Already rare, pangolins are being hunted to extinction, for their meat, their skin (used for handbags) and scales 😩 which, in the Far East, are believed to cure all manner of ailments. It is extremely difficult to catch a glimpse of them in the wild; they are shy and nocturnal and, at the first scent of danger, they curl into a ball, like a scaly hedgehog. While this is some defence against their natural predators, it makes them easy prey for human hunters. Tim Flach ‘Endangered’

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Bali volcano: Dogs abandoned in Mount Agung’s ‘red zone’ rescued by volunteers risking their lives

Volunteers are racing to rescue dogs left behind in the Bali volcano red zone before they are claimed by an eruption.

They are undertaking risky missions into the “red zone” to bring dogs out to hastily-built animal shelters run by an animal charity…

MORE: Bali volcano: Dogs abandoned in Mount Agung’s ‘red zone’ rescued by volunteers risking their lives – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Otto Warmbier: US student freed by North Korea has ‘severe’ neurological injury, was ‘brutalised’

An American university student who was detained for 17 months in North Korea was brutalised while in custody, his father says.

Despite the “severe” injury, Otto Warmbier, 22, is stable and receiving treatment at the University of Cincinnati Medical Centre, hospital spokeswoman Kelly Martin said at a news briefing at Mr Warmbier’s high school in Wyoming, Ohio.

Mr Warmbier has been in a coma since March 2016, shortly after he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in North Korea, the family said on Tuesday after he was released.

He was arrested for trying to steal an item with a propaganda slogan, according to North Korean media.

The University of Virginia student was “brutalised and terrorised” by the North Korean regime, his father Fred Warmbier said at the news conference, two days after his son arrived in Ohio on a medical evacuation flight.

Source: Otto Warmbier: US student freed by North Korea has ‘severe’ neurological injury, was ‘brutalised’ – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Donald Trump’s presidency might be short-lived, because ‘something’s gotta give’

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump is the President of the United States.

During the election campaign he made sexist, racist and discriminatory remarks in an attempt to get different sections of the American voting public onside.

His trademark “off-the-cuff” mass-communication style has made him relatable and extraordinarily popular.

But his main goal, right from his first election speech, has been to “make America great again”.

That means more jobs, tax cuts for corporate America, tighter borders, and better trade deals.

So is he succeeding? Is he actually “delivering the goods” to his voters?

What if I told you a very wealthy, powerful collection of people are already starting to make up their minds about Donald Trump?

The crash in the Mexican peso predicted the Trump presidency weeks before the election. Now, however, it’s the bond market (and the peso to a degree) that is predicting how long Mr Trump may last in the top job.

Bond market

Ok, very briefly, because I’m likely to lose you if you’re not even vaguely interested in the bond market … but bonds are IOUs. You pay money and receive a piece of paper, with the promise that you’ll receive an income stream (interest payments) while you hold that piece of paper.

The piece of paper is like an investment property, and the interest payments are the equivalent of rent.

The bond itself is what’s called a “debt security”. If you own a bond, you want the price of the bond to rise. Just like any other asset.

If you’re looking to buy a bond, you’ll hold out for a high interest rate.

That makes for an inverse relationship between the bond price and the yield. Confused? You’re in very good company!

I only highlight that because I bring that concept up a little later in the piece. You don’t really need to know why the yield and price move in opposite directions, but they do.

MORE; Donald Trump’s presidency might be short-lived, because ‘something’s gotta give’ – Donald Trump’s America – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Harry and Meghan the REAL story of their Jamaican reunion

Harry, 32, and Meghan, 35, used the trip as an excuse for a romantic reunion and their affectionate behaviour set tongues wagging that it might not be long before they, too, are walking up the aisle.

He flies in economy, while she takes a private jet

Harry arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday to join the groom’s party ahead of the big day – he was one of 14 ushers. The royals don’t use private planes for personal engagements, so he took a Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The prince did splash out on a premium economy seat, costing upwards of £2,000 return.

Meghan flew in the following day from Toronto, where she’s filming US legal drama Suits, in a private jet that belongs to a friend.

Ever the gentleman, Harry picked her up from the airport, greeting her with a kiss before they drove back to the hotel together.

MORE: Harry and Meghan the REAL story of their Jamaican reunion | Daily Mail Online

Claim George Brandis was involved in Bell Group matter earlier than he says

Attorney-General George Brandis was personally involved in the Bell Group matter one month earlier than he says he was, it has been claimed.

Source: Claim George Brandis was involved in Bell Group matter earlier than he says – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Alien solar system of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby dwarf star could be rich with water and life

Seven Earth-sized planets, some of which could harbour life, have been discovered orbiting a dwarf star in our own galactic neighbourhood.

Source: Alien solar system of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby dwarf star could be rich with water and life – Science News – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)