Happy New Year 2026

 

Several dozen' believed to have been killed in fire at Swiss ski resort bar, say authorities

 UK not been approached yet, embassy say

published at 13:30

13:30BREAKINGThe UK embassy in the Swiss capital of Bern has posted on X:

Swiss emergency services are responding to a fire in Crans-Montana, with nationals from multiple countries likely affected. We continue to monitor the situation.

Whilst we have not been approached for assistance, our staff stand ready to support British nationals abroad 24/7.

If you are a British national in need of consular assistance, you can call us 24/7 on + 44 (0) 20 7008 5000.

Credit; BBC

This is Donald J. Trump

 

Donald J. TrumpVerified account‏@realDonaldTrump

What has happened in Orlando is just the beginning. Our leadership is weak and ineffective. I called it and asked for the ban. Must be tough

Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Florida Jews Show Solidarity With Muslims After Terror Attack

The gunman, Omar Mateen, was a Muslim who was born in the United States but had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, law enforcement officials said. There has been a sharp rise in anti-Muslim attacks across the country over the past year after terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, sparked fear and backlash against the American Muslim community.  

Rabbi Steven Engel of the Congregation for Reform Judaism, the largest synagogue in Orlando, spoke with Imam Muhammad Masri, president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, to plan a memorial service for victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre, the Forward, a Jewish news site, reported Monday.

“(We want) to support each other, to support the whole community,” Masri said outside the club.

After each new attack, Muslims in the U.S. have said they fear an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric, and many Muslims rushed to condemn Sunday’s shooting. Last December, many Republicans urged the U.S. to stop accepting refugees from the Middle East — many of whom are Muslim — after the San Bernardino killings out of a fear that terrorists would sneak into the country amid refugees. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump responded similarly on Sunday, reiterating his previous call to ban all Muslims entering the United States.

Hillary Clinton Says She Won’t ‘Declare War’ on Islam After Orlando Shooting

Hillary Clinton on Monday said she will not “demonize” the religion of Islam by using the specific phrase “radical Islam” when discussing the Orlando nightclub massacre after calls from Donald Trump to do so.

Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, responded to Trump’s criticism following Sunday’s deadly mass shooting at Pulse Orlando during a telephone interview with NBC’s Today show.

“In my perspective, it matters what we do, not what we say,” Clinton said. “To me, radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing. I’m happy to say either, but that’s not the point.”

“I’m not going to demonize … and declare war on an entire religion,” she added. “That’s just plain dangerous and it plays into ISIS’s hands.”

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, had slammed both Clinton and President Barack Obama for being “weak” for failing to describe the shooting as an act of “radical Islam.”

“In his remarks today, President Obama disgracefully refused to even say the words ‘Radical Islam’. For that reason alone, he should step down,” Trump said in a statement Sunday. “If Hillary Clinton, after this attack, still cannot say the two words ‘Radical Islam’ she should get out of this race for the Presidency.”

In a Today interview on Monday, the mogul again renewed his call for a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S. and reiterated his criticism against American leaders. “It’s insulting to our country that Obama doesn’t use the term radical Islamic terrorism,” Trump said. “He’s not addressing the issue, he’s not calling it what it is—radical Islamic terrorism.”

Clinton also pushed for gun control Monday in a separate interview with CNN’s New Day. Authorities say Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen used a handgun and an assault-type rifle during his attack.

“Yes, there is a right for law-abiding, responsible Americans to own guns. And yes, there are reasonable common-sense measures to try to keep people safe from guns,” Clinton said. “We’ve got to figure out the best way to move forward on that.”

Both Clinton and Trump are expected to address the shooting in separate addresses Monday.

Oscar Pistorius Is Being Re-sentenced for Murder. Here’s Why

(SOMERSET WEST, South Africa) — Oscar Pistorius is going back to jail. The only question now is for how long? It could be 15 years.

The double-amputee Olympic runner’s sentencing hearing opens Monday after he was convicted of murder by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal for shooting girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

It’ll be the second time Pistorius has been sentenced for the killing following an appeal by prosecutors. The three-year legal saga that began with the fatal gunshots in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine’s Day 2013 now appears to be near its end.

A recap of the case:

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WHY IS PISTORIUS BEING SENTENCED AGAIN?

Pistorius was initially convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, at his 2014 trial for shooting Steenkamp through a closed toilet door in his home. He testified he mistook the model and reality TV celebrity for a nighttime intruder hiding in a bathroom, and shot with his 9mm pistol in self-defense fearing an attack. The trial judge accepted part of Pistorius’ story, and he was given a five-year jail sentence based on the judge’s ruling that he acted recklessly, but didn’t mean to kill. After serving a year in jail, Pistorius was released on parole in line with South African procedure and has been living under house arrest at his uncle’s mansion since October last year.

But following Pistorius’ manslaughter verdict, prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court, saying that the former star athlete, a multiple Paralympic champion, should have been found guilty of murder. They argued that Pistorius intended to kill someone — even if he didn’t know it was Steenkamp in the toilet cubicle — when he shot four times through the door with no justification.

In December, a panel of Supreme Court judges agreed with prosecutors, overturned Pistorius’ manslaughter conviction, and raised it to a more serious murder conviction. Pistorius must now be sentenced for murder.

Supreme Court Justice Lorimer Leach said: “The accused ought to have been found guilty of murder on the basis that he had fired the fatal shots with criminal intent.”

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WHAT IS HE FACING?

Possibly 15 years in prison. That’s the minimum sentence for murder in South Africa, which no longer has the death penalty.

Legal experts say a judge can reduce that sentence in some circumstances, and that Pistorius’ disability and the fact that he is a first-time offender could be taken into account. He has also already served a year in prison.

Pistorius will return to the same courthouse in Pretoria where his dramatic seven-month murder trial played out in 2014 to be sentenced again. The hearing has been scheduled to last a week and Pistorius’ punishment will again be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa, who acquitted him of murder at his trial but had her decision overturned by the Supreme Court.

Pistorius appears set to be starting a long prison sentence when the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics — where he intended to end his acclaimed track career — take place in Rio de Janeiro.

In a statement ahead of the sentencing hearing, Pistorius’ family said they do not know “what the future holds for Oscarafter this week.”

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DOES HE HAVE ANY CHANCE OF APPEALING?

No. Pistorius has exhausted all his options. After his conviction was changed to murder by the Supreme Court last year, Pistorius appealed to South Africa’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, to review his case. The Constitutional Court dismissed that appeal in March and Pistorius now has no chance of escaping the murder conviction.

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WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING WITH PISTORIUS?

Pistorius last appeared in public in April at a brief court hearing that scheduled dates for his sentencing.

Other than that, the 29-year-old has spent almost all his time since being released from prison in October at his uncle’s luxurious house in an upscale suburb of the capital, Pretoria. Pistorius has remained under house arrest there and can only leave the home briefly and at set times. He needs permission from authorities to travel farther than 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the house.

Yet Pistorius is never far from the news. In March, police said they launched a sting operation with the help of Pistorius’ family to catch a man attempting to scam Pistorius out of money by offering to quash his murder conviction.

10 Best places to live after Retirement in the US

We spend a majority of our life working to support ourselves and our loved ones. And while working hard and being able to provide for our families gives us a great sense of joy, getting to the part of life where we can just enjoy having every day to ourselves sounds phenomenal. Retirement is what we call this life altering event. A great way to start this stage of life is by finding a great new place to live – for many who felt stuck in a place due to the constraints of the employment, now is the time for change.

Everybody has a different idea of how they want their retirement to look and therefore picking the 10 best places in the US was not the easiest task. For the purpose of this article, we took several things into consideration before deciding the places to enjoy the golden years: climate, surrounding areas, living cost, average housing cost, recreational activity options, cultural diversity, and crime rates were taken into regard. We also tried to cover as many regions of the country as possible. From cities to suburbs to paradise, we have covered them all!

Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham is a great destination for the active adults. The city is overwhelmingly scenic and caters pleasingly to those who enjoy doing outdoor activities and the air is exceptionally clean. With Western Washington University, and three other community colleges, the city is a college town, extremely culturally active and filled with amenities associated with an educationally active town. It has a thriving, safe and interesting downtown. Winters are cold but certainly beautiful this can be a plus if you enjoy skiing. Unfortunately, the city’s average house cost is $250,000+ and the cost of living is higher than nation’s average; but for those who can swing the lifestyle, do keep Bellingham in consideration.

Con: Although, the rate of violent crimes in Bellingham is quite below the national average, the numbers are slightly higher for property crimes and houses are slightly towards the expensive end.

Boise, Idaho

Statistically, Boise is below the nation’s average in both violent and property crimes. It is a pleasant experience for those that enjoy outdoor activity with a lot of outdoor activities to offer. The average cost of housing is slightly below the national average around $170,000 but the overall cost of living is slightly higher than the average. The weather is dry throughout the year and is temperate, so you don’t have to worry about extreme weather here. Being the state’s capitol, it also has all the required amenities and is pleasantly bustling.

 

Cons: Not as culturally blissful as large cities should be but recent attitude suggests that change is on the way.

Venice, Florida

Developed in 1925 by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Venice, Florida’s purpose was to create a community for the retired and therefore all your needs are catered to. In fact, Florida in general has been notorious for being inhabited by retirees but Venice is one of the most cost effective cities in the state. It has an average living and housing costs just a little under the rest of the state, especially compared with the extremely high property values in Fort Lauderdale and Napa. There is a beautiful beach in the vicinity and 31 municipal parks. It is not far too far from bigger cities, quite peaceful, and warm throughout the year. Also, the crime rates are impressively low.