According to analysts, the Black Friday shopping phenomenon has shown signs of moving online, with no repeat of last year’s chaos in some stores.
The 2014 Black Friday saw buyers fighting over bargains, websites crashing and delivery companies struggling to cope.
Black Friday, the discount day has its origins in the US, where it takes place the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally kick-starting the Christmas shopping period.
Online activity is said to be up, but expectations are for a longer period of discounts and shopping.
In the US, some retailers started offering deals early.
Macy’s said about 15,000 shoppers waited outside its Manhattan department store in readiness for its opening on Thanksgiving evening.
Amazon offered discounts in the lead up to the shopping event.
Washington-based National Retail Federation estimates that about 135.8 million Americans will shop during the four-day holiday compared with 133.7 million in 2014.
The US shopping bonanza has spread not only in Europe, but also countries such as Brazil and India.
Black Friday is still dwarfed by China’s Singles Day – the world’s biggest online shopping event. On November 11, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba reported sales worth 91.2 billion yuan ($14.3 billion), a 60% increase from 2014.
Today, there is a real drive towards cheaper, safer, more sustainable energy sources. This is important because our current energy usage is destroying the planet and human life. Pollution must be eradicated, which means that we must all commit to moving away from gasoline and diesel.
It is now believed that natural gas is currently the cheapest type of energy usage, as well as being renewable. If there is a severe blackout or power outage, however, generators should be used sparsely regardless of their fuel type. Overall, however, it is best to use a gas generator. Diesel or gasoline motors are not as efficient, as well as being more polluting.
Why Use Natural Gas Generators?
So why is natural gas so efficient? First, it is because it is very similar to both gasoline and coal in as such that it is changed from a liquid to a gas stated through the pipes that run all over the city. These pipes are basically gas channels. The way society is today, more people should commit to using natural gas because it is so clean. Compared to oil and gasoline, it has far fewer harmful emissions, including nitrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur and more.
Plus, natural gas doesn’t have a foul odor like the one that is found in gasoline fueled generators. You will also notice that there is much less consumption in a natural gas generator, particularly if you compare it to an electrical powered one. This is why natural gas is also the cheapest type of generator out there in terms of usage.
In fact, natural gas generators, in terms of consumption, are some 40% cheaper than their diesel or gasoline counterparts. Businesses and homes alike have a fantastic, affordable, clean source of energy within their reach and they don’t even have to buy extra fuel. The gas pipes are already in place, after all. If the generator is portable, the high quality tanks can be used to store the gas in. They really offer the perfect solution.
Current research is being conducted to find ways to increase the production of natural gas, while at the same time reducing the dependence of society on oil to fuel generators and electricity. It is believed that, with the advances in technology, new and better alternatives will start to be developed ensuring that more natural gas can be retrieved.
Yes, even natural gas is a pollutant. However, compared to that of diesel, gasoline and oil, it is truly minimal. Taking all that into consideration and it quickly becomes clear that it is perhaps the best alternative energy source available to us today and it can mean significant progress for the plant and for humanity.
The world cannot sustain itself anymore, so the time to commit to change is now. This may be a tough reality to accept, but the fact is that we won’t have a planet to leave to our children if we continue to behave in the way we do.
If you ever have to shop large sized products, or large quantities, then the best way to achieve that will be by using steel storage containers. This is firstly because they are a very spacious, standard size. You can use them as a convenient storage area as well, which adds to their usefulness. In fact, a lot of people use steel storage containers as an additional storage space, particularly because they are available as very low cost rentals. While they were originally designed for transport, a large amount now idly sits in storage areas and can be either rented or purchased at very low prices. They are particularly useful for large and medium capacities.
Some Information about the Containers
The idea behind steel storage containers actually comes from the United States Army. They needed something of a standard shape that could carry anything from tanks to soldiers. This is where the rectangular idea came from. After the war, the containers became more commercially available and people quickly started to see that they were suitable not just for the shipping industry, but for the storage industry as well. Because containers are built for transportation, they are also popular with people who want to move home. The container can be brought to a property where it can be filled up, after which it is taken to a new property to be unloaded, perhaps with some storage time in between. The question is, however, should you buy or rent one?
Buying or Renting Containers
Renting is more expensive in the long run. This is because you are expected to only use them for a short period of time. However, they are generally still cheaper than other storage facilities. Plus, if you rent for a longer period of time, your rates will generally drop quite significantly. However, the reality is that when you rent a container, you will never quite own it. Hence, if you intend to rent it for a very long period of time, buying it may be a better option.
There are two problems with buying a container, however. These are:
You will have to pay the full purchase price up front.
If you ever want to move your container, you have to pay for that yourself as well.
As such, it is a question of weighing up your pros and cons. If you have significant assets behind your name and you know that you will frequently use storage facilities, then buying the container may be the better option. Yes, you will have to pay every time you want to move it, but that will still be less than rental fees. On the other hand, rental is often so cheap that it is very easy to budget for it, whether you are a business or an individual. And, if you do rent it, you may have insurance and security included with it. What matters most is that these containers are more affordable and of better quality than any other option, particularly storage warehouses.
Blinds come in a variety of materials, colors and prices. Size is also important, because they have to fit your windows properly. This is why you have to learn how to measure your blinds before you buy them. Additionally, you need to have a look around to see what types of blinds are out there before making your decision.
Some Things to Think about
You can get blinds in a variety of styles, including mini blinds, vertical blinds, wood blinds and faux wood blinds.
If you want a stylish and truly sophisticated look, then real wood blinds are perfect. While they tend to be on the more expensive range, there are solutions out there for every budget. These blinds really bring out the wood in all of your other furniture.
If, however, you are on a budget, then faux wood is probably the better option. Not just that, they are also better for areas with high moisture, such as kitchens and bathrooms. These blinds can resist different temperatures as well.
Then, there are mini blinds. These are great for offices as well as for people on a budget, because they come in standard sizes and are easy to install. They are available in uncountable colors and styles.
Vertical blinds are also available, which really streamline the overall look of your window. They are perfect for large windows, or for very narrow and long windows and doors. Many people are now doing away with curtains, choosing wood or vinyl vertical blinds instead. They also come with various ‘draw factors’, which means that they can open up in different ways, from either one of the sides or either from the middle. Some of them even have remote controls!
People also like blinds because they are so easy to maintain and clean. Additionally, they provide your home with insulation during both warmer and colder months. Furthermore, they allow you to have more control over the amount of light in your property, and how much people can actually see inside your home. It helps you to set a mood and to control your privacy in other words.
There are even blinds that work as a sunscreen and these are particularly suitable for viewing rooms. They allow you to subdue the light that comes into your home, without blocking off your view of the outdoors. They help to reduce the glare of the sun but some light is able to filter through, which means you don’t have to invest in artificial light. At the other end of the spectrum is the blackout blind, which is perfect for children’s bedrooms, or for your own bedroom if you or someone else works shifts and has to sleep during the day.
As you can see, the choices you have are endless. Whatever your personal needs and requirements, you are guaranteed to find a blind that suits them. And this includes your personal budgetary options, as they come in a huge range of prices.
If you have bad credit, you will know how hard it is for you to find any type of finance. Although there are some lenders out there who offer products to people like yourself, they tend to have incredibly high interest rates. However, there are options out there to help you find a loan that won’t cost you the earth. It is about knowing what to look for, which will make sure you don’t end up in a spiral of negative debt.
Get Your Basics Right
First of all, you have to take a good, long, hard look at yourself. Know what your financial situation is like and be honest with yourself. This will give you a more realistic picture of what you can expect. When you apply for loans, you have to have realistic expectations.
Do also have a very good, full time, employment status. You have to have a good income that shows you will be able to actually make the repayments.
Always aim for the lowest amount you could possibly lend to meet whatever it is you want to pay for. Just because you can get $5,000 doesn’t mean you should. Remember that the less you borrow, the less you will pay as well, and the more likely it is that you will be accepted.
Photo Source: articles.bplans.com
Find the Right Lender
Now that you know yourself, you need to find the lender with the best terms possible. This installment loan direct lender website is certainly an example of good practice and you can use it to compare others, for instance. Online lenders tend to be more sympathetic to people with bad credit, so this is a good place to start.
You can also use online comparison sites, but remember that they often take some sort of cut. Hence, once you have identified a lender, try to go to them directly instead of through the comparison website. After all, you don’t want to pay any hidden charges.
Don’t ignore traditional lenders either. Do have a chat with your own bank. They know your financial history and financial behavior and may be willing to consider you even if you do have bad credit.
Choose the Right Loan
You may want to apply for the first nice looking deal that you see, but is it right for you? For instance, do you want a secured or unsecured loan? If your credit is poor, it may be more difficult to apply for an unsecured loan. This is particularly true when you want to apply for a large loan. However, that doesn’t mean you should just get a secured loan without thinking about it either. Secured loans put your property at risk, so you have to make sure that you will be able to pay for it.
Hopefully, this information will help you to make the right financial decision.
France is holding a national memorial service for the 130 people who died in a series of attacks in Paris two weeks ago.
Around 1,000 people attended the service in central Paris, including President Francois Hollande, survivors of the attacks and victims’ families.
A minute’s silence was held and the names of all the victims read out.
Attackers with assault rifles and suicide belts targeted a number of sites in the capital. ISIS later said it was behind the assault.
In his speech, President Francois Hollande said France would “do all it can to destroy this army of fanatics”.
“It will operate relentlessly to protect its children,” he said.
Francois Hollande vowed that France would respond with more music, concerts and sporting events, after some of the attacks targeted a concert venue and a stadium.
Among those attending the service were the parents of British victim Nick Alexander, who said that they were now “intrinsically linked” to those who had also lost loved ones.
However, not all the victims’ families accepted the invitation to attend the service at the grand Les Invalides complex that houses a military museum and Napoleon’s tomb.
The family of one victim told French media they had refused, saying not enough had been done to protect the nation in the wake of other attacks earlier this year.
In the November 13 attacks, the gunmen opened fire on restaurants and bars in Paris and stormed the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people were shot dead.
Three more attackers blew themselves up outside the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, after staff denied them entry to a football match between France and Germany.
More than 350 people were injured in the attacks – the worst in recent French history.
At least nine people are believed to have been directly involved in carrying out the latest attacks.
They are all dead, but two more men, including suspect Salah Abdeslam, are still on the run as a huge manhunt continues in France and Belgium.
Some of the attackers – including suspected ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who died in a police raid in Paris last week – had lived in Brussels.
China stock market closed down by more than 5% after several major brokerage companies announced they were under investigation.
The Shanghai Composite index ended the day 5.5% lower at 3,436.3 points – marking its biggest drop since August.
On November 26, it was announced that China’s securities regulator was investigating the country’s largest brokerage, CITIC Securities.
CITIC Securities is being probed over the possible breaking of market rules.
Rival brokerage Guosen Securities is also being investigated, and shares in both CITIC and Guosen fell by 10%, the maximum allowed in one day.
In addition, trading in China Haitong Securities shares was halted and later in the day the company also confirmed it was under investigation.
Chen Xingyu, an analyst at Phillip Securities, told the AFP news agency: “The biggest reason for such a sudden drop today is because of regulator’s investigation of the top brokers. It has triggered a broader sell-off.”
Analysts said there was little information on the specific reasons for the probes other than violations of securities regulations.
Reuters reported that the Chinese regulator was urging brokerages to stop financing investors’ stock purchases through swaps in an attempt to curb leveraged trading.
A crackdown on leveraged and margin trading has been underway since the Chinese market’s dramatic plunge over the summer.
Market sentiment was already wavering ahead of a new batch of initial public offerings set to make their debut next week.
More negative economic data on the Chinese economy also did little to boost investors’ confidence, with government figures showing that industrial profits in October fell 4.6% from a year ago.
The fifth consecutive decline in profits earned by Chinese industrial companies added more fuel to concerns over a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.
According to experts, cyber-thieves are preparing malware and spam campaigns in a bid to catch out retailers and shoppers during the run-up to Christmas.
One gang had updated the sophisticated malware it used to target tills in stores, security company iSight said.
There had also been an increase in spam and phishing emails crafted to catch out people seeking bargains.
Some crime groups had made fake copies of popular shopping apps in a bid to steal payment-card data.
The warnings are being given just prior to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which bracket the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday, when many online and offline stores offer special deals.
The 50 biggest retail brands in the US were now hunting through their internal corporate networks to see if they had been infected by the “highly sophisticated” Modpos malware, said iSight senior director Stephen Ward.
The modular malware could lurk unseen on POS equipment, said Stephen Ward, and sought to scoop up payment-card data during the few moments this information was passed around unencrypted in the memory of computerized tills.
“It’s a Swiss-army knife of sorts that can be used for any type of nefarious activity,” he said.
The Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center, a US government-backed organization set up to pass on information about threats aimed at retailers, has sent out advice about the “2015 hacking season”.
“Downtime is expensive, but especially so at this time of year,” it said.
“Retail staff is motivated and focused on sales, at the risk of possibly allowing fraudulent transactions or other types of breaches.”
Reacting quickly to threats could be tricky at this time of year, it said, because systems were often “frozen” to limit downtime.
Stephen Ward said iSight had been tracking the gang behind Modpos for some time, but it had now been revamped for the run-up to Christmas.
Traditional anti-virus systems were unlikely to catch the stealthy malware because of the clever way it was built.
iSight had passed on information about telltale signs that would reveal a retailer had been compromised by Modpos.
Anti-fraud company ThreatMetrix said online retailers were also coming under sustained assault from many different hi-tech crime groups.
It said it had seen signs of an increase in fraud campaigns before the main shopping season got under way and expected a “major spike” in such activity in the run-up to Christmas.
In a report, it said attacks against online retailers had already jumped 25% over earlier in the year and it expected the trend to continue.
“Generally, the third quarter is a slower time for businesses as consumers anticipate spending money during the Christmas and New Year shopping season, but this year it yielded record numbers in attack attempts,” said Vanita Pandey, strategy director at ThreatMetrix.
The vast majority of the attacks were attempts to defraud companies by using fake logins or stolen credentials, said Vanita Pandey.
ThreatMetrix had seen evidence of crime groups using botnets, networks of hijacked computers, to batter away at login screens searching for loopholes and bugs.
Experts also urged people to be vigilant and exercise common sense when browsing offers sent via email or other messaging services.
No-one should ever buy anything offered via unsolicited email.
Miss World Canada, Chinese-born Anastasia Lin, has said she was barred from boarding a plane from Hong Kong to the Chinese city hosting this year’s pageant.
Anastasia Lin, 25, says she did not receive an invitation to attend the event, which meant she could not apply for a visa.
However, she attempted to travel to Sanya, via Hong Kong, as Canadian tourists are eligible for visas on arrival.
Anastasia Lin has blamed the apparent ban on her human rights campaigning.
She has criticized the “repressions and censorship” in China and is a practitioner of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement which China deems a cult and has banned.
The Miss World tournament is due to happen in the seaside resort of Sanya on December 19.
Photo YouTube
Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail quoted a statement from the Chinese embassy in Ottawa that “China does not allow any persona non grata to come to China”, in response to a query on Anastasia Lin’s status.
“My denial was unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected. The Chinese government has barred me from the competition for political reasons,” Anastasia Lin said in a statement.
“They are trying to punish me for my beliefs and prevent me from speaking out about human rights issues.”
Anastasia Lin said she was barred from flying after trying to check in at the Dragonair counter at Hong Kong airport.
Canadians usually need a visa to enter China, but Anastasia Lin was trying to enter Sanya on a special landing visa that Sanya, as a tourist destination, grants on arrival to citizens of certain countries, including Canada.
Anastasia Lin moved from China to Canada in 2003 as a teenager. She has performed in films about the abuse of Falun Gong members, and spoken about the subject to a US Congressional committee in July.
She has also claims her father, who still resides in China, has been harassed by officials because of her activism.
Falun Gong, considered a cult by Chinese authorities, first began as a spiritual movement that quickly amassed thousands of followers.
After a demonstration by Falun Gong practitioners demanding recognition in 1999, Chinese authorities outlawed it and launched a crackdown.
The movement’s followers have accused authorities of persecution and often hold protests outside of China to draw attention to their treatment.
Donald Trump has denied mocking disabled New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski during a campaign address earlier this week.
The Republican presidential hopeful flailed his arms while referring to an article about the 9/11 attacks by Serge Kovaleski, who suffers from a congenital joint condition.
However, Donald Trump insisted he did not know what the reporter looked like.
He tweeted that he simply was “showing a person groveling to take back a statement made long ago”.
“I do not know the reporter for the @nytimes, or what he looks like. I was showing a person groveling to take back a statement made long ago!” the tycoon wrote.
Photo CNN
The row erupted after Donald Trump’s speech at a rally in South Carolina on November 24.
Donald Trump used a 2001 article by Serge Kovaleski, who at the time worked for the Washington Post, to back up his own widely disputed claims that “thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the September 11 attacks in the US.
In his article, Serge Kovaleski’s wrote that “law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river” in Jersey City.
However, Serge Kovaleski recently told CNN he did “not recall anyone saying there were thousands, or even hundreds of people celebrating”.
At the rally, Donald Trump accused Serge Kovaleski of backing down from his own story.
“Now the poor guy, you gotta see this guy,” the billionaire said, before launching into an apparent impression of Serge Kovaleski, waving his arms around with his hands at an odd angle.
“Uhh I don’t know what I said. Uhh I don’t remember. He’s going like <<I don’t remember. Maybe that’s what I said>>.”
Serge Kovaleski has arthrogryposis, a condition that affects the movement of joints and is noticeable in his right arm and hand.
He reported on Donald Trump between 1987 and 1993. He has said he is sure the businessman remembers him and his physical condition, the Washington Post reported.
The New York Times has called Donald Trump’s actions “outrageous”.
Adele has announced the dates of her 2016 European tour – the singer’s first tour since 2011.
Adele will start in Belfast next February and visit Dublin, Manchester, London, Glasgow and Birmingham before moving on to mainland Europe.
Tickets for the UK dates go on sale to members of Adele’s website on December 1 before going on general sale on December 4.
Adele’s third album 25 has sold 737,000 copies in the UK in just six days.
The new album has also sold almost three million in the US since its release on November 20.
In interviews, Adele has suggested she may not tour, blaming stage fright, her chequered vocal health, motherhood, and saying she finds touring lonely.
However, in a short video posted to accompany the tour announcement, Adele said: “I have been bluffing this whole time and I’m so relieved to tell you I am of course coming on tour.”
Adele’s last tour, in 2011, ended prematurely due to the discovery of a hemorrhage on her vocal cord, which required surgery.
With huge demand likely for her gig tickets this time, Adele’s tour website carries a request that purchasers do not sell tickets on for a profit.
Reselling tickets at inflated prices is common for sold-out gigs and is not illegal. But it often causes consternation among genuine fans and the site says: “The resale of tickets will not be tolerated.”
The tour announcement came after Adele’s 25 album set a new record for the most albums sold in a UK chart week, overtaking the previous record of 696,000 set by Oasis’s Be Here Now in 1997.
Turing Pharmaceuticals, the company that sparked an outcry by raising the price of HIV drug Daraprim by 5,000%, says it will cut its price for some users.
Martin Shkreli’s drug company bought the rights to 62-year old drug Daraprim and increased the price per pill from $13.50 to $750.
Turing said it will cut the price by 50% for hospitals and offer financial assistance to individuals.
However, the company will keep its list price at the new higher level.
In September Turing promised to reduce the price.
Daraprim costs around $1 for patients in Europe.
In statement Turing’s chief commercial officer Nancy Retzlaff defended the company’s move. She said that reducing the listing price would not have translated into saving for patients.
“Drug pricing is one of the most complex parts of the healthcare industry. A drug’s list price is not the primary factor in determining patient affordability and access,” Nancy Retzlaff said.
Doctors though worry keeping the price so high will make it impossible for hospitals to stock the drug for the few patients who need it.
The original increase sparked outrage on social media and among politicians.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called the increase “price gouging”.
Turing’s chief executive Martin Shkreli- who had been labeled the most hated man in America-fought back saying politicians did not understand Pharmaceutical pricing.
He later backed down and promised to lower the price of the drug, though never said by how much.
Martin Shkreli told ABC news in September: “We’ve agreed to lower the price of Daraprim to a point that is more affordable and is able to allow the company to make a profit, but a very small profit.”
Since Australia is now in the midst of its Cyclone Season, some people worry about the potential threats. During this period, there are harsh weather conditions. That means that people need to be extra cautious when it comes to their safety. One of the things that people often overlook is their trees. When you have plants and shrubbery in your garden, you need to make sure that you take some precautions. The sooner you take action, the safer you will be over the next few months.
When the wet season comes, it often brings a few cyclones with it. While much of Australia has the means to deal with these things, some people are still ignorant. It is crucial that everyone knows just what to do when it comes to these weather changes. Australian cyclones can be particularly destructive. The hurricane-force winds have the power to destroy everything in their pathway. That means that people need to prepare themselves for a rocky ride. Most of the buildings are now cyclone-proof, which means that they are extra sturdy. In short, it is unlikely that these structures will buckle under the power of a hurricane.
So, what causes these storms? The simplest way to describe the phenomenon is to say that the change in pressure causes them. When the wet (and hot) season starts, the air pressure changes. These hurricanes often come from the sea and cause entire places problems. Over the years, there have been some serious issues relating to these forceful things. When it comes down to it, there is not much that the average Australian can do about these disasters.
While there have been many examples of these hurricanes, some are more shocking than others. Back in 1974, Darwin saw one of the worst cyclones of all time. Cyclone Tracy destroyed the entire city. If you visit the city now, you will find that most of the structures there are quite new. That fact is because the hurricane destroyed everything in its path. When it came into contact with trees, it snapped them like twigs. That meant that the trees crushed houses and even people beneath them. Needless to say, the Australian government has gone to great lengths to avoid this issue repeating. There are now many procedures in place to protect people and their property.
One of the main risks relates to the trees in your area. If you happen to live in a green region, you will likely have many trees around your home. While that may look beautiful, it comes with its fair share of dangers all the same.
It is crucial that you keep an eye on the plants in your area. Often, before a tree trunk snaps, you will see a little crack forming on it. When you notice that there is a problem, you should notify the council before it is too late. Of course, the sooner you deal with the issue, the safer things will be.
You should also check your trees for any possible damage. Since we have already had extreme weather in the Northern Territory, you need to ensure that your trees are still secure. Often, one of the telltale signs of damage will be changes in the root of the tree. If the roots look as though they are no longer strong, you may need to take action.
When to Contact a Tree Doctor
Most people ask when they should call a tree doctor to help them. It is important to remember that you can’t deal with an issue by yourself. Only an expert arborist will have the right safety harnesses to complete the job. When you notice that your trees have become weak, you need to do something right away. These plants are an accident waiting to happen. The sooner you contact a tree doctor, the sooner you can deal with the issue. Don’t attempt to cut down the tree without an expert by your side. Doing so is a recipe for disaster.
Tree Safety Tips
Finally, you should know a few tree-related safety tips. For one thing, when a cyclone hits, you need to make sure that you are inside your home. Don’t try to do anything at this point. Before then, you should prepare your trees for the stormy season. It may be worth securing the trees with a fence or even some wiring. These little tips will help you, but they are not the sole solution. If in doubt, contact a specialist, who will give you the advice you need.
Turkey has released an audio recording of what it says were warnings to a Russian military jet before it was shot down on the Syrian border.
“Change your heading south immediately,” a voice says in English.
The Turkish military said it had tried to rescue the SU-24 bomber’s two pilots.
One of the pilots was killed by gunfire as he parachuted from the burning plane.
The other pilot was rescued. He denied claims the warplane had violated Turkish airspace and warnings had been given.
The Russian warplane crashed into a mountainside on Syrian soil after being hit by a missile from a Turkish F-16 fighter jet on November 24.
Tensions have escalated between Turkey and Russia over the incident, with Russian President Vladimir Putin describing it as a “stab in the back” and warning of “serious consequences”.
Moscow later broke off military contacts with Ankara and said it would deploy its most advanced anti-aircraft missile system in Syria to destroy any target that may threaten its warplanes. It also said fighter jets would now escort its bombers during air strikes over Syria.
On November 26, Russia said it would impose stricter controls on food and agriculture imports from Turkey. A Russian official said some 15% of Turkish agricultural produce fell short of Russian standards, with excessive levels of pesticides, nitrates and nitrites.
The US, the EU and the UN have all appealed for calm.
France’s President Francois Hollande is travelling to Moscow on November 26 to shore up support for action against ISIS, which killed 130 people in attacks in Paris on November 13.
The Turkish military said it had given 10 warnings to the Russian plane before it was shot down in Turkish airspace.
Turkish officials also say they did not know the warplane was Russian until they had shot it down.
On November 25, the Turkish military also put out a statement saying it had been in touch with Russian military attaches to explain the rules of engagement that led to the incident and that it had tried to rescue the pilots.
Turkey said it was ready for “all kinds of co-operation” with Moscow over the incident.
The surviving Russian pilot said on November 25 no warning had been given by Turkey.
Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin also stressed there was “no way” the jet could have violated Turkish airspace, as Ankara said it did.
He knew the region “very well”, he said, and the jet had not been in Turkish airspace “even for a second”.
Russia said the pilot was rescued from rebel-held territory in north-eastern Syria in a 12-hour operation involving Russian and Syrian Special Forces.
A Russian marine was also killed and a helicopter destroyed by rebels during the operation.
Syrian rebels released a video apparently showing the dead body of the second pilot, who was identified by Russia as Lt. Col. Oleg Peshkov.
Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin was speaking from the Hmeymim airbase, where Russia’s aircraft are based.
Russia has been carrying out air strikes against opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since late September.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended the action by the country’s military, saying “everyone must respect the right of Turkey to protect its borders”.
He said he did not want to escalate tensions further.
Turkey is a member of NATO. The alliance has backed Turkey’s version of events, although it, too, is calling for “diplomacy and de-escalation” to resolve the situation.
Russia and Turkey have found themselves on opposing sides in Syria’s conflict, with Russia supporting President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey is a staunch critic.
Turkey is also part of the US-led coalition against ISIS.
Donald Trump has come again under fire after mocking a New York Times reporter with a congenital joint condition during a campaign rally in South Carolina this week.
The incident occurred as the Republican presidential hopeful was defending his recent claim that he had witnessed thousands of Muslims cheering in New Jersey on September 11, 2001, as the World Trade Center collapsed.
The assertion has since been fact-checked and discredited by law enforcement and government officials who were in New Jersey in the days and weeks following the terrorist attacks.
On November 24, Donald Trump berated New York Times investigative reporter Serge Kovaleski for his recent recollection of an article he had written a few days after the attacks.
Donald Trump appeared to mock Serge Kovaleski’s physical condition; the reporter has arthrogryposis, which visibly limits flexibility in his arms.
“Now, the poor guy – you’ve got to see this guy, <<Ah, I don’t know what I said! I don’t remember!>>” Donald Trump said as he jerked his arms in front of his body.
The gesture was all the more personal because Serge Kovaleski covered Donald Trump while reporting for the New York Daily News between 1987 and 1993, a tumultuous period for the businessman in which he struggled through several financial setbacks.
“The sad part about it is, it didn’t in the slightest bit jar or surprise me that Donald Trump would do something this low-rent, given his track record,” Serge Kovaleski said.
Donald Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks declined to comment on the record about the incident. A campaign official speaking on background said Donald Trump was “not aware of any condition and was not mocking his physical appearance in any way”.
In his speech on November 24, Donald Trump defended his recollection of the Muslim revelers by citing a 2001 article by Serge Kovaleski, who worked for The Washington Post at the time, noting that “authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river”.
Those allegations were never corroborated but have persisted in online rumors in the 14 years since the attacks. In an interview on CNN this week, Serge Kovaleski said he did not recall “anyone saying there were thousands, or even hundreds, of people celebrating”.
Serge Kovaleski’s friends and colleagues took to social media this week to defend him – and excoriate Donald Trump.
The New York Times also issued a sharply worded statement November 25, saying: “We think it’s outrageous that he would ridicule the appearance of one of our reporters.”
On the same day, Donald Trump tweeted: “The failing @nytimes should be focused on good reporting and the papers financial survival and not with constant hits on Donald Trump!”
New York authorities have found the mother who left her newborn baby in a manger in a nativity scene in a church on November 23.
The woman will not be charged, officials say.
The district attorney of Queens said the mother had been interviewed but he would not name her.
New York’s safe haven law allows newborns to be left anonymously at a church but it must be left with someone or the authorities must be alerted.
Brooklyn Bishop Octavio Cisneros said the baby boy was a “miracle child”.
In a statement on November 25, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said: “After a full review of all the facts and circumstances surrounding the discovery of a newborn infant this past Monday in a crèche inside of Holy Child Jesus church – including locating and interviewing the mother – my office has determined that no criminal prosecution of the child’s mother is warranted.”
He added: “It appears that the mother, in this case, felt her newborn child would be found safely in the church and chose to place the baby in the manger because it was the warmest place in the church, and further she returned the following morning to make certain that the baby had been found.”
The newborn had been found by church custodian Jose Moran after he returned to the empty chapel after lunch on November 23.
Jose Moran heard the baby crying and found it wrapped in towels in the manger with its umbilical cord still attached.
CCTV footage showed the mother arriving at the church with the baby and leaving without him.
Other footage had shown the woman earlier entering a shop and leaving with newly bought towels.
Emergency services took the baby to hospital where he is in good health.
Churches, hospitals, fire stations and police stations can all be safe havens for leaving babies anonymously.
North Korean and South Korean officials are holding rare talks aimed at improving long-strained ties, after a military stand-off in August.
The meeting is taking place at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone.
Tension between North Korea and South Korea ramped up in August when a border blast injured two South Korean soldiers.
Meetings at that time eventually led to the two Koreas stepping away from a military confrontation.
The two sides are expected to discuss details such as the timing and agenda of higher-level talks, reported South Korean news agency Yonhap.
South Korea’s chief negotiator, Kim Ki-woong, told reporters before the meeting: “We are resolved to maintaining the momentum for dialogue that was started by the August agreement.”
In June 2013, North Korea and South Korea agreed to hold what would have been the first high-level dialogue for six years. However, just the day before the scheduled meeting, Pyongyang canceled it, citing the seniority of the South Korean negotiator.
On August 4, two South Korean soldiers by the border were seriously injured by a landmine blast, which was blamed on the North. North Korea denied planting the landmine.
South Korea began propaganda broadcasts into the North, infuriating Pyongyang which in turn declared a “semi-state of war” and began deploying troops to the frontline.
However, after talks, also held at Panmunjom, the two countries reached a deal to de-escalate tensions with South Korea stopping the broadcasts and North Korea pulling back troops.
Pope Francis has celebrated Holy Mass attended by thousands of people at the University of Nairobi campus in Kenya.
The Pope made a plea for traditional values, saying “the health of any society depends on the health of its families”.
He earlier urged Kenyans to work for peace and reconciliation on his first trip as pontiff to Africa, amid a rise in militant violence.
Pope Francis arrived in Kenya on November 25, the first stop on a three-nation tour.
Crowds in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, waited in the rain at the University of Nairobi sports ground since the early hours of November 26. More than one million were expected to attend the Mass.
Wearing a robe embroidered to look like beads worn by the Maasai, Pope Francis told them: “Our faith in God’s word calls us to support families in their mission in society, to accept children as a blessing for our world, and to defend the dignity of each man and woman, for all of us are brothers and sisters in the one human family.”
The pontiff also spoke about abortion and the need for a caring society: “We are also called to resist practices which foster arrogance in men, hurt or demean women, and threaten the life of the innocent unborn.”
Photo CNN
Pope Francis appealed to young Kenyans “to shape a society which is ever more just, inclusive and respectful of human dignity”.
He said they “should reject everything that leads to prejudice and discrimination”.
Ahead of the Mass, Pope Francis had been meeting with religious leaders, who he said should be “prophets of peace” in a violent and hate-driven world.
The Pope earlier said conflict and terrorism fed “on fear, mistrust, and the despair born of poverty and frustration”.
Pope Francis has played down security fears about his trip, joking that he was “more worried about the mosquitoes”.
A leading Muslim cleric in Kenya welcomed the visit, saying it gave hope to the “downtrodden in the slums”.
Pope Francis’s five-day visit will also see him go to Uganda and Central African Republic, which has been hit by Christian-Muslim conflict.
Kenya’s government has said that up to 10,000 police officers may be deployed during the visit.
Militant Islamists have carried out a series of attacks in Kenya – including the 2013 siege at Nairobi’s Westgate shopping centre, which left 67 people dead and the killing of about 150 people during an assault on the Garissa National University College in April 2015.
Pope Francis is later expected to visit the headquarters of the UN Environment Program, and he has already spoken of a “grave environmental crisis” facing the world, and said leaders needed to promote “responsible models of economic development”.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Pope Francis to pray that Kenya succeeds in its fight against corruption.
About 30% of Kenyans – including the president – are baptized Catholics.
In his first interview since the Paris attacks, Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes says he wants to be the first person to perform at the Bataclan concert hall when it reopens.
Three gunmen stormed the gig they were playing at the venue in Paris on November 13, killing 89 people.
Speaking to Vice, Jesse Hughes said he “cannot wait to get back to Paris and play”.
“Our friends went to see rock and roll and died. I want to go back there and live.”
Members of the EODM rock band have described – in detail – what happened on the night of the attacks.
Jesse Hughes says he came face to face with one of the gunmen as he was trying to escape.
“I saw the shooter,” he said.
“He turned and brought the gun down on me but the barrel hit the doorframe.”
Photo Facebook
In an emotional interview, Jesse Hughes said: “I want to be the first person to play in the Bataclan when it opens up.”
All band members escaped unhurt.
Guitarist Eden Galindo said he initially thought the gunshots were the PA “cracking” but then realized “pretty quick” that it wasn’t.
“Jesse ran towards me and we went into the corner. We weren’t sure if they were targeting us.”
Bassist Matt McJunkins said he found himself trapped in a room with some fans who were also trying to get out.
“As soon as we get there [the room], there’s a few people who’ve been shot and who were bleeding.
“We had some chairs to barricade the door and a mini fridge. Someone had left a bottle of champagne bottle which we could have used… as a weapon.”
He described a woman in the room with him who had been shot.
“This guy was holding her and keeping pressure on her wound. He was trying to keep her comfortable and her blood was running out on the ground.”
Matt McJunkins said the gunfire went on for 10 to 15 minutes and was getting closer to where they were hiding.
He then described an explosion which shook the whole room. It was one of the gunmen’s suicide belts.
Julian Dorio, who was playing drums, said the initial shots were so powerful that he “bailed” off his stool almost immediately.
“The gunpowder hit my nose. I saw two guys up front and they were relentlessly shooting into the audience.
“I stayed on my chin, crawling to the side of the stage.”
Eagles of Death Metal were formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Joshua Homme.
Joshua Homme wasn’t at the Paris gig but showed the interviewer, Shane Smith, one of the texts he received that night.
It said: “Everyone got shot. They took hostages. I’ve got blood all over me.”
Ukraine has decided to ban all Russian planes from using its airspace after exports of Russian gas to Ukraine have been halted by state-controlled giant Gazprom.
The decision was announced by Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a televised government meeting.
Gazprom said it had halted gas deliveries to Ukraine because it had used up all the gas it had paid for.
Ukraine said it had stopped buying from Gazprom because it could get cheaper gas from Europe.
The airspace ban applies to military planes as well as civil airliners.
PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said: “The Ukrainian government has decided to ban all transit flights for all Russian airlines in Ukraine’s airspace.
“The government is instructing [aviation authority] Ukraerorukh, in line with the norms of international law, to inform the Russian Federation that Russian airlines and Russian aircraft do not have the right to use Ukraine’s airspace any longer.”
Following previous clashes over gas supplies, the two countries had agreed that Ukraine would pay for its gas in advance.
Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said on November 25 that Ukraine had already used up all the gas it had paid for.
In a statement, Alexei Miller said that “deliveries have been stopped until the receipt of new payments from the Ukrainian company.
“The refusal to buy Russian gas will create serious risks for the reliable transit of gas to Europe through Ukraine and for the supply of gas to Ukrainian consumers during the upcoming winter,” he added.
However, Arseniy Yatsenyuk dismissed Alexei Miller’s comments out of hand.
The prime minister said his government had decided to stop buying gas from Russia as it could get a better deal elsewhere.
“The government has made the decision to order [Ukraine’s national oil and gas company] Naftohaz to stop buying Russian gas.
“They got it all wrong. It is not them who are not supplying gas to us, it is us who are not buying gas from them. This is being done because offers that have come from our European partners – price offers – are much better than the offers from our eastern neighbor.”
Russia cut off gas to Ukraine in June 2014 as the conflict between the government in Kiev and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine escalated.
However, it resumed them following the pre-payment deal.
About 15% of gas used in Europe travels through Ukraine. The EU has been holding talks aimed at keeping supplies running between the two sides.
China’s leading brokerage, CITIC Securities, overstated its derivative business by $166 billion from April to September, according to the country’s securities association.
The Securities Association of China said CITIC Securities inaccurately inflated the amount of its equity swap transactions in a report submitted in October.
CITIC said the error occurred due to a system upgrade and has been corrected.
Investigations have resulted in executives confessing to insider trading at CITIC.
In September, shares of China’s largest state-owned brokerage slumped after it reported that three executives, including its president, were under police investigation.
CITIC has been part of a crackdown by China’s regulators on irregular stock trading since mainland markets plunged dramatically in mid-June.
The securities association, which is partly overseen by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, said it was investigating CITIC’s overstatement and would take further action if necessary.
It did add that the error did not affect the month-end net size of CITIC’s business.
The brokerage told the Reuters news agency that it had amended the figures at the start of November and the size of its swaps business was $6.2 billion.
An equity swap is a type of derivative that refers to a cash exchange between realized gains on specific stocks and fixed interest rates over a certain period of time in the future.
Andre Esteves, one of Brazil’s richest businessman, has been arrested as part of the corruption investigation into the state oil giant Petrobras.
Andre Esteves, the chief executive of BTG Pactual, is one of the most senior businesspeople arrested in the corruption case.
He was reportedly arrested at his home. Documents were seized both from there and from the bank’s headquarters in Sao Paulo.
The government’s leader in the Senate, Delcidio Amaral, was also arrested.
Photo EPA
Andre Esteves is Brazil’s 13th richest man, worth an estimated $2.5 billion.
Federal police also searched the senator’s offices in Congress. No reasons or details have been given by the police for either arrest.
According to the Brazilian media, police claimed the politician was detained because he was obstructing the course of an investigation.
Authorization for both arrests was given by Brazil’s Supreme Court.
More than 100 people have now been arrested in the two-year investigation, including politicians and former top executives at Petrobras, and some of Brazil’s biggest construction companies.
On November 24, police arrested businessman and rancher José Carlos Bumlai, a friend of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in an investigation into loans benefiting his companies and President Dilma Rousseff’s Workers’ Party.
Toyota has decided to recall another 1.6 million vehicles equipped with faulty airbags.
The automaker has recalled nearly 15 million vehicles fitted with the bags since 2013.
This recall includes 22 models sold in Japan, including the Corolla and Vitz, made between January 2004 and December 2005, as well as vehicles in Italy, the UK and Spain.
The airbags, manufactured by Japan’s Takata, can explode with too much force, sending out shrapnel.
No injuries were reported in Toyota vehicles related to the latest defect, which affects the passenger seat airbag, but a person in a Nissan car was injured recently in Japan.
Photo AP
Toyota, Ford, Honda and Nissan have decided not to use Takata inflators in vehicles under development.
At least eight people have been killed worldwide and hundreds injured in incidents involving the bags.
In the US, where over 19 million vehicles have been recalled because of the problem, it faces penalties of up to $200 million as part of a deal with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recalls have wiped out Takata’s profits.
This month, it reported a half-year loss of 5.6 billion yen ($45.8 million) due to recall costs and cut its profit forecast for the full year by 75%.
According to Russia’s ambassador to France, a Russian pilot who went missing after his warplane was shot down by Turkey was rescued by the Syrian army.
Alexander Orlov told Europe 1 radio the pilot had been taken to a Russian base. However, this report has not yet been confirmed by the authorities in Moscow.
The second pilot and a marine involved in their rescue operation were killed, Russia’s defense ministry says.
NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it stood by member Turkey but echoed calls for calm.
He said he backed the Turks’ assessment, but added “diplomacy and de-escalation are important to resolve this situation”.
Turkey said the warplane had strayed into its airspace but Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted the Su-24 had been hit by an air-to-air missile while flying over Syrian territory.
Vladimir Putin described the downing of the plane as a “stab in the back”.
Breaking off military contacts with Turkey, Russia’s defense ministry said a cruiser equipped with an air defense system would be deployed in the Mediterranean to destroy “any targets representing a potential danger” for Russian forces in Syria.
Russian bombers carrying out air strikes over Syria will now be escorted by fighters, the military said.
Russian defense official Lt-Gen Sergey Rudskoy said the two pilots were shot at from the ground as they parachuted from their burning plane – one of them was killed.
There have been various reports about the fate of the second airman.
Sergey Rudskoy also said a rescue team using two Mi-8 helicopters had attempted to rescue the two pilots.
“During the operation, one of the helicopters came under small-arms fire, was damaged and made an emergency landing on neutral territory,” he said.
“One naval infantryman serving under contract was killed.”
Sergey Rudskoy said the rest of the rescue team were safely evacuated from the area to Russia’s Humaymim air base near Latakia in Syria.
Syrian rebels say they blew up the helicopter shortly after it landed with an anti-tank missile, releasing footage of the attack.
Russians have been advised not to visit Turkey – a popular tourist destination – with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying the terror threat there was no less than in Egypt, where a bomb attack brought down a Russian passenger plane last month.
One of Russia’s largest tour operators, Natali Tours, has suspended package holidays to Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his forces had been acting within their rules of engagement.
“Everyone must respect the right of Turkey to protect its borders,” he said.
The US, the EU and the UN have all appealed for calm.
President Barack Obama has assured his Turkish counterpart in a phone call of US support for his country’s right to defend its sovereignty.
Russia and Turkey have found themselves on opposing sides in Syria’s conflict, with Russia supporting its ally President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey calling for his ousting.
Chicago authorities have released a dashboard camera video showing a white police officer shooting a black teenager 16 times in the city in 2014.
Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder for killing Laquan McDonald, 17. Police say the teenager refused to drop a knife.
Jason Van Dyke said through his lawyer and police union he had feared for his life.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has appealed for calm in the city.
After the video was released, several hundred people held a march in Chicago, blocking traffic. During a tense but largely peaceful demonstration the crowd chanted “16 shots”.
Police use of excessive force against African Americans has been the subject of nationwide protests for months.
Chicago has been preparing for possible protests ahead of the release the police dashcam video.
In Minneapolis on November 23, one of those protests was marred by violence when three white men opened fire at a rally, injuring five people.
In the Chicago case, a post-mortem examination showed Laquan McDonald had been shot at least twice in the back.
State lawyer Anita Alvarez said Jason Van Dyke had not been justified in shooting Laquan McDonald.
She said Laquan McDonald had been carrying a knife when he was stopped by police in 2014 but had not been threatening them or moving towards them.
Jason Van Dyke opened fire seconds after he arrived and continued shooting at the teenager as he lay on the ground, the lawyer added.
“While we expect officers to do their jobs… there are a few bad apples who go too far and break the law,” she said.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has said the video is “very troubling” and he expects a strong public reaction, though he hopes it will be “thoughtful and peaceful”.
The police union in Chicago had opposed the release of the video and said it would taint a trial jury.
Chicago police say Laquan McDonald threatened officers with a knife and slashed the tires and windows of a patrol car.
