Thursday, 11 December 2014

Shahal says Army arrested his son in Tripoli

Machnouk: Tripoli security plan to take hold

The Lebanese Army will begin enforcing a government security plan to end violence in Tripoli at the weekend, Interior...

Secretary of Sidon’s Catholic Diocese robbed

Two knife-wielding robbers stole cash from the Secretary of the Catholic Diocese in the southern city of Sidon...

The 21 Best Android Apps You Should Download Right Now

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Originally published by Popular Mechanics

Salam set to meet Hollande as French arms deal advances

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam will meet French President Francois Hollande Friday on the third day of an official visit to Paris, as a Lebanese delegation irons out the details of a Saudi-funded French arms package for Lebanon’s Army. Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and high-ranking Lebanese Army officers discussed with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian Thursday the details the arms package, which is being funded through a $3 billion grant from Saudi Arabia.

Moqbel said the mechanism for the delivery of the weapons was nearing agreement, adding that the final list of requested arms would be sent to Saudi Arabia, which would then approve it before the end of January at the latest.

Salam is also expected to discuss the delivery of the French weapons with Le Drian Friday.

Speaking to Lebanese expatriates in Paris, Salam said the arms would be delivered in the coming weeks.

Salam also said the French National Assembly’s foreign affairs commission would form a special committee tasked with following up on Lebanese issues and devising proposals to help the country end its crises.

Salam reiterated the need to elect a new president, adding that he was “unable to sleep comfortably at night knowing that 25 servicemen are held captive and threatened with death.”

Salam was referring to 25 Army and Internal Security Forces members held captive by ISIS and Nusra Front militants on the outskirts of Arsal.

“We will not surrender and we will liberate those heroic servicemen while at the same time preserving Lebanon’s dignity,” Salam said.

The aid package was announced last December by then President Michel Sleiman. According to deal, the Saudi money will be used to buy French weapons, equipment and vehicles for the Lebanese Army, and also cover military training.

The military is in desperate need of assistance now that it is engaged in open-ended battles with militants on the northeastern border.

Salam also visited Abdou Diouf, the secretary-general of La Francophonie, and visited the Arab World Institute, where he met its head Jack Lang.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov holds further meetings with Lebanese officials Friday.

The Russian official paid a two-day visit to Lebanon last week during which he met politicians from rival groups, including Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.

Sources told the Central News Agency that Bogdanov could meet Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh and head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea Friday.

Frangieh visited Rai Thursday at the headquarters of the Maronite patriarchate in Bkirki.

A source from the patriarchate said the visit was part of Rai’s efforts to facilitate the election of a president. He added that several Christian leaders have visited Bkirki recently away from media.

Zeaiter: Build public transport system

FAYADIEH, Lebanon: In light of the recent road floods, the Public Works and Transportation Ministry has put forth a series of “radical” solutions to the government, including a public bus system.

“I presented a full report to the Cabinet about this issue [of road flooding] ... it includes immediate solutions that could take some time and long-term radical solutions,” ministry head Ghazi Zeaiter said.

The report was prepared by the ministry and other relevant bodies at his request after several main roads in the country were hit by floods resulting from heavy rainfall last month.

Zeaiter said radical solutions required cooperation between several ministries and bodies: “The Public Works and Transportation Ministry, the Energy and Water Ministry, the Interior Ministry, municipalities, the Environment Ministry are all involved.”

In what has become an annual occurrence at the start of winter, heavy rainfall last month flooded several Lebanese roads and regions, including a vital tunnel near the airport, trapping motorists for hours inside their vehicles. Similar floods occurred on the highway linking Beirut to Jounieh just weeks earlier.

An investigation found that the flooding of the highway in Ghazir was caused by drains blocked by soil, sand and gravel from a nearby construction site in Kesrouan.

Zeaiter said the flooding mostly resulted from the failure of other ministries to fulfill their duties: “The municipality and the Interior Ministry should have made sure that the owner of the construction site built a fence around the sand and gravel.”

As for the airport tunnel flooding, he attributed it to the overflowing of the Ghadir River, which passes through the southern suburbs of Beirut. This in turn was caused by unauthorized construction shrinking the width of the riverbed from 14 meters to 3 meters in certain areas. Some structures in the country were even built on top of storm drains, he added.

As for his ministry, Zeaiter acknowledged there had been a “dereliction” of duties related to monitoring the work of companies it had tasked to clean storm drains on highways linking Beirut to the south, north and the Bekaa Valley.

“On several occasions, I sent verbal warnings to some of the companies,” he said. “From now on, [I will make sure] these companies are satisfying the specifications book based on which they were granted the contract.”

Zeaiter also implored the public to cooperate with the authorities. “For example, we might ask people not to take a tunnel like the airport tunnel at a specific time when a storm is expected. Or ask them to wait for 30 minutes before going through the tunnel.

Zeaiter said the ministry was now fully prepared to deal with any emergency situations caused by storms.

Separately, the minister dismissed public transportation in Lebanon as something that “did not actually exist,” and voiced his intention to modify and adopt an old plan to revive the sector.

Currently, a private company operates a small number of public buses in Beirut and its suburbs, but the vehicles are in miserable condition and have not been renovated in over a decade. Zeaiter said that according to the plan, Beirut and its suburbs needed 900 new buses.

“I am considering whether we operate it jointly with the private sector or whether the private sector manages it alone under the supervision of the Railway and Public Transportation Authority, which would set the price and routes,” the minister said. “I want to go ahead with this plan.”

But one of the many obstacles facing the implementation of the plan is the presence of unauthorized structures on many of the suggested routes, he said.

Zeaiter added that the construction of a train route linking Beirut to Jounieh, which would put an end to the horrendous traffic on that stretch of road, was awaiting government approval.

“The World Bank told me it was ready to offer us a loan. We need to borrow $500 million. It is not an easy plan. It is expensive but it solves a problem.”

He added that a funding shortage was behind the delay in finalizing the highway linking Sidon to Tyre.

Aoun, Geagea dispute a tough nut to crack

There has lately been daily activity by numerous delegations shuffling between the Free Patriotic Movement’s base in Rabieh and the Lebanese Forces’ headquarters in Maarab in order to find a solution to the presidential election file, according to parliamentary sources.

Both LF chief Samir Geagea and FPM leader Michel Aoun believe that the next president should be someone who represents Christians and wields a political and popular presence, the sources said.

However, the longtime dispute between the top two Maronite politicians is still preventing any sort of meeting between the leaders on the topic, especially since Geagea has rejected outright Aoun’s suggestion of restricting the candidacy list to just the two of them.

The Lebanese Forces’ suggestion is that all the parliamentary blocs attend a session for a presidential election, or else meet up independently and agree on a third person.

Geagea has confirmed, through the delegates, that he would be happy if any of the four main Maronite politicians are elected – himself, Aoun, Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel or Marada Movement chief Sleiman Frangieh – but that a figure of very high caliber should be chosen.

But the answer from Rabieh – Aoun’s residence – is still the same, according to political sources. The only possible solutions are to narrow the candidates down to two names and then hold a parliamentary session to vote on it, or give support to what Rabieh sees as the Maronite leader who has the biggest Christian bloc in Parliament – Aoun.

The only silver lining is that Aoun has expressed a willingness to negotiate, the parliamentary sources said. The FPM leader is still prepared to hold discussions, through mediators or delegates, in the hope of reaching a consensus that will eventually allow a face-to-face meeting between the two Christian leaders.

It is within this context that we should view the flurry of movement of international envoys, especially the French ambassador. They are aiming to elect a president other than the four candidates currently under consideration. And unlike Aoun and Geagea, the envoys do not think the future president has to be a strong figure that politically represents the majority of Christians, the sources said.

Still, a meeting between the two leaders is still a distant prospect that requires a U-turn in both leaders’ positions that will likely only be prompted by new local, regional or international considerations.

Bkirki’s role in this context is not important, the sources said, but Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai is in communication with the envoys mediating on the issue.

“I have put so much effort toward reaching the point where the two [Aoun and Geagea] announced their readiness to meet,” former Minister Wadih Khazen told The Daily Star. “And these efforts received internal and external support, especially from the Vatican.”

“In my mediation, I didn’t touch on issues that the two would discuss in case they meet,” Khazen said. “But I think they’re in a tough situation and they no longer have many options except for meeting, communicating and discussing the file.”

A number of FPM deputies stressed that Aoun would welcome Geagea in Rabieh, but only based on a mutual understanding that only a strong Christian leader can be elected president.

These lawmakers are convinced that Aoun remains the most eligible candidate for the highest Christian post in the country.

The meeting could happen, they said, but the outcome is not certain.

The rivalry between the two dates back decades.

At the end of the Civil War, Geagea backed the Saudi-brokered Taif Accord to end fighting, while Aoun, then Army commander and head of a transitional military government, refused to recognize it.

A war broke out between the two leaders, dubbed a “war of elimination” by Geagea, that killed and wounded thousands and devastated much of the country’s Christian areas.

On May 18, 2005, the two came face to face when Aoun returned to Lebanon from his exile and subsequently went to visit Geagea in his prison cell in an attempt to turn the page on the past.

But after Geagea left prison, the disputes continued and gradually became more and more complicated, with each having backed different political alliances ever since.

FPM blocked key info from STL: Hamade

BEIRUT: A top adviser of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri alleged Thursday that Aounist ministers allied with Hezbollah had obstructed international investigations by withholding telecommunications data, in testimony before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

But the defense lawyers of members of Hezbollah accused of complicity in the attack sought to discredit the testimony of MP Marwan Hamade, Hariri’s former economy minister, saying he was politically biased and believed in the guilt of the suspects without the benefit of a fair trial.

Antoine Korkmaz, the defense lawyer of Mustafa Badreddine, a senior Hezbollah operative accused of leading the assassination conspiracy, told Hamade that he was not a reliable witness.

Korkmaz showed excerpts of interviews conducted by Hamade, including one immediately after the start of trial in which he expressed disappointment that there were lawyers defending the “criminals” accused by the prosecution.

“This means you are not a neutral witness and you violated the presumption of innocence,” Korkmaz said. “Even if they were criminals you cannot blame defense lawyers for defending them.”

The defense lawyer also showed excerpts of a newspaper interview in which Hamade said the STL indictment showed Hezbollah’s complicity in Hariri’s assassination.

Hamade said the latter statement was of a political nature, and said he was emotional at the start of trial and responded as an individual who had been the target of an attack and knew personally others who were killed during the latest string of assassinations in Lebanon.

The tough cross-examination came on Hamade’s last day of testimony at the STL before his return to Beirut. The former Hariri ally’s testimony focused primarily on the breakdown of relations between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hariri ahead of the latter’s assassination, including alleged direct threats by Assad to Hariri, who was warned by allies to leave Lebanon for his personal safety.

Hamade said the tensions with Syria were reflected in relations with Hezbollah, but defense lawyers pushed back, saying Hariri and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah were preparing to unveil a comprehensive Sunni-Shiite alliance in 2005.

Hamade’s testimony covers the political context in the run-up to Hariri’s killing, which prosecutors hope will reveal the political motive behind Hariri’s assassination.

Hamade said that former prosecutor and U.N. commissioner Daniel Bellemare was periodically blocked from accessing crucial telecommunications data by ministers Gebran Bassil, Charbel Nahas and Nicolas Sehnaoui, all part of Gen. Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement and allies of Hezbollah.

Hamade said the lack of access to the telecoms data often occurred before security incidents in Lebanon and said was the cause of considerable controversy in the Cabinet.

“They stopped providing telecoms data to security agencies despite the objections of Mr. Daniel Bellemare which created a lot of controversy in the government, which we called the government of Hezbollah and which took over control of Lebanon in 2011 with the approval of Bashar Assad and leadership of Najib Mikati,” Hamade said.

But Vincent Courcelle-Labrousse, the defense lawyer of Hussein Oneissi, another suspect linked to Hezbollah, implied the collection of such vast amounts of phone metadata violated the rights of Lebanese civilians. As telecommunications minister, Hamade had ordered phone companies to cooperate with the investigation.

Hamade said the access to telecoms data was necessary to “end impunity” and establish who was targeting Lebanese leaders.

Hamade’s testimony was the first in the second phase of the trial, which will focus on the political context and the reams of telecommunications data gathered by investigators.

The prosecution is relying on the data to show that the suspects took part in a conspiracy that involved the surveillance and ultimately the killing of Lebanon’s former premier.

Police, Resistance Brigades clash in south Lebanon

Police, gunmen clash in south Lebanon

The Internal Security Force’s Information Branch clashed Thursday with members of the Resistance Brigades on the...

Machnouk tours MEA’s pilot training center

Charitable Christmas in a historic setting

The Sursock Palace plays host to “Christmas at the Villa,” a charity event bringing together some of Lebanon’s best...

Black Congressional Staffers Stage Walk Out Over Grand Jury Decisions

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

A group of black Congressional staffers staged a protest and walked out of the Capitol on Thursday. They were protesting recent grand jury decisions not to indict police officers who killed unarmed black men.

Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

Congress Runs Up Against Deadline To Pass A Budget

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

A plan to pass a no-drama, year-long measure for most of the federal government started looking shaky Thursday afternoon, when the bill nearly died on a procedural vote in the House.

Staffers Walk Out Of Congress In Protest Over Brown And Garner Cases

Dozens of congressional staff members walked out of the Capitol at 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday, in a show of support for protesters angered by recent grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

Wearing suits, ties and overcoats, the staffers stood several rows deep on the steps of Capitol Hill before making the hands-up gesture that has come to symbolize frustration with the deaths of the two unarmed black men at the hands of police. They stood silently with their arms raised for a moment before disbanding and walking down the steps.

While the event was spearheaded by the Congressional Black Associates, it also drew other staff members, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, according to CNN.

Civil rights veteran Rep. John Lewis, R-Ga., also attended the event, which included a prayer from U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black.

The protest comes a week after Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she was "deeply disappointed" by a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to level charges in the Garner case.

Noting that the decision was similar to another jury's findings in Ferguson, Mo., Fudge wrote:

"In the span of two weeks, this nation seems to have heard one message loud and clear: there will be no accountability for taking Black lives. As an American, it is growing increasingly difficult to believe that there is justice for all."

House Poised To Vote On Controversial 'Cromnibus' Spending Bill

The House narrowly moved a massive spending bill forward Thursday, setting up a potentially close final vote. The bill has been criticized for easing rules on campaign finance and the banking industry. But its supporters say it's a bipartisan deal that would fund most of the U.S. government until next October.

The final vote on the $1.014 trillion measure could be a close one, if a preliminary House rules vote Thursday is any sign. No Democrats voted in favor, and more than a dozen Republicans defected to vote against.

We'll update this post with news from the debate over the bill and the vote.

Shortly after noon Thursday, the bill squeezed by in the rules vote, 214-212, after Republican leaders including Speaker John Boehner and Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry, walked the floor to bolster support, NPR's Juana Summers reports.

You can read the bill, broken down by government agency, on the House Appropriations Committee site.

Due to the party breakdown in the House, if more than 17 Republicans vote against the bill, its future would depend on Democrats breaking ranks. If the spending bill doesn't pass this week, Congress would likely be forced to enact a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a federal shutdown.

The Hill tells us who voted with the Democrats against the spending measure:

"The 16 Republican defectors were Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.), Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Dave Brat (Va.), Mo Brooks (Ala.), Paul Broun (Ga.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Tim Huelskamp (Kan.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Steve King (Iowa), Raúl Labrador (Idaho), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Bill Posey (Fla.), Matt Salmon (Ariz.) and Steve Stockman (Texas)."

Take the Quiz: How Much Do You Know about the Holidays at the White House?

The President And First Lady In Hanukkah Candle Ceremony

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama take part in the Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Dec. 2, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Throughout our history here at the White House, Presidents and First Families have joined people from across the country to celebrate the joyous holiday season.

Take our quiz to find out how much you know about holiday season at the White House. After, head to http://1.usa.gov/1wDTFxb to learn more about what's new this year.

How Much Do You Know about the Holidays at the White House?

From snowball fights to gingerbread houses to digital trees, the White House is a treasure trove of holiday traditions — old and new alike. Take this quiz to test your knowledge and learn a surprising thing or two about our holiday history.

Begin Quiz

1. Who was the first President to preside over the National Christmas tree lighting ceremony?

President George Washington in 1788

President Calvin Coolidge in 1923

President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934

President Barack Obama in 2009

Yup! Back in 1923, a few school children in Washington, D.C. wrote to President Calvin Coolidge asking him if they could put a Christmas tree on the South Lawn. More than 90 years later, that simple request is now a holiday tradition. Check out this year’s ceremony to light the National Christmas Tree — “a symbol of hope and holiday spirit.”

Actually, the first National Christmas Tree was lit by President Calvin Coolidge. Back in 1923, a few school children in Washington, D.C. wrote to President Calvin Coolidge asking him if they could put a Christmas tree on the South Lawn. More than 90 years later, that simple request is now a holiday tradition. Check out this year’s ceremony to light the National Christmas Tree — “a symbol of hope and holiday spirit.”

Next Question

2. True or false: A steadfast conservationist, President Teddy Roosevelt refused to allow any trees to be cut for use in the White House.

True

False

That’s right! President Teddy Roosevelt did not approve of cutting trees for Christmas decorations. But his son Archie defied the ban and smuggled in a small tree that was decorated and then hidden in a closet a sewing room in the White House.

It’s actually true! President Teddy Roosevelt was such an avowed conservationist that he prohibited cutting a single tree for Christmas decorations at the White House. However, his son Archie defied the ban and smuggled in a small tree that was decorated and then hidden in a closet in the upstairs sewing room.

Next Question

3. Who helped light up the National Christmas tree for the first time in history this year?

The First Dogs, Bo & Sonny

Santa and his reindeer

Girls across the country, using code

Vice President Biden

Nailed it. Young girls from across the country joined Google in using code to give the state and territory trees a digital upgrade. Decorate your own “digi-tree” using Made w/ Code’s holiday lights program!

Nope! Neither Vice President Biden, the First Dogs, nor Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer could hold a candle to the young girls who used code for the first time in history to light up the state and territory trees. Decorate your own “digi-tree” using Made w/ Code’s holiday lights program!

Next Question

4. True or false: The White House once hosted an indoor snowball fight.

True

False

Right! Snow or no-snow, President Andrew Jackson knew how to throw a party. In 1834, he threw a large party for his children and grandchildren that included games, dancing, dinner, and an indoor “snowball fight” using specially-made cotton balls for the occasion. To this day, the White House invites school groups and organizations to help decorate and participate in the holiday parties.

It’s true! Snow or no-snow, President Andrew Jackson knew how to throw a party. In 1834, he threw a large party for his children and grandchildren that included games, dancing, dinner, and an indoor “snowball fight” using specially-made cotton balls for the occasion. To this day, the White House invites school groups and organizations to help decorate and participate in the holiday parties.

Next Question

5. Who was the first President to light the National Menorah?

President Van Buren

President Carter

President Reagan

President Obama

Correct! President Jimmy Carter was the first president to recognize Hanukkah, lighting the National Menorah on the first night of the Festival of Lights in 1979. Since then, each president has commemorated Hanukkah at the White House with ceremonies ranging from small presentations in the Oval Office to large parties with the First Family, but they all have shared the tradition of a unique Hanukkah Menorah. This year, the National Menorah will be lit on the night of December 16. Stay tuned for details of this year’s celebrations: wh.gov/holidays.

Actually, President Jimmy Carter was the first president to recognize Hanukkah, lighting the National Menorah on the first night of the Festival of Lights in 1979. Since then, each president has commemorated Hanukkah at the White House with ceremonies ranging from small presentations in the Oval Office to large parties with the First Family, but they all have shared the tradition of a unique Hanukkah Menorah. This year, the National Menorah will be lit on the night of December 16. Stay tuned for details of this year’s celebrations: wh.gov/holidays.

Next Question

6. The official White House Gingerbread House weights approximately how much?

8 Pounds

About 50 Pounds

199 Pounds

Over 300 Pounds

Correct — astounding, right? This miniature White House is actually a colossal production. Everyone from White House carpenters to plumbers to electricians lend their expertise to help make this delectable decoration possible. Located in the State Dining Room, this year’s gingerbread house – complete with a skating rink and marzipan reindeer -- contains 250 pounds of pastillage, 40 pounds of marzipan, 25 pounds of gum paste, 80 pounds of gingerbread dough, 25 pounds of sugar work, and an immeasurable amount of holiday delight. You can check it out here: wh.gov/holidays.

It’s actually more than 300 pounds! Surprised? It’s true, this miniature White House is actually a colossal production. Everyone from White House carpenters to plumbers to electricians lend their expertise to help make this delectable decoration possible. Located in the State Dining Room, this year’s gingerbread house – complete with a skating rink and marzipan reindeer -- contains 250 pounds of pastillage, 40 pounds of marzipan, 25 pounds of gum paste, 80 pounds of gingerbread dough, 25 pounds of sugar work, and an immeasurable amount of holiday delight. You can check it out here: wh.gov/holidays.

Finish

Happy Holidays!

You got questions correct.

Now that you know how presidents and Americans across the country have helped deck the halls here at the White House, check out the latest décor — including a few more holiday firsts from President Obama and the First Family. Head over to wh.gov/holidays to see how we’re trimming the house in this year’s theme: A Children’s Winter Wonderland.

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line-height: 27px; } #quiz h3 { font-size: 22px; line-height: 25px; } #quiz h4 { text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 17px; line-height: 20px; } #quiz p { font-size: 16px; font-family: "HelveticaNeue-Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Nimbus Sans L", sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23px; color: #333; } #quiz p.summary { font-size: 20px; font-family: 'Hoefler Text A', Georgia, "Times New Roman", "DejaVu Serif", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 32px; color: #565656; } #quiz p a, #quiz p a:link, #quiz p a:visited, #quiz p a:hover, #quiz p a:active { font-weight: 700; } /* Quiz Styles */ #quiz { position: relative; text-align: center; border: 3px solid #003366; margin: 24px 0 16px 0; } #quiz > section { padding: 16px; } #quiz .image-header { background-position: center; background-size: cover; height: 180px; margin: 16px auto; } /* Question Pages */ #quiz .question ul li{ list-style-type: none; } /* Last Page */ #quiz .feedback-step { background-color: #003366; color: #ffffff; padding: 16px; } /* Footer */ #quiz .pagination { position: relative; height: 64px; text-align: center; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'Helvetica', 'Arial', sans-serif; background-color: #003366; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #4473A1), color-stop(1, #003366)); background-image: -o-linear-gradient(bottom, #4473A1 0%, #003366 100%); background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(bottom, #4473A1 0%, #003366 100%); background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, #4473A1 0%, #003366 100%); background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(bottom, #4473A1 0%, #003366 100%); background-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, #4473A1 0%, #003366 100%); } #quiz .pagination p { position: absolute; top: 15px; bottom: 0; left: 50%; right: 50%; height: 40px; width: 40px; margin: 0 0 0 -20px; border-radius: 40px; -webkit-border-radius: 40px; -moz-border-radius: 40px; line-height: 40px; color: #003366; background-color: #7da2c1; text-align: center; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 11px; } #quiz .pagination div { display: inline-block; width: 50%; line-height: 24px; padding: 20px 0; color: #7da2c1; text-transform: uppercase; text-decoration: none; } #quiz .pagination div:hover { background: #003366; } $(document).ready(function() { /********* Initialization *********/ var quizContainer = $('#quiz'), quizFooter = quizContainer.find('.pagination'), quizPages = quizContainer.find('section'), buttonFirst = quizContainer.find('.btn-first'), buttonPrev = quizContainer.find('.btn-prev'), buttonNext = quizContainer.find('.btn-next'); quizPages.not(':first-child').hide(); quizFooter.hide(); /********* Answers *********/ var answers = []; quizContainer.find('.question').find('.choice') .bind('click', function (evt) { var page = getVisiblePage(), choice = $(evt.currentTarget).attr('data-answer'), answer = page.find('.answer').filter("[data-answer='" + choice + "']"); page.find('.question').hide(); page.find('.btn-next').show(); answer.fadeIn(400); answers[getQuestionPages().index(page)] = answer.hasClass('correct'); }); /********* Pagination Buttons *********/ buttonFirst.bind('click', function () { firstPage(); }); buttonPrev.bind('click', function () { prevPage(); }); buttonNext.bind('click', function () { nextPage(); }); /********* Helper Functions *********/ var firstPage = function () { switchPage(getVisiblePage(), quizPages.filter(':first-child')); answers = []; }; var nextPage = function () { var page = getVisiblePage(); switchPage(page, page.next('section')); }; var prevPage = function () { var page = getVisiblePage(); switchPage(page, page.prev('section')); }; function switchPage(fromPage, toPage) { if (fromPage.length !== 1 || toPage.length !== 1) return; fromPage.hide(); toPage.show(); initializePage(toPage); } function initializePage(page) { if (isQuestionPage(page)) { page.find('.question').show(); page.find('.answer, .btn-next').hide(); quizFooter.show(); quizFooter.find('p').text(getQuestionPages().index(page) + 1 + '/' + getQuestionPages().length); } else { quizFooter.hide(); finishQuiz(); } } function finishQuiz() { var correct = 0, total = getQuestionPages().length; answers.forEach(function (ans) { if (ans) correct++; }); var ratio = (correct / total), headers = getVisiblePage().find('div.feedback-step'), index = Math.ceil(ratio * headers.length) - 1; if (index == -1) index = 0; headers.hide(); headers.eq(index).show(); quizContainer.find('.score-container').text(correct + '/' + total); } function getQuestionPages() {return quizContainer.find('section').not(':first').not(':last');} function getVisiblePage() {return quizContainer.find('section').filter(':visible');} function isQuestionPage(page) {return !!page.find('.question').length} })

This Week in Visible NFL Concussions, Week 14: The Battered No-Names

One thing this column has taught us over the course of fourteen weeks is just how little known most NFL players are. Every week, the majority of the names on these lists are of guys only known in the city where they play. Maybe that’s why concussions aren’t taken so seriously by the average fan. If the league’s superstars were regularly knocked out of games with brain injuries, it would harder to accept them as part of the game. Anyway:

In a just world, David would be one of the best known players in the NFL, because he’s one of the best players in the NFL. Alas, playing on a terrible team in a terrible market doesn’t help with name recognition. David is number 54. You’ll see him dive at Joique Bell, take Megatron’s knee to his head, then stand up and immediately reach for his helmet. Somehow, David was back on the practice field yesterday.

Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner was given a 15-yard penalty for this hit on Green, even though he led with his shoulder and hit Green in the chest. It’s hard to blame the refs for throwing a flag though. As you can see, Browner made Green look like a crash test dummy on this play, and legal or not, scary hits almost always draw a flag. Green wasn’t at practice Wednesday.

The personal protector on the punt team rarely gets any love. Today we’ll give one some Internet-ink, with some sympathy, which is at least close to love. Levine, who typically plays cornerback, was knocked out of the Ravens game Sunday when he dove at the knees of an oncoming defender. That was unwise. Levine practiced yesterday, albeit in a limited capacity.

With less than a full NFL season under his belt, Giants rookie Odell Beckham Jr. is already making a name for himself as phenomenal receiver. Catches like this will do that. After last weekend, he can add another descriptor to his résumé: brick wall. Just watch Stafford, number 39 in white, bounce off of OBJ after the rookie catches yet another touchdown pass. Painful. Stafford didn’t practice yesterday.

We'll close with a recognizable name. Here’s a good indication that players don’t take concussions all that seriously. After the Texans finished beating the Jags on Sunday, running back Arian Foster was asked about his teammate’s well being following the brutal hit above. Foster joked that Johnson, whose arms shot into the air in a common sign of unconsciousness, “was counting sheep earlier, but he’s alright. I told him to start studying for that concussion test.” Now ain't that some good gallows humor. Johnson didn’t practice Wednesday.

Police, gunmen clash in south Lebanon

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Lebanon Army arrests terror suspect in Arsal raids

Residents of northeast border town 'trapped by fear'

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Excerpts from President Obama's Telemundo and Univision Interviews

President Obama Interview with Jose Diaz Balart

President Barack Obama participates in an interview on immigration with Jose Diaz-Balart of Telemundo at the Casa Azafrán community center in Nashville, Tenn. December 9, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

This week, President Obama participated in an interview with Jose Diaz-Balart from Telemundo/MSNBC and Jorge Ramos of Univision to discuss his recent executive actions to fix as much of our broken immigration system as he can while urging Congress to pass a comprehensive bill to get the job done, among several other topics. Here are some highlights from the interviews:

Lebanon Army chief holds talks with US defense official

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi held talks Thursday with Matthew Spence, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of...

Detained east Lebanon man formed kidnapping ring: Army

East Lebanon drug trafficker arrested after gunfight

Army troops and security forces arrested a wanted criminal in Baalbak in east Lebanon Wednesday, following a clash...

Lebanon Army chief holds talks with US defense official

BEIRUT: Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi held talks Thursday with Matthew Spence, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, on military ties between the two armies.

The two met at Kahwagi's office in Yarze along with Defense Minister Farid Makari.

According to an Army statement, Kahwagi and Spence discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region as well as military cooperation between their countries.

Earlier in the day, Spence met with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk at his Beirut office where the two discussed developments in Lebanon and the region. They also spoke about U.S. military assistance to the Lebanese Army.

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East Lebanon gunmen assault television news crew filming report

BEIRUT: Gunmen belonging to the brother of MP Nicolas Fattoush assaulted and briefly held an Al-Jadeed reporter Thursday in the eastern town of Zahle, the channel reported.

More than a dozen gunmen, some carrying assault rifles, abducted reporter Yumna Fawaz as she was interviewing residents complaining about the construction of an industrial factory owned by Pierre Fattoush, Fawaz, and her cameraman Saad Ayyad, said after their release.

The controversial project has been criticized by local residents over the environmental damage it is expected to cause.

Fawaz said that she had filmed from the area Wednesday without trouble, and that she was finishing her report Thursday with interviews from local residents who were opposed to the construction of the factory.

This is when, according to the reporter, unknown men arrived and took pictures of the crew and the license plate number of their car.

The men told Fawaz that they worked for Pierre Fattoush, the lawmaker's brother. She then called the factory owner to ask whether he had sent them. She said she was surprised since he had personally invited Fawaz to film near the project's site a day earlier.

The reporter said Fattoush was unresponsive during the phone call, but sent another man from his entourage to the scene.

Fawaz also called Samir Mello, a municipality board member, who also came to the site.

A short time later, as Fawaz and Ayyad filmed the last part of their report, around 20 men armed with military weapons arrived and attacked the crew.

Fawaz said the gunmen arrived in three vehicles, pushed her onto one of the cars, and physically assaulted both her and Ayyad.

Ayyad said that one of the gunmen told him, "I have orders to kill you," before beating him and taking the memory card out of his camera that contained the contents of the report.

The municipality board member, who also talked to Al-Jadeed after the incident, said that he was also attacked by the gunmen, who took him, Fawaz, and other people in the area to a nearby printing house.

Ayyad was left at the site after receiving a beating, but Fawaz was not released until the Army intervened about 30 minutes later.

The official delegate that Fattoush had sent, Fawaz said, stood by and watched the assault without reacting.

Information Minister Ramzi Joreige condemned the assault on the crew, saying that “it is unacceptable for journalists to always have to pay a price for carrying out their occupational duties.”

The information minister confirmed that he would work with judicial and security forces to follow up on the incident and take measures to deter any future attack on journalists.

Zahle’s mayor was not available for comment.

Geagea offers condolences to Palestinians over minister's death

BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, once an arch foe of Palestinian groups in the country, offered condolences Thursday over the death of a West Bank minister who died after being choked and beaten by Israeli police Wednesday.

“It is with deep sadness that I have received the news about the death of Minister Ziad Abu Ein,” Geagea said in a statement addressed to the Palestinian Authority and people. “I [offer] the most earnest feelings of condolence and sympathy over this ordeal.”

Geagea’s condolence letter appears to be in line with recent conciliatory efforts between his party, which was seen as being allied with Israel during the 1975-1990 civil war, and Palestinians.

Enmity between the Lebanese Forces and Palestinian armed factions dates back to the early days of the war.

It reached its peak after the 1982 Sabra-Shatila massacre carried out by Israeli-backed Christian militiamen who killed around 2,000 mostly civilians inside the Palestinian camps.

Lebanese Christian parties have never acknowledged their involvement in the massacre.

But Geagea and other Christian leaders have denounced in recent years the Israel's wars on Gaza.

In Thursday’s condolence letter, Geagea expressed his support to the “Palestinian cause,” saying the struggle for a Palestinian state will carry on as long as people like Abu Ein sacrifice their blood for its sake.

“Condemnations are not enough anymore, because the Palestinians’ bleeding wound cannot be healed without the announcement of an independent Palestinian state,” he said.

The Amal Movement, which also led fierce clashes against Palestinian factions during the civil war, also offered its condolences over the minister's death in a statement Wednesday.

Abu Ein was stopped by Israeli police who grabbed him by the neck and shook him and as he led a peaceful protest to plant olive trees in an occupied West Bank village. Witnesses also said one of the Israeli soldiers hit Abu Ein on the chest with the butt of his rifle.

Abu Ein died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. He was the head of the Committee of Resistance Against the Wall and Settlements, and a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council.

An official medical report by the Palestinian Health Ministry stated that Abu Ein’s death resulted from the physical attack by the occupation forces, and was not a natural death as Israeli authorities are claiming.

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Ahmad Hariri inspects battered North Lebanon neighborhood

BEIRUT: Future Movement Secretary General Ahmad Hariri visited Thursday an impoverished neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli where he met with residents and inspected recent renovations to areas affected by the fierce clashes between the Army and Islamist militants.

Hariri’s visit to Bab al-Tabbaneh in Lebanon's second city aimed to look into projects to be funded through a $20 million grant pledged by his brother, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, to areas damaged by the October clashes.

The Lebanese government had also pledged $20 million to the area.

"The goal of my visit is to communicate with the residents and listen to their demands. I want them to tell us what pains them and listen to them directly and not through a mediator,” Hariri said on a two-day visit.

“Let us work together with them to lift deprivation from Bab al-Tabbaneh and other areas.”

In October, soldiers came under attack from militants stationed in Bab al-Tabbaneh, sparking four days of clashes in the Tripoli which spread to other areas of the north. The clashes heavily damaged residential buildings and markets and forced many families to flee their homes.

Bab al-Tabbaneh had also engaged in heavy Syria-related clashes with the neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen over the last three years. But a security plan launched in June halted the routine rounds of fighting.

“I commend the wisdom and the conscience of Bab al-Tabbaneh residents. Despite media campaigns improperly portraying the area as a safe haven for terrorism, the reality was that Bab al-Tabbaneh residents were the ones who offered sacrifices for Tripoli and Lebanon as a whole,” Hariri said.

“They suffered through years of violent rounds of clashes and they were the people of moderation and we are proud of them.”

He also spoke about the case of detainees from Tripoli who residents claim were randomly rounded up by the Army following the clashes, saying the judiciary was looking into each case separately and would do its best to release them.

Hariri first visited the Hara al-Barraneye in Tripoli where the residents warmly welcomed the official and then moved to Qibbeh where residents organized a small festival.

He also met with some local officials in the city, assuring them that the Future Movement was not in competition with other politicians over Tripoli.

Hariri said Tripoli residents had always adopted the ideology of his late father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and that they deserved more than the party could offer.

Lebanon Information Minister asks media to respect hostage file

BEIRUT: Information Minister Ramzi Joreige pleaded Thurday for the media to stop digging into the secret hostage negotiations and publishing leaked details about the case, threatening legal actions against those who do not comply.

“The negotiations of the captive servicemen must be carried out in extreme discretion to ensure the safety of the hostages,” Joreige told a news conference after meeting with media publishers at his ministry.

“Disclosing [details] weakens the bargaining power [of the government] and harms civil peace.”

He added: “I call on all media to limit themselves to coverage and not comment on news concerning the servicemen to protect the greater good of the country,” Joreige said, warning that he will not hesitate to take violators to court.

“Lebanese law, and the penal law in particular, condemn such behavior, which could be interpreted as exposing Lebanon to hostile attacks, weakening the nationalist sentiment or inciting tensions that threaten civil peace and public safety,” the minister said.

Militants belonging to ISIS and the Nusra Front are still holding around 25 Army soldiers and policemen on the outskirts of the northeastern town of Arsal.

The jihadis abducted more than 30 servicemen during a five-day battle with the Army in August. They have since released eight and killed four.

The secrecy surrounding negotiations for their release has drawn the ire of the hostages' families, who have been camped outside the Grand Serail in Downtown Beirut for two months to pressure the government to speed up talks.

Thursday, 11 December 2014

How Much Do You Know about the Holidays at the White House?

Happy Holidays!You got questions correct.

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Happy Holidays!

You got questions correct.