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| 'Fast and Furious' actor Paul Walker dies in car crash: publicist Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 08:29 PM PST  (Reuters) - Actor Paul Walker, known for his roles in the "Fast and the Furious" movies, died on Saturday in a car crash in Southern California, his publicist said. "Sadly, I must confirm that Paul did pass away this afternoon in a car accident," Ame Van Iden, Walker's publicist, said in an email. A message linked to Walker's Twitter account, "@RealPaulWalker," said Walker, 40, died as a passenger in a friend's car while attending an event for a charity organization. Full Story | Top |
| China's November factory growth clings to 18-month high Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 07:56 PM PST  China's factory growth held at an 18-month high in November on firm domestic and foreign demand, defying expectations the economy faces a modest slowdown as 2013 draws to a close. Investors had expected the PMI, one of the earliest pieces of Chinese data released each month, to show China's economy decelerated in the fourth quarter on slacker credit growth, fragile global demand, and slower restocking of inventories by firms. "The export order data suggests that global demand - key to the outlook for China's manufacturing - improved a bit." A sub-index for export orders nudged higher to 50.6 in November from 50.4 in October, hovering above the 50-point threshold separating growth from contraction. Experts will welcome the unexpected PMI strength as a sign that China can press on with sprawling plans outlined last month to cut back central economic planning without fear of endangering growth. Full Story | Top |
| Global recovery still too weak, South Korea data shows Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 07:14 PM PST  By Choonsik Yoo SEOUL (Reuters) - Exports by industrial powerhouse South Korea showed virtually no growth last month, underlining a still fragile global economy squeezed by a depressed Europe as growth slows in emerging markets. Overseas shipments by the world's seventh-largest exporter rose just 0.2 percent in November from a year earlier in dollar value, government data showed on Sunday, smaller than a median gain of 2.8 percent tipped in a Reuters survey of 13 analysts. Growth of sales to China, the United States and the European Union all slowed whereas exports to Southeast Asia's 10-nation ASEAN bloc posted the worst decline since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, the data showed. "Some of the big economies, such as the United States, are recovering, but are not there yet to spur corporate investment for more production and boost global trade much," said Park Sang-hyun, economist at HI Investment & Securities in Seoul. Full Story | Top |
| 'World's Ugliest Dog' Elwood dies in New Jersey Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 05:34 PM PST (Reuters) - Elwood, the Chihuahua and Chinese Crested mix whose unusual appearance won him the 2007 title of World's Ugliest Dog, has died unexpectedly at the age of 8, his owner said on Saturday. "It was very sudden," said a tearful Karen Quigley, 52, of Sewell, New Jersey, who adopted Elwood in 2006. "He was in my arms," Quigley said. Elwood was dark and practically hairless - except for a tuft of white hair on his forehead - and had a long, protruding tongue. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. retail sales up at start of holiday season: data Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 04:55 PM PST  (Reuters) - U.S. shoppers visited more stores and spent more money at brick-and-mortar sites across Thanksgiving Day and "Black Friday" than they did in 2012 while online sales set records, data showed on Saturday. When compared with Thanksgiving on Thursday and "Black Friday" last year, research firm ShopperTrak estimated that traffic at brick-and-mortar stores increased 2.8 percent, to more than 1.07 billion store visits. Retail sales increased by 2.3 percent as shoppers spent an estimated total of $12.3 billion across the two days, ShopperTrak said in a statement. , which provides digital marketing tools, said its data showed record online sales for "Black Friday" and Thanksgiving at $1.93 billion and $1.062 billion, respectively. Full Story | Top |
| Obamacare website enters critical phase, unclear if fixes are enough Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 04:00 PM PST  The rollout of President Barack Obama's healthcare law entered a critical phase on Saturday, the deadline for substantially fixing the program's troubled enrollment website, as the administration scrambled to address the most obvious glitches. The White House, facing mounting pressure from Republican opponents and members of Obama's Democratic party, promised five weeks ago that by November 30 it would repair HealthCare.gov. HealthCare.gov is a key portal for Obama's signature domestic achievement, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which aims to extend coverage to millions of people and reduce healthcare costs. Making Obamacare work has enormous political stakes for the administration and its Democratic allies who are heading into congressional elections next year. Full Story | Top |
| Eight dead as police helicopter crashes into Scottish pub Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 03:48 PM PST By Russell Cheyne GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - Eight people were killed and 14 others seriously injured when a police helicopter crashed into the roof of a packed Glasgow pub, trapping many inside in choking dust and debris, Scottish police said on Saturday, Witnesses said the helicopter dropped from the sky like a stone onto the busy Clutha Pub in Scotland's biggest city on Friday night while more than 100 people were crammed inside, listening to a live music concert. The helicopter crew - two police officers and the civilian pilot - were among the dead and the others were discovered inside the wreckage of the building, Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stephen House told reporters. The 12-metre (40 foot) helicopter - a twin-engine Eurocopter EC135 T2, made by a subsidiary of EADS - spiraled into the pub in the center of Glasgow, destroying part of the roof. "Until the helicopter is out of the way we won't know what ... is going on underneath." Immediately after the crash, revelers caked in dust and blood rushed out into the street. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. airlines give China flight plans for new defense zone Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 03:32 PM PST  By Marina Lopes and Lesley Wroughton NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. airlines United, American and Delta, have notified Chinese authorities of flight plans when traveling through an air defense zone Beijing has declared over the East China Sea, following U.S. government advice. The United States said on Friday it expected U.S. carriers to operate in line with so-called notices to airmen issued by foreign countries, although it added that the decision did "not indicate U.S. government acceptance of China's requirements. Airline industry officials said the U.S. government generally expects U.S. carriers operating internationally to comply with notices issued by foreign countries. In contrast, two major airlines in Japan, the United States' close ally, have agreed with the Japanese government that they would fly through the zone without notifying China. Full Story | Top |
| Obama and daughters go big on books on Small Business Saturday Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 12:43 PM PST  By Elvina Nawaguna WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and his daughters, Sasha and Malia, went on what has become an annual book shopping spree on Saturday, stopping at a bookstore to promote an event called Small Business Saturday. They purchased about two dozen books, including "The Lowland," by Jhumpa Lahiri, "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe: Other stories" by Carson McCullers, "Red Sparrow" by Jason Matthews, and "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. "It's a long list," Obama said while paying, his daughters, aged 12 and 15, standing behind him. Full Story | Top |
| Unclear yet if crucial overhaul of Obamacare website a success Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 12:40 PM PST  Americans got their first look on Saturday at an overhaul of the troubled enrollment website at the heart of President Barack Obama's healthcare law, but it was unclear yet if the White House had made good on its pledge to fix the glitches. The Obama administration promised five weeks ago that by this weekend it would fix HealthCare.gov, the site designed to help people sign up for medical coverage but which has been plagued by errors, outages, and slow speeds since a disastrous October 1 launch. HealthCare.gov is a key portal for Obama's signature domestic achievement, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which aims to extend coverage to millions of people and reduce healthcare costs. Making Obamacare work has enormous political stakes for the administration and its Democratic allies who are heading into congressional elections next year. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. offers to destroy Syria's chemicals at sea: OPCW Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:52 AM PST  The United States has offered to destroy Syrian chemicals on a U.S. ship, the global chemical weapons watchdog said on Saturday, and is looking for a suitable Mediterranean port where processing can be carried out. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been under pressure to find an alternative plan for the destruction of Syria's poison gas arsenal after Albania backed out of hosting the work. The OPCW said 35 firms had expressed an interest in bidding for commercial contracts by Friday's deadline for the treatment of about 800 tonnes (1 tonne = 1.102 metric tons) of bulk industrial chemicals that are safe to destroy in commercial incinerators. The OPCW said the operation would be carried out on a U.S. vessel at sea using hydrolysis, adding a naval vessel was undergoing modifications to support the operations. Full Story | Top |
| East African trade bloc approves monetary union deal Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:35 AM PST By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - The leaders of five East African countries signed a protocol on Saturday laying the groundwork for a monetary union within 10 years that they expect will expand regional trade. Heads of state of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, which have already signed a common market and a single customs union, say the protocol will allow them to progressively converge their currencies and increase commerce. In the run-up to achieving a common currency, the East African Community (EAC) nations aim to harmonize monetary and fiscal policies and establish a common central bank. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda already present their budgets simultaneously every June. Full Story | Top |
| Truck drivers block French roads in "ecotax" protest Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:34 AM PST  Several thousand truck drivers blocked roads across France on Saturday, causing severe disruption to traffic in protest against a new environmental tax on heavy goods vehicles. The protest is the latest effort to force the French government to cancel the so-called "ecotax" through which it aims to raise more than 1 billion euros ($1.38 billion) a year to finance mostly rail infrastructure projects. On the main highways, truck drivers let cars through but blocked foreign trucks, forcing them to stand idle on the side of the road. "Until this measure is cancelled, we will remain mobilized," said Vincent Tardet from the European Rail Transport Organisation (OTRE) which set up some 26 blockades on France's main road arteries. Full Story | Top |
| Thyssen announces capital increase as U.S. deal sealed Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 07:55 AM PST  is selling its U.S. plant to two rivals in a long-awaited deal to help extricate the German steelmaker from an ill-fated boom-year expansion plan, and said it plans to raise up to 1 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in a share sale. Germany's largest steelmaker, whose empire stretches from shipyards to elevators, said late on Friday it would sell its U.S. steel finishing plant in Calvert, Alabama, to ArcelorMittal ThyssenKrupp has been trying for more than a year and a half to find a buyer for its Steel Americas unit - comprised of the U.S. steel finishing plant and steel slab mill CSA in Brazil - which has drained billions from the company for the past few years and been an obstacle to raising fresh funds. But the sale of the U.S. plant in Calvert is not the coup that ThyssenKrupp Chief Executive Heinrich Hiesinger had initially hoped for. Full Story | Top |
| Unforgotten fighter of Korean war: U.S. pensioner a POW at 85 Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 06:37 AM PST  By Ju-min Park and James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - As autumn descended on a Korean countryside devastated by three years of intense war, a group of anti-communist guerrillas presented U.S. serviceman Merrill Edward Newman with a gold ring. He returned to North Korea last month as an American tourist and was snatched by authorities from his plane moments before it was due to depart for Beijing. The North Korean regime has nourished memories of the 1950-53 Korean War as the inspiration for the country's identity and acts as if the conflict is still happening. No peace treaty was signed between the United States, South Korea and North Korea. Full Story | Top |
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