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Lenovo Reports $714 Million Net Loss following Major Restructuring

Clyde K. Valle
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Lenovo Reports $714 Million Net Loss following Major Restructuring

Lenovo has reported a net loss of $714 million after being hit by restructuring costs.

Second-quarter earnings were affected by charges of $923 million related to job cuts and clearing stocks of smartphones.

However, the loss was not as large as forecast and the Chinese computer and smartphone giant’s revenue rose 16% to $12.2 billion.

Lenovo, which is the world’s biggest PC maker, saw its Hong Kong-listed shares rise more than 5% on the news.

Photo Lenovo
Photo Lenovo

The company said it had continued to experience a declining PC market during the period, together with slowing smartphone and tablet sales globally.

In a statement, Lenovo said: “The macro-economy and global markets remained challenging, along with currency fluctuations in emerging markets.

“In addition, the China smartphone market continued to see a market shift from traditional carrier channels to online, while competition in China further intensified.”

Lenovo said that its restructuring program, which included 3,200 job cuts announced earlier this year, was set to generate annual cost savings of $1.35 billion.

In 2014, Lenovo bought the Motorola brand from Google for $2.9 billion in an attempt to boost its position in the smartphone market.

Lenovo said its share of the global smartphone market had increased to 5.3% in Q3 of 2015, pushing it to the number four position worldwide.

Greece Strike Disrupts Athens Public Services and Transportation

Diane A. Wade
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Greece Strike Disrupts Athens Public Services and Transportation

Greek unions are staging their first general strike against austerity since Alexis Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza government came to power in January.

As protesters gathered in Athens, public services were hit and some transport services ground to a halt.

The main unions appealed for members to walk out against the terms of Greece’s third eurozone bailout.

Greece’s government agreed to push through tax rises and spending cuts in return for €86 billion ($100 billion) in rescue loans.

Greek lawmakers have already voted to raise the retirement age and get rid of most early retirement benefits, and reduced rates of sales tax on some of the big Greek islands have been scrapped.

However, the main civil servants’ union ADEDY and the GSEE private sector union objected to proposals to scale back supplementary pensions and merge pension funds. They were joined by communist-affiliated union PAME.

Public transportation services were shut down, schools were closed and hospitals had only emergency staff levels. Buses and trolley buses were providing limited services.

Photo AFP/Getty Images
Photo AFP/Getty Images

Museums and archaeological sites were also shut and news bulletins, newspapers and websites were disrupted because journalists had walked out.

Although general strikes became regular events in Greece in the years following its first eurozone bailout in 2010, this was the first called since Syriza came to power.

After reluctantly agreeing to Greece’s third international bailout in five years in August, Alexis Tsipras called an election and was returned to power in September with 35% of the vote.

Despite agreeing to a series of reforms, Greek officials are currently locked in a dispute with eurozone officials over bad home loans.

The government is trying to avoid indebted Greeks losing their homes, but creditors want an agreement on a mechanism for tackling non-performing home-loans before they unlock €10 billion to recapitalize Greek banks. A separate €2 billion bailout installment is also at stake.

There was some good news for the Greek economy on November 11 when officials announced that unemployment had fallen to 24.9% in August, the lowest level since June 2012.

Macy’s Sales Drop in Q3 of 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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Macy’s Sales Drop in Q3 of 2015

Macy’s has cut its profit outlook for 2015 after a drop in sales in Q3.

The department store’s net income for Q3 of 2015 was $118 million, down from $217 million in the same period last year.

Macy’s shares fell 14% following the news.

In a statement, Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren said the company was “disappointed” that the pace of sales did not improve as much as expected.

Sales were hurt in part by the warm weather, which made it harder to sell winter clothing, and a strong dollar, which hurt tourist spending.

“Heading into the fourth quarter, we are shifting our organization into overdrive to focus on sales-driving activities in the holiday shopping season,” said Terry Lundgren.Macy's sales drop 2015

Macy’s now sees full-year earnings coming in at $4.20 to $4.30 per share, compared with an earlier guidance of $4.70 to $4.80.

The company has opened five discounted outlets in the New York area and plans to open a sixth by the end of 2015.

Macy’s, which also owns the department store Bloomingdale’s, plans to open three new discount branches of that store too.

The company said it is also considering discounts at its stores to help move large quantities of inventory.

On a call with investors CFO Karen Hoguet said “we will need to liquidate this inventory in the fourth quarter so that we can maintain the flow of fresh new merchandise.”

Macy’s has been cutting down on the number of standard priced stores that it owns for the last several years. Earlier this year it announced plans to close 35 to 40 stores in the US in early 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeORkHSlBzQ

China Police Torture Alleged in Amnesty International Report

Diane A. Wade
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China Police Torture Alleged in Amnesty International Report

According to an Amnesty International reports, the torture of suspects in police detention is widespread in China with implements like spiked rods and torture chairs regularly deployed to extract confessions.

The report is based on interviews with nearly 40 Chinese human rights lawyers.

Despite China’s top court banning torture in 2013 and criminal justice reforms, rights groups say the practices are still widely used.

Chinese authorities have not responded to allegations.

After similar allegations by Human Rights Watch in May, the foreign ministry said Chinese law prohibited torture during interrogation.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The Amnesty International report describes suspects being slapped, kicked and hit with shoes or with bottles filled with water.

It also details tools of torture including “tiger chairs” in which individuals’ legs are tightly bound to a bench, with bricks gradually added under the victim’s feet, forcing the legs backwards as well as long periods of sleep deprivation and the denial of sufficient food and water.

Amnesty International said that for police, obtaining a forced confession is still considered the easiest way to secure a conviction.

The report’s author, Patrick Poon, said local officials and police “continue to pull the strings of China’s criminal justice system. Despite defense lawyers’ best efforts, many claims of torture are simply ignored”.

The Amnesty International report comes a week before China’s human rights record is set to be reviewed by the United Nations anti-torture committee in Geneva.

Blue Moon Diamond Sells for Record $48.4 Million at Geneva Auction

Sonia Pantiss
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Blue Moon Diamond Sells for Record $48.4 Million at Geneva Auction

A Hong Kong tycoon has bought the 12.03-carat Blue Moon diamond auctioned at Sotheby’s in Geneva for a record $48.4 million.

Joseph Lau confirmed he bought the ring-mounted, cushion-shaped blue diamond for his 7-year-old daughter, renaming it “Blue Moon of Josephine” after her.

Sotheby’s said the sale had set “a new world auction record for any diamond of any color”.

It is not the first time Joseph Lau, a property billionaire, has bought precious stones for his daughter.

The businessman – who was convicted of bribery and money laundering in 2014 – is also confirmed as the buyer of a 16.08-carat pink diamond, which Christie’s sold for $28.5 million on November 10.Blue Moon diamond auction

The pink diamond purchased earlier this week has been renamed “Sweet Josephine”, a spokeswoman for Joseph Lau said.

In 2009, Joseph Lau bought another blue diamond for his daughter – the 7.03-carat “Star of Josephine” – paying what was then a record $9.5 million.

The tycoon was sentenced to five years in jail after his corruption convictions in a Macau court, but has avoided prison by not visiting the territory. There is no extradition treaty between Macau and Hong Kong.

Sotheby’s spokesman David Bennett described Blue Moon diamond as “magical”.

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful stone,” he said.

“The shape, the color, the purity, it’s a magical stone and everybody, I think, who put it on their finger thought so.”

Two bidders were locked in a telephone bidding war for eight minutes before the hammer went down on November 11 sale, correspondents say, with the jewel not exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $35-$55 million.

The diamond was found in South Africa in January 2014 and its striking blue color is attributed to the presence of the element boron within its crystal structure.

It was named “Blue Moon” to reflect its rarity.

Experts say the market for colored diamonds has become increasingly strong in recent months, with both blue and pink diamonds attracting a lot of attention in jewel sales in Geneva.

Colored diamonds are among the rarest in the world, even ones that are not particularly vivid or clear.

Shia LaBeouf Films Himself Watching All His Movies

Sonia Pantiss
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Shia LaBeouf Films Himself Watching All His Movies

Shia LaBeouf has livestreamed himself watching his performance on the big screen and six other strange moments.

The actor has invited everyone to watch the livestream via digital-art website NewHive.

Shia LaBeouf will be watching his blockbusters including Transformers, Indiana Jones, Holes, Surf’s Up, Disturbia and many more for three days.

The Hollywood star has also invited New Yorkers to come and join him for free at the city’s Angelika Film Center.

With the camera focused on just his face, viewers can spend 72 hours staring at Shia LaBeouf staring at something else.

Photo NewHive
Photo NewHive

The actor even took a break to thank fans.

He wrote on a nearby wall: “Thank you so much. I am aware of how crazy this whole thing is – thank you for your faith.”

Shia LaBeouf intensely encourages viewers to not “let their dreams be dreams”. He manages, in just over a minute, to rant, contort, shout, double over, and pull invisible bird seed out of his palm.

This led many on the internet to go meme crazy making something strange.

WADA Report: Vladimir Putin Calls for Russian Investigation into Doping

Clyde K. Valle
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WADA Report: Vladimir Putin Calls for Russian Investigation into Doping

Vladimir Putin has ordered an investigation into claims Russia’s athletes have been part of a systematic doping program.

The Russian president was speaking for the first time since a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent report recommended Russia be banned from athletics competition.

Vladimir Putin said athletes should be punished individually, rather than collectively.

“Sportsmen who don’t dope – and never have – must not answer for those who break the rules,” he said.

“If we find that someone must be held responsible for something of the sort that breaks the rules in place against doping, then the responsibility must be personalized – that’s the rule.”

Vladimir Putin also said he wanted “professional co-operation” with anti-doping bodies.

“The battle must be open,” he said.

“A sporting contest is only interesting when it is honest.”

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko had earlier said the UK’s anti-doping system had “zero value” and was “even worse” than Russia’s.

That accusation was rejected by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Vladimir Putin spoke only about the issues affecting Russia, saying someone must take responsibility should problems be found.

“I ask the minister of sport and all our colleagues who are linked in one way or another with sport to pay this issue the greatest possible attention,” he said, before a meeting sports officials in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Photo AP
Photo AP

“It is essential that we conduct our own internal investigation and – I want to underline – provide the most open professional co-operation with international anti-doping structures.”

Sebastian Coe, president of athletics’ governing body, the IAAF, has told the Russian athletics federation to respond to WADA’s report by November 13.

The report’s author, Dick Pound, recommended Russian athletes be suspended from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

However, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on November 11 his organization had “no authority” to take such action, and the matter was solely for the IAAF to deal with.

Thomas Bach also said the IOC would continue to apply a zero-tolerance policy to doping, and that Olympic medals would be withdrawn from any Russian athlete named in the WADA report who is found guilty of doping.

George Clooney Visits Social Bite Cafe in Edinburgh

Sonia Pantiss
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George Clooney Visits Social Bite Cafe in Edinburgh

George Clooney has arrived in Edinburgh to visit Social Bite cafeteria which helps homeless people.

The Hollywood star is visiting the Social Bite cafe, which donates all its profits to homeless people.

Heather McGowan, 32, from Glasgow, won a competition to meet George Clooney for lunch held at a secret location.

George Clooney will then speak at the Scottish Business Awards at Edinburgh’s international conference center.

The actor will speak in front of a sold-out 2,000-strong audience.Social Bite Edinburgh

Josh Littlejohn, founder of Social Bite and the Scottish Business Awards, said: “The staff are unbelievably excited about George’s visit. He’s one of the most famous people on the planet and we are looking forward to introducing him to the Social Bite concept.”

Social Bite cafe operates a “suspended” coffee and food program where customers can pay for a hot drink or food for a homeless person.

Last month, it launched what is thought to be the first “selfless” loyalty card, which lets customers feed the homeless. It works by accruing loyalty points to enable the purchase of a free meal and hot drink for a homeless person by customers who have made 10 visits to the cafe.

A quarter of its workforce in the five Social Bite stores across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen is formerly homeless.

All proceeds from the business awards event, hosted by comedian Rob Brydon, will go towards a range of charities including the Social Bite Fund and Not On Our Watch – a humanitarian charity co-founded by George Clooney with Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and others.

Nathaniel Marston Dies Following Car Crash Aged 40

Sonia Pantiss
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Nathaniel Marston Dies Following Car Crash Aged 40

One Life to Live actor Nathaniel Marston has died of injuries sustained in last month car crash.

The 40-year-old actor was best known for his six-year run as Michael McBain on One Life to Live.

Nathaniel Marston’s mother, Elizabeth, confirmed her son’s passing in a Facebook post on November 11: “It is with a heavy heart that I share this devastating news… My beloved and cherished son… who was putting up the good fight until last night was not able to continue due to the traumatic and devastating nature of his injuries. Nathaniel passed away peacefully as I held him in my arms.”Nathaniel Marston dead at 40

The actor had been in critical condition following the accident, which took place near Reno, Nevada and left him with a broken neck and back.

His mother’s statement added: “Had Nathaniel lived he would have required a ventilator and would never have been able to utter one more word and would have been sentenced to life as a quadriplegic – a condition that Nate would have never have been able to tolerate.

“By Gods love and mercy Nathaniel was spared this living hell.”

Nathaniel Marston also appeared in episodes of Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, Castle and White Collar.

Best Free Tools For Forex Traders

Roy Siemens
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Best Free Tools For Forex Traders

When you are trading on the Forex market, you want to have as much information as you possible can. The more information that you have, the better trades you can make, and therefore the better financial decisions you can make. There is a wealth of information available to you on the internet, much of it for free. Below is a quick list of some information that you can find for free online that should help you in your Forex trading decision making.

Free Beginner Guides

If you are new to Forex trading, then the first thing you will want is a guide that explains the basics. Be careful which free guide that you choose, as many companies put these out to try and convince you to sign with their brokerage. Here is a great guide from Investopedia, which should give you enough information to get started with Forex trading.

Current Interest Rate Data

Interest rates play a large role in determining how the value of a currency will change. Each government sets their own interest rates, and they are subject to that country’s current fiscal policies. To find out the most current interest rate data for any country, you can use this source.

Public Debt Information

Another factor in determining the value of a currency is how much debt that country currently holds. Looking at how much debt a country has can help to give you a better idea as to whether or not you want to invest in that country by exchanging into their currency. To find out how much debt a country currently has, you can visit this site.

Connect With Forex Brokers

There are many Forex brokers online that you can work with when trading on this market. Most of them offer you tools and services to try and convince you to go with them. However, if you don’t want to pay for the premium stuff, sometimes you can just connect with them on social media sites, and still gather some useful information. One example is Alvexo’s LinkedIn account, which routinely sends out helpful advice for Forex traders. There are many others, but this is a good place to start.

Free Forex Charts

The main tool for any trader is a Forex chart. These charts track the value of a currency in any country at a given time. These charts are used to plan out your trades and determine which ones you want to make. When you sign up with an online broker, these charts are usually included,  but you can often find them for free elsewhere. Here is just one link that offers free Forex charts, but there are many others. Without a Forex chart you will be trading blind, so this is one tool you will most certainly want to have.

If you are a new Forex trader, finding free tools is one of the best things that you can do. Don’t waste your money on advanced tools, as you won’t really know how to use them yet. Use the free tools mentioned above to get started, then as you become more accustomed to Forex trading, you will know which tools you want to spend the money on. However even as you get more experienced, you may find that the tools mentioned above are enough to help you make a wise investment, and you won’t have to spend money on premium tools, which is always a bonus.

Andy White Dies in New Jersey Aged 85

Sonia Pantiss
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Andy White Dies in New Jersey Aged 85

Early Beatles drummer Andy White has died in New Jersey aged 85.

Andy White died on November 9 following a stroke, his family announced.

The Scottish studio session musician played the drums on Love Me Do and other early tracks by The Beatles.

Andy White was chosen ahead of Ringo Starr in September 1962 to play drums on the single version of Love Me Do and its B-side, P.S. I Love You.

The musician, who was born in Glasgow in 1930, is also believed to have played on the album version of Please Please Me.Andy White Beatles Love Me Do

Andy White could therefore legitimately claim to be one of the so-called “Fifth Beatles”, alongside the likes of Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe and others.

He also played drums on Lulu’s 1964 cover of Shout and Sir Tom Jones’ 1965 single It’s Not Unusual.

Andy White went on to tour with Marlene Dietrich, Burt Bacharach and Rod Stewart and perform with the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra.

He was paid a one-off fee (£5) for his three hours with the Beatles and received no subsequent royalties.

Ringo Starr, who played drums on earlier versions of Love Me Do, can be heard playing the tambourine on the Andy White recording.

In later life Andy White moved to the US, where he married the voiceover actress Thea Ruth and became a drumming instructor.

Hunter Park: Suspect Arrested for University of Missouri Threats

Nancy Clayson
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Hunter Park: Suspect Arrested for University of Missouri Threats

Hunter Park has been arrested at the University of Missouri campus after death threats were posted online against black students.

Officials linked Hunter Park, 19, to some of the threatening posts but did not say how.

University of Missouri increased security but said there is no “immediate threat”.

Hunter Park’s arrest comes days after University President Tim Wolfe was forced out, accused of not doing enough to address racism on campus.

Threats mostly came from users of the anonymous messaging app Yik Yak.

Yik Yak condemned the threatening messages and said in a news release that the company works alongside authorities to help in investigations and it may share information with law enforcement.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Hunter Park was not on campus or nearby when posting the message, police said.

He lives in Rolla, Missouri, about 100 miles south of the Columbia campus and is a student at the Missouri University of Science & Technology, the school confirmed.

“I’m going to stand my ground tomorrow and shoot every black person I see,” one anonymous post read on Yik Yak.

Another warned black students simply not to come to campus the next day and another said “we’re waiting for you at the parking lots… we will kill you.”

Before the suspect was apprehended, protest leaders said the university administrators were not doing enough to address the threats against minority students.

One black student tweeted an email conversation with his professor in which he told the professor he was scared to come to class because of the threats.

“The only way bullies are defeated is by standing up to them … If we cancel the exam, they win; if we go through with it, they lose,” the professor wrote.

In recent weeks, students staged a sit-in on a university plaza and one graduate student participated in a hunger strike, calling for Tim Wolfe’s resignation.

Tim Wolfe stepped down after the university’s football team joined the cause, threatening not to play until action was taken to address racial issues on the mostly white campus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOJceOdeufw

Catalonia Independence: Spanish Government Challenges Secession Bid

Diane A. Wade
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Catalonia Independence: Spanish Government Challenges Secession Bid

Spain’s government is to challenge in the Constitutional Court a motion passed in the Catalan parliament backing the region’s independence.

PM Mariano Rajoy said he would not allow the secessionists to achieve their aim.

“They want an end to democracy,” he said.

Mariano Rajoy said Catalan vote on November 9 was a “clear violation” of the constitution.

The motion called on the regional parliament to aim for independence within 18 months.

It gives the assembly 30 days to start legislation on a Catalan constitution, treasury and social security system.

Catalan nationalist parties secured a majority of seats in September elections but fell short of winning half the vote. They had said before the vote that they considered it a de facto referendum on independence from Spain.

Photo Yahoo News
Photo Yahoo News

Spain’s state prosecutor had called on the Constitutional Court on November 11 to suspend the Catalan resolution immediately, the prime minister said after an emergency cabinet meeting.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of Catalans favor a referendum on independence, but are evenly divided over whether to secede.

The Constitutional Court, which was due to hear the government’s appeal on November 11, is expected to rule against the Catalan motion.

However, the pro-secession parties had fully expected the motion to be declared illegal and as part of the motion argued that the court lacked legitimacy.

Two big separatist parties make up the “Together for Yes” (“Junts pel Si”) coalition but they needed the help of the far-left CUP (Popular Unity) party to secure an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament.

Catalonia’s acting president Artur Mas, who has spearheaded the drive for secession, has been trying to win re-election but has failed to secure the approval of the far-left party.

The CUP has called for another Together for Yes candidate, Raul Romeva, to take over the leadership role.

Several parties oppose secession in Catalonia, including the Catalan Socialists and Citizens (Ciudadanos), a center-right party which was born in the wealthy north-eastern region but has attracted increasing popularity across Spain.

Its leader, Albert Rivera, said earlier this week: “To those Catalans who want independence: the solution is not to break up the country, it is to reform it.”

AB InBev and SABMiller Agree $107 Billion Merger Terms

Clyde K. Valle
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AB InBev and SABMiller Agree $107 Billion Merger Terms

Budweiser maker, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has agreed the terms of its $107 billion takeover of rival SABMiller, in a deal that will combine the world’s two largest beer makers.

AB InBev will pay £44 ($70) for each share in SABMiller, the price it offered on October 13.

To clear the way for the takeover, SABMiller is to sell its 58% stake in its US joint venture MillerCoors.

SABMiller is selling the stake to its main partner in the business, Molson Coors, for $12 billion.AB InBev and SABMiller Agree $107 Billion Merger Terms

The newly-created company will produce about 30% of the world’s beer.

AB InBev’s brands include Stella Artois and Corona, while SABMiller produces Peroni and Grolsch.

“Our combination with SABMiller is about creating the first truly global beer company and bringing more choices to beer drinkers in markets outside of the US,” said AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito.

SABMiller has a workforce of close to 70,000 people in more than 80 countries, and global annual sales of more than $26 billion.

AB InBev has a workforce of 155,000 and global revenues of more than $47 billion.

The two companies are predicting cost savings of at least $1.4 billion a year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Hn87B26G4

Paris Match Wins Case against Prince Albert of Monaco

Lisa.Felice
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Paris Match Wins Case against Prince Albert of Monaco

Paris Match magazine was justified in revealing the existence of Prince Albert II of Monaco’s love child with a flight attendant because the story was in the public interest, the European court of human rights ruled on November 10.

The publication’s story about the boy born to the French-Togolese flight attendant in 2003 had public interest because of the principality’s rules of succession, European judges decided.

The judges said a French court was wrong to convict the magazine for publishing a 10-page spread on the issue in 2005, because the story had an importance that “went beyond the scope of [the prince’s] private life”.

The court first made the ruling in June 2014, but the French government appealed against the decision.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Prince Albert of Monaco admitted shortly after the story was published that he was the father of a baby boy born out of wedlock to Nicole Coste in 2003.

In the Paris Match interview, Nicole Coste, then 33, described her affair of several years with Prince Albert, whom she said she met on a flight from Paris to Nice in July 1997. The article was illustrated with several pictures of Prince Albert holding a child in his arms.

In France, Paris Match was ordered to pay €50,000 to Prince Albert, who took over the throne in Monaco in April 2005.

In November 10 ruling, the judges said the boy’s existence “could have public interest because of the rules of succession in the principality” which exclude children born outside marriage.

Prince Albert, 56, married former Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock in 2011 and the couple had twins in December 2014. Their son, Jacques, is now next in line to head the 700-year-old House of Grimaldi.

However, Prince Albert appears to have mended ties with Paris Match, posing with Princess Charlene and their babies shortly after their birth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ8TF039tzw

Allen Toussaint Dies in Madrid Aged 77

Sonia Pantiss
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Allen Toussaint Dies in Madrid Aged 77

New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint has died at the age of 77, Spanish authorities have announced.

Allen Toussaint was known for songs like Working In The Coalmine, Southern Nights and Fortune Teller.

The musician a heart attack shortly after coming off stage at Madrid’s Teatro Lara on November 9, reported Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

Allen Toussaint was found in his hotel and resuscitated – but suffered a second heart attack en route to hospital.

He worked with some of music’s biggest stars – including Paul McCartney, Irma Thomas, Aaron Neville, Joe Cocker, Glen Campbell and Elvis Costello.Allen Toussaint dead at 77

Allen Toussaint was born in 1938 in the working class neighborhood of Gert Town, New Orleans.

He began learning piano at the age of seven, influenced by the likes of Huey “Piano” Smith and Ray Charles, and got his big break when he was asked to fill in for an absent Fats Domino at a recording session.

In 1960, Allen Toussaint was hired by Joe Banashak’s Minit record label and masterminded many of the company’s biggest hits – including Irma Thomas’s Ruler of My Heart (later recorded by Otis Redding as Pain in My Heart) and Benny Spellman’s Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette).

Drafted by the military in 1963, he continued to make music on service leave, but scored his biggest hits after his discharge in 1965.

Allen Toussaint’s most successful collaborations were with singer Lee Dorsey, who recorded Toussaint’s compositions Ride Your Pony, Get Out of My Life Woman, Working in a Coalmine and Everything I Do Gon’ Be Funky.

Many of his songs became famous through cover versions, with the likes of The Who, The Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, Bo Diddley and The Doors re-interpreting his songs.

Allen Toussaint was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. The citation said his greatest contribution “was in not allowing [New Orelans] old-school R&B traditions to die out but by keeping pace with developments in the rapidly evolving worlds of soul and funk”.

In 2013, he was presented with America’s National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given to an American artist.

Allen Toussaint is survived by his two children, including his son Clarence, known as Reginald, and his daughter, Alison, both of whom managed his career in recent years.

GOP Debate 2015: Donald Trump’s Immigration Plan Criticized by Rivals

Diane A. Wade
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GOP Debate 2015: Donald Trump’s Immigration Plan Criticized by Rivals

Donald Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants from the US has been attacked by his party rivals in the fourth Republican debate on Fox Business.

The Republican frontrunner’s hard-line proposal was attacked as impractical and divisive by John Kasich and Jeb Bush, who are also running for the Republican presidential nomination.

Donald Trump, a billionaire New Yorker who has been leading in the polls, was booed as he tried to counter-attack.

Another source of friction at the debate in Milwaukee was foreign policy.

The eight candidates were divided on whether the US should do more to intervene in the Middle East, especially in the fight against ISIS.

Photo Fox Business
Photo Fox Business

However, immigration sparked the biggest confrontation, when Donald Trump said a wall should be built at the US-Mexico border and all migrants living illegally in the US must be deported.

This was met with disdain by John Kasich, the governor of Ohio.

“Come on, folks, we all know you can’t pick them up and ship them back across the border. It’s a silly argument. It’s not an adult argument.”

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said it would tear families apart and played into the hands of Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

The fourth Republican debate, hosted by Fox Business, began by talking about raising the minimum wage, which several candidates opposed.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said vocational education was instead a better way to unlock American potential.

“Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.”

At one point, Marco Rubio and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul tangled over the issue of military spending, with Rand Paul saying his rival’s plan to increase military spending went against conservative principles.

“We can’t even have an economy if we’re not safe,” responded Marco Rubio.

The primary elections begin in February in Iowa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF047QaQ4Qs

Myanmar Elections 2015: Aung San Suu Kyi Wins Seat in Parliament

Diane A. Wade
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Myanmar Elections 2015: Aung San Suu Kyi Wins Seat in Parliament

Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has won her own seat after the country’s historic parliamentary election.

Aung San Suu Kyi has requested meetings with the military-backed leadership next week to discuss national reconciliation.

Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has taken a decisive lead in results from November 8 election.

With about 40% of seats declared, the NLD has taken nearly 90% of the vote, leaving the military-backed USDP party with about 5% of seats.

However, a quarter of seats are reserved for the military.

Aung Suu Kyi sent letters to President Thein Sein, the commander of the armed forces and the parliamentary speaker.

She has not declared victory yet, and is treading carefully, say correspondents – calling for meetings next week with the three most senior figures in the current government to discuss an orderly transfer of power.

Photo AP
Photo AP

“A peaceful implementation of the people’s desire, which they expressed via the November 8 election, is very important for the country’s dignity and people’s peace of mind,” she wrote in letters made public by the NLD, according to the Irrawaddy news website.

“So I want to discuss with you in the spirit of national reconciliation. So please arrange a time for the meeting that would be convenient for you next week.”

In a response on his Facebook page, Information Minister Ye Htut reiterated that the government would respect the results of the poll, but said the requested meeting would only take place after the election commission had done its work, said AP news agency.

Aung Suu Kyi earlier retained her own seat and will return as lawmaker for her Kawhmu constituency in Rangoon – though she leads the NLD she is barred by the constitution from being president.

However, she has said “that won’t stop me from making all the decisions”.

The election commission is slowly releasing results.

The USDP, which has been in power in Myanmar since 2011, has taken 10 of the 491 seats being contested in both houses of parliament, compared to 163 by the NLD.

A quarter of the 664 parliamentary seats are set aside for the army. For the NLD to have the winning majority and be able to select the president, it will need at least two-thirds of the remaining seats – or 329.

About 30 million people were eligible to vote in last week’s election in Myanmar. Turnout was estimated at about 80%.

Hundreds of thousands of people – including the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not recognized as citizens – were denied voting rights.

Frazier Glenn Miller Verdict: Kansas White Supremacist Sentenced to Death

Diane A. Wade
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Frazier Glenn Miller Verdict: Kansas White Supremacist Sentenced to Death

White supremacist Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. has been sentenced to death for the killing of three people at two Jewish centers in Kansas.

Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., 74, targeted the sites in 2014 and will be put to death by lethal injection.

Johnson County District Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan said: “Your attempt to bring hate to this community, to bring terror to this community, has failed.”

Frazier Glenn Miller responded to the sentence, by shouting “heil Hitler” before he was removed from the courtroom.

He was convicted of one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Frazier Glenn Miller, also known as Frazier Glenn Cross, represented himself during the trial.

He admitted to killing William Corporon, 69, and his grandson Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, outside the Jewish Community Centre in Overland Park, Kansas.

Terri LaManno, 53, was killed outside a Jewish retirement centre.

Frazier Glenn Miller told the jurors he “knew” they were going to put him on death row, and he did not care what sentence he would receive.

He said he was motivated to kill Jews before he died because he believes they have too much power.

Before the shooting, Frazier Glenn Miller founded several white supremacist groups and later ran twice for elected office on a white power platform.

Singles Day 2015: Alibaba Breaks Sales Record

Clyde K. Valle
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Singles Day 2015: Alibaba Breaks Sales Record

Alibaba has broken its own record for sales on China’s Singles Day, the world’s biggest online shopping event.

The e-commerce giant said sales surpassed the record amount of $9.3 billion made last year in just over half the time.

Singles Day, also known as Double Eleven because it is held on November 11, has become a major annual event for Chinese retailers.

Alibaba said more than $1 billion was spent within eight minutes of midnight.

Within the first hour, Alibaba had made $3.9 billion in sales, almost double the amount spent in the same time period of the 2014 Singles Day.

In comparison, sales on Cyber Monday, which is the biggest online shopping day in the US, hit $1.35 billion, according to data analytics company ComScore.

Singles Day has grown tremendously since Alibaba began promoting it as a shopping day in 2009, and now includes many retailers such as rivals JD.com that stage sales promotions.

In 2015, Alibaba said there would be more than 40,000 merchants and 30,000 brands from 25 countries selling goods on its platforms.

More than 130 million users have already visited Alibaba’s marketplace app, Taobao, which exceeds the peak from 2014.

In the lead up to the event, Alibaba hosted a four-hour TV variety show featuring Chinese celebrities and Western entertainers such as Daniel Craig of James Bond fame.Alibaba Singles Day 2015

Kevin Spacey appeared as his character President Frank Underwood from the Netflix series House of Cards to wish shoppers a “happy Singles’ Day” in a two minute video.

Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang had said in a statement that the event would mean “the whole world will witness the power of Chinese consumption”.

He promised consumers “a new surprise every hour” over the 24-hour marathon, especially mobile users.

Alibaba said more than 27 million purchases came via mobile devices in the first hour.

Although its competitors offered attractive discounts, Fangting Sun, China-based analyst at market research firm Euromonitor International said that consumers’ attention was still focused on Alibaba’s online marketplace Tmall.com.

Alibaba accounts for more than 80% of China’s internet sales market.

It predicts that 1.7 million couriers, 400,000 vehicles and 200 planes will be making deliveries of products that range from electronics goods to cosmetics despite slowing growth in China.

Economists will be looking for clues about domestic consumption in Wednesday’s sales as China’s economy, the world’s second-biggest, heads for its slowest growth in nearly a quarter of a century.

Spectre Breaks Guinness World Record for Largest Film Stunt Explosion

Sonia Pantiss
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Spectre Breaks Guinness World Record for Largest Film Stunt Explosion

Spectre has entered the Guinness World Record books for featuring the largest film stunt explosion in cinema history.

The 24th James Bond movie stars Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux, along with producer Barbara Broccoli, were presented with an official certificate on November 9.

The official title holder is Oscar-winner Chris Corbould, who created the explosive scene for the movie.

The 7.5 second scene was shot in Morocco.

The blast used 68.47 tonnes of TNT equivalent and was the result of detonating 8,418 liters of kerosene with 33 kg of powder explosives.Spectre explosion stunt

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: “It is absolutely tremendous that the Guinness World Records have recognized Chris Corbould’s incredible work in Spectre.”

Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday added: “The James Bond movies are synonymous with pushing cinematic boundaries. The scene featuring the world’s largest film stunt explosion is spectacular and will live long in the memory as one of the outstanding moments in the Bond franchise.”

Chris Corbould won an Oscar for Inception in 2010.

Spectre is currently at the top of the North America and UK box offices, with earnings of $73 million in its opening weekend.

However, the movie failed to beat the performance of the last James Bond movie Skyfall in the US and Canada, which took $88.4 million in 2012.

Records were also set in Norway, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark.

Google Maps Is Getting Offline Navigation and Search

Nancy Clayson
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Google Maps Is Getting Offline Navigation and Search

Google’s Android Maps app has been upgraded to provide offline search and directions.

The software also lets devices find businesses’ locations, opening hours and telephone numbers while offline.

Google said tourists visiting places outside their mobile subscription plans and people living in emerging markets, where data can be expensive, would be among those who would benefit most.

The company said downloading most of Greater London would take up 380MB on a device, while storing the San Francisco Bay area would require about 200MB.

It added that it intended to release a similar update for iOS devices “very soon”, but could not confirm if that would be before the year’s end.

To make use of the new feature, users will have to tell the app to download an area they select.

Once the information has been installed, the app is designed to switch “seamlessly” between offline and online modes unless forced to stay off the net.

Photo Google
Photo Google

That means, for example, that if a driver starts their journey in an underground garage without a data connection, the app will suggest a route and drive-time estimate based on typical conditions, but will then amend the advice once it gains access to live traffic and accident information.

The offline map will automatically update once every 15 days to stay current so long as the handset is plugged into a charger and connected to Wi-Fi, unless the user overrides these restrictions.

The offline mode does have some limitations, however.

Reviews people have posted about restaurants and other businesses are not shown, nor are user-generated photos.

Owners cannot switch to a satellite view, and while the app provides driving directions, it will not offer walking or public transport-based routes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l34yhU8PNjA

Helmut Schmidt: Former West German Chancellor Dies Aged 96

Diane A. Wade
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Helmut Schmidt: Former West German Chancellor Dies Aged 96

German ex-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt has died at the age of 96, his office says.

He served as West German Chancellor from 1974 to 1982.

Helmut Schmidt, who was a Social Democrat, was an architect of the European Monetary System, which linked EU currencies and was a key step on the path to the euro.

He was credited with helping to consolidate the country’s post-war economic boom.

Photo AP
Photo AP

Helmut Schmidt is seen as one of the most popular German leaders since WWII.

He died on November 10 in Hamburg, his doctor Heiner Greten was quoted as saying by German media.

The doctor provided no further details.

By 1972, Helmut Schmidt was finance minister in the government of Willy Brandt, a brilliant manager of the economic miracle. Two years later he himself was chancellor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8g0PPzl_4g

Maldives Lift State of Emergency

Roy Siemens
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Maldives Lift State of Emergency

A 30-day state of emergency has been lifted early in the Maldives after “important progress” in an inquiry into a blast on President Abdulla Yameen’s boat.

The state of emergency was declared on November 4 to aid security forces after what the government said was a plot to assassinate Abdulla Yameen.

Abdulla Yameen narrowly escaped injury when a blast struck his boat last month.

US investigators said they had not been able to find any evidence that the blast was an assassination attempt.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

“We are pleased that this matter has been dealt with so swiftly. We are looking forward to getting the country back on a more normal footing,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Dunya Maumoon.

The state of emergency gave wider powers to police and armed forces to arrest suspects and suspend freedom of assembly and movement. Members of the country’s military patrolled the streets while it was in effect.

It came two days before a planned protest by the country’s main opposition, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The Maldives, a popular destination for honeymooners and other tourists, has been rocked by political unrest in recent months. VP Ahmed Adeeb was impeached earlier this month, accused of involvement in the alleged boat assassination plot.

Ahmed Adeeb, whose predecessor was also impeached in July, is accused of high treason, a charge he denies.

El Chapo Guzman Escape: Jailbreak Financier Manuel Trillo Sent to Prison

Diane A. Wade
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El Chapo Guzman Escape: Jailbreak Financier Manuel Trillo Sent to Prison

Mexican businessman Manuel Trillo, who is accused of financing the jailbreak of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman drug lord, has been sent to prison pending trial.

Prosecutors think Manuel Trillo helped Shorty Guzman break out of the Altiplano jail in July.

Now Manuel Trillo has been sent to that very same prison.

A manhunt is under way to catch El Chapo Guzman, who leads the Sinaloa drug cartel, since he escaped through a one mile-long tunnel on July 11.

According to investigators, Manuel Trillo is the financial operator of the Sinaloa cartel and bankrolled El Chapo Guzman’s escape.

He is also accused of using illicit funds to purchase properties from 2012 to 2015 under false names.

More than 30 people have been arrested in connection with Joaquin Guzman’s escape, including the prison governor and several guards.

El Chapo Guzman’s arrest in February 2014 was seen as a coup for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.El Chpo Guzman escape

The cartel leader had been on the run for 13 years since escaping from another maximum security jail in 2001, reportedly hidden inside a laundry cart.

However, El Chapo Guzman’s spectacular break-out from the Altiplano prison caused huge embarrassment.

Video footage showed how guards failed to detect his escape until more than 20 minutes had passed.

Questions have also been raised how the prison authorities could have failed to notice the construction of the tunnel leading directly into El Chapo Guzman’s cell.

On CCTV footage leaked to the media, the sound of drilling can be heard reverberating through his cell.

Investigators say El Chapo Guzman’s associates must have been planning the jailbreak since shortly after his arrest.

Not only would the construction of the tunnel have taken time, but his associates also purchased a plot of land outside the jail and built a house to disguise the tunnel’s exit.

Attempts to recapture El Chapo Guzman have so far failed although authorities said he was injured when he narrowly escaped from a police operation last month. He is believed to be hiding in his home state of Sinaloa, in north-west Mexico.

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