A deadly wintry storm heading toward East Coast threatens Thanksgiving travel plans for millions of Americans.
The storm threatens to dump snow on inland regions of several Northeast states on the eve of the holiday, a meteorologist said Monday.
The weather system has already heaped up to a foot of snow in the mountain regions of Utah and Colorado, and claimed 13 lives including a 4-year-old girl killed in a rollover smash on icy roads in New Mexico.
A deadly wintry storm heading toward East Coast threatens Thanksgiving travel plans for millions of Americans
With the storm gathering pace and moving northeast, the 43 million people who are expected to travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving were warned to avoid driving during the worst conditions slated for Tuesday and Wednesday, said Kevin Roth, lead meteorologist at The Weather Channel.
Three million of these travelers expected to fly, and there is also a good chance flights could be delayed leaving from airports in New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.
Kevin Roth said this was due to forecast low cloud and high wind, however, rather than ice or snow.
Some 300 flights were canceled at DFW International Airport across Saturday and Sunday, with officials there anticipating icy conditions.
Some of the EU sanctions on Iran could be lifted as early as next month, as part of a nuclear deal with world powers, France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says.
Laurent Fabius was speaking after crowds in Tehran cheered negotiators who had agreed to curb some of Iran’s nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.
The six-month interim deal agreed in Geneva prompted a fall in oil prices on markets on Monday.
Meanwhile, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the agreement is a “historic mistake”.
President Barack Obama phoned Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the deal on Sunday. He told the Israeli leader he understood Israel “has good reason to be skeptical about Iran’s intentions” and promised to consult its ally closely, the White House said.
Some of the EU sanctions on Iran could be lifted as early as next month, as part of a nuclear deal with world powers
Laurent Fabius told French radio on Monday that “Iran is committed to giving up the prospect of nuclear weapons. It’s perfectly clear”.
However, the French foreign minister insisted that the temporary deal could be reversed if its terms were not adhered to: “As long as some things remained to be settled, nothing is settled.”
EU foreign ministers would meet “in a few weeks” to put forward a proposal partially to lift some sanctions on Iran, which the 28-member bloc would then have to approve. The limited lifting of sanctions would take place “in December”, he added.
France, the UK and Germany, the US, Russia and China took part in the talks with Iran, hosted by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Under the deal which will last six months, Iran would receive some $7 billion in “limited, temporary, targeted, and reversible [sanctions] relief” while a permanent agreement is sought.
In return, Tehran has agreed to a series of measures surrounding its nuclear programme.
Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe has described China’s move to create a new “air defense identification zone” over disputed waters as “dangerous”.
China’s action had “no validity whatsoever on Japan”, Shinzo Abe added.
China has voiced anger at Japanese and US objections to the new air zone, and lodged complaints with their embassies.
The zone covers disputed islands that are claimed and controlled by Japan. China says aircraft entering the zone must obey its rules.
Shinzo Abe told parliament on Monday that the zone “can invite an unexpected occurrence and it is a very dangerous thing as well”.
“We demand China revoke any measures that could infringe upon the freedom of flight in international airspace,” he added.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has called the move a “destabilizing attempt to alter the status quo in the region”.
“This unilateral action increases the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculations,” Chuck Hagel said in a statement.
“This announcement by the People’s Republic of China will not in any way change how the United States conducts military operations in the region,” he added.
Japan described China’s move as an “escalation” on Saturday, after China announced the new zone.
On Sunday, Yang Yujun, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defense, said Japan’s reaction was “absolutely groundless and unacceptable”.
The disputed islands in the East China Sea have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades
“We strongly require the Japanese side to stop all moves that undermine China’s territorial sovereignty as well as irresponsible remarks that misguide international opinions and create regional tensions,” Yang Yujun said.
He also demanded that the US “earnestly respect China’s national security [and] stop making irresponsible remarks for China’s setup of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone”.
Meanwhile, South Korea said it found it “regretful” that China’s new zone partly overlapped with its own military air zone, and covered Ieodo, a submerged rock claimed by Seoul.
“I’d like to say once again that we have unchanging territorial control over Ieodo,” Kim Min-seok, a South Korean defense ministry spokesman, said on Monday.
Taiwan also claims the Japan-controlled disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Taiwan said that it would “defend its sovereignty over the archipelago.”
China said the air defense zone came into effect from 10:00 local time on Saturday.
Aircraft in the zone must report a flight plan, “maintain two-way radio communications” and “respond in a timely and accurate manner” to identification inquiries, China’s Defense Ministry said.
Aircraft that did not follow such rules would be subject to “defensive emergency measures”, the ministry added.
The disputed islands in the East China Sea have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades.
In 2012, the Japanese government bought three of the islands from their private Japanese owner, sparking mass protests in Chinese cities.
Since then, Chinese ships have repeatedly sailed in and out of what Japan says are its territorial waters.
China said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down Chinese aircraft would constitute “an act of war”.
China is also engaged in territorial disputes with several South East Asian countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines. The disputes centre around ocean areas and two island chains in the South China Sea.
Hunger Games: Catching Fire has topped the US box office chart this weekend with takings of $161 million.
The Hunger Games sequel narrowly failed to become the biggest opener of the year, falling short of Iron Man 3‘s debut of $174 million.
However, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, starring Jennifer Lawrence, did achieve the most successful November opening of all time.
Its performance dominated cinema-going in North America, with nearest rival Thor taking in a mere $14.1 million.
The only other new entry, Disney comedy Delivery Man, starring Vince Vaughn, had to settled for fourth place and box office returns of $8.2 million.
Catching Fire managed the fourth biggest US opening of all time, behind The Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part II.
More complicated box office marketing in recent years has boosted box office returns, with higher-priced Imax and 3D tickets and early Thursday night screenings being taken into account.
Catching Fire earned 8% of its first weekend takings from higher priced Imax tickets.
Hunger Games: Catching Fire has topped the US box office chart this weekend with takings of $161 million
The second outing of the Hunger Games franchise had a more lavish budget, outperforming the first film in its first week at cinemas, and appealing to a wider audience.
The first film, released last year, took $152 million in its opening weekend.
The latest film is based on Suzanne Collins’ trilogy of dystopian novels where young people fight one another to the death on live television.
Indonesia has raised the alert for the Mount Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra to the highest level.
The status was raised from “stand-by” to “caution” – the highest alert for volcanic activity – on Sunday.
People have also been warned to stay at least 3 miles from the crater.
Mount Sinabung has been showing signs of life since September, after being dormant for three years. Over the weekend, it shot ash and rocks far into the air, prompting the alert move.
More than 15,000 villagers in the area had already been moved to temporary shelters, disaster management officials said in a statement.
Indonesia has raised the alert for the Mount Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra to the highest level
Airlines have also been advised not to fly near the area.
The disaster management agency said they had changed the alert level because they anticipated there would “more eruptions and because the intensity of eruptions has been increasing”.
A local official told Agence-France Presse agency that “loud thunderous sound and vibrations” accompanied the eruptions.
No casualties have been reported so far.
When the volcano last erupted in 2010, at least two people were killed and 30,000 others were displaced.
Before 2010, Mount Sinabung had not erupted in 400 years. It is one of around 130 active volcanoes in the country.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched on Bangkok streets for a second day of anti-government demonstrations in Thailand, forcing their way into the finance ministry.
The protesters, who began their action over the weekend, want the government of PM Yingluck Shinawatra to step down.
After a huge rally on Sunday, crowds marched on Monday to several different locations in the city.
The protests have been triggered by a controversial political amnesty bill.
The legislation, which the opposition say would have allowed ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra – the current prime minister’s brother – to return to Thailand without serving a jail sentence for corruption, failed to pass in the Senate earlier this month.
But the proposed legislation led to a fresh outbreak of street protests, reigniting simmering political divisions and raising the specter of renewed political turmoil in the South East Asian nation.
On Monday the anti-government protesters, who are led by a former opposition Democratic Party lawmaker, marched to state offices, military headquarters and television stations.
Campaign leader Suthep Thaugsuban had said the protest would be peaceful, with crowds “blowing whistles and handing out flowers”.
But at the finance ministry, a group of around 40 people swarmed into the compound.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched on Bangkok streets for a second day of anti-government demonstrations in Thailand
“Tomorrow [Tuesday] we will seize all ministries to show to the Thaksin system that they have no legitimacy to run the country,” AFP news agency quoted Suthep Thaugsuban as saying.
Sunday’s demonstration drew an estimated 100,000 people, who called on the government to step down.
“We have stood by silently while her [PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s] brother calls the shots and she runs the country into the ground with loss-making policies,” Reuters news agency quoted protester Suwang Ruangchai, 54, as saying.
About 40,000 government supporters held a separate rally in another part of the capital on Sunday.
Thailand has been bitterly divided since Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in 2006.
Groups opposed to him occupied Bangkok’s main airport in 2008, shutting it down. Then in 2010, those who backed him and his allies held two months of street protests that paralyzed Bangkok.
Those demonstrations ended in a military crackdown. More than 90 people – mostly civilian protesters – died over the course of the two-month sit-in.
A government led by Thaksin Shinawatra’s sister was subsequently elected and since then Thailand has remained relatively politically stable.
But the opposition accuses Thaksin Shinawatra of running the government from self-imposed exile overseas, and the now-shelved amnesty bill has served as a spark for renewed protests.
The bill applied to offences committed during the upheaval after Thaksin Shinawatra was removed from office. Yingluck Shinawatra’s government had argued that the legislation was a necessary step towards reconciliation.
But critics said it would allow human rights abuses – such as the killing of civilian protesters – to go unpunished.
And the opposition viewed it as a way of overturning the jail sentence given to Thaksin Shinawatra, paving the way for his return.
Thaksin Shinawatra is a deeply polarizing figure in Thai politics. He drew huge support from Thailand’s rural poor but strong opposition from other sectors in society, and the divisions dating from the 2006 coup continue to dominate the political landscape.
Both main candidates in the presidential election in Honduras are claiming victory.
With 42% of votes declared, the conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez leads with 34.15%, while Xiomara Castro has 28.45%, say election officials.
However, Xiomara Castro, wife of ousted ex-president Manuel Zelaya, has announced to reporters that she has won.
Turn-out was high in Honduras, with millions voting for a new president, members of parliament and local mayors.
Voting took place amid tight security, but no serious incidents were reported in Honduras, which has the highest murder rate in the world.
Polling was extended for one hour due to a big turn-out.
“Thank God and thank you to the Honduran people for this triumph,” posted Juan Orlando Hernandez on his Twitter page, at that stage with 24% of votes declared.
Xiomara Castro also used her Twitter account to announce that she had won: “Based on the exit poll results that I have received from the whole country, I can tell you: I am the president of Honduras.”
Both main candidates in the presidential election in Honduras are claiming victory
She is bidding to become the first female president of Honduras
“Today, we can say that we have won,” Xiomara Castro told reporters.
David Matamoros, president of the electoral court, said final results were not expected until early Monday.
“The preliminary results we have given so far do not show any tendency or declare any winner,” he said.
Opinions polls had pointed to a close race between Xiomara Castro and Juan Orlando Hernandez, the two leading candidates in the presidential race.
Juan Orlando Hernandez, whose National Party backed the military coup in 2009 against Manuel Zelaya, has vowed to restore order with more soldiers and police on the streets.
Xiomara Castro has proposed a community police force to tackle local crime, with more soldiers deployed to the borders to combat drug trafficking.
Around 5.4 million Hondurans were registered to vote and authorities say there was a “massive turn-out”.
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. It also has the world’s highest murder rate, averaging 20 a day.
Much of the violence is blamed on gang violence and drug traffickers.
A margin of just one vote is needed for a win – there is no run-off election.
David Richards and his family have put up 502,165 Christmas lights around their home in Canberra, setting a new world record.
The Australian family set the record for the most Christmas lights on a residential property, Guinness World Records confirmed.
David Richards told reporters he had started working on the display in October.
The family first held the world record in 2011, before losing the title to a family in New York.
David Richards and his family have put up 502,165 Christmas lights around their home in Canberra, setting a new world record
The Richards family had put up 331,038 Christmas lights in 2011.
“I took a week off in [the] October school holidays and then have worked every weekend since,” David Richards said.
“I have always loved Christmas. Having the Christmas lights with the community coming in and sharing it is a time when you get to know people you probably should know better,” he added.
David Richards did not rule out doing this again in the future, but said he would need a generator to get any more electricity for his home, AP news agency reported.
The Richards family will open the display to visitors in the coming weeks, to raise money for a children’s charity.
Pope Francis has decided to put on public display nine tiny fragments of bone which may belong to St Peter, the world’s first Pope.
The fragments were placed in a case on the altar during an open air mass in St Peter’s Square.
The bones reputed to be of St Peter were held aloft by Pope Francis at mass on Sunday – the first time the relics have ever been shown to the public.
Discovered during the excavation of tombs under St Peter’s Basilica in the 1940s, the alleged bones of the saint and apostle who lived 2,000 years ago – and who is considered the first pope – have always been stored in the chapel of the papal apartment.
But to mark the end of the Vatican’s Year of Faith, during which 8.5 million people have visited St Peter’s tomb, the bronze box containing the fragments was brought into St Peter’s Square for an open air mass on Sunday.
Placed on the altar, the box was opened, revealing the fragments – each measuring about an inch long – laid on an ivory base and held down with wire. Pope Francis first wafted incense towards the bones, then held the box aloft during the mass, although he did not refer to them.
The Catholic Church has long been undecided on whether the bones are truly those of St Peter, even though, in 1968 archeologist Margherita Guarducci persuaded Pope Paul VI to say the bones had been “identified in a way we can hold to be convincing”.
Pope Francis has decided to put on public display nine tiny fragments of bone which may belong to St Peter, the world’s first Pope
Prof. Margherita Guarducci had noticed Greek graffiti near the excavated tomb graffiti that she translated as “Peter is here”, while tests on the bones showed they came from a man in his 60s. But her conclusion was rejected by fellow experts involved in the dig.
A Latin inscription on the outside of the bronze box in which the bones are contained states they are “considered” to be St Peter’s.
Ahead of the unveiling, archbishop Rino Fisichella, the head of the pontifical council for the promotion of new evangelization, said the relics were merely “traditionally recognized” as belonging to Saint Peter.
“It has finally been decided to produce the bones for the public, but these relics have a low profile at the Vatican,” said Marco Ansaldo, a Vatican expert at Italy’s La Repubblica.
“It seems clear the Vatican is not yet sure about the relics and is therefore rather embarrassed” he added.
The Vatican also has an ambivalent view of the Turin Shroud, the length of cloth bearing the image of a man, which was reputedly used to wrap the corpse of Christ. Without confirming if they believe the shroud is genuine, Vatican officials say it has earned its role as an object of veneration.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that producing the bones on Sunday was “a way to feel spiritually close to the story of the tomb and of the apostle. There is a serious possibility they are St Peter’s bones, but we don’t go beyond that”.
A wintry storm, which started in the Southwest on Thursday, could affect a good chunk of the country by the time its westward march comes to an end.
The storm making its way through New Mexico and Texas, with the possibility of advancing to the Northeast and hindering holiday travel plans along the way.
The inconveniently-timed storm will especially be a concern for the 43 million people who are expected to travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA.
Three million of those are slated to fly to their destinations, AAA predicted.
The “Nordic outbreak” will “produce a mixed bag of wily weather that will end up impacting much of the nation,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Harris.
More than a foot of snow was reported on Sunday in many mountain regions of Utah and Colorado, but the greatest accumulation reached almost four feet in Abajo Peak in southeast Utah, according to the Weather Channel. Even Flagstaff, Ariz. has seen 6 inches of snow since the storm started Thursday night, according to AZ Central.
On Sunday, most of New Mexico and Texas and parts of Oklahoma were placed under National Weather Service winter storm warnings until Monday.
In New Mexico, forecasters predicted 5 inches of snow and temperatures as low as 20. The snow that began late Saturday, paired with the freezing temperatures, created dangerous driving conditions, and many roads were closed.
The icy roads there led to a rollover accident that killed a 4-year-old girl, State Police Sergeant Emmanuel Gutierrez said.
The inconveniently-timed storm will especially be a concern for the 43 million people who are expected to travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday
New Mexico NBC affiliate KOB reported strong winds and near white-out conditions late Saturday night along a stretch of I-40, about 80 miles west of Albuquerque.
On Saturday, a storm-related crash involving nearly a dozen vehicles left three dead in the Texas Panhandle.
Three more were killed due to the storm in California, where the storm first hit. A man was killed when he crashed his car into a tree and a woman was killed when a tree collapsed onto her parked car. A third person in California was found dead near power lines that were down due to heavy winds and flooding.
Additional flooding in Arizona swept a man into the Santa Cruz River. Firefighters recovered his body on Friday.
The wild weather system will spread east to Arkansas and northern Louisiana Sunday night into early Monday, according to the Weather Channel.
From there, it will most likely bring heavy rain to the Southeast through Tuesday, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Dr. Tom Niziol.
The storm is expected to dump rain on areas from Atlanta to the Carolinas on Monday and Tuesday then turn to snowfall over Tennessee through West Virginia as it continues to progress Northeast on Wednesday, Tom Niziol said.
Conditions in the Northeast were largely dry Sunday, but the region experienced a cold blast that bought temperatures down to 10 degrees overnight – conditions “considered cold by January standards,” according to the National Weather Service.
The region might see the second waves of the winter storm system on Wednesday, as many last minute travelers attempt to fly or drive long distances.
A blast of cold air from the north could merge with the storm system from the south and lead to snow accumulation in western and northern New England, Pennsylvania and New York, according to the Weather Channel.
In a second possibility, the two systems would not meet, but low pressure could produce snow in main northeast coastal cities.
Whether or not travelers make it to their destinations, the storm will have moved out to sea by Thanksgiving Day, allowing for dry conditions across most of the country, according to the Weather Channel.
Still, the Weather Channel predicts temperatures in the eastern part of the country will be 10 to 20 degrees below average on the holiday.
Thursday morning wind gusts between 20 and 30 mph in the Northeast could have the potential to damper the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, according to AccuWeather.com.
The 87th annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Detroit, Michigan, begins at 8:45 a.m. on November 28.
The parade route runs along Woodward Avenue from Kirby to Congress at Campus Martius. Grandstand seats are available from between $35 to $55 (depending on location and whether breakfast is included). The parade will be broadcast on WDIV-TV and WJR 760 AM from 9 to 10 a.m.
The 87th annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade route runs along Woodward Avenue from Kirby to Congress at Campus Martius
This year’s America’s Thanksgiving Parade is made possible through the efforts of over 4500 volunteers.
The 80th Annual McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade kicks off the season with a fun-filled morning in the heart of Chicago downtown.
From 8 am – 11 am on November 28, watch the colorful procession makes its way up State Street from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street at this free, all-ages event.
Only at the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago you can catch a 50-foot helium turkey balloon float down iconic State Street and Ronald McDonald working the crowd.
Originally called the Christmas Caravan in the 1930s, the parade was created to help lift the spirits of residents suffering though the Great Depression. What started out as an attempt to boost Chicago’s economy has evolved into a full-scale holiday spectacle and cherished tradition for Chicagoans and Americans alike.
The 80th Annual McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade kicks off the season with a fun-filled morning in the heart of Chicago downtown
Join the crowd of 400,000 spectators as they line up in the Loop along State Street. At the front, Mr. Ronald McDonald is your honorary grand marshal and he leads a parade of over 100 units, a lively mix of everything from equestrian performers and fire twirlers to ballerinas and soul steppers.
Gaze upward as the skyline fills up with giant inflatable helium balloons. You’ll see a cast of familiar faces from Garfield the Cat outfitted as a pilgrim to Bullwinkle J. Moose looking sharp in his suit.
Wave at the entertainers atop decorative floats. Don’t miss fan favorite Santa Claus as he ushers in the holidays with his trademark red suit, white beard and jolly smile.
On the ground, talented equestrian groups, high school marching bands and specialty units keep the crowd entertained for hours. Catch miniature horses, cowgirls and beautiful Arabians. Marvel at the Samoan Fire Dancers and Jesse White Tumblers. Move to the music with Bolivian dancers, Irish steppers, Taiwanese puppets – even a dancing Chinese dragon.
Topping it all off are incredible staged performances throughout the day within the main stage area between Washington and Randolph Street.
Join Teddy the Turkey, the parade’s official mascot, for Chicago’s annual holiday tradition.
For additional details on the 80th McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade, including the full lineup of performer groups and information on VIP Experience tickets, visit chicagofestivals.org.
The 94th Annual 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off on Thursday, November 28, at 8:30 a.m. with a half hour preview show followed by three hours of parade action.
Action News’ Rick Williams and Cecily Tynan will co-host the broadcast, with Karen Rogers and Adam Joseph LIVE along the parade route.
Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman, Ryan Howard, is making his second 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance this year.
Returning for his 6th Philly parade appearance is Good Morning America’s Sam Champion. New this year, Actor/Comedian Cedric The Entertainer of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Chad Duell and Kristen Alderson of ABC’s General Hospital, join the parade team again this year for the 2013 star-studded lineup.
The 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is known for having “something for everyone” with 14 balloons, 15 floats 17 marching bands from across our nation, and fan favorites from stage and screen.
The 94th Annual 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off on November 28 with a half hour preview show followed by three hours of parade action
Music performances include, Radio Disney’s Coco Jones with Holidays Unwrapped’, the cast of Jersey Boys, Debbie Gibson, Jay Sean, Regina Belle, Danielle Bradbery from The Voice, American Idol runner up, Elliott Yamin and Pretty Poison’s Jade Starling.
Additional entertainment will include, Jerry Blavat, Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns, and the cast of Elf.
In attendance especially for young parade-goers will be Walt Disney World’s Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse. Also included will be a special performance from the Sesame Place characters including Elmo, Zoe, Ernie, Bert, Count, Cookie Monster, Grover, Murray, Rosita and Abby. Plus, a parade tradition continues as we feature a special appearance by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.
Additional appearances include the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund, Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2014 – Leah Sykes, Miss New Jersey, Miss Delaware, Miss Pennsylvania, Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen, Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen, Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen and The Pennsbury High School Marching Band.
This year’s telecast will feature behind-the-scenes videos and interactive opportunities for viewers. Viewers both in and out of the Philadelphia television market can get a unique viewing experience on 6abc.com, with two live camera options. The first camera will offer a birds-eye view of the entire parade. The second camera will follow Meteorologist Adam Joseph as he traverses the Parkway with the Dunkin’ Donuts Fan Cam. The “Parade Fan Cam” can be seen starting at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving morning on 6abc.com. There, Adam Joseph will be LIVE, giving viewers a unique view of the parade, while uploading photos and chatting with viewers via Twitter and Facebook.
Philadelphia’s most time-honored event is the longest running Thanksgiving Day parade in America.
Cold and wind will challenge those attending some of the biggest Thanksgiving Day parades next week.
The most notable parade is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the heart of New York City.
Following some tricky travelling weather on Wednesday, Thanksgiving Day will be dry with sunshine.
Cold and wind will challenge those attending some of the biggest Thanksgiving Day parades next week
Thanksgiving is anticipated as a brisk day for New York City. Wind gusts on Thursday morning are expected to be between 20 and 30 mph. There could be a few isolated gusts to 35 mph.
These winds will make it feel even colder than the afternoon high in the lower 30s. Parade-time temperatures will be in the 20s, and will likely be in the teens early.
Not only will the winds make it feel colder, but they could also cause problems for the large floats and those helping to carry balloons.
Also in the I-95 corridor, the 6ABC Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia will be fighting similar wind gusts.
Temperatures on Thursday morning for the oldest Turkey Day Parade in the country will also be in the 20s.
In the Midwest, the America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit and the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago will both be battling the cold. Like the Northeast, temperatures will be in the mid-20s for the morning, rising to the lower 30s in the afternoon.
Wind speeds are expected to be at or below 10 mph, so it will not feel quite as cold.
Vinnie Jones revealed he has had several lumps removed after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
The 48-year-old actor and footballer noticed a small blemish below his eye in February, thinking it was “a blackhead or a wart”.
A check-up revealed it was melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, which kills 1,300 men and 900 women every year.
Doctors have since found more tumors, but Vinnie Jones told The Sun he would fight it with “everything I’ve got”.
“When the doctor said I had skin cancer, the first thing I thought was <<how long have I got?>>” Vinnie Jones told the newspaper.
“It’s weighing very heavily on me all the time,” he said.
Malignant Melanoma is largely preventable by avoiding strong sunlight and using high-factor sun creams.
Vinnie Jones revealed he has had several lumps removed after being diagnosed with skin cancer
Treatment is more likely to be successful if melanoma is spotted early.
Vinnie Jones said that, subsequent to the removal of the tumor under his eye, doctors had found more cancer in the same area and, two months ago, he had a third operation to remove a tumor from the back of his head.
He blamed his outdoor lifestyle for the cancer – noting that after growing up on the football pitch, he had moved to Los Angeles to pursue a film career.
Now working with the Melanoma Research Foundation, Vinnie Jones urged people to be more aware of exposure to the sun.
“Footballers never put on sunblock and they should all be wearing it,” he said.
“Kids should all be wearing it every time they play sport.”
“If you spot something on your skin that doesn’t feel right… get it checked out immediately.”
Vinnie Jones also revealed his wife Tanya had been fighting skin cancer, a result of drugs she had been taking since having a heart transplant 26 years ago.
The star, who has appeared in films including X-Men: The Last Stand and Lock,Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, was previously captain of the Welsh Football Team and played for Wimbledon, Chelsea and QPR, among others.
Vinnie Jones’ revelation comes days after fellow actor Hugh Jackman disclosed he had been treated for skin cancer.
Willie Nelson has decided to suspend his tour after three members of his band were hurt when their bus plowed into a bridge pillar in Texas during rainy conditions.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says Willie Nelson was not aboard in the weather-related accident around 3:30 a.m. CST Saturday on Interstate 30 near Sulphur Springs, 75 miles northeast of Dallas.
Willie Nelson has decided to suspend his tour after three members of his band were hurt when their bus plowed into a bridge pillar in Texas
A statement posted on Willie Nelson’s website, hours after the accident, says this year’s tour has been suspended indefinitely.
Trooper Sylvia Jennings says seven people were on the westbound bus, including the driver who was dealing with wet roads and high winds.
Two band members have minor injuries while the third was seriously hurt. All were transported to a Sulphur Springs hospital. Their names and conditions weren’t immediately released.
More than 100,000 people are protesting against Ukrainian government’s move to delay the EU trade deal under pressure from Russia.
Opposition leaders joined the Kiev protest, said to be the largest since the Orange Revolution in 2004.
Police fired tear gas as protesters tried to break through a cordon around government buildings.
A pro-government rally a few miles away attracted about 10,000 people.
Kiev police said they had fired tear gas after protesters threw a smoke grenade at officers in an attempt to break into the Cabinet of Ministers building.
Police fired tear gas as protesters tried to break through a cordon around government buildings
Ukraine made the decision on the EU deal last week, saying it could not afford to break ties with Moscow. Russia is trying to bring Kiev into its own customs union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the EU of blackmailing Ukraine to sign the deal during a summit in Vilnius next week.
People arrived at the rally, on European Square, with families and children, many holding banners with slogans like “I want to live in Europe” or “Ukraine is part of Europe”.
Several rallies in Kiev and other cities have been held over the last few days, but Sunday’s has been the largest so far.
World heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who leads the Udar movement and attended Friday’s rally, was not present.
Ukrainian news agency Unian said he had been flying back from the US after celebrating his daughter’s birthday but his plane was not allowed to land in Kiev because of weather conditions.
On Friday, Ukrainian PM Mykola Azarov said the decision not to sign the deal was motivated solely by economics and was “tactical”. He said it did not alter Ukraine’s overall development strategy.
The Ukrainian government says it is now looking into setting up a joint commission to promote ties between Ukraine, Russia and the EU.
The new Iran nuclear deal has been called a “historic mistake”by Israel and some Republicans in US Congress.
“What was achieved last night in Geneva is not a historic agreement. It was a historic mistake,” Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting Sunday morning.
“Today the world become a much more dangerous place, because the most dangerous regime in the world took a significant step towards getting the most dangerous weapon in the world.”
The agreement between Iran and the US, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia aims to halt the progress of the Iranian nuclear program and rolls back key parts of it.
Earlier, Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon called the agreement “extremely dangerous for the free world.”
“It goes without saying that all options remain on the table and that Israel has the capability – and the responsibility – to defend itself using any means necessary,” Danny Danon said in a statement.
The West and Israel fear that Iran has been seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Tehran denies this, saying its nuclear program is a peaceful energy project.
The White House has tried to reassure Israel that its fear that a deal would leave it vulnerable was unfounded. Late Saturday, President Barack Obama admitted huge challenges remain and said Iran’s promises will be put to the test over the next six months.
“As we go forward, the resolve of the United States will remain firm, as will our commitment to our friends and allies – particularly Israel and our Gulf partners, who have good reason to be skeptical about Iran’s intentions,” the president said.
Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu called the new nuclear agreement with Iran as a historic mistake
Emphasizing the US commitment to Israel as well as his personal relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kerry said on Sunday that the two allies continue to share the same strategy and the US will not tolerate a nuclear Iran threatening Israel.
“There is no difference whatsoever between the United States and Israel about what the end goal is,” John Kerry said.
Earlier in the news conference, John Kerry said the agreement could not have been reached without the Iranians’ decision to come to the negotiating table. He said the next phase of talks, while even more difficult will also be more important
“If this first step leads to what is our ultimate goal – which is a comprehensive agreement – that will make the world safer,” he said.
An agreement with Iran will likely also affect US relations with Saudi Arabia, a Sunni nation, which is threatened by signs of improved US relations with Shiite Iran.
The UAE officially has welcomed the deal but at least one senior Gulf diplomat was much more critical and expressed skepticism over the deal.
The deal stipulates that Iran will commit to halt uranium enrichment above 5% and also to neutralize its stockpile of near-20% uranium. The Islamic Republic has also committed to halt progress on its enrichment capacity. Iran will also halt work at its plutonium reactor and provide access to nuclear inspectors.
In exchange, the US and its allies have agreed to offer Iran “modest relief” from economic sanctions and access to a portion of the revenue that the country has been denied through these sanctions. No new sanctions will be imposed.
The Obama administration also faces skeptics in Congress. Reaction poured in late Saturday and early Sunday and appeared to be divided along party lines.
Rep. Ed Royce, R-California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that the deal does not meet the standards necessary to protect the US and its allies.
“Instead of rolling back Iran’s program, Tehran would be able to keep the key elements of its nuclear weapons-making capability. Yet we are the ones doing the dismantling – relieving Iran of the sanctions pressure built up over years,” Ed Royce said in a statement.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, echoed those concerns, saying in a statement he found it “troubling” that the agreement “still permits the Iranians to continue enriching.”
“Iran’s long history of noncompliance with the U.N. Security Council is well known, as is its use of secret facilities to pursue its nuclear program,” Eric Cantor added.
Texas actress Shannon Guess Richardson, who is accused of mailing ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, according to federal court documents.
Shannon Guess Richardson, 36, whose acting career included minor television roles, had attempted to blame her husband for sending the letters in May that tested positive for the presence of ricin, according to prosecutors.
Notice of the plea deal was filed on Thursday in US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Shannon Guess Richardson is accused of mailing ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Shannon Guess Richardson was arrested in June and a federal grand jury accused her in a three-count indictment of mailing the letters to Barack Obama, Michael Bloomberg and Mark Glaze, the director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group founded by Bloomberg that lobbies for stricter gun laws.
Ricin, a highly toxic substance, is found naturally in castor beans, but it takes a deliberate act to make ricin and use it to poison people, according to the CDC. Exposure to even a small amount can cause death and no known antidote exists.
Shannon Guess Richardson is charged with one count of making a threat against the president of the US and two counts of mailing threatening communications. She faces up to five years in prison on each count if convicted.
According to court documents, the letters read, in part: “You will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. Anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face.”
The Day of the Doctor – Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode – was broadcast in 94 countries at the same time as it aired on BBC One on Saturday night.
Doctor Who fans have praised the show as “epic” and “phenomenal”.
Featuring three Doctors – Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt – The Day of the Doctor delved deep into the character’s psyche over 75 minutes.
There were also cameos from former star Tom Baker, and Peter Capaldi, who replaces Smith later this year.
“It’s the most ambitious episode we’ve ever done,” said the show’s boss, Steven Moffat, ahead of the premiere.
Featuring three Doctors, The Day of the Doctor delved deep into the character’s psyche over 75 minutes
Opening with the show’s original credit sequence from 1963, the special featured the Daleks and the return of shape-shifting aliens the Zygons, who first appeared in 1975.
But the principal villain was potentially the Doctor himself.
Steve Moffat’s story played with the idea, introduced when the science-fiction show re-launched in 2005, that the Doctor was the “last of the Time Lords”.
It transpired that John Hurt’s version of the Doctor had taken the decision to commit mass genocide in order to halt a “Great Time War” – and the 75-minute episode saw him fighting to come to terms with that decision, aided by two future versions of himself.
Speaking immediately after the show ended, star Matt Smith said: “I think what’s really clever about it is that what he [Steve Moffat] has managed to do is change the mythology of the character – which, after 50 years, is an achievement.”
Aside from the emotional drama, the episode was filled with comedic moments – including a proposal, a marriage and “a machine that goes ding”.
The show was also crammed with special effects, leaping from modern London to the planet of Gallifrey and Elizabethan England.
“I don’t think it bears any resemblance to what we were doing,” said Carole Ann Ford, who starred in the very first episode 50 years ago.
Screened in 3D in more than 1,500 cinemas in 94 countries – from Russia to Ecuador – the episode attracted hundreds of fans in fancy dress, from bow ties to Dalek outfits.
A gala screening at the BFI in London was attended by Matt Smith, John Hurt, Steven Moffat and their co-star Jenna Coleman.
Afghan elders Loya Jirga has backed a security pact with the US allowing thousands of American troops to remain after combat operations end in 2014.
However, the assembly also called on President Hamid Karzai to sign the deal this year.
Hamid Karzai had told the opening session of the assembly that the deal would be signed after elections in 2014.
The US has said it is neither “practical nor possible” to delay the signing.
More than 2,000 elders have been meeting behind closed doors for the past few days.
They endorsed the security deal in a resolution.
The past few days have seen tense diplomatic telephone exchanges between Secretary of State John Kerry and President Hamid Karzai.
Afghan elders Loya Jirga has backed a security pact with the US allowing thousands of American troops to remain after combat operations end in 2014
Washington insists the deal – which has taken months to negotiate – must be signed before the end of this year in order to secure plans for how many troops will remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
Opening the four-day grand assembly of elders on Thursday, Hamid Karzai urged delegates to approve the deal.
The president said a number of world leaders – including from Russia, China, and India – were backing the accord, and that it would provide the security Afghanistan needed, as well as the foundation for forces from other NATO countries who were assisting Afghan troops.
But he appeared to set a new condition, saying any pact would not be signed until after presidential elections.
That vote will be held in April. Hamid Karzai has served two terms so cannot stand again.
State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “We believe that signing sooner rather than later is essential to give Afghans certainty about their future before the upcoming elections, and enable the United States and other partners to plan for US presence after 2014.
“It is neither practical nor possible for us to further delay because of the uncertainty it would create.”
The deal under discussion may see 15,000 foreign troops remain after 2014, although the US says it has not yet taken a decision on any presence.
While the Loya Jirga can amend or reject clauses in the pact, its decisions are not binding. The deal will also have to be approved by parliament.
Security is tight for the meeting after a suicide bombing last weekend near the huge tent where it is being held.
The Taliban has branded the meeting a US-designed plot, and has vowed to pursue and punish its delegates as traitors if they approve the deal.
Iran has agreed, after days of intense talks in Geneva, to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for about $7 billion in sanctions relief.
President Barack Obama welcomed the deal, saying it included “substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon”.
Iran agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some of its work on uranium enrichment.
However, Iranian negotiators insisted they still had a right to nuclear power.
Tehran denies repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. It insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations.
After four days of negotiations, representatives of the so-called P5+1 group of nations – the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany – reached an agreement with Iran in the early hours of Sunday.
The specifics of the deal have yet to be released, but negotiators indicated the broad outlines:
Iran will stop enriching uranium beyond 5%, the level at which it can be used for weapons research, and reduce its stockpile of uranium enriched beyond this point
Iran will give greater access to inspectors including daily access at Natanz and Fordo nuclear sites
In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for six months
Iran will also receive sanctions relief worth about $7 billion on sectors including precious metals
Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel.
Iran has agreed, after days of intense talks in Geneva, to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for about $7 billion in sanctions relief
However, the Israeli government criticized the deal and said Israel did not feel bound by it.
“This is a bad agreement that gives Iran what it wanted: the partial lifting of sanctions while maintaining an essential part of its nuclear programme,” said a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli comments came as it was revealed that the US and Iran had held a series of face-to-face talks over the past year that were kept secret even from their allies.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was an opportunity for the “removal of any doubts about the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme”.
Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted that Iran had not given up its right to enrich uranium.
“We believe that the current agreement, the current plan of action as we call it, in two distinct places has a very clear reference to the fact that Iranian enrichment programme will continue and will be a part of any agreement, now and in the future,” he said.
The US state department gave more details of the deal, insisting that most sanctions would remain in place.
Restrictions on Iran’s petrochemical exports and some other sectors would be suspended, bringing in $1.5 billion in revenue.
Barack Obama warned that if Iran fail to keep its commitments, “we will turn off the relief and ratchet up the pressure”.
This deal may be the most significant agreement between the world powers and Iran for a decade.
Negotiators had been working since Wednesday to reach an agreement that was acceptable to both sides.
As hopes of a deal grew stronger, foreign ministers of the P5+1 joined them in Geneva.
It only became clear that a breakthrough had been made in Geneva early on Sunday.
Thanksgiving travelers in the East and South on Tuesday and Wednesday will face trouble as a storm brings most areas rain but could also bring heavy snow to a narrow swath.
However, much of the rest of the nation will be dry.
The same storm affecting the Southwest with snow, ice, rain and thunderstorms this weekend will reach the Southeast with rain Tuesday. From there the storm will turn up the East Coast, tracking into colder air, perhaps causing even greater travel disruptions.
AccuWeather.com COO Evan Myers said: “If the storm hugs the coast and develops to its full potential, it could be a flight nightmare, not only for travelers in the East, but also throughout the nation.”
After drenching coastal Texas on Monday, the storm will cruise eastward along the Gulf coast Monday night and Tuesday.
Travel delays on the I-10 and I-20 corridors are in store from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and northern Florida from rain-soaked highways and poor visibility from downpours.
The rain can be heavy enough and cloud ceilings low enough to delay flights at New Orleans, Atlanta and other airports in the region.
Thanksgiving travelers in the East and South on Tuesday and Wednesday will face trouble as a storm brings most areas rain but could also bring heavy snow to a narrow swath
During Tuesday night, the drenching rain will begin to swing northeastward across South and North Carolina to Virginia, along the I-95 and I-85 corridors.
Right along the Gulf coast and over part of the southern Atlantic Seaboard, there is also the potential for strong to locally severe thunderstorms.
The exact track and intensity of the storm as it swings up or slips off the East Coast Tuesday night into Wednesday night are still in question and hold the key to dry weather versus rain versus snow in some locations.
Even if rain were to fall over much of the area, it would be enough to slow travel on the highways and delay a number of flights. Gusty winds would also factor in to delays along the coast, even if the storm were to roll out to sea.
Rain is the most likely form of precipitation from Virginia to near New York City then southeastern New England, with the air simply being too warm or the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean exerting its influence. This includes Richmond, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.
If fresh cold air invades the storm, then there could be a period of snow over the mountains from northern West Virginia and western Maryland to central and northeastern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and western and northern New England. If this scenario pans out, major travel disruptions could be in store for portions of I-80, I-81, I-87, I-90 and I-91.
Only if the storm were to strengthen a great deal and draw more cold air in would there be a change from rain to snow in New York City, Hartford, Connecticut, and Boston.
For those traveling on Thanksgiving Day, the storm or its near-miss will likely have exited much of the region. However, some rain or snow is still possible early in the day in northern New England.
More details on the track of the storm and forecast for the Northeast will be released on AccuWeather.com as they becomes available.
A storm is forecast to move in from the Pacific Ocean during the middle of the week.
This storm will has a chance of bringing rain to the I-5 corridor in California to part of Oregon Wednesday into Thanksgiving Day.
As a result, there is a chance of wet weather and perhaps travel delays from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Some snow is possible in the Sierra Nevada and over Donner Pass along I-80.
Much of the rest of the nation will have good travel conditions.
Beware, aircraft and flight crews originating from the South and Northeast could be delayed, perhaps causing ripple-effect problems with a few flights throughout the nation.
There will be bands of lake-effect snow over the Upper Midwest, due to fresh cold air moving in Tuesday and Wednesday. The lake-effect snow should diminish in most locations by Thanksgiving Day.
People are already lining up at a local Best Buy store in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, for this year’s Black Friday deals.
One shopper claims he started waiting in line on Monday evening (November 18) – 10 days before Black Friday.
He set up a tent complete with all the necessary luxuries for living the Black-Friday-line high life, including a bed, a microwave, a television and of course, a heater, because it’s really cold in Ohio around this time of year.
People are already lining up at a local Best Buy store in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, for this year’s Black Friday deals
Another Black Friday shopper is waiting in the line as well, and both of them have friends and family who volunteer to take turns waiting in line and working different shifts so that they can go take showers, and you know, live their lives. They have Thanksgiving dinner in the tents with the whole family, but this is part of an 11-year tradition for this Black Friday shopper, who was even talked into continuing the tradition by his kids when he contemplated quitting a few years ago.
Best Buy hasn’t even officially published its Black Friday advertisements yet; those will likely arrive on Sunday (November 24), but thanks to websites dedicated to Black Friday shopping, folks can get a peek at leaked circulars for different stores, including Best Buy. One of the biggest deals is for the iPad Air, which will see a discount between $50-$70 off. The store will even have iPad 2 units selling for just $299, which is a $100 savings from the original $399 price tag.
Best Buy will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening (November 28), and they will hand out tickets for the doorbuster items two-hours before the store opens.
