FIJI LIVE - Russell Brand files for divorce from Katy Perry Dec 31, 2011

"British comic Russell Brand has filed for divorce from US pop star Katy Perry, US media reports said Friday, just over a year after the pair were married in India.
Quoting court documents Brand filed in Los Angeles, TMZ said the British actor and comedian cited "irreconcilable differences" as a reason for divorce.
The couple, married on October 23 last year after a whirlwind romance, have no children but the court documents describe "community property assets," which allude to possible earnings and assets acquired during their marriage, said TMZ.
Brand, 36, confirmed the split in a statement released to media: "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends."

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FIJI LIVE Sports - RWC winning coach Graham Henry a knight Dec 31, 2011

"Leading the All Blacks to the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in 24 years in October has earned Graham Henry one of New Zealand’s highest honours, being made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Sir Graham said they have been through thick and thin but the “lofty goals” he had set as a young man in 1970 carried him through.
He said the honour - which came four years after bitter defeat at the previous World Cup - had been earned collectively by the All Black players, staff, management and families.
"I will just have to carry that title for this group of people - though my mother is very pleased. She loves the Queen so she's very proud,” he told New Zealand Herald."

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FIJI LIVE- Stars to perform on New Year's Eve Dec 31, 2011

"Pop diva Lady Gaga, tenor Placido Domingo and rock veterans Chuck Berry and Patti Smith will join a star-studded lineup to ring in the new year Saturday in New York.
As with every December 31, the main celebration will be held at Times Square in the heart of Manhattan, where more than a million people are expected to gather to watch the New Year's crystal ball drop at the stroke of midnight.
The party, first held in 1908, is one of the biggest in the world to ring in the new year.
Lady Gaga and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will press the button that drops the giant glittering ball at one minute before midnight."

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CNN News - 2011's most tweetable TV Dec 31, 2011

"This was the year that TV and Twitter truly joined forces.
Hashtags could be seen during shows like "Glee," "Fringe" and "The Voice," and CBS, Fox and USA were among the networks where actors live-tweeted while episodes aired.
One doesn't just watch TV or DVR their favorite shows anymore. They interact about what they're viewing on social media (and encouraging live tweeting certainly doesn't hurt ratings).
Let's take a look at the shows and moments that set Twitter on fire this year:"

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CNN News - 'The Weight of New Orleans': Katrina survivor drops 175 pounds Dec 31, 2011

"(CNN) -- In New Orleans, food is a way of life -- it's as ingrained there as Spanish moss and Bourbon Street. Gumbo flows like the sweet sounds of jazz; po-boys are stuffed with fried shrimp from the bayous where the Acadian settlers chose to place their roots.
So it's understandable that while growing up in The Big Easy, Darrin Cook's childhood revolved around food.
Every meal had an appetizer, an entrée and dessert. The word "salad" wasn't in his family's vocabulary. They celebrated Saints games with barbecues and brownies."

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SEATTLE Times - Chimp said to be Cheetah dies; a jungle myth? Dec 31, 2011

"LOS ANGELES — Cheetah was a scene-stealing sidekick — this much is true.
But news that he died in a Florida sanctuary Christmas Eve at the ripe old age of 80, after a career spent starring in "Tarzan" movies, is raising plenty of questions that would have Cheetah scratching his head and looking quizzically into the camera.
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary Foundation in Palm Harbor announced that Cheetah The Chimp — "star of the Tarzan films" — had died of kidney failure. His reported age was jaw-dropping for a creature that normally lives to be about 40 in the wild, and 60 in captivity."

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CNN News - Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt duet, Dec 31, 2011

"In a post accompanying the clip, Zooey explains that she's actually known Levitt, 30, for years."We first met in the summer of 2000 while doing a tiny movie called 'Manic'...and I have been lucky enough to call him one of my dearest friends ever since," Deschanel says of Levitt, who was also her "(500) Days of Summer" co-star. "I hope to do a thousand more movies with him because he’s simply the best."
But for now, they present to you their New Year's duet. Deschanel's Fox comedy "New Girl" returns on her birthday, January 17."

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BBC News - Venezuela petrol tanker blaze kills 13 in Caracas, Dec 31, 2011

"A petrol tanker has crashed in Venezuela, bursting into flames and engulfing seven cars and a bus in burning fuel.
At least 13 people were killed in the accident on a busy road in the capital Caracas, and another 16 were injured. police said.
Rescue workers pulled charred bodies from the scorched vehicles.
The tanker is reported to have flipped over after the driver lost control, spilling petrol that then caught fire.
Caracas fire department coordinator William Martinez said the crash sent a river of burning fuel down the Pan-American Highway west of Caracas, engulfing other vehicles."

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CNN News - Gwyneth Paltrow's tips for your New Year's hangover, Dec 31, 2011

"Gwyneth Paltrow has posted a helpful New Year’s Eve-themed newsletter on her GOOP website.
The Oscar-winning actress and domestic diva has laid out multiple options for those who plan to enjoy adult beverages on Saturday night. Some suggestions are more practical than others. Let’s run through them:
Water, of course, is the first thing mentioned. Alcohol dehydrates, as we know. "It is thus essential to drink a lot of water while drinking and before you go to bed... it can prevent a hangover or at least lessen one,” says Dr. Frank Lipman."

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CinemaBlend - Josh's Top 10 Movies Of 2011, Dec 31, 2011

"50/50 is incredibly accurate in its depiction of the difficulties of dealing with cancer. It captures every nuance, every feeling, every afternoon spent in a chemo room letting evil yet lifesaving chemicals leak into your body. It nails all those little details in a way no other movie has before, without actually being about any of those details. Instead it's about someone living with cancer, taking it on and coping in a way that lets him continue to lead a life. Whether or not his friends and family support him, no matter if he's not actually getting any better, somehow Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character keeps getting stronger. If you bought a ticket and went on this journey with him, you got stronger too. "

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CNN News - Review: "The Iron Lady" is boring and sloppy, Dec 31, 2011

"(CNN) -- Much like Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar" before it, Phyllida Law's "The Iron Lady" (from a script by "Shame" writer Abi Morgan) fails partly due to its attempt at covering the entire life of a controversial figure by taking a rather dull, middle of the road position on their life and partly by whitewashing what that person did.

In this case, the subject is Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain's first (and to date, only) female Prime Minister and the first female head of state of any Western industrialized nation.

Her rise to power from grocer's daughter to the leader of one of the most powerful nations on Earth is almost fairytale-like. It is a story that likely caused any number of young women around the world to re-evaluate their positions in society. Unfortunately, "The Iron Lady" is not the rousing feminist call to action that it may seem."

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CNN News - Thousands of protesters in Syria 'Crawl to Freedom Square', Dec 31, 2011

"Cairo (CNN) -- Large-scale anti-government protests and more violence unfolded across Syria Friday as tens of thousands of demonstrators converged on public squares to protest the al-Assad regime -- nationwide rallies dubbed "The Crawl to Freedom Square."
The protests coincide with reports of increased violence against demonstrators by President Bashar al-Assad's security forces, even as an Arab League fact-finding mission works to determine whether the Syrian government is abiding by a peace agreement to end a brutal crackdown on protesters."

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NJ News - Trenton's homicide rate spikes after recent killings; five dead in one week, Dec 31, 2011

"TRENTON — December has been the deadliest month in Trenton this year with six men felled by gunfire, five of them in the last eight days.
The murders have stoked the outrage of local leaders, who have renewed their commitment to improve public safety in a city that is unable to hire more police in the near future.
With two days left in the year, there have been 24 homicides reported in Trenton in 2011, a 50 percent increase from the year before, when there were 16."

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USATODAY - Singer, actress Kaye Stevens dies in Florida, Dec 31, 2011

. (AP) – Singer and actress Kaye Stevens, who performed with the Rat Pack and was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show," has died at a central Florida hospital. She was 79.

Close friend Gerry Schweitzer confirmed that Stevens died Wednesday at the Villages Hospital north of Orlando following a battle with breast cancer and blood clots.

Stevens, a longtime South Florida resident, performed with Rat Pack members including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop. She also sang solo at venues like Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room in New York City."

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DAWN - Sudan military helicopter crashes, six killed, Dec 31, 2011

"KHARTOUM: The Sudanese army says a military helicopter has crashed, killing all six crew on board, including two army officers.
The official Sudan news agency quoted an army statement as saying the helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from al Obied, the North Kordofan capital.
The statement said the military helicopter developed a technical problem. The pilot tried to land at a field outside the airport but the helicopter crashed, killing the six on board, according to the Friday statement. Two were officers and the other four were technicians.
It said the helicopter was on an administrative mission."

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Top Celebrity Couples - Best of 2011, Dec 30, 2011

""
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BBC News - Turkey admits 35 civilian deaths near Kurdish village, Dec 29, 2011

"A senior Turkish official has acknowledged that 35 civilians were killed in an air strike near a Kurdish village close to the border with Iraq.
Turkey's military said earlier it had targeted suspected Kurdish militants.
But the victims of Wednesday night's attack are believed to have been villagers involved in smuggling cigarettes into Turkey from Iraq.
Governing party vice-president Huseyin Celik said an investigation was looking into possible intelligence failures."

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FIJILIVE- Turkish air strike kills 35 Kurds in blunder, Dec 29, 2011

"Turkish air strike kills 35 Kurds in blunder
Turkish fighter jets killed 35 Kurds in an air strike the country's ruling party admitted Thursday could have been a "blunder" that mistakenly hit civilians instead of Kurdish separatists.
Turkey's military command said it had launched an air raid on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants after a spy drone spotted a group moving toward its sensitive southeastern border under cover of darkness late Wednesday.
"According to initial reports, these people were smugglers and not terrorists," said Huseyin Celik, vice-president of the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP)."

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TELEGRAPH Au. - Actress Debra Messing was having an affair with Smash co-star Will Chase before announcing divorce from Daniel Zulman, Dec 29, 2011

"AN ACTRESS, who announced nine days ago she was getting a divorce, is having an affair with co-star.
Debra Messing, 43, best known for starring in TV comedy Will and Grace and 2008 movie The Starter Wife, announced on December 20 that she was divorcing her husband of 10 years, the writer and producer Daniel Zelman."

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Helicopter Crash Kills Medical Team, Dec 29, 2011

"On Monday, a Mayo Clinic medical team in Jacksonville, Florida departed around 5:45am on a helicopter with a pilot, surgeon and technician. The group was on its way to retrieve a heart for a transplant, but all of them were killed when the helicopter crashed. Due to this, the transplant patient has been left waiting for another organ to become available."

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BBC News - Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea, Dec 26, 2011

"North Korea has begun two days of funeral services for late leader Kim Jong-il with a huge procession in the capital, Pyongyang.
Footage showed tens of thousands of soldiers with their heads bowed as a giant portrait of Mr Kim was carried slowly through the streets.
His successor and third son, Kim Jong-un, walked beside the hearse, images from state television showed.
Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on 17 December, aged 69, state media said.
He has been lying in state for the past 10 days."

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INDIA Today - Congress hunts for numbers as Rajya Sabha set to debate Lokpal Bill, Dec 26, 2011

"Ahead of the debate on the Lokpal in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, the Congress expressed confidence of getting the landmark legislation approved in the upper house.
Congress spokesman Raashid Alvi said on Wednesday that though the party did not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, it was confident that the Bill will be passed.
"We are sure the Lokpal Bill will be passed. It is a Bill in the interest of the country. We and our allies will make all efforts to get the bill passed. I have confidence we will be successful," said Alvi."

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BBC News - Greece jails Abbot Ephraim in Mount Athos fraud case, Dec 26, 2011

"The abbot of the prestigious Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos in Greece has been jailed pending trial for alleged fraud and embezzlement.
Abbot Ephraim, 56, is accused of arranging land swaps between Vatopedi and the state which are thought to have cost the government millions of euros.
The abbot, now being held in Korydallos prison in Athens, denies wrongdoing. His arrest has triggered protests."

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Travel Top 5: World's Best Low-Cost Airlines, Dec 28, 2011

"Travellers are flocking to low-cost airlines like never before, but they still want good service for their money. Those airlines that managed to do that the best were recognized earlier this year at the 2011 World Airline Awards."

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CBC News - Pop artist James Rizzi dies at 61 - Arts & Entertainment, Dec 28, 2011

"James Rizzi applied his playful, cartoon-like art style to unusual projects worldwide, from Volkswagen Beetles and Japanese train ads to cow sculptures in New York and the front page of a German newspaper.
His creations included images for German postage stamps and a tourist guide to New York published this year. He was the official artist for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and soccer World Cup games in France."

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Cheetah, chimp star of Tarzan movies, dies at 80, Dec 28, 2011

: "heetah, the chimpanzee that purportedly appeared in Tarzan movies in the early 1930s, has died of kidney failure at the age of 80, WTSP TV reports.
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Fla., says the community "has lost a dear friend and family member" with the death of Cheetah on Dec. 24.
Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb tells The Tampa Tribune that the chimp was outgoing, loved finger-painting and liked to see people laugh."

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The Associated Press - Against odds, Lipitor became world's top seller, Dec 28, 2011

"TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Lipitor, the best-selling drug in the history of pharmaceuticals, is the blockbuster that almost wasn't.
When it was in development, the cholesterol-lowering medicine was viewed as such an also-ran it almost didn't make it into patient testing.
By the time Lipitor went on sale in early 1997, it was the fifth drug in a class called statins that lower LDL or bad cholesterol. The class already included three blockbusters, drugs with sales of $1 billion a year or more. Normally, that would make it very tough for a latecomer to sway many doctors and patients to switch.
But a 1996 study showed Lipitor reduced bad cholesterol dramatically more than the other statins, from the very start of treatment and even more so over time. A striking graph of those results helped Lipitor sales representatives turn it into the world's best-selling drug ever, with more than $125 billion in sales over 14 1/2 years."

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FIJI LIVE- Smiling Prince Philip leaves hospital, Dec 27, 2011

"Britain's Prince Philip was reunited with his wife Queen Elizabeth II and other family members for a late Christmas on Tuesday when he left hospital four days after having heart surgery.
The outspoken 90-year-old smiled and waved from the open window of his Range Rover vehicle as he was driven away from the specialist Papworth hospital near Cambridge, eastern England, an AFP photographer witnessed.
Trailed by police protection officers, he was then driven to the royal Sandringham estate where the queen, the couple's children and their grandchildren have spent the Christmas holiday without him."

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The Top 100 Best Songs Of 2011: 9. Beyoncé – ‘Run The World (Girls)’ « The Gospel According To Richard Eric, Dec 27, 2011

"When I first heard ‘Run The World (Girls)’ I was with my friends Adem and Ben in Geelong. I don’t remember exactly what my feelings were, but the general consensus was that the song was okay and that that warped-carnival noise was awesome. The heavy sample of ‘Pon De Floor’ divided listeners, but I still thought this would be huge. It wasn’t, despite being given every big promotional push short of being beamed directly into the heads of every human on the planet. I guess it goes to show that you just can’t make people like a song if they don’t no matter how much money you throw at it. But for me, ‘Run The World’ revealed itself to be an utter beast of a song, an assault on the senses from every angle, and it would be a track I came back to again and again. Misunderstood, bullied and hated by many pop fans this year, ‘Run The World (Girls)’ is like Kelly Rowland: one day everyone will realise just how special it is. But it will be too late."

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Inside Movies - Pedro Armendariz Jr. dies, Dec 27, 2011

"Mexican character actor Pedro Armendariz Jr. died Monday at the age of 71. There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of death.
Armendariz was best known for playing sly, sometimes cynical characters he endowed with wit and charisma. Armendariz played Gov. Riley in the 2005 movie The Legend of Zorro, and had roles in 1989′s Old Gringo and Once Upon a Time in Mexico in 2003."

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BBC News - Oxford Street stabbing: Teenager dies near Foot Locker, Dec 27, 2011

"An 18-year-old man has been stabbed to death in London, on one of the UK's busiest shopping streets.
The victim died outside the Foot Locker sports shop on Oxford Street, near the junction with Stratford Place.
Police said they were called to the scene at about 13:45 GMT. Eleven people were arrested and part of the street, near Bond Street Tube, was closed.
Det Ch Insp Mark Dunne said there appeared to have been two groups of young people "opposing each other"."

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Motoring Industry News - 19 killed in horror head-on collision, Dec 27, 2011

"Nineteen people were killed when a minibus taxi and a car collided head-on in the Free State, police said on Tuesday.
Sergeant Mmako Mophiring said both the car and taxi caught fire after they collided on the R26 between Frankfort and Tweeling on Monday.
“Some of the people were burned beyond recognition after the impact,” he said.
He said it was alleged that the accident occurred when the car, with four occupants, tried to overtake another car on the barrier line but instead collided with the on-coming taxi."

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World News - 143 killed by tainted batch of bootleg booze in India, Dec 27, 2011

"KOLKATA, India -- A tainted batch of bootleg liquor killed 102 people and sent dozens more to the hospital near the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, in the state of West Bengal, officials said.

Day laborers and other poor workers began falling ill late Tuesday after drinking the brew that was laced with the toxic methanol around the village of Sangrampur, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Kolkata, according to district magistrate Narayan Swarup Nigam."

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Garrett McNamara rides 90 Foot Wave! (Full Video) New World Record, Dec 27, 2011

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ENTERTAINMENT News - Top Films Of 2011: Best Movies Ever List - Best Movies Ever, Dec 26, 2011

"2011 was quite an interesting year of films with a real grab bag of good and bad and plenty that were nice but that’s about it. Here’s our 2011 Best Movies Ever list of the films we loved the most."

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THe Washington Post - Johannes Heesters, singer-actor who performed in Nazi Germany, dies at 108, Dec 26, 2011

"Johannes Heesters, a Dutch-born singer and actor who made his name performing in Adolf Hitler’s Germany and was dogged in his long career by controversy over his Nazi-era past, died Dec. 24 at a hospital in Starnberg, Germany. He was 108.
His agent, Juergen Ross, announced the death but did not provide a cause.
ASSOCIATED PRESS) - Dutch-born actor and singer Johannes Heesters performs in Amersfoort's De Flint Theater . The agent for Dutch-born entertainer Johannes Heesters says the artist died on Christmas' Eve. He was 108.
Mr. Heesters made his debut as a tenor at the Volksoper in Vienna in 1934. His career took off in Berlin where, starting in 1935 — two years after the Nazis took power — he became a crowd favorite at the Komische Oper and Admiralspalast. He also appeared in films, including “Die Leuchter des Kaisers” (“The Emperor’s Candlesticks,” 1936) and “Das Hofkonzert” (“The Court Concert,” 1936)."

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NY Times - Robert Morvillo, Legal Pioneer, Dies at 73, Dec 26, 2011

"Robert G. Morvillo, a prominent New York trial lawyer who pioneered the practice of white-collar criminal defense and whose client list included colorful celebrities, powerful politicians and billionaire businessmen, died on Saturday at his home in Rockville Centre, N.Y. He was 73.
Peter Foley/European Pressphoto Agency.
Robert G. Morvillo with Martha Stewart in Manhattan in 2004 after she was convicted on obstruction-of-justice and other charges
He died in his sleep while recovering from a recent operation, according to his law firm, Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer."

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NY Tim,es- Robert Ader, Who Linked Stress and Illness, Dies at 79, Dec 26, 2011

"Dr. Robert Ader, an experimental psychologist who was among the first scientists to show how mental processes influence the body’s immune system, a finding that changed modern medicine, died on Tuesday in Pittsford, N.Y. He was 79.
University of Rochester Medical Center
Dr. Robert Ader was known for his research on the relationship between the mind and body.
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His death followed a long illness and complications of a fracture suffered in a fall, his daughter Deborah Ader said."

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NZ HERALD - Residents urged to shelter from cyclone, Dec 25, 2011

"Residents on parts of the Northern Territory coast have been warned to take shelter immediately because the tropical depression has developed into a cyclone.
The Bureau of Meteorology says Tropical Cyclone Grant, currently a Category One, is slowly moving south and is expected to cross the coast east of Darwin on Boxing Day.
But the Territory Controller is warning residents west of Goulburn Island to Snake Bay, including Cape Don, to take shelter now.
The bureau says gales with gusts to 110km/h are expected to develop between Cape Fourcroy and Milingimbi, including the Tiwi Islands, Cape Don and Croker Island this morning."

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PRAVDA - The adventures of the Russian language in Latvia, Dec 25, 2011

"Latvia is getting ready for a referendum on granting the Russian language the status of the second state language. Latvian politicians are strongly opposed to this initiative as the Parliament voted "no" on the issue, and President Andris Berzins is of the same opinion. However, neither the President nor the Parliament can cancel a popular vote.
On December 19 the Central Election Commission of Latvia was forced to announce a vote. According to him, over 187 thousand signatures (12 percent of the population) for holding a referendum have been collected. Signatures of 10 percent of the population are required in order to declare a referendum. This means that the organizers of the campaign "For mother tongue" commenced in the spring can celebrate an intermediate victory."

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FIJI LIVE - We have much to be thankful for: President, Dec 25, 2011

"We have much to be thankful for and much to look forward to in 2012, says Fiji's President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
In his Christmas message, Ratu Epeli said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has made great strides in implementing the necessary reforms to modernise Fiji and provide sustained livelihood to all Fijians.
"It is under thus sound and consistent leadership that we celebrate with our families and friends this Christmas," he said."

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STYLELIST - Stars Reveal Their Moms' Beauty Advice: Mother Knows Best, Dec 24, 2011

"Growing up, how many times did my mom remind me to reapply sunscreen? Or drink more water? Honestly, more times than I care to remember. However, what may have seemed overbearing at the time was pretty solid advice instilled at a fairly early age -- and I'm certainly appreciating it all these years later. I know I'm not the only one: Mothers have been bestowing their tried and true beauty tips since the dawn of time -- whether we listened to it or not. Be it an introduction to makeup (or rather a strict ban until a specific age), relentless reminders to moisturize or a favorite fragrance passed down, our mothers' insight was incredibly important during those formative years and beyond...
Inspired by our own moms' advice, we decided to round up the best tips that celebrities got from their mothers. And we want to hear what kind of wisdom your mom imparted on you. Let us know in the comments!"

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FOCUS TAIWAN - Taiwanese star Shu Qi among world's top 100 beautiful faces, Dec 24, 2011

"
Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Taiwanese actress Shu Qi has been ranked among the world's top 100 beauties and the country's only one on the Annual Independent Critics List of the 100 Most Beautiful Faces, according to movie website TC Candler published earlier this weekend.
Shu, a Best Actress winner of the Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Academy Awards, came in 29th on the chart, which was dominated by Harry Potter actress Emma Watson"

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THE GUARDIAN - Switzerland's 'world's best Father Christmas' competition, Dec 24, 2011

"The sun is high over snow-capped peaks, breath freezes on the air, and between the trees, darting, dashing, dancing – I can see Santa Claus.

In fact, I can see a hundred of them. I'm at the Santa Claus World Championships in Samnaun, Switzerland, where competitors sledge, sprint, and sing their way through a gruelling programme of Christmas-inspired tasks as they fight to be crowned the world's best Father Christmas."

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Top 10 Players at the World Jr's, Dec 24, 2011

The best time of the year is upon us. No, not Christmas. It is the hockey tournament that is played over the holiday. The glorious World Juniors that captures the imagination of every Canadian, and maybe a dozen other people.
Many stars of the NHL have got their big start in this tournament, so here is a look at some of the top players in this year’s tournament. Take note of each and every name."

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TMZ - Mel Gibson & Wife Robyn Gibson -- Officially Divorced, Dec 24, 2011

"Mel Gibson and Robyn Gibson are officially single -- a judge signed the divorce decree moments ago.
The only big change -- Robyn is going back to her maiden name ... so from now on it's Robyn Moore.
As we reported, the couple's been negotiating a financial settlement for over a year ... and we're told, it's finally a done deal. There is no prenup.
The couple's reported net worth is in the $900 million range -- but sources tell us, it's actually less."

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NZ HERALD - North Pole confirms Santa on his way - Asia, Dec 24, 2011

"The North Pole has confirmed Santa Claus has departed for his trip around the globe this evening and is now en route to New Zealand.
The red-suited man can expect to have a busier night than ever, as 2011 marked the year the world's population surpassed 7 billion.
Children in New Zealand, Tuvalu, Tonga, Fiji and the far east of Russia will be among the first in the world to get a visit from the jolly fat man."

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NZ HERALD - 6kg ball drops on Namibia - Strange But True, Dec 24, 2011

"A large metallic ball has fallen out of the sky on a remote grassland in Namibia, prompting baffled authorities to contact Nasa and the European space agency.
The hollow ball with a circumference of 1.1m was found near a village in the north of the country some 750km from the capital, Windhoek, according to police forensics director Paul Ludik.
With a diameter of 35cm, the ball has a rough surface and appears to consist of "two halves welded together".
It was made of a "metal alloy known to man" and weighed 6kg, said Ludik."

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- TongaLuger Bruno wins America-Pacific bronze medal, Dec 24, 2011

"Tongan luger, Bruno Banani, came in to win a surprise Bronze Medal at the inaugural America-Pacific Championship, held in Calgary, Canada on December 17.
The ranking was part of the Viessmann Luge World Cup contest, in which Bruno competing for the first time, finished in 26th place out of 32 lugers."

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FIJI LIVE - Queen praises family in Christmas speech, Dec 24, 2011

"Queen Elizabeth II will use her Christmas Day message, recorded before her husband Prince Philip was rushed to hospital and underwent heart surgery, to praise the institution of family.
The prince, who celebrated his 90th birthday in June, underwent a procedure to correct a blocked artery late Friday after being taken to hospital with chest pains.
He was to remain for a "short period" in hospital in Cambridge, eastern England, near the Sandringham estate where the royal family traditionally gathers to celebrate Christmas, a statement from the royal family said.
The health scare for her husband of 64 years was a low point for the queen in a year in which the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton gave the royals an enormous boost."

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FIJI LIVE - Kim Jong son hailed as 'supreme commander, Dec 24, 2011

"North Korean media today hailed the youngest son of late leader Kim Jong-Il as "supreme commander" of the powerful military, in the latest sign that the untested successor is cementing his hold on power.

"We will uphold Comrade Kim Jong-Un as our supreme commander and general and we will bring the Songun (military-first) revolution to a completion," the ruling communist party's Rodong Sinmun said in an editorial.
It is the first time that one of the North's mouthpieces has used the title supreme commander -- a post previously held by his father -- for the new leader, already a four-star general though still in his late 20s."

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FIJI LIVE- Pope prepares for marathon year, Dec 24, 2011

"Suva, Fiji , Pope prepares for marathon year
Pope Benedict XVI embarks Saturday on a busy few days ahead of a packed 2012 looking visibly weary though his aides insist he is not ill and ascribe the pontiff's tiredness to his advanced years.
The 84-year-old German pope has appeared thin and drawn at recent public appearances and bishops who met him have commented on his weary appearance.
He has to be helped up and down stairs due to mild arthritis.
"It's just his age," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.
"The pope has no particular illness," he said, adding: "For an old man, he's in excellent shape."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS