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Brittany Maynard died: Terminally ill cancer patient ends life in Oregon

Kathryn R. Bown
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Brittany Maynard died: Terminally ill cancer patient ends life in Oregon

Terminally ill cancer patient Brittany Maynard, whose viral YouTube video reignited the debate on assisted-suicide, ended her life on November 1.

Brittany Maynard, 29, and her husband moved from California to Oregon, where assisted-suicide has been legal since 1997.

Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill residents to obtain lethal prescriptions from doctors.

Since 1997, 1,173 people were granted lethal prescriptions and 752 patients used it to end their own lives.

Brittany Maynard, who was suffering from a terminal brain cancer, died at home after administering lethal drugs.

She died “in the arms of her loved ones,” a spokesman for the campaign group Compassion & Choices said.

Brittany Maynard suffered from a terminal brain cancer
Brittany Maynard suffered from a terminal brain cancer

Sean Crowley said Brittany Maynard was suffering from increasingly severe seizures and head and neck pains which had at times limited her ability to speak.

Following months of treatment and a worsening prognosis, Brittany Maynard made the decision to use Oregon’s laws to obtain a lethal dose of medication which she kept “until the time is right,” as she said in her video.

She received the lethal medication several months ago, and last week in a video posted to her website she said that she was considering delaying her plan.

“I still feel good enough and I still have enough joy and I still laugh and smile with my family and friends enough that it doesn’t seem like the right time right now,” Brittany Maynard said.

“But it will come, because I feel myself getting sicker.”

Brittany Maynard’s first video went viral and has attracted more than 9 million views on YouTube.

In it she said that she first started experiencing the headaches shortly after getting married.

Assisted suicide is controversial in the US, where it faces staunch opposition from Christian campaign groups, among others.

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Russel Rebello: Last Costa Concordia victim found in ship wreck

Diane A. Wade
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Russel Rebello: Last Costa Concordia victim found in ship wreck

The remains of the last victim of the Costa Concordia’s 2012 capsize has been found in the ship wreck, Italian officials have said.

Workers for the salvage company recovered the body from a cabin and handed it to the authorities to be identified.

They believe it is Indian waiter Russel Rebello, the last of 32 victims to be recovered from the wreck.

The Costa Concordia partially sank in January 2012 after it hit a reef off the Italian island of Giglio.

The Concordia was finally raised from the sea in July and towed to Genoa to be scrapped.

The captain, Francesco Schettino, is on trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship, charges he denies.

The remains of the last victim of the Costa Concordia's 2012 capsize has been found in the ship wreck
The remains of the last victim of the Costa Concordia’s 2012 capsize has been found in the ship wreck

This is the third time local officials have said Russel Rebello’s remains might have been found.

Tests on the other two occasions determined that the remains were not his.

This time, his brother Kevin said on Facebook he believed Russel was now coming home to India.

“I promised my family that I would bring back home my brother some day. When was the biggest question,” Kevin Rebello said.

“Finally, my younger brother’s body has been found.

“Thanks to everyone who prayed and believed that one day he would be found.”

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One World Trade Center opens for business 13 years after 9/11 attacks

Nancy Clayson
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One World Trade Center opens for business 13 years after 9/11 attacks

New York’s World Trade Center has re-opened for business more than 13 years after the original towers were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.

Employees at publishing giant Conde Nast are starting to move into the 104-storey One World Trade Center.

The $3.8 billion skyscraper took eight years to build and is now the tallest building in the US.

It is 60% leased and the government’s General Services Administration has signed up for 275,000 square feet.

“The New York City skyline is whole again,” Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority, which owns the restored site, said in a statement.

The 1,776ft tall skyscraper is at the centre of the site, which includes a memorial in the footprints of the old towers and a museum, opened this year.

New York's World Trade Center has re-opened for business more than 13 years after the original towers were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks
New York’s World Trade Center has re-opened for business more than 13 years after the original towers were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks (photo AP)

An observation deck at the top of the building will eventually be open to the public.

Patrick Foye added the building was “the most secure office building in America”.

TJ Gottesdiener of the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill company that produced the final design said the high-rise went beyond the city’s existing building code, and was built with steel-inforced concrete.

About 170 of Conde Nast’s employees will be moving into the building this week, filling five floors. About 3,000 more employees will join them in early 2015.

Space has also been leased to the advertising firm Kids Creative, the GSA, and 191,000 sq ft for the China Center, a trade and cultural space.

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Microsoft stops selling retail copies of Windows 7 and Windows 8

Nancy Clayson
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Microsoft stops selling retail copies of Windows 7 and Windows 8

Microsoft officially stopped selling retail copies of both Windows 7 and Windows 8 on October 31.

The date to stop selling the software was set some time ago and should help Microsoft move people on to more recent versions of its operating system.

Separately, statistics suggest people are finally moving away from some very old versions of Windows.

The next version of Windows, called Windows 10, is due to be released in late 2015.

From October 31, consumers could no longer buy copies of the Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Windows 7. Now, Windows 8 is also no longer available. The change affects both copies bought in shops or loaded on PCs and laptops.

The current version of Windows, 8.1, will be the default version offered on PCs.

Microsoft officially stopped selling retail copies of both Windows 7 and Windows 8 on October 31
Microsoft officially stopped selling retail copies of both Windows 7 and Windows 8 on October 31

The change will take time to feed through into the market, as many PC makers have large stocks of older versions of Windows and will continue to sell PCs running the software.

Those keen to get a computer running Windows 7 will be able to “downgrade” from 8.1 to Windows 7 Professional but relatively few PC firms offer this option.

The original version of Windows 8 did not prove popular because it did away with some familiar elements of the desktop version of the operating system.

Windows 7 has been available since late 2009 and is still very popular among users. About 53% of Windows users are on the various editions of Version 7 of Windows. The more recently released Windows 8 has only grabbed a 6% market share and has already been surpassed by 8.1.

Separately, market analysis reveals that the numbers of people using the venerable Windows XP operating system has suddenly seen a sharp decline. Data from Netmarketshare suggests that in October this year its share dropped from almost 24% to just over 17%.

Nightcrawler and Ouija Top North American Box Office over Halloween Weekend

Sonia Pantiss
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Nightcrawler and Ouija Top North American Box Office over Halloween Weekend

Nightcrawler and Ouija topped the North American box office on Halloween weekend, with both films taking $10.9 million.

The weekend takings for crime thriller Nightcrawler, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an ambulance-chasing freelance cameraman, were ahead by just $8,700 according to studio estimates.

However, the two films could swap places once the final takings are confirmed.

Nightcrawler stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an ambulance-chasing freelance cameraman
Nightcrawler stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an ambulance-chasing freelance cameraman

Horror movie Ouija is based on the board game used by some to try and contact the dead.

The low-budget supernatural horror was last week’s number one and is games company Hasbro’s first venture into the film industry.

Brad Pitt’s World War Two film Fury was in third place with an estimated $9.1 million, while Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike’s thriller Gone Girl was still performing well in fourth place, four weeks after its release.

Director David Fincher’s take on Gillian Flynn’s best-selling book took $8.8 million over the weekend, while animated adventure The Book of Life was in fifth place with $8.3 million.

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Sadashiv Amrapurkar dies from lung infection at 64

Sonia Pantiss
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Sadashiv Amrapurkar dies from lung infection at 64

Bollywood actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar has died aged 64.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar made his name playing villainous characters in Bollywood movie.

The actor was being treated for a lung infection at a hospital in Mumbai, his family said.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar had won the prestigious Filmfare award for playing the role of a ruthless eunuch in the 1991 film Sadak (Road).

Sadashiv Amrapurkar was known for his supporting and comic roles in a number of Bollywood films
Sadashiv Amrapurkar was known for his supporting and comic roles in a number of Bollywood films

His role in the off-beat film Adha Satya (Half Truth) had won him his first Filmfare award in 1984.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar was known for his supporting and comic roles in a number of Bollywood films, and had parts in several Marathi films too.

Some of his most acclaimed Bollywood performances were in Aankhen, Ishq, Coolie Number One and Gupt: The Hidden Truth.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar’s funeral will be held in Ahmednagar district in the western state of Maharashtra on Tuesday, his family said.

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Turkey: Migrant boat capsizes near Istanbul killing at least 24 people

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey: Migrant boat capsizes near Istanbul killing at least 24 people

Turkish rescuers have pulled 24 bodies from the Black Sea at the mouth of Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait and rescued seven people after a boat carrying migrants capsized, officials said.

The boat was carrying 42 Afghan migrants – including 12 children and seven women – and a Turkish captain, the Hurriyet news website reported. It was believed to have been heading for Bulgaria or Romania, but it was unclear where it set to sea.

Turkey is one of the main departure points for migrants aiming for the EU, but most travel across the Aegean to Greece.

The boats are often makeshift dinghies, usually overcrowded, with the migrants paying thousands of dollars to smugglers in Turkey.

Two months ago another group of migrants – mostly Syrians and Afghans – was rescued by the Turkish coastguard off the northern coast reportedly heading for the EU.

“The wind is making our task very difficult. The boat is a very small one. But they were carrying 40 people in it. We are seeing bodies of children floating in the sea,” rescuer Ali Saruhan told Hurriyet Daily News.

Turkish rescuers have pulled 24 bodies from the Black Sea at the mouth of Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait
Turkish rescuers have pulled 24 bodies from the Black Sea at the mouth of Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait (photo Hurriyet Daily News)

Seven coastguard vessels and a helicopter were conducting the search in the Black Sea, some 3 miles north of the Bosphorus, the coastguard said in a statement.

A fisherman who helped retrieve the bodies told Hurriyet that all were without life jackets. He said that babies were among the dead.

The official Anatolia news agency said that rescuers were alerted to the sinking by fishermen and arrived at the scene of the accident to find the vessel semi-submerged.

Correspondents say that it is not clear what caused the boat to sink, although overcrowding, bad weather conditions, the poor condition of the vessel or even a collision with another boat were all possibilities.

Since the start of the civil war in Syria, thousands of migrants have been trying to reach the EU by making the treacherous sea journey from the western and southern Turkish coast.

Tens of thousands of migrants have also attempted to cross the Greek and Bulgarian borders by land, Hurriyet says.

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Katie Melua discovers spider living in her ear

Lisa.Felice
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Katie Melua discovers spider living in her ear

Katie Melua has revealed on her Instagram account she has had a live spider removed from her ear by a doctor.

Posting a video of the spider, Katie Melua wrote: “So I had a rustling in my ear for a week and went to the doctor. This little fella is what they found!”

Katie Melua believes the spider climbed into earbud headphones she had used on a recent flight.

The spider was removed using a micro-vacuum and Katie Melua took it home alive.

Her spokesperson said: “The ear specialist said he’d never in his career taken out a live bug before. Plenty of dead ones. When it was out, it was pretty tiny.”

Katie Melua believes the spider climbed into earbud headphones she had used on a recent flight
Katie Melua believes the spider climbed into earbud headphones she had used on a recent flight

Katie Melua wrote on Instagram: “Basically I used these old in-ear monitors to block out sound on a flight, little spider must have been in them and crawled inside my ear and stayed there for the week. It was no hassle at all, apart from the occasional shuffling noises…

“Though the thing looked TERRIFYING up-close on the doctor’s camera, once he took him out (using a micro Hoover) it was pretty small, and now its in this little test tube, alive and seemingly fine.”

She later released the spider into her garden.

Katie Melua, 30, is best known for such hits as Nine Million Bicycles and The Closest Thing to Crazy.

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Virgin Galactic crash: Feathering device deployed early during fatal test flight

James J. Williams
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Virgin Galactic crash: Feathering device deployed early during fatal test flight

According to NTSB investigators, a safety device on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that crashed on October 31 killing test pilot Michael Alsbury, had been deployed early.

NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart said the “feathering” device, designed to slow the craft on re-entry, activated without a command from the pilots.

However, Christopher Hart said it was too soon to confirm any possible cause of the crash.

Media reports had focused on the fuel tanks and the engine, but Christopher Hart said both were found intact.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson accused a “handful of British newspapers” of publishing “wild accusations” over the crash.

Richard Branson said initial findings from US investigators had shown reports that suggested problems with the fuel or engine had caused an explosion were “garbage”.

Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 each.

Christopher Hart told reporters that the feathering device was supposed to be activated at Mach 1.4 (1,065mph; 1,715km/h), but had been deployed at Mach 1 during the test flight.

Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 each
Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 each

He said one of the pilots had enabled the device, but the second stage of its deployment had happened “without being commanded”.

“Shortly after the feathering occurred, the telemetry data terminated and the video data terminated,” Christopher Hart said.

The feathering device lifts and rotates the tail to create drag, slowing the craft on its descent.

He said SpaceShipTwo’s fuel tanks and engine were found intact, without any sign of being breached.

NTSB investigators have now found almost all of the parts of the crashed spacecraft as part of an inquiry they say could take many months to complete.

SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed near the town of Bakersfield.

Virgin Galactic said the craft experienced “a serious anomaly” after it separated from launch vehicle WhiteKnightTwo.

The spacecraft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

The project has been subject to numerous delays, and its commercial launch has been pushed back several times.

The Financial Times reported that the venture is facing financial difficulties – with $400 million in funding from Abu Dhabi now dried up and Virgin Group covering the day-to-day expenses.

Co-pilot Michael Alsbury, 39, died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off.

Scaled Composites, the company employing both pilots, said surviving pilot Peter Siebold, 43, was “alert and talking with his family and doctors”.

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Burkina Faso army to install transitional government

Diane A. Wade
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Burkina Faso army to install transitional government

Burkina Faso’s army has said it will install a transitional government, days after it seized power as President Blaise Compaore resigned.

The move came after soldiers had fired shots at the state TV station and barricaded the capital’s main square as thousands of protesters demanded the military give up power.

At least one demonstrator was killed in Sunday’s clashes.

The UN has also condemned the military takeover and threatened sanctions.

Long-time leader Blaise Compaore quit on Thursday, following days of anti-government protests.

The army named Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as the leader of a transitional government on Saturday.

However, thousands of protesters gathered on November 2 in the capital Ouagadougou, demonstrating against the army.

On Sunday evening, following a meeting with key opposition figures, a military spokesman said the army would put in place “a transition body… with all the components to be adopted by a broad consensus”.

“Power does not interest us, only the greater interest of the nation,” the military said in a statement.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, demonstrating against the army
Thousands of protesters gathered in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, demonstrating against the army

It had been necessary to disperse protesters to “restore order”, the statement said, adding that one demonstrator outside the state TV station had died.

There were chaotic scenes at the state broadcaster’s headquarters on November 2, as both opposition leader Saran Sereme and former Defense Minister Kwame Lougue turned up to a rally.

It is believed that both had gone there, separately, to announce that they could head the transition government.

However, shortly after they arrived, gunfire broke out and staff and protesters fled.

National television resumed broadcasting a few hours later.

Troops also cleared protesters from the capital’s main square, Place de la Nation.

On Sunday evening, key opposition figures met Col. Isaac Zida for talks.

Those present included Zephirin Diabre, leader of the Union for Progress and Change, former Foreign Minister Ablasse Ouedraogo, ex-PM Roch Marc Christian Kabore and Benewende Sankara, leader of the Union for Rebirth – Sankarist Party.

However, Saran Sereme reportedly left before the talks began and there were no details on what was discussed.

Mass protests first erupted last week when long-time leader Blaise Compaore attempted to extend his 27-year rule.

Parts of the parliament building were set on fire, and the president fled to Ivory Coast.

Under Burkina Faso’s constitution, the president of the Senate should take over after the national president resigns and an election should take place between 60 and 90 days afterwards.

The African Union, the US and regional economic bloc Ecowas have all condemned the military takeover.

The UN’s West Africa envoy Mohamed Ibn Chambas said the military must allow a civilian transfer of power, and sanctions were a possibility if this did not happen.

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Nik Wallenda Successfully Completes Back-to-Back High-Wire Walks Above Chicago

Nancy Clayson
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Nik Wallenda Successfully Completes Back-to-Back High-Wire Walks Above Chicago

Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda has successfully completed back-to-back high-wire walks above Chicago, watched by thousands of people.

Nik Wallenda, 35, achieved the two skyscraper crossings without a safety net or a harness.

He first walked up a steep incline between buildings either side of the Chicago River.

Nik Wallenda achieved the Chicago skyscraper crossings without a safety net or a harness
Nik Wallenda achieved the Chicago skyscraper crossings without a safety net or a harness (photo Discovery)

Then, blindfolded, Nik Wallenda crossed between the two Marina City towers.

It took him 6 minutes 52 seconds to complete the first stage 500ft above the ground – in winds that were gusting at up to 25mph.

Nik Wallenda then completed the 94ft between the two Marina City Towers in one minute 17 seconds.

The stunts were televised with a 10-second delay in case he fell.

On the ground, thousands cheered Nik Wallenda.

The tightrope walker – again blindfolded – then answered reporters’ questions.

Nik Wallenda, a seventh-generation tightrope walker, has already walked across both the Grand Canyon and the Niagara Falls on tightropes.

Argentina bans Procter & Gamble over tax fraud

Clyde K. Valle
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Argentina bans Procter & Gamble over tax fraud

Argentina has banned Procter & Gamble (P&G) from doing business in the country, accusing the company of tax fraud.

A statement on the presidential website, published on November 2, said P&G had inflated the price of imports by $138 million in an effort to get money out of the South American country.

Argentina also accused the company of attempting to avoid taxes.

P&G said it was working to understand and resolve the allegations.

Argentina has banned Procter and Gamble from doing business in the country, accusing the company of tax fraud
Argentina has banned Procter and Gamble from doing business in the country, accusing the company of tax fraud

“We don’t pursue aggressive tax/fiscal planning practices as they simply don’t produce sustainable results,” said P&G spokesman Paul Fox.

The alleged fraud involves shipments of razors and other hygiene products.

The statement, published on behalf of Argentina’s Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP), added that details of the alleged fraud have been sent to its counterpart in the US – the Securities and Exchange Commission.

P&G has been operating in Argentina since 1991 and currently runs three manufacturing plants and two distribution centers in the country.

Kim Jong-un pictured smoking cigarette while visiting orphanage in Pyongyang

Nancy Clayson
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Kim Jong-un pictured smoking cigarette while visiting orphanage in Pyongyang

Kim Jong-un has been pictured smoking a cigarette while visiting a baby home and orphanage in Pyongyang.

After missing from public for almost two months due to an apparent ankle surgery, the North Korean leader found time to visit an orphanage with candy-pink bunk beds surrounded by soft toys.

Kim Jong-un has been pictured smoking a cigarette while visiting a baby home and orphanage in Pyongyang
Kim Jong-un has been pictured smoking a cigarette while visiting a baby home and orphanage in Pyongyang

The facility has over 250 rooms for nursing, education, physical exercise and treatment as well as outdoor and indoor wading pools, parks and various amusement equipment for children.

It is not the first time Kim Jong-un’s been snapped having a puff on official business.

June Shannon will not be paid by TLC for un-aired season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

Lisa.Felice
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June Shannon will not be paid by TLC for un-aired season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

June Shannon will not be getting her full salary from TLC for the un-aired season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, TMZ reported.

TLC is putting the blame on Mama June for the show’s cancellation.

June Shannon will not be getting her full salary from TLC for the un-aired season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo
June Shannon will not be getting her full salary from TLC for the un-aired season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

Sources close to the show told TMZ that TLC’s biggest concern is the welfare of Honey Boo Boo and the other children and they are upset their mother has put them at risk by allegedly dating convicted child molester Mark McDaniel.

The network, citing a morals clause, believes June Shannon does not deserve full payment so they have deducted a significant amount from what she would have received if the show had aired.

However, the children will be paid in full as will Sugar Bear and Uncle Poodle.

Virgin Galactic crash: Peter Siebold identified as surviving pilot

James J. Williams
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Virgin Galactic crash: Peter Siebold identified as surviving pilot

The investigation into the Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo crash in California’s Mojave Desert could take about a year, the head of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

Christopher Hart said Virgin Galactic would be able conduct further test flights while the investigation took place.

SpaceShipTwo broke up in mid-air during a test flight on October 31.

One of the pilots was killed and the other injured.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson says he is “determined to find out what went wrong” and learn from the tragedy.

The NTSB team had completed its first full day of investigation, Christopher Hart said, and would be examining evidence at the scene for four to seven days.

He said the craft’s debris was spread over an area measuring five miles from end to end.

Christopher Hart told a news conference the test flight had been “heavily documented” and his team would have to trawl through “extensive data”, which was why the full investigation could take “about 12 months or so”.

Peter Siebold, right, survived the incident but his co-pilot, Michael Alsbury, died
Peter Siebold, right, survived the incident but his co-pilot, Michael Alsbury, died

He said there were six cameras on the craft itself, with another three on its launcher, an aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo, although it was unclear whether SpaceShipTwo’s cameras had been found.

The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was named as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury.

The pilot who survived was identified as Peter Siebold. Scaled Composites, the company both pilots worked for, said Peter Siebold, 43, was “alert and talking with his family and doctors”.

Christopher Hart said his team was waiting for doctors to allow them to interview Peter Siebold.

Speaking earlier at the at the Mojave Air and Space Port, where the craft was being developed, Richard Branson said “nobody underestimates the risks involved in space travel”.

Virgin Galactic had hoped to launch commercially in 2015. It has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 each, with Sir Richard pledging to travel on the first flight.

The spacecraft was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed near the town of Bakersfield.

Virgin Galactic said SpaceShipTwo had experienced “a serious anomaly” after it separated from WhiteKnightTwo.

SpaceShipTwo craft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

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Burkina Faso crisis: Opposition calls for mass rally in protest at army takeover

Diane A. Wade
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Burkina Faso crisis: Opposition calls for mass rally in protest at army takeover

Burkina Faso’s opposition parties and civic groups have called a mass rally for Sunday, November 2, in protest at the army takeover after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.

They said the management of the transition belonged to the people and should not be confiscated by the army.

The move came hours after the army said Lt-Col Isaac Zida, second-in-command of the presidential guard, had been chosen as the nation’s transitional leader.

Blaise Compaore has fled to Ivory Coast.

“The victory born from this popular uprising belongs to the people, and the task of managing the transition falls by right to the people,” opposition groups said in a statement.

“In no case can it be confiscated by the army.”

There were protests earlier this week after Blaise Compaore sought to amend the constitution and extend his long hold on the presidency.

Burkina Faso’s opposition parties and civic groups have called a mass rally in protest at the army takeover after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore
Burkina Faso’s opposition parties and civic groups have called a mass rally in protest at the army takeover after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore

On October 30, protesters set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Ouagadougou.

Under Burkina Faso’s new constitution, the president of the Senate should take over after the national president resigns, with elections taking place between 60 and 90 days afterwards.

The African Union (AU) has called for a “civilian-led transition” culminating as soon as possible in “the holding of free, fair and transparent elections”.

In a statement, AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urged the military to “refrain from any acts or statements that may lead to further instability”.

The US state department urged an immediate transfer of power to civilian authorities in Burkina Faso and a move towards free and fair presidential elections.

The unveiling of Lt-Col. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as interim leader came after what analysts say was a 24-hour power struggle within the army.

The army statement’s was signed by army chief General Honore Traore, who had declared himself head of state in the immediate aftermath of President Blaise Compaore’s resignation.

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Nichelle Nichols detained at LA Airport

Lisa.Felice
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Nichelle Nichols detained at LA Airport

Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura on the iconic sci-fi show, was detained at LA Airport after law enforcement officials allegedly caught the 81-year-old’s travel companion with drugs in his luggage, reports TMZ.

Authorities discovered “meth and drug scales” after the companion’s suitcase spilled open in the American Airlines terminal, the website reported.

The companion’s luggage, which had Nichelle Nichols’ luggage tags on it, was reportedly attached to the actress’ bags.

Nichelle Nichols played Uhura on the iconic sci-fi show Star Trek
Nichelle Nichols played Uhura on the iconic sci-fi show Star Trek

After the discovery, the man was allegedly arrested for drug possession.

According to Nichelle Nichols’ rep, her companion, who was identified as a male in his twenties, has been serving as her assistant.

Nichelle Nichols’ rep also denied the allegations and said that all authorities found was an e-cigarette.

The authorities briefly detained the former ’60s television star but concluded that she was innocent of any wrongdoing. After being cleared, Nichelle Nichols boarded the flight solo.

Bolivia to build new presidential palace for Evo Morales

Diane A. Wade
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Bolivia to build new presidential palace for Evo Morales

Bolivia will start to build a new presidential palace for President Evo Morales.

Evo Morales, who signed the contract, said it was inspired by the architecture of the Tiahuanaco civilization of pre-Hispanic Bolivia.

The new palace will replace the current colonial building, in use since the 16th Century.

The new building will be decorated to remind Bolivians – a majority indigenous nation – of their heritage.

President Evo Morales, who has just started his third term in office, said the old building, known as “The Burnt Palace” because it was sacked and burnt during a revolt in 1875, was “full of European symbols and felt as small as a mousehole” .

He said the new palace, which would be called “The Great House of the People”, had been designed by Bolivian architects and would be decorated with indigenous motifs to pay homage to Bolivian traditional culture.

Bolivia’s Burnt Palace was sacked and burnt during a revolt in 1875
Bolivia’s Burnt Palace was sacked and burnt during a revolt in 1875 (photo Reuters)

It will be built behind the current palace, which will be turned into a museum.

Evo Morales said the new building was “not a luxury”. He said the 29-floor building would also house cabinet meeting rooms and rooms for exclusive presidential use.

The plans for the new palace include a heliport, a centre for indigenous ceremonies and a 1,000-seat auditorium.

The new presidential palace is expected to cost about $36 million.

A government spokesman, Joan Ramon Quintana, said the current palace was where “former governments despoiled the Bolivian state of its wealth, its heritage and its memory”.

Evo Morales said that within the building, acts of betrayal, corruption, and murder had occurred – as well as heroic acts.

“The most terrible history was written there as well as the most noble,” he said.

The new palace is also expected to house a room to celebrate the history and social significance of the coca leaf.

President Evo Morales is a former coca growers’ union leader. Coca plays an important role in Andean societies. In addition to its medicinal value – as a stimulant, anaesthetic and appetite suppressant – it has a leading role in social interaction and religious ceremonies.

Ukraine rebels hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Donetsk and Luhansk

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine rebels hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Donetsk and Luhansk

Rebels in eastern Ukraine are holding elections denounced by the West as “illegitimate”.

Presidential and parliamentary polls are being held in the two self-proclaimed people’s republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Ukraine, the US and EU say they will not recognise the elections but Russia has given its support to the polls.

At least seven Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Friday amid intensified clashes in the region.

The Donetsk and Luhansk regions fell to separatists after months of fighting in eastern Ukraine that ended with the Minsk ceasefire deal in September.

Rebel leaders say that as independent states they are not required to observe Ukrainian law and therefore did not participate in Ukraine’s national elections last week.

They say three million ballots have been printed for the polls, which will provide for directly elected presidents and parliaments.

Presidential and parliamentary polls are being held in the two self-proclaimed people's republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions
Presidential and parliamentary polls are being held in the two self-proclaimed people’s republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions

“These elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev,” Roman Lyagin, election commission chief of the Donetsk region, told the AFP news agency.

Western leaders and ministers in the capital Kiev say the territories must abide by the truce, which was agreed with Russia, and hold local elections under Ukrainian law in December.

“We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local <<elections>> on Sunday,” the White House said in a statement on October 31.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Minsk deal provided for elections “in co-ordination with, not in line with” Ukrainian plans.

Alexander Zakharchenko, the acting head of government in Donetsk, is widely tipped to become the region’s president.

Meanwhile, Igor Plotnitsky is being touted by Russian media as the favourite to win in Luhansk.

The elections come amid continuing violence in eastern Ukraine.

A spokesman for Ukraine’s army said on November 1 that seven soldiers had been killed and 10 wounded during 24 hours of fighting across the breakaway regions.

At least 3,700 people have been killed in fighting since armed separatists took over government buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk in April.

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Thomas Menino dead: Boston’s longest serving mayor dies from cancer aged 71

Nancy Clayson
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Thomas Menino dead: Boston’s longest serving mayor dies from cancer aged 71

Beloved Thomas Menino, the longest serving mayor in Boston’s history, has died at age 71.

Thomas Menino, a Democrat, was diagnosed with advanced cancer in February shortly after leaving political office.

He was elected mayor in 1993 and served for more than 20 years before health problems led him to not seek re-election for a sixth term.

Tributes have poured in. President Barack Obama called Thomas Menino “bold, big-hearted” and Secretary of State John Kerry said: “Tom Menino was Boston.”

State Governor Deval Patrick ordered government flags flown at half-staff out of respect for Thomas Menino’s passing.

Thomas Menino was the longest serving mayor in Boston's history
Thomas Menino was the longest serving mayor in Boston’s history

The Italian-American ended years of Irish dominance in city politics when he was elected Boston’s mayor.

Thomas Menino provided leadership and support for city residents following the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and was known for his affable verbal gaffes.

The long-time mayor never sought or demonstrated interest in a higher office, instead focusing his efforts on representing the people of Boston.

“I paid attention to the fundamentals of urban life – clean streets, public safety, good schools, neighbourhood commerce,” Thomas Menino wrote in a 2014 memoir.

Thomas Menino died surrounded by friends and family on October 30, just days after announcing he had suspended further treatment and cancelled a tour to promote his new book.

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Jennifer Lopez admits her first big heartbreak was when relationship with Ben Affleck ended

Lisa.Felice
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Jennifer Lopez admits her first big heartbreak was when relationship with Ben Affleck ended

Jennifer Lopez admits that her first big heartbreak was when her relationship with Ben Affleck ended in 2004, naughtygossip.com reports.

In an interview with Maria Shriver airing next on November 3 and 4 on Today show, J-Lo, 45, opens up about the failed engagement to Ben Affleck and her quick rebound with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

Jennifer Lopez admits that her first big heartbreak was when her relationship with Ben Affleck ended in 2004
Jennifer Lopez admits that her first big heartbreak was when her relationship with Ben Affleck ended in 2004

“Right away when you broke up with Ben Affleck, Marc Anthony was there, like, two days later, and you were in,” said Maria Shriver, referring to J-Lo who broke up with Ben Affleck in January and had married Anthony by June.

“Right, you’re absolutely right,” acknowledged the singer.

Jennifer Lopez added: “It was probably my first big heartbreak, and to have one of my best friends who I’d known for years who I actually love and did have chemistry with come into my life and say, <<I’m here>>. What you need to know is, nobody can save you or heal you. Only you can do that for you.”

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Daylight Saving Time 2014: US turns clocks back to standard time

Nancy Clayson
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Daylight Saving Time 2014: US turns clocks back to standard time

Most of the United States is turning back the clock on November 2 for the annual shift back to standard time.

The change becomes official on Sunday, November 2, at 2 AM local time.

Most of the United States is turning back the clock on November 2 for the annual shift back to standard time
Most of the United States is turning back the clock on November 2 for the annual shift back to standard time (photo Getty Images)

Residents of Hawaii, most of Arizona and some US territories don’t have to change as the daylight saving time is not observed in those places.

Public safety officials say this is also a good time to put a new battery in the smoke alarm, no matter where you live.

Daylight saving time returns at 2 AM local time the second Sunday in March. For 2015, on March 8.

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Dolores Umbridge biography: J.K. Rowling releases new Harry Potter story on Pottermore

Diane A. Wade
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Dolores Umbridge biography: J.K. Rowling releases new Harry Potter story on Pottermore

J.K. Rowling has released a new Harry Potter story on her website, Pottermore.

This time it’s a biography of Dolores Umbridge, the pink-loving, sweet-smiling, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

A complex personality, Dolores Umbridge dabbled in the kind of nastiness that was plastered over with a sweet childish grin.

With her love of kittens and teacups, Dolores Umbridge often manages to hide her true nature from authority.

Dolores Umbridge first appears in the Order of The Phoenix and was not only Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts but also worked at the Ministry for Magic as Senior Under-Secretary.

Her evil was different from Lord Voldemort’s and she operated within the system.

Nonetheless her soft, fluffy exterior masks a dark, sadistic character.

It was perhaps first revealed when she made Harry Potter write lines in his own blood after giving him a magical quill that etched whatever he wrote into his skin.

J.K. Rowling reveals that Dolores Umbridge is the character she hates the most.

J.K. Rowling reveals that Dolores Umbridge is the character she hates the most
J.K. Rowling reveals that Dolores Umbridge is the character she hates the most

“Her desire to control, to punish, and to inflict pain, all in the name of law and order, are, I think, every bit as reprehensible as Lord Voldemort’s unvarnished espousal of evil,” she says.

J.K. Rowling’s dislike of Dolores Umbridge can be seen in some of the details in the books.

For example, Dolores Umbridge has a short stubby wand which is meant to reflect her stunted, imperfect character.

The author also says in the new Pottermore essay that Dolores Umbridge is based on a real person.

J.K. Rowling said she once shared an office with a woman who liked “pictures of fluffy kitties” as well as frills, bows and undersized handbags.

She said this woman was also “the most bigoted, spiteful champion of the death penalty”.

J.K. Rowling explains: “I have noticed more than once in life that a taste for the ineffably twee can go hand-in-hand with a distinctly uncharitable outlook on the world.

“A love of all things saccharine often seems present where there is a lack of real warmth or charity.”

It is also revealed that Dolores Umbridge is a half-blood in the 1,700 word essay.

This is important because Dolores Umbridge is particularly cruel to non-magical humans in her role as Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, where she sends many supposed muggles to Azkaban, the wizarding prison, for “stealing magic” from magical beings.

The reason J.K. Rowling chose the name Dolores Jane Umbridge is also explained.

The author writes: “Dolores means sorrow, something she undoubtedly inflicts on all around her.

“Umbridge is a play on <<umbrage>> from the British expression to <<take umbrage>> meaning to take offence.

“Dolores is offended by any challenge to her limited world view; I felt her surname conveyed the pettiness and rigidity of her character.”

J.K. Rowling published several other entries on the site on October 31, including a history of Azkaban prison and details of everyone who has held the post of Minister for Magic.

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Virgin Galactic crash: NTSB investigates SpaceShipTwo crash site in Mojave desert

James J. Williams
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Virgin Galactic crash: NTSB investigates SpaceShipTwo crash site in Mojave desert

US authorities are investigating why Virgin Galactic’s space rocket crashed over California’s Mojave desert on a test flight.

One pilot died and the other was badly injured when SpaceShipTwo exploded shortly after take-off on October 31.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team arrived in Mojave on November 1 and was heading to the crash site.

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson said he was “determined to find out what went wrong” and learn from the tragedy.

The dead pilot was named as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury. The pilot who survived Friday’s crash has not been identified.

Speaking at the at the Mojave Air and Space Port, where the craft was being developed, Richard Branson said “nobody underestimates the risks involved in space travel”.

SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed shortly after take-off near Bakersfield
SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed shortly after take-off near Bakersfield (photo EPA)

Virgin had hoped to launch commercially in 2015. It has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 each, with Richard Branson pledging to travel on the first flight.

“We owe it to our test pilots to find out what went wrong, and once we find out, if we can overcome it, we will make sure that the dream lives on,” Richard Branson added.

Richard Branson said Virgin Galactic and its partners had “been undertaking a comprehensive testing program for many years and safety has always been our number one priority”.

A team of between 13 and 15 NTSB investigators – including specialists in structures, systems, engines and vehicle performance – arrived in Mojave on Saturday morning and would begin on-site work later in the day, NTSB acting chairman Christopher Hart said.

Their work would include detailed examination of all available data, work at the crash site and interviewing witnesses, Christopher Hart said.

“This was a test flight and test flights are typically very well documented in terms of data,” he added.

Wreckage from the crash is scattered across a large area of the Mojave desert, north-east of Los Angeles. Police secured the site amid fears that some of the debris could be explosive.

SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed shortly after take-off near Bakersfield.

In a statement, the company said SpaceShipTwo experienced “a serious anomaly” after the craft separated from its launcher, an aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo.

WhiteKnightTwo landed safely.

It later emerged that the space craft was burning a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

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ISIS militants kill 50 members of Al Bu Nimr tribe in Iraq

Roy Siemens
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ISIS militants kill 50 members of Al Bu Nimr tribe in Iraq

ISIS militants have killed at least 50 members of an Iraqi tribe in western Anbar province, officials and tribal leaders say.

The men and women from the Al Bu Nimr tribe are reported to have been lined up and shot in retaliation for resisting the jihadists.

A number of people from the same tribe were also found dead in mass graves earlier this week.

ISIS militants control large areas of Iraq and neighboring Syria.

Meanwhile, AFP news agency quoted the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying that at least 100 ISIS fighters had been killed in three days of fighting for the strategic Syrian border town of Kobane.

On October 31, some 150 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters crossed from Turkey to join Syrian Kurds who have been defending the town against ISIS for six weeks.

The Observatory says that more than 950 people have died in the battle, more than half of them from IS.

A local official told the Associated Press news agency that the Sunni Muslim tribesmen and women were killed on October 31 in the village of Ras al-Maa, north of the provincial capital Ramadi.

Faleh al-Issawi said many members of the tribe had to flee their homes near the town of Hit last month when it was captured by ISIS.

ISIS militants control large areas of Iraq and neighboring Syria
ISIS militants control large areas of Iraq and neighboring Syria

The Al Bu Nimr tribe had joined the Shia-dominated government’s campaign against ISIS.

There have been many other such killings, as pressure mounts on the tribes to swing one way or the other.

Analysts say mass killings are also a very deliberate strategy by ISIS to spread terror in their opponents.

One local official, Sabah Karhout, described the killings in Anbar province as a crime against humanity and called for more international support for Sunni tribes fighting the militants in Anbar.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the killing of Sunni tribesmen in Iraq by Islamic State fighters was the brutal “reality of what we’re dealing with” in the conflict.

The US carried out an air drop of food supplies, the first of its kind, to the Al Bu Nimr tribe just a few days ago.

ISIS has taken over large parts of Anbar province as it expands its territory, currently about one-third of both Iraq and Syria.

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