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Controversy over a 15-foot tall Viking statue in Canada has heated up in the town of Gimli - specifically over the horns on its helmet, which some say aren't realistic. With a battle axe in one hand, a horn in the other and a cape hanging down its back, the Viking statue is almost entirely realistic aside from one recognizable detail - the horns that poke out on the side of the battle warrior's helmet. 'There's never been a Viking helmet found with horns,' The historical accuracy of the horns was put into question and prompted a debate on social...

A top U.N. official says the admission of Palestine to the United Nations as a non-member Observer State in 2012 was a historic milestone. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, reflecting on the state of the Israel-Palestinian conflict as part of the U.N.’s “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People,” acknowledged both the achievements and lost opportunities related to the conflict as he and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon near the end of their tenure this year. …

Excerpts - WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- By this time next year Kofi Annan will be packing his bags ready to hand over the United Nations to a new Secretary General, but choosing the seventh U.N. head since the world body's inception in 1945 may not follow the usual formula, and could produce a surprise. Although Annan does not leave office until Jan 2007, behind the scenes the campaign for the succession is getting into gear, and diplomats in the glass tower on the East River expect the appointment to be sewn up well ahead of time, probably by next...