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Ukraine: US and EU announce new economic sanctions against Russia

President Barack Obama has announced new economic sanctions against Russia over Ukrainian crisis, saying they will make Russia’s “weak economy even weaker”.

Barack Obama said the coordinated actions of the US and European Union would “have an even bigger bite” on Russia’s economy.

The new restrictions include banning Americans or people in the US from banking with three Russian banks.

The aim is to increase the cost to Russia of its continued support for pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow denies charges by the EU and US that it is supplying heavy weapons to the rebels.

Speaking at the White House, Barack Obama said the US was widening its sanctions to target the key sectors of the Russian economy – energy, arms, and finance.

President Barack Obama has announced new economic sanctions against Russia over Ukrainian crisis
President Barack Obama has announced new economic sanctions against Russia over Ukrainian crisis

“If Russia continues on this current path, the costs on Russia will continue to grow,” the president said.

The US Treasury said the banks being targeting in this round of sanctions were VTB, the Bank of Moscow, and the Russian Agriculture Bank (Rosselkhozbank).

Earlier, the EU also adopted new economic sanctions against Russia, targeting the oil sector, defense equipment and sensitive technologies.

Full details of the new EU sanctions are expected on Wednesday, when the EU is also set to name more Russian officials facing asset freezes and travel bans in Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had been reluctant to step up sanctions because of Germany’s trade links with Russia, said the latest measures were “unavoidable”.

Calls for the EU to act have been fuelled by the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on the Malaysia Airlines jet were killed, many of them Dutch citizens.

An international team has again failed to access the crash site, amid heavy fighting between government forces and rebels there.

Western governments believe the pro-Russian separatists shot the plane down on July 17 with a Russian missile, believing it to be a Ukrainian military flight. The rebels and Moscow deny that, instead blaming the Ukrainian military.

Last weekend, the EU subjected a further 15 Russian individuals and 18 entities to asset freezes and visa bans for their alleged involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

The list of 87 targets of EU sanctions now includes the heads of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and foreign intelligence, the president of Chechnya, as well as two Crimean energy companies.

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Ebola outbreak: ASKY stops flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone

West African airline ASKY has stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone amid growing concern about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

ASKY Airlines said it took the decision to keep “its passengers and staff safe during this unsettling time”.

The number of people killed by the virus in West Africa has now reached 672, according to new UN figures.

In Sierra Leone, the doctor who led the fight against Ebola, Sheik Umar Khan, has died of the disease.

Government officials hailed Dr. Sheik Umar Khan, 39, as a “national hero”.

ASKY has stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone amid growing concern about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus
ASKY has stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone amid growing concern about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus (photo Flickr)

The government disclosed last week that he was being treated for Ebola and had been quarantined.

His death follows that of prominent Liberian doctor Samuel Brisbane at the weekend.

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

It spreads through contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids.

The outbreak – the world’s deadliest to date – was first reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

ASKY is the second airline, after Nigeria’s largest airline, Arik Air, to ban flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

It had not halted flights to Guinea, but passengers departing from there would be “screened for signs of the virus”, ASKY said.

Last week, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, reported its first case – that of Liberian finance ministry official Patrick Sawyer who flew to the main city, Lagos, in an ASKY flight.

Liberia has deployed police officers at the international airport in the capital, Monrovia, to ensure passengers are screened for symptoms of Ebola.

“We have a presence of the police at the airport to enforce what we’re doing,” said Binyah Kesselly, chairman of the Liberia Airport Authority.

“So if you have a flight and you are not complying with the rules, we will not allow you to board.”

Most border crossings in Liberia have been closed to contain the outbreak and affected communities are being quarantined.

Liberia has also suspended all football activities in an effort to control the spread of Ebola.

In a statement, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that 1,201 Ebola cases had been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Of the 672 deaths, the highest number was in Guinea with 319, followed by Liberia with 249 and Sierra Leone with 224, it said.

Mexico: 6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Gulf coast

A 6.3- magnitude earthquake has hit eastern Mexico, with no immediate reports of damage or injury.

A 6.3- magnitude earthquake has hit eastern Mexico, with no immediate reports of damage or injury
A 6.3- magnitude earthquake has hit eastern Mexico, with no immediate reports of damage or injury

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake was centered in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, about 260 miles east-southeast of Mexico City. The epicenter was relatively deep, 59 miles below the surface.

Local news media in Veracruz reported the 5:46 AM quake was felt strongly there, and it rocked buildings at least as far away as Mexico City.

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LeBron James returns to No 23 at Cleveland Cavaliers

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LeBron James is taking back his original No. 23 as he returns to the Cleveland Cavaliers after wearing No. 6 during his four seasons with the Miami Heat.

Before announcing his decision, LeBron James asked the fans to weigh in with their choice. He didn’t poll the man most famous for wearing that number in the NBA, but he apparently has his blessing.

LeBron James is taking back his original No. 23 as he returns to the Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James is taking back his original No. 23 as he returns to the Cleveland Cavaliers

In a text message to ESPN, Michael Jordan wrote: “I’m cool with it. I don’t own a number.”

Michael Jordan wore No. 23 during the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.

When LeBron James made the switch to No. 6 in Miami, he suggested the NBA retire No. 23 in honor of Michael Jordan.

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Adjustable E-cig Wattage or Voltage — Which Is Better?

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The simple answer is, it depends on you. Although you wouldn’t have this problem when you’re using those portable vaporizers like DaVinciVaporizer.com because they have precision temp controls. There are different consequences of adjusting both wattage and voltage. Many experienced e-cig users will adjust both wattage and voltage in a balancing act to produce the precise type of hit they desire; however that is really only doable on the very high-end models that take a lot of knowledge and time in the hobby. Here’s a quick guide to remember how each is different from the other.

We’re going to dip into the science of vaping. There are going to be terms thrown around like voltage, wattage, ohms and resistance which require that you already have a grasp on how electronic cigarettes function on a basic level. Simply put, they run electric current through a coiled wire to heat it and any liquid near it that may or may not contain nicotine, thereby breaking the bonds of the liquid and creating a vapor laden with nicotine or other additives like flavor. An explanation of the scientific principles of electricity and the interrelation of its composing principles can be found here.

Variable Voltage

A variable voltage device will directly increase the heat of the coil, full stop. The hotter the coil, the more vapor and the harsher the throat hit. This is the most direct way to control the heat output of the two options; however, there are a few drawbacks.

The first is that you have to check the resistance of your coil and adjust accordingly. So, if you change tanks or coils, then you have to adjust the voltage so you don’t burn out your coil. In fact, regular adjustment is the most aggravating thing about a variable voltage unit. You also have to adjust the voltage output throughout the day because as the battery weakens, so too will the power output. This means that you’ll have to increase the voltage to get the same hit or settle for increasingly weaker hits throughout the day. However, this unit gives the best control for anyone who’s willing to micromanage.

Variable Wattage

e-cig-vapingVariable wattage units automatically control the output of voltage. This is due to the fact that wattage is a measurement of voltage and amperage multiplied. Amperage is like a measure of the volume of electricity while voltage is like a measure of pressure. As a battery weakens, there is literally less electricity that is traveling through the coil, but if the voltage is the same, it’s traveling at the same speed or pressure. So, as the battery weakens throughout the day, the amperage drops, thereby decreasing the direct power to the unit if voltage stays static and weakening the heat output of the coil. Whereas variable wattage will set the bar at a certain level and increase the voltage automatically to compensate for the decreasing amperage. This will provide a hands-off way to maintain a similar hit regardless of the power remaining in the battery. For this reason, most vapers prefer to have access to variable wattage once they try it.

Both!

Now, many units come with both types. This is mostly because some users like to use both at one point in time, but they ultimately can’t be used in conjunction. Variable voltage is a great way to test out new tanks, coils or other accessories or fine tune hit preferences, while variable wattage is generally preferable for day-to-day use. However, the main benefits of these combo systems are simply the versatility of them. By allowing customers to choose which system they want to use and switch back and forth as desired, companies are giving the end user more freedom and more control over the vaping experience — which is something that everyone can get behind.

Whether you prefer adjustable wattage or adjustable voltage or both, you will have better control of your vaping experience. The major benefit of variable voltage is more direct control while variable wattage gives a more hands-free experience. If you’re someone who prefers to have direct control, micromanaging, electrical calculations, or simply don’t vape throughout the day then variable voltage is probably more your style. For those who don’t want to think about resistance or simply want as little maintenance of your system as possible variable wattage is up your alley. To each their own and happy vaping.

Kanye West wins legal case against online currency Coinye West

Kanye West has won the legal case against the online currency named after him, Coinye West, after a judge issued a default ruling in the rapper’s favor.

Kanye West, 36, filed suit in New York in January in a bid to stop the exchange of the Coinye West virtual currency amid allegations the product’s creators were trying to trade off his name.

Kanye West has won the legal case against online currency Coinye West, after a judge issued a default ruling in the rapper's favor
Kanye West has won the legal case against online currency Coinye West, after a judge issued a default ruling in the rapper’s favor

In March, Kanye West filed an amended suit naming the defendants, and last week, he requested a default judgment to end the case after nine of the 12 persons named failed to respond to the accusations.

A judge has since ruled in Kanye West’s favor and the three who did reply to the lawsuit, Richard McCord, David McEnery and Harry Willis, have settled with the rapper, according to Billboard.com. However, Richard McCord also denied his involvement with the creation of the Coinye West.

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Airbus cancels Skymark contract for purchase of six A380 aircrafts

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French aircraft maker Airbus has cancelled its contract with Japanese carrier Skymark Airlines for the purchase of six A380 superjumbos.

Airbus it had been in discussions with Skymark about the contract signed in 2011, but did not give a specific reason for cancelling it.

Skymark suggested it wanted to revise the contract terms, but was being charged “overpriced” fees to do so.

Shares in the airline slumped 13% after it revealed it was in talks with Airbus over revisions to the deal.

Skymark told reporters in Tokyo it had tried to reduce the number of aircraft in the deal, or buy smaller jets.

Airbus has cancelled its contract with Skymark Airlines for the purchase of six A380 superjumbos
Airbus has cancelled its contract with Skymark Airlines for the purchase of six A380 superjumbos

“[Airbus] said it would charge overpriced breakup fees for cancelling the purchase of A380s if our company decides to cancel,” Skymark president Shinichi Nishikubo said.

Skymark said it had received notification of the deal’s cancellation by fax on Sunday, according to the Reuters news agency.

“Following discussions with Skymark Airlines and in light of the airline’s expressed intentions in respect of the A380, Airbus has… notified Skymark Airlines that the purchase order for the six A380s signed in 2011 has been terminated,” Airbus said.

Reports suggest the plane maker had concerns about Skymark’s ability to pay for the aircraft, particularly in light of the weak yen.

The aircraft manufacturing market in Japan is currently dominated by Boeing. Airbus was seeking to break that dominance with the Skymark deal.

Internationally, Airbus has been struggling to win orders for its super jumbo.

The A380 is the world’s largest passenger aircraft. It stands at more than 79ft tall and has a wing span of almost 262ft and can carry more than 500 passengers.

Mehdi Nemmouche: France extradites suspected Jewish Museum gunman to Belgium

France has extradited Mehdi Nemmouche, the man suspected of shooting dead four people at Brussels’ Jewish Museum, to Belgium.

A spokeswoman for the Belgian police told AFP that Mehdi Nemmouche, 29, arrived in Brussels on Tuesday and was being interrogated.

Four people were fatally shot in the attack on May 24, in broad daylight in the heart of the Belgian capital.

Mehdi Nemmouche, who is of Franco-Algerian origin, is said to have spent a year fighting with Islamists in Syria.

Mehdi Nemmouche, who is of Franco-Algerian origin, is said to have spent a year fighting with Islamists in Syria
Mehdi Nemmouche, who is of Franco-Algerian origin, is said to have spent a year fighting with Islamists in Syria (photo FranceTV)

His lawyer appealed against the extradition, saying it failed to guarantee that he would not be sent to “a third country,” but France’s final appeals court rejected the complaint last week.

Mehdi Nemmouche was said to fear that once he was sent to Belgium, he would be extradited to Israel.

Two of the victims of the May 24 attack were Israeli tourists. A French female volunteer at the museum and a Belgian employee were also killed.

Mehdi Nemmouche is from Roubaix near the border with Belgium and was arrested in Marseille, during a routine customs check as he arrived on a coach from Amsterdam a few days after the shootings.

Police said he was carrying a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun matching those used in the attack.

Prosecutors said that after spending a year in Syria he had returned to Europe, flying to Germany in March.

Belgium sought Mehdi Nemmouche’s extradition under a European arrest warrant, which fast-tracks the legal process.

China: Ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang investigated for serious disciplinary violation

China’s ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang is being investigated for suspected “serious disciplinary violation”, state media say.

The news confirms rumors about the hugely powerful former minister, who has not been seen in public for months.

Zhou Yongkang headed China’s Ministry of Public Security and was a member of the top decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee.

The move to target him will send shockwaves through the political elite.

Zhou Yongkang is the most senior Chinese official to be investigated since the Gang of Four – which included the wife of late leader Mao Zedong – in the early 1980s.

China’s ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang is being investigated for suspected serious disciplinary violation
China’s ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang is being investigated for suspected serious disciplinary violation

He retired in late 2012, as Xi Jinping took over from Hu Jintao as the Communist Party leader and China’s president.

Since the transition, Xi Jinping has introduced a wide-ranging crackdown on corruption within the party, warning graft could threaten the organization’s very survival.

In a brief statement, state-run Xinhua news agency said the investigation would be conducted by the Communist Party’s corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

No timescale was given for the probe, which has been widely expected.

Several individuals believed to have had close ties to Zhou Yongkang have also been targeted in corruption investigations in recent months.

Zhou Yongkang’s career saw him head both the ministry charged with overseeing domestic security and China’s largest energy company, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

He was also the party’s top official in Sichuan province.

Allies of his from all three areas are now the subject of various investigations.

Only a handful of people serve on the Politburo Standing Committee (in Zhou Yongkang’s time nine, currently the number is seven) and they are seen as the most powerful individuals in China.

Zhou Yongkang was also an ally of Bo Xilai, the one-time high-flying former Chongqing party chief who was jailed last year.

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Israel announces prolonged Gaza military campaign

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a “prolonged” military campaign in Gaza, as it saw one of its heaviest nights of shelling since the conflict began.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue to act until it had achieved its aim of destroying militant group Hamas’s network of underground tunnels.

Israel made 60 air strikes on targets in Gaza overnight including TV stations and the house of a key Hamas leader.

It said militants had launched three rockets at Israel.

At least 13 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in the overnight attacks, including six victims in one house in the Bureji refugee camp, while Israel’s army lost 10 soldiers in the past 24 hours.

Officials say more than 1,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting since July 8. Israel says 53 of its soldiers and three civilians – two Israelis and a Thai worker, have been killed.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a prolonged military campaign in Gaza
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a prolonged military campaign in Gaza

Early on Tuesday, Israeli aircraft fired at the unoccupied house of former Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh, while Hamas TV and radio stations were also hit.

Three rockets were fired from Gaza, with one rocket successfully intercepted and two hitting open spaces in central Israel, Israel’s military said.

At least 10 people – eight of them children – were killed in blasts in Gaza City on Monday afternoon, Palestinian health officials said. It is unclear if they were killed by an Israeli attack or a misfiring militant rocket.

Five Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday when militants infiltrated the border, while a mortar bomb killed four earlier and a tenth died in a clash in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Benjamin Netanyahu described Monday as a “painful day”.

“We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children,” he said.

On Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticized both sides for firing into civilian areas, and called for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

His spokesman later added that Ban Ki-moon was concerned at reports that leaflets had been dropped by the IDF warning residents in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate to Gaza City.

“If true, this would have a further devastating humanitarian impact on the beleaguered civilians of those areas of the Gaza strip, who have already undergone immense suffering in recent days,” his spokesman said.

Rocket fire and air strikes between the two sides increased after the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in June, which Israel blamed on Hamas and which led to a crackdown on the group in the West Bank. Hamas denied being behind the killings.

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US accuses Russia of violating 1987 nuclear missile treaty

The US government accuses Russia of violating the 1987 arms control treaty by testing a nuclear cruise missile.

Russia tested a ground-launched cruise missile, breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed in 1987 during the Cold War, the US said.

A senior US official did not provide further details on the alleged breach, but described it as “very serious”.

The bilateral agreement banned medium-range missiles with ranges between 300 to 3,400 miles.

The US government accuses Russia of violating the 1987 arms control treaty by testing a nuclear cruise missile
The US government accuses Russia of violating the 1987 arms control treaty by testing a nuclear cruise missile (photo Fox News)

The US claims come at a time of heightened tensions between the two sides, with the US criticizing Russia for its alleged involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

A senior US official, who was not named, said in a statement that the testing of the missile was “a very serious matter which we have attempted to address with Russia for some time now”.

“We encourage Russia to return to compliance with its obligations under the treaty and to eliminate any prohibited items in a verifiable matter,” the official added.

President Barack Obama has written to President Vladimir Putin over the matter, officials say.

This is the first time the US government has made its accusations public, though the issue has simmered for years.

In January, the New York Times reported that US officials believed Russia had began testing ground-launched cruise missiles as early as 2008.

The US State Department had said at the time that the issue was under review.

The 1987 treaty is at the heart of American-Russian arms control efforts, and was signed by then-Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in the final years of the Cold War.

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North Korean arms ship operator blacklisted by UN

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The operator of a North Korean ship seized in July 2013 near the Panama Canal with Cuban weapons on board has been blacklisted by the UN Security Council.

The move means Pyongyang-based Ocean Maritime Management is now subject to an international asset freeze and travel ban.

The company operated the Chong Chon Gang, found with Soviet-era weapons and fighter jets hidden under sugar sacks.

UN sanctions ban most arms shipments to North Korea.

Under resolutions adopted after Pyongyang’s nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, the export of all arms and related parts, with the exception of small arms and light weapons, to North Korea is prohibited.

The UN Security Council has blacklisted the operator of the North Korean ship seized in July 2013
The UN Security Council has blacklisted the operator of the North Korean ship seized in July 2013 (photo Reuters)

The UN’s North Korea sanctions committee said that the company had “played a key role in arranging the shipment of the concealed cargo of arms”.

The move showed “intent to evade UN sanctions, and is consistent with previous attempts by the DPRK (North Korea) to transfer arms and related materiel through similar tactics in contravention of Security Council prohibitions”, the committee said.

The Chong Chon Gang was stopped near Manzanillo, on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, on July 15, 2013, under suspicion that it was carrying drugs.

It had disappeared from satellite tracking for a few days as it approached the Cuban capital, Havana, having departed from Russia’s eastern coast three months earlier.

On searching the vessel, officials found military hardware including two Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter aircraft, air defense systems, missiles and command and control vehicles.

Cuban authorities said that the ship was carrying 240 tonnes of “obsolete” defensive weapons.

The North Korean government insisted the ageing weapons were simply being transferred to North Korea to be repaired, before returning them.

The US envoy to the UN, Samantha Power, described the episode as a “cynical, outrageous and illegal attempt” by Cuba and North Korea to circumvent UN sanctions.

In February the ship and most of the crew were allowed to leave Panama and a court later ordered the release of the remaining three officers.

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Donald Sterling case: Judge approves LA Clippers sale

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Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas has ruled that the LA Clippers basketball team can be sold, despite the objections of banned co-owner Donald Sterling.

Donald Sterling, 80, was not in the cramped downtown courtroom for Monday’s closing arguments.

LA Clippers team can be sold, despite the objections of banned co-owner Donald Sterling
LA Clippers team can be sold, despite the objections of banned co-owner Donald Sterling

At every turn, Judge Michael Levanas found Shelly Sterling’s testimony and witnesses believable – and he publicly questioned the credibility of one of the only two witnesses Donald Sterling called.

Ultimately, the judge ruled that Shelly Sterling acted properly when she removed Donald Sterling from a decision-making position in the family trust that controlled the team.

Shelly Sterling burst into tears after Judge Michael Levanas’ final pronouncement, hugging her lead attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, in the second row of the courtroom as Donald Sterling’s lawyers sat nearby.

“This is going to be a good thing for the city, for the league, for my family, for all of us,” Shelly Sterling said outside the courthouse, facing a phalanx of reporters and cameras.

Donald Sterling – who last week filed a new lawsuit trying to block the sale – is not expected to go away quietly. He is suing the NBA, alleging it violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an “illegal” recording.

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Ukraine: Black boxes show Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight downed by missile shrapnel

The downed Malaysia Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine suffered an explosive loss of pressure after it was punctured by shrapnel from a missile, security officials in Ukraine say.

They say the information came from the plane’s flight data recorders, which are being analyzed by British experts.

However, it remains unclear who fired a missile, with pro-Russia rebels and Ukraine blaming each other.

The downed Malaysia Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine suffered an explosive loss of pressure after it was punctured by shrapnel from a missile
The downed Malaysia Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine suffered an explosive loss of pressure after it was punctured by shrapnel from a missile

Many of the 298 people killed on board flight MH17 were from the Netherlands.

Dutch investigators leading the inquiry into the crash have refused to comment on the Ukrainian claims.

Heavy fighting has prevented an international police force composed of Dutch and Australian officers from reaching the crash site for a second consecutive day.

Ukraine’s army said on Monday it had managed to capture two towns near the wreckage in its bid to win back territory from the hands of the rebels.

The international delegation was stopped in Shakhtarsk, a town some 20 miles away from the area where flight MH17 was brought down.

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Eid al-Fitr: What is celebration about?

Muslims across the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr after the month-long fast of Ramadan comes to a close.

On the day of Eid Muslims greet each other by saying “Eid Mubarak”.

Because the timing of Eid al-Fitr is based on the Islamic lunar calendar, it can be difficult to predict when the festival will take place.

When the new moon appears over Saudi Arabia, the Islamic community break into colorful celebrations, throwing food festivals, performing music and spending time with friends and family.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

The arabic name Eid al-Fitr translates to “festival of the breaking of the fast”.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, and the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

Muslims across the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr after the month-long fast of Ramadan comes to a close.
Muslims across the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr after the month-long fast of Ramadan comes to a close (photo AFP/Getty Images)

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the month in which the Quran was first revealed.

Muslims spend the month fasting from dawn until sunset.

When is Eid al-Fitr observed?

The end of Ramadan is based on the Islamic lunar calendar, so it can be difficult to predict.

Eid al-Fitr is observed when the first new moon is sighted.

This can lead to the festival being celebrated on different days in different parts of the world.

While some Muslims wait to be able to see the moon themselves, many either use the calculated time of the new moon, or base it on the declaration made in Saudi Arabia.

This year, Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday, July 27, that Eid al-Fitr would begin on July 28.

How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated?

On the day of Eid, Muslims gather at mosques in the morning to perform the Eid prayer, before holding family gatherings and visiting friends.

Muslims share feasts and sweets to mark the end of the fasting period, and greet each other by saying “Eid Mubarak” – which roughly translates as “happy Eid” or “blessed Eid.”

The celebrations last for three days, and are seen as a time of forgiveness and of giving thanks to Allah for helping people to complete their spiritual fasting.

Many Muslims display this thanksgiving by giving donations and food to those less fortunate than themselves.

In most Muslim countries, the three days of Eid are observed as public and school holiday.

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Air Algerie crash: AH5017 pilots asked to turn back

France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has revealed that the pilots of Air Algerie plane that crashed in Mali on July 24 had asked to turn back.

Laurent Fabius said the crew of Air Algerie flight AH5017 requested to return to Burkina Faso after initially asking to change course due to bad weather.

The plane’s two flight data recorders have arrived in France.

The jet was flying to Algeria when it crashed in Mali, killing all 118 aboard, including 54 French citizens.

France has taken the leading role in the investigation.

“What we know for sure is that the weather was bad that night, that the plane crew had asked to change route then to turn back before all contact was lost,” Laurent Fabius said on Monday.

A team of French investigators is currently sifting through the plane’s wreckage in Mali, but Laurent Fabius said they were facing “extremely difficult conditions”.

France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has revealed that the pilots of Air Algerie plane that crashed in Mali on July 24 had asked to turn back
France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has revealed that the pilots of Air Algerie plane that crashed in Mali on July 24 had asked to turn back

“It’s a long, fastidious and extremely complex job,” he added.

French, Malian and Dutch soldiers from a UN peacekeeping force (MINUSMA) have secured the site, about 50 miles south of the Malian town of Gossi, near the Burkina Faso border.

Earlier on Monday, a French official confirmed that the two flight data recorders had arrived in France and were now being examined by experts.

One of the devices was retrieved almost as soon as rescuers arrived on the spot, while the second was found late Saturday.

A source close to the investigation told the AFP news agency that one of them was badly damaged on the outside.

Martine Del Bono, a spokeswoman for the French aviation investigation office, refused to comment on their condition, telling press: “At this stage, we cannot say anymore.”

Even if both “black boxes” are in good condition, French Transport Minister Thierry Mariani has warned that analyzing the flight data and cockpit conversations could take “weeks”.

French flags were lowered to half-mast on Monday for three days in memory of the dead.

Nearly half of those on board were French. There were also 27 from Burkina Faso and further passengers from, among others, Lebanon, Algeria, Canada and Germany.

Among the French contingent on board flight AH5017 was a family of 10.

The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, had been chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair and all six members of the crew were Spanish.

Deadly violence in Gaza City and Israel’s Eshkol

An upsurge in violence has been seen in Gaza and southern Israel despite a plea by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for a cessation of hostilities.

Explosions in Gaza City reportedly killed 10 people, including children.

Israel confirmed five of its soldiers died on Monday – one inside Gaza and four in a mortar attack along the border. Five Hamas militants were also killed inside Israel, officials said.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a “prolonged” Israeli campaign in Gaza.

“We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children,” Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Calling Monday a “painful day”, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not finish its operation until it had “neutralized” Hamas tunnels out of Gaza.

An upsurge in violence has been seen in Gaza and southern Israel despite a plea by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for a cessation of hostilities
An upsurge in violence has been seen in Gaza and southern Israel despite a plea by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for a cessation of hostilities

Fighting between Israel and Hamas has claimed more than 1,030 Palestinian lives, most of them civilian, since 8 July, when Israel launched an offensive against Hamas in Gaza after a surge in rocket fire.

On July 18, it extended operations with a ground offensive, saying it was necessary to destroy tunnels dug by militants to infiltrate Israel.

Israel’s military death toll rose to 48 with Monday’s deaths. Three civilians have also died.

Earlier, Ban Ki-moon urged an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza, saying the Palestinian territory was in a “critical condition”.

Ban Ki-moon, who spoke in New York after returning from a visit to the region, was critical of both sides for firing into civilian areas.

He said Hamas had fired missiles into civilian areas of Israel, while Israeli forces had used high-explosive weapons in the crowded Gaza Strip.

The secretary general repeated the UN’s call for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Later, the French presidency said the leaders of the US, France, Germany, Italy and Britain – who held telephone talks – had “agreed to redouble their efforts to obtain a ceasefire. Pressure must increase to get there”.

At least 10 people – eight of them children – were killed in Monday afternoon’s blasts in Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said.

Palestinian officials say the 10 were killed by Israeli missile strikes, but Israel says the explosions were caused by rockets misfired by “terrorists”.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and another 10 injured when a mortar shell hit the Eshkol district.

The Israeli military said the five Hamas militants who died had entered Israel via a tunnel from Gaza and opened fire on Israeli troops, who returned fire.

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Tor Project: Russia offers $110,000 reward to crack anonymous network

Russia has made an offer of 3.9 million roubles ($110,000) in a contest seeking a way to crack the identities of users of the Tor network.

The Tor Project hides internet users’ locations and identities by sending data on random paths through machines on its network, adding encryption at each stage.

The Russian interior ministry made the offer, saying the aim was “to ensure the country’s defense and security”.

The contest is only open to Russians and proposals are due by August 13.

Applicants must pay 195,000 roubles to enter the competition, which was posted online on July 11 and later reported by the tech news site Ars Technica.

Earlier this month, Russia’s lower house of parliament passed a law requiring internet companies to store Russian citizens’ personal data inside the country.

Russia has made an offer of $110,000 in a contest seeking a way to crack the identities of users of the Tor network
Russia has made an offer of $110,000 in a contest seeking a way to crack the identities of users of the Tor network

Russia has the fifth-largest number of Tor users with more than 210,000 people making use of it, according to the Guardian.

Tor was thrust into the spotlight in the wake of controversy resulting from leaks about the National Security Agency (NSA) and other cyberspy agencies.

Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who revealed the internal memos and who now has asylum in Russia, uses a version of Tor software to communicate.

Documents released by Edward Snowden allege that the NSA and the UK’s GCHQ had repeatedly tried to crack anonymity on the Tor network.

Tor was originally set up by the US Naval Research Laboratory and is used be people who want to send information over the internet without being tracked.

It is used by journalists and law enforcement officers, but has also been linked to illegal activity including drug deals and the sale of child abuse images.

In its 2013 financial statements, the Tor Project – a group of developers that maintain tools used to access Tor – confirmed that the US Department of Defense (DoD) remained one its biggest backers.

The DoD sent $830,000 to the group through SRI International, which describes itself as an independent non-profit research centre, last year.

Other parts of the US government contributed a further $1 million.

Those amounts are roughly the same as in 2012.

Emirates to suspend flights over Iraq following MH17 disaster

Emirates has decided to suspend flights over Iraq to protect against the threat of Islamic militants on the ground.

The airline was taking “precautionary measures” and “working on alternative routing plans for flights using Iraqi airspace”.

The move follows the Malaysian Airlines’ Flight MH17 disaster. MH17 was shot down while flying over Ukraine.

Emirates said it is already re-routing some flights.

It will take a few days for the re-routing to be completed, the airline added.

Emirates has decided to suspend flights over Iraq to protect against the threat of Islamic militants on the ground
Emirates has decided to suspend flights over Iraq to protect against the threat of Islamic militants on the ground (photo Emirates)

“We are closely monitoring the situation along with international agencies, and will never compromise the safety of our customers and crew,” said Emirates.

Emirates’ president Sir Tim Clark told The Times MH17 “changed everything” and it was “very nearly in European airspace”.

Tim Clark said he thought other airlines would follow.

He predicted the airline industry would start to look at how it assessed the danger of flying over conflict zones.

Tim Clark said he was “not comfortable” with the situation in Iraq, as fighting in the country intensifies.

The MH17 disaster is largely attributed to a missile fired on the ground in Ukraine by pro-Russian rebels, although Russia has blamed the Ukrainian government.

Emirates’ president told The Times greater intelligence from the government about the safety of airspace would be welcome.

Ryanair raises annual profit forecast after Q2 2014 profits double

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Ryanair has raised its annual profit forecast after seeing net income more than double for the Q2 2014.

Second quarter profit rose to 197 million euros ($266 million) compared to 78 million euros a year earlier, the budget airline company said.

Ryanair has raised its annual profit forecast after seeing net income more than double for the Q2 2014
Ryanair has raised its annual profit forecast after seeing net income more than double for the Q2 2014 (photo Wikipedia)

Chief financial officer Howard Millar said: “We’ve made a lot of service improvements over the last six or seven months and we’re seeing the benefits.”

The rise comes after profit warnings by rivals Air France-KLM and Lufthansa.

Ryanair, which is Europe’s biggest budget airline, began promoting a more customer-friendly image late last year.

The airline raised its profit forecast for the year to March 2015 to a range of between 620 million euros to 650 million euros, up from a previous estimated range of 580 million euros to 620 million euros.

Ryanair has also said that it plans to aggressively raise capacity this winter by 8% and build its business-friendly routes.

Handshakes transfer more bacteria than fist bumps

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According to a new study, a handshake transfers more bacteria than other forms of hand-on-hand action.

Scientists at Aberystwyth University in Wales are calling for the widespread adoption of the fist bump instead, especially during flu outbreaks.

Public Health England whimsically suggested a Victorian-age bow or curtsy would be even safer.

A handshake transfers more bacteria than other forms of hand-on-hand action
A handshake transfers more bacteria than other forms of hand-on-hand action

The researchers took a pair of sterile rubber gloves and dipped one into a bacterial-broth so the outside was completely coated in E. coli.

They then performed a range of hand maneuvers including handshakes of varying intensities, fist bumps and high-fives.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, showed a handshake transferred 10 times as many bacteria as a meeting of fists, while a palm-to-palm high-five was somewhere in-between.

It is thought the smaller area of contact and shorter duration in the bump reduced the spread of bacteria.

It is not the first time the argument has been raised. There have been calls in the Journal of the American Medical Association to ban handshakes from hospitals.

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Russia ordered to pay $50 billion in damages in Yukos bankruptcy case

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Russia will appeal a Hague court decision ordering it to pay $50 billion in damages Yukos Oil Co. case, the biggest compensation package ordered to date.

Russia was told to pay the money to former shareholders in the now defunct oil producer Yukos.

The Hague court said Russian officials had manipulated the legal system to bankrupt Yukos, and jail its boss.

The Russian finance ministry said the ruling was “flawed”, “one-sided” and “politically biased.”

The ministry added that the Hague’s arbitration court “had no jurisdiction to consider the questions it was given”.

The claim was filed by a subsidiary for the financial holding company GML, once the biggest shareholder in Yukos Oil Co.

GML Executive Director Tim Osborne said: “The majority shareholders of Yukos Oil were left without compensation for the loss of their investment when Russia illegally expropriated Yukos.”

“It is a major step forward for the majority shareholders, who have been battling for over 10 years for this decision.”

However, in a statement, the Russian ministry said: “Because of substantial shortcomings in the rulings of the arbitration court, the Russian Federation will challenge the rulings of the arbitration court in Dutch courts and expects to obtain a fair result there.”

Mikhail Khodorkovsky built Yukos into Russia's largest investor-owned oil company after the fall of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Khodorkovsky built Yukos into Russia’s largest investor-owned oil company after the fall of the Soviet Union

GML’s lawyer Emmanuel Gaillard said: “This is an historic award. It is now judicially established that the Russian Federation’s actions were not a legitimate exercise in tax collection but, rather, were aimed at destroying Yukos and illegally expropriating its assets for the benefit of State instrumentalities Rosneft and Gazprom.”

Dr. Florian Otto from risk advisory company Maplecroft said that Russia will be hoping to win time and reduce publicity.

He said: “For Russia, paying the money is out of the question, as this could be construed as an acknowledgement that the seizing of Yukos’ assets was illegal – a viewpoint the Kremlin will never accept.

“The ruling does not come as a surprise to any of the parties involved, but the coincidental timing with the downing of flight MH17 certainly adds to the pressure Russia is currently exposed to.

“The case serves as a fresh reminder of state interference in business at a time when business confidence is already at a low point.”

Lawyers said that if Russia does not voluntarily accept the ruling, it can be forcibly enforced by shareholders seizing assets abroad.

Konstantin Lukoyanov of global law firm Linklaters said: “If it is accepted, it can be carried out voluntarily, or it will be implemented forcibly.

“In that case the seizure of assets abroad is possible. There have been several similar cases.”

Leonid Nevzlin, former deputy chairman of Yukos told a Moscow radio station: “I think shareholders are ready for the next stage, if Russia refuses to pay them, to search for and seize Russian assets all around the world.”

Yukos was disbanded in 2007 after filing for bankruptcy in 2006.

The company was formerly controlled by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was at one point Russia’s richest man.

Responding to the news, Mikhail Khordorkovsky said it was “fantastic” that shareholders were “being given chance to recover assets”.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky built Yukos into Russia’s largest investor-owned oil company after the fall of the Soviet Union.

He was arrested in 2003 and spent ten years in jail after being convicted of fraud and tax evasion but was pardoned last December.

The state-owned Rosneft bought the bulk of Yukos assets though auctions after the company, once the country’s largest oil producer, was declared bankrupt. Rosneft says all the deals were legal.

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Sewol ferry trial: Surviving students describe escaping from flooded cabins

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South Korean students who survived the Sewol ferry disaster have described escaping from flooded cabins as the ship sank.

The students had obeyed the crew’s orders to stay put, even as water started coming in as the Sewol listed.

Students floated up to cabin doors – by now overhead – and were pulled out by their classmates.

The Sewol ferry sank on April 16 off Jeju Island, killing 304 people. The students were giving evidence against the captain of the Sewol ferry and 14 crew.

They are accused of charges ranging from negligence to homicide.

It was the first time any of the teenagers on board the ferry have testified in a trial that is expected to last several weeks.

“We were waiting and, when the water started coming in, the class rep told everyone to put on the life vests,” Reuters news agency quoted one student as saying.

“The door was above our heads, so she said, <<We’ll float and go through the door>> and that’s how we came out.

The trial of crew members of the sunken Sewol ferry in South Korea
The trial of crew members of the sunken Sewol ferry in South Korea (photo Reuters)

“Other kids who got out before us pulled us out.”

Most of those who died on the Sewol were teenagers from the same high school who were on a school trip.

While the crew are charged with abandoning ship, the captain and three officers are also charged with “homicide through willful negligence”.

Investigators say the ferry had been illegally modified to carry more passengers and cargo, and was overloaded.

Prosecutors say the actions of the captain and crew – including instructing passengers to stay in their cabins as the ship listed – led to more deaths.

The students are testifying at a district court near their homes near Seoul, rather than at the actual trial in the southern city of Gwangju.

One witness told the court passengers received multiple instructions to stay put.

“They kept saying the same thing over and over,” AFP quoted the student as saying.

Another student described escaping through a stairwell to a hatch and jumping into the sea, as a swell hit.

“There were many classmates in the corridor and most of them were swept back into the ship,” she said.

The disaster – which correspondents say was South Korea’s worst maritime disaster in 44 years – caused shock and outrage, including harsh criticism of both bureaucrats and business officials whose alleged failings or corruption led to the tragedy.

Officials from ferry operator Chonghaejin Marine are also the subject of separate legal proceedings.

Earlier this month, police identified a body found on 12 June as company owner Yoo Byung-eun, who had been the subject of a man-hunt since the disaster.

Yoo Byung-eun’s son, Yoo Dae-kyun, was arrested on Friday.

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Navi Pillay: Taking down Malaysia Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine may be a war crime

According to the UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillay, the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine may be a “war crime”.

Pro-Russia Ukrainian rebels and the Ukrainian authorities have accused each other of shooting down flight MH17.

A Ukrainian official said on Monday that MH17’s data recorders show it came down due to “massive explosive decompression” caused by a rocket.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting has again prevented an international police force from reaching the crash site.

The Ukrainian military said it was battling separatists for control of several towns near the site in eastern Ukraine.

All 298 people on board the airliner – mostly Dutch – died on July 17.

The downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine may be considered a war crime
The downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine may be considered a war crime

International police want to help secure the huge site so that plane wreckage and human remains can be examined by international crash experts.

Most of the bodies have been removed, many of them repatriated to the Netherlands.

“This violation of international law, given the prevailing circumstances, may amount to a war crime,” Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said of the downing of MH17.

“Every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law including war crimes will be brought to justice, no matter who they are,” she said.

Navi Pillay spoke as the latest UN report on Ukraine suggested at least 1,129 people have been killed and 3,442 wounded in the Ukraine conflict since mid-April.

The conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people, many of whom have fled east to neighboring Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian security spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters on Monday that recovered flight data showed the aircraft crashed due to a massive, explosive loss of pressure after being punctured multiple times by shrapnel.

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Spreading your wings with the EURO

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UK based currency card provider Caxton FX provides an efficient and reliable solution to overseas business travel expenses. Its prepaid currency card system is available in both Dollars and Euros – while the American Dollar has long been recognised as a far reaching currency, used on a variety of continents, there is a common misconception that the Euro’s status as principal currency is limited to EU member states. Here are some of the locations in which the Euro is accepted as currency – some you would expect, and some a little more surprising.

 euro-spread-your-wings

15 years ago it would have been hard to imagine visiting Spain without parting with some Pesetas, or spending Marks in Munich, yet a number of well-known currencies very quickly became a thing of the past in early 2002 and that first wave of EU member states to adopt the Euro have rarely looked back. Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal were the Euro pioneers, along with Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.

Greece followed a little bit later, and since then more countries have trickled on board over the years – namely Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia and most recently Lithuania. Andorra has also adopted the euro in recent years, joining its fellow European microstates.

Outside of the EU, three “overseas collectivities” of France and a UK dependent territory have the Euro as their currency. Akrotiri and Dhekelia replaced the Cypriot Pound at the same time as Cyprus, while Saint Pierre and Miquelon, French Southern and Antarctic Lands and Saint-Barthelemy all followed France’s lead.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Montenegro had started using the German Mark as their currency, and therefore they too moved over to the Euro. Meanwhile many countries far beyond the shores of Europe have their currencies pegged against the Euro – Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Morocco to name a few. And in 1998 Cuba announced that it would replace the American Dollar with the Euro as its official currency for the purposes of international trading, with North Korea and Syria taking similar steps since the turn of the millennium.

While places like Akrotiri and Dhekelia and Saint-Barthelemy might not be well known stops on the business travel circuit, it is reassuring to know that should you find yourself there a Euro-loaded travel moneycard will serve you without issue.