Syrian army command warns Tel Aviv of repercussions of what it calls a "flagrant" attack on a military airport near Damascus.
Image Caption:Smoke is seen rising from Mezzah airport. Pic: Chahed News
Syria's army command has accused Israel of firing rockets at a major military airport west of the capital Damascus.
Syrian state television quoted the army as saying
several rockets were fired from an area near Lake Tiberias in northern
Israel just after midnight which landed in the compound of Mezzah
airport.
The airport is a major strategic airbase that is mainly used by Syria's elite Republican Guards.
In
a statement, army command warned Israel "of the repercussions of the
flagrant attack and stresses its continued fight against (this)
terrorism and amputate the arms of the perpetrators".
The statement did not reveal if there were any casualties, but said the rockets caused a fire.
Mezzah airport had been a base used to fire rockets at former rebel-held areas in the suburbs of Damascus.
Israel
in the past has targeted positions of Lebanon's Hezbollah group inside
Syria where the Iranian-backed group is heavily involved in fighting
alongside the Syrian army.
Israeli defence officials have voiced
concern that Hezbollah's experience in the Syrian civil war, where it
has played a significant role and recently helped the Syrian army regain
the eastern sector of the city of Aleppo, has strengthened it.
Rebels
operating in the area have said Hezbollah's major arms supply route
into Damascus from the Lebanese border has been targeted on several
occasions in recent years by airstrikes.
Tel Aviv neither confirms nor denies involvement in striking targets inside Syria.
The fast food tech is the result of a collaboration with Baidu - the 'Google of China'
The technology will suggest an order, based on your mood, age and gender (Photo: Getty)
A KFC in Beijing is using facial recognition software to predict what customers will order.
Software
in the Chinese fast food outlet is designed to choose a suggested order
by estimating the mood of the customer, along with their age and
gender.
For return customers it can remember what they ordered last time and suggest their favourites on subsequent visits.
The
bizarre technology is a collaboration between KFC and search engine
firm Baidu - essentially the Chinese equivalent of Google.
Baidu
said in a press release that the system would suggest that “a male
customer in his early 20s” might want to order “a set meal of crispy
chicken hamburger, roasted chicken wings and coke for lunch,” while “a
female customer in her 50s” would be offered “porridge and soybean milk
for breakfast.”
(Photo: Weibo/KFC) Whether relying on stereotypical food choices based on
supposed gender and age is an effective system remains to be seen. Of
course, the facial scanning software could also get this wrong.
If customers are not happy with the first suggestions, they can navigate through to a list of alternatives.
"A male customer service assistant in his 20s demonstrated the machine
for me, and was indeed offered a chicken hamburger set meal," said Amy
Hawkins, who tried out the fast food tech in Beijing and described the
experience in The Guardian .
"I stood in position, and was read as being female
(correct), beautiful (correct) and in my 30s (only a decade off). On
this basis, I was also recommended a chicken hamburger meal".
She
also reported that while the system read the same characteristics from
her face on a second visit, it did not remember her preferences.
(Photo: Weibo/KFC) There are plans to roll the facial scanning technology to 5,000 more stores in China.
This isn't the first time that KFC has teamed up with Baidu to test out futuristic fast food technology.
A previous trial in Shanghai involved a robot staff taking orders.
The idea of a fast food restaurant storing facial scans along with visit times, raises issues over privacy.
KFC stresses that the data collected is secure and "will not be used for other purposes".
Bet it would go Black man detected order fried chicken and watermelons with a drink of malt liqour
A 15-year-old girl has been charged with murder after seven-year-old Katie died in York on Monday
Click to play
Emotional tribute left for Katie Rough after her murder in York
Tragic Katie Rough was a bridesmaid at her parents' wedding just two weeks before her death.
The seven-year-old stole the show in a pretty silver sequined dress as she proudly stood with mum Alison and dad Paul.
Just a fortnight later, Katie died after her throat was slashed in playing fields.
Desperate mum Alison raced to the scene crying: “No, no, it’s my little girl.”
Katie was a bridesmaid at her parents' wedding just two weeks ago (Photo: Facebook)
Katie was found with her throat slashed (Photo: Internet Unknown) A 15-year-old girl has now been charged with murder, police confirmed.
She is also charged with the possession of an offensive weapon, North Yorkshire Police said.
The girl will appear at York Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.
Katie was stabbed on Monday afternoon an hour after school finished.
The little girl’s mum was alerted to the horror and raced to the scene in a car. But after seeing her wounded child, she dropped to her knees sobbing: “No, no, it’s my little girl. Help get an ambulance.”
Katie died after the attack which took place around 4.30pm.
Her
dad Paul Rough arrived at the fields in the affluent Woodthorpe area of
York, North Yorks, shortly after his wife, Alison, 38.
The attack took place just over half a mile from the Rough’s home in Foxwood, York.
As
medics worked on their daughter, the distraught mum paced back and
forwards from the field where her daughter lay stricken in the mud while
the dad stood slumped against a wall in despair.
The couple, who married two weeks ago, comforted each other as she was stretchered away with an oxygen mask on.
The businessman could face problems due to a ban on presidents appointing family members and potential conflicts of interest.
Image Caption:Jared Kushner was a prominent figure on the campaign trail
Donald Trump's son-in-law has been named as senior adviser to the President in the new US administration.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Mr Trump's daughter
Ivanka, has no political experience but has been a senior figure on the
billionaire's team during the campaign.
Like his father-in-law, Mr
Kushner is a New York-based real estate magnate with a wide range of
business dealings that could be challenged as posing potential conflicts
of interest.
The 35-year-old is also a publisher of the New York Observer weekly newspaper.
Mr Trump said his son-in-law will serve as senior White House adviser.
Image Caption:Jared Kushner with his wife Ivanka in the lobby of Trump Tower
"Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted adviser throughout the
campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership
role in my administration," he said in a statement.
His appointment could also be challenged by an anti-nepotism law that bans presidents from hiring family members.
However,
a lawyer for Mr Kushner argued Monday that the 1967 law does not apply
to the West Wing and pointed to a later congressional measure which
allows the President "unfettered" and "sweeping" authority in hiring
staff.
Jamie Gorelick added that he would step down as CEO of the family's real estate company and from the New York Observer.
She
also said Mr Kushner would recuse himself "from particular matters that
would have a direct and predictable effect on his remaining financial
interests".
Video:Donald Trump fights back against Meryl Streep
The son-in-law has continued to be influential on the transition
team, reportedly playing a role in coordinating contacts with foreign
leaders and shaping Middle East policy.
Mr Kushner's powerful role
in the new administration emerged as Mr Trump confidently predicted
that all his high-profile appointments would be approved by the US
Senate.
Senators are to question the President-elect's picks for
the Secretary of State, attorney general and head of homeland security,
as at least nine of his appointments appear before committees from
Tuesday.
The President-elect held talks with several business and
media figures at Trump Towers on Monday, but the day was overshadowed by
his angry reaction to an attack by actress Meryl Streep at the Golden Globes award ceremony.
He
also met Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to discuss the
confirmation hearings and repealing and replacing President Barack
Obama's healthcare law.
The leader of the Senate Republicans
said he expected six or seven of Trump's picks - "particularly the
national security team" - to be "in place on day one".
Meryl Streep joined Hugh Laurie in attacking Trump, saying: "Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners"
British stars and TV shows dominated the 2017 Golden Globe awards with SIX top gongs going to UK actors or programmes.
The BBC smash The Night Manager and Netflix behemoth The Crown were
both hailed as some of the best shows on TV at the moment with both
walking away with a host of senior awards at the prestigious event.
News
of the British victories came on a night where Hollywood sharpened its
claws for the President-elect Donald Trump - and paid tribute to tragic
Carrie Fisher and her mum Debbie Reynolds.
Hugh Laurie, Jimmy
Fallon and Meryl Streep were just some of the A-listers using the
platform of the show to slam the Republican - less than two weeks before
he is due to be sworn in.
Actress Meryl Streep accepts the Cecil B. DeMille Award (Photo: Getty Images North America)
The legendary star gave a startling speech where she attacked Donald Trump (Photo: REUTERS) Legendary actor Streep took the biggest swipe at Trump as she stood on stage collecting the Cecil B. DeMille
lifetime achievement award.
The 67-year-old star said she had been heartbroken by his imitation of a disabled reporter during his campaign.
She said: "There was one performance this year that stunned me.
"It sank its hooks in my heart. Not because it was good. It
was that moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat
in our country imitated a disabled reporter."
The three-time
Oscar winner was referring to a 2015 incident at a South Carolina rally
when Trump flailed his arms and slurred in his speech in an apparent
mocking of New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has a physical
disability. Trump later denied that he was imitating the reporter.
"It
kind of broke my heart when I saw it and I still can't get it out of my
head because it wasn't in a movie. It was real life," Streep said.
Hugh Laurie was stunned but happy to win a top award (Photo: REUTERS)
Hugh Laurie appeared to attack Donald Trump in his acceptance speech (Photo: AFP) "This instinct to humiliate when it's modeled by someone in
the public platform by someone powerful it filters down into everybody's
life. Disrespect invites disrespect.
"Violence incites violence."
While
Streep did not name Trump directly, she used almost the entire speech
to criticize his behavior and policies, while calling for Hollywood to
stand strong against any attacks and to support a free press through
organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The audience sat in stunned silence for much of it.
Watch: The worst dressed celebrities on the Golden Globes red carpet
Streep earned a cheer from the crowd when she said that, "Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners."
"If
you kick them all out, you'll have nothing to watch but football and
mixed martial arts, which are not art," she said, as the audience
cheered on.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, made a tough
stance on immigration a cornerstone of his campaign. Hollywood's actors
and studio executives were mostly behind his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton .
Streep
ended her speech with a nod to her long-time friend, "Star Wars"
actress Carrie Fisher, who died last month after a heart attack.
Jimmy Fallon joked about Trump in his monologue - which did not start well with a broken teleprompter (Photo: Barcroft Media)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson won the first award of the night - starting a trend of winning Brits (Photo: WireImage) "As my friend, the dear departed Princess Leia, said to me
once, 'Take your broken heart and make it into art'," Streep said, her
voice cracking with emotion.
The legendary star made the comments
after Brit star Hugh Laurie made a similar attack on Trump in his
acceptance speech for his role in The Night Manager.
Laurie joked
that it would be the last Golden Globes broadcast because Hollywood,
foreign and press were verboten in Trump's America.
"To some Republicans even the word association is sketchy," he added.
Tom Hiddleston accepts his award for Best Actor - Limited Series or Motion Picture for TV (Photo: Barcroft Media)
Actress Claire Foy picked up a top award - joining a host of other successful Brits (Photo: WireImage) With a nod to his arms dealer character in "The Night
Manager" he went on to say "I accept this award on behalf of
psychopathic billionaires everywhere.
Other British winners on
the night included Olivia Colman and Tom Hiddleston who both won acting
gongs for thier roles in The Night Watchman.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
won the first award of the night, taking home the Best Supporting Actor
award for his role in the Tom Ford film Nocturnal Animals.
Stockport-born Claire Foy, 32, described her Best Actress in a
TV Drama Series award win as an "out of body experience" as she paid
tribute to the Queen.
"I really wouldn't be here if it wasn't for some extraordinary women, one is Queen Elizabeth II," she said on stage.
"She
has been at the centre of the world the past 63 years and I think the
world could do with a few more women at the centre of it if you ask me."
Nicole Kidman looked glamorous at the awards (Photo: AFP)
Brad Pitt presents during the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards show in Beverly Hills (Photo: Getty Images North America) The Crown, which stars John Lithgow as Sir Winston Church
and Matt Smith as the Duke of Edinburgh, was also named best television
drama series.
There was also an emotional tribute to Carrie
Fisher and Debbie Reynolds as the awards played a brief montage of the
mother and daughter's most famous roles.
The night began badly
for host Jimmy Fallon who bounded onto the stage only to discover his
teleprompter was not working - meaning he could not read his script.
Ryan Gosling accepts the award for Best Actor (Photo: Getty Images North America)
Tracee Ellis Ross poses with the award for Best Actress in a Comedy TV series for her role in Black-ish (Photo: AFP)
Sarah Jessica Parker was at the event (Photo: WireImage) This led to a tense few minutes as the talk show host
attempted to improvise before a new machine could be brought in to
continue the show.
Movie "La La Land" dominated the awards, winning a record-breaking seven statues including best musical or comedy.
The
ode to Los Angeles and vintage musicals also won best screenplay and
director honors for Damien Chazelle, the 31-year old director who dared
to make an un-ironic throwback to the films of Vincente Minnelli and
Jacques Demy, as well as picking up acting statues for Ryan Gosling and
Emma Stone in the musical or comedy category.
