With less than a month left in office, Secretary of State John Kerry laid out the Obama administration’s vision for Middle East peace Wednesday, offering a framework for a deal between Israelis and Palestinians. Kerry defended the United States’ decision to abstain from a vote on – and not veto – a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as one aimed at “preserving the two-state solution” and offered a stinging rebuke of Israeli settlement policy as he promoted a two-state solution to the conflict, which he called “the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”
Day: December 28, 2016
The Latest: Kerry offers bases for future Mideast peace pact
Yaakov Peri, a former chief of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, on Wednesday praised what he called Kerry’s “balanced speech, based on reality and facts.” Peri is a member of the centrist Yesh Atid party, which sits in the opposition.
T-Mobile becomes first major carrier to roll out the update that…
A notification about the recall will display on the screen, including instructions and a note telling owners their phone no longer has the ability to charge – rendering the devices unusable once the battery drains. T-Mobile is the first major carrier to start ‘killing’ off the remaining Samsung Galaxy Not 7 smartphones.
He’s a friendly feline! Tiger is best friends with a ferret and a…
The emotional moment Cam Newton surprised a terminally ill 10-year-old boy who made a Christmas wish to meet his NFL hero Thousands sign petition demanding that Hunter College fires boastful professor whose husband harassed Ivanka Trump on a flight with her children ‘My daughter was in tears for most of the day’: Parents furious after thousands of the must-have Hatchimal Christmas toys fail to ‘hatch’ How to EAT your way to success: Millionaire businessman reveals the diets of the world’s rich and powerful Kerry’s parting shot at Netanyahu: Secretary of State criticizes Israeli settlement building and says a two-state solution is the ‘only way’ to ensure peace in Mideast ‘Smooth transition – NOT!’ Trump clobbers Obama for his ‘disdain and disrespect’ of Israel and urges the Jewish state to ‘stay strong’ Married client, 65, is sentenced to life in prison for murdering single soccer mom … (more)
Need for deft handling in Hong Kong
It has been clear ever since Chris Patten, the last British governor, left Hong Kong following its handover to China, that the road to the territory’s Government House runs through Beijing. With its current incumbent, the unpopular Leung Chun Ying, announcing that he would not seek a second term as Chief Executive, the field is open to fresh candidates.
Russia’s anti-doping body says did not admit to sports dope conspiracy
Russia’s anti-doping agency RUSADA said it had not admitted to mass doping in the country’s sports system and that a report in the New York Times which suggested it had was a distortion of its position. The US newspaper reported earlier on Wednesday that RUSADA officials had for the first time admitted there had been an organised conspiracy to dope in Russia.
Man allegedly kills Tinder date, dissolves her body in acid
Francia Ruth Ibarra’s body was dissolved in acid after she allegedly refused to have sex with Emmanuel Delani Valdez Bocangegra. He was arrested in Mexico City.
Pushing back on Israel, Kerry defends Obama’s UN vote
Stepping into a raging diplomatic argument, Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday staunchly defended the Obama administration’s decision to allow the U.N. Security Council to declare Israeli settlements illegal and warned that Israel’s very future as a democracy is at stake. Kerry, pushing back on Israel’s fury at the U.S. abstention of the United Nations vote, questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s true commitment to Palestinian statehood, which has formed the basis for all serious peace talks for years.
Our favourite images from around the world 2016
In this series of year-end galleries our photo editors select their favourite images from around the world in 2016. President Barack Obama shakes hands with President-elect Donald Trump following a meeting in the Oval Office on November 10 in Washington, DC.
It’s been a rough year for animals who had to be rescued in 2016
Whenever we try and kid ourselves that animals are smart, they turn around and do something goofy like get squished in a hoover. The RSPCA has just released its top 10 animal rescues of the year – and, we know we shouldn’t laugh at the misfortunes of others, but HA HA.
A rare visit to the Raqqa front line shows how near – and far – the defeat of ISIS remains
“Raqqa we are coming” say the words spray-painted in Kurdish at the entrance to this empty little town, which lies on the front line of a U.S.-backed advance toward the Islamic State’s capital. The city of Raqqa is 17 miles away, a tantalizingly short hop to the place showcased in the militants’ propaganda videos as an Islamist utopia, where the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels were planned and where, U.S. officials warn, new plots against the West are being forged.
Chris Gillespie, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch and More Slated for Bemelmans Bar This Winter
The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, will welcome Chris Gillespie , Champian Fulton and Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Bemelmans Bar for Sunday night residencies throughout the winter 2017 season. Featuring top artists from the worlds of jazz, cabaret and Broadway alongside special unannounced guests, Sunday nights at Bemelmans Bar have become a favorite spot for a wide range of performing musicians across the city.
Kinmen a ‘model spot’ for cross-strait exchange
Taiwan will develop Kinmen, an island group it controls off southern China, into a “model spot” for peaceful exchanges between the two sides of Taiwan Strait, the head of the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation said Wednesday. Although cross-strait dialogue has been suspended by China, foundation Chairman Tien Hung-mao said during a visit to Kinmen that he found cross-strait exchanges and interactions through the “three mini-links” between Kinmen and China’s Fujian Province are operating normally.
Hualien, Taitung named top spots to catch sunrise
The east coast counties of Hualien and Taitung are the two top choices for people seeking to catch the first sunrise of 2016, ezTravel agency said Wednesday. It said that based on its sales of New Year travel packages, other popular destinations are Longpan in Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan, Alishan in Chiayi County, Erliao in Tainan, and Wuling in Nantou County.
Panic alarms to be installed after 115 assaults at Bay hospitals
Bay of Plenty District Health Board acting chief executive Pete Chandler said panic alarms will be installed in standalone buildings after at least 115 assaults on hospital staff this year. Photo/file Panic alarms are to be installed at Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals after more than 100 assaults on staff were recorded this year.
A girl rediscovers color in Adrien Broom’s images at Lyman Allyn
To continue reading up to 10 premium articles, you must register , or sign up and take advantage of this exclusive offer: In the photography exhibition “A Colorful Dream,” Adrien Broom’s large-scale photographs show a girl’s colorful journey. Step into the Lyman Allyn Art Museum’s Glassenberg Gallery, and you step into a world of lush color. In the vivid photographs that make up the exhibition “A Colorful Dream,” artist Adrien Broom – who grew up in Lyme and Hadlyme – has created a visually striking story of a girl “rediscovering the simple joys of color.”
Teens at qualifying schools in South Lakeland and Furness to get rail discount in new year
A TRAIN operator is to introduce a discount season ticket scheme for pupils at qualifying schools in South Lakeland and Furness. Northern, which runs services on the Lakes and Furness Lines, is to introduce the scheme for under 16s in the new year.
Temperature in Tamsui records low of 10.9 C
A strong continental air mass has brought with it lower temperatures, with Tamsui recording 10.9 degrees Celsius twice on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a new low for low lying areas this year, the Central Weather Bureau said. The strongest cold front so far this season sent temperatures as low as 13-14 degrees in northern Taiwan and Yilan in the northeast, 11-12 degrees in coastal areas of those regions and 16 degrees in southern Taiwan, as well as Hualien and Taitung in the east on Wednesday morning, according to the bureau.
70% of plastic bags found to carry false labels: consumer group
Ten out of 14 types of plastic bags sold in grocery stores, convenience stores and shopping centers have been found be carrying false labels marking them as biodegradable and environmentally friendly, the Taipei-based Consumers’ Foundation said Wednesday. The plastic bags in question break into tiny pieces during the natural process of degradation, but are nevertheless promoted as biodegradable, said Ling Young-chien , chief inspector of the foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to consumers’ rights.
Vicky’s Six Brilliant Things to do this Week
THE Emperor and the Nightingale by Neil Duffield, based on The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen is showing at Theatre by the Lake until January 14 . This charming tale of China’s young emperor Wu, who is kept a virtual prisoner in his palace by his scheming guardian and told the world outside the Forbidden City is a dangerous place.
Hartlepool youngsters showcase their maths skills Shanghai-style
Year 6 pupils from Eldon Grove Academy, Hartlepool, demonstrated their flair for fractions at an open classroom event under the expert tuition of teachers Huang Wei-yi of the Shanghai Huangpu Luwan No1 Central Primary School and Peng Yu-yun of the First Central Primary School of Jingan District, China. The live lesson, watched by dozens of headteachers from across the North East at Hartlepool College of Further Education, was the culmination of a primary maths global exchange programme.
Israel declassifies documents in 1950s missing children saga
Israel has declassified reams of documents related to a decades-old mystery of young children who disappeared in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Some 200,000 documents were released online Wednesday from past government inquiries into the disappearance of about 1,000 children, mostly Jewish immigrants from Yemen and other Arab countries.
Lithuanian ‘Elves’ Combat Russian Influence Online
In this Nov. 30, 2016 photo, Ricardas Savukynas, works on his computer in Vilnius, Lithuania. Savukynas is one of the Lithuanian volunteers who’ve dubbed themselves “elves” patrol social media to expose fake accounts they believe spread pro-Russia propaganda.
Deadline looms for flood grant applications
Flood-affected residents and businesses across Calderdale are being reminded that time is running out to apply for grants to repair and protect their properties, as the application deadlines are fast approaching. Calderdale was the worst hit area by the unprecedented floods last Boxing Day, with over 2000 residents and more than 1000 businesses flooded.
Deadline looms for flood grant applications
Flood-affected residents and businesses across Calderdale are being reminded that time is running out to apply for grants to repair and protect their properties, as the application deadlines are fast approaching. Calderdale was the worst hit area by the unprecedented floods last Boxing Day, with over 2000 residents and more than 1000 businesses flooded.
How a Trip to Rural China Taught an NYC Fashion Designer to Let Go
“I was interested in doing an authentic, no-frills trip. With Paskho, I work with a factory outside the industrial city of Guangzhou, in southern China.
How a Trip to Rural China Taught an NYC Fashion Designer to Let Go
“I was interested in doing an authentic, no-frills trip. With Paskho, I work with a factory outside the industrial city of Guangzhou, in southern China.
LC polls budget won’t go beyond sh10b – Kasaija
“It’s sh10b or nothing,” says Kasaija on whether government is amenable to the idea of increasing the budget for LC polls. PIC: Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, looks on as finance minister Matia Kasaija speaks while appearing before the Parliamentary committee on Local governments on Wednesday.
LC polls budget won’t go beyond sh10b – Kasaija
“It’s sh10b or nothing,” says Kasaija on whether government is amenable to the idea of increasing the budget for LC polls. PIC: Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, looks on as finance minister Matia Kasaija speaks while appearing before the Parliamentary committee on Local governments on Wednesday.
On this day 91 years ago: Obote is born
It is exactly 95 years today since the birth of Apolo Milton Obote, who would years later become Uganda’s president. A son of a tribal chief of the Lango ethnic group, Obote was born in a remote village of Apac district called Akokoro.
On this day 91 years ago: Obote is born
It is exactly 95 years today since the birth of Apolo Milton Obote, who would years later become Uganda’s president. A son of a tribal chief of the Lango ethnic group, Obote was born in a remote village of Apac district called Akokoro.
Israel Cabinet minister calls Kerry speech ‘pathetic’
In this Sept. 30, 2016 file photo, US President Barack Obama, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk during the funeral of former Israeli President and Prime minister Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.
Israel Cabinet minister calls Kerry speech ‘pathetic’
In this Sept. 30, 2016 file photo, US President Barack Obama, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk during the funeral of former Israeli President and Prime minister Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.
Fancy dress fundraising drive helps Swaffham and Litcham Home Hospice
Katrina Sell, who works as a pharmacist in Swaffham’s Boots branch, raised A 500 for the charity by going to work in different fancy dress costumes for six days. The amount, which was raised through donations from shoppers, was then matchfunded by Boots before being presented to hospice officials.
Fancy dress fundraising drive helps Swaffham and Litcham Home Hospice
Katrina Sell, who works as a pharmacist in Swaffham’s Boots branch, raised A 500 for the charity by going to work in different fancy dress costumes for six days. The amount, which was raised through donations from shoppers, was then matchfunded by Boots before being presented to hospice officials.
Second flight recorder recovered from Black Sea crash site
In this image from video and provided by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, ministry diver adjusts a rope on a fragment of a plane engine, to lift it outside in Sochi, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016. The Defense Ministry says search teams have recovered another flight recorder from a military plane that crashed in the Black Sea, killing all 92 aboard.
Dragons boss backs ‘tough as nails’ Blake to make impact after hitting the gym
PACKING A PUNCH: Back row forward Robson Blake, pictured carrying hard against Yorkshire Carnegie for the Dragons Premiership Select XV, has earned a regional deal NEWPORT Gwent Dragons believe they have got an unpolished diamond in Robson Blake with head coach Kingsley Jones tipping the Bedwas back rower to flourish thanks to hitting the gym. The 21-year-old from Powys has signed a contract with the region after impressing in the Principality Premiership for the men from Bridge Field, who he joined last summer from Division One East champions Bedlinog.
Dragons boss backs ‘tough as nails’ Blake to make impact after hitting the gym
PACKING A PUNCH: Back row forward Robson Blake, pictured carrying hard against Yorkshire Carnegie for the Dragons Premiership Select XV, has earned a regional deal NEWPORT Gwent Dragons believe they have got an unpolished diamond in Robson Blake with head coach Kingsley Jones tipping the Bedwas back rower to flourish thanks to hitting the gym. The 21-year-old from Powys has signed a contract with the region after impressing in the Principality Premiership for the men from Bridge Field, who he joined last summer from Division One East champions Bedlinog.
10 Things to Know for Today
A Turkish news agency says Ankara and Moscow are working to ensure that the truce would come into effect at midnight, although there was no immediate confirmation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry. “People relate to aspects of my stories and that’s nice for me because then I’m not all alone with it,” she told The AP in 2009.
10 Things to Know for Today
A Turkish news agency says Ankara and Moscow are working to ensure that the truce would come into effect at midnight, although there was no immediate confirmation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry. “People relate to aspects of my stories and that’s nice for me because then I’m not all alone with it,” she told The AP in 2009.