.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... BAGHDAD — Iraq began removing cement walls from areas surrounding the capital’s most fortified enclave Monday, opening parts of the so-called Green Zone to traffic in a symbolic move coinciding with nationwide celebrations marking the anniversary of the country’s costly victory over the Islamic State group. The partial reopening of parts of the high security area is meant to portray increased confidence in the country’s overall security situation and is also being billed as an act of transparency following protests against corruption and poor public services. The enclave on the west bank of the Tigris became home to foreign embassies and key government buildings after the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 and has since then been surrounded by blast walls and barbed wire, … [Read more...] about Iraq celebrates victory over IS while grappling with legacy
World
Who Was Nelly Sachs? Google Doodle Celebrates Poet, Playwright Who Escaped Nazi Germany
Dec 10, 12:20 PM EST Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury World By Alex Perry 12/10/18 AT 11:20 AM Monday’s Google Doodle, a black and white illustration of a typewriter amidst 20th-century European imagery, was a celebration of Jewish poet and playwright Nelly Sachs. Artist Daniel Stolle drew the Doodle, which commemorated what would have been the 127th birthday of the Nobel Prize winner.Sachs was born in Berlin in 1891 and escaped Nazi Germany near the beginning of World War II, in 1940. She and her mother left Germany for Sweden not long before she was due to report to a concentration camp. A vintage Monarch typewriter sits for sale on July 22, 2014 at the Arndt Hans Joachim Bueromaschinen office supply store in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Adam Berry/Getty Images She was a published poet before the move, one who had correspondence with Selma Lagerlöf. The famed Swedish author was the first woman to win the Nobel … [Read more...] about Who Was Nelly Sachs? Google Doodle Celebrates Poet, Playwright Who Escaped Nazi Germany
Doctor Used Electric Shocks To ‘Treat’ Homosexuals, Termed It ‘Mental Disorder’
Dec 10, 10:20 AM EST Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury World By Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan 12/10/18 AT 7:11 AM A doctor accused of using electric shock to “treat” gay and lesbians by terming homosexuality as a "genetic mental disorder" was summoned by a court in New Delhi on Saturday. P.K. Gupta, the doctor, continued the bizarre practice despite being penalized by the Delhi Medical Council. Girish Tyagi, registrar and secretary of DMC, approached the court with a complaint stating that Gupta was using "hormonal and shock therapy" to provide treatment.The complaint stated the doctor was debarred from practicing in 2016, but continued to do so against official orders and hence, he was liable for prosecution.In 2015, DMC received a letter from Anajali Gopalan, executive director of the non-governmental organization Naz Foundation, informing them about a doctor claiming to convert homosexuals to … [Read more...] about Doctor Used Electric Shocks To ‘Treat’ Homosexuals, Termed It ‘Mental Disorder’
Reports: UK prime minister to delay Brexit vote; pound sinks
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May looked set Monday to postpone Parliament’s vote on her European Union divorce deal to avoid a shattering defeat, throwing Brexit plans into chaos just weeks after Britain and the bloc finally reached an agreement on the U.K.’s departure. The pound sank amid the political uncertainty, hitting an 18-month low against the U.S. dollar of $1.2660. The House of Commons Speaker’s office said May would make a previously unscheduled statement to lawmakers about Brexit at about 3:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EST). An updated House of Commons schedule said there would also be a statement on “business of the House” after May’s address, indicating a sudden change to the parliamentary timetable. ADVERTISEMENTSkip May’s … [Read more...] about Reports: UK prime minister to delay Brexit vote; pound sinks
Jack Dorsey, Posting About Myanmar on Twitter, Is Accused of Being Tone Deaf
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Asia Pacific Subscribe Log In Log In Today’s Paper Asia Pacific | Jack Dorsey, Posting About Myanmar on Twitter, Is Accused of Being Tone Deaf Supported by ByMike Ives Dec. 10, 2018 HONG KONG — Twitter’s chief executive, Jack Dorsey, fresh off a silent-meditation retreat in Myanmar, was so smitten with his visit that he posted a series of glowing tweets about the country and its people, urging others to travel there. But his posts on Sunday were called out by many on Twitter for not mentioning the plight of the Rohingya, a mostly Muslim minority group that has faced a ruthless campaign of violence and persecution at the hands of Myanmar’s military that caused hundreds of thousands to flee. Mr. Dorsey now faces a backlash from critics who described his travel missives — which included a description of how he used his Apple Watch in … [Read more...] about Jack Dorsey, Posting About Myanmar on Twitter, Is Accused of Being Tone Deaf