Explainer: Why Other Countries Care That US Ditched Net Neutrality

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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has hit the delete button on domestic rules protecting net neutrality. The FCC voted 3-2 on Thursday to end the 2015 Open Internet Order and enact the Restoring Internet Freedom initiative, which is widely seen as giving internet service providers (ISPs) more power to selectively limit internet access while favoring certain data streams. In large part, this is an internal battle within the United States over consumer choice and how the internet will operate. Nonetheless, it also could have a significant impact beyond America's borders, especially for those who routinely interact with U.S.-based internet services in their daily or professional lives. Though you may not see the changes overnight, many critics say that, in the long run, internet users around the world may not know what products or services they are missing out on because of the rollback of net neutrality in the United States. What is net neutrality? Coined in 2003 by Columbia University professor Tim Wu, the phrase "net neutrality" refers to the principle that ISPs should treat all data provided to customers equally and without restriction to block out competitors. In essence, it keeps ISPs from choosing which data gets streamed at a faster rate and which websites are blocked or throttled.  Net neutrality was made official policy in 2015 through new FCC regulatory rules that treated ISPs as a public utility following extensive industry and public debate. Why does net neutrality matter? Net neutrality is the law in more than 40 countries, including the United States and the European Union. But with the shackles for U.S.-based ISPs off, equality in cyberspace may disappear. Companies or individuals willing to pay more may get a freer, faster internet service, which could lead to two classes of internet user: one rich in money and information, the other poor in both. "The ending of net neutrality in the U.S. could be the beginning of the end of the open, interoperable, free internet," said Quinn McKew, deputy executive director of ARTICLE 19 in the United Kingdom. "It is now a question of how much, not if, freedom of expression online will be undermined around the world as a result of this shortsighted decision to enrich the entrenched near-monopolies who control internet access in the United States," McKew said. For example, if a company from the Balkans, Russia or Central Asia develops its own video-streaming service, an ISP may slow its delivery because the provider has a competing service of its own unless the company agrees to pay additional fees to have its product streamed at higher rates.  And obviously it's not only about entertainment.  The Public Library of Science (PLOS), a U.S.-based nonprofit open-access publisher and advocate dedicated to progress in science and medicine through a transformation in research communication, warned that allowing ISPs to sort traffic based on content, sender and receiver, opens the door for corporate and government censorship that would greatly hinder access to scientific information around the globe. "If you want to promote any other culture in the U.S., and you start driving lots of [internet] traffic through the U.S., and you have to go through these ISPs, they can throttle you," according to Dwayne Winseck, a professor at Carleton University in Ottawa and director of the Canadian Media Concentration Research Project. Or, as Andrew McDiarmid, a senior policy analyst for the Center for Democracy and Technology, put it: "I think it's a case that the U.S. remains a model for internet policy for the world. Not having it here may make it less likely to have it in other places." Could dismantling it affect human rights? As with many things, the United States is seen as a global leader on the internet. Thus, many critics fear that a loosening of its regulatory system may embolden others to crack down on a completely open internet. Estelle Masse, senior policy analyst at Access Now, a digital-rights advocacy group, said the repeal of net neutrality rules would make the U.S. "an outlier on an issue of critical importance to the future of the internet, both as an engine for innovation and a platform for human rights, to the detriment of users." Some critics say the erosion of net neutrality in world leaders such as the United States could prevent events such as the 2010 Arab Spring, when social media played an integral part in the movement to overthrow oppressive regimes. "Americans aren't the only ones who would be harmed by a U.S. decision to repeal net neutrality rules," Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, said in response to the move to end net neutrality. He says that as the most economically advanced country in the world, such a move by the United States could give the green light to repressive countries like Iran to continue applying the same policies. "The internet is the most valuable invention of the 20th century, and we should all be fighting to keep it free. As the birthplace of the internet, the U.S. should be carrying the torch on net neutrality, not following in the footsteps of autocrats," he said. Could there be any benefits for foreign countries? One of the arguments for rolling back net neutrality is that it hindered investment and innovation that threatened to harm the internet's continued ability to grow and evolve to meet consumers' needs.  The ruling could end up being a boon to innovators outside the United States if American entrepreneurs find they are at a disadvantage because large companies are spending heavily to dominate fast-lane internet access. Jennifer Yeh, a policy counsel at Free Press, a Washington-based public interest group that advocates for an open internet, noted that while the decision may limit supply of new content and developments for users outside the United States, it could push innovators to leave "for better opportunities elsewhere." To that end, it appears as though some are ready to pounce on the opportunity. "Maybe I shd [should] invite newly disadvantaged US startups to EU, so they have a fair chance," tweeted Neelie Kroes, the European Union's commissioner for the digital agenda, during the debate in the United States on ending net neutrality.
December 16, 2017 at 04:03PM

Lawmakers Seek Clarification on Pakistan's Role in Saudi-led Counterterror Group

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Pakistani senators have again raised concerns about Pakistan's role in the Saudi-led counterterrorism coalition and have demanded that the government provide the rationale for being part of it. The senators are seeking clarification amid concerns that Pakistan's involvement in what's known as the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) could introduce to Pakistan the sectarian conflict and regional rivalry that exists between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. Parliament's upper house on Friday urged the government to reveal the terms of reference, or TOR, under which Pakistan agreed to participate and allowed its former army chief, General Raheel Sharif, to lead the Muslim military alliance. Fighting for influence Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting for influence in several countries in the region, including Iraq and Yemen, and Pakistani lawmakers are concerned that the competition could spread to Pakistan, which has a big Shiite minority among its more than 200 million population. They also warn that the country's involvement could lead to domestic problems as the Shiite minority is against Pakistan picking sides in the Shiite-Sunni regional rivalry.  Farhatullah Babar, a prominent lawmaker who belongs to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party, told VOA that over the past few months, the government has been asked several times to clarify Pakistan's role in the Muslim counterterrorism coalition and it has failed to provide a satisfactory response.  "Unfortunately, the parliament is kept in the dark and we do not know under what terms and conditions Pakistan has agreed to be a part of this coalition," Babar said. "The question is: Who exactly is framing our foreign policy?" he added. Sharif's role as the former chief of the country's powerful military and his subsequent appointment as the first chief of the Saudi-led military coalition have caused concerns that Pakistan's military might become involved in a regional sectarian conflict.  Pakistan's Foreign Office has insisted that the country's involvement in the coalition does not contradict its long-standing policy of neutrality in the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Sensitive issue Sartaj Aziz, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, was summoned to the Senate in June, where he promised lawmakers that the terms of reference for Pakistan's role in the coalition would soon be shared with the country's legislative body.  "The government never shared it [TOR] with us nor provided any satisfactory answer to our queries," Babar said. Babar has told local Pakistani media that lawmakers, because of the sensitivity of the issue, are hesitant to scrutinize the issue further.  Pakistan Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani was quoted by local media as saying that he could not challenge the country's powerful military on the issue. "I will go missing ... if I give a ruling on this [military alliance]," Rabbani was quoted as saying by the country's Dawn newspaper. The Saudi-led Muslim countries' military alliance was launched last month in Riyadh, where the defense ministers of the 41 member countries attended the inauguration ceremony.  "The meeting [in the Saudi capital] marks the official launch of the IMCTC and strengthens the cooperation and integration of member countries in the coalition," the official statement of the inaugural session read. Sunni vs. Shiite Critics of the alliance maintain that it unites dozens of Sunni Islamic countries that could be viewed as a force against Shiite majority states.  "The question here is: Will the Sunni Islam's majority Saudi-led military coalition take Iran's concerns and reservations into consideration? That is a big issue and cannot be dismissed," Babar said. Others view Pakistan's role in the coalition as a positive.  Nasser Janjua, a retired military general, told Dawn in March that the country's involvement and Sharif's appointment was a positive development for the Muslim world.  "General Raheel Sharif will use his experiences and knowledge to remove internal misunderstandings among Muslim countries," Janjua said.
December 16, 2017 at 03:57PM

Australian man accused of brokering North Korea missile sales

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Australian police have arrested a Sydney man accused of acting as an agent for North Korea by allegedly attempting to broker sales for Pyongyang including components used in ballistic missiles.
December 16, 2017 at 03:45PM

Southern California's Thomas Fire Now Third Largest in State History

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A huge wildfire ravaging the area around Los Angeles has now been deemed the third largest in California history, with the damage eclipsing that from a devastating 2013 fire by more than 800 hectares (3 square miles). Emergency officials say 8,000 firefighters from a dozen states are in California to help battle the blazes, with helicopters and bulldozers to aid in the effort.  The cost of the firefighting operation is estimated at close to $89 million. Fire officials said Saturday that the Thomas Fire, which started December 4, had now burned nearly 105,000 hectares (400 square miles), leaving a footprint larger than those of some cities. The fire was thought to be 40 percent contained, but fire officials said about 18,000 structures were threatened, and that high winds could kick up new blazes by flinging embers far from the heart of the inferno. Santa Barbara area In the mountains near Santa Barbara, winds were gusting up to 64 kilometers an hour (40 mph). More than 1,000 buildings have already burned in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Among the threatened communities was Montecito, the wealthiest city in Santa Barbara County, where the average home price is more than a $1 million and residents include television and movie stars. The area was under evacuation orders, and freeway off-ramps leading to Montecito were closed. Mark Brown, an operations section chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told reporters Saturday that the flames would become unstoppable once they took hold on Santa Barbara's parched mountainsides where so-called "sundowner" winds kick them west toward the sea. At the moment, a canyon lies between Montecito and the flames. But Brown said if the flames took hold in the canyon, it would be too dangerous for firefighters to try to intervene. "When the sundowners surface in that area and fire starts running down slopes, you are not going to stop it. And we are not going to stand in front of it and put firefighters in untenable positions," he told the Los Angeles Times. The hillsides above the village have been treated with fire retardant, and in some cases brush and trees have been cleared in the hope of starving the fast-moving flames.  Media mogul Oprah Winfrey owns a home in Montecito. On Saturday, she tweeted, "Still praying for our little town. Winds picked up this morning creating a perfect storm of bad for firefighters."  Poor air in L.A. Meanwhile, life in the Los Angeles area is dry, hot and ashy. While the flames are northwest of the city, smoke hangs in the air across the city, which is situated in a basin and has a long-standing smog problem.  JJ Jackman, a Los Angeles-based project manager for an event-planning company, said the poor air quality had caused breathing problems for a friend who lives on the northwest side of town, near the blazes. "She sounded like she had a cold," Jackman said in an email after seeing his friend Saturday morning. "Said it was from breathing bad, bad air for the past week. ... I think it's safe to say you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who isn't affected or doesn't know someone affected by this mess."  An unusually wet winter led to exceptional vegetation growth this year, and and a dry summer turned the lush vegetation into tinder. Seasonal winds, the ones driving the fires, limited the amount of controlled burning that could be done ahead of time. Red flag warnings — meaning conditions are ideal for the spread of wildfires — are in effect through Sunday for parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, as well as parts of Orange, Riverside and San Bernadino counties, all part of the greater Los Angeles area. The only upside, residents said, is that the fumes in the air have made for some beautiful sunsets. Firefighter down On Thursday, a firefighter was killed battling a large wildfire north of Los Angeles. California forestry fire chief Ken Pimlott said Cory Iverson, an engineer from San Diego, died while battling the Thomas Fire. Iverson, 32, had been with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since 2009.  His death was the second blamed on the Thomas Fire. A 70-year-old woman died last week while fleeing the blaze. With numerous massive fires near San Francisco and Los Angeles, 2017 has been one of the worst wildfire seasons ever in California. Experts blame global warming, a recent extreme drought and the hot, dry winds that blow down from the California mountains every fall.  California Governor Jerry Brown has warned residents that such devastating fires will be "the new normal" in the state. 
December 16, 2017 at 02:35PM

Florida squanders 2nd-half lead, falls to Clemson in Orange Bowl Classic

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Clemson rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half Saturday to beat No. 22 Florida 71-69 in the Orange Bowl Classic.
December 16, 2017 at 02:20PM

With $1,010 tip, Virginia waitress gets 'tip bombed,' report says

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A waitress in Virginia received a $1,010 tip from an anonymous group, the Tip Bombers, Fox 5 DC reported.
December 16, 2017 at 02:13PM

Oklahoma takes down No. 3 Wichita State 91-83

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Oklahoma takes down No. 3 Wichita State 91-83
December 16, 2017 at 01:57PM

Silvers lifts Troy over North Texas, 50-30, in New Orleans Bowl

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Silvers lifts Troy over North Texas, 50-30, in New Orleans Bowl
December 16, 2017 at 01:55PM

Preview: Coyotes vs. Penguins, 5:30 p.m., FOX Sports Arizona Plus

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Defending Stanley Cup champs facing similar issues as Coyotes
December 16, 2017 at 01:36PM

#10: The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Phil Szostak (Author), Rian Johnson (Foreword)
(2)
Release Date: December 15, 2017

Buy new: $40.00 $19.55
50 used & new from $19.55

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Books list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
December 16, 2017 at 02:32PM

مستخدم:MinecraftCreeper/ملعب

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Gilo1969: Requesting speedy deletion (CSD A1). (TW)

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Hi?

December 16, 2017 at 02:18PM

Guido Rugo

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Hirolovesswords: ←Created page with ''''Guido Lawrence Rugo''' (1898–1984) was an American businessman from Boston who was president of a contracting company and a minority owner and vice pres...'

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'''Guido Lawrence Rugo''' (1898–1984) was an American businessman from [[Boston]] who was president of a contracting company and a minority owner and vice president of the [[History of the Boston Braves|Boston Braves]] baseball team.

==Early life==
Rugo was born in [[Padua]] and raised in [[Dorchester, Boston|Dorchester]]. He graduated from [[The English High School]], where he was an All-scholastic quarterback for the city championship-winning football team as well as a member of the hockey team. At the start of [[World War I]], Rugo joined the Naval Training Unit at [[Harvard University]]. The war ended before he went into active service.<ref name="Obituary"></ref>

==Business career==
After graduating from high school in 1917, Rugo went into business with his father. In 1929 he began the Rugo Construction Co. with his brothers. The Rugos were involved in many projects in the Boston area, including the construction of schools for the City of Boston and the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston]].<ref name="Obituary" /> In 1939, Rugo was elected president of the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts.<ref></ref> During [[World War II]], the company built the [[Letterkenny Army Depot|Letterkenny Ordnance Depot]] in [[Chambersburg, Pennsylvania]] in a joint venture with the [[Tutor Perini|Perini Corporation]].<ref name="Obituary" /> In 1945, Rugo's brother Joseph left the firm. Upon his departure he demanded an accounting of an investment fund he and his two brothers owned.<ref name="Rugo" /> Rugo refused and in 1948, Joseph sued him.<ref></ref> In 1950, [[Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court]] ordered Rugo to pay his brother $140,418 for his share in the fund.<ref name="Rugo" /> In 1952, Rugo's other brother, Leonard, sued him for an accounting of a $1 million [[slush fund]] used to make payoffs to public officials in Boston, [[Chicopee, Massachusetts]], and other communities in connection with building contracts. Rugo testified to making payoffs between 1929 and 1943, but refused to name who received them.<ref></ref> Boston City Auditor Charles J. Fox cleared Rugo of wrongdoing and ordered that the Boston School Committee pay Rugo the balance owed on the construction of a school.<ref></ref>

==Boston Braves==
In 1941, Rugo was a member of a syndicate led by [[Bob Quinn (baseball)|Bob Quinn]] that purchased controlling interest in the Boston Braves (then known as the Bees) from [[Charles Adams (ice hockey)|Charles Adams]].<ref></ref> Rugo was a close friend of Quinn's son, [[John Quinn (baseball executive)|John Quinn]].<ref name="Hurwitz"></ref> In the fall of 1943, Rugo and two other minority partners, [[Lou Perini|Louis Perini]] and [[C. Joseph Maney]], issued an ultimatum to the other members of the syndicate - to buy out the trio's stock for what they paid for it or allow the three to purchase the other partners' stock for what they paid for it.<ref name="Kaese">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The three businessmen, who were all contractors, were known as the "Three Little Steam Shovels".<ref name="Obituary" /> In 1948, the Braves won the [[National League]] pennant, but lost the [[1948 World Series|World Series]] to the [[Cleveland Indians]]. In 1951, Rugo sold his interest in the club to Perini and Maney.<ref name="Rugo"></ref>

==Personal life==
A resident of [[Milton, Massachusetts]], Rugo moved to [[Marblehead, Massachusetts]] in 1949 after he purchased "[[Carcassonne Castle|Carcassonne]]", the home of Lydia Pinkham Gove (granddaughter of [[Lydia Pinkham]]), for $50,000.<ref name="Rugo" /><ref name="Hurwitz" /> In 1972, Rugo sold "Carcassonne" to George A. Butler and returned to Boston.<ref></ref>

On January 30, 1960, Rugo collapsed at a meeting of the Clover Club in Boston, where he was a guest of former Braves publicity director [[Billy Sullivan (American football)|Billy Sullivan]]. Rugo had suffered a similar episode ten days earlier at his office.<ref></ref>

==Death==
Rugo died on November 18, 1984 at his home in [[West Roxbury, Boston|West Roxbury]]. He was survived by his wife and four sons.<ref name="Obituary" />

==References==



[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:American construction businesspeople]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Boston Braves owners]]
[[Category:People from Boston]]
[[Category:People from Marblehead, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Milton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Padua]]

December 16, 2017 at 02:16PM

Residents flee as California wildfire nears Santa Barbara, Montecito

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Strong winds drove one of the biggest wildfires in California's history toward Santa Barbara and the nearby wealthy enclave of Montecito Saturday, prompting residents to flee as authorities issued new evacuation orders.
December 16, 2017 at 02:15PM

US Olympic speedskating team welcomes its first black female competitor

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On Saturday, Maame Biney became the first black woman to qualify to compete on the U.S. Olympic speedskating team.
December 16, 2017 at 02:04PM

Does Pentagon Still Have a UFO Program?

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The Pentagon acknowledged Saturday that its long-secret UFO investigation program ended in 2012, when U.S. defense officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities. But whether the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program has continued to investigate UFO sightings since its funding ended five years ago could rank as an unexplained phenomenon. The New York Times reported Saturday that the hush-hush program, tasked with investigating sightings of unidentified flying objects, ran from 2007 to 2012 with $22 million in annual funding secretly tucked away in U.S. Defense Department budgets worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Its initial funding came largely at the request of former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat long known for his enthusiasm for space phenomena, the newspaper said. Yet according to its backers, the program remains in existence and officials continue to investigate UFO episodes brought to their attention by service members, the newspaper said. Other issues pursued The Pentagon openly acknowledged the fate of the program in response to a Reuters query. "The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program ended in the 2012 time frame," Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Ochoa said in an email. "It was determined that there were other, higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the DoD to make a change," Ochoa said. But the Pentagon was less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the U.S. defense establishment. "The DoD takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed," Ochoa said. What is less in doubt is Reid's enthusiasm for UFOs and his likely role in launching the Pentagon initiative to identify advanced aviation threats. "If you've talked to Harry Reid for 60 seconds then it's the least surprising thing ever that he loves UFOs and got an earmark to study them," former Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said in a message on Twitter. Or as Reid himself said in a tweet that linked to the Times' story: "The truth is out there. Seriously." 
December 16, 2017 at 01:59PM

Nazareth Christmas Celebrations to Be Held as Normal, Mayor Says

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Nazareth, the Israeli Arab city where Jesus is thought to have been raised, will celebrate Christmas as usual, its mayor said, denying the festivities would be curtailed in protest against the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. On Wednesday, a city spokesman said there would be some cuts to the celebrations to protest President Donald Trump's decision on Jerusalem, which angered Palestinians as well as U.S. allies in the Middle East and the rest of the world. Mayor Ali Salam told Reuters on Saturday that three singers who had been scheduled to perform would not appear. He gave no reason for their absence, but said that the celebrations would proceed as normal. "I don't know why people thought that there would be cuts to the celebrations. Everything, except for three singers who will not be coming, will be held as normal. We have already welcomed 60,000 people to the city today," Salam said. Nazareth, the largest Arab town in Israel, with a population of 76,000 Muslims and Christians, is one of the Holy Land's focal points of Christmas festivities which began officially Saturday evening. Nazareth's imposing Basilica of the Annunciation is built on a site that many Christian faithful believe was the childhood home of Jesus' mother, Mary.
December 16, 2017 at 01:32PM

Florida Moves to Control Booming Iguana Population

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With burrowing iguanas showing up in people's toilets and damaging expensive sewer lines, Florida wildlife managers are stepping up efforts to control the state's booming population of the wild, invasive reptiles. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has hired a trapper to try to control the iguana population on public land in the Florida Keys. It is also holding workshops to teach homeowners how to trap and ward off the reptiles, The Miami Herald reports . While the iguanas have been in Florida since the 1960s, FWC exotic species coordinator Kristin Sommers said there has been a noted increase in "human conflicts." Iguanas have been damaging roads and showing up in shopping malls, and they are a common sight on golf courses.    In the Keys, the animals damage natural areas and consume plants important to dwindling species like butterflies. They also threatened a new billion-dollar sewage line. Iguanas also can spread salmonella by defecating in people's swimming pools. Training people to help catch the pesky lizards is an important part of the state's effort. "FWC can't go out and remove everybody's iguanas. That's just not possible," Sommers told the newspaper. The lizard boom has also created a new industry for people who trap them. Tom Portuallo started such a business in Broward County after seeing a group of iguanas take over a friend's pool. He now has customers throughout South Florida. Wildlife biologist Joe Wasilewski told the newspaper that Florida wants to nip the problem in the bud before it gets out of control as it is on many Caribbean islands. He said he was hired to deal with an iguana problem at a high-end resort in the Bahamas. "The numbers just exploded to where you drive a golf cart and there's waves of green iguanas going into the forest," he said. "They're literally a green plague."
December 16, 2017 at 01:04PM

Stomach virus strikes more than 200 on Royal Caribbean cruise

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Royal Caribbean said Saturday that 220 people on board one of its Caribbean cruise ships fell ill with a stomach virus during its voyage.
December 16, 2017 at 01:00PM

UN Council Mulls Call for US Jerusalem Decision to Be Withdrawn

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The U.N. Security Council, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, is considering a draft resolution that would insist any decisions on the city's status have no legal effect and must be rescinded. The one-page Egyptian-drafted text, which was circulated to the 15-member council Saturday and seen by Reuters, does not specifically mention the United States or Trump. Diplomats say it has broad support but will most likely be vetoed by Washington. Diplomats said the council could vote as early as Monday or Tuesday. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to be adopted. In announcing his decision on Jerusalem this month, Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy, generating outrage from Palestinians and defying warnings of Middle East violence. Trump also plans to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. The draft U.N. resolution "affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council." It "calls upon all states to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem, pursuant to resolution 478 (1980) of the Security Council." Israel considers the city its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there. Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city's eastern sector, which Israel captured in a 1967 war and annexed in a move never recognized internationally. The draft council resolution "demands that all states comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions."
December 16, 2017 at 12:25PM

Joan Crawford

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Bette Davis
December 16, 2017 at 12:00PM

Pitch Perfect

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December 16, 2017 at 12:00PM

Trump transition lawyer: Mueller improperly obtained documents in Russia probe

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A lawyer for the Trump presidential transition team is accusing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office of inappropriately obtaining transition documents as part of its Russia probe, including confidential attorney-client communications and privileged communications.
December 16, 2017 at 11:21AM

Nfl Games Today

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NFL games
December 16, 2017 at 11:00AM

Ukraine FM: Russia Does Not Live in a Vacuum, Sanctions Are Effective

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Ukraine's foreign minister applauded decisions announced this week by Canada and the European Union (EU) as important in demonstrating the international community's solidarity with Ukraine and sending a clear message to Russia. "Look, Russia does not live in a vacuum, sanctions are effective," Pavlo Klimkin said Friday in an interview with VOA.
December 16, 2017 at 10:28AM

Somalia PM Says His Government Demanded US Aid Cut

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Somalia's prime minister, Hassan ali-Khaire, said his government had demanded the U.S. briefly suspend aid to much of Somalia's armed forces in an effort to improve transparency and accountability following corruption concerns. Speaking Saturday to reporters in Mogadishu, Khaire blamed former Somali governments for U.S. concerns about corruption. "In the first month in office, my government stood for the need for Somalia to be governed on transparency principles," he said. "To ensure such principles, Somalia and the U.S. government have agreed to this aid suspension." He said that the pause in assistance was part of his government's effort to fight corruption by tackling misconduct and opening the door to accountability. "We have done a study that made it possible to find out the challenges against rebuilding our national army, including diversion of soldiers' salaries, lying about the list of the active and alive military personnel, and as a result, we have jointly decided to suspend the U.S. aid to parts of Somalia's military for a few weeks until we improve and fix the errors," Khaire said. Mattis 'sure' of progress On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said that he was optimistic about improving Somali accountability concerning the distribution of American aid to Somali armed forces. "I'm sure we can get this thing under control, even if it's not for the whole, but for parts of it," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. Despite the aid suspension, Khaire said his government was confident that it had gained the trust of both Somali people and its international partners. "In the light of the recent IMF [International Monetary Fund] and World Bank reports on Somalia and the work we have so far done, we are confident that we have gained the trust of the Somali people and our international friends," he said. For nearly two decades, Somalia has been among the world's most corrupt countries, topping the list made by the corruption monitoring group Transparency International. Nepotism, favoritism, bribery and aid embezzlement have been commonplace across all sectors, making many citizens believe that corruption is a normal way of life.
December 16, 2017 at 10:22AM

Iranian missiles going to rebels in Yemen pose a danger to our ally Saudi Arabia

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The U.S. has now made clear that Iran is not just violating a U.N. Security Council Resolution that imposes an arms embargo on Yemen.
December 16, 2017 at 09:52AM

Tax plan expected to pass Senate, with help from a few holdouts

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The GOP-led Congress's sweeping tax reform plan appears to have enough support for passage in the Senate -- with apparent backing from several Republican senators whose nonsupport for congressional Republicans' measure to repeal and replace Obamacare doomed that effort this summer.
December 16, 2017 at 09:52AM

Jacob Köbel

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Dsp13: new page

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'''Jacob Köbel''' (1462-1533) was a printer and publisher in [[Oppenheim]].

Köbel graduated in arts and law from [[Heidelberg University]] in 1491. He appears to have then studied mathematics at Cracow, and is said to have been a fellow student of [[Copernicus]] there.<ref>R. M. Gascoigne, ''A chronology of the history of science 1450-1900'', Garland Pub., 1987, p.413.</ref> He learnt the publishing trade as editor and proofreader for Heinrich Knoblochtzer in [[Heidelberg]]. In 1494 he married a woman from Oppenheim and settled there as secretary to the city council.

==Works==
* ''Geometrey'', 1498
* ''Elucidatio Fabricae Ususque Astrolabii'', 1513

==References==





[[Category:1462 births]]
[[Category:1533 deaths]]
[[Category:German printers]]
[[Category:German publishers]]

December 16, 2017 at 06:00AM

Syrian troops march into rebel-held province of Idlib

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Syrian government forces have entered small parts of the northwestern rebel-held province of Idlib in one of their deepest incursions into the area where President Bashar Assad's government almost has no presence.
December 16, 2017 at 05:38AM

Al Franken drags out Senate departure, only mentions ‘transition’ after replacement named

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Despite his replacement being appointed earlier this week, Al Franken has not yet to said when he'll empty his Capitol Hill office and return to Minnesota, as he vowed after his Dec.7 resignation speech on the Senate floor.
December 16, 2017 at 05:37AM

Relatives lose contact with Palestinian tycoon in Saudi

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Two relatives say they have lost contact with a Jordanian-Palestinian tycoon after he flew to Saudi Arabia.
December 16, 2017 at 05:34AM


Associated Press News - Arab Bank

Court rejects jury's verdict in civil case against Arab Bank. February 9, 2018. NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court on ... Relatives lose contact with Palestinian tycoon in Saudi. By KARIN LAUBDecember 16, 2017. JERICHO, West Bank ...

Ex-wife of Lorenzen Wright charged with murder in 2010 death

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Authorities say the ex-wife of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright has been charged with first-degree murder in his death more than seven years ago.
December 16, 2017 at 05:30AM

Craig Sager's daughter rips Britt McHenry, ex-ESPN reporter, over family insult

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Britt McHenry picked the wrong day to mess with the daughter of legendary NBA broadcaster Craig Sager.
December 16, 2017 at 05:28AM

Libya's coast guard rescues over 270 migrants

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A Libyan official says coast guards have rescued at least 270 migrants off Libya's eastern coast.
December 16, 2017 at 05:25AM

Preview: Lightning visit Avalanche seeking seventh straight victory

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The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Colorado Avalanche in the penultimate game of their road trip.
December 16, 2017 at 05:07AM

Preview: Heat host Clippers looking to climb back above .500

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The Miami Heat return home and finish off a back-to-back when they host the ailing Clippers.
December 16, 2017 at 05:05AM

5 Years After Brutal Gang Rape in India, Sexual Violence Continues

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Five years after the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old physical therapy student in the Indian capital turned the focus to violence against women, small groups turned out in New Delhi and several other cities on Saturday to highlight the need for safety for women in public spaces.   The "Meet to Sleep" movement, under which women took a short nap at a park, is one of several campaigns that have emerged in the wake of massive protests that rocked India after the gang rape. The symbolic nap highlights the need for women's safety when they are most vulnerable.   "What happened to her [the gang rape victim] happened in a very public place, in a bus, which is a mode of transportation that many women use, but remains unsafe. Five years on, not much has changed," said 26-year-old Kriti Omprakash.  The gang rape victim was assaulted by six men on a bus that she boarded with her male friend in December 2012. She later died due to the injuries she sustained.   Not only do sexual attacks targeting girls and women continue to pose a challenge - such incidents actually have increased, according to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau. Delhi, considered one of India's most unsafe cities, reported 1,996 rape cases in 2016, up from 1,893 in the previous year. Rising voices   Women's rights activists say the biggest change, however, is that women have become more vocal in demanding their freedom and safety and that the subject of violence is now discussed openly in a country where talk of sex crimes previously had been considered taboo. "In the past five years, one of the most positive things I think is that those kind of agitations have taken teeth and grown," said Kavita Krishnan from the All India Progressive Women's Association.       In a bid to make cities safer, the government has set up help lines and installed security cameras, although that has failed to be a deterrent, according to rights activists. They express disappointment that despite the tightening of laws for rape and sexual harassment, crimes are still surging, sometimes against very young girls.     "We feel very, very let down by the system, by the government. The gruesomeness of crime has increased," says Ranjana Kumari at the Center for Social Research in New Delhi. "There have been very, very young children who have been assaulted in most brutal way."   Less than a week ago, a six-year-old girl was found murdered with grave sexual injuries in the northern state of Haryana - a case whose brutality led to comparisons with the 2012 bus gang rape. Legal efforts The mother of the gang rape victim, Asha Devi, also expressed anguish over reporters asking, "Women and girls are still being raped, what changed? The city is as unsafe as it was five years ago."   Activists also worry about what they feel are efforts to dilute the tough laws that were instituted after the gang rape to punish men and point to a judgment. Earlier this year, a judge set aside the conviction of a Bollywood filmmaker for rape after ruling that a "feeble no" could indicate willingness on the part of the victim.   Kavita Krishnan stresses the need for more mobilization of the kind that was seen in the wake of the 2012 gang rape to continue to keep the focus on women's safety and freedom.   "We cannot celebrate the 2012 movement without realizing what is happening around us right now. It has to be a continued fight. It can't just be a ritual obeisance paid to the 2012 moment," she said.  
December 16, 2017 at 05:00AM

Barry Sherman

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December 16, 2017 at 05:00AM

Leicester City

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Crystal Palace
December 16, 2017 at 05:00AM

UN: Salvadoran Women Unjustly Imprisoned for Suspected Abortions

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The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights is urging the government of El Salvador to commute the 30 year prison sentence of a woman convicted of "aggravated homicide" after her baby was stillborn in her ninth month of pregnancy. Teodora Vasquez has been in prison since 2008 for "aggravated homicide," a term used to prosecute women suspected of deliberately terminating their pregnancies.  This week, an appeals court in San Salvador rejected her appeal to commute her 30-year sentence. Vasquez was one of four women High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein met in a women's rehabilitation center during his recent visit to El Salvador.  All had suffered miscarriages or other obstetric emergencies.  All are serving time in prison. Zeid's spokeswoman, Liz Throssell, told VOA the High Commissioner was very moved by the women's stories and he is extremely upset by the Appeal Court's ruling against Vasquez. "It is absolutely astounding, astonishing, appalling that these women are in essence being convicted for having a miscarriage, for having a child stillborn. They are basically being convicted for being women, for losing a child and for being poor," she said.  Throssell said women from wealthier backgrounds in El Salvador are not jailed under similar circumstances. El Salvador has one of the most draconian abortion laws in the world.  Abortion is totally prohibited even if a woman's life is at risk or if she has suffered sexual violence.   Throssell said about 150 women have been convicted of abortion-related offenses over the last decade.  She says at least 41 other women have been convicted of attempted or aggravated homicide, like Teodora Vasquez, after suffering miscarriages or other complications.  All are serving heavy prison sentences.  
December 16, 2017 at 04:03AM

Spurlock's new film pulled from festival after admitting to sexual misconduct

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Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's latest work has been pulled from the 2018 Sundance Film Festival lineup following a confessional Spurlock penned about his past sexual impropriety, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
December 17, 2017 at 12:36AM

#10: The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook: 150 Simply Delicious Everyday Recipes for Your Whole30

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The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook: 150 Simply Delicious Everyday Recipes for Your Whole30
Melissa Hartwig (Author)
(33)
Release Date: December 5, 2017

Buy new: $30.00 $18.00
51 used & new from $15.95

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Books list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
December 16, 2017 at 01:53AM

Nigeria: Boko Haram Fighters, Families Arrested

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Military authorities say Nigerian soldiers have arrested more than 400 people associated with the Boko Haram extremist group hiding on the islands of Lake Chad, including fighters, wives and children. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu says the two-week operation netted the largest number of arrests of Boko Haram fighters in recent months in northeast Nigeria. It included air and ground offensives targeting insurgents' locations. Nwachukwu says the military arrested 167 Boko Haram fighters, 67 women and 173 children who were family members of the insurgents. The women and children will be handed over to authorities of displacement camps after investigations. Nwachukwu says another 57 insurgents were arrested during a separate operation in another part of the troubled region. Boko Haram has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths during its eight-year insurgency.
December 16, 2017 at 12:52AM

New Kind of Retirement Community: A Little India in Silicon Valley

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With people coming from around the world to work in Silicon Valley, some struggle with the best ways to care for their aging parents. Increasingly, the solution is an "affinity" retirement community, where older people from places like India and China can live near — but not with — their adult children. These communities break from traditional custom that parents and children live together. "The children are so busy these days, they are all the time working, taking care of their kids, so we do not want to interfere in their lives," said Asha RaoRane, an Indian national who wanted to move to the U.S. to be near her three daughters who had immigrated to San Francisco. Her daughters started exploring the idea of a traditional senior retirement community, but were having trouble finding an American community they thought their mother would fit into. In July, RaoRane, 70, moved into Priya Living, an affinity-living community, meaning it caters to people with similar interests, such as yoga and meditation. Arun Paul founded Priya Living as a place for his parents to live. The couple moved from Los Angeles four years ago and are still in a ground floor apartment. "In living here in America, as the son of immigrants, I've realized that there's very unique needs that immigrants have," said Paul, a real-estate developer. "That old system was based on a different time when women were in the house, really taking care, in many cultures, of their husband's parents," Paul said. "Obviously the role of women in society has changed globally." New friends For Bhagyashree RaoRane, 38, finding Priya Living for her mother has been a dream come true. "We walked in and instantly it was like walking into an Indian community in India," said RaoRane, a filmmaker. "Even the building is painted the same color as so many of the buildings in India are painted." This type of independent senior community came as a shock to Nagendra Prasad, 62, and Manjula Neelakantaiah, 53, who came to Priya on a two-month visit from Bangalore, India, to see their daughter, an intern at Google. "Really, in the beginning we were surprised," Neelakantaiah said. "In India the younger people, they definitely take care of the aged people." Not always a good fit For a few residents, Priya is not the perfect fit. Dr. Byravan Viswanathan and his wife, Lakshmi, were born and raised in India but spent much of their adult lives in a small town in Pennsylvania. "We had oodles and oodles of good friends and they were not Indians — regular Americans," he said. "We had become so Westernized, we have to adapt to Indian living again. Look around. There are six different Indian languages spoken right now at this table, languages I have never spoken or haven't spoken in decades." Viswanathan's daughter is looking into finding a more American community for them. All are welcome While the vast majority of residents are from India, Paul stressed that Priya Living welcomes people of all backgrounds. There are a few non-Indians who call Priya home. Carlos McCann, an 89-year-old WW II veteran, has been living in the complex for almost 20 years, long before it was purchased and remodeled to become the primarily Indian community. "Everything has sort of come together at this location it's like it's the center of the world," he said.
December 16, 2017 at 12:50AM

AP-NORC Polls: Americans Pessimistic About Trump, Country

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President Donald Trump frequently casts his first year in office as a string of successes and campaign promises fulfilled. But less than a quarter of Americans think Trump has made good on the pledges he made to voters while running for president, according to a new poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Among Republicans, just half say Trump has kept his promises, which included vows to overhaul his predecessor's health care law, withdraw the United States from a nuclear accord with Iran and invest millions in new projects to fix the nation's aging infrastructure. None of those steps have been taken. "Everything has stalled out," said Mark Krowski, 37, an independent from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who leans Republican but didn't vote for Trump last year. ​Worrisome signs As 2017 comes to a close, the majority of Americans painted a broadly pessimistic view of Trump's presidency, the nation's politics and the overall direction of the country. Just 3 in 10 Americans said the United States is heading in the right direction, and 52 percent said the country is worse off since Trump became president, worrisome signs for the White House and Republicans heading into a midterm election year where control of Congress will be at stake. Along with the 23 percent who think Trump has kept his promises, another 30 percent think he has tried and failed and 45 percent think he hasn't kept them at all. In a second AP-NORC poll conducted this month, Trump's job approval rating sits at just 32 percent, making him the least popular first-year president on record. A quarter of Republicans say they're among those who disapprove of the president. ​Bit of a bright spot One relative bright spot for Trump? The improving economy. With a soaring stock market and unemployment hovering around 4 percent, 40 percent of Americans approved of Trump's handling of the economy. That's higher than the 3 in 10 Americans that approved of the president's handling of health care, foreign policy or taxes. Still, Trump continues to talk about his presidency with lofty rhetorical flourishes, declaring that his first months in office outshine those of his predecessors. But there's no doubt that 2017 has been devoid of any significant legislative accomplishments, though Republicans are urgently trying to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's tax system. The package would give generous tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest tax cuts to low- and middle-income families. "We're very, very close to a historic legislative victory, the likes of which rarely has this country seen," Trump said during a meeting with lawmakers earlier this week. Republicans are banking on the tax overhaul being enough to carry them through next year's House and Senate contests, elections that will largely be a referendum on Trump's first two years in office and the GOP's stewardship as the majority party on Capitol Hill. But with the legislation rushed through Congress and negotiated largely in private, Trump and lawmakers may have more work to do to sell the public on its benefits. "There's so much back and forth and so many adjustments being made. It's just so uncertain," Edward Hale, a 72-year-old independent, said of the tax legislation. One thing Hale, a retired federal government employee from Clarion, Pennsylvania, is certain of in the proposal? "It definitely favors Mr. Trump and his wealthy friends," he said. The survey results suggest that with or without a tax overhaul, Trump has work to do in convincing the public that his presidency is benefiting them. Just 25 percent of Americans think the country is better off since Trump took office, and only 20 percent say they personally are doing better. By contrast, an AP-NORC poll conducted a year ago found that Americans were more likely to think the country had become better off over the course of Barack Obama's presidency than worse off, 46 percent to 33 percent. Only 9 percent think the country has become more united as a result of Trump's presidency, while 67 percent think the country is more divided because of Trump. That's far higher than the 44 percent of Americans who said in a poll one year ago that Obama's presidency had served to divide the country further. Even Republicans are more likely to say Trump has divided America than united it, 41 percent to 17 percent. Notably, the deep-seated pessimism about the president and national politics doesn't extend to local communities. Overall, about half of Americans said they feel optimistic about their local communities. And that feeling is shared across the political spectrum: 55 percent of Democrats and 50 percent of Republicans feel optimistic about the way things are going locally. Poll details The AP-NORC polls surveyed 1,444 adults from Nov. 30-Dec. 4 and 1,020 adults from Dec. 7-11 using samples drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points for the first survey and plus or minus 4.3 percentage points for the second. Interviews were conducted online and using landlines and cellphones.
December 16, 2017 at 12:50AM

Fourth Generation of India’s Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty Takes Charge of Congress Party

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A fourth generation of India's powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty came to the helm of the Congress Party Saturday as Rahul Gandhi vowed to rebuild a "Grand and Young Old party." But the 47-year-old leader faces a daunting challenge in emerging as a credible challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and rebuilding the party that was in power for most of the seven decades since independence but suffered a crushing defeat in 2014. The lone contender in the election for the top post in the party, Gandhi, long know as "heir apparent" takes over from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who was its head for 19 years. His father, Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother, Indira Gandhi were prime ministers. Gandhi, whose leadership skills have long been questioned, mounted a strong attack on Modi after taking charge at a function in New Delhi. "The Congress took India into the 21st century, while the Prime Minister today is taking us backwards to a medieval past where people are butchered because of who they are, beaten for what they believe and killed for what they eat. This ugly violence shames us in the world," he said in an address. Gandhi was referring to sporadic attacks by mobs and cow vigilante groups on Muslims and lower caste Hindus suspected of eating beef since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power. The attacks have raised fears of growing intolerance by Hindu fringe groups under BJP rule. ​Lackluster record There were exuberant celebrations at the Congress Party headquarters in New Delhi, and many leaders put their faith in his ability to rejuvenate the party. It is not an easy challenge. Gandhi takes charge at a time when the BJP has emerged as the country's most formidable political force and has marginalized the Congress Party. And questions persist on whether Rahul Gandhi has the political acumen needed. His record has been lackluster and his critics have called him the "reluctant politician" and "undeserving prince." Since he became vice president of the party in 2013, Congress has suffered its worst electoral defeats. After being reduced to its lowest tally in parliament in 2014, the party has lost elections in six states and now rules only two of India's large states besides a handful of small ones. But political analysts say Gandhi has begun showing signs of emerging as a more decisive leader in recent months as he takes on a more aggressive stand against the BJP. His attack on Modi after taking charge was pointed, and he led a spirited campaign against the BJP during recent state elections, including that in Modi's home state, Gujarat. "I also would have believed till some time ago that he was a switch on, off-switch on politician, he did not have it in him to be a 24/7 politician," says political scientist Sandeep Shastri, pro vice chancellor of Jain University. "But then the way he has led the party in the Gujarat campaign, has provided some proof that he has the potential to galvanize the party cadre, to be there for the long run." ​Many challenges Analysts however say that Rahul Gandhi will have to work on many fronts if the Congress party is to recover ground: energize a dispirited party cadre, bring on board older leaders and devise a new strategy to take on the BJP ahead of general elections in 2019. His "dynastic roots" have also been frequently questioned in a young and aspirational country where people have often expressed exasperation at the Congress Party's inability to promote a leader outside the Gandhi family. BJP leaders have frequently mocked the Congress Party for what it says is promotion of "dynasty" over merit, and Prime Minister Modi has often drawn the contrast between Gandhi and his own origins — the son of a tea seller who made it to the top of his party. But political analyst Shastri said that "for the Congress Party, the Nehru-Gandhi family in some senses symbolizes the forces of unity to hold the party together."  
December 16, 2017 at 12:50AM

Ukraine Foreign Minister: Russia Does Not Live in a Vacuum, Sanctions Are Effective

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Ukraine's foreign minister applauded decisions announced this week by Canada and the European Union (EU) as important in demonstrating the international community's solidarity with Ukraine and sending a clear message to Russia. "Look, Russia does not live in a vacuum, sanctions are effective," Pavlo Klimkin said Friday in an interview with VOA. EU Council President Donald Tusk announced Thursday that leaders of the organization's 28 member states were "united on the rollover of economic sanctions on Russia." The European Union's sanctions post constraints for Russia's access to the coveted EU markets. Initially, they were put in place in 2014 "in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and deliberate destabilization of a neighboring sovereign country." The EU said the sanctions are kept under "constant review" in order that they continue to contribute toward their stated objectives. Earlier this week, the Canadian government added Ukraine to its Automatic Firearms Country Control List, thus enabling Canadian individuals and companies to apply for permits to export certain prohibited firearms, weapons and devices to Ukraine. "Canada and Canadians will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine and support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland declared. Klimkin said Western nations, "especially Europe, understands more and more that Russia has also been waging hybrid war against European institutions." ​International community Against this background, "there definitely will be more pressure, in the sense of targeted sanctions, in the sense of solidarity" coming from the international community, he said. Ukraine hopes this sense of solidarity will manifest in a United Nations mandate for an international peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine, responsible for, in Klimkin's words, "what is going on and what will be going on in the occupied Donbas," including a level of security, and free and fair elections. "We will keep pushing Russia to accept that fundamentally, it's about Russia out, international component in, there's no other way around it," Klimkin told VOA's Ukrainian service. In the meantime, he says Russia has been trying to "fix up the situation in Donbas. ... Russia has been trying to come up with more provocations, the idea is very clear: to maintain a Russian protectorate on the ground; the whole idea is simply to say: Look, it's about internal conflicts in Ukraine.'" The United States has been a strong critic of Russia's actions in Ukraine. ​'The single most difficult obstacle' Secretary of State Rex Tillerson voiced the administration's frustration during his recent trip to Europe. "President (Donald) Trump, as you know, throughout his campaign was very clear that he views it as very important that Russia and the United States have a better relationship, that it is important that countries as powerful as these two nations are should have a more positive relationship," Tillerson said in Vienna. "When one country invades another, that is a difference that is hard to look past or to reconcile," he said, adding, "We've made this clear to Russia from the very beginning that we must address Ukraine. It stands as the single most difficult obstacle to us renormalizing the relationship with Russia, which we badly would like to do." Natalie Liu has been a staff reporter and writer at Voice of America since 2005. She currently covers the diplomatic beat. Myroslava Gongadze is VOA's Ukrainian service chief.
December 16, 2017 at 12:50AM

Indian Retirees Maintain Independence, Fun and Freedom Later in Life

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Young people come from around the world to work in Silicon Valley, California. As these workers build a life away from home, many struggle with how to bring their aging parents to their new community. But what happens to foreign parents entering their later years in a new country? VOA's Deana Mitchell visits a unique community in Silicon Valley that caters to retirees from India.
December 16, 2017 at 12:45AM

Australian government restores grip on power in by-election

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The Australian government on Saturday won a crucial by-election that restores its tenuous grip on power that was threatened by a constitutional ban on dual citizens sitting in Parliament.
December 16, 2017 at 12:17AM

Britain Seeks ‘Bespoke’ EU Trade Deal, Pact With China

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British Finance Minister Philip Hammond said Saturday it is likely Britain will want to negotiate a bespoke arrangement for a future trade deal with the European Union, rather than copying existing arrangements like the Canada-EU deal. The European Union agreed Friday to move Brexit talks onto trade and a transition pact, but some leaders cautioned that the final year of divorce negotiations before Britain's exit could be fraught with peril. Summit chairman Donald Tusk said the world's biggest trading bloc would begin "exploratory contacts" with Britain on what London wants in a future trade relationship, as well as starting discussion on the immediate post-Brexit transition. No off-the-shelf deal Speaking in Beijing, Hammond it was probably not helpful to think in terms of off-the-shelf models like the Canada-EU deal. "We have a level of trade and commercial integration with the EU 27 which is unlike the situation of any trade partner that the EU has ever done a trade deal with before," he told reporters. "And therefore it is likely that we will want to negotiate specific arrangements, bespoke arrangements," Hammond added. "So I expect that we will develop something that is neither the Canada model nor an EEA model, but something which draws on the strength of our existing relationship." The Brexit negotiations have been a vexed issue for the global economy as markets feared prolonged uncertainty would hit global trade and growth. A transition period is now seen as crucial for investors and businesses who worry that a "cliff-edge" Brexit would disrupt trade flows and sow chaos through financial markets. China visit Hammond's China visit is the latest installment in long-running economic talks between the two states, but it has now taken on new importance for Britain as it looks to re-invent itself as a global trading nation after leaving the EU in 2019. China is one of the countries Britain hopes to sign a free trade agreement with once it leaves the EU, and London and Beijing have been keen to show that Britain's withdrawal from the bloc will not affect ties. Hammond sought to offer reassurance to Chinese firms post-March 2019 when Britain formally leaves the EU. "We won't technically or legally be in the customs union or in the single market, but we're committed as a result of the agreement we've made this week to creating an environment which will effectively replicate the current status quo," he said. Addressing the press after Hammond had spoken, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Shi Yaobin said China hopes Britain and the EU can reach a win-win agreement.
December 16, 2017 at 12:09AM

Man faces life in prison for killing girlfriend's molester, says he's 'not sorry'

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A Louisiana man who faces a mandatory life term in prison after confessing to killing his girlfriend's convicted molester said he is "not sorry" for what he did.
December 16, 2017 at 12:08AM

Yemeni rebels slam US charges that Iran is arming Houthis

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A Yemeni rebel spokesman has heavily criticized U.S. charges that Iran is funneling missiles to the Shiite rebels in Yemen, known as Houthis.
December 16, 2017 at 12:06AM

Uber hacked and surveilled rivals, alleges ex-manager in letter

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In June 2016, Uber Technologies Inc. contractors trained by the Central Intelligence Agency allegedly spied on another firm's executives and sent live video to then-Chief Executive Travis Kalanick in the company's "War Room."
December 16, 2017 at 12:03AM

Tropical Storm Brings Flooding to Philippines

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Moderate to heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in central Philippines as tropical storm Kai-tak made landfall Saturday afternoon, and may hit more areas while moving westward, the weather bureau said Saturday. Locally known as Urduja, Kai-tak was barreling through the eastern region of Visayas, hitting islands and coastal towns such as Tacloban City where Supertyphoon Haiyan claimed 8,000 lives in 2013. Heavy rains and large waves have stranded at least 11,000 people in various ports in the region, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. More than 10,000 people have fled to evacuation centers, local media reported. Disaster officials were verifying reports that three people, including a 2-year-old boy, had been killed during the storm.  Several provinces were placed under storm warning signals, where heavy rains may persist, the weather bureau said. Kai-tak was packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, with gustiness of up to 110 kph, after making landfall in the vicinity of San Policarpio in Eastern Samar.
December 15, 2017 at 11:44PM

Malli Raava

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Intoxicatedmidnight: ←Created page with ''''Malli Raava''' (''English: Can you come again?'') is a 2017 Indian Telugu language romantic film, directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri and produced by Rah...'

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'''Malli Raava''' (''English: Can you come again?'') is a 2017 [[Indian]] [[Telugu language]] [[romantic film]], directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri and produced by Rahul Yadav Nakka. It stars [[Sumanth]] and [[Aakanksha Singh]] in the lead roles, with the latter making her debut in [[Telugu cinema]]. The music was composed by Shravan Bharadwaj and released on [[Madhura Audio]].<ref> Sumanth Aakanksha Singh Gowtam Tinnanuri|date=2017-11-28|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTUlBo5eCDs|accessdate=2017-12-16}}</ref> The film was released on 8 December 2017 to positive reviews.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>

== Cast ==
* [[Sumanth]] as Karthik
* [[Aakanksha Singh]] as Anjali

== Music ==

== References ==

December 15, 2017 at 11:42PM

What new president? Rural Zimbabweans missed Mugabe drama

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Good luck convincing some of Zimbabwe's far-flung residents that they have a new president despite last month's dramatic ouster of Robert Mugabe after 37 years in power.
December 15, 2017 at 11:42PM

China, Britain pledge cooperation as UK leaves EU

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Britain and China have pledged to cooperate in clean energy research and promote global use of Beijing's currency as the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union.
December 15, 2017 at 11:42PM

Kunle Ajibade

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Shirt58: WP:ELMAYBE: + English PEN campaign page

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'''Kunle Ajibade''' (28th of May, 1958) is a Nigerian journalist, editor and author. In 1995, along with General [[Olusegun Obasanjo]], and journalists George Mbah and Chris Anyawu, was jailed for life on charges of treason.<ref></ref><ref></ref>

== Biography ==
Ajibade was educated at the [[University of Ife]]. He has a Bachelor's in English Studies and a Masters in Literature-In-English from the same institution.

He has worked as Senior Correspondent at The African Concord, Assistant Editor at The African Guardian, and as Executive Editor of The NEWS and P.M. News.

In 1998, he was a scholar of the [[Feuchtwanger fellowship|Feuchtwanger Fellowship]].<ref></ref>
== Arrest and imprisonment ==
In 1995, the military administration of [[Sani Abacha]] announced the arrest of a number of Nigerians on suspicion of participating in a coup attempt. The list included former head of state [[Olusegun Obasanjo]], his deputy [[Shehu Musa Yar'Adua]], among others.

During their trial, Ajibade, then an editor at ''The News'', was arrested and charged for 'publishing materials which could obstruct the work of the coup plotters tribunal' and for 'misleading the public'.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The crime was being "accessory to treason" and the punishment was life in prison. He was taken to Makurdi prisons, according to him, "to die incrementally".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>

There was international outcry and the sentence for Ajibade was reduced to 15 years.<ref></ref><ref></ref>

On June 8, 1998, General Abacha died in office. Ajibade was released on July 18 of that year by General [[Abdulsalami Abubakar]].

== References ==


==External links==
* [[English PEN]] [http://ift.tt/2j8RoqZ campaign page]

[[Category:Living people]]

December 15, 2017 at 11:30PM

University president: We know your kids are drinking and we need your help

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This is the time of year when many college students return home to see family and friends, and to face nosy but well-meaning questions about school. Just as everyone at the holiday table will press them for information, students will be trying to assert some independence.
December 15, 2017 at 11:00PM

How to talk politics at your family Christmas gathering

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It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, everywhere we go, from the sight of inflatable reindeer on the neighbor's lawn to the thought of Cousin Eddie in a dickey, drinking egg nog and talking politics at Christmas dinner.
December 15, 2017 at 11:00PM

Same sea lion eyed in two separate attacks in San Francisco cove

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The same sea lion trailed and bit a swimmer on Thursday and may have attacked another on Friday at Aquatic Park in San Francisco.
December 15, 2017 at 10:44PM

Trump administration reportedly prohibits CDC from using words like 'transgender,' 'fetus'

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Analysts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were reportedly told that the Trump administration is prohibiting the agency from using seven words or phrases that include "transgender" and "fetus."
December 15, 2017 at 10:31PM

Moore: Alabama Senate ‘Battle is Not Over’

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Alabama Republican Roy Moore on Friday told supporters that the "battle is not over" in Alabama's Senate race even though President Donald Trump and others have called on him to concede. Moore sent a fundraising email to supporters asking for contributions to his "election integrity fund' so he could investigate reports of voter fraud. "I also wanted to let you know that this battle is NOT OVER!" he wrote. Democrat Doug Jones on Tuesday defeated Moore by about 20,000 votes, or 1.5 percent, according to unofficial returns. But Moore, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls when he was in his 30s, has not yet conceded the heated Alabama race to fill the seat that previously belonged to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Moore told supporters that the race was close and some military and provisional ballots had yet to be counted. Those are expected to be counted next week. Moore said his campaign is collecting "numerous reported cases of voter fraud" to send to the secretary of state's office. Secretary of State John Merrill has said it is unlikely that the last-minute ballots will change the outcome of the election or even trigger a recount. Merrill said his office has investigated reports of voting irregularities, but "we have not discovered any that have been proven factual in nature." Trump, who had endorsed Moore, called Jones to congratulate him on his win. Trump on Friday said that he believed Moore should concede the race. The results of Alabama's Senate race will be certified between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3 after counties report their official totals.
December 15, 2017 at 10:27PM

Deadly California Wildfire Grows; High Winds Forecast

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Calming winds Friday gave firefighters a chance to gain ground against a huge wildfire in coastal mountains northwest of Los Angeles, but the blaze continued to surge west, endangering thousands of homes, as forecasts called for a renewal of gusty winds. The so-called Thomas Fire, the fourth-largest in California history, was 35 percent contained Friday night after sweeping across 400 square miles (about 1,036 square kilometers) of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since it erupted Dec. 4. It has burned more than 1,000 buildings, including more than 750 homes. Another 18,000 buildings are in jeopardy, including mansions in the wealthy enclave of Montecito.  Between Thursday night and Friday morning, the blaze claimed another 3,000 acres as it fed on brush and timber killed by California's long drought or a week of hot, dry weather. Santa Barbara has had only a tiny amount of rain since Oct. 1, the start of the new water year, and is more than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) below normal to date. Firefighters continued to carve firebreaks above the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito, and state fire officials said evacuations would be called as needed as flames advanced. Eastern flank of fire Another focus of firefighting was on the eastern flank in canyons where a state firefighter was killed Thursday near the agricultural town of Fillmore. The death of Cory Iverson, 32, was announced by Chief Ken Pimlott of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection but he released no information about the circumstances, citing an ongoing investigation by an accident review team. Iverson was an engineer with a strike team from the San Diego area and had been with Cal Fire since 2009. He is survived by his wife, who is pregnant, and a 2-year-old daughter, as well as his parents and other family. ​Extreme fire danger The National Weather Service forecast extreme fire danger or "red flag" conditions through at least Saturday evening, with winds gusting to 40 mph in the Santa Barbara County mountains where the fire is burning. Firefighters were facing first northerly "sundowner" winds through the night that could turn into northeasterly Santa Ana winds, driving the flames in another direction. Everything about the fire was massive, from a footprint larger than that of many cities to the sheer scale of destruction that cremated entire neighborhoods or the legions attacking it: more than 8,000 firefighters from nearly a dozen states, aided by 32 helicopters and 78 bulldozers. Firefighting costs were approaching $89 million. Meanwhile, firefighters continued to deal with the loss of their own. All 17 of the firefighters on Cory Iverson's five-engine strike team were pulled off the fire lines after his death. On Thursday night, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean called for a moment of silence during a meeting for Fillmore residents. "As I was up in the canyon and I watched his fire brethren remove his flag-draped body from the canyon in the hills above where we sit right here, I couldn't help but think about his pregnant wife and his young daughter who will never see their husband and father again," Dean said. It was the second death linked to the fire. The body of a 70-year-old woman was found in a crashed car on an evacuation route last week.
December 15, 2017 at 10:13PM

ACLU fighting Trump administration over illegal immigrants' abortion access

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President Trump's administration is preventing two teen illegal immigrants from having an abortion, the American Civil Liberties Union said Friday, a repeat of the situation that led to a high-profile court fight earlier this year.
December 15, 2017 at 09:44PM

With Two Unpopular Candidates, Chilean Election Up for Grabs

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Billionaire Sebastian Pinera once looked set to easily win Chile's presidential runoff and swing the country back to the right. Now, the election's outcome is so uncertain analysts say the nation could remain on its center-left path. Pinera, who previously governed Chile from 2010 to 2014, won the first round of voting in November with 36 percent support, below expectations from pollsters. His center-left challenger Sen. Alejandro Guillier garnered 22 percent. Pinera's failure to get an outright majority forced Sunday's runoff between the two candidates, the top vote-getters in a crowded field. Polls are banned in the weeks ahead of the election, but analysts say that based on the last polls released and trends seen, it appears the race is now up for grabs. "What it is showing, though, is that there's practically a tie between the two of them," said Javier Sajuria, a lecturer in politics at Queen Mary University of London. ​Economic growth not enough Pinera oversaw annual economic growth averaging 5.3 percent during his first term. But the 68-year-old conservative struggled to deal with massive protests over inequality and education rights and left office with low popularity ratings. "Since (Guillier) is not very popular, he has tried to turn the election into a referendum on Pinera. As a former president, Pinera has high negatives," said political scientist Patricio Navia of New York University. Even so, an economic slump in the world's top copper-producing nation under outgoing, center-left President Michelle Bachelet seemed to have cast a retrospective glow over Pinera leading up to the first round. ​Scare tactic backfires But in recent weeks the race has polarized, with Pinera comparing Guillier to Nicolas Maduro, the president of crisis-riddled Venezuela, a scare tactic that seems to have backfired. "In fact, it seems to have activated voters in the Broad Front (hard-left coalition) who began to endorse Guillier," said Kenneth Bunker, director of the electorate program at Chile's Central University. Pinera promises to launch an aggressive investment plan to combat the slowdown that has seen growth average about 1.8 percent yearly under Bachelet. The Harvard-educated entrepreneur is also proposing to cut taxes on business to promote growth. Guillier, a 64-year-old journalist, has vowed to continue Bachelet's plan to increase corporate taxes to partly pay for an education overhaul, improvements to the pension and health care system and the development of alternative sources of energy to lower investment costs. To Pepe Auth, a Chilean electoral expert, "this will be the most uncertain election in the history of Chile."
December 15, 2017 at 09:38PM

One obvious detail revealed this 'Green Beret' was a total fraud

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For real Green Berets, there was one dead giveaway that Brooklyn Army vet Papotia Reginald Wright was an imposter.
December 15, 2017 at 07:03PM

Judge Blocks Trump Attempt to Trim Access to Birth Control

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A federal judge in Philadelphia on Friday ordered the Trump administration not to enforce new rules that could significantly reduce women's access to free birth control. Judge Wendy Beetlestone issued the injunction, temporarily stopping the government from enforcing the policy change to former President Barack Obama's health care law. The law required most companies to cover birth control at no additional cost, though it included exemptions for religious organizations. The new policy would allow more categories of employers, including publicly traded companies, to opt out of providing free contraception to women by claiming religious objections. It would allow any company that is not publicly traded to deny coverage on moral grounds. Health care rollback Beetlestone, appointed to the bench by Obama, called the Trump administration's exemptions "sweeping" and said they are the "proverbial exception that swallows the rule." She was particularly critical of the power to object on moral grounds, saying it "conjured up a world where a government entity is empowered to impose its own version of morality on each one of us. That cannot be right." Attorneys for the Trump administration had argued in court documents that the rules are about "protecting a narrow class of sincere religious and moral objectors from being forced to facilitate practices that conflict with their beliefs." The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the new policy in October. It marked another step in the Trump administration's rollback of the Affordable Care Act, and supporters say it promotes religious freedom. Pennsylvania case Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said that Trump broke the law to undermine women's health and that the ruling will protect women. "This is just the first step, but today is a critical victory for millions of women and families and for the rule of law," Shapiro said. The injunction will block the rule from being implemented around the country while the case brought by Shapiro moves forward in Pennsylvania. Shapiro's suit said the rules violate the Fifth Amendment because they pertain to women and not men, and the First Amendment, by putting employers' religious beliefs over the constitutional rights of women. Other states sue California, Washington and Massachusetts have also sued the Trump administration over the rules. Delaware, Maryland, New York and Virginia joined California in its effort. A federal judge in Oakland, California, heard arguments Tuesday on the state's request to block the new rules and is expected to issue a ruling in that case soon. Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women's Law Center, praised the decision and said the group will continue to fight against the rules. "Employers' religious beliefs should never determine the care a woman receives," she said.
December 15, 2017 at 06:35PM

Peru Lawmakers Start Impeachment Proceedings Against President

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Lawmakers in Peru have initiated impeachment proceedings against President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski over alleged corruption. Opposition lawmakers filed the motion against the president Friday, saying he was morally unfit to lead the country after he resisted calls to resign over the alleged corruption. Twenty-seven of 130 members of Peru's Congress approved launching the process to oust the president during a special session Friday. Kuczynski vowed to fight on and not resign during a televised speech just before midnight on Thursday. He denied there was anything improper in his consulting business receiving previously undisclosed payments more than 10 years ago from the company at the center of the country's biggest corruption scandal. Kuczynski said he had no management duties in his consulting firm when it received nearly $800,000 from scandal-plagued Brazilian builder Odebrecht. The president denied as recently as last month to having any links to Odebrecht. Odebrecht has shaken the politics across Latin America with its confession last year as part of a leniency deal that it gave kickbacks to officials in a dozen countries for more than a decade. Peru's opposition lawmakers control more than half of the votes in the country's Congress, whose president, Luis Galarreta, said a vote could take place as soon as next week.
December 15, 2017 at 06:03PM

It S A Wonderful Life

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December 15, 2017 at 06:00PM

Whistleblower Groups Fear for Fate of Spy Agency Ombudsman

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A decision to put the man who handles whistleblower complaints at U.S. spy agencies on administrative leave has raised worries on Capitol Hill that it's part of a plan to hamstring the program that helps intelligence workers report waste, fraud and abuse. A top Republican said he is investigating. Whistleblower groups were alarmed when they heard that Dan Meyer, director of the Intelligence Community Whistleblowing and Source Protection program, was put on leave late last month and escorted out of his offices. Intelligence officials won't say why Meyer was put on leave, but insist they support whistleblower programs. Whistleblower groups fear Meyer is being sidelined and his program is being weakened to reduce its effectiveness. ​Grassley concerned In a letter to National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, referred to allegations that intelligence officials are taking steps to hamper the 4-year-old program. "It will be critical for Congress to determine whether this action (involving Meyer) is part of that alleged effort," Grassley wrote in his Nov. 29 letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Friday. The decision to put Meyer on leave was first reported by Foreign Policy. Grassley said it would be unacceptable if Meyer was being targeted in retaliation for communicating with Congress about whistleblower issues. He called on Wayne Stone, the acting inspector general for the intelligence agencies, to make sure the contents of Meyer's offices, which likely contain evidence in open whistleblower cases, is secured. Grassley also had requested that his staff be given by Dec. 8 all documents relating to the decision to put Meyer on administration leave. Grassley has not yet received any of the materials he requested. Coats tries to reassure staff Coats' office said it could not comment on personnel matters.  "We are committed to ensuring that all intelligence community personnel have the means available to report wrongdoing to a variety of authorized individuals without compromising national security or retaliation," a statement said. On Oct. 26, Coats and his deputy sent a letter to U.S. intelligence workers saying they were committed to making sure intelligence employees have ways to report wrongdoing without compromising national security or suffering retaliation. The whistleblower protection program is "active and strong," the letter said. Whistleblowers fear worst Whistleblower groups aren't convinced. Stephen Kohn, executive director of the National Whistleblower Center, said Meyer was very effective and aggressively worked on behalf of whistleblowers. He said intelligence officials cannot get rid of the program, which was established by federal law.  "They just need to get rid of the person who makes the program effective," Kohn said. "They don't want a whistleblower advocate in that position. He is aggressive. He is aggressively pro-whistleblower. ... He has held intelligence agencies accountable. If he is removed, the program is dead. No one will trust it and they shouldn't," Kohn said. Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group founded in 1981 that investigates corruption and misconduct, agreed. Meyer has been a champion for whistleblowers and has attracted "enemies inside the bureaucracy," Brian said. "This looks like a blatant attempt to get rid of him simply because he is doing his job." At a National Whistleblower Day celebration on Capitol Hill in July, Meyer was mistakenly introduced as someone who worked for a congressional committee. Meyer joked that a lot of people in the executive branch "think I am a spy" for congressional committees, but then quickly explained that he really ran a whistleblower program that could be accessed by employees in all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies. His aggressive approach was evident in his remarks. Meyer said intelligence employees who want to blow the whistle on wrongdoing or misconduct could do so without fear of being exposed. "My promise to the community and its stakeholders is that I will be brutally blunt about the extent of that protection — where it's strong and where there are pitfalls," Meyer said. "That's what I'm known for and I'll be glad to help you if you need help."
December 15, 2017 at 05:44PM

Law of the Jungle: US soldiers learning new skills for new threats

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They are scenes reminiscent of the Vietnam War and the Pacific Theater during World War II: U.S. soldiers, caked with mud and dripping wet from monsoon rains, quietly traversing thick jungle brush.
December 15, 2017 at 05:30PM

Austria's Kurz Strikes Deal to Bring Far Right into Government

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Austrian conservatives led by Sebastian Kurz reached a coalition deal with the anti-immigration Freedom Party on Friday, paving the way for Austria to become the only western European country with a far-right party in government. The agreement, two months after a parliamentary election dominated by Europe's migration crisis, ends more than a decade in opposition for the Freedom Party (FPO), which last entered government in 2000 with the People's Party (OVP) that Kurz now leads. Kurz's party won the Oct. 15 election with a hard line on immigration that often overlapped with the Freedom Party's. The FPO came third with 26 percent of the vote. "We can inform you that there is a turquoise-blue agreement," Kurz said in a joint statement to reporters with FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache, referring to their two parties by their colors. Strache and Kurz said the details of their deal would be made public on Saturday, after a meeting with President Alexander Van der Bellen and discussions with their parties' leadership structures. "We want to reduce the burden on taxpayers ... and above all we want to ensure greater security in our country, including through the fight against illegal immigration," Kurz said, touching on core issues for both parties. In 2015, when more than a million refugees and other migrants arrived in Europe, Austria took in more than 1 percent of its population in asylum seekers, one of the highest rates in the EU. Many voters felt their country was overrun, and both parties have pledged to prevent a repeat of that influx. Strache and Kurz have pledged to restrict new arrivals' access to many social services for their first five years in the country, and to provide recognized refugees with only a "light" version of regular benefits for five years. While other far right parties in Europe have gained ground this year, entering parliament in Germany and making France's presidential run-off, the Freedom Party is going further by entering government and securing key ministries. A person familiar with the talks said before Friday's announcement that the far-right party was poised to secure the Interior, Foreign and Defence Ministries. Unlike France's National Front, the FPO has backed away from calling for a referendum on leaving the European Union, but Kurz has still secured a guarantee that there will be no Brexit-style referendum in Austria, a person familiar with the talks said. Europe in hand Kurz has sought to head off potential criticism by offering assurances that his government will be pro-European. He also plans to shift responsibility for some EU issues from the Foreign Ministry to his office, the person familiar with the talks said, giving him greater control over EU policy. When the FPO last entered government under the late Joerg Haider, who praised Hitler's employment policies, other EU countries imposed sanctions on Vienna in protest. There is unlikely to be a similar outcry this time, given the rise of anti-establishment parties across the continent. Kurz, who is just 31, campaigned on the promise of bringing change to Austrian politics despite heading a party that has constantly been in power in various coalitions for the past 30 years. Many of the policies he and Strache have announced, such as cutting taxes and spending, have been proposed with few details so far. "We ask for your understanding that we can only provide more detailed information tomorrow," Kurz said.
December 15, 2017 at 05:04PM

EU Leaders Agree on Next Phase for Brexit, Deeply Divided on Immigration

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European leaders finished a summit in Brussels agreeing that Britain has done enough to move on to the second phase of negotiations to leave the EU, but without any signs of agreement on matters of immigration. European Council leader Donald Tusk put immigration high on the agenda for the two-day summit. He said at the end of the day Friday that EU leaders will find it "very hard" to reach a compromise in talks on a new policy for admitting refugees by a June deadline. "Mandatory quotas remain a contentious issue although its temperature has decreased substantially," Tusk told a press conference ending the summit. "Will a compromise be possible? It appears very hard," he said. ​Divided on immigration Officials say EU leaders continued a discussion on immigration Friday after a heated, more than a two-hour-long debate over migration on Thursday evening. "The discussion was fierce because the differences of opinion are still wide," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said after those talks. Tusk, who is a former Polish prime minister, has asked EU leaders to agree on a solution for the immigration crisis by June 2018. European countries are divided over a number immigration issues, the most contentious being quotas. Southern countries, including Italy and Greece, which take in a large number of asylum-seekers who reach their shores, want every EU member state to be required to take in refugees. Some eastern countries, including Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, oppose the refugee quotas. Next phase of Brexit On the issue of Brexit, EU leaders agreed to allow Britain to move onto the next phase of negotiations. The move was expected after British Prime Minister Teresa May traveled to Brussels last week to secure an agreement on the first phase of Britain leaving the European Union. "There is still more to do, but we're well on the road to delivering a Brexit that will make Britain prosperous, strong and secure," May said. The second phase of Brexit will be focused on post-Brexit relations between London and the European Union and any potential future trade agreements.
December 15, 2017 at 05:01PM

Lisa Bloom

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December 15, 2017 at 05:00PM

Benicio Del Toro

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December 15, 2017 at 05:00PM

Florida soccer coach charged after allegedly running away with teen girl

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The former Florida soccer coach, who was found in New York with a 17-year-old girl he reportedly ran away with, has been extradited back to his home state and charged, according to court records.
December 15, 2017 at 04:48PM

Gluten free bagels

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Enosm1: Created Gluten Free Bagels Page

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'''The Gluten Proteins: Glutenin and Gliadin'''

Gluten is a complex storage protein in wheat made up of mainly gliadins and glutenins<ref name=":0">Biesiekierski, J. R. (2016, November 25). What is Gluten? ''Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology'' , 78-81.</ref>. The wheat kernel itself contains about 8-15% protein and of that 85-90% is gluten. These two proteins are known together as prolamins, which refers to seed proteins that are not soluble in water and are classified by their high levels of glutamine (38%) and proline (20%) amino acid residues<ref name=":0" />. Gluten can also be narrowed into more specific classes depending on its molecular weight and sulfur content. Further classifications can be determined depending by their structures such as alpha, beta, gamma, and omega. All together, these structural and physical properties of the proteins give rise to characteristic functions of different gluten proteins<ref name=":0" />.

The rheological properties of gluten are heavily dependent upon the specific ratio of glutenins to gliadin and how they interact with each other<ref name=":0" />. Each protein imposes a different function when it comes to trapping carbon dioxide during the leavening process of bread product development, which gives rise to viscoelastic properties. Hydrated gliadins will contribute more heavily to extensibility and viscosity of the dough, while hydrated glutenins are cohesive and produce strong elastic dough.

Gliadin, one of two main gluten proteins, is resistant to proteolytic digestion in the gastrointestinal tract due to its unique peptide sequences. Other storage proteins such as secalin in rye, hordein in barley, and avenins in oats are also referred to as 'gluten' as they are very similar to gliadin found in wheat<ref name=":1">O'Donnell, L. (2016, March 1). Understanding Celiac Disease: A Recipe for Nursing Care. ''Continuing Nursing Education CNE'' '', 25'' (2), pp. 4-7.</ref><ref name=":0" />. The networks of the varying proteins are different due to their size, components, how they were grown, and processing. Although these proteins have different properties, they are just as indigestible as wheat gluten<ref name=":1" />.

Gluten matrixes give rise to the functional properties of baked products such as bagels and bread. It is heat stable, meaning it does not lose its function in the presence of heat. Gluten also holds properties such as moisture retention, adds extendibility to foods and acts as a binding agent<ref name=":0" />. Due to its wide range of functionality, gluten is often used as a texture and flavor enhancer in many uncommon food items. This includes processed meats, reconstituted seafood, meat substitutes, emulsifiers, dressings, sauces, coatings, ice cream, thickeners and more<ref name=":0" />. Gluten can also be isolated and separated from the seed to be used solely as a functional additive; this product is known as vital wheat gluten and can be purchased commercially<ref name=":0" />.

'''''Native Flours and Starch:'''''

Starches and flours provide the backbone for the structure and texture of gluten free bagels. Choosing the right blend of these ingredients is important to the end products volume, taste and appearance. Different materials attribute to different properties such as chewiness, body, dough elasticity, volume, moistness, and crumb structure<ref name=":2">Horstmann, S. W., Belz, C. M., Heitmann, M., Zannini, E., & Arendt, E. K. (2016). Fundamental Study on the Impact of Gluten-Free Starches on the Quality of Gluten-Free Model Breads. (M. Mariotto, Ed.) ''Foods'' '', 5'' (2), 1-12.</ref>. Rice flours are the main bulk flour used in most gluten free bagel recipes. This is due to their colorless nature, very bland taste, and they contain small amounts of protein, sodium, fat, and is easily digestible<ref name=":3">Sozer, N. (2016). ''Imaging Technologies and Data Processing for Food Engineers'' (1st ed.). Cham: Springer International Publishing.</ref>. Although it has many advantages, rice flour has many negative functional properties and should be used in combination with other gluten free starches such as potato and tapioca. Rice flours form poor viscoelastic dough due to their hydrophobicity causing them to be insoluble. This leads to low bake volume, a harder texture, a short shelf life and rapid staling<ref name=":3" />. To improve the viscoelastic properties that are lacking when solely rice starch is used, structuring agents such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, (HPMC), guar gum, xanthan gum, dairy products and psyllium husk are used<ref>Fellstone, D. (2011). ''Gluten Properties, Modifications,and Dietary Intolerance.'' (D. S. Fellstone, Ed.) New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.</ref>.

The lipid content of the different starches plays a large role in the volume and finer crumb of the bagels. Starches have mainly polar lipids, which are surface-active components that act to stabilize the gas-liquid interface<ref name=":2" />. While mixing and baking the bagels, the gas cells are preserved by this interface. Furthermore, this integrity produces a sturdy cell wall that allows for higher gas retention during fermentation. This process is especially prevalent in corn based starch blends due to their high amount of polar lipids<ref name=":2" />.  In conjunction with lipid content, the granule size also plays a large part in the volume of gluten free bagels. Large granule sizes produce breads with a better crumb and a larger overall volume. Potato starch has one of the largest granule sizes of the starches by far, being 36.7 μm in diameter. Tapioca starch is half the size at 18.1 μm, corn 12.9 μm, and one of the smallest starches is rice, measuring 12.3 μm<ref name=":2" />.

'''''Hydrocolloids and Gums:'''''

In bagels using a base of mainly rice flour with lower percentages of potato starch and tapioca starch; xanthan gum, guar gum, psyllium husk and HPMC are added to improve the sensorial properties of the product. The hydrocolloids interact with the starch, affecting the bread structure and texture to be more like that of its gluten-containing counterpart. HPMC has been show to delay the rate of staling as well as reducing the crumb hardness<ref name=":2" />. Micrographs taken of gluten free bakery products also show with the addition of HPMC, there is a continuous matrix between the starch and the structure is more aerated rather than collapsed (without HPMC). The HMPC will orient between the leeched amylose and amylopectin within the granule to prevent re-crystalization<ref name=":3" />. The use of HPMC can also result in larger volume, uniform and fine crumb structure. This is also due to the way the HPMC orients within the molecule and keeps the amylose and amylopectin oriented open and more branched<ref name=":3" />. Xanthan gum, guar gum and psyllium husk will not contribute to the volume of gluten free bagels, but they all contribute to controlling dough viscosity as they have high affinities for moisture retention, especially xanthan gum<ref name=":3" />.

'''''Protein:'''''

When gluten is removed from gluten free bagels and replaced with rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch, protein and other important nutrients are also lost. Dairy/protein powders also have functional properties that contribute to the color, improve crumb structure, and enhance dough handling<ref name=":3" />. Milk proteins, such as whey, increase the water absorption in the system, which leads to less sticky dough and easier handling. In gluten free bagels, whey protein isolate increases the protein content of the product. In a study done in 2016, it was seen that the addition of milk proteins to rice starch based bakery products results in lower cell per square centimeter, or a more open aerated structure<ref name=":3" />. This provides a softer texture in the mouth and shows less resistance when tested on a texture analyzer<ref name=":3" />. In the same study, it was also observed that a protein network was formed in the microstructure when using whey protein, which may heavily contribute to the stable crumb .

'''''Yeast and Sugar:'''''

The specific aroma that is associated with baked goods such as gluten free bagels arises from three steps, kneading, fermentation and baking<ref name=":4">Makhoul, S., Romano, A., Capozzi, V., Spano, G., Aprea, E., Cappellin, L., et al. (2015). Volatile Compound Production During the Bread - Making Process: Effect of Flour, Yeast and Their Interaction. ''Food and Bioprocess Technology'' '', 8'' (9), 1925-1937.</ref>. Each of these is significantly affected by temperature and time of baking . When yeast, ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae,'' is added to the dough, fermentation is initiated. The yeast uses the sugars/simple carbohydrates to mainly produce carbon dioxide and methanol. These are the air bubbles that cause the bagels to rise and increase in volume, providing a 'fluffy' and soft texture<ref name=":4" />. In gluten free bagels, bakers yeast is used, which releases secondary metabolites such as higher alcohols, aldehydes, sulfur containing compounds, esters, phenols, carbonyl compounds, and organic acid. These metabolites effect the sensory of the product by releasing the aroma associated with fermented baked goods<ref name=":4" />. During the baking process, the sugars added to the formula that are used as a precursor to the fermentation reaction, go through a browning reaction. This is known as the Maillard reaction and caramelization. The Maillard reaction is induced by heat and can only occur in the presence of reducing sugars and free or protein bound amino acids. The final products of this reaction are brown macromolecules known as melanoidins<ref>Helou, C., Jacolot, P., Niquet-Leridon, C., Gadonna-Widehem, P., & Tessier, F. J. (2016). Maillard reaction products in bread: A novel semi-quantitative method for evaluating melanoidins in bread. ''Food Chemistry'' '', 190'', 904-911.</ref>. At temperatures higher than 140°C, multiple volatile compounds are produced that contribute to crust color and flavor of the bagel<ref name=":4" />.

'''''Butter:'''''

Gluten free bagels tend to be dry and have short shelf lives if left at ambient temperatures. Butter or hard fat can be added to formulations to improve rheological properties that improve overall mouthfeel and perception of moistness. Bagels made with wheat flour are usually made without any fat at all. The inclusion of fat into gluten free breads and bagels has shown to reduce their hardness even with lower levels of moisture<ref>Mancebo, C. M., Martinez, M. M., Merino, C., Gomez, M., & de la Hera, E. (2017). Effect of oil and shortening in rice bread quality: Relationship between dough rheology and quality characteristics. ''Journal of Texture Studies'' '', 48'' (6), 597-606.</ref>. The fat creates pockets when it melts that provides more openness inside the bagel in addition to the air-liquid interface created by the yeast. The fat also orients itself between the fringe regions of the amylopectin within the starch granules, preventing them from collapsing<ref name=":2" />. The lipids will also help to trap moisture within the amylopectin, preventing dehydration. The branched or fringe regions of amylopectin have a rigid texture to them, contributing to hardness in food products after processing; therefore potato starches high percentage of amylopectin creates a more tough texture in the bagel. By adding fat, staling can be delayed and a softer texture can be achieved<ref name=":2" />. This allows for a light and airy texture rather than a dense bagel that is often associated with gluten free bakery products.

'''Methods of Manufacturing'''

Most bagels are produced through a two-step process of boiling then baking. After the dough is prepped according to specific formulation instructions, it is divided and formed into the conventional bagel shape. This is done by rolling the dough under a pressure plate into a log like form that rolls around a round mold to make the bagel. A manufacturing machine can produce about one bagel per second<ref name=":5">Mellach, D. Z. (2017, December 9). Bagel. ''4'' . San Leandro, CA, USA.</ref>. After the bagels are formed, they then undergo a proofing step where the yeast raises the bagels. After the bagels proof for the allotted time, usually about an hour), they are ready to boil. In traditional bagels containing gluten, the boiling water contains malt to form a crunchy crust on the outer layer of the bagel<ref name=":5" />. Malt is an ingredient that those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance cannot consume, so an alternative ingredient must be used to form this crisp outer layer. Baking soda can be added to replace the malt to form the crust on the bagel. The baking soda causes a pH difference in the water, making it more alkali. The boiling water gelatinizes the starch on the outer later of the bagel, which begins the cooking process<ref name=":6">NiYao, R.-A., Zhu, L., & Seetharaman, K. (2006). Effect of Alkali Dipping on Dough and Final Product Quality. ''Journal of Food Science'' '', 71'' (3), 209-215.</ref>. This makes the gluten free bagel slightly chewy and will contribute to it's brown crust and distinct mouthfeel associated with traditional bagels. This process promotes the Maillard reaction and carmamelization, which gives rise to color and flavor<ref name=":6" />. After a short time in the rolling boil (90 seconds), the bagels are removed and transferred to a hot oven to dry out and bake until golden.

'''Shelf Life'''

The reasoning behind the molecular changes in regular bread are not yet fully understood, and the research into the staling of gluten free breads has just begun. The decline in fresh flavor of gluten containing bread is thought to be due to many physiochemical changes such as the recrystallization of amylopectin, moisture diffusion, loss of gluten plasticity, and the interactions between starch and gluten<ref name=":7">Carini, E., Curti, E., Fattori, F., Paciulli, M., & Vittadini, E. (2017). Staling of gluten-free breads: physico-chemical properties and H NMR mobility. ''European Food Research & Technology'' '', 243'' (5), 867-877.</ref>. Some of these changes also carry over to gluten free bread products such as amylopectin recrystallization. This leads to the increase in firmness of the breads texture. Although this is a similar process of staling, it occurs at a much faster rate due to the increased amount of starch in gluten free formulations; with potato starch being especially high in amylopectin<ref name=":2" />.  With the lack of gluten in gluten free bagels, there is a high amount of water used in the formation to combat dryness. This water is mostly free water rather than bound water, which makes it susceptible to migration through the product. This is a large problem in gluten free breads and bagels as the moisture migrates from the crumb to the crust, making it tough to chew<ref name=":7" />. In a study done on the moisture contents of fresh gluten free breads, the moisture of the crumb was over ~10% higher in fresh gluten free breads than in standard gluten containing breads . The higher moisture levels will lead to faster staling and spoilage due to the reasons previously mentioned. The fresh gluten free breads had an average moisture content of about 52%, while the standard fresh gluten containing bread had average moisture content of about 42%<ref name=":7" />.  Due to the faster staling process of gluten free bread products, bagels should be sold and stored frozen following production to ensure a longer shelf life and freshness.

In order to prevent staling, multple methods can be used to interfere with the process to inhibit it. Mono and diglycerides are often used in gluten free bread systems as they act in a similar manner to lipids in which they prevent the fringe regions from re-associating<ref name=":2" />. Instead of having trigclyderides, the mono and diglycrides induce helical regions that orient at the outer fringes of the amylopectin. These helices are hydrophobic and will inhibit retrogradation and recrystalization that leads to the staling of bagels and bread products. Stearic acid is also another retrogradation inhibiting agent that produces helical regions and prevents staling in the same manor as [[Monoglyceride|mono]] and [[Diglyceride|diglycerides]].

December 15, 2017 at 05:03PM