
Something is happening in Adelaide. Australia’s fifth largest city is growing up. Biannual arts festivals have become annual events, new legislation has backed small bars, a government-endorsed laneway culture has emerged and a $ 565m upgrade of Adelaide Oval is nearing completion that will attract up to 50,000 Australian Football League supporters into the central business district regularly. Now the South Australian premier, Jay Weatherhill, wants to fortify Adelaide’s fledgling vibrancy with an ambitious plan to install a major tram network. His government has released its 30-year integrated transport and land use plan, which proposes five new tram lines to link Adelaide’s suburbs and...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) – The rate of preterm births in the United States dropped to a 15-year low of 11.5 percent in 2012, according to a report released on Friday, but the country still came in dead last among industrialized nations on this measure of infant health. The rate reflects six straight years of declines, possibly due to factors such as a drop in smoking among women of childbearing age, said the March of Dimes, the nonprofit group that produced the report. The improvement comes during an acrimonious, partisan debate in Congress about health insurance centered on President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law. The Affordable Care Act requires all insurance...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese lawmaker handed Emperor Akihito a letter on Thursday expressing fear about the health impact of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, breaking a taboo by trying to involve the emperor in politics. Taro Yamamoto, who is also an anti-nuclear activist, gave Akihito the letter during a garden party, setting off a storm of protest on the Internet from critics shocked at his action. “I wanted to directly tell the emperor of the current situation,” Yamamoto told reporters, referring to the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant north of Tokyo, which has been leaking radioactivity since it was battered by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. “I wanted him...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Caroline Humer (Reuters) – Insurer Cigna Corp said on Thursday it expects to increase its 2014 earnings from 2013, reflecting its smaller exposure to uncertainty around private Medicare and the rollout of individual insurance on new exchanges around the country. Cigna, which reported third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ expectations on Thursday, has both a U.S. and overseas health insurance business and also sells disability and life insurance. Cigna said that diversification will help it next year, which it expects to be challenging because of broad changes in the healthcare industry. Larger competitors UnitedHealth Group Inc, WellPoint Inc and Aetna Inc have recently...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

For thousands of years the soybean has been a valuable food source in China and Japan. Although America is the world’s leading producer (35 percent) of this nutrient-rich legume, most domestic consumers have yet to fully discover the “joy of soy.” Delicious alternatives to a myriad of milk products found in the supermarket—ice cream, yogurt, milk and margarine, all derived from a simple bean—lose nothing in the translation from cow to plant in terms of taste and nutrition. Indeed, extensive research conducted by Cornell University confirms the role of a plant-based diet as being healthier for humans and their environment as opposed to literally eating “high on the hog.” Almost a virtual unknown...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

(Reuters) – A federal appeals court on Thursday reinstated restrictions on abortion providers in Texas that a lower court had blocked, siding with Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott who had asked for an emergency ruling while the case is appealed. The decision means that while an appeal is ongoing in the case, doctors who perform abortions in Texas will have to get agreements with local hospitals to admit patients as part of a sweeping new anti-abortion law. A federal district judge had ruled on Monday, a day before the law was due to go into effect, that a section of the law pertaining to admitting privileges was unconstitutional after supporters said it would force clinics...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Elinor Comlay MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Shares of Mexico’s biggest bottling company fell on Thursday as Congress approved a 1 peso-per-liter tax on sugary drinks and an 8 percent tax on junk food as part of a wider tax overhaul. The plan, which was passed by lawmakers after markets closed, aims to curb rising obesity levels as well as lift Mexico’s poor tax take. Shares of Mexico-based Coca-Cola Femsa, Coke’s largest bottler in Latin America, closed down 1.28 percent at 159.02 pesos. Mexico, where obesity rates are now higher than in the United States, will be the first major soda market to tax high-calorie sodas, following a handful of other Latin American and European countries....
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Dan Levine | Reuters – By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The group that owns thousands of former Nortel patents filed its first patent lawsuit on Thursday against a familiar target: Google, the company it outbid in the Nortel bankruptcy auction. Rockstar, a consortium jointly owned by Apple, Microsoft, Blackberry, Ericsson and Sony, sued Google in a Texas federal court, accusing the internet search company of infringing seven patents. The patents cover technology that helps match search terms with relevant advertising, the lawsuit said, which is the core of Google’s search business. Representatives for Google and Rockstar could not immediately be reached for comment....
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

von Cinya Burton| Übersetzt von Cinya Burton 31. Oktober 2013 – 14:02 Kim Kardashian is definitely having a bridal moment. The newly engaged star has worn a total of four different white dresses since getting engaged to Kanye West on October 21. Yesterday she doubled down on the look and donned two ivory styles. The first was a jaw-dropping lace Dolce & Gabbana sheath during her visit to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Then just hours later she resurfaced in a shorter faux leather frock from the Kardashian Lipsy collection. PHOTOS: Inside Kim’s Birthday bash Only a week earlier she stepped out with her rapper-fiancé in Beverly Hills in a slim-fitting Nina Ricci pencil...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Expedia Reports Strong Third-Quarter Growth Expedia, Inc. reported solid growth in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. Room nights increased by 20 percent, driven by the Chinese booking site eLong and Brand Expedia. Gross bookings were up 15 percent over 2012. The overall growth of revenue was 17 percent year-over-year due to the increased hotel room nights as well as revenue from advertising and media, and, to a lesser extent, increased air. Brand Expedia, trivago and Hotels.com were responsible for driving the revenue growth. Trivago, an online hotel search company with sites in 33 countries, is set to grow its full-year revenue up almost 85 percent over...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Five pros and cons to shaking up the show Is Glee leaving Lima, Ohio, forever? While there’s been no official confirmation, reports are swirling that the Fox series – which has been in turmoil since star Cory Monteith died of a drug overdose on July 13th – may soon do away with mainstay McKinley High and permanently relocate to New York City. While some of the characters, including Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer), have already made the move, it would still be a seismic shift, considering most of the cast currently wanders the halls of the fictional Midwestern school. Here are five pros and cons of this possible change for the New Directions kids. Watch Cory Monteith’s Most...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Press Association – Google, Facebook and other major companies must be regulated as they pose a greater risk to personal data than the security services, a former intelligence worker-turned-MP has said. Ben Wallace (Wyre and Preston North) said large capitalist firms were harvesting data from individuals and selling it on to make billions of pounds yet, unlike the state, they were not subject to regulations to protect people. Mr Wallace, who worked in intelligence in Northern Ireland, said he would rather have the security services grooming his internet as democratic bodies were in place to oversee their work. But the Tory said he had yet to hear one criticism, fear or demand...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

(Reuters) – Insurer Cigna Corp on Thursday reported a third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ expectations as revenue increased and it managed medical costs in its commercial business. Net income rose to $ 553 million, or $ 1.95 per share, from $ 466 million, or $ 1.61 per share, a year earlier. Excluding investment gains, the company reported a profit of $ 1.89 per share. On that basis, analysts on average had expected $ 1.63, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Cigna, which provides U.S. and overseas health insurance as well as disability and life insurance, said it expected full-year earnings of $ 6.70 to $ 6.90 per share. Analysts were expecting $ 6.65, according to Thomson...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – The risks to public health from emissions caused by fracking for shale oil and gas are low as long as operations are properly run and regulated, the British government’s health agency said on Thursday. Public Health England (PHE) said in a review that any health impacts were likely to be minimal from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which involves the pumping of water and chemicals into dense shale formations deep underground. Environmental campaigners have staged large anti-fracking protests in Britain, arguing that it can pollute groundwater and cause earthquakes. Since there is currently no fracking in Britain, the PHE report examined...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

(Reuters) – Insurer Cigna Corp on Thursday reported a third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ expectations as revenue increased and it managed medical costs in its commercial business. Net income rose to $ 553 million, or $ 1.95 per share, from $ 466 million, or $ 1.61 per share, a year earlier. Excluding investment gains, the company reported a profit of $ 1.89 per share. On that basis, analysts on average had expected $ 1.63, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Cigna, which provides U.S. and overseas health insurance as well as disability and life insurance, said it expected full-year earnings of $ 6.70 to $ 6.90 per share. Analysts were expecting $ 6.65, according to Thomson...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – The risks to public health from exposure to emissions from shale gas extraction or fracking are low as long as operations are properly run and regulated, the British government’s health agency said on Thursday. In a review of the potential health impact of fracking, which involves the pumping of water and chemicals into dense shale formations to push out gas and oil, Public Health England (PHE) said any health impacts were likely to be minimal. Since there is currently no fracking in Britain, the PHE report examined evidence from countries such as the United States, most of which it said suggested any risk to health is typically due to operational...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Spinlister helps people rent their bikes to other people. Photograph: Alamy The majority of people don’t use their skis or snowboards except for one or two weeks of the year. Even many bikes spend more time in the shed that out on the road. But they don’t have to just gather dust. How about renting them out? Spinlister.com is looking to be a major player in the growing share economy, allowing people to rent their bikes and winter sports gear to other users. The original tagline “Your bike is money” had a slight mercenary feel, but the aim is to create a peer-to-peer network based on trust. You type in a specific city or neighbourhood, then search through listings to find the best offer...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

von Cinya Burton| Übersetzt von Cinya Burton 31. Oktober 2013 – 02:00 Happy Halloween! Not all of us choose to celebrate today’s holiday with a foam finger or animal ears. There are ways to be festive and don’t require you to wear (part of) a costume. A few of our favorites? Try nabbing an autumn hued polish like CoverGirl’s Rogue Red lacquer (don’t worry about the name it really paints on a fiery orange tint). Or for something even more spooky score Deborah Lippmann‘s limited edition Wicked set, inspired by the witchy Broadway show. An even simpler way to jazz up your look is a pair of Lashfully’s faux lashes—after all, if you’re going to go all out during the daytime,...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – China should close live poultry markets in big cities to disrupt the spread of a new strain of bird flu that resurfaced there earlier this month, scientists said, after a previous shutdown was found to have slashed the number of human cases. In a study published in The Lancet medical journal on Thursday, researchers from Hong Kong and China said that while closing markets during the height of the first outbreak of H7N9 in April may have been costly, it reduced human infections dramatically and should be done again if cases rise as feared. The findings – of a more than 97 percent reduction in the daily number of human cases of the new H7N9 strain...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

To continue, please type the characters below: About this page Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it’s really you sending the requests, and not a robot. Why did this happen? IP address: 2a01:4f8:d16:16e0::2 Time: 2013-10-31T07:36:20Z URL: https://news.google.com/news/feeds?q=herbal //...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) — Young New Yorkers who want to light up will soon have to wait for their 21st birthdays before they can buy a pack of smokes after lawmakers in the nation’s most populous city voted overwhelmingly to raise the tobacco-purchasing age from 18 to 21. The City Council’s vote Wednesday makes New York the biggest city to bar cigarette sales to 19- and 20-year-olds, and one of only a few places throughout the United States that have tried to stymie smoking among young people by raising the purchasing age. The council also approved a bill that sets a minimum $ 10.50-a-pack price for tobacco cigarettes and steps up law enforcement on illegal tobacco sales. “We know that...
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Thursday, October 31, 2013