26 December 2015 China
China has effectively expelled a French
journalist over an article she wrote that was
critical of Beijing's policy towards Muslim
Uighers in Xinjiang.
Beijing confirmed it would not renew press
credentials for Ursula Gauthier, of the French
news magazine L'Obs.
It said an article she wrote about the unrest in
Xinjiang supported "terrorism and cruel acts"
that killed people.
Ms Gauthier called the claims "absurd" and
said Beijing was trying to "deter" foreign
reporters in the country.
If her press card is not renewed, Ms Gauthier
cannot apply for a new visa, and will have to
leave China by 31 December.
She would be the first foreign journalist to be
expelled since Al Jazeera correspondent
Melissa Chan in 2012.
China blames the long-running unrest in
western autonomous Xinjiang region on
Islamist separatists, many of whom it says
have foreign ties.
But Xinjiang's ethnic Uighurs, most of whom
are Muslim, say Beijing's repression of their
religious and cultural customs is provoking
the violence.
Ms Gauthier published her article after the
attacks in Paris in November, suggesting
China's solidarity with France might have an
ulterior motive, to justify its own crackdowns
in Xinjiang.
The article triggered condemnation from the
Chinese government and state media who
demanded an apology and retraction from her.
China's foreign ministry on Saturday
confirmed it would not renew Ms Gauthier's
press card, saying she had failed to make a
"serious apology" to the Chinese people and
was no longer "suitable" to continue working
in the country.
"China will never support the freedom to
champion terrorism," it said.
The foreign ministry complained of a double
standard whereby tough action in the West is
called anti-terrorism but in China is described
as the repression of ethnic minorities.
But Ms Gauthier called the accusations
"absurd" and said she was being asked to
apologise "for things that I have not written".
She told the Associated Press she feared the
move was "only meant to deter foreign
correspondents in the future in Beijing".

A Christmas Day bushfire has destroyed more
than 100 homes in Australia's Victoria state,
officials say.
Officials said 98 homes had been razed in Wye
River and 18 at Separation Creek. No injuries
are reported.
Hundreds of firefighters have been battling the
blaze along the famous Great Ocean Road in
Victoria's south-west, popular with
holidaymakers.
A change to cooler weather and rain has
greatly reduced the threat, but some
emergency warnings remain in place.
Some 1,600 residents and tourists from the
popular tourist spot of Lorne were evacuated
on Friday amid fears that a wind change
would push the fire towards the town, but
were allowed to return on Saturday.
Many of those forced to leave their homes had
to spend Christmas night in hastily-arranged
shelters.
More than 500 firefighters, 60 tankers and 18
aircraft have been involved in fighting the
flames.
Victoria Emergency Management
Commissioner Craig Lapsley said they were
"working around the clock to bring this fire
under control".
He warned that although the immediate threat
had eased, the fire had the "potential to burn"
for weeks to come.
'Dropped everything'
Thousands of tourists typically descend on
the area in the days after Christmas to visit
coastal towns.
But many residents and holidaymakers were
forced to flee, as festivities were abandoned
when the scale of the threat became apparent.
"They (residents) were all prepared, putting
their barbecues on, they were cooking away,
and all of a sudden they could see the smoke
coming over the hill," local resident Patrick
Carey said.
"They thought it was still four hours away
according to what they'd heard. And then all
of a sudden it was an hour away, and all of a
sudden it was half-an-hour away. So, they
just dropped everything, stopped cooking and
hopped in their car."
Anyone still planning to travel to the area is
being asked to check emergency warnings and
to avoid the Great Ocean Road if possible.
The Falls Music and Arts Festival, which is
held annually near Lorne, may not go ahead
because of the fires, its organisers said.
The fire began with a lightning strike on 19
December and has been fanned by strong
winds and intense heat in recent days, burning
across 2,200 hectares (5,437 acres) so far.
Victoria is one of the most fire-prone regions
in the world.
Many bushfires are started by lightning
strikes, while others are sparked accidentally
by campers or discarded cigarettes.
Some are the work of arsonists.
In 2009, more than 170 people died in
Victoria during Australia's worst ever bushfire
disaster.

1.Said Bhakhresa   2.Subhas Patel 3.Fish Owner Mwanza 4.Rostam Aziz 5.Oilcom Owner 6.Yusuf Manji 7.Tunil Somaiya 8.Mohamed Dewji 9.Precision air  10.Tigo Owner 11.Reginand Mengi  12.Zantel Owner 13.Mh. Mkono 14.Air Tanzania 15.J. Patel  16.Mh. Chenge  17.Mh. Lowasa 18.Mh. M. Shabiy 19.Mh. M. Abood 20.Kilimanjaro Owner Arusha 21.Total Owner 22.Freeman Mbowe 23.Tarimba Abbas 24.Cello Plastic Owner 25.Twiga Cement Owner

Nicki Minaj photographed in 2015.

HOWARD HUANG

Nicki Minaj has officially locked in talent for her forthcoming ABC Family comedy Nicki. The Billboard cover star announced the actors slated to star in the scripted series in an Instagram post on Friday (Dec. 18).

Fruitvale Station starlet Ariana Neal will play the leading lady as Nicki, a role "inspired by Nicki Minaj in her early years before she became a Grammy Award-nominated, multiplatinum superstar," according to a screenshot of the release that Minaj posted. Other Hollywood notables will be supermodel/ actress Selita Ebanks, who will play Grace, Minaj's mom. Academy Award-winning vet Whoopi Goldberg will also guest star as Minaj's neighbor, Miss Martha. McCarrie McCausland will play Minaj's older brother, Jaylen, while Wesley Jonathan will tackle the role of their father, Vincent. 

Nicki Minaj Fronts Billboard No. 1s Year-End Cover in Candid, Outspoken Interview: 'Fans Know My Struggle. I Was Ruthless'

The Pinkprint rapstress recently told Billboard that she has been very hands-on in the creative process. "I am maybe too involved," she said. "Two days ago I was in casting. I’m going back tomorrow. I found one girl who I’m obsessed with who might play me, and someone who could rival her. So I’ve been coaching them both. I do a beat, let them rap. I do little dances with them. It has been magical. I didn’t even know I had it in me, but I love children so much."

She did reveal one stipulation, though: "My first day, I said to the casting director: 'This will not be a clichéd black show.'"

Nicki Minaj on Female Rapper Criticism: 'To Undermine My Skill as an MC Is Actually Comical'

Minaj is slated to executive produce and Nicki, heading to small screens on ABC Family, which will revamp its network name to Freeform on Jan. 12, 2016.