Loan Game

While there are title loan companies across the nation, three stand out as the largest.

TMX Finance, which is the company behind TitleMax, is the biggest, as it has nearly 1,500 TitleMax stores spread out across 18 states. It also has brands under the names TitleBucks, EquityAuto Loan and InstaLoan, and it employees over 4,300 people. Somewhat ironically, TMX Finance went through loan issues of its own when it was unable to repay $165 million that it borrowed from Merrill Lynch in 2009. That led to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, but the company regrouped and went on to expand quite a bit.

The better you understand the title loan process before you apply, the easier it will be for you to choose the one which best fits your needs concerning loan length, amount, and interest rates. Taking out a car title loan can be a less risky ordeal, in case you borrow from reputable companies which do their best to fit their clients’ standards such as Montana Capital Car, Title Max, and TFC Title loans.

Community Loans of America has many stores around the Southern and Midwest regions of the United States. Its brands include Carolina Payday Loans, Illinois Title Loans and Fast Auto Loans. Across over 200 stores, Community Loans of America employs about 1,800 people. It also hasn’t been without its troubles, in the form of class-action lawsuits alleging predatory lending to members of the U.S. military.

Executives of Community Loans of America branched off in 1998 to create Select Management Resources. Its brands include Atlanta Title Loans, LoanMax and North American Title Loans. The company has approximately 200 stores spread out over 21 states.

The Success of Title Loan Companies

The reason title loan companies make so much money is because of their high interest rates. But why do they charge so much, and why are people willing to pay it?

Title loan companies are able to charge the interest rates they do because they issue loans to people that don’t have many, if any, other options. The vast majority of title loan borrowers have low income and low credit scores, so they’re unable to obtain loans from other lenders, such as banks or credit unions. They also may need money quickly, and a title loan is one of the fastest loan options on the market.

Title loan borrowers typically either don’t realize how much they’re going to end up paying, or they’re getting a title loan as a last resort because they have no other options.

The Future of the Title Loan Industry

Title loan companies have attracted a significant amount of criticism from consumers and lawmakers, and many states have even outlawed title loans entirely or placed heavy restrictions on them. The industry is thriving right now, but it’s very possible for that to change in the future.

Kim Jong-nam Assassination: North Korea Embassy Official Named as Suspect by Malaysian Police

Roy Siemens
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Kim Jong-nam Assassination: North Korea Embassy Official Named as Suspect by Malaysian Police

A senior North Korean embassy official is wanted by Malaysian police for questioning in connection with the assassination of Kim Jong-un’s half brother, Kim Jong-nam.

Hyon Kwang-song is one of three North Koreans being sought, along with an employee of the state airline.

Malaysian police also confirmed Kim Jong-nam died after two women wiped a toxin on him at Kuala Lumpur airport.

North Korea’s embassy in Malaysia angrily denied the claims.

In a statement, the North Korean embassy said the fact that the substance was on the hands of the women proved it could not have been a poison and called for the immediate release of the “innocent females” and a North Korean man.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on February 22, Malaysian Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar said they were looking for three North Koreans in addition to the previously announced suspects.

One of them is Hyon Kwang-song, 44, the second secretary of the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The others are Kim Uk-il, 37, who works for Air Koryo, and another North Korean Ri Ju U.

Khalid Abu Bakar said they had written to the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia asking him to allow police to interview Hyon Kwang-song and the other suspects.

If the ambassador does not co-operate, “we will compel them to come to us”, he said, without giving details.

The police chief also said security had been stepped up at the morgue where Kim Jong-nam’s body is being kept after an attempted break-in earlier in the week.

Ten people have either been named as suspects or are wanted by Malaysian police for questioning in connection to Kim Jong-nam’s assassination.

Donald Tsang Sentenced to 20 Months in Jail for Misconduct

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Tsang Sentenced to 20 Months in Jail for Misconduct

Hong Kong’s ex-Chief Executive Donald Tsang has been sentenced to 20 months in jail for misconduct.

Donald Tsang led Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012 and is the most senior official in the territory ever to stand trial for corruption.

He was found guilty last week of misconduct in public office, in a case related to a luxury flat in China.

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Chan said: “Never in my judicial career have I seen a man fall from so high.”

A number of senior former officials in Hong Kong had written letters to the court in defense of Donald Tsang’s character.

Image source Wikipedia

Judge Chan said he took Donald Tsang’s reputation and long public service into account in sentencing, taking 10 months off what would have been a 30-month sentence. The maximum penalty could have been 7 years.

Donald Tsang was cleared last week of a second count of misconduct, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of accepting an advantage. He is expected to be retried on that charge in September.

After sentencing, Donald Tsang was taken from court in handcuffs to the hospital where he has been staying since experiencing chest pain on February 20.

The case has worried a territory that prides itself on its relatively clean reputation.

The trial related to events which took place near the end of Donald Tsang’s term, between 2010 and 2012.

Prosecutors accused Donald Tsang of inappropriate and undeclared conflicts of interest, including renting a luxury flat in mainland China from the shareholder of a broadcast company whose license applications he approved. They also alleged the flat was redecorated free of charge and that he later nominated the interior designer for an honor.

The jury found the former leader guilty of misconduct over his failure to disclose the lease of the flat, but dismissed the charge related to the designer and did not reach a verdict on whether he accepted a bribe in the form of the refurbishment.

A career civil servant, Donald Tsang rose through the ranks to become Hong Kong’s second chief executive, following Tung Chee-hwa.

Donald Tsang’s deputy, former Chief Secretary Rafael Hui, was jailed for accepting bribes from a property tycoon in 2014.

Study: South Korean Women’s Average Life Expectancy Will Be Above 90 by 2030

Kathryn R. Bown
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Study: South Korean Women’s Average Life Expectancy Will Be Above 90 by 2030

A recent study published by Lancet suggests that South Korean women will be the first in the world to have an average life expectancy above 90.

The WHO and Imperial College London study analyzed life spans in 35 industrialized countries.

It predicted all would see people living longer in 2030 and the gap between men and women would start to close in most countries.

The researchers said the findings posed big challenges for pensions and care for elderly people.

The data also forecasts that Japan, once the picture of longevity, will tumble down the global rankings.

Image source Max Pixel

Japan currently has the highest life expectancy for women, but will be overtaken by both South Korea and France, the study suggests. Meanwhile, male life expectancy will go from the fourth highest to 11th out of the countries studied.

The US also performs poorly and is on course to have the lowest life expectancy of rich countries by 2030.

The study predicts an average age of 80 for men and 83 for women – roughly the same state Mexico and Croatia will have achieved.

The US will be overtaken by Chile, where women born in 2030 will expect to live for 87 years and men for 81.

The study also shows the gap in life expectancy between women and men is closing.

Much of the increases are due to improvements for the over-65s rather than reductions in deaths during childhood.

The study made the projections in a similar way to the methods used by meteorologists to forecast the weather.

It combined 21 separate mathematical models that analyzed past trends to make projections into the future.

This approach indirectly takes account of all the different factors – smoking rates, medical advances, obesity patterns – that are changing life expectancy.

The study assumes countries continue to progress as they are, so exceptional, unpredictable events equivalent to the fall of the Soviet Union, or huge breakthroughs like a vaccine for all cancer, would massively alter the forecasts.

Milo Yiannopoulos Resigns as Breitbart Senior Editor

Nancy Clayson
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Milo Yiannopoulos Resigns as Breitbart Senior Editor

Milo Yiannopoulos has resigned as senior editor at Breitbart News and apologized after a coming under fire over comments that appeared to approve paedophilia.

The conservative writer said in a statement his “poor choice of words” was detracting from his colleagues’ work, so he was quitting immediately.

Milo Yiannopoulos, 32, had already lost a book deal and a speaking engagement over the row.

Videos surfaced of him discussing the merits of gay relationships between adults and boys.

However, Milo Yiannopoulos, the tech editor, denied he had endorsed child abuse and said one video had been edited to give a misleading impression.

At a press conference on February 21, he explained that he had been referring to his own experiences as a victim of child abuse.

He said that two men, including a priest, had touched him inappropriately when he was in his young teens.

Image source Flickr

“I haven’t ever apologized before, and I don’t intend on ever doing it again,” he read to a room full of reporters.

“To be a victim of child abuse and at the same time be accused of being an apologist for child abuse is absurd.”

However, Milo Yiannopoulos’ mea culpa came too late to save him from being axed in the line-up at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland.

The CPAC said his response had been “insufficient”.

Publisher Simon & Schuster also cancelled Milo Yiannopoulos’ forthcoming book, Dangerous.

During his press conference the British writer claimed to have received interest from other publishers, and vowed to set aside 10% of the book’s profits to donate to charities that support victims of child abuse.

He appears to thrive on controversy and is accused by some of being a peddler of hate speech.

Milo Yiannopoulos was banned from Twitter after provoking online harassment of a black actress, Leslie Jones, from the Ghostbusters remake.

He has also been widely criticized for comments he has made about feminists, transgender people, Muslims and Black Lives Matter protesters.

The University of Berkeley in California earlier this month canceled a talk by Milo Yiannopoulos, following violent student protests.

Who Is Milo Yiannopoulos?

Nancy Clayson
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Who Is Milo Yiannopoulos?

Milo Yiannopoulos is a British writer and editor, currently living in the US.

He was born in Greece to a Greek father and British mother, he grew up in Kent in the south of England.

In July 2016, Milo Yiannopoulos was banned from Twitter for what the social media company referred to as “inciting or engaging in the targeted abuse or harassment of others”.

It came after the writer took aim at Leslie Jones, a black actress in an all-female Ghostbusters reboot, and she received a barrage of abuse from other Twitter users.

Milo Yiannopoulos has also been widely criticized for comments he has made about transgender people, Muslims, Black Lives Matter activism, feminists and gay people, even though he is openly gay.

Image source Flickr

He co-founded online tech magazine The Kernel in 2011 and sold it in 2014, after running up large debts and encountering legal battles with writers who sued for unpaid earnings.

In 2015, Milo Yiannopoulos was appointed as a senior editor at Breitbart News, a right-wing website that has been criticized for racist and misogynist content.

He has written columns titled “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy” and “Would You Rather Your Child Had Feminism or Cancer?”

When Hillary Clinton read those headlines out disdainfully at one of her rallies last year, he considered it a win.

This week, footage of a year-old podcast was unearthed, where Milo Yiannopoulos appears to condone paedophilia.

He said relationships between “younger boys” and older men could be a “coming-of-age relationship … in which those older men help those younger boys discover who they are”.

Milo Yiannopoulos has denied the allegations on his Facebook page, blaming the way the clips were edited and his own “sloppy phrasing” for any indication he supported paedophilia.

“It is a vile and disgusting crime, perhaps the very worst,” Milo Yiannopoulos said.

Breitbart News has close ties to the Trump administration. The website’s chief executive, Steve Bannon, first headed Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and was later appointed as his chief strategist in the White House.

Milo Yiannopoulos is an avid supporter of President Trump, whom he calls “daddy”.

His regular public speaking engagements often lead to protests on university campuses.

Milo Yiannopoulos went to Simon Langton Boys Grammar School in Canterbury, and dropped out of undergraduate courses at the University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge.

However, he came to prominence by playing a key role in an online troll war, known as Gamergate, about misogyny in the video game world.

Milo Yiannopoulos built up a following by being a “troll king”, according to tech magazine Wired.

His YouTube channel now has more than 500,000 subscribers.

Milo Yiannopoulos is regularly associated with the alt-right, a disparate nationalistic group, which is outspoken against so-called political correctness and feminism. It includes neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites.

He says he does not consider himself part of the alt-right, although he has called it “energizing and exciting”.

During an appearance on TV show Real Time on February 17, he joked about not being able to fit in as he is a “gay Jew who never shuts up about his black boyfriend”.

Milo Yiannopoulos had a Jewish maternal grandmother.

On the same show, hosted by Bill Maher, he equated feminism with a disease (again) and said transgender people was a disorder comparable to sociopathy.

Milo Yiannopoulos’ autobiography, Dangerous, had been due for publication next month.

When the book deal with publisher Simon & Schuster was announced in December 2016, it caused an outcry among his critics, who accused the company of promoting and funding hate speech.

On February 20, Simon and Schuster announced it was cancelling the publication of the book, after more than 100 of the publisher’s other authors had protested against it.

Milo Yiannopoulos reportedly received a $250,000 advance for the book.

In protest at the deal, the Chicago Review of Books had already announced it would not review any Simon & Schuster books in 2017.

Milo Yiannopoulos Dropped by CPAC After Paedophilia Comments

Nancy Clayson
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Milo Yiannopoulos Dropped by CPAC After Paedophilia Comments

Milo Yiannopoulos will no longer speak at a conservative conference and his book deal has been canceled after videos surfaced in which he appeared to approve paedophilia.

The footage showed the ultra-conservative writer discussing the merits of gay relationships between adults and boys as young as 13.

On Facebook, Milo Yiannopoulos denied ever endorsing paedophilia.

The writer said one video had been edited to give a misleading impression.

However, the American Conservative Union, which runs the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) where President Donald Trump is due to speak on February 24, said the apology was not enough.

“We urge him to immediately further address these disturbing comments,” Matt Schlapp said in a statement.

Image source Flickr

Book publisher Simon & Schuster said it had canceled the publication of Milo Yiannopoulos’s book Dangerous, which was due out in June, after “careful consideration”.

In the footage, Milo Yiannopoulos – a passionate supporter of Donald Trump and an editor at right-wing website Breitbart – seems to suggest the determining factor for paedophilia is whether the younger partner has gone through puberty.

However, at another point in the video the writer says the US age of consent, which is 16 to 18 years old depending on location, is “about right”.

In his Facebook statement, Milo Yiannopoulos said: “I find those crimes to be absolutely disgusting. I find those people to be disgusting.”

Milo Yiannopoulos, who is openly gay, said he regretted using the word “boys” instead of young men while discussing gay relationships with large age gaps.

He blamed “sloppy editing” and “usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor” for creating the wrong impression.

He also claimed that he himself had been a victim of child abuse.

Milo Yiannopoulos is regularly associated with the alt-right, a disparate nationalistic group that is outspoken against so-called political correctness and feminism. It includes neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites.

He says he does not consider himself part of the alt-right, although he has called it “energizing and exciting”.

Milo Yiannopoulos revels in courting controversy, and has written columns titled “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy” and “Would You Rather Your Child Had Feminism or Cancer?”

Earlier this month the University of California at Berkeley cancelled Milo Yiannopoulos’ speaking engagement there after violent protests broke out.

President Donald Trump – whom Milo Yiannopoulos refers to as “daddy” – threatened to cut the university’s federal funding in response.

White House Details New Immigrations Measures

Diane A. Wade
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White House Details New Immigrations Measures

The White House has issued tough guidelines to widen the net for deporting illegal immigrants from the United States, and speed up their removal.

Undocumented immigrants arrested for traffic violations or shop-lifting will be targeted along with those convicted of more serious crimes.

The memos do not alter immigration laws, but take a much tougher approach towards enforcing existing measures.

There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new blueprint leaves in place Obama-era protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children.

However, it expands the more restricted guidance issued under the previous administration, which focused its policy on immigrants convicted of serious crimes, threats to national security or those who had recently crossed the border.

Image source Wikimedia

The DHS plans to hire an extra 10,000 agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 5,000 more border patrol officers to enforce the new guidance.

During his eight years in office, President Barack Obama instructed immigration officials to focus deportation efforts on undocumented immigrants who were convicted of serious crimes or recent arrivals captured near the US border.

President Trump’s immigration order marks a sharp break with those policies. Instead – according to the DHS implementation memos – the Trump administration essentially will “prioritize” the deportation of almost all undocumented immigrants, everywhere.

The DHS’s list of prioritized “removable aliens” is so broad as to include just about every class of undocumented immigrant – with only a carve-out for individuals who entered the US as children.

All this will require more money and manpower – and the Trump administration is going to ask Congress for the former and go on a hiring spree to address the latter. Local and state law-enforcement officials will also be allowed to arrest unauthorized immigrants.

While President Barack Obama aggressively enforced immigration law and ramped up deportations in some areas and at some times, there were notable instances where he de-emphasized action. In the Trump era immigration authorities are now being given the power to make a sea-to-sea, border-to-border push.

The two memos released on February 21 by the agency suggest individuals apprehended in the US would need to prove that they have been in the country continuously for two years.

Otherwise, agents could expedite their removal with no court proceeding.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly wrote in one of the memos: “The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States.”

His memo also includes instructions to enforce an existing provision of the US Immigration and Nationality Act that allows authorities to send some people caught illegally at the border back to Mexico, regardless of where they are from.

It is unclear whether the US has authority to force Mexico to accept foreigners.

The DHS guidance is a blueprint to implement executive orders that President Trump signed on  January 25, days after taking office.

The new guidelines did not explain how President Trump’s border wall would be funded and where undocumented immigrants apprehended in the crackdown would be detained.

The memos instruct agents to “allocate all available resources to expand their detention capabilities and capacities”, but Congress would probably need to allocate money to build new detention centers.

Donald Trump’s immigration policies have prompted protests on both sides of the border. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in more than a dozen Mexican cities last week to protest against President Trump’s plan for a border wall.

Elor Azaria Case: Israeli Soldier Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for Killing Palestinian Attacker

Roy Siemens
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Elor Azaria Case: Israeli Soldier Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for Killing Palestinian Attacker

Elor Azaria, the Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in a high-profile case that split opinion across Israel, has been jailed for 18 months.

He was found guilty of manslaughter for shooting dead 21-year-old Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, in March 2016.

Elor Azaria had told a colleague that Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, who had stabbed another soldier, “deserved to die”.

Military chiefs condemned his actions, but others praised them.

The case fuelled debate in Israel over when and how soldiers are entitled to use lethal force against attackers.

The shooting occurred amid a wave of attacks by Palestinians that had killed 29 Israelis over the preceding five months.

The offence carries a sentence of up to 20 years, though prosecutors had called for Elor Azaria to be jailed for between 3 and 5 years.

Image source Times of Israel

Elor Azaria was also ordered demoted from his rank of sergeant.

Judge Maya Heller said his crime was mitigated by the fact that it was his first conviction, that it had occurred in an active military scene and that there had been no clear orders as to how he was supposed to act.

She noted that Elor Azaria had not displayed any remorse for what he had done.

A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority criticized the sentence as lenient, calling it a “green light to the occupation army to continue its crimes”, AFP reported.

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said he would support any decision to pardon Elor Azaria.

The killing received widespread coverage after footage of the incident, filmed on a mobile phone, was shown on Israeli news programs.

The footage showed Elor Azaria cocking his gun and firing at the head of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, who was lying apparently incapacitated on the ground after being shot and wounded following the stabbing attack.

The court which convicted Elor Azaria dismissed his claim that he had acted out of fear that Abdul Fatah al-Sharif might have been wearing an explosive vest.

Following the incident military chiefs and PM Benjamin Netanyahu came under fire from right-wing sections of society – including members cabinet – for criticizing Elor Azaria’s actions.

Benjamin Netanyahu later phoned Elor Azaria’s father to offer reassurance.

4 Places In The Southern Philippines That Have Amazing Secrets

Nancy Clayson
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4 Places In The Southern Philippines That Have Amazing Secrets

Many amazing places remain undiscovered for centuries. And you can find many of them in is the southern part of the Philippines, an archipelago full of treasures unknown to the world.

 

  1. Monkayo, Compostela, Davao del Norte, South Philippines

Monkayo is a vast agricultural land full of banana and rice. Mt. Diwata known as “Diwalwal” is a barangay in Monkayo, rich in gold ore deposits. According to the Philippine Bureau of Mines, gold in this area cannot be consumed even for a hundred years. It is 75 miles away from the city of Davao. Scenic attractions here are the Kumbilan Cave called Casoon. Its features are tunnel-like full of stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is also the home of snakes and fruit bats. To get there, you can easily rent a four-wheel drive vehicles from car rentals. Or if you have friends who have four-wheel drive vehicles, you can schedule a trip together so it will be less of a hassle on your part.

 

  1. Liguasan Marsh, Maguindanao, ARMM, South Philippines

The Liguasan Marsh stores an enormous natural reservoir of gas worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The American Engineers who conducted a test survey of the place estimated the value of oil to amount to $580 billion in its initial pumping.

Liguasan Marsh spans 220,000 hectares, which house a large variety of aquatic wildlife like three species of reptiles, 20 fish species, and 20 species of herons, waterfowl, ducks, and egrets. It is the only place where you can find the Comb-crested Jacana or Lotusbird (lily trotter bird), a very rare bird species.

The bird’s name is lily trotter because it walks on the water surface, leaping on water lilies or Lotus leaves. The wetlands or marsh is the last stronghold of the endangered Estuarine crocodile and is also the home of the Philippine Eagle, another endangered species.

 

  1. The Philippine Trench (Philippine Deep), Surigao, Caraga, South Philippines

The Philippine Deep (Philippine Trench) has a span of 1,320 kilometers, a width of about 30 kilometers, and a depth of 10,540 meters – the deepest point called the Galathea Deep. If Mt. Everest, which is 8,846 meters high, is submerged in the Philippine Trench, it would smoothly vanish in the trench.

Three miles deep of the Philippine Trench lies the world’s  largest deposits of Deuterium (2H or Heavy Hydrogen). The Hydrogen Isotopes can work as a non-polluting energy source.

The Trench with Deuterium deposits lies within 200-miles Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) of southern Philippines by the International Sea Law. Therefore, to explore deuterium renders exclusivity to the Philippines.

 

  1. Sulu Sea, ARMM, South Philippines

The Sulu Sea is where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, a World Heritage Site, is located. It includes small islands like the Turtle Islands. Billions of dollars of trade pass through this route every year.

It has been an international trade route of the world since the time of the Moors. The Moors were the first traders who came to Sulu centuries ago, and it is where the name Moro people was derived.

Some Japanese explorers made an initial survey in the Sulu Sea in the 1970s, and they discovered the area has large deposits of oil. Accordingly, the oil found in the Sulu Sea are the highest grade and supply could last for more than a hundred years.

 

Takeaway

The Southern Philippines has a lot of treasures and resources to offer to its peoples; the island abounds with wealth and riches. Although peace has become an issue in this part of the Philippine archipelago, there is still optimism that the current peace initiatives will succeed. No other country in Asia has this kind of enormous wealth, only the Philippines.

 

Author Bio
Williams A. Young is an expert mechanical engineer by profession but a camping and car enthusiast by heart. Despite of his hectic schedule, he always finds time to go to the woods and light a campfire. During his leisure time, he writes in behalf of Darwin4wdhire about the latest car models and its features and also about his recent camping experiences.

David Cassidy Diagnosed with Dementia

Sonia Pantiss
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David Cassidy Diagnosed with Dementia

Ex-Partridge Family idol David Cassidy has confirmed he is diagnosed with dementia.

The revelation comes after performances in California in which David Cassidy, 66, forgot his words and appeared physically unstable.

David Cassidy, a teen idol in the 1970s with hits like How Can I Be Sure?, has told People magazine that he will stop touring as a musician to focus on his health.

Image source Wikimedia

He said: “I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming.”

His mother also suffered from the disease.

David Cassidy told the magazine: “I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been, without any distractions… I want to love. I want to enjoy life.”

Videos on social media of David Cassidy’s performances over the weekend at Agoura, west of Los Angeles, raised concerns about his health.

David Cassidy, whose hits include I Think I Love You and Cherish, has struggled with drinking and financial troubles recently, in 2015, he filed for bankruptcy and between 2010 and 2014, he was arrested three times for drunken driving, and was ordered to rehab as part of his sentence in 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWIG1stby2o

Melbourne Plane Crash: Five Confirmed Dead as Charter Flight Hits Direct Factory Outlets Center

Nancy Clayson
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Melbourne Plane Crash: Five Confirmed Dead as Charter Flight Hits Direct Factory Outlets Center

Five people have been killed after a light plane crashed into a shopping center in Melbourne, Australia.

The victims are four US citizens and the Australian pilot.

According to police, the plane appeared to have had a “catastrophic engine failure” shortly after taking off from the small Essendon Airport.

Despite the destruction, no-one was killed or injured at the shopping center.

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said it was the worst civilian aviation accident in the state in 30 years.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it would investigate how the twin-engine Beechcraft B200 King Air crashed soon after 09:00 local time on February 21.

Image source Channel 9

A spokeswoman for Spotlight, a retailer in the complex, said the plane crashed into its rear warehouse but all staff were safe.

The Direct Factory Outlets center was not open to the public at the time.

“Looking at the fireball, it is incredibly lucky that no-one was at the back of those stores or in the car park of the stores, that no-one was even hurt,” said Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane.

The US embassy has confirmed that four passengers on the plane, bound for Tasmania’s King Island, were US citizens.

Local media named the pilot as 63-year-old Max Quartermain. He had decades of flying experience and an “impeccable safety record”, according to the website of charter company Corporate and Leisure Aviation, which he owned with his wife.

Essendon Airport, mostly used by light planes, is about 8 miles north-west of central Melbourne.

The airport has been closed, but the city’s main hubs for commercial air traffic – Melbourne Airport and Avalon Airport – remain open.

The crash sent black smoke high into the air and ignited a blaze that required more than 60 firefighters to bring under control.

Police shut the adjacent Tullamarine Freeway after witnesses spotted debris from the plane including a wheel on the road. The area around the shops was evacuated, and three nearby schools were closed.

Video showed thick smoke and fire at the wreckage scene.

Australia’s PM Malcolm Turnbull said he was “deeply saddened” as he offered condolences to the families of the victims.

King Island, popular for its beaches and dairy farms, lies 150 miles south of Melbourne in Bass Strait.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgEtozBZ2Ms

HR McMaster Replaces Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser

Diane A. Wade
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HR McMaster Replaces Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser

President Donald Trump has picked Lt. Gen. Herbert Raymond McMaster to replace Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as his national security adviser.

Michael Flynn was fired after just three weeks and three days in the job.

H.R. McMaster served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he worked on a government anti-corruption drive.

President Trump’s first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the role, citing “personal reasons”.

Donald Trump has praised H.R. McMaster as “a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience” who is “highly respected by everybody in the military”.

Image source Wikimedia

H.R. McMaster does not appear to have close ties to Moscow, and was recently commissioned to study the ways the US could counter some of Russia’s military advances.

He is no stranger to questioning authority. In a 2014 interview, he said: “The commanders that I’ve worked for, they want frank assessments, they want criticism and feedback.”

Time magazine named H.R. McMaster as one of its 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, saying he “might be the 21st Century Army’s pre-eminent warrior-thinker”.

He criticized the US military’s involvement in the Vietnam War in his book Dereliction of Duty.

H.R. McMaster has a PhD in US history from the University of North Carolina.

He has said it is “a privilege… to be able to continue serving our nation” and that he looks forward to joining the national security team.

The role involves serving as an independent adviser to the president on issues of national security and foreign policy.

It is one of the most senior roles in the US government. Observers say the role’s influence varies from administration to administration, but the adviser is seen as one of the president’s key confidantes.

The adviser attends the National Security Council, and may act as a broker between different government departments.

The role is not subject to US Senate confirmation.

5 Intuitive Methods for Using Social Media to Sell Homes

Clyde K. Valle
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0
5 Intuitive Methods for Using Social Media to Sell Homes

You might think that selling your home via social media might be ridiculous – and to an extent you’d be right –  but, tell that to the man who sold his house for $135,000 over the asking price by selling on Twitter. While his actual tactic was a little bit more complicated than that article will suggest, it is still totally possible (and smart) to use social media to your advantage when it comes to selling your home.

 

Here are a couple of beginner tips for using social media intuitively and to your benefit!

 

Start with a Facebook Page

A recent survey of real estate social media accounts, found that 80 percent of all real estate agents and companies use Facebook for marketing purposes. The number one goal that should be in every real estate agent’s mind is to obtain as many clients and potential buyers as possible. As of the end of 2016, Facebook has a user base of 1.86 billion people. That is nearly 1/3 of the entire population of Earth.

 

Creating an appealing and appropriately professional Facebook page can make you seem a lot more competitive to those who have not yet ventured far into the process yet.

 

Share Often

People live with their phones placed firmly in front of their faces. We are now a globally addicted and connected society. Posting regularly helps you build interest and followers over time and ensures that your keywords are ranking well. Try and develop original content on things that you think your followers may want to hear. As a real estate agent, find topics that will interest your audience. Even if you didn’t write them- share, share, share.

 

This will help bolster up the data from your IDX website that is accessed by your real estate CRM.

 

Create Campaigns On All Channels

The man who sold his house on Twitter didn’t just stop there – he created a Facebook Page, a YouTube Channel, Flickr, Picasa and many other accounts. By utilizing all of these outlets, he maximized the possibilities of who could find the listing. He utilized strategically placed keywords to ensure views on his posting from any related searches. He also devoted as much of his time as he could to make sure he ranked No. 1 for his keywords in Google.

 

Develop a Home Buyers Waiting List Through Your Website

A super quick, super convenient way to develop a bunch of leads all at once is to build up your list of potential home buyers. The best way to do this is to start a real estate blog that can be accessed via your website. Drive traffic from your social media channels and put a sign-up button at the top of your page.

 

This also builds a demand of your service while also generating recognition around your brand.

 

Pinterest Local Groups

Pinterest has blown up in popularity over the last few years and provides an enormous opportunity for social media real estate. Pinterest marketing for real estate agents can help you drive visitors and traffic to your websites. With Pinterest, the ley to marketing is in creating local boards. One strategy is to create a board and then invite people to ‘collaborate’ on it. This method allows people to help while by adding pins to the board, which helps build a community of followers around your properties.

 

Social media is an important tool in any real estate agent’s utility belt. Don’t get caught unprepared – maximize your visibility with social media!

 

Horrible Bosses: What to Do When Your Management Team Isn’t Cutting the Muster

James J. Williams
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Horrible Bosses: What to Do When Your Management Team Isn’t Cutting the Muster

You’ve been in business for a couple of years, defying the odds and keeping your company from becoming another failed business statistic. You’ve hired what you believe to be a strong and capable staff and credit them with your company’s success.

 

Lately, you’ve noticed a growing turnover rate. It seems like the longest an employee stays is six months, then they hand in a two-week notice; that is if you’re lucky—some just skip out. You’re not sure what’s going on. Once you’ve filled one position another opens, and it’s not because of rapid promoting.

 

There’s something amiss, and if you want your business to make it to the five-year mark and beyond, you need to figure it now. But management doesn’t have a concise answer as to why people are leaving the company, so what can be done about this?

Management Troubles

According to Forbes Magazine, 50 percent of workers surveyed in a Gallup poll reported that they left their job “to get away from their manager.” In the long run, it won’t matter if you have an all-star staff, if management isn’t nurturing their potential, recognizing their hard work or serving in some sort of mentorship capacity, they will look elsewhere and leave your company.

 

There are three personality types that make a bad manager, and if any members of your leadership team exhibit these qualities, you’ll need to reevaluate your own management style and may even need to reshuffle the deck.

 

The Flash in the Pan

This team member demonstrated they were a quick-starter and go-getter early on. They took feedback well and adjusted their work to reflect the company’s mission and made their end goal the success of the company. There was no question that they would be promoted, and with just a few months under their belt, you promoted them to a management position.

 

Functioning much like a startup, you trust that your staff is getting their work done when they work remotely, but this manager makes only weekly appearances in the office and has not shared their calendar with their department. No one knows if they’ll be in the office and employees have a hard time getting ahold of the manager. It would appear that they think being a manager means going to pub cons and hosting cocktail hour with potential clients, not keeping the staff abreast of company news or following through on staff questions and meetings. Also referred to as “the ghost,” this type of manager does not inspire employee loyalty.

 

Management Tactics: Make it a rule that all management must be in the office when employees are. Conduct a weekly meeting with this manager and their department to see where they are in their work and to learn of any discrepancies. If there is a client meeting that must take place, the head of the company will manage it.

 

The Peer

This type of manager worries about not being liked by their subordinates and will do anything to stay on their good side, even if that means making some questionable calls that could hurt the business.

 

Who you put in charge will dramatically affect the success of your business. If a manager should spend their day on Facebook making comments on your employees’ status updates, there’s going to be trouble, especially if they make a disparaging comment from the company’s social media page in an effort to be funny. When that happens and an upset employee threatens to sue, business insurance will cover the cost—but you’ll still lose a valuable staff member.

 

Management Tactics: Set internet usage rules. Management and employees alike cannot update their social media feeds while at work, and management must make sure that all conversations taking place between management and staff are politically correct.

 

The Identity Thief

This person takes all of the good ideas and work of their employees and marks it as their own. The only time this type of manager doesn’t take responsibility for something is when a project falls flat, only then will they say another team member worked on it.

 

Management Tactics: Call this manager out. Ask who has and continues to work on the projects and demand that the meetings be led by the team, not the manager alone.

 

No one is perfect, and going from being a staff member to manager takes time to adjust. Make sure you are giving every member of your staff the tools they need to succeed.

 

 

Youtube to Remove Unskippable 30-Second Ads from 2018

Nancy Clayson
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Youtube to Remove Unskippable 30-Second Ads from 2018

YouTube will remove “unskippable” 30-second ads on the video-streaming service from 2018.

Long unskippable ads are seen as a nuisance by many viewers, and Google has introduced shorter formats.

One media agency said the move reflected the difference between online video and linear television services.

YouTube said that it wanted to “focus on formats that work well for both users and advertisers”, The Verge reported.

However, 15 and 20-second ads will remain. It is expected that the 30-second format will be replaced by YouTube’s new 6-second “bumper ad” format.

The 6-second bumper ads were introduced in 2016 and are designed to go better with shorter videos, which are increasingly being watched on mobile devices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KArF3dN7qYw

Greece Bailout: IMF and EU Reach Common Position on How to Proceed

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Greece Bailout: IMF and EU Reach Common Position on How to Proceed

The institutions in charge of Greece’s bailout have reached a “common position” on how to proceed, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has announced.

Wolfgang Schaeuble’s comments appear to indicate that deadlock between the EU and the IMF over the next steps may have been resolved.

The IMF has said Greece needs more leeway to pay its huge debts before further rescue funds can be released.

However, the eurozone has been reluctant to go much further.

Arriving for a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels, Wolfgang Schaeuble said: “I believe the institutions have a common position and that we will get to a point today where the technical mission can go to Athens so we can get a result.”

In its most recent assessment of the Greek economy, the IMF said: “Greece cannot grow out of its debt problem. Greece requires substantial debt relief from its European partners to restore debt sustainability.”

Eurozone governments have provided some debt relief already, in the form of lower interest rates and extended repayment periods. IMF staff thinks Greece needs more concessions.

However, the IMF has said there was no need for what it calls an “upfront haircut” – a reduction in the principal that has ultimately to be repaid.

In another development, Klaus Regling, the CEO of the European Stability Mechanism – the eurozone’s bailout fund – said in a newspaper interview that Greece’s finances were improving faster than expected.

He told Germany’s Bild that Greece would probably need far less than the agreed maximum loan of 86 billion euros by August 2018 as a result.

Athens has made a 2 billion euro repayment to the bailout fund as expected, which Klaus Regling said showed “Greece is a reliable contract partner. It is a sign that the restructuring of the Greek banking sector is progressing well”.

5 Tips for Dealing with Your Partner’s Borderline Personality Disorder

Nancy Clayson
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5 Tips for Dealing with Your Partner’s Borderline Personality Disorder

We are all complicated individuals. Our psychological makeup varies substantially and significantly impacts every aspect of our lives. Thankfully today emotional difficulties are more widely shared, making it at least slightly easier to navigate the troubled waters of dealing with an emotional disturbance with someone you love.

However, there is one relatively widespread psychological disorder that is still widely misunderstood. Not only that, but individuals often shy away from even discussing the condition because it has such an unflattering name: Borderline Personality Disorder. This disorder is particularly challenging because it is primarily interpersonal and appears as a relational issue. But it is not; it is mental and must be recognized and treated as such.

So if you partner is dealing with Borderline Personality Disorder, it is important to understand a few key components of how the condition manifests. Likewise adjusting the way you interact with your significant other can also help both of you enjoy a happier, more fulfilling relationship.

What Are the Major Symptoms of the Condition?

For far too long people have been ignorant of this situation. It is the time that we all share more about the disorder and learn to understand that it is a mental disruption. While symptoms may differ depending on the affected individual, common symptoms include:

  • Stormy relationships that impact the individual’s ability to maintain a job or close relationship
  • Frequent emotional outbursts that may include verbal abuse, acts of revenge, or even physical attacks
  • Sensitivity to abandonment and rejection
  • Critical judgment of those with closest relationships
  • Viewpoint of individuals as good or bad
  • Frequent self-destructive activity, including reckless driving, shoplifting, cutting, binge eating, engaging in promiscuous sexual behavior and abusing drugs and alcohol

Like many other mental disorders, borderline personalities run the gamut from mild to severe. It may be difficult for individuals to be acutely aware of the extent of their emotional troubles.

Why Are BPD Relationships So Difficult?

To put it simply, many of the features of Borderline Personality Disorder disrupt those behaviors and thoughts that allow us to have effective interpersonal relationships. Some of those factors include:

  • Emotional intelligence – Individuals who struggle with BPD monitoring emotions – their own and those of the people around them. Without this type of information, it is difficult for an individual to express empathy and other essential emotions.
  • Aggression – Individuals with the condition struggle with impulsive aggression that may be turned inward or outward. It is hard to predict what may trigger this type of aggression, but it is often related to immediate threats of abandonment or rejection accompanied by frustration.
  • Sensitivity – People with this condition are overly sensitive to rejection. They often wait for it or anticipate it even if it is not there.
  • Maturity – Emotional maturity is a common struggle for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. These people may become disproportionately sad, angry, or frustrated depending on the circumstances, much like a child without well-developed emotional control.

What Can You Do to Effectively Cope with Your Partner’s Disorder?

It’s common for life to feel a bit like a roller coaster if you live with an individual who has BPD. Encouraging your loved one to participate in psychotherapy is, of course, an important component of the approach. However, there are additional considerations you can make even if therapy is not progressing. Here are a few important strategies to implement for dealing with and relating to your loved one.

  1. Practice consistency and predictability.

It is important that you keep your word when it comes to things that you have said you will or will not do. Avoid giving in to the borderline behavior lest it is reinforced.

  1. Promote responsibility.

It is easy to become your loved one’s rescuer, but that will only hurt both of you and your relationship. Do not give in and take responsibility for your loved one’s irresponsible behavior. If he or she racks up a massive credit card bill, don’t cover the cost. If the person wrecks the vehicle, don’t be the one to replace it. You cannot rescue your partner from the consequences of his or her actions. Otherwise, there will be no incentive to change.

  1. Provide honest feedback.

Individuals with BPD often have a skewed view of fairness and responsibility. Don’t agree that he or she has been unfairly treated if you don’t believe that it is true. Offer honest feedback instead. For example, you might say, “I know it is frustrating when you are fired,” but don’t jump on the bandwagon agreeing that it was all because of the mean people for whom he or she worked.

  1. Diffuse the argument.

It can be particularly difficult relating effectively to an individual with BPD. A compliment might be met with an accusation that you are patronizing, while constructive criticism might be portrayed as just as villainous. Instead of escalating an argument, try to diffuse things. Keep your cool in the situation and move on. Even physically remove yourself from the interaction if need be.

Borderline Personality Disorder is a severe condition for both of you to cope with, but it can be done. Use these strategies and remember that the issue is a mental imbalance, not a relationship issue.

 

 

 

#LastNightInSweden: Donald Trump Explains Remarks about Sweden Security Incident

Diane A. Wade
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#LastNightInSweden: Donald Trump Explains Remarks about Sweden Security Incident

In a tweet on February 19, President Donald Trump has sought to explain why he referred to a security incident in Sweden on February 17 which did not actually happen.

Addressing a rally on February 18, President Trump had said, “look at what’s happening last night in Sweden”, as he listed parts of Europe hit by terrorist attacks.

With no such incident reported in Sweden on February 17, Sweden asked the US administration for an explanation.

President Trump tweeted on February 19 that he had been referring to a TV report.

Donald Trump said it had been broadcast on Fox News but did not say when. He may have been referring to a Fox News program on that night, which looked at refugees and crime in Sweden.

Despite his words “happening last night in Sweden”, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said separately that President Trump had been talking about rising crime and recent incidents in general, not referring to a specific issue.

Former Swedish PM Carl Bildt was among those who mocked Donald Trump’s comment, suggesting that he had “been smoking”.

Image source Flickr

Social media users ridiculed President Trump, joking about imaginary situations involving Swedish institutions like Abba and IKEA.

The mocking hashtag #lastnightinSweden was soon trending on Twitter.

Many made reference to the “Bowling Green massacre”, a a non-existent attack that was cited by one of Donald Trump’s key advisers, Kellyanne Conway, earlier this month.

On February 19, Donald Trump tweeted: “My statement as to what’s happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.”

The Fox News report looked at gun violence and rape in Sweden since it opened its doors to large numbers of asylum-seekers in 2013.

Fox News is known to be among Donald Trump’s favorite cable TV channels.

He said at a big rally in Florida: “You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden.”

“Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible. You look at what’s happening in Brussels, you look at what’s happening all over the world. Take a look at Nice, take a look at Paris.”

No terrorist incidents were reported in Sweden on February 17.

Sweden, with a population of about 9.5 million people, has taken in nearly 200,000 refugees and migrants in recent years – more per capita than any other European country.

It saw a sharp increase in asylum seekers in 2015, with more than 160,000 people arriving. With the influx, tensions also rose with some isolated attacks on immigrants, as well as pro- and anti-migrant demonstrations.

The killing of a 22-year-old woman in January 2016 by an asylum seeker based at the center where she worked put further pressure on the government to reassess its approach to refugees.

There was a drop in numbers in 2016 after the country introduced new border checks incurring longer processing times, as well as financial incentives for migrants who voluntarily returned to their country of origin.

No terrorist attacks have been recorded in Sweden since the country’s open-door policy on migration began in 2013.

However, Sweden is believed to have the highest number of ISIS fighters per capita in Europe. About 140 of the 300 who went to Syria and Iraq have since returned, leaving the authorities to grapple with how best to reintegrate them into society.

Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Malaysia Steps Up Diplomatic Measures against North Korea

Roy Siemens
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0
Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Malaysia Steps Up Diplomatic Measures against North Korea

In an escalating row over the killing of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Malaysia has stepped up diplomatic measures against North Korea.

On February 13, Kim Jong-nam died in mysterious circumstances at an airport in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian police believe he was poisoned.

Malaysia has recalled its ambassador from the North Korea and has summoned the North Korean ambassador “to seek an explanation”.

Malaysian police say they are now looking for four North Korean suspects.

Meanwhile, a video which apparently shows CCTV footage of the attack on Kim Jong-nam has surfaced and aired on Japan’s TV.

Despite widespread speculation that North Korea was behind the killing, there has been no definitive evidence and Pyongyang has not issued an official statement yet.

On February 17, North Korean ambassador Kang Chol accused the government in Kuala Lumpur of colluding with “hostile forces”, saying that Malaysia had “something to conceal”.

South Korea has accused North Korea of orchestrating the incident, saying on February 20 it was evidence of North Korean “terrorism getting bolder”.

Malaysia was one of very few countries to maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea, but this killing has strained ties.

It has refused to accede to North Korean demands to release Kim’s body into their custody without an autopsy.

That apparently prompted the comments on February 17 by North Korea’s ambassador to Malaysia – which provoked an angry response from the Malaysian foreign ministry.

It said his accusation was “baseless”, adding that it was their responsibility to conduct an investigation as Kim Jong-nam had died on Malaysian soil.

Malaysian authorities are now waiting for the results of its autopsy. Kang Chol said his country would reject the result as it was done without the presence of its representatives.

Malaysia has also refused to release Kim Jong-nam’s body, saying it needs to conduct DNA testing first.

Police are now seeking samples from family members. Kim Jong-nam is believed to have family living in Beijing and Macau.

Malaysian police have said that if there is no claim by next of kin and once they exhaust all avenues for DNA collection, they will hand the body over to the North Korean embassy.

Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been attacked in the Kuala Lumpur airport departure hall on Monday by two women, using some form of chemical.

Japan’s Fuji TV has aired grainy CCTV footage showing a man resembling Kim Jong-nam approached by a woman at the airport.

Kim Jong-nam is thought to have fallen out of favor with Kim Jong-il in 2001 after he was caught trying to sneak into Japan using a false passport

Another woman then quickly lunges from behind and wipes his face with a cloth. She is seen wearing a white top emblazoned with the letters “LOL”.

The man is then seen seeking assistance from airport staff while gesturing at his face, and is escorted to a room.

Two women, one Indonesian and one Vietnamese, were among the first to be arrested. The Indonesian, named as Siti Aisyah, is said to have told Malaysian police she had been paid to perform what she thought was a prank.

Police have also detained one North Korean suspect, Ri Jong-chol, and said they are looking for four more men, who may have already left the country.

The men have been named as Ri Ji-hyon, 33; Hong Song-hac, 34; O Jong-gil, 55, and Ri Jae-nam, 57.

Kim Jong-nam was the first-born son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011.

He was largely estranged from his family, after being passed over for the North Korean leadership in favor of his youngest half-brother.

Kim Jong-nam went into exile in the early 2000s, spending most of his time in Macau, mainland China and Singapore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6-DIV-4Ovs

Dragon CRS-10: SpaceX Successfully Launches New Mission Carrying Cargo Ship for ISS

James J. Williams
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Dragon CRS-10: SpaceX Successfully Launches New Mission Carrying Cargo Ship for ISS

SpaceX has successfully launched the Dragon CRS-10 (2) mission carrying a cargo ship for the International Space Station (ISS) following the postponement of take-off on February 18 because of technical problems.

Witnesses said the Dragon rocket was only briefly visible before making its way into the clouds.

The launch was made from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The rocket booster successfully landed on the ground nine minutes after taking off.

Image source Flickr

The touchdown is part of SpaceX’s strategy of returning rockets to earth so they can be reused rather than jettisoning them in the ocean after a single launch.

Moments after the rocket landed, the SpaceX Dragon supply ship successfully reached orbit, prompting cheers inside the SpaceX Mission Control room.

The Dragon is now making its way to the ISS, and is expected to arrive on February 22.

On January 14, SpaceX resumed flights by launching a Falcon 9 vehicle from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast.

It was the first mission by the private rocket company since one of its vehicles exploded on the launch pad in September.

The company founder, Elon Musk, wants SpaceX to be at the forefront of the race involving several companies to deploy satellite-based internet services over the next few years.

SpaceX also has a long queue of customers all waiting for a ride to orbit – including America’s civil space agency (NASA), the US military and multiple outfits in the commercial sector.

#LastNightInSweden: Donald Trump Cites Non-Existent Incident in Sweden

Diane A. Wade
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#LastNightInSweden: Donald Trump Cites Non-Existent Incident in Sweden

President Donald Trump cited a non-existent incident in Sweden, baffling many – not least Swedes.

He told a crowd of supporters at a rally in Florida: “You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this. Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”

It was not entirely clear which incident President Trump was referring to, as many on Twitter pointed out, including the former Swedish prime minister: “Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound.”

Image source Flickr

Some of those contacted the official @Sweden Twitter account – which is manned by a different Swedish citizen each week – to ask: “What happened in Sweden last night?”

It was down to Emma, a school librarian, to allay concerns voiced from people around the world: “ No. Nothing has happened here in Sweden. There has not been any terrorist attacks here. At all. The main news right now is about Melfest.”

Melfest is the music competition which selects Sweden’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

The hashtag #lastnightinSweden was soon trending on Twitter, and the Swedish embassy in Washington has asked the State Department for clarification.

President Donald Trump’s comments just weeks after one of his key advisers, Kellyanne Conway, cited a non-existent attack dubbed the “Bowling Green massacre”.

Some people suggest President Trump might have been referring to a clip aired on Fox News on Friday night of a documentary about alleged violence committed by refugees in Sweden.

Kraft Heinz Withdraws Offer to Buy Unilever

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Kraft Heinz Withdraws Offer to Buy Unilever

Kraft Heinz has announced it has dropped its plan to buy rival Unilever.

Unilever rejected Kraft Heinz’s bid on February 17, saying it saw “no merit, either financial or strategic” in Kraft’s offer, worth about $143 billion.

The consumer goods giants said in a joint statement: “Unilever and Kraft Heinz hold each other in high regard.”

The deal would have been one of the biggest in corporate history, combining dozens of household names.

Image source Flickr

Unilever owns Marmite, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Dove soap, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise, while Kraft’s range includes Philadelphia cheese and Heinz baked beans.

Shares in both companies rose sharply on February 17, as investors welcomed the news. A merger often aims to combine sales while cutting costs, flattering profits.

The combined group may have had more power to raise prices through a bigger share of the branded food market.

Unilever clashed with UK supermarket Tesco in October over its attempts to raise prices to compensate for the steep drop in the value of the pound.

If the deal had proceeded, it would be the second biggest ever, behind Vodafone’s $183 billion takeover of Germany’s Mannesmann in 2000, according to Dealogic.

Kraft’s offer was at an 18% premium to Unilever’s closing share price on February 16, Unilever said.

Unilever shares, however, rose just shy of that, by 13%. Kraft shares rose 11% on Wall Street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIfNxmNXIa0

Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Four More North Korean Suspects Hunted by Malaysian Police

Roy Siemens
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0
Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Four More North Korean Suspects Hunted by Malaysian Police

Four more North Korean suspects are hunted by Malaysian police in connection with the murder of Kim Jong-nam.

The men are said to have left Malaysia on February 13, the day the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport.

Four other people have already been detained.

Malaysian police believe poison was sprayed into Kim Jong-nam’s face as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

Deputy national police chief Noor Rashid Ismail identified the North Korean suspects in a press conference on February 19.

He said: “The four suspects are holding normal passports, not diplomatic passports.”

The four already in custody are an Indonesian woman, a Malaysian man, a woman with a Vietnamese passport and a North Korean.

The Indonesian national, named as Siti Aisyah, is said to have told Malaysian police she had been paid to perform what she thought was a prank.

Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been attacked in the airport departure hall on February 13 by two women, using some form of chemical.

A grainy image taken from security camera footage, which has been broadcast in South Korea and Malaysia, shows a woman wearing a white T-shirt with the letters “LOL” written on the front.

Despite widespread speculation that North Korea was behind the killing, there has been no proof. Pyongyang has made no public comments on the issue.

Kim Jong-nam was largely estranged from his family, after being passed over for the North Korean leadership in favor of his youngest half-brother. He spent most of his time overseas in Macau, mainland China and Singapore.

California Weather Bomb Storm Moves to North

Nancy Clayson
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0
California Weather Bomb Storm Moves to North

The California “weather bomb” storm has eased in south, while pressing on further north in the state.

Heavy rains, flash floods and mud slides wreaked havoc on February 17 and 18, killing at least five people.

According to meteorologists, it was the worst storm to hit California in years.

Forecasters warned residents in the north, including San Francisco, to expect more heavy rain on February 19.

Meteorologists described the storm as “bombogenesis”, an intense extra-tropical cyclonic low-pressure area, or “a weather bomb”.

Image source AP

One man was killed after a tree fell and pulled a power line on to his car in the Sherman Oaks area of LA.

A second person died in a vehicle when it was submerged by a flash flood in the town of Victorville.

Two others died in car accidents in the San Diego area, and another person was found dead after being swept into a creek in Ventura County.

Evacuation orders were lifted in the towns of Duarte on February 18.

The northern California has already experienced fears of flooding at the tallest dam in the country, Oroville Dam, when more than 180,000 residents were evacuated from their homes last week.

Authorities at the dam have been working to lower the level of the lake and have said it has continued to fall despite the storm.

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