Europe's oldest functioning nuclear reactor, at Switzerland's Beznau plant, will turn 50 next week -- a lifespan deemed dangerously long by environmentalists who are demanding that it be shut down immediately.
Commercial operation began at the plant in the northern canton of Aargau, near the German border, on December 9, 1969 -- back when The Beatles were still together and a man had just walked on the Moon.
Fifty years later, a message in German is printed in white letters on a bright blue wall of the building housing Reactor 1: "Anniversary 1969-2019. 355,000 hours of service".
Beznau 1 is one of the very oldest reactors in operation today, following only reactors 1 and 2 at Tarapur in western India, which went online in October 1969, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"It's a privilege to work here," Michael Dost, director of the plant run by Swiss power company Axpo, said during a media tour of Switzerland's first nuclear plant earlier this year.
He said ..

At 50, Europe's oldest nuclear plant not ready to retire

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China's government says the United States must roll back punitive tariffs on Chinese goods if the two sides reach a trade deal.
The comments Thursday by a Commerce Ministry spokesman indicated Beijing is sticking to its demand for a tariff cut as another a possible increase on Dec. 15 approaches with no agreement.
President Donald Trump announced a Phase 1 agreement in October but the two sides have yet to agree on details.
Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said, China believes that if the two parties reach a 'Phase 1,' tariffs should be reduced accordingly. Global financial markets tumbled this week after Trump cast doubt on whether an agreement can be reached this year.

China says US must cut tariffs in trade deal

Officials at this year's UN climate talks are hoping to achieve a breakthrough in long-running efforts to agree on rules for a global carbon trading system.
Economists say establishing an international market for carbon could unlock billions of dollars' worth of investments as countries and companies seek the most cost-effective way to cut emissions.
But the issue, known in the parlance of climate diplomacy as 'Article 6,' has defied agreement for years.
With pressure growing from governments to resolve the deadlock, environmental campaigners say the two-week meeting in Madrid might finally result in a deal, after agreements were reached last year on almost all other parts of the rulebook governing the 2015 Paris climate accord.

UN climate talks aim to pave way for global carbon market

Scores of migrants who swam through rough Atlantic Ocean waters to safety from a capsized boat while 58 others drowned were receiving care Thursday in Mauritania after one of the deadliest disasters this year among people making the perilous journey to Europe.
The boat that left Gambia a week ago had been carrying at least 150 people, including women and children. It was headed toward the Canary Islands when it tried to approach the Mauritanian coast to get fuel and food, Laura Lungarotti, chief of mission in the West African nation with the U.N. migration agency, told The Associated Press.
Many drowned. The ones who survived swam up to the Mauritanian coast close to the city of Nouadhibou, she said. The Mauritanian authorities are very efficiently coordinating the response with the agencies currently present in the northern city.
At least 83 people swam to shore, the agency said. An unknown number of injured were taken to the hospital in Nouadhibou.
It was not immediately clear ...

58 migrants dead after boat capsizes off Mauritania

The impeachment hearing against US President Donald Trump took an ugly turn when a professor of law from the prestigious Stanford University took the name of his minor son Barron during her testimony before a Congressional panel, drawing an angry reaction from First Lady Melania.
Pamela S Karlan made the remarks while explaining the president's rights under the Constitution during the impeachment proceedings by House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
It all started in response to a question from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee from Democratic Party.
"Contrary to what President Trump has said, Article 2 does not give him the power to do anything he wants, and I'll just give you one example that shows you the difference between him and a king, which is the Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can't make him a baron," Karlan said while using the 13-year-old's name in an analogy to emphasize the differences between kings 

Stanford Prof slammed for mentioning Trump's son during impeachment hearing

Six people, including two children, were killed and another two were reported missing after a gas explosion destroyed a house in a ski resort in the south of Poland late Wednesday, local authorities said.
Around 100 firefighters were still scouring the debris of the house in Szczyrk on Thursday morning in search of possible survivors.
"We're still hoping for a miracle," local prefect Jaroslaw Wieczorek told reporters.
He said that two of the bodies recovered were children and the other four were adults.
Eight people were believed to have been in the house when the explosion occurred, he added.
The local gas distributor, PSG, said that the explosion had been preceded by a sudden drop in pressure in the gas pipeline, which could indicate that the pipeline had been accidentally punctured during nearby construction works.

Six dead, two missing after gas explosion in Poland

Pop star Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom will now get married next year.
The couple was earlier planning to exchange wedding vows in December.
"They changed the timing due to the location they want. They're beyond in love. They're going to have one local wedding party, and the other will be a destination wedding party," a source told Us Weekly.
Perry, 35, and Bloom, 42, got engaged earlier this year on Valentine's Day.
The source also revealed that the singer is eager to start a family soon after the wedding.
"Katy wants to have her first kid soon after they get married."
Prior to her relationship with Bloom, Perry was married to Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012. The actor was also married to supermodel Miranda Kerr and the two share eight-year-old son, Flynn.

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom postpone their wedding

The crisis in South African cricket deepened on Thursday as former chief executive Ali Bacher called on incumbent Thabang Moroe to quit, while a second independent director resigned from the board of Cricket South Africa.
Bacher, a former Test captain, said Moroe was out of his depth, while independent board member Iqbal Khan, the chairman of CSA's finance committee, said he could no longer be party to an organisation that was "ruining the game".
Khan blamed Moroe for the majority of issues besetting CSA, including failing to adhere to the terms of an agreement with the SA Cricketers' Association, the banning of five journalists last weekend and "widespread credit card abuse".
In his letter to CSA president Chris Nenzani, Khan wrote: "Unfortunately, all fingers point at the CEO.
"But, having said that, I cannot believe that you are not aware of the many issues that have caused this malaise and to that extent you are also complicit and perhaps even the entire board."
Khan's resignation 

South African cricket crisis deepens

A medical board to examine the health condition of former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has been constituted by a court here which directed it to submit its report on Wednesday, according to media reports on Thursday.
Zardari, 64, who was arrested in June, approached the court on Tuesday seeking bail on medical grounds in two corruption cases.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday constituted the medical board comprising doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the personal physician of Zardari.
Hearing a petition seeking bail for Zardari on medical grounds, an IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq sought a report from the medical board on December 11, when it will resume the hearing of the identical petitions filed by the former president as well as another bail petition filed by his sister Faryal Talpur in the fake bank accounts case.
The case is related to a massive money laundering scam that was ...

Pak court constitutes medical board to examine Zardari's health condition

Most of the Indian victims hospitalised or reported missing after the massive LPG tanker blast at a ceramics factory in Sudan belonged to Tamil Nadu and Bihar states while authorities are trying to ascertain the details about the 18 Indians killed in the tragedy.
The Indian Embassy has issued a detailed list of the Indians who were hospitalised, went missing or survived the incident that happened at Seela Ceramic Factory in Bahri area in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday, killing 23 people and injuring 130 others.
Eighteen Indians were among those who lost their lives in the tragedy. No information is currently available on their identities.
Seven Indians have been hospitalised, with four in critical condition and 16 reported missing.
Six victims belonged to Tamil Nadu, five from Bihar, four each from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, two from Haryana and one each from Delhi and Gujarat.
Out of those hospitalised, Jai Kumar, Bobalan and Mohd. Saleem are from Tamil Nadu; Ravinder ...

Most victims of Sudan fire tragedy belonged to Tamil Nadu, Bihar: Indian Embassy

Actor Issa Rae is set to star in the English-langauge remake of Paolo Genovese's Italian feature film "Perfetti Sconosciuti".
Rae is also writing and producing the remake titled "Perfect Strangers", reported Variety.
The story focuses on a dinner party where a group of friends decide to play a risky game where they place their phones face-up on the table and agree to make all texts and phone calls public in an attempt to prove they have nothing to hide.
"Perfetti Sconosciuti", which released in 2016, has already been remade in China, Spain, Greece, Russia, Hungary, France, Korea and Turkey.
It also won two David di Donatello Awards for best film and best screenplay.

Issa Rae board 'Perfect Strangers' remake

Will Smith has come out in support of his "Aladin" co-star Mena Massoud, who revealed that he hadn't had a single audition since playing the lead role in Disney live-action remake.
Smith, who played Genie to Massoud's Aladin, said he did not know about Massoud's struggled but considered him a great actor.
"He is a spectacular actor, and he has nothing to worry about, Smith said told Variety on the red carpet of his upcoming animated film "Spies in Disguise".
Massoud, in an interview with Daily Beast recently, revealed that "Aladin's" massive success at the box office, USD one billion, did nothing to his career.
"I'm kind of tired of staying quiet about it. I want people to know that it's not always dandelions and roses when you're doing something like Aladdin.' He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers.' It's none of those things. I haven't had a single audition since Aladdin' came out.
Massoud will next be seen in Hulu's upcoming series "Reprisal", a role that ..

He's nothing to worry about: Smith on 'Aladin' co-star Mena Massoud's audition struggle

Singer Billie Eilish is close to signing a deal with Apple TV Plus for a documentary.
According to Variety, the film, which has already been shot, was directed by RJ Cutler and produced in collaboration with Eilish's label, Interscope Records.
The feature is expected to focus on the 17-year-old singer-songwriter's journey after the March release of her debut album, 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?'.
Cutler was given deep access to Eilish's private life and behind-the-scenes of her public appearances.
The documentary is expected to premiere on the streaming platform in 2020.
Eilish was also named Apple Music's Artist of the Year this week, and headlined the streaming service's first-ever Apple Music Awards on Wednesday.

Billie Eilish to lock Apple TV Plus documentary deal

Australian bushfires have caused unprecedented pollution in Sydney and along the country's east coast, officials said Thursday, with smoke and dust burning residents' eyes and prompting a spike in respiratory complaints.
Hundreds of bushfires have burned out of control since September up and down the eastern seaboard, blanketing cities from Sydney to Brisbane in smoke for weeks on end.
The extent of the crisis was made clear Thursday, with the New South Wales department of environment declaring bushfires and dust had caused "some of the highest air pollution ever seen" in Australia.
The region "has experienced other periods of poor air quality that lasted several weeks, including the 1994 Sydney bushfires and the Black Christmas bushfires of Dec 2001-Jan 2002," a spokeswoman told AFP.
"This event, however, is the longest and the most widespread in our records." New South Wales Rural Fire Service said more than a dozen fires were burning near Sydney on Thursday, including three that ...

Sydney smoke crisis 'longest on record'

Actors Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux are set to star in HBO's Watergate scandal limited series.
Titled "The White House Plumbers", the five-episode series is based in part on public records and the book "Integrity" by Egil "Bud" Krogh and Matthew Krogh.
"Veep" writers and executive producers, Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, have created the series and will also executive produce, reported Variety.
"Veep" showrunner David Mandel is on board to direct all the episodes.
The show tells the true story of how Nixon's own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E Howard Hunt (Harrelson) and G Gordon Liddy (Theroux), accidentally toppled the Presidency they were zealously trying to protect.
The series will be a co-production between HBO and wiip.
"We're excited to bring together such a talented team to take on this fascinating look at the internal machinations that brought down the Nixon White House.
"We're especially happy to welcome both Woody and Justin back to HBO and are ...

Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux join HBO limited Series from 'Veep' team

Reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland and Patrick Reed shared a two-shot lead with a matching six-under 66 while tournament host Tiger Woods was Tied-11th after the opening round of the Hero World Challenge here.
Woodland and Reed of United States gave a good account of themselves ahead of next week's President's Cup but Woods looked rusty as he stumbled on a bogey-double bogey finish for an even-par 72 on day one at a rather windy Albany Golf Club.
Woods, who will captain the US team next week in Melbourne, didn't have a good start in his first tournament since his victory at the ZOZO Championship in Japan in October.
The 43-year-old was two-over through 10 holes before birdies on 11, 13, 14 and an eagle on 15 brought him back into contention.
However, he faltered on the last two holes to have an even-par round.
"Yeah, it was not a very good start. Didn't play the par 5s well early and then got it going on the back nine a little bit. Got myself right there in the mix and then bad ..

Woodland, Reed in joint lead at Hero World Challenge; Woods Tied-11th

As the climate warms, many birds are shrinking in size while their wingspans are increasing, according to a study.
Researchers from the University of Michigan in the US analysed a dataset of 70,000 North American migratory birds from 52 species that died when they collided with buildings in Chicago, US.
They found that, from 1978 through 2016, body size decreased in all 52 species, with statistically significant declines in 49 species.
The findings, published in the journal Ecology Letters, also show that wing length increased significantly in 40 species over the same period.
"We had good reason to expect that increasing temperatures would lead to reductions in body size, based on previous studies," said lead author of the study Brian Weeks, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.
"The thing that was shocking was how consistent it was. I was incredibly surprised that all of these species are responding in such similar ways," Weeks said in a statement.
The new study is ...

Climate change causing birds to shrink: Study

A sailor shot three civilians, killing two of them, before taking his own life at Pearl Harbor just days before thousands were scheduled to gather at the storied military base to mark the 78th anniversary of the Japanese bombing that launched the U.S. into World War II.
Rear Adm. Robert Chadwick, the commander of Navy Region Hawaii, said the service would evaluate whether security would need to be upgraded ahead of the annual ceremony. About a dozen survivors of the 1941 bombing were expected to attend, along with dignitaries and service members.
Chadwick said he didn't know the motive behind Wednesday's shooting at the naval shipyard within the base. The third victim was hospitalized.
It wasn't known if the sailor and the three male civilians had any type of relationship, or what the motive was for the shooting, Chadwick said.
We have no indication yet whether they were targeted or if it was a random shooting, Chadwick said.
The sailor was assigned to the fast attack submarine USS ...

3 dead after Pearl Harbor sailor shoots civilians, himself

South African Airways on Thursday was placed under a state-led rescue plan as part of a restructuring process after a week-long strike was held last month.
"The Board of SAA has adopted a resolution to place the company into business rescue," said a statement by South Africa's Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
"This decision is supported by the government." Thousands of South African Airways (SAA) staff walked out on November 15 after the cash-strapped airline failed to meet a string of demands, including higher wages and job in-sourcing.
The strike was called off the following week after the SAA board and unions eventually reached a deal.
But the walkout was a severe blow for the debt-ridden airline, which has failed to make a profit since 2011 and survives on government bailouts.
SAA's board said the business rescue, scheduled to start immediately, was decided after consultations with shareholders and the public enterprises department "to find a solution to our company's ..

South African Airways to get state-led rescue package

Singer-actor Justin Timberlake has apologised to his wife Jessica Biel a week after pictures of him holding hands with his "Palmer" co-star Alisha Wainwright surfaced online.
Timberlake said he regrets his behaviour and will now focus on being the "best husband and father".
"I stay away from gossip as much as I can, but for my family, I feel it is important to address recent rumours that are hurting the people I love. A few weeks ago I displayed a strong lapse in judgment  but let me be clear  nothing happened between me and my co-star.
"I drank way too much that night and I regret my behaviour. I should have known better. This is not the example I want to set for my son. I apologise to my amazing wife and family for putting them through such an embarrassing situation, and I am focused on being the best husband and father I can be," the 38-year-old musician said in an apology he shared on Instagram.
Timberlake and Biel, 37, got married in 2012 after five years of dating. The couple ...

Justin Timberlake apologises to wife Jessica Biel after Alisha Wainwright scandal

NASA's Parker Solar Probe -- which has flown closer to the Sun than any spacecraft ever -- has beamed back the first observations from its close encounters with the Sun, revealing a "spectacular trove" of data about the solar wind and space weather, the US space agency said.
The data from the probe, published in the journal Nature, offers clues to long-standing mysteries, including why the Sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, is hundreds of times hotter than its surface, as well as the precise origins of the solar wind.
Since its launch in August 2018, Parker Solar Probe has completed three of the 24 planned passes through never-before-explored parts of the Sun's atmosphere, using cutting-edge scientific instruments to measure the environment around the spacecraft.
These findings reveal new information about the behaviour of the material and particles that speed away from the Sun, bringing scientists closer to answering fundamental questions about the physics of our star, NASA said .

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