United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz will step aside in a leadership shuffle, that will take effect in May, the company announced Thursday.
United President Scott Kirby will take over as CEO after the shareholders meeting in the spring, while Munoz moves on to become executive chairman of the board of directors for one year, the company said in a statement.
"With United in a stronger position than ever, now is the right time to begin the process of passing the baton to a new leader," Munoz said in a statement.
Kirby was recruited to United Airlines by Munoz in August 2016.

United says CEO Munoz to step aside in leadership shuffle

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At least 58 migrants trying reach Europe from West Africa died as their makeshift boat capsized off the coast of Mauritania, but dozens of survivors managed to swim to shore.
Wednesday's sinking was the largest known loss of life along the West Africa smuggling route this year, and the sixth deadliest migrant drowning globally, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.
The migrants "were mostly clandestine immigrants trying to reach Spain, coming from Banjul in Gambia," Mauritania's interior ministry said in a statement released Wednesday night.
"At least 58 people are confirmed dead after a vessel carrying migrants sank as it approached the coast of Mauritania," the IOM said in a statement.
"Eighty-three others swam to shore and are receiving assistance."
The migrant vessel sunk some 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of the town of Nouadhibou, near the border with Western Sahara, a Mauritanian security official told AFP.
"The craft hit a rock in the middle of the ..

Dozens of migrants drown as boat sinks off Mauritania

One week before Britain's election, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was confident enough to publish a plan on Thursday for his first 100 days in office, boosted by an endorsement from Brexit Party MEPs.
Jeremy Corbyn's main opposition Labour party is struggling to close the gap in opinion polls with Johnson's governing Conservatives, which remains at around 10 points.
Meanwhile, the electoral threat posed by Nigel Farage's Brexit Party receded further with the decision of four of its European Parliament MPs to endorse the prime minister.
Johnson has promised to get Britain out of the European Union on January 31, after years of turmoil sparked by the 2016 referendum vote for Brexit.
But he says this would only be possible if he wins a majority of MPs in the December 12 election, allowing him to get his EU divorce deal through parliament.
"If there is a Conservative majority next week, we will get Brexit done by the end of January. 2020 will then be the year we finally put behind us the ..

UK's Johnson plans for victory with Brexit Party boost

Despite their many trophies with the club, the futures of Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal are in doubt as Barcelona approaches the transfer window.
Both midfielders are proven winners with multiple titles. Rakitic has won a Champions League and four Spanish leagues for Barcelona, while also helping Croatia reach last year's World Cup final. Vidal has collected a long list of silverware in Spain, Germany, Italy and for his national team of Chile.
But with Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde giving priority to youngster Frenkie de Jong and Brazilian passer Arthur Melo, both veterans want more playing time.
The 31-year-old Rakitic went from an unquestioned starter and key component for Valverde to a seldom used bench player this season following the arrival of De Jong, who the club has placed big hopes in for the future.
Rakitic has said he wants to stay, and the situation for him has improved in the past two weeks.
Shortly after saying in an interview that he was sad because they have taken .

Futures of Rakitic and Vidal up in air at Barcelona

A 27-year-old Afghan woman burned to death when the container in which she lived in a migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos caught fire, police said Thursday.
The fire that killed the mother of three broke out around 2.00 am local time (00:00 GMT) at the Karatepe camp, near the island's main port of Mytilene, police said.
The victim's husband managed to get the three children out of the container before he fainted trying to safe his wife, public television ERT reported.
It also said that the fire is believed to have been caused by the explosion of a gas bottle used for heating.
The Karatepe camp is home to some 1,324 people, many of them vulnerable families, according to NGOs.
The accident happened just a few hours before the European commissioners for migration, Margaritis Schinas and Ylva Johansson, arrived in Athens for meetings about the migrant crisis in Greece.
"The situation is very urgent and we must find a solution," said Johansson after talks with Greek Prime Minister ..

Afghan woman killed in fire at Greek migrant camp

Indians bagged four gold medals on the first day of weightlifting competitions at the 13th South Asian Games here on Thursday.
Jhilli Dalabehera, who had fetched a silver in the Asian Weightlifting Championship earlier this year, lifted a total of 151 kg (66kg in snatch and 85kg in clean & jerk) to win the yellow metal in women's under 45 kg category.
The silver medal went to Divsekara Samarakoon Srimali of Sri Lanka for her effort of 139kg (58kg + 81kg), while the bronze was bagged by local favourite Sangita Rai, who lifted a total of 127kg (57kg +70kg).
In the women's under 49kg event, Sneha Soren bagged the top honours. The 18-year-old lifted 68kg in the snatch and followed it up by an 89kg effort in the clean and jerk category for a total of 157kg.
Gomas Hansani of Sri Lanka clinched the silver medal with a total lift of 155kg (68kg+89), while Bangladesh's Shabira Molla grabbed the bronze with a total effort of 130kg (55kg+75kg).
In the women's 55kg event, Commonwealth ...

Indian lifters bag four gold medals in SAG

Indonesia's state-owned enterprise minister says he will fire and seek the prosecution of the head of the national airline after he was implicated in the smuggling of a Harley Davidson motorcycle into the country on a new jet.
The minister, Erick Thohir, said Thursday a government investigation found Garuda Indonesia President and CEO Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra was involved in the attempt to import the motorcycle on a new Airbus A330-900 without declaring it.
A Garuda spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment on the accusations against Danadiputra.  Danadiputra and other airline executives were on the November 16 flight.
Customs officials found the bike and other goods when the flight arrived in Jakarta.
Thohir said the state could have lost up to 1.5 billion rupiah ($107,200) in import taxes.

Indonesia to fire airline CEO over smuggling accusation

At least 38 people died in Burundi after heavy rains triggered landslides that swept through hillside communities in the northwest of the country, according to a provisional police toll on Thursday.
Heavy rains fell on Nyempundu hills in Mugina, Cibitoke province, around 120 km (74 miles) north of the country's main port Bujumbura, "causing landslides," police said on social media.
"It happened in the night, when everyone was at home, and landslides hit three very steep hills and buried everything in their path," a witness told AFP.
"Whole families were buried alive in their homes or in the fields. It was terrifying." Police said 22 died in Nyempundu, three in Gikomero, 13 in Rukombe, through those were provisional figures.
Landslides are frequent in Burundi, a mountainous country in Africa's Great Lakes region.
The Nyempundu hills are about five kilometres from the Rwandan border, in a difficult region to access.
Local authorities including the Cibitoke governor were at the scene, ...

Burundi landslides kill 38 after heavy rains: police

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she would deliver an unusual public statement on the status of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Pelosi met behind closed doors with her Democratic caucus, asking, Are you ready?" The answer was a resounding yes, according to those in the room.
Democrats are charging toward a Christmastime vote on removing the 45th president, a situation Pelosi hoped to avoid but which now seems inevitable. She is to make a public statement on impeachment at 9 AM.
Three leading legal scholars testified Wednesday to the House Judiciary Committee that Trump's attempts to have Ukraine investigate Democratic rivals are grounds for impeachment, bolstering the Democrats' case.
A fourth expert called by Republicans warned against rushing the process, arguing this would be the shortest of impeachment proceedings, with the thinnest" record of evidence in modern times, setting a worrisome standard.
Trump is alleged to have ...

Pelosi to deliver public statement on Trump impeachment

Eden Hazard is set to miss the Clasico against Barcelona after further tests revealed a fracture in his right ankle, Real Madrid confirmed on Thursday.
Hazard was forced off during the draw with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last week and despite Zinedine Zidane saying after the match he had suffered a "bad twist", Madrid announced the Belgian had been diagnosed with "bruising".
But further tests have shown a fracture, with Hazard now expected to be out for around four to six weeks. It would mean he will sit out the Clasico at Camp Nou on December 18.
"After tests performed on our player Eden Hazard by the Real Madrid Medical Services during the process of improving the bruising in his right leg, he has been diagnosed with an incomplete external fracture in that area," a club statement.
Marcelo is also likely to miss the game against Barcelona after the capital city club confirmed the defender has suffered an injury in his left calf.
But Hazard's absence is the bigger ...

Hazard to miss Clasico after tests reveal ankle fracture

Sajith Premadasa, the United National Party (UNP) leader who lost to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the presidential election, was named on Thursday as the Leader of the Opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament.
Following a meeting of the party's parliamentary group held on Thursday, the party leader and ex-prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to nominate Premadasa, 52, in his place.
Wickremesinghe, 70, would thus leave the job he had continuously held since 1994 barring short periods between 2001-2004 and 2015 to November this year, his two prime ministerial stints.
Premadasa lost to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the presidential election held on November 16.
The UNP leader resigned from the deputy leader's position after the defeat and was thought to be considering quitting politics for good.
Wickremesinghe was under increasing pressure from the party to leave the job of leader with every election defeat since 1999.
The UNP's young brigade forced Wickremesinghe's hands to ...

Sajith Premadasa named Lanka Opposition leader

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston says 2019 has reiterated her faith her in capabilities and she loves challenging people who tell her she cannot achieve something.
The 50-year-old star, who was named as one of the 2019's 'People of the Year' by People magazine, said she has learnt "How much I'm capable of" this year.
"The words, I dare you' or No' always make me kind of go, Oh, okay. Well, let's just see'," she said.
Aniston, who stars as a TV host caught up in the #MeToo movement on Apple TV Plus' "The Morning Show", said it was thrilling to star as well as executive produce the show.
"Doing it, I mean we were really flying by the seat of our pants. Apple itself was building a streaming service so everyone was like, we're all in this together and this is exhilarating and terrifying. But at the same time, it was unbelievably rewarding. Just to be that involved. To really take on a subject that could be touchy and obviously tabooand also necessary during this time that we're in. I feel .

Jennifer Aniston says she loves proving naysayers wrong

Sri Lanka's cricket board Thursday announced a major revamp of the national team after their poor showing at the recent World Cup, confirming South African Mickey Arthur's appointment as head coach.
Sri Lanka Cricket's secretary Mohan de Silva said the country had been without a proper coach since the early World Cup exit.
"We are very pleased to have Mickey and hope his experience in Asia will help build our team to a very high standard," de Silva told reporters in Colombo a day after hiring the 51-year-old.
Arthur -- who previously coached South Africa, Australia and Pakistan -- said he had his first interaction with players on Thursday and was impressed with the level of talent.
"I looked at the talent and that is the key motivating factor," he said.
"The amount of talent they have is great, but it is teaching them how to use that talent and when to use it." Former Zimbabwe Test player Grant Flower was appointed the new national batting coach, Australian David Saker was made ...

Sri Lanka overhauls cricket coaching team with Arthur appointment

Several thousand men backing a paramilitary force close to Iran flooded the Iraqi capital's main protest camp on Thursday, worrying anti-government demonstrators who have denounced Tehran's role in their country.
The men arrived in Tahrir (Liberation) Square in apparently coordinated marches from different parts of the capital, waving sticks, Iraqi flags and the logo of the Hashed al-Shaabi armed network.
Some carried portraits of Hashed fighters killed in fighting against jihadists as well as pictures of the country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
The Hashed had backed the Iraqi government but after a dramatic intervention by Sistani last week, it dropped its support. The embattled prime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi, resigned at the weekend.
Many units within the Shiite-majority force have been trained or equipped by Iran.
The demonstrators occupying the square for weeks have explicitly criticised Iran for backing an Iraqi political elite they see as corrupt and ...

Pro-paramilitary demonstrators flood Iraqi protest camp

"Broadchurch" star David Tennant is set to play Phileas Fogg in the series adaptation of Jules Verne's classic "Around the World in 80 Days".
According to Deadline, the eight-part drama is produced by Slim Film + Television.
The series also features French star Ibrahim Koma and "The Crown" actor Leonie Benesch.
The story revolves around Fogg and his valet Passepartout (Koma) trying to circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days, joined by aspiring journalist Abigail Fix (Benesch).
Writers Ashley Pharoah and Caleb Ranson are adapting the series.
Filming is set to start in February and the makers are planning to launch the series by the end of next year.
Steve Barron is attached as the lead director with Charles Beeson also on board to direct a number of episodes.

David Tennant to play Phileas Fogg in 'Around The World In 80 Days' adaptation

Parents from around the globe Thursday said governments locked in negotiations at UN talks in Madrid must beat back the threat of global warming to "give our children the future that they deserve".
"Our children are being handed a broken world on the verge of climate chaos and ecological breakdown," they said in an open declaration from 222 associations in 27 countries.
"As parents, seeing this is agonising."
The plea comes the day before young climate strikers led by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg plan to march through the Spanish capital under the Friday for Futures banner.
The student-led movement -- sparked by Thunberg's solo protests last year in front of Sweden's parliament -- saw millions pour into the streets worldwide ahead of a UN climate summit in September.
"Many of the delegates at COP25 are also parents and we appeal to these delegates in particular," the declaration said.
"Addressing the climate crisis is not the responsibility of our children -- it's our job as ..

'Do it for our children,' parents plead at UN climate meet

A fire has broken out at a hotel in the Greek capital, with fire crews evacuating the building and rescuing at least one hotel employee.
It was not immediately clear what caused Thursday's fire at the Athenaeum Palace or how many people were inside. The fire department said it had deployed 35 firefighters with 12 vehicles and had brought the blaze under partial control.
Smoke could be seen coming out of at least two side windows on the upper floors of the seven-story hotel, while an Associated Press reporter on the scene saw firefighters using a ladder to evacuate a woman in a housekeeping uniform.
Others came out of side entrances, some covered with blankets. Fire crews were going room-to-room inside the hotel to ensure nobody remained inside.

Fire breaks out at hotel in Greece's capital

A man was burnt to death on Thursday after a pastor mistook petrol for water during a healing service in Lagos, the emergency services said.
"The pastor picked a keg believing it contained water not knowing it was filled with petrol," said Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency.
"In the process of emptying the contents on the man, a lit candle nearby sparked fire that engulfed both of them," Farinloye told AFP.
The church fire in the Baruwa area in the north of the sprawling city spread to nearby oil pipelines, which burst into flames, he added.
"We have recovered the body of a man. He was burned beyond recognition, while another person (the pastor) was injured with severe burns,"  Farinloye said.
The head of Lagos state emergency service LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the accident, adding that operations were under way to extinguish the pipeline blaze.
"We are responding quickly to put out the fire. Only one body has been recovered, while the other ...

Man burnt to death in freak accident at Lagos church

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday recommended three names for the post of chief election commissioner (CEC) even as the deadlock between the ruling party and the Opposition over the appointment of the top official persisted, according to a media report.
Prime Minister Khan recommended the names of Fazal Abbas, Babar Yaqoob and Arif Khan for the post of chief election commissioner (CEC), Geo TV reported, citing sources.
The recommendation came on the last day of CEC Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza's tenure and after opposition's petition in the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter, it said.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had recommended the names of Nasir Mahmood Khosa, Jalil Abbas Jilani and Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar for the top post.
A meeting of parliamentary panel on Wednesday ended in a deadlock between the ruling party and the Opposition over the appointment of ECP members with both sides ..

Imran Khan recommends names for CEC post amid deadlock over appointments

"The Theory of Everything" star Felicity Jones and director Charles Guard are expecting their first child together.
The Oscar-nominated actor and the British filmmaker, best known for his 2009 horror movie "The Uninvited", dated for about three years before getting married in July 2018.
Representative of the actor confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.
On Wednesday night, Jones attended the premiere of her new film "The Aeronauts" with co-star Eddie Redmayne.

Felicity Jones expecting first child with husband Charles Guard

An e-cigarette user has been diagnosed with a rare form of lung scarring which is usually seen in metal workers, according to a study.
The study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, is the first known case where the disease called hard-metal pneumoconiosis has been linked to vaping, researchers said.
The condition creates an unusual and distinctive pattern of damage to the lungs that results in breathing difficulties, according to the researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, US.
It is typically diagnosed in people who work with "hard metals", such as cobalt or tungsten, in jobs like tool sharpening, diamond polishing or making dental prosthetics, they said.
"Hard-metal pneumoconiosis is diagnosed by looking at a sample of patient's lung tissue under the microscope," said Professor Kirk Jones from the University of California, San Francisco.
"It has a distinctive and unusual appearance that is not observed in other diseases. When we diagnose it, we are ...

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