In final days, Mexico's president tries again to get the 'United States' out of 'Mexico'
at least as far as the country’s name is concerned.
More stores usher in holiday start on Turkey Day but criticism grows
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The nation’s shoppers put the turkey down to take advantage of an early start to the holiday shopping season.
Book gives up-close look at Graham Greene's political writing
MIAMI (Reuters) – In 1965 British author Graham Greene arrived in the Dominican Republic fresh from neighboring Haiti where he witnessed first hand the “unique evil” of Haiti’s brutal dictator, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier. Greene was met at the airport by an enterprising New Zealand-born journalist, Bernard Diederich, whom he had befriended in Haiti on previous trips a few years earlier. …
2 killed, 60 wounded in Afghan suicide attack
A suicide attacker detonated a car laden with explosives Friday in eastern Afghanistan, killing two civilians and wounding about 60 others, officials said.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Tom Brady, high-scoring Patriots roll past mistake-prone Jets 49-19
and the New York Jets’ ugly season -- away early.
Smith, Petersen defy Australia in opening stand
ADELAIDE (Reuters) – Openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen gave South Africa hope of reeling in Au stralia's mammoth first innings total of 550 by guiding the visitors to 117 without loss at tea on day two of the second test in Adelaide on Friday. Resuming on 3-0 after Australia were dismissed shortly before lunch, the pair stood firm for an entire session as Australia's bowlers toiled fruitlessly in rising heat at Adelaide Oval. South Africa captain Smith was on 57, having survived a genuine stumping chance off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon, and Petersen had compiled 47. …
Suicide car bomber attacks in eastern Afghanistan; dozens injured
KABUL – Afghan officials say a suicide attacker has detonated a car laden with explosives in eastern Afghanistan, injuring at least 40 people.
Suicide bomber attacks in eastern Afghanistan
Afghan officials say a suicide attacker has detonated a car laden with explosives in eastern Afghanistan, injuring at least 40 people.
and the New York Jets’ ugly season -- away early.
Smith, Petersen defy Australia in opening stand
ADELAIDE (Reuters) – Openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen gave South Africa hope of reeling in Au stralia's mammoth first innings total of 550 by guiding the visitors to 117 without loss at tea on day two of the second test in Adelaide on Friday. Resuming on 3-0 after Australia were dismissed shortly before lunch, the pair stood firm for an entire session as Australia's bowlers toiled fruitlessly in rising heat at Adelaide Oval. South Africa captain Smith was on 57, having survived a genuine stumping chance off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon, and Petersen had compiled 47. … Suicide car bomber attacks in eastern Afghanistan; dozens injured
KABUL – Afghan officials say a suicide attacker has detonated a car laden with explosives in eastern Afghanistan, injuring at least 40 people.
Suicide bomber attacks in eastern Afghanistan
Afghan officials say a suicide attacker has detonated a car laden with explosives in eastern Afghanistan, injuring at least 40 people.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Christmas shopping creeps into Thanksgiving Day; US shoppers skip holiday dinner to camp out
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Forget the traditional Thanksgiving holiday dinner. Many in the U.S. chose to get an even earlier jump on Christmas shopping, even if that meant sleeping on the sidewalk outside stores.
Spire for 1 WTC making its way to New York City by barge from Canada
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The giant spire that will top 1 World Trade Center is making its way to Manhattan from Canada.
Philippines, Vietnam protest map in China passport
A map that China has incorporated into its passports has drawn diplomatic fury because it appears to claim the entire South China Sea, ignoring competing claims from the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries.
Gunman kill 7 in Guatemala in attempted hit on drug dealer
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Gunmen dressed as police officers shot dead seven men at a Guatemalan health clinic on Thursday in a brazen attempt to kill an alleged drug trafficker, who managed to escape the firefight, the government said. Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez told reporters a gang of men entered the clinic in an upper-class neighborhood of the capital looking for frequent client and alleged Guatemalan drug trafficker Jairo Orellana. …
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Forget the traditional Thanksgiving holiday dinner. Many in the U.S. chose to get an even earlier jump on Christmas shopping, even if that meant sleeping on the sidewalk outside stores.
Spire for 1 WTC making its way to New York City by barge from Canada
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The giant spire that will top 1 World Trade Center is making its way to Manhattan from Canada.
Philippines, Vietnam protest map in China passport
A map that China has incorporated into its passports has drawn diplomatic fury because it appears to claim the entire South China Sea, ignoring competing claims from the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries.
Gunman kill 7 in Guatemala in attempted hit on drug dealer
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Gunmen dressed as police officers shot dead seven men at a Guatemalan health clinic on Thursday in a brazen attempt to kill an alleged drug trafficker, who managed to escape the firefight, the government said. Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez told reporters a gang of men entered the clinic in an upper-class neighborhood of the capital looking for frequent client and alleged Guatemalan drug trafficker Jairo Orellana. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Best-selling Australian author Courtenay dies
Best-selling Australian author Bryce Courtenay, whose first and final books drew on his tough early-life experiences in Africa, has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.
Egypt president cancels state visit to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi cancelled a stat e visit to Pakistan on Friday, government officials said, a day after granting himself extended powers, a move likely to widen divisions in his country. No reason was immediately given for the cancellation of the visit or for Mursi's decision not to attend a summit of developing nations in Islamabad a day earlier. Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, on Thursday triggered controversy in Egypt by issuing a decree that shielded from legal challenge any decisions he takes until a new parliament is elected. …
Halle Berry's ex-boyfriend arrested after fight at her house on Thanksgiving holiday
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Halle Berry’s ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry has been arrested for investigation of battery after authorities say he and the Oscar-winning actress’ current boyfriend got into a fight on the Thanksgiving holiday.
Best-selling Australian author Bryce Courtenay, whose first and final books drew on his tough early-life experiences in Africa, has died of stomach cancer. He was 79. Egypt president cancels state visit to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi cancelled a stat e visit to Pakistan on Friday, government officials said, a day after granting himself extended powers, a move likely to widen divisions in his country. No reason was immediately given for the cancellation of the visit or for Mursi's decision not to attend a summit of developing nations in Islamabad a day earlier. Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, on Thursday triggered controversy in Egypt by issuing a decree that shielded from legal challenge any decisions he takes until a new parliament is elected. … Halle Berry's ex-boyfriend arrested after fight at her house on Thanksgiving holiday
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Halle Berry’s ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry has been arrested for investigation of battery after authorities say he and the Oscar-winning actress’ current boyfriend got into a fight on the Thanksgiving holiday.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Seaside Heights, NJ, roller coaster submerged by Sandy might stay put as tourist attraction
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. – The remains of a roller coaster that was knocked off a New Jersey amusement pier by Superstorm Sandy and partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean might be left there as a tourist attraction.
Asia shares set for best week in 2 months as outlook improves
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian shares ambled higher on Fri day and were on course for a weekly gain of more than 2 percent, their best in two months, after manufacturing surveys from China and the United States raised hopes that the global growth outlook is improving at last. The euro was also enjoying a positive week, despite data on Thursday pointing to the euro zone sliding into its deepest recession since 2009, with the currency standing up more than 1 percent on last Friday's close on optimism that a funding deal for debt-choked Greece will ultimately be agreed. …
2 more ski resorts in northern New Mexico open for Thanksgiving holiday weekend
TAOS, N.M. – Skiers and snowboarders looking to the hit the slopes during the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend now have some options in northern New Mexico.
Actor Bruce Willis says goodbye to Idaho ski area he owned as locals take over operations
by donating it to a non-profit group.
Cricket-South Africa dismiss Australia for 550, survive to lunch
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – South Africa hit back after their opening day punishment by rattling through Australia’s last five wickets for 68 runs to dismiss the hosts for 550, before surviving a nervous four overs to be 3-0 at lunch on day two of the second test on Friday. Paceman Morne Morkel starred with three wickets in the morning session to finish with 5-146, claiming the key wicket of Australia captain Michael Clarke for 230. …
Rugby-Captain Warburton seeks reasons to be cheerful
LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Embattled Wales captain Sam Warburton has attempted to find a gleam of hope amid the gloom before the European rugby champions try to reverse current form and recent history against New Zealand on Saturday. Since completing a third grand slam in seven years last March, Wales have lost five consecutive tests. The sequence includes upset losses to Argentina and Samoa in their first two fixtures of the November international season. …
Luxembourg's Yves Mersch appointed to ECB Executive Board
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Luxembourg’s Yves Mersch won a position on the European Central Bank’s Executive Board on Friday after months of dispute with European Parliament legislators who objected to his appointment because of a lack of women in the bank’s senior ranks. European leaders meeting in Brussels approved the appointment of Mersch, who is currently the governor of Luxembourg’s central bank. He will join the board on December 15 for an eight-year term, the European Council said in a statement. “I am pleased with the positive outcome of a very long procedure,” Mersch said in a statement. …
Toronto Argonauts star Chad Owens named winner of CFL's outstanding player award
TORONTO – The Flyin’ Hawaiian is the CFL’s outstanding player.
Canadian Press NewsAlert: Argos' Chad Owens named CFL's outstanding player
TORONTO – Toronto Argonauts running back Chad Owens named CFL’s outstanding player.
AP PHOTOS: Simple surgery heals blind Indonesians
They came from the remotest parts of Indonesia, taking crowded overnight ferries and riding for hours in cars or buses -- all in the hope that a simple, and free, surgical procedure would restore their eyesight.
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. – The remains of a roller coaster that was knocked off a New Jersey amusement pier by Superstorm Sandy and partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean might be left there as a tourist attraction.
Asia shares set for best week in 2 months as outlook improves
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian shares ambled higher on Fri day and were on course for a weekly gain of more than 2 percent, their best in two months, after manufacturing surveys from China and the United States raised hopes that the global growth outlook is improving at last. The euro was also enjoying a positive week, despite data on Thursday pointing to the euro zone sliding into its deepest recession since 2009, with the currency standing up more than 1 percent on last Friday's close on optimism that a funding deal for debt-choked Greece will ultimately be agreed. … 2 more ski resorts in northern New Mexico open for Thanksgiving holiday weekend
TAOS, N.M. – Skiers and snowboarders looking to the hit the slopes during the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend now have some options in northern New Mexico.
Actor Bruce Willis says goodbye to Idaho ski area he owned as locals take over operations
by donating it to a non-profit group.
Cricket-South Africa dismiss Australia for 550, survive to lunch
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – South Africa hit back after their opening day punishment by rattling through Australia’s last five wickets for 68 runs to dismiss the hosts for 550, before surviving a nervous four overs to be 3-0 at lunch on day two of the second test on Friday. Paceman Morne Morkel starred with three wickets in the morning session to finish with 5-146, claiming the key wicket of Australia captain Michael Clarke for 230. …
Rugby-Captain Warburton seeks reasons to be cheerful
LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Embattled Wales captain Sam Warburton has attempted to find a gleam of hope amid the gloom before the European rugby champions try to reverse current form and recent history against New Zealand on Saturday. Since completing a third grand slam in seven years last March, Wales have lost five consecutive tests. The sequence includes upset losses to Argentina and Samoa in their first two fixtures of the November international season. …
Luxembourg's Yves Mersch appointed to ECB Executive Board
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Luxembourg’s Yves Mersch won a position on the European Central Bank’s Executive Board on Friday after months of dispute with European Parliament legislators who objected to his appointment because of a lack of women in the bank’s senior ranks. European leaders meeting in Brussels approved the appointment of Mersch, who is currently the governor of Luxembourg’s central bank. He will join the board on December 15 for an eight-year term, the European Council said in a statement. “I am pleased with the positive outcome of a very long procedure,” Mersch said in a statement. …
Toronto Argonauts star Chad Owens named winner of CFL's outstanding player award
TORONTO – The Flyin’ Hawaiian is the CFL’s outstanding player.
Canadian Press NewsAlert: Argos' Chad Owens named CFL's outstanding player
TORONTO – Toronto Argonauts running back Chad Owens named CFL’s outstanding player.
AP PHOTOS: Simple surgery heals blind Indonesians
They came from the remotest parts of Indonesia, taking crowded overnight ferries and riding for hours in cars or buses -- all in the hope that a simple, and free, surgical procedure would restore their eyesight. seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Cricket-Australia v South Africa - second test scoreboard
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Scoreboard after Australia weredismissed for 550 on the second day of the second test betweenAustralia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval on Friday: Australia won the toss and chose to bat Australia first innings D. Warner c Smith b Morkel 119 E. Cowan c & b Kallis 10 R. Quiney c Smith b Morkel 0 R. Ponting b Kallis 4 M. Clarke b Morkel 230 M. Hussey b Steyn 103 M. Wade c De Villiers b Morkel 6 P. Siddle c Smith b Kleinveldt 6 J. Pattinson c Smith b Steyn 42 B. Hilfenhaus c Kleinveldt b Morkel 0 N. Lyon not out 7 Extras (lb-11, w-1 nb-11) 23 Total (all out, 107. …
McMaster Marauders quarterback Kyle Quinlan wins Hec Crighton Trophy
TORONTO – Kyle Quinlan has been named the top player in Canadian university football.
Cricket-Australia dismissed for 550 v South Africa - first innings
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Australia were dismissed for 550 in their first innings by South Africa before lunch on the opening day of the second test at Adelaide Oval on Friday. Score: Australia 550 all out (D. Warner 119, M. Clarke 230, M. Hussey 103) v South Africa (M. Morkel 5-146) (Compiled by Ian Ransom; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Calgary running back Cornish named winner of CFL's top Canadian honour
TORONTO – A record-breaking season earned Jon Cornish the CFL’s top Canadian award.
Ticats receiver Chris Williams claims CFL's top special-teams player award
TORONTO – Receiver Chris Williams of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats captured the CFL’s top special-teams player Thursday night.
Eased Myanmar sanctions no gold rush for US firms
Signs of a boom abound in Myanmar. Flight s to Yangon are full, hotel rooms booked solid. Foreign bars are packed with well-fed Westerners in khakis and jeans, 21st century prospectors drawn to this golden frontier.
POSCO seeks to attract investors to Roy Hill stake
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean steelmaker POSCO is looking for strategic investors in the $1.45 billion stake it has in Australian's iron ore project, Roy Hill, a spokeswoman said on Friday. The company is seeking investor s for the 2.5 percent stake out of the 12.5 percent it has, said POSCO's Kim Ji-young, as the steelmaker is tightening its belt in response to the prolonged downturn in the steel industry. …
Australian author Bryce Courtenay, writer of 'The Power of One' and 20 others, dies at age 79
CANBERRA, Australia – Australian bestselling author Bryce Courtenay has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.
Australian author Bryce Courtenay dies of cancer
Australian best-selling author Bryce Courtenay has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.
Mursi draws fire with new Egypt decree
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi triggered controversy on Thursday by issuing a decree likely to lead to retrials of Hosni Mubarak and his aides but which was compared to the ousted leader's autocratic ways. As well as ordering retrials for Mubarak-era officials responsible for violence during the uprising against his rule, the decree shielded from legal challenge an Islamist-dominated assembly writing Egypt's new constitution. …
B.C. Lions' Jovan Olafioye named recipient of CFL's top lineman honour
TORONTO – The second time was the charm for Jovan Olafioye.
Budget clash leaves EU summit close to failure
The leaders of Britain and France staked out starkly different visions of the European Union's future Thursday, leaving a summit on the EU budget teetering on the brink of failure after the first day.
Calgary by-election proving thorny for Canada's Harper
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – A hotly contested by-election in Canada's oil capital is proving troublesome for Prime Minister Steph en Harper's government as other parties chip away at support in a region his Conservatives have long taken for granted. The result in the Calgary Centre voting district will not alter the balance of power in Ottawa, where the government has a comfortable majority. But it is highlighting how views in urban Alberta are diversifying as more people from across the country relocate to take advantage of a robust economy. …
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Scoreboard after Australia weredismissed for 550 on the second day of the second test betweenAustralia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval on Friday: Australia won the toss and chose to bat Australia first innings D. Warner c Smith b Morkel 119 E. Cowan c & b Kallis 10 R. Quiney c Smith b Morkel 0 R. Ponting b Kallis 4 M. Clarke b Morkel 230 M. Hussey b Steyn 103 M. Wade c De Villiers b Morkel 6 P. Siddle c Smith b Kleinveldt 6 J. Pattinson c Smith b Steyn 42 B. Hilfenhaus c Kleinveldt b Morkel 0 N. Lyon not out 7 Extras (lb-11, w-1 nb-11) 23 Total (all out, 107. …
McMaster Marauders quarterback Kyle Quinlan wins Hec Crighton Trophy
TORONTO – Kyle Quinlan has been named the top player in Canadian university football.
Cricket-Australia dismissed for 550 v South Africa - first innings
ADELAIDE, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Australia were dismissed for 550 in their first innings by South Africa before lunch on the opening day of the second test at Adelaide Oval on Friday. Score: Australia 550 all out (D. Warner 119, M. Clarke 230, M. Hussey 103) v South Africa (M. Morkel 5-146) (Compiled by Ian Ransom; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Calgary running back Cornish named winner of CFL's top Canadian honour
TORONTO – A record-breaking season earned Jon Cornish the CFL’s top Canadian award.
Ticats receiver Chris Williams claims CFL's top special-teams player award
TORONTO – Receiver Chris Williams of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats captured the CFL’s top special-teams player Thursday night.
Eased Myanmar sanctions no gold rush for US firms
Signs of a boom abound in Myanmar. Flight s to Yangon are full, hotel rooms booked solid. Foreign bars are packed with well-fed Westerners in khakis and jeans, 21st century prospectors drawn to this golden frontier. POSCO seeks to attract investors to Roy Hill stake
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean steelmaker POSCO is looking for strategic investors in the $1.45 billion stake it has in Australian's iron ore project, Roy Hill, a spokeswoman said on Friday. The company is seeking investor s for the 2.5 percent stake out of the 12.5 percent it has, said POSCO's Kim Ji-young, as the steelmaker is tightening its belt in response to the prolonged downturn in the steel industry. … Australian author Bryce Courtenay, writer of 'The Power of One' and 20 others, dies at age 79
CANBERRA, Australia – Australian bestselling author Bryce Courtenay has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.
Australian author Bryce Courtenay dies of cancer
Australian best-selling author Bryce Courtenay has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.
Mursi draws fire with new Egypt decree
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi triggered controversy on Thursday by issuing a decree likely to lead to retrials of Hosni Mubarak and his aides but which was compared to the ousted leader's autocratic ways. As well as ordering retrials for Mubarak-era officials responsible for violence during the uprising against his rule, the decree shielded from legal challenge an Islamist-dominated assembly writing Egypt's new constitution. … B.C. Lions' Jovan Olafioye named recipient of CFL's top lineman honour
TORONTO – The second time was the charm for Jovan Olafioye.
Budget clash leaves EU summit close to failure
The leaders of Britain and France staked out starkly different visions of the European Union's future Thursday, leaving a summit on the EU budget teetering on the brink of failure after the first day. Calgary by-election proving thorny for Canada's Harper
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – A hotly contested by-election in Canada's oil capital is proving troublesome for Prime Minister Steph en Harper's government as other parties chip away at support in a region his Conservatives have long taken for granted. The result in the Calgary Centre voting district will not alter the balance of power in Ottawa, where the government has a comfortable majority. But it is highlighting how views in urban Alberta are diversifying as more people from across the country relocate to take advantage of a robust economy. … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
FACTBOX-Cricket-Australia captain Clarke's batting in 2012
Nov 23 (Reuters) – List of Australia captain MichaelClarke’s test innings in 2012 after he scored 230 in the secondtest against South Africa at Adelaide Oval on Friday. 1st innings 2nd innings OPPOSITION VENUE 329* — India Sydney 18 — India Perth 210 37 India Adelaide 73 6 West Indies Bridgetown 45 15 West Indies Port of Spain 24 25 West Indies Roseau 259* — South Africa Brisbane 230 — South Africa Adelaide – - Total runs in 2012: 1271 Batting average for 2012: 127.1 – - *Not out (Compiled by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Rugby-All Black Carter an injury doubt for Wales test
Nov 23 (Reuters) – All Black flyhalf Dan Carter pulled up in training on Thursday and might not be fit to take on Six Nations champions Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. Carter looked to be in discomfort while kicking the ball and coach Steve Hansen confirmed a decision on his participation in the match would be made over the next 24 hours, the New Zealand Rugby Union’s official website allblacks.com reported. …
Blue Bombers receiver Chris Matthews captures CFL's top rookie honour
TORONTO – Receiver Chris Matthews of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was named the CFL’s top rookie Thursday night.
Canadian skier Ben Thomsen takes unusual route to racing World Cups
LAKE LOUISE, Alta. – Ben Thomsen nearly fell through the cracks a few times during his ski career.
EU leaders approve Luxembourg's Yves Mersch for ECB board, overriding advice of parliament
BRUSSELS – European Union leaders have approved Luxembourg’s top banker for a place on the executive board of the European Central Bank, overriding the advice of Parliament, which had wanted a woman for the job.
Star trek desks: Classrooms for the next generation?
LONDON (Reuters) – Scientists designing and testing what they hope might become the classroom of the future have found that “Star Trek”-style multi-touch, multi-user desks can boost children’s maths skills. A three-year project with 400 eight to 10-year olds found that using interactive “smart” desks can have benefits over doing maths on paper, and that pupils are able to improve their fluency and flexibility in maths by working together. …
Nov 23 (Reuters) – List of Australia captain MichaelClarke’s test innings in 2012 after he scored 230 in the secondtest against South Africa at Adelaide Oval on Friday. 1st innings 2nd innings OPPOSITION VENUE 329* — India Sydney 18 — India Perth 210 37 India Adelaide 73 6 West Indies Bridgetown 45 15 West Indies Port of Spain 24 25 West Indies Roseau 259* — South Africa Brisbane 230 — South Africa Adelaide – - Total runs in 2012: 1271 Batting average for 2012: 127.1 – - *Not out (Compiled by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Rugby-All Black Carter an injury doubt for Wales test
Nov 23 (Reuters) – All Black flyhalf Dan Carter pulled up in training on Thursday and might not be fit to take on Six Nations champions Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. Carter looked to be in discomfort while kicking the ball and coach Steve Hansen confirmed a decision on his participation in the match would be made over the next 24 hours, the New Zealand Rugby Union’s official website allblacks.com reported. …
Blue Bombers receiver Chris Matthews captures CFL's top rookie honour
TORONTO – Receiver Chris Matthews of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was named the CFL’s top rookie Thursday night.
Canadian skier Ben Thomsen takes unusual route to racing World Cups
LAKE LOUISE, Alta. – Ben Thomsen nearly fell through the cracks a few times during his ski career.
EU leaders approve Luxembourg's Yves Mersch for ECB board, overriding advice of parliament
BRUSSELS – European Union leaders have approved Luxembourg’s top banker for a place on the executive board of the European Central Bank, overriding the advice of Parliament, which had wanted a woman for the job.
Star trek desks: Classrooms for the next generation?
LONDON (Reuters) – Scientists designing and testing what they hope might become the classroom of the future have found that “Star Trek”-style multi-touch, multi-user desks can boost children’s maths skills. A three-year project with 400 eight to 10-year olds found that using interactive “smart” desks can have benefits over doing maths on paper, and that pupils are able to improve their fluency and flexibility in maths by working together. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
France's Sarkozy questioned over campaign funds
He faces the possib ility of charges on allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power.
Mr. Floatie returns: sewage issue raises stink in Victoria byelection
specifically, Victoria’s lack of it -- emerging as the primary campaign issue.
Suspected Mafia boss has to testify before Quebec corruption inquiry, judge says
MONTREAL – Quebec’s corruption inquiry is insisting that a suspected Mafia boss must appear to testify.
4 Chinese oil workers freed by Colombian rebels
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Four Chinese oil workers have been freed in the same southern jungles where the country's largest rebel group kidnapped them 17 months ago, police said Thursday. China's ambassador said that no ransom was ever sought for the men.
Monti cannot be Italy election candidate: President
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti cannot be a candidate in next year’s parliamentary election as he is a Senator for life, but he could be involved in forming a government afterwards, President Giorgio Napolitano said on Thursday. The head of state’s comments add a further twist to a complicated tale as speculation had been growing that Monti, a technocrat and former European Commissioner, could be persuaded to join a centrist bloc before the vote. …
He faces the possib ility of charges on allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power. Mr. Floatie returns: sewage issue raises stink in Victoria byelection
specifically, Victoria’s lack of it -- emerging as the primary campaign issue.
Suspected Mafia boss has to testify before Quebec corruption inquiry, judge says
MONTREAL – Quebec’s corruption inquiry is insisting that a suspected Mafia boss must appear to testify.
4 Chinese oil workers freed by Colombian rebels
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Four Chinese oil workers have been freed in the same southern jungles where the country's largest rebel group kidnapped them 17 months ago, police said Thursday. China's ambassador said that no ransom was ever sought for the men. Monti cannot be Italy election candidate: President
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti cannot be a candidate in next year’s parliamentary election as he is a Senator for life, but he could be involved in forming a government afterwards, President Giorgio Napolitano said on Thursday. The head of state’s comments add a further twist to a complicated tale as speculation had been growing that Monti, a technocrat and former European Commissioner, could be persuaded to join a centrist bloc before the vote. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Toronto-area mom drops request to have oak trees moved away from school
VAUGHAN, Ont. – A mother who sought to have oak trees uprooted and replanted far away from her children’s Toronto-area school due to concern over acorn allergies says fierce public reaction and “cyber-bullying” has led her to drop her request.
UBS nears settlement with Swiss, British regulators on Adoboli case
ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) – UBS is nearing a settlement in the coming days with regulators in Switzerland and Britain for control failures that led to a $2.3 billion (1.4 billion p ounds) rogue trading loss, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The Swiss bank has finished its discussions with Finma, the Swiss regulator, and is finalizing a settlement with Britain's Financial Services Authority (FSA), the source said. The two regulators then plan to make a joint announcement. …
Sarkozy dodges official inquiry in election funding scandal
BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) – French former President Nicolas Sarkozy has not been put under formal investigation by magistrates looking into whether he rec eived illegal campaign funds from France's richest woman in 2007, but has instead been designated a witness in the inquiry. Magistrates questioned Sarkozy for 12 hours as they tried to establish if he had received illegal campaign funding from Liliane Bettencourt, heiress of the L'Oreal cosmetics empire, when he ran for president in 2007. …
Enbridge plans C$1.8 billion link between Alberta pipeline hubs
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Enbridge Inc said on Thursday it will build a C$1.8 billion ($1.8 billion) pipeline to ship 570,000 barrels per day of oil between Alberta’s two main storage hubs at Edmonton and Hardisty to accommodate rising output from the oil sands. The company plans a 179-km (111-mile), 36-inch (91-cm) line that will carry crude from Edmonton to Hardisty, the starting point for Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper pipeline, which takes 796,000 bpd of oil to Superior, Wisconsin, as well as TransCanada Corp’s 590,000-bpd Keystone pipeline and its planned Keystone XL line. …
Talks to defuse Iraq army-Kurdish standoff make little headway
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Talks to defuse a standoff between Iraqi troops and forces from the country’s autonomous Kurdish region made little progress on Thursday with both sides further reinforcing positions on their disputed internal border. The second military build-up this year illustrates how far relations between Baghdad’s central government, led by Shi’ite Muslim Arabs, and ethnic Kurds have deteriorated, testing Iraq’s federal cohesion nearly a year after American troops left. …
VAUGHAN, Ont. – A mother who sought to have oak trees uprooted and replanted far away from her children’s Toronto-area school due to concern over acorn allergies says fierce public reaction and “cyber-bullying” has led her to drop her request.
UBS nears settlement with Swiss, British regulators on Adoboli case
ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) – UBS is nearing a settlement in the coming days with regulators in Switzerland and Britain for control failures that led to a $2.3 billion (1.4 billion p ounds) rogue trading loss, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The Swiss bank has finished its discussions with Finma, the Swiss regulator, and is finalizing a settlement with Britain's Financial Services Authority (FSA), the source said. The two regulators then plan to make a joint announcement. … Sarkozy dodges official inquiry in election funding scandal
BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) – French former President Nicolas Sarkozy has not been put under formal investigation by magistrates looking into whether he rec eived illegal campaign funds from France's richest woman in 2007, but has instead been designated a witness in the inquiry. Magistrates questioned Sarkozy for 12 hours as they tried to establish if he had received illegal campaign funding from Liliane Bettencourt, heiress of the L'Oreal cosmetics empire, when he ran for president in 2007. … Enbridge plans C$1.8 billion link between Alberta pipeline hubs
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Enbridge Inc said on Thursday it will build a C$1.8 billion ($1.8 billion) pipeline to ship 570,000 barrels per day of oil between Alberta’s two main storage hubs at Edmonton and Hardisty to accommodate rising output from the oil sands. The company plans a 179-km (111-mile), 36-inch (91-cm) line that will carry crude from Edmonton to Hardisty, the starting point for Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper pipeline, which takes 796,000 bpd of oil to Superior, Wisconsin, as well as TransCanada Corp’s 590,000-bpd Keystone pipeline and its planned Keystone XL line. …
Talks to defuse Iraq army-Kurdish standoff make little headway
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Talks to defuse a standoff between Iraqi troops and forces from the country’s autonomous Kurdish region made little progress on Thursday with both sides further reinforcing positions on their disputed internal border. The second military build-up this year illustrates how far relations between Baghdad’s central government, led by Shi’ite Muslim Arabs, and ethnic Kurds have deteriorated, testing Iraq’s federal cohesion nearly a year after American troops left. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Classic Rematch: Marauders, Rouge et Or set to do battle in Vanier Cup again
TORONTO – The McMaster Marauders and Laval Rouge et Or have one tough act to follow.
Tories target Trudeau as poll suggests his popularity keeps growing
and a new poll may explain why.
Ottawa to introduce new bill to keep more mentally ill offenders behind bars
MONTREAL – The federal government is making it more difficult for mentally ill offenders found not criminally responsible for their crimes to be released from custody.
Wife 'wasn't really making sense' after $45.6M lotto win: husband
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – A southern Alberta woman “wasn’t really making sense” when she called her husband to tell him they’d won more than $45.6 million in a Lotto 6-49 draw.
Canada needs accommodation on foreign investment: finance minister
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada needs to accommodate foreign investment in its resource sector, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday as the government reviews a $15.1 billion takeover bid by China’s CNOOC for oil and gas producer Nexen Inc . “We know we don’t have enough capital in this country to develop our resources that we want to develop over the next generation, so we have to have some accommodation with respect to foreign direct investment,” Flaherty told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), according to a clip shown in advance of the full interview later on Thursday. …
France's Sarkozy placed under investigation
He faces the possibility of charges on allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power.
Flaherty rooting for Argos in Grey Cup, pitting him against Harper's Stampeders
TORONTO – Jim Flaherty and Stephen Harper might have their eyes on the same fiscal ball, but when it comes to the pigskin the finance minister is Argos all the way.
Israel says it arrests Tel Aviv bus bomber
Israeli authorities arrested an Arab Israeli on Thursday on accusations he planted a bomb on a bus in Tel Aviv that wounded 27 people and threatened to sabotage efforts to broker a cease-fire to end the fighting in Gaza, police said.
Canadian bobsled driver Humphries puts win streak on the line in Whistler
VANCOUVER – The tattoo on Kaillie Humphries’ hand is just one word but it says plenty.
EU leaders enter bitter fight over budget
The leaders of Britain and France staked out starkly different visions of Europe's future Thursday as talks began in Brussels on how much the European Union should be allowed to spend, setting the stage for a long, divisive and possibly inconclusive summit.
Pakistan ID cards remove ghost voters, target poor for aid
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Elderly men wait patiently, carefully combing their hennaed beards, while a guitar-playing student entertains the long queue of Pakistanis lined-up to be photographed, fingerprinted and questioned inside a crowded office in the capital Islamabad. This is the unlikely setting for possibly one of Pakistan’s few success stories – a massive increase in citizens signing up for government identity cards. Such things rarely top the agenda of a deeply unpopular government, crippled by daily power cuts, a Taliban insurgency and massive corruption. …
South Korea says IEA wants its nuclear sector to be more transparent
SEOUL (Reuters) – The International Energy Agency (IEA) wants South Korea to bring more transparency to its nuclear power sector and strengthen the independence of regulators to increase trust in the safety of its plants, the economy ministry said on Friday. The agency, which advises industrialized nations and represents 28 oil importing countries, was due later on Friday to unveil a report on South Korea’s energy policies for the first time since 2006. …
Colombia considers leaving treaty over border spat with Nicaragua
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia is considering withdrawing from a treaty that forces the country to comply with an international court ruling that grants Nicaragua jurisdiction over Caribbean waters near a Colombian archipelago, the government said on Thursday. The International Court of Justice this week ruled that a cluster of disputed small islands in the western Caribbean belonged to Colombia and not to Nicaragua, but drew a demarcation line in favor of Nicaragua in the nearby waters. …
Hamas emerges with gains from Israeli offensive
Hamas has emerged from battle with the triumphal sense of a hard-won game change: By stopping its offensive when it did, Israel's hard-line government seems to have grudgingly accepted that the Islamic militant group cannot soon be dislodged from power in Gaza.
TORONTO – The McMaster Marauders and Laval Rouge et Or have one tough act to follow.
Tories target Trudeau as poll suggests his popularity keeps growing
and a new poll may explain why.
Ottawa to introduce new bill to keep more mentally ill offenders behind bars
MONTREAL – The federal government is making it more difficult for mentally ill offenders found not criminally responsible for their crimes to be released from custody.
Wife 'wasn't really making sense' after $45.6M lotto win: husband
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – A southern Alberta woman “wasn’t really making sense” when she called her husband to tell him they’d won more than $45.6 million in a Lotto 6-49 draw.
Canada needs accommodation on foreign investment: finance minister
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada needs to accommodate foreign investment in its resource sector, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday as the government reviews a $15.1 billion takeover bid by China’s CNOOC for oil and gas producer Nexen Inc . “We know we don’t have enough capital in this country to develop our resources that we want to develop over the next generation, so we have to have some accommodation with respect to foreign direct investment,” Flaherty told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), according to a clip shown in advance of the full interview later on Thursday. …
France's Sarkozy placed under investigation
He faces the possibility of charges on allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power. Flaherty rooting for Argos in Grey Cup, pitting him against Harper's Stampeders
TORONTO – Jim Flaherty and Stephen Harper might have their eyes on the same fiscal ball, but when it comes to the pigskin the finance minister is Argos all the way.
Israel says it arrests Tel Aviv bus bomber
Israeli authorities arrested an Arab Israeli on Thursday on accusations he planted a bomb on a bus in Tel Aviv that wounded 27 people and threatened to sabotage efforts to broker a cease-fire to end the fighting in Gaza, police said. Canadian bobsled driver Humphries puts win streak on the line in Whistler
VANCOUVER – The tattoo on Kaillie Humphries’ hand is just one word but it says plenty.
EU leaders enter bitter fight over budget
The leaders of Britain and France staked out starkly different visions of Europe's future Thursday as talks began in Brussels on how much the European Union should be allowed to spend, setting the stage for a long, divisive and possibly inconclusive summit. Pakistan ID cards remove ghost voters, target poor for aid
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Elderly men wait patiently, carefully combing their hennaed beards, while a guitar-playing student entertains the long queue of Pakistanis lined-up to be photographed, fingerprinted and questioned inside a crowded office in the capital Islamabad. This is the unlikely setting for possibly one of Pakistan’s few success stories – a massive increase in citizens signing up for government identity cards. Such things rarely top the agenda of a deeply unpopular government, crippled by daily power cuts, a Taliban insurgency and massive corruption. …
South Korea says IEA wants its nuclear sector to be more transparent
SEOUL (Reuters) – The International Energy Agency (IEA) wants South Korea to bring more transparency to its nuclear power sector and strengthen the independence of regulators to increase trust in the safety of its plants, the economy ministry said on Friday. The agency, which advises industrialized nations and represents 28 oil importing countries, was due later on Friday to unveil a report on South Korea’s energy policies for the first time since 2006. …
Colombia considers leaving treaty over border spat with Nicaragua
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia is considering withdrawing from a treaty that forces the country to comply with an international court ruling that grants Nicaragua jurisdiction over Caribbean waters near a Colombian archipelago, the government said on Thursday. The International Court of Justice this week ruled that a cluster of disputed small islands in the western Caribbean belonged to Colombia and not to Nicaragua, but drew a demarcation line in favor of Nicaragua in the nearby waters. …
Hamas emerges with gains from Israeli offensive
Hamas has emerged from battle with the triumphal sense of a hard-won game change: By stopping its offensive when it did, Israel's hard-line government seems to have grudgingly accepted that the Islamic militant group cannot soon be dislodged from power in Gaza. seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Alberta school trustee apologizes for suggesting gay students act less gay
EDMONTON – The president of the Alberta School Boards Association says she’s disappointed with a trustee who suggested gay students should be less open about their sexual orientation.
Analysis: China car market may require "Two Fords"
DETROIT (Reuters) – Six years ago, the "One Ford" mantra saved Ford Motor Co from collapse. Now, Chief Ex ecutive Alan Mulally's unified global product strategy is facing a formidable test: winning over first-time Chinese buyers such as Zhang Haifeng. The 42-year-old teacher has seen his pay jump 27-fold over the last two decades, as China expanded its compulsory education system. After studying his options for a year, Zhang in April paid 70,000 yuan ($11,200) for his first car – General Motors Co's Baojun 630 sedan. …
Haiti's rising food insecurity risks social tension, says FAO
ROME (Reuters) – Growing food insecurity in Haiti after Hurricane Sandy risks sparking more social tension, the United Nations Food Agency warned on Thursday, calling for food, farm and transport investment to boost the country’s resilience to climate shocks. Three natural disasters have hit the Caribbean island this year, including a drought in the summer and Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy. More than 40 percent of Haiti’s harvest was destroyed and losses of about $254 million incurred, U.N. estimates say. …
"Ice lady" gets life sentence for double murder
VIENNA (Reuters) – An ice-cream parlour owner dubbed the “ice lady” for the calculated way in which she killed her ex-husband and lover was sentenced to life in a secure mental institution on Thursday. Estibaliz Carranza, 34, had confessed to shooting the two men at close range in the back of the head, cutting up their bodies with a chainsaw, freezing them in a deep freeze and later interring them in concrete under the cellar of her store. …
Trial of Turkish coup general adjourned till January
ANKARA (Reuters) – The trial of former Turkish president General Kenan Evren over a 1980 military coup that led to mass torture and executions was adjourned on Thursday until January to allow for more evidence. The trial of 95-year-old Evren, symbol of an era when the army dominated Turkish politics, is a landmark in the steady erosion of the military’s power under Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. It also offers the country a chance to confront one of its bloodiest periods since the republic’s foundation in 1923. …
Robert Pickton inquiry report handed in; will be made public next month
VICTORIA – The man who led a public inquiry into the failed police investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton has handed in his report to the B.C. government.
France should study takeover of ArcelorMittal plant: minister
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s industry minister said on Thursday that the government should consider a takeover of two threatened French blast furnaces at ArcelorMittal’s Florange steel plant, as it tries to prop up the country’s struggling industrial sector. “The question … of eventual government control, even temporary, should be seriously studied by the government,” Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg told the Senate. …
Britain bans Nigerian Islamist group accused of murder
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Thursday banned a Nigeria-based Islamist group it said was aligned with al Qaeda as a minister said the oulawed organisation was probably responsible for the killing of a Briton and an Italian. Britain’s interior ministry described the group – Ansaru – as “a Nigeria-based terrorist organisation motivated by an anti-Nigerian government and anti-Western agenda”. The two men Britain believes the group murdered were Chris McManus, a Briton, and Franco Lamolinara, an Italian. …
EDMONTON – The president of the Alberta School Boards Association says she’s disappointed with a trustee who suggested gay students should be less open about their sexual orientation.
Analysis: China car market may require "Two Fords"
DETROIT (Reuters) – Six years ago, the "One Ford" mantra saved Ford Motor Co from collapse. Now, Chief Ex ecutive Alan Mulally's unified global product strategy is facing a formidable test: winning over first-time Chinese buyers such as Zhang Haifeng. The 42-year-old teacher has seen his pay jump 27-fold over the last two decades, as China expanded its compulsory education system. After studying his options for a year, Zhang in April paid 70,000 yuan ($11,200) for his first car – General Motors Co's Baojun 630 sedan. … Haiti's rising food insecurity risks social tension, says FAO
ROME (Reuters) – Growing food insecurity in Haiti after Hurricane Sandy risks sparking more social tension, the United Nations Food Agency warned on Thursday, calling for food, farm and transport investment to boost the country’s resilience to climate shocks. Three natural disasters have hit the Caribbean island this year, including a drought in the summer and Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy. More than 40 percent of Haiti’s harvest was destroyed and losses of about $254 million incurred, U.N. estimates say. …
"Ice lady" gets life sentence for double murder
VIENNA (Reuters) – An ice-cream parlour owner dubbed the “ice lady” for the calculated way in which she killed her ex-husband and lover was sentenced to life in a secure mental institution on Thursday. Estibaliz Carranza, 34, had confessed to shooting the two men at close range in the back of the head, cutting up their bodies with a chainsaw, freezing them in a deep freeze and later interring them in concrete under the cellar of her store. …
Trial of Turkish coup general adjourned till January
ANKARA (Reuters) – The trial of former Turkish president General Kenan Evren over a 1980 military coup that led to mass torture and executions was adjourned on Thursday until January to allow for more evidence. The trial of 95-year-old Evren, symbol of an era when the army dominated Turkish politics, is a landmark in the steady erosion of the military’s power under Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. It also offers the country a chance to confront one of its bloodiest periods since the republic’s foundation in 1923. …
Robert Pickton inquiry report handed in; will be made public next month
VICTORIA – The man who led a public inquiry into the failed police investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton has handed in his report to the B.C. government.
France should study takeover of ArcelorMittal plant: minister
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s industry minister said on Thursday that the government should consider a takeover of two threatened French blast furnaces at ArcelorMittal’s Florange steel plant, as it tries to prop up the country’s struggling industrial sector. “The question … of eventual government control, even temporary, should be seriously studied by the government,” Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg told the Senate. …
Britain bans Nigerian Islamist group accused of murder
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Thursday banned a Nigeria-based Islamist group it said was aligned with al Qaeda as a minister said the oulawed organisation was probably responsible for the killing of a Briton and an Italian. Britain’s interior ministry described the group – Ansaru – as “a Nigeria-based terrorist organisation motivated by an anti-Nigerian government and anti-Western agenda”. The two men Britain believes the group murdered were Chris McManus, a Briton, and Franco Lamolinara, an Italian. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Syrian rebels strengthen hold in country's east
Syrian rebels strengthened their hold Thursday on an oil-rich province bordering Iraq, activists said, capturing a key military base that was considered one of the last bastions for President Bashar Assad's loyalists in the strategic region.
Albania court convicts fugitive ex-spy chief
An Albanian court has convicted the country’s fugitive former intelligence chief of murder for the 1995 death of a suspect who was illegally detained for an alleged plot to murder the president of Macedonia.
Rhode Island Black Heritage Society names group to promote public access to rare collection
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society is pushing to make its extensive collection of rare books, manuscripts and pamphlets more accessible to the public.
Tory senators kill proposed legislation on controversial MS treatment
OTTAWA – The Conservatives have used their Senate majority to kill legislation that would have authorized a national strategy to deal with a controversial therapy for multiple sclerosis.
Georgia's new premier raises pressure on president
Georgia's new prime minister said Thursday he would move quickly to expand the Cabinet's powers, a change that would take away even more influence from the ex-Soviet nation's beleaguered pro-Western president.
France faces twin tasks of ageing nuclear fleet, staff
PARIS (Reuters) – An ageing fleet of nuclear power plants and retirement of half of EDF’s nuclear staff in the next 5 years are the main challenges the French nuclear safety watchdog is facing and will have to deal with, its new head said on Thursday. France, the most nuclear-reliant nation in the world, will have to decide in the next few years whether to extend the lifespan of its 58 nuclear reactors to over 40 years, at a time it is trying to cut its reliance on the atom. “We have a nuclear fleet which was built in the 1960s, 70s, 80s. …
Aussie-born fullback Pritchard recalls Canada debut, nears national record
James Pritchard has one overpowering memory of his rugby debut for Canada against the New Zealand Maori in 2003.
Kidnapped Chinese oil workers freed by rebels
Four Chinese oil workers have been freed in the same southern jungles where the country’s largest rebel group kidnapped them 17 months ago, police said Thursday. China’s ambassador said that no ransom was ever sought for the men.
Rookie head coach Scott Milanovich leads Toronto Argonauts by example
TORONTO – As his Toronto Argonauts filtered into a hotel restaurant for a media breakfast, Scott Milanovich was already hard at work.
Two killed in clash at Harmony Gold South Africa mine
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Two miners were killed in clashes between rival unions in South Africa on Thursday at a mine run by Harmony Gold, in a fresh flare-up of labor violence in Africa’s largest economy days after a wave of wildcat strikes ended, police said. A third miner was in hospital after being shot in the leg during the confrontation at Kusasalethu mine, 65 km (40 miles) west of Johannesburg, police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said. “Now its quiet. …
Flood insurance subsidy deal in doubt
LONDON (Reuters) – A plan to guarantee affordable insurance for homes in Britain's flood-prone regions could fail because the government won't provide the scheme with a financial backstop, several industry sources said. A collapse of the so-called Flood Re plan could lea ve 200,000 homes at high risk of flooding without insurance when an existing subsidy arrangement expires in July next year. Under Flood Re, drawn up by the insurance industry, households at low risk would pay a levy of up to 20 pounds a year into a fund which would cover claims from high-risk homes. …
Irish charms keep U.S. giants sweet for now
DUBLIN (Reuters) – U.S. business chiefs gathered in the Irish capital on Thursday to give thanks for low taxes, a cool climate and the financial crisis ̵ 1; three factors that have helped produce a bumper year in their favorite corner of Europe. But there was a hint of foreboding at the American Chamber of Commerce's annual Thanksgiving lunch in Dublin that Ireland's promise to maintain its low corporate tax rate, its crisis wage cuts and its perfect weather for high-tech data farms may not be enough to keep the relationship sweet. …
Swedish labour boss calls for rate cuts, won't back down on wage demands
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The head of Sweden’s trade union confederation urges the central bank to cut interest rates to support the slowing economy and says union demands for wage hikes would not trigger inflation. Sweden’s economy, which had been one of the most robust in Europe, is slowing sharply. The central bank has indicated that rates are more likely to fall next year than rise but has been reluctant to lower borrowing costs because it is worried about high levels of household debt. …
Canada aims to balance budget in 2015, eyes targeted investments
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday h e is aiming to wipe out the federal budget deficit by 2015, in time for the next election, but cautioned the Conservative government would be flexible with that target if the economy soured. "It remains our intention to balance the budget during this session of Parliament," Flaherty said in the prepared text of a speech he was delivering in Toronto. "Although we are prepared to be flexible and pragmatic should circumstances warrant — our plan is to stick to our plan: balanced budgets and low taxes," he said. …
Italian journalists to strike over defamation bill
ROME (Reuters) – Italian journalists plan to strike next week to protest against a law that would send them to jail for defamation but would let editors off with a fine, the journalists’ union said on Thursday. The Senate earlier passed an amendment to a bill that would set a maximum sentence of a year in jail for anyone convicted of defamation, while editors-in-chief and managing editors face a maximum fine of 50,000 euros ($64,400) or 20,000 euros respectively. The measure must be approved by the Chamber of Deputies to become law. …
France asks Russia to review "ostentatious" Paris church
PARIS/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has suspended its bid for a permit to build an Orthodox church with five domes on the Seine riverbank in Paris, the French government said, after the mayor of the world’s most visited city labeled the project a showy eyesore. Ahead of a Paris visit next week by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, France’s culture and foreign ministries said in a joint statement that Moscow had agreed to review the plan, which is close to President Vladimir Putin’s heart. …
Syrian rebels strengthened their hold Thursday on an oil-rich province bordering Iraq, activists said, capturing a key military base that was considered one of the last bastions for President Bashar Assad's loyalists in the strategic region. Albania court convicts fugitive ex-spy chief
An Albanian court has convicted the country’s fugitive former intelligence chief of murder for the 1995 death of a suspect who was illegally detained for an alleged plot to murder the president of Macedonia.
Rhode Island Black Heritage Society names group to promote public access to rare collection
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society is pushing to make its extensive collection of rare books, manuscripts and pamphlets more accessible to the public.
Tory senators kill proposed legislation on controversial MS treatment
OTTAWA – The Conservatives have used their Senate majority to kill legislation that would have authorized a national strategy to deal with a controversial therapy for multiple sclerosis.
Georgia's new premier raises pressure on president
Georgia's new prime minister said Thursday he would move quickly to expand the Cabinet's powers, a change that would take away even more influence from the ex-Soviet nation's beleaguered pro-Western president. France faces twin tasks of ageing nuclear fleet, staff
PARIS (Reuters) – An ageing fleet of nuclear power plants and retirement of half of EDF’s nuclear staff in the next 5 years are the main challenges the French nuclear safety watchdog is facing and will have to deal with, its new head said on Thursday. France, the most nuclear-reliant nation in the world, will have to decide in the next few years whether to extend the lifespan of its 58 nuclear reactors to over 40 years, at a time it is trying to cut its reliance on the atom. “We have a nuclear fleet which was built in the 1960s, 70s, 80s. …
Aussie-born fullback Pritchard recalls Canada debut, nears national record
James Pritchard has one overpowering memory of his rugby debut for Canada against the New Zealand Maori in 2003.
Kidnapped Chinese oil workers freed by rebels
Four Chinese oil workers have been freed in the same southern jungles where the country’s largest rebel group kidnapped them 17 months ago, police said Thursday. China’s ambassador said that no ransom was ever sought for the men.
Rookie head coach Scott Milanovich leads Toronto Argonauts by example
TORONTO – As his Toronto Argonauts filtered into a hotel restaurant for a media breakfast, Scott Milanovich was already hard at work.
Two killed in clash at Harmony Gold South Africa mine
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Two miners were killed in clashes between rival unions in South Africa on Thursday at a mine run by Harmony Gold, in a fresh flare-up of labor violence in Africa’s largest economy days after a wave of wildcat strikes ended, police said. A third miner was in hospital after being shot in the leg during the confrontation at Kusasalethu mine, 65 km (40 miles) west of Johannesburg, police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said. “Now its quiet. …
Flood insurance subsidy deal in doubt
LONDON (Reuters) – A plan to guarantee affordable insurance for homes in Britain's flood-prone regions could fail because the government won't provide the scheme with a financial backstop, several industry sources said. A collapse of the so-called Flood Re plan could lea ve 200,000 homes at high risk of flooding without insurance when an existing subsidy arrangement expires in July next year. Under Flood Re, drawn up by the insurance industry, households at low risk would pay a levy of up to 20 pounds a year into a fund which would cover claims from high-risk homes. … Irish charms keep U.S. giants sweet for now
DUBLIN (Reuters) – U.S. business chiefs gathered in the Irish capital on Thursday to give thanks for low taxes, a cool climate and the financial crisis ̵ 1; three factors that have helped produce a bumper year in their favorite corner of Europe. But there was a hint of foreboding at the American Chamber of Commerce's annual Thanksgiving lunch in Dublin that Ireland's promise to maintain its low corporate tax rate, its crisis wage cuts and its perfect weather for high-tech data farms may not be enough to keep the relationship sweet. … Swedish labour boss calls for rate cuts, won't back down on wage demands
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The head of Sweden’s trade union confederation urges the central bank to cut interest rates to support the slowing economy and says union demands for wage hikes would not trigger inflation. Sweden’s economy, which had been one of the most robust in Europe, is slowing sharply. The central bank has indicated that rates are more likely to fall next year than rise but has been reluctant to lower borrowing costs because it is worried about high levels of household debt. …
Canada aims to balance budget in 2015, eyes targeted investments
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday h e is aiming to wipe out the federal budget deficit by 2015, in time for the next election, but cautioned the Conservative government would be flexible with that target if the economy soured. "It remains our intention to balance the budget during this session of Parliament," Flaherty said in the prepared text of a speech he was delivering in Toronto. "Although we are prepared to be flexible and pragmatic should circumstances warrant — our plan is to stick to our plan: balanced budgets and low taxes," he said. … Italian journalists to strike over defamation bill
ROME (Reuters) – Italian journalists plan to strike next week to protest against a law that would send them to jail for defamation but would let editors off with a fine, the journalists’ union said on Thursday. The Senate earlier passed an amendment to a bill that would set a maximum sentence of a year in jail for anyone convicted of defamation, while editors-in-chief and managing editors face a maximum fine of 50,000 euros ($64,400) or 20,000 euros respectively. The measure must be approved by the Chamber of Deputies to become law. …
France asks Russia to review "ostentatious" Paris church
PARIS/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has suspended its bid for a permit to build an Orthodox church with five domes on the Seine riverbank in Paris, the French government said, after the mayor of the world’s most visited city labeled the project a showy eyesore. Ahead of a Paris visit next week by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, France’s culture and foreign ministries said in a joint statement that Moscow had agreed to review the plan, which is close to President Vladimir Putin’s heart. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Cable wants more scrutiny of companies to restore trust
LONDON (Reuters) – Business Secretary Vince Cable will renew calls to boost scrutiny of companies in a bid to rein in reckless behaviour, avoid another crisis and bring back trust in financial markets. Cable wa nts to increase regulation to rein in executive pay schemes and change the way company directors measure their performance by scrapping quarterly reporting, he told institutional investors at the Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) Corporate Governance Conference on Thursday. …
Tom Brokaw to receive lifetime achievement award at Massachusetts' Old Sturbridge Village
STURBRIDGE, Mass. – A living history museum in Massachusetts is preparing to honour journalist and former TV news anchor Tom Brokaw with a lifetime achievement award.
Baghdad, Kurds trade accusations of troop buildup
Baghdad and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region accused each other Thursday of rushing troops into disputed border regions amid heightened tensions between the rival governments.
Promoter: R&B star Chris Brown cancels Guyana show after protests over 2009 Rihanna assault
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Organizers say American R&B star Chris Brown has cancelled a stadium concert in Guyana after local protests over his 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Rugby-Italy make two forward changes for Australia match
Nov 22 (Reuters) – Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the pack for his team’s third and final November rugby international against Australia in Florence on Saturday. Robert Barbieri returns at openside flanker in place of Simone Favaro with captain Sergio Parisse and Alessandro Zanni completing the back three. Quintin Geldenhuys comes into the second row in place of Antonio Pavanello to partner Francesco Minto. Italy defeated Tonga 28-23 in their opening match before losing 42-10 to world champions New Zealand. …
2 tons of pigeon droppings found in Swedish church tower; hatch left open for decades
STOCKHOLM – A hatch on a Swedish church tower inadvertently left open for some three decades resulted in 2 tons of pigeon droppings amassing in the tower.
Israeli soldier dies of wounds from Gaza violence
The Israeli military says a soldier has died from injuries sustained in a Palestinian rocket attack that occurred before a cease-fire with Hamas took effect.
Egypt's Morsi grants himself far-reaching powers
Egypt’s president has issued constitutional amendments granting himself far-reaching powers and ordering the retrial of leaders of Hosni Mubarak’s regime for the killing of protesters in last year’s uprising.
Mexico's president tries to change country's name
Mexico’s president is making one last attempt to get the “United States” out of Mexico -- at least as far as the country’s name is concerned.
Egypt's Mursi sacks general prosecutor, appoints another
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Thursday sacked Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, the general prosecutor, to try to appease protesters demanding the retrial of officials they say were involved in orchestrating violence against them during last year's uprising. Mursi tried to remove Abdel Maguid Mahmoud in October to calm protesters furious about the acquittal of a number of senior officials who had stood trial over the issue. Talat Abdullah was appointed the new general prosecutor. …
Pair jailed for alleged Dubai taxi romp
A Dubai court has sentenced an Irish man and British woman to three months in jail for an intimate tryst in the back of a taxi.
Former Ivory Coast leader's wife wanted by ICC
The International Criminal Court unsealed an indictment Thursday against former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo's wife on charges including murder, rape and persecution. It was the first time in the court's 10-year history it has charged a woman.
Canadian lightweight Jesse (The Body Snatcher) Ronson knows where to do the damage
TORONTO – If Jesse (The Body Snatcher) Ronson hadn’t elected to become an MMA fighter, he may have done well as a doctor. Or perhaps butcher.
Australian conquers world of Belgian chocolate
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – It’s fair to say that pastry chef Ryan Stevenson was not received warmly by Belgium’s chocolate community after he won the national chocolate contest and in quick succession the praline award at the prestigious World Chocolate Masters. Stevenson crafted his pralines – chocolate shells with soft centers – by lacing the chocolate with exotic fruit flavors. He won a Renault Kangoo award with “Belgian Chocolate Master” written on the side and was featured on Belgian television. But he soon heard that a lot of chocolatiers thought his victory had been beginner’s luck. …
Georgia PM aims to strengthen his role before presidential vote
TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgia’s new prime minister aims to change the constitution to boost his powers before a presidential vote next year, he said on Thursday, but will not try to impeach rival President Mikheil Saakashvili. Bidzina Ivanishvili won power in a parliamentary election last month that ended Saakashvili’s nine-year political dominance but left Georgia with an uneasy “cohabitation” government, with the president still in place, at least until October. …
Advisory group says raised Autonomy auditor concerns
LONDON (Reuters) – Shareholder group PIRC said on Thursday it had warned that auditors Deloitte did too much non-audit work for Autonomy to be sufficiently independent from the software firm that Hewlett Packard bought last year and now accuses of inflating its accounts. HP bought the British company for $11.1 billion last year, a price many analysts considered more than it was worth, and announced on Tuesday that it was writing off about $5 billion due to “serious accounting improprieties” that inflated the unit’s numbers before the deal. …
Congo rebel leader to meet presidents in Uganda
The leader of a rebel group seeking to overthrow the Congolese government headed to neighboring Uganda on Thursday following a meeting between the Rwandan and Congolese presidents.
Ont. woman's right to choose place of birth stands; SCOC won't hear appeal
TORONTO – Canada’s top court has declined to hear an appeal in a case involving an Ontario woman’s right to choose where to have her baby.
Decades after king's toppling, Iraq revisits its royal history
More than half a century after Iraq's monarchy was toppled in a violent coup, Iraqis are coming to grips with a controversial part of their history that some consider the country’s golden age.
LONDON (Reuters) – Business Secretary Vince Cable will renew calls to boost scrutiny of companies in a bid to rein in reckless behaviour, avoid another crisis and bring back trust in financial markets. Cable wa nts to increase regulation to rein in executive pay schemes and change the way company directors measure their performance by scrapping quarterly reporting, he told institutional investors at the Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) Corporate Governance Conference on Thursday. … Tom Brokaw to receive lifetime achievement award at Massachusetts' Old Sturbridge Village
STURBRIDGE, Mass. – A living history museum in Massachusetts is preparing to honour journalist and former TV news anchor Tom Brokaw with a lifetime achievement award.
Baghdad, Kurds trade accusations of troop buildup
Baghdad and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region accused each other Thursday of rushing troops into disputed border regions amid heightened tensions between the rival governments.
Promoter: R&B star Chris Brown cancels Guyana show after protests over 2009 Rihanna assault
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Organizers say American R&B star Chris Brown has cancelled a stadium concert in Guyana after local protests over his 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Rugby-Italy make two forward changes for Australia match
Nov 22 (Reuters) – Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the pack for his team’s third and final November rugby international against Australia in Florence on Saturday. Robert Barbieri returns at openside flanker in place of Simone Favaro with captain Sergio Parisse and Alessandro Zanni completing the back three. Quintin Geldenhuys comes into the second row in place of Antonio Pavanello to partner Francesco Minto. Italy defeated Tonga 28-23 in their opening match before losing 42-10 to world champions New Zealand. …
2 tons of pigeon droppings found in Swedish church tower; hatch left open for decades
STOCKHOLM – A hatch on a Swedish church tower inadvertently left open for some three decades resulted in 2 tons of pigeon droppings amassing in the tower.
Israeli soldier dies of wounds from Gaza violence
The Israeli military says a soldier has died from injuries sustained in a Palestinian rocket attack that occurred before a cease-fire with Hamas took effect. Egypt's Morsi grants himself far-reaching powers
Egypt’s president has issued constitutional amendments granting himself far-reaching powers and ordering the retrial of leaders of Hosni Mubarak’s regime for the killing of protesters in last year’s uprising.
Mexico's president tries to change country's name
Mexico’s president is making one last attempt to get the “United States” out of Mexico -- at least as far as the country’s name is concerned.
Egypt's Mursi sacks general prosecutor, appoints another
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Thursday sacked Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, the general prosecutor, to try to appease protesters demanding the retrial of officials they say were involved in orchestrating violence against them during last year's uprising. Mursi tried to remove Abdel Maguid Mahmoud in October to calm protesters furious about the acquittal of a number of senior officials who had stood trial over the issue. Talat Abdullah was appointed the new general prosecutor. … Pair jailed for alleged Dubai taxi romp
A Dubai court has sentenced an Irish man and British woman to three months in jail for an intimate tryst in the back of a taxi.
Former Ivory Coast leader's wife wanted by ICC
The International Criminal Court unsealed an indictment Thursday against former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo's wife on charges including murder, rape and persecution. It was the first time in the court's 10-year history it has charged a woman. Canadian lightweight Jesse (The Body Snatcher) Ronson knows where to do the damage
TORONTO – If Jesse (The Body Snatcher) Ronson hadn’t elected to become an MMA fighter, he may have done well as a doctor. Or perhaps butcher.
Australian conquers world of Belgian chocolate
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – It’s fair to say that pastry chef Ryan Stevenson was not received warmly by Belgium’s chocolate community after he won the national chocolate contest and in quick succession the praline award at the prestigious World Chocolate Masters. Stevenson crafted his pralines – chocolate shells with soft centers – by lacing the chocolate with exotic fruit flavors. He won a Renault Kangoo award with “Belgian Chocolate Master” written on the side and was featured on Belgian television. But he soon heard that a lot of chocolatiers thought his victory had been beginner’s luck. …
Georgia PM aims to strengthen his role before presidential vote
TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgia’s new prime minister aims to change the constitution to boost his powers before a presidential vote next year, he said on Thursday, but will not try to impeach rival President Mikheil Saakashvili. Bidzina Ivanishvili won power in a parliamentary election last month that ended Saakashvili’s nine-year political dominance but left Georgia with an uneasy “cohabitation” government, with the president still in place, at least until October. …
Advisory group says raised Autonomy auditor concerns
LONDON (Reuters) – Shareholder group PIRC said on Thursday it had warned that auditors Deloitte did too much non-audit work for Autonomy to be sufficiently independent from the software firm that Hewlett Packard bought last year and now accuses of inflating its accounts. HP bought the British company for $11.1 billion last year, a price many analysts considered more than it was worth, and announced on Tuesday that it was writing off about $5 billion due to “serious accounting improprieties” that inflated the unit’s numbers before the deal. …
Congo rebel leader to meet presidents in Uganda
The leader of a rebel group seeking to overthrow the Congolese government headed to neighboring Uganda on Thursday following a meeting between the Rwandan and Congolese presidents. Ont. woman's right to choose place of birth stands; SCOC won't hear appeal
TORONTO – Canada’s top court has declined to hear an appeal in a case involving an Ontario woman’s right to choose where to have her baby.
Decades after king's toppling, Iraq revisits its royal history
More than half a century after Iraq's monarchy was toppled in a violent coup, Iraqis are coming to grips with a controversial part of their history that some consider the country’s golden age.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
France's Sarkozy: In court and political exile
He faces allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power.
Santander may sell U.S. car finance arm to raise cash
MADRID (Reuters) – Santander may list its U.S. car financing division to squeeze yet more cash out of overseas businesses to shore up its defenses against weakness in Spain. The Spanish bank said on Thursday it was still too early to discuss timing for a share sale of the business – Santander Consumer USA – something already proposed in a deal signed last year with its other shareholders. …
Supreme Court refers four drunk driving cases back to provincial appeal courts
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada has ordered the appeal courts in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec to reconsider four old drunk driving cases in light of a new precedent-setting ruling it recently issued.
Boston travel agent arraigned for allegedly cheating of Chinese seeking US citizenship
BOSTON – The owner of a travel agency in Boston’s Chinatown neighbourhood has pleaded not guilty to charges that she stole nearly $90,000 from immigrants she had promised to help secure U.S. citizenship even though they did not meet the English language requirement.
States, cities look for ways to prepare transportation systems for new rounds of wild weather
WASHINGTON – Wild weather is taking a toll on roads, airports, railways and transit systems across the country.
Narnia author Lewis to be honoured at Poets' Corner
LONDON (Reuters) – “Chronicles of Narnia” creator C.S. Lewis will be honoured next year with a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey in central London, the abbey said on Thursday. The novelist, poet, essayist and literary critic will join the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy who are either buried or commemorated in the famous location. The memorial will be dedicated at a special service to be held on November 22, 2013, the 50th anniversary of Lewis’s death at the age of 64. He was buried in Oxford. …
Qatar set to host major climate talks
When the tiny desert nation of Qatar was chosen to host the latest round of United Nations climate change negotiations, environmentalists were stunned.
Rugby-Italy team to play Australia
Nov 22 (Reuters) – Italy team to play Australia on Saturday at 1400 GMT 15-Andrea Masi, 14-Giovambattista Venditti, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Alberto Sgarbi, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Luciano Orquera, 9-Edoardo Gori; 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Robert Barbieri, 6-Alessandro Zanni, 5-Francesco Minto, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1-Andrea Lo Cicero Replacements: 16-Davide Giazzon, 17-Michele Rizzo, 18-Lorenzo Cittadini, 19-Antonio Pavanello, 20-Simone Favaro, 21- Manoa Vosawai, 22-Tobias Botes, 23-Luke McLean (Edited by Tom Pilcher)
Doctors: Puerto Rican boxer 'Macho' Camacho is brain dead
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Doctors say famed Puerto Rican boxer Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho is clinically “brain dead” after being shot in the face.
UN report accuses Uganda leader's brother on Congo
A new U.N. report that accuses the Rwandan military of commanding and supporting rebel forces in eastern Congo also charges that the brother of Uganda’s long-serving president actively backs the movement.
Kenya political campaign puts gay taboo in spotlight
KIAMBU, Kenya (Reuters) – An anti-poverty campaigner has become Kenya’s first openly gay man to run for political office, but David Kuria Mbote faces a challenging path as he tries to dispel taboos in the largely conservative Christian nation in a race for a senate seat. If elected to the Kenyan senate, Mbote, 40, would be Africa’s only openly homosexual black man to hold national office, according to the Kaleidoscope Trust, a non-profit organization focusing on gay rights. …
Judgment day: UK media faces moment of truth
It’s judgment day for Britain’s press.
He faces allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power. Santander may sell U.S. car finance arm to raise cash
MADRID (Reuters) – Santander may list its U.S. car financing division to squeeze yet more cash out of overseas businesses to shore up its defenses against weakness in Spain. The Spanish bank said on Thursday it was still too early to discuss timing for a share sale of the business – Santander Consumer USA – something already proposed in a deal signed last year with its other shareholders. …
Supreme Court refers four drunk driving cases back to provincial appeal courts
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada has ordered the appeal courts in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec to reconsider four old drunk driving cases in light of a new precedent-setting ruling it recently issued.
Boston travel agent arraigned for allegedly cheating of Chinese seeking US citizenship
BOSTON – The owner of a travel agency in Boston’s Chinatown neighbourhood has pleaded not guilty to charges that she stole nearly $90,000 from immigrants she had promised to help secure U.S. citizenship even though they did not meet the English language requirement.
States, cities look for ways to prepare transportation systems for new rounds of wild weather
WASHINGTON – Wild weather is taking a toll on roads, airports, railways and transit systems across the country.
Narnia author Lewis to be honoured at Poets' Corner
LONDON (Reuters) – “Chronicles of Narnia” creator C.S. Lewis will be honoured next year with a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey in central London, the abbey said on Thursday. The novelist, poet, essayist and literary critic will join the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy who are either buried or commemorated in the famous location. The memorial will be dedicated at a special service to be held on November 22, 2013, the 50th anniversary of Lewis’s death at the age of 64. He was buried in Oxford. …
Qatar set to host major climate talks
When the tiny desert nation of Qatar was chosen to host the latest round of United Nations climate change negotiations, environmentalists were stunned. Rugby-Italy team to play Australia
Nov 22 (Reuters) – Italy team to play Australia on Saturday at 1400 GMT 15-Andrea Masi, 14-Giovambattista Venditti, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Alberto Sgarbi, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Luciano Orquera, 9-Edoardo Gori; 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Robert Barbieri, 6-Alessandro Zanni, 5-Francesco Minto, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1-Andrea Lo Cicero Replacements: 16-Davide Giazzon, 17-Michele Rizzo, 18-Lorenzo Cittadini, 19-Antonio Pavanello, 20-Simone Favaro, 21- Manoa Vosawai, 22-Tobias Botes, 23-Luke McLean (Edited by Tom Pilcher)
Doctors: Puerto Rican boxer 'Macho' Camacho is brain dead
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Doctors say famed Puerto Rican boxer Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho is clinically “brain dead” after being shot in the face.
UN report accuses Uganda leader's brother on Congo
A new U.N. report that accuses the Rwandan military of commanding and supporting rebel forces in eastern Congo also charges that the brother of Uganda’s long-serving president actively backs the movement.
Kenya political campaign puts gay taboo in spotlight
KIAMBU, Kenya (Reuters) – An anti-poverty campaigner has become Kenya’s first openly gay man to run for political office, but David Kuria Mbote faces a challenging path as he tries to dispel taboos in the largely conservative Christian nation in a race for a senate seat. If elected to the Kenyan senate, Mbote, 40, would be Africa’s only openly homosexual black man to hold national office, according to the Kaleidoscope Trust, a non-profit organization focusing on gay rights. …
Judgment day: UK media faces moment of truth
It’s judgment day for Britain’s press.
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