Nazi Art Loot: Unknown Marc Chagall Work Found

The trove of Nazi-looted art seized in a Munich flat included works dating from the 16th century by artists such as Canaletto, Courbet, Picasso, Chagall and Toulouse-Lautrec, German authorities say.

"A total of 121 framed and 1,285 non-framed works ... were seized," said Augsburg state prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz.

"There were oil paintings, others in Indian ink, pencil, water colours, colour prints, other prints from artists like Max Liebermann and others."

A reproduction of a painting by artist Marc Chagall

A previously unknown work by Marc Chagall was among the collection found in a nondescript flat owned by Cornelius Gurlitt, the reclusive elderly son of a war-time art dealer.

The late Hildebrand Gurlitt was a specialist collector of the modern art of the early 20th century that the Nazis branded as un-German or "degenerate" and removed from show in state museums.

Investigators said they searched the apartment on February 28, 2012, as part of a tax investigation that started with a routine check on a Zurich-Munich train in late 2010.

Meike Hoffmann, art historian at Berlin Free University, said another unknown masterpiece by fellow modernist painter Otto Dix was also part of the haul.

She said the Chagall painting, an allegorical scene dating from the mid-1920s, had a "particularly high art-historical value".

A combination of two formerly unknown paintings by German artist Otto Dix

The Dix work is a rare self-portrait believed to have been painted in 1919.

Augsburg state prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz told a news conference: "Regarding these artworks with an ideal value so high that it cannot be estimated, there are concrete indications that this is so called 'degenerate art' or stolen art."

Siegried Kloeble of Munich Custroms Office said: "When we investigated the matter we immediately noticed that these were classic modern works.

"Let me name a few of the artists: Max Liebermann, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, Oskar Kokoschka, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, August Macke, Emil Nolde, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Pablo Picasso, Carl Spitzweg, Marc Chagall, Renoir, Schmidt-Rottluff, Hofer."

Ms Hoffman said: "When you're standing in front of these works which for a long time were believed to have disappeared or to have been destroyed, it is an incredible feeling of joy.

"They are in relatively good condition, some of them are dirty but not damaged.

The block of flats where the loot is believed to have been found

"As far as I can see, these works are of an absolutely outstanding quality, aesthetic quality but also in a good condition so they represent a huge scientific value.

"I pointed out that a lot of the works were not known at all until now.

"So this will mean a great challenge for the research on the individual artists once this case has been evaluated fully and the works can be displayed publicly."

The story of the artworks was revealed in a report by news magazine Focus over the weekend.

Focus estimated that the works found amongst stacks of hoarded groceries in the flat of Cornelius Gurlitt, could be worth well over €1bn.

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Johnson & Johnson Fined $2bn Over Drug Claims

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay more than $2.2bn (£1.37bn) to resolve allegations that it promoted powerful psychiatric drugs for unapproved uses in children, seniors and disabled patients.

The allegations include paying kickbacks to physicians and pharmacies to recommend and prescribe Risperdal and Invega, both anti-psychotic drugs, and Natrecor, which is used to treat heart failure.

The fraud settlement - one of the largest in US history - covers the marketing of the drugs over several years.

J&J and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals promoted Risperdal for unapproved uses, including controlling aggression and anxiety in elderly dementia patients and treating behavioural disturbances in children and in individuals with disabilities, according to the complaint.

Attorney General Eric Holder said the US healthcare giant's conduct "recklessly put at risk" the health of children, dementia patients and others to whom the drug was prescribed at a time it was only approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat schizophrenia.

Under FDA regulations, doctors may prescribe drugs for unapproved, or off-label, use. But pharmaceutical companies are allowed to market their drugs in the US only for FDA-approved uses.

The off-label marketing cost US government insurance programmes hundreds of millions of dollars in uncovered claims, the complaint said.

Mr Holder said: "These companies lined their pockets at the expense of American taxpayers, patients and the private insurance industry.

Johnson & Johnson makes a broad range of consumer products

"They drove up costs for everyone in the health care system and negatively impacted the long term solvency of the central health care programmes like Medicare."

Mr Holder said Janssen's sales representatives "aggressively" promoted Risperdal to doctors and other prescribers who treated elderly dementia patients.

He also said Janssen targeted nursing home operators through a special "sales force".

J&J is to pay $485m in criminal fines and forfeiture and a total of $1.72bn in civil settlements with the federal government and the states.

Janssen pleaded guilty to the criminal charge of interstate promotion of Risperdal and will pay a total of $400m.

In separately filed civil complaints, the US government alleged that J&J and Janssen promoted Risperdal and Invega, a newer anti-psychotic drug, to doctors -and to nursing homes as a way to control behavioural disturbances in elderly dementia patients, children and people with mental disabilities.

Janssen knew Risperdal posed serious health risks for the elderly, including an increased risk of strokes, and for children, including the risk of elevated levels of prolactin, a hormone that can stimulate breast development and milk production, according to the complaints.

Anti-psychotic drugs are known for their sedative effects and are occasionally used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, though its use is not approved by the FDA.

The civil settlement also resolves allegations that J&J and Janssen paid kickbacks to Omnicare, the nation's largest pharmacy specialising in dispensing drugs to nursing home patients.

Janssen is a part of Johnson & Johnson

In addition, the civil settlement resolved allegations that J&J and another subsidiary, Scios, caused false claims to be submitted to federal health care programs for the heart failure drug Natrecor.

Scios allegedly marketed the drug for off-label uses. Intended for patients with severe heart failure, it was given to patients with less severe heart issues over weeks and months.

As part of the global settlement, J&J must undertake a major overhaul of its pharmaceutical business over five years supervised by the Health and Human Services inspector general.

The New Jersey-based company, which makes a broad range of consumer products, including Band-Aid bandages, Neutrogena soaps and Johnson's Baby Powder, said in a statement that it had cooperated with the government since the separate investigations began nearly a decade ago.

"Today's agreements resolve all related federal criminal and federal civil liabilities on these matters," the company said.

"The settlement of the civil allegations is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing, and the company expressly denies the government's civil allegations."

Shares in Dow member J&J were down 0.6% at $92.80 in afternoon trading. Omnicare shares rose 1.1% to $55.80.

The agreement is the third-largest US settlement involving a drug company, and the latest in a string of legal actions against drug companies allegedly putting profits ahead of patients.

Most large pharmaceutical companies have had to pay major fines to the US government and various states over the past decade for alleged improper marketing of their medicines.

In 2010 Pfizer agreed to pay $2.3bn to settle allegations it improperly marketed 13 drugs, including kickbacks to healthcare providers.

Last year, Britain's GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $3bn to resolve criminal charges that it improperly targeted its Paxil depression treatment to children, sold its Wellbutrin antidepressant for unapproved uses and failed to inform US regulators of safety risks seen with its Avandia diabetes drug.

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Norway Bus Murder Suspect 'Due To Be Deported'

A man arrested on suspicion of stabbing three people to death after hijacking a bus in Norway had been due to be deported today, police have revealed.

The bus driver, who was in his 50s, and his two passengers, a 19-year-old woman and a Swedish man in his 50s, were killed in the attacks.

The 31-year-old suspect was an asylum seeker from South Sudan who had been living at Ardal reception centre, near the scene of the stabbings.

And police officer Aage Loeseth said the man had been scheduled to fly alone and without security to capital city Oslo on Tuesday before being transported out of the country.

He said his asylum application had been refused because he had made an earlier application in Spain, where he was to be sent.

The deputy director of the organisation managing the reception centre in Ardal, Tor Brekke, said the attack had been "completely unexpected".

Ambulance workers at the scene of the killings

"There was nothing to indicate any imbalance, or that he could do this," he said.

The nearest police patrol when the alarm was raised after the attacks at around 5.30pm on Monday was 55 miles away.

The first emergency workers to arrive at the scene were firefighters followed by ambulance staff, with the hijacking initially reported as a traffic accident.

Norwegian newspaper VG said an ambulance worker approached the man while firefighters armed with hammers helped overpower him by spraying him with powder extinguishers.

Police arrived around 1 hour and 20 minutes after the alarm was raised and took the man into custody. He is now being held under armed guard at Haukeland hospital in Bergen, having reportedly suffered only minor cuts.

Olaug Holme, from Hordaland Police, told Dagbladet: "We have police on site who are guarding him.

"There will be a medical assessment as to when he may be transported elsewhere, (but) I cannot say much about the medical situation now."

Emergency terror police were initially scrambled to the location of the stabbings from Oslo, but turned back when it became clear the suspect had been arrested.

Forensics officers remained at the scene overnight, while a centre was set up nearby for relatives of those affected.

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Google: Rumours Over San Francisco Bay Barge

The mystery surrounding a four-storey structure being built by Google in the heart of the San Francisco Bay is generating rumours and worries.

The company has not said what the structure is, San Francisco's mayor says he does not know what it is, and government inspectors are sworn to secrecy.

At least one Coast Guard employee has had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the internet giant, US Coast Guard spokesman Barry Bena told Reuters.

Moored in the shadow of the Bay Bridge off Treasure Island, a former military base, the nondescript barge is built with four levels of white shipping containers, and sprouts what appear to be antennas on top.

The hulking structure, half shrouded in scaffolding, has stirred intense speculation in the Bay Area since reports of its existence surfaced late last month.

Some speculate it is a store to sell Google's internet-connected glasses, while others believe it is a data storage centre.

Some reports have suggested it is meant to be a giant showroom for wealthy clients and VIPs, equipped with amenities such as a bar.

The structure is raising some environmental concerns

Deb Self, executive director of the environmental group Baykeeper, said: "At some point they're going to have to unveil what it is they're doing, and it will be sad if they have put a lot of money into something that is simply not allowable in the bay.

"We don't really want to see the bay used as a shopping mall. Unacceptable," she told the AP news agency.

Environmentalists warn that water-cooled data centres might warm the sea and harm marine life.

Google has been tight-lipped about its project, but the internet giant appears to be acting legally.

By constructing a vessel, not a building, it can conceal its purpose because it does not need permits from San Francisco, a city with copious inspection and paperwork requirements for builders.

Adding to the mystery, a second similar barge was recently spotted in Portland, Maine.

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Bangladesh Sentences Mutinous Troops To Death

More than 150 Bangladeshi border guards have been sentenced to death over a mutiny in 2009 that left 74 people dead, including several senior officers.

Another 160 mutineers were jailed for life, including a former politician of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

"The court announced the death sentence to them for the heinous killing of the country's brave sons," said prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol.

The sentences were handed out after a mass trial which involved 846 defendants, leading to criticism from human rights groups.

An army soldier cries as he carries the coffin of a fallen officer

"Trying hundreds of people en masse in one giant courtroom, where the accused have little or no access to lawyers is an affront to international legal standards," said Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch.

More than 256 people received prison terms between three and 10 years, and 277 soldiers were acquitted. 

The 30-hour revolt by members of a unit known at the time as the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) was motivated by poor pay and conditions.

The victims were hacked to death, tortured or burnt alive before their bodies were dumped in sewers and shallow graves.

"The atrocities were so heinous that even the dead bodies were not given their rights," judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman told the packed court as he read out the verdicts.

Army soldiers inspect the assembly hall damaged by the mutineers

The violence began at the BDR headquarters in Dhaka - which has its own rose garden and zoo - before spreading across the country.

An official probe into the mutiny blamed years of pent-up anger over ignored pleas for pay rises and improved treatment of the ordinary troops, who resented their better-paid superiors.

The judge said the soldiers should have been given better pay and privileges to defuse the resentment, saying they could not afford to send their children to military-owned schools.

Nearly 6,000 soldiers have already been convicted by dozens of special courts.

The mutiny shook the stability of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's newly elected government, which ended the revolt by negotiating a settlement.

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India Mars Probe Mangalyaan Blasts Off

An Indian rocket has blasted off on the country's first mission to Mars as it aims to become the only Asian nation to reach the Red Planet.

The rocket carrying the unmanned probe took off at 9.08am GMT from the Sriharikota spaceport, close to Chennai.

It entered orbit around Earth 44 minutes later, the country's space agency confirmed.

The gold-coloured probe, which weighs 1,350kg (2,976lb), is about the size of a small car and is being carried by a 350-tonne rocket - much smaller than the US or Russian equivalents.

The rocket is planned to reach Mars in September 2014

Lacking the power to fly directly, it will orbit Earth for nearly a month, building up enough velocity to break free from its gravitational pull.

Only then will it begin the second stage of its nine-month journey which will test India's scientists to the full.

The Mars Orbiter Mission, known as Mangalyaan, was announced 15 months ago by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, shortly after a Chinese probe flopped when it failed to leave Earth's atmosphere.

It led to speculation that India was seeking to make a point to its militarily and economically superior neighbour, despite denials from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The gold-coloured probe is about the size of a small car

"We are in competition with ourselves in the areas that we have charted for ourselves," ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan said last week.

"Each country has its own priorities."

The project comes in at just 4.5bn rupees (£45.5m), but India has been criticised over the cost because the country still has millions of people living in poverty and many children do not have proper access to education.

UK financial aid to India, worth about £200m, is currently being phased out and will end by 2015.

The launch caught the attention of many in India

India has said developing space technology can still help its development, such as through satellites which monitor weather or enable communication in remote areas.

Reaching the Red Planet is considered a difficult mission as Mars' orbit means its distance from Earth varies between 31 and 249 million miles.

More than half of all projects have failed, including China's in 2011 and Japan's in 2003.

Only the US, Russia and the European Union have successfully reached the planet.

Scientists prepared the probe at a facility in Bangalore

Nasa, which launches its own $455m (£283m) Maven probe to Mars on November 18, is helping India with communications.

Two ships stationed in the Pacific will also assist with monitoring.

India hopes to find evidence of methane when it reaches the planet.

The existence of the gas would lend weight to the idea of Mars being able to support life, as methane on Earth is mostly produced by micro-organisms.

India has had some success with space missions in recent years and sent its Chandrayaan probe to the Moon in November 2008.

However, it lost contact with the probe the following year.

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Dublin: Picture Of Girl Found In Street Released

Police have released a picture of an unidentified teenage girl who was found wandering the centre of Dublin nearly a month ago.

The girl, who could be as young as 14, was found in a dazed state in the Irish capital on October 10, but has yet to speak to the police.

Interpol has been called in to try to identify the girl, who may be from Eastern Europe.

She is described as 5ft 6in tall, of slim build, with long blonde hair. She was found wearing a purple hooded top, tight dark coloured jeans, flat black shoes and a grey woollen jumper.

It is believed her clothes were bought in major retailers in Ireland, but detectives could not determine when they were purchased.

The girl also has a brace, but paediatric orthodontists contacted in Ireland were unable to shed any light on her identity through their records.

Police said a major investigation was under way into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the girl.

The probe has so far involved more than 2,000 man hours and more than 115 lines of enquiry.

It is thought the unidentified girl may be from eastern Europe

These include door-to-door enquires, vehicle and pedestrian checks in the area where the girl was discovered, and the seizure and viewing of CCTV from the city centre.

Police have also shown her picture to specialised child interviewers throughout the country.

"As a result of these enquiries 15 possible names were provided to investigators. These were fully checked but unfortunately her identity remains unknown as present," a police statement said.

Officers sought High Court approval to release the picture of the girl, who is under an interim care order, after their enquiries drew a blank.

The statement added: "Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may recognise the girl from the photo. Do you recognise this girl?

"Did you have any interactions with her? Did you pass her in a distressed state in the city centre in and around October 10?

"Any information is vital to the investigation and the welfare of the child. Any information passed to us will of course be treated in the strictest of confidence."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the team in Dublin on +353 1 666 8100 or by email at storestreetappeal@garda.ie.

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Americans Vote As Local Issues Dominate

Americans head to the polls across the nation in the first significant round of voting since Barack Obama's re-election last year.

High-profile posts such as New York mayor are up for grabs, but voters will also cast ballots on a variety of local issues - from food labelling to gambling regulations.

In New York, America's largest city, Democrat Bill de Blasio is the overwhelming front-runner, well head of his Republican rival Joe Lhota.

Mr de Blasio, who is seen as liberal, hopes to become the man to succeed Michael Bloomberg, who has served for 12 years.

In Boston, two Democratic candidates - Martin Walsh and John Connolly - are facing off to succeed long-time Mayor Thomas Menino in what is seen as a close race.

New York will have a new mayor after a 12-year stint by Michael Bloomberg

Other big cities to elect new mayors are bankrupt Detroit, which is under the control of a state-appointed administrator and where the new mayor will have very little power; and San Diego, where Mayor Bob Filner resigned in August eight months into his term for sexual harassment allegations that resulted in guilty pleas to related charges.

In the New Jersey gubernatorial race, incumbent Chris Christie is expected to win re-election.

Mr Christie - embraced by Mr Obama in the aftermath of Sandy - is a popular politician seen as a contender for the Republican nomination at the 2016 presidential election.

In the closely watched contest to elect the Virginia governor, veteran Democratic fund-raiser Terry McAuliffe is up against a conservative opponent, GOP Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is lagging behind in polls but can count on the support of Tea Party conservatives.

New jersey Governor Chris Christie is expected to easily win re-election

The vote comes a year before the mid-term election and could gauge the country's mood.

But many issues will be local, and little discussion has been given during the campaign to the two main national issues: spending and health care.

In Washington state voters will decide whether food producers will label genetically modified foods.

In Colorado voters will decide whether to tax marijuana at 2% and apply the proceeds to regulating the newly legalised drug and building schools. In 11 of the state's rural counties campaigners are asking voters to approve secession from the state - in one case with the option of joining Wyoming.

In New York, voters will decide whether to authorise seven Las Vegas-style casinos.

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Ai Weiwei Sends Empty Chair To Film Festival

Dissident artist Ai Weiwei has sent a defiant message to the Chinese authorities at the Stockholm Film Festival - but in spirit only.

The 56-year-old avant-garde artist, who is not allowed to leave China but is on the festival jury, was represented by an empty chair made by him and shipped from Beijing.

"I feel sorry I can't come. That's why I have designed and sent something symbolic," he said in a pre-recorded video message broadcast at a press conference.

"I hope it can give some kind of statement on the way authorities can limit freedom of speech, can limit basic human rights for artists to travel or participate in cultural activities - very ruthlessly and with no explanation."

"I'm still living under a kind of soft detention. My passport is still in the authorities' hands."

Ai's fellow festival jury members with his chair. Pic: Carla Orrego Veliz

His Ming Dynasty-style chair sat between the other jury members in front of a cinema screen bearing the burly artist's bearded and somewhat haggard image.

The chair had one quirky addition: a curved bar preventing anyone from sitting on it.

The festival has marked his absence with a protest outside China's embassy in Stockholm and by selling "Ai Weiwei - Wish You Were Here" T-shirts.

Ai, known as much for his human rights activism as his art, was detained for 81 days in 2011 during a roundup of activists, accused of massive tax fraud.

He was one of many government critics who were jailed, detained or disappeared into police custody in early 2011.

Since his release, he has been prevented from leaving the country.

Ai Weiwei's chair takes pride of place. Pic: Carla Orrego Veliz

In his video message he said film was a powerful way to communicate and expose corruption.

"In the Internet age especially documentary films have made a great appearance in talking about issues, discussing truths, and also revealing secrets about those in power ... especially when the power is not elected by the people."

Festival director Git Scheynius said Ai has the courage to stand up for "freedom" which is the theme of this year's festival in Stockholm.

"I think most people listening to him think 'wow, this is someone who is not afraid of anything' - his courage is just wonderful," she said, adding that she hoped it would make the Chinese authorities think.

The festival runs until November 17 but it is unclear whether Ai will be able to see the films he is due to judge.

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Germany Challenges UK Over Spying Claims

Germany's foreign minister has invited the British ambassador to respond to reports of spying from the UK embassy.

The Independent newspaper has suggested that Britain was operating a "covert listening station" in the German capital.

It claimed that "hi-tech equipment housed on the embassy roof" was being used.

The newspaper said it based its claims on documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden, along with aerial photographs and "information about past spying activities in Germany".

An embassy spokeswoman confirmed that Simon McDonald attended a meeting at the German foreign ministry but would not give any more details.

A statement from the German foreign ministry also confirmed the meeting.

It said: "At the instigation of Foreign Minister (Guido) Westerwelle, the British ambassador was asked to come for a talk at the Foreign Ministry.

"The director of the European department asked for an explanation of current reports in British media and indicated that tapping communications from a diplomatic mission would be a violation of international law."

The Independent claimed that leaked documents from the US National Security Agency show that Britain is operating "a network of electronic spy posts from diplomatic buildings around the world, which intercept date in host nations".

It also reported that the US last week shut down a similar "nest" on the the roof of its own embassy in Berlin in a bid to heal relations with Germany.

The atmosphere between the two countries has grown tense since claims that US intelligence had bugged the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Chancellor recently sent a number of senior officials to Washington DC to ask for an explanation over the claims.

More follows...

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