Nurse who took prank call about royal Kate found dead

Nurse who took prank call about royal Kate found dead


Nurse who took prank call about royal Kate found dead

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:03 PM PST

LONDON (Reuters) - A nurse who answered a prank call at the London hospital that was treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate for morning sickness has been found dead, the hospital said on Friday, in a suspected suicide.

Audio: Here's the anti-American song, 'Dear American,' Psy sang in 2004

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:57 PM PST

English-language media is discovering that Psy, the South Korean rapper world-famous for his hit "Gangnam Style," participated in two anti-American performances before he hit it so big. His first, in 2002, included him smashing a model U.S. tank against a stage in protest of the U.S. military. His second, two years later and after the beheading of a South Korean missionary in Iraq, featured Psy singing along to a song called "Dear American." Here are the anti-American lyrics and an audio embed of the song, plus more info below:

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Syrian rebels say Damascus airport is fair target after heavy fighting

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST

BEIRUT -- Syrian rebels declared Damascus International Airport to be a legitimate target Friday after days of heavy fighting around the facility and warned civilians to stay away.

The airport has been operating only sporadically in the past week with some international airlines choosing to avoid using the facility altogether. A rebel offensive on the airport could shut it down to commercial traffic for the foreseeable future, cutting off one of the few links that the country has to the outside world.

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Trouble flares at city protest

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:18 PM PST

Clashes break out between loyalist youths and riot police near Belfast city centre.

US court to review gay marriages

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:17 PM PST

The US Supreme Court is to hear arguments on whether laws banning gay marriage are illegal under the US Constitution, it announces.

'Torture' attack brothers jailed

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:11 PM PST

Two brothers who slashed a man with a knife during a vicious attack are jailed.

Supreme Court to Take Up Gay Marriage

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:17 PM PST

The justices said they would hear cases from New York and California contesting state and federal laws that limit the definition of marriage to the union of a man and a woman.

North Korean rocket launch said to be driven by internal pressures

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 09:06 AM PST

North Korea's decision to launch a second long-range rocket this year, in the face of international condemnation, could be partly due to internal instability, a senior South Korean government official said Friday.

Gangs target bus for Christmas bonus

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 09:34 AM PST

In Guatemala, and other Latin American countries, it's called "aguinaldo" -- the term used for the bonus government and private sector workers receive this time of the year, their right by law.

War brewing on the latest front line against terrorism in Mali

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:03 PM PST

The next war against terrorism is taking shape in this West African country, as African nations backed by the United States and France are readying a force to recapture Mali's north from extremists linked to al-Qaeda and prevent another haven for jihadists from taking root on the continent.

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Second Nairobi blast targets Somali district

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 11:44 AM PST

Second explosion this week in Eastleigh area of Kenyan capital leaves three dead, with district MP among eight injured.

Kate Middleton's pranked nurse found dead

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:00 PM PST

Nurse who took prank call at UK hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife found dead in suspected suicide.

Severe weather around world

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 11:53 AM PST

This past week saw severe weather in many parts of the world that took dozens of lives and left behind serious damage.

Winter bears down on refugees stuck at Syrian border

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 11:57 AM PST

CNN's Ivan Watson details conditions in refugee camps at the Turkey/Syria border.

U.S. extends waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and seven others

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:09 PM PST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will grant 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and seven other countries on Friday in exchange for those economies cutting purchases of oil from the Islamic Republic, a congressional aide said.

U.N. says Congo army, rebels have committed rights abuses

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 11:25 AM PST

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo troops raped and pillaged in Minova after fleeing to the eastern town as M23 rebels advanced, while insurgents killed civilians and looted when they took the nearby provincial capital Goma last month, the U.N. said on Friday.

Coming Back | The 19th Floor: High Above the Floods, Still Feeling Hurricane Sandy’s Sting

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:50 PM PST

A family found that living on the top floor of a high rise in Queens did not shield them from hardships imposed by Hurricane Sandy.

Blast hits Nairobi's Somali area

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:11 PM PST

Three people are killed in an explosion near a mosque in a predominantly Somali area of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, the Red Cross says.

Fire deaths council fined £30k

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:18 PM PST

Warwickshire County Council is fined £30,000 for safety breaches over the deaths of four firemen in 2007.

Gangnam Nationalism: Why Psy's anti-American rap shouldn't surprise you

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST

Nationalism is a complicated force, and it might not always mean the same thing within one culture as it does in another. Keep that in mind as you read about how Psy, the South Korean rapper beloved in the United States for his mega-hit Gangnam Style, participated in two anti-American performances a few years before he became a big star here. And keep in mind that this is bigger than just Psy and his performances, particularly as controversy is likely to build over President Obama and his family's plans to attend a charity concert featuring the Korean pop star.

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Sepang Council orders company, JPJ to shut down AES cameras

Sepang Council orders company, JPJ to shut down AES cameras


Sepang Council orders company, JPJ to shut down AES cameras

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:57 AM PST

The Sepang Municipal Council (SMC) has not shut down the two Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras in the municipality as it wanted to by this afternoon following an announcement by the Selangor government on Dec 6.

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Ingress bags RM69.7 mln contract from Proton

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:48 AM PST

Ingress Corporation Bhd has secured two contracts worth RM69.70 million from Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (Proton) to supply several components for its new models.

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11 national service camps closed since 2004, says D-G

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:47 AM PST

Eleven camps of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) have been closed since the programme was introduced in 2004 for various breaches by the respective operators, National Service Training Department (JLKN) director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said today.

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Ex-Thai PM slams 'political' protest murder charge

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:44 AM PST

Former Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Friday said the decision to charge him with murder over 2010 "Red Shirt" rallies was "political", insisting military action against protestors was to restore order.

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Tsunami alert after 7.3-magnitude quake rocks Japan

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:40 AM PST

Japanese authorities issued a tsunami alert for the northeast coast Friday after a powerful 7.3-magnitude undersea earthquake struck, setting buildings in Tokyo swaying violently.

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Philippines buries dead, typhoon toll hits 418

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:53 PM PST

NEW BATAAN, Philippines (Reuters) - Residents in the southern Philippines buried their dead on Friday even as rescue workers continued scouring remote areas for survivors of Typhoon Bopha, the nation's strongest storm this year, which killed 418 people and left nearly as many missing.


Tanjung Dawai fishermen protest against sand mining activities

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:08 AM PST

Over 50 fishermen in Tanjung Dawai today staged a peaceful protest against sand mining activities in Kuala Muda, involving the coastal areas of between five and ten nautical miles from Pulau Sayak and Pulau Bidan.

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VIDEO: Firm will 'fly to the moon by 2020'

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:42 PM PST

A private US company, backed by former space engineers, has said it intends to fly to the moon by 2020.

MIC Youth, NGOs protest demolition of altar

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:02 AM PST

About 300 representatives of MIC Youth and non-governmental organisations staged a peaceful protest at the State Secretariat building here against the demolition of an altar at a house in Salak Tinggi, Sepang, on Nov 20.

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Vietnam busts China, Taiwan fake police scam: media

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:48 PM PST

Vietnamese state media Friday said authorities had busted an elaborate telephone scam in which victims in China and Taiwan were tricked into handing over money by callers posing as police officers.

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Christmas market

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:24 PM PST

The Erfurt Christmas market in Erfurt, center Germany is a tourist hotspot drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city every year.

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US TV viewers multi-task online with second screen

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:21 PM PST

Using a connected device like a smartphone or tablet to enrich TV viewing is no longer a growing trend in the US, it's typical behavior.

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Apple admits its next product will focus on the living room

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:19 PM PST

Comments from Apple CEO Tim Cook in a TV interview to be broadcast Thursday night are fueling speculation that Apple is set to launch a TV.

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Apps are overtaking PC use and are challenging TV and gaming

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:17 PM PST

In November US consumers spent an average 127 minutes a day using apps.

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Dance dance intervention: teen girls get a mood boost with dance

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:15 PM PST

For teen girls struggling with low self-esteem and moodiness, a new study recommends cranking up the music and busting out some moves.

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Motor mutts learn to drive in New Zealand

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:06 PM PST

Rather than chasing cars, dogs in New Zealand are being taught to drive them -- steering, pedals and all -- in a heartwarming project aimed at increasing pet adoptions from animal shelters.

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Taiwan's Formosa wins appeal on plant conditions

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:56 PM PST

Taiwan's leading conglomerate Formosa Plastics said Friday it won an appeal against strict environmental conditions the government imposed on the building of a $180 million petrochemical plant.

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Chinese community begins to accept Lynas

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:50 PM PST

By the time the green light was given to the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) to operate the rare earth plant at the industrial zone in Gebeng, Pahang, in early November, much of the community had positively accepted the project.

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Customs adding scanners at ports to better curb smuggling

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:49 PM PST

The Customs Department is adding more scanners and replacing old scanners at ports nationwide to check smuggling as well as to raise the efficiency of its officers with state of the art technology, director-general Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad said today.

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Economic freedom and corruption perception index

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:39 PM PST

With the perfunctory anti-corruption actions, those who receive bribes will continue receiving and those who offer bribes will continue offering. And everyone will still believe that corruption problem is still serious in Malaysia.

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