U.S. judge temporarily blocks Trump's travel ban

A U.S. judge has imposed a nationwide hold on Donald Trump's ban on travellers and immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries, siding with two states that had challenged the executive order that has launched legal battles across the country.

In Seattle, U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled that Washington state and Minnesota had standing to challenge Trump's order, which government lawyers disputed, and said they showed their case was likely to succeed.

About 60,000 people from the affected countries had their visas cancelled.

"The state has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury," Robart said. "This TRO [temporary restraining order] is granted on a nationwide basis ..."

It wasn't immediately clear what happens next for people who had waited years to receive visas to come to the U.S., however an internal email circulated among Homeland Security officials told employees to comply with the ruling immediately. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have also informed U.S. airlines that they can once again board travellers who had been barred by the executive order. Canada's WestJet was told the same thing.

White House responds

White House spokesperson Sean Spicer released a statement late Friday saying they "will file an emergency stay of this outrageous order and defend the executive order of the president, which we believe is lawful and appropriate."

Soon after, the White House sent out a new statement that removed the word "outrageous."

"The president's order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people," the statement said.

Trump's order last week sparked global protests and confusion at U.S. airports as some travellers were detained. The White House has argued that it will make the country safer.

Washington became the first state to sue over the order that temporarily bans travel for people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen and suspends the U.S. refugee program.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said the travel ban significantly harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination. Minnesota joined the lawsuit two days later.

'The law is a powerful thing'

After the ruling, Ferguson said people from the affected countries can now apply for entry to the U.S.

"Judge Robart's decision, effective immediately … puts a halt to President Trump's unconstitutional and unlawful executive order," Ferguson said. "The law is a powerful thing — it has the ability to hold everybody accountable to it, and that includes the president of the United States."

Gillian M. Christensen, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation. The judge's ruling could be appealed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The judge's written order, released late Friday, said it's not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches" of government.

The court's job "is limited to ensuring that the actions taken by the other two branches comport with our country's laws."

Robart ordered federal defendants "and their respective officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys and persons acting in concert or participation with them are hereby enjoined and restrained from" enforcing the executive order.

Federal attorneys had argued that Congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and immigrant entry.

The two states won a temporary restraining order while the court considers the lawsuit, which aims to permanently block Trump's order. Court challenges have been filed nationwide from states and advocacy groups.

In court, Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell said the focus of the state's legal challenge was the way Trump's order targeted Islam.

Trump has called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, and the travel ban was an effort to make good on that campaign promise, Purcell told the judge.

"Do you see a distinction between campaign statements and the executive order?" Robart asked. "I think it's a bit of a reach to say the president is anti-Muslim based on what he said in New Hampshire in June."

Purcell said there was an "overwhelming amount of evidence" to show that the order was directed at the Muslim religion, which is unconstitutional.

No attacks from 7 banned countries

When the judge questioned the federal government's lawyer, Michelle Bennett, he repeatedly questioned the rationale behind the order.

Robart, who was appointed the federal bench by President George W. Bush, asked if there had been any terrorist attacks by people from the seven counties listed in Trump's order since 9/11. Bennett said she didn't know.

"The answer is none," Robart said. "You're here arguing we have to protect from these individuals from these countries, and there's no support for that."

Bennett argued that the states can't sue on behalf of citizens and the states have failed to show the order is causing irreparable harm.

Robart disagreed.

Up to 60,000 foreigners from the seven majority-Muslim countries had their visas cancelled because of the executive order, the State Department said Friday.

That figure contradicts a statement from a Justice Department lawyer on the same day during a court hearing in Virginia about the ban. The lawyer in that case said about 100,000 visas had been revoked.

The State Department clarified that the higher figure includes diplomatic and other visas that were actually exempted from the travel ban, as well as expired visas.

Ferguson, a Democrat, said the order is harming Washington residents, businesses and its education system.

Washington-based businesses Amazon, Expedia and Microsoft support the state's efforts to stop the order. They say it's hurting their operations, too.

Defeated Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh made off with government money, luxury cars

Exiled Gambian ruler Yahya Jammeh stole millions of dollars in his final weeks in power, plundering the state coffers and shipping out luxury vehicles by cargo plane, a special adviser for the new president said Sunday.

Meanwhile, a regional military force rolled in, greeted by cheers, to secure this tiny West African nation so that democratically elected President Adama Barrow could return home. He remained in neighbouring Senegal, where he took the oath of office Thursday because of concerns for his safety.

At a press conference in the Senegalese capital, Barrow's special adviser Mai Ahmad Fatty told journalists that the president "will return home as soon as possible.

Underscoring the challenges facing the new administration, Fatty confirmed that Jammeh made off with more than $11.4 million US during a two-week period alone. That is only what they have discovered so far since Jammeh and his family took an offer of exile after more than 22 years in power and departed late Saturday.

People celebrate the arrival of the regional ECOWAS force in Banjul, Gambia, on Sunday. The soldiers are clearing the way for newly elected President Adama Barrow to arrive. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

'Gambia is in financial distress'

"The Gambia is in financial distress. The coffers are virtually empty. That is a state of fact," Fatty said. "It has been confirmed by technicians in the ministry of finance and the Central Bank of the Gambia."

Fatty also confirmed that a Chadian cargo plane had transported luxury goods out of the country on Jammeh's behalf in his final hours in power, including an unknown number of vehicles.

'The coffers are virtually empty. That is a state of fact.'- Mai Ahmad Fatty, presidential adviser 

Fatty said officials at the Gambia airport have been ordered not to allow any of Jammeh's belongings to leave. Separately, it appeared that some of his goods remained in Guinea, where Jammeh and his closest allies stopped on their flight into exile.

Fatty said officials "regret the situation," but it appeared that the major damage had been done, leaving the new government with little recourse to recoup the funds.

Exiled in Equatorial Guinea

The unpredictable Jammeh, known for startling declarations like his claim that bananas and herbal rubs could cure AIDS, went into exile under mounting international pressure, with a wave to supporters as soldiers wept. He is now in Equatorial Guinea, home to Africa's longest-serving ruler and not a state party to the International Criminal Court.

Jammeh's dramatic about-face on his December election loss to Barrow, at first conceding and then challenging the vote, appeared to be the final straw for the international community, which had been alarmed by his moves in recent years to declare an Islamic republic and leave the Commonwealth and the ICC.

A security officer of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh cries as he arrives at the airport before flying into exile from Gambia on Saturday. The new administration says he left government coffers empty when he took off. (Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters)

Barrow's adviser disavowed a joint declaration issued after Jammeh's departure by the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) that bestowed a number of protections upon Jammeh, his family and his associates — including the assurance that their lawful assets would not be seized.

"As far as we're concerned, it doesn't exist," Fatty said.

The declaration also said Jammeh's exile was "temporary" and that he reserved the right to return to Gambia at the time of his choosing.

Although the declaration was written to provide Jammeh with maximum protection, it doesn't give him amnesty, according to international human rights lawyer Reed Brody.

"Under international law in fact you can't amnesty certain crimes like torture and massive or systematic political killings," he said in an email. "Depending where Jammeh ends up, though, the real obstacles to holding him accountable will be political."

Clearing the way for Barrow

Barrow will now begin forming a cabinet and working with Gambia's national assembly to reverse the state of emergency Jammeh declared in his final days in power, said Halifa Sallah, spokesman for the coalition backing the new leader.

The president's official residence, State House, needs to be cleared of any possible hazards before Barrow arrives, Sallah added.

Members of the regional ECOWAS force are seen at the Denton Bridge check point in Banjul. Gambia's defence chief said he welcomes the West African soldiers 'wholeheartedly.' (Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters)

The regional military force that had been poised to force out Jammeh if diplomatic efforts failed rolled into Gambia's capital, Banjul, on Sunday night to secure it for Barrow's arrival.

Hundreds greeted the force's approach to State House, cheering and dancing, while some people grabbed soldiers to take selfies.

Truth and reconciliation 

With Jammeh gone, a country that had waited in silence during the crisis sprang back to life. Shops and restaurants opened, music played and people danced in the streets.

A woman selling tomatoes laughs in a market at Serekunda, Gambia, on Sunday. Since the exile of defeated leader Yahya Jammeh, people are returning to the country.

Defence chief Ousmane Badjie said the military welcomed the arrival of the regional force "wholeheartedly." With proper orders, he said, he would open the doors to the notorious prisons where rights groups say many who have disappeared over the years may be kept.

"We are going to show Barrow we are really armed forces with a difference, I swear to God," Badjie said. "I have the Qu'ran with me."

Some of the 45,000 people who had fled the tiny country during the crisis began to return. The nation of 1.9 million, which promotes itself to overseas tourists as "the Smiling Coast of Africa," has been a major source of migrants heading toward Europe because of the situation at home.

Barrow, who has promised to reverse many of Jammeh's actions, told The Associated Press on Saturday he will launch a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate alleged human rights abuses of Jammeh's regime. Rights groups say those include arbitrary detentions, torture and even killing of opponents.

"After 22 years of fear, Gambians now have a unique opportunity to become a model for human rights in West Africa," Amnesty International's deputy director for West and Central Africa, Steve Cockburn, said in a statement Sunday.

Tesla Motors To Share More Gigafactory Details At Trade Show In March

Earlier this month, Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) held an investor event at the Gigafactory, which included a factory tour as well as a recently-released handout on the battery cell manufacturing. Yet, most of the analysts have been unsatisfied with the details the automaker has provided up till now.

Electrek reported that Tesla will spill some more beans about what will be the world’s largest factory building at its completion. Both Tesla Senior Director of Cell Supply Chain & Business Development, Kurt Kelty, and the famous battery research partner, Jeff Dahn, will give a presentation at the annual International Battery Seminar & Exhibition, which will be held in Fort Lauderdale, FL between March 20 and March 23.

Mr. Kelty, one of the top battery scientists at Tesla, will give a keynote presentation on “Gigafactory Material Sourcing and Cell Production” at the exhibition on March 22, according to its brochure. Moreover, the cell production for Tesla Energy products, Powerwall and Powerpack built at the Gigafactory, will be discussed.

Soon after, Mr. Dahn will present at the seminar on the same day. The researcher has been studying on battery cell’s voltage, which can be increased to generate better durability and higher energy density of lithium-ion batteries. This would be essential for Tesla to bring down costs of its vehicles and energy storage products.

While his work focuses on nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) lithium-ion cells, which is used by Tesla for its battery cell chemistry. Mr. Dahn’s keynote will be on “Surprising Chemistry in Li-Ion Cells,” discussing ways to counter harmful reactions in battery cells to increase their capacity.

TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT FARADAY FUTURE’S (SUPPOSED) TESLA-KILLER

Faraday Future is nothing if not ambitious. The Los Angeles startup promises to do more than make electric vehicles even cooler than Elon Musk did, steal his customers, and deliver a fully autonomous ride. It promises to change how the auto industry works, and how people get around.

Changing the world is hard, especially for a company that has in just the past year lost a slew of key executives, fallen behind on payments for its new factory, and been accused of running a Ponzi scheme by a Nevada official. Company brass remain unfazed. They rolled into CES earlier this month with what they promise will be Faraday’s first production vehicle, the FF91.

Your skepticism is warranted. History has seen no end of upstart automakers with big plans to shake up the industry. Remember Preston Tucker? John DeLorean? Henrik Fisker? Put aside your doubts, and this super-luxe electric limo—which would cost as much as a Bentley—shows some serious style. No wonder it attracted sizable crowds at CES. It’s outfitted for autonomous tech, it sports touchscreens built into the interior, and those doors open themselves at the touch of a button.

Trump says UN just a club for people to 'have a good time'

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Days after the United Nations voted to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Donald Trump questioned its effectiveness Monday, saying it's just a club for people to "have a good time."
The president-elect wrote on Twitter that the U.N. has "such great potential," but it has become "just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!"
On Friday, Trump warned, "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th," referring to the day he takes office.
The decision by the Obama administration to abstain from Friday's U.N. vote brushed aside Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership.
Trump told The Associated Press last December that he wanted to be "very neutral" on Israel-Palestinian issues. But his tone became decidedly more pro-Israel as the presidential campaign progressed. He has spoken disparagingly of Palestinians, saying they have been "taken over" by or are condoning militant groups.
Trump's criticism of the U.N. is by no means unique. While the organization does engage in large-scale humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts around the world, its massive bureaucracy has long been a source of controversy. The organization has been accused by some Western governments of being inefficient and frivolous, while developing nations have said it is overly influenced by wealthier nations.
The president-elect is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He had no public schedule Monday.

The $7.5 billion industry you haven't heard of: Worms

The humble marine worms used to catch fish are some of the most valuable items to come out of the sea, new research shows.
For the first time, scientists have calculated the size and value of this overlooked industry. They estimate 121,000 tons of worms—worth nearly $7.5 billion—are used for bait each year worldwide, most of these dug out of beaches and tidal flats. For comparison, that’s  more than three times the annual revenue generated by the U.S. sushi industry. The estimate is especially impressive since it pertains to the use of various types of marine worms in the ocean, and doesn’t include freshwater fishing or the use of other live bait such as fish.
These worms are “more expensive than any [seafood] you can think of,” says  Gordon Watson, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth. Bloodworms, for example, used to catch fish like striped bass, will put you back more than $80 per pound in the United States, about four times the price of lobster.
Some of the most popular baits include ragworms, lugworms, sandworms and bloodworms. Fishermen use these to catch many different types of fish, including bass, whitefish, cod and other sought-after species, Watson says.
The worms are expensive because it takes a significant amount of effort to dig them up, they can be hard to find and they are obviously essential to snagging the catch that make up fishers’ livelihoods.
To come up with the estimate, described in  a study published in the journal  Fish and Fisheries, Watson and colleagues surveilled several beaches throughout the world to see how often people dug up worms. They also surveyed fishermen about how many worms they use. Knowing the number of fishers worldwide, how much time they spend at sea and how many worms they generally use, they were able to extrapolate in order to come up with a worldwide figure.

These creatures generally live in the sand or silt at beaches and rarely leave their underground homes. They are ideal as bait because they are very smelly and tend to wriggle a lot on hooks, making them attractive and conspicuous to many species of marine fish, Watson says.

This industry has to date received little attention and oversight, something that ought to change, Watson says. Digging up worms can destroy beach areas, pollute the water and stress populations of predators like birds that rely on the animals for food. The study authors suggest that the use of bait worms ought to be regulated as with fish, perhaps limiting the time and place for digging as well as the quantity of worms removed.

The study “will stimulate regulatory bodies to consider what action might be required...for conservation reasons” but also to make bait-extraction itself a “sustainable fishery,” says  Matt Bentley, a marine biologist at Newcastle University Singapore, who wasn’t involved in the study.

North Dakota Oil Production Hits two years low

Rail shipments of petroleum from Midwestern oil fields to East Coast refineries have plummeted as North Dakota’s oil production has fallen to a two-year low.

Production dropped below 1 million barrels per day for the first time in more than two years, officials said Thursday — yet another reminder that the drilling boom is over in the country's No. 2 oil state due to the slump in world oil prices.

The state produced an average of 981,039 barrels of oil daily in August, down from 1.029 million in July, the state Department of Mineral Resources said. Oil production numbers typically lag at least two months.

Those numbers are reflected in the crude shipment data collected by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which show rail shipments from the Midwestern region were down 49 percent from the previous year in July.

Shipments from the Midwest to the East Coast — which represent more than half of the region’s production and move over rail lines crossing Minnesota and Wisconsin — were down by similar numbers.

The 5.4 million barrels that traveled to East Coast refineries in July was even 15 percent lower than in July 2013 when production was on the rise. That works out to fewer than three trains per day, about half the number that railroads reported to state officials in 2014.

East Coast shipments peaked in November 2014 at 13.8 million barrels, according to the EIA.

Don't Drive on an Empty Fuel Tank

Some drivers see their car’s fuel gauge as a nagging parent; it lights up urging you to refuel like your mom or dad would remind you to clean your room. But don’t ignore your car’s insistence on refueling, because you can damage your car by running it on empty.

We’ve all been in the situation where you’re driving along, possibly singing a song, when suddenly *DING* a low fuel warning light pops up and ruins all your fun because you have to take a pit stop or detour and get gas. You’re either the type of driver that gets really nervous or you’re the complete opposite, relaxed because “empty” is just a guideline or friendly suggestion.

Here’s what you should know, regardless of which type of driver you are. The warning light indicates that the fuel has reached the reserve level, which is about 10 to 15 percent of your tank’s total capacity. You can use that reference along with your car’s average fuel economy to calculate your remaining range, but it’s a good idea to not risk running the car until it’s dry.

While standing on the side of the road with your empty car waiting for a tow truck or walking to the nearest gas station and returning with a jerry can is embarrassing enough, there’s another serious concern that could impact your wallet. And it will be way more expensive than a tank of gas.

In your fuel tank, there is a contraption called a fuel pump, which sends the fuel from the tank to the engine. The fuel pump relies on the gasoline in the tank to keep it cool and lubricated. Running the car with a low tank means that the pump isn’t staying as lubricated as it should and is at risk of overheating. The obvious downside to this is premature failure of the pump.

That’s a pretty expensive repair. Failing fuel pumps will lead to poor performance, particularly with a car not accelerating smoothly or starting at all.

Your fuel pump also has a fuel filter, which can quickly get dirty if you drive with a low tank. Since any sediment or dirt sinks to the bottom of the tank, the fuel filter could end up getting blocked or could take in dirty fuel, which also has costly consequences.

Ignoring your car’s low fuel warning is generally a bad idea, and running your car on empty can cause serious and costly problems to your car’s fuel system. Keep that in mind the next time your car nags you to visit the gas station.

‘Creepy clown’ pranksters charged after leaving 4-year-old daughter home alone

A Wisconsin couple is facing child neglect charges after allegedly leaving their four-year-old child at home alone while they went out dressed as clowns to prank people.

Dash cam video released by Menasha Police Department recorded officers responding to reports of clowns chasing vehicles around 4 a.m. Friday, where two men wearing clown masks were seen standing on a sidewalk.

A 20-year-old and 29-year-old were questioned. A 26-year-old woman, who reportedly had been driving the two men around, was also located in a parking lot nearby. 

An investigation led police to charge the 29-year-old man and the woman after learning their young daughter had been left at home for several hours.

Court records show the Department of Human Services removed the child from the couple’s home.

The woman is being held in jail on a probation hold.

The 20-year-old man has not been charged.

There have been an increasing number of reported clown sightings across the U.S. and Canada, and now the phenomenon has carried over into Britain.

Police say dressing as a clown is not illegal, but using threatening weapons during a prank can result in criminal charges.

Hilary Sympathizes with Banks Behind Closed Doors

EXCERPTS OF HILLARY CLINTON’S previously secret speeches to big banks and trade groups in 2013 and 2014 show her exalting the work of her hosts, hardly a surprise when these groups paid her up to $225,000 an hour to chat them up.

Far from chiding Goldman Sachs for obstructing Democratic proposals for financial reform, Clinton appeared to sympathize with the giant investment bank. At a Goldman Sachs Alternative Investments Symposium in October 2013, Clinton almost apologized for the Dodd-Frank reform bill, explaining that it had to pass “for political reasons,” because “if you were an elected member of Congress and people in your constituency were losing jobs and shutting businesses and everybody in the press is saying it’s all the fault of Wall Street, you can’t sit idly by and do nothing.”

Clinton added, “And I think the jury is still out on that because it was very difficult to sort of sort through it all.”

Clinton praised Deutsche Bank in a 2014 speech for “the work that the Bank has done in New York City on affordable housing.”

While Deutsche Bank has given to anti-homelessness campaigns in the past, it was also cited in a New York State Senate report in January for refusing to maintain foreclosed properties in New York City neighborhoods and costing those communities millions in unpaid fines. Deutsche is also about to face a multi-billion-dollar penalty from the Justice Department for defrauding investors with low-quality mortgage securities, leading to the housing meltdown.

Those excerpts were among many listed in an 80-page document prepared by the Clinton campaign, listing potentially damaging quotes from the Democratic nominee’s paid but at that point still secret speeches. The report landed in campaign chairman John Podesta’s email, which was hacked, and then posted by WikiLeaks last week.

In a November 2013 speech to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Clinton pronounced herself proud to work with the trade group as a U.S. senator to “look for ways to help families facing foreclosure with concrete steps.”

NAR represents real estate agents, who had no authority to assist distressed homeowners. An April 2007 document lists NAR’s priorities in foreclosure mitigation, and they were able to get an amendment exempting mortgage debt forgiveness from being treated as earned income. But the rest amount to “urging” and “supporting” efforts to help homeowners that never happened.

Clinton has historically been far less critical of the revolving door between Wall Street and Washington than many other Democrats, and as secretary of state allowed two of her top aides — Tom Nides and Robert Hormats — to receive big payouts from their big-bank employers before entering public service.

“Thank you for lending me Tom Nides for the past two years,” Clinton said to a crowd at Morgan Stanley on April 18, 2013. As The Intercept reported in July 2015, Nides moved from chief operating officer at Morgan Stanley into Clinton’s State Department, and when Clinton left Foggy Bottom, Nides went right back to Morgan Stanley as a vice chairman.

Clinton joked about the “culture shock” for Nides, working a government job. “You should have seen his face when he learned there were no stock options at the State Department. But he soon not only settled in very nicely, he became positively enthusiastic when I told him we did have our own plane.” Clinton also gushed about Hormats, who joined her at State after a career at Goldman Sachs, in a 2014 speech at JPMorgan Chase.

In excerpts that got some attention last week, Clinton told bankers that financial reform “really has to come from the industry itself,” that “the people that know the industry better than anybody are the people who work in the industry,” and that blaming banks for the crisis was “an oversimplification.”

Her former Democratic presidential rival, Bernie Sanders responded in a statement, “Whatever Secretary Clinton may or may not have said behind closed doors on Wall Street, I am determined to implement the agenda of the Democratic Party platform which was agreed upon by her campaign,” and which “calls for breaking up the largest financial institutions in this country, re-establishing Glass-Steagall and prosecuting those many Wall Street CEOs who engaged in illegal behavior.”

The excerpts reveal that Clinton, when speaking to the financial industry, adopted their mindset and privileged their arguments. The question that arises is whether members of a possible Clinton administration will reflect this worldview, or whether the long primary with Sanders has made that untenable. Some aggressive advocates for progressive appointments believe the latter.

“At State and on the speaking circuit, Clinton was in an environment that encouraged her to view Wall Street bankers as fonts of economic wisdom,” said Jeff Hauser, Director of the Revolving Door Project. “But after 15 months running against a progressive populist like Sanders, Clinton knows that government conducted a by rotating stream of bankers is politically unacceptable.”

Pokemon Go Miracle

Three and a half weeks after downloading Pokemon Go, a Toronto man claims to be the city’s first bona fide PokeMaster, catching all 142 Pokemon currently available in Canada.And, on top of earning those bragging rights, Roberto Vazquez says he lost 25 lbs in the process.“Once I went on the scale and saw it, I was in shock,” Vazquez, a professional photographer, told CTV News Channel on Thursday. “Because initially you’re playing the game, you’re running around, you’re walking a lot, you don’t really notice that you’re being very active.”His quest to catch ‘em all began on July 8th and took him across Toronto to areas he’d never seen before. He made new friends, hatched plenty of eggs and reached level 24 in the game. All while clocking more than 266 kilometres on the app.Vazquez said his motivation was rooted in nostalgia.“I just started because as a child I watched the show with my friends, played the games, and it definitely brought back good memories,” he said.Since its July release, Pokemon Go has become a global phenomenon with more than 100 million downloads worldwide. The augmented reality game has made headlines for breathing new life into the 20-year-old Japanese franchise, causing a major boom (and bust) to Nintendo Co.’s stocks, and triggering a series of player-related mishaps. Two men in California tumbled off a cliffplaying the game, and other players have quit their jobs,allegedly been shot at and slapped with parking tickets.Asked about the notorious misadventures, Vazquez said it’s important to heed the game’s warning and stay aware of your surroundings as you play.“At the end of the day, it’s still a game and you’re in real life,” he said. “You want to make sure you’re being safe with others in the area.”And aside from weight loss, the professional photographer says the game has been an eye-opening experience for his job.“For my line of work it’s amazing because I get to see new locations and utilize it for my own work,” he said.His next mission, he says, is to catch the elusive Farfetch’d, a normal- and flying-type Pokemon that resembles a duck and is currently only available in Asia.His gameplay may also be given a second wind if Niantic, the company behind Pokemon Go, decides to release its legendary Pokemon – a development the company’s founder recently alluded to at San Diego Comic Con.Vazquez isn’t the first player to report health benefits from playing Pokemon Go. A British playertold CNN he lost 28 lbs. playing the game, and a University of British Columbia professor has said the game could provide significant mental health benefits for people with depression or social anxiety.

Foreign buyers bought $885M of Metro Vancouver real estate in five weeks, data show

VICTORIA – Foreign buyers purchased more than $1 billion in real estate in B.C. in five weeks, new government figures show.The amount, $1.024 billion, represents 7.9 per cent of the total $12.89 billion of real estate sold in the province between June 10 and July 14. In the Metro region, foreign citizens bought $885 million in real estate out of a total $8.8 billion during the time period, representing 10 per cent of purchases.The number of foreign purchases in the City of Vancouver was almost 11 per cent, compared to 18 per cent in Richmond, 8 per cent in Surrey and almost 18 per cent in Burnaby.The average purchase price by foreign citizens in Metro Vancouver was $946,945 compared to $911,425 by Canadian citizens or permanent residents.Premier Christy Clark announced a 15-per-cent tax on foreign buyers Tuesday.

Positives of Brexit on the Stock Markets

As people feel greater uncertainty in the global economy, triggered by the Britain exit (Brexit), the global stock markets have been more volatile than usual. The market's initial reaction is to sell first.
However, the Canadian stock market held up better than the U.S. market because the former has greater exposure to precious metal-related stocks.
Specifically, the iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index Fund(TSX:XIU), which is representative of the Canadian market, declined 1.9%, and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) declined 3.7%.
1. Gold- and silver-related stocks climbed
Gold and silver prices rose because precious metals are seen as safe havens as uncertainty rises. The SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD) and the iShares Silver Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:SLV) rose 5% and 2.4%, respectively.
Because precious metal prices climbed, precious metal-related stocks also rose. Precious metals mining stocks such as Goldcorp Inc.(TSX:G)(NYSE:GG) and Barrick GoldCorp.(TSX:ABX)(NYSE:ABX) showed greater strength over precious metals streaming companies such as Silver Wheaton Corp. (TSX:SLW)(NYSE:SLW).
Goldcorp, Barrick Gold, and Silver Wheaton rose 6.4%, 7.9%, and 4.2%, respectively.
2. Utilities held up
A flight to safety occurred in the utilities sector. Utilities are viewed as being safe stocks with safe dividends. So, utilities generally held up better than the market. Top utilities such as Fortis Inc.(TSX:FTS), Canadian Utilities Limited(TSX:CU), and Emera Inc.(TSX:EMA) actually rose 1.6%, 1%, and 2%, respectively.
3. REITs held up
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) generally held up well because, like utilities, REITs are viewed as stable investments that offer high yields. Their cash flows from rental revenue are pretty stable.
Most notably, residential REITs with assets in stable regions rose as investors chose safety and quality. Namely, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (TSX:CAR.UN) and Milestone Apartments Real Estate Invt Tr(TSX:MST.UN) both rose about 1.2%. However, investors should be careful with valuation and aim to not overpay for any company, no matter how high quality they are.
On the other hand, REITs with European exposure declined slightly. For example, Dream Global REIT (TSX:DRG.UN) fell 1.2%.
4. Better valuations
With the general market declining, investors should review their watch lists to update the buy price ranges for the companies they want to own.
For instance, the Big Five Canadian banks are quality businesses with long-term track records of profitability and dividend payments. They all declined 2-3% in a day, making them more attractive.
5. Higher dividends
Dividend investors should celebrate. Lower stock prices lead to higher starting yields. Of the Big Five banks, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX:CM)(NYSE:CM) pays the highest yield of 4.8% after its decline.
However, cash is precious. Investors should see if they can get at least a 5.2% yield on the Canadian bank as more volatility is likely to come.

Five Earthquakes near British Columbia

There have been five earthquakes off the coast of British Columbia, since Saturday. All earthquakes have been at least 4 on the rector scale.

Your old iPhone would make an amazing, musical lamp

It's October, which means there's a good chance you have a spare last-gen iPhone laying around and aren't quite sure what to do with it. You could sell it, of course, but if you feel like hanging on to it for sentimental purposes, you could always use it as a fancy ultra-modern musical lamp. With an at-home 3D printer and the help of Kwambio, you can do just that.
Kwambio is a new web platform on which designers can sell their designs to anyone with a capable 3D printer. It just launched, and while the number of people who have a 3D printer at home is just starting to ramp up, one designer on the service has created a simple iPhone accessory that lots of people are going to love.
In short, it's an elegant, simple arm that holds your iPhone. While in its nook, the phone can used as a lamp by turning on the flashlight feature, and since the bottom of the iPhone remains exposed, it can remain plugged into a charging cable and can even pump out some Spotify or iTunes music over Wi-Fi. According to Kwambio, the lamp -- which was designed by Ivan Zhurba -- can fit the iPhone 4/4s and 5/5c, and a version for the new iPhone 6 is already on the works.
It's probably one of the best ways to repurpose an old iPhone I've ever seen. Now I just need to invest in a 3D printer to make it a reality.

 

Mike Wehner

TUAW- October 1st, 2014  

First Formula E Race Shockingly Electrifying

Beijing hosted the world's first ever Formula E (electric motor car) race Saturday, featuring 10 teams of two drivers each weaving through a circuit around the city's Olympic Park.
The 10-stop international circuit ending in June is meant to promote both the electric technology—something China hopes to use to cut down on air pollution—and attract new fans for a budding sport.
Team Audi won the weekend's inaugural race following a dramatic final lap crash between the leading cars and here are the major takeaways from the new sport's first outing:
About 75,000 spectators showed up to the never-before-seen sport, including many local residents. The trick? The international event only required a park entrance fee.
But besides the low rate, the competition brought a unique feel to the city, one that wasn't just about racing, but about innovation as well. As the South China Morning Post reported from the scene, fans "lined the track sides, carrying children on their shoulders as the futuristic whine of the cars sounded across the track, and techno music added to the atmosphere." Fans were also encouraged to use a program called FanBoost, which they could use to vote for their favorite drivers.
The race also didn't require Beijing itself to invest exorbitant time and resources into planning and programming. Formula E can pack everything—practice rounds, qualifying races, and the hour-long competition—into a single day, a marked difference from the three days usually required for other series.
With about $100 million in backing from Formula One veterans and notable names like Sir Richard Branson and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the series had plenty of room for developing faster energy-saving cars. The result: The Spark-Renault SRT_01E, which all drivers are using for this first international circuit.
The car features top-of-the-line elements, from its tires to its steering wheel. The all-weather tires designed by Michelin can last the whole race, meaning each Formula E car received only 10 tires for the race weekend, compared to the whopping 52 Formula One cars receive. The massive battery pack, which occupies the space usually meant for the engine and gas tank in F1 cars, weights about 772 pounds, but can accelerate a car past 150 mph at top speeds. The motor also yields just 80 decibels, far quieter than the 130 decibels F1 cars emit around the track.
What does this all mean? For one thing, it proves electric cars are quieter, durable, and will have no trouble picking up speed. As Beijing native Wang Zhigang told The New York Times, "I had no idea electric cars could be so fast."
For another, China's willing to pursue the electric cars. According to The Times, the country aims to have five million of the vehicles in use by 2020. Of course, ordinary consumers will have to be convinced into buying electric cars first.  China may be the largest market for electric cars, but as NPR noted, it's still home to cheap gas and skeptical residents.
While the cars clearly work, they're meant to be a first step on the road toward creating a popular electric car.
"We expect this championship to become the framework for research and development around the electric car, a key element for the future of our cities," Alejandro Agag, the Spanish businessman who, along with the International Automobile Federation President Jean Todt, first came up with the idea in 2011, told the race's website.
And development is inevitable. The cars may be fast, but they're not quite furious: Because one battery can't last the whole race, drivers must stop and change into a new car halfway through. For this first circuit, all drivers are using the same car, therefore all having to do so, but in the future, teams will be able to design their own cars, researching and possibly finding paths around the obstacle.
"Right now, we are going to be going about 25 to 30 minutes with the battery at 130 to 140 miles an hour," former racecar driver Michael Andretti told CBC News in Beijing, where he had a Formula E team. "Five years from now, we'll probably be going 200 miles an hour with a battery that is half the weight that goes two or three times farther. That is what competition does."

Want to fight global warming? Watch some car racing this weekend

Here’s the most important thing you can do this weekend: Turn on the television.
Formula E, a new motor racing championship, begins in Beijing tomorrow. The E stands for electric. As in electric cars. And there’s a lot riding on its success.
The money put in by sponsors is one thing. The investment by the participating teams is another, as are the jobs that have been created as a result. But if the new championship is a success, the most important outcome will not be profits for firms or continued employment for drivers, but the very future of private mobility.
The thinking goes something like this: Motor races in the late 19th and early 20th centuries drove some of the most major advancements in automotive technology. Developments by Peugeot in the 1910s had big effects on engine design. Later, things like fuel injection, commonplace in modern cars, were a direct result of innovations on the race track, says John Heitmann, president of the Society of Automotive Historians and a professor at the University of Dayton. Heitmann sees a similar revolution if electric car racing takes off. “There’s inordinate promise for technology transfer to go from racing to production,” he says.
The question of sustainability has been dogging motor sports for years. Even as Formula 1 has grown into a global behemoth, it has tried to reduce its environmental impact by changing engines to be more efficient. But that is incremental change. Formula E presents the chance to rethink engines altogether, and to create a market for innovation in electric cars and batteries.
“Motor sport has been losing a bit of its relevance. So this was a way to come back to where the mainstream is and to bring relevance to motor sport and do something useful for society,” says Alejandro Agag, a former Formula 1 man who owns the rights to Formula E and runs the company handling and promoting the championship.
Agag and his team have faced criticism along the way. Purists complain that the cars are too silent (hear for yourself in the video above), and that audience engagement tactics such as giving an extra power boost to the driver who receives the most tweets—perhaps materially altering the outcome of the race—are too gimmicky. But Agag argues that such innovations are necessary for a sport created in the 21st century. “It’s a designed media strategy consistent with the way media works in the modern world,” he says.

Microsoft near $2B deal to buy Minecraft maker, sources say

Microsoft Corp., maker of the Xbox video-game console, is in discussions to acquire Mojang AB, the software company behind the popular game Minecraft, for more than $2 billion, three people with knowledge of the talks said.
Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, is in serious talks with four-year-old Mojang, said the people, who asked not to be named because the negotiations aren’t public. The deal may be concluded as soon as this week, though next week is more likely, said two people.
A purchase of Mojang would be the biggest deal struck since Satya Nadella took over as Microsoft’s chief executive officer in February, succeeding Steve Ballmer. Nadella has been shifting the company’s focus more toward Web-based services and cloud computing. It has also renewed a push to woo serious gamers to the Xbox, following a lacklustre attempt to turn the system into a device to serve up broader content such as movies and music.
“It’s one of the greatest success stories in gaming over the last 10 years,” said Doug Creutz, an analyst at Cowen & Co. in New York, referring to Mojang. “They’ve sold a lot of copies of Minecraft over the Xbox.”
Frank Shaw, a spokesman for Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft, declined to comment Tuesday. Jonas Maartensson, a vice president at Stockholm-based Mojang, declined to comment. Microsoft’s talks with Mojang were reported earlier Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal.
If a deal is reached, Microsoft plans to pay for an acquisition with cash held overseas, one person familiar with the company said. That would have favourable tax consequences for the software maker, whose vast majority of cash and short-term investments are kept outside the U.S.
The deal came together after Mojang founder Markus Persson reached out to Microsoft a few months ago, based on a positive working relationship on Minecraft for Xbox, said the person familiar with Microsoft.
The two companies quickly agreed on a framework and approximate price and have been working out the details since, the person said. Persson will help out with the transition, though he is unlikely to remain beyond that, according to the person.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer has a close relationship with Persson, and has flown out to have dinners with the Mojang founder, another person familiar with Microsoft said.
The software maker calculates it can boost Minecraft sales by expanding the number of game users through Microsoft’s position in video games and computers, and by expanding licensing for things like toys and movies, said one of the people.
Persson founded Mojang in 2010, after he coded Minecraft on a lark in 2009 as a side project when he came home from working his day job at King.com, a U.K.-based gaming site.
For a while, users could only buy Minecraft on Persson’s website, where it retailed for 15 euros. The game puts users inside a vast, pixelated landscape. The goal, as much as there is one, is to avoid being eaten by monsters that come out after dark. By April 2011, Minecraft, which is a bit like playing Lego in a virtual world, had sold more than 1.75 million copies.
Minecraft is made for multiple platforms including consoles, computers and mobile devices. As of June, Mojang had sold more than 54 million copies of the game in all its forms. It was the No. 2 bestselling game by physical retail copies sold in July for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, behind Sony Corp.’s The Last of Us for PlayStation consoles, according to research firm NPD Group Inc. It was the No. 3 game in June.
Minecraft was made available for the newest generation of consoles, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, earlier this month. Microsoft, if it completes the deal, will keep the game available for rival products, said two people familiar with the company’s plans.
The company thinks that this kind of product, like its Office productivity software, has to be available with high-quality versions for multiple platforms, including those of its rivals, the person with knowledge of Microsoft’s thinking said.

J&K floods: UN system stands ready to help India, Pakistan

United Nations: The UN system stands ready to help governments in India and Pakistan in their efforts to provide relief and assistance to the hundreds impacted by the severe floods in Kashmir, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.
A large-scale rescue operation has been launched by authorities in Jammu and Kashmir as the Army and Air Force evacuated thousands of people from inundated areas across the state.
Nearly 150 people have been killed in the floods and many more stranded, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing Rs 1,000 crore aid for the battered state.
Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told PTI that UN officials in New Delhi are in touch with Indian authorities "to see how best we can help."
He, however, added that he is not aware whether the UN agencies in India have received any official request from the government for help in relief and rescue operations.
He said UN officials in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are working closely with the Pakistani government and the United Nations system stands by to help Pakistan and those impacted by the floods.

Barack Obama Insists 'We're Going To Defeat Islamic State'

Barack Obama has insisted "we're going to defeat" Islamic State (IS) and said he will sketch out a plan to do in a speech later this week.
Without revealing details of any planned US action, he said America would engaged in something "similar to the kinds of counter-terrorism campaigns that we've been engaging in consistently over the last five, six, seven years".
He will give his speech on Wednesday, the day before the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Speaking to NBC's Meet The Press today, Obama, who was elected president on a platform of getting US soldiers out of Iraq, said: "This is not going to be an announcement about U.S. ground troops. This is not the equivalent of the Iraq war.
"The good news is is that because of American leadership, we have I believe, a broad-based coalition internationally and regionally to be able to deal with the problem."
Obama has been accused of being indecisive over IS as it has torn through Syria and Iraq. He told reporters last month "we don't have a strategy yet".
The strategy he will announce on Wednesday will have political and military elements, he said today, which would "systematically degrade" the terror group.
He said: "We are going to be as part of an international coalition, carrying out air strikes in support of work on the ground by Iraqi troops, Kurdish troops.
"We are going to be helping to put together a plan for them, so that they can start retaking territory that ISIL (former name of IS) had taken over."
He said the West would "have to work hard" to attract back Sunni tribes in Iraq which were shunned by the Malaki government, which favoured Shia muslims with government appointments and alienated the Sunnis - who enjoyed more power under Saddam Hussein.
He continued: "So there's going to be an economic element to this. There's going to be a political element to it. There's going to be a military element to it.
"And what I want people to understand, though, is that over the course of months, we are going to be able to not just blunt the momentum of ISIL.
"We are going to systematically degrade their capabilities. We're going to shrink the territory that they control. And ultimately we're going to defeat them."
Obama was speaking after attending the Nato summit in Newport, Wales with other leaders of Nato countries.
Last week, former UK foreign secretary Jack Straw gave a withering critique of the president's foreign policy, saying: "Much though I respect him, I think, if you like, he is very long on analysis and not quite as fleet as foot at being decisive, and you need a balance if you are the president of the United States."