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DC5m United States art in english 104 articles, created at 2016-11-16 12:16 articles set mostly positive rate 10.0

1 0.0 Jakarta governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama named in blasphemy case Jakarta's popular Christian governor is set to stand trial over blasphemy allegations. (7.97/8) The case is being billed as a major test of the Muslim-majority country's reputation for religious tolerance. ... 2016-11-16 02:34 775Bytes article.wn.com

2 0.0 Mayor in W. Virginia resigns after racist post on Michelle Obama

(6.73/8) The Facebook post: "It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I'm tired of seeing a Ape in heels. " 2016-11-16 02:17 4KB chicago.suntimes.com

3 0.0 Trump as President — traditional, rouge, failed or authoritarian

(6.58/8) Darrell West offers four perspectives on Trump as President. Business as usual contrasts with encroachment of freedoms and invasion of rights. 2016-11-16 02:05 4KB www.digitaljournal.com

4 0.0 Twitter suspends alt-right accounts The move came the same day the social media service said it would crack down on hate speech. 2016-11-16 01:41 3KB rssfeeds.usatoday.com (3.12/8)

5 0.0 Two French tourists die at Great Barrier Reef Two French tourists have died while snorkelling at a popular tourist spot on the Great

(2.24/8) Barrier Reef in Australia, authorities and reports said on Wednesday. ... 2016-11-16 00:06 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

6 4.2 Mazda unveils new CX-5 crossover SUV Mazda Motor Corp. took the wraps off its redesigned CX-5 crossover on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show. 2016-11-16 01:08 2KB rssfeeds.detroitnews.com (2.13/8)

7 0.0 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 ready to chew up trails What is it? An out-of-the-box, off-road ready mid-size pickup didn’t exist until the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 was unveiled on the eve of the 2016 L. A. Auto Show. Just as (2.12/8) the Colorado reinvigorated the moribund (read: dead)... 2016-11-16 03:17 952Bytes article.wn.com 8 0.0 Trump Assures Us Transition Is Like , Not a ‘Stalinesque Purge’ (2.10/8) “I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!” tweeted the president-elect. 2016-11-16 04:05 4KB feedproxy.google.com

9 0.0 GOP governors hope to move fast on making promised changes Republicans are still celebrating their election victories, but the country's GOP governors warned this week that they need to move fast on many of the changes that (2.06/8) have been promised to voters... 2016-11-16 05:02 4KB lasvegassun.com

10 0.0 India's Currency Swap Sets off Endless Lines of Frustration The first people showed up at the bank long before dawn, forming a line in the cold and the smog and silently waiting for the chance to withdraw their own money. They left (2.06/8) more than seven hours later, each holding the handful of bills, worth ... 2016-11-16 02:39 7KB abcnews.go.com

11 0.0 A Tribe Called Quest and the Shadow of Trump "We’ve Got It From Here" offers powerful and uplifting music from the hip-hop legends. (2.04/8) 2016-11-16 05:30 5KB www.theatlantic.com

12 0.0 Michigan State humbled by Kentucky, 69-48, at Madison Square Garden

(2.04/8) Bridges, Izzo come away embarrassed after sloppy performance drops Spartans to 0- 2 2016-11-16 03:50 5KB rssfeeds.freep.com

13 0.0 Report: Ted Cruz in talks to be Trump's attorney general (2.04/8) After calling him 'Lyin' Ted' on the trail, Trump is reportedly considering Ted Cruz for attorney general. But Trump says only he knows who the 'finalists' are. Hallie Jackson joins Brian Williams. 2016-11-15 23:04 904Bytes www.msnbc.com

14 0.0 As Tom Izzo points everywhere else, Miles Bridges puts loss to Kentucky on own shoulders

The Spartans' trip to New York City was a flop in every regard. 2016-11-16 01:38 5KB (1.08/8) www.mlive.com

15 0.0 Amazon expands Morrisons grocery smoothness deal

(1.05/8) Image copyright Amazon will offer one-hour 2016-11-16 00:00 2KB headlinenewstoday.net 16 0.0 Prince William urges Vietnam to step up anti-wildlife trade

(1.02/8) Britain's Prince William on Wednesday urged Vietnamese leaders to step up the fight against trafficking in wildlife species, the main theme of his first visit to the communist country. 2016-11-16 05:43 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com

17 0.0 Life in the White House bubble? Trump's had practice

(1.02/8) For nearly the entire week since he became president-elect, Donald Trump has been holed up in his gilded New York skyscraper. A steady stream of visitors has come to him, flooding through metal detectors and getting whisked up to Trump's offices and penthouse residence. 2016-11-16 04:33 5KB www.charlotteobserver.com

18 0.0 Inventive Cubans hunt expensive fish using inflated condoms

(1.02/8) HAVANA (AP) -- Juan Luis Rosello sat for three hours on the Malecon as the wind blew in from the Florida Straits, pushing the waves hard against the seawal 2016-11-16 03:01 4KB mynorthwest.com

19 0.0 Saudi Arabia warns Trump on blocking oil imports Saudi Arabia has warned Donald Trump that the incoming U. S. president will risk the health of his country's economy if he acts on his election promise, the FT reports. (1.02/8) 2016-11-16 02:55 5KB www.cnbc.com

20 0.0 7 Burning Questions: CFP rankings fluid after Alabama

(1.02/8) 1. Is Alabama already a lock? 2016-11-16 02:47 7KB www.upi.com

21 0.0 Wildfires char over 80,000 acres in the parched South

(1.02/8) ATLANTA — Dozens of large wildfires raged on Tuesday in the South, where more than 80,000 acres have burned and where emergency officials faced ominous forecasts of more dry weather and spreading flames. Although the fires often stayed miles from cities and towns, the blazes had... 2016-11-16 00:50 4KB www.post-gazette.com

22 0.0 Djokovic digs deep to repel Raonic onslaught LONDON: It has been missing for a while but Novak Djokovic rediscovered his warrior spirit to tame Canada’s Milos Raonic 7-6(6) 7-6(5) in a rivetting duel and guarantee (1.02/8) progress from his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday. The 29... 2016-11-16 00:19 865Bytes article.wn.com 23 0.0 Trillanes taunts Duterte over martial law remark Senator Antonio Trillanes IV taunted President Rodrigo Duterte for floating the idea of imposing martial law when he had already promised to step down should he fail to end (1.00/8) the drug menace in the country within three to six months. 2016-11-16 00:00 2KB newsinfo.inquirer.net

24 0.0 Fmr. Secret Service agent talks Trump Tower security (1.00/8) How will the Secret Service deal with the massive challenges presented by Donald Trump's home in the middle of Manhattan? MSNBC's Brian Williams talks to former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras. 2016-11-15 23:20 858Bytes www.msnbc.com

25 0.0 Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 16 PRAGUE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (0.02/8) (Cze... 2016-11-16 03:34 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

26 0.0 Allison Williams strikes a flirty pose in floral patterned frock at special Los Angeles screening for David (0.02/8) O. Russell and Prada collaboration The 28-year-old daughter of celebrated TV journalist Brian Williams made an appearance at an industry event in Los Angeles. 2016-11-16 02:35 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

27 0.0 Devin Brugman flaunts her voluptuous assets in flimsy string bikini on Bondi Beach (0.01/8) She's the Instagram superstar whose famous curves never fail to turn heads. 2016-11-16 02:43 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

28 0.0 Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist’s wall mural turns heads BOSTON >> A giant mural by an Iranian artist making his U. S. debut is turning heads (0.01/8) in one of Boston’s busiest areas. The artwork by Mehdi Ghadyanloo titled “Spaces of Hope” is a stunning expression of optimism he hopes can lead to better understanding... 2016-11-16 02:37 1KB article.wn.com

29 0.0 Tony Abbott says 'moral panic' about climate change is 'over the top' Former Australian prime minister says the election of climate denier Donald Trump will help put the issue into perspective 2016-11-16 05:40 3KB www.theguardian.com 30 0.0 A wonderful Wednesday followed by a terrific Thursday followed by a warm, fantastic Friday Another great November week with Friday as the best in show. The coldest air of the season settles in Sunday and Monday. 2016-11-16 05:34 1KB rssfeeds.wusa9.com

31 0.0 Britain STILL handing out millions of pounds to new superpowers India and China Following widespread concern that money was being frittered away, the new Aid Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) promised an overhaul to make the system 'deliver for our national interests'. 2016-11-16 05:27 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk

32 0.0 Emily Ratajkowski shows off incredibly perky posterior in thong swimsuit The 25-year-old model and actress showed off her incredibly perky posterior in a racy thong swimsuit before peeling her one-piece down to her waist to treat her pals to a sexy topless dance 2016-11-16 05:26 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

33 0.0 Bad smog ahead: Beijing tells students to stay indoors Authorities in Beijing warned Wednesday that heavy pollution will persist this week, urging the suspension of outdoor school activities and construction projects. 2016-11-16 05:19 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com

34 0.0 How to ditch the tourist traps and explore LA like a local A-Lister From Los Angeles' best hush-hush beauty gurus to the legendary Chateau Marmont - MailOnline Travel sampled more than 30 establishments to uncover the best of Hollywood. 2016-11-16 05:06 19KB www.dailymail.co.uk

35 0.0 Stories of Refugees, Part IV: Out of Syria Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived in San Francisco 22 days before I met them. “She is 18 months and two days,” Hadeel said smiling … Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived... 2016-11-16 05:00 6KB www.sfexaminer.com

36 0.0 Delta Lloyd indicates it is open to an improved NN bid as solvency slides AMSTERDAM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Dutch insurer Delta Lloyd indicated it would hold out for an improved offer from larger peer NN Group after its third-quarter r... 2016-11-16 04:49 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

37 0.0 BP Deepwater Horizon oil in land-animal food chain Image copyright Andrea Bonisoli Alquati/www.andreabonisolialquati. 2016-11-16 00:00 2KB headlinenewstoday.net 38 0.0 EE UK seals Twitter to promote its TV offering Digital communications giant EE has partnered with Twitter for its UK TV service to introduce ‘Watch with Twitter’ functionality – enabling viewers to see what programmes are trending on social media. 2016-11-16 04:48 1KB www.thedrum.com

39 0.0 DAC Group acquires Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen has been acquired by North American digital media agency DAC Group for an undisclosed fee. 2016-11-16 04:33 2KB www.thedrum.com

40 0.0 Obama to outline vision of democracy in a Trump world US President Barack Obama will Wednesday sketch out his vision of democracy at a time of mounting global populism, seeking to soothe European allies anxious over a Donald Trump presidency. 2016-11-16 04:20 4KB www.digitaljournal.com

41 0.0 Trump adviser known for provocation. Or is it prejudice? When Donald Trump announced Stephen Bannon as his top White House strategist, critics re-erupted with allegations that Bannon was racist, sexist and anti-Semitic. 2016-11-16 04:18 5KB www.charlotteobserver.com

42 0.0 Scoop: Old couple alert: Fisher and Ford had ‘Star Wars’ affair It’s official — 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair during the making of “Star Wars.” The actress confessed that the pair had a … It’s official -- 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had... 2016-11-16 04:01 3KB www.sfexaminer.com

43 0.0 Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds Social media has made it easy to live in filter bubbles, sheltered from opposing viewpoints. So what happens when liberals and conservatives trade realities? 2016-11-16 04:00 10KB www.theguardian.com

44 0.0 Moldova: Pro-Russia presidential candidate declares victory CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) -- A pro-Russia candidate has declared victory in Moldova's presidential election, opening up a commanding lead in the former Soviet 2016-11-16 03:59 4KB mynorthwest.com 45 0.0 Faith Muthambi: No need to advertise Hlaudi's executive post Hlaudi Motsoeneng was simply reinstated to his former position and there was no need to advertise the post, according to Communications Minister Faith Muthambi. 2016-11-16 03:54 2KB www.fin24.com

46 0.0 Jaguar enters EV market with 'precise, agile' I-Pace Jaguar has confirmed it will build an electric vehicle and has unveiled a concept car, the I-Pace, that shows what it is likely to look like. 2016-11-16 03:51 1016Bytes www.timeslive.co.za

47 0.0 Park Bo-Gum Asia Fan Meeting: Actor’s Agency Confirms Tour Dates The countdown has begun for Park Bo-gum’s fan meetings across Asia. Last week, Blossom Entertainment, the actor’s agency, announced that Park Bo-gum will be 2016-11-16 03:42 2KB www.inquisitr.com

48 0.0 Katy Perry stuns in off-the-shoulder jumpsuit as she attends Capitol Records' 75th Anniversary Gala The 32-year-old pop diva looked phenomenal in a chic off-the-shoulder jumpsuit as she attended the star-studded affair for Capitol Records' 75th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday. 2016-11-16 03:16 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

49 0.0 Put an Italian spin on the traditional Thanksgiving spread Just because Thanksgiving is an American holiday, doesn’t mean the food needs to be. 2016-11-16 03:06 5KB wtop.com

50 0.0 Jurnee Smollet-Bell announces birth of first child with cute Instagram snap The Friday Night Lights and True Blood star, 30, shared her happy news with her fans with a snap of herself cradling newborn Hunter Zion Bell. She wrote: 'So in love with our little man.' 2016-11-16 03:03 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

51 0.0 Battle of the Somme recollections released by Imperial War Musuem Notably devoid of jingoism, accounts of hundreds of veterans collected in 1960s form part of centennial remembrance 2016-11-16 03:00 5KB www.theguardian.com

52 0.0 Brand safety tech is a scalpel, not a blunt knife John Snyder, Grapeshot CEO, explains how brand safety is a notion that is still every bit as relevant today as it was when it first became an important concept in digital advertising years ago. 2016-11-16 03:00 5KB www.thedrum.com 53 0.0 Man who died and dissolved in Yellowstone spring of boiling acid had hoped for a natural hot tub An Oregon man who died after falling into a scalding Yellowstone National Park hot spring in June was looking for a place to “hot pot”, the forbidden practice of soaking in one of the park’s thermal features, officials said.... 2016-11-16 02:50 2KB www.scmp.com

54 0.0 Voting in an election 'with Chinese characteristics' When Chinese voters go to the polls, it is only to pick local representatives to advise on mundane issues like rubbish collection and parking. But when Ye Ji... 2016-11-16 02:46 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk

55 0.0 WATCH: Cute Funko dolls re-create ‘Friends’ opening credits

Warner Bros. just dropped a brief remake of the nostalgic 2016-11-16 00:00 1KB entertainment.inquirer.net

56 0.0 Nat Geo shares its Most Popular Instagram Photos in new exhibit The new exhibit will remain open at the National Geographic Museum now through April. 2016-11-16 02:36 4KB wtop.com

57 0.0 For the Record Thanksgiving table settings: In the Nov. 12 Saturday section, an article about Thanksgiving table settings referred to Yifat Oren as co-owner of the event planning business Oren Cove, along with Stefanie Cove. Yifat is founder and creative director, and Cove is a managing partner. 2016-11-16 02:35 1KB www.latimes.com

58 0.0 Jaden Schwartz, Kyle Brodziak help St. Louis Blues to victory over Buffalo Sabres ST. LOUIS -- Left winger Jaden Schwartz had to limp to the St. Louis Blues bench. 2016-11-16 02:27 5KB www.upi.com

59 0.0 Post-election, Tacoma council reaffirms city’s dedication to equity One week after the presidential election, Mayor Marilyn Strickland introduced a proposal at Tacoma City Council on Tuesday, the sole intent of which was to reaffirm the idea that Tacoma is a city where all people are included and treated equally. It was the first time the... 2016-11-16 02:22 5KB www.thenewstribune.com

60 0.0 Daily Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE BLUE WATER AREA 2016-11-16 02:20 15KB feeds.feedblitz.com 61 0.0 Euro zone break-up fears back on the table with Italy expected to reject reforms The impact of a "no" vote in the upcoming Italian referendum could be far more serious for Europe than Italy, according to analysts. 2016-11-16 02:16 5KB www.cnbc.com

62 0.0 Dutch firm Mars One unveils concept space suit for Martian explorers Dutch company Mars One, which aims to send people to the Red Planet within a decade, on Tuesday unveiled its first concept for a space suit to protect humans “under the most difficult conditions.”... 2016-11-16 02:11 2KB www.scmp.com

63 0.0 Ed Sheeran serenades sick 9-year-old fan who has spent 80% of her life in the hospital The famous singer visited a young girl in the hospital who had found inspiration through his music. 2016-11-16 02:06 4KB abc7chicago.com

64 0.0 Chris Bath announces her return to radio in 2017 with Sydney's 702 ABC... after launching her 28-year media career on the airwaves She's the Australian reporter known for her 20-year TV career at Channel Seven. 2016-11-16 02:05 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

65 0.0 Joffrey Ballet discloses more details about new 'Nutcracker' "The Nutcracker" opens on Christmas Eve, 1892, as workers from around the world construct the Chicago Columbian World’s Exposition. 2016-11-16 02:01 3KB chicago.suntimes.com

66 0.0 Daniel's First Dates experience compared on social media to Ralph Wiggum of The Simpsons Fans took to social media in their droves about the gut-wrenching moment Daniel was left without a second date on First Dates. 2016-11-16 02:00 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

67 0.0 See ‘Sing’ For Free Thanksgiving Weekend: Universal Pictures’ Biggest Advance-Screening Program Ever Dubbed “Sing Saturday,” tickets for the film “Sing” will be given free to the first 200 moviegoers in line at 200 AMC Theatres nationwide on Saturday, November 26. 2016-11-16 01:54 1KB www.inquisitr.com

68 0.0 Your Christmas wardrobe, sorted! 22 stunning dresses for every Christmas occasion (and for every body shape)

SPONSORED 2016-11-16 01:51 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 69 0.0 Detroit's Smokey Robinson gets songwriting award tonight in starry gala The Detroit native will become the ninth recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress. 2016-11-16 01:51 7KB rssfeeds.freep.com

70 0.0 Prince's record label sues Jay Z and Tidal for 'streaming music without permission' Prince's record label has filed a lawsuit against rapper Jay-Z over his use of the late singers music on the streaming service Tidal. Jay-Z's company has been streaming all of Prince's music since June. 2016-11-16 01:48 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

71 0.0 Looking for another blue dot: scientists are building a telescope to seek second Earth, with crowdfunding On Valentine’s Day 1990, from a dark and frozen spot on the outer edges of our solar system, the spacecraft Voyager 1 turned around to take one last photo of the world it left behind.... 2016-11-16 01:45 3KB www.scmp.com

72 0.0 What CNN has learnt after six months of chatbot experimentation For news publishers, relying on the likes of Twitter and Facebook for distribution and traffic is a risky business, with changes to algorithms and features augmenting effectiveness constantly. 2016-11-16 01:38 7KB www.thedrum.com

73 0.0 PICS: SA's Bushmans Kloof makes NatGeo's elite Unique Lodges of the World list National Geographic announced the new members to Unique Lodges of the World list recently. 2016-11-16 01:35 3KB traveller24.news24.com

74 0.0 Embattled Trump appointee also insulted Mormons The national stories about Donald Trumps choice of chief strategist, Steve Bannon, have focused on his website’s more extreme headlines about Jews and women: BILL KRISTOL, REPUBLICAN SPOILER, RENEGADE JEW. THERE'S NO HIRING BIAS AGAINST WOMEN IN TECH, THEY JUST SUCK... 2016-11-16 01:18 1KB fox13now.com

75 0.0 New exhibit marks 2 anniversaries for NY's Fort Stanwix A recreated 18th-century fort in central New York is marking a pair of anniversaries with a new two-part exhibit. 2016-11-16 01:17 1KB www.washingtontimes.com

76 0.0 Trump May Have Won, But Ford Is Still Moving Its Small Car Production to Mexico Ford says it's just too expensive to make small cars in the United States. 2016-11-16 01:16 2KB feedproxy.google.com 77 0.0 Pregnant Marion Cotillard wears Egyptian-inspired outfit to Allied screening in NYC The 41-year-old put her growing baby bump on display while attending the special screening of her film Allied on Tuesday. The actress arrived in an Egyptian inspired sequinned outfit. 2016-11-16 01:09 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

78 0.0 The Rolling Stones bring their exhibit of memories to New York NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - British rock band The Rolling Stones celebrated the arrival of their travelling exhibition of memories and memorabilia in New Yo... 2016-11-16 01:08 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk

79 0.0 Julian McMahon takes a dip with wife Kelly Paniagua at a Gold Coast beach in between shoots as he rocks 70s style moustache for new film Flammable Children Julian McMahon, who is currently on the Gold Coast to film the 70s-based movie Flammable Children, was seen rocking a moustache while enjoying a beach day with wife Kelly Paniagua 2016-11-16 01:07 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk

80 0.0 A more diverse state House on tap for 2017 More women, African Americans, ethnic minorities and gays will be sworn into office. 2016-11-16 01:05 4KB rssfeeds.freep.com

81 0.0 Fashion favorite Zara is coming to Somerset Collection next year A 30,000-square foot two-level store is scheduled to open at Somerset Collection North in Troy in time for holiday 2017. 2016-11-16 01:02 2KB rssfeeds.freep.com

82 0.0 Naas backs Lambie for No 10 berth Naas Botha believes Pat Lambie should be given time in the Springbok No 10 jersey to regain his form. 2016-11-16 01:01 653Bytes www.sport24.co.za

83 0.0 Truffles in Paradise. (And It’s Not Italy.) The Istrian truffle is premium grade and its culture is free of the snobbery, intrigue and high prices found in Italy’s Piedmont or France’s Perigord. 2016-11-16 01:01 5KB www.nytimes.com

84 0.0 WATCH: ‘Persona 5’ English Gameplay Presentation Live Stream Persona 5 is going to be one of the biggest JRPG highlights of 2017. This new English gameplay live stream… 2016-11-16 01:00 1KB heavy.com 85 0.0 Nearly half of consumers feel overwhelmed keeping data secure online In the past year, 689 million people in 21 countries were the victim of cybercrime, according to the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report. 2016-11-16 01:00 3KB www.cnbc.com

86 2.1 Tyler Poses Speaks Out About ‘Teen Wolf’ Final Season As Show Comes To An End It is time for the final season of Teen Wolf, and Tyler Posey is speaking out about this season as it all comes to an end. Tonight was the first episode of the 2016-11-16 00:57 1KB www.inquisitr.com

87 0.0 Hell on wheels: in Mosul, the arrival of a suspected car bomber creates a frantic scene It only takes a split second for the expression on the Iraqi soldier’s face to transform from relaxed contentment to absolute terror. “Car bomb!”... 2016-11-16 00:57 4KB www.scmp.com

88 0.0 Man dead after shooting in Fort Pierce Police officers were searching for two men suspected in the shooting Tuesday night. 2016-11-16 00:56 1KB rssfeeds.tcpalm.com

89 0.0 When the front light dims There are monsters and nation builders in all communities - we should learn to tell the difference and resist political manipulation, says Solly Moeng. 2016-11-16 00:56 6KB www.fin24.com

90 0.0 Ian Thorpe recalls his parents' reaction to him coming out Ian Thorpe appeared in a Twitter session on Tuesday to promote the Australian Marriage Equality campaign and opened up about his parents' reaction to him coming out. 2016-11-16 00:55 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk

91 0.0 Hillary Clinton Now Leads by 1 Million in History- Making Popular Vote Total Hillary Clinton now leads Donald Trump in the popular vote by more than 1 million votes. Here's how her lead… 2016-11-16 00:48 6KB heavy.com

92 0.0 Fiji PM invites Trump to meet cyclone victims in climate change appeal – video Frank Bainimarama calls on Donald Trump to make a ‘personal change of heart and public change of policy on climate change’ at the United Nations climate conference in Morocco 2016-11-16 00:47 1KB www.theguardian.com 93 0.0 Secret backdoor in some U. S. phones sent data to China, analysts say WASHINGTON — For about $50, you can get a smartphone with a high-definition display, fast data service and, according to security contractors, a secret feature: a backdoor that sends all your text messages to China every 72 hours. Security contractors recently discovered... 2016-11-16 00:37 7KB www.post-gazette.com

94 0.0 Year 12 students using Facebook and Craigslist to buy 'flakka' drugs ahead of Schoolies Year 12 students are using social media websites such as Facebook to sell illicit substances to their friends ahead of Schoolies celebrations on the Gold Coast. 2016-11-16 00:34 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk

95 0.0 'Due to the current climate': Alicia Keys switches from new single to political song Holy War on The Voice The 35-year-old singer got political on Tuesday while performing on The Voice. 2016-11-16 00:33 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk

96 0.0 Top K-pop star to be conscripted policeman K-pop boy band BigBang’s rapper T. O. P set to report to military duty early next year 2016-11-16 00:30 1KB www.scmp.com

97 0.0 France’s Sarkozy Urges Tax On All U. S. Goods If Trump Pulls America Out Of “Climate Change” Deal Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy suggested Europe impose a carbon tax on all U. S. products if President-elect Donald Trump pulled the country out of the Paris climate change agreement. Over 100 countries have ratified the… 2016-11-16 07:05 2KB www.patdollard.com

98 0.0 $ide Effects: Feeling broke to feel better This isn't the retirement Janet and Kyle Snyder envisioned for themselves. 2016-11-16 00:26 10KB rssfeeds.11alive.com

99 0.0 Michelle Williams is attached at the hip with gal pal Busy Philipps in Beverly Hills The two ladies were spotted in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Blue Valentine actress kept her cool in a black and white dress, jean jacket, sandals, and swept her hair across her forehead. 2016-11-16 00:20 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk

100 0.0 NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida A fun night in Miami turned tragic for an FGCU student and his friend over the weekend. 2016-11-16 00:20 2KB www.nbc-2.com 101 0.0 India derails trial to revive brain-dead accident victims amid controversy — RT News A controversial experiment which would have attempted to revive brain-dead accident victims in India has been scrapped by the country's medical research council. Those behind the trial have vowed to continue it outside India if necessary. 2016-11-16 00:16 3KB www.rt.com

102 0.0 ‘Faultless’ Review: Rome Film Festival Fun and engrossing, with enough tension and sex thrown in to satisfy most viewers, this handsomely packaged thriller is ripe for multi-national remakes. 2016-11-16 00:12 4KB variety.com

103 0.0 Family Upset When The ‘R Word’ Surfaces In Newspaper Cartoon The “R Word” hurts so many, including a local family that saw it in the comic section of a local newspaper. CBS 2's Audrina Bigos reports. 2016-11-16 00:04 2KB chicago.cbslocal.com

104 0.0 Jessica Jung Rumored To Be Connected To Korean Government ‘Heartbreaking’ Scandal — Hallyu Star And Her Agency Coridel Entertainment Deny Involvement https://youtu.be/iZpq8FjJr2E 2016 has been a very busy year for Jessica Jung. The “First Member” of So Nyeo Shi Dae (SNSD) — better known as Girls’ Generation 2016-11-16 00:03 2KB www.inquisitr.com Articles

DC5m United States art in english 104 articles, created at 2016-11-16 12:16

1 /104 0.0 Jakarta governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama named in blasphemy case (7.97/8) Jakarta's popular Christian governor is set to stand trial over blasphemy allegations. The case is being billed as a major test of the Muslim-majority country's reputation for religious tolerance. ...

Indonesia police name Jakarta governor as blasphemy suspect mynorthwest.com

Jakarta's Christian governor Indonesia Police Name Indonesian police investigate Jakarta governor named to face blasphemy trial over Jakarta Governor as Jakarta governor for suspect in blasphemy case Islam insult claim Blasphemy Suspect blasphemy dailymail.co.uk theguardian.com abcnews.go.com upi.com

Indonesia Says Jakarta’s Indonesian police name Jakarta Governor suspect in Christian Governor Is governor of the country’s blasphemy case, police say Suspected of Blasphemy capital Jakarta as suspect in article.wn.com nytimes.com blasphemy investigation article.wn.com

2016-11-16 02:34 system article.wn.com

2 /104 0.0 Mayor in W. Virginia resigns after racist post on Michelle Obama (6.73/8) CLAY, W. Va. — A West Virginia mayor resigned Tuesday following a backlash after she posted a response to a racist comment about first lady Michelle Obama on Facebook. The Clay Town Council accepted Mayor Beverly Whaling’s resignation in a meeting late Tuesday afternoon and said it would act quickly to name a replacement for the remaining three years of her term.

The resignation came after another woman, whose racist post Whaling responded to, was placed on leave as director of the Clay County Development Corp.

Council member Jason Hubbard issued a brief statement condemning the “horrible and indecent” post and said racism and intolerance “isn’t what this community is about.” He apologized on behalf of the town to Michelle Obama and anyone who was offended.

“This community is a helpful, hopeful, empathetic and God-loving community,” Hubbard said. “Please don’t judge the entire community for one or two individual acts.”

Clay County Development director Pamela Ramsey Taylor made the post following Republican Donald Trump’s election as president, saying of incoming first lady Melania Trump: “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

Whaling responded: “Just made my day Pam.”

Town council member Joyce Gibson said that after news of the post circled the globe, the small office’s voicemail system quickly filled to capacity with irate callers.

An online campaign calling for Taylor and Whaling to resign drew tens of thousands responses.

Gibson wants anyone who judges the town to “come see us. Spend a day with us.”

The nonpartisan town council has five members, plus the town recorder and mayor. Whaling’s seat was empty during the meeting in a small office attended by a few local residents along with several journalists and some people from outside the area who wanted to see justice served.

Annie Thacker of Barrackville drove 117 miles to the meeting.

“I saw what was happening in small town West Virginia,” she said. “I’m from small town West Virginia. I wanted to see hate put down in West Virginia, especially after this election cycle. Everyone’s watching.”

Lish Greiner of Belpre, Ohio, said she had volunteered during flood cleanup in West Virginia over the summer and returned for the town council meeting because “I will not tolerate hate in my home and in my area.”

Whaling earlier issued a written apology to news media outlets saying her comment wasn’t intended to be racist. “I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I’m not in any way racist!”

Taylor, who told WCHS-TV on Monday night that she was put on leave, did not return a call seeking comment.

The nonprofit Clay County Development Corp. provides services to elderly and low-income residents in Clay County. It is funded through state and federal grants and local fees. It is not affiliated with the town of Clay, which is about 50 miles east of Charleston.

The uproar occurred as the town of about 500 residents is still trying to recover from severe flooding in late June along the nearby Elk River. Clay County also has been hit by hundreds of layoffs in the coal industry this decade.

Gibson was asked what was worse, the flood or the backlash from the Facebook post.

“I’ll have to think about that,” she said. “This [backlash] will go away.”

Last week in Kentucky, Republican Dan Johnson won state House of Representatives seat from Bullitt Count despite a series of posts he put on Facebook depicting President Barack Obama and his wife as monkeys.

And last month in West York, Pennsylvania, the town council accepted the resignation of Republican Mayor Charles Wasko after an uproar over racist posts on his Facebook page, including two depicting apes with captions referring to Barack Obama and his family.

'Ape in Heels': West Virginia West Virginia town tries to West Virginia town tries to West Virginia mayor resigns mayor quits after racist move past Michelle move past Michelle Obama after racist 'ape in heels' comment about Michelle Obama post post post about Michelle Obama Obama lasvegassun.com charlotteobserver.com independent.ie article.wn.com

Mayor resigned in West Mayor in West Virginia West Virginia mayor resigns Virginia after empathizing resigns after racist Obama after racist Michelle Obama with racist comment blaming post post Michelle Obama on post-gazette.com article.wn.com Facebook roundnews.com

2016-11-16 02:17 John Ra chicago.suntimes.com

3 /104 3 /104 0.0 Trump as President — traditional, rouge, failed or authoritarian (6.58/8) Washington D.c. - Darrell West offers four perspectives on Trump as President. Business as usual contrasts with encroachment of freedoms and invasion of rights. West's four perspectives are that Trump might be hedged in and molded by the Republican Party; that he might become a rouge president fueled by his unconventional electorate base; that he might be a failed president advised by corporate lobbyists; or that he might become an authoritarian president trampling freedoms and extending sanctioned breaches of privacy. During his campaign, Trump challenged Republican GOP thinking at the same time that he upheld conventional GOP positions. West speculates that as a traditional Republican president, Trump's commitment to America's "Rust Belt" workers could play out in terms of orthodox tax cuts, deregulation and the beginning miles of the Mexico wall, with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus acting as the "de facto prime minister of the government. " But as a rouge president, Trump might attack immigration and "protect Social Security and Medicare" despite the GOP, perhaps eventually building a coalition government. Trump the failed president might find himself embroiled in scandals around money, sex and conflicts of interest (such as the Clintons once faced). The country might enter an uncomfortable liaison with the "Russian President Vladimir Putin" and might find that tax cuts aiding the rich induce a recession and create mass joblessness. But Trump the authoritarian leader might increase the power of militarized police and of the FBI. He might deem it advisable to curtail the rights of dissent and of freedom of speech, while believing he can commit criminal acts with impunity. Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon set such a precedent, West says, adding that in the end, "courageous citizens will have to step forward to defend the Constitution and reclaim the United States of America. " Approximately half the nation's voters are fearful of the future administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Speculation about what American's might face during a Trump presidency comes as no surprise. Author and Vice President of Governance Studies for The Brookings Institute , Darrell M. West presents four perspectives through which to envision a future Trump presidency, joining those who speculated before Trump's election. West's four perspectives are that Trump might be hedged in and molded by the Republican Party; that he might become a rouge president fueled by his unconventional electorate base; that he might be a failed president advised by corporate lobbyists; or that he might become an authoritarian president trampling freedoms and extending sanctioned breaches of privacy. West draws more detailed pictures of the four possible perspectives, highlighting what he envisions as salient possibilities. During his campaign, Trump challenged Republican GOP thinking at the same time that he upheld conventional GOP positions. West speculates that as a traditional Republican president, Trump's commitment to America's "Rust Belt" workers could play out in terms of orthodox tax cuts, deregulation and the beginning miles of the Mexico wall, with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus acting as the "de facto prime minister of the government. " But as a rouge president, Trump might attack immigration and "protect Social Security and Medicare" despite the GOP, perhaps eventually building a coalition government. Trump the failed president might find himself embroiled in scandals around money, sex and conflicts of interest (such as the Clintons once faced). The country might enter an uncomfortable liaison with the "Russian President Vladimir Putin" and might find that tax cuts aiding the rich induce a recession and create mass joblessness. But Trump the authoritarian leader might increase the power of militarized police and of the FBI. He might deem it advisable to curtail the rights of dissent and of freedom of speech, while believing he can commit criminal acts with impunity. Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon set such a precedent, West says, adding that in the end, "courageous citizens will have to step forward to defend the Constitution and reclaim the United States of America. "

Philippine president wants to Syrian President: Trump Syrian President: Trump Philippine president wants to be friends with Trump, Putin could be a ‘natural ally’ could be a 'natural ally' be friends with Trump, Putin thenewstribune.com wtop.com charlotteobserver.com lasvegassun.com

Philippine President Wants Becoming a new citizen a to Be Friends With Trump, week after Donald Trump Putin wins the presidency abcnews.go.com latimes.com

2016-11-16 02:05 www.digitaljournal.com

4 /104 (3.12/8) 0.0 Twitter suspends alt-right accounts SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter suspended a number of accounts associated with the alt-right movement, the same day the social media service said it would crack down on hate speech.

Among those suspended was Richard Spencer, who runs an alt-right think tank and had a verified account on Twitter.

The alt-right, a loosely organized group that espouses white nationalism, emerged as a counterpoint to mainstream conservatism and has flourished online. Spencer has said he wants blacks, Asians, Hispanics and Jews removed from the U. S.

Twitter on Tuesday removed Spencer's verified account, @RichardBSpencer, that of his think tank, the National Policy Institute @npiamerica, and his online magazine @radixjournal.

"This is corporate Stalinism," Spencer told The Daily Caller News Foundation. In a YouTube video , entitled Knight of the Long Knives, an apparent reference to the purge of Nazi leaders in 1934 to consolidate Adolf Hitler's power, Spencer said Twitter had engaged in a coordinated effort to wipe out alt-right Twitter.

"I am alive physically but digitally speaking there has been execution squads across the alt right," he said. "There is a great purge going on and they are purging people based on their views. "

Twitter declined to comment on the suspensions, which included the accounts of Paul Town, Pax Dickinson, Ricky Vaughn and John Rivers.

"We don't comment on individual accounts, for privacy and security reasons," the company said in an emailed comment.

Twitter was the platform of choice for the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump and the alt- right political movement that embraced him. The alt-right used social media to spread its cause of white supremacy, operating largely unchecked by social media giants Twitter and Facebook.

Heidi Beirich, spokeswoman for the Southern Poverty Law Center, told USA TODAY that the center had asked Twitter to remove more than 100 accounts of white supremacists who violated Twitter's terms of service.

"They have done nothing," Beirich said on Monday.

She also pointed to two alt-right accounts that had been verified by Twitter, including Spencer's.

Twitter says it verifies an account by giving it a blue check mark when "it is determined to be an account of public interest. " Twitter launched the feature in 2009 after celebrities complained about people impersonating them on the social media service.

Twitter has suspended alt-right accounts in the past but never so many at once.

In one of the highest-profile bans, Twitter removed the account of Milo Yiannopoulos, a technology editor at the conservative news site Breitbart in July. He had engaged in a campaign of abuse in which hundreds of anonymous Twitter accounts bombarded Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones with racist and sexist taunts. Before banning Yiannopoulos, Twitter stripped him of his verified status.

Spencer said he supported Yiannopoulos and didn't think he should have been banned from Twitter. But, he said in his YouTube video, "Milo was engaging in something that could be called harassment. "

"The fact is that I, and a number of other people who have just got banned, weren't even trolling," he said. "I was using Twitter just like I always use Twitter, to give people some updates and maybe to comment on a news story here and there. "

A guide to the language of How Bannon coaxed Trump Glenn Beck: The alt-right is the 'alt-right' in alt-right shift truly terrifying latimes.com article.wn.com rss.cnn.com

2016-11-16 01:41 Jessica Guynn rssfeeds.usatoday.com

5 /104 5 /104 (2.24/8) 0.0 Two French tourists die at Great Barrier Reef Two French tourists have died while snorkelling at a popular tourist spot on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, authorities and reports said on Wednesday. Three tourists, reportedly in their 60s, were in the water at Michaelmas Cay, a reef-ringed sand island near Cairns, when all of them were believed to have had heart attacks, the Cairns Post said. Two of them, a man and a woman, died after being pulled from the water unconscious, while the third survived, the newspaper added. "They indicated that they had medical conditions prior to getting in the water," Col Mckenzie of Queensland state's Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators told AFP. He said the trio were snorkelling at the time, but could not confirm how they died. "Obviously something horrible has gone wrong. They were actually in the water with the dive guide," he said. "Because they indicated their medical conditions, what's gone wrong I don't know. It's what I am trying to find out right now. " Queensland Police said in a statement that the circumstances surrounding the deaths "are believed to be non-suspicious" and that water police were en-route.

Official says 2 French divers 2 French tourists die while Two French tourists die at Two French snorkellers die die on Great Barrier Reef snorkeling on Great Barrier Australia’s Great Barrier reef on same Great Barrier Reef dailymail.co.uk Reef after they suffered heart tour mynorthwest.com attacks dailymail.co.uk dailymail.co.uk

2 French Tourists Die While Snorkeling on Great Barrier Reef abcnews.go.com

2016-11-16 00:06 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

6 /104 (2.13/8) 4.2 Mazda unveils new CX-5 crossover SUV A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

The CX-5 features a smoother, massaged exterior and enhanced interior compared to the current generation, which was originally released in 2012.

“The CX-5 is the introduction of the next-generation of Mazda car. And although its design allotment was a daunting task, I think we created even something more special here that will compete with the very best,” said Julien Montousse, Mazda-North America director of design during the vehicle’s unveiling at a Hollywood studio.

Montousse said the company was “searching for pure, emotional expression” when it came to the popular vehicle.

The CX-5 will be introduced in Japan in February before being rolled out to global markets. It is expected to arrive in the United States in the spring.

It will be available with three, four-cylinder engine options: SkyActiv-G 2-liter and 2.5-liter gasoline engines, as well as a SkyActiv-D 2.2-liter diesel engine. The company didn’t specify which engines will be available for the U. S.; however the current vehicle is available in the SkyActiv-G 2-liter and 2.5-liter gasoline engines

The CX-5 was the first new-generation model featuring SkyActiv technology and Kodo, a design theme of Mazda meaning “Soul of Motion.” SkyActiv is an umbrella term for Mazda’s next- generation technologies developed to provide both driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance.

“I hope you agree this new CX-5 is so refined that it makes you feel something very special by looking at it,” Montousse said.

The CX-5 accounts for about 25 percent of Mazda’s global sales volume, according to the company. Mazda sold more than 91,000 of the vehicles in the United States through October, accounting for 37 percent of its domestic sales. It is the best-selling vehicle in Mazda’s lineup.

Mazda has sold more than 1.5 million of the vehicles since its introduction. [email protected]

(313) 222-2504

Twitter: @MikeWayland

All-new Mazda CX-5 debuts Mazda unveils 2017 CX-5 L.A. Auto Show 2016: with three engine options concept at Automobility LA Mazda has a new CX-5 article.wn.com rssfeeds.detroitnews.com latimes.com

2016-11-16 01:08 Michael Wayland rssfeeds.detroitnews.com

7 /104 7 /104 0.0 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 ready to chew up trails

(2.12/8) What is it? An out-of-the-box, off-road ready mid-size pickup didn’t exist until the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 was unveiled on the eve of the 2016 L. A. Auto Show. Just as the Colorado reinvigorated the moribund (read: dead) mid-size pickup

Chevrolet Colorado boosts off-road appeal with ZR2 rssfeeds.freep.com

Chevy Colorado ZR2 Chevy Colorado ZR2 revealed, LA Auto Show pickup: Off-road animal rssfeeds.detroitnews.com rssfeeds.detroitnews.com

2016-11-16 03:17 system article.wn.com

8 /104 0.0 Trump Assures Us Transition Is Like , Not a ‘Stalinesque Purge’ (2.10/8) There’s an understandable temptation to compare any bit of drama within the Trump team to a reality show. On Tuesday night, the president-elect signaled that he’s completely fine with that:

The idea that Donald Trump views potential members of his cabinet as akin to contest “finalists” is actually the least disturbing thing to emerge about the transition process.

It was reported last week that the Trump team was unaware that they would have to replace nearly 3,800 political appointees currently working for the Obama administration. When you run on the message “drain the swamp” and wage war on Establishment Republicans, it’s hard to find qualified government employees to staff your administration. To make matters worse, after leading Trump’s transition planning for months, on Friday Chris Christie was replaced by Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

By Tuesday, the situation had devolved into “an absolute knife fight,” one Trump insider told Politico. Amid rumors of bizarre potential cabinet picks – like Rudy Giuliani for secretary of State – former Congressman Mike Rogers, the transition’s senior national security adviser, left the team on Monday. Rogers is a widely respected former head of the House Intelligence Committee, who many hoped could provide stability in the Trump administration. He was replaced by Frank Gaffney, who is famous for spewing Islamophobic conspiracy theories.

Rogers was diplomatic in interviews on Tuesday. “Is there a little confusion in New York? I think there is,” he told CNN. “I think this is growing pains.” However, he appeared to confirm reports that people are being pushed out of the transition team due to their ties to Christie. (Though Laura Ingraham suggested Rogers was ousted because his House committee produced a Benghazi report that angered the “ 13 Hours guys.”)

“Sometimes in politics … there are people who are in and people who are out. And the people who have been asked to move on have some relationship with Chris Christie,” Rogers said.

As Rogers noted, that’s “absolutely the campaign’s prerogative” – and it’s not surprising that they would want to distance themselves from an official who could be facing legal issues. However, it doesn’t appear that Bridgegate is what soured Christie’s relationship with Trump. NBC News reported that he was pushed out because he was seen as insufficiently loyal to Trump, failing to vigorously defend him after stumbles like the Access Hollywood video.

Other outlets said Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, was getting back at Christie for sending his father to jail. Working as a federal prosecutor in 2004, Christie went after Kushner’s father for tax evasion, witness tampering, and illegal campaign contributions.

Another Christie source told CNN that reports of a “purge” were “overblown,” and the Trump team pushed back against the tales of chaos in Trump Tower. “In the six days since the election our team has made significant progress and we are not going to rush these important decisions,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller said.

The Trump team did manage to make some progress on a paperwork issue. On Tuesday night the Obama administration finally received a memorandum of understanding signed by Pence that will allow them to begin discussions on handing off control. Government officials have been preparing for the transition for months, and according to the Huffington Post some on Trump staff thought they may be able to help them out of this predicament:

Others said the situation isn’t quite that bad yet, but it still appears that the transition is far from an “organized process,” as Trump claims. The New York Times reports that some prominent American allies have no idea how to reach the president-elect, and resorted to “blindly dialing in to Trump Tower to try to reach the soon-to-be-leader of the free world.” Trump tweets denial that his Donald Trump's transition transition is in turmoil team in disarray after key cbsnews.com advisor 'purged' independent.ie

2016-11-16 04:05 Margaret Hartmann feedproxy.google.com

9 /104 0.0 GOP governors hope to move fast on making promised changes (2.06/8) By Gary Fineout, Associated Press

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 | 1:02 a.m.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Republicans are still celebrating their election victories, but the country's GOP governors warned this week that they need to move fast on many of the changes that have been promised to voters.

The Republican Governors Association held its annual conference at a resort near Disney World this week where several governors talked eagerly about how the election of Donald Trump could herald sweeping changes on everything from health care to education.

But many of them said those changes need to come soon before the nation and Republican leaders get caught up in the 2018 election cycle.

"We cannot squander this opportunity," said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.

Republicans now control the White House and Congress. And Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker pointed that this was the first time there has been this many GOP governors across the country since the 1920s.

Many of them were excited Tuesday about what could come next.

"The sky's the limit," Walker said. "There's no end to the good we can do. "

Walker and other governors ticked off a long list of areas they would like to gain more control over whether it was education, transportation, workplace rules, health care or environmental policies. But they said some of these policies need to be tackled within Trump's first 100 days.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott contended that Democrats and their allies would do what they could to stop Republicans.

"The empire will strike back," said Scott, referencing the title of one of the "Star Wars" movies. "You can be sure they are right now planning to stop us from making real changes. " Most of the GOP governors mentioned health care when discussing their top priorities.

But it became evident they are not in complete agreement on how to unwind President Barack Obama's health care overhaul that included an expansion of Medicaid, the nation's main safety net health care program for the poor. An estimated 20 million Americans are now receiving coverage through different elements of the overhaul including Medicaid or through health care exchanges that offer insurance policies.

Scott called the overhaul a "disaster" and said Republicans need to repeal it entirely. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, however, said she expected people to continue to enroll for insurance using health care exchanges as long as it's the law and that they can't just take away insurance from people who have it now.

"I don't know that there will ever be a turn off the switch, wait a period of time and then turn it back on," said Martinez. "There is going to have to be a transition and not leave everyone uninsured. "

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who noted that Medicaid was expanded in his state prior to his election, called for a "thoughtful approach" to revamping health care and said he wants the ability to put in additional requirements for Medicaid recipients such as work requirements. Hutchinson has tried to win federal approval for some of his ideas but said he had been "stymied" by the Obama administration.

"We have the opportunity to do things we cannot do now," Hutchinson said.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called it a "new day" for statehouses across the country, but she added her own admonition.

"We can't celebrate too long, we've got to get to work," Haley said. "And that means 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 120 days, all of us have to get to work. "

GOP governors hope to GOP governors hope to move fast on making move fast on making promised changes - promised changes News9.com - Oklahoma washingtontimes.com City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports news9.com

2016-11-16 05:02 By Gary lasvegassun.com

10 /104 0.0 India's Currency Swap Sets off Endless Lines of Frustration (2.06/8) The first people showed up at the bank long before dawn, forming a line in the cold and the smog and silently waiting for the chance to withdraw their own money. They left more than seven hours later, each holding the handful of bills, worth $60 at the very most, that they'd been allowed to take home.

By midday, the lines snaked back and forth across the parking lot outside the Axis Bank branch in central New Delhi. Occasionally, a policeman carrying a long bamboo club would slap someone who stepped out of line. No one complained. In a crowd like this, largely working-class and uneducated, no one talks back to a policeman. Especially not one carrying a club.

"They keep telling us that that this is good, and maybe they're right," said Shahida Parveen, a 36-year-old woman whose family had almost no usable money left. "But I don't see anything good happening. "

This is just one bank, in one city, in a country of 1.3 billion people, millions of them increasingly desperate for cash amid a chaotic government effort to crack down on corruption by banning high-denomination currency notes.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a surprise nighttime TV address that all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes, worth about $7.50 and $15, would be withdrawn immediately from circulation, a move designed to fight corruption and target people who have been dodging taxes by holding immense stockpiles of cash, known in India as "black money. "

In a nation hobbled by corruption, and where less than 3 percent of people file tax returns, the plan at first earned widespread approval.

But as the days ticked by, it became increasingly clear that the government was ill-prepared for a plan that suddenly pulled 86 percent of the country's money supply out of circulation.

Families began hoarding small-denomination currency, merchants reported plummeting business and salaries went unpaid. Many businesses were refusing to accept the only new note rushed into circulation, worth 2,000 rupees, because they were unable to make change for it. The government says it's also trying to get new 500-rupee bills into circulation, but they remain rarities.

Modi acknowledged the transition to the new currency might be briefly difficult, but said the government "spent long hours trying to figure out how to minimize the inconvenience. "

"The poor are now enjoying a sound sleep, while the rich are running around to buy sleeping pills" because of anxieties over their hoarded money, he said.

But in the parking lot outside the Axis Bank, no one was talking about a sound sleep.

"This is only to harass people like us," said Parveen, a stay-at-home mother whose husband works as a small-time broker for rental properties, but has had no work for the past week. Hundreds of millions of Indians do not have bank accounts and use only cash. Many businesses only accept cash. "The people with all the black money, they'll find a way to manage. "

She's right. The price of gold spiked in the hours after Modi's announcement, as the rich looked for ways to get rid of their old currency. Accountants say there has been a surge in questions about laundering cash, with one saying a client had come in admitting he needed to get rid of more than $5 million in discontinued notes. Others have used a range of ploys, from buying expensive train tickets that can be refunded later, to getting fake receipts, backdated to before Modi's announcement, to make their black money look legitimate.

"Do you see anyone with black money here? " demanded Chote Lal, 59, who had taken the day off from his office job to wait in line. "Only the poor are getting hurt. Who else is suffering? "

A New Delhi businessman with connections to underground currency traders said it was still fairly easy to exchange the withdrawn currency — as long as you're willing to pay twice the legitimate exchange rate to get rid of the old notes.

"They can take as much as you need to get rid of," the businessman said, speaking on condition of anonymity to be able to speak freely about illegal transactions.

How are money launderers getting rid of outdated currency? Some are presumably using corrupt bureaucrats or banking officials. Others, however, are getting help from people in line at tens of thousands of banks across India.

Some of those waiting at Axis, like Parveen, were there to exchange their own money. She pulled a wallet from her purple-and-pink purse, revealing two crumpled 100-rupee notes and two 50-rupee notes, worth a total of about $4.50. It was all her family of five had left to spend, at least until she got to the front of the line and could exchange 4,000 rupees in the old currency.

But it was an open secret that more than a few of those waiting with her were being paid to exchange currency for wealthier people.

"I'm not doing that, but many of these people are exchanging for others," said Sahil Saluja, a young airline employee, gesturing around him. He eventually gave up waiting after more than four hours in line.

The often-shifting regulations allow a one-time swap of 4,000 rupees, or about $60, in exchange for smaller notes to meet immediate needs. That limit was raised to 4,500 rupees on Wednesday. The government insists the system will be back to normal by the end of the year.

Overwhelmed banks had no reliable way to ensure that people didn't line up more than once, so on Tuesday, the government announced that banks would begin using indelible ink to mark the fingers of people swapping scrapped currency notes. India uses the same system during elections, to stop people from voting repeatedly.

Old notes can be deposited into bank accounts before the end of the year, though the government says it will investigate deposits above 250,000 rupees, or about $3,700. Immense fines will be levied on anyone found to have been illegally avoiding taxes.

But for at least the next week, and perhaps many weeks, hours-long bank lines and strict limits on withdrawals (most people are limited to about $30 a day), mean lots of frustration ahead.

The government, meanwhile, insisted all was well.

The "public need not be anxious," said a weekend statement from India's national Reserve Bank. "Cash is available when they need it. "

——— Follow Tim Sullivan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ByTimSullivan

India's currency swap sets India’s currency swap sets off endless lines of off endless lines of frustration frustration dailymail.co.uk wtop.com

2016-11-16 02:39 By abcnews.go.com

11 /104 0.0 A Tribe Called Quest and the Shadow of Trump

(2.04/8) A Tribe Called Quest’s “The Donald,” the final track on their first album in 18 years, is not about Donald Trump. Maybe. With playful DJ scratches, jazzy keys, and patois all radiating the warmth of friendship, the song is the group’s final goodbye to its member Phife Dawg, who died at age 45 from complications of diabetes earlier this year and who had the nickname “Don Juice.” Still, you don’t name a song “The Donald” and release it three days after the presidential election without knowing the implications. You don’t sample a newscaster saying “Donald” over and over again without wanting to conjure up the billionaire who in his campaign’s final days made hip-hop yet another non-white scapegoat for America’s problems. You don’t do create a song like this without wanting to draw a comparison between Don Juice and The Donald, or really, in this case, a contrast.

Great albums eventually transcend the conditions that surrounded their release, and the excellent We’ve Got It From Here … Thank U 4 Your Service , recorded over the past year, may indeed succeed at that. But first, it’s a document of its time. The hack of John Podesta’s emails revealed that the band’s brilliant frontman Q-Tip reached out to help the Clinton campaign; here, he makes makes multiple references to the glory of female leadership, a particularly poignant gesture now. There are plenty of other chillingly relevant lyrics inspired by the news in 2015 and 2016. And grief for the recently passed Phife (as well as his his own voice) permeates the ever- morphing funky medley even in its most joyful moments. But the album’s deepest resonance, its great connection and clash with the moment, may be in the music itself: its celebration of intellect and teamwork, its collage of multiracial influence, its liveliness in the face of sorrow.

Leonard Cohen’s Dark Wisdom

These virtues announce themselves in neon within moments of the album’s start, with “The Space Program” staging a verbal passaround game as balletic and energizing as an Avengers fight scene. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg work together for the chorus about working together, and then Jarobi White joins in the verses, his deep voice like a sharpie complementing Tip’s fine colored pencil. A layer of crisp rhythm adds in as the syllable count rises, but the display of complexity is more about emotion than technical impressiveness. “Mass un-blackening, it’s happening, you feel it y’all?” Jarobi asks. The answer has to be “yes” in the week when an election was decided by white turnout and white solidarity, but the song makes you feel the irreversibility of that outcome a little less than you would otherwise.

The album just gets more explicitly relevant from there. “We the People” lumbers in with sirens and synths before Tip mutters a chorus telling black people, Mexicans, Muslims, and gays to leave the country. The song’s title is either a statement of pessimism about our democracy or a call for unity, cemented by Tip’s observation that “when we get hungry we eat the same fucking food, the ramen noodle.” Next comes “Whateva Will Be,” whose slow-rolling funk features Phife lamenting black men being marked as lesser at birth—a sentiment especially heavy when heard from beyond the grave. It’s not the only time that words Phife recorded in life sting more now than they would have then: “CNN and all this shit why y'all cool with the fuckery?” he says on “Conrad Tokyo.” “Trump and SNL hilarity / Troublesome times kid, no times for comedy.”

Never is this protest and mourning a drag to listen to. Rather, the music embodies Tip’s coinage of “vivrant”—vibrant + vivacious—with a meld of live playing, programming, and samples that maintain a groove as the sonic palette shifts. Agitated electro sounds power the Andre 3000 showcase “Kids,” spacey reggae accompanies Tip imagining Phife’s ghost for “Black Spasmodic,” and Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” becomes earthquaking psychedelia for “Solid Wall of Sound.” The music’s ever-searching, dot-connecting mentality fits the lyrical outlook. Toward the end of the album, Tip offers his grand humane diagnosis of the world by using the song title “Ego” to refer to the quality that motivates him in the face of disrespect but also motivates tyranny. Smart.

My favorite track of the moment is one of the more subdued ones, “Melatonin,” which could exist out of time but is all the more powerful because it doesn’t. As the band moves from stop-start- stop-start passages to smooth reveries and back, Tip raps about anxiety keeping him awake. “The sun is up, but I feel down again,” he says, and for the song’s length the only remedies are sex and sleeping pills. He’s not exactly offering solutions here; he’s offering forgiveness for feeling the need to momentarily recharge. The miracle of the album is that it’ll help listeners do just that, even as it does quite the opposite of distract from the world.

Swathe of swag at hip-hop Poroshenko appeals to awards Trump for support in phone timeslive.co.za call digitaljournal.com

2016-11-16 05:30 Spencer Kornhaber www.theatlantic.com

12 /104 12 /104 0.0 Michigan State humbled by Kentucky, 69-48, at Madison Square Garden (2.04/8) NEW YORK – Miles Bridges turned the ball over.

Miles Bridges rotated too slowly on defense.

Miles Bridges missed a tomahawk dunk.

He’s human. He’s a freshman. And he and Michigan State were no match for No. 2 Kentucky Tuesday night in the Champions Classic.

The 13th-ranked Spartans endured much of the same inconsistency they experienced in Friday’s season-opener against Arizona, with stretches of strong play and longer spurts of mistakes. And Kentucky slowly pulled away to a 69-48 victory.

“I felt really embarrassed,” Bridges said after finishing with more turnovers than points in his second college game. “I felt like I let my whole team down. … I feel like I just have to keep getting better.”

Kentucky (3-0) outscored MSU, 6-2, to close the first half and then opened the second period with an 11-5 run. The Spartans (0-2) never got within double digits after that.

MSU opens its home slate with a pair of 7 p.m. games at Breslin Center this weekend, against Mississippi Valley State on Friday and Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.

After scoring 21 points in his debut, Bridges finished with a more pedestrian six points on 2 of 11 shooting and 12 rebounds. However, the 6-foot-7 phenom from Flint also committed nine turnovers and looked out of sync all night against the long, swarming Wildcats defenders.

► Related : Couch: MSU must go younger to get better

When Tom Izzo pulled him out of the game with about 45 seconds left, Bridges put his arm around his coach and his head on his shoulder in frustration. He told Izzo he was “sorry” for his performance and “promised him it wouldn’t happen again.”

Izzo had a message for Bridges as well: “I said, ‘Miles, welcome to the real world. No more high school. You’re gonna get doubled, you’re gonna get this, you’re gonna get that. Just register and learn, because this is part of the process.’”

The Spartans shot just 32.8% for the game and committed 20 turnovers and 20 personal fouls. No one scored in double figures as Kenny Goins and Cassius Winston led MSU with nine points each.

MSU did outrebound the taller Wildcats, 44-40, for the game while holding the Wildcats to 38.3% shooting for the game.

“I’m actually a little embarrassed,” Izzo said, echoing Bridges. “I felt like we competed defensively for the most part. We just didn’t do anything offensively. We looked like a team that was an AAU team – just went one-on-one, didn’t move the ball, got frustrated.”

► Related : Notes: Freshmen struggle under bright lights vs. Kentucky Kentucky freshman Malik Monk led all scorers with 23 points, including seven three-pointers. Sophomore Isaiah Briscoe added 21 for the Wildcats.

Many of the same problems that plagued the Spartans against Arizona in Honolulu followed them to Madison Square Garden – only this time, Bridges struggled to bail them out, in large part because of the attention Kentucky focused on stopping him.

“We did a couple things knowing that if he got going, he was going to be a beast,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari, adding that he scouted MSU’s game films against Arizona and Saginaw Valley State to scheme for Bridges. “He had 12 rebounds, guys. Just the way we played, we made it very difficult for him to just play basketball. And Tom will use that and show him, and they’ll come up with stuff.”

MSU kept things close for the first six-plus minutes. Matt McQuaid’s three-pointer tied Kentucky, 12-12, before the Wildcats went on a 14-2 run, capped by Monk’s fourth three-pointers in the half.

But like they did in Hawaii, the Spartans rode waves of good play with their young lineup. Nick Ward got a rebound putback, Joshua Langford drained a pair of three-pointers and Bridges drove baseline for a two-hand dunk. It was part of a 4-minute, 10-2 run that got MSU back within four points.

But defensive lapses continued. A well-defended lob for Langford turned into a layup for Briscoe in transition, and the Kentucky sophomore sliced between a pair of Spartans as time expired to send the Wildcats into the locker room with a 34-26 cushion.

Bridges, especially, typified the up-and-down play of MSU in the first half. He grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots. He also was just 1 of 4 from the floor for three points, missing a pair of three-point tries, and turned the ball over five times.

Bridges opened the second half with a three-pointer, but Kentucky dashed off nine of the next 11 points, capped by another Monk triple to build its lead to 45-31.

“I knew college basketball was difficult,” Bridges said. “I wasn’t listening to (Tum Tum Nairn) and Iz when they were telling me to stay calm, slow down and let the game come to me. I was trying to force thing, and that’s how I feel like turned the ball over a lot.

“I just gotta listen to my leaders on our team and trust our offense in the process.”

Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!

Coach K breaks down Malik Monk, Isaiah Briscoe Duke's loss to Kansas at lead No. 2 Kentucky over Madison Square Garden No. 13 Michigan State newsobserver.com upi.com

2016-11-16 03:50 Chris Solari rssfeeds.freep.com

13 /104 0.0 Report: Ted Cruz in talks to be Trump's attorney general (2.04/8) After calling him 'Lyin' Ted' on the trail, Trump is reportedly considering Ted Cruz for attorney general. But Trump says only he knows who the 'finalists' are. Hallie Jackson joins Brian Williams.

Justice Ted Cruz, Anyone? spectator.org

Donald Trump considers Ted Cruz for U.S. attorney general: report feeds.nydailynews.com

2016-11-15 23:04 The 11th www.msnbc.com

14 /104 0.0 As Tom Izzo points everywhere else, Miles Bridges puts loss to Kentucky on own shoulders (1.08/8) NEW YORK CITY -- As Miles Bridges went through pregame warmups on Tuesday night, jumpers drew frowns. The dazzling freshman was in the layup line. Every time the ball was tossed his way, hands rose in the crowd, fans trying to capture his next dunk on video. When he'd catch and shoot, those wanting the spectacular bemoaned the commonplace.

All eyes were on Bridges. Just like always. Madison Square Garden is a place where stars are born and Michigan State's matchup with the running, jumping, dunking Kentucky Wildcats was to be Bridges' coronation. Two hours later ...

"I feel really embarrassed," said Bridges, sitting with heavy shoulders and taking the bullets in MSU's postgame locker room following a 69-48 loss , one that was equal parts humbling and embarrassing. "I feel like I let my whole team down. "

Michigan State's trip to New York City was a flop in every regard. The 21-point defeat was the program's largest since an 82-56 loss to Wisconsin on Feb. 6, 2011. The 49 points scored were its fewest since a 53-46 loss to Illinois on March 1, 2014.

No player finished in double figures. Twenty turnovers were committed. Shots were missed by the dozen: 20 of 61 from the field, 5 of 26 from the 3-point line, 3 of 9 from the foul line.

For his part, Bridges went 2 for 11 with nine turnovers and six points in 33 minutes. His contribution was limited to 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.

With 41 seconds remaining and the Spartans thoroughly waxed, Izzo sent Matt Van Dyk into the game, subbing out Bridges. As his star freshman walked past, the coach tugged Bridges and said, "Welcome to the real world. "

"All I could tell him was I'm sorry," Bridges recounted later. "I didn't have anything else to say. "

In his postgame press conference, meanwhile, Izzo pointed everywhere else. He said he too was "embarrassed" by the loss, but put the blame everywhere other than Bridges. Under no circumstance was Izzo going there.

He started, rightfully so, with his veterans. Beyond a decent performance by Kenny Goins, MSU's six returnees finished 4 of 21 from the field with six turnovers and 11 points. Eron Harris was ineffective in 13 minutes and given no further playing time. Thought of as Spartans' potential leading scorer this season, he went 1 for 3 with two points and three turnovers.

Even while Harris' offense was nonexistent, Izzo believed the problems began on the other end.

"I was disappointed in Eron, if you want the truth," Izzo said. "He was our best defensive player last year and sometimes when you switch roles, you forget where you came from. So we have to get him back on track a little bit. He's a good shooter and we have to get him more shots. "

As an extension of the poor play by Izzo's veterans, MSU's execution was, let's say, lacking. The ball movement didn't include enough movement. There was no spacing and little flow. Offensive sets didn't produce open shots. When they did, shots were missed anyway.

"I thought we competed defensively, we just didn't do anything offensively," Izzo said. "We looked like a team that was an AAU team. "

There was still more culpability to go around. Izzo cited the Spartans' travel schedule. Tired legs. Fatigue. Michigan State played in Hawaii four days beforehand, losing to Arizona, and logged 9,554 miles heading into Tuesday night.

Izzo also pointed to a depleted roster. Deyonta Davis was supposed to be on this team, he said. Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter were supposed to be healthy. This isn't what this was supposed to be like when the schedule was built with two top-10 opening games (followed by a trip to the Battle 4 Atlantis next week and a game against Duke). "I'm not going to make any excuses for me, but I will make one for my players ... " Izzo said.

As the old saying goes, every man is guilty of all the good he did not do. And in a loss this bad and in a performance this disappointing, that guilt was shared. Showing just how important Bridges is to the Spartans, though, Izzo wouldn't point in that direction. Michigan State needs the 6-foot-7 phenom to be phenomenal and the coach clearly has his tactics to keep that road clear.

Asked what he wanted Bridges to take away from the loss, Izzo said, "Register and learn because this is part of the process. "

Bridges, nonetheless, learned what the burn feels like under the heat lamp.

"I was thinking too fast," he said. "I wasn't letting the game come to me. I just have to calm down when I get the ball. "

In fairness, that wasn't exactly easy against Kentucky. The Wildcats threw everything at Bridges - - smaller, faster defenders; bigger, longer defenders; double-teams. They threw nets over his ball screen opportunities. Moving forward, he can expect to see more of the same. Through two games, Bridges has shown a tendency to let frustrations resonate and, in turn, the offense can self-destruct.

That's why, regardless of what anyone else says, Bridges will keep pointing to the mirror.

"My fault," he said. "I have to get better. "

MSU's Miles Bridges on loss MSU coach Tom Izzo on MSU coach Tom Izzo on to Kentucky loss to Kentucky Miles Bridges rssfeeds.detroitnews.com rssfeeds.detroitnews.com rssfeeds.detroitnews.com

2016-11-16 01:38 Brendan F www.mlive.com

15 /104 0.0 Amazon expands Morrisons grocery smoothness deal

(1.05/8) Amazon will offer one-hour smoothness of groceries sourced from Morrisons stores to comparison postcodes in London and Hertfordshire.

The online sell hulk pronounced Amazon Prime Now business in a comparison areas could have their baskets delivered within 60 mins for £6.99.

Alternatively, business can collect a two-hour smoothness container for no charge.

Amazon’s tie-up with Morrisons began in June, though a latest agreement expands a operation available.

David Potts, arch executive of a supermarket, pronounced a understanding would assistance to boost increase but requiring poignant collateral outlay.

Shares in Morrisons rose 0.1% to 222.1p in early trade in London, valuing a association during roughly £5.2bn.

The batch has risen roughly 50% this year. ‘Innovative’ deal

As good as a “Morrisons during Amazon” service, Amazon also offers products from booze businessman Spirited Wines and pharmacy sequence John Bell Croyden.

“We demeanour brazen to adding some-more stores and reaching some-more business in a future,” pronounced Prime Now EU executive Mariangela Marseglia.

Analysts during Shore Capital described a latest theatre of Morrisons’ understanding with Amazon as “innovative” and pronounced it would boost a supermarket sequence in areas where it had small foothold.

“With a low marketplace share and generally shoal strech in London and a South East, by Amazon Prime customers, a Morrison code can benefit acquire extension,” Shore Capital added.

Amazon is a relations latecomer to a UK online grocery market, that is dominated by a country’s large supermarket bondage and online-only tradesman Ocado.

However, ETX Capital researcher Neil Wilson pronounced a tie-up was a “game-changer” for a zone and gave Morrisons “a large corner over Tesco and Sainsbury in a home smoothness market”.

In sequence to obtain one-hour deliveries from Amazon, business in authorised areas have to pointer adult for membership of a Amazon Prime service, that costs £79 a year.

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2016-11-16 00:00 admin headlinenewstoday.net

16 /104 0.0 Prince William urges Vietnam to step up anti-wildlife trade (1.02/8) Britain's Prince William on Wednesday urged Vietnamese leaders to step up the fight against trafficking in wildlife species, the main theme of his first visit to the communist country.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is president of United for Wildlife, met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on Wednesday before attending a two-day conference on illegal wildlife trade starting Thursday in Hanoi.

"During his call on the prime minister, the Duke spoke about the strength of the relationship between the United Kingdom and Vietnam and said he was looking forward to hearing what Vietnam was doing to tackle the challenges presented by the illegal wildlife trade," the prince's office said in a statement Wednesday.

It said "the Duke will engage with a wide cross section of Vietnamese society in order to encourage the work of local people to stamp out the use of things like rhino horn. "

Vietnam is one of the world's major transit points and consumers of trafficked ivory and rhino horns, which people mistakenly believe can be used a cancer cure. On Saturday, authorities destroyed 2.2 tons (4,900 pounds) of seized elephant ivory and rhino horns in a bid to stamp out trafficking.

The official Vietnam News Agency quoted Prime Minister Phuc as telling William that Vietnam had paid great attention to raising awareness among the public about wildlife conservation and severe punishments were handed down.

It quoted William as telling Phuc that the fight to protect endangered wildlife is a transnational and urgent issue and that the government plays a crucial role in ensuring its success. Prince William arrives in Vietnam for wildlife meeting article.wn.com

2016-11-16 05:43 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com

17 /104 0.0 Life in the White House bubble? Trump's had practice

(1.02/8) For nearly the entire week since he became president-elect, Donald Trump has been holed up in his gilded New York skyscraper. A steady stream of visitors has come to him, flooding through metal detectors and getting whisked up to Trump's offices and penthouse residence. The unusual arrangement has left Trump looking like the missing player in his own transition planning. He's left it to aides to explain the increasingly strained process and given space for allies jockeying for top jobs to set the tone during a crucial phase.

"President-elect Trump is there receiving calls from different people. He has different meetings, interviews," Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said earlier this week. "We've really just been ensconced in Trump Tower trying to form a government. "

Advisers have provided few specific details of Trump's schedule, leaving journalists gathered in the lobby of Trump Tower to piece together clues based on who is seen entering and exiting the building. He emerged briefly Tuesday night for a private dinner with family, but his team has given no indication of when he may next appear in public.

Trump has long lived in a bubble of his own creation, a situation that could prepare him for the insular, security-shrouded cocoon that awaits him at the White House.

Unlike President Barack Obama, who flew commercial and lived in a dingy Washington apartment within about a year of taking office, Trump has already spent decades living an unusually cloistered life. While Obama often bemoans his inability to take a walk or enjoy a meal at a sidewalk cafe, Trump doesn't appear to have much of an affinity for either.

"The reason my hair looks so neat all the time is because I don't have to deal with the elements very often," Trump wrote in his 2004 book, "How To Get Rich. "I live in the building where I work. I take an elevator from my bedroom to my office. The rest of the time, I'm either in my stretch limousine, my private jet, my helicopter, or my private club in Palm Beach, Florida. "

Indeed, Trump hadn't been seen outdoors since Thursday, when he traveled to Washington to meet with Obama and Republican congressional leaders. He left for dinner Tuesday without his press corps, which did not witness him during the outing.

Trump was a fixture on the New York social scene when he was younger, but those close to him say he'd become more of a homebody even before he began running, preferring to camp out in front of the television at night watching cable news. He spends nearly all of his time at his properties, including Trump Tower in New York, his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, or at Mar-a-Lago, his exclusive South Florida club. If he travels outside of those locales, it's often to a place with a Trump property nearby.

As president, Trump will be constantly surrounded by a pack of Secret Service agents, replacing the team of private security guards who protected him before he ran. He'll fly on Air Force One, giving his Trump-branded jet a break. And he'll be restricted from driving anything other than a golf cart, though he's said to rarely drive himself anyway.

"To me, a great luxury is for me just to get into a car by myself and drive," Trump said last year.

The insular world of the White House is often even more of an adjustment for the president's family. First lady Michelle Obama has notoriously chafed at the restrictions on her movement, speaking longingly about wanting to simply be able to get into a car and roll down the windows.

But Melania Trump sounded sanguine about what's ahead, noting that she'd had time to get used to the bubble during her husband's presidential campaign.

"It will just continue," Mrs. Trump said in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes. "It's another level, but it will continue. "

Trump aides say the businessman does plan to move to the White House — "The president is going to live in Washington," top adviser Rudy Giuliani said Monday — but Trump is expected to continue spending time at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago, which the property's original owner, Marjorie Merriweather Post, willed to the U. S. government when she died in 1973 to serve as a retreat for presidents and visiting dignitaries. It has sometimes been dubbed the "winter White House. "

Members of the club, where he often spends winter weekends, describe Trump as a man of routine, who spends most of his time at the club or at his nearby golf courses, eating, mingling with guests, working — and keeping an eye on his employees' work.

While Trump was once known as a New York playboy who stuffed his calendar with galas and events, Lee Lipton, a Mar-a-Lago member for years, said that it's rare to see Trump venture to an event off-site these days.

"He said, 'Why should I go anywhere else?'" Lipton recalled Trump once explaining. "'I have the best food in Palm Beach.'"

--

Associated Press writer Ken Thomas in New York contributed to this report. Obama's alumni-to-be contemplate life after the White House cbs46.com

2016-11-16 04:33 By JULIE www.charlotteobserver.com

18 /104 0.0 Inventive Cubans hunt expensive fish using inflated condoms (1.02/8) HAVANA (AP) — Juan Luis Rosello sat for three hours on the Malecon as the wind blew in from the Florida Straits, pushing the waves hard against the seawall of Havana’s coastal boulevard.

As darkness settled and the wind switched direction, Rosello pulled four condoms from a satchel and began to blow them up. When the contraceptives were the size of balloons, the 47-year-old cafeteria worker tied them together by their ends, attached them to the end of a baited fishing line and set them floating on the tide until they reached the end of his 750-foot line.

After six decades under U. S. embargo and Soviet-inspired central planning, Cubans have become masters at finding ingenious solutions with extremely limited resources. Few are as creative as what Havana’s fishermen call “balloon fishing,” a technique employing a couple of cents worth of condoms to pull fish worth an average month’s salary from the ocean.

On any given night in Havana, dozens of men can be found “balloon fishing” along the Havana seawall, using their homemade floats to carry their lines as far as 900 feet into the coastal waters, where they also serve to keep the bait high in the water and to increase the line’s resistance against the pull of a bonito or red snapper.

“No one can cast the line that far by hand,” said Ivan Muno, 56, who was fishing alongside Rosello.

For four more hours, he sat silently as the dark sea pounded the rocks below the seawall, algae flashing green in the waves beneath an enormous creamy moon, the sounds of the city muffled by the wind and water. By midnight, he was heading home without a catch, but planning to return soon.

“This is the most effective way to fish,” Rosello said. “Someone got this great idea and I can be here all night with the balloons out.”

Cuba has been renowned for its fishing at least since the days of Ernest Hemingway, and foreigners by the thousands come each year to fish in waters largely protected by Cuba’s lack of development.

Much of Cuba’s coastline remains free of the large-scale building that has damaged ecosystems in the rest of the Caribbean. The island’s industrial fishing fleet was devastated by the fall of the Soviet Union.

For Cubans, taking advantage of one of their greatest resources remains a challenge. For all but the wealthiest, even the smallest private boats and the fuel for them are too expensive. Many Cubans have taken to riding out on inner tubes or blocks of industrial foam to catch larger fish, but the unsafe technique known as “cork fishing” has become the target of frequent coast guard crackdowns with steep fines.

“Balloon fishing” is cheaper, less risky and increasingly popular.

“There’s no point in getting a 3,000-peso ($120) fine and your gear confiscated,” said Leandro Casas, a self-employed construction worker fishing along the Malecon.

It’s not clear exactly when the practice was adopted, but according to local fishermen’s lore, the inventor of the balloon technique in Cuba saw a video of South Africans fishing using kites and got the idea for using inflated condoms.

It’s illegal to sell fish without a license in Cuba, and the balloon fisherman all said they are simply trying to feed their families. Privately, though, many acknowledged that it would be crazy to do anything but sell a 30-pound fish that is worth a dollar a pound in a country with an average monthly state salary of about $25. While most Cubans can’t afford to buy fish, Cuba’s private restaurants, its growing upper middle class and the thousands of foreigners who live in the capital all are avid buyers.

Alex Romero, the 42-year-president of the state-backed Old Havana Federation of Fishermen, said balloon fisherman are as skilled as any angler and are getting more practiced as their technique gains in popularity.

“It’s efficient and everyone uses it,” he said. “It’s the ingenuity that Cubans always show in resolving problems without spending a lot of money.”

___

Andrea Rodríguez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARodriguezAP

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Inventive Cubans Hunt Expensive Fish Using Inflated Condoms abcnews.go.com

2016-11-16 03:01 By Associated mynorthwest.com

19 /104 19 /104 0.0 Saudi Arabia warns Trump on blocking oil imports

(1.02/8) Saudi Arabia has warned Donald Trump that the incoming U. S. president will risk the health of his country's economy if he acts on his election promises to block oil imports.

In a sign of the difficulties Mr Trump faces over his campaign pledges to create "complete American energy independence" from "our foes and the oil cartels", Saudi Arabia's energy minister pointedly reminded the president-elect that the U. S. "benefits more than anybody else from global free trade", adding, "energy is the lifeblood of the global economy".

"At his heart President-elect Trump will see the benefits and I think the oil industry will also be advising him accordingly that blocking trade in any product is not healthy," Khalid al-Falih, who is also chairman of Aramco, the state-run oil company, told the Financial Times in Marrakesh, where he is leading Saudi Arabia's delegation in UN climate talks.

Mr Falih, whose kingdom is the world's largest exporter of crude, said that, although the US imported millions of barrels of oil, it had also "benefited hugely" from being able to freely sell "significant amounts" of exported products.

This free trade had underpinned a thriving refining industry and a shale revolution that had been able to "create a lot of jobs and value", he said.

"The U. S. is sort of the flag-bearer for capitalism and free markets," he added.

"The US continues to be a very important part of a global industry that is interconnected, that is dealing with a fungible commodity which is crude oil. So having equalization through free trade is very healthy for oil. "

Mr Falih said Saudi Arabia was still waiting to see exactly what Mr Trump does once he takes office in January and some of his campaign rhetoric had amounted to "50,000 feet announcements" that could change.

"It is common that once presidents start governing then a lot more substance comes out," he said, adding that Saudi Arabia believed the new administration should be given time to "digest all the issues", including how it implements the Paris climate deal being discussed in Marrakesh.

SaudiArabia will stick to Paris accord climate change pledges

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Mr Trump has vowed to "cancel" the accord that almost 200 nations sealed in December and has called climate change a "hoax" fabricated by China to hurt U. S. industry.

Saudi Arabia has been among a vocal group of countries insisting that the US election outcome will not affect their plans to curb greenhouse gases under the Paris deal, which Mr Falih described as "a watershed agreement" and "a great thing" that needed to be implemented "sooner rather than later".

However, the minister also said Mr Trump had made some "positive" comments about the importance of fossil fuels.

"We need to address climate change, we need to limit the temperature rise globally to the maximum extent but we cannot do it at the expense of keeping people in poverty and stopping their economic development," the Saudi minister said.

While the world's use of fossil fuels would inevitably "decline over time" as renewable energy became cheaper and better, he said oil and gas were going to remain "a significant part of the energy mix" for years.

The Paris agreement allowed all countries to tackle climate change according to their own capabilities, which meant no one was suggesting the U. S. had to be put in "a straitjacket", the minister said.

Reflecting the frustration of many countries in Marrakesh, Mr Falih said the industrial and technological strength of the U. S. meant it would find it easier to abide by the Paris accord than poorer nations.

"If you think of economies like India and China and other energy intensive economies, I think the U. S. has a lot more flexibility to meet Paris with less sacrifices," he said.

"The U. S. already enjoys a competitive advantage in terms of its energy costs and I think, given what is happening in technology and renewables, especially in the US capabilities in that regard, I think the U. S. will find that provided everybody lives by Paris, the U. S. would retain if not improve its global competitive position. "

As government leaders arrived in Marrakesh on Tuesday, François Hollande, France's president, led calls for Mr Trump to stick with the Paris accord.

"The U. S., the most powerful economy in the world, the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, must respect the commitments that were made," he said. "It's not simply their duty, it's in their interest. "

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, told reporters that he hoped Mr Trump would change course, given the urgent need to tackle global warming.

"As president of the United States, I'm sure that he will understand this. He will listen and he will evaluate his campaign remarks," he said.

Door-to-door book salesman takes his knocks in Saudi Arabia dailymail.co.uk

2016-11-16 02:55 Pilita Clark www.cnbc.com

20 /104 0.0 7 Burning Questions: CFP rankings fluid after Alabama

(1.02/8) 1. Is Alabama already a lock?

Alabama was the easy No. 1 seed back when there were other undefeated Power 5 teams; now the gap is almost impossibly wide. Assuming the Tide can somehow squeak by the mighty Chattanooga Mocs, only the Iron Bowl against No. 15 Auburn and the SEC Championship against either No. 19 Tennessee or No. 23 Florida remain.

So if 'Bama somehow loses to Auburn, it probably hangs onto No. 1; nobody else is close. If the Crimson Tide follow that up with a loss in the SEC Championship... 'Bama's still in, right? Even at an implausible 11-2, Alabama's probably the first non-winner of a conference in consideration, and it'll be difficult to find four shinier conference champions among the Power 5.

That's not to say we recommend that Alabama rests its starters after Thanksgiving, obviously. Clearly the right course of action is to cruise into the College Football Playoff at 13-0 and prepare to defend its title. But the few remaining land mines on the Crimson Tide's path might not even register at this point.

2. How likely are we to see Ohio State and Michigan stay in the Top 4 in three weeks?

The spiciest meatball on this week's plate of spaghetti, obviously, is No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan paired off against one another in the middle of the bracket. Of course, these seedings mean nothing in the middle of November, and they'll be facing each other in the last game of the regular season. Presumably, someone's taking a loss and a hit in the rankings. Will it be enough to keep the Big Ten from sending two teams to the playoffs?

There's a second problem for these teams, and it's in Happy Valley. Ohio State may be the highest-ranked Big Ten team this week, but it's essentially third in the Big Ten East pecking order; the Buckeyes need both Penn State and Michigan to lose before they're back in line for a conference championship berth. Obviously OSU would be more than happy to deliver that loss to Ann Arbor , but the only teams left on Penn State's docket this season are Rutgers and Michigan State -- two teams with a combined 1-13 record in Big Ten play (the one win, incidentally, was MSU beating Rutgers).

3. Doesn't Louisville-Clemson deserve a Part II?

It's hard to think of a better football game in 2016 than Louisville at Clemson, under the lights at Death Valley. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and DeShaun Watson put on a duel for the ages, and the game even came down to a stop with just enough controversy that both teams can leave the field feeling like they deserved the W, even though that's not how wins and losses work.

We might be on that path again, with Clemson still sitting at No. 4 and Louisville at No. 5. As mentioned before, one of those Big Ten teams ahead of the ACC pair will have to lose. That's not the case with Clemson and Louisville, and it's hard to see where an upset for either might come from.

4. Is the lack of a championship game going to haunt the Big 12 again? It's no surprise that the Big 12 and the playoff committee have not been the best of friends in the CFP's first two seasons. The conference has received one invite thus far, and that was Oklahoma's No. 4 seed in 2015. With three weeks of play left, this season looks like another empty one for the Big 12.

Oklahoma's still the highest-ranked Big 12 team at No. 9 and the best candidate for sneaking in, but that's a long climb in not a lot of time. The committee's clearly not impressed by one-loss No. 14 West Virginia; WVU's closer to one-loss Boise State (No. 20) than any of the other one-loss Power 5 teams (Washington, No. 6). If No. 11 Oklahoma State wins out but is left out in the cold thanks to that loss at the hands of CMU, that's pretty tough but still, on some level, understandable.

What all of these teams could use, of course, is another quality win, something that would be readily available by winning a conference championship like every other power conference team will be doing. That's a bitter irony after the waste laid to the Big 12's BCS championship dreams by its own title game (five teams lost win-and-you're-in Big 12 Championship games) but so it goes.

5. Is the Pac-12 still alive?

No. 6 Washington only slipped a couple slots after a resounding defeat at the hands of USC (which was rewarded with the No. 13 spot this week), but that might be enough to imperil the Huskies' playoff hopes.

If there's any consolation to be found, it's that the Pac-12 South has quietly stocked the middle of the rankings with its own high-octane teams. No. 9 Colorado and No. 12 Utah sit just ahead of No. 13 USC, and the Buffaloes and Utes will meet in the regular season finale that just might determine the division champion. If that Pac-12 South winner gets enough of a boost, it and Washington might feel like they're playing for a spot in the playoff.

Help us all if No. 22 Washington State locks up the North, though. That's also a distinct possibility.

6. The committee's still sticking with Penn State?

Following a thrilling 45-31 victory over Indiana -- "thrilling" insofar as the Nittany Lions needed 31 points in the last 16 minutes to overcome an Indiana team that turned the ball over five times -- Penn State moved up to No. 8 in the rankings, still potentially in position to make the playoff with just a little bit of help.

Penn State should be commended for beating No. 2 Ohio State, 24-21. No argument there. But that 49-10 drubbing at the hands of No. 3 Michigan also has to play a major factor, to say nothing of the early loss to Pitt (who's still unranked after beating No. 4 Clemson). Those data points matter too, one would assume. So would Penn State's lack of another quality win.

We saw this week what happens when a Top 10 team picks up its third loss to a mediocre team; Texas A&M dropped from No. 8 to No. 25. Presumably, PSU would have been savaged for losing at Indiana as well. If a team can trail the Hoosiers for the first 56 minutes of a game and still move up in the rankings, is the committee really paying any attention to past the wins and losses?

7. No love for Troy? No. 20 Boise State moved one spot ahead of No. 21 Western Michigan in the Group of 5's annual quest for a New Year's Six bowl game spot; among other things, the Blue Man Group can probably thank No. 22 Washington State's continuing streak to the top of the Pac-12 North. What a world.

Still unranked in the CFP is Troy, however, and that's despite the Trojans' recent first-ever entry into the AP Poll at No. 25 after reaching 8-1 on the season. That one loss? 30-24 at No. 4 Clemson.

Troy's now 5-0 in the Sun Belt after handing Appalachian State its first loss in conference play, and will host fellow conference leader Arkansas State on Thursday night. If Troy takes down the Red Wolves, shouldn't at least a courtesy nod from the CFP committee be next?

CFP rankings don't change much despite weekend of upsets latimes.com

2016-11-16 02:47 www.upi.com

21 /104 0.0 Wildfires char over 80,000 acres in the parched South

(1.02/8) ATLANTA — Dozens of large wildfires raged on Tuesday in the South, where more than 80,000 acres have burned and where emergency officials faced ominous forecasts of more dry weather and spreading flames.

Although the fires often stayed miles from cities and towns, the blazes had broad effects in the South. Smoke drifted far from the fires, reaching places like Atlanta and Charleston, S. C., and prompting state environmental agencies to issue air-quality warnings.

The National Interagency Fire Center said that nearly 40,000 acres had been charred in North Carolina, plus 29,000 acres in Georgia. The authorities, who shut down roads and ordered evacuations in some areas, were also responding to fires in Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, federal officials said.

“It’s a totally fluid situation,” said Justin Upchurch, the assistant fire chief in Rabun County in Appalachian Georgia, where officials suspected an arsonist. “We can plan for something today and conditions change, or the fire moves a different direction than we plan on.”

More than 3,700 people have been assigned to fight the South’s wildfires, which are burning through an already rain-starved region where drought conditions are worsening. The U. S. Drought Monitor reported last week that 21 percent of the Southeast was in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the two highest ratings, and meteorologists do not expect significant rainfall anytime soon. “The weather has not been conducive for large fire growth the past couple days, but those conditions will change later this week,” the North Carolina Forest Service warned in an update about the Party Rock Fire, which has engulfed more than 3,700 acres near Lake Lure elsewhere in Appalachia and is only 15 percent contained. “The passage of a strong cold front this Saturday will bring little to no moisture to the fire.”

The weekend’s weather conditions — stronger winds, higher temperatures and lower humidity — “will support rapid fire growth,” the North Carolina authorities said Tuesday, one day after the governor said the state’s wildfires were comparable to past episodes in California.

The region’s largest blaze, named the Rough Ridge Fire and burning through part of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia, grew to more than 21,000 acres by Tuesday morning, nearly a month after it started because of a lightning strike.

Hospitals and public health officials said a modest increase of patients with respiratory difficulties was probably connected to the fires.

“Since these fires have started and the air quality has gotten so poor, we are having a very quick ramp-up of visits,” said Robert Hamilton III, the medical director of emergency services for Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, Tenn., an Appalachian city where he said “everywhere smells like a campfire.”

Most patients are being treated and released, officials said, but schools changed plans for athletic practices, some residents wore masks and others stayed inside while haze settled over their towns.

“People are really kind of holed up in their homes where they have their air-conditioning on, which filters the air and makes the air quality better,” Dr. Hamilton said. “Our outdoor community has kind of moved indoors because of the fire.”

Authorities warned that it could take weeks to contain some of the blazes, particularly because of the limited prospects for rain.

“We’re going to be dealing with smoke and the aftereffects of this for a while,” said Mr. Upchurch, whose county had a fire on Tuesday that might not be contained until mid-December. “It’s not like a house fire where you dump X number of gallons and it goes out, and it’s over. This is something that’s going to take time to resolve it.”

North Georgia wildfire reaches more than 23,000 acres - Story fox5atlanta.com

2016-11-16 00:50 By Alan www.post-gazette.com

22 /104 (1.02/8) 0.0 Djokovic digs deep to repel Raonic onslaught LONDON : It has been missing for a while but Novak Djokovic rediscovered his warrior spirit to tame Canada’s Milos Raonic 7-6(6) 7-6(5) in a rivetting duel and guarantee progress from his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday.

Novak Djokovic outlasts Milos Raonic at ATP finals upi.com

2016-11-16 00:19 system article.wn.com

23 /104 0.0 Trillanes taunts Duterte over martial law remark

(1.00/8) Senator Antonio Trillanes IV taunted President Rodrigo Duterte for floating the idea of imposing martial law when he had already promised to step down should he fail to end the drug menace in the country within three to six months.

This after Duterte floated the possibility of imposing martial law as a “contingency to meet widespread violence.”

“Akala ko ba three to six months lang kaya nya ng tapusin ang drug problem or else magre-resign sya? Tapos ngayon kailangan na mag martial law? Anyare? Nag- supermoon (I though he could solve the drug problem within three to six months or else he would resign? And now, martial law is necessary? What happened? It became a supermoon)?” Trillanes said in a text message to reporters.

Trillanes is a member of the opposition bloc and a staunch critic of Duterte. The senator even accused the President of being behind the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

While he said he was not keen on imposing martial law, Duterte said it could be a “contingency” measure to solve widespread violence in the country.

“I am not a fan of Martial Law. Abugado ako e. Natakot yung mga tao sa (I’m a lawyer. People were afraid of) martial law but if ever, martial law is a contingency to meet widespread violence,” the President was quoted by the media as saying Tuesday night.

Duterte had also warned earlier that he would suspend the privilege writ of habeas corpus if lawlessness in the country would escalate. He later told congressional leaders that he was just “thinking aloud” when he made the said remark. RAM

Traffic powers bill to reach Senate floor by end of Nov. —Poe newsinfo.inquirer.net

2016-11-16 00:00 Maila Ager newsinfo.inquirer.net

24 /104 0.0 Fmr. Secret Service agent talks Trump Tower security

(1.00/8) How will the Secret Service deal with the massive challenges presented by Donald Trump's home in the middle of Manhattan? MSNBC's Brian Williams talks to former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras.

Challenge of protecting Trump Tower for NYC officials msnbc.com

2016-11-15 23:20 The 11th www.msnbc.com

25 /104 (0.02/8) 0.0 Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 16 PRAGUE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hours) ======ECONOMIC DATA======Real-time economic data releases...... Summary of economic data and forecasts...... Recently released economic data...... Previous stories on Czech data...... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ======NEWS======ECONOMY: Czech growth slowed in the third quarter as industrial output dragged, potentially making it harder for the central bank to exit its weak crown policy as soon as it hopes, in mid- 2017. Story: Related stories: DEFAMATION: A group of Czech lawmakers, including some from the ruling coalition, have proposed making defamation of the president a criminal offence, a sensitive move in a country where such a law was used to lock up dissidents during the communist era. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Central European government bonds gained on Tuesday after weeks of decline, as euro zone and U. S. debt prices also rebounded. Story: Related stories: ------MARKET SNAPSHOT ------Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.008 27.027 0.07 - 0.04 vs Dollar 25.189 25.165 -0.1 -1.32 Czech Equities 904.68 904.68 -0.05 -5.4 U. S. Equities 18,923.06 18,868.69 0.29 8.6 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT ======PRESS DIGEST======MORTGAGES: The average mortgage rate decreased to 1.80 percent in October from 1.82 percent in the previous months, data from Hypoindex showed. The overall volume of mortgages also dropped. Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: [email protected] (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)

Poland - Factors to Watch Romania - Factors to watch Nov 16 on Nov. 16 dailymail.co.uk dailymail.co.uk

2016-11-16 03:34 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

26 /104 0.0 Allison Williams strikes a flirty pose in floral patterned frock at special Los Angeles screening for David O. Russell and Prada collaboration (0.02/8) After five years she has finally wrapped up her role on hit HBO show Girls, which airs its final season next year. And while Allison Williams has expressed great sadness over the ending of her career making television show, she seemed to be in high spirits on Tuesday. The 28-year-old daughter of celebrated TV journalist Brian Williams made an appearance at an industry event in Los Angeles. The actress, who once tried her hand at playing Peter Pan on live television to disappointing results, attended a night honouring David O. Russell's collaboration with Prada to create a short film called Past Forward which will be featured on the fashion house's website. Meanwhile, Allison's show Girls, which details the foibles of four young women who live in New York City, premiered in April 2012, and will air its closing episodes next year. In September Williams posted an Instagram photo of Lena Dunham standing pigeon-toed, completing the nervous child look with a toothy smile and a slouch. 'It's this little nugget's last day of school today,' the 28-year-old wrote. '6 years of her blood, sweat and tears (literally, by the way) come to a close. I cannot imagine what this will be like for her, but I'm sticking by her side til the bitter end.'

Demi Moore, 54, looks Milla Jovovich leads style frozen in time as she shows crowd at LA screening for off line-free complexion at David O Russell and Prada screening for David O. collaboration Russell and Prada dailymail.co.uk collaboration dailymail.co.uk

2016-11-16 02:35 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk

27 /104 0.0 Devin Brugman flaunts her voluptuous assets in flimsy string bikini on Bondi Beach (0.01/8) She's the Instagram superstar whose famous curves never fail to turn heads. And Devin Brugman, 26, wasn't shy to hide her cavernous cleavage as she flounced on Bondi Beach with bestie Natasha Oakley this Wednesday. Her DD-cup assets were barely contained by a flimsy white string bikini, while her bronzed posterior was barely covered by a matching bikini bottom. Scroll down for video The California-born paraded her legs and toned stomach as she giggled and posed with her blonde pal, who was similarly clothed in a scant bikini top. Devin appeared to wear a full face of makeup for the shoot, while leaving her hair to hang freely in natural chocolate-brown curls. Following the candid beach photo shoot, Devin shielded her visage behind a pair of round- framed sunglasses while covering up her lower section with a black sarong. She was then seen packing her belongings away in a large plastic travel bag. Tash and Devin rose to fame through their blog filled with bikini-clad snaps and recently launched an active-wear line following on from the success of their swimwear line. The bloggers have since mastered the art of posing in angles that perfectly showcase their swimwear and figures for the camera. Their first swimwear collection sold out over a couple of months and they now share a combined following of 3 million followers, and rising, on Instagram alone. Speaking of how she keeps in shape, Tash told Women's Health devices often worn by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, are 'extremely unhealthy'. 'I would never in a million years endorse something like waist-trainers,' she said emphatically.

Devin Brugman and Natasha Oakley flaunt natural curves in bikinis in Bondi Beach snaps dailymail.co.uk

2016-11-16 02:43 Monique Friedlander www.dailymail.co.uk

28 /104 0.0 Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist’s wall mural turns heads (0.01/8) BOSTON >> A giant mural by an Iranian artist making his U. S. debut is turning heads in one of Boston’s busiest areas. The artwork by Mehdi Ghadyanloo titled “Spaces of Hope” is a stunning expression of optimism he hopes can lead to better understanding between the peoples of the two nations. The mural across the street from South Station depicts a line of about 200 people, many holding red helium balloons, ascending a spiral staircase to an opening in the roof where a single giant balloon slips into the blue sky. He says his mural is all about inspiration and hope, and wants it to serve as a bridge between cultures. The mural was commissioned by the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, which oversees the land. ...

Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist's wall mural turns heads article.wn.com

2016-11-16 02:37 system article.wn.com

29 /104 29 /104 0.0 Tony Abbott says 'moral panic' about climate change is 'over the top' Tony Abbott says the “moral panic” about climate change has been completely over the top and that he never thought it was the most serious issue faced by Australia.

He said the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States was encouraging because the Republican – who has said that he believes global warming is a scam – would put climate change in better perspective.

In a wide-ranging interview with conservative host Andrew Bolt on Sky News on Wednesday, Abbott spoke at length on section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Trump’s election, his own treatment by the media when prime minister, and Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership.

He said Turnbull was finally growing into the role of prime minister, and Turnbull’s complaint about the “elite” media this week was a sign of that.

“He appreciates that it’s one thing to appeal to a certain constituency when you are the would- be, but when you are the Man your constituency is first and foremost the party room, and secondly the people who are going to vote for the Coalition, or who you want to vote for the Coalition at the next election,” Abbott said.

When asked why Turnbull had ratified that Paris Agreement on climate change when he knew that Trump wants to pull out of the agreement, Abbott said it was a sensible thing to do.

He said his own government had been prepared to commit to a 26%-28% reduction in emissions because he believed Australia could achieve that without hurting the economy.

He also said Turnbull’s position on renewable energy was much better than Labor’s.

“Sometimes politics is the lesser evils,” he said. “There are many circumstances in which you have to choose the least bad option.”

When asked if he agreed with Trump’s assertion that global warming was a scam, Abbott said he never thought that was the most serious moral, political and economic issue that we face.

“Yes it is an issue, but the moral panic about this has been completely over the top,” he said.

“One of the encouraging things about the election of Trump is that we should finally be able to see this issue in better perspective.

“It is significant, we should take reasonable steps to limit our emissions, but the last thing we should do is impose socialism in the name of misguided environmentalism, and that has been the risk for a very long time.” 2016-11-16 05:40 Gareth Hutchens www.theguardian.com

30 /104 0.0 A wonderful Wednesday followed by a terrific Thursday followed by a warm, fantastic Friday WASHINGTON (WUSA) - It will feel crisp and chilly as you step outside today. Temperatures are not too far off from average for Wednesday and Thursday. A front comes through today, but mostly dry so expect a pleasant afternoon. Thursday will feature ample sunshine with another day with highs in the 60s. Friday will be the best in show with highs around 70. We are tracking a cold front that will sweep across the Metro Area Saturday afternoon. Saturday will be warm but temperatures will fall throughout the afternoon. Sunday and Monday will be the coldest so far. The game at FedEx Sunday night will be a cold one with breezy conditions and temps in the 30s and 40s, maybe even a few flurries.

You can always catch the latest forecast by downloading our WUSA 9 App.

2016-11-16 05:34 WUSA Weather rssfeeds.wusa9.com

31 /104 0.0 Britain STILL handing out millions of pounds to new superpowers India and China Britain is still pouring millions of pounds of aid into India and super-rich China despite a pledge to stop rolling out cash to economic powers, a report found. The Government has maintained its controversial pledge to spend 0.7per cent of national income on foreign aid – a figure which means the UK will continue to lavish £12billion on aid every year. Following widespread concern that money was being frittered away, the new International Development Secretary Priti Patel promised an overhaul to make the system 'deliver for our national interests'. While many schemes offering direct aid to wealthier nations have been cut, a major new report has concluded 'significant' cashflows have continued through 'other channels'. A watchdog, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), accused the Government of actually 'scaling up' assistance it was offering foreign powers, while 'creating an impression all aid was being phased out'. In India – a country rich enough to have its own space programme – the Department for International Development (DFID) terminated 'financial aid', the review said. But it continued with technical assistance to help India spend its money, and aid-funded loans and equity investments, according to the body which scrutinises taxpayer-funded UK aid. Current aid spending includes: The ICAI graded DFID's performance on exiting and transitioning from countries as 'Amber-Red' – requiring significant improvement. The report added: 'In all of the cases we examined, even where DFID's in-country programmes were brought to an end, significant aid flows have continued through other channels. 'In China, DFID terminated all assistance on domestic development issues, but continues to spend £8-10 million per year from centrally managed programmes on helping China to become a more effective donor and investor in developing countries.' The report added there was 'substantial UK aid flowing to India through other channels'. China has poured billions into its space programme. The landing of its Jade Rabbit lunar rover on Saturday was watched on state TV by 1.4billion Chinese. Francesca Del Mese, the ICAI commissioner who led the review, said: 'DFID must strengthen how it plans for change in its aid relationships with countries, and ensure it communicates to UK taxpayers clearly to avoid the risk of confusion.' She added: 'Managing the transition from traditional aid to new kinds of development partnerships is increasingly important for DFID in the current aid landscape. 'This review stresses the importance of clear objectives, effective planning and strong communication. 'Without a robust process, there is the risk of misunderstanding and miscommunication about what remains as part of the UK's aid relationship, both in the countries themselves, and with the UK public.' A DFID spokesman said: 'We are disappointed that ICAI has rushed the publication of this inaccurate report that simply does not tell the whole story. 'As countries build upon their economic development Britain is determined to strengthen strategic partnerships that facilitate trade, boost business and combat poverty. 'DFID's work supports these partnerships in a manner that provides value for money, always helps the world's poorest and is open and transparent to the British public.'

2016-11-16 05:27 Larisa Brown www.dailymail.co.uk

32 /104 0.0 Emily Ratajkowski shows off incredibly perky posterior in thong swimsuit Just days before her sizzling impromptu photoshoot, Emily took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the US election results. The London-born American star posted a picture of herself wearing just a nude thong and wrote 'my body, my choice'. The phrase has long been used by the pro-choice movement to support a woman's right to have an abortion. Since audio of President-elect Donald Trump was released in which he said as he was a star he could grab women by the 'p***y', the phrase has also been used as a demand for respect for women and a protest against rape culture. Posting on Instagram stories, the model covered her chest with her hands and held on to some flowers with the phrase written at the bottom of the snap. Emily had made her feelings on Trump's win clear on Wednesday morning, posting just a black Instagram. While she wrote nothing, the post led to over a thousand comments with many being critical about the star. Emily, however, is one of the few celebrities to come out and tell their fans to not brand those who supported Trump stupid and suggest that the Democratic Party look at its role in the loss. She said in a series of Tweets: 'Can we please stop calling Americans stupid? Maybe we need to start providing better OPTIONS. 'Politics have become something the population feels belongs to some elite group of people who are just interested in "that kind of thing". 'In fact, politics are for everyone--they impact us all! When people feel disinterested in politics that's a bad sign about the government. 'Not about the population. Democracy works when candidates really represent the interests of the people. 'Ppl dismissing other ppl as stupid is how the media missed Trumps ascension and how the DNC lost its electability.'

2016-11-16 05:26 Ciara Farmer www.dailymail.co.uk

33 /104 0.0 Bad smog ahead: Beijing tells students to stay indoors Authorities in Beijing warned Wednesday that heavy pollution will persist this week, urging the suspension of outdoor school activities and construction projects.

The warning comes in the form of an orange alert, the second highest in a four- tier system. The alert signifies there will be three consecutive days of smog starting Thursday at particularly dangerous levels on the Chinese capital's air quality index. A red alert is issued if pollution is forecast to persist for more than three days.

Kindergartens and primary and middle schools were advised to cancel outdoor activities. There was no word on such an advisory for Beijing's high schools, which focus mainly on indoor test preparation.

Construction sites that dot the ever-expanding city were targeted by authorities for the exhaust, dust and other pollution they add to the already toxic mix in the air.

Launched three years ago amid rising public concern, the warning system is one way authorities are attempting to clean up China's dirty air after decades of breakneck economic growth that led to the construction of hundreds of coal-fired power plants and soaring car ownership. Authorities say they're making progress. Environmental officials in Beijing said Monday that a key indicator of poor air quality — the density of the particulate matter PM2.5 — decreased in the first 10 months year-on-year.

Also Monday, the environmental campaign group Greenpeace East Asia reported that levels of the heavy metals arsenic, cadmium and lead in the PM2.5 in Beijing had fallen rapidly since 2013. It said the decline was directly linked to the closure of coal-fired power plants around the city.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center acknowledged that the city's air was likely to worsen as the coal-powered winter heating system kicks in across northern China.

2016-11-16 05:19 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com

34 /104 0.0 How to ditch the tourist traps and explore LA like a local A-Lister Los Angeles, home of Universal studios, the Hollywood walk of fame... about as touristy a place as you can get. But for the famed inhabitants who make it such a lurid attraction, it’s just home, and when I spent the best part of a year travelling back and forth from there for work, I wanted to dive behind the scenes and join them. From the closely guarded rooftop hotspots and tucked away beauty gurus, to the boutique beach hotels and the legendary Chateau Marmont - I sampled more than 30 establishments in my quest to ditch the tourist status and borrow the life of a well- heeled local. HOTELS Obviously, locals don’t often need to stay in hotels, but they do spend a lot of time swanning around their bars. And as a guest of LA, you'll need a place to lay your head. The choice is exhaustive, but only a handful consistently live up to the hype. Petit Ermitage Who goes? Demi Moore, Emily Blunt, Victoria Beckham. Why? Of all the hotels I investigated, this had to be my favourite. But then I'm more a fan of colourful mismatched furniture, sumptuous dark corridors and candlelit gardens than I am of bright, airy, minimalist spaces. So if you're that way inclined, you won't be disappointed. This is a well-guarded haven which, unlike others, you can't just wander into unless you're a guest, or on the list. But once you make it inside, there's nowhere else quite like it. How much: From $325 a night. Who goes? This place is so secretive, it's genuinely hard to tell. Why? So called because it once belonged to Charlie Chaplin, this hideaway is certainly different, but also truly magical. Located on a leafy residential backstreet, it comprises of 13 cottage residences, all of them named after guests who have stayed there - from Charlie himself to 'Marlene', 'Marilyn' and 'Valentino'. It's self-catering, so there's no restaurant and no room service. But every abode has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, washer and dryer, towel-stocked bathroom and complimentary bathroom products. The best part? Somehow, this is still one of LA's best-kept secrets. How much: From $250 a night. The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills Who goes? Eva Mendes, Reece Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner. Why? It's won several awards for excellence and for good reason. Refined in style, with vast en-suite bedrooms and great panoramic views of the city, it makes a highly sophisticated home away from home, especially if you happen to be British. How much : From $299 a night. The Hollywood Roosevelt Who goes? Back in the day, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Prince; and before their split, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Why? One of the oldest and most iconic hotels in Hollywood - also a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts group - this joint has seen its fair share of history, with former guests including Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and Ernest Hemingway, among countless others. The pool is on the ground floor and always scattered with locals who drop in by day and night. Don't come for the food at Tropicana - which wasn't great, but do come for the service. Of all the hotels I ticked off, the staff here were the warmest. How much : From $319 a night. The Beverly Hills Hotel Who goes? Taylor Swift, Calvin Klein, Kevin Spacey. Why? In all of Los Angeles, this palatial pink domain is quite probably the most opulent place you can stay. Frozen somewhere in the 80s in terms of its decor, it’s the height of upscale comfort. My room featured USB ports everywhere, with lightswitch options for 'relax' and 'sleep' at the touch of a button, and chocolates with my name embossed onto them. But its most famous draw is the iconic - and very pricey - Polo Lounge, which has attracted big names since the 40s, and served as the setting for scenes in cult films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. How much: from $565 a night. Shutters on the Beach Who goes? Eva Longoria, Julia Roberts, Fearne Cotton. Why? Located on the shores of Santa Monica and close to Venice Beach, this place feels like it’s worlds away from the centre of LA. Actually it’s just a half an hour's drive, without too much traffic. Don’t go here for the service or the food (both deeply average) but do go for its quiet charm and ludicrously comfortable beds. Just be careful not to relax too much. My companion was refused a glass of water on the outside beach decking area because he didn't have his shoes on. How much: From $520 a night. The Mondrian Who goes? Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton. Why? The absolutely vast rooms, wacky decor, Hollywood Hills views, and its legendary rooftop SkyBar - which is crawling with beautiful creatures from around the world. Its restaurant, Ivory on Sunset, also serves up impeccable but entirely unpretentious food. And my in-room extras included a colouring book and some popcorn - weird but satisfyingly different. How much: From $300 a night. SIXTY Beverly Hills RESTAURANTS Where you choose to dine in LA has as much to do with where is trending as it does with the actual food - but then, there's great cuisine to be had on every high-end corner. Here are the hottest new ones, and the best-established old-timers. The District by Hannah Ha Where? 8722 W 3rd St, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Keith Urban, Magic Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr. Why? The District's contemporary Asian cuisine features popular dishes from various Vietnamese districts, mixed in with wide-ranging global influences - all the work of famed chef Hannah Ha. Every ingredient here is supremely fresh. The restaurant, who boasts outdoor flame pits and lantern lighting, doesn't even use a freezer. Expect rich and spicy spring rolls, herby mint-infused dishes, and melt-in-your-mouth tofu cubes. Crossroads Where? 8284 Melrose Ave, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Katy Perry, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Beyonce, Ellen DeGeneres. Why? I dined here with model Sophie Simmons, who told me she once brought her KISS legend father Gene Simmons along for a meal. Apparently, he unwittingly declared it to be the purveyor of 'the best chicken sandwich ever'. Only it wasn't real chicken. Because this is a vegan restaurant. And as a non- meat eater myself, I have to agree with him. The food here is astoundingly creative - no wonder it's one of the world's most famous eateries for animal-lovers. Fig & Olive Where? 8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood. Who goes? Johnny Depp, Elizabeth Banks, Paul McCartney, Halle Berry and Ryan Gosling. Why? Small plates and tapas are undeniably popular in Hollywood, and nowhere does it better than the Fig + Olive. As the name suggests, it carries a fine selection of infused olive oils and plump figs alongside hearty Italian food and a lengthy wine list. YSABEL Where? 945 N Fairfax Ave, West Hollywood. Who goes? Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Rhianna. Why? It combines an upscale decor and stellar food with a refreshingly laid-back atmosphere, and is almost ways populated with A-Listers. It's advisable to book ahead, and gets pretty lively over the weekends. Little Door Where? 8164 W 3rd St, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Robert Pattinson, Jennifer Aniston. Why? Looking for a first date spot? This one will earn you serious points. Deliriously romantic, this Mediterranean eaterie boasts reliably great food enjoyed in your choice of a piano room, winter garden or patio. DRINK Chateau Marmont Where? 8221 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Hills West. Who goes? Literally anyone who is someone. Why? Unless you're someone, it's pretty hard to get in but once you're there, it's intensely safe and private - cameras, for example, are banned. Stepping inside Chateau Marmont is like peeking behind a dusty crimson curtain. Its gilded walls seep secrets. The gatekeeper is Anya, their strict regal English host who decides who can enter and who can’t, seemingly based on whether she knows and likes them, or just likes the look of them. She drips with elegant jewels, sprinkles charisma around her like glitter, speaks with a rolling mellifluous purr, and possesses that rare quality of being both over-flowingly warm and also formidably intimidating - depending on who she's talking to. The Nice Guy Where? 401 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Behati Prinsloo, Lily Aldridge. Why? A current favourite of the Kylie Jenner/Gigi Hadid clan, it's little more than a year old but The Nice Guy is never devoid of famous faces. It's spacious, rustic, flatteringly lit, with warm lamps and wooden ceilings, and often plays host to live music and DJ sets. The low-key Italian food, while nothing fancy, is still a crowd pleaser, and the whiskey selection is, as the cool kids say, decidedly on-point. Who goes? Matt Damon, Al Pacino, Justin Beiber. Why? The EP division is the impressive Asian- fusion restaurant on the second floor and the LP section is found on the roof; which boasts a lively bar, brilliant views and plenty of potted plants. While it's been a popular haunt among the rich and famous for around a year now, the service - on the roof at least - could be a great deal better. No Name Where? 432 N Fairfax Ave, Fairfax. Who goes? Artists and musicians who would prefer to remain anonymous. Why? There's a reason this place is called No Name. It doesn't want you there - indeed, it's been hailed one of the hardest places to slip past the door. There's no list, per se, or lines hopefuls queuing outside. In fact, it's pretty easy to miss. The owner Bryan Ling manages the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and music is very much the focus here. Inside, it hosts a bar and performance stage downstairs, while upstairs there are corridors flanked with psychedelic lights and morphing wallpaper. About as cool as it gets then. The dreamweaver Who? Nico Golfar. Why? With a roladex of more than 10,000 big names from across the entertainment industry, this professional dreamweaver can call in pretty much any favour and manifest just about any experience you could ask for. Mr Golfar - British- born, the brother of Vogue editor-at-large Fiona Golfar, but LA-based - has thrown parties for royals, business moguls and A-listers around the world, but Hollywood remains his prime stomping ground. RETAIL THERAPY Planet Blue Where? 409 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills. Who shops there? Cameron Diaz, Denise Richards, Kristen Cavallari, Miranda Kerr. Why? With eight stores in California, this bohemian haven is a boutique with a great mix of pricey designers and lesser-known, more affordable up-and-comers. Its airy, laid-back Beverly Hills showroom is a veritable enclave for local celebrities, who can often be spotted around town swinging their trademark green bags. Dogeared Where? 2909 Main Street, Santa Monica. Who wears it? Cara Delevingne, Mischa Barton, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale. Why? This purveyor of dainty jewellery is regularly seen dripping from the wrists of superstars, and best of all, it's affordable. Handcrafted locally but available online worldwide, all its charming designs have meaning behind them, be it 'karma' or 'new beginnings'. What could be more LA? Brandy Melville Where? 1413 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica. Who wears it? Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift. Why? Gorgeously soft fabrics, comfortable cuts and bizarrely low prices make this label a treasure trove for stylish staples. While Brand Melville has stores all around America, it was born here and has always stayed true to is quintessential California aesthetic. Kit and Ace Where? 1130 Abbot Kinney, Venice. Who wears it? Ed Westwick, Lily Aldridge, Gwyneth Paltrow. Why? The brainchild of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson’s family, this mens and womenswear brand is catapulting to the forefront of casual luxe, with slouchy cashmere-infused basics in neutral colours that are so comfortable you'll never want to them off - trust me, I tried on everything. It's not cheap, but not ludicrously pricey either and best of all, you can chuck it all in the washer and dryer without shrinking it. Karen Kane Where? 8500 Beverly Boulevard, Beverly Hills. Who wears it? Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Why? Karen Kane is the designer behind arguably the most universally flattering dress on earth 'the cascade', and the rest of her laid-back but sharply cut attire proves consistently good too. BEAUTY Meche Where? 8820 Burton Way, Beverly Hills. Who goes? Emma Stone, Charlize Theron, Cameron Diaz. Why? Run by celebrity-favourites Neil Weisberg and Tracey Cunningham, Meche - a bright, wood and glass enhanced salon in the heart of Beverly Hills - is known for its classic cuts and natural-looking highlights. I was treated to a Brazilian blowout there and the shine lasted longer than it ever has with past treatments, so if silky hair is what you're after, you've found it here. Ramirez Tran Where? 8912 W Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills. Who goes? Jessica Alba, Miranda Kerr, Mia Wasikowska. Why? Johnny is the undisputed worldwide king of blonde highlights, and he sure does take his time getting it right. My low-maintenance sun-kissed highlights took a whopping seven hours from start to finish, and it's not unheard of for treatments to enter the ten- hour mark. His technique involves a pre-colour Olapex treatment to soften the blow of the bleach, which is then masterfully painted and dabbed onto minuscule sections of the hair for a truly natural look. Every stylist at this cosy salon is beautiful, aloof and highly skilled. To my delight, little dogs scampered around all day. And proper food is served there - quite right too, given how long you're sitting there. I left feeling extremely satisfied, but with the sad resolve that if only I could afford it, I'd never go anywhere else to bleach my locks. Andy Le Compte Where? 616 N Almont Dr, West Hollywood. Who goes? Nicole Richie, Madonna, Miley Cyrus. Why? I walked into this joint with some very ratty dark hair extensions and came out cured of all my follicular maladies - the proud owner of wavy, beachy ombre locks. My stylist was particularly chatty and very knowledgeable about LA, so I spent two hours interrogating him for tips on where and where not to go. Skin By Lovely Where? 2730 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 320 Santa Monica. Who goes? Stars (secretly), models and housewives - anyone who likes Botox, so a lot of people. Why? This clinic does some of the best Botox and fillers in the business, so its waiting room is seldom empty. Terrified, I did as the A-Listers do and signed myself up for a fix of both, administered by Nurse Marissa Abdo, who couldn't have handled my wimpish performance better. I insisted I wanted to emerge without the expression of a startled blow-up doll and she delivered. I had dinner with friends later that day and no-one guessed, but I was told over the next few months that I was looking 'healthier', so mission accomplished. Dr. Bill Dorfman Cosmetic Dentistry Where? 2080 Century Park E, #1601. Who goes? Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria. Why? Dr Dorfman is Hollywood's number one guy for blindingly white, rail-straight teeth. I was treated to a whitening session using the ZOOM! technique, which if you have sensitive teeth like me, hurts like the fiery pits of hell. Fortunately - and you don't get this in the UK - Dr Dorfman was very generous with the aesthetic injections. The downside? I didn't regain the power of non-slurred speech for six hours. The upside? No pain, and shockingly white teeth. How much: $450-$650 for Zoom whitening. Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor Where? Headquarters at 9400 Brighton Way, Suite 303, Beverly Hills. Who goes? That would be telling. Why? Dr Ali is about as charming doctor as you'll find, his key selling point being that he makes house calls. As well as offering all the usual GP services, he also administers Botox and fillers in the privacy of your own domain - of very high quality I might add - and best of all, hangover- curing IV drips, which really work. I called upon him in a fairly sorry state after returning from Burning Man - a week-long festival in the Nevada desert - and he showed up at my hotel wheeling a stand, which I found to be highly comical, before plugging me into a bag of fluids and vitamins like a stethoscope-wearing angel. How much: $100 for the IV drip in-office and $500 for a house call. WORK OUT Runyon Canyon Where? Entrance at N Fuller Ave, Hollywood. Who goes? Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Hailey Baldwin, and every Victoria's Secret model that has ever been. Why? This 160-acre park, set across the mountains and overlooking the famed Hollywood sign, is a legendary hiking hiking ground which rewards climbers with unbeatable views from the top. I meandered up it slowly, because I am lazy, but there were plenty of baseball cap-sporting runners charging up around me. It's best to arrive here during cooler, quieter periods, specifically early in the morning and during the week. How much: Free! PERSONAL TRAINER Astrid Swan Where? 1106 N La Cienega Blvd #104, West Hollywood. Who goes? Julianne Hough, Jessica Alba. Why? Astrid is one of those rare blonde smiley LA gym bunnies who is not annoying. For a highly succesful model and trainer to the stars, she's about as likable and down-to-earth as they come. As an exercise-phobe myself, I was dreading my private session with her, but she certainly proved me wrong. Astrid walked me through a range of exercises I could be doing without dragging myself to the gym, and pointed out that even clenching my stomach muscles whenever I remembered to would be beneficial. Her serious clients, she says, sometimes insist on two two-hour sessions with her a day - ouch. And while a one-on-one training session with Astrid is unsurprisingly pricey, she also runs more affordable classes at West Hollywood's Barry's Bootcamp. How much: $28 for a Barry's Bootcamp class. FLY United Airlines Why? I had both my best and my worst flight to LA with United Airlines. The worst being the incident in which my flight was cancelled, although in fairness through no fault of the airline. The best being that as a result of this mishap, I was upgraded to Business Class as a gesture of apology. Obviously the flight was therefore heaven, but so was United's lounge at Heathrow - one of the best in the world. Here I feasted on delicious food, inhaled several glasses of champagne and admired the rather beautiful lamps and indoor trees as businessmen tapped away on their laptops around me. How much: From £621 return

2016-11-16 05:06 Annabel Fenwick www.dailymail.co.uk

35 /104 0.0 Stories of Refugees, Part IV: Out of Syria Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived in San Francisco 22 days before I met them. “She is 18 months and two days,” Hadeel said smiling and gesturing at her daughter who was energetically engaged in exploring the room we were in. Mohanad looked disconcertingly stiff, as though he was unsure of what to expect, and the interview started with brief responses from him: Why did the United Nations Refugee Agency select you to come to the United States? “I don’t know.” Describe your last year. “Difficult.” What did you feel when you landed? “Tired.”

I put it down to how fresh his arrival was and how alien everything must seem to this young man who was displaced from friends, family and home and suddenly found himself thrust into the arc lights of an American story. After a few minutes of persistence, I saw a gradual loosening of Mohanad’s wary rigidity. He began to elaborate, and his story took shape.

Mohanad grew up in Dara’a, in southern Syria, about eight miles from the Jordanian border. He lived in a two-story home with his parents and extended family. The ground floor level of their house was rented out to shops. After the Syrian army moved into the town, people began to leave and shops began to shutter.

His family didn’t have land or even a large property, Mohanad explained, but what they had seemed “like heaven” compared to what they saw after the war started in Syria. The Syrian army moved into their town and made it their base. Mohanad estimated that close to 50,000 people left the city after the army moved in.

When I asked Mohanad if he would consider going back to Syria, he shook his head. He had left Syria for Jordan with his wife to avoid being drafted into the Syrian army. His father and brothers had stayed behind. Mohanad had been eligible for the draft at the time the war started. Earlier, it used to be that if a man avoiding the draft had been caught, he would have been imprisoned but allowed to live; now, however, there was certain torture and death awaiting him in Syria. His father and brothers stayed back because all of them had already served before the war started, so they were not compelled to join the army.

“What did you leave behind,” I asked Mohanad. We left behind a destroyed country. We hope there will be a solution soon in Syria and that God will be with the people, he answered.

Mohanad and Hadeeel lived for three years in a Jordanian refugee camp. He would definitely advise people from the camp to come to the United States, Mohanad said. “It’s better here,” he remarked with his familiar brevity.

I asked Mohanad and Hadeel how they first met, and Hadeel giggled charmingly and explained that they were together in school. She was his brother’s wife’s sister, Mohanad interjected, and almost cracked a grin.

When I asked Hadeel to describe her home in Oakland, she said, “There’s nothing here. It’s empty.” The most important thing in her house is her daughter, she said, adding that Nusreen had become a lot tougher to handle, probably because she sees fewer people and doesn’t interact with other children.

Mohanad has found a part-time job working four hours a day. Hadeel spends the day playing with her daughter or listening to music and cooking Syrian food, like kabsa (a rice dish) and luhia (stuffed grape leaves).

Hadeel admitted to feeling bored and frustrated and isolated and wished they lived near other Syrians. Mohanad contacted Syrians in the area through Facebook, and one of his new online friends visited them and took the three of them out in his car, showing them the neighborhood and taking them shopping. This little act of kindness became the highlight of their resettled experience.

At an event organized by International Rescue Committee at SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco on Oct. 24, Hans van de Weerd, executive director of IRC, told the people assembled that “this refugee crisis needs new solutions, not old solutions.”

“We need your ideas,” he urged the attendees. “We need you to do what it takes to make this country a welcoming country for refugees.” The crisis is unprecedented, he said. “There are 35,000 people being displaced every day … from Mosul, from Nigeria, from Aleppo.” He blamed politicians for manipulating the feelings of people and creating a climate of anger and mistrust. “Refugees are families like you and me.”

In the fiscal year 2015, 1,631 individuals and 612 families were resettled in Northern California. Only 16 percent of these individuals have university degrees. The overwhelming majority of refugees resettled in Northern California (32 percent) cannot indicate what grade they finished in school.

In my interviews with refugees, educational opportunities have been one of the key drivers of American life.

They’ve come to America for their daughter — so little Nusreen can have opportunities to study, Mohanad said. Mohanad mentioned he hadn’t studied beyond the 9th grade, and that has made him understand the value of literacy.

The young couple has embraced the fact that life in America is culturally and socially different and requires several commitments from them, including learning a new language so they can communicate with people around them. It’s tough, they admitted, but Mohanad believes strongly that all their experiences thus far have prepared them for America. It remains to be seen whether the America he came to will be the same as the one next year.

2016-11-16 05:00 By www.sfexaminer.com

36 /104 0.0 Delta Lloyd indicates it is open to an improved NN bid as solvency slides AMSTERDAM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Dutch insurer Delta Lloyd indicated it would hold out for an improved offer from larger peer NN Group after its third-quarter results published on Wednesday showed its solvency had slipped sharply. Delta Lloyd rejected NN's unsolicited bid of 5.30 euros per share last month, saying it undervalued the company. On Wednesday, it said the two were still in talks and that an NN acquisition could save 200 million euros ($214 million) a year in costs. "There are substantial cost and capital benefits to consolidation," a Delta Lloyd spokesman said. Delta Lloyd shares were up 1 percent at 5.62 euros at 0834 GMT, above NN's previous offer price, in a sign that investors were optimistic about an improved bid despite the steeper-than-expected slide in Delta Lloyd's solvency ratio. Delta Lloyd reported solvency - seen as an indicator of a company's ability to pay dividends - of 156 percent at the end of the third quarter, down from 173 percent at the end of June. ING analysts had forecast a decline to 163 percent. "Bad news becomes good news in terms of accelerating their willingness to do a deal," Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst William Hawkins said in a note. "Our sense today is this willingness has advanced slightly. " His firm has an outperform rating on Delta Lloyd's shares and has set a target price of 6 euros. Delta Lloyd was forced to issue 650 million euros' worth of new shares in March after its solvency fell below levels acceptable to its regulator, the Dutch central bank. NN Group has a Solvency II ratio of 252 percent. Delta Lloyd's trading update also warned of weaknesses in its business and contained a notable change in guidance. "Our business is solid, but operational performance needs improvement, including further necessary cost reduction," it said. "During the first nine months, our commercial performance was mixed. " The company, which had previously said it would generate 200 million-250 million euros in cash annually, said on Wednesday it would meet that goal "over time. " ($1 = 0.9301 euros) ($1 = 0.9327 euros) (Reporting by Toby Sterling and Thomas Escritt; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Susan Fenton)

2016-11-16 04:49 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

37 /104 0.0 BP Deepwater Horizon oil in land-animal food chain Researchers in Louisiana have detected traces of oil from a Deepwater Horizon brief in a feathers of birds eaten by land animals.

A group examined a feathers and digestive tract essence of strand sparrows – measuring signature CO from spilled oil.

They contend it “is a initial proof that oil from a brief done it into the” food sequence of land animals.

The commentary are published in a biography Environmental Research Letters.

The investigate focused on strand sparrows and a dirt sediments of a Louisiana marshes.

Researchers analysed infested sediments to brand a chemical “fingerprint” from Deepwater Horizon.

They afterwards examined plume and digestive tract essence of 10 of a birds, to work out how most oil had been incorporated into a sparrows’ biological tissue. Exposed wildlife

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil brief expelled an estimated 700,000 cubic metres (154 million gallons) of oil into a northern Gulf of Mexico.

Prof Andrea Bonisoli Alquati, who led a investigate during Louisiana State University, said: “These formula are unchanging with a union of Deepwater Horizon oil into a tissues of a unprotected birds.”

Prof Richard Shore, from a UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, pronounced a commentary were interesting, though he added: “Sparrows feed on sea and human invertebrates, [so bearing could have been] by a sea food chain.

“It is maybe not so surprising,” he told BBC News. “But it is engaging there might have been bearing in this species.”

Prof Bonisoli Alquati told BBC News that a work showed that “oil doesn’t stay where it’s spilled – there’s intensity for it to pierce into other ecosystems.

“So we consider destiny risk assessments [for deep-sea oil extraction] should embody those land-based ecosystems, as good as marine. “Many animals live during a confused range between a two.”

Follow Victoria on Twitter

2016-11-16 00:00 admin headlinenewstoday.net

38 /104 0.0 EE UK seals Twitter to promote its TV offering Digital communications giant EE has partnered with Twitter for its UK TV service to introduce ‘Watch with Twitter’ functionality – enabling viewers to see what programmes are trending on social media.

Viewers will also benefit from seeing the official hashtag of the show they’re watching to make it easier to join in live conversations, with other novel features expected to make their way to the service in the New Year.

Twitter UK managing director Dara Nasr said: “Great telly and Twitter have always gone hand- in-hand – people love talking about their favourite shows and our new partnership with EE makes it easier than ever to discover which programmes are creating the biggest conversations.”

The provider has also partnered with NBCUniversal to integrate its on-demand ‘hayu’ app which premieres reality TV shows such as ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ on the same day the shows premiere in the US.

EE will further bolster its service with TV Replay, the ability to view any show from the past 24 hours on one of eight selected channels.

2016-11-16 04:48 All John www.thedrum.com

39 /104 0.0 DAC Group acquires Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen has been acquired by North American digital media agency DAC Group for an undisclosed fee.

As part of DAC's second UK acquisition in the last 18 months, Ambergreen will continue to operate independently while benefiting from access to the group’s core services such as its tech capable of optimising local, social, and multi-device campaigns.

Tino Nombro, co-founder of Ambergreen said: “Having established Ambergreen in 2001, we have been at the leading edge of digital marketing from the beginning. For the past two years, we have been developing our business by making improvements to our breadth and depth of client solutions in response to ongoing changes in the digital landscape.

“DAC’s technology is uniquely positioned to take advantage of local ecosystems for national brands.”

Norm Hagarty, chief executive and managing partner of DAC Group, said: “Our primary focus at DAC Group is helping national brands, who have a distributed sales network of stores or locations and where sales at the regional or local level are critical to success, build an effective presence to drive results. As we expand internationally we want to partner with agencies who deeply understand and appreciate that philosophy. That’s why this is a very exciting development for us and one which I am personally delighted about.

Ambergreen was founded in 2001 by Tino Nombro and Grant Whiteside with clients including Hotel Chocolat, PwC, The Elder Scrolls and Turquoise Holidays.

2016-11-16 04:33 All John www.thedrum.com

40 /104 0.0 Obama to outline vision of democracy in a Trump world US President Barack Obama will Wednesday sketch out his vision of democracy at a time of mounting global populism, seeking to soothe European allies anxious over a Donald Trump presidency.

On the second day of a European farewell tour, Obama will build on a topic he outlined on Tuesday -- the "frustration and anger" of an electorate that feels it has been left behind by rapid globalisation.

"The lesson I draw -- and I think people can draw a lot of lessons but maybe one that cuts across countries -- is we have to deal with issues like inequality," said Obama.

The 55-year-old Obama has chosen the "cradle of democracy" Greece to deliver a speech addressing the uncertainties that have led to the rise of populists like Trump. Trump was able to tap into "a suspicion of globalisation, a desire to rein in its excesses, a suspicion of elites and governing institutions," Obama noted.

Obama's visit to Europe -- his last foreign trip as American leader -- has been all about reassuring traditional allies worried about Trump's campaign rhetoric.

Trump welcomed Britain's shock vote in June to leave the European Union and has cast doubts on the NATO alliance that has guaranteed relative peace on the continent for decades.

However, Obama was at pains to stress that Europe -- and NATO -- would remain the cornerstone of US foreign policy.

The US-led NATO grouping is "absolutely vital" to US interests and a strong, unified Europe was good for America and the world, Obama said in comments aimed at reassuring old partners.

"We know what happens when Europeans start dividing themselves up... the 20th century was a bloodbath," he said pointedly.

Obama was expected to visit the Acropolis ahead of his much-anticipated speech before heading to Germany to visit Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he has described as "probably ... my closest international partner these last eight years".

During his time in Berlin, he will also huddle with the leaders of Britain, France and Italy, as European leaders desperately seek clues to future US policy in a Trump world.

- 'Extraordinary compassion' -

While Obama has generally been welcomed in Greece, some demonstrators hit the streets to protest against his visit.

Some 2,500 people brandishing banners denouncing US "imperialism" and calling Obama "non grata", or not welcome, were turned away by police firing tear gas and stun grenades as they tried to breach barriers and head toward the city centre.

Many Greeks are suspicious of the United States after it helped install a repressive seven-year dictatorship in the country in the 1960s, and trade unions, leftist and anarchist parties denounce US involvement in wars in the Middle East.

Several hundred of the protesters appeared to be from Greece's vocal anarchist movement, police told AFP.

On the first day of his visit, Obama also touched on issues that have shaken Greek society -- a dramatic influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty and a crippling financial crisis.

He lauded the Greek people's "extraordinary compassion" to hundreds of thousands of people arriving during Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War II.

He also pledged support for Greece's economy, as Greek leaders seek a fresh US pledge to help alleviate the country's enormous public debt, a measure actively sought by the International Monetary Fund but opposed by leading European lender Germany.

"In my message to the rest of Europe I will continue to emphasise our view that austerity alone cannot deliver prosperity," Obama told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

2016-11-16 04:20 www.digitaljournal.com

41 /104 0.0 Trump adviser known for provocation. Or is it prejudice? When Donald Trump announced Stephen Bannon as his top White House strategist, critics re- erupted with allegations that Bannon was racist, sexist and anti-Semitic.

"I promise you he's not as scary" as people said, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said on NBC's "Today" show Tuesday. She called concerns about Bannon "very unfair. "

If history is any guide, Bannon won't be putting those fears to rest anytime soon. As a conservative media brawler who became Trump's campaign chief executive, Bannon has discarded norms for discussing race, gender and religion, often framing even abstract political fights in deliberately inflammatory terms.

"What we need to do is bitch-slap the Republican Party," Bannon said in a 2010 radio interview.

For a man aggrieved with elite educational, business and media institutions, Bannon has risen to the top of some of them. Born into a Norfolk, Virginia, family of Catholic Democrats, Bannon served in the U. S. Navy before attending Harvard Business School. Afterward, he went to Goldman Sachs, leaving to start his own media-focused boutique investment banking firm. After selling the business to French banking giant Societe Generale, he became a film producer.

Though he created successful Hollywood films, the groundwork for his future career in politics came from a Reagan biopic, "In the Face of Evil," which introduced him to conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart and author Peter Schweizer.

After Breitbart died unexpectedly in 2012, Bannon took the helm of a relaunch of his news site. Breitbart grew quickly, from 12 million monthly page views to more than 192 million by August of this year, according to the site.

During the Republican Convention, Bannon said Breitbart was "the platform for the alt-right," a loose group espousing a provocative and reactionary strain of conservatism. Heavily influenced by the shock-based rhetoric of internet chat boards, the alt-right includes strains of white nationalism and aggressive anti-feminism.

The alt-right's mainstream apologists describe those themes as a demonstration of free speech rather than a full-throated endorsement of prejudice. In interviews, Bannon has acknowledged that the alt-right may attract some racists, homophobes and anti-Semites, but said that he does not share those opinions — and that the left harbors undesirable elements as well.

Yet Breitbart actively cultivates some of those themes, and Bannon has shown little patience for adjusting the site's tone to pacify critics.

Under Bannon, Breitbart kept a running tab of news stories titled "black crime," which catalogued the activities of supposed "black rape gangs" and "black mobs. " The site used a slur for transgender people in headlines and stories. And during the campaign — a period in which Bannon stepped aside from running the site — Breitbart.com sometimes went out of its way to identify Trump critics as Jews.

"I've known and worked with Steve Bannon, and he has traditional conservative non-racist, non- prejudiced views about the world," said Joel Pollak, a senior editor at large at Breitbart, who called The Associated Press in response to a request for comment from Bannon on this story. "Lately, media conventions have determined that some of the traditional views of most of Western civilization are offensive. "

Bannon has publicly disavowed tolerance for prejudice. But allegations of anti-Semitism have also followed Bannon into his personal life as well. In 2007, his ex-wife alleged in court documents from their divorce that Bannon expressed open anti-Semitism, declaring that he didn't want their two daughters "going to school with Jews. " Bannon disputed saying this.

In a 2011 radio interview, Bannon declared that conservative women, including Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, infuriated liberals because they "would be pro-family, they would have husbands, they would love their children. " He contrasted that against a slur for lesbians.

Regardless of Bannon's personal views on race and gender, he has heartily endorsed using inflammatory rhetoric to incite Breitbart's readership. In a December 2014 internal Breitbart email obtained by the Daily Beast, Bannon and an editor discussed a traditional Washington slight — the possibility that Breitbart might not have been invited to a press conference by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah. The conversation quickly spiraled into rage at the Republican political establishment.

He compared leadership figures to women's genitalia. "Let the grassroots turn on the hate because that's the ONLY thing that will make them do their duty. "

Such opinions make Bannon an odd pairing with Reince Priebus, the Republican chairman whom Trump has named his chief of staff. Senior members of Trump's camp have downplayed the prospects for conflict.

"When you're out there just criticizing, it's one thing," Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani said. "When you actually get on the inside, there's a certain weight of responsibility to the American people that is on your shoulders. And I think Steve Bannon is the kind of guy who gets that. "

2016-11-16 04:18 By JEFF www.charlotteobserver.com

42 /104 42 /104 0.0 Scoop: Old couple alert: Fisher and Ford had ‘Star Wars’ affair It’s official — 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair during the making of “Star Wars.”

The actress confessed that the pair had a romantic relationship when the original “Star Wars” was shot in 1976; at the time Ford was married with two children.

“It was so intense,” the actress told People about being with the 33-year-old when she was 19. “I was so inexperienced, but I trusted something about him. He was kind,” she said.

She added, “It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend.”

Fisher, 60, provides more details about the three-month liaison (which happened “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away”) in her memoir, “The Princess Diarist,” slated for release next week.

Apparently part of the inspiration for writing the book came when she stumbled on angst-ridden journals she kept while filming on location in London.

People reports that Ford had received a draft of the book, and that he didn’t respond to a recent request for a comment about it.

Saucy Awards were given at the Golden Gate Restaurant Association’s first gala, hosted by KCBS’ Liam Mayclem on Monday at the Herbst Theatre. Among the individual winners (in 16 categories) were: Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club, chef of the year; Belinda Leong of b.patisserie, pastry chef; and Melissa Reitz of Bar Agricole, rising star chef. Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza of State Bird and The Progress were restaurateurs of the year; Lulu McAllister Churchill of NOPA and Liholiho Yacht Club, best beverage professional; Kory Cogdill of Tacolicious, employee of the year, and Justine Flynn of Souvla, manager of the year. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pete Sittnick of Waterbar and Epic Roasthouse, and the People’s Choice for Restaurant of the Year was Copita Tequileria y Comida.

San Francisco’s dashing Paul Perez is among the men competing for “best facial hair in the country” and the title of Wahl Man of the Year (which also gets him $1,500 and a spot in a national ad. To vote, visit the Wahl Grooming Facebook page by Dec. 1. … The new season of “America’s Next Top Model” begins on Dec. 12 on VH1, with host Rita Ora (instead of creator Tyra Banks) and new judges Ashley Graham (model), Drew Elliott (of pop culture site Paper Magazine) and Law Roach (stylists); competitors include two locals: Cody Wells of San Jose and Courtney Nelson of San Francisco.

Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is 39. … Actress Martha Plimpton is 46. … Actress Lisa Bonet is 49. … Singer Diana Krall is 52. … Actress Marg Helgenberger is 58.

2016-11-16 04:01 By www.sfexaminer.com

43 /104 43 /104 0.0 Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds T he 2016 election took place under the spectre of a bubble. Not the subprime mortgage lending bubble that shaped the 2008 election, but the “filter bubble”. Tens of millions of American voters gets their news on Facebook , where highly personalized news feeds dish up a steady stream of content that reinforces users’ pre- existing beliefs.

Facebook users are increasingly sheltered from opposing viewpoints – and reliable news sources – and the viciously polarized state of our national politics appears to be one of the results.

Criticism of the filter bubble, which gained steam after the UK’s surprising Brexit vote , has reached a new level of urgency in the wake of Donald Trump’s upset victory, despite Mark Zuckerberg’s denial it had any influence.

To test the effects of political polarization on Facebook we asked ten US voters – five conservative and five liberal – to agree to take a scroll on the other side during the final month of the campaign.

We created two Facebook accounts from scratch. “Rusty Smith”, our right-wing avatar, liked a variety of conservative news sources, organizations, and personalities, from the Wall Street Journal and The Hoover Institution to Breitbart News and Bill O’Reilly. “Natasha Smith”, our left- wing persona, preferred The New York Times, Mother Jones, Democracy Now and Think Progress. Rusty liked Tim Tebow and the NRA. Natasha liked Colin Kaepernick and 350.org.

Our liberals were given log-ins to the conservative feed, and vice versa, and we asked our participants to limit their news consumption as much as possible to the feed for the 48 hours following the third debate, the reopening of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and the election.

Not all of our participants made it through to election day. “You might as well have been waterboarding a brother,” said one of the participants, Alphonso Pines, after his first exposure to the right-wing feed.

But eight of our bubble-busters made multiple forays into the Facebook feed and were interviewed three or four times – one even said the experience influenced his final decision. Here’s how it impacted them all:

From Utah to St Louis, and Georgia to San Francisco, most of our participants were aware that they lived in a bubble. “Twelve people have shared a story with me about the Hillary Clinton bus dumping human waste into the sewer system,” said Trent Loos, a farmer and radio host from central Nebraska. “I never see positive stuff about Hillary Clinton. I didn’t know that existed.”

Nato Green, a comedian and writer who describes his political orientation as “somewhere to the left of Che Guevara”, describes a similarly sheltered existence.

“I find regular Americans incredibly exotic,” the native San Franciscan said. “I know Jill Stein people, and I know ‘don’t vote’ people, but I don’t know Trump people.”

Several participants said that they sought out opposing viewpoints outside of Facebook, by watching Fox News (for a liberal) or reading High Country News (for a conservative), but most had a generally one-sided experience within Facebook’s news feed.

“If I got any Trump supporters on my page, they’re in the closet,” said Pines, a retired union organizer and liberal who lives in Smyrna, Georgia.

If there was one thing that our participants agreed on, it was that the Facebook feed “the other side” reads is largely wrong.

“It’s like reading a book by a fool,” said Pines. “It’s hard to read something you know is a lie.”

Another liberal, Nikki Moungo from St Louis county, Missouri, went a step further: “It’s like being locked into a room full of those suffering from paranoid delusions,” she said.

Loos said that he found the left-wing Facebook feed was too “confined” and he was frustrated by the liberal media’s attempts to “spin” and “justify” every negative story about Clinton.

Andra Constantin, a conservative project manager from Westchester County, New York, was frustrated by “this whole big brainwashing push to save the world from the horrible climate change”.

Both Constantin and Green agreed that a conservative Facebook feed in the run up to the election had more diversity of opinions than a liberal one, largely because Republicans were divided on supporting Trump while liberals were generally united behind Clinton.

“I didn’t see the issues being discussed,” Constantin said of the liberal feed. “Even though we can be hateful and nasty, at both ends of the conservative side we’re talking about the issues a bit more.”

When Green returned to his regular liberal feed after the third debate, he felt completely out of the loop with his cohort’s topics of conversation. “I logged in and I was like – bad hombres , nasty women , what is everyone talking about?”

For several of our participants, reading the alternative Facebook feed was not just surprising, but hurtful.

“It’s hard for me to read some of it,” said Pines, who is black. “It’s just a racist kind of thing, and I don’t think it’s cleverly disguised.” Pines was particularly pained by the way in which Obama was portrayed by the right-wing sources, which he described as “code” and “dog whistles”.

Pam Tau Lee, a retired community organizer and activist from San Francisco, also had difficulty stomaching the right-wing feed.

“Everything that they are saying is bad, I fall under that category,” said the fourth-generation Chinese-American. “The hateful stuff: that’s me. They hate me and my community and what I stand for.”

Kathleen Matz, who owns a pet care service in Oakland, California, found the “misogyny” on sites like Breitbart “hurtful”.

“I just stopped. I couldn’t look at it anymore,” she said.

But it wasn’t only the liberals who found the experience painful.

“I’m seeing a lot more hate from the liberal side,” said Constantin. “It’s all about how much of a horrible, fascist, racist, misogynist Trump is.”

On her own feed, Constantin found herself winnowing down her friends in order to avoid arguments.

“I did unfollow a lot of friends because I didn’t want to feel enticed to correct what they were saying and get in a fight,” she said.

“Honestly, I hated it,” said Janalee Tobias, a longtime conservative activist and member of Mormons for Trump from South Jordan, Utah. “I’m seeing a psychiatrist trying to get over the shock and the hate from the left,” she joked. “I thought this would be easier for me to handle, because I’m considered pretty open minded.”

For some of our participants, checking out the other bubble only confirmed their commitment to staying inside their own.

“I learned that [people on the right] are way more vicious and lack a certain maturity that I would expect of adults,” said Moungo, after the election. “This just absolutely confirmed it ... They are irredeemable monsters.”

“Seeing the liberal feed pulled me further to the right,” said Loos. “Without getting the counterpoint, I was drawn more and more to the conservative side. Instead of luring me in, it pushed me away.”

But some of our participants found greater understanding from the experiment.

Lee said she was impressed by the “cleverness” of right-wing messaging, which uses “words like working class and jobs and economic stability. That promise is so great that it overshadows everything else, and I could see that, if that’s the only thing that I saw, I could understand. I could be swayed.”

Asked whether that understanding had resulted in her having more empathy for Trump voters, Lee said: “I don’t know if I’m there yet, but I’m working on it. I come from a place where I want to build a movement coming from love and compassion, so I’m working on it.”

One of our participants, Todd Macfarlane, said his time on the liberal Facebook page influenced his final decision. A rancher and attorney from Kanosh, Utah, Macfarlane is a registered Republican who was considering supporting the GOP nominee, but ultimately chose not to vote for any presidential candidate. “The needle moved,” he said after his first exposure to the liberal feed. “I was kind of more undecided as I looked at it ... I was persuaded to think he’s a really bad choice.”

Macfarlane didn’t encounter any liberal news sources that convinced him to support Clinton, but his time on the feed helped him realize that a Trump presidency could be dangerous.

“It had to do with his overall temperament and decorum and demeanor,” he said. “It just reinforced for me the concern about what he might do with that much power.”

It wasn’t just his vote that changed, for Macfarlane. Since participating in the experiment, he said, “I’m a lot more interested in engaging with people who are open minded and are willing to talk about the whole picture.”

Constantin, who currently relies on Facebook for 100% of her news, said that she has concluded that the platform “seems to filter out credible news articles on both ends and feed sensationalist far left/far right things”.

“I have to be more proactive about getting good quality content,” she said.

Tobias said that exposure to the other side made her realize how difficult it might be to find common ground after the election.

“It’s frightening to me to see how much the left and the right are divided right now,” she said. To bring us back together, I don’t know what it’s going to take.”

For Green, the lessons of the election are more stark.

“Maybe we should stop having social media,” he said. “For all the things that social media has done in terms of making it easier for me to stay in touch with someone that I was vaguely friends with in college, maybe the ability with social media for people to construct their own reality to create a mob is not worth it.”

2016-11-16 04:00 Olivia Solon www.theguardian.com

44 /104 0.0 Moldova: Pro-Russia presidential candidate declares victory CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — A pro-Russia candidate has declared victory in Moldova’s presidential election, opening up a commanding lead in the former Soviet republic with nearly all the votes tallied.

Igor Dodon, who has promised to restore closer ties with Moscow and made comments in Russian immediately after the polls closed Sunday , had just over 54 percent of the votes, with more than 98 percent of the ballots tallied. His rival Maia Sandu, an ex-World Bank official who ran on an anti-corruption platform, had nearly 46 percent.

“Everyone understands that I have won,” he said later in Romanian just after midnight. He thanked Sandu for waging a “tough but good fight” and said he would be a president for all Moldovans. Dodon tapped into popular anger over corruption under the pro-European government that came to power in 2009, particularly over the approximately $1 billion that went missing from Moldovan banks before the 2014 parliamentary elections.

As results came in, Dodon urged Moldovans to be calm.

“We don’t need destabilization and we don’t need confrontation, which somebody is trying to do,” he said, speaking in Russian after polls closed. “We’re all living in one country, in Moldova. The next president should find this balance.”

Dodon has pledged to restore trade and political relations with Moscow which cooled after Moldova signed a trade association agreement with the European Union. Russia punished Moldova by placing an embargo on imports of Moldovan fruit, wine and vegetables. He was able to appeal to many older Moldovans who are nostalgic for the former Soviet Union.

Sandu, a former education minister who heads the Action and Solidarity Party, said the former Soviet Republic would have a more prosperous future in the EU.

She needed a high turnout to stand a chance of winning. The final turnout was 53.3 percent, more than 4 percentage points higher than in the first-round of the election, but a discouraging result for Sandu.

Sandu called for the resignation of authorities organizing the vote and said the elections had been badly organized.

“Hundreds of people were not able to vote. Hundreds of citizens that traveled a long journey, that waited in the cold and rain and were not able to vote,” she said after polls closed. “Moldovan authorities didn’t respect the constitutional right of Moldovan citizens of Moldova to be able to vote.”

She said she would speak further on Monday.

In an unusual development, 9,000 people voted in the separatist pro-Russian region of Trans- Dniester, where residents usually do not vote in Moldovan elections.

Moldovans lined up for hours to vote in Paris, Milan, Dublin and the London borough of Stratford, where about 700 Moldovans were unable to cast ballots. Election authorities said ballots had run out in Stratford, Bucharest, Moscow and Bologna, Italy. One electoral official in the Moldovan capital Chisinau, Sergiu Gurduza, apologized that some people had not been able to vote.

Dodon, who nearly won the election outright in the first round two weeks ago, has also pledged to seek good relations with Moldova’s neighbors, Romania and Ukraine. But he has been criticized in Ukraine for saying Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, is Russian territory.

Many Moldovans believe they need the Russian market for their agricultural exports. About half of the 800,000 Moldovans working abroad live in Russia and send remittances home.

Moldova also depends on Russian gas, although not as much as before. There are plans to extend a pipeline to transport Romanian gas to Chisinau.

___ Alison Mutler in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-11-16 03:59 By Associated mynorthwest.com

45 /104 0.0 Faith Muthambi: No need to advertise Hlaudi's executive post Hlaudi Motsoeneng (Picture: City Press)

Cape Town – The SABC saw no need to advertise the position of group executive of corporate affairs as it was reserved for its former chief operating officer (COO), the beleaguered Hlaudi Motsoeneng, according to Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.

Responding to a parliamentary question posed by the Democratic Alliance’s Phumzile van Damme, she said Motsoeneng was “reinstated to the position he had occupied prior to his appointment as COO”.

In September this year, the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO, but he was soon redeployed to his former position of corporate affairs executive.

Bessie Tungwana, who had previously held the position of head of corporate affairs, was appointed as acting COO.

Muthambi and the public broadcaster have come under fire for summarily redeploying the controversial Motsoeneng to another high-ranking position at the SABC.

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning and Monitoring Jeff Radebe earlier said at a media briefing that Motsoeneng’s reappointment smacked of disrespect for the rule of law.

At the time, Cabinet issued a stern warning to the SABC board to abide by the Supreme Court ruling and not “subvert” the court’s decision through “legally suspect interpretations”.

Meanwhile, two of the three remaining members of the SABC board stepped down on Tuesday. The resignations of Vuyo Mhlakaza and Aaron Tshidzumba mean chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe is the only non-executive member remaining.

During a parliamentary briefing in October, board members Krish Naidoo and Vusi Mavuso resigned and distanced themselves from the board’s decision to redeploy Motsoeneng.

Parliament established an ad hoc committee to investigate the SABC board's fitness to govern. African National Congress MP Vincent Smith was elected chairperson of the committee, which resolved to report back to Parliament on February 15 2017. 2016-11-16 03:54 2016-11 www.fin24.com

46 /104 0.0 Jaguar enters EV market with 'precise, agile' I-Pace Crafty winemakers throughout the ages have sought sneaky ways to pass off low-grade plonk as top vintages, and the jailing this month of a French wine baron shows the practice is still alive and well.

2016-11-16 03:51 ©The Daily www.timeslive.co.za

47 /104 0.0 Park Bo-Gum Asia Fan Meeting: Actor’s Agency Confirms Tour Dates The countdown has begun for Park Bo-gum’s fan meetings across Asia.

Last week, Blossom Entertainment, the actor’s agency, announced that Park Bo-gum will be hosting fan meets in eight countries.

#ParkBoGum Asia Fan Meeting Tour in Malaysia will be held in KLCC Plenary Hall on 10th December 2016. The price range is from RM390- RM690. pic.twitter.com/Wr3gZGPzbY

— ☾이 영???? (@exonied) November 11, 2016

!! #ParkBogum 11 https://t.co/uHroL4Lpa7 #parkbogumfanmeetinginbkk pic.twitter.com/g1LMw6qC7Y

— TofuPopRadio (@TofuPopRadio) November 16, 2016

IME / IME #ParkBoGum #ParkBoGumFanMeetinginBKK pic.twitter.com/vm0yxIGzpg

— 멍멍이???? (@beaustory_) November 3, 2016 The actor said that he also enjoyed the local cuisine in the Philippines.

“The travel agency there booked Korean restaurants throughout the entire schedule. One day, Kwak Dong-yeon and I skipped the Korean dishes there, without telling anyone, and had local food,” he said. It remains to be seen if Blossom Entertainment will include the Philippines in the list.

“The upcoming fan meetings will be a special occasion for Park Bo-gum to hold proper meetings with his fans not only at home but also across Asia. They will be made up of various programs through which Park and his fans can talk and enjoy themselves,” announced Blossom Entertainment.

Blossom Entertainment says Park Bo-gum’s popularity has translated into more business.

“He’s firmly established himself as a lead actor through this drama. We’re getting more than three times as many requests as before for his appearance in dramas,”said Seung Byeong- wook, a senior official at Park’s management agency Blossom Entertainment.

Meanwhile, fans of Park Bo-gum are eager to see the next big project featuring their favorite star.

[Featured Image by Ahn Young-joon/AP Images]

2016-11-16 03:42 Caroline Diana www.inquisitr.com

48 /104 0.0 Katy Perry stuns in off-the-shoulder jumpsuit as she attends Capitol Records' 75th Anniversary Gala She helped her music label Capitol Records receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame earlier in the day. And by evening Katy Perry continued celebrating with the label for the Capitol Records' 75th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday. The 32-year-old pop diva looked phenomenal in a chic off-the-shoulder jumpsuit as she attended the star- studded affair. The Fireworks hit-maker was radiant in the black and white patterned one-piece garb. She made sure to turn heads while posing up a storm at the event held at the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood among the iconic Walk of Fame. Katy's ensemble included a mix and match belt that cinched around her waist and highlighted the beauty's slender figure. She completed her look with black pointed sky high stilettos and vintage drop earrings. The Grammy nominated songstress swept her raven tresses back into a low bun with not a single fly-away in sight. Also in attendance at the celebrity affair was music legend Neil Diamond, 75, who playfully pointed out his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rocker Nancy Wilson, 62, of the music group Heart and Tori Kelly, 23, made sure to turn heads in their showstopping monochrome attires. The American Idol alum Tori flaunted her lean limbs in a black lace mini skirt teamed with a low-cut satin blouse. She channeled her inner Material Girl Madonna with big blonde curly hair and bold red lip. Loser hit-maker Beck, 46, looked dapper in a fitted black plush tuxedo jacket with satin trousers and matching bow tie. Singer Halsey, 22, donned a tangerine satin bomber jacket with sexy black suede thigh high boots. The songstress went braless and flashed a hint of cleavage in the colourful coat which she paired with a thin choker necklace.

2016-11-16 03:16 Sarah Jones www.dailymail.co.uk

49 /104 0.0 Put an Italian spin on the traditional Thanksgiving spread WASHINGTON — Step through the double doors at 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW, and you’ll be instantly transported from urban to Umbria.

An old farm scooter in the entryway is filled with local produce and surrounding shelves are stocked with imported pastas, olive oils, coffees and ceramics. Just beyond the packaged provisions is a wine shop, a butcher counter, a cheesemonger and a cafe.

Via Umbria is a passion project for D. C. couple Bill and Suzy Menard. After developing an affinity for Italy — and the artists who craft its food and culture — the couple launched an online business to sell imported Italian goods. That has since evolved into an expansive two-story Georgetown shop, complete with a restaurant and an art gallery on the second floor.

Leading the kitchen at Via Umbria is Johanna Heilrigl, who whips up everything from vincisgrassi to vegetable salads to supply the cafe and intimate seated dinners. And this time of year, Heilrigl’s mind is on Thanksgiving.

The chef’s obsession with the holiday dates back to her childhood, which she spent working in her family’s Italian restaurant. Thanksgiving was a rare day off for the family and preparing a big feast wasn’t how they wanted to spend the day. Ever since, Heilrigl has been on a mission to create her own quintessential Thanksgiving experience.

“Over the years, I’ve gotten better and better at Thanksgiving because I just started to try and find ways to bring in my culture and my heritage [in Italy], as well as my culture and my heritage in the United States,” Heilrigl said.

If you’re looking to put a new spin on traditional Thanksgiving dishes this year, Heilrigl has some ideas. Here are her tips on how you can incorporate Italian flavors into the American holiday: Stick to seasonal: The first way to make sure your feast represents an Italian one is to stick to seasonal ingredients. In November, states in the mid-Atlantic see an abundance of apples, Brussels sprouts, fennel, kale, potatoes, pumpkins, turnips and more.

Shake up your stuffing : Instead of making your stuffing from sourdough or cornbread, Heilrigl recommends a hearty Italian bread, such as ciabatta or rustico. She likes to combine the cubed pieces of bread with roasted chestnuts, dried figs and pancetta that’s been sauteed with leeks, onions and white wine, for a side dish that’s bursting with Italian flavors.

Highlight sweet and sour: Brussels sprouts roasted with olive oil are pretty delicious as-is, but to take the dish to the next level, Heilrigl likes to roast the baby cabbages with pancetta in a date- flavored balsamic vinegar.

You can also experiment with agrodolce in your vegetable dish, which is basically Italy’s sweet- and-sour sauce, made from a sugar and vinegar reduction. Heilrigl suggests putting this on the leaves of the Brussels sprouts and roasting them.

“If you just take off the Brussels sprout leaves and crisp that up, it’s a different experience than your typical whole Brussels sprouts that people do,” she said.

A new play on pie: Most pumpkin pie recipes call for sweetened condensed milk, but Heilrigl says mascarpone cheese is a tasty substitute for the sugary canned product.

“It’s a really great way to get a creamy, different type of texture instead of using sweetened condensed milk, which isn’t the healthiest thing,” she said.

[ Try this recipe for pumpkin mascarpone pie from Epicurious. ]

Instead of a graham cracker crust, Heilrigl likes to make a crust from crushed amaretti cookies.

Tackling the turkey: There isn’t a single ingredient that makes Heilrigl’s turkey scream “Italian;” it’s a combination of seasonings that shape the protein’s overall flavor. Heilrigl starts her turkey with a brine, which she says infuses flavor into the meat. This year, she is using juniper berries, apple cider and sage.

To keep the turkey moist and evenly browned, she removes the backbone and cooks it in a butterfly position (this is called a spatchcock turkey). She also rubs butter under the skin.

Curating a cheese board: Setting out a cheese and charcuterie board is a great way to offer guests something to nibble on before sitting down to dinner. Heilrigl says the key to building a gourmet board is to make sure it’s balanced. In addition to plating a variety of soft and hard cheeses, offer sweet, sour and savory accouterments, such as mostardas (an Italian condiment made of candied fruit and a mustard-flavored syrup), giardiniera (spicy Italian pickles), compotes, nuts and dried fruits.

If you’re strapped for time this Thanksgiving, Heilrigl is here — to help. Via Umbria is taking Thanksgiving orders for everything from farm-raised turkeys to cheese and charcuterie platters, bourbon-vanilla cranberry sauce, stuffing kits, bruleed pumpkin pies and more. Visit the store’s website for more information.

Via Umbria is also hosting a number of cooking classes and dinners throughout November and December. Visit their website for information on menus and dates. comments

Follow @WTOP on Twitter and like us on Facebook .

© 2016 WTOP. All Rights Reserved.

The renovation of the U. S. Capitol dome is finally done. See what has been done and the people who worked on it for almost three years.

2016-11-16 03:06 Rachel Nania wtop.com

50 /104 0.0 Jurnee Smollet-Bell announces birth of first child with cute Instagram snap Actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell announced Tuesday that she's a mom to a baby boy. The Friday Night Lights and True Blood star, 30, shared her happy news with her fans via Instagram. Alongside a snap of herself cradling newborn Hunter Zion Bell, she wrote: 'So in love with our little man.' It's the first child for the former child actress who married musician Josiah bell in 2010. Josiah also took to his social media to declare his delight at becoming a father. 'He’s here…Hunter Zion Bell……@jurneebell I’m so in love!' he wrote next to a photo of his new son holding onto his finger. Jurnee announced she was expecting on social media in June. 'He+Me+Baby= Three. So in love with this beautiful blessing God has given us. #WeArePregnant!!' she wrote alongside a photo of the couple cradling her baby bump. The actress currently stars in the WGN series Underground.

2016-11-16 03:03 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk

51 /104 0.0 Battle of the Somme recollections released by Imperial War Musuem The memories of the Battle of the Somme that remained agonisingly vivid for survivors for the rest of their lives are being released for the first time by the Imperial War Museum to mark the centenary of one of the bloodiest episodes of the first world war.

The accounts include one British soldier’s compassion to a dying German asking for water and his mother, and a man who lost his religious faith after crawling across the bodies of the living and the dead.

They were among more than 500 accounts collected in the 1960s by the historian Martin Middlebrook for his book The First Day on the Somme, which was first published in 1971. He only used a handful in the book; the rest had never been published.

Pte George Richard Stephen Mayne, of the Royal Fusiliers, was 19 when he went over the top on 1 July 1916, and managed to get across no man’s land into the German second trench. The memory was undimmed half a century later.

“This German, lying, brought up his arm and actually saluted me. All fear of him had gone from me, and all fear of me had gone from him. I understood no German language then, but the poor chap kept muttering two words, ‘ wasser, wasse r’, and ‘ mutter, mutter ’. It took me a minute to realise he wanted a drink of water. The second word I could not have cottoned on to. I am glad to this day that I gave him a drink from my precious water.”

Charles Bartram was a 23-year-old lance corporal in the infantry. “We went most of the time on our hands and knees over dead and dying, from that moment on all my religion died. After that journey all my teaching and belief in God had left me – never to return,” he said.

Anthony Richards, head of documents and sound at the Imperial War Museum, said: “It is an amazing thing to get this wealth of first-hand accounts of the Somme a century after the event.” He found that the accounts were notably unsentimental and non-jingoistic, written at a time when records were being released by the National Archives revealing for the first time many failings in planning and organisation of the war.

“These are the words of men who have been thinking about these events for a very long time, and have considered very carefully what they are going write,” said Richards.

George Anderson was a sapper with the Royal Engineers, still haunted by swearing at a man who leaned heavily against him, his knapsack pressing uncomfortably, while they waited for the signal to advance: “But a bullet had entered his chest and it killed him. Somewhere in his body it was deflected for it didn’t come out of his back. And I had sworn at it – I couldn’t take it back and I couldn’t help him. God forgive me.”

Harry Woodhouse Beaumont, who served with the Royal Field Artillery, recalled the supply of rum. “Some added rum to their water bottles, which they did not want when later crying wounded.” He witnessed the gigantic explosion that created the Lochnagar Crater, and later took a running jump down into a German trench: “With all my equipment and Lewis gun I arrived with a hell of a crash right amongst a dozen Jerries who immediately put their hands up and said comrade.”

He also recalled the horror of the first aid posts being swamped with casualties: “Wounded lay in no man’s land and between the trenches captured but still under fire for days. The dressing stations and casualty stations were over whelmed and thousands of wounded men died who could have been saved with medical attention.” He added: “Pte Jimmy Mitchell from Newcastle set a wonderful example in bringing in the wounded. No medals for Jimmy as there were no officers or senior NCO left to make any report.” LCpl Tom Robert Short found the impeccably built German trenches completely unscathed by a week of British artillery fire. He hoped to get back to his own lines at dusk, but ended up facing a fixed bayonet charge by 20 Germans.

“In a split second before the moment of connecting my stomach with a bayonet at which I was nearly passed out with terror, a terrific shout of ‘halt’ came from somewhere, and knowing how disciplined the German soldier is, the bod coming at me slid flat on his back, his rifle shot straight up in the air, and his legs shot between mine.

“Another German used his own field dressing to bandage Short’s injured elbow, and a German officer led him into their trench saying: ‘Come along you men, you’ve done enough for one day, get down this dugout before you get hit.’ Short was eventually treated in hospital in Hanover, and a prisoner of war until the armistice.’

Middlebrook found the veterans through hundreds of small ads in local papers across the country. He sent them questionnaires, and in some cases followed these up with face to face interviews, but only the original responses survive.

He gave the raw material to an academic friend, and they have now been donated to the Imperial War Museum by the Felix Fund, in memory of Holly Angharad Davies, the daughter of the academic who worked for the charity and died young.

The accounts are being added to the museum’s Lives of the first world war site and Richards hopes families will add more details and images of the lives after the war of the men who could not forget.

2016-11-16 03:00 Maev Kennedy www.theguardian.com

52 /104 0.0 Brand safety tech is a scalpel, not a blunt knife John Snyder, Grapeshot CEO, explains how brand safety is a notion that is still every bit as relevant today as it was when it first became an important concept in digital advertising years ago.

Brands still basically want assurance that their messages are delivered to and received by consumers as well as engaged by them as intended. But as challenges like fraud and viewability have come to the fore, brand safety has taken on layers of complexity and specificity that weren’t there previously. Quite simply, digital advertising has wrought an environment with billions of impressions being served across millions of pages both programmatically and directly to myriad devices and screens seen by innumerable users.

How can an ad be in a “pure” environment that’s attractive for the brand and comfortable for the consumer? What happens when a brand’s desire to reach desirable consumers is in tension with the content on a page? How can advertising become truly welcome? The answers vary in degrees depending on the personality of a given brand.

Brands range from the most staid to quirky, daring, and even controversial, but by and large, regardless of the relative personalities, there are essentially three legs to brand safety. First of all, ads must be viewable. Global leaders in media buying with billions of dollars to spend are demanding viewability far beyond the current Media Ratings Council (MRC) industry standard (at least 50% in view for one second for most display ads). Secondly, ads must be seen by real people, not bots. Rooting out fraud is equally as important as viewability verification. The third leg of the brand safe stool is that ads must be contextually appropriate.

By applying human intelligence to leading technology, marketers can leverage compatible content that optimizes its messaging and even supports wider initiatives.

A brand-safe environment is fundamentally not hostile; will not cause awkward associations or, worse, spur controversy in sharing and commenting.

The price of an error can range from the opportunity cost of having to craft defensive counter- messaging to even diminished sales. The degree of damage can be attributed to a range of primary factors:

Timing : Issues can arise seemingly out of nowhere at lightning speed and require rapid response. The best contextual technology will serve as an early warning system, alerting a brand that something may be amiss, and help take needed steps to block unfortunate placements.

Relevance : True relevance is affected by a more nuanced and granular analysis of page content beyond the traditionally limited pre-determined list of categories defined via simple URL matching. To truly grasp relevance, the interconnectedness of words on a page must also be weighted accordingly.

Adjustment : Some day, technology may facilitate a “set it and forget it” approach to brand safety. But for now, a vigilant commitment to monitoring requires the constant evolution of settings as further input in terms of fresh data accrues. Until recently, it would require days or even weeks for a brand’s safety protocol to adjust media plans in a corrective manner. Even today some brand campaigns are completely stopped until a big issue passes – for example when News is littered with extremely bad news.

To date many contextual brand safety mechanisms have been so blunt force, they’ve seemed like “on-off” switches. Today’s best contextual partners, by contrast, can finely tune and adjust with a range of controls. Blanket exclusions based on typical “poison” words often do the marketer a disservice by unnecessarily punishing a publisher’s content. Many brands, for example, would be fine appearing on Playboy’s more reputable pages. Subtlety and nuance applied as a result of a highly consultative process that truly understands the particular client’s needs, will both protect the brand while still achieving brand objectives like scale. With well- tuned contextual parsing and segmenting, the marketer will be given a scalpel, rather than a crude knife.

The only way to guarantee airline safety is to never fly while total abstinence is the only foolproof form of safe sex. Similarly, the only way to ensure absolute brand safety is to never advertise, which of course, is completely impractical and detrimental for all brands. But in the attempt to mitigate risk, some marketers make the mistake of casting too wide a net in protecting themselves whereby 30% of desirable pages are unnecessarily blocked. Combinations of factors determine brand safety — not just words, but also spacing, frequency, phrasing, and analysis that mandates the best of technology and human beings working together. The risks can come unexpectedly in both programmatic and non-programmatic environments. Pages may have unsafe images, video or graphics with no textual reference. Fraudsters may intentionally mask or spoof URLs, requiring a second tier factor for identification. But over time, these issues will be solved. The technology is better than ever, as is our understanding. It’s faster, easier to use, offers greater transparency and assurance and will continue to improve.

2016-11-16 03:00 www.thedrum.com

53 /104 0.0 Man who died and dissolved in Yellowstone spring of boiling acid had hoped for a natural hot tub An Oregon man who died after falling into a scalding Yellowstone National Park hot spring in June was looking for a place to “hot pot”, the forbidden practice of soaking in one of the park’s thermal features, officials said. Sable Scott told investigators that she and her 23-year-old brother, Colin, left a boardwalk near Pork Chop Geyser and walked up a hill in search of “a place that they could potentially get into and soak,” Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress told KULR-TV in an interview. As Sable Scott took video of her brother with her cellphone on June 7, he reached down to check the water temperature and slipped and fell into a thermal pool about two metres long, a metre wide and three metres deep, according to a National Park Service incident record first reported by KULR. Park officials did not release the video or a description of it, but the report said it also chronicled Sable Scott’s efforts to rescue her brother. Search and rescue rangers spotted Colin Scott’s body floating in the pool the day of the accident, but a lightning storm prevented recovery, the report said. The next day, workers could not find any remains in the boiling, acidic water. “In very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving,” Veress said. The report included images of several signs warning people of the dangers of the park’s geothermal features and of travelling off walkways in the area where Colin Scott died. The National Park Service did not issue any citations in the case. Scott was on a college graduation trip with his sister at the time of his death, which came a day after six people were cited for walking off-trail at the park’s Grand Prismatic Spring. A week later, a tourist from China was fined US$1,000 for breaking through the fragile crust in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, apparently to collect water for medicinal purposes.

2016-11-16 02:50 Associated Press www.scmp.com

54 /104 54 /104 0.0 Voting in an election 'with Chinese characteristics' When Chinese voters go to the polls, it is only to pick local representatives to advise on mundane issues like rubbish collection and parking. But when Ye Jinghuan sought election in Beijing, she was treated like an enemy of the state. Plainclothes officers tailed the 64-year old retiree as she left her home on polling day Tuesday, and she faced constant harassment from police and government officials after announcing her run, she said. The nationwide contest for spots in local legislatures, held every five years, is the only direct election in the People's Republic of China. Authorities were eager to show off what they describe as democracy "with Chinese characteristics", with officials ushering dozens of reporters into a polling station in Xingfu, in central Beijing. Voters filled out their pink ballot papers in front of officials, ignoring a screened- off area labelled "Secret Balloting Place". Chinese law states that anyone over 18, who has not been stripped of their political rights, can stand for election and vote. "Ethnicity, gender, party, residence, economic situation, there are no limits," crowed Liu Xiancai, who heads the Xingfu election office. But Ye's experience was different. Candidates must be backed by 10 people or nominated by their workplace to stand. But official election committees ultimately decide who gets on the ballot. "The government can't let someone like me be a candidate," Ye said. "I would express my own thoughts. When the people's congress opens session, I would cast an opposition ballot. " - Tightening control - Ye's platform was simple: better controls on traffic, more elder care facilities, and making it easier for constituents to contact their delegates. But her seemingly innocuous ideas provoked a strong reaction from local police, who closely monitored her behaviour and prevented her meeting foreign media. The authorities' response to Ye indicates how China is tightening controls on even anodyne political expression, said Yaxue Cao of Chinachange.org, a US-based website advocating for increased democracy. A key meeting of top Communist leadership in October called for increased ideological discipline and warned ruling party members against criticising the official line. In a pyramidal system, the elected local representatives choose municipal delegates, who choose provincial legislators, who in turn select members of the national parliament -- which is widely expected to hand Communist party General Secretary Xi Jinping a second term as president in 2018. Tuesday's election is "very low-level, grassroots", Cao said, adding "there really isn't much you can do to push for political reform". But "even on this useless grassroots level, simply by stating you're an independent candidate, you're challenging them". Almost all the 21,765 candidates on ballot papers across Beijing came from the ruling party, with a token few from China's eight other official parties, none of which oppose communist rule. Authorities had thwarted around 20 other independent campaigns in the capital, Ye told AFP by phone, adding it was "not safe" for anyone to put their name to her nomination. - Democracy a threat – Red banners around Beijing proclaim that the local elections are the "foundation" of China's system of governance, but the weeks leading up to the polls saw no rallies, no eager candidates glad-handing voters or campaign posters. Last week around 50 mostly elderly voters gathered in a community centre basement in one of Beijing's ancient hutong neighbourhoods to meet the district's official candidates. The three competitors for two seats spoke briefly about their backgrounds, but spent almost no time discussing issues beyond a neighbourhood beautification campaign. Questions from the audience focused on practical aspects of daily life and there was little discussion of larger political questions, such as the government crackdown on corruption under Xi or the nation's widening income gap. Only one woman, a retiree in her 60s, expressed dissatisfaction with China's direction: "The government is failing to meet our needs at every level," she said to a smattering of applause. There is no room for such dissent on the ballot: the Communist party has described multi-party democracy as an existential threat, and state media have savaged the circus atmosphere of this year’s US presidential election. Earlier this month, plainclothes police broke up Ye's campaign event in western Beijing, turning away several supporters and two AFP reporters. China's elections are "not the same as the West", an elderly man proudly told reporters as he left the polling station in Xingfu Tuesday. "The government is under the leadership of the Communist Party. "

2016-11-16 02:46 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

55 /104 0.0 WATCH: Cute Funko dolls re-create ‘Friends’ opening credits Here is a lively video for ’90s babies and “Friends” fans out there.

Warner Bros. just dropped a brief remake of the nostalgic “Friends” opening credits featuring miniature vinyl Funko dolls of Rachel Green, Ross Geller, Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, Chandler Bing and Joey Tribiani.

The 45-second stop motion re-creation displayed on YouTube features the iconic orange couch, the fountain and the cast’s innate clumsiness. It was accompanied by the sitcom’s original track, Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There for You.”

“Friends” aired 10 seasons on NBC from September 1994 to May 2004. Starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, the series amassed several awards and stepped up as one of the most-watched sitcoms in the US.

Just like “Friends,” other characters in memorable American shows were carved and modeled into Funko toys. In fact, the three ladies gracing “Gilmore Girls,” as well as Barb and Eleven from Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” were recently shaped into teeny dolls. Gianna Francesca Catolico

2016-11-16 00:00 entertainment.inquirer.net

56 /104 56 /104 0.0 Nat Geo shares its Most Popular Instagram Photos in new exhibit WASHINGTON — Photographs allow us to capture memories as they unfold and have the power to open our eyes to parts of the world that we have never imagined.

As a tribute to this powerful work, the folks at the National Geographic Museum in Northwest D. C. have teamed up with FotoWeekDC to host this year’s FotoWeekCentral (Nov. 12-20), a hub dedicated to celebrating art and photography, providing exposure for photographers worldwide.

One of the most anticipated exhibits is “@NatGeo: The Most Popular Instagram Photos,” which runs now through April 30, 2017, highlighting the best Instagram photos by Nat Geo photographers.

Since the founding of the organization, the National Geographic Society’s photographs have brought awe and inspiration to many. Now, with the rising popularity of the media-sharing app Instagram, more and more people are capturing, viewing and sharing global moments than ever before.

National Geographic’s Instagram account, @natgeo , was opened in 2012, and is now one of the app’s top-followed accounts, with over 63 million followers and over 1 billion likes on its 12,300 posts.

The @NatGeo exhibit displays more than 200 of the account’s most popular photographs, ranging from competitive water skiers to a glorious and haunting supermoon.

When visitors first walk into the @NatGeo exhibit, they are welcomed by a man-sized iPhone, displaying a magnified view of the @natgeo Instagram account. Alan Parente, creative director for exhibitions and global experiences at the National Geographic Society and curator of the @NatGeo exhibition, says that the layout of the exhibit’s design symbolizes how we get “lost” in social media.

“We created a maze,” Parente told WTOP. “We decided to shrink everyone down so that you’re actually entering the feed.”

The @NatGeo exhibit is a colorful, dazzling playground, featuring 30-foot-by-30-foot boxes stacked on top of each other in various themes around the room, displaying the Instagram photos and their corresponding descriptions in larger-than-life view.

The exhibit also offers eight little nooks where visitors can sit and look at each Instagram photo and hear the photographer’s description. If the photo strikes an emotional chord, visitors can actually record their own thoughts and feelings on the photo. Selected visitor recordings will be placed at the end of the original photographer’s recording, allowing visitors to become a part of the exhibit.

Kathryn Keane, vice president for exhibitions at the National Geographic Society, says the organization has also published a commemorative @NatGeo book as a hardback collection of all of the photographs displayed in the @NatGeo exhibit. Keane says the book “provides a photo show of the terrific and intrepid photographers who have defined this institution for so many years.”

National Geographic photographer fellow Cory Richards is the official spokesperson for the book and his work is prominently featured in the exhibit. He’s been working with the National Geographic Society since 2009. He became a photographer after overcoming a tumultuous adolescence and found that rock climbing and photography gave him a visual tool to document the human struggle.

Richards is enthusiastic about technology allowing people to instantly become photographers.

“Bring it on,” he said. “We need to see this exhibit as a fun, interesting, new way to engage … with social media, but also take it as a real time to stop, pause and think about the impacts these images have. They literally can change the planet, and I think this is a very beautiful reminder of exactly that.”

The @NatGeo book is on sale everywhere books are sold, including at the exhibit.

Tickets for the exhibits start at $30 and can be bought here . comments

Follow @WTOP on Twitter and like us on Facebook .

© 2016 WTOP. All Rights Reserved.

2016-11-16 02:36 Maggie Bartolomeo wtop.com

57 /104 0.0 For the Record LAPD will not help deport immigrants under Trump , nearly 4,000 students from L. A. Unified schools left class to protest Trump , the L. A. Auto Show kicks off today , and the porn industry predicts a bounce-back in L. A.

CSU students protest of a controversial proposal to increase tuition for the first time in six years.(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Honda's Uni-Cub is a motorized personal mover developed by the company's robotics group in Japan. Its lithium-ion battery can take the 18-pound Cub four miles at 4 mph, but it's not available for sale yet.

Hundreds of Los Angeles-area students walked out of their classrooms Monday to protest President-elect Donald Trump .

Allyson Felix hopes to help Los Angeles stay in the running for 2024 Olympics Allyson Felix hopes to help Los Angeles stay in the running for 2024 Olympics

2016-11-16 02:35 Los Angeles www.latimes.com

58 /104 0.0 Jaden Schwartz, Kyle Brodziak help St. Louis Blues to victory over Buffalo Sabres ST. LOUIS -- Left winger Jaden Schwartz had to limp to the St. Louis Blues bench near the end of the first period Tuesday night after being in the wrong place when defenseman Alex Pietrangelo fired a shot toward the net.

It was a much better feeling for Schwartz when he was in the right place in front of the net early in the third period and was able to score a tiebreaking goal in what turned out to be a 4-1 win for the Blues over the Buffalo Sabres.

Schwartz was hit on the left leg by Pietrangelo's shot and had to be helped off the ice with just over a minute to go in the first period. He was able to return in the second period, and just 44 seconds into the final period, found himself alone in front of the net, able to knock in the rebound of a shot by right winger Dmitrij Jaskin.

"I just got it in a bad spot," Schwartz said of being hit by Pietrangelo's shot. "It was a good shot by him to get it through. It was just one of those ones that gets you in a weird spot. I've gotten the puck in a similar spot before so I knew what the feeling was like. "

He liked the feeling after scoring the goal better.

"It was a great play by Jask," Schwartz said. "He had a lot of speed and made a good power move and just a fortunate bounce for me. I think anyone could have put that in. "

Schwartz's goal was followed 1:35 later by a goal from center Kyle Brodziak , sending the Blues to their ninth consecutive win over the Sabres, breaking a three-game winless streak and allowing them to bounce back from an embarrassing 8-4 loss in Columbus on Saturday night. Left winger Scottie Upshall scored the final Blues goal into an empty net.

Right winger Alexander Steen was not as fortunate as Schwartz. He was knocked hard into the boards by Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges early in the second period and had to leave the game. Steen returned briefly later in the period, but the Blues then pulled him from the game for what coach Ken Hitchock described as precautionary reasons.

Hitchcock said the team would know more about Steen's status on Wednesday.

The Blues' response to the hit on Steen came from left winger Robby Fabbri, one of the smallest players on the team, who initiated a fight with Gorges, only the second fight of his NHL career.

"He's a little guy but he can fight," Hitchcock said. "You don't want to see a guy get hurt but a couple guys were getting whacked around by that guy and he was the first guy to answer the bell. As long as they come out unscathed it's a good bonding situation and he need as much of that as we can. "

Gorges was not surprised somebody on the Blues came after him, even though he did not think there was anything wrong with his hit on Steen.

"I didn't feel it was dirty, it wasn't malicious," Gorges said. "Two guys go into the corner and I think at the last second he kind of lost an edge or lost his balance and was leaning backwards so he was in a tough position. Like I said when you hit a player and you catch him good when he's a top player on the other team you expect someone from the other team to come and challenge you. That's what good teams do. "

Fabbri had another response earlier in the game, after the Sabres scored a power-play goal from center Sam Reinhart, scoring his own goal on a power play to tie the game.

The Sabres are winless in their last five games (0-3-2) and have scored a combined five goals. They had only one power play goal in 13 chances in their last eight games prior to Tuesday night.

"We're strapped for goals, we're strapped for opportunities to get the goal and it's not for a lack of effort," said Buffalo coach Dan Bylsma. "Guys are throwing it out there and giving everything they've got. We feel like at this time we need to fight to get that kind of odd goal to break us out. "

The Blues have had their share of issues already this season as well, including a scoring slump, and Hitchcock does not see the situation changing anytime soon.

"This is so intense right now," Hitchcock said. "Every team is going through this. I talked to four coaches today and it is playoff hockey. Every game is going to be like this. ... That's how strong teams are, that's how equal teams are. Everybody knows that staying over.500 is going to get you a lot of accolades because it's going to be really hard. "

NOTES: The Sabres recalled RW Nicholas Baptiste, LW Evan Rodriguez and D Justin Falk from Rochester for Tuesday night's game. For Rodriguez, it was his third game in the NHL, after playing in the final two games last season. ... The Sabres hope C Ryan O'Reilly , who missed his second consecutive game because of a middle-body injury, can play in Thursday night's home game against Tampa Bay. ... Blues RW Nail Yakupov was a healthy scratch for the fourth time in the last six games. ... The Blues could get D Robert Bortuzzo (lower body injury) back as soon as Thursday night's home game against the San Jose Sharks. He has not played since Oct. 27.

2016-11-16 02:27 www.upi.com

59 /104 0.0 Post-election, Tacoma council reaffirms city’s dedication to equity One week after the presidential election, Mayor Marilyn Strickland introduced a proposal at the Tacoma City Council meeting on Tuesday, the sole intent of which was to reaffirm the idea that Tacoma is a city where all people are treated equally.

Tuesday was the first time the council met since the election of Donald Trump, who was widely criticized over the course of his campaign for derogatory remarks about women, immigrants, Muslims, the disabled and other vulnerable and minority groups. Strickland’s resolution was simple, and isn’t directly attached to any new policy or objective. Still, the reaction was emotional, both from members of the council and from people attending the meeting. “We just came out of a very long 15-month presidential election, and there were lots of comments made before, during and after the election that have put a lot of people in places of fear, uncertainty and really wondering who we are,” Strickland said. “I have heard stories of students who have been harassed and called names, I have heard stories of people seeing symbols of hate in their neighborhoods, and in many ways when we elect a president, we say a lot about who we are as a nation.”

Strickland’s resolution sought to reaffirm Tacoma’s “commitment to the principles of equity and inclusion, and to continue defending, promoting and introducing policies and practices that seek to improve opportunities and quality of life for all residents, regardless of race, ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs.” It noted many of the actions the City Council has taken in the past to promote equity, from supporting the state’s marriage equality law to hosting workshops to build trust between police and members of the community.

The resolution passed, with several council members offering somber testimony about things they said they had heard or seen after the election.

“I’ve had an opportunity this last week to sit down with some members of my community from the East Side and the tears were not just tears, they were tears of fear,” said Councilman Marty Campbell. “There are people who are absolutely afraid of the future in this country.”

Councilwoman Victoria Woodards dissolved into tears as she addressed the crowd and reminded them not to allow hate to prevail in Tacoma.

“We will love and respect and honor everyone in this city because we’re all here and we all accept and love one another – that makes this city so incredibly great,” she said. “We’re seeing racism and hate in a way we’ve never seen it before because it seems acceptable, but not in Tacoma. We won’t accept that kind of behavior.”

The first speaker during the monthly citizens forum Tuesday night encouraged the council to do what it could to become a sanctuary city for immigrants. Others thanked Strickland for bringing the subject front and center at the meeting.

Marilyn Kimmerling said she has noted an “increase of hateful, hateful behavior and crimes” in the wake of the presidential campaign and election. “So this is really good that Mayor Strickland … did take the point of mentioning that. Hopefully it will put some strength in it,” she said.

On Monday, Tacoma high schoolers walked out of school midday to protest the election of Trump and what they called the dangerous direction in which the country is headed. Gov. Jay Inslee put out a message on Facebook on Tuesday saying any act of hate in the state is intolerable, referencing an incident Monday in Spokane in which a racial epithet was spray- painted on the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center. At the end of Tuesday’s council meeting, Strickland urged anyone who sees a hateful act to speak out against it.

“We passed a resolution today that made a very strong statement that overt racism and harassment is not normal, no matter how much this election tried to make it mainstream,” she said. “If you have an opportunity to speak out against it and to use your voices, I encourage every single person who witnesses it to say something.”

2016-11-16 02:22 By Candice www.thenewstribune.com

60 /104 0.0 Daily Calendar Stroke Survivors Support Group, 10-11 a.m. Support for survivors and anyone who has been touched by a stroke. McLaren Port Huron, Gathering Place, 1221 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. (800) 228-1484. Free.

Blood Pressure Clinic, 1-3 p.m. Porthaven Manor, Dining Room, 3900 Aspen Drive, Port Huron. (810) 985-4222. Free.

Euchre, 1 p.m. Adults and seniors. Refreshments will be provided. St. Clair Library, 310 S. Second St., St. Clair. (810) 329-3951.

Mobile Device Basics: Android Tablets (Adults), 1 p.m. Bring your Android tablet or smartphone for a hand’s on session. Registration requested. Yale Library, 2 Jones St., Yale. (810) 387-2940. Read to Chief, the Reader Dog, 2:30 p.m. School-age children can drop in to read to Chief, a German Shepherd therapy dog. Capac Library, 111 N. Main St., Capac. (810) 395-7000.

Bingo, 3-4 p.m. Porthaven Manor, Game Room, 3900 Aspen Drive, Port Huron. (810) 985-4222.

Fried Chicken Dinner, 4-7 p.m. Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and salad. VFW Post 796, 1711 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. $7.

Heart Support Group, 5:30-7 p.m. Educational and emotional support for those with heart disease. McLaren Port Huron, Duffy classrooms, 1221 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. (800) 228- 1484. Free.

Zumba with Danielle, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness (810) 765- 3523 $5 drop-in fee per class. Washington Life Center, 403 N. Mary St., Marine City. (810) 765- 3523. $5.

Bingo, 6:20 p.m. Knights of Columbus, 4521 Ravenswood Road, Kimball. (810) 364-6800.

Bingo Party, 6:45 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Progressive jackpots and refreshments. Knights of Columbus-Greenbush Hall, 7556 Lakeshore Road, Lexington. (810) 359-5757.

Blue Water Shutterbugs Camera Club photography competition, 7-9 p.m. Blue Water Shutterbugs meet on the second and third Wednesday of the month. The second Wednesday is our education meeting and the third Wednesday is a photography competition. St. Paul Lutheran Church, Port Huron. (810) 982-6331. Consumer Education Presentation: Investment Fraud, 7 p.m. Clay Township Hall, 4710 Pointe Tremble Road, Clay. (810) 794-9303, ext. 112. Free

Ladies Night, 7 p.m. 50 cents off all drinks. Office Lounge, 1951 Water St., Port Huron. (810) 982-1531.

Sylvia Concert, 7-9 p.m. Country music. McMorran Place, Theatre, 701 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron. (800) 544-2993. $20 single ticket, $35 pairs, $50 for families of eight

St. Clair County Family History Group meeting, 7:30 p.m. Cheryl Morgan will speak on “The Great Lakes Native American Culture and Religion.” Port Huron Museum, 1115 Sixth St., Port Huron. (317) 600-7813.

Family Storytime, 10:30 p.m. For children under 5 and their caregivers. Stories, songs and crafts with a mix of poems, puppets, songs, finger plays and movement activities. Registration requested. Yale Library, 2 Jones St., Yale. (810) 387-2940.

Friends of the Algonac-Clay Library Bake Sale, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Algonac-Clay Library, 2011 St. Clair River Drive, Algonac. (810) 794-4471.

Widowed Friends Cards, Games and Friendship, 11:45 a.m. Come for lunch and stay for cards, games and friendship. Held every third Tuesday. Call Joanne at (810) 324-2304 for more information. Cavis Pioneer Restaurant, 5606 Lapeer Road, Kimball.

Port Huron Rotary Club meeting, 12 p.m. Speaker: Regina Spain, Citadel Stage director. DoubleTree by Hilton, 800 Harker St., Port Huron. (810) 434-7160.

Slider Thursdays, noon-3 p.m. Burger sliders and fries. Public welcome. American Legion Charles Hammond Post 8, 1026 Sixth St., Port Huron. (810) 982-9553. $3.

St. Clair Men’s Bridge Club, noon-3 p.m. All skill levels welcome. No partner required, no scorekeeping. The Voyageur Restaurant, 525 S. Riverside Ave., St. Clair. (810) 671-3616. Free.

Michigan League Spring Luncheon, 12:30 p.m. Chicken Cordon Bleu dinner. Call Kathy at (810) 545-0116 to RSVP or for more information. Proceeds will benefit Camp Grace Bentley for special needs children. Century Banquet Hall, 33204 Maple Lane Drive, Sterling Heights. $20 for dinner.

Book Club, 1 p.m. This month’s selection is “Crocodile on the Sandbank” by Elizabeth Peters. G. Lynn Campbell Library, 1955 N. Allen Road, Kimball. (810) 982-9171.

Look Good, Feel Better, 1-3 p.m. Trained cosmetologists help women going through cancer therapy with tips on wearing wigs, scarves and make-up. Call (800) 227-2345 to register. McLaren Port Huron Jefferson Building, 55 Plus Classrooms, 1320 Washington Ave., Port Huron. Free.

Veteran Club monthly meeting, 3 p.m. Port Huron Senior Center, 600 Grand River Ave., Port Huron. (810) 984-5061.

Roast Beef Dinner, 4-7 p.m. May-O’Brien VFW Post 8465, 3815 Knapp Ave., Port Huron. (810) 982-6323. $10, $5 children 6-12, free for children 5 and younger.

Scrabble, 6-9 p.m. Barnes & Noble, 4325 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot. (810) 385-4849. Bingo, 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. American Legion Post 8, 1026 Sixth St., Port Huron. (810) 982-9553.

Euchre Tournament, 6:45 p.m. Office Lounge, 1951 Water St., Port Huron. (810) 982-1531.

“Disenchanted,” 7:30-9:30 p.m. Musical play. McMorran Place, Theatre, 701 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron. (810) 985-6166. $25, $20 for seniors over 55 and students with ID.

Holiday Bazaar, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 18, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 19. Port Huron Senior Center, 600 Grand River Ave., Port Huron. (810) 984-5061.

St. Clair Duplicate Bridge Club, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Open to players of all skill levels. St. Clair Community Center, use west entrance, 308 S. Fourth St., St. Clair. (810) 326-0121. Free, donations accepted.

Jim Ayres, 2-3 p.m. Dancing and singing. Porthaven Manor, Porthaven Manor, 3900 Aspen Drive, Port Huron. (810) 985-4222. Free.

Fall Fest, 4-7 p.m. Cookie walk, baked goods, raffles, silent auction, pasties. German sauerkraut dinner and homemade apple desserts available 4-7 p.m. St. John’s UCC, 710 Pine St., Port Huron. (810) 984-5031. $10 for dinner.

Fish & Shrimp Buffet, 4-7 p.m. American Legion Post 382, 1322 Clinton Ave., St. Clair. (810) 329-2871. $10 adults, $5 kids 5-12, free for children under 5.

Holiday Show and Sale, 4-8 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 19. Featuring artwork from local artists. Mountains of Mudd Pottery and Gifts, 1182 Allen Road, Kimball. (810) 650-5324.

Red Mudd Holiday Art Sale, 4-8 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 19. Featuring artwork from local artists. Red Mudd Studio, 640 Richman Road, Kimball Township. (810) 434-5058.

Bingo, 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Lexington Lions Club, 7285 Huron Ave., Lexington. (810) 359-7729.

St. Clair Celebration of Lights featuring Santa’s Lighted Parade, 6-9 p.m. Parade, tree lighting and Key to the City for Santa. Call (810) 329-2962 for more information. Downtown St. Clair, St Clair. Free.

Fall Play: “Stage Door,” 7 p.m. Port Huron Northern High School presents the play “Stage Door.” Group discounts available. Port Huron Northern HS Performing Arts Center, 1799 Krafft Road, Port Huron. (810) 531-7379. $5.

A Hometown Holiday, On the Air, Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 18-26. Radio show with popular carols, stories, skits and audience participation. Created by the Michigan Caroling Company. The Snug Theatre, 160 S. Water St., Marine City. (810) 278-1749. $26.

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, 8:30 p.m. Lexington Village Theatre, 7318 Huron Ave., Lexington. (810) 359-5108. $22-$35.

Avoca Community Club Euchre Party, Registration 6:30 p.m., game starts at 7 p.m. Snacks and beverages included. There will be cash prizes, door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. Avoca Community Club, 5396 Kilgore Road, Avoca. (810) 334-0114.

Christmas Bazaar, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Bake sale, jewelry, silent auction and crafts. Light lunch available. Only Believe Outreach Ministry, 1020 Chestnut St., Port Huron. (810) 385-7320.

Christmas Arts and Craft Show Fundraiser, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Juried show. Lunch available in the upper and lower level Port Huron Elks Lodge, 3292 Beach Road, Port Huron. (810) 982-8531. $1.

Craft and Vendor Event, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Table rentals available for $25. Contact [email protected] or call (810) 824-8185. Gearing Elementary School , 200 N. Carney Drive, St. Clair. (810) 676-1650.

St. Peters Lutheran Church Christmas and Craft Bazaar, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Lunch, pie by the slice, bake sale, home made jams, salsa. Perch Point Conservation Club, 7930 Meisner Road, Casco. (810) 765-5982.

Bariatric Surgery informational seminar, 10-11 a.m. Learn about the various bariatric surgical procedures offered. McLaren Port Huron, Duffy Classrooms, 1221 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. (800) 228-1484. Free.

Christmas Bazaar, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Craft show and bake sale. Washington Avenue United Methodist, 1217 Washington Ave., Port Huron. (810) 982-8988.

Church Bazaar, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Crafts, cookie walk, bake sale and Santa’s Bargain Basement. Lunch available 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jeddo United Methodist Church, 8533 Wildcat Road, Jeddo. (810) 327-6144.

Cookie Walk, 10 a.m.-noon. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church , 115 N. Sixth St., St. Clair. (810) 329- 3821.

Memphis Music Boosters 30th annual Fall Craft Show, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Space available to rent for $30, tables for $8. Memphis High School, 34130 Boardman Road, Memphis. $1 admission, children 10 and younger free.

St. Clair Chess Club, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Open play for all ability levels, all ages. Members will help you learn to play. St. Clair Burger King, 200 Clinton Ave., St. Clair. (810) 326-0121. Free.

Third annual Chili and Coats Giveaway, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. First come, first served. Cold weather clothing, such as hats, coats and gloves for men, women and children will be given away. Eastshore Leadership Academy, 1403 Seventh St., Port Huron.

“Max,” 11 a.m. Family friendly movie. McMorran Theater, 700 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron. $1.

Holiday Eats & Treats, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Soups and desserts in a jar. Brown City United Methodist Church, 7043 Lincoln St., Brown City. (810) 346-2010.

Fall Play: “Stage Door,” 2 p.m. Port Huron Northern High School presents the play “Stage Door.” Group discounts available. Port Huron Northern HS Performing Arts Center, 1799 Krafft Road, Port Huron. (810) 531-7379. $5.

Euchre Tournament, 6-8:30 p.m. Saturday night Euchre tournament. All ages welcome. Play up to three times as a guest of the Council of Aging. Port Huron Senior Center, Main floor, 600 Grand River Ave., Port Huron. (810) 956-0787. $1.50.

Euchre Party, 6:30 p.m. With snacks, beverages and 50/50 drawing. St. James United Church of Christ, Church basement, 9008 Meisner Road, Casco. (586) 727-1623. $10 per person.

Karaoke, 7-10 p.m. VFW Post 796, 1711 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron.

Memphis Blues Festival Fundraiser, 7 p.m. Featuring Eddie Johnson, Wyatt Hood, StevieWeave, Sean Hartly and more. Memphis Lions Hall, 34758 Pratt Road, Memphis. (810) 343-4154. $5.

Breakfast Buffet, 8 a.m.-noon. American Legion Post 382, 1322 Clinton Ave., St. Clair. (810) 329-2871. $7 adults, $3 children 5-12, free for kids 4 and younger.

Bingo Party, 1 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Progressive jackpots and refreshments. Knights of Columbus-Greenbush Hall, 7556 Lakeshore Road, Lexington. (810) 359-5757.

Blue Water Outdoor Club walk, 1:30 p.m. Walk the BP trail in St. Clair. Meet in the northwest corner of the Vantage Point parking lot to carpool. Vantage Point, 51 Water St., Port Huron. (810) 327-6028.

Jerry Garcia, 6 p.m. Lexington United Methodist Church, 5597 Main St., Lexington. (810) 385- 9037. Free will offering.

Books are Fun Book Sale, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sponsored by Lake Huron Medical Center Auxiliary Volunteers. Lake Huron Medical Center, Cafeteria, 2601 Electric Ave., Port Huron. (810) 385- 7954.

“Healing the Heart” grief support group, 9-10:30 a.m. Supportive, safe and friendly environment for those who are grieving to share their story and help the process of healing in a group setting. Open to any adult who has lost a loved one due to death. Registration preferred. St. John River District Hospital, 4100 River Road, East China. (586) 723-9492.

Cribbage, 1 p.m. Learn how to play cribbage. For adults. Refreshments provided. St. Clair Library, 310 S. Second St., St. Clair. (810) 329-3951.

Scrabble, 1 p.m. Registration required. All skill levels welcome. Adults only. Algonac-Clay Library, 2011 St. Clair River Drive, Algonac. (810) 794-4471.

Grief Support Group, 4-5:30 p.m. Weekly support group that provides help and encouragement after the death of a loved one. St. Peter Lutheran Church , Warner Room, 37601 31 Mile Road, Richmond. (810) 334-8057.

I. M. P. A. C. T. board meeting, 5:30 p.m. I. M. P. A. C. T., 1001 Military St., Port Huron. (810) 985- 5437.

DivorceCare, Meets 6-8 p.m. Mondays. Weekly seminar and support group for those who are separated or divorced. Call the church for more information and to register. Colonial Woods Missionary Church, 3240 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. (810) 984-5571. $20.

Monday Night Knitters, 6 p.m. Drop in and join a group of veteran knitters, or learn how to knit or crochet. Capac Library, 111 N. Main St., Capac. (810) 395-7000.

Childbirth Education series, 6:30-8:30 p.m. General childbirth preparation instruction. Best to take in seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. McLaren Port Huron, 1221 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron. (800) 228-1484. $40, $32 for Women’s Wellness Place members.

Bingo, 7 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. St. Edward On the Lake Catholic Church, 6945 Lakeshore Road, Lakeport. (810) 385-4072.

Burtchville Township board meeting, 7 p.m. Burtchville Township Hall, 4000 Burtch Road, Lakeport.

Blue Water Vintage Swing classes, Ballroom 6:30-7:30 p.m. Swing 7:30-9 p.m. Singles and couples welcome. Tio Gordos Cantina, 321 Huron Ave., Port Huron. (810) 941-4120. $10.

Tuesday Morning Bingo, 10:30 a.m. Doors open at 8:20 a.m. Proceeds benefit Holy Cross church and school. Breakfast and lunch items available. Knights of Columbus, 4521 Ravenswood Road, Kimball. (810) 765-8751.

St. Clair Fellowship Bridge Club, noon-3:45 p.m. Open play for all ages and abilities. We help beginners learn. No partner needed. Partners change every four hands. St. Clair Recreation Department, St. Clair Community Center, use west entrance, 308 S. Fourth St., St. Clair. (810) 326-0121. Free.

Mahjong, 12:30 p.m. Learn American Mahjong. All skill levels welcome. Marysville Library, 1175 Delaware Ave., Marysville. (810) 364-9493.

Chrysler UAW Local 375 Retirees meeting, 1 p.m. American Legion Charles Hammond Post 8, 1026 Sixth St., Port Huron. (810) 329-2116.

Coping with Stress During the Holiday Season, 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Six-week educational group for those who experience significant or elevated stress during the holidays. Call (810) 984-5156 to register. Port Huron Hospital Outpatient Counseling, 1209 Richardson St, Port Huron. (810) 966-0174. Varies.

Knitting Club, 6 p.m. Knitters and crocheters of all skill levels welcome. Marysville Library, 1175 Delaware Ave., Marysville. (810) 364-9493.

St. Clair County Board of Public Works and Road Commission meeting, 7 p.m. St. Clair County Road Commission Central Service Center, 21 Airport Drive, St. Clair. (810) 364-5720.

2016-11-16 02:20 Est November feeds.feedblitz.com

61 /104 0.0 Euro zone break-up fears back on the table with Italy expected to reject reforms The impact of a "no" vote in the upcoming Italian referendum could be far more serious for Europe than Italy, according to analysts, who believe it would form part of the same underlying force as Brexit and the U. S. election victory for Donald Trump .

Italian citizens will vote on constitutional reform on December 4 with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi gambling his political future on the decision. He has said he would resign if his wholesale changes to the political system are rejected by the country. In 32 opinion polls published by 11 different pollsters over the past four weeks, all indicate a lead for the "no" camp and generally by an increasing amount, according to Reuters.

Holger Schmieding, chief economist with Berenberg Bank, told CNBC in a phone interview that the risk involved in Italy's referendum makes it an even bigger political event than Brexit.

"For me, this is the biggest political risk for the euro zone this year … Less the referendum and more the tail risk," he said.

"If the aftermath of a 'no' victory results in an early election, in which parties propose a referendum of leaving the euro then this is much more of a problem, there will be serious contagion effects for the whole of the euro zone," he added.

All is not yet lost for Renzi as opinion polls have incorrectly predicted the outcome of both Brexit and more recently, with Donald Trump's election victory .

Though should Renzi fail to convince Italian citizens to vote in favor of constitutional reform, most analysts expect the 41-year-old to stick to his promise from earlier in the campaign and resign.

Francesco Oggiano, the author of "Beppo Grillo Parlante", told CNBC on Monday that Renzi would resign "one minute after the result" if the referendum produced a win for the "no" campaign .

Effectively, Oggiano explained, these reforms would result in a reduced role for the upper house Senate and limit the influence of regional government.

Italy's Five Star Movement (5SM) party is strongly against constitutional reform and, if opinion polls are to be believed, 5SM is firmly on track to be on the winning side in December.

In fact, 5SM hopes to capitalize on any momentum gained in the event of a referendum victory and possibly pip Renzi's Democratic Party at the next election, which could be triggered as early as spring 2017.

Populist parties throughout Europe celebrated the victory of Trump last week with far-right groups in France, the Netherlands and Germany buoyed by his surprise win.

Oggiano believes Italy's 5SM's support of the "no" campaign ultimately boils down to its opposition on a new electoral system that it believes is combined to the constitutional reform.

He said, "according to the Five Star Movement, people won't be able to choose their own representatives in the parliament and this is the most important point. "

"The result (of a 'yes' victory) would be a parliament full of bureaucrats chosen from their parties that, once elected, will just get to satisfy their leader instead of people's needs," he added.

Renzi argued in an open letter to Italian citizens on Friday that a "yes" vote would make Italy stronger.

Political uncertainty is being reflected in the markets already and Florian Baier, economist with Fathom Consulting, warned that the country's fragile banking sector cannot afford another economic shock. Italy's bond yields were among the most effected from a global bond rout on Monday. The country's 10-year bond yields rose to their highest level in over a year as investors continued to fear that President-elect Donald Trump will cause an upward trend in inflation over the coming years which, traditionally, tends to have an adverse effect on bonds.

Baier suggested that Renzi had personalized the vote by saying outright that he would resign if he lost and now people have an opportunity to turn their back on his government.

"Brexit, U. S. elections and the upcoming Italian referendum are all part of the same underlying force – a shift towards isolationism," he said.

"Right-wing support like with Marine le Pen in France and the AfD Party in Germany … It's all part of the same global shift. There is nowhere in the world where cross border co-operation is more important than in the euro area and the referendum is a challenge to that," he added.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook .

2016-11-16 02:16 Sam Meredith www.cnbc.com

62 /104 0.0 Dutch firm Mars One unveils concept space suit for Martian explorers Dutch company Mars One, which aims to send people to the Red Planet within a decade, on Tuesday unveiled its first concept for a space suit to protect humans “under the most difficult conditions.” The pressurised suit will include an impact resistant helmet with a see-through bubble. It will “make maximum use of local Mars resources to provide a safe and comfortable environment for crew members,” Mars One said in a statement. Made from material similar to that used for NASA’s astronauts when exploring the Moon, the suit’s design also takes into account “new challenges” presented by Mars’ surface. This included dealing with omnipresent red dust, which the company admitted still “needed more work.” Consisting of interchangable parts, the suit will have to ward off life-threatening radiation and be able to fit many different seizes of would-be Martian explorers. The space colonisers will have 3D printers with them to print replaceable parts such as nuts and bolts and even fabric used in the construction and maintenance of the space suit, Mars One said. Initially drawing some 200,000 hopefuls from 140 countries, the ambitious Mars One project plans to send 24 explorers to the fourth rock from the sun within 10 years, partly funded by a television reality show about the endeavour. Similar to plans by SpaceX chief Elon Musk, the Mars One team aims to send an unmanned spaceship to Mars by 2018. One-way trips to the red planet is scheduled to start in 2026. The new explorers will have to live in small habitats, find water, produce their own oxygen and grow their own food. So far, only robotic missions by NASA have successfully reached Mars and the agency does not plan manned mission until the 2030s.

2016-11-16 02:11 Agence France www.scmp.com

63 /104 0.0 Ed Sheeran serenades sick 9-year-old fan who has spent 80% of her life in the hospital Ed Sheeran is used to making ladies swoon around the world, but to one little girl from New Addington, England, he really is her very own Prince Charming. Melody is 9 years old. She cannot walk or talk, and has spent nearly 80 percent of her life hospitalized. That's because she suffers from Rett syndrome , a condition that "causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor, and autonomic function. "Melody's childhood has been marred by wide-ranging, debilitating symptoms and complications of her illness. According to her mother, Karina Driscoll, Melody has severe chronic pain, scoliosis, internal bleeding, epilepsy, osteoporosis -- and so much more. She has to be fed through a feeding tube and is on a constant stream of morphine to manage her pain. When she has particularly bad flare-ups, her "whole body becomes swollen internally and externally; she gets black fingernails and toenails; her lips become covered in cold sores; her pain gets worse; she gets pancreatitis, her eyes swell up and the blood vessels in them burst and her internal bleeding gets worse, requiring lots of blood transfusions. "Perhaps the most devastating part of her story is that no one knows why this happens to her -- all they can do is manage her pain and hope to make her as happy as possible. Enter Ed Sheehan. Given the huge impact Ed has had on Melody's short life, Karina knew she wanted to do everything in her power to bring them together. So last year, she put together a video that she was actually able to get Ed's manager, Stuart Camp, to see. Unfortunately, the best he was able to offer at the time was for Melody to attend one of Ed's concerts. Katrina was forced to pass on the offer due to Melody's poor health. It seemed all hope was lost on the two ever meeting, as Karina was told he would not be able to make a visit to the hospital and in December 2015, he announced he was taking a break from public life. But finally, about three weeks ago, Driscoll received a knock on her door. Standing there was a police officer who told her that Melody's name had been given to his department for her to receive a present. Once his police department started tweeting the video, it quickly went viral and again reached Ed's manager, who then contacted Karina. He said he would make Melody's wish come true and a week later, it did. On the morning of Wednesday, November 9, Ed Sheeran walked into Epsom Hospital in Surrey -- no bodyguards, no assistants, no cameras. For the next hour and a half, Ed sat with Melody. He even serenaded her with both of her favorite songs -- "Thinking Out Loud" and "Photograph" -- playing both on Melody's pink toy guitar. The whole time, Karina says:"[Melody] kept stroking his arm and leg and his tattoos. She kept smiling and giggling at him. You could see in her eyes how much she loves him but you could also see in his eyes by the way he looked at her that that feeling was mutual. "Just 10 minutes after Ed left, Karina received a call from Ed's manager. Ed had called him right away and told him how "touched" he was by Melody, and how he'd like to keep in contact. He even offered to bring Melody to his sound checks as a way for her to experience his performances in a safe environment that wouldn't jeopardize her health. Now that the experience she worked so hard to make happen has come and gone, Karina says she feels "overwhelmed. "Karina says she is incredibly thankful to all the people who shared Melody's story on Twitter and Facebook ("I owe them everything"). But most of all, she is thankful to the one man who has managed to inspire her little girl to keep fighting for her life. And while many will read this story and focus on Ed's beautiful act of kindness -- and it most certainly was incredible -- the real hero of this story is Melody. No matter what life throws at her, she never gives up. Even on her darkest days, she keeps smiling. Now if that doesn't inspire you, we don't know what will.

2016-11-16 02:06 abc7chicago.com

64 /104 0.0 Chris Bath announces her return to radio in 2017 with Sydney's 702 ABC... after launching her 28-year media career on the airwaves Since leaving her post at Seven last year, she has freelanced for the station, taken gigs on rival network Ten and filled Chris joined The Project as co-host alongside Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar for their summer programs earlier this year, as well as Studio Ten. However, it may have been her three-week stint filling in for Sydney ABC drive radio host Richard Glover earlier this year that prompted her new job offer. When Chris appeared on Channel Seven she helmed the nightly news and popular current affairs show Sunday Night. In a statement released by the network in 2015 when she left, she said: 'This has been a very big decision. I'm very grateful for the past wonderful 20 years at Seven. 'I want to thank the Network for giving me the chance to enjoy every broadcast journalism experience possible.' Rumours had surfaced she left the network due to an ongoing feud with journalist and presenter Samantha Armytage.

2016-11-16 02:05 Candice Jackson www.dailymail.co.uk

65 /104 0.0 Joffrey Ballet discloses more details about new 'Nutcracker' The Joffrey Ballet has been keeping details of the scenario for its new $4 million production of “The Nutcracker” under wraps to a great extent. But slowly, more details about the ballet — which is being choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon (director-choreographer of the Broadway hit, “An American in Paris”), and been given a fresh, Chicago-oriented story line (devised in collaboration with author- illustrator Brian Selznick (a Caldecott Medal Award-winner for “The Invention of Hugo Cabret”) _ are being divulged.

Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. (Photo: Angela Sterling)

Here is the description just released by the Joffrey about its world premiere production at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress, with 27 performances running Dec. 10 – 30:

“A ballet in two acts, ‘The Nutcracker” opens on Christmas Eve, 1892, as workers from around the world construct the Chicago Columbian World’s Exposition, set to open five months later. Marie and her younger brother Franz arrive at home — a little shack where their mother, a sculptress, is creating a masterpiece that will preside over the fair. Workers from the fair soon arrive at the shack as a festive Christmas party begins. The creator of the World’s Fair, the mysterious Impresario, and his apprentice Peter, arrive to entertain the workers with an enchanting vision of his fair while distributing gifts, including a nutcracker for Marie. That evening, Marie awakes to an epic battle between toy soldiers and mice led by The Mouse King and the now life-size Nutcracker, where she unexpectedly saves the day. Following their victory, Marie, the Impresario and the Nutcracker, now transformed into a Prince, set sail into the night.

The ballet’s second act begins as they arrive on shore, greeted by the Queen of the Fair who grants them a visit to a dream-like World’s Fair. They move from pavilion to pavilion, where countries from around the world are represented. As the dream comes to a close, the Fair explodes with light and Marie suddenly awakes to find it is Christmas Day.”

In a prepared statement, the Joffrey’s artistic director, Ashley Wheater noted: “The World’s Columbian Exposition changed Chicago history, heralding its stature as a great American city. This was a time of optimism and dynamic growth. Having settled the frontier, America embraced its place in the world. Imagine visiting the Fair, with its massive scale, gleaming architecture, exotic foreign pavilions and raucous midway. For a visitor, young or old, the experience must have been wonderful. Christopher Wheeldon and his creative team have captured this spirit in our new ‘Nutcracker.’ Perhaps more importantly, they have found fresh meaning at the heart of the ballet’s story. Rather than arriving at the ‘land of sweets’, Marie’s fantastic journey brings her to a loving home in a new land.”

The Chicago Philharmonic, led by Joffrey music director Scott Speck, will perform the classic Tchaikovsky score for every performance. The full Joffrey company also will be joined onstage by more than 90 young dancers from the Chicagoland area, and young vocalists from four different local children’s choirs.

Preview performances of Wheeldon’s “The Nutcracker” will take place Dec. 1 – 4 at the University of Iowa’s new Hancher Auditorium. A longstanding artistic and creative partner to the Joffrey, Hancher Auditorium originally commissioned Robert Joffrey’s version of “The Nutcracker” in 1987. 2016-11-16 02:01 Hedy Weiss chicago.suntimes.com

66 /104 0.0 Daniel's First Dates experience compared on social media to Ralph Wiggum of The Simpsons He was hoping for a second date with his match, Jacob, on Tuesday night's episode of First Dates. But swiftly after Daniel's credit card was declined, so was the second date, leaving the singleton a little downcast. Fans took to social media in their droves about the gut-wrenching moment his hopes were dashed, comparing it to The Simpsons character Ralph Wiggum. Scroll down for video One user noted: 'It's like watching Ralph's heart actually break on The Simpsons'. While another simply posted an image of that fateful moment in the cartoon, letting it speak for itself. Another fan got specific for those who failed to notice the similarities, writing: 'This is exactly like Ralph Wiggum in the Valentines episode, you can pinpoint the moment his heart breaks'.

2016-11-16 02:00 Chloe-lee www.dailymail.co.uk

67 /104 0.0 See ‘Sing’ For Free Thanksgiving Weekend: Universal Pictures’ Biggest Advance-Screening Program Ever “We are so proud that ‘Sing Saturday’ marks the biggest advance- screening program in the history of Universal Pictures and are honored to join AMC as we kick off the holiday season with Illumination’s gift for moviegoers of every generation,” said Nick Carpou, President of Distribution, Universal.

“I can tell you this, the overall music budget is three to four times larger than the largest music budget I’ve ever had previously,” says Meledandri.

[Featured Image by Illumination]

2016-11-16 01:54 Jeffrey Totey www.inquisitr.com

68 /104 0.0 Your Christmas wardrobe, sorted! 22 stunning dresses for every Christmas occasion (and for every body shape) In Australia, we make our own rules when it comes to festive fashion. While the Northern Hemispher becomes bundled up in wintery fur and velvet and rich seasonal hues, our Christmas season is casual and laid-back, filled with beachside drinks and BBQs that call for floaty fabrics and ethereal summer colours. Luckily, our shores are home to some serious design talent, from Zimmermann to Bec & Bridge, Alex Perry and Alice McCall - and there is no better time to splurge on a fancy frock than the festive season... though there is always a purse-friendly ensemble to be found in our local chains such as Seed Heritage, Country Road, and Sportsgirl. Whether you are looking for an investment dress to take you through summer, or a one-off trend piece that will leave you with change for present shopping, we have you covered for what to wear to every Christmas occasion. THE COCKTAIL PARTY Whether it is a client's end of year soiree or a house party with friends, it seems the whole month of December is jam-packed with drinks dates. Hot summer nights are the perfect occasion to show off your tan in this Shona Joy at David Jones Lucia Lace Up Cocktail Dress. Team with armfuls of gold bracelets and towering stilettos. The fun and flirty Raffia Swing set by By Johnny at Myer, or purse-friendly lace frock from Bardot are equally excellent choices for Christmas drinks. THE BEACHSIDE BBQ For most weekends in summer , you'll usually find us in the proximity of the sand, barefoot, with a drink in hand. Sportsgirl's retro-style top and high-waisted skirt combo or a floaty off-the-shoulder maxi by Country Road are perfect for the occasion. If your gathering a little more formal, this floral maxi dress by Bec & Bridge is totally effortless. THE FAMILY GATHERING Christmas may be a more casual holiday in Australia, but you can still make an effort with your outfit when the extended family descends. A light, flirty frock will remain comfortable all day - whether you're helping out in the kitchen, sitting down to a long lunch, or lounging in the backyard in the sunshine. Seed Heritage's off-the-shoulder frock will look good on everybody, and can easily be dressed up with some wedges and earrings or down with sandals and just-came-off-the-beach hair. Or have some fun with a Gorman print shift, or a universally flattering Country Road midi dress. THE BLACK TIE AFFAIR It's not all that common to have an occasion to really play dress-ups these days, but in case an invite to a black tie New Year's ball lands in your mailbox, you have plenty of options from Aussie designers. A stunning lacy full-length gown by Alice McCall at David Jones is the perfect mix of summer romance and festive formal, while Zimmermann's metallic plunge dress has New Year bling written all over it. Shona Joy's slinky slip dress is oh-so- Nineties and on-trend, and if you truly want to splurge, Alex Perry's La Verne Silk Reptile Bikini Midi Dress will ensure jaws drop when you make your entrance. THE OFFICE PARTY The annual work party is an opportunity to show off your personality, particularly if you work in a more corporate setting where suits are the norm. Choose a playful and festive style , but err on the side of conservative - you don't need your boss getting an eyeful of your midriff, or worse - falling out of your plunging dress after a few cocktails. Show off a little skin with bare shoulders - the Thurley Fiesta dress is a favourite amongst the Fash Pack this month. Or an embellished number from Needle & Thread at Myer is glitzy and elegant at the same time. If your workplace is ultra conservative, you can't go wrong with this elegant style from Keepsake at David Jones - a wide neckline that shows a hint of shoulder, and flirty flared sleeves... and will flatter all body types. Add a touch of festive fun with a bright lip and statement earrings. THE BUBBLES ON A BOAT If you're lucky, you'll find yourself sipping champagne on a boat at some point over the festive season. And indeed if you do, we can think of no outfit better suited to the occasion than the beautiful Zimmermann Swim Gossamer Scallop Short Dress. Just add a bikini beneath and a straw boater for an afternoon at sea. On a budget? The Grace dress by Neuw at General Pants is perfectly nautical.

2016-11-16 01:51 Andrea Magrath www.dailymail.co.uk

69 /104 0.0 Detroit's Smokey Robinson gets songwriting award tonight in starry gala WASHINGTON, D. C. — There are plenty of reasons Smokey Robinson has remained a favorite through the years — that distinctive feathery voice, the silky stage presence, the unflappably cool demeanor.

But tonight he'll receive one of the nation's most prestigious music honors as the focus turns to the skill at the heart of it all: his songwriting.

The Detroit native will become the ninth recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, awarded by the Library of Congress to distinguish composers whose lifetime work has served “as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.”

► Related: Motown great Smokey Robinson wins Gershwin Prize ► Related: Detroit’s 100 Greatest Songs ► Related: Motown Museum announces $50 million expansion

Samuel L. Jackson will host a celebratory concert at the 2,500-seat DAR Constitution Hall, where an eclectic slate of performers — including CeeLo Green, Joe Walsh, Corinne Bailey Rae and Kip Moore — will interpret some of Robinson’s most-loved tunes. The show will be taped for nationwide broadcast Feb. 10 on PBS stations.

In honoring Robinson, the Gershwin committee is making it clear: His body of work stands among the greatest of our time. He joins a winners list that has included Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Carole King and fellow Motown giant Stevie Wonder, all honored in the name of the Gershwin brothers, the songwriting duo who helped set the course for 20th Century American music.

Recipients are chosen by the Library of Congress with input from a board of music scholars and industry professionals.

“I can’t even tell you how I feel,” Robinson said to the Free Press during a Tuesday visit to the Library of Congress. “It's surreal, it’s wonderful, it’s unbelievable. I’m being mentioned in the same breath as the Gershwins for songwriting? Wow. That’s something I never expected, that’s for sure.”

Robinson was a freshly minted Northern High School graduate when he linked up with Berry Gordy Jr. in 1958, and he remained by the Motown founder's side as the rudimentary family start-up grew into one of the world’s preeminent music operations.

► Related: Eye-popping rare photos help Motown book put new spin on classic story ►Book excerpt: 'Motown: The Sound of Young America' ► Related: Motown songwriter Robert Bateman dies at 80

"I wasn’t thinking about being here with the Gershwin award and all of that," Robinson said. "I was a teenager. I was getting a chance for my music to be heard. I could write this music, and this man was going to put my music out. "

On Tuesday, the two old friends were together again, upbeat and bright-eyed as they browsed items handpicked by curators from the Library of Congress archives. There were original pressings of vinyl records by Detroit acts such as Andre Williams, the Diablos and Barrett Strong; decades-old Detroit property books opened to maps placing Northern High and the original Hitsville headquarters; the original manuscript of the Gershwins’ “Porgy and Bess.”

At one point, Robinson summoned Gordy with a “Berry! Berry!” There on a table sat the original hand-sketched sheet music for their dual composition “I Cry” — Robinson’s first copyrighted song, mailed to the U. S. Copyright Office for registration in summer 1958.

After some close inspection and banter, it was settled that the ink work was Gordy’s. After all, he pointed out, he still writes his “B’s” the same way.

“It’s good to know somebody keeps that stuff … and puts it in a place where it can be kept forever and will always be there,” Robinson said later of the Library of Congress mission. “That’s just so incredible to me first of all as a person, but as a songwriter — to think that my music can be around forever, and people are storing and saving it and I don’t even know it.”

Robinson’s recording of “I Cry” with the Miracles failed to take off in '58. But it was the start of what became a vast and towering songwriting legacy. In addition to the material he penned for the Miracles (“The Tracks of My Tears,” “Shop Around,” “Going to a Go-Go”) and his solo career (“Being With You,” “Cruisin’”), he crafted a host of gems made famous by others — from Mary Wells’ “My Guy” to the Temptations’ “My Girl.”

His work has melded sugar-sweetened melodies with lyrics that are often poetically playful but coursing with a heart-on-sleeve sincerity, never afraid to explore the vulnerabilities of romantic love. It was enough to land him the enduring label (rightly or wrongly attributed to Bob Dylan) of “America’s greatest living poet.”

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden grew up with Motown music as a Chicago teenager in the ‘60s. Robinson’s repertoire, she said, resonates with the era of the Gershwins, when great songs became standards and the songwriter was king.

“His songs have that kind of quality,” she said. “There’s something about a songwriter who can create a memory in your mind with the music.”

Tonight's tribute at DAR Constitution Hall has its own built-in significance, Hayden pointed out: It's the venue where black opera singer Marian Anderson was famously barred from performing in 1939 because of her race.

At 76, Robinson remains busy, touring regularly and now tending to Skinphonic, a line of cosmetic products launched this summer with his wife, Frances Robinson, and described as "skin-healing products for people of color. " They're named, fittingly enough, after a pair of Robinson tunes. The women's line is "My Girl"; the men's is "Get Ready. "

It's been seven years since he released an album of new material, but he said Tuesday that he's continuously writing, and is "anxious to get into the studio and record some of it. "

Robinson is likely to get a big kick out of tonight's concert. He has long said that few things are more satisfying than hearing his songs covered by others. When a song can be pulled off in all manner of approaches and styles, that's a testament to what he set out to achieve in the first place: to create something that can live on through the ages.

Surrounded by family and friends this week in D. C., it's been a chance for Robinson to reflect and take stock. Asked how he hopes to be remembered by history, he put the pieces in place.

"The Gershwin Award is part of the answer to that question," he said. "Because if I’m being even mentioned in the same breath with the Gershwins — whose music is everlasting — then that’s a crowning achievement for me as a songwriter. I want to be Beethoven, man. I want to be Bach, Chopin.

"Five hundred years from now, they’ll still be playing Smokey Robinson music: If possible, that’s what I want to be. So this is the first step. "

Contact Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or [email protected].

Paul Simon (2007) Stevie Wonder (2009) Paul McCartney (2010) Burt Bacharach and Hal David (2012) Carole King (2013) Billy Joel (2014) Willie Nelson (2015) Smokey Robinson (2016)

Concert with Aloe Blacc, Gallant, CeeLo Green, JoJo, Ledisi, Tegan Marie, Kip Moore, Corinne Bailey Rae, Esperanza Spalding, the Tenors, Joe Walsh, BeBe Winans and Berry Gordy Jr.

Taping tonight for airing at 9 p.m. Feb. 10 on PBS stations

2016-11-16 01:51 Brian McCollum rssfeeds.freep.com

70 /104 0.0 Prince's record label sues Jay Z and Tidal for 'streaming music without permission' The suit claims copyright infringement and seeks to have the music removed from the streaming service. It says, however, Tidal can continue to stream 'Hit N Run: Phase 1'. No dollar amount is specified in the document but TMZ speculates damages sought would 'be enormous'. The documents say Tidal has streamed hits such as 'I Wanna Be Your Lover,' '1999,' 'Little Red Corvette,' 'Cream,' 'Purple Rain,' 'Controversy,' 'Pop Life,' without permission. 2016-11-16 01:48 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk

71 /104 0.0 Looking for another blue dot: scientists are building a telescope to seek second Earth, with crowdfunding On Valentine’s Day 1990, from a dark and frozen spot on the outer edges of our solar system, the spacecraft Voyager 1 turned around to take one last photo of the world it left behind. Viewed from a distance of 6 billion kilometres, Earth was little more than a bluish pixel, a “mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam,” in the words of Carl Sagan. Although the space programme has produced countless gorgeous photographs of our planet - exquisite images of deep blue oceans and swirling clouds, of the incandescent spider web that is human civilisation at night - nothing else has captured so starkly the profound loneliness of this precious, pale blue dot we call home. Now scientists want to find a companion for that dot. On Tuesday, a consortium of private research institutions launched a crowdfunding campaign to help build a new space telescope capable of searching for and photographing planets in the star system Alpha Centauri - which holds the closest stars to our sun. They call the mission “Project Blue.” “We are seeking to take another pale blue-dot image,” said Jon Morse, former director of NASA’s astrophysics division and current chief executive of the BoldlyGo Institute, a research organization that is co- leading Project Blue. “This is the holy grail of exoplanet research.” Before December 20, Morse and his partner Brett Marty, executive director of the nonprofit Mission Centaur, aim to raise US$1 million via Kickstarter - enough seed funding to get their project going. The rest of their budget will likely come from foundations and wealthy donors. The telescope, which they hope to launch into low Earth orbit in 2019, would only be about the size of a dishwasher; its half-metre main mirror could fit on a coffee table. Because their hardware is small and relatively modest in scope, Morse and Marty believe they can achieve their entire mission for US$50 million or less. The project is the kind of high-risk, high-reward mission that NASA is typically unwilling to pursue. Focusing solely on Alpha Centauri will keep costs low, but there’s no guarantee that the system contains planets, let alone rocky bodies in the habitable zone. But just this August, astronomers announced that they’d found a small, rocky planet orbiting in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, a star in the Alpha Centauri system that is 4.22 light years away. The Project Blue telescope wouldn’t be able to image the new planet, dubbed Proxima b. It is too close to its star, making it impossible to distinguish the planet’s faint glow from the brilliant blaze of its sun. Besides which, Proxima b is an unlikely candidate for “Earth 2.0.” It orbits its star every 11 days and is likely tidally locked, meaning that one half constantly faces the sun while the other is cloaked in endless night. But the discovery of Proxima b makes Marty even more optimistic that more terrestrial planets could orbit Alpha Centauri A and B - the two other stars that make up that system. He noted that our own solar system has three rocky planets in the habitable zone of a single star. “It’s an old saying that if you can do it once, you can do it more than once,” he said. “Where there’s one there’s usually others because the process for forming these planets is common.” 2016-11-16 01:45 The Washington www.scmp.com

72 /104 0.0 What CNN has learnt after six months of chatbot experimentation For news publishers, relying on the likes of Twitter and Facebook for distribution and traffic is a risky business, with changes to algorithms and features augmenting effectiveness constantly.

Couple this with the rise in people’s use of messaging apps, which are notoriously hard to track and community manage, and it’s no surprise that CNN has spent the last six months experimenting with chatbots.

In theory, using a semi-automated mechanism within messaging apps helps brands and publishers to achieve greater scale and control with less man hours. Unilever recently launched a chatbot to help its brand Signal spread the word about brushing your teeth.

However, it’s early days, so The Drum caught up with Alex Wellen, senior vice president and CNN's chief product officer, who is responsible for the product, technology, and strategic vision of CNN's mobile, web, data, video, TV, and emerging platforms, to find out how the experiment is developing.

How is the chatbot experiment working so far? How have people responded to it?

Over the last six months, CNN has rolled out a variety of chatbots across messaging apps like Kik, LINE, and Facebook Messenger as well as voice-activated devices like Amazon Echo. We’re constantly evolving these experiences as well as exploring chatbot experiments on new smart home and automobile platforms.

We’ve seen the most growth on LINE, where our chatbot publishes a handful of international stories each week; we see high engagement on Kik, where our chatbots invite the audience to experience the news in a "choose-your-own-adventure” format; and we’ve observed the most experimentation on Facebook Messenger and Amazon Alexa, where people can ask and receive responses to open-ended questions about the news. CNN defines success metrics for each platform, from reach to engagement to monetization, with the overarching goal to learn, scale up, or wind down the product.

Why did you go into Chatbots in the first place?

It’s still early days, but we believe chatbots will ultimately have a profound impact on our digital lives. The technology enables both the intimacy of a one-to-one conversation as well as a mechanism for broadcasting a critical message at scale. That is precisely why CNN is being aggressive in this field; we believe these platforms can be a powerful way to deliver real-time, personal news to an audience.

You use it to post select stories a day – does this work with the audience?

Yes, but it’s not enough to deliver the right story on the right platform at the right time. When someone adds a branded channel to a messaging app, they are doing something far more intimate than “following” an account; they are putting CNN right alongside the people that matter to them most — the family, friends, and colleagues they message each day — and we want to earn that trust. We want the conversation with CNN to feel personal and non-intrusive. That means finding the right balance of notifications, and giving the audience control of how often or how few alerts they receive each day. In other words, the chatbot can’t be too chatty. Part of that depends on the existing capabilities and limitations of the messaging platform, however.

How important is it for publishers to look at chatbots for distribution?

Chatbots enable both scale and granularity. It is the difference between one editor reaching everyone with the same message at the same time, and a chatbot reaching every individual with a unique message at a unique moment in time. That said, technology cannot single handedly solve the dilemma of distribution. What we’ve learned is the most effective chatbots bring the right mix of editorial curation and technological automation. It is an art and science.

What is also clear is that there is a growing expectation that you should be able to turn to your kitchen, your watch, your phone, or your car, ask a question, and receive an intelligent, automated written or verbal response — whether that be a text message, audio clip, or video. We believe this is an important space for news to play, and that chatbots are one more way CNN can target and distribute its global reporting.

What about messaging apps more generally?

With more than three billion monthly global users, messaging apps represent a crucial global growth platform for news. To that end, we’ve seen meteoric growth on LINE. Since launching in April, that audience has surged to over 4.5 million followers worldwide. We are now the No. 1 news publisher on that platform, surpassing longstanding brands like BBC, the Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, and The Economist. The credit and ingenuity goes to a small, scrappy cross- functional team of writers, programmers, designers, and product managers that use a chatbot to message that international audience daily. We’ve also published a wildly popular, limited edition sticker collection that features CNN anchors and reporters like Christiane Amanpour and Sanjay Gupta.

Kik is also worth highlighting. It has enabled us to reach an entirely new audience of 13-17 year olds. Our editorial social team has led a number of powerful experiments around the Summer Olympics in Rio as well as the US Presidential Election.

For CNN, it’s an important new channel in our pursuit to be the worldwide leader in mobile and video news and information.

Does this differ in different markets? How do you decide on which platform to use or are you looking at developing on different messaging apps?

Each CNN chatbot has its own personality and functionality, in line with what we know about the audience and that audience's typical behavior. We are building a portfolio of messaging experiences. LINE, Kik, Facebook Messenger, and Amazon Alexa each enable CNN to reach different audiences and experiment with fresh storytelling techniques.

For example, on LINE and Kik, visual communication elements are the norm, so on Election Night, our social and product teams created custom graphics, real-time GIFs, election stickers, emojis, and election-themed keyboards to enable those audiences to share the news in the ways they’ve become accustomed to communicating. This resulted in massive engagement, with CNN and Kik users sending and receiving nearly 5 million messages, downloading and sharing millions of GIFs, emojis, and stickers, and adding hundreds of thousands of new subscribers.

How do you plan to evolve this in the future?

The next frontier is real-time multimedia chat bots that return intelligent audio or video responses across mobile, IoT, and connected TVs.

Our first foray into this ecosystem has been Amazon Echo. Our new “Ask CNN” skill features a real time personalized news experience. When you hear about a particular story or want an update on breaking news, our homegrown bot will enable consumers to turn to Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, and Fareed Zakaria and chat about the latest. Simply ask Echo to “Enable CNN” and then trigger the skill by saying: “Alexa, Ask CNN”.

It’s still early days, but by being first on many of these platforms, we are helping shape the overall experience and consumer expectations as well as experiment and learn.

2016-11-16 01:38 All Charlotte www.thedrum.com

73 /104 0.0 PICS: SA's Bushmans Kloof makes NatGeo's elite Unique Lodges of the World list Cape Town — South Africa's Bushmans Kloof Wildlife Reserve and Wellness Retreat has been chosen to join the ranks of National Geographic's elite Unique Lodges of the World , a hand-picked collection of 51 properties on six continents.

"Situated amid otherworldly sandstone formations of South Africa’s Western Cape in a vast wilderness area that’s home to zebras, gemsbok, and much more, the reserve also harbours more than 130 ancient San rock art sites, which guests are free to examine with a lodge expert," NatGeo writes.

The inclusion of Bushmans Kloof brings SA's number of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World to four. SEE: Bushman Art Explorations: Get in touch with your rock art heritage

South Africa's three previous listings are Grootbos Private Nature Reserve , situated just inland from Gansbaai, Sabi Sabi's Earth Lodge near the Kruger National Park and Tswalu Kalahari relatively close to Upington.

SEE PICS: 3 SA Lodges listed as National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World

Towards the north in Kenya, the thatched tents of Sarara Camp , run within a conservancy in partnership with the local Samburu people, also makes NatGeo's list.

Many of the lodge staff and safari guides come from local communities, and visits to nearby Samburu villages allow guests a rare and intimate encounter with the timeless culture.

Also in Kenya, Segera Retreat on Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau provides a fantastic wildlife experience imbued with a sense of romance—the yellow bi-plane in which Robert Redford flew Meryl Streep in Out of Africa is a beloved fixture on the property.

National Geographic Society announced the Unique Lodges of the World project two years ago, and the list has grown to include a total of 51 world-class lodges which are all hand-selected by NatGeo.

The newest members to join reflect the diverse and singular experiences that the collection encompasses, ranging from a medieval European castle to a beachfront eco-lodge in the Galápagos.

This year, NatGeo has categorised the lodges under their Best list.

According to NatGeo, Bushmans Kloof Wildlife Reserve and Wellness Retreat fits into their “Best Places to Get Immersed in Another Culture” category, for being situated amid otherworldly sandstone formations of South Africa’s Western Cape which guests are free to examine with a lodge expert.

What to read next on Traveller24 :

- 4 SA lodges listed as Global Winners in Luxury Hotel Awards

- PICS: 3 SA Lodges listed as National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World

- Two SA eco-lodges listed as 'the Best in Africa' on CNN

2016-11-16 01:35 - traveller24.news24.com

74 /104 0.0 Embattled Trump appointee also insulted Mormons It's understandable that the focus hasn’t been on the more subtle critique of Mormons.

For example:

The LDS Church declined comment for this story, as did a number of Mormon Republican office holders. But a Mormon Democrat has made it a goal of his last months in the U. S. Senate to get Steve Bannon fired before his job begins.

Senate Minority leader Harry Reid called for Bannon’s ouster from the Senate floor.

“As long as a champion of racial division is a step away from the Oval Office, it will be impossible to take Trump's efforts to heal our nation seriously,” said Reid.

2016-11-16 01:18 Max Roth fox13now.com

75 /104 0.0 New exhibit marks 2 anniversaries for NY's Fort Stanwix ROME, N. Y. (AP) - A recreated 18th-century fort in central New York is marking a pair of anniversaries with a new two-part exhibit.

The Rome Historical Society and Fort Stanwix National Monument have teamed up to educate the public about the area’s Colonial-era history and then about the building of the park.

The exhibit celebrates the 40th anniversary of the opening of Fort Stanwix and the centennial of the National Park Service, which operates the site.

The newly opened exhibit, called “From Memory to Monument,” tells the story of how the city of Rome helped support the idea of turning the fort into a national park.

The site of the current fort was home to a British fortification during the French and Indian War and an American fort during the Revolutionary War.

2016-11-16 01:17 By www.washingtontimes.com

76 /104 0.0 Trump May Have Won, But Ford Is Still Moving Its Small Car Production to Mexico During his campaign Donald Trump singled out Ford by name, calling on the American car manufacturer to stop sending jobs to Mexico and threatening to slap tariffs on any cars imported from south of the border.

Ford’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields must not respond well to threats; he admitted to Reuters on Tuesday that Ford was still planning on moving the production of its small cars from Michigan to — you guessed it — Mexico.

“We’re going forward with our plan to move production of the Ford Focus to Mexico,” he confessed at an interview during the Los Angeles Auto Show. Still, Fields claimed that the move would not have any effect at all on American jobs because the move south will “make room for two very important products we’ll be putting back into Michigan plants.”

Ford has yet to announce what exactly those “important products” are, but Fields at least is convinced that the move will lead to “no job impact whatsoever.”

While Trump won the White House on his promise to keep American manufacturing jobs in America and punish companies that move jobs overseas — hitting them with “a 35 percent tax when they want to ship their products back into the United States” — Ford still considers it cheaper to manufacture outside of the country.

“It’s very difficult for us to be able to make money on a vehicle produced in the U. S,” said Fields, explaining that if they were to raise the cost of their smaller cars to compensate for the increased cost of manufacturing in the United States the car just “wouldn’t sell.”

Carmakers may not be pleased with Trump’s stance on American manufacturing but they are still eager to do business with him. The group representing American carmakers — including Ford — is already lobbying Trump’s team to do away with President Obama’s fuel economy standards which would compel car manufacturers to double the fuel efficiency of their vehicles by 2025.

Fields, for one, doesn’t see the contradiction. Fuel economy and trade he says “are two separate issues.”

2016-11-16 01:16 Charley Lanyon feedproxy.google.com

77 /104 0.0 Pregnant Marion Cotillard wears Egyptian-inspired outfit to Allied screening in NYC The actress, 41, arrived to the New York City event in an Egyptian inspired sequinned outfit. Also at the Allied screening on Tuesday was the film's director Robert Zemeckis and his wife Leslie Harter Zemeckis. Swedish model Alex Lundqvist looked dapper in his blazer, jeans and tie while posing on the carpet with his spouse Keytt. Louisa Krause looked lovely in a silky black belted dress and silver heels; she paired the look with red lipstick and slicked back hair. Allied will hit US theaters on November 23.

2016-11-16 01:09 Sarah Sotoodeh www.dailymail.co.uk

78 /104 0.0 The Rolling Stones bring their exhibit of memories to New York NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - British rock band The Rolling Stones celebrated the arrival of their travelling exhibition of memories and memorabilia in New York with a star-studded party on Tuesday. "Exhibitionism" features nine galleries of costumes, instruments and personal notes collected by band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts over more than 50 years. "There's a sense of nostalgia, but I think I walked away from it with how much the Stones mean to so many people. And that was kind of humbling in a way," guitarist Richards said of the exhibition. U. S. television host Jimmy Fallon and designer Tommy Hilfiger were among the party attendees on Tuesday. "Exhibitionism" is open in New York until March 12 before heading to Chicago, Illinois. (Reporting by Reuters Tv. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

2016-11-16 01:08 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

79 /104 0.0 Julian McMahon takes a dip with wife Kelly Paniagua at a Gold Coast beach in between shoots as he rocks 70s style moustache for new film Flammable Children He's grown out his facial hair in true Freddy Mercury fashion for his role in the 1970s based coming-of-age film, Flammable Children. And Julian McMahon, 48, was seen rocking his new moustache at a Gold Coast beach, while enjoying the company of his model wife Kelly Paniagua. The couple, who married in 2014, were seen acting like newlyweds as they cosied up in the ocean and stole kisses while standing on the shore. Scroll down for video Emerging from the ocean - soaking wet - the pair stunned as they showcased their toned figures at the Queensland beach. Julian was spotted wearing tiny navy swimmer bottoms, while his glistening abs were out for all to see as he soaked up the summer heat. His hair was slicked back with the help of the salty ocean water as he drip dried his way back onto the white sand beach. But more than his physique, the 48- year-old's new facial hair was a real show-stopper and overshadowed the genetically blessed actor's enviable muscles. At one stage, Julian was seen taking a dip alone in the ocean, looking every bit the 1970s stereotype with his handlebar moustache. Walking out of the ocean, he appeared to lick the saltwater from his moustache and held his swimmer bottoms as he moved through the breakers. Julian and Kelly - who he has been with for 13 years - appeared to share a laugh as the brunette beauty cupped his bottom in one snap. The pair were later seen moving from the ocean to their towels to soak up the warm Queensland weather. The couple lay on blue and white stripped towels and were surrounded by their possessions which included a backpack with their dry clothing. At one point Kelly was seen tying her hair into a ponytail before donning a visor with the words Malibu written on the front. Julian was seen drying off with the blue and white towel before putting a pair of dark shades and a rainbow hat on. He later opted for something a little bit warmer and put on an olive coloured singlet and washed out capri shorts. The enamoured couple were later spotted going to grab a bite to eat and both cut casual figures in shirts and shorts as they enjoyed their meal. The playful beach date comes between filming Julian's newest acting project Flammable Children, which he will co-star in with former sister-in-law Kylie Minogue. Julian was married to her younger sister Dannii in 1994, but divorced two years later. He will act alongside the pop princess as one of the leads in the film set in 1975. The homegrown indie flick has also cast Gold Logie winner Asher Keddie, Guy Pearce and Radha Mitchell. The Aussie comedy is written and directed by Stephan Elliott, best known for his work on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The film follows the journey of a teenager who is coming of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a huge blue whale gets washed up on a local beach. Flammable Children is likely to be released in June next year. Julian's marriage to Kelly is his third after singer Dannii Minogue in 1994, and actress Brooke Burns in 1999, who he shares his only child, Madison with. The pair had been together for 11 years before tying the knot in 2014 in a romantic ceremony in Lake Tahoe, a lakeside area on the edge of California and Nevada. When talking about his engagement to Kelly, Julian told New Idea that he asked for the help of his daughter Madison while on a plane to Paris. 'When we got on the plane, I told Maddie that I wanted to propose to Kelly in Paris but wasn't sure when we were going to get there, so asked 'do you think maybe we should propose on the plane together?' Julian is the son of the late former Prime Minister Sir William McMahon and his late wife, lady Sonia McMahon.

2016-11-16 01:07 Aneeta Bhole www.dailymail.co.uk

80 /104 0.0 A more diverse state House on tap for 2017 LANSING — When the 110 members of the Michigan House of Representatives are sworn into office before the 2017-18 legislative session starts next year, they will be a group that is among the most diverse in the state’s history.

More women, young people, gays, ethnic minorities and African Americans will start their public service when they’re sworn in Jan. 11.

► Related : DeWitt legislator elected Michigan speaker of the House ► Related : GOP keeps control in state House ► Related : Contentious energy bills clear Michigan Senate ►Related: Senators report 'breakthrough' on Michigan energy bills “We now have a record number of women representing their communities in the Republican caucus, the west side of the state re-elected a Hispanic woman … the east side of the state elected a Hispanic man, and the people of Oakland County selected a Chaldean Republican to represent them for the third straight election,” said state Rep. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, the chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee. “This is one of the most diverse teams we have ever put together. And it truly represents people from all across this great state.”

The legislative black caucus will grow by three members when 12 African-American Democrats take their seats next year; and for the first time since 1999, the number of women in the state House will grow by five and return to the high water mark of 31 members — 16 Republicans and 15 Democrats. One of those women, Rep. Laura Cox, R-Livonia, will be the first woman to become the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee.

“This means that the Michigan Legislature is increasingly looking like the population of the state and that’s a good thing,” said Lansing political consultant Kelly Rossman of Truscott Rossman. “Every group brings its own set of experiences. Not everyone thinks like a white male. It’s important to have the thoughts and experiences of people who are more reflective of society.”

There also are three members of Middle Eastern descent — Abdullah Hammoud, D- Dearborn, Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Township, and Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor; three Hispanics — Shane Hernandez, R-Port Huron, Daniela Garcia, R-Holland, and Vanessa Guerra, D- Bridgeport; an Indian — Rep. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing; a Taiwan native — Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit; and three openly gay representatives — Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, and Tim Sneller, D-Burton.

“I think that it’s reflective of the changing demographics of the state and in different areas of the state,” said former state Rep. Steve Tobocman, who is the executive director of Global Detroit, a group that looks at how to use immigration as an economic development tool.

“I’ve done a lot of reading about how increased diversity affects the private sector, and it’s been shown that it improves productivity and innovation, and I’d like to think that will be true in the public sector as well,” he added.

Such diversity becomes increasingly important during times of crisis. Tobocman recalled that the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened while he was serving in the Legislature.

"We didn’t have a Muslim American in the Legislature. And when we were dealing with security issues, we really didn’t have a member who had personally experienced those types of issues," he said.

The number of young members also is on the rise with at least 24 members younger than 35 — and 10 of those members younger than 30, including 21-year-old Jewell Jones, D-Inkster and 23-year-old Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain. They’ll be led by Speaker of the House Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, who at 35 will be one of the youngest speakers.

“The energy is good, the enthusiasm is good and you have to bring something to the table to even get there,” said Chris Arndt, chairman of the Michigan Young Republicans. “Even though one might be hesitant about their youth and inexperience, they got there by working really hard.” Term limits were supposed to create a legislative body that was populated by people at the end of their careers, who had the time to serve.

"But now we're going to have some very young people without a whole lot of life experience serving with people at the other end of the spectrum," Rossman said. "Like they say, we live in interesting times. "

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430 or [email protected]

2016-11-16 01:05 Kathleen Gray rssfeeds.freep.com

81 /104 0.0 Fashion favorite Zara is coming to Somerset Collection next year Here's some super great news for fans of style : Zara — the ultimate provider of fast fashion — is coming to town.

►Related: 3 new-to-Michigan stores coming to Somerset ►Related: Black Friday: From boom to bust ►Related: Finally, Shinola watches at a discount

A 30,000-square foot two-level store is scheduled to open at Somerset Collection North in Troy in time for holiday 2017. It is to be located near Macy's; construction is to begin in spring.

The Somerset location will be the first Zara in metro Detroit — and the first in Michigan.

"It's probably been three or four years in the making,'' said Nate Forbes, managing partner of Southfield-based Forbes Co., which owns Somerset. Getting the Spanish retailer to town meant selling it on the area's viability, getting a place on Zara's expansion schedule and freeing up space within the mall to accommodate the store.

"Every time we get a new store to come to the metropolitan area, it's a great thing for the region. " Zara — which has about 2,100 stores in 88 countries — has been on an expansion jag. Earlier this month it opened stores in suburban Cleveland and suburban Baltimore. Today, it's scheduled to open at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. Until recently, the closest store to metro Detroit was in Chicago.

If you're unfamiliar with Zara, think of it this way: It gets sophisticated high-fashion looks — at relatively inexpensive prices — to shoppers at almost the speed of light. The stores get new shipments of new designs about every two weeks. Info: zara.com/us/

So while most people may not be able to afford off-the-runway clothing, they can buy something that looks similar. In many cases, even those who can afford to shop runway fashion choose Zara; Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has been known to shop there.

The Somerset store will carry accessories, as well as clothing for men, women and kids. Sizing isn't generous; and there are no plus sizes.

But the store's appearance is a huge boost to metro Detroit's roster of stores.

Contact Georgea Kovanis: [email protected] or 313-222-6842.

2016-11-16 01:02 Georgea Kovanis rssfeeds.freep.com

82 /104 82 /104 0.0 Naas backs Lambie for No 10 berth AutoTrader is your trusted motoring marketplace for both used cars and new cars, and all vehicles. Itâs your one-stop-shop for all your automotive needs and is the simple way to buy and sell cars.

2016-11-16 01:01 www.sport24.co.za

83 /104 0.0 Truffles in Paradise. (And It’s Not Italy.) “Go Nero!” Nikola Tarandek, a truffle hunter, urged on his black Labrador, who scratched furiously at the moist soil of Motovun Forest in Croatia. We were in the hinterlands of Istria , a diamond-shaped peninsula that juts into the Adriatic Sea, exploring one of the richest grounds for premium white truffles — long overshadowed in fame but not quality by the truffle mecca of Alba in the Piedmont region of Italy. Nero had caught the scent at the roots of an oak, sending up clumps of dirt as Mr. Tarandek twisted a spade into the black earth.

The commotion yielded only a tiny tuber that wasn’t even worth taking back to town. Other truffles that Nero sniffed out turned up spoiled. But it was just the beginning of the season, and within weeks Mr. Tarandek, who runs a side-business taking visitors on truffle-hunting tours , would be bringing fist-sized truffles home to market.

Truffles are considered an expensive delicacy in some places, but that is not the case here. And while the Istrian truffle is premium grade, its culture is free of the snobbery, intrigue and astronomical prices found in Piedmont or in the Perigord region of France.

It’s as if Istrian truffles have been a well-kept secret, ripe for discovery. And that’s beginning to happen with stronger efforts to promote them. The international food world is starting to take notice, with visits to Istrian truffle country increasing every year.

It may seem surprising that a delicacy associated with Italy and France is found in Croatia’s dense oak forests, but truffles have been hunted here for centuries. Istrian truffles have maintained a low profile largely because those from Alba enjoy such cachet.

And there’s another reason: Croatian truffles have for decades made their way to the Italian market and been sold as Alba truffles. Locals say that has translated into little incentive to make their product famous, since hunters earn so much supplying Italy in a shady trade made possible by Istria’s proximity to Piedmont.

That’s been changing in the last decade. The night before my truffle hunt I was dining at Mondo Tavern in the village of Motovun, which commands spectacular views on a hilltop overlooking the truffle forest.

The owner, Klaudio Ivasic, said locals are awakening to the benefits of keeping truffles at home. Until recent years, Motovun’s tourist season ended in August. As truffle fame has grown, the season is extending through November. “People are coming for the truffles,” Mr. Ivasic said proudly.

For travelers, the attractions of an Istrian truffle tour are plentiful. Istria’s rolling landscapes evoke Tuscany; its beaches are among the Mediterranean’s most beautiful; cliffs are dotted with fairy- tale villages — and a truffle meal won’t burn a hole through your wallet.

At Mondo, a man started shaving a white truffle over my plate of Istrian “fuzi,” short pasta. I expected him to stop after a couple of seconds, but he kept going. A heavenly aroma filled the room. The flakes drifted down until my pasta was buried in a white truffle mantle. This dish, which in Milan would easily cost 40 euros (and in New York or London don’t even think about it), is priced here at a reasonable 155 Croatian kuna, or 20 euros ($22).

Mr. Ivasic, himself a truffle hunter, said the dry summer and rainy September had been ideal for white truffles, and that this season could be the best in a decade, although “truffles are a mystery.” In the morning, Mr. Tarandek was less optimistic, and it was understandable. He had been seeking truffles for two hours, to no avail. “Too early in the season,” he mumbled.

Suddenly Nero started barking frantically by the roots of a poplar. His owner dropped to his knees, cutting at roots so his dog could dig deeper. “Come down close to the hole,” Mr. Tarandek beckoned, “and SMELL!” I was then on hands and knees, sinking my face into a muddy crater — just like a truffle-hunting dog — and a blast of truffle hit my nose. Is this the jackpot? Mr. Tarandek shook his head. “Oh no, it’s a small truffle,” he said, “but a good one.”

He continued cutting at roots to extract the puny but precious truffle — and stopped. A stream of invective poured from his lips. The yellowish fleck he had found poking from the dirt was only the tip of a much larger prize.

“I have destroyed the truffle,” he groaned, displaying the chunk he had broken off. “Ohhhhhh my God. That was sooooo big a truffle!”

Hunters command top dollar only for intact truffles. With one careless flick Mr. Tarandek had lost up to 300 euros. But soon he’d seen the brighter side of things, for this meant truffle season was starting in earnest.

“Lucky day,” he said. “Now I have motivation.”

2016-11-16 01:01 JOJI SAKURAI www.nytimes.com

84 /104 0.0 WATCH: ‘Persona 5’ English Gameplay Presentation Live Stream Note: you can check out this English Persona 5 gameplay live stream on Wednesday, November 16 at 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST.

For those of us who’ve been waiting on the 2017 launch of Persona 5 , watching everyone in Japan enjoy it stings so much.

We’ve had to fight the urge to cop an import copy and try not to spoil ourselves by watching too much Japanese gameplay. Atlus’ USA arm wants to throw us a bone in live stream form. American fans who’re very much looking forward to Persona 5 will want to make sure their in front of their laptops for this one. The official press statement for this English gameplay demonstration has been released, so check it out below:

On top of new gameplay, there should be even more surprises in store for fans. Hopefully we get some more commentary on the game’s plot, characters, relationship building, battle system etc. from the game’s producer/director. We’ve got the live stream video feed right here for you all to see, so stay tuned.

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2016-11-16 01:00 Elton Jones heavy.com

85 /104 0.0 Nearly half of consumers feel overwhelmed keeping data secure online The number of cybercrime victims grew 10 percent globally in 2015, according to the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report released Wednesday by cybersecurity company Symantec.

The growth may come with good reason. Nearly half — 45 percent — of those surveyed feel overwhelmed in the amount of information they need to protect.

"People know it's an issue, know they need to protect stuff, but are not doing enough," said Kevin Haley, a director of security for Norton, which makes internet security software.

While the cost per person and time taken to repair is down from 2015 — victims now spend nearly $183 and almost 20 hours fixing the problem — still 689 million people in 21 countries were the victim of cybercrime last year, according to the study.

The report surveyed 20,907 consumers online in 21 countries, including more than 1,000 U. S. participants.

The growth in cybercrime may continue as recent victims still need to do more to protect themselves, according to the survey.

Norton found that while previous cybercrime victims are more concerned about the security of their home Wi-Fi network, they are less likely than nonvictims to use a password. They are also twice as likely to share passwords, which increases the likelihood of being a victim.

Consumers feeling overwhelmed may be leading to poor security with regard to the Internet of Things — or IoT — which includes includes home devices, like thermostats and webcams that connect to the internet.

One in five consumers do not have any protection for their IoT devices, and 44 percent do not believe there are enough connected devices to make them a target for hackers.

But these devices are vulnerable. Last month, cybercriminals were able to take over 100,000 IoT devices and use them to bring down popular websites like Twitter and Netflix.

"I think this is just the beginning of cybercriminals finding ways to creatively use the Internet of Things. Almost like a test attack," said James Lyne, global head of security research for Sophos, a cybersecurity company.

The Norton survey was done before the attack. Still, security researchers have published research for years on the vulnerabilities. Symantec found vulnerabilities in 50 smart home devices in March of 2015.

Americans especially need to pay attention. "We're a big target here," Symantec's Haley said in a phone interview with CNBC.

The U. S. is the most susceptible developed country for cyberattacks, with 39 percent of Americans affected, according to Symantec.

Also more likely to be targeted? Millennials, 40 percent of whom fell victim to cybercrime.

Sixty-five percent of millennials are confident in their ability to protect themselves, according to Haley. They may be overconfident.

"Millennials are worse than everybody else," said Haley. "They are obviously online more than anybody else but have a feeling of invincibility. "

2016-11-16 01:00 Jennifer Schlesinger www.cnbc.com

86 /104 2.1 Tyler Poses Speaks Out About ‘Teen Wolf’ Final Season As Show Comes To An End welcome to the FINAL season of #TeenWolf . pic.twitter.com/PjOFlrhnJL

— TEEN WOLF (@MTVteenwolf) November 14, 2016

“This is the first time we’ve seen Scott without a significant other, which is really cool. In the first episode of Teen Wolf, he falls in love with Allison (Crystal Reed), and in the last episode, Kira (Arden Cho) leaves. It’s the first time we’ve seen Scott without somebody, so that’s really cool and fun to play with. It’s exciting to see where that’s going to go and who else is potential love material for Scott.”

“Right now it doesn’t feel like the last season. What we’re good at is working, and we are really professional. We’re like a well-oiled machine at this point, so I don’t know if we’re like numb, or distracting ourselves from what’s to come, the end, but it doesn’t feel too sad yet. It feels great.”

"Remember how you were the first girl I ever danced with? " #Stydia #TeenWolf pic.twitter.com/H2pNBkn2Y9

— Tati (@HaasStydia) November 16, 2016 stydia is more alive than ever. #TeenWolf pic.twitter.com/gGrFVaSJTw

— – (@sspideypool) November 16, 2016 [Featured Image By Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly]

2016-11-16 00:57 Mandy Robinson www.inquisitr.com

87 /104 0.0 Hell on wheels: in Mosul, the arrival of a suspected car bomber creates a frantic scene It only takes a split second for the expression on the Iraqi soldier’s face to transform from relaxed contentment to absolute terror. “Car bomb!” The scream slices across the otherwise quiet afternoon in Karkukli, a heavily damaged eastern district of Iraq’s second city Mosul. Special operations forces have seized the western half of Karkukli from the Islamic State group, but the eastern half - like most of Mosul - remains under IS control. IS has repeatedly turned to suicide car bombings as part of its defence against Iraqi forces since the operation to retake Mosul was launched four weeks ago. Elite army troops are finishing their typical lunch of rice and tomato sauce on Monday afternoon when the warning comes through on the Diyala Regiment’s walkie-talkie channel. “Armoured Kia Sportage coming your way. Take cover now!” The elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) fighters burst into panicked action, shouting at the few civilians on the dusty rubble-strewn road to hide. Any soldiers carrying weapons lighter than rocket-propelled grenades scramble into abandoned homes, with some kicking through windows to get inside. “Grab the bazookas!” one unit leader bellows to his forces, several of whom grab anti-tank missiles and take up positions at intersections where they can spot the car. Drenched in sweat, drivers leap into Humvees and tanks to block off access to the main road. “Suspicious vehicle is heading north,” a voice radios to Lieutenant Abbas of the Diyala Regiment, standing on a rooftop overlooking his unit’s forward positions in Karkukli. The suspected car bomb is about 150 metres from the CTS’s base inside the neighbourhood, he says. It is driving slowly along a main thoroughfare dividing the neighbourhood’s east and west, likely looking for a route that could bring it closer to CTS forces. But the troops spent the morning blocking off about a dozen alleyways with tanks and bulldozers, and the Kia Sportage struggles to find a way through. “It reached our fortified positions and is turning back,” the same voice says minutes later. “Roger. I’ll have Hussein set up one (anti-tank missile) for you at the end of the alley,” Abbas responds. While the imminent danger has subsided, CTS forces remain on high alert - the search is on. The gunfire and yelling has died down, and Karkukli’s now-deserted streets are eerily quiet as tense CTS soldiers wait for news of the car’s location. As soon as he heard of the suspicious vehicle, Lieutenant Haidar Hussein bounded up the steps to the rooftop of the abandoned three-storey home his unit is using as a base. The young, clean-shaven soldier is responsible for flying the Mosul Regiment’s surveillance drone, which has been instrumental in helping them spot incoming car bombs. Usually, Hussein locates the booby- trapped cars, which are then targeted by CTS tanks or air strikes from the US-led coalition warplanes circling above. He isn’t so lucky on Monday. “I put the drone up in the sky as soon as I heard there was a suspicious car, but I can’t find it,” he says, fixated on the bird’s-eye view of Karkukli displayed on the tablet screen in front of him. The clock is ticking - the drone’s batteries only last 20 minutes and he has no other charged units. “I’m monitoring this area here, as it’s the only way the car can reach us,” Hussein explains, pointing to a deserted main road leading into Karkukli from an adjacent industrial zone. He shakes his head and starts directing the drone back towards his rooftop, sprinkled with broken glass and empty cans of cheap energy drinks guzzled by young fighters. Minutes later, a pair of grinning CTS soldiers emerge from the staircase. One sets his anti-tank missile in a corner of the rooftop. “It’s gone,” the other says, waving his hand to indicate that the car has left their neighbourhood and that they are safe - for now.

2016-11-16 00:57 Agence France www.scmp.com

88 /104 0.0 Man dead after shooting in Fort Pierce FORT PIERCE — One man is dead after a shooting at a Fort Pierce duplex, said Ed Cunningham, spokesman for the Fort Pierce Police Department.

Two men entered the duplex in the 1400 block of Havana Avenue about 8:40 p.m. and shot another man in the head. Other people were inside the duplex at the time of the shooting, Cunningham said.

The man was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce in critical condition, where he died from his injuries, Cunningham said.

Cunningham said police think the victim was targeted by the two men, but said he couldn't release further details. It was unknown whether anything was stolen from the duplex.

Police spoke to witnesses to see whether there is a connection between the victim and the two men. The men fled the scene after the shooting, and police officers were searching for them into early Wednesday morning.

Both men were described as black and heavyset. The first man had on a light gray shirt, dark pants and no shoes, Cunningham said. The second man had a light-colored shirt and dark pants.

Anyone with information on the two men should call the Fort Pierce Police Department at 772- 461-3820.

2016-11-16 00:56 Nicholas Samuel rssfeeds.tcpalm.com

89 /104 0.0 When the front light dims OUR country is going through the best of times; the worst of times; but also the scariest of times.

It is the best of times because it offers us a window of opportunity to gather ourselves again and renew our socio-political contract. In this regard, it’s almost like a ‘now or never moment’.

If the desperate madness happening in our politics is not indicative enough of the need to do this, I do not know what else will. At the rate we’re going, we shall either continue being dragged down by politicians who seem more concerned about their own survival than our collective wellbeing, or have to act decisively to stop the rot through increased civil society vigilance and activism. The work of groupings such as ‘Save South Africa’, ‘SA 1 st Forum’, and others, is far from over.

It is the worst of times because there is fear and confusion all around us. Prominent politicians have resorted to singling-out whole racial groups to make threats against them while the rest of us seem to simply look on.

We look on because we do not feel targeted by the threats; not yet. But these threats are being made against our fellow South Africans, people who are part of the important kaleidoscope that is South Africa. If they get hurt, so shall we all by default.

We remain silent because the politicians in question have found a smart way to use the lingering pain of apartheid injustices – the unfinished, yet ongoing, business of sorting out our messy legacy - to cloak their genocidal threats.

Some of us have even resorted to applauding the madness because it suddenly feels like the right buttons have been pressed on their behalf. They have conveniently forgotten that if the spirit of Ubuntu is anything to go by, “we are because others are” – our wellbeing is tightly linked to that of our neighbours; our fellow human beings; our fellow South Africans.

All of South Africa’s communities are tied together by a web of written and unwritten social- political contracts. If one gets attacked, the others should stand-up in its defense - not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because each part contributes to the intricate whole.

The messy picture confronting us

It is a messy basket of seemingly unconnected dots that are nevertheless connected. The sheer number of them intimidates some of us into inaction, fear, confusion, even a level of complicity. We seem to lack the energy, the will, or even the wherewithal to connect the dots and to come to terms with the ugly picture they present.

These dots are the radically changed political map of South Africa following the 2016 Local Government Elections; the ongoing allegations of nefarious, repeated, attempts to take control of our National Treasury and state-owned entities (some of which are already on their knees); the threatened integrity of our Chapter 9 Institutions; the highly protected file in the vaults of the NPA said to contain some 783 criminal charges against the President; the President’s determination to hang on with dear life to his position – willing to take his seemingly complicit party down with him – in order to keep occupying the vantage position of choir master; the looming ANC elective conference in 2017; the progressive weakening of the former political giant that was Cyril Ramaphosa in preparation for an ANC candidate who can be trusted to protect the current President after his mandate ends; the growing plethora of acting, therefore pliable, CEOs and other senior officials in government institutions, all servicing mandates that no longer seem to be in tune with our national interests; and so on and so forth.

The looming picture of what our political map will look like after the much anticipated 2019 general elections is like a basket of unpredictable outcomes. For some, it is a chance to finally take over national leadership positions and carry out their genocidal madness; for others, it will be the end of an era and a feared arrival at the tip of a political precipice.

To each one these groups, ordinary South Africans are just disposable toys to play with; they constitute a means to an end. They will be pitted against one another, divided along racial and other lines in a bid to divert them from the onerous task of connecting the dots. But only they and South Africa have much to lose.

Need to hold together; build together

The time we’re going through needn’t be the scariest of times. We need to remind ourselves of why we stand together as a nation, make an honest evaluation of our achievements over the past 22 years and renew the pledge.

Renewing the pledge should also entail looking into the mirror and engaging in the uncomfortable conversations that we seem adept at kicking further down the road each time we arrive at them. Doing this means agreeing, once and for all, on ways to sort out the land ownership question, racism in our communities and places of work, socio-economic inequalities, corruption, etc. without the need to tear our nation apart.

Instead of unhelpful racial profiling, we should also celebrate the thousands of South Africans of all backgrounds who silently give a lot of themselves and what they have by bridging the divides between individuals and communities right across the country.

There are monsters and there are nation builders in all communities. We should learn to tell the difference and resist political manipulation by people who lack the wherewithal to lead a diverse nation such as ours.

* Solly Moeng is brand reputation management adviser and CEO of strategic corporate communications consultancy DonValley. Views expressed are his own.

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2016-11-16 00:56 Solly Moeng www.fin24.com

90 /104 0.0 Ian Thorpe recalls his parents' reaction to him coming out The gold medallist revealed he feared he wouldn't be accepted by his own conservative family and made sure to have close friends on his side to support him if things went badly. However, Ian says he was pleased by their reactions: 'Mum and Dad quite simply told me they loved me and they'll support me no matter what.' He said it was the first time in his adult life he felt confident enough to leave 'the closet' and wants his story to help other LGBTIQ people to do the same without fear. 'God loves Ian and we love Ian unconditionally and we will support him,' he added. Over the weekend, Ian and his model boyfriend Ryan Channing posted an image of themselves in Sydney sporting matching 'Equality' T-shirts. Ryan perched upon his back for the playful piggyback snap, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House were visible in the background. Ian uploaded the happy moment to Instagram, captioning the post: 'It's time Australia... Marriage equality is a human right for all.' His partner then followed suit, by sharing the same image with a simple, direct message with all the hand-holding emojis : 'IT'S // TIME.' The T-shirts are similar to the 'Say "I do" Down Under' slogan T-shirts created by Pop icon Kylie Minogue and her fiancé Joshua Sasse. Created to call for equal marriage rights in Australia, the Hollywood couple have previously set they wouldn't say 'I do' until same-sex couples could. Other well- known Australian celebrities to support the cause by sporting the shirts are, Margot Robbie, Natalie Imbruglia, Rebecca Rigg, Rove McManus, Sam Frost and Simon Baker. But it wasn't always easy for Ian, admitting in an interview with British talk show host Michael Parkinson he spent years denying his homosexuality. 'I don't want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay,' he said in the interview. In a recent episode of Silvia's Italian Table , he touched upon the subject of same-sex marriage with celebrity chef Silvia Colloca. 'The vast majority of people now support gay marriage'. However, he added that a plebiscite would 'divide' the community. The national icon, affectionately known as Thorpedo, made headlines in 2014 when he came out as gay in 2014 - admitting he had struggled with his sexuality for many years. After years of denying his homosexuality, Thorpe told the world he was gay in an interview with British talk show host Michael Parkinson. 'I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man,' he stated. 'I don't want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay. 'I am telling the world that I am gay … and I hope this makes it easier for others now, and even if you've held it in for years, it feels easier to get it out,' he added.

2016-11-16 00:55 Candice Jackson www.dailymail.co.uk

91 /104 0.0 Hillary Clinton Now Leads by 1 Million in History- Making Popular Vote Total Hillary Clinton now leads Donald Trump by more than 1 million popular votes, as of November 15. Clinton’s growing lead has renewed calls in some corners to abolish the Electoral College.

The Cook Political Report and Dave Wasserman have compiled a continually updated popular vote tracker. Both candidates are still gaining votes as states count absentee and provisional ballots, millions of which were still uncounted after the election, especially in California.

Here are the updated popular vote totals as of November 15:

Clinton: 62,318,079 Trump : 61,166,063

That means Clinton now leads the popular vote by 1,152,016 votes. Clinton’s vote total is a historic achievement. Clinton now has the third highest number of votes of any presidential candidate in U. S. history (she also became the fourth presidential candidate to win the popular vote but lose the Electoral College). She is behind only Barack Obama’s two historic elections. However, she just surpassed the tally of George W. Bush.

The issue for Clinton, though, according to the Wasserman/Cook Political Report numbers: Trump leads in the swing states. That gave him the Electoral College by a 290-232 margin and made him president-elect. Defenders of the Electoral College say it forces candidates to compete for the hearts and minds of Americans in all states, giving all states a voice in the presidential election.

Without the Electoral College, a few large cities and states (New York, L. A.), would determine every presidential election. Indeed, Clinton’s popular vote edge was boosted by millions from New York and California alone. Trump’s lead is expected to grow after Michigan is formally called. Right now, he leads there by just over 13,000 votes, but the Associated Press is waiting to call the state until after the deadline for requesting a recount passes (candidates have to wait until votes are canvassed.)

Some Clinton supporters have now turned to an improbable last-ditch scenario to make her president: Trying to convince electors, who will vote for the president in December, to ditch Trump even though many states now bind them to him. This is an improbable scenario because Trump has such a large margin in the Electoral College and because many of the electors are partisans.

Swing state popular vote, per the popular vote tracker:

Clinton: 21,171,526

Trump: 22,050,344

Clinton’s popular vote total is history making. Here’s how.

The first point is obvious but sometimes overshadowed by the at-times theatrical narratives this campaign season: Clinton was the first female major party nominee.

However, Clinton’s popular vote total also made history regardless of gender.

Here is how her popular vote total stacks up with the top 10 popular vote tallies of any presidential candidate in U. S. history, according to 270toWin.

1. Barack Obama 2008: 69,456,897

2. Barack Obama 2012: 65,446,032 3. Hillary Clinton 2016: 62,318,079 (as of November 15)

4. George W. Bush 2004 62,039,073 5. Donald Trump 2016: 61,166,063 (as of November 15)

6. John McCain 2008: 59,934,814

7. John Kerry 2004: 59,027,478

8. Ronald Reagan 1984: 54,455,000

9. Al Gore 2000: 50,996,582

10. George W. Bush 2000: 50,456,062

Trump is also close to making history. He is on the cusp of surpassing Bush as the Republican presidential candidate with the most popular votes in U. S. history. He has the 5th highest popular vote total in U. S. history.

Sen. Barbara Boxer of California has filed legislation seeking to abolish the Electoral College, saying, “This is the only office in the land where you can get more votes and still lose the presidency.”

According to the National Archives and Records Administration , “The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.”

The site adds, “he Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for your Senators.”

Trump has fired back on Twitter against Electoral College critics (even though he once was one himself):

Noting that Hillary Clinton got more votes than Trump but still lost the election, Boxer said it is time to do with an “outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society.”

In case you’re curious, Clinton has surpassed her husband, former President Bill Clinton, by millions of votes as the country’s number of eligible voters continues to grow. Bill Clinton earned 45,590,703 popular votes in 1996 and 44,908,254 in 1992, according to 270toWin.

A few other random popular vote totals from history: John F. Kennedy received 34,227,096 in an exceptionally close 1960 election against Richard Nixon. Franklin D. Roosevelt received 27,244,160 votes in 1940. In 1824, Andrew Jackson was able to win the presidency with just 153,544 votes.

You can see more popular vote and electoral college results for historic elections here.

The uncounted ballots won’t change the popular vote because they come in states she won by a large margin already, especially California. However, they will continue pushing her popular vote total higher.

Faithless electors are the last hope of Hillary Clinton supporters, who have signed a petition on Change.org urging electors to ditch Donald Trump. Some states fine faithless electors. Update ; Donald J Trump is President elect of the United States of America!

2016-11-16 00:48 Jessica McBride heavy.com

92 /104 0.0 Fiji PM invites Trump to meet cyclone victims in climate change appeal – video Frank Bainimarama calls on Donald Trump to make a ‘personal change of heart and public change of policy on climate change’ at the United Nations climate change conference in Morocco. ‘Please take another look at the overwhelming scientific consensus of the man- made effects of global warming,’ he says, before inviting the US president-elect to see the communities that have been moved out of the way of the rising seas and meet the families of those killed by cyclone Winston

2016-11-16 00:47 Source: AP www.theguardian.com

93 /104 0.0 Secret backdoor in some U. S. phones sent data to China, analysts say WASHINGTON — For about $50, you can get a smartphone with a high- definition display, fast data service and, according to security contractors, a secret feature: a backdoor that sends all your text messages to China every 72 hours.

Security contractors recently discovered preinstalled software in some Android phones that monitors where users go, whom they talk to and what they write in text messages. The American authorities say it is not clear whether this represents secretive data mining for advertising purposes or a Chinese government effort to collect intelligence.

International customers and users of disposable or prepaid phones are the people most affected by the software. But the scope is unclear. The Chinese company that wrote the software, Shanghai Adups Technology Company, says its code runs on more than 700 million phones, cars and other smart devices. One American phone manufacturer, BLU Products, said that 120,000 of its phones had been affected and that it had updated the software to eliminate the feature.

Kryptowire, the security firm that discovered the vulnerability, said the Adups software transmitted the full contents of text messages, contact lists, call logs, location information and other data to a Chinese server. The code comes preinstalled on phones and the surveillance is not disclosed to users, said Tom Karygiannis, a vice president of Kryptowire, which is based in Fairfax, Va. “Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t have known about it,” he said.

Security experts frequently discover vulnerabilities in consumer electronics, but this case is exceptional. It was not a bug. Rather, Adups intentionally designed the software to help a Chinese phone manufacturer monitor user behavior, according to a document that Adups provided to explain the problem to BLU executives. That version of the software was not intended for American phones, the company said.

“This is a private company that made a mistake,” said Lily Lim, a lawyer in Palo Alto, Calif., who represents Adups.

The episode shows how companies throughout the technology supply chain can compromise privacy, with or without the knowledge of manufacturers or customers. It also offers a look at one way that Chinese companies — and by extension the government — can monitor cellphone behavior. For many years, the Chinese government has used a variety of methods to filter and track internet use and monitor online conversations. It requires technology companies that operate in China to follow strict rules. Ms. Lim said Adups was not affiliated with the Chinese government.

At the heart of the issue is a special type of software, known as firmware, that tells phones how to operate. Adups provides the code that lets companies remotely update their firmware, an important function that is largely unseen by users. Normally, when a phone manufacturer updates its firmware, it tells customers what it is doing and whether it will use any personal information. Even if that is disclosed in long legal disclosures that customers routinely ignore, it is at least disclosed. That did not happen with the Adups software, Kryptowire said.

According to its website, Adups provides software to two of the largest cellphone manufacturers in the world, ZTE and Huawei. Both are based in China.

Samuel Ohev-Zion, the chief executive of the Florida-based BLU Products, said: “It was obviously something that we were not aware of. We moved very quickly to correct it.”

He added that Adups had assured him that all of the information taken from BLU customers had been destroyed.

The software was written at the request of an unidentified Chinese manufacturer that wanted the ability to store call logs, text messages and other data, according to the Adups document. Adups said the Chinese company used the data for customer support.

Ms. Lim said the software was intended to help the Chinese client identify junk text messages and calls. She did not identify the company that requested it and said she did not know how many phones were affected. She said phone companies, not Adups, were responsible for disclosing privacy policies to users. “Adups was just there to provide functionality that the phone distributor asked for,” she said.

Android phones run software that is developed by Google and distributed free for phone manufacturers to customize. A Google official said the company had told Adups to remove the surveillance ability from phones that run services like the Google Play store. That would not include devices in China, where hundreds of millions of people use Android phones but where Google does not operate because of censorship concerns. Because Adups has not published a list of affected phones, it is not clear how users can determine whether their phones are vulnerable. “People who have some technical skills could,” Mr. Karygiannis, the Kryptowire vice president, said. “But the average consumer? No.”

Ms. Lim said she did not know how customers could determine whether they were affected.

Adups also provides what it calls “big data” services to help companies study their customers, “to know better about them, about what they like and what they use and there they come from and what they prefer to provide better service,” according to its website.

Kryptowire discovered the problem through a combination of happenstance and curiosity. A researcher there bought an inexpensive phone, the BLU R1 HD, for a trip overseas. While setting up the phone, he noticed unusual network activity, Mr. Karygiannis said. Over the next week, analysts noticed that the phone was transmitting text messages to a server in Shanghai and was registered to Adups, according to a Kryptowire report.

Kryptowire took its findings to the United States government. It made its report public Tuesday.

Marsha Catron, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency “was recently made aware of the concerns discovered by Kryptowire and is working with our public and private sector partners to identify appropriate mitigation strategies.”

Kryptowire is a Homeland Security contractor but analyzed the BLU phone independent of that contract.

Mr. Ohev-Zion, the BLU chief executive, said he was confident that the problem had been resolved for his customers. “Today there is no BLU device that is collecting that information,” he said.

2016-11-16 00:37 By Matt www.post-gazette.com

94 /104 0.0 Year 12 students using Facebook and Craigslist to buy 'flakka' drugs ahead of Schoolies Year 12 students are using social media websites to sell illicit substances to their friends ahead of Schoolies celebrations. The students have posted advertisements with their mobile number and Snapchat details on Facebook to notify their friends they will be selling drugs at Schoolies, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. One friend responded to the advert asking if the teenager was selling the dangerous synthetic drug flakka, which is believed to have caused an outbreak of overdoses in October that left two victims in a coma. Scroll down for video Following the spate of overdoses on the Gold Coast last month, police feared students could be duped into buying the 'party drug' assuming it was ecstasy and warned they would be keeping a close eye on revellers. Thousands of students are expected to travel to popular beach locations like the Gold Coast and Byron Bay for a week of partying and sun once end of year exams are completed. During last year's celebrations 37 schoolies were arrested on 48 charges, while 81 non-schoolies faced 113 charges in the same period, according to police. There was a 60 per cent drop in arrests from the year before, which Gold Coast District Inspector Damien Crosby attributed to the heavy police presence and co-operation with licenced venues across the party district. Susan McLean, a former police officer and cyber safety expert, said it would be 'extremely dumb' for students to think they would fly under the radar or be unnoticed by police if they advertise online. Police use a range of tools to gather intelligence during Schoolies and they do monitor the internet and social media. 'To blatantly sell drugs online is pretty dumb because it doesn't matter if you have a fake account officers can contact Facebook and get all the relevant details of who has been posting and managing the account,' Ms McLean told Daily Mail Australia. 'Then they will obtain a warrant and arrest you,' she added. Ms McLean said there are harsh penalties for possessing drugs but warned they were far more significant for those selling. 'Trafficking a drug of dependence or an illicit drug is far more significant than possession. Penalties for those selling is double or triple that of possession.' 'There are always going to be people that don't heed the warnings and think it will all be okay and usually the moment of reality is when you are arrested or dead.' She said users should also take caution as they have 'no idea' where the drugs were cooked and the people who make them rarely cause about the health consequences for those who consume them. 'Doing drugs is really risky and we have seen time and time again good kids getting sucked in that are sadly no longer with us.' Advertisements for drugs including ecstasy, ketamine, cannabis, LSD, methamphetamine and cocaine have also appeared the online classified websites Craigslist. Most advertisements used code words such as crank, lucy, molly or charlie, while others blatantly advertised the illegal activity, even posting pictures of zip lock bags containing ice, cannabis and pills. 'You want real sh** or what? You won't find it elsewhere. Go try. You probably already have. Numbers of wannabe dealers is growing faster than ever. Come to years of experience in the game.' Three dealers responded to messages from Daily Mail Australia and advised they could deliver large quantities of ecstasy for $20 a pill to a hotel during the end of year celebrations - some even offering a 'Schoolies discount'. One warned they would not meet face to face and planned to drop the delivery in a mailbox to avoid detection from police. Paramedics have also warned about the deadly repercussions of using 'party drugs' ahead of this year's celebrations. 'Any illegal drugs or unknown substance that you take, the effect is totally unknown,' Queensland Ambulance Supervisor Paul Young said. 'There is no such thing as a Party Drug. Drugs used improperly can and will kill.' Drug Arm Australia's Dennis Young said alcohol was by far the drug most abused by schoolies historically, but also issued a warning to anyone contemplating taking synthetic drugs, such as those that resulted in the overdose situation in October. 'The real issue is they don't know what they're taking, they don't know the strength, they don't know where it's come from,' Mr Young said.

2016-11-16 00:34 Belinda Grant www.dailymail.co.uk

95 /104 0.0 'Due to the current climate': Alicia Keys switches from new single to political song Holy War on The Voice Alicia Keys got political on Tuesday while performing on The Voice. The 35-year-old new coach took to the stage as the final 12 competitors nervously waited for live results during the elimination episode. She was supposed to perform her latest single Blended Family but only sang a few bars of a stripped down version of the single. Alicia then stopped and switched to her powerful political tune Holy War and its lyrics against fear, hate and building 'walls between each other.' The 15-time Grammy Award winner, who had initially been in silhouette and joined by two backing singers performing a cappella, made no mistake of her reasoning for the switch. 'That's my new song, Blended Family, that I was supposed to sing tonight,' she told the audience. 'But due to the current climate there's only one song I can sing, and that's Holy War.' Dressed all in black, she was then joined by fellow coach Adam Levine on acoustic guitar for the heartfelt full band performance of the powerful song. Miley Cyrus passionately sang along from her red chair. When it finished, Alicia held her hand over her heart before blowing a kiss in thanks for the applause. As well as playing guitar, Maroon 5 frontman Adam also sang during the results show with his remaining team, as did Miley, who tackled a classic by her godmother Dolly Parton. The two new coaches however did not have an easy ride on the results show. Despite old-hands Blake and Adam having spent the season feeling the pressure from the ladies, they ended up doing best, with both seeing all three of their team members advancing automatically to the next round. Alicia and Miley had to watch as one of their artists - Sa'Rayah for Alicia and Aaron Gibson for Miley - both sang to get saved in a live, five-minute Twitter vote at the end of the show. Miley jumped up and stomped the ground with joy when husky-voiced Aaron was named as the final contestant going through after his version of Ed Sheeran's Lego House. He joined Ali Caldwell, Wé McDonald, Brendan Fletcher, Courtney Harrell, Billy Gilman, Darby Walker, Austin Allsup, Christian Cuevas, Josh Gallagher and Sundance Head to make up the final 11. Alicia had spoken passionately about Sa'Rayah and wanting her to stay in the running, saying: 'I am so blessed to have been in your presence. You are phenomenal. 'Your voice is so incredibly gifted and the love you have in your heart and the way you share it through music and what you feel for your family and your daughter and the way it comes through. Thank you for showing people that everything is possible,' Alicia said. She also said: 'Anyone at home with a heart, if you have a heart in your chest, you hear and you feel Sa'Rayah when she sings. Just continue to walk in your light, Mama. You've already won.' Sa'Rayah was equally passionate about her coach, telling Alicia: 'Everything you said to me when you fought for me in that blind audition - you meant it, and I know you meant it because you've proven it every single time. Thank you for your love, thank you for your light.' She then had Carson Daly chuckling as she added: 'I love you and there ain't nothing you can do about it.' Miley had referred to the other coaches performing on the night when asked about Aaron, saying: 'Today, all of us, we've been onstage today - Alicia performed, I performed, Adam performed - and never once did I ever want anything but the best for them and for their performances. 'I wanted them to shine - I wanted their music to be the best it could be and them to be the most themselves ever, and never would I want my greatness to come from someone else's fault. 'I want to succeed while everyone else succeeds too. And that's what I wanna thank you for doing. For always being here with all love,' she told Aaron. Miley and Aaron had earlier been joined by their other team members - Ali and Darby - for a performance of Dolly's There'll Always Be Music. They all wore white with music symbols as decorations - with Miley most eye-catching in a white cowboy shirt, a black skirt with frills and white high-heel cowboy boots. 'Obviously a special song for Miley as it was done in part by her godmother, the great Dolly Parton,' Carson said afterward. Adam performed with his all-male team - Billy Gilman, Brendan Fletcher, and Josh Gallagher - with all but Billy strapping on guitars for a cover of Buffalo Springfield's politically-charged classic For What It's Worth. The Maroon 5 singer spent most of the song showing off his electric guitar riffs - while Billy raised the pace of the song when he took the tune to a higher register for his section. In recorded sections, Alicia and Miley got to surprise several big fans of theirs who were brought into the studio for a tour with no idea they would meet their idols. They got to sing happy birthday to one fan - while another was so shocked she leaped out of her chair at seeing Alicia standing behind her. 'I mean, I freaked out when I met Alicia, so - I get it,' Miley shrugged while watching on.

2016-11-16 00:33 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk

96 /104 0.0 Top K-pop star to be conscripted policeman By Hong Dam-young Rapper T. O. P of K-pop boy band BigBang will begin his mandatory military duty as a conscripted policeman early next year after being accepted into the National Police Agency of South Korea on Monday. The star, whose name is Choi Seung-hyun, 29, took an exam on Oct. 25 and will be enlisted in the military band division. The date of his enlistment will be announced in two weeks. The post requires at least six months’ experience in a related industry, a related certificate, or at least two years of studying in a related field at a college. While Choi’s age is considered late compared with other conscripts who usually serve from their early to mid-20s, he is the first among the five members to enter the military. Other members, such as G-Dragon and Taeyang, both 28, are planning to serve next year, according to JoongAng Ilbo. With this year marking a decade since BigBang’s debut, the band will hold a special two-day concert -- “BigBang 10 the Concert 0. to. 10 Final in Seoul” -- at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome on Jan. 7 and 8.

2016-11-16 00:30 Korea Times www.scmp.com

97 /104 0.0 France’s Sarkozy Urges Tax On All U. S. Goods If Trump Pulls America Out Of “Climate Change” Deal Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy suggested Europe impose a carbon tax on all U. S. products if President-elect Donald Trump pulled the country out of the Paris climate change agreement.

Over 100 countries have ratified the 2015 Paris deal to curb carbon emissions in an effort to tackle climate change. Trump, a climate change denier, promised to withdraw from the agreement during his campaign. Speaking to French broadcaster TF1, Sarkozy said late Sunday: “Donald Trump has said – we’ll see if he keeps this promise — that he won’t respect the conclusions of the Paris climate agreement. Well, I will demand that Europe put in place a carbon tax at its border, a tax of 1-3 percent, for all products coming from the United States, if the United States doesn’t apply environmental rules that we are imposing on our companies.”

Sarkozy, who is running for presidency again, also reportedly warned that Europe cannot afford to be “weak” or “naïve” when it comes to free movement of people and trade, referring to Trump’s promises of putting the American worker first and preventing jobs from going to foreign employees.

Trump is looking for a quick exit from the Paris deal, Reuters reported Sunday, citing an anonymous source who is part of the president-elect’s transition team. The source said the real estate mogul was looking for ways to bypass the four-year procedure to exit the agreement.

“It was reckless for the Paris agreement to enter into force before the election,” the source, who works with Trump on international energy and climate policy, said.

Trump, during his campaign, called President Barack Obama’s speech at the Paris climate talks “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen, or perhaps most naïve.” Keep reading

2016-11-16 07:05 www.patdollard.com

98 /104 0.0 $ide Effects: Feeling broke to feel better This isn’t the retirement Janet and Kyle Snyder envisioned for themselves.

Those pricey vacation jaunts have been replaced by pricey trips to the corner drug store and part-time jobs needed to cover $400 a month for their prescription drugs.

“It’s just changed our perspective on how our retirement would be,” Janet Snyder said from her Elyria home.

“Things we thought we’d be able to do, we had to reconsider. That’s what we weren’t prepared for: the rising costs of our prescriptions.”

Prescription drug prices are affecting millions of Americans.

A WKYC Channel 3 News/TEGNA exclusive investigation found more than 100 drugs that have risen in cost by at least 50% or more.

For example, acne medication tetracycline was once 10 cents a pill. Drug makers now charge $10 a pill.

Why?

“They will price things to make money and they will gouge because they can,” a pharmacist said.

The WKYC Channel 3 News investigation also found millions of dollars being funneled from drug and health care companies into the campaigns of Congress and little regulation over the pricing practices of pharmacy benefit managers, whom many – including a pharmacy insider – blame for the rising costs.

“It’s really hard to have faith in Washington when you think that drugs companies have them in their back pocket in order to get them to vote the way they want them to vote,” Snyder said.

Rosie Harris is a cancer survivor. Today, she’s trying to survive the cost of her medications.

She says the cancer-fighting drug exemestane jumped dramatically in price and is now costing her more than $650 out of pocket for a 90-day supply.

“I told my doctor I can't afford the drug," Harris said. “In this country, we're supposed to be the best there is, and yet, people like myself are unable to get the medications they actually need to stay well.”

Mark Burless knows first-hand how high drug prices may alter a patient’s lifestyle and well- being.

He has Crohn’s Disease and has undergone eight surgical procedures. He was prescribed Remicade.

His copay: $460 a month.

“I can no longer afford it,” he said.

Burless has since stopped taking the medication.

“I suffer,” he said.

Burless is like many patients.

As a result of higher drug costs, some patients ration their meds or stop taking them all together.

Doctors say it’s become a crisis that affects the health of millions of people.

At the same time, the public is demanding action from Congress.

However, the same WKYC Channel 3 News/TEGNA investigation found that pharmaceutical and health care companies - along with Washington lobbyists - are throwing tens of millions of dollars at U. S. legislators. Insiders say drug pricing is a complicated, often covert equation.

As far as pricing goes, it’s an unregulated industry - drug makers can charge whatever they want and many do. But it’s the pharmacy benefit management companies (PBMs) that are drawing the latest criticism, and federal scrutiny. “PBMs are gouging the public because they can,” said one local pharmacist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by the PBMs.

Rose Allen, a licensed pharmacist and industry critic, says profit drives the prescription drug market. Both drug makers and PBMs are publicly traded companies.

“They’re able to charge whatever they choose to charge,” she said. “One word to that: gouging.”

In the past year, Congress has grilled the makers of EpiPen, a life-saving injection drug that has risen in price over 400%. Congress members also questioned Martin Shkreli, whose company Turing Pharmaceuticals purchased Daraprim and promptly raised the price from $13 a pill to $750 per pill.

Shkreli’s smirk while being questioned by a Congressional committee was shared and ridiculed repeatedly over social media.

The price was eventually lowered, but not before Americans saw first-hand how greed plays a role in their medical care.

“Everyone one of those players in the middle are incentivized to have drug prices higher,” said Antonio Ciaccia, a spokesman for the Ohio Pharmacists Association.

A WKYC Channel 3 News review of Congressional records show our local legislators have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from drug and health care companies.

And often times, the review found, the legislators given the most money have voted with the industry. Sen.

Rob Portman, who easily won re-election this month, has accepted more than $750,000 in contributions since joining the Senate six years ago. A watchdog group gave him unfavorable marks in all three of his votes on health care.

Channel 3 News tried to interview the Republican senator about prescription drug prices, but his staff limited a producer to a single question. Portman said he had no idea why pharmaceutical companies are so generous to his campaign.

“That’s not how I operate. How I operate is I come up with my policy proposals, including taking on this prescription drug issue,” Portman said. “I know they support Democrats. They support Republicans…But I do what’s right for the people of Ohio.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, has been given about $500,000 from the industry, but that’s over a 23-year span.

“They spend a lot of money on lobbyists. They spend a lot of money on campaign contributions,” he said. “They too often get their way in Congress.”

John Boehner, the former House speaker and Ohio representative, received over $1 million during his time in Congress.

Little-known GOP Congressman Pat Tiberi, a Mansfield-area Republican, has accepted over $800,000 and favored the industry in 18 of 20 votes. Rep. Jim Renacci’s record tends to favor the industry. He received a thumbs down on 15 of 16 votes, but he denies doing the drug companies any favors.

He’s taken about $190,000 in donations.

"I support business, basic business principles and I get a lot of support because of that," he said. Rep. Marcia Fudge, a Democrat, has taken just over $100,000; Rep. Dave Joyce, a Republican, has taken about $118,000.

“The public’s very suspicious of campaign contributions,” said Dr. John Green, a political scientist at the University of Akron.

“They see this as perhaps being the sources of a quid pro quo…and certainly the pharmacy industry is a very major source of campaign finance.”

To Janet Snyder, whose retirement has been upended by the cost of medications, the influence in Washington is obscene.

She questions who her elected officials are representing: citizens or business.

“It’s really hard to have faith in Washington when you think that drug companies have them in their back pocket in order to get them to vote the way they want them to vote,” she said.

“They’re supposed to be there helping us. But it’s hurting us, the people the people that you asked to vote you in.”

Behind the scenes, pharmacists complain of the drug pricing power given to PBMs. These companies – such as CVS Health, Express Scripts or Optum Rx – are among America’s most successful enterprises, each earning a spot in the top 25 of Fortune 500 companies.

Most people who have purchased health care are also assigned a company to handle their prescriptions.

That’s the job of PBMs.

They work with health insurers and negotiate prices with drug companies. They also set up formularies that places drugs in certain price categories.

“The PBM is the last Wild West in health care,” Ciaccia said.

It is the PBM that tells the pharmacist how much to charge a patient. Manufacturers offer rebates to the PBMs that critics say ultimately raise prices.

PBMs often demand money back from pharmacies in the form of a “clawback.”

On occasion, pharmacists say they lose money filling a prescription based on prices set by the PBM.

At the same time, PBMs contract with pharmacies, banning them from speaking publicly about pricing. PBMs have been accused of pocketing profits at the expense of the public.

“I think if a lay person were to see how the drugs are priced, what might impact the prices, they would have pitchforks and axes in their hands,” said Ciaccia. “Ultimately, you have a system that is set up so that when drug prices go up, every single one of those middlemen can benefit from that.”

Pharmacists across the country have been critical of PBMs and their influence.

Some complain that patients are never told that they could save money by paying cash rather than having the medicine run through their insurance.

“If there wasn’t that middleman, we wouldn’t have these high prices,” a pharmacist said. “It’s going to drive pharmacies out of business.

I don’t see any other motivation than greed. They have just grown into a very aggressive and frightening industry.”

The U. S. attorney’s offices have subpoenaed records recently from Express Scripts. The investigations are focusing on the PBMs relationship with drug makers.

“Given the ongoing focus on drug pricing, it is no surprise that the pharmaceutical industry, and by extension our industry, will receive inquiries like these,” an Express Scripts spokesman said in a statement released to St. Louis reporters.

Here’s some tips on saving money on your prescriptions.

*Ask your doctor for a generic version.

*If your insurance doesn’t cover a medication, ask your doctor to request an exemption from the insurance company.

If the request is denied, file an appeal. If denied again, consider pursuing a complaint with the insurance regulators.

*Shop around. Costs differ by area. Try Costco or Sam’s Club, independent pharmacies or online pharmacies.

*Ask about purchasing 90-day supplies, store membership cards, or check for online coupons.

*Use apps such as Good Rx, which can provide drug costs from various sources.

If you’ve experienced problems with prescription drug prices, contact the Investigator Tom Meyer by email: [email protected]

2016-11-16 00:26 Phil Trexler rssfeeds.11alive.com

99 /104 0.0 Michelle Williams is attached at the hip with gal pal Busy Philipps in Beverly Hills Just one day earlier, she spoke about the number one girl in her life - her daughter Matilda. But on Tuesday, Michelle Williams spent some time with her other BFF - actress Busy Philipps. The 36-year-old was spotted arm-in-arm with the actress, 37, as they made their way to a gifting bash in Beverly Hills. Michelle was very much in high spirits during her catch-up with Busy, with neither unable to contain their smile as they strolled through the parking lot, practically attached at the hip. The Blue Valentine actress kept her cool in a black and white dress, jean jacket, sandals, and swept her pixie style haircut across her forehead. Her gal pal, meanwhile, opted for a slightly hippie chic look as she headed out in a loose burgundy-hued blouse teamed with ripped blue jeans. She strode ahead in her pointed red heels while keeping her hairstyle low-key as well, pulling a good portion of her hair back into a messy yet stylish little bun. Busy at one point ditched the ensemble for a playful flannel jumpsuit and a bohemian chic leather purse slung over her shoulder. Even after a night out attending the premiere of Manchester By The Sea together, the ladies appeared refreshed and radiant while taking in the sunshine. Busy took to Instagram less than 24 hours earlier to share a photo of Michelle giving her a kiss on the cheek during the premiere. 'Love her so,' the actress wrote in the photo. She struck a more playful tone in the caption of the photo, which read: 'Went to support my sweet bff Michelle at her new movie tonight and got a whole plate of mini crab cakes smushed into me at the after party! THIS IS WHO I AM.' Michelle, meanwhile, did not appear to be joined that evening by her eleven-year- old daughter Matilda, whose father is the late actor Heath Ledger. But that doesn't mean the youngster was far from mind. Speaking with Us Weekly , the star of Manchester By The Sea said her little girl was fond of all animals, 'real ones and stuffed.' 'We have a zoo in our apartment,' she said in jest. 'We just added a cat to our dog and fish. I figure that’s like a small petting zoo.' She even joked about seeing a potential business opportunity in the petting zoo: 'I could get at least get 50 cents a visit.' The best part of parenthood for Michelle, however, was 'just hearing that word: Mama.' Matilda is the only child of Michelle and Heath, who fell in love while working together on their film Brokeback Mountain. The pair started dating in 2004 and welcomed their daughter in October of the following year. Michelle and Heath ended their relationship in September 2007, four months before he died at the age of 28 from cardiac arrest brought on by prescription drug intoxication.

2016-11-16 00:20 Christine Rendon www.dailymail.co.uk

100 /104 0.0 NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida A fun night in Miami turned tragic for an FGCU student and his friend over the weekend.

Sebastian Ramos, 21, was a junior at FGCU. He and Joshua Lausche, 25, were reported missing Sunday morning. On Tuesday, Ramos' car was found submerged in a canal along Alligator Alley in west Broward County.

The bodies of Ramos and Lausche were found inside.

"It's really sad to know that someone that goes to your school is gone. It's not easy to cope with," said FGCU sophomore Meagan Connell.

Ramos was in a popular band with his brother, Nicholas, who told authorities that Ramos and Lausche were drinking and having a fun-filled weekend in Miami.

Ramos' family said he was a musical prodigy. The Ramos Brothers played at several Southwest Florida venues, and their first music video was released this summer, with more than 1,200 views on YouTube.

Ramos' father called Lee County deputies on Sunday, saying his son and Lausche, of Minnesota, never came back after leaving Estero for a concert in downtown Miami.

"I was just driving there a few days ago. Knowing that it could've been anyone, it could have been me. That's pretty scary stuff," said Michelle Vega, an FGCU senior.

According to a Lee County Sheriff's Office report, Nicholas Ramos told deputies he was waiting for Sebastian and his friend at the Miami concert all afternoon. When he finally showed up, Nicholas Ramos said his brother was drunk, but the three of them went bar hopping. Sebastian Ramos got kicked out of a popular South Beach gay bar called "Twist" around midnight.

"I feel really bad, and I hope that the family can find peace," Vega said.

Ramos and Lausche were last seen at 2 a.m. Sunday after they dropped Nicholas off at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood. They told him they were heading back to Estero.

His family knew something was wrong after Ramos missed a gig Sunday afternoon.

Investigators are working to see if speed or alcohol played a factor. They said it appears the car lost control while attempting a U-turn at a rest area.

2016-11-16 00:20 A fun www.nbc-2.com

101 /104 0.0 India derails trial to revive brain-dead accident victims amid controversy — RT News The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which deregistered the experiment from India's clinical trial registry on Friday, cited a number of problems with the ReAnima trial, which would have sought to bring brain-dead people back to a “minimal conscious state” in which patients show moments of consciousness, such as moving their eyes to follow objects. Among the problems cited by the ICMR was failure to seek permission from the drug controller general of India, a requirement for all clinical trials in the country, Science reported.

But the man behind the trial, orthopedic surgeon Himanshu Bansal, says that ICMR has “nothing to do with the trial,” stressing that the matter is in the hands of the drug controller.

Meanwhile, Bioquark – a Philadelphia-based biotech firm that had agreed to supply the trial with peptides that are said to help regenerate brain cells – has said it is prepared to pursue the experiment outside of India if necessary.

“We are in no major rush...many road blocks, no doubt, will pop up. But the project will go on,” Bioquark chief executive officer Ira Pastor said.

The experiment, announced in May, seeks to give around 20 brain-dead people a mix of interventions including injections of mesenchymal stem cells and peptides, along with transcranial laser stimulation – the process of shining pulses of near-infrared light into the brain – and median nerve stimulation, the electrical stimulation of a major nerve that runs from the neck to the arm.

Both transcranial laser stimulation and median nerve stimulation have been shown to improve cognition in patients with traumatic brain injury.

In addition to the ICMR, a number of figures in the medical community have been critical of the experiment, with many expressing doubts that it would succeed. Bansal, however, insists that medical literature exists which describes a number of cases of people who have recovered to full consciousness from a minimal conscious state.

But Bansal did acknowledge during a June interview with The Wire that there is a possibility that patients could enter into a minimally conscious state but fail to progress further. Although he said his team had “not planned” for that scenario initially, he has since secured an insurance policy to cover the costs of full-time care for such patients.

Some have argued whether the trial is ethically sound, with some expressing concern that the method has not been tested on animal models. In response, Bansal has argued that there are no good animal models for the subject of human brain death.

But it isn't just medical professionals questioning Bansal's ambitious plan. Pastor admitted that the team has struggled to convince family members of brain-dead accident victims to enroll their loved ones in the trial.

2016-11-16 00:16 www.rt.com

102 /104 0.0 ‘Faultless’ Review: Rome Film Festival Who doesn’t love a good sociopath? In novelist-director Sébastien Marnier ’s feature debut “ Faultless ,” he conjures up a doozy with Constance, an obsessive in the “Fatal Attraction” mold who just wants her old job back. No matter what it takes. The title refers to Constance’s twisted sense of personal culpability, though it could also be used to describe the committed performance of star Marina Foïs (“Polisse”). Fun and engrossing, with enough tension and sex thrown in to satisfy viewers looking for well-made, handsomely packaged thriller fare, “Faultless” seems like obvious remake material, suitable for multiple territories. At home the film earned just over $1 million on summer release, though streaming should increase revenue.

With her knockoff Versace blouse and second-rate blonde dye job, Constance looks very much like a provincial transplant to Paris, which is exactly what she’s been for the last six years. But now she’s lost her real estate job and run out of money, so it’s back to her mother’s place in the sticks (the midwest coastal province of Charente- Maritime, to be exact). First order of business is to lay siege to her ex-boyfriend and colleague Philippe (Jérémie Elkaïm), who she hopes can persuade her reluctant former boss Alain (Jean-Luc Vincent) to take her back into the agency. It’s a no-go, but in the process, Constance enjoys rekindling Philippe’s flame.

Not that she’s still emotionally attached – she’s putting more energy into occasional sex dates with Gilles (Benjamin Biolay), a businessman she met on the train with a penchant for dominant- submissive romps. It’s more that Constance wants to always be in control (being submissive during sex doesn’t mean she’s relinquished power), plus she really needs a job, since she’s reduced to wolfing down canned corn she finds in her mother’s pantry. She’s especially put out when she learns that Alain has hired young, beautiful Audrey (Joséphine Japy, “Breathe”), so she launches into classic stalker mode, posing as a prospective buyer to befriend her rival … and get her out of the way.

Even if we’ve seen it all before, there’s something about stalkers that draws an audience in: perhaps it’s the audaciousness of it all, the lack of boundaries that makes us so fascinated. Constance is a horrible human being but a mesmerizing case study, and Marnier, with Foïs’ more than able assistance, crafts a character with a wellspring of obsessive behavior, from cyberstalking to a fanatical physical fitness regime that acts as one of several ways to wear down the unsuspecting Audrey. Philippe is almost too nice, Audrey is too naïve (and why does she have no friends?), but Constance is fully conceived, with Marnier parceling out just enough information to allow for a steady stream of revelations. Of course, she could look for a job in some other town, but that’s not the point: Constance’s psychosis isn’t designed to work on that kind of easy logic.

Foïs plays the character with relentless energy, a nonstop conniver with no capability for lateral thinking. It’s the right contrast to Japy’s open-faced credulousness and Elkaïm’s warm aura of affability, all played against sunnily lensed scenes that make their hometown feel like the classic, picture-perfect locale designed to off-set perverse behavior. Marité Coutard’s costume designs deserve mention, bold enough to be noticed while subtly underlining personality. Zombie Zombie’s music, however, too frequently pushes a sense of unease long before there’s a noticeable reason to feel that way.

2016-11-16 00:12 Jay Weissberg variety.com

103 /104 103 /104 0.0 Family Upset When The ‘R Word’ Surfaces In Newspaper Cartoon (CBS) – The “R Word” hurts so many, including a local family that saw it in the comic section of a local newspaper.

CBS 2’s Audrina Bigos wanted to know how such a cartoon could get published.

“He’s brought our entire family so much closer,” Brian Lewis says.

Fifteen-year-old Colin is a good helper in the kitchen. But most of all he’s a hockey lover — a Blackhawks fan, as his jersey can attest.

“They’ll say, ‘You have a Downs boy,” Lewis says. “No, we have a boy that has Downs. It doesn’t define who he is.”

In this house, the R Word doesn’t define him, either. Here, it’s hurtful and unwelcome.

Over the weekend, the Lewis family saw a cutout comic printed in the Chicago Tribune’s Daily Southtown.

It reads: “Thanks for doing my homework last night. Now the teacher thinks I’m –”

“My husband is the one who brought it up to me. He was more infuriated than anything that I’ve ever seen,” Kim Lewis says.

“It was completely derogatory,” Brian Lewis says.

The Chicago Tribune agrees with the family that the cartoon was not appropriate.

“The cartoon, which came from a national syndicate service, was inappropriate. We take full responsibility for publishing it in our paper and would like to sincerely apologize,” it said in a statement.

The Lewis family says they accept the apology but hope the newspaper group addresses the broader issue about the hurtful language.

2016-11-16 00:04 By Audrina chicago.cbslocal.com

104 /104 104 /104 0.0 Jessica Jung Rumored To Be Connected To Korean Government ‘Heartbreaking’ Scandal — Hallyu Star And Her Agency Coridel Entertainment Deny Involvement 2016 has been a very busy year for Jessica Jung. The “First Member” of So Nyeo Shi Dae (SNSD) — better known as Girls’ Generation — seems to be doing well with life after being a part of the most popular girl group in K-pop history.

With Jessica Jung gaining more momentum in South Korea, she needs to stay away from any major controversies or scandals. Unfortunately, rumors started to circulate Jessica was connected to the “heartbreaking” Korean government scandal. Both Jessica and her agency, Coridel Entertainment, have come forward with statements denying any involvement.

“Hello. This is Coridel Entertainment.”

“We want to state that our artist has nothing to do with Choi Soon Sil Gate and the mentioned celebrity related to the scandal.”

“Congressman Ahn Min Suk has also clarified that the online posts going around are false and have been edited and put together, as if they are real articles. We are taking legal action against those malicious online posts and social media content.”

“We are saddened to see that Jessica is being mentioned in this situation without any evidence and must take action — especially since it is tied to a grave, national matter.”

“We ask that you delete all posts about this since it is something that greatly damages the reputation and honor of Jessica, not only as a celebrity, but also as an individual person. It is also emotionally distressing, so please take down those posts.”

“Again, we will be closely observing any more of the posts of false rumors, and will be taking aggressive legal actions.

[Featured Image by Moses Ng/Getty Images]

2016-11-16 00:03 Jan Omega www.inquisitr.com

Total 104 articles.

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