Clashes between police, foreign workers leave 2 dead in Saudi Arabia

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Two people were killed and 68 others injured in clashes between police and foreign workers following a visa crackdown in Saudi Arabia, the official news agency reported.

Police arrested 561 people Saturday in the capital of Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The arrests came after “unidentified” people barricaded themselves in narrow streets, where they threw stones at residents and vandalized shops and cars, according to a police statement posted on the news agency’s website.

In the aftermath of Saturday’s clashes, a police spokesman urged workers without proper documents to surrender at a shelter in the capital until they could be deported.

Most of the workers impacted by recent police raids are African migrants.

Saudi Arabia launched a “security campaign” this month to crack down on workers violating visa rules.

 

Despicable: Sheep used to graze in church GRAVEYARD to keep grass cut

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A church is using Sheep to graze in its GRAVEYARD as a cheap way to keep the grass cut.

The move has sparked fury among families who have relatives buried there with the animals being allowed to roam over graves and destroy mementoes which are left.

They say the graveyard looks like it has been “vandalised” but leaders at Holy Trinity Church in Grazeley say there is no money to pay for gardeners and grazing sheep is a traditional and cheap way of keeping the grass short.

Nicola Millard, 39, from Woodley, discovered the sheep when she went to visit the graves of her grandparents.

She said: “The area they have put the sheep is where people still tend the graves.

“There is a little turnstile I go in rather than the main gates and I arrived to see four of them stood on my nan’s grave. I was so heartbroken.”

Report: 3 Russians Get Life for Airport Attack

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A Russian court on Monday jailed for life three men from Ingushetia over their role in the 2011 bombing of a Moscow airport that killed 37 people, a news agency reported.

The court found the men guilty of facilitating the bomber’s travel to Moscow and providing him with explosives, the Interfax news agency said. The bomber’s brother, who said he knew nothing about the attack, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, it said.

The January 2011 attack on Moscow’s Domodedovo airport also wounded 180 people. Doku Umarov, the rebel leader from the Muslim-dominated region of Chechnya, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Russia has bolstered its security efforts ahead of the Winter Olympic Games in the southern city of Sochi. Umarov has urged militants to target the Games.

Russian performance artist nails himself to Red Square cobblestone by his TESTICLES in protest at Kremlin’s crackdown on rights

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A Russian performance artist stripped naked and nailed his testicles to a Red Square cobblestone in protest against the Kremlin’s crackdown on political rights.

Eye-watering footage shows artist Pyotr Pavlensky sitting naked outside Lenin’s Mausoleum in Moscow, Russia, before police covered him with a blanket.

The state-run RIA Novosti news agency said Pavlensky was taken to a police station after being treated in a central Moscow clinic.

The Saint Petersburg-based artist said in a statement posted on the Grani.ru website that he was trying to draw attention to Russian society’s development into a ‘police state’.

Russia marked its annual Police Day holiday on Sunday.

It is not the first time the 29-year-old has resorted to dramatic methods of protest.

He has previously sewn his lips together to demonstrate against the jailing of two female members of the Pussy Riot punk band who staged an anti-Kremlin performance inside Moscow’s main cathedral in 2011.

He was also arrested after wrapping his naked body in barbed wire outside a Saint Petersburg government building in May.

 

Falling European satellite burns up upon re-entry

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A 2,000-pound European satellite burned up as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere early Monday, controllers reported.

“As expected, the satellite disintegrated in the high atmosphere and no damage to property has been reported,” the European Space Agency said.

The Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer — a European Space Agency satellite known shorthand as GOCE — crossed over Siberia, the western Pacific Ocean, the eastern Indian Ocean and Antarctica upon its re-entry.

The 5-meter (16-foot) satellite was launched in 2009 to map variations in the Earth’s gravity in 3-D, provide ocean circulation patterns and make other measurements.

Powered by solar panels and not-your-average lithium-ion battery, it lasted more than three times its expected lifespan before running out of juice on October 21.

In March 2011, the ESA added another role — as the “first seismometer in orbit” — when GOCE detected sound waves from the massive earthquake that struck Japan.

 

Iran’s deputy trade minister assassinated in Tehran

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Iran’s deputy trade minister was assassinated in his car in Tehran Sunday night, the government’s news agency said.

Safdar Rahmatabadi was shot in the chest and head by an unidentified assailant in Sabalan Square, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The IRNA quoted a police officer at the scene as saying two shell casings were found inside the car, so “the terrorist had most probably been talking with Mr. Rahmatabadi.”

Rahmatabadi was deputy minister of industries, mines and trade.

Born with 12 fingers, he rattles out more than 100 words a minute.

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But Vijay Singh, who also has 12 toes, is planning a move to Britain after he failed to get a job typing despite applying for 50 jobs.

The 48-year-old, from Agra in northern India, said: ‘They want pretty women, not some guy who has 12 fingers.’

Polydactyly sufferers are seen as lucky in India, with Mr Singh especially fortunate as he is able to use all his digits whereas most sufferers of the condition are not.

But despite this gift, which makes him a self-proclaimed ‘whizz on the computer’, he has yet to secure employment and now wants to travel to the UK in the hope there will be something for him here.

We like his chances – having 12 fingers is certainly an unusual entry on your CV…

1 Dead After Pyrotechnics Blast at Paris Stage

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Police-guarded-the-arena-after-the-blast-franceOfficials say that a technical director of a musical on the French Revolution has died of a heart attack after pyrotechnics under the musical’s stage exploded during a rehearsal.

Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutors office, said four other people were in critical condition following Friday’s blast at Paris’ Palais des Sports auditorium.

A police official said Friday the man died of heart attack after the blast. He said early signs indicate that a worker generated a spark that came into contact with pyrotechnics under the stage.

The show’s production company did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

 

Why Celine Dion does NOT want signature song My Heart Will Go On played at her funeral

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Celine Dion2Celine Dion does not want her signature song My Heart Will Go On played at her funeral.

The 45-year-old singer said the Titanic theme song will prove to be her legacy on Saturday’s episode of The Jonathan Ross Show.

‘I’m going to die with this song. It’s a good problem to have, when you’re part of a classic and you know that you’re going to die with it,’ the French-Canadian diva told the host.

‘[But] when I die, though, please don’t play the song.’

The romantic best-seller is still Celine’s biggest hit having sold 15 million copies after reaching number 1 all over the world.

Dion was initially reluctant about recording the 1997 ballad – penned by James Horner and Will Jennings – which also went on to score an Oscar and four Grammys

‘I didn’t want to sing My Heart Will Go On…thank God they didn’t listen to me! I didn’t really like the song at first,’ she revealed.

Family stranded at Chicago airport after British Airways refuse to fly 500lb man with medical condition home to France

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A family who brought their 500lb son to the U.S. in order to treat his hormone disorder have been left stranded after their airline refused to fly the man because of his size.

Kevin Chenais, 22, flew from his home in France to spend 18 months at the Mayo Clinic for treatment.

Mr Chenais and his parents are now stuck at a hotel close to ChicagoAirport because British Airways refuses to allow him to board – despite previously flying the family out to the U.S.

The family, who have been at the hotel for a week, said they blamed the airline for leaving them with few options.

Kevin’s mother Christina Chenais told CBS: ‘If they could bring him here with that problem in economy, there was a way to take him back by economy but just get him back home for his medical treatments to continue.’

The family is now planning to take a train to New York City where they can board the Queen Mary II cruise ship to England.

A BA spokesman said: ‘We will always try to accommodate someone if it’s possible and safe to do so.

‘Unfortunately it is not possible to safely accommodate the customer on any of our aircraft and the family has been offered a full refund.

 

Croatia to Vote on Allowing Gay Marriage

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Croatia, the newest member of the 28-nation European Union, will hold a referendum on whether to allow gay marriages but rights groups say the vote is unconstitutional.

Parliament voted Friday to have a Dec. 1 ballot with the question: “Do you agree that marriage is matrimony between a man and a woman?”

If a majority vote “yes” in the referendum, Croatia’s constitution will be amended to ban gay marriages.

Human rights groups have announced an appeal against the referendum, claiming it infringes on basic human rights. An anti-gay group, meanwhile, gathered over 700,000 signatures in support of the vote.

The dispute over gay rights has divided Croatia. The country has taken steps to improve gay rights, but issues such as same-sex marriage remain highly sensitive in the staunchly Catholic nation.

 

Where have your curves gone, JLo? Mattel launches Barbie in Jennifer Lopez’s image – but forgets to include that famous derriere

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A new Barbie based on the image of Jennifer Lopez has drawn criticism for its distinct lack of the curves that made her famous.

The two $29.95 collector’s dolls, one sporting a red carpet gown by Zuhair Murad, the other wearing a look from her tour, both feature a typical Barbie silhouette instead of that legendary derriere.

Fans of Ms Lopez have taken to Twitter to share their unimpressed views.

Capicu Culture wrote: ‘We thought JLO’s beauty lied in the fact that she was not a “Barbie Doll.” [sic]’

Regardless, Ms Lopez herself is delighted with the tribute.

In a video promoting the doll’s launch, she said: ‘I wanted to live in Barbie’s world, I wanted to be Barbie. I think Barbie represents infinite possibilities.’

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barbie-jennifer-lopez2

 

Syrian Opposition Refuses Moscow Talks

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Russia’s Foreign Ministry says Syria’s main Western-backed opposition group is refusing to participate in talks in Moscow.

Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Friday that the Syrian National Coalition is “blocking and refusing to participate” in the talks, which would focus on resolving the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov earlier said that the opposition had “responded positively” to the proposal.

Russian officials had hoped the talks would bolster prospects for a proposed peace conference the U.S. and Russia are trying to convene in Geneva.

Strange Lung Ailment Revealed: A Giant Ball of Fungus

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aspergilloma-lung-fungusA man who suffered from a bloody cough that persisted for more than a year was surprised to find that the cause was a giant ball of fungus growing in his lung, according to a recent report of his case.

The man, a farmworker in Italy, may have contracted a fungal infection, called aspergilloma, while working in the fields. For a year, he struggled with not only the cough but also fever and weight loss. His symptoms hadn’t improved despite several courses of antibiotics, according to the report published Oct. 24 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

Aspergilloma, a fungal infection that mainly infects the lungs, is relatively uncommon, and this particular clump of fungus was extremely large, at nearly 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) wide.

Global smuggling ring busted after 12 tons of elephant tusks worth £62million is found by customs officers in China

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12 tons of smuggled ivory- China

 

Customs officials have smashed a global smuggling ring after they discovered 12 tons of smuggled ivory worth £62million in China.

The 3,188 pieces of elephant tusks were found in Xiamen city and have an estimated value of 603 million Yuan on the black market.

Officials named one of the ‘masterminds’ as a Fujian native called Chen who was known to customs since 2011 and operates between China and Africa for his licensed ivory shop, according to the South China Morning Post.

Several members of his group were also arrested and almost 2,000 kilograms of ivory was seized in August.

Ivory is seen as a symbol of wealth and status in China, and has become increasingly popular in recent years with the growth of the wealthy middle class.

According to a recent survey by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, 70 per cent of Chinese people did not know that elephants are killed for ivory products.

The survey revealed that most thought elephants lost tusks in the same way humans lose teeth.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a news conference on Tuesday that China was committed to working with the international community to protect wildlife.

The U.S. is the world’s second largest consumer of ivory products behind China.

 

Monkeys like tablets too! Touchscreen computers make macaques more friendly and help them relax

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Sulawesi crested macaques at Marwell Wildlife ParkUsing touch screen computers has helped a group of monkeys relax, a new study has found.

Interacting with the touchscreen machines not only interests and challenges the animals, but keeps dominant members of the group busy, which mirrors life in the wild and relieves social tension.

Researchers studied a social group of Sulawesi crested macaques at Marwell Wildlife, Hampshire, to come up with their findings.

The scientists, from the University of Portsmouth, taught the rare monkeys to operate computer touchscreens so they could conduct studies to understand the animals’ cognition and communication.

մակականեր,սենսորային էկրանThe researchers found that providing cognitive challenges for the macaques, using touchscreen computers, has improved the group’s cohesion and reduced tensions while increasing friendly behaviour.

Just like humans and many other primates, macaques use complex social interactions.

Sulawesi crested macaques, native to Indonesia, employ sophisticated and subtle communication techniques, relying on many different facial expressions, body positioning and vocalisations to make themselves understood, according to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE.

The macaques live in their social group and can voluntarily enter a specialised research area, separate from the researcher.

The animals are free to end the sessions whenever they like and return to their daily activities.

 

Greece: Court Win for Gays Over Civil Partnership

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Gay-marriage

 

Gay rights campaigners in Greece have welcomed a decision by a European court condemning the country for failing to include same-sex couples in 2008 legislation that introduced civil partnerships.

A panel of judges at the Council of Europe’s Court of Human rights, ruled Thursday that the legislation was discriminatory and ordered the state to pay plaintiffs €5,000 euros ($6,670) each in damages as well as an additional amount for court costs.

The civil partnerships are favored by couples seeking legal rights outside marriage or who are deterred by lengthy divorce procedures in marriage.

Grigoris Vallianatos, a prominent gay rights campaigner who led the legal action, described the ruling as a “landmark decision” for gays in Greece, and the most important legal victory in 30 years.

 

Former President Pervez Musharraf freed from house arrest in Pakistan

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Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has been released from house arrest, one of his aides, Shailah Yazdani, said Thursday.

Musharraf, who has been battling a number of legal cases in Pakistan, had been under house arrest since April.

He returned to Pakistan earlier this year under heavy security to contest court cases against him and run in elections. But his return didn’t go as planned.

 

Turkey Seizes 1,200 Rocket Heads Near Syria

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Turkish authorities have seized 1,200 rocket heads after searching a truck in a region close to the Syrian border.

The weapons were discovered in Adana, 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the Turkish-Syrian border, by officials looking to cut down on drug smuggling, provincial Gov. Huseyin Avni Cos told reporters Thursday.

Cos said an investigation into the weapons has been launched. The weapons are believed to be going to neighboring Syria, which has a three-year-old civil war that the U.N. says has left at least 100,000 people dead and forced millions of Syrians from their homes.

Turkey, which shares a 910-kilometer (566-mile) border with Syria, is a major hub for rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. Turkey has also been accused of harboring rebels associated with al-Qaida who operate across the border in Syria, including the Nusra Front.

At a news conference in Stockholm on Thursday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted his country had no tolerance for extremists.

“Organizations like Nusra, al-Qaida cannot find shelter in Turkey,” Erdogan said. “We would fight

 

Poignant and inspirational: Pope Francis blesses sick man in Vatican

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The Holy Father hugged the unnamed man, who is thought to suffer from neurofibromatosis, and held a silent prayer, having earlier asked those assembled in St Peter’s Square to pray for a sick little girl.

The pictures have been compared to Jesus healing the leper, as well as the work of St Francis of Assisi, after whom the current Pope took his name.

Neurofibromatosis is a painful hereditary condition that can involve distinctive facial tumours.

Treatment is complicated and sufferers, who can be in constant pain, face discrimination because of their appearance.

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