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Choi Soon-sil Scandal: Samsung, Hyundai and other South Korean Companies Face Corruption Inquiry

Diane A. Wade
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Choi Soon-sil Scandal: Samsung, Hyundai and other South Korean Companies Face Corruption Inquiry

Eight of South Korea’s biggest businesses, including Samsung and Hyundai, are being questioned by parliament in a rare TV hearing as part of a huge corruption inquiry.

The companies admitted giving millions of dollars to funds linked to President Park Geun-hye, but denied seeking favors.

Samsung admitted to giving the daughter of Park Geun-hye’s friend an expensive horse.

Parliament is due to vote on December 9 on the president’s impeachment over her involvement in the scandal.

Massive protests have been held in recent weeks demanding the president’s resignation.

The executives are being questioned by a cross-party committee of lawmakers. The panel has no power to punish but its chairman has said the hearing is a place for apology.

One of the corporate bosses acknowledged that it was difficult for companies to say no to government requests.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

“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.

The conglomerates all gave large donations to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a close confidante of Park Geun-hye.

Choi Soon-sil has been charged with coercion and attempted fraud.

Lawmakers spent the most time grilling Samsung’s Lee Kun-hee. Samsung has been accused of giving donations in exchange for support of a controversial merger that effectively strengthened his position in the company.

Samsung gave a total of 20.4 billion won ($17.46 million) to the two foundations.

Like the other leaders, Lee Kun-hee denied the allegations, saying Samsung “never provided support or gave donations in return for something”.

However, he admitted that his company provided a one billion won ($855,000) horse to Choi Soon-sil’s daughter, a professional equestrian, and said he regretted it.

Lee Kun-hee apologized for Samsung’s involvement in the scandal and said his company would “take all responsibility” if there was any.

South Korea’s family-owned conglomerates, known as chaebols, have increasingly been perceived as a symbol of the out-of-touch elite, and have become a target of public fury in recent protests calling for Park Geun-hye’s resignation.

The president has apologized multiple times to the public for allowing Choi Soon-sil inappropriate access to government decisions but has stopped short of resigning.

Last week Parke Geun-hye said she would leave it to parliament to decide her fate, and on December 6 she was quoted by her party’s leader as saying she would accept the outcome of December 9 impeachment vote.

What is PTSD?

Kathryn R. Bown
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What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is an anxiety disorder which can develop after a very stressful, frightening or distressing event, or a prolonged traumatic experience.

People naturally feel afraid when in danger, but the legacy of some traumatic events is a change in perception of fear.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

They may feel stressed or frightened in day-to-day life.

PTSD can be caused by any traumatic event – including military conflict, serious road accidents, natural disasters, assaults, and muggings.

Patients typically tend to re-experience the event in flashbacks, avoid talking about it, have trouble sleeping, or experience a change in mood.

Lady Gaga Reveals She Suffers from PTSD Since Being Raped

Lisa.Felice
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Lady Gaga Reveals She Suffers from PTSD Since Being Raped

Lady Gaga has revealed she has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since being raped at the age of 19.

The pop star talked about her mental illness during a visit to a homeless shelter for young LGBT people last month.

In a TV interview about the visit, Lady Gaga said: “I suffer from a mental illness – I suffer from PTSD. I’ve never told anyone that before.”

The 30-year-old singer first spoke publicly about the rape two years ago.

Lady Gaga has since admitted she blamed herself and did not tell anyone about it for seven years.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

She made the revelation during an interview with the Today Show, which was broadcast on NBC on December 5.

It is the first time Lady Gaga has talked about having PTSD.

During her visit to the Ali Forney Centre in New York, Lady Gaga told the homeless LGBT teenagers that her trauma helped her understand others.

She said: “The kindness that’s been shown to me, by doctors as well as my family and my friends, it’s really saved my life.”

“Meditation helps me to calm down,” the singer said, adding that she was struggling with her mental illness “every day”.

The pop star brought presents to the teenagers at the center.

Lady Gaga later tweeted: “Today I shared one my deepest secrets w/ the world. Secrets keep you sick w/ shame.”

A tearful young person from the center she visited said: “Lady Gaga’s act of kindness today was a reminder that love still exists – and that there’s still some for me.”

On social media, Lady Gaga’s fans opened up with their own experiences in response.

She is one of the world’s most successful contemporary artists, with a string of hits across her first five albums. Her sixth album, Joanne, was released two months ago.

Lady Gaga has long been an advocate for the LGBTQ community; campaigning for Hillary Clinton during the election and protesting outside Trump Tower when the results were announced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7xEHWq19mE

Italy Referendum 2016: PM Matteo Renzi to Hand in His Resignation

Diane A. Wade
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Italy Referendum 2016: PM Matteo Renzi to Hand in His Resignation

Italy’s PM Matteo Renzi will meet President Sergio Mattarella to hand in his resignation after suffering a defeat in a constitutional referendum.

President Sergio Mattarella must either appoint a new prime minister or call early elections, as demanded by Italy’s opposition anti-establishment parties.

The president might also try to persuade Matteo Renzi to stay in charge until the 2017 budget is passed later this week, reports say.

European leaders have been playing down the risks of fallout from the crisis.

Matteo Renzi’s resignation comes amid fears of long-term instability for Italy’s troubled banking sector in the long-term. Shares in Italian banks lost ground following news of Matteo Renzi’s defeat.

Matteo Renzi is the youngest prime minister in Italy's history, and one of its least experienced

The No vote in December 4 constitutional referendum was widely seen as a rejection of establishment politics in Italy.

Matteo Renzi held a final cabinet meeting on December 5, before traveling to the presidential palace to submit his formal resignation.

In spite of the pressure from the opposition, early elections are thought to be unlikely.

Instead, the president may appoint a caretaker administration led by Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party, which would carry on until an election due in the spring of 2018.

Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan is the favorite to succeed Matteo Renzi as prime minister.

With most ballots counted, the No vote leads with 60% against 40% for Yes, with a 70% turnout, a heavier than expected defeat for the government.

Matteo Renzi staked his political future on his attempt to change Italy’s cumbersome political system. He wanted to strengthen central government and weaken the Senate, the upper house of parliament.

His opponents – including some within his own party – had argued that the reforms would give the prime minister too much power. The electorate agreed.

However, more than a resounding victory for the No camp, it was a chance for a medley of populist parties to reject establishment politics.

The opposition, headed by the Five Star Movement, capitalized on Matteo Renzi’s declining popularity, years of economic stagnation, and the problems caused by tens of thousands of migrants arriving in Italy from Africa.

After the vote, Matteo Renzi defended his record, saying exports and job numbers were up and unemployment was down to 11.7%.

Five Star’s leader, Beppe Grillo, has called for an election “within a week”.

President Sergio Mattarella, who praised the high voter turnout, called for a political climate with “serenity and mutual respect”.

There are obligations and deadlines which Italy’s institutions will have to honor “guaranteeing a response that meets the problems of the moment,” he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZzP8TIIc-g

Oscars 2017: Jimmy Kimmel to Host Academy Awards Ceremony

Sonia Pantiss
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Oscars 2017: Jimmy Kimmel to Host Academy Awards Ceremony

Jimmy Kimmel has been tapped to host the 2017 Oscars, it has been announced.

It will be the first time Jimmy Kimmel has fronted the ceremony, which takes place on February 26, 2017.

Jimmy Kimmel addressed Kanye West's profanity-studded Twitter rant during Thursday’s monologue
Jimmy Kimmel addressed Kanye West’s profanity-studded Twitter rant during Thursday’s monologue

Jimmy Kimmel has previously hosted the American Music Awards and has twice fronted the Emmys – in 2012 and 2016.

Previous presenters of the Oscars include Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock, Seth MacFarlane, Whoopi Goldberg and Neil Patrick Harris.

Since 2003, Jimmy Kimmel has hosted his own nightly hour long talk show – Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Regular features on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show include celebrity guests reading out insulting tweets about themselves and parents filming their children’s reaction to being told all of their Halloween chocolate has been eaten.

Jimmy Kimmel has also made cameo appearances in movies such as Pitch Perfect 2 and Ted 2, as well as TV shows including Sesame Street and Entourage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRp68xs7cno

Donald Trump Picks Ben Carson to Lead US Housing

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Picks Ben Carson to Lead US Housing

Donald Trump has picked Ben Carson as secretary of housing and urban development.

“Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities,” the president-elect said in a statement about his former rival for the Republican nomination, adding that the two had discussed his “urban renewal agenda”.

Ben Carson is the first African-American to be nominated for Donald Trump’s cabinet.

The retired neurosurgeon endorsed Donald Trump in March after ending his own bid for the White House.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans,” Donald Trump’s statement said.

However, Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi criticized the nomination of Ben Carson calling him a “disconcerting and disturbingly unqualified choice to lead a department as complex and consequential as housing and urban development”.

The agency has an annual budget of about $50 billion.

Donald Trump has not always been so positive about the man he has chosen to join his administration.

In November 2015, when Ben Carson briefly overtook him in the polls for the Republican nomination, Donald Trump launched sustained attacks on his rival’s character.

In one tweet, he brought together three of Ben Carson’s most controversial statements, bringing up Carson’s own admissions about his violent behavior growing up in a poor family in Detroit.

Ben Carson has since reiterated statements about his teenage years first made in his autobiography, in which he admitted to wanting to hit his mother on the head with a hammer and to trying to stab a friend.

His assertion that the Egyptian pyramids were not built to entomb pharaohs but instead by the Biblical figure Joseph to store grain were widely ridiculed when they emerged in November.

Ben Carson is a devout Protestant Christian who is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church.

Cabinet appointments need to be confirmed by the Senate.

There are still major cabinet positions yet to be announced, including the next secretary of state.

As well as his top team, Donald Trump has about 4,000 government positions to fill.

Preparing Your Startup For Additional Costs Before The Business Frosts

Dana R
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Preparing Your Startup For Additional Costs Before The Business Frosts

The overriding factor in any startup environment, aside from the location or the people you need, is the finances. If you evaluate your business plan in enough detail, you will understand how much money is needed in order to get the venture started with enough money to spare. This is a common misconception among smaller businesses, that if you start out strong you can keep the momentum. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. If you run out of resources early on, you can run the business into the ground very quickly. Prior to starting your business officially, there are some things that you can prepare for, and all it involves is making lists.

profits

pixabay.com

Business Assets

These are what you will need in the long term. The fundamental items of equipment you will need, in other words, the inventory. From the machinery and tables, right down to the din 2093 spring, make an inventory of what you will need at the outset. These will consist of your starting assets, discounting the money you have in the bank. For each item, you need to make an educated guess of what each item will cost. If you really are not sure, either do some research or overestimate.

Business Expenses

Different from an asset, as everything you purchase is not an asset. You can spend business money on expenses, for example, the cost of setting up your business website, or the cost to fix up your offices, or the salaries you pay your employees. Now you add the starting assets and the starting expenses together to calculate the vast majority of your starting costs.

Figure Out The Amount Of Money You Will Need To Begin

This is the last piece of the jigsaw. Knowing how much money you will need in your accounts for the first few uncertain months of the business will be the deciding factor in keeping the business afloat. Now, there are different ways to do this. A lot of people would say that you need to cover 6 months of expenses, maybe 12 months, but the best way would be to estimate the sales, the expenses and the costs of the sales and expenses over the first year. You may wish to create a sales forecast to help guide you.

What you should now have is a list of 12 months with the costs, expenses and estimated sales for each individual month. The costs and the expenses are then subtracted from the sales for each month, you should then see if you are short of money or not. Using that, you can then start to see how long it will take for you to break even and how much cash you are lacking in. The amount is what you need to have behind you as the total starting cash for the business.

stock-exchange

https://pixabay.com/en/stock-exchange-world-economy-man-911609/

The great thing about this method of calculation, is that if you have not had a business plan put in place, this will be a starting point for you to make a business plan! Get prepared, by understanding your additional costs!

Austria Elections 2016: Alexander Van der Bellen Defeats Norbert Hofer in Presidential Poll

Diane A. Wade
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Austria Elections 2016: Alexander Van der Bellen Defeats Norbert Hofer in Presidential Poll

Austria’s far-right presidential candidate Norbert Hofer has lost the country’s election.

On Facebook, Norbert Hofer described himself as “infinitely sad” and congratulated Alexander Van der Bellen, former head of the Greens, on his victory.

Although the president’s role is ceremonial in Austria, the poll had been seen as a sign of how well populist candidates might do elsewhere in Europe.

Alexander Van der Bellen called the result a vote for a “pro-European” Austria based on “freedom, equality and solidarity”.

Referring to the Austrian flag, he said a “red-white-red signal of hope and change, a red-white-red signal today goes from Austria to all the capitals of the EU.

“Finally, you know, I will try to be an open-minded, a liberal-minded and first of all a pro-European federal president of the Republic of Austria.”

December 4 vote was a re-run of May’s election, which Alexander Van der Bellen narrowly won but was marred by postal vote irregularities.

Photo euractiv.com
Photo euractiv.com

The Green Party’s said there had been significant changes – Brexit, the US election – since then, along with an increase in political interest – “an enormously broad electoral movement”.

Alexander Van der Bellen’s margin in May – 30,000 votes – had now increased tenfold.

EU leaders have been welcoming the result, which comes amid fears of populism undermining established parties.

European Council President Donald Tusk conveyed “wholehearted congratulations” while Germany’s Social Democrat Vice-Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, called the result “a clear victory for reason against right-wing populism”.

France’s President Francois Hollande thanked Austria for “choosing Europe and openness”.

Germany, France and the Netherlands all face elections next year in which anti-mainstream and anti-immigration parties are gaining ground.

A referendum under way in Italy is being closely followed for further signs of anti-establishment populism, with polls suggesting a setback for centre-left PM Matteo Renzi.

But the Austrian results surprised many.

Opinion polls in the run-up to December 4 vote suggested the result was too close to call.

Projections now give Alexander Van der Bellen roughly 53% to 46% for Norbert Hofer.

The election campaign ahead of December 4 vote was bitter, with both candidates trading insults and election posters being defaced.

Norbert Hofer, the candidate for the anti-immigration Freedom Party, conceded within minutes of the first projections in this rerun.

He thanked supporters and described himself as “infinitely sad that it hasn’t worked out”.

Norbert Hofer called on all Austrians to work together, “regardless of how we cast our ballots”.

He had campaigned on an anti-immigration platform amid disquiet in Austria at an influx of refugees. Establishment parties feared a victory for him could give a boost to the Freedom Party in the next parliamentary election.

Norbert Hofer had also suggested Austria could follow the UK’s Brexit with a referendum of its own but later appeared to backtrack, suggesting instead changing the bloc into a purely economic association.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s anti-immigration Front National, congratulated the Freedom Party on its campaign and looked forward to victory in Austria’s parliamentary poll.

Full official results are not expected until December 5 once postal ballots have been counted. Nearly 6.5 million Austrians were eligible to vote.

Donald Trump Threatens 35% Tax on US Companies that Move Jobs Overseas

Clyde K. Valle
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Donald Trump Threatens 35% Tax on US Companies that Move Jobs Overseas

Donald Trump has vowed to impose punitive taxes on US companies that move manufacturing overseas.

The president-elect promised a 35% tax on products sold in the United States by any business that fired American workers, and built a factory elsewhere.

Companies should be “forewarned prior to making a very expensive mistake”, he said.

Donald Trump has promised to help blue-collar workers, as well as reduce taxes and regulations on businesses.

Image source Flickr
Image source Flickr

He tweeted: “The US is going to substantialy [sic] reduce taxes and regulations on businesses, but any business that leaves our country for another country, fires its employees, builds a new factory or plant in the other country, and then thinks it will sell its product back into the US without retribution or consequence, is WRONG!”

Donald Trump went on: “There will be a tax on our soon to be strong border of 35% for these companies wanting to sell their product, cars, A.C. units etc., back across the border.

“This tax will make leaving financially difficult, but these companies are able to move between all 50 states, with no tax or tariff being charged.

“Please be forewarned prior to making a very expensive mistake! THE UNITED STATES IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.”

Last week Donald Trump tweeted a warning to Rexnord Corp, an industrial supplier based in Milwaukee that plans to move a bearings plant and its 300 jobs from Indiana to Mexico.

“Rexnord of Indiana is moving to Mexico and rather viciously firing all of its 300 workers. This is happening all over the country. No more!” he wrote.

Experts have warned that the president-elect will face legal challenges if he tries to impose tariffs on specific companies without congressional approval.

Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, predicted that the US courts would block such a move.

Fidel Castro Funeral: Cuban Revolution Leader’s Ashes Buried in Santiago

Diane A. Wade
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Fidel Castro Funeral: Cuban Revolution Leader’s Ashes Buried in Santiago

The ashes of late Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro have been laid to rest in the city of Santiago, nine days after his death at the age of 90.

Crowds lined the streets to see the cortege heading to the Santa Ifigenia cemetery for a private ceremony.

On December 3, Fidel Castro’s brother, Cuban President Raul Castro, promised “to defend the fatherland and socialism”.

In a family ceremony, Fidel Castro’s ashes were interred next to those of the 19th Century Cuban independence hero, Jose Marti.

The city of Santiago is known as the birthplace of the Cuban Revolution.fidel-castro-funeral

The funeral brings an end to nine days of national mourning across Cuba.

Fidel Castro’s remains arrived in December 3 in Santiago after a four-day journey from the capital, Havana.

He was part of the small group of revolutionaries who launched an attack on the Moncada barracks in Santiago on July 26, 1953.

The attacked failed, but it was considered the first act of the revolution that would depose the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959.

Opinion on Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century, remains divided.

Raul Castro took over when his brother’s health deteriorated in 2006.

The Cuban president has announced that his government will ban naming any monuments or roads after Fidel Castro, at the request of the late leader who “strongly opposed any manifestation of cult of personality”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ERu129w5E

Ghost Ship Fire Death Toll Rises to 30

Nancy Clayson
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Ghost Ship Fire Death Toll Rises to 30

According to Oakland officials, 30 people were found dead inside the site of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire, and that number is expected to rise.

Only about 20% of the building has been searched and “a significant number” of people are still missing, officials said.

It is unclear what caused the fire at the converted warehouse.

The safety record of the building is under close scrutiny. There were no sprinklers. The only exit from the second floor was a makeshift stairwell.

Meanwhile, a man identified by former residents as the collective’s co-operator, has drawn criticism for a Facebook post, in which he wrote that “everything I worked so hard for is gone”, without acknowledging those who died.

Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said between 50 and 100 people were inside the venue when the fire started on December 2.

Image source abc7
Image source abc7

The old warehouse, known as the Ghost Ship, was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna and six other acts.

The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.

The building did not have a sprinkler system and firefighters did not hear any alarms when they arrived, Teresa Deloach-Reed said.

The warehouse, which housed artists in improvised studios, was packed with furniture, mannequins and other objects, obstructing firefighters’ efforts to put out the blaze, she added.

“It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze, almost.”

Fire crews worked all night at the scene. The search for bodies is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours.

Oakland Fire Dept. Batt. Chief Melinda Drayton said firefighters were going through the debris “bucket by bucket”.

“It was quiet, it was heartbreaking,” she said, choking back tears.

“This will be a long and arduous process.

“We don’t believe we have even gotten close to the origin of the fire.”

Melinda Drayton said every precaution was being taken to treat the victims’ remains with respect.

Only three of the bereaved families are believed to have had their loved ones’ deaths confirmed, due to issues with identification.

Oakland’s Planning Department said it had opened an investigation into the premises last month after complaints from neighbors about rubbish, and of people living inside, against building regulations.

One former resident, Shelley Mack, told the AP the building was “like a horror house”, adding that there was no electricity or running water.

Media in Oakland named Derick Ion 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.

Neither co-owner has commented publicly and their whereabouts are unknown.

Much of the work in the wake of the fire has focused on securing the building to allow search teams and investigators to enter.

Relatives of those who are missing have gathered at the Oakland coroners’ office.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A67Ujrhu0c

Italy Referendum 2016: High Turnout in Vote on Matteo Renzi’s Fate

Diane A. Wade
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Italy Referendum 2016: High Turnout in Vote on Matteo Renzi’s Fate

Italy voted in a constitutional referendum which is being closely watched for further signs of anti-establishment sentiment in Europe.

The vote, called by center-left PM Matteo Renzi, is formally on plans to streamline parliament but is expected to be used as a chance to register discontent.

Populist parties support a No vote.

The turnout on December 4 referendum has been very high by Italian standards – about 60% on average.

Nearly two-thirds of the electorate has voted in prosperous northern Italy but the turnout was much lower in the south.

Voting began at 07:00 and ended at 23:00 local time.

Matteo Renzi is the youngest prime minister in Italy's history, and one of its least experienced

PM Matteo Renzi, who has said he will resign if he loses, is set to address the Italian people at midnight.

In brief, the reforms include reducing the power of the Senate. Its members would be cut from 315 to 100, with most drawn from mayors and regional representatives.

Matteo Renzi, 41, says the reforms would speed up the cumbersome law-making process in Italy, which has had 60 governments since 1948.

Opponents say the proposals would concentrate too much power in the prime minister’s hands.

Some 50 million Italians have the right to vote in the referendum – many voters are fed up with years of economic stagnation.

An opinion poll in November gave the No vote a lead of at least five percentage points. But many Italians are thought to be still undecided.

The No campaign in Italy has been spearheaded by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, led by Beppe Grillo. It wants a referendum on whether Italy should keep the euro.

Populists, including the Five Star Movement and the anti-immigrant Northern League, would receive a boost from the prime minister’s defeat.

If Italy votes No, it would follow a similar trend seen with the UK’s vote in June to leave the EU, as well as the rise of the anti-immigrant Front National in France and populist parties elsewhere (along with Donald Trump’s unexpected win in the US presidential election).

The possibility of Matteo Renzi falling from power has reignited concerns about financial stability in the eurozone’s third largest economy.

If Matteo Renzi does lose, it is still not entirely certain that he will be out of power.

President Sergio Mattarella could ask Matteo Renzi to form a new government or appoint a technocratic prime minister to serve until elections due in 2018.

Recount 2016: Jill Stein’s Campaign Changes Strategy in Pennsylvania Bid

Diane A. Wade
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Recount 2016: Jill Stein’s Campaign Changes Strategy in Pennsylvania Bid

Jill Stein and her party have changed their strategy in seeking a state-wide recount in Pennsylvania.

Her campaign says it will go to the federal courts, hours after dropping an appeal in a Pennsylvania state court.

The Green Party had earlier said voters could not afford the $1 million bond ordered by the state court.

Jill Stein has tried to force recounts in Michigan and Wisconsin as well; all three were narrowly won by Donald Trump.

Image source Flickr
Image source Flickr

The Greens’ decision comes two days before a court hearing was scheduled on the case in Pennsylvania where Donald Trump’s margin of victory was 49,000, or less than 1%.

Donald Trump’s supporters are trying to block the recount bid, which are unlikely to change the polls results if they take place.

“Make no mistake, the Stein campaign will continue to fight for a state-wide recount in Pennsylvania,” recount campaign lawyer Jonathan Abady said in a statement.

“We are committed to this fight to protect the civil and voting rights of all Americans.”

Jonathan Abady said barriers to a recount in Pennsylvania are pervasive and the state court system is ill-equipped to address the problem.

Jill Stein, who was the Green Party’s presidential candidate, says the recount bid is needed to explore whether voting machines and systems had been hacked and the election result manipulated.

Her campaign has so far offered no evidence of hacking, and supporters of Donald Trump have asked the state court to dismiss the case.

A recount has already started in Wisconsin, which Donald Trump won by 22,000 votes. On December 2, a federal court rejected a request by Donald Trump’s supporters to immediately halt the recount there, but allowed a lawsuit to proceed.

In Michigan, Donald Trump’s team filed a complaint with the elections board to block a recount of all 4.8 million ballots cast in the state, which he won by 10,700 votes. A recount there could begin next week.

Hillary Clinton, who lost to Donald Trump, has kept silent on the matter, but her campaign has said it would co-operate with Jill Stein’s recount efforts.

Austria Elections 2016: Norbert Hofer vs Alexander Van der Bellen in Re-run Vote

Diane A. Wade
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Austria Elections 2016: Norbert Hofer vs Alexander Van der Bellen in Re-run Vote

Austria is voting in a re-run of a presidential election which pits the leader of the far-right Freedom Party Norbert Hofer against former Green Party head Alexander Van der Bellen.

Last May’s vote was narrowly won by Alexander Van der Bellen, but the result was overturned by Austria’s highest court because of irregularities in the count.

If Norbert Hofer wins, he will become the EU’s first far-right head of state.

Opinion polls held in November suggest the vote is too close to call.

Although the president’s role is largely ceremonial in Austria, the vote is being watched as a barometer of how well populist candidates will do in upcoming elections.

Photo euractiv.com
Photo euractiv.com

France, the Netherlands and Germany all face elections in 2017 and anti-mainstream and anti-immigration parties are gaining ground.

The direction in which Austria will take with regard to the EU is also closely watched.

Norbert Hofer has campaigned on an anti-immigration platform, and initially said Austria could follow Britain’s vote to leave the EU with a referendum of its own. Alexander Van der Bellen has told Austrians it is proof that Norbert Hofer is in favor of “Oexit” (a reference to Austria’s name in German, Oesterreich).

However, at a party meeting on December 2, Norbert Hofer said opponents who repeatedly accused him of seeking a break with the EU were themselves damaging Austria.

“People who permanently talk about Oexit and accuse others of damaging the country with talk of Oexit should take a look at themselves and think about whether they are the ones damaging Austria the most,” he said.

In April 2015, Norbert Hofer won the first round of presidential elections by knocking out centrist candidates from parties that have dominated Austria since WWII.

Alexander Van der Bellen won the second round, but by just 31,000 votes. The Freedom Party then challenged the result which was then annulled due to irregularities.

The election campaign has been long and bitter, with both men trading insults, and with posters of both being defaced.

In the final TV debate on December 1, Norbert Hofer called Alexander Van der Bellen a liar 24 times, and had the insult returned three times, according to the Kurier newspaper.

Austria’s vote coincides with a closely-watched referendum in Italy, where center-left PM Matteo Renzi is staking his political future on a package of political reforms that is being challenged by the populist Five-Star Movement of Beppe Grillo.

Fidel Castro Funeral: Final Tributes Led by Raul Castro at Santiago Ceremony

Diane A. Wade
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Fidel Castro Funeral: Final Tributes Led by Raul Castro at Santiago Ceremony

The final tributes to late Cuban leader Fidel Castro have been led by his brother, President Raul Castro, at a ceremony in the city of Santiago.

Tens of thousands of Cubans attended the event, as well as world leaders.

The Cuban president vowed to honor the socialist principles and goals of the revolution led by Fidel Castro, who died on November 25 at the age of 90.

Photo Wikipedia
Photo Wikipedia

Raul Castro also announced that Cuba would ban naming any monuments or roads after Fidel Castro, at the request of the late leader.

“The leader of the revolution strongly opposed any manifestation of cult of personality,” said Raul Castro.

No statues or busts of Fidel Castro will be erected in Cuba, he said.

The urn with his ashes will be interred on December 4 in Santiago, known as the birthplace as the Cuban Revolution.

It arrived on December 3 in Santiago, after a four-day journey from the capital, Havana.

Large crowds shouting “Long live Fidel!” and “I am Fidel!” greeted his funeral cortege through the streets of Santiago.

The leaders of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have attended the ceremony.

Fidel Castro was part of the small group of revolutionaries who launched an attack on the barracks on July 26, 1953.

The attacked failed, but it was considered the first act of the revolution that would depose the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959.

Opinion on Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century, remains divided.

Supporters say Fidel Castro returned Cuba to the people and praise him for some of his social programs, such as public health and education.

However, critics call him a dictator, who led a government that did not tolerate opposition and dissent.

Raul Castro took over when his brother’s health deteriorated in 2006.

Fidel Castro’s ashes will be placed in the Ifigenia Cemetery, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti is buried.

Oakland Fire: At Least Nine People Die at Ghost Ship Nightclub

Nancy Clayson
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Oakland Fire: At Least Nine People Die at Ghost Ship Nightclub

At least nine people have died and other 25 are missing after a fire broke up at the Ghost Ship nightclub in Oakland, California.

According to authorities, the fire started at 11:30PM local time on December 2.

The fire became so out of control that at one point all fire units were ordered out of the building.

The venue was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna as part of its 100% Silk tour.

Image source Twitter
Image source Twitter

Local broadcasters said some 13 other people were missing. The KTVU network said about 50 people were inside.

The building housed artists in studios, it said. It did not appear to be a formal concert venue.

One of the artists who lived in the building, photographer Bob Mule, told the East Bay Times he tried but failed to help a friend get out.

“I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke,” he said.

“I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work.”

Fire chief Teresa Deloach-Read told the newspaper the building had no sprinkler system.

Videos posted on social media by the fire department showed a large fire burning through the roof of the building. Three fire engines were called out.

The event’s Facebook page said the event, that featured seven acts, was to be held in a secret location in the east of Oakland that was announced only on the day it was held.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5aJoztRc1w

Football Leaks Reveal Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho Avoided Paying Tax on Millions of Dollars

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Football Leaks Reveal Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho Avoided Paying Tax on Millions of Dollars

Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho have been accused of tax avoidance, according to claims based on a huge document leak.

They allegedly avoided paying tax on millions of dollars of earnings by moving large sums to the British Virgin Islands.

The allegations are said to be based on two terrabytes of leaked information which include original contracts.

Both of them deny the claims.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Soccer agency Gestifute, which represents Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho, said in a statement: “Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho are fully compliant with their tax obligations with the Spanish and British tax authorities.

“Any insinuation or accusation made to Cristiano Ronaldo or Jose Mourinho over the commission of a tax offence will be reported to the legal authorities and prosecuted.”

The claims were published by an international consortium of journalists which obtained a trove of about 18 millions documents. Other top players were named in the documents.

The European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium includes German newspaper Der Spiegel, Spain’s El Mundo and the UK’s Sunday Times. It says it intends to publish a series of articles under the banner “Football Leaks” over the next few weeks.

The leak comes eight months after the so-called Panama Papers lifted the lid on how the world’s rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.

One of the newspapers in the consortium, the Dutch NRC, alleges that Cristiano Ronaldo moved €63.5 million ($67.7 million) to the British Virgin Islands at the end of 2014.

The paper says Cristiano Ronaldo received sponsorship fees which were moved via two Irish companies to the tax haven, 11 days before Spain changed an advantageous tax law.

The NRC says the striker has so far not responded to questions asked by the consortium.

According to El Mundo, the leaked documents relate to the time that Jose Mourinho spent as manager of Real Madrid, between 2010 and 2013.

Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo’s current employer, did not respond to requests from news agencies for comment.

Manchester United said the allegations related to events before Jose Mourinho’s arrival at the club and so it would not comment.

Jose Mourinho is reported to have moved €12 million ($13.2 million) into a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company, according to the EIC.

According to the reports, December 2 first batch of leaks centered on “a system” put in place by Jorge Mendes, whose company has denied any wrongdoing.

Jorge Mendes’ company, Gestifute, said in a statement that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Jose Mourinho “have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain”.

Gestifute noted it had taken legal redress against claims of tax evasion and stressed it had always acted with “the highest degree of professionalism in relations with [its] clients and authorities”.

It accused the media consortium of operating in an “insidious” way concerning the stars’ tax obligations.

Donald Trump Taiwan Call: China Foreign Ministry Lodges Complaint with US

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Taiwan Call: China Foreign Ministry Lodges Complaint with US

China’s foreign ministry says it has lodged a complaint with the US after Donald Trump spoke to Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen in a phone call.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. US policy set in 1979 cut all formal relations with Taiwan.

However, Donald Trump’s transition team said he and Tsai Ing-wen noted “close economic, political, and security ties” in a phone call.

China said it had lodged a “solemn representation” with Washington.

According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, China urged the US “to cautiously, properly handle Taiwan issue to avoid unnecessary disturbance to Sino-US relations”.Taiwan elections Tsai Ing wen

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed the call as a “petty trick” by Taiwan, Chinese state media said.

Donald Trump tweeted on December 2 that Tsai Ing-wen had called Donald Trump to congratulate him on winning the US election.

His team said that the US president-elect had also congratulated Tsai Ing-wen on becoming the president of Taiwan last January.

It is highly unusual for a US president or president-elect to speak to a Taiwanese leader directly.

Following media reports pointing out the risks of angering China, Donald Trump tweeted: “Interesting how the US sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.”

The White House has said Donald Trump’s conversation does not signal any change in US policy. And according to media reports, the White House learned of the call only after it had happened.

Donald Trump’s spokeswoman said he was “well aware” of US policy towards Taiwan.

The split between China and Taiwan goes back to 1949, when the Republic of China (ROC) government fled the mainland to Taiwan. After 1945, it held China’s seat on the UN Security Council and was, for a while, recognized by many Western nations as the only Chinese government.

In 1971, the UN switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing and the ROC government was forced out. Only a handful of countries now recognize Taiwan’s government.

The US cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979, expressing its support for Beijing’s “One China” concept, which states that Taiwan is part of China.

China has hundreds of missiles pointing towards Taiwan, and has threatened to use force if it seeks independence.

President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female leader, led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a landslide victory in the January 2016 election.

The DPP has traditionally leaned towards independence from China. President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration does not accept the One China policy.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposed any official interaction or military contact between the US and Taiwan, according to the People’s Daily, a Communist Party mouthpiece.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the conversation between Donald Trump and Tsai Ing-wen was “just a petty trick by Taiwan” that he believed would not change US policy toward China, state media reported.

“The One China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-US relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged,” he was quoted as saying.

The comment was repeated in a formal statement by the Foreign Ministry reported by Xinhua.

Despite the cut in formal ties nearly four decades ago, the US has still maintained friendly non-official relations with Taiwan.

Following Donald Trump’s phone call, the White House said the US remained firmly committed to its “One China” policy.

Barack Obama: Donald Trump Should Elect A Cybersecurity Ambassador Within First 100 Days

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama: Donald Trump Should Elect A Cybersecurity Ambassador Within First 100 Days

According to a new report, President Barack Obama has recommended to President-elect Donald Trump to elect a cybersecurity ambassador to help keep the US secure.

The 100-page document highlights areas where the US falls short and calls on the private sector to help hasten the improvement of digital services.

President Barack Obama set up the commission in preparation for the new administration.Barack Obama blames media for Donald Trump coverage

The outgoing president said its recommendations should be followed within the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency.

“Now it is time for the next administration to take up this charge and ensure that cyberspace can continue to be the driver for prosperity, innovation, and change both in the United States and around the world,” Barack Obama said.

However, the report is only advisory and Donald Trump could choose to ignore its suggestions.

In its 16 recommendations, the Presidential Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity also suggested implementing a kind of “nutritional label” system for devices. The label would contain independent advice on how secure a particular device may or may not be.

The report’s backdrop comes amid ongoing concern about how weak cybersecurity is allowing other nations to interfere with US governance.

Christmas 2016: Mall of America Hires Its First Black Santa

Nancy Clayson
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Christmas 2016: Mall of America Hires Its First Black Santa

For the first time in the Mall of America’s 24-year history, a black Santa will greet families for annual Christmas photos.

The shopping center in Minnesota has employed Larry Jefferson, a retired army veteran from Texas.

Larry Jefferson will greet children this weekend at the shopping centre’s Christmas experience.

Co-owner of the photo studio, Landon Luther, has told the Minnesota Star Tribune that he’s been looking for a more diverse Santa that children of color can relate to since 2015.

“This is a long time coming,” Landon Luther said.

Image source Facebook
Image source Facebook

“We want Santa to be for everyone, period. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. He considers himself a Santa for all.”

Landon Luther says he got Santa Sid, who’s been having his photo taken with children for the last 20 years, to look for a black Santa.

He finally tracked one down in July at a Santa convention in Branson, Missouri, where hundreds of impersonators convened for a “Kringle family reunion”.

Larry Jefferson is working at the Mall of America until December 4, before he returns to his own seasonal circuit in Dallas, Texas.

He says children don’t care what color he is.

“What they see most of the time is this red suit and candy,” Larry Jefferson told the Star Tribune.

“[Santa represents] a good spirit. I’m just a messenger to bring hope, love and peace to girls and boys.”

Larry Jefferson said he started wearing a Santa outfit in 1999 and used to visit his nephews at their house because they were too sick to go to an official experience.

He grew a white beard after retiring from the US army in 2015 and since then has graduated from Santa University in Denver, Colorado (he also has a degree in sociology).

Larry Jefferson booked up already all weekend and there’s now a waiting list for appointments.

A Safe Employee Is A Happy Employee, According To The Experts

Dana R
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A Safe Employee Is A Happy Employee, According To The Experts

Most businesses are under the impression that pay is the primary motivating factor in the workplace. But, for the vast majority of workers, there’s more to a job than just the amount of cash it allows them to bank at the end of the month. One of the most important, non-pay factors, is of course safety. It’s safety that makes the difference between being able to turn up to work happy to face the challenges of the day, and turning up to work wondering whether you’re going to go home in the evening in one piece.

employee

Flickr

A positive health and safety culture can actually be an enormous asset to a company. Take Marlin Steel, a big steel producing company where employees have to regularly deal with heavy equipment and molten metal. The company, headed by Drew Greenblatt, decided a few years back that it wanted to foster a culture where workers weren’t worried that they were going to go home at the end of the day missing several of their fingers. The company recently announced that it had managed to go 1,500 days straight without a single incident at its production facility. The reason for this, Greenblatt suggests, is the fact that the business takes the safety seriously from the get go. As soon as employees arrive at the plant, they’re greeted by an enormous green sign that proudly says, “safety begins here.” This has become a part of the company culture, and employees are actually boastful of the safe environs of the factory.

worker

Flickr

Visits by the authorities to inspect the facilities are no longer seen as some sort of threat to the business. Quite the reverse. Greenblatt sees these inspections as an opportunity to learn more about safety features and fire protection services. Even though it’s a government agency, there’s still stuff that they can teach businesses, apparently.

Greenblatt’s focus on safety began when he was introduced to a glass maker in his area who had an exemplary safety record. The factory, which was full of some of the most dangerous objects in industry, like sheet glass, band saws and welding machines, should have been a health and safety nightmare. But instead, it had been transformed into a safe environment through some rather clever initiatives.

566px-ruby_loftus_screwing_a_breech-ring_1943_art-_iwm_ld_2850

Wikipedia

Perhaps the most important of these was the fact that employees were invited to take part in regular health and safety committees. Here, they were able to lay out their concerns in front of management, and management would quickly react and implement new safety protocols. What’s more, when employees hear suggestions coming from their peers, rather than from on high, they’re actually a lot more likely to respect them.

Greenblatt soon replicated these measures in his own plant, following on from what he had learned from the glass factory. Devoting time to people, he found, made a big difference to the safety culture within his business. It’s not always a case of throwing money at the problem, he says. It’s about doing stuff that actually fixes health and safety issues.

Gambia Elections 2016: Yahya Jammeh Concedes to Adama Barrow Following Surprise Defeat

Diane A. Wade
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Gambia Elections 2016: Yahya Jammeh Concedes to Adama Barrow Following Surprise Defeat

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has suffered a surprise defeat in the country’s general election.

The authoritarian president for 22 years will be replaced by property developer Adama Barrow, who won more than 45% of the vote.

Yahya Jammeh, who came to power in a coup in 1994, has conceded, said electoral commission chief Alieu Momar Njie.

Before announcing the final result, Alieu Momar Njie appealed for calm as Gambia entered unchartered waters.

The African country has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence in 1965.Yahya Jammeh returns to Gambia after coup plot

Mr Barrow won 263,515 votes (45.5%) in Thursday’s election, while President Jammeh took 212,099 (36.7%), according to the electoral commission.

Adama Barrow, who runs his own property company, reportedly used to work as a security guard at an Argos department store on London’s Holloway Road.

On the electoral campaign, he promised to revive Gambia’s economy, which has forced thousands of Gambians to make the perilous journey to Europe.

A devout Muslim, Yahya Jammeh, 51, once said he would rule for “one billion years” if “Allah willed it”.

Human rights groups have accused Yahya Jammeh, who has in the past claimed he can cure AIDS and infertility, of repression and abuses.

Several previous opposition leaders are in jail after taking part in a rare protest in April.

Observers from the EU and the West African regional bloc Ecowas did not attend the vote.

Gambian officials opposed the presence of Western observers, but the EU said it was staying away out of concern about the fairness of the voting process.

However, the African Union did dispatch a handful of observers to supervise the vote.

The Gambia, a tiny country with a population of fewer than two million, is surrounded on three sides by Senegal and has a short Atlantic coastline popular with European tourists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqc6o83mwOQ

Study: Parkinson’s Disease May Be Caused by Gut Bacteria

Kathryn R. Bown
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Study: Parkinson’s Disease May Be Caused by Gut Bacteria

A new study, published in the journal Cell, suggests Parkinson’s disease may be caused by bacteria living in the gut.

Scientists say the findings could eventually lead to new ways of treating the brain disorder, such as drugs to kill gut bugs or probiotics.

In Parkinson’s disease the brain is progressively damaged, leading to patients experiencing a tremor and difficulty moving.

Californian researchers used mice genetically programmed to develop Parkinson’s disease as they produced very high levels of the protein alpha-synuclein, which is associated with damage in the brains of Parkinson’s patients.

Experts found that only those animals with bacteria in their stomachs developed symptoms. Sterile mice remained healthy.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the most common movement disorder
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the most common movement disorder

Further tests showed transplanting bacteria from Parkinson’s patients to mice led to more symptoms than bacteria taken from healthy people.

Dr. Timothy Sampson, one of the researchers at the California Institute of Technology, said: “This was the <<eureka>> moment, the mice were genetically identical, the only difference was the presence or absence of gut microbiota.

“Now we were quite confident that gut bacteria regulate, and are even required for, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.”

Researchers believe the bacteria are releasing chemicals that over-activate parts of the brain, leading to damage.

The bacteria can break down fiber into short-chain fatty acids. It is thought an imbalance in these chemicals triggers the immune cells in the brain to cause damage.

Dr. Sarkis Mazmanian said: “We have discovered for the first time a biological link between the gut microbiome and Parkinson’s disease.

“More generally, this research reveals that a neurodegenerative disease may have its origins in the gut and not only in the brain as had been previously thought.

“The discovery that changes in the microbiome may be involved in Parkinson’s disease is a paradigm shift and opens entirely new possibilities for treating patients.”

Parkinson’s disease is currently incurable.

The findings need to be confirmed in humans, but the researchers hope that drugs that work in the digestive system or even probiotics may become new therapies for the disease.

The trillions of bacteria that live in the gut are hugely important to health, so wiping them out completely is not an option.

Chapecoense Plane Crash: Pilot Was Warned over Fuel Before Taking off

Diane A. Wade
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Chapecoense Plane Crash: Pilot Was Warned over Fuel Before Taking off

According to new reports, the pilot of a charter plane that crashed in Colombia on November 28 had been warned before taking off from an airport in Bolivia that he might not have enough fuel.

Bolivia’s Deber newspaper said that an airport official raised the concern after checking the plane’s flight plan.

Seventy-one people died in the plane crash, including members of Brazil’s Chapecoense soccer team. Six people survived.

Bodies of the victims are due to be repatriated to Brazil.

Colombian authorities have said evidence is growing that the British-made BAE 146 Avro RJ85 aircraft ran out of fuel as it tried to land at Medellin airport. Experts say it was flying at, or very near, its maximum range.

In a leaked tape, pilot Miguel Quiroga can be heard warning of a “total electric failure” and “lack of fuel”.chapecoense-plane-crash

On December 1, Bolivia’s aviation authority suspended the operating license of charter airline LaMia, which was part-owned by Miguel Quiroga, and two other aviation officials.

In the report carried in Deber, the Bolivian airport authority official at Santa Cruz airport said she raised concerns that the plane’s fuel load was only enough for the exact flight time.

The newspaper said she described how the airline’s clerk, who died in the crash, had told her the pilot was confident he had enough fuel. Despite her concerns, the flight plan was passed on to Bolivian air control.

Bolivian officials have not yet commented on the report.

An earlier report carried by Brazil’s O Globo newspaper suggested that because of a delayed departure, a refueling stop in Cobija – on the border between Brazil and Bolivia – was abandoned because the airport did not operate at night.

The pilot had the option to refuel in Bogota, it said, but headed straight to Medellin.

LaMia CEO Gustavo Vargas said on November 30 that the plane should have had enough fuel for about four and a half hours and any decision to refuel was at the pilot’s discretion.

In another development, the Colombian air traffic controller who received the distress call said she had received death threats following the crash.

“I did all that was humanly possible and technically necessary to preserve the lives of the passengers, but unfortunately my efforts weren’t enough,” Yaneth Molina wrote in a letter to her colleagues that was later released to the media.

On the approach to Medellin, the pilot had initially sought permission to land urgently but another plane was given priority because it had suffered a fuel leak. The LaMia flight was told to circle for seven minutes.

Meanwhile, coffins of the Brazilian victims are due to be flown out of Medellin on December 1.

Chapecoense had been due to play a soccer cup final against Atletico Nacional in Medellin.

In the squad’s home town of Chapeco, in southern Brazil, temporary structures have been set up in the football stadium for an open-air wake on December 3.

According to Colombian officials, the plane’s “black boxes”, which record flight details, will be sent to the UK to be opened by investigators.

Donald Trump Picks Mad Dog Mattis as Defense Secretary

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Picks Mad Dog Mattis as Defense Secretary

Donald Trump has appointed General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, a former marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as his defense secretary.

“He’s our best,” the president-elect said, as he announced his pick in a speech in Ohio.

The 66-year-old, who is known as “Mad Dog”, was an outspoken critic of the Obama administration’s Middle East policy, particularly on Iran.

He has referred to Iran as “the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East”.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

Donald Trump made the announcement in Cincinnati at the start of a “USA Thank You Tour 2016” for his supporters.

“We are going to appoint <<Mad Dog>> Mattis as our secretary of defense,” he told the crowd.

“They say he’s the closest thing to General George Patton [World War Two commander] that we have.”

Donald Trump has previously described James Mattis as “a true general’s general”.

The retired Marine Corps officer led an assault battalion during the first Gulf war in 1991 and commanded a task force into southern Afghanistan in 2001.

Gen. James Mattis also took part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and played a key role a year later in the battle of Fallujah against Iraqi insurgents.

He retired in 2013 after serving as the commander of the US Central Command.

Correspondents say his nomination will be popular among US forces.

Gen. James Mattis also received the backing of Senator John McCain, chairman of the armed services committee, who will conduct his confirmation hearing.

“He is without a doubt one of the finest military officers of his generation and an extraordinary leader who inspires a rare and special admiration of his troops,” John McCain said in a statement.

“America will be fortunate to have General Mattis in its service once again.”

However, a legal hurdle must be overcome before he can be appointed.

Under US law, a retired officer must be out of uniform for at least seven years before he or she can serve as defense secretary.

Republican-controlled Congress will have to approve legislation bypassing the requirement so Gen. Mattis can take up the role.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INVkecuTg1g

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