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Lemmy of Motorhead Dies Two Days after Cancer Diagnosis

Sonia Pantiss
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Lemmy of Motorhead Dies Two Days after Cancer Diagnosis

Lemmy of Motorhead has died at the age of 70, two days after learning he had cancer, the band has announced.

The British band’s frontman formed the rock group in 1975 and recorded 22 albums, including Ace of Spades, as he became one of music’s most recognizable voices and faces.

Motorhead said on its Facebook page: “Our mighty, noble friend Lemmy has passed away after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer.”

Lemmy was born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-onTrent, in 1945.

He lived in Anglesey, Wales, as a child and acquired the nickname Lemmy while at school, although he claimed to have had no idea where it came from.

As Lemmy of Motorhead, he became known for his fast and furious bass guitar playing and gravelly voice.

The band added: “We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.”

They urged fans to play Lemmy’s music loud and “have a drink or few”, saying: “Celebrate the life this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself.

“He would want exactly that.”Lemmy dead at 70

Lemmy, who was the only constant member of Motorhead, lived in Los Angeles and died at home with his family on December 28.

He had been diagnosed with cancer on December 26 – two days after his 70th birthday.

Lemmy’s death comes just weeks after former Motorhead drummer Phil Taylor died at the age of 61.

Ex-Motorhead guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke, who played with the group between 1976 and 1982, said on Facebook: “I am devastated. We did so much together, the three of us.

“The world seems a really empty place right now. I am having trouble finding the words … He will live on in our hearts. R.I.P Lemmy!”

Lemmy was credited with introducing punk sounds into the heavy metal genre – and having a wild offstage reputation.

He first became involved in the Manchester music scene, before going to London.

There he had a stint as a roadie with Jimi Hendrix and briefly played in progressive rock band Opal Butterfly.

In 1972 Lemmy joined space-rock band Hawkwind on bass but left after being busted for drug possession on a tour of Canada in 1975.

Lemmy went on to form Motorhead and recorded 22 studio albums with the band between 1977 and 2015.

Tamir Rice Death: No Charges for Cleveland Police Officer

Nancy Clayson
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Tamir Rice Death: No Charges for Cleveland Police Officer

A grand jury has decided not to bring charges against a white policeman over the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice.

Ohio prosecutor Tim McGinty called the events that led to the death of Tamir Rice a “perfect storm of human error”.

However, Tim McGinty said it was not unreasonable for the officer to fear for his life.

Public officials in Cleveland on December 28 urged the public to remain calm and to protest peacefully.

State Senator Sandra Williams said any unrest would hamper progress but still called the decision a “grave miscarriage of justice”.

The announcement comes at a time when the deaths of black men at the hands of police have sparked a national debate.Grand jury decision Tamir Rice case

Tamir Rice was carrying a non-lethal pellet gun when police approached him in Cleveland in November 2014, in response to a 911 call reporting a man waving and pointing a gun at people.

The caller said the gun may not be real and the perpetrator could be a juvenile.

Tim McGinty, who announced the grand jury’s decision on December 28, faulted the emergency services dispatcher for not relaying that information to the officers.

Officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback have said the gun looked real and urged Tamir Rice to raise his hands three times.

Timothy Loehmann shot Tamir Rice twice after the boy pulled the gun from his waistband.

The officers said they believed Tamir Rice was older than 12. He weighed about 175lbs and stood 5ft 7in tall.

The toy gun lacked an orange safety tip and Tim McGinty urged toy manufactures to stop making replicas that look like real guns.

Tamir Rice’s family has said police fired too quickly and should have used a Taser, a non-lethal weapon.

Footage from a surveillance camera shows Timothy Loehmann firing moments after police arrived at the scene.

Although the officers’ actions were not criminal, Tim McGinty said Cleveland had learned from the shooting.

“It should never happen again, and the city has taken steps so it doesn’t,” Tim McGinty said.

Give The Gift Of A Gibson This Holiday

Nancy Clayson
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Give The Gift Of A Gibson This Holiday

With the holidays just around the corner, you’ve already made your list and checked it twice. If the guitarist in your life has been more nice than naughty, then it’s the perfect season to surprise them with the gift of a lifetime. Whether they’re an accomplished musician or a motivated beginner, a Gibson is a fine guitar that would make an exceptional gift.

Give-The-Gift-Of-A-Gibson-This-Holiday

With over 100 years of history, Gibson has a reputation for making excellent guitars that appeal to players across genres and decades. Nearly every one of your rock heroes – young and old – have played one, including Dave Grohl, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Joan Jett, and Eric Lifeson. Country artists like Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, and Sheryl Crow are members of the Gibson crew too. In fact, some of your favourites have their very own signature line of Gibson guitars to their name. Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Slash, and Joe Perry each have developed a unique spin on the Gibson brand.

Though these signature series may be out of your budget, there are plenty of more economical choices for your gift. Gibson is best known for the Les Paul, which paved the way for Rock ‘n’ Roll with its solid body. But the Firebird, ES-175, SGs, Flying V, ES-335, and the Explorer are all popular models that have become classics alongside the Les Paul. Whichever model you take a look at, you have to know that they’ll have slightly different tones, ranging from hot to fat. This means some are more appropriate for rock, blues, or country.

It’s likely that the guitarist in your life has already figured out what genre they want to play, so you won’t be struggling with that question. You might get lucky and they’ll also already have a particular Gibson in mind. If not, don’t be shy about taking them to a musical instrument store. Feign that you’re interested in learning the instrument yourself while subtly asking them very pointed questions about their preferences. Within no time at all, your loved one will let you know which Gibson is their favourite – and they may even play it for you!

It will probably come as a shock for them to realize an afternoon looking at guitars was just a ruse for getting them a gift, but they’ll be grateful all the same. And why wouldn’t they be? It’s a thoughtful, practical, and downright cool present. So get that Gibson guitar for the musician in your life, and give one of the best presents this holiday!

Add A Head Turning Swimsuit To Your Holiday Gift List

Lisa.Felice
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Add A Head Turning Swimsuit To Your Holiday Gift List

These days it’s quite difficult to find the ideal swimsuit that feels comfortable and looks fabulous, which is why so many plus size shoppers succumb to fitting room dread! But if you do luck out and find the right swimsuit, you can buy it for yourself, or give it to your favorite girlfriend as a thoughtful holiday gift. Thanks to the online shopping revolution, there are more plus size swimsuit options than ever before, and women can often find what they’re looking for on one single comprehensive site. Men also like to purchase online the easy way (since they are notoriously lazy shoppers) and give gifts that are sexy and that will dazzle that special and unique woman in their life.

Specialty stores are the best place to go, and online specialty retailers are the smartest places to shop for exclusivity and style, as well as ease of access and size and variety of in-stock items. Styles that are currently tending for plus-sizes are high-waist bikinis and tankinis, both of which show off your curves and offer sexy discreet coverage. A tankini is a type of two piece bikini which covers the stomach area; it’s a fancy two piece swim suit that makes you feel sexy and safe. Flattering tankinis are sexy, since they only show parts of your body; the rest is left to the imagination. This makes for the perfect gift for all the men reading this article!

Add-A-Head-Turning-Swimsuit-To-Your-Holiday-Gift-List

High waist bikinis are sensual, making the woman who wears one look confident and cultured. Many sophisticated women like to wear high waist bikinis, since they are comfortable and provide eye-catching coverage where its’ most needed. Plus it makes them look like pinup girls from yesteryear like Marilyn Monroe or Sophia Loren. Remember, it’s much easier to shop with online retailers; there’s easy shipping, and returns or exchanges are a breeze, so don’t forget to add that head-turning skirtini or tankini from swimsuitsforall to your holiday gift list. She’ll love you for it, and you’ll enjoy watching her walk around in it, and so will all those on that Mediterranean Cruise.

There are many styles to select from online, even when swimsuits are not in season. Take advantage of the internet and go check-out the trend-setting looks that everyone is talking about. Online shopping at swimsuitsforall is even easier than going in person to a store in a mall or retail store because shopping options are right there in front of you and you can see the colors and look for the holiday vacation swimwear on the different models, instead of browsing through the huge selection of impersonal swimwear on a store shelf or clothing rack.

This holiday season, it pays to consider swimsuits as gifts from swimsuitsforall. Boyfriends love to spoil their significant other with surprise holiday vacation swimwear, so don’t be blown away when he gives you that bombshell head-turning swimsuit he secretly bought for you online the other night. Take his breath away when you walk onto that sandy beach in Naples for the first time wearing that ravishing tankini this holiday season!

Ramadi Declared Liberated from ISIS

Roy Siemens
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Ramadi Declared Liberated from ISIS

The Iraqi military has declared the city of Ramadi “liberated” from ISIS.

Spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasul said forces had achieved an “epic” victory.

TV footages showed troops raising the Iraqi flag over the government complex.

However, some reports indicate there are still pockets of resistance in Ramadi.

Ramadi’s recapture marks a major reversal for the jihadist group. ISIS seized Ramadi in May, in an embarrassing defeat for the army.

Iraqi government forces have been fighting to retake it for weeks.

Photo AFP/Getty Images
Photo AFP/Getty Images

State TV showed pictures of soldiers in Ramadi firing their guns in the air and publicly slaughtering a sheep in celebration.

Troops managed to capture the government compound on December 27, flushing out or killing ISIS fighters and suicide bombers who had been holding out in its buildings.

Brig. Gen. Majid al-Fatlawi of the army’s 8th division told AFP that ISIS fighters had “planted more than 300 explosive devices on the roads and in the buildings of the government complex”.

Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi praised the capture of Ramadi in a TV address.

“2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when Daesh’s [ISIS’] presence in Iraq will be terminated,” he said.

“We are coming to liberate Mosul and it will be the fatal and final blow to Daesh,” he added, in a reference to the largest city under ISIS control in northern Iraq.

The operation to recapture Ramadi, about 55 miles west of Baghdad, began in early November.

It was backed by US-led coalition air strikes. But it made slow progress, mainly because the government chose not to use the powerful Shia-dominated paramilitary force that helped it regain the mainly Sunni northern city of Tikrit, to avoid increasing sectarian tensions.

The US military called the recapture a “proud moment for Iraq”.

It added that “the coalition will continue to support the government of Iraq as they move forward to make Ramadi safe for civilians to return”.

North Korea Red Star OS Analysis Reveals Spying Tools

Nancy Clayson
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North Korea Red Star OS Analysis Reveals Spying Tools

North Korea’s internal computer operating system includes spying tools capable of tracking documents offline, the first in-depth analysis has revealed.

Red Star OS was designed to superficially mimic Apple’s OS X, but hidden features allow it to watermark files and tie them to an individual.

The tools were discovered by two German researchers who conducted the analysis over the past month.

The presented their findings at the Chaos Communication Congress on December 27.

Florian Grunow and Niklaus Schiess pored over the code of Red Star OS version 3.0, which first surfaced online about a year ago.

Any files uploaded to computer via a USB stick or other storage device can be watermarked by the system, allowing the state to trace the journey of that file from machine to machine. Red Star can also identify undesirable files and delete them without permission.North Korea Red Star OS 3

The watermarking function was designed in response to the proliferation of foreign films and music being shared offline.

The system will imprint files with its individual serial number, although it is not known how easily the state can link those serial numbers to individual users.

One element puzzling Florian Grunow is the discovery of an extended version of the watermarking software which he and Niklaus Schiess do not fully understand, but which he says may help identify individual users.

Red Star also makes it nearly impossible for users to modify the system. Attempts to disable its antivirus software or internet firewall will prompt the system to reboot.

The idea for an internal operating system was first conceived by Kim Jong-il, according to Florian Grunow.

As with many things about the world’s most insular state, the extent to which Red Star is used in North Korea is not known. It is likely installed in libraries and other public buildings, says Florian Grunow, where operating systems are installed by the state.

Red Star was built using Linux, a free and open-source platform which can be modified at will, and was designed that way to make it as accessible as possible.

More ironic still is the name of the file used by Red Star to hunt for suspicious files on the machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTBemKiSgWI

France Opens WW2 Vichy Regime Archive

James J. Williams
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France Opens WW2 Vichy Regime Archive

France is opening up police and ministerial archives from the Vichy regime which collaborated with Nazi occupation forces in World War II.

More than 200,000 declassified documents are being made public on December 28. They date from the 1940-1944 regime of Marshal Philippe Petain.

During WWII the Vichy regime helped Nazi Germany to deport 76,000 Jews from France, including many children.

France is also opening files from its post-liberation provisional government.

The Vichy documents come from the wartime ministries of the interior, foreign affairs and justice, as well as the police.Marshal Petain Vichy regime

Some of the archives relate to war crimes investigations conducted by the French liberation authorities after the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Speaking to French TF1 television news, historian Gilles Morin said the archives would probably shed new light on the arrest of Jean Moulin, a French Resistance leader who died after his capture and torture by the Nazis in 1943.

Police records and notes seized from French Resistance comrades will now add to the witness statements that researchers have relied on until now, Gilles Morin said.

“There is also a demand from the children of deportees, and of those who were executed, who want to know – and that’s a legitimate demand,” he said.

Previously only researchers and journalists could see some archives, with special permission.

Under French law, public access is provided after 75 years have elapsed – and that is now the case, for 1940-dated documents.

The current mayor of Vichy, in central France, told The New York Times that he was concerned about the enduring stigma attached to his city. It was where Philippe Petain established his collaborationist regime.

Former French Resistance fighter Lucien Guyot told the paper that the Petain government “went far beyond the Germans’ expectations, in particular with the deportation of <<foreign>> Jews, including children, to concentration camps, and they chased us down with a vengeance”.

“But it was the government’s actions that were unforgivable, not this city’s,” he added.

In 1995, then French President Jacques Chirac officially recognized the French state’s responsibility in the deportation of Jews.

Christmas Storm: At Least 43 People Killed in South and Midwest

Nancy Clayson
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Christmas Storm: At Least 43 People Killed in South and Midwest

More than 40 people have been killed over the past five days by severe storms in the South and Midwest.

Flash floods, tornadoes and now snow have destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses and snarled transport links.

The National Weather Service has issued tornado warnings for Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

The governors of Missouri, Oklahoma, and New Mexico have declared states of emergency.

In Illinois, three adults and two children were swept away in their car by the flood waters. In Texas, at least 11 people were killed by powerful tornadoes with winds of up to 200 miles an hour.Christmas storms 2015

Hundreds of homes in Texas were reduced to rubble and cars were blown off the road. Five people died in their cars on a highway passing the city of Garland. Pedro Barineau of the local police said they had no chance.

“There were sirens that were going off, I mean multiple times and in multiple areas, notifying people of a tornado. However, people on the highway that were driving through they had no idea that the sirens were going off and the tornado was on them in a matter of seconds,” he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said his office had declared Dallas County and three nearby counties a disaster area. He also warned people to be wary of snow in western parts of the state and of rivers spilling their banks.

Parts of New Mexico, where a state-wide emergency has been declared, are expecting up to 2ft of snow. The New Mexico city of Roswell recorded 12.3 inches of snow on December 27 – an area record for a single day.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency on December 27 in anticipation of blizzard conditions and an ice storm.

The bad weather forced the cancellation of nearly 1,500 flights on December 27, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. About half of the cancelled flights were in Dallas, a major US flight hub.

While extreme weather in the United States around Christmas is not unknown, meteorologists say that unseasonably high temperatures in some areas contributed to the severity of the storms.

The forecast for the eastern US is for high temperatures to continue – Washington DC pushed close to 70F on December 27.

FDA Announcement on Health Apps

Ricky Robinson
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FDA Announcement on Health Apps

Until now, the regulation of health apps has more or less been left in the hands of the tech firms creating and selling them, but news from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) this week indicated that they have reached a decision on the future of health app regulation.

Health apps are undoubtedly incredibly useful, allowing patients to monitor basic statistics such as their calorific intake, their heart rate and their blood pressure without having to visit a doctor’s surgery or clinic. There has, however, been a degree of uncertainty regarding the legitimacy of the results given and the degree to which patients could rely on the information in terms of making their own decisions on treatment.

The final guidance recently issued by the FDA not only drew a line separating useful and harmless apps from those which might be more problematic, it also left the people responsible for developing health apps thanking their lucky stars at the approach being taken.

FDA regulation on Health Apps

The guidelines unveiled confirmed the fact that the FDA plans to adopt a light touch approach to the regulation of most health apps, also known as medical device data systems (MDDS), as well as the specific software which is used to transmit the data collected to and from a specific medical device, such as a blood sugar meter.

The FDA released a statement which confirmed the scope of apps they had decided to place outside the reach of regulation:

“This guidance confirms our intention to not enforce regulations for technologies that receive, transmit, store, or display data from medical devices. We hope that finalization of this policy will create an impetus for the development of new technologies to better use and display this data.”

The caveat which the FDA attaches to this approach is that regulation can be maintained at a minimal level as long as the apps in question don’t represent a risk to the health of a patient in the event of a malfunction. Since the vast majority of such apps concentrate on the collating, sharing and collection of statistical information, as opposed to anything more in depth, they will not be affected by any intervention of the part of the FDA. The apps which might find themselves attracting the attention of regulators include those which, in the words of the FDA “….transform a mobile platform into a regulated medical device by using attachments, display screens, sensors, or other such methods”

Until now, the concern that some patients might be misled by health apps has centred upon those which go further than simply gathering information and, instead, offer diagnostic advice and even suggest treatments, areas which have previously been left in the hands of trained clinicians. The new regulatory regime will deal with such apps whilst giving developers a free hand to continue developing tools which gather information and monitor existing conditions, such as diabetes.

Experts within the field welcomed the news, feeling that it will promote innovation, push developers into new areas and help to create cutting edge apps able to greatly aid the field of preventative medicine.

Any issues around the clinical effectiveness of apps throws up the possibility that some patients, feeling they have been let down or misled, might wish to take legal action. A specialist team of medical negligence solicitors set out the legal situation in the following terms:

“Health app developers are unlikely to face medical negligence suits for a misdiagnosis, since there’s no doctor-patient relationship between the app developer, the provider and the patient. That’s one of the reasons patients should always communicate the doctor if they are using a health app, and check the accuracy of the information it provides.”

The changing landscape of health app regulation look set to be a hugely positive development for patients as a whole. The flexibility offered to developers will broaden the options on offer, and the lack of regulation required will assure patients that such apps are completely safe to use.

Bettie Jones: Chicago Police Accidentally Kill Mother of Five

Diane A. Wade
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Bettie Jones: Chicago Police Accidentally Kill Mother of Five

Chicago police “accidentally struck and tragically killed” a mother of five after responding to a domestic disturbance, department officials say.

Bettie Jones, 55, was killed along with her neighbor, 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier, who was the reason for the police call-out on December 26.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said an investigation had been launched.

The city’s police department is already the subject of a federal investigation over its use of force.

It follows the killing of a black teenager by a white officer in 2014.

Photo WFLD-TV
Photo WFLD-TV

December 26 double shooting happened in the early hours. Antonio LeGrier told the Chicago Sun-Times that he had returned home to find his son, who had mental health issues, in an agitated state.

Antonio LeGrier said he called the police, and warned his neighbor Bettie Jones, who lived on the floor below, about what was going on.

When the police arrived, the man said, he heard gunshots and found his son and Bettie Jones lying in the foyer.

Chicago Police Department said in a statement that “upon arrival, officers were confronted by a combative subject resulting in the discharging of the officer’s weapon, fatally wounding two individuals.

“The 55-year-old female victim was accidentally struck and tragically killed. The department extends its deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, in a statement, said: “Anytime an officer uses force the public deserves answers, and regardless of the circumstances, we all grieve anytime there is a loss of life in our city.”

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced earlier this month that a federal investigation into the Chicago Police Department would focus on whether there was a racial dimension to its use of force and its accountability procedures for officers involved in the use of force.

According to the Better Government Association, Chicago police shot 240 people between 2010 and 2014, or about one per week. Seventy of those people died and of those, two-thirds were African American.

Loretta Lynch’s announcement came after weeks of protest which followed the release of video footage, showing the moment a police officer opened fire on 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, shooting him 16 times, in 2014.

Robert Spitzer Dead: Influential Psychiatrist Dies from Heart Problems Aged 83

Kathryn R. Bown
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Robert Spitzer Dead: Influential Psychiatrist Dies from Heart Problems Aged 83

Influential psychiatrist Robert Spitzer, who is credited with establishing a modern classification of mental disorders, has died at the age of 83.

Dr. Robert Spitzer played a leading role in the development of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

The American psychiatrist was also lauded for pushing to remove homosexuality’s classification as a mental disorder in 1973.

Dr. Robert Spitzer’s wife said he died from heart problems in Seattle on December 25.Robert Spitzer dead at 83

His work on several editions of the field’s diagnostic manual, known as the DSM, was seen as a “major breakthrough in the profession”, his wife and colleague Janet Williams told the AP.

The DSM helped to give psychiatrists definitions of all of the major disorders so that they “could agree on what they were seeing”, she said.

Working from Columbia University in New York, Robert Spitzer pioneered an approach that relied on empirical study rather than traditional theory.

Robert Spitzer was “by far the most influential psychiatrist of his time,” Dr. Allen Frances, editor of a later edition of the DSM manual, told the New York Times.

Homosexuality, which at the time was listed as a mental disorder, was among the behaviors Dr. Robert Spitzer analyzed and later removed from the list in the 1970s.

Until that point, the DSM had classified homosexuality as an illness, designating it a “sociopathic personality disturbance.”

Dr. Robert Spitzer said he pressed for the change after meeting gay rights activists and determining that homosexuality could not be a disorder if gay people were comfortable with their s** life.

“A medical disorder either had to be associated with subjective distress, pain or general impairment in social function,” he told the Washington Post.

Dr. Jack Drescher, a gay psychoanalyst, described it as a major advance for gay rights.

“The fact that gay marriage is allowed today is in part owed to Bob Spitzer,” he told the New York Times.

However, Bob Spitzer later courted controversy after publishing a study in 2001 which purported to support reparative therapy to turn gay people straight, sparking claims of betrayal from gay rights activists.

More than 10 years later, he apologized for the study, which he said was flawed.

Bob Spitzer said it was the only thing in his career that he regretted.I

Alfredo Pacheco Shot Dead in Santa Ana

Diane A. Wade
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Alfredo Pacheco Shot Dead in Santa Ana

Former El Salvador soccer player Alfredo Pacheco has been shot dead in the city of Santa Ana, 47 miles west of the capital San Salvador, officials say.

A man approached Alfredo Pacheco, 33, and fired several shots at a petrol station.Alfredo Pacheco shot dead

Police say two other people were injured in the attack, the motive of which is being investigated.

Pacheco, who was El Salvador’s most-capped player, was banned for life in 2013 for match-fixing.

Pacheco and another 13 members of the national team were found guilty of receiving bribes to lose several matches between 2010 and 2013.

He played 86 times for his country.

For years, El Salvador has had one of the highest murder rates in the world.

Earlier this month, Honduran international footballer Arnold Peralta, 26, was shot dead while on holiday in his hometown.

Texas Tornadoes Leave 11 Dead Raising Death Toll to 29

Nancy Clayson
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Texas Tornadoes Leave 11 Dead Raising Death Toll to 29

A total of 11 people have been killed in Texas tornadoes, police say, raising the death toll to 29 in a week of storms across the South and Midwest.

At least eight people died in Garland, near Dallas, five of them when their cars were blown off a motorway. Three bodies were found in other towns.

In west Texas the problem was snow – high winds caused drifts that have made a number of roads impassable.

The storms across the South have been unusually powerful for winter.

According to Texas reports, churches were destroyed, cars mangled and trees toppled across a 20 mile zone from south of Dallas up to suburbs in the north-east.Texas tornado December 2015

In December 27 briefing, Lt. Pedro Barineau, of Garland police, said 600 buildings had been damaged.

The Red Cross is setting up shelters for those with damaged homes.

Police said all street and highway lights had been knocked out, leaving officers working in the dark overnight.

Two people were found dead at a petrol station in Copeville, and a third was killed in Blue Ridge, reports in local media said.

Kevin Taylor, a church pastor in Glenn Heights, south of Dallas, described to WFAA how his church began collapsing around him.

While extreme weather in the US around Christmas is not unknown, meteorologists say that unseasonably high temperatures in some areas contributed to the severity of the storms.

The forecast for the eastern US is of continuing high temperatures – Washington DC pushed close to 70F on December 27.

A year ago, a tornado hit south-eastern Mississippi, killing five people and injuring dozens more.

A storm on Christmas Day in 2012 which included several tornadoes damaged homes from Texas to Alabama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCyCOaOMcAs

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Becomes Fastest Movie to Take $1 Billion at Global Box Office

Sonia Pantiss
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Becomes Fastest Movie to Take $1 Billion at Global Box Office

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the fastest movie to take $1 billion at the global box office.

The seventh episode of the Star Wars franchise achieved the feat in 12 days, beating the previous record of 13 days set by Jurassic World in June.

However, while Jurassic World had the benefit of record takings in China over the period, The Force Awakens has yet to open there.

The force Awakens also scored the biggest US Christmas Day box office takings in history with $49.3 million.Force Awakens global box office record

J.J. Abrams’ movie took $153.5 million in the US in its second weekend, bringing its total domestic haul to $544.6 million.

The weekend’s other releases included the Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg comedy Daddy’s Home, which took $35 million.

Jennifer Lawrence’s Joy – which sees the actress reunite with Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell for the biopic about the creator of the Miracle Mop – took $17.5 million.

Point Break, a remake of the 1991 Kathryn Bigelow movie starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, flopped however with audiences.

The movie, which had a reported budget of $105 million, took just $10.2 million across 2.910 venues.

In limited release, Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The Revenant earned $471,000 from four locations, averaging $117,750 per screen.

Hyatt Hotels Hit by Security Breach in Customer Payment System

Nancy Clayson
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Hyatt Hotels Hit by Security Breach in Customer Payment System

Hyatt hotels are warning visitors of a security breach in the company’s customer payment system.

The hotel group said it had found malware on the payment processing computers for the hotels it managed.

Hyatt’s global president of operations Chuck Floyd said that the problem had been fixed, but advised past customers to check bank statements for any unusual activity.

“As soon as we discovered the activity, we launched an investigation,” said Chuck Floyd.Hyatt Hotels security breach

The Chicago-based Hyatt group has 627 properties in its portfolio, although it said only the 318 it managed directly were affected by the malware, with franchised hotels unaffected.

Hyatt did not say whether the malware had led to any customer information being accessed, but did say it had hired independent cybersecurity experts to help investigate.

The company has set up a webpage to communicate updates to its customers.

“We have taken steps to strengthen the security of our systems, and customers can feel confident using payment cards at Hyatt hotels worldwide,” said Chuck Floyd.

Hyatt is not the first hotel group to admit it has had to tackle such a cybersecurity breach.

The Hilton, Starwood, Mandarin Oriental and Trump Collection hotel groups have also faced security problems with customer payment information in 2015.

Chipotle E. Coli Outbreak: Fast-Food Chain Changes Cooking Methods

Kathryn R. Bown
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Chipotle E. Coli Outbreak: Fast-Food Chain Changes Cooking Methods

Fast-food restaurant chain Chipotle has announced it is changing its cooking methods in an effort to address food safety concerns, sparked by an E. coli outbreak at several of its restaurants.

Chipotle has been battling the outbreak since late October. More than 50 cases of E. coli have been reported in eight states.

As a result Chipotle’s share price has dropped 18% since October.

The company outlined the changes on its website and said it was taking “aggressive actions”.

Photo Chipotle Mexican Grill
Photo Chipotle Mexican Grill

“In the wake of recent food safety-related incidents at a number of Chipotle restaurants, we have taken aggressive actions to implement pioneering food safety practices,” a statement on the website said.

Chipotle restaurants will now dip fresh ingredients, like onions, in boiling water to kill off any germs. The company is also preparing ingredients, such as tomatoes, in a centralized kitchen where they can be washed, chopped and tested before being sent to restaurants.

Chicken will be marinated in plastic bags rather than bowls and coriander will be added to hot rice to allow the heat to remove any microbes.

In February, Chipotle warned investors it had a greater risk of exposure to food-borne illness than its rivals.

In its annual report the company said its use of fresh ingredients rather than frozen and traditional stovetop cooking, rather than automated, put it at greater risk than competitors like McDonalds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been unable to identify the specific cause of the E. coli spread.

Chipotle partnered with food safety consulting firm IEH Laboratories, to come up with the new preparation methods.

IEH also will conduct external assessments of individual branches. These will take place alongside weekly and quarterly food safety audits.

Texas Tornadoes Kill 8 People in Dallas Suburbs

Nancy Clayson
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Texas Tornadoes Kill 8 People in Dallas Suburbs

At least 8 people are reported to have been killed in Texas in new tornadoes, raising the death toll to 26 in a week of storms across the South and Midwest.

Five people died when their cars were reportedly blown off a highway in Garland, near Dallas. Another three bodies were found in nearby towns.

Texas and Oklahoma could suffer a “historic blizzard”, bringing up to 16in of snow, officials say.

The storms across the South have been unusually powerful for winter.

Reports from Texas said churches were destroyed, cars mangled and trees toppled across a wide area.

Photo CBS News
Photo CBS News

Garland police believed that “winds from a tornado that passed through” the town late on Saturday were the cause of car accidents, Melinda Urbina from the Dallas County Sheriff’s office said.

At least five people were reported dead in the cars.

Melinda Urbina said the winds “tossed the cars around”, and the vehicles were later found below Interstate 30, about 15 miles north-east of Dallas.

She also urged local residents to stay off the roads.

Police officers in Garland are now trying to determine whether they were any other casualties at the crash site.

“We’re dealing with darkness out here,” police spokesman Mike Hatfield was quoted as saying by the Dallas News website.

“All of the street lights and highway lights are out,” he added.

Two people were found dead at a petrol station in Copeville, and a third was killed in Blue Ridge, reports in local media said.

The storms have damaged a number of buildings in the area.

Kevin Taylor, a church pastor in Glenn Heights, south of Dallas, described to WFAA how his church began collapsing around him.

“Doors began to turn inward, when I saw that I figured the glass was going to shatter and hit me in the face, so I broke and ran down the hallway and by the time I got just a few feet everything collapsed and went dark and fell on top of me,” he said.

He added: “By the grace of God I’m here though.”

At least 30,000 people were reportedly without power, and there were reports of burst gas lines.

The National Weather Service confirmed that several tornadoes had touched down near Dallas and other towns in northern Texas.

The deaths in Dallas come as much of the south-central region of the US has been hit by severe weather in the past week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fWW1N2RYOw

Chicha Mariani Reunited with Wrong Granddaughter

Diane A. Wade
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Chicha Mariani Reunited with Wrong Granddaughter

Argentine activist Maria Isabel Mariani, known as Chicha ,who spent nearly half of her life looking for her missing granddaughter will need to resume her search after a case of mistaken identity.

Chicha Mariani, 92, announced on December 24 that she had finally met her granddaughter.

Clara Anahi Mariani Teruggi was abducted by the military in 1976.

But a prosecutor working on the case said Chicha Mariani had been introduced to the wrong woman.

The announcement on December 24 was hailed as another triumph for the campaign group Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, which was formed to reunite families with their missing children.

Even President Mauricio Macri celebrated the news on his Twitter account. He tweeted: “I want to wish Chicha Mariani, her granddaughter, and all the family a happy Christmas reunion.”

On December 26, DNA tests were released showing that the woman Chicha Mariani met was not her missing granddaughter.

“There is no genetic match between Ms Mariani and her alleged granddaughter,” said prosecutor Pablo Parenti, Head of the Attorney General’s Unit for Cases of Child Appropriation.Chicha Mariani and wrong granddaughter

Chicha Mariani founded her own organization, the Anahi Foundation, which includes one of her granddaughter’s names, after stepping down as president of the Grandmothers in 1989.

Results from an official bank of genetic samples were negative.

Chicha Mariani, who is nearly blind, is devastated, said Anahi Foundation spokesman Juan Martin Ramos Padilla.

“It was a hard blow for Chicha,” he said, adding that she is determined to carry on.

“She is 92 and will continue searching for her granddaughter. We just hope to be able to find her.”

Chicha Mariani’s granddaughter was abducted 39 years ago at just three months old.

Her parents, Daniel Mariani and Diana Teruggi, were members of the Montoneros left-wing group.

The baby was taken from their home in an operation in which Diana Teruggi was killed.

Chicha Mariani’s son, Daniel, escaped but went into hiding and was killed a few months later.

There is no suggestion that the woman who met Chicha Mariani had attempted to deceive her. The Buenos Aires Herald identified her as Maria Elena Wehrli.

Maria Elena Wehrli arrived at Chicha Mariani’s house on Christmas Eve with the results of a DNA test carried out by a private laboratory,” said prosecutor Pablo Parenti.

“The National Genetic Database is the only body authorized to determine the identity in these cases,” he added.

The Grandmothers encourage children who were born during the military government, between 1976 and 1983, and have any doubts over their identity to come forward and do a DNA test.

The organization has already reunited 119 children to their families, the most recent last month.

Most pregnant women arrested by Argentina’s secret police were killed shortly after giving birth.

Some 500 children were abducted from their mothers in captivity.

They were often given for adoption for non-communist families. In other cases they were just handed over to orphanages.

Some of the adoptive parents knew of their children’s backgrounds, but many of them did not.

Some 30,000 people are estimated to have been killed during more than seven years of military rule in Argentina.

Lionel Zinsou: Benin PM Survives Helicopter Crash in Djougou

Diane A. Wade
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Lionel Zinsou: Benin PM Survives Helicopter Crash in Djougou

Benin’s PM Lionel Zinsou walked away unscathed after the helicopter in which he was traveling crashed, his daughter said.

It is unclear why the helicopter carrying Lionel Zinsou crash-landed at a stadium in the country’s northwest.

“My father is fine. There were no victims in the helicopter accident in Djougou,” Marie-Cecile Zinsou tweeted.

Earlier this month, Lionel Zinsou confirmed he would run as a candidate in Benin’s 2016 presidential elections.

Photo AP
Photo AP

The helicopter crashed while landing at a stadium in the city of Djougou, a spokesman for Benin’s interior ministry Leonce Houngbadji told the AFP news agency.

He said no-one in the helicopter was hurt.

Lionel Zinsou, a former private-equity executive, was appointed prime minister of Benin in June.

He has said he will run for president in February 2016 election as a candidate of the ruling Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE) party.

Lionel Zinsou’s announcement put an end to speculation Benin’s president Thomas Boni Yayi was seeking a third term, Reuters reported in early December.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jeL1djo-cc

Ursula Gauthier: French Journalist Booted from China after Criticizing Government

Diane A. Wade
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Ursula Gauthier: French Journalist Booted from China after Criticizing Government

China has expelled French journalist Ursula Gauthier over an article she wrote that was critical of Beijing’s policy towards Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Beijing confirmed it would not renew press credentials for Ursula Gauthier, of the French news magazine L’Obs.

It said an article Ursula Gauthier wrote about the unrest in Xinjiang supported “terrorism and cruel acts” that had killed people.

Ursula Gauthier called the claims “absurd” and said Beijing was trying to deter foreign reporters in the country.

If her press card is not renewed, Ursula Gauthier cannot apply for a new visa, and will have to leave China by December 31.

Ursula Gauthier would be the first foreign journalist to be expelled since al-Jazeera correspondent Melissa Chan in 2012.

Photo AP
Photo AP

China blames the long-running unrest in western autonomous Xinjiang region on Islamist separatists, many of whom it says have foreign ties.

However, Xinjiang’s ethnic Uighurs, most of whom are Muslim, say Beijing’s repression of their religious and cultural customs is provoking the violence.

Ursula Gauthier published her article after the attacks in Paris in November, suggesting China’s solidarity with France might have an ulterior motive – to justify its own crackdowns in Xinjiang.

The article triggered condemnation from the Chinese government and state media, which demanded an apology and retraction from her.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed on December 26 it would not renew Ursula Gauthier’s press card, saying she had failed to make a “serious apology” to the Chinese people and was no longer “suitable” to continue working in the country.

“China will never support the freedom to champion terrorism,” the ministry said.

The foreign ministry complained of what bit termed a double standard, whereby tough action in the West was called anti-terrorism but in China was described as the repression of ethnic minorities.

Myanmar Landslide: More than 50 Missing and Feared Dead in Kachin

Diane A. Wade
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Myanmar Landslide: More than 50 Missing and Feared Dead in Kachin

About 50 people are missing and feared dead after a landslide hit a jade mining region in Myanmar’s northern Kachin state.

A search for survivors and bodies is continuing after Christmas Day accident in the area around Hpakant, officials say.

In November 2015, more than 100 people were killed in the same area after a massive landslide.

Jade mining produces piles of waste rock. Itinerant workers climb the heaps to search for the gem stone.

The Bangkok Post quoted Hpakant official Tint Swe Myint as saying five bodies had already been found.

“According to witnesses, about 50 people are still missing,” he said.Myanmar landslide jade mine 2015

However, Myo Htet Aung, another local official, told the AFP news agency that “just three or four people are missing at the moment” and no bodies were found at the site.

In November’s disaster, many of those killed were people who made their living scavenging on or near the waste dumps left by large-scale industrial mining firms.

In a report in October, advocacy group Global Witness said the value of jade produced in 2014 alone was $31 billion – the equivalent of nearly half of Myanmar’s (Burma’s) GDP – yet hardly any of the money was reaching ordinary people or state coffers.

Local people in mining areas accuse the industry of a series of abuses, including poor on-site health and safety and frequent land confiscations.

Australia Bushfire Destroys More than 100 Homes on Christmas Day

Diane A. Wade
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Australia Bushfire Destroys More than 100 Homes on Christmas Day

A bushfire on Christmas Day has destroyed more than 100 homes in Australia’s Victoria state, officials say.

Ninety eight homes had been razed in Wye River and 18 at Separation Creek, officials say. No injuries are reported.

Hundreds of firefighters have been battling the blaze along the famous Great Ocean Road in Victoria’s south-west, popular with holidaymakers.

A change to cooler weather and rain has greatly reduced the threat, but some emergency warnings remain in place.

Some 1,600 residents and tourists from the popular tourist spot of Lorne were evacuated on December 25 amid fears that a wind change would push the fire towards the town, but were allowed to return on December 26.Australia bushfire Christmas Day

Many of those forced to leave their homes had to spend Christmas night in hastily-arranged shelters.

More than 500 firefighters, 60 tankers and 18 aircraft have been involved in fighting the flames.

Victoria Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said they were “working around the clock to bring this fire under control”.

Craig Lapsley warned that although the immediate threat had eased, the fire had the “potential to burn” for weeks to come.

Thousands of tourists typically descend on the area in the days after Christmas to visit coastal towns.

Many residents and holidaymakers were forced to flee, as festivities were abandoned when the scale of the threat became apparent.

Anyone still planning to travel to the area is being asked to check emergency warnings and to avoid the Great Ocean Road if possible.

The Falls Music and Arts Festival, which is held annually near Lorne, may not go ahead because of the fires, its organizers said.

The fire began with a lightning strike on December 19 and has been fanned by strong winds and intense heat in recent days, burning across 5,437 acres so far.

Victoria is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world.

Many bushfires are started by lightning strikes, while others are sparked accidentally by campers or discarded cigarettes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCqWvaYpaIE

Bill Clinton’s Childhood Home on Fire on Christmas Day

Nancy Clayson
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Bill Clinton’s Childhood Home on Fire on Christmas Day

A fire at Bill Clinton’s childhood home in Arkansas is believed to have been caused by arson, officials say.

The blaze in the city of Hope slightly damaged one interior room before it was extinguished, police say.

Arson is suspected because accelerant was detected at the scene. Graffiti is also being examined.Bill Clinton childhood home Arkansas

The former president spent his first years in the house, which was designated a National Historic Site in 2011.

Hope Police Department chief JR Wilson said a motorist spotted flames on the Christmas Day, according to the Associated Press news agency.

JR Wilson said firefighters saw flames 8ft high on one side of the property when they arrived.

Bill Clinton was America’s 42nd president, serving from 1993 to 2001.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC6FOrYcxL0

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stops Man from Committing Suicide off Bosphorus Bridge

Diane A. Wade
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stops Man from Committing Suicide off Bosphorus Bridge

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly stopped a man from committing suicide.

According to his office, the president talked the man out of jumping off the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul.

The man had climbed over a railing on the Bosphorus Bridge linking Europe with Asia and was threatening to kill himself.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s motorcade was crossing the bridge at the time.

Photo TRT World
Photo TRT World

TV pictures showed Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s staff asking the sobbing man to talk to the president. After a few moments, he was escorted to safety.

The man was suffering depression due to family problems, and police had been trying to prevent him from jumping for some two hours, the Dogan news agency reported.

Footage shows officials persuading him to go and talk to the president in his car.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not leave his car, and he speaks to the man with his mobile phone pressed to his ear.

An official from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office told Associated Press news agency he had promised to help him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPC9VIEr5M

Janet Jackson Puts Unbreakable Tour on Hold to Have Surgery

Sonia Pantiss
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Janet Jackson Puts Unbreakable Tour on Hold to Have Surgery

Janet Jackson has postponed her Unbreakable world tour until spring to have surgery.

The 49-year-old singer said her doctors told her she needs an operation “soon”.

Janet Jackson told fans: “Please pray for me, my family and our entire company during this difficult time.”

She said she would not be giving any details of her health condition.Janet Jackson postpones Unbreakable tour

Janet Jackson began her tour last August in Vancouver and had dates across the US, Canada and Europe till June 2016.

Her next concert had been due to take place in Denver, Colorado, on January 9.

In 2008, Janet Jackson cancelled a string of concert dates after developing migraine-associated vertigo.

“It breaks my heart to tell you that I am forced to postpone the Unbreakable Tour,” she said, adding that fans should hold on to their tickets.

“They will be honored in a special way when the new schedule is announced.”

Unbreakable is Janet Jackson’s 11th album – and the first studio album since her brother Michael Jackson died in 2009, prompting Janet to take a step back from the public eye.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flut-LEJ8lI

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