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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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Commerzbank to charge big corporate clients holding substantial deposits

Clyde K. Valle
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Commerzbank to charge big corporate clients holding substantial deposits

Commerzbank has announced it will charge big corporate clients fees if they hold substantial deposits at the bank.

The German bank is the first major bank to make such a move and says it will encourage big clients to move cash into alternative investments.

Private savers and small and medium sized businesses will not be affected by the policy.

In June the European Central Bank (ECB) said that banks would have to pay to park money at the central bank.

That negative interest rate was an effort to spur banks and other financial institutions to lend money rather than leave it on deposit.

In September it made holding money at the ECB even less attractive by cutting the rate on overnight deposits to minus 0.2%.

Commerzbank’s has become the first private bank to mirror that move.

“We reserve the right to charge some large corporates a fee on parked liquidity,” Commerzbank said in a statement.

Julian Assange arrest warrant upheld by Swedish appeals court

Diane A. Wade
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Julian Assange arrest warrant upheld by Swedish appeals court

An arrest warrant against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been upheld by a Swedish appeals court.

The Court of Appeal refused Julian Assange’s appeal for the detention order issued in 2010 to be revoked.

Julian Assange, who denies assault allegations, has sought refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London to avoid extradition.

If he is sent to Sweden, he says he fears charges in the US over the leaking of secret government documents.

Two women in Sweden accuse Julian Assange of assault.

Thursday’s court decision ruled on an appeal against a similar decision by a lower court.

“There is no reason to set aside the detention solely because Julian Assange is in an embassy and the detention order cannot be enforced at present for that reason,” the Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm said in a statement.

“The reasons for detention still outweigh the reasons to the contrary since Julian Assange is suspected of crimes of a relatively serious nature and there is a great risk that he will evade legal proceedings or punishment if the detention order is set aside.”

The Ecuadorean government granted asylum to Julian Assange in 2012 after the UK Supreme Court refused to reopen his appeal against extradition.

Julian Assange has not been formally indicted in Sweden, but prosecutors want to question him over allegations of sexual misconduct and rape involving two women he met during a visit to the Scandinavian country in 2010.

He denies the allegations and has said they are part of a smear campaign against him.

Julian Assange fears that, if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be extradited again to the US, where he could face charges over the release of thousands of secret documents by WikiLeaks.

Chelsea Manning, an American soldier formerly known as Bradley Manning, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in the US for passing documents to WikiLeaks.

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Duchess of Alba dies in Seville at 88

Lisa.Felice
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Duchess of Alba dies in Seville at 88

Maria del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, known as the Duchess of Alba, has died aged 88 in Seville.

She was Spain’s richest woman and one its most eccentric figures.

The Duchess of Alba had more titles than any other aristocrat and owned palaces and an extensive property portfolio as well as paintings by Goya and Velazquez.

She died at home on November 20 after a short illness.

She is survived by her husband of three years, Alfonso Diez, who is 25 years her junior.

The Duchess of Alba was the head of one of Spain’s oldest noble families.

The duchess was the world’s most titled person, according to Guinness World Records. She was five times a duchess, 18 times a marchioness, 18 times a countess, 14 times a Spanish grandee and once a viscountess.

The Duchess of Alba was a regular in Spanish gossip magazines and was famous for hosting Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy on their visits to Spain.

In 1959, she turned her palace in Madrid over to French designer Yves Saint Laurent for a Dior fashion show.

One of the more memorable images from her latter years came when she flung off her shoes to perform an impromptu flamenco dance before a crowd of photographers and guests at her third wedding in 2011.

The Duchess of Alba’s wealth, estimated at between €600 million ($753 million) and €3.5 billion, is expected to be shared among her six children.

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Mike Nichols dies of cardiac arrest at 83

Sonia Pantiss
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Mike Nichols dies of cardiac arrest at 83

Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols has died of cardiac arrest on November 19 at the age of 83.

Mike Nichols won an Oscar for directing the 1967 film The Graduate.

The German-born director was also Oscar nominated for his work on Working Girl, The Remains of the Day, Silkwood and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

MikeNichols was one of only 12 stars to win all four major US entertainment awards – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

His last film was 2007’s Charlie Wilson’s War, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

The director was married to ABC News presenter Diane Sawyer – his fourth wife – whom he wed in 1988.

Mike Nichols had been working on an HBO film adaptation of Master Class – the Terrence McNally play about opera star Maria Callas – starring Meryl Streep in the lead role.

The film was to reunite the director with Meryl Streep, having previously worked together on 1983’s Silkwood and on stage in a 2001 production of The Seagull.

Mike Nichols began his career in the late 1950s as part of a comedy duo with Elaine May.

The pair released three best-selling records, one of which won the Grammy for best comedy album in 1962.

Switching to directing, Mike Nichols made his Broadway debut with Neil Simon’s Barefoot In The Park, starring Robert Redford. The show was a hit and earned Mike Nichols his first Tony award in 1964.

The following year he picked up Tonys for productions of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and Luv.

Moving to the big screen, his first directorial project was 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the film brought Mike Nichols his first Oscar nomination.

In 1967, Mike Nichols won his first Oscar for directing The Graduate, featuring Dustin Hoffman in his breakout role.

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What is lake-effect snow?

James J. Williams
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What is lake-effect snow?

Lake-effect snow appears to be the cause of the blizzard that completely covered most parts of northwestern US states from November 18.

Lake-effect snow has been formed by cold air from the arctic sweeping over the Great Lakes – on the borders of the US and Canada – and picking up water vapor particles that are relatively warm in comparison.
The same effect also occurs over bodies of salt water, when it is termed ocean-effect or bay-effect snow.
The bands of freezing air then cool down the droplets until they are transformed into solid snowflakes, and this process can continue for as long as the two contrasting temperatures merge together.
The areas affected by lake-effect snow are called snowbelts.
The potential longevity of the snow can mean that New York, New Hampshire, Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania are likely to be covered in even more intense flurries before the rest of it gets a chance to be cleared or melt away.
A very mild, warm and wet autumn coupled with arctic air hitting the Great Lakes is not unusual and only a small proportion of the US is affected by the lake-effect snow.
A lake-effect blizzard is the blizzard-like conditions resulting from lake-effect snow. Under certain conditions, strong winds can accompany lake-effect snows creating blizzard-like conditions; however the duration of the event is often slightly less than that required for a blizzard warning in both the US and Canada.

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Lake effect: New York snowstorm kills at least seven people

Nancy Clayson
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Lake effect: New York snowstorm kills at least seven people

A massive snowstorm made seven victims in New York state on November 19 as another 3ft of snow is expected to hit parts of north-eastern US.

Weather-related deaths were also reported in New Hampshire and Michigan.

Parts of the city of Buffalo are already under 5ft of snow. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the snowstorm a “historic event”.

Freezing temperatures have continued in many parts of the US, with heavy disruption to travel.

Weather related deaths were also reported in New Hampshire and Michigan.

Residents were reported trapped in their homes and cars, and strong winds and icy roads caused motorway accidents and forced school closures in parts of the US.

More than 100 National Guard members were deployed in New York to assist in clearing roads and removing abandoned vehicles.

The National Weather Service said some places could have topped the record for a single day of snowfall, which stands at 6ft 4in.

Train services in parts of New York state were suspended on November 19, while long stretches of road near Buffalo were closed.

As well as the fatalities in New York, there were two other weather-related deaths reported in New Hampshire and Michigan.

About 20 people have died across the US since November 15.

Three firefighters in Indiana were also injured when a trailer struck a fire truck on a snow-covered road.

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Duck Dynasty: Camo Stocking Stuffer

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty: Camo Stocking Stuffer

Make sure to get your camo gear before the holiday rush!
Get your Green/Pink Camo Stocking Stuffer from smarturl.it/camosale.

Get 30 Wristbands & a FREE 5 pack of Can Coolers for $5.99. Offer Ends 12/24/2014.

Duck Dynasty Season 7 premiere features Robertson family trip to Scotland

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Season 7 premiere features Robertson family trip to Scotland

Duck Dynasty Season 7 premiered last night, November 19, on A&E TV, with a 1-hour episode.

Willie Robertson takes a business trip to Scotland to expand his duck call business bringing the entire family along so they can reconnect with their Scottish roots.

But when Willie organizes a bus tour to trace his family heritage, he discovers much more than he expected. Meanwhile, Jase Robertson brings a group of people to the Highland Games and winds up participating, while Jep and Jessica try to sneak away for a romantic getaway, only to find themselves with Uncle Si in tow.

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Jimmy Ruffin dies aged 78

Sonia Pantiss
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Jimmy Ruffin dies aged 78

Singer Jimmy Ruffin has died at the age of 78.

The Motown performer scored his biggest hit with 1966’s What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.

News of Jimmy Ruffin’s death follows reports last month that he was seriously ill and in intensive care at a Las Vegas hospital.

Born in Mississippi, Jimmy Ruffin moved to Detroit in the early 1960s and was signed to Motown’s Miracle label.

He moved to the UK in the 1980s, where he recorded songs with Paul Weller and Heaven 17.

Jimmy Ruffin’s other hits included I’ve Passed This Way Before, Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got and Hold On To My Love, a top 10 hit in 1980.

His younger brother David, one of the early members of the Temptations, died in 1991 of a drug overdose, prompting his sibling to become an anti-drug campaigner.

A family statement said that Jimmy Ruffin was “a rare type of man who left his mark on the music industry”.

“We will treasure the many fond and wonderful memories we all have of him” the statement said.

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy said he was a “phenomenal singer”.

“He was truly underrated because we were also fortunate to have his brother, David, as the lead singer of The Temptations, who got so much acclaim” Berry Gordy told Rolling Stone.

Jimmy Ruffin’s last album, There Will Never Be Another You, was released in 2012.

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North Korea threatens to conduct nuclear test in response to UN resolution

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea threatens to conduct nuclear test in response to UN resolution

North Korea has responded to a UN move towards a probe into the country’s human rights violations by threatening to conduct a nuclear test.

The North Korean foreign ministry on November 20 accused the US of orchestrating a recent UN resolution calling for the investigation.

North Korea previously conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

Its threat comes as new satellite images emerge indicating fresh activity at a North Korean nuclear facility.

A UN human rights committee on November 18 passed a resolution calling on the Security Council to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

Pyongyang said the resolution was based on “fabricated testimonies” from North Korean defectors and “slander against Pyongyang”.

The resolution’s approval was a “grave political provocation” by the US and such “aggression..is leaving us unable to further refrain from staging a new nuclear test”.

It added that its military deterrence “will be beefed up limitlessly” to guard against the US.

A US State Department spokesman said: “It would certainly be unfortunate to threaten with that kind of activity in response to the legitimate focus on North Korea’s human rights situation by the international community.”

North Korea has previously rejected claims of human rights violations.

Following a UN report alleging the country was committing “unspeakable atrocities”, a Pyongyang official held a rare open briefing last month where he denied the existence of prison camps, and said there were only detention centers.

Tuesday’s resolution drew heavily on the report, which was released in February.

Analysts however say that it is unlikely that the Security Council will allow North Korea to be tried in the ICC, as Russia and China – which voted against the resolution – sit on the Council.

North Korea’s nuclear test threat comes as a US research institute published new evidence that Pyongyang may be restarting a plant that can reprocess nuclear fuel into weapons-grade plutonium.

The US-Korea Institute posted recent satellite images showing activity at a radiochemical laboratory at the Yongbyon facility on 38 North, its website devoted to North Korea analysis.

The pictures show a cooling tower emitting steam, vehicles coming and going, and piles of “grey material” stacked outside a facility believed to be manufacturing fuel.

Black Friday 2014: Walmart Doorbuster Deals

Clyde K. Valle
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Black Friday 2014: Walmart Doorbuster Deals

Wal-Mart announced that on November 21 they will match competitors select Black Friday deals one week early.

Some of the deals include 40-inch LED HDTV, 60-inch TVs from LG and Sony, PlayStation 4 offer and many more.  Wal-Mart will unveil the specific items and prices on Walmart.com this Thursday, November 20.

Walmart Black Friday Doorbuster Deals:

Element 50-inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for $218.00

Vizio 65-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $648.00

iPad Mini 16GB w/ Wi-Fi + $30 Walmart Gift Card for $199.00

XBox One Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle + $30 Walmart Gift Card for $329.00

RCA 7-in Google Play Wi-Fi Tablet for $29.00

LG Blu-ray Disc Player for $35.00

Beats By Dr.Dre Wireless Headphones for $149.00

HP Intel Celeron 15.6-inch Touch Laptop for $249.00

Element 60-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $498.00

Fitbit Flex Wristband for 69.00

HP 15.6-inch Intel Celeron 4GB RAM 500GB HDD for $159.00

Element 32-inch 720p 60Hz LED HDTV for $98.00

Chisako Kakehi: Japan’s Black Widow with seven dead partners arrested in Kyoto

Nancy Clayson
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Chisako Kakehi: Japan’s Black Widow with seven dead partners arrested in Kyoto

Japanese millionairess Chisako Kakehi was arrested on November 19 on suspicion of poisoning her husband with cyanide in Japan’s latest apparent “black widow” case.

It also emerged that six of her former partners had already died.

Chisako Kakehi, 67, has been the beneficiary of a combined 800 million yen ($6.8 million) over the last two decades, insurance money and other assets she received after the seven men’s deaths, Jiji Press reported.

Husband No 4, Isao Kakehi, fell sick suddenly at home and was confirmed dead at a hospital in December 2013, less than two months after the couple married.

An autopsy found highly toxic cyanide compounds in his blood.

That came after the September death of a 75-year-old boyfriend, who fell suddenly ill after the couple ate together at a restaurant, Jiji reported.

Chisako Kakehi’s dalliance with death began in 1994 when her first husband passed away at the age of 54.

In 2006, her second husband, whom she had met through a dating agency, died of a stroke aged 69, while the third marriage ended in 2008 with the death of her 75-year-old partner, Jiji said.

A boyfriend, believed to have been suffering from some form of cancer, died a year later, and in 2012 her then-fiancé met his fate after collapsing while riding a motorbike.

Traces of cyanide were detected in his body, media reports said.

Chisako Kakehi was arrested Wednesday by police in Kyoto on suspicion of murdering her latest husband. She has denied any involvement in his death.

Police are now working on the theory that she could have been behind the deaths of at least some of the other six.

Questioned by reporters earlier this year, former bank worker Chisako Kakehi protested her innocence.

“If people suspect murder, I’d find it easier to bite my tongue off and die,” she told reporters in March.

Jiji Press quoted Chisako Kakehi as saying in an earlier interview that she was “doomed by fate” to suffer a series of deaths among those close to her, and protesting that she had no access to poison.

If she is found to have been involved in the deaths of numerous partners, Chisako Kakehi will become the latest example in Japan of a “black widow”, named for the female spider that devours its mate after coupling.

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