French police and firefighters are searching for a tiger on the loose in a town outside Paris, local authorities say.
A woman alerted officials after spotting “a big cat” in a supermarket car park in Montevrain, east of Paris, local media reported.
The Montevrain council said on its Facebook page that an area of woodland had been roped off.
Residents have been advised to stay indoors, and children are being kept in schools.
It was unclear where the animal came from, though there is a big cat park near Montevrain.
The owner of the Intermarche supermarket in Montevrain said his wife had spotted the animal at about 08:30 AM local time.
Police and firefighters are desperately hunting for a tiger on the loose near Paris
The woman took a photograph that appears to show a large cat.
Le Parisien newspaper said several local residents had sighted the animal.
Specialists said the animal’s tracks were those of a young tiger. An official from the mayor’s office said they had been able to trace the animal to the woodland by following its prints, and that a helicopter was assisting police and fire officials in the search.
The Montevrain mayor’s office dismissed the idea that the tiger could have escaped from a circus that was in the town until November 8, Le Parisien reported.
EuroDisney, which operates nearby Disneyland Paris, said it kept no tigers.
Clinical trials for an effective Ebola treatment are to start in West Africa in December.
The medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which has been helping lead the fight against the virus, says three of its treatment centers will host three separate research projects.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has lifted the state of emergency imposed in the country.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf warned “this is not because the fight against Ebola is over”.
It marks the progress being made in the country, where the weekly number of new infections is falling.
In a radio address she told the nation that night curfews would be reduced, weekly markets could take place and preparations were being made for the re-opening of schools.
One trial involves using the blood of recovered Ebola patients to treat sick people in the Guinean capital Conakry.
Clinical trials for an effective Ebola treatment are to start in West Africa in December (photo Getty Images)
Two antiviral drugs will be trialed in Guinea and an unconfirmed location.
“This is an unprecedented international partnership which represents hope for patients to finally get a real treatment,” said MSF spokeswoman Dr. Annick Antierens.
The Ebola outbreak is thought to have infected more than 14,000 people, almost all of them in West Africa. The death toll has risen to 5,160.
The first trials are due to start next month. Initial results could be available in February 2015.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in September that experimental treatments and vaccines for Ebola should be fast-tracked.
Two experimental vaccines, produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Public Health Agency of Canada, have already been fast-tracked into safety trials.
The GSK vaccine is being tested in Mali, the UK and the US. Research on the Canadian vaccine is also under way in the US.
Around 400 people participate in the first trials and they will be extended to other centers if the early results are promising.
Jodi Arias trial resumed on November 12 with testimony from an expert witness and arguments over allegations that authorities destroyed evidence that may have benefited the convicted murderer’s case.
Jodi Arias was found guilty of murder last year in the 2008 killing of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander at his suburban Phoenix home, but jurors deadlocked on whether she should be sentenced to death or life in prison.
Prosecutors have one more shot with a new jury to secure a death sentence. Otherwise, Jodi Arias faces life in prison.
The sentencing retrial resumed after a lengthy break during which news organizations protested a decision to let a skittish defense witness testify in private and authorities were accused of destroying evidence on Travis Alexander’s computer.
Jodi Arias was found guilty of murder in the 2008 killing of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander
The judge denied a request by the defense to delay the trial based on the allegations of the destruction of evidence, explaining she would take up the matter at a later date.
Prosecutor Juan Martinez said his office had the computer reanalyzed just this week, and it showed the defense claims are false. He also noted that if anything was deleted from the computer, it was done by Jodi Arias’ previous defense attorneys, not authorities.
Defense lawyer Kirk Nurmi told the judge a “plethora of evidence” is being uncovered by computer experts “as we speak.”
Meanwhile, defense-witness testimony resumed after news organizations succeeded last week in getting an appeals court to bar Judge Sherry Stephens from closing the courtroom to the public after some of the testimony by Jodi Arias’ first witness was conducted in private.
Jodi Arias’ attorneys say several people are unwilling to testify on her behalf unless it is done in private because they are afraid of public backlash. They have said that some witnesses at Jodi Arias’ first trial were threatened and harassed for their role in the case.
That first defense witness remains unidentified to the public and did not take the stand again on November 12.
Duck Dynasty’s Jessica Robertson celebrated her 34th birthday on November 12.
Jessica Robertson is Jep’s wife and the daughter-in-law of Phil and Miss Kay, and sister-in-law of Jase and Willie.
Jep and Jessica Robertson married in February 2001 and have four kids together (photo Facebook)
She is often seen helping Willie Robertson’s wife Korie and Miss Kay with ideas to expand the Duck Commander women’s line selling camo lingerie.
Jep and Jessica Robertson married in February 2001 and have four kids together: Lily Barb Robertson (born October 26, 2003), Merritt Deanne Robertson (born March 10, 2005), Priscilla Marie Robertson (born September 11, 2007), River Robertson (born April 29, 2009).
June Shannon has finally revealed who is the real father of her daughter Lauryn “Pumpkin”.
For the first time since allegedly resuming her relationship with convicted child molester Mark McDaniel, Mama June is sitting down for an exclusive interview with ET‘s Brooke Anderson to defend her actions and answer the questions everyone has been asking.
Honey Boo Boo’s mother said:“I have nothing to hide, I have nothing to lose.
“I just want, honestly, to tell my side of the story and let’s move on.”
June Shannon, 35, came under fire last month after reports surfaced that she had rekindled a romantic relationship with Mark McDaniel, who was recently released from jail after serving 10 years for aggravated child molestation.
However, according to Mama June, she has only seen Mark McDaniel twice since his release from prison, once at a coincidental meeting and the second time at an arranged meeting to give closure to her daughter Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon, 14, who was raised believing Mark McDaniel was her biological father.
June Shannon’s daughter Lauryn “Pumpkin” was raised believing Mark McDaniel was her biological father
“Since two months to almost six years, she knew nobody but him,” June Shannon explained.
“She was starting to resent Anna and she was starting to ask me questions. I can’t answer those questions for Pumpkin.”
June Shannon says that she arranged a second meeting with Mark McDaniel so that Pumpkin could ask him questions in an attempt to get closure and move on.
“I was sitting right there with twelve other people,” she told ET.
“It was a conversation that she wanted her answers: what happened, why did he leave, you know, if he was her real father. He admitted to her, no. I had already told her that but, you know, she wanted to hear from both sides of the story.”
Mama June revealed for the first time her claim that Pumpkin’s biological father is also the father of her 18-year-old daughter Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon. His name is Michael Anthony Ford, he is a convicted s** offender who served time for exploitation of minors after being caught on To Catch a Predator in 2005.
“Jessica and Pumpkin have the same dad, but Jessica’s dad has had nothing to do with her over the years,” June Shannon said.
“So, why the hell would I open up that can of worms until today? I lied to my family and told them it was somebody else.”
As for whether June Shannon understands why people were so upset over her being seen with Mark McDaniel, she says: “I understand that…and honestly it’s not like I’m seeing him every day, I promise…I wanted to be able to give one of my other daughters closure and now Pumpkin is happy, that piece of our life is over.”
Sandra Bullock is now a blonde for her role in Our Brand Is Crisis.
Sandra Bullock, 50, was spotted sporting lighter locks on the set of the political dramedy in Puerto Rico on November 11.
Sandra Bullock is now a blonde for her role in Our Brand Is Crisis
She was joined on set by co-star Zoe Kazan.
The last time Sandra Bullock rocked blond hair was for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy in 2009’s The Blind Side, for which she won an Oscar for Best Actress.
Three American sailors have been attacked by Turkish nationalist protesters in Istanbul.
The protesters, who posted a video of the attack on an ultra-nationalist website, tried to put hoods on them and chanting “Yankees go home”.
They also threw red paint and chased the sailors down a street.
The sailors returned unharmed to their ship, the USS Ross, which was docked nearby, a US military spokesman said.
US officials condemned the attack, but said it appeared to be a one-off event.
Turkish police arrested 12 people in connection with Wednesday’s incident, but later released them, local media reported.
Three American sailors have been attacked by Turkish nationalist protesters in Istanbul
The protesters, members of the nationalist Turkish Youth Union, were told they could still face charges of insult, injury and breaching laws on public protests, the Dogan news agency said.
Just before the assault, one of the protesters shouted in English at the sailors: “Because we define you as murderers, as killers, we want you to get out of our land.”
The protesters then started throwing objects at the sailors and grabbed hold of at least one of them, briefly pulling a white sack over his head.
Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, called the attack “ugly and disturbing”.
He described the assailants as “local thugs”, saying they brought “great discredit upon the Turks and the Turkish reputation for hospitality”.
“We’re working closely with Turkish authorities to have this investigated and to get to the bottom of exactly what happened,” he said.
The Turkish foreign ministry also condemned the attack, calling it “in no way tolerable”.
In a recent interview, June Shannon’s mother, Sandra Hale, revealed she was the one who took Anna “Chickadee” Shannon to the police station and filed accusations against Mark McDaniel on her behalf.
Sandra Hale also believes Honey Boo Boo is in danger.
June Shannon’s mother, Sandra Hale, took Anna to the police station and filed accusations against Mark McDaniel on her behalf (photo ET)
She told Entertainment Tonight: “The reason I say that is because that’s about the same age he likes.
“[The same age] he messed with Anna.”
However, Mama June does not believe that Honey Boo Boo is in danger as her youngest daughter has had minimal contact with Mark McDaniel since his release.
Honey Boo Boo’s eldest sister Anna “Chickadee” Shannon Cardwell has revealed their sister Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon believes Mama June’s child molester boyfriend Mark McDaniel is her father.
Anna Cardwell, who accused Mark McDaniel of repeatedly assaulting her when she was 8, told Dr Drew on HLN that Pumpkin believes the convicted molester is her dad.
Anna Cardwell has revealed her sister Pumpkin believes Mama June’s child molester boyfriend Mark McDaniel is her father (photo HLN)
She said that is why Pumpkin has defended June Shannon since reports emerged that she was dating Mark McDaniel again after his release from prison in March.
“You know, out of all the kids we have, Mama does not know who Pumpkin’s dad is. And Pumpkin thinks it’s Mark which kind of hurts my feelings, because Mama is making her believe that someone who did that to me is her father.
“Now Pumpkin hates me for it… I don’t really care. Me and Pumpkin have never been that close… Now with her cussing me out, [saying ] <<screw you>>, <<F you>>… I’m just done with it.”
Two window washers, who became trapped on scaffolding near the 68th floor of One World Trade Center, have been rescued by New York firefights after more than one hour.
Footage showed the workers rescued through a hole cut in one of the glass windows of One World Trade Center.
The two people were uninjured and tethered.
The window washers became trapped on scaffolding near the 68th floor of One World Trade Center
The call came in at 12:42 EST and the firefighters were on the scene in less than four minutes, a spokesman said.
The window cleaners were pulled inside at around 14:15 EST.
The rescued men were identified as Juan Lopez, who has been a window cleaner for five years, and Juan Lizama, who has been on the job for 14 years, Gerard McEneaney, a labor union official, told Reuters.
The 1,776ft tower opened for business last week as the first of 3,000 employees of publishing giant Conde Nast moved into their new offices there.
A police official said the partially collapsed cradle was hanging at “a 75-degree angle”.
The cable on the cradle apparently broke as it retracted towards the roof of the building.
People on the ground were moved back in case glass began flying from One World Trade, the country’s tallest skyscraper.
Gary Hansen, an architect who worked on One World Trade Center, happened to be across the street during the incident.
He told Reuters the building was designed with three cranes on top, two to suspend platforms and one for emergencies.
The Ebola outbreak death toll has risen to 5,160, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced in a new report.
The frequency of new cases no longer appears to be increasing nationally in Guinea and Liberia but remains high in Sierra Leone, the WHO added.
The Ebola outbreak is thought to have infected more than 14,000 people, almost all of them in West Africa.
The deaths of three more people in Mali have been reported in the past day.
The Ebola outbreak death toll has risen to 5,160
“Transmission remains intense in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone” and the frequency of new cases is still increasing in Sierra Leone, the WHO said in its situation report.
Health experts have argued that the rate of new cases is more significant that the total death toll, as it reflects how fast the virus is spreading.
More than 2,830 people have died from Ebola in Liberia, with more than 1,100 deaths in both Guinea and Sierra Leone, the WHO said.
Mali has reported four deaths from Ebola, while there were eight reported Ebola deaths in Nigeria, and one in the US.
The total number of deaths has increased by 200 since the WHO’s last situation report on November 7.
India’s main opposition party has called a general strike in central Chhattisgarh state where 13 women have now died after botched sterilization surgery at a state-run health camp.
Sixty women remain in hospital and at least 20 are in a critical condition following the tubectomy operations.
A team of doctors from the capital, Delhi, are being flown to the state to help out with the emergency.
Health camps are staged throughout India to control its huge population.
The Chhattisgarh government has ordered an inquiry into the deaths and Chief Minister Raman Singh has said “it appears the incident occurred due to negligence” by doctors.
The victims’ families, all from poor families, each have been promised a compensation of about $6,600.
Four senior health officials have been suspended and a police complaint has been registered against the surgeon who performed the operations.
The Congress party in the state has held protests and called a general strike to demand the resignation of the chief minister and Health Minister Amar Agrawal.
The shutdown is being supported by the state’s chamber of commerce and several other organizations.
The tubectomies were carried out on 83 women on Saturday in Pendari village in Bilaspur district. According to government rules, one surgeon should only perform 35 operations in a day.
Doctors say their condition keeps fluctuating rapidly, and it is hard to say if anyone is out of danger.
A team of four doctors from Delhi’s premier AIIMS hospital (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) is on its way to Chhattisgarh to help with the treatment of women admitted to four hospitals there.
Chhattisgarh health officials have denied any responsibility for the deaths, but some suggested that medics were under pressure from the authorities to perform too many sterilization operations in too little time.
Preliminary examinations showed the deaths had been caused by infection or shock as a result of blood loss, state deputy health director Amar Singh told the Press Trust of India news agency.
ESA’s robot probe Philae has made the first, historic landing on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, after descending from its mothership, Rosetta spacecraft.
Philae lander touched down on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at about 16:05 GMT.
There were cheers and hugs at the control room in Darmstadt, Germany, after the signal was confirmed.
It was designed to shine a light on some of the mysteries of these icy relics from the formation of the Solar System.
ESA’s robot probe Philae has made the first, historic landing on Comet 67P
“This is a big step for human civilization,” said Jean-Jacques Dordain, the director-general of the European Space Agency (ESA).
Shortly after the touchdown was confirmed, Stephan Ulamec, the mission’s lander chief, said: “Philae is talking to us… we are on the comet.”
The robot deployed harpoons to fasten itself to the 2.5-mile-wide ball of ice and dust.
Scientists will use Philae to take pictures of the comet’s landscape and to analyze its chemical composition.
They are hoping its surface materials will hold fresh insights into the origins of our Solar System more than 4.5 billion years ago.
Let’s face it, we all love our technology. When it comes to gadgets and gizmos, we simply cannot get enough. But, we like our tech to last. While we may want to replace it when the latest upgrade comes out, we certainly don’t want it break in the mean time. There are some great accessories that you can use on your tech to make sure that it is kept in the best possible condition. Of course, we are all au fait with covers and slips, but some of these beauties are sure to please.
It’s time to give your tech some love. Here are the best accessories for your gadgets.
Okay, so going for luxury leather may seem a step too far. But, think about it logically. Your gadgets need the best to protect them from excessive use. Not many of us can live without our iPads. iPad covers, of yesteryear, are a little dull. They’re either made from cheap plastic or they look tacky. It’s time to give your iPad a makeover. Check out Shinola iPad cases. They are the perfect adornment for any gadget geek that loves fashion. The best thing is, is that they come in a wide range of colours. You don’t have to have a cheap case any longer. Go for luxury. Your iPad deserves it.
Screen Protectors
Screen protectors may not be the most glamorous of items, but your smart phones and tablets need one. You don’t have to go for the plastic covers any longer. You don’t have to worry about bubbles on your screen. On the contrary, there are some great screen protectors that clip onto your device. So, if you want to make your tech last, you need to invest in a clip on screen protector.
Solar Powered Charger
Yes, that’s right. You don’t have to live without your phone or tablet any longer. This is one of the best pieces of tech to hit the high street. Everyone knows the pain of a dead battery. But, you don’t have to suffer this any longer. The solar powered charger charges your phone in under thirty minutes. Just plug in the charging portal and away you go. It’s a great gadget for those that love their tech.
Go Ride Mount Bike
If you are something of a keen cyclist, you are probably looking at ways to make sure that your phone is safe and secure. What you need is a Go Ride Mount for your bike. Simply clip the attachment to the front of your bike and away you go. You don’t have to compromise safety. What’s more, this is convenient for those that love to listen to music as they ride.
Flip-Out Keyboard
Sometimes, it’s just not convenient to head back to the laptop. What you need is a flip out keyboard. This has been specially designed for the iPhone and attaches via the charging portal. So, if you have a wide range of documents come through to your email, you don’t have to worry about auto correct fails again!
Health workers treating Ebola patients at a clinic in Sierra Leone have gone on strike, protesting about the government’s failure to pay an agreed weekly $100 “hazard payment”.
The staff includes more than 400 nurses, porters and cleaners.
The clinic, in Bandajuma near Bo, is the only Ebola treatment centre in southern Sierra Leone.
In Mali, a nurse and the patient he was treating earlier became the second and third people to die from Ebola there.
Nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak a global health emergency.
The Bandajuma clinic is run by medical charity MSF, which said it would be forced to close the facility if the strike continued.
About 60 patients had been left unattended because of the strike at the clinic in Bandajuma.
There are international staff at the clinic but they are unable to keep the clinic open on their own.
The staff, who are protesting outside the clinic, say the government agreed to the “hazard payments” when the facility was established but has failed to make any payments since September.
The money was due to be paid in addition to salaries the staff receive from MSF.
Earlier, the Malian authorities confirmed that a nurse and the patient he was treating at a clinic in Bamako had died.
The patient, a traditional Muslim healer in his 50s, had recently arrived from Guinea.
The current outbreak is the deadliest since Ebola was discovered in 1976.
Ebola was first identified in Guinea in March, before it spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone. The WHO says there are now more than 13,240 confirmed, suspected and probable cases, almost all in these countries.
Russian military equipment and combat troops entered Ukraine this week, NATO top commander has said.
“Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air defense systems and Russian combat troops” were sighted, General Philip Breedlove said.
Russia’s defense ministry denied that its troops were in eastern Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists there.
However, the rebels have admitted being helped by “volunteers” from Russia.
The UN Security Council is convening an emergency session later on November 12 to discuss the reported sightings.
Russian military equipment and combat troops entered Ukraine
Heavy artillery fire rocked the east Ukrainian city of Donetsk, the industrial hub held by pro-Russian separatist rebels, on Wednesday morning.
It was unclear whether the fire came from besieging government forces or the rebels themselves, or both.
There were also reports of fighting near the rebel-held city of Luhansk. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another injured north of Luhansk, when rebels fired on government positions near the village of Schastya, Ukrainian security forces said.
Back in August, NATO was warning about the deployment of Russian artillery batteries inside Ukraine, the supply of Russian military equipment to the rebel forces and the build-up of further Russian combat units at the Ukrainian frontier.
Since then many of these units have been withdrawn.
Now with tensions renewed, Nato’s Supreme Commander in Europe General Philip Breedlove has confirmed that over the past two days, NATO has seen columns of Russian armor, artillery and crucially – combat troops – entering Ukraine.
The question now is whether this is just a re-run of events in the summer or does a more significant clash beckon, perhaps one where the Kremlin may decide – in its terms – to teach the Ukrainians a military lesson.
Gen. Philip Breedlove also confirmed that NATO believes Russia is deploying nuclear-capable weapons to Crimea – a reference to reports that Russia is deploying short-range Iskander ballistic missiles there that could potentially be equipped with nuclear warheads.
The holiday season is a time for spending. According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Holiday Consumer Spending Survey, the average person will spend $804.42 on the holidays, of which the majority is on gifts for family, friends, and co-workers. The deals and discounts offered on Black Friday are the biggest draws to shopping on this day. According to the NRF survey, 74.7 percent of shoppers decide where to shop based upon the discounts. The temptation to save with these deals on Black Friday can lead to actually overspending. However, you can keep your spending in check so that you are not still paying off your debt come spring.
Calculate How Much you Can Spend
The incredible deals and savings offered on Black Friday do not mean you need to put yourself into debt to pay for them. One of the best ways to not overspend is to create a budget. According to a survey by Accenture, most people do set a budget for the holiday expenses. However, 46 percent surpass their budget. To avoid overspending your budget, take time to research and create your budget so that you will not be tempted by other items.
The first step is to calculate how much you can spend, total, on the holidays. This total amount will include any food for any family feasts or parties, gifts for everyone, decorations, travel costs, and any other potential expenses you do not normally have. It will also include any amount you plan to spend on yourself, such as taking advantage of the Black Friday 2014 deals on BFads to finally get that HDTV you have been eyeing. To calculate your available cash, budget your income and expenses for the month to see how much disposable income you have. If you plan to use a credit card, make sure you can pay it off quickly; otherwise, you might end up paying more on interest than you saved.
Decide How to Spend your Money
Now that you know your magical number that you can spend, it is time to decide how to spend it. Make a list of the items you want to buy, including gifts for friends, family members, co-workers, and yourself. Then, including expenses you believe you will have for traveling, parties, food, decorations, and other expenses. Create a rough estimate based upon what you spent last year and what you expect to pay this year. See if that rough estimate is within your budget. If it is not, go through and prioritize your list. Delete anything you do not need to buy. You can also see if there is a way to reduce your normal expenses to give you more money to spend on the holidays.
Find the Best Deals
Black Friday has some of the best deals on a variety of items, which is why it is such a popular shopping day. With your list of items to buy, look through all the ads to find the best Black Friday discounts or deals on the items. This will help you to decide where to purchase the times. The discounts may also let you add items to your shopping list, but do not be too tempted. According to Ellie Kay from an article on Bankrate.com, people can go broke by saving money by being too focused on the deals and discounts, not on how much they actually spend. Therefore, always focus on the bottom line. The more research you put into finding the best deals, the better chance you will have of sticking to your budget.
Avoid Temptation
Even with all your research and calculations ahead of time, you are still at risk of being tempted and overreaching your budget when shopping on Black Friday. While you are searching for an item, you might find another item that seems like a great deal and throw it into your cart, or you might be bored waiting in line and find something to add to your cart. The stores have put these items in these locations just for that purpose. You do not want to fall into this trap, as this will destroy your budget. Therefore, be vigilant when shopping by following your list and game plan. If you feel you will be easily tempted, take a shopping buddy with you that will stop you from buying something.
You can stay on budget this holiday season, even when shopping the amazing deals on Black Friday filled with temptation. You just have to put in the time and effort ahead of time to calculate your budget and decide what you are allowed to purchase. Then, you need the willpower — or the help of a friend — to keep you on budget. If you stick to the deals on items you want and need, then you will avoid overspending and incurring more debt than you can handle.
The newly elected president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has denied allegations he encouraged tax avoidance when he was Luxembourg’s prime minister.
Jean-Claude Juncker, 59, said there was “nothing in my past to indicate that I wanted to encourage tax evasion”.
He has come under pressure over claims that some 340 global companies were granted deals to help them avoid tax during his 18 years in office.
The Commission has begun an investigation.
Jean-Claude Juncker has denied allegations he encouraged tax avoidance when he was Luxembourg’s prime minister
Jean-Claude Juncker, 59, took over as president of the Commission at the start of November and was confronted within days with a report by investigative journalists that alleged that companies such as Pepsi and Ikea had made deals with his country’s government to save billions in tax in other countries.
Incumbent PM Xavier Bettel was quoted as saying all deals abided by international tax rules, although Jean-Claude Juncker made no comment at the time.
In an unexpected appearance before journalists on November 12, the Commission President repeated the message.
“Everything that has been done has been in compliance with national legislation and international rules that apply in this matter,” he said.
According to a 2011 biography, Van Gogh: The Life, Vincent van Gogh did not kill himself.
Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith claim that, contrary to popular belief, it was more likely Vincent van Gogh was shot accidentally by two boys he knew who had “a malfunctioning gun”.
The authors came to their conclusion after 10 years of study with more than 20 translators and researchers.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam called the claim “dramatic” and “intriguing”.
In a statement, however, curator Leo Jansen said “plenty of questions remain unanswered” and that it would be “premature to rule out suicide”.
He added that the new claims would “generate a great deal of discussion”.
Vincent van Gogh died in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, in 1890 aged 37
Vincent van Gogh died in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, in 1890 aged 37.
The Dutch master had been staying at the Auberge Ravoux inn from where he would walk to local wheat fields to paint.
It has long been thought that he shot himself in a wheat field before returning to the inn where he later died.
Steven Naifeh said it was “very clear to us that he did not go into the wheat fields with the intention of shooting himself”.
“The accepted understanding of what happened in Auvers among the people who knew him was that he was killed accidentally by a couple of boys and he decided to protect them by accepting the blame.”
He said that renowned art historian John Rewald had recorded that version of events when he visited Auvers in the 1930s and other details were found that corroborated the theory.
They include the assertion that the bullet entered Van Gogh’s upper abdomen from an oblique angle – not straight on as might be expected from a suicide.
“These two boys, one of whom was wearing a cowboy outfit and had a malfunctioning gun that he played cowboy with, were known to go drinking at that hour of day with Vincent.
“So you have a couple of teenagers who have a malfunctioning gun, you have a boy who likes to play cowboy, you have three people probably all of whom had too much to drink.”
He said “accidental homicide” was “far more likely”.
“It’s really hard to imagine that if either of these two boys was the one holding the gun – which is probably more likely than not – it’s very hard to imagine that they really intended to kill this painter.”
Gregory White Smith, meanwhile, said Vincent van Gogh did not “actively seek death but that when it came to him, or when it presented itself as a possibility, he embraced it”.
He said Van Gogh’s acceptance of death was “really done as an act of love to his brother, to whom he was a burden”.
Van Gogh’s brother, Theo, was funding the artist who, at that time, “wasn’t selling”.
Other revelations claimed by the authors include that:
Van Gogh’s family tried to commit him to a mental asylum long before his voluntary confinement later
Van Gogh fought so furiously with his parson father that some of his family accused the artist of killing him
Van Gogh’s affliction, viewed as a mix of mania and depression, was a result of a form of epilepsy
Gregory White Smith said the biography, published on November 10, helped to give a greater understanding of a “frail and flawed figure” and that his art would be seen “as even more of an achievement”.
Thousands of previously untranslated letters written by the artist were among documents studied by the authors to create a research database containing 28,000 notes.
Yahoo has announced it will buy digital video advertising service BrightRoll for $640 million.
The move would allow Yahoo to grow its video advertising platform, “making it the largest in the US”, the giant tech said.
BrightRoll does automated online video advertising for some of the world’s biggest brands and its net revenue is expected to exceed $100 million this year.
A jump in video advertising would also help offset Yahoo’s slowing growth and boost declining display ad revenues.
Yahoo has announced it will buy digital video advertising service BrightRoll for $640 million (photo Reuters)
“Here at Yahoo, video is one of the largest growth opportunities, and BrightRoll is a terrific, strategic and financially compelling fit for our video advertising business,” said Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer in a statement on November 11.
Last month, Yahoo had reported that its Q3 revenue from ads fell by 5% from a year earlier. It has struggled to keep up with rivals like Google that have seen ad revenue grow by 17% in third quarter from a year ago.
The acquisition is also Yahoo’s first major purchase since receiving $9.4 billion in September from selling part of its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.
News of the takeover comes after reports in October that said Yahoo was close to investing millions of dollars in mobile messaging startup Snapchat.
Mexico’s governing PRI party’s offices in south-western Guerrero state have been set on fire by protesters to vent their anger at the official handling of the case of 43 missing students.
Their disappearance more than six weeks ago from the town of Iguala has sparked a series of sometimes violent protests.
Officials say local gang members have confessed to killing the students and burning their bodies.
However, remains found nearby have not yet been matched to the missing.
About 1,000 people marched in the Guerrero state capital, Chilpancingo, before unrest broke out.
A group of protesters fought running battles with police, throwing stones and petrol bombs.
The disappearance of 43 students six weeks ago from the town of Iguala has sparked a series of violent protests
Officials said three police officers and two journalists were injured in the clashes.
The disappearance of the 43 trainee teachers and the links it has revealed between the local authorities and a gang calling itself Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors) have triggered mass protests.
Investigators said that municipal police officers confessed to seizing the students, who had been protesting in Iguala on September 26, and later handing them over to the gang.
Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca is under arrest on suspicion of ordering police to intercept the students. Iguala’s police chief is still on the run.
Residents say they suspect links between the gang and officials reach higher levels than that of the local town council.
Relatives of the missing are also angry about the way the search for the students has been conducted.
The search uncovered a series of mass graves in the hills surrounding Iguala.
Tests carried out by the Guerrero state authorities suggested the bodies they contained were not those of the students.
Mexico’s Attorney-General Jesus Murillo Karam later said the initial tests may have been flawed.
A group of international forensic scientists acting for the families has also been examining the remains. On November 11 they released their first statement.
They said that they had so far been able to determine that 24 of the 30 bodies found in the six mass graves in Pueblo Viejo near Iguala were not those of the students.
It is not clear who they may belong to or how long ago they may have been buried there.
Test on the remaining six bodies found in Pueblo Viejo continue and results on those are expected soon, they said.
The team, made up of scientists from Argentina, Colombia, France, Mexico, Uruguay and the US, said it was also testing nine bodies found in burial pits in La Parota, also near Iguala.
Furthermore, charred remains found at a landfill site near the town of Cocula will be sent to a specialized laboratory in Austria for testing.
The landfill site is where, according to testimony by gang members given to prosecutors, the Guerreros Unidos killed and burned the students.
European Space Agency’s Rosetta satellite will release the Philae lander on a seven-hour descent to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12 at 08:35 GMT.
The flight team, based in Darmstadt, Germany, has confirmed that Rosetta is lined up correctly.
If Philae gets down successfully, it will be the first time that a robot has landed on the surface of a comet.
Confirmation is expected at Earth around 16:00 GMT.
If all goes to plan, the little robot, called Philae, will deploy screws and harpoons to secure its position on the comet after a seven-hour flight.
The first thing Philae will do on landing is send back a picture of its surroundings – a strange landscape containing deep pits and tall ice spires.
This is, though, an event with a highly uncertain outcome.
Early on November 12, the third “go” signal was delayed due to concerns over the health of the Philae lander.
“We almost didn’t get the third <<go>>,” said Paolo Ferri, head of operations at ESA.
The thruster system used to push the robot into the surface of the comet when it touches down could not be primed. This means Philae will now have nothing to push it into the surface of the comet.
Rosetta satellite will release the Philae lander on a seven-hour descent to the surface of Comet 67P (photo AP)
“We will just have to rely now on the harpoons, the screws in the feet, or the softness of the surface. It doesn’t make it any easier, that’s for sure,” said lander chief Stephan Ulamec, from the German Space Agency. But the landing attempt goes ahead.
The terrain that has been chosen for the landing on the rubber-duck-shaped object is far from flat.
Philae could bash into cliffs, topple down a steep slope, or even disappear into a fissure.
ESA’s Rosetta mission manager Fred Jansen said that despite these challenges, he was very hopeful of a positive outcome.
“We’ve analyzed the comet, we’ve analyzed the terrain, and we’re confident that the risks we have are still in the area of the 75% success ratio that we always felt,” he told reporters here at ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany.
The prize that awaits a successful landing is immense – the opportunity to sample directly a cosmic wonder.
Comets almost certainly hold vital clues about the original materials that went into building the Solar System more than 4.5 billion years ago.
Mission control will closely monitor the mothership and lander as they move towards separation.
The vast distance between the comet and the Earth – 510 million km – means radio commands take almost half-an-hour to reach the spacecraft.
Nonetheless, the flight team must put Rosetta on a very precise path, to make sure Philae has the best opportunity of arriving squarely in the chosen landing zone.
These navigation instructions were due to be sent up late on Tuesday.
Once the 100kg robot is let go at 08:35, it has no means of adjusting its descent; Philae will go where the comet’s gravity pulls it.
Controllers in Darmstadt will want to hear not only that Philae landed in one piece but that it is securely fastened to the comet.
The nature and strength of the surface materials are unknown, however.
Philae could alight upon terrain whose constitution is anything between rock hard and puff-powder soft.
If it can, the robot will endeavor to lock itself in place with screws in its feet and harpoons that fire from its underside.
ESA has cautioned that success may require a large slice of luck in addition to the skill of all the teams involved.
Rosetta was dispatched from Earth to catch 67P in 2004. That means it and Philae were designed and built in the 1990s.
Midwest and parts of Canada have been hit by an Arctic blast with temperatures plummeting by as much as 40F in days.
The sharply cooler temperatures are a result of frigid air pushed in by a powerful storm that hit Alaska with hurricane-force winds.
Parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan saw over a foot of snow overnight on November 10.
More than 150 flights were cancelled at the Minneapolis airport.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was expecting as much as another two feet of snow after accumulating more than a foot on November 10.
Midwest and parts of Canada have been hit by an Arctic blast with temperatures plummeting by as much as 40F in days
In Minnesota, state police said at least two people were killed in accidents on icy roads.
Snowy roads were blamed for a Wisconsin school bus crash that sent two adults to hospital, according to a local broadcaster.
Terri Sommerfeld, a clerk at Ace Hardware in Webster, Wisconsin, said the store had sold six or seven snow-blowers in two days, the same amount they sell in a typical winter.
The unseasonably cold temperatures are expected to move further east on November 12.
What made this chill more of a shock was the way it struck so quickly after warm autumn weather.
David Phillips, a climatologist for Environment Canada, says Calgary experienced its warmest October for 50 years. The average temperature was 8.3C and it’s usually 5.2C.
At an APEC event to watch the fireworks in Beijing on Monday night, Russian President Vladimir Putin created a few of his own by slipping a shawl over the shoulders of China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan.
A smiling Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, accepted the offer, but removed the shawl only seconds later, replacing it with her own black jacket.
It was a fleeting moment but captured on live television and China’s internet users went wild for the gesture, posting the GIF image on their Weibo accounts.
Vladimir Putin carefully placed a shawl over the shoulders of China’s stylish first lady Peng Liyuan (photo Getty Images)
Perhaps after seeing how the forums pounced on the moment, state TV stopped running that scene and there is no mention of it official state media.
But on Weibo and WeChat it is clearly what is making people talk and there has been little censorship so far.
This served as a reminder to China’s Weibo users that Russia’s “gallant” president had form. He once covered German Chancellor Merkel with a shawl at a previous G20 summit.
Polish police clashed with hundreds of masked men during march marking National Independence Day in Warsaw.
The clashes began as some of the marchers – said to be members of far-right groups – broke away from the main rally and started to throw stones and flares at the police.
Several people were arrested, and there were reports of injuries.
It is the fourth year in a row that violence has erupted during the march.
In 2013, a group of protesters tried to attack the Russian embassy.
Polish police have used water cannon to disperse hundreds of masked men during march marking National Independence Day in Warsaw
On November 11, thousands of people took part in the annual march in Warsaw, which was initially noisy but peaceful.
The violence broke out when a group of people – many of them wearing masks – broke away from the main rally.
They hurled rocks, flares and paving slabs at police, who responded with water cannon.
One man was seen with blood coming from a wound to his head, according to Reuters news agency.
Earlier in the day, President Bronislaw Komorowski led official celebrations in the capital.
The march commemorates the day Poland regained its independence at the end of World War One in 1918.
Before that, Poland had been carved up between Russia, Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian empire.
