French stores accused of imposing "woman tax"

France’s finance ministry has ordered 1) an inquest a research an assessment an inquiry a survey into why female shoppers are paying more than male consumers for apparently identical products.

Shampoos, deodorants, razors and other goods marketed as "feminine" are subject to 2) who which where what that a French women’s rights group says is an "invisible tax" making them pricier. After launching a petition that has attracted 30,000 signatures, government officials 3) have promised would promise will promise were promised promise to investigate the discrepancies.

The campaign has the 4) back support concept ideology image of Pascale Boistard, the secretary of state for women’s rights, who tweeted: "Is pink a luxury colour" One photograph used in the campaign and taken in Monoprix supermarket shows a pink packet of five disposable razors priced €1.80 (£1.41), 5) as also for since while a blue packet of 10 disposable razors aimed at men costs €1.72.

At another store 6) owning depending proper belonging property to the chain Casino, campaigners found a 200ml tube of shaving gel cost €2.87 for women and €2.39 for men.

The Georgette Sand collective has called on Monoprix - whose name means single price - and other shops to stop sexist pricing policies, 7) accusing blaming charging denouncing identifying it of imposing a "woman tax". "At Monoprix there’s no single price! In fact, for similar products, women are 8) paying pricing buying bargaining costing more than men," the campaigners wrote. "The company takes 9) profit advantage care benefit chance of the fact that women’s and men’s hygiene products are in different sections in order to apply different prices on products that are mostly similar, if not 10) same different equal parallel identical .

Boy admits murdering teacher Ann Maguire

A 16-year-old boy has pleaded 11) responsible innocent reasonable guilty insanity to stabbing a teacher to death in front of a horrified class in Leeds.

The boy, who 12) can should wouldn't hadn't cannot be named, admitted murdering Ann Maguire, 61, in her classroom at Corpus Christi Catholic college on 28 April this year. The youngster was 15 and 13) studies studied studying will study would study for his GCSEs at the time of the attack. His parents sat with him in the dock at Leeds Crown Court as he 14) admitted has admitted had admitted admits would admit the killing. The prosecution has argued that the boy should receive a minimum 12-year tariff because he "derived pleasure from the public nature of her killing".

Maguire’s daughter Emma told the court, "Every morning I wake up hoping it’s all a bad 15) dream image night imagination revelation . There’s a split second before reality sets in." Maguire’s husband, Don, said: "There will be no 16) ending finishing conclusion stopping closure . Balance will never return. There will be no level scales."

The court heard that Maguire was the boy’s Spanish teacher. The boy was a model pupil in year 7, was "amicable, enthusiastic and conscientious" but changed after being 17) identified diagnosed tested cured treated with diabetes. The diabetes had a major impact on his mood and personality. His mother noticed evidence of self-harming.

He was upset that his diabetes would 18) encourage discourage prevent allow permit him from joining the army. He started to harbour a hatred for Ann Maguire, the court heard.

The boy told other pupils he had been carrying a knife and wanted Maguire dead. On his mobile police discovered 19) few little much many less images of knives. On Christmas Eve 2013 the boy 20) posted told sent said described a friend on Facebook he wanted to "brutally kill" Maguire and spend the rest of his life in jail.

U.S. and China reach climate deal after months of talks

China and the United States 21) made has made have made had made would make common cause on Wednesday against the threat of climate change, staking out an ambitious plan to curb carbon emissions as a way to spur nations around the world to make 22) its hers her theirs their own cuts in greenhouse gases.

The landmark agreement, 23) together jointly in common in tandem coherently announced by President Obama and President Xi Jinping, includes new targets for carbon emissions reductions by the United States and a first-ever commitment by China to stop its emissions from 24) growth growing reduction reducing raising by 2030.

Administration officials said the agreement, which was worked 25) out off up down in quietly between the United States and China over nine months and included a letter from Mr. Obama to Mr. Xi proposing a joint approach, could galvanize efforts to 26) deal bargain argue negotiate dispute a new global climate agreement by 2015.

It was the signature achievement of an unexpectedly 27) production produce producing product productive two days of meetings between the leaders. Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi also agreed to a military accord designed to avert clashes between Chinese and American planes and warships in the tense waters 28) against in off between behind the Chinese coast, as well as an understanding to cut tariffs for technology products.

A climate deal between China and the United States, the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 carbon polluters, 29) are viewed views is viewed view viewing as essential to concluding a new global accord. Unless Beijing and Washington can resolve their differences, climate experts say, 30) many more less few little other countries will agree to mandatory cuts inemissions.

Fearing bombs that can pick whom to kill

On a bright fall day last year off the coast of Southern California, an Air Force B-1 bomber 31) shot decoyed flared launched rocketed an experimental missile that may herald the future of warfare.

32) However Finally Initially After Carefully pilots aboard the plane directed the missile, but halfway to its destination, it severed communication with its operators. Alone, without human 33) foresight hindsight insight sight oversight the missile decided which of three ships to attack, dropping to just above the sea surface and striking a 260-foot unmanned freighter.

Warfare is increasingly guided by software. Today, armed drones can be operated by 34) far distant isolated lonely remote pilots peering into video screens thousands of miles from the battlefield. But now, some scientists say, arms makers have crossed into troubling territory: They are developing weapons that make use of artificial intelligence, not human instruction, to decide what to 35) aim fire purpose target objective and whom to kill.

As these weapons become 36) smart less smart smarter smartest the smartest critics fear they will become increasingly difficult for humans to control or to defend against. And while pinpoint accuracy could save civilian lives, critics fear such weapons could make war more likely, as 37) difficult more difficult easy easier light as flipping a switch.

Britain, Israel and Norway are 38) already still yet since before deploying missiles and drones that carry out attacks against enemy radar, tanks or ships without direct human control. After launch, so-called autonomous weapons rely 39) on of in to for artificial intelligence and sensors to select targets and to initiate an attack. Britain’s "fire and forget" Brimstone missiles, 40) however for example although actually currently , can distinguish among tanks and cars and buses without human assistance, and can hunt targets in a predesignated region.

Eurostar unveils new 200mph Channel Tunnel train

A new 200mph state-of-the-art train has been unveiled in London by Channel Tunnel highspeed train company Eurostar. Built by German 41) firm enterprise society limited entity Siemens and capable of carrying 900 passengers, the e320 train will go into service at the end of 2015.

In a £550 million deal, Eurostar 42) after before finally originally additionally ordered 10 of the e320s (so called as they can travel at 320kph), but at the launch at St Paneras station the company announced it 43) is ordering was ordering are ordered have ordered ordered a further seven new trains. The launch comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the start of Eurostar services in November 1994.

The trains are described as 44) seeming looking showing having being "inter-operable", meaning they can run across diverse European signaling systems, opening up the potential for a whole range of new direct services between the UK and European city centre 45) waypoints landmarks destinations arrivals departures .

May 2015 46) can see will see would see can't see won't see the start of a new year-round direct Eurostar service to Provence, stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, followed at the end of 2016 by the launch of a direct route to Amsterdam with stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport 47) during between following along continuing the way. The e320s represent an increase 48) of on in to at capacity of 20 per cent compared with the company’s existing rolling stock.

The external livery and interiors of the new train 49) have been has been had been been being created by Italian design house Pininfarina. The e320s will be equipped with free wifi throughout and customers will enjoy more space per seat, with each equipped with power points and a USB socket.

Eurostar chief executive Nicolas Petrovic said: "Having had 10 consecutive years of growth, we are seeing a record demand for our services and the addition of new trains to our 50) team crew equipment capital fleet will be key to our growth ambitions".

Polish woman declared dead wakes in morgue

Workers at a funeral home in Poland 51) treated diagnosed suffered cured infected a shock when a woman who had been declared dead and was being prepared for burial suddenly came back to life. Ninety-one- year-old Janina Kolkiewicz had "died" 11 hours earlier, before regaining 52) conscious unconscious conscience consciousness constance in the morgue and moving around in her body bag, alerting the workers.

"We’re in shock. At midnight we got a call from the funeral home 53) for not for after not to to say that she was alive," Bogumila Kolkiewicz, the woman’s niece, told the Dzennik Wschodni newspaper. "She doesn’t know what happened to her, but she’s in good health. She did 54) complain seem indicate mention illustrate about being cold, however when she came home," the niece added.

The doctor who 55) issued printed designed filed created the death certificate has said she had no idea why the woman came back to life.

"I do not know how this is possible; I’m 56) yet always still already before in shock," said the doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous. "If I 57) has had have had have had had will have any doubts about her being dead I would have called an ambulance and would have tried to resuscitate her. But she had no vital signs: no pulse, nothing."

Henryk Klementewicz, director of the funeral company 58) installed investigated involved implied impounded , also expressed his shock saying: "Neither me nor my predecessor, who was in charge of the home for 30 years, have 59) yet ever before already previous encountered anything like this. I don’t know how it happened." A neighbour of the Mrs Kolkiewicz told the press she thought it 60) can should ought to need to must have been "a miracle".

A Cuban brain drain, courtesy of the U.S.

Secretary of State John Kerry and the American 61) minister leader officer negotiator ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, have praised the work of Cuban doctors dispatched to treat Ebola patients in West Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently sent an official to a regional meeting the Cuban government 62) located structured convened posted took place in Havana to coordinate efforts to fight the disease.

In Africa, Cuban doctors are working in American-built facilities. The epidemic has had the unexpected effect of injecting common sense into an 63) unnecessarily usefully insignificantly inefficiently importantly poisonous relationship. And yet, Cuban doctors serving in West Africa today could easily 64) take up apply for return abandon eliminate their posts, take a taxi to the nearest American Embassy and apply for a little-known immigration program that has allowed thousands of them to defect. Those who are accepted can be on American soil 65) during within before after while weeks, on track to becoming United States citizens.

There is 66) much many a lot of few less to criticize about Washington’s failed policies toward Cuba and the embargo it has imposed on the island for decades. But the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program, which in the last fiscal year 67) enabled let discouraged registered decided 1,278 Cubans to defect while on overseas assignments, a record number, is particularly hard to justify.

It is incongruous for the United States to value the contributions of Cuban doctors who are sent by their government to assist in international crises like the 2010 Haiti earthquake while working to 68) invert pervert subvert support stabilize that government by making defection so easy.

American immigration policy should give priority to the world’s neediest 69) pedestrians emigrants clandestines paupers refugees and persecuted people. It should not be used to exacerbate the brain drain of an adversarial nation at a time when improved relations between the two countries are a worthwhile, 70) real realist realty really realistic goal.

Qantas to supersize meals to attract more economy passengers

Qantas is trying to test a theory that bigger meals on its flights will turn into bigger profits. The national carrier has 71) leashed unleashed veiled unveiled published a new dining service for international economy passengers in its latest effort to turn its business 72) around upside down back to front up down . The new service includes 50% bigger meals, faster service and fancier options.

Chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline was 73) coordinated focused targeted aimed projected on improving its customer service as part of its overall transformation, offering what it believes will be the best economy dining experience of any international carrier. The new dining service will cost 40% more to produce 74) as that like than up to Qantas’ current offering. But it will be delivered at 75) any some more less no extra cost to passengers thanks to waste elimination efforts such as butter-infused bread, meaning no more little packets of butter on flights.

Passengers will be able to choose from three main meals on board and those who 76) pre-order subscribe register log on sign up their meal online (free of charge) will be able to choose a fourth option. The airline has also revamped its in-flight entertainment with 77) much least most less more blockbuster movies and television shows. "People want to 78) addict binge subscribe glutton exaggerate on TV on aircraft these days," Joyce said. "I know I watched the entire season of House of Cards II when I last travelled."

Qantas suffered a record $2.8bn loss in 2013/14, mainly 79) due because because of despite in spite of massive losses within its international division. But it has since bounced back into the black, reporting an underlying profit for the three months to September. Joyce said Qantas was "making really good progress" in getting the business 80) ready front back forwards backwards to profit. Qantas will begin rolling out its new economy dining service later this month.