Monkeys attack 7 people in east Indonesian village

MAKASSAR, Indonesia (AP) ? A mob of wild monkeys has gone on a rampage in a village in eastern Indonesia, entering houses and attacking residents. Seven people were injured, including one who is in critical condition.

Ambo Ella, a spokesman for Sidendeng Rappang District in South Sulawesi province, says the surprise attack by about 10 monkeys happened in Toddang Pulu village.

He said Wednesday that a 16-year-old boy was badly bitten in the attack Monday and is being treated at the hospital

He believes the troop came from a nearby forest protected by a local tribe. It's unclear why the monkeys, which are usually afraid of humans and flee when they hear human voices, emerged and attacked.

Local authorities are investigating to find out what prompted the attack, which caused panic among villagers.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/monkeys-attack-7-people-east-indonesian-village-005954549.html

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Google's Latest Android Statue Is Resplendent in Chrome

Google's a massive fan of celebrating Android through the medium of sculpture. Its latest, though, is a surprisingly tasteful vision in shiny, shiny chrome, strapped to the side of one of Google's Mountain View buildings. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GegnXz7fq_8/googles-latest-android-statue-is--resplendent-in-chrome

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Japan airline replaced 787 Dreamliner batteries 10 times due to problems

All Nippon Airways says problems with the lithium ion batteries prompted the airline to replace them 10 times. The NTSB wants more info about the 787 batteries from Boeing.

By Elaine Kurtenbach and Joan Lowy,?Associated Press / January 30, 2013

Invited guests for the 2007 world premiere of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are reflected in the fuselage of the aircraft at the 787 assembly plant in Everett, Wash. The exact cause of the Boeing 787 fires continue to elude investigators.

Robert Sorbo/Reuters/File

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?U.S. investigators said Wednesday they asked Boeing Co. to provide a full operating history of lithium-ion batteries used in its grounded 787 Dreamliners after Japan's All Nippon Airways revealed it had repeatedly replaced the batteries even before overheating problems surfaced.

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National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said the agency made the request after recently becoming aware of battery problems at ANA that occurred before a Jan. 7 battery fire in a 787 parked at Boston's Logan International Airport. Boeing has already collected some of the information, he said.

ANA said it had replaced batteries on its 787 aircraft some 10 times because they didn't charge properly or connections with electrical systems failed, and informed Boeing about the swaps. Japan Airlines also said it had replaced 787 batteries. It described the number involved as a few but couldn't immediately give further details.

All 50 of the Boeing 787s in use around the world remain grounded after an ANA flight on Jan. 16 made an emergency landing in Japan when its main battery overheated.

The 787 is the first airliner to make wide use of lithium-ion batteries. They are prone to overheating and require additional safeguards to prevent fires. However, ANA spokeswoman Megumi Tezuka said the airline was not required to report the battery replacements to Japan's Transport Ministry because they did not interfere with flights and did not raise safety concerns.

Having to replace batteries on aircraft is not uncommon and was not considered out of the ordinary, she said.

Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, said in Washington that the agency was checking whether the previous battery incidents had been reported by Boeing.

Boeing in Japan said it couldn't comment while the NSTB investigation is underway. GS Yuasa, the Kyoto, Japan-based manufacturer of the batteries, said it could not comment.

With 17 of the jets, ANA was Boeing's launch customer for the technologically advanced airliner. The airline has had to cancel hundreds of flights, affecting tens of thousands of people, but has sought to minimize disruptions by switching to other aircraft as much as possible. ANA and Japan Airlines are among the biggest customers for the 787 and Japanese manufacturers make about 35 percent of the aircraft.

The battery problems experienced by ANA before the emergency landing were first reported by The New York Times.

Japanese and U.S. investigators looking into the Boeing 787's battery problems shifted their attention this week from GS Yuasa to the manufacturer of a monitoring system. That company, Kanto Aircraft Instrument Co., makes a system that monitors voltage, charging and temperature of the lithium-ion batteries.

On Tuesday, the NTSB said it was conducting a chemical analysis of internal short circuiting and thermal damage of the battery that caught fire in Boston.

The probe is also analyzing data from flight data recorders on the aircraft, the NTSB said in a statement on its website.

___

Joan Lowy reported from Washington.

___

Follow Elaine Kurtenbach on Twitter at twitter.com/ekurtenbach

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/b-uMe0VxjZg/Japan-airline-replaced-787-Dreamliner-batteries-10-times-due-to-problems

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School shooting drill to include sound of gunfire

By Lisa Balde and Charlie Wojciechowski, NBCChicago.com

A drill this week to prep Cary, Ill., students in the event of a school shooting is getting harsh reviews from parents.

Cary-Grove High School Principal Jay Sargeant sent a letter detailing a 15- to 20-minute "code red simulation" on Wednesday that will include shooting blanks in hallways while students and teachers take cover. Cary is located about 45 miles northwest from downtown Chicago.

"The purpose is not to shock kids and upset parents. Our purpose is to make sure that should something actually happen that we're prepared," said school spokesman Jeff Puma.

He added that it's not the first code red drill the district has conducted in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings. The first was done just four days after the Newtown, Conn., tragedy.

---

"We debated whether we should do it or not and we ended up doing it and it went very well," Puma explained.

Also on NBCChicago.com: Teen girl among 3 dead, 8 wounded in Tuesday shootings

Still, the move made some parents and students uneasy, believing the sound of simulated gunfire was too strong a tactic.

"I think it's a little over the top, like it's too much. I think we understand what could happen. I just think that it's unnecessary," said student Bobbi Breuer.

Administrators stressed that it's important parents speak to their children about the drill before and after it takes place.

Puma said social workers and other staff will be available to talk to students who have a "negative reaction" to the drill.

In the letter to parents, Sargeant said teachers will secure their rooms, draw curtains and keep students from traveling throughout the building.?Cary police will then sweep the building to make sure students are in a secure location during the drill.

"After the simulation, teachers and staff will 'take some time to process what occurred' before returning to their regular schedule,"?he wrote. "These drills help our students and staff to be prepared should a crisis occur."

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16774770-school-shooting-drill-in-illinois-to-include-sound-of-gunfire?lite

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NYC apartment for $95M, with $60K in monthly fees

9 hrs.

Robert Frank , CNBC

As apartments go, it's a palace, with 15 rooms, five of which have 18th-floor views of Central Park. At $95 million, you'd think it would come with a doorman too. But at high-end buildings in New York, basics like a doorman and a super come extra -- as much as $60,000 extra.

The high cost of Manhattan real-estate is usually measured by the sales price. But for many buyers, it's the maintenance fees that break the bank.

Monthly maintenance fees in Manhattan have soared to an average of $1.70 per square foot, meaning that a 1,200 square foot condo will cost you $2,000 a month in maintenance fees, on top of your mortgage, utilities and (usually) property taxes.

Maintenance fees have continued to climb throughout the recession even as prices dipped. Average maintenance fees have risen 30 percent since 2008, according to Jonathan Miller at Miller Samuel, the New York appraisal firm. That's more than twice the rate of overall inflation.

More from CNBC: In the Hamptons, 'The deals are gone'

The increase has been driven mostly by higher costs of building insurance, underlying mortgages, fuel and building staff, like doormen and supers.

But Miller said high maintenance fees can derail a deal or cause even wealthy buyers to sell if the fees get too high.

He said that some of the newer developments that came with high prices and high maintenance fees were forced to reduce their prices when buyers balked at the high monthly payments.

"There was an assumption during the boom that the wealthy didn't care about maintenance and you could saddle an apartment with high fees and not have an impact," he said. "That turned out not to be true. There is an inverse relationship between carrying costs and market value."

Still, some rare apartments have both sky-high prices tags and high maintenance fees. The 18th floor of the Sherry-Netherland, currently on the market for $95 million, has monthly maintenance fees of $60,000.?

More from CNBC: America's Most Expensive Homes

The apartment is part of the hotel, so the fees include twice-daily maid service, spa services and other ultra-plush amenities.?

But the apartment is proof that some of New York's wealthy are still willing to pay more in monthly maintenance fees than some Americans pay for their house. We'll see, of course, whether the apartment sells at its price.

Watch CNBC's exclusive access to the "Secret Lives of the Super Rich: Mega-Homes." Premieres Jan. 28th, 9ET

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/nyc-apartments-price-tag-95m-60k-monthly-fees-1C8133668

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Iran launches monkey into space

Lisa Grossman, physical sciences reporter

Last summer, the Iranian Space Agency announced their plan to send a monkey into space - and now they've apparently done it.

According to Iranian state-run television, a press release on the space agency's website, and photos of the event, Iran sent a live rhesus monkey into sub-orbital space aboard a small rocket called Pishgam, or Pioneer. There's even a video posted on YouTube that appears to be of the launch (though New Scientist could not confirm its authenticity).

The report has not been confirmed independently, however, and the US air force's North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has not reported seeing any missile launches from Iran.

But independent observers say the launch looks legitimate.

"Really, I see no reason not to take their word for it," says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who also keeps a log of space launches. He says he's convinced by the photos and discussions he's had with several knowledgeable source in online forums.

In photos released on the Iranian Space Agency's website, the rocket looks like the same kind the agency has launched before, but with a larger nose cone designed to fit a small chamber that can support life. Images also showed a live rhesus monkey strapped to a small seat.

The reports say the rocket went straight up 120 kilometres, which McDowell says qualifies as outer space, but not high enough to reach orbit, and came back down with a parachute.

It's unclear exactly when the launch took place. The press release says that the launch happened on the birthday of Mohammed the Prophet, which is celebrated by Shiites on 29 January, but was celebrated last week elsewhere in the world.

Some countries worry that Iranian rockets capable of carrying animals or people could also carry weapons. Iran has denied any military intention.

"This is not a scary thing because this is not a big new rocket that could hit America or anything like that," McDowell says. "There's nothing military to this. It's purely for propaganda. Nevertheless, it advances their science and their technology by being able to do it."

Iran says the launch is a first step towards sending humans into space, which they intend to do in the next 5 to 8 years. To do that, McDowell says, they'll need to build a larger rocket. The country currently has a vehicle called Safir that has successfully put satellites in orbit, and is developing a more powerful launcher called Simorgh.

The next step will probably be to either launch Safir to carry a human to sub-orbital space, or an unmanned Simorgh flight into orbit to make sure mission controllers can return it to the ground safely.

"They don't want to repeat what the Soviets did" in 1957, McDowell says, "which is put a living being in orbit before you figure out how to get it back."

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/27fcf368/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cshortsharpscience0C20A130C0A10Ciran0Elaunches0Emonkey0Einto0Espac0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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On Illegal Immigration: The right's intellectual inconsistency of the ...

Well, it looks like we?re finally going to have a substantive immigration discussion. ?Unfortunately, immigration is one of many issues the right always handles poorly. Whether it?s lack of information, general ignorance of immigration laws or what, I really can?t say, nor do I care to speculate. ?The immigration issue is a big one, not just in terms of political capital, but in the nuances of the laws themselves. ?Interestingly, it?s also the one issue where Republicans and Democrats agree on most contentions.

Depending on which estimates you consult, there are approximately 11 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the U.S.; some suggest anywhere from 7 ? 20 million. ?Regardless of which figure you choose, the fact remains: there?s a very sizable population of people living outside our legal barriers but inside our legal borders. And this is where the right, at large, loses their ever-lovin? minds.

For being the party of limited government, the party that reveres the federalistic musings of Jefferson, and the party that constantly criticizes federal government overreach, our only suggestion for handling millions of illegal immigrants requires massive government intervention; massive government intervention that would encroach on the lives of private citizens to an extent we?ve never seen. ?So let?s entertain this idea for a moment.

Supposing we did ?round ?em up and send ?em home,? we would need a police force large enough to scour all fifty states. ?This law enforcement troop would have to track people down, because we don?t know where they are, well, most of them anyway. It?s reasonable to assume that not everyone would go willingly, so there would likely be casualties or at the very least, violent encounters. ?And if intel was less than accurate (and we all know the government would never make a mistake), we could expect collateral damage, but I suppose a few wrongfully busted doors is nothing and no one will be upset about having their Super Bowl party busted up, Christmas Vacation style because of government error.

I?m not arguing we should toss out the rule of law. I?m not making the case that allowing further illegal immigration is acceptable, what I am saying is that ?sending them home? is not only impractical, it?s completely contrary to everything we claim we believe. ?Unless we want a government expansive enough to round up what equates to the entire population of Pennsylvania, we need to provide practical solutions. ?We can debate the merits of Rubio?s ideas, come up with new ones, whatever, but let?s leave the intellectual inconsistency and nanny statism to the left. ?If we expect to win the war of ideas, we have to have good ones.

Follow Kemberlee Kaye on Twitter?

Source: http://www.therightscoop.com/on-illegal-immigration-the-rights-intellectual-inconsistency-of-the-round-them-up-and-send-them-home-argument/

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U.S. to provide aerial refueling for French offensive in Mali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has agreed to fly tankers to refuel French jet fighters and bombers attacking al Qaeda-affiliated militants who have established a foothold in northern Mali, U.S. defense officials said on Saturday.

The decision, in response to an earlier French request, expands U.S. involvement, which so far has been limited to sharing intelligence and providing airlift support to carry a French mechanized infantry unit to Mali.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told his French counterpart, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, about the U.S. decision to provide aerial refueling support during a phone call on Saturday, Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement.

France intervened militarily in Mali two weeks ago to halt the advance of al Qaeda-affiliated militants who launched an offensive that threatened the Malian capital, Bamako, in the south of the country.

For two weeks, French jets and helicopter gunships have been pursuing the retreating Islamists, attacking their vehicles, command posts and weapons depots. The aim is to block the advance of the rebels until forces from the ECOWAS grouping of West African nations can deploy to take over the fight.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said three U.S. KC-135 tankers would provide aerial refueling as necessary to French aircraft, including tactical jets and bombers. The U.S. planes are stationed at Moron Air Base in Spain.

The defense official said the United States expected the tankers to be involved in the operation for a period of months as needed. They will be operating under the U.S. Africa Command, which coordinates U.S. military involvement with African countries but is based in Germany.

In his phone call with Le Drian, Panetta commended France for leading the fight against Malian rebels affiliated with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and noted that "recent operational successes have helped turn back terrorist advances," Little said in the statement.

Little said Panetta and Le Drian also discussed plans for the United States to transport troops from African nations, including Chad and Togo, to support the international effort in Mali.

Panetta has said the United States has no plans to put combat troops in Mali. Defense officials have said a small number of U.S. military personnel were temporarily at the airport in Bamako to deal with the logistics of the airlift of hundreds of French troops and tons of supplies.

(Reporting By David Alexander and Phil Stewart; editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-aerial-refueling-french-offensive-mali-040632583.html

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Mom guilt? Ain't nobody got time for that. | Motherhood, Frugal ...

I?m not big on putting touchy-feely posts on this blog, but every once in a while it just feels good to take a break from all the makeup and crafting and rage and just be real for a sec. Maybe that?s your cue to leave and go do something infinitely more fun like online shop. Or perhaps you?ll stick it out and this post will bore the crap out of you because there are no fun pictures JUST ALL THESE WORDS, GAH. Either way, you?re pooping or shopping and both are enjoyable/productive, so at least I could help with that!

This is about to get really kumbaya right now, but do you ever feel like your life is out of balance or you?re spreading yourself too thin? Um, hi, that?s me right this second. Shoot, that?s me every day. I have a really hard time with disorder. You?d be surprised by that if you could look at my house right now, but chaos and imperfections STRESS ME OUT. If there?s a sink full of dishes that need to be washed, I can?t relax and get physically jittery until they?re taken care of. Same goes with dirty floors, weeds taking over the yard, drops of spaghetti sauce on the stove. And obviously, I?m referring to this Hoarders-status pile of laundry at my feet, that is now so large that it has spilled out of this room and into the kitchen. Messes, disorder, chaos? it all gives me the pit sweats.

I?m not just talking about physical messes though, as annoying as they are. I can handle those with a little time and some Comet. The big thing I?m dealing with is trying to manage each area of my life and being okay with the imperfections. I struggle hard with this, I really do. There are so many tasks I want to accomplish in the day and when I don?t get it all done, I feel like I failed. That?s the main reason I?m not into making New Year?Resolutions? it?s just another ?thing? I will beat myself up over if it doesn?t get accomplished. EMO MUCH?!

I want to be a great wife and mom, taking care of everyone?s needs. That?s a lot of responsibility on it?s own, but it?s my number one priority and I?m SO thankful I have the opportunity. (I don?t want any of my rantings to come across as me taking my amazing family for granted, ever.) I also want to keep a tidy home, stay in contact with my family and friends,?make sure I?get the kids outside to play and socialize,?teach them something new, keep up with this blog and my Etsy shop, try to fit in a workout,?look somewhat attractive by the time my husband gets home from work,?make a healthy yet delicious dinner (always a challenge), spend some quality time with each family member before they go to bed, read my Bible and pray. Those are the basics and not even touching on the 800 dvr?d shows calling my name. Not too outrageous when you see it written down in front of you and consider the fact that I?m home all day and it?s MY JOB to do these things? but I STILL can?t manage to do it all. And like every other woman out there who struggles with this, I beat myself up over it.

So why am I sitting on the computer when all this stuff needs to be done around my home? Because I just needed to vent to my girlfriends. I can only dump so much of my drama on my husband before he goes crazy (and I think that point is rapidly approaching? sorry, honey). I know I?m not alone and that all women go through the feeling of being spread too thin or ?not enough? at some point. It?s not just a mom thing. It?s a human thing. And last time I checked, I?m definitely not a machine. I am just an imperfect woman who is doing her best. We all are.

It?s nice to shoot a little ?blhasdfkajs;dlfkjasdklfjsdkja? out of my fingertips and send it off to the internet every once in a while. Thanks for sticking around. Bonus kumbaya hugs if you pooped AND read this post at the same time.

Source: http://mrspriss.com/2013/01/28/mom-guilt-aint-nobody-got-time-for-that/

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Death toll rises to 31 in Egypt violence

UPDATES DEATH TOLL - Egyptian soccer fans of Al-Ahly club celebrate a court verdict that returned 21 death penalties in last years soccer violence, inside the club premises in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Egyptian security officials say military to deploy in Port Said after 38 people including a senior police officer and a policeman were shot dead in the Mediterranean city of Port Said after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection to one of the world's deadliest incidents of soccer violence. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

UPDATES DEATH TOLL - Egyptian soccer fans of Al-Ahly club celebrate a court verdict that returned 21 death penalties in last years soccer violence, inside the club premises in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Egyptian security officials say military to deploy in Port Said after 38 people including a senior police officer and a policeman were shot dead in the Mediterranean city of Port Said after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection to one of the world's deadliest incidents of soccer violence. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

UPDATES DEATH TOLL - Families and supporters of those accused of soccer violence from the Port Said soccer club react to the announcement of verdicts for 21 fans on trial in last years Port Said stadium incident which left 74 people dead, in Port Said, Egypt, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Egyptian security officials say that 38 people have died in the Mediterranean city of Port Said after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection to one of the world's deadliest incidents of soccer violence (AP Photo/Mohammed Nouhan, Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT

UPDATES DEATH TOLL - Egyptian soccer fans of Al-Ahly club celebrate a court verdict that returned 21 death penalties in last years soccer violence, which left 74 dead, inside the club premises in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Egyptian security officials say military to deploy in Port Said after 38 people including a senior police officer and a policeman were shot dead in the Mediterranean city of Port Said after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection to one of the world's deadliest incidents of soccer violence. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? The death toll from rioting in the Egyptian city of Port Said has risen to 31, health officials said Sunday, as army troops backed by tanks and armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to try to restore order.

The violence erupted Saturday after a court handed down death sentences to almost two dozen local fans involved in a deadly melee at a Port Said soccer game last year. Immediately after the ruling was announced, angry residents and young men went on a rampage in the city, attacking the prison where the defendants were being held and trying to storm police stations and government offices.

The street clashes in Port Said were the latest in a bout of unrest that has left a total of 42 people dead in two days, including 11 killed in clashes between police and protesters marking Friday's second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak. On Sunday, clashes continued for the fourth successive between protesters and police near Cairo's central Tahrir square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police used tear gas, while the protesters pelted them with rocks.

The bloodshed highlights the challenges facing President Mohammed Morsi, who took office nearly seven months ago following the uprising that ousted Mubarak. Critics say Morsi has failed to carry out promised reforms in the country's judiciary and police force, and claim little has improved in the two years after the uprising against Mubarak.

As the situation spiraled out of control Saturday, police disappeared from Port Said's streets, residents and security officials said.

The military then dispatched troops to the city, which is located on the northern tip of the Suez Canal. Soldiers took up positions at vital state facilities, including the local power and water stations, the city's main courthouse, the local government building and the city prison. Navy sailors were guarding the local offices of the Suez Canal company.

Navy vessels were escorting merchant ships sailing through the international waterway, and army helicopters were flying over the canal to ensure the safety of shipping, according to Suez Canal spokesman Tareq Hassanein.

Residents said Port Said was quiet overnight except for the intermittent bursts of gunfire. The city was still on edge Sunday, although a degree of calm had returned. Streets were largely deserted, stores were closed for the second successive day, and some hotels asked guests to leave, fearing more violence.

Funerals for those killed on Saturday were to be held later Sunday, and residents said they expected more street clashes after the city buries its dead.

The officials and residents spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Saturday's riot in Port Said mostly stemmed from animosity between police and die-hard soccer fans know as Ultras, who also were part of the uprising that toppled Mubarak's regime.

The Ultras were at the forefront of protests against the military generals who took over from Mubarak and are now again on the frontlines of protests against the rule of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Survivors and witnesses of the Feb. 1 soccer melee in Port Said say Mubarak loyalists had a hand in instigating the killings, which began after Port Said's home team Al-Masry beat Cairo's Al-Ahly 3-1. Some say "hired thugs" wearing green T-shirts posing as Al-Masry fans led the attacks.

Others say, at the very least, police were responsible for gross negligence in the soccer violence, which killed 74 people, most of them Al-Ahly fans.

Anger at police was evident in Port Said, home to most of the 73 men accused of involvement in the bloodshed, although the trial was held outside Cairo.

Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he handed down the sentences for 21 defendants on Saturday. Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants, including nine security officials, are scheduled to be delivered March 9. Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers. All the defendants ? who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons ? can appeal the verdict.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-27-ML-Egypt/id-b4429268f71f4b8e8fb656c410b109ec

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No. 7 Hoosiers hold off No. 13 Spartans 75-70

Michigan State's Adreian Payne (5) and Indiana's Hanner Mosquera-Perea (12) battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Michigan State's Adreian Payne (5) and Indiana's Hanner Mosquera-Perea (12) battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana's Will Sheehey, left, and Michigan State's Travis Trice battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Michigan State's Branden Dawson goes to the basket against Indiana's Victor Oladipo (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Michigan State's Derrick Nix, center, puts up a shot against Indiana's Victor Oladipo (4) and Cody Zeller (40) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Michigan State's Adreian Payne (5) dunks against Indiana's Christian Watford during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) ? Victor Oladipo wasted no time getting Indiana's fans riled up Sunday.

They responded to his energetic play with loud, boisterous support for the next two hours and he responded to their cheers by delivering a performance to remember.

The junior guard finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, six steals and three blocks, leading the seventh-ranked Hoosiers to a 75-70 victory over No. 13 Michigan State on a day Oladipo was already thinking about doing more.

"There are still things I need to improve on, even today," Oladipo said. "So I have to keep getting better."

This one will be hard to top.

Indiana (18-2, 6-1 Big Ten) has won three straight since a Jan. 25 loss to Wisconsin. It has won back-to-back games over the Spartans after ending a six-game losing streak in the series. The Hoosiers picked up their ninth win in Assembly Hall over a Top 25 foe during the past 24 months, and their latest victory helped break up a three-way logjam atop the Big Ten. Indiana was awaiting the result of the Michigan-Illinois game to see if it would share the conference lead with the Wolverines or have it all to themselves.

How much did this win mean to coach Tom Crean?

After shaking hands with his old friend, Tom Izzo, Crean walked to the corner in the south end of Assembly Hall, raised both arms and thanked the students for their constant noise. A few minutes later, he was thanking others.

"He (Oladipo) was a tremendous difference from the start of the game. He had a knowledge base that he put into his game as to how he was going to defend," Crean said. "If you're not cerebral like that and at the same time, quick, it's hard to defend like that. But he's been good. We knew he was going to play well on the offensive end and to take away things on the defensive end, too. And we don't win this game without Will Sheehey, we really don't."

The impact of Oladipo was evident in the box score and beyond.

He was 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from the line with more offensive rebounds (four) than defensive. Crean also credited him with 15 first-half deflections, something Crean said he's never seen before. And when Oladipo wasn't making plays, there were plenty of others willing to help.

Cody Zeller made only two baskets and finished with nine points but scored on a layup with 1:38 to go to make it a two-possession game. He also took a charge with 14.3 seconds left that essentially sealed the win.

Christian Watford finished with 12 points and six rebounds, Yogi Ferrrell had 11 points and a key 3-pointer just before halftime and Jordan Hulls had 10 points and four assists. Most of it was the result of Oladipo and the threat he posed on every possession.

"That's just Victor," Watford explained. "We feel like we're a great team when Victor does this. He brings a lot of energy. Not only that, he gets us open by the way he attacks the basket. He did a great job today."

Michigan State (17-4, 6-2) just couldn't keep up.

Gary Harris, last year's Indiana Mr. Basketball was booed relentlessly, yet made five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points. Adreian Payne added 18 points and was 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, matching his season total of three 3s. The only other player to reach double figures was Branden Dawson, another Indiana native, who has 12 points and eight rebounds.

Still, it wasn't up to Izzo's standards. The Spartans, playing in special green-and-gold uniforms, committed 19 turnovers, allowed Indiana to shoot 50.9 percent from the field and essentially wound up with a rebounding draw, 32-31. Guard Keith Appling fouled out with 5:14 to go, too.

"Our whole deal was to keep them out of the lane and not turn the ball over and we didn't do either one of those very good," Izzo said. "We got tired, and we've been so good down the stretch and with three minutes left, I thought we had a chance."

It was every bit as entertaining as advertised.

After Michigan State took a 31-30 lead late in the first half, Indiana answered with a 3 from Sheehey and another 3 from Hulls. Ferrell's 3 to close the half gave Indiana 44-38 lead.

Oladipo's two free throws with 16:28 to go extended the lead to 50-43, but when it looked like the Hoosiers might pull away, Harris dashed those hopes by making back-to-back 3s over the next 50 seconds to get the Spartans within 50-49.

Indiana never led by more than six the rest of the way, but with Oladipo leading the defense, Michigan State never managed to tie the score or take the lead, either.

The Hoosiers final sealed it in the final 98 seconds when Zeller made the layup and took the charge, and Hulls made 1 of 2 free throws.

"It was a physical game, a hard-nosed game, it was a high-level game and they're a great team," Crean said. "That's why it's a great win for us."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-27-BKC-T25-Michigan-St-Indiana/id-65192fbc706347e9a66f126cca1cf59e

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SAG Awards: More 'Lincoln,' 'Argo' drama?

By Joal Ryan, E! Online

Previously on the long-running drama we call Awards Season: Ben Affleck's "Argo" is an early Oscar best picture favorite?until Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" arrives. Then Affleck gets clotheslined by the directing branch of the Academy?leaving "Lincoln" sitting pretty. Until "Argo" surges at the Golden Globes.

Warner Bros., DreamWorks

Ben Affleck in "Argo," left, and Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln."

All this brings us to our new episode, also known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

SAG Award nominations: snubs and surprises

Here's a look at the storylines that could emerge from Sunday's show:

"Lincoln" reemerges as, well, "Lincoln": It wins the ensemble award, reminds that the Globes are just the Globes (a contest reflecting the views of exactly zero Oscar voters), and continues on its presidential way toward the best picture prize on Feb. 24. If you take stock in such things, this is is how oddsmakers?and pundits?think Sunday will go.

"Argo" gives "Lincoln" a lot to think about: On the heels of its Globes success, it wins the ensemble award, and demonstrates how deep the affection for the 1970s-vibing thriller runs among Affleck's fellow actors, or as they are more properly referred to this time of year: the largest voting branch of the Academy.

10 best SAG Award stars ever

"Silver Linings Playbook" gives "Lincoln" and "Argo" a lot to think about: It wins the ensemble award (an ensemble, mind you, that the aforementioned acting branch of the Academy showered with four nominations), emerges as the new best picture candidate to beat, and reaffirms just how good Harvey Weinstein is at this sort of thing -- i.e., blindsiding Spielberg. (See: "Saving Private Ryan's" stunning 1998 best picture loss?to "Shakespeare in Love.")

"Les Misrables" gives oddsmakers a lot to think about: It wins the ensemble award, reclaims its Christmastime mojo and likely perks up on the best picture leader board?after falling out of a dead heat with "Lincoln."

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" gives everyone a lot of to think about: If this no-shot best picture contender, which was not nominated for the Academy's top prize, wins the ensemble award, it will make an unpredictable awards season a real, live mystery.

18 years of SAG Award winners

More movie news:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/01/26/16713941-sag-awards-could-provide-more-lincoln-vs-argo-drama?lite

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ADB, World Bank to step up work in Myanmar after arrears paid

(Reuters) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Monday it was resuming operations in Myanmar with a $512 million loan for social and economic projects that would help the country build on reforms since a military government stepped down in 2011.

In a separate statement, the World Bank said its board had approved a $440 million credit for Myanmar and that, as with the ADB, it was now fully able to support the country's development because debt arrears had been cleared with the help of Japan.

Myanmar President Thein Sein, who heads a quasi-civilian government, has freed political prisoners, unmuzzled the media and begun to reform the economy with a new foreign investment law and an exchange rate determined more by market forces.

In response, Western countries have eased sanctions imposed on the military regime. International financial institutions have offered mostly technical help but have been constrained until now by debt arrears accumulated under the military.

The Manila-based ADB said in a statement that bridge financing provided to Myanmar by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) this month allowed the government to pay off arrears to the ADB of about $500 million.

The World Bank, in its statement from Washington dated January 27, said its loan would be used in part to "help the government meet its foreign exchange needs", which included repaying the JBIC's bridge loan.

The World Bank arrears had been put at about $400 million. Japan, whose government and companies have been particularly active in the former Burma since it opened up, had said it would help with the arrears, which were preventing international bodies from offering fresh loans.

The ADB, which reopened an office in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital, in April 2012, said the clearing of arrears allowed it to provide its first loan to the country in more than 30 years.

Thein Sein's government has had to start practically from scratch in developing a modern economy. Reflecting that, the ADB said it would focus on "the building blocks for stability and sustainability".

Among other things, it would look at improving public finances and developing the finance sector.

The loan would be used to "finalize arrears clearance and sustain government efforts to revamp the national budget process and modernize tax administration", the ADB said.

"In rural areas, where development has been hindered by lack of infrastructure, restrictions on land usage, poorly developed support services and limited access to financial services for farmers, ADB funding will help develop a strategy to make banking services more widely available," it said.

The World Bank said its credit would support reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability and to improve public financial management and the investment climate.

It said that, over the past year, it had opened an office in Yangon and brought in technical experts to help the government develop a broad development program. The government put a detailed program to a big aid donors' conference in the capital, Naypyitaw, on January 19-20.

The World Bank said it had already provided an $80 million grant for improvements to rural infrastructure, including schools, health clinics, roads and irrigation schemes in about 640 villages across Myanmar over six years.

The International Monetary Fund said on January 17 the government had asked for its help to pursue reforms and craft economic policies so that Myanmar could become part of the global economy.

(Additional reporting by Martin Petty; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Richard Borsuk and Paul Tait)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adb-world-bank-step-myanmar-arrears-paid-163304914--business.html

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Anonymous Threatens Massive WikiLeaks-Style Exposure, Announced On Hacked Gov Site

Hacktivist organization Anonymous is threatening perhaps their biggest play ever: a massive WikiLeaks-style exposure of sensitive U.S. government secrets. As proof of their power, they announced details of the plan on hacked government website, the United States Sentencing Commission (USSG.gov). Citing the recent death of free information activist Aaron Swartz, they explain, "With Aaron's death we can wait no longer. The time has come to show the United States Department of Justice and its affiliates the true meaning of infiltration."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/yIfXL1sIybU/

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Climate change views swayed by weather

Independent voters shift their views on climate change with the weather, new research suggests.

During cold snaps, Independents tend to be more skeptical of human-caused global warming than they are on unseasonably warm days, which seem to make them believers, according to a study published in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society. Democrats and Republicans stuck to their climate-change beliefs regardless of short-term weather changes.

"Independent voters were less likely to believe that climate change was caused by humans on unseasonably cool days, and more likely to believe that climate change was caused by humans on unseasonably warm days," said study author Lawrence Hamilton, a sociologist at the University of New Hampshire, in a statement.

1. Science news from NBCNews.com

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      As the bitter cold in the northeastern United States keeps even hardy New Hampshire skiers off the slopes, there?s at least one potential upside to the cold snap: fewer mosquitoes come summer, according to an entomologist riding out the cold in upstate New York.

   2. Brains vs. immunity: Genes hint at tug of war
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Previous studies have also shown that global warming belief depends on weather.

To see if there was a connection, the team looked 10 random-sample phone surveys conducted by the Granite State Poll between 2010 and 2012, with a total of 5,000 New Hampshire voters. The phone interviews asked respondents to choose between three options: climate change is happening now, caused mainly by humans; climate change is not happening; or it is happening, but mostly due to natural causes. [ The Reality of Climate Change: 10 Myths Busted ]

They then correlated the dates of those phone calls with temperature and precipitation data drawn from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network.?

While Republicans and Democrats stuck to their views, self-identified Independents shifted their views with the weather.

"The shift was dramatic. On the coolest days, belief in human-caused climate change dropped below 40 percent among Independents. On the hottest days, it increased above 70 percent," Hamilton said in a statement.

Though it may be human nature to tie weather to climate change, that isn't scientific. An individual storm or warm front can't be attributed to climate change, because weather patterns happen over short time periods, while climate change is a long-term trend. On average, climate change may bring more extreme weather.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter@livescience. We're also on Facebook &Google+.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50594127/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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REAL ESTATE: County adds homes, land to Internet auction

Jan 25, 2013

admin ? Business, Uncategorized ? Adds, auction, COUNTY, ESTATE, homes, Internet, land, REAL ? No comments

BY DEBRA GRUSZECKI

Riverside County pioneered the sale of tax-defaulted properties on the Internet in 2000.

Now, the county is about to claim another first.

Treasurer-Tax Collector Don Kent said Riverside County is rolling homes and land into an online sale that used to deal exclusively with timeshare properties. The Interne?

Read more about REAL ESTATE: County adds homes, land to Internet auction

Source: http://inlandsocal.com/2013/01/25/real-estate-county-adds-homes-land-to-internet-auction/

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DC Food Scene/News Openings

Image via Sugar & Champagne (Washington Humane Society)

PUPPY LOVE

The Washington Humane Society?s 12^th?annual dessert and champagne reception?honors?local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society?s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Care & Control Officers, and Humane Educators. ?If you have a strong sweet tooth then you should be at this event, which?showcases the DC area?s most talented pastry chefs. ?Guests have the opportunity to nibble sweet treats and sip champagne throughout the night. ?The VIP Chefs? Tasting Room will feature an exclusive savory gathering prepared by local chefs. ?The Washington Humane Society will also honor the community?s ?Humane Heroes? who have had a positive impact on the lives of animals in the District and who have shown support for their programs and services. ?If you cannot attend the 12^th?Annual Sugar & Champagne Affair but would like to?make a donation, please?click here.

When: ?January 31, 2013

6:00 PM ? 7:30 PM: VIP Chefs? Tasting Room
7:00 PM ? 9:00 PM: General Reception

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Hosted by?Chef Todd Gray?&?Ellen Kassoff Gray
Equinox Restaurant, Muse at the Corcoran Gallery of Art & Salamander Resort

Presented by?Trade Center Management Associates

Michelle?s Ribs

WHAT:???????????????? Barbecue lovers from across the Washington region will gather at eight of the area?s top ?cue establishments for the fourth annual DC Meat Week. This week-long celebration of smoky, low-and-slow cooking will highlight two of the newest barbecue restaurants in the area, four long-time favorites, and for the first time a barbecue-focused Food Truck Face-Off, hosted by Living Social.? ? ? ? ? ?

WHERE:?????????????? See the schedule here for each night?s host venue.

WHEN:???????????????? Sunday, January 27, through Sunday, February 3, 2012

HOW:?????????????????? Anyone is welcome to participate by simply showing up at the host venue and looking for the Meat Week flags. Participants order and pay for their own food and drinks and then join in the festivities with other Meat Week attendees. Some host venues will be offering Meat Week specials (to be announced). ?Additional details, specials and trivia will be posted at http://www.meatweek.com/chapters/washingtondc and during Meat Week via Facebook and Twitter (@meatweek, @babeque) and on the Capital Spice blog (www.capitalspiceblog.com).?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Ancient Chinese culture dictates that a snake won?t attack its opponent unless it is hungry, so?Ping Pong Dim Sum?is encouraging their patron snakes to feed their hunger with food and drink specials during their two-part Chinese New Year celebrations from February 10 ? 24.

For the first week of Chinese New Year, guests can take advantage of?7 days of [Snake] Sins?promotions at both the Chinatown and Dupont Circle locations, listed below:

Sunday, February 10^th?? Snakeskin Sunday (Sin: Gluttony)

Guests that wear snakeskin print clothing (or a boa) can shed 15% from their?Lazy Sumday?bill (valid 11am-4pm)

Monday, February 11^th?? Year of the Snake Charity (Sin: Pride)

Ping Pong will donate a portion of the proceeds from the Chinese New Year specialty cocktail,?Snake Venom(a blend of rum, guava and Jasmine Iced Tea) to the Chinatown Community Cultural Center.

Tuesday, February 12^th?- ?Snakes on a Plane? Viewing Party (Sin: Sloth)

Visit Ping Pong Dupont for a ?Snakes on a Plane? Viewing party at 8pm and take advantage of Yum Cha (happy hour) food and drink?specials?offered from 4pm-11pm.

Wednesday, February 13^th?? Snake Venom Happy Hour (Sin: Rage)

Ladies can get any pre-Valentine?s Day aggression out of their system by stopping by the?Snake VenomHappy Hour, which will give complimentary ?snakebite? shooters to the ladies from 5pm-6pm.

Thursday, February 14^th?? Love at First Bite (Sin: Lust)

Share a sinful Valentine?s Day with your special snake by sampling the?Love at First Bite?menu?($60 per couple), which includes aphrodisiac ingredients in each dish.? The menu features two?fig and chocolate martinis, and an array of baked, steamed and fried dim sum, including favorites like the?honey roasted chicken puffs, spicy basil dumplings, and?char sui buns.

Friday, February 15^th?? Roll a Snake Eyes for $50 off your bill (Sin: Greed)

Waiters will entice guests with a pair of gold dice at the end of the meal, and guests who roll a snake eyes will receive $50 off their entire bill.

Saturday, February 16^th?? End the Chinese New Year Celebrations with a Special Performance (Sin: Envy)

Round out the week with a special Chinese New Year celebratory performance for dinner guests at Ping Pong Dupont.

RESTAURANT WEEK

DC Restaurant Week will take place from February 4-10, 2013. ?Make your reservations now! ?Pick your spots here.

Ironically, I avoid Restaurant Week like the plague. ?Overcrowded restaurants, food prepped way to early for my taste and rushed service?I?ll pass. ?This is probably the reason that I love?Food, Wine & Co.?s ??Anti-Restaurant Week Menu?, which will be offered?from January 28^th?- February 2^nd. ??The unfortunate part about Restaurant Week is that while diners are getting a deal, the high volume and limited menu means they are not getting to?know a restaurant and generally getting sub-standard food,??says Food, Wine & Co.?Executive Chef Michael Harr.??We are over bad food for cheaper prices and in lieu, wanted to offer diners the chance to taste some truly extraordinary food. High-level, tasting menu dishes that would cost diners upwards of several hundred dollars in other restaurants.? ?Food, Wine & Co.?s Anti-Restaurant Week Menu is priced at $59 and offers a 5-course tasting menu. ?Check out their site here.

?

Ambar in Eastern Market (outdoor patio bar)

OPENINGS

Eric Rohleder, Founder and President of?Cordial Fine Wine is pleased to announce the opening of his first wine shop, Cordial Fine Wine, on February 1, 2013. With the philosophy that small is the new big, particularly?in the world of wine and beer,?his boutique store will offer 216 small production artisanal wines and 35 craft beers from around the world at Union Market, DC?s newest culinary epicenter. The wine shop is conveniently located at 1309 5th Street NE, Unit #2, Washington, D.C., 20002, next door to NoMa-Gallaudet U. metro stop off the redline.? Store hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM with complimentary wine tastings every Thursday from 5 PM to 7 PM, and Saturday & Sunday from 12 Noon to 3 PM.? Shoppers will be pleased to find great value in the selection as most wines are priced around $20 and under, with no wines priced higher than $60. Regions of specialty include great finds from?Oregon, Washington, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and Eastern Europe.

Chef Frederik de Pue, owner of?42? Catering, and former Executive Chef of Smith Commons opened his breakout solo restaurant project, Table, on January 18, 2013. ?Table is located at 903 N Street NW in the Mt. Vernon / Shaw / Logan boundary neighborhood. Doors open at 5pm for dinner service.

Serbian Ivan Iricanin, who is a partner with renowned chef/restaurateur Richard Sandoval in two of the District?s most popular restaurants, Masa 14 and El Centro D.F. on 14^th?Street, NW, is pleased to debut the opening of his newest venue,?Ambar, which opened January 14^th?at 523 8th Street,?SE, 20003.

PAUL Tysons Galleria opened at?2001 International Drive #1856-G, McLean, VA 22102?(Located at the Level I Parking Garage entrance?between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, and directly across from Lebanese Taverna). ?This is the first PAUL bakery in Virginia.

Robb Duncan, Washington?s premier artisanal gelato maker and co-owner of Dolcezza is pleased to unveil his fourth?Dolcezza?location, which opened February 9, 2013 at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 155 in Fairfax, VA, 22031, in the vibrant new Mosaic District.

Nando?s Peri-Peri, the ?international chicken restaurant, is opening its doors at a new location in Washington, DC?s renovated Boilermaker Building at The Yards. ?The restaurant, scheduled to open in June 2013, will occupy 2,866 square feet and offer patio seating.

?

Source: http://www.johnnaknowsgoodfood.com/2013/01/25/9439/

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Watch live: Kerry poised for easy confirmation as State pick

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry was poised for an easy confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday as President Barack Obama's nominee to be the next secretary of state.

Kerry, a Democrat who chairs the committee hearing his nomination, was introduced by a star-studded panel?his Massachusetts colleague, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren; Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain; and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is stepping down.

"John is the right choice to carry forth the Obama administration foreign policy, and I urge his speedy confirmation," Clinton said. "He will bring a record of leadership and service that is exemplary."

Clinton, who a day earlier testified before the committee on the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed, said Kerry was "committed to doing whatever it takes to prevent another attack and protect our people in posts around the world."

Kerry praised Clinton for serving "above and beyond the call of duty" at State and said he would work hard to meet the standard she had set. "I can pledge to you that with the consent of the Senate I will do everything in my power, summon every energy and all of my focus to build on her record and the president's vision," Kerry said.

A 28-year Senate veteran, Kerry implored the panel to set a model for the rest of the world by putting aside political dysfunction and working to improve the economy.

"The greatest challenge to America's foreign policy will be in your hands, not mine," Kerry said. "The first order of business ... as we work to help other countries create order, our first priority will be that America at last puts its own fiscal house in order."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/kerry-poised-easy-confirmation-secretary-state-160334437--politics.html

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Azarenka beats Stephens; sets up final vs Li

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Victoria Azarenka had to endure some anxious moments before and after her win over American teenager Sloane Stephens.

Li Na wasn't flustered at all in an easy victory over No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova.

The result is that Li will play for the Australian Open title against Azarenka, who ended Stephens' unexpected run to the semifinals that included a quarterfinal upset of 15-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.

Another player who had little trouble Thursday was defending champion Novak Djokovic, who looked like he was conducting a tennis clinic in overpowering No. 4 David Ferrer 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in just 1 hour, 29 minutes.

"I played perfectly," he said in a post-match TV interview. "I played incredible tennis."

Djokovic will attempt to win his third consecutive Australian Open when he plays the winner of Friday's semifinal between Roger Federer and Andy Murray in Sunday's championship match.

While Li's 6-2, 6-2 win over Sharapova, who set a tournament record in dropping only nine games in five matches en route to the semis, never appeared in doubt on Thursday, Azarenka added some drama in the second semifinal on Rod Laver Arena.

Azarenka needed six match points to finish off a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Stephens that included a medical timeout after the American broke her serve to pull within 5-3 in the second set. After leaving the court for medical attention, the Belarusian returned to break Stephens' serve to end the match.

"Well, I almost did the choke of the year," Azarenka told an on-court interviewer immediately after the match. "At 5-3, having so many chances I couldn't close it out."

Australian Open officials said the tournament doctor reported that Azarenka had left knee and rib injuries.

"I just felt a little bit overwhelmed. I realized I'm one step away from the final and nerves got into me for sure," Azarenka said.

The 23-year-old Belarusian's on-court comments after the match led to speculation about the timing of her medical timeout. She didn't help herself in a second television interview after the match that suggested the pressure of trying to close out the match was getting to her.

"I couldn't breathe. I had chest pains," she said. "It was like I was getting a heart attack. After that it wasn't my best, but it's important to overcome this little bit of a struggle and win the match."

In her official post-match news conference ? more than an hour after she finished playing ? Azarenka felt a need to explain her comments immediately after the match.

"I think I just really misunderstood what (the on-court interviewer) asked me because the question was I had few difficulties and why I went off," Azarenka said. "I completely thought of a different thing, why I couldn't close out of match, you know, that I had few difficulties.

"So I understand the whole situation right now, but it just really (is a) simple misunderstanding of a question. I guess it was my bad."

Pressed again to explain her earlier TV comments, Azarenka said: "I did say that. I did say I couldn't breathe. It was locked. That came from my back. "

Stephens didn't think the timing of the medical break affected the outcome of the match.

"It's happened before. Last match, match before, I've had people going for medical breaks, going to the bathroom," she said. "Didn't affect me. Just another something else that happens."

The temperature hit 97 degrees during the second women's semifinal, slightly hotter than it had been when Li beat Sharapova to reach the Australian Open final for the second time in three years.

The semifinal started badly for the 25-year-old Russian, serving double-faults to lose the first two points and conceding a break in the first game.

Li was the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final when she lost to Kim Clijsters at Melbourne Park in 2011. She had her breakthrough a few months later when she won the French Open, beating Sharapova in the semifinals along the way.

The crowd got behind Li early in the match, yelling "Come on, Li Na!" and others yelling "Jia You!" which is "Come on" in Chinese. After she broke Sharapova to take a 5-2 lead, the Chinese fans in the crowd shook Chinese flags and shouted again, "Jia You!"

"I don't know what happened, (but) I always play well here, so thanks guys," said Li, who was playing her third Australian Open semifinal in four years. "I just came to the court feeling like, 'OK, just do it.'"

Li's coach, Carlos Rodriguez, who worked with retired seven-time major winner Justine Henin, pumped his fist over his heart after Li won the game.

Sharapova had control in her next service game, but Li scrambled from side to side and pushed the reigning French Open champion to go for the lines, getting a series of unforced errors and another break.

The sixth-seeded Li has been working since August with Rodriguez, and credits him with reviving her career with a renewed emphasis on condition.

"I'm happy. I know I have a tough coach, a tough physio," Li said, looking across to the stands and adding: "You don't need to push me anymore. I will push myself."

Sharapova, who lost the 2012 Australian final in straight sets to Azarenka, admitted it was hard to get into the match against Li.

"She was certainly much more aggressive than I was, dictating the play. I was always on the defense," said Sharapova, who could have gained the No. 1 ranking by reaching the Australian final.

Djokovic was stretched to five sets in a 5-hour, 2-minute fourth-round match against Stanislaw Wawrinka, then lost a set against Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

But the hard-serving Djokovic was at his sublime best on Thursday night, converting all of seven break-point chances while not facing any on his serve. Now unbeaten in five Grand Slam head-to-heads with Ferrer, he allowed his opponent only four points in the first four games of the last set.

"I felt very comfortable and very confident from the start," he said. "I wanted to be aggressive on the court. This is definitely one of the best performances I ever had in my career."

Ferrer double-faulted to set up match point, then lost the match on the following point when he floated a backhand long.

The Spaniard was pleased to have made it as far as he did in the tournament.

"I prefer to play worse in a semifinal than in the first round," Ferrer said. "Of course, I am not happy with my game tonight, but this is tennis."

With such a light workout during his match, Djokovic went back out to center court at Rod Laver Arena an hour later during a legends doubles match involving his friend, retired Frenchman Henri Leconte.

To much laughter from the crowd, Djokovic, dressed in a mock medical costume, pretended to give Leconte treatment at the side of the court.

Later, he was all business while talking about the final against either Federer or Murray.

"It can only do positive things to my confidence at this stage of the tournament," Djokovic said of his easy win. "I have a great feeling about myself at the moment."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/azarenka-beats-stephens-sets-final-vs-li-100110822--spt.html

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Medical cannabis provides dramatic relief for sufferers of chronic ailments, Israeli study finds

Jan. 24, 2013 ? Though controversial, medical cannabis has been gaining ground as a valid therapy, offering relief to suffers of diseases such as cancer, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, ALS and more. The substance is known to soothe severe pain, increase the appetite, and ease insomnia where other common medications fail.

In 2009, Zach Klein, a graduate of Tel Aviv University's Department of Film and Television Studies, directed the documentary Prescribed Grass. Through the process, he developed an interest in the scientific research behind medical marijuana, and now, as a specialist in policy-making surrounding medical cannabis and an MA student at TAU's Porter School of Environmental Studies, he is conducting his own research into the benefits of medical cannabis.

Using marijuana from a farm called Tikkun Olam -- a reference to the Jewish concept of healing the world -- Klein and his fellow researchers tested the impact of the treatment on 19 residents of the Hadarim nursing home in Israel. The results, Klein says, have been outstanding. Not only did participants experience dramatic physical results, including healthy weight gain and the reduction of pain and tremors, but Hadarim staff saw an immediate improvement in the participants' moods and communication skills. The use of chronic medications was also significantly reduced, he reports.

Klein's research team includes Dr. Dror Avisar of TAU's Hydrochemistry Laboratory at the Department of Geography and Human Environment; Prof. Naama Friedmann and Rakefet Keider of TAU's Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education; Dr. Yehuda Baruch of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and director of the Abarbanel Mental Health Center; and Dr. Moshe Geitzen and Inbal Sikorin of Hadarim.

Cutting down on chronic medications

Israel is a world leader in medical cannabis research, Klein says. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, was first discovered there by Profs. Raphael Mechoulam and Yechiel Gaoni. Prof. Mechoulam is also credited for having defined the endocannabinoid system, which mimics the effects of cannabis and plays a role in appetite, pain sensation, mood and memory.

In the Hadarim nursing home, 19 patients between the ages of 69 and 101 were treated with medical cannabis in the form of powder, oil, vapor, or smoke three times daily over the course of a year for conditions such as pain, lack of appetite, and muscle spasms and tremors. Researchers and nursing home staff monitored participants for signs of improvement, as well as improvement in overall life quality, such as mood and ease in completing daily living activities.

During the study, 17 patients achieved a healthy weight, gaining or losing pounds as needed. Muscle spasms, stiffness, tremors and pain reduced significantly. Almost all patients reported an increase in sleeping hours and a decrease in nightmares and PTSD-related flashbacks.

There was a notable decline in the amount of prescribed medications taken by patients, such as antipsychotics, Parkinson's treatment, mood stabilizers, and pain relievers, Klein found, noting that these drugs have severe side effects. By the end of the study, 72 percent of participants were able to reduce their drug intake by an average of 1.7 medications a day.

Connecting cannabis and swallowing

This year, Klein is beginning a new study at Israel's Reuth Medical Center with Drs. Jean-Jacques Vatine and Aviah Gvion, in which he hopes to establish a connection between medical cannabis and improved swallowing. One of the biggest concerns with chronically ill patients is food intake, says Klein. Dysphagia, or difficulty in swallowing, can lead to a decline in nutrition and even death. He believes that cannabis, which has been found to stimulate regions of the brain associated with swallowing reflexes, will have a positive impact.

Overall, Klein believes that the healing powers of cannabis are close to miraculous, and has long supported an overhaul in governmental policy surrounding the drug. Since his film was released in 2009, the number of permits for medical cannabis in Israel has increased from 400 to 11,000. His research is about improving the quality of life, he concludes, especially for those who have no other hope.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Friends of Tel Aviv University.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/_ErbEmzD-Bo/130124123453.htm

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