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Benghazi report finds no wrongdoing by Obama administration in responding to consulate attack

Roy Siemens
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Benghazi report finds no wrongdoing by Obama administration in responding to consulate attack

The Benghazi report has found no wrongdoing by the Obama administration in responding to the deadly 2012 attack on the US consulate in Libya.

The inquiry by the Republican-run House Intelligence Committee also said there was no intelligence failure and no delay in sending a CIA rescue team.

The Obama administration had been accused of mishandling its response.

Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, died in the raid carried out by Islamist militants.

In a report released on November 21, the committee dismissed a claim that the CIA had not provided adequate security for its own agents near the Benghazi consulate and that the Obama administration had failed to send support.

It said it reached its conclusion based on “thousands of hours of detailed investigation” and interviews with senior American officials and the agents who had been on the ground during the attack on September 11, 2012.

“The CIA ensured sufficient security for CIA activities in Benghazi and, without a requirement to do so, ably and bravely assisted the state department on the night of the attacks,” the report said.

“Appropriate US personnel made reasonable tactical decisions that night, and the committee found no evidence that there was a stand-down order or a denial of available air support.

“The CIA received all military support that was available.”

However, the Benghazi report concluded that the mission had inadequate security and therefore had required CIA assistance.

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Bahrain holds first legislative elections since Arab Spring

Diane A. Wade
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Bahrain holds first legislative elections since Arab Spring

Bahrain is voting in its first parliamentary elections since Arab Spring protests broke out in 2011.

The government has called on all of the country’s political factions to participate in Saturday’s poll.

However, Shia opposition groups plan to stage a boycott, saying the vote is an attempt to establish “absolute rule”.

Despite being ruled by a Sunni monarchy, the majority of the Bahraini population are Shias.

Disenchanted protesters took to the streets of the capital, Manama, in 2011 to demand greater civil rights.

The protests were stamped out when the government, backed by Saudi tanks, moved in to crush dissent.

Talks to resolve the situation have since collapsed and unrest has continued.

Some 350,000 people are eligible to vote, choosing 40 legislators from among 266 mostly Sunni candidates.

A coalition of opposition groups said it would boycott Saturday’s legislative and municipal elections.

The alliance, which includes al-Wefaq, Bahrain’s most popular opposition group, has called the poll a “sham”.

It has also demanded an elected prime minister who is independent from the ruling al-Khalifa monarchy.

“These elections are destined to fail because the government is incapable of addressing the political crisis,” al-Wefaq member Abdul-Jalil Khalil told the Associated Press news agency.

Bahraini Information Minister Sameera Ebrahim Bin Rajab said that the “door to dialogue will never be shut, including with al-Wefaq” but added: “Violence is not allowed. It is tantamount to terrorism.”

Bahrain is of key strategic importance to Washington and hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The election will also be closely watched by Saudi Arabia, which has a large Shia Muslim population in its Eastern Province.

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WHO: Madagascar bubonic plague outbreak kills 40 people and infects almost 80

Kathryn R. Bown
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WHO: Madagascar bubonic plague outbreak kills 40 people and infects almost 80

According to the World Health Organization, a plague outbreak in Madagascar has killed 40 people and infected almost 80 others.

The WHO warned of the danger of a “rapid spread” of the disease in the capital, Antananarivo.

The situation is worsened by high levels of resistance among fleas to a leading insecticide, the WHO added.

Humans usually develop the bubonic form of the plague after being bitten by an infected flea carried by rodents.

If diagnosed early, bubonic plague can be treated with antibiotics.

However, 2% of the cases in Madagascar are the more dangerous pneumonic form of the disease, which can be spread person-to-person by coughing.

The first known case in the outbreak was a man in Soamahatamana village in the district of Tsiroanomandidy, about 125 miles west of Antananarivo, at the end of August.

There have been two confirmed cases in the capital, including one death.

“There is now a risk of a rapid spread of the disease due to the city’s high population density and the weakness of the healthcare system,” the WHO said.

A task force has been activated to manage the outbreak.

In 2013, health experts warned that the island was facing a plague epidemic unless it slowed the spread of the disease. It said that inmates in Madagascar’s rat-infested jails were particularly at risk.

Venice considering ban on wheeled suitcases

Nancy Clayson
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Venice considering ban on wheeled suitcases

Venice officials are considering a ban on noisy wheeled suitcases amid concerns they are keeping locals awake at night.

Officials want visitors to ditch the bags or switch to “noiseless” alternatives with wheels that are filled with air or liquid.

It is hoped the move will also protect the city’s ancient streets.

Venice is one of Italy’s major visitor attractions, with 27 million people flocking there each year.

A statement on the Venetian council’s website said the plan was drawn up to appease the city’s residents.

“The rule is designed to respond to the numerous citizens who have in recent years complained to the local council about the serious irritation caused by stuff being moved about at times of the day and night,” it said.

If introduced, anyone flouting the proposed rule would be liable to a fine of up to 500 euros ($675), according to AFP news agency.

2014 Macy’s Parade Balloon Inflation to take place around American Museum of Natural History

Nancy Clayson
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2014 Macy’s Parade Balloon Inflation to take place around American Museum of Natural History

For the 2014, Macy’s Parade Balloon Inflation will be on Wednesday, November 26 from 3PM to 10PM around the American Museum of Natural History.

Visitors are herded into a procession that starts at 79th Street and Columbus Avenue, and circles the museum.
There are police barricades and cops in an effort to control the inevitable crowds, and the line increases as the night wears on.
Around 5PM the majority of the balloons will start taking shape and by 9M all of them should be inflated.
The 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the official kick-off of the holiday season and begins on Thursday, November 27, at 9AM.
Every year, the Parade is seen by more than 3.5 million people who line the streets of New York and another 50 million people who tune into NBC to watch the giant balloons.

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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014: Best hotels along parade route

Nancy Clayson
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014: Best hotels along parade route

You can get an up-close view of the 88th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC thanks to the following hotels.

If you want to be among the crowds braving the cold (with a hot beverage, of course) but don’t want to wake up early or navigate holiday-morning transportation, stay at one of these nearby hotels and let the parade come to you. If you’d rather enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the whole action, ask for a room facing the parade – preferably not too high up, unless you pack binoculars.

These hotels are directly along the parade route, each offering different room categories and parade-viewing options. Click the links below to explore which Thanksgiving package is best for you.

The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Mandarin Oriental, New York
Trump International Hotel and Tower
Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Herald Square
JW Marriott Essex House New York
New York Hilton Midtown
Residence Inn Times Square

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014: Where to watch, route and parade information

Nancy Clayson
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014: Where to watch, route and parade information

Manhattan is prepared for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the annual pageant of giant balloons, floats, cheerleaders, clowns, marching bands, and celebrities.

On November 27, 2014, the 88th annual parade will start at Central Park West and West 77th Street, head down Central Park West and travel east along Central Park South to Sixth Avenue. From there the procession will move south from West 59th Street to West 34th Street, ending in front of the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.

There are three recommended stretches or spots on the route for watching the parade: the first leg along Central Park West, Time Warner Center and, finally, along Sixth Avenue between Central Park South and 38th Street. The section from 38th Street to Herald Square and Macy’s department store is the telecast area and closed to the public. While there is limited space for viewing along the south side of 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, the sight lines are seriously compromised by cameras, lights and scaffolding.

Sixth Avenue: The floats and balloons reach Sixth Avenue at about 9:30AM, so arrive at this 21-block portion as late as 7AM and you should still find a good spot.

Time Warner Center: The Shops at Columbus Circle open at 9AM on Thanksgiving Day. From the second and third floors of the mall, you’ll enjoy an elevated view of the parade streaming down Central Park West. As an added bonus you’ll also get to see the Holiday Under the Stars light display.

Central Park West: Viewing starts at 75th Street (two blocks down from the official start of the parade) and is only open to the public on the west side. Central Park is closed for invite-only grandstand seating. The parade runs along this stretch from 9–10:30AM, so early birds who don’t mind turning up at 6AM to snag a prime spot should flock here.
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Thanksgiving travel 2014: AAA predicts 46.3 million travelers over holiday weekend

Nancy Clayson
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Thanksgiving travel 2014: AAA predicts 46.3 million travelers over holiday weekend

More than 46 million US residents will travel at least 50 miles away from home over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the American Automobile Association (AAA) is predicting.

The figure is a 4.3% increase over 2013 travel in the Thanksgiving period, which is defined as the Wednesday through Sunday surrounding the holiday.

According to AAA, the anticipated travel for 2014 would be the highest number of Thanksgiving travelers since 2007 if the prediction is accurate.

“This year, more Americans will give thanks for the opportunity to travel to friends and family than any year since 2007,” AAA Chief Operating Officer Marshall Doney said in a statement.

“Americans are more optimistic about the future as improvements in several key economic factors, including employment, GDP and disposable income, are boosting consumer confidence and the desire to travel,” he continued. 

Marshall Doney attributed part of the predicted increase in Thanksgiving travel to lower gas prices, the auto club has said are under $3-per-gallon on average across the country for the first time in several years.

“Holiday joy has come early this year with Americans likely to pay the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2009,” he said.

“Lower prices are increasing disposable income and enabling families to carve out more money from household budgets for travel this Thanksgiving.”

AAA predicted that 41.3 million of the anticipated Thanksgiving travelers will be driving to their holiday destinations, up 4.3 percent from last year.  The association said the average gas price that will paid by Thanksgiving drivers this year will be $2.85-per-gallon.

The auto club estimates that another 3.55 million travelers will take trips by airplane for their Thanksgiving respite.

Airfares are predicted to be 1% higher than last year, and hotel prices are estimated to have risen about 8%.

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Adam Lanza case: Yale clinicians offered Sandy Hook shooter treatment since 2007

Nancy Clayson
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Adam Lanza case: Yale clinicians offered Sandy Hook shooter treatment since 2007

According to a report released on November 21 by the Office of the Child Advocate, in February 2007, Yale clinicians identified in Adam Lanza what they believed were profound emotional disabilities and offered him treatment that could give him relief for the first time in his troubled life.

Adam Lanza, then 14-year-old, was angry and anxious, and he didn’t want to go. His mother, Nancy Lanza, constantly placating her son, was inclined to pull away from the treatment, prompting a psychiatric nurse to reach out to his father, Peter Lanza, in an urgent email.

Nancy Lanza rejected the Yale doctors’ plan.

Six years later, Adam Lanza murdered his mother and massacred 20 children and six educators before turning a gun on himself at the elementary school he once attended in the Sandy Hook section of Newtown, Connecticut.

The Office of the Child Advocate report pointed to the Yale episode as one of dozens of red flags, squandered opportunities, blatant family denial and disturbing failures by pediatricians, educators and mental health professionals to see a complete picture of Adam Lanza’s “crippling” social and emotional disabilities.

While the report does not draw a line between the events in Adam Lanza’s young life and the massacre, it points out repeated examples where the profound anxiety and rage simmering inside Lanza was not explored in favor of attempts to manage his symptoms.

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Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed, White Flower No 1 sets auction record for female artist

Sonia Pantiss
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Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed, White Flower No 1 sets auction record for female artist

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed, White Flower No 1 has sold for $44.4 million at Sotheby’s auction, setting a record for an artwork by a female artist.

The artwork smashes the previous record of $11.9 million for an untitled work by Joan Mitchell, set in May.

Sotheby’s in New York said the $15 million estimate on Georgia O’Keeffe’s work was shattered after an intense bidding war between two rivals.

The art auction record is $142.4 million for Francis Bacon’s Three Studies of Lucien Freud in 2013.

Georgia O’Keeffe, who died in 1986 at the age of 98, was celebrated for her large-format depictions of flowers which she painted as if they had been seen in close-up.

Her Jimson Weed, White Flower No 1 smashed her previous best of $6.2 million set in 2001, and was one of three works which were placed in the sale.

It was offered at auction by the O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which holds a large body of the artist’s works.

The proceeds of the sale will be put towards the museum’s acquisitions funds.

Georgia O’Keeffe worked for much of her earlier life in New York, where she captured the city’s overwhelming architecture, but later moved to New Mexico, where she painted its huge landscapes.

Elizabeth Goldberg, Sotheby’s head of American painting, said the landmark sale “places Georgia O’Keeffe’s work in the top tier of 20th Century artists on the market internationally, where it has always belonged”.

Sotheby’s added that her floral images “stand among the most recognizable images in both art history and popular culture”.

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Ruby Holt: 100-year-old woman sees ocean for first time

Nancy Clayson
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Ruby Holt: 100-year-old woman sees ocean for first time

Ruby Holt of Tennessee has seen the ocean for the first time just weeks before her 101st birthday.

Ruby Holt has spent most of her life on a farm in rural Tennessee picking cotton and said she never had the time or money to go to a beach.

“I’ve heard people talk about it and how wonderful it was and wanted to see it, but I never had the opportunity to do so,” she said.

Now she has been on an all-expenses paid trip to the Gulf of Mexico.

Ruby Holt’s holiday was funded by the assisted living centre where she lives along with a charity which grants wishes to elderly people called Wish of a Lifetime.

She said she had never seen anything as big as the ocean but kept describing the November weather as “cold”.

Mark Davis, executive director of Brookdale’s Sterling House, where Ruby Holt lives said two employees filled out the application for her after finding out that she wanted to see the ocean for the first time.

“They did a water gun fight out in the courtyard during the summer and water got brought up, the beach, and that’s what she told the girls, that she had never been,” he said.

“When we got to the room yesterday she was just pointing out the ocean and, you know, her facial expressions and… she was just speechless.”

Ruby Holt, who has four children, said she was always too busy on the farm or working in a shirt factory to travel and that the family never had enough money.

The holiday to the beach in Alabama was the furthest she had ever been from her home in Giles County. Ruby Holt said she had only left the state of Tennessee once before.

To visit the beach the woman travelled 400 miles.

Ruby Holt had been lent a motorized wheelchair which had been adapted to be used on sand and with the support of care workers was able to stand and dip her toes in the water.

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Lammily: Normal doll with acne, stretch marks and cellulite

Nancy Clayson
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Lammily: Normal doll with acne, stretch marks and cellulite

Designer Nickolay Lamm created Lammily, a new “realistic” doll for children, released as an add-on pack complete with acne, cellulite and stretch marks.

Lammily’s body is based on the average measurements of a 19-year-old woman in the US.

Lammily, who stands at 10.72 inches tall and wears relatively toned-down outfits and makeup compared with her Mattel counterpart, including a range of snug winter coats, denim shorts and an ombre shirt.

Unlike Barbie doll, whose constantly pointed legs would force her to walk on all fours if she were real, Lammily has articulated joints – reading to walk, run and play. Promotional shots of the doll on the official website even show her poised in a tricky plank yoga position.

From January, for $6 children can customize their dolls with marks commonly found on bodies of all shapes and sizes, including freckles, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and blushing cheeks for when Lammily is “embarrassed, shy, or anxious”.

Children can also adorn Lammily according to the success of her latest adventure, with stitches, scrapes and scratches, bruises, scars, mosquito bites, grass, dirt stains and even a cast featured in the pack. Temporary tattoos and stylish blue, thick-rimmed glasses are also included.

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Delta Air Lines to replace old Boeing planes with 50 Airbus jets

Clyde K. Valle
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Delta Air Lines to replace old Boeing planes with 50 Airbus jets

Delta Air Lines will replace its old Boeing planes with 50 Airbus wide-body jets powered by Rolls Royce engines.

The order, worth $14 billion, confirmed by Delta on November 20, is a victory for the European plane maker over its US rival’s Dreamliner 787.

It includes 25 Airbus A350-900 and 25 advanced Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.

Rolls Royce will provide Trent engines for both types of aircraft and long term servicing in a deal worth $5 billion.

The order is welcome news to Rolls Royce which has seen its share price fall by around a quarter since the beginning of the year following cut backs in military spending.

The company issued a profit warning in October and earlier this month announced 2,600 job losses as development work on two of its latest engines, the Trent 1000 and XWB, came to an end.

Airbus is reported to have won the contract after promising to deliver its latest A330neo in 2019, ahead of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

The Dreamliner has been beset with problems, suffering several delays before its 2011 introduction and then being grounded due to battery fires last year.

However, by October 2014 Boeing said more than 1,000 Dreamliners had been ordered by 60 customers around the world.

The Delta deal is significant for Airbus and Rolls Royce because they hope other American legacy carriers will follow its example as they upgrade their ageing fuel-hungry fleets.

John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer said: “When the most successful US airline today … says <<yes we want 50 more of your wide body planes>>, you can’t debate the fact that it is a massive endorsement of your product line.”

The A350s will be delivered in Q2 2017 and will fly routes between the US and Asia. They are expected to give a 20% improvement in operating cost per seat over Delta’s existing aircraft.

The A330neos will fly medium-haul trans-Atlantic routes as well as some routes between the American west coast and Asia.

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Zimbabwe stadium stampede: At least 11 people dead after Walter Magaya religious service

Nancy Clayson
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Zimbabwe stadium stampede: At least 11 people dead after Walter Magaya religious service

At least 11 people have been killed in a stampede after a religious service in a stadium in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, police say.

Four people died in the stadium in the central town of Kwekwe, while seven others were declared dead on arrival in hospital.

The stampede occurred as thousands of worshippers rushed to leave after the service by popular Pentecostal preacher Walter Magaya.

Walter Magaya claims to be able to heal people by performing miracles.

Some witnesses accused the police of blocking most of the stadium exits and then firing tear gas as people battled to get through the only one left open.

The police have denied firing tear gas.

Walter Magaya, head of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, told a local newspaper that when he learnt of the deaths, it was “the saddest moment of my life”.

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Sotheby’s CEO William Ruprecht resigns after 14 years

Clyde K. Valle
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Sotheby’s CEO William Ruprecht resigns after 14 years

Sotheby’s CEO William F. Ruprecht has announced his resignation after 14 years in the role.

William Ruprecht, 58, would leave his post by “mutual agreement” after a successor was found, Sotheby’s said on November 20.

His departure comes a year after activist investor Dan Loeb started demanding changes at the auction house.

Last week, chief competitor Christie’s significantly outsold Sotheby’s in contemporary art auctions in New York.

Rival Christie’s sold a record $852.9 million in works, compared to $343.7 million at Sotheby’s during flagship sales held every November.

“We are moving with a sense of urgency, but we will take the time we need to find the right leader for Sotheby’s at this critical juncture in its continuing evolution,” said director Domenico De Sole in a statement about William Ruprecht’s departure.

William Ruprecht started in Sotheby’s rug department in 1980 and rose up the ranks to become a director, president and chief executive in 2000. He was also elected to chairman of its board in 2012.

His management style, however, came under fire after investors began demanding changes such as the sale of Sotheby’s headquarters in Manhattan and moves to improve its balance sheet.

Billionaire investor Dan Loeb, who leads hedge fund Third Point which is the biggest shareholder in Sotheby’s, joined the company’s board in May.

Last year, Dan Loeb had demanded that William Ruprecht resign, describing the company as “an old master painting in desperate need of restoration”.

Sotheby’s New York listed shares were up over 7% in after hours trade after the announcement.

Cher cancels Dressed to Kill tour remaining dates over viral infection

Sonia Pantiss
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Cher cancels Dressed to Kill tour remaining dates over viral infection

Cher has decided to cancel the remainder of her Dressed to Kill tour after doctors advised she needed more time to recover from an ongoing viral infection.

Cher, 68, said she was “devastated”.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to me,” the singer said in a statement.

“I sincerely hope that we can come back again next year and finish what we started,” she added.

A total of 29 dates were cancelled, including shows in New York, Boston, Chicago and Toronto.

Cher began her D2K tour in March, with a scheduled break in July.

Opening to rave reviews, the initial run of 49 sell-out shows made a reported $54.9 million, putting Cher on course to have one of the highest-grossing tours of the year.

The second leg of the tour was due to kick off in New York on September 11, but was postponed after Cher was “felled by an infection that affected her kidney function”.

On November, Cher announced “with enormous regret” the cancellation of all remaining dates.

“While her progress has been consistent, Cher’s doctors have advised her to take more time to ensure and complete and total recovery,” said the announcement on Cher’s official website.

“I cannot apologize enough to all the fans who bought tickets,” Cher said, in her statement.

“I’m so proud of this show. It is my best ever.”

Cher tweeted: “I’m SORRY I Couldn’t B the 1 to tell you about postponing my tour. I Tried SO HARD 2b Strong enough, but my Will couldn’t force my Body time.”

A later tweet referred to the “gut-wrenching sadness of not being able to go on stage”.

Earlier this year, Cher insisted D2K was her final tour. It came nearly a decade after her previous swansong, the Living Proof Farewell tour, in 2005.

Refunds for tickets to the cancelled shows will be available at the point of purchase.

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Mexico City: Mass protests over 43 missing students

Diane A. Wade
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Mexico City: Mass protests over 43 missing students

Families of 43 missing Mexican students have led mass protests in Mexico City demanding action from the government to find them.

The families from Guerrero State arrived in Mexico City after touring the country.

The students, all trainee teachers, went missing after attending a protest in Iguala, Guerrero State.

Many remain unconvinced by the official explanation that the students were murdered by a drugs gang.

Forensic tests are being carried out on bodies found in mass graves in the state.

The mayor of Iguala Jose Luis Abarca has been arrested facing accusations that he ordered police to confront the students on the day of their disappearance on September 26.

In the past decade, more than 100,000 people have been killed and 27,000 have disappeared in Mexico in the last decade.

Thousands of people took part in three protest marches in the capital, which started at 17:00 local time.

Many thousands converged on Mexico City’s main square, or Zocalo.

Several hundred protesters gathered near the presidential palace, where police tried to push them back using water cannon.

The protest itself was peaceful with only small groups of protesters throwing bottles and fireworks at the presidential palace.

In violence near Mexico City’s international airport before the marches began, some 200 hooded protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs at police officers who had been trying to disperse them.

Demonstrators have also called for a nationwide strike. Protests also took place in other parts of Mexico and abroad.

The abduction has galvanized opposition to rampant political corruption and violence.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has accused some of the protesters of trying to “destabilize” the state.

Analysts say the issue is the biggest challenge Enrique Pena Nieto has faced in his two years of office.

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Barack Obama Immigration Speech: Millions of immigrants to be allowed to apply for work permits

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama Immigration Speech: Millions of immigrants to be allowed to apply for work permits

In a televised address, President Barack Obama has unveiled that millions of immigrants living illegally in the US will be allowed to apply for work permits under new changes to immigration policy.

They include immigrants living in the US for five years who have children staying legally in the US.

Up to five million are expected to benefit from a reform package forced through using executive orders, which allow President Barack Obama to bypass Congress.

Republicans have accused the president of an “illegal power-grab”.

There are estimated to be 11 million illegal immigrants in the US.

Under Barack Obama’s plan, undocumented parents of children who are US citizens or legal residents will be able to apply for work permits lasting three years.

Only parents who have lived in the US for five years will qualify – about four million people are estimated to fit this criterion.

Hundreds of thousands more will benefit from other changes, including a decision to broaden a scheme giving temporary legal status to those who arrived in the US as children.

“Come out of the shadows and get right with the law,” Barack Obama said.

He insisted his proposals, which are the biggest immigration reforms since the mid-1980s, did not amount to an amnesty.

“What I’m describing is accountability – a common-sense, middle ground approach,” he said.

Although the plan will allow millions to work, it will not offer a path to citizenship or entitle them to the same benefits as Americans, Barack Obama said.

“If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the US illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up,” he said.

Republicans reacted with fury and said the move would “poison the well” on a number of other issues.

Arizona Republican Senator John McCain called it an “illegal power-grab” that “fails to address the root causes of the dysfunction in our immigration system”.

Texas Governor Rick Perry, who leads a border state, argued the move would “lead to more illegal immigration, not less”.

Barack Obama’s plan does not go as far as a bill that would have provided a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants.

The bill was passed by the Democrat-led Senate, but the Republican-controlled House of Representatives refused even to debate the proposal.

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PM Shinzo Abe dissolves Japan’s lower house of parliament for early election

Diane A. Wade
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PM Shinzo Abe dissolves Japan’s lower house of parliament for early election

Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of parliament in preparation for an early election.

Shinzo Abe is seeking a new mandate for economic reforms and is delaying an unpopular increase in sales tax.

However, opinion polls conducted by local media indicate low support for Shinzo Abe and that many people do not understand why he has called an election two years ahead of schedule.

Japanese voters will now head to the polls on December 14.

The dissolution of parliament was announced in the lower house by Speaker Bunmei Ibuki on Friday morning.

Japan’s legislature, known as the National Diet, comprises the upper House of Councillors and the lower House of Representatives.

Shinzo Abe is expected to hold a news conference later.

On November 20, he said he would use the election campaign to clarify his government’s growth strategy, reported national broadcaster NHK.

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of parliament in preparation for an early election
Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of parliament in preparation for an early election

A Kyodo News agency survey on November 21 found that about 63% of people did not understand Shinzo Abe’s reasons for going to the polls early.

A separate survey by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper found that only 39% supported Shinzo Abe.

Though his popularity has fallen, Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are still expected to win the election because of the weakness of the opposition.

Shinzo Abe has said he will resign if his coalition – which holds the majority in the lower house – fails to win a simple majority.

He launched an ambitious economic plan, informally known as “Abenomics”, two years ago when he became prime minister.

Though Japan’s GDP growth initially saw a lift, the economy continued to slide and Japan entered a technical recession after Q3 2014.

It was exacerbated by a rise in sales tax in April, from 5% to 8%.

The increases were aimed at curbing Japan’s public debt which is the highest among developed nations, but instead scared Japanese consumers off spending.

A second increase, to 10%, was set for October 2015 but Shinzo Abe has said that will be delayed by at least 18 months.

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Barack Obama announces changes to immigration policy

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama announces changes to immigration policy

President Barack Obama will announce his plans to use overriding executive powers to enact major changes to immigration policy.

Barack Obama will unveil his strategy in a televised address on Thursday night, he said in a video posted on Facebook.

The action could lift the threat of deportation for up to five million undocumented migrants.

Republicans in Congress say such action would be beyond Barack Obama’s authority and have vowed to fight the initiative.

Following the announcement, Congressman Paul Ryan warned the president’s immigration order was a “partisan bomb” that will sour his relations with Congress.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on November 19 that the aim was to make illegal immigrants “fully contributing” members of society, for the good of the country.

It is thought the president will extend his “deferred action” plan (DACA) which allows young adults who were brought to the US illegally as children to stay and work.

The plan is to extend that right to more young people and to more parents of children who are US citizens or legal residents.

The number of those affected by the suggested policy could be as high as five million, out of a total of 11 million illegal immigrants.

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Tracy Morgan fighting to get better but may not recover from brain injury

Lisa.Felice
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Tracy Morgan fighting to get better but may not recover from brain injury

Tracy Morgan is “fighting to get better” but may not recover from the brain injury he suffered in a car accident in June, his lawyer has said.

“If there’s a chance for him to be back to the Tracy Morgan he once was, he’s going to try to do that,” said Benedict Morelli.

“But we just don’t know.”

The 30 Rock comic is seeking compensation from retail giant Walmart after one of its trucks crashed into his limousine bus.

Fellow comedian James McNair died in the June 7 crash on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Former Saturday Night Live star Tracy Morgan, 46, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident, in addition to a broken leg, nose and ribs.

The update on his condition came as lawyers met in New Jersey to agree on a schedule for Tracy Morgan’s legal action against Walmart.

Tracy Morgan spent several weeks in a hospital and in rehab and is “just not better” according to his attorney.

“We’re hoping and praying to get him back to where he was,” said Benedict Morelli.

“But the jury’s out.”

Truck driver Kevin Roper, who is not named in Tracy Morgan’s action, has been charged with death by auto and four counts of assault by auto.

Walmart are contending that Tracy Morgan’s injuries and James McNair’s death were partly their own fault because they were not wearing seatbelts.

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Taylor Swift becomes first female singer to succeed herself on Billboard Hot 100

Sonia Pantiss
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Taylor Swift becomes first female singer to succeed herself on Billboard Hot 100

Taylor Swift is the first female singer to succeed herself at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Taylor Swift’s latest track, Blank Space, rose 12 places to bump her previous number one hit, Shake It Off, from the top after a four-week run.

She is the 10th act to score the feat overall, following acts such as the Beatles, Usher and the Black Eyed Peas.

Taylor Swift’s album, 1989, also scored a third consecutive week at number one on the album chart.

The record has so far sold two million copies and is the second best-selling album of 2014, after Disney’s Frozen soundtrack, which has sold 3.25 million copies.

Billboard announced on November 19 it would be updating its album chart from a purely sales-based ranking to one measuring broader music consumption.

The new chart – which will take effect from December 3 – will include on-demand streaming and digital track sales.

Billboard said the changes would help to “provide a better sense of an album’s popularity”.

Under the new method, 10 digital track sales or 1,500 song streams from an album will be the equivalent of one album sale.

Figures from subscription services such as Spotify, Beats Music and Google Play will be included in the data.

Billboard said artists likely to benefit from the change include Ariana Grande, Hozier and Maroon 5, whose streaming and digital sales have outperformed their physical album sales in recent weeks.

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Silvio Berlusconi promises free trips to cinema for pensioners

Diane A. Wade
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Silvio Berlusconi promises free trips to cinema for pensioners

Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has said that pensioners will get free trips to the cinema if his party is returned to power.

Silvio Berlusconi, 78, who is in hospital for an eye operation, has written a letter in which he sets out a host of promises to the elderly, as long as they vote for his Forza Italia party at the next election, Il Messaggero newspaper reports.

As well as pledging to cut taxes and increase pensions, Silvio Berlusconi says pensioners would get free cataract operations and dental implants, as well as “free cinema in the afternoons and train journeys during the week”.

Silvio Berlusconi is currently banned from holding public office after being convicted of tax fraud, and has been doing community service at a care home as part of his sentence.

“We say to our friends in retirement: Do not make the mistake that you made at the last European elections,” he says in the letter.

“You must go and vote. It’s someone of your own age and who loves you who’s telling you himself: Silvio Berlusconi.”

Forza Italia took a drubbing in the European Parliament elections in May, coming third behind PM Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

Silvio Berlusconi, who famously owns two fluffy white poodles called Dudu and Dudina, has one final sweetener to persuade those older people who share his love of pets: “A free vet’s appointment once a month for your four-legged friends.”

Christine Robertson celebrates birthday on November 20

Sonia Pantiss
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Christine Robertson celebrates birthday on November 20

Si Robertson’s wife, Christine Robertson, celebrates her birthday on November 20.

Uncle Si, 66, is the youngest brother of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson.

Uncle Si Robertson and his wife Christine
Uncle Si Robertson and his wife Christine (photo Facebook)

In 1971, Si Robertson married his longtime girlfriend, Christine.

Uncle Si wrote on his Facebook account: “Happy birthday to my smokin’ hot honey, Christine!”

Bigg Boss 8: Kim Kardashian’s India trip cancelled over visa issues

Lisa.Felice
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Bigg Boss 8: Kim Kardashian’s India trip cancelled over visa issues

Kim Kardashian’s India trip has been cancelled over visa issues, according to reports.

Kim Kardashian, 34, was set to make an appearance on India’s Big Brother, known as Bigg Boss, on Saturday, November 22.

Pamela Anderson and late reality TV star Jade Goody have also appeared on Bigg Boss.

The Colors channel, which hosts Bigg Boss, said in a statement on November 17 that Kim Kardashian would appear in the show as a “guest to interact with the contestants”.

Bigg Boss Season 8, which started in October, is hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and has a huge following in India.

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