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Violence kills a child every five minutes, most outside war zones – U.N.

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – One child dies every five minutes as a result of violence, but only a minority die in war zones, according to a report by the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF. About 75 percent of the estimated 345 violent deaths that occur daily happen in countries at peace, the report said. “We are uncovering the fact that children experience extreme violence in everyday life, everywhere,” Susan Bissell, global head of child protection […]

Japan minister’s quitting a hitch, but won’t affect reactor restart

By Mari Saito and Kentaro Hamada Oct 20 (Reuters) – Japan’s plan to restart nuclear reactors shut down after the Fukushima disaster will not be affected by Monday’s resignation of the industry minister, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is losing a convincing advocate of a step most view with suspicion. Forty-year-old Yuko Obuchi’s resignation from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, six weeks after she was appointed, is the latest hitch in a process […]

Oil falls below $86 as oversupply, global economy worries weigh

(Reuters) – Brent crude fell on Monday, dropping below $86 a barrel as worries about booming supply and sluggish demand pushed the global oil benchmark back toward last week’s four-year low. U.S. crude hovered below $83 a barrel. Brent tumbled more than a dollar in early U.S. trade, but bounced off session lows as global equities markets gained. Oil prices are down more than 25 percent since June on concern about a saturated global oil […]

California woman gets stuck in chimney trying to sneak into home

(Reuters) – A California woman who tried to sneak into a house through the chimney got stuck and had to be rescued by firefighters, who used dish soap to help extricate the soot-covered intruder, authorities said on Monday. Local media reports say the woman, identified by police as Genoveva Nunez-Figueroa, 30, tried on Sunday to enter the Los Angeles-area house of a man who said he met her online, and that when she got stuck […]

NFL, others file lawsuit to block New Jersey sports betting

(Reuters) – The National Football League and other sports leagues filed a lawsuit on Monday in an attempt to block New Jersey from offering legalized wagering on sporting events. In calling for the injunction, the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and the NCAA are seeking to block enforcement of a law that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed on Friday, which partially repeals a ban on sports wagering in the state. They claimed that the […]

Kings’ Voynov suspended by NHL after domestic violence arrest

(Reuters) – Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was suspended indefinitely by the National Hockey League following his arrest early Monday on a felony domestic violence charge, the league said. Voynov, 24, will be paid during the suspension but will be barred from all club activities pending a formal investigation, the NHL said. The Russian defenseman was arrested at 12:45 a.m. by Redondo Beach, California, police at a Los Angeles-area hospital where he was with […]

Ailing Nadal eases into Swiss Indoors second round

(Reuters) – Rafa Nadal did not appear to be affected by his appendicitis problems as he charged into the second round of the Swiss Indoors with a no nonsense 6-2 6-2 win over Simone Bolelli on Tuesday. The Spanish second seed has been taking antibiotics to delay the need for surgery and was relieved to emerge unscathed from his match against his Italian opponent. “I had some doubts that I would be able to compete well,” the […]

National Basketball Association roundup

(The Sports Xchange) – The Golden State Warriors signed free agent guard Sean Kilpatrick to a contract, the team announced Monday. Kilpatrick, 24, was a first-team Associated Press All-American as a senior at the University of Cincinnati in 2013-14, averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. – – The Miami Heat signed guard Larry Drew II and he is expected to be added to the Heat’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. […]

Deaths linked to GM ignition-switch defect rise to 29

(Reuters) – A program to compensate victims of a faulty ignition switch in General Motors Co (GM.N) vehicles has approved two new death claims, bringing the total number of deaths linked so far to the switch to 29, according to a report released on Monday by the lawyer overseeing the program. Since it began accepting claims on Aug. 1, the program has received a total of 1,517 claims for deaths and injuries, according to the […]

Toyota recalls 247,000 vehicles in U.S. over Takata air bags

(Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp recalled 247,000 cars, SUVs and pickup trucks in the United States on Monday because of potentially defective front passenger air bag inflators from Japan’s Takata Corp that can rupture and spray metal shrapnel, according to U.S. safety regulators. That raised the number of vehicles affected by regional recalls launched in June by several automakers due to the Takata air bags to more than 4.5 million. The regional recalls by Toyota […]

Total CEO Christophe de Margerie killed in Moscow plane accident: airport spokeswoman

(Reuters) – Total SA (TOTF.PA) CEO Christophe de Margerie was killed in an airplane accident at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, airport spokeswoman Elena Krylova said on Tuesday. “Tonight, a plane crashed when it collided with a snow-clearing machine. Three crew members and a passenger died. I can confirm that the passenger was Total’s head de Margerie,” she said. Total was not immediately reachable for confirmation.  

Aquino sees no need to revoke VFA

MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News Service) — President Benigno S. Aquino III sees no need to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) just because of the “sin of one person”, as he referred to the killing of a Filipino transgender allegedly by a U.S. serviceman in Olongapo City. The President made the remark in an interview in Palo, Leyte on Oct. 20 following the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landing in the province of […]