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GATLINBURG, Tenn. | Crews discovered the remains of more people as they searched the rubble of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses near the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to 11, officials said Thursday. “Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Sevier County is open for business,” Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Thursday. Nearly 24 hours of rain on Wednesday helped dampen the wildfires, but fire officials struck a cautious tone, saying people shouldn’t have a false sense of security because months of drought have left the ground bone-dry and wildfires can rekindle. The trouble began Monday when a wildfire, likely caused by a person, spread from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into the tourist city of Gatlinburg as hurricane-force winds toppled trees and power lines, blowing embers in all directions. “You really can’t let everybody in yet because there are still areas that haven't been searched, there are still areas where electric lines are down, power poles are down,” Werner reportedly said. Gatlinburg’s fire chief said more than 20 structures caught fire in a matter of minutes, starting a blaze which grew rapidly. This also resulted in fallen trees, which barred access to some areas, Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said. More than 14,000 residents and visitors in Gatlinburg were forced to evacuate, and the typically bustling tourist city has been shuttered ever since. The fire destroyed more than 15,500 acres, injured 53 people, torched over 700 houses and damaged Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge cities as well as surrounding areas. “It feels like Gatlinburg is more worried about how to rebuild than they are about their people,” he said. “They were found close to the home.” The couple’s family was contacted about the pair’s death on Thursday night, Lapointe said, noting that his wife — the couple’s daughter — was on her way to Tennessee with her brother. Just be patient.” Starting Friday, homeowners, business owners, renters and lease holders will be allowed to go see most of their Gatlinburg properties, said City Manager Cindy Cameron Ogle. In Gatlinburg, the center of the devastation, officials there hope to open the city’s main roads to the public by Wednesday. In communities near Gatlinburg, signs of normalcy appeared. Waters declared that Sevier County was “open for business.” In nearby Pigeon Forge, the Comedy House rented an electronic billboard message that said it was open for laughs, and a flyer at a hotel urged guests to check out the scenic Cades Cove loop. A hotel flyer urged guests to check out the scenic Cades Cove loop: “Take a drive and remember what you love about the Smokies!” Dollywood, the amusement park named after Parton, will reopen Friday afternoon after it was spared any damage. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash has said the fires were “likely to be human-caused” but he has refused to elaborate, saying only that the investigation continues. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping investigate the cause. Their injuries “pale in comparison with their grief.” Other fatalities included a couple from Canada, 71-year-old Jon Tegler and 70-year-old Janet Tegler, a woman named Alice Hagler, and May Vance, who died of a heart attack after she was exposed to smoke. “They didn’t make it out of the mountains,” Dave Lapointe told The Canadian Press. Authorities said they were still working to identify the dead and did not release any details about how they were killed. Mattise reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press writers Rebecca Yonker in Louisville, Kentucky, and Kristin M. Hall in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, contributed to this report.</s>Investigators, meanwhile, have determined the so-called Chimney Tops 2 fire, which laid waste to whole neighborhoods earlier this week in the resort town of Gatlinburg, was caused by unspecified human activity, officials said. Total property losses from the fire have been put at more than 700 structures, with most of the destruction in Gatlinburg, known as the "gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains," in eastern Tennessee, about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Knoxville. In a televised briefing for reporters on Thursday, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said the number of people confirmed killed in the fires was now 10, up from seven deaths reported on Wednesday. That made Chimney Tops 2 the nation's single deadliest wildfire since 2013, when 19 firefighters perished near Prescott, Arizona. That marked the highest number of deaths in a single U.S. wildfire since 19 firefighters perished near Prescott, Arizona, in 2013, and the largest civilian death toll since 15 people were killed in California's so-called Cedar Fire in 2003, according to Jessica Gardetto, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. None of the Tennessee victims has been publicly identified, but all were presumed to be civilians, officials from the fire command center told Reuters. As many as 45 people have been reported injured. The latest fire disaster began last week when a blaze now dubbed the Chimney Tops 2 fire erupted in a remote area of rugged, hard-to-reach terrain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, authorities said. Fed by drought-parched brush and trees and stoked by fierce winds, the flames spread quickly days later, igniting numerous spot fires and exploding on Monday into an inferno that roared out of the park into surrounding homes and businesses. "The wildfire was determined to be human-caused and is currently under investigation," according to a bulletin released on Thursday by fire commanders and the National Park Service. It gave no further details. Aerial television news footage showed the burned-out, smoking ruins of dozens of homes surrounded by blackened trees in several neighborhoods. Steady rains on Tuesday night and into Wednesday helped firefighters slowed the blaze, but officials as of Thursday morning were still reporting zero containment around a fire zone that spanned more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares). "The fire is not out; it is just knocked down," fire operations chief Mark Jamieson said in the bulletin. Some 14,000 people were forced to flee their homes at the height of the fire, and most of Gatlinburg, a city of nearly 4,000 residents, remained under a mandatory evacuation on Thursday. Evacuation orders were lifted on Wednesday for the nearby town of Pigeon Forge, home of country music star Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood.

The death toll from the wildfire that hit the U.S. town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, rises to 13.

21 Chinese miners trapped for 4 days confirmed dead BEIJING (AP) — Twenty-one miners who were trapped for four days after an explosion hit their unlicensed coal mine have been confirmed dead, and four people have been arrested in connection with the disaster, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday. One miner is missing in the city of Qitaihe in Heilongjiang province in northeast China, and the rest of the bodies were retrieved on Friday night, Xinhua said. China’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest, and top work safety regulators have acknowledged that some mines cut corners on safety standards due to financial pressure.</s>FUELLING TROUBLE: The government backed down from a similar proposal in 2014 following union protests. Senior government officials tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviewing energy security are recommending the break up of the country’s coal monopoly, Coal India Ltd., within a year. Attempts to break up the world’s biggest coal miner would be met with strong resistance from powerful unions representing the company’s employees of more than 3,50,000. The government backed down from a similar proposal in the face of union protests in 2014. About 70 per cent of India’s power generation is coal-based. The country is the world’s third-largest producer and its third-biggest importer of coal, which the government wants to change by boosting local coal production. In a presentation seen by Reuters, government officials recommend that Coal India, with a stock market valuation of $28 billion, should be broken up into seven companies, which they say will make it more competitive and efficient. The proposal, dated November 30, is expected to be presented to Mr. Modi soon, three government officials with direct knowledge of the situation said. Calls to a Coal India spokesman went unanswered. A source close to Power and Coal Minister, Piyush Goyal, said the ministry would review its stand on Coal India depending on what the Prime Minister says. Coal India is the country’s second-biggest employer, but critics say it is bloated and inefficient. Under Mr. Modi’s government though, production has risen sharply as environmental and other clearances to develop mines have been fast-tracked. The company is also spending billions of dollars on buying modern machinery to increase productivity. The government wants Coal India to increase production of coal to 1 billion tonnes a year by 2020 from about 539 million tonnes in the fiscal year that ended in March. Mr. Modi was exploring a breakup of Coal India before taking office, Reuters reported in 2014, but the government put the idea on the back burner following protests by unions. Unions fear restructuring Coal India would almost certainly lead to job cuts and work being outsourced to private companies. “What happens is that once a big company is broken down, it is easier to control the smaller ones,” said D.D. Ramanandan of the All India Coal Workers’ Federation, which he said, represents more than 1,00,000 workers of the company. “But if it happens, we will oppose it. We will oppose it through all ways possible, including strike.” — Reuters

The bodies of 21 coal miners are retrieved from an unlicensed coal mine in the Chinese city of Qitaihe in the province of Heilongjiang. Four people have been arrested including the owner of the mine and three managers.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Sheriff says officials prepared to deal with up to 40 deaths in Oakland, California nightclub fire.</s>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Fire tore through an Oakland warehouse converted into artist studios during a late night dance party, killing at least nine people, and officials said Saturday that the death toll could rise as high as 40. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed speaks to the press following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighbourhood on Dec. 3, 2016 in Oakland, Calif. It took about four hours for firefighters to put out the blaze — which caused the roof of the building to collapse — finally extinguishing it about 11:30 p.m. Oakland Fire Department is working with federal partners to determine the cause of the fire, according to a press release. The 100% Silk artists scheduled to play at the event were Golden Donna, Cherushii and Nackt, along with other musicians and DJs including Russell E. L. Butler, Obsidian Blade, Piano Rain and RADAR. Officials said people either escaped from the cluttered building or died inside, where the only way down from the second story was via a stairwell constructed entirely of wooden pallets. “It was too hot, too much smoke, I had to get out of there,” Bob Mule, a photographer and artist who lives at the building and suffered minor burns, told the East Bay Times. I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work.” People used the event's Facebook page Saturday to post and seek information on family and friends who may have been in the building. The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau and the American Red Cross have organized a Family Assistance Center at 2425 East 12th St. in Oakland, with grief counseling and resources for families affected by the tragedy.

At least nine people are killed and 40 are missing in a warehouse fire in Oakland, California.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke by telephone with Taiwan’s president on Friday, a striking break with nearly four decades of diplomatic practice that could precipitate a major rift with China even before Mr. Trump takes office. This means there are no formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Taiwan -- so Trump's decision to take Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's call could risk a major upset "We have noticed relevant reports and lodged solemn representation with the relevant side in the United States," said a statement Saturday from China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. In the statement, Mr. Trump’s office said the two leaders had noted “the close economic, political, and security ties” between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year.” It was not immediately clear which side initiated the telephone call, one of several Trump has made with world leaders since his election victory, or if it signals a policy shift, but any U.S. move that implied backing for independence would not be taken lightly by China, experts said.</s>U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke by telephone on Thursday with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who congratulated Trump on his election win, the Trump transition team said in a statement. It said that both Prime Minister Sharif and US president-elect Donald Trump did have a 'productive conversation' on Wednesday (November 30). The Dawn quoted the transition team's statement, as saying, "President-elect Trump and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke... had a productive conversation about how the United States and Pakistan will have a strong working relationship in the future." "Readouts of phone calls between world leaders are usually written safely in order to protect leaders from incidental backlash -- like the one the Trump team put out," CNN noted.

United States President-elect Donald Trump holds a telephone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the first known contact between a U.S. president or president-elect with a Taiwanese leader since the United States recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay announced Venezuela was suspended from the group after accusations that the leftist government in Caracas failed to meet democratic and trade standards. Businesses in Brazil have complained that the presence of Venezuela, which joined the bloc in 2012, has delayed key trade and regulatory decisions. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela angrily rejected as a "coup" its suspension from South American economic bloc Mercosur on Friday, the harshest international punishment yet for President Nicolas Maduro's crisis-racked government. "Venezuela does not recognise this null and void action sustained by the law of the jungle of some officials who are destroying Mercosur," Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said on her Twitter account. BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Venezuela will be suspended from the Mercosur regional trade bloc as early as Friday for failing to meet membership requirements, a Brazilian official said, in the latest blow to the oil-producing country during a deep political and economic crisis. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday said via Twitter that Venezuela had called on member countries to activate a mechanism for “resolutions of conflicts,” tweeting a complaint letter sent to Mercosur foreign ministers. "Venezuela has not adopted all the membership rules and treaties it had promised," one official told Reuters news agency. Correspondents say Venezuela's neighbours have become increasingly concerned over developments in the country. The opposition blames left-wing President Nicolas Maduro for widespread food shortages, looting, and human rights abuses. Tension between Maduro's government and its Mercosur partners were exacerbated with the election of Mauricio Macri as president of Argentina in 2015 and the replacement of Brazil's impeached former president Dilma Rousseff with Michel Temer. Mercosur's founding members took over its rotating presidency in September to block Venezuela from the post.</s>BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — South American nations say they have suspended Venezuela from the Mercosur trade group over its failure to comply with its commitments when it joined the group in 2012. Argentina's foreign ministry said in a statement Friday that Venezuela had failed to meet a Dec. 1 deadline to adopt certain standards required for membership. The foreign ministers of the four founding members— Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay — notified Venezuela's government of the decision in a letter. Mercosur accepted Venezuela as a member when South America was dominated by leftist governments in an effort to link the region's biggest agricultural and energy markets. But the socialist-run Venezuela has fallen afoul of its as it has cracked down on the opposition and conservative governments have assumed power in Argentina and Brazil.

Mercosur suspends Venezuela from the South American trading bloc for failing to meet membership requirements on trade and human rights.

A padlock is displayed at the Alert Logic booth during the 2016 Black Hat cyber-security conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. August 3, 2016. REUTERS/David Becker MOSCOW (Reuters) - (This December 2 story corrects to show the 2 billion rubles is combined amount stolen from accounts in central bank and commercial banks, not from central bank alone; clarifies that the figures are total stolen in cyberattacks for the year to date) Hackers stole more than 2 billion rubles ($31 million) from correspondent accounts at the Russian central bank and from accounts in commercial banks, the bank said on Friday, the latest example of an escalation of cyber attacks on financial institutions around the globe. Central bank official Artyom Sychyov discussed the losses at a briefing, saying that the hackers had attempted to steal about 5 billion rubles. He said the figures were the totals recorded stolen, or the target of attempted theft, in cyber attacks over the course of 2016. Sychyov was commenting on a central bank report released earlier in the day, that told of hackers breaking into accounts there by faking a client’s credentials. The bank provided few other details in its lengthy report. Financial regulators around the world have recently urged banks to beef up cyber security in the wake of a string of high-profile heists on banks around the world. Fears about attacks on banks have mounted since February when unknown cyber criminals stole $81 million in funds that Bangladesh’s central bank had on deposit at the New York Fed. Law enforcement agencies around the globe are hunting for the criminals who stole the money using fraudulent wire-transfer requests sent over the SWIFT bank messaging network. Separately, Russia said on Friday that it had uncovered a plot by foreign spy agencies to sow chaos in the country’s banking system via a coordinated wave of cyber attacks and fake social media reports about banks going bust. ($1 = 63.8300 rubles)</s>Hackers in 2016 stole 2 billion rubles -- equivalent to $31 million -- from accounts that banks keep at Russia's central bank. The Bank of Russia confirmed the cyberattacks and the extent of the losses to CNNMoney on Friday. Hackers had tried to steal 5 billion rubles, but the central banking authority managed to stop them and redirect the funds, according to central bank security executive Artiom Sychev. "We were lucky to return some of money," said a central bank spokesperson. The hackers targeted commercial banks, but they also stole cash from their clients, the central bank reported. The central bank did not say when the cyberheists occurred, but said they took place over 2016. They also did not say how hackers moved the funds. But so far, the attack bears some similarity to a recent string of heists that has targeted the worldwide financial system. In January 2015, hackers got a hold of an Ecuadorian bank's codes for using SWIFT, the worldwide interbank communication network that settles transactions. They used Banco del Austro's credentials to steal money the bank kept at Wells Fargo. In October, hackers used the same technique to slip into a bank in the Philippines. Two months later, hackers tried to make fraudulent requests at a commercial bank in Vietnam. They were stopped. This past February, computer hackers stole $101 million from Bangladesh's central bank -- also by gaining access to SWIFT. That time, the bank robbers made five transfers out of Bangladesh Bank's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The hackers tried to steal $951 million, but the Fed cut them off before the completion of the theft. Researchers at the cybersecurity firm Symantec have concluded that the global banking system has been under sustained attack from a sophisticated group -- dubbed "Lazarus" -- that has been linked to North Korea. But it's unclear who has attacked Russian banks this time around. Earlier Friday, the Russian government claimed it had foiled an attempt to erode public confidence in its financial system. Russian's top law enforcement agency, the FSB, said hackers were planning to use a collection of computer servers in the Netherlands to attack Russian banks. Typically, hackers use this kind of infrastructure to launch a "denial of service" attack, which disrupts websites and business operations by flooding a target with data. The FSB said hackers also planned to spread fake news about Russian banks, sending mass text messages and publishing stories on social media questioning their financial stability and licenses to operate. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify that the losses cited from cyberattacks at Russia's central bank were for 2016, not a single attack.

The Russian Central Bank says hackers, who were attempting to steal about 5 billion rubles, did take more than 2 billion ($31 million) this year from member bank accounts.

Defeated Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh, has called the newly elected President of the country, Adama Barrow, to concede defeat. There had been reports before the declaration of results that Mr. Jammeh had recorded a concession video. The man, who had led Gambia with what many describe as an iron fist, promised to offer his guidance to Mr. Barrow 51, through the transition process. He said he respects the will of the Gambian people, and that he was grateful to them and to the Almighty Allah for the opportunity to lead his people. Mr. Jammeh in the hearty conversation shared some jokes with the new President. Mr. Barrow also thanked him for conceding defeat. The head of The Gambia's Electoral Commission declared Adama Barrow as the winner of the 2016 presidential election, with 263,515 votes to Yahya Jammeh's 212,099 votes. The Electoral Commissioner of Gambia, Chief Alieu Momar Njie, said it was unprecedented for a Gambian head of state to accept defeat before the final results Mr. Barrow led a coalition of seven opposition parties to end the tyrannical rule of Mr. Jammeh who has been accused of suppressing freedoms, jailing political opponents and critics of his government, and in some cases killing such persons. On Election Day, he shut down the internet blocking social media, blocked international phone calls and stopped many observers from observing the process. Mr Jammeh had been in power for 22 years, after taking power in in a coup in 1994. The West African country has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence in 1965. He had been trailing Mr. Barrow in partial results and was defeated in the capital, Banjul, his stronghold.</s>Adama Barrow, 51, who spent his early years tackling shoplifters at Argos's store on London's Holloway Road, staged a shock victory over President Yahya Jammeh, who had vowed to rule "for a billion years if necessary". Gambia’s electoral commission chairman Alieu Momarr Njai said Mr Barrow received 263,515 votes, Mr Jammeh won 212,099 and a third candidate, Mama Kandeh, received 102,969. Our foundation will be based on national reconciliation.” Jammeh came to power in a coup in 1994 and then swept elections in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 after a 2002 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits.

Opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeats Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, bringing an end to Jammeh's 22-year-rule in the West African nation.

The periodic table just got some new members, as the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry has officially accepted new names for four elements. Element numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118 will no longer be known by their placeholder names, and instead have all-new monikers decided upon by their discoverers. The discoveries were first recognized about a year ago, and the proposed names for them were decided upon this past June. Now, chemistry’s highest group has decided they are valid and will move forward with the all-new labels. DON’T MISS: How to enable the secret emoticon keyboard hiding in your iPhone Nihonium (Nh), is element 113, and is named for the Japanese word for Japan, which is Nihon. Moscovium (Mc), element 115, is named for Moscow. Tennessine (Tn), element 117, is named for Tennessee. Oganesson (Og), element 118, is named after Yuri Oganessian, honoring the 83-year-old physicist whose team is credited with being the top element hunters in the field. The official names will take the spot of placeholder titles that were given to the elemental numbers prior to their formal discovery. Those names — ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium and ununoctium — occupied the seventh row of the periodic table, and will now be discarded. “The names of the new elements reflect the realities of our present time,” IUPAC President Prof Natalia Tarasova says via press release. “Universality of science, honoring places from three continents, where the elements have been discovered — Japan, Russia, the United States — and the pivotal role of human capital in the development of science, honoring an outstanding scientist — Professor Yuri Oganessian”. With row seven now completed, chemists look to the road ahead, and hope to discover entirely new elements, keeping science on its toes and periodic table poster printers in business.</s>The scientists who discovered the four new elements added to the periodic table also proposed their names, which on Wednesday were approved and officially entered on the list. Here are the new names: Element 113: nihonium (Nh) Element 115: moscovium (Mc) Element 117: tennessine (Ts) Element 118: oganesson (Og) The IUPAC announced in January that the four elements would land on the periodic table, though the elements remained nameless. Scientists first synthesized the new elements between 2002 and 2010, but it wasn’t until last December that the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially recognized the discoveries. Scientists with Japan's RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science proposed the element name nihonium, which is one way to say "Japan" in Japanese and means "the land of the rising sun," according to the IUPAC. The name oganesson, for element 118, honors Yuri Oganessian "for his pioneering contributions to transactinide elements research," IUPAC officials said, referring to elements with atomic numbers 104 through 120.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry announces official names for recently-discovered superheavy elements Nihonium (113), Moscovium (115), Tennessine (117), and Oganesson (118).

It’s the first conference championship since 2000 for the Huskies (12-1), who will almost certainly be rewarded with their first College Football Playoff berth. SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As unlikely as the pairing is for Friday’s Pac-12 Conference championship game, one person apparently expected Washington and Colorado to be here all along. 8 Colorado 41-10 Friday night in the Pac-12 title game in a performance that could prove to be the cherry on top of the Huskies’ College Football Playoff resume.” USA Today’s George Schroeder said the rest of the Pac-12 should be afraid of the Huskies: “This Washington team is well-drilled, as we’ve come to expect from Chris Petersen teams. But in a larger sense, the Huskies might just be getting started.” Ken Goe of The Oregonian felt a little more cautious about the Huskies’ playoff chances: “Pay close attention to what the College Football Playoff selection committee does tomorrow. 4 CFP) broke open a close game when Rapp intercepted Sefo Liufau’s passes on the first two drives of the second half for a touchdown and to set up a field goal that made it 24-7. “We’re trying to get this program back to how it used to be and give the fans the type of football they’re used to seeing,” UW senior cornerback Kevin King says. I think it’s fun for Husky Nation and it’s fun for all of us to be back on top.” The Huskies enter Friday’s championship game ranked No. The Huskies will now wait for the CFP committee’s announcement Sunday about where they will play their bowl game — the two semifinal games are the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona and the Peach Bowl in Atlanta — and one could make a strong case that the Huskies have earned a No. He threw as many interceptions in the third quarter (3) as he had all season and was just 2 for 12 for 12 yards after coming back into the game. Liufau was sacked on 2nd and 8 and stayed down after the play; he was pulled from the game with an apparent ankle injury and freshman Steven Montez stepped in. The Huskies won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, establishing a tough running game early with Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman to eventually wear down a Colorado defense that came into the game ranked No. The strength of Colorado’s vaunted defense, which leads the Pac-12 in fewest yards allowed (323.8 per game) and passing yards allowed (187.8), is its secondary that includes three starters (cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Ahkello Witherspoon and strong safety Tedric Thompson) who were second-team All-Pac-12 performers. Browning had statistically his worst game of the season against Colorado’s excellent defensive secondary, completing just 9 of 24 passes for 118 yards. Washington hasn’t faced a lot of man coverage this year because opponents were fearful of being burned deep by quarterback Jake Browning, the Pac-12 offensive MVP, and speedy receivers John Ross III and Dante Pettis, who have 16 and 14 touchdowns, respectively. They faced adversity, battled injuries and shook the Pac-12 Conference to its core by winning the South division, which put the team in the conference title game in Santa Clara.</s>Trainers attend to Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau #13 who injured his right ankle in the first quarter against the Washington Huskies during the Pac-12 Championship game at Levi's Stadium December 02, 2016. Chris Petersen on Huskies’ Pac-12 championship: ‘It always comes down to the big-time defense’

In the Pac-12 Conference, the Washington Huskies defeat the Colorado Buffaloes 41–10 to win the Pac-12 Football Championship Game. It is the first Pac-12 football title for the Huskies since the conference expanded to 12 schools in 2011.

DETROIT -- With a conference championship finally in tow and his team's unbeaten record still intact, P.J. Fleck stopped holding back. Before he was even asked about it, the Western Michigan coach made it clear where he thought his team should be headed next. "We deserve to be in the gosh darn Cotton Bowl," he said. "Period. Write it down." The 13th-ranked Broncos might indeed end up there, but only after holding on for a dramatic 29-23 victory over Ohio on Friday night in the Mid-American Conference title game. WMU wrapped up its first MAC championship since 1988 when Robert Spillane intercepted a pass with 51 seconds remaining. The Broncos (13-0, No. 17 CFP) led 23-7 at halftime, but Ohio rallied and had the ball in WMU territory in the final minute when Spillane intercepted Greg Windham's pass over the middle. Spillane immediately took a knee at his own 30, then was mobbed by teammates as a Ford Field crowd full of Broncos fans roared. Ohio (8-5) never led and didn't do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968. Instead, WMU became the first undefeated team to win the MAC title game since Marshall in 1999. The question is whether the Broncos have done enough to make it to the Cotton Bowl. WMU is trying to earn the Group of Five bid to a New Year's Six bowl. When asked previously about the playoff committee and its perception of his team, Fleck had been diplomatic, refusing to do too much lobbying. That changed after Friday's win, especially when he was asked about whether he'd be paying attention to Navy this weekend. The Midshipmen, two spots behind WMU in the most recent playoff rankings, are another contender for the Cotton Bowl, and they play Temple for the American Athletic Conference title Saturday. "I don't think there's anybody to pay attention to," Fleck said, becoming animated. "Who are we paying attention to? Why are we paying attention to anyone? We are 13-0. We're the best Group of Five team in the country. We didn't lose a game. Whoever they put on our schedule, we beat. There's two undefeated teams in the country -- us and Alabama. There is no argument. My TV will be off. We will be recruiting (Saturday). I'm not going to watch anybody, period. "I'm going to wear cotton shirts, I'm going to have cotton slippers, I'm going to have cotton earmuffs, I'm going to have a cotton jacket. I'm going to wear everything cotton, from here on out." THE TAKEAWAY Ohio: The Bobcats can hold their heads high after giving WMU by far its toughest game against a MAC opponent all season. Ohio's defense held firm early, when a couple of fumbles by the Bobcats gave WMU a chance to break it open. "They felt they had the talent to be in this game, and so did I," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "They were pretty driven to get some things done." WMU: The Broncos may end up sweating out the bowl announcements Sunday, but WMU can celebrate a truly special season no matter what happens. The Broncos nearly let it slip away in the second half, but their first conference title in nearly three decades was an accomplishment to savor. The crowd of 45,615 -- easily a record for a MAC title game -- was full of WMU fans chanting the team's "row the boat" mantra . "We just kept our oars in the water," quarterback Zach Terrell said. "That's what this team's all about, and people might think it's a cliche and that it's not real, but that's just how we operate." HIGHLIGHT Western Michigan's Corey Davis, the career FBS leader in yards receiving, had eight catches for 144 yards. That included a 70-yard touchdown in the second quarter in which he caught the ball near midfield with safety Javon Hagan right behind him, opened up some distance between himself and Hagan and then outran a couple more defenders down the sideline. RARE MISTAKES Terrell, who had thrown one interception all season, was picked off twice in the second half, and Ohio held WMU without a touchdown after halftime. "Obviously, our defense has been very strong throughout the course of basically the season and so they have that potential and they knew they had to step up, get that done," Solich said. "I was a little worried because Western Michigan in the second half just seems to wear people down and then the score just gets away from a team that's playing them." That didn't happen Friday. Ohio repeatedly forced the Broncos to settle for field goals, but Butch Hampton made five of them for WMU. The last one was a 34-yarder that gave the Broncos a 29-23 lead with 1:24 remaining. POLL IMPLICATIONS WMU: The Broncos moved up one spot in the AP poll after last week's win over Toledo, and they might have a chance to inch up further after winning the MAC. No. 9 Colorado lost Friday night, and No. 11 Oklahoma State plays Saturday. UP NEXT Ohio: The Bobcats' MAC title drought continues, but Ohio is bowl eligible for the eighth straight season. WMU: If Navy (9-2) loses Saturday, the Broncos figure to be a cinch for the Cotton Bowl. If Navy wins, it could end up being a close call between the Midshipmen and WMU. --- More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. --- Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister</s>DETROIT – Robert Spillane intercepted a pass with 51 seconds remaining, and No. 13 Western Michigan remained undefeated, holding off Ohio 29-23 on Friday night to win its first Mid-American Conference title since 1988. The Broncos (13-0, No. 17 CFP) led 23-7 at halftime, but Ohio rallied and had the ball in WMU territory in the final minute when Spillane intercepted Greg Windham's pass over the middle. Spillane immediately took a knee at his own 30, then was mobbed by his teammates as a Ford Field crowd full of Broncos fans roared. Ohio (9-4) never led and didn't do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968. Instead, WMU became the first undefeated team to win the MAC title game since Marshall in 1999. The question is whether the Broncos have done enough to make it to the Cotton Bowl. WMU is trying to earn the Group of Five bid to a New Year's Six bowl. Western Michigan's Corey Davis had eight catches for 144 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Butch Hampton kicked five field goals, the last a 34-yarder that gave the Broncos a 29-23 lead with 1:24 remaining. The crowd of 45,615 was easily a record for a MAC title game. Ohio: The Bobcats can hold their heads high after giving WMU by far its toughest game against a MAC opponent all season. Ohio's defense held firm early, when a couple fumbles by the Bobcats gave WMU a chance to break it open. WMU: The Broncos may end up sweating out the bowl announcements Sunday – Navy is putting up quite a fight for that Group of Five spot – but WMU can celebrate a truly special season no matter what happens. The Broncos nearly let it slip away in the second half, but their first conference title in nearly three decades was an accomplishment to savor. Ohio: The Bobcats' MAC title drought continues, but Ohio is bowl eligible for the eighth straight season. WMU: Navy plays Temple for the American Athletic Conference title Saturday, and WMU will obviously be rooting for the Owls in that one. Navy was two spots behind the Broncos in the most recent playoff rankings.

In the Mid-American Conference, the Western Michigan Broncos defeat the Ohio Bobcats 29–23, remaining unbeaten entering the bowl season and claiming the program's first MAC title since 1988.

This article is part of our premium content. You have exceeded your 10 free articles for this month. A subscription is required to access Times of Malta content from overseas. Register to get 10 free articles per month. Subscribe to gain access to our premium content and services. Your subscription will also enable you to view all of the week's e-paper editions (both Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta), view exclusive content, have full access to our newspaper archive to download editions from 1930 to today, and access the website in full from overseas. All of this will also be available to you from our tablet and mobile apps. Already have an account? Sign in here</s>The police plane with 15 people on board crashed while on way from Pangkal Pinang in the Sumatran province of Bangka-Belitung Islands to Batam, Riau Islands, on Saturday. The plane, carrying five crew members and eight passengers, dropped out of contact midmorning about 50 minutes after taking off from Bangka island off the southeast coast of Sumatra island, a police statement said. National Search and Rescue Agency chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo said rescuers were searching waters between Mensanak and Sebangka islands.

An Indonesian police plane, reportedly carrying 13 people, goes missing near Singapore en route to Batam.

Deadly coal-mining accidents are common in China, though the number of deaths has fallen substantially in the past decade, to fewer than 1,000 a year (AFP Photo/) At least 59 people have been killed in two separate Chinese coal mine blasts, according to death tolls reported by state media. Seventeen people were killed and others were trapped in an explosion at a mine in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region Saturday, the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported, citing local authorities. Four miners were rescued after the blast, which occurred when 31 people were working underground, said the Chifeng city government in China’s Inner Mongolia region. In the first incident, authorities confirmed on Friday night that 21 people died after a coal mine blast in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, the official Xinhua news agency said.</s>DENVER — Colorado’s flagging coal industry got a glimmer of hope when the federal government removed one obstacle to expanding the state’s largest mine, but it isn’t a done deal, and further court challenges are likely. Arch Coal Inc. wants to extend its underground West Elk Mine into untapped federal coal reserves in Gunnison County. “This is a boneheaded proposal, and we’re going to do everything we can to enforce some common sense here,” said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians’ climate and energy director. Jeremy Nichols, the climate and energy program director for WildEarth Guardians, which in 2015 successfully sued the federal government for not addressing climate change impacts when approving coal mine expansions in northwest Colorado, wants a longer delay. “It’s going to add more coal to an oversupplied market,” said Tom Sanzillo of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which advocates reducing dependence on coal. Two years ago brought “the autumn of coal, and 2015 and earlier this year were the winter of coal,” Zhang said. “We don’t know what’s going on and we have a lot of questions,” said Natasha Leger, interim executive director for the Paonia-based Citizens for a Healthy Community, which advocates for additional environmental protections from oil and gas development in southwest Colorado. “We have definitely taken an economic hit,” LeValley said.

At least 17 are killed in a coal mine explosion in China.

OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - A fire that erupted during a dance party at a warehouse used by an artists' collective in Oakland, California, killed at least nine and left about two dozen people missing, raising fears that more bodies would be found inside, authorities said on Saturday. Still, nine fatalities had been confirmed, and authorities were working to account for "a couple of dozen" other people and were "expecting the worst," Sergeant Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the county sheriff, told an afternoon news conference. “It’s like waiting for your name to be called, and if your name is called, it’s going to be the worst day of your life,” Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. “It was quiet, it was heartbreaking,” she said. var _ndnq = _ndnq || []; _ndnq.push([’embed’]); The latest Sunday update on the number of victims and details about the investigation is here. The blaze started at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday in the city's Fruitvale district, a mostly Latino area that is also home to many artists living and working in converted lofts. Authorities were bringing in bulldozers, excavators, cadaver dogs and remote control equipment to find bodies buried beneath a collapsed second floor and roof and hidden within a clutter of pianos, camping trailers, artwork and old furniture.</s>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Teenagers, the son of a local sheriff’s deputy and young artists who loved music are among the dozens of people who died when a fire broke out at an underground dance party in a warehouse that visitors called a death trap. The victims of a party Friday night in Oakland included 17-year-olds and people from Europe and Asia, Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly said. Authorities have recovered 33 bodies, with more expected as crews continue to clear debris. The city of Oakland identified some of the victims as Cash Askew, 22, David Clines, 35, Travis Hough, 35, and Donna Kellogg, 32, all of Oakland; Nick Gomez-Hall, 25, of Coronado, Sara Hoda, 30, of Walnut Creek, and Brandon Chase Wittenauer, 32, of Hayward. Officials said they had identified an eighth victim, but they were not releasing the name because the person was 17 years old. Kelly also revealed the death of a deputy’s son at a news conference Sunday, but he did not release the name. Kellogg’s father said he was not ready to comment further on his daughter’s death. As names of the dead were being announced, friends and family of the missing anxiously awaited news. A tearful Tammy Tasoff, 29, called Peter Wadsworth a best friend who was like an older brother to her. The dental student said Wadsworth always looked out for her, doing the little things that would make her life easier. He would organize her messy files and give her advice and fix her computer if she needed help, Tasoff said. He bought video games because he knew she loved them, and he would often watch her play, she said. “Usually he’d say let’s play video games and then he’d say no, I just want to watch you play. He’d make me food. He took really good care of me. He was like my big brother,” she said, sobbing. Andy Kershaw, a DJ, has several friends missing from the party, including his wife, photographer Amanda Allen, and a fellow DJ, Johnny Igaz. He said he had not heard from authorities as of early Sunday. Kershaw had never heard of the warehouse, and he was appalled by the crowded and unsafe conditions. “The whole point of a warehouse party is it’s supposed to be an empty warehouse,” he said. Igaz was reportedly playing a set when the fire broke out. He listed as a record buyer at Green Apple Books and Music in San Francisco. His Facebook page was littered with tearful posts from friends who called him a beautiful soul and a true friend. Some friends and loved ones are holding out hope. Yuri Kundin of San Francisco said he is awaiting word about his friends, Alex Ghassan and Hanna Henriikka Ruax. He hasn’t heard from the couple for the last few days and has plastered notes looking for them on social media. Henriikka Ruax is from Finland. “We’re just hoping to hear some good news from a hospital,” he told reporters Sunday outside a sheriff’s building where friends and family had gathered to hear about their loved ones. “We don’t know what’s happening.”

Recovery efforts continue in the US city of Oakland, California, after a fire at a music party in a converted warehouse kills at least nine people with dozens missing.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Firefighters battled a massive fire on Saturday in Cambridge, Massachusetts, CBS Boston reported. The fire was initially reported as a 9-alarm blaze, but a 10th alarm went out on Saturday afternoon, the Cambridge Police tweeted. According to CBS Boston, two police officers and one firefighter were injured in the fire. Fire Marshal says 2 police officers and one firefighter have been injured at Cambridge fire. Haven't said how badly. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/NfDXkSV69g — Brad Tatum (@BradTatum) December 3, 2016 Cambridge police spokesman Jeremy Warnick says there have been some injuries reported but none of them are serious. He says the city has opened up a nearby youth center for families displaced from their homes. A plume of smoke could be seen for miles. Fire crews were called in from surrounding cities and towns. Firefighters responded to a 9-alarm blaze in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Dec. 3, 2016. CBS Boston/@KatieBraceWBZ Flames have extended to as many as seven buildings in the area. The building where the fire is believed to have started has collapsed. According to the fire chief, there was construction happening near that building. One of the buildings engulfed in flames is an old church that has been converted to apartment buildings. Fire was shooting through the roofs of multiple structures. 10th Alarm struck; 7-8 buildings involved — Cambridge Local 30 (@CFD_Local30) December 3, 2016 The fire was reported just before 3 p.m. and reached nine alarms about 30 minutes later. It is not clear exactly where the fire began, but smoke could be seen throughout Boston billowing from the Cambridge buildings. Firefighters have been called in from Newton, Waltham, Wakefield, and multiple other towns. Eversource said 782 customers are without power due to the fire.</s>Firefighters were battling a major, multiple-alarm fire of several buildings in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the city's fire department said on Twitter. At least one building was ablaze at Berkshire and Vandine Streets, the Cambridge Fire Department said in a string of tweets. The Boston Globe and local WCVB-TV reported that 10 alarms had been struck and that several buildings, as well as cars, were on fire. The newspaper said that the blaze broke out shortly before 3 p.m. eastern (2000 GMT) and that firefighters had been summoned from surrounding communities to help fight the flames. Globe employee Michael Workman, who lives across the street from the blaze, said that it erupted in a three-family residence that was undergoing renovations and that flames quickly jumped to another home as well as a former church building. "It went up in a heartbeat. It was just raging ... It was just going so fast. I've never seen anything like that," Workman told the Globe Images posted WCVB's website showed the street and sidewalk engulfed in flames, billowing thick black smoke, as firefighters poured water onto them from a truck. Cambridge, located across the Charles River from Boston, is home to both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Neither campus appeared to be threatened from the fire. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Rigby and Alistair Bell)

At least three first responders are injured battling a 10-alarm fire that's spread to seven buildings in Cambridge, Massachusetts (US).

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia described the violence against Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority as "ethnic cleansing" on Saturday, ahead of a planned solidarity march in Kuala Lumpur expected to be led by Prime Minister Najib Razak. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry says the high number of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia and neighboring countries “makes this matter no longer an internal matter but an international matter.” It says the fact that “only particular ethnicity is being drive out is by definition ethnic cleansing.” It said in a strongly worded statement Saturday that the practice must stop immediately to bring back security and stability to the region. "The fact that only one particular ethnicity is being driven out is by definition ethnic cleansing," Malaysia's foreign ministry said in a statement. The strongly-worded statement came after Myanmar said on Friday that Malaysia should respect sovereign affairs and follow Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) policy of non-interference in other member countries' internal affairs. Malaysia has summoned the Myanmar ambassador over the issue, and withdrew from two scheduled friendly football matches against Myanmar this month.</s>It's a scene straight out of Myanmar's dark past: a military offensive waged beyond world view that forces ethnic minority villagers from the smoldering ruins of their homes. The U.S. government, a key sponsor of Myanmar's democratic transition, says a security crackdown that has displaced tens of thousands Rohingya Muslims and left an unknown number dead risks radicalizing a downtrodden people and stoking religious tensions in Southeast Asia. The military moved in after armed attacks by unknown assailants on police posts along the border with Bangladesh in October. The attacks in Rakhine State were a possible sign that a small number of Rohingya were starting to fight back against persecution by majority Buddhists who view them as illegal immigrants although many have lived in Myanmar for generations. The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Russel, is critical of the military's heavy-handed approach and says the escalation of violence risks inciting jihadist extremism in the country also known as Burma. He is also calling on neighboring countries, such as Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia, to resist the urge to stage protests that could further stir religious passions. Assistant Secretary of State Russel told The Associated Press that, "if mishandled, Rakhine State could be infected and infested by jihadism which already plagues neighboring Bangladesh and other countries." The plight of the Rohingya, once characterized by the U.N. as the world's most friendless people, has attracted the attention of Muslim extremists since a spike in intercommunal violence in Rakhine in 2012 that left hundreds dead and forced more than 100,000 into squalid camps. The Somali-born student who launched a car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University this week reportedly protested on his Facebook page about the killing of minority Muslims in Myanmar. And last weekend, Indonesian authorities arrested two militants who were allegedly planning to attack the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta. It has also raised hackles in the political mainstream. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, facing domestic pressure over an investment fund scandal, is reportedly planning to attend a protest in his religiously moderate country this weekend condemning the military operation in Myanmar. Daniel Sullivan at the advocacy group Refugees International said increasing numbers of Rohingya are fleeing across the land border to Bangladesh, and the spike in violence could set off another exodus by sea. Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled by rickety boats in recent years to countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, but those routes have been blocked since a crisis in 2015 when thousands were stranded at sea. The U.S. and other nations have called for an independent investigation into the latest violence in Rakhine. Estimates of the death toll range between dozens and several hundred. Human Rights Watch said Nov. 21 that satellite imagery showed at least 1,250 buildings have been destroyed. With journalists barred from the affected area, it's been near-impossible to substantiate reports of rapes and killings by Myanmar soldiers — the kind of conduct that has long blighted the military's reputation in ethnic conflicts. Adama Dieng, U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said this week that if reports of excessive use of force in Rakhine were true, "the lives of thousands of people are at risk." Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was appointed by Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in August to find ways to help resolve the communal tensions. On a fact-finding visit Friday, he said that security operations must not impede humanitarian access. That's been a repeated demand from the international community, including the United States, but it's made little impact. The U.N. World Food Program said Friday that since Oct. 9 it has been able to deliver food or cash to only 20,000 of the 152,000 people who usually receive assistance, and to about 7,000 newly-displaced people. The Obama administration has diminished leverage. It was instrumental in ending the former pariah state's diplomatic isolation as it shifted from five decades of military rule but the last U.S. sanctions were lifted in October. The military's crackdown in Rakhine has also exposed the limits of Suu Kyi's power. The Nobel laureate's party won elections a year ago, but the military still controls key levers of government power, including access to sensitive border regions. Human rights activists who once lionized Suu Kyi now criticize her for failing to defend the stateless Rohingya, but Russel defended her. "We all should have confidence in her judgment and not fall prey to the idea that she does not get it and she does not care. She does get it, and she does care," he said.

The Government of Malaysia claims that violence against Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority is "ethnic cleansing" ahead of a march in Kuala Lumpur led by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Read more: Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's shy but steely leader From concern to alarm and anger - Carrie Gracie, BBC China editor, Beijing Image copyright Reuters Image caption In an image released by her office, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen is seen speaking on the phone to Mr Trump Mr Trump's decision to turn his back on four decades of US protocol on Taiwan and speak directly to a president of Taiwan has stunned policymakers in Beijing. The 10-minute telephone call with Taiwan’s leadership was the first by a U.S. president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, acknowledging Taiwan as part of “one China.” China’s Foreign Ministry said it had lodged “stern representations” with what it called the “relevant U.S. side,” urging the careful handling of the Taiwan issue to avoid any unnecessary disturbances in ties. Even without Trump’s full foreign policy team in place, he had more phone calls with foreign leaders Friday, breaking tradition by speaking with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a transition team spokeswoman said, in a move likely to infuriate China and expected to complicate relations. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year,” a release from the presidential transition team said on Friday afternoon, setting off alarm bells in many capitals. The transition team later issued a statement saying that the two had noted that “close economic, political and security ties exist between Taiwan and the United States.” An official of Taiwan’s representative office in Washington could not confirm the call but said it would be “historic” and the first contact between U.S. and Taiwanese leaders since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979 and Washington established official ties with Beijing. When issue began dominating the evening news cycle in America, he tweeted again: "Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.” The U.S has sold arms worth $ 12 billion to Taiwan in three decades, though it is not recognised as a sovereign country. While Mr. Trump stood his ground and defended his decision, the White House said there was no change in the U.S position.</s>With a Twitter post Friday evening, the business mogul declared the call was of a congratulatory nature and came directly from President Tsai Ing-wen. Trump's transition team backed up the President-elect's tweet, adding that "during the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties exists between Taiwan and the United States." Regardless of the nature of the call, it's an act that bucks normal diplomatic protocol, and in the eyes of critics, could pose a dangerous threat to the United States. Appearing on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront," former US Ambassador Christopher Hill noted just how rare Trump's decision was. "Eight years during the Reagan administration, this (a call between US and Taiwanese leaders) never happened. Four years during the Bush Senior administration, this never happened. Eight years of Clinton, eight years of George W. Bush and eight years of Obama," said Hill, who served as the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs under Bush 43. Donald Trump risks showdown with China after call with Taiwan Trump's conversation with President Tsai Ing-wen marks the first publicly reported call between a U.S. President or President-elect, and a Taiwanese leader, since 1979, and Hill said it represents a scary tendency to act without a proper understanding of diplomacy. "This is a huge mistake...we don't need this." - Ambassador Christopher Hill on #Trump's call w Taiwan's president https://t.co/YRTKy4k7H4 — OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) December 3, 2016 "It was an example of what is all too often happening now with this incoming administration, this tendency to wing it," he told Burnett. "What I'm concerned about is that rather than acknowledge a mistake, they will double down on it." Still more than a month away from Trump's inauguration, Hill said he believes the nation is likely to be subjected to a wide swath of future instances of rash decision-making. "This is not going to be the last of these kind of things. So, things need to get cleaned up and cleaned up in a hurry in Washington," said Hill. In 1979, the United States acknowledged a set of of protocols formally known as the "One China Policy," a belief system that features Taiwan as part of China. There exists rampant concern that Trump's call with Taiwan will enrage China, and fracture relations between the nations. By Friday night, China had already reached out to the Obama administration. White House officials declined to comment on diplomatic discussions.

The People's Republic of China lodges a complaint with the United States after President-elect of the United States Donald Trump speaks with President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen. The PRC and the United States view Taiwan as a breakaway province.

(Photo: Representational Image) Kabul: A teenage Afghan refugee has reportedly been arrested in Germany over alleged rape and murder of a university student. According to officials, the 17-year-old asylum seeker was taken into custody on suspicion that he raped and killed a 19-year-old university student, reports the Khaama Press. Ms Ladenburger, a Freiburg University student, was last seen cycling home from the party and her body was found in the River Dreisam the next day. The officials added that the teen asylum-seeker was identified as a suspect based on traffic video from near the crime scene.</s>Der Mord an der Studentin Maria L. aus Freiburg ist weitgehend aufgeklärt. Ein 17-jähriger Afghane wurde verhaftet. Fall Maria L. in Freiburg Anzeige Mitte Oktober traf es eine 19 Jahre alte Studentin in Freiburg, drei Wochen später dann eine 27 Jahre alte Joggerin im 30 Kilometer entfernten Endingen. Die Taten sorgten für Verunsicherung in der Bevölkerung und setzten die Polizei unter Druck. Im Fall der Studentin, die nach einer Vergewaltigung im Fluss Dreisam starb, sieht sich die Polizei nun am Ziel. Nach sieben Wochen Ermittlungen, 1600 Hinweisen und 1400 Zeugenvernehmungen konnte ein Tatverdächtiger gefasst werden, teilte der leitende Staatsanwalt Dieter Inhofer auf einer Pressekonferenz am Samstag in Freiburg mit. Es handele sich um einen minderjährigen unbegleiteten Flüchtling, der 2015 aus Afghanistan eingereist sei. Der 17-Jährige sei wegen des dringenden Tatverdachts der Vergewaltigung und des Mordes in Untersuchungshaft genommen worden. Der Tatverdächtige sei bei einer Familie untergebracht gewesen. Der Beschuldigte selbst machte demnach zunächst keine Angaben. Anzeige Die Medizinstudentin aus dem baden-württembergischen Enzkreis, die zum Studieren ins idyllische Freiburg gekommen war, hatte eine Studentenparty ihrer Fachschaft besucht und war nachts mit ihrem Fahrrad alleine auf dem Weg nach Hause. Am 16. Oktober wurde ihre Leiche am Ufer des Flusses Dreisam gefunden. Die Freiburger Studentin wurde tot an der Dreisam gefunden Quelle: dpa/AFP/Archiv Auf dem Heimweg sei es zu dem tragischen Ereignis gekommen. „Die junge Frau wurde Opfer eines Gewaltverbrechens und eines Sexualdeliktes“, so die Ermittler. Die Todesursache: Ertrinken. Daraufhin wurde die Sonderkommission „Dreisam“ eingerichtet, die 68 Ermittler umfasste. Unter anderem wurde eine Brombeerhecke an dem Radweg entlang der Dreisam abgemäht und im Labor untersucht. Dort fanden Analytiker ein 18,5 Zentimeter langes schwarzes, blondiertes Haar, an dessen Wurzel männliche DNA gesichert wurde. Videoaufnahmen führten zum Täter Anzeige Später wurde klar: Der Täter hat eine auffällige Frisur – eine sogenannte Undercut-Frisur, an den Seiten abrasiert, oben hochstehendes Haar sowie einen Zopf. Zudem fand sich im Flussbett ein Fleece-Schal. Auch er gehörte, wie sich erst später herausstellte, dem Tatverdächtigen. „Der vollkommen durchnässte Schal wurde getrocknet und mit unterschiedlichen Untersuchungsmethoden auf DNA-Antragungen untersucht“, so die Ermittler. So konnte eine Teil-DNA-Spur gesichert werden. Nach dem Haarfund wurden nach Angaben des Leiters der Sonderkommission, David Müller, sämtliche verfügbaren Videoaufzeichnungen in Freiburg aus der Tatnacht überprüft. Darunter auch Aufnahmen der Freiburger Verkehrs-AG, die die lokale Straßenbahn betreibt. Auf einer Pressekonferenz am Samstag wurden Details zum Mordfall bekanntgegeben Quelle: dpa/Patrick Seeger Eine Polizeibeamtin, erst seit Kurzem bei der Polizei, schaute genau hin und wurde fündig. Sie entdeckte den Mann im Video einer Überwachungskamera: Der 17-Jährige mit der auffälligen Frisur und dem Schal war in der Tatnacht gegen 2 Uhr und in der Nähe des Tatorts mit der Straßenbahn unterwegs. Der Mann wurde zur Fahndung ausgeschrieben und am Freitag von einer Polizeistreife durch Zufall in dem Gebiet entdeckt. Eine DNA-Probe wurde im Landeskriminalamt untersucht und der Tatverdächtige damit identifiziert. Anzeige „Mutmaßlich illegale Einreise“ Am Tatort fand sich zudem ein Fahrrad, dessen Besitzer nicht gefunden werden konnte. Auch an diesem Fahrrad wurde DNA des nun Festgenommenen gefunden, sagte Chefermittler David Müller. Die Festnahme des 17-Jährigen sei „der lange erhoffte Erfolg“ gewesen. Der genaue Tathergang stehe noch nicht fest, auch sei unklar, ob es eine „wie auch immer geartete Beziehung“ zwischen Täter und Opfer gegeben habe, sagte Müller. Derzeit gebe es aber keine Hinweise darauf. David Müller, Leiter der Sonderkommission Dreisam bei der Pressekonferenz im Regierungspräsidium Freiburg Quelle: dpa/Patrick Seeger Auf die Frage, ob der Tatverdächtige zuvor bereits polizeilich auffällig gewesen sei, sagte Oberstaatsanwalt Inhofer, es habe zwei Vorgänge zu seiner „mutmaßlich illegalen Einreise“ gegeben. Der junge Tatverdächtige hat bei einer Familie gewohnt, die bereits vernommen wurde. Der Polizeipräsident Bernhard Rotzinger machte in der Pressekonferenz deutlich, welche akribische Ermittlungsarbeit sowohl von Seiten der Sonderkommission Dreisam als auch vom Landeskriminalamt erforderlich war, um zu diesem Ergebnis zu gelangen. „Ein Rad hat hier perfekt ins nächste gegriffen“, so Rotzinger. Verbindung zu Mord an Joggerin unklar Der zweite Fall, der die Region bewegt, ist noch nicht aufgeklärt. Der Mord an einer 27-Jährigen in Endingen sei noch ungelöst, sagte der Freiburger Polizeipräsident Bernhard Rotzinger. Einen Zusammenhang sehen die Ermittler derzeit nicht. Er werde aber nun noch einmal geprüft. Die Frau in Endingen war alleine zum Joggen aufgebrochen und kehrte nicht zurück. Sie wurde vergewaltigt und ermordet. „Wir lassen keine Ruhe. Wir gehen jeder Spur nach und drehen jeden Stein um – wenn es sein muss, auch mehrfach“, hatte der Polizeipräsident noch am Freitag erklärt. Nur eine Stunde danach wurde der verdächtige 17-Jährige festgenommen. Anzeige Das Sicherheitsgefühl in der studentisch geprägten Stadt am Rande des Schwarzwalds litt unter den beiden ungeklärten Frauenmorden sowie unter weiteren schweren Verbrechen, die sich in den vergangenen Wochen häuften. Die Polizei bildete zwei Sonderkommissionen mit mehr als 120 Beamten und bekam Unterstützung aus dem ganzen Land. Quelle: Infografik Die Welt „Dieser Fahndungserfolg ist wichtig für den weiteren Umgang mit solchen Ereignissen und für das Sicherheitsgefühl in der Stadt“, teilte der Freiburger Oberbürgermeister Dieter Salomon (Grüne) mit und lobte die Ermittler. „Es ist ein großer Fahndungserfolg der Polizei, dass sie diesen grausamen und schrecklichen Mord so schnell aufklären konnte.“ Seine Gedanken seien bei der Familie der Studentin sowie ihren Freunden. Salomon mahnte zugleich, die „Herkunft des Täters nicht für Pauschalurteile heranzuziehen, sondern den Einzelfall zu betrachten“. Die beiden Fälle wurden vor Kurzem in der ZDF-Sendung „Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst“ aufgerollt. 16 Hinweise sind daraufhin zum Fall der ermordeten Joggerin eingegangen. Die Anrufe sollen nun ausgewertet werden, sagte Polizeisprecher Walter Rot. Vor der Ausstrahlung hatte es bereits 400 Hinweise gegeben.

German police arrested a 17-year-old asylum seeker from Afghanistan in the rape and murder case of Maria L. in Freiburg while a similar case nearby is still under investigation.

"Make no mistake -— the Stein campaign will continue to fight for a statewide recount in Pennsylvania," attorney Jonathan Abady said in a statement. "Over the past several days, it has become clear that the barriers to verifying the vote in Pennsylvania are so pervasive and that the state court system is so ill-equipped to address this problem that we must seek federal court intervention," said Jonathan Abady, lead counsel to the Stein recount efforts. The Stein campaign said it will file for emergency relief in the Pennsylvania effort in federal court on Monday, “demanding a State-wide recount on constitutional grounds.” The bond was set by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania a day after representatives of President-elect Donald Trump requested a $10 million bond, according to court papers. "#Recount2016 is so expensive because of elected leaders who have refused to invest in a 21st-century voting system," she said. Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein dropped a request for a state court vote recount in Pennsylvania because petitioners could not afford the $1mn bond required (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN) Washington (AFP) - Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein switched tactics in her campaign to force a recount in Pennsylvania, one of three battleground states won by Donald Trump where she has challenged the results. Last month, Stein launched a fundraising campaign to pursue a recount in Pennsylvania, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin — three states President-elect Donald Trump narrowly won en route to his Electoral College victory. Michigan's attorney general, a Republican, filed a suit to stop a recount in his state Friday and Trump supporters in Wisconsin this week have also tried to stop the recount in progress there.</s>Presidential candidate Jill Stein’s fight to force presidential recounts in three states focuses Monday on Pennsylvania, where her Green Party is seeking an emergency federal court order for a statewide recount, and Michigan, where a federal judge has ordered a hand recount to begin by noon. Recounts are underway in some Pennsylvania counties and in Wisconsin. With workers in Wisconsin busy re-counting votes for a second day, Michigan’s state elections board was meeting about the Trump campaign’s request to deny Stein’s recount request. Stein has said the recount is necessary to ensure “the integrity and accuracy of the vote,” suggesting voting machines were susceptible to hacking. If the sample shows a discrepancy of at least 1 percent for De La Fuente or Clinton, a full recount will be launched in all 17 Nevada counties. Stein has spearheaded a recount effort in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, three states with a history of backing Democrats for president that were narrowly and unexpectedly won by Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton. State and local election officials have all said they don’t expect Clinton to surpass Trump in Wisconsin, where he won by about 22,000 votes. GOP lawyer Lawrence Tabas said Saturday the case had been meant “solely for purposes to delay the Electoral College vote in Pennsylvania for President-Elect Trump.” The state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Pedro Cortes, a Democrat, has said there was no evidence of any cyberattacks or irregularities in the election. The legal filings contend that the recount is unconstitutional because it doesn’t satisfy equal protection requirements under the law and may not get done by the Dec. 13 federal deadline to certify the vote, putting Wisconsin’s electoral votes in jeopardy. In his request to the Michigan Supreme Court to block the hand recount, Attorney General Bill Schuette, like the Trump campaign, argued that Stein cannot seek the “frivolous” recount because she was not “aggrieved” to the point at which a potential miscounting of votes could have cost her the election. Associated Press writers David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Jill Stein, the 2016 presidential candidate for the Green Party, withdraws her lawsuit in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania for a statewide recount of votes in Pennsylvania due to the cost.

CANNON BALL, N.D. (Reuters) - U.S. military veterans plan to build a barracks on Friday at a protest camp in North Dakota to support thousands of activists who have squared off against authorities in frigid conditions to oppose a multibillion-dollar pipeline project near the Standing Rock Native American reservation. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith Veterans volunteering to be human shields have been arriving at the Oceti Sakowin camp near the small town of Cannon Ball, where they will work with protesters who have spent months demonstrating against plans to route the Dakota Access Pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, organizers said. The veterans intend to form a human wall in front of police to protect protesters, who say the $3.8-billion pipeline poses a threat to water resources and sacred Native American sites. Some of the more than 2,100 veterans who signed up on the Veterans Stand for Standing Rock group's Facebook page are at the camp, with hundreds more expected during the weekend. Tribal leaders asked the veterans, who aim to form a wall in front of police to protect the protesters, to avoid confrontation with authorities and not get arrested. The plan is for veterans to gather in Eagle Butte, a few hours away, and then travel by bus to the main protest camp, organizers said, adding that a big procession is planned for Monday. Protesters began setting up tents, tepees and other structures in April, and the numbers swelled in August at the main camp. Joshua Tree, 42, from Los Angeles, who has been visiting the camp for weeks at a time since September, said he felt pulled to the protest. "Destiny called me here," he said at the main camp. “We’re committed.” “GO HOME” The protesters’ voices have also been heard by companies linked to the pipeline, including banks that protesters have targeted for their financing of the pipeline. Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) said in a Thursday letter it would meet with Standing Rock elders before Jan. 1 “to discuss their concerns related to Wells Fargo’s investment” in the project. There have been violent confrontations near the route of the pipeline with state and local law enforcement, who used tear gas, rubber bullets and water hoses on the protesters, even in freezing weather. The number of protesters in recent weeks has topped 1,000. State officials on Monday ordered them to leave the snowy camp, which is on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land, citing harsh weather, but on Wednesday they said they would not enforce the order. "There is an element there of people protesting who are frightening," North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said on Thursday. “It’s time for them to go home.” Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier spoke by phone on Friday with U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, but assistance for law enforcement and a timeline for a resolution to the situation were not offered, the sheriff’s office said. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he supported the completion of the pipeline and his transition team also said he supported peaceful protests. Members of the North Dakota Veterans Coordinating Council denounced the involvement of veterans in a protest that has damaged property and asked them not to take part. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple said Wednesday that it was "probably not feasible" to reroute the pipeline but he would try to rebuild a relationship with Standing Rock Sioux leaders. Morton County Commission Chairman Cody Schulz said in a statement he hoped Heitkamp would be able to tell Trump about the serious impact that "professional protesters" from out of state were having on residents and the local economy, as well as the national energy economy. Morton County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Maxine Herr said 564 people have been arrested since the start of demonstrations. State officials never contemplated forcibly removing protesters and his evacuation order was mainly due to concerns about inclement weather endangering people, Dalrymple said. Engineers interviewed by Reuters also said such weather made some aspects of pipeline construction more difficult. Slideshow (14 Images) The temperature in Cannon Ball is expected to fall to 4 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 Celsius) by the middle of next week, according to Weather.com forecasts. The 1,172-mile (1,885-km) pipeline project, owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP ETP.N, is mostly complete, except for a segment planned to run under Lake Oahe, a reservoir formed by a dam on the Missouri River. Protesters, who refer to themselves as “water protectors,” have been gearing up for the winter while they await the Army Corps decision on whether to allow Energy Transfer Partners to tunnel under the river. That decision has been delayed twice by the Army Corps.</s>Their deployment as a nonviolent, unarmed citizens’ militia, as Veterans Stand for Standing Rock calls it, comes as the governor of the state of North Dakota has ordered mandatory evacuation of a protesters’ camp near the pipeline construction site in Cannon Ball, N.D., south of Bismarck. It coincides with a deadline set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for oil pipeline protesters to leave some of the land around the construction site, and it comes just after the governor ordered protesters to evacuate. Though law enforcement won’t force people out, they are trying to prevent supplies from getting to protesters, Reuters reported. However, if campers stay, it is at their own risk, officials say. Temperatures are supposed to drop into single digits by midweek, with strong northern winds. Summer Moore arrived last week from Paintsville, Kentucky, and quickly learned the power of the whipping North Dakota wind. A North Dakota Emergency Services spokesman has since said that neither law enforcement nor the National Guard would be used to enforce the order, NPR reported. Protesters vow to stay, and some 2,000 veterans are expected to arrive Sunday to join the fight by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its allies against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The $3.8 billion oil pipeline through four states is almost entirely built except for the last portion, where it would cross under the Missouri River, less than a mile from the border of the reservation of the Standing Rock Sioux. Developer Energy Transfer Partners of Houston has yet to obtain the easement it needs from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cross under the river and finish the project. The company says it is losing about $2.7 million a day as the project is delayed, and its shippers may cancel their contracts. “But since I’ve lived in these conditions before, to me it’s not all that bad,” he said. Nate Bison, a member of South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Sioux, came to the camp after quitting his job in Las Vegas a week ago. The protesters, who call themselves “water protectors,” have developed the mantra “water is life.” “The ocean, the water, it was my savior,” he said. As of Saturday morning, the group, dubbed “Veterans Standing for Standing Rock,” had raised more than $1 million through a GoFundMe webpage. In an impassioned speech, he said outsiders with a “left-wing political agenda” had co-opted peaceful protests and turned them into a “full-fledged riot.” Another North Dakota lawmaker, Sen. John Hoeven, a Republican, had taken to the Senate floor Wednesday to advocate for President Barack Obama to issue an easement that would allow Energy Transfer to build past the border of Lake Oahe. “It’s morally wrong and a terrible repetition of things that have happened in the past to Native Americans by people under the color of government,” he said. In a recent clash between police and protesters near the path of the pipeline, officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and large water hoses in sub-freezing temperatures. Jack Dalrymple issued a “mandatory evacuation” for the camp “to safeguard against harsh winter conditions.” But he said Wednesday that the state has no intention of blocking food and supplies from coming into the camp. The effort may become a rolling deployment as long as the Standing Rock Sioux want the help. That is the whole deal, we are willing to take the bullets, take the water, lay down our lives,” Peterson said. The Morton County Sheriff’s Office won’t discuss its tactics or the equipment it intends to deploy if there is a clash. “This inaction has inflamed tensions, strained state and local resources, and, most importantly, is needlessly putting people at risk, including tribal members, protesters, law enforcement officers, construction workers and area residents.” He also called for federal law enforcement agencies to augment state and local law enforcement. In addition to fear of a possible pipeline leak, Sioux tribe members have also said the construction infringes on sacred grounds. “It’s important to remember that there are veterans on both sides of this issue who have served honorably to protect Americans’ right to protest, as well as Americans’ right to work and live in a safe and harassment-free environment,” Stevens wrote in an email.

Groups of U.S. military veterans join the protest as human shields against possible clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement when the United States Army Corps of Engineers' eviction deadline expires on Monday. They are building barracks for shelter in North Dakota's winter weather.

“I always want to be the best, and to be the best, they're going to measure you against the best, against who everybody else thinks is the best,” junior cornerback Jalen Tabor said. They’ll face off Saturday in the Southeastern Conference championships game, with the top-ranked Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 SEC) heavily favored to lock up its third straight trip to the College Football Playoff with a victory over the No. Yes, the Gators (8-3) are a 24-point underdog about to face a Crimson Tide (12-0) team on a 24-game win streak. Florida’s 16 points and 261 total yards were above the Crimson Tide’s season averages, but the Gators finished with 0 rushing yards on 30 carries. “It was a rough start at first, but we had to overcome it, show mental toughness and really just dominate for real,” Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster said. Over its last 10 quarters, Florida has scored just one offensive touchdown — a 98-yard pass from Austin Appleby to Tyrie Cleveland that sparked an SEC East-clinching win over LSU. “We had our opportunities last couple games, yet the mindset of finishing is something we have to do.” Good luck with that against the Tide, which has given up 10 points or less in eight games. “If I don’t get there I know JA (Jonathan Allen) going to get it, if JA don’t get it then Ryan Anderson or Dalvin (Tomlinson) going to get it. Standing in his way: an Alabama Crimson Tide team with the potential to win its fifth national title since 2009 and a team that upended UF 29-15 in last season’s conference championship. Some things to watch for Saturday at the Georgia Dome: HURTS BLOSSOMS: While defense is always the name of the game at Alabama, the development of freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has been a major part of the Tide’s success. Alabama returned an interception and punt block for touchdowns to add to the program’s FBS-leading 12 non-offensive touchdowns this season. “So it's going to be a real exciting game.” For McElwain, the tall task in defeating Alabama comes down to this: “You can't hurt yourself,” McElwain said. I’m sure he would if there was something out there.” DAVIS RETURNS: Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis, the team’s defensive leader and second-leading tackler, returned to practice this week after missing three games with ankle injuries. “If you can give the team one play, whatever that play might be, that’s what it’s all about,” McElwain said. The bad: Quarterback Austin Appleby’s three first-half interceptions were the most in a half in the championship game’s history and tied for the second most in a game. And despite being tied for the largest underdog in 25 years of the SEC Championship Game, McElwain’s players are confident as they prepare to step into the Georgia Dome for the second time in as many years.</s>15 Florida 54-16 in the Georgia Dome on Saturday afternoon to collect the SEC title for the third year in a row and lock in their spot as the top seed for the 2016 College Football Playoff. It was 16-9 Alabama after one quarter, just 10 of the 25 points being produced by either offense and Alabama having negative 7 yards on offense. However, a pair of interceptions (including a pick-six by Minkah Fitzpatrick) and a blocked punt for a touchdown gave the Tide a 16-9 lead going to the second quarter -- Florida picked up two points by blocking an extra point and returning it for a score. Two more late touchdowns, including one by fourth string walk-on running back Derrick Gore, gave Alabama 54 points, the second most in SEC Championship Game history (2010 Auburn). The win makes Alabama the only undefeated Power Five team in the nation, and also cements the Tide as the only SEC team with fewer than four losses on the season. The 54-16 win is Alabama's fifth win by 38 or more points on the season (USC, Tennessee, Kent State, Mississippi State and Florida). After Alabama went three-and-out to start the second half, Florida drove to the Crimson Tide 1. pic.twitter.com/wDUkL5mKJX — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 3, 2016 If you cannot view the live blog below, please click here.

Alabama defeats Florida, 54-16, to win their seventh Southeastern Conference championship game.

— Arkansas will play Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 in Charlotte, N.C. Belk Bowl executive director Will Webb told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette earlier this week that the Razorbacks were a strong candidate to play in the game. Clemson (11-1) takes on Virginia Tech (9-3) at 8 p.m. Saturday in the ACC Championship Game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Virginia Tech first-year coach Justin Fuente has improved the Hokies' win total by two over last season.</s>3 CFP) back to the four-team College Football Playoff for the second straight year, providing Watson with an opportunity to resolve unfinished business from last January, when his team lost to Alabama in the national championship game. The Tigers held off a furious Virginia Tech rally from down 21 points late in the third quarter to win back-to-back ACC titles for the first time in 28 years. Deshaun Watson threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, adding 85 yards and two scores on the ground to help Clemson win its second straight conference title and effectively lock up a place in the College Football Playoff. In the process, the senior passed Dwayne Allen for the single-season receiving yardage record by a Clemson tight end. Clemson LB Dorian O'Daniel was ejected in the opening quarter after being penalized for targeting on a high hit on Virginia Tech RB Sam Rogers, who was dropped for no gain on a pass reception.

Clemson defeats Virginia Tech, 42-35, to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Story highlights Rustam Magomedovich Aselderov pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2014, Russia says He was wanted in connection with the 2013 terrorist attacks in Volgograd (CNN) The leader of a North Caucasus ISIS branch was killed in a special operation conducted by Russian Federal Security Service forces in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, the security service said in a statement Sunday. Rustam Magomedovich Aselderov, known as Abu Muhammad, and four militants close to him were killed in an exchange of fire with government forces Saturday near Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, the statement from the FSB said. Security forces surrounded a residence where the militants were hiding. During negotiations to surrender, the militants fired automatic weapons and government forces fired back. Officials seized automatic weapons, large quantities of ammunition and explosives from the site, the FSB said. Aselderov pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2014 before becoming the leader of the so-called "Vilayat Caucasus" in 2015, according to the FSB. Read More</s>Russia's FSB security service says it has killed a leader of the Islamic State (IS) militant group during a raid in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Daghestan. In a statement issued on December 4, the FSB said it had killed Rustam Aselderov and "four of his close associates" during a raid on a private house near Daghestan’s capital city of Makhachkala. The statement said authorities found "automatic weapons and a large amount of ammunition and explosives" at the house during the December 3 raid. Aselderov, who used the name Sheikh Abu Mohammad al-Qadari, was named by the IS as the so-called "emir" of what the militants have declared as a new Caucasus province. But he had been known to Russian security officials as an active member of terrorist groups in Daghestan since 2012. Aselderov pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in December 2014. The FSB said Aselderov organized two bomb attacks in the southern Russian city of Volgograd that killed 34 people in 2013 when he was fighting as the leader of the so-called Caucasus Emirate extremist group. Those attacks included an attack on Volgograd’s train station by a female suicide bomber on December 29, 2013, that killed 18 people and another suicide bombing that killed 16 people on a Volgograd trolley bus the following day. The FSB has linked Aselderov to two car blasts on the Astrakhan-Makhachkala highway in May 2012 that killed 14 people and injured more than 120. The FSB also accused Aselderov of trying to organize a foiled attack by two female suicide bombers that was meant to take place on Moscow's Red Square on New Year's Eve in 2010. Washington named Aselderov as a "foreign terrorist fighter" in 2015 and imposed sanctions against him. In October, Russia announced that it was offering a 5 million ruble reward -- about $78,000 -- for information that would help authorities locate Aselderov. It was not immediate clear whether an informant had provided information to Russian security officials about Aselderov’s whereabouts in exchange for the reward money. With reporting by AFP and TASS

The Russian Federal Security Service claims to have killed Rustam Asildarov, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's Caucasus Province and four other militants in the Dagestan region.

(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) ALEPPO, Syria (AP) — Rebel shelling killed two Russian nurses and eight civilians Monday in Aleppo, and a Russian fighter jet crashed as it was returning to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean after a sortie over Syria, but the pilot ejected safely, Moscow officials said. In Aleppo, rebel shelling on the government-held part of the contested city has intensified in recent weeks as Syrian government and allied troops push their way into parts of Aleppo controlled by the opposition. The developments were a blow to Russia, which has been one of the staunchest supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country's bitter civil war, now in its sixth year. The shelling initially killed one female nurse and wounded two Russian medics working in a field hospital, a Russian officer told reporters in the northern city. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. In Moscow, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov confirmed the death of one Russian medic in Aleppo and said two were seriously wounded in an artillery attack that hit the Russian military hospital. Syrian State TV said four civilians were killed Monday in three different neighborhoods in western Aleppo. Among the dead were two children and four women, said the opposition Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. He said an unspecified number of local residents who were at the hospital were also wounded and accused the United States, Britain and France of tipping off the rebels about the hospital's location. "The blood of our soldiers is on the hands of those who ordered this murder — those who created, nurtured and armed these beasts in human form and named them the 'opposition,'" he said. BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): The Russian Defense Ministry says a Su-33 fighter jet, based on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after returning from a sortie over Syria. The ministry says in a statement that was reported by Russian news agencies that "because of the failure of the arrester system's cable, the Su-33 fighter rolled off the deck" on Monday. The pilot ejected successfully and was unharmed, the ministry said, adding that Russian military operations over Syria would not be affected by the incident. This is the second loss of an aircraft from Russia's only aircraft carrier since it arrived off Syria last month. The Defense Ministry said that a Mig-29 fighter crashed into the sea on Nov. 15 while attempting to land on the Admiral Kuznetsov. In a ground offensive that began last week, Syrian government forces seized large parts of the Aleppo enclave that have been under rebel control since 2012. The fighting was most intense Monday near the dividing line between east and west Aleppo as government and allied troops push their way from the eastern flank, reaching within less than a kilometer, about half a mile, from the citadel that anchors the center of the city. Rebel fighters clashed with advancing troops and also lobbed mortars and shells into the government-controlled part of Aleppo to the west. The opposition-run Thiqa News agency and the Syrian Civil Defense in Aleppo city said four civilians were killed in rebel-held Zabadiyeh district when barrel bombs were dropped there. BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian activists say Russian and Syrian aircraft have stepped up their assaults on the rebel-held province of Idlib, a day after air raids killed more than 60 people. The activist-run Local Coordination Committees said airstrikes on Monday hit the towns of Binnish, Maarat Nasaan, and Saraqib, as well as the provincial capital, Idlib. The network said three children were killed, blaming the attacks on Russian aircraft. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 288 civilians have been killed in the province since Oct. 20, when Syrian government and Russian aircraft intensified airstrikes. The Syrian Civil Defense first responder group said 65 civilians were killed in Sunday airstrikes across the province, including attacks on two rural marketplaces that killed dozens.</s>In Idlib province, in northwest Syria, at least 26 civilians were killed in suspected Russian strikes on the town of Kafr Nabel, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. A Syrian boy cries as he stands next to a building hit by an air strike on the village of Maaret al-Numan, in the country's northern province of Idlib, on December 4, 2016 (AFP Photo/Mohamed al-Bakour) Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - Suspected Russian air strikes killed at least 46 people in opposition-held parts of Syria Sunday, a monitor said, as government forces advanced in fierce clashes with rebels in east Aleppo. An eyewitness told AFP warplanes hit several places in the town, including a market. A spokesman for the Syrian military told the Associated Press that the army is offering rebel fighters in besieged eastern Aleppo an opportunity to leave the area. Samir Suleiman was quoted by the news agency as saying that those who choose to stay will face "inevitable death." He spoke to The Associated Press in Aleppo, where government forces and allied militias are seeking to collapse an opposition pocket on the city's eastern side. "We will continue fighting until we restore stability and security to all neighborhoods" of Aleppo, including its historic quarters known as Old Aleppo, Suleiman said. Syria's government is waging an offensive to recapture all of second city Aleppo, and it has so far captured more than 60 percent of eastern districts that fell to rebels in 2012.

At least 21 people are killed in suspected Russian airstrikes on Idlib, Syria.

The plane was on its way from Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung province, to Batam in the Riau Islands. (Photo: Representational Image) Jakarta: An Indonesian police plane carrying 13 people went missing on Saturday on a short domestic flight and is feared crashed, police said, the latest blow to the country's aviation sector. The M28 Skytruck plane lost contact with air traffic control during what was supposed to be a 1.5 hour flight in western Indonesia. "Fishermen found clothes, suitcases and air plane seats we fear belong to the plane," national police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar told AFP. The plane was on its way from Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung province, to Batam in the Riau Islands. An earlier police statement said the plane had set off at 9:24 am but that air traffic control lost contact with the plane at 10:15 am. It was carrying five crew and eight passengers. Indonesia's search and rescue team have been deployed and Singapore said it was also helping as the incident happened close to the city-state. Indonesia has a poor aviation safety record and has experienced several air disasters recently. Last week, an Indonesian army helicopter crashed on Borneo island leaving three crew dead, while in November a cargo plane crashed in Papua region killing four.</s>Police on December 4, 2016 carry a box believed to contain remains of victims from a plane that went missing in Batam a day earlier. Authorities have recovered body parts and debris in waters where the Indonesian police plane went missing, officials said on Sunday, raising fears over the fate of the 13 who were on board. | Photo Credit: AFP Indonesian rescuers on Sunday recovered body parts in the sea where a police plane with 13 people aboard is believed to have crashed the previous day. The light aircraft lost contact Saturday on the way to the island of Batam, which is near Singapore, after taking off from an island off the southeast coast of Sumatra. All those aboard — five crew and eight passengers — are feared dead, officials said. The M28 Skytruck plane is believed to have plunged into 24-meter (79-foot)-deep waters, said National Search and Rescue Agency chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo. TV footage showed police uniforms and other clothing also were retrieved from the sea. It exploded after crashing in sea In Batam, local police chief Brig. Gen. Sambudi Gusdian quoted witnesses as saying they saw the plane explode after it crashed into the sea off Lingga district. Search teams involving Indonesia’s navy, customs office and maritime police, as well as aircraft from Singapore, were scouring a 518-square-kilometer (200-square-mile) sea area for the wreckage of the aircraft, Soelistyo said. Divers also were deployed. Second disaster in over a week It was at least the second air accident in Indonesia in just over a week. On November 24, a Bell 412 EP helicopter from the Indonesian army crashed in Indonesia’s part of Borneo island, killing three and leaving one missing. Indonesia, a sprawling archipelagic nation of more than 250 million people, has been plagued by transportation accidents in recent years, from plane and train crashes to ferry sinkings.

Human remains are found in the sea near where an Indonesian police plane carrying 13 people crashed. The plane was traveling to the island of Batam.

A man paddles a boat near a partially submerged house after a flood in Vietnam's central Quang Nam province, December 4, 2016. VNA/Do Truong/via REUTERS HANOI (Reuters) - Floods brought by torrential rain since late November have killed at least 13 people in central Vietnam while more heavy rain is expected in coming days, the government and state media said on Sunday. Six people have died in floods in Binh Dinh province since Thursday and another four were killed in Quang Ngai province, while more than 10,000 homes in the two provinces were submerged, the government said. Three children aged between four and 13 were swept away in flood waters in Quang Nam province on Saturday, the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper cited a provincial report as saying. A cold snap now moving southward is forecast to bring heavy rain to central provinces between now and next Thursday, the government report said. Floods killed 65 people since October in central provinces, submerged 200,000 homes and damaged railway and roads, with losses valued at more than 7 trillion dong ($309 million), the government said on Friday. The flood-stricken areas are in the north, outside Vietnam’s Central Highlands coffee belt and Mekong Delta food basket.</s>HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Floods from torrential rains have killed 13 people in central Vietnam, with more rain forecast for the region. Local disaster officials said Monday that floods since late November have killed six people in Binh Dinh province and three in Quang Nam province. The floods have largely receded, they said. The government said in a report that another four died in Quang Ngai. The floods damaged the region’s infrastructure, agriculture and livestock, it said. The report says a cold spell from the north is expected to bring heavy rains to the region starting Monday. Central Vietnam is one of the country’s poorest areas, and has suffered two bouts of floods since October, killing nearly 50 people. Vietnam is prone to floods and storms that kill hundreds of people each year. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Floods caused by heavy rain over the past week has caused at least 13 deaths in central Vietnam with more heavy rain forecast.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The death toll in a fire that devastated an Oakland, California, loft building during a weekend dance party has climbed to 30 people and is expected to rise further as recovery teams push deeper into the charred ruin, authorities said on Sunday. Oakland battalion fire chief Melinda Drayton said firefighters worked through the night to clear debris from the gutted building. The building known as the “Ghost Ship” located in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood was not zoned for people to live in, but neighbors had filed complaints saying the warehouse packed with pianos, paintings, turntables, statues, beds, couches and even a “coffin,” apparently was being used as a party venue and living quarters. Oakland City Councilman Noel Gallo, who represents the Fruitvale district and lives a block from the burned-out warehouse, said the building had been a problem for several years and many residents had complained. The Oakland Fire Department confirmed to the press that they are currently working with a variety of agencies in the aftermath of the tragedy, including the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, the Oakland Police Department, the Alameda County Search and Rescue, and the American Red Cross, among others. Ray Kelly said people either escaped from the building or died inside, where the only way down from the second story was via a stairwell constructed entirely of wooden pallets.</s>Oakland, California (CNN) At least 24 people have been confirmed dead in a massive blaze that gutted a converted warehouse over the weekend during an electronic dance party. The death toll is expected to rise as crews search the wreckage of the two-story building, which burst into flames late Friday night. Only some 20% of the building had been searched as of Sunday morning, authorities said. "We anticipate that the number of victims ... will increase, " said Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly. Names of some victims could be released Sunday, Kelly said. Oakland battalion fire chief Melinda Drayton said the recovery search would be long and arduous as firefighters work to remove debris "literally bucket by bucket in a methodical, thoughtful, mindful and compassionate way." "We had firefighters with basically coveralls and buckets and shovels taking bits of debris out into the vacant lot to be loaded into dump trucks and removed to an off-site location," she said. Drayton, who has been with the department for 19 years, called it one of the most deadly fires in the city's history. An Oakland Hills fire in 1991 killed 25 people. Even after firefighters put out the blaze Saturday, the building was deemed too unsafe for emergency responders to enter. Officials say the roof collapsed onto the second floor and then parts of that collapsed on to the first floor. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf called the fire an "immense tragedy" and pledged to get a "full accounting" that could be shared with the public as quickly as possible. 'You could feel the heat of the flames' By the time John Evanofski arrived at 31st Avenue, giant flames lit up the night sky amid the billows of black smoke. "You could feel the heat of the flames," he told CNN. "Most of us were crying or unable to react. It was so hot and so terrible knowing that so many of us were still inside." A Facebook page created for the event became a forum for friends and family of the victims who posted frantic messages seeking information about loved ones. Those who survived shared their names to show they were safe. 'I had to let him go' For filmmaker and photographer Bob Mulé, the warehouse was both his home and his community. The 27-year-old Mulé told CNN more than 20 people living in the warehouse, paid rent and were all involved in the creation of the space. On Friday night, Mule stopped upstairs to listen to some music he described as a "very tame setting." Afterward, he headed downstairs to work on a painting. From his studio, he smelled smoke. After seeing the flames, Mulé ran to find a fire extinguisher. He found one, but could not open the pin. When Mulé turned back to save his camera and laptop, he spotted a fellow artist who called out for help. Mulé suspected that heavy-set artist had broken his ankle after falling from the second floor. "I was pulling him out," said Mulé, who sustained burns from the fire. "The flames were too much. There was too much smoke and ... I had to let him go." The building is known as the "Ghost Ship." Photos posted online show an interior cluttered with drums, keyboards, guitars, clocks, ornate beds, plush sofas, mirrored dressers, tables, benches and artifacts. Exotic lamps hang from the ceiling, and paintings adorn some of the walls. Darin Ranelletti, Oakland's interim director of planning and building, told reporters Saturday the city had only approved permits for the building to be used as a warehouse -- not for residences. City officials also had not signed off on a special permit for the event, Ranelletti said. In addition, firefighters found no evidence of sprinklers in the warehouse. Last month the warehouse's owners had received notification of city code violations for hazardous trash and debris, property records show. Officials had not yet completed an investigation into a November complaint for an illegal interior building structure. CNN has reached out to the property owners for comment. Johnna Watson, Oakland police spokeswoman, said the building was not deemed a crime scene, but it was still early in the investigation. More than 40 people gathered Saturday at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland for a vigil for victims. Organizers asked attendees to light a candle at the end of the service, saying flames caused pain and destruction "but tonight we light the flame for good and for peace." Now as loved ones seek answers, photographer Mulé must wrestle with the reality of losing a friend and grapple with his memories of the horrific night. "I tried to save my friend but I had to leave him," Mulé said.

The confirmed death toll in Friday night's warehouse fire in Oakland, California rises to 33 with several people still missing.

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Sixty cities in the People's Republic of China issued smog alerts between December 2 and 4.

A Russian city is in mourning after a traffic accident killed 12 people, including 10 members of a children's acrobatics team. Police say at least 19 other people were injured when a bus carrying 34 passengers, including 27 children, collided with a truck and two other vehicles on a road in northwestern Siberia on December 4. The children were returning to their hometown of Nefteyugansk from a competition in the city of Khanty-Mansiisk. On December 5, authorities in Nefteyugansk announced a three-day mourning period Russia's Investigative Committee said an investigation was launched on suspicion of "violation of traffic regulations leading to multiple deaths." It said requests for arrest warrants for the drivers of the bus and the truck had been filed with prosecutors. Both drivers survived. President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the victims on December 4. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

At least 12 people, including 10 children, are killed in a bus crash in Siberia, Russia.

A makeshift candlelight memorial was set up outside the Vuoksenvahti restaurant in the small Finnish town of Imatra, where three women were killed on December 4, 2016 (AFP Photo/Hannu Rissanen) Helsinki (AFP) - A lone gunman shot dead three women, a local official and two journalists, in an attack in a small town in Finland, a country with one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. The shooter has been apprehended and the scene of the crime, restaurant Vuoksenvahti, has been cordoned off. The chairwoman of Imatra Town Council and two local reporters were gunned down in a pedestrian area outside a restaurant in the town just before a police patrol car arrived to the scene around midnight Saturday, police spokeswoman Heli Jamsen-Turkki said. Imatra mayor Pertti Lintunen confirmed to STT that Tiina Wilen-Jappinen, the local council's Social-Democrat leader who was in her early 50s, was among the victims. The suspect, a local man, did not put up any resistance to his arrest and the weapon was found in the boot of his car. Just a few hours earlier that day a mayor and two female journalists were killed after being shot in the head by a man with a rifle in the southern Finnish town of Imatra. Police said on Sunday they believed the 23-year-old suspect, who was swiftly arrested after the night-time shooting on Saturday, acted alone and initial indications were that there was no political or extremist motive. “We decided to open a crisis center after the shooting occurred right in the middle of the town near restaurants and nightclubs,” said Saara Raudasoja, a spokeswoman for the South Karelia Social and Health Care District. “I had come home from Edinburgh when her grandad was on the phone to tell me what had happened.</s>Three women including a local politician and two journalists were shot dead with a rifle in front of a restaurant in the small Finnish town of Imatra around midnight, police said on Sunday. The Southeastern Finland Police Department said it suspected a 23-year-old local man drove to the scene around midnight on Saturday, took a hunting rifle from the trunk of his car and fired four or five shots. The suspect, who has criminal record of violent offences, was detained at the scene. It said the motive for the killings remained unclear. "It looks like the victims were chosen at random," Detective Inspector Saku Tielinen told a news conference, adding that a political motive seemed unlikely. Victim Tiina Wilen-Jappinen was chairwoman of Imatra City Council while the other two women were journalists, the police said. The other two women were journalists from a local newspaper, the police said. "She (Wilen-Jappinen) was liked, nice and bright person. This is truly shocking," Mayor Pertti Lintunen told the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat's online version. The gun was a permitted hunting rifle but it did not belong to the suspect, police said. Finland shares an 833-mile (1,340 km) border with Russia and has sought exceptions from proposed European Union restrictions on firearms, citing defense needs. "Finland is one of the safest countries in the world, but unfortunately acts like these are still possible even here," Prime Minister Juha Sipila said in a statement.

Three women, the Imatra Town Council chairwoman and two local reporters, are shot dead outside a restaurant in Imatra, Finland, a town east of the capital, Helsinki. A 23-year-old suspect is apprehended by police.

MOSCOW — Uzbekistan's acting president has overwhelmingly won a tightly controlled presidential election in the Central Asian country's first vote since the death of authoritarian leader Islam Karimov, election officials said Monday. Karimov led Uzbekistan since before the 1991 Soviet collapse, first as its communist boss and then as its president. During his long tenure, he ruthlessly crushed all opposition and was denounced by international human rights groups for abuses that included killings and torture. Uzbekistan's Election Commission said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the turnout in the presidential vote was nearly 70 by 3 p.m. (1000 GMT, 5 a.m. EST), five hours before the polls were to close. Karimov never cultivated a succession and his death in September death raised concerns that the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation of 32 million might see fierce infighting over its leadership. Mirziyoyev, however, shifted into the acting president's job quickly and without any visible tensions, highlighting an apparent consensus between regional clans. The 59-year old Mirziyoyev, an engineer by training, served as Karimov's prime minister for 13 years after his appointment in 2003. Two of them challenged Karimov in past elections, each receiving about 3 percent of the vote. However, neither candidate has campaigned as a vocal critic of Mirziyoyev, while the fourth contender has been just as pliant. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which deployed an observer team to monitor the election, has described the campaign as "strictly regulated" and "moderately visible." "There is no perceptible exchange of views among the candidates with regard to their programs," the OSCE said in an interim report. "All candidates refrain from criticizing the government or each other, and claim to target distinct segments of the electorate." Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous nation, is rich in natural resources and borders Afghanistan, making it of strategic interest to Russia, the U.S. and China. Shortly after Karimov died, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Uzbekistan and met with Mirziyoyev, a trip that reflected Moscow's desire to strengthen its influence in the country. The U.S. installed a base in Uzbekistan to support military action in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Washington was forced to abandon the facility in 2005 as relations between the Uzbekistan and the U.S. soured following a government crackdown on rioters in the Ferghana Valley city of Andijan that is believed to have left hundreds dead. Almost all Western media long have been barred from reporting inside Uzbekistan, and the country's independent journalists and activists have faced sustained harassment.</s>TASHKENT (TCA) — Acting President Shavkat Mirziyaev has won the December 4 presidential election in Uzbekistan with 88.6 percent of the vote, Uzbekistan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said today, announcing preliminary results of the presidential election. The 59-year-old Mirziyaev, who had been the country’s prime minister since 2003, was made acting president six days after longtime President Islam Karimov’s death was announced in early September. The size of Mirziyoyev's election victory, whether he secures a realistic 65-70 percent of the vote or a Karimov-style 90-plus percent, will indicate how much authority he has to reform the political and economic systems, said Kazakhstan-based Central Asia analyst Alexander Knyazev.

Voters in Uzbekistan go to the polls for a presidential election, the first since the death of Islam Karimov who governed the country for 25 years.

Presidential candidate Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leading member of the Greens Party, celebrates on the podium at a party of his supporters in Austria's capital Vienna Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, after the first official results from the Austrian presidential election showed left-leaning candidate Alexander Van der Bellen with what appears to be an unbeatable lead over right-winger Norbert Hofer. While the Austrian presidency is a mostly symbolic post, it had attracted attention from across Europe as the next possible victory for populists after political outsider Donald Trump's presidential win in the United States and the Brexit vote in Britain. "What happens here today has relevance for all of Europe," Van der Bellen said he cast his ballot, later noting that his win showed most voters backed his message of "freedom, equality, solidarity." The original presidential vote was held in May, with Van der Bellen, a former Green Party leader, defeating Hofer by little more than 30,000 votes in a tightly fought contest decided by mail-in ballots. Official results are not expected until late Sunday or early Monday, but exit polls announced by state broadcaster ORF showed Van der Bellen with 53.6% of the vote. Van der Bellen said the win sends a "message to the capitals of the European Union that one can win elections with high European positions." In an election sure to reverberate across Europe, Austrian voters are choosing between a right-wing populist and a left-leaning former politician for their next president. "I am incredibly sad it didn't work out," Hofer wrote in a concession statement on Facebook. - Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Front, who visited Hofer earlier this year, congratulated him for "fighting bravely" and said the FPOe would win the next general elections.</s>Sunday’s No on Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s constitutional reform, and the defeat of far-right Norbert Hofer in Austria’s rerun presidential are being read as indicators of the supposedly irresistible march of far-right populist/anti-establishment politics in the wake of Brexit and Trump. Analysis: Voters in Austria flock to polls to reject far-right candidate Read more: Far-right camp concedes defeat to Van der Bellen in Austrian presidential election Read more: Germany and Canada are the West’s last safe harbours The messages of the two leaders were starkly different. Austria’s president traditionally has a largely ceremonial role, but Hofer has made clear he wants to be an interventionist head of state, threatening to dismiss a government if it raises taxes and calling for referendums on a range of issues, even though referendums are beyond the job’s remit. Earlier there was a rare moment of relief for Europe’s beleaguered political mainstream as the challenge of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party for the Austrian presidency ended in failure.

Voters in Austria go to the polls to elect a new President in a second round run-off between Green candidate Alexander Van der Bellen and Freedom Party of Austria candidate Norbert Hofer. Projections show that Van der Bellen has won with Hofer conceding defeat.

Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi gives a press conference at the Palazzo Chigi on December 4, 2016 in Rome (AFP Photo/Andreas SOLARO) Rome (AFP) - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced his resignation on Monday, hours after it was confirmed he had suffered a crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform. He added that "it is also a setback for those who want readiness for reform, those who want European countries to change. "I think the referendum was too political and Renzi made an error." Italy was plunged into political and economic uncertainty following voters' resounding rebuke of Premier Matteo Renzi's proposed constitutional reforms. The 41-year-old, who was appointed to office in 2014, will meet with President Sergio Mattarella, hours after close to 60% of voters rejected his plans for constitutional reform.</s>Renzi announced he would quit following Sunday’s referendum vote, in which 60% of voters rejected his proposals and signalled they wanted a change in political direction.

Italians go to the polls to for a referendum on whether to approve a constitutional law that amends the Constitution of Italy to reform the powers of the Italian Parliament. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who introduced the referendum bill, resigns after exit polls show that the no case is likely to be successful.

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians took to the streets Friday to protest Jakarta's embattled governor. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, has faced demonstrations calling for his ouster amid allegations of blasphemy. An ethnic Chinese Christian, Ahok is currently under investigation by Indonesian police over a speech he gave in which hardline Islamists claim he insulted the Quran. Police estimate around 200,000 people converged on Jakarta's main square Friday for noon prayers. Islamist groups, NGOs, students and ordinary citizens came from Jakarta and other cities and towns outside the capital. Protesters chanted "jail Ahok," and called for him to be detained while the blasphemy case is ongoing. "It's not about ethnicity or religion," a protester called Agus told CNN. "It's only this one person who needs to be brought to trial." "It's a matter of what he has done," he said. Supporters of Ahok gathered Friday outside his headquarters to pray for him, according to a statement from the campaign team. The accusations of blasphemy surround Ahok's quoting of a Quranic verse in a stump speech. He is currently standing for re-election as governor, and has faced attacks on his Christian faith, with some opponents claiming that Muslims were forbidden by the Quran to vote for him. In a speech last month, Ahok quoted a verse from the Muslim holy book and said that people had been "lied to" by those saying they would go to hell for voting for him. There was widespread outrage after an edited video of his speech went viral. Speaking at Friday's protests, Suci, a volunteer at an Islamic NGO, said that if a Muslim is standing for election "we have to choose (the) Muslim." Noor Huda Ismail, founder of the Institute for International Peace Building in Indonesia, told CNN last month that Ahok, a key ally of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, is an easy target for the enemies of the President, who's popularly known as Jokowi. "He's a stepping stone (to Jokowi). You see people no longer talking about the blasphemy case but about wanting to topple the government," Ismail said.</s>JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Tens of thousands of Indonesians rallied in the center of the capital Jakarta on Sunday, calling for tolerance and unity after massive protests by conservative Muslims against the city’s minority Christian governor. The crowds filled a major traffic circle in the heart of the city and sprawled into its main thoroughfares. The demonstrators waved “We Are Indonesia” signs and a giant red-and-white national flag was held aloft by hundreds of people. The capital of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has been rocked in the past month by two major protests against Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who is being prosecuted for alleged blasphemy. The movement against Ahok, who is the first ethnic Chinese to be governor of Jakarta and the first Christian in half a century, has raised communal tensions and challenged Indonesia’s reputation for practicing a moderate brand of Islam. A demonstration against Ahok on Friday drew at least 200,000 people. An anti-Ahok protest on Nov. 4 attracted at least 100,000 people and turned violent, with one dead and dozens of protesters and police injured. Hard-line Muslim groups are demanding Ahok’s immediate arrest. Police say his detention is not necessary and have called for the legal process to be respected. Sunday’s rally coincided with a weekly car-free morning in Jakarta when a central artery of the city is handed over to pedestrians for a few hours. Police estimated 30,000 people turned up, said Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono. Organizers called it the “Parade of Indonesian Culture” and it featured traditional dances from Sabang in westernmost Aceh to Merauke in easternmost Papua. National leaders of political parties under the pro-government coalition behind President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, an ally of Ahok, delivered short speeches on the importance of keeping the ethnically diverse nation united. “We have to fight to materialize the aims of our independence. That will not happen if we are scattered, blaspheming, humiliating each other and no longer trust each other,” Surya Paloh, chairman of the National Democratic Party, said from the main stage. “Our main enemies are stupidity and poverty. Therefore we ask the current government to work harder and always consistently with the people’s aspirations,” Paloh said. Blasphemy is a criminal offense in Indonesia and punishable by up to five years in prison. Comments WTOP is now using Facebook as our comment platform. Need help? Email us comments

Thousands of Indonesians protest in Jakarta for tolerance after a large protest rally against blasphemy on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak led a protest rally Sunday against what he called a “genocide” of Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya minority, as he urged Asian neighbors and the world to step up the pressure to stop the violence. Malaysia’s premier has called on the global community to help stop the “genocide” of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, slamming the country’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, for her inaction on the bloodletting against the minority community.</s>A Muslim woman wears a mask of Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims, outside the Embassy of Myanmar in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 25, 2016. WASHINGTON — It's a scene straight out of Myanmar's dark past: a military offensive waged beyond world view that forces ethnic minority villagers from the smoldering ruins of their homes. The U.S. government, a key sponsor of Myanmar's democratic transition, says a security crackdown that has displaced tens of thousands Rohingya Muslims and left an unknown number dead risks radicalizing a downtrodden people and stoking religious tensions in Southeast Asia. The military moved in after armed attacks by unknown assailants on police posts along the border with Bangladesh in October. The attacks in Rakhine State were a possible sign that a small number of Rohingya were starting to fight back against persecution by majority Buddhists who view them as illegal immigrants although many have lived in Myanmar for generations. The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Russel, is critical of the military's heavy-handed approach and says the escalation of violence risks inciting jihadist extremism in the country also known as Burma. He is also calling on neighboring countries, such as Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia, to resist the urge to stage protests that could further stir religious passions. Assistant Secretary of State Russel told The Associated Press that, "if mishandled, Rakhine State could be infected and infested by jihadism which already plagues neighboring Bangladesh and other countries." The plight of the Rohingya, once characterized by the U.N. as the world's most friendless people, has attracted the attention of Muslim extremists since a spike in intercommunal violence in Rakhine in 2012 that left hundreds dead and forced more than 100,000 into squalid camps. The Somali-born student who launched a car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University this week reportedly protested on his Facebook page about the killing of minority Muslims in Myanmar. And last weekend, Indonesian authorities arrested two militants who were allegedly planning to attack the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta. It has also raised hackles in the political mainstream. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, facing domestic pressure over an investment fund scandal, is reportedly planning to attend a protest in his religiously moderate country this weekend condemning the military operation in Myanmar. Daniel Sullivan at the advocacy group Refugees International said increasing numbers of Rohingya are fleeing across the land border to Bangladesh, and the spike in violence could set off another exodus by sea. Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled by rickety boats in recent years to countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, but those routes have been blocked since a crisis in 2015 when thousands were stranded at sea. The U.S. and other nations have called for an independent investigation into the latest violence in Rakhine. Estimates of the death toll range between dozens and several hundred. Human Rights Watch said Nov. 21 that satellite imagery showed at least 1,250 buildings have been destroyed. With journalists barred from the affected area, it's been near-impossible to substantiate reports of rapes and killings by Myanmar soldiers — the kind of conduct that has long blighted the military's reputation in ethnic conflicts. Adama Dieng, U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said this week that if reports of excessive use of force in Rakhine were true, "the lives of thousands of people are at risk." Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was appointed by Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in August to find ways to help resolve the communal tensions. On a fact-finding visit Friday, he said that security operations must not impede humanitarian access. That's been a repeated demand from the international community, including the United States, but it's made little impact. The U.N. World Food Program said Friday that since Oct. 9 it has been able to deliver food or cash to only 20,000 of the 152,000 people who usually receive assistance, and to about 7,000 newly-displaced people. The Obama administration has diminished leverage. It was instrumental in ending the former pariah state's diplomatic isolation as it shifted from five decades of military rule but the last U.S. sanctions were lifted in October. The military's crackdown in Rakhine has also exposed the limits of Suu Kyi's power. The Nobel laureate's party won elections a year ago, but the military still controls key levers of government power, including access to sensitive border regions. Human rights activists who once lionized Suu Kyi now criticize her for failing to defend the stateless Rohingya, but Russel defended her. "We all should have confidence in her judgment and not fall prey to the idea that she does not get it and she does not care. She does get it, and she does care," he said. Associated Press writer Michael Astor at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak leads a protest rally against the persecution of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority in the predominately Buddhist country, and calls on Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the United Nations to address the Rohingya's plight and end the violence. Myanmar's president's office said the rally is timed for Malaysian political purposes, and that Malaysia should respect the Association of Southeast Asian Nations's principle on sovereignty.

On Saturday night, tens of thousands of Cubans are expected to turn out for a final farewell to Castro at the Antonio Maceo Plaza on the eve of his internment at Santa Ifigenia Cemetery. Many in the plaza, which had begun to fill by mid-day, planned to spend the night in vigil and then fall into a funeral procession accompanying Castro's ashes to the cemetery where a private funeral is planned. He announced to a few close colleagues at a New Year’s Eve party in 1958 that he was leaving the country, and Fidel Castro and his followers triumphantly drove into Havana to take control of the country on January 1, 1959.</s>SANTIAGO, Cuba - Fidel Castro will be laid to rest on Sunday alongside the mausoleum of Cuban independence hero Jose Marti, ensuring that the polarizing nature of Castro's life will continue in death. Castro and his leftist revolutionaries claimed Marti's mantle upon overthrowing a US-backed regime in 1959 and later married Marti's ideals to their brand of Soviet communism, enraging other nationalists, anti-communists and Cuban exiles who also claim Marti as their own.The interment ceremony, billed as solemn and simple, is due to start at 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT). Nine days of national mourning come to an end at noon (1700 GMT). var cont = `Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>> `; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; (function (v, i){ });

The remains of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro are interred beside independence leader José Martí.

Hundreds of people at the Oceti Sakowin, or Seven Council Fires, encampment cheered and chanted “mni wichoni” — “water is life” in Lakota Sioux — after the Army Corps of Engineers refused Sunday to grant the company permission to extend the pipeline beneath a Missouri River reservoir. The decision is a victory for the several thousand camped near the construction site, who've said for months that the four-state, $3.8 billion project would threaten a water source and cultural sites. [L1N1DX1M7] The 1,172-mile (1,885-km) pipeline project, owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP, is mostly complete, except for a segment planned to run under Lake Oahe, a reservoir formed by a dam on the Missouri River. According to a news release, Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said her decision was based on the need to "explore alternate routes" for the pipeline's crossing. Veterans Stand for Standing Rock members aim to form a human barrier in front of police to assist thousands of activists who have spent months demonstrating against plans to route the Dakota Access Pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.” North Dakota’s leaders criticized the decision, with Gov. The company constructing the pipeline, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, released a statement Sunday night slamming the Army Corps’ decision as politically motivated and alleging that President Obama’s administration was determined to delay the matter until he leaves office. It and the Morton County Sheriff's Office, which has done much of the policing of the protests, didn't have immediate comment. U.S. Secretary for the Interior Sally Jewell said in a statement that the Corps’ “thoughtful approach … ensures that there will be an in-depth evaluation of alternative routes for the pipeline and a closer look at potential impacts” and “underscores that tribal rights reserved in treaties and federal law, as well as Nation-to-Nation consultation with tribal leaders, are essential components of the analysis to be undertaken in the environmental impact statement going forward.” The federal government has ordered people to leave the main encampment, which is on Army Corps of Engineers’ land, by Monday. State officials on Monday ordered the thousands of protesters now present to leave the snowy camp, which is on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land, citing harsh weather, but on Wednesday they said they would not enforce the order. “I’m telling all our people to stand up and not to leave until this is over.” Despite the deadline, authorities say they won’t forcibly remove the protesters. Water is why I’m here.” Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, whose department has done much of the policing for the protests, said that “local law enforcement does not have an opinion” on the easement and that his department will continue to “enforce the law.” U.S. Secretary for the Interior Sally Jewell said in a statement that the Corps’ “thoughtful approach … ensures that there will be an in-depth evaluation of alternative routes for the pipeline and a closer look at potential impacts.” Earlier Sunday, an organizer with Veterans Stand for Standing Rock said tribal elders had asked the military veterans not to have confrontations with law enforcement officials, adding the group is there to help out those who’ve dug in against the project. About 250 veterans gathered about a mile from the Oceti Sakowin, or Seven Council Fires, camp in southern North Dakota for a meeting with organizer Wes Clark Jr., the son of former Democratic presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark. The group had said about 2,000 veterans were coming, but it wasn't clear how many actually arrived. "We have been asked by the elders not to do direct action," Wes Clark Jr. said. He also called the veterans’ presence “about right and wrong and peace and love.” Authorities moved a blockade from the north end of the Backwater Bridge with the conditions that protesters stay south of it and come there only if there is a prearranged meeting. Authorities also asked protesters not to remove barriers on the bridge, which they have said was damaged in the late October conflict that led to several people being hurt, including a serious arm injury. The bridge blockade is something that Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman Dave Archambault has been asking to be removed, the Bismarck Tribune reports , and something he said he would to talk to Gov. Jack Dalrymple calling it a “serious mistake” that “prolongs the dangerous situation” of having several hundred protesters who are camped out on federal land during cold, wintry weather. the leadership in those camps will start squashing the violent factions,” Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney said in a statement, reiterating that any violation will “will result in their arrest.” Steven Perry, a 66-year-old Vietnam veteran who’s a member of the Little Traverse Bay band of Odawa Indians in Michigan, spoke of one of the protesters’ main concerns: that the pipeline could pollute drinking water. "We know in Flint that water is in dire need," the 49-year-old disabled Gulf War Army veteran said. He added that the National Guard and law enforcement have armored vehicles and are armed, warning: “If we come forward, they will attack us.” Instead, he told the veterans, “If you see someone who needs help, help them out.” Some veterans will take part in a prayer ceremony Monday, during which they’ll apologize for historical detrimental conduct by the military toward Native Americans and ask for forgiveness, Clark said.</s>Despite the bitter cold and an evacuation order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the veterans hope to erect enough space to house at least several hundred peers making their way into the Oceti Sakowin Camp here in Cannon Ball. Veterans interviewed by Reuters gave a plethora of motives for traveling here. Some felt it was their patriotic duty to defend protesters, especially since Native Americans have historically had an active presence in the U.S. military. For others, coming here offers a sense of purpose they have lacked since returning to civilian society. For all, the camaraderie with those who have also shared military service was important. "Our commitment has not expired because we took off the uniform," said Charles Vondal, 51, an Army veteran and Native American from Turtle Mountain, N.D. "We understand what it means to put our lives on the line." The response last month to a call for 2,000 veterans to act as a barrier between activists and law enforcement was much swifter than expected - with organizers having to stop accepting volunteers. The veterans arriving say their presence will make it less likely that police will resort again to aggressive tactics, after water cannons and tear gas were used on a group of protesters in sub-freezing temperatures two weeks ago. More than 500 activists have been arrested over the last several months. “I felt it was our duty to come and stand in front of the guns and the mace and the water and the threat that they pose to these people," said Anthony Murtha, 29, from Detroit, who served in the U.S. Navy from 2009 to 2013. Local law enforcement said the specter of having thousands of military-trained veterans in the area was of concern, but they were not expecting any melees. "If (veterans) come to this area and they want to protest peacefully, if that's what they want to do and have their voice heard, then there's absolutely no issues with that," Kyle Kirchmeier, sheriff for Morton County, North Dakota, where the pipeline is routed, said in an interview Saturday. Some veterans groups are unhappy with those coming to support the protesters, saying they are standing up for illegal behavior. They also note that many law enforcement officers are veterans. North Dakota's state veterans coordinating council, in a letter last week, asked the veterans who want to stand with the protesters not to come. "We don't want to see veterans facing down veterans," said Lonnie Wangen, commissioner of North Dakota's Department of Veterans Affairs. But veterans at the camp say pictures and video of water hoses used against Native Americans spoke to their concern of heavy-handed tactics used by law enforcement. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to grant a permit for Energy Transfer Partners to drill under Lake Oahe, a reservoir that is part of the Missouri River. This one-mile stretch represents the last unfinished portion of the line in North Dakota, which will stretch as far as Illinois. Native Americans serve at a high rate in the armed forces, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A 2012 report showed more than 150,000 veterans of Native American descent. U.S. Defense Department data as of 2014 put Alaskan/Native American service members at more than 24,000. "It's symbolic for people who stood up for this nation’s freedom to stand up for the first inhabitants of this nation," said Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, on Saturday. Veterans Stand With Standing Rock, which organized this weekend's rally and other events, has warned veterans they could experience flashbacks to combat experience. “We’re under constant surveillance with helicopters and planes flying over. There is a military boundary with barbed wire,” said Angie Spencer, 34, a clinical psychologist from Seattle who has worked with veterans. The surroundings, she said, mean counselors are vigilant for signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. On Friday, the rally organizers met with law enforcement on the Backwater Bridge, the site of two of the most heated confrontations between police and protesters in the last several weeks. They said they were there to protest peacefully. The chances that the pipeline will be stopped at this point seem slim. President-elect Donald Trump last week voiced support for the project, which has been delayed twice since September by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Opposing the pipeline, standing with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, was an opportunity to again find a personal mission, some said. “You kind of lose your purpose when you’re out (of the military)," said John Nelson, 25, from San Diego, who spent seven years in the Navy. "I think that’s why it’s so easy for so many veterans to jump on board."

The United States Army Corps of Engineers denies a permit for Energy Transfer Partners planned Dakota Access Pipeline running through North Dakota and will begin exploring alternative routes for the pipeline following weeks of protests.

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Clashes between a tribal militia and security forces in a province of central Congo killed at least 31 people at the weekend, its vice governor said on Monday. Hubert Mbingho N’Vula said on state TV that the conflict in Kasaï province started after a row between an uncle and a nephew over who had the title to a local chieftaincy, before Congolese forces stepped in to try to restore order. “(The uncle) resorted to raising a militia,” N’Vula said, adding that 13 security forces and 18 militiamen had been killed. More than a decade after a 1996-2003 war that killed millions, the mineral-rich country remains a tinderbox of armed groups and ethnic militias.</s>Antananarivo. Controversial moves to extend Congolese President Joseph Kabila’s stay in power appeared to advance Sunday as a close ally said elections would not be held until April 2018, 16 months after Kabila was due to leave office. Foreign Minister Raymond Tshibanda also warned that the political opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has urged Kabila to step down on December 20 when his term officially ends, could foment violent. Tshibanda, speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Madagascar, said that Kabila’s government had “consulted election experts” from Congo, the United Nations and elsewhere, and that “it has been decided that the voter registration operation will end on July 31, 2017. (AFP)

At least 31 are killed in clashes in Kasai, DR Congo.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized western leaders after none appeared to condemn the shelling of a mobile Russian hospital by militants in Syria. Two Russian medics were killed after around a dozen of shells hit the facility in Aleppo. “On December 5, a Russian military medic died as a mortar shell fired by militants directly hit the reception ward of a Russian mobile military hospital set up in Aleppo. Two medical specialists were also severely injured and one of them later died,” the ministry said. “However, no words of condemnation can be heard from western capitals,” it added, criticizing western governments for their “politicized approach” to the assessment of the situation in Syria. Read more “We call on our partners to abandon the politicized approach and finally join the counter-terrorist efforts in Syria as well as the search for a political solution to the Syrian crisis” instead of waging a smear campaign in the media, the ministry said in its statement. It then went on to criticize Paris and London, saying they are waging a “propaganda campaign” – in particular over the delivery of humanitarian aid. “Our ‘concerned’ French and British colleagues cannot but know that such aid is already rendered to the Aleppo residents … by the Russian side through the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria and the Russian Emergencies Ministry,” the foreign ministry said. It also slammed western governments for their repeated calls to stop the government operation in Eastern Aleppo, which “increasingly resembles the last desperate attempt to shield and save the terrorists and extremists supervised by [the West], who are on the losing side in the Aleppo [battle].” The ministry said again that armed groups that the West attempts to support “use civilians as human shields, [and] shell and mine civilian infrastructure and humanitarian corridors.” About 11 shells landed on the territory of the Russian hospital leading to its total destruction, Vladimir Savchenko, the head of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria told journalists earlier on Monday. The Russian Defense Ministry urged for the international community to condemn the attack and said that the incident would be investigated and all responsible would be held to account. Read more The ministry also said that it attributes blame for the hospital shelling to “terrorists and their patrons in the US, the UK and France.” “It is beyond doubt that the shelling was conducted by the ‘opposition’ militants. Moscow understands who gave the Syrian militants the coordinates of the Russian hospital right at the moment when it started working,” the Defense Ministry’s spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov said. The US State Department, which is usually quick to comment on reports of attacks on medical facilities in Syria, found it difficult to confirm and therefore specifically condemn the shelling of the Russian hospital. “I’ve seen the reports we’ve not been able to confirm; it’s difficult to do obviously, given the fighting and given our lack of access to what’s happening on the ground,” spokesperson Mark Toner told RT’s Gayane Chichakyan. “But to answer your question – of course we condemn any attack on a hospital or healthcare facility.” RT has requested comment on the shelling of the Russian hospital from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, and Amnesty International. In response to a request from RT, Amnesty International said it is trying to check whether it is “able to comment on this.” “But usually if we have not documented and been able to verify details for ourselves it can be tricky for us to provide a comment on specific attacks,” the emailed response reads. “Repeated attacks on healthcare and other civilian infrastructure throughout Aleppo” indicated that “all sides to the conflict in Syria are failing in their duties to respect and protect healthcare workers, patients and hospitals, and to distinguish between them and military objectives,” the Red Cross told RT in a comment following the shelling of the hospital. “Healthcare infrastructure, medical personnel and the sick and wounded are protected under international humanitarian law (IHL). They must not be attacked,” the Red Cross stressed, adding that “when hospitals come under fire, countless numbers of people are deprived of life-saving healthcare.”</s>George Ourfalian, AFP | A Russian soldier inspects the damage at a field hospital in the Syrian city of Aleppo that was reportedly destroyed by rebel shelling on December 5, 2016 A Russian army medic was killed Monday and two others seriously injured in rebel shelling of a field hospital in Syria's Aleppo, Russia's defence ministry said, blaming Western nations who support rebel fighters. Advertising Read more "As a result of a shell directly hitting the reception area of the hospital, one Russian female military medic was killed," Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. "Two medical workers were heavily wounded. Local residents who had come to visit the doctors were also injured." A photographer who supplies AFP with photos described seeing burned tents and charred boxes of medical supplies at the scene. Konashenkov said the attack had "undoubtedly been carried out by 'opposition' fighters" and laid the blame at the door of Western nations – including the US, Britain and France – that have backed those fighting its ally, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. "We understand who gave the fighters the exact information and coordinates of the reception area of the Russian hospital as it was starting its work," Konashenkov added. "Our servicemen's blood is on the hands of those who ordered this murder." Syrian rebels are battling forces loyal to Assad after sweeping advances saw the government seize back large chunks of territory in eastern Aleppo. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that President Vladimir Putin had ordered that field hospitals be sent to war-ravaged Aleppo. Russia has been flying air raids in Syria since September 2015, intervening at the request of Assad, Moscow's longtime ally. Russia says it has halted air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo since October 18 following international condemnation over its ferocious bombardment of the city. The deadly war in Syria has killed more than 300,000 people since it started in March 2011 with a wave of anti-government protests. (AFP)

Two Russian army medics are killed after around a dozen shells hit a mobile hospital in Aleppo.

At least 11 people, including three women, were suffocated to death and 75 others injured on Monday when a pre-dawn fire ripped through a four-star hotel in Karachi, the fourth blaze to hit Pakistan's largest city in the last two weeks. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters The blaze broke out in the kitchen located at the ground floor of the Regent Plaza hotel at the city's Shahrah-i-Faisal area and spread across the six-floor building, trapping nearly 100 hotel guests in their rooms. "Had the fire brigade started their operation on time, many precious lives could have been saved today." Video footage showed some hotel guests using a chain of bed sheets to climb down from windows of top floors as smoke filled the hotel Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar told reporters the cause of the fire was not clear. The tweets also defended the hotel against allegations that they had not had emergency exits or fire alarms installed. At least 75 people affected by the fire were brought to the emergency department, Dr Seemin Jamali, head of the emergency services at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, was quoted as saying by Dawn. Amongst the injured were people who had fractured bones after jumping from hotel windows to escape, others had been hurt by shattered glass and many were treated for smoke inhalation, she said. She said six men, including three doctors and the hotel's front desk manager, and five women were among the dead. The Regent Plaza Hotel is a prominent landmark in Karachi and has been one of the city's most popular hotels since the 1970s. He said the rescue operation was difficult because people were communicating with trapped guests in Urdu, which some foreigners did not understand. The offical said that fire-fighters had managed to put out the fire after nearly three hours as it spread rapidly to floors housing guests who were trapped inside their rooms.</s>KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani police officer says a fire that swept through a four-star hotel in the southern port city of Karachi has killed at least 11 people. More than 50 people suffered injuries in the early morning blaze, which started in the hotel kitchen, police officer Tauqeer Naeem said. The exact cause of the fire was not yet known, he said, adding that four of the people who died were women. Dr. Semi Jamali at Karachi’s Jinnah’s Hospital said some foreigners were among those being treated for burns. Suffocation caused more deaths, she said. Most of Pakistan’s buildings don’t meet safety standards to avoid such mishaps. TV footage of the incident showed guests at the hotel using bedsheets to climb down from windows. “We also had to jump mid-way, as the bed sheets weren’t long enough.” A man standing at a balcony kept waving for help but the hotel did not have any means of reaching him, a survivor, Hamid Ali, told a local Pakistani TV channel. He said the guests were sleeping when the fire broke out.

At least 12 people are killed and 75 others injured as a fire erupts in Karachi's Regent Plaza Hotel.

Her political party and the hospital where she was being treated confirmed the popular former film actress and chief minister of Tamil Nadu , widely known as “Amma” or “Mother”, had died at the age of 68. Police presence at the Apollo Hospitals was beefed up since Sunday evening and it was further strengthened late in the night after the official bulletin was put out by the hospital that confirmed the Chief Minister had suffered a cardiac arrest. Ms. Jayalalithaa was a reluctant entrant into films as well as politics but she succeeded in both; her film career began in 1965 with her first film 'Vennira Aadai'. Ms. Jayalalithaa was Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister for 6 terms and has been in politics since 1982 when she joined the AIADMK and made her first speech on "Pennin Perumai" (The Greatness of a Woman).</s>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the health condition of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa worsening, the police stepped up security along the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border areas while the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has cut short many schedules to Tamil Nadu. State police chief Loknath Behera directed all district police chiefs, mainly in the districts bordering Tamil Nadu, to deploy more police personnel along the border areas as well as localities where Tamilians were staying in large numbers. The police personnel were directed to curb chances of Jayalalithaa’s supporters going on a rampage or indulging in emotional acts like self-immolation. The state police chief also directed the police personnel to enhance checking in border areas to curb chances of carrying weapons or explosives across the border. The strength of police personnel at border roads has been increased and vehicles moving to Tamil Nadu were made aware of the situation there. “We can’t forcibly restrict anyone from moving to Tamil Nadu, but could also advise them about the potential dangers,” said a district police chief. Meanwhile, many services of KSRTC to Nagercoil and Thenkashi routes were stopped at Parassala and Aryankavu respectively. KSRTC executive director (operations) P M Sharaf Muhammed said that none of the 150 odd-services to Tamil Nadu were cancelled. But many services had to be stopped at the border on the advice of police. Private buses operating inter-state services have cancelled all services to Tamil Nadu on Monday and many buses operating to Karnataka via Nagercoil have diverted the service through Kasargod and Wayanad routes. The railway authorities are also reviewing the situations. Additional Railway Protection Force personnel were deployed in some trains towards Tamil Nadu in the evening following reports in a section of media that Jayalalithaa died. A hartal-like situation prevailed at Kaliyikkavila on the Tamil Nadu- Thiruvananthapuram border with life coming to a standstill around 6 p.m. after some Tamil news channels erroneously flashed the news that Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had passed away. The private vehicles from the capital to Tamil Nadu were stopped at checkposts in the evening by Kerala police and were advised to return. Those who wanted to proceed were allowed to continue the journey. Shops were closed down on the border and in Nagercoil within five minutes of the flash news and AIDMK workers had peacefully assembled on the streets. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation concluded all its interstate operation at Parassala on the Kerala side of the border by 11a.m. Similar was the case in Aryankavu depot and all KSRTC buses from as far as Thenkasi were instructed to return to their bases by 11a.m. Thousands of students from Thiruvananathapuram who study at engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges in Tamil Nadu could not go to colleges. Those staying in hostels returned home and classes were cancelled by afternoon. Many Malayalis staying at Kumarakovil, Parvatipuram, Padmanabhapuram and Thuckalay also returned home based on reports that normal life will remain disrupted in the neighbouring state. In the evening, some Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation buses that were running in Nagercoil and Tirunelveli districts ended operation at the nearest depots. “I went to my polytechnic by 7a.m. and had to return. It was informed that there won’t be classes tomorrow also,” said Arjun S. Nair, a student of Thuckalay-based college. Business men who have stakes across the border also were in a state of confusion. “I had some job at the Malaysian consulate in Tamil Nadu but none is picking up the phone,” said M. Akhil, a businessman. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stopped plying bus services through the Salem-Coimbatore stretch by Monday evening as a precautionary measure to preempt attacks by AIADMK supporters in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s health condition remaining critical. “A total of nine buses from Bangalore to various places in the state via the Salem-Coimbatore route were redirected via Mysore. The step was taken due to the tense situation prevailing there,” said a senior KSRTC official. Meanwhile, the buses to Bangalore from various depots like Ernakulam proceeded through the normal route on Monday evening. “However, they will further conduct service from the border only upon getting a nod from the police there,” he said. The Karnataka Road State Transport Corporation too suspended its bus services through Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, several trains through Palghat got delayed by upto three hours on Monday.

The chief minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, dies of cardiac arrest after being hospitalized since 22 September 2016.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand—New Zealand’s popular Prime Minister John Key stunned the nation on Monday when he announced, in a breaking voice, he was resigning after eight years as leader. “Being leader of both the party and the country has been an incredible experience.” Key, a former Merrill Lynch currency trader, had recently marked his eighth anniversary as prime minister and 10th year as leader of the centre-right National Party, which is set to meet next week to elect his successor. Key said he would vote for his deputy and finance minister Bill English to take over. The New Zealand dollar fell by nearly 1 percent on the news and was trading at $0.71 U.S. Key was a successful currency dealer before first he became a lawmaker in 2002. That is a great legacy for National’s next leader.” Key came into politics relatively late, entering parliament in 2002 and assuming leadership of the National Party four years later. He won plaudits for his leadership during a string of crises in his first term, including a devastating earthquake in Christchurch in February 2011 which claimed 185 lives. “This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made and I don’t know what I’ll do next,” he told a news conference, adding that he had never seen himself as a career politician. “For my wife Bronagh, there have been many nights and weekends spent alone, many occasions that were important to her that I simply could not attend,” he said. “It would be easy to say I have made this decision solely to rediscover the personal and family life I once had, and that is a factor, but it is one among many,” he said.</s>WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand's popular Prime Minister John Key stunned the nation early today when he announced he was resigning after eight years as leader. John Key's stunning announcement that he is standing down has turned politics on its head and almost certainly reduced National's chances of winning a fourth term. Key said his National Party caucus would meet Dec. 12 to decide on a new party leader and prime minister, and that he expected to formally submit his resignation to the Governor-General that same day. Key said he would support whomever was chosen, but said that his deputy prime minister and finance minister Bill English "would win the election in 2017." However much Mr Key says the party is well positioned to win again, he has given Labour's Andrew Little a much better chance of becoming the next prime minister. The New Zealand dollar fell by nearly 1 percent on the news and was trading at $0.71 U.S. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he'd sent Key a short message: "Say it ain't so, bro."

John Key resigns as the Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the National Party after 8 years as PM and 10 years as party leader due to personal reasons.

Scandal hearings put S. Korea tycoons in hot seat South Korea lawmakers on Monday kicked off an unprecedented series of hearings that will see the country's business elite grilled over a corruption scandal engulfing impeachment-threatened President Park Geun-Hye. The powerful heads of family-run conglomerates, or "chaebols," such as Samsung and Hyundai will be among those testifying before a parliamentary investigation ahead of an impeachment vote to remove the president on Friday. The hearings opened on the back of a series of weekly mass demonstrations in Seoul that have seen millions of people take to the streets to call for Park’s ouster. National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-Jin (L) and other presidential aides take an oath during a hearing on South Korean President Park Geun-Hye's corruption scandal in Seoul ©YONHAP (YONHAP/AFP) Park is accused of colluding with her long-time friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to strong-arm giant corporations into "donating" nearly $70 million to two dubious non-profit foundations. Choi, who has been indicted on charges of coercion and abuse of power, is accused of syphoning some of the donated funds for personal use. She denies all criminal charges. Tuesday’s testimony will be devoted to interrogating the corporate bigwigs, including Samsung group scion Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-koo and seven heads of other conglomerates including LG, Lotte, Hanjin and CJ. They are among the wealthiest and most powerful people in the country, but the "Choi-gate" scandal has taken the lid off simmering public resentment over their influence and perceived sense of privilege at a time of slowing economic growth - Tycoon tutorials - According to company sources cited by the largest-circulation newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, many of them have been going through frantic preparations to avoid any public humiliation, holding mock question and answer sessions with aides and memorising responses to sensitive issues. - Samsung woes - Samsung -- the South's largest business group -- made the biggest contributions of 20 billion won ($17 million) to Choi's foundations, followed by Hyundai, SK, LG and Lotte. Samsung is also accused of separately offering millions of euros to Choi to bankroll her daughter’s equestrian training in Germany. Prosecutors have raided the headquarters of Samsung and other groups for any evidence that they received policy favours in exchange for their contributions.</s>SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — South Korea is entering potentially one of the most momentous weeks in its recent political history, with impeachment looming for President Park Geun-hye as ruling party dissenters align with the opposition in a strengthening effort to force her out. Chung Jin Suk, floor leader of the conservative ruling party, said after an hour-long meeting with Park that she was willing to accept a now-withdrawn proposal by the party for her to voluntarily step down in April to set up a presidential election in June. Park, who's been dogged by a classified information scandal involving a longtime friend, said earlier this week she would resign if that's what the National Assembly wants. Prosecutors have said that Park helped her and have identified her as a criminal suspect, a first for a president, though she cannot be indicted while in office. In an impeachment motion submitted to the National Assembly over the weekend, opposition parties accused Park of conspiring with Choi to force large South Korean businesses, including Hyundai and Samsung, to donate tens of millions of dollars to two foundations Choi controlled.

The South Korean National Assembly begins hearings ahead of an impeachment vote against President Park Geun-Hye.

Michigan's recount of the state's presidential election results commenced at noon on Monday, following a late-night ruling by a federal judge.In a rare Sunday hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Goldsmith ruled in the favor of Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who requested the recount, allowing the massive effort to begin Monday instead of Wednesday.The jumpstart left Michigan clerks scrambling to hand-count some 4.8 million ballots by Dec. 13.Stein, who finished in fourth place with less than 1.1 percent of the vote, has requested recounts in key battleground states Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania amid concerns that the election could have been hacked . The Green Party and its candidate, Jill Stein, have said their requests for recounts in those states were focused on ensuring the integrity of the U.S. voting system and not on changing the result of the election. Lawsuits have been filed in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three "Rust Belt" states that bucked their history of supporting Democrats and handed Republican Donald Trump narrow wins in the Nov. 8 election that ultimately gave him victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.</s>DETROIT (AP) — Michigan must begin its presidential recount at noon Monday, a federal judge ruled in a late-night order that could make it more likely the state will complete the count ahead of a Dec. 13 deadline. In his ruling early Monday morning, Judge Mark Goldsmith rejected an effort by state officials to delay the hand-counting of about 4.8 million ballots. Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein argued that a law is unconstitutional that requires a break of at least two business days after the Board of Canvassers’ final action on a recount request. Goldsmith found that Stein had “shown the likelihood of irreparable harm” if the count was delayed even by two days and rejected the state’s arguments about the cost to taxpayers. Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by 10,704 votes, or two-tenths of a percentage point, in Michigan. Stein received about 1 percent of the vote. Advertisement Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette, the Trump campaign and super PACs have filed separate lawsuits asking state courts to prevent the recount, arguing that Stein, as the fourth-place finisher, is not “aggrieved” because she has no chance of winning in a recount. The Green Party also wants recounts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Stein has argued, without evidence, that irregularities in the votes in all three states suggest that there could have been tampering with the vote, perhaps through a well-coordinated, highly complex cyberattack. Elections officials in the three states, all narrowly won by Trump, have expressed confidence in their results. Even if all three recounts happen, none were expected to give Clinton enough votes to emerge as the winner.

A federal judge in Michigan, Mark A. Goldsmith, rules that a recount in the Presidential Election vote in that state must begin on Monday, December 5.

Before the meeting, Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters on a daily briefing call that Gore would meet with Ivanka Trump, the President-elect's daughter, about climate issues, but he did not know what specifically was on the agenda. He had also said the former Democratic vice president would not meet with Trump himself. But Gore told reporters after the meeting that he met with Trump himself after seeing Ivanka. "I had a lengthy and very productive session with the President-elect," Gore said, according to the pool report. "It was a sincere search for areas of common ground. I had a meeting beforehand with Ivanka Trump. The bulk of the time was with the President-elect, Donald Trump. I found it an extremely interesting conversation, and to be continued, and I'm just going to leave it at that." Many Republicans are critical of the strong scientific consensus that human activities are exacerbating global climate change, potentially threatening millions of people and their ways of life. Gore has been one of the most outspoken advocates for raising awareness about the dangers of climate change since leaving the White House. Trump has been skeptical of climate change, tweeting in 2012 that global warming was "created" by the Chinese. He also called it a "hoax" in several public statements and in a 2014 tweet about a cold winter. He denied saying global warming was a Chinese hoax in a debate during the election, though the tweets have remained up, and he has appeared to adopt a different position after his election. The President-elect told The New York Times in an interview after the election, "I think there is some connectivity," when asked about the role that carbon dioxide produced by humans plays in climate change. Ivanka Trump is expected to take a policy role in her father's presidency, and has supported ideas that are sometimes at odds with some Republican policy positions. During the campaign, Ivanka spoke in favor of a plan to support paid maternity leave and child care costs that became part of Trump's platform. Miller did not have specifics on what Ivanka's role in the White House would be on Monday, but said the family is "completely supportive" of what the President-elect is doing in terms of his transition planning, and is "looking to help out in any capacity they can." The Trump children's involvement in their father's presidency has been under increased scrutiny given their extensive jobs in his business ventures. He has said he would resolve potential conflicts of interest as President by having his children run his organization and has a press conference scheduled Dec. 15 to discuss his plans. In other Trump Tower meetings, the President-elect will meet with Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday in New York. Topics are expected to cover police safety, statehood and infrastructure, according to the mayor's office.</s>President-elect’s former rival for Republican presidential nomination says he can help in ‘making our inner cities great for everyone’ This article is more than 2 years old This article is more than 2 years old Donald Trump has nominated former opponent Ben Carson as his secretary of housing and urban development. In a statement, Trump said he was “thrilled to nominate” Carson, describing the retired neurosurgeon as having “a brilliant mind” and saying he “is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.” Carson had been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump’s election victory that he wasn’t certain he’d fit into a Cabinet-style role. Carson had previously taken himself out of the running to serve in Trump’s cabinet amid speculation that the former doctor was being considered to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump’s statement Monday says, “Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.” Carson was among the 16 Republican candidates who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. Trump’s decision to tap Carson as the housing and urban development (HUD) secretary followed his announcement nominating the South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, as ambassador to the United Nations, and Elaine Chao as transportation secretary.

President-elect Donald Trump nominates Ben Carson for United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. Renzi said he took full responsibility for the "extraordinarily clear” defeat Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced that he would resign following a stinging defeat on Sunday in referendum over his proposals for constitutional reform. MILAN (AP) — Italian voters dealt Premier Matteo Renzi a resounding rebuke by rejecting his proposed constitutional reforms, plunging Europe's fourth-largest economy into political and economic uncertainty Monday. “The experience of my government ends here,” Mr. Renzi said in a televised address to the nation after early voting results suggested his 'Yes' camp may have lost the referendum by as much as 20 points. The biggest immediate loser from the 'No' triumph in Italy could be Italy's third-largest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which is bowed by bad loans and is looking to raise 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) this month to stave off collapse.</s>The euro fell to its lowst level against sterling since the end of June and Italian bonds dropped on Monday, after the country’s leader, Matteo Renzi, said he would resign after conceding defeat in the nation’s constitutional referendum. At midnight, local time, the official website of the Italian interior ministry put the No side at 59 per cent and the Yes vote at 41 per cent. The single currency also fell to a 30-month low against the dollar in Asian trade, but managed to claw bach much of its losses in early trading in Europe, where most stock exchanges also managed to advance. About 33 million Italians, or more than two thirds of eligible voters, cast ballots following months of bitter campaigning that pitted Mr Renzi against all major opposition parties, including the anti-establishment Five Star, the rise of which has been likened to that of Ukip. Beppe Grillo, the firebrand former comedian who leads the seven-year-old party and has pledged to hold a referendum on the euro if M5S wins the next election. The referendum verdict came hours after relief in many European capitals that Austrian voters had rejected Norbert Hofer’s bid to become the first freely elected far-Right head of state in Europe since the Second World War, choosing Green leader Alexander Van der Bellen as president instead. The Italian result is the latest in a series of votes that have roiled financial markets in 2016, following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in June and Donald Trump’s victory in last month’s US presidential election. However, the Italian vote was swiftly seized upon by French National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who tweeted: “The Italians have rejected the European Union and Renzi.” The biggest immediate loser from the No vote could be Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Italy’s third-largest bank, which is weighed down by bad loans and looking to raise £4.2 billion this month to stave off collapse. It was a domestic political argument.” However, he added: “It would be bad for the euro if the government crisis dragged on for a long time.” In a more gloomy warning, German MEP Manfred Weber, the leader of the main conservative group in the European Parliament, said: “Initially, a phase of instability now lies ahead of us — how will one of the biggest countries in the European Union now stabilise itself?” Megan Greene, chief economist at Manulife Asset Management, said that Italian banks’ woes could trigger problems in other eurozone countries.

Following the result of the constitutional referendum, Matteo Renzi will resign from his office as Prime Minister of Italy. With most ballots counted, the "No" vote leads with 60%.

Queen Nefertari, the favourite Royal Consort of Pharaoh Ramses II (Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty c. 1250 BC) is famous for her beautifully decorated tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Her burial was plundered in ancient times yet still many objects were found broken in the debris when the tomb was excavated. Amongst the found objects was a pair of mummified legs. They came to the Egyptian Museum in Turin and are henceforth regarded as the remains of this famous Queen, although they were never scientifically investigated. The following multidisciplinary investigation is the first ever performed on those remains. The results (radiocarbon dating, anthropology, paleopathology, genetics, chemistry and Egyptology) all strongly speak in favour of an identification of the remains as Nefertari’s, although different explanations—albeit less likely—are considered and discussed. The legs probably belong to a lady, a fully adult individual, of about 40 years of age. The materials used for embalming are consistent with Ramesside mummification traditions and indeed all objects within the tomb robustly support the burial as of Queen Nefertari. The aim of the research is to answer—via a multidisciplinary approach to a long historical debate–a complex question. Do the human remains found in the tomb belong to Queen Nefertari’s original burial? ( Fig 3 ). The remains of Nefertari are considered as highly important for History and Egyptology since Nefertari is one of the most famous Queens of Ancient Egypt. Nefertari was the most beloved wife of King Ramses II and played an active role in foreign politics. Her ancestry is unknown. Based on the legible/decipherable inscriptions on a fragment of a faience knob head or pommel found in her tomb, speculations were raised [ 4 , 5 ]. The item carries the throne name ‘Kheper-Kheperu-Ra’ and, is, therefore, connected with King Ay [ 6 ], who ruled Egypt for a few years after Tutankhamun (Turin Mus. Egizio Inv. Suppl. 5162) [ 2 , 7 ]. However, Nefertari did not carry the title ‘Daughter of a King’, which suggests that she was probably not from the main royal line. Because of the chronology, it seems quite unlikely that she was King Ay’s daughter, perhaps she was Ay’s grand-daughter [ 6 , 8 ] ( Fig 1 ). Other scholars emphasize that both Ramses II’s royal wives, Isisnofret [ 9 ] and Nefertari, had a non-royal background [ 10 ]. Nefertari married Ramses when he was crown prince during the reign of his father Sety I. The age at which Ramses II succeeded to the throne of Egypt is uncertain, possibly around his 25 th year [ 10 ]. Nefertari was then presumably the same age as her husband or slightly younger (ca. 20–25 years). She gave birth to four sons (Amun-hir-khepeshef, Pa-Ra-wenem-ef, Mery-Ra and Mery-Atum) and four daughters (Baketmut, Nefertari, Merytamun and Henuttaui). Within the succession line, Nefertari’s sons were always preferred to Queen Isisnofret’s although, in the end, the crown went to Merenptah, a son of Queen Isisnofret. Queen Nefertari, as attested by reliefs, attended the opening ceremony of the rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel in the year 24 of Ramses II’s reign (ca. 1255 BC) ( Fig 2 ) [ 11 ]. After that event, she disappeared. She was absent at the Sed-festival of Ramses II’s 30 th regal year. She probably died around his 25 th year of reign [ 10 ]. As reconstructed from historical records, Nefertari probably reached an age of about 40 to 50 years (minimum 16 + 24 years or maximum 25 + 25 years) whereas Queen Isisnofret I died later, in year 34. Subsequently Ramses II married three of his daughters: Bint-Anat, Merytamun and Nebettaui [ 10 ]. The tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV 66), the second Great Royal Wife of King Ramses II (lifetime ca. 1303–1213 BC), was discovered by Ernesto Schiaparelli (1856–1928) in the Valley of the Queens in 1904. Her burial had been looted in antiquity, so no trace of the original entrance had been preserved. Besides the famous wall paintings, a series of broken remains (e.g. a damaged pink granite sarcophagus, broken furniture, jars, shabtis, other various small items), a pair of sandals and two fragmented mummified legs (parts of tibiae and femora) are preserved. All these items and the human remains are currently housed in the (Museo Egizio Turin, Suppl. 5154 RCGE 14467) [ 1 – 3 ]. (Table A in S1 File ). Original sample of mummified tissue taken from the interior compartment of femura and tibiae contained 108 mg of material. A sample of 79.1 mg was taken for analysis and treated in a soxhlet system. A sequence of solvents (chloroform, hexane, acetone and ethanol) was used to remove resins and waxes [ 20 ]. The remaining sample with a mass of 61.7 mg underwent modified acid base treatment [ 21 ]. The short treatment in room temperature (instead of 60C) was applied because the material underwent rapid dissolution. Only 20% (i.e. 13.5 mg) of the sample remained after ABA. The remaining material was weight into tin cups for a combustion Elemental Analyser and subsequent graphitization [ 22 ] two targets were prepared from the material: one contained mainly powder of the tissue and the second the remaining of the sample. These were then analysed using MICADAS, which is a dedicated 14 C AMS instrument at the AMS facility, ETH Zurich [ 23 ]. The measured 14 C content (F14C) was normalised to the standard Oxalic Acid 2 corrected for blank values and isotopic fractionation using delta 13 C measured on graphite see Hadjas 2008 [ 21 ]. Radiocarbon ages were calculated following the convention of Stuiver and Polach 1977 [ 24 ]. OxCal program [ 25 ] and INTCAL13 [ 26 ] data set were used to calibrate to calendar ages. The analyses were performed at the dedicated ancient DNA laboratory at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine of the University of Zurich. For genetic analysis the samples were cleaned using a 1% bleach solution to remove contaminating DNA from modern individuals that had handled the mummified remains and samples before air drying and crushed in a SPEX freezer mill (6770) to form a fine powder. The DNA was released from the bone powder by decalcification for 48 hours (12 hours 55°C and 36 hours at room temperature) in a 0.45M EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) solution with 100mg Proteinase K added to remove excess proteins and inhibit enzymatic activity. The DNA was released from the soft tissue using the extraction buffer (10mM Tris-HCl, 10mM NaCl, 5mM CaCl2, 2,5mM EDTA, 2% SDS, 40mM DTT and 100mg/ml Proteinase K) for 18 hours at 55°C. The supernatant, containing released DNA, was then subjected to a Phenol-Chloroform extraction to remove any further proteins (mixed twice with 25:24:1, phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol, and the DNA containing supernatants removed, final wash with chloroform), before being concentrated with a modified QiaQuick PCR purification method (final elution incubation at 37°C for 5 minutes to maximise DNA yield). DNA extracts were subjected to conventional PCR amplification of the HVRI of the mtDNA D-loop with four overlapping primer sets and to a sexing assay using real-time PCR as previously described [ 19 ] Each extract was analyzed for mtDNA data twice and for sexing data three times, and three non-template extraction controls and reagent blanks were processed in parallel with each PCR. The amorphous organic residues impregnating the textile samples taken from the knee assemblage were chemically characterized and identified using gas chromatography (GC-MS). After initially grinding samples to a fine powder, a weighed amount of these ground samples (from 10–90 mg) was taken. These samples were then extracted with an appropriate volume (0.5–2 mL) of chloroform-methanol solution (2:1 v/v; 3x60 min sonication). After centrifugation (20 min, 1000 rpm) the supernatant solvent was removed from the residue and placed in a vial. The three extracts were combined and the solvent reduced by rotary evaporation. Following transfer of the combined extracts to a screw-capped vial, the remaining solvent was removed by evaporation under a gentle stream of nitrogen at 40°C. The residue was reweighed to give total lipid extracts (TLE). The TLEs were trimethylsilylated using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Co., St Louis, MO, USA) containing 1% of trimethylchlorosilane (50 μl, 70°C, 1 hour). Excess BSTFA was then removed under a gentle stream of nitrogen and the derivatized sample redissolved in dichloromethane and analyzed by GC-MS. GC-MS analysis of the total lipid extract of each sample was performed on a a Hewlett-Packard 5890 Series II gas chromatograph fitted with a split injector (325°C) interfaced to a Trio 1000 mass spectrometer (electron voltage 70eV, filament current 200 uA, source temperature 170°C, interface temperature 325°C). The acquisition was controlled by Windows based MasSpecII32 Data System, in full scan mode (35–650 amu). Separation was performed on a fused silica capillary column (30 m x 0.25 mm i.d) coated with 0.25 um 5% phenyl methyl polysiloxane (DB-5). Initially the GC was held at 40°C for 5 minutes and then temperature programmed from 40°C-350°C at 8°C min and held at final temperature for 20 minutes (total time 63.75 minutes), with helium as the carrier gas (constant flow 1 ml/min, initial pressure of 45 kPa, splitless injection 1 min). Identification of compounds was achieved on the basis of both their mass spectra (NIST Mass Spectral Database and reference compounds) and relative retention times (relative retention indices (RRIs)). Sandals (also exhibited in the Turin museum) were found among other objects, such as the fragments of a stone sarcophagus of Nefertari bearing an inscription, 34 wooden shabtis bearing her name, two lids of coffers, fabric, broken pottery and fragments of wooden statues in Turin. Mus. Egizio (List B in S1 File ). Almost all objects are either inscribed with the name of Nefertari or, at least, their styles link them to the 19 th Dynasty. The objects were philologically and epigraphically tested for consistency with the hypothesized time period and foot length can be used for forensic reconstruction of body height [ 17 , 18 ], using the regression equation for female [ 18 ] (87.906 + 3.165 x 24.5 = 165 cm). Proportionality rule was applied to compare the ancient samples with the knees from QV 66. Testing of z-score (165 cm– 158 cm) / SD 7 = +1 SD (the less favourable data of 3 rd Intermediate Period) was implemented. By comparing the condyle’s width to Cape Coloured data, sex dimorphism characteristics were tested (studies from ancient Egyptian samples being wanted). The size of the QV 66 knees was then assessed for sex determination via a measurement of both condyles on scaled X-ray pictures (Table A in S1 File ). To look for knee sizes, the condyle’s width was compared to modern samples (young females Cape Coloured) and to ancient samples from Metapontum (Italy 700–300 BC) [ 12 , 13 ] (Table A in S1 File ). Different body height formulae (for modern and for prehistoric remains) [ 14 – 16 ] were used to investigate the individual’s stature. Comparison of the dimensions of QV 66 knees with those of modern poor Sub-Saharan African females was implemented [ 12 ]. Results Anthropometric reconstruction Both knee condyles show a ca. 83–85 mm width if mummified soft tissues are included and ca. 79–80 mm if only the bone is considered. A condyle width of ca 83–84 mm indicates that QV 66 knees were slightly slimmer than those of the younger and poorest women from Sub-Saharan Africa. There is no formula to re-calculate knee width from living to dead, only an estimate the greatest difference would be ca. 1.5 mm in knee width between living and dead persons [12,27,28]. Moreover, it was also possible to determine—acknowledging a certain degree of uncertainty—that the bones found in QV66 belonged to an individual whose stature ranged between 165 cm and 168 cm (Table A in S1 File). Comparing knees with ancient and modern samples Assessment of the size of the QV 66 knees revealed them to be female with a 90% likelihood. With a single exception, the knees from QV 66 belong to an individual taller than e.g. the average ancient Greek women’s range (Table A in S1 File). From the size and proportion of the knees, the most likely body height of QV 66 female was determined to be 165 cm (+/- 2.5 cm). Compared with data about women from the New Kingdom (average 156 cm) and 3rd Intermediate Period (average 158 cm), she was taller than the average Egyptian woman [29]. The QV 66 female was approximately one Standard Deviation taller than average (or taller than 84% of the women of her time). The estimated height of ca. 165 cm is confirmed independently by the calculation of foot size and body height reconstruction obtained from the sandals found in the tomb, which, indeed, belonged to an individual of ca. 165 cm (see below). Compared to e.g. ancient Greek females QV 66 female is 95% above the ancient Greek female range and close to the average male (she is equal in height to ancient Greek and Egyptian men) [13,29]. Ancillary Egyptological analysis: the Sandals and Other Objects Found in Tomb QV 66 Only the faience knob with the name of King Ay found in tomb QV 66 belongs to the late 18th Dynasty and predates Ramses II and Nefertari by perhaps two generations. The poor quality of the shabtis was also a matter of speculation as they seemed ill-fitting for a burial of a great Queen [8]. A fragment of a golden object with the name of Nefertari was discovered in 1988 when the tomb was restored [8]. Other fragments of jewellery without a provenance but bearing the name of the queen are also known. They may also come from QV 66 (List B in S1 File) [8]. The sandals are made of sewn fibre and they belong to the group of type C sandals (Veldmeijer´s classification): type C variation 1; the front strap is Type 3 and back strap is type 2 [30,31]. The style is typical of the 18th– 19th Dynasties [32,33]. The sandals from QV 66 show some wear caused by the movement of the foot on the dorsal (upper) side, the ventral side could not be studied due to mounting on a display panel (neither by Veldmeijer, nor by the authors of the present study). The sandals measure 29 cm in length and 10 cm in width (Fig 11). Type C has a pointed, slightly upturned toe pointing to a modern shoe size of 39–40, if one only counts the length used by the foot, indicated by the imprints and the subtraction of the pointed end [34]. Furthermore the model clearly indicates the position of the big toe, with visible marks of the size, especially on the left sandal: It can be deduced, with a certain reservation, that the sandals’ owner had a body height ranging c. 165 cm using forensic methods [17]. Veldmeijer described the sandals as those of Queen Nefertari [30]. The fine quality manufacture and high quality of the sandals speaks in favour of royal footwear. Thus it is widely accepted, that all objects found in QV 66 seem to be part of the original burial of Queen Nefertari, broken by ancient tomb robbers [7]. PPT PowerPoint slide PowerPoint slide PNG larger image larger image TIFF original image Download: Fig 11. Sandals from tomb QV 66. Museo Egizio Turin Suppl. 5160 RCGE 14471. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166571.g011 Chemical analysis (data on embalming agents) The results of the chemistry of the embalming agents suggest a date earlier than the 3rd Intermediate Period, which is consistent with the evidence for the mummification materials and methods detailed below: the absence of bitumen is consistent with a New Kingdom date since it does not appear in balms from mummies until 900 BC [35,36]. The use of bitumen, and more liberal employment of tree resins in the embalming recipes, is seen in 3rd Intermediate Period mummies and later, the use and proportion of both in relation to the plant oil/animal fat base increasing over time with greatest use during the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods [35,37–39]. Bitumen was not detected in any of the samples from the knee assemblage despite selectively monitoring for the presence of hopanes (m/z 191) and steranes (m/z 217) characteristic of a true natural bitumen [40]; Constituents of coniferous and non-coniferous resins were also not detected. The biomarkers for both these natural products are highly resilient and so can be expected to survive in a burial environment such as QV66 if they were originally present (Fig 12). This is consistent with these samples being largely from the outer layers of wrappings where oils or fats are usually the main or only ‘embalming agent’ during the New Kingdom, and are used to convey religious, political and cultural identities at this time [37]. In this context, it is notable that the samples from the mummified knees all revealed a non-human animal fat as the source of the embalming agents applied liberally to their linen wrappings, with all parts of the knee ‘assemblage’ showing a very similar lipid (fat) profile suggesting a likely common origin, i.e. the same individual. The same non-human animal fat, most likely a ruminant fat, constituting the embalming agent in the outer wrappings from all three parts of the knee assemblage, combined with the absence of evidence for a natron bath being employed and other aspects of the mummification, suggest a 19th or 20th Dynasty date for the mummification. Massive sub-cutaneous stuffing, the characteristic of the 3rd Intermediate Period, is not visible. PPT PowerPoint slide PowerPoint slide PNG larger image larger image TIFF original image Download: Fig 12. Reconstructed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) total ion chromatogram (TIC) of the trimethylsilylated total lipid extract of ‘resin’/linen wrapping from left long leg fragment. Peak identities (‘n’ indicates carbon chain length; where shown, i indicates degree of unsaturation): filled triangles, C n:i indicates fatty acids. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166571.g012</s>Researchers Confident Mysterious Pair Of Mummified Knees Belonged To Queen Nefertari Italian archaeologists discovered the plundered tomb of Queen Nefertari in Egypt's Valley of the Queens in 1904, and amid the debris, they found a pair of mummified knees. The team, which included Dr Stephen Buckley and Professor Joann Fletcher from the University of York's Department of Archaeology, used radiocarbon dating, anthropology, palaeopathology, genetics and chemical analysis to identify the remains. (Handout/Postmedia Network) A pair of mummified knees found in a Egyptian crypt are most likely those of the legendary beautiful Queen Nefertari, scientists now believe. Now, for the first time, researchers have conducted a broad array of tests on the knees and say they are confident they belong to Nefertari, who was the wife of Pharaoh Ramses II and one of the most famous of Egypt's queens. Although plundered in ancient times, the tomb, first excavated by Italian archaeologists in 1904, still contained objects which were sent to the Egyptian Museum in Turin. This included a pair of mummified legs which could have been part of a later interment as was often the case in other tombs in the region. They concluded that these knees belonged to a woman about 40 years old at the time of her death — which, as Fletcher says, was approximately Nefertari's age when she disappeared from the royal stage and is presumed to have died.

Tests, by a team of international archaeologists, of mummified legs found in QV66 in Egypt's Valley of the Queens indicate they most likely belong to Queen Nefertari, Pharaoh Ramesses II's first and favorite wife.

ASUNCION, (Reuters) – South American soccer’s governing body CONMEBOL awarded the 2016 Copa Sudamericana championship to Brazil’s Chapecoense club yesterday after most of the team died in a plane crash in Colombia last week. Only six people survived the crash en route to the final, which killed 71 passengers and crew, shocked football fans worldwide, and plunged Brazil into mourning. Colombia’s Club Atletica Nacional, which would have played Chapecoense in the biggest game in the club’s history, asked for the trophy to be awarded to the Brazilian team to honor the victims, CONMEBOL said in a statement. CONMEBOL’s council decided to honor that request with all of the “sport and economic prerogatives that entails,” the statement said. Club Atletico was also given a one-time Fair Play award. As Sudamericana champions, Chapecoense will automatically play Libertadores champions Atletico Nacional for the Recopa Sudamericana next year. They will also get a guaranteed spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League. Family and friends donning the team’s green and white colors grieved over 50 caskets flown to Chapeco for an open-air wake in the team’s stadium on Saturday. Chapecoense had ascended in a storybook tale from the minor leagues to reach the final of a major South American tournament. A BAe146 regional airliner operated by Bolivian charter company LAMIA had radioed that it was running out of fuel before smashing into a hillside outside Medellin, Colombia.</s>Chapecoense, the Brazilian club involved in the tragic plane crash, have been awarded the Copa Sudamericana by South American football confederation Conmebol after most of their team died in a plane crash en route to the final. "Atletico Nacional have invited Conmebol to deliver the Copa Sudamericana title to the Chapecoense Football Association as an honour for their great loss and in posthumous homage to the victims of the tragic accident that has our sport in mourning," it read. Club officials had said on Saturday that the title and $2 million prize money would be bestowed upon the Brazilian side after a plane carrying the team crashed en route to the Copa final last Monday, taking the lives of 71 people on board -- including 19 players. Atletico Nacional, who asked for the Brazilian side to be awarded the trophy, have awarded Fair Play award to acknowledge their "spirit of peace, understanding and fair play". People want football, people love football in Chapeco. As the winner of this year's tournament, Chapecoense will automatically qualify for next season's Copa Libertadores, the continent's top tournament. It also means that Chapecoense will face Atletico Nacional -- the defending Copa Libertadores champions -- in an emotion-charged two-game Supercopa Sul-Americana next year between the continent's two club champions.

In association football, CONMEBOL officially awards Chapecoense the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title in the wake of the plane crash that killed almost the entire team. Atlético Nacional, which would have faced Chapecoense in the final and had campaigned for the Brazilians to be awarded the title, receives a fair play award from CONMEBOL.

Iraqi forces, backed the U.S.-led international coalition, launched a campaign in October to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city and IS's last major urban bastion in Iraq. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo) MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — Iraq special forces captured a new neighborhood Wednesday from the Islamic State group in eastern Mosul, according to a senior commander — the latest gain in a massive military operation now its seventh week. The commander of a joint operations center that oversees the Mosul campaign, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarellah, said in a statement that troops had "fully liberated" the al-Elam neighborhood and raised the Iraqi flag over its buildings. He added that the attacks "inflicted heavy losses," without giving specific casualty figures or further details. After the advance on Tuesday, Iraqi forces said that they pushed the front line back more than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) and retook Mosul's al-Salam hospital, but only a few hundred meters (yards) appeared to be secured and clashes continued into the evening. Progress in Mosul has been slowed by heavily armored Islamic State car bombs, snipers and networks of tunnels that allow the fighters to move without being seen by U.S.-led coalition aircraft. The deadliest among a total of nine bombings took place in Baghdad's northern Sabi al-Bor area and the southeast suburb of Nahrawan where three civilians were killed in each attack, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.</s>Federal police forces fire towards Daesh militants during clashes in the frontline village of Adhbah, south of Mosul, Iraq, on Tuesday (Reuters photo) BARTALLA, Iraq — Iraqi forces battled extremists deep inside Mosul on Wednesday, edging closer to the River Tigris that divides the city and looking for a breakthrough in the seven-week-old offensive. Lieutenant-General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah, the campaign's commander, was quoted by Iraqi television as saying on Tuesday that troops had entered Al-Salam Hospital, less than 1.5km from the Tigris, which runs through Iraq's second-largest city. The offensive involved the army's Ninth Armoured Division, which had been tied up for more than a month in close-quarter combat with fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) on Mosul's southeastern edges. Mosul is by far the largest city under Islamic State control and defeating its fighters there would roll back the self-styled caliphate it declared in Iraq and Syria 2014 after seizing large parts of both countries. Some 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, security forces, Kurdish peshmerga fighters and mainly Shi'ite paramilitary forces are participating in the overall Mosul campaign that began on Oct. 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led coalition. A colonel in the armored division said Tuesday's assault, launched at 6 a.m., aimed to push towards the river and ultimately reach Mosul's Fourth Bridge, the southernmost of the five bridges spanning the Tigris which splits the city in two. The bridge, like three others, has been hit by U.S.-led air strikes to prevent Islamic State sending reinforcements and suicide car bombs across the city to the eastern front, where counter-terrorism troops have spearheaded the army campaign. The last and oldest bridge, built of iron in the 1930s, was targeted on Monday night, two residents said. The structure was not destroyed, but the air strikes made two large craters in the approach roads on both sides. READ MORE: Mosul residents 'won't leave' despite dire conditions Although it has made advances inside eastern Mosul, the army says it is battling in the toughest urban warfare imaginable - facing hundreds of suicide car bomb attacks, mortar barrages, sniper fire, and ambushes launched from a network of tunnels. It its latest situation report, the UN spoke of spiralling civilian casualties as Iraqi forces went house to house in east Mosul, attempting to battle militants and protect civilians at the same time. "We are using a new tactic - increasing the numbers of advancing forces and also attacking from multiple fronts to take the initiative and prevent Daesh [ISIL] fighters from organising any counterattacks," the colonel said on condition of anonymity.

The Iraqi Army bears down on a strategic bridge across the Tigris River in Mosul. Fighting is occurring in the Salam neighbourhood less than 1.5 kilometres from the Tigris.

By Josh Boak and Tali Arbel, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — After meeting with Donald Trump on Tuesday, Japanese tech billionaire Masayoshi Son said he will invest $50 billion in the United States and would “commit” to creating 50,000 new jobs over an unspecified time period. Son left Trump Tower after being escorted down the elevator by the president-elect, who touted the pledge before waiting investors. Son, who wore a red tie and red sweater under his suit jacket, told reporters his company, a $68 billion telecommunications and tech investment behemoth, would create jobs by investing in startup companies in the United States. Trump quickly took credit for Son’s commitment on Tuesday, writing on Twitter: “Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!” “I just came to celebrate his new job,” Son said. Addressing local media after the meeting, Son had to explain that SoftBank is not the manufacturer of Apple Inc.’s iPhone and he is not in fact the CEO of Foxconn Technology Group, the Taiwanese company that makes the smartphones. The lack of details on investment timetable also prompted doubts whether the promise of money and jobs will be met, as Sprint is slashing staff numbers to cut more than $2 billion in costs this year. It's one of the largest telecommunications companies in Japan, and it was the first Japanese cell phone carrier to sell the iPhone. The investment, announced jointly by Trump and Son in the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan, would come from the $100 billion investment fund the head of SoftBank is setting up with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund and other potential partners, according to the Wall Street Journal. The 50,000 target exceeds the combined workforce of Sprint, SoftBank’s most recent acquisition ARM Holdings Plc and its e-commerce unit Yahoo Japan Corp. Japan’s second-richest man has a 300-year plan for his worldwide technology empire and is fond of speaking about the imminent advent of advanced artificial intelligence. And it has partnered with Foxconn on its robotics business, most notably making Pepper, the robot pal that learns to love people.</s>FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised to "heal our divisions and unify our country" as he prepares to meet with some of the victims of last week's car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University. "When Americans are unified there is nothing we cannot do — nothing!" “When Americans are unified there is nothing we cannot do — nothing!” Trump told the crowd at a rally Tuesday night in Fayetteville, North Carolina. "I'm asking you to dream big again as Americans. I'm asking you to believe in yourselves." "The Republican businessman largely stuck to the script — and, in a change, even stopped the crowd when it started to boo the media — and avoided some of the score-settling and scorched-earth rhetoric that defined his campaign and was present again last week in Cincinnati.Trump is expected to visit Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them before they are announced.Authorities have said Ohio State University student Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, stabbed students before being fatally shot by police. Trump is expected to visit Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them before they are announced. Authorities have said Ohio State University student Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, stabbed students before being fatally shot by police. He first rammed a campus crowd with his car before hopping out with a knife. He first rammed a campus crowd with his car before hopping out with a knife.Authorities have said Artan, a Somali immigrant, was inspired by Islamic State rhetoric, but they are still investigating the claim by the militant group that it had recruited the student. Trump has denounced the immigration policies that allowed Artan into the country. Trump has denounced the immigration policies that allowed Artan into the country.In North Carolina, he repeated his vow to fortify the nation's military and brought Marine Gen. James Mattis on stage, officially naming his choice to be defense secretary after teasing it last week.Earlier Tuesday, Trump telegraphed that when he takes office in six weeks he'll take an interventionist role in the nation's economy — as well as play showman when he sees a chance. Earlier Tuesday, Trump telegraphed that when he takes office in six weeks he'll take an interventionist role in the nation's economy — as well as play showman when he sees a chance. The celebrity businessman's declaration about Air Force One caused manufacturer Boeing's stock to drop temporarily and raised fresh questions about how his administration — not to mention his Twitter volleys — could affect the economy. "The plane is totally out of control," Trump told reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower. "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money.” Earlier he had tweeted that the deal’s costs were “out of control, more than $4 billion. Earlier he had tweeted that the deal's costs were "out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" Cancel order!” Not long after his first appearance, Trump returned to the lobby with Masayoshi Son, the CEO of SoftBank, a massive telecommunications company that counts Sprint among its holdings. Trump pointed proudly to Son's commitment to invest $50 billion in the United States, which Trump said could create 50,000 jobs.Trump — who also tweeted the deal — shook Son's hand and posed for photos. Trump — who also tweeted the deal — shook Son's hand and posed for photos. Details of the deal were scarce and it was unclear if the money was part of a fund of up to $100 billion in global technology investments that SoftBank and the government of Saudi Arabia announced in October.As for Air Force One, the government has agreed that Boeing will build two new planes, which would go into service around 2024. As for Air Force One, the government has agreed that Boeing will build two new planes, which would go into service around 2024. That means Trump might never fly on the aircraft, which carry U.S. presidents around the globe. That means Trump might never fly on the aircraft, which carry U.S. presidents around the globe.The overall deal for researching, developing and building new planes was to be about $3 billion, but costs have been reported to be rising. The General Accountability Office estimated in March that about $2 billion of the total — for work between 2010 and 2020 — was for research and development on complex systems, not for building the actual aircraft. The inflated $4 billion figure Trump cited appears to include operation and maintenance as well. The inflated $4 billion figure Trump cited appears to include operation and maintenance as well.Trump had tweeted in 2013 that he owned Boeing stock, but a spokesman said Tuesday he sold all of his stock holdings in June. That sale was not publicized by the campaign at the time, and aides did not reveal how much cash it might have generated. That sale was not publicized by the campaign at the time, and aides did not reveal how much cash it might have generated.___Associated Press writers Joseph Pisani in New York and Stephen Braun and Richard Lardner in Washington contributed reporting.___Reach Lemire on Twitter at http: [email protected]

After a meeting with President-elect of the United States Donald Trump, Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group pledges to invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 jobs.

Alaska Airlines is bracing for frost and snow in Seattle Thursday, after blaming mechanical failure and airport congestion for delays in de-icing on Monday. Alaska Airlines blamed rapid growth in Seattle air travel and mechanical failures in some of its de-icing trucks for stranding hundreds of travelers on the tarmac Monday morning and the cancellation of dozens of flights. Alaska, which by far had the most cancellations and delays at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, said the de-icing trucks have been repaired — in time for predicted frost and snow Thursday. In hindsight, the airline says it should have delayed takeoffs from other cities so arriving passengers wouldn’t have to wait while other planes were de-iced and moved from the gate. “We should have kept them in their original cities. If we had delayed them in San Francisco or any other West Coast city, they could have stayed there, until we knew they could deplane (at SeaTac),” Alaska spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said Tuesday. Dozens of planes waited for a gate to open, though the backlog began to subside by midday Monday. In the past, jets typically were de-iced at a separate space at the north end of the airport, she said. But other planes were parked there Monday, so de-icing had to be done at the gates. “All of this came to a head at the worst time,” Egan said. Seattle-based Alaska said it canceled 48 flights overall, serving 6,300 passengers, as of 1 p.m. Monday. “We fell short today and I apologize,” Chief Operating Officer Ben Minicucci said in a statement Monday. “We pride ourselves on running a reliable airline and that didn’t happen today. We’ve staffed up and are working to get our customers to their final destinations as quickly as possible.” There were a total 24 cancellations by Alaska leaving Sea-Tac on Monday, one on Spirit Air, and one on Southwest, said airport spokesman Brian DeRoy. Delta had no cancellations but experienced some delays. Monday and Tuesday, airport staff kept the runways and taxiways clear and there were no problems with those that would have caused a cancellation, DeRoy said. “Our runways were free and clear, there was no weather conditions at SeaTac whatsoever,” he said. Typically, de-icing requires 12 to 20 minutes, to spray a glycol solution onto the aircraft. A second coating is often needed in heavy snow. Alaska customers affected by this week’s weather can change their tickets or request refunds, if they make arrangements by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, provided the new trip is completed on or before Dec. 11. The reservations number is 1-800-252-7522 or people can go to www.alaskaair.com.</s>Dozens of flights were canceled Tuesday in Seattle as icy conditions continued to grip Sea-Tac Airport. Thirty-five cancellations were from Alaska Airlines, and a total of 87 flights were canceled. While plane de-icing happens routinely before takeoff at airports across the Last Frontier, cool weather strains resources at the busy Seattle airport where warmer temperatures are the norm. Because of the broad delays, Alaska is allowing customers to change or refund tickets without incurring a fee for travel originally scheduled for Dec. 5 or Dec. 6. Alaska customers will be notified if their flight is canceled, but travelers flying through Seattle on any air carrier should check the website they used to book before arriving at the airport. The news comes a day after 6,300 Alaska Airlines customers were impacted by cancellations.

Airlines serving the regional hub cancel 87 flights into and out of Sea-Tac airport, due to ice on airport runways. Among the affected air carriers, Alaska Airlines has cancelled 35 flights.

In the last few years there has been a national spotlight placed on the police in this country. One of Youngstown State University’s strongest and largest departments is the Bitonte College of Health and Human Services’ department of criminal justice and forensic sciences. Edward Villone has been YSU’s Police Academy Commander since 2013. Villone said the criminal justice department continues to see high enrollment and good perspective from students. “[The Police Academy students] want to be the police and want to do something good. People come into this for the right reason,” he said. “It is a lot of work, time and effort and stress on yourself and your family to be involved in law enforcement to begin with, so I think they come into it today for the right reason.” The issues police are facing are always evolving, and the curriculum used in the criminal justice department and police academy has been updated to reflect these changes. “The evolving changes are the issues with terrorism, new technologies, DNA evidence, electronic evidence and cybercrimes,” Villone said. “Things that are dynamic in nature have completely revamped the curriculums for the state and for the students, so they stay abreast to what’s going on.” Villone noted that the curriculum is designed for them to interject and add information on these evolving topics. The day after the Ohio State University attacks in November, YSU’s police academy was able to discuss it and focus in on issues of terrorism. Several of the students in the police academy said they had mixed feelings on how prepared they feel going into the workforce after graduation. Nathan Fabian, a police academy student, said while a classroom education is important, it can only do so much when it comes to a cop’s overall education. “We’ve taken in a lot of knowledge, but there’s absolutely no way to fully prepare for [this job] … You don’t learn police work in a classroom,” Fabian said. “You learn it through experience.” Fabian said that as a student he never second guessed his decision to choose policing. “I personally felt like as things got progressively worse that was more so a call to duty for me,” he said. David Ritz, another student in the police academy, said the people speaking to them at the academy are proof that they will be as prepared as they can be going into the job. “We’ve had so many instructors who are phenomenal police officers, and they had far fewer hours in a police academy than we do,” Ritz said. “They’re still capable of doing their job at an extremely high level, so that just shows you that a lot of it is going to be learning while you’re on the job. That’s why you have those senior guys to actually speak into you and show you what you’re supposed to be doing.” Christian Onwudiwe is a professor in the criminal justice department. He said the curriculum has been infused with the dynamics of cultural diversity. “Before, cultural diversity was not an issue in policing, but today it is,” Onwudiwe said. “As a police officer, you are breaking within a multiethnic, multiracial society.” Onwudiwe said the opportunity to help make students great future police officers motivates him in teaching. “I’m excited to teach it. It’s a good and noble career. A few bad officers have made the profession look bad. They should serve everyone equally and not abuse their power,” he said. “Police can’t solve the problem of crime if they don’t have the support of the public. We need each other.”

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) issues final approval for Alaska Airlines to acquire Virgin America, in a US$2.6 billion dollar merger. In exchange for approval, the DOJ requires Alaska Airlines to reduce its partnership with American Airlines.

Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |.Days of torrential rain and flooding have killed at least 14 people in southern Thailand, with authorities declaring much of the region a disaster zone, the government said on Tuesday. Heavy rains have lashed the central part of Thailand's south for much of the last week, including the popular tourist draws of Krabi, Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan, affecting some flights and ferry services. "582,343 people from 88 districts are affected and 14 have people have been killed," the interior ministry said in an update. One person is reportedly missing, while three others suffered injuries. Trains have also been halted in one province off the Gulf of Thailand as the rails there were submerged under rising floodwaters. Thailand's Meteorological Department has forecast continued downpours across the region for the next few days.</s>BANGKOK, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Floods in Thailand have killed 14 people and badly affected southern holiday islands as the country heads into the December-January high season for tourism, authorities said on Tuesday. A low pressure system has brought heavy rain to parts of the south including the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, and floods have also severed the rail link to the south and Malaysia beyond. Tourism has been a rare bright spot for an economy that has struggled to gain traction since the army seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 to end months of political unrest. The death on Oct. 13 of long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej plunged the country into grief and also raised questions about tourist arrivals though authorities say the country is open for business despite a year of mourning. “There has been heavier rain than usual which has caused drainage problems,” Nongyao Jirundom of the state Tourism Authority of Thailand on Samui island told Reuters. “Swimming is out of the question.” The National Disaster Warning Centre said 14 Thai people had been killed in various accidents caused by the weather in different parts of the south. Southbound trains have been halted in the town of Thung Song in Nakhon Si Thammarat province because of flooding. Nakhon Si Thammarat has had 447 mm of precipitation in the past 7 days, 380 mm more than the average for this time of year, according to Thomson Reuters data. December marks the beginning of the dry season when tourists descend on palm fringed beaches to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays. Despite the mourning period for the late king, authorities are bullish about the outlook for tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product. The tourism ministry expects a record 32.4 million arrivals this year. Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people and caused major disruption to industry, cutting economic growth that year to just 0.1 percent. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Heavy flooding kills 14 people in Thailand and badly affects the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand. It has also severed the rail link to southern Thailand and Malaysia.

A court in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday sentenced 15 people to death and several others to prison terms in a case involving an alleged Iranian spy cell, a sign of the continuing tension between the two West Asian powers. A Riyadh criminal court handed down its ruling to the 32 people who were charged, including 30 Saudis, one Iranian and one Afghan national. Their names were not made public. Amnesty International criticised the proceedings as “a travesty of justice and a serious violation of human rights”. Saudi state media had reported in February that those charged were accused of establishing a spy ring in collaboration with Iranian intelligence and providing Iran with sensitive information on the Saudi military. The reports also said theywere charged with seeking to commit acts of sabotage against Saudi interests. — AP</s>The condemning of 15 people to death by the Specialized Criminal Court today after a grossly unfair trial is a travesty of justice and a serious violation of human rights, said Amnesty International. The men were among 32 people arrested across Saudi Arabia in 2013 and 2014 who were accused of spying for Iran. Fifteen others were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to 25 years and two were acquitted. The men were charged with a series of offences including “high treason” with some facing several other ludicrous charges which should not be considered criminal offences such as “supporting protests”, “spreading the Shi’a faith” and “possessing banned books and videos”. “Sentencing 15 people to death after a farcical trial which flouted basic fair trial standards is a slap in the face for justice. Time and again, Saudi Arabia’s justice system has been proven to be incapable of ensuring fairness and justice,” said Samah Hadid, Deputy Director for Campaigns at Amnesty International’s Beirut regional office. “The death penalty is cruel, inhuman and degrading in any circumstances but it is even more shocking when people are sentenced to death after blatantly unfair trials. These death sentences must be immediately quashed and the accused must either be re-tried in line with international standards without resorting to the death penalty, or released.” Sentencing 15 people to death after a farcical trial which flouted basic fair trial standards is a slap in the face for justice Samah Hadid, Deputy Director for Campaigns at the Beirut Regional office Those convicted were all Saudi Arabian nationals except for one Iranian national who was sentenced to four years in prison. An Afghan national was one of the two men acquitted. According to Taha al-Hajji, one of the lawyers who represented most of the accused, all 32 men arrested were detained without an arrest warrant and held for almost three months in incommunicado detention where they were repeatedly interrogated without a lawyer, heightening the risk that they could face torture and other ill-treatment. In many cases they only discovered the reason for their arrest during their interrogations. Some told the court that they were threatened with solitary confinement and that they would be banned from having any contact with their families if they did not sign “confession” documents. They said they were told that if they refused to sign these “confessions” that their families would be imprisoned and locked in cells next to them. After almost three years in detention without charge or trial the defendants were suddenly brought before the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia’s secretive security and counter-terrorism court in February 2016. Most of them attended their first session without any lawyers and the rest met their lawyers briefly for the first time in court. Some of the defendants had to prepare their defence themselves. “The entire legal proceedings in this case have made a mockery of justice. The fact that the men were held incommunicado for three months, denied access to a lawyer during the interrogations, and that the court failed to adequately investigate the men’s claims that they were coerced to ‘confess’ makes this little more than a sham trial,” said Samah Hadid. The entire legal proceedings in this case have made a mockery of justice Samah Hadid, Deputy Director for Campaigns at the Beirut Regional office While the General Prosecutor had almost three years to build the case against the 32 defendants, their lawyers were given less than a month to prepare their defence after the first hearing and were denied crucial information to enable them to prepare a proper case. The lawyers complained saying they needed more time since it was a very complex case with 32 defendants involved, however, the request was ignored by the judge. They were initially denied access to court documents and key evidence relied upon for the convictions, including the forced “confessions” of the men. During the first session in February 2016, the 32 defendants were handed a list of charges that was nearly 100 pages long. Most of the defendants were accused of offences such as “high treason” for either setting up or joining a spy cell or meeting with Iranian intelligence and sharing military and security information with them. However, some of the other charges listed against the men are not recognizably criminal offences under international standards. These include “supporting protests”, “spreading the Shi’a faith” for example by setting up a Shi’a centre in Mecca, “possessing banned books and videos”, “inciting the public to break allegiance to the ruler and harm his reputation and the reputation of the royal family” among other charges. One defendant, who is among those sentenced to death, even faced charges for possessing articles written by Mikhlif al-Shammari a prominent human rights defender and advocate for Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a Muslim community who was sentenced to prison and 200 lashes for his activism. It is not the first time a Saudi Arabian court has issued death sentences after an unfair mass trial. On 1 June 2016, 14 Shi’a Muslim men were sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court after a trial which relied on “confessions” extracted through torture for a series of offences including among other things, taking part in violent protests in the Eastern Provinces in 2012. Trials before the Specialized Criminal Court are shrouded in secrecy. Given the opaque procedures at these courts, in some cases simply being brought to trial appears to be enough grounds for judges to find the accused guilty. In a letter submitted to the Specialized Criminal Court at the second session several of the lawyers said they would boycott the trial in protest the manner in which the trial was being conducted including the fact that they were not allowed to visit their clients, view evidence and prepare their defence adequately. The lawyers also objected to the “media war” waged against the defendants. The Saudi Arabian authorities do not allow any critical or independent media to operate in the Kingdom.

Amnesty International criticizes a Saudi court decision to impose the death sentence on 15 people in a case involving 32 people including 30 Saudis, one Iranian and one Afghan national in an alleged Iranian spy cell.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a California insider-trading conviction in a ruling that will make it easier for prosecutors to bring cases against some people on Wall Street and in other parts of the country. Ruling in its first insider-trading case in two decades, the justices unanimously said that people can be sent to prison for ...

The U.S. Supreme Court upholds an appeals court decision in an insider trading case, Salman v. U.S., holding that there is no requirement that a tipper receive any pecuniary consideration for a breach of faith in order to predicate the prosecution of the tippee.

PARIS — Manuel Valls, France's Socialist prime minister, announced Monday evening that he will run for the French presidency in next spring's election, promising that France would remain a bulwark of progress amid a global turn to the right. Other said they would vote for the hardliner Francois Fillon, a former prime minister who last week beat favorites Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppe — the previous president and another former prime minister, respectively — in the primaries of the center-right Republicans party (formerly known as UMP). A left-wing Ashkenazi Jewish filmmaker from Paris, Morgensztern was too disappointed with the ruling Socialists under French President Francois Hollande to vote for them a second time in elections scheduled for April.</s>The announcement Monday came during a news conference in Evry, where Valls previously served as mayor before being elected to the National Assembly. Prior to serving as prime minister, Valls was France's interior minister. Moments after announcing his candidacy, Valls said that his aim in running was to create an independent France, "inflexible on its values facing China of (President) Xi Jinping, Russia of (President Vladimir) Putin, (President-elect) Donald Trump's America, Turkey of (President Recep) Erdogan." If successful, Valls will likely face Francois Fillon of the Republican Party and Marine Le Pen of the far-right Front National in the first round of the presidential election next spring.

Bernard Cazeneuve is announced as the new Prime Minister of France replacing Manuel Valls who is contesting the 2017 French Presidential Election.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked a fossil fuel industry defender as his top environmental official, another retired general as homeland security chief and Iowa’s governor as U.S. ambassador to China in choices at odds with some of his recent pronouncements. For reminding America that demagoguery feeds on despair and that truth is only as powerful as the trust in those who speak it, for empowering a hidden electorate by mainstreaming its furies and live-streaming its fears, and for framing tomorrow’s political culture by demolishing yesterday’s, Donald Trump is TIME’s 2016 Person of the Year. Aside from the personnel announcements, Trump basked in being named Time magazine’s “person of the year,” telling NBC’s “Today” show, “It’s a great honor, it means a lot.” In an interview with Time, Trump continued to take on corporate America, promising to bring down drug prices and causing shares of U.S. pharmaceutical and biotech companies to fall. The real estate tycoon, who has never previously held elected office and shocked the political establishment by defeating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, is featured on Time’s cover described as “Donald Trump: President of the Divided States of America.” The magazine said its person of the year, a tradition that began in 1927, “had the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.” “So which is it this year: better or worse?” editor-in-chief Nancy Gibbs wrote.</s>President-elect Donald Trump shades his eyes while looking at supporters during a rally in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST): President-elect Donald Trump is planning to travel to Ohio State University to meet with some of the victims of the recent attack that left 11 people injured. Trump is expected to arrive in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them before they are announced. Authorities have said Ohio State University student Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, stabbed students before being fatally shot by police. He first rammed a campus crowd with his car before hopping out with a knife. Authorities have said Artan, a Somali immigrant, was inspired by Islamic State rhetoric, but they are still investigating the claim by the militant group that it had recruited the student. Trump has denounced the immigration policies that allowed Artan into the country. President-elect Donald Trump is officially announcing he will nominate retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be his Defense Secretary, bringing his pick onstage in North Carolina. Mattis briefly addressed the crowd in Fayetteville, thanking Trump for the nomination. Fayetteville is the latest stop in Trump's "thank you" tour to salute his supporters. The venue is near several major military bases, including Fort Bragg. Trump is also repeating his vow to reinforce the nation's military, believing it will lead to "peace through strength." He says, "We seek to build up our arms not to seek conflict, but to avoid conflict." Mattis will require a congressional waiver to accept the post since he has not been out of uniform for the required seven years. Vice President-elect Mike Pence is claiming a governing mandate for the Trump administration, calling on conservative activists to help the incoming White House pass an ambitiously conservative agenda. Pence made little reference to still-simmering national divides in his address at a Tuesday night event honoring top donors to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that's working closely with Donald Trump's transition effort. "We truly do believe that our president-elect has secured a mandate for leadership," he said. Despite winning the electoral vote, Trump is 2.6 million behind Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the popular vote. Clinton's lead there has sparked calls from Democrats to abolish the Electoral College. Pence spoke in the "presidential ballroom" of Trump's Washington, D.C., hotel. Vice President-elect Mike Pence is acknowledging that the son of Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser was helping his father with scheduling and administrative items. But Pence says "that's no longer the case." Pence says in an interview with CNN that Michael Flynn Jr., the son of retired Gen. Michael Flynn, was helping his father during the transition. Flynn Jr. sent numerous posts on Twitter about the conspiracy theories of Pizzagate, a fake news story that falsely suggested a Washington, D.C., pizza shop had played a key role in a child sex trafficking ring run by Hillary Clinton. Pence was pressed repeatedly by host Jake Tapper on whether a security clearance was requested for Flynn Jr. The vice president-elect declined to directly answer the question. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is advising state electors not to vote for him in an anti-Donald Trump protest. Kasich, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for president, told The Associated Press Tuesday he is not a candidate for president, the election was held and Trump was the winner. He says the U.S. is divided, with raw emotions on both sides, but an anti-Trump protest vote will only further divide the country. Kasich says unity is needed now and it's time for all to come together as Americans. Trump won 306 electoral votes in the Nov. 8 presidential election, easily enough to make him president when the electoral college meets Dec. 19. Electors are pledged to candidates but allowed to change their votes, though they almost never do. When the Trump administration takes office in January, it's going to be back to the future for Republican senators — on Tuesday afternoons, anyway. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Vice President-elect Mike Pence will periodically have Tuesday lunches with GOP senators. Senate Republicans have closed-door lunches together on Tuesdays to discuss legislation and politics, usually in the Capitol. Senate Democrats do the same thing. Vice President Dick Cheney used to lunch frequently with Senate Republicans while he served under President George W. Bush from 2001 through 2008. McConnell told reporters Tuesday that those lunches with Cheney were a big help to lawmakers. The Kentucky Republican says that gives them "access to the second most important person in the executive branch, on a routine basis." After meeting with Donald Trump on Tuesday, Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son said he would invest $50 billion in the United States and "commit" to creating 50,000 new jobs. Son said he "came to celebrate" Trump's new job, and said, "The U.S. will become great again." As the founder and chief executive of Softbank, Son controls the U.S. telecom Sprint. Shares in Sprint spiked after the announcement was made. Son left Trump Tower escorted by the president-elect. The financial details about the commitment and its time frame are unclear. But Trump quickly took credit for the commitment, saying on Twitter, "Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!" Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he has spoken to President-elect Donald Trump by telephone and mentioned Chicago's status as a sanctuary city for immigrants. Emanuel said Trump called him to talk about the White House transition. Emanuel is a former White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama and also worked in the Clinton administration. Emanuel spoke about the call at an unrelated event Monday. The mayor said he discussed "a range of things" with Trump. He said he specifically mentioned Chicago being a sanctuary city, which means city employees and police officers can't ask residents about their immigration status. During the presidential campaign, Trump promised to withhold federal funding for sanctuary cities. Emanuel didn't offer more details about the call. A spokesman for Donald Trump says the president-elect sold all of his stocks in June. The spokesman did not provide any proof or specify the stocks that were sold. Aide Jason Miller was responding to a question from reporters about whether Trump had stocks in Boeing. Earlier Tuesday, Trump said the government should cancel its multibillion-dollar order with Boeing for new Air Force One presidential planes. Miller confirmed to the AP that he was referring to all of Trump's stocks. He said he was not aware if Trump had any stocks in Boeing at the time. The AP has requested proof of Trump's stock sales, but Trump's transition team has so far not provided any. President-elect Donald Trump is slated to attend the annual Army-Navy football game this Saturday in Baltimore. Transition officials said Tuesday that Trump would attend the 117th annual game. He will sit on Navy's side of the field for one half of the game, and on Army's side for the other. The game between the two military academies has long drawn commander in chiefs. President Barack Obama attended the game in 2011. President George W. Bush also attended the game while in office. The game is held at a neutral site and in recent years has largely alternated between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Navy has won the game 14 straight years. House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending President-elect Donald Trump's phone conversation with the Taiwanese president, calling it "much ado about nothing." Ryan told reporters Tuesday that it is "prudent" for Trump to accept congratulatory phone calls. Ryan says he himself spoke to President Tsai Ing-wen two months ago. Ryan says not taking the call would be "considered a snub." Taiwan split from China in 1949, but China still considers the island part of its territory and would consider it unacceptable for the U.S. to recognize Taiwan's leader as a head of state. Trump advisers have made conflicting statements about whether the call was a congratulatory conversation or a signal of a new policy toward China. President-elect Donald Trump has thanked Czech President Milos Zeman for his support, and the two have exchanged invitations to visit. Zeman's office says Trump appreciated the fact that Zeman "was the only European president" to endorse him during the campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton. During the Tuesday phone call, Trump invited Zeman to visit him in the White House in April. Zeman's office says the Czech president returned the invitation by suggesting the president-elect visit Prague — and that invitation was accepted. Their views of the fight against Islamic terrorism and political and economic cooperation between the U.S. and the Czech Republic were also discussed. Zeman endorsed Trump with several other European leaders, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Trump's former wife, Ivana is of Czech origin. Donald Trump wants the government's contract for a new Air Force One canceled. The president-elect tweeted that the contract with Boeing for a new presidential plane is costing $4 billion. He later told reporters at Trump Tower that the manufacturer is "doing a little bit of a number" and the cost is "ridiculous." Trump added that, "We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money." The government has contracted with Boeing to build two or more new planes that would go into service around 2024. Vice President-elect Mike Pence says the conspiracy-minded son of a key adviser to Donald Trump has no role in the president-elect's transition. Pence told MSNBC Tuesday that the son of retired Gen. Mike Flynn "has no involvement in the transition whatsoever." The statement comes after Mike Flynn Jr. sent numerous posts on Twitter about the conspiracy theories of Pizzagate, a fake news story suggesting a Washington, D.C., pizza shop, Comet Ping Pong, plays a key role in a child sex trafficking ring run by Hillary Clinton. Police say the conspiracy theory led to violence Sunday when a North Carolina man fired a rifle in the restaurant as he sought to investigate the accusations. No one was injured, and the man was arrested. Flynn Jr., who has accompanied his father to presidential transition meetings inside Trump Tower and lists the presidential transition website as part of his Twitter bio, tweeted Sunday night that, "Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story." Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary will be with him at a Tuesday night rally in North Carolina. That's according to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. The Indiana governor told MSNBC Tuesday that Trump intends to officially announce the nomination of James Mattis to the helm of the Pentagon. The retired general will escort Trump to the rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The rally is part of Trump's tour of battleground states where voters helped him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. He'll be in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday and Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday. NATO's chief says the alliance and the European Union are moving forward on deepening cooperation, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump insists European allies start pulling their own military weight. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters before chairing talks between NATO foreign ministers Tuesday that "we have a momentum now." He said NATO and the EU would endorse 40 proposals for boosting cooperation on cyber security and hybrid threats, operations at sea and helping neighboring countries better defend themselves. Stoltenberg said "questions have been asked with respect to the strength of the trans-Atlantic bond" and that the best way to respond is to boost NATO-EU cooperation. Trump lambasted Europeans during the U.S. campaign for not paying their fair share of defense budgets and wants NATO to do more against terrorism. President-elect Donald Trump is taking his show back on the road. Trump is slated to hold the second stop of this "thank you" tour Tuesday in North Carolina, less than a week after his bombastic return to rallies at an Ohio appearance that felt more like a raucous campaign stop than a traditional speech by a president-to-be. At that Cincinnati stop, Trump disparaged the media as "dishonest," inspired loud "Build the wall" chants and stunned his own aides with his surprise announcement from the stage that that he was appointing retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense. The Tuesday appearance in Fayetteville will be followed by rallies in Iowa and Michigan later this week as Trump barnstorms the country to salute his supporters.

President-elect of the United States Donald Trump is named Time Person of the Year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The union president slammed by Donald Trump on Twitter challenged the president-elect today to back up his claim that a deal to discourage Carrier Corp. from closing an Indiana factory would save 1,100 American jobs. "He overreacted, President-elect Trump did," United Steelworkers Local 1999 President Chuck Jones told CNN. "He should have come out and tried to justify his numbers." Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence — governor of Indiana — visited Carrier's Indianapolis factory Dec. 1 to celebrate the deal. Jones said following Trump's announcement that the number of jobs saved is more like 800. Jones says the total is much less because more than 400 jobs will still be lost from the Indianapolis plant. "A lot of the people thought at that time thought that they were going to have a job" who might not, Jones said Thursday. Late Wednesday, Trump tweeted: "Chuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers." [INTERACTIVE: Donald Trump timeline + guide to all appointments made so far] In a second tweet, Trump suggested Jones should "Spend more time working — less time talking" and the union should "Reduce dues." About 30 minutes after Trump tweeted about Jones, the union leader started getting harassing phone calls, he told MSNBC. He said one caller asked: "What kind of car do you drive?" Another said: "We're coming for you." He told the cable news outlet he wasn't sure how the callers found his number. "Nothing that says they're going to kill me, but, you know, you better keep your eye on your kids," Jones told MSNBC. "I've been doing this job for 30 years, and I've heard everything from people who want to burn my house down or shoot me ... I can deal with people that make stupid statements and move on."</s>In exchange for downsizing its move south of the border, United Technologies would receive $7 million in tax credits from Indiana, to be paid in $700,000 installments each year for a decade. That was excellent news for the 800 Carrier workers who got to keep their jobs (730 union steelworkers and 70 non-union workers in clerical and management positions). “But he got up there,” Jones said Tuesday, “and, for whatever reason, lied his a-- off.” In front of a crowd of about 150 supervisors, production workers and reporters, Trump praised Carrier and its parent company, United Technologies. “Trump and Pence, they pulled a dog and pony show on the numbers,” said Jones, who voted for Hillary Clinton but called her "the better of two evils." I almost threw up in my mouth.”Jones said that he was thankful for the jobs that were kept, but that Trump had come up short on his promise to keep 1,400 Carrier jobs from moving to Mexico. Jones, president of the United Steelworkers 1999, which represents Carrier employees, felt optimistic when Trump announced last week that he’d reached a deal with the factory’s parent company, United Technologies, to preserve 1,100 of the Indianapolis jobs — until the union leader heard from Carrier that only 730 of the production jobs would stay and 550 of his members would lose their livelihoods, after all. "You made a promise to keep all these jobs," Jones told CNN . President-elect Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at a union leader who has criticized Trump's Carrier job deal as a promise "half-way delivered." "We expect you go back and keep all the jobs." Meanwhile, Jones noted, Carrier is also offshoring 700 jobs from a separate facility in Huntington, Indiana. Related: How Donald Trump got Carrier to stay "Trump said no companies would be allowed to go to Mexico," Jones said. "One hundred percent -- that's what is going to happen." The numbers prove he's lying his ass off. It's a damn shame when you come in and make a false statements like that." If you're dealing with people's livelihoods, you sure ought to know what the numbers are. It seems like a poor choice for the president elect of the United States to insult a local union and a local union rep, but Trump marches to the beat of a different dumb.After Trump's tweets, Jones started receiving death threats , but said that he'd been doing union work for decades and was used to threats.The national United Steelworkers union responded that Jones was "a hero, not a scapegoat" who had "worked tirelessly since day one to save ALL jobs there" and noted that Trump and other national leaders only became aware of the Carrier situation because of Jones' advocacy.

Union leader Chuck Jones criticizes Donald Trump's announcement of kept jobs saying that the numbers mentioned are lower. Jones says that 550 workers would actually lose their livelihoods, while other workers were never scheduled to leave.

U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday with the Dow industrials and S&P 500 notching new records, shaking off early weakness in the health-care sector to extend gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.14% marked its third consecutive record close, surging 297.84, or 1.6%, to finish at 19,549.62, following a fresh intraday record. Gains in Nike Inc. NKE, -0.02%, Home Depot Inc. HD, +0.75% and Visa Inc. V, -2.26% outweighed a slump in health-care shares of Johnson & Johnson Inc. JNJ, -0.98%, Pfizer Inc. PFE, +0.90% and Merck & Co. MRK, -3.58% The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.01%, which also reached an intraday trading high, closed at a record of 2,241.35, a gain of 29.12 points, or 1.3%, with all sectors except the health care—which finished down 0.8%—closing for a gain. The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, -0.19% which had been trading in negative territory earlier, turned higher, and finished up 60.76 points, or 1.1%, at 5,393.76, a few points shy of its record close set in late November. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index RUT, +1.27%, a gauge of shares of small-capitalization companies, closed at a record of 1,364.50, after a gain of 11.84 points, or 0.9%. The index has climbed more than 13% since the U.S. presidential election. Highlighting how markets were broadly climbing, the Dow Jones Transportation Average DJT, +2.02% also closed at a record of 9,371.61, after logging its first record intraday high in more than two years. Health-care names tumbled early Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to cut drug prices. “I’m going to bring down drug prices,” Trump told Time in his “Person of the Year” cover story. “I don’t like what has happened with drug prices.” The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF IBB, -0.40%, the most widely used way to place bets on the biotech space, sank 3%. The stock market’s postelection ascent has been underpinned by hopes that Trump will follow through with a slate of pro-business policies, including boosting infrastructure spending and cutting taxes for the wealthy. Frank Cappelleri, executive director at Instinet LLC, said investors caught flat-footed by the sustained rally following Trump’s unexpected Election Day win are still rotating into stocks. “Investors may see a few days of a pause as a reason to get back involved,” said Cappelleri. He said the second reason why this move can extend higher is because investors betting on a downturn “are a little gun-shy” after getting burned in November. Other strategists say the market has traded in a relatively narrow range since 2014 and make the case that the Trump rally has only lasted a month and has a shot at moving higher into the end of the year. “It has only been about four weeks since the breakout for stocks and a lot of people are looking at this to be quickly aborted, but the market shouldn’t be faulted for expecting more,” said Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at brokerage firm Robert W. Baird & Co. Another factor that may be supporting stock gains is the belief that traditional selling patterns that occur at the end of the year aren’t being followed because investors are making bets on lower taxes under a Trump administration. “Anyone who has gained [in December] are not going to want to sell their stocks and pay taxes in April 2017, when they can wait till 2018,” Bittles said. Of course, taxes on profits from the sale of assets could be higher then, but Bittles says Wall Street thinks that it makes more sense to wait and see, which is reducing traditional selling of stocks to take year-end profits and encouraging buying. “It appears that nothing can stop the equity rally,” said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at ThinkMarkets UK, in a note. However, some strategists and traders are concerned that a pullback might be in the offing because the market has climbed too fast and too furiously. Indeed, the CBOE Volatility Index VIX, +1.80% is trading at just under 12, which implies that investors may be getting complacent. “Buying volatility at these levels may not be that much of a bad idea,” Aslam said. Read: Why the rally by U.S. stocks is ‘just getting started’—in one chart Other markets: European stocks SXXP, -0.28% finished higher, with banks and miners among the session’s big winners, and Asian markets closed broadly higher. Oil futures CLF27, -49.47% settled down 2.3% at $49.77 a barrel, while gold futures US:GCZ6 advanced 0.6% to settle at $1,177.50 an ounce while a key dollar index DXY, +0.10% slipped 0.3%. Individual stocks: Ahead of the opening bell, Brown-Forman Corp. BF.A, +1.47% reported quarterly sales that topped estimates, as the maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey backed its full-year forecast. Shares closed down 0.9%. Handbag seller Vera Bradley Inc. VRA, +2.71% cut its full-year outlook after missing its own guidance range for the third quarter. Shares tumbled 13%. Western Digital Corp. WDC, +0.82% shares jumped to close 8.3% higher after the computer hardware maker raised its outlook late Tuesday. Micron Technology Inc. MU, +0.33% shares rallied 7.3% after Citigroup rated the stock a buy. Shares of Under Armour Inc. CH:UAA UA, +3.04% surged after the athletic apparel company changed its stock tickers. Class A shares closed up 4.3%, and Class C shares rose 6.4%. Economic news: Consumer credit in October rose $16 billion, but that was at the slowest pace since June. The JOLTS report, or Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, showed that job openings were unchanged at 5.5 million in October, according to Labor Department. Investors also are bracing for the European Central Bank’s policy-setting meeting on Thursday. The Federal Reserve entered the so-called blackout period Tuesday ahead of its meeting Dec. 13-14, so there are no Fed speakers on the docket. Check out: MarketWatch’s Economic Calendar —Victor Reklaitis in London contributed to this article.</s>NEW YORK -- The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 indexes soared Wednesday to their biggest gains since the presidential election and set all-time highs. The gains Wednesday were driven by stocks that tend to do well when the economy is growing, like consumer and technology companies, as well as stocks that pay high dividends, like phone and real estate companies. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 297.84 points, or 1.5 percent, to 19,549.62. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 7.52 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,212.23 and the Nasdaq composite rose 24.11 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,333. The Nasdaq composite recovered from an early loss to rise 60.76 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,393.76. Biotech drug companies took steep losses after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to reduce drug prices. U.S. government bond prices rose, sending yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.34 percent from 2.39 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.7 percent, and the South Korean Kospi inched up 0.1 percent.

U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday with the Dow industrials and S&P 500 notching new records.

MEUREUDU, Indonesia—Humanitarian organizations descended on Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday, as the government in Jakarta promised tons of emergency aid and officials raced to assess the full extent of damage from an earthquake that killed more than 100 people. Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 died in the magnitude-6.5 quake that hit before dawn Wednesday, while four people had been pulled from the rubble alive. Another four or five were still believed to be buried, but it was not known if they were dead or alive. Search efforts involving volunteers and nearly 1,500 rescue personnel were concentrated on the hard-hit town of Meureudu in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter of the 6.5-quake magnitude that hit before dawn on Wednesday. Excavators were trying to remove debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed to have been buried. TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining flashlights into the interiors of broken buildings as they searched for signs of life. National Disaster Mitigation Agency Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the death toll had risen to 102 and warned it could increase. She said she didn’t want to return home “not only because my house is damaged, but I am still afraid an aftershock could cause a tsunami.” The national disaster agency said nearly 600 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed in the districts of Pidie Jaya, Pidie and Bireun. Most were shop houses or dwellings but mosques, a hospital, boarding schools and a shopping center also sustained damage. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda) The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:03 a.m. and was centred about 19 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Aceh, at a depth of 17 kilometres (11 miles). The agency had initially placed the epicenter undersea. It did not generate a tsunami. Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant December 26, 2004, earthquake that struck off Sumatra. Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake that struck off Sumatra. Aiyub Abbas, the chief of Pidie Jaya district, which is 11 miles south-west of the epicentre, said there was urgent need for excavation equipment to move heavy debris and emergency supplies. “Every aid and civil-society organization is piling into the area with as many boxes of rice, instant noodles, blankets and other aid as they can shift,” said Paul Dillon, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, which has an assessment team in northern Aceh. Seaside resident Fitri Abidin in Pidie Jaya said she fled with her husband and children to a nearby hill after the quake jolted the family awake early in the morning. The family’s home did not collapse but some neighbours’ properties did and Ms Abidin is afraid that three friends were buried in building collapses. The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh.</s>'We have to move so fast to save them' Speaking in Jakarta, National Board for Disaster Management spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the death toll could still rise. The earlier figure of 52 dead was revised up significantly by the Indonesian military, which has taken over responsibility for the search and rescue operation. Wednesday's 6.5 magnitude earthquake, which toppled dozens of buildings and injured hundreds of people, was the worst disaster to hit the region since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

At least 96 people are killed following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh region. Hundreds of people are injured and several buildings have collapsed.

Shortly before the crash was confirmed, airline spokesman Daniyal Gilani said the ATR-42 aircraft carrying around 40 passengers and crew had lost touch with the control tower. Khan, who was at the crash site, said witnesses told him "the aircraft has crashed in a mountainous area, and before it hit the ground it was on fire". It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, which occurred near the village of Saddha Batolni in Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A Pakistani plane carrying 47 people crashed Wednesday in the mountainous north of the country and burst into flames (AFP Photo/Farooq Naeem) A Pakistani plane carrying 48 people crashed Wednesday in the country's mountainous north and burst into flames, authorities said, as rescue workers pulled dozens of bodies from the wreckage and officials expressed little hope for survivors. The deadliest air disaster on Pakistani soil was in 2010, when an Airbus 321 operated by private airline Airblue and flying from Karachi crashed into the hills outside Islamabad while about to land, killing all 152 on board.</s>Junaid Jamshed, who at one time rivaled Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt in popularity in his country, was one of at least 43 people who died when a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed on its way from Chitral to Islamabad. A famous former pop singer turned Islamic preacher, Junaid Jamshed, and his wife were on the flight's passenger list, according to leading private news channel GEO TV. The airline said the ATR-42 aircraft was carrying 48 people -- 42 passengers, five crew members and one ground engineer -- when it lost contact with a control tower on its way from Chitral to Islamabad. Vital Signs, of which he was the lead singer, is still considered one of the best bands of that era.

A Pakistan International Airlines aircraft carrying at least 48 people, including former singer Junaid Jamshed, crashes shortly after taking off from Chitral, Pakistan.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Authorities on Wednesday charged two juveniles in an East Tennessee wildfire that killed 14 people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,700 buildings in an iconic tourism spot at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains. The TBI later said in a news release that an investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, National Park Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the charges. The largest of the blazes, the so-called Chimney Tops 2, broke out on Nov. 23 in a remote rugged area dubbed Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, authorities said. That fire grew amid drought conditions and ultimately rode winds exceeding 87 miles per hour into the Gatlinburg area early last week. Earlier, investigation revealed that "two juveniles allegedly started the fire.” Both were taken into custody Wednesday morning and are being held at the Sevier County Juvenile Detention Center. "Our promise is that we will do our very best to help bring closure to those who have lost so much," Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn said in a statement. Arson charges have been placed against two juveniles in the Sevier County wildfire investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported in a tweet this afternoon. Otherwise, officials said state law prevents releasing more information about them. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine declined to release details about the juveniles, who have been arrested, citing their ages and the ongoing investigation. It's also possible that the case could be transferred to an adult criminal court, said local District Attorney General James Dunn. During the course of the investigation, information was developed that two juveniles allegedly started the fire.</s>Story highlights Residents and business owners near Gatlinburg allowed to return to their properties Fire began on November 27 and spread to 17,000 acres (CNN) Two juveniles face charges of aggravated arson in connection with a deadly Tennessee wildfire that began in late November and spread to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, according to Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Additional charges are being considered, 4th District Attorney General James Dunn said, including the possibility of seeking a transfer to adult criminal court. Fourteen people lost their lives in the fires and more than 175 more were injured, according to officials. Residents and visitors to the resort-heavy area were among the dead. Developing story - more to come

Two juveniles are charged with aggravated arson in relation to the wildfires that claimed 14 lives in the US town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Millions of Ghanaians all over the country will head to the polls this morning, December 7, 2016 to take part in the presidential and parliamentary elections. The Electoral Commission (EC) has already announced that voting will take place in 28, 992 polling stations across the 275 constituencies and over 15 million voters are expected to cast their ballot. Despite a relatively peaceful election, tensions are growing after the main opposition New Patriotic Party on Thursday urged incumbent President John Dramani Mahama to concede defeat after the NPP’s internal polling data determined the opposition was poised to win. Others in the race include: Ivor Greenstreet, presidential canididate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention and an independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah. Second round results: John Atta Mills – 4,527,909; Nana Akufo-Addo – 4,443,654 Registered voters 12,472,758 and turnout of voters was 9,094,364 2012 election General election was held in Ghana on Friday 7 December 2012. John Kufuor of New Patriotic Party – 4,524,074 votes; John Atta Mills of National Democratic Congress -3,850,368 votes Registered voters 10,354,970 and turnout of voters was 8,313,908 2008 election General elections were held in Ghana on 7 December 2008. “The President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, HE John Dramani Mahama, will at 9pm tonight, on Ghana Television and Radio Ghana, address the nation ahead of tomorrow’s Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.” Ghanaians to elect next president on Wednesday About 15 million Ghanaian voters are expected to elect the country’s next president on Wednesday. Checks revealed that voters had to go back to the constituencies in which they had originally registered in order to cast their ballots. Ghanaians will go to the polls on Wednesday to elect the next president for the country as well as elect members of parliament to represent them in the law making arm of government.</s>By PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (AFP) Accra (AFP) - Ghanaians cast their ballots on Wednesday in neck and neck presidential and parliamentary polls held at a time of economic woes and corruption scandals that have eroded President John Mahama's lustre. When multi-party democracy was restored to the west African country in 1992 after decades of military rule, Akufo-Addo became involved with the NPP, later serving as both justice minister then foreign minister under President John Kufuor between 2001 and 2008. The winner of Wednesday's election will serve a four-year term in a formerly booming country that has seen its economy sputter, currency deteriorate and inflation soar. There are some 15 million registered voters. Polling started at 07:00 GMT and will close at 17:00 GMT across the West African country. READ MORE: Ghanaian voices oncoming presidential elections An exporter of gold and cocoa, and one of Africa's most successful oil exporters, Ghana was once hailed as a regional growth model but has now taken on too much debt. There are seven candidates battling for the top job and, if the smaller parties perform well and deny either man a majority, a presidential run-off will be held later in December. Mahama, 58, is running for a second term, with Akufo-Addo, 72, making his third -- and likely last -- bid for the highest office. Leaving nothing to chance on the last day of campaigning on Monday, Mahama held three rallies in the major swing regions of Brong-Ahafo, Ashanti and Greater Accra. "Throughout the election campaign, the president approved a series of major and eye-catching infrastructure projects to prove to voters that government spending was not going to waste or being stolen," said Al Jazeera's Nicholas Haque, reporting from Accra. Corruption scandals Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, has campaigned on Ghana's poor economic growth, the slowest rate in two decades, at 3.3 percent in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and has outlined detailed plans to get the economy back on track. Akufo-Addo, an erudite rights lawyer and former government minister with round tortoiseshell glasses, narrowly lost the 2008 and 2012 elections to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Critics say he squandered the country's commodity wealth and turned a blind eye to graft within his inner circle. During his tenure, the Bank of Ghana controversially bought half a million dollars worth of gold Swiss watches for some of its staff. Accra (AFP) - Ghana's New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Nana Akufo-Addo is hoping it'll be third time lucky when the country votes for a new president on Wednesday. But tension is rising in advance of the high-stakes election. Ghana police said a NPP supporter was beaten to death, with six others left in critical condition in clashes between supporters of the two main parties after a rally in the north on Monday. Elections in Ghana are famously closely fought, with Mahama narrowly winning in 2012 with 50.7 percent. Following the last elections in 2012, Akufo-Addo -- who polled 47.7 percent of the vote -- contested the results in Ghana's constitutional court, although he was ultimately unsuccessful.

Voters go to the polls in Ghana for the country's presidential elections. It is expected to be a close race between incumbent president John Dramani Mahama of the ruling National Democratic Congress party and his rival Nana Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party.

“We should ask for the resignation of President Duterte now, and not wait until Bongbong Marcos succeeds in his nefarious plan to unseat Vice President Leni Rodredo.” Nicolas-Lewis also accused the current president of “joking” that if Marcos wins his electoral protest, the Philippines would have a new vice president. They wanted me out, syempre yung (of course the) Vice President – kayo, you had your chance,” added Duterte, mentioning Vice President Leni Robredo, the Liberal Party member with the highest position in government. She announced that she has now joined the widespread call for Duterte’s resignation, after Vice President Leni Robredo was eased out of the cabinet, as well as his other chilling rhetoric against anti-Duterte activists. “Naturally,” he says, “there is a conflict because you’re the one giving the license so you should not have any interest there.” But what about campaign donors who have companies that have business with government?</s>Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he speaks during a solidarity event with urban poor community in Mandaluyong city, Metro Manila, Philippines December 7, 2016. REUTERS/Ezra Acayan MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he felt like a saint as the incoming U.S. president wanted to repair damaged bilateral relations between the two oldest security allies in this region. Duterte spoke on the phone with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last Friday to congratulate him and renew close ties and friendship strained by Washington's criticism on the rising death toll by Manila's war on drugs policy. "Oh, President Duterte, we should fix our bad relations," Duterte, who spoke at a United Nations-sponsored meeting on anti-corruption efforts, quoted the billionaire businessman-turned politician as saying during their phone conversation. "You know, you just said something good here and you're doing great. I know what's your worry about these Americans criticizing you. You are doing good, go ahead," he said Trump told him during their talk, which lasted over seven minutes. He said Trump also invited him to exchange some views over a cup of coffee when he is either in New York or in Washington because he could give advice to the U.S. president-elect on how to deal with the narcotics issue "I felt like a saint," Duterte said, because Trump's comments were a change from those by the current U.S. administration, which he said wanted him investigated by the International Criminal Court. The unconventional Duterte has resented the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama for criticizing his human rights record as police forces in the Philippines killed more than 2,000 people in anti-narcotics operations. On Monday, the new U.S. ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim, met with the president at Malacanang Palace where they had a brief exchanged and Duterte gave him some advice. : "You want to be an Obama? Then, suffer the consequences. You choose Trump, he is my friend," he said he told the envoy. Two months ago in China, Duterte said he would order his defence and military leaders to cut down joint exercises with U.S. forces and review an existing deal allowing their deployment in local bases.

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte accuses the opposition Liberal Party of trying to oust him and install the current vice president Leni Robredo to the presidency.

Between 1994 and 2016, the PSLV has launched a total of 121 satellites, of which 79 satellites are from abroad and 42 are Indian satellites. “We have put one more operational [Earth observation] satellite in orbit,” he said in an address from the launch complex, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Resourcesat-2A has been built to similar specifications as Resourcesat-2, and carries the same instrumentation as both Resourcesat-2 and Resourcesat-1 before it. It will place the 1235 kilogram Resourcesat-2A into an 817 kilometer polar Sun Synchronous Orbit PSLV which has emerged as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO has offered for launching satellites for international customers.</s>Colour patterns, known as countershading, in Psittacosaurus — a kind of dinosaur — protected it from predators, finds a new study.

India has launched its Resourcesat-2A imaging satellite via its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake struck Pidie Jaya district in Aceh province at dawn as many in the mainly Muslim region on Sumatra island were preparing for morning prayers. The earlier figure of 52 dead was revised up significantly by the Indonesian military, which has taken over responsibility for the search and rescue operation. The army has established kitchens, shelters and a field hospital in the hard-hit town of Meureudu, Aceh, said military chief Tatang Sulaiman. Hundreds of houses and shops had been leveled by the quake, leaving countless people homeless and in need of basic supplies like food and water, officials said. But more was needed for the 4,000 people evacuated to shelters, said local disaster agency chief Puteh Manaf. The district health office chief Said Abdullah said nearly 200 injured had arrived since the quake, but many would not enter the hospital for fear of aftershocks. Another regional hospital had suffered serious damage in the quake, along with schools and other key infrastructure, a national disaster agency spokesman said. An AFP correspondent said dazed residents were wandering debris-strewn streets, unable to return to their damaged homes in fear of aftershocks. Many fled for higher ground when the quake struck, fearing a tsunami, though no alert was issued. A huge undersea earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed several countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia alone, the vast majority in Aceh. Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates collide. Wednesday's 6.5 magnitude quake was the biggest disaster to hit the province on the northern tip of Sumatra island since the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, which killed more than 120,000 people in Aceh alone. In June a 6.5-magnitude quake struck off the west of Sumatra, damaging scores of buildings and injuring eight people. Aceh was devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami centered on its western coast near Banda Aceh on Dec. 26, 2004. The tsunami killed more than 170,000 people in Indonesia and tens of thousands more in other countries around the Indian Ocean.</s>MEUREUDU, Indonesia – Humanitarian organizations descended on Indonesia’s Aceh province Thursday as the local disaster agency called for urgent food supplies and officials raced to assess the full extent of damage from an earthquake that killed more than 100 people. Volunteers and nearly 1,500 rescue personnel concentrated their search on the hard-hit town of Meureudu in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter of the magnitude 6.5 quake that hit before dawn Wednesday. But the small number of heavy excavators on the scene meant progress was slow. Humanitarian assessment teams fanned out to other areas of the district. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said the death toll had risen to 102, spread across three districts in northern Aceh, and the number “probably will increase”. Search teams were using devices that detect mobile phone signals within a 100-meter (yard) radius to help guide their efforts as they scoured the rubble. The disaster mitigation agency said more than 600 people were injured. “We have to move faster to search and rescue possible survivors,” said Iskander Ali, a Pidie Jaya official. Those killed included very young children and the elderly. Mohammad Jafar, 60, said his daughter, granddaughter and grandson died in the quake but he was resigned to it as “God’s will.” He was getting ready for morning prayers when the earthquake hit. He said he and his wife managed to push their way out through the debris. Another man said he found his 9-year-old daughter alive beneath a broken wall at his neighbor’s house. Thousands of people are homeless or afraid to return to their houses. Nugroho said more than 11,000 people have been displaced and are staying at shelters and mosques or with relatives. Many were left homeless after the magnitude 6.5 quake destroyed or damaged their homes and others were too scared to return home. Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant earthquake that struck off Sumatra on December 26th, 2004. The magnitude-9.1 quake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed more than 100,000 Acehnese. Sulaiman, a Disaster Mitigation Agency official in Aceh, said staple foods for women and babies are most urgently needed. He said medicines are sufficient because assistance is coming from the army, police, state-run companies and local governments. “What’s badly needed now are staple foods such as rice, cooking oil, salted fish and other foods,” said Sulaiman. He said people had complained about a lack of clean water, but the problem has been tackled and electricity supply is returning to normal in many areas. Nugroho, at a news conference in Jakarta, listed as urgent food and clothing, specialist doctors for victims suffering fractures, medical equipment, temporary shelters and heavy excavation equipment. The Indonesian government sent 50 tons of urgent aid to Aceh, including 10 generators, tents, folding beds, baby supplies and body bags. “Every aid and civil society organization is piling into the area with as many boxes of rice, instant noodles, blankets and other aid as they can shift,” said Paul Dillon, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, which has an assessment team in northern Aceh. “It will take several more days to get a full picture of the impact,” CARE’s Indonesia director Helen Vanwel said in a statement. The military is setting up an emergency field hospital and sending two dozen doctors, and the Health Ministry is sending a medical team and medicines. The Red Cross sent aid such as water trucks on Wednesday and humanitarian group CARE is leading an assessment team of four international aid groups to avoid duplication of efforts. Aid groups and others are also appealing for donations. Pope Francis, who was speaking at St. Peter’s Square for a Catholic holiday, said he wanted people to know he was praying for the victims of the earthquake, their loved ones and those left homeless. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered about 19 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Sumatra, at a depth of 17 kilometers (11 miles). It did not generate a tsunami. Aftershocks have rattled the area. The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh. Wright reported from Jakarta. Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini and Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta contributed to this report.

International aid organisations arrive in the Indonesian province of Aceh as the death toll for the earthquake passes 100.

New Zealand Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English speaks to members of the media in Wellington, New Zealand, December 5, 2016 to announce he is considering running for the leadership of the ruling National Party after the surprise resignation of Prime Minister John Key. REUTERS/Charlotte Greenfield WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English is set to be confirmed as the country's next leader after both his competitors for the prime ministership dropped out of the race on Thursday. "It's going to allow us as a government to re-set, look forward and provide New Zealand with good government after John Key," English told reporters in New Zealand's distinctive "Beehive" parliament building in the capital, Wellington. The two other challengers for the role both conceded on Thursday, saying that English had secured the majority support he needed from his 58 National Party colleagues in the parliament. English, who will be formally named the prime minister at a caucus meeting on Monday, has already lined up senior cabinet minister Steven Joyce, the minister for economic development, to replace him in the finance ministry. But critics say the 54-year-old lacks the charisma needed for the top job. English has previously led his party, taking them to a big defeat in the 2002 election. Key had been a popular leader and was widely expected to contest a fourth straight election next year before his surprise resignation on Monday. Key said he wanted to leave while he was on top of his game and to spend more time with his wife and two children. During his resignation speech, Key endorsed English as the next prime minister. As leader, English will get to choose the date of next year's election. Before the leadership change most people had expected it to be held in September, but some lawmakers are now calling for an earlier vote. English on Thursday told reporters that events had been happening "pretty fast" over the last few days and he wanted to wait until he was confirmed by the caucus before outlining his plans. "I won't be talking about being a prime minister until I am one," he said. Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Police Minister Judith Collins both conceded the race as it became clear that English had the support of the 59-member caucus. Both said they would now back English. "I'm going to be supporting him 100 percent," Coleman said. "It is very important that the party comes together, gets on with the job of winning the next election," Coleman told reporters. English has been a politician for 26 years, after he was first elected to the parliament in 1990. He said he's gained wisdom and experience since leading the party to an election defeat. "I was 39 years old then, with six children under 13," he said. "So if nothing else, I've got the opportunity to focus much more on the job now." Under English, New Zealand has been enjoying relatively robust annual GDP growth of more than 3 percent and the unemployment rate has fallen below 5 percent. English has also managed to return small surpluses on the government's books over the past couple of years.</s>Warning - there was an unexpected script error. Application may not work as expected.

Australian Associated Press reports that Bill English has secured the support of a majority of members of the New Zealand National Party to succeed John Key as the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye, a stunning fall for country’s first female president.</s>SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s parliament introduced a bill on Thursday to impeach President Park Geun-hye, setting the stage for a historic vote to oust the embattled leader engulfed in an influence-peddling scandal. Parliament is expected to vote on Friday in favour of impeachment, although the Constitutional Court must decide whether to uphold the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days. Opposition parties have said they believe they will get the two-thirds majority needed to pass the bill, with support from about 30 members of Park’s conservative Saenuri Party to secure the necessary 200 votes. Park, 64, said this week she would await the court’s ruling, signalling that the country’s six-weeks-long political crisis is set to continue. Park, the daughter of a former military ruler, is under intense pressure to resign immediately, with big crowds taking to the streets of the capital, Seoul, every Saturday calling for her ouster. Her approval rating is at a record low of 4 percent. A Realmeter poll released on Thursday said 78.2 percent of respondents wanted Park to be impeached. She would be the first democratically elected South Korean president not to serve a full five-year term. Former President Roh Moo-hyun was impeached by parliament in 2004, a motion that was overturned by the Constitutional Court which said grounds for impeachment were insufficient. Park is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. She has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with the friend, Choi Soon-sil. An impeachment vote must be held within 72 hours of the motion’s introduction, and the speaker of parliament, Chung Sye-kyun, asked for a vote on Friday. DRAMATIC WEEK The stakes are high for both pro- and anti-Park factions. The leaders of the two main opposition parties said their 159 members would all resign if the impeachment motion failed, taking responsibility for their inability to follow through on the demands of the public. That would then mean by-elections to fill their seats, which could alter the make-up of the unicameral legislature. In April, Park’s Saenuri Party unexpectedly lost its parliamentary majority during elections. The Friday impeachment vote will cap a dramatic week. On Tuesday, leaders of the country’s largest conglomerates, including Samsung Group scion Jay Y. Lee, were grilled during a 13-hour hearing in which they denied that donations to two charitable foundations supported by Park and at the centre of the scandal were made in exchange for favourable treatment. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye speaks during an address to the nation, at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, 29 November 2016. REUTERS/Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool On Wednesday, former associates of Choi, the president’s friend, testified to the same parliamentary panel that Choi conducted herself in ways that made it clear she was exceptionally close to Park and was influential. The finance ministry said it was concerned about further risks to the economy from “domestic issues” which could dent consumption and investment at a time when many global uncertainties persist. Park’s father, Park Chung-hee, led South Korea for 18 years after seizing power in a 1961 military coup. He was murdered by a disgruntled spy chief in 1979.

A bill is introduced into the South Korean National Assembly to impeach President Park Geun-hye. A vote is expected tomorrow.

"Puzder will be there for his low-wage-industry CEO buddies, who are now salivating over the prospect of rolling back the Obama administration's efforts to raise pay for low-wage workers, improve workplace safety, and increase corporate accountability for wage theft and other violations," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project. Puzder, who runs CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., has been a harsh critic of raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, arguing that it would increase costs for consumers and lead to fewer jobs. In a Forbes op-ed that ran after the Labor Department finalized the overtime rule in May, Puzder wrote that the rule would “add to the extensive regulatory maze the Obama Administration has imposed on employers,” and that the rule would lead to fewer hours and reduced opportunities for workers.</s>President-elect Donald Trump has picked Andrew Puzder, the head of the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's fast food restaurants, as his nominee for Labor secretary, a source familiar with the decision tells CNN. Puzder, 66, is a vocal critic of government regulation and opposes a $15 minimum wage, broader overtime pay and the Affordable Care Act. The Labor Department oversees America's job market, regulates the workplace, and produces statistics like the unemployment rate that underpin economic policy. Puzder has been the CEO of CKE Restaurants since 2000. He's credited with turning around the Hardee's brand, but his company has been accused of labor violations and fielded complaints about sexist commercials. His appointment, which would require Senate confirmation, comes at a time when restaurants and other low-wage industries are feeling pressure to increase pay. Puzder would likely resist those pressures as Labor secretary. The fast food industry in particular has been the target of nationwide protests pushing for a $15 minimum wage, up from the current $7.25. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed in March, Puzder said a $15 minimum wage, mandatory paid sick leave laws and the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, raise costs for employers and force them to rely more on automated technology. "While the technology is becoming much cheaper, government mandates have been making labor much more expensive," he wrote. Puzder told the Los Angeles Times in March that he's not opposed to raising the federal minimum wage above $7.25 or pegging it to inflation, though he said a jump to $15 an hour will cost workers their jobs. Puzder has also been one of the harshest critics of an Obama administration rule that would require workers who make less than $47,500 and work 40 hours per week be paid overtime. The rule was put on hold by a federal judge in November. "The real world is far different than the Labor Department's Excel spreadsheet," Puzder wrote in a Forbes guest column in May. "This new rule will simply add to the extensive regulatory maze the Obama Administration has imposed on employers, forcing many to offset increased labor expense by cutting costs elsewhere." Related: Millions may now lose eligibility for overtime after ruling In 2004, CKE agreed to pay $9 million to settle three class-action lawsuits involving overtime pay. Puzder told the Orange County Register in 2014 that CKE had spent $20 million on overtime lawsuits in California over the previous eight years, and that the company had reclassified managers as hourly workers as a result. Under Puzder, Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have come under fire for notoriously lewd commercials targeting young men. A racy ad featuring a bikini-clad Paris Hilton washing a car while eating a Carl's Jr. burger debuted in 2005. Since then, the brand has doubled down on using supermodels to sell hamburgers. A 2015 Super Bowl commercial featuring a seemingly nude Charlotte McKinney was widely panned. "I don't think there's anything wrong with a beautiful woman in a bikini, eating a burger and washing a Bentley or a pickup truck or being in a hot tub," Puzder told CNNMoney in 2015. "I think there's probably nothing more American." If confirmed by the Senate, Puzder will take over for Tom Perez, who was nominated by President Obama in 2013. Perez issued a rule that extended minimum wage and overtime protections to home health care workers, and he pushed for a rule requiring lawyers to disclose the work they do for employers on union negotiations. That rule has also been blocked by a federal judge. The Labor Department offers job training programs to workers who lose their jobs because of global trade. It can also fine companies for breaking labor laws, such as the minimum wage. The Labor Department is one of the economy's principal record-keepers through its oversight of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During his presidential campaign, Trump sought to discredit BLS numbers. He has claimed, falsely, that the published unemployment rate is a "joke" and a "hoax." In a speech after he won the New Hampshire primary in February, Trump speculated that the unemployment rate was "probably 28, 29, as high as 35. In fact, I even heard recently 42%." The unemployment rate was 4.9% at the time and has since fallen to 4.6%. The BLS also publishes the monthly jobs report and an an array of data on wages, jobs and industries. --CNN's Sara Murray and CNNMoney's Danielle Wiener-Bronner and Patrick Gillespie contributed to this report.

Carl's Jr./Hardee's executive and minimum wage reform critic Andrew Puzder is selected as United States Secretary of Labor.

John Glenn, who became one of the 20th century’s greatest explorers as the first American to orbit Earth and later as the world’s oldest astronaut, in addition to a long career as a U.S. senator, died on Thursday at age of 95. [Astronaut John Glenn: An American Hero's Monumental Career Remembered] John Glenn became the first NASA astronaut to orbit the Earth in 1962 during his Friendship 7 mission, which was part of NASA's Project Mercury spaceflight program. Glenn died at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where he was hospitalized for more than a week, said Hank Wilson, communications director for the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. Before he went into space, Glenn already had a reputation as one of the best test pilots in the country, setting a transcontinental speed record by flying from Los Angeles to New York in three hours and 23 minutes in July 1957. John Glenn, 1st US astronaut to orbit Earth who later spent 24 years representing Ohio in the Senate, has died at 95</s>(Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Former astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn has died in Ohio. Glenn became a national hero in 1962 when he became the first American astronaut in orbit. Hank Wilson with the John Glenn School of Public Affairs says Glenn died Thursday afternoon at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images) Former astronaut and former U.S. Sen. John Glenn (D-OH) is presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Barack Obama during an East Room event May 29, 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. He circled the Earth three times. The Soviet Union had put a man into orbit a year earlier in 1961. He then spent 24 years as a Democratic senator from Ohio and briefly made a run for president in 1984 • John Glenn, first US astronaut to orbit Earth, dies aged 95 The space shuttle Discovery is the he oldest and most traveled vehicle from NASA's space shuttle program, and will replace the Interprise at the museum.

American astronaut John Glenn dies at the age of 95.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (2ndL) and France's Foreign Minister Jean Marc Ayrault (2ndR) attend a meeting on Syria, in Paris, France, December 10, 2016. REUTERS/Thibault Camus/Pool PARIS (Reuters) - Backers of the Syrian opposition appeared resigned to the fall of eastern Aleppo on Saturday, with the United States urging Russia to show "grace" when officials meet in Geneva to try to reach a deal for civilians and fighters to leave the city. Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria's most populous city. The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012, and President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the whole country. Critics of the operation have warned that thousands of civilians risk being caught in the crossfire and have repeatedly called on Syrian government forces backed by Russian air power to accept a ceasefire to allow civilians and rebel fighters to leave to safer areas. Speaking in Paris after a meeting of countries that oppose Assad, including France, Britain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry showed little optimism for U.S. and Russian talks in Geneva later on Saturday. "Our teams are meeting in Geneva today in order to flesh out details of a possible way of trying to save lives. Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace," Kerry told reporters. "I believe there could be a way forward but it depends on big, magnanimous choices from Russia ... and insistence of Russia on the Assad regime," he said. Moscow and Washington have discussed a ceasefire to let civilians escape eastern Aleppo and aid enter. Russia also wants the United States to urge rebel fighters to abandon their territory and accept transport out. "Fighters ... don't trust that if they agreed to leave to try to save Aleppo that it will save Aleppo and they will be unharmed and free to move where they are not immediately attacked," Kerry said, adding that Geneva talks had to set some guarantees for rebels. The meeting in Paris, also attended by Riad Hijab, the main opposition coordinator, underscored the powerlessness of Syrian opposition supporters, as well as some divisions between them. Beyond the issue of humanitarian access, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Moscow and Damascus needed to realize that the fall of Aleppo would not end the war and that negotiations based on U.N. Security Council resolutions agreed in Dec. 2015 should be revived to find a political solution. More than five years of war in Syria have killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless. "What peace do they want? The peace of cemeteries?," Ayrault said. "Negotiations must start again... The opposition is ready to negotiate without preconditions."</s>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking in Germany after talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, said military experts and diplomats would meet Saturday in Geneva to work out details of the rebels’ exit from Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods, along with civilians who were willing to leave the city.

Russia and the United States will continue talks on Aleppo after talks between the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces were hit by two roadside bombings in a single day on Friday that killed six policemen and wounded six in Cairo and the north of the country, security sources and officials said. The Hasm Movement, which has claimed several attacks in Egypt in recent months, said it set off the bomb which, security sources said, also injured four civilians. In the first incident, on Friday morning, a recently emerged Egyptian militant group claimed responsibility for a bomb in Cairo that the interior ministry said killed six policemen and wounded three others at a checkpoint on a main road leading to the Pyramids. The second attack came on Friday evening in the Kafr El Sheikh governorate in the Nile Delta, where a roadside bomb killed a civilian and injured three policemen, security sources said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the second attack. Egyptian judges have issued death sentences against hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters since 2013, when President Mohamed Mursi, a member of the group, was overthrown by the army and arrested. Most of the attacks are carried out in the Sinai Peninsula in eastern Egypt by a branch of the Islamic State jihadist group, which has killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen. Judges, policemen and senior officials have been targeted by radical Islamists angered by long prison sentences imposed on members of the Brotherhood. The bomb was detonated remotely as a police car drove by, but it exploded seconds after the vehicle passed, sparing the lives of the officers, the sources said. In September, militants set off a car bomb as the country's deputy state prosecutor was passing.</s>The state-run MENA news agency said the explosion took place near a mosque on Pyramids road, the main avenue leading from the city center out to the Giza pyramids, which is often used by tour buses. Four bystanders were also hurt in the blast, which targeted a security checkpoint in the country’s capital Cairo on Friday. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) CAIRO (AP) — A bombing on a main Cairo road leading to the Giza pyramids killed six police and wounded another three on Friday, the deadliest attack on security forces in the capital in more than six months. The bombing, near a mosque on a wide avenue often used by tour buses, hit a police checkpoint, smashing several cars and blowing the windows out of police SUVs. "We heard the blast and rushed to the scene and found police vehicles damaged," said Abdel Hamid Abdulla, who was nearby. On Tuesday security forces killed three gunmen in a raid on a suspected Muslim Brotherhood hideout in southern Egypt after the group claimed responsibility in September for an assassination attempt of a senior prosecutor. It is the latest in a series of attacks in the country since the former elected Islamist president was overthrown in 2013. The violence has been concentrated in the northern Sinai Peninsula, but there have also been several attacks on the mainland, including in the capital. It is the deadliest attack on security forces in several months although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Six policemen are killed in a bomb explosion at a checkpoint in Cairo, Egypt. The Hasm Movement claims responsibility for the attack.

Two schoolgirl suicide bombers killed 56 people and wounded dozens more in a co-ordinated attack on a crowded market in the northeastern Nigerian town of Madagali on Friday, a local official said. The bombings bore the hallmark of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has been waging an insurgency to set up a state adhering to a strict interpretation of Muslim laws in the northeast. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Yusuf Mohammed, chairman of the local district government, said the bombings left 56 people dead and wounded 57. Maj Badare Akintoye, a spokesman for an army unit in the nearby town of Mubi, said the attacks had been carried out simultaneously by two schoolgirls. Boko Haram has frequently targeted crowded areas – such as markets, places of worship and refugee camps – in suicide bomb attacks across northeast Nigeria and in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger. The jihadist group has killed some 15,000 people and forced more than two million people to flee their homes. Nigeria’s army has pushed the militant group back to its stronghold in the vast Sambisa forest in the past few months. While Friday’s market attack highlighted Boko Haram’s ability to mount strike against civilians in urban areas, the frequency at which the group does so has fallen. – (Reuters)</s>Twin bomb blasts killed at least 30 people at a local market in Madagali, Nigeria, on Friday in an apparent suicide attack carried out by two females, according to military spokesman Maj. Badare Akintoye. Image copyright AP Image caption Boko Haram used female suicide bombers in a similar attack in north-eastern Nigeria last year A regional force has retaken most territory under the group's control in the past 22 months.

At least 56 are killed and 70 wounded in a twin suicide attack in northeastern Nigeria.

With boxing gloves in every centerpiece and the theme from “Rocky” blaring over the speakers, Douglas, one of the golden age of Hollywood’s last living legends, walked confidently into the Sunset Room at the Beverly Hills Hotel Friday afternoon to celebrate his 100th birthday at an intimate gathering of friends and family. Wolpe also officiated at the actor’s second Bar Mitzvah, when Douglas — then only 83 — declared, “Today, I am a man.” Hosting the event will be Kirk Douglas’ son, Oscar winner Michael Douglas, and his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, who will also welcome leaders of numerous charities and institutions in the US and Israel that have received approximately $118 million over the years from Douglas and his wife, Anne. Kirk Douglas deserves to be in that club, but he didn’t appear in a movie until he was 30. “I wanted to come here and say I’ve been shooting movies and television shows for now 47 years and I’ve worked with the best of them and you’re the only movie star I ever met,” Spielberg said.</s>He was born Issur Danielovitch in 1916 in Amsterdam, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents Herschel and Bryna, who had left Chavusy in the Mogilev region of the Russian Empire, which is modern-day Belarus. Douglas had attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City on a special scholarship, where two of his classmates were Diana Dill, who became his first wife in 1943, and Lauren Bacall, who helped to launch his film career. Douglas later married Anne Buydens in 1954 and they also had two sons together, producer Peter Douglas and actor Eric Douglas, who died in 2004. Although he started his acting career in radio, theatre and television, his friendship with Bacall led to him landing his first film role when she recommended him to director Hal Wallis for 1946 film The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers. Best known for his roles in Spartacus (1960) and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954), Douglas earned his Oscar nominations for Best Actor in Champion (1949), The Bad And The Beautiful (1952), and Lust For Life (1956), but lost out on the trophy each time. Despite suffering a severe stroke in 1996 which affected his speech, Douglas went through years of voice therapy to get back into acting and starred in Diamonds in 1999 alongside Bacall, playing an old fighter recovering from a stroke. Douglas said playing Vincent van Gogh in "Lust for Life" (1956) was his favorite role but "Spartacus" (1960) was his favorite film because, as producer, he took a big step toward breaking the Hollywood blacklist. While in the Navy he married British actress Diana Dill and they had two sons, Michael and Joel, before the marriage ended after eight years. The most recent film he appeared in was 2004’s Illusion, about an ailing movie director, and in 2008 he featured in TV movie Empire State Building Murders. Still, Michael became a superstar and a successful producer, Joel and Peter also were producers and Eric was an actor until his 2004 death from a drug overdose. Kirk Douglas was also presented with cake and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" at the event. Ace in the Hole (1951): With journalism in crisis now, it is intriguing to look back at this excoriating chronicle of a ruthless reporter.

American film actor and producer Kirk Douglas, one of the last living movie stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, celebrates his 100th birthday.

Japan on Friday ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free-trade pact aimed at linking a dozen Pacific Rim nations, hoping it will one day take effect despite President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge that the United States will withdraw from it. The TPP, which aims to cut trade barriers in some of Asia’s fastest-growing economies but does not include China, can not take effect without the United States. The deal, which has been five years in the making, requires ratification by at least six countries accounting for 85 per cent of the combined gross domestic product of the member nations. Given the sheer size of the American economy, the deal cannot go ahead without U.S. participation. It has not been ratified by the U.S. Senate and Trump last month promised to withdraw from it after he is inaugurated in January. Instead, he would replace it with bilaterally negotiated trade deals. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the TPP would be “meaningless without the United States”. But by ratifying the deal in parliament on Friday, Japan is signalling it hopes the accord can be resuscitated when conditions are more favourable. Government officials said the trade pact would essentially go into deep freeze but that they would not abandon hope of reviving it in future. Taro Kono, a senior lawmaker of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said there was a chance that Trump would change his mind. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key joked last month that it would be fine with him to rename the agreement Trump Pacific Partnership if that would convince the president-elect to get on board, media reported.</s>Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won parliamentary approval Friday for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan to withdraw from the 12-nation trade pact. Upper house lawmakers approved the TPP on Friday, heeding Abe's calls to push ahead with it despite Trump's rejection of the free-trade initiative championed by President Barack Obama. Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has an ample majority in both houses of parliament. Ratification of needed regulatory revisions by the Cabinet is expected soon. The market opening measures required by the trade pact are seen as a way for Abe to push through difficult reforms of the agricultural and health sectors. So far, Abe has made scant progress on a slew of changes he has proposed to help improve Japan's lagging productivity and competitiveness. Trump has vowed to take steps to exit the pact right after he takes office. A U.S. withdrawal would kill the trade pact unless its terms are revised. The agreement between the dozen members requires both the U.S. and Japan to join to attain the required 85 percent of the group's total GDP since the U.S. economy accounts for 60 percent of that total, and Japan less than 20 percent. After expending political capital to fight vested interests fearful of market opening and reforms likely to be required by the trade pact, Abe and other leaders in Asia have bemoaned the impending loss of the U.S. as TPP flag bearer. "We want to carry this out and expect others will follow suit," Abe recently told a parliamentary committee. An opposition lawmaker, Eri Tokunaga, derided Abe's insistence on going ahead with ratification as "egocentric." "There is basically zero chance of this coming into effect since the next president, Trump, plans to leave it," Tokunaga told fellow lawmakers Friday. Leaders in New Zealand and several other countries have said they still hope to find a way to rescue the initiative. The TPP was meant to help give the U.S. a leading role in setting trade rules reaching beyond tariffs and other conventional trade barriers. It's possible demise could spur faster progress on another, much less discussed trade agreement called the RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. That trade grouping includes no countries from the Americas but all the big hitters in Asia: China, India, Japan, South Korea as well as Australia, New Zealand and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Japan ratifies the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the Solomon Islands December 10, 2016 came just one day after another 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the archipelago (AFP Photo/PEDRO PARDO) A strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday off the Solomon Islands, one day after a major quake, raising the threat of hazardous tsunami waves, officials said. The US Geological Survey downgraded the quake, which struck at 4.38am (05.38pm GMT Thursday), to magnitude 7.8 from an original reading of 8.0. Key points: Earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the pacific, but PTWC says threat has largely passed Solomon Islands police still have not heard from southern side of island closest to quake There is no risk to Australia's coastlines Authorities are starting to receive reports of damage from the earthquake, with police saying they had been told 35 houses were damaged on the island of Makira, including the police barracks at the provincial capital Kirakira. The monitoring body had said tsunami waves of between one and three metres above the tide level were possible along some coasts of Solomon Islands, while waves of between 0.3 and one metre were forecast for some coasts of Papua New Guinea. There were reports of some power outages in the Solomon Islands, although there were no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries from the quake. Solomon Islands hit by powerful aftershocks after magnitude-7.8 quake Updated Residents in Solomon Islands were hit by powerful aftershocks following a magnitude-7.8 earthquake which struck 130 kilometres from the capital Honiara. The Solomon Islands are along the "Ring of Fire," a zone of seismic activity and volcanoes around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.</s>The quake hit soon after 5.30pm (GMT) with the epicentre off the coast of Makira Island, which has a population of around 10,000. The quake was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said: “Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of the Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae.” The Solomon Islands, a British overseas territory until 1978, are part of the so-called ‘Pacific ring of fire’ which is prone to large earthquakes.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Makira in the Solomon Islands, causing infrastructure damage, yet no casualties have been reported in the hours following the quake.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will let Ukrainians and Georgians visit the bloc freely after diplomats and lawmakers agreed on Thursday on an emergency brake to suspend visa waivers, ending an EU dispute holding this up. People hold up Georgian (L) and Ukrainian flags during celebrations for the signing of an association agreement with the European Union in Tbilisi, Georgia, June 27, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili/File Photo Wary of immigration after an uncontrolled influx of more than a million refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa last year, EU has made relaxing travel rules for any new countries conditional on first agreeing the snap-back mechanism. But internal EU talks on it stalled for many weeks, delaying agreement on visa waivers for the two former Soviet republics and raising criticism that the bloc was reneging on pledges to help them as they try to move away from Moscow’s orbit. The agreement paved the way for visa waivers for first Georgia and then Ukraine. Both are still at least a few weeks away but should not be derailed now. “Almost there. Visa suspension mechanism dispute over. Now the final stretch towards visa free travel for Ukraine and Georgia,” said European Council President Donald Tusk. The prospect of easier travel to Europe has been used by the pro-Western governments in Kiev and Tbilisi to win popular backing for painful EU-sponsored reforms. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed “encouraging news from Brussels” and Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze said: “Georgia is Europe and it will become more and more tangible for our people.” Georgia, with only 3.7 million citizens, is an easier case for the EU but has been held hostage by the greater hesitation over Ukraine, which has 45 million people, is geographically closer and is stuck in a conflict with Russia. Under Thursday’s deal, the European Commission or a majority of EU states will be able to swiftly suspend any country’s visa exemption for nine months if its citizens suddenly start making many more asylum requests, stay in the bloc for longer than allowed or cause a “substantial increase in the risk to public policy or internal security.” If the problem persists, the bloc would be able to extend the suspension for another 18 months in a more complex procedure that would also give the European Parliament a say. Related talks on a visa waiver for Turkey, a mostly Muslim country of 79 million people, have stalled now as ties between the bloc and Ankara soured in the aftermath of a botched military coup in the latter in July.</s>Sir, – As a frequent train, Luas and bus traveller – free – can I suggest that those with free travel, and with a pension, over say, €50,000, should be willing to pay an annual stipend for the travel pass, this sum to go to public transport? An amount of €100 or even €200 comes to mind. Before the relevant cohort throw a wobbly and condemn me for proposing that they give up something they really would not miss, think of the alternative. We hear from Minister for Transport Shane Ross that Bus Éireann will be commercially dead in 24 months. We know Luas will almost certainly go the same way. Can Iarnrod Éireann be far behind? So travel will no longer be available free. With some version of my proposal I would still travel as much as at present, spend money when away and contribute to the survival of public transport. And if our representatives think to take too much, I will join the grey lynch-mob at the next hustings.

The European Union grants visa-free travel for Georgia and Ukraine.

While 20 Fenland Running Club members (pictured) were having their annual social Three Counties 10-Mile Run from River Road (Norfolk) on the East bank of the River Nene, via Sutton Bridge (Lincolnshire) to Gypsy Lane on the West bank (Cambridgeshire), Sam Lyddiatt took on a Half Marathon in the Run Barbados Marathon Weekend. Sam contended with hot and humid running conditions in Barbados. With an undulating out and back loop starting in the capital Bridgetown, running out of the city along the west coast, Sam grabbed the opportunity of an amazing Half Marathon experience with her husband Pete to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian opposition leader, is tried yet again in absentia.

Schiphol (Netherlands) (AFP) - Populist anti-Islam Dutch MP Geert Wilders was found guilty on Friday of discrimination against Moroccans, but acquitted of hate speech in a closely-watched trial ahead of next year's key elections. Fewer!“ Moroccans in the Netherlands. Fewer!” to which he replied, “we’ll take care of it.” | Photo Credit: AP A Dutch court convicted populist anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders of hate speech Friday at the end of a trial that he branded a politically motivated “charade” that endangered freedom of speech. Presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis however had harsh words for the platinum-blond haired Wilders saying his disparaging comments about judges and the judiciary in The Netherlands "are unworthy of an elected politician." Wilders, who had lived for two years in an Israeli moshav in the Jordan Valley in his youth, has called Israel “a place where I feel home” and said it was “close to his heart.” He has also called Israel a “canary in the coalmine” and “the West’s first line of defense against Islam,” including to his many visits to the Jewish state. Wilders said on Friday his conviction for insulting Moroccans and inciting discrimination against them was an attempt to silence him before a national election in March that would fail. Prosecutors had demanded that Mr Wilders – whose right-wing PVV party currently top Dutch polls – face a fine of €5,000 for leading anti-Moroccan chants at a political rally. “I will continue to speak the truth regardless, including about the Moroccan problem, and no judge, politician or terrorist will stop me,” said Mr Wilders in an interview with a Dutch newspaper this week. But he added, “Freedom of speech can be limited, for example to protect the rights and freedoms of others, and that is what this case is about.” The politically charged prosecution centered on comments Mr. Wilders made before and after the Dutch municipal elections in 2014. Fewer!” – to which he replied: “We’ll take care of it.” Prosecutors say that Wilders – who in 2011 was acquitted at another hate speech trial for his outspoken criticism of Islam – overstepped the limits of free speech by ­specifically targeting Moroccans.</s>But the court found him not guilty of incitement to hatred and handed down no punishment. Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), was charged after inciting supporters into a chant calling for fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands in 2014. According to a court statement, Wilders asked his audience, "Do you want more or less Moroccans in this city and in the Netherlands?" The court said that Wilders "singled out an entire group of citizens" and that the message "came through loud and clear". It convicted him of insulting a group and incitement to discrimination. But the court found insufficient evidence to find him guilty of incitement to hatred. The court, which could have fined Wilders, decided that verdicts were sufficient punishment and imposed no further penalty. "Three PVV-hating judges just declared Moroccans a race and convicted me, as well as half of the Dutch population," Wilders tweeted shortly after the verdict. Wilders said in a Twitter post ahead of the verdict Friday morning that he will "continue to speak the truth about the Moroccan problem." "No judge, politician or terrorist will stop me," he added. Whatever the verdict, I will continue to speak the truth about the Moroccan problem, and no judge, politician or terrorist will stop me. https://t.co/HqisrmYnqV — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) December 9, 2016 Wilders has previously called Islamic immigration "an invasion" that will "replace our people" and "erase our culture." Among his other policies, Wilders has called for a referendum on the Netherlands' membership in the European Union, and a full burqa ban. Wilders, 53, came to international attention in 2008 with the provocative online film "Fitna," which juxtaposed the aftermath of terrorist attacks with verses from the Quran.

Dutch populist politician Geert Wilders is convicted for hate speech.

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — South Korean President Park Geun-hye entered what could be her last day in power Friday, as lawmakers geared up for what's widely expected to be a successful impeachment vote amid a corruption scandal that has left her isolated and loathed. After the vote, parliamentary officials hand-delivered formal documents to the presidential Blue House that stripped Ms Park of her power and allowed the country’s number two official, prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, to assume leadership until the Constitutional Court rules on whether Ms Park must permanently step down. On Friday, the opposition-controlled parliament passed an impeachment motion against Park, which stripped her of her presidential duties and pushed Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn into the role as government caretaker until the court rules on Park's fate. Hwang separately said that he wanted “the ruling and opposition political parties and the parliament to gather strength and wisdom so that we can return stability to the country and people as soon as possible.” Once called the “Queen of Elections” for her ability to pull off wins for her party, Park has been surrounded in the Blue House in recent weeks by millions of South Koreans who have taken to the streets in protest. The impeachment came after millions of people demonstrated for weeks demanding the removal of Park, who state prosecutors accuse of colluding with a longtime friend to extort money and favors from South Korea's biggest companies and to give that confidante extraordinary sway over government decisions. A group of anti-Park farmers who tried to roll into the capital on tractors and trucks scuffled with police overnight in Suwon, just south of Seoul, before they left most of the vehicles behind and headed to Seoul on buses. During that time Park would be suspended as president but not removed, with her duties, including commander in chief of South Korea’s 630,000—member military, temporarily transferred to the prime minister until the court reaches a decision on whether her impeachment is constitutional. She also holds onto the title “President.” But with nothing officially to do, it’s uncertain how she’ll spend her days during the up-to-six months the country’s Constitutional Court has to decide whether to accept the impeachment and formally end her presidency. SEOUL, South Korea — The previous time South Korea's parliament voted to impeach a president, ruling party lawmakers bawled and hurled ballot boxes, a man set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly, and thousands glumly held candlelight vigils night after night to save late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun. Protesters hold signs that read "Arrest Park Geun-hye" and "Park Geun-hye to step down" as they march toward the presidential house during a rally in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. Park, whose term is to end in early 2018, tried to fend off impeachment by saying she would stand down if parliament arranges a stable power transfer. The political turmoil around Park comes after years of frustration over a leadership style that inspired comparisons to her father, slain military dictator Park Chung-hee. Park has publicly apologized over the scandal three times and acknowledged that she received help from Choi in editing her speeches and with unspecified “public relations” matters.</s>The National Assembly immediately transferred Park’s authority to the prime minister, pending a ruling by the constitutional court on whether to ratify the decision and permanently remove the president from office.

South Korean lawmakers impeach President Park Geun-hye by a 234–56 vote. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, a staunch defender of Ms. Park, will serve as acting president. South Korea's Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to render a final decision.

LENI Robredo is making a scene. She is accusing the President and Bongbong Marcos of plotting to steal the vice presidency from her. She is saying this after she was constructively dismissed from the Cabinet. She resigned after being told through text, upon instructions of the President, to desist from attending Cabinet meetings. There are several angles being floated around on the real reason of her departure from the Cabinet. There are those who say she was dismissed for being a non-performer. Others point out the irreconcilable differences that she had with the President and her very vocal opposition to his stand on many issues, including the burial of Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the war on drugs, the President’s attack on Senator Leila de Lima, and the planned restoration of the death penalty. Yet, there are also those who floated the intrigue that she was leaking confidential information discussed during Cabinet meetings, and that she refused to cooperate in the investigation of the Yolanda housing anomalies. But the most eyebrow-raising is her allegation that there are attempts to steal the vice presidency from her. She is presenting herself as being the object of political harassment, a target of a sinister plot to oust her as Vice President and replace her with Bongbong Marcos. Her supporters and partymates at the Liberal Party are quick to deploy as a battle cry the hashtag #ProtectLeni and #DefendDemocracy, even as they once again paint the return of the Marcoses to power as the convenient bogeyman. But it is perhaps important for us to ask Leni Robredo this question: How exactly do you steal the vice presidency? To allege stealing a position presupposes that it will be through extra-constitutional means. However, it could never be by a coup, since such usually targets the head of state or government, and not his spare tire. In fact, it is even more plausible for a Vice President from the opposition ranks like Mrs. Robredo, to be the one to plot and steal the presidency, and not the other way around. The only way Mrs. Robredo can lose her seat is through constitutional means. She can be unseated through impeachment. However, as of now, there is no ground to impeach her considering that a less than stellar performance at the HUDCC is not an impeachable offense. Her political difference with the President, as long as only expressed but not used to undermine him, does not constitute betrayal of public trust or treason. She could however lose her seat through an electoral protest. Bongbong Marcos has filed an electoral protest against her, and the case is now with the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, or PET. Marcos has alleged massive electoral fraud during the May 2016 elections, where he claimed to have been a victim of a combination of electronic and conventional forms of cheating. Marcos alleges that the existence of the illegal fourth server, which was admitted even by Smartmatic, together with traditional methods of pre-shading of ballots that allegedly happened in many areas in the ARMM, may have enabled Mrs. Robredo to steal his votes from him. Evidence suggests statistically improbable zero-votes for all other candidates except for the Liberal Party tandem of Roxas and Robredo in many areas in the country, particularly in the ARMM. There was also a suspiciously high level of under-votes for vice president, leading one to suspect a more sinister electronic tampering of results. But all of these are allegations that still need to be proven in a proper proceeding. The camp of Bongbong Marcos has already submitted thousands of pages of evidence to back his allegations, and these have yet to be appreciated by the PET. A recount has not yet been ordered, and when commenced, would take a long time in a proceeding which will be open to all parties, and where Mrs. Robredo’s lawyers would be present. Thus, it is totally irresponsible for Mrs. Robredo to accuse President Duterte, or his allies, working with Bongbong Marcos, to steal the vice presidency. Raising this amounts to a frontal attack on the PET, as it would impugn the integrity of its members, and the whole process. The camp of Mrs. Robredo has already floated irresponsible allegations in social media. Several days ago, Robredo partisans already made accusations that Governor Imee Marcos had a meeting with two unidentified Supreme Court justices abroad. Mrs. Robredo has to be reminded that being unseated through an electoral protest is not stealing. On the contrary, it makes her the thief of a post that is not supposed to be hers. She has to realize that the best way to defend democracy is to stop undermining it by casting aspersions on democratic institutions and processes, and for her to support the recount. Only a recount would tell us if the vice presidency is rightfully hers, or was indeed stolen, not by Bongbong Marcos, but by her.</s>Ghana's main opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo said he was "quietly confident" he had beaten incumbent President John Mahama in the presidential elections, a claim promptly rejected by the ruling party. The electoral commission has yet to release results from this week's elections but the opposition said it had tabulated figures from individual constituencies. Afuko-Addo told hundreds of supporters in the capital Accra on Thursday that his New Patriotic Party (NPP) had taken a majority of seats in parliament but he called for calm and urged patience to allow the electoral commission time to deliver the results. "We in the NPP are quietly confident that we have won a famous and historic victory," Akufo-Addo said. Officials from Mahama's National Democratic Congress (NDC) rejected the claims and said the incumbent was on track for re-election. Update: As at now, we have received 25 Constituency Collated results at the National Collation Centre #ghanaelection2016 #ghanadecides pic.twitter.com/IID6G9CjPe — Electoral Commission (@ECGhanaOfficial) December 8, 2016 Al Jazeera's Nicholas Haque, reporting from the capital Accra, said that Ghanaians were anxiously waiting for the final results. "Outside the election commisison, police are out in full force and they want to ensure that the outcome is peaceful," our correspondent said. Mahama is running for a second and final term in office against the backdrop of an economy that has slowed since he took office in 2013, partly because of a slump in global prices for its exports of gold, cocoa and oil. Akufo-Addo, a former foreign minister, has focused on Ghana's economic woes as a campaign theme, and has repeatedly accused Mahama and the NDC of incompetence. Let's allow EC to carry out its constitutional mandate. We'll make Ghana proud no matter outcome. — John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) December 9, 2016 Akufo-Addo's statement was the first by a major party leader since the election and reflects opposition belief that after eight years in the wilderness it has won back power. However, it also appeared aimed at tempering NPP members' earlier claims of an insurmountable lead for Akufo-Addo and calls for Mahama to concede defeat. READ MORE: Ghanaian voices on coming presidential elections "The NPP has done everything to try to bastardise the 2016 general election. We are doing our analysis and President Mahama is leading Akufo-Addo," Koku Anyidoho, a senior NDC official, told a news conference. Privately, senior aides to Mahama say he remains confident. Joy FM, a private radio station, put Akufo-Addo at 51.42 percent and Mahama at 46.72 percent with 176 of 275 constituencies counted. Website GhanaWeb gave results for 160 constituencies and said Akufo-Addo had 55.8 percent with Mahama on 42.5 percent. Minor candidates took the other votes. Seven candidates are contesting Ghana's presidency. If no one wins a majority, there will be a runoff between the top two. The election has tested the Ghana Electoral Commission and its new Commissioner, Charlotte Osei. Observers reported almost no major problems on election day but the NPP and the National Peace Council on Thursday urged the commission to start releasing results quickly. Osei told a news conference that the commission had collated results from 90 constituencies and would release them, though she gave no timeframe. She said technical problems had delayed other results. "We want to assure you that we cannot change the results in any way. We cannot manipulate those results," she said.

Opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo wins the presidency.

HONG KONG — Leung Chun-ying, the unpopular Beijing-backed leader of Hong Kong whose government has tried to block or remove elected opposition politicians from office, said Friday that he would not seek a second term. In a statement, the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said it was “regretful” of Leung’s decision not to run and praised his contribution in upholding national sovereignty and stability in Hong Kong. Mr Leung said he did not wish to go into his personal life too deeply but said: “As a husband and father I have a responsibility .</s>Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announces that he will not run again for office and will step down at the end of his term in July, citing family reasons (AFP Photo/ANTHONY WALLACE) Hong Kong's unpopular leader Leung Chun-ying, who has been vilified by critics as a puppet of Beijing, said Friday he would not run again for office after a term marked by anti-China protests and political divisions. Some pro-democracy campaigners predicted there would be public "euphoria" at the news, while analysts said the announcement had come as a surprise, just three months before the election in which Leung was widely expected to run for a second term. Reports in local media have said that Leung's daughter Leung Chai-yan, 25, has been in hospital for more than a month, although the reasons are unclear. "In my family, my children only have one father, my wife only has one husband," said Leung, who has three grown children, adding that he didn't want to say more publicly. Tensions have risen in recent weeks amid a Beijing-backed legal crackdown against pro-independence and pro-democracy city lawmakers accused of mocking their oaths of office in gestures of protest against Beijing. Leung took office in 2012 as concerns were growing that Beijing was tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city and his opponents have slammed him as a hardline leader overseeing the erosion of Hong Kong's freedoms. China's spokesman for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs told Xinhua: "We express our deep regret that Leung has decided not to pursue another term due to family reasons, and we respect his decision."

Pro-Beijing Hong Kong leader CY Leung says he will quit after his term ends.

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President-elect Donald Trump reportedly is set to name a top Goldman Sachs official to coordinate his administration’s economic policy, his latest of several picks from a company he consistently attacked during his campaign. He’s expected to name bank president Gary Cohn to an influential White House policy post, according to two people informed of the decision, and has already nominated former Goldman executive Steve Mnuchin to lead the Treasury Department. Trump’s pick of Goldman President Gary Cohn, 56, to head the White House National Economic Council comes despite Trump’s past criticism of the financial sector’s power.</s>U.S President-elect Donald Trump has asked Goldman Sachs executive Gary Cohn to head his White House National Economic Council, a group that coordinates economic policy across agencies, NBC News reported on Friday. Cohn, 56, would lead the White House National Economic Council, a posting that would require him to leave his $21 million a year job as president and chief operating officer at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Trump repeatedly vilified the prestigious Wall Street bank on the campaign trail, yet with the selection of Cohn, he has now chosen three of its alumni to key positions in his upcoming administration. The two people informed of the decision spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the expected move.

Donald Trump requests Gary Cohn, chief operating officer of investment bank Goldman Sachs, to join his administration as chair of the White House National Economic Council.

Jayalalithaa’s successor in the AIADMK will be selected unanimously, the party announced on Saturday. “New General Secretary will be selected soon for AIADMK, it would be an unanimous decision,” the AIADMK said through its official Twitter handle, quoting the party spokesman C. Ponnaiyan on Saturday. The announcement comes ahead of the first meeting of the O. Panneerselvam Cabinet.</s>CLOSE Donald Trump is expected to nominate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers as his secretary of Interior. Find out more about the Washington State Republican representative. USA TODAY NETWORK President-elect Donald Trump and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers pose for a photo before their meeting at Trump International Golf Club on Nov. 20, 2016, in Bedminster Township, N.J. (Photo: Drew Angerer, Getty Images) BATON ROUGE, La. — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington as his secretary of Interior, a source close to the transition told USA TODAY Friday. The timing of the announcement of Rodgers' selection has not been determined, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because transition officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the nomination. McMorris Rodgers is chair of the House Republican Conference, which makes her the fourth highest-ranking Republican in the House and the highest-ranking GOP woman in Congress. News of the pick was swiftly criticized by environmentalists. League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski said the selection amounted to "a massive 'for sale' sign on our public lands." "McMorris Rodgers has been part of the Republican leadership of the most anti-environmental House of Representatives in history, and she has an abysmal 4% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. She simply should not be put in charge of stewarding America’s wildlife, national parks and other majestic landscapes," Karpinski continued. "At best, Trump can delay the inevitable clean energy revolution, but he can’t stop it. McMorris Rodgers is clearly not the right choice for a 21st century Department of Interior that will steward public lands on behalf of the American people," Greenpeace spokesman Travis Nichols said. The Sierra Club also joined in, saying McMorris Rodgers has often voted to open public lands to drilling, mining and logging. Eric Washburn, a consultant to the Policy Resolution Group — a lobbying firm that represents energy companies — was optimistic that McMorris Rodgers "will be able to chart a course for the agency that allows for conservation and development to proceed hand in hand.” Finding such a balance will be important, Washburn said, because, "OPEC just got agreement on a supply cut that will raise oil and gas prices and likely lead to more demand to drill on federal lands." The transition team also made another important announcement Friday, but this one wasn't who would be in the administration, but rather, who would be out. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump loyalist who was considered a top contender for secretary of State, pulled himself out of the running for any Cabinet position. "Before I joined the campaign I was very involved and fulfilled by my work with my law firm and consulting firm, and I will continue that work with even more enthusiasm. From the vantage point of the private sector, I look forward to helping the President-elect in any way he deems necessary and appropriate," he said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Trump said he would continue to seek Giuliani's guidance and could see him joining the administration in the future. "Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the Cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector," Trump said. Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus added that Giuliani was vetted for "possible conflicts and passed with flying colors." The news of Rodgers' imminent appointment followed a meeting between Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan and came on a day when Trump will conduct rallies in Louisiana and Michigan. The House speaker, who has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Trump during the campaign, has become an enthusiastic supporter following Trump's win and called the meeting “very exciting.” “I really enjoyed coming up here and meeting with the president-elect. We had a great meeting to talk about our transition. We are really excited about getting to work and hitting the ground running in 2017. And getting this country back on track,” Ryan told reporters at Trump Tower following the meeting. Before speaking in Baton Rouge, La. Trump had a brief call with First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon Friday. "The President-elect and the First Minister look forward to strengthening the relationship between Scotland and the United States," a statement released from the transition team said. In Louisiana, Trump did something relatively unique: Stumped for another candidate. While congressional and gubernatorial candidates appeared with Trump during the campaign, others declined to appear with him. He stumped for Louisiana Senate candidate John Kennedy, who is involved in a runoff Saturday. Louisiana’s Senate seat was not decided on Nov. 8 because of the state’s “jungle primary system” which has everyone compete on Election Day. Unless someone gets a majority, the top two candidates (regardless of party affiliation) hash it out in a runoff election. "If you go to the polls, he's going to win," Trump told a "Get Out The Vote" rally in a hangar at the Baton Rouge airport. "If you don't go to the polls, he's not going to win." The president-elect also endorsed U.S. House candidate Mike Johnson. Trump then headed to Grand Rapids, Mich., for another rally in his "Thank You Tour" of states that gave him the margin of victory in the Electoral College. Trump has been holding rallies in the battleground states that helped propel him to victory last month. Michigan was one of the Midwest states that was considered a lock for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but Trump carried the state by about 10,000 votes. Friday's meeting with Ryan brings Trump's number of meetings during the transition to more than 90, spokesman Sean Spicer said. On Monday, he will have four more to add to his list, including former Hewlett-Packard CEO and Republican candidate for president Carly Fiorina. West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin was slated to meet with Trump on Friday, but that meeting was rescheduled for Monday because of Manchin's work in the Senate. Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador and Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 and this year, will also meet with the president-elect. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2htSOct

Cathy McMorris Rogers is selected as United States Secretary of Interior.

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, seen in 2014, rejected his election defeat only a week after conceding to opponent President-elect Adama Barrow. By ISSOUF SANOGO (AFP/File) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Saturday demanded that Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh hand over power to the president-elect after he rejected the election results in a dramatic political U-turn. In a unanimous statement, the 15 council members called on Jammeh to "respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, as he did on December 2 2016, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow."</s>Longtime Gambian ruler now refuses to step aside DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gambia's ruler of more than 22 years announced late Friday that he no longer accepts defeat in the country's presidential election, reversing course a week after he conceded to his rival. Senegal, which has Gambia's only land border, has called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and "solemnly" warned Jammeh not to harm Senegal's interests or its citizens in Gambia. "The outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the result of the election and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told reporters in Banjul following an emergency meeting under high security. African Union chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said Mr Jammeh’s statement was null and void, pointing out that he had already “publicly and gracefully recognized that the victory of president-elect Adama Barrow is the true expression of the will of the Gambian people.” Just one week ago, Mr Jammeh was shown on state television calling Mr Barrow to wish him the best, saying he has no ill will. Mr Jammeh, who seized power in a bloodless 1994 military coup, has long been accused of overseeing a government that imprisons, tortures and sometimes kill its opponents, according to human rights groups.

The President of Gambia Yahya Jammeh states he will not accept the result of the recent defeat a week after conceding defeat to Adama Barrow.

Distinctive mammalian traits, such as endothermy (warm-bloodedness), a muscular diaphragm, large brain size, fur, and a highly specialized dentition, including diphyodonty, prismatic enamel, and a functionally regionalized tooth row (heterodonty), are the product of more than 300 million years of evolutionary divergence from reptiles and other tetrapods.1 The sequence and timing of these adaptations are captured in the fossil record of premammalian synapsids (Figure 1), but an understanding of the evolutionary context of mammalian disease, including cancer, remains elusive. We report the first instance, to our knowledge, of a tumor in a 255-million-year-old mammalian forebear and comment on the implications for establishing the phylogenetic and physiological conditions under which such pathologic features first arose. Methods Fossil thin-sectioning protocol is well established, and the resultant data are an increasingly significant tool in understanding the physiologic mechanisms and evolution of extinct animals.2 Despite the relative abundance of gorgonopsian fossils, few histologic observations have been made of their jaws. The anterior right dentary of a gorgonopsian was prepared by embedding the specimen in a clear polyester resin. Thin (approximately 2 cm) wafers of the embedded specimen were cut using a precision slow-speed saw and then mounted onto glass slides. Sections were ground to a final thickness of approximately 100 µm using a variable-speed grinder and polisher. The root of the lower canine and associated pathological tissues were examined and imaged under regular and cross-polarized light. Institutional review board approval was waived for this study because no live specimens were used. Results Histologic sections present ectopic toothlike structures that were not apparent from the external morphologic features of the mandible (Figure 2). The lesions are located adjacent to the labial edge of the functional canine root, and each resembles a miniature tooth with an internal cavity, dentine as evidenced by the presence of tubules, and a thin outer covering of enamel. Up to 8 lesions of varying diameter (approximately 0.3-3.9 mm) can be observed on an individual slide, with consecutive slides revealing that their shape and arrangement change along the apical-cervical axis of the canine root. Apically, the lesions are circular and cluster around the mesial edge of the canine root. Incursion of the lesions into the root of the canine coincides with the loss of cementum and dentine in the latter. Moving cervically, the masses erode even further into the functional tooth root. Midroot, some of the lesions lose their circular cross-sectional shape and become more amorphous, although continuing to maintain similar tissues and tissue boundaries. Near the cervical region of the canine root, the lesions slightly retreat from their incursion and penetrate further into the bone of the jaw. At this cervical end, the pathologic features return to a circular cross-section and cluster together. Discussion Histologic examination reveals that this ancient condition closely resembles compound odontoma.3 In humans, compound odontoma is characterized by fully differentiated enamel and dentine organized into miniature teeth that can cause resorption of the functional tooth root,3 all of which mirror our paleohistologic observations. Odontomas are the most common odontogenic tumors,3 but their cause is poorly understood. Interestingly, odontomas have been reported in a handful of fossil mammals up to a few million years old4,5 but were previously unknown in deep premammalian evolutionary history. Recognition of odontoma in such a distant relative of humans suggests that this condition is unlikely related to characteristics of mammalian dentition or physiologic features but rather evolved much earlier in vertebrate evolution. More broadly, the fossil record has the potential to provide an evolutionary context for modern pathologic features6 by disassociating traits that co-occur in modern species. Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Megan Whitney, MSc, Department of Biology, University of Washington, PO Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195 (megwhit@uw.edu). Published Online: December 8, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.5417 Author Contributions: Ms Whitney and Dr Sidor had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Whitney, Sidor. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors. Drafting of the manuscript: All authors. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors. Obtained funding: Sidor. Administrative, technical, or material support: Sidor. Study supervision: Sidor. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported. Funding/Support: This research was supported by grant EAR 1337569 from the National Science Foundation (Dr Sidor) and a University of Washington Mary Gates Research Fellowship (Mr Mose). Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the authors and do not represent official positions of the University of Washington.</s>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists examining the jawbone of a saber-toothed, mammal-like beast that prowled Tanzania 255 million years ago have come across a remarkable fossil rarity: one of the oldest-known tumors. A histological thin section of the gorgonopsid lower jaw of a saber-tooth mammal-like beast that prowled Tanzania 255 million years ago, taken near the top of the canine root showing the cluster of small circles, indicative of compound odontoma. Courtesy of Chistian Sidor/Megan Whitney/Handout via REUTERS University of Washington researchers on Thursday described a benign tumor composed of miniature tooth-like structures they found embedded next to the root of the creature’s enlarged canine tooth while studying an unrelated aspect of the jaw. The animal was a member of an extinct group of four-legged carnivores called gorgonopsians that mixed mammal-like and reptile-like traits. They reached up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and appeared early in the evolutionary lineage that led to mammals. The jawbone came from one of the smaller gorgonopsian species. Gorgonopsians were among the top predators of their time, thriving from about 270 million to 252 million years ago when they were wiped out during Earth’s worst mass extinction at the end of the Permian Period. Their demise came roughly 20 million years before the first dinosaurs. When the researchers sliced into the mandible fossil from Tanzania’s Ruhuhu Valley, they found a benign dental tumor called a compound odontoma that grows within the gums or other jaw soft tissues. When people get one, surgery is sometimes used to remove it. “There was no indication that there was a tumor in this jaw. It looked normal before we cut it open. It was pure luck that we found the tumor,” University of Washington paleobiologist Megan Whitney said. Until now, this type of tumor was known only in mammals, including some Ice Age fossils tens of thousands of years old. The new discovery shows such a tumor existed in mammal ancestors that lived tens of millions of years before the first mammals appeared. Tumors, malignant and benign, typically involve soft tissue, and rarely fossilize. “Ancient tumors generally need to affect hard parts such as bones and teeth in order to be preserved in the fossil record,” University of Washington paleobiologist Christian Sidor added. This tumor included hard enamel and dentin. Few tumor fossils are older. A 300-million-year-old fish was found with a tumor and a 350-million-year-old armored fish has an apparent tumor that some dispute. “Fossils allow us to understand the evolution of diseases in deep time and have the potential to provide clues as to the causes of diseases that afflict humans,” Whitney said. The research appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology.

University of Washington researchers report, in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology, the discovery of an odontoma — a benign tumor — in the fossil of a 255-million-year old Tanzanian mammal-like saber-toothed gorgonopsia. This is one of the oldest-known tumors ever found.

A Japanese HII-B rocket launches the unmanned Kounotori 6, or H-II Transfer Vehicle 6, toward the International Space Station on Dec. 9, 2016 from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Center. Japan's unmanned cargo spacecraft, "Kounotori" is to blast off from the southern island of Tanegashima around 10:30 pm local time attached to an H-IIB rocket (AFP Photo/STRINGER) Tokyo (AFP) - Japan launched a cargo ship Friday bound for the International Space Station, carrying a 'space junk' collector that was made with the help of a fishnet company. [Japan's Robot Spaceship Fleet in Pictures] A Japanese HII-B rocket launches the unmanned Kounotori 6, or H-II Transfer Vehicle 6, toward the International Space Station on Dec. 9, 2016 from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Center.</s>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A Japanese capsule blasted off with much-needed supplies for the International Space Station on Friday, a week after a Russian shipment was destroyed shortly after liftoff. The Russian rocket accident and the grounding of one of NASA’s commercial suppliers make this delivery all the more urgent. The spacecraft should arrive at the station Tuesday. “Have a safe flight,” French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said in a tweet from the space station, addressing the load. “Looking forward to your arrival!” The capsule — called Kounotori, or white stork — contains nearly 5 tons of food, water and other supplies, including six new lithium-ion batteries for the station’s solar power system. Astronauts will conduct spacewalks next month to replace the old nickel-hydrogen batteries. This is Japan’s sixth shipment to the 250-mile-high outpost, currently home to Pesquet, two Americans and three Russians. It launched from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. Launches by SpaceX, meanwhile, have been on hold since a September rocket explosion on the pad in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

JAXA launches the unmanned cargo spacecraft Kounotori 6, also known as HTV-6, from the Tanegashima Space Center to resupply the International Space Station.

Terreurorganisatie Islamitische Staat (IS) heeft na hevige gevechten met de Syrische regeringstroepen een van de belangrijkste gasvelden in het land veroverd, ten noordwesten van de historische stad Palmyra. Dat melden het in Groot-Brittannië gevestigde Syrische Observatorium voor de Mensenrechten en bronnen bij het leger. Ook het IS-agentschap Amak berichtte over de triomf van de militie. Historische overblijfselen Islamitische Staat had twee dagen geleden een offensief gestart in de omgeving rond Palmyra. Intussen zijn de extremisten tot op acht kilometer van de stad opgerukt. Palmyra was in maart bevrijd door Syrische regeringstroepen. Onder het heerschappij van IS zijn talrijke unieke historische overblijfselen uit de eerste eeuw na Christus vernield.</s>Islamic State militants entered Palmyra in central Syria Saturday, nine months after being pushed out of the city by Syrian government troops backed by the Russian military. The Associated Press, quoting reports by a Palmyra activist group, said IS had seized a military warehouse as well as the city's northern and western neighborhoods. The militants are also pushing toward a nearby Syrian military airbase that the Russian military has been using to support Syrian forces, Reuters reported. The intensification of fighting came after IS fighters captured at least a dozen government-held positions in eastern Homs, including strategic areas around Palmyra. "IS took complete control of al-Mohur [oil] field in northwest of Palmyra," the pro-rebel Palmyra Coordination Committee said in a tweet on Friday. IS has reportedly seized a significant amount of weapons and ammunition from retreating Syrian soldiers in the area, local reports said. Syrian warplane on Friday bombarded the area in an attempt to push IS fighters back. The IS-led offensive on eastern Homs was so swift it took pro-regime forces by surprise, activists said. IS "was so quick in capturing all these areas," said Hussein al-Homsi, a pro-opposition media activist in Homs. "The [Syrian] regime forces had to retreat and perhaps regroup to fight back in some of the recently captured areas." Syrian troops took heavy casualties since Thursday, said the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that monitors Syria's civil war with activists on the ground. "If the [IS] advancement continues this way, it could take control of Palmyra at any moment," said Rami Abdulrahman, spokesman for the group. It seems "IS has planned for this assault for a long time," he added. FILE - Syrian army soldiers stands on the ruins of FILE - Syrian army soldiers stands on the ruins of the Temple of Bel in the historic city of Palmyra, in Homs Governorate, Syria, April 1, 2016. FILE - Syrian army soldiers stands on the ruins of the Temple of Bel in the historic city of Palmyra, in Homs Governorate, Syria, April 1, 2016. Syrian government forces recaptured Palmyra in March after IS controlled and destroyed key parts of the city's UNESCO World Heritage ruins. IS "is interested in Palmyra for its international importance" and it is a way for them to distract the world's attention from what is going on in Mosul and Raqqa," Abdulrahman told VOA. Analysts say with its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul coming under siege from Iraq-led forces and Raqqa, its de facto capital in Syria, being targeted by a Kurdish-led offensive, IS is likely setting its sights to create a new stronghold. IS is using the Syrian desert as a route to resupply and reinforce its fighters in Homs. The sprawling desert connects Homs to its strongholds of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria. The Pentagon said on Friday a U.S. airstrike destroyed 168 oil tanker trucks near Palmyra used by IS. The central province of Homs is largely controlled by Syrian government troops. Some pockets in the north are under the control of rebels battling the regime while other areas in the east are under IS control. IS wants to move toward the central city of Homs where pro-Assad troops have been in charge since pushing out the last remaining groups of rebels in 2015. "Homs is a natural area of operations for [IS]," said Nicholas A. Heras, a Middle East researcher at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. "[IS] already has a long-established military presence in the contested areas [of Homs]."

The SOHR and Amaq announce that ISIL has captured an oil field north-west of Palmyra.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Kurdish and Sunni Arab fighters launched an operation to seize Raqqa from IS last month The US is sending 200 more military personnel to help fight the Islamic State group in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, the US defence secretary says. Speaking at talks on Middle East security, Ash Carter said the troops would include special forces trainers, advisers and bomb disposal teams. They will join 300 US special forces who are already in Syria. Last month a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters said it had begun an operation to capture Raqqa. The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) had been gaining ground in areas north of the so-called Islamic State's "capital" in Syria. Speaking on Saturday at a meeting in Bahrain, Mr Carter said the 200 additional troops would "continue organising, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces" to take the fight to IS. Interactive See how the area IS controls has changed since 2015 October 2016 January 2015 A US-led coalition has been fighting IS - mainly through air strikes - in Syria and in neighbouring Iraq. But the main conflict in Syria pits the government of President Bashar al-Assad - assisted by Russian air power - against rebels backed by Turkey, Gulf states and the US. One key battleground is Aleppo, once Syria's largest city, where pro-government forces continue their advance in eastern, rebel-held areas. In a BBC interview broadcast on Saturday, the UN special envoy for Syria warned that a government victory in Aleppo would not end the war. "A serious discussion about the future political set-up of Syria" is the only way to achieve peace, Staffan de Mistura told BBC Radio 4's Today. The only way to win peace and stability in Syria, he continued, was a power-sharing agreement. Syria's army seized 85% of the rebel-held part of the city in recent weeks. The intensification in fighting has forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in government-controlled territory. Russian officials say up to 10,500 left during a temporary humanitarian pause on Thursday alone. Mr Carter added that Russia, Syria's main ally, had "only inflamed the civil war and prolonged suffering". 'Worst conflict since WWII' Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the US and Europe, as well as officials from Arab countries are discussing the Syrian conflict in Paris. Saturday's talks were expected to focus on ways to protect civilians, as well as the future of the rebels in eastern Aleppo. Image copyright AFP Image caption The rebels continued to fight government forces outside Aleppo on Friday Image copyright Reuters Image caption Many elderly and sick have been trapped for weeks because of the fighting US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is attending the talks, sought to lower expectations saying: "I know people are tired of these meetings, I'm tired of these meetings. "But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts, while people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?" He described the conflict in Aleppo as the worst "since World War Two". The UN estimates that up to 100,000 people are squeezed into an "ever-shrinking" rebel pocket in eastern Aleppo with little or no access to food or water. Aleppo was once Syria's commercial and industrial hub before the uprising against President Assad began in 2011. It has been divided in roughly two since mid-2012. But in the past year, Syrian troops broke the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes.</s>US is sending 200 more troops to Syria to battle Islamic State MANAMA, Bahrain — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter says as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa. Add Interest The troop increase will bring the total number of U.S. troops in Syria to 500. Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to the Islamic State after Raqqa is captured. "This latest commitment of additional forces within Syria is another important step in enabling our partners to deal ISIL a lasting defeat," Carter said, using the government's preferred acronym for the terror organization. "The United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces to Syria," Carter said, adding that the new contingent would include special operations forces, trainers, advisers, and explosive ordinance disposal teams. The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 U.S. troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat the Islamic State. Those fighters have enjoyed some success against ISIS, coming within 15 miles of Raqqa, according to Carter. US and Turkey agree to long-term plan on Raqqa US and Turkey agree to long-term plan on Raqqa "We're getting into what is predominantly traditionally more Arab territory," so more Arab fighters are needed, the defense official said. "Daesh considers Raqqa their capital in Syria, so we expect resistance to stiffen as forces move closer to the city," Dorrian told reporters last month, using another name for the terror group.

The United States announces that it will deploy an additional 200 troops to help force the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from Al-Raqqah.

ADEN (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed at least 50 Yemeni soldiers at a base in the city of Aden, a local security official said, in another major attack claimed by Islamic State on forces allied to a Saudi-led military coalition. It is not yet clear who carried out the attack but so-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility. The Yemeni branch of the militant group based in Iraq and Syria has carried out many deadly bombings around troops in the southern port city, which is under the control of the internationally recognized government in exile in Saudi Arabia. The scale of the humanitarian crisis is enormous - more than three million people have left their homes, and more than half the country's population does not have a secure source of food.</s>SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A suicide bomber on Saturday blew himself up inside an army base in the southern city of Aden, killing 45 soldiers and wounding another 50, security officials said. They said the bomber detonated a belt of explosives he was wearing amid hundreds of soldiers lining up to collect their salaries in the city's Solban army base. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Waleed Rashed, a soldier in the base, arrived at the scene shortly after the attack to find the area littered with bodies and blood. "I could hear the wounded soldiers screaming for help," he said. Private cars were used to ferry the wounded to hospitals before ambulances arrived, he added. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but it bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida, which has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Aden over the years, targeting government troops and senior security commanders. The terror network's branch in Yemen is thought to be the world's most active. It is known to have a presence in Aden, where a loose coalition of troops loyal to the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, local militias and jihadi groups control the city. The troops and jihadi groups are fighting Shiite rebels, who in 2014 seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and later swept much of northern Yemen. Their advances forced Hadi to flee the country and seek shelter in neighboring Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition, mostly consisting of Gulf Arab states, subsequently intervened in Yemen, launching a punishing air campaign against the rebels and their allies.

A suicide bomber kills at least 50 soldiers and injures 70 more at a military barracks in Aden, Yemen.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Besiktas TV presenter flees as blast hits stadium A twin bomb attack on police officers outside a football stadium in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has killed 38 people and injured many more. Police cordoned off the area around the stadium immediately after the blasts, which occurred near the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce Palace that houses Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's offices in Istanbul. Witnesses also heard gunfire after the explosions, which apparently targeted police officers, and at least 166 were reported wounded. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an ally to the United States in the fight against ISIS, issued a statement prior to the news conference saying Istanbul had once again "witnessed the ugliest face of terror stepping on all values and morals. The attack shook a soccer-mad nation still trying to recover from a series of deadly bombings this year in cities including Istanbul and the capital Ankara, some blamed on the Islamic State jihadist group and others claimed by Kurdish militants. Following the explosions, the US Consulate in Istanbul tweeted: "Please avoid the area, monitor local press reporting, and let friends and family know you are OK." Erdogan declared a state of emergency following the coup attempt and authorities carried out a large number of arrests. "It is thought to be a car bomb at a point where our special forces police were located, right after the match at the exit where Bursaspor fans" had earlier left, Soylu was quoted as saying by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency. Twenty seven of those killed were policemen and two were civilians, he told reporters in Istanbul, adding that 10 suspects had already been detained over the bombing. It was followed 45 seconds later by another attack at nearby Macka Park, carried out by a suicide bomber who blew himself up in the midst of police officers. Deadly attacks in Turkey this year Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Scene of explosion in Ankara's central Kizilay district on 13 March 20 August: Bomb attack on wedding party in Gaziantep kills at least 30 people, IS suspected 30 July: 35 Kurdish fighters who try to storm a military base are killed by the Turkish army 28 June: A gun and bomb attack on Ataturk airport in Istanbul kills 41 people, in an attack blamed on IS militants 13 March: 37 people are killed by Kurdish militants in a suicide car bombing in Ankara 17 February: 28 people die in an attack on a military convoy in Ankara Image copyright Reuters Image caption The attack appears to have targeted riot police</s>ATLANTA (AP) — Former congressional candidate Jon Ossoff says he will challenge Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue in 2020. The Georgia Democrat tweeted Monday night that he has, "some big...

Two bombs, one detonated by a suicide bomber, near the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, kill at least 29 people and injure more than 150 others. Ten people have been arrested in relation to the bombings.

Turkish air strikes kill 19 Kurdish militants in north Iraq - military sources DIYARBAKIR, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Turkish jets carried out air strikes against Kurdish militants in the Gara region of northern Iraq on Friday and killed 19 militants, Turkish military sources said on Saturday. The warplanes took off from an air base in Diyarbakir in response to threats that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants were preparing an attack on military units at the border, the sources said. Turkey frequently launches air attacks against PKK targets in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq near the Turkish border, where the Kurdish militant group's leadership has camps. A ceasefire between the autonomy-seeking PKK and the state fell apart last year, triggering some of the worst violence in the three decades of the Kurdish insurgency.</s>Most of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighting the Islamic State group in Syria are Kurdish (AFP Photo/DELIL SOULEIMAN) Washington (AFP) - The US military is working to ease simmering tensions between Syrian Kurdish rebels and Turkey, both fighting the Islamic State group in northern Syria, US defense officials said Thursday. A US-led coalition has trained and armed the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces -- most of whom are Kurdish -- to attack the IS group. Turkey, a key NATO ally, has also entered Syria, where it, too, is fighting the jihadist group. But Turkish troops are positioned behind the Kurdish YPG -- considered by Ankara to be a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. Turkish troops have attacked Kurdish forces multiple times since Ankara entered Syria in August. "This week, we're facilitating joint discussions with Turkey, the SDF and other coalition partners to promote deescalation in the area," coalition spokesman Colonel John Dorrian said. "Every party to these discussions has an overriding interest in common -- this is the defeat of ISIL, an enemy that threatens us all," he added, using an alternate acronym for the IS group. Turkey, which has also sent troops into northern Iraq, is focused on preventing the Kurdish peshmerga there and the YPG in Syria from linking up and forming a contiguous proto-state along the Turkish border. Ankara has repeatedly said it would not allow a "terror corridor" on its southern frontier and that it wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish "cantons" of Afrin and Kobane. A senior US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kurdish forces had slowed their advance on the IS Syrian stronghold of Raqa because they are worried the Turks will attack them. "Their biggest concern is the Turks behind them are threatening to attack them and that's what caused them to hesitate to move forward," the official said.

Turkish fighter jets kill 19 suspected Kurdish militants in strikes on the Gara region in northern Iraq.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos speaks during an AFP interview before the ceremony of the Nobel Peace Prize 2016 in Oslo on December 10, 2016 (AFP Photo/Tobias Schwarz) Oslo (AFP) - Hours before accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he could offer no guarantees there would be a peace deal in place with ELN rebels before the end of his mandate in 2018. "I cannot guarantee that we will finish before the end of my mandate," Santos told AFP in an interview in Oslo, referring to talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's second-largest rebel group after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Speaking at a news conference in Oslo on the eve of the prize ceremony, Mr. Santos said the prestigious award “came like a gift from heaven because it gave us a tremendous push” to achieve a new peace deal with FARC after Colombian voters narrowly rejected an initial agreement in an October referendum. The prize went to him alone and not the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which is still designated as a terrorist group by many countries including the U.S. “The FARC is not here is because I didn’t want to create a problem with the Norwegian government,” he said, adding a Spanish lawyer who served as a chief negotiator for the rebels would represent the rebels at the ceremony. STOCKHOLM -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, saying it helped his country achieve the "impossible dream" of ending a half-century-long civil war. The entire FARC leadership — some 50 rebels in all — is unable to safely travel outside of Colombia because they face international arrest orders by the U.S. on drug-trafficking charges Santos said legal procedures are underway in Colombia “in order for them to be completely free to go around the world.” He also said Colombia will ask other countries to remove the group from terror lists following the peace deal, which was formally ratified by lawmakers last week after an earlier version was rejected in a referendum.</s>In an acceptance speech that quoted an anti-war song by Bob Dylan, the 2016 Literature Laureate, Santos said Colombia itself had drawn inspiration from other peace processes such as those in South Africa and Northern Ireland. Santos collected the prize - a gold medal, diploma and a check for 8 million Swedish crowns ($870,000) at a ceremony in Oslo's city hall for his efforts to end the conflict with Marxist FARC rebels in which 220,000 people died. "The Colombian peace agreement is a ray of hope in a world troubled by so many conflicts and so much intolerance," he said, saying a U.S. academic study called it the most comprehensive of 34 peace accords signed in the past three decades. "It proves that what, at first, seems impossible, through perseverance may become possible even in Syria or Yemen or South Sudan," he told an audience including victims of the war as well as Norway's King Harald. The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were not invited, except for a Spanish lawyer to represent them. FARC leader Rodrigo Londono had been tipped by some Nobel watchers to share the prize with Santos. The audience applauded a group of about 10 victims attending the ceremony, after they stood after Santos introduced them. Among them was Leyner Palacios, a man who Santos said lost 32 relatives, including his parents and three brothers, in a 2002 FARC mortar attack on a church. Palacios nodded when Santos said he had forgiven the attackers. The peace deal almost collapsed in October after Colombian voters rejected it in a referendum, reckoning the first version was too lenient on the rebels. A revised deal was approved by Congress last month, but controversially without a referendum demanded by a big opposition party. Berit Reiss-Andersen, a member of the five-member award committee, said in a presentation speech that Santos had been "a driving force" and that the peace process needed "all the international support it could get" after the referendum. In his speech, received with a standing ovation, Santos quoted what he called a "haunting question" from one of Dylan's most famous songs: "How many deaths will it take 'till he knows that too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind." The other 2016 prizes - for Literature, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Economics - will be presented later in Stockholm. Dylan has said he won't attend, citing "pre-existing commitments."

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos receives his award in Oslo, Norway.

At least 43,000 homeless after Aceh quake in Indonesia JAKARTA, Indonesia — At least 43,000 people have been displaced by the powerful earthquake that hit Indonesia's Aceh province, authorities said Saturday, as the government and aid agencies pooled efforts to meet the basic survival needs of shaken communities. The estimate of the number of homeless people continues to grow while relief efforts fan out across the three districts near the epicenter of Wednesday's magnitude 6.5 quake, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in a statement "The basic needs of refugees must be met during the evacuation," it said. Humanitarian groups are now coordinating their efforts from a main command post in Pidie Jaya, the worst affected district, the agency said. At least 100 people were killed and hundreds injured in the quake, which also destroyed or damaged more than 11,000 buildings, mostly homes but also several hundred mosques and schools. The displaced are staying in temporary shelters and mosques or with relatives. On Saturday, sniffer dogs were again used in the search for bodies and possible survivors in the devastated town of Meureudu, where a market filled with shop houses was largely flattened. Four other locations in Pidie Jaya are also the focus of search efforts. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo traveled Friday to the worst-hit parts of the province and promised to rebuild communities.</s>Some 45,300 Indonesians have been displaced by the 6.5-magnitude quake that struck on December 7, 2016 (AFP Photo/GATHA GINTING) Tens of thousands of people have been displaced after a devastating earthquake in Indonesia killed more than 100 people, an official said Saturday, leaving communities in ruins as aid trickled into the disaster-stricken province. "We have 45,300 people evacuating in several places as of Saturday morning," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP, adding that the number of displaced had almost doubled since Friday due to an influx of new data. The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake earlier this week levelled hundreds of homes, mosques and businesses across Aceh province, one of the areas worst affected by the devastating 2004 tsunami. More than 700 people were injured in the quake, many seriously, according to the country's disaster agency. Most of the displaced spent the night outdoors in tents near their ruined homes as hundreds refused to move into shelters fearing aftershocks, Nugroho added. The army has established kitchens, shelters and a field hospital in the hard-hit town of Meureudu to help the region's overwhelmed health facilities. Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited Meureudu Friday, pledging to rebuild the area's devastated communities as he called on Indonesians to pray for their countrymen. The archipelago nation experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. A huge undersea earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed several countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia alone, the vast majority in Aceh. The province lies on the northern tip of Sumatra island, which is particularly prone to quakes. In June a 6.5-magnitude quake struck off the west of Sumatra, damaging scores of buildings and injuring eight people.

At least 43,000 have been displaced by Wednesday's earthquake in the Indonesian province of Aceh.

More than 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino in north east Bulgaria - including the local railway station - were destroyed in the blast early yesterday morning as containers carrying liquefied petroleum gas exploded and sparked a major fire which spread to the village. Several dozens were injured and at least five of the victims remain in critical condition in hospital, health authorities said. “The draining of tanks is a very complex and slow process,” outgoing Prime Minister Boiko Borisov a few hours after arriving at the village, some 380 km northeast of the capital Sofia and home to around 1,000 people, according to a police official. Seven of the train’s tanks, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station of the village, hit electricity line and exploded in flames on Saturday, National Railway Infrastructure Company’s general director Mincho Lambrev said. Some 150 firemen are trying to put out the fire and are searching for survivors in houses near the train lines. Bulphoto Agency/via REUTERS Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Several people suffered burns to more than 90% of their bodies, he added, and appealed to people in the region to donate blood to the local hospital's supply.</s>| Photo Credit: AFP Five people were killed in northeastern Bulgaria following a gas explosion on a derailed tanker train early Saturday, national radio reported. At least five people died and 27 were injured in the blast, emergency services said. Nikolay Nikolov, who heads the country's firefighting department, said at least 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino were destroyed when containers of liquefied petroleum gas exploded at 5:40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT). Two tank cars, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station in Hitrino, hit electricity lines and exploded, police officials said. The engine driver survived and has been questioned, police said. Officials earlier had described the cargo as liquefied natural gas. Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who arrived at the site of the blast, urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at nearby hospitals. “There will be more casualties,” Mr. Borisov told reporters. The train had been traveling from the Bulgarian Black Sea port city of Burgas to the Danubian city of Ruse.

At least seven people have been killed and 25 others are injured after an explosion caused by the derailment of a train carrying propane and butane in the Bulgarian village of Hitrino, near Shumen.

WARRI, Nigeria – Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. Hundreds had been inside the Reigners Bible Church International in the city of Uyo on Saturday for the consecration of founder Akan Weeks as its bishop when the metal girders fell and the corrugated iron roof caved in. Those inside the Reigners Bible Church included Akwa Ibom state governor Udom Emmanuel, who survived the disaster. The worker called his boss at Julius Berger construction company, which sent a crane to help lift debris off bodies. “I’m so traumatized I could not sleep last night for the horrors repeating themselves in my mind.” Mortuaries in Uyo were overwhelmed by the disaster, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press. Many of the dead were taken to private mortuaries scattered across the city, said youth leader Edikan Peters. The Reigners Bible Church International in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom state, was still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday’s ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop, congregants said. The governor’s spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will hold an inquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards. Buildings collapse regularly in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits. In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Most victims were visiting South African followers of the megachurch’s influential founder T. B. Joshua. Two structural engineers, Joshua and church trustees have been accused of criminal negligence and involuntary manslaughter after a coroner found the building collapsed from structural failures caused by design and detailing errors. But Lagos state government efforts to bring them to court have been foiled by repeated legal challenges that have delayed a trial.</s>ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least ten people were killed and some 15 wounded when a church collapsed during a service in southern Nigeria on Saturday, a resident and police said. State news agency NAN said on its website there had been 60 "victims" of the collapse in the southern city of Uyo in Akwa Ibom state without clarifying whether they had been killed or wounded. "I visited the scene of the incident today and saw people being taken out," said Monday Akpan, a resident. "More than ten people were killed from my calculation and what I heard others say there." Local media put the death toll even higher. The Premium Times said on its website at least 50 people had been killed or seriously injured. Police and civil service officials said some worshippers had been killed but refused to give a figure as the rescue operation was still ongoing. The church collapsed during a service when a pastor was to be consecrated as bishop and local officials in attendance escaped unhurt, police spokeswomen Cordelia Nwawe said. "Ten to 15 people were injured and have been taken to a hospital," Nwawe said.

At least 60 are killed in a collapse of a church in Uyo, Nigeria.

By MARCO LONGARI (AFP/File) Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow on Saturday called on longtime leader Yahya Jammeh to drop his challenge to last week's election results following a dramatic political U-turn that has prompted fears for the West African country. A week after conceding defeat, Jammeh on Friday declared he no longer accepted the results of the December 1 vote, upending hopes for a peaceful political transition after his 22 years in power. As the military deployed onto the streets of the tiny nation, the US Embassy in Banjul urged the army to continue to show "respect for the rule of law and the outcome of the presidential election." In a speech broadcast late Friday, Jammeh, 51, cited "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and called for new polls. "In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," Jammeh said in a speech broadcast on state television. "Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he added, warning Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision. Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision. Latest official figures gave Adama Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, 43.29 percent of the vote in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent. Those figures reflect a correction issued Monday by election authorities, showing a slimmer-than-thought victory for Barrow, of just over 19,000 votes. But on Friday he pointed to errors which awarded victory to his opponent Adama Barrow with a slimmer margin than initially announced, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots. "This is the most dubious election we ever had in the history of this country," he said. "We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said. Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, on Saturday urged Jammeh to accept defeat and argued he had no legal standing for the turnaround. "I wish to inform you that the outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the results of the elections and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told journalists after an opposition meeting at his home. "I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of The Gambia, our homeland." Barrow also appealed to his own supporters to act with "discipline and maturity." The US State Department lashed Jammeh's change of heart a "reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of The Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately." In a joint statement, the west African regional grouping ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations urged Gambians including armed forces to "reject violence and peacefully uphold the will of the people as expressed through the ballot box". Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was leading an ECOWAS mission, was turned away while trying to travel to The Gambia Saturday. Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye said it was Jammeh who had "prevented the landing" of Sirleaf's plane. Jammeh's swift concession of defeat on December 2 had stunned observers and led to celebrations in the country. Though stable under Jammeh's rule, the country of just 1.99 million people still faces daunting problems, including endemic poverty. Many Gambians had tired of their leader's unpredictable behaviour, including the declaration of an Islamic republic in a country with a history of religious tolerance, and its withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court. The perception that Jammeh simply took over businesses and properties for his personal gain also angered many, while police harassment and impunity by the security services, especially the National Intelligence Agency that reported directly to Jammeh, fed growing resentment. Pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, had been one of the key challenges for Barrow's incoming government. The president-elect had vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission but ruled out a political "witch hunt" and promised that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".</s>Yahya Jammeh had conceded result to Adama Barrow but now claims ‘fresh and transparent elections’ are needed This article is more than 2 years old This article is more than 2 years old Troops have been deployed to the streets of Banjul, the capital of the Gambia, after the autocratic president, Yahya Jammeh, unexpectedly rejected his defeat in an election last week and called for a fresh vote. "We call upon President Jammeh, who accepted the election results on December 2, to carry out an orderly transition of power to President-elect Barrow in accordance with the Gambian Constitution." The small West African nation is the fourth-largest source of migrants arriving in Italy despite having a population of fewer than 2 million people. But in an announcement on state TV on Friday, Jammeh said he had changed his mind and wanted “fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission”. “After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. Jammeh had conceded defeat on state TV last week, prompting wild celebrations over the defeat of a government that human rights groups accused of detaining, torturing and killing opponents during the president’s rule. It added: “The Gambian people have made a clear choice for change and a new start.” In Washington, the state department issued a statement calling Jammeh’s change of heart “a reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of the Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately.” The Gambian opposition spokeswoman Isatou Touray criticised the “violation of democracy” and called for people to “remain calm, lucid, vigilant and not retreat”. “The international community, notably ECOWAS (the West African regional bloc) and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people,” said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence.” Official election results from the electoral commission gave Barrow, a real estate developer who once worked as a security guard at retailer Argos in London, 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammeh’s 36.7 percent.

Gambian security forces are deployed on the streets of the capital Banjul, following President Yahya Jammeh's rejection of last week's presidential election result.

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY. On December 10, 2016, a child looks at a pile of 'dead bodies' that forms part of an effigy depicting the culture of impunity in the Philippines and the authoritarian tendencies of President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo by Voltaire Tupaz/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – For the first time since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power, militant groups will feature, and burn, a monstrous effigy said to embody the "authoritarian tendencies" of the new leader. The effigy, which illustrates the thorny issues that increasingly test the endurance of the alliance between the Duterte administration and the Left, will be the centerpiece of the groups' parade marking International Human Rights Day on Saturday, December 10. Measuring 12 feet high and 30 feet long, the effigy bears elements that symbolize, among others, the growing human rights concerns of local advocates and the international community, spurred by the rising number of deaths in the government's war on drugs. "The effigy depicts the political rehabilitation of the Marcoses and continuing state fascism, including extrajudicial killings, the non-release of political prisoners, and continuing military operations,” militant rights group Karapatan said. The effigy features the head of dictator Ferdinand Marcos attached to a skeleton to symbolize the “resurrection and rehabilitation of the Marcoses” under the Duterte administration, according to artist Luigi Almuena, spokesperson of UgatLahi, which created the centerpiece of Saturday’s protest. This is in reference to the dictator's burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani which Duterte had allowed in fulfillment of a campaign promise to the Marcoses. One of the figure’s hands is ironclad, dripping with blood. Below it are piled-up bodies symbolizing impunity and the spate of alleged extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s drug war. The corpses also represents continued military operations despite an indefinite ceasefire declaration from the government to boost peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF). "Despite a unilateral ceasefire declaration from the Duterte government, there has been no let-up in combat operations in rural communities,” Palabay said. 'Kalansay na nga, binuhay pa’ The use of the late strongman’s head in the effigy highlights the issue that has recently mobilized thousands of young people and various groups – Duterte’s ties with the Marcoses that paved the way for the burial of the dictator in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. (READ: Youth leaders to Duterte: Shame on you for 'cleaning Marcos' image‬') “Kalansay na nga, binuhay pa (He resurrected the dead),” a young activist said as she stared at the effigy. She is appalled that a hero’s burial was given to Marcos while Martial Law victims are still crying for justice. Based on estimates of Amnesty International (AI), 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured, and 3,240 were killed during Martial Law. The Marcoses had been accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth with various estimates pegging the loot between $5 billion to $10 billion. (READ: Recovering Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth: After 30 years, what?) Imprint of martial law Karapatan also called on Duterte to release about 400 political prisoners from the administration of Marcos to the present. "Political prisoners, a vivid imprint of Martial Law, exist to this day despite commitments and agreements in the (government and NDF) peace process,” Palabay said. Relatives of political prisoners reminded Duterte that their call is long overdue. “Matagal ko nang ninanais ang paglaya ng aking asawa. Alalang-alala ako sa kalagayan niya kasi may karamdaman siya,” Gloria Almonte said. Almonte’s 59-year-old husband, Dionisio, who is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, suffers from hypertensive cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Almonte participated in the 7-day “solidarity fasting” with other relatives and supporters of political prisoners that dramatized their call to free political prisoners on humanitarian grounds. The President had said that he would not release political prisoners as they were the government's leverage in the peace negotiations. On Human Rights Day, militants are also calling for an end to drug related killngs @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/sshep1PioY — LeANNE Jazul (@LeanneJazul) December 10, 2016 ‘Full fascist monster’ Karapatan urged Duterte to listen to the growing clamor to stop impunity in the Philippines allegedly caused by his so-called "war on drugs.” “People will eventually brand him as a full fascist monster. Time is ticking for him to act on these human rights issues,” Palabay said, warning that protest actions will intensify if the President would refuse to address human rights violations. Between July 1 and December 3, there have been over 5,800 deaths linked to the "war on drugs" – both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings (including deaths under investigation). (READ: IN NUMBERS: The Philippines' war on drugs) The Philippine National Police (PNP) calls its campaigns against illegal drugs Oplan Double Barrel and Oplan TokHang. (READ: Warning to drug dealers: PNP has 'double barrel' plan) After holding hearings on extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration, the Senate committee on justice and human rights recently concluded that Oplan TokHang violates the people's constitutional rights. However, it noted that neither Duterte nor the state is sponsoring the killings. (READ: Draft Senate report on killings: Oplan TokHang unconstitutional) Karapatan also blasted Duterte for appointing Lieutenant General Eduardo Año as the new Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff. A veteran intelligence officer, Año scored some of the biggest arrests of communist leaders including Communist Party of the Philippines leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, now temporarily freed from detention as NDF consultants in the peace negotiations. "Año is expected to adhere to the same counter-insurgency framework that results in more human rights violations,” Palabay said referring to Oplan Bayanihan. About 10,000 protesters are expected to converge at Liwasang Bonifacio where they will hold a program late Saturday afternoon. After the program, they will march to the historic Mendiola bridge near Malacañang where they will torch the effigy. In July, militant groups broke tradition when they shunned the usual effigy of the sitting president and featured a peace-oriented mural as the centerpiece of their State of the Nation Address rally – a reflection of their alliance with the Duterte administration. – Rappler.com</s>Business has never been more booming for undertaker Alejandro Ormeneta but, after five months on the frontlines of the Philippines’ brutal drug war, he just wants the killings to stop. Ormeneta and his colleagues at one funeral parlour in Manila say they retrieve an average of five corpses every night, mostly from slums, and his grisly new routine has left him questioning the savage forces unleashed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on crime. “This shouldn’t happen. They are people, not animals,” Ormeneta, 47, told journalists as he recalled taking out three nails hammered into the skull of an alleged drug trafficker. “I think he was still alive when they hammered the nails. They tied him up first, put tape around his head, then hammered the nails in...that must have been very painful. I felt sorry for him,” he said. On a typical night recently, Ormeneta walked down a narrow slum alleyway into a shanty where masked assailants had shot a man dead, the victim’s body still smelling of alcohol that he must have been drinking shortly before being killed. The victim’s sister wailed as police turned over his body on the concrete floor soaked in blood and revealed multiple shots to his head and body. Police later said Danilo Bolante, 47, had sold shabu, the cheap crystal methamphetamine that Duterte says is ruining society and must be eradicated. But his sister, Chona Balina, insisted he had stopped and had even reported himself to police as part of Duterte’s campaign to pressure drug traffickers and users into surrendering, known as Tokhang. “Why launch Tokhang if that’s what they are going to do with people who are changing?” Balina asked. Duterte won elections this year in a landslide after promising an unprecedented war on drugs in which tens of thousands of people would be killed. Part of his stump speech on the campaign trail was jocular business advice for people to set up funeral homes in preparation for the killings. “The funeral parlours will be packed...I’ll supply the bodies,” he said, to cheers and laughter at one campaign rally. MONEY MAKING Duterte has been true to his word with police reporting killing more than 2,000 people they accused of being drug suspects and another 3,000 people murdered by unknown gunmen, triggering fears of widespread extrajudicial killings. The deaths look certain to continue with Duterte saying in September he would be happy to slaughter three million addicts and repeatedly vowing no let-up until the illegal trade was eliminated. While there are vocal critics of the drug war at home and abroad, surveys show an overwhelming majority of Filipinos support the bloodbath. Still, funeral parlours, while busy, are not necessarily making lots of money, with relatives of many victims often very poor. “I don’t know how we can afford this because I have no job,” Balina said after agreeing to a funeral package valued at 62,000 pesos ($1,250) with Veronica Memorial Chapels for services that include embalming, a casket and the wake. However Teodocio said he often gave discounts, especially for families of alleged drug users, some of whom paid in coins or raised money from gambling at wakes.

In the Philippines, demonstrators call for President Rodrigo Duterte to address extrajudicial killings linked to the Philippine Drug War, ongoing military operations against communist rebels, and the controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos in the Heroes' Cemetery. An effigy of Marcos was made as a centerpiece of the protest.

TORONTO — Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei came back to haunt his former team as the Sounders beat Toronto 5-4 in a penalty shootout to win the MLS Cup on a chilly Saturday night. Six spot kicks later, after Toronto FC’s Michael Bradley and Justin Morrow missed their attempts, Seattle’s Roman Torres converted to Clint Irwin’s right to give the Rave Green their first title. With zero shots on goal after 120 minutes it looked as if the Sounders, who have reached the playoffs in each of their eight years in the league, would come up short yet again but found the target when it mattered most. While the Seattle Sounders celebrated with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after the MLS Cup final, numb Toronto FC players tried to process what had just happened. Seattle, which was mired near the bottom of the league in mid-July, becomes the 11th team in league history to win the championship. Nine of the previous 20 finals had also required overtime with three of those going to penalty kicks. And ultimately, the most exciting player in Major League Soccer, was pulled from the championship game in extra time on Saturday night — clearly a reflection more about his health than his ineffective play. The Seattle keeper’s biggest save, however, did not come in the shootout but deep into extra time when the Swiss dove across the net at full stretch and with his left hand tipped away a looping header from Jozy Altidore. Sebastian Giovinco faced tough defence all night from Seattle, not being able to find much room. Giovinco didn’t finish the game on the field, wasn’t around for penalty kicks, wasn’t the difference maker he is paid to be. Those who know soccer better — which is basically the entire planet — called the championship game sloppy.</s>Switch to browser » ] • MLS Cup: One last game and the chance to win it all for Sounders in Toronto • Title shots — such as the Sounders have Saturday — are something fans should cherish | Stone • Keys to 2016 MLS Cup: How will the Sounders defend Jozy Altidore? • It’s the first championship game in Canada; • It’s both the first time the game will be broadcast live on network TV in the United States on Fox, and it’s the first time the MLS Cup will be offered in virtual reality. They’re the first team in history to make the playoffs in all eight of their seasons since they entered the league in 2009. The Sounders, who share CenturyLink Field with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, followed Toronto’s lead.

In association football, Toronto FC play Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS Cup final held at Toronto's BMO Field. The Sounders win 5–4 in a penalty shootout after the game ended scoreless after extra time. It is the Sounders' first MLS title.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, one of the biggest preseason favorites to win the award after finishing third last season, was the runner-upwith 1,524 points and 269 first-place votes, followed by Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (362), Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook (209) and Michigan’s Jabril Peppers(208). Jackson, who amassed 4,928 yards of total offense and 51 total touchdowns, is youngest player ever and the first player from Louisville to win the Heisman. Jackson was the third major college player to register 30 passing touchdowns and rush for 20 more in a season, joining Cam Newton and Tim Tebow, who both also won the Heisman.</s>"I never get emotional, but to have my name called and see all those great players ..." Early in the season, Jackson leapt over a loaded field of Heisman contenders that included five of the top seven vote-getters from 2015 to become the front-runner. The sensational sophomore quarterback became the first Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, beating out preseason favorite Deshaun Watson of Clemson despite some late-season struggles. “I never get emotional, but to have my name called and see all those great players …” Baker Mayfield finished third and Oklahoma teammate and fellow finalist Dede Westbrook was fourth. Steve Entman placed fourth in 1991, when Michigan’s Desmond Howard won it. Watson, who finished third in Heisman voting last year, led a stacked group of contenders entering this season that included five of the top seven vote-getters in 2015. Jackson outdid them all in his first season as Louisville’s full-time starter, accounting for 51 touchdowns and averaging 410 yards per game in total offense. Jackson ultimately won the Heisman going away, with 2,144 points to Watson’s 1,524. By percentage of possible points received, Jackson's victory was the seventh largest in Heisman history, and he became the youngest winner at 19 years, 337 days, a few days younger than 2013 winner Jameis Winston of Florida State. Jackson is the first Heisman Trophy winner to play on a team that lost its last two games of the regular season since Tim Brown of Notre Dame in 1987. He’s the first to enter the postseason without a chance to win the national title since Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M in 2012. No matter. Jackson did so much before November it was difficult to deny him the award because of a couple of missteps at the end. He provided a signature moment against Syracuse, hurdling a defender on his way into the end zone, and then played his best against Louisville’s toughest competition. In a romp over Florida State and a close loss at Clemson , Jackson threw for 511 yards, ran for 308 and accounted for eight touchdowns. After ripping apart Florida State in September, he earned the stamp of approval from his idol, former Virginia Tech and NFL star Mike Vick. Jackson left that Oct. 1 game in Death Valley as a threat to run away with the Heisman, but losses to Houston and Kentucky, when he committed four turnovers, in late November provided an opportunity for others to sway voters. Jackson continues a recent trend of breakout stars winning the Heisman. He is the sixth player to win the award as either a redshirt freshman or sophomore, all since 2007, joining Manziel (redshirt freshman), Jameis Winston (redshirt freshman), Mark Ingram (sophomore), Sam Bradford (sophomore) and Tim Tebow (sophomore). Jackson came to Louisville as a three-star recruit from Boynton Beach High School in Florida. Some colleges were not sold on him as a quarterback, but Jackson was such a dynamic talented Louisville coach Bobby Petrino altered his offense to accommodate Jackson’s speed and elusiveness. “It’s an honor just to have a statue.”

Lamar Jackson of the Louisville Cardinals wins the Heisman Trophy. At 19, Jackson is the youngest ever winner of the Trophy.

"You want to leave as a senior that legacy behind you, and we haven't done it in a long time. With future commander in chief Donald Trump looking on, the Black Knights blew a 14-point lead before quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 9-yard run with 6:42 left to give Army the win it had been waiting for since 2001. In ending a 14-year losing streak, the Black Knights stifled the Midshipmen's offense, especially in the first half, and sent a slew of runners at Navy defenders to fight for a 21-17 win. Army has been off since blowing out Morgan State, 60-3, on Nov. 19 — giving head coach Jeff Monken three weeks to prepare his team for the annual matchup with Navy. Navy (9-4) was coming off a physical 34-10 loss to Temple in the American Athletic Conference title game and had only one week to prepare for Army with a new quarterback, sophomore Zach Abey, who was making his first college start. Record-setting starting quarterback Will Worth (broken bone in right foot) and top slotback Toneo Gulley (Lisfranc in left foot) both suffered season-ending injuries on the same play. Niumatalolo noted the primary responsibilities of the quarterback have never changed during the triple-option era: Get Navy into the right play, distribute the ball properly based off reads and do not commit turnovers. "When you come to a service academy you have to deal with a lot of things, a lot of adversity. "Obviously, in the first half I made some bad decisions. "I'm sure there are some external factors at work, but I'm not going out there on Saturday expecting Navy to be any different than every other year. There was a look of shock and disbelief on the faces of Navy players and coaches as they trudged toward the home locker room at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. "For all the soldiers who are laying in foxholes all over the world, chasing bad guys and standing in the gap between the freedom we enjoy and the people that want to take it from us, what an honor and privilege to represent them in a game like this where the whole nation gets to watch," Monken said. " Not everyone on the Army side is swayed by the outside noise that Navy is suddenly vulnerable. The Black Knights have dedicated the rest of the season to his memory and their gold helmets have a commemorative sticker with his number on the back. After the frustration-ending victory, hundreds of Army cadets swamped the field to celebrate the upset win over 25th-ranked Navy. Making matters worse for the Midshipmen was the fact last Saturday was a total disaster on several levels.</s>Despite every reason to be disheartened – after all, the Black Knights haven’t come out on top of the vaunted rivalry game in 14 years – the West Point cadets, veterans and alums who poured into the Baltimore Ravens' stadium remained optimistic about the outcome of Saturday’s game. “It’s going to be a good game,” said Jim Erisman, a former petty officer who served aboard the USS Norfolk in the early 60s. “I just couldn’t be more proud of the effort that they put forth out there.” Army led 14-0 at halftime, but Navy clawed back in the third quarter and cut the lead to 14-10 heading into the final 15 minutes. The game was taking on a familiar feel of futility when sophomore quarterback Zach Abey twisted his way through the Black Knights’ defense for a 41-yard TD run and a 17-14 Midshipmen lead with 12 minutes, 42 seconds remaining. BALTIMORE — Army quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a nine-yard run as Army regained the lead over Navy, 21-14, with six minutes left in the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Abey looked shaky when he replaced second string Will Worth against Temple last week, throwing two interceptions in a heartbreaking loss that also saw the loss of running back Dishan Romine. “It ends today.” At first blush, that may seem a tall order for the Black Knights. Navy quarterback Zach Abey, left, looks for a receiver as he is pressured by Army linebacker Alex Aukerman (21) in the first half of the Army-Navy NCAA college football game in Baltimore, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. And the vaunted Black Knight defense has only allowed 19.1 points per game. Army outgained Navy (9-3) 182-49 in the first half. Navy forced a Davidson fumble late in the first half, but Abey threw his second interception of the game on the next play. Army had a 14-0 lead and the first possession of the second half, but the Midshipmen capitalized on a turnover early in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw dropped the ball on a keeper around left end, and Navy senior safety Sean Williams pounced on the fumble at the Army 32-yard line. Six plays later, sophomore quarterback Zach Abey got Navy within a touchdown with a 1-yard keeper. After an Army punt, Navy mounted another scoring drive capped by Bennett Moehring’s 28-yard field goal that cut the lead to 14-10 with 3:59 left in the third quarter. The drive was kept alive when a replay review found an Army player was out of bounds when recovering a Navy fumble. The Black Knights gained all of their first-half yardage on the ground. Army forced three turnovers, and sophomore fullback Andy Davidson scored on two 1-yard runs.

In the Army–Navy Game in Baltimore, the Army Black Knights beat the Navy Midshipmen 21–17. This marks Army's first win in the rivalry since 2001, ending the longest winning streak for either side in the rivalry's 126-year history.