New Charles Dickens coin honors author (AP)

LONDON ? The Royal Mint has come up with a novel way to wish Charles Dickens a happy 200th birthday ? a new coin with a portrait of the author made up of the titles of some of his most famous fictional works.

The two-pound ($3.20) uncirculated collectible coin will be available via the Royal Mint's website for a price of 8.50 pounds ($13) starting this week, officials said.

Coins designed for circulation will be available early next year to mark Dickens' birthday. The celebrated Victorian novelist was born two centuries ago on Feb. 7, 1812.

The design released Tuesday shows a portrait by artist Matthew Dent that uses titles like "David Copperfield" and "A Christmas Carol" to form a silhouette of Dickens' face.

"I wanted the design of the coin to reference both the immense contribution Dickens has made to British literature and his iconic portrait," Dent said.

The portrait is based on a bust of the author on display at the Charles Dickens Museum in London.

The edge of the coin is inscribed with the quotation "Something will turn up," associated with the ever-optimistic Wilkins Micawber character in "David Copperfield."

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Online: http://www.royalmint.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111206/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_dickens_coin

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2 giant pandas on way from China to Scotland (AP)

BEIJING ? Two giant pandas are flying from China to Scotland, where they will become the first pandas to live in Britain in nearly two decades.

The pandas named Tian Tian and Yang Guang ? or Sweetie and Sunshine ? munched on bamboo at Chengdu airport ahead of their trip Sunday.

The pandas are to stay for 10 years at Edinburgh Zoo, where officials hope they will breed during their stay.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland will pay more than 600,000 pounds ($935,000) a year to China for the loan of Sweetie and Sunshine, not including the expense of imported bamboo.

Britain's last giant panda lived in London Zoo until 1994, when it was returned to China.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/pets/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111204/ap_on_re_as/as_china_pandas

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Tom Cruise visits India's iconic Taj Mahal

NEW DELHI (AP) -- Hollywood star Tom Cruise says his visit to India this week follows a lifelong desire to see the country.

He said while touring the iconic, white-marble Taj Mahal mausoleum in Agra that he is "very excited" about being in the country for a fan screening of his latest action-thriller, "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," days ahead of its world premiere on Wednesday.

Cruise joins Bollywood star Anil Kapoor for the red-carpet screening Sunday in Mumbai. The film sees Cruise reprise his role as secret agent Ethan Hunt, while Kapoor plays an Indian business tycoon.

Cruise told Press Trust of India on Saturday, "I wanted to come to India my whole life, so I am very excited."

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_PEOPLE_TOM_CRUISE?SITE=VAWOO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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English clubs fighting for Champions League places

By STUART CONDIE

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 9:33 a.m. ET Dec. 5, 2011

LONDON (AP) -After providing the Champions League with half its finalists over the last seven years, England could face the embarrassment of having just one team in the knockout round when the group stage concludes this week.

Manchester United needs only to avoid defeat at FC Basel to join Arsenal among the last 16 sides, but Chelsea and Premier League leader Manchester City are both vulnerable in their final group matches.

Chelsea is likely to need a victory over in-form Valencia to progress, while even a win over four-time European champion Bayern Munich may not be enough to take City through.

There are a total seven places still up for grabs, with Marseille and Ajax also in contention to fill them.

With three final appearances in the past four years, Manchester United were expected to be the first English team to advance to the next round. But Arsenal clinched progress last week with victory over Borussia Dortmund and United still must take at least a point Wednesday against a Basel side that came from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 at Old Trafford in September.

"A lot of people, including opposition teams, underestimate us," Basel midfielder Scott Chipperfield said. "But we have a good squad and a lot of us have played international football. In the Champions League, we play with an attitude of having nothing to lose.

"Nobody expects us to do well, so we like to go out there and play entertaining football."

United manager Alex Ferguson is hoping Basel's need to win its final Group C match means there will be space to attack.

"The only advantage is they do need to win and they have to try to beat us," Ferguson said. "We've always kept good possession of the ball and made that a dominating factor of our game. It can take the temperature out of the game."

United will be without Javier Hernandez after the Mexico striker was hurt in Saturday's 1-0 Premier League win at Aston Villa. He is expected to be fit in time for the latter stages if the team progresses.

Benfica also needs a draw to be sure of progress from Group C when the Portuguese side hosts eliminated Otelul Galati.

Chelsea, runner-up in 2008 to United, could progress with as little as a 0-0 draw Tuesday if Group E leader Bayer Leverkusen beats last-place Genk. But Leverkusen has already advanced and may take its foot off the gas, so the Blues must win to be sure.

"They are favorites because they are one of the world's major clubs," Valencia defender Adil Rami said. "But they are also going to be under a lot of pressure."

Chelsea trained without Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka and Alex on Monday, with Bosingwa injured and Branislav Ivanovic likely to play at right-back. Anelka and Alex have been made to train separately after asking for transfers.

Valencia is also targeting the next round after routing Genk 7-0 two weeks ago to join Chelsea on eight points and secure a superior goal difference.

"They could have a small advantage since they are playing at home," Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves said. "But when the game begins, everything can change."

With Napoli expected to beat Villarreal, City's expensively assembled squad must beat Group A winner Bayern to have any chance of progress. City is cruising unbeaten at the top of the Premier League but has struggled to adjust in its first Champions League season.

Edinson Cavani scored twice and Ezequiel Lavezzi and Blerim Dzemaili were also on target as Napoli warmed up for its trip to Spain by beating last-place Lecce 4-2 in Serie A on Saturday - ending a four-match winless streak in the Italian league.

"It's going to be the most important match of the year," Lavezzi said. "This win over Lecce can help increase our self-confidence."

Villarreal eliminated Napoli from last season's Europa League but the injury-hit Spanish club is coming off a 1-0 defeat at Racing Santander - which had been bottom of the Spanish standings - that left it just two points above the relegation zone.

"We have to show more anger, courage and effort," coach Juan Carlos Garrido said.

Lille is among three clubs chasing progress behind Inter Milan in Group B. Victory over Trabzonspor would take Lille through ahead of the Turkish club and CSKA Moscow.

Lille coach Rudi Garcia will be without Brazilian striker Tulio De Melo because of a torn hamstring and is sweating over the fitness of central midfielder Benoit Pedretti. Joe Cole and Eden Hazard are likely to start in midfield, with Moussa Sow up front.

"It's an important match for the club and for the players," midfielder Florent Balmont said. "We owe it to ourselves to win and to carry on in this competition."

Marseille can finish as Group F runner-up to Arsenal with victory at Borussia Dortmund. Any other result could let Olympiakos sneak into second place.

Marseille will be without striker Andre-Pierre Gignac because of a groin injury but should be boosted by the return of key striker Loic Remy, who sat Friday's 2-1 win at Caen after twisting his ankle last week.

Group H is already settled - defending champion Barcelona has won the group and AC Milan will advance in second place - but a place in both Group D and G is still open.

Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Porto go head to head to see which of them will advance from Group G with APOEL, the first Cypriot side ever to make the knockout rounds. Ajax needs only a point to be sure in Group D but is up against record nine-time European champion Real Madrid.

The Spanish league leader won 3-0 at Sporting Gijon on Saturday with goals from Angel Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo.

Luckily for Ajax, Madrid already has an eye on next weekend's "clasico" against second-place Barcelona.

"Imagine if we had four injuries in Amsterdam," Madrid captain Iker Casillas said.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has only called up six first-team players for the game against BATE Borisov, resting stars Lionel Messi, David Villa, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta among others.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi nominated

Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez will be up against Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo for the FIFA world player of the year award.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44481732/ns/sports-soccer/

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Two dead after ceasefire in Yemen city clashes (Reuters)

SANAA (Reuters) ? At least two Yemenis were killed in a third day of shelling in the hotbed protest city of Taiz on Saturday, residents said, before a ceasefire in clashes between troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and opposition fighters which have killed 17 people.

Saleh handed over power last month to Vice-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, as part of a deal to end 10 months of protests against his 33-year-old rule that has paralyzed Yemen.

But the violence has shown little sign of abating.

The governor of Taiz and opposition officials agreed a ceasefire from 2 p.m. (6 a.m. EST) and the withdrawal of fighters and heavy weapons following a call by Hadi, state news agency Saba reported.

Residents said intermittent fighting could still be heard.

"A seven-storey building has been set on fire," Abdel-Jabbar Mahmnoud told Reuters by telephone from the al-Hasab district in Taiz.

He said residents had fled shelling by government forces based at a security compound in the city.

Tens of thousands earlier defied the shelling to march in the city centre demanding that Saleh be put on trial.

Residents said government forces used artillery, tanks and rockets on Saturday in residential areas of Taiz, trapping about 3,000 families in the commercial hub some 200 km (120 miles) south of the capital Sanaa.

Opposition fighters responded with medium and light fire, they said.

Medics said two people were killed, one of them an activist shot by a sniper during the demonstration. The second was a bakery worker killed in front of his shop. Four people were also wounded, including one woman.

An official from Saleh's party said the latest violence came amid differences with opposition parties over the composition of a military committee agreed last month as part of the transitional deal following Saleh's handover of his powers.

Ten people died in fighting on Thursday, including five government soldiers, and five more were killed on Friday, medics and security sources have reported.

A rights centre run by the opposition put the death toll at 21 people.

Saba quoted security sources as saying that armed groups were behind Friday's attacks on government facilities, including the criminal investigations building, the regional branch of the Immigration and Passports Department and a military camp.

The opposition blamed the army controlled by Saleh loyalists and relatives.

Opposition officials on Friday contacted representatives of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council over the fighting, they said.

Saba said British Foreign Secretary William Hague also told Hadi in a telephone call on Friday that the UK was monitoring the situation in Yemen, hoping that "the government of national reconciliation, after it is formed, would ensure security and stability in the capital and in the capitals of the provinces."

AGREEMENT IN DANGER

Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Basindwa, an opposition leader, has warned that his side would rethink its commitments under the transition deal if the fighting in Taiz did not stop.

In a statement, Basindwa said the bombardment was "an intentional act to wreck the agreement" that opposition parties signed along with Saleh, who had backed out of signing the deal brokered by Yemen's Gulf neighbors three times.

Under the agreement, the military committee, headed by Hadi, would run the armed forces and oversee the end of fighting and the return of forces to barracks.

It would be made up of an equal number of people from Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) and the opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP).

An official with the GPC said Saleh's party was not happy about opposition nominees to the committee.

The opposition blamed the Taiz violence on what they said was footdragging in forming the military committee.

"The vice president must act as a consensus president and be responsible for implementing the operational mechanism without delay," he told Reuters.

In separate violence, gunmen killed a colonel in the intelligence service at a coffee shop in the city of Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramout province, in southern Yemen, on Friday evening, local officials said. A resident was also killed and three were wounded in the attack, blamed on al Qaeda.

It was the latest in a series of attacks in recent months on senior officers in the army and security forces in southern Yemen.

(Additional reporting by Mohammed Mokhashef in Aden, writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by David Cowell)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111203/wl_nm/us_yemen

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Oil steady after US unemployment rate falls

NEW YORK (AP) ? Oil prices rose more than 4 percent this week after a series of developments suggested that higher oil demand and tighter global supplies lay ahead.

Benchmark crude rose 76 cents on Friday to finish the week at $100.96 per barrel in New York. Prices climbed almost every day after ending at $96.77 a barrel a week ago.

Brent crude rose 97 cents to finish at $109.68 a barrel in London.

Prices jumped early Friday after the government reported that the unemployment rate dropped last month to 8.6 percent ? the lowest level since March 2009. Oil and gasoline demand has been tumbling in the U.S. It should rise as businesses ramp up and more people return to work.

Friday's jobs report added to other encouraging news this week about the U.S. economy. Manufacturing activity in November shot up to a seven-month high, auto makers reported big sales increases, shoppers boosted Black Friday sales for retailers and the Fed said the economy was expanding in most parts of the country.

The Federal Reserve and the central banks of other countries increased the flow of dollars to foreign banks to boost lending around the world. The move forced the dollar lower versus other major currencies, and that tends to push oil prices higher. Oil, which is priced in dollars, usually rises in value as the dollar falls and makes crude cheaper for investors holding foreign money.

Meanwhile, tensions increased this week over Iran's nuclear program. Iran is suspected of developing nuclear weapons and Western nations are considering sanctions against the oil-rich nation. Angered at possible sanctions, Iranian protesters attacked the British embassy in Teheran on Tuesday. Britain pulled its diplomatic staff from the country and told Iranian diplomats to get out of Britain. Germany, France and the Netherlands also recalled their ambassadors.

The U.S. Senate voted on Friday to impose new sanctions on Iran's central bank, barring foreign financial institutions that do business with the bank from opening operations in the U.S.

Iran is the world's third-biggest oil exporter, shipping 2.2 million barrels of crude per day. An oil embargo against the country could disrupt the flow of crude and further tighten world supplies, although analysts view a widespread embargo as unlikely. China is Iran's biggest oil customer, taking about 20 percent of its exports, followed by Japan and India. European Union nations get about 18 percent of Iran's exports.

Traders also remain cautious about Europe, as it continues to struggle with massive debts that threaten to push the region into recession. A critical European Union summit in Brussels next week will deal with tougher rules for keeping national budgets under control.

And despite the promising economic data in the U.S., energy demand remains weak. Government data this week showed that gasoline consumption in November was at its lowest level since January 2004.

In other energy trading on Friday, heating oil rose 2.05 cents to end at $2.99 per gallon, while gasoline futures rose by 5.83 cents to finish at $2.6162 per gallon. Natural gas fell by 6.4 cents to end at $3.584 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Associated Press

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China factory sector shrinks first time in nearly 3 years (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's factory sector shrank in November in the face of weakening demand both at home and abroad, two surveys showed on Thursday, underlining the central bank's move to cut bank reserve requirements to shore up the economy.

The official and HSBC purchasing managers' indexes are likely to feed worries that the global economy is on a slippery slope as the euro zone is marred by its debt crisis, reinforcing expectations that China will ease policy further.

The official PMI released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) fell to 49 in November from October's 50.4, suggesting activity among big manufacturers shrank in November for the first time in nearly three years, or since the global financial crisis.

The reading was below the median forecast of 50 in a Reuters poll. That level demarcates expansion from contraction.

"The November PMI dropped further to below the boom-bust line of 50... indicates that the economic growth pace would continue to moderate in the future," Zhang Liqun, a researcher with the Development Research Centre of the State Council, wrote in the CFLP statement.

The CFLP said the sub-index for new orders fell to 47.8 in November from 50.5 in October, while the sub-index for new export orders dipped to 45.6 in November from October's 48.6. Both sets of figures suggest the domestic and overseas new order books are shrinking.

Meanwhile, the HSBC China PMI dropped to a 32-month low of 47.7 in November from October's 51. A sub-index for new orders skidded to a 32-month low of 45 from 52.6 in October.

"The November PMI final reading points to a sharp deterioration in business conditions across the Chinese manufacturing sector," said Qu Hongbin, China economist at HSBC.

In one bright sign though, new export orders in the HSBC survey, geared more to smaller and private-sector factories, was comfortably above 50, suggesting growth.

China's economic expansion has been slowing all this year as Europe and the United States -- China's top two export markets -- have struggled to recover from the global financial crisis in 2008-2009.

In addition to global headwinds, China's once red-hot real estate sector is slowing down as home prices and sales fall.

China's central bank cut the reserve requirement ratio for its commercial lenders on Wednesday for the first time in nearly three years to ease credit strains and shore up an economy running at its weakest pace since 2009.

The reserve cut, effective Dec 5, reduces the ratio for the biggest banks to 21 percent from a record high 21.5 percent, freeing up funds that could be used for lending to cash-strapped small firms. Analysts said they expect further cuts in bank reserves.

FALLING INFLATION

The positive side of the surveys was that inflationary pressures in China could ease further, creating more room for the central bank to relax policy to support growth.

"We can see that the central bank is actually increasing the magnitude of policy easing, although it is still early to call it a comprehensive loosening," said Zhang Zhiwei, chief China economist at Nomura.

The prices sub-index of the official PMI fell to 44.4 from October's 46.2.

China's annual consumer inflation dipped to 5.5 percent in October from September's 6.1 percent, pulling back further from July's three-year peak of 6.5 percent.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planning agency, forecast that inflation will fall below 5 percent before the end of this year as food price pressures ease, the Economic Daily reported on Nov 14.

The HSBC PMI for November came in lower than its flash number released late in November and based on 90 percent of responses.

Then flash reading of 48 implied annual industrial output growth of 11-12 percent, HSBC said, a pace not seen since 2009 when China was pulling out of the global crisis.

Factory output, which accounts for 40 percent of gross domestic product, hit its weakest pace in a year in October, even though expansion in the first 10 months of 2011 averaged 14.1 percent.

(Reporting by Aileen Wang and Kevin Yao; Editing by Ken Wills and Neil Fullick)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111201/bs_nm/us_china_economy_pmi

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