South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye has been impeached over a corruption scandal after parliament voted with 234 to 56.
The number of votes on impeachment motion shows that some members of Park Geun-hye’s ruling Saenuri party voted in favor.
PM Hwang Kyo-ahn has become interim president.
Image source Wikimedia
Thousands of people took to the streets in recent weeks demanding Park Geun-hye’s removal. After the vote, she again apologized that she had “created this national chaos with my carelessness”.
At the heart of the crisis is the relationship between Park Geun-hye and her close friend Choi Soon-sil, who stands accused of using her connections to gain influence and financial benefits.
Choi Soon-sil is now in custody, facing charges of coercion and abuse of power.
Prosecutors say Park Geun-hye had a “considerable” role in the alleged corruption, which she has denied.
Hwang Kyo-ahn, 59, spent most of his career as a prosecutor, is now acting-president.
He had earlier served as justice minister, before becoming prime minister in June 2015.
In 2014, as justice minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn oversaw the banning of the Unified Progressive Party, which was accused of holding pro-North Korean views.
The move was criticized by the human rights group Amnesty International.
Hillary Clinton has called for urgent action to stop the proliferation of “fake news”.
The former Democratic presidential candidate said it was an epidemic with “real world consequences” that threatened America’s democracy.
Hillary Clinton urged the private and public sector to combat the numerous false reports, propaganda and malicious stories that had been spread over the past year.
She herself has been the target of fake news, including Pizzagate story.
Pizzagate wrongly stated during the election campaign that a pedophilia ring involving people at the highest levels of the Democratic Party was operating out of a Washington pizza restaurant.
On December 4, a man was arrested after firing a rifle inside the restaurant. The attacker later said he wanted to “self-investigate” the news reports. No-one was injured in the incident.
On December 8, Hillary Clinton told lawmakers on Capitol Hill: “It’s now clear that so-called <<fake news>> can have real world consequences.
“This isn’t about politics or partisanship. Lives are at risk. Lives of ordinary people just trying to go about their days, to do their jobs, contribute to their communities.
“It’s imperative that leaders from the private sector and the public sector step up to protect our democracy and innocent lives.”
Hillary Clinton was speaking at a ceremony for outgoing Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid – one month after losing the presidential elections to Donald Trump.
Judge Reinhold has been detained after a confrontation with TSA officials at Dallas Love Field airport.
According to police, the 59-year-old actor was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge at the airport.
Image source Wikimedia
The police said Judge Reinhold had refused to go through screening. He then resisted a pat-down by the airport security.
However, Judge Reinhold’s lawyer questioned the claim.
Judge Reinhold co-starred in such 1980s movies as Beverly Hills Cop and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
If found guilty, the actor could pay up to a $500 fine.
Judge Reinhold’s attorney said the actor had successfully passed the TSA scanner and was stopped only after his bag raised an alarm, the Dallas Morning News reports.
The attorney added that Judge Reinhold did not understand why he needed to be searched after he had gone through the scanner without incident.
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen anti-regulation fast-food executive Andrew Puzder, opposed to a higher minimum wage, to lead the US Department of Labor.
Donald Trump said Andrew Puzder, the latest tycoon added to his cabinet, had a “record fighting for workers”.
Andrew Puzder is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, which operates the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.
He has often argued a higher minimum wage would kill jobs.
The Labor Department regulates wages along with workplace safety.
Image source RT
Andrew Puzder has criticized a new Labor Department rule aimed at extending overtime pay to more than four million US workers.
He has also dismissed a nationwide campaign by fast-food workers for a $15 minimum wage, more than double the current federal level.
Donald Trump, in a statement released by his transition team, said Andrew Puzder would make workers “safer and more prosperous”.
“He will save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations that are stunting job growth and suppressing wages,” the president-elect said.
In the same statement, Andrew Puzder said “the right government policies can result in more jobs and better wages for the American worker”.
Democrats and their allies have been critical of the Californian’s appointment.
Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO union, said Andrew Puzder’s “business record is defined by fighting against working people”.
Andrew Puzder was one of Donald Trump’s earliest campaign financiers, contributing more than $330,000 to his White House bid, reports the Washington Post.
He opposes the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, claiming it has left working families with less money to spend dining out, spawning a “restaurant recession”.
Andrew Puzder has brushed off allegations that his fast-food restaurants’ racy commercials – featuring scantily clad models gorging on burgers – are sexist.
“I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis,” he once said.
“I think it’s very American.”
Donald Trump’s latest cabinet appointment came amid his Twitter spat with the head of a local United Steelworkers union in Indiana.
The Polish Christmas ad has hit 7 million YouTube views in just 10 days.
The ad, made for Polish auction website Allegro has almost 8 million views on the site’s Facebook page.
What are you looking for at Christmas? English for beginners is a tale of a Polish grandfather learning to speak English ahead of a holiday trip to London and has resonated with its online audience.
Grandpa begins with prepositions and pronouns, before making mistaken, out-of-place declarations on the city bus and foul-mouthed threats in the bath.
The mini-movie makes little mention in its 3-minute runtime of the product advertised – a Polish auction website – other than an opening title and the sign-off: “And you? What are you looking for?”
Allegro‘s Facebook page has fielded an overwhelmingly positive reaction in the 1,200 comments beneath the video.
Some say it is the only ad they have watched to the end or the only one to have made them cry, and Allegro appears to be responding to as many of the comments as possible.
However, the 2,500 comments below on YouTube are also interested in the breed of dog belonging to the grandfather and the violent goading toward the rubber duck.
Allegro is the fifth largest website in Poland, according to figures from web traffic analysis site Alexa Internet, and has previously put out an ad with more than 2.5 million views on YouTube.
English for beginners has outstripped the viewing numbers of Allegro’s most recent commercials, What do you do every year?, with 60,000 views, and What do you do every day?, with 900,000 views.
Mick Jagger has become a father for the eight time at age of 73, the singer’s publicist, Bernard Doherty, has confirmed.
The Rolling Stones frontman already has seven children whose ages range from 17 to 45 and he became a great-grandfather in 2014.
Mick Jagger’s 29-year-old girlfriend, American ballerina Melanie Hamrick, gave birth to a boy in New York on December 8, Bernard Doherty said.
A statement said Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger were “both delighted” at the birth.
It added: “Mick was at the hospital for the arrival.
“Mother and baby are doing well and we request that the media respect their privacy at this time.”
Mick Jagger began dating Melanie Hamrick after the suicide of L’Wren Scott in 2014, his partner of 13 years.
The musician had his other children with Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and Luciana Gimenez Morad.
Mick Jagger has five grandchildren and became a great-grandfather in May 2014 when his granddaughter Assisi, daughter of Jade Jagger, gave birth to a baby girl.
President-elect Donald Trump has blasted union leader Chuck Jones, who accused him of lying about his deal to stop air conditioning maker Carrier from moving jobs to Mexico.
Donald Trump said Chuck Jones had done a “terrible job” for workers at Carrier, moments after Jones had criticized the president-elect on CNN.
According to Chuck Jones, Donald Trump had wrongly claimed 1,100 jobs in Indiana were saved.
Earlier in the week Donald Trump attacked Boeing, hours after its boss criticized his trade policy, but he denied a link.
Shortly after Donald Trump’s tweet attacking Chuck Jones on December 7, the union leader started receiving phone calls threatening his children, he said.
Image source CNN
Chuck Jones said: “Nothing that says they’re gonna kill me, but, you know, you better keep your eye on your kids.”
Keeping jobs from migrating to lower-wage countries was a central plank of Donald Trump’s successful election campaign.
He claimed a victory last week when he struck a deal with Carrier’s parent company, granting them $7 million in tax cuts and incentives over 10 years.
In the CNN interview that preceded the enraged tweet by the president-elect, Chuck Jones disputed Donald Trump’s claim on the job figures because 550 jobs were still going overseas.
Using stronger language when speaking to the Washington Post earlier this week, Chuck Jones said Donald Trump had “lied his ass off”.
On December 8, Chuck Jones admitted his choice of words was unwise but he stood by his accusation.
“Trump didn’t tell the truth and I called him out,” he said, saying Donald Trump “overreacted”.
Chuck Jones said that while the union was grateful to have 730 of its members keeping their jobs, Donald Trump had raised false hopes for hundreds of others when he wrongly claimed 1,100 jobs were not moving abroad.
Donald Trump’s tweet sparked a back and forth on Twitter with the union, which sprang to Chuck Jones’s defense by saying he worked tirelessly to save “all jobs”.
The president-elect responded by tweeting that the union was to blame for jobs going abroad and it should reduce its dues.
The union fired back by saying its dues helped the union save jobs, adding the hashtag #imwithchuck.
The spat is the second time this week that Donald Trump has attacked an organization that has criticized him.
On December 6, he threatened to cancel a huge government contract with Boeing after the chief executive made pro-trade remarks that were reported in the Chicago Tribune.
Donald Trump said he had not seen the article in question.
You’ve probably heard about water treatment, but what is it all about? You couldn’t survive without it, so it makes sense to find out a little more about how that clear water ends up running from your taps at home. The information below will give you a complete overview of what it’s all about and why it matters.
What is Water Treatment?
Water treatment is one of those things that we all benefit from without even realising it properly. To put it simply, water treatment is the name of the process of purifying water, making it safe to use. The water is stored, then it is screened to remove any debris and large things that might be in it. Then any smaller particles that might be present in the water are removed via the processes of flocculation and filtering.
Finally, there is the last treatment. This is where a very small amount of chlorine is added to the water to kill off any remaining bacteria that might be lurking in it. You can then be sure that the water is safe, and it starts to flow to homes and businesses all over the country. When it reaches you, it is fully treated and safe to use without worrying. Of course, things can go wrong in the process, but this is rare.
Not all forms of water treatment are about treating water that is for public consumption, though. There are many small examples of water treatment that we take for granted. They might not seem as important, but they do a job. For example, many of us use water filtration systems in our home. And many kettles have filters to prevent limescale from setting in and causing problems further down the line.
In the world of business and manufacturing, water treatment can also be very important. Cooling water treatment, for example, is very common. Cooling towers are used in all kinds of industries, and where there are cooling towers, there needs to be water treatment. It can stop corrosion and scale, and that’s why there are so many industries that rely on this kind of process each day.
Why is is So Important?
So, all in all, why is water treatment so important? As we’ve seen, it keeps industries safe, efficient and productive. In the long-term, this can have a positive impact on the success of a business or a wider economy. And that means there are also jobs that are sustained by it. The impact of water treatment goes further than most people think. And that’s before we even mention the health benefits of water treatment.
Water is a chemical compound, and we all consume it. If the water we consume is not clean and properly treated, it can contain things that have serious ramifications for our health. Water treatment deals with all that, and can stop the spread of very serious diseases and illnesses. This is why delivering clean water to the most deprived parts of the world is one of the most urgent tasks out there.
Commodities trader Glencore and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund are together buying a 19.5% stake in Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil company, the Kremlin has announced.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said: “It is the largest privatization deal, the largest sale and acquisition in the global oil and gas sector in 2016.”
The surprise move sees Glencore and Qatar paying $11.3 billion for the stake in Rosneft, where BP already owns 19.75%.
However, the state will keep the controlling stake.
The long-planned sale is part of the Russian government’s efforts to sell some state assets to help balance the budget amid a two-year recession caused by a drop in global oil prices and Western sanctions.
Image source kremlin.ru
A deadline for the sale was missed, and speculation grew that Rosneft was struggling to find a buyer.
The deal also marks a turnaround for London-listed Glencore, which had seen a collapse in its share price amid a plan to sell assets and cut its huge debts.
Glencore’s shares have rebounded this year. The Qatar Investment Authority is one of the biggest investors in Glencore.
Speaking at a TV meeting with Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, Vladimir Putin noted that the deal follows a rally in global oil prices after OPEC’s decision to cut production.
Russia, although not a member of OPEC, has agreed to cut its output in line with the cartel, and will attend a meeting with its member countries on December 10 to discuss specific details.
Igor Sechin said that Glencore and the Qatari fund will form a consortium and have equal stakes. He added that Rosneft had conducted talks with more than 30 potential bidders before striking the deal.
It had been thought that the US and EU sanctions imposed on Russia following the Ukraine conflict would deter huge investment in Russia, although companies were not explicitly prohibited from participating in the Rosneft sale.
Donald Trump’s election as US president has, however, raised speculation of a thaw in relations with Moscow.
In a statement, Glencore said that it would finance part of the deal by putting up €300 million of its own equity, with the rest financed by banks and by the Qatari sovereign fund. QIA had yet to make a statement.
Glencore stands to benefit by gaining access to Rosneft’s crude output, while Qatar will further establish itself as a major investor in some of the world’s biggest businesses.
Cuban business owners have appealed to Donald Trump not to reverse a recent thaw in bilateral relations.
In a letter, more than one hundred business owners said additional measures to boost travel, trade and investment would benefit both nations.
The president-elect, who takes office on January 20, has said he will end a deal under which ties were restored in 2015 unless Havana offers a “better deal”.
Cuba hopes to sign 12 agreements with the United States before Donald Trump’s inauguration.
On December 7, officials from both governments held talks in Havana to discuss how this could be achieved during President Barack Obama’s remaining weeks in office.
Cuban Foreign Ministry’s Director of US Affairs Josefina Vidal said: “At the moment we are negotiating 12 more [agreements] with the aim to be able to conclude and sign a majority of them.”
Photo Reuters
Josefina Vidal said that a number of agreements had already been signed with Washington since 2015.
She also expressed hopes that the bilateral relations would continue improving but “within the respect of the existing differences and without having to make any kind of concession to the principles in which Cuba firmly believes”.
Barack Obama has worked to improve relations with Cuba, culminating in his historic visit to Havana in March 2016.
In November, Donald Trump threatened in a tweet to put an end to the detente following the death of Fidel Castro.
He said that if “Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the US as a whole, I will terminate deal”.
Donald Trump’s camp accuses the Obama administration of giving too much away to Cuba without receiving enough in return.
Under President Barack Obama, diplomatic ties were restored in July 2015 after being severed in 1961.
Some trade restrictions have been eased and the White House has been lobbying the US Congress to terminate the Cuban economic embargo that has been in place for decades.
Italy’s PM Matteo Renzi has handed in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella, three days after losing a constitutional referendum he had staked his career on.
Matteo Renzi had promised to wait until the Senate passed the 2017 budget, which it did earlier in the day.
President Mattarella will start consultations with political parties over forming a caretaker government at 18:00 on December 8.
In the meantime, Matteo Renzi is to act as a “caretaker prime minister”.
The consultation, which is due to end on December 10, will look at where support lies for a new government, presidential aide Ugo Zampetti told reporters on December 7.
According to Reuters, President Mattarella is expected to ask a member of Matteo Renzi’s cabinet, or a politician from his Democratic Party (PD), to try to form a new government.
However, some are calling for the election, due in 2018, to be called early.
Italians voted on December 5 by a margin of 59% to 41% against Matteo Renzi’s plans for constitutional reform, prompting his decision to stand down.
However, Matteo Renzi still wants to stay on the frontline of politics as he remains the leader of the biggest party in parliament, the PD, and will play a considerable role in suggesting the name of his replacement.
Before heading to the Quirinale presidential palace, Matteo Renzi told the PD it should only participate in a “government of national responsibility” if it has the support of the other political parties.
Otherwise, he said, “the PD is not afraid” of early elections.
Two of the big winners in December 3 referendum, the anti-EU Northern League and anti-establishment Five Star Movement, are pushing for early elections.
Other parties, such as the centre-right Forza Italia, are trailing in the polls and want elections delayed. Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi, 80, had tests in a Milan hospital on December 7, six months after he had heart surgery.
Names suggested as a possible leader of a new administration include PD Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan and Senate leader Pietro Grasso, who is apolitical.
According to a source quoted in Italy, President Sergio Mattarella believes it is “inconceivable” that elections can be held before electoral laws governing both houses of parliament are synchronized.
The law was changed to the so-called “Italicum” system last year to give the leading party a parliamentary majority through bonus seats in the lower Chamber of Deputies. But there has been no such change in the Senate, which is elected by proportional representation.
Senate reforms were part of the package rejected on December 3. Another factor is that the constitutional court will rule on January 24 on whether the lower house reforms are legitimate.
Italy’s political turmoil has also led to days of uncertainty in international markets, amid questions over the fate of Italy’s indebted banks, especially its third largest, Monte dei Paschi, which is seeking €5 billion ($5.3 billion) to recapitalize.
NASA’s Cassini mission has sent back the first views from its new orbit around Saturn.
In November, Cassini spacecraft began a new phase of its mission – one that involves making a series of daredevil maneuvers over the next nine months.
The phase will end with Cassini being destroyed in the atmosphere of a planet it has been studying for 12 years.
The new photos show the hexagon-shaped storm in Saturn’s northern hemisphere.
Cassini began what are known as its ring-grazing orbits on November 30. Each of these week-long orbits – 20 in all – lifts the spacecraft high above Saturn’s northern hemisphere before sending it hurtling past the outer edges of the planet’s main rings.
Image source Wikimedia
NASA said that it would release images from future passes that included some of the closest-ever views of the outer rings and small moons that orbit there.
Head of Cassini’s imaging team Carolyn Porco said: “This is it, the beginning of the end of our historic exploration of Saturn.
“Let these images – and those to come – remind you that we’ve lived a bold and daring adventure around the Solar System’s most magnificent planet.”
The destructive ending being planned for Cassini is a result of the spacecraft having nearly exhausted its fuel.
However, NASA is also concerned about the small, yet important possibility that the probe will crash into one of Saturn’s moons at some point in the future.
Given that some of these bodies, such as Enceladus, are potential targets in the search for extra-terrestrial life, it has the potential to contaminate these bodies with terrestrial microbes borne on Cassini.
Starting from April 2017, Cassini will begin its grand finale, in which it will make the first of 22 dives through the 2,400km gap between the planet and its innermost ring.
Cassini will make its final plunge into the atmosphere of Saturn on September 15, 2017.
If you were to throw a (metaphorical) dart randomly at the internet, the chances are that it would land on an article about investing of some sort. And this is no different, on the surface! Investing is a minefield for so many people that they have no idea where to begin, where to go and what to do. If you have never thought about investing before, and it tends to be that the average Joe doesn’t, it is a worthwhile practice to help get set up for your future, or for your family. It is a bit like taking a gamble, but there are investment ideas that generally have a high rate of return.
Forex Trading
This is one of the best options to ensure a good income. It’s a market where currencies are traded. Put simply, it is buying, selling and exchanging currencies at the current rate. It is the biggest market for investment in the world. As an investment option, it is unique because it has high liquidity characteristics, uses leverage to maximize potential earnings and many other positive aspects.
Aside from the standard methods of investing, you could indulge your passions or hobbies as an idea for investment to generate a good income. Antiques or paintings or even rare iraq dinar are options for investment. As time goes by, their value will increase, so investing in something you have a good feeling about can be an option, especially as there are so many people that are now keen to invest in antiques themselves, you can sell it off to the highest bidder when the item is extremely profitable.
US Treasury
With a high rate of return, the US Treasury bill is a reliable bond with a high return rate. It has the guarantee and assurance of the US Government, which gives you a distinct advantage over other investments. While the global market is prone to inflation, needing a reliable source of revenue is needed, and this is a favored investment approach in many countries in the world, not just in America itself.
Bonds that mature within the 3-year mark proves to be a safe investment option for many people. They are in much demand due to the growth of the US economy and the high rate of return. Two bonds that are best are municipal bonds and corporate bonds. Just, before you start, make sure you do your research into the potential losses or benefits of such an investment.
Index Funds
This is recommended by finance experts over investing in common stocks. For the past three decades, the returns have been on a large scale. As Index Funds increase in number by gathering “low beta” and “high dividend” paying stocks, this is a good combination of safe investment but with high returns. If you are looking to invest safely, you cannot go far wrong with this type, as the security of your money is ensured. But, the individual stocks is lower in safety, so be careful in your choice of investment.
At least 97 people are reported after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s northern Aceh province, say local military officials.
The quake struck just off the north-east coast of Sumatra island, where dozens of buildings have collapsed and many people are feared trapped under rubble.
“So far, 97 people have been killed and the number keeps growing,” Aceh military chief Tatang Sulaiman said in a live TV interview.
Hundreds of people have been injured.
In 2004, a huge undersea quake off the coast of Aceh caused a tsunami that killed more than 160,000 people in Indonesia alone.
There was no tsunami after December 7 tremor, which struck just offshore at 05:03 local time at a depth of 8km, according to USGS.
A spokesman for Indonesia’s national disaster agency said more than 200 stores and homes had been destroyed, along with 14 mosques. A hospital and school were also badly damaged.
Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman said four people had been rescued alive from the rubble and he believed there might be four or five more still buried, though he did not say whether they were alive.
Pidie Jaya is along the north coast of Aceh, and has a population of about 150,000.
It is about 68 miles from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
The quake shook Banda Aceh and prompted many people across the region to flee their homes. Many are said to be reluctant to go back indoors, amid a number of aftershocks.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire – the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.
The deadly fire at Oakland’s Ghost Ship warehouse party may have been caused by a fridge or other electrical appliance, investigators say.
Investigators say they are looking at “anything electrical” on the first floor of the venue, where the blaze started on December 2.
According to California officials, 36 people are now confirmed dead, and 35 have been already identified.
They earlier warned that murder charges were also possible.
Image source Twitter
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said on December 5 that her office had yet to determine whether a crime had occurred.
Charges could range from murder to involuntary manslaughter, Nancy O’Malley added.
On December 6, special agent Jill Snyder, the head of San Francisco’s office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said a fridge was a potential source of the blaze.
However, she stressed that the investigators were yet to make their final conclusions.
Jill Snyder added that “we have no indication” that the fire had been set intentionally.
It is thought 50-100 people were inside the venue when the fire broke out.
The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.
The building was used to house artists in improvised studios but several reports say people were illegally living there too.
Oakland media named Derick Ion Almena as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.
A Facebook post by Derick Ion lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was “blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound” drew a barrage of criticism online.
Choi Soon-sil, the South Korean president’s friend who is accused of being behind a massive corruption scandal in the country has been ordered to appear before a parliamentary hearing.
She has been charged over allegations she colluded with President Park Geun-hye to gain influence and money for herself.
Park Geu-hye, who denies corruption, faces an impeachment hearing on December 9.
Amid ongoing street protests, Park Geun-hye has said she will resign once parliament finds a way for her to do so smoothly.
The parliamentary hearing in Seoul is questioning the heads of some of South Korea’s biggest companies, including Samsung, Hyundai, SK, Lotte and LG.
All the companies gave large donations to foundations run by Choi Soon-sil. They are being quizzed over whether the donations were used to gain them favorable treatment by the government.
Image source Wikimedia
All have denied improper activity, though suggested there had been pressure to make donations.
One of the corporate bosses acknowledged that it was difficult for companies to say no to government requests.
“It’s a South Korean reality that if there is a government request, it is difficult for companies to decline,” said Huh Chang-soo, head of the GS Group and chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries lobby group.
Choi Soon-sil, who is in police detention along with two other aides of Park Geun-hye, has so far refused to attend the hearing as a witness, citing ill health.
However, on December 7 she and several other key witnesses, including members of her family, were ordered to appear.
“This hearing is being criticized as a Choi Soon-sil trial without Choi Soon-sil,” said the committee chairman Kim Sung-tae, according to the AFP.
Kim Sung-tae said the panel would “undertake all measures” to make her and other witnesses appear, before sending security officers to collect the group.
They could face jail or fines if they refuse.
The extraordinary scenes are being broadcast live on TV. The panel has no power to punish but its chairman has said the hearing is a place for apologies.
President Park Geun-hye has apologized multiple times to the public for allowing Choi Soon-sil inappropriate access to government decisions but has stopped short of resigning.
The head of LaMia airline, which was involved in a plane crash last week that killed 71 people, including most of the Brazil’s soccer team Chapecoense, was arrested in Bolivia.
Gustavo Vargas, a retired air force general, has been arrested as part of an investigation into the crash.
The plane, operated by the tiny LaMia airline, was taking Chapecoense team to Colombia when it ran out of fuel.
Bolivian official Celia Castedo says she warned the pilot of the problem before departure.
She has now sought asylum in Brazil, saying she suffered threats and abuse.
Chapecoense were travelling to the city of Medellin to play the first leg of the Sudamericana Cup final against Atletico Nacional.
The British-made Avro RJ85 aircraft ran out of fuel as it approached the airport in Medellin on November 28.
In a leaked tape, pilot Miguel Quiroga can be heard warning of a “total electric failure” and “lack of fuel”.
Celia Castedo says she warned Miguel Quiroga before departure that the long flight between southern Bolivia and Medellin was at the limit of the plane’s maximum range.
She has now sought asylum in Brazil, saying she is being persecuted.
Her asylum process could take a year to be processed, the authorities in Brazil said.
Bolivian Government Minister Carlos Romero urged the Brazilian authorities to turn her back.
“What she has done is very serious,” Carlos Romero said.
“It’s a way of escaping the judicial system.”
Six people survived the crash. One of them, crew member Erwin Tumuri, said an initial stop for refueling in the northern Bolivian city of Cobija had been dropped by the pilot.
There was no warning to the crew or the passengers that the plane was facing electrical or fuel problems, Erwin Tumuri told Brazil’s Globo TV.
LaMia was originally registered in Venezuela, before moving its headquarters to Bolivia. It only had three planes, but only two of them were operational.
Chapecoense club, from the southern Brazilian city of Chapeco, was only founded in 1973 and had never reached a final of an international tournament.
A day after the tragedy, Atletico Nacional said it wanted to forfeit the title.
On December 5, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) declared Chapecoense officially champions of the Sudamericana Cup, the second most prestigious continental competition.
For its gesture, Atletico Nacional has been granted CONMEBOL’s special centenary fair play award.
Michael Flynn Jr., one of Donald Trump’s aides, has lost his job after fanning so-called Pizzagate conspiracy theory that climaxed at the weekend in gunfire at a pizzeria.
The 33-year-old left the president-elect’s transition team on December 6 following his tweets about the Pizzagate fake news story.
His father, Michael Flynn Sr., Donald Trump’s pick to be US national security adviser, has also shared fake news.
The Pizzagate hoax led to a gunman firing shots in a restaurant on December 4.
No one was injured in the incident at Comet Ping Pong in Washington DC.
Image source Flickr
The suspect told police he had turned up to “self-investigate” online rumor-mongering that the pizzeria was the nexus of a pedophile ring involving Hillary Clinton and one of her aides, John Podesta.
The bizarre and unfounded theory had been spread online by right-wing blogs.
The claims were also pushed by Michale Flynn Jr., who tweeted after December 4 gunfire that Pizzagate would remain a story until “proven to be false”.
The New York Times reports that he was fired from the Trump transition team on December 6 but, according to CBS News, he resigned before he was sacked.
The Trump team confirmed the departure of Michael Flynn Jr. – who had reportedly been given a .gov email address – but did not confirm it was related to the tweets.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence acknowledged that Michael Flynn Jr. had been helping his father with scheduling and administrative items during the transition but said “that’s no longer the case”.
Asked repeatedly whether a security clearance was requested, Mike Pence refused to answer directly.
Michael Flynn Sr., 57, has also tweeted out unsubstantiated conspiracy theories accusing Hillary Clinton and her aides of child-s** trafficking.
Among the retired lieutenant general’s other tweets was an allegation that President Barack Obama was a “jihadi” who “laundered” money for terrorists.
Critics have said Michael Flynn Sr. is unfit to advise Donald Trump on the veracity of national security threats facing the US.
In December 4 armed confrontation, the suspect allegedly walked into Comet Ping Pong and pointed a rifle at an employee before firing shots into the ground.
Edgar Maddison Welch, 28, from North Carolina, has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.
The Pizzagate theory originated on alternative message board 4chan, based on emails hacked from the Democratic Party and leaked by WikiLeaks.
The restaurant’s owner, James Alefantis, a Democratic Party donor, appears in the emails in relation to organizing a Democratic fundraiser.
Users of 4chan and Reddit had said words in the emails such as cheese, hot dog, and pizza were code for young children and s** acts.
Donald Trump has announced he wants to cut government costs by cancelling the order for new planes to carry the American president.
Six weeks ahead of taking office, the president-elect tweeted: “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!”
The government has a contract with Boeing to build two or more new planes.
They would enter service around 2024.
Boeing shares fell more than 1% after Donald Trump’s tweet, but recovered most of their losses in afternoon trading.
Donald Trump would not fly on the new planes unless he won a second term in the 2020 election.
He also announced on December 6 that Japan’s SoftBank has agreed to invest $50 billion in the US aimed at creating 50,000 new jobs.
Image source Wikimedia
Donald Trump revealed the plan after meeting with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son at Trump Tower.
The president-elect tweeted: “Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!”
Donald Trump now uses his own plane, but as president he would travel aboard Air Force One, which is equipped with special safety, defensive and communications equipment.
The real estate mogul is known for his admiration of his Trump-branded Boeing 757 jet, boasting to Rolling Stone in 2015 that his aircraft was “bigger than Air Force One, which is a step down from this in every way”.
“Did you know it was featured on the Discovery Channel as the world’s most luxurious jetliner?” Donald Trump said at the time.
He told reporters on December 6 at Trump Tower in New York that Boeing was “doing a little bit of a number” and the cost was “ridiculous”.
“We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money,” Donald Trump added.
The US Air Force released a statement saying it had budgeted $2.7 billion for the project, “but expects this number to change as the program matures with the completion of the risk reduction activities”.
The White House said it was not clear where Donald Trump got the $4 billion figure he cited to replace the Air Force One plane.
Spokesman Josh Earnest said: “Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don’t appear to reflect the nature of the financial arrangement between Boeing and the Department of Defense.”
The Government Accountability Office estimates that the project’s overall cost will be $3.2 billion, a figure that is expected to rise.
Boeing spokesman Todd Blecher, in a statement, said: “We are currently under contract for $170m to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the president of the United States.
“We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the programme, allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer.”
Gigi Hadid has won international model of the year award at this year’s Fashion Awards.
The 21-year-old beat off competition from her sister Bella and best friend Kendall Jenner at the ceremony in London.
To celebrate, Gigi Hadid took part in a mannequin challenge on stage at the Royal Albert Hall with the audience getting involved as well.
Image source Wikimedia
Other winners on the night included Jayden Smith and Willow Smith as new fashion insiders.
Accepting her international model of the year award, Gigi Hadid said: “I just want to say that I know that I’m in the generation of social media, and I’m so blessed for that.
“But the fashion industry is my family, and you guys are the ones that I’m here for.”
The model continued: “To everyone who has been so genuine and looked beyond what the rest of the world looked for, that has meant so much to me.”
Gigi Hadid is the daughter of LA real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and former model Yolanda Hadid, who appears in reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
The model is dating former One Direction singer Zayn Malik and her sister Bella is also a top model.
Game of Thrones star Peter Vaughan has died at the age of 93, his agent has confirmed.
The British actor played Maester Aemon in the HBO series.
Peter Vaughan’s many other roles included parts in TV shows Porridge, Citizen Smith, Chancer and Our Friends in the North.
Sally Long-Innes said: “This is to confirm that very sadly Peter Vaughan passed away at approximately 10.30 this morning. He died peacefully with his family around him.”
Peter Vaughan began acting in the 1950s and became a recognizable face by playing numerous mainly supporting roles on stage, TV, radio and movie.
Image source HBO
He specialized in characters with a tough edge – such as police officers, secret agents and authoritarian elders.
Peter Vaughan described himself as a character actor, saying he did not have the looks to play romantic leads.
He was never out of work for long, but Peter Vaughan was not overly fond of only being recognized for Porridge.
However, Game of Thrones brought Peter Vaughan a new level of fame with a younger audience at the age of 86, and he remained in the show for five years.
Peter Vaughan was married to actress Billie Whitelaw for 14 years until 1966 and then married Lillias Walker.
Beyonce has scored nine nominations for the 2017 Grammy Awards, extending her lead as the most-nominated woman in Grammys history.
The singer is up for the main prize, album of the year, for her ambitious visual album, Lemonade, which tackles themes of race and female identity.
Beyonce’s single Formation is also up for song and record of the year.
In all three categories, Beyonce is up against Adele – who previously won the ceremony’s top three prizes in 2012.
Beyonce now has 62 Grammy nominations across her work as a solo artist and as part of Destiny’s Child, making her the fourth most-nominated artist ever.
The pop star has won 20 trophies altogether, although she has yet to clinch the album of the year prize, having been beaten to the title by Beck in 2015 – much to the disgust of Kanye West, who stormed the stage in protest.
Kanye West receives eight nominations this year for his album The Life Of Pablo – all in the rap categories.
Rihanna and Drake also have eight nominations, including three for their hit collaboration, Work.
Making Grammy history is Chicago-born musician Chance The Rapper, whose album Coloring Book is the first streaming-only record to be recognized by the Recording Academy.
Chance The Rapper achieves seven nominations, including best new artist, without ever releasing a physical album or digital download.
Beyonce and Adele go head to head with Justin Bieber, Drake and Sturgill Simpson in the best album category.
If Adele wins, she will become only the second woman to receive the best album prize twice, after Taylor Swift.
Notably absent from the shortlist is David Bowie, who was tipped to win for his critically-acclaimed Blackstar album.
The record does make an appearance in the best alternative album category, as does Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool.
Coldplay have also fared badly, receiving just one nomination – best music video – despite selling millions of copies of their latest album, A Head Full Of Dreams.
Prince receives a posthumous nomination for his final album, Hit N Run Phase Two, in the best engineered, non-classical category, where Blackstar also makes the shortlist.
British star James Corden will host
The 2017 Grammy Awards, which take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, will be hosted by James Corden.
Thousands of Indians are flocking to pay their respects to Jayaram Jayalalitha, one of the country’s most influential and colorful politicians.
J Jayalalitha, the chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu suffered a heart attack on December 4 and died at 23:30 local time on December 5 at the age of 68, Chennai’s Apollo Hospital says.
The politician’s body, draped in the Indian flag, is on display at a large public hall.
India’s PM Narendra Modi was among those who visited to pay tribute.
Extra police have been deployed in the state amid fears of unrest.
The extreme devotion J Jayalalitha inspires among her supporters, many of whom refer to her as “Amma” (mother) have led to concerns that they could resort to self-harm or violence.
Earlier reports of J Jayalalitha’s death, which were swiftly withdrawn, prompted scuffles between police and her supporters outside the private hospital.
However, lines have been orderly so far, despite the visible emotion among the crowds who are queuing up to catch a final glimpse of Jayalalitha. Many are openly weeping while some are beating their heads and chests.
A seven-day period of mourning has been declared in Tamil Nadu. The central government in Delhi has announced that December 6 will be a national holiday as a mark of respect and that J Jayalalitha will be given a funeral with full state honors.
She had been receiving treatment for months.
J Jayalalitha is revered by many but was seen by her critics as having created a cult of personality over the years.
Tributes began to pour in for J Jayalalitha as soon as her death was confirmed by Apollo, which had been treating her since September 22.
Her AIADMK party – which had earlier lowered the flag to half-mast before hoisting it up once more – also confirmed she had died, tweeting “our beloved leader, the Iron lady of India… Amma, is no more”.
“RIP Jayalalitha” has been trending on Twitter, while Facebook is also filled with elegies for a woman who is widely respected for managing to hold her own in the male-dominated world of Tamil Nadu politics.
A senior AIADMK politician, O Panneerselvam, was sworn in as chief of Tamil Nadu within hours of J Jayalalitha’s death, the party’s Twitter account confirmed.
