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Andrey Malanin: Russian Consul in Athens Found Dead in His Apartment

Diane A. Wade
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Andrey Malanin: Russian Consul in Athens Found Dead in His Apartment

Andrey Malanin, the head of the consular department at Russia’s embassy in Greece, has been found dead in his flat in Athens, Greek police say.

According to police, initial signs suggested 55-year-old Andrey Malanin died of natural causes, but they were investigating the death.

Andrey Malanin had failed to report for work on January 9 and did not answer his phone, Greek media said. He lived alone on a heavily guarded street.

Russian officials confirmed the consul’s death.

Image source Reuters

According to the Proto Tema website, Andrey Malanin’s colleagues accompanied by police went round to the apartment to check on the consul, but found the door locked from the inside.

Andrey Malanin was found lying on his bedroom floor. Police said the body had no visible injuries and there had been no obvious break-in.

Last month, Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated, apparently in protest at Russian involvement in the bombardment of the Syrian city of Aleppo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlltc7uOKZo

Snake on Plane Grounds Emirates Flight to Dubai

Nancy Clayson
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Snake on Plane Grounds Emirates Flight to Dubai

Emirates flight EK0863 from Muscat, Oman, to Dubai was canceled after staff found a snake on the plane.

The plane was grounded after baggage handlers found the snake in the cargo hold.

An Emirates spokesperson, quoted by Dubai-based media, said the serpent was found before passengers boarded the plane.

Image source WIkimedia

The plane was searched before re-entering service and arriving at its destination several hours later.

The airliner did not specify the species of snake, nor whether it was potentially dangerous.

This is not the first time when a snake has tried to travel free of charge on planes from warm climates.

In November 2016, passengers on a Mexico domestic flight were panicked by the appearance of 3ft-long snake which dropped from the overhead compartments.

A 10ft scrub python was spotted clinging on to the wing as a plane made its way between the Australian town of Cairns and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea in 2013.

Donald Trump Reacts to Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes Speech

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Reacts to Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes Speech

President-elect Donald Trump has reacted to Meryl Streep’s criticism during her acceptance speech at this year’s Golden Globes.

Meryl Streep received a lifetime achievement award at the 74th Golden Globes ceremony.

Donald Trump has responded on Twitter: “Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn’t know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes.

“She is a Hillary flunky who lost big.”

Meryl Streep had referred to Donald Trump during her Globes acceptance speech without naming him.

The three-time Oscar-winning actress told the Golden Globes audience in Beverly Hills on January 8: “It kind of broke my heart.

“This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody’s life. Because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing.”

Image source Getty Images

Meryl Streep said she had been stunned by the president-elect mocking a disabled reporter during a campaign appearance.

Donald Trump tweeted: “For the 100th time, I never <<mocked>> a disabled reporter (would never do that) but simply showed him <<groveling>> when he totally changed a 16 year old story that he had written in order to make me look bad. Just more very dishonest media!”

The president-elect, who is due to be inaugurated on January 20, performed an impression of Serge Kovaleski, who has a congenital joint condition, at a rally in South Carolina during the presidential campaign trail in November 2016.

Meryl Streep also referred to immigration, saying: “Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners and if you kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.”

Donald Trump is considered by many to have a hard-line stance on immigration policy.

Europe Freeze: Cold Weather Kills at Least 20 Across Continent

Nancy Clayson
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Europe Freeze: Cold Weather Kills at Least 20 Across Continent

At least 20 people are now known to have died as the extreme cold weather continue to grip much of Europe.

According to authorities, 10 people died of cold in Poland on January 8.

The bodies of three refugees, two Iraqi and one Somali, were found near the Turkish-Bulgarian border.

Deaths have also reported in Italy, the Czech Republic and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, dozens of flights have been halted. In Turkey, the Bosphorus is closed to shipping after a snowstorm. Even Greece’s islands are covered in snow.

In Serbia, all river transport is suspended on the Danube.

Image source EPA

In some regions of Russia temperatures have plunged to more than -40C (-40F).

Normally milder Greece has witnessed temperatures of -15C (5F) in the north, where an Afghan refugee died of cold last week and roads were closed.

In capital Athens, the temperature failed to rise above 0C over the weekend and many of the islands were covered in snow.

Some of the Greek islands are home to thousands of refugees and many are being moved to temporary housing and heated tents.

Italian homeless hostels are opening their doors day and night as the weather has been blamed for the deaths of seven people, five of them living out in the open.

Airports in Italian cities of Sicily, Bari and Brindisi closed over the weekend.

The Italian capital, Rome, too, saw freezing temperatures.

In Russia, Moscow experienced its coldest Orthodox Christmas in 120 years on January 7.

Dozens of flights have been canceled or delayed in Moscow.

Schools in several regions of Russia are closed on January 9, however officials say milder temperatures are expected in the coming days.

Czech capital, Prague, had its coldest night so far this winter, officials say, with three deaths reported, two of them homeless people.

With the ten deaths confirmed in Poland on January 8, officials say country’s death toll from winter weather has risen to 65 since November 1.

On January 9, Warsaw and Krakow are providing people with free public transport as the authorities try to tackle high smog levels linked to the cold weather.

Kim Kardashian Paris Robbery: Sixteen People Arrested in France

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian Paris Robbery: Sixteen People Arrested in France

French authorities have arrested 16 people in connection with October 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian in Paris, officials say.

According to officials, at the time that Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint by at least two men dressed as police officers.

The men entered her luxury apartment before tying her up and locking her in the bathroom.

They escaped with an estimated €10 million ($10.5 million) in jewellery.

The people arrested on January 9 are believed to be mostly in their 50s, with the oldest aged 72, French media report.

French police said that traces of DNA left at the scene led to the arrests.

Image source Instagram

The individuals were held in early morning raids in the Paris region, Normandy and the French Riviera following three months of investigations.

“One of the DNA samples matched an individual known to police for robbery and criminal offences,” French police said.

Kim Kardashian, who is married to Kanye West, said she feared she was going to be killed at the time. The reality star was left badly shaken but unhurt.

“They’re going to shoot me in the back,” Kim Kardashian is heard telling her sisters in a promotional clip for the new season of the Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The 36-year-old reality star, who became a household name thanks to the reality TV series, was in the French capital at the time of the robbery for Paris Fashion Week, with her mother Kris Jenner and her sister Kendall Jenner.

Kanye West was overseas in New York, performing on stage at the Meadows Music and Arts Festival, when the robbery happened on October 3. He abruptly ended his set, telling fans: “I’m sorry, family emergency. I have to stop the show.”

The robbery caused a storm on social media with a number of celebrities sharing messages of support.

Golden Globes 2017: Meryl Streep Strongly Criticizes Donald Trump in Acceptance Speech

Sonia Pantiss
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Golden Globes 2017: Meryl Streep Strongly Criticizes Donald Trump in Acceptance Speech

Meryl Streep strongly criticized President-elect Donald Trump as she received a lifetime achievement award at this year’s Golden Globes ceremony.

The Hollywood star did not name Donald Trump, but she used almost the entire speech to say the president-elect’ actions legitimized bullying.

Image source Getty Images

In a phone interview with the New York Times, Donald Trump, who is due to be inaugurated in less than two weeks, dismissed Meryl Streep as “a Hillary lover”.

Meryl Streep was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award by Viola Davis.

Watch Meryl Strep’s Golden Globes speech here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpsiwSmy4mg

 

Golden Globe Awards 2017 Winners: Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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Golden Globe Awards 2017 Winners: Full List

The 74th Golden Globe Awards ceremony was led by nominations for La La Land, The Crown, Moonlight and Westworld – and La La Land delivered, winning a record seven prizes.

Best film supporting actor

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Dev Patel, Lion
WINNER: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Best actor in a TV series (drama)

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Reese, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
WINNER: Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath

Best actress in a TV series (musical/comedy)

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
Issa Rae, Insecure
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
WINNER: Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Best TV series (comedy)

Black-ish
Mozart in the Jungle
Transparent
Veep

WINNER: Atlanta

Best actress in a miniseries or TV movie

Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
WINNER: Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson
Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Best miniseries or TV movie

American Crime
The Dresser
The Night Manager
The Night Of
WINNER: American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson

Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV film

Sterling K Brown, American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson
WINNER: Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
John Lithgow, The Crown
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
John Travolta, American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson

Best film score

Moonlight
WINNER: La La Land
Arrival
Lion
Hidden Figures

Best original song

Can’t Stop the Feeling, Trolls
WINNER: City of Stars, La La Land
Faith, Sing
Gold, Gold
How Far I’ll Go, Moana

Best supporting actress in a motion picture (drama)

WINNER: Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV film

WINNER: Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld

Best actor (comedy/musical)

Colin Farrell, The Lobster
WINNER: Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Best screenplay

WINNER: La La Land
Nocturnal Animals
Moonlight
Manchester by the Sea
Hell or High Water

Best animated film

Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
Sing
WINNER: Zootopia

Best foreign language film

Divines
WINNER: Elle
Neruda
The Salesman
Toni Erdmann

Best actor in miniseries or TV movie

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Bryan Cranston, All the Way
John Turturro, The Night Of
WINNER: Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Courtney B Vance, American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson

Best actress in a TV series (drama)

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
WINNER: Claire Foy, The Crown
Keri Russell, The Americans
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Best TV series (drama)

WINNER: The Crown
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

Best film director

WINNER: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Best actor in a TV series (musical/comedy)

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
WINNER: Donald Glover, Atlanta
Nick Nolte, Graves
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best actress in a film (comedy/musical)

Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
WINNER: Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Best film (comedy/musical)

20th Century Women
Deadpool
WINNER: La La Land
Florence Foster Jenkins
Sing Street

Best actor (drama)

WINNER: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Joel Edgerton, Loving
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences

Best actress (drama)

Amy Adams, Arrival
Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
WINNER: Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie

Best film (drama)

Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
WINNER: Moonlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHTdScZHYI8

McDonald’s Sells 80% of Its Business in China and Hong Kong

Clyde K. Valle
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McDonald’s Sells 80% of Its Business in China and Hong Kong

McDonald’s is selling 80% of its business in China and Hong Kong, as part of plans to franchise more of its restaurants worldwide.

China’s state-owned investment group Citic, and Ameircan private equity firm Carlyle Group, will take control of the operations in a deal valued at $2.1 billion.

The fast-food giant owns and operates about 65% of its 2,000 China outlets.

Franchising allows McDonald’s to take a slice of sales while cutting operating costs.

Image source Wikimedia

The company is trying to streamline its global operations, and changing its ownership structure to revolve more around franchises is a major part of that revamp.

In March 2016, McDonald’s said it was seeking partners to help it add more than 1,500 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and Korea over the next five years.

Under the agreement signed on January 9, the McDonald’s will keep a 20% stake in its China business. Citic will hold a 52% share in the partnership while Caryle Group takes 28% of the new business.

Competitor Yum Brands, the owner of KFC and Pizza Hut, is also restructuring its China business.

McDonald’s and Yum Brands have been facing increasing competition from cheaper local rivals, particularly in China, where they are trying to recover from food safety scares.

Golden Globes 2017: La La Land Breaks Record after Winning Seven Awards

Sonia Pantiss
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Golden Globes 2017: La La Land Breaks Record after Winning Seven Awards

La La Land has broken the record for the most Golden Globe Awards after winning seven prizes.

The musical won every award it was nominated for – including best musical or comedy film, best director, screenplay, score and song.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling also won in the acting categories.

The Globes are always seen as pointers to the Oscars.

Moonlight was named best drama film, while Casey Affleck and Isabelle Huppert won other acting prizes.

Casey Affleck was named best actor in a film drama for his role in Manchester By The Sea and Isabelle Huppert was the surprise winner of the award for best film drama actress.

Isabelle Huppert’s performance in thriller Elle – which was also named best foreign language film – beat contenders including Natalie Portman, who had been considered the favorite for playing Jackie Kennedy in Jackie.

Viola Davis was named best supporting film actress in Fences – a role she first played on Broadway six years ago.

Fences is an adaptation of the August Wilson play, which explores race relations in post-war America.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson was named best supporting actor for his role in Nocturnal Animals – a prize that had been widely expected to go to Mahershala Ali for Moonlight.

Zootopia was named best animated feature film at January 8ceremony, which was hosted by Jimmy Fallon.

Jimmy Fallon’s opening monologue was less risqué than those of some of his predecessors, but he still found time to make light of the divisive year in US politics.

He joked that the Golden Globes ceremony was “one of the few places left where America still honors the popular vote” – a reference to Donald Trump beating Hillary Clinton in the recent election despite getting fewer votes overall.

Jimmy Fallon also described grief-stricken film Manchester By The Sea as “the only thing more depressing than 2016”.

This year’s Golden Globes ceremony featured several references to Donald Trump – not least when Meryl Streep launched an attack on the president-elect while accepting the Cecil B. Demille award for outstanding contribution to entertainment.

Meryl Streep referred to Donald Trump’s mocking of a disabled reporter and said: “Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence. And when the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose.”

The Golden Globe Awards, which are run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, honor the best in TV and movie from the past year.

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

Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Dies Aged 82

Diane A. Wade
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Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Dies Aged 82

Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has died aged 82, local media say.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a dominant figure in Iran’s politics since the 1980s, was the country’s president from 1989 to 1997.

He suffered a heart attack.

Rafsanjani played a pivotal role in the 1979 revolution but later in life became a counterpoint to hard-line conservatives.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei hailed a “companion of struggle” despite their differences, saying that the loss was “difficult and overwhelming”.

“The different opinions and interpretations at time in this long period could never entirely break up the friendship between us,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The government declared three days of national mourning.

Image source Wikimedia

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was admitted to the Shohadaa Hospital in Tehran on January 8, where doctors tried unsuccessfully for an hour to save him, media said.

A TV broadcaster broke into programs to bring the news, saying the former president “after a life full of restless efforts in the path of Islam and revolution, had departed for lofty heaven”.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani had warm relations with President Hassan Rouhani, who was seen at the hospital shortly before the death was announced. A crowd reportedly gathered at the hospital later to mourn.

He was born in 1934 in south-eastern Iran to a family of farmers.

He studied theology in the holy city of Qom with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini – who went on to lead the Islamic revolution of 1979 – and was imprisoned several times under the Shah.

In the last year of the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, Ayatollah Khomeini appointed Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani acting commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

He was seen as the main mover behind Iran’s acceptance of the UN Security Council resolution that ended the war.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was also a key player in the development of Iran’s nuclear program.

He was a man known for a sharp wit but who could also be ruthless.

He advocated progressive economic policies, encouraging private businesses and improving infrastructure. His own business holdings were reported to be widespread.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ran for a third time for president in 2005 but lost to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

He became openly critical of the victorious president and in 2009, he sided with reformers who disputed that year’s elections. Nevertheless, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a second term.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani continued to champion moderate causes, such as the release of political prisoners and greater political freedoms for parties prepared to work within the constitution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4UoSyl9z-Q

Barack Obama Warns Donald Trump Not to Run White House as A Family Business

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama Warns Donald Trump Not to Run White House as A Family Business

Barack Obama has revealed he advised his successor Donald Trump not to attempt to run the White House “the way you would manage a family business”.

In an interview with ABC News, the outgoing president said that Donald Trump must “respect” US institutions.

Barack Obama said: “After you have been sworn in, you are now in charge of the largest organization on Earth.”

The president warned that there was a difference between governing and campaigning.

“There are world capitals and financial markets and people all around the world who take really seriously what he [Donald Trump] says,” he said.

Image source AP

Barack Obama also talked about the US intelligence agency’s report into alleged cyber-attacks by Russia and the attempt to influence the 2016 US presidential campaign.

He said that he had “underestimated” the impact of such attacks.

Barack Obama said: “I think that I underestimated the degree to which, in this new information age, it is possible for misinformation… and so forth to have an impact on our open societies.”

He added that a conversation had taken place with Donald Trump in which he had discussed the importance of having faith in the intelligence community.

“There are going to be times where the only way you can make a good decision is if you have confidence that the process is working,” the president said.

Last week Donald Trump said he was a “big fan” of intelligence agencies, after months of casting doubt on the Russian link to the security breach. But he later raised questions over how the Democratic Party had responded to the cyber-attacks.

Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Friday, January 20.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI-RrlyzCPc

Jerusalem Truck Attack: Four Israeli Soldiers Killed and 17 Others Wounded

Roy Siemens
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Jerusalem Truck Attack: Four Israeli Soldiers Killed and 17 Others Wounded

Four Israeli soldiers have been killed and17 others were wounded, in a truck attack in Jerusalem, police said.

A Palestinian man drove the truck into a group of soldiers, in what police called a terror attack.

The victims are three women and one man, all in their twenties.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, who was shot dead by soldiers, was a suspected supporter of ISIS.

However, the prime minister gave no evidence to support the claim.

The victims were taking part in an educational trip, the Israeli military said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted that their names were Lt. Yael Yekutiel, 20; Lt. Shir Hajaj, 22; 2nd Lt. Erez Orbach, 20 and 2nd Lt. Shira Tzur, 20.

Image source Getty Images

The attacker, identified as 28-year-old Fadi Qunbar, came from the Palestinian district of Jabel Mukaber in east Jerusalem, near to the attack site.

CCTV footage showed the truck ploughing at high speed into the soldiers, before reversing over the victims.

The attack took place on the popular Armon Hanatziv promenade overlooking the walled Old City of Jerusalem.

In response, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said security had been heightened throughout Jerusalem.

An emergency meeting of the Israeli security cabinet approved administrative detention for ISIS sympathizers and authorized the destruction of the driver’s home.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of the attack on January 8 and said: “We know that there has been a series of terror attacks.

“There definitely could be a connection between them – from France to Berlin, and now Jerusalem.”

The latest truck attacks took place during last year in Nice and Berlin.

The US state department condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms” and the EU also issued a condemnation.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the attacker. Hamas spokesman Abdul-Latif Qanou called it a “heroic” act and encouraged other Palestinians to “escalate the resistance”.

Nokia 6: The First Nokia-Branded Android Smartphone to Be Released Exclusively in China

Nancy Clayson
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Nokia 6: The First Nokia-Branded Android Smartphone to Be Released Exclusively in China

Nokia has announced its first Android smartphone is to be released exclusively in China.

The Nokia 6 will be marketed in partnership with the local internet retail giant JD.com.

The announcement coincided with the final day of the CES tech show in Las Vegas, where other new mobile phones and gadgets have been launched.

Nokia no longer manufactures phones that carry its name but has instead licensed its brand to another Finnish company, HMD Global.

Until now, the only phones that had been released under the deal had been more basic “feature phone” models.

The Nokia 6 had been highly anticipated and marked the company’s return to the smartphone market after a series of Windows Phone models. Microsoft briefly used the brand for about a year after buying Nokia’s mobile devices unit in 2014.

Nokia once dominated the mobile phone market but struggled after the launch of the iPhone a decade ago, and the subsequent release of Google’s Android operating system.

HMD Global had previously indicated it would release several Nokia-branded Android phones in 2017.

It is expected to provide details of at least some of the other launches at another trade show – Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress – in February.

Nokia said in a statement: “The decision by HMD to launch its first Android smartphone into China is a reflection of the desire to meet the real world needs of consumers in different markets around the world.

“With over 552 million smartphone users in China in 2016, a figure that is predicted to grow to more than 593 million users by 2017, it is a strategically important market where premium design and quality is highly valued by consumers.”

The Nokia 6 phone runs Android 7.0 – the latest version, also known as Nougat – and has a 5.5in 1080p “full high definition” screen, a 16 megapixel rear camera, 4GB of RAM memory and 64GB of storage, two amplifiers supported by Dolby Atmos audio processing, which HMD says creates audio that “seems to flow all around users”.

The specifications are mid-range, and so is the price: 1,699 yuan ($245).

That makes Nokia 6 slightly more expensive than Huawei’s Honor 6X but cheaper than Xiaomi’s Mi 5s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YnSKsnhrqM

Esteban Santiago Charged over Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting

Roy Siemens
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Esteban Santiago Charged over Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting

Esteban Santiago, who is suspected of carrying out a deadly shooting at Fort Lauderdale airport, has been charged by prosecutors.

The 26-year-old is accused of opening fire at the airport’s Terminal 2, killing five people and injuring six others.

Esteban Santiago is charged with carrying out an act of violence at an international airport resulting in death, which carries a maximum punishment of execution.

He also faces lesser weapons charges.

Esteban Santiago, who is in custody, told agents he had planned the attack and bought a one-way ticket to Fort Lauderdale, according to court papers.

Authorities said they did not know why he chose this target and that terrorism had not been ruled out.

Image source Anchorage Police

US Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said: “Today’s charges represent the gravity of the situation and reflect the commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel to continually protect the community and prosecute those who target our residents and visitors.”

Esteban Santiago is said to have used a semi-automatic handgun that he apparently legally checked on a flight from Alaska.

Officials were also looking whether mental health problems played a role after it emerged that the suspect had been referred for a health assessment by the FBI.

Two months ago, Esteban Santiago walked into an FBI office in Alaska in an agitated and incoherent state, the FBI and Anchorage police said.

The man was carrying a loaded magazine but had left his handgun in his car, with his newborn child.

During the later mental health evaluation, Esteban Santiago told the FBI he was hearing voices and believed he was being controlled by a US intelligence agency.

His gun was confiscated but the authorities found no wrongdoing, and it was returned in December. It is not clear if this is the same gun that he is accused of using in the attack at the airport baggage claim area.

The suspect is a former member of the Puerto Rico and Alaska National Guard, according to the Pentagon.

Esteban Santiago served in Iraq from April 2010 to February 2011, and ended his service in August 2016.

Donald Trump Blames Democrats for Election Hacking

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Blames Democrats for Election Hacking

President-elect Donald Trump says Democrats have shown “gross negligence” by allowing their servers to be hacked in the run-up to the November 8 presidential election.

Donald Trump made the comments after an intelligence report said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “sought to help Donald Trump win”.

He has stopped short of accusing Russia of interfering, saying only that the election outcome was not affected.

The Kremlin has not commented, but Russia has previously denied the claims.

Following the report’s findings, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that voting machines and other election databases would be classified as “critical infrastructure” and given more protection from cyber-attacks.

Emphasizing that the election outcome was not affected, Donald Trump added on January 7: “Only reason the hacking of the poorly defended DNC is discussed is that the loss by the Dems was so big that they are totally embarrassed!”

Image source Flickr

In an interview with ABC, President Barack Obama said that he was concerned that there had been “Republicans or pundits or cable commentators who seem to have more confidence in Vladimir Putin than fellow Americans because those fellow Americans are Democrats.

“That cannot be.”

Asked whether Donald Trump was among them, President Obama said: “We have to remind ourselves we’re on the same team. Vladimir Putin’s not on our team.”

The unclassified report says that Russia developed a “clear preference” for Donald Trump.

Russia’s goals, the document added, were to “undermine public faith” in the US democratic process and “denigrate” Hillary Clinton, harming her electability and potential presidency.

However, the report gives no detailed evidence of Vladimir Putin’s alleged role.

The report says the Russian president liked Donald Trump because he had vowed to work with Russia and the Russian leader had had “many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia, such as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder”.

In contrast, Vladimir Putin had blamed Hillary Clinton for inciting anti-government protests in 2011 and early 2012 “and because he holds a grudge for comments he almost certainly saw as disparaging him”.

Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds Joint Funeral: Princess Leia’s Ashes Carried in Prozac Urn

Lisa.Felice
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Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds Joint Funeral: Princess Leia’s Ashes Carried in Prozac Urn

Carrie Fisher’s ashes were carried in an urn shaped like a Prozac pill as she was laid to rest alongside her mother Debbie Reynolds at a joint private funeral service in Los Angeles.

Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series, was frequently open about her experience of mental health issues.

“I felt it was where she would want to be,” Carrie Fisher’s brother, Todd, said.

Carrie Fisher, 60, and Debbie Reynolds, 84, died within a day of each other last month.

Following the joint funeral service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hill, Todd Fisher said the giant pill in the shape of the anti-depressant drug was chosen as the urn for his sister’s ashes because it was one of Carrie’s “favorite possessions”.

“She loved it, and it was in her house, and Billie [Carrie Fisher’s daughter] and I felt it was where she would want to be,” he said.

Image source Getty Images

Todd Fisher added that Carrie and her mother were now “together, and they will be together here and in heaven”.

Apart from Carrie Fisher’s cremation and the family’s choice of urn, no details were revealed about the private funeral ceremony.

Prozac (fluoxetine), a potent anti-depressant drug, was introduced in the US in 1988. Since then it has helped define how people think about mental illness.

On January 5, a joint memorial ceremony was held at Carrie Fisher’s estate in Coldwater Canyon, Los Angeles.

Among those in attendance were fellow actors Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow and Meg Ryan. Star Wars creator George Lucas and Stephen Fry and Eric Idle were also guests at the ceremony.

Other guests included Jamie Lee Curtis, who stars with Carrie Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd on TV series Scream Queens, Courtney Love, and Ed Begley Jr., Candice Bergen and Ellen Barkin.

Carrie Fisher died three days after suffering a cardiac arrest on a flight from London to LA in December.

Debbie Reynolds, who starred opposite Gene Kelly in the 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain, died a day later after she was rushed to hospital with a suspected stroke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGIg7qzlNDA

Esteban Santiago: Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting Suspect Detained

Roy Siemens
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Esteban Santiago: Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting Suspect Detained

Esteban Santiago, the suspected gunman that killed five people in a shooting at Fort Lauderdale airport has been detained, Florida police say.

According to reports, the 26-year-old Iraq war veteran may have been mentally disturbed. He reportedly said the government was controlling his mind and made him watch jihadist videos.

Officials say they have not ruled out terrorism as a possible motive.

Esteban Santiago opened fire at the baggage claim area of Terminal 2 as passengers were collecting their luggage. Witnesses said he walked along the carousels and did not say anything as he shot people who were trying to run or hide.

The attacker surrendered to police when he ran out of ammunition, witnesses added.

Image source Anchorage Police

Esteban Santiago, who was wearing a Star Wars T-shirt, had traveled from Alaska, officials said. He checked in an unloaded gun and ammunition with his luggage, and loaded the semi-automatic gun in the bathroom after landing and collecting his bag.

FBI’s George Piro told journalists: “We are looking at all avenues. We have not ruled out terrorism and we will be pursuing every angle to try to determine the motive behind this attack.”

Sheriff Scott Israel earlier said it appeared that the attacker had acted alone.

Esteban Santiago is expected to face federal charges and make his first appearance in court on January 9.

He is a former member of the Puerto Rico and Alaska National Guard, according to the Pentagon. The suspect served in Iraq from April 2010 to February 2011, and ended his service in August 2016.

He had received a general discharge from the Alaska National Guard for unsatisfactory performance.

George Piro said that Esteban Santiago had turned up at an FBI office in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, in November, behaving erratically and was turned over to local police, who took him to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

“We looked at his contacts, we did our inter-agency checks and everything and, at that point, we closed our assessment,” he added, saying that Esteban Santiago had “clearly” stated that he did not intend to harm anyone.

An unnamed official quoted by AP news agency said that Esteban Santiago told FBI agents back then that the US government was controlling his mind and making him watch videos from ISIS.

Esteban Santiago’s brother said he had been receiving psychological treatment recently.

Russia Hacking Briefing: Vladimir Putin Developed a Clear Preference for Donald Trump

Diane A. Wade
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0
Russia Hacking Briefing: Vladimir Putin Developed a Clear Preference for Donald Trump

According to an intelligence report, Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to help Donald Trump win the presidential election.

The unclassified report says Vladimir Putin “ordered” a campaign aimed at influencing the election.

Moscow has not commented, but Russia has previously denied the claims.

After being briefed on the findings, Donald Trump stopped short of accusing Russia of interfering, saying only that the election outcome was not affected.

The president-elect later went on to blame “gross negligence” by the DNC for “allowing” the hacking to take place.

Following the report’s findings, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that voting machines and other election databases would be classified as “critical infrastructure” and given more protection from cyber-attack.

The 25-page report says that Russia developed a “clear preference” for Donald Trump.

Russia’s goals, the document added, were to “undermine public faith” in the US democratic process and “denigrate” Hillary Clinton, harming her electability and potential presidency.

Image NBC News

The report said: “We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election.”

The unclassified version contained no detailed evidence of Vladimir Putin’s alleged role, but it said Russia’s actions included: hacking into the email accounts of the DNC and top Democrats; using intermediaries such as WikiLeaks, DCLeaks.com and Guccifer 2.0 persona to release the information acquired from the hackings; using state-funded propaganda and paying social media users or “trolls” to make nasty comments.

The identities of the Russian agents allegedly directly responsible for the hack are known to US authorities but have not been released publicly, reports say, citing intelligence sources.

The report, a cut-down version of the classified document presented to President Barack Obama on January 5, was released shortly after intelligence chiefs briefed Donald Trump on their findings.

Since winning the election on November 8, Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned US intelligence claims of Russian hacking.

In a statement after the briefing, Donald Trump declined to single out Russia, but said he had “tremendous respect for the work and service done” by those in the US intelligence community.

He said: “While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election.

“Whether it is our government, organizations, associations or businesses we need to aggressively combat and stop cyber-attacks. I will appoint a team to give me a plan within 90 days of taking office.”

The meeting at Trump Tower involved National Intelligence Director Gen. James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey.

Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20, described their talks as “constructive”.

Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting: At Least Five People Killed at Terminal 2

Nancy Clayson
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0
Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting: At Least Five People Killed at Terminal 2

At least 5 people have been shot dead and other eight injured after a gunman opened fire at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida, say officials.

The shooting happened at the baggage claim area in Terminal 2, just before 13:00 local time, the airport confirmed.

Hundreds of passengers were standing on the tarmac outside the terminal as dozens of police cars and ambulances rushed to the scene.

One of the first reports of the incident came from former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who said in a tweet: “I’m at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Shots have been fired. Everyone is running.”

A witness told MSNBC that the shooter was a “slender man’ who was wearing a Star Wars T-shirt.

The gunman, who appeared to be in his 20s, did not speak before or during the attack, John Schlicher said.

Image source NBC

He added that his mother-in-law administered first aid to someone who had been shot in the head.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson told US media that the gunman has been identified as Esteban Santiago, but that has not been confirmed by law enforcement.

A man in handcuffs was seen being escorted away from the airport by police nearly two hours after the shooting was first reported.

Mobile phone footage from the scene showed police officers frisking passengers and uniformed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers.

A Miami TV station tweeted footage claiming to be filmed from inside the baggage terminal.

The video shows several injured people laying on the floor, as witnesses shout for medical help.

The attacker was arrested without any shots fired, said Sheriff Scott Israel.

“People were scared and frantically running to avoid being shot. People were tripping over each other. They were trying to make a fast exit out of the door.”

Florida Governor Rick Scott is travelling to the airport to be briefed by police.

Federal aviation authorities issued a “ground stop” notice, barring flights from leaving or entering the airport.

Donald Trump Criticizes Arnold Schwarzenegger for Destroying Celebrity Apprentice Ratings

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Donald Trump Criticizes Arnold Schwarzenegger for Destroying Celebrity Apprentice Ratings

President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Arnold Schwarzenegger, his replacement as host of The Celebrity Apprentice, saying the Hollywood star was “destroyed” in TV ratings.

Donald Trump, who described himself as a “ratings machine”, wrote: “So much for being a movie star.”

In response, Arnold Schwarzenegger called on Donald Trump to work for all Americans “as aggressively as you worked for your ratings”.

The new season debut on January 2 was seen by an estimated 4.9 million people – down 43% on the last season premiere in 2015.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has received mixed reviews for his debut as the new star of The Celebrity Apprentice.

Image source Flickr

Arnold Schwarzenegger has replaced Donald Trump’s “You’re fired” catchphrase with “You’re terminated” – a reference to his line in The Terminator movie and its sequels.

Donald Trump tweeted on January 6: “Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got “swamped” (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT.

“So much for being a movie star – and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1.”

According to Variety, more than 11 million people watched the opening episode of Celebrity Apprentice in 2008.

Referring to Republican Ohio governor John Kasich and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump added: “But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary.”

In return, Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote: “There’s nothing more important than the people’s work, @realDonaldTrump.”

The former California governor added: “I wish you the best of luck and I hope you’ll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings.”

Donald Trump helped create The Apprentice and starred on it until 2015, when his political career took over.

The contestants on the current season, who compete to raise money for charity, include boxer Laila Ali, Boy George and Motley Crue singer Vince Neil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-k_61oZy64

Joe Biden Criticizes Donald Trump’s Attacks on Intelligence Community

Diane A. Wade
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0
Joe Biden Criticizes Donald Trump’s Attacks on Intelligence Community

Vice-President Joe Biden has told Donald Trump to “grow up” and criticized his attacks on the intelligence community.

On January 6, Donald Trump will be briefed on allegations that Russia meddled in the US presidential election – claims he has cast doubt on.

Joe Biden said it was “absolutely mindless” for Donald Trump not to have faith in intelligence agencies.

Russia denies hacking alleged to have helped Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

On January 5, the president-elect questioned how intelligence agencies were confident about the alleged Russian hacking “if they never even requested an examination of the computer servers” belonging to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

In an interview with the PBS, Donald Trump: “For a president not to have confidence in, not to be prepared to listen to, the myriad intelligence agencies, from defense intelligence to the CIA, is absolutely mindless.

“The idea that you may know more than the intelligence community knows – it’s like saying I know more about physics than my professor. I didn’t read the book, I just know I know more.”

When asked what he thought of Donald Trump’s regular attacks on Twitter, Joe Biden said: “Grow up Donald, grow up, time to be an adult, you’re president. Time to do something. Show us what you have.”

Photo AP

The VP went on to call Donald Trump “a good man”.

Joe Biden said he had read a US intelligence agencies report outlining Russian involvement, the details of which are starting to emerge in media.

According to the Washington Post and NBC News citing intelligence sources, agencies had intercepted communications in the aftermath of the election showing senior Russian government officials celebrating Donald Trump’s win over rival Hillary Clinton.

US authorities had also identified Russian actors who delivered stolen Democratic emails to the WikiLeaks website.

NBC News says the alleged Russian hacking targeted not just the DNC but also the White House, joint chiefs of staff, the department of state and large US corporations.

An unclassified version will be made public next week.

Joe Biden said the report clearly details “that the Russians did, as a matter of policy, attempt to affect and… discredit the US electoral process”.

He said the hacking was part of a systematic campaign to undermine Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta was among those hacked on the DNC server.

On January 5, the Director of National Intelligence, Gen James Clapper, told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the hack, and said the motive would be revealed next week.

President Barack Obama last week ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the US over the alleged hacking. Russia has said it will not reciprocate.

Donald Trump has repeatedly rejected allegations that the Russian government hacked into the computers of John Podesta or the servers of the DNC.

On January 4, the president-elect repeated a suggestion that “a 14-year-old” may have been responsible for the breach.

On January 5, he said he was a “big fan” of intelligence agencies, after months of casting doubt on the Russian link, but later went on to raise questions over how the Democratic Party responded to the security breach.

Last week, Donald Trump said he would announce information about hacking “on Tuesday or Wednesday”, but no announcement came.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXOoMCQHv6E

Samsung Profits Surge 50% Despite Galaxy Note 7 Fiasco

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Samsung Profits Surge 50% Despite Galaxy Note 7 Fiasco

Samsung Electronics has announced that its profit in Q4 of 2016 surged 50% despite the fiasco with its flagship Note 7 phone.

Analysts had expected the company’s profits to surge thanks to its mainstay semiconductor business, but the result surpassed even the most optimistic forecasts. The semiconductor division cashed in on strong demand and a tight supply for microchips during the September-December period, likely contributing to more than half of its quarterly earnings.

The earnings estimate would mark Samsung’s highest quarterly profit since 2013.

In October 2016, the world’s largest smartphone maker had to scrap the Note 7 after batteries caught fire and even replacement devices went up in smoke.

Samsung said it expected to post 9.2 trillion won ($7.8 billion) in operating profit for the months from September to December.

In an earlier profit forecast for the fourth quarter, Samsung had said it expected the Note 7 recall would mean a $2.1 billion hit to their profits.

Samsung first issued a recall for the Galaxy Note 7 in September following complaints about exploding batteries.

After replacement devices deemed safe were also found to overheat and catch fire, Samsung scrapped the phone entirely.

The company said that it will “very soon” share details of its inquiry into the cause of the Note 7 problems.

Samsung will disclose a detailed earnings release for Q4 of 2016 in late January which will give more insights into the performance of its individual businesses.

Izmir Car Bomb Attack: At Least Four Killed on Courthouse

Roy Siemens
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0
Izmir Car Bomb Attack: At Least Four Killed on Courthouse

At least four people have been killed in a car bomb and gun assault on a courthouse in the Turkish city of Izmir, state media say.

Two attackers, a police officer and a court worker are being reported dead.

Officials blamed Kurdish militants for the attack. A third attacker is reportedly still being sought.

The attackers drove a car to the courthouse entrance, sparking an exchange with police and then detonating the car bomb.

Other of people were injured in the explosion, some critically.

Some of Turkey’s big cities have been targeted recently both by ISIS and by Kurdish militants.

Turkey launched a military operation in Syria last year to push back ISIS and Kurdish forces from the Turkish border.

Image source birgun.com

ISIS had said it was behind last weekend’s Istanbul club attack that left 39 people dead.

Izmir’s Governor Erol Ayyildiz the attackers were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and grenades.

Deputy PM Veysi Kaynak said that, judging by the weapons found following the raid, a much larger attack was being planned.

Images from the scene showed two cars ablaze. Erol Ayyildiz said that the second had been destroyed in a controlled explosion.

Reports of the number of people injured in the car bomb blast ranged from five to 11.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking at the opening of a metro line in the capital, Ankara, said that Turkey was “under mutual attack by terrorist groups and they want Turkey to be brought to its knees”.

The Turkish president said: “They won’t be able to set people against each other. They couldn’t destroy our unity.”

No-one has yet said they carried out the Izmir attack but the governor said initial findings pointed to the involvement of Kurdish fighters from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The PKK is fighting for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.

It has carried out many attacks on Turkish security forces, particularly in the south-east.

Istanbul Reina Club Attack: Several Uighurs Arrested in Police Raids

Roy Siemens
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0
Istanbul Reina Club Attack: Several Uighurs Arrested in Police Raids

A number of people of Uighur ethnicity have been detained in Turkey over the deadly Istanbul’s Reina club attack that killed 39, the state-run news agency reports.

Those arrested are believed to have come from China’s Xinjiang region with ties to the attacker, Anadolu agency says.

Deputy PM Veysi Kaynak also said they were closing in on the attacker, who he said was possibly an ethnic Uighur.

Also on January 5, there was an explosion near the courthouse in the city of Izmir in western Turkey.

Social media images showed two vehicles ablaze and several people were reported wounded.

Other images showed what appeared to be the body of a man carrying a gun, amid media reports he was an attacker who was shot dead by police.

Anadolu reported a second man was shot dead and police were seeking a third.

ISIS says it carried out the Istanbul attack over Turkey’s military involvement in the Syrian civil war.

Turkish authorities have reportedly tightened security at the country’s land borders and airports to prevent the attacker from fleeing abroad.

Local media have run images of a suspect, saying the pictures were handed out by the police. But the police have given no official details.

The Turkish foreign minister has said the authorities have identified the gunman, but has not given further details.

Special forces made the early morning arrests at a housing complex in Selimpasa, a coastal town on the outskirts of Istanbul, after police were reportedly tipped off that individuals linked to the attacker were in the area.

Uighurs were among those detained – the number was not confirmed – on suspicion of “aiding and abetting” the attacker, Anadolu reported.

At least 36 people were already in custody over suspected links to the attack, many of whom were picked up in an earlier police operation in Izmir.

Several families had recently traveled there from Konya, a central city where the main suspect was said to have stayed for several weeks before the attack.

Separately, Veysi Kaynak told Turkish broadcaster A Hamer that the authorities knew where the suspect, who he described as “specially trained”, was hiding, without giving further details.

The deputy prime minister confirmed the attacker had acted alone, but may have had help inside Reina club.

Veysi Kaynak expressed confidence in the Turkish police operation but said he could not rule out the possibility of the attacker fleeing the country.

Previous media reports incorrectly suggested the attacker was a national from Kyrgyzstan, after a passport photo claiming to show the gunman was circulated.

It later emerged the passport belonged to someone unrelated to the attack.

Kyrgyzstan’s embassy in Turkey has since asked the media to retract the reports and issue an apology.

More than half of those killed in New Year’s attack on Istanbul’s popular Reina club were foreigners, including citizens from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq and Morocco.

The gunman managed to escape in the aftermath of the attack.

A day later, ISIS issued a statement saying “a heroic soldier” belonging to the group had carried out the attack in retaliation for Turkey’s military role in northern Syria.

Veysi Kaynak also said on January 5 Turks were questioning the use of the country’s Incirlik air base by both NATO and the US-led coalition launching air strikes on ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey launched a military operation in Syria in August to push back ISIS and Kurdish forces.

Some of Turkey’s big cities have since been targeted in a number of bomb attacks by ISIS and by Kurdish militants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcV-FxYTBY4

Luis Videgaray: Mexican Minister Sacked over Donald Trump’s Visit Named Foreign Minister

Diane A. Wade
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0
Luis Videgaray: Mexican Minister Sacked over Donald Trump’s Visit Named Foreign Minister

Former Mexican Finance Minister Luis Videgaray, who organized Donald Trump’s visit to Mexico, has been named as President Enrique Pena Nieto’s new foreign minister.

Luis Videgaray was sacked as finance minister in 2016 over the role he played in organizing the visit of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Donald Trump had angered Mexicans, calling Mexican immigrants to the US “rapists”.

Luis Videgaray will now lead talks with the Trump administration, including on the wall the president-elect has promised to build between the US and Mexico.

Announcing the appointment, President Enrique Pena Nieto said that “the instruction to minister Videgaray is to accelerate the dialogue and contacts so that, from the first day of the new [US] administration, we can establish the basis of a constructive working relationship”.

Image source Wikipedia

Luis Videgaray was seen as the main organizer of the meeting between Donald Trump and President Enrique Pena Nieto in August, which was criticized by Mexicans both in the national press and on social media.

Many Mexicans saw the invitation by Enrique Pena Nieto as a sign that the Mexican president was bowing to Donald Trump even though the latter had said during his campaign that he wanted to build a border wall between the US and Mexico which he insisted Mexico would pay for.

Enrique Pena Nieto said the meeting was to convey Mexico’s interests to Donald Trump.

When Donald Trump appeared at a campaign rally in the US just hours later again promising that Mexico would pay for his planned wall “100%”, President Pena Nieto said that “we could have done things in a better way”.

Luis Videgaray stepped down from his post as finance minister just days after the visit and a spokesperson for the ministry said at the time that Videgaray would not take on another public office.

However, on January 4, President Enrique Pena Nieto named him as his new foreign minister, saying that Luis Videgaray would “promote Mexico’s interests without diminishing our sovereignty and the dignity of Mexicans”.

Luis Videgaray is replacing Claudia Ruiz Massieu who reportedly was opposed to President Enrique Pena Nieto hosting Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has in the past praised Luis Videgaray as “brilliant”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4lcxZX7PYc

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