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Ankara Attack: Turkey Begins Security Operations Against PKK

Roy Siemens
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Ankara Attack: Turkey Begins Security Operations Against PKK

Turkish authorities have begun security operations against the PKK members in south-eastern Turkey and in Iraq.

The moves come as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed a crackdown on terror after March 13 attack in Ankara that killed at least 36 people.

A suspected bomber, who also died in the blast, was a female member of the PKK, security sources said.

Four people were held over the bombings in the south-eastern city of Sanliurfa, according to Turkish media.

Officials were quoted as saying the car used in the bombing was traced to a showroom there.Ankara bomb attack March 2016

A curfew was declared in three towns in south-east Turkey, while warplanes struck PKK camps in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Eleven warplanes carried out air strikes on 18 targets including ammunition dumps and shelters in the Qandil and Gara sectors, the army said. The PKK (the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party) confirmed the attacks.

Meanwhile curfews have been imposed in two mainly Kurdish towns in south-eastern Turkey, Yuksekova and Nusaybin, as security operations are carried out against Kurdish militants, Anadolu news agency reports.

Another curfew is due to start in the city of Sirnak at 23:00 local time.

No group has admitted carrying out the Ankara attack, but government sources have cast suspicion on the PKK.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala said an investigation would conclude on March 14 and those responsible would be named.

Unnamed officials said the female bomber was a member of the PKK from the eastern town of Kars who joined the group in 2013.

Kurdish rebels have carried out a series of attacks on Turkish soil in recent months, and security forces have raided Kurdish areas, after a ceasefire ended last year. ISIS has also targeted Ankara recently.

Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against IS and allows coalition planes to use its air base at Incirlik for raids on Iraq and Syria.

The country has also been carrying out a campaign of bombardment against Syrian Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which it regards as a extension of the PKK.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement that terror groups were targeting civilians because they were losing the battle against Turkish security forces.

Calling for national unity, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would use its right to self-defense to prevent future attacks.

China’s Anbang Buys Strategic Hotels and Resorts for $6.5 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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China’s Anbang Buys Strategic Hotels and Resorts for $6.5 Billion

China’s Anbang has agreed to buy Strategic Hotels & Resorts from private equity giant Blackstone for $6.5 billion.

Strategic Hotels and Resorts owns 18 luxury hotels, 17 of which are located in the United States and one of which is in Germany.

Blackstone is selling Strategic Hotels & Resorts, which owns 16 properties, just three months after buying the company themselves.

The luxury hotels chain includes the Four Seasons resorts in Arizona and Wyoming.

The deal marks the biggest US property purchase by a mainland Chinese buyer.Anbang buys Strategic Hotels and Resorts

Chinese companies have been buying overseas assets despite the slowing economy.

Mainland investors have been snapping up prime US properties and other overseas assets to diversify their holdings amid concerns about weakness in China’s economy.

Anbang bought New York’s famous Waldorf-Astoria from Blackstone for a record $1.95 billion in 2015.

The Beijing-based company also owns office buildings in New York and Canada and a South Korean insurance company.

It tried to buy Portuguese bank Novo Banco in 2015, but that fell through because of political objections over the sale of a systemically important European lender.

In 2015, Chinese outbound acquisitions hit a record $108 billion, according to data provider Dealogic.

However, that amount is on track to be overtaken, given that more than $84 billion in deals have already been made so far this year, including the $43 billion purchase of Swiss agri-firm Syngenta by ChemChina.

Thailand: Eight People Killed in Siam Commercial Bank Toxic Leak

Diane A. Wade
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Thailand: Eight People Killed in Siam Commercial Bank Toxic Leak

A chemical accident in the basement of the Bangkok’s Siam Commercial Bank has killed eight people, Thai officials have confirmed.

The contractors were working on a fire safety system at the headquarters of the bank on March 13, the bank said in a statement.

The workers apparently suffocated after a gas mixture which depletes oxygen was released.

Another seven were injured in the incident, which may have been caused by contractors’ “negligence”, the bank’s statement added.

The incident took place in a vault storing documents in the head office in Bangkok.Siam Commercial Bank toxic leak

The Siam Commercial Bank said at around 21:30 local time on March 13, an aerosol system called pyrogen was “inadvertently activated and exhausted all the oxygen in the area” as contractors were working on it.

Pyrogen involves a mixture of gases including potassium carbonates, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and ammonia.

The system works by removing all oxygen from the air to stifle a fire.

According to the Bangkok Post, that firemen encountered delays as they tried to reach the victims due to tightly locked doors.

The Siam Commercial Bank, one of Thailand’s largest financial institutions, added that it would provide assistance to those in the accident and operations would continue normally.

Correspondents say that fatal industrial accidents remain rare in Thailand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU17lBw1fsw

Star Wars: Oscar Isaac Reads out Obi Wan Kenobi Letter from 1977

Sonia Pantiss
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Star Wars: Oscar Isaac Reads out Obi Wan Kenobi Letter from 1977

Star Wars actor Oscar Isaac has read a letter by Alec Guinness letter at a performance in London.

In the letter, Alec Guinness branded co-star Harrison Ford a “languid young man”.

Writing during filming of the 1977 movie Star Wars: A New Hope, actor Alec Guinness, who played Obi Wan Kenobi, said: “Can’t say I’m enjoying the film.”

The letter from the late actor talks about the movie’s “rubbish dialogue”.

Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was at Letters Live at Freemasons’ Hall in London.

Alec Guinness wrote to his friend Anne Kauffman: “New rubbish dialogue reaches me every other day on wadges of pink paper, and none of it makes my character clear or even bearable.”

The actor said he was working with “Mark Hamill and Tennyson (that can’t be right) Ford. Ellison? No! Well a rangy, languid man who is probably intelligent and amusing”.Oscar Isaac and Alec Guinness letter

Letters Live sees actors and performers reading out literary correspondence to a live audience.

Actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brearley also took part, along with theater and opera director Sophie Hunter.

Benedict Cumberbatch read out a letter by American author Mark Twain to the American poet Walt Whitman, which paid tribute to all the changes he had witnessed in the world over the course of his lifetime.

Louise Brearley and Benedict Cumberbatch then performed letters between Bessie Moore and Chris Barker, two sweethearts separated by World War Two.

Sophie Hunter read out a letter from deaf and blind woman Helen Keller to the New York Symphony Orchestra, thanking them for the music which she had experienced through the radio by feeling the vibrations.

Jesse Hughes Apologizes for Bataclan Security Guards Comments

Sonia Pantiss
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Jesse Hughes Apologizes for Bataclan Security Guards Comments

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes has apologized for suggesting some Bataclan theater security guards may have known in advance about the Paris venue being attacked last November.

The EODM were mid-performance on November 13 when four Islamist militants shot and killed 90 fans.

In a Facebook post, Jesse Hughes apologized for his comments on Fox News last week about six security guards who were not at work on the night of the attack.

The singer said he made “absurd accusations”.

Speaking to Fox News on March 9, Jesse Hughes said he had learned that some guards did not come to work that night and “it seems rather obvious that they had a reason not to show up”.

The Bataclan’s owners were quick to dispute this, saying Jesse Hughes had made “grave and defamatory accusations”.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Their statement said that a judicial investigation was under way and that “we wish to let justice proceed serenely”.

“All the testimonies gathered to this day demonstrate the professionalism and courage of the security agents who were on the ground on November 13. Hundreds of people were saved thanks to (these agents’) intervention,” they added.

Jesse Hughes responded on March 11, saying: “I humbly beg forgiveness from the people of France, the staff and security of the Bataclan, my fans, my family, friends and anyone else hurt or offended by the absurd accusations I made in my Fox Business Channel interview.”

The singer said his comments were “unfounded and baseless” and that he had been struggling with dealing with the trauma of the massacre. The raid on the concert was one of seven co-ordinated attacks across Paris, killing 130 people.

“I’ve been dealing with non-stop nightmares and struggling through therapy to make sense of this tragedy and insanity,” Jesse Hughes said.

“I haven’t been myself since November 13. I realize there’s no excuse for my words, but for what it’s worth: I am sincerely sorry for having hurt, disrespected or accused anyone.”

The members of the Californian rock band escaped the carnage by hiding in a dressing room backstage and later told how they wanted to return to Paris to finish their performance.

Eagles of Death Metal returned to Paris three months later to finish the gig at another venue, the Olympia, after receiving “overwhelming” support.

The Bataclan survivors were all invited and many attended amid tight security. The show included a silence in memory of the victims.

Lee Se-dol Wins First Match Against AlphaGo

Nancy Clayson
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Lee Se-dol Wins First Match Against AlphaGo

South Korean Go master Lee Se-dol has won his first match against Google’s AlphaGo program, after losing three in a row in a best-of-five competition in Seoul.

Lee Se-dol, one of the world’s top Go players, said his win against AlphaGo was “invaluable”.

Go is considered to be a much more complex challenge for a computer than chess, and AlphaGo’s wins were seen as a landmark moment for artificial intelligence.

A fifth game will be played on March 15.

Go is a game of two players who take turns putting black or white stones on a 19-by-19 grid. Players win by surrounding their opponents’ pieces with their own.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Commentator Michael Redmond said AlphaGo had been playing well up until the middle of the game, but at move 78, Lee Se-dol played brilliantly.

Speaking after his victory, Lee Se-dol said: “I’ve never been congratulated so much because I’ve won one game.”

Google representatives said the defeat was “very valuable” for AlphaGo, as it identified a problem which they could now try to fix.

In the first game of the series, AlphaGo triumphed by a very narrow margin – Lee Se-dol had led for most of the match, but AlphaGo managed to build up a strong lead in its closing stages.

After losing the second match to Deep Mind, Lee Se-dol said he was “speechless” adding that the AlphaGo machine played a “nearly perfect game”.

In the third game commentators said that Lee Se-dol had brought his “top game” but that AlphaGo had won “in great style”.

The AlphaGo system was developed by British computer company DeepMind which was bought by Google in 2014.

Ankara Explosion: At Least 32 People Killed in Guven Park

Roy Siemens
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Ankara Explosion: At Least 32 People Killed in Guven Park

At least 32 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a car bomb exploded in Ankara, Turkey’s health ministry has said.

The explosion happened in Guven Park in the Kizilay district, a key transport hub and commercial area.

Other vehicles at the scene were reduced to burnt-out wrecks, including at least one bus.

Last month, a bomb attack on a military convoy in Ankara killed 28 people and wounded dozens more.

According to the Hurriyet newspaper, the latest blast happened at about 18:40 local time and the area was evacuated in case of a second attack. Many ambulances were at the scene, it added.Ankara explosion Guven Park

No group has yet claimed the attack. However, a security official told Reuters news agency that initial findings suggested it was the work of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or an affiliated group.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said terror groups were targeting civilians because they were losing their struggle against Turkish security forces.

Recep tayyip Erdogan said such attacks “increase our determination to fight terrorism”.

Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told a news conference that 30 people were killed at the scene and four died later in hospital, however two of the dead are believed to be the attackers. He said 125 people were being treated at several hospitals in Ankara, of whom 19 are in a critical condition.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala said the investigation would be concluded on March 14 and those behind the bombing would be named.

The ministers were speaking after an emergency security meeting called by PM Ahmet Davutoglu.

Turkey, which was the stable corner of the Middle East and the West’s crucial ally in a volatile region, is now at a dangerous moment, the prime minister adds.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the US embassy in Ankara warned its citizens on March 11 of a “potential terrorist plot” in the city.

Last month’s bombing was claimed by a Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK). It said on its website that the attack was in retaliation for the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey, however, blamed a Syrian national who was a member of another Kurdish group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT4S_6xHq6s

Matt LeBlanc Crashes London Wedding in Latest Top Gear Stunt

Lisa.Felice
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Matt LeBlanc Crashes London Wedding in Latest Top Gear Stunt

Matt LeBlanc crashed a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral in London while touring round the city in the latest Top Gear stunt.

The Top Gear host was joined by professional rally driver Ken Block as he spun around London in a Ford Mustang.Matt LeBlanc wedding crash London

The wedding party got a wave and a quick look in as they drove through the City of London.

The duo in Block’s 845bhp 4WD Hoonicorn Mustang took a selfie on Tower Bridge.

Matt LeBlanc also tweeted a picture of himself from Canary Wharf saying: “Canary wharf is nice.”

New series of Top Gear show is due to start in May.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgLbj_b5joE

Venezuela Protests: New Campaign to Oust President Nicolas Maduro

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela Protests: New Campaign to Oust President Nicolas Maduro

Venezuelan opposition has held a day of protests to launch a new campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

Crowds marched in capital Caracas and other cities to express their anger at Venezuela’s economic crisis and called on the president to stand down.

Nicolas Maduro led a protest in Caracas against the renewal of US sanctions on top Venezuelan officials.

The opposition has made clear it intends to use street power to force Nicolas Maduro from office.

March 12 protests marked the launch of Venezuela’s opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD).

Last week the coalition announced it would use all options available to try to remove Nicolas Maduro, including a recall referendum and a constitutional amendment reducing the presidential term from six to four years.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The opposition won a landslide victory in last December’s elections but it has seen its authority hamstrung by the Supreme Court which it says supports the government.

As a result, the MUD has placed special emphasis on protests as a way to put force Nicolas Maduro’s resignation.

Correspondents say this is a potentially explosive path after anti-government demonstrations in 2014 left 43 people dead. This led to the arrest of a number of opposition leaders on charges of murder and inciting violence.

Nicolas Maduro led his own rally in Caracas, ostensibly against US sanctions and what the government regards as interference in Venezuela’s affairs.

The sanctions were first put in place a year ago after a government crack-down on opposition leaders.

The protests come against the backdrop of a deep economic crisis made worse by the crash in the price of oil which long funded the Chavez and Maduro government’s spending on social welfare.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest crude reserves but its economy contracted 5.7% in 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE-M4ufKQ3o

Beirut Trash Crisis: Naameh Landfill Site Reopened after Eight Months

Diane A. Wade
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Beirut Trash Crisis: Naameh Landfill Site Reopened after Eight Months

Lebanese officials have unveiled a plan tackle the eight-month Beirut garbage crisis.

A landfill site will be temporarily opened and two new sites will be set up in a bid to end the crisis over uncollected trash in the capital.

Piles of rotting refuse in Beirut’s streets have prompted a mass anti-government movement.

Officials say the new move will solve the problem for the next four years while a permanent solution is found.

However, protesters have gathered in Beirut, threatening to paralyze the country from March 14.

The crisis began with the closure of Beirut’s main landfill site at Naameh in July 2015 with no alternative in place.

During hot summer weather, piles of rubbish grew so large that residents resorted to burning it on the streets, releasing toxic fumes.Beirut garbage crisis 2016

The trash has since piled up on beaches, in mountain forests and along river beds.

Protesters blame the crisis on political paralysis and corruption and set up a “You Stink” movement.

In 2015, many took to the streets, leading to violent clashes with police.

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said on March 12 that the Naameh landfill would reopen for two months “to take in the rubbish that has already piled up”.

Speaking after an emergency cabinet session, Ramzi Jreij said that two other “temporary” landfills would be opened in the city’s suburbs.

During the meeting, about 3,000 demonstrators from the You Stink movement marched to central Beirut demanding a permanent solution to the crisis.

“The final warning has been sent, and we are now in a new phase. On Monday we will paralyze the country,” protest organizers said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the group posted pictures on its Facebook page of mountains of rubbish festering across Lebanon.

One video filmed by a drone showed bags of rubbish stretching for miles like a flowing river.

The footage also mocked Lebanon’s tourism ministry over a video it had commissioned on the country’s natural beauty.

Yisrael Kristal: Holocaust Survivor Named World’s Oldest Man at 112

Nancy Clayson
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Yisrael Kristal: Holocaust Survivor Named World’s Oldest Man at 112

Auschwitz death camp survivor Yisrael Kristal has become the world’s oldest man, the Guinness World Records organization says.

Yisrael Kristal was born near Zarnow in Poland in 1903 and lived through two world wars before moving to Haifa, Israel.

He was 112 years and 178 days old on 11 March, Guinness World Records says.

The previous oldest-recorded man, Yasutaro Koide of Japan, died in January aged 112 years and 312 days.

As he received his Guinness World Records certificate, Yisrael Kristal said he did not know the “secret for long life” and that he believed everything was “determined from above”.

“There have been smarter, stronger and better looking men then me who are no longer alive,” he added.Yisrael Kristal worlds oldest man

“All that is left for us to do is to keep on working as hard as we can and rebuild what is lost.”

The son of a religious scholar, Yisrael Kristal was separated from his parents during World War One. He later moved to Lodz to work in the family confectionery business.

After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, Yisrael Kristal and his family were moved into the Lodz ghetto.

His two children died there and Yisrael Kristal and his wife Chaja Feige Frucht were sent to Auschwitz in 1944 after the ghetto was liquidated, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Yisrael Kristal’s wife was murdered in Auschwitz but he survived, performing slave labor in that and other camps. When he was found by the Allies in May 1945 he weighed just 81.5 lbs.

The sole survivor from his family, Yisrael Kristal emigrated to Israel in 1950 with his second wife and their son, where he continued to run his confectionery business until his retirement.

Yisrael Kristal’s daughter, Shula Kuperstoch, said the Holocaust had not affected her father’s beliefs.

“He is optimistic, wise, and he values what he has,” she told the Jerusalem Post.

The oldest person alive today is believed to be an American woman, Susannah Mushatt Jones, who is 115 years and 249 days.

The oldest person ever to have lived is thought to be Jeanne Calment from France, who died aged 122 years and 164 days.

Iron Maiden’s Plane Badly Damaged in Chile, Two Injured

Sonia Pantiss
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Iron Maiden’s Plane Badly Damaged in Chile, Two Injured

Two people have been injured after Iron Maiden’s plane, known as Ed Force One, was damaged at an Airport in Santiago, Chile.

The band explained on their website that they hope their gigs in Argentina next week will “go ahead as planned”.

While being towed a steering pin in a tow truck fell out, meaning the famous Boeing 747 collided with a ground tug as it tried to make a turn.

Two of the ground tug operators were injured and had to be taken to hospital.

Iron Maiden say they will “closely monitor their progress”.Iron Maiden plane Ed Force One

The plane is three times the weight of the Boeing 757 used on Iron Maiden’s previous tours in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

As for the aircraft the undercarriage is reportedly badly damaged, and two new engines might be needed.

Iron Maiden’s statement continued: “Fortunately the 20 tons of equipment had not been loaded onto Ed Force One at the time of the accident.

“Although this is tragic for our beautiful plane we do not expect this to affect our concert schedule including the next 2 shows in Cordoba and Buenos Aires.

“We hope to find a new Ed Force One to continue this adventure with us in the near future.”

The band mates were keen to end on a high note, saying: “Our visit to Chile was a huge success with 58,000 fans coming to the show.

“Totally brilliant as ever in the Stadium Nacional last night. We love you guys!”

AlphaGo Beats Go Champion Lee Se-dol in Three Matches

Nancy Clayson
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AlphaGo Beats Go Champion Lee Se-dol in Three Matches

Google’s AlphaGo program has beaten Go champion Lee Se-dol by 3-0 in a best-of-five competition.

The match is seen as a landmark moment for artificial intelligence.

Google’s AlphaGo program was playing against Lee Se-dol in Seoul, in South Korea.

Lee Se-dol had been confident he would win before the competition started.

Go is considered to be a much more complex challenge for a computer than chess.

“AlphaGo played consistently from beginning to the end while Lee, as he is only human, showed some mental vulnerability,” one of Lee Se-dol’s former coaches, Kwon Kap-Yong, told the AFP.AlphaGo vs Lee Se dol

Lee Se-dol is considered a champion Go player, having won numerous professional tournaments in a long, successful career.

Go is a game of two players who take turns putting black or white stones on a 19-by-19 grid. Players win by surrounding their opponents pieces with their own.

In the first game of the series, AlphaGo triumphed by a very narrow margin – Lee Se-dol had led for most of the match, but AlphaGo managed to build up a strong lead in its closing stages.

After losing the second match to Deep Mind, Lee Se-dol said he was “speechless” adding that the AlphaGo machine played a “nearly perfect game”.

The two experts who provided commentary for the YouTube stream of for the third game said that it had been a complicated match to follow.

They said that Lee Se-dol had brought his “top game” but that AlphaGo had won “in great style”.

The AlphaGo system was developed by British computer company DeepMind which was bought by Google in 2014.

It has built up its expertise by studying older games and teasing out patterns of play.

Donald Trump Cancels Chicago Rally after Violent Protests

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Cancels Chicago Rally after Violent Protests

Donald Trump has decided to call off a Chicago rally after protests against the Republican presidential front-runner led to violent clashes.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the venue at the University of Illinois at Chicago hours before DonaldTrump was due.

Inside the auditorium, fighting broke out between supporters and protesters, who waved flags and chanted.

A statement from Donald Trump’s campaign said the candidate decided to postpone the event after meeting with police.

However, a Chicago Police Department spokesman said the force had not recommended that Donald Trump postpone the rally.Donald Trump Chicago rally

The clashes began more than an hour before the event was due to start, and continued after it was cancelled, minutes after Donald Trump was to have appeared.

There were chants for Donald Trump from his supporters and for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders from some of the protesters.

There were several violent clashes sparked by Donald Trump supporters attempting to wrestle flags from protesters.

One protester had to be physically removed from the stage by what appeared to be a Secret Service agent.

Violent clashes continued outside the venue, with helicopter footage showing chaotic scenes as police attempted to control the large crowds.

The full statement from Donald Trump’s campaign read: “Mr. Trump just arrived in Chicago and after meeting with law enforcement has determined that for the safety of all of the tens of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena, tonight’s rally will be postponed to another date.

“Thank you very much for your attendance and please go in peace.”

Speaking to Fox News after the events, Donald Trump denied using hate speech or playing any part in fostering division.

“I represent a large group of people that have a lot of anger,” he said.

“There is tremendous anger out there on both sides.”

Discussing the decision to cancel the rally, Donald Trump said: “I think it was a very good thing we did, I think it was an intelligent decision.”

Donald Trump’s rivals for the Republican nomination, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, both called the incident “sad”.

Keith Emerson Dies from Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Aged 71

Sonia Pantiss
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Keith Emerson Dies from Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Aged 71

Keith Emerson has passed away at the age of 71, his former band mates from progressive rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer have announced.

“We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles,aged 71. We ask that the family’s privacy and grief be respected,“ read a statement on the band’s Facebook page.

Keith Emerson was one of the top keyboardists of the prog rock era.

The band co-founder and keyboardist died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Santa Monica police say.

Keith Emerson’s death was being investigated as a suicide, police added.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

A police spokesman said Keith Emerson’s body was found in the early hours of March 11 by his girlfriend Mari Kawaguchi at their flat in Santa Monica.

Former band mate Carl Palmer said: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend and brother-in-music, Keith Emerson.

“Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come.

“I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft.”

Inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s theatrics with the electric guitar, Keith Emerson was famous for his showmanship and outlandish on-stage performance style.

ELP achieved an international following and were particularly popular in Britain and Japan. Several of the group’s albums, including Tarkus, Trilogy, and Brain Salad Surgery entered the top five on the British chart.

Before ELP, Keith Emerson – who was born in Yorkshire in 1944 – was a member of The Nice, which formed in 1967 but disbanded three years later.

In later life Keith Emerson pursued a solo career and remained active in the music business. He was forced to call off a tour in 2010 due to an abnormal growth in his colon, but had a tour of Japan scheduled for next month.

ISIS Leak: Three Names of Paris Attackers Appear in Recruitment Files

Roy Siemens
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ISIS Leak: Three Names of Paris Attackers Appear in Recruitment Files

According to German media reports, the names of three of the Paris attackers appear in files leaked from the ISIS.

The three are believed to have carried out the worst attack, at the Bataclan concert hall, where 90 people died in November 2015.

The ISIS files, obtained by German, UK and Syrian opposition media, are said to identify thousands of jihadist recruits from at least 40 countries.

German officials said the files could be assumed to be genuine.

Roughly 22,000 fighters are reportedly identified by the documents, with one file for each recruit listing a name, address and other information. However, many of the names given may be duplicates.

Among them are Samy Amimour, Foued Mohamed-Aggad and Omar Ismail Mostefai, the three men who attacked the Bataclan during Eagles of Death Metal’s concert, killing 90 people.

The documents have been obtained by German public broadcasters WDR and NDR, and the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.ISIS leak 2016

WDR said the files indicate that the three men entered ISIS territory in 2013 and 2014.

Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere earlier said the information contained in the files could help to prosecute ISIS fighters, and help prevent future recruitment.

Files were first published online (in Arabic) by Zaman Al-Wasl, a Qatari-based Syrian news website.

Dutch media identified Abu Jihad al-Hollandi from the documents as Amsterdam teenager Achraf Bouamran, who was killed in a US air strike on the Syrian ISIS stronghold of Raqqa in January 2015. His file reads: “Born 1997. Moroccan origin. Wants to be a fighter.”

Counter-terrorism police in Germany are studying the documents.

“The German Federal Bureau of Investigation acts on the assumption that the documents are authentic,” Thomas de Maiziere said.

Sky News said the documents came from a man called Abu Hamed, an ISIS fighter who said he had become disillusioned with the group’s leadership and stolen a memory stick from the head of the ISIS internal security force before handing it over in Turkey.

Nicolae Ceausescu’s Former Mansion Opens Doors to Public

Nancy Clayson
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Nicolae Ceausescu’s Former Mansion Opens Doors to Public

The former residence of Romania’s communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu has opened its doors to the public after more than 25 years.

Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena were executed by a firing squad on Christmas Day in 1989, but ordinary Romanians will soon be able to see the mansion where the couple once lived, Balkans Insight reports. The luxurious building – dubbed the Primaverii (Spring) Palace – has opened its doors to visitors for the first time on March12.

For nearly $4, visitors will now be able to roam the 80-room residence – said to include a cinema, a swimming pool and an impressive dressing room – set in 3.5 acres of grounds in Bucharest’s desirable Primaverii neighborhood.Nicolae Ceausescu mansion

The building was designed in the mid-1960s to the exact specifications of the former dictator and his wife, who reportedly personally picked the chandeliers and mosaics.

After the 1989 Romanian revolution which deposed Nicolae Ceausescu, the building was taken over by the state and only rarely used to host official delegations. It was put up for sale in 2014 but attracted no buyer.

In February, the Palace of the Parliament – another massive building built on the orders of Nicolae Ceausescu – opened its doors to virtual tours. With 1,000 rooms, which were once the workplace of 100,000 people in the last days of the Communist era, it is both admired and reviled by the Romanian people.

The revival of interest in the Communist era and an apparent softening of attitudes towards the once-hated regime come at a time when many Romanians feel that life has not improved much since Nicolae Ceausescu’s overthrow, Balkan Insight says.

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff Refuses to Resign

Diane A. Wade
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Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff Refuses to Resign

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has refused to resign over her alleged mishandling of the economy after moves to impeach her.

Dilma Rousseff accused her opponents of causing a political crisis which she said had damaged the economy.

She also defended her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, over money-laundering allegations.

Dilma Rousseff said a prosecutors’ request for his detention had no legal basis.

The ongoing crisis has deepened the worst recession in decades in Brazil – Latin America’s biggest economy.

Dilma Rousseff said she had been democratically elected and had no intention of going.Dilma Rousseff resignation 2016

The inquiry has implicated several business leaders and politicians close to the government including Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Regional prosecutors in Sao Paulo want Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 70, placed in “preventive custody” after charging him with failing to declare ownership of a luxury sea-front penthouse in the seaside resort of Guaruja.

They say this is necessary because he may try to obstruct the investigation. The request still has to be accepted or rejected by a judge.

The former president denies any wrongdoing and says the claims are politically motivated. He says he never owned the apartment.

His lawyer, Cristiano Zanin Martins, said Brazil’s ex-leader had invested in the project and had visited the unfinished apartment but later asked for his money back rather than receiving the property.

President Dilma Rousseff refused to comment on a possible cabinet job for Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva but said she would be proud to have him in her government.

Last week, the former president was briefly detained and questioned in a separate, federal investigation into whether extensive refurbishment on the penthouse had constituted favors in exchange for political benefit.

The renovations were carried out by one of Brazil’s biggest construction companies, OAS.

Officially the apartment belongs to OAS, which is itself accused of paying bribes to politicians and senior officials at state oil company Petrobras to secure lucrative contracts.

In addition, federal prosecutors are looking into allegations that Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sold his influence in President Dilma Rousseff’s administration in exchange for donations to his Instituto Lula non-profit foundation.

Last week’s questioning of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led to criticism not only from his supporters but also from judges and politicians, who said it was unnecessary.

His supporters say the attacks on him are aimed at tarnishing his reputation, amid rumors that he may run for office again in 2018.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was Brazil’s left-leaning president from 2003 to 2011 and was succeeded in office by his political protégé, Dilma Rousseff, who has record-low approval rates amid a serious economic crisis.

A former factory worker and union leader, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remains a very popular figure in Brazil despite the accusations against senior members of the Workers’ Party.

Harmony of the Seas: World’s Largest Cruise Ship Tested in France

Nancy Clayson
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Harmony of the Seas: World’s Largest Cruise Ship Tested in France

France is testing the world’s largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas.

Thousands of people gathered to watch in the port of Saint-Nazaire, in western France, as the 230ft high vessel was guided out to sea by six tugs on March 10.

The €1 billion ($1.1 billion) ship is being built for the Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise company.

Photo Royal Caribbean
Photo Royal Caribbean

Harmony of the Seas, a 120,000-tonne vessel, is expected to be delivered to the RCI in two months.

The sea trial will continue until March 12.

The 16-deck Harmony of the Seas is 362m long – 50m longer than the Eiffel Tower is high.

After completion, Harmony of the Seas will be able to accommodate more than 6,000 passengers.

About 2,000 crew members will cater for their needs.

Asian Stock Markets Recover in Late Trade on ECB Stimulus Measures

Clyde K. Valle
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Asian Stock Markets Recover in Late Trade on ECB Stimulus Measures

Asian stock markets largely recovered in late trade, with trading volatile in the wake of the ECB’s latest stimulus measures.

On March 10, markets had initially cheered the European Central Bank’s move to cut rates and expand its quantitative easing plan.

However, hints later that the ECB might not cut rates further saw European and US markets go into reverse.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index fell 1% at first, but then recovered to end the day up 0.5% at 16,938.87.Asian stock markets March 2016

In China, investors were looking ahead to some fresh economic data expected out of Beijing on March 12.

Analysts said retail sales may show some improvement over the combined January and February period, but that they were expecting industrial production and fixed-asset investment numbers to support the outlook for a continued overall economic slowdown in China.

March 12 numbers will combine January and February activity on the mainland in order to avoid any irregularities that could appear due to the Lunar New Year holiday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed up 1.1% at 20,199.60, while the Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to 2,810.31.

In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 fell at first, but then recovered to close up 0.3% at 5,166.39.

South Korea’s Kospi index ended the day 0.1% higher at 1,971.41.

Emine Erdogan Praises Ottoman Harem

Nancy Clayson
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Emine Erdogan Praises Ottoman Harem

Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdogan has described the harem of the Ottoman era as an “educational establishment that prepared women for life,” reports say.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wife was speaking at an official event on Ottoman sultans in Ankara, say Turkish TV stations.

Emine Erdogan’s comments came a day after the president said a woman was “above all a mother” in a speech to mark International Women’s Day.

Family members, servants and concubines all lived in the imperial harem.

The sultans who ruled the Ottoman Empire had a harem at Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace, which has been a museum since 1924.Emine Erdogan harem speech

The sultan spent his domestic life in the harem, where his wives lived, as well as female family members and concubines, who numbered into the hundreds. Male staff were eunuchs.

Emine Erdogan said the harem was a school for members of the Ottoman dynasty.

Traces left by harem women in the empire’s six centuries of history could be “an inspiration”, the first lady said, according to Turkish media.

Concubines kept in the harem did receive some training and were well fed. However, they were not free to leave the palace if they wanted to.

Some Turks were quick to criticize Emine Erdogan’s comments on social media.

“Receiving education in harem doesn’t make it a school. This is nonsense,” tweeted @GaziCaglar, saying there would have been about 400 concubines in the sultan’s harem.

“If the Ottoman harem was a scholarly institution then why were the men who worked there castrated?” asked @anlam75.

“Those who mention harem do not send their daughters to anything less than American universities,” tweeted @kizmonot, a reference to the fact that both the Erdogans’ daughters studied at Indiana University.

However, some – including pro-government journalist Ceren Kenar – pointed out that Emine Erdogan is correct to say that women were educated in the harem.

Study: HDL Cholesterol Not Always Good

Kathryn R. Bown
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Study: HDL Cholesterol Not Always Good

According to a recent study, some people with high levels of supposedly “good” cholesterol are at much greater risk of heart disease.

A bloodstream tussle takes place between “bad” cholesterol dumping fatty material in the arteries and good cholesterol taking it away.

The Cambridge University study published in Science showed more “good” cholesterol was not always better.

It is thought the findings may help find new ways to protect the heart.

Eating olive oil, fish and nuts raises levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – which is more commonly known as “good” cholesterol.Good cholesterol study

HDL is one of the things doctors test for when predicting your risk of a heart attack.

However, repeated trials that raise HDL with drugs have flopped, leading doctors to think something else is going on.

Some insight has come from studying rare mutations that leave people with high levels of good cholesterol.

Trials showed people with a mutation in a gene called SCARB1, which affects one-in-1,700 people, had very high levels of good cholesterol.

They also had an 80% increased risk of heart disease – that is roughly the same increased risk as for smoking.

Further experiments showed the mutation was preventing HDL from dumping the fat it had collected in the liver for processing.

There have been huge efforts put into drugs to raise HDL in the hope they have the same impact as statins, which lower the bad cholesterol.

While the researchers have questioned the importance of boosting levels of HDL cholesterol, they insist it still remains a valuable tool for predicting the risk of a heart attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxvfN79KS1U

Republican Debate 2016: Donald Trump Attacked by Marco Rubio over Islam Comments

Diane A. Wade
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Republican Debate 2016: Donald Trump Attacked by Marco Rubio over Islam Comments

In a TV debate held in Miami, Republican Marco Rubio has attacked rival Donald Trump for saying that Islam hates America.

Marco Rubio, who faces a do-or-die contest in Florida on March 15, said Islam had a problem with radicalization but said that many Muslims were proud Americans.

“Presidents can’t just say whatever they want. It has consequences,” he said, to cheers from the audience.

The four Republicans heeded pleas from party leaders to have a civil debate.

Unlike in the last TV event, which was littered with personal insults, this one was more substantive with a focus on policy.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

“So far, I cannot believe how civil it’s been up here,” Donald Trump observed at one point.

However, on the issue of Islam, there was clear distance between Donald Trump and the others. The billionaire stood by comments he made earlier in the day when he said “Islam hates us, there’s a tremendous hatred”, and railed against political correctness.

Marco Rubio said: “I’m not interested in being politically correct. I’m interested in being correct.”

All three of Donald Trump’s rivals distanced themselves from Trump’s statement in December that in the fight against terrorist “you have to take out their families”.

“We’ve never targeted innocent civilians and we’re not going to start now” Ted Cruz said.

When Donald Trump was challenged on the legality of targeting civilians, he said that America had to be able to fight on “an equal footing”.

“We have to obey the laws, but we have to expand those laws,” he said.

On March 15, five large states will vote for presidential candidate in each party, with Ohio Governor John Kasich and Marco Rubio, a Florida senator, under pressure to win their home states.

Donald Trump picked up a key endorsement of Ben Carson, who last week dropped out of the race before the debate.

The candidates also clashed over President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba next week.

Marco Rubio, whose parents were Cuban immigrants, said he was opposed to efforts to restore relations until Cuba improved its human rights record.

However, Donald Trump said he was not opposed to a US-Cuba deal, but it should be on better terms for the US.

The other Cuban-American candidate on the stage, Ted Cruz, accused Donald Trump of supporting the Obama-Clinton policy on Cuba.

ECB Cuts Interest Rates as Reveals Stimulus Measures

Clyde K. Valle
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0
ECB Cuts Interest Rates as Reveals Stimulus Measures

The European Central Bank’s main interest rate has been cut from 0.05% to 0% as part of a package of measures intended to revive the eurozone economy.

The ECB will also expand its quantitative easing program from €60 billion to €80 billion a month.

The bank also decided to further cut its bank deposit rate, from minus 0.3% to minus 0.4%.

The measures, including the decision to cut the main interest rate, were more radical than investors had expected.

The stimulus measures announced three months ago have largely failed to drive economic growth higher or boost inflation.ECB stimulus 2016

ECB president Mario Draghi told a news conference in Frankfurt that it had cut eurozone inflation projections to reflect the recent decline in oil prices.

The bank now expected inflation to be just 0.1% this year – substantially lower than the previous estimate of 1% and underlining the need for the bank to go further than expected.

Inflation should rise to 1.3% in 2017 and 1.6% the following year, according to its estimates.

“We are not in deflation,” Mario Draghi stressed.

He also warned that risks to economic growth across the 19 countries that use the euro remained “tilted to the downside”.

The ECB cut its growth forecasts to an increase of 1.4% in 2016 – down from 1.7%; 1.7% for 2017 – down from 1.9%; and 1.8% for 2018.

The governing council expected the bank’s key interest rates “to remain at present or lower levels for an extended period of time, and well past the horizon of our net asset purchases”.

The bond-buying program will continue at least until the end of March 2017.

As well as government debt, the ECB will now be allowed to use its newly printed money to buy bonds issued by companies as well. That scheme will start towards the end of the second quarter this year.

The euro initially fell 1% against the US dollar, but soon recovered to be trading higher and was also up against the yen. A weaker euro makes European exports cheaper, so the rise will not be welcomed by manufacturers.

European stock markets also rose sharply following the announcement before losing much of those gains, with Frankfurt up 0.6% and Paris rising 1%, although the FTSE 100 in London fell 0.2% and Wall Street was flat in morning trading.

Shares in European banks posted gains, with Deutsche Bank rising 4.8%, Societe Generale adding 2.7%, Santander up 5.5% and Italy’s UniCredit adding 6.8%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PHkc39U2tg

US Dollar Weakens as Gold Price Soars

Dana R
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US Dollar Weakens as Gold Price Soars

Currency values are always fluctuating, so the US dollar, like any other global currency, can rise one day and fall the next. Gold, on the other hand, will hold its value, so it’s why people invest in gold if they want to be sure they’ll have something valuable tomorrow.

Recently the US dollar weakened as the price of gold continues to soar and people continue to buy and sell gold on sites like Global Intergold. Continue reading to learn more.

Massive Gains in Gold Value

Early 2016 has proven to be very good for gold prices, which posted a huge one-day gain in February. Compared to the previous 14+ months, the prices were higher than before, and with the continuous troubles facing global financial markets, gold is continuing to be a safer asset to invest in because its value has been steadily growing ever higher while currency values decline.

A Closer Look at the Financial Markets and Their Worth

In order to truly comprehend the modern financial systems that are in place, you have to first acknowledge that these markets are based upon several types of money that are competing. These are also referred to as liquidity, and most of these are actually created privately.

You also need to consider shadow banking and repo markets, which are also referred to as wholesale lending and are increasingly driving the global economy. These markets are concentrated heavily within various private monies. And the value of these monies could significantly fluctuate from one day to the next. When understanding credit flows and capital flows, you have to also go ahead and focus upon the alternating qualities of these monies.

Why Gold Has a Higher Value According to Global Intergold

Many people wonder why paper currency doesn’t hold its value, while gold does hold its value and continues to grow in value. First, you need to split private sector liquidity from central bank liquidity. Central banks will boost the supply of a particular currency, but this ultimately and inevitably results in the devaluation of that currency. In the private sector, on the other hand, when you boost private sector liquidity, it produces a signal of strong economic growth, resulting in increases in industrial profitability and expansion of credit. But no matter what, when you print more money, it devalues a currency.

Gold, on the other hand, is the opposite of paper money. When paper money is weaker, you can expect that gold prices will be stronger. And when paper money is stronger, you’ll also find weaker gold prices. The recent and consistent rise in gold prices, therefore, means that paper currencies are suffering and no longer holding the same value. The US dollar is a prime example of this, as it has weakened at the same time that gold prices have soared.

By having a better understanding of the value of paper money versus gold, and how they affect one another, you can make wiser investment choices so that you can watch your money grow. Right now, if you have the money, you should consider investing in gold.

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