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Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounces corruption inquiry as “dirty operation”

Diane A. Wade
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounces corruption inquiry as “dirty operation”

Turkey’s PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced a corruption inquiry as a “dirty operation” against his government.

Some 52 people – including three sons of cabinet ministers – were arrested in dawn raids on Tuesday in connection with a high-profile bribery inquiry.

Five police chiefs who oversaw raids in Istanbul and Ankara were sacked for “abuse of office”, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

“We will not allow political plotting,” he said.

However, the deputy prime minister promised not to stand in the way of the judicial process.

“We will always respect any decision made by the judiciary and will not engage in any effort to block this process,” Bulent Arinc said.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the corruption inquiry as a "dirty operation" against his government
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the corruption inquiry as a “dirty operation” against his government

Commentators in Turkey believe the arrests – and subsequent firings – are evidence of a new dramatic fault-line in Turkish politics, one within the AK Party itself.

The feud is believed to involve supporters of Fethullah Gulen, an influential Islamic scholar living in exile in the US who once backed the ruling AK Party, helping it to victory in three elections since 2002.

Members of Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet movement are said to hold influential positions in institutions from the police and secret services to the judiciary and the AK Party itself.

In recent months, the alliance began to come apart and in November the government discussed closing down private schools, including those run by Hizmet.

Fethullah Gulen has been living in the US since 1999, when he was accused in Turkey of plotting against the secular state.

The five police commissioners sacked include the heads of the financial crime and organized crime units, who were both involved in the earlier arrests, the Turkish daily Hurriyet reports.

Also dismissed were the heads of the smuggling unit, the anti-terrorism branch and the public security branch, the paper says.

In a brief statement, the police said they had reassigned some staff, in some cases due to alleged misconduct and others “out of administrative necessity”.

The mass arrests were carried out as part of an inquiry into alleged bribery involving public tenders.

The sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar were among those detained.

Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People 2013

Lisa.Felice
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Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People 2013

Barbara Walters’ special, The 10 Most Fascinating People, is now in its 21st year.

This year’s edition includes Jennifer Lawrence, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, ABC News’ very own Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, together known as KimYe, the breakout stars from the hit reality TV show Duck Dynasty, and arguably the most famous infant in the world, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby George.

Barbara Walters’ special, The 10 Most Fascinating People, is now in its 21st year
Barbara Walters’ special, The 10 Most Fascinating People, is now in its 21st year

This year’s show will also reflect on moments from the past 20 years of Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year specials, which started in 1993.

This will be the last Most Fascinating special for Barbara Walters, who announced last May that she would retire from TV journalism in 2014.

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Jennifer Lawrence on Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013

Lisa.Felice
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Jennifer Lawrence on Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013

Jennifer Lawrence has said she thinks “it should be illegal to call someone fat on TV”, after red carpet criticism of her own figure.

Speaking to Barbara Walters, Jennifer Lawrence, 23, added: “Because why is humiliating people funny?”

Jennifer Lawrence said she was worried about how the media’s attitude affected young people.

The actress features in Barbara Walters’ series The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013.

“I get it, and I do it too, we all do it,” Jennifer Lawrence told Barbara Walters.

Jennifer Lawrence features in Barbara Walters' series The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013
Jennifer Lawrence features in Barbara Walters’ series The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013

“[But] the media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on our younger generation, on these girls who are watching these television shows, and picking up how to talk and how to be cool,” the actress said.

“So all of the sudden being funny is making fun of the girl that’s wearing an ugly dress. And the word fat! I just think it should be illegal to call somebody fat on TV.”

She added: “I mean, if we’re regulating cigarettes and sex and cuss words, because of the effect they have on our younger generation, why aren’t we regulating things like calling people fat?”

Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Oscar earlier this year for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook, has previously spoken out against gossip magazines and TV shows such as E!’s Fashion Police, presented by Joan Rivers, which criticize the way women look.

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Rob Ford filmed dancing in Toronto City Council

Nancy Clayson
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Rob Ford filmed dancing in Toronto City Council

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been filmed dancing in the City Council to songs including Bob Marley’s One Love.

He refused to resign in November despite a special move by the council to remove most of his powers.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been filmed dancing in the City Council to songs including Bob Marley's One Love
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been filmed dancing in the City Council to songs including Bob Marley’s One Love

Rob Ford has admitted smoking crack cocaine and buying illegal drugs while serving as mayor.

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Ukraine PM: Russian deal helped avoid bankruptcy

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine PM: Russian deal helped avoid bankruptcy

Ukraine’s PM Mykola Azarov has told ministers in Kiev that the decision to suspend a deal on closer EU ties and sign a Russian aid agreement instead has helped avoid bankruptcy.

The government’s surprise U-turn on an EU association agreement last month has sparked weeks of mass demonstrations.

But Mykola Azarov said the package from Russia would provide stability.

Russia has agreed to buy $15 billion (11 billion euros) of government bonds and slash the price of gas.

Ukraine’s opposition has demanded to know what Ukraine offered Russia in return.

Thousands of pro-EU protesters have been holding rallies in Kiev – occupying the capital’s Independence Square – and other cities in western and central Ukraine.

Ukraine's PM Mykola Azarov said the decision to suspend a deal on closer EU ties and sign a Russian aid agreement instead has helped avoid bankruptcy
Ukraine’s PM Mykola Azarov said the decision to suspend a deal on closer EU ties and sign a Russian aid agreement instead has helped avoid bankruptcy

Critics say President Viktor Yanukovych has sold out to Russia and are calling for him and his government to step down.

But Ukraine’s prime minister defended the deal with Russia in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“What would have awaited Ukraine? The answer is clear – bankruptcy and social collapse,” Mykola Azarov said.

“What a present for New Year that would be for the people of Ukraine.

“The agreements between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents allow us to plan the years to come as years of development and people’s confidence about their stable lives.”

He said a pact to lower gas prices by about a third would allow for “a revival of economic growth”.

There was no way Ukraine could have signed the EU agreement as Kiev would have had to accept unfeasibly stringent IMF conditions for economic reform, he added.

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Egypt: Mohamed Morsi to stand trial for terrorist acts

Roy Siemens
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Egypt: Mohamed Morsi to stand trial for terrorist acts

Mohamed Morsi is to stand trial on charges including conspiring with foreign organizations to commit terrorist acts.

Prosecutors said Egypt’s ousted president had formed an alliance with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Thirty-five others, including former aides and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, have also been charged.

Since being deposed by the military in July, Mohamed Morsi has already gone on trial for inciting murder and violence.

The new charges carry the death penalty. Prosecutors describe the new charges as “the biggest case of conspiracy in the country’s history”.

Human rights organizations have expressed concern over whether Mohamed Morsi will be able to get a fair trial.

Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say the prosecutions are politically motivated, something the military-backed government denies.

Mohamed Morsi is to stand trial on charges including conspiring with foreign organizations to commit terrorist acts
Mohamed Morsi is to stand trial on charges including conspiring with foreign organizations to commit terrorist acts

He is one of thousands of Brotherhood members to have been detained in a crackdown portrayed by officials as a struggle against terrorism.

Hundreds of people have also been killed in clashes with security forces.

Mohamed Morsi and the other defendants, including the Brotherhood’s general guide Mohammed Badie and his two deputies, have now been charged with revealing state secrets to foreign organizations, sponsoring terrorism, and carrying out military training and other acts that undermined Egypt’s stability and independence.

Prosecutors allege that the Brotherhood had prepared a “terrorist plan” that included an alliance with Hamas, the Islamist group that governs Gaza, and Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese Shia Islamist movement.

Several of the defendants, including Mohamed Morsi’s former chief of staff Essam Haddad, were also reportedly accused of giving state secrets to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The prosecutors also implicated the Brotherhood in the surge in attacks on the security forces since Mohamed Morsi’s overthrow, most of which have taken place in the Sinai peninsula and been claimed by jihadist militants.

The violence was intended to “bring back the deposed president and to bring Egypt back into the Muslim Brotherhood’s grip”, they claimed.

Last month, Mohamed Morsi went on trial on charges of incitement in connection with clashes between his supporters and opposition protesters outside the Ittihadiya presidential palace in Cairo in December 2012, in which at least seven people died.

Proceedings have been adjourned until January 8th, but Mohamed Morsi will also go on trial on December 23rd on separate fraud charges connected with the Brotherhood’s economic and social programme for Egypt’s recovery, called Renaissance (al-Nahda).

Bitcoin falls to less than half after China restricts yuan exchanges

Nancy Clayson
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Bitcoin falls to less than half after China restricts yuan exchanges

Bitcoin value has fallen to less than half, following reports of fresh action by Beijing to restrict trade in the virtual currency.

BTC China has said that local payment companies have been blocked from providing it with clearing services.

It means that the firm – the world’s biggest Bitcoin exchange in terms of trading volumes – can no longer accept yuan-based deposits.

Bitcoin value has fallen to less than half, following reports of fresh action by Beijing to restrict trade in the virtual currency
Bitcoin value has fallen to less than half, following reports of fresh action by Beijing to restrict trade in the virtual currency

Prices tumbled following the news.

One bitcoin was trading for as low as 2,560 yuan ($421), according to the South China Morning Post.

That compares with an all-time high of 7,588 yuan ($1,250) in late November.

Exchanges in other countries also reported drops, with Japan-based MtGox seeing the exchange rate for one bitcoin fall from $717 to as low as $480 in Wednesday’s trade.

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Ronnie Biggs: 1963 Great Train Robbery criminal dies in London at 84

Nancy Clayson
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Ronnie Biggs: 1963 Great Train Robbery criminal dies in London at 84

Ronnie Biggs, who took part in the UK’s 1963 Great Train Robbery, has died aged 84, his spokeswoman has confirmed.

The criminal was part of the gang which escaped with £2.6 million – the equivalent of £40 million ($63 million) in today’s money from the Glasgow to London mail train on 8 August 1963.

Ronnie Biggs, Bruce Reynolds, Ronald “Buster” Edwards and the other gang members wore helmets and ski masks to carry out their crime, which took place near Cheddington, Buckinghamshire.

They made off with 120 bags of money totaling £2.6 million.

Ronnie Biggs, who died early on Wednesday, was being cared for at the Carlton Court Care Home in East Barnet
Ronnie Biggs, who died early on Wednesday, was being cared for at the Carlton Court Care Home in East Barnet

Ronnie Biggs was given a 30-year sentence but escaped from Wandsworth prison in 1965.

In 2001, he returned to the UK seeking medical help but was sent to prison. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 after contracting pneumonia.

Ronnie Biggs, who died early on Wednesday, was being cared for at the Carlton Court Care Home in East Barnet, north London.

He could not speak and had difficulty walking after a series of strokes.

Ronnie Biggs was last seen in public at the funeral of his fellow Great Train Robber, Bruce Reynolds, in March.

Christopher Pickard, ghost writer of Ronnie Biggs’s autobiography, said he should be remembered as “one of the great characters of the last 50 years”.

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South Sudan: 400-500 people killed in clashes following coup claim

Roy Siemens
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South Sudan: 400-500 people killed in clashes following coup claim

Up to 500 people are believed to have died in clashes between rival South Sudan army factions, the UN says, quoting unconfirmed reports.

UN diplomats said they had been told by sources in the capital, Juba, that the death toll was between 400 and 500.

South Sudan has seen two days of clashes following a reported coup attempt against President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Fugitive opposition leader Riek Machar has denied government accusations that he tried to seize power.

“What took place in Juba was a misunderstanding between presidential guards within their division, it was not a coup attempt,” he told the Sudan Tribune, a Paris-based news website, in an interview published on Wednesday.

Riek Machar, a former South-Sudanese vice-president who fell out with President Salva Kiir in July, said he had no knowledge of or connection with any coup attempt.

President Salva Kiir has said a group of soldiers supporting Riek Machar had tried to take power by force on Sunday night, but were defeated.

Amid continuing clashes on Monday and Tuesday, the government said 10 senior political figures, including a former finance minister, had been arrested.

Details of the fighting have been sketchy, but a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday was told that the clashes were “apparently largely along ethnic lines”.

Up to 500 people are believed to have died in clashes between rival South Sudan army factions
Up to 500 people are believed to have died in clashes between rival South Sudan army factions

French UN ambassador Gerard Araud, who holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, said up to 20,000 people had taken refuge in the UN mission in Juba.

He said the council had received only “patchy information” in a briefing given by UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous.

The governor of Unity State, Simon Kun Pouch, was quoted on the government website as saying that the conflict had nothing to do with tribes.

“There are people out there saying what has happened is between the Dinka and the Nuer tribesmen. We the leaders of this country would want to state here that this is not true,” he said.

“If you see the people going with Dr. Riek [Machar], some are Dinkas, some are Chol, Nuer and other tribes,” he added.

The US has ordered all its non-emergency embassy staff to leave the country immediately.

President Salva Kiir said the clashes began when uniformed personnel opened fire at a meeting of the governing party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Fighting then continued into Monday when the government said it was back in full control.

However, fresh gunfire erupted on Tuesday near the presidential palace and many other areas of Juba.

Government officials say they are hunting for Riek Machar, who is believed to be in hiding.

Riek Machar – who leads a dissident faction within the SPLM – was thought to have escaped with some troops.

On Tuesday, the government said former Finance Minister Kosti Manibe, former Justice Minister John Luk Jok and former Interior Minister Gier Chuang Aluong were among the 10 people arrested.

Many were members of the cabinet that was sacked in its entirety in July.

South Sudan has struggled to achieve a stable government since becoming independent from Sudan in 2011.

The independence referendum was intended to end a decade-long conflict, led by the SPLM, against the north.

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China confirms near-collision with US warship in South China Sea

Roy Siemens
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China confirms near-collision with US warship in South China Sea

China has confirmed that one of its warships “encountered” a US vessel.

The US reported a near-collision in the South China Sea earlier this month.

The US said its guided missile cruiser USS Cowpens was forced to take evasive action as the two ships neared each other on December 5.

It has been described as the most serious Sino-US confrontation in the South China Sea since 2009.

China has confirmed that one of its warships "encountered" a US vessel
China has confirmed that one of its warships “encountered” a US vessel

However, China said the incident was handled with “strict protocol”.

The US has said its ship was operating in international waters.

However, China claims parts of the South China Sea, and a state-run newspaper quoted an expert as saying that the US boat had been “harassing” China’s aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, as it carried out drills.

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Emma Heming pregnant with second child

Lisa.Felice
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Emma Heming pregnant with second child

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, is pregnant with their second child, according to Us Weekly.

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, is pregnant with their second child
Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, is pregnant with their second child

Emma Heming debuted her eye-catching baby bump when she went to a local farmer’s market in Los Angeles with Bruce Willis and their 20-month-old daughter Mabel.

Bruce Willis, 58, and Emma Heming, 35, wed in 2009.

Mega Millions jackpot: Winning tickets sold in Georgia and California

Nancy Clayson
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Mega Millions jackpot: Winning tickets sold in Georgia and California

Mega Millions $636 million jackpot – the second-biggest lottery payout in US history – will be split among at least two winners after tickets in California and Georgia matched all six winning numbers Tuesday night, officials said.

The California ticket – with winning numbers 8, 14, 17, 20 and 39, with the Mega Ball 7 – was bought at a store called Jenny’s Gift Shop in San Jose, state lottery spokesman Alex Traverso said.

Mega Millions $636 million jackpot will be split among at least two winners after tickets in California and Georgia matched all six winning numbers
Mega Millions $636 million jackpot will be split among at least two winners after tickets in California and Georgia matched all six winning numbers

The Georgia ticket was purchased at Gateway Newsstand in Atlanta, Georgia Lottery spokeswoman Tandi Reddick told NBC News.

Had there been no winners Tuesday, the jackpot would have rolled over, likely approaching or even topping the once-unthinkable $1 billion barrier for Friday’s drawing, Mega Millions officials said.

Kim Basinger looks amazing at Grudge Match premiere in NYC

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Basinger looks amazing at Grudge Match premiere in NYC

Kim Basinger looked beautiful at the world premiere of Grudge Match at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City on Monday, December 16.

Kim Basinger looked beautiful at the world premiere of Grudge Match at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City
Kim Basinger looked beautiful at the world premiere of Grudge Match at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City

Going the menswear route at the film premiere, Kim Basinger, 60, dressed for the occasion in a tailored, navy, three-piece, pinstripe suit by Ralph Lauren Collection, complete with a tie and watch chain.

Kim Basinger, who costars in Grudge Match with Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro, swept her long locks back in a tight low ponytail, parted down the center.

Ukraine: Pro-EU protesters decry Russia gas deal

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine: Pro-EU protesters decry Russia gas deal

Ukrainian opposition leaders have demanded to know what President Viktor Yanukovych has offered Russia in return for a major economic lifeline.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to buy billions of dollars worth of Ukrainian government bonds and slash the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas.

The announcement comes as Russia tries to stop Ukraine moving towards the EU.

Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko told pro-EU protesters in Kiev Viktor Yanukovych was betraying Ukraine’s independence.

“He has given up Ukraine’s national interests, given up independence,” Vitali Klitschko, a former boxing champion, told the crowd on Tuesday.

“[President] Yanukovych used our country as collateral. According to our sources, he has agreed to a bailout from Russia and put Ukrainian plants, strategic industries, heavy industries, aviation and energy manufacturers up as collateral against it. We want to know what exactly he did put up as collateral, and his reasons for doing it.”

He called on President Viktor Yanukovych to hold a snap election.

“Yanukovych said at our round-table talks that he is not afraid of an early election. If that’s the case, let him prove it in an honest fight,” he said.

Ukrainian opposition leaders have demanded to know what President Viktor Yanukovych has offered Russia in return for a major economic lifeline
Ukrainian opposition leaders have demanded to know what President Viktor Yanukovych has offered Russia in return for a major economic lifeline

Although details of the agreement are unclear, Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of an opposition far-right group, said Viktor Yanukovych had “pawned whole sectors” of the country’s economy to Russia.

Ukraine urgently needs to cover an external funding gap of up to $17 billion (12.3 billion euros) next year to avoid defaulting on its debts.

After talks between Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yanukovych in the Kremlin, it was announced Russia would buy $15 billion-worth of Ukrainian government bonds.

The cost of Russian gas supplied to Ukraine has been slashed from more than $400 (291 euros) per 1,000 cubic metres to $268.5.

Vladimir Putin said the assistance was not “tied to any conditions”.

He also said they had not discussed Ukraine joining a Moscow-led customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The US has warned the Ukrainian government that the deal with Russia would not satisfy the protesters.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said ties with Russia should not prevent Kiev from looking West.

“At the moment it seems to be an either-or proposition. We need to put an end to this,” Angela Merkel told ARD TV.

“A bidding competition won’t solve the problem.”

The current agreement signed between Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz amends a controversial 2009 deal signed by former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, for which she was jailed two years ago.

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Mega Millions jackpot rockets to $636 million

Nancy Clayson
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0
Mega Millions jackpot rockets to $636 million

Mega Millions jackpot rocketed to $636 million – the second-largest in US history.

Long queues were reported in stores selling tickets, which are available in 43 states.

The current American jackpot record is $656 million – that was split between three winners in 2012.

If no winner is picked in Tuesday evening’s Mega Millions draw, the total could hit $1 billion by Friday.

Mega Millions jackpot rocketed to $636 million, the second-largest in US history
Mega Millions jackpot rocketed to $636 million, the second-largest in US history

The jackpot was previously estimated at $586 million, but on Tuesday lottery officials increased their prediction due to strong ticket sales.

Undeterred by odds of one in 259 million, large queues of would-be winners formed at petrol stations and convenience stores.

If received in a lump cash sum as opposed to an annuity, the total would be $341 million, a lottery official reported.

Not every winner need necessarily face the standard news conference with the bottle of bubbly and chunky cardboard cheque.

Six US states allow lottery winners to remain anonymous: South Carolina, Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota and Ohio.

In several other states, it is reportedly possible for winners to keep their names secret by claiming their jackpot through a trust or a limited liability company.

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Phil Robertson snubs Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year special

Sonia Pantiss
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Phil Robertson snubs Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year special

Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson reportedly snubbed Barbara Walters in a recent interview, opting to go duck hunting instead.

Phil Robertson, 67, was supposed to accompany the rest of his family for a taped interview of Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year special.

The Robertsons made Barbara Walters’ annual list along with actress Jennifer Lawrence, singer Miley Cyrus, and reality star Kim Kardashian, among others.

In a sneak preview of the transcript from the interview, set to air Wednesday, Barbara Walters asks Phil Robertson’s wife, Miss Kay, if her husband would rather go hunting than sit down for the ABC network interview.

Phil Robertson snubbed Barbara Walters interview opting to go duck hunting instead
Phil Robertson snubbed Barbara Walters interview opting to go duck hunting instead

“He would rather shoot ducks than talk to us, yes?”

Miss Kay Robertson responded jokingly: “Oh yes. Between, uh, November and January, I told him I didn’t ever plan to die then, because, he may not be at my funeral.”

“Tell him I have never been superseded by a duck before,” Barbara Walters quipped.

The Robertson clan went on to tell Barbara Walters that this isn’t the first time Phil has skipped out on a big family event to go duck hunting.

Jessica Robertson, Jep’s wife, told Barbara Walters that Phil missed the birth of his son, Jase, because he was busy sitting in a duck blind.

“Well, he missed the birth of Jase because he was in the duck blind, and he wouldn’t leave,” Jessica Robertson explained.

Edward Snowden offers to help Brazil over US spying in return for asylum

Nancy Clayson
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Edward Snowden offers to help Brazil over US spying in return for asylum

Edward Snowden offered to collaborate with Brazil’s investigation into the mass surveillance programs Tuesday, writing an open letter that hinted at his asylum request to the country.

In a letter published in the Folha De S. Paulo newspaper, Edward Snowden praised the “inspiring” reaction around the world – and in Brazil – after he unveiled the NSA’s far-reaching spying program, which included the monitoring of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s personal cellphone.

“I have expressed my willingness to assist wherever appropriate and lawful, but unfortunately the United States government has worked very hard to limit my ability to do so,” Edward Snowden wrote in An Open Letter to the Brazilian People.

“Until a country grants permanent political asylum, the U.S. government will continue to interfere with my ability to speak,” he added.

Edward Snowden offered to collaborate with Brazil's investigation into the mass surveillance programs
Edward Snowden offered to collaborate with Brazil’s investigation into the mass surveillance programs

Brazilian lawmakers have been trying to interview Snowden as part of their investigation but he seemed to suggest in his letter that he would only do so if he were welcomed into the country.

Edward Snowden previously requested asylum in Brazil but he has not received any response. He is currently living under temporary asylum in Russia, after spending weeks in limbo at Moscow’s international airport.

Documents Edward Snowden leaked exposed Brazil as the top NSA target in Latin America, with surveillance that included hacking into the network of state-run oil company Petrobras and monitoring Dilma Rousseff’s and ordinary Brazilians’ phones.

The revelations soured relations between Brazil and the US with President Dilma Rousseff canceling a state visit to Washington.

“Only three weeks ago, Brazil led the United Nations Human Rights Committee to recognize for the first time in history that privacy does not stop where the digital network starts, and that the mass surveillance of innocents is a violation of human rights,” Edward Snowden wrote, adding that “American officials should never decide the freedoms of Brazilian citizens.”

Edward Snowden’s open letter was also published on the Facebook page of David Miranda, partner of journalist Glenn Greenwald, who first published Snowden’s leaks in June. David Miranda has started a petition calling for Brazil to offer Edward Snowden asylum.

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Girl With The Dragon Tattoo fourth novel to be written by David Lagercrantz

Sonia Pantiss
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Girl With The Dragon Tattoo fourth novel to be written by David Lagercrantz

Writer David Lagercrantz has been hired to pen the fourth installment of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series by author Stieg Larsson, its Swedish publishers have said.

David Lagercrantz will write a new story about the characters of Lisbeth Slander and Mikael Blomqvist, which is due for publication in August 2015.

Stieg Larsson died in 2004 aged 50 and had started work on a fourth novel.

The original trilogy sold more than 75 million copies worldwide and has been turned into both Swedish and Hollywood movies.

Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara played the lead roles in the US film version of the story, which was directed by David Fincher.

David Lagercrantz has been hired to pen the fourth installment of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series by author Stieg Larsson
David Lagercrantz has been hired to pen the fourth installment of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series by author Stieg Larsson

Eva Gedin from publishing house Norstedts said: “We have now decided to let somebody take over and tell what happened next.”

David Lagercrantz, who co-authored a book about Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, said he has “already started writing it”, adding: “It’s terribly fun. It’s a fantastic world to step into.”

The new book will follow on from the tale of murder, corruption and family secrets told in the original trilogy and feature its central players.

Some plot lines from the existing novels will be picked up, while David Lagercrantz is likely to add his own touches to the book.

Stieg Larsson’s partner Eva Gabrielsson has said that the publisher did not have access to Larsson’s partially-completed manuscript for a fourth novel, so would be starting afresh.

She told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that she thinks it’s “distasteful to try to make more money” from the books.

Eva Gabrielsson has been engaged in a legal dispute with his family over his legacy.

Beatles ’63 rarities released on iTunes

Sonia Pantiss
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Beatles ’63 rarities released on iTunes

Beatles rarities from 1963 have been released on iTunes.

Fifty-nine tracks – unreleased outtakes, demos – have been released on iTunes to stop them falling out of copyright and into the public domain.

EU copyright law covers recordings for 70 years if they have had an official release or 50 years if they have not.

The 2-disc set was apparently released, then removed, early on Tuesday, causing speculation it was only being published briefly to extend the copyright period.

Fans posted screenshots of the collection on the New Zealand iTunes store, along with links which later became invalid.

Online reports suggested the same thing had happened in Australia, Russia and Saudi Arabia – although the EU’s copyright laws would not apply in any of these territories.

Beatles rarities from 1963 have been released on iTunes
Beatles rarities from 1963 have been released on iTunes

Gathering together live material and recording session offcuts, the compilation includes four alternate takes of She Loves You, two of From Me To You and several live versions of Roll Over Beethoven.

It also features three attempts at There’s A Place, as well as demos of two songs the group gave to other artists – Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s acoustic version of Bad to Me and Lennon’s piano demo of I’m in Love.

The tracks had been widely bootlegged, but never officially released until now.

After a recent change in the law, the master tape for The Beatles’ 1963 debut album Please Please Me is protected by copyright until 2033, but the unreleased session tapes for that album are not.

If the Beatles chose not to release the recordings before the end of the year, other record labels could theoretically put them out and profit from them next year.

The band’s 1962 debut single Love Me Do arguably slipped out of copyright last year before the EU’s copyright extension was signed into law.

At least one record company issued a “remastered” version of the song, although that has since been deleted.

The copyright law in question only covers the recordings – the composition of the songs remains the copyright of the songwriter for 70 years after his or her death.

Officially called The 50th Anniversary Collection, it carried a subtitle which explained its true purpose: The Copyright Extension Collection, Vol. 1.

Kelly LeBrock faces DUI allegations following arrest

Lisa.Felice
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Kelly LeBrock faces DUI allegations following arrest

Steven Seagal’s ex-wife, Kelly LeBrock, is facing allegations of DUI following an arrest in November.

Kelly LeBrock, 53, was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer on November 30 near Santa Barbara after she was reportedly spotted driving erratically, speeding and failing to brake at a stop sign.

Kelly LeBrock was reportedly spotted driving erratically, speeding and failing to brake at a stop sign
Kelly LeBrock was reportedly spotted driving erratically, speeding and failing to brake at a stop sign

Kelly LeBrock was taken into custody and booked after struggling to complete a field sobriety test, according to TMZ.com.

Russia cuts gas price for Ukraine

Clyde K. Valle
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Russia cuts gas price for Ukraine

Russia has decided to cut the price of the gas supplied to Ukraine from more than $400 (291 euros) per 1,000 cubic metres to $268.5.

Russia also agreed at talks in the Kremlin to buy $15 billion worth of Ukrainian government bonds.

President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych did not talk about Ukraine joining a Russian-led customs union.

Protests continued in Kiev over the deepening ties with Russia.

Victor Yanukovych’s U-turn on an EU association agreement deal last month sparked mass demonstrations.

He admitted his decision had been influenced by heavy pressure from Russia.

The current protests, the largest since Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, are pushing for the resignation of Viktor Yanukovych and his government, and snap elections.

The gas agreement signed between Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz amends a controversial 2009 deal signed by former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, for which she was jailed two years ago.

Ukraine relies on imports of Russian gas – and heavy energy-intensive industries in eastern Ukraine are especially anxious to keep the price of gas down. Some 75% of Ukraine’s engineering exports go to Russia.

The cost of Russian gas supplied to Ukraine has been slashed by 33 percent
The cost of Russian gas supplied to Ukraine has been slashed by 33 percent

“Russia and Ukraine are… united both by many centuries of our friendship and by having lived a long time together in the same country,” Vladimir Putin said.

Trade between the two countries, he said, had dropped over the past two years, by 11% in 2012 and 14.5% this year.

“It is of course time to take vigorous action not only to return to the level of previous years, but also create conditions for moving forward,” he added.

Viktor Yanukovych said Ukraine would work with Russia and other ex-Soviet states to implement the free trade deal they signed two years ago.

“In the near future, we will not only have to co-ordinate this work between our countries, between Russia and Ukraine, but with other CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries as well, so that our free trade area could finally start operating at its full capacity,” he said.

With talks on resuming credit from the International Monetary Fund stalled, Ukraine requires urgent financial assistance in the coming months to keep the economy afloat.

Kiev also needs to find about $17 billion next year to pay its outstanding gas bill to Russia.

Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers on Monday used a high-level meeting to reassure Russia that the association agreement with Ukraine would not undermine Moscow’s interests.

Supporters say closer ties with the EU could make the economy more open, transparent and prosperous, with greater competition and protection for investors.

But the EU partnership requires far-reaching and expensive reforms, which the government says would put at risk many enterprises reliant on trade with Russia.

Moscow has already put economic pressure on Ukraine, with customs delays and a ban on Ukrainian chocolates, and could escalate such measures.

Russia fears that such a deal would damage the country’s economy by letting in a massive flow of EU products via Ukraine.

Moscow wants Kiev to join the Customs Union instead of signing the EU pact.

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu criticizes Nelson Mandela’s funeral services

Diane A. Wade
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu criticizes Nelson Mandela’s funeral services

Archbishop Desmond Tutu – a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela – has said that South Africa’s first black president would have been appalled that Afrikaners were excluded from memorial services marking his death.

Desmond Tutu highlighted the absence of the Dutch Reformed Church and the limited use of the Afrikaans language at the services.

A mainly Afrikaner party introduced white minority rule, which Nelson Mandela opposed, spending 27 years in jail.

But after becoming South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela preached reconciliation with his former enemies.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu highlighted the absence of the Dutch Reformed Church and the limited use of the Afrikaans language at Nelson Mandela’s funeral services
Archbishop Desmond Tutu highlighted the absence of the Dutch Reformed Church and the limited use of the Afrikaans language at Nelson Mandela’s funeral services

Archbishop Desmond Tutu also strongly criticized the prominence of the governing African National Congress (ANC) during the week of events following Nelson Mandela’s death on December 5.

“I also believe it may have sent out a more inclusive message had the programme directors at the Memorial and Funeral – both national and State events – not both been senior office-bearers of the ruling party,” he said.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu fought apartheid, along with Nelson Mandela and the ANC, but has become increasingly critical of the party, recently saying he would vote for the opposition.

He almost did not attend Sunday’s funeral for his close friend, saying he had not been invited.

In a statement, Desmond Tutu described Nelson Mandela as a “nation builder” who “went out of his way” to include Afrikaners after the end of apartheid.

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Beyonce’s surprise album breaks iTunes sales record

Sonia Pantiss
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Beyonce’s surprise album breaks iTunes sales record

Beyonce’s fifth album has broken iTunes sales records, with 828,773 copies sold in just three days.

The majority of those sales came in the US, where it has racked up 617,213 sales since its release on Friday.

The tally broke Beyonce’s own first-week sales record, set by her second album B’day in 2006, which sold 541,000 copies across a full seven days.

Beyonce stealth-released the record exclusively on iTunes last Friday, surprising fans by unveiling 14 new songs and 17 videos without the usual build-up of radio play, marketing and magazine interviews.

Its success has been fuelled by a number of factors: By keeping the project secret, the star avoided leaks; while the inability to purchase individual tracks online meant fans had no choice but to pay for the whole album.

Beyonce's fifth album has broken iTunes sales records, with 828,773 copies sold in just three days
Beyonce’s fifth album has broken iTunes sales records, with 828,773 copies sold in just three days

Beyonce, 31, said the “visual album” was inspired by her memories of watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller video premiere in 1983.

The album was codenamed “Lily” by staff at her record label, Columbia, to avoid rumors spreading, and even key creative staff were kept in the dark about the release plans.

Reviews for the album were largely positive, with Billboard magazine praising Beyonce’s “creative audacity”.

Apple, which runs the iTunes store, said the album had broken its previous first-week sales record, set by Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience when it sold 580,000 in March.

The company has exclusive access to the album for a short period – thought to be a week. Physical copies of the record are expected in shops before Christmas.

Beyonce also went to number one in 104 countries, it reported.

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Angela Merkel confirmed as Germany’s chancellor for third term

Diane A. Wade
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Angela Merkel confirmed as Germany’s chancellor for third term

German parliament (Bundestag) has confirmed Angela Merkel as the country’s chancellor for a third term, at the head of a grand coalition.

The coalition between her centre-right CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) has a huge majority, with 504 of the 631 seats in the lower house.

Angela Merkel was confirmed by 462 votes, with nine abstentions.

Germany’s tough stance on fiscal discipline is unlikely to change under the new coalition.

The SPD’s membership voted on Sunday to back the coalition after painstaking negotiations.

The party hammered out a minimum national wage, an hourly rate of 8.50 euros ($11.55) that will come into force for the first time in 2015.

Bundestag has confirmed Angela Merkel as Germany’s chancellor for a third term
Bundestag has confirmed Angela Merkel as Germany’s chancellor for a third term

The new government will be slightly to the left of the previous one, in which the Christian Democrats/Christian Social Union were in coalition with the market-oriented Free Democrats (FDP).

But the SPD will form a minority part of the government and no-one doubts that Chancellor Angela Merkel will be in charge.

As the EU’s most industrialized and populous state, with its biggest economy, Germany dominates decision-making for the eurozone.

For Tuesday’s vote, 621 members of the Bundestag were present, of whom 150 voted against Angela Merkel.

Between them, the Left Party and the Greens have 127 seats, so at least 23 of those who rejected her nomination were from the parties making up the new coalition.

The coalition talks had been the longest for any German government since World War II.

The CDU/CSU and SPD finally signed the deal, a 185-page agreement entitled “Shaping Germany’s Future”, late last month.

Angela Merkel was obliged to turn to the SPD after the FDP failed to win any seats in the 22 September election, falling short of the 5% hurdle to enter the Bundestag.

Trusted Angela Merkel ally Wolfgang Schaeuble will remain finance minister in the new government, one of 10 CDU/CSU politicians in the 16-strong cabinet.

“His name stands for euro stability and I’m glad that he’s continuing,” Angela Merkel said after news of the new line-up emerged.

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Japan adopts new defense policy package amid China tensions

Roy Siemens
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Japan adopts new defense policy package amid China tensions

Japan’s government has approved a new national security strategy and increased defense spending in a move widely seen as aimed at China.

Over the next five years, Japan will buy hardware including drones, aircraft and amphibious vehicles.

The military will also build a new marine unit, an amphibious force capable of retaking islands.

The move comes with Tokyo embroiled in a bitter row with Beijing over East China Sea islands that both claim.

It reflects concern over China’s growing assertiveness over its territorial claims and Beijing’s mounting defence spending.

“China’s stance toward other countries and military moves, coupled with a lack of transparency regarding its military and national security policies, represent a concern to Japan and the wider international community and require close watch,” the national security draft said.

PM Shinzo Abe has called for Japan to broaden the scope of activities performed by its military
PM Shinzo Abe has called for Japan to broaden the scope of activities performed by its military

Japan first increased defense spending in January, after a decade of cuts.

PM Shinzo Abe, who was elected a year ago, has called for Japan to broaden the scope of activities performed by its military – something currently tightly controlled by the post-war constitution.

He has also established a National Security Council that can oversee key issues.

Approving the national security strategy made Japan’s foreign and security policy “clear and transparent – for both the Japanese people and all the world to see”, he said.

The announcement comes weeks after China established an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over a swathe of the East China Sea, including islands controlled by Japan.

It says all aircraft transiting the zone must obey certain rules, such as filing flight plans, or face “measures”.

Japan, US and South Korea – which claims a rock that lies within China’s declared zone – have strongly criticised the move, with the US calling it a unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the region.

China, meanwhile, says it is “closely watching Japan’s security strategy and policy direction”.

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