Plane Crashes into Russian Highway, Four Dead

A passenger airliner has careered off a runway at Russia's third-busiest airport, killing four people.

There were eight to twelve people aboard the Tu-204 belonging to Russian airline Red Wings. The aircraft broke up and burst into flames in the crash on Saturday.

Emergency officials said several people were in critical or serious condition. Interior Ministry spokesman Gennady Bogachev told the state TV news channel Vesti that two people were killed.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/15735619/four-people-die-in-russian-plane-crash/

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake BANDA SEA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 20:29:52 UTC
Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 05:29:52 AM at epicenter
Location
6.610°S, 129.865°E
Depth
162.5 km (101.0 miles)
Region
BANDA SEA
Distances
225 km (140 miles) NW (313°) from Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 20:13:05 UTC
Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 12:43:05 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
36.683°N, 71.116°E
Depth
239.5 km (148.8 miles)
Region
HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN
Distances
32 km (19 miles) SE of Jarm, Afghanistan

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.2
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 18:42:03 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 09:42:03 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
52.541°N, 169.470°W
Depth
6.5 km (4.0 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region
FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
Distances
60 km (37 miles) SW of Nikolski, Alaska

Pakistan authorities investigate cough syrup believed to have killed 33 people

Pakistani authorities are investigating allegations that cough syrup has killed 33 people over the past three days, a government official said Saturday, the second time in recent months medicine is suspected of causing multiple deaths.

Also Saturday, an explosion ripped through a passenger bus while it was at a terminal in the southern city of Karachi, killing six people and wounding 52 others, police and hospital officials said. It's unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb or a gas canister exploding.

The deaths from the cough syrup occurred in the eastern city of Gujranwala and nearby villages, said local official Abdul Jabbar Shaheen. Another 54 people thought to have consumed the syrup are also being treated at city hospitals. Officials believe the victims drank the syrup to get high, he added.

http://www.startribune.com/world/185153771.html?refer=y

200 passengers on Queen Mary 2 fall sick on exclusive Christmas Cruise - as those on SECOND liner become ill with 'norovirus'

Hundreds of passengers hoping to enjoy a pampered Christmas cruise on the imposing Queen Mary 2 are instead below deck with an unknown illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea.

Earlier this week, 189 passengers and 31 crew members had come down with symptoms, which are consistent with the norovirus, a highly-contagious virus that is easily passed from person to person through contaminated food or water.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254566/Queen-Mary-2-Passengers-sick-norovirus-Caribbean-cruise.html

US Senate leaders work to avoid New Year's 'fiscal cliff'

Congressional negotiators burrowed into their Capitol offices on Saturday to see if they can stop the U.S. economy from falling off of a "fiscal cliff" in just three days when the biggest tax increases ever to hit Americans in one shot are scheduled to begin.

Aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell were expected to work through the day on a possible compromise that would set aside $600 billion in tax increases and across-the-board government spending cuts that are set to kick in next week.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/usa-fiscal-idUSL1E8NT11X20121229

Soldiers bust Mexican drug smuggling tunnel into the US

Severe overnight blizzard in China causes traffic delays

Four dead in Russian plane crash

Egypt lets building material cross its border into Gaza

Islamist-led Egypt allowed building materials into Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Saturday for the first time since Hamas seized control of the Palestinian enclave in 2007, an Egyptian border official said.

It was part of a shipment of building materials donated by the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, which has pledged $400 million to finance reconstruction in Gaza. The Islamist group Hamas has run Gaza since driving out its rivals in the Palestinian Authority.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-israel-palestinians-egypt-rafah-idUSBRE8BS08V20121229

Alan Greaves Murder: Two People Arrested

Police have arrested two men over the murder of pensioner Alan Greaves, who was attacked as he walked to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

The 68-year-old from Sheffield was found with head injuries on the pavement close to his home on Greengate Lane at around 11.15pm on December 24.

The suspects, both from Sheffield, were arrested on suspicion of murder, South Yorkshire Police said. One is in his 20s and the other in his 40s.

http://news.sky.com/story/1031345/alan-greaves-murder-two-people-arrested

Survivor's Family Sue Over Sandy Hook Massacre

Lawyers for a six-year-old who survived the Sandy Hook massacre are seeking permission to sue the state of Connecticut for $100m (£62m) for failing to protect its schoolchildren.

The legal notice was filed earlier this week with the claims commissioner, who will decide whether the state's usual immunity from prosecution should be waived.

It is the first apparent litigation attempt following the mass shooting two weeks ago, which killed 20 children and six members of staff.

http://news.sky.com/story/1031268/survivors-family-sue-over-sandy-hook-massacre

5.8 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
5.8
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 17:50:53 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:20:53 PM at epicenter
Location
35.697°N, 70.545°E
Depth
115.9 km (72.0 miles)
Region
HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN
Distances
41 km (25 miles) SSW of `Alaqahdari-ye Kiran wa Munjan, Afghanistan

Abu Qatada may be re-homed AGAIN at taxpayers' expense after details of his latest address are leaked on internet

Hate preacher Abu Qatada could be rehomed at the expense of tax-payers after details of his latest address was leaked online.

The 52-year-old's current £450,000 home in North London was publicised on a Facebook page and discussed on Twitter.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254515/Hate-preacher-Abu-Qatada-homed-AGAIN-taxpayers-expense-details-latest-address-leaked-internet.html

French 75% income tax struck down by constitutional council

France's constitutional council has struck down a top income tax rate of 75% introduced by Socialist President Francois Hollande.

Raising taxes for those earning more than 1m euros (£817,400) has been a flagship policy for Mr Hollande.

The policy angered France's business community and prompted some wealthy citizens to say they would emigrate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20864114

Berlusconi accuses Monti of plot with Italy's centre left

Silvio Berlusconi on Saturday condemned outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti's plan to lead a centrist alliance in Italy's election in February, accusing him of a plot to favor the left, but centrist leaders denied any secret accord.

Monti, who replaced Berlusconi as prime minister last year as Italy scrambled to avert a financial crisis, said on Friday he wanted to unite a broad coalition of factions around a reform agenda aimed at easing the country's economic woes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-italy-vote-idUSBRE8BS09L20121229

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
5.5
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 14:59:37 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 11:59:37 PM at epicenter
Location
38.762°N, 142.141°E
Depth
40.4 km (25.1 miles)
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
123 km (77 miles) ENE (62°) from Sendai, Honshu, Japan

Russia Plane Crash: Four People Killed

Four people have died after a passenger plane overshot an airport runway as it landed in Russia.

The crash took place during high winds and a snowstorm in Moscow, but the cause of the accident was not clear.

After a hard landing, the Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence onto a motorway next to the city's Vnukovo airport.

http://news.sky.com/story/1031274/russia-plane-crash-four-people-killed

Bomb Blast in Pakistan's Karachi kills six on bus, 48 hurt

A bomb went off on a bus in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday killing six people and wounding 48, police and a hospital official said.

Pakistan's commercial capital and biggest city has seen numerous militant attacks over the past 10 years and is also plagued by violence between rival ethnic-based factions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-pakistan-blast-idUSBRE8BS06O20121229

Only political process can save Syria from "hell" - envoy

The international mediator seeking peace in Syria warned of "hell" if no deal is struck to end 21 months of bloodshed, but his talks in Russia capping a week of intense diplomacy brought no sign of a breakthrough.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both said there was still a chance for a negotiated solution to the conflict, which has killed more than 44,000 people and set world powers against one another.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/uk-syria-crisis-russia-idUKBRE8BS03J20121229

Russia Plane Crash: Two Dead And Ten Injured

Two people have died after a passenger plane overshot an airport runway as it landed in Russia.

The Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence onto on a motorway next to Moscow's Vnukovo airport, state television said.

The Tu-204 plane was carrying four crew members and eight passengers.

http://news.sky.com/story/1031274/russia-plane-crash-two-dead-and-ten-injured

A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto

Syrian conflict getting more militarized, sectarian

Russia's top diplomat and the international envoy to Syria warned Saturday that the Middle East nation's conflict is becoming more militarized and sectarian, further endangering the region.

The statements followed a meeting between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations envoy, which was aimed at bringing both sides of the civil war to the negotiating table.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/29/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html

Norovirus: One million now affected

The winter vomiting bug has claimed another 141,000 victims in the last week, pushing the annual total up to more than 1.1million.

Health officials said the number of confirmed cases of norovirus was more than double the level for this time last year – and the toll is expected to rise again.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2254239/Norovirus-One-million-affected-winter-vomiting-bug--cases-set-soar-New-Year.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Protests in India after Delhi gang-rape victim dies

Thousands of people have staged peaceful protests in India's capital, Delhi, following the death of a woman who was gang-raped in the city.

The 23-year old woman, who has not been identified, died early on Saturday at a hospital in Singapore, where she had been taken for specialist treatment.

The attack on 16 December triggered violent public protests in India.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20863707

Crowds at gun sales SOAR as buyers flock to buy weaponry out of fear of a sudden weapons ban after Sandy Hook massacre

The prospect of a possible weapons ban has sent gun enthusiasts into a panic and sparked a frenzy of buying at stores and gun dealers nationwide. Assault rifles are sold out across the country. Rounds of .223 bullets, like those used in the AR-15 type Bushmaster rifle used in Newtown, are scarce. Stores are struggling to restock their shelves.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254469/Sandy-Hook-shooting-Buyers-swarm-U-S-gun-stores-fearing-sudden-weapons-ban.html

Man and boy swept to their death by huge wave as they fished under Golden Gate bridge

A man and a boy have been found dead after they were swept off rocks near the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco yesterday afternoon.

The pair, who haven't been identified but could be father and son, were pulled into the ocean by large waves while they were fishing just before 5pm.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254483/Golden-Gate-bridge-Man-boy-dead-swept-rocks-fishing.html

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.3
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:29:43 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 12:29:43 AM at epicenter
Location
51.869°N, 173.189°W
Depth
45.8 km (28.5 miles)
Region
ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
Distances
79 km (49 miles) ESE (117°) from Atka, AK

India Rape Death: Six Charged With Murder

Indian police have charged six men with murder, hours after a woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi died in hospital.

The men could face the death penalty if convicted, in a case that has triggered protests across India.

The 23-year-old victim was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.

http://news.sky.com/story/1031239/india-rape-death-six-charged-with-murder

Rising number of attackers are trying extraordinary defence that they had 'sexsomnia' - Are men getting away with rape by pretending they were asleep? ....Of course they are!

For bit-part actor Simon Morris (pictured left), an appearance in the dock at Cardiff Crown Court last week was an opportunity to put his dramatic skills to the test. Suave and smartly-dressed, the greying 42-year-old insisted that he knew nothing of the events that led to a 15-year-old schoolgirl being raped at a house party in Wales. He was found guilty of rape and is awaiting sentence. Earlier this year Zack Thompson (right) admitted his 'sexsomnia' defence was a lie, and was jailed for six years for a rape in Portugal.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254360/Sexsomnia-Rising-number-attackers-trying-extraordinary-defence.html

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE COAST OF COSTA RICA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 09:53:06 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 03:53:06 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
10.723°N, 86.264°W
Depth
35.1 km (21.8 miles)
Region
OFF THE COAST OF COSTA RICA
Distances
70 km (43 miles) WNW of Sardinal, Costa Rica

Full Focus Editor's choice Our best photos from the last 24 hours. Slideshow Best photos of the year 2012 Download our Wider Image iPad app Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube RECOMMENDED VIDEO Troops go "Gangnam Style" in Afghanistan (1:04) India rape victim airlifted to Singapore (1:01) Race to save NY beached whale (0:32) [?] READ Analysis: For Senate leaders, a mission impossible from Obama| 1:02am EST1Indian gang rape victim dies; New Delhi braces for protests| 3:23am EST2Wall Street ends sour week with fifth straight decline| 28 Dec 20123Passengers on Queen Mary 2 sickened by unidentified pathogen 28 Dec 20124Senate leaders to make last-ditch "fiscal cliff" effort| 28 Dec 20125 DISCUSSED 125 UPDATE 1-US administration urges Republicans not to block ‘fiscal cliff’ deal 106 Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats for ”fiscal cliff”: Reuters/Ipsos poll 111 Lawmakers play waiting game with ‘fiscal cliff’ deadline in sight PICTURES Reuters Photojournalism Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption Photos of the week Our top photos from the past week. Slideshow Life in Aleppo's ruins The quieter moments in Syria's battle town. Slideshow Egypt opposition says Islamists trying to stifle dissent

Egypt's opposition accused President Mohamed Mursi's Islamist allies of trying to muzzle dissent on Friday after prosecutors decided to investigate whether prominent government critics were guilty of sedition.

The probe, which comes a month after Mursi replaced the chief prosecutor, further sours the political climate as the leader and his opponents face off over a new constitution that became law on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/us-egypt-politics-idUSBRE8BR0GX20121228

Rebels close in on key airport in northern Syria

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake BANDA SEA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 08:33:19 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 05:33:19 PM at epicenter
Location
6.582°S, 129.871°E
Depth
143.4 km (89.1 miles)
Region
BANDA SEA
Distances
227 km (141 miles) NW (313°) from Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia

Dalian PX Chemical Project Never Stopped

August 2011 witnessed tens of thousands of Dalian citizens
protesting against a local p-xylene (PX) chemical project.
Local authorities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
promised to halt and relocate the project.
Recently, China"s media unveiled that
this PX project has actually never stopped.
The company prohibits its employees to leak the information.

The news exposure has greatly outraged local public,
as they felt they were fooled by CCP local authorities.

An executive of Dalian-based Fujia Group confirmed to media
that the company"s PX chemical project has never stopped.

Drain explodes in woman's face in China

Russia presses Syria to talk to opposition

Foreign activists deliver medical aid in Gaza City

China's RMB 400 Billion High-Speed Rail Line Opens

Official: Charges in Firefighter Ambush Slayings

Syria: Insurgents Attack Kurds, Take Heavy Casualties

Hopes for Syria breakthrough faint as U.N. envoy visits Russia

The international mediator seeking to end the 21-month-old conflict in Syria met Russia's foreign minister in Moscow on Saturday after talks in Damascus but expectations of progress toward a negotiated solution were low.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's talks with Sergei Lavrov occurred a day after the main Syrian opposition group rebuffed diplomatic advances by Russia and firmly reiterated it would not negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad's government.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-syria-crisis-russia-idUSBRE8BS03F20121229

Indian gang rape victim dies; New Delhi braces for protests

A woman whose gang rape sparked protests and a national debate about violence against women in India died of her injuries on Saturday, prompting a security lockdown in New Delhi and an acknowledgement from India's prime minister that social change is needed.

Bracing for a new wave of protests, Indian authorities deployed thousands of policemen, closed 10 metro stations and banned vehicles from some main roads in the heart of New Delhi, where demonstrators have converged since the attack to demand improved women's rights. Hundreds of people staged peaceful protests at two locations on Saturday morning.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-india-rape-idUSBRE8BR03620121229

China orders children to visit their elderly parents

China has passed a law requiring adult children to visit their elderly parents regularly or risk being sued.

The law does not specify how frequently such visits should occur, but warns that neglect could risk court action.

Reports suggest a growing number of elderly Chinese have been abandoned or neglected by their offspring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20860264

Unprecedented east Jerusalem building in pipeline

Israel is planning its biggest construction surge in east Jerusalem in decades in a move that critics argue would cement its grip on the contested territory, further complicate any prospects for peace with the Palestinians, and badly rattle Israel's already rocky relations with the rest of the world.

With more than 9,000 apartments in various stages of planning and construction, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reaffirming his opposition to ceding any parts of the holy city to the Palestinians, a compromise two of his predecessors had accepted. The planned construction contributes to completing a ring of Jewish areas around the Arab inner core of east Jerusalem, making it more difficult to one day link it to the West Bank, which surrounds the city on three sides.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivPz56a3aL0ecoj-xIqdbSD1ICqA?docId=03964277d49f4ad2845b68a6ae393820

Chaos on tracks in Leicestershire after freight train derailment

Engineers are having to build an entirely new road so they can get heavy machinery to clear the site of a freight train derailment.

Network Rail says it is involved in a complicated operation to sort the aftermath of the incident, on Thursday, which is likely to take days and disrupt the travel plans of thousands of passengers into the New Year.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Chaos-tracks-Leicestershire-freight-train/story-17701116-detail/story.html

'US, Russia plunging into new Cold War'

Tit-for-tat moves between Russia and the US are plunging the two nations into a new Cold War, says Russia expert Stephen Cohen. Washington’s longtime policy towards Moscow is to blame for the growing tensions.

The ‘reset’ in relations between the United States and Russia is dead, as the Obama administration has never truly cooperated with Moscow, instead pushing the same policy Washington has been imposing on Russia for the past 20 years.

“That policy is advancing NATO toward Russia’s borders, building missile defense on Russia’s borders, interfering in Russia’s internal politics,” Stephen F. Cohen – professor of Russian Studies and History at New York University and Princeton University told RT.

http://rt.com/news/cold-war-russia-us-047/

Peace Envoy in Moscow for Talks on Syria

The United Nations-Arab League peace envoy is scheduled to hold talks in Moscow to find a way to end the 21-month Syrian conflict.

Lakhdar Brahimi is set to talk Saturday with Russian officials about his recent round of discussions with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian rebels.

Brahimi this week called for an interim government in Syria until new elections can be held.

http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/12/29/peace-envoy-in-moscow-for-talks-on-syria/

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake BISMARCK SEA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
5.5
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 07:59:15 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 05:59:15 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
3.353°S, 148.722°E
Depth
10.2 km (6.3 miles)
Region
BISMARCK SEA
Distances
217 km (134 miles) SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake BISMARCK SEA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
5.0
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 07:56:00 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 05:56:00 PM at epicenter
Location
3.361°S, 148.653°E
Depth
9.9 km (6.2 miles)
Region
0
Distances
216 km (134 miles) SE (134°) from Lorengau, Manus Island, PNG

Analysis: For Senate leaders, a mission impossible from Obama

Following a Friday meeting with congressional leaders, an impatient and annoyed President Barack Obama said it was "mind boggling" that Congress has been unable to fix a "fiscal cliff" mess that everyone has known about for more than a year.

He then dispatched Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, on a mind-boggling mission: coming up with a bipartisan bill to break the "fiscal cliff" stalemate in the most partisan and gridlocked U.S. Congress of modern times - in about 48 hours.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-usa-fiscal-stalemate-idUSBRE8BS03020121229

Ammonia leak emergency at meat plant, New Zealand

An ammonia leak brought major disruption for motorists near a popular South Island holiday town today.

The gas alert at the Alliance lamb and sheep processing plant at Stoke cut road access on a key route for a couple of hours.

Just before 10am a safety valve at the plant near Nelson failed, releasing the hazardous gas into the air.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/ammonia-leak-emergency-meat-plant-5306597

21 Bulgarian Cities on Alert over High Dust Levels

High dust levels were registered in a total of 21 Bulgarian cities on Thursday, authorities say.

Readings of harmful particle levels showed that fine dust levels were above the norm in Sofia, Plovdiv, Pernik, Burgas, Varna, Plaven, Ruse, Blagoevgrad, Nesebar, Devnya, Dobrich, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Vratsa, Vidin, Lovech, Smolyan, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Dimitrovgrad, Kardzhali and Shumen.

EU's standard threshold value for fine dust is 50 microgram per cubic metre in a 24-hour period.

The highest value measured in Bulgaria on Thursday was at Sofia's busy Eagles' Bridge intersection - 8.37 times above that norm.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=146400

Norwegian boy dies of swine flu

An 11-year old boy from the southern Norwegian county of Telemark has died of a swine virus infection, the Norwegian-language newspaper Aftenposten reported on Friday.

The boy had been seriously ill for two weeks before being transferred on Christmas Eve from a local hospital in Porsgrunn to the Riks Hospital in Oslo, capital of Norway, said Bjoernar Nyen, a doctor in the boy's hometown.

Nyen confirmed that the boy died of influenza A caused by the H1N1 virus, which is also called the swine flu.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-12/29/c_132070385.htm

Chikungunya fever suspected in cluster reported from Albay province, Philippines

The Albay provincial health office (PHO) in southern Luzon, Philippines is reporting some 19 cases of suspected Chikungunya fever from two villages in the Bicol region province, according to an Inquirer news report Wednesday.

Dr. Luis Mendoza, Albay provincial health officer, said he and a team from the provincial epidemiology office went to Sto. Domingo on Dec. 22 to validate reports that 18 villagers from Barangay San Juan and one villager in San Vicente got sick of Chikungunya virus, Philippine media reports.

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/chikungunya-fever-suspected-in-cluster-reported-from-albay-province-25577/

22 die, 69 missing in Guinea-Bissau boat tragedy

At least 22 people died and 69 were missing after their overloaded boat sank Friday off the capital of Guinea-Bissau, rescue workers said.

A total of 97 people were aboard the boat en route from the Atlantic Ocean island of Boloma to Bissau, they told AFP.

http://www.africareview.com/News/Scores-die-in-Guinea-Bissau-boat-tragedy/-/979180/1653294/-/ubqeac/-/index.html

'West lacks invasion power': Iran holds war drills in Strait of Hormuz

Fear & Loading: Record gun sales as ban demand backfires

Oliver Stone: Obama a wolf in sheep's clothing

2012: Syria Strife 'Infiltrated'

Fiscal Fears: 'Extending US debt like giving a drunk more vodka'

CCTV: Passer-by sticks out foot to trip up fugitive chased by Chinese cops

Keiser Report: Next American Revolution

Grim Up North: Financial gloom sparks suicides in North East UK

New Syria massacre? Rebels claim 20, including kids, killed in regime strike

Democracy Skipped: West mute on 2-year Bahrain crackdown

Thumbs Up Terror: Iran rebels get US support

Constructive Criticism: Israel approves more settlements after Palestine UN boost

2012 Austerity & Anger in EU

5.1 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
5.1
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 07:19:32 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 04:19:32 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
37.065°N, 141.166°E
Depth
40.4 km (25.1 miles)
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
25 km (15 miles) E of Iwaki, Japan

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake TARAPACA, CHILE - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.3
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 06:04:16 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 03:04:16 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
19.899°S, 69.216°W
Depth
101.3 km (62.9 miles)
Region
TARAPACA, CHILE
Distances
102 km (63 miles) ENE of Iquique, Chile

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.8
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 04:38:28 UTC
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 04:38:28 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
26.041°S, 177.256°W
Depth
105.7 km (65.7 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
Distances
363 km (225 miles) N of Raoul Island, New Zealand

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE COAST OF NICARAGUA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 04:01:50 UTC
Friday, December 28, 2012 at 10:01:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
11.290°N, 86.983°W
Depth
65.8 km (40.9 miles)
Region
NEAR THE COAST OF NICARAGUA
Distances
74 km (45 miles) SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake GUATEMALA - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.1
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 02:43:31 UTC
Friday, December 28, 2012 at 08:43:31 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
14.273°N, 91.179°W
Depth
64.8 km (40.3 miles)
Region
GUATEMALA
Distances
15 km (9 miles) ENE of Nueva Concepcion, Guatemala

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL PERU - 29th December 2012

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 01:57:41 UTC
Friday, December 28, 2012 at 08:57:41 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
11.420°S, 76.783°W
Depth
99.4 km (61.8 miles)
Region
CENTRAL PERU
Distances
47 km (29 miles) E of Huaral, Peru