Obama Goes Golfing Before Ringing in 2017

January 2, 2017

Last Day on the Islands Sunday, January 1
President Obama is wrapping up his 16-day winter vacation with dinner at Buzz’s in Lanikai with the first family and friends. He also made some stops at a few of his regular goodbye locations earlier in the day.
He started at the University of Hawaii Manoa.
According to the White House, his daughters and sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, joined him at the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii, where he met with the incoming East-West Center president, Richard R. Vuylsteke. The East-West Center was a finalist for his presidential library.
He then visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, where his grandfather Stanley Dunham is buried. The president often visits the cemetery before leaving.
He spent the afternoon with his family and friends at Bellows Beach for a perfect Hawaiian, sunny afternoon.
He is scheduled to depart Hawaii at 10 p.m. HT, or 3 a.m. ET.
Gone Golfing
Saturday, Dec. 31
President Obama spent the final hours of 2016 golfing at the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course at the Kaneohe Marine with golfing buddies Darrell Harrington, Mike Ramos, and Bobby Titcomb.
Around 3 p.m., he returned to his Kailua vacation rental, where he rang in the new year.
As the motorcade entered the neighborhood where he’s been vacationing, some people held up a sign saying « Thank you President and Mrs. Obama. «
But the day was not all R&R.
Following the deadly nightclub attack in Turkey, principal deputy press secretary Eric Schultz said in a statement, « This afternoon the President was briefed by his National Security Team on the attack in Istanbul. The President expressed condolences for the innocent lives lost, directed his team to offer appropriate assistance to the Turkish authorities, as necessary, and keep him updated as warranted. «
A Late Start and a Luau
Friday, Dec. 30
After a late night dinner Thursday night, President Obama skipped his usual gym routine and opted for a late start to the last Friday of the year. The Obamas attended a luau on Oahu’s North Shore at the home of the president’s childhood friend Bobby Titcomb, spending more than six hours at the gathering. The first family has attended Titcomb’s annual luaus in the past.
Obama Hits Russia, the Gym and the Beach
Thursday, Dec. 29
Aside from imposing various sanctions against Russia for its alleged cyberassault on Democratic political organizations during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Obama today hit the gym, the beach and a trendy Honolulu restaurant.
He kicked off the day with a workout at the Semper Fit gym on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, arriving around 8 a.m. In the afternoon, the entire Obama clan a group of friend headed to the beach at Bellows Air Force Station in the Oahu town of Waimanalo.
Toward the end of the day, the Obamas spent downtime at their vacation rental, before the president and the first lady had dinner with friends at Honolulu hotspot Mahina & Sun’s.
Family Night Out
Wednesday, Dec. 28
After President Obama started his day with his ritual gym time, he spent the afternoon on the links at Kapolei golf club, joined by Hawaii regulars Mike Ramos, Bobby Titcomb and Greg Orme.
This evening was reserved for some family time. According to the White House, the first family and their friends toured Shangri La, a center for Islamic art and cultures built by heiress Doris Duke. The Honolulu home is a « center for Islamic arts and cultures offering guided tours, residencies for scholars and artists, and programs for the purpose of improving understanding of the Islamic world, » according to its website.
The family capped the evening with a dinner at famed sushi restaurant Nobu near the Ala Moana mall area. According to the pool traveling with him, at least a hundred people stood across the street from the restaurant cheering and taking photos and videos as he exited.
Earlier today, the White House confirmed Obama called trump from Hawaii and that the call was « positive and focused on continuing a smooth and effective transition. «
Pearl Harbor Reconciliation
Tuesday, Dec. 27
President Obama was joined by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe honoring the lives lost at Pearl Harbor. The two leaders met this morning for a bilateral meeting, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the USS Arizona and remarks.
The two leaders praised peace over war, offered condolences for the lives lost, and remembrance for their sacrifice.
« It is here that we remember that even when hatred burns hottest, even when the tug of tribalism is at its most primal, we must resist the urge to turn inward, » Obama said.
Following the historic meeting, Obama headed to Hanauma Bay, where he met up with the first family and friends for snorkeling.
Golf and Fine Dining
Monday, Dec. 26
After more than five hours at the Mid-Pacific Country Club in Kailua, President Obama and his golf partners wrapped up their round.
His usual group joined him for the foursome: Bobby Titcomb, Mike Ramos, and Greg Orme.
This is the second time this trip that Potus has golfed here.
This evening, Obama along with the first lady and some friends dined at a Honolulu favorite: Alan Wong’s.
Christmas Greetings
Sunday, Dec. 25
The President and his family stayed in this Christmas morning. According to the White House they opened Christmas gifts and played games.
This afternoon, the President and the First Lady went to the Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay to visit with service members and their families and thank them for their service to the country. Obama reiterated his thanks to the troops saying their sacrifice can never be fully repaid. He thanked the families who serve alongside them and joked he plans on continuing his use of the gym & golf course as ex-president.
He tweeted out a holiday greeting earlier this morning.
Obama selecting a photo from a state dinner.
The best part of the holidays is the time we share with those we love. On behalf of Michelle, Malia, and Sasha, Merry Christmas everyone. pic.twitter.com/EznGyxluS8
While the First Lady went with a throw-back photo.
May your home be filled with peace and joy. Merry Christmas! pic.twitter.com/ZfJKus2SsV
Obama also made calls last night to troops stationed overseas.
According to Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz: « Last night, the President made telephone calls to US service members from each branch of the military who are currently stationed around the globe. The President expressed his gratitude on behalf of all Americans for the service and sacrifice of our troops and their families. «
Merry Christmas, everyone! Yesterday, President Obama made Christmas Eve calls to U. S. Troops stationed overseas. Go to JoiningForces.gov to see how you can honor and support the service members, veterans and military families in your community – not just during the holidays, but all year round.
A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Dec 25, 2016 at 10:16am PST
Shaved Ice and ‘Live-Action Escape:’ Obama’s Dad-Daughter Day Out
Saturday, Dec. 24
After President Obama enjoyed a roughly two-hour lunch with daughters Sasha and Malia Friday at Waikiki’s Side Street Inn, the trio, along with the daughters’ friends, headed to Breakout Waikiki, which bills itself as « Hawaii’s first live-action escape room. «
The venue allots guests roughly 60-minutes to escape from a room using codes and « your gut » by solving riddles.
The President and his daughters spent an hour-and-a-half inside the room, so whether they made it out, is unclear.
Afterwards, the group visited the president’s favorite shaved ice spot, Kailua’s Island Snow. According to the travel pool, Malia passed on partaking in the frozen dessert, but Sasha opted for a blue shaved ice treat.
The president exited Island Snow with a large-sized shaved ice treat. He was sporting a white polo, khakis, flip flops, and wearing sunglasses, while he chatted with bystanders and small children before making his way down the ropeline, making eye contact with a toddler and proceeding to pick up the child, prompting an audible « awww » reaction from the crowd.
The first lady was noticeably absent, but spent time answering phone calls received by the Santa NORAD tracking center. She spoke with children interested in knowing Santa’s whereabouts, and listening to what they want for Christmas.
Golf Again
Friday, Dec. 23
After a little more than 4-hours, Obama wrapped another round of Golf this afternoon. Returning to play at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe). Playing with him are regulars Darrell Harrington, Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme. And in his weekday habit made his way to the gym this morning before hitting the links.
Back to the Beach
Thursday, Dec. 22
For the second time this trip, President Obama and the first family spent the afternoon at the beach with a group of friends. This time the Obamas visited the beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where the president started his day in the morning with his ritual workout.
After almost two hours under mostly cloudy skies, according to the press pool, they headed back to their vacation rental where they remained for the night.
Golfing on the West Side of Oahu
Wednesday, Dec. 21
On another beautiful Hawaiian day, President Obama continued his familiar pattern of an early morning workout at the gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii followed by a golf outing. Today’s course: Kapolei Golf Club. He was joined by regular golf partners Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme and Darrell Harrington.
The round lasted under five hours and the press who travel with Obama’s motorcade were invited to the 18th green to witness the commander in chief finish out his round. They reported that Obama stepped up on the green and sunk “a rather short putt” and tipped his cap in the direction of the press after making the putt. “Fellow players then approached POTUS to clasp hands and bro hug in triumph,” one of the pool reporters noted.
Family Fun at the Beach
Tuesday, Dec. 20
The Obama family went to Bellows Air Force station to visit the beach with friends. It is a favorite beach spot for the first family; last year, the first family visited the beach three times, and in 2014 made it there five times.
The visit came after Obama announced in a statement earlier in the day what he characterized as a permanent ban on drilling in parts of the Arctic and Atlantic.
Another Day of Golf
Monday, Dec. 19
Obama hit the links for the second time golfing today at Mid Pacific (or « Mid Pac ») Country Club. He was joined by long time friends Bobby Titcomb and Greg Orme — regular golf partners for the president when he returns to his home state — as well as White House aide Joe Paulsen.
This evening, the president and first lady ate out for the first time in Honolulu, visiting the Vintage Cave Cafe in Waikiki.
Obamas Visit Nature Trail
Sunday, Dec. 18
President Obama, along with first lady Michelle Obama joined some friends Sunday for a walking nature trail at Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden.
Located in Kaneohe, Oahu, the 400-acre nature garden is part of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens. The name Ho’omaluhia means « a peaceful refuge. «
According to the press pool traveling with the president, a steady rain persisted during their roughly one hour at Ho’omaluhia.
Keeping With His Golfing tradition
Saturday, Dec. 17
President Obama is hitting the links for his first full day on vacation. The first round is being played on the Marine Corps Base course: Kaneohe Klipper Golf Club.
According to the website it is « one of the world’s best military golf courses, consistently voted Number One by DoD patrons » and described as a « golfers’ paradise where the Ko’oalu Mountains frame the front nine and the Pacific coastline spans the back nine. «
Along for the game are White House staffers Joe Paulsen, Luke Rosa and Michael Brush, as well as longtime Obama friend Bobby Titcomb.
Obama started his 2014 and 2015 vacations in Hawaii playing this same course, with the same group of regulars.
Off to Hawaii for Final Family Vacation as First Family
Friday, Dec. 16
President Barack Obama is heading back to his home state of Hawaii for his final vacation as president.
Taking off Friday evening, the first family returns to the island Obama grew up on, Oahu, for 17 days, staying near the beach town of Kailua.
The final vacation will be historic in another way — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Pearl Harbor following a summit meeting with Obama in Hawaii, becoming the first Japanese leader to go to the site of the Japanese attack that propelled the United States into World War II.
The announcement came after the 75th anniversary of the attack and six months after Obama visited Hiroshima, becoming the first sitting U. S. president to visit the site of the U. S. atomic bombing.
Obama visited the island earlier this year as to designate Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off the Hawaiian coast, creating the world’s largest marine protected area.
« This is an area twice the size of Texas that’s going to be protected, and it allows us to save and study the fragile ecosystem threatened by climate change, » Obama said following the designation at a Conference of Leaders and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii, in September.
This post will be regularly updated throughout the Obama’s final vacation as first family.

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NFL Teams Get Head Start On ‘Black Monday’; Others May Act Soon

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January 2, 2017

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Bono and the guys in U2 are big football fans, as in soccer.
So when they sang about “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day,” they had no intention of describing the end of the 2016 NFL season.
Yet, the firings of Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke in San Francisco, Mike McCoy in San Diego, and the resignation of Gary Kubiak for health reasons in Denver certainly rang true to those rock classics.
Usually, the axings take place the day after the regular season concludes. Except, of course, for the teams in a rush to get into the personnel market extra early, which in ’16 were the Jaguars (Gus Bradley), Rams (Jeff Fisher) and Bills (Rex Ryan).
Then-49ers head coach Chip Kelly looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks on Jan. 1, 2017, in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
On Sunday, while other franchises were scrambling to make the playoffs or improve their postseason standing, the coaching carousel spun wildly in California. With Fisher already canned in Los Angeles, Kelly and McCoy became unemployed within an hour of each other.
Both moves were predictable, as was the release of Baalke, whose success as a GM with the 49ers now, it’s clear, was dependent on how Jim Harbaugh molded and improved the players Baalke gave him. Baalke won a power struggle with Harbaugh, who headed to Michigan. The Niners became historically bad without him, and Baalke’s choice of Kelly to work with such a weak roster looks worse than hiring caretaker Jim Tomsula after Harbaugh left. At least Tomsula went 5-11, three more victories than Kelly managed.
Indeed, his only wins in a 2-14 record came against the Rams, so maybe LA owner Stan Kroenke will turn to Kelly.
Don’t count on it.
“Despite my feelings for Trent and Chip, I felt the decision to change our football leadership was absolutely necessary,” 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. “The performance of this team has not lived up to my expectations or those of our fans, and that is truly disappointing. We all expected to see this team progress and develop as the season went on, but unfortunately that did not happen. That is why now is the time to find a new direction for this team.”
The new direction for the Chargers looks like it will be north a bit to become a tenant of Kroenke and the Rams in the new Inglewood, California palace that will open in a few years. McCoy’s team lost its last five games and finished second for two straight seasons in the tough AFC West. Injuries tore it apart, too, but with the focus on whether the Chargers would move to LA, it was hard to judge what kind of job McCoy was doing.
Apparently Chargers chairman Dean Spanos wants a totally fresh start when the club abandons its long-time home.
Which means both of the new teams in Los Angeles, which was without the NFL since 1995 until the Rams moved back last year, will be riding the coaching carousel.
More moves could be coming, too. Is Chuck Pagano safe in Indianapolis? Might the Saints do something with Sean Payton? What about Bears coach John Fox?
Safe for another year are Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan , who the Jets are bringing back. And Cleveland coach Hue Jackson, despite a 1-15 record. And Marvin Lewis despite the meltdown in Cincinnati.
The saddest news comes from Denver. Never was there a question about Kubiak returning after leading the Broncos to their Super Bowl win last February. But Kubiak’s health issues forced him to step aside, disappointing fans, players and John Elway alike.
“We love Kube, we love how he treated us,” said cornerback Aqib Talib. “We pray he gets healthy.”
Denver won’t have any trouble filling Kubiak’s spot. One of the hot candidates, for example, is Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, son of Mike Shanahan, who coached Elway to two Super Bowl championships.
Given how well Kubiak fit in the Broncos’ family, such a hire makes a lot of sense.
Then again, sensibility isn’t always a criteria in NFL coaching circles.
(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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17 still missing after Indonesia boat fire kills 23

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January 2, 2017

A search resumed Monday for 17 people reported missing after a ferry fire off the coast of Indonesia’s capital that left at least 23 dead, officials said.
The victims died Sunday when the vessel, Zahro Express, carrying more than 260 people from a port near Jakarta to Tidung, a resort island in the Kepulauan Seribu chain, caught fire, officials said. Most of the passengers were Indonesians celebrating the New Year holiday, according to local media reports.
Dito, an official from the Jakarta Search and Rescue Agency, said at least five ships and a number of speedboats and rubber boats were deployed in the search.
Of the 224 passengers who were rescued, 32 were being treated at three hospitals, said Dito, who uses a single name.
Seply Madreta, an official from the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency, said the fire gutted about half the vessel, and that 23 bodies had been recovered.
Twenty bodies that were found inside the vessel were burned beyond recognition and were transferred to a police hospital for identification, said Col. Umar Shahab of the Jakarta police health department.
Witnesses told MetroTV that the fire broke out about 15 minutes after the ferry left the port of Muara Angke.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Some passengers told local media that they first saw smoke coming from the ferry’s engine.
The director for sea transportation, Tonny Budiono, said the initial suspicion was that the fire was « most probably caused by a short circuit in the engine room. »
He told a news conference the short circuit might have led to the fuel tank exploding.
TV footage showed people in the water with the ferry in flames in the background. A woman in the water can be heard screaming « Ya Allah! Ya Allah! » or « Oh God! Oh God! »
Another woman told the TV station that she and other passengers were rescued by a small boat.
Despite the high number of people who were rescued, the ferry’s manifest showed that only 100 were registered as passengers, along with six crewmen, said Denny Wahyu Haryanto, head of the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency. He said the vessel’s captain was under police investigation over the incident.
Ferry accidents are common in Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelagic nation, with more than 17,000 islands. Many accidents are blamed on lax regulation of boat services.

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Netanyahu to be questioned in graft probe: reports

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January 2, 2017

The long-running inquiry has looked into whether Israeli and foreign businessmen have offered gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars as well as another unspecified issue, according to the reports.
Attorney general Avichai Mandelblit has reportedly decided to upgrade the inquiry to a criminal probe, though he has yet to confirm this.
Police and Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Monday.
Public radio said Netanyahu has agreed to be questioned at his residence. It was not clear when it would occur, though some reports said it would not be until 7:00 pm.
Screens were mounted at the entrance to the compound in central Jerusalem in an apparent bid to shield the investigators’ arrival.
In a Facebook post at the weekend, Netanyahu rejected all allegations against him and said his political opponents and some news outlets wanted to bring down his government.
Police have carried out the inquiry in secret over the course of some eight months and recently arrived at an important breakthrough, reports said. Some 50 witnesses are said to have been questioned.
In July, Mandelblit said he had ordered a preliminary examination into an unspecified affair involving Netanyahu, with no details given.
US billionaire and World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder has been among those questioned in the probe over gifts he allegedly gave Netanyahu and alleged spending on trips for him, Israeli media reported.
Lauder, whose family founded the Estee Lauder cosmetics giant, has long been seen as an ally of Netanyahu, who in the late 1990s put him in charge of negotiating with then Syrian president Hafez al-Assad.
Netanyahu has acknowledged receiving money from French tycoon Arnaud Mimran, who was sentenced to eight years in prison over a scam amounting to 283 million euros involving the trade of carbon emissions permits and the taxes on them.
Netanyahu’s office said he had received $40,000 in contributions from Mimran in 2001, when he was not in office, as part of a fund for public activities, including appearances abroad to promote Israel.
He has also come under scrutiny over an alleged conflict of interest in the purchase of submarines from a German firm.
Media reports have alleged a conflict of interest over the role played by the Netanyahu family lawyer, David Shimron, who also acts for the Israeli agent of Germany’s ThyssenKrupp, which builds the Dolphin submarines.
Beyond those issues, Israel’s state comptroller released a critical report in May about Netanyahu’s foreign trips, some with his wife and children, between 2003 and 2005 when he was finance minister.
Netanyahu, 67, is in his fourth term as prime minister and currently heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history.
He has served as premier for a total of nearly 11 years, fast approaching revered founding father David Ben-Gurion’s 13 years.
Polls have shown that if elections were held today, his Likud party would finish behind the centrist Yesh Atid, but that voters still prefer Netanyahu as prime minister.
The inquiry has led to fierce debate in Israeli politics, with Netanyahu’s allies accusing opposition politicians and some in the news media of unfairly pressuring the attorney general.
Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, in comments on army radio on Monday, denounced what he called a « campaign of provocation and incitement » against Mandelblit.
Others have however accused Mandelblit of moving too slowly.
Netanyahu’s predecessor as prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was forced to resign while dogged by corruption allegations.
He entered prison in February and is serving 27 months for corruption, making Olmert the first former Israeli premier to serve jail time.

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Obama plans farewell address for next week

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January 2, 2017

“I’m just beginning to write my remarks. But I’m thinking about them as a chance to say thank you for this amazing journey, to celebrate the ways you’ve changed this country for the better these past eight years, and to offer some thoughts on where we all go from here,” Mr. Obama said in a blog post on the White House website.
President Obama is planning an all-out push to save his signature health care program when he gets back to Washington from his Hawaiian vacation….
The president will deliver the address next Tuesday from Chicago, which is where he lived before becoming president.
“Since 2009, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges, and come through them stronger. That’s because we have never let go of a belief that has guided us ever since our founding—our conviction that, together, we can change this country for the better,” he added.
The announcement comes as the first family returns from their annual two-week holiday vacation in Hawaii.
Mr. Obama is set to deliver the address 10 days before Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Obamas plan to stay in Washington, D. C. until Sasha, their younger daughter, graduates from high school.
It’s unclear if Mr. Obama plans to do a final press conference. The last one he held with the White House press corps was at the end of December, just before he departed for Hawaii.

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Daughter of S. Korea's 'Rasputin' arrested in Denmark

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January 2, 2017

The daughter of Choi Soon-Sil, the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of South Korea’s President, has been arrested in Denmark after months in hiding, Seoul prosecutors said Monday.
Chung Yoo-Ra, the 20-year-old daughter of the woman dubbed South Korea’s « Rasputin », is one of the figures in the influence-peddling scandal that sparked massive street protests demanding the removal of President Park Geun-Hye.
Danish police arrested Chung Sunday night for overstaying her visa, Korean prosecutors said, adding they were in talks with Danish authorities to have her deported to Seoul.
Choi, a secret confidante of Park, is accused of using her ties with the president to force top firms including Samsung to « donate » nearly $70 million to non-profit foundations Choi then used as her personal ATMs.
She is also accused of using her influence to secure her daughter’s admission to an elite Seoul university, with a state probe revealing the school had admitted Chung at the expense of other candidates with better qualifications.
The revelation touched a raw nerve in education-obsessed South Korea and prosecutors sought to question Chung over her admission to Ewha Women’s University in 2014.
Park stands accused of colluding with Choi to extract money from the firms and also of letting her meddle in state affairs including nominations of top officials, but the president denies all charges against her.
Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over the scandal and her executive powers have been handed to an acting president, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn.
The impeachment case is being considered by the Constitutional Court — which has up to six months to reach a ruling — but hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have joined weekly protests calling for Park’s immediate departure from office.
If the impeachment is confirmed, a presidential election will have to be held within 60 days.
Choi, daughter of a controversial religious figure who was close to Park until his death in 1994, is awaiting trial on charges including coercion and abuse of power.
Several professors at Ewha Women’s University, including a former school president, have been investigated for giving Chung preferential treatment.
One professor was arrested over the weekend for allegedly giving Chung a good grade for a class she never attended and forcing his teaching assistants to forge exam records for her.
Top Samsung managers were also investigated as part of the scandal, following accusations the firm indirectly bankrolled Chung’s equestrian training in Germany in a bid to curry policy favour.

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Iraq: Suicide bombing kills at least 18 in Baghdad

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January 2, 2017

Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has blown up his explosives-laden vehicle in a bustling market area in Baghdad, killing at least 18 people.
A police officer says the bomber driving a pickup truck attacked an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, daily laborers and a police checkpoint in Baghdad’s eastern Sadr City district. He said up to 25 other people were wounded in that attack.
Two medical officials confirmed casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but it has all the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which has staged multiple similar attacks in the past. The attack came as French President Francois Hollande started an official visit to Iraq to meet officials and French troops.

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Mariah Carey: Row over New Year's Eve performance debacle

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January 2, 2017

There have been bitter recriminations after Mariah Carey’s televised New Year’s Eve performance went wrong.
The pop star’s live appearance in New York’s Times Square was beset by problems as she complained of sound difficulties and struggled to sing.
Her representative told Billboard the producers « set her up to fail ».
But Dick Clark Productions said any suggestion it would « compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd ».
Carey was live on ABC just before midnight and began with Auld Lang Syne, but hit trouble during her 1991 hit Emotions.
Complaining that she could not hear, she did not sing for much of the track and her dancers led her through an awkward stage routine.
She told the crowd: « I want a holiday, too. Can I not have one? I’m trying to be a good sport here. »
The problems continued during her next song, the 2005 hit We Belong Together. She lowered her microphone but could still be heard singing on a pre-recorded track.
« It just don’t get any better, » she said at the end of the song.
Her spokesperson Nicole Perna told Billboard: « She was not ‘winging’ this moment and took it very seriously. A shame that production set her up to fail. »
Carey told the production crew that her earpiece was not working in advance, Ms Perna said.
« They told her it would be fine once she was on stage, » she explained. « However, that was not the case and they were again told that her earpiece was not working. Instead of endeavouring to fix the issue so that Mariah could perform, they went live. »
Carey went on stage but was « flying blind », Ms Perna said. Referring to the backing vocal track, she said, « it is not uncommon for artists to sing to track during certain live performances ».
She added: « Any allegations that she planned to lip sync are just adding insult to injury. »
However, production company Dick Clark Productions (DCP) said: « As the premier producer of live television events for nearly 50 years, we pride ourselves on our reputation and long-standing relationships with artists.
« To suggest that DCP, as producer of music shows including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and Academy of Country Music Awards, would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd. »
It said technical errors could occur with live television in « very rare instances » but that an initial investigation indicated it had no involvement in the problems during Carey’s performance.
« We want to be clear that we have the utmost respect for Ms Carey as an artist and acknowledge her tremendous accomplishments in the industry, » it added.
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Spott für Mariah Careys verpatzten Silvester-Auftritt

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January 2, 2017

Die Sängerin stand zu ihrer Musik hilflos auf der Bühne und fand den Einsatz nicht. Ihre Begründung: « Wir hatten keinen Soundcheck. »
02.01.2017 | 15:49 |
( DiePresse.com )
Sängerin Mariah Carey muss wegen eines verpatzten Silvesterauftritts viel Spott über sich ergehen lassen. Als die in ein knappes Glitzerkostüm und Federn gekleidete Popdiva als letzter Star vor Mitternacht auf dem New Yorker Times Square hatte singen sollen, war alles schiefgegangen: Carey stand vor einem Millionen-TV-Publikum zu ihrer Musik hilflos auf der Bühne und fand den Einsatz nicht.
« Hier fehlen Teile des Gesangs, aber das ist jetzt eben so », erklärte sie dem Publikum. « Wir hatten keinen Soundcheck. » Das dritte Lied spielte vollständig vom Band, während Carey endgültig aufgab. Auf Twitter hagelte es unmittelbar darauf Häme: « Der Auftritt passt zum ganzen Jahr 2016 », schrieb ein User. « Ein Engel verliert seine Flügel », meinte ein anderer mit Seitenhieb auf das Kostüm. « Jeder am Times Square hat Mariah Carey gesungen außer Mariah Carey », twitterte eine Nutzerin. Auch von einer amerikanischen « Horrorstory » war die Rede.
Careys Management warf der Produktionsfirma vor, die Blamage für bessere Einschaltquoten absichtlich verursacht zu haben. « Ich werde die Wahrheit niemals erfahren, aber ich weiß, dass wir ihnen dreimal gesagt haben, dass ihre (Careys) Mikrofon-Ausstattung nicht funktionierte », sagte Carey-Managerin Stella Bulochnikov dem « US Weekly Magazine ». Die Show habe begonnen, obwohl Carey bei den Proben über einen defekten Kopfhörer geklagt habe. « Es ist eine Schande, dass die Produktion es darauf anlegte, sie scheitern zu lassen », zitierte das Magazin « Billboard » Careys Sprecherin Nicole Perna.
Die Diva selbst nahm den Reinfall vor Millionenpublikum mit Humor: « Shit happens », schrieb die Sängerin auf Twitter neben theatralisch stöhnenden und lachenden Emoji. « Frohes Neues! Auf noch mehr Schlagzeilen 2017! »
(APA/dpa)

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Vier von hundert Menschen in Deutschland sind Vegetarier

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January 2, 2017

Berlin (dpa) – Gut vier von hundert Erwachsenen in Deutschland ernähren sich gewöhnlich vegetarisch. Zu diesem Schluss kommt eine vom Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) vorgestellte Studie. Unter den Frauen sind demnach 6,1 Prozent Vegetarierinnen, Männern ernähren sich nur zu 2,5 Prozent üblicherweise fleischlos.
« Die Möglichkeiten, sich ausgewogen vegetarisch zu ernähren, haben sich in Deutschland in den letzten Jahren deutlich verbessert und Vegetarierinnen und Vegetarier sind heute mehr als eine idealistische Minderheit », schreiben die Autoren.
Ein verringerter Fleischkonsum reduziere die Massentierhaltung, schone die Umwelt und sei nach Einschätzung von Experten vielfach gesünder, heißt es in der Analyse. « Diese positiven Effekte würden weiter verstärkt, wenn neben der relativ kleinen Gruppe der Menschen, die ganz auf Fleisch verzichten, eine insgesamt größere Bevölkerungsgruppe ihren Fleischkonsum reduzieren würde. » Derzeit liege er im Durchschnitt noch erheblich über der Empfehlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Ernährung.
Am höchsten liegt der Anteil überwiegend vegetarisch lebender Menschen der Auswertung zufolge bei den 18- bis 29-Jährigen (Frauen 9,2 Prozent, Männer 5 Prozent) sowie bei Frauen von 60 bis 69 Jahren (7,3 Prozent). Zudem steige er mit zunehmendem Bildungsstand, zeigen die im « Journal of Health Monitoring » vorgestellten Daten. « Gleiches gilt für Personen, die in Großstädten leben und für Menschen, die mehr als vier Stunden pro Woche Sport treiben. »
In die Auswertung der RKI-Forscher waren zwischen 2008 und 2011 aufgenommene Angaben von 6933 Menschen im Alter von 18 bis 79 Jahren eingeflossen. Verzehrhäufigkeit und -menge von 53 Lebensmittelgruppen wurden dabei jeweils über vier Wochen erfasst. Vegetarier konsumieren demnach auch weniger kalorienreduzierte Getränke, Bier und Wein sowie mehr Tee, Obst und Gemüse.