Thursday, February 19, 2026
Home Blog Page 302

National Herald Case: Sonia and Rahul Gandhi Appear in Court

0

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the leaders of India’s opposition Congress party, have appeared in court in connection with corruption allegations.

The mother and son were both granted bail minutes after arriving, and the case was adjourned until February 20, the AFP reported.

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi deny misusing party funds to buy a company that published the now-closed National Herald newspaper.

The case has been brought by a member of the ruling BJP.

Subramanian Swamy says the Gandhis took over the company to try to acquire more than $300 million in property assets.

The Delhi high court on December 7 rejected the Gandhis’ plea to be exempted from making personal appearance in the district court at Patiala House on December 19.Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in court

Sonia Gandhi, the party president, welcomed being granted bail and said she had no doubt that truth would prevail.

Rahul Gandhi, who is the party vice-president, accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and PM Narendra Modi of making false allegations against him and his mother and said they would not be defeated.

The National Herald ceased publication in 2008. The party had previously said it wanted to revive the paper, established in 1938 by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

However, Subramanian Swamy has alleged that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi used party funds illegally to acquire the newspaper’s properties.

The case has also disrupted the current session of parliament, with lawmakers accusing the ruling BJP of a “political vendetta”.

The BJP has rejected the allegations.

“How is parliament involved if some people have been summoned by a court? You [Gandhis] want to silence the judiciary. You want to intimidate the judiciary. You are telling the judiciary, how dare you summon us,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said.

Congress party lost the general election in 2014, winning only 44 of the 543 seats after governing India for 10 years. The BJP won a landslide victory.

Brazil’s Pro-Austerity Finance Minister Joaquim Levy Quits

Brazil’s Finance Minister Joaquim Levy has resigned as Latin America’s largest economy struggles to recover from recession.

Joaquim Levy has decided to leave after disagreements with President Dilma Rousseff and the governing Worker’s Party over his austerity policies.

He is being replaced by a close ally of Dilma Rousseff, the current Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa.

Brazil is facing its worst recession in 25 years.

In a statement, Joaquim Levy said he remained confident that the economy could recover in 2016.

“Time will show that we will reap the results of all that has been done this year, putting the Brazilian economy back on track,” he wrote.

Brazil’s economy shrank by 1.7% in Q3 of 2015 compared with Q2. Compared with a year ago, the economy is 4.5% smaller.

Inflation is also on the rise, with the annual rate hitting 10% in November 2015.

Joaquim Levy’s resignation is a huge blow to those who advocated tougher budgets and limited austerity to tackle Brazil’s deepening economic crisis.

His attempts to tighten government budgets were repeatedly blocked by Worker’s Party stalwarts in Congress.

The new minister says he will keep a tight control on public spending.

Nelson Barbosa: “If we control government spending we will manage to control public debt and we will eventually be able to reduce public debt.”

Inflation is expected to begin falling next year, he added.

Photo Forbes
Photo Forbes

President Dilma Rousseff gave no reason for Joaquim Levy’s departure.

The change comes amid a serious political crisis in Brazil.

Earlier this month the Speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, agreed to begin impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff over alleged irregularities in the management of last year’s budget.

On December 18, however, the Supreme Court handed Dilma Rousseff an important victory.

It scrapped a commission set up to deal with impeachment proceedings against the president, in a major setback for the opposition.

The court also gave more powers to the government-controlled Senate to block the impeachment process.

The ruling means that proceedings initiated earlier this month will have to start from scratch.

Rwanda Referendum: Paul Kagame Allowed to Extend Term in Office

The majority of Rwandans have voted to allow President Paul Kagame to extend his term in office, initial referendum results show.

Some 98% of voters support changing the constitution to allow Paul Kagame to run again in 2017 after his second term ends, the National Electoral Commission said.

Paul Kagame, 58, could remain in power until 2034 if the changes are passed.

The vote took place despite criticism of such an amendment by the US and other Western donors.

Rwanda’s electoral commission said 21 out of 30 districts had published results so far, covering about 70% of voters.Rwanda referendum Paul Kagame

Full results are due to be released later on December 19.

Paul Kagame has not said if he will run again, but he is widely expected to.

Asked at the polling station if he would stay on, the president said: “What is happening is the people’s choice. Ask people why they want me.”

However, the US has said Paul Kagame should step down in 2017 to allow a new generation of leaders to emerge.

Rights groups accuse the government of stifling the media and political opposition.

The small opposition Democratic Green Party claimed it had been prevented from campaigning against the change.

Paul Kagame has been president since 2000 but has held power since 1994, when his rebel force entered the capital Kigali to end Rwanda’s genocide.

The debate over extending presidential terms has led to instability in other African countries such as Burundi and Congo Republic, but has not caused unrest in Rwanda.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Sets New Opening Night Box Office Record

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has set a new opening night box office record in the US and Canada, industry experts said.

The new Star Wars movie made $57 million on December 17, beating the previous record of $43.5 million held by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011.

Analysts say the space saga could become the biggest selling movie of all time.

Rentrak’s Paul Dergarabedian, one of Hollywood’s best-known box office analysts, said the movie’s opening night performance in the US and Canada “portends a massive and potentially record-breaking opening day and weekend for the film”.Star Wars Force Awakens box office record

Analysts expect The Force Awakens to make about $200 million in the US and Canada over its opening weekend, a total that could challenge the record Jurassic World set earlier this year.

The latest installment in the dinosaur theme park franchise made almost $209 million in its first three days on North American release in June.

Analysts say The Force Awakens opened on December 17 so would have to perform staggeringly well over the weekend to top the latest James Bond movie.

Directed by JJ Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens returns to “a galaxy far, far away” some 30 years on from the action of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens sees original trilogy stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise their Han Solo and Princess Leia roles alongside younger franchise newcomers.

Virginia School District Closes All Schools over Arabic Calligraphy Lesson

A Virginia school district has decided to close all schools on December 18 after a geography lesson that included Islam sparked vociferous complaints from around the country.

Students were asked to trace Arabic calligraphy in an exercise some parents said amounted to indoctrination.

Officials said the schools were closed out of an “abundance of caution” and there were no specific safety threats.

School administrators say a different lesson will be used in the future.

One week ago, students at Riverheads High School were studying the Middle East and were asked to trace a piece of Arabic calligraphy that translated to: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”

Some pupils refused the assignment and parents accused the teacher of indoctrination.Virginia Arabic calligraphy lesson

Officials with the Augusta County school district were quick to point out that the study of a region’s religion and language are included in geography lessons.

However, anger built up and by December 16 complaints had become so numerous that the school’s doors were locked and monitored.

By December 18, the messages – described as profane and hateful – had increased and the decision was made to close the schools.

Officials said that no specific threats were received, but law enforcement officials and the school district board recommended the closure because they were being cautious.

The lesson was intended to illustrate the complexity of the Arabic language, they said, and not meant to promote any religious system.

However, future classes will use a different, non-religious example of Arabic.

The decision to close the schools has drawn criticism as well.

“It looks like fear wins again,” a resident told the News Virginian newspaper.

On the newspaper’s Facebook account, locals have been debating the closure with one man saying: “Our patriot forefathers are rolling in their graves.”

Another resident posted: “How do these terrified people leave their houses every day?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeMvuciKl04

Prince George’s Nursery Announced

0

Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced the nursery school Prince George is to attend alongside the release of a new picture of their family.

Prince George, 2, will go to the Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk from January.

A nursery spokesman said: “We are looking forward to welcoming George to our nursery.”

The nursery is close to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s home, Anmer Hall.

The nursery said Prince George would “get the same special experience as all of our children”.

Photo Chris Jelf
Photo Chris Jelf

The new picture shows the duke and duchess with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the garden at Kensington Palace. It was taken in late October by photographer Chris Jelf.

Kensington Palace said that the royal couple were “very much looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of four” and “hugely appreciative of all the warm messages they have received about their family this year”.

The early learning at the Westacre Montessori School was rated good by Ofsted after an inspection in June 2015. It costs £5.50 an hour or £33 a day to attend the nursery.

The school follows the principles of an Italian doctor called Maria Montessori who developed a new approach to teaching in the early 20th Century, in which children take responsibility for their own learning.

Prince William was the first senior royal to go to nursery and not start his education in a palace.

Donald Trump Honored to Receive Compliments from Vladimir Putin

0

Donald Trump has said it is a “great honor” to receive a compliment from Vladimir Putin during the Russian president’s annual news conference.

The Republican presidential hopeful hailed Vladimir Putin as a man “highly respected within his own country and beyond”.

It comes after Vladimir Putin said Donald Trump was a “very colorful, talented person” during the news conference.

The two men, both known for their blunt manner of speaking, do not know each other personally.

After hearing Vladimir Putin’s comments on December 17, Donald Trump released a statement praising the Russian leader.

“It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond,” he said.

“I have always felt that Russia and the United States should be able to work well with each other towards defeating terrorism and restoring world peace, not to mention trade and all of the other benefits derived from mutual respect.”Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin

Donald Trump is currently widely regarded as the frontrunner in the race for the Republican presidential ticket, a race where other candidates have made no secret of their wariness of Vladimir Putin.

President Vladimir Putin made his remarks during his televised annual news conference at which he used crude language to lash out at Turkey, a NATO member and key US ally in the conflict in Syria.

He had warm words for Donald Trump, telling viewers: “He says that he wants to move to another, closer level of relations. Can we really not welcome that? Of course we welcome that.”

In October, Donald Trump told US TV network CBS that he and Vladimir Putin would “probably get along… very well”.

During one presidential debate, the property tycoon said: “If Putin wants to go and knock the hell out of ISIS [the Islamic State group], I am all for it, 100%, and I can’t understand how anybody would be against it.”

One of Donald Trump’s rivals for the Republican ticket, Jeb Bush, criticized his response to the Russian leader’s remarks on December 17.

Jeb Bush tweeted: “A true freedom-loving conservative wouldn’t be flattered by praise from a despot like Putin.”

France Bans Ultra-Thin Models

French parliament has adopted a bill aimed at banning the use of fashion models deemed to be “excessively thin”.

Models will need a doctor’s certificate that their health is “compatible with the practice of the profession”.

Employers who break the law could face up to six months in jail and a €75,000 fine ($81,000).France bans super skinny models

A previous version of the bill had suggested a minimum Body Mass Index (BMI) for models, prompting protests from modeling agencies in France.

The final draft approved on December 17 allows doctors to decide whether a model is too thin by taking into account their weight, age, and body shape.

It also says that digitally altered images making a model’s silhouette “narrower or wider” should be labeled “touched up”.

France is not the first country to legislate on underweight models – Italy, Spain and Israel have all done so.

Anorexia affects between 30,000 to 40,000 people in France, 90% of whom are women.

SU-24 Crash: Russian Warplane’s Black Box Is Damaged, Say Investigators

0

The black box of the Russian warplane downed by Turkey on the Syrian border last month is damaged, Russian investigators say.

The Su-24 jet’s flight recorder was officially opened in Moscow on December 18 in front of journalists and diplomats.

Nikolai Primak, head of the Russian investigation, said flight information appeared to be missing.

Data from the box could help resolve the dispute over the jet’s location when it was hit.

An analysis is expected to be released next week.

Photo RT
Photo RT

The downing of the jet plunged relations between Russia and Turkey into crisis, with Moscow imposing sanctions in response.

Turkey insists that the fighter jet, from the Russian air contingent deployed in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad, ignored warnings to leave its airspace.

Russia says it was shot down within Syrian airspace and President Vladimir Putin vented his anger at Turkey’s government again on Thursday, accusing it of subservience to the US and of “creeping Islamisation”.

Turkey and Russia are heavily involved in Syria but take radically different positions despite both being ostensibly opposed to ISIS.

The Su-24 was shot down by F-16 fighters on November 24.

Both crew members ejected but the pilot was killed, apparently by militants on the ground while the navigator was rescued.

A Russian marine sent to rescue the crew was also killed and a helicopter destroyed on the ground.

Russia has demanded an apology from Turkey and in the meantime has imposed sanctions including a ban on package holidays, which could cost Turkey billions of dollars.

Azealia Banks Charged with Assaulting Security Guard

Rapper Azealia Banks has been charged with assaulting a security guard at a New York nightclub.

Azealia Banks, 24, is accused of assault, disorderly conduct and harassment (in the second degree), according to Detective Annette Shelton.

It’s claimed the rapper was being escorted out of the club when she became verbally abusive and started punching a 28-year-old female.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

The detective also says Azealia Banks allegedly bit the woman on her breast.

The incident is said to have taken place while the singer was attending a private party at Up & Down nightclub in New York’s Meatpacking District.

Earlier this year Azealia Banks had to explain why she had used the term “white face” in a tweet.

Azealia Banks has announced in a Twitter post that she canceled a number of gigs in the US: “Hi guys, I’m very busy at work. Your coins will be refunded and I will be back in January. NYC, I’ll see u on the 19th. XO – AB.”

Mother Teresa Sainthood: Pope Francis Recognizes Second Miracle

A second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa has been recognized by Pope Francis, clearing the way for the Roman Catholic nun to be made a saint in 2016.

The miracle involved the inexplicable healing of a Brazilian man with multiple brain tumors, a report in the Avvenire newspaper of the Italian Catholic Bishop’s Conference said.

Mother Teresa was beatified – the first step towards sainthood – in 2003.

In 1979, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the poor.

Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, on September 5, 1997.

She is celebrated for her work in the slums of Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta).

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The Avvenire report said that she is expected to be canonized in Rome in September.

Beatification requires one miracle by the Catholic Church, while the process of becoming recognized as a saint requires proof of at least two miracles.

Mother Teresa was beatified in 2003 after Pope John Paul II accepted as authentic a miracle attributed to the nun.

Pope John Paul II judged that the curing of an Indian woman suffering from an abdominal tumor was the result of the supernatural intervention of Mother Teresa with God – a claim challenged by Indian rationalists.

Born Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Uskup (now Skopje), Macedonia, in 1910, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1949, dedicating her life to caring for impoverished and sick people in Kolkata.

Known as the “saint of the gutter”, she earned worldwide acclaim for her efforts.

Mother Teresa and her helpers built homes for orphans, nursing homes for lepers and hospices for the terminally ill in Calcutta. Mother Teresa’s organization also engaged in aid work in other parts of the world.

The modest nun became known all over the world, and money poured in. But she was also criticized. It was alleged that dying people in the hospices were refused pain relief, whereas Mother Teresa herself accepted hospital treatment.

Mother Teresa also held a conservative view on abortion. She was regarded as a spokesperson for the Vatican.

Beijing Pollution 2015: Authorities Issue Red Alert for Second Time

Beijing authorities have issued a second pollution red alert, little more than a week after the first ever such warning.

China’s capital will see hazardous smog from December 19 until December 22, the Beijing Meteorological Service said.

Nationwide, a vast area from Xian in central China to Harbin in the north-east would also be affected, the National Meteorological Center said.

The red alert triggers restrictions on vehicle use, factories and construction work.

The government has promised to take action to address often dangerous levels of pollution.Beijing air pollution

Meteorological authorities have said that the regional smog is likely to be worse than the last red alert earlier this month, with the PM2.5 pollution level to exceed 500 micrograms per cubic meter.

The smog which hit Beijing on December 8 had peaked just below 300. Residents are encouraged to stay indoors if levels exceed that level.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 25 micrograms per cubic meter as the maximum safe level.

Authorities released a map showing that heavy smog would blanket a swathe of China spanning nearly 1,200 miles, encompassing at least 12 major cities, with Beijing and nearby city Shijiazhuang heaviest hit.

The other cities would experience medium or lesser levels of smog.

The news was greeted with exasperation and worry among Chinese citizens online.

The current four-level alert system was instituted about two years ago, although the red alert had never been issued until this month.

Coal-powered industries and heating systems – in heavy use during the cold Beijing winter – are major contributors to the smog, which is made worse by weather conditions and the city’s geography.

Beijing is bordered to the south and east by industrial areas that generate pollution, and to the north and west by mountains that trap it over the city.

China still depends on coal for more than 60% of its power, despite big investments in renewable energy sources.

Earlier this month China was part of the landmark Paris climate change agreement that set a course for China, and the world, to move away from fossil fuels in the long term.

Rwanda Referendum 2015: President Paul Kagame Seeks Third Term

Rwanda is voting in a referendum on a constitutional amendment to allow President Paul Kagame to seek a third term in office.

Most voters, some 6.4 million, are eligible to vote on December 18, but around 37,000 Rwandans living overseas were able to have their say on December 17.

The change would allow Paul Kagame to potentially remain in power until 2034.

Rwandans are expected to vote overwhelmingly in favor of changing the constitution.

Paul Kagame is praised at home and abroad for bringing about development and economic growth.

However, the president’s critics accuse him of heavy-handed rule and human rights abuses.

Paul Kagame himself has said he will wait for the outcome of the referendum before making his decision on whether to run in 2017.

Rwanda’s Senate approved draft constitutional amendments last month allowing Paul Kagame to run for another seven-year term.

But the amendments also shorten the length of a term from seven to five years and maintain a two-term limit.Rwanda referendum Paul Kagame

However, those rules would not come into effect until 2024, after Paul Kagame’s third term.

Paul Kagame could then potentially run for another two five-year terms – ruling for some 40 years.

The president’s Rwanda Patriotic Front, an ethnic Tutsi rebel force, ended the 1994 genocide perpetrated by Hutu extremists.

Some 800,000 people – Tutsis and moderate Hutus – are estimated to have been killed.

Donor countries, which support the Rwandan government, have been very critical of the move to change the constitution.

The US urged Paul Kagame to step down in 2017, saying he had “an opportunity to set an example for a region in which leaders seem too tempted to view themselves as indispensable to their own countries’ trajectories”.

Paul Kagame has hit back at “other nations” for interfering in Rwanda’s internal affairs.

But the issue of African presidents seeking a third term in office has caused unrest elsewhere on the continent.

Violence has engulfed neighboring Burundi since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced in April his plans to seek a third term, in violation of a peace accord that brought an end to the country’s brutal 12-year ethnic civil war.

In September, there were major protests in the Republic of Congo as President Denis Sassou Nguesso called a referendum to approve constitutional changes allowing him to stand for a third term.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMwlR3pmnnU

Brazil Lifts WhatsApp Suspension

Brazilian Judge Xavier de Souza has ordered that a suspension of WhatsApp be lifted.

The judge said the service should be re-instated immediately.

A court had ordered the service be suspended for 48 hours on December 17 for failing to comply with a court order to provide investigators with information relating to a criminal court case.

Judge Xavier de Souza said it was “not reasonable that millions of users be affected by the inertia of the company”.

Brazilians had complained bitterly on social media about the suspension of WhatsApp, which is a hugely popular app used by many to communicate with family, friends and colleagues both inside of Brazil and abroad.

According to the TechCrunch website, 93% internet population use WhatsApp, with many young and poor Brazilians taking advantage of its free text message and internet telephone service.

Within hours of the suspension being coming into force, the hashtag #Nessas48HorasEuVou (#Inthese48hoursIwill) began trending on Twitter, with Brazilians joking about all the things they would do during the suspension.Brazil WhatsApp block

The suspension also caused anger at Facebook, which owns WhatsApp.

Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page: “I am stunned that our efforts to protect people’s data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp.”

The suspension was ordered after WhatsApp failed to comply with a court order.

The court which ordered the suspension gave little detail, apart from saying that the order related to a criminal case.

Brazilian media said WhatsApp had been asked to provide details of communication by a suspected gang member who is alleged to have used WhatsApp to organize illegal activity.

Separately from the court case, Brazilian phone companies have urged the government to restrict the use of free voice-over-internet services offered through WhatsApp.

The phone companies argue that the rise of WhatsApp has damaged their businesses.

Meanwhile other messaging services said they had benefited from the temporary absence of WhatsApp.

One such company, Telegram, said on Twitter that more than 1.5 million Brazilian users had joined up since the court order was handed down.

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

US and Cuba Agree to Restore Regular Commercial Flights

The US and Cuba have agreed to restore regular commercial flights, in a deal that could jumpstart economic relations between the two countries.

The agreement paves the way for thousands of visitors to Cuba on a daily basis.

The deal was announced on December 17, exactly one year since President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart, President Raul Castro, announced a historic detente.

It is not known when the first Cuba-bound flights will take off.

The pact – the most significant business development since the presidents’ announcement one year ago – allows US airlines to negotiate with the Cuban government over commercial flight routes and schedules.

It could mean more than a dozen flights arriving into Cuba from the United States a day, officials said.

The understanding is a key development as Cuba and the US continue to negotiate over a number of issues which could ultimately see the US trade embargo lifted.

Photo AP
Photo AP

The news comes as travel between the United States and Cuba surged by over 70% in 2015, according to Reuters.

Thousands of Americans are already visiting Cuba and hotels and hostels are booked for months.

Those traveling have to do so using difficult-to-book charter flights or via third countries, and are forced to navigate an intricate web of laws in order for their travel to be legal.

The State Department reminded US citizens on December 17 that a ban on touristic travel to Cuba remains in place.

Raul Castro and Barack Obama announced the normalization of relations on December 17, 2014, after more than 50 years of hostility between the Cold War foes.

One year out, President Barack Obama is marking the anniversary by calling on the US Congress to lift the trade embargo on Cuba, releasing a statement that says, in part: “Congress can support a better life for the Cuban people by lifting an embargo that is a legacy of a failed policy.”

Since then, embassies have opened in Havana and Washington, a pilot postal program has been agreed, phone links established, environmental deals have been inked, human rights talks have started, as well as a number of other developments.

Yet much stands in the way of fully-restored relations, most notably the US-imposed trade embargo, which Republicans have strongly defended.

US and Cuba Agree to Restore Regular Commercial Flights

Christine Lagarde Faces Trial in France

IMF head Christine Lagarde is facing trial French trial for alleged negligence over a €404 million ($438 million) payment to businessman Bernard Tapie in 2008.

Christine Lagarde, 59, was finance minister in President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government at the time of the compensation award to Bernard Tapie for the sale of a company.

Bernard Tapie supported Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential election.

Christine Lagarde’s lawyer described the court’s decision as “incomprehensible”, and said the IMF chief would appeal.

In a statement Christine Lagarde said she had “always acted in this affair in the interest of the state and in respect of the law”, AP reported.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Bernard Tapie was once a majority shareholder in sports goods company Adidas but sold it in 1993 in order to become a cabinet minister in Francois Mitterrand’s Socialist government.

He sued the Credit Lyonnais bank over its handling of the sale, alleging that the partly state-owned bank had defrauded him by deliberately undervaluing the company.

Bernard Lagarde’s case was later referred by Christine Lagarde to a three-member arbitration panel which awarded the compensation, causing a public outcry.

Investigators suspect he was granted a deal in return for his support of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Earlier this month, a French court ruled that Bernard Tapie was not entitled to any compensation for that sale and should pay back the €404 million with interest.

France’s Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) decided that Christine Lagarde should be tried on the charge of “negligence by a person in position of public authority” over the compensation case, iTele TV channel and the Mediapart website reported on December 17.

A court spokesman later confirmed the decision.

If convicted, Christine Lagarde could be sentenced to one year in prison.

French media said the CJR investigation magistrates declined to follow the recommendation of another court which last year decided not to pursue the case.

“It’s incomprehensible,” Christine Lagarde’s lawyer Yves Repiquet told iTele.

“I will recommend Mrs. Lagarde appeal against this decision.”

A spokesman for France’s attorney general said Christine Lagarde would have five days to appeal, once the court decision is made public on December 18 or December 21.

Meanwhile, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said the organization – which represents 188 member nations – “continues to express its confidence in the managing director’s ability to effectively carry out her duties”.

Christine Lagarde replaced Dominique Strauss-Kahn as IMF managing director in 2011.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn – also a former French minister – resigned following his arrest in New York on charges of assault that were later dropped.

Jose Mourinho Fired by Chelsea Seven Months after Winning Premier League

Jose Mourinho has been fired as Chelsea manager seven months after he led the team to the Premier League title.

The Portuguese had been in his second spell at Chelsea, taking charge in June 2013.

Chelsea finished eight points clear last season and won the League Cup, but has lost nine of their 16 league games so far and is 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places.

The 52-year-old’s final match was the December 14 defeat at leaders Leicester City with 2-1.

Pep Guardiola, Guus Hiddink, Juande Ramos and Brendan Rodgers have all been touted as possible successors as Blues owner Roman Abramovich begins another managerial search.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Chelsea issued the following statement: “Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by mutual consent.

“All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution since he returned as manager in the summer of 2013.

“His three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League Cup wins over two spells make him the most successful manager in our 110-year history.

“But both Jose and the board agreed results have not been good enough this season and believe it is in the best interests of both parties to go our separate ways.

“The club wishes to make clear Jose leaves us on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea.

“His legacy at Stamford Bridge and in England has long been guaranteed and he will always be warmly welcomed back to Stamford Bridge.

“The club’s focus is now on ensuring our talented squad reaches its potential.

“There will be no further comment until a new appointment is made.”

Putin Annual News Conference 2015: New Attack on Turkey over Russian Warplane Downing

Vladimir Putin has used crude language at the 11th annual news conference to launch a furious new attack on Turkey over the downing of a Russian combat jet last month.

The incident on the Syria-Turkey border was a “hostile act” but Russia was “not the country” to run away, the Russian president said.

“The Turks had decided to lick the Americans in a certain place,” he said.

There was, he said, a “creeping Islamization of Turkey that would have Ataturk rolling in his grave”.

The remark appeared to be aimed at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose AKP party, with its Islamist roots, has been accused of seeking to dismantle the secular state founded by Kemal Ataturk.

Vladimir Putin is now into his third term as president since 2000, battling an economic crisis. Critics say civil liberties have been steadily eroded under his rule.

He remains one of the world’s most recognizable politicians, and has topped the list of The World’s Most Powerful People compiled by Forbes magazine for the third year running.

Russia deployed its air force to Syria in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad and has been carrying out air strikes on his opponents.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Its intervention has been heavily criticized by Turkey, the US and Gulf Arab states.

Vladimir Putin said he saw “no prospect” of ties improving with Turkey, which Russia has put under sanctions, under its current leaders.

He said Turkish officials should have picked up the phone to talk to Russia about their concerns that air strikes in Syria were hitting Turkmen rebels.

Turkey, Vladimir Putin said, had achieved nothing by shooting down the jet while Russia had bolstered its presence in Syria by deploying anti-aircraft missiles.

On America, he said Russia wanted to develop relations “irrespective” of who would become its next president.

Vladimir Putin said his country’s economic crisis had peaked.

While oil prices had fallen sharply, he said, manufacturing had shown slight growth and there was a healthy trade balance in agriculture.

“Our economy depends on oil and gas prices, we expected Brent to be worth $100 dollars per barrel, but then it was 50, but this was an optimistic prediction too, our forecasts have to be amended again,” he said.

“GDP is falling, inflation is 12.3%, incomes, investment are falling too but the peak of the economic crisis is over.”

Vladimir Putin is known for his marathon performances at his news conferences, where he frequently uses hard-hitting, colorful language.

In an interview with state TV on December 16, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was a target in a “big information war [which] has been waged for a long time”.

In 2014, Vladimir Putin’s annual news conference lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes, while the record was set in 2008 at 4 hours 40 minutes.

On other issues raised at the news conference, President Vladimir Putin:

  • Praised Sepp Blatter and suggested the suspended head of FIFA should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
  • Said Russia was against doping as it “destroyed the principle of competitive sport”, and anyone found guilty should be punished
  • Denied Russian regular troops were deployed in rebel-held eastern Ukraine but said there could be “people there who were carrying out certain tasks including in the military sphere”
  • Praised his daughters, saying they lived in Russia and were “not involved in politics or business”
  • Predicted economic growth in Russia the new year of 0.7%, rising to 1.9% in 2017 and 2.4% in 2018, based on oil at $50 a barrel

WhatsApp Suspended in Brazil

A Brazil court has ordered local mobile phone companies to impose a block of the popular WhatsApp smartphone application for two days.

The court in Sao Paulo state made the order because it said WhatsApp had repeatedly failed to co-operate in a criminal investigation.

It is not clear if mobile companies will fully comply with the order.

Facebook owns the app. Mark Zuckerberg said he was “stunned” by the “extreme” ruling.

WhatsApp is reported to be the most used application in Brazil, with about 93 million users.

According to the TechCrunch website, WhatsApp is used by 93% of Brazil’s internet population and is especially popular among young people and the poor who take advantage of its free text message and internet telephone service.

It says Brazilians spend almost twice as much time on social media as Americans.

Brazilians have taken to Twitter to express their anger at the suspension but also to joke about how dependent they have become on WhatsApp.Whatsapp blocked in Brazil

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum said he was “disappointed in the short-sighted decision to cut off access to WhatsApp, a communication tool that so many Brazilians have come to depend on, and sad to see Brazil isolate itself from the rest of the world”.

Mark Zuckerberg was also highly critical of the ruling.

He wrote on his Facebook page: “Tonight, a Brazilian judge blocked WhatsApp for more than 100 million people who rely on it in her country.

We are working hard to get this block reversed. Until then, Facebook Messenger is still active and you can use it to communicate instead.

This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet. Brazilians have always been among the most passionate in sharing their voice online.

I am stunned that our efforts to protect people’s data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp.

We hope the Brazilian courts quickly reverse course. If you’re Brazilian, please make your voice heard and help your government reflect the will of its people.”

Brazilian media said the order to suspend the services was related to a drug trafficking trial in Sao Paulo State.

The court tried to get access to a suspect’s WhatsApp messages but the company refused to share them, Folha newspaper reported.

The court says WhatsApp failed to comply with judicial orders in July and in August.

Judge Sandra Regina Nostre Marques finally ordered the 48-hour shut-down on December 16, after finding out that WhatsApp had persisted in ignoring its rulings.

She said the suspension order was being made under terms of Brazil’s internet legislation.

The move against WhatsApp comes as Brazilian phone companies have urged the government to restrict the use of free voice-over-internet services offered through WhatsApp.

The phone companies argue that the rise of WhatsApp has damaged their businesses.

Meanwhile other messaging services say they are benefiting from the temporary absence of WhatsApp.

One such company, Telegram, said on Twitter that more than 1.5 million Brazilian users had joined up since the court order was handed down.

Europe Stock Markets Surge on Fed Interest Rate Decision

0

The European stock markets have surged after the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time since 2006.

The main share indexes in France, the UK and Germany’s were all up by between 1% and 3% in morning trade.

The US central bank increased the range for its benchmark interest rate to between 0.25% and 0.5%, from the previous range of 0%-0.25%.

The Fed said the rise was part of a “gradual” process to get rates back to normal after years of being near zero.

“Considerable improvement” in the jobs market spurred the Fed into action.

London’s FTSE 100 rose 1.4% to 6,146.68, while Frankfurt’s Dax jumped more than 3% and the Cac 40 in Paris was 2.5% higher.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The European stock markets were following the lead given by markets in the US and Asia.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones closed up 224.18 points, or 1.3%, at 17,749.09, while in Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 closed up 1.6% at 19,353.56.

After the Fed’s decision, the dollar rose against larger major currencies. Higher rates make the US a more attractive market for deposits, meaning demand for the dollar is likely to rise.

However, sterling recovered ground lost against the dollar and was 0.3% higher against the euro to €1.3783 after positive retail sales numbers for November.

At one point £1 bought almost $1.50.

British government-issued bonds, or gilts, rose in price following the Fed decision, meaning lower yields, or income.

Benchmark ten-year gilt yields fell 0.056 percentage points to 1.89%. While the specter of higher rates is often bad for existing debt prices, analysts said investors were pleased future Fed rate rises would be “gradual” in nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3d_uyxPDLY

US and Cuba Negotiate on Resuming Regular Flights

The United States and Cuba have reached an understanding on resuming regular commercial flights between the two countries, Cuban and American officials said on December 16.

It is unclear when the flights would start because negotiations between the Cuban government and the US airlines could take months.

The move is a significant step nearly a year after the US and Cuba began restoring diplomatic relations.

The US reopened its embassy in Havana in August after a 54-year absence.US and Cuba to resume regular flights

A State department spokesperson said the two countries “are making progress but still negotiating” on resuming flights.

The understanding is a key development as Cuba and the US continue to negotiate over a number of issues which could ultimately see the US trade embargo lifted.

The news comes as travel between the US and Cuba surged by an estimated 50% this year.

Thousands of Americans are already visiting Cuba and hotels and hostels are booked for months.

However, those traveling have to do so using difficult to book charter flights or via third countries.

A formal agreement could mean more than a dozen flights arriving into Cuba from the US a day, officials said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTuyd4dgUY8

China Summons US Charge D’Affaires over Taiwan Warship Deal

0

China’s foreign ministry has summoned the US charge d’affaires Kaye Lee in protest after Washington announced it would sell two warships to Taiwan.

Vice-Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang made “solemn representations” with Kaye Lee, the US charge d’affaires, the ministry said.

The arms deal, worth $1.83 billion, comes as tensions rise over China’s island-building in the South China Sea.

Taiwan expressed gratitude to Washington for helping with its defense needs.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province which will one day be reunited with the mainland, though relations have warmed in recent weeks.

Leaders from both countries met last month for the first time since the 1949 civil war.US and Taiwan warship deal 2015

China maintains a right to use force if Taiwan attempts to gain independence.

The Chinese statement said Zheng Zenguang had told Kaye Lee at the December 16 meeting that Taiwan “is an inalienable part of China’s territory” and that it “strongly opposes the US arms sale”.

It added that the deal had “severely damaged China’s sovereignty and security interest”, and pledged to sanction the US companies involved in it.

The US said the deal, the first in four years, was consistent with its “long-standing policy on arms sales to Taiwan”.

Relations between the US and China are frayed over China’s construction of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea.

Two decommissioned US Navy frigates, anti-tank missiles, amphibious assault vehicles, as well as surface-to-air missiles and other equipment are all included in the deal.

It will be approved in 30 days, unless Congress objects. That is thought unlikely, as there has been growing concern in the US about Taiwan’s ability to defend itself from China’s military might.

State department spokesman John Kirby said the sale was consistent with the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which requires the US to provide Taiwan with sufficient weaponry to defend itself, even though the US does not recognize Taiwan as a state independent of China.

The move did not need to have a negative effect on US-Chinese relations, John Kirby said, adding: “We still want to work to establish a better, more transparent, more effective relationship with China in the region.”

Argentina Announces Relaxation of Forex Controls

Argentina’s government has announced a relaxation of currency controls.

According to experts, the move is likely to weaken the local currency, peso.

President Mauricio Macri hopes the move will boost exports and spark economic growth.

Farmers in Argentina have been waiting for the currency to fall before selling stockpiles of soybeans.

The official exchange rate of 10 pesos to the US dollar is not matched by a much stronger black market rate.

Analysts expect the official rate to weaken to between 13.5 and 15.00 per dollar, in line with the black market rate.Argentina forex controls relaxation

Argentine finance minister Alfonso Prat-Gay said he accepted the rate would weaken to “close to” 14.2 to the dollar.

Alfonso Prat-Gay also said Argentina was negotiating a credit line with international banks to build a credit line of more than $5 billion to replenish the country’s international reserves.

In a press conference, Alfonso Prat-Gay said: “The old system had killed the goose that laid the golden egg by restricting the growth of the economy.”

He outlined that exchange controls would end for all businesses who would be allowed to buy as many dollars as they needed.

However, he said, for the time being, ordinary Argentines would still face restrictions on the amount of dollars they could buy a month.

In response to concerns that there could be a steep devaluation, Alfonso Prat-Gay said the central bank had been given the right to intervene if the exchange rate fell too quickly.

Argentina’s ex-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner used central bank reserves to prop up the peso.

But Mauricio Macri, who was elected last month and inaugurated last week, had vowed to change the policy.

Argentina has been plagued by financial volatility in recent decades with inflation running at around 25% according to private estimates.

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates by 0.25 Percentage Points

The Federal Reserve has announced it is raising interest rates by 0.25 percentage points.

This is the US rate’s first increase since 2006.

The move takes the range of rates banks offer to lend to each other overnight – the Federal Funds rate – to between 0.25% and 0.5%.

The move is likely to cause ripples around the world, and could increase pressure on the UK to raise rates.

It could also mean higher borrowing costs for developing economies, many of which are already seeing slow growth.

There are concerns that a rise will compound that slowdown, as higher rates in the US could strengthen the dollar, the currency in which many countries and companies borrow.

It puts US policy at odds with that in Europe, where even easier borrowing terms are being implemented.

The European Central Bank (ECB) earlier this month cut overnight deposit rates from minus 0.2% to minus 0.3% and extended a €60 billion stimulus program.

The US rate rise vote was unanimous.Fed interest rate decision December 2015

The Fed also raised its projection for its economic growth next year slightly, from 2.3% to 2.4%.

That suggests the bank does not think the rate increase will damage growth. US share markets jumped in response.

The Dow Jones went from a 50-point rise to stand up 79 points at 17,612.79 – a 0.5% gain.

Rates in the US have been at near-zero since 2008.

The Fed cited as the reasons for its action increased household spending and investment by business, along with a continued low rate of inflation.

In its statement, the committee said: “The committee judges that there has been considerable improvements in labor market conditions this year, and it is reasonably confident that inflation will rise, over the medium term, to its 2% objective.”

The Fed has said it will continue to monitor inflation and employment to determine if and when further rise are justified.

The Federal Reserve chairwoman, Janet Yellen, said the committee was confident the economy would “continue to strengthen” but it still has “room for improvement”.

Future action will depend on how the economy moves forward and will be gradual.

Janet Yellen acknowledged weakness remained in the labor market, particularly wage growth.

She warned that if the Fed had continued to delay a rate rise, it could have been forced to tighten monetary policy too quickly, something that could have led to another recession.

The Fed’s medium-term projection for the Federal Funds rate is 1.5% in 2016 and 2.5% in 2017.

The bank will not get close to normal levels of around 3.5% until 2018 when it expects the economy will be back on a solid track.

“Were the economy to disappoint, the Federal Funds rate would likely rise more slowly,” said Janet Yellen.

Janet Yellen gave little clues as to the timing of the next move, saying: “I’m not going to give you a simple formula for what we need to raise rates again.”

Stock Markets Rise Ahead of Fed Interest Rate Decision

Shares and bond markets have climbed on what is expected to be the first rise in US interest rates in nearly a decade.

The Federal Reserve is expected to announce the start of the gradual rate rise process at 19:00 GMT.

US markets opened higher, but lost ground as oil prices slumped.

A US rate rise would have global repercussions, and could adversely affect emerging economies, experts say.

The Fed is expected to raise its benchmark overnight interest rate from near zero, encouraged by a strengthening US labor market.Federal Reserve interest rate rise

Analysts have been speculating for months as to when the first rise might be, with global stock markets rising and falling as Fed rate meetings come and go.

Low interest rates have generally been helpful for stock market investors, but Fed officials have indicated the likely decision in advance, removing some of the uncertainty that investors dislike.

In London, the FTSE 100 gained 0.72% by the close of the market. Paris and Frankfurt markets made smaller gains.

Many Asian markets closed significantly higher – Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 2.6%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rebounded, rising 2%.

Markets have already priced in a US rate rise, but investors will also be looking at the Fed’s announcement to gauge the likely path of future rate rises, analysts said.

The prospect of gradual rises could bring some stability to markets, but if the Fed were to raise rates more quickly, markets may take fright, analysts said.

The World Bank warned in September that a US rate rise could increase the risks to emerging economies caused by disruptions to capital flows.

With the US offering better returns, investors may decide to move money out of emerging economies.

Foreign governments could also have to pay more for debt issued in US dollars.