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Cameroon has begun giving out free computers to all university students in what the government says will boost education and research. But the distribution of what is said to be a gift from Paul Biya, one of the longest serving presidents in the world, months before presidential elections has generated criticism. Thousands of students sang as they lined up at the University of Yaounde II in Soa, 15 kilometers northeast from Cameroon's capital city, to receive free laptops. Among them was Eric Ambe, a 21-year-old second-year law student, who says he can now do online research. He says he could not raise $150 to buy a used laptop sold near his university. "We are very happy because it will help us to study well, it will help us to prepare our courses well. With this gift, the youths can now study well," said Ambe. Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon's minister of higher education, is distributing the laptops. He said all registered university students will have their own share of what is a gift from President Biya, who, said he, is helping young university students secure access to a modern-day digital economy. "Students are very delighted because they receive a fantastic gift from their father, the head of state, who loves them and who knows that they are the future of our dear and beloved country. The university community thanks his excellency, Paul Biya, for this donation," Ndongo said. The first 80,000 laptops being distributed on the campus are part of a promise of 500,000 Biya made in 2016. The government has promised to distribute all of them by April 2018. The computers, manufactured in the Chinese city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, are branded PB HEV, short for Paul Biya, Higher Education Vision. First complaints But at a computer repair shop at the student residential area of Bonamoussadi, three students have already sold their laptops, complaining that they are not of good quality. Pius Ayeneh, a hardware maintenance technician, says what is very frustrating to users is that the laptops are sluggish. "The hard drive is too small. The capacity is 32 Gigabyte. The processing speed is just 1.44 Gigahertz. If you install like Microsoft Office and the operating system, you cannot run any other program," Ayeneh said. The government announced it secured a loan of more than $133 million from China to buy the computers. The government says each costs about $550 and they will use the remainder of the loan to train information technology instructors. But opposition political parties say the loan should have been better used to set up a computer assembly plant in the central African country. The main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, (SDF) says Biya is using the computers as a campaign tool ahead of the September 2018 presidential election. The SDF says Gambia invested $7.5 million to build a technology assembly plant and that Kenya also has one. Cameroon government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma says the $133 million invested in the computer project includes a provision for high speed internet to all universities and institutions of higher learning. He refuted claims that Biya is using the laptops as a campaign tool. "This project is a result of the head of state's initiative for Cameroonian students to give them the necessary boost and beyond, create the psychological trigger for their insertion in the digital world," Tchiroma said. Cameroon will be organizing parliamentary and presidential elections in September 2018. There have been calls from within Biya's ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement for him to run again for president. He is one of the longest serving leaders in the world, already having been president for 35 years.
December 30, 2017 at 05:15AM
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Cameroon Begins Handing Out Free Laptops to College Students
Make 2018 the year of the comeback
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2017 was a tough year for some people. It was a year of setbacks, defeats and failures. But 2018 is a new year! There is hope for a comeback – including for each of you reading these words.
December 29, 2017 at 11:00PM
White House, Congress Prepare for Talks on Spending, Immigration
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The White House said on Friday it was set to kick off talks next week with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on immigration policy, government spending and other issues that need to be wrapped up early in the new year. The expected flurry of legislative activity comes as Republicans and Democrats begin to set the stage for midterm congressional elections in November. President Donald Trump's Republican Party is eager to maintain control of Congress while Democrats look for openings to wrest seats away in the Senate and the House of Representatives. On Wednesday, Trump's budget chief Mick Mulvaney and legislative affairs director Marc Short will meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan — both Republicans — and their Democratic counterparts, Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi, the White House said. That will be followed up with a weekend of strategy sessions for Trump, McConnell and Ryan on Jan. 6 and 7 at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, according to the White House. The Senate returns to work on Jan. 3 and the House on Jan. 8. Congress passed a short-term government funding bill last week before taking its Christmas break, but needs to come to an agreement on defense spending and various domestic programs by Jan. 19, or the government will shut down. Also on the agenda for lawmakers is disaster aid for people hit by hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida, and by wildfires in California. The House passed an $81 billion package in December, which the Senate did not take up. The White House has asked for a smaller figure, $44 billion. Immigration Deadlines also loom for soon-to-expire protections for young adult immigrants who entered the country illegally as children, known as "Dreamers." In September, Trump ended Democratic former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protected Dreamers from deportation and provided work permits, effective in March, giving Congress until then to devise a long-term solution. Democrats, some Republicans and a number of large companies have pushed for DACA protections to continue. Trump and other Republicans have said that will not happen without Congress approving broader immigration policy changes and tougher border security. Democrats oppose funding for a wall promised by Trump along the U.S.-Mexican border. "The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc," Trump said in a Twitter post Friday. Trump wants to overhaul immigration rules for extended families and others seeking to live in the United States. Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Flake, a frequent critic of the president, said he would work with Trump to protect Dreamers. "We can fix DACA in a way that beefs up border security, stops chain migration for the DREAMers, and addresses the unfairness of the diversity lottery. If POTUS [Trump] wants to protect these kids, we want to help him keep that promise," Flake wrote on Twitter. Debt ceiling Congress in early 2018 also must raise the U.S. debt ceiling to avoid a government default. The U.S. Treasury would exhaust all of its borrowing options and run dry of cash to pay its bills by late March or early April if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling before then, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Trump, who won his first major legislative victory with the passage of a major tax overhaul this month, has also promised a major infrastructure plan.
December 29, 2017 at 10:30PM
NYC Taxi Driver Calendar, 2018
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The NYC Taxi Drivers Calendar is a tongue-in-cheek alternative to the famous firefighter pin-up, and it raises funds for charity.
December 29, 2017 at 09:51PM
The Latest: 4,000 gather for pro-government rally in Iran
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The Latest on protests in Iran (all times local): 11 a.m.
December 29, 2017 at 09:29PM
Chúc mừng năm mới 2018
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Chúc mừng năm mới 2018
December 29, 2017 at 02:00PM
Happy New Year 2018 Wishes
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Happy New Year 2018 WishesNew Year Wishes 2018
December 29, 2017 at 04:00AM
Happy New Year 2018 Images
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Happy New Year 2018 Images2018 New Year Images
December 29, 2017 at 03:00AM
Friday, December 29, 2017
Happy New Year 2018
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Happy New Year 2018
December 29, 2017 at 11:00AM
2017 Best Nine
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2017 Best Ninebest nine 2017
December 29, 2017 at 06:00AM
KBS Gayo Daejun 2017
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KBS Gayo Daejun 2017
December 29, 2017 at 04:00AM
best nine 2017
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best nine 2017
December 29, 2017 at 06:00AM
Happy New Year 2018
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Happy New Year 2018
December 28, 2017 at 11:00PM
Mmff 2017 Top Grosser
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Mmff 2017 Top Grosser
December 28, 2017 at 05:00AM
Philippines Preps Economy for Bumper Year in 2018
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Officials in the Philippines, one of Asia's fastest growing economies, are planning a series of economic stimulus measures in 2018 to ease poverty and compensate for a lag in foreign investment. Manila is building $169 billion in infrastructure, such as railways and an airport terminal, while toying with legal changes that would let foreigners own larger shares of localized businesses. Tax reform In another major step, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law this month the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion act. Tax revenue would pay for infrastructure and social services. The idea is to create jobs and bring in foreign investment. Those outcomes would help sustain economic growth while giving the government funds to ease poverty that afflicts about a quarter of the population of 102 million. "As the country builds for the future, there is the developing (of) social capital," said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist with Banco de Oro UniBank in Metro Manila. "Developing social capital eventually means these are your health, technical skills and education that are needed by individuals," he said. "That's part and parcel of the package." Infrastructure and taxes The World Bank forecasts 6.7 percent growth in the Philippine economy this year followed by 6.8 percent in 2018 and 2019. Much of the growth comes from overseas remittances, a boom in call-center jobs and consumption. A cornerstone of Duterte's economic policies is the "Build, Build, Build" program to replace decayed infrastructure through 2022 by adding the likes of railways and expressways. By 2019, a small airport three hours north of Manila will open a new terminal to ease congestion in the capital, for example. Officials hope new infrastructure will entice foreign factory investment that's now deterred in part by transportation delays. Foreign investment makes up less than 3 percent of the economy now, lagging Asian peers such as South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The tax law signed by Duterte on December 19 is expected to generate $1.8 billion in revenues in its first year. It exempts tax payments for people earning less than the equivalent of $5,005 per year while shifting payment burdens to wealthier people and vehicle owners. Congress received a bill in 2016 that would lower corporate taxes by 2 percentage points per year until they drop from today's 30 percent, among Southeast Asia's highest, to 20 percent. "I think the way they are going about overhauling the tax code is clearly something that is somewhat path-breaking," said Rahul Bajoria, a regional economist with Barclays in Singapore. "They're looking to tax the right set of individuals," he said. "It kind of makes sense, and if they're able to do the same with the corporate tax code, that would be a pretty significant achievement because the tax base itself is quite small." The government is also eyeing monetary policy changes to keep inflation in check, economists believe. And in November Duterte told the National Economic and Development Authority Board to work on easing restrictions on foreign participation in certain industries where ownership is restricted. Foreign companies, a potential provider of factory jobs for Filipinos, have held back investments because of those restrictions. Roadblocks The government aims to cut poverty from 26 percent to 17 percent by 2020, according to the Ministry of Finance. But snags in the proposed economic measures could limit the jobs or funding needed to reach that goal, some fear. Timelines for new infrastructure, which is paid in part by foreign aid, is catching attention now given the country's budget deficit, Ravelas said. "What people are looking at now is how fast they are going to push the spending," he said. Infrastructure spending has grown from 5 percent of GDP in 2016 to about 7.45 percent now because of the surge in infrastructure construction. But that program contributed to a 234.9 billion peso ($4.7 billion) budget deficit in the first 10 months of this year, 9 percent more than in the same period of 2016. Economists still say Duterte is doing more than previous presidents to overhaul the economy and reduce poverty. But past Philippine presidents have tried the same, particularly with infrastructure spending and tax reform, with little to show, said Renato Reyes, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabaya alliance of left-wing Philippine organizations. His alliance advocates land reform instead of the government's "neoliberal" policies. "Previous presidents have had their own versions of the same economic stimulus programs, which did not really raise the livelihood of the ordinary folks, but it did contribute to making economic statistics look a little better," Reyes said.
December 28, 2017 at 07:51PM
Recy Taylor, who fought for justice after 1944 rape, dies
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Recy Taylor, a black Alabama woman whose rape by six white men in 1944 drew national attention, has died.
December 28, 2017 at 06:14PM
China offers tax break to keep investors after US changes
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China is offering foreign companies a tax break in a bid to retain investment in response to changes in U.S. and other foreign tax laws.
December 28, 2017 at 06:07PM
Thursday, December 28, 2017
#9: First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 2018, 28th Edition
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Tao Le (Author), Vikas Bhushan (Author)
(12)Publication Date: December 21, 2017
Buy new:
34 used & new from $46.00
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Books list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
December 28, 2017 at 04:36PM
#10: The Perfect Nanny: A Novel
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Leila Slimani (Author)
Release Date: January 9, 2018
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December 28, 2017 at 04:36PM
Protesters Arrested in Iran After Rally Against Price Hikes
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Iranians angry over rising food prices and inflation protested in the country's second-largest city and other areas Thursday, putting new pressure on President Hassan Rouhani as his signature nuclear deal with world powers remains in peril. The protests in Mashhad saw police make an unspecified number of arrests, local authorities said, though the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard and its affiliates did not intervene as they have in other unauthorized demonstrations since Iran's disputed 2009 election. It wasn't immediately clear how many people took part in Thursday's protests, though social media posts suggest several thousand likely demonstrated at rallies across at least three other cities. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted the governor of the northeastern city of Mashhad, Mohammad Rahim Norouzian, as saying there was an illegal "No to high prices" gathering in the city. "Police gave them the necessary notifications and treated them with great tolerance," he said. Norouzian said police arrested a number of people who intended to destroy public property, without elaborating. The prices of several staples, including eggs, have risen by up to 40 percent in recent days, with farmers blaming the hikes on higher prices for imported feed. Poultry is an important part of the diet of many of Iran's 80 million people, and previous price increases have caused political problems for its leaders in the years since the 1979 Islamic revolution. So has inflation, which Iran's Central Bank says has returned to 10 percent. Youth unemployment remains high. Tempers rose further after Rouhani submitted his 2018 budget to parliament, which raises departure taxes for those flying out of the country. Tehran-based analyst Saeed Leilaz told The Associated Press that Rouhani's political rivals may have played a role in organizing the protests, saying "the hands of political groups could be seen in today's gathering in Mashhad." But he said the administration still faces a major challenge. "There are more than 3 million jobless in Iran, and more than 35 percent of Iranians are under the poverty line. These are Rouhani's problems, and could kill any government. I won't be shocked if inflation hits 12 percent." All this comes as the U.S. Congress weighs President Donald Trump's refusal to re-certify the nuclear deal. Many Iranians now say they agree with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's repeated warnings the U.S. can't be trusted. Khamenei also has kept up his criticism of how Rouhani's administration has handled the economy, which includes the supreme leader's opposition to allowing foreign firms to fully enter Iran. The Revolutionary Guard, a hard-line paramilitary organization, has vast economic interests in the country. The Guard did not mobilize its Basij volunteer forces to counter any of the protests Thursday. However, some protests saw criticism of Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country's civil war, in which the Guard has played a major role. Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
December 28, 2017 at 10:14AM
After Bloody Year, North Africa Braces for More Conflict in 2018
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Egypt and its North African neighbors are facing terror threats, economic pressures and political uncertainty as a year of regional turmoil draws to a close and a rocky future looms on the horizon. Egypt suffered a series of major terror attacks against civilian and military targets in 2017, causing significant loss of life and economic damage. As the so-called Islamic State group crumbles, analysts predict more violence to come. "Because the so-called Islamic caliphate is collapsing in Syria and Iraq, we will then see a massive return of some of these jihadis, who would be able to penetrate within the communities of North Africa," said David Otto of Global Risk Management. Both Tunisian and Egyptian security forces have battled Islamic militants infiltrating from neighboring Libya, a cauldron of political chaos and terrorism. Rival Libyan governments have complicated the already thorny security situation across vast swathes of the country and its porous border. Analysts say a political solution is key. "Libya, which is very strategic with that region that acts kind of like a bridge between that region of North Africa and central Africa, part of areas like Mali, Chad and Niger and then towards the Mediterranean in Europe. If we still have this kind of instability within Libya, then it would be difficult for most of these North African countries to be able to deal effectively with a situation." With 95 million people, Egypt is the Arab world's most populous country and its security and economic situation affects both the Middle East and North Africa. A troubled economy represents a huge risk."The GDP is not rising, no sources of revenue have been created and tourism has not picked up," said Egyptian journalist Hisham Kassem. A big hurdle for Egypt in 2018 will be the presidential elections happening amid a bitter divide between Islamists and liberals who are not necessarily on the side of incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. "On the political front, clearly there is no reconciliation happening in the country. The division is becoming very clear," said Kassem. Algeria, the Arab world's second largest country, also faces political and security challenges in 2018 as many expect incumbent President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to run for a fifth term. Like Egypt, Algeria has a large population of young people who feel they have no say in their future. Providing jobs for them, analysts say, is the most serious challenge facing regional leaders in 2018. "You have North Africa, which has a growing population of young people who are disenfranchised, young people who are unemployed, so we have to be looking at building capacity, towards looking at a prevent program within communities...," Otto of Global Risk Management. Analysts say if regional governments do not find solutions to the increasing droves of unemployed young people, the ongoing tragedy of refugees trying to flee by sea to Europe is likely to get worse, threatening the stability of Europe and the likelihood of more lives lost at sea.
December 28, 2017 at 10:10AM
Top UN Official Fears Damascus Using Children as 'Bargaining Chips'
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A top U.N. official says he fears Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "using children as bargaining chips" in a deal to evacuate critically ill patients, mainly children, from a besieged opposition-held town on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus. Jan Egeland, the special adviser to the U.N.'s special envoy to Syria, expressed frustration about the emergence of a reciprocal deal that is seeing Assad officials agreeing to the evacuation of ill children in exchange for the release of Syrian government workers being detained by rebels. "Let's hope that the agreements are good when they come," Egeland told the BBC. "There can also be bad agreements," he added. "It is not a good agreement if they exchange sick children for detainees; that means children become bargaining chips in some tug of war. That shouldn't happen. They have a right to the evacuation and we have an obligation to evacuate them." Urgent cases Since Tuesday, 32 patients have been evacuated from the Damascus area, half of them coming from the Eastern Ghouta suburb. The International Red Cross said the other half were urgent cases. Eastern Ghouta, one of the last rebel strongholds, has been besieged by Syrian regime forces and Shi'ite allies for more than five years and targeted daily by government warplanes as well as artillery. The enclave is a mixture of towns and farming villages. The government has refused to lift a near-total blockade of the area for the past eight months. Eastern Ghouta was targeted in an alleged sarin gas attack by Assad's forces in 2013. Aid convoys have been allowed into the battered enclave only rarely. Its estimated population of 400,000 suffers severe shortages of food, fuel and medicines. The suburb has been designated one of the "de-escalation zones." Russia and Iran, both allies of the Syrian government, along with Turkey, agreed on them earlier this year, but in recent weeks hostilities have broken out between regime forces and rebels. The dominant rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, Jaish al-Islam, confirmed Wednesday that the Assad regime had agreed to evacuations in exchange for the release of 29 detained workers. "We have agreed to the release of a number of prisoners … in exchange for the evacuation of the most urgent humanitarian cases," the rebel faction said in a statement. Priority list In November, the U.N. submitted a priority list that contained the names of nearly 500 critically ill people, urging that they be allowed to be evacuated. The U.N. has tried to convince world powers to help arrange the medical evacuation. Many on that list have already died, according to U.N. officials; but, with little in the way of medical facilities, others are becoming seriously ill. As in other parts of rebel-held territory, aid workers and rebels say the government purposely targets clinics and hospitals. "The Syrian war has been a war against the medical profession in many ways," Egeland said. "Too many hospitals have been bombed, have been hit on both sides; hundreds of doctors and nurses have been killed or wounded, so what is left in Eastern Ghouta for the 400,000 civilians is not that much." Valerie Petitpierre of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the organization is hoping more evacuees will be allowed out of the besieged town. She said the ICRC continues to insist that humanitarian action should not be used as a bargaining chip. Syria's state-run Ikhbariya television reported Thursday that 35 medical cases had been evacuated by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), while the insurgents had freed 34 detainees. But those numbers were disputed by aid workers. Yasser Delwan, a Jaish al-Islam political official in Ghouta, told reporters Wednesday SARC had mediated between Damascus and the rebels for swaps, but that the fate of hundreds of others with life-threatening conditions remains unresolved and several of the most urgent cases slated for evacuation had died. Those evacuated this week include 18 children and four women. The patients suffered from a variety of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, kidney failure and blood disorders. Fayez Arabi, a spokesman for the opposition-held Rural Damascus Health Directorate, said, "The number of people awaiting evacuation due to inadequate medicine and medical supplies has now surpassed 600."
December 28, 2017 at 10:00AM
Top 8 Must-See Sky Events for 2018
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December 28, 2017 at 06:55AM
Mother Goose Club
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Eleweissly: expanding with more info found
The show is made up of a series of educational [[Live action|live-action]] and animated videos, with a cast of six recurring characters who introduce classic nursery rhymes to children through catchy tunes, play and interactive lessons.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> An emphasis on words helps young children learn early language skills while rhymes and melodies encourage song participation and physically movement.<ref></ref>
The show was created by educators and parents of four, Harry Jho and Sona Jho of Sockeye Media.<ref></ref><ref></ref> Mother Goose Club videos were initially uploaded to YouTube for the purpose of sharing content with industry professionals, but subsequently developed an unexpectedly large following among the general population.<ref name=":0" />
December 28, 2017 at 03:41AM
Open vote network
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Fh240: Initial draft
In cryptography, the '''open vote network''' (or OV-net) is a secure multi-party computation protocol to compute the boolean-count function: namely, given a set of binary values 0/1 in the input, compute the total count of ones without revealing each individual value. This protocol was proposed by Feng Hao, Peter Ryan, and Piotr Zieliński in 2010<ref name=":0"></ref>. It extends Hao and Zieliński's [[anonymous veto network]] protocol by allowing each participant to count the number of veto votes (i.e., input one in a boolean-OR function) while preserving the anonymity of those who have vetoed. The protocol can be generalized to support a wider range of inputs beyond just the binary values 0 and 1.
==Description==
All participants agree on a group <math>\scriptstyle G</math> with a generator <math>\scriptstyle g</math> of prime order <math>\scriptstyle q</math> in which the discrete logarithm problem is hard. For example, a [[Schnorr group]] can be used. Assume there are <math>\scriptstyle n</math> participants. Unlike other [[secure multi-party computation]] protocols that typically require pairwise secret and authenticated channels between participants in addition to an authenticated public channel, OV-net only requires an authenticated public channel available to every participant. Such a channel may be realized by using digital signatures. The protocol runs in two rounds.
'''Round 1''': each participant <math>\scriptstyle i</math> selects a random value <math>\scriptstyle x_i \,\in_R\, \mathbb{Z}_q</math> and publishes the ephemeral public key <math>\scriptstyle g^{x_i}</math> together with a [[zero-knowledge proof]] for the proof of the knowledge of the exponent <math>\scriptstyle x_i</math>. Such proofs may be realized by using Schnorr non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs as described in RFC 8235.
After this round, each participant computes:
:<math>g^{y_i} = \prod_{j<i} g^{x_j} / \prod_{j>i} g^{x_j}</math>
'''Round 2''': each participant <math>\scriptstyle i</math> publishes <math>\scriptstyle g^{x_i y_i}g^{v_i}</math > where <math>\scriptstyle v_i</math> is either 0 or 1, together with a 1-out-of-2 [[zero knowledge proof]] for the proof that <math>\scriptstyle v_i</math> is one of <math>\scriptstyle \{0, 1\}</math>. Such 1-out-of-2 proofs may be realized by using Cramer, Gennaro, and Schoenmakers' zero-knowledge proof technique<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.
After round 2, each participant computes <math>\scriptstyle \prod_i g^{x_i y_i}g^{v_i} = g^{\sum_i v_i}</math>. Note that all <math>\scriptstyle x_i</math> values vanish because <math>\scriptstyle \sum_i {x_i y_i} = 0</math>. The exponent <math>\scriptstyle \sum_i v_i</math> represents the count of ones. As it is usually a small number, the count can be computed by exhaustive search.
Overall, the 2-round efficiency is the theoretically best possible. In terms of the computational load and bandwidth usage, OV-net is also the most efficient among related techniques<ref name=":0" />.
==Maximum secrecy==
The OV-net protocol guarantees the secrecy of an input bit unless all other input bits are known. The protection of secrecy is the maximum since when all other bits are known, the remaining bit can always be computed by subtracting the values of known input bits from the output of the boolean-count function.
==Applications==
A straightforward application of OV-net is to build a boardroom voting system, where the election is run by voters themselves. For a single candidate election, each voter sends either "No" or "Yes", which correspond to 0 and 1. Every voter, as well as an observer, can tally the "Yes" votes by themselves without needing any tallying authority.
There are standard methods to extend a single-candidate election to support multiple candidates. A straightforward method is to run the single-candidate election in parallel for multiple candidates, and each voter casts "Yes/No" to each of the candidates. Additional zero-knowledge proofs are needed if the voter is limited to vote for only one candidate. Another method is to modify the encoding of candidates: instead of using 0 and 1 for "No" and "Yes" in a single-candidate election, encode each candidate with a unique number such that the tally for each candidate can be unambiguously computed. In this case, a more general 1-out-of-n zero-knowledge proof is used instead where n is the number of candidates.
==Implementation==
A prototype implementation of OV-net was presented by McCorry, Shahandashi, and Hao at Financial Cryptography'17 as a smart contract over Ethereum's blockchain<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (2 for 1)</ref>. The source code is [http://ift.tt/2nBaxTC publicly available]. This implementation forms part of the [[Newcastle University]] team's solution on "[http://ift.tt/2pNIZPV Removing Trusted Tallying Authorities: Self-Enforcing E-Voting over Ethereum]", which was awarded third place in the [http://ift.tt/2E6qvNB 2016 Economist Cybersecurity Challenge] jointly organized by [[The Economist]] and [[Kaspersky Lab]].
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Public-key cryptography]]
[[Category:Zero-knowledge protocols]]
December 28, 2017 at 03:38AM
Italian leader hopes 2018 campaign will avoid fear-mongering
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Premier Paolo Gentiloni says it would be in Italy's best interest "to limit as much as possible the diffusion of fear" during the campaign for elections in the coming months.
December 28, 2017 at 02:56AM
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
What to do in January to save on airfare all year
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Unless you're scrambling to make last-minute holiday plans, the next trip you take will be in 2018.
December 27, 2017
José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán y Waldstein
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Filiep: ←Created page with 'José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán y Waldstein. '''José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán y Waldstein''' (Madrid, 18 March 1782 - Ma...'
'''José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán y Waldstein''' (Madrid, 18 March 1782 - Madrid, 4 November 1839), 10th Marquis of Santa Cruz de Mudela, was a Spanish noble, Director of the [[Prado Museum]] between 1817 and 1820 and [[Mayordomo mayor]] between 1822 and 1823.
== Biography ==
He was a descendant of [[Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz]], as eldest son of José Joaquín de Silva-Bazán (1734 - 1802), 9th Marquis of Santa Cruz de Mudela and his second Austrian wife Mariana de Waldstein (1763 - 1807).
He was a senator, a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece (1821), the Order of Calatrava and the Order of Carlos III.<br>
He was also Gentilhombre, [[Mayordomo mayor]] and [[Sumiller de Corps]] of [[Fernando VII of Spain|Ferdinand VII]], member of the Regency Council during the childhood of [[Isabella II of Spain]], Ambassador in París, special envoy to London for the wedding of William IV, and director of the [[Real Academia Española]].
In 1817, he became the first [[Director of the Prado Museum]]. Before the [[Peninsular War]], his father had already convinced King Charles IV not to burn the ''obscene'' paintings in the Royal collection, as was the wish of the previous King Charles III, but to store them in a private gallery.
After the War, under impulse of Queen [[Maria Isabel of Braganza]], the Museum was created with José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán as its first Director.
He was replaced as Director after the outbreak of the [[Trienio Liberal|Liberal Triennium]], but in the uncertain times following the death of King [[Ferdinand VII of Spain]], he collaborated with the new Director [[José Rafael de Silva Fernández de Híjar]] to keep the museum's collection together.
== Marriage and children ==
He married in 1801 with [[Joaquina Téllez-Girón, Marquise of Santa Cruz|Joaquina Téllez-Girón]] (1784–1851), daughter of [[Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna]] and [[María Josefa Pimentel, 12th Countess-Duchess of Benavente]] and painted by [[Francisco Goya]].<br>
They had 4 children.
*Joaquina (1802-1876), married [[Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Marquis of Villafranca|Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Palafox, XVII Duque de Medina Sidonia]] (1803-1867)
*Fernanda María (1808-1879), married Andrés Avelino de Arteaga Lazcano y Carvajal, VI Marqués de Valmediano (1807-1850),
*Inés (?-1865), married Nicolás Osorio y Zayas, XVI Marqués de Alcañices (1799-1866)
*Francisco de Borja (1815-1889), XI Marqués de Santa Cruz, with issue
==Sources==
*
* [http://ift.tt/2BKccgc Museo del Prado]
* [http://ift.tt/2CdlSmU Medinaceli]
[[Category:1782 births]]
[[Category:1839 deaths]]
[[Category:Directors of the Museo del Prado]]
[[Category:Spanish nobility]]
[[Category:Order of the Golden Fleece]]
December 26, 2017 at 10:00PM
Teresita (disambiguation)
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MurielMary:
* [[Teresita Abundo]] (born 1949), Filipino educator and athlete
* [[Teresita de Castro]] (born 1948), Filipino judge
* [[Teresita Fernández]] (born 1968), American visual artist
* [[Teresita Herbosa]] (born 1950), chairwoman of the Filipino Securities and Exchange Commission
* [[Teresita Marquez|Teresita Márquez]] (born 1992), Filipino actress, model, dancer and beauty queen
* [[Teresita Sandoval|Teresita Sandoval (]]1811-1894), a founder of Pueblo, Colorado
* [[Teresita Santos]], politician from the Northern Mariana Islands
'''Teresita''' can also refer to:
* ''[[Teresita]],'' genus of moths in the Oecophoridae family
== See also: ==
* [[Santa Teresita]] (several places)
December 26, 2017 at 09:48PM
Europe Rides Crises, Regains Confidence In 2017, But Big Challenges Ahead
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After lurching from one crisis to the next over the past 10 years, the European Union has survived a series of seemingly existential threats – and its leaders claim the bloc is ascendant. Economic growth in the Eurozone is forecast to be higher than in the United States and Britain, while the migrant influx appears to be easing. But analysts warn that the underlying problems haven't been solved – and the EU can't afford to get complacent. From the 2008 euro debt crisis that nearly bankrupted several European states, to the chaotic arrival of millions of migrants fleeing war and poverty, plus the 2016 Britain's vote the leave the EU, the European Union has survived a decade of crises. But in 2017, its leaders claimed Europe is back in business. In his September State of the Union speech, the EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker captured the mood. "The wind is back in Europe's sails. We have now a window of opportunity but it will not stay open forever," Juncker said. As Emmanuel Macron stepped out to give a victory speech in front of Paris' Louvre gallery in May, he was seen by many as Europe's savior. Macron won the presidency on an explicitly pro-European ticket, defeating the anti-EU National Front under Marine Le Pen. Supporters credit Macron with halting the seemingly unstoppable right-wing, populist surge in Europe. But analyst Leopold Traugott of policy group Open Europe says those forces cannot be written off. "Yes, Macron was elected a pro-European candidate, but in the end mostly because for many voters, he was the lesser evil compared to Marine Le Pen in the second round." President Macron even voiced hope in a September speech on Europe's future that Britain might be lured back into a reformed EU. Macron said that "In a union refocused on its unwavering values and an efficient market, in a few years, if it wants, the United Kingdom could find its place." But Europe should not get complacent, argued analyst Traugott. "On the one hand the migration crisis is continuing, people are still coming in, and there is no system in place yet that can solve the issue in a sustainable manner, because member states are simply unwilling to agree to it. And on the Eurozone, it currently doesn't have the necessary stable framework that is needed to keep the union working," Traugott said. Europe will enter 2018 in a far more confident mood than a year ago - with the Eurozone growing, migrant numbers falling and pro-EU leaders in charge. But from Germany's struggles to form a new government, to the threat of a so-called hard Brexit, and Catalonia's bid for independence from Spain – there is no shortage of potential challenges ahead.
December 26, 2017 at 08:36PM
Homelessness to Digital IDs: Five Property Rights Hotspots in 2018
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The global fight over land and resources is getting increasingly bloody and the race for control of valuable assets is expanding from forests and indigenous territories to the seas, space and databanks. Here are five hotspots for property rights in 2018: 1. Rising violence: From Peru to the Philippines, land rights defenders are under increasing threat of harassment and attack from governments and corporations. At least 208 people have been killed so far this year defending their homes, lands and forests from mining, dams and agricultural projects, advocacy group Frontline Defenders says. The tally has exceeded that of 2016, which was already the deadliest year on record, and "it is likely that we will see numbers continue to rise", a spokeswoman told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. 2. Demand for affordable housing: Governments are under increasing pressure to recognize the right to housing, as Smart Cities projects and rapid gentrification push more people on to the streets, from Mumbai to Rio de Janeiro. India has committed to providing Housing for All by 2022, while Canada's recognition of housing as a fundamental right could help eliminate homelessness in the country. "We need our governments to respond to this crisis and recognize that homelessness is a matter of life and death and dignity," said Leilani Farha, the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to housing. 3. Takeover of public lands: From the shrinking of wilderness national monuments in Utah to the felling of rainforests for palm plantations in Indonesia, public lands risk being rescinded or resized by governments in favor of business interests. Governments are also likely to be hit by more lawsuits from indigenous communities fighting to protect their lands, as well as the environment. 4. Fight over space and sea: A race to explore and extract resources from the moon, asteroids and other celestial bodies is underway, with China, Luxembourg, the United States and others vying for materials ranging from ice to precious metals. The latest space race targets a multi-trillion dollar industry. Expect more debate over the 50-year-old U.N. Outer Space Treaty, which declares "the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind." On Earth, the fight over the seas is intensifying, particularly in the Arctic. Melting ice caps have triggered a fierce contest between energy companies in the United States, Russia, Canada, and Norway over drilling rights. 5. Debate over data: As more countries move towards digital citizen IDs, there are growing concerns about privacy and safety of the data, the ethics of biometrics, and the misuse of data for profiling or increased surveillance. Campaigners are pushing for "informational privacy" to be part of the right to privacy, and for governments to treat the right to data as an inalienable right, like the right to dignity.
December 26, 2017 at 07:59PM
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
List of Mainstream Top 40 top 10 singles in 2018
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Dp1093: ←Created page with 'Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)}} This is a list of songs that have peaked in the top 10 of the Mainstream Top 40...'
This is a list of songs that have peaked in the top 10 of the Mainstream Top 40 chart during 2018.
==Top-ten singles==
An asterisk (*) represents that a single is in the top ten as of the issue dated January 6, 2018.<ref><!-- The following reference is intended to point to the CURRENT Mainstream Top 40 chart at billboard.com, which will match the date indicated above for most of the week. The chart data here is usually updated on Tuesdays. --></ref>
{|class="plainrowheaders sortable wikitable"
! Top ten<br/>entry date
! Single
! Artist(s)
! Peak
! Peak date
! Weeks in<br/>top ten
|-
! colspan=6| [[List of Mainstream Top 40 top 10 singles in 2017#2018 peaks|Singles from 2017]]
|-
| December 16
| "[[Rockstar (Post Malone song)|Rockstar]]"
| [[Post Malone]] featuring [[21 Savage]]
| align=center| 5
| January 6
| align=center| 4*
|-
| December 23
| "[[New Rules (song)|New Rules]]"
| [[Dua Lipa]]
| align=center| 6
| January 6
| align=center| 3*
|-
! colspan=6| Singles from 2018
|-
| January 6
| "[[Wolves (Selena Gomez and Marshmello song)|Wolves]]"
| [[Selena Gomez]] and [[Marshmello]]
| align=center| 9
| January 6
| align=center| 1*
|-
|}
===2017 peaks===
{|class="plainrowheaders sortable wikitable"
|+ List of Mainstream Top 40 top ten singles in 2018 which peaked in 2017
! Top ten<br/>entry date
! Single
! Artist(s)
! Peak
! Peak date
! Weeks in<br/>top ten
|-
| November 4
| "[[What Lovers Do]]"
| [[Maroon 5]] featuring [[SZA (singer)|SZA]]
| align=center| 3
| December 16
| align=center| 10*
|-
| November 11
| "[[Thunder (Imagine Dragons song)|Thunder]]"
| [[Imagine Dragons]]
| align=center| 1
| December 2
| align=center| 9*
|-
| November 18
| "[[Havana (Camila Cabello song)|Havana]]"
| [[Camila Cabello]] featuring [[Young Thug]]
| align=center| 1
| December 9
| align=center| 8*
|-
| November 25
| "[[Bad at Love]]"
| [[Halsey (singer)|Halsey]]
| align=center| 3
| December 23
| align=center| 7*
|-
| December 2
| "[[Perfect (Ed Sheeran song)|Perfect]]"
| [[Ed Sheeran]]
| align=center| 2
| December 30
| align=center| 6*
|-
| December 9
| "[[Too Good at Goodbyes]]"
| [[Sam Smith (singer)|Sam Smith]]
| align=center| 6
| December 23
| align=center| 5*
|-
| December 30
| "[[How Long (Charlie Puth song)|How Long]]"
| [[Charlie Puth]]
| align=center| 10
| December 30
| align=center| 2*
|-
|}
==References==
[[Category:2018 record charts|United States Mainstream Top 40 Top 10]]
[[Category:Billboard charts|Mainstream Top 40 top 10 singles in 2018]]
December 26, 2017 at 08:59AM
Ibrahim ibn Hisham ibn Isma'il al-Makhzumi
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Ro4444: Article Creation
==Career==
The sons of [[Hisham ibn Isma'il al-Makhzumi]], Ibrahim and Muhammad were maternal uncles of the caliph [[Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik|Hisham ibn 'Abd al-Malik]] (r. 724–743), who relied on them to act as his governors of the [[Hijaz]] for the majority of his reign.<ref>; .</ref> Although the sources frequently confuse the two brothers,<ref> states that Muhammad ibn Hisham was the governor of Mecca, Medina and al-Ta'if from 724 to 732 instead of Ibrahim, while and claim that Ibrahim was governor in 739 and 743 respectively instead of Muhammad.</ref> Ibrahim appears to have been appointed as governor of Medina, Mecca and al-Ta'if in 724 and to have been dismissed in 732,<ref>; ; . According to al-Tabari, ''op. cit.'', p. 29, Ibrahim also went campaigning on the Byzantine frontier in 726.</ref> and was also the caliph's choice to lead the pilgrimages of 724, 726–731 and possibly 732.<ref>; ; ; ; .</ref> During his governorship his appointees to lead the Medinese judiciary were [[Muhammad ibn Safwan al-Jumahi]] and [[al-Salt ibn Zubayd al-Kindi]].<ref>; ; ; .</ref>
In the last years of Hisham's reign Ibrahim and Muhammad were supporters of the caliph's unsuccessful plan to replace the heir-apparent [[Al-Walid II|al-Walid ibn Yazid]] with his own son [[Maslamah ibn Hisham|Maslamah]], but with the death of Hisham in 743 their political influence came to an end. Upon his accession to the caliphate al-Walid handed over the two brothers to his new governor of Medina, [[Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi]], who paraded them in front of the city inhabitants and had them flogged; shortly afterwards al-Walid ordered Yusuf to transfer Ibrahim and Muhammad to [[Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi|Yusuf ibn 'Umar al-Thaqafi]] in [[Iraq]], where together with [[Khalid al-Qasri|Khalid ibn 'Abdallah al-Qasri]] they were tortured to death.<ref>; ; ; ; .</ref> The brutal treatment of Ibrahim and Muhammad exacerbated hostility against al-Walid, playing a role in the caliph's own downfall and death and the outbreak of [[Third Fitna|civil war]] in the following year.
== Notes ==
== References ==
*
*
*
*
*
* Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)
*
*
[[Category:743 deaths]]
[[Category:8th-century Arab people]]
[[Category:Banu Makhzum]]
[[Category:Umayyad governors of Medina]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the Umayyad Caliphate]]
[[Category:Third Fitna]]
December 26, 2017 at 08:56AM
Trump, Sanders clash on Twitter over new tax law
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It was a holiday weekend, but President Donald Trump and rival Bernie Sanders didn't exactly exchange greeting cards.
December 25, 2017 at 10:00PM
Monday, December 25, 2017
Winds Scuttle Washington's Crossing Despite Kids' Efforts
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Despite the best efforts of some Philadelphia schoolchildren, Mother Nature blew in and scuttled the annual re-enactment of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War. Organizers said high winds forced them to cancel Monday's planned crossing, the highlight of a historical re-enactment that draws thousands of people to the banks of the river in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, and Titusville, New Jersey. "We were advised by the (marine patrol) out in the boats that they didn't think it was safe to cross," said Andy Smith, spokesman for Friends of Washington Crossing Park. The National Weather Service said winds had been gusting to 45 or 50 mph or even a bit more in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The winds could have been even stronger on the water with a lack of trees and a channeling effect, meteorologist Chad Shafer said. "Re-enactors are always disappointed when they can't cross, but safety is always the most important thing," Smith said by phone as a fife and drum played in the background. "We don't want to put anyone in danger out on the water." Other activities went on as scheduled, including Washington's rallying of his troops, historical speeches and processions. Originally, it was low water that had posed a threat to the annual re-enactment in wooden Durham boats. But Philadelphia Waterborne, a nonprofit that teaches boat-building skills to middle- and high-school students, came through with six handmade, 12-foot rowboats that could have made it across. Organizers noted that there was historical authenticity to this year's planned change; while Durham boats were used in the original 1776 crossing, historians agree that Washington probably used various river craft to make his daring crossing that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. Boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river during the original crossing. Washington's troops marched eight miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton. Thirty Hessians were killed, and two Continental soldiers froze to death on the march.
December 25, 2017 at 11:39AM
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Why I’m naming my tears this Christmas, thirty years after my dad’s death
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It's hard to believe that Dec. 18, 2017, marked the 30th anniversary of my dad's death.
December 24, 2017 at 08:18AM
Trump sends Christmas greetings to US troops abroad
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President Donald Trump opened his first Christmas Eve in office by offering season's greetings to U.S. troops stationed around the world and applauding the sacrifices their families make when their loved ones are away.
December 24, 2017 at 07:50AM
George S. Halas Courage Award
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KimchiCowboy:
The award is named for [[George Halas|Halas]], a charter member (1963) of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]], who was associated with the [[Chicago Bears]] and NFL from their inception in 1920 until his death in 1983 as an owner, manager, player and promoter.
Halas represented the Bears, then known as the [[History of the Chicago Bears|Decatur Staleys]], at the Sept. 17, 1920 organizational meeting of the American Football Association in [[Canton, Ohio]]. One year later, the AFA became known as the National Football League.
Halas' teams won six NFL titles in his 40 seasons as the Bears' coach. His 318 regular-season wins and 324 total victories were long-standing NFL records until broken by [[Don Shula]] in 1993.<ref> PFWA|access-date=2017-12-24|language=en-US}}</ref>
In May 1970, the Halas Award went to [[Gale Sayers]] for his comeback from knee surgery to lead the NFL in rushing in 1969.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> In New York, at the Pro Football Writers Association banquet, Gale Sayers gave an emotional speech that was memorialized in the film [[Brian's Song]]. Said Sayers, "You flatter me by giving me this award, but I'll tell you here and now that I accept it for [[Brian Piccolo]]. Brian Piccolo is the man of courage who should receive the George S. Halas Award. I accept it tonight, but I'll present it to Brian tomorrow. I love Brian Piccolo. And I'd like all of you to love him, too. And tonight, when you hit your knees, ask God to love him, too."<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Other notable winners of the PFWA Halas Award include [[Joe Namath]],<ref></ref> Steeler running back [[Rocky Bleier]], Hall of Fame cornerback Jimmy Johnson,<ref></ref> [[New York Giants|New York Giant]] cancer survivor Karl Nelson,<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> Hall of Famers [[Dan Hampton]] and [[Joe Montana]],<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> [[Denver Broncos]] guard [[Mark Schlereth]],<ref>[http://ift.tt/2Bu4d6P <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>]Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> former N.Y. Giant [[Kerry Collins]],<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> [[San Francisco 49ers]] [[Garrison Hearst]] <ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> and [[Bryant Young]],<ref></ref> [[Carolina Panthers|Carolina]] coach and former linebacker [[Sam Mills]],<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> [[Miami Dolphins|Dolphins]] running back [[Robert Edwards (gridiron football)|Robert Edwards]],<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> [[Indianapolis Colts|Indianapolis Colt]] Head Coach [[Tony Dungy]],<ref>[http://ift.tt/2Bu4gQ3 <nowiki>[2]</nowiki>] </ref> [[New Orleans Saints]] quarterback [[Drew Brees]],<ref>[http://ift.tt/2Btbzr9 <nowiki>[3]</nowiki>] </ref> [[New England Patriots]] Owner [[Robert Kraft]] (first NFL owner and first Patriot to receive one),<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> and former Saints safety and [[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis|ALS]] patients' advocate, [[Steve Gleason]].<ref>[http://ift.tt/1KT21Gb "Steve Gleason selected as PFWA's 2015 George Halas award winner"], [[New Orleans Saints]], June 15, 2015.</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Winner
!Team
|-
|1969
|[[Joe Namath]]
|[[New York Jets]]
|-
|1970
|[[Gale Sayers]]
|[[Chicago Bears]]
|-
|1971
|[[Tom Dempsey]]
|[[New Orleans Saints]]
|-
|1972
|[[Jimmy Johnson (cornerback)|Jimmy Johnson]]
|[[San Francisco 49ers|San Fransisco 49ers]]
|-
|1973
|[[Mike Tilleman|Mike Tileman]]
|[[Atlanta Falcons]]
|-
|1974
|[[Dick Butkus]]
|[[Chicago Bears]]
|-
|1975
|[[Rocky Bleier]]
|[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
|-
|1976
|[[Billy Kilmer]]
|[[Washington Redskins]]
|-
|1977
|[[Tom DeLeone]]
|[[Cleveland Browns]]
|-
|1978
|[[Pat Fischer]]
|[[Washington Redskins|Washington Redskin]]
|-
|1979
|[[Bert Jones]]
|[[History of the Baltimore Colts|Baltimore Colts]]
|-
|1980
|[[Roger Staubach]]
|[[Dallas Cowboys]]
|-
|1981
|[[Rolf Benirschke]]
|[[Los Angeles Chargers|San Diego Chargers]]
|-
|1982
|[[Joe Klecko]]
|[[New York Jets]]
|-
|1983
|[[Eddie Lee Ivery]]
|[[Green Bay Packers]]
|-
|1984
|[[Ted Hendricks]]
|[[History of the Los Angeles Raiders|Los Angeles Raiders]]
|-
|1985
|[[John Stallworth]]
|[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
|-
|1986
|[[Gary Jeter]]
|[[Los Angeles Rams]]
|-
|1987
|[[William Andrews (American football)|William Andrews]]
|[[Atlanta Falcons]]
|-
|1988
|[[Joe Montana]]
|[[San Francisco 49ers|San Fransisco 49ers]]
|-
|1989
|[[Karl Nelson]]
|[[New York Giants]]
|-
|1990
|[[Tim Krumrie]]
|[[Cincinnati Bengals]]
|-
|1991
|[[Dan Hampton]]
|[[Chicago Bears]]
|-
|1992
|[[Mike Utley]]
|[[Detroit Lions]]
|-
|1993
|[[Mark Bavaro]]
|[[New York Giants]]
|-
|1994
|[[Joe Montana]]
|[[San Francisco 49ers|San Fransisco 49ers]]
|-
|1995
|[[Dan Marino]]
|[[Miami Dolphins]]
|-
|1996
|[[Larry Brown (cornerback)|Larry Brown]]
|[[Oakland Raiders]]
|-
|1997
|[[Jim Harbaugh]]
|[[Indianapolis Colts]]
|-
|1998
|[[Mark Schlereth]]
|[[Denver Broncos]]
|-
|1999
|[[Dan Reeves]]
|[[Atlanta Falcons]]
|-
|2000
|[[Bryant Young]]
|[[San Francisco 49ers|San Fransisco 49ers]]
|-
|2001
|[[Kerry Collins]]
|[[New York Giants]]
|-
|2002
|[[Garrison Hearst]]
|[[San Francisco 49ers|San Fransisco 49ers]]
|-
|2003
|[[Robert Edwards (gridiron football)|Robert Edwards]]
|[[Miami Dolphins]]
|-
|2004
|[[Sam Mills]]
|[[Carolina Panthers]]
|-
|2005
|[[Mark Fields (American football)|Mark Fields]]
|[[Carolina Panthers]]
|-
|2006
|[[Tony Dungy]]
|[[Indianapolis Colts]]
|-
|2007
|[[Drew Brees]]
|[[New Orleans Saints]]
|-
|2008
|[[Kevin Everett]]
|[[Buffalo Bills]]
|-
|2009
|[[Matt Bryant]]
|[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
|-
|2010
|[[Mike Zimmer]]
|[[Cincinnati Bengals]]
|-
|2011
|[[Mike Heimerdinger]]
|[[Tennessee Titans]]
|-
|2012
|[[Robert Kraft]]
|[[New England Patriots]]
|-
|2013
|[[Chuck Pagano]]
|[[Indianapolis Colts]]
|-
|2014
|[[O. J. Brigance|O.J. Brigance]]
|[[Baltimore Ravens]]
|-
|2015
|[[Steve Gleason]]
|[[New Orleans Saints]]
|-
|2016
|[[Eric Berry]]
|[[Kansas City Chiefs]]
|-
|2017
|[[David Quessenberry]]
|[[Houston Texans]]
|}
December 23, 2017 at 09:47PM
National History Museum Highlights Role of Religion in Early America
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The role of religion in the formation and development of the United States is at the heart of an exhibition at the National Museum of American History in Washington. The exhibition, which runs until June 2018, explores the themes of religious diversity, freedom and growth from America's colonial era through the 1840s. VOA's Nikoleta Ilic spoke with the curator, Peter Manseau, and filed this report.
December 23, 2017 at 09:37PM
Turkey sacks some 2,700 more public sector workers
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Turkey has sacked 2,756 more people from its public service sector for alleged links to terror groups as it presses ahead with purges launched following last year's failed military coup.
December 23, 2017 at 08:44PM
U.S. Territories — and Emergency Agency — Struggle to Recover from Disasters
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The year has been a tough one for Puerto Ricans, Floridians, Texans and Californians, and recovery efforts continue for those three areas hit by hurricanes and one, California, struggling to contain wildfires. In a year of disasters, even the Federal Emergency Management Agency is struggling to cope. At a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee November 30, FEMA head Brock Long asked lawmakers for supplemental funding to handle its operations after a year studded with natural disasters. Long told lawmakers that Hurricanes Harvey, which hit Texas, Irma, which targeted Florida, and Maria, which walloped the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, added to the ongoing California fires "have compelled FEMA to push its limits." Long noted that about 25.8 million people were affected by the three hurricanes, which took place in rapid succession in August and September. He said that as of November 13, more than 4½ million storm survivors had registered for FEMA assistance. He asked for $23.5 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund for fiscal 2018 to help with continuing recovery efforts. He said the agency is "committed to the long-term recovery of all impacted individuals as well as conducting this recovery in a fiscally responsible and prudent manner." Puerto Rico response criticized But FEMA has been criticized for its response to the crisis in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean islands that took a double hit from Irma and Maria within the space of a month. Three months after the second storm, only 65 percent of Puerto Rico has its power restored, thanks to an aging infrastructure and bungled reconstruction deals. The Army Corps of Engineers now estimates that power may not be fully restored to all communities until May. Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia reported that protests broke out in the municipalities of Aguas Buenas and Trujillo Alto Thursday, among frustrated residents who want the lights back on. Vox News, citing statistics by the research firm Rhodium Group, reports that Puerto Rico is now the site of the longest blackout in U.S. history in terms of lost customer-hours of service. FEMA has reported that more than 450 people are still living in shelters in Puerto Rico, and it is still distributing tarps, food and water to some communities. More troubling, Florida officials say more than 269,000 people have arrived in Florida from Puerto Rico since the storm, and some 10,000 Puerto Rican children have enrolled in Florida schools. The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at City University of New York says the exodus is likely not over. It estimates that 470,335 Puerto Ricans will leave the island by the end of 2019, driven out by poor services and slow recovery. Experts fear that many of the displaced may not return to the island; as full U.S. citizens, they are legally able to move anywhere within the United States. Virgin Islands overshadowed In the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands, often overshadowed by its more populous neighbor, conditions are similar. The San Juan Daily Star reports about half of electrical customers remain without power, and about one quarter of the tourism-reliant island still lacks mobile phone service. FEMA reported Thursday that more than $870 million in federal funds have been provided to survivors of Irma and Maria in U.S. territories, including grants, low-interest loans, and flood insurance claims. But the tough times may get tougher before they ease: FEMA's voucher program for displaced storm victims expires January 15. Death toll One more major point on which U.S. officials have been criticized is the storm-related death toll in Puerto Rico. The official total was placed at 64, but both Vox news and the New York Times published analyses in the past week comparing historic death rates from September and October with the death tolls from this year. They both found more than 1,000 more deaths occurred this year than in previous years, and both publications attributed the higher tolls to the stresses of storm recovery.
December 23, 2017 at 08:25PM
Judge: American accused of fighting for IS must get lawyer
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A federal judge ruled Saturday that the U.S. military must provide legal counsel to an American citizen who was picked up months ago on the Syrian battlefield and accused of fighting with Islamic State militants.
December 23, 2017 at 08:21PM