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#MeToo: Senator Al Franken to Resign over Harassment Allegations

Senator Al Franken has said he is planning to quit “in the coming weeks” after string of harassment allegations.

He said from the Senate floor: “I am proud that during my time in the Senate that I have used my power to be a champion of women.”

The Minnesota Democratic senator’s speech came a day after nearly 30 Democrats called on him to resign.

Al Franken would be the most prominent lawmaker to resign amid a wave of misconduct claims against high-profile figures.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Ethics Committee launched harassment investigations into two Republican congressmen.

Trent Franks of Arizona announced he was resigning as the inquiry was announced.

The congressman acknowledged having made two female congressional aides “uncomfortable” by asking them about surrogacy when he and his wife faced infertility.

The committee also said it would investigate Blake Farenthold, who used $84,000 of taxpayers’ money to settle a harassment lawsuit with his former spokeswoman.

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Senator Al Franken Accused of Assault

George HW Bush Accused of Inappropriately Touching a Woman When She Was 16

Kevin Spacey Scandal: Old Vic Has 20 Claims of Inappropriate Behavior Against Actor

Over in the Senate, Al Franken told his colleagues on December 7: “Today I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.

“I may be resigning my seat but I am not giving up my voice.”

The former Saturday Night Live comic and two-term senator has apologized to several women who have accused him of groping and harassment, but he faced mounting pressure to step aside after a new allegation surfaced on December 6.

Al Franken said some of the claims against him “are simply are not true”, but added that women “deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously”.

The senator also referenced the harassment allegations that have been leveled against President Donald Trump and Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.

“I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party.”

Al Franken is not the only politician to have found himself engulfed by harassment in recent weeks.

On December 5, Michigan Democrat John Conyers announced he would resign amid claims of harassment made by his congressional aides.

Seven women have come forward to accuse Roy Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court judge, of inappropriate behavior decades ago.

Several Democratic female senators – including some who called for Al Franken’s resignation a day earlier – hugged the lawmaker after his speech.

Senator Bernie Sanders echoed Al Franken’s criticisms of President Donald Trump on Twitter.

He tweeted: “We have a president who acknowledged on tape that he assaulted women. I would hope that he pays attention to what’s going on and think about resigning.”

Fellow Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar thanked Al Franken on Facebook, calling him a “friend to me and many in our state”.

The decision to fill the vacancy left by Al Franken will fall to Democratic Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, who said in a statement he has not determined who will replace him.

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

The Ways in Which Video Games Can Improve Your Life

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The realm of the real and the realm of the video game may be completely different in practice, but their connection is not all that different. No, they are more similar than you may have first thought. And, playing video games can even have a direct impact on, and even improve, your life. Don’t believe this? Well, read on to find out how.

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Video games boost personal responsibility

When you play a video game you take it upon yourself to beat whatever it is that is put in front of you and then fight your way through to the completion of this game. And, this kind of challenge, especially when the game is hard or played on a hard mode, does wonders for boosting a sense of personal responsibility. What it does is give you the chance to burden the task of focusing to get the job done as well as the chance to burden the task of trying to improve situations around you and make them as easy to manage as can be.

Video games help to exercise the problem-solving parts of the brain

Video games, especially those that fall under the category of being strategy games, have the potential to make your brain bigger. They do this by exercising the parts of your brain that are used to solve problems, such as the part that holds your memories, the part that deals with planning, the part that deals with muscle control and the part that deals with spatial navigation. So, if boosting your brain in such ways sounds enticing to you, then get yourself a strategy game; in fact, get yourself one on your smartphone and get exercising that brain of yours throughout your day wherever and whenever you are! This could mean opting for an old reliable like sudoko, or this could mean opting to play Final Fantasy XV on iOS or Android. And yes, before you ask, the massive Final Fantasy gaming series has come to the world of mobile gaming very much as a strategy game!

Video games help to de-stress and relieve issues of anxiety

Some people play video games in such a way that it either becomes their job to play them to an extent, or in fact it actually does become their job to play them. But, most people just play video games in their spare time in order to provide themselves with some much needed downtime. If you fall into the latter category, then you can be sure that your video game playing is providing you with all the stress beating and anxiety relieving chemicals your body needs to recharge and just generally get through life. Well, this is the case if you refrain from playing particularly rage inducing games, or games that just seem to anger you whenever you play them!

Video games help to boost multi-tasking skills

Some people find multi-tasking harder than others, that’s just a given. But, if you fall into the category of being a poor multi-tasker, then fear not as there are actually things that you can do that will help you to get better at the art of dealing with being tasked with multiple things to do at one time. One of these things is to play video games. Yes, when you play certain video games, such as first-person shooters like Call of Duty, you will be having to deal with many things at one time. When playing COD, for instance, you will be having to deal with things like visual distractions, auditory distractions and you trying to shoot something whilst having something shooting at you at the same time. And, when you are having to deal with aspects such as these simultaneously and at one time, and you are having to do this regularly, you automatically boost your ability to do so. Thus, you instantly boost your ability to multi-task!

Video games teach how to let go and start over

Having to let go and start over with things in life may seem like a bit of a deep topic to cover, but it is actually something we humans are faced with doing regularly, if not daily. And, as you’ve probably guessed by now, playing video games can help you get better at doing it! Yes, when you lose on a video game, as frustrating as it is, you just let go of the failed attempt and start over, right? Well, doing this regularly enough when playing video games is going to make it easier to do in your real life, too.

Video games really can improve your life. If the points above weren’t enough to persuade you on the fact that this is the case, then make sure to check out this article detailing how video games can have a positive impact on child development. That might just be enough to persuade you!

Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement Sparks Protests in Occupied West Bank

At least sixteen Palestinians have been injured in clashes in the occupied West Bank, during protests against President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

According to local reports, the injuries are mostly from tear gas and rubber bullets, but at least one was hurt by live fire.

Israel has deployed hundreds of extra troops in the West Bank.

Donald Trump’s announcement – met with worldwide dismay – reversed decades of US policy on the sensitive issue.

Palestinians in the both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have gone on strike and taken to the streets in protest.

Many of the United States’ closest allies have said they disagree with the move, and both the UN Security Council and the Arab League will meet in the coming days to decide their response.

There are fears the announcement could lead to a renewed outbreak of violence. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has already called for a new intifada, or uprising.

On December 6, President Trump said that he had “determined it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel”.

He said: “I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

The president said he was directing the state department to begin preparations to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Image source Flickr

Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement Sparks Outrage in Arab World

President Donald Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

Despite warnings of regional unrest over any such move, the decision fulfills a campaign promise and appeals to Donald Trump’s right-wing base.

Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was “nothing more or less than a recognition of reality”, he added.

“It is also the right thing to do.”

President Trump said the US would support a two-state solution – shorthand for a final settlement that would see the creation of an independent Palestinian state within pre-1967 ceasefire lines in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, living peacefully alongside Israel – “if agreed to by both sides”.

He also refrained from using Israel’s description of Jerusalem as its “eternal and undivided capital”. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was profoundly grateful to President Trump, who had “bound himself forever with the history of the capital”.

The prime minister also said Israel was “in touch with other countries to follow suit. I have no doubt other embassies will move to Jerusalem – the time has come”. He did not name any of these countries, although the Philippines and the Czech Republic have been mentioned in Israeli media.

The mood has been very different on the Palestinian side.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has called for a “day of rage” on December 8 and said it should “be the first day of the intifada against the occupier”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_brYh06qUkc

Arm Your Business Against Cyber Attacks

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Cyber attacks happen. However, it’s up to you to ensure that your business has as much in its cyber security armory as possible. Worms, ransomware and spyware have made headlines in the past year having infiltrated large companies. The fact that the largest multimillion corporations are getting hit by hackers shows how no business is immune from the cyber threat. With the ever-growing reliance on online portals, software and interfaces, the threat from a cyber attack is even more frightening to businesses as they risk losing documentation, having sensitive data stolen and personal details cloned. Take a look at how you can protect your company from even the most ardent of hackers.

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Basics

To be as secure as you can, it’s vital that you live by the adage of ‘only those that need to know actually know.’ It sounds like a prophetic sort of statement, but only those at an executive level and above should have access to the most sensitive data. By only giving staff members access to the areas of business data they require, you are lessening the risk of sloppy security breaches. There’s no need for the marketing assistant to have a password to the financial projections and profitability calculations of your company.

Ensure that each member of your team has a strong password. The days of using the name of your first pet or your mother’s maiden name are long gone. A random selection of letters, numbers and characters of at least twelve digits is most secure. Ensure that these are also changed periodically to maintain a higher level of security.

Staff Training

Refresher courses for online security are vital every year for all staff including yourself. A cohesive approach to online security is needed across your business if you are to succeed. Even a reminder not to open the dodgy looking attachment within an email can save you from losing reams of important data online. Select a couple of cyber security champions who can take part in external courses and feedback to your team. Make signing up to an ‘appropriate usage’ policy a priority, so employees never access sensitive data on open or unsecured networks when away from the office.

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Get The Right Software

There is a mind-boggling array of security software on the market. At the very least you need a package like M365 which has inbuilt security controls and allows you to wipe any devices that become lost protecting any data you might have that could fall into the wrong hands. Encrypt all of the data that you store and ensure that you backup regularly. Should the worst happen and you find that a piece of ransomware has infiltrated your network, you need a contingency plan and, you have to be able to restore your data quickly.

Thankfully cyber attacks are still relatively rare. If you have the knowledge and relevant software needed, you will be able to make your business as secure and protected as possible.

Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement Sparks Outrage in Arab World

President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has been condemned by world’s leaders.

Saudi Arabia called it “unjustified and irresponsible”, while France and the UK said they did not support the decision.

However, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu hailed it as “a historic day”.

Donald Trump’s move reversed decades of US policy. The fate of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced President Trump’s move as “deplorable”.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are expected to hold a day of strikes and protests on December 7.

The UN Security Council is to discuss the issue on December 8 after eight of the 15 member nations called for an emergency session. The Arab League is to meet on December 9.

President Trump said on December 6 he had “judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians”.

He said he was directing the state department to begin preparations to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Despite warnings of regional unrest over any such move, the decision fulfils a campaign promise and appeals to Donald Trump’s right-wing base.

Image source Wikimedia

President Donald Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

Israel Settlements: Jerusalem Housing and Planning Committee Postpones Vote on Jewish Homes

Jordan Warns US over Jerusalem’s Recognition as Israel’s Capital

Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was “nothing more or less than a recognition of reality”, the president added.

“It is also the right thing to do.”

Donald Trump said the US still supported a two-state solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if approved by both sides, which would essentially see the creation of an independent Palestinian state living alongside Israel.

Following the announcement, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was profoundly grateful, tweeting: “Jerusalem has been the focus of our hopes, our dreams, our prayers for three millennia.”

On December 6, Benjamin Netanyahu went further, saying President Trump “bound himself forever with the history of the capital”, and predicting that many other countries would follow Washington’s example.

The Republican Jewish Coalition thanked President Trump in a New York Times add.

The mood was very different on the Palestinian side, with a day of strikes and protests planned.

The leader of Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, called for a new intifada, or uprising, saying it was the only way to “confront” Israel and the US.

President Mahmoud Abbas called President Trump’s announcement “deplorable” and said Jerusalem was the “eternal capital of the state of Palestine”.

Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas’s party, said it would push for a UN resolution requesting that Washington “rescind its decision” and disqualifying the US as a co-sponsor of the peace process.

The Arab and the wider Muslim world – including a number of US allies – condemned Donald Trump’s announcement.

Demonstrations have already taken place outside the US consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Saudi royal court said: “The US move represents a significant decline in efforts to push a peace process and is a violation of the historically neutral American position on Jerusalem.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called on Muslims everywhere to “make it clear that we strongly oppose” the US move.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said it was “a moment of great anxiety”. He said “there is no alternative to the two-state solution”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron both said their countries did not support the move while EU chief diplomat Federica Mogherini voiced “serious concern”.

Donald Trump’s announcement puts the US at odds with the rest of the international community’s view on Jerusalem’s status.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognized internationally, and all countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Jerusalem contains sites sacred to the three major monotheistic faiths – Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, was annexed by Israel after the Six Day War of 1967, but before now it has not been internationally recognized as part of Israel.

Most People Ignore These Good Health Habits, Do You?

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Nothing in this life is more important than our health, but millions take it for granted until a problem surfaces. However, given that prevention is the best form of protection, it’s about time you started to pay more attention.

Staying healthy isn’t just about hitting the gym and avoiding excessive drinking. There are many contributing factors to consider if you truly wish to keep your body in the best condition for life. Unfortunately, the majority of the population is guilty of overlooking at least some of those key elements. But you can be different.

Focus on correcting these common mistakes below, and the positive results will start to show in no time.

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Drinking More Water

Everyone can appreciate the need for establishing a balanced diet as the heart of their healthy living strategies. Reducing the consumption of processed foods in favor of freshly cooked meals is vital. Meanwhile, portion control is another crucial aspect to consider. Many people get this right yet fail to pay attention to the simplest and most important ingredient in the recipe for success.

Water contains 0 calories and is naturally fantastic for anyone looking to lose a few pounds. This is especially true when you drink a glass before mealtimes. More significantly, though, it’s imperative to helping the body perform better while flushing out toxins. It additionally goes a long way to keeping skin, hair, and nails maintaining their esthetic appeal.

Two litres should be the daily minimum. But increasing it to reflect your physical exercise activities can be highly advantageous. Besides, if you’re drinking water, you’re not drinking sodas and other harmful items. Seriously, Google how your favorite cola can be used to clean household objects, and you’ll be disgusted at the fact you’ve been putting it in your body.

Improving Sleep Patterns

For all the ideas that you may try to implement in your waking hours, it’s what you do during the night that will have the biggest overall impact on the body. Even one bad night’s sleep can leave you feeling groggy and drained during the next day. When this becomes a regular occurrence, however, it becomes very difficult to stay healthy on a physical or mental level.   

Everyone needs a comfortable bed, and this piece of furniture must take priority over TVs and other luxury household goods. Thanks to Mattress-Guides.net, the process no longer needs to break the bank. As such, there’s no excuse for joining the millions of people that suffer bad necks and backs due to inadequate solutions. Better still, a comfortable mattress boosts your chances of enjoying an uninterrupted rest too. This is especially true when coupled with thicker curtains and bedroom designs built to promote sleep.

In many cases, though, the biggest mistake comes via bedroom activities. Spending hours on the iPad or cell phone eats into your sleep time. Moreover, it reduces the quality of sleep due to the fact your body and mind aren’t given an opportunity to ease into unconsciousness. Place a self-imposed ban on tech (TV and music are probably fine) in bed, and improvements to your health, appearance, and energy levels will show in no time.

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Accepting Issues

Nobody in this world is perfect, and we all face our individual challenges. Unfortunately, the hectic speed of modern life can often encourage people to ignore or dismiss their afflictions. In truth, though, early identification gives you the best chance at correcting or at least managing those problems. Conversely, living a life reliant on painkillers rather than seeking a diagnosis can allow those troubles to escalate.

At the extreme end of the scale, spotting cancers at stage one compared to stage four amplifies your chances of survival tenfold. However, it’s not only the life-threatening conditions that should be considered. Managing arthritis with saunas and suitable stretches can slow the regression. In turn, this allows you to live a less painful and uncomfortable existence. Even if you don’t appreciate the rewards now, you certainly will in a few years time.

Regardless of your genetic or financial background, it would be very naïve to think that you’re invincible. Apart from anything else, the sense of not knowing can play havoc on your state of mind. Professional helping hands are out there, do not be afraid to grab them.

Protecting The Ears

The senses of sight and hearing are easily two of the greatest gifts known to mankind. While they are likely to fade in old age, it’s also possible for those problems to surface far sooner. With this in mind, most people protect their eyes with regular tests and simple ideas like wearing sunglasses in summer. The TLC given to the ears tends to be far less, which is utter madness. In fact, overlooking the need to maintain healthy hearing is the most common mistake committed by the modern generations.

Annual trips to an audiologist provide a great starting point. However, protection in a host of daily situations is what will truly keep you on the right track. With the help of YourBestDigs.com, finding the right devices for various situations is easy. Whether you’re a musician, a swimmer or work with heavy machinery doesn’t matter. Giving your ears the attention needed for long-term health can only have a positive impact.

Another issue to consider revolves around cleaning. Inserting a cotton swab or any other item into the ear canal will cause problems. If you encounter a blockage of wax, having it cleared by a professional is the best option. Alternatively, for those still wishing to do it at home, warm water and saline solutions should suffice.

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Promoting Good Posture

The human body isn’t designed for sitting at an office desk for 40+ hours per week, but that’s the situation millions find themselves in. As such, postural problems are an increasingly common issue and are no longer linked primarily to senior citizens. While many people ignore the problem until it’s too late, now is the time for you to fight back against back problems.

If you are a regular gym visitor, incorporating back routines into your activities will help. Meanwhile, yoga and other postural exercises can have a stunning impact too. Aside from the direct benefits gained from training this area, a strong back provides great support for all other major muscle groups. If nothing else, mixing things up has got to be more fun than pounding the treadmill day after day. What more incentive could any fitness enthusiast need?   

You can additionally relieve pain while enhancing posture with back braces that fit under your work clothes. The supportive items are now readily available and can correct problems as well as preventing further damage. Frankly, even if you’re yet to suffer any discomfort, this could be a worthy investment. After all, back problems can cause trouble in many life aspects.

Building Better Surroundings

Home isn’t only where the heart is. It’s also where your entire body is for large portions of your life. The harsh reality is that your property could be putting your health at risk. As such, the need to address this issue cannot be overlooked for a second longer. Because, sadly, some of the potential repercussions are lethal.

At the most dangerous end of the scale, failure to have carbon monoxide detectors could see you inhale dangerous materials until it’s too late. Thankfully, SafeWise.com have reviewed the best products to help you combat this potentially deadly issue. On a not too dissimilar note, a clean home can prevent flu and other annoying minor illnesses from spreading through the family. When added to the emotional rewards, this job becomes a no-brainer.

Depending on your individual circumstances, it may be necessary to adapt the home over the years too. This is more likely to occur when you already suffer from manoeuvrability issues or other health problems. Still, ensuring that bathrooms, stairs and other areas are safe and suitable is key. If you can’t feel safe inside your property, where can you?

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Maintaining Happiness

Nobody doubts the need to take care of your physical health, but it’s equally vital to keep your emotional health in a good place too. Depression and related conditions are all serious issues that deserve your full attention. When symptoms start to show, the most important step is to speak up. A problem shared is a problem halved. Besides, this is the best way to ensure you’ll get the treatment required, whether that be medication or therapy.   

Suffering in silence like millions of people sadly do needn’t be an option. However, mental conditions aren’t limited to those emotional elements. Alzheimer’s and brain-related problems can be scary for the victim as well as their loved ones. While there are no guaranteed prevention techniques, these tips can help in the fight against those problems for many years to come.

Let’s face it; physical health counts for very little if it isn’t coupled with mental health. Still, given that it’s very hard for others to tell what is happening in your mind, it’s your job to take responsibility. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.

When You’re In Trouble – Who You Gonna Call?

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‘In trouble’ can mean so many things but sounds more like a naughty child being told off. Yet in life, there are many situations that will mean that you find yourself in trouble, and a lot of the time it’s through no fault of your own. And in those situations, it’s important to know who to call to make things better. Some are straight forward, but others have answers that you might not think of at first.

In many cases, the first point of call would be the police, ambulance or fire service. And you should never worry about calling them. If you think someone is following you, call the police, don’t wait until they are dragging you away to wish that you had. If you are in the wrong, it might seem unnatural, but making a statement with the police can only help you in the long run before things progress.

Offense To You

Anytime someone commits a crime against you, be that physical harm, car accident or a breach of contract. The first person you call should be your attorney. If you don’t have a lawyer in speed dial, then look at a firm which deals with a few different types of law, and has a high win-count. Your next call should be to any insurance you have that covers the damage – health insurance, car insurance, house insurance. If it is a work related incident then also call your HR manager for advice on how to proceed.

Criminal Offense

If you have committed or been accused of committing a criminal offence of any kind, then you need a criminal defense attorney. Make sure that they have a good reputation, and look into whether your insurance will cover part of the fees. If you can’t afford a lawyer, then there are many no-win no-fee lawyers, and failing that a court will appoint one for you.

Divorce

It goes without saying that divorce is horrible for everyone, and it can be incredibly messy. You need a divorce lawyer even if your break is civil and amiable, to unravel the legal binding of your wedding. If things are more complicated, with property, assets and children involved, then you’re going to be more than grateful for having a good lawyer. If children are involved, then a family lawyer might be the better option.

Finances

Any financial issues you have can always be helped by a financial attorney. An expert will be able to look at whatever issue you are having and be able to fix it. If it’s something like debt, then a debt management charity will be able to give you educated and helpful advice. The government offers free advice for small financial troubles, mostly household and new businesses, anything bigger than that you will want to consult an attorney.

President Donald Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

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President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, senior White House officials have said.

The president is due to announce the controversial decision in a speech later.

Donald Trump is also expected to approve moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but not for several years.

Israel welcomes the changes but the Palestinians and Arab leaders have warned they will jeopardize any Middle East peace process.

Pope Francis called for the “status quo” to be respected. Dialogue would only come through “recognizing the rights of all people” in the region, he said.

Saudi Arabia, an ally of the US, called the new policy “a flagrant provocation to Muslims”.

Israel has always regarded Jerusalem as its capital city, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

In recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the US becomes the first country to do so since the foundation of Israel in 1948.

The issue goes to the heart of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians, who are backed by the Arab and wider Islamic world.

Jerusalem is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.

Israel annexed the sector from Jordan after the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital.

According to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of talks.

Image source Wikimedia

Jordan Warns US over Jerusalem’s Recognition as Israel’s Capital

Israel Settlements: Jerusalem Housing and Planning Committee Postpones Vote on Jewish Homes

Israel-Jordan Deal on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif Holy Site

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognized internationally and all countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Since 1967, Israel has built a dozen settlements, home to about 200,000 Jews, in East Jerusalem. These are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

In recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the US could reinforce Israel’s position that settlements in the east are valid Israeli communities.

Trump administration officials said recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was seen as “a recognition of reality” by the US government.

However, specific boundaries of Jerusalem would remain subject to a final status agreement, the official said. The status of holy sites would not be affected.

President Trump would also direct the state department to begin the process of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem – but this could take several years as it still has to be designed and built and security concerns would need to be addressed.

Donald Trump originally promised the move to pro-Israel voters during his campaign for the presidency.

The White House officials added that the president would still sign a regular waiver blocking the embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem until the new building was completed.

Successive presidents have signed waivers to get round the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which mandates moving the embassy. They have done this so that the US can be seen as neutral in Middle East peace negotiations.

Donald Trump has vowed to pursue a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, led by his son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner.

An administration official said the new US policy on Jerusalem was not designed to favor Israel in that process.

Ahead of his formal announcement, President Trump phoned several regional leaders to inform them of the embassy move.

Reacting to news of President Trump’s impending announcement, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman told him the relocation of the embassy or recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “would constitute a flagrant provocation of Muslims, all over the world”.

Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya called for protests on December 8 and Jordan’s King Abdullah said the decision would “undermine efforts to resume the peace process”.

Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi urged President Trump “not to complicate the situation in the region” while Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country could sever ties with Israel.

China also warned of an escalation in tensions in the Middle East.

France, the EU and the Arab League have also expressed concern.

US government employees and their families have been barred from personal travel in Jerusalem’s Old City and the West Bank for security reasons ahead of expected protests.

Israel’s intelligence minister Israel Katz told Army Radio that Israel was “preparing for every option”, including an outbreak of violence.

5 Tips On Working Smarter, Not Harder Next Year

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If you have been in business for a little while now, you are likely to have been told that you need to work smarter and not harder. It is a phrase that gets bandied about in the corporate world, but what does it really mean? It can conjure up an idea of sitting on the beach with your laptop in one hand and a cocktail in the other. And in some cases, that might be what working smarter is. But for most of us, the phrase is all about a desire to have it all, but with no clues or ideas on how to do just that.

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So what does working smart even mean? For starters, working smart is going to be different from person to person. As it will vary depending on job roles and requirements, as well as personality types. Some people will enjoy being busy and getting through a to-do list; working smarter will just mean getting through it more efficiently, for example. Another person’s definition of working smart will be being less busy and reducing things like the labor cost for running their business, for instance. So it does depend on personal goals, values, and your own personal definition of success. Because at the end of the day, if you can get to your goal quicker than you though, whether that be tangible, personal, or financial, then that is what is going to be working smart after all.

Working smart needs to have a massive level of self-awareness, as it will help you in your decisions to work smart. When you’re self-aware, you will be able to do things like prioritizing better, as well as knowing what your needs are. You can build on what you’re good at and ask for help when you’re in need or don’t have the skills to get it done. Working smart has an intention behind it; you are doing things in a deliberate way. Another way of describing working smart could be that you are able to recognise what you’re good at and what you need help with, so that you can achieve what you want to quickly but efficiently.

So after reading through those descriptions, you are probably thinking about what changes you may need to make to make sure that you are working as efficiently or as ‘smart’ as possible. So here are some practical solutions to working smarter to get your goals achieved in the workplace. You don’t need to spend all hours of the day doing your work or running your business, at least not when you’re working smart. Do any of these resonate with you?

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Time Management

Managing your time is a really important part of working smart. But when you look through all that you need to get done, how many of you actually put a time limit on the task in hand? That can be a really effective way of getting things done, as you can focus more easily. You’re likely to avoid any distractions when you know you have two hours to get a specific plan written out. If you give yourself all day to do it, then you won’t be very productive and will get distracted easily.

Grouping up tasks that are similar and also prioritizing is a great way to get more work done and get it done in a more efficient manner. That isn’t to say that you will get everything done in that time. But it shows your strengths and makes you more aware about how fast or slow you can get things done. From there, you can assign out tasks to other people if needed, as well as being able to reallocate time for different things. Knowing how you work and what you need to get things done will help to make you much more productive in the long term.

Set Goals, Purpose, and Scope

Using and knowing your goals, purpose, and scope in business is going to help you work much smarter than ever before. How often have you been doing tasks and sat there thinking if they are really necessary or at least necessary for you to be doing? So when it comes to delegating, it helps you, and the person you have assigned the task to, to get things done and have a focus.

You could ask yourself, and explain to your colleagues, what the job will look like when it has been completed. That in itself will give you a clear goal of what you are aiming for, because you won’t know how to get anything done if you’re not even sure what it will look like when it is done. The purpose is also key, to motivation if nothing else. You will be so much more motivated to get a job done when you understand why you are even being asked to do it (that will work for your colleagues or team too). The final part of achieving tasks well, is to give the scope of the project. An understanding of time frame, budget, or involvement can be important in making sure that you get things done. Whoever is assigned the task can have a much better go at it when they know the full details of it. So they, or you, can work smarter and be more productive and efficient.

Theme Your Time

According to many productivity coaches, being able to theme your time can mean you are more productive in the long term. It is also reported to help you free your mind so that you can focus on the specific theme or task in hand. If you theme certain days as days for certain things, or weeks are themed for certain things, then it can help you be more productive. The reason being is that it will help to avoid decision fatigue. It will become more autonomous if you know that it is a Wednesday, so that means you’ll be speaking to suppliers, or it is the last week in the month, so you’ll be checking on sales. When time is themed like this, then it can allow a better work and life balance, as people know what to expect, as well as allowing more freedom and flexibility with a balance that will help them.

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Create New Strategies

Creating some new strategies for yourself and how you work can be really key to helping you to work smarter. Think about your working day and where the distractions lie. For example, emails can be a big productivity killer. You might quickly check them, but then an hour later you have read through them all and have started replying, even though you had a more pressing task. This means multitasking which can be considered working harder but not working smarter. It can be overwhelming and mean hopping around from one thing to another, which isn’t how you work smart. So creating a new email strategy, for instance, could be just what you need to work smarter. This can work for many things in your work life, though. So think about what is the biggest distraction for you, and then you can create an appropriate strategy to help your productivity.

Write Notes

Interruptions can be a big distraction and one of the things that can stop you from working smarter. Being able to focus on the task in hand is important. So if someone stops to ask you to do something or to remind you about something, write a note. Then you don’t have to remember what has been said, and can quickly get back to the task in hand. Then when you’re ready to move on from the task, you can go to your notes and work through the next things that need to be dealt with.

Multitasking can be one of the least productive things that you can do, as you don’t get the tasks done well; they just get completed ‘enough.’ So writing notes can be a great way to stay focused and really help you to use your time more wisely. You might find other things that work for you, like voice memos, or sending yourself emails. But whatever you choose and find that works for you, then go with it; you want to be working as efficient as you can after all.

One thing to bear in mind is that working smarter comes back to being efficient and getting your goals ticked off. Some things will work for some people that won’t work for other people. But you need to be aware of what works for you and what you need from the people around you, so that you can get things done as easily as possible. At the end of the day, the more self-aware you are about how you work and the style that works best for you, the better. Then you’ll be able to have the work and life balance that you’re after, while still achieving your goals. What changes will you start to make today?

Johnny Hallyday Dies Aged 74

Johnny Hallyday has died at the age of 74 after a long battle with lung cancer.

France’s biggest rock star sold about 100 million records and starred in a number of movies in a career that began in 1960.

Johnny Hallyday was made a Chevalier of the Legion D’Honneur by President Jacques Chirac in 1997.

The French simply called him “Our Johnny”. However, outside the Francophone zone, Johnny Hallyday was virtually unknown.

In a statement released to the AFP, the singer’s wife Laeticia said: “Johnny Hallyday has left us.

“I write these words without believing them. But yet, it’s true. My man is no longer with us.

“He left us tonight as he lived his whole life, with courage and dignity.”

Johnny Hallyday, whose real name was Jean-Philippe Smet, decided he wanted to be a singer after seeing Elvis Presley on screen in 1957. He was nicknamed the French Presley by his numerous fans.

Image source Wikimedia

Johnny Hallyday rushed to hospital for abnormally fast heartbeat

France’s celebrity tax exiles

Reacting to the news, France’s President Emmanuel Macron referenced the title of a recent tribute album by saying: “There is a little bit of Johnny in all of us.”

“Across generations, he carved himself into the lives of French people,” the president said.

“He charmed them through the generosity you saw in his concerts: so epic, so intimate, in huge venues, in small spots.”

Among those to pay tribute to Johnny Hallyday was American guitarist Lenny Kravitz.

Heavily influenced by Elvis Presley, Johnny Hallyday broke from France’s classic “chanson” tradition in the 1950s, and began singing rock and roll in French.

Despite his success at home, Johnny Hallyday failed to crack the lucrative American or any English-speaking market.

The USA Today once described the singer as “the greatest rock star you never heard of”.

Johnny Hallyday was known for his hard work and almost non-stop touring.

However, he was also famous for his wild rock star antics, both on and off stage.

Heavy partying, drugs, drinking and smoking, as well as five marriages all kept Johnny Hallyday’s bad-boy image alive.

King Michael of Romania Dies in Switzerland Aged 96

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Romania’s ex-King Michael I has died in Aubonne, Switzerland, aged 96.

Last year, the former monarch was diagnosed with cancer.

King Michael of Romania ruled the country twice, from 1927 to 1930 and then from 1940 to 1947, before the communist government ended the monarchy.

The monarch was one of the last surviving World War Two leaders, but lived much of his life in exile.

King Michael, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, is best remembered for his role in making Romania change sides, from the Nazis to the Allies, in August 1944.

His death was announced by his family at his home on the shore of Lake Geneva on December 5.

The former king had been ill for some time and was unable to attend the funeral of his wife Queen Anne, in Romania in 2016.

He was just five when he ascended to the throne for the first time in 1927. His father Carol had renounced his rights to the throne and left Romania several years earlier amid a scandal over a love affair.

His father returned in 1930, and replaced King Michael as monarch.

However, King Carol II was ousted in 1940 by a military government led by general Ion Antonescu and his son once again took the throne.

Queen Anne of Romania Dies Aged 92

In 1944, at the age of 22, King Michael became involved in a coup against Ion Antonescu and sided Romania with the Allies.

After World War Two, King Michael was forced to abdicate by the country’s communists, who ruled until the revolution of 1989.

The communist leaders threatened to carry out mass executions if he refused to go.

Michael went into exile until the 1990s when he returned to Romania after the fall of the country’s communist leader, Nicolae Ceausescu.

The Romanian royal family settled near Geneva in Switzerland, and Michael had to find work.

In 1948, he married Anne of Bourbon-Parma, whom he had met at the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in London in 1947.

King Michael got back his Romanian citizenship in 1997.

Spain’s Supreme Court Withdraws European Arrest Warrant for Carles Puigdemont

Spain’s Supreme Court has withdrawn European arrest warrants for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and four other ex-ministers.

The former Catalan leaders fled to Belgium a month ago after declaring unilateral independence in a referendum ruled illegal by Spain.

Despite the move, the Supreme Court judge said they still faced possible charges for sedition and rebellion.

Rebellion is considered one of the most serious crimes in Spain, carrying a jail term of up to 30 years.

Judge Pablo Llareno announced the warrant’s withdrawal on December 5, citing the willingness the Catalan leaders had shown to return ahead of fresh regional elections being held on December 21.

The judge said the European-wide warrant would complicate the Spanish legal probe, and its removal allows Spain to gain full control over the investigation.

The ministers turned themselves into Belgian authorities after the warrant was issued last month, but were freed after being questioned.

Image source Wikimedia

Spain Issues European Arrest Warrants for Carles Puigdemont

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Catalonia Crisis: Spain’s High Court Summons Carles Puigdemont

A Belgian judge was previously expected to rule whether to extradite the ministers on December 14. The five were fighting the move, saying they may not receive a fair trial on their return.

Carles Puigdemont has previously said he would return if this was guaranteed.

On December 4, six Catalan ex-ministers being held in a prison near Madrid were released from prison on bail. However, two others, including former Catalan Vice President Orial Junqueras, were remanded in custody.

Campaigning has now officially started ahead of the new vote organized by Spanish authorities in an attempt to try and resolve the Catalonia crisis.

Carles Puigdemont labeled the election as a choice between “nation or submission” while speaking on a video link from Belgium to a rally in Barcelona on December 4.

He said voters must chose “between Catalan institutions or dark characters in Madrid”.

A seat reserved for the former leader at the event was marked with a yellow ribbon, an emblem that has become a symbol of support for the jailed politicians.

All but one of the thirteen Catalan leaders sacked by the Spanish government after the independence referendum are standing for election again in the fresh vote.

A new opinion poll, conducted by the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) in late November, suggests that pro-independence parties will fall narrowly short of an absolute majority in the December election.

Carles Puidgemont and Orial Junqueras’ pro-separatist parties are campaigning separately in the new vote, after a divide emerged over the future of the region following the nulled referendum.

The parties ran together in the 2015 election when separatist parties won an overall majority in the Catalan parliament when they won 72 seats.

 

Supreme Court Approves Donald Trump’s Full Travel Ban

President Donald Trump’s travel ban on six mainly Muslim countries can go into full effect, the Supreme Court has ruled on December 4.

The decision is a boost for President Trump’s policy against travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

The Supreme Court’s ruling covers the third version of the directive that the president has issued since taking office.

Seven of the nine justices lifted injunctions on December 4 imposed by lower courts against the policy.

Only liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor would have allowed the president’s order to remain blocked.

Federal appeals courts in San Francisco, California, and Richmond, Virginia, will hear arguments this week on whether the latest iteration of the policy is lawful.

Image source Flickr

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The Supreme Court noted it expects those courts to reach decisions “with appropriate dispatch”.

The case will eventually end up back in the Supreme Court.

The December 4 decision suggests America’s top judicial body may ultimately rule in favor of the administration, say legal analysts.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said the White House was “not surprised” by the Supreme Court’s decision.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the ruling “a substantial victory for the safety and security of the American people”.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said President Trump’s re-tweeting of British far-right videos last week showed his discrimination against Islam.

Donald Trump insisted his ban was necessary for national security and pointed to terrorist attacks in Paris, London, Brussels and Berlin as evidence.

However, in striking it down, federal judges have cited President Trump’s campaign description of his policy as a “Muslim ban” and his call for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”.

Lower courts across the US have said President Trump’s policy violated the first amendment of the US constitution covering freedom of religion.

Federal Budget: The Ten-Year Raid Prohibition on Future Fund

The Future Fund of about $130 billion will be in a state of isolation for a maximum of ten years to prevent an impulsive search on its finances and a rocketing bill for years to come to protect the cost of benefit pension payouts of many public servants.

Scott Morrison revealed that he would delay drawing down on the fund at least up to 2026 so that the government can cover up the entire cost of the unfunded liabilities.

The action will demand the government to utilize an additional borrowings over the medium term to slightly pay for what will rise to an $8 billion annual cost to the taxpaying citizen.

The Enlightenment

During an exclusive interview with The Weekend Australian, the Treasurer stated that the Future Fund does not have, at this time, the sufficient resources to cover the absolute cost of the public sector pension payouts and that starting to reduce it from the legislated date of July 1, 2020, would exhaust the fund.

He stated it made no sense to reduce the Future Fund’s assets, which normally secures earnings for at least 7 percent annually when the government could borrow for hardly 2.8 percent.

Days out from delivering his second budget, Morrison stated, “I’m doing this to respect ­future taxpayers. A decade or 15 years down the road, the unfunded super liability issue would still be there. We want the Future Fund to be capable enough of performing the work for which it was set up.”

The conclusion received the support of former treasurer Peter Costello, which is now the chairman of the Future Fund. The chairman claims putting off the mat­urity date would enable the fund, which is the seventh biggest sovereign fund in the world, to increase to a predicted $300 billion by the year 2030.

Costello told The Weekend Australian, “Scott wisely decides to delay the drawdown to continuously increase the fund and supply for these liabilities right up until the year 2050. It is very wise. It provides the Future Fund the chance to create a long-lasting supply for all generations.”

Morrison stated that the settlement carried a lesson for Labor that the Future Fund was not there to provide funds for repetitive spending. The treasurer also said that if we are serious about not leaving an unjust burden on the future generation, then let the Future Fund do its work and do not touch it.

He also said that “A labor treasurer at a notion could raid the fund, and that would cost a lot for the future generations.” The resolution will add to both the budget shortage and to the government’s debt beyond the forward estimates.

However, Costello backed the decision to utilize medium-term borrowings to cover the interim accountabilities until the fund grows, reducing concerns that the government’s decision to trim its debt could stimulate it to tap into the resource at the earliest date.

The Anticipation Of The Decade

Costello stated, “If we were to delay draw down to 2026, we can anticipate that we could raise it to $300 billion by the year 2030. It will secure the cost of the entire unfunded ­liabilities and save tens of billions of dollars of the budget annually. It will also take all the responsibilities off from the taxpayer permanently.”

Morrison mentioned that the ­additional debt needed to cover the pension payouts would incur at a time when the budget was returning to surplus, and the comprehensive level of net debt was dropping. The December mid-year report papers illustrate that the net debt peaks at 19 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2018-19.

He stated that the price for the budget cash balance would reach $200 million by 2020 and 2021. It will arise because budget rules do not permit the ­government to book the unrealized profits on the Future Fund’s share and infrastructure portfolio.

Morrison and Costello have agreed to appeal to lower the Future Fund’s mark return of between 4.5 percent and 5.5 percent on top of the consumer price index as legislated, with these rates to be reduced by 0.5 percent.

Though the Future Fund has surpassed its target return over its first ten years of operation, the Ashe Morgan campaign gathered support by the extended fall in international interest rates.

With interest rates increasing, Costello has asserted that they can meet the measurable return by taking excessive risks with the investment portfolio. “It is still going to be a very challenging ruling but more ­realistic.” Costello verbalized.

He started the Future Fund in 2006 to allocate budget surpluses from the mining boom to help secure the cost of defined benefit public sector superannuation programs.

The last of these programs shut to fresh members in July, but the payouts do not maximize until the years 2049 and 2050, when they attain $20 billion per year, while the liability will not be entirely paid to opt until about the year 2100.

Morrison stated the Howard government had expected that, by the year 2020, the Future Fund would acquire enough capital to meet all pension needs. It fails to anticipate the $60 billion introductions to the fund and the sale of its current stake in Telstra would be the ultimate contributions from any government.

Modelling by the Parliamentary Budget Office illustrates that if the government commenced drawing down the fund from the year 2020, it would be drained by 2052 while the outstanding pension lia­bility would remain at $250 billion.

The PBO (Projected Benefit Obligation) predicted that delaying tapping the Future Fund for just another four years would allow it to gather enough assets to meet the needed payout for the rest of the century.

Morrison stated that the government had decided to leave the Future Fund alone only during the four-year forward approximate period, but it was his “disposition” to permit it to sustain building its asset base for an unspecified period.

During which the government needed to keep the versatility to utilize the Future Fund resources in case the rate of change will skyrocket. Morrison also stated that the budget’s projections for medium term will only display the government borrowing, instead of using the Future Fund to pay superannuation.

“Until they hear more from us, their presumption should be that the Turnbull government is not touching the Future Fund,” he verbalized. The resolution to decrease the fund’s target return indicates a concern that the investment perspective will become a lot more difficult as global interest rates start soaring.

The extended fall in global interest rates since the Future Fund started operating has created enormous profits for investors in bonds, while the Future Fund had a tiny investment in shares at the time of the international financial crisis and had made significant gains from the equity market ­recovery.

Costello argued that allowing the minimum mark return at 4.5 percent more than the expansion rate would force the fund to take unreasonably risky investment choices. The 0.5 percent cutback still leaves the fund at risk to a rise in global rates. However, Morrison stated he was confident that Costello would reach the goal.

The Resolution

Morrison said, “The fund has an excellent history of surpassing their target, and so we have real confidence in Peter and the fund to hit its goal, and I have no doubt that Peter will tell me when he has surpassed it.”

Takeaway

Future Fund would perhaps need a couple of years without the government raiding and interrupting their process for them to completely cover all the superannuation for years to come which is very beneficial for the future generations.

Shashi Kapoor Dies Aged 79

Bollywood legend Shashi Kapoor has died at the age of 79.

Shashi Kapoor, who acted in huge hits like Deewar and Kabhie Kabhie, had been ill for some time and was in hospital.

The actor and producer was a member of the Kapoor dynasty, which has dominated the Hindi film industry for decades.

Shashi Kapoor won several national film awards and was awarded the Padma Bhushan civilian honor by the Indian government in 2011. He also acted in a number of American and international movies.

He died at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in the western city of Mumbai.

His nephew, actor Randhir Kapoor, told Press Trust of India: “Yes he has passed away. He had kidney problem since several years. He was on dialysis for several years.”

The funeral will be held on December 5, he said.

Image source Wikimedia

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Shashi Kapoor was married to late English actress Jennifer Kendal, with whom he set up Mumbai’s iconic Prithvi Theater in 1978. His sister-in-law is British actress Felicity Kendal.

He his career as a child actor and appeared in more than 150 movies, including a dozen in English. He became known internationally for his roles in Merchant Ivory productions like Shakespeare-wallah and Heat and Dust.

In 2015, Shashi Kapoor was given the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award, the highest honor in Indian cinema.

He was known for his charming smile and was often described by his fans as the “handsomest star ever”. He had a huge fan following among women.

Shashi Kapoor was cast alongside superstar Amitabh Bachchan in some of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the 1970s and 1980s, and the two actors played brothers, best friends or rivals.

His comment in Deewar – “Mere paas maa hai” (But I have mother’s support) – during a tense confrontation with screen-sibling Amitabh Bachchan tops the list of best Bollywood lines for millions of fans around the globe.

Over the years, it has found its way on to merchandise like shoulder bags, coffee mugs and cushion covers.

As news of Shashi Kapoor’s death spread, fans took to social media to express their grief and pay tributes, led by Indian PM Narendra Modi: “Shashi Kapoor’s versatility could be seen in his movies as well as in theatre, which he promoted with great passion. His brilliant acting will be remembered for generations to come. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers.”

Cathay Pacific Crew Reports Suspected Sighting of North Korea Missile Test

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The crew of a Cathay Pacific flight from San Franscisco to Hong Kong flying over Japan reported a suspected sighting of last week’s North Korean missile test.

On November 29, North Korea launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile it said could reach anywhere in the US.

The test-launch raised tension further with South Korea and the US, who on December 4 began their largest ever joint air exercise, which North Korea has branded an “all-out provocation”.

Described by North Korea as its “most powerful” missile, the November 29 launch ended up in Japanese waters but flew higher than any other the North had previously tested.

According to the South China Morning Post, Cathay Pacific’s general manager of operations Mark Hoey told staff in a message that “today the crew of CX893 reported, <<Be advised, we witnessed the DPRK missile blow up and fall apart near our current location>>”.

The launch was reportedly also witnessed by two South Korean aircraft en route to Seoul from the US.

Image source Wikimedia

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Unlike other countries, North Korea usually does not announce its missile tests which means they come without warning or known flight path, posing a potential risk to planes.

North Korea does have access to international civil aviation data so it can study the airspace before any launch.

While the risk of an incident remains very low, it is something that airlines are taking into consideration. In early August, Air France expanded their no-fly zone around North Korea after it transpired one of its planes flew close to a North Korean missile path.

The December 4 air exercise between the US and South Korea, called Vigilant Ace, will last for five days.

It will involve some 230 aircraft, including two dozen stealth jets, and tens of thousands of military personnel.

North Korea has condemned the drills, saying over the weekend that the US was “begging for nuclear war” and that it would “seriously consider” counter-measures to the exercises.

Jordan Warns US over Jerusalem’s Recognition as Israel’s Capital

The Arab world is reacting to an expected announcement by President Donald Trump that the United States will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

According to recent reports, President Trump will make the statement this week but will further delay acting on a campaign pledge to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

The head of the Arab League, Jordan and the Palestinian president have warned of the consequences of a declaration.

Jerusalem’s fate is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Arabs.

A deadline for President Trump to sign a waiver delaying the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem expires on December 4.

Every president, including Donald Trump, has signed the waiver every six months since US Congress passed an act in 1995 calling for the embassy to be moved.

Donald Trump repeatedly pledged during his election campaign to move the embassy, and while he has said it was still his intention, he has not yet done so.

There are signs however the president will make a statement on December 6 announcing Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel while holding off moving the embassy.

Image source Wikimedia

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Israel-Jordan Deal on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif Holy Site

Israel Sets up Checkpoints in East Jerusalem’s Arab Areas

The status of the city goes to the heart of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians, who are backed by the rest of the Arab and wider Islamic world.

Jerusalem is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.

Israel occupied the area in the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords its final status is meant to discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognized internationally, and all countries, including Israel’s closest ally the US, maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv, the country’s commercial capital.

Since 1967, Israel has built a dozen settlements, home to about 200,000 Jews, in East Jerusalem. These are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

If the US recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, it will put it out-of-step with the rest of the international community and reinforce Israel’s position that settlements in the east are valid Israeli communities.

The move would also raise a question over how the US will treat resolutions dealing with East Jerusalem at the UN. The US has a power of veto and could use this to block future motions critical of Israeli policy in the east.

There is growing anger towards Washington among its allies in the Middle East.

Jordan, the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, has warned of “grave consequences” if President Trump goes ahead, and has called for an emergency meeting of key regional and Islamic blocs the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to discuss the issue.

Arab League chief Abul Gheit warned such a move would “nourish fanaticism and violence”.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has contacted world leaders urging them to intervene, saying “such a US decision would destroy the peace process and drag the region into further instability”.

The US has brokered decades of on-off peace talks, and the Trump administration is formulating fresh peace proposals – but recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would compromise Washington’s neutrality in the eyes of the Palestinians.

It remains unclear though whether President Trump will recognize Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem.

The White House has neither confirmed nor denied the president’s intention, and in a rare public speech on December 3 his son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner refused to be drawn on the issue.

#MeToo: Metropolitan Opera Opens Investigation into James Levine Abuse Allegations

Metropolitan Opera has opened an investigation into allegations of abuse against the conductor James Levine.

James Levine, 74, was music director at the Met for 40 years before retiring for health reasons in 2016.

According to the New York Times, the claims were based on a 2016 police report in which a man accused James Levine of abusing him as a teenager in the 1980s.

The newspaper said the Met had been aware of the report since 2016.

However, James Levine had denied the accusations and the Met had heard nothing further from police, the Times added.

Image source Wikipedia

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The accusations follow a series of abuse and harassment claims made against high-profile figures in the entertainment industry.

In a tweet, the Met said it was “deeply disturbed” by the claims published online and was investigating “with outside resources” in order to take appropriate action.

An Illinois police report, seen by the New York Times, said the alleged victim claimed that the abuse began in 1985 when he was 15 and James Levine was 41, and continued until 1993.

James Levine has not commented publicly on the accusations.

During his career he conducted more than 2,500 performances at the Met.

James Levine made his debut there in June 1971 with Puccini’s Tosca, becoming principal conductor in the 1973-1974 season and music director in 1976-1977.

He conducted 85 different operas and also worked with the Three Tenors – Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo.

Towards the end of his career, James Levine struggled with Parkinson’s disease and other health issues and conducted from a motorized wheelchair.

Germany: Anti-Fascist Protesters Try to Blockade AfD Congress in Hanover

Several protesters and officers have been injured in clashes between police and anti-fascist demonstrators in the German city of Hanover.

Protesters were trying to blockade the far-right Alternative for Germany’s first conference since it entered parliament after September’s elections.

Once the delayed conference began, delegates elected Alexander Gauland as co-leader along with Jörg Meuthen.

Both hardliners, their election suggests the party is continuing its march further to the right.

Georg Pazderski, AfD’s regional head in Berlin and a relative moderate, failed to get delegates’ backing for the leadership.

Two months ago, AfD won 12.6% of the vote in Germany’s federal elections, becoming the third biggest force in the Bundestag after the center-right and social democrat SPD.

They had never entered the federal parliament before but are now eyeing a real chance of becoming Germany’s main opposition party.

If Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat alliance agrees a coalition deal with Martin Schulz’s social democrats, AfD with 94 lawmakers would become the biggest non-government party.

Image source Wikimedia

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Germany Clashes: 400 Protesters Arrested outside AfD Party Conference

With temperatures near freezing, Hanover police used water cannon, batons and pepper spray to clear a path for the 600 delegates.

One protester’s leg was broken after he chained himself to a barricade, while an officer was hit on the hand by a flying bottle.

Ten demonstrators were taken into custody.

A total of five protests were scheduled in Hanover on December 2. Some 6,000 people joined a pro-immigration rally in the city center and another rally called by trade unions was expected to draw thousands later.

When the conference got under way an hour late, Jörg Meuthen hailed delegates for helping the party achieve national success within five years of being founded.

He said the party was attracting support from voters put off by the other parties’ “pathetic childish games” amid an ongoing struggle to form a coalition government.

AfD has veered to the right since its inception as an anti-euro force, promoting anti-immigration and anti-Islam policies in its election campaign.

However, this sharp turn has created tension within its own ranks, with former co-leader Frauke Petry quitting within days of the election.

The delegates confirmed the AfD’s rightward trajectory, backing Alexander Gauland, the leader of the parliamentary party, for the co-leadership.

Alexander Gauland, who has pledged to stop “the invasion of foreigners” into Germany, said he had “allowed my friends to convince me to step in”.

Delegates defeated a motion to install Jörg Meuthen as the AfD’s only president.

They are also due to elect a new executive board to decide the ideological direction of AfD and debate policy motions.

Senate Passes Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Bill

The Senate has passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill, paving the way for President Donald Trump’s first big legislative victory.

The package would mark the biggest tax cuts since the 1980s. The bill was passed by 51 votes to 49, after a series of amendments in a marathon session.

Democrats complained the bill only benefited the wealthy and big business.

The plan sees a sharp cut in corporation tax, but a Senate committee finding has warned it would add $1trillion to the budget deficit.

Donald Trump wants the measures enacted by the end of the year and congratulated Republicans for taking the US “one step closer to delivering massive tax cuts for working families”.

The Senate will now have to merge its legislation with that passed last month by the House of Representatives, before it can be signed into law by the president.

Donald Trump Tax Plan Proposal: Sharp Reduction in Business Tax Rate

Presiding over the Senate, VP Mike Pence declared the 51-49 victory to applause from Republicans in the early hours of December 2.

The new tax plan would see the corporate tax rate lowered from 35% to 20%, and include more modest tax cuts for individuals across income levels.

Following the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his opponents would pay the price at the ballot box in mid-term elections next year.

He said the measures would endanger social security and medical provision.

Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the legislation would prove to be “just what the country needs to get growing again”.

The final draft of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill went through several changes on December 1 in order to bring reluctant Republicans on board. Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate.

Democrats were angry about the last-minute revisions, complaining that they had not been given enough time to digest the nearly 500-page document, with handwritten changes to the legislation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktirlxsPH70

Hawaii Activates Nuclear Attack Warning Siren for First Time since Cold War

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Hawaii has tested a nuclear attack warning siren for the first time since the end of the Cold War.

The resumption of the monthly tests comes amid a growing threat from North Korea’s missile and nuclear program.

North Korea has tested a series of ballistic missiles and in September carried out its sixth nuclear test.

Hawaii already has a monthly test of sirens warning of natural disasters, including tsunamis.

The nuclear attack signal uses a different, wavering tone, warning residents and tourists to stay indoors and await further instructions.

The last time a nuclear attack warning siren was tested in the state was in the 1980s in the final years of the Cold War.

Image source Flickr

North Korea Fires New Ballistic Missile

However, it sounded again on December 1 and will be repeated on the first business day of every month.

Vern Miyagi, the head of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said it was “critically important” for the public to understand what the different tones mean, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

A missile launched from North Korea could strike Hawaii within 20 minutes of launch, the publication added.

Hawaii hosts the US military headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region.

Pyongyang recently tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile which it claims can hit anywhere on the mainland United States.

Experts say the Hwasong-15 appears capable of transporting a nuclear warhead, although it is unclear if North Korea is yet capable of making a weapon small enough to be fitted on to a missile.

Robert Mueller Investigation: Michael Flynn Admits Making False Statements to FBI

President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about meetings with the Russian ambassador weeks before Trump became president.

The charges were brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, as part of his inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

Michael Flynn is the most senior member of the administration to be indicted.

He also revealed he was co-operating with Robert Mueller’s inquiry.

Significantly, a statement made by Michael Flynn to prosecutors appears to implicate a more senior, though unnamed, Trump team official – indicating the direction in which Robert Mueller’s investigation may be heading.

Media outlets, including NBC News, Bloomberg and the Washington Post, said the senior official is Jared Kushner – Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law.

Appearing in a federal court in Washington DC, Michael Flynn admitted to one count of knowingly making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements”.

According to an AFP reporter in court, the judge accepted Michael Flynn’s guilty plea and said he would not face trial.

Michael Flynn then issued a statement in which he said: “I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right.”

He said his plea and co-operation deal “reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country”.

Image source Wikimedia

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Michael Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant-general, is unlikely to serve more than six months in prison.

The White House issued a statement saying that “nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn”. A presidential appearance in front of reporters was then canceled.

As Michael Flynn was escorted from court by FBI agents, a handful of protesters shouted “criminal” and “lock him up”, echoing a chant he led against Hillary Clinton during the GOP convention in 2016.

Michael Flynn was forced to resign 23 days into his job in February, a month after he was questioned by the FBI for misleading the White House about meeting then Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak during the transition period, before Donald Trump took office.

Then, just over a week ago, media said his legal team had told the president’s lawyers they could no longer discuss the case, prompting suggestions that he had begun co-operating with prosecutors.

It is not clear why he did not tell the truth to investigators. However, it is illegal for a private US citizen, as Michael Flynn was during the transition, to conduct foreign affairs without the permission or involvement of the US government.

Tesla Activates World’s Largest Lithium Ion Battery in South Australia

Tesla’s mega-battery has begun dispensing power into an electricity grid in South Australia.

The world’s largest lithium ion battery was officially activated on December 1.

The 100-megawatt battery had in fact provided some power since November 30 due to demand caused by local hot weather.

South Australia has been crippled by electricity problems in recent times.

Tesla founder Elon Musk famously vowed to build the battery within 100 days – a promise that was fulfilled.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said on December 1: “This is history in the making.”

Image source Flickr

Elon Musk and Tesla to Build World’s Biggest Lithium Ion Battery in South Australia

The battery would prevent a repeat of a notorious incident last year where the entire South Australia lost power, Jay Weatherill said.

Elon Musk has described it as three times more powerful than the world’s next biggest battery.

The idea began when Elon Musk was asked on Twitter if he was serious about helping to resolve South Australia’s electricity woes.

Tesla boss said he was – adding that if the battery wasn’t built within 100 days, South Australia would receive it for free.

The countdown began on September 30 after a plan was approved by the state government and regulators. Tesla finished the battery in about 60 days.

Located near Jamestown, about 125 miles north of Adelaide, the battery is connected to a wind farm run by French energy company Neoen.

When fully charged, the battery can power up to 30,000 homes for an hour. However, it will mostly be used to support and stabilize existing electricity supplies.

The mega-battery is comprised of a grid system that runs on the same technology that powers Tesla’s cars.

In a statement, Tesla said the completion of the battery “shows that a sustainable, effective energy solution is possible”.

The Unknown Talents of Movie Stars

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Image Credit: Pexels

We all know that film stars are extremely talented actors and actresses, but did you know that some of them have extraordinary unknown talent. Some of their talents get showcased on screen, but many haven’t had that opportunity yet. Here are some such movie stars and their hidden talents.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell has been in so many movies that it is easy to lose count. He plays the major antagonist in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them as well as fantastic movies like True Detective and Seven Psychopaths. However, did you know that before he was a major Hollywood actor, he earned his living teaching country line dancing? When he lived in Dublin, Ireland Colin Farrell was an expert in this area, and hopefully, there will be a film in the future that lets him stretch his dancing legs. You can see him dancing – here.

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis is one of the best known and most loved action adventure actors of all time. From Die Hard to RED, Bruce Willis is an action film extraordinaire. A lot of his films are people’s favorite films of all time. Would it surprise you to learn that Bruce Willis started his performance career playing the harmonica, then? He played it for an R&B band called Loose Goose. Although, even after all these years and countless fantastic blockbuster films, Bruce Willis still plays that same instrument and even tours with his band The Accelerators. He is a man of many talents both on and off screen. You can see him playing it – here.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is one of the best-known actresses in the world. She has been a model, actress and humanitarian throughout her career and doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon. She is known for films like Wanted, Tomb Raider and Maleficent. She also lent her voice to the Kung Fu Panda Trilogy as well as many other films. However, did you know that this multitalented actress can also pilot an aircraft? Well, she can. She is big aviation enthusiast and joins the ranks of fellow female actress with a love for flying. You can read about more such actresses – here.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford has been in some of the most loved and well-received films in Hollywood history. He played the fan favorite Han Solo in the original Stars Trilogy (and Episode 7: The Force Awakens), and he also played Indiana Jones through 3 excellent films and one slightly more questionable instalment. Harrison Ford has also been in a wealth of other movies such as Blade Runner and its sequel as well as many others. Much like Angelina Jolie he is an avid aviation enthusiast and can fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. There have even been instances where he as loaned his piloting skills to the local emergency services and helped in rescuing stranded hikers. Harrison Ford really is a man of many talents, and it almost makes getting stranded worth it if you get saved by Harrison Ford flying a helicopter.

Going Green: How To Be Eco-Friendly In The Construction Business

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The construction industry faces many challenges. Recently, there has been a widespread labour shortage. Issues around health and safety are often taken on by the media. Then, and relevantly for this article, there are the struggles to keep up to date with an ecologically aware society.

Constantly under fire for the spread of pollution through crude oils and carbon emissions through their production methods, leaders within the industry are now sitting up and taking notice. Green initiatives are being put in place, with recyclable methods being practised in the construction process and an increased use of energy-efficient technology happening in the field. So, there is hope, and in an industry that gives so much to the economy, it is good to see changes being made when it comes to the environment.

Should you work in the construction industry, it is important you play your part in becoming ecologically aware. Not only will you be doing your bit to save the planet, but you will also satisfy your customers. If you fall behind with your archaic practices and technology, you will struggle to stay in business, as eco-friendly customers will no longer stand for it. In this article, we will give you some tips on how you can stay with the times while benefitting the environment as you go to work.

 

Ten ways to go green

  1. Rather than outsourcing new material, recycle materials that have been used in other construction jobs.

  2. Use materials that are non-toxic, renewable and safe for the environment. Wood is perfect, while alloys and metals are not because they are not biodegradable.

  3.  Reduce fuel emissions by sourcing materials from local sources, instead of further afield.

  4.  Reduce fuel emissions by reducing the amount of traffic your firm uses. Renting trucks from Flex Fleet Rental makes more sense than buying (or using) older vehicles, as they can be used only when you need them, and are more eco-efficient when it comes to fuel emissions.

  5.  When working with other contractors and suppliers, ensure they are also following good practices. If they don’t use sustainable materials, or they are wasteful with the materials they use, ditch them and go elsewhere.

  6.  Don’t rely on old machinery as it may not be energy or eco-efficient. Shop around for the latest in green machinery, as the advanced tech should adhere to the latest standards required by the government.

  7.  With regards to the machinery you use, don’t overuse or overwork them. Keeping a machine running unnecessarily will incur a greater cost in fuel and the added risk of pollution. Hybrid motor technologies have been designed to solve this issue.

  8.  When it comes to the structure of the building being worked on, do your bit to remain green on the exterior and interior. For example, consider using solar energy designs, adding water filtration systems, and adding low-energy-lighting instead of regular, energy-wasting bulbs.

  9.  Ensure everybody on your team is as ecologically aware as you. With training and guidance, ensure everybody is instructed to follow the green principles that we are advocating on this list.

  10. Work in the daytime when there is natural light. Not only is this safer than working at night, but it also cuts down on the amount of artificial lighting that will be used to enhance your workspace.


Final word

By following these simple practices, not only will your business will benefit the environment, but you will garner a good reputation for yourself. Being ecologically conscious means you will save money too, so while you shouldn’t need further incentive to go green, you are benefitting yourself also.