Top News Stories –

Wikipedia rocked by ‘rogue editors’ blackmail scam targeting small businesses and celebrities –
Hundreds of small British businesses and minor celebrities have been targeted by a sophisticated blackmail scam orchestrated by “rogue editors” at Wikipedia, The Independent can reveal. The victims, who range from a wedding photographer in Dorset to a high-end jewellery shop in Shoreditch, east London, faced demands for hundreds of pounds to “protect” or update Wikipedia pages about their businesses. A former Britain’s Got Talent contestant was among dozens of individuals targeted. The scam worked by targeting firms struggling to get pages about their businesses on Wikipedia. They were often told their articles had been rejected due to concerns of excessive promotional content – although in some cases the scammers themselves may have been the ones causing the articles to be removed. [The Independent]

‘Doctor Who’: Alex Kingston Revives River Song Role For Christmas Special –
Actress Alex Kingston is returning to the world of “Doctor Who” for this year’s Christmas special, to air Dec. 25 on BBC America. Kingston plays the time-traveling Professor River Song, who is married to the Doctor. She’s appeared in 15 “Doctor Who” episodes since 2008, but the Dec. 25 special will mark the first time she’s worked with Peter Capaldi, the latest actor to play the Doctor in the enduring British sci-fi franchise. The 11th “Doctor Who” Christmas special began production this week, from a script by exec producer Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon. Producers said a range of guest stars for the special are still to be announced. [Variety] See Top Twitter Trends
Alex Kingston

Man invents ‘Nutella Lock’ to stop people stealing –
Daniel Schobloch has invented the “Nutella Lock” to keep chocolate spread thieves out. Schobloch says the product started off as a joke and was inspired by a friend: “One of my friends was always getting worked up because his children were stealing his Nutella.” Eventually, word got out that someone had finally created a solution to all our Nutella woes, and demand began to rise. As of the end of August, Schobloch as sold nearly 1000 units. He hopes to bring the device, which he warns shouldn’t be used as a “serious security” measure, to the open market soon. In the meantime, you can put an end to Nutella thievery by purchasing a lock on eBay for 10 euros (£7.30). Though judging by the response on Twitter, you’ll have to be quick. [Daily Telegraph]

French farmers kidnap Alps park chiefs, demanding protection from wolf attacks –
A group of 50 farmers are holding hostage the president and director of a national park in the Alps, demanding they take urgent action to stop wolves attacking their livestock. French farmers have kidnapped the head of a national park in the Alps, demanding stronger measures against wolves that are attacking their flocks. Around 50 farmers took the law into their own hands on Tuesday evening by taking hostage Guy Chaumereuil, president of the National Park of Vanoise in the French Alps, along with the park’s director, Emmanuel Michau. France has become accustomed to “bossnapping” over the years during labour disputes, but this is thought to be the first time an official has been held over a wolf dispute. [Daily Telegraph]

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Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Iraq War (2014–present)
  • Masked men in military uniforms kidnap 16 Turkish workers in Baghdad. (AP)
• Syrian Civil War
  • A car bomb kills at least seven people in the Latakia Governorate. (AFP via Daily Star)

Business and economy

• 150 million workers go on strike in India to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s labour market reforms. (Voice of America)

Disasters and accidents

• French police arrest an arsonist for a fire in an apartment in the 18th arrondissement of Paris which killed eight people.(BBC)

International relations

• Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
  • Upcoming congressional votes
    • President Barack Obama has sufficient support in the United States Senate to uphold a veto of the proposed congressional vote of disapproval of the nuclear deal with Iran. (AP)

Law and crime

• Eight people have been killed and over 30 injured in riots in the Indian state of Manipur since the passage of three controversial land bills on Monday. (IBN Live)
• Crime in El Salvador
  • There have been 907 deaths last month in El Salvador as a result of gang violence, a death rate not seen since the Salvadoran Civil War of the 1980s. (BBC)
• The Dutch Public Prosecution Service releases a statement that former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Els Borst who was murdered on 8 February 2014, died from forty-one stab wounds on her head, neck and hands. (NOS)
• A French probe into the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004 closes without bringing any new information. (Wires via France 24)
• A judge orders that President of Guatemala Otto Pérez Molina be detained for his alleged role in a corruption scandal. (AP)

Science and technology

• A new study estimates that there are three trillion trees on Earth, with 15 billion lost each year to mainly human causes. (Sydney Morning Herald)
• Russian rocket Soyuz TMA-18M launches a crew of three to the ISS. (Space.com)

Sports

• 2022 Commonwealth Games
  • South Africa will become the first African nation to host the Commonwealth Games as Durban is granted the rights to host the games in 2022. (AP via Yahoo! News)
• Delegates elect Vitaly Mutko to be the President of Russian Football Union. (TASS)

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