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Teresa Romero: Spanish Ebola nurse released from hospital

Kathryn R. Bown
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Teresa Romero: Spanish Ebola nurse released from hospital

Teresa Romero, the Spanish nurse who became the first person known to have contracted Ebola outside West Africa in the latest outbreak, has given an emotional account of her ordeal as she left hospital.

Teresa Romero, 44, said she had clung to memories of family when she thought she was dying and still does not know how she caught the disease.

She had treated two returning Spanish missionaries who later died.

Teresa Romero vowed to donate blood to other Ebola victims until she “ran dry”.

In her first press conference after being discharged from the Carlos III hospital, she also condemned Spanish officials for putting down her dog.

She said they had unnecessarily “executed” the mixed breed Excalibur.

On her release from hospital, Teresa Romero read a statement, saying: “When I felt I was dying I would cling to my memories, to my family and my husband, I was isolated and I did not have any contact with the exterior except with (husband) Javier by telephone.”

She said she felt the disease “did not matter to the Western world until there was an infection here”.

Teresa Romero became the first person known to have contracted Ebola outside West Africa in the latest outbreak
Teresa Romero became the first person known to have contracted Ebola outside West Africa in the latest outbreak (photo AFP)

She added: “I don’t know what failed, or if anything failed. I just know that I don’t hold any grudges.”

Teresa Romero recovered after being given a variety of treatments including blood plasma from survivor Paciencia Melgar.

She said that she wanted to meet the nun and “give her a big hug”.

“I can never be grateful enough,” she said.

An antiviral drug was also given to Teresa Romero but the hospital was unable to say which method had been successful.

The nurse said that if her blood helped cure another Ebola sufferer she would “repeat it again until I run dry”.

Teresa Romero also thanked the hospital staff for their support and said it would have been “impossible” to save her life without it.

Hospital chief Rafael Perez-Santamarina told reporters it was “excellent news after a very complicated month for everyone”.

Teresa Romero no longer posed a risk and could lead a normal life, said Jose Ramon Arribas, the head of the Carlos III hospital’s infectious diseases unit.

Although she would be able to return to home, she would need “time for a full recovery from a very dramatic event,” his colleague Jose Ramon Arribas added.

“The main joy is that finally it’s been possible to save someone with Ebola and more importantly a colleague,” fellow nurse Esther Bellon said.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed some 5,000 people. The vast majority of the deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

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Mitch McConnell: New US Senate leader makes unity pledge

Diane A. Wade
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Mitch McConnell: New US Senate leader makes unity pledge

Mitch McConnell, the presumptive Republican leader of the US Senate, has vowed to “work together” with President Barack Obama on issues where they can agree.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said working within a two-party political system did not mean “we have to live in perpetual conflict”.

Mitch McConnell and a host of Republicans swept to victory in the Senate, and now control both chambers of Congress.

President Barack Obama will respond later to what was a terrible result for Democrats.

Mitch McConnell is the presumptive Republican leader of the US Senate
Mitch McConnell is the presumptive Republican leader of the US Senate

As the new Senate majority leader when the new Congress sits in January, Mitch McConnell will control the chamber’s legislative agenda and floor proceedings.

He has been a fierce critic of the president’s healthcare overhaul and once vowed to block Barack Obama at every turn. But in the glow of victory, he hinted at compromise.

“Tonight we begin another [race]… the race to turn this country around, to restore hope and confidence and optimism to this commonwealth and across this nation,” Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday evening.

“Too many in Washington have forgotten that their job is to serve,” he added.

“We do have an obligation to work together on issues where we can agree.”

Throughout the campaign, Republicans focused on voter dissatisfaction with Barack Obama, a Democrat, describing the vote as a referendum on his presidency.

As the first results came in late on November 4, it became clear they had made the six gains they needed to win control of the Senate.

The Republicans won in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The party now controls 52 seats, and is tipped to win at least one more as votes are counted in other states.

The Republicans are also projected to increase their majority – by at least 10 seats – in the House of Representatives to levels not seen since before World War Two.

They also made gains among the 36 governorships up for re-election.

The Republicans will now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Barack Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House.

Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.

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Turkey: New presidential palace bigger than White House, Kremlin and Versailles

Clyde K. Valle
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Turkey: New presidential palace bigger than White House, Kremlin and Versailles

Turkey’s new presidential palace costs about $615 million – nearly twice the previous estimate, officials say.

The controversial 1,000-room palace known as Ak Saray (White Palace) was built on a forested hilltop on the edge of the capital Ankara, on more than 1.6 million sq ft of land.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the palace on August 30 after becoming president.

His AK Party has dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade.

The palace is bigger than the White House in Washington, the Kremlin in Moscow and even the Palace of Versailles near Paris.

Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, quoted by Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper, said most of the 1.37 billion Turkish lira ($615 million) cost had been paid, but another $135 million had been budgeted for it in 2015.

The palace has sumptuous marble corridors and atriums, as well as high-tech systems to prevent electronic eavesdropping.

The controversial 1,000-room palace known as Ak Saray was built on a forested hilltop on the edge of Ankara, on more than 1.6 million sq ft of land
The controversial 1,000-room palace known as Ak Saray was built on a forested hilltop on the edge of Ankara, on more than 1.6 million sq ft of land (photo EPA)

Environmentalists accuse Recep Tayyip Erdogan of spending public money on lavish construction projects to the detriment of green areas. Activists defending Istanbul’s Gezi Park clashed with police in June 2013.

Hurriyet says the palace project was controversial because hundreds of trees were cut down to make space for it, in what had been a forest reserve bequeathed to the nation by modern Turkey’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The finance minister also said $185m would be spent on a new Airbus A330-200 presidential jet.

A presidential aide, Fahri Kasirga, said other presidential properties would be renovated next year, notably the Huber Palace in Istanbul and a guest house in Marmaris, on the Aegean coast.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has moved out of the more modest Cankaya Palace in Ankara, which will now be used by PM Ahmet Davutoglu.

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Monkey wedding held in India

Nancy Clayson
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Monkey wedding held in India

An Indian man organized a Hindu wedding ceremony for his monkeys.

More than 200 villagers in northern India have attended the elaborate wedding ceremony for the two monkeys.

The owner, Udesh Mahto, said the male was “like an adopted son” to him.

The ceremony took place on Monday evening in Bettiah district in Bihar state, with the “bride” dressed in an orange frock and the “groom” wearing a yellow T-shirt.

Monkeys are revered idols in Hindu mythology.

Ramu and his bride, a female monkey called Ramdulari
Ramu and his bride, a female monkey called Ramdulari

The 13-year-old male monkey named Ramu and his bride, a female monkey called Ramdulari, were taken in a procession on top of a flower-bedecked SUV, accompanied by music and dancing. Hundreds of villagers lined the route to greet the “couple”.

Udesh Mahto, a daily wage worker who has three sons, said Ramu was “like my eldest son”.

He brought Ramu from Nepal about seven years ago, and later bought Ramdulari from a village fair.

A local Hindu priest Sunil Shastri “solemnized” the wedding.

Wedding cards were printed and a band was hired to play at the wedding. Guests were served a feast.

Many people from neighboring villages turned up to see the procession and take pictures which they posted on social networking sites.

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Kim Jong-un pictured walking without cane at North Korean army meeting

Nancy Clayson
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Kim Jong-un pictured walking without cane at North Korean army meeting

Kim Jong-un has been pictured by North Korean media walking without a cane at an army meeting, following speculation about his health.

The North Korean leadr was not seen in public for nearly six weeks before appearing at an event using a walking stick last month.

South Korean intelligence said Kim Jong-un had surgery to remove an ankle cyst.

Kim Jong-un’s health has been the subject of much rumor in recent years, with some saying he may be suffering from gout or hip problems.

The latest pictures, which came out in newspaper Rodong Sinmun on November 5, show Kim Jong-un meeting with military commanders.

Kim Jong-un pictured walking without a cane at an army meeting, following speculation about his health
Kim Jong-un pictured walking without a cane at an army meeting, following speculation about his health

North Korea agency KCNA said Kim Jong-un had attended the army meeting on November 3 and November 4 and posed with participants for photographs.

He was accompanied by right-hand man Hwang Pyong-so and other top leaders.

Kim Jong-un missed a key political event in October – the anniversary of his ruling party. But South Korea said it believed he remained in control.

South Korean intelligence later said that Kim Jong-un had developed a cyst on his left ankle in May, pinching a nerve and causing the ankle to swell.

A team of European medical experts were said to have flown to Pyongyang in September or October to operate on Kim Jong-un’s left ankle and remove the cyst.

Jordan Axani: Canadian seeks woman with ex’s name for world trip

Nancy Clayson
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Jordan Axani: Canadian seeks woman with ex’s name for world trip

Canadian Jordan Axani is offering free plane tickets to a female compatriot to fly “around the world”.

The man has made the offer on one condition – his fellow traveler must be called Elizabeth Gallagher.

Jordan Axani, 28, broke up with his girlfriend, Elizabeth Gallagher, in March and needs someone with the same name who can use the tickets.

He wants to give the tickets away rather than change the name on them.

Jordan Axani said it would be “the headache or money to cancel” them.

The itinerary for the trip to Europe, the US and India includes stops in Milan, Prague, Paris, New York and Delhi between December and January.

Jordan Axani is offering free plane tickets around the world to a female compatriot called Elizabeth Gallagher
Jordan Axani is offering free plane tickets around the world to a female compatriot called Elizabeth Gallagher

Jordan Axani has advertised the tickets on Reddit.

He wrote: “I need your help.

“You see, in March I booked a fairly wicked trip around the world for this Christmas for my ex and I.

“While our relationship has come to a close, I am still planning on going on the trip and she is not (naturally).

“And because I hate the idea of a ticket around the world going to waste, I am looking for a Canadian named Elizabeth Gallagher who could use the ticket.”

Until now, no one has been selected yet.

Jordan Axani explained that he created the advert because the “archaic system that is modern air travel” meant changing the name on the ticket would be “damn near impossible”.

He describes himself as “a totally normal 28-year-old guy living in Toronto” and insists that he is “not looking for anything in return”.

“I am not looking for companionship, romance, drugs, a trade, or to take selfies with you in front the Christmas market in Prague,” Jordan Axani wrote.

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2014 Midterm elections results: Republicans win control of Senate

Diane A. Wade
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2014 Midterm elections results: Republicans win control of Senate

The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the midterm elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency.

The party won in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia.

It is expected to post more gains as votes are counted in other states.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, poised to lead the chamber, said the result was a vote against “a government that people can no longer trust”.

In the midterms, so-called because they fell half way into Barack Obama’s second four-year term in office, about one-third of the Senate, the entire House of Representatives, 36 of 50 state governors, and countless state and local offices were up for election.

Throughout the campaign, Republicans focused on voter dissatisfaction with Barack Obama, a Democrat, describing the vote as a referendum on his presidency.

As the first results came in late on November 4, it became clear they had made convincing gains in the chamber.

With the votes still being counted in many states, the Republican Party easily won the six seats it needed to win control of the Senate.

The party controls 52 seats, and is tipped to win more.

The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the midterm elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency
The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the midterm elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency

When the new Congress is sworn in January, it will mark the first time the Republicans have held both chambers since 2006.

They will now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Barack Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House.

Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.

In addition to seats the party won from the Democrats, the Republicans retained seats in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

In Louisiana, neither of the top two candidates gained 50% of the vote, forcing a run-off election in early December.

In Virginia, Democrat Mark Warner was expected to retain his Senate seat amid a much tighter than expected race with Republican ex-lobbyist Ed Gillespie.

One of the night’s key early results came in Kentucky, where Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate minority leader, fended off Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Mitch McConnell will now become the Senate majority leader, giving him control over the chamber’s legislative agenda and floor proceedings.

“It wasn’t about me or my opponent,” he told supporters as he declared victory, “it was about a government that people can no longer trust.”

Current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid congratulated Mitch McConnell in a short statement.

“The message from voters is clear: they want us to work together,” said Harry Reid of Nevada, whose role in the soon-to-be Democratic minority remains uncertain.

“I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to get things done for the middle class.”

As well as taking the Senate, the Republicans are projected to increase their majority in the House of Representatives, where all 435 members were up for re-election.

They also made gains among the 36 governorships up for re-election.

Republican governors survived tough re-election battles in Florida, Maine and Wisconsin.

In two results that illustrate the breadth of the Republican sweep, the party’s candidates won in Maryland and Massachusetts, two of the most Democratic-friendly states in the nation. Republican Bruce Rauner also won in Illinois – Barack Obama’s home state – against incumbent Democratic Governor Pat Quinn.

Political gridlock in Congress has already reached historic levels and was a major concern among voters, with many expressing their frustration with the lack of progress on the key issues facing the nation.

Analysts say the Republicans’ victory could make the situation even worse before the president poll in 2016.

Republican leaders have already pledged to move forward on their key policy priorities, pressing Barack Obama to negotiate on their terms

“It’s time for government to start getting results and implementing solutions to the challenges facing our country, starting with our still-struggling economy,” said Republican House Speaker John Boehner.

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Adrian Peterson avoids jail sentence after accepting plea deal in child abuse case

Clyde K. Valle
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Adrian Peterson avoids jail sentence after accepting plea deal in child abuse case

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge of recklessly assaulting his four-year-old son.

The NFL star will avoid a jail sentence after reaching a plea agreement with a court in Texas.

Adrian Peterson, who used a wooden implement to discipline his son in the Texas town of Spring in May, was put on probation and fined $4,000.

The player has been on paid leave pending resolution of the case.

He had been facing a possible two years in prison but the judge in Conroe, 40 miles north of Houston, accepted the plea agreement.

Adrian Peterson used a wooden implement to discipline his four-year-old son
Adrian Peterson used a wooden implement to discipline his four-year-old son

Adrian Peterson will also do 80 hours of community service.

He was said to have punished his son after the boy pushed another of his children off a motorbike video game.

The “whooping” – how Adrian Peterson allegedly referred to the incident in a police interview – resulted in cuts and bruises to the boy’s back, buttocks and legs, local media reported.

Adrian Peterson’s defense attorney Rusty Hardin earlier described his client as a “loving father” who had “used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas”.

“It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury,” Rusty Hardin said.

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Crude oil prices hit four-year low

Clyde K. Valle
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Crude oil prices hit four-year low

Crude oil prices have reached a four-year low after Saudi Arabia unexpectedly cut the price of oil sold to the US.

Brent crude fell to near $82 a barrel as worries about global growth also spooked investors.

Earlier, the European Commission reduced its growth forecasts for the eurozone.

Investors are concerned about the US oil industry in the face of slowing growth and lower prices.

Crude oil prices have reached a four-year low after Saudi Arabia unexpectedly cut the price of oil sold to the US
Crude oil prices have reached a four-year low after Saudi Arabia unexpectedly cut the price of oil sold to the US

Some worry that low oil prices could hurt domestic US producers dependent on high prices for profitability.

The price cut also sent shares in many energy firms lower, pushing down all three US share indexes.

Surging revenues from the US oil boom have led to calls on the government to remove regulations restricting the sale of US crude oil abroad.

In the interim, the growth in domestic oil production has helped the US trade deficit, as the US has become less dependent on importing foreign oil.

Separately on November 4, the Commerce Department’s latest release showed that the US trade deficit unexpectedly widened in September as exports hit a five-month low, mostly due to economic weakness in Europe.

The Commerce Department said the trade gap increased by 7.6% to $43.03 billion, as China and eurozone orders decrease and the strength of the US dollar hurt exports.

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Anna Shannon Cardwell: “Mama June can be very selfish”

Lisa.Felice
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Anna Shannon Cardwell: “Mama June can be very selfish”

In a recent interview, Honey Boo Boo’s sister Anna Shannon Cardwell has opened up about the alleged incidents that happened as a child.

The reality star has been in the center of ongoing controversy after she said she was molested as a child by her mother’s then-boyfriend Mark McDaniel.

“Mama can be very selfish,” Anna “Chickadee” told E! News during a one to one interview with Catt Sadler.

“She ain’t tell me she love me in a long time.”

Anna Shannon Cardwell then spoke: “You’re 8 years old, you don’t know. To me, it was kinda like, oh, get off me, it hurts. Stay off and leave me alone. And I’d just go to sleep and cry.”

As for June Shannon’s relationship with Mark McDaniel, Anna Chickadee said: “She’s always loved him.”

The 20-year-old added: “She’s using Sugar Bear to cover her ass.”

Anna Shannon Cardwell has been in the center of ongoing controversy after she said she was molested as a child by her mother’s then-boyfriend Mark McDaniel
Anna Shannon Cardwell has been in the center of ongoing controversy after she said she was molested as a child by her mother’s then-boyfriend Mark McDaniel

Anna Chickadee Shannon told E! News that there are trust funds for all the girls, noting that $30,000 was set aside from show earnings, and claimed that she called the bank and was told there was only $17.90 in the account.

“I have a feeling Mama used that money to buy a car or buy him what he wanted,” Anna Shannon Cardwell told E! News.

June Shannon denies these claims: “Not true. I have never brought a car for him and all her money is there, beside the money I have given her to live on – $400 every month and pay her $475 each month for cell phone bills for the last two years. That’s the only money I have taken out of there.”

Mama June has also denied reports that she and her ex Mark McDaniel, who served 10 years in prison for a 2004 aggravated child molestation conviction, were back together.

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Ukraine orders troops to key eastern cities

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine orders troops to key eastern cities

President Petro Poroshenko has ordered more troops to key southern and eastern Ukraine cities in case of a new rebel offensive.

Petro Poroshenko said the units were to protect Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kharkiv and the north of Luhansk region.

He spoke after meeting security chiefs in the wake of disputed polls in rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Petro Poroshenko said he was still committed to the current peace process but has proposed cancelling a key plank of the plan.

The peace process was laid out in a September 5 ceasefire deal agreed in Minsk, Belarus.

President Petro Poroshenko has ordered more troops to key southern and eastern Ukraine cities in case of a new rebel offensive
President Petro Poroshenko has ordered more troops to key southern and eastern Ukraine cities in case of a new rebel offensive

Angered by the elections, Petro Poroshenko has proposed scrapping a law that gives special status to Donetsk and Luhansk.

Both regions staged swearing-in ceremonies for their pro-Russian leaders on Tuesday, following the elections there on November 2.

Alexander Zakharchenko was inaugurated president of the Donetsk People’s Republic while Igor Plotnitsky was sworn in as president of the Luhansk People’s Republic.

The polls were held against the background of a conflict that has killed more than 4,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April.

Ukraine accuses Russia of arming the rebels and sending Russian regular troops across the border – a claim denied by Moscow.

Both the government and rebel sides have repeatedly violated the ceasefire.

Ukraine and its Western allies have condemned the elections in the east.

At the meeting of his security chiefs, Petro Poroshenko said the Ukrainian reinforcements would be for the “construction of fortifications” against a “possible offensive in the direction of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kharkiv and Luhansk north”.

He said Ukraine remained “a supporter of the peace plan” and would adhere to its terms, which were agreed in Minsk by delegations from Ukraine, Russia, rebels and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

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Tom Hanks to publish stories inspired by personal collection of vintage typewriters

Sonia Pantiss
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Tom Hanks to publish stories inspired by personal collection of vintage typewriters

Tom Hanks will publish a book of short stories inspired by his personal collection of vintage typewriters.

The actor said: “I’ve been collecting typewriters for no particular reason since 1978 – both manual and portable machines.”

The stories, Tom Hanks went on, “are not about the typewriters themselves, but… something that might have been written on one of them”.

Tom Hanks, 58, recently had his first work of fiction, a sci-fi story, published in the New Yorker magazine.

Tom Hanks will publish a book of short stories inspired by his personal collection of vintage typewriters
Tom Hanks will publish a book of short stories inspired by his personal collection of vintage typewriters

The book, which will include photographs of Tom Hanks’ machines, is currently untitled and has no confirmed publication date.

The actor recently lent his name to mobile app Hanx Writer that allows its users to simulate the experience of using a manual typewriter.

“I’ve been around great storytellers all my life,” Tom Hanks told the New Yorker last month.

“Like an enthusiastic student, I want to tell some of my own.”

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Rolls-Royce to cut 2,600 jobs over next 18 months

Clyde K. Valle
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Rolls-Royce to cut 2,600 jobs over next 18 months

Rolls-Royce has announced it is planning to cut 2,600 jobs over the next 18 months.

The company said most of the jobs would go in its aerospace division, with most of the posts being shed in 2015.

It is not clear where the cuts will be made from Rolls-Royce’s global workforce of 55,000, 24,000 of whom are in the UK.

The company’s chief executive John Rishton said: “The measures announced today will not be the last, however they will contribute towards Rolls-Royce becoming a stronger and more profitable company.”

Last month, Rolls warned that its underlying revenues for 2014 would be 3.5-to-4% lower than expected.

Rolls-Royce has announced it is planning to cut 2,600 jobs over the next 18 months
Rolls-Royce has announced it is planning to cut 2,600 jobs over the next 18 months

The company said voluntary redundancy would be offered, although it could not rule out compulsory redundancies.

The company’s UK staff are employed at four locations in the East Midlands, as well as 1,500 at five sites in the North West and 2,400 employees at six locations across Scotland.

The two largest sites are in Bristol and Derby.

Rolls-Royce said it had become more efficient, and cited the fact a large engineering team, needed for the development phase of two Trent engines, were no longer needed as both these were now in production.

That would point to job losses in Derby, where the Trent engines, used by many international airlines, are built.

Rolls-Royce is the second largest aero-engine maker in the world.

The company has customers in more than 120 countries, including more than 380 airlines and leasing firms, 160 armed forces, 4,000 marine customers including 70 navies, and 1,600 energy and nuclear customers.

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Phil Robertson campaigns for nephew Zach Dasher on Hannity show

Sonia Pantiss
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Phil Robertson campaigns for nephew Zach Dasher on Hannity show

Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson appeared on Sean Hannity show on Fox News on Monday night to talk about nephew Zach Dasher’s Senate race.

Republican candidate Zach Dasher is trying to unseat Rep. Vance McAllister, who benefited from the Robertson family endorsement during last year’s special election in Louisiana.

Zach Dasher and Phil Robertson talked about the role of God in American politics.

“Religion, morality and freedom. It’s the only way to go,” Phil Robertson said.

Louisiana Republican candidate Zach Dasher is Phil Robertson’s nephew
Louisiana Republican candidate Zach Dasher is Phil Robertson’s nephew

Zach Dasher has embraced his position as the most conservative candidate running in the 5th District. He believes Americans’ rights come from God. He said America is not living by the values set forth in the Declaration of Independence and allowing federal takeover of American life.

“The reason we’ve shredded our Constitution is because we’ve shredded the Declaration of Independence, which tells us where our rights come from. They come from the Creator,” Zach Dasher said.

Phil Robertson’s appearance on Hannity showed he’s doing all he can for Zach Dasher. He also appears in two television ads running in the district where he talks about Zach Dasher’s character.

Zach Dasher is hoping his family’s star power and strong following can help him make the run off. The race is expected to be very close.

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Midterm elections 2014: Greg Orman vs. Pat Roberts in Kansas

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Greg Orman vs. Pat Roberts in Kansas

Kansas might elect an independent candidate, businessman Greg Orman, who is looking strong in a battle against Republican incumbent Senator Pat Roberts.

Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, and will not again in 2014.

The Democratic Party removed its candidate from the ballot, deeming Greg Orman the best chance at unseating Pat Roberts.

Pat Roberts was first elected to the Senate in 1996, and has not faced a challenge this tough since.

Independent Greg Orman is looking strong in Kansas battle against Republican incumbent Senator Pat Roberts
Independent Greg Orman is looking strong in Kansas battle against Republican incumbent Senator Pat Roberts

He is among the more conservative members of the Senate, according to an analysis by GovTrack, which is not necessarily a liability in a state that pioneered anti-abortion politics, has one of the most conservative governors in the country, and has not voted for a Democrat since 1964.

Pat Roberts’ political opponents have portrayed him as out of touch with his constituents, playing up a report that he did not own a home in Kansas and had scant ties to the state.

Greg Orman has not said which party he would caucus with if elected, suggesting he will side with whichever has the majority.

As polls suggest Greg Orman is leading Pat Roberts, Republicans have sought to portray him as a Democrat in all but name and highlighted his business connections with Rajat Gupta, who was of convicted securities fraud.

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Midterm elections 2014: Joni Ernst vs. Bruce Braley in Iowa

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Joni Ernst vs. Bruce Braley in Iowa

In Iowa, Republican Senator Joni Ernst and Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley are vying for the Senate seat left vacant by the retirement of long-time Democratic Senator Tom Harkin.

Joni Ernst is a military veteran and has served in the Iowa senate since 2011. She opposes a national federal minimum wage, supported an anti-abortion law that would define foetuses as legal persons, and calls for the repeal of Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst and Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley are vying for Iowa Senate seat left vacant by the retirement of long-time Democratic Senator Tom Harkin
Republican Senator Joni Ernst and Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley are vying for Iowa Senate seat left vacant by the retirement of long-time Democratic Senator Tom Harkin

Bruce Braley, a lawyer who has represented the north-eastern part of the state in Congress since 2007, was initially projected to win the seat.

However, Joni Ernst has leapt on a video that surfaced in which Bruce Braley appeared to denigrate Iowa’s sitting senator Chuck Grassley as a mere farmer, rather than a lawyer.

Also, Joni Ernst has made the most of a dispute Bruce Braley had with a neighbor at his vacation property over chickens she allowed to roam free across his land.

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Midterm elections 2014: Michelle Nunn vs. David Perdue in Georgia

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Michelle Nunn vs. David Perdue in Georgia

In Georgia, non-profit executive Michelle Nunn and businessman David Perdue are running for a senate seat left empty by the retirement of Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Michelle Nunn, who until recently was the chief executive of Points of Light, a charity focused on volunteering, is the daughter of long-time Senator Sam Nunn. She is trying to become the first Democratic senator elected in Georgia since 2000 and has run on a platform of targeted spending cuts, immigration reform and a lifetime ban on members of Congress becoming lobbyists.

Non-profit executive Michelle Nunn and businessman David Perdue are running for Georgia senate seat left empty by the retirement of Republican Saxby Chambliss
Non-profit executive Michelle Nunn and businessman David Perdue are running for Georgia senate seat left empty by the retirement of Republican Saxby Chambliss

David Perdue, a business executive, has campaigned on a complete overhaul of America’s income tax system and disbanding the US education department. Like most Republicans, he has come out strongly in opposition to Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul.

The Georgia Senate race is rare in that it features two candidates who have never held public office and thus have no voting records.

The race has turned extremely negative. David Perdue has run adverts accusing Michelle Nunn’s charity of funding terrorists.

Michelle Nunn’s line of attack features a quote from David Perdue in which he said in a court case that had had spent most of his business career “outsourcing” US jobs.

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Midterm elections 2014: Cory Gardner vs. Mark Udall in Colorado

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Cory Gardner vs. Mark Udall in Colorado

In Colorado, Republican Congressman Cory Gardner hopes to unseat Democratic Senator Mark Udall in a race that highlights the state’s geographic and cultural divisions.

Cory Gardner represents the eastern, rural part of Colorado in the US House, while Mark Udall is a first-term senator from the liberal enclave of Boulder. According to the political forecasting website 538.com, the ideological divide between the two candidates is the largest of any competitive Senate race.

Republican Congressman Cory Gardner hopes to unseat Democratic Senator Mark Udall
Republican Congressman Cory Gardner hopes to unseat Democratic Senator Mark Udall

Mark Udall, the son of long-time liberal Democratic Congressman Mo Udall, ran Outward Bound, a company that sponsors outdoor activities for children and teens and spent ten years in the House of Representatives before his election to the Senate in 2008. He has focused his race on the environment and his experience working with both senators of both parties, and has sought to portray Cory Gardner as an extremist, particularly on abortion.

Cory Gardner was first elected to Congress in 2010 after representing the area in the state legislature. He hails from a prominent family of tractor dealers.

The Colorado lawmaker has attempted to moderate his conservative platform of spending cuts and increased US energy production with a pro-conservation stance to appeal to outdoor-minded Coloradans.

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Midterm elections 2014: Mark Pryor vs. Tom Cotton in Arkansas

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Mark Pryor vs. Tom Cotton in Arkansas

In Arkansas, Democrat Senator Mark Pryor is running for re-election against Republican Tom Cotton, a freshman congressman.

Mark Pryor was elected to the Senate in 2002 after stints as Arkansas’ attorney general and in the state legislature. He is a centrist Democrat who sometimes crosses the aisle to join Republicans, for instance by opposing a bill to raise the federal minimum wage. He voted for Barack Obama’s signature 2010 healthcare overhaul, which is roundly despised by the Republicans.

Democrat Senator Mark Pryor is running for re-election against Republican Tom Cotton in Arkansas
Democrat Senator Mark Pryor is running for re-election against Republican Tom Cotton in Arkansas

Tom Cotton, a Harvard-educated lawyer who served as an Army officer in Afghanistan and Iraq, is among the most conservative members of the House.

In the past decade the Republican Party has taken control of the Arkansas state legislature and won five out of the six federal offices, with Mark Pryor the last Democrat representing the state in Washington. That leaves Mark Pryor among the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents of this election cycle.

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Midterm elections 2014: Kay Hagan vs. Thom Tillis in North Carolina

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Kay Hagan vs. Thom Tillis in North Carolina

In North Carolina, Democratic Senator Kay Hagan faces Republican Thom Tillis, the speaker of the state House of Representatives, in the most expensive race of the election cycle.

Kay Hagan was elected in 2008, aided in a conservative state by voters lured to the polls to cast a ballot for Barack Obama. A moderate Democrat who has largely supported the president’s agenda, Kay Hagan is now trying to distance herself from him by proposing changes to those policies or emphasizing the differences between the two of them.

Democratic Senator Kay Hagan faces Republican Thom Tillis, the speaker of the state House of Representatives, in the most expensive race of the election cycle
Democratic Senator Kay Hagan faces Republican Thom Tillis, the speaker of the state House of Representatives, in the most expensive race of the election cycle

Thom Tillis has pitched himself as a moderate on some issues, for instance supporting prescription-free access to birth control.

However, Thom Hagan has attacked his record leading a state legislature that passed very conservative laws including abortion restrictions, limits on ballot access and voter registration, and cuts to the state education budget.

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Mexico missing students: Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and wife arrested

Diane A. Wade
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Mexico missing students: Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and wife arrested

The fugitive mayor of the Mexican town of Iguala, where 43 students went missing in September, has been arrested, officials announce.

Jose Luis Abarca was detained by federal police officers in the capital, Mexico City, a police spokesman said.

Mexican officials have accused Jose Luis Abarca of ordering police to confront the students on the day of their disappearance on September 26.

Eyewitnesses described seeing them being bundled into police cars.

Federal police spokesman Jose Ramon Salinas confirmed the arrest of Jose Luis Abarca and his wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda on Twitter.

Mexican officials had issued an arrest warrant for Jose Luis Abarca and Maria de los Angeles Pineda after Iguala police officers said they had received an order from the mayor to intercept the students.

The officers said they had been told to stop the students from interrupting a speech given by Maria de los Angeles Pineda in Iguala on that day.

The students, from a nearby teacher training college, had travelled to Iguala to raise funds and protest.

They have not been seen since. A search has uncovered a series of mass graves in the area, but initial tests suggested they were not those of the students.

Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and his wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda were detained by federal police officers in Mexico City
Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and his wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda were detained by federal police officers in Mexico City

Since then, more bodies have been uncovered and officials have cast doubt on the accuracy of the initial tests.

More forensic tests are currently being carried out.

Jose Luis Abarca and Maria de los Angeles Pineda were arrested in a flat they had rented in Mexico City, media reports said.

They did not resist the arrest.

They have been taken for questioning. Officials hope they will be able to shed light on the whereabouts of the students.

The events of September 26 have shocked Mexicans and have led to mass protests demanding that the authorities do more to find the missing students.

The 43 were part of a larger group which had gone to Iguala to protest against what they said were discriminatory hiring practices.

The students all attended a teacher training college in Ayotzinapa with a history of left-wing activism, and their presence in Iguala raised alarm bells with the local authorities.

When the students boarded busses to return to their college, they were stopped by police – allegedly on the orders of Mayor Jose Luis Abarca.

The officers opened fire and killed three students and three people in nearby vehicles.

They stopped one busload of students trying to flee and took them to a local police station.

According to police officers detained as part of the investigation, they then handed the students over to a local drugs gang.

The gang’s leader, who has also been arrested, says he ordered the students be “made to disappear”, after having been told they belonged to a rival gang.

However, he did not specify further what happened to them.

The gang leader also accused Maria de los Angeles Pineda of being “the main operator of criminal activities in Iguala”.

The relatives of the missing students said on November 3 that “no progress” had been made in the search for the 43 and expressed their anger over the slow pace of the investigation.

The governor of the state of Guerrero, where Iguala is located, resigned last month over the disappearances.

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Ukraine rebel elections: Petro Poroshenko threatens to scrap autonomy deal

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine rebel elections: Petro Poroshenko threatens to scrap autonomy deal

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will chair a crisis meeting of security chiefs, after a rebel-held vote that he said jeopardized “the entire peace process”.

Petro Poroshenko proposed scrapping a law, agreed under the September 5 truce deal, which gives special status to the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk areas.

Two pro-Russian leaders were declared the winners of Sunday’s polls.

Under the terms of the truce, Ukraine was meant to hold elections in the two regions in December.

The West says the rebel-held elections are illegal but Russia is backing them.

More than 4,000 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine since April.

Ukraine accuses Russia of arming the rebels and sending Russian regular troops across the border – a claim denied by Moscow.

Addressing the nation on TV late Monday, President Petro Poroshenko said he would hold a meeting of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council on Tuesday to propose abolishing the law granting special self-government to rebel-held areas.

Petro Poroshenko described the November 2 “pseudo-elections” in Donetsk and Luhansk as a “farce at gunpoint” which would never be recognized as legitimate.

Sunday’s polls, he said, were “a gross violation” of the Minsk agreement – a roadmap to a peaceful settlement agreed by Ukraine, Russia, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and also rebel delegations.

“We demonstrated to residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as to the whole world, that we are sincere in our desire for political settlement,” he said.

“The militants refused this opportunity.”

Ukraine and the West have always insisted the rebel territories must abide by the Minsk deal and hold the local elections under Ukrainian law in December.

The US said it condemned the “illegitimate, so-called <<elections>> held on Sunday” and was “concerned by a Russian foreign ministry statement that seeks to legitimize [them]”.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the polls were “a new obstacle on the path towards peace”, while Germany said Russia’s backing of the vote was “incomprehensible”.

President Petro Poroshenko will chair a crisis meeting of security chiefs after rebel-held vote jeopardized the entire peace process
President Petro Poroshenko will chair a crisis meeting of security chiefs after rebel-held vote jeopardized the entire peace process

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, warned Russia could face further sanctions as a result of its position.

Russia earlier said it respected “the will of the people of the south-east”. It called for a “sustainable dialogue” between the authorities in Kiev and the rebels.

Results released on November 3 showed Alexander Zakharchenko, the self-declared prime minister in Donetsk, had won the poll to become the head of the region. His party also came first in the parliamentary election.

In Luhansk, the incumbent rebel prime minister, Igor Plotnitsky, was declared the winner.

They are both expected to be officially sworn in later on Tuesday.

Both sides have repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreed in September.

The separatist insurrection erupted in the east after Russia annexed Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula, weeks after Ukraine’s pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych, was forced out of office by mass protests in Kiev.

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Miley Cyrus dating Patrick Schwarzenegger?

Lisa.Felice
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Miley Cyrus dating Patrick Schwarzenegger?

Miley Cyrus was spotted leaving the apartment of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, Patrick, on Halloween day.

Patrick Schwarzenegger, 21, is a student at USC and a model.

Sources told ET that the rumors Miley Cyrus and Patrick Schwarzenegger are dating are absolutely true.

Patrick Schwarzenegger and Miley Cyrus went on several dates together in 2011
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Miley Cyrus went on several dates together in 2011

Miley Cyrus and Patrick Schwarzenegger were originally connected in 2011 when he revealed to Details Magazine – despite dating Tallulah Willis at the time – that his “eye is set on Miley”.

The two young stars went on several dates together later that year after Miley Cyrus allegedly snatched his number from mutual friend Selena Gomez.

Miley Cyrus has kept mum about her personal life since splitting from ex-fiancé, Liam Hemsworth, last year.

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Simply Red to reunite in 2015 for anniversary tour

Sonia Pantiss
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Simply Red to reunite in 2015 for anniversary tour

Simply Red will reunite in 2015 for a 30th anniversary tour, five years on from their last performance.

“I like an anniversary and this is a big one,” Mick Hucknall said.

“It feels like the right time.”

Simply Red, whose hits include Holding Back the Years and Money’s Too Tight to Mention, signed off in December 2010 with a “farewell concert” at the O2 Arena in London.

Simply Red will reunite in 2015, five years on from their last performance
Simply Red will reunite in 2015, five years on from their last performance

The band will play 35 European dates in 2015 starting in Denmark on October 20.

The Big Love tour will take in 10 cities in Germany and eight other countries before going to the UK and Ireland for 14 dates.

The comeback will come to an end with two dates at London’s O2, almost five years to the day from their last appearance there.

The line-up will include the long-time Simply Red members saxophonist Ian Kirkham, guitarist Kenji Suzuki and bass player Steve Lewinson.

In a hand-written note on the band’s website, Mick Hucknall said: “Hello everyone. Am happy to celebrate with you our 30 years in music.

“We hope you’re gonna enjoy the shows as much as we will. See you there!”

Formed in 1985, Simply Red sold more than 50 million albums. The band’s name was inspired by Mick Hucknall’s love of Manchester United, his left-leaning political affiliations and the color of his hair.

Mick Hucknall, now 54, went solo after the split and released a collection of American soul covers in 2012.

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Midterm elections 2014: Six Senate races to watch

Diane A. Wade
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Midterm elections 2014: Six Senate races to watch

North Carolina – Kay Hagan vs. Thom Tillis

Arkansas – Mark Pryor vs. Tom Cotton

Colorado – Mark Udall vs. Cory Gardner

Colorado Senator Mark Udall and his challenger, Representative Cory Gardner
Colorado Senator Mark Udall and his challenger, Representative Cory Gardner (photo The Denver Post)

Georgia – Michelle Nunn vs. David Perdue

Iowa – Joni Ernst vs. Bruce Braley

Kansas – Greg Orman vs. Pat Roberts

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