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Philae lander detects organic molecules on Comet 67P

James J. Williams
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Philae lander detects organic molecules on Comet 67P

Scientists have confirmed that the Philae lander has detected organic molecules on the surface of Comet 67P.

Carbon-containing “organics” are the basis of life on Earth and may give clues to chemical ingredients delivered to our planet early in its history.

The compounds were picked up by a German-built instrument designed to “sniff” the comet’s thin atmosphere.

Other analyzes suggest the comet’s surface is largely water-ice covered with a thin dust layer.

The European Space Agency (ESA) craft touched down on the Comet 67P on November 12 after a 10-year journey.

It has not been disclosed which molecules have been found, or how complex they are.

The results are likely to provide insights into the possible role of comets in contributing some of the chemical building blocks to the primordial mix from which life evolved on the early Earth.

Preliminary results from the Mupus instrument, which deployed a hammer to the comet after Philae’s landing, suggest there is a layer of dust 10-20cm thick on the surface with very hard water-ice underneath.

The ice would be frozen solid at temperatures encountered in the outer Solar System – Mupus data suggest this layer has a tensile strength similar to sandstone.

After bouncing off the surface at least twice, Philae came to a stop in some sort of high-walled trap.

Scientists had to race to perform as many key tests as they could before Philae’s battery life ran out at the weekend.

A key objective was to drill a sample of “soil” and analyze it in Cosac’s oven. But, disappointingly, the latest information suggests no soil was delivered to the instrument.

Scientists are hopeful however that as Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko approaches the Sun in coming months, Philae’s solar panels will see sunlight again. This might allow the batteries to re-charge, and enable the lander to perform science once more.

The lander’s Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), designed to provide information on the elemental composition of the surface, seems to have partially seen a signal from its own lens cover – which could have dropped off at a strange angle because Philae was not lying flat.

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FIFA files criminal complaint over World Cup hosting

Clyde K. Valle
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FIFA files criminal complaint over World Cup hosting

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has submitted a criminal complaint to Switzerland’s attorney general after a two-year investigation into possible World Cup corruption.

The complaint concerns individuals linked to awarding the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

However, FIFA said the move does not impact negatively on the decision to name Russia and Qatar as hosts.

FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert maintains there is not enough evidence to question the entire bidding process.

Last week, Hans-Joachim Eckert released a 42-page report that cleared Russia and Qatar of wrongdoing, confirming their status as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively.

That report drew criticism from Michael Garcia, the American lawyer who spent two years investigating allegations of corruption.

He claimed it contained “numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations” and said he would be appealing to FIFA.

FIFA continues to reject calls for Michael Garcia’s full findings to be published.

“We have examined this matter very carefully from a legal point of view,” said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

“The result was clear: If FIFA were to publish the report, we would be violating our own association law as well as state law.”

New York hit by season’s first big snowfall

Nancy Clayson
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New York hit by season’s first big snowfall

New York has been hit by the season’s first big snowfall.

On November 18, three feet of snow blanketed the Buffalo area and forced the closure of a 132-mile stretch of the state Thruway.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Ansuini said the storm was dumping 3 to 4 inches of snow per hour.

The Thruway Authority said white-out conditions caused by wind gusts of more than 30 mph forced the closure of Interstate 90 in both directions from the Rochester area to Ripley, on the Pennsylvania border 60 miles southwest of Buffalo.

In neighboring Orchard Park, the highway superintendent called the rate of snowfall “unbelievable,” while next door in Hamburg even police cars were getting stuck in the deep snow.

The National Weather Service warned that the snow off the Great Lakes would continue at least through November 19, affecting also Interstate 81 between Syracuse and the Canadian border.

Lancaster, just east of Buffalo, reported 42 inches by 9 AM, while just to the south, in Orchard Park, there was 36 inches. But typical of lake-effect snow, areas just a few miles away, including downtown and north Buffalo, had seen just a couple of inches.

State troopers were using all-terrain vehicles to deliver blankets and other emergency supplies to motorists stranded on the Thruway overnight, said state police Capt. Ed Kennedy. It wasn’t known yet how many people were stuck in their vehicles Tuesday.

The Tug Hill region on the eastern edge of Lake Ontario, notorious for its yearly snow totals, was bracing for 2 to 3 feet of snow.

The National Weather Service said the Lake Michigan shoreline could get 6 to 16 inches of snow by November 18, while 4 to 18 inches was forecast along Lake Superior.

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Solange Knowles wedding: Singer breaks out in hives after ceremony

Lisa.Felice
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Solange Knowles wedding: Singer breaks out in hives after ceremony

Solange Knowles was pictures with raised, itchy-looking blemishes all over her face and neck as she left her New Orleans wedding venue on November 16 after tying the knot with producer Alan Ferguson.

According to TMZ, Solange Knowles broke out in hives after she suffered a food allergy, as she clambered into the back of a waiting car with her sister, Beyonce, and brother-in-law, Jay-Z.

A source told gossip website: “Solange suffered some kind of food allergy, though she isn’t sure what it was from….the hives were gone in a matter of minutes.”

Solange Knowles sparked speculation she and Alan Ferguson – who she began dating in 2008 – were getting married after posting an Instagram picture of herself and the director swimming in an ocean while holidaying on her birthday in June.

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Solange Knowles marries Alan Ferguson in New Orleans ceremony

Lisa.Felice
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Solange Knowles marries Alan Ferguson in New Orleans ceremony

Beyonce’s sister, Solange Knowles, has married video director and music producer Alan Ferguson on November 16 in New Orleans wedding ceremony.

Solange Knowles, 28, and Alan Ferguson, 51, were joined by their close friends and family, including bride’s sister Beyonce and brother-in-law Jay-Z.

Another special guest at the ceremony was Solange Knowles’s son from her previous marriage to Daniel Smith, 10-year-old Daniel Julez.

All were guests encouraged to wear white.

Solange Knowles has married video director and music producer Alan Ferguson in New Orleans
Solange Knowles has married video director and music producer Alan Ferguson in New Orleans (photo Beyonce Instagram)

The couple tied the knot at the Holy Trinity Church in New Orleans in front of 100 friends and family.

Solange Knowles wore a long caped gown by Humberto Leon for Kenzo for the nuptials but arrived at the ceremony in a Stephane Rolland cream jump suit, having travelled there on a white-painted bicycle decorated with cream roses.

Beyoncé wore a creation called Torn by Ronny Kobo Maggie Lasso Diamonds Dress.

The wedding reception took place at New Orleans’s Marigny Opera House.

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Ken Takakura dies of lymphoma aged 83

Sonia Pantiss
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Ken Takakura dies of lymphoma aged 83

Legendary actor Ken Takakura has died of lymphoma aged 83.

The Japanese actor passed away at a Tokyo hospital on November 10, his office has announced on November 18.

Known as the “Clint Eastwood” of Japan, Ken Takakura was renowned for his brooding style and stoic roles in several Japanese yakuza and action movies.

Legendary actor Ken Takakura has died of lymphoma aged 83
Legendary actor Ken Takakura has died of lymphoma aged 83 (photo Getty Images)

Ken Takakura also starred as a tough Japanese police officer alongside Michael Douglas in the 1989 Ridley Scott film Black Rain.

Among his well-known films were The Yellow Handkerchief and Poppoya (The Railway Man), for which he won the best actor prize at the Montreal World Film Festival.

Ken Takakura also went on to play a lead role in Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s 2005 film Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.

In Japan, national broadcaster NHK opened its news program at noon with the news of Ken Takakura’s death. The Asahi Shimbun, a major daily, tweeted condolences and called him “one of Japan’s greatest actors”.

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“Vape” named Oxford Dictionaries’ International Word of the Year in 2014

James J. Williams
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“Vape” named Oxford Dictionaries’ International Word of the Year in 2014

“Vape” has been named 2014’s international word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries.

The definition of vape: to inhale and exhale the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device.

Oxford Dictionaries chose the word to reflect the huge rise and popularity of electronic cigarettes over the past few years.

Other words shortlisted for word included “bae” – a term of endearment, “indyref” and “contactless”.

Oxford Dictionaries claims we are now 30 times more likely to come across the word “vape” than we were two years ago.

Vape has been named 2014's international word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries
Vape has been named 2014’s international word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries

The word can be used to describe both the device and the action.

Judy Pearsall, editorial director for Oxford Dictionaries, said: “As vaping has gone mainstream and with growing public debate on the public dangers and the need for regulation, the language usage of the word vape and related terms in 2014 has shown a marked increase.”

The earliest known use of the word “vape” was seen in an article called Why Do People Smoke? from 1983.

The author, Rob Stepney, wrote about “an inhaler or non-combustible cigarette, looking much like the real thing, but…delivering a metered dose of nicotine vapor. The new habit, if it catches on, would be known as vaping”.

Controversy over e-cigarettes was raised again last week when fire bosses said that safety messages should be put on the kits because of a rise in incidents linked to the devices.

Previous words of the year have included “selfie”, “omnishambles” and “simples”.

Italy: Forty arrested in anti-mafia raid

Diane A. Wade
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Italy: Forty arrested in anti-mafia raid

Forty suspects were arrested in northern Italy as the authorities targeted mafia cells.

Meanwhile anti-mafia police have released unprecedented footage of an initiation ritual filmed as part of an inquiry into the ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate.

Three groups were under investigation, based north of Milan, in the provinces of Como and Lecco in Lombardy region.

Most of the arrests were in northern Italy, but some of the men were detained in Sicily.

The ‘Ndrangheta is based in Calabria, in the far south “toe-end” of Italy.

Italian media said the investigation had involved phone intercepts as well as secret filming and the three groups at the ceremony came from small villages in Como and Lecco.

During the meeting, those present organized their hierarchy and allotted roles to each other. One of those sworn in was 17 years of age, officials said.

Milan anti-mafia prosecutor Ilda Boccassini, who led the investigation, said the video showed how “the force of tradition” enabled the ‘Ndrangheta to survive.

The ‘Ndrangheta are known to have distinctive initiation rites and an elite membership known as “Santa”.

Those arrested by a special police unit were being held on suspicion of belonging to the mafia and extortion, as well as carrying unlicensed guns.

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N1 tablet: Nokia launches Android-powered tablet

Nancy Clayson
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N1 tablet: Nokia launches Android-powered tablet

Nokia is launching N1 Android-powered tablet, marking the company’s return to consumer electronics.

The surprise launch pits the Finnish company against Microsoft, which completed its takeover of Nokia’s previous mobile-devices business in April.

The N1 tablet is due to go on sale in China towards the start of 2015, ahead of other countries.

Nokia said it was not making the device itself, but had licensed its brand, design and software to a third-party.

Taiwanese manufacture Foxconn is the licensee.

“This is a great product for Nokia fans and everyone who has not found the right Android tablet yet,” said Sebastian Nystrom, head of products at Nokia Technologies, who announced the product at the Slush technology conference in Helsinki.

Microsoft sells Nokia-labeled kit of its own, including the Lumia 2520 Windows RT-powered tablet.

Earlier this month, it unveiled its first Lumia smartphone without the Nokia name. But it indicated that it would continue using the brand on its less powerful “feature phone” line-up, saying it had the right to do so for up to a decade under the terms of its $7.2 billion takeover.

It is not clear whether Nokia’s announcement affects those plans.

The only comment from Microsoft was a brief statement: “This is a Nokia announcement and is not associated in any way with Microsoft.”

The N1 is a 7.9in aluminium-framed tablet, whose design resembles the iPad Mini.

Unlike Apple’s device, however, it is powered by Google’s Android 5.0 operating system, features an Intel Atom processor and has a Micro-USB slot. The planned retail price is $249.

It runs Nokia’s own Z Launcher user interface – known as a skin – on top of Android.

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Japan: PM Shinzo Abe calls early election in December

Diane A. Wade
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Japan: PM Shinzo Abe calls early election in December

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has called snap election in December, two years ahead of schedule.

At a news briefing, Shinzo Abe said he would dissolve parliament on November 21 and was also delaying a planned but unpopular increase in sales tax.

The prime minister was elected in 2012 with an ambitious plan to revive the economy, but has struggled to do so.

Shinzo Abe’s popularity has fallen but he is expected to win the election, which will take place in mid-December.

“I will dissolve the lower house on 21 [November] ,” Shinzo Abe said.

His party, the Liberal Democrats, already has a majority in the lower house, but analysts said Shinzo Abe hoped to consolidate power over an opposition party which is in disarray.

Shinzo Abe’s popularity fell below 50%. In another year from now he may face a very tough battle to get re-elected.

An early election means he is almost certain to win another majority.

The rise in Japan’s sales tax was legislated by the previous government in 2012 to curb Japan’s huge public debt, which is the highest among developed nations.

The first rise – from 5% to 8% – took place in April.

Shinzo Abe’s government had hoped the increase would boost income but instead Japanese consumers stopped spending.

Figures released on November 17 showed Japan had fallen back into a technical recession.

The second increase, to 10%, was set for October 2015 but will now be delayed by at least 18 months.

An election does not need to be held until 2016.

Howevr, Shinzo Abe is looking for a secure mandate ahead of introducing unpopular policies that could see his popularity fall even further, correspondents say.

He has strongly advocated restarting Japan’s nuclear power generation plants, all of which were shut down amid public anger after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Before the accident about 30% of Japan’s power was nuclear-generated, and the prime minister says the shutdown is damaging the economy because of expensive energy imports.

Shinzo Abe has also supported a reinterpretation of Japan’s constitution that would allow the use of force to act to defend allies, known as collective self-defense.

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Jerusalem synagogue attack kills at least four Israelis

Roy Siemens
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Jerusalem synagogue attack kills at least four Israelis

Four Israelis have been killed and eight injured as two men armed with a pistol, knives and axes attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue, police say.

The attackers – Palestinians from East Jerusalem – were shot dead.

There have been several deadly attacks and clashes in Jerusalem recently amid tension over a disputed holy site.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to respond “with a heavy hand” to the attack – the deadliest in Jerusalem in six years.

Benjamin Netanyahu blamed “incitement” by Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and said the international community had ignored their actions.

Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party – rival Palestinian factions – agreed to form a unity government earlier this year, a move denounced at the time by Israel.

Mahmoud Abbas’s office issued a statement saying: “The presidency condemns the attack on Jewish worshippers in their place of prayer and condemns the killing of civilians no matter who is doing it.”

The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, says it carried out the synagogue attack.

Militants from the far-left-wing Palestinian nationalist group have been behind many previous attacks on Israelis.

Hamas and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, praised the attack. Israel has designated both groups as terrorist organizations.

The attack happened at a religious seminary site on Harav Shimon Agassi Street – home to a largely Orthodox Jewish community in the Har Nof neighborhood. Among those killed was Rabbi Moshe Twersky, 60, head of the seminary.

Police say there was a shoot-out with the attackers, said to be cousins, when officers reached the scene.

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Hong Kong authorities start clearing pro-democracy protest camp in Admiralty district

Diane A. Wade
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Hong Kong authorities start clearing pro-democracy protest camp in Admiralty district

Hong Kong authorities have cleared part of a pro-democracy protest camp in the Admiralty district.

The bailiffs, backed by police, dismantled barricades outside Citic Tower after the building’s owners complained about the disruption and were granted a high court injunction.

The student protesters did not resist the clearance, and many helped to remove tents and fences.

The high court has also authorized the clearance of the Mong Kok site.

A third protest camp remains at Causeway Bay.

The activists have been on the streets since early October to protest against a decision by China to screen candidates for Hong Kong’s 2017 leadership election. Numbers were originally in the tens of thousands but have fallen to a few hundred.

Hong Kong and the Beijing government say the protests are illegal, and there is growing public frustration with the disruption to traffic and business.

The high court has also granted an injunction to taxi and minibus associations to clear the roads in Mong Kok, where on November 18 protesters had also begun packing up.

More requests have been lodged by bus companies to clear other roads affected by the protest sites.

Police operations to clear and contain the camps in recent weeks have sometimes led to clashes.

An attempt to clear an underpass near Admiralty led to accusations that police had used excessive violence, after a video emerged of officers apparently beating a protester.

At the weekend, a group of student leaders were prevented from travelling to Beijing, where they had hoped to seek an audience with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, after their travel permits were declared invalid.

Charles Manson granted license to marry 26-year-old Afton Elaine Burton

Nancy Clayson
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Charles Manson granted license to marry 26-year-old Afton Elaine Burton

Mass murderer Charles Manson has reportedly been granted a license to marry a 26-year-old woman who has been visiting him in prison.

The marriage license was issued 10 days ago for Charles Manson, 80, and Afton Elaine Burton, the Associated Press reports.

Charles Manson is serving a life sentence for the murders of seven people and one unborn child in Los Angeles in 1969.

Their victims included pregnant actress Sharon Tate, wife of film director Roman Polanski.

Afton Elaine Burton, who calls herself Star, told AP that she and Charles Manson would marry next month. The license is reportedly valid for 90 days.

The cult leader and his followers, known as the Manson Family, stabbed and shot seven people in Los Angeles over two nights in August 1969 in an attempt to start a race war.

Charles Manson and three women accomplices were sentenced to death for the killings, but that was commuted in 1972 when California temporarily outlawed the death penalty.

In 2012, Charles Manson was refused parole by a Californian prison panel – it was the 12th time he had made a bid for freedom.

Charles Manson is not eligible to apply for parole again until 2027.

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Indonesia increases subsidized fuel prices by 30% to save economy

Clyde K. Valle
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Indonesia increases subsidized fuel prices by 30% to save economy

Indonesia has decided to increase fuel prices by more than 30% in an attempt to save the economy more than $8 billion in 2015.

Prices were raised by 2,000 rupiah ($0.16) per litre, with gasoline now costing 8,500 rupiah and diesel 7,500 rupiah.

The subsidized fuel prices in Indonesia are among the cheapest in the world.

The unpopular move sparked small protests and long queues at petrol stations in the capital, Jakarta.

Previous price increases have sparked violent protests and reports said young people had clashed with police at a demonstration hotspot before the announcement on November 17.

New President Joko Widodo, who took office in October, said the increase would bolster government finances and help with the nation’s trade imbalance.

“The country has needed a budget for infrastructure, healthcare and education but instead spent it on subsidizing fuel,” Joko Widodo told reporters on November 17.

Indonesia’s $23 billion fuel subsidy bill is the main reason behind its budget deficit. It is also behind the nation’s trade imbalance as Indonesia imports much of its fuel.

The economy also grew at the slowest pace in five years in the third quarter at 5.01%, compared to a year ago.

The rise in fuel prices could push up inflation to 7.3% this year and the impact would last until next year, the government said.

Inflation jumped to nearly 10% in mid-2013 after fuel prices were increased.

Economists said the country’s central bank, Bank Indonesia, might need to increase interest rates this month to cope with the rising inflation.

Bank Indonesia has not changed the benchmark rate since November 2013.

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Bono injured in Central Park cycling accident

Lisa.Felice
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Bono injured in Central Park cycling accident

Bono got an arm injury after falling off a bike in Central Park, New York.

U2 revealed on its website that Bono will require surgery on his arm.

The band was due to start a week-long residency on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which they have postponed.

“We’re sure he’ll make a full recovery soon, so we’ll be back!” said the statement from Edge, Adam and Larry.

“Much thanks to Jimmy Fallon and everyone at the show for their understanding.”

The U2 frontman flew back to the US after taking part in the Band Aid 30 charity single recording in London on November 15.

The recording, which comes 30 years after the original, is raising money for the fight against Ebola.

The week-long residency on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon is part of the band’s promotional tour for their album Songs of Innocence.

U2 came in for criticism after the album was automatically added to the libraries of all iTunes users around the world.

Czech President Milos Zeman pelted with eggs on Velvet Revolution anniversary

Diane A. Wade
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Czech President Milos Zeman pelted with eggs on Velvet Revolution anniversary

Czech President Milos Zeman has been pelted with eggs by angry protesters on the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which ended communist rule.

Thousands of people carried football-style red cards as a warning to Milos Zeman, while others threw eggs. One accidentally hit the German president.

Many are angry with Milos Zeman, who they see as too sympathetic to Russia.

The Velvet Revolution began on November 17, 1989, when police attacked a student protest.

A wave of demonstrations followed across the now Czech Republic, toppling the communist government and replacing it with one led by dissident playwright Vaclav Havel.

Some Czechs feel that certain aims of the revolution, such as the promotion of human rights, have been sidelined by Milos Zeman.

They also worry that the president, a former communist, is too close to both Russia and China.

On November 17, demonstrators carried banners reading “down with Zeman” and “we do not want to be a Russian colony”.

As the president unveiled a plaque to the students involved in the 1989 protest, he was booed, jeered and pelted with eggs.

Czech President Milos Zeman has been pelted with eggs by angry protesters on the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution
Czech President Milos Zeman has been pelted with eggs by angry protesters on the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution

Though Milos Zeman appears not to have been hit, German President Joachim Gauck was struck during the attack.

Milos Zeman angered many Czech citizens when he defended Russia’s stance on Ukraine, declaring the conflict there “a civil war between two groups of Ukrainian citizens”.

Though Moscow has long denied any direct involvement in the Ukraine crisis, the EU, of which the Czech Republic is a member, has imposed sanctions on Russia, saying it has supplied separatist rebels there with weapons and Russian fighters.

The Czech president also used derogatory language when discussing Russian protest group Pussy Riot in an interview earlier this month.

In October Milos Zeman shocked some when he said he wished to learned how China “stabilized” its society.

In the run-up to Monday’s celebrations, Milos Zeman said the 1989 student protest had not triggered the Velvet Revolution.

Despite his participation in it, Milos Zeman said the historic protest had been just one of “any number of rallies” and he played down police brutality.

Milos Zeman still has the backing of many voters and his supporters were scheduled to hold a rally on November 17.

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Michael Brown case: Missouri governor declares emergency ahead of grand jury decision

Diane A. Wade
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Michael Brown case: Missouri governor declares emergency ahead of grand jury decision

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the state’s National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision over the killing of Michael Brown.

In a statement, Jay Nixon said the guard will “support law enforcement’s efforts to maintain peace”.

A panel is deciding whether to charge Officer Darren Wilson in the August death of black teenager Michael Brown.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the state's National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision over the killing of Michael Brown
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the state’s National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision over the killing of Michael Brown

No specific date for the jury’s decision has been given.

Michael Brown, 18, was shot and killed by Darren Wilson in August after a confrontation in Ferguson, a majority-black suburb of St Louis.

His death set off protests, sometimes violent, in the area. Ferguson police and other law enforcement were criticized for being heavily armed and using excessive force during protests.

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HSBC accused of tax fraud in Belgium

Clyde K. Valle
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HSBC accused of tax fraud in Belgium

HSBC Private Bank’s Brussels branch is being accused of helping wealthy Belgians to avoid taxes.

Belgian prosecutors allege that hundreds of clients – including diamond dealers in Antwerp – moved money to offshore tax havens with the help of the bank.

They said it resulted in hundreds of millions of euros in lost tax revenue.

In August, HSBC warned that the penalties in relation to such allegations “could be significant”.

In a statement, Belgian authorities accused HSBC of “having knowingly eased and promoted fiscal fraud by making offshore companies available to certain privileged clients”.

These companies, which are based in Panama and the Virgin Islands, exist for the sole purpose of tax evasion, they added.

Over 1,000 taxpayers are alleged to have been involved in the fraud, which saw funds amounting to several billion dollars transferred out of Belgium since 2003.

Responding to the announcement by Belgian authorities, HSBC said it had been notified of the investigation, and of a similar investigation by French authorities, and that the bank would “continue to cooperate to the fullest extent possible”.

Banks operating in Switzerland are bound by the European Union Savings Directive to counter cross-border tax evasion, by collecting information on the savings income foreign residents receive outside their resident state.

Belgian authorities also published emails and other correspondence between HSBC and Belgian clients, which appear to show the bank offering tax evasion services.

Prosecutor Michel Claise accused HSBC of “fraud, money laundering, criminal association and illegal exercise of the profession of financial intermediary”.

In October, Belgian police raided the homes of approximately 20 people with private bank accounts at HSBC’s Swiss subsidiary, to gather evidence against the lender.

HSBC has been subject to a series of fines for misconduct in recent years, most recently in relation the manipulation of foreign currency exchange rates.

Bird flu discovered at poultry farm in the Netherlands

Kathryn R. Bown
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Bird flu discovered at poultry farm in the Netherlands

The European Commission is set to announce protective measures to contain a “highly contagious” strain of bird flu discovered at a poultry farm in the Netherlands.

The measures will include killing all contaminated animals and the cleaning of their holding areas.

The Dutch government said the strain, H5N8, could potentially affect humans.

Authorities have already begun destroying 150,000 hens at the infected farm, in the village of Hekendorp.

“This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life,” the Dutch government said in a statement.

“The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans.”

The Dutch economics ministry says humans can only be infected through very close contact with infected birds.

The authorities have imposed a three-day nationwide ban on the transportation of poultry and eggs.

The farm reportedly sold eggs rather than poultry. Its produce was sold primarily in the Netherlands, with some also exported to Germany.

Earlier this month, a farm in Germany detected cases of H5N8, which had previously not been reported in Europe.

The strain has never been detected in humans, but an outbreak in South Korea meant millions of farm birds had to be slaughtered to contain it.

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, has several different strains.

Most forms do not infect humans, but the H5N1 and H7N9 strains have caused serious infections in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

The majority of those infected had come into close contact with live or dead poultry.

There is no evidence to suggest the H5N1 and H7N9 viruses can be passed to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says.

The H5N1 strain has a mortality rate of about 60% in humans, and led to 384 deaths between 2003 and December 2013, according to WHO figures.

Common symptoms for bird flu include a high fever and coughing.

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Glen Larson dies from esophageal cancer aged 77

Sonia Pantiss
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Glen Larson dies from esophageal cancer aged 77

Knight Rider creator Glen Larson has died at the age of 77.

The prolific TV writer and producer was also responsible for a string of action-packed hits, including Magnum PI, Quincy ME and Battlestar Galactica.

Knight Rider‘s David Hasselhoff paid tribute on Twitter, saying: “[He] had seven TV series at one time! Without him there’d be no KITT & Michael.”

Glen Larson died of esophageal cancer at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center on November 14.

Also an accomplished singer and composer, Glen Larson co-wrote the theme songs for many of his shows, including the frequently sampled tune from Knight Rider and the orchestral score for Battlestar Galactica.

He was nominated three times for an Emmy, once for a Grammy (for Battlestar Galactica), and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.

Glen Larson was born on January3 1937, to a Swedish immigrant mother and a Swedish-American father in Long Beach, California.

His entertainment career started in the 1950s, when he was a member of the all-male quartet the Four Preps.

Where he would make a lasting mark, however, was in television in the 1960s, working on The Fugitive, Alias Smith and Jones and The Six Million Dollar Man.

By 1968, Glen Larson had worked his way up to an associate producer on the series It Takes A Thief and quickly rose through the ranks to produce some of the biggest TV shows of the time.

At one point, Glen Larson had five shows airing at once, his son said.

Glen Larson leaves behind his wife, Jeannie Pledger, his brother, and nine children from two different marriages.

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Dumb and Dumber To tops US box office with $38 million

Sonia Pantiss
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Dumb and Dumber To tops US box office with $38 million

Dumb and Dumber To has topped the US box office chart on its first weekend in cinemas.

The intentionally misspelt sequel to Jim Carrey’s 1994 comedy made an estimated $38.1 million over the weekend.

The film, which sees Jim Carrey’s Lloyd Christmas reunited with Jeff Daniels’ Harry Dunne, edged out Disney animation Big Hero 6, which made $36 million in its second weekend in the US and Canada.

Space exploration epic Interstellar fell one place to three.

Directed by film-making siblings Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Dumb and Dumber To arrived in cinemas almost 20 years on from its hit predecessor.

Neither Jim Carrey nor Jeff Daniels appeared in a prequel, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd that was released in 2003 without Farrelly brothers’ involvement.

The sequel, which took years to get off the ground, helped Jim Carrey achieve his most successful debut in a live-action film since that year’s Bruce Almighty.

Big Hero 6‘s performance has helped Disney surpass $4 billion in global sales for only the second year in its history.

The milestone was reached thanks to the success of such titles as Frozen, Maleficent, Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: Winter Soldier.

Interstellar, about astronauts seeking a new planet for mankind to inhabit, made an estimated $29.2 million in the US and Canada on its third weekend on release.

An ongoing international roll-out saw Christopher Nolan’s film make an additional $106 million outside those territories, thanks in part to a strong opening in China.

Romantic drama Beyond the Lights made a modest debut in this week’s US and Canada chart, opening at four with weekend takings of $6.5 million.

Beyond the Lights, about a troubled R&B singer who finds solace in a policeman on her security detail, stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, seen earlier this year in Belle.

Thriller Gone Girl, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, completes this week’s top five.

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Global Slavery Index 2014: Nearly 36 million people worldwide live as slaves

Diane A. Wade
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Global Slavery Index 2014: Nearly 36 million people worldwide live as slaves

According to a recent survey by anti-slavery campaign group Walk Free, nearly 36 million people worldwide, or 0.5% of the world’s population, live as slaves.

The Walk Free Foundation’s Global Slavery Index says India has the most slaves overall and Mauritania has the highest percentage.

The total is 20% higher than for 2013 because of better methodology.

The report defines slaves as people subject to forced labor, debt bondage, trafficking, s**ual exploitation for money and forced or servile marriage.

It uses slavery in a modern sense of the term, rather than as a reference to the broadly outlawed traditional practice where people were held in bondage and treated as another person’s property.

The Global Slavery Index’s estimate is higher than other attempts to quantify modern slavery.

In 2012, the International Labor Organization estimated that almost 21 million people were victims of forced labor.

Walk Free says it found evidence of slavery in all 167 countries it surveyed.

The report says Africa and Asia face the biggest challenges in eradicating slavery, while the practice is least prevalent in Europe.

According to the report, more than 14 million people live as slaves in India. Next in the index comes China, with more than 3 million slaves, followed by Pakistan, Uzbekistan.

Russia is ranked fifth. The country’s economy is said to rely on enslaved migrant workers in the construction and agricultural sectors.

Mauritania meanwhile has the highest number of slaves as a proportion of the population, at 4%. Many people in the African country inherit their slave status from their ancestors.

The report calls for much wider international cooperation on slavery. It wants governments to increase penalties for trafficking and to put pressure on businesses to clamp down on the use of slaves in their supply chains.

The Global Slavery Index was first published in 2013. The rise in the overall figure from 2013 was attributed by the report’s authors to better data and methodology, rather than to an exponential rise in the numbers enslaved.

Top 5 countries with the highest proportion of slaves:

  1. Mauritania – 4%
  2. Uzbekistan – 3.97%
  3. Haiti – 2.3%
  4. Qatar – 1.36%
  5. India – 1.14%

Source: Global Slavery Index, 2014

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Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting

Kathryn R. Bown
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Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting

According to British experts, a Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting.

Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

And they said it may be better than low-fat diets for sustained weight loss.

The PMJ editorial argues a focus on food intake is the best approach, but it warns crash dieting is harmful.

Signatories of the piece included the chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Prof. Terence Stephenson, and Dr. Mahiben Maruthappu.

They criticize the weight-loss industry for focusing on calorie restriction rather than “good nutrition”.

And they make the case for a Mediterranean diet, including fruit and vegetables, nuts and olive oil, citing research suggesting it quickly reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and may be better than low-fat diets for sustained weight loss.

The lead author, cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra, says the scientific evidence is overwhelming.

Inspired by traditional cuisine of countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy, the Mediterranean diet has long been associated with good health and fit hearts.

Typically, it consists of an abundance of vegetables, fresh fruit, wholegrain cereals, olive oil and nuts, as well as poultry and fish, rather than lots of red meat and butter or animal fats.

The article also says adopting a Mediterranean diet after a heart attack is almost three times as effective at reducing deaths as taking cholesterol-lowering statin medication.

Switzerland and Italy hit by deadly landslides

Diane A. Wade
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Switzerland and Italy hit by deadly landslides

Southern Switzerland and northern Italy have been hit by deadly landslides following days of torrential rain.

Two women died when a wall of mud destroyed a house near the Swiss town of Lugano on November 16.

Over the border, a pensioner and his granddaughter were killed when a mudslide engulfed their home.

The heavy rain is expected to continue across the region, and both countries have issued major flood alerts.

The levels of lakes Lugano and Maggiore are already dangerously high.

Homes and businesses near Italy’s Lake Maggiore have been cut off by rising waters.

The region has had more rain in a few days than it would normally expect in a year.

The Ticino river burst its banks near Vigevano in northern Italy.

Further north, in the Ticino region of Switzerland, rescue workers were searching for survivors on Sunday after mud swept down a hillside and destroyed an apartment building.

Swiss authorities said two women, aged 34 and 38, had died when the mudslide hit the building in the village of Davesco-Soragno.

A third person, a 44-year-old Italian, was rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital.

Relatives were also mourning the deaths of a 70-year old man and his 16-year-old girl in Cerro di Laveno in Italy.

Their house, near Lake Maggiore, was hit by a landslide late on Saturday night.

The weekend’s landslides are the latest of many to have hit northern Italy and southern Switzerland amid incessant rainfall over recent weeks.

High volumes of water gushed down the Ticino river, seen here in the town of Giornico in southern Switzerland, last week.

At least 11 people have been in killed Italy because of extreme weather over the last month.

Bob Geldof: “Band Aid 30 sales manic since its unveiling”

Sonia Pantiss
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Bob Geldof: “Band Aid 30 sales manic since its unveiling”

Bob Geldof has revealed that pre-orders of the new Band Aid single have been “manic” since its unveiling.

The Band Aid 30 organizer admitted he had been “a bit nervous” but said the response had been “extraordinary”.

One Direction and Ed Sheeran are among the performers on Do They Know It’s Christmas? to tackle the Ebola outbreak.

A video for the song, re-recorded to raise money to tackle the crisis in West Africa, was shown on ITV’s The X Factor on November 16.

The track is now available to download at a cost of 99p ($1.5). A CD version, costing £4 ($6), will be released in three weeks.

The current Ebola outbreak of the deadly virus was first reported in March and has killed more than 5,000 people, almost all in West Africa.

Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s first version of Do They Know It’s Christmas? raised £8 million ($12.5 million) for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith and Coldplay’s Chris Martin also attended the recording of the song on Saturday.

According to reports, though, Adele did not respond to a request to take part.

Charity singles are also set to be recorded in the US, France and Germany, with Daft Punk and Carla Bruni among those said to be involved.

Bob Geldof, however, was critical of Germany’s response to the crisis, saying its leaders were not “doing enough” to tackle the epidemic.

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