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Joao Goulart’s remains to be exhumed in Brazil

Nancy Clayson
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Joao Goulart’s remains to be exhumed in Brazil

Former Brazilian President Joao Goulart’s remains will be exhumed on Wednesday to establish whether he died of natural causes or was poisoned.

Joao Goulart, widely known as Jango, died in 1976 in exile in Argentina. His cause of death was deemed to have been a heart attack.

Howaever, former Uruguayan intelligence officer has said Joao Goulart was poisoned by agents working for the region’s military governments.

Joao Goulart governed from 1961 to 1964.

The president, a progressive leader with left-wing sympathies during the height of the Cold War, was deposed in the 1964 military coup.

He fled first to Uruguay, where he settled as a farmer, and in 1973 to Argentina on the invitation of its president, Juan Peron.

Joao Goulart was found dead on December 6, 1976, in the Argentine city of Mercedes, nine months after a military junta had overthrown the government of Juan Peron’s widow, Isabel Peron.

Officials at the time said he had died of a heart attack, but no post mortem examination was carried out by the authorities in either Argentina or Brazil, where he was taken for burial.

Doubts about his death resurfaced five years ago when a former Uruguayan intelligence officer serving a sentence for drug smuggling in Brazil alleged Joao Goulart was poisoned by Uruguayan agents at the request of Brazilian military rulers.

Former Brazilian President Joao Goulart’s remains will be exhumed to establish whether he died of natural causes or was poisoned
Former Brazilian President Joao Goulart’s remains will be exhumed to establish whether he died of natural causes or was poisoned

The intelligence officer, Mario Neira, said the alleged murder was part of Operation Condor, a plan under which the military governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay collaborated to eliminate their political opponents in the 1970s and 80s.

Mario Neira alleges that Joao Goulart died after his heart medication was swapped with one altered to cause a cardiac attack, by agents working on behalf of the Brazilian military.

Brazil’s National Truth Commission, which started work last year, agreed to investigate the claims with the help of the presidency’s human rights commission.

“Today we will open a new chapter in the tale of mystery which has surround the death 37 years ago of the former president,” the human rights commission said in a statement.

“The exhumation will put an end to the anguish of his family and thousands of Brazilians who have sufficient reason to believe that his death did not occur spontaneously, as stated in the death certificate – which was issued without a prior post mortem examination,” they added.

The former president’s grandson, Joao Marcelo Goulart, said it was “a historic moment not just for the family but also for the country and all the relatives of those killed, disappeared, tortured and exiled by the military dictatorship”.

Joao Goulart’s remains will be exhumed on Wednesday from the family pantheon in Sao Borja, a small Brazilian town near the Argentine border.

Local media say they will then be taken to the capital, Brasilia, where an official ceremony is planned to make up for the fact that Joao Goulart was the only Brazilian president to be buried without the honors usually given to a former head of state.

Toxicology tests will be carried out on the remains and sent abroad to be analyzed, local reports say.

Up to 500 people were killed or disappeared under Brazil’s military rule – a far lower number than in shorter periods of military rule in neighboring Argentina and Chile.

Thousands of Brazilians were tortured, exiled or deprived of their political rights.

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Monica Lewinsky biography. Where is she now?

Nancy Clayson
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Monica Lewinsky biography. Where is she now?

Monica Samille Lewinsky was born in San Francisco, California, on July 23, 1973.

Monica Lewinsky, now 40, was raised in the affluent neighborhoods of Brentwood and Beverly Hills, in Southern California. Her father, Bernard Lewinsky, is an oncologist, and her mother, Marcia Kaye Vilensky, is an author who publishes under the name Marcia Lewis. The Lewinskys divorced in 1988.

After graduating from college, Monica Lewinsky took an internship and then a job at the White House. During the period from mid-1995 to 1997, Monica Lewinsky was involved in a s**ual relationship with then President Bill Clinton. Her taped conversations with Bill Clinton, and subsequent testimony, led to a media frenzy and a political firestorm.

Monica Lewinsky was raised Jewish and attended Sinai Akiba Academy and the John Thomas Dye School in her younger years. She graduated from Bel Air Prep (now Pacific Hills School) in 1991 and attended Santa Monica College while working for the drama department at Beverly Hills High School.

She also began an affair with Andy Bleiler, her married high school drama instructor, around this time. She enrolled at Lewis & Clark College after completing her two-year degree. She graduated with a degree in psychology in 1995.

Through a family friend, Monica Lewinsky secured an internship in the White House office of Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. After her internship ended, Monica Lewinsky accepted a paid position in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

She was involved in a romantic relationship with President Bill Clinton between the winter of 1995 and March 1997. The relationship involved nine encounters, some in the Oval Office.

Monica Lewinsky was transferred to the Pentagon in 1997. She confided in an older coworker, Linda Tripp, about her relationship with Bill Clinton. Shortly thereafter, Linda Tripp began secretly recording Monica Lewinsky’s conversations with the president.

Bill Clinton was already burdened with a history of s**ual misconduct allegations, and in 1997, lawyers working on the civil lawsuit filed by Arkansas state employee Paula Jones heard rumors of Monica Lewinsky’s relationship with the president.

Monica Lewinsky was involved in a romantic relationship with President Bill Clinton between the winter of 1995 and March 1997
Monica Lewinsky was involved in a romantic relationship with President Bill Clinton between the winter of 1995 and March 1997

Monica Lewinsky submitted a false affidavit denying the affair. It was at this point that Linda Tripp handed over her tapes to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. President Bill Clinton denied the affair under oath.

News of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair broke in January 1998 and immediately dominated the media. Monica Lewinsky spent weeks in hiding. She later reported that she had spent much of this stressful period knitting. After Kenneth Starr obtained a blue dress of Lewinsky’s stained with Bill Clinton’s se**n, the president admitted to an inappropriate relationship.

Monica Lewinsky’s affair with Bill Clinton made her a pop-culture star.

A Barbara Walters interview in which Monica Lewinsky apologized to the Clintons drew record ratings. She also cooperated with Andrew Morton on a 1999 biography titled Monica’s Story.

Monica Lewinsky experimented with a number of career paths after the scandal. She designed a handbag line, promoted the Jenny Craig weight-loss system and appeared as a television correspondent and host.

In 2002, Monica Lewinsky took audience questions during the taping of the HBO special Monica in Black and White.

Eager to escape the spotlight, Monica Lewinsky moved to London, England, in 2005.

In 2006, she graduated from the London School of Economics with a master’s degree in social psychology.

In 2013, some of Monica Lewinsky’s clothing and personal affects were put up for auction. The items, which had been submitted to the Kenneth Starr investigation in the 1990s, included a black negligee and a letter signed by President Bill Clinton.

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Boko Haram to be named as terrorist organization by US

Roy Siemens
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Boko Haram to be named as terrorist organization by US

Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram is to be named as a foreign terrorist organization by the US state department.

The move, expected to take place on Wednesday, means US regulatory agencies are instructed to block business and financial transactions with Boko Haram.

It will become a crime under US law to provide material support to the group.

Boko Haram wants to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria and has been blamed for thousands of deaths.

The group began its insurgency in 2009, and targets both the military and civilians, including schools, and frequently clashes with the Nigerian armed forces.

While Boko Haram’s main focus is Nigeria, the US has cited links to the al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa, and extremist groups in Mali.

The US state department has not formally announced its decision to brand the group a terrorist organization.

However, the Associated Press news agency cited an unnamed US official, whilst Reuters quoted congressional sources and others briefed on the matter.

Nigeria’s government declared Boko Haram and another militant group Ansaru as terrorist organizations in June, warning that anyone who helps them will face a minimum prison sentence of 20 years.

Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram is to be named as a foreign terrorist organization by the US state department
Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram is to be named as a foreign terrorist organization by the US state department

The US’s decision will be welcomed by the Nigerian government and the Christian Association of Nigeria, which has long been campaigning for the US to declare Boko Haram a terrorist group.

The Obama administration had so far refused, fearing that it could give Boko Haram greater legitimacy in global jihadi circles.

The US is unlikely to identify Boko Haram’s financial backers, when the Nigerian government has up to now failed to do so.

Last year, top US diplomat for Africa Johnnie Carson said Boko Haram exploited popular discontent in northern Nigeria, and the government needed to tackle the political and economic grievances of the mainly Muslim population in the region.

However, Johnnie Carson acknowledged “reports of contact and growing relationships between elements of Boko Haram and other extremists in Africa, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb”.

In August 2011, an attack on a UN building in Abuja, Nigeria, marked a turning point as a threat to US interests.

Last year, Lisa Monaco – now the chief counter-terrorism adviser to President Barack Obama – sent a letter to the state department saying Boko Haram met the criteria to be listed as a “foreign terrorist” group because, she said, it either engages in terrorism that threatens the US or has a capability or intent to do so.

The US state department later designated three alleged Boko Haram leaders as terrorists, but stopped short of a wider declaration against the group.

Boko Haram:

  • Founded in 2002
  • Official Arabic name, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad)
  • Initially focused on opposing Western education
  • Nicknamed Boko Haram, a phrase in the local Hausa language (Western education is forbidden)
  • Launches military operations in 2009 to create an Islamic state across Nigeria
  • Founding leader Mohammed Yusuf killed in same year in police custody
  • Succeeded by Abubakar Shekau, who the military wrongly claimed in 2009 had been killed
  • Suspected to have split into rival factions in 2012
  • Military claims in August 2013 that Abubakar Shekau and his second-in-command Momodu Bama have been killed in separate attacks; no independent confirmation of claim

Tropical Cyclone 03A kills at least 140 people in north-eastern Somalia

Diane A. Wade
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Tropical Cyclone 03A kills at least 140 people in north-eastern Somalia

Tropical Cyclone 03A that hit Somalia’s north-eastern Puntland region at the weekend has killed at least 140 people, and the number could rise to 300, a government minister has said.

Somali central government has declared a state of emergency in the region, and has appealed for international aid.

Thousands of livestock have also died and hundreds of homes have been destroyed by Cyclone 03A.

The cyclone has subsided, but officials say heavy rains are still expected.

Puntland is a semi-autonomous region within Somalia and a large part of its population relies on livestock herding and fishing.

The tropical cyclone swept through the Eyl, Beyla, Dangorayo and Hafun districts along the east coast and across to Alula on the tip of the Horn of Africa.

“So far we have confirmed the storm killed 140 people. We are afraid the death toll may reach 300 because many people are still missing,” Puntland’s Interior Minister Abdullahi Ahmed told Reuters news agency.

Tropical Cyclone 03A that hit Somalia's north-eastern Puntland region at the weekend has killed at least 140 people
Tropical Cyclone 03A that hit Somalia’s north-eastern Puntland region at the weekend has killed at least 140 people

A government statement said Puntland’s security forces had failed to transport 60 tonnes of aid to affected communities because heavy flooding had made many dirt roads to the worst-affected areas impassable.

“The storm has destroyed entire villages, homes, buildings and boats,” the statement added.

Makeshift shelters had been built to accommodate displaced people, it said.

The government has appealed to international aid agencies to help with air-drops of relief supplies, including clean water, non-perishable food, tents, blankets and medicines.

Ten doctors and two ambulances were attending to people in need of medical treatment, the statement said.

On Tuesday, Somalia’s government pledged $1 million to help communities devastated by the cyclone.

The central government “shared the pain” of communities, PM Abdi Farah Shirdon said.

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New guidelines on taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs

Kathryn R. Bown
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New guidelines on taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs

According to new guidelines, a third of all adult Americans should consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.

The first such new guidelines in a decade estimated that 33 million Americans – 44% of men and 22% of women – would meet the threshold for taking statins.

The new recommendations were issued by two leading US medical organizations, American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology.

The statins are currently recommended for 15% of adults.

The guidelines for the first time take aim at strokes, not just heart attacks.

Under the current advice, statins are recommended for those who have total cholesterol over 200 and LDL, or “bad cholesterol”, of over 100.

The new recommendations place much less emphasis on setting numerical cholesterol-lowering targets for patients.

The advice introduces a new formula for calculating a patient’s risk of heart disease based on such factors as age, gender and race, instead of high cholesterol levels alone.

Heart health panel recommends statins for a third of US adults
Heart health panel recommends statins for a third of US adults

“This guideline represents a departure from previous guidelines because it doesn’t focus on specific target levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, although the definition of optimal LDL cholesterol has not changed,” Dr. Neil Stone, author of the report, said in a statement.

It is thought that more women and African-Americans, who are deemed to be at higher risk of stroke, could find themselves taking statins if they follow the guidelines.

The panel focused on four groups they believe statins would benefit most: people already suffering from heart disease; those with LDL levels of 190 or higher because of genetic risk; older adults with type 2 diabetes; and older adults with a 10-year risk of heart disease greater that 7.5%.

The panel also recommended a “diet pattern” based on vegetables, fruits and whole grains and moderate to vigorous exercise three to four times a week for all adults.

Roughly half of those drafting the guidelines had financial ties to makers of heart drugs.

But panel leaders said that no-one with industry connections was allowed to vote on the actual recommendations.

“It is practically impossible to find a large group of outside experts in the field who have no relationships to industry,” Dr. George Mensah, of the AHA, told the Associated Press news agency.

Dr. George Mensah said the guidelines were based on solid evidence.

Many of the patents on popular statins, such as Lipitor and Zocor, have expired, with generic versions being offered cheaply.

But Crestor, a statin made by AstraZeneca, remains under patent, with sales of $8.3 billion in 2012.

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Ukraine’s bill allowing Yulia Tymoshenko to receive medical treatment abroad fails

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine’s bill allowing Yulia Tymoshenko to receive medical treatment abroad fails

The Ukraine’s parliament vote, on which hangs the fate of both jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and the country’s EU hopes, looks like it may not take place.

Attempts to agree a bill that would allow Yulia Tymoshenko to leave the country for medical treatment have stalled.

The EU has made the move a condition for it to sign an association and free trade deal with Ukraine this month.

But Ukraine has come under intense pressure from Russia not to sign.

Attempts to agree a bill that would allow Yulia Tymoshenko to leave Ukraine for medical treatment have stalled
Attempts to agree a bill that would allow Yulia Tymoshenko to leave Ukraine for medical treatment have stalled

Russia wants Ukraine to join its own customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus, which it sees as a prototype rival to the EU.

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych made a secretive visit to Moscow at the weekend.

MPs said on Wednesday that attempts between the government and opposition to finalize a bill allowing convicts to receive medical treatment abroad had failed.

The leader of the opposition Fatherland group, MP Arseniy Yatsenyuk, blamed Viktor Yanukovych’s ruling Party of the Regions for the failure, and said it was deliberately trying to destroy the EU deal.

“They are hindering Ukraine’s movement towards the European Union,” Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.

China Third Plenum unveils key reforms

Diane A. Wade
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China Third Plenum unveils key reforms

China has unveiled a series of reforms aimed at overhauling its economy over the next decade.

In a statement issued after a closed-door summit, the Chinese leaders promised the free market would play a bigger role.

A new committee will oversee internal security to guard against social unrest, and farmers will be given more property rights over their land.

The leaders will now have to persuade officials below them to implement the reforms.

The so-called Third Plenum talks began in Beijing last week, and ended with a brief communique outlining areas that had been agreed on.

Details of what was agreed are still emerging.

The Communist Party leaders said markets would be allowed to play a leading role. State ownership would remain a pillar of the economy.

“The core issue is to straighten out the relationship between government and the market, allowing the market to play a decisive role in allocating resources and improving the government’s role,” the statement said, Reuters news agency reports.

The Communist Party is vowing to carry out deep reforms across the economy and the government to reach a “new stage of development”.

A lengthy television story heading China’s flagship state newscast showed rows of Communist Party officials, including Chairman Xi Jinping, sitting at long tables studying paper documents in front of them.

The report contained a long list of vague party pledges – from a plan to create a modern military to one that encourages foreign investment in China’s coastal cities. Other changes include promises to institute stronger systems to check corruption.

China has unveiled a series of reforms aimed at overhauling its economy over the next decade
China has unveiled a series of reforms aimed at overhauling its economy over the next decade

Ahead of the meeting another area expected to be discussed was China’s household registration system.

The meeting was being closely watched after senior Communist Party official Yu Zhengsheng said last month that “unprecedented” economic and social reforms would be discussed at the meeting.

Analysts did not expect any political reforms to be on the agenda.

How successful the reforms turn out to be remains to be seen.

It will take time to assess their impact.

And where economic or social reforms are agreed, local officials and groups with vested interests may be reluctant to implement them, correspondents say.

Third Plenums refer to the third time new leaders of China lead a plenary session of the Central Committee. They generally take place a year after new leaders take office, after they have established their power base.

Previous Third Plenums have had a major impact on China’s development.

At the Third Plenum in 1978, former leader Deng Xiaoping announced the opening-up of China’s economy, spearheading major market-oriented reforms.

In 1993’s Third Plenum, former leader Zhu Rongji announced the “socialist market economy” and dismantled a large part of China’s state-owned sector.

Security was tight in Beijing for the meeting, with tensions higher than usual in the wake of an incident on 28 October in Tiananmen Square and bomb blasts in the north of the country days after.

Five people were killed in what Chinese officials called a “terrorist attack” incited by extremists from the western region of Xinjiang when a car drove through crowds and burst into flames near an entrance to the Forbidden City.

Less than a week later, a series of small blasts killed at least one person outside a provincial office of the ruling Communist Party in Shanxi province.

China’s Third Plenum:

  • The Third Plenum was the third meeting of the Xi Jinping-led 18th Central Committee
  • Traditionally reforms are expected at the Third Plenum, because new leaders are seen as having had time to consolidate power
  • The tradition was begun by Deng Xiaoping in 1978 when he opened China’s doors to the world
  • The meeting took place behind closed doors and ran from November 9 to 12 [youtube 78PJ4POCmgE 650]

Sacha Baron Cohen wheelchair prank at BAFTA Britannia Awards in Hollywood

Lisa.Felice
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Sacha Baron Cohen wheelchair prank at BAFTA Britannia Awards in Hollywood

Sacha Baron Cohen shocked at the BAFTA Britannia Awards in Hollywood after pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair off the stage while accepting an award.

The incident was actually a prank by Sacha Baron Cohen, known for his past roles as Borat and Bruno.

Sacha Baron Cohen shocked at the BAFTA Britannia Awards in Hollywood after pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair off the stage while accepting an award
Sacha Baron Cohen shocked at the BAFTA Britannia Awards in Hollywood after pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair off the stage while accepting an award

Sacha Baron Cohen was accepting the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy when he “accidentally” pushed Grace Collington in a wheelchair into the audience.

Grace Collington, who appeared in the 1931 Chaplin film City Lights at the age of 5, is the oldest living actress to have worked with the star.

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Starbucks to pay $2.76 billion to Kraft Foods in a dispute over packaged coffee

Clyde K. Valle
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Starbucks to pay $2.76 billion to Kraft Foods in a dispute over packaged coffee

Starbucks has to pay $2.76 billion in damages and other costs to Kraft Foods in a dispute over packaged coffee, an independent US arbitrator has ruled.

Kraft began selling bags of Starbucks branded coffee in 1998 under a deal that was due to run until March 2014.

But Starbucks ended the contract in 2010, accusing Kraft of breaking the terms of their deal.

Kraft challenged that move by starting arbitration proceedings saying it had built a business worth $500 million a year.

Starbucks has to pay $2.76 billion in damages and other costs to Kraft Foods in a dispute over packaged coffee
Starbucks has to pay $2.76 billion in damages and other costs to Kraft Foods in a dispute over packaged coffee

On Tuesday the arbitrator ruled that Starbucks must pay $2.23 billion in damages plus $527 million in interest and legal costs.

Kraft Foods was spun off by Mondelez International last year and under an agreement between those two firms the payments from the case will go to Mondelez.

“We’re pleased that the arbitrator validated our position that Starbucks breached our successful and long-standing contractual relationship without proper compensation,” said Mondelez.

In a statement Starbucks said it “strongly disagreed” with the conclusions of the arbitrator.

“We believe Kraft did not deliver on its responsibilities to our brand under the agreement, the performance of the business suffered as a result, and that we had a right to terminate the agreement without payment to Kraft,” it said.

Three Studies of Lucian Freud: Francis Bacon’s triptych becomes most expensive artwork ever sold at auction

Sonia Pantiss
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Three Studies of Lucian Freud: Francis Bacon’s triptych becomes most expensive artwork ever sold at auction

A Francis Bacon’s painting featuring his friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud has become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction after it fetched $142.4 million in New York.

The triptych, Three Studies of Lucian Freud, painted in 1969, is considered one of Francis Bacon’s greatest masterpieces.

The artwork was sold after six minutes of fierce bidding, Christie’s auction house said.

The price eclipsed the $119.9 million paid for Edvard Munch’s The Scream last year.

At the same auction, Jeff Koons broke the world record for a price paid for a single artwork by a living artist.

Jeff Koons’ sculpture Balloon Dog (Orange) – one of a series of five stainless steel sculptures in varying colors – fetched $58,4 million.

Three Studies of Lucian Freud, painted in 1969, is considered one of Francis Bacon's greatest masterpieces
Three Studies of Lucian Freud, painted in 1969, is considered one of Francis Bacon’s greatest masterpieces

The previous record for a living artist was set by a Gerhard Richter painting depicting an Italian city square, which sold in May for $37.1 million.

It was the first time Three Studies of Lucian Freud had been offered at auction and bidding opened at $80 million. Its presale estimate was $85 million.

Christie’s did not disclose the identity of the buyer.

Francis Bacon, known for his triptychs, painted Three Studies of Lucian Freud in 1969 at London’s Royal College of Art, after his studio was destroyed in a fire.

The pair met in 1945 and became close companions, painting each other on a number of occasions, before their relationship cooled during the 1970s.

Exhibited in Francis Bacon’s renowned retrospective at the Grand Palais, Paris in 1971-1972, the three panels that form the painting were separated in the mid-1970s.

One panel was shown at the Tate in 1985 before the three sections were reassembled.

The complete work was displayed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1999.

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Jon Cryer reveals his fair is fake on Conan show

Lisa.Felice
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Jon Cryer reveals his fair is fake on Conan show

Jon Cryer made a confession about his hair during an appearance on Conan show yesterday.

While reminiscing about his “spectacular mane of unruly wonderfulness” in the 1986 romantic comedy Pretty in Pink, Jon Cryer, 48, revealed that his hair is “gone now.”

“This is an elaborate illusion,” Jon Cryer said pointing to the top of his head.

“This is the work of several talented professionals making the most of like four hairs. It’s amazing, actually, what they can do. I’m not wearing a piece – or anything like that – but it’s a long involved process that starts with stuff like shoe polish, basically, that they coat the top.”

Jon Cryer made a confession about his hair during an appearance on Conan show
Jon Cryer made a confession about his hair during an appearance on Conan show

“They basically just paint – they get a roller type thing – and just whoosh along the top,” the actor described while demonstrating painting his head.

“You have to decide if you’re going to go full [John] Travolta  and get the full front in,” he joked of the 59-year-old actor’s famous widow’s peak.

“And then they literally sprinkle powder in from a salt shaker. So this is, like I said, four or five hairs.”

What happens if he gets caught in the rain?

“You’re out of luck,” Jon Cryer said with a laugh.

“It flattens out and you can get the nice little rivulets going down. But thankfully, your eyebrows will channel down the side.”

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Composer John Tavener dies aged 69

Sonia Pantiss
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Composer John Tavener dies aged 69

British composer John Tavener has died at the age of 69.

Sir John Tavener, one of the leading British composers of the past 50 years, was known for music that drew on his deep spirituality.

In 1992, The Protecting Veil topped the classical charts for several months and in 1997 John Tavener’s Song For Athene was played at the funeral of Princess Diana.

John Tavener had suffered ill health for much of his life, including a major heart attack in 2007. He died at his home in Child Okeford, Dorset, on Tuesday.

John Tavener, one of the leading British composers of the past 50 years, was known for music that drew on his deep spirituality
John Tavener, one of the leading British composers of the past 50 years, was known for music that drew on his deep spirituality

He made his name with the avant-garde oratorio The Whale, which was released by The Beatles on their Apple label in 1968.

John Tavener went on to become one of the few contemporary composers to find wide acclaim beyond the classical world.

His other well-known works included his setting of William Blake’s poem The Lamb and A New Beginning, which was chosen to see in the new century at the end of 1999 in the Millennium Dome in London.

John Tavener was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize twice – in 1992 and 1997 – and was knighted in 2000.

Having started his musical career as a teenage organist at a Presbyterian church in London, John Tavener converted to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1977 and once said that “my way towards God has been to write music”.

John Tavener was also known for his imposing 6ft 6in frame and his flowing hair. As well as music, one of his great passions was luxury cars.

He had suffered a stroke in 1979, and in 1990 was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, a hereditary condition that can cause heart defects.

In 2007, John Tavener suffered a heart attack that caused him to spend six months in intensive care.

John Tavener defied doctors who did not expect him to return to work, and in his last months described composing as a welcome distraction from constant pain.

Duck Dynasty Christian event in Bristol canceled after Duck Commander Wines deal

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Christian event in Bristol canceled after Duck Commander Wines deal

A Duck Dynasty event for a Christian organization in Bristol has now been canceled because of Duck Commander business deal.

Organizers of the Family Ministries benefit announced the cancellation of Willie Robertson’s appearance Monday evening.

They say a recent partnership between Duck Dynasty and Duck Commander Wines will send the wrong message to young people who were attending the event.

A Duck Dynasty event for a Christian organization in Bristol has now been canceled because of Duck Commander business deal
A Duck Dynasty event for a Christian organization in Bristol has now been canceled because of Duck Commander business deal

“Our greatest responsibility is to the young people we serve. Therefore, we feel that in light of the recent news that the stars of the show <<Duck Dynasty>> are partnering with Trinchero Family Estates to launch Duck Commander Wines, to continue with this event would send mixed messages to the young people who go through our Adolescent Drug and Alcohol program,” said Derek Bell, director of development for Family Ministries, in a press release.

Tickets will be refunded by the Viking Hall Civic Center. The event was scheduled for April 12, 2014.

Nissan BladeGlider to be unveiled at Tokyo Motor Show 2013

Clyde K. Valle
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Nissan BladeGlider to be unveiled at Tokyo Motor Show 2013

Nissan plans to reveal the new deltoid-shaped BladeGlider concept vehicle at the upcoming 43rd edition of Tokyo Motor Show.

The way the prototype gets its power is as revolutionary as the design itself.

While the DeltaWing used a small but high-performance gasoline engine, the BladeGlider is all-electric. But unlike Nissan’s now-familiar Leaf battery-electric vehicle, the new concept vehicle puts power to the pavement through a pair of in-wheel motors.

The Tokyo Motor Show, which opens November 22, has a history of providing show-goers with wild, weird and wacky concept vehicles. But unlike most of the prototypes unveiled at the biennial event, Nissan is broadly hinting that the BladeGlider could reappear in production form in the not-too-distant future.

The concept vehicle’s shape, with its long, tapered nose and broad rear, immediately brings to mind a fighter jet and, in a sense, the two have much in common, as automotive designers have come to realize that improving aerodynamics can significantly reduce fuel consumption, improve performance and enhance vehicle stability, especially at high speeds.

Nissan plans to reveal the new deltoid-shaped BladeGlider concept vehicle at the upcoming 43rd edition of Tokyo Motor Show
Nissan plans to reveal the new deltoid-shaped BladeGlider concept vehicle at the upcoming 43rd edition of Tokyo Motor Show

To give perspective to the radical design, the BladeGlider measures just 3.3 feet at the front, but 5.9 feet in the rear. Like the DeltaWing, the concept’s front wheels are relatively close together, though the rear tires are positioned in the more classic automotive layout.

The approach might seem to defy conventional automotive logic as the BladeGlider has a 30/70 front-to-rear weight distribution, in sharp contrast to the 50/50 layout considered ideal for today’s cars. Meanwhile, the extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber reduces vehicle weight, improves the concept’s rigidity and helps sculpt a design with significant high-speed downforce.

The interior is laid out in an unusual 1+2 configuration, with two passengers sitting slightly to the rear of the driver. When the doors are opened, the driver’s seat swings out of the way to allow access to the rear seats.

BladeGlider was penned by Ben Bowlby, who also drafted both the DeltaWing and the Zero-Emission On Demand, or ZEOD, racer Nissan will sponsor in the 2014 race at Le Mans. He was inspired by both the F14 fighter jet and the elegant shapes of high-performance gliders.

But Nissan’s clean sheet approach doesn’t stop with the BladeGlider’s design. The powertrain could prove just as revolutionary.

Instead of using an electric motor that simply replaces a conventional gasoline engine under the hood, Nissan is using twin motors, one mounted inside each of the rear wheels. That approach has a number of potential advantages. Among other things, it eliminates the need for a bulky engine compartment. It moves power directly to the wheels and makes it possible to adjust the torque coming out of each driven wheel. In turn, that makes it possible to “vector” torque to help steer through corners.

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One World Trade Center declared tallest building in US

Nancy Clayson
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One World Trade Center declared tallest building in US

New York City’s newly erected One World Trade Center has been declared the tallest building in the US, at 1,776 ft (541 m).

The Height Committee of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat announced its decision in Chicago.

The previous title holder was that city’s tallest building, the Willis Tower, at 1,451 ft (442 m).

The committee ruled a 408ft needle at the top counted toward its height.

One World Trade Center has been declared the tallest building in the US
One World Trade Center has been declared the tallest building in the US

Antony Wood, executive director of the committee, which is seen as the final official word on building heights around the world, said the needle counted as a permanent structure.

Without that needle, the building measures 1,368 feet, well below the height of the Willis Tower, which was formerly known as the Sears Tower.

Both skyscrapers fall well short of the world’s tallest building, the 2,723 ft (830 m) Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

One World Trade Center was built on the lower Manhattan site of the iconic Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 along with other buildings in the World Trade Center complex.

More than 2,000 people were killed there.

One World Trade Center ‘s height of 1,776 ft is a symbolic reference to the year of the signing of the US declaration of independence from Britain.

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Depression speeds up ageing process

Kathryn R. Bown
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Depression speeds up ageing process

A new study found that depression can make us physically older by speeding up the ageing process in our cells.

Lab tests showed cells looked biologically older in people who were severely depressed or who had been in the past.

These visible differences in a measure of cell ageing called telomere length couldn’t be explained by other factors, such as whether a person smoked.

The findings, in more than 2,000 people, appear in Molecular Psychiatry.

Experts already know that people with major depression are at increased risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

This might be partly down to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as alcohol use and physical inactivity.

Depression can make us physically older by speeding up the ageing process in our cells
Depression can make us physically older by speeding up the ageing process in our cells

But scientists suspect depression takes its own toll on our cells.

To investigate, Josine Verhoeven from the VU University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, along with colleagues from the US, recruited 2,407 people to take part in the study.

More than one third of the volunteers were currently depressed, a third had experienced major depression in the past and the rest had never been depressed.

The volunteers were asked to give a blood sample for the researchers to analyze in the lab for signs of cellular ageing.

The researchers were looking for changes in structures deep inside cells called telomeres.

Telomeres cap the end of our chromosomes which house our DNA. Their job is to stop any unwanted loss of this vital genetic code. As cells divide, the telomeres get shorter and shorter. Measuring their length is a way of assessing cellular ageing.

People who were or had been depressed had much shorter telomeres than those who had never experienced depression. This difference was apparent even after lifestyle differences, such as heavy drinking and smoking, were taken into account.

Furthermore, the most severely and chronically depressed patients had the shortest telomeres.

Dr. Josine Verhoeven and colleagues speculate that shortened telomeres are a consequence of the body’s reaction to the distress depression causes.

“This large-scale study provides convincing evidence that depression is associated with several years of biological ageing, especially among those with the most severe and chronic symptoms,” they say.

However, it is unclear whether this ageing process is harmful and if it can be reversed.

Egypt lifts state of emergency and night-time curfew

Roy Siemens
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Egypt lifts state of emergency and night-time curfew

Egypt’s government has decided to lift the state of emergency and the night-time curfew.

The move came two days earlier than expected, after a court ruling.

The state of emergency and the night-time curfew were introduced on August 14 after security forces forcibly ended sit-ins in support of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

The measures had been due to last a month, but the government extended them for two more months on September 12.

The state of emergency and the curfew were lifted with effect from 16:00 local time.

Egypt's government has decided to lift the state of emergency and the night-time curfew
Egypt’s government has decided to lift the state of emergency and the night-time curfew

This followed the ruling by the administrative court that said the decree extending the measures should only be effective for two calendar months.

The army-backed government said it would abide by the verdict.

The state of emergency and the 01:00-05:00 curfew had allowed the authorities to make arrests without warrants and search people’s homes.

Many people had also blamed the curfew for a fall in business in Cairo – at a time when the government was trying to create jobs and revive the economy.

The measures were introduced after hundreds of people died following the clearing of the pro-Morsi camps in the capital.

Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, was ousted by the army in July following widespread demonstrations against his rule.

Egyptians lived under a state of emergency – which gives extra powers to the security services – for more than three decades, until President Hosni Mubarak was forced from power amid mass protests in 2011.

Amy Robach to have double mastectomy after discovering breast cancer on air

Lisa.Felice
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Amy Robach to have double mastectomy after discovering breast cancer on air

Good Morning America‘s correspondent Amy Robach has revealed she will have a double mastectomy this week, a month after undergoing a mammogram on the show.

Amy Robach, 40, discovered she had breast cancer after reluctantly agreeing to have a screening filmed for the ABC show.

She said GMA anchor Robin Roberts had persuaded her that if the story saved one life, it would be worth it.

“It never occurred to me that life would be mine,” said Amy Robach.

Producers chose Amy Robach to cover the mammogram story because it is recommended that women at the age of 40 regularly check for breast cancer.

During Monday’s programme, and in a blog post following the show, Amy Robach said doctors had not yet determined what stage the cancer had progressed to, or whether it had spread.

The original story, which was part of the GMA Goes Pink breast cancer awareness day, featured Amy Robach emerging from her on-air mammogram, before telling colleagues that it hurt much less than she thought it would.

Amy Robach has revealed she will have a double mastectomy this week, a month after undergoing a mammogram on the show
Amy Robach has revealed she will have a double mastectomy this week, a month after undergoing a mammogram on the show

A few weeks later she was told she had cancer, after returning for what she thought would be some follow-up images.

Amy Robach said that her husband, actor Andrew Shue, had returned from his work trip that night and her parents had also caught a flight to New York to join her.

“We started gearing up for a fight,” she said, as she revealed that she would have both breasts removed this Thursday, followed by reconstructive surgery.

Amy Robach joined ABC in 2012 from NBC, where she was a Weekend Today host.

She frequently filled in as a presenter on ABC’s top-rated morning show GMA, while host Robin Roberts was fighting a serious blood and bone marrow disease.

Amy Robach said that with a full-time job and two children she had always found reasons to put off having a mammogram herself.

However, a doctor told her that the test had saved her life.

“I can only hope my story will inspire every woman who hears it to get a mammogram, to take a self-exam,” said Amy Robach.

“No excuses. It is the difference between life and death.”

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David Ayer apologizes for filming Nazi battle scenes on Remembrance Day

Sonia Pantiss
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David Ayer apologizes for filming Nazi battle scenes on Remembrance Day

David Ayer, the director of Brad Pitt’s latest movie, has apologized for filming war scenes featuring extras in Nazi uniforms on Remembrance Sunday.

David Ayer, the director of Fury, expressed his “heartfelt apologies for any disrespect caused”.

Pre-dawn explosions and scenes using extras dressed in Nazi uniform were filmed in an Oxfordshire village, UK.

Parish council chairman Ian Hill earlier said that “local people were very angry” with the decision to film.

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, the film’s makers rejected a plea to suspend their operations.

David Ayer has apologized for filming war scenes featuring extras in Nazi uniforms on Remembrance Sunday
David Ayer has apologized for filming war scenes featuring extras in Nazi uniforms on Remembrance Sunday

Producers Sony also issued an apology, stating that they “deeply regret any misunderstandings caused”.

An extra who was filming on Sunday told the Mirror: “This was grotesquely disrespectful and offensive. I can’t believe I wore an SS uniform on Remembrance Sunday.”

Nearby residents were told to expect gunfire and explosions throughout the making of the film, which is expected to take place in the area until November 15.

David Ayer added in his message on Twitter: “I am a veteran myself. It is an honor to film here in the UK,” and posted a picture of a Veterans’ Day ceremony at Arlington Cemetery in the US.

He has also been regularly posting photographs from the set of his World War 2 tank battle movie, including one dated Sunday, November 10.

Fury, which also stars Jason Isaacs and Shia LaBeouf, is due to be released in October next year.

David Ayer’s other credits include writing the screenplay for 2001 film The Fast and the Furious, while he directed Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which is expected to come out next April.

Sarah Palin one-on-one with Matt Lauer on ObamaCare rollout debacle

Diane A. Wade
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Sarah Palin one-on-one with Matt Lauer on ObamaCare rollout debacle

Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin stopped by the Today show on Monday, where she promptly got into with host Matt Lauer about healthcare.

Matt Lauer asked if President Barack Obama’s apology for the Affordable Care Act’s rollout woes was sufficient. Sarah Palin scoffed, asking “what apology?” and saying that the Healthcare.gov’s serious flaws were the least of America’s worries.

“This broken website, I think, is symbolic of a broken administration,” Sarah Palin said.

“Take over one-sixth of our economy and the socialized medicine that’s being crammed down our throat – that’s what’s broken.”

Matt Lauer then asked Sarah Palin what the Tea Party proposed as a solution to America’s health care problems, if ObamaCare was not a workable one, and that’s where things got a little dicey.

Sarah Palin attempted to repeat her talking points instead.

Sarah Palin stopped by the Today show on Monday, where she promptly got into with host Matt Lauer about healthcare
Sarah Palin stopped by the Today show on Monday, where she promptly got into with host Matt Lauer about healthcare

“It’s not just the independent grassroots Tea Party movement saying this, it’s many in the Republican party and many Democrats, too…”

“But where’s the plan from the Tea Party?” Matt Lauer asked again.

”… especially Democrats in red states that are running for re-election who are… ” Sarah Palin continued.

“Where’s the plan?” Matt Lauer repeated.

”…running for political cover,” Sarah Palin concluded.

Sarah Palin then said the Tea Party’s plan was to allow for healthcare reform to sort itself out in the free market and encourage more competition and “less tort reforms threats,” before going back to “what thwarts those plans is the far left. It’s President Obama and his supporters who will not allow the Republicans to usher in free market, patient-centered, doctor-patient relationship uh links to reform healthcare.”

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Duck Commander Wines to hit stores this month

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Duck Commander Wines to hit stores this month

Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson announced that Duck Commander Wines will hit stores this month.

According to People magazine, the Robertsons have partnered with the winemakers of the Trinchero Family Estates in Napa. They offer the Triple Threat Red Blend, Miss Priss Pink Moscato, and Wood Duck Chardonnay with bottles decked out in camo-inspired labels.

Willie Robertson announced that Duck Commander Wines will hit stores this month
Willie Robertson announced that Duck Commander Wines will hit stores this month

Willie Robertson said he wants to prove that wine can be delicious and affordable at a price under $10 a bottle.

Willie Robertson said of the collection: “Yuppie folks ain’t the only ones who can enjoy good wine. This is good wine for good people, and it’s made by good people.”

EU Budget 2014: Negotiators agree on next year’s spending

Clyde K. Valle
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EU Budget 2014: Negotiators agree on next year’s spending

Negotiators in Brussels have clinched a deal on the 2014 EU budget after a night of hard talks, cutting spending by about 6% compared to 2013.

Spending will total 135.5 billion euros (181.3 billion), or 0.5bn less than the Commission sought and 0.9bn short of the European Parliament’s target.

However, the budget is 0.5 billion euros bigger than what austerity-conscious government leaders were demanding.

It reflects stricter new terms agreed by EU leaders in February.

About two-thirds of the budget will go on subsidies for farmers and on development projects in the EU’s poorer regions, as in previous years. But the spending on such projects – called the “cohesion” budget – is being cut by about 7 billion euros.

Negotiators in Brussels have clinched a deal on the 2014 EU budget after a night of hard talks
Negotiators in Brussels have clinched a deal on the 2014 EU budget after a night of hard talks

Four governments voted against the compromise deal – the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, German ARD television reported. They wanted the EU to make deeper cuts.

The deal was reached after 16 hours of negotiation, and still requires final approval from the parliament and EU ministers next week.

There remains some opposition to the deal in the European Parliament, however.

The deal, once signed off, should pave the way for the European Parliament to adopt the EU’s long-term trillion-euro budget for 2014-2020.

At the same time, the negotiators in Brussels agreed to allocate an extra 3.9 billion euros to pay outstanding bills for 2013 incurred in cohesion projects.

An additional 400.5 million euros will also be spent from the EU “solidarity” fund to help areas of Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania which were hit by flooding this year.

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Egypt worst country in Arab women’s rights

Roy Siemens
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0
Egypt worst country in Arab women’s rights

According to a poll of gender experts, Egypt is now the worst country for women’s rights in the Arab world.

The study found s**ual harassment, high rates of female genital mutilation and a growth in conservative Islamist groups contributed to the low ranking.

The Comoros islands came top in the survey, which was conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The poll surveyed more than 330 gender experts in 21 Arab League states as well as Syria.

It is the foundation’s third annual study focusing on women’s rights since the Arab Uprisings in 2011.

Iraq ranked second-worst after Egypt, followed by Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.

Egypt is now the worst country for women's rights in the Arab world, according to a poll of gender experts
Egypt is now the worst country for women’s rights in the Arab world, according to a poll of gender experts

The Comoros, where women hold 20% of ministerial positions, is followed at the top of the rankings by Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar.

The poll asked experts to assess factors such as violence against women, reproductive rights, treatment of women within the family and women’s role in politics and the economy.

Discriminatory laws and a spike in trafficking contributed to Egypt’s place at the bottom of the ranking of 22 Arab states, the survey said.

“There are whole villages on the outskirts of Cairo and elsewhere where the bulk of economic activity is based on trafficking in women and forced marriages,” said Zahra Radwan of US-based rights group Global Fund for Women.

However, s**ual harassment was cited as the main factor.

A UN report in April said 99.3% of women and girls in Egypt had been subjected to s**ual harassment.

“The social acceptability of everyday s**ual harassment affects every woman in Egypt regardless of age, professional or socio-economic background, marriage status, dress or behavior,” said Noora Flinkman of Egyptian campaign group HarassMap.

Meanwhile, the survey said Iraq was now more dangerous for women than under Saddam Hussein, with women disproportionately affected by the violence of the past decade.

Saudi Arabia ranked poorly on women’s involvement in politics, workplace discrimination, freedom of movement and property rights.

However, the conservative country scored better than many other Arab states when it came to access to education and healthcare, reproductive rights and gender violence.

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Typhoon Haiyan: US and UK warships head to Philippines as UN appeals for aid

Diane A. Wade
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Typhoon Haiyan: US and UK warships head to Philippines as UN appeals for aid

UK and US ships were heading to the Philippines as the UN appealed for aid amid the large-scale devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

The US has deployed an aircraft carrier and navy ships to the Philippines, while the UK is sending a naval destroyer.

At least 10,000 people are feared to have been killed, and thousands of survivors desperately require aid.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity.

In a statement, Benigno Aquino said the two worst affected provinces, Leyte and Samar, had suffered massive destruction and loss of life.

A huge international relief effort is under way, but rescue workers have struggled to reach areas cut off since the storm.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described images of the impact of the storm as “heartbreaking”.

The UN would launch a large-scale humanitarian plan, and allocate $25 million “to fund critical relief efforts”, Ban Ki-moon said.

“Many thousands of people are reported to have died and almost 10 million people have been affected… Let us all show our solidarity with the people of the Philippines at this time of need,” he added.

One of the most powerful storms on record to make landfall, Typhoon Haiyan – named “Yolanda” by Philippine authorities – struck the coastal provinces of Leyte and Samar on Friday.

Typhoon Haiyan then headed west, sweeping through six central Philippine islands.

Humanitarian aid needed at large scale after Typhoon Haiyan barreled through the Philippines over the weekend and killed an estimated 10,000 people
Humanitarian aid needed at large scale after Typhoon Haiyan barreled through the Philippines over the weekend and killed an estimated 10,000 people

Air Force Capt Antonio Tamayo told AP news agency the scene in Tacloban, one of the worst-hit areas, was “overwhelming”.

“We need more medicine. We cannot give anti-tetanus vaccine shots because we have none.”

Officials said looting was widespread and order was proving difficult to enforce. Correspondents say many ordinary people are simply scavenging for the food and water needed to survive.

The government says it has deployed armored vehicles to Tacloban to deter looters.

“We are circulating [the vehicles] in the city to show the people, especially those with bad intentions, that the authorities have returned,” Interior Secretary Mar Roxas told DZMM radio.

In a statement, the US said that aircraft carrier USS George Washington and other navy ships should arrive in the Philippines “within 48-72 hours”.

“As needed, these ships and aircraft will be able to provide humanitarian assistance, supplies, and medical care in support of the ongoing efforts led by the government and military of the Republic of the Philippines,” the statement said.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Darling would soon head to the disaster zone from Singapore.

It would take five days to arrive but once in the Philippines would bring engineering and first aid expertise, as well as the use of a Lynx helicopter.

Other countries have also pledged millions of dollars in assistance. Japan is providing $10 million and Australia $9 million in humanitarian aid, while New Zealand has pledged over $1.5 million.

Reports from Tacloban say soldiers have been distributing food and water to some residents and the US military has sent marines to the city.

A Philippine military spokesman was quoted as saying on Monday that 942 people had died in the typhoon’s aftermath, though it is clear the official death toll will rise significantly.

UN humanitarian official John Ging said: “Many places are strewn with dead bodies.”

“The first priority of response teams, once they were able to navigate their way into these areas, is to mobilize the burial of dead bodies because of the public health issues,” he said.

“As we get more and more access we find the tragedy of more and more people killed in this typhoon,” he added.

International aid:

  • Australia: Aus$10 million ($9.4 million), including medical personnel
  • China: $100,000
  • European Commission: 3 million euros ($4 million)
  • Indonesia: Aircraft, personnel, drinking water, food, generators, medicine
  • Japan: $10 million, 25 emergency medical personnel
  • New Zealand: NZ$2.15 million ($1.7 million)
  • Taiwan: $200,000
  • UK: £10 million ($15 million) non-food aid package
  • UN: central emergency relief fund: $25 million
  • US: At least 180 marines and sailors, transporter planes, emergency food, water, shelter and hygiene materials
  • Vietnam: $100,000 [youtube Bq6xnwwvFAE 650]

McDonald’s debuts wintery beverage McCafé White Chocolate Mocha

Nancy Clayson
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0
McDonald’s debuts wintery beverage McCafé White Chocolate Mocha

After launching Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier this year, McDonald’s is debuting the McCafé White Chocolate Mocha.

McDonald’s is debuting the McCafé White Chocolate Mocha
McDonald’s is debuting the McCafé White Chocolate Mocha

McCafé White Chocolate Mocha consists of “espresso with white chocolate flavor, combined with steamed milk and topped with whipped cream”.

The wintery latte will be available starting in mid-November through January.

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