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Visiting the Matanuska banana plantation is not easy these days. After a two-hour drive from the nearest city in northern Mozambique, visitors who make it to the farm are stopped at the entrance and asked to dip their feet in pools of disinfectant. Even the cars get a bath. Once an apparent miracle - a massive banana plantation in the middle of a dry, flat part of a desperately poor country - its formerly lush greenery has now been devastated by a deadly fungus called Panama disease. Five years ago, Tropical race 4 (TR4), as it's formally known, was spotted here for the first time in Africa after killing off millions of bananas in Asia from the 1980s onwards. The failure to contain the disease set off alarm bells around the world. Could the banana, the world's most exported fruit and the source of nutrients for millions of people, be at risk of extinction? The BBC was the first to be given access to the farm since it was hit with the disease. We travelled all the ...

Japanese technology firm Fujifilm is to cut 10,000 jobs by 2020 at its Fuji Xerox subsidiary saying it faces an "increasingly severe" market. It is also plans to take a majority stake in Xerox and combine the US company into the joint subsidiary. Fuji Xerox, which makes printers and copiers mainly in Asia and Australia, has been hit by falling demand. Formed in 1962 it was the longest running joint venture between US and Japanese companies. Once it has absorbed Xerox the company will be called "New Fuji Xerox" and will be 50.1% owned by Fujifilm. "New Fuji Xerox will benefit not only from its size but also from its solid management resources, including strong brands, state-of-the-art technologies and excellent human resources," Fujifilm said in a statement. Fujifilm has been looking to expand into print services and medical imaging. Global demand for copiers and printers has declined, as people have switched to emailing documents and using ...

'Grid girls' will no longer be used by Formula 1 from the start of the 2018 World Championship season. Sean Bratches, managing director of commercial operations, said the change would be made "so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport". F1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn told BBC Radio 5 live in December that the use of female promotional models was "under review". The new F1 season begins on 25 March. "While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 grands prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms," Bratches added. "We don't believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world." Stuart Pringle, managing director of British circuit Silverstone, said: "We wholeheartedly support the decision by F1 to drop the use of grid...

Facebook's overhaul of its News Feed has reduced the amount of time people spend on the site and contributed to a quarterly decline in users in the US and Canada, the social network said. The firm has been making the changes amid increasing scrutiny of its ad business, role in political campaigns and broader social impact. Boss Mark Zuckerberg said the tweaks would help the firm in the long-term. He called 2017 "a strong year ... but ... also a hard one". The comments came as the firm released its latest results. Facebook's revenue soared 47% last year to more than $40bn (£28.2bn), while profits jumped 56% to nearly $16bn. The gains came despite an unexpected $2.3bn tax payment due to the new US tax law, which included a one-off tax on overseas profits. But Mr Zuckerberg said the firm takes "very seriously" ongoing debate about the utility of social media sites and wants to ensure time spent on the network is "more meaningful"

Without a grand slam title from the middle of 2012 to the conclusion of 2016, the Swiss has now won three of his last four following a gripping 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Marin Cilic in Sunday's Australian Open final. He has reached the milestone of 20 grand slam titles -- the first man to do so -- and it is a mark that could stand for decades. Or longer. His six Australian Open crowns also drew him level with the all-time men's leaders of Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic and he is the second oldest man to win a major in the Open Era. The 36-year-old has often said other great players will come along when he finally does retire. That could be the case but there might not be another player quite like him. Much to the relief of his legions of supporters, Federer's form suggests he won't be calling it quits anytime soon. The two sets he dropped against the sixth-ranked Cilic were the only ones he conceded the entire fortnight in Melbourne. "The fai...

he head of the Recording Academy has clarified his comments about women in the music industry. After #GrammysSoMale trended during Sunday's awards ceremony in reference to the dearth of female winners, Recording Academy President and Chief Executive Officer Neil Portnow was asked by Variety about the underrepresentation. He told the publication that female artists need to "step up." "It has to begin with... women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level," he said. "[They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome." Pink, who performed at the Grammy Awards, had some thoughts on that suggestion. "Women in music don't need to 'step up,'" Pink said in a handwritten note she tweeted Monday. "Women have been stepping up since the beginning of time." "When we cel...

Future printings of Oprah Winfrey's spiritual self-help book, "The Wisdom of Sundays," will not include contributions from former hip-hop music executive Russell Simmons, according to the book's publisher. The decision comes as Simmons faces multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, including rape. Simmons has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. "All future printings of 'The Wisdom of Sundays' have had Simmons' passages removed," a spokesperson for Flatiron Books told CNN. "This change will also be reflected in the e-book." The change was first reported by The New York Times. The spokesperson declined to provide sales figures but said there are over 500,000 copies of the book in print. "The Wisdom of Sundays" features contributions from famous figures who have been featured on her OWN television series "Super Soul Sunday," like Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Tracy Morgan. The book was first release...

House Speaker Paul Ryan, speaking at a GOP retreat in West Virginia tonight, opened up about today's train crash. “We’re all a little shaken up by what happened today," said Ryan, who was on the train when it hit a truck in Crozet, Virginia. The crash, he said, “kind of reminds you sometimes just how fragile life can be.” Several members of Congress — some of who are doctors —assisted the injured. “I’m just so thankful for the people who sprung into action today,” he said

FBI Director Christopher Wray publicly clashed with President Donald Trump on Wednesday over a controversial Republican intelligence memo, furthering the rift between the President and the agency investigating ties between his campaign and Russia. Wray sent a striking signal to the White House, issuing a rare public warning that the memo about the FBI's surveillance practices omits key information that could impact its veracity. The move set up an ugly confrontation between Wray and Trump, who wants the document released. "With regard to the House Intelligence Committee's memorandum, the FBI was provided a limited opportunity to review this memo the day before the committee voted to release it," the FBI said in a statement. "As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy." he dire warning stood in direct contrast to Trump, who has told his associates...

Riverside homes and businesses in Paris are on high alert as the swollen River Seine threatens to overflow its banks. Some basements in the city have already sprung leaks after the river surged following heavy rainfall, reports said. The Seine is forecast to swell even further this weekend, adding several metres of water above its normal level. Many roads in the region are already waterlogged. Boat traffic - including the capital's famous tourist cruises - has also been interrupted. The water level in the river is expected to peak at around 6m (19ft 6in), which is at least 4m above its normal level.  The statue of a Crimean soldier - known as the Zouave - on the Pont de l'Alma has long been used as a marker for water levels in the city. On Friday, the water was at its mid-thigh - not as high as the 1910 floods, which reached his neck and submerged the city for two months  A busy commuter train service, the RER C, has been suspended until next week. Meanwhile...

Images from Vanity Fair’s upcoming Hollywood Issue are out and, based on the early reviews, it should be called the Mutant Issue We already know magazines manipulate celebrity images. Faces are airbrushed. Torsos are contoured like Rodin sculptures. Voluminous hair is made to violate the rules of natural sheen and gravity. Abdomens ripple with fake shadows and muscles. Eyes become reflecting pools. Teeth as straight as two-by-fours glow in the blinding hue of radioactive white. But what Vanity Fair accomplished this week after teasing the issue that’s due out next month is different. Instead of adding by subtracting — the first rule of digital enhancement — they went nuts on the adding. And soon after a preview of the Mutant Issue arrived on Thursday, readers flocked to social media, baffled by the extra leg on Reese Witherspoon’s body and, scarier still, Oprah’s three hands. Responding to the corporeal mystery, Witherspoon tweeted: “Well . . . I guess everybody knows now . ....

AMES Franco was removed from Vanity Fair's star-studded Hollywood cover after he was accused of sexual misconduct. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor, 39, sat for the Annie Leibovitz photoshoot and was interviewed for the special edition.   But it says the actor was removed digitally before publication. The publication quoted a magazine spokesman as saying: "We made a decision not to include James Franco on the Hollywood cover once we learned of the misconduct allegations against him." The Disaster Artist actor was accused of sexual misconduct, in a report in the Los Angeles Times, by five women. He has denied allegations against him, calling them "not accurate   The Crown star Claire Foy appears alongside a host of big screen heavyweights including Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford on the US magazine's annual fold-out cover. Michael B Jordan, Zendaya, Jessica Chastain, Mi...

For decades, Vanity Fair has brought together an impressive collection of film’s brightest stars for its annual Hollywood issue. This year, Twitter users are noting that the magazine appears to have thrown in a couple of extra arms and legs. “Well … I guess everybody knows now … I have 3 legs,” tweeted Reese Witherspoon. “I hope you can still accept me for who I am.”   Witherspoon’s additional limb is not the only curious feature of the cover, shot by Annie Leibovitz. In another image, Oprah Winfrey appears to be posing with two arms by her side, while a third is gripping Witherspoon round the waist. “I accept your 3d leg. As I know you accept my 3d hand,” Winfrey tweeted at Witherspoon.

Vanessa Marcil has a 15-year-old son named Kassius with ex Brian Austin Green, but unfortunately subsequent efforts to have more children have not been successful. According to  E! News , the former  Las Vegas  star, 49, has just suffered her seventh miscarriage. She went public with her pregnancy (with fiancé known to the public as "MC") in November and revealed in early January that she was having a girl. She has shared the sad news publicly on  Twitter  and  Instagram . "Our hearts are with Vanessa and MC who have lost baby OPM. Thank you for respecting their privacy as they heal and thank you for sharing all of your personal stories. You are not alone."

Vanessa Marcil has suffered a miscarriage. The  Las Vegas  alum, 49, revealed the heartbreaking news on Instagram Thursday in a statement that accompanied a photo of her fiancé — whom she has referred to on social media as MC — kissing on the beach. Her news came with a call for privacy and a message to others that have had a similar loss, reminding them that they are “not alone.” “Our hearts are with Vanessa and MC who have lost baby OPM,” the caption read. “Thank you for respecting their privacy as they heal and thank you for sharing all of your personal stories. You are not alone.” Marcil first revealed in November that she was expecting, explaining that she had suffered six miscarriages before. Earlier this month, the actress confirmed on Instagram that she was pregnant with a girl, sharing a photo of her puppy Rocky snuggling close to her owner’s baby bump. “The GIRLS 😜,” she captioned the sweet moment. The ba...

A suicide bombing has killed at least three people and injured 79 others in the centre of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, officials say. It happened near the old interior ministry building, which is close to the offices of the European Union and the High Peace Council. The Taliban have said they carried out the attack. There are reports an ambulance was used to hide the bomb. A week ago, Taliban militants killed 22 people in a luxury Kabul hotel. Witnesses say the area - home to foreign embassies and the city's police headquarters - was crowded with people when the bomb exploded. Plumes of smoke were seen from around the city.

US President Donald Trump has described as "fake news" a report that he ordered the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller last June, but backed down when his own lawyer threatened to resign. White House counsel Donald McGahn said the sacking would have a "catastrophic effect" on the presidency, the New York Times reported. Mr Mueller is leading an inquiry into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia to influence the US election. Both Moscow and Mr Trump deny this. "Fake News. Typical New York Times. Fake Stories," Mr Trump said at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss town of Davos, where he gave a speech earlier in the day. He has also been speaking about other issues: Russian news agency Tass quoted Mr Trump as saying he "hoped" for more dialogue between the US and Russia White House officials said Mr Trump was open to rejoining the Paris climate change agreement, if better terms for the US could be agreed In a CNBC in...

Stephen Wynn’s perch at the top of the casino industry was badly shaken on Friday following the disclosure of allegations that he engaged in a long pattern of sexual misconduct with employees of his casinos. A detailed investigative report in The Wall Street Journal portrayed Mr. Wynn, a billionaire casino magnate and prominent political donor, as a man who frequently demanded naked massages from female employees, sometimes pressuring them for sex and to masturbate him. The newspaper said that the activity had gone on for decades and that some female employees had complained to supervisors about Mr. Wynn’s behavior. Some of the women told The Journal that they had tried to avoid having to give Mr. Wynn massages by hiding in bathrooms, or entering fake appointments in record logs to make it look as if some of their colleagues were busy. The newspaper relied on court records and interviews with dozens of people who worked at his casinos. Mr. Wynn, chairman and chief ex...

Billionaire casino mogul Steve Wynn preyed on female employees for decades — forcing sex on a manicurist and pressuring a masseuse to pleasure him, a new report says. The Las Vegas icon’s 2005 encounter with the manicurist led to a $7.5 million payoff, according to The Wall Street Journal. The incident was one of several sickening episodes described by more than 150 current or former Wynn employees. They included a wide range of inappropriate behavior: Wynn regularly walked around his complex in extremely short shirts without underwear. He often sat for pedicures in a way that exposed his genitals. He repeatedly propositioned his wife’s married assistant — calling her up to ask, “What are you wearing?” and “Why don’t you hang out with me?” He told one employee, “So when are you going to come into my office and f--k me?” He directed his longtime assistant to track down the home phone numbers of casino cocktail waitresses. Women workers were so afraid to be alone with him t...

The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will take place at Madison Square Garden this Sunday, January 28, and air live on CBS. So as Gold Derby users scramble to nail down their predictions, I started to question which categories seemed ripe for an upset. Where could you score some major points in our contest by calling the right long-shot for the win? Take a look at my top five potential spoilers below. Do you agree? Sound off in the comments, and let us know which artist you think will claim the most shocking win on music’s biggest night. 1. Album of the Year – Bruno Mars (“24K Magic”)  — With leading odds of 5/6 at Gold Derby, Kendrick Lamar is expected to walk away with the night’s highest honor for his thought-provoking album “Damn.” The rapper holds a red hot score of 95 on MetaCritic, and with seven nominations this year he’s expected to leave with an impressive a haul. But if we know one thing about the Grammy Awards, it is that they generally don’t embrace h...