Day: December 26, 2016

Kremlin plays down terror attack possibility in jet crash

To continue reading up to 10 premium articles, you must register , or sign up and take advantage of this exclusive offer: Women cry as they place flowers in front of the Alexandrov Ensemble building in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, the day after a plane carrying 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble crashed into the Black Sea minutes after taking off from the resort city of Sochi. SOCHI, Russia – The Kremlin on Monday played down the possibility that a terror attack might have downed a Syria-bound Russian plane, killing all 92 people on board, as the nation observed a day of mourning for the victims, including most members of a world famous military choir.

Thousands attend Mexican girl’s party following viral invite

Looking overwhelmed by the attention, yet resplendent in an elaborate fuchsia dress and gleaming tiara, Rubi Ibarra celebrated her 15th birthday on Monday on a ranch in central Mexico after the invitation to the event by her father went viral and made her the toast of the country. Family members had to open a path for the girl through dozens of reporters and photographers snapping her picture so she could reach the Mass for her in a field in the state of San Luis Potosi.

South Korean ruling party splits over impeached president

Dozens of lawmakers split from South Korea’s ruling party Tuesday over the corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye in a move that could shape presidential elections that might take place in just months. The 29 anti-Park lawmakers who left the Saenuri Party planned to create a new conservative party that will likely try to lure outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as its presidential candidate.

Punjab to form elite force of 250 police personnel

A month after 14 men stormed the Nabha jail and facilitated the escape of six inmates including Khalistan Liberation Front Chief; Punjab is all set to form an elite force of 250 Punjab police personnel to tackle any emergent situations including terrorist attacks. While making the announcement, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the elite force will be equipped with latest weapons and gadgetry.

Asia stocks mixed in muted session, dollar recovers some losses

Asian stocks were mixed on Tuesday, in thin trade and with little to guide them as most major markets were closed on Monday for Christmas holidays, while the dollar reclaimed its losses from Monday. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat, with Australia and New Zealand closed for a holiday in lieu of Christmas.

Israel Curbs Working Ties With Nations That Voted for UN Resolution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his nation’s Foreign Ministry to temporarily limit all working ties with the embassies of the 12 UN Security Council members who voted in favor of Friday’s resolution on West Bank settlements and who have diplomatic relations with Israel, two senior Israeli officials tell CNN. The officials said that business with the embassies of those countries – Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay, Spain, Senegal and New Zealand – will be suspended, the officials said.

Gray set for the centre stage after Kings trial

IT BEGINS: Matt Gray and his NSW side kicked off their national titles preparation work last weekend. Photo: PHIL BLATCH A two-point loss to the Sydney Kings’ development squad provided Canobolas Rural Technology High School tall timber Matt Gray, and his NSW under-20 side, with invaluable experience leading into next year’s Australian Championship at Bendigo.

Colombia probe finds human error, lack of fuel in air crash

A series of human errors caused an airliner to run out of fuel and crash in Colombia last month, killing 71 people including most of a Brazilian soccer team, aviation authorities said on Monday. Colombia’s Civil Aeronautics agency concluded in its investigation that the plan for the flight operated by Bolivia-based charter company LaMia did not meet international standards.

Typhoon kills 6, spoils Christmas festivities in Philippines

A powerful typhoon blew out of the northern Philippines on Monday after killing at least six people and spoiling Christmas in several provinces, where more than 380,000 people abandoned celebrations at home to reach emergency shelters and other safer grounds. Typhoon Nock-Ten cut power to five entire provinces due to toppled electric posts and trees, dimming Christmas revelries in Asia’s largest Catholic nation.

Wild Oats XI retires from Sydney to Hobart race

In this photo proved by Rolex, some of the competitors reach the heads of Sydney Harbour during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016. Photo Credit: AP In this photo proved by Rolex, some of the competitors reach the heads of Sydney Harbour during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016.

Gambian president-elect tells Jammeh to transfer power like British

The Gambia’s president-elect Adama Barrow on Monday called on President Yahya Jammeh to step aside, saying that even colonial power Britain was able to hand over power peacefully. In a Christmas message, Barrow said Gambians should be free of the threat of violence as “we enter a New Year of hope” after Jammeh threatened to cling to power unless the Supreme Court orders him to step down.

Trumps pick for ambassador to Israel sparks hot debate

If President-elect Donald Trump wanted to show he planned to obliterate President Barack Obama’s approach to Israel, he might have found his man to deliver that message in David Friedman, his pick for U.S. ambassador. The bankruptcy lawyer and son of an Orthodox rabbi is everything Obama is not: a fervent supporter of Israeli settlements, opponent of Palestinian statehood and unrelenting defender of Israel’s government.

Clint Hill applauds the Rangers fans at full-time at Ibrox on Saturday.

CLINT Hill has admitted he would dearly like to give Rangers supporters a late Christmas present – a win over Celtic at Ibrox which prevents their fierce city rivals from going the domestic season unbeaten. Mark Warburton’s side is currently 14 points behind Brendan Rodgers’s team, who still have a game in hand, in the Ladbrokes Premiership table and are unlikely to catch them.

Israel curbs working ties with nations who voted for UN resolution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his nation’s foreign ministry to temporarily limit all working ties with the embassies of the 12 UN Security Council members who voted in favor of Friday’s resolution on West Bank settlements and who have diplomatic relations with Israel, two senior Israeli officials tell CNN. The officials said that business with the embassies of those countries — Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay, Spain, Senegal and New Zealand — will be suspended, the officials said.

Cavuto: Hey Trump Is Cost-Cutting Defense, So Dems Should Gut Social Security

On this Saturday’s “Cavuto on Business,” the host opened things up with pretending Trump got something from Boeing then immediately implying that Dems should give up some of their “sacred cows” since Trump was willing to go after the Republicans’ “sacred cow,” defense spending. Not having the smallest clue as to how military procurement and contracts work is really helpful when arguing for “both sides” to give up something.

Russia Mounts Massive Search for Victims of Crashed Plane

A Russian search and recovery operation is continuing around the clock in the Black Sea where a military passenger plane crashed Sunday, killing all 92 people on board. Forty-five ships and 135 divers from across Russia found parts of the jet about 1.5 kilometers from shore and 25 meters under the sea Monday, the Emergency Situations Ministry reported.

S&P upgrades Sagicor after move from Barbados base

The upgrade late Friday evening moves the previously Barbados-based financial institution, owned more than 50 per cent by Trinidad and Tobago investors, according to Sagicor Group chief operating officer Richard Kellman, up to “non-investment grade” from “highly speculative” grade. S&P Global Ratings raised its issue-level rating on Sagicor Finance Ltd’s US$320 million seven-year senior unsecured notes to “BB-” from “B”, saying in a statement: “We also removed the rating from Credit Watch positive, where we placed it in September 2016.”

Trump, days after Israeli settlements vote, calls U.N. ‘sad’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands next to Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump during their meeting in New York, September 25, 2016. Kobi Gideon/Government Press Office /Handout via Donald Trump on Monday chided the United Nations as “sad,” just days after the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements despite pressure by the U.S. president-elect for a veto by Washington.

Three-day heatwave in Sydney to be the hottest end of December in 50 YEARS

It’s gonna be a scorcher! Three-day 40C heatwave in Sydney to be the hottest end of December in 50 YEARS Sydney is on track to swelter through its hottest end to a year in over 50 years, with forecasts of a three-day heatwave bringing temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts perfect summer weather for Sydney on Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures tipped to reach 30 degrees with cloud coverage.

AP names Female Athlete of the Year

Simone Biles of the United States competes in the Balance Beam Final on day 10 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena on August 15, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Simone Biles tried to treat the 2016 Summer Olympics like just your average ordinary gymnastics meet.

Colombia probe finds human error, lack of fuel in air crash

A series of human errors caused an airliner to run out of fuel and crash in Colombia last month, killing 71 people including most of a Brazilian soccer team, aviation authorities said Monday. Colombia’s Civil Aeronautics agency concluded in its investigation that the plan for the flight operated by Bolivia-based company LaMia did not meet international standards.

#5 of 10 Most Popular News Galleries of 2016: Deadly attacks in Brussels, Belgium

A grieving Belgium on Thursday hunted two fugitive suspects after bombings that struck at the very heart of Europe, as security authorities faced mounting criticism over the country’s worst-ever attacks. With growing evidence of links between Tuesday’s bombings and similar attacks that struck France in November, key Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam insisted he was unaware of plans to strike the Belgian capital.

Mkhitaryan masterpiece keeps Man United rolling in EPL

Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016. Photo Credit: AP Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016.

4 Indian men arrested after US tourist accused them of rape

Indian police say they’ve arrested four men on suspicion of raping an American tourist who came to New Delhi alone earlier this year, in another incident of sexual violence to stir outrage. Police Officer Rakesh Kumar says the suspects — a tour guide and his associate, a car driver and a hotel worker — were arrested Monday.

Colombia probe finds jetliner ran out of fuel before crash

In this Nov. 29, 2016 file photo, rescue workers recover a body from the wreckage site of the LaMia chartered airplane crash, in La Union, a mountainous area near Medellin, Colombia. In a Monday, Dec. 26, 2016 statement, Colombian aviation authorities say a preliminary investigation has found that the plane that crashed just outside of Medellin with a Brazilian soccer team aboard had run out of fuel.

Assad gains Aleppo, but others likely to shape Syria’s fate

In this Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 file photo, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, and Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, attend a joint news conference after their talks in Moscow, Russia. With his victory in Aleppo, Syrian President Bashar Assad appears to have survived a nearly six-year war to drive him from power, but he is now more dependent on outside powers than ever.