The Canadian PressBATTLEFORD, Sask. – There were sobs of despair and cries of “murderer” in a Saskatchewan courtroom Friday night as a jury found a white farmer not guilty in the shooting death of an Indigenous man.From the beginning in August 2016, Colten Boushie’s death and the second-degree murder charge against Gerald Stanley exposed an ugly side in rural Saskatchewan – landowners who blame Indigenous people for high rates of property crime and First Nations who bear the brunt of that racism and hate.Those tensions were on full display as Stanley walked free after the verdict.Outside court, Boushie’s uncle Alvin Baptiste said there was no justice for his nephew.“How First Nations are treated in the justice system is not right,” he said.“A white jury came out with a verdict of not guilty of Gerald Stanley, who shot and killed my nephew. This is how they treat us First Nations people. It is not right. Something has to be done about this – the government, Justin Trudeau, we asked you to give us Indigenous people justice.”In a tweet late Friday, Trudeau expressed sadness for Boushie’s family.“I can’t imagine the grief and sorrow the Boushie family is feeling tonight,” he wrote from Los Angeles. “Sending love to them from the U.S.”The jury deliberated for 13 hours before reaching its decision.Stanley, 56, turned and looked into the gallery after the verdict came down while Boushie’s family and friends gasped and yelled. Shouts of “murderer” could be heard from those in the gallery.Boushie’s cousin Jade Tootoosis said the family will push for an appeal.“There was no justice served here today. We hoped for justice from Colten. However, we did not see it,” she said outside court.“We will fight for an appeal and answers to all the racism that my family has experienced from the day that Colten was shot, until the jury delivered the verdict of not guilty. We will not stop our pursuit for justice.”The trial heard that Boushie, from the Red Pheasant First Nation, was shot in the head while he was sitting in an SUV that had been driven onto Stanley’s farm near Biggar, Sask.The driver of the SUV testified the group had been drinking during the day and tried to break into a truck on a neighbouring farm, but went to the Stanley property in search of help with a flat tire.Stanley’s son testified that he and his father heard an ATV start up and they thought it was being stolen.Stanley testified that he fired warning shots to scare the group off. He said that the fatal shot occurred when he reached into the SUV to grab the keys out of the ignition and his gun “just went off.”The defence drilled into inconsistencies in the testimony of some of the witnesses who were in the SUV with Boushie.They admitted they lied to investigators about stealing and changed their stories right before taking the witness stand.The defence argued in its final summation that there was no evidence that Stanley meant to kill Boushie. Lawyer Scott Spencer said the shooting was a freak accident that ended in tragedy.Crown prosecutor Bill Burge disputed that, arguing that Stanley handled the firearm carelessly and that the only inference was that he pulled the trigger and fired the fatal shot.Burge said it was clearly an emotional case for the jury.“One side is very unhappy tonight, but there is never any winner in a case like this,” he said.“We were there to present the evidence. We didn’t leave anything out that would have made a difference. There was nothing more that could be done. We put it out there. The jury made their decision. That’s their duty and they took it seriously.”He said the Crown would consider whether there are grounds for an appeal.Neither Spencer nor Stanley commented Friday night.Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said there was no justice for Boushie.“We will never give up on justice for First Nations in Saskatchewan or anywhere else in Canada,” he wrote on Twitter. “Our Treaties are about maintaining peace and justice between Nations.”Racial tensions surrounding the case have been high since the shooting.Indigenous leaders were upset with an initial report from police that the young people had been taken into custody as part of a theft investigation. Boushie’s relatives said RCMP officers who came to the family home after the shooting were insensitive and treated them like suspects.On the other side, there were countless racist and hate-filled posts on social media. One municipal councillor wrote that Stanley’s “only mistake was leaving witnesses.” He later resigned.The highly charged atmosphere prompted then-premier Brad Wall to call for calm.“This must stop,” he wrote on Facebook. “These comments are not only unacceptable, intolerant and a betrayal of the very values and character of Saskatchewan, they are dangerous.”Tension continued as the trial began.The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and Boushie’s family raised concerns because there were no visibly Indigenous jurors selected.There were more pleas for calm from politicians Friday night.“To all of those who are broken today, please, please remain peaceful,” said Kimberly Jonathan, a vice-chief with Saskatchewan’s Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.“It’s not us against them,” the vice-chief said. “We felt unsafe then and we’re still unsafe. Someone can say it’s an accident to shoot any one of us and they are found not guilty.“Let’s live peaceful, let’s coexist and live peacefully.”Premier Scott Moe asked people to be measured in their response.“I know there may be some strong reactions,” Moe said in a statement. “Let us all remember our personal responsibility for our thoughts, our actions, and our comments – including those on social media.“Let us continue to demonstrate consideration, patience, and understanding for one another as we move forward together in reconciliation.” read more

Council voted in favour for City staff to bring forward more information to the next meeting, for further review before adopting the policy. To read a copy of the draft policy, click here.Watch the full discussion and presentation to Council belowSnow Removal Jan 7 201900:00/49:51 LIVE00:00undefinedNext Video× FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Fort St. John City Council was recently presented with the draft policy for Snow Removal at a Committee of the Whole meeting.Victor Shopland,  General Manager of Integrated Services, and Jeremy Garner, Director of Public Works and Utilities, gave Council a presentation on the current performance of snow removal in Fort St. John.The purpose of the policy is to establish priorities for snow and ice control within the transportation corridors and other designated snow and ice control areas of the City of Fort St. John. Within the presentation, Garner noted that the City is not able to meet the existing policy directive with its current resources. He says the ongoing process of snow removal has worked well but is now dealing with ageing equipment.“This process of using graders and snow blowers worked really well, it leaves the street clean from curb to curb, and the snow is neatly placed on the boulevard. It is, however, very slow, it can take the crews up to five weeks to clear the entire city from curb to curb and this, in turn, frustrates many residents due to the time it takes. These 5250 snowblowers that were inexpensive to purchase, however, have reached end of life.”In 2018, the City was $450,000 over budget when it came to snow removal. Shopland says they will have to be more prudent on spending in the 2019 budget.“We certainly have to be very prudent in our budget and contracting lease for the next year, the 2019 year, to ensure that we stay within that amount.”While the City did not go into the snowfall reserve in 2018, the question that Council will have to discuss further is whether or not the City will have enough in the snowfall reserve as the population continues to grow.The draft policy is also looking at some changes as to what areas are considered high priority in the snow removal process and review the measurement of snow that should be removed off commercial and residential streets. In addition, they will look at the upgrading and replacement of equipment. read more

“The participation of men and women across the country demonstrates, once again, the commitment of the Afghan people to shape the future of their country and to reject violence and intimidation,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement from his spokesperson. The presidential election marks the first-ever transfer of power from one elected leader to another in Afghan history. Voters were choosing between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai to succeed President Hamid Karzai. Neither of the candidates achieved the necessary 50 per cent plus one result on 5 April.“With the same determination, resilience and courage the world saw in the first round of elections, the people of Afghanistan today once again decided to take their destiny in their own hands and demonstrate their desire for a peaceful, prosperous, and united Afghanistan,” said Mr. Ban’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš. “For this, they should be congratulated.”Mr. Kubiš, who is also the head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA), also praised the “competence and dedication” of the Afghan National Security Forces, who enabled voting to take place without major disruptions.With the votes now to be counted, Mr. Kubiš urged the candidates to make national unity and inclusivity their top priorities to serve the interests of the Afghan people. Any reports of irregularities will be addressed by the election management bodies – the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC).Visiting a polling centre in the capital, Kabul, Deputy Special Representative Nicholas Haysom said the election is not perfect, nor is it ever in any country, and while the UN expects there to be some complaints “we have faith and hope that the election management bodies will be able to deal with those complaints in a way which satisfies the Afghan people”. The UN Mission had said that the IEC and the IECC improved the electoral process in response to requests and recommendations from candidates and observers.They are now expected to “tally the votes in a transparent and accountable manner, resolve complaints consistently and efficiently, and to transparently release the results,” Mr. Kubiš said. “This vital work should be done with the utmost integrity and impartiality to protect the vote and to deal with complaints in a way that will satisfy the Afghan people,” he said, urging both candidates and supporters to respect the mandate and independence of the IEC and the IECC. “Allow due process to take its course and respect the work of the Commissions, and accept the final results,” he urged.Mr. Haysom echoed Mr. Kubiš, saying both candidates need to leave the resolution of disputes and complaints between them to the election management bodies. “There is a great responsibility on both candidates to behave as statesmen and not behave like sportsmen – it’s not a World Cup, it’s a contest for the leadership of the country,” the deputy added.He stressed also the election was “Afghan-administered, owned and managed”. “In comparison to other elections anywhere we can say it has provided a significant opportunity for Afghans themselves to ensure that elections are free and fair.” read more

Despite winning three games in a row, Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has warned his players to keep their feet on the ground as they aim to avoid a relegation battle.Three successive victories against Watford, Bournemouth, and Burnley have lifted Newcastle United to 13th place in the Premier League table, but Benitez has warned his players not to get carried away with their recent run of form.It was a slow start for the Magpies as they failed to win in their first 10 league matches this season, and now they are just six points from the top half of the table.Virgil van Dijk praises Roberto Firmino after Liverpool’s win Andrew Smyth – September 14, 2019 Virgil van Dijk hailed team-mate Roberto Firmino after coming off the bench to inspire Liverpool to a 3-1 comeback win against Newcastle United.“It is always important to win. But when you win games in a row it is even better,” Benitez told Sky Sports.“We need to keep going and I told the players that we have done nothing yet. It is a very long league and you need to keep winning games.“I said last year 40 points [we need], this year maybe 36 but it is still a long race.” read more

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – The Live Like Bella Foundation is bringing the joy of the holidays to pediatric cancer patients in South Florida.The Live Like Bella Foundation, along with Bomnin Chevrolet, collected toys to donate to pediatric cancer patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Wednesday.The presents were delivered with a little help from ol’ Saint Nick.“It’s a real blessing to be here today with Live Like Bella, giving to these kids this amount of toys,” said Arnaldo Bomnin of Bomnin Chevrolet. “Thank God we’ve got more toys than kids today! It’s a real blessing. The best blessing we can receive at Christmas.”Along with getting gifts, the kids were able to meet Santa and even have their faces painted.Live Like Bella was founded in 2013 in memory of Bella Rodriguez-Torres, who died of cancer at the age of 10 from rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. In her six-year battle, she inspired millions to #LiveLikeBella.The foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric cancer by funding innovative pediatric cancer research. Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. read more

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and Myanmar’s army, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 “prisoners of war” as operations ramped up.Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine has seen a surge in violence in recent weeks between rebels from the Arakan Army (AA) and security forces, displacing thousands.It has added a new dimension to the violence in an area already scored by deep ethnic and religious enmity, which saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims forced over the border by a bloody army crackdown in 2017.The AA is calling for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in what is one of the country’s poorest states.Friday morning’s attacks took place in Buthidaung township in the north of Rakhine state, army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP.“We can confirm that the attack on the four police stations was by the AA,” he said, adding that the army immediately sent a support team and that fighting continued into the afternoon.The AA told AFP that it had carried out the raids, blaming the military for using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery.“The army brought the police into the war two weeks ago,” AA spokesman Khine Thukha said by phone, adding that the group had been under fire the whole day from army helicopters.“Seven enemy combatants were killed. When we seized the posts, they surrendered and we took 14 prisoners of war,” he said, adding that two AA fighters had also been killed in the clashes.The military was unable to give any information about casualty numbers.The UN’s humanitarian agency said Thursday it was concerned for the estimated 2,500 people currently displaced, many of whom are sheltering in local monasteries.The AA was sidelined by an unexpected temporary ceasefire declared unilaterally by Myanmar’s military two weeks ago.The army vowed to stop fighting for four months against a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi made the peace process a priority when her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.Some two dozen conflicts continue to fester around the country’s border areas, many dating back to independence 70 years ago.The AA has said the army is using the truce elsewhere to focus efforts on Rakhine.But observers say no major troop redeployments have yet taken place.The escalation of violence comes amid a series of unclaimed attacks and murders in recent weeks in northern Rakhine.Unknown assailants murdered a policeman, while two ethnic Rakhine were found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch localised “clearance operations”. read more

Residents celebrated the eight annual Boundary Block Party. (Courtesy Photo)On a sunny Saturday afternoon nearly 1,000 people gathered in a crowded park in West Baltimore. Over the course of three hours, residents celebrated the eighth annual Boundary Block Party with dance, music, resources and community advocacy. Residents gathered in the same West Baltimore community that has seen headlines, turmoil and unrest since the tragic death of Freddie Gray.“I think it [the block party] is important to show that organizations are still standing despite of the tragedies, no one is afraid to still come together.  This shows that Sandtown is still standing strong,” said William Scipio a life-long Sandtown resident and president of the Resident Action Committee.“After all of the negativity that was shown on the TV, I wanted people to come and see what Sandtown is really about, how we do work together. That, even in the midst of hard times, we can still pull together and do what needs to be done.  And it was amazing,” said Amelia Harris Co-founder of Newborn Community of Faith Church.Attendees enjoyed free food that was donated to the community for the block party.  Performers included the New Baltimore Twilighters marching band and the Baltimore Show Stoppers. Residents learned more about community organizations, bought produce from local urban farms and registered to vote. Students from Jubilee Arts, a community arts center on Pennsylvania Avenue, showed off their funky fashion creations, ceramic mosaics, line dances and ballet routines.The block party was organized by The No Boundaries Coalition and Jubilee Arts.  The No Boundaries Coalition is a resident-led advocacy organization that has been working to improve public safety and increase police accountability in West Baltimore. Since Freddie’s Gray’s death, the coalition has launched a door knocking and listening campaign in Sandtown that has reached over 250 residents.  Residents are calling for increased police accountability, safer street, jobs and more opportunities for young people.The No Boundaries Coalition is also hosting a public hearing on police misconduct in West Baltimore, 12 noon, May 16, at Sharon Baptist Church in partnership with Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), Greater Baltimore Urban League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The group intends to document the pattern of police misconduct in West Baltimore to push for policy change.“For those of us that have lived here all of our lives and have many of the same type of stories, we recognize that JUSTICE will not come by way of conviction, but by putting legislation in place that addresses the pattern of injustices once and for all,” said Ray Kelly, No Boundaries Coalition president. read more

Another cultural event, Sahodara – a soiree celebrating songs and poetry together – was held at Uttam Mancha, recently. It was all about songs by Kazi Nazrul and his contemporary music composers, lyricists from Bengali music. It was accompanied by poetry featuring various subjects. Sutapa Bhattacharya and Mounita Chatterjee, both friends, joined hand in hand to mesmerize the audiences. Kazi Nazrul’s songs were performed in the first half while artists like Salil Chowdhury, Sudhin Dasgupta, R D Burman Gauri Prasanna Majumdar etc were remembered in the second half. The concept was designed and organized by Shyam Sarkar. Nazrul’s songs like ‘Dolon Chapa Bone Dole’, ‘Gohin Raate Ghum Ke Ele Bhangate’, are worth a mention. read more

Like every other parent Minu Budhia, a Psychotherapist, was concerned about her child’s well being and future. Hence, she came up with an innovative idea – ICANFLYY, a vocational and skill building institute for special needs individuals – to empower not only her own daughter but every other child with special needs. “What will my daughter do when she grows up? How will she be occupied? This was a big concern at the back of my mind. Like Prachi, all special needs young adults in Kolkata do not have much to do after they finish their schooling. So I came up with this idea for ICANFLYY to empower special needs young adults who, like you or me, deserve a place in society” said Minu Budhia, Psychotherapist, Counsellor and Founder – Director of ICANFLYY, a vocational and skill building institute for special needs individuals. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfMinu Budhia’s younger daughter Prachi is the inspiration behind ICANFLYY. Diagnosed with ADHD, low IQ, and Bipolar disorder, Prachi was having a difficult time settling in at a regular school. As a mother, Minu was not only concerned about her daughter’s time at school, but also her future.Looking for answers, Minu travelled the world and educated herself in the field of special education and psychology. Envisioning a better, brighter future for her child and others like her, Minu Budhia established ICANFLYY – a place where you can be who you are and all that you want to be. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveICANFLYY can train its students to be as independent as their capabilities allow and employ them in a nested workplace. Some can even be gainfully employed in a corporate setup. In fact, there should be a quota for them like there is in more developed countries. It is our joint responsibility to accept special needs individuals and give them suitable jobs – Minu said. This thought gives birth to ICANFLYY. Down Syndrome, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Challenges, ADHD, etc. are some of the special needs that the institute caters to. Here the focus is on giving every student space where he or she will be accepted, appreciated, and educated and be a part of a community that is open, non-judgemental, and embraces the idea that being different does not make one less of an individual. In an era of challenges and cut-throat competition, it’s the aim of the institute to enable its students to face the world with self-confidence and honesty. In addition to vocational training, ICANFLYY aims at overall holistic development where physical, mental, and aesthetic aspects are addressed. Training special needs students is complex and the team of experienced, skilled, and passionate special educators and vocational trainers of ICANFLYY rise to the challenge every time. They are not only teachers but also friends, philosophers, and guides. ICANFLYY began its journey as a unit of Caring Minds and then moved into its new stand-alone premises spread across five floors at 4B Valmikee Street, Kolkata – 700026 (near Maddox Square).”Special children do not usually have too many options at their disposal after the initial education bit is done. Empowering and training them to lead independent lives was the need of the hour, and for that, it was important to have the right kind of space. Each floor of this building is dedicated to a particular skill set and function, along with early intervention and pre-vocational programmes. We have tried to keep the institute as vibrant as possible. I want this to be a place where children and people with special needs feel comfortable in and look forward to coming to,” said Minu Budhia. The institute has been successfully running a programme for special needs young adults aged 15+. From March 2018 a new wing will cater to special needs children between the ages of six and fourteen. Children between the ages of six and nine join the Twinkling Stars programme, children between the ages of 10 and 14 join the Rising Stars programme and teenagers who are 15+ join the Superstar programme. There is no upper age limit and at present, the older students of the institute are in their early to mid-thirties.It has also started an Academic Assistance Programme. In a regular classroom, children learn at different rates, some slower than the others. To help such students with additional learning needs, ICANFLYY now offers one-on-one academic assistance. Vocational Training: Training modules are tailored to the unique needs of each student. Its unparalleled on-site job training equips students to work independently in a home set-up or under minimal supervision at various workplaces. Bakery Prep and Packaging: At the Food Factory, the students get an opportunity to bring out the chef inside. Digital Studio: Its state-of-the-art computer lab is full of resources that enable to make its students tech savvy. Data Entry: It welcomes corporate houses, small businesses and individuals to outsource their data entry needs. Art and Craft Studio: The Art and Craft studio at ICANFLYY is taking creativity to a new level. You can get handcrafted gifts for any and every occasion. Unique bookmarks, gift bags and tags, coasters and more are designed and created by its talented special needs individuals at As the name says ICANFLYY, these individuals can fly higher and higher, and touch the zenith. read more

Check Your Android device’s DRM Capabilities by Martin Brinkmann on December 03, 2016 in Google Android – No commentsDRM Info is a free application for Google Android devices that displays to you the installed Digital rights Management (DRM) modules.DRM is used by the majority of subscription-based services that stream media to your devices. This is the case for Netflix, Amazon Video and the majority of other companies out there that provide you with these streams.Your Android device may come with DRM modules, but that depends solely on the manufacturer of the device or the Service provider.Lack of DRM does not necessarily mean that you cannot use a service, as support may also be provided by apps.Google Chrome, the default browser on most Android devices for instance, ships with Google Widevine support. You may also watch Netflix when you use the official application.DRM InfoDRM Info is a free application for Android that checks your device’s support for DRM. The app supports four digital rights management modules currently:Google Widevine Modular DRMMicrosoft PlayreadyMarlinVerimatrixDRM Info requires no extra permissions, but will display advertisement in the interface when you launch it.The program checks if the supported DRM modules are supported on the device, and displays its findings directly on start. The information is displayed right away, there is no lengthy scanning involved.Not supported is listed for any DRM module that is not available on the device. Detailed information about each supported module is provided however.This includes the version and information such as the security level, maximum HDCP level support, or HDCP level.Most information is useful only to developers and companies who want to test their devices, apps or media offerings.As a user, you may still gain valuable information. For instance, you may find out that DRM modules are installed on your device, and the version of these modules.This may help you troubleshoot media playback issues, or functionality issues, that you may encounter. A simple example would be a service that requires a specific DRM module that is not installed on your device.There is little you can do about it however, other than installing updates that may introduce the functionality, or switching to a custom ROM that provides support for the required DRM module.Closing WordsDRM Info is a lightweight fast app for Android that you can run to find out about your device’s DRM capabilities. Summary12345 Author Rating2.5 based on 2 votes Software Name DRM InfoOperating System AndroidSoftware Category MultimediaLanding Page https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androidfung.drminfo&hl=en Advertisement read more

Finally the big day has arrived.For LGBTI music fans, it’s the World Cup final, Oscars and Christmas all rolled into one. It’s the final of the Eurovision Song Contest! GAYSTARNEWS- 5 more Europop stars to watch out for in tonight’s 2nd Eurovision semi-finalIreland’s Eurovision entry features a cute gay couple dancing in the snow5 Europop stars to watch out for in tonight’s Eurovision semi-finalRead the full article on Gaystarnews:  :https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/who-is-going-to-win-eurovision-2018/ eTN Chatroom for Readers (join us) Tonight (12 May), 26 songs from 26 countries will battle it out in Lisbon. So we’ve gathered together some of the songs that you might be seeing crowned champions later on.Cyprus: Eleni Foureira – FuegoFuego has been popular with Eurovision fans since it was released in February, with its blend of contemporary Zara Larsson-esque chart pop and Eurovision ethnopop.However nobody foresaw just what a phenomenon it would become – thanks in no small part to Eleni’s fantastic performance. Relatively simply staged, she knocked this out of the park in the first semi-final with her slick choreography and fierce hairography.She’s earned the title of Eurovision’s answer to Beyoncé. This could be the one that all the rest have to beat tonight.[embedded content]France: Madame Monsieur – MercyAs far as subject matter goes, the story behind France’s entry is one of the more interesting ones this year.Madame Monsieur are a husband and wife electropop duo who wrote this song after hearing the story of Mercy, a Nigerian baby born on a boat carrying refugees across the Mediterranean Sea last year. The song has a touching story but is also unbelievably cool, with a chorus that will get stuck in your head.And wait for the audience participation at the end, which could be a real moment.[embedded content]Ireland – Ryan O’Shaughnessy – TogetherIreland’s entry has been the subject of much discussion in the last week, mainly because of the two male dancers in the performance, dancing a tender love story.Whilst there were initial concerns about its relevance for a break-up song, it made for a popular moment. That is, except China, where station Mango TV omitted the performance from their broadcast. This along with other censored moments resulted in the channel’s broadcast rights for Eurovision being immediately withdrawn, and the performance and ensuing attention have made Ireland third favorite to win.[embedded content]Czech Republic – Mikolas Josef – Lie To MeMikolas Josef has had a more eventful couple of weeks in Lisbon than most.On the first day of rehearsals for his energetic number, a botched backflip attempt put him in hospital unable to walk, with his whole performance put into doubt. However he made a speedy recovery and armed with painkillers he was able to deliver a slightly amended performance of his contemporary pop song in the semi-final.Having had a few extra days to recuperate, will he be able to reinstate the intended acrobatics on final night?[embedded content]Israel: Netta – ToyToy may have slipped slightly from its position as overall favourite, but it still shouldn’t be discounted as a contender.Netta brings a bright, bold and quirky performance to the stage, along with a killer voice and personality.Toy, written as a female empowerment anthem in light of the #MeToo campaign, has also been voted the winner of OUTTv viewers.[embedded content]Moldova: DoReDoS – My Lucky DayFinally for something a little different that could have an outside shot.Moldova’s rather silly song has an equally silly performance, comically depicting a woman two-timing her boyfriend with the man next door.The song is cheesy but extremely catchy, and the colourful lighthearted performance stands out among some of the more serious ones. It’s ludicrous, but this will definitely put a smile on your face.[embedded content]The Eurovision Song Contest 2018 final is live tonight on BBC1 at 8pm with commentary, as always, from Graham Norton.Words: Peter DunwoodyShare this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… read more

News | Artificial Intelligence | August 05, 2019 Montefiore Nyack Hospital Uses Aidoc AI to Spot Urgent Conditions Faster Montefiore Nyack Hospital, an acute care hospital in Rockland County, N.Y., announced it is utilizing artificial… read more Video Player is loading.GE Cardiographe cardiac CT scanner at SCCT19Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 0:38Loaded: 26.15%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -0:38 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | CT Angiography (CTA) | August 07, 2019 VIDEO: Walk Around of a Siemens Go.Top Dedicated Cardiac Scanner This is a quick walk around of the new Siemens Somatom Go.top cardiovascular edition compact computed tomography (CT) read more May 9, 2017 — Management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton and data science company Kaggle recently announced the winners of the third annual Data Science Bowl, a competition that harnesses the power of data science and crowdsourcing to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems. This year’s challenge brought together nearly 10,000 participants from across the world. Collectively they spent more than an estimated 150,000 hours and submitted nearly 18,000 algorithms — all aiming to help medical professionals detect lung cancer earlier and with better accuracy.2017 Data Science Bowl winners include:First Place: Liao Fangzhou and Zhe Li, two researchers from China’s Tsinghua University who have no formal medical background but were able to apply their analytics skills to an unfamiliar but challenging area of research.Second Place: Julian de Wit and Daniel Hammack, both software and machine learning engineers based in the Netherlands. Julian came in third in the Data Science Bowl 2016.Third Place: Team Aidence, members of which work for a Netherlands-based company that applies deep learning to medical image interpretation.Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, affecting nearly 225,000 people each year in the United States alone. Low-dose computed tomography (CT) is a breakthrough technology for early detection, with the potential to reduce lung cancer deaths by 20 percent. But, the technology must overcome a relatively high false-positive rate.Using anonymized high-resolution lung scans in one of the largest datasets to be made publicly available, provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), participants created algorithms that can improve lung cancer screening technology. The participants created algorithms that can accurately determine when lesions in the lungs are cancerous and dramatically decrease the false positive rate of current low-dose CT technology.Top teams will present their winning solutions at the 2017 GPU Technology Conference, May 8-11 in San Jose, Calif., hosted by NVIDIA, a Data Science Bowl sponsor.“Reducing the false-positive rate of low-dose CT scans is a critical step in improving the accuracy of CT screening of lung cancer and having a positive impact on public health,” said Keyvan Farahani, program director, National Cancer Institute, who provided scientific guidance regarding the competition’s design and datasets. “NCI is committed to working closely with the scientific community, the [U.S.] Food and Drug Administration, and other stakeholders to utilize this year’s top-ranking solutions to further advance the field of lung cancer screening.”For more information: www.datasciencebowl.com FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 Videos | Computed Tomography (CT) | July 30, 2019 VIDEO: New Advances in CT Imaging Technology Cynthia McColl… read more Siemens Go.Top CT scanner at SCCT19Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 1:05Loaded: 15.14%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -1:05 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Related Content Video Player is loading.Cynthia McCollough explains new advances in CT technologyPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 13:56Loaded: 1.17%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -13:56 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | CT Angiography (CTA) | August 07, 2019 VIDEO: Walk Around of a GE Cardiographe Dedicated Cardiac CT Scanner This is a quick walk around of the GE Healthcare Cardiographe dedicated cardiac CT system on display at the… read more The CT scanner might not come with protocols that are adequate for each hospital situation, so at Phoenix Children’s Hospital they designed their own protocols, said Dianna Bardo, M.D., director of body MR and co-director of the 3D Innovation Lab at Phoenix Children’s. News | CT Angiography (CTA) | August 06, 2019 Artificial Intelligence Improves Heart Attack Risk Assessment When used with a common heart scan, machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence (AI), does better than… read more Video Player is loading.Mark Ibrahim explains what EPs need from CT imagingPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 5:23Loaded: 3.08%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -5:23 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | Cardiac Imaging | July 30, 2019 VIDEOS | EP LAB | JULY 26, 2019 VIDEO: What Electrophysiologists Need From CT Imaging Prior to AF and VT Ablations Mark Ibrahim, M.D., F read more Videos | Radiation Therapy | July 30, 2019 VIDEO: Use of Radiotherapy to Noninvasively Ablate Ventricular Tachycardia Pierre Qian, MBBS, read more News | Lung Cancer | May 09, 2017 Third Annual Data Science Bowl Winners Advance Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Booz Allen Hamilton and Kaggle competition nets nearly 18,000 algorithms aimed at unlocking the lifesaving potential of cancer screening Sponsored Content | Case Study | Radiation Dose Management | August 13, 2019 The Challenge of Pediatric Radiation Dose Management Radiation dose management is central to child patient safety. Medical imaging plays an increasing role in the accurate… read more Videos | Cardiac Imaging | July 30, 2019 VIDEO: The History of CT Calcium Scoring Arthur Agatston, M.D., clinical pro read more Video Player is loading.Arthur Agatston explains the history of CT calcium scoring Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 9:54Loaded: 1.67%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -9:54 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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News | Artificial Intelligence | July 29, 2019 New AI Tool Identifies Cancer Outcomes Using Radiology Reports Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have demonstrated that an artificial intelligence (AI) tool can perform as… read more Video Player is loading.Pierre Qian explains radiotherapy to ablate VTPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 7:34Loaded: 2.19%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -7:34 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | AAPM | July 23, 2019 VIDEO: Bridging Diversity in Medical Physics to Improve Patient Care Cynthia McColl… read more Feature | Radiology Business | July 22, 2019 | By Greg Freiherr Payment Models Seek Traction in Transition from Volume Efforts to reform healthcare are booming, b read more Video Player is loading.Cynthia McCollough discusses bridging diversity gaps in medical physicsPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 6:05Loaded: 2.67%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -6:05 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Key Topics for Radiology Administrators at AHRA 2019Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 7:33Loaded: 2.15%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -7:33 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Feature | Radiology Imaging | July 29, 2019 | By Greg Freiherr Imaging Market in U.S. Could Rise In Coming Years The coming years may be good for the medical imaging community in the United States. But they will not be easy. read more October 5, 2018 — The American College of Radiology (ACR) Board of Chancellors (BOC) selected three innovators as 2019 Gold Medalists for their extraordinary service to the College or radiology. Honors will be bestowed during the ACR 2019 Annual Meeting, to be held May 18–22, 2019, in Washington, D.C.The following individuals will receive the ACR Gold Medal:Bibb Allen, Jr., M.D., FACR, of Birmingham, Ala., chief medical officer of the American College of Radiology Data Science Institute, diagnostic radiologist in the Birmingham Radiological Group, former chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors and former ACR President;Manuel L Brown, M.D., FACR, of Detroit, former ACR president, former chair of the ACR Nuclear Medicine Commission, and chair of the department of radiology, Henry Ford Hospital and Health Network; andDavid C. Kushner, M.D., FACR, of Virginia Beach, Va., former president of the ACR, former chair of the ACR Commission on Membership and Communications, and current associate medical director for quality and safety, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Norfolk, Va.The following candidates were approved by the ACR BOC to receive Honorary Fellowships in recognition of their contributions to the science or practice of radiology:Seung Hyup Kim, M.D., of Seoul, South Korea, professor of radiology and urology at the Seoul National University (SNU) College of Medicine, South Korea; andAnne W.M. Lee, M.D., MBBS, of Hong Kong, China, clinical professor, Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong KongIn addition, James L. Morrison, of Leesburg, Va., will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award for notable service to the college and the profession. Morrison served as ACR assistant executive director of membership and executive vice president, retiring in 2013 after nearly 18 years at the ACR.For more information: www.acr.org FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 Feature | Information Technology | July 31, 2019 | By Greg Freiherr How Smart Devices Can Improve Efficiency Innovation is trending toward improved efficiency — but not at the expense of patient safety, according to… read more Feature | Radiology Business | July 18, 2019 | By Stefanie Manack and Judy Zakutny Finding A Common Data Language for Radiology Approximately 30 percent of a hospital or health system’s profit comes from imaging according, to… read more Demand for ultrasound scans at U.S. outpatient centers could grow by double digits over the next five years, according to a speaker at AHRA 2019. A variety of factors, however, could cause projections for this and other modalities to change. Graphic courtesy of Pixabay News | Radiology Business | August 01, 2019 Philips Completes Acquisition of Carestream Health’s HCIS Business … read more Videos | Radiology Business | August 02, 2019 VIDEO: Key Topics for Radiology Administrators at AHRA 2019 Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) President … read more News | Radiation Oncology | July 17, 2019 CMS Proposes New Alternative Payment Model for Radiation Oncology The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposal for an advanced alternative payment model (APM)… read more Body language expert Traci Brown spoke at the AHRA 2019 meeting on how to identify when a person is not being honest by their body language. She said medical imaging department administrators can use this knowledge to help in hiring decisions and managing staff.  News | Radiology Imaging | July 22, 2019 AHRA and Canon Medical Systems Support the 12th Annual Putting Patients First Program For the past twelve years, Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc. has partnered with read more Image by rawpixel from Pixabay  John Carrino, M.D., M.Ph., presents “Challenges and Opportunities for Radiology to Prove Value in Alternative Payment Models” at AHRA 2019. Photo by Greg Freiherr News | Radiology Business | October 05, 2018 American College of Radiology Names 2019 Gold Medalists Gold Medalists, Honorary Fellows and Distinguished Achievement Awardee will be honored at ACR 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Related Content Feature | Radiology Business | July 23, 2019 | Greg Freiherr Liars in Radiology Beware! Can you tell when someone is lying? read more read more

Related posts:Costa Rica government says it will reinstate in vitro fertilization within 6 months Costa Rica’s Solís considers reinstating IVF by executive decree Costa Rican president presents draft decree to legalize in vitro fertilization Costa Rica’s Supreme Court to hear challenges to anti-IVF lawmakers An attorney representing 22 couples involved in a legal dispute with the Costa Rican government regarding its failure to legalize in vitro fertilization has turned to the country’s new ombudswoman, Monserrat Solano Carboni, for help.Attorney Huberth May asked Solano to issue an official statement regarding Costa Rica’s lack of action on IVF, despite the country being ordered by the San José-based Inter-American Court of Human Rights to legalize IVF procedures in 2012. Costa Rica is the only country in the Western Hemisphere with an IVF ban in place.“We are very optimistic. [Solano] is very committed to our fight,” May said on Monday evening, following a meeting with the ombudswoman, who took office only a few weeks ago. “She said yes to our request for an official statement from her office before Nov. 26, the day Costa Rica’s government must submit a report to the IACHR.”The couples also are waiting for rulings on civil lawsuits filed in administrative court seeking $100,000 each for the government’s refusal to offer IVF services at public hospitals.Solano promised to make the issue a priority for her office until lawmakers act in compliance with the rights court ruling. Former Ombduswoman Ofelia Taitelbaum also had issued statements in favor of making IVF procedures available to the public.“Our office has been working on this issue for the past two years, and we will continue to do so,” Solano said. “This is obviously something that concerns us, because it involves whether or not the state will comply with its international human rights obligations. In that sense, the Ombudsman’s Office will have an oversight role.”May added that Solano offered to press lawmakers to pass a bill outlining IVF regulations.“She told us that her office fully understands that the [IACHR] ruling is mandatory, and the government must comply with it,” May said.At the end of Monday’s meeting, May said his clients could turn to international organizations such as Amnesty International “to exert external pressure on the country.”Costa Rica passed a ban on IVF procedures in March 2000 following a ruling by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV. The Catholic Church and conservative lawmakers also have exerted intense pressure to maintain the ban.In December 2012, the IACHR ordered Costa Rica to legalize and reinstate IVF, and it set a year limit for the government to draft and adopt legislation to provide couples with access to IVF procedures in public hospitals.Almost two years later, lawmakers have failed to agree on a bill that would regulate the procedure. Members of the current Legislative Assembly took office last May. Facebook Comments read more

Top Stories Comments   Share   5 ways to recognize low testosterone How men can have a healthy 2019 On the traditional medal table, China finished ahead after 10 days of competition with 31 golds, while the U.S. was running a close second with 29.But factor in population, and the U.S. drops to a middle-of-the-pack 23rd, winning one gold medal for every 11 million residents. China, the world’s most populous nation, drops to 36th, with one gold for every 43 million. Among larger nations, Olympic hosts Britain leads, with its 18 golds representing one for every 3.4 million residents.Many small countries fare even better. New Zealand, population 4.4 million, won three gold medals in rowing, propelling it to the top of the medal-strike table over the weekend. Then Usain Bolt’s spectacular win in the 100 meters put Jamaica on top, with its two golds representing one for every 1.4 million residents.And then came Grenada. A sensational run Monday by 19-year-old Kirani James in the 400 meters final gave the country its first-ever gold medal and a seemingly unassailable lead on the medal-strike table: one gold for every 109,000 residents (the country’s entire population).Jo-Anne Skinner, a project manager at Statistics New Zealand, said the alternative rankings have been getting tens of thousands of online hits and have helped generate pride in the country’s Olympic achievements. Think Tank analyzes the second round of Democratic debates “It allows some of the smaller nations to have their day in the sun,” she said.It’s also generating interest in statistics, she said, with some local academics picking up on the analysis as a teaching tool.Asked by The Associated Press about the analysis this week, New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key joked that he’d be happy to grant residency to Usain Bolt if it would help move New Zealand past Jamaica on the list.One country that may not want to look at the analysis is India. It hasn’t won any golds yet, but its one silver and two bronzes represent just one medal of any type for every 400 million countrymen.___Follow Nick Perry on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nickgbperry More Valley freeways to be closed this weekend for improvements Meghan McCain to release audiobook on conservatism, family Sponsored Stories (Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) New high school in Mesa lets students pick career paths Clean energy: Why it matters for Arizona Associated PressWELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Forget about the Olympic medal race between the United States and China. The real action is happening in places like Jamaica, New Zealand and the tiny island nation of Grenada.At least that’s according to one method for crunching the numbers that’s being promoted by a New Zealand government agency. Since last Thursday, Statistics New Zealand has been posting daily online updates of its “medal strike rate” _ the number of gold medals won relative to each country’s population. read more

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has been voted accommodation chain of the year at the Australasian 2010 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence, held in Sydney last weekend.  It’s the second time IHG has achieved the accolade since the HM Awards were established eight years ago.The world’s largest hotel company by number of rooms, IHG has over 4,500 hotels and resorts worldwide under a family of brands that include InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn.  In Australasia, IHG’s recent developments has included the official opening of the new-build Crowne Plaza Adelaide in July, establishment of InterContinental Adelaide and an extensive upgrade program across its network of Holiday Inn hotels, due for completion by the end of 2010.IHG also took home the gong for the year’s best hotel marketing campaign, recognising the creativity, breadth and success of the multi-channel Holiday Inn Pillow Fight campaign in late 2009.  Also awarded an award for the second time around was InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa, which was named South Pacific Resort of the Year. The HM accolades follow IHG being recognised as the region’s most responsible and sustainable hotel company by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), which named IHG the inaugural winner of its Australasian Responsible Travel Management Award two weeks ago.“We’re all thrilled to have been voted this year’s hotel management company of the year, especially off the heels of our responsible travel award from the NBTA late last month.  It’s a real boost for our teams and our partners, that the extraordinary efforts everyone’s put in over the last year have been recognised as best practice by our peers in the industry,” said IHG Australasia chief operating officer, Bruce McKenzie.IHG is the world’s largest hotel company by number of rooms, with over 4,500 hotels and more than 650,000 guest rooms in more than 100 countries.  In Australasia, IHG’s continues to build its network of InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels, currently numbering over 50 locations. Source = IHG read more

Cruise About agent, Emma de Vos, of Mount Eliza in Victoria, has won an 8-day Avalon Waterways European river cruise for two, with a total value of up to $12,000.Avalon Waterways extended its consumer marketing campaign to give agents the chance to win the holiday by describing in 25 words or less why they thought Aussies should choose to travel with Avalon Waterways.Emma’s full score and creative prose detailed delicious Amsterdam cheeses and Basel fondue, and her win came as a real surprise.“I didn’t understand why Alexandra [Morton, Area Sales Manager at Avalon Waterways] was here and then I realised I had won. I can’t wait to go on my European cruise with Avalon Waterways, a brand that I know so well,” Emma said. agent incentiveAvalaon WaterwaysCruise About read more

One of the world’s most famous restaurants, Noma, has announced it will relocate to Sydney for ten weeks from January 2016, to share the best of Australian produce as seen through the eyes of head chef, René Redzepi, and his team.Noma will temporarily close in Copenhagen, Denmark to open its new waterfront home at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour, as part of a collaboration with Tourism Australia and Lendlease.“I have always been attracted to the incredible diversity you find in Australia’s landscapes and ingredients, because they are like no other place I’ve seen before,” said Redzepi. “Australia combines strong influences from its Indigenous people with new communities from around the world. When you mix it all together, the result is something truly inspiring. It really is the perfect place to come and learn.”Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said that Noma Australia was a natural extension of its already successful Restaurant Australia campaign.“A big part of Restaurant Australia has been about improving Australia’s perception as a food and wine destination. And, with one of the world’s top ranked restaurants about to open in Sydney, I’d say our country’s culinary standing has never been higher,” he said.Gary Horwitz, Head of Retail at Lendlease said the partnership is testament to the vision that is being created for the waterfront dining precinct at Barangaroo: “When Lendlease was approached by the Noma team, we knew it was the perfect fit; René’s strong affinity to sustainability is aligned with our aspirations for Barangaroo. We are delighted to partner with Noma and Tourism Australia to celebrate the best of Australian produce and enhance Barangaroo’s position on the global food map.”Noma Australia will be located in the acclaimed Anadara building at the Barangaroo precinct, which is set to become Australia’s landmark future food and beverage destination. The location was selected for its synergy to Noma in Copenhagen, which is also on the water and strongly connected to the sea.Noma Australia will launch in January 2016 and will open for lunch and dinner five days per week.Bookings for the restaurant will open later this year.  Further details about registering interest and bookings can be found at Noma. read more

Istanbul’s prestigious Cirağan Palace Kempinski Hotel is offering elite travelers two special packages to celebrate the holiday season. A mix of classic and modern is the hallmark of a four-night accommodation in a Superior Bosphorus View Room, with daily VIP amenities and daily buffet breakfast. Guests will enjoy Christmas High Tea at the hotel’s Gazebo Restaurant in addition to Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch at Laledan Restaurant, which features traditional culinary favorites from the hotel’s award-winning chefs.A New Year’s holiday package will include a Gala New Year’s Eve Dinner and an elegant New Year’s brunch at Laledan Restaurant. Guests may choose between a two or four night package.www.ciragan-palace.com read more

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