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Designing an eco-friendly home

Lisa.Felice
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Designing an eco-friendly home

Nowadays, the environment is never far from people’s minds, and a more natural and eco-friendly look for your home is becoming ever more appealing, benefitting you both aesthetically and financially. The eco-friendly home will be the next great step in interior design, with the need for sustainable materials and less energy usage being what the future group of designers emerging from an interior design course will have to focus on if they want to meet their customer’s needs. So, why not swathe your rooms in the finest that the environment has to offer, with some of these great tips for a greener home?

Decorate your home with plants

Plants and other types of flora are a fantastic way to give a more natural look to your house or apartment, oxygenating your home and removing harmful toxins from the room. And, the great thing about plants is that you can populate your rooms with ones that suit its style. So, try to find a plant that will match your décor to gain a brighter, fresher feel in your ho

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Home is where the Heart is
linda yvonne / CC BY-NC

Fill your home with organic and natural materials

It’s important to be using environmentally sustainable materials when redecorating your place, meaning that you should avoid all plastic, particleboard and chromed metal when refurbishing. Although the use of more sustainable products is more expensive, it really is the optimal choice if you’re looking for a home that will aid the environment. The use of wood, marble or stone blocks can be a more eco-friendly alternative if you’re after tables, flooring or kitchen counters and, while it might dent your wallet, it certainly won’t compromise your style.

Use energy-efficient windows and lighting

The use of more energy efficient windows and lighting in your home can benefit you in a vast number of ways. If you use special coatings on your windows, for example, you can insulate your house far more effectively and save on your heating bills. Also, if you’re looking to cut down on heating bills even further, be sure to insulate your walls with environmentally conscious fillings. This is also the case with your light fixtures, with the use of lighting specifically designed to cut down on power creating a cheaper to run and more eco-friendly system.

Make your paint that little bit greener

While you don’t have to cover your walls in a literal sea of green if you don’t want to, it will be necessary to invest in a low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint to really give you that eco-edge on your walls. This will contribute to global warming far less. You can also try recycled or biodegradable paints, which will give you the same coating but be far kinder to mother earth.

Let in the sunlight

If you can populate your home with enough windows, including skylights, it will be possible to use far less electrical light fittings during the day, saving both your budget and the planet. It’s a case of the bigger the window the better, with more natural sunlight creating a healthier looking and feeling home.

Call in an eco-designer

If you’re renovating your home to become more environmentally friendly, then there are now a number of specialist interior designers who can help you out, and many more who will work with sustainable materials at your request. Designers such as Eco Nest, for example, will do their best to try to make your New York apartment a markedly greener environment, making sure that you get a home that won’t pollute the environment. So, if you’re looking to make your home more natural looking and more efficient, you know who to call.

Prime Air: Amazon testing unmanned drones for deliveries

Nancy Clayson
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Prime Air: Amazon testing unmanned drones for deliveries

World’s largest online retailer Amazon has announced it is testing unmanned drones to deliver goods to customers.

The drones, called Octocopters, could deliver packages weighing up to 5 lbs to customers within 30 minutes of them placing the order, Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said.

However, Jeff Bezos added that it could take up to five years for the service to start.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is yet to approve the use of unmanned drones for civilian purposes.

“I know this looks like science fiction, but it’s not,” Jeff Bezos told CBS’ 60 Minutes.

“We can do half-hour delivery… and we can carry objects, we think, up to five pounds, which covers 86% of the items that we deliver.”

The service will be called Prime Air and comes as Amazon is looking to improve its efficiency to boost growth.

Amazon also posted a video on its website showing a drone picking up a package from one of its warehouses and delivering it to the doorstep of a customer’s house.

However, it still has to wait for permission from US regulators.

Amazon has announced it is testing unmanned drones to deliver goods to customers
Amazon has announced it is testing unmanned drones to deliver goods to customers

The FAA has approved the use of drones for police and government agencies, issuing about 1,400 permits over the past several years.

Civilian air space is expected to be opened up to all kinds of drones in the US by 2015 and in Europe by 2016.

Existing regulations are in place to minimise the risk of injury to people on the ground, said Dr Darren Ansell, an expert on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from the University of Central Lancashire.

“The UAVs do not currently have the awareness of their environment to be able to avoid flying into people. To deliver goods to people’s homes for example in residential areas, the UAVs must overfly densely populated towns and cities, something that today’s regulations prevent.

“Other things to consider are security of the goods during the transit. With no one to guard them the aircraft and package could be captured and stolen,” he said.

Amazon said: “From a technology point of view, we’ll be ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place.”

The FAA was “actively working on rules for unmanned aerial vehicles”, the company said, adding that it hoped the green light would be given as early as 2015.

“One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road today.”

Zookal, an Australian textbook rental company, announced earlier this year that it would start using drones to make deliveries from 2015 if approved by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Australian law allows the use of unmanned aircraft for commercial use.

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Hunger Games: Catching Fire tops US box office for second week

Sonia Pantiss
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Hunger Games: Catching Fire tops US box office for second week

Hunger Games: Catching Fire has topped the US box office for a second week, while Disney’s Frozen opening has come at number two.

According to early estimates, the Hunger Games sequel took $110.2 million while Frozen took $93 million.

That figure made Frozen the biggest Thanksgiving opening ever.

Catching Fire and Frozen both beat the Thanksgiving box office record of $82.4 million set by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001.

Dave Hollis, Walt Disney executive vice president for distribution, said: “This was much more than we ever could have thought,” adding that it was the biggest-ever opening for one of its releases.

Disney’s Tangled opened during the Thanksgiving period in 2010, taking $68.7 million.

Frozen tells the story of a Scandinavian princess who tries to save her kingdom after the queen – her sister – accidentally uses her magic powers to freeze the country.

Disney’s action film Thor came in third with $15.5 million.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire has topped the US box office for a second week
Hunger Games: Catching Fire has topped the US box office for a second week

Ensemble movie The Best Man Holiday took $11.1 million to claim fourth spot, while Homefront, written by Sylvester Stallone and starring Jason Statham, was the second highest new entry at five with $9.8 million.

But Spike Lee’s latest offering, Oldboy, failed to make a big dent on the chart, taking just $850,000.

Nelson Mandela biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, took $100,306 – but that will be considered a solid return given it only opened in four cinemas in New York and Los Angeles.

The North American box office took $294 million in total, another record, just beating last year’s five-day Thanksgiving takings of $290 million.

North American box office Top 5:

1. Hunger Games: Catching Fire – $110.2 million

2. Frozen – $82.4 million

3. Thor: The Dark World – $15.5 million

4. The Best Man Holiday – $11.1 million

5. Homefront – $9.8 million

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Saab restarts production in Sweden

Clyde K. Valle
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Saab restarts production in Sweden

Saab has announced it will restart production on Monday as the company’s new owners look to get the carmaker back on track.

Saab went bankrupt in December 2011 and was bought by a Chinese-Swedish investment group, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), last year.

The carmaker will restart production of its 9-3 sedan model at its Trollhattan factory in western Sweden.

The firm will initially make a petrol-powered version of the car with the aim of launching an electric version later.

“It’s very similar, you can’t change or develop very much in a year. We acquired the assets in August last year,” Mikael Oestlund, a spokesman for NEVS was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Saab has announced it will restart production on Monday as the company's new owners look to get the carmaker back on track
Saab has announced it will restart production on Monday as the company’s new owners look to get the carmaker back on track

“Our focus has been to get the co-operation up and running with 400 suppliers and ensure the facilities were working.”

Saab has seen mixed fortunes over the past few years.

General Motors (GM) bought a 50% stake and management control of Saab in 1989, and gained full ownership in 2000.

The Swedish company’s car sales peaked at 133,000 cars in 2006. But then it saw its fortunes dwindle with sales falling to 93,000 cars in 2008 and just 27,000 in 2009.

To make matters worse, GM itself sought bankruptcy protection as the global financial crisis unfolded, forcing the US company to dispose of assets.

GM sold Saab to Dutch group Spyker, which in turn eventually sold the firm to NEVS in June last year. The new owners have said they want to focus on electric cars as they look to revive the brand.

Energy drinks can change heart contractions

Kathryn R. Bown
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Energy drinks can change heart contractions

A new research found that energy drinks packed with caffeine can change the way the heart beats.

The research team from the University of Bonn in Germany imaged the hearts of 17 people an hour after they had an energy drink.

The study showed contractions were more forceful after the drink.

The team told the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America that children and people with some health conditions should avoid the drinks.

Researcher Dr. Jonas Dorner said: “Until now, we haven’t known exactly what effect these energy drinks have on the function of the heart.

“The amount of caffeine is up to three times higher than in other caffeinated beverages like coffee or cola.

A new research found that energy drinks packed with caffeine can change the way the heart beats
A new research found that energy drinks packed with caffeine can change the way the heart beats

“There are many side effects known to be associated with a high intake of caffeine, including rapid heart rate, palpitations, rise in blood pressure and, in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death.”

The researchers gave the participants a drink containing 32 mg per 100 ml of caffeine and 400 mg per 100 ml of another chemical, taurine.

They showed the chamber of the heart that pumps blood around the body, the left ventricle, was contracting harder an hour after the energy drink was taken than at the start of the study.

Dr. Jonas Dorner added: “We’ve shown that energy drink consumption has a short-term impact on cardiac contractility.

“We don’t know exactly how or if this greater contractility of the heart impacts daily activities or athletic performance.”

The impact on people with heart disease is also unknown.

However, the research team advises that children and people with an irregular heartbeat should avoid the drinks.

Thalidomide lawsuit settled for $81 million

Kathryn R. Bown
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Thalidomide lawsuit settled for $81 million

The Thalidomide lawsuit filed by more than 100 people in Australia and New Zealand who suffered birth defects caused by the drug has been settled.

British company Diageo, which did not distribute the drug but now owns the firm that did, agreed to pay $81 million, lawyers of claimants say.

Thalidomide, sold in the 1950s as a cure for morning sickness, was linked to birth defects and withdrawn in 1961.

The case is one of many lawsuits filed against the drug over the years.

Thalidomide was sold worldwide before it was pulled out after thousands of babies were born with deformities.

Lawyers representing the victims praised the company Diageo for agreeing to pay compensation as it has also done in the UK.

But there was anger towards the drug’s German manufacturer Grunenthal, which was also being sued but refused to pay out as part of the settlement.

Thalidomide was sold worldwide before it was pulled out after thousands of babies were born with deformities
Thalidomide was sold worldwide before it was pulled out after thousands of babies were born with deformities

The settlement ends the case, which means the lawsuit against Grunenthal will be dropped, according to reports.

Peter Gordon, a lawyer for the claimants, said the litigation was “difficult and challenging”.

“The result we have achieved today is a vindication of their [claimants] courage,” he said.

The court will still have to approve the settlement.

Monica McGhie, one of the claimants, was born without limbs after her mother took Thalidomide during pregnancy 50 years ago.

“This settlement will not take that hardship away but it means I can look to the future with more confidence, knowing I can afford the support and care I need,” she said.

Distillers Company, now owned by Diageo, distributed Thalidomide in Australia.

A spokesman for Diageo, Ian Wright, said he believed a fair settlement has been reached.

“We hope this settlement will bring some relief to the people who have been affected and we hope it will allow them to approach the rest of their lives with some degree of hope and more comfort,” he added.

Thalidomide is still being used today to treat illnesses like leprosy and multiple myeloma.

What is Thalidomide?

  • Thalidomide was developed by German pharmaceutical company Grunenthal
  • The product was launched on October 1st, 1957
  • First marketed as a sedative it was then given to pregnant women to combat morning sickness
  • As many as 10,000 babies were born worldwide with deformities
  • Thalidomide is still used today to treat the complications of leprosy and multiple myeloma

Yingluck Shinawatra rejects protesters’ demands to step down

Diane A. Wade
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Yingluck Shinawatra rejects protesters’ demands to step down

Thailand’s PM Yingluck Shinawatra has rejected protesters’ demands that she step down, amid ongoing clashes in Bangkok.

Yingluck Shinawatra said the demands were not possible under the constitution, but that she remained open to talks.

More clashes broke out on Monday as protesters tried to storm the prime minister’s office, Government House.

Four people have died in Thailand’s worst political turmoil since the 2010 rallies that ended in violence.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra has rejected protesters' demands that she step down, amid ongoing clashes in Bangkok
PM Yingluck Shinawatra has rejected protesters’ demands that she step down, amid ongoing clashes in Bangkok

“Anything I can do to make people happy, I am willing to do… but as prime minister, what I can do must be under the constitution,” Yingluck Shinawatra said in a televised address.

Anti-government demonstrators have been calling on Yingluck Shinawatra to step down, with protest leader and former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban saying on Sunday that Yingluck Shinawatra should resign within the next “two days”.

The protesters want to replace the government with an unelected “People’s Council”, alleging Yingluck Shinawatra’s government is controlled by her brother, ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protests, which began on November 24, had been largely peaceful until Saturday, when they became violent.

Over the weekend demonstrators tried to break apart police barricades and storm the prime minister’s office, with police using tear gas and water cannons to repel them.

On Monday, protesters returned to the streets again and more clashes occurred, although correspondents said that demonstrator numbers appeared lower than before.

Yingluck Shinawatra has said that she would not authorize the use of force against protesters.

“The military has positioned itself as neutral and it wants to see a peaceful way out,” Yingluck Shinawatra added in Monday’s address.

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Ukraine: Protesters occupy government buildings over EU deal

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine: Protesters occupy government buildings over EU deal

Ukrainian activists are blockading the government buildings in Kiev, as they prepare for fresh demonstrations demanding the resignation of the government.

Hundreds of protesters spent the night in Independence Square while others were barricaded inside city hall.

The unrest was triggered in November by President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a deal on closer EU ties.

Parliamentary speaker Vlodymyr Rybak said talks between the government and the opposition would be held on Monday.

Vlodymyr Rybak said all sides would have an opportunity to express their opinions.

Ukrainian activists are blockading the government buildings in Kiev
Ukrainian activists are blockading the government buildings in Kiev

About 1,000 protesters camped out on Independence Square overnight, as activists prepare for round-the-clock demonstrations.

The protesters are blocking off the government’s main headquarters. Opposition leaders have called for a national strike and fresh street protests.

On Sunday between 100,000 and 500,000 took part in a march, defying a ban on rallies.

There were clashes near the presidential building, with demonstrators firing flares and riot police using tear gas, batons and stun grenades.

Some protesters stormed the city hall. One of them is the Russian opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov – husband of Pussy Riot punk group member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who is in jail in Russia.

Protests started more than a week ago after Viktor Yanukovych suspended preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions.

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Cyber Monday 2013: Wal-Mart launches Cyber Week specials

Nancy Clayson
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Cyber Monday 2013: Wal-Mart launches Cyber Week specials

Cyber Monday on December 2 kicks off Cyber Week 2013 at Wal-Mart.

Cyber Monday one of the year’s biggest shopping events for fantastic prices on electronics.

During Cyber Week, you’ll find special Cyber Monday deals that last all week long.

Cyber Monday kicks off Cyber Week 2013 at Wal-Mart
Cyber Monday kicks off Cyber Week 2013 at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart’s Cyber Monday deals and Cyber Week specials are some of the year’s best shopping values, so be sure to take advantage of these opportunities to shop and save. Plus, you’ll save even more with free shipping on thousands of items.

Get ready to save with these special Wal-Mart Cyber Monday deals.

Plus, sign up for Walmart.com emails, where you’ll find the latest updates on Cyber Week 2013.

Bryce Brites becomes world’s youngest professional football player at 20 months

Clyde K. Valle
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Bryce Brites becomes world’s youngest professional football player at 20 months

Bryce Brites became world’s youngest professional football player at only 20 months.

Bryce Brites signed this week with Belgian club FC Racing Boxberg, based near his home city of Genk, after impressing coaches with his “highly unusual” talent and “incredible” ball control. The precocious toddler was invited to train with the club’s Under-5 team and was signed and issued his very own Belgian FA membership card the very same day.

Bryce Brites became world’s youngest professional football player at only 20 months
Bryce Brites became world’s youngest professional football player at only 20 months

The toddler misses out on the all-time record for youngest-ever professional by two months. That record apparently belongs to Dutch footballer Baerke van der Meij, who signed a 10-year deal with VVV-Venlo when he was 18 months old.

Racing Boxberg club secretary Dany Vodnik raved about the young prodigy, who is still in diapers, to Dutch newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws: “Bryce kicks a ball in a way you do not even see when playing drills with four or five-year-olds. His ball control is incredible for his age. The way he dribbles with the ball at his feet between the cones, he can give a pass to the left or right.

“You ask him to kick a ball three or five meters and he does so, but he may not play with the five and six-year-old boys yet. We must remain cautious.“

Bryce Brites might just live up to the hype in about 15 years or so. But for the meantime, the toddler will likely enjoy instant celebrity status on his neighborhood playgrounds.

Kim Kardashian takes bathroom selfie

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian takes bathroom selfie

Kim Kardashian was dressed to impress at Kanye West’s concert in Miami, and decided to show the world in several Instagram photos on Friday.

Kim Kardashian, 33, wore a tight-fitting LBD dress for the big night – and even took one selfie next to Kanye West in the bathroom before his set.

Kim Kardashian was dressed to impress at Kanye West’s concert in Miami
Kim Kardashian was dressed to impress at Kanye West’s concert in Miami

“Bathroom selfie right before Yeezus hits the stage,” Kim Kardashian wrote.

Erin Burnett and David Rubulotta welcome baby boy

Lisa.Felice
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Erin Burnett and David Rubulotta welcome baby boy

CNN anchor Erin Burnett and husband David Rubulotta have welcomed a baby boy, her rep confirms to Us Weekly.

Erin Burnett, 37, gave birth one day after Thanksgiving.

The couple welcomed their first child at 9:47 p.m. on Friday, November 29. The baby boy weighed in at 8 lbs and 10 oz.

Erin Burnett and husband David Rubulotta have welcomed a baby boy
Erin Burnett and husband David Rubulotta have welcomed a baby boy

“Seeing him for the first time was the most awe-inspiring, joyful moment of our lives,” Erin Burnett told Us Weekly.

A CNN rep first confirmed that the Erin Burnett Outfront host was expecting in June.

“I can confirm that Erin Burnett and her husband David Rubulotta are expecting their first child in November,” the rep told Us Weekly at the time.

Erin Burnett and David Rubulotta – a managing director for Citigroup – announced their engagement in September 2011. They married last December in a ceremony at New York City’s City Hall.

Jade Rabbit rover: China launches its first mission to Moon

James J. Williams
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Jade Rabbit rover: China launches its first mission to Moon

China has launched its first lunar rover mission to space.

The Chang’e-3 mission blasted off from Xichang in the south at 01:30 Monday local time (17:30 GMT Sunday).

The Long March rocket’s payload includes a landing module and a six-wheeled robotic rover Yutu (Jade Rabbit).

The mission should land in the Moon’s northern hemisphere in mid-December.

Chinese state TV carried live pictures of the launch of the Chinese-developed Long March 3B rocket carrying the lunar probe.

This will be the third robotic rover mission to land on the lunar surface, but the Chinese vehicle carries a more sophisticated payload, including ground-penetrating radar which will gather measurements of the lunar soil and crust.

The 260lb Jade Rabbit rover can climb slopes of up to 30 degrees and travel at 660ft per hour
The 260lb Jade Rabbit rover can climb slopes of up to 30 degrees and travel at 660ft per hour

The 260lb Jade Rabbit rover can climb slopes of up to 30 degrees and travel at 660ft per hour, according to its designer the Shanghai Aerospace Systems Engineering Research Institute.

Its name – chosen in an online poll of 3.4 million voters – derives from an ancient Chinese myth about a rabbit living on the moon as the pet of the lunar goddess Chang’e.

The lander’s target is Sinus Iridum (Latin for Bay of Rainbows) a flat volcanic plain thought to be relatively clear of large rocks. It is part of a larger feature known as Mare Imbrium that forms the right eye of the “Man in the Moon”.

Other details of the mission are sketchy; the rover and lander are powered by solar panels but other sources suggest they also carry radioisotope heating units (RHUs) containing plutonium-238 to keep them warm during the cold lunar night.

Chang’e 3 is “the most complicated and difficult task yet in China’s exploration of space” and incorporates lots of new technology, Xinhua reported Wu Zhijian, a spokesman with the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, as saying.

The launch comes at a time when the Asian superpower is asserting itself in other areas, such as control of airspace over the East China Sea. China considers its space programme a symbol of its rising global stature and technological advancement, as well as of the Communist Party’s success in reversing the fortunes of the once impoverished nation.

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Yingluck Shinawatra given two-day ultimatum

Diane A. Wade
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Yingluck Shinawatra given two-day ultimatum

Thailand’s protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban says he has met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and given her two days to “return power to the people”.

Suthep Thaugsuban said the meeting had been held under the auspices of the military and there was no compromise.

He did not say what action would follow if the ultimatum were not heeded.

On the eighth day of action to unseat PM Yingluck Shinawatra, police fended off protesters who descended on key sites in Bangkok. Four people have died in the unrest.

Dozens have been injured.

The protesters had declared Sunday the decisive “V-Day” of what they termed a “people’s coup”.

The worst violence occurred when Thai students attacked vehicles bringing pro-government activists to a Bangkok stadium
The worst violence occurred when Thai students attacked vehicles bringing pro-government activists to a Bangkok stadium

They say Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration is controlled by her brother, exiled ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra, and they want to replace it with a “People’s Council”.

Suthep Thaugsuban said he had met the prime minister in a secret location in the presence of the army, navy and air force commanders.

“There was no negotiation and no compromise,” Suthep Thaugsuban was quoted as saying.

“I told Yingluck that this is the only and last time I see her until power is handed over to the people.

“There will be no bargaining and it must be finished in two days.”

Some 30,000 protesters had gathered earlier at about eight sites, police said, including Government House, television stations and the police headquarters.

Protesters did enter several TV stations to ensure a message from Suthep Thaugsuban was aired. It was broadcast by almost all of Thailand’s channels.

Suthep Thaugsuban called a general strike for government employees for Monday.

Yingluck Shinawatra had intended to give media interviews on Sunday at a Bangkok police complex but was forced to leave when protesters tried to break in.

Deputy PM Pracha Promnok urged people in the capital to stay indoors from 22:00 to 05:00 local time “so they will not become victims of provocateurs”.

The worst violence occurred when students attacked vehicles bringing pro-government activists to a Bangkok stadium on Saturday.

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Paul Walker death: Stars reaction

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker death: Stars reaction

Paul Walker has been killed in a car crash in Los Angeles.

Paul Walker, 40, was a passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend – who also died – when it crashed north of Los Angeles.

The actor was said to be attending a charity event at the time.

He starred in all but one of the films in the Fast & Furious franchise, the sixth of which opened in May.

Paul Walker also starred in the suspense drama Hours, a movie that is set for release this month.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department said the crash happened in the community of Valencia.

Paul Walker has been killed in a car crash in Los Angeles
Paul Walker has been killed in a car crash in Los Angeles

The stars reacted to Paul Walker’s death:

“Brother I will miss you very much. I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has gained a new Angel. Rest in Peace,” Vin Diesel posted to his Instagram page.

“My heart is hurting so bad no one can make me believe this is real Father God I pray that you send clarity over this cause I just don’t understand My heart hurts it’s broken no one can convince me that this is real…. Prayer warriors please pray real hard for his only child, his daughter and family… #HeartOfAnAngel13YrsFamilyForeverWeJustCelebreatedYour40thBirthday….. My God… My God… I can’t believe I’m writing this,” Tyrese posted, along with this photo, to his Instagram page.

“All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength.. in his light. Love you brother,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson tweeted.

“Your humble spirit was felt from the start, wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark, we were like brothers & our birthdays are only 1 day apart, now You will forever hold a place in all of our hearts @paulwalker legacy will live on forever. R.I.P.,” Ludacris wrote.

“Paul was pure light. I cannot believe he is gone,” -Jordana Brewster tweeted.

Metro-North train derails in Bronx killing at least 4 people

Nancy Clayson
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Metro-North train derails in Bronx killing at least 4 people

At least four people have been killed and 63 injured in a passenger train crash in the Bronx area of New York City.

Eleven of the injured are believed to be in a critical condition in hospital.

The Metro-North train’s locomotive and carriages derailed as the train went into a bend in the railway line near Spuyten Duyvil station.

At least one eyewitness said the train – the 05:54 from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Station – was travelling much faster than normal at the time.

None of the carriages went into the adjacent Hudson or Harlem rivers – although pictures from the scene suggest this nearly happened.

The train appeared to be going “a lot faster” than normal as it approached the curve coming into the station, passenger Frank Tatulli told WABC-TV.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said the curve where the derailment occurred was in a slow speed area, and that the train’s black box recorder should be able to tell how fast the train was travelling.

The Metro-North train's locomotive and carriages derailed as the train went into a bend in the railway line near Spuyten Duyvil station
The Metro-North train’s locomotive and carriages derailed as the train went into a bend in the railway line near Spuyten Duyvil station

Joel Zaritsky was travelling on the train to attend a dental convention in New York City.

“I was asleep and I woke up when the car started rolling several times,” he told the Associated Press news agency.

“Then I saw the gravel coming at me, and I heard people screaming. There was smoke everywhere and debris. People were thrown to the other side of the train.”

Speaking to the media near the scene, New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed the casualty figures, adding that the authorities believed everyone at the site has been accounted for and that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was en route to the area to begin an investigation.

“It’s obviously a very tragic situation,” he said.

“The first order of business is to care for the people who were on the train… we’ll wait to see what the NTSB says before speculating as to any causes.”

Metro-North is a rail service that serves commuters from New York City’s northern suburbs. It is not part of the New York City subway system.

Sunday’s accident is the second passenger train derailment this year for the rail service.

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Professor Green arrested in London

Lisa.Felice
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Professor Green arrested in London

Professor Green has been arrested in London on suspicion of lying to police.

Professor Green, whose real name is Stephen Manderson, was held after police were sent to reports of a robbery in south-east London.

Officers had been called about a suspected mugging at about 2.40 a.m. on Sunday, November 3.

When they arrived at the scene they found Professor Green’s car had been in a crash with a van.

Professor Green has been arrested in London on suspicion of lying to police
Professor Green has been arrested in London on suspicion of lying to police

The rapper was arrested on suspicion of DUI at the time and released on bail.

Professor Green, 29, was then arrested again on Monday on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

A spokesman from London’s Metropolitan Police said: “He has been bailed to a date in January pending further inquiries.”

Professor Green recently married Millie Mackintosh, star of reality TV show Made in Chelsea.

Earlier this year he was involved in a car accident.

Professor Green said it left his health and album/touring schedule “in absolute jeopardy”.

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Gary Arthur: Police Scotland names first victim of Glasgow helicopter crash

Nancy Clayson
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Gary Arthur: Police Scotland names first victim of Glasgow helicopter crash

Gary Arthur has been named by Scottish police as one of the eight people who died after a helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub.

Gary Arthur, 48, was from the Paisley area, Police Scotland said.

Three occupants of the Police Scotland aircraft died when it hit The Clutha at about 22:25 GMT on Friday. A further five people inside the pub also died.

Emergency services are continuing the operation to recover any remaining bodies. Prayers will be offered at Glasgow Cathedral later.

A further 14 people are being treated for serious injuries.

Police Scotland said in a statement that “the body of a male has been recovered from the scene”.

Gary Arthur has been named by Scottish police as one of the eight people who died after a helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub
Gary Arthur has been named by Scottish police as one of the eight people who died after a helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub

“The male has now been identified as Gary Arthur, aged 48, from the Paisley area. His family have been informed.

“Extensive efforts continue to recover the remaining bodies from the scene but, due to ongoing safety constraints, this is likely to take some time.”

Gary Arthur’s daughter Chloe, 18, who has played for the Scotland women’s football team and for Celtic women, took to Twitter to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and to pledge that she would make her much-loved father proud.

Chloe Arthur tweeted: “RIP dad. You’ll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart.

“Thanks to everyone who has tweeted me, text me etc, means so much, I have the most amazing friends ever.”

Gary Arthur was a regular on the sidelines watching his daughter play at matches, according to Celtic women’s manager David Haley.

A minute’s silence will be held before Celtic’s Scottish Cup tie against Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

Celtic FC and the Scottish Football Association also sent their condolences.

Emergency teams working through the wreckage had two main purposes.

They wanted to be sure they had located everyone who might have been trapped inside and they wanted to recover as much of the police helicopter as they could to help find out what went wrong.

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Thailand protests: Troops deployed amid Bangkok clashes

Diane A. Wade
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Thailand protests: Troops deployed amid Bangkok clashes

Thailand’s government has decided to deploy troops in Bangkok to support riot police shielding official buildings from anti-government protesters.

Tear gas and water cannon were fired as protesters tried to breach barricades outside Government House.

Activists have threatened to enter key government buildings, including the headquarters of PM Yingluck Shinawatra.

Sunday is the eighth day of protests aimed at unseating Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protest leaders had said it would be the decisive day. They declared it “V-Day” of what they are calling a “people’s coup”.

Two people were killed and dozens more wounded on Saturday as pro- and anti-government groups clashed.

Troops have been deployed in Bangkok to support riot police shielding official buildings from anti-government protesters
Troops have been deployed in Bangkok to support riot police shielding official buildings from anti-government protesters

The anti-government Civil Movement for Democracy has announced an all-out assault on the heart of the government, with the aim of replacing it with a “People’s Council”.

It says Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration is controlled by her brother, exiled ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Bangkok Post reported that a group of anti-government protesters had taken control of the Thai PBS television station. They told PBS officials to televise speeches made by the protest leaders, the report said.

Police drove back another set of demonstrators at the police headquarters.

Officials denied rumors Yingluck Shinawatra had left the country, but her whereabouts are unknown.

Yingluck Shinawatra had earlier said the government would use minimum force to hold back the protesters.

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Ukraine: Thousands gathered in Kiev for new mass protests

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine: Thousands gathered in Kiev for new mass protests

New mass protests against Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich’s refusal to sign a trade deal with the EU are planned for Sunday at noon.

They are demanding new elections, and the impeachment of the president.

Rallies continued through the night, with thousands gathered on the main square in the capital Kiev.

Police violently dispersed an opposition camp on Saturday, injuring dozens of people.

New mass protests against Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich's refusal to sign a trade deal with the EU are planned for Sunday at noon
New mass protests against Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich’s refusal to sign a trade deal with the EU are planned for Sunday at noon

President Viktor Yanukovich said he was “outraged” by the police action.

The new rally is planned for Sunday at 12:00.

Jailed opposition leader and ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko urged Ukrainians “not to leave the authorities’ actions unanswered”.

In a message read by her daughter on Saturday, Yulia Tymoshenko urged Ukrainians: “Fly, drive, walk to Kiev from all parts of Ukraine, but gather everyone on 1 December.”

“We can and should remove these authorities,” an opposition party leader Vitali Klitschko told thousands of demonstrators outside Kiev’s St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

“We should come out and show that we will not allow them to humiliate us, we will stand up for our rights.”

Vitali Klitschko said that supporters were travelling from the western city of Lviv and other Ukrainian cities to take part in Sunday’s rally.

Meanwhile, a court in Kiev has banned protested in Independence Square, European Square and at other locations in the city centre until January 7, 2014.

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ObamaCare: Deadline to fix HealthCare.gov passes

Clyde K. Valle
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ObamaCare: Deadline to fix HealthCare.gov passes

The deadline to overhaul the website of ObamaCare reform law has passed but it is unclear if all the glitches have been fixed.

Technicians worked around the clock to meet the midnight deadline but the site was due to go offline for maintenance early on Sunday.

The test will probably come as people return from Thanksgiving holidays.

Problems with the website have led to a drop in President Barack Obama’s approval ratings.

White House officials said the HealthCare.gov site was working well on Saturday after overnight hardware upgrades to boost its capacity.

Software fixes to improve speed and reduce errors were planned for overnight Saturday into Sunday morning.

An update on the website’s progress is due to be released later on Sunday by Jeff Zients, the site’s chief troubleshooter.

The deadline to overhaul the website of ObamaCare reform law has passed but it is unclear if all the glitches have been fixed
The deadline to overhaul the website of ObamaCare reform law has passed but it is unclear if all the glitches have been fixed

HealthCare.gov is a key element of Barack Obama’s flagship 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – also known as ObamaCare – which aims to provide affordable health insurance to the estimated 15% of US citizens who lack it.

But since its October 1st launch, the site has been plagued by errors, outages and slow speeds.

Despite the setbacks, Barack Obama has described his healthcare reform law as a legacy to be proud of.

In an interview with ABC News, Barack Obama said he still believed his Affordable Care Act would make good on his manifesto promise to deliver affordable health care to Americans.

ObamaCare has been strongly criticized by Republican party politicians and many private health providers, who say it is too expensive and an unwarranted intrusion into the affairs of private businesses and individuals.

Their opposition intensified after the troubled launch of HealthCare.gov in October.

The website, which services 36 states, signed up just 27,000 people in the first month while the 14 states that run their own websites enrolled 79,000.

The total of around 106,000 was far off the administration’s estimate that nearly 500,000 people would enroll within the first month.

The White House promised a “smooth experience” for the “vast majority” of website users by the end of November.

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North Korea urged to release US citizens Merrill Newman and Kenneth Bae

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea urged to release US citizens Merrill Newman and Kenneth Bae

The US has urged North Korea to release American citizen Merrill Newman, who is detained in Pyongyang for more than a month.

On Saturday, state media in North Korea said Merrill Newman, 85, had confessed to “indelible crimes” against the state during the 1950-53 Korean War.

It published what it described as a “statement of apology” by Merrill Newman.

The US also called on North Korea to release another American, Kenneth Bae, who is held since November 2012 and sentenced in May to 15 years’ hard labor.

The US has urged North Korea to release American citizen Merrill Newman
The US has urged North Korea to release American citizen Merrill Newman

“We remain deeply concerned about the welfare of the US citizens held in custody in the DPRK [North Korea]” said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.

“Given Mr. Newman’s advanced age and health conditions, we urge the DPRK to release Mr. Newman so he may return home and reunite with his family,” she went on.

Regarding Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American, Caitlin Hayden said: “We continue to urge the DPRK authorities to grant him amnesty and immediate release.”

Pyongyang accused Kenneth Bae – described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary – of using his tourism business to plot sedition.

The official Korean Central News Agency said on Saturday that Merrill Newman had ordered the deaths of North Korean soldiers and civilians in the Korean War.

Although Merrill Newman did serve during the Korean War, his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.

Pyongyang’s state media have routinely publicized alleged apologies from previous US detainees, which cannot be independently verified.

Authorities have previously been accused of coercing confessions from detainees.

Some observers say Merrill Newman’s alleged confession could allow North Korea to release him without formal legal proceedings.

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Paul Walker dead: Fast & Furious actor dies in LA car crash

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker dead: Fast & Furious actor dies in LA car crash

Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker has been killed in a car crash in California.

Paul Walker, 40, was a passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend – who also died – when it crashed north of Los Angeles.

The actor was said to be attending a charity event at the time.

Paul Walker starred in all but one of the films in the Fast & Furious franchise, the sixth of which opened in May.

He also starred in the suspense drama Hours, a movie that is set for release this month.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department said the crash happened in the community of Valencia.

Paul Walker was a passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend
Paul Walker was a passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend

It said deputies found a car engulfed in flames when they responded to a report of a collision. Two people found in the car were pronounced dead at the scene.

Images showed the burned-out wreckage of a red Porsche by the side of the road.

“It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide,” the statement on Paul Walker’s Facebook page said.

“He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives. We… are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news.”

Universal Pictures also issued a statement, saying studio staff were “heartbroken” by Paul Walker’s death.

“Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the Fast & Furious films, and to countless fans.

“We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”

Paul Walker played undercover agent Brian O’Conner in the Fast & Furious movies.

The first film of the franchise was released in 2001 and the seventh is in development.

Paul Walker was one of the leading protagonists, along with Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez.

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Comet ISON survives Sun passage

James J. Williams
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Comet ISON survives Sun passage

According to some specialists, Comet ISON appears to have survived a close encounter with the Sun that had threatened to vaporize it.

The remnant could now go on to be visible from Earth in December, but astronomers do not know how bright it might become.

Travelling at more than 200 miles per second, ISON passed 730,000 miles above the sun’s 6,000C surface on Thursday evening. This would have heated the comet to almost 3,000°C, enough to vaporize rock as well as ice.

The hope was that the comet would remain sufficiently bright to be visible with the unaided eye throughout December. However, as ISON sped towards the sun, it faded dramatically from view. This led some experts to assume it had disintegrated.

“I’m not seeing anything that emerged from behind the solar disc. That could be the nail in the coffin,” said astrophysicist Karl Battams, from the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, during a live broadcast on NASA TV.

Yet, rumors of the comet’s demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Overnight, something following ISON’s orbit re-emerged on the opposite side of the sun. Now it is brightening as it plunges back into deep space.

Comet ISON appears to have survived a close encounter with the Sun that had threatened to vaporize it
Comet ISON appears to have survived a close encounter with the Sun that had threatened to vaporize it

“To all intents and purposes it looked like it had gone, and then amazingly this thing appears out the other side,” said Professor Tim O’Brien, associate director of the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank observatory.

“What we don’t know is whether the whole thing fell apart and whether the dust that was embedded within the ice is just basically in a big cloud and that is continuing to orbit,” he explained.

“The question is, is it just a cloud of dust … or is there still either one or more remnants of the nucleus.”

The nucleus, a huge lump of rock and ice, was several miles wide on its approach to the sun, and brightened as the sun heated it to create an atmosphere, or coma, of ice and dust which was blown away from the sun to form a tail.

But radiation pressure, extreme heat and gravitational forces could have ripped the comet apart.

If the remnant is a cloud of dust it will rapidly dissipate. If it is solid the sunlight will continue to vaporize its ice, creating a tail that may be visible from Earth.

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Evelyn Lozada pregnant with baby No 2

Lisa.Felice
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Evelyn Lozada pregnant with baby No 2

Evelyn Lozada is pregnant with her second child, the Basketball Wives star confirmed via Twitter.

According to TMZ, which was first to break the news, Evelyn Lozada is around six months along. The pregnancy was reportedly planned, and the father is her boyfriend, whom she has apparently been dating for almost a year now.

Evelyn Lozada, 37, is keeping her boyfriend’s identity under wraps for now.

Evelyn Lozada is pregnant with her second child
Evelyn Lozada is pregnant with her second child

She showed off her growing baby bump on vacation with her 20-year-old daughter, Shaniece Hairston, in Hawaii, on Thanksgiving Day.

“You deserve everything that GOD sends your way. I am so excited to meet my new sibling!” Shaniece Hairston wrote via Instagram. She included a photo of the two walking on the beach, her hand on her mom’s growing baby bump.

“#YouJustKeepWinning #BabySwag #JOY”

Evelyn Lozada was previously married to Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson for a brief time in 2012. The couple wed in July but split just a little over a month later, after the NFL player was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly head-butting his then-wife. They finalized their divorce in September of that same year.

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