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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

2 Corrections Officers on Leave After Inmate's Prison Escape

2 Corrections Officers on Leave After Inmate's Prison Escape

Two corrections officers have been placed on leave as authorities investigate an inmate's escape from a Rhode Island detention center. The prison warden says former Army reservist James Morales escaped Saturday by climbing a basketball hoop to reach a rooftop, cutting through a fence and climbing through razor wire. The 35-year-old Morales remains at large. Wyatt Correctional Center warden Daniel Martin says it took more than three hours to discover he was missing. He said two officers have been placed on paid leave. The prison in Central Falls remains locked down as officials review procedures. Morales is charged with stealing 16 guns from a U.S. Army Reserve Center and faces child rape charges. Police say they believe Morales fled to Attleboro, Massachusetts, and stole a car that was found Sunday.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/corrections-officers-leave-inmates-prison-escape-44512873

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Suicide Car Bomb Kills 3 Outside Somalia's Mogadishu Airport

The airport checkpoint is close to United Nations offices and the Peace Hotel, which is often frequented by foreigners and officials.

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a security checkpoint near Mogadishu's international airport Monday, killing at least three people, a Somali police officer said. Capt. Mohamed Hussein said the bomb detonated as security forces were searching cars at the checkpoint, a few hundred yards from the main base of the African Union peacekeeping mission. The checkpoint is close to United Nations offices and the Peace Hotel, which is often frequented by foreigners and officials. The powerful blast blew roofs off nearby buildings. A second blast and heavy gunfire could be heard shortly afterward. The first blast destroyed the checkpoint run by the Somali national security forces, the African Union mission said on Twitter. The explosion allowed a second bomb-laden vehicle to pass, but AU forces "engaged" it and it exploded about 200 meters from Medina Gate, the AU mission said. A Somali soldier stands at the scene of a car bomb attack near the Peace Hotel of the capital Mogadishu, on January 2, 2017. MOHAMED ABDIWAHAB / AFP - Getty Images The al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab, which often carries out such attacks, quickly claimed responsibility for Monday's attack through its radio arm, Andalus. Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds across large parts of south and central Somalia, the homegrown group continues to wage deadly attacks across the country. Related: Mogadishu Bomb Rocks Somali Presidential Palace, Hotels Somalia's capital has seen frequent bomb attacks at hotels and military checkpoints. In July, two al-Shabab suicide bombers detonated explosives-laden cars outside the office of the U.N.'s mine-clearing agency and an army checkpoint near the African Union's main base, killing 13. The site of the attack was near the site of Monday's blasts. The assaults have threatened this Horn of Africa nation's attempts to rebuild from decades of chaos. The country's presidential election, a key step toward recovery, already has been delayed multiple times because of security and other concerns.

The Associated Press

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/suicide-car-bomb-kills-3-outside-somalia-s-mogadishu-airport-n702326

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

What's up next in the federal trial of Dylann Roof?

Dylann Roof has again been found competent to stand trial in last year's grisly massacre at a historic black church in South Carolina that left nine parishioners slain at a Bible study.

Dylann Roof has again been found competent to stand trial in last year's grisly massacre at a historic black church in South Carolina that left nine parishioners slain at a Bible study. After a second hearing over his mental capacity, a judge has ruled that Roof cannot only now be sentenced for his crimes but can represent himself in those proceedings. The same jury that last month took less than two hours to find Roof guilty of all 33 counts, including hate crimes and obstruction of religion, returns to court Wednesday to begin mulling if he should be sentenced to life in prison or receive the death penalty. Here's what has happened and what to expect. ___ LIFE OR DEATH Prosecutors have said they might call as many as three dozen witnesses to make their case for why Roof, 22, should get the death penalty for the June 2015 slaughter at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. The defense put up no witnesses during the seven-day trial. They repeatedly tried to work in evidence about Roof's mental state, but U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled that had nothing to do with Roof's guilt or innocence. Roof has been adamant on representing himself during the sentencing phase of trial, with his defense team staying on as legal advisers. The capital defense experts who represented Roof during the guilt phase have said they fear he won't put up evidence that could potentially spare his life out of fear of embarrassing himself or his family. ___ ROOF'S COMPETENCY Roof's whole trial was put on hold for several weeks so that Gergel could hold a first competency hearing. During that proceeding, which was closed to the public over media objections, Gergel heard two days of testimony, after which he determined Roof was mentally competent to face trial. After he was found guilty, a day before the scheduled start of the sentencing phase, Gergel held another hearing on Roof's mental status, saying serious enough issues had been raised in filings made under seal that he needed to address them in court. For his part, Roof wrote in a journal read in court during his trial that he doesn't believe in psychology, which he called "a Jewish invention" that "does nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they don't." In deeming him competent both to stand trial for sentencing and to represent himself, Gergel gave Roof an extra day to prepare his case. Jurors now will return to court Wednesday. ___ RACIAL HATRED Prosecutors say Roof wanted to start a race war. His two-hour confession to the FBI seemed key to jurors' deliberation. One hour in, they asked to rehear the videotaped confession. Roof also documented his hate in his journal, found in his car when he was arrested. Roof believed segregation needed to return to keep white people from falling to the level of blacks. It had other bogus claims that whites were naturally the superior race and that blacks liked slavery. Testimony in the case opened and closed with two of the massacre's survivors. Polly Sheppard said Roof told her he wanted to leave her alive to tell the world why he attacked a historic African-American church. "I have to. I have to," Sheppard recalled Roof telling her. "You're raping our women and taking over the nation." Her 911 call was the final evidence jurors heard. ___ VICTIMS' PERSPECTIVES Some relatives of the nine shooting victims attracted copious amounts of attention for showing Roof mercy during his initial court appearance after his arrest, saying they'd pray for him. In the run-up to the federal death penalty trial, other victims' family members have said they favored the death penalty for Roof, sentiments echoed by some in media interviews after the guilty verdict. Others, including shooting survivor Felicia Sanders, have been more coy, saying their preferences would become known during the sentencing proceedings. Many family members are expected to testify and give what are known as victim impact statements to the court, and, if he wants to do so, Roof himself would be asking them questions on cross-examination. ___ ANOTHER TRIAL NEXT YEAR Roof faces a second death-penalty trial early this year in state court, where he's charged with nine counts of murder. A state judge is ordering 600 prospective jurors to report to the Charleston County Courthouse on Jan. 17 for initial screening. His order says the trial will begin on or after Jan. 30. It's not clear when the federal case will wrap up. For now, Roof has attorneys representing him in the state case. ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/meg-kinnard/

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/01/02/what-up-next-in-federal-trial-dylann-roof.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Donald Trump names lawyer Robert Lighthizer as top trade rep

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will nominate lawyer Robert Lighthizer as U.S. trade representative, picking an experienced trade official who has questioned the conservative movement's commitment to free trade. Lighthizer, who served as deputy USTR under President Ronald Reagan, would play a key role in Trump's trade agenda. The president-elect has vigorously opposed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, but has said he would ink one-on-one trade deals with individual countries. Trump has also signaled a tough stance on trade with China, including levying a hefty tariff on Chinese imports. "Ambassador Lighthizer is going to do an outstanding job representing the United States as we fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first," Trump said Tuesday in a statement announcing his pick. "He has extensive experience striking agreements that protect some of the most important sectors of our economy, and has repeatedly fought in the private sector to prevent bad deals from hurting Americans. He will do an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperity." Here are the people who have been nominated for positions in President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet. Lighthizer, who played a senior role during Bob Dole's 1996 campaign, has more recently worked on trade issues as a lawyer, representing manufacturing, agricultural and high-tech companies, according to his law firm biography. Lighthizer's bio also states that he focused on "market-opening trade actions on behalf of U.S. companies seeking access to foreign markets." Yet in 2008, he openly questioned GOP presidential nominee John McCain's commitment to free trade in a New York Times opinion article. "Mr. McCain may be a conservative. But his unbridled free-trade policies don't help make that case," Lighthizer wrote at the time, suggesting that free trade had long been popular among liberals. "Moreover, many American conservatives have opposed free trade. Jesse Helms, the most outspoken conservative in the Senate for three decades, was no free trader. Neither was Alexander Hamilton, who could be considered the founder of American conservatism," he wrote. Meanwhile, Trump returned to his New York headquarters Monday after spending the holidays at his private club in South Florida. With less than three weeks until his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump is expected to fill out a handful of remaining Cabinet-level posts in the coming days. In addition to the USTR, Trump is also weighing picks to lead the departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, as well as a director of national intelligence. In addition, Trump is still filling out some top White House positions. Trump has already signaled that he plans to spread work on his trade policies beyond USTR. His transition team has said billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, Trump's nominee to head the Commerce Department, will play a lead role on trade. The president-elect has also named economist Peter Navarro to a newly created White House National Trade Council. Trump indicated Tuesday that Lighthizer would work "in close coordination" with Ross and Navarro. Lighthizer declared his allegiance to Trump's approach on trade. "I am fully committed to President-elect Trump's mission to level the playing field for American workers and forge better trade policies which will benefit all Americans," he said. Associated Press

Tribune News Services

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-donald-trump-robert-lighthizer-trade-representative-20170103-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Can in-school meditation help curb youth violence?

Teens shuffle into the classroom, backpacks slung over shoulders and earbuds dangling out of sweatshirts. Jokes among friends fly as the students plop into desks arranged neatly in rows. The instructor in the green shirt jingles a small silver bell. The room grows still. Murmurs fade. The polished wooden floorboards creak amid the pressure of shuffling feet. A portable fan whirs. Then the room turns quiet. For the next 20 minutes, there is no lesson, no talking, no laughing, none of the bustling sounds of a high school classroom on a weekday morning. The boys and girls close their eyes and allow their bodies to relax. Some rest their heads on the palms of their hands. Most close their eyes. These Gage Park High School students are participating in Quiet Time, a transcendental meditation program that aims to help them with the stress and pressures of life inside and outside the brick walls of the Southwest Side school. This happens twice a day. Every school day. The program is run by the David Lynch Foundation, a nonprofit organization co-founded by the movie director, and is being studied for its effectiveness by the University of Chicago Crime Lab. Researchers are examining whether the meditation program offers tangible benefits for teens at a school where 98.3 percent of students are considered low income. Meditation class Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune Students meditate during a Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School in Chicago on Dec. 22, 2016. Quiet Time is a research program conducted by the University of Chicago Urban Labs. Students meditate during a Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School in Chicago on Dec. 22, 2016. Quiet Time is a research program conducted by the University of Chicago Urban Labs. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) "In their neighborhood, they are fighting to survive, literally," said Jose Morales, who teaches English as a second language. "And they need an alternative to the violence." Quiet Time was one of three programs — out of 200 applications — selected by the Crime Lab when it asked for proposals to help address youth violence in the city. The Crime Lab awarded a $300,000 grant to the foundation to launch the program in Chicago Public Schools because of its goal to address the effects of toxic stress on young people. Quiet Time also has been implemented in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City. The Crime Lab believed the program showed promise because of its demonstrated success in the other cities, executive director Roseanna Ander said, and it was helpful that it was cost-effective to launch and had the ability to be rigorously evaluated. "It helps you to slow your mind," said James, 17, a senior at Gage Park. The Tribune agreed not to publish students' last names at the school's request. "It helps you to slow down and focus." Before taking part in the Quiet Time program, James said he was quick to anger and often was arguing and fighting. Now, James said, he is calmer and thinks about how to react when someone says something objectionable or he finds himself in a stressful interaction. "I feel it can help people in school and out of school and with everything you do in life," James said after a restful meditation session. Initially, James thought the program was going to be an opportunity to nap, but after learning how it worked, he gave it a try and was surprised at what he found. James has even had friends who do not attend Gage Park ask him about meditation, and he's trumpeted its benefits. Quiet time for students Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune Students meditate during a Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School on Dec. 22, 2016. Quiet Time is a research program conducted by the University of Chicago Urban Labs. Students meditate during a Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School on Dec. 22, 2016. Quiet Time is a research program conducted by the University of Chicago Urban Labs. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) In addition to Gage Park, Quiet Time has been rolled out at Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School and Bowen High School. The meditation program is voluntary. In order to study its effects, students at the beginning of the school year were randomly selected for the program, while others participate in a general quiet period that serves as a control group. At Gage Park, the entire school goes quiet at the same time twice daily, even though only about half the students are meditating. Staffers with the foundation teach the students the basics of transcendental meditation at the start of the semester, learning how to focus on a phrase or mantra that allows them to rest their minds. While students meditate, there is no music or background sound, and no chanting, singing or specific instruction. Students attempt to clear their minds and let stress fade away. The meditation, the foundation says, does not involve any religious or philosophical component and is taught to students by certified instructors. Bob Roth, chief executive officer of the foundation, said transcendental meditation is a state of "restful alertness." It helps kids relax and aids in learning readiness, he said. "You just can't keep jamming more facts and figures into a kid's brain," Roth said. "The message to the child is 'quiet is important.' ... Quiet Time gives the child a tool, a technique that's very simple," Roth said. "The stakes are very high. We're in danger of losing an entire generation of kids because of the stress." U. of C. researchers are studying the effects of the meditation program by observing in the classroom and analyzing data from CPS and the Chicago Police Department. Researchers will collect grades, test scores, attendance records and disciplinary records, including in-school infractions and out-of-school arrests, or whether students were victims of crimes. The program began in pilot form in the fall of 2015 and will continue next school year. It was funded by two anonymous donors and the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation is funding the evaluation. The Crime Lab is working on future funding. The Crime Lab and foundation selected schools in areas of the city with high homicide rates and with particularly disadvantaged students. A gathering of data will demonstrate the program's overall effect. The plan is for the program to be expanded and studied in an additional two or three CPS schools, and U. of C. researchers are going to study the program in New York. One of the goals, Ander said, "is to learn which programs work the best in what context and for which students." Silver bell Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune A bell on the front table of Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School on Dec. 22, 2016. A bell on the front table of Quiet Time class at Gage Park High School on Dec. 22, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Gage Park Principal Brian Metcalf said the Quiet Time program has yielded immediate results for students and staff. Suspensions are down, Metcalf said, and a recent round of SAT prep scores showed improvement. Teachers, he said, see improvement in students' behavior and ability to concentrate in class. Morales, the Gage Park teacher, said, "As a teacher, I've seen a transformation of how we, how I, handle conflict in the classroom." Morales, 57, initially was skeptical of the meditation program, doubting that such a practice would make much difference at a school such as Gage Park. Morales said he thought program and school officials were "naive" to believe the program would resonate with students, and he said he expressed his reservations. But slowly, Morales began to see the upside with students, and himself.

Patrick M. O'Connell

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-classroom-meditation-disadvantaged-students-met-20161231-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Pipeline Protesters Deliver High-Flying Stunt During Vikings Game

Two people scaled U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and unfurled a banner demanding that the bank divest from the the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Two people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline were arrested after delivering a high-flying stunt and a message — "Divest" — during the Minnesota Vikings' game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Two protesters rappel from the rafters with a banner against the Dakota Access Pipeline during a game Sunday between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Brace Hemmelgarn / Reuters The incident began at 12:47 p.m. (1:47 p.m. ET), when authorities spotted two people near the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, police said in a statement. The two men, identified as Karl Mayo, 32, and Sen Holiday, 26, according to the statement, were near the stadium's roof when they unfurled a massive white banner that said "Divest #NoDAPL," a reference to the movement against the $3.8 billion pipeline. (A statement obtained by NBC station KARE, which quotes the protesters, identifies Mayo as Karl Zimmerman.) At the top of the banner was the logo of U.S. Bank, which won a 20-year naming-rights deal on the facility last year, the Pioneer Press newspaper of St. Paul reported. As the game was played below, Mayo and Holiday allegedly used ropes and harnesses to remain dangling above the crowd until about 3 p.m., the statements said. In the statement obtained by KARE, Holiday is quoted as saying that the protest was carried out "in solidarity with water protectors from Standing Rock to urge US Bank to divest" from the pipeline. A U.S. Bank spokesman declined to comment. I'm over in the section now where the protesters are repelling. I'm told the fire department is on the way @kare11 pic.twitter.com/16jjYPR8Yt — Dave Schwartz (@Dave_Schwartz) January 1, 2017 After the game, the protesters clambered to the ground and were arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor burglary and trespass, the police statement said. A third person who police said was involved in the incident was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor obstruction. A statement identified her as Carolyn Feldman, 27. In an earlier statement, the company that manages the stadium, SMG, said the two protesters appeared to have climbed a guardrail to gain access to the stadium's truss. The protest comes a month and a half after the Army Corps of Engineers announced that more analysis and discussion was needed before it would allow Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the pipeline, to continue construction. The decision came amid the largest protest in modern American Indian history — a protest led by members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota. The tribe told NBC News on Sunday that it wasn't aware of the protest or its organizers. Divestment is part of the anti-pipeline movement's strategy, with activists using high-profile events to pressure banks to pull financing from the project.

Tim Stelloh

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/dakota-pipeline-protests/pipeline-protesters-deliver-high-flying-stunt-during-vikings-game-n702116

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

The 5 Biggest Questions About the Universe (and How We're Trying To Answer Them)

Despite the countless hours that astronomers spend at the blackboard, a handful of cosmic questions continue to keep scientists up at night (for those who aren't up at night already, peering skyward).

From the discovery of gravitational waves to locating our nearest Earth-like planetary neighbor, 2016 was a banner year for astronomy. In fact, it's not only been a good year for space science, but a great few decades. Many of the biggest puzzles in astronomy and cosmology have been solved. Engineers and technicians assemble the James Webb Space Telescope on Nov. 2, 2016 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Alex Wong / Getty Images Take the age of the universe. A century ago, we could say only that the universe was very old. There was no way to find a precise number. Now, thanks to detailed maps showing the faint echo of the Big Bang — what astronomers call the "cosmic microwave background" — we know the universe is 13.82 billion year old, give or take 10 million years. It's a staggering achievement in "precision cosmology." But we don't have all the answers about our universe. Despite all the data streaming in from the observatories around the world and from particle physics experiments like the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland — and despite the countless hours that astronomers and physicists spend at the blackboard or running computer simulations, a handful of cosmic questions continue to keep scientists up at night (for those who aren't up at night already, peering skyward). 1. What is Dark Matter? At the Gran Sasso underground laboratory, deep beneath the Apennine Mountains of central Italy, scientists are keeping watch over a giant tank filled with 3.5 metric tons of liquid xenon. Their hope is that exotic particles from deep space will whiz through the liquid, emitting a telltale signal. So far, that hasn't happened. But scientists hunting for so-called "dark matter" have learned to be patient. It's been nearly a century since astronomers studying distant galaxies first noticed something odd: The galaxies seemed to hold more matter than could be accounted for by the visible material — stars and gas clouds. This missing mass, dubbed dark matter, is now believed to make up more than a quarter of the total mass and energy in the visible universe. Two researchers walk through the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, which lies under Gran Sasso in Italy, in 2011. Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images What is this stuff? The best guess is that it's made up of some kind of fast-moving particle that barely interacts with the ordinary matter that makes up the stars and the planets. Theoretically, these "weakly interacting" particles can pass unimpeded through miles of ordinary matter — which is why we spent millions of dollars on detectors like the one at Gran Sasso. Related: 11 Surprising Predictions From Some Top Names in Science But scientists have been searching for these exotic particles for decades now, with no luck. And so some are beginning to wonder if dark matter exists at all. Instead, the reasoning goes, Einstein's theory of gravity may require some tweaking. A number of alternative theories of gravity have been put forward in recent years, but all remain controversial. And so the particle quest has continued. "It would be nice to know what the dark matter particle is — or even to have some reassurance that it is a particle," says University of Toronto physicist Roberto Abraham. "I think that's the most likely thing, but I'm open to the possibility that we need modified gravity." While there's no hard evidence that Einstein's equations are wrong, he says, "we should keep an open mind." 2. What is Dark Energy? In the 1990s, data from the Hubble Space Telescope revealed that distant galaxies aren't just moving away from our home galaxy, the Milky Way, they're speeding away from us (and from each other) at an accelerating rate. That came as a big surprise — one that scientists have been struggling to explain ever since. What mysterious force is giving the galaxies this extra push? No one knows. But it's been dubbed "dark energy," and as with dark matter, Einstein is a key figure in the story. In the early years of the 20th Century, scientists believed the universe was static — that, on average, galaxies remained the same distance from their neighbors. But the equations of general relativity seemed to indicate that the universe must be either expanding or contracting. That made no sense to Einstein, so he gave his theory a fudge factor that he called the "cosmological constant." Studies of the motion of galaxies — like the so-called Pinwheel Galaxy, pictured here — suggest that they contain more dark matter than ordinary matter. What this dark matter is made of remains a mystery. ESA/NASA / ESA/NASA A few years later, when astronomers discovered that the universe is expanding, it seemed the fudge factor was no longer needed. Yet now that we know that the universe's expansion is accelerating, the cosmological constant may be making a comeback. Whatever its true nature, dark energy plays an even greater role in cosmic evolution than dark matter. Our best estimate is that dark energy accounts for a more than two-thirds of the total energy of the visible universe. Taken together, dark matter and dark energy are an enormous mystery — and a bit of an embarrassment for the scientific community. "I would give anything to know what dark matter and dark energy are," Abraham says. "And I intend to devote the next couple of decades of my life to looking into it." 3. What Came Before the Big Bang? Whenever a cosmologist gives a public lecture, someone in the audience inevitably raises a hand to ask, "Yes, but what came before the Big Bang?" "There's this textbook answer that we're supposed to give," says Glenn Starkman, a physicist at Case Western Reserve University. "We say that the question is meaningless, just as it's meaningless to ask what's south of the South Pole." The idea is this: If time itself began with the Big Bang, then it makes no sense ask what came before. There simply was no "before." And yet Starkman knows that hardly anyone finds that answer satisfying. An artist's illustration attempts to depict the "Big Bang," the initial expansion of all matter in the universe. Mark Garlick / Science Photo Library/Getty Images We now have a model for what happened very shortly after the Big Bang. During the first tiny fraction of a second of the universe's existence, the "inflation" model says that the universe expanded like a balloon, doubling in size again and again before slowing down to its "normal" rate of expansion. But if we try to look back before inflation — all the way back to "time zero" — general relativity breaks down. Some physicists now think that time didn't begin with the Big Bang, but somehow emerged when the universe reached a certain level of complexity. Others theorize that the universe runs in cycles, in a possibly endless series of expansions and contractions. If this "cyclic" model is right, the Big Bang wasn't the beginning, but just a transition from an earlier era. Another possibility is that our universe is just one of countless "bubble universes" that pop up repeatedly in a "multiverse." Related: Are Humans the Real Ancient Aliens? Are we any nearer to answering the "what came before" question that we were a generation ago? Starkman says no. And it's unclear whether astronomical observations can settle the matter. Our best bet might be to build an enormous gravity wave detector in space — with the hope that we could detect gravitational waves created by the Big Bang itself. But don't hold your breath. Starkman says such an enormous project could take many decades to build. 4. What's Inside a Black Hole? Black holes are regions of space in which gravity exerts such an enormous pull that nothing — not light or any other signal of any kind — can escape. Since nothing can get out, it's as if the inside of every black hole is permanently "pinched off" from the rest of the universe. "We have no idea what goes on inside a black hole — unless we're willing to jump into one," says Starkman. Even then, you'd have no way to get out to tell anyone what you'd found — or even to send a message. In this artist's rendering, the black hole known as Cygnus X-1 sucks in matter from a companion star. Although we understand how black holes form, scientists can't say what happens inside one. NASA/CXC/M.Weiss / Optical: DSS; Illustration: NASA In the 1970s, physicists Stephen Hawking and the late Jacob Bekenstein showed that black holes emit a form of radiation and slowly "evaporate" as they do. Unfortunately, black hole evaporation seems to violate the rules of quantum mechanics, which means that something's got to give way. (The details are quite technical, but they involve the loss of "quantum information"; physicists call it the "information paradox.") Physicists have come up with various ideas to explain this puzzle. All are controversial. The real problem is that, at the "event horizon" — the outer boundary of a black hole — both general relativity and quantum mechanics come into play. And so far at least, these two theories are irreconcilable. Related: If Aliens Call, Does Humanity Have a Plan? "It's possible that quantum mechanics and general relativity somehow 'shake hands' at the event horizon, and work in a different way than here on Earth," Starkman says. "That's an exciting prospect." Our best bet is probably to study the region immediately outside the event horizon. That's where a radio telescope array known as the Event Horizon Telescope comes in. The EHT is a sort of electronic hookup of dozens of telescopes around the world — from California, Arizona, and Hawaii to Chile, Spain, and Antarctica. An enhanced version of the EHT will soon start collecting data. Its first target will be a "supermassive" black hole at the center of our galaxy. Astronomers expect the EHT to yield a detailed picture of the radiation emitted by gas and dust in the final moments before it crosses the black hole's event horizon — perhaps shedding some light on the exotic physics of the black hole event horizon. 5. Are We Alone? Are we the only intelligent creatures in the cosmos? The only beings to wonder what other thinking, wondering beings might be out there? Our galaxy contains several hundred billion stars, many of which are likely to have planets orbiting them. As if that weren't mind-boggling enough, astronomers believe there at least a trillion galaxies in the visible universe. Given the likely profusion of planets, it seems unlikely that we're alone in the universe. And so scientists around the world have embarked on what they call SETI, or the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array in northern California searches for radio signals that could have been generated by intelligent alien life. SETI Institute Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute near San Francisco, suspects "E.T." is out there somewhere. He points to the data collected by NASA's Kepler Space Observatory, which suggests that as many as one out of every five planets is habitable. If that's right, the cosmos could contain 10²¹ (that's a billion trillion) habitable planets. But even if life is plentiful in the universe, what about intelligent life? So far, SETI scientists have turned up nothing even after years of scanning the heavens for radio signals that might signify such life. Shostak points out that so far we've aimed our radio telescopes at just a few thousand stars — and thus it's too soon to tell. Related: Is an Alien Megastructure Causing This Star's Strange Behavior? At a recent conference in Germany, Shostak bet the scientists in attendance that we'd find an alien signal within 24 years. (It wasn't a huge wager — he only offered to buy each scientist a coffee if he turned out to be wrong.) By then, thanks to more efficient search techniques, we'll likely have checked a million star systems. In the meantime, our radio telescopes will continue to be eavesdrop on the universe, with astronomers around the world waiting and listening. Dan Falk is a science journalist based in Toronto. His books include "The Science of Shakespeare" and "In Search of Time." For more of the breakthroughs changing our lives, follow NBC MACH.

Dan Falk

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/mach/space/5-biggest-questions-about-universe-how-we-re-trying-answer-n702051?cid=public-rss_20170104

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Mark Zuckerberg says he's no longer an atheist, believes 'religion is very important'

The founder of Facebook has found religion, it seems, according to a cheery holiday message he posted on the social network he created. On Christmas Day, Zuckerberg indicated in a Facebook status that he was "celebrating Christmas." "Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from Priscilla, Max, Beast and me," he wrote, naming his wife, daughter and dog. Then a commenter asked him: Aren't you an atheist? Zuckerberg identified himself as an atheist for years, but on Facebook on Christmas he wrote back: "No. I was raised Jewish and then I went through a period where I questioned things, but now I believe religion is very important." He didn't answer further questions about what he does believe in. Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have publicly discussed their moral values frequently — including in a lengthy letter when their daughter was born a year ago, in which they pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook stock, which at about $45 billion at the time was one of the largest philanthropic commitments ever. And they've already met one of the world's most important religious figures: Pope Francis, with whom they discussed bringing communication technology to the world's poor.

Julie Zauzmer

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/technology/ct-mark-zuckerberg-atheist-religion-wp-bsi-20170102-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

SpaceX eyes Jan. 8 return to satellite launches after finishing explosion investigation

SpaceX is now targeting Jan. 8 for its return to flight after completing its investigation of a September launch pad explosion that destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and a commercial communications satellite. Pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Hawthorne space company plans to launch 10 satellites on one Falcon 9 rocket for Iridium Communications Inc. from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellites will be part of Iridium’s new satellite constellation to provide mobile communications capabilities on land and on ships and airplanes. On Monday, Iridium tweeted that it was “pleased with SpaceX’s announcement and targeted launch date.” The news comes after a four-month-long investigation that even company Chief Executive Elon Musk described in November as “the toughest puzzle to solve that we’ve ever had to solve.” A few weeks after the explosion, SpaceX said it expected to return to flight as soon as November. But as the investigation continued, that anticipated launch date slipped back to December, and then January. “Clearly, they’re being extra cautious,” said Marco Caceres, senior space analyst for the Teal Group. “SpaceX usually pushes ahead a lot faster, so it seems like they’re not rushing ahead at this point, which is a good thing.” The Sept. 1 explosion at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station destroyed a satellite that was to be managed by Israeli satellite operator Spacecom and was also to help Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg bring high-speed Internet access to remote parts of Africa. In the final update released Monday, SpaceX said it pored through 3,000 channels of video and telemetry data that spanned just 93 milliseconds from the first sign of trouble to the explosion. The company said one of three composite overwrapped pressure vessels, or tanks, inside the rocket’s larger, second-stage liquid oxygen tank failed, probably after a buildup of liquid oxygen between the vessel’s aluminum inner liner and its carbon overwrap ignited. The vessels are used to store cold helium that maintains pressure in the liquid oxygen tank. As the liquid oxygen depletes, the helium helps fill the void. SpaceX said its accident investigation team found “buckles,” or valleys, in the vessels’ inner liners. Super-chilled liquid oxygen can gather there, and when pressurized, the oxygen can get trapped. Then, “breaking fibers or friction can ignite the oxygen in the overwrap,” causing the vessel to fail, SpaceX said. The company also said the loading temperature of the helium was cold enough to create solid oxygen, “which exacerbates the possibility of oxygen becoming trapped as well as the likelihood of friction ignition.” In its statement, SpaceX said the investigation team found “several credible causes” for the vessel’s failure, all of which involved the accumulation of oxygen in the buckles. To fix this issue in the short term, SpaceX said it will change the configuration of the composite overwrapped pressure vessels so warmer helium can be loaded. It will also change helium loading operations to a “prior flight proven configuration” that is based on previous successful procedures. SpaceX plans to eventually change the design of the vessels to prevent buckles, which the company said will allow for faster loading operations in the future. If the FAA gives approval and grants SpaceX the customary launch license, “that’s a pretty good indication that the failure report is indeed convincing, and independent people responsible for safety are convinced that SpaceX knows what happened and is taking the right remedial steps,” said John Logsdon, professor emeritus at the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University. After that, it is “crucial” that SpaceX has a series of successful launches, he said. “A lot of users of space have been willing to depend on them,” Logsdon said. “And I think they have to demonstrate that they earned or re-earned that confidence.” Musk had previously hinted at the cause of the explosion in an interview on CNBC in November, saying the culprit involved a combination of liquid helium, carbon fiber composites and solid oxygen. The investigation was led by SpaceX, with assistance from NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the National Transportation Safety Board and several industry experts, under FAA oversight. Under federal law, SpaceX is allowed to conduct its own investigation. SpaceX, whose full name is Space Exploration Technologies Corp., and other companies lobbied successfully to extend the law in 2015. The FAA oversees such investigations. Sunday’s launch will be “all-important” for the company, Caceres said. Not only does SpaceX have a long manifest of launch customers, including NASA supply missions to the International Space Station, but it is also building a crew capsule to ferry astronauts to the space station. That capsule is set for its first uncrewed flight test in November, followed by its first flight test with humans in May 2018. SpaceX also plans to launch its heavy-lift rocket, the Falcon Heavy, this year for the first time. The company has said the rocket will be able to lift off from either Vandenberg or Pad 39A, SpaceX’s alternate launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, which is close to being operational and will also be able to launch Falcon 9 rockets. Work on Space Launch Complex 40, which was damaged during the explosion, still continues. “SpaceX is the establishment player,” Caceres said. “As the establishment player, I think they have something to lose.” [email protected] For more business news, follow me @smasunaga ALSO

Samantha Masunaga

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fi-spacex-explosion-cause-20170102-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

Court: Indian candidates can't use faith, caste to get votes

India's top court has ruled that election candidates cannot use religion or caste to seek votes, describing them as corrupt practices under electoral laws.

India's top court has ruled that election candidates cannot use religion or caste to seek votes, describing them as corrupt practices under electoral laws. India has a Hindu-nationalist government, and most political parties select candidates in various districts based on caste and religious considerations. The ruling on Monday is considered significant as it comes months before elections in Uttar Pradesh state where dominant campaign issues are caste affiliations and the building of a Hindu temple in place of a 16th century mosque demolished by Hindu hardliners. Legislature elections are also due in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur states. Hindus constitute nearly 80 percent of India's 1.25 billion people, while Muslims comprise 14.2 percent and the remaining 6 percent adhere to other religions, such as Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/court-indian-candidates-cant-use-faith-caste-to-get-votes.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Lake Zurich fire leaves house uninhabitable, fire official says

No one was injured in an unincorporated Lake Zurich house fire that left the home uninhabitable, the Lake Zurich division chief said. A passerby saw the fire at the home in the 24000 block of Quentin Road Monday morning and alerted the residents, according to a news release. When Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department personnel arrived at 7:52 a.m., they found heavy smoke coming from the rear of the residence, the release said. The fire appears to have started on the deck and spread to the first floor and up the exterior to the attic, Division Chief John Kelly said. The Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department received assistance through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) from the Arlington Heights, Barrington, Barrington-Countryside, Countryside, Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Long Grove, McHenry, Palatine and Wauconda fire departments, according to the release. The Mundelein and Schaumburg fire departments covered Lake Zurich's stations during the response. The fire was brought under control a little more than a half-hour after the first units arrived on the scene, according to the release. The fire is under investigation, and the residents of the home received assistance from the Red Cross, the release said. [email protected] Twitter @mekcoleman

Emily K. Coleman

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-lake-zurich-fire-st-0103-20170102-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Chicago paid $670,000 in 2016 over lawsuits alleging open records violations

The city of Chicago paid out about $670,000 last year to plaintiffs in lawsuits alleging that officials violated open records law — nearly five times what the city paid in the previous eight years combined. Experts and attorneys said the mounting payouts in Freedom of Information Act cases raise concerns about Mayor Rahm Emanuel's pledge to run "the most open, accountable and transparent government that the city of Chicago has ever seen." They said the increase may be attributable to a broader awareness of the public's right to records spurred by high-profile cases such as the Laquan McDonald shooting. The Emanuel administration, which still faces 54 lawsuits alleging open records violations, says it has added resources to provide public information more efficiently. But critics, such as Torreya Hamilton, a former prosecutor who runs her own civil rights firm and has sued the city alleging FOIA violations, question the city's commitment. "The taxpayers of the city of Chicago are paying for the city to break the law," Hamilton said. Jeffrey M. Shaman, a DePaul University professor who teaches constitutional law and the First Amendment, said the city's spike in lawsuits and payments "makes one wonder if the city is willing to comply in good faith with the requirements of FOIA." The $670,122 total is spread out over 27 cases under FOIA, the state law providing access to government records for the public, that were brought by taxpayers, advocacy groups and media organizations, including the Chicago Tribune. FOIA allows some plaintiffs who sue for records to recover money for lawyers' fees and costs. In a Law Department statement, the city said it "works diligently to comply with the Freedom of Information Act and responds to thousands of public information requests each year, with only a small percentage of requests disputed." "However, there is always room for improvement, and during the past year, the city has dedicated additional resources and provided employees with additional training to ensure compliance and provide transparency to the public," the statement said. "It is not acceptable for any city department to ignore or unnecessarily delay a response to a request, nor is it acceptable for a department to improperly apply exemptions." The city's statement reiterated Emanuel's transparency pledges and touted the administration's creation of a data portal and a written policy "that guarantees the public's timely access to video and audio recordings" from police-involved incidents. Asked how the city justifies the amount paid out over open records lawsuits, the Law Department said the most common reason it's been sued are "claims of incomplete record searches and incorrectly applied exemptions." "In these cases, the city works to resolve these cases by providing evidence that searches were reasonable and the exemptions were correctly applied, or by providing additional documents," the statement said. "However, the city has an obligation to defend these suits and ensure that the privacy protections afforded by the FOIA statute are protected." Records disputes Nineteen of the 27 cases with payouts in 2016 involve the Chicago Police Department. Others allege public information violations by the mayor's office, Animal Care and Control, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, the Department of Finance, the Independent Police Review Authority and the Department of Innovation and Technology. Some cases allege the city failed to answer FOIA requests at all, but the most costly lawsuits involved larger controversies. Chart: Chicago's FOIA lawsuits The most expensive open records case in 2016 was journalist Brandon Smith's lawsuit against the city over video showing Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times by police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Chicago officials fought to withhold the video, arguing it would interfere with investigations into the shooting. A judge ordered its release, and the city paid $97,500 in fees and costs, records show. Emanuel recently acknowledged using personal email accounts to conduct official business and the city agreed to pay $96,275 to settle a Better Government Association lawsuit over an FOIA request for Emanuel's email. The Tribune has a separate, ongoing FOIA lawsuit involving Emanuel's emails about public business conducted on personal devices. Two other Tribune lawsuits against the city were resolved in the news organization's favor in 2016. One involved emails sent or received by former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, and the city paid $46,000 in attorneys fees and costs. The other sought city communications related to SUPES Academy and its insider deal that led to former Chicago Public Schools chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett's wire fraud conviction. The city paid the Tribune $95,000 in that records case. The Tribune sued the Chicago Police Department twice in December, alleging the city failed to provide records as required under FOIA. "We are disappointed that we continually need to resort to litigation to get access to documents the law requires be made public as a matter of course," Karen Flax, the Tribune's vice president for legal, said in a statement. "The uptick in lawsuits reflects the city's disregard for the importance of the open records law and the fact that the city is understaffed in this area. It is pay now or pay later: If the city would produce the records to which the public is entitled in the first place, we would not need to file lawsuits and incur legal fees which the city then needs to cover." This summer, a Cook County judge ordered the city to pay $77,697 to the Animal Legal Defense Fund after the organization sued for records related to animal treatment by Animal Care and Control. That lawsuit stretched on for more than two years. Anthony Eliseuson, an attorney with Dentons, a downtown law firm that also represents the Tribune, said the animal defense fund did not want to sue but couldn't work the dispute out with agency leaders. "We felt this should've been resolved without a lawsuit," Eliseuson said. "That's ultimately why we sought fees." Other FOIA lawsuits in which the city paid plaintiffs involved issues such as automatic license plate readers, missed court dates by police officers and the case of Dante Servin, the Chicago police officer who fatally shot Rekia Boyd in 2012 but was acquitted by a Cook County judge who said prosecutors brought the wrong charge.

Gregory Pratt

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-foia-violation-lawsuits-met-20170101-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

GOP Congress Feels It Has Mandate to Undo Obama's Agenda

GOP Congress Feels It Has Mandate to Undo Obama's Agenda

Republicans' grip on all levers of power stands as a mandate to the GOP-led Congress, which will move swiftly to try to undo eight years of outgoing President Barack Obama's agenda. With Republican President-elect Donald Trump just weeks away from assuming office, GOP lawmakers plan to open the 115th Congress on Tuesday and immediately take steps to repeal Obama's health care law. Beyond that, they'll look at a tax overhaul, reversing Obama-era environmental regulations and other conservative priorities. Republicans will face some obstacles. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says Democrats "stand ready to fight vigorously" to protect health care and other priorities, and Republicans will have to compromise with Senate Democrats to move major legislation through that chamber. A look at what the 115th Congress will be up to in 2017: ——— NEW MEMBERS New members of the House and Senate will be sworn in on Tuesday, the first day of the new Congress. In the Senate, five Democrats and two Republicans will be sworn in for the first time, joined by returning members who won re-election in 2016. After those members are sworn in, there will be 52 Republicans, 46 Democrats and two independents who caucus with the Democrats. The House will have 52 new members — 27 Republicans and 25 Democrats. There will be 241 Republicans in the House and 194 Democrats. ——— CONFIRMING A NEW CABINET Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, and Republicans in the Senate will spend the first days and weeks of his presidency pushing to confirm his Cabinet picks. Democrats changed the rules and curbed the filibuster in 2013, making it easier for Republicans to move nominations. But even though they won't be able to block Trump's nominees, Democrats have pledged to fight many of them anyway, highlighting what they say is the hypocrisy of Trump's populist message and his wealthy, corporate-favoring nominees for several posts. ——— REPEALING OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE LAW The Senate plans to begin repealing Obama's health care law on Tuesday, Congress' very first day, with consideration of a procedural measure that will shield the initiative from Democratic filibusters. Lawmakers will then spend the next few months working on legislation canceling broad swaths of the law. Likely to go are its mandate that people buy health insurance or face IRS fines, and its expansion of Medicaid coverage to more lower-earning Americans. Some elements of the repeal likely wouldn't go into effect for two to four years. Republicans will then begin the more complicated task of building a new system. The GOP will have to craft new programs for the nation's $3 trillion health care system and make sure insurance markets don't collapse while the transition is under way. ——— TAX OVERHAUL Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., want a massive overhaul of the tax system with the goal of simplifying a complicated tax code that rewards wealthy people with smart accountants as well as corporations that can easily shift profits and jobs overseas. It would be the first major tax overhaul in 30 years. Trump has also advocated a tax overhaul, but with fewer details. He promises a tax cut for every income level, with more low-income families paying no income tax at all. ——— SUPREME COURT Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died 11 months ago, but the Senate still hasn't considered a replacement. That's because McConnell blocked consideration of Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, saying the next president should make the pick. The strategy paid off, and the Republican Senate will consider whomever Trump nominates. ——— MEDICARE CHANGES Ryan is the most powerful advocate in Washington for an overhaul of Medicare and a premium-support approach that would, over time, remake it into a voucher-like program that could force some seniors entering the program to buy health insurance on the open market instead of getting coverage through the traditional open-ended program. But his ideas likely will run into a political reality. Trump said on the campaign trail that he wouldn't cut the program, and Senate Republicans haven't been as enthusiastic either. Candidate Trump also initially promised not to cut Medicaid — the federal-state health insurance program for low-income and severely disabled people. During the campaign, Trump seemed to shift, backing "block grants" that limit federal funding. ——— SOCIAL SECURITY Like Medicare, some House conservatives have said they want to overhaul Social Security and slow the program's growth to curb spending. But Trump has said he doesn't want to touch those programs, and Ryan told CBS' "60 Minutes" in December that he has no plans to change Social Security. ——— REVERSING REGULATIONS Republican leaders have complained throughout Obama's presidency about burdensome regulations, a theme Trump used frequently during the campaign as well. GOP lawmakers now want to undo some of Obama's regulations and executive orders, using the Congressional Review Act, a rarely invoked procedure. Many of the regulations they are targeting are rules put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency, including the Clean Power Plan to cut carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, a clean water rule that has drawn the ire of farmers and another rule imposed in December to protect nearby streams from coal-mining debris. ——— INFRASTRUCTURE Trump made rebuilding the nation's aging roads, bridges and airports a major part of his job-creation strategy in the presidential race. But those plans appear to have fizzled, somewhat, as GOP leaders have questioned the spending. ——— Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Matthew Daly and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/gop-congress-feels-mandate-undo-obamas-agenda-44508262

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Stocks Start 2017 With Gains, but Many Markets Stay Shut

Stocks Start 2017 With Gains, but Many Markets Stay Shut

Global stocks rose on the first day of 2017, though trading volumes were thin as many major markets observed New Year's holidays. KEEPING SCORE: Germany's DAX was up 0.8 percent at 11,574 and France's CAC 40 was 0.4 percent higher at 4,883. Italy's FTSE MIB was up 1.5 percent at 18,520, though trading was still suspended in the shares of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the bank that is due to get a government bailout. Britain's FTSE 100, which closed at a record high on Friday, remained closed. UPBEAT DATA: Markets were buoyed by a report showing the manufacturing sector in the 19-country eurozone grew at the fastest rate in 68 months in December. The so-called purchasing managers' index rose to 54.9 points from 53.7 points in November. Also helping sentiment was a report published Sunday showing that China's manufacturing sector continued to expand in December, though at a slightly slower pace than the month before. ANALYST TAKE: "While the eurozone seems to have ended 2016 on the up in economic terms, we are concerned that GDP growth could be increasingly hampered in 2017 by political uncertainties," said Howard Archer, global economist at IHS Markit. Those uncertainties include Britain's formal start to talks to leave the European Union and elections in France and the Netherlands, where far right parties that favor leaving the euro are expected to do well. HOLIDAY IMPACT: Trading was slow as many markets were closed to observe the New Year's holiday. Besides Britain, markets were closed in Japan, China and Hong Kong and were due to remain shut in New York. Of those that did trade in Asia, India's Sensex ended the day 0.1 percent lower at 26,595.45 while South Korea's KOSPI was flat at 2,026.16. CURRENCIES: The dollar started the new year with broad gains in currency markets. It was at 117.30 yen, up from 117.00 the previous day. The euro was trading at $1.0477, from $1.0443. Trading in several commodities, including crude oil, was closed on Monday.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/stocks-start-2017-gains-markets-stay-shut-44509508

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Iran Detains 21 Fishermen From Arab Nations in Its Waters

Iran Detains 21 Fishermen From Arab Nations in Its Waters

Iranian state TV is reporting the country's coast guard has detained 21 fishermen and their three boats from neighboring Arab nations for straying into its territorial waters and fishing rare species. The Monday report said the traditional boats, known as dhows, had entered Iranian waters near the country's Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. It said the fishermen were handed over to the courts, adding that they had fished rare species of sharks and fish in Iranian waters. In recent months, Iran has detained 12 dhows in its waters over similar charges.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iran-detains-21-fishermen-arab-nations-waters-44509170

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Syrian Government Blames Power Cuts on Militants

Syrian Government Blames Power Cuts on Militants

Syria's state news agency says al-Qaida militants have knocked out electricity towers near the capital, causing power cuts in a southern province. SANA said Monday that fighters from the Fatah al-Sham Front bombed three towers southwest of Damascus, causing electricity cuts in the Quneitra region. The report came as a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey held for the fourth day amid sporadic violations. Fighting has raged in the water-rich Barada Valley northwest of Damascus over the past two weeks. The Fatah al-Sham Front and the Islamic State group are not included in the truce.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/syrian-government-blames-power-cuts-militants-44510011

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Myanmar Gov't Admits Video Shows Police Beating Villagers

Myanmar Gov't Admits Video Shows Police Beating Villagers

Myanmar's government has vowed to take action against police officers shown beating villagers in a video that has circulated on the internet. Monday's front-page story in the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper about the Nov. 5 incident was a rare official acknowledgment of abuses taking place in the western state of Rakhine. The authorities have been conducting counterinsurgency operations there since an attack in October by unidentified armed men killed nine border guards. Human rights groups accuse security forces of abuses against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Rakhine, including rape, killings and the burning of more than 1,000 homes. Monday's story, which cited the office of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and police, did not say what punishment the police might face.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-govt-admits-video-shows-police-beating-villagers-44509339

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Chicago's 'Out of Control' Violence Produces 762 Homicides in 2016

762 Homicides Mark Chicago's 'Out of Control' Violence

A long and violent year in Chicago ended with 762 homicides, police say. That's more than twice the number in New York City, where police said 335 were killed. Last year marked Chicago's worst homicide rate in two decades, according to The Associated Press. The deceased were among 4,331 shooting victims during the year, accounting for 17.5 percent. The stories of violence are unrelenting: Nykea Aldridge, a mother of four, was shot dead in August after being caught in crossfire while pushing her baby in a stroller on Chicago's South Side. In November, the 15-year-old grandson of U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., was shot dead over a pair of gym shoes. 'Spiraling Out of Control' ABC News contributor John Cohen, a law enforcement and homeland security expert whose roles have included counterterrorism coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security, described the violence in Chicago as "spiraling out of control." Beyond Chicago, he said, “a growing number of major cities are receiving a significant increase in robberies, homicides and aggravated assaults.” He cited three factors he believes may be behind the uptick in violence: 1. An increase in gang activity and violent behavior by career criminals. 2. An increase in the availability of illegal guns, coupled with an increase in criminals' willingness to use them. 3. And an increase in the reluctance by law enforcement to engage in proactive, violence prevention policies. Such hesitancy, Cohen said, is because "officers of various ranks are worried they will respond to a split-second decision and end up being the next person blasted all over the media and will lose their job." Officers respond to their calls for service and do what they can, Cohen said, but they are "hesitant to be proactive" and "target violent criminals." Criminals sense any hesitancy, Cohen said, and believe they are less likely to be stopped. Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson told the AP recently that officers have become more careful, partly because they're concerned about viral videos. Johnson added at a news conference last week that police officers are not the reason for the heightened violence in Chicago; he said over 8,000 guns were recovered in 2016 and all those encounters put cops at risk. Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images 'Empowered' Gang Members There is no simple explanation for why the violence is so extreme, Johnson told reporters last week, but he pointed to the prevalence of gang activity. He also noted that the "the anti-police rhetoric" in Chicago and across the country "has emboldened and actually empowered these gang members to do what they do." Gang members may believe community residents will take their side instead of the police's, he added. Johnson said the violence in Chicago is mostly on the city's south and west sides, in areas with a history of gang conflicts. Of the 12 killings in Chicago over Christmas weekend, he said, 90 percent of the victims had gang affiliations, criminal histories and were pre-identified by the department's "strategic subject algorithm" as being a potential offender or victim of gun violence. The majority of the 27 shootings Christmas weekend were "targeted attacks" by gangs against potential rival gang members at holiday gatherings, Johnson said. Cohen, the ABC News contributor, said the concentration of violence in specific neighborhoods can be explained by social issues, like a lack of education or employment, which he said can create a feeling of hopelessness for young people and may contribute to why they gravitate toward the violent gang lifestyle. Gangs not only provide income, Cohen said, but give young people a familial connection and sense of protection. "If we don't get a handle on this problem," Cohen said, "law enforcement officials that I've been speaking to are saying ... we'll see continuing increases." Scott Olson/Getty Images Targeting Gang Violence Cohen suggested several steps for Chicago to get a handle on the gang violence: First, he said, the police must identify and aggressively target violent gang members and other violent repeat offenders. "The overwhelming majority of violent crime is committed by people who have engaged in violent criminal activity," he said. Second, police "have to work to prevent illegal guns from getting into the hands of people who cannot legally possess them," Cohen said. "There's nobody on either side of the gun-control issue who thinks career repeat offenders ... should be able to possess a gun," he said. "And there are policing strategies that are directly focused on preventing stolen weapons from falling into the hands of violent gang members and repeat violent offenders. "Third, you have to address the underlying issues," Cohen said. Citing Los Angeles’ efforts in the 1980s and early-1990s, Cohen said that city successfully worked to address underlying issues in neighborhoods that contributed to a sense of hopelessness. As in Chicago now, L.A. crime then was spiraling out of control, driven by violent gang activity, he said. First, L.A. police initiated dramatic uniformed and undercover police presences; Cohen said he and other law enforcement officers zeroed in on South Central Los Angeles communities to find the most violent, repeat offenders and target them with federal prosecution. Also, authorities in L.A. worked with local government and community groups to address some of the underlying issues, like poor education opportunities, Cohen added. The aggressive enforcement, coupled with addressing the underlying issues, brought significant decreases in gang activity, and violent crime more broadly, in South Central Los Angeles, he said. Without addressing the underlying issues, Cohen said, "there will be a revolving door" of people who will engage in violent behavior. Joshua Lott/Getty Images The Community-Police Relationship Cohen also cited trust between communities and police as something that’s missing nowadays in cities including Chicago, where he said law enforcement officers need to engage proactively with residents, understand what's important to communities and work with them. Cohen complimented New York City's police officers, saying they go to community meetings and ask what issues are important to the community, which "changes the dynamic" of the conversation. In return, people are willing to talk to officers about problems, he said, which creates personal relationships. A Call for Legislative Change Johnson, the Chicago police superintendent who called the level of violence in his city "unacceptable," is pushing for a legislative change to help curb the "reckless gun culture" in Chicago. Johnson said he hopes a new law will give judges autonomy to sentence repeat gun offenders to the middle- or high-end of the range, because he says repeat offenders are not willing to "play by society's rules." “I just don’t believe that we hold repeat gun offenders accountable for their actions," he told reporters Dec. 26, adding that the city must change the narrative so offenders don’t want to pick up a gun. Johnson hopes the legislation will give cops "a fighting chance" to hold offenders accountable to begin to change the narrative in the city. "We all have a vested interest in reducing this gun violence," he said. "It's not OK and it's not normal. When I go home and my neighbors see me, they are constantly asking what can we do to reduce this gun violence? "We know that the long-term solutions [are] to invest in these impoverished areas, provide more jobs, better education," Johnson said, adding, "The urgent solution right now is for state legislatures to help us with this gun bill. "If you pick up a gun and shoot somebody you should go to prison, period," he said. "You don’t get a pass from me."

Abc News;Emily Shapiro;More Emily

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/chicagos-control-violence-produces-762-homicides-2016/story?id=44402951

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Alabama Band to March at Inauguration, Igniting Controversy

Alabama Band to March at Inauguration, Igniting Controversy

Organizers of President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural parade say the marching band of Alabama's oldest private, historically black liberal arts college has accepted an invitation to perform. The move comes as historically black schools like Howard University, which marched in President Barack Obama's first inaugural parade, said they didn't apply to march at Trump's inauguration. The move has lit up Talladega College's social media sites with a sharp debate about the band's decision to participate. Some people voiced strong opposition, while others support the band's participation. The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Friday that the Talladega College Marching Tornadoes was among 40 groups, including high school bands and military organizations, scheduled to perform in the parade. Talladega College officials haven't returned phone calls and emails seeking comment.

Abc News

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/alabama-band-march-inauguration-igniting-controversy-44511989

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

US Sen. Warren Seeks to Pull Pot Shops out of Banking Limbo

US Sen. Warren Seeks to Pull Pot Shops out of Banking Limbo

As marijuana shops sprout in states that have legalized the drug, they face a critical stumbling block — lack of access to the kind of routine banking services other businesses take for granted. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, is leading an effort to make sure vendors working with legal marijuana businesses, from chemists who test marijuana for harmful substances to firms that provide security, don't have their banking services taken away. It's part of a wider effort by Warren and others to bring the burgeoning $7 billion marijuana industry in from a fiscal limbo she said forces many shops to rely solely on cash, making them tempting targets for criminals. After voters in Warren's home state approved a November ballot question to legalize the recreational use of pot, she joined nine other senators in sending a letter to a key federal regulator, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, calling on it to issue additional guidance to help banks provide services to marijuana shop vendors. Twenty-eight states have legalized marijuana for medicinal or recreational use. Warren, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, said there are benefits to letting marijuana-based businesses move away from a cash-only model. "You make sure that people are really paying their taxes. You know that the money is not being diverted to some kind of criminal enterprise," Warren said recently. "And it's just a plain old safety issue. You don't want people walking in with guns and masks and saying, 'Give me all your cash.'" A spokesman for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said the agency is reviewing the letter. There has been some movement to accommodate the banking needs of marijuana businesses. Two years ago, the U.S. Department of the Treasury gave banks permission to do business with legal marijuana entities under some conditions. Since then, the number of banks and credit unions willing to handle pot money rose from 51 in 2014 to 301 in 2016. Warren, however, said fewer than 3 percent of the nation's 11,954 federally regulated banks and credit unions are serving the cannabis industry. Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a trade organization for 1,100 marijuana businesses nationwide, said access to banking remains a top concern. "What the industry needs is a sustainable solution that services the entire industry instead of tinkering around the edges," Taylor said. "You don't have to be fully in favor of legalized marijuana to know that it helps no one to force these businesses outside the banking system." Sam Kamin, a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law who studies marijuana regulation, said there's only so much states can do on their own. "The stumbling block over and over again is the federal illegality," he said. The federal government lumps marijuana into the same class of drugs as heroin, LSD and peyote. Democratic President Barack Obama's administration has essentially turned a blind eye to state laws legalizing the drug, and supporters of legalizing marijuana hope Republican President-elect Donald Trump will follow suit. Trump officials did not respond to a request for comment. During the presidential campaign, Trump said states should be allowed to legalize marijuana and has expressed support for medicinal use. But he also has sounded more skeptical about recreational use, and his pick for attorney general, Alabama U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, is a stern critic. Some people in the marijuana industry say the banking challenges are merely growing pains for an industry evolving from mom-and-pop outlets. Nicholas Vita, CEO of Columbia Care, one of the nation's largest providers of medical marijuana products, said it's up to marijuana businesses to make sure their financial house is in order. "It's not just as simple as asking the banks to open their doors," Vita said. "The industry also needs to develop a set of standards that are acceptable to the banks."

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-sen-warren-seeks-pull-pot-shops-banking-44507131

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Man Wounded in Istanbul Attack Played Dead

Man Wounded in Istanbul Attack Played Dead

A Delaware man wounded in an attack at a New Year's Eve celebration in Istanbul says he survived the attack by playing dead. William Jacob Raak told NBC News he survived the attack by playing dead and staying silent and motionless, even after being shot. "When he shot me I didn't move — I just let him shoot me," he told NBC. "I was shot when I was already on the ground. He was shooting people that he had already shot." Raak, 35, is a small business owner from Greenville. The State Department said Monday that Raak was the only U.S. citizen injured in the attack, which occurred at a popular nightclub in Turkey's largest city. WCAU-TV ( http://bit.ly/2i0RQ8g ) reports that Raak called his brother, Michael, around 7:30 p.m. EST on New Year's Eve to say he'd been shot in the leg. Michael Raak told NBC10 his brother was visiting friends in Istanbul. Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin has said the attacker, armed with a long-barreled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club before entering and firing at people partying inside. At least 39 people, mostly foreigners, were killed. The Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack. Turkish police meanwhile detained eight people in connection to the attack but were still hunting for the gunman who disappeared amid the chaos of the attack.

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/report-delaware-man-wounded-istanbul-attack-played-dead-44510755

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

AP PHOTOS: Editor Selections From the Past Week in Asia

AP PHOTOS: Editor Selections From the Past Week in Asia

After returning from a visit to Pearl Harbor last week, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada visited a Tokyo shrine that honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals. Inada had accompanied Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit to Pearl Harbor, where he offered condolences to those who died in the Japanese attack there in 1941. In other images from the Asia-Pacific region last week, South Korean opposition politicians called for nullifying a settlement reached between Seoul and Tokyo on compensation for South Korean women forced into sexual slavery by Japan's military during World War II. The move came on the anniversary of the deal, and amid growing efforts to erase some of the key policies of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye. A powerful typhoon killed at least six people and spoiled Christmas in several provinces in the Philippines, with more than 380,000 people abandoning celebrations at home to reach emergency shelters and other safer grounds. South Korea is fighting its worst bird flu outbreak in a decade. The government said that about 26 million head of poultry would be culled, including about one-third of the country's egg-laying hens, after the H5N6 strain of avian influenza was found in farms and parks. China and Sao Tome and Principe officially resumed diplomatic relations in a triumph for Beijing over rival Taiwan after the African island nation abruptly broke away from the self-ruled island earlier in December. ——— This gallery was curated by Associated Press photo editor Masayo Yoshida in Tokyo.

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ap-photos-editor-selections-past-week-asia-44507231

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NPR

Russia Denies U.S. Findings That It Tried To Influence U.S. Election

Rachel Martin talks to veteran Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner about how the story of a possible Russian computer hack designed to influence the U.S. election is playing out inside Russia.

Russia Denies U.S. Findings That It Tried To Influence U.S. Election Russia Denies U.S. Findings That It Tried To Influence U.S. Election Listen · 7:19 7:19

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http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507854123/russia-denies-u-s-findings-that-it-tried-to-influence-u-s-election?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Yemen's Children Starve as War Drags On

Yemen's Children Starve as War Drags On

As the first light of dawn trickles in through the hospital window, 19-year-old Mohammed Ali learns that his two-year-old cousin has died of hunger. But he has to remain strong for his little brother Mohannad, who could be next. He holds his brother's hand as the five-year-old struggles to breathe, his skin stretched tight over tiny ribs. "I have already lost a cousin to malnutrition today, I can't lose my little brother," he says. They are among countless Yemenis who are struggling to feed themselves amid a grinding civil war that has pushed the Arab world's poorest nation to the brink of famine. The family lives in a mud hut in northern Yemen, territory controlled by Shiite Houthi rebels, who are at war with government forces and a Saudi-led and U.S.-backed coalition. The coalition has been waging a fierce air campaign against the rebels since March 2015, trying unsuccessfully to dislodge them from the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north. A coalition blockade aimed at preventing the Houthis from re-arming has contributed to a 60-percent spike in food prices, according to an estimate used by international aid groups. During the best of times, many Yemenis struggled to make ends meet. Now they can barely feed themselves. Mohammed's father works seasonal farming jobs that pay only a few dollars a day. Mohammed dropped out of school after the war began and scrapes by on occasional construction and farming work. Before the war, they could afford to eat beef or chicken once a week, but now they are lucky to have some fish with lunch. Their diet mainly consists of bread, rice and tea. Earlier this month, Mohammed and his brother made the hour-long journey, over a bumpy and unsafe road, to the nearest hospital, in the town of Abs. Mohannad's condition, which began with diarrhea, had been worsening for the past two years, but they couldn't afford treatment. Some 2.2 million children suffer from malnutrition across Yemen, according to the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF. That includes 462,000 who, like Mohannad, are afflicted with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), which makes them especially vulnerable to otherwise preventable illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia. UNICEF is supporting the treatment of 215,000 children suffering from SAM and has provided vitamin supplements to millions more, said Rajat Madhok, the agency's spokesman in Yemen. But "this lifesaving work remains hindered by the shortage of funding and limited access to areas caught in the fighting," he said. The war has taken a heavy toll on the country's health facilities. A number of hospitals and clinics have been bombed, while others have had to close their doors because of the fighting. Less than a third of Yemen's 24 million people have access to health facilities, according to UNICEF, which says at least 1,000 Yemeni children die every week from preventable diseases. Mohammed hopes his brother won't be next. "I can see that my brother's condition is worsening day after day," he says. "There's nothing I can do."

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/yemens-children-starve-war-drags-44508227

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NPR

Trump Organization Proceeds With Two Major Indonesia Projects

New York Times Washington correspondent Eric Lipton speaks with NPR's Audie Cornish about how two projects in Indonesia could create conflicts of interest for him as he takes office.

Trump Organization Proceeds With Two Major Indonesia Projects Audio will be available later today. New York Times Washington correspondent Eric Lipton speaks with NPR's Audie Cornish about how two projects in Indonesia could create conflicts of interest for him as he takes office.

www.npr.org

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507922391/trump-organization-proceeds-with-two-major-indonesia-projects?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

House Republicans Effectively Gut Congressional Ethics Watchdog

House Republicans Effectively Gut Congressional Ethics Watchdog

House Republicans have voted to put the independent Office of Congressional Ethics under control of the Ethics Committee -- a move that Democrats slammed in the hours before the new Congress is sworn in. "Republicans claim they want to ‘drain the swamp,’ but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions," Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress." President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the mantra of draining the swamp, but questions have been raised about his potential business conflicts as well as the interests of those he selected for senior positions in his administration. The amendment says that the office will be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review and will "be subject to the authority and direction of the Committee on Ethics," considered a standing committee of the House. The language limits the reviews that can be conducted as well as the time frame in which alleged violations can be considered. It also prohibits the board of the new office from employing a press spokesperson. And it stipulates that if criminal violations are uncovered that they'll be sent to the Ethics Committee first. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., who offered the amendment, said in a tweet that it "strengthens" the OCE, "improves upon due process rights" and "does nothing to impede OCE's work." The Office of Congressional Ethics was established in 2008 and is the "first ever independent body overseeing the ethics of the House of Representatives," the website says. "The OCE was formed after members of a congressional task force proposed an independent entity in the U.S. House to increase accountability and transparency," the site says. The OCE is non-partisan and "n all but one set of circumstances, the report and findings of the OCE Board must be publicly released." The Trump camp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-republicans-effectively-gut-congressional-ethics-watchdog/story?id=44518886

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

No Damage Reported After 2 Earthquakes Hit North Oklahoma

No Damage Reported After 2 Earthquakes Hit North Oklahoma

Two earthquakes have struck in the area of northern Oklahoma that was rattled last year by the largest earthquake in state history. The U.S. Geological Survey says the back-to-back earthquakes hit Monday morning near Pawnee, about 75 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. The USGS says the quakes had magnitudes of 3.2 and 3.3 and there are no reports of injuries or damage. In September, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Pawnee and caused widespread property damage. Scientists have linked Oklahoma's recent spate of earthquakes to oil and gas production, and state regulators have issued new regulations on the practice of injecting wastewater into underground disposal wells.

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/damage-reported-earthquakes-hit-north-oklahoma-44512407

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Judge: More Parking for Proposed NJ Mosque Unconstitutional

Judge: More Parking for Proposed NJ Mosque Unconstitutional

A federal judge says an upscale New Jersey town violated anti-discrimination laws by insisting that a proposed mosque have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues. The judge on Saturday ruled that Bernards Township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act by applying a different standard to Muslims. He said the township's planning board had "unbridled and unconstitutional discretion" due to its vague parking requirements. The Islamic Society's application to build the mosque was denied after more than three years and 39 public hearings. The group sued the township in March. The mosque's attorney, Adeel Mangi, called the decision a "landmark ruling." NJ.com reports township officials say they "vehemently" disagree with the decision and will decide how to proceed after the township's attorneys study it.

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-parking-proposed-nj-mosque-unconstitutional-44509899

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Congress Ushers in New Era of All-Republican Rule

Congress Ushers in New Era of All-Republican Rule

Congress ushers in a new era of all-Republican rule. On Tuesday at noon, with plenty of pomp and pageantry, members of the 115th Congress will be sworn in, with an emboldened GOP intent on unraveling eight years of President Barack Obama's Democratic agenda and targeting massive legacy programs from Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson such as Social Security and Medicare. In the election, Republicans kept their tight grip on the House and outmaneuvered the Democrats for a slim majority in the Senate. In less than three weeks, on the West Front of the Capitol, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the presidential oath to Donald Trump, the GOP's newfound ally. First up for Republicans is repeal and delay of the health care law, expediting the process for scrapping Obama's major overhaul but holding off on some changes for up to four years. The tax code is in the cross-hairs. Conservatives want to scuttle rules on the environment and undo financial regulations created in the aftermath of the 2008 economic meltdown, arguing they are too onerous for businesses to thrive. The only obstacle to the far-reaching conservative agenda will be Senate Democrats who hold the power to filibuster legislation, but even that has its political limitations. Twenty-three Democrats are up for re-election in 2018, including 10 from states Trump won, and they could break ranks and side with the GOP. Here are a few things to know about Congress: ——— BY THE NUMBERS Vice President Joe Biden, in one of his final official acts, will administer the oath to 27 returning senators and seven new ones. Republicans will have a 52-48 advantage in the Senate, which remains predominantly a bastion of white men. There will be 21 women, of whom 16 are Democrats and five, Republicans; three African Americans, including California's new Democratic senator Kamala Harris, and four Hispanics, including Nevada's new Democratic senator Catherine Cortez Masto. Across the Capitol, the House is expected to re-elect Rep. Paul Ryan as Speaker, with all the campaign-season recriminations involving the Wisconsin Republican and Trump largely erased by GOP wins. Once sworn in, Ryan will then administer the oath to the House members. The GOP will hold a hefty 241-194 majority in the House, including 52 freshmen — 27 Republicans, including Wyoming's Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and 25 Democrats. ——— CONFIRMING THE CABINET The Senate will exercise its advice and consent role and consider nominations of 15 department secretaries and six people tapped by Trump to lead agencies or serve in roles with Cabinet-level status, such as the EPA and U.N. ambassador. Democrats won't make it easy. Several in the party have been highly critical of several of Trump's choices, from Rick Perry, who forgot during the 2012 presidential campaign that the Energy Department was the one he wanted to eliminate, to Treasury pick Steve Mnuchin, the former Goldman Sachs executive whom Democrats have dubbed the "foreclosure king" for his stake in OneWest Bank that profited from the foreclosure crisis. Others nominees, such as retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis for defense secretary, should easily win confirmation. First, though, Congress must pass a law allowing the former military man to serve in a civilian post. There is a limit to what Democrats can do. Rules changes in 2013 allow some nominees, including Cabinet picks, to be confirmed with a simple majority, preventing Democrats from demanding 60 votes to move forward. ——— SUPREME COURT VACANCY Adding to the drama of the new Congress will be high-profile confirmation hearings for Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court. Justice Antonin Scalia died last February and Republicans refused to consider Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, insisting that the next president should fill the high court vacancy that's now lasted more than 10 months. Trump released a list of potential choices during the campaign that included Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who clerked for Justice Samuel Alito. Since the election, the president-elect also has met with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who clerked for former Chief Justice William Rehnquist, prompting talk about a possible nomination for the onetime presidential rival. Trump has said he wants to nominate a justice who would help overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion. Cruz and Lee would fulfill that pledge. ——— NEW FACE IN LEADERSHIP The point man for Senate Democrats is Brooklyn-born Chuck Schumer, who will be a chief antagonist to fellow New Yorker Trump. Schumer succeeds Nevada's Harry Reid, who retired after five terms, and joins Congress' top leaders — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Speaker Ryan — in what is certain to be tough negotiations next year on spending and policies. ——— RUSSIAN HACKING The first public hearing on the intelligence community's assessment that Russia interfered in the U.S. election is Thursday in the Senate Armed Services Committee, with James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, set to testify. Expect individual panels to investigate, but not a special, high-profile select committee. McConnell has rejected that bipartisan call.

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/congress-ushers-era-republican-rule-44512111

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Samsung, Hyundai Motor See Growing Uncertainties in 2017

Samsung, Hyundai Motor See Growing Uncertainties in 2017

Chiefs of Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor said Monday their businesses would face increased uncertainties due to growing protectionism. Samsung Vice Chair Kwon Oh-hyun urged employees in a new year's speech to reform the company by strengthening quality control as growth slows in its key markets and trade protectionism increases uncertainties in the economy and politics. Samsung is expected to announce this month the findings of its investigation into the Galaxy Note 7, JoongAng Ilbo reported, citing an unnamed company official. The flagship smartphone, released in August, caught fire and overheated, prompting two global recalls and its discontinuation last year. Samsung declined to comment on when it would share the findings with public. Hyundai Motor Chair Chung Mong-koo also warned about the increased uncertainties this year, citing slow growth in the global economy, the spread of protectionism and the increased competition in the auto industry. He said that South Korea's largest automotive group aims to sell 8.25 million vehicles this year. Hyundai Motor and its sister Kia Motors missed their sales target in 2016, selling 7.88 million cars as consumers flocked to sports utility vehicles rather than sedans, Hyundai's mainstay, and the popularity of imported vehicles grew in South Korea. Hyundai Motor workers' strike disrupted local car production, hurting sales.

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/samsung-hyundai-motor-growing-uncertainties-2017-44508702

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Ahead of Trump Presidency, Cuba Flexes Military, Political Muscle

Eighteen days before Trump is to be sworn in to the U.S. presidency, Cuba held a "fighting people's march" and military parade.

HAVANA, Cuba - Eighteen days before Donald Trump is to be sworn in as U.S. president, Cuba held a military parade and a "fighting people's march" in their nation's capital. The events took place on Monday morning at the capital's Plaza de la Revolución "on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Granma expedition's landing and the heroic uprising in Santiago de Cuba," according to the government's statement, marking the start of the Cuban revolution six decades earlier. The military parade was headed by Cuban children from elementary schools and it was made up of just troops without military assets. The march was led by blocs of Cuban young people, for whom the political and military event was to whom the official Cuban newspaper Granma was "also dedicated." Originally the military parade and people's march was scheduled for December 2nd, 2016, but because of Fidel Castro's passing it was postponed to January 2nd. Many in the crowd held signs saying "We are Fidel." The march took place as the country faces a new U.S. president that has already vowed to press Cuba for more changes. RELATED: Two Years After U.S.-Cuba Opening, What's Next Under Trump This is the second time since Trump was elected that the Cuban government flexes its military muscle; in November the Cuban Army carried out strategic exercises "to consolidate the concept of War by the Entire People" and to "strengthen the homeland's military invulnerability", according to President Raul Castro.

Orlando Matos

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http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/ahead-trump-presidency-cuba-flexes-military-political-muscle-n702401

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NPR

Farmers On Mission To Return 'Old Testament Sheep' To Holy Land

A farmer couple from Canada has enlisted the Israeli government's help in moving Jacob Sheep, a breed they say has biblical roots, to Israel. Sheep experts tell a different story about their pedigree.

Farmers On Mission To Return 'Old Testament Sheep' To Holy Land Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Estrin/NPR Daniel Estrin/NPR A Jewish farming couple from Canada says it has shepherded the sheep of the bible back to the Holy Land after centuries in exile. With donations from Jewish and Christian supporters, and some help from the Israeli government, Jenna and Gil Lewinsky have airlifted 119 furry members of the Jacob Sheep breed from their farm in Abbotsford, British Columbia, to Israel. Jacob Sheep are found in the U.K. and North America, but the Lewinskys say the breed originally roamed the Middle East and ancient Israel, and their spotted and speckled coats match the description in the Book of Genesis of Jacob's flock. "You know that Israel is built on Jewish people returning. Now you have a case of an animal from the Old Testament also returning," said Gil Lewinsky from a customs loading dock at Israel's international airport near Tel Aviv. Several times a week in recent weeks, an Air Canada jet touched down at the airport carrying a group of the Lewinskys' fluffy Jacob Sheep in its cargo. "Come, Israel, come!" farmer Jenna Lewinsky said to one reticent animal, coaxing him out of his shipping crate. Each animal comes with a Hebrew name. About two years ago, the Lewinskys wanted help with their spiritual mission to repatriate Jacob Sheep to their biblical homeland, and they contacted Eitan Weiss, then the head of cultural relations at the Israeli embassy in Ottawa. "I was like, what the hell? Sheep?" Weiss recalled. "I don't know. It sounded very, very odd, I had to say. But when I did the homework and when they sent me some material, I said, I think this is an amazing story." The Israeli Agriculture Ministry was not as enthused. Canada is not on Israel's list of approved countries for livestock import. But the Israeli ambassador to Canada got involved, and the Agriculture Ministry granted a one-time exception for the Jacob Sheep. Curious to learn more about the sheep's pedigree, I visited sheep expert Elisha Gootwine at the Israeli Agriculture Ministry's research organization, the Volcani Center. "Jacob Sheep are related to Jacob the same as the American Indians are related to India," Gootwine said with a chuckle, standing inside the research center's sheep pen. The Jacob Sheep are originally British and got their name in the late 19th century because their spots and speckles called to mind Jacob's sheep from the Bible, Gootwine said. Generally, all sheep can be traced back to the Near East, he said, because sheep were first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. But the Jacob Sheep breed, according to Gootwine, is not indigenous to ancient Israel. Zohar Amar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, who studies the flora and fauna of ancient Israel, said the Jacob Sheep breed "may have a long history in the U.K.," but, "according to all of the scientific indications we have (historical and zoological sources), it has no connection to the ancient sheep breeds" of ancient Israel. "Anyway, it's a nice breed and people will be happy to see it," Gootwine said. "It is a good story. For journalists, not for scientists." "So, it's just, it's a myth," I said. Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Estrin/NPR Daniel Estrin/NPR "Yes. But what is wrong with myth? If you enjoy it, why not?" Gootwine replied. The Lewinsky farmers say the biblical roots of the Jacob Sheep are not a myth. While Shepherd Sleeps, Sheep Overrun Spanish City While Shepherd Sleeps, Sheep Overrun Spanish City Listen · 0:28 0:28 They've traced the breed's route from ancient Israel to the Iberian Peninsula to England to North America — and now, to Israel. The Lewinskys are currently setting up a farm for the sheep near Jerusalem, and they are continuing to solicit donations for support. Five of their sheep died shortly after arriving in Israel. Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry is planning a welcome home ceremony for the animals. Is Israel their original home? The Israeli Foreign Ministry's Eitan Weiss said he sees it as a matter of faith.

Daniel Estrin

www.npr.org

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/01/02/507890286/canadians-on-mission-to-return-old-testament-sheep-to-holy-land?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

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2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Federal Judge Rules New Jersey Town Discriminated in Mosque Case

Judge Michael A. Shipp of New Jersey found that the Bernards Township planning board treated the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge differently.

A Muslim congregation that has waged a five-year battle against a New Jersey town for the right to build a mosque has moved "one step closer" to finally having a place to pray. A federal judge ruled that Bernards Township discriminated against the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge by requiring it to provide more parking spots for their proposed mosque than other places of worship in the town. It was the latest development in a multi-year battle that has involved dozens of public hearings as well as allegations of anti-Muslim animus. A rendering of the proposed mosque taken from court documents. "This brings the local community one step closer to have a place of their own in this township," Adeel Abdullah Mangi, an attorney representing the society, told NBC News on Monday."That means everything to the local Muslims." RELATED: Islamic Group Files Lawsuit Over Denied Mosque After Years-Long Planning Battle, Vandalism But Bernards Township Mayor Carol Bianchi refused to wave the white flag Monday. She said the township is weighing its next legal move and referred a reporter to her earlier statement criticizing U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Shipp's ruling. "This is a landmark ruling interpreting the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act that will have national impact in reaffirming that townships cannot treat applicants differently based on their religion." "This decision has major implications for municipal land use boards and their ability to determine the actual off-street parking needs of proposed projects without fear of alleged (religious land-use) violations," Bianchi's statement read. "The Township vehemently disagrees with the Court's decision and awaits a full analysis of the 57 page decision by its attorneys, who only learned of the decision on New Year's Day." Under township rules, churches are required to provide one parking spot for every three pew seats. Shipp,in his ruling Saturday, concluded the township treated the Muslim group differently from other religious groups by insisting that it provide even more parking. He wrote the three-to-one parking ratio for churches applies equally to mosques and synagogues. "Viewing the pleadings in the light most favorable to defendants, the court finds that defendants discriminatorily applied the parking ordinance on the basis of religion," Shipp wrote. An excerpt of court documents detailing the battle over a proposed mosque in New Jersey. In oral arguments on Dec. 20, township attorney Howard Mankoff denied the board applied different standards based on religion. He insisted that a mosque is not considered a church under the township definition, adding that "they're different because they have different needs." RELATED: Justice Department Sues New Jersey Township Over Years-Denied Mosque Mosque worshipers, Mankoff said, would likely be arriving one per car, straight from work, for the most well-attended religious services on Friday afternoons. He argued that the planning board should be allowed some discretion in applying the township parking ordinance. "This decision has major implications for municipal land use boards and their ability to determine the actual off-street parking needs of proposed projects without fear of alleged (religious land-use) violations." In its 2012 application to build the 4,252-square-foot mosque, the society asked for 50 parking spots, based on a maximum attendance of 150 worshipers over the next five to 10 years. The board, which leaned heavily on the findings of a traffic engineer hired by a group opposed to the mosque, insisted the mosque provide 107 parking spaces. The New Year's Eve decision is the latest development in a case that has drawn national attention and prompted the Justice Department to file its own federal suit against Bernards Township in November. The Islamic society, which has accused the township of bowing to anti-Muslim activists in the community, claimed in its March lawsuit that the stricter parking requirement "laid the groundwork for each of the board's bases for denying (the society's) preliminary and final site plan approval." Play Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed Obama to Muslim-Americans: 'You're Part of America Too' 5:25 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog "The property was purchased in November of 2011," Mangi told NBC. "The development was made in April of 2012. At this point we're coming up on five years." So far the township held a total of 39 public hearings about the mosque, during which time the Islamic Society says it was targeted by bigots, court documents said. An image of the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge's vandalized mailbox taken from court documents. Among other things, a flyer made the rounds in the community asking whether terrorist acts are "something they taught in your mosques and at home," and the society's mailbox was defaced with three-inch stickers to change its acronym from "ISBR" to "ISIS," according to the lawsuit. During its investigation, documents turned over to federal authorities revealed some Bernards Township officials named in the society's lawsuit used their personal email accounts to allegedly make anti-Muslim statements. Follow NBC Asian America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

Chris Fuchs

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/federal-judge-rules-new-jersey-town-discriminated-years-denied-mosque-n702296

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Islamic State claims responsibility for Turkey nightclub attack that killed 39

The Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for the New Year's attack at a popular Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people and wounded scores of others. The IS-linked Aamaq News Agency said the attack was carried out by a "heroic soldier of the caliphate who attacked the most famous nightclub where Christians were celebrating their pagan feast." It said the man opened fire from an automatic rifle and also detonated hand grenades in "revenge for God's religion and in response to the orders" of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The group described Turkey as "the servant of the cross" and also suggested it was in retaliation for Turkish military offensives against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. "We let infidel Turkey know that the blood of Muslims that is being shed by its airstrikes and artillery shelling will turn into fire on its territories," the statement said. Earlier, Turkish media reports had said that Turkish authorities believed the IS group was behind the attack and that the gunman, who is still at large, comes from a Central Asian nation and is likely to be either from Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan. According to Hurriyet and Karar newspapers, police had also established similarities with the high-casualty suicide bomb and gun attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport in June and was investigating whether the same IS cell could have carried out both attacks. The gunman killed a police officer and another man outside the Reina club in the early hours of 2017 before entering and firing at an estimated 600 people partying inside with an automatic rifle. Nearly two-thirds of the dead in the upscale club, which is frequented by local celebrities, were foreigners, Turkey's Anadolu Agency said. Many of them hailed from the Middle East. Citing Justice Ministry officials, Anadolu reported that 38 of the 39 dead have been identified and 11 of them were Turkish nationals, and one was a Turkish-Belgian dual citizen. Turkey nightclub attack Sedat Suna, EPA Relatives of slain Busra Kose, 19, who was killed in the gun attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul on Jan. 1, mourn during a funeral in Istanbul, Turkey, on Jan. 2, 2017. Relatives of slain Busra Kose, 19, who was killed in the gun attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul on Jan. 1, mourn during a funeral in Istanbul, Turkey, on Jan. 2, 2017. (Sedat Suna, EPA) (Sedat Suna, EPA) The report says seven victims were from Saudi Arabia; three each were from Lebanon and Iraq; two each were from Tunisia, India, Morocco and Jordan. Kuwait, Canada, Israel, Syria and Russia each lost one citizen. Relatives of the victims and embassy personal were seen walking into an Istanbul morgue to claim the bodies of the deceased. Turkish officials haven't released the names of those identified. The mass shooting followed more than 30 violent acts over the past year in Turkey, which is a member of the NATO alliance and a partner in the U.S.-led coalition fighting against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. The country endured multiple bombings in 2016, including three in Istanbul alone that authorities blamed on IS, a failed coup attempt in July and renewed conflict with Kurdish rebels in the southeast. The Islamic State group claims to have cells in the country. Analysts think it was behind suicide bombings last January and March that targeted tourists on Istanbul's iconic Istiklal Street as well as the attack at Ataturk Airport in June, which killed 45 people. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria, to clear a border area from the IS and also curb the territorial advances of Syrian Kurdish forces in the region. The incursion followed an IS suicide attack on an outdoor wedding party in the city of Gaziantep, near the border with Syria, that killed more than 50 people. In December, IS released a video purportedly showing the killing of two Turkish soldiers and urged its supporters to "conquer" Istanbul. Turkey's jets regularly bomb the group in the northern Syrian town of Al-Bab. Turkish authorities haven't confirmed the authenticity of the video. Last week, Turkey and Russia brokered a cease-fire for Syria that excludes the IS and other groups considered to be terrorist organizations. Turkey nightclub attack Yasin Akgul / AFP/Getty Images A woman and her child stand in front of a memorial in front of the Reina nightclub, on Jan. 2, 2017, in Istanbul, Turkey. A woman and her child stand in front of a memorial in front of the Reina nightclub, on Jan. 2, 2017, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Yasin Akgul / AFP/Getty Images) (Yasin Akgul / AFP/Getty Images) On Monday, Anadolu said more than 100 Islamic State targets in Syria have been hit by Turkey and Russia in separate operations. Citing the Turkish Chief of General Staff's office, Anadolu said Turkish jets struck eight IS group targets while tanks and artillery fired upon 103 targets near Al Bab, killing 22 extremists while destroying many structures. The Russian jets also attacked IS targets in Dayr Kak, eight kilometers (five miles) to the southwest of Al Bab. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the attacker left a gun at the club and escaped by "taking advantage of the chaos" that ensued. Some customers reportedly jumped into the waters of the Bosporus to escape the attack. Associated Press

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-nightclub-attack-20170102-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Turkey Attack: American Survivor Jake Raak Played Dead, Stayed Silent

Jake Raak, 35, of Greenville, Delaware, recounted to NBC News how he survived Sunday's ordeal in Istanbul, Turkey.

Play Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed ISIS claims responsibility; injured American describes NYE Istanbul attack 3:03 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog ISTANBUL — An American shot during the Istanbul nightclub rampage told NBC News he survived the ordeal by playing dead, remaining silent and motionless even after the gunman shot him. Jake Raak is taken to hospital early Sunday. APTN Jake Raak was one of around 60 people injured during a rampage in and around the Reina nightclub early on New Year's Day. Some 39 people were killed in the incident — most of them foreigners. The 35-year-old from Greenville, Delaware, recalled that as gunman moved through the club spraying bullets, he targeted people who were lying on the floor. "When he shot me I didn't move — I just let him shoot me," he said. "I was shot when I was already on the ground. He was shooting people that he had already shot." ISIS claimed responsibility for the shooting on Monday, identifying the attacker as "a heroic soldier of the caliphate." It said the attack had been carried out "and in response to a call" from its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, although it did not say whether it directed or merely inspired the perpetrator. Play Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed Cameras Catch Istanbul Nightclub Gunman Entering Building 0:48 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog The gunman fired some 120 rounds during his rampage in and around the nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (5:30 p.m. ET Saturday), police told NBC News. The incident lasted less than 10 minutes. Raak was shot in the hip and the bullet traveled to his knee. He added that he didn't move or make a sound even after he was hit, fearful that the gunman might realize he was alive. "You just have to stay as calm as you can," he said. "I took a bullet." Jake Raak NBC News Raak was with a group of nine people, he said, seven of whom were shot. Raak said he came within inches of the shooter, who walked along a bench that he was lying underneath. "I saw him coming and he shot us all," he said. "Somebody said there were shots fired and I initially did not believe it until I saw the gunman and he started shooting up the whole place." He added: "I was probably the luckiest person in the whole thing." Authorities were Monday engaged in an international manhunt for the suspect, who fled the scene after the shooting. A photo of the Istanbul nightclub shooting suspect released by Turkish police on Monday. Istanbul police Police in Istanbul released Monday what they said was an image of the suspect taken from security footage. "Efforts to find the terrorist are continuing," Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters Sunday. "God willing, he will be caught in a short period of time. This was a massacre, a truly inhuman savagery." Twenty-eight of the dead were foreigners, Turkish Health Ministry officials said. Canadian, Iraqi, Saudi, Indian, Lebanese, Tunisian, Kuwaiti and Syrian citizens are among the dead.

Richard Engel

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/turkey-attack-american-survivor-jake-raak-played-dead-stayed-silent-n702181

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Blasting Into 2017: What's in the Stars For Space Travel

As we blast into 2017, here are a few key space moments to keep on your radar.

It's an exciting time to be alive as NASA, along with billionaires and their rockets, continue to push the envelope when it comes to space travel and exploration. But it all comes at a pivotal time, as President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. As president, Trump will nominate a NASA administrator and will be tasked with setting a budget for the space program, which will then have to be approved by Congress. The current proposed budget for NASA in 2017 is $19 billion — down $300 million from the previous year but still an improvement from the past decade, which saw the end of the space shuttle program. Related: Cheers to the Tech We Have to Look Forward to in 2017 Trump Sets the Course For NASA President-elect Donald Trump will step into his new role during a pivotal time for future space endeavors, as well, with NASA setting its sights on a Mars mission in the 2030s and preparing to end its dependence on Russia for rides to the International Space Station. Whomever Trump nominates could set the tone for the future of the space program, including how NASA partners with the commercial space industry, according to Jim Cantrell, CEO of Vector Space Systems and a founding member of SpaceX. With Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel acting as a close Trump adviser, Cantrell said "some of the more commercial thinking" he brings "is very healthy, and if Trump continues to do that, it will be very positive for NASA." Presidents are usually relatively hands-off with NASA; however, Cantrell sees an opportunity for Trump, who has previously called space "terrific." "Occasionally you see presidents come in and provide a clear change in direction of leadership," he said, referring to John F. Kennedy's decision to go to the moon and George W. Bush's appointment of a NASA administrator who helped paved the way for partnerships with the private space industry. "The potential is there for Trump to do the same thing," Cantrell said. Ending Reliance on the Russians Since NASA grounded its shuttle program in 2011, the space agency has been buying seats aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule in order to send American astronauts to and from the International Space Station. It likely won't happen in 2017, but expect to hear updates from NASA partners SpaceX and Boeing as both make strides in their testing of commercial crew vessels: When they are ready to shuttle humans, SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's Starliner would cost about $58 million per seat, according to NASA. By comparison, a seat aboard the Russian Soyuz has the heftier price tag of $81 million. A Return to Flight for SpaceX SpaceX is planning to return to flight in January — just four months after an anomaly destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and the satellite it had been set to carry into space. Elon Musk's company is targeting a January launch, exact date to be determined, for Iridium's mobile communications fleet. SpaceX's timeline is ambitious, but the company has pulled it off in the past. After its Dragon capsule exploded en route to the International Space Station, the company was sidelined for six months. The Unpredictable Jeff Bezos Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is a member of the billionaire rocket club. As CEO of Blue Origin, he's largely kept quiet about the company's plans, instead telling the world after they've pulled off something impressive. "They have been unpredictable from the start because there isn't much known about what their core path is," said Cantrell. "I am fascinated to see what it is the guy has in mind. His style is very different from Elon's. Elon says what he wants to do and goes and gathers the money to do it. Bezos suddenly shows up with a fully functional vehicle that blows your mind." Blue Origin has been following a cycle of "launch, land, and repeat," with its reusable New Shepard rocket and vehicle, which goes into sub-orbital space. Jeff Bezos, chief executive officer of Amazon and founder of Blue Origin. Matthew Staver / Bloomberg via Getty Images Building a Space-Based Internet "I see it as a very bright year for the space internet," Cantrell said. Building a space-based internet is not a new idea, but it's one that has taken off once again largely due to new technology and lower launch costs. While a number of companies, including SpaceX, have expressed a desire to build a space-based internet, it's shaping up to be a big year for OneWeb. The company, whose investors include The Virgin Group, Coca-Cola, Airbus, and Qualcomm, announced earlier this month it had received a $1.2 billion injection of capital, which will support production in a high volume satellite facility, according to the company. "My bet is on OneWeb to get it going first," Cantrell said. Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic suffered a major setback with its SpaceShipTwo when it broke apart over the Mojave Desert in 2014, killing the co-pilot and seriously injuring the pilot, who was able to parachute to safety. Earlier this month, Virgin Galactic marked its first major milestone since the crash when its new spaceship, the VSS Unity, successfully completed its first glide test. When it comes to space tourism, Virgin Galactic has been one of the most visible companies setting imaginations wild with the idea of actually letting human tourists visit space. "They aren't going to move as aggressively forward as the smaller companies launching unmanned stuff," Cantrell said. They'll work on "getting the risk of losing human life down" and showing their more than 700 customers who have been patiently waiting that they have a "strong future." Related: Like a Virgin, in Space for the Very First Time Cassini's Saturn Swan Song Having spent nearly 20 years on the move in space, NASA's Cassini space probe will end its mission in September when it dives head-on into Saturn. Before it slams into the ringed planet, Cassini will come as close as 1,012 miles above Saturn's clouds before it makes a fatal plunge into the atmosphere. The space probe launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004.

Alyssa Newcomb

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-year-in-review/blasting-2017-what-s-stars-space-travel-n700571?cid=public-rss_20170105

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

Trump's Foreign Policy Challenges Include Russia, China, North Korea

Donald Trump was elected to president on a platform of politics not as usual, so it is fitting he inherits a world in flux.

Play Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed Best of Trump on MTP: ISIS, Israel and Iran 6:52 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog LONDON — Donald Trump was elected president on a platform of politics not as usual, so it is fitting he inherits a world in flux. Post-World War II rules are dying, old alliances shifting and traditional roles shed. Trump has said he distrusts foreign entanglements and the state-building ambitions of his predecessors, and takes the reigns of an America much less eager to act as the world's policeman. President-elect Donald Trump Evan Vucci / AP, file So the new administration will be in a position to rewrite international rules, whether it's the relationships with Russia and China, North Korea's nuclear program, the U.S. approach to the Syrian civil war, or the global war on terror. While Trump is a giant question mark on the world stage, NBC News' Chief Global Correspondent Bill Neely looks at major international challenges the president-elect faces when he takes office on Jan. 20. Part 1: How China Could Pose the Biggest Challenge for Trump Part 2: What Will Trump Do About Kim Jong Un's Nuclear Ambitions? Part 3: Nobody Will Test Trump Administration More Than Putin Part 4: Can Trump Stop Syria War From Haunting U.S.? Part 5: The Hard Truths Trump Must Face to 'Crush ISIS'

Nbc News

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http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-s-foreign-policy-challenges-include-russia-china-north-korea-n698196

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

Van, truck collide, catch fire on Thai highway, killing 25

Authorities say a van and a pickup collided and caught fire on a highway in eastern Thailand, killing 25 people.

Authorities say a van and a pickup collided and caught fire on a highway in eastern Thailand, killing 25 people. The public transit van lost control and crossed the grass median, colliding with the pickup truck going in the opposite direction Monday afternoon, according to Thai Road Accident Data for Road Safety Culture, which compiles electronic insurance reports. Two people survived the crash, said police Col. Dusadee Kunchorn Na Ayutthaya, superintendent of the Ban Bung district police station in Chonburi province. "An accident like this shouldn't happen but it did," Dusadee said. Both drivers were killed, and police were not yet able to interview the survivors, to determine what caused the crash.

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http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/van-truck-collide-catch-fire-on-thai-highway-killing-25.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

Cologne police boss regrets New Year tweet on North Africans

Cologne's police chief says he regrets his force's use of the term Nafris to describe North Africans in a New Year's Eve tweet, but dismissed suggestions it engaged in racial profiling.

Cologne's police chief says he regrets his force's use of the term "Nafris" to describe North Africans in a New Year's Eve tweet, but dismissed suggestions it engaged in racial profiling. Officers stopped hundreds of North African men heading into downtown Cologne on Saturday to prevent a repeat of sexual assaults that marred New Year's celebrations a year earlier. The department wrote on Twitter: "Hundreds of Nafris screened at main railway station." Critics accused police of stopping people on their appearance alone. Opposition Green party co-leader Simone Peter told the Rheinische Post the term "Nafris" was "completely unacceptable." Police Chief Juergen Matthies said Monday the department has used the term internally since 2013 to describe young North Africans regarded as particularly violent or criminal. He says it wasn't meant for public use.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/cologne-police-boss-regrets-new-year-tweet-on-north-africans.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

Turkey identifies nightclub attack gunman; 5 ISIS suspects detained

Turkey has identified the gunman in the Istanbul nightclub massacre, the foreign minister said Wednesday as the president vowed that the country won't surrender to terrorists or become divided.

Turkey has identified the gunman in the Istanbul nightclub massacre, the foreign minister said Wednesday as the president vowed that the country won't surrender to terrorists or become divided. The gunman, who killed 39 people during New Year's celebrations at the Reina club, is still at large. But Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said authorities had identified the man, without providing details. "The identity of the person who carried out the attack on the Reina nightclub has been established," Cavusoglu told Anadolu in a live televised interview. Turkish police, meanwhile, detained at least five suspected Islamic State group militants believed to be linked to the attack, the state-run news agency reported. The operation was launched in the Aegean port city of Izmir and was ongoing, Anadolu Agency said. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded nearly 70 people. Of those killed 27 were foreigners, many from the Middle East. Islamic State said a "soldier of the caliphate" had carried out the mass shooting to avenge Turkish military operations against ISIS in northern Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the attack aims to set Turks against each other and deepen fault lines, but the country won't fall for this game. Erdogan made the comments in a live speech from Ankara, the first time he has publicly addressed the nation since the attack. Responding to accusations in the past that Turkey had given support to the Islamic State group, Erdogan said that "to present the country which is leading the greatest struggle against Daesh as one supporting terrorism is what the terror organization wants." Erdogan said that "in Turkey, no one's way of life is under any threat. Those who claim this have to prove it. It is my duty to protect everyone's rights." He also said that "to say Turkey has surrendered to terrorism is to take sides with the terrorists and terror organizations." Police in Istanbul have set up checkpoints and are checking vehicles across the city as security levels remained high. Police were stopping cars and Istanbul's ubiquitous yellow taxis, with passengers and drivers holding up their identifications while officers inspected inside the vehicles. Istanbul has been on high alert since the attack, with the gunman still at large. The private Dogan news agency said that Wednesday's police operation targeted three families who had arrived in Izmir about 20 days ago from Konya — a city in central Turkey where the gunman is thought to have been based before carrying out the nightclub attack. It said 27 people, including women and children, were taken into custody. At least 14 people were previously detained in connection with the attack, including two foreigners stopped Tuesday at the international terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after police checked their cellphones and luggage, according to Anadolu. Turkish media reports claimed Tuesday that the gunman's wife was in custody and had told police she didn't know her husband was linked to ISIS. An eerie selfie video emerged of the alleged gunman on Tuesday, showing him silently touring Istanbul's most famous square. The camera never leaves the man's unsmiling face as he walked through Taksim Square during the 44-second clip that was broadcast on state-run Anadolu television and other Turkish media. Funerals were held in Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Turkey for the dead and on Wednesday, a Turkish Airlines jet carrying the bodies of two Indian citizens killed in the shooting landed in Mumbai. The bodies were received by a governing party lawmaker, and the victims' relatives and friends. Bollywood film producer-realtor Abis Rizvi's body was taken to his home in suburban Bandra for burial later Wednesday. The 49-year-old Rizvi wrote, produced and directed a Bollywood movie "Roar: The Tigers of Sunderbans," in 2014 aimed at spreading awareness about tigers. The other Indian victim of the Istanbul attack was Khushi Shah, a 39-year-old fashion designer from Vadodara, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Shah's body was flown to her hometown for cremation later Wednesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. Late on Tuesday, Turkey's parliament voted to extend by a further three months a state of emergency that was declared in the aftermath of the failed July 15 coup. Turkey imposed the state of emergency to crack down on a network linked to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the coup attempt. Gulen denies any involvement.

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http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/04/5-isis-suspects-linked-to-turkey-nightclub-attack-have-been-detained.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Los Angeles Times

Congress opens with an ambitious Republican agenda for the Trump era

A Republican-controlled Congress opens Tuesday with the most sweeping conservative agenda in decades, providing Donald Trump ample room to gut the Affordable Care Act, slash corporate tax rates and undo Obama-era environmental regulations. The House is almost certain to reelect Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) as its first order of business, dispensing with the messy political infighting that has hobbled Republicans in the past. And the Senate will swiftly begin vetting the president-elect’s most controversial Cabinet picks, ready to confirm some when Trump is inaugurated as president on Jan. 20. Yet Republicans remain at odds on some high-profile issues — such as how aggressively to investigate Russian hacking in the 2016 election — and how to fulfill other big-ticket promises, such as replacing Obamacare. Despite firm Republican control of both the White House and Congress, the internal disputes have left them without a clear plan yet for Trump’s first 100 days, or an endgame for the two years of the 115th Congress. Trump’s often shifting views on major issues will test relations with GOP’s leaders on Capitol Hill, and his willingness to skirt ideological rigidity gives incoming Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco an opening to influence and shape the president’s evolving agenda. President Obama will visit Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with Democrats bracing for their new role, not just as the minority party, but as the main roadblock preventing Trump from dismantling the healthcare law and other parts of the Obama agenda. Republicans will also assemble behind closed doors. Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who was a popular conservative congressman before he was elected governor of Indiana, is likely to serve as a crucial link between the Trump administration and its allies in Congress. Given Trump’s inexperience in government, Pence is expected to play an enhanced role, perhaps like the one former Vice President Richard Cheney held under President George W. Bush. At a minimum, Pence could provide a vital conduit between the untested new president and his more ideological party members in Congress, especially as Ryan’s own relationship with Trump has been strained. Ryan flip-flopped over Trump — first withholding his endorsement, then ultimately campaigning for him — but the speaker insists he and the president-elect have let bygones pass as they talk almost daily on their plans for fulfilling Republican promises to voters. “Very soon after the race, Donald and I said: ‘Look, this is fantastic. We have so much to do. Let's forget about, you know, any differences in the past and let's get working on this agenda,’” Ryan said recently on Fox News. “And that's exactly what we've been doing from -- that day on.” Once Trump takes office, Republicans will face enormous pressure to score some legislative wins after six years of trying to block most of Obama’s initiatives. Lawmakers will vote this week on low-hanging fruit -- a popular GOP measure to rein in the executive branch by requiring congressional approval for new federal regulations with an economic impact of more than $100 million. The measure, which passed the Republican House three times since 2011, is a GOP priority. Its supporters say it would have prevented nearly all the climate and employment rule changes of the Obama era. Republicans are also expected to punish Democrats for last year’s gun control sit-in, led by civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), by imposing new rules that would slap up to $2,500 fines on lawmakers who film such floor protests from smartphones or other devices. Whether that would pass judicial review is less clear. Opponents say the proposed ban is clearly unconstitutional. But the GOP’s top promise — to end Obamacare — remains a tough haul. Votes are expected in coming days on legislation to begin repealing the Affordable Care Act. But these first steps will be largely symbolic while lawmakers debate the details of dismantling the healthcare law. With 20 million Americans now benefiting from Obamacare, the GOP’s gutting of it comes with an asterisk. Republicans are also likely to postpone fully dismantling the healthcare law until they can sort out their own ideas for a yet-to-be-determined alternative. That could push a full Obamacare repeal and replace until 2018 or 2019, after the midterm elections. “Repeal and delay, it doesn’t even have alliteration,” Pelosi scoffed on a conference call Monday with reporters. “It’s an admission that it’s a lot for them to lose politically.” Similarly, Republicans are still working out the details of tax reform beyond the lower rates proposed in the House GOP’s “Better Way” blueprint agenda for the new year. Ryan will almost certainly reemerge as speaker in Tuesday’s floor vote. But his leadership remains constrained by the same internal party divisions that hobbled his predecessor, John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), and that have prevented Republicans from making gains on a cohesive agenda.

Lisa Mascaro

www.latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-congress-opener-20170103-story.html

LEFT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Kremlin Visit for Children of Diplomats Expelled by US

Kremlin Visit for Children of Diplomats Expelled by US

A Russian state news agency says that the children of Russian diplomats expelled by the United States are being invited to a holiday gathering at the Kremlin. The White House on Thursday ordered 35 diplomats out of the country as part of measures aimed at punishing Russia for alleged hacking interference in the U.S. presidential election. Many of them and their families arrived in Moscow early Monday. Some officials complained that the expulsion ruined families' celebrations of New Year's Eve, Russia's main gift-giving festivity. Elena Krylova, a spokeswoman for the presidential affairs administration, was quoted by the Tass news agency as saying that a visit for the children to see the holiday tree in the State Kremlin Palace is being organized.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/kremlin-visit-children-diplomats-expelled-us-44509205

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

Cartels, smugglers exploit border wall fears ahead of Trump presidency

Mexican drug cartels and human traffickers are cashing in ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration by exploiting anxiety over his vow to build a border wall and crack down on illegal immigration – fueling the latest surge across the U.S.-Mexico line, according to local law enforcement.

Mexican drug cartels and human traffickers are cashing in ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration by exploiting anxiety over his vow to build a border wall and crack down on illegal immigration – fueling the latest surge across the U.S.-Mexico line, according to local law enforcement. The president-elect reiterated his pledge at a press conference Wednesday to build a "wall" – which he claims will curb illegal immigration, reduce gun violence and stop drugs from being smuggled into the country. For now, however, the Obama administration's leniency, combined with concerns about Trump's crackdown, is seen as contributing to a spike in crossings from California to Texas. “There’s definitely a percentage of folks who believed that they can beat the clock,” said Jose Villareal, chief of operations for the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector. On a recent ride-along in south Texas, Cameron County Sheriff's Office Lt. Robert Rodriguez told FoxNews.com he has noted an increase in the flow of border crossers since Trump’s White House win. “I can feel the anxiety,” Rodriguez said. “You can cut it with a knife.” Expand / Contract Cameron County Sheriff's Office Lt. Robert Rodriguez (FoxNews.com/Barnini Chakraborty) He said: “We see more and more people cross every day. ... The cartels are taking advantage of people being scared.” Rodriguez patrols a patch of road that includes the most southern tip of Texas. He’s seen battered bodies float lifeless down the Rio Grande River and is no stranger to the sight of corpses – from babies to men in their 80s – littered along the land. Some were shot by drug lords, human traffickers and cartel members, while others were abandoned by their “coyotes” – paid guides to get them across the border. He says moving people across the border is a high-stakes shell game that authorities at the local, state and federal level are losing. Rodriguez, who says he's been in two shootouts, has seen people come over on foot and packed in passenger vehicles as well as ferried over the Rio Grande in rafts. “This is ground zero of the problem,” Rodriguez said of the route known as Farm to Market Road 1419 in Cameron County. As for the human carnage he has witnessed, he said, “You’re a commodity. You’re a thing.” And the traffickers who see border crossers this way are looking at boom times -- at least for now. In November, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 47,214 migrants along the southwest U.S. border – an increase of 44 percent compared with a year earlier. November was the Border Patrol’s busiest month since June 2014. In the past six months, agents have caught nearly a quarter-million migrants -- about 1,300 a day -- trying to cross illegally. “Smugglers are telling them that they need to come across now while there’s a chance,” Art Del Cueto, a Border Patrol agent in Tucson, Ariz., recently told Fox News. In response, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection dispatched 150 more agents to police the southwestern border. They also opened two temporary facilities to detain thousands of people trying to come over illegally. "CBP is prepared to add housing, beds, toilets and bathing facilities as necessary," it said in a statement. "CBP is addressing this migratory surge along the southwest border in a humane way, consistent with our border security mission and our American values." Expand / Contract Shown here is one of the gaps in the border barrier in Cameron County near Brownsville, Texas. (FoxNews.com/Barnini Chakraborty) The border itself remains a challenge. Of the 315 miles of border in the Rio Grande Valley, only 54 miles have a border fence. The sector, made up of 34,000 square miles of U.S. territory, accounts for more than half of the migrant apprehensions each year. As the son of Mexican migrant workers who crossed the border illegally decades ago – they later became naturalized citizens – Rodriguez believes talk of the border wall is Washington window-dressing for a more complicated problem. “Smugglers change their tactic all the time,” he said, adding that with a wall, people can go “underneath it, over it or around it.” Most of the wall in Cameron County is 18 feet tall and made from rusty iron bars. In other parts, it’s fence. At a cost of more than $6 million per mile to build, the barrier runs through people’s backyards and farmers’ fields. There are gigantic gaps along the way -- stretches where the wall abruptly stops. “There are actually openings in the wall,” Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez told FoxNews.com. “I haven’t seen people go around the wall or over the wall. I’ve seen them go right through those openings.” For some residents in the region, the rush of border crossers ahead of Trump taking office has bred fear. One McAllen-area resident, who asked not to be named out of safety concerns for her young children, said she has seen a “big jump” in numbers. “The area is enormous and there aren’t enough [authorities] out here,” she said. “We see people cross all the time. Could we say something? Should we? Of course, but what about our kids?” Rodriguez says intimidation by cartel members is common and that scouts for coyotes and gangs are everywhere. “One day, a resident complains and the next, there’s a blacked-out SUV in front of their house,” he said. “They get the message.”

Barnini Chakraborty

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/12/cartels-smugglers-exploit-border-wall-fears-ahead-trump-presidency.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Inaugural Planners: Several States Represented in Parade

Inaugural Planners: Several States Represented in Parade

More than three dozen organizations have accepted invitations to take part in the inaugural parade after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in Jan. 20, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced. More than 8,000 participants will represent the various groups. A list of the organizations: — 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment, Fort Hood, Texas — 1st Infantry Division Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard, Fort Riley, Kansas — Boone County Elite 4-H Equestrian Drill Team, Burlington, Kentucky — Caisson Platoon, Fort Myer, Fort Myer, Virginia — Cleveland Police Mounted Unit, Cleveland, Ohio — Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Palm Coast, Florida — Columbus North High School Band, Columbus, Indiana — Culver Academy Equestrian, Culver, Indiana — First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Fishburne Military School Army JROTC Caissons Battalion, Waynesboro, Virginia — Frankfort High School Band, Ridgeley, West Virginia — Franklin Regional High School Panther Marching Band, Murrysville, Pennsylvania — Indianapolis Metro Police Motorcycle Drill Team, Indianapolis, Indiana — Lil Wranglers, College Station, Texas — Marist College Band, Poughkeepsie, New York — Merced County Sheriff's Posse, Hilmar, California — Michigan Multi-Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team & Color Guard, Ann Arbor, Michigan — Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, New Buffalo, Michigan — Nassau County Firefighters Pipes & Drums, East Meadow, New York — North Carolina Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, Hillsborough, North Carolina — NYPD Emerald Society Pipes & Drums, East Moriches, New York — Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Illinois — Palmetto Ridge High School Band, Naples, Florida — Russellville High School Band, Russellville, Arkansas — Talladega College Band, Talladega, Alabama — Texas State University Strutters, San Marcos, Texas — The Citadel Regimental Band & Pipes and Summerall Guards, Charleston, South Carolina — The Freedom Riders, Kersey, Colorado — Tupelo High School Band, Tupelo, Mississippi — University of Tennessee Marching Band, Knoxville, Tennessee — VMI Corps of Cadets, Lexington, Virginia — West Monroe High School Marching Band, West Monroe, Louisiana Several national groups have also accepted invitations to march in the parade, the committee announced. They are American Veterans; Boy Scouts of America; U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations; Disabled American Veterans; Paralyzed American Veterans; Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors; U.S. Border Patrol Pipes & Drums; Wounded Warrior Project; Kids Overseas.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/inaugural-planners-states-represented-parade-44515807

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Fox News

At least 22 killed after suicide bomber targets crowded Baghdad market

A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle Monday in a bustling market area in Baghdad, killing at least 22 people, Iraqi officials said, hours after the arrival of French President Francois Hollande to the country and amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group.

A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle Monday in a bustling market area in Baghdad, killing at least 22 people, Iraqi officials said, hours after the arrival of French President Francois Hollande to the country and amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group. The bomber driving a pickup truck attacked an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, day laborers and a police checkpoint in Baghdad's eastern Sadr City district, a police officer said. Up to 35 other people were wounded in that attack, he said, adding that the death toll was expected to rise. Two medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information. In an online statement, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it targeted Shiites. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the statements, but they were posted on a militant website commonly used by the extremists. The group also claimed responsibility for Saturday's suicide attack in a central Baghdad market, which killed at least 28 people, and Sunday's suicide bombing at a checkpoint south of Baghdad that killed at least nine people. Late last month, Iraqi authorities started removing some of the security checkpoints in Baghdad, mainly on its eastern side, in a bid to ease traffic for the capital's approximately 6 million residents. During a press conference with Hollande, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the bomber pretended to be a man seeking to hire day laborers; once the laborers gathered around, he detonated the vehicle. Al-Abadi warned that the "terrorists will further try to hit civilians to make up for the losses," they have suffered on the battlefield. "We are determined to annihilate terrorism and we are able to shorten its age," he said, calling on security forces and civilians to remain vigilant. Hollande, during his one-day visit, met with al-Abadi and President Fuad Masum. He was scheduled later to travel to the country's self-governing northern Kurdish region to meet French troops and local officials. Iraqi troops, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, are fighting IS in a massive operation to retake the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi state TV said Hollande will discuss "increasing support to Iraq and the latest developments in the fight against Daesh," the Arabic acronym for IS. In quotes published by the Elysee official Twitter account, Hollande promised that France would remain a long-term ally of Iraq and called for coordination between intelligence services "in a spirit of great responsibility." France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition formed in late 2014 to fight IS after the extremist group seized large areas in Iraq and neighboring Syria and declared an Islamic "caliphate." France has suffered multiple terrorist attacks claimed by IS. Hollande, on Twitter, said Iraq was in a precarious position two years ago, when IS made its blitz. But now the tide has turned. "The results are there: Daesh is in retreat and the battle of Mosul is engaged." Since the Mosul operation started on Oct. 17, Iraqi forces have seized around a quarter of the city. Last week, the troops resumed fighting after a two-week lull due to stiff resistance by the militants, bad weather and thousands of civilians trapped in their houses. In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, the senior U.S. military commander, Brig. Gen. Rick Uribe, praised the Iraqi forces fighting mainly on the eastern side of the city, saying they were "at their peak." Uribe agreed with al-Abadi's assessment that it would take another three months to liberate Mosul. He predicted the troops would face a different fight when they cross to the west bank of the Tigris River, saying it will mostly be a "dismounted" battle fought in part on narrow streets, some of which were not wide enough for a vehicle to pass. Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city is located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad. While the Syrian city of Raqqa is considered the caliphate's de facto capital, Mosul is the largest city under its control. It is the last major IS urban stronghold in Iraq.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/at-least-22-killed-after-suicide-bomber-targets-crowded-baghdad-market.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

Chicago Tribune

Porter County Dems begin new terms in office

One by one, sometimes flanked by loved ones, five Porter County Democrats took their oaths of office Monday to start the new year. Porter Superior Judge Julia Jent, sworn-in to another term herself Friday, presided over the ceremony in the commissioners chambers in the Porter County Administration Building. "I know this election year was a very tough year for Democrats across the country," said Jeff Chidester, chair of the county's Democratic Party, as the ceremony got underway, adding things were better for Democrats locally. "I'm very proud we elected and re-elected many of them. I would have liked more, but in my opinion, we did very well." Those taking the oath of office included Sylvia Graham, who will serve her third term as an at-large member of the council; Dan Whitten, serving a fourth term in an at-large seat on the council; Laura Blaney, who begins her second term on the Board of Commissioners serving the South District; Kevin Breitzke, in his sixth term as surveyor; and Michelle Clancy, serving her first full term as treasurer. An assortment of elected officials and other supporters attended the ceremony, applauding and cheering for each official after Jent swore them in. Council and commission members said that going forward, they want the county to continue building on its strengths, including its financial stability. "I want to continue on the path that we're on that got an animal shelter going and accomplished more good things," Blaney said, referring to the county's new animal shelter, slated to open June 1, adding the county has other projects on its docket. "I'm looking forward to getting it done." Graham and Whitten noted the county's non-profit foundation, created last year to handle the proceeds from the 2007 sale of the county hospital. "We are very fortunate in Porter County because we formed this foundation and it's going to help support some of these ideas and make them possible, just with having the money and not having to raise taxes," Graham said. Whitten said it's "a very exciting time" in the county, with interest from the foundation in the millions of dollars. "We've got lots of projects at this point," he said. "We just want to make the Porter County quality of life better and try to do them all." Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

Amy Lavalley

www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-porter-dem-swear-st-0103-20170102-story.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NBC News

At Least 60 Killed in Bloody Brazil Prison Riot

Many of the inmates were beheaded and dismembered in what was the largest killing at a Brazil prison since 1992.

Play Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed Families Flee Brazil Prison as Riot Kills at Least 60 Inmates 0:32 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog RIO DE JANEIRO — At least 60 inmates died during a prison riot in the northern state of Amazonas, including several who were beheaded or dismembered, in the biggest killing at a Brazilian prison since 1992. Amazonas state public security secretary Sergio Fontes said that in addition to the deaths, some inmates escaped, but he did not say how many. He added that 40 had been recaptured. Twelve prison guards were held hostage by the inmates, though none were wounded."This is the biggest prison massacre in our state's history," Fontes said during a press conference. The riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex began Sunday afternoon and lasted until Monday morning. It was the largest death toll during a Brazilian prison riot since the killing of 111 inmates by police officers in the Carandiru penitentiary in Sao Paulo in 1992. Police said they acted in self-defense then. Fontes confirmed that many of the dead had been beheaded and Judge Luis Carlos Valois, who negotiated the end of the riot with inmates, said he saw many bodies that were quartered. "I never saw anything like that in my life. All those bodies, the blood," Valois wrote on Facebook. Relatives of prisoners await news in front of the Medical Legal Institute after the riot. Michael Dantas / Reuters Authorities said the riot apparently grew out of a fight between two of the country's biggest crime gangs of the country over control of several prisons. Fontes said the inmates made few demands to end the riot, which hints at a killing spree organized by members of a local gang, the Family of the North, against those of the First Command of the Capital, which is based in Sao Paulo. The secretary said that officers found a hole in a prison wall through which weapons entered the building. Several firearms were found in the post-riot search by police. The First Command, nationally known as PCC, is the most powerful drug and prison gang in Brazil and it has been trying to extend its reach to northern prisons dominated by the Family of the North. Valois said that during the negotiations, inmates only asked "that we did not transfer them, made sure they were not attacked and kept their visitation. "The riot ended after the inmates freed the last of the 12 prison staffers they had held hostage, Valois said.

www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-60-killed-bloody-brazil-prison-riot-n702396

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Pope to Bishops: Maintain 'Zero Tolerance' for Child Abuse

Pope to Bishops: Maintain 'Zero Tolerance' for Child Abuse

Pope Francis has exhorted Catholic bishops worldwide to do what's needed to ensure children are protected from sexual abuse by clergy. The Vatican on Monday released the text of a Dec. 28 letter Francis sent to bishops about injustices to children. They included slave labor, malnutrition, lack of education and sexual exploitation, including abuse by priests. In the letter, Francis decried "the sufferings, the experiences and pain of minors who were abused sexually by priests." "It is a sin that shames us," the pope wrote. "Persons responsible for the protection of those children destroyed their dignity." The church's reputation has been stained in several countries during the last decade-and-a-half as people have come forward to report that parish priests or other Catholic clergy raped or molested them as minors. The allegations showed that local bishops sometimes knew about and covered up child sex abuse involving problem priests and triggered multi-million-dollar lawsuits, as well as several criminal prosecutions. Expressing the church's "regret," and begging forgiveness, the pope denounced the "sin of what happened, the sin of failing to help, the sin of covering up and denial, the sin of the abuse of power." Francis also asked bishops for "complete commitment to ensuring that these atrocities will no longer take place in our midst." "Let us find the courage needed to take all necessary measures and to protect in every way the lives of our children, so that such crimes may never be repeated," the pope said. "In this area, let us adhere, clearly and faithfully, to 'zero tolerance.'" The pontiff himself has gotten mixed reviews on how the Vatican handles sex abuse. Francis has laid out procedures to oust bishops for negligence, if they mishandle investigations into alleged abuse. But he dismayed advocates for abuse survivors by appointing a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for a notorious pedophile. The Vatican also took no immediate action after deaf students in Francis' native Argentina, in a 2014 letter to the pope, said a priest sexually abused them at school.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/pope-bishops-maintain-tolerance-child-abuse-44512871

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Libyan Presidential Council Member Resigns, Citing Failure

Libyan Presidential Council Member Resigns, Citing Failure

A prominent member of the presidential council of Libya's U.N.-backed government in Tripoli has resigned. Musa al-Koni's resignation at a televised press conference Monday was the first such move by one of the nine members of the council, formed in early 2016. Al-Koni, a deputy Prime Minister from southern Libya, cited the body's failure to assert authority over state institutions or provide services to citizens as a reason for his resignation. The U.N.-brokered body was created as an attempt to establish a unity government to end the chaos that has plagued Libya since the ouster and killing of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi in a 2011 uprising. Instead, Libya remains divided between east and west, with no effective government and rival factions and militias.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/libyan-presidential-council-member-resigns-citing-failure-44514537

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Mexicans Block Roads, Stations to Protest Gasoline Hikes

Mexicans Block Roads, Stations to Protest Gasoline Hikes

Small groups of protesters blockaded some roads and gasoline stations in Mexico on Monday to protest a government price deregulation that sent the price of fuel up by as much as 20 percent over the weekend. One group blockaded a privately owned gasoline station on Mexico City's main boulevard, shouting: "The people, united, will never be defeated!" "This will increase the cost of living for all Mexicans. It will make more expensive transportation, basic food stuffs, food, and it will ultimately hit Mexican families," said Rafael Sotocruz, a nurse who was protesting at the station. On a busy highway leading into the capital from the west, another group blocked traffic and held up a banner reading "Enough already!" Reports on social media and local newspaper sites suggested small, intermittent protests popped up at a half dozen other sites across the country. The Mexican government said the deregulation had long been planned, but unfortunately coincided with rising world oil prices. The deregulation is aimed at ending subsidies that the government says largely benefit wealthier Mexicans and at attracting interest in private participation in the newly opened fuel market "Unfortunately, it coincided with a significant increase in international oil prices," said Miguel Messmacher, Mexico's assistant finance secretary. That, and a drop in the value of the Mexican peso against the dollar in 2016, probably would have resulted in gas price hikes last year, but the government was still setting prices then. Mexico imports much of its gasoline, even though it exports crude oil. "It was precisely because we were limiting these (price) movements in some ways that gave rise to this pent-up increase," Messmacher said. "These things always create bad feelings," he added. "That is very clear, and very understandable. It is very clear to us that this is obviously an unpopular measure." When the deregulation took effect on New Year's Day protesters snarled traffic on one of the country's main north-south highways. Gasoline supplies have begun stabilizing after some stations were recently left dry due to what officials described as panic buying, increased holiday demand, unforeseen shipping delays and damage to pipelines that officials blamed on a surge in fuel thefts. Authorities still haven't explained why pipelines thefts increased so dramatically in early December, but the government was forced to increase military patrols by 60 percent to combat the thefts. Thieves steal about $1.4 billion worth of fuel products annually from pipelines operated by the state oil company, Pemex, according to official estimates. The 2017 price deregulation is part of a broader overhaul of Mexico's energy sector passed two years ago under President Enrique Pena Nieto allowing some private investment and ending more than seven decades of state monopoly over oil. In a second phase later this year, other companies will be allowed to begin importing and distributing gasoline instead of Pemex handling the entire supply chain.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mexicans-block-roads-stations-protest-gasoline-hikes-44516597

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:00:00

NPR

Can India's Economy Recover In 2017?

In November, India's government declared all high-value currency invalid and withdrew them from circulation. Starved of cash, the economy seized up.

Can India's Economy Recover In 2017? Audio will be available later today. In November, India's government declared all high-value currency invalid and withdrew them from circulation. Starved of cash, the economy seized up.

Julie Mccarthy;Audie Cornish

www.npr.org

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507922405/can-indias-economy-recover-in-2017?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world

LEFT

2017-01-02 00:00:00

ABC News

Van, Truck Collide, Catch Fire on Thai Highway, Killing 25

Van, Truck Collide, Catch Fire on Thai Highway, Killing 25

A van and a pickup collided and caught fire on a highway in eastern Thailand on Monday afternoon, killing 25 people, authorities said. The public transit van lost control and crossed the grass median, colliding with the pickup truck going in the opposite direction Monday afternoon, according to Thai Road Accident Data for Road Safety Culture, which compiles electronic insurance reports. Twenty-five people were killed and two survived the crash, said police Col. Dusadee Kunchorn Na Ayutthaya, superintendent of the Ban Bung district police station in Chonburi province. "An accident like this shouldn't happen but it did," Dusadee said. Both drivers were killed. Police were not yet able to interview the survivors but were investigating to determine what caused the crash. Thailand has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world.

Abc News

abcnews.go.com

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/van-truck-collide-catch-fire-thai-highway-killing-44509898

CENTER

2017-01-02 00:01:09

The Guardian

Rail fares: train operators accused of milking the system as rises kick in

Average increase across the country of 2.3% prompts calls from campaigners for the fares and ticketing system to be overhauled

Higher rail fares have come into effect, with passengers across Britain facing an average rise of 2.3%, prompting renewed outcry from campaigners. The overall rise in prices will outstrip the increase in season tickets set by the government, leading unions to accuse private train companies of milking the system. Labour party research shows that season tickets have gone up by an average of 27% since 2010, while the TUC found that rail fares had risen at more than twice the rate of inflation and wages over the last decade. Rising fares and crowded trains: the misery of Britain's rail users Read more According to Labour, some commuters will now payover £2,000 more to travel to work than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. A comparison of costs on nearly 200 routes shows that the average commuter is now paying £2,788 for their season ticket, £594 more than in 2010. The shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said: “Passengers have faced truly staggering fare rises of over £2,000 since 2010. Fares have risen more than three times faster than wages, and passengers on some routes have also been hit by stealth fare rises of up to 162%.” A Virgin Trains season ticket between Birmingham and London now costs £10,200, up £2,172 since 2010, while commuters travelling from Brighton to London on the troubled Southern Rail route now pay almost £1,000 more than in 2010, Labour’s research found. “Passengers were always told that higher fares were necessary to fund investment, but vital projects have been delayed by years and essential maintenance works have been put on hold,” McDonald said. A less fragmented railway, under public ownership, would have lower costs, he added. The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, took a different view. He said: “We are delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for more than a century, providing more seats and services. We have always fairly balanced the cost of this investment between the taxpayer and the passenger.” The train companies pocket millions in compensation for delays Read more The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said around 97p in every pound paid by passengers goes back into running and improving services. Its chief executive, Paul Plummer, said: “Nobody wants to pay more to travel to work and at the moment in some places people aren’t getting the service they are paying for.” This year the rise in overall fares, which is set by train companies, outstrip the rise in season tickets and other regulated fares. Fares on Virgin Trains East Coast have risen by 4.9% overall, with the company pushing up the price of some off-peak singles by 7% and the price of a ticket London to Edinburgh up to £137.20. Regulated fares have increased by 1.9% in line with July’s retail price index inflation figure, which is three times higher than the consumer price index (CPI) figure that the government more commonly employs. The Campaign for Better Transport called on the government to use CPI inflation figures to determine fare rises. It also demanded a cap on increases on walk-on fares, and season tickets targeted to equally benefit part-time workers. Lianna Etkind, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said: “With the average cost of an annual season ticket into London now more than £4,000, many people can simply no longer afford to get to work. It’s clear to us, and to millions of passengers up and down the country, that the whole fares and ticketing system needs overhauling.” Rail fare rises driven by hikes on Virgin Trains East Coast Read more The TUC’s research shows that rail fares have increased by 56% since 2006, more than double the rise of 24% rise in average earnings and 26% in inflation over the decade. Action for Rail, a campaign by rail unions and the TUC, says the UK’s privatised rail service has increased costs for commuters. It plans protests at more than 100 stations around Britain on Tuesday, when the majority of commuters will return to work after the new year holiday. The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “British commuters are forced to shell out far more on rail fares than others in Europe. Many will look with envy at the cheaper, publicly-owned services on the continent. “Private train companies are milking the system, and the government is letting them get away with it.” A survey for the campaign group We Own It found that around half of respondents believed fares would fall under public ownership. According to polling by Survation, 48% of people believed train travel would be cheaper in a renationalised railway, and 58% said privatisation had been a failure. Cat Hobbs, the director of We Own It, said: “We need an integrated, efficient railway that is accountable to all of us. Profits should be invested for the benefit of passengers, not shareholders.” The rail fare increases come as strikes continue to affect passengers on Southern rail. Services were disrupted and some lines closed by a three-day strike by conductors from the RMT union in a long-running row over reforms to their jobs and duties. The latest strike started on 31 December and concludes on Monday. Southern said a “team of contingency conductors” was keeping key routes open. The most extreme disruption yet in the Southern dispute looms next week, when a a six-day walkout by drivers from 9 January is expected to bring the network to a complete standstill.

Gwyn Topham

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/jan/02/rail-fares-train-operators-accused-of-milking-the-system-as-rises-kick-in

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2017-01-02 00:01:09

The Guardian

Fourteen garden villages to be built in England totalling 48,000 homes

Sites for new villages include green belt land and spread from Cornwall to Cumbria, but local opposition is strong in some areas

Sites for new villages include green belt land and spread from Cornwall to Cumbria, but local opposition is strong in some areas Fourteen garden villages are to be built across England on sites including a former airfield and green belt land, ministers have said. The villages, totalling 48,000 homes, will not be extensions of existing small towns or villages, but “distinct new places with their own community facilities”, the government said. Sites from Cornwall to Cumbria have been identified in the first round of approved locations, making them eligible for a share of a £6m government technical and financial support fund. After completion, the villages may vary in size from 1,500 homes up to 10,000. The housing minister, Gavin Barwell, said the development of the villages would be locally led by communities rather than central government. “New communities not only deliver homes, they also bring new jobs and facilities and a big boost to local economies,” he said. The 600-acre former Deenethorpe airfield near Corby, Northamptonshire, is one of the sites that has been approved for a village. The plans include a village green, shops and community hall, as well as more than 1,000 homes. Dunton Hills, a garden village set to be built near Brentwood, Essex, will have at least 2,500 homes, as well as new Gypsy and Traveller pitches. West Carclaze in Cornwall is set to be an ecovillage with 1,500 new energy-efficient homes, space for self-build and custom-built housing, and a new primary school for more than 400 pupils. Developers say it will have a solar farm and 350 hectares of green space in a new china clay heritage park incorporating the Sky Tip, a local landmark. Bike trails and pubs are also planned. However, local councillors have raised concerns about the small percentage of affordable housing and change in character of the historical mining area. Cllr Dick Cole, leader of the Cornish devolution party Mebyon Kernow, who said he had objected to proposals for an ecotown for a decade, said the garden village announcement was no more than window dressing for a controversial project. “The government talks about it being a locally led development, but the reality is that this is only happening because it was a government top-down initiative,” he told the Guardian. “They say it is a brownfield site, but many of the houses are on fields. It has been one of those projects that seems to have a momentum of its own, despite what local people say.” North Cheshire garden village, which will sit on the eastern edge of Handforth, has development plans that include 2,000 homes, a nursery and a care home, as well as architect-designed “one-off” homes. However, locals are worried that a new village of several thousand homes may put pressure on infrastructure such as the congested A34. Other planned villages include Long Marston in Warwickshire, Spitalgate Heath in Lincolnshire, Bailrigg in Lancaster and the Infinity garden village in Derbyshire. The final six are Oxfordshire Cotswold, Culm in Devon, Welborne in Hampshire, Halsnead in Merseyside, Longcross in Surrey and St Cuthberts near Carlisle. The garden village initiative was announced by the then chancellor George Osborne last year. Conditions for building villages or market towns stated that the developments must be “a new discrete settlement and not an extension of an existing town or village”. Shaun Spiers, the chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said it would carefully examine the proposals to see whether they were locally led and respected the green belt. “Done well with genuine local consent, garden villages and towns can help tackle the housing crisis,” he said. “They can certainly be preferable to what is currently happening in too many parts of the country: poor quality developments plonked on the countryside, in the teeth of local opposition and in defiance of good planning principles.” But areas that absorbed the new garden villages should have guarantees that they would be “protected from speculative planning applications for a long time to come”, he added. The Department for Communities and Local Government said there had been high levels of interest in building more villages in the coming years and it would make an additional £1m available this year to further development other proposals. Three new garden towns have also been announced near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, Taunton in Somerset and Harlow and Gilston in Hertfordshire, with £1.4m of funding to support the delivery of about 50,000 homes. Local CPRE members strongly object to the Hertfordshire plans, under which the village of Gilston and neighbouring hamlet of Eastwick would disappear. Kevin FitzGerald, the honorary director of CPRE Hertfordshire, said: “These plans herald the death knell of the rural character of whole swaths of Hertfordshire. Beautiful villages, supposedly protected by green belt [designation], look set to be swallowed up by the urban sprawl of neighbouring towns. “Housing targets are putting immense pressure on our area and marginalising the basic purposes of the green belt, which the government has pledged to protect.”

Jessica Elgot

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/02/fourteen-garden-villages-to-be-built-england-48000-homes-green-belt

LEFT

2017-01-02 00:01:09

The Guardian

Retail pay drops sharply in 2016

Average advertised wages fell by 17% as low-paid temporary jobs rise and other sectors experience pay cuts, says Adzuna report

Advertised salaries fell 2.7% in the year to November, with the biggest drop in wages hitting workers in the retail sector, according to a new report. The average advertised salary fell to £32,221 in November from £33,118 a year earlier according to Adzuna, the jobs search engine. They were down 1.5% compared with October’s £32,725. The biggest annual drop in advertised salaries was in the retail sector, where the average fell by 17.4% to £21,769. Adzuna said the sharp fall was partly down to a rise in the number of more low-paid temporary jobs . Other sectors to record big pay cuts included consultancy, down 16.4% in the year to November, customer service jobs, down 11.3%, and warehouse jobs, down 10.3%. The number of jobs advertised hit a 12-month high of 1.165m in November – a 0.2% rise compared with October, but 6.4% lower than the same month in 2015. Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “The jobs market has fared well in the main this year, given the unexpected events within the political climate. “Despite total advertised vacancies increasing significantly, it may be too early to brand the jobs market a complete success given salary stagnation and the unpredictability that may lie ahead in the new year.” Economists have warned that 2017 will be a tougher year for consumers and businesses, with lower growth, higher inflation and weak wage growth. Uncertainty is also expected to rise next year as Brexit negotiations begin. “2017 will certainly bring new prospects and challenges for the jobs market and the sooner Brexit plans are confirmed, the sooner businesses and individuals will be able to plan for the future with more certainty,” Munro said. Adzuna said competition for jobs was at an all-time low in November, with 0.43 jobseekers per vacancy. The search engine site said that over 2016, Cambridge was the best place to find a job with more than 10 vacancies to every jobseeker. Sunderland was the toughest, with 3.48 jobseekers for every job advertised. UK joins Greece at bottom of wage growth league Read more The latest official figures painted a mixed picture of the jobs market in the months following the EU referendum in June. The employment rate fell for the first time in a year and a half in the three months to October, to 74.4% from 74.5% according to the Office for National Statistics. However, the number of people classed as unemployed dropped by 16,000 to 1.62 million and the jobless rate remained unchanged at 4.8%.

Angela Monaghan

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/02/retail-pay-drops-sharply-in-2016

LEFT

2017-01-02 00:33:58

The Guardian

Pentagon condemns North Korea after claim it will test missile that can reach US

Washington warns Pyongyang against ‘provocative actions’ after regime announces it will test an intercontinental ballistic missile

The United States on Sunday sharply condemned North Korea’s claims it will test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile and warned Pyongyang against “provocative actions.” The toughly worded US statement called on “all states” to show the North that any unlawful actions would have “consequences.” North Korea satellite images show prison camps accused of 'atrocities' Read more It was issued by the Pentagon at a sensitive time – just weeks before President Barack Obama is due to hand power over to his successor, Donald Trump. The statement came hours after Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, said his country was close to testing such a missile, which would be capable of reaching American shores. “We are in the final stages of test-launching the intercontinental ballistic missile,” Kim said in a televised New Year’s speech, pointing to a string of nuclear and missile tests last year. He said Pyongyang was now a “military power of the East that cannot be touched by even the strongest enemy.” The Pentagon statement noted that “multiple UN Security Council resolutions explicitly prohibit North Korea’s launches using ballistic missile technology.” It urged Pyongyang to “refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric that threaten international peace and stability.” The statement reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to defend its allies, using “the full spectrum of US extended deterrence capabilities.” Pyongyang has never successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and analysts are divided over how close it is to doing so. But all agree it has made enormous strides in that direction since Kim took over as leader from his father Kim Jong-Il, who died in December 2011.

Agence France-Presse

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/pentagon-condemns-north-korea-after-claim-it-will-test-missile-that-can-reach-us

LEFT

2017-01-02 00:52:48

The Guardian

Hundreds of Syrians flee as Assad's forces bomb groups excluded from ceasefire

Mountainous region near Damascus targeted with days of airstrikes and shelling but truce between government and rebels appears to hold

Hundreds of civilians fled a mountainous region outside the Syrian capital on Sunday, where government forces were battling several insurgent groups, including one linked to al-Qaida that was excluded from the recent nationwide ceasefire. The Syrian military said 1,300 people had fled the Barada valley region, near Damascus, since Saturday. The region has been the target of days of airstrikes and shelling despite the truce, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey and appears to be holding in other parts of the country, despite some reports of fighting. UN welcomes Syria ceasefire against backdrop of deadlock and dissent Read more The truce went into effect early on Friday, and the government and the opposition are expected to meet for talks in Kazakhstan later this month. Russia, a key military ally of Syrian president Bashar Assad, and Turkey, a leading sponsor of the rebels, are acting as guarantors of the agreement, which excludes the al-Qaida-linked Fatah al-Sham Front and Islamic State. On Saturday, The UN security council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting efforts by Russia and Turkey to end the nearly six-year conflict in Syria and jump-start peace negotiations. The military said those fleeing Barada valley were relocated to safer areas and their names were registered by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the opposition’s Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said there were buses in the region ready to evacuate civilians but could not confirm how many people had left. He said the Barada valley region was not part of the ceasefire because of the presence of Fatah al-Sham Front, formerly known as the Nusra Front. The Barada valley media centre said Lebanese Hezbollah militants were firing on villages and towns in the water-rich region as Russian and government aircraft carried out raids for the 10th consecutive day on Saturday. The Lebanese militant group has sent thousands of fighters to Syria to bolster Assad’s forces. Giles Duley, photojournalist: ‘I promised my pictures could help Syrian war victims. At last, I’ve kept my word’ Read more The Barada valley is the primary source of water for the capital and its surrounding region. The government assault has coincided with a severe water shortage in Damascus since 22 December. Images from the valley’s media centre indicate its Ain al-Fijeh spring and water processing facility have been destroyed in airstrikes. The government says rebels spoiled the water source with diesel fuel, forcing it to cut supplies to the capital. The Observatory and the Aleppo media centre, an activist collective, meanwhile reported government airstrikes on rebel-held villages near the northern city of Aleppo, which was recently returned to full government control. State news agency Sana said two suicide attackers blew themselves up in the coastal city of Tartus, killing two security officers who had stopped them shortly after midnight, as residents were celebrating New Year’s Day. A news website close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard meanwhile said General Gholam Ali Gholizadeh, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, was killed fighting in Syria. It did not provide further details. Iran is also closely allied with Assad.

Associated Press

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/hundreds-of-syrians-flee-as-assads-forces-bomb-groups-excluded-from-ceasefire

LEFT

2017-01-02 01:01:41

Breitbart

Islamic State Claims Istanbul Nightclub Terrorist Attack

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Istanbul shooting that killed 39 people and wounded scores of others.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER ISTANBUL (AP) — The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Istanbul shooting that killed 39 people and wounded scores of others. The IS-linked Aamaq News Agency said the New Year’s Eve attack was carried by a “heroic soldier of the caliphate who attacked the most famous nightclub where Christians were celebrating their pagan feast.” SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER It said the man opened fire from an automatic rifle in “revenge for God’s religion and in response to the orders” of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured). The group described Turkey as “the servant of the cross”.

Breitbart Jerusalem

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RIGHT

2017-01-02 01:08:20

USA Today

Rally protests Gold Butte monument declaration

Ranchers protest monument protection for a Four Corners area land tract.

Demonstrators gather near Cliven Bundy's ranch outside of Bunkerville,Nev., Saturday to protest President Barack Obama's declaration of the Gold Butte National Monument encompassing a 300,000-acre area south of Mesquite on Wednesday. (Photo: Kevin Jenkins / The Spectrum & Daily News) ST. GEORGE, Utah — As Utah’s attorney general works with county, state and federal leaders to craft a lawsuit against President Obama’s Wednesday declaration of monument protection for a Four Corners area land tract, Nevadans opposed to the president’s similar declaration of a monument south of Mesquite are waging a more uphill battle without high-profile government officials by their side. A few dozen people, most of whom were family members or friends of Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy, staged a quiet rally Saturday at the state Route 170 access to the Gold Butte land falling under the monument declaration near Bundy’s home. The demonstrators rang out the year under cloudy skies as they held signs that decried Obama’s authority to restrict access and called on President-elect Donald Trump for help, but throughout the morning hours they primarily visited with each other while watching an occasional vehicle pass. “We’re proving that the Bundys couldn’t have had a conspiracy, because we’re never organized enough to conspire against anybody,” Carol Bundy, the wife of Cliven, joked in reference to the criminal charges filed against her husband and sons after a violent encounter with federal officers in April 2014. Margaret Houston, a younger sister of Cliven who lives in Logandale, reminisced about an encounter with the officers that took place a few feet from where the group was gathered Saturday. Houston says she was thrown down on the ground by an officer who approached her from behind without warning or provocation, and that he subsequently said he was trying to help get her out of harm’s way as government vehicles approached with water system implements removed from the Bureau of Land Management-administered area. Carol Bundy, center, visits with demonstrators near Bundy's ranch outside of Bunkerville,Nev., Saturday. The group was protesting President Barack Obama's declaration of the Gold Butte National Monument encompassing a 300,000-acre area south of Mesquite on Wednesday. (Photo: Kevin Jenkins / The Spectrum & Daily News) “Once they threw me down, then it piped up a little. People were upset. … But we just told them to get out of here,” she said. “Who were the aggressors?” Carol asked rhetorically. “They showed up first with their army – with their guns, with their snipers on the hill with their communication equipment.” The government’s charges claim Cliven has for years resisted BLM instructions and court orders to remove his cattle grazing without a paid permit on the public lands, and that tensions over the issue led to an confrontation April 12, 2014 in which hundreds of Bundy’s armed followers stopped the federal officers from forcefully removing the cattle at the Interstate 15 exit three miles from the protest scene. A trial is scheduled in three phases for the 17 defendants arrested in connection with the incident, based on a motion by the Bundys relating to witness challenges. The “Tier 3” defendants regarded as the least culpable “follower gunmen” are set for trial Feb. 6 in Las Vegas, followed by the Tier 1 leaders and organizers, including Cliven and his sons Ryan and Ammon, 30 days after the end of the Tier 3 trial. The Tier 2 “mid-level leaders and organizers and follower-gunmen” are set for trial 30 days after the end of the Tier 1 trial. Demonstrators make protest signs Saturday near Cliven Bundy's ranch outside of Bunkerville, Nev. The group was rallying against President Barack Obama's declaration of the Gold Butte National Monument encompassing a 300,000-acre area south of Mesquite on Wednesday. (Photo: Kevin Jenkins / The Spectrum & Daily News) Obama names Utah, Nevada monuments despite GOP opposition “But this isn’t even about that,” Houston said. “This is about them coming in and thinking that they can just say this is a monument and take all this land away and people won’t be using it.” The 300,000-acre Gold Butte National Monument declaration is a fraction of the 1.35 million acres given monument status at Bears Ears in Utah, or the 1.9 million acres set aside as the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in south-central Utah in 1996. But Gold Butte abuts the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument in Northern Arizona, which set aside 1 million acres in 2000. Environmentalists, including the Friends of Gold Butte organization, and some Native Americans have applauded the monument declarations as a way to preserve scenic desert vistas and archaeological finds while preventing mineral exploration and residential development. The Associated Press reported Friday that Arizona environmentalists are hopeful that the two new monument designations will be followed by another declaration of monument restrictions north and south of the Grand Canyon, where they have proposed a 1.7 million-acre reservation that would stop uranium mining that has already been banned through 2032. The Friends of Gold Butte lead a tour across the remote desert landscape near the Falling Man Petroglyph site earlier this year. (Photo: Desert Valley Times file photo) "It's something that we hope the president will do despite the fact there are a very few very loud naysayers out there," Sierra Club chapter Director Sandy Bahr said. "Monuments have been established by presidents since Theodore Roosevelt, and you don't hear people saying that was a mistake." Preservation groups rejoice in Gold Butte Outgoing Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, who ends 34 years of Congressional service this month, was a proponent of the Gold Butte monument and issued a statement Wednesday praising the “splendor of Gold Butte” that will be protected for generations to come. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval expressed his dismay that Obama’s decision “bypassed Congress and the public” in a statement Wednesday but, considering the designation inevitable, said he had focused on discussions with local and White House leaders to ensure Mesquite can continue to grow, water will continue to be available to residents, and outdoor recreation will still be accessible. The handful of Bundy demonstrators were skeptical, however, as they watched a number of vehicles pulling trailers with off-road vehicles pass en route to the soon-to-be-protected area Saturday. Members of the media visit with demonstrators near Cliven Bundy's ranch outside of Bunkerville,Nev., Saturday. The group was protesting President Barack Obama's declaration of the Gold Butte National Monument encompassing a 300,000-acre area south of Mesquite on Wednesday. (Photo: Kevin Jenkins / The Spectrum & Daily News) “There are a lot of people who come down here and ride,” Houston said. “These are the people that are using this land. These are the people that are going to get hurt,” Carol Bundy said. “They are also the people that aren’t here picketing because they don’t understand that they won’t be able to go where they want to go.” She noted that the monument declaration states “pre-existing rights” will be preserved, but that it also says there will be no grazing on the land. “My rights of pre-eminent rights established way before the BLM, that’s a state right that’s pre-existing,” she argued. Cane Beds resident Jeanette Finicum, the widow of the Arizona Strip rancher who died last January in a confrontation with armed law enforcement officers during a standoff on Oregon federal land, said she also has been barred by the BLM from turning her cattle out to graze because the agency does not regard her as the heir to her husband’s legal permits. The Tri-State Livestock News reported last week that the BLM says it is negotiating with Finicum’s attorneys over fees assessed against her as a consequence of her cattle’s summer grazing following her husband LaVoy’s death. “The states should be in control of these lands,” she said Saturday. “We should not be allowing the federal government to just come in and steal the West, because that’s what’s happening. … This really stems from the lands not being given back to the state in the West.” Cliven’s nephew Josey Spencer of Alamo, Nevada, who has been helping his uncle’s family gather in calves for sale this week, said the group is hopeful Trump will reverse Obama’s end-of-term monument declaration after Trump takes office. “I think he’s in a position to do some good. I really do,” Spencer said. “We can only hope for the best, but we won’t know until he gets in and starts going to work.” Follow Kevin Jenkins on Twitter: @SpectrumJenkins Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2hHuRBB

Kevin Jenkins;The;St. George;Utah;P.M. Est January

www.usatoday.com

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CENTER

2017-01-02 01:27:00

Politico

Trump: Rahm Emanuel should seek federal help to stop Chicago violence

“Chicago murder rate is record setting - 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If Mayor can't do it he must ask for Federal help!” Trump wrote.

Despite his past criticisms of Donald Trump, Rahm Emanuel has spoken to and met with the president-elect. | Getty Trump: Rahm Emanuel should seek federal help to stop Chicago violence The city of Chicago had an especially violent 2016, and if its mayor, former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, can’t make the city safer, President-elect Donald Trump said he must seek the help of the federal government. The Chicago Police Department announced Sunday that there were 762 murders in the city in 2016 and 4,331 shooting victims. It was the most murders the city has had in 20 years and higher than the totals of New York City and Los Angeles, the only two American cities larger than Chicago, put together. Trump cited those statistics in a post to Twitter on Monday, criticizing Emanuel, an Obama ally who left the White House to run for mayor of Chicago in 2010. Story Continued Below “Chicago murder rate is record setting - 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If Mayor can't do it he must ask for Federal help!” Trump wrote. Despite his past criticisms of Trump, Emanuel has spoken to and met with the president-elect, just as other big-city mayors have done. He used his face-to-face meeting with Trump last month to urge the president-elect and his staff to reconsider their hardline approach to illegal immigration. The city’s grisly 2016 crime statistics prompted a demonstration along downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, with hundreds of protesters, including Jesse Jackson and Rev. Michael Pfleger, carrying crosses bearing the names of murder victims. President Obama is scheduled to deliver a farewell address from Chicago, his adopted hometown, later this month.

Louis Nelson

www.politico.com

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-chicago-violence-rahm-emanuel-233103

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 01:48:41

Breitbart

More than 1000 Migrants Storm Border at Spain's Ceuta

More than 1,000 migrants tried to jump a fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave in a violent assault that saw one officer lose an eye.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Madrid (AFP) – More than 1,000 migrants tried to jump a high double fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Sunday in a violent assault that saw one officer lose an eye, local authorities said. A group of 1,100 people from sub-Saharan Africa trying to reach Europe stormed the border fence just after 4 am (0300 GMT) on New Year’s Day in an “extremely violent and organised” way, said the central government’s representative office in Ceuta. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER None however managed to get through, bar two who were badly injured and taken to hospital in Ceuta, the office said in a statement. A similar assault on December 9 saw more than 400 migrants enter the tiny enclave. They tried “to force open some of the doors in the external fence, using iron bars, wire cutters and large stones with which they assaulted Moroccan forces and (Spanish) Guardia Civil (police) agents,” it added. Five Spanish policemen and 50 members of the Moroccan forces were injured, including one who lost an eye, it said. A Moroccan interior ministry statement said that of those members of the security forces who were hurt, 10 were in a serious condition. Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish territory in North Africa, have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. They are one of the entry points for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe, who get there by either climbing over the border fence, swimming along the coast or hiding in vehicles. On Monday, a French national was arrested for trying to board a ferry out of Ceuta with a camper van where 12 Algerians were found hiding, “car sick and sweating,” police said. According to local authorities, of the 1,100 migrants who stormed the border Sunday, just over 100 managed to climb up the external fence and stayed on top for hours. Footage shot by the local Faro TV shows one man perched at the top of the six-metre (20-foot) high fence, sitting uncomfortably near rolls of barbed wire, his head hanging down onto his chest. Eventually as darkness turns to light, he slowly climbs down to a space between both fences and lies down as a Spanish policeman fetches him a bottle of water before taking him to an entry back into Morocco. Separately, coastguards said they had rescued 52 people who were packed onto a small boat at sea south of Malaga on Spain’s southern coast.

Breitbart London

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/01/02/1000-migrants-storm-border-spain-ceuta-injuring-55-officers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 01:49:27

Reuters

China says won't allow Hong Kong to be used as subversion base

China will not allow anyone to use Hong Kong as a base for subversion against mainland China or to damage its political stability, Beijing's top official in the territory told state television.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will not allow anyone to use Hong Kong as a base for subversion against mainland China or to damage its political stability, Beijing's top official in the territory told state television. Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about a fledgling independence movement in Hong Kong, which returned to mainland rule in 1997 with a promise of autonomy known as "one country, two systems", and recent protests in the city. In an interview with state television broadcast late on Sunday, Zhang Xiaoming, the head of China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, said Beijing will not interfere in matters that purely affect Hong Kong's autonomy. "As far as Hong Kong is concerned, nobody is permitted do anything in any form that damage the country's sovereignty and security, they are not allowed to challenge the central government's authority or that of Hong Kong's Basic Law, they are not allowed to use Hong Kong for infiltration subversion activities against the mainland to damage its social and political stability," Zhang said. China's parliament last month staged a rare interpretation of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, to effectively bar pro-independence city lawmakers from taking office there. Chinese President Xi Jinping told outgoing Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying last month that China's central government strongly supports efforts by the Hong Kong government to curb moves by some promoting independence for the global financial hub. The former British colony returned to China under the "one country, two systems" agreement that ensured its freedoms and wide-ranging autonomy, including a separate legal system. But Communist Party rulers in Beijing have ultimate control, and some Hong Kong people are concerned they are increasingly interfering to head off dissent.

Reuters Editorial;Reuters Staff;Min Read

www.reuters.com

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-hongkong-idUSKBN14M017

CENTER

2017-01-02 01:55:45

Breitbart

Ex-Aussie PM Tony Abbott Wants Palestinian Authority Aid Cut

Former Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott believes aid to the Palestinian Authority funds pensions for terrorists and should be cut.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER The former Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott believes aid to the Palestinian Authority is being used to fund pensions for terrorists and should be cut. Mr. Abbott also thinks Australia should follow the lead of the U.S. if it moves its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as President-elect Donald Trump has hinted. He made the claims in an opinion piece published in the Australian edition of the Spectator Magazine on Monday. This follows his return from a recent trip to the Middle East as part of the Australia-Israel-UK Leadership Dialogue. Mr. Abbott wrote: SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “Australia should cut our $40 million a year in aid to the Palestinian Authority while it keeps paying pensions to terrorists and their families. Another way for Australia to demonstrate its unswerving support for Israel, as the Middle East’s only liberal, pluralist democracy, might be to join any move by the Trump administration to move its embassy to Jerusalem.” According to the ABC, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will spend $43.6 million in foreign aid to the Palestinian Territories in 2016/17, which is distributed via a number of non-government organisations and the United Nations. It suspended funding to World Vision in August last year after one of its employees in the Gaza Strip was arrested by the Israeli Government. Mr. Abbott also wrote that a “permanent settlement” should be reached that establishes a Palestinian state but he asserted that there are “lots of lesser issues that could be fixed before this one is resolved.” Mr. Abbott is no stranger to controversy, having been brutally deposed by his own conservative coalition in a leadership coup in September, 2015. Previously he has lashed out at the “misguided” immigration policies of European leaders, including that of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, insisting: “unlike you, we now control our borders”. Speaking at the Second Annual Margaret Thatcher Gala dinner in the City of London in 2015, Mr. Abbott told a crowd of Conservative Party MPs and supporters that seeing off radical Islam, as well as stopping migrants reaching Europe, were the most critical battles in modern times rather than the climate fixation of U.S. President Barack Obama and assorted European political leaders.

Simon Kent

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/02/5846207/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 01:57:36

USA Today

Progressive campaigns nationwide get a silent partner

“The Hub Project” non-profit group has quietly begun lending its expertise to campaigns.

Lauren Santa Cruz, with The Hub Project, organizes protesters for a group photo during a demonstration urging the Senate to hold a confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland on Oct. 4, 2016. (Photo: Zach Gibson, Getty Images) WASHINGTON — Tomas Robles wanted to develop “homegrown talent” in a campaign to boost Arizona’s minimum wage, involving a young and diverse team rather than a bunch of outside consultants. But he still needed additional campaign expertise. The chairman of Arizonans for Fair Wages and Healthy Families turned last spring to a new, high-powered non-profit organization called “The Hub Project” that has quietly begun providing behind-the-scenes support for progressive campaigns. They not only provided legal, mentoring and strategy support, but they kicked in $50,000 for the campaign to hire a communications director. “They helped us really perfect the message and make sure we’re consistent,” he said. And now the lessons learned by The Hub Project in Arizona — where the minimum wage will increase to $10 per hour on Sunday — can be taken elsewhere. The Hub is designed not to take center stage, but to fill gaps in expertise and provide something progressive donors have long felt is missing from the issue campaigns they support: coordination. Campaigns are often run separately and organizers end up reinventing best practices for messaging and tactics, said Zach Silk, an adviser to one of The Hub’s major donors, Nick Hanauer, a venture capitalist and civic activist. The idea behind The Hub Project is to give organizers a “hub” of best practices and knowledge they can turn to so they can spend their resources better and achieve more, he said. “It’s the thing that has been missing in the movement,” Silk said. “There hasn’t been a central coordinating organization that was able to do strategy, message, distribute it across the movement and allow others to go out and focus on the winning and the hard organizing.” The team of 16 staff members, based in D.C., is focusing on economic and democracy-related issues — courts, voting, elections — hoping to build stronger issue advocacy at the federal and state level by offering extra help on digital strategy, grass-roots organizing, communications, messaging, polling, political action and policy. They provided digital coordination and content for dozens of groups working on the “We Need Nine” campaign that called on Republicans to give Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a hearing, which he never got. “Everybody’s budgets are pretty tight and when and organization like The Hub can bring real creativity and a strategic sense, I think it helps out a lot,” said Stephanie Cutter, President Obama’s 2012 deputy campaign manager and former adviser who led the campaign. Several members of the team have worked at some point for the research and advocacy organization, Center for American Progress, founded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta, and for the public affairs agency SKDKnickerbocker, where Obama’s former communications director Anita Dunn is the managing director. The executive director Arkadi Gerney previously worked for former New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and managed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns national coalition. Major donors include Hanauer, the American Federation of Teachers union and the Wyss Foundation. The organization doesn’t disclose other donors and it’s not required to, under the rules for nonprofit organizations. The group will launch a website in early January, but they’re only intending a slight increase in their profile. They plan to work with many organizations around the country in the upcoming debate on health care and on other campaigns in the same way they have since the spring. “We’re going from no profile to low profile,” Gerney said. “We’re not a big mystery and we want people to know what we do and what our mission is. But for the most part the way that we want to work is behind the scenes.” Republicans have had success working with behind-the-scenes partners on messaging and strategy. Silk pointed to the American Legislative Exchange Council, called ALEC, as an example of a conservative organization that serves as a “centralized clearinghouse of information,” spreading model bills and best practices on limited government, free markets and federalism to state legislators. The Koch brothers’ network has similar coordination through its advocacy group, Americans for Prosperity. “The right and conservative organizations have done a great job at creating complimentary strategies between organizations,” said Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, an assistant professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. “On the left, you tend to see more duplication and not learning from each other or past efforts.” It’s harder for progressives to craft a shared strategy because they represent a wide array of immediate needs and interests as opposed to Republicans' focus on maintaining the status quo, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. That’s why The Hub Project will play an important role. “It essentially creates a place to have a shared strategy on issues with groups that might seem disparate,” she said. “But actually, if you spend two and a half nanoseconds together, you find that you’re working on different angles of the same issue.” The Hub could be a powerful force in the progressive movement if it focuses on building up the next generation of leaders and helping guide existing campaigns to make their own strategic decisions, said Neil Sroka, communications director for the progressive Democracy for America. “That’s something I haven’t seen enough of in the progressive movement,” he said. Follow @ngaudiano on Twitter. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2iTSFjg

Nicole Gaudiano;P.M. Est January

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CENTER

2017-01-02 01:58:41

The Guardian

India's bank note ban: how Modi botched the policy yet kept his political capital

His plea for 50 days of grace has expired, yet the prime minister may survive thanks to his framing of demonetisation as a strike against corrupt elites

Birja’s story is typical – and to an outsider, confounding. The 32-year-old works as a housemaid in Delhi, and like more than one billion Indians, has seen her cash evaporate since November, when India suddenly recalled its two-highest value bank notes. “Poor people like me are in trouble,” she says. Two of her employers have been able to pay her only in expired currency, which needs to be deposited or exchanged at banks. That presents a problem: “I do not have a bank account,” she says. Nor can the 32-year-old spend hours waiting in the long lines that formed outside banks and ATMs the morning after demonetisation was announced, and linger still. “If I stand in queue everyone will be angry,” she says of her bosses. “They will count it as my holiday.” The prime minister, Narendra Modi, has implored Indians to allow 50 days for the the estimated 22bn notes that were removed from the system on 8 November to be gradually replaced. Deadline looms for Indian cash overhaul Read more That self-imposed deadline ended on Friday with the majority of the country’s ATMs still bare, and people such as Birja still struggling. “My husband is an auto-rickshaw driver, who earns 300 rupees [£3.60] every day after rent,” she says. “But for last seven days he has not earned anything.” Yet the rupee recall might only be the second most extraordinary political phenomenon India has observed in the past seven weeks. The first is that support for Modi’s scheme, especially among those it has hit hardest, appears to be holding – for now. “I will vote for him again,” Birja says. “He is doing this for poor people. If the black money goes from the market, then everybody will have a better life. He works for the people.” As chief minister of Gujarat, one of India’s wealthier states, Modi cultivated a reputation as a master administrator. But the execution of demonetisation – planned in secret, reportedly by a handful of bureaucrats working from Modi’s residence – has been badly botched. Design changes in the new 500- and 2,000-rupee notes have meant that each of the 220,000 ATMs in India had to be reconfigured one-by-one. Even if they could dispense new cash, there isn’t enough to give: reprinting the equivalent value of physical notes that were eliminated from India’s economy will take until mid-February, at least. India's small businesses facing 'apocalypse' amid biggest financial experiment in history Read more Digital payments have reportedly soared, but offer limited relief in a country where 40% still lie “outside the ambit of formal banking”, according to government figures. “The shock has been tremendous and widely spread,” says Anil Bhardwai, the secretary general of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises. India’s cash economy is estimated to account for 80% of the country’s employment and 45% of its GDP. “And that’s where the impact is biggest” says Bhardwai. “Because more and more cash is involved in buying raw materials and paying wages to workers. And of course, your customers are paying for your products in cash.” Delhi alone has witnessed an exodus of up to 60% of the migrant workers who laboured for cash in the city’s building sites and factories. In rural areas, villagers have reportedly reverted to bartering or credit. The expected impact has led economists to reduce India’s growth forecast for the quarter from 7.8%, the highest of any major economy in the world, to 6.5%. Worse still for Modi are indications the policy has not unearthed the hoards of “black money” he promised. While the operations of some criminal networks, especially human traffickers, appear to have been disrupted, about 90% of the cancelled notes in circulation have been returned to banks, far more than what the government had estimated. That suggests either that Indians were hiding less untaxed wealth than first believed, or that the money is being stashed in property or gold instead of cash. India currency note ban sparks ‘dramatic fall’ in sex trafficking Read more Few democratic leaders could survive such a bungling of their signature policy, especially one that strands virtually every citizen from their money. No reliable polling has been done on Modi’s standing among Indians since the demonetisation announcement, but public unrest has been relatively contained, and Indian media have not struggled to find supporters of the scheme, even among those waiting in long bank queues. The ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has also won several local elections in the country’s western and norther states in the past month, despite the ongoing cash shortages. “It speaks to Modi’s enormous political capital,” says Prashant Jha, an associate editor with the Hindustan Times. Halfway through his term, the Indian prime minister’s popularity is still enormous, measured at 81% by a Pew poll in September. The policy and its subsequent hardships have also been masterfully framed, says Modi biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay. “Modi presented the entire idea of demonetisation as a highly moral act,” he says. He recalled how Modi, in his first address after demonetisation, appeared to break down before the crowd in Goa, saying he had left behind “my home, my family, everything for the nation” and that “the forces up against me ... may not let me live”. “He wore a cloak of morality, presenting that he had risen above personal ambitions for the cause of the nation, and inviting Indians to also sacrifice a little bit for the nation,” Mukhopadhyay says. “He asked them to participate in the process of nation-building by standing in queues.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest No reliable polling has been done on Modi’s standing among Indians since the demonetisation announcement but the most resounding judgment of the scheme will be delivered early this year when elections are held in Uttar Pradesh Photograph: ddp USA/Rex/Shutterstock Demonetisation has also been cast as decisive blow against the elites who profit from India’s endemic corruption, a source of deep resentment among the country’s poor and aspirational classes, who are routinely made to pay bribes for basic government services. “That’s why the majority of the poor are still in favour of this move,” says Bhardwai, from the small enterprise lobby. “Even while going through the pain, they see it as a leveller, and that at least one powerful political leader has taken a decision that rattles the big wigs and elites.” The most resounding judgment of the scheme will be delivered early this year when elections are held in Uttar Pradesh. As India’s largest state, with a population the size of Brazil’s, it offers enough seats to secure or scuttle the rest of Modi’s first-term agenda. One close observer, Sharat Padhin, a veteran political journalist based in the state, suggests Modi might be vindicated. “In this state demonetisation has created a divide between the rich and poor,” he says. “The poorer classes seem to be getting some kind of vicarious pleasure from thinking: ‘I’m facing difficulties by standing in a queue, but the rich people who acquired wealth by dubious means, all their black money is gone’.” Whether these same people feel the pain was worth it, once money starts flowing again, will decide the fate of India’s seemingly indomitable prime minister. “Modi has become a larger-than-life leader,” Padhin says. “And he is tied up with demonetisation. Everyone down on the street knows that this thing was done by Modi.”

Michael Safi

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/indias-bank-note-ban-how-modi-botched-the-policy-yet-kept-his-political-capital

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:02:00

The Wall Street Journal

Hyundai and Kia Face a Tough Road in 2017

Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors are bracing for another challenging year as they adjust to an industry shift away from sedans to sport-utility vehicles.

SEOUL—Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Motors Corp. are bracing for another challenging year after missing their sales targets for a second straight year on lackluster performances in China, the U.S. and other key markets. Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world’s fifth-largest auto maker by sales, on Monday set their combined sales target for this year at 8.25 million cars, up 1.5% from a 2016 target of 8.13 million. ...

In-Soo Nam;Google;In-Soo.Nam Wsj.Com

www.wsj.com

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hyundai-and-kia-face-a-tough-road-in-2017-1483322556

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 02:03:00

Politico

Sonny Perdue mum on agriculture secretary rumors

A source familiar with the search told POLITICO that Perdue has emerged as the top contender.

A source familiar with the search told POLITICO that Sonny Perdue has emerged as the top contender. | Getty Sonny Perdue mum on agriculture secretary rumors Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declined to confirm or deny reports Monday that he's now the leading candidate to serve as Donald Trump's agriculture secretary. Reached on his cell phone, Perdue said he couldn't comment, but has been "impressed" by the list of candidates who have interviewed for the job. He referred press inquiries to a spokesman, who also said he couldn't confirm the reports. Story Continued Below A source familiar with the search told POLITICO Playbook that Perdue has emerged as the top contender after a weeks-long hunt for a USDA leader that has stirred anxiety among Trump's supporters in the agriculture industry. With agriculture secretary one of the final Cabinet-level slots to be filled, Trump has come under pressure to use the post to diversify his administration by picking a woman or a Hispanic. He's interviewed a wide array of contenders, ranging from Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of South Dakota to former California Lieut. Gov. Abel Maldonado. But those discussions have sparked backlash from Trump's agricultural adivsory committee, a team of Republican farm-industry leaders who supported him throughout the campaign and played a key role in getting him elected. They want to see one of their own in the job. Perdue, who grew up on a farm and is a veterinarian by training, would be likely to assuage those concerns. From 2003 to 2011, he was governor of Georgia, where the agriculture industry contributes about $74 billion to the state economy each year. Perdue also has owned agribusiness companies since 1977. Purdue is the latest in a long list of potential candidates to be rumored as the favorite. Since Wednesday, Trump and his top officials have met with at least five candidates for relatively short periods of time at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago resort. On Friday Trump sat down with former Texas Rep. Henry Bonilla for less than 30 minutes, immediately after a meeting with former Texas comptroller Susan Combs that lasted less than 10 minutes. Also that day, Sid Miller, the Texas agriculture commissioner, met with Trump's top aides for more than two hours. On Wednesday, Trump met with two other potential candidates: Maldonado, now a vineyard and produce-farm owner whose field workers have alleged mistreatment; and Elsa Murano, a former top USDA official who did a short stint as president of Texas A&M University. Murano spent five hours at Mar-a-Lago, fueling speculation that she could be Trump's pick. Jake Sherman contributed reporting.

Catherine Boudreau

www.politico.com

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/sonny-perdue-agriculture-secretary-233104

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 02:03:44

Fox News

Israeli media: Police to question Netanyahu for corruption

Israeli media is reporting that police are expected to question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a pair of corruption allegations.

Israeli media is reporting that police are expected to question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a pair of corruption allegations. A black screen was placed Monday in front of Netanyahu's official residence in apparent anticipation of the police investigators' arrival and to obstruct the view of journalists seeking to film them. Netanyahu has denied what he calls the "baseless" reports that he received gifts from two businessmen. Israel's Channel 2 TV has reported that Netanyahu accepted "favors" from businessmen in Israel and abroad. It said Netanyahu was the central suspect in a second investigation that also involves family members. It said a criminal probe is expected next week. An opposition lawmaker is also campaigning for Netanyahu to be investigated over suspicions that donors improperly transferred money for his personal use.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/israeli-media-police-to-question-netanyahu-for-corruption.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 02:21:52

CNN

2016 Chicago murder rate is highest in 19 years

Chicago marked 2016 as the deadliest year in nearly two decades, data released by the Chicago Police Department shows.

Story highlights There were 762 murders in 2016, the most in the city since 1997 Attacks on police officers nearly double in 2016 (CNN) Chicago marked 2016 as the deadliest year in nearly two decades, data released by the Chicago Police Department shows. The city saw a surge in gun violence in 2016: 762 murders, 3,550 shooting incidents, and 4,331 shooting victims, according to a statement released by the department on Sunday. There were 480 murders in 2015, the most in the city since 1997. The bloodshed has brought trauma to the lives of thousands of people.

Azadeh Ansari;Rosa Flores

www.cnn.com

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/01/us/chicago-murders-2016/index.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 02:22:22

The Guardian

Hundreds of refugees try to scale fence dividing Morocco and Spanish enclave

An estimated 1,100 people from sub-Saharan Africa try to reach Europe by climbing over the border fence with Ceuta on New Year’s Day

Hundreds of refugees have tried to jump a high double fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, resulting in violent clashes with police. A group of 1,100 people from sub-Saharan Africa trying to reach Europe attempted to climb the border fence just after 4am (0300 GMT) on New Year’s Day in an “extremely violent and organised” way, said the central government’s representative office in Ceuta. Melilla: Europe's dirty secret | Spain | Morocco | EU Read more Only two refugees managed to get over the wall. The men were badly injured and taken to hospital in Ceuta, the office said in a statement. A similar incident on 9 December saw more than 400 migrants enter the tiny enclave. The group tried “to force open some of the doors in the external fence, using iron bars, wire cutters and large stones with which they assaulted Moroccan forces and (Spanish) Guardia Civil (police) agents,” the statement said. Five Spanish policemen and 50 members of the Moroccan forces were injured, including one who lost an eye, it said. A Moroccan interior ministry statement said that 10 of its forces were in a serious condition. Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish territory in North Africa, have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. They are one of the entry points for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe, who get there by either climbing over the border fence, swimming along the coast or hiding in vehicles. On Monday, a French national was arrested for trying to board a ferry out of Ceuta with a camper van where 12 Algerians were found hiding, “car sick and sweating,” police said. According to local authorities, of the 1,100 migrants who stormed the border Sunday, just over 100 managed to climb up the external fence and stayed on top for hours. Footage shot by the local Faro TV shows one man perched at the top of the six-metre (20-foot) high fence, sitting uncomfortably near rolls of barbed wire, his head hanging down onto his chest. Eventually as darkness turns to light, he slowly climbs down to a space between both fences and lies down as a Spanish policeman fetches him a bottle of water before taking him to an entry back into Morocco. Separately, coastguards said they had rescued 52 people who were packed onto a small boat at sea south of Malaga on Spain’s southern coast.

Agence France-Presse

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/hundreds-of-refugees-try-to-scale-fence-dividing-morocco-and-spanish-enclave

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:23:00

Politico

Trump rehashes election victory

“I thought and felt I would win big, easily over the fabled 270 (306). When they cancelled fireworks, they knew, and so did I.”

“I thought and felt I would win big, easily over the fabled 270 (306). When they cancelled fireworks, they knew, and so did I.” | Getty Trump rehashes election victory Donald Trump always knew he was going to win the presidential election, the president-elect wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon, even if nobody else did. “Various media outlets and pundits say that I thought I was going to lose the election. Wrong, it all came together in the last week and,” Trump wrote on Twitter, breaking his message into two posts. “I thought and felt I would win big, easily over the fabled 270 (306). When they cancelled fireworks, they knew, and so did I.” Story Continued Below Trump's insistence on Monday that he had always been certain of a victory contradicts what he told attendees at one of his so-called "thank you" rallies in Wisconsin. There, he told the crowd that he "really assumed I lost" on Election Day as he was told of exit poll results. While Trump earned 306 electoral votes on Election Day, he wound up with 304 thanks to a pair of Republican electors in Texas who voted against him. The fireworks referenced by Trump were those planned by Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which were set to be set off over the Hudson River in New York in celebration of her widely-expected victory. Instead, the mood inside her Election Night party, held inside the glass-ceilinged Javits Center, gradually dampened and Clinton never emerged, waiting until the next day to deliver a concession speech. Trump won the White House by a relatively wide Electoral College margin, but his victory came thanks largely to narrow wins in traditionally Democrat-leaning states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The president-elect actually lost the overall popular vote by roughly three million votes, although Trump has argued that he would have been able to win that as well if he had campaigned with it in mind.

Louis Nelson;Nancy Scola

www.politico.com

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-election-victory-twitter-233105

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 02:24:55

Breitbart

Iran Official Calls for Sterilization of Sex Workers

Female sex workers and homeless drug addicts in Tehran should be “convinced” to undergo sterilization to prevent social problems.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER (AFP) Female sex workers and homeless drug addicts in Tehran should be “convinced” to undergo sterilization to prevent social problems, a deputy provincial governor in the Iranian capital said on Sunday. “These women deal drugs, consume drugs and also work as sex workers,” Siavash Shahrivar told the ILNA news agency. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “Over 20 percent of them have AIDS and [they] spread various diseases,” he said. “In addition to… spreading depravity, they reproduce like hatching machines and as their children have no guardians, they sell them,” he added. “There is a project, a reality, an opinion, agreed on by many NGOs and the social elite, that if a women is sick, and is also a sex worker and has no place to stay, she should be sterilized with her own approval, and not forcefully.” “The sterilization should be done through a project to convince homeless women to prevent social harm,” he added. Last week, when images of homeless men and women sleeping in open graves outside Tehran shocked Iranian society, a cartoonist said on social media that the women must be sterilized because they give birth to children with “weak genes.” The suggestion by Bozorgmehr Hosseinpour to “block the misery of poor humans who enter this world with many diseases, pain and addiction” outraged many people. Some said it reminded them of “Nazi cleansing” projects. He later apologized and said the women should be given consultation for sterilization “with their own approval.” The controversy quickly turned into a political football with conservative media accusing Shahindokht Molaverdi, vice president for women’s affairs, of advocating the sterilization of homeless women — which she denies. In April Molaverdi said the government “has not yet offered any specific plans for sterilization of homeless women” and such plans should be “proposed and reviewed by the Health Ministry.” In recent years, there has been a growing crisis in Tehran where street children are born and sold by homeless or poor women living in and around the capital. Thousands of such children are put to work as beggars or street vendors. Last week the haunting images of dozens of homeless people living in empty graves in a town outside Tehran caused social media users and celebrities to react with expressions of alarm and sadness. Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi aired his frustration in a letter to President Hassan Rouhani, in which he said he was “filled with shame and sorrow.” The president responded to Farhadi’s “painful” letter on Wednesday. “Who can see human beings hurt by social issues who take shelter in graves…. and not feel ashamed?” Rouhani said.

Breitbart Jerusalem

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/02/iran-official-calls-sterilization-sex-workers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 02:25:34

HuffPost

Impeaching Trump

The process begins now.

Lucas Jackson / Reuters Donald Trump is wildly unfit to be president, and he will demonstrate that in ways that break the law and violate the Constitution. Since the election, there have been three wishful efforts to keep Trump from the presidency: a recount doomed by a lack of evidence; a futile campaign to flip Trump electors; and an even more improbable drive to get the Supreme Court to annul the 2016 election. These moves, indicative of magical thinking, make Trump’s opposition look a lot weaker than it is―at a time when the stakes for the Republic could not be higher. There will also be marches and demonstrations, but they will also look weak unless they have a strategic focus. There is only one constitutional way to remove a president, and that is via impeachment. What’s needed is a citizens’ impeachment inquiry, to begin on Trump’s first day in office. The inquiry should keep a running dossier, and forward updates at least weekly to the House Judiciary Committee. There will be no lack of evidence. The materials should be made public via a website. The inquiry should be conducted by a distinguished panel whose high-mindedness and credentials are, well, unimpeachable. There needs to be a parallel public campaign, pressing for an official investigation. For those appalled by Trump, who wonder where to focus their efforts, here is something concrete―and more realistic than it may seem. Trump has already committed grave misdeeds of the kind that the Constitutional founders described as high crimes and misdemeanors. With his commingling of his official duties and his personal enrichment, Trump will be in violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which unambiguously prohibits any person holding public office from profiting from gifts or financial benefits from “any king, prince or Foreign state.” Trump, who has entangled his business interests with his political connections at home and abroad, has already declared his contempt for these Constitutional protections. He declared, “The law is totally on my side, meaning the president can’t have a conflict of interest.” Oh, yes he can, and this president will. In his dalliance with Vladimir Putin, Trump’s actions are skirting treason. John Shattuck, former Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and former Washington legal director of the ACLU has pointed to the constitutional definition of treason: a crime committed by a person “owing allegiance to the United States who... adheres to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort.” By undermining further investigation or sanctions against the Russian manipulation of the 2016 election, Trump as president would be giving aid and comfort to Russian interference with American democracy. There will be a lot more once Trump takes office. Trump will make grievous mistakes. If we are lucky, they will be political and policy mistakes, not the sort of nuclear miscalculation that leaves the planet a cinder. If the blunders and assaults against the Constitution are serious enough, even Republicans in the House, which needs to originate an impeachment inquiry, will begin having second thoughts. For instance, Trump will very likely use agencies of government to punish political enemies. The Articles of Impeachment against Richard Nixon explicitly cited Nixon’s political misuse of the CIA, the FBI and the IRS. It’s worth recalling the Nixon chronology. In two years, the idea of impeaching Nixon went from loony-left fantasy, to mainstream, to inevitable. On May 9, 1972—before the Watergate break-in―my former boss, Congressman William Fitts Ryan of Manhattan, submitted the first resolution to impeach Nixon, H.Res. 975, mainly for the illegal bombing of Cambodia, other war crimes, and spying against American citizens. The break-in occurred in June 1972. Woodward and Bernstein got busy that summer and fall. The Senate Watergate Committee did not start hearings until May 1973, and the official House impeachment inquiry only began in May 1974. It took time for evidence, public pressure, and political courage to build. Nixon finally resigned in August 1974, more than two years after the break-in. In October 1973, when removing Nixon from office still seemed a fantasy, the ACLU’s Chuck Morgan published a book-length bill of particulars urging Nixon’s impeachment. It bore a remarkable resemblance to the eventual Articles of Impeachment nearly a year later. Nixon was a vile president with a creepy personality, but he was also a student of history and a serious person. In the end, even Nixon acceded to court orders to turn over evidence. Trump is far more of a menace than Nixon. Trump will commit impeachable offenses. There is no way to contain him other than removing him from office, before the damage to our democracy is irrevocable. The process of building the impeachment case needs to begin now. Robert Kuttner is co-editor of The American Prospect and professor at Brandeis University’s Heller School.

Robert Kuttner;Co-Founder;Co-Editor;'The American Prospect'

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/impeaching-trump_us_5869b806e4b0eb586489f3a4

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:36:59

HuffPost

Verizon's Boston FiOS Fiber to the Home Plan Needs Investigating--Now.

The more we dig, the more we realize that it is time for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston to start immediate investigations.

The more we dig, the more we realize that it is time for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston to start immediate investigations. Example: In April 2016, Verizon announced that it would be upgrading Boston to FiOS, a fiber to the home service, and the starting point would be the neighborhood of Dorchester. We uncovered that some (most) of Dorchester has already been upgraded, starting in 2006, a decade ago. Verizon could have, at any time, been providing high speed broadband for the last decade--but didn't. The Boston Globe, November 2, 2006 (Subscription required) "An urban fiber-optic challenge Verizon to use Dorchester as a test site for bringing high-speed Net into cities "Verizon Communications Inc. is installing fiber-optic Internet service in Dorchester, using Boston's biggest, and one of its most diverse neighborhoods, as a test site for the challenges the company will face in bringing "FiOS" to urban areas nationwide." "Installation in Dorchester started in the first quarter of 2006 but the company didn't begin advertising its availability until August, mostly through mailings to homes that are close enough to the new lines to be eligible for the service. Verizon won't say how many local FiOS subscribers it has in Massachusetts nor will it say exactly how many it has in Dorchester." But this is only one of many issues surrounding this previous build out. (Verizon has not disclosed whether other neighborhoods were also upgraded at this time.) I'll come back to this in a moment. The Announced Plan: In April, 2016, Verizon New England told the public that it would finally be upgrading the city of Boston, spending $300 million dollars over a six year period to upgrade the existing copper wires with a fiber optic wire that will cover 100% of the City. Verizon laid out four specific areas, "Fiber Zones", to be upgraded. And, the decision on who got served first would be based on potential customers voting for their area to be the leader of the pack. NOTE: In 2010, Verizon announced it was halting the FiOS, fiber to the home build out throughout the East Coast, from Massachusetts to Virginia, and would only be upgrading areas where there were contractual franchise agreements in place. Verizon even stopped maintaining the existing copper utility networks. Moreover, Verizon hasn't completed some areas, like New York City, even though NYC was supposed to have 100% completed by July 2015. To Sum Up: Verizon tells Boston that it is going to be offering FiOS, a fiber to the home service, to 100% of businesses and households over the next 6 years. Yet, Verizon is going to only upgrade a fraction of the City and tells the investor community that the plan is only to upgrade a 'few suburbs' and then offer a wireless substitute. Verizon does not tell the public that only parts of Boston will be upgraded. The Verizon-Boston signed cable franchise agreement of December 2016 is only for 25+% of the City and it does not include any obligations to do the rest of Boston. Moreover, Verizon is going to leave the surrounding cities, like Cambridge and Revere, undone, not to mention the majority of Massachusetts even though Verizon is the state-based, wired utility provider and controls the wired infrastructure. Verizon did not make clear to the public (or in any document submitted) that the company had already upgraded portions of Boston in 2006, a decade ago. Verizon claims the decision of where to start upgrading would be based on 'voting'. However, starting with Dorchester vs starting with any other 'zone', was obviously 'rigged'. Verizon claims it will be spending $300 million, yet parts of the City were already done and paid for a decade ago. Verizon's plan is to substitute the fiber to the home with a wireless service. Verizon told the public it was doing a 'test' in Boston of the new '5G' service. Management told investors this deployment was going to be 5G as well. In fact, management now says the wireless service is just 4G with some enhancements, yet hasn't stopped claiming the deployment will be 5G. Verizon will be using the pricing model of wireless -I.e.; customers pay by the gigabit, and there will be severe 'data caps'. The $300 million that is supposed to be spent over six years appears to be 'made up'. There have been no audits or even a budget submitted, or even a timeline of when 100% of the City would be done. Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam claims that "Boston is going to be the prototype of the architect for the networks to come..." In 2015, a letter, signed by 14 mayors from across the Verizon footprint, complained that Verizon wasn't properly upgrading their cities and was not even finishing cities with contractual obligations for FiOS cable TV. The cities included New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Newark, Jersey City, Syracuse, Trenton, Albany, as well as Massachusetts cities, Lowell, Brockton, Worcester and Revere. "As the Mayors of 14 major cities along the East Coast, representing over 12 million residents, we are writing to voice our concern at your company's failure to meet the needs of our constituents for access to state-of-the-art fiber optic cable service....As Mayors, we understand firsthand how vital Broadband is to the growth of our local economies and to nurturing a healthy, competitive marketplace in our state....But consistently and increasingly, our consumers have complained that FiOS service is not available to them. These are not isolated complaints - there are millions of residents in communities throughout the Northeast who have been left without service, and with no plan or promise for future resolution." If Boston is the plan for the rest of the East Coast, then Boston and Massachusetts should take the lead and start investigations. We've already written a series of articles about the Boston-Bait-N-Switch. While some may say that a call for an investigation is premature, history shows that Verizon can not be trusted and what we uncovered is just the tip of a deep iceberg. For example, these are pages from Verizon MA's submission in 1994 to the state commission to upgrade the existing copper wires to fiber optics for 330,000 customers by the year 2000, starting in 1996--20 years ago. See 'History Repeats Itself, Yet Again'. Finally, the real question is: Who paid for all of the wiring? Verizon has filed claiming that the fiber upgrades are part of the existing, state utility telecommunications infrastructure and are using the construction budgets because they are "Title II", common carriage networks. We previously found massive cross-subsidies of the wireless networks- i.e., charging local wired phone customers extra to fund the wireless company's fiber to the cell sites. ("Verizon Wireless" is a D/B/A for "Cellco Partners", which is a separate legal entity.) Moreover, this is not just about the capx; it appears that the wireless subsidiary is not paying market prices for use of the networks or other costs. We will be doing a separate expose on this because these wireline-wireless cross-subsidies require a separate investigation. Just Some of the Facts: 1) The Boston FiOS Fiber Optic Service "Starting Point" Was Upgraded in 2006. As mentioned, but worth repeating, Verizon's starting point, Dorchester, was already being upgraded to fiber in 2006, though Verizon did not disclose the extent of these build outs. The Boston Globe, November 2, 2006 "An urban fiber-optic challenge Verizon to use Dorchester as a test site for bringing high-speed Net into cities" Ironically, these wires could have been delivering service to customers anytime over the last decade--but didn't. We have no idea what areas of Massachusetts or the other Verizon states already had fiber builds that were never 'turned on'. 2) There's a Long History Here - Just Ask Donnie Wahlberg. The Boston Globe, October 8th, 2013 "'This is New England, where people tell it straight,' says Boston-born TV star Donnie Wahlberg in a new commercial for FiOS, Verizon's cable television and Internet service. 'No phonies, no fakers, no shortcuts.' "The commercial, titled 'Here's the Truth about FiOS in Massachusetts,' features Wahlberg standing before the Hancock Tower, Trinity Church, and in Charlestown near the Bunker Hill Monument. "But here's another truth about FiOS: You can't get it in Copley Square. Actually, you can't get it anywhere in Boston. "Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino sounded somewhere between flabbergasted and outraged about the commercial." Too much history to discuss here, Verizon stopped deploying/upgrading to FiOS sometime during 2007-2008. In 2016, Verizon decided to finally do a deal with Boston, first to show that it was still going to wire cities, and second, it was done just before the CWA/IBEW strike to show there would be continued jobs for union members. It appears that most of this was all for show to get the unions to settle. 3) Was the Vote for the Deployment Plans and the Money Spent, Rigged? Verizon requested that customers 'vote' so that their area would be done first. This is now in question. According to Fierce Telecom: "Verizon's Boston Fiber Zones "Taking a cue from Google Fiber's "Fiberhood" concept, Verizon has divided up its FiOS buildout plan for Boston into four zones. Verizon has invited residents in each of its zones to vote at a site to be the first to get service. Here is the Verizon announcement. First, it is clear that while the press releases claim that the company is doing 100% of the neighborhoods, this language claims that "votes" and a "minimum of interest" are required, contradicting the statement that all areas will get upgraded. Next, this announcement claims that: "The order of our build in a Fiber Zone depends on you! Every household or small business that registers in a Fiber Zone is counted as a vote, and where we have the most interest will be our priority." A lack of disclosure about the previous 2006-2008 buildout is also troubling as it is now obvious that voting had nothing to do with the 2016 starting point. And the monies to be spent, $300 million, appear to be 'made up'. Verizon has presented no budget. But, if parts of the networks were already built, then the $300 million is pulled from thin air, it would appear. 4) Verizon Is Not Doing 100% Fiber to the Home. As we previously pointed out in other stories, Verizon's most recent cable franchise only covers 28% of the city. "Section 13.14 Adjustments to Reflect Expanded Service Areas Several provisions in this License have included values reflecting the Licensee's initial Service Area represents only a portion of the City, approximately twenty-eight (28%) of the City's geography. As new Service Areas are added, a new portion representing the increased Service Area of Licensee in relation to the City's geography shall be calculated by agreement between the parties prior to the Effective Date for such expansion. Thereafter, certain values in this License, originally calculated to be approximately 28% of a City-wide value, shall be increased proportionately based upon the new revised proportion, effective as of the Effective Date for the increased Service Area." In fact: The cable TV franchise specifically does not lay out a plan for 100% coverage nor a timeline on when this would be done. The franchise specifically states that the other areas are not part of this agreement. I.e., this is not a contract to do 100% only a fraction of the city - much of which was already wired. 5) Verizon is NOT Rolling Out 5G to Start But Is Now Claiming It Is 4G. Charla Rath, Verizon Vice President, Wireless Policy Development, speaking at a New America event, in December 2016 (slightly paraphrased) "Full 5G connectivity? What is interesting here is--what is the definition of 5G? You will here there's a lot of life left in 4G. I think what we're going to find is -- as 5G develops, 5G is less the kind of network advancements we've all become used to who have been in the cellular industry a long time, and more about an entire eco-system that will include parts, a lot of what we're already doing but a lot more of it." What this says is-we're doing 4G with some tweaks; we'll rename it 5G. We just fibbed about this being an actual 5G deployment as the rest of the world would define it. 6) Verizon Will Move Customers onto 'Gig Pricing'. Pricing - Verizon will use the pricing for its wireless service -where the customer is charged by the gigabit. (Verizon has already done this in at least Pennsylvania when shutting off the copper-based DSL (and not supplying FiOS). Verizon is forcing customers onto its wireless service.) Pricing - There will be severe 'data caps' like wireless. As many know, the price for wireless is ridiculous as it is based on a package of 'gigs' of use. DSL has unlimited usage; Wireless plans can't supply serious streaming video based on the gig pricing, for example. Speed - Fiber to the home can do 1Gbps. This wireless replacement service is going to be based on a modified 4G model. We guarantee the 'tests' will say show remarkable speeds, at no/low costs, but history shows they will have little to do with the reality a few years from now. 7) Verizon's Plan Is for a Bait-N-Switch: Promise Them Fiber to the Home; Give Them Inferior and More Expensive Wireless--to Make More Profits. In statements by Verizon management, Verizon has no intention of doing fiber optic services but will pull a bait-n-switch and replace it with wireless. And this is not because it is technically better but because the company has manipulated the expenses and revenues so wireless makes more profits. Francis Shammo, Verizon EVP, stated at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference, September 22, 2016: "But it's going to be a fixed broadband wireless solution. "And if you think about the cost benefit of that, today, if you think about FiOS and what it costs me to connect a prem to FiOS. I have to lay the fiber down the street, but then I also have to then connect the home, go into the home, make sure the wiring is right, put in install the boxes, install the routers. "If you think about 5G, you put the fiber down the road, which is what we're doing in Boston. Then all of the labor and the expense of drilling up your driveway connecting the OT to your house and all the labor involved with that, all that goes away, because now I can deliver a beam into your - into a window with a credit card size receptor on it that delivers it to a wireless router, and there's really no labor involved and there's no real hardware other than the router in the credit card. So the cost benefit of this is pretty substantial, at least, we believe it is." Coda: There will be a number of updates to this story in the next few weeks focusing on the real question: Who paid for all of the wiring and what are the implications of these deployments being done as Title II, common carrier networks and part of the existing state utility infrastructure? Follow Bruce Kushnick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Brucekushnick

Bruce Kushnick;Executive Director;New Networks Institute;Follow Bruce Kushnick On Twitter;Www.Twitter.Com Brucekushnick;Bruce A Kushnick

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-kushnick/verizons-boston-fios-fibe_b_13924832.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:40:57

HuffPost

It's Here: CBPP's Top Graphs Of The Year!

Happy new year and welcome to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities top graphs of 2016 special! I’ll be your host, joined later by musical guest… wh...

Happy new year and welcome to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities top graphs of 2016 special! I’ll be your host, joined later by musical guest… whoops, sorry. What with the urgency of the moment, there’s no space for a band this year. So let’s jump into the facts and figures (and to be clear -– and fair to my CBPP colleagues -– this is but a small sample of our best stuff; take my advice and, if you haven’t already, bookmark our site and visit it often; current threats have us shifting into overdrive). This year’s theme is a somber one: the fragility of the gains we’ve made. First, the GOP appears poised to engage in a War on Poverty Programs. In order to help finance their highly regressive tax cuts, they’re likely to target programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps), e.g., by turning them into block grants to states. This robs these programs of their vital countercyclical impact, like that shown in the figure below. Back in 2010, as the Great Recession was pummeling low-income households, the safety net did what it’s designed to do: catch people when the market fails. What’s that? You’re skeptical that block grants would truly undermine the effectiveness of our anti-poverty programs. Well, observe this next figure, showing the growing failure of cash assistance to reach needy families since it was turned into a block grant back in the mid-1990s. Here’s another huge gain to low- and middle-income households that’s at risk of being lost: the decline in the share without health coverage. It seems increasing clear that president-elect Trump and the GOP Congress are firmly united in repealing the Affordable Care Act. When it comes to replacing it to stave off the lost coverage that will then beset millions of households… well, that they’re not so sure about. I’ve got a theory: Team Trump jams through a big, wasteful supply-side tax cut based on trumped-up growth assumptions. When offsetting growth fails to appear on the scene, they throw up their hands in despair and insist that Social Security and Medicare must be cut to stave off the rising debt. Of the many figures we’ve published showing the importance of social insurance programs, this one showing Social Security’s poverty-reduction impact on seniors is particularly intuitive. Absent Social Security income, there’d be about 4.5 times more elderly poverty than there is today. But aren’t Social Security and Medicare unsustainable? It’s a titled question. If we’re cutting taxes and running deficits than why not ask if anything that depends of public resources is sustainable. Defense? A trillion a year in tax credits, exemptions, and preferences? The correct questions are: a) do a majority of Americans want amply funded Mcare and Soc Sec, b) are we willing to pay for them? A is definitely ‘yes.’ Regarding B, the National Academy of Social Insurance reports: “About 8 in 10 (77%) say it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means increasing the Social Security taxes paid by working Americans. An even higher percentage (83%) say it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means increasing the Social Security taxes paid by wealthy Americans. These findings hold true across party lines, age groups, race and ethnicity, and income levels.” A good place to start is raising the “tax-max”: the salary threshold above which the payroll tax no longer applies. Because of the rise in earnings inequality, an increasing share of earnings is above the cap. The next figure shows that used to be about 10 percent; now it’s about 17 percent. You know what else is at stake? The increase in the overtime threshold. A Texas judge blocked the rule from going into effect last month, but his decision was so obviously flawed, one hopes it would be reversed on appeal. But Republicans and even some Democrats have long been trying to repeal or dilute the rule change, which as the figure shows, is but a partial update to the salary threshold under which workers must be paid time-and-a-half for overtime. The figure plots the overtime threshold in real terms against a measure of the rise in inequality. The point is less that one caused the other than to show the joint evolution of eroding labor standards and much less equitable economic outcomes. Another thing at stake going forward is any sense of fiscal accountability. We’ll see what the ultimate Trump tax plan looks like but we’ve produced a number of figures showing the extent to which they’re heavily tilted toward the wealthy, though cutting rates and business taxes, cap gains and dividends, and repealing the estate tax (now there’s an idea to reach his blue-collar base…). Here’s one showing that while millionaires comprise less than 1 percent of all households, they end up with close to half of Trump’s tax cuts while the bottom 80 percent get less than a fifth. Same with the repeal of the ACA. Like I said above, repeals whacks those with coverage, but we also show that the taxes supporting the program are progressive, so repeal also delivers more than half of the tax benefits to…wait for it…that same itty-bitty group of millionaires. To state the obvious, this is a pretty chilling example of Trump’s faux populism: take from the poor/middle-class and give to the rich. What about the trickle-down claims? I suspect that in coming months we’ll see a fair bit of dynamic-scoring abuse: model-based estimates of the growth effects of the coming tax cuts. Such models cannot generate reliable point estimates of their macro impacts and worse, they’re easily gamed to show large growth effects. So our best move is to look at the history of tax cuts and growth. Ben Spielberg and I did so in a series of scatterplots comparing the history of top tax rates and variables allegedly targeted by supply-side, trickle-down tax cuts. The predicted correlation is negative: higher tax rates hurt growth, jobs, etc. and vice versa. Yet none of our plots reveal that relationship. We’re careful not to overclaim: this is very simple evidence re complex variables. But the burden of proof is clearly on those claiming the negative correlation, and trust me, they got nothin.’ Then there’s Kansas. They’ve gone all in on supply-side, trickle down, and they’ve got bupkis to show for it. This figure is from my own recent work, so it’s not as cute as the others, but it makes the point. It plots job growth in Kansas, the nation, and as a control for regional economic conditions, the four states surrounding KA (MO, NE, CO, OK). Once again, supply-side growth effects are beyond nowhere to be seen–KA employment growth has significantly underperformed its neighbors and the rest of the country. From the perspective of progressive political economy, last year was an awfully tough one on many fronts. On the other hand, that makes it a good year for interesting graphics, which reminds me of the old saying: “may you live in uninteresting times.” Either way, you can count on me and my CBPP colleagues to continue to produce accurate, timely analysis that I suspect will be even more important this year as we document the pending threats to much that we value.

Jared Bernstein;Fmr. Obama Administration Economist;Cnbc;Msnbc Contributor

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/its-here-cbpps-top-graphs-of-the-year_us_5869baf1e4b0de3a08f8ed42?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:40:57

HuffPost

It's Here: CBPP's Top Graphs Of The Year!

Happy new year and welcome to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities top graphs of 2016 special! I’ll be your host, joined later by musical guest… wh...

Happy new year and welcome to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities top graphs of 2016 special! I’ll be your host, joined later by musical guest… whoops, sorry. What with the urgency of the moment, there’s no space for a band this year. So let’s jump into the facts and figures (and to be clear -– and fair to my CBPP colleagues -– this is but a small sample of our best stuff; take my advice and, if you haven’t already, bookmark our site and visit it often; current threats have us shifting into overdrive). This year’s theme is a somber one: the fragility of the gains we’ve made. First, the GOP appears poised to engage in a War on Poverty Programs. In order to help finance their highly regressive tax cuts, they’re likely to target programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps), e.g., by turning them into block grants to states. This robs these programs of their vital countercyclical impact, like that shown in the figure below. Back in 2010, as the Great Recession was pummeling low-income households, the safety net did what it’s designed to do: catch people when the market fails. What’s that? You’re skeptical that block grants would truly undermine the effectiveness of our anti-poverty programs. Well, observe this next figure, showing the growing failure of cash assistance to reach needy families since it was turned into a block grant back in the mid-1990s. Here’s another huge gain to low- and middle-income households that’s at risk of being lost: the decline in the share without health coverage. It seems increasing clear that president-elect Trump and the GOP Congress are firmly united in repealing the Affordable Care Act. When it comes to replacing it to stave off the lost coverage that will then beset millions of households… well, that they’re not so sure about. I’ve got a theory: Team Trump jams through a big, wasteful supply-side tax cut based on trumped-up growth assumptions. When offsetting growth fails to appear on the scene, they throw up their hands in despair and insist that Social Security and Medicare must be cut to stave off the rising debt. Of the many figures we’ve published showing the importance of social insurance programs, this one showing Social Security’s poverty-reduction impact on seniors is particularly intuitive. Absent Social Security income, there’d be about 4.5 times more elderly poverty than there is today. But aren’t Social Security and Medicare unsustainable? It’s a titled question. If we’re cutting taxes and running deficits than why not ask if anything that depends of public resources is sustainable. Defense? A trillion a year in tax credits, exemptions, and preferences? The correct questions are: a) do a majority of Americans want amply funded Mcare and Soc Sec, b) are we willing to pay for them? A is definitely ‘yes.’ Regarding B, the National Academy of Social Insurance reports: “About 8 in 10 (77%) say it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means increasing the Social Security taxes paid by working Americans. An even higher percentage (83%) say it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means increasing the Social Security taxes paid by wealthy Americans. These findings hold true across party lines, age groups, race and ethnicity, and income levels.” A good place to start is raising the “tax-max”: the salary threshold above which the payroll tax no longer applies. Because of the rise in earnings inequality, an increasing share of earnings is above the cap. The next figure shows that used to be about 10 percent; now it’s about 17 percent. You know what else is at stake? The increase in the overtime threshold. A Texas judge blocked the rule from going into effect last month, but his decision was so obviously flawed, one hopes it would be reversed on appeal. But Republicans and even some Democrats have long been trying to repeal or dilute the rule change, which as the figure shows, is but a partial update to the salary threshold under which workers must be paid time-and-a-half for overtime. The figure plots the overtime threshold in real terms against a measure of the rise in inequality. The point is less that one caused the other than to show the joint evolution of eroding labor standards and much less equitable economic outcomes. Another thing at stake going forward is any sense of fiscal accountability. We’ll see what the ultimate Trump tax plan looks like but we’ve produced a number of figures showing the extent to which they’re heavily tilted toward the wealthy, though cutting rates and business taxes, cap gains and dividends, and repealing the estate tax (now there’s an idea to reach his blue-collar base…). Here’s one showing that while millionaires comprise less than 1 percent of all households, they end up with close to half of Trump’s tax cuts while the bottom 80 percent get less than a fifth. Same with the repeal of the ACA. Like I said above, repeals whacks those with coverage, but we also show that the taxes supporting the program are progressive, so repeal also delivers more than half of the tax benefits to…wait for it…that same itty-bitty group of millionaires. To state the obvious, this is a pretty chilling example of Trump’s faux populism: take from the poor/middle-class and give to the rich. What about the trickle-down claims? I suspect that in coming months we’ll see a fair bit of dynamic-scoring abuse: model-based estimates of the growth effects of the coming tax cuts. Such models cannot generate reliable point estimates of their macro impacts and worse, they’re easily gamed to show large growth effects. So our best move is to look at the history of tax cuts and growth. Ben Spielberg and I did so in a series of scatterplots comparing the history of top tax rates and variables allegedly targeted by supply-side, trickle-down tax cuts. The predicted correlation is negative: higher tax rates hurt growth, jobs, etc. and vice versa. Yet none of our plots reveal that relationship. We’re careful not to overclaim: this is very simple evidence re complex variables. But the burden of proof is clearly on those claiming the negative correlation, and trust me, they got nothin.’ Then there’s Kansas. They’ve gone all in on supply-side, trickle down, and they’ve got bupkis to show for it. This figure is from my own recent work, so it’s not as cute as the others, but it makes the point. It plots job growth in Kansas, the nation, and as a control for regional economic conditions, the four states surrounding KA (MO, NE, CO, OK). Once again, supply-side growth effects are beyond nowhere to be seen–KA employment growth has significantly underperformed its neighbors and the rest of the country. From the perspective of progressive political economy, last year was an awfully tough one on many fronts. On the other hand, that makes it a good year for interesting graphics, which reminds me of the old saying: “may you live in uninteresting times.” Either way, you can count on me and my CBPP colleagues to continue to produce accurate, timely analysis that I suspect will be even more important this year as we document the pending threats to much that we value. Also on HuffPost

Jared Bernstein;Fmr. Obama Administration Economist;Cnbc;Msnbc Contributor

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/its-here-cbpps-top-graphs-of-the-year_us_5869baf1e4b0de3a08f8ed42?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business

LEFT

2017-01-02 02:49:32

Breitbart

Migrants Setting Blood, Faeces Traps for Prison Staff

Language classes and 'Islam scientists' are among measures announced in Germany to combat rising 'disgust attacks' in prisons by migrants.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Language classes and the recruiting of ‘Islam scientists’ are among measures announced by North Rhine-Westphalia’s (NRW) justice ministry to combat the rising number of ‘disgust attacks’ in prisons by Maghreb migrants. Across Germany, migrants from North Africa have been setting ‘traps’ for staff in prisons by “greasing” doors handles, floors, and other surfaces that employees are forced to touch and walk over with bodily fluids, mainly faeces and blood. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER NRW has acknowledged the problem for some time, but in November the state’s justice minister Thomas Kutschaty was forced to admit the attacks have been growing more frequent. Thirty-two cases in which “detainees from the Maghreb states have contaminated areas with blood and/or faeces” were logged in 2016. At prisons in Iserlohn and Cologne, there were even incidents in which staff members were pelted with faeces. Head of Bielefeld Prison, Uwe Nelle Cornelsen, described “restlessness, rioting, rebellion against lawyers, and suicide threats” are typical problems staff have to deal with. He told the Neue Westfälische that prisons “must remain consistent, and refuse to negotiate,” reporting rumours that in some parts of the Maghreb, such tactics encourage centres to release detainees earlier. Along with “security and discipline,” integration centres and language courses form the core of a series of measures recently announced by NRW’s justice ministry to tackle problem prisoners. Integration centres are being set up at each prison to “deal with problems between detainees and prison staff”. So as to “decrease the language barrier”, facilities will also expand language courses on offer to prisoners, and hire more interpreters. A programme to provide tablets to staff in NRW jails, enabling them to translate their instructions into Arabic, is also set be rolled out across the state. Bridging the language gap is likely to succeed in preventing grotesque behaviour, according to a report in broadsheet Die Welt. This claimed that many migrants just “wanted to be understood,” and became calmer after conversing with staff in Arabic. The justice ministry hopes that hiring four ‘Islam scientists’ in addition to the two currently employed by the state will also ease tensions. As well as teaching prison staff to spot signs of Islamism in detainees, the ‘Islam scientists’ are also training employees to “deal with emotionally disturbed prisoners” and instructing them in “intercultural competence.” One final measure announced by Kutschaty, to deal with the growing turmoil in NRW jails, is for faster expulsion of people from the Maghreb, who the justice minister said “have little chance of being granted leave to remain [in Germany].” To this end, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) minister called for Germany to recognise North African nations as safe countries of origin, and said “collective charter flights” could be used to deport Maghreb migrants who are causing trouble in prisons.

Virginia Hale

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/01/02/migrants-blood-feces-traps-prison-staff/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 02:56:12

The Guardian

Australian road deaths rise for second year, reaching almost 1,300 in 2016

Two successive rises in the number of annual road deaths have bucked a long-term downward trend since 1970, when 3,798 people died

Two successive rises in the number of annual road deaths have bucked a long-term downward trend since 1970, when 3,798 people died More than 1,290 people died on Australian roads in 2016, confirming the nation has experienced its second spike in road deaths in as many years. Most states and territories have now released their final road toll figures for last year. In New South Wales 384 people were killed, 291 died in Victoria, 250 in Queensland, 193 in Western Australia, 87 in South Australia, 38 in Tasmania and 10 in the ACT. 'It's not inevitable': sudden rise in road deaths prompts search for answers Read more The Northern Territory’s road toll appeared to stand at 45, although the territory’s police could not be contacted for confirmation on Monday. That would give a preliminary road toll of at least 1,298, up from 1,209 last year, and the record low of 1,153 in 2014. The successive rises in the road toll have bucked an otherwise long-term downward trend, which has seen the road toll reduce by huge numbers since 1970, when 3,798 people died. The infrastructure and transport minister, Darren Chester, described the 2016 road toll as a tragedy of national proportions on Sunday. He suggested that parents should be spending a bit more on helping their teenage children buy a newer car. The remarks drew criticism from Labor, but Chester defended them again on 2UE radio on Monday. “Now, we can’t just keep on doing the same thing and thinking that we are going to get a better result, and I think emphasising the need to purchase a safer car if you can afford it, the safest car you can afford to buy, is an important part of this whole discussion, along with making sure governments don’t shirk their responsibility,” Chester said. Chester also suggested that infrastructure investment should be directed more towards road safety. “We already have a road black-spots program, we have got a roads to recovery program with local councils, and we have got a $50bn infrastructure spend under the current federal government,” he said. “So there’s a lot of things going on but we need to pull them all together and then accept we have responsibility as drivers. It’s about safer drivers in safer cars on safer roads. It’s a combination of factors. We can do better than we are doing at the moment.” Australia's 10 most dangerous stretches of highway revealed Read more The latest results do nothing to help Australian governments reach their shared goal of a 30% reduction in road deaths between 2011 and 2020. Chester and his state and territory counterparts met late last year to discuss the rising road toll, agreeing it was unacceptable and committing to a greater emphasis on safety in infrastructure investment. The ministerial council also agreed to increase drug-driving testing, and strengthen public awareness campaigns on distracted driving. South Australia managed to improve its road toll in 2016, recording its best result on record. The 87 deaths on its roads were 15 fewer than 2015, and below the previous record of 94 in 2012. The road safety minister, Peter Malinauskas, said it still meant too many people were dying on the roads. “Road crashes have a devastating impact on families. The pain and emotional impact on victims and their loved ones, particularly at this time of year, is immeasurable,” Malinauskas said. “As a community, let’s do what we can to ensure that 2017 is another record low for fatalities on our roads,” he said. The national holiday road toll, starting on 23 December, stood at 33 by Monday afternoon. Eight people had died in NSW, nine in Victoria, six in Queensland, five in Western Australia, four in South Australia, one in the Northern Territory and none in the ACT or Tasmania.

Christopher Knaus

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/more-than-1290-people-die-on-australian-roads-in-2016-up-from-1209

LEFT

2017-01-02 03:01:35

Breitbart

Father of Israeli Teen Killed In Istanbul Attack Told Her Not to Go

The father of the Israeli killed in the New Year’s Eve attack in Istanbul said he had tried to stop his 18-year-old daughter from traveling.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER The Jerusalem Post reports: The father of the Israeli killed in the New Year’s Eve attack in Istanbul said on Sunday that he had tried to stop his 18-year-old daughter from traveling to Turkey. “I had a feeling,” Lian Nasser’s father, Zahar, said. “I told her not to go there, but… youthful stubbornness. I told her it wasn’t worth it with the current security situation.” SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “It’s very hard, I don’t understand what happened,” he told Channel 2. “It doesn’t make sense, just yesterday she contacted the family and told us about the trip and the fun she was having.” Read more here.

Breitbart Jerusalem

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/02/father-israeli-teen-killed-istanbul-attack-told-not-go/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 03:22:08

The Guardian

China smog: millions start new year shrouded by health alerts and travel chaos

On the first day of 2017 in Beijing pollution climbed as high as 24 times the level recommended by the World Health Organization

Millions in China rang in the New Year shrouded in a thick blanket of toxic smog, causing road closures and flight cancellations as 24 cities issued alerts that will last through much of the week. On the first day of 2017 in Beijing, concentrations of tiny particles that penetrate deep into the lungs climbed as high as 24 times levels recommended by the World Health Organization. More than 100 flights were cancelled and all intercity buses were halted at the capital’s airport. Beijing smog: pollution red alert declared in China capital and 21 other cities Read more In the neighbouring port city of Tianjin, more than 300 flights were cancelled while the weather forecast warned thick smog will persist until 5 January. All of the city’s highways were also shut as low visibility made driving hazardous, effectively trapping residents. Across northern China 24 cities issued red alerts on Friday and Saturday, while orange alerts persisted in 21 cities through the New Year holiday. A red alert is the highest level of a four-tier warning system introduced as part of China’s high-profile war on pollution. Decades of economic development have made acrid air a common occurrence in nearly all major Chinese cities, with government-owned coal burning power stations and heating plants and steel manufacturing concentrated in northern provinces the main source of pollution. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Landmark buildings are seen through smog on 1 January in Beijing. Photograph: China Stringer Network/Reuters Smog worsens in the winter as coal burning spikes to provide heat for millions of people. China declared a “war on pollution” in 2014, but has struggled to deliver the sweeping change many had hoped to see and government inspections routinely find pollutions flouting the law. “Why didn’t those polluting industries take a rest for the holiday,” one commenter mused on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo. “New Year’s morning in Beijing, I thought I was blind,” said another, attaching a photo of a window completely darkened with grey haze. Similar posts appeared on Twitter. Lauri Myllyvirta (@laurimyllyvirta) New Year flag ceremony in Beijing in "crazy bad" pollution pic.twitter.com/T1iWIlmbFB Oliver Heldens (@OliverHeldens) On my way to the show in Beijing, playing before @davidguetta. Have to wear a mask, because of all the smog 😶 pic.twitter.com/yZqSuZsBVR China’s middle class is increasingly less tolerant of the deadly air, and in December tens of thousands of “smog refugees” decamped to clearer skies. Top destinations included Australia, Indonesia, Japan and the Maldives. That bout of smog saw 460 million people, a population greater than North America, breathing toxic air, according to Greenpeace. As pollution covered swaths of the country on New Year’s Eve, China announced plans to increase coal output to 3.9 billion tonnes by 2020. A study earlier this year found acrid air is linked to at least one million deaths a year, and contributed to a third of all fatalities in major cities, on par with smoking. Another research paper said the smog had shortened life expectancies by five and a half years in parts of China.

Benjamin Haas

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/02/china-smog-millions-start-new-year-shrouded-by-health-alerts-and-travel-chaos

LEFT

2017-01-02 03:22:32

USA Today

For Roof counsel, a life’s work fighting the death penalty

Amid the Roof trial, a respected Asheville, N.C.-based death penalty attorney sidelined.

Skip in Skip x Embed x Share The accused Charleston church shooter had a troubled past even before he was arrested for killing nine people at Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. USA TODAY NETWORK Members of the defense team for Dylann Roof arrive at the federal courthouse in Charleston, S.C., on Nov. 7. Pictured from the left are Kimberly C. Stevens, a capital attorney based in Asheville; Emily Paavola, legal director of Justice 360; lead counselor David Bruck, of Washington & Lee School of Law and Sarah Gannett. Both Stevens and Gannett are assistant federal public defenders. The attorneys are expected to serve as standby counselors during the sentencing phase of the trial after the presiding judge granted Roof's motion to represent himself. (Photo: Chuck Burton, AP) CHARLESTON, S.C. — The attorney leans to her left, drawing the young man beside her out of his long stare, one that fixates on the wide table before him or some unknown spot straight ahead. The two share a whispered conversation, and when they are finished, he returns to his gaze, never acknowledging the judge in front of him or the spectators behind, witnesses to an accounting of his terrible crimes against men and women in prayer. The interaction in a Charleston courthouse, though small and inconspicuous, speaks to the rapport between the defendant and attorney Kimberly C. Stevens. In a career spanning more than two decades as a capital defender, she has represented defendants accused and convicted of a host of high-profile crimes, some that have rattled small towns or large cities or entire states. This one, the death penalty trial of Dylann Roof and his attack on Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, has captured the attention of a nation. Until recently, Stevens’ career was centered in North Carolina, where she became known among colleagues not only for her expertise in the complicated legal arena that is capital litigation, but also for compassion toward both her clients and their victims. Last year, she left state service and Winston-Salem for a senior advisory role as a federal capital defender, establishing an office in Asheville. Stevens, 49, brings to her cases a doggedness in unraveling the histories of her clients, men and women who often have mental health issues, developmental disabilities or an upbringing plagued by abuse, said Bob Hurley, who served as North Carolina’s capital defender for 13 years until 2015. “I would point her to the most difficult and challenging capital cases in the state. By that, I mean I felt there was a significant likelihood the defendant would receive the death penalty, either because of the heinousness of the crime or the prominence of the victim involved or the outrage of the community over the crime,” Hurley said. “She would get my first call.” Those calls from Hurley and others have put Stevens on more than 40 capital cases where often, as with Roof, a possible sentence that pits life against death is the primary concern. Colleagues say Stevens, who declined interview requests for this article citing the ongoing Roof trial, stands opposed to state execution for reasons that include its tendency to target defendants who are impoverished, mentally ill or are in minority groups, as well as concerns the condemned could be wrongly convicted. Kimberly C. Stevens (Photo: Courtesy photo) Stevens is exceptional in her dedication to those clients, and that she’s left North Carolina’s roster of death penalty attorneys to focus on federal defense has “left a void that certainly will not be filled by anyone else in the state,” said Victoria Jayne, an assistant capital defender based in Buncombe County. “You have clients who have made bad decisions all of their lives,” Jayne said. “Every time they make a decision, it’s been a bad one and what we know is that on their own, we can’t expect them to make the most important decision of their life, which is to choose a life plea over going to trial and a possible death sentence.” Those life sentence pleas negotiated by Stevens include some of the most high-profile capital cases in North Carolina’s state and federal courts: Gary Michael Hilton in 2007 murdered an elderly couple near a popular hiking trail in Pisgah National Forest. A year later, Demario James Atwater kidnapped and shot to death Eve Carson, the student body president at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Quincy Allen, a South Carolina man, in 2002 shot to death two men at a Surry County convenience store. Eric Lorenzo Davis in 2013 beat to death his 4-year-old daughter in a Jackson County motel. Twice Stevens has won bids on appeal to have condemned men removed from death row. And once she did not. Witness It was brightly lit, the execution chamber in Raleigh’s Central Prison. The room has not hosted a death since 2006, but in 2003, when Stevens took a seat its cramped gallery, seven men died there. Set on the other side of a windowed concrete wall stood a gurney, John Dennis Daniels strapped to its mattress. Beyond the prison walls, about 30 protesters gathered against the dark November chill for a candlelight vigil, according to Associated Press reports. Hours earlier in a last-minute clemency bid, a retired psychiatrist appeared before then-Gov. Mike Easley, telling him she no longer stood by her original assessment of Daniels, one made on behalf of prosecutors amid trial. Daniels should not be put to death for the strangulation of his elderly aunt, she testified. The state’s attorneys never gave her critical medical records about Daniels’ suicide attempts, a history of depression and brain damage from alcohol and cocaine use, information the doctor said she learned only after Stevens unearthed and presented her with the missing paperwork. The testimony failed to persuade Easley, a decision that devastated Stevens, the attorney told a reporter. “John Daniels is my friend and they're about to kill him,” she said, and in telling her client that no hope remained, they hugged and cried together. The lethal injection began at 2 a.m., Stevens watching as Daniels lifted his head from the gurney, coughed and then fell still. Minutes later, before the official pronouncement of death, the attorney left the room. Stevens was overcome with emotion. Skip in Skip x Embed x Share Polly Sheppard testified as the last witness offered by the prosecution in the Dylann Roof trial. Listen to part of her chilling 911 call that played in the courtroom for the jury. USA TODAY NETWORK Sidelined Emotion has been there also, in a federal courtroom in Charleston, and though the defense team led by the venerable and storied capital defender David Bruck will not comment, their frustrations often have been visible. Roof represented himself in jury selection, relegating Bruck and Stevens to the role of standby counsel. Unable to address the court directly, the attorneys attempted to use notes to guide Roof through lines of questioning. The defendant appeared unable or unwilling to follow direction, an exercise that often left Bruck to raise a hand to a furrowed brow, as Stevens’ frustration came in sagging shoulders. At Roof’s request, the counselors were reinstated in the guilt phase of trial, but the 22-year-old will again serve as his own attorney as a jury weighs sentencing, a phase that commences on Jan. 3. The move blocks counselors from presenting evidence that Roof may suffer from mental illness. That situation is most certainly devastating for Stevens and the team, said Hurley, the former North Carolina public defender. “I think the worst position for a capital defense attorney to be put in is one in which the defendant has decided to go pro se [self-representation] and they’re asked to sit on the sidelines and watch,” Hurley said. “It’s almost like watching someone committing suicide and you can do nothing about it.” A quiet stand Stevens began as an assistant federal capital defender in July 2015, a senior position held through the Oregon-based Capital Resource Counsel Project. Its primary focus is to guide and train death penalty lawyers in cases throughout the eastern United States. A native of Tacoma, Wash., Stevens in 1989 graduated from Washington State University, then accepted a full scholarship to Wake Forest University’s law school. By 1994, she began representing death row inmates in North Carolina, taking on defendants facing the death penalty in the following years, work that later took her to the federal courts. She joined the Roof defense team as co-counsel in July as a late addition, the impending trial date only months away. The timing of that move came on the heels of a court filing that indicated Bruck, appointed to the case a year earlier, would pursue a mental defect defense at sentencing. While Roof in courtroom interactions appears cordial and comfortable with the team, his own statements and filings indicate he split with Bruck’s decision over the mental health issue. “She’s somebody who works endlessly to find the good in people. In the mitigation phase you look into someone’s background and talk to all of their family, their friends, get all of their records to find out, ‘What is it that created this person?’” Mark Rabil, law professor and director of the Innocence and Justice Clinic at Wake Forest In her defense of clients, Stevens brings a commitment to unearthing medical records and a personal history that might explain why they committed crimes, said Mark Rabil, a law professor and director of the Innocence and Justice Clinic at Wake Forest. “She’s somebody who works endlessly to find the good in people. In the mitigation phase you look into someone’s background and talk to all of their family, their friends, get all of their records to find out, ‘What is it that created this person?’” said Rabil, who has partnered with Stevens in about a half-dozen capital cases, each ending with a plea deal for life. “If anybody can help us find out why this horrible situation occurred in Charleston, Kim’s perfectly suited to that and she’s very, very sensitive and caring about the victims of the crime and the victim’s families.” Rabil noted also that she is conscientious of the charged and difficult issues where race is a factor, typically involving a black defendant and a white victim. Roof, an admitted white supremacist, was convicted of murdering nine black parishioners in the Dec. 15 jury finding that included guilty verdicts based on hate crime laws. Throughout the trial, about 40 or so people have gathered on the benches behind prosecutors. Most are African-American and family members of the slain. Seats behind the defense team are populated by reporters and the public, with one bench reserved for Roof’s family. His grandparents have appeared a few times; his mother once, at opening statements. At moments, wrenching testimony has dropped courtroom spectators to a silence burdened with grief, interrupted only by the low hum of a furnace from somewhere deep in the building. It is a despair that also appears to weigh on a defense team trying to save the life of a client who targeted a church, a pastor, fathers, mothers, the elderly, the young. All of them innocents. Among the survivors is Polly Sheppard, who appeared as the last witness for the prosecution on Dec. 14, delivering a steady and solemn account of praying aloud amid gunfire, drawing Roof’s attention. “Shut up!” he yelled, still holding the gun as the dead and dying lay around them. He told her would let her live to tell the story. That story told, Bruck walked to the retired nurse, hands linked behind his back. “I'm so sorry,” he said quietly. “I have no questions.” Behind him, Stevens rose to stand in a silent gesture of respect. The movement reverberated throughout the courtroom, as row by row, the dozens of observers took to their feet in silent ovation. Sheppard, in slow steps, walked into the arms of supporters. Follow Tonya Maxwell on Twitter: @factsbymax Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2hHJGnu

Tonya Maxwell;Asheville;N.C.;P.M. Est January

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CENTER

2017-01-02 03:27:00

Politico

Pence to huddle with House Republicans Wednesday

The meeting is House Republicans’ first of the new Congress, which kicks off Tuesday.

Mike Pence will meet with the full House Republican Conference to talk about the party’s plan to dismantle Obama’s signature health care law. | AP Photo Pence to huddle with House Republicans Wednesday Vice President-elect Mike Pence will rally House Republicans Wednesday morning on a plan to repeal Obamacare, POLITICO has learned — a counter-punch to President Barack Obama’s visit to the Hill the same day. Pence will meet with the full House Republican Conference to talk about the party’s plan to dismantle Obama’s signature health care law, according to a House Republican leadership aide. The meeting is House Republicans’ first of the new Congress, which kicks off Tuesday. Story Continued Below Obamacare repeal and replacement is a top priority for the right. Obama is also scheduled to meet with House and Senate Democrats Wednesday morning. The rare gathering between the outgoing president and the left is focused strictly on plotting ways to gum-up the GOP’s Obamacare repeal efforts.

Rachael Bade

www.politico.com

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/pence-huddle-house-republicans-wednesday-233107

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 03:41:38

Breitbart

Senate Moves To Denounce UN For Anti-Settlement Resolution

Congressional Republicans are moving to denounce the UN for its resolution deeming Israeli settlements as "violation[s] of international law".

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TEL AVIV – Congressional Republicans are moving quickly to denounce the United Nations for its recent Security Council resolution deeming all Israeli settlements “flagrant violation[s] of international law.” More than 100 members of Congress have formally condemned the resolution, the Times of Israel reported. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER GOP lawmakers in both chambers have decided to introduce resolutions targeted at the UN once Congress reconvenes. Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran and Florida Rep. Dennis Ross are both slated to introduce disapproval resolutions against the international body. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated that he did not know whether the chamber would vote on Moran’s resolution or a similar one. However, despite the Republican lead on the resolution, several aides have said anti-UN action will receive bipartisan support. The House will vote as early as next week on a resolution, though the exact details have not been decided, Politico reported. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also announced his intention to advance an initiative aimed at defunding the United Nations, but it would be unlikely to earn bipartisan support in the Senate, the report said. The push for anti-UN action comes on the heels of pro-Israel lobby AIPAC’s call to pressure Washington representatives to condemn the UN for “hinder[ing] the peace process” as a result of the Security Council’s anti-settlement resolution. The Security Council resolution, which passed 14-0, was not vetoed by the U.S. as has been a decades-long policy of previous administrations. The resolution determines that all Israeli settlements, including the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, are “occupied Palestinian territory.”

Deborah Danan

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/02/senate-moves-to-denounce-un-for-anti-settlement-resolution/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 03:44:33

Breitbart

Climate Skeptics Welcome Open Debate Under Trump Presidency

After years of imposed “scientific consensus,” skeptical climate scientists are hopeful that their views may finally get a hearing.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER After years of imposed “scientific consensus” on global warming, a number of skeptical climate scientists are hopeful that their views may finally get a hearing under the new administration. Georgia Tech scientist Judith Curry, for instance, labelled a “climate heretic” by Scientific American for her contrarian views, sees a light at the end of the long Obama tunnel. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “Here’s to hoping the Age of Trump will herald the demise of climate change dogma, and acceptance of a broader range of perspectives in climate science and our policy options,” she wrote last month on her popular blog Climate Etc. Part of the problem is that no one really knows how many climate change skeptics there are among scientists because of the high personal and professional cost of heterodoxy. Dilbert creator Scott Adams has compared climate change skeptics within the scientific community to “Shy Trump Supporters” who are too afraid to say what they really think for fear of being ridiculed or worse. As we can plainly see, he wrote, “the cost of disagreeing with climate science is unreasonably high if you are a scientist.” William Happer, professor emeritus of physics at Princeton University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, played his cards close to the vest for years in order survive in a hostile scientific climate. “I held my tongue for a long time because friends told me I would not be elected to the National Academy of Sciences if I didn’t toe the alarmists’ company line,” he said. As the political climate changes, however, climate change skeptics may find their voice and enter a debate that has hitherto been closed off to them. Happer, for instance, is more optimistic of what the future holds. “I think we’re making progress,” he said. “I see reassuring signs.” Dr. Duane Thresher, a climate scientist with a PhD from Columbia University and NASA GISS, has pointed to “publication and funding bias” as a key to understanding how scientific consensus can be manipulated. Although scientists are held up as models of independent thinkers and unbiased seekers of truth, the reality is that they depend on funding even more than other professions, since much of their research has no market value. Thus, they will study what they are funded to study. The Obama administration, which doggedly denied that a climate debate even existed, funneled billions of federal dollars into programs and studies that supported its claims, while silencing contrary opinions. “In reality, it’s the government, not the scientists, that asks the questions,” said David Wojick, an expert on climate research spending and a longtime government consultant. Federal agencies order up studies that focus on their concerns, so politics ends up guiding science according to its particular interests. “Government actions have corrupted science, which has been flooded by money to produce politically correct results,” said Happer. “It is time for governments to finally admit the truth about global warming. Warming is not the problem. Government action is the problem.” Thresher, who has done pioneering work in both tree ring climate proxy modeling and ocean climate proxy modeling, says that scientists know far less about historical climate than people are led to believe. Scientists us climate “proxies” like tree rings and ice cores, Thresher says, as substitutes for real climate measurements. The inferences reached are “inaccurate and unreliable well beyond what is required for the conclusions drawn,” he states. When it comes to forecasting future climate trends, however, the situation is even worse, Thresher contends. “Climate models are just more complex/chaotic weather models, which have a theoretical maximum predictive ability of just 10 days into the future,” he notes. “Predicting climate decades or even just years into the future is a lie, albeit a useful one for publication and funding.” President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for key cabinet posts have exhilarated climate scientists tired of being black-balled as “climate change deniers” just because they raise uncomfortable questions. Tapping former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to run the Energy Department, Attorney General Scott Pruitt of Oklahoma to run the Environmental Protection Agency, and Exxon chief executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state signals a radical change from Obama’s conforming climate alarmists. Every friend of honest debate and free exchange of information will take heart in the changing environment, where every voice will be heard. In the area of climate science, the change couldn’t come at a more opportune time. Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter Follow @tdwilliamsrome

Thomas D. Williams

www.breitbart.com

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RIGHT

2017-01-02 03:44:44

USA Today

Texas lawmaker hospitalized after stray New Year's Eve bullet strikes head

Police in south Texas were investigating after a stray celebratory New Year's Eve bullet put a state lawmaker in the hospital with a head wound.

State Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, is pictured Feb. 2, 2005. Martinez was hospitalized Sunday after being struck by a stray bullet during a New Year's Eve celebration. (AP Photo/Deborah Cannon) (Photo: Deborah Cannon, ASSOCIATED PRESS) Police in south Texas were investigating after a stray celebratory New Year's Eve bullet put a state lawmaker in the hospital with a head wound. Westlaco, Texas, authorities said State Rep. Armando "Mando" Martinez was recovering Sunday after surgeons removed the bullet from his skull. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra told The (McAllen) Monitor that Martinez was in stable condition after surgery to remove a "projectile" fired just after midnight Sunday, as Martinez celebrated with family and friends outside a home north of Weslaco, near Texas' border with Mexico. "It felt like a sledgehammer hit me over the head," Martinez told KGBT-TV. After a few moments, Martinez said, he and his wife realized he'd been struck by a bullet. Guerra said Martinez’s wife found a small hole on the top left side of her husband's head. They rushed him to a local hospital, but doctors there transferred him another hospital about 22 miles east, in Harlingen, Texas, where surgeons removed the bullet. It had punctured his skull, but didn't damage his brain, KGBT reported. Martinez said he never lost consciousness. Follow Greg Toppo on Twitter: @gtoppo Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2hHNWU1

Greg Toppo;P.M. Est January

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CENTER

2017-01-02 03:47:07

Fox News

With Roof as his own lawyer, sentencing begins in slayings

The same jury that last month unanimously found Dylann Roof guilty in the slayings of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church is returning to court to begin contemplating his punishment.

The same jury that last month unanimously found Dylann Roof guilty in the slayings of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church is returning to court to begin contemplating his punishment. With the 22-year-old representing himself, the process is sure to be unconventional. But even if Roof is sentenced to death, it's highly unlikely he'd be executed anytime soon. While prosecutors plan to call up to 38 people related to the nine people killed and three who survived the June 2015 slaughter during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, Roof said last week he plans on calling no witnesses and presenting no evidence. Roof was found guilty last month on 33 federal charges, including hate crimes and obstruction of the practice of religion. A jury took less than three hours to return its verdict, and a judge dismissed the jury for a break over the holidays. Typically in what's known as the sentencing phase, defense attorneys call relatives and other witnesses to testify about their client's unsteady state of mind before and during the crimes. Given that background, the defense hopes, a jury might be more likely to spare the defendant's life and opt against the death penalty. But Roof, who is acting as his own attorney, has said he plans to do no such thing. In his journal, which was read in court during his trial, Roof said his doesn't believe in psychology, which he called "a Jewish invention" that "does nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they don't." Roof also seems to be determined to try to keep evidence embarrassing to him or his family out. Not only did he take over his own defense, but he asked the judge at a hearing Wednesday if he could file a motion limiting what prosecutors can introduce. Roof also was adamant that a transcript of a hearing where he was found mentally competent not be released to the public. "I know this is not a legal argument, but the unsealing of the competency hearing defeats the purpose of me representing myself," Roof said at last week's hearing. Neither Roof, nor U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel nor prosecutors have given specifics on the evidence Roof is objecting to. On Thursday, Gergel ordered another competency evaluation of Roof "in an abundance of caution," after his standby counsel filed a sealed motion again questioning Roof's mental ability to proceed. The judge's order specified he saw no reason to delay Tuesday's start of the penalty phase. Roof's lawyers tried repeatedly both to stop him from being his own lawyer and to work mental health-related evidence into the first phase of his trial, saying they feared Roof fired them because he feared the attorneys would present evidence that would embarrass him when trying to save his life. Prosecutors objected at every turn, and Gergel wouldn't allow any of it into court, ruling mitigation evidence is allowable during sentencing and not before. Court papers show prosecutors are expected to present evidence showing that Roof picked his victims because of their race, killed them to incite more violence, showed no remorse and killed three particularly vulnerable people who were 70 years old or older. Evidence speaking to Roof's mental state, one expert argues, could make the difference between life and death. "The Dylann Roof case is a classic example of the type of problem you can have when an obviously mentally ill or emotionally disturbed defendant is permitted to represent himself," said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "There's a huge difference in the eyes of a jury between someone they perceive as evil or despicable and someone they perceive as being seriously mentally ill. ... If you take mental health out of it, you are putting a thumb on the scale of death." Both the judge's decision to allow Roof to represent himself and waive the introduction of mental health evidence are sure to be raised in an inevitable appeal, Dunham argued. Roof also faces nine murder charges in state court, where prosecutors have also said they will seek the death penalty in a trial likely to begin sometime next year. Whether he's sentenced to death or not, it's unlikely Roof would be executed anytime soon, in either jurisdiction. The federal government hasn't executed anyone since 2003, and there are years of appeals between a death sentence being levied and carried out. South Carolina's death chamber hasn't been used since 2011, due at least in part to a lack of availability for the drugs the state uses for lethal injection. ___ Associated Press writer Jeffrey Collins contributed to this report. ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/meg-kinnard/ .

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RIGHT

2017-01-02 03:47:55

CNN

Ship's captain detained after Indonesia ferry fire kills 23

Police have detained the captain of a ferry that caught fire off the coast of Indonesia's capital, killing at least 23 people Sunday, amid allegations he was the first to jump ship.

Story highlights At least 23 died when the ferry caught fire Sunday morning local time Captain questioned over reports he abandoned ship (CNN) Police have detained the captain of a ferry that caught fire off the coast of Indonesia's capital, killing at least 23 people Sunday, amid allegations he was the first to jump ship. Divers are still searching for 17 people still missing. "We have detained the captain of the boat, and are now taking his statement," Jakarta's maritime police director, Hero Hendrianto Bachtiar, told CNN Indonesia. He added that five other people, including three crew members and two port authority staff, were also being held in police custody. At a press conference, Antonius Tonny Budiono, director general for sea transportation at the Indonesian ministry of transport, addressed reports that the captain was the first to leap off the Zahro Express ferry when it caught fire. Read More

Juliet Perry

www.cnn.com

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/01/asia/indonesia-ferry-fire/index.html

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 03:48:16

Breitbart

Arab Social Media Users Debate Whether Turkey Nightclub Victims Deserved 'Punishment'

Some Arab social media users expressed sorrow over the blast in Istanbul, others said it was a punishment for an "immoral" nightclub.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Some Arab social media users expressed sorrow over Saturday’s blast in Istanbul, in which Saudi, Lebanese, Israeli and other foreign citizens were hurt, while others said it was a punishment for those who celebrated a Christian festival in an “immoral” nightclub. Bin Khaled, a Saudi man, retweeted a picture of a young compatriot who said he was inside the nightclub and asked for forgiveness: “May Allah forgive you and save you, but we shouldn’t be those who ask for Allah’s mercies when they are in danger at sea, but when they return to shore and to their sins.” SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER الله يهديك وينجيك ، لا يجب أن نكون من الذين يدعون الله في البحر فإذا نجاهم للبر اذا هم بعصونه . #هجوم_اسطنبول pic.twitter.com/9RlniRHZg7 — بن خالد#السعودية (@a_1k2) January 1, 2017 Another commented on the photo: “A Saudi named Amer, who was in the club, declared he ditched his sinful ways and reconnects with Allah. It happened when he saw death before his eyes… This time you were saved, but please don’t return to sin.” #هجوم_اسطنبول @OmarFaden عمر سعودي محتجز بالملهى تاب وقفل حسابه عقب ماشاف الموت 😂سلمت يالذيب من سو الخاتمه ذي المره لاعد تعودها👌🏻#رأس_السنة — #شاي_الجمر (@6e2dfbdff02147d) January 1, 2017 Rahma commented sarcastically: “It’s not an innocent question, but those who died tonight in a Turkish nightclub are martyrs of the homeland or martyrs of the nightclub? Or martyrs of what? I’d like to know.” سؤال مو بريء ولا فيه ذرة براءة هلا يلي ماتو بالملهى في #تركيا شهداء وطن ولا شهداء ملهى ليلي ولا شو حابه اعرف #اسطنبول 🙊🙊🙊🙊 — rahma ( رحمه ) (@ru_mswo) January 1, 2017 A user named Strange was less sympathetic toward the victims, and wrote that dying amid depravity brings shame on a person even after his death. “Allah, do good to us. Save us from shame in our life and save us from the torments of hell.” #هجوم_اسطنبول اللهم أحسن عاقبتنا في الأمور كلها وأجرنا من خزي الدنيا وعذاب الآخرة — غريبة عجيبة (@lamaalsubaie97) January 1, 2017 Fawaz bin Abdullah, a poet, wrote: “The bombing in Istanbul: I’m still confused. In other countries we’d describe it as divine punishment, in others we’d call it a terrorist attack. Allah, protect the countries of the Muslims.” #هجوم_إسطنبول : ما زلتُ بحيرةٍ من أمري فمثل هذه الحوادث تصنّف في بلدان على أنها عقوبة ربانية ، وفي أخرى هي استهداف ! ربي احفظ بلاد المسلمين — فواز بن عبدالله (@Fawaz11100) January 1, 2017 Tareq fumed at those who were quick to moralize the victims: “Some wait to see if the shooting was at a restaurant or a nightclub to know whether they should extend their condolences or not. To them, I say: Thank Allah that the keys to heaven are not in your hands.” في ناس بيستنو خبر انه اطلاق النار كان في مطعم ولا في ملهى مشان يشوف اذا يترحم على اللي ماتو فيه،بقول الحمدلله انه الجنة مش بايديكم #اسطنبول — Târq jø (@TarqJo) January 1, 2017 “The Arab victims were there for the Syrians,” Sabrina tweeted sarcastically. “They were the same people who only a few days ago cried over Aleppo and today got killed in a nightclub. What an ending they got from Allah.” #هجوم_اسطنبول الضحايا العرب راحوا يتبرعون للسوريين وماتوا شهداء 😏 يتباكون من ايام على حلب ومبارح يقتلون بملهى ليلي الله على حسن الخاتمة 😢 — Sabrina😍😍😍 (@SBOUALILI) January 1, 2017 Noone fumed at the gloaters: “Because you think they are sinners you wish them to die like that, it’s really stupid.” #هجوم_اسطنبول يعني إنت شايفهم علي معصيه تقوم تعجّل في قيامتهم !!! …منطق غبي — Noone (@Noone94862025) January 1, 2017 An equally critical Mera tweeted: “No soul knows where it will find its death. To those who gloat, do you know where yours will? Stop to protect yourselves.” #هجوم_اسطنبول لاتدري نفس بأي ارض تموت ، الناس اللي تتشمت على حالهم . هل تدري بأي وضع رح تموت ؟ هل مفتاح موتك بجيبك ؟ لاتكن شامتاً فتبلى — mera ..🇸 (@mera_TM) January 1, 2017 Some, like Wiam Wahab, a Druze self-declared pro-Bashar Assad and Hezbollah supporter from Lebanon, had a score to settle with Turkey: “The attack in Turkey is despicable, but wasn’t it Erdogan who nurtured this kind of terror to ruin Syria and Iraq? Don’t be surprised if the same terror turns against him.” الإرهاب في تركيا عمل دنيء ومرفوض ولكن أليس أردوغان من ساهم بتربية هذا الإرهاب ليدمر سوريا والعراق . لاتستبعدوا أن يتخلص هذا الإرهاب منه — Wiam Wahhab (@wiamwahhab) January 1, 2017 The Algerian journalist Anwar Malek, however, tweeted: “The attack in Istanbul is just a part of an international scheme to destabilize Turkey at the expense of innocent people.”

Ali Waked

www.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/02/arab-social-media-users-say-istanbul-terror-victims-brought-upon/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+breitbart+%28Breitbart+News%29

RIGHT

2017-01-02 04:08:31

HuffPost

Donald Trump: America's Colonoscopy

I ended the year off right - with a colonoscopy. This is apparently part of the ceremonial initiation into the horror of turning 50. Because I'm changing...

I ended the year off right - with a colonoscopy. This is apparently part of the ceremonial initiation into the horror of turning 50. Because I'm changing insurance (thanks, Obama), I wanted to get the colonoscopy done before the end of the year, so I scheduled it for December 29th. If you haven't experienced the joy of prepping for a colonoscopy, you haven't lived. I'll spare you the details, except to say that I would compare it to a firehose of shit exploding from your anus, but I wouldn't want to belittle firehoses. This happens twice: once the night before the procedure and once the day of. My friend Ken Weinstock recommended that I "Golytely" into the procedure, and if you don't understand the horror of that statement, consider yourself lucky. Oh, and while you're prepping, you can't eat or drink anything except for clear liquids. And I was thinking, no problem, I can survive on clear liquids, until I read the following in the directions: "And yes, while beer and vodka are technically clear liquids, they are contraindicated for this purpose." Fuuuuuccccckkkkk. On the day of the procedure, my wife Kate drove me to the hospital. It was all very quick and orderly. I arrived at 12:45 pm, and by 1:00 pm, I was in the exam room in a hospital gown (I was told to leave my socks on; apparently, this was going to be a quickie), and was wheeled into the colonoscopy room at 1:30 pm. The room was unremarkable except that is had a big screen on the wall. I had been told I would be given Fentanyl and Versed for sedation, which might make my memory of the procedure foggy, as if in a dream. "Wait, I'm going to be awake???!!" "Yes, but the medication will make it all worthwhile." The doctor came in and explained the procedure to me, including all the horror stories of what could go wrong - bleeding, perforated colon, Trump presidency - but he assured me that these were unlikely to lead to death. I signed the release and was directed to roll on my side, look at the screen, and welcome the incoming probe. Apparently sensing my discomfort, the nurse rolled up a towel and put it under my head. The nurse administered the drugs with three shots into the IV. One second, I was wondering if they were having any effect at all, the next I was floating off into a beautiful, peaceful, happy state staring at the drama unfolding on the screen before me. Actually, I should mention that before the insertion of the probe, the doctor did a "manual exam" and remarked on the exceptional smoothness of my prostate. I was awake and aware for the entire procedure. While that might seem horrifying, I was blissfully unaware of any discomfort or pain. When the doctor first stuck in the probe, he remarked on how well I had done with the prep. Apparently there was not a trace of fecal matter to be found, just smooth, unobstructed colon as far as the eye could see. In this moment, I was extremely proud. As the horror unfolded behind my anus, with the probe rammed further and further in with each passing moment, I experienced each high-speed twist and turn on the screen as if it were some extreme-sports GoPro helmet-cam exploration of my colon. The doctor was narrating the whole procedure, and I remember one moment vividly where we hit an especially precarious turn that he said polyps often hide behind. The probe careened its way around the turn, only to find the area polyp-free. It was exhilarating. When the procedure was completed and the probe fully extracted, the doctor remarked on how extraordinary my colon was. Clear, smooth, a fantastic colon. Really exceptional, best he had ever seen. Which made me think of Donald Trump. As I look back at the shitshow that was 2016, and look forward to the horrors of the year to come, I can't help but think that the Trump presidency is America's colonoscopy. America did what it could to prep for the election, with the deepest, darkest recesses of American shit exploding from the mouth of Donald Trump daily in wave after wave of mindless degradation, leaving us empty and void of even the slightest trace of dignity. Soon we will arrive at the hospital that is the inauguration, where Donald Trump will begin the procedure, ramming the Trump agenda into America's anus with the brutal force of a thousand gallons of Golytely. Except that for this procedure, there will be no towel placed under America's head to make us more comfortable, no Fentanyl or Versed to make America blissfully unaware, no socks left on to keep America's feet warm and keep us from slipping. And now we are told by America's nurse, the media (stick with me here), that the best we can hope to do is lie back and welcome the probe. But is it? What if we fought back against the indignity of the probe. What if we took a stand against the colonoscopy? What if we said to Donald Trump, "Enough! America's anus and no further!!!" What if we stood up, each and every one of us, and prevented the colonoscopy from happening at all??!!!* As I'm writing this, my phone is flashing the headline: "Welcome to Chillicothe, Ohio, where you can get heroin quicker... than pizza!" It's going to be an interesting year. Happy 2017. * * * *Nothing in this post was intended to be anti-colonoscopy. If you're over 50 and you haven't had a colonoscopy, get yours today!

Bob Weidman;Political Power Derives The Consent Of The Governed. I Do Not Consent.;Follow Bob Weidman On Twitter;Www.Twitter.Com Iambobweidman

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-weidman/donald-trump-americas-col_b_13925408.html?utm_hp_ref=politics&ir=Politics

LEFT

2017-01-02 04:09:28

The Guardian

NHS could face its worst January as it struggles with festive backlog, warns doctor

Health service is facing the equivalent of the ‘credit card bill from hell’ after Christmas, says president of the Society for Acute Medicine

The NHS is facing “potentially the worst January” ever as it struggles to deal with the backlog of patients occupying beds over Christmas, a leading doctor has warned. Dr Mark Holland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), said hospitals had already seen large numbers of elderly patients over the festive period and that the health service was on the brink of a major crisis. Holland, who is based in Manchester, said hospitals were operating under a “false sense of security” as elective procedures dipped during the Christmas period with those beds becoming available for emergency patients. Once routine operations start up regularly this week, hospitals must make these allocated beds available again. A bout of flu, the winter vomiting virus, or even a cold snap, could prove the tipping point, he warned. He said the service was going to face the health equivalent of the “credit card bill from hell” after the festive period and called on the government to announce its contingency plans for a “possible worst-case scenario”. Seven-day NHS plan puts weekday surgeries at risk, warns top GP Read more Holland, who leads the national body for acute hospital staff, told the Press Association: “There’s this problem over Christmas and New Year where actually, because you get this glut of beds that become available, you’re just building trouble up for ourselves in January. “And then ... when the flu kicks in, if the winter vomiting virus kicks in, which would potentially close a ward, or if there’s just a cold snap – when any of these things occur we will be under more pressure, but actually we’ll still be spending most of January trying to clear the Christmas and New Year backlog.” This year January could be “one of the worst we have faced” due to record numbers of elderly patients who cannot be discharged because they are waiting for social care, he said. Using an analogy of Christmas spending Dr Holland said it was down to the balance of beds within hospitals. “Imagine, at the end of January, we are going to get our credit card bill for Christmas,” he said. “However, this January its like we’ve not paid last month’s credit card bill, we’ve not paid November’s credit bill, and over Christmas we’ve gone out and had a really good spend. The credit card bill we are going to get from January is just the credit card bill from hell ... it’s going to be the worst ever credit card bill for the NHS.” There were currently “too many unknowns to tell us if we will be able to get through January and avert a major crisis”, he added.

Press Association

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/02/nhs-could-face-its-worst-january-as-it-struggles-with-festive-backlog-warns-doctor

LEFT

2017-01-02 04:16:15

Fox News

Son of Equatorial Guinea's president facing trial in France

The son of Equatorial Guinea's president is going on trial in France for corruption, money laundering and embezzlement after a years-long investigation.

next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 The son of Equatorial Guinea's president is going on trial in France for corruption, money laundering and embezzlement after a years-long investigation. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who is also Equatorial Guinea's second vice president, faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of acquiring real estate, luxury cars and other goods in France with public funds from his country. Obiang's lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, said he will ask for a delay in proceedings when the hearing starts Monday, arguing that his client — who is not expected to attend the trial — did not get enough time to prepare his defense. The International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court, refused to order France to halt the prosecution last month after Equatorial Guinea argued that Obiang had immunity.

www.foxnews.com

https://www.foxnews.com/world/son-of-equatorial-guineas-president-facing-trial-in-france

RIGHT

2017-01-02 04:24:01

HuffPost

$25,000 Says Global Warming Is Real

Will global climate temperatures set a new record in 2017?

Three weeks ago I offered a $25,000 challenge to Scott Armstrong, professor of marketing at the Wharton School (U. Pennsylvania), to bet me on whether global climate temperatures will set a new record in 2017 or not. Armstrong is best known to scientists for challenging former Vice President Al Gore to a “climate bet” in 2007. In preparation for a session called “Betting on Climate Change” at last month’s American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, I helped compile a list of notable climate bets and challenges. Armstrong has used his professional marketing skills to generate a lot of publicity for his challenge. He even created a website, “The Climate Bet,” which he updated a dozen times in 2016 with a “Gore V Armstrong” graph showing progress of the bet. He also produces a running commentary in which he refers to himself in the third person as “Professor Armstrong.” In the most recent edition (December 2016), he states, “After 14 months of global average temperatures closer to Mr. Gore’s warming scenario than to Professor Armstrong’s bet on no-trend, the Climate Bet is more in contention than it has been for the past four years.” In an earlier post he tells us that “it is mathematically possible for Gore to win,” but very unlikely. Unless one reads Armstrong’s blog very carefully, it would be easy to assume that it had something to do with climate change or global warming. Neither is true, but the marketing ploy worked. Brit Hume of Fox News took the bait in 2007, writing “One expert Is willing to bet money Al Gore is wrong about global warming”. Armstrong’s blog also implies that there is an actual, ongoing bet between Armstrong and Gore, but Gore did not accept the ambiguous challenge. Armstrong had not yet defined the settlement terms when he issued it. So it turns out that “The Climate Bet” is neither an actual bet, nor is it about climate. It did not belong on our list of notable climate bets in the summary poster we presented in our session, so we left it out. The language of marketing is about persuasion. The language of science is about precision. Still, the idea of an ongoing bet on weather noise with progress reports intrigued me, and I searched Armstrong’s website looking for clues that would tell me how he was keeping score. I was unsuccessful in my quest and on Dec. 4 I wrote to Armstrong with a long list of questions, (e.g. “Did you ever issue this challenge with a rigorous and unambiguous settlement rule?”). Having received no answer, I challenged Armstrong to an actual bet on global warming, with well-defined and unambiguous settlement terms, on Dec. 10. I gave Armstrong the first right of refusal until the end of the year, after which time it would be available to any taker. As of Jan. 1, 2017, the marketing professor has not taken my bet, nor has he answered my Dec. 4 questions. So here’s the challenge again, this time for the world: Mark Boslough (MB) hereby presents a challenge as to whether the Earth’s climate will set a new record high temperature in 2017. The challenge will be settled using the NASA GISS mean global land surface temperatures for the conventional climate averaging period (defined by the World Meteorological Organization as 30 years) ending on December 31, 2017. If the global average temperature does not exceed the mean temperature for an equal period ending on the same date in any previous year for which complete data exist, MB will donate $25,000 to a nonprofit to be designated by the accepting party. Otherwise, the accepting party will donate $25,000 to a science education nonprofit designated by MB. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Meteorological station data only, 1880 to present, with base period 1951-1980. The solid black line is the global annual mean and the solid red line is the five-year lowess smooth. The blue uncertainty bars (95% confidence limit) account only for incomplete spatial sampling. From NASA GISS.

Mark Boslough;Physicist;Skeptic;Science Communicator

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/25000-says-global-warming-is-real_us_5869cbece4b014e7c72ee29a?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green

LEFT

2017-01-02 04:31:00

Politico

Trump's CNN book cover was shot after tense meeting with TV execs

The cover for the initial run of the book featured a collage of photos including a smaller picture of Trump, taken during the campaign.

On Media Blog Archives Select Date… December, 2015 November, 2015 October, 2015 September, 2015 August, 2015 July, 2015 June, 2015 May, 2015 April, 2015 March, 2015 February, 2015 January, 2015 "@CNN just released a book called Unprecedented which explores the 2016 race & victory. Hope it does well but used worst cover photo of me!" Donald Trump tweeted Monday. | Getty Trump's CNN book cover was shot after tense meeting with TV execs A new edition of CNN's book about the election, timed for Inauguration Day, features a brand new cover portrait of President-elect Trump, shot specifically for the book by veteran presidential photographer David Hume Kennerly. Trump, apparently, was not a fan of the photo choice, tweeting on Monday: "@CNN just released a book called Unprecedented which explores the 2016 race & victory. Hope it does well but used worst cover photo of me!" The cover for the initial run of the book, which was published shortly after the election, featured a collage of photos including a smaller picture of Trump, taken during the campaign. As it happens, the new portrait was taken on Nov. 21, just a couple of weeks after Trump's election night victory, according to sources. It was also taken minutes after Trump tore into TV news executives, including CNN president Jeff Zucker, in a high-profile meeting at Trump Tower that same day. As POLITICO reported at the time, Trump called out Zucker and NBC News president Deborah Turness in the meeting, saying their reporters were "liars" and "dishonest." After the meeting, Trump returned to his office, where Kennerly shot the new cover photo for CNN. A CNN source told POLITICO that the channel reached out to both the Clinton and Trump camps before the election, and that Trump's photo session was not given the green light until after he won. The timing of the shoot, right after his tense meeting with TV news anchors and executives, was a coincidence. Clinton, apparently, agreed to a photo shoot some time before the election. It is not clear whether CNN will use the portrait from that shoot. Hadas Gold is a reporter at Politico.

Hadas Gold;Alex Weprin

www.politico.com

http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2017/01/donald-trump-book-cover-cnn-233108

UNDEFINED

2017-01-02 04:33:26

USA Today

In Roof's self-defense, a constitutional quandary

A story only half-told expected to unfold before jurors as they weigh Roof sentence.

Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Survivor didn't believe Roof 'could be so evil' | 1:05 An attorney for the families of the Charleston, SC church shooting victims says survivor Felicia Sanders didn't believe gunman Dylann Roof 'could be so evil' until she saw his taped confession. Roof was convicted of all 33 counts on Thursday. (Dec. 16) AP 1 of 6 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Jury finds Dylann Roof guilty in Charleston church massacre | 0:54 Dylann Roof has been found guilty in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina. USA TODAY NETWORK 2 of 6 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Listen to chilling Charleston church shooting 911 call | 0:33 Polly Sheppard testified as the last witness offered by the prosecution in the Dylann Roof trial. Listen to part of her chilling 911 call that played in the courtroom for the jury. USA TODAY NETWORK 3 of 6 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Dylann Roof laughs in video confession of church shooting | 1:41 In a chilling confession to police, the accused shooter laughs as he details walking into a historically black church on a mission to kill. The video was played to jurors in Roof's trial. USA TODAY NETWORK 4 of 6 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Court releases grim photos in Charleston church shooting trial | 1:06 On Thursday, the jury considering the federal capital case against their accused killer, Dylann Roof, saw photos from inside Emanuel's fellowship hall and of the church members who died in that room. 5 of 6 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share DYLANN ROOF: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER CONVICTED Dylann Roof: What we know about accused church shooter | 1:00 The accused Charleston church shooter had a troubled past even before he was arrested for killing nine people at Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. USA TODAY NETWORK 6 of 6 Last VideoNext Video Survivor didn't believe Roof 'could be so evil' Jury finds Dylann Roof guilty in Charleston church massacre Listen to chilling Charleston church shooting 911 call Dylann Roof laughs in video confession of church shooting Court releases grim photos in Charleston church shooting trial Dylann Roof: What we know about accused church shooter Dylann Roof, convicted of the Charleston church shootings, poses with his car in an undated self-portrait. (Photo: Courtesy of U.S. District Court of South Carolina) CHARLESTON, S.C. – Absent a change of mind by the judge overseeing the trial of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, a story only half-told is expected to unfold before jurors as they weigh a sentence of life in prison against execution. On one side, prosecutors have deftly combined compelling witness testimony with an avalanche of evidence to present a heartrending account of the shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Roof’s planning that led to the deaths of nine black congregants. Jurors delivered guilty verdicts on all 33 federal counts inside of two hours, and as the sentencing phase resumes Tuesday, the government’s well-crafted case will almost certainly continue. From Roof, who will serve as his own attorney, jurors will hear near silence. The 22-year-old plans to offer only an opening statement. In that dichotomy, critics of a judicial system that allows a self-represented defendant to forgo a defense see a proceeding that feels more like a march to a death sentence than the constitutional right to a fair trial. The position is troubling for Roof’s attorneys, who were granted a request for a hearing on Roof’s competence, scheduled for Monday. Afterward, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel will determine if the defendant retains the right to serve as his own lawyer. Skip in Skip x Embed x Share The accused Charleston church shooter had a troubled past even before he was arrested for killing nine people at Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. USA TODAY NETWORK Roof’s lead capital defender, David Bruck, now relegated to the advisory role of standby counsel, believes Roof suffers from an undisclosed mental defect, according to courtroom documents and statements. Roof, in assuming his own defense and decision-making powers, is expected to block jurors from hearing any such evidence. . “This defendant’s announcement [on Wednesday] that he will not defend himself against the death penalty — following a government presentation that is expected to involve more than 38 additional witnesses and hundreds more exhibits — raises in especially stark fashion the question of whether the defendant is actually unable to defend himself,” Bruck wrote in a motion regarding the Monday hearing. That frustration is familiar to Kris Poppe, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who in 2013 served as standby counsel for the Army psychiatrist convicted in the shooting deaths of 13 soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas. As Roof plans to do, Maj. Nidal Hasan served as his own attorney and offered no mitigating evidence that might persuade a jury to vote for a life sentence rather than death. His attorneys told the court they believed Hasan was working in concert with prosecutors as they sought the death penalty. A military jury sentenced Hasan to execution. “If the prosecution is presenting a case and that’s the only one that’s being presented, there’s only a case for death and there’s no case for life being presented,” said Poppe, now a civilian attorney in Fayetteville, North Carolina. “I think our society and our Constitution demands that the decision-makers, the fact-finders, the sentencing authority have full facts in front of them to make that decision. I don’t think there’s any more important decision a court can make and if they only get a case for death, there is no constitutional outcome.” The U.S. Supreme Court has taken a ‘death is different’ stance and in a landmark 1972 case struck down executions, a decision that forced states to revisit their statutes as they sought to reinstate the punishment. Four years later, another ruling by the high court established broad guidelines in death penalty statues, lifting the de facto moratorium on capital punishment. The justices have also held that criminal defendants deemed competent have a constitutional right to serve as their own attorneys, but just how that aligns with the withholding of evidence from a jury is an unsettled question. Outside the presence of the jury, Poppe offered mitigating evidence to the court, though the judge ruled the panel would not hear that case. He hopes an appellate court orders a new trial in the Hasan case, one that would allow jurors to hear a defense, but barring that, believes the Supreme Court will have to weigh in eventually. “To place the right to represent themselves on a pedestal such that that case for life is never presented, I think the Supreme Court is going to have to decide if that fits our constitutional framework,” he said. “The full story of what happened on Nov. 5, 2009, at Fort Hood, Texas has not been told and there has not been an examination of Nidal Hasan and what led to him doing what he did.” Skip in Skip x Embed x Share In a chilling confession to police, the accused shooter laughs as he details walking into a historically black church on a mission to kill. The video was played to jurors in Roof's trial. USA TODAY NETWORK The unknown Roof Roof’s planning and attack on Mother Emanuel has been documented in stark detail in the trial’s guilt phase, and the account offered by prosecutors was not disputed by defense attorneys. But where prosecutors have argued that Roof was driven by racism and hatred toward African Americans, Bruck in opening and closing statements tried to signal to the jury that Roof suffers from an underlying mental condition. He noted that Roof in a video recorded confession to FBI agents repeatedly said “he had to do it,” an explanation that Bruck characterized as incomplete, irrational and charged with mad energy. The legendary capital defender hinted that something is fundamentally wrong with Roof’s brain, but could not elaborate on mental health issues, typically addressed in the sentencing phase of a trial. “You were surely looking for remorse and you didn’t see very much, and I’ll be the first to acknowledge that,” Bruck told jurors of a client who appeared disengaged throughout the proceedings. “But if you have to do something, remorse is not a logical emotion. You don’t feel remorseful for what you think you had to do.” Remorse is generally accepted as a mitigating factor in capital cases, as is an impaired mental capacity, but with Roof leading his own defense, those issues are expected to go unexplored. While mitigators do not guarantee a lesser sentence for a defendant, jurors weigh those circumstances against aggravators presented by prosecutors as the decide between possible penalties. The government’s attorneys already have laid before jurors a host of aggravating factors, including the heinousness of the crime, the substantial planning prior to the shooting, as well as the vulnerability of the victims. Among them was Susie Jackson, an 87-year-old grandmother who walked with a cane and an 11-year-old girl who survived the attack. While Roof’s crimes have been chronicled in detail, much of his personal life remains unknown. A high school dropout with a GED diploma, he appears to have been a loner and was self-radicalized in his anger toward African Americans after reading internet postings. His parents, including the mother he lived with in Eastover, S.C., have made no public statements about Roof. Twice he was confronted by Columbia police after odd encounters at a mall, though the incidents did not lead to criminal convictions. Chris Spears, manager of the Shoe Department store, told the Los Angeles Times that in a February 2015 incident, an employee there described Roof, clad in all-black, as creepy and behaving as though he were on drugs. “He was asking her all kinds of personal questions, wanting to know work schedules. She was busy working and she felt uncomfortable, so she called security and they came and got him,” Spears told the newspaper. He was arrested for illegal possession of Suboxone, a drug typically used to treat opiate addiction and two months later he was again detained at the same mall after violating a one-year ban. In court, his defense team has pointed out small oddities about Roof — that he was arrested wearing sweatpants under jeans on a hot June day, that his car held T-shirts with the bottoms cut off, that in a candid confession to the FBI, he believed the victims numbered five rather than nine — while in opening statements, Bruck urged jurors to disregard Roof’s demeanor. Should they draw conclusions from a rigid, frozen posture or a smile at an inappropriate moment, they might jump to wrong conclusions, he said. Skip in Skip x Embed x Share On Thursday, the jury considering the federal capital case against their accused killer, Dylann Roof, saw photos from inside Emanuel's fellowship hall and of the church members who died in that room. ‘Early in the game’ Roof underwent a similar competency hearing in November, one in which Gergel ruled he could self-represent, but later called Roof’s decision “strategically unwise.” A mental condition that might have caused a defendant to commit a crime does not preclude him from representing himself, said Jona Goldschmidt, a criminal justice professor whose research includes defendants who act as their own attorneys. “Unless he has some mental illness that would prevent him from presenting his own defense, he is entitled to present whatever defense he wants, or no defense,” said Goldschmidt, of Loyola University in Chicago. He added though, that because there have been few capital defendants who have self-represented, “we’re fairly early in the game on this whole issue.” “There is a view that jury is entitled to all information at mitigation,” he said. “It may be that this trial judge or other trial judges in similar situations will rule and then it will go to the Supreme Court. They may rule because ‘death is different,’ we’re going to give the jury everything it needs as a matter not only of fair trial, but what could also be cruel and unusual punishment.” Arguments against the death penalty often hinge on it being a violation of the Eight Amendment, which forbids the state from engaging in cruel and unusual punishment. Skip in Skip x Embed x Share Polly Sheppard testified as the last witness offered by the prosecution in the Dylann Roof trial. Listen to part of her chilling 911 call that played in the courtroom for the jury. USA TODAY NETWORK A month ago, Roof’s defense team invoked that amendment in a court filing, arguing that he should not be able to self-represent and waive mitigation in a capital trial. Should jurors sentence Roof to death, the document could serve as a basis for an appeal. If information is withheld from jurors, the community cannot have confidence in a verdict, the document argues. It will also likely be an issue addressed on appeal, said Mark Rabil, director of the Innocence and Justice Clinic at Wake Forest University, who believes Roof suffers from a mental defect. “It’s wrong for the judge to allow Roof with his obvious mental disabilities to attempt to represent himself in the death penalty phase of a case, which is the most difficult case any lawyer can handle, much less a mentally disabled person. I can’t imagine this will be held up on appeal,” Rabil said. “It's traumatic on everyone involved in the process, particularly the surviving families. I just think that is a total and complete injustice to allow this to occur.” Follow Tonya Maxwell on Twitter: @factsbymax Skip in Skip x Embed x Share The Charleston mass shooting sparked new action on Confederate flags, but new gun control measures went nowhere.Video provided by Newsy Newslook Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2iUhTOs

Tonya Maxwell;Asheville;N.C.;P.M. Est January

www.usatoday.com

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/01/01/roofs-self-defense-constitutional-quandary/96068226/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

CENTER

2017-01-02 04:44:47

HuffPost

Graphic Videos Capture Chilling Moment When Gunman Opens Fire At Istanbul Nightclub

Dozens of victims at popular hot spot were foreigners; shooter is still at large.

CCTV surveillance cameras captured horrifying scenes of a gunman racing into a nightclub in downtown Istanbul and the heart-stopping moment he opened fire on frightened patrons. The bloody terror attack at the Reina nightclub just an hour into the New Year claimed the lives of at least 39 people and injured nearly 70 others. The shooter is still at large. One video posted by the Ankara Times shows customers crouching for cover inside the front door as they hear the first shots, and a frightened dog runs for an exit. The gunman, armed with an automatic rifle, enters shooting amid sparks from ricocheting bullets. The footage stops just after he takes dead aim at another patron and a flash erupts from the muzzle of his gun. An earlier video posted by Haberdar shows the shooter running toward the club as he fires on the street outside, apparently striking a passerby as other bullets spark off a car. ++ Another Video of an Shooter#Reina #Istanbul via @Haberdar Saldırganın gece kulübüne ateş ederek giriş anı pic.twitter.com/7eGZKFd4lY — 👁 Muschelschloss ☕ (@Muschelschloss) January 1, 2017 Another video appears to show the gunman later surveying the scene of his carnage inside the club — and then, in a screen grab, removing his jacket. Saldırgan montunu değiştirip kaçarken kameralara böyle yakalandı pic.twitter.com/RKxc5RGYnG — Haberdar (@Haberdar) January 1, 2017 The Reina, located on the banks of the Bosphorus and open since 2002, has long been a hot spot for an affluent cosmopolitan clientele, including soccer, soap opera and music celebrities. It was packed with some 600 people New Year’s Eve when the attack by the lone gunman occurred. At least 27 of those killed were foreigners, according to the Andalou state news agency. Victims included citizens from Canada, Belgium, France, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait, Syria and Syria. One American, a business owner from Delaware, was injured, NBC reported. William Jacob Raak, 35, was hit the leg when a bullet apparently glanced off his cell phone in his hip pocket, and may have saved him from more serious injury, his brother told NBC10. Four of the injured are in critical condition. By Sunday evening no one had yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but days earlier a pro-ISIS group had urged supporters to attack “celebrations, gatherings and clubs” in Europe over the holidays. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters that the authorities did not yet have solid evidence on who was behind the attack. “Some details have started emerging, but the authorities are working towards a concrete result,” he said, the New York Times reported.

Mary Papenfuss;Trends Reporter;The Huffington Post

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cctv-captures-chilling-moment-when-gunman-opens-fire-in-istanbul-nightclub_us_58699424e4b0d9a5945be40b?ir=WorldPost&utm_hp_ref=world

LEFT

2017-01-02 04:44:47

HuffPost

Videos Capture Moment Gunman Opens Fire At Istanbul Nightclub

Dozens of victims at the popular hot spot were foreigners.

Surveillance cameras captured the moment when a gunman raced into a nightclub in downtown Istanbul on Sunday and opened fire on patrons. The attack at the Reina nightclub just an hour into the new year claimed the lives of at least 39 people and injured nearly 70 others. The shooter was still at large late Sunday. One video posted by the Ankara Times shows people crouching for cover near the front door as they hear the first shots, and a dog running for an exit. The gunman, armed with an assault-style rifle, enters the frame shooting. The footage stops just after he takes aim at a man nearby and a flash erupts from his gun. Warning: The videos below contain graphic images that may be disturbing to some readers. An earlier video posted by Haberdar shows the shooter running toward the club as he fires on the street outside. ++ Another Video of an Shooter#Reina #Istanbul via @Haberdar Saldırganın gece kulübüne ateş ederek giriş anı pic.twitter.com/7eGZKFd4lY — 👁 Muschelschloss ☕ (@Muschelschloss) January 1, 2017 Another video appears to show the gunman surveying the scene of his carnage inside the club. A screen grab captures him removing his jacket. Saldırgan montunu değiştirip kaçarken kameralara böyle yakalandı pic.twitter.com/RKxc5RGYnG — Haberdar (@Haberdar) January 1, 2017 The Reina, located on the banks of the Bosporus and open since 2002, has long been a hot spot for an affluent clientele, including soccer, soap opera and music celebrities. It was packed with some 600 people on New Year’s Eve when the lone gunman attacked. At least 27 of those killed were foreigners, according to the Anadolu state news agency. Victims included citizens from Canada, Belgium, France, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait and Syria. One American, a business owner from Delaware, was injured, NBC reported. William Jacob Raak, 35, was hit in the leg when a bullet apparently glanced off his cell phone in his hip pocket, which may have saved him from more serious injury, his brother told NBC10. Four of the injured were in critical condition Sunday. By Sunday evening, no one had yet claimed responsibility for the shooting. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters that the authorities did not yet have solid evidence on who was behind the attack. “Some details have started emerging, but the authorities are working towards a concrete result,” he said, The New York Times reported.

Mary Papenfuss;Trends Reporter;The Huffington Post

www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cctv-captures-chilling-moment-when-gunman-opens-fire-in-istanbul-nightclub_us_58699424e4b0d9a5945be40b

LEFT

2017-01-02 04:46:04

Fox News

Afghan sets self alight at German supermarket warehouse

German police say that a 19-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker has suffered serious burns after setting himself on fire at a supermarket warehouse in Bavaria.

German police say that a 19-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker has suffered serious burns after setting himself on fire at a supermarket warehouse in Bavaria. Police said that the man poured gasoline over himself and set himself ablaze early Monday in Gaimersheim, a town between Nuremberg and Munich. He had bought the gasoline shortly before at a filling station. The blaze was extinguished swiftly by other people at the scene, but the man was seriously injured. The man's motives weren't immediately clear. Police say he was carrying a knife but didn't use it.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/afghan-sets-self-alight-at-german-supermarket-warehouse.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 04:46:04

Fox News

Iran detains 21 fishermen from Arab nations in its waters

Iranian state TV is reporting the country's coast guard has detained 21 fishermen and their three boats from neighboring Arab nations for straying into its territorial waters and fishing rare species.

Iranian state TV is reporting the country's coast guard has detained 21 fishermen and their three boats from neighboring Arab nations for straying into its territorial waters and fishing rare species. The Monday report said the traditional boats, known as dhows, had entered Iranian waters near the country's Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. It said the fishermen were handed over to the courts, adding that they had fished rare species of sharks and fish in Iranian waters. In recent months, Iran has detained 12 dhows in its waters over similar charges.

www.foxnews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/02/iran-detains-21-fishermen-from-arab-nations-in-its-waters.html

RIGHT

2017-01-02 04:52:14

CNN

Joe Scarborough against the world

An interview with Joe Scarborough, of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," who's been publicly criticizing other journalists on Twitter after a report that he was at Donald Trump's Mar a Lago

Joe Scarborough is fed up with his critics. "I am sick and tired of people misrepresenting me and making snide assumptions and giving readers false conclusions," the "Morning Joe" co-host told CNNMoney on Monday. In 2017, he said, he was "going to war against lies." One night earlier, Sopan Deb, a CBS News reporter who will soon move to The New York Times, tweeted that Scarborough and his "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski had "partied with Trump" on New Year's Eve, linking to a Times report noting their attendance at the party. On Monday, Maggie Haberman, the author of that report, tweeted a photograph showing the co-hosts talking to a tuxedoed Trump before the party. To many political journalists, Scarborough and Brzezinski's presence at Mar-A-Lago confirmed their suspicions: The co-hosts were far too cozy with Trump, trading favorable coverage for access. Scarborough had made no secret of his long friendship with Trump, or even that he occasionally gave him political advice, and now critics say he and Brzezinski were enjoying the perks of that friendship. Even Chuck Todd, the NBC News political director and moderator of "Meet The Press," sent out a tweet that was widely interpreted as being directed at Scarborough: "It really stinks to watch others continue help ruin the reputation of your industry," he wrote. After Scarborough responded, Todd tweeted again: a link to a video of the song "Let It Go." Scarborough sees what he does differently: For generations, he says, journalists from Ben Bradlee to Andrea Mitchell have had friendships and social relationships with the politicians they cover, and many political reporters have drinks, dinners and other off-the-record meetings with politicians and political operatives. The only reason Scarborough has been targeted, he says, is because the politician in this case was Donald Trump. "The only difference is that Donald Trump is now the person calling us up," he told CNNMoney. In an effort to set the record straight, Scarborough agreed to an interview with CNNMoney on the condition that it be recorded, transcribed and published in full. (It has been edited in places solely for clarity, removing some repetition and common verbal tics.) In the interview that follows, Scarborough tries to make the case that his approach to Trump is no different from how political journalism has been done for years, and describes himself as a "political analyst" who is capable of providing fair and honest coverage while maintaining friendships with some of the most powerful people in government. "Basically I look at myself as somebody that is in a position that John Madden was in when he was on TV analyzing NFL football games," Scarborough said. "I'm a news analyst and a political analyst. That's why I get paid really well by NBC and that's why I tell it the way I see it and why Mika tells it he way she sees it. That's what we get paid to do." BYERS: Obviously you feel like there have been a great deal of assumptions made about what's going on in the [New Year's Eve] photograph. I'd like to hear your version of what's going on in that photograph. SCARBOROUGH: Well, by this point there really shouldn't be any assumptions. I stated very clearly last night in my Twitter feed, in numerous tweets, that we had asked to meet with the President-elect to discuss an interview around the time of the inauguration and were told to be there at seven o'clock on the 31st. So we showed up at 7'o clock in street clothes. At Mar-A-Lago there are usually several entrances. The Secret Service had shut down all other entrances, so there was only one gate where they screen your car. We went through that gate then were told by the security guards to meet the President-elect up the stairs at the hotel. So we walked in and did our best to walk around the group that was hanging outside the ball room where the party was going to be later that night. We walked around, walked through the crowd, were guided through the crowd by a security person, and then got to the foot of the stairs and the security person called for Donald Trump to come over and he waved us over and introduced us to a 10-year-old boy who he said was the best 10-year-old golfer he's ever seen. We sat there and talked to the young man for about 30 seconds, shook hands with his mother, and then we went up the stairs. The picture that somebody must have taken on the iPhone shows us right at the foot of the stairs while we're talking to Trump and the young boy. Then we headed up the stairs, had about a 10 to 15 minute meeting, and then left. What did you guys discuss in that meeting? Well, we did what anybody at CNN or The New York Times or 60 Minutes or any other news agency would do. We talked about an interview, that we'd like to set up an interview with him around the time of the inauguration. Obviously there have been a lot of tough things said on both sides. A lot of very rough columns that I've written in the Washington Post about him. He obviously tweeted some very personal attacks toward both of us. So I'm sure there is not yet quite a comfort level there to come back and be interviewed again. Part of it, as you know, even in dealing with somebody as small as me in setting up this interview, you go back and forth, and make sure you're going to be treated fairly, just like you have to make sure that you're going to be able to ask whatever questions you want to ask, and get a comfort level. And in fact, the back and forth that we had before this interview is basically part of the process that we've been going through to try to get an interview for the inauguration. And is the reason to do that in person, rather than over the phone, is because you need to be in person in order to establish that level of comfort? Or did you just happen to be at Mar-A-Lago? No, I was actually staying with friends up in Jupiter, Florida, but yeah. Obviously for something this big, I can't imagine Leslie Stahl or anybody else settling for a phone call when they have an opportunity to go talk face to face with him and talk about the interview. Was there any other time that you met with Trump over the course of last week? Yeah, I met with him one other time earlier, with just me and him. We met a couple of nights earlier and talked. We went back because Mika was going to be involved in the interview, and he said that he wanted to meet with Mika as well. That was really the premise for the follow-up on the 31st. Because they obviously had some very tough exchanges back and forth, and I think they just wanted to talk through those. We were also sent a picture of you with Trump and Fabio, [the fashion model], that was dated on Friday night. Did you meet with him then as well? Yes, that was the night I met with him. I met with him that night on the 30th. I talked with him and after that left and went back. He had actually asked that Mika come that night, and she was not able to come that night. Apparently he wanted to have both of us there and talk to both of us about it. Was there a reason Fabio was there, or was that happenstance? Oh, I have no idea why he was there. Again, I was walking up the stairs, through that dining area to a back room. So I don't know why he was there. Sylvester Stallone was there, and there were a lot of other people there. But it was just me walking through there. So I have no idea why he was there. I don't think Fabio was looking for an interview. No, I doubt it. So this gets to the tension between you and your critics, which is: Journalists have always had to negotiate some level of access. You only have to look at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. And journalists do go to parties and do dine and have off-the-record meetings with politicians and political operatives. That said, there are not pictures of, say, a Deb Sopan or a Maggie Haberman with Fabio and Trump. There are not pictures of them going to a New Year's Eve party and talking with Trump. So the optics have created this tension where there are a lot of criticisms of you and assumptions being made of you. There are assumptions being made of me. But I am sure that if you took pictures of, let's say Tom Friedman or Fareed Zakaria or E.J. Dionne or David Ignatius or other journalists that went to state dinners that Barack Obama invited them to. Or, I'm sure if there were photographs of, let's say, Thomas Friedman golfing with Barack Obama, or Fareed Zakaria repeatedly hanging out with Barack Obama, or Fareed Zakaria actually sitting in the White House and having lunch or having dinner and advising Barack Obama on foreign policy -- well, I would say I'm sure there would be questions raised about that too, but actually there haven't been that many questions raised. What do you that attribute that to? Well, what do you attribute that to? What do you attribute to the fact that until two nights ago I had spent more time and had a longer meeting with Barack Obama one-on-one in the Oval Office than with Donald Trump? What do you attribute that to? How do you explain that Fareed Zakaria regularly called Barack Obama, and Barack Obama regularly spoke to Fareed Zakaria to give him advice about foreign policy, and you never heard any outcry about that. And yet, I talk to Donald Trump over the phone once or twice a week after he's elected and it's in the lead of the New York Times and suddenly it becomes this great scandal. This is the thing that is so frustrating to me: Far from being a new phenomenon, this is something that's been going on since newspapers began being printed. There are the stories of Joseph Alsop busting down a door in L.A. at the 1960 convention, badgering John Kennedy to select LBJ as his running mate. Walter Lippman bragged about giving advice to LBJ. So on that aspect of it, actually, I socialize with politicians far, far less than the overwhelming number of people who report -- whether you're talking about Andrea Mitchell or Elisabeth Bumiller or Chris Matthews or, as I said, Fareed Zakaria or Thomas Friedman. All you have to do is look at Politico's calendar of events and every night of the week you have politicians getting together at parties at fundraisers at public functions and spending a hell of a lot more time mingling with politicians than Mika or I ever have. So you actually tell me: Why is it so shocking when we do it to a far lesser degree than people have done it with Barack Obama over the past eight years. Why isn't that a story? They had off-the-record meetings time and time again. I didn't see a huge public outcry when they would call reporters in and constantly have off-the-record meetings. I didn't hear a huge public outcry back in the 1990s when Mike McCurry would hold off-the-record meetings with Bill Clinton with journalists. There was no huge public outcry then. There is no huge public outcry because Andrea Mitchell has been at the center of the Washington social scene for decades. There's no huge public outcry that Tom Brokaw goes golfing and hunting and fishing with Supreme Court Justices and administration officials and had the inside track to the Reagan administration. There was no huge outcry that Katharine Graham, when she was publisher of the Washington Post, was, was one of Nancy Reagan's best friends and regularly had dinner with Nancy Reagan and Ronald Reagan. There's no huge outcry that Ben Bradlee actually was a running buddy with -- not a running buddy, but [laughs] -- ran around with JFK. There is this, there's this famous quote back in the '60s by Douglas Kiker, who was at NBC, and he said something along the lines of, that if a bomb ever went off at Hickory Hill where Bobby Kennedy lived, three-fourths of the most powerful print and broadcasts journalists would have died. This has been going on forever. Bob Woodward had Gary Hart live at his house. Again, I'm not questioning anybody's integrity here. What I am questioning is, either the complete ignorance of how journalism works, and how people make contacts and how people set up big interviews, or just a willful bias, or an attempt to lie and pretend that this is the first time that anybody's ever met with anybody else to try to get an interview. And do you see that bias as being against Trump and therefore any journalist who associates with Trump? Or do you see that as being a bias against you, or you and Mika? I think it's mainly against Donald Trump. Again, people knew that we went in -- we couldn't explain what we had said with Barack Obama, but when we met with him in the White House for an hour and a half, people knew we went in and met with Barack Obama for an hour and a half. They knew that we were friends with Valerie Jarrett. They knew that we had dinner regularly with Valerie Jarrett. Valerie Jarrett even admitted that she thought that they had to fire Stan McChrystal after watching "Morning Joe." They watched it every morning, and she said it had a huge impact on what they did. Having somebody call me up and ask my opinion of what they should do is nothing new for me. Just like Fareed Zakaria said it wasn't new for him when Obama did it. It's just, it's been, you know, I had the Clinton campaign at one point call me up and ask me what they should do with the Clinton Foundation, and said, "If we did this, if we put it in a blind trust, is that something that you think would pass the sniff test for most reporters?" It happens to me every day and it's been happening to me every day since "Morning Joe" started. The only difference is that Donald Trump is now the person calling us up. So for some reason, this is now shocking and everybody's aghast when the fact is, again, my interactions with Donald Trump are so much more limited than Fareed Zakaria's with Barack Obama or Ben Bradlee's with JFK or Walter Lippmann's with LBJ, or -- you just go down the list. Or Chris Matthews with John Kerry. Or Andrea Mitchell with half of official Washington. Again, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, Tom Brokaw went out hunting with Supreme Court justices. That's fine. And it's good for him to do that. And it's good to get to know them so long as you're willing to be tough. And I've got a year of op-eds that show just how brutally honest I can be towards Donald Trump and anybody else. So the laundry list of examples you've provided are all fair points and well taken. That hasn't stopped criticism, not just from [journalists on] Twitter but even from, for instance, the tweet that Chuck Todd put out. Which, he clearly seems to suggest that what you're doing does not reflect well on the media industry generally. Why, given the litany of examples that you've provided, do you feel like this is still a source of tension, even for folks that used to come on your show that are at your very own network? Well, I don't know if Chuck Todd was directing that towards me or the other people that were attacking. In fact, I responded saying I know that Chuck Todd is just as disturbed as me that people are actually lying and misrepresenting what happened. And I'm sure that Chuck, being the good journalist that he is, doesn't believe that, that reporters should misrepresent facts and not even pick up the phone, and call people who make sure they have the facts right. Some -- I'm sure Chuck is on my side on this one. Interesting. So, if you were not limited to 140 characters, what is the message you would like to send to Deb Sopan, Callum Borchers, Maggie Haberman -- what is your message to them? Well, I don't really -- well, you know what, actually, I do have a message. And it's something that we talked about this morning on the show, and we've been talking about for some time. That, don't let Donald Trump get into your head. Don't let him change the basic rules of journalism. You still pick up the phone, you still ask questions. Facts still matter. You still pursue stories that matter to people across the country instead of venting or trying to write the most snide tweet or the most snide article. The problem with the tweets yesterday are, you had somebody that wrote a story without calling me up and asking the question, "Were you an attendee of the party?" Because Maggie Haberman put me down as one who attended the party. And certainly left the impression that I was there as an invitee to the party, when the fact is, again, as I've stated on Twitter, I wasn't invited to the party. I wasn't dressed for the party. All I did was go through the metal detectors and walk down the red carpet. Which I had to walk down because they had ropes up and the Secret Service were on both sides of the rope. And then I made a beeline, as quickly as I could, around the the area where people had a reception before the party began inside, and went straight for the stairs -- stood, in fact, at this foot of the stairs with my back turned to guests because I didn't want to engage in conversation -- talked to a security guy and said, "I'm supposed to meet Donald Trump upstairs, can you please find out where he is?" And the security guard guided me over to Trump, and he's there, and we met, talked to the 10-year-old kid and went upstairs. So if, if somebody had called -- If Maggie had called and said, "Hey Joe, were you invited to the party?" Well, I could have explained it, and then you wouldn't have had me incorrectly listed as somebody among the revelers at the party. And instead, you would've had, I wouldn't have been part of that. And then there wouldn't have been a snide, false, misleading tweet after that saying that I was partying all night with Donald Trump, and oh, by the way, last year Donald Trump thanked Joe for his support. And then his follow-up tweet showed that he was actually not interested in the facts. That he had a narrative, a pre-existing narrative that he wanted to push, and he pushed it. So, if, if people would just pick up the phone and call and ask, then I can answer it, and there wouldn't be an entire new layer added to a false narrative that somehow I am doing something as a reporter in my coverage of Donald Trump that hasn't been done for the past 200 years. Do you, is there any point though at which you worry about optics, or is there a point at which you say, "OK, uh, maybe I shouldn't be at Mar-a-Lago. Maybe I shouldn't be anywhere near a party --" Well, first of all, first of all, I didn't think that there would be a party going on at 7 o'clock which is a New Year's Eve party. I thought most of those things started at 9 or 10, and ended at midnight. So first of all, I was surprised when we showed up that there were people milling outside waiting to go in. And by the way, they were milling around the pool because the doors hadn't been opened yet for the, for the place where they go in and have their dinner. Uh, but no, I do. You know, I, my kids and I had gone to Mar-a-Lago for three or four years in a row. This was before we ever dreamed Donald Trump would actually run for president. We went there last year before we imagined Donald Trump would ever be president. And this year we, there's a reason why we told the kids we couldn't go this year. And a reason why we stayed up in Jupiter, Florida, with some friends, because yes. I, there's no way I could have stayed at Mar-a-Lago, even paying full price as I always do, just because I didn't want to answer the question. And so, but, but do I have any problem going and meeting with Donald Trump to try to set up a meeting? Or do I have any problem going to meet Donald Trump and talking to him and talking to him on background as I do regularly to see what's going on in the administration and try to get information? Uh, no. I don't. I didn't have a problem doing that with Valerie Jarrett. I didn't have a problem doing that with Barack Obama. I didn't have a problem doing that with George W. Bush. I didn't have a problem doing that with everybody else that I cover. It's what I do. It's what journalists do. It's what people at CNN do. It's what people at the New York Times do. It's what people at CBS News do. You've also talked about giving advice to Donald Trump about the debates. You said that on stage at the 92nd Street Y. Is that something you have also always done, to, you know, give advice? Oh, yeah. Yeah, no, but at the 92nd Street Y I was telling a joke, which I shouldn't have told. I was making a lighthearted joke about something that I had said to him, which is, "Hey Donald, can you read? You are the -- you ought to consider reading more." After, I think it was his first debate performance, and it was a joke. And I haven't seen the 92nd Street Y but I would certainly hope that the audience laughed, because it was intended to be funny. But, yeah. I, you know, I don't know why they call. I don't ask 'em to call. But I probably had five, six, seven presidential candidates call me this past year during the primaries asking my opinion. And you know, here's the thing. I don't tell them anything over the phone that I don't repeat on TV. So -- So -- I would say I don't know why they call, but I remember when I was in Congress calling Maureen Dowd and Tim Russert and Chris Matthews. You know, politicians call journalists as sounding boards. So you describe yourself as a journalist, you are obviously a pundit -- Actually, not to interrupt you, I think the better term would be analyst. I'm a news analyst, I'm a political analyst, and I get paid by NBC to tell people what is happening and what is going to happen. That's how I see my job. And if I tell people what is going to happen or what might happen, "Donald Trump's going to win the Republican nomination," "Donald Trump has a shot of winning the general election," "Barack Obama's going to have a hard time shutting down Gitmo," "Republicans are going to win in 2014," whatever -- if I get those calls right, then I keep my job. And if I don't, I lose my job. And what is, what's so interesting, Dylan, is I was criticized last fall for having Donald Trump on the show too much and supposedly enabling his candidacy. By December, I was already saying on the air that I couldn't vote for him because of the Muslim ban. And when he did what he did with David Duke, acting like he didn't know him, I said it was disqualifying. When he said what he said about Judge Curiel, I said it was racist. And every time I was critical of him -- when he had the fight with the Khans, I was critical of that -- his approval ratings dropped. They didn't drop because I said it, they dropped because I found it offensive and a lot of Americans found it offensive. When he, let's say when he did well though in the closing weeks or months of the campaign and everybody was saying that it was over, I said no, I don't think it is over, I think he has a shot of winning. Again. I look at myself and maybe people will laugh at this, but I basically look at myself as somebody that is in a position that John Madden was in when he was on TV analyzing NFL football games. John Madden may have coached for the Oakland Raiders but if a quarterback threw for four interceptions he either needed to be critical of the Oakland Raiders or he would have lost his credibility and lost his job. I'm a news analyst and a political analyst. That's why I get paid really well by NBC and that's why I tell it the way I see it and why Mika tells it he way she sees it. That's what we get paid to do. OK, so I'll describe you as a news analyst and political analyst. But in addition to doing both the work of journalism and of punditry, according to Trump you have described the relationship between the two of you as a friendship and so has he. A) Would you now describe your relationship as Trump, would you say that you guys are friends, and then B) do you worry that by being friends with Trump it makes your analysis, it raises the possibility that people might suspect you of being more favorable to Trump because of that friendship. No, I call Claire McCaskill a dear friend. I'm critical of Claire McCaskill when I need to be critical of Claire McCaskill. I call -- called, when he was in Congress -- Charlie Rangel a dear friend. I love Maxine Waters. I could go down the list of Democrats and Republicans alike. Bernie Sanders is a friend that I worked with in Congress, going back 20, 25 years. If Bernie did something stupid I would say it the next day that Bernie did something stupid, even though he was a friend. If Bernie put out an incredible ad or gave a great speech, likewise I would say that he put out, you know, a great ad or gave a great speech. Valerie Jarrett is a dear friend of Mika's and mine, and she has been and she will be when she leaves the White House. Donald Trump, as I have said, has been a friend of Mika and mine for a decade, and he will be a friend, you know, I thought, you know, I wasn't so sure he was going to win the White House, but I always told him, as I've said publicly, we were friends before, we will be friends after, but Mika and I have a job to do. And you may not like what you hear, but we're going to do it because that's what we get paid to do. So do I like being critical of Claire McCaskill? No, I don't, and sometimes it gets rough, and sometimes I feel uncomfortable. I hate that I've been as critical of Barack Obama as I've been as far as his foreign policy towards Syria goes, because I know that really bothers Valerie Jarrett and I know we're going to be having dinner again soon, and it's always -- you know, it's a little uncomfortable on the human level, but I've got a job to do and Mika's got a job to do and if we stop telling the truth about people in politics who are our friends, that would include pretty much half the members of Congress and people in the administration. I mean, I've been either in Washington or reporting on Washington for 25 years, for half my life. And I know people down there. I just can't make exceptions for anybody, I can't cut anybody any slack, because if I do, then the audience will pick up on it. We don't have any teleprompters. There's no way to neatly write our way through a problem with somebody that we know. So, I mean, you know, it's interesting, I got attacked in 2009 and 2010 for being such good friends with Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod from bloggers on the right. But, you know, even David Axelrod told me a great story that someone in his communications department said, "Why are you friends with Joe Scarborough? He's so tough on the president." And David said, "You should have seen how he was with George W Bush." David understood. Valerie understands. I guess Trump understands. That we have to call it like we see it, because that's why we get paid and that's how we pay our bills and that's how we pay our kids' education. So do you ever have second thoughts, that maybe because you cover and analyze these people, that you shouldn't be friends with Claire McCaskill, that you shouldn't be friends with Donald Trump, or do you think that more journalists, including your critics on Twitter, should work harder to become friends with the people they cover? I don't -- you know, I can't give advice for other people. It certainly helps to know, I say this as a former politician, it certainly helps for members of the press to know the people that they are covering. I do wonder, though, whether -- I don't wonder, I know -- some people do allow that to impact their coverage, some people do allow the desire for access to, especially at the beginning of administrations, and you noticed this at the beginning of the Obama administration, at the beginning of the Bush administration, suddenly there were all these rosy profiles on Karl Rove and Rahm Emanuel, because people wanted access. I suspect that Reince Priebus will have a couple of glowing cover stories, I know Jared Kushner already has, for access. But I think it's up to the individual reporters, whatever they're more comfortable with. We're very fortunate that we can be straight and we can be blunt and people still come on our show, because it's a show that a lot of influencers watch. So we're in a pretty unique position, fortunately. So I don't want to be telling other people what to do. I will say, though, that few people have questioned Andrea Mitchell's integrity or Bob Woodward's integrity or Tom Brokaw's integrity and those are people who were quite comfortable -- I could say Katharine Graham's integrity, Ben Bradlee's integrity, and all those people were people who were comfortable around the subjects they covered, and I believe for the most part called it straight. I suppose I could go back to school and try to be an accountant but I can't, I can't erase my friendships with everybody from Tom Coburn to Maxine Waters. You know, I've got as many Democratic friends in Washington, probably more Democratic friends in Washington, than I have Republican friends. And so when Elijah Cummings comes on and I talk about my good friend Elijah, then that's great -- but, you know, Elijah's somebody that I worked with really well, we did a lot of committee work together, and I absolutely love the guy, but when he was critical of James Comey after lavishly praising James Comey, we played that clip. And did I flinch a little bit? Yes, I flinched a little bit. But I was like, "Eh, Elijah has to know it's my job," and sure enough he did and he came back on. I suppose there's some people that might get offended by it, but I -- anybody that watches the show knows that we're pretty tough on all sides. So I think then we can end here, and you've been extremely generous with your time, especially for someone who you don't feel has always treated you fairly. It seems to me like there are two different visions here of what journalism, or what the role of someone who has the show that you have are supposed to be. There's your view, which is that you're in the game, you are close to these people, you have friendships with some of these people, but you will call it the way that you see it and you will do that as an analyst and you will do it bluntly and that viewers can trust that your friendship will not color your coverage. There is another view.... First of all, on that view, though. What a lot of people on Twitter seem to overlook is that has been the norm. That is not the exception, that has been the rule from Ben Bradlee through Walter Lipmann through Tom Brokaw through Bob Woodward through everybody. That is the rule. Right, I know those examples. And those are great examples -- and, look, they're brand-name journalists who are familiar to everyone. That said, a lot of the journalists today, from places like the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, elsewhere, don't view what you're doing as journalism, they see it as coziness and access. So I'm wondering -- and, respectfully, I and I think many others read the tweet from Chuck Todd as being very much directed at you and not at your critics -- and I'm wondering, do you think there is a space for, do you think both of these journalisms have value, or do you think that others are just naïve? But I'm not as cozy with Donald Trump as the president of CNN has been for 15 years with Donald Trump. I do not go out and socialize with politicians as much as Elisabeth Bumiller and other members of the New York Times socialize with politicians. I do not go to dinners and charity events and other functions with politicians as much as all of these people who work for news agencies that you just mentioned do. That is one of the more maddening aspects of it, that actually Mika and I on the grand scale of socializing with people we cover probably come in in the like 3rd percentile compared to all of those reporters that I've mentioned, and a lot of reporters from the news agencies that you mentioned. I will say it again: just look at the Politico calendar every single day if you want to see how people from the New York Times and CNN and the Washington Post and just about every other major news outlet cozy up and go to events with politicians on a weekly basis. I don't do that! Mika doesn't do that! We do our job and for the most part we go home and we hang out with our kids. And why, in that case, if so many people do it, if everyone does it, why aren't there pictures of all sorts of different reporters being photographed with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on New Year's Eve? Why aren't there stories of other journalists having a brief meeting with Donald Trump in his hotel room on the night of the New Hampshire primary? Why does it always come back to you? Well, you say it always comes back to me. And a lot of the stories -- it did start with you, to be really honest. You're now generalizing, and you're now saying why is it that this -- I mean, you know that the story suggesting that I was a part of the New Year's Eve party was false. You also know -- I haven't written that story. You also know that the subsequent tweet that started all of this, saying that I was, quote, "partying," with Donald Trump all night was false. You also know -- You know I wasn't the author of those -- you know I haven't tweeted that. Oh, I know that. But I'm saying, though, you're asking though specifically about, "Why are people making such a big deal about it?" Well, I was lied about. And you're asking me to explain why somebody mischaracterized what I was doing at Mar-a-Lago a couple of days ago. I think the question actually should be, "Why didn't you pick up the phone and call Joe and Mika and ask them why there were there? Why did you write a tweet that was false without having the facts?" You're referring to -- who are you directing that to? Well, Maggie Haberman wrote the story. And, uh, you know who, who sent the tweet saying that I was partying with Donald Trump all night. So those were false. So I'm not exactly sure why you're asking me to explain why they misrepresented what I had done, just like it was misrepresented a year ago that I was watching returns with Donald Trump, which became a narrative that people believed. That was false. To be clear about the record, I never said that you were watching returns with Donald Trump. But however -- I guess what I'm wondering, I'm not suggesting that the fact that you have become the centerpiece of this story suggests therefore that there is something specific that you are doing that is wrong, but it is interesting to me, and it goes back to this question of optics and perhaps this question of bias, if this has been going on for so long, if there are the Ben Bradlees and the Andrea Mitchells and the Chris Matthews, what is it about you that's so different? And I've asked you that before and you said it had to do with bias towards Trump, do you think it also has to do with a bias towards you? And Fareed Zakaria, and -- no, it's not a bias toward me. Because the New York Times, CNN, the Washington Post and every other major news outlet never wrote a story about my inappropriate relationships with David Axelrod or Valerie Jarrett or Barack Obama. Nobody complained about the fact that Mika and I went into the Oval Office and spoke to Barack Obama for an hour and a half off the record, or that Mika and I held fundraisers for David Axelrod and his wife's charity, or that Valerie Jarrett and Mika and I would have dinners regularly, once a month for most of the administration. So, so you tell me what's different. Why is it that nobody cared when I had access with the Obama administration? Nobody cared when I had access with the Bush administramtion, nobody cared that I was personal friends with senators on the Democratic and the Republican side or House members on the Democratic or the Republican side. It's not -- I've been doing the same exact thing at this show for nine years. I, I, it started in the 2008 campaign! So you tell -- Yeah. So the answer is -- You tell me what's changed when I actually spent more time with the Obama people than Mika and I have spent with Trump. Uh huh. So the answer in your mind is Donald Trump is the difference. Well, if somebody reads the transcript to this interview, and looks at it fairly, I think there's no other conclusion, that this is about Donald Trump more than this is about Mika or myself. Because we have been doing the same exact thing for nine years on this show. And yes, if you wanna criticize this show and say that we were too chummy with the Obama administration and it was too much like a club and it was straight out of "This Town" by, um, (snaps fingers) Leibovich. Yeah, Mark Leibovich. You can say that. It's fair. If you wanna criticize us for our chumminess with the Obama administration, and with Donald Trump, OK, let's have that debate. I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about -- No, sure, sure. Let's have that debate. But you just can not say that what we're doing is any different than what we did in the early years of the Obama administration or what Fareed Zakaria has been doing for eight years with the Obama administration or what Thomas Friedman has been doing for eight years with the Obama administration. Golfing with Barack Obama, going to state dinners with Barack Obama, flying on Air Force One with Barack Obama. Do I question Fareed Zakaria or Thomas Friedman's journalistic integrity because they did that? No! I'm glad they had access, and I'm glad to know that when Thomas Friedman's writing a column he's actually talked to Barack Obama and has a better understanding of his thinking. But I don't see anybody writing stories about Thomas Friedman golfing with Barack Obama or flying on Air Force One with Barack Obama or golfing with Barack Obama. Mark Halperin went on Trump's plane one time and you seriously would have thought that he committed the gravest journalistic sin that's ever been. No, the media actually needs to look at themselves -- actually, media reporters need to look at themselves and ask why they are treating Donald Trump and the coverage of Donald Trump differently than other people. If they want to try to justify the attacks that way, they can do that. But it's intellectually dishonest, and it's intellectually dishonest to say that we are any chummier with Donald Trump and the incoming administration than we were with the Obama administration. It's just not true. Mm-hmm. I think that's a good place to -- sorry, go ahead. Can you imagine if I held, if Mika and I held three or four fundraisers for Donald Trump or any of his children right now? That's what we did for David Axelrod when he was in the White House. Nobody said anything about that other than, "Oh, that's nice. That was nice of you and Mika to do that." What if, what if I -- Melania Trump, or not Melania, Ivanka Trump was going to have coffee with somebody and get $75,000 for St. Jude's Hospital, something that she's been doing for years, and you would have thought that she had committed a crime against humanity. There is a blind spot, the media has a terrible blind spot, and it doesn't really bother me because the facts are on my side. But it does bother me, on a much larger scale, that the media -- and especially media reporters -- are being intellectually dishonest about covering the incoming president. So you said that in 2017 you're going to call out every single lie and that people, media reporters, myself, others, anybody who lies about you has been put on notice. Is that sort of a formal New Year's resolution for yourself that we're going to see on the show? No, no, and I hate doing it on the show because people don't tune in to the show to hear me battle people in the press that get things wrong about me. If they want that, they can watch Bill O'Reilly. That's not what we do. And I was really, actually, uncomfortable talking about it this morning, because I know when people tune in, they want to actually talk about things, or hear us talk about things, that actually impact their lives. People lying about me on Twitter do not impact people's lives. What Donald Trump's policies are going to be towards Russia, the minimum wage, Social Security, health care, that impacts other people's lives. So, no, I think, I think I'll probably do what I'm doing right here, and just, just answer questions and probably write some columns about it, but hopefully move beyond it. Fair enough. Uh, thank you again for doing that, thank you for doing this, I know you didn't have to and you did and I appreciate it immensely. OK, well thank you so much for giving me a chance to do it, I appreciate it.

Dylan Byers

money.cnn.com

http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/02/media/joe-scarborough-mar-a-lago-new-years-eve-interview/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_latest+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Most+Recent%29

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2017-01-02 05:00:00

The Wall Street Journal

Gunmen Free Inmates at Bahrain Prison

Gunmen armed with automatic rifles and pistols stormed a Bahraini prison on Sunday, killing a police officer and releasing 10 inmates convicted on terrorism charges, police said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Gunmen armed with automatic rifles and pistols stormed a Bahraini prison on Sunday, killing a police officer and releasing 10 inmates convicted on terrorism charges, police said. The attack on Jaw Prison represents a significant escalation of the simmering unrest that has gripped the island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia since its 2011 Arab Spring protests, which saw the nation’s Shiite majority and...

Associated Press

www.wsj.com

http://www.wsj.com/articles/gunmen-free-inmates-at-bahrain-prison-1483333257

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