Icetruck

If you want people to talk about how great your party long after it’s over you need to provide your guests with good company, good entertainment and most importantly good food. Whether you are serving a full meal or finger-sized snacks, it is imperative that it be interesting and delicious. It may include assorted salads, quirky cocktails or bite-sized desserts. Even if it’s not a theme party it is a good idea to serve unique theme based snacks to spice things up.

Image Credits: Youtube

Unconventional dessert ideas:

A girl had a similar to surprise her guests with something they will not soon forget. When it was time for dessert, she brought in this huge cake shaped as a hyper-realistic Cockroach.We would have loved it if somebody had recorded the reactions of her guests when she brought in this masterpiece, which she had handcrafted herself. We imagine the reactions would have been of shock, horror and utter fascination. They would have been quite entertained by the whole spectacle of cutting this cake. We can guarantee people will definitely be talking about this out of the ordinary cake for a long time in the future and some will even try to replicate it.

As most people find cockroaches rather gross, eating a dessert shaped as an insect might have been disturbing for some, Especially if you have kids in the party. Although it makes for a great Halloween themed cake if it is too weird for some people you can always improvise to make it into cuter, more harmless insects. For example, this Red and White polka dotted Ladybug cake. This colourful cake will be great for a kid’s birthday party and will definitely have the children asking for more. It will look great with a matching black and red decor and maybe if you can find some ladybug shaped chocolates, they will be great for the goody bags!

Other less strange options:

If you want to bake a cake that is pretty and interesting, what better option than having it in a shape of a butterfly. It will be well-suited for numerous themes and you can get as creative as you want. Experiment with different colours and patterns for the butterfly’s wings. It is also a good idea to get your children to help out in the decoration and turn it into a fun activity for all. Don’t blame us if you feel bad about cutting this masterpiece later!

We believe baking is a form of art. The options are unlimited and it’s a great way to get those creative juices flowing. There are plenty of talented bakers uploading extensive tutorials on youtube on decoration and baking. If you are committed to creating something that is interesting as well as scrumptious, all it takes is a little practice and determination.

Liked This? Read This: 26 Reasons Why Kids Refuse to Eat That Made Their Parents Go Crazy

Article by BornRealist

The post This Insanely Talented Cake Maker Bakes ‘Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Cake’ appeared first on Born Realist.

Source – bornrealist.com

Saudi princes among dozens detained in anti-corruption purge

The heir to the throne in Saudi Arabia has consolidated his hold on power with a major purge of the kingdom's political and business leadership.

A new anti-corruption body, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, detained 11 princes, four sitting ministers and dozens of ex-ministers.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a billionaire with investments in Twitter and Apple, is among those held.

Separately King Salman replaced the national guard and the navy chiefs.

The new anti-corruption committee has the power to issue arrest warrants and travel bans.

Saudi broadcaster Al-Arabiya said fresh investigations had been launched into the 2009 Jeddah floods and the outbreak of the Mers virus which emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 – but analysts see the detentions as a clear move by the crown prince to strengthen his power base.

• Who is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?
• End of Saudi women driving ban reflects deep changes in society
• Saudi Arabia profile

A shock to Saudis unused to change

Analysis by Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent

The events of Saturday night in Saudi Arabia are nothing short of seismic for that country. In a bold, pre-planned move, the 32-year old Crown Prince has removed the final obstacles to his gaining total control over the world's richest oil producer and home to the holiest shrines in Islam.

Presented to the world as an anti-corruption drive, the arrests of princes, ministers and the billionaire tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal have shocked Saudis unused to sudden change.

The crown prince is largely popular, especially amongst young Saudis, but many older, more conservative citizens think he is moving too far too fast. He has started an unwinnable war in Yemen while still fighting the extremists of so-called Islamic State. He has also backed a damaging boycott of Gulf neighbour Qatar.

But his supporters hail his efforts to modernise Saudi Arabia and, after decades of rule by old men, they welcome a fresh vision from a man who could well be king for the next 50 years.

Who is Prince Alwaleed?

Prince Alwaleed, who owns London's Savoy hotel, is one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $17bn (£13bn) according to Forbes.

Shares in Kingdom Holding, the investment firm owned by the prince, plunged 9.9% in early trade on the Saudi stock market after news of his detention emerged.

The firm is one of Saudi Arabia's most important investors. Apart from Twitter and Apple, it has shares in Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, Citigroup bank, the Four Seasons hotel chain and ride-sharing service Lyft.

Prince Alwaleed once bought control of a hotel and a yacht from Donald Trump, when he had yet to enter politics, but clashed with him publicly on Twitter in 2015 over his decision to stand for president, the New York Times notes.

Skip Twitter post by @Alwaleed_Talal

.@realDonaldTrump
You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America.
Withdraw from the U.S presidential race as you will never win.

— الوليد بن طلال (@Alwaleed_Talal) December 11, 2015

Report

End of Twitter post by @Alwaleed_Talal

M Trump, who was born into a family of property developers, shot back with a tweet mocking the source of the prince's wealth.

Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump

Dopey Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to control our U.S. politicians with daddy’s money. Can’t do it when I get elected. #Trump2016

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2015

Report

End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump

Who else was detained or sacked?

The names of the other figures who were detained could not be verified immediately.

National guard minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah and navy commander Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan were both replaced, with no official explanation given.

Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was once seen as a contender for the throne and was the last member of Abdullah's branch of the family at the highest echelons of Saudi government.

What do we know about Crown Prince Mohammed?

Few people outside Saudi Arabia had heard of Prince Mohammed bin Salman before his father became king in 2015. But since then, the 32-year-old has become the most influential figure in the world's leading oil exporter

Last year, Prince Mohammed unveiled a wide-ranging plan to bring social and economic change to the oil-dependent kingdom.

He recently said the return of "moderate Islam" was key to his plans to modernise Saudi Arabia.

Addressing an economic conference in Riyadh, he vowed to "eradicate the remnants of extremism very soon".

Source – bbc.com

Saudi Arabia detains famed billionaire amid investment push

Among those detained in Saudi Arabia, no name carries more power in Western financial markets than Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

The prince, listed by Forbes as the richest Arab with $18.7 billion to his name, long has made big bets in the markets, holding major stakes in companies like Apple and CitiBank.

But his arrest now comes after Saudi Arabia hosted a major investment summit in Riyadh at one of the hotels now reportedly holding dozens of princes and former officials detained late Saturday in what authorities described as an anti-corruption campaign. How the world will view investing in the kingdom now, especially its upcoming initial public offering involving its state-run oil company, remains to be seen.

"This is going to cause some immediate apprehension in terms of investors looking at Saudi Arabia," said Graham Griffiths, a senior analyst at Control Risks focusing on Saudi Arabia. Prince Alwaleed "is someone who has been represented as a face of the kingdom, someone that a lot of people have done business with and are comfortable doing business with."

Prince Alwaleed, 62, is a major shareholder in Twitter, as well as an investor in ride-sharing services Lyft and Careem. He is also majority owner of the popular Rotana Group of Arabic satellite channels, and owns shares in the Four Seasons and Movenpick hotel chains.

It's unclear how his arrest will affect global financial markets, but it is already having an effect in the ultraconservative kingdom. Shares in his Kingdom Holding Co. fell 7.5 percent in trading Sunday to 9.50 riyals ($2.53) a share, despite it announcing profits of 247.5 million riyals ($66 million) in the third quarter.

The prince has not been afraid to make big bets and lose billions, including backing then-CitiBank CEO Vikram Pandit amid the 2008 financial crisis. He earlier rescued the bank when it was CitiCorp in 1991.

"I don't make mistakes. I make blunders," the prince told Vanity Fair in 2013. "When you make a mistake you lose $10 million, $50 million, $100 million, but when you make a mistake of $200 million to $500 million, or $1 billion, that's a blunder."

Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have eagerly embraced U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has reciprocated, making the kingdom his first international trip.

Trump also has tweeted and talked this weekend about his hope that Saudi Arabia will "strongly consider the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ or frankly anywhere else located in this country" to list its Saudi Arabian Oil Co.'s IPO. Saudi Arabia is expected to take a small portion of Saudi Aramco — which controls some of the world's largest oil reserves — public some time in 2018 in a dual listing at home and abroad.

London and other major cities with exchanges have also been vying for the international listing. However the state-owned oil giant's finances have long been opaque and there's reportedly been concerns that a public listing in New York or London, for example, could bring with it unwanted scrutiny and demands for transparency by shareholders.

While Trump now openly courts Saudi Arabia, Prince Alwaleed famously criticized him during his presidential campaign.

"You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America," the businessman tweeted in December 2015 amid the uproar over Trump's comments about banning Muslims from traveling to the United States. "Withdraw from the U.S presidential race as you will never win."

Trump, who once sold a yacht to the prince in 1991 and part of New York's Plaza Hotel to him in 1995, responded by calling him "dopey" and saying he wanted to "control our U.S. politicians with daddy's money. Can't do it when I get elected."

Prince Alwaleed later congratulated Trump on his electoral win.

"President elect @realDonaldTrump whatever the past differences, America has spoken," the prince tweeted on Nov. 9, 2016.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz .

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Source – abcnews.go.com

Vietnam: At least 27 killed by Typhoon Damrey

A typhoon which battered southern and central Vietnam has left at least 27 people dead, and more than 20 missing.

Typhoon Damrey made landfall on Saturday, with winds of up to 90 km/h.

More than 40,000 homes have been damaged, people have been evacuated and there have been widespread power cuts.

The worst affected area was the city of Nha Trang – about 500km (310 miles) south of the coastal city of Da Nang where world leaders will be attending an Apec summit later this week.

The South East Asian country often experiences severe storms, and sees a number of deaths every year from floods.

More than 30,000 people, including foreign tourists, were evacuated from areas in the path of the storm.

Weather experts say it is the most destructive storm in decades to hit the southern coastal region – which usually escapes typhoons that in most years strike further north.

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Source – bbc.com

Former Disney star plays serial killer in very dark film role

Former Disney star Ross Lynch has taken on one of the toughest film assignments you can get — making a cannibalistic serial killer likable.

The "Austin and Ally" star plays Jeffrey Dahmer in "My Friend Dahmer" as a high school student, long before he went on his murderous rampages.

"Although you know he's going to become a serial killer, it's not hard to think of him as a human because he once was. And really, our film takes place at the time when he's losing his humanity, when he's becoming this monster. So, we have to start with him with his humanity," said Lynch.

The 21-year-old actor admits he wasn't familiar with Dahmer, who raped, murdered, and dismembered 17 men and boys. He died in prison in 1994.

"Once you start reading one sentence about Jeffrey Dahmer, it usually leads to hours of researching the things that he did because they're unbelievable, like the definition of the word unbelievable," Lynch said.

While the new role was a radical departure for Lynch — he made a name on the music-filled comedy for Disney — he knew it was important for his growth as an actor.

"It's not as family friendly, but you know it's interesting. I do have a lot of younger fans, but you find that a lot of their parents are really fans, too, because they end up watching the show and the movies, end up listening to the music in the car. So, a lot of the parents are equally almost as much of a fan," Lynch said.

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Follow John Carucci at http://www.twitter.com/jacarucci

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Billionaire prince among dozens arrested in Saudi sweep

Saudi Arabia has arrested dozens of princes, senior military officers, businessmen and top officials, including a well-known royal billionaire with extensive holdings in Western companies, as part of a sweeping purported anti-corruption probe that further cements control in the hands of its young crown prince.

A high-level employee at Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Co. told The Associated Press that the royal— who is one of the world's richest men— was among those detained overnight Saturday. The company's stock was down nearly 9 percent in trading Sunday on the Saudi stock exchange.

Reports suggested those detained were being held at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, which only days earlier hosted a major investment conference with global business titans from the U.S., Japan and other countries. A Saudi official told The Associated Press that other five-star hotels across the capital were also being used to hold some of those arrested.

The surprise arrests, which also reportedly include two of the late King Abdullah's sons, were hailed by pro-government media outlets as the greatest sign yet that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is keeping his promise to reform the country, long been plagued by allegations of corruption at the highest levels of government.

Analysts have suggested the arrest of once-untouchable members of the royal family is the latest sign that the 32-year-old crown prince is moving to quash potential rivals or critics. The prince's swift rise to power has unnerved more experienced, elder members of the ruling Al Saud family, which has long ruled by consensus, though ultimate decision-making remains with the monarch.

The king named his son, the crown prince, as head of an anti-corruption committee established late Saturday, just hours before its arrest of top officials.

A Saudi government official with close ties to security says 11 princes and 38 others are being held. The official spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Marriott International said in a statement that it is currently evaluating the situation at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh. "As a matter of guest privacy, we do not discuss the guests or groups with whom we do business or may be visitors of the hotel," the statement added.

The scale of the arrests is unprecedented in Saudi Arabia, where senior royals and their business associates were seen as operating above the law. Saudi nationals have long complained of rampant corruption in government and of public funds being squandered or misused by people in power.

Shortly before the arrests, King Salman had ousted Prince Miteb bin Abdullah from his post as head of the National Guard. The prince is reportedly among those detained in the sweep, as is his brother, Prince Turki bin Abdullah, who was once governor of Riyadh. Both are sons of the late King Abdullah, who ruled before his half-brother King Salman.

Prince Miteb was once considered a contender for the throne.

Saudi Twitter accounts released several other names of those arrested, such as: Alwalid al-Ibrahim, a Saudi businessman with ties to the royal family who runs the Arabic satellite group MBC; Amr al-Dabbagh, the former head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; Ibrahim Assaf, the former finance minister; and Bakr Binladin, head of the Saudi Binladin Group, a major business conglomerate.

An earlier crackdown on perceived critics of the crown prince included clerics, writers, lesser-known princes and Saudi figures popular on social media.

"The dismissals and detentions suggest that Prince Mohammed rather than forging alliances is extending his iron grip to the ruling family, the military, and the national guard to counter what appears to be more widespread opposition within the family as well as the military to his reforms and the Yemen war," James M. Dorsey, a Gulf specialist and senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said an analysis of the shake-up.

Saudi Arabia said late Saturday it intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen at Riyadh International Airport, on the outskirts of the capital. The crown prince, as defense minister, oversees the stalemated war against Yemen's Iranian-allied rebels.

The Finance Ministry said the anti-corruption probe "opens a new era of transparency and accountability," enhances confidence in the rule of law and improves the kingdom's investment climate.

It is not clear what Prince Alwaleed or others are being investigated for.

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel said the anti-corruption probe was looking into the response to flooding in Jiddah that killed around 120 people in 2009 and devastated the city again in 2011, as well as the government's handling of a Coronavirus outbreak that has killed several hundred people in recent years.

Prince Alwaleed's many investments include Twitter, Apple, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., Citigroup, and the Four Seasons, Fairmont and Movenpick hotel chains. He is also an investor in ride-sharing services Lyft and Careem.

The prince, often pictured on his 85.65-meter (281 foot) superyacht in the Mediterranean, is among the most outspoken Saudi royals and a longtime advocate for women's rights. He is also majority owner of the popular Rotana Group of Arabic channels.

The AP reached out overnight to Kingdom Holding for comment. There was no response as of Sunday afternoon. The senior employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of repercussions, said security bodies informed him of the arrest.

The kingdom's top council of clerics issued a statement saying it is an Islamic duty to fight corruption— essentially giving religious backing to the high-level arrests being reported. A top royal court official, Badr al-Asaker, on Sunday appeared to confirm the arrests on Twitter, describing a "historic and black night against the corrupt."

The government said the anti-corruption committee has the right to issue arrest warrants, impose travel restrictions and freeze bank accounts. It can also trace funds, prevent the transfer of funds or the liquidation of assets, and take other precautionary measures until cases are referred to the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Prince Miteb was replaced by a lesser known royal, Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf al-Muqrin, to head the National Guard— a prestigious force tasked with protecting the royal family, important holy sites in Mecca and Medina, and oil and gas sites.

Just three months earlier, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was plucked from the line of succession and from his post as interior minister, overseeing internal security. This laid the groundwork for the king's son to claim the mantle of crown prince.

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Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell and Fay Abuelgasim in Dubai and Jonathan Lemire aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

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Source – abcnews.go.com

The Latest: Saudi AG says 'corruption' sweep will be fair

The Latest on Saudi Arabia, where dozens of princes and former ministers have been arrested as authorities announce an anti-corruption drive (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

Saudi Arabia's attorney general says an anti-corruption sweep is treating its suspects with "the same rights and treatment as any other Saudi citizen."

Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb did not acknowledge the arrests or name any suspects, but The Associated Press has reported that billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and other senior royals, military officers, businessmen and ex-ministers have been detained and are being held in five-star hotels across the capital, Riyadh.

Al-Mojeb stressed that all parties are considered innocent until proven guilty and "retain full legal privileges relating to their personal and private property, including funds." However, he says a suspect's position or status will "not influence the fair application of justice."

The attorney general said Sunday the newly-formed anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is conducting investigations to ensure transparency and good governance.

The statement did not specify further what alleged crimes had been committed.

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1:40 p.m.

The Ritz Carlton hotel chain says it is "evaluating the situation" at its hotel in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after reports it is being used to house some of those detained in a wave of arrests of princes and former government officials.

Ritz Carlton spokeswoman Sarah Walker-Kerr declined to discuss Sunday what was happening at the hotel.

Some of the 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen arrested in Saudi Arabia are reportedly being held at the hotel. Phone lines to the hotel have been cut off since Sunday morning.

A Saudi security official earlier told The Associated Press that the detainees are being held in five-star hotels across Riyadh as part of an anti-corruption sweep.

The arrests have cemented the hold on power for King Salman and his 32-year-old son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

———

12:30 p.m.

The White House has released more details about a phone call between President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman, but the statement did not make any reference to the overnight arrests of high-level princes and officials in the kingdom.

The White House statement said Sunday that Trump and Salman discussed counterterrorism efforts, "the continuing threat of Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen" and Saudi Arabia's interception of a missile fired from Yemen at its capital, Riyadh.

President Trump also thanked the monarch for Saudi Arabia's military purchases, including a $15 billion investment in the American-made THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system.

The president also asked the king to strongly consider listing state-oil firm Aramco on a stock exchange in the United States, which Trump had earlier mentioned in a tweet.

———

11:10 a.m.

Shares of an investment company owned by a Saudi billionaire detained in a massive sweep in Riyadh have dropped 10 percent in trading on the kingdom's stock market.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the head of Kingdom Holding Co., is among the 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen now detained in Riyadh.

Kingdom Holding's drop on the Tadawul stock exchange comes as it announced its third-quarter earnings Sunday morning. It said it had profits of 247.5 million riyals ($66 million), compared to a loss of 345.9 million riyals ($92 million) in the previous period last year.

The company said in a filing its earnings rose on an "increase in hotels and other operating revenues in addition to increase in dividends income."

———

10:15 a.m.

A Saudi government official with close ties to security says 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen are being held in five-star hotels across the capital, Riyadh, in an anti-corruption sweep.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The AP earlier reported that among those detained is Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Reports say some of the detainees are being held at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh.

A royal court official, Badr al-Asaker, on Sunday appeared to confirm the arrests on Twitter, describing a "historic and black night against the corrupt."

— Aya Batrawy and Abdullah al-Shihri

9:15 a.m.

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has been detained in a large anti-corruption sweep targeting dozens of senior princes and government ministers.

A high-level employee of the King Holding Company, which Prince Alwaleed chairs, told The Associated Press that the royal had been among those detained overnight Saturday. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of repercussions.

Prince Alwaleed is one of the Middle East's richest people, with investments in Twitter, Apple, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, Citigroup, the Four Seasons hotel chains and most recently in ride sharing service Lyft.

He's also known for being among the most outspoken Saudi royals, long advocating for greater women's rights. He is also majority owner of the popular Rotana Group of Arabic channels.

The government has so far only announced that an anti-corruption probe was launched, with state-linked media reporting that dozens of princes and ministers were detained without releasing their names.

— Aya Batrawy and Abdullah al-Shihri

8 a.m.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly arrested 11 princes and dozens of former government ministers as it announces a new anti-corruption campaign, further cementing King Salman and his crown prince son's control of the kingdom.

The arrests late Saturday, as well as the king's removal of a prominent prince in charge of the National Guard, came as Lebanon's prime minister, a close Saudi ally, announced his own resignation from the Saudi capital only hours earlier.

The moves further shake up Saudi Arabia and the greater Middle East as regional conflicts still rage around the kingdom. Shiite rebels in Yemen, the target of a 2 ? year Saudi-led military campaign, fired a ballistic missile toward Riyadh's international airport on Saturday night.

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite news channel reported the arrests late Saturday of 11 princes and dozens of former ministers.

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Source – abcnews.go.com

Anti-coal protesters march in Germany before climate meet

More than 2,500 anti-coal demonstrators protested in the western German town of Kerpen and at a nearby surface-mining site before an upcoming global climate conference in Bonn.

The dpa news agency reported Sunday that a large group of the initial protesters split off to march on the mining site behind a banner reading "We Are Nature Defending Itself."

Riot police scuffled with some of the demonstrators but there were no major incidents reported.

German leader Angela Merkel has been dubbed the "Climate Chancellor" for her ambitious targets for renewable energy, but Germany still gets about 40 percent of its electricity from coal-fired plants.

Before the 2017 U.N. Climate Conference that begins Monday, many protesters have been urging her to move faster to wean the country off coal.

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Source – abcnews.go.com

100 years after Russian revolution, Lenin statues abound

His party's power is long gone, his ideas mostly discredited — but Vladimir Lenin's visage remains a fixture in much of the former Soviet Union.

The thousands of statues of him spread across the vast region bring to mind poet Vladimir Mayakovsky's ringing line of devotion: "Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin will live."

The past tense applies to many of the statues. They were torn down and pulverized by angry mobs, as happened in Kiev during the wave of protests in 2013-14, or methodically demounted by local authorities.

Some of the Lenin statues taken down with care were moved from public squares and prominent points to quiet, secluded parks. There Lenin seems less like a fiery leader than a grumpy retiree, his arm outstretched as if trying to call back a bus that sped past him.

But in other spots, that arm is clearly calling the masses to rise up and go forward.

That effect is especially dramatic in the statue that towers over the square at St. Petersburg's Finland Station — a site historically renowned as the place where Lenin returned to his homeland aboard a sealed train after years in exile, a few months before the 1917 Russian revolution.

Viewed as a whole, the statues are monotonous — Lenin is always portrayed as stern — but there are individual nuances. In some, he holds a lapel in a gesture of self-confidence. In others, like the one in the center of Moscow's noisy, traffic-choked Kaluzhskaya Square, he has one hand in his pocket, casually surveying the scene with a boulevardier's air.

Of all the statues, the one that may distill the cult of Lenin to its purest form is the seven-meter (25-foot) tall head that dominates the central square of Ulan-Ude, a city 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) southeast of Lake Baikal in southeast Russia.

There's no body language to read, just Lenin's judgmental stare.

The square was redesigned especially to accommodate the giant head. Removing it would leave the square seeming barren and pointless. There, at least, it's likely that Lenin will live.

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Source – abcnews.go.com

Anger over Trump support for coal at UN climate talks

Plans by the Trump administration to promote coal as a solution to climate change at a major UN meeting have angered environmentalists.

An adviser to the president is expected to take part in a pro-coal presentation in Bonn next week.

Separately, a group of governors will say that the US is still committed to climate action despite Mr Trump's rejection of the Paris agreement.

The talks begin on Monday and aim to flesh out the rules for the Paris pact

This meeting, officially known as COP23, will be the first full gathering of climate negotiators since President Trump vowed to take the US out of the Paris treaty.

"The bottom line is that the Paris Accord is very unfair, at the highest level, to the United States," he said last June, announcing the US intention to withdraw.

• US quits Paris climate pact
• Five effects of US pullout from Paris climate deal

However under the rules, the US cannot leave the agreement until 2020 so they will be sending a team of negotiators to this meeting.

However the official US delegation, mainly career civil servants, may well be overshadowed by other groups with very different visions for how the US should combat climate change.

According to reports, members of the Trump administration, will lend their support to an event to promote fossil fuels and nuclear power as solutions to climate change.

Speakers from coal giant Peabody Energy, among others, will make a presentation to highlight the role that coal and other fuels can play in curbing the impacts of rising temperatures.

A White House spokesman said in a statement that the discussion aims to build on the administration's efforts to promote fossil fuels at the G20 meeting this year.

"It is undeniable that fossil fuels will be used for the foreseeable future, and it is in everyone's interest that they be efficient and clean," the spokesman said.

'Beyond absurd'

The prospect of fossil fuel industries making their case at this meeting has angered some who will attending.

"Fossil fuels having any role in tackling climate change is beyond absurd. It is dangerous," said Andrew Norton, director of the International Institute for Environment and Development.

"These talks are no place for pushing the fossil fuel agenda. The US needs to come back to the table and help with the rapid cuts in emissions that the situation demands."

"It's not a credible solution, but that doesn't seem to bother them," said long time talks participant Alden Meyer from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"They might even welcome some of the reaction to show to their base that they are fighting for America's interest and not this globalist malarky."

'Much of America supports Paris deal'

Environmentalists point to the contradiction of the Trump administration championing fossil fuels while an authoritative National Climate Assessment report, released on the eve of COP23, is clear that CO2 from these fuels is the key cause of climate change.

US climate report at odds with some in Trump team

The report says "that it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence."

Other groups, opposed to the Trump perspective, will also be paying for a large pavilion at the talks.

Delegations of US governors, mayors and business people, under the We Are Still In coalition umbrella, will be in Bonn to tell negotiators that below the Federal level, much of America still supports the Paris Agreement.

The US Climate Alliance, which represents 14 states and one territory, says that it speaks for around 36% of the US population and if it were a nation state would be the third biggest economy in the world.

One of the governors who will be on the ground in Bonn is Washington's Jay Inslee.

"We need to make sure that world maintains confidence in our ability to move forward," he told reporters.

"So far, not one single nation state, city or county, municipality or school district have followed Donald Trump into the ranks of surrendering to climate change since he pulled out of Paris – his decision has energised our efforts."

This determination to remain part of Paris is also being reflected at city level in many parts of the US.

"Whatever 'America first' is supposed to mean, it absolutely does not mean America alone," said Mayor Lionel Johnson from the city of St Gabriel in Louisiana.

"My fellow mayors and I stand united and we stand with the international community to pursue solutions to the dramatic climate challenges we are facing together. Count us in!"

Apart from the confusion over who is speaking for the US, the talks will focus on establishing rules and guidelines for the Paris pact. These need to be agreed by the end of 2018.

The talks are being chaired by Fiji, which is the first time a small island developing state has taken this role. As such questions of climate impacts are likely to be in the spotlight, including the tricky question of loss and damage.

This is a potential area of significant disagreement as the richer countries are strongly opposed to any implied legal liability for the damages caused by climate related extreme weather events.

Around 20,000 delegates and visitors will attend the meeting over two weeks.

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Source – bbc.com