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Duck Dynasty among TV shows influencing hottest trends in baby names in 2013

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty among TV shows influencing hottest trends in baby names in 2013

Duck Dynasty is among the TV shows influencing the hottest trends in baby names in 2013.

Silas “Si” Robertson finds himself with unlikely namesakes this year.

According to BabyCenter, Silas jumped to No. 112 among boys’ names on its annual list of popular baby names. Phil, the name of the patriarch of the Duck Dynasty family, the Robertsons of West Monroe, Louisiana, rose 32%, or 860 spots, on the list.

Korie, the name of Willie Robertson’s wife, jumped an amazing 89%, or 13,262 spots, on the list.

Si Robertson finds himself with unlikely namesakes this year
Si Robertson finds himself with unlikely namesakes this year

No one’s rushing to name their sons, or daughters, after Breaking Bad‘s Walter White – the name Walter fell 12%, or 55 spots – and most other character names on the show also dropped on the list. Two character names, however, saw significant jumps: the name Mike is up 20% and Marie is up 21%.

Kate Middleton’s son, Prince George, also had a big impact for such a little guy. BabyCenter found that the name George climbed 10% for boys – and 37% for girls.

And don’t forget the ever-popular Kanye West-Kim Kardashian family.

While the name of their daughter North did not show a great increase, the name Kanye jumped 38%, or 2,228 spots. Little North West’s nickname, Nori, also saw an increase of five spots on the list.

The HBO series Girls had an impact on two fronts: the name of character Marnie jumped 62%, or 3,286 spots, and the name of series creator and star Lena Dunham rose 26%.

Elsewhere, the names Jackson, Aiden and Liam topped BabyCenter’s list of the top 100 baby names for boys. Sophia, Emma and Olivia topped the list of the most popular girls names.

Ukraine protests: NATO foreign ministers condemn use of force in Kiev

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine protests: NATO foreign ministers condemn use of force in Kiev

NATO foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels have condemned the use of “excessive force” during protests in Ukraine.

US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Ukraine to “listen to the voices of its people”.

Earlier, Ukraine’s PM Mykola Azarov apologized in parliament for the use of police force against protesters.

Mass protests were sparked by the government’s decision not to sign an association deal with the EU last week.

Thousands demonstrated outside the parliament building in Kiev on Tuesday, with protests in the city once again continuing into the evening.

“We urge all sides to conduct themselves peacefully. Violence has no place in a modern European state,” John Kerry told reporters.

The ministers said in a statement that they urged “Ukraine… to fully abide by its international commitments and to uphold the freedom of expression and assembly”.

“We urge the government and the opposition to engage in dialogue and launch a reform process,” they added.

Mass protests in Kiev were sparked by the government's decision not to sign an association deal with the EU
Mass protests in Kiev were sparked by the government’s decision not to sign an association deal with the EU

Earlier on Tuesday, the Ukrainian parliament rejected an attempt to force the resignation of the government.

The opposition tabled the motion of no-confidence, which was defeated.

Before parliament voted on the motion, Mykola Azarov addressed an emergency session:

“On behalf of our government, I would like to apologize for the actions of our law enforcement authorities on Maidan [Independence Square],” he said, referring to violence at the weekend.

“The president and the government deeply regret that this happened.”

Speaking above boos by opposition deputies in parliament, the prime minister called for protests outside the government buildings in Kiev to end, and appealed for Ukrainians not to return to the unrest of the Orange Revolution of 2004.

“We reach out our hand to you. Push away the plotters, the plotters seeking power and who are trying to repeat the scenario of 2004,” Mykola Azarov said.

Later he said the government was ready for dialogue with protesters but that they must “stop occupying government buildings and interfering with the work of the government administration”.

The newspaper Ukrainska Pravda published a series of videos and photographs which it says backs up the claims.

The images appear to show a group of young men wearing masks and helmets pushing against police lines in front of the presidential building. Soon afterwards several are seen beckoning to others in the crowd and then passing through the blockade, without resistance from officers.

At least one of the men is also pictured standing uninterrupted behind the riot police.

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Barack Obama launches campaign to resell health care law to the public

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama launches campaign to resell health care law to the public

President Barack Obama is planning to rally support for ObamaCare and stem a wave of bad publicity over his flagship domestic achievement.

The president was joined at the White House by Americans who said they had benefited from the Affordable Care Act.

The new healthcare.gov website, which sells medical insurance, is now working at acceptable levels after its disastrous launch, says the administration.

The act aims to provide health coverage to some 15% of US citizens who lack it.

Barack Obama sought to remind Americans that under his health programme, insurers can no longer deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, and young people can now stay on their parents’ coverage until age 26.

He discussed the intensive efforts to repair the healthcare.gov website, which has been a flop since it went online on October 1st.

“Today the website is working well for the vast majority of users,” Barack Obama said.

President Barack Obama is planning to rally support for ObamaCare
President Barack Obama is planning to rally support for ObamaCare

“More problems may pop up, as they always do when you’re launching something new. And when they do we’ll fix those, too.”

The White House is also due to hold a youth summit on Wednesday, in the latest attempt to promote the law among the young and healthy, a demographic crucial to the strategy of reducing overall healthcare costs.

It is part of a multi-pronged effort by the administration to counter the Republican argument that the act known on both sides of the political divide as ObamaCare is “a train wreck”.

The law’s problems have sent Barack Obama’s job approval ratings plunging and threaten to damage fellow Democrats in next year’s congressional elections.

Elsewhere in Washington DC on Tuesday, the White House’s chief of staff told a public policy forum that more than one million new visitors had logged on to healthcare.gov a day earlier.

Denis McDonough said the website’s new queuing system, used in times of high traffic, worked “pretty well”.

“No matter what, we’re going to see this thing through,” he said.

He did not provide updated figures for how many people had signed up for insurance plans.

The administration aims to enroll 7 million people in insurance plans before the end of March, when all Americans are required to have coverage or pay a fine.

But problems reportedly persist. Insurers say they are receiving enrolment forms that have errors or are duplicated, while others go missing altogether.

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Facebook unveils Unfollow button

Nancy Clayson
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Facebook unveils Unfollow button

Facebook unveils the “Unfollow” button which work in the same way that users were able to “Hide All” from friends in the past, simply with new phrasing, TechCrunch reported.

The idea is that users can block content they don’t want to see from their friends without going so far as defriending them.

In the past, the “Hide All” option pretty much did the same thing, keeping all updates from a user hidden, a discreet way to make someone disappear from your virtual life without the awkwardness of unfriending them.

Facebook unveils the "Unfollow" button
Facebook unveils the “Unfollow” button

On Facebook, you can already unfollow news organizations and people you are following but are not friends with. The ability to unfollow all users will simply standardize the language across the site, not to mention add an element of schadenfreude when banishing exes from your News Feed.

Find an update from someone you don’t want to follow anymore, click on the drop-down menu on the top-right corner of the post, and select “Unfollow”.

The unfollow option is the much the less confrontational way of making someone disappear, since they won’t be notified of your secret vote of disinterest and will still see you in their friends list.

Only 1% of files leaked by Edward Snowden published

Diane A. Wade
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Only 1% of files leaked by Edward Snowden published

Guardian’s editor Alan Rusbridger revealed only 1% of files leaked by Edward Snowden have been published.

Alan Rusbridger told the Home Affairs Select Committee in UK parliament that the Guardian was not a “rogue newspaper”.

He insisted the paper’s journalists were “patriots” and patriotic about democracy and a free press.

Alan Rusbridger said senior officials in Whitehall and the US administration had told the paper “no damage” had been caused.

Last month intelligence chiefs used their appearance before a different committee to criticize the Guardian, suggesting it had endangered national security.

However, Alan Rusbridger said their accusations were “very vague and not rooted in specific stories”.

“There are different views about this,” he said.

Alan Rusbridger revealed only 1 percent of files leaked by Edward Snowden have been published
Alan Rusbridger revealed only 1 percent of files leaked by Edward Snowden have been published

“It’s impossible to assess because no one has given me specific evidence.”

He added: “There are countries – and they are not generally democracies – where the press are not free to write about this and where the security services do tell editors what to write.

“That’s not the country we live in, in Britain, and it’s one of the things we love about the country.”

The Guardian editor said the paper had “made very selective judgments”‘ about what to publish and had not revealed the names of any officials.

He said the files taken by Edward Snowden, a former contractor with the National Security Agency (NSA) were in four locations – with The Guardian and the Washington Post newspapers, as well as in Rio de Janeiro and Germany.

Alan Rusbridger said editors of “leading” newspapers had also decided to publish details in the NSA files.

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Male and female brain connections are completely different

Kathryn R. Bown
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Male and female brain connections are completely different

A research team from University of Pennsylvania has found that men and women’s brains are wired in completely different ways which may explain why they excel at certain tasks.

The researchers scanned the brains of nearly 1,000 men, women, boys and girls and found striking differences.

Male brains are wired front to back, with few connections bridging the two hemispheres.

In females, the connections criss-cross between left and right.

These differences might explain why men, in general, tend to be better at learning and performing a single task, like cycling or navigating, whereas women are more equipped for multitasking, say the researchers in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Men and women's brains are wired in completely different ways which may explain why they excel at certain tasks
Men and women’s brains are wired in completely different ways which may explain why they excel at certain tasks

The same volunteers were asked to perform a series of cognitive tests, and the results appeared to support this notion.

Experts have questioned whether it can be that simple, arguing it is a huge leap to extrapolate from anatomical differences to try to explain behavioral variation between genders.

In the study, women scored well on attention, word and face memory, and social cognition, while men performed better on spatial processing and sensori-motor speed.

Study author Dr. Ruben Gur said: “It’s quite striking how complementary the brains of women and men really are.

“Detailed connectome maps of the brain will not only help us better understand the differences between how men and women think, but it will also give us more insight into the roots of neurological disorders, which are often s** related.”

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Yasser Arafat was not poisoned, French report

Roy Siemens
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Yasser Arafat was not poisoned, French report

Yasser Arafat was not poisoned when he died in 2004, French scientists concluded.

According to French media leaks, the scientists probing the death of the Palestinian leader have reportedly concluded he died after a “generalized infection”.

A previous report by Swiss scientists said tests on Yasser Arafat’s body showed “unexpected high activity” of polonium.

This “moderately” supported the theory, long believed by many Palestinians, that he was poisoned, the report said.

Yasser Arafat, who led the Palestine Liberation Organization for 35 years and became the first president of the Palestinian Authority in 1996, fell violently ill in October 2004 at his compound.

Two weeks later Yasser Arafat was flown to a French military hospital in Paris, where he died on November 11, 2004, at the age of 75.

Yasser Arafat’s official medical records say he died from a stroke resulting from a blood disorder. French doctors were not able at the time to determine what had caused the disorder.

His body was exhumed for testing last year amid continuing claims he was murdered. Many Palestinians have accused Israel of being behind his death, something which Israel has always denied.

The latest reported findings were “not a surprise”, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP.

Yasser Arafat fell violently ill in October 2004 at his compound
Yasser Arafat fell violently ill in October 2004 at his compound

In July 2012, an al-Jazeera documentary reported that scientists at the Swiss Institute of Radiation Physics had found “significant” traces of a highly radioactive and toxic material on personal effects given to Yasser Arafat’s widow Suha after his death, including his trademark keffiyeh.

Suha Arafat asked the Palestinian Authority to authorize the exhumation of his remains in order “to reveal the truth”.

The Palestinian Authority granted French investigators and a team of Swiss scientists permission to exhume Arafat’s body and take samples for testing. Russia also sent experts, and samples were sent to its Federal Medico-Biological Agency.

Suha Arafat also filed a civil suit at a court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, alleging that her husband was murdered by an unnamed “perpetrator X”. French prosecutors began a murder inquiry in August 2012.

Last month, a forensic expert said that the levels of polonium found in Yasser Arafat’s remains by the Swiss scientists were 18 to 36 times higher than normal.

However, they said their findings could not categorically prove the theory that he was poisoned.

The Swiss scientists had stressed that they had been unable to reach a more definitive conclusion because of the time that had lapsed since Yasser Arafat’s death, the limited samples available and the confused “chain of custody” of some of the specimens.

Also on Tuesday, a Palestinian investigator said he would soon name the people he believed were responsible for Yasser Arafat’s death.

Star Wars Instagram account launched with Darth Vader selfie

Sonia Pantiss
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Star Wars Instagram account launched with Darth Vader selfie

Star Wars launched its official Instagram account by posting a selfie of Darth Vader.

A tweet told followers to subscribe to the Instagram page, saying: “It is useless to resist.”

Two behind the scenes pictures from previous films have also been posted.

Star Wars: Episode VII will begin shooting at Pinewood Studios early next year ahead of an expected 2015 release.

Star Wars launched its official Instagram account by posting a selfie of Darth Vader
Star Wars launched its official Instagram account by posting a selfie of Darth Vader

The Star Wars Instagram account had gained around 60,000 followers within 12 hours after posting the first image.

Disney is holding open auditions for the new film, which have been taking place around Britain.

The most recent feature-length Star Wars, Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, was released in 2005.

Paul Walker death: Fast & Furious 7 to go ahead

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker death: Fast & Furious 7 to go ahead

Fast & Furious 7 will still go ahead following the death of Paul Walker, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The magazine quotes a source who said the production is facing a delay but the film will still be released.

Paul Walker, 40, died on Saturday when a Porsche being driven by his friend Roger Rodas, who also died, crashed near Los Angeles.

Fast & Furious 7 will still go ahead following the death of Paul Walker
Fast & Furious 7 will still go ahead following the death of Paul Walker

The cast and crew of Fast & Furious 7 were taking a break from filming during the Thanksgiving holiday but were scheduled to reconvene in Atlanta on Sunday.

Another film starring Paul Walker, Hurricane Katrina drama Hours, will still be released in the US on December 13, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The film’s producer, Peter Safran, told the magazine: “He would have very much wanted us to move forward.”

Paul Walker was reprising his role as Brian O’Conner in Fast & Furious 7. He starred in five of the six movies in the popular franchise.

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Annie Awards 2014: Frozen and Monsters University lead nominations

Sonia Pantiss
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Annie Awards 2014: Frozen and Monsters University lead nominations

Frozen and Monsters University lead the nominations for the 41st Annie Awards, which honor the year’s best achievements in animation.

Both films landed 10 nominations each, including best animated feature.

Despicable Me 2 and The Croods also compete for the event’s top prize, as do Japanese titles The Wind Rises and A Letter to Momo and the French animation Ernest and Celestine.

The awards will be handed out at a Los Angeles ceremony on February 1st, 2014.

The evening will see director Steven Spielberg recognized for his career contribution to the art of animation.

Frozen‘s other nominations include nods for character animation and design, writing and music in an animated feature.

The film is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen.

Frozen leads the nominations for the 41st Annie Awards
Frozen leads the nominations for the 41st Annie Awards

Monsters University, a prequel to 2001’s Monsters, Inc, is also up for best animated effects, production design and storyboarding.

Despicable Me 2 scored nine nominations in the main feature film categories, with three of its stars – Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Pierre Coffin – recognized for voice acting.

Billy Crystal was also nominated for Monsters University, as were Paul Giamatti for Turbo, Terry Crews for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Josh Gad for Frozen.

The Croods, about a family of cavemen fighting for survival, also received nine nominations.

Frozen and Ernest and Celestine were the only films to be nominated in the best feature, directing and writing categories.

Disney picked up 31 nominations across the 30 categories, which encompass film, TV games and commercials.

DreamWorks followed with 19 nominations, one more than the number Pixar recorded.

The Annie Awards usually indicate which titles will be nominated for the Academy’s best animated feature award.

This year the five nominees for the best animated feature Oscar also received Annie nominations, though eventual Oscar recipient Brave lost the top Annie prize to Wreck-It Ralph.

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Beyoncé named world’s most searched person on Bing in 2013

Nancy Clayson
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Beyoncé named world’s most searched person on Bing in 2013

Beyoncé has been named the world’s highest ranking human being of 2013 beating Kim Kardashian, according to Bing.

Women ruled 2013, the top five most searched people of the year were all women, and only two men made it into the top ten- Justin Bieber (6th) and Barack Obama (10th).

What is surprising, however, is just how far Beyoncé’s behind Miley Cyrus appears. Miley Cyrus trails at No 9 in the Top 10 List.

Beyoncé has been named the world’s highest ranking human being of 2013 beating Kim Kardashian
Beyoncé has been named the world’s highest ranking human being of 2013 beating Kim Kardashian

However, Justin Bieber wins out as the most searched for celebrity on Bing in the UK alone. Justin Bieber outranks Beyoncé Knowles and Kate Middleton to top the chart in Britain.

2013 Most Searched Person of the Year

1.    Beyoncé Knowles

2.    Kim Kardashian

3.    Rihanna

4.    Taylor Swift

5.    Madonna

6.    Justin Bieber

7.    Nicki Minaj

8.    Amanda Bynes

9.    Miley Cyrus

10.  Barack Obama

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas car crash not caused by street race

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker and Roger Rodas car crash not caused by street race

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas car crash was not the result of a street race, investigators have said.

While the neighborhood where Fast & Furious star Paul Walker died in a car crash on Saturday is known to attract street racers, law enforcement officials do not believe the Porsche he and his friend Roger Rodas were riding in had been racing another car.

Accident investigators “have received eyewitness statements that the car involved was traveling alone at a high rate of speed,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a written statement Monday.

“No eyewitness has contacted the (department) to say there was a second vehicle.”

Paul Walker, 40, and his friend and fellow fast-car enthusiast Roger Rodas, 38, died Saturday when Rodas’ 2005 Porsche Carrera GT smashed into a light pole and tree, then exploded in flames. The posted limit was 45 mph.

The two had taken what was expected to be a brief drive away from a charity fundraiser and toy drive at Roger Rodas’ custom car shop in the Southern California community of Valencia, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Paul Walker’s publicist said the action star was the passenger.

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas car crash was not the result of a street race
Paul Walker and Roger Rodas car crash was not the result of a street race

The crash happened on a street that forms an approximately 1-mile loop amid industrial office parks. It is rimmed by hills and relatively isolated from traffic, especially on weekends when the businesses are closed.

“It’s well-known out here that that’s a hot spot for street racers,” California Highway Patrol Sgt. Rick Miler said.

The sheriff’s department, which polices the neighborhood, said Saturday’s wreck was not the first speed-related crash there, but would not reveal specifics.

Meanwhile, investigators are consulting video from security cameras, talking to eyewitnesses and analyzing physical evidence such as on-board computer data from the Porsche.

A steady stream of fans has flocked to the crash site to leave flowers, candles and memorabilia from the action films.

On Monday night, a private memorial for survivors and the cast and crew of the Fast & Furious movies was held there inside a white tent erected around the crash site. When it was over, Paul Walker’s co-star Vin Diesel emerged to thank fans for paying their respect to the actor.

Officials have not named either person found in the car. The bodies were so badly burned by the fire that engulfed the wreck that dental records will be needed to confirm their identities.

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas had bonded over their shared love of fast cars.

Roger Rodas was a financial adviser as well as a professional driver who competed in 10 Pirelli World Challenge GTS races in 2013.

Paul Walker starred in all but one of the six Fast & Furious blockbusters. He had been on break from shooting the latest installment; Universal Pictures has not said what it plans to do with Fast & Furious 7, currently slated for July 2014 release.

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Bob Dylan under judicial investigation in France over Croat remarks

Sonia Pantiss
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Bob Dylan under judicial investigation in France over Croat remarks

Bob Dylan has been placed under judicial investigation in France for allegedly provoking ethnic hatred of Croats.

The move follows a legal complaint lodged by a Croat association in France over a 2012 interview Bob Dylan gave to Rolling Stone magazine.

In the interview Bob Dylan allegedly compared the relationship between Jews and Nazis to that of Serbs and Croats.

Bob Dylan, 72, was served notice of the investigation last month.

At the time the singer was in Paris to receive the Legion of Honor, a prestigious French award.

In the Rolling Stone interview, Bob Dylan was sharing his thoughts about US history and the country’s racial divide.

Bob Dylan has been placed under judicial investigation in France for provoking ethnic hatred of Croats
Bob Dylan has been placed under judicial investigation in France for provoking ethnic hatred of Croats

The singer is reported to have said: “Blacks know that some whites didn’t want to give up slavery – that if they had their way, they would still be under the yoke, and they can’t pretend they don’t know that.

“If you got a slave master or [Ku Klux] Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that. That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood.”

During WWII, the Croat Ustashe fascist movement killed hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma and others in their death camps.

Croats and Serbs also fought each other during the break-up of Yugoslavia, in a 1991-1995 war that left around 20,000 people dead.

After the interview was published, the Council of Croats in France (CRICCF) filed a complaint.

Being placed under judicial investigation means that authorities are taking the complaint seriously, but that it won’t necessarily go further.

Bob Dylan, who played concerts in Serbia and Croatia in 2010, rose to fame in the 1960s partly for his support of the US civil rights movement.

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Pavel Dmitrichenko jailed for acid attack on Sergei Filin

Sonia Pantiss
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Pavel Dmitrichenko jailed for acid attack on Sergei Filin

Bolshoi Ballet soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko has been jailed for six years for organizing an acid attack on company’s artistic director Sergei Filin.

Two fellow defendants were jailed for 10 and four years.

Sulphuric acid was thrown at Sergei Filin outside his Moscow flat in January, badly damaging his eyesight.

Pavel Dmitrichenko had admitted he wanted Sergei Filin “roughed up” but had denied wanting acid thrown into his face.

Investigators said Pavel Dmitrichenko had organized the attack because of a conflict with Sergei Filin.

The case has revealed bitter rivalries and infighting at the Bolshoi, one of Russia’s most famous ballet and opera companies.

Pavel Dmitrichenko’s fellow defendant Yuri Zarutsky, a former convict, admitted actually throwing the acid. He was sentenced to ten years.

The third man accused, Andrei Lipatov, drove Yuri Zarutsky to and from the scene of the attack. He was given four years’ prison.

Pavel Dmitrichenko has been jailed for six years for organizing an acid attack on Bolshoi's artistic director Sergei Filin
Pavel Dmitrichenko has been jailed for six years for organizing an acid attack on Bolshoi’s artistic director Sergei Filin

“Their guilt in committing the crime has been established in full,” judge Yelena Maximova at Moscow court said.

Yuri Zarutsky had argued that throwing acid in Sergei Filin’s face was his own idea. Andrei Lipatov said he had not known where he was taking the other man.

Since the attack near his home in Moscow on 17 January, Sergei Filin has had more than 20 operations to try to save his eyesight.

Following treatment in Germany, Sergei Filin returned to Moscow. Wearing dark glasses he gave evidence at the trial.

“The pain was immense and instant,” he said of the attack.

“It had been a beautiful winter night: silent, white, great drifts of snow falling upon snow. I began scooping up handfuls of it and pressing them into my eyes and cheeks to relieve the agony.”

Sergei Filin denied he had had any conflict with Pavel Dmitrichenko, whom he accused of seeking to damage his reputation before the attack through false allegations of affairs with ballerinas and favoritism.

Defense witnesses sought to portray Sergei Filin as authoritarian while Pavel Dmitrichenko was portrayed as a champion of other performers who feared to speak out against the artistic director.

The Bolshoi has undergone a number of changes, appointing a new director, Vladimir Urin.

On Monday, the sudden resignation of the Bolshoi’s music director and chief conductor, Vasily Sinaisky, was announced without explanation.

Vasily Sinaisky made no comment on his departure, according to Russian media. He had been due to conduct Verdi’s opera Don Carlos, which is premiering at the theatre in two weeks.

In another development, the Bolshoi said it was not renewing the contract of an aide to Sergei Filin, Dilyara Timergazina. Her contract expires at the end of this year.

A source told Russian daily Izvestia that Sergei Filin himself would no longer work for the company after his own contract expired in 2016.

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Jang Sung-taek: Kim Jong-un’s uncle dismissed from top military post

Diane A. Wade
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Jang Sung-taek: Kim Jong-un’s uncle dismissed from top military post

Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Sung-taek, lost his position as vice-chairman of North Korea’s top military body, South Korean media reports say.

Citing South Korea’s intelligence agency, they say Jang Sung-taek, 67, has been removed from his post.

Two close aides were also executed for corruption, according to the reports.

If confirmed, Jang Sung-taek’s removal would be the biggest upheaval in North Korea’s leadership since Kim Jong-un succeeded his father, analysts say.

Kim Jong-un took over after his father Kim Jong-il died in 2011.

The latest reports emerged from an intelligence briefing given to South Korean lawmakers.

Jang Sung-taek lost his position as vice-chairman of North Korea's top military body
Jang Sung-taek lost his position as vice-chairman of North Korea’s top military body

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment based on information provided by multiple sources, the South’s Yonhap news agency said.

It also quoted the intelligence service as saying two of Jang Sung-taek’s closest associates had been executed in public in late November.

However, the reports are difficult to verify, and South Korea’s spy agency has been proven wrong before. But if true, the development would mark a significant shift.

Jang Sung-taek, who is married to Kim Jong-il’s sister, was seen by some observers as the power behind the throne.

He climbed through the ranks of the secretive leadership of North Korea’s Korean Workers Party (KWP) in the 1970s. In 1992, he was elected to its Central Committee.

However,  Jang Sung-taek has been targeted by purges in the past. In 2004, despite his place in the Kim family, he disappeared from public view.

One report at the time, citing South Korean intelligence, said Jang Sung-taek had been placed under house arrest. Others suggested he had been sent for “re-education”.

However, two years later Jang Sung-taek appears to have been reinstated. He was regarded as an economic reformer and a major influence on Kim Jong-un.

Jang Sung-taek held key positions in both the Communist Party and the National Defense Commission.

Thai protesters enter Yingluck Shinawatra’s office

Diane A. Wade
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Thai protesters enter Yingluck Shinawatra’s office

Thai police removed barricades from outside both Government House and the police office in Bangkok announcing that protesters are welcomed in the government’s headquarters.

The mood in the capital Bangkok appeared considerably calmer after the move, which followed clashes over the weekend and on Monday.

But as tensions fell, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban vowed to fight on and remove the government.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra has rejected protesters’ demands that she step down.

Yingluck Shinawatra said she was open to negotiations but that calls for the government to be replaced by an appointed council were illegal and unconstitutional.

The protests, which began on November 24, had been largely peaceful until Saturday, when they became violent.

Over the weekend and on Monday demonstrators tried to break apart police barricades and storm the prime minister’s office, Government House, with police using tear gas and water cannon to repel them.

Protest leader and former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday that the protesters would “take over the Metropolitan Police Bureau and make it the people’s”.

Thai police took down barriers and razor wire outside their building and it was announced that the protesters were welcome inside
Thai police took down barriers and razor wire outside their building and it was announced that the protesters were welcome inside

On Tuesday morning – in a surprise and possibly shrewd move – the police took down barriers and razor wire outside their building and it was announced that the protesters were welcome inside.

Protesters were allowed through the barricades outside Government House.

Demonstrators gathered on the lawn of the headquarters, blowing whistles and waving flags. AFP news agency reported a “carnival” atmosphere at the site.

Protesters shook hands with police officers, hugged them, and offered them roses.

Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana said the government was still functioning, but had asked the police to back off.

“We see the protesters just want to seize these places as a symbolic action, so we want to compromise,” he told Reuters.

The police move is seen as an attempt to prevent further clashes.

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Joe Biden: US concerned about China’s new air defense identification zone

Diane A. Wade
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Joe Biden: US concerned about China’s new air defense identification zone

Vice-President Joe Biden said at the beginning of a tour of East Asia that the US remains “deeply concerned” about China’s new air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

In written responses to Japan’s Asahi newspaper, Joe Biden said China and Japan had to establish measures to lower tensions.

Joe Biden arrived in Tokyo late on Monday and will then head to Beijing and Seoul during his six-day visit.

The air zone row is likely to dominate the week of talks.

Joe Biden’s most important task this week will be persuading Beijing and Tokyo to stop baiting each other, and to start talking about how to avoid an unintended clash.

Both the US and Japan have voiced strong criticism of China’s establishment of an ADIZ that includes islands claimed and controlled by Japan. It also includes a submerged rock claimed by South Korea.

China says aircraft operating within its ADIZ must follow certain rules such as filing flight plans, or face “defensive emergency measures”.

US, Japanese and South Korean military aircraft have all defied these rules and Japanese commercial carriers have agreed to a government request not to comply.

On Friday, China scrambled fighter jets to monitor US and Japanese planes flying in the area.

Joe Biden told the newspaper that the establishment of the ADIZ underscored “the need for agreement between China and Japan to establish crisis management and confidence building measures to lower tensions”.

Joe Biden arrived in Tokyo late on Monday and will then head to Beijing and Seoul during his six-day visit
Joe Biden arrived in Tokyo late on Monday and will then head to Beijing and Seoul during his six-day visit

As well as “the strength of our alliance commitments” with Japan, he planned to “emphasize the importance of avoiding actions that could undermine peace, security and prosperity in the region”, he said.

Joe Biden was met at the airport late on Monday by the new US envoy to Japan, Caroline Kennedy. Later on Tuesday, he meets Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

Shinzo Abe said on Sunday that he expected to discuss the ADIZ issue with Joe Biden.

Tokyo has told its national carriers JAL and ANA not to file flight plans with the Chinese side when transiting the zone, but on Friday the US said it expected its carriers to “operate consistent with Notams (Notices to Airmen) issued by foreign countries”.

This did not indicate “US government acceptance of China’s requirements for operating in the newly-declared ADIZ”, the state department said.

Shinzo Abe said on Sunday he expected to have “in-depth” talks with Joe Biden about the ADIZ row.

Japan, he said, would “resolutely but calmly deal with Beijing’s attempt to change the status quo” in the region.

Tensions between Japan and China have been high for months because of a territorial row over islands in the East China Sea.

Japan controls the islands, which are called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. They are also claimed by Taiwan and lie in a strategically important area south of Japan and north of Taiwan.

The US has described China’s move as destabilizing.

After Tokyo, VP Joe Biden heads to Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping and then travels on to South Korea.

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Metro-North train was speeding before crash

Nancy Clayson
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Metro-North train was speeding before crash

Metro-North train that crashed on Sunday in New York City was going 82 mph in a 30 mph zone when it ran off the rails, investigators have said.

Four people were killed and more than 60 injured in New York’s Bronx borough.

The Metro-North train from Poughkeepsie to New York City crashed about 07:20 local time on a curve.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating whether a mechanical failure or human error caused the train’s high speed.

The train appeared to have been travelling over the speed limit even before it thundered into the curve where it crashed – the speed limit on the track approaching the curve is 70 mph, NTSB board member Earl Weener said on Monday.

He said the train had made nine stops prior to the derailment, and officials had not yet uncovered any brake problems.

Metro-North train that crashed in New York City was going 82 mph in a 30 mph zone when it ran off the rails
Metro-North train that crashed in New York City was going 82 mph in a 30 mph zone when it ran off the rails

Earl Weener said preliminary data from the train’s event recorders indicated the train’s brakes became fully engaged just five seconds before the locomotive came to a complete stop after the crash.

In addition, he said the locomotive’s throttle went to idle six seconds before the train came to a stop.

Authorities continue to question the train’s engineer and three other crew members, and planned to transport the locomotive to a secure facility for further examination.

Officials were examining the engineer’s mobile phone – a standard procedure, Earl Weener said.

The engineer and assistant conductor were both injured in the crash.

Authorities also obtained surveillance video of the derailment from a nearby bridge, but the picture was of low quality, he added.

Officials have identified the deceased as Donna Smith, 54, James Lovell, 58, James Ferrari, 59, and Ahn Kisook, 35. Three of the dead were found outside the train, and one was found inside.

Of the 150 or so who were on board, 11 remain critically injured.

One man suffered a spinal cord injury that could leave him paralyzed from the neck down, a doctor told CNN.

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Junior Murvin dies in Jamaica hospital at 67

Sonia Pantiss
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Junior Murvin dies in Jamaica hospital at 67

Junior Murvin, best known for the 1976 hit song Police and Thieves, has died in Jamaica at the age of 67.

His son, Keith Smith, said the reggae singer died in hospital in Port Antonio on Monday.

The cause of Junior Murvin’s death has not been established although the singer was being treated for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Police and Thieves, produced by the celebrated Lee “Scratch” Perry, became a 1970s anthem and was later covered by The Clash.

Junior Murvin was best known for the 1976 hit song Police and Thieves
Junior Murvin was best known for the 1976 hit song Police and Thieves

Junior Murvin – born Murvin Junior Smith – began his career as a hotel entertainer in Jamaica, eventually becoming a recording artist in the capital, Kingston, the Jamaica Observer reported.

Police and Thieves was a hit in Jamaica and also took off in the UK where it found an audience with punk rock aficionados.

The song became closely associated with the Notting Hill Carnival in London which ended in rioting the year it was released.

Junior Murvin continued to record through the 1980s although his later singles had less success.

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Kate Moss on Playboy cover at 40

Lisa.Felice
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Kate Moss on Playboy cover at 40

Kate Moss channels a Playboy bunny on the magazine’s much-anticipated January cover in honor of her 40th birthday year.

Inside the magazine, Kate Moss opens up about why she cherishes her privacy, explaining: “I don’t want to hang my dirty laundry out for Hello! and for people to know all the ins and outs of my life … I don’t get why it would be interesting. I’m not that different.”

Kate Moss channels a Playboy bunny on the magazine's much-anticipated January cover in honor of her 40th birthday year
Kate Moss channels a Playboy bunny on the magazine’s much-anticipated January cover in honor of her 40th birthday year

Kate Moss, who turns 40 on January 16, also divulges that she never even considered pursuing a different path.

“I was, like, a child when I started. I was 14,” the supermodel says.

“If it hadn’t happened, I don’t know what would have happened to me. I would be in Croyden [the neighborhood south of London where she grew up], working in a bar, probably. I wanted to be at the center of things. I love working with creative people, and there was none of that where I came from. As soon as I was given a chance I took it,” Kate Moss added.

Black Friday 2013: Sales dip for first time in seven years

Clyde K. Valle
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Black Friday 2013: Sales dip for first time in seven years

2013 Black Friday sales dipped for the first time in seven years, according to the National Retail Federation.

US consumers spent around $1.7 billion less over the holiday weekend, with the average shopper spending $407.02 from Thursday to Sunday.

That’s down from $423.55 in 2012.

Retailers blamed stagnant wages and economic uncertainty for keeping wallets shut, as they slashed prices to lure reluctant shoppers.

In total, the National Retail Federation estimates that US shoppers spent around $57.4 billion this year, down 2.7% from $59.1 billion last year.

Sales on Black Friday itself were down, as retailers opened stores on Thanksgiving Thursday and offered more details earlier in the week to entice shoppers.

According to market research firm ShopperTrack, Black Friday foot traffic was down 11% and sales slumped by 13%.

2013 Black Friday sales dipped for the first time in seven years
2013 Black Friday sales dipped for the first time in seven years

Despite the gloomy start to holiday shopping season, the National Retail Federation said it still expected holiday sales to surpass last year’s spending.

One beacon of hope for nervous retailers is that US consumers have spent more on online shopping than ever before.

“We expect Cyber Monday to be bigger than ever,” said National Retail Federation’s Matthew Shay in a statement.

The day, launched in 2005 by online retail association Shop.org, became the biggest US online shopping day in 2011, according to comScore.

But it’s not just one day any more: in an effort to lure penny-pinched shoppers, Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, declared this entire week “Cyber Week” and said it would offer sales every hour throughout the period.

However, Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy have all lowered their holiday shopping forecasts, pointing to declining consumer confidence, high unemployment, and increasing price competition as hurting their bottom lines.

But if US consumers are unwilling to part with their dollars, international brands may take comfort in the increasingly global nature of Black Friday.

According to Borderfree, a company that helps build global online shopping sites for companies like Macy’s and J. Crew, US retailers saw online sales to international consumers rise 50% this Black Friday compared to last year.

Shoppers in Russia, South Korea, China, Germany and Sweden were the biggest spenders.

According to Borderfree, retailers can expect a “second peak” on Cyber Monday.

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Nigeria: Boko Haram insurgents attack military airbase in Maiduguri

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria: Boko Haram insurgents attack military airbase in Maiduguri

Boko Haram militants have attacked a military airbase in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria, destroying two helicopters, the authorities say.

Eyewitnesses say hundreds of militants attacked several areas of the city of Maiduguri, starting early on Monday.

A 24-hour curfew has been imposed in Maiduguri. Its civilian airport was also briefly closed.

Thousands of people have been killed since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its campaign to install Islamic law.

In May, a state of emergency was declared in Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital, as well as two neighboring states, while there has been a massive military deployment to the worst-affected areas.

Ministry of Defence spokesman Brig Gen Chris Olukolade said in a statement that two helicopters and three decommissioned military aircraft had been “incapacitated” during the attack which had been repelled.

Boko Haram militants have attacked a military airbase in Maiduguri destroying two helicopters
Boko Haram militants have attacked a military airbase in Maiduguri destroying two helicopters

He said some army bases had also been targeted, while 24 insurgents had been killed and two soldiers wounded.

Local residents told the AFP news agency that hundreds of heavily armed Islamist gunmen besieged the air force and army bases, razing buildings and setting shops and petrol stations ablaze.

“I saw two air force helicopters burnt,” a local official told AFP.

Bomb and gun attacks were carried out in Maiduguri, an AFP reporter in the city said.

A resident said: “We heard women and children in the barracks crying and wailing. At the gate, I saw some vehicles destroyed and the checkpoint there in shreds.”

There are reports of military checkpoints being attacked in different parts of the city.

Some eyewitnesses told the AP news agency they had seen bodies with their throats slit.

Others said several vehicles had been driven out of the air base carrying the bodies of victims.

Government and military officials said scores of people may be dead, AP reported.

Paul Walker autopsy to be conducted today

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker autopsy to be conducted today

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas’ autopsies are scheduled for Monday.

Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died in a fiery car crash over the weekend in the Santa Clarita Valley, California.

Authorities hope the autopsies will positively identify and determine the exact cause of death for Paul Walker and his race car enthusiast friend.

Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died in a fiery car crash over the weekend in the Santa Clarita Valley
Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died in a fiery car crash over the weekend in the Santa Clarita Valley

Paul Walker, 40, was a passenger in a red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that crashed into a tree and then a light pole before bursting into flames around 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the 28300 block of Rye Canyon Loop in Valencia.

Both Paul Walker and Roger Rodas, 38, were declared dead at the scene.

Paul Walker is survived by his 15-year-old daughter, Meadow, and Roger Rodas is survived by his wife and two children.

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Porter Ridge gang plans Christmas party

Sonia Pantiss
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Porter Ridge gang plans Christmas party

When Porter Ridge gang and Dog Killer Ridge crew plan for their respective Christmas parties, a competition grows as to which ridge will have the more spectacular party.

Porter Ridge gang and Dog Killer Ridge crew plan for their respective Christmas parties
Porter Ridge gang and Dog Killer Ridge crew plan for their respective Christmas parties

Discovery’s Porter Ridge holiday special premieres Tuesday, December 3, at 10/9c.

Paul Walker death: Authorities investigate possible street race behind car crash

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker death: Authorities investigate possible street race behind car crash

Authorities are investigating whether Paul Walker’s car crash happened as the actor was involved in a street race.

Police are said to be looking for witnesses and possible video evidence that another car was involved in a street race with the Fast & Furious actor’s car.

The crash that killed Paul Walker may have had a lot more parallels to his film franchise than initially believed.

According to TMZ, authorities are investigating whether Paul Walker, 40, and his friend Roger Rodas – the former racecar driver behind the wheel of the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT when it crashed – were in the middle of a high speed competition with another car on Saturday afternoon.

It was suspected that speed contributed to the cause of the fiery crash, but a law enforcement source told TMZ that investigators received a tip about a possible race.

Authorities are investigating whether Paul Walker’s car crash happened as the actor was involved in a street race
Authorities are investigating whether Paul Walker’s car crash happened as the actor was involved in a street race

The Santa Clarita, California, street where the accident occurred is apparently known to be a popular spot for the law-breaking hobby, the website reported.

There were also reports that the Porsche may have malfunctioned shortly before the crash. Sources connected to Paul and Roger Rodas’ high-end car shop, Always Evolving, told TMZ that there could have been a fluid leak in the vehicle.

There was a “noticeable absence of skid marks” and no visible “swerving” leading up to the crash site, Always Evolving source told the website, suggesting Roger Rodas did not lose control of the car.

The fire also reportedly spread from “the front of the car,” the source said, apparently reinforcing the theory of a fluid leak.

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas died at the scene, police confirmed, and were reportedly burned “badly” after the car exploded into flames.

An autopsy on Paul Walker’s body has been delayed, a rep for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said, until dental records for both men are obtained to identify the “unidentifiable” bodies.

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