Spanish climber Fernando Ossa died after spending two days stranded on an Andean peak that straddles the border between Chile and Argentina. EFE/File

Bilbao/Madrid, Jan 1 (EFE).- Spanish climber Fernando Ossa died after spending two days stranded on an Andean peak that straddles the border between Chile and Argentina, a friend of the mountaineer told Efe Thursday.

Ossa and Paco Vicario, both residents of northern Spain's Basque region, and a third Spanish climber set out to scale the 6,893-meter (22,615-ft) Nevado Ojos del Salado, the world's highest active volcano.

They were only about 400 meters from the summit when Ossa was stricken with severe altitude sickness.

Vicario remained with Ossa as the third climber descended to get help.

He made contact with authorities on Wednesday and emergency services in both Argentina and Chile mobilized to rescue Ossa and Vicario.

Efforts to reach the pair by helicopter were frustrated by bad weather, but an Argentine team traveling by land was expected to arrive at the location Thursday afternoon.

Ossa, however, succumbed on Thursday and Vicario made his own way down the mountain.

Friends of the two climbers said Thursday that Vicario was en route to the nearest town.

Spain's diplomatic missions in Argentina and Chile remained in contact with the respective local authorities throughout the incident.

The Spanish consul in Cordoba, Argentina, was on his way to the scene, diplomatic sources told Efe.

[readon1 url="http://www.laprensasa.com/309_america-in-english/2863621_spanish-climber-dies-on-andean-peak.html"]Source:www.laprensasa.com[/readon1]

Look. I, like anyone who's stayed in this city over a decade, have no shortage of love for all things San Francisco. I defend it against the dismissals of Angelenos and New Yorkers all the time. But when it comes to New Year's Eve, I can think of at least a dozen cities I'd rather spend it in than SF. Here's why:

1. The Weather

Some years SF may luck out, weather-wise. And sure, December 31st in the Bay Area is a far cry from the Arctic torture much of the rest of the country endures this time of year. But December and January are typically the months of the year that San Franciscans feel most put-upon when it comes to leaving the house, either because of the rain or the cold. We're sensitive that way, and unlike our tougher skinned brethren to the north and east, we don't feel the need to be out of doors at this particular time if we don't have to be.

2. Half the Town Is Gone

Party promoters run up against this problem year after year: The week between Christmas and New Year's is a lot like the week of Burning Man in San Francisco. Half the city empties out and people are still off wherever they went for Christmas, or they stacked a second destination into their holiday travel so that they high-tail it to Cabo or Puerto Vallarta or Cuba immediately after escaping the confines of their parents' house in deepest bumfuck wherever. Sure, there may be one or two events that succeed in drawing fun crowds this year, or any year, but you'll be hard pressed to find the city full of energy and rocking out with any of the same volume that you'd find, say, after we win the World Series, or on any given randomly warm night in May or September. Contrast this with New York, which just feels more packed than ever on New Year's and is full of tourists cramming Times Square in the frigid cold for no good or justifiable reason.

3. Lack of Adequate Public Transit

Sure, Uber and Lyft and Sidecar: they're great. They've been a godsend on most nights of the year when finding a cab would have been a joke in years past. But even the ride-share services will be surging big time and tough to snag on a night like New Year's Eve, given the bridge-and-tunnel tourism factor among other things. Thankfully Flywheel is offering $10 flat rates all night to compete, using regular taxis. But even in a city like New York that is FULL of yellow cabs, those witching hours when the parties die out between 2 and 4 a.m. can make for impossible cab-getting. So, good luck getting home without stress or tears.

4. The Fireworks Problem

See also: The 4th of July Fireworks Problem. Given the vagaries of our weather, you could have fog on New Year's Eve or you could have rain. Granted, fog is less likely this time of year than in July, but weather-wise it's still not a great time to hoof it out to the Embarcadero. And who wants to ride the F on a night like this?

5. We Party A Lot The Rest of the Year, So We're Tired

SF is largely becoming a young person's city, with few children, and our population of recent college graduates — not to mention really well paid thirtysomethings who still party like recent college graduates — do a lot of hard drinking and cavorting 11 and a half months out of the year. Once we've gotten through all the office parties and holiday parties and family gatherings of December, we're pooped! New Year's Eve becomes a time for quiet house parties and adult dinner parties with board games and making every effort to avoid dumping hundreds of dollars on prix-fixe meals that were designed to gouge tourists and bridge-and-tunnelers. Also, New Year's Eve has always been amateur hour, and given our above-average density of professional drinkers, we know better than to go out with the riff-raff on a night like this. And besides, why would we want to start Sober January off hungover?

[readon1 url="http://sfist.com/2014/12/31/six_reasons_why_sf_has_never_been_a.php"]Source:sfist.com[/readon1]

There is a reason why most everyone in the world knows the Spanish word for party is fiesta. Spaniards know how to enjoy life, eat great food and party!

You can find a fiesta or popular festivals and carnivals everywhere in Spain throughout the year. The La Tomatina Festival in Valencia brings thousands of people every year in August to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other. Dia de Santiago is a celebration of the patron saint of Spain. This national holiday takes place on July 25 and includes fireworks and parades. Another famous festival is the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. The tradition started in northeastern Spain in the 14th century when cattle needed to be transported and cattle drivers used tactics of fear and excitement to make them move faster. Now this tradition is a competition where young adults attempt to race in front of a dozen bulls on a sectioned-off course.

The sun and sea can be enjoyed year-round in this picturesque place. Spain is known to be one country comprised of many. In Spain, you can sit on the beach, feel the warm Mediterranean breeze and drink sangria or go skiing in the mountains or stroll through friendly and charming rural villages. If you need more adventure in your day, Spain also is popular for its bullfights, called corrida de toros.

Spain is spread across a varied landscape of over 195,000 square miles, making it the fifth-largest country in Europe and fifty-second in the world. The country is made up of 17 autonomous regions, two autonomous cities and 52 provinces. There are nearly 5,000 miles of beaches along the coast, adding to the beauty of Spain.

Spain’s population of more than 47 million makes it the twenty-eighth largest in the world. The predominant language spoken is Spanish, also called Castilian. It is the only language in the country that has official status and is spoken either as a first or second language.

American chefs John Besh (L) and Aaron Sanchez pose in New York May 5, 2014, before the annual James Beard Foundation awards for top U.S. chefs and restaurants, in this handout photo provided by Howard Childs December 26, 2014.

CREDIT: REUTERS/HOWARD CHILDS/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

American celebrity chefs John Besh and Aarón Sánchez took their version of modern Mexican flavors to New Orleans when they opened a Johnny Sánchez restaurant in the city known for its Creole cuisine.

It is their second Johnny Sánchez eatery and features Sánchez's twists on tacos and familiar Mexican fares using local produce and seafood procured by Besh.

The first Johnny Sánchez opened earlier this year at the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore.

Besh, 46, who operates 10 restaurants, and Texas-born Sánchez, 38, who recently opened Paloma in Stamford, Connecticut, spoke to Reuters about their friendship and how they run their business.

Q: How was Johnny Sánchez conceived?

Besh: I met Aaron 20 some years ago in New Orleans. We started taco parties for fundraising. After a few of them, I said, "Hey this is a lot of fun. Why don't we do something together?"

Q: What can one expect to eat there?

Sánchez: There are a lot of elements of Louisiana food that's similar to Mexico communing around food. We are not doing one dish that's Creole and another Mexican. We are taking a lot of classics and doing our twists to them. There is some authenticity behind it, but we are not doing fusion here.

Q: What is a representative dish?

Sánchez: A carnita taco is a traditional dish of the Yucatan. We are taking Yucatan flavors from another part of Mexico, which is achiote (seeds from a shrub). You add the crispy pork belly in the sauce and serve it with a pineapple salsa.

Q: Were there competing visions?

Besh: I'm trying to refine things and he wants to leave things real and rustic. We have cooked together often enough so he knows where I'm at and where I want to go with something. I trust him with these big bold flavors and ideas.

Q: How are you two running the second restaurant?

Besh: We own equal amounts of the business. I will be there a lot more often because it is right down the street from where I live. Aaron is here at least once a month. I will take more of a day-to-day role.

Sánchez: I am trying to move to New Orleans come springtime. I plan to split my time in New Orleans and the East Coast.

[readon1 url="http://world.einnews.com/article/241986502/0eNxhU1skgINkH3E"]Source:world.einnews.com[/readon1]

President Obama is an avid golfer, but he crossed the line on Sunday when he forced an Army couple to move their wedding to accommodate his tee time.Photo: AP

Nothing gets in the way of President Obama’s golf game — not even love.

Two military lovebirdies were forced to move their dream wedding off of a beautiful Hawaiian golf course after the duffer in chief wanted to play through.

Army Capts. Natalie Heimel and Edward Mallue Jr. were set to tie the knot at Kaneophe Klipper Golf Course.

But on Saturday, a day before the wedding at the 16th hole, they were told by the White House advance team that they would have to get hitched elsewhere to accommodate Obama’s game.

The course, on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, is a popular weddings venue with ocean views.

The order to retreat was the second message Heimel and Mallue received from their commander in chief in one day. They had sent a tongue-in-cheek wedding invite to Obama and received his response Saturday, regrettably informing them he couldn’t make it.

“It was kind of ironic they got the letter from them, and then, within hours, they were told they had to be moved due to him,” Mallue’s sister, Jamie McCarthy, told Bloomberg News. “It was emotional, especially for her. She’s the bride, and in less than 24 hours, they had to change everything they had planned.”

Wedding planner Naile Brennan, manager of K-Bay Catering, said it’s understood on the island that all plans are subject to change when Obama is in town.

Obama, a frequent visitor, rents a vacation home in Kailua.

In the end, love won out for the couple. The base’s commanding officer, Col. Eric Schaefer, let them exchange vows outside his house, which has its own breathtaking Pacific views, and they said their “I dos” on Sunday.

“It’s a much prettier and much nicer venue unless you’re an avid golfer,” Brennan said. “It’s more secluded, and there are no golfers yelling, ‘Fore!’”

After reporters asked Obama about the incident, he took swift executive action — and called the couple directly.

“He apologized and congratulated them,” McCarthy said. “We were all there. It was perfect. [The call] made their day.”

Wedding photographer Becca Dryer snapped a shot of the couple speaking to Obama by cellphone. She posted the picture on Instagram with the caption: “No big deal. Just chatting with Barack Obama on the phone.”

It wasn’t the first time Obama’s golf game landed him in the rough. He was criticized for hitting the links in August shortly after Islamic radicals beheaded American journalist James Foley.

According to an online tally, Obama Golf Counter, Obama has hit the course 208 times during his presidency, as of Dec. 21.

By comparison, Dwight Eisenhower and Woodrow Wilson are estimated to have played 800 and 1,200 rounds, respectively, during their presidencies.

[readon1 url="http://nypost.com/2014/12/29/soldiers-dream-wedding-forced-to-move-for-obamas-golf-game/"]Source:nypost.com[/readon1]

Hillary Clinton has won Gallup's 'most admired woman' for 13 straight years. But this year, just 12 percent gave her that title. Her likely presidential campaign may have something to do with that.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is once again America’s most admired woman – her 13th straight year atop Gallup’s annual survey and 19th time overall.

But for the second year in a row, Ms. Clinton’s number has declined. In 2012, 21 percent named her the most admired woman, and in 2013, she fell to 15 percent. In 2014, she’s down to 12 percent.

What’s going on? Politics. Clinton is widely seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2016, and we suspect that has repoliticized her image. As secretary of State for President Obama’s first term, she stayed out of the political fray. Now she’s fully back in, weighing in on the issues of the day and doing nothing to discourage speculation about when she might announce her campaign.

Recommended: How much do you know about Hillary Rodham Clinton? Take our quiz.

Gallup, not surprisingly, finds partisan influence in Americans’ choices.

“Republicans' and Democrats' top five most admired women include both Clinton and [Oprah] Winfrey, and their top five most admired men include both the president and the pope,” writes Jeffrey Jones, Gallup’s managing editor. “Beyond these, their choices differ.”

But here’s an interesting nugget that may give Clintonites pause: Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, Clinton got only 20 percent. She’s still far and away the top choice of Democrats for the nomination, but in Gallup’s open-ended “most admired” question, she’s the choice of only one-fifth of her partisan fellows.

Democrats’ top five women are Clinton (20 percent), entertainment mogul Winfrey (10 percent), Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai (7), first lady Michelle Obama (6), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) of Massachusetts (3).

Clinton enthusiasts can at least take comfort that she scores almost seven times better than Senator Warren, the liberal firebrand who insists she’s not running for president.

Republicans’ top five women are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (9 percent), Ms. Winfrey (6 percent), Clinton (5), former GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin (4), and actress Angelina Jolie (3).

That 5 percent for Clinton among Republicans is a little plus for the former first lady/senator/secretary of State. But we’re probably way over-interpreting all this. The 2014 midterms just concluded, and maybe some folks are just taking a break from politics and spreading the love. Malala just won the Nobel Peace Prize, no doubt boosting her overall score from 2 percent last year to 5 percent this year.

Another interesting point about the women’s overall list is that below Clinton, the next four are women of color: Winfrey (8 percent), Malala (5), former Secretary of State Rice (4), and Mrs. Obama (3).

On the men’s overall list, Mr. Obama came in first at 19 percent (up from 16 percent last year). It’s his seventh straight year topping the list, typical for US presidents. The only other person of color on the men’s list is retired neurosurgeon and possible GOP presidential hopeful Ben Carson, with 1 percent.

In fact, Dr. Carson is the only potential 2016-er to make that list – if nothing else, a sign that the GOP field is big and ill-formed. That was particularly true in early December, when Gallup did its interviews, before former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) announced he was “actively exploring” a run for president.

Among men, Pope Francis came in second at 6 percent.

One more name jumped out at us on the men’s list: Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also got 1 percent. Say what? He certainly had quite the year: hosting the Winter Olympics in Sochi, annexing Crimea, meddling in Ukraine, watching the ruble collapse.

Of the 805 American adults surveyed between Dec. 8 and 11, roughly eight found him most admirable among all living men in the world? Maybe they admire his chutzpah. Or maybe we should just blame North Korean hackers.

To view the full lists, click here.

[readon1 url="http://news.yahoo.com/gallup-most-admired-list-hillary-clinton-no-1-180628294.html"]Source:news.yahoo.com[/readon1]

Princess of Wales Diana chats with children on November 6, 1989, during her visit to the British international

London (AFP) - Some 41 million British wills dating back to 1858, including those of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, were made available in an online database Saturday.

The government's full archive of wills from England and Wales, stretching back more than 150 years, has been put on the probatesearch.service.gov.uk website.

It includes the wills of World War II prime minister Churchill; novelist Charles Dickens; Diana, princess of Wales; children's writer A. A. Milne; code-breaker Alan Turing; writer George Orwell and author Beatrix Potter.

The digital copies of the wills cost £10 ($15.50, 12.75 euros) but basic details for some of them are available online.

"This fascinating project provides us with insights into the ordinary and extraordinary people who helped shape this country, and the rest of the world," said Courts Minister Shailesh Vara.

"It is a fantastic resource not only for family historians but also for anyone with an interest in social history or famous figures."

Previously the archives had only been publicly available to search in person.

In Churchill's will he gave £304,044 -- worth more than £5.1 million nowadays -- to his family.

When Dickens died in 1870 he left a will written in cursive script that laid out highly specific directions for his funeral.

"I emphatically direct that I be buried in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he wrote, adding that mourners must not wear scarves, cloaks, long hatbands, "or other such revolting absurdity".

Orwell, who died in 1950, insisted that his archive of papers be preserved, while economist John Maynard Keynes, who died four years earlier, wanted most of his papers destroyed.

Milne, who wrote "Winnie The Pooh", gave shares of his future royalties and copyright to his favourite London club and Westminster School when he died in 1956.

"Peter Rabbit" creator Potter left a lengthy and generous will reflecting her love for conservation and nature.

Though the archive has been converted into digital format, the original paper records will still be kept in a temperature-controlled environment.

[readon1 url="http://news.yahoo.com/britain-posts-41-million-wills-including-princess-dianas-181006326.html"]Source:news.yahoo.com[/readon1]

BUENO AIRES (AP) –  The Argentine president's doctors say Cristina Fernandez has suffered a fracture in her left ankle.

Doctors Marcelo Ballesteros and Daniel Fernandez said in a statement they signed Friday that they have recommended that the ankle be immobilized. The doctors did not say what kind of blow caused the fracture.

The 61-year-old leader has been sidelined with various ailments in recent months. In November, Fernandez was hospitalized for several days for inflammation of the colon. She was obliged to suspend her presidential activities for 48 hours in October due to a sore throat.

In January, the president was treated for hip pain and sciatica, and in July she missed Independence Day celebrations to continue recovering from an acute throat infection. Last year, she underwent head surgery to remove a blood clot.

[readon1 url="http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/12/27/argentina-president-out-for-count-with-fractured-ankle/"]Source:latino.foxnews.com[/readon1]

Pete Dye’s newest creation is a 7,200 yard, par 72, 18-hole championship course nestled among the sloping hills of Roatan and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Come mix the best greens with the best blues at The Black Pearl.

Description:

Come mix the best greens with the best blues at Pete Dye's newest creation, The Black Pearl Golf Course. The Black Pearl is a 7,200-yard, par 72, 18-hole signature championship course nestled amongst the sloping hills of Roatan and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Be one of the first to experience The Black Pearl's best greens while enjoying the breathtaking views of the best blues. The Black Pearl is located within the Pristine Bay Resort, a master planned, 405-acre luxury community that will feautre 2 hotels, houses, condos and a 100+ slip marina.

NOTE: At this time the Pristine Bay Resort is still under construction. The back nine holes are ready for play and are being played twice for an 18-hole round. The front nine holes are scheduled to open in the summer of 2011. The rate offered at this time is an introductory rate. Special request for large groups and tournaments accepted. Once you purchase your ticket, please contact us with two options for a tee-time so that we can confirm it for you.

Good to Know:

If you are arriving by cruise ship you must book this tour with the cruise line's Shore Excursion Desk.

Transportation is not included but can be arranged. Price includes green fee, golf cart and practice balls. Caddy fees, club rental, other equipment or personal expenses are not included and must be paid directly at the course. The Black Pearl operates under a cashless system, you will be assigned a Charge Card and will settle your bill before leaving.

The Black Pearl Golf Course

Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 may have been found as Indonesian search crews believe they located the site where the flight and its 162 passengers and crew crashed in the ocean.

The flight lost contact with Indonesian air traffic control while en route to Singapore on Sunday. The pilots had asked to change course to avoid some bad weather, but the plane never sent a distress signal before being lost to radar. The flight had 162 people on board, including 155 passengers and seven crew members.

As the search widened on Sunday, reports began circulating that crash site for AirAsia flight QZ8501 had been found near East Belitung.

“We received information from Basarnas in Jakarta that contact had been lost with an AirAsia flight over Bangka Belitung waters at 6:17 a.m. local time. We then dispatched a vessel with a search and rescue team of 22 members to check the information,” Febi Imam Saputra, an information official at Basarnas Bangka Belitung, said as quoted by Antara news agency in Pangkalpinang on Sunday.

Saputra added that the flight went missing at 03.22.46 South and 108.50.07 East.

“If we look at the map, these coordinates refer to an area around 20 nautical miles from East Belitung,” said Febi.

But officials in Malaysia debunked the reports, saying that AirAsia flight QZ8501 remains missing.

“Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai has dismissed claims that flight QZ8501 has been found,” ChannelNewsAsia reported.

The search for missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 has widened, with several countries joining in to locate the missing plane. Merdeka.com reported that Jakarta deployed seven ships and a helicopter for the search and locate operations. Singapore has also deployed one C-130 plane, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in a statement.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Though there was bad weather on the plane’s route from Indonesia to Singapore including lightning strikes, one pilot with experience in the region said that should not have taken the plane down.

“Lightning cannot take out a plane,” pilot Elmo Jayawardena told ChannelNewsAsia.

As reports that AirAsia flight QZ8501 had been found still circulated, the Indonesian navy said that no wreckage was yet found, adding that visibility in the search zone was very narrow.

[readon1 url="http://www.inquisitr.com/1709678/airasia-flight-qz8501-found-officials-believe-crash-site-located-but-no-wreckage-found-yet/"]Source:world.einnews.com[/readon1]

MCALLEN, Texas — A Mexican border teenager is accused of luring a pregnant woman on Facebook for the purposes of murdering her and cutting open her midsection to remove the unborn baby.

The grisly murder took place in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, just south of McAllen, Texas. The teenager who is only 17 years old remains in the care of the Mexican juvenile court system facing the two murder charges, Tamaulipas police investigators told Breitbart Texas.  Since the teenager is under the age of 18 her identifying information was not released.

Tamaulipas police investigators were initially notified of the murder by the staff at a Reynosa hospital when the teenager arrived with the body of the newborn telling the doctors that she had just given birth at her home and the baby had died. When the emergency room staff checked out the girl and the baby they called the Tamaulipas state police who interviewed the teenaged girl.

During the interview the story fell apart and authorities were able to learn that 8 months prior the teenager had in fact been pregnant but lost the child. In an apparent obsession with having a baby the teenager befriended a pregnant woman on Facebook and lured her to a shopping center in Reynosa from where she kidnapped her, investigators told Breitbart Texas.

The teenager took the pregnant woman to her home where she is accused of using a knife to kill her and slice open her midsection to rip out the baby.

[readon1 url="http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2014/12/26/meixcan-teen-lured-pregnant-woman-on-facebook/"]Source:www.breitbart.com[/readon1]

MEXICO CITY (AP) — One of Mexico's leading department store chains says employees' email accounts were hacked and some customer information was taken.

The upscale Liverpool chain said in a statement to the Mexican Stock Exchange on Christmas eve that the attack was part of "an extortion attempt," but did not say what the extortionists had demanded.

Small and medium-sized businesses in Mexico are frequently targets of extortion attempts by gangs who demand protection payments. But large chains are seldom attacked, and seldom are the demands enforced by hacking into a company's computers.

El Puerto de Liverpool, SAB de CV, has 106 stores in 57 Mexican cities. It said the attack "sought to damage our reputation," and added the risk to customers' accounts was deemed to be small.

[readon1 url="http://news.yahoo.com/mexican-store-chain-calls-hack-attempt-extortion-012148677.html"]Source:news.yahoo.com[/readon1]