Searing temperatures fan Australia wildfires

High winds and record temperatures have fanned fires in south-east Australia, as the prime minister warned of a "very dangerous day".

More than 100 fires have already been reported in New South Wales, with residents in some areas urged to leave.

An uncontrolled fire is burning by the Tasman peninsula, near areas already hit by blazes over the weekend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20937509

'Moons rather than planets are the best place to find aliens'

Astronomers came to the conclusion after identifying up to 15 new planets orbiting the life-friendly ''habitable zones'' of stars.

All are giant gaseous worlds similar in size to Jupiter or Neptune.

While such planets would not themselves be suitable for Earthlike life, they could be circled by moons on which there are forests, oceans and living creatures.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9785860/Moons-rather-than-planets-are-the-best-place-to-find-aliens.html

James Holmes: Details of mass shooting at Batman premiere revealed in court

The families of victims of last year’s mass shooting at a Colorado theatre sat through emotional testimony Monday from police officers who tried to save the lives of the wounded.

One sergeant recalled during the hearing for suspected gunman James Holmes that he could not find a pulse for the youngest victim, 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan.

Another who drove the wounded to the hospital said he had to stop one man worried about his 7-year-old daughter from jumping out of the moving patrol car.

A bearded Holmes didn’t appear to show any emotion.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1311497--colorado-theatre-shooting-prosecution-outlines-case-in-mass-shooting-at-batman-premiere

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake BABUYAN ISLANDS REGION, PHILIPPINES - 8th January 2013

Magnitude
4.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, January 08, 2013 at 02:51:45 UTC
Tuesday, January 08, 2013 at 10:51:45 AM at epicenter
Location
19.221°N, 121.257°E
Depth
10 km (6.2 miles)
Region
BABUYAN ISLANDS REGION, PHILIPPINES
Distances
130 km (81 miles) NNE (32°) from Laoag, Luzon, Philippines

Sydney nuclear plant safe after fire breaks out

A fire which broke out at a nuclear research facility in Sydney's south this morning has been extinguished.

The alarm was raised at Lucas Heights nuclear plant after a smoke was reported coming from the back of the facility, which contains two nuclear reactors.

Operators now say the fire has been extinguished the reactors made safe.

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/sydney-nuclear-plant-safe-after-fire-breaks-5313831

Seven new dengue fever cases confirmed in Cairns

Queensland Health has confirmed seven people have now contracted dengue fever in the latest outbreak in Cairns in the state's far north.

A spokeswoman says the seven cases over the last week are all type 1 of the mosquito-borne disease and are in the Cairns suburb of Whitfield.

Five people have recently been diagnosed with dengue type 3 in the city's southern suburbs.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-08/seven-new-dengue-fever-cases-confirmed-in-cairns/4456408?section=qld

Motiva Shuts Down Texas Refinery Expansion Unit Due to Leak

Motiva Enterprises LLC said the crude unit of its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery expansion leaked while being restarted Sunday and was shut down.

Kimberly Windon, spokeswoman for Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA), said the company still plans to have the VPS 5 crude distillation unit fully restarted "in the early part of this year."

"We anticipate making the necessary adjustments/repairs and returning the unit to normal operation in an expeditious manner," Ms. Windon wrote in an email Monday.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130107-709056.html?mod=WSJ_Energy_middleHeadlines

Bobcat Mauls Two In US Garage Attack

A Massachusetts man and his nephew have been attacked by a bobcat after startling the wild animal in their own garage.

Roger Mundell Jr said all he heard was a hiss before the wild cat pounced on him, sinking its teeth into his face and its claws in his back.

"It only took a split second for him to be on me," Mr Mundell told Boston's WHDH-TV. "I didn't have time to process it."

http://news.sky.com/story/1034768/bobcat-mauls-two-in-us-garage-attack

One Goh: College Shooting Suspect 'Unfit For Trial'

A man accused of killing seven people at a California Christian college has been deemed mentally unfit for trial.

Former nursing student One Goh is also charged with three counts of attempted murder during a shooting rampage at Oikos University in Oakland in April.

He has pleaded not guilty.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034775/college-shooting-suspect-unfit-for-trial

Australian Bushfires: 'Catastrophic' Conditions

The Australian state of New South Wales is facing one of the highest-risk fire days in its history, with temperatures climbing above 40C.

Firefighters are battling over 100 wildfires raging across the southeast of the country, with more than 20 deemed out of control.

Officials have evacuated national parks, warning that blistering temperatures and high winds are causing "catastrophic" fire conditions in some areas.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034811/australian-bushfires-catastrophic-conditions

Illinois Lottery: $1m Winner Poisoned To Death

A man who died after winning $1m (£620,000) in the Illinois Lottery was poisoned with cyanide, a medical examiner has ruled.

Urooj Khan, who scooped the bumper prize in the summer, was initially found to have died of natural causes but a full toxicology test, demanded by a relative, has now revealed he had ingested a deadly amount of cyanide.

A murder investigation has been launched by Chicago Police Department, and it is likely that his body will be exhumed as part of the inquiry.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034792/illinois-lottery-1m-winner-poisoned-to-death

Baton Rounds Fired Amid Belfast Flag Violence

Police have fired baton rounds and deployed water cannon on rioters as violence linked to the Union Flag row flared in east Belfast again.

The fifth successive night of trouble in the area came after hundreds of loyalists staged a largely peaceful protest at Belfast City Hall.

The disorder erupted as around 250 demonstrators from east Belfast returned from the city centre past a volatile community interface at the republican Short Strand.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034234/belfast-violence-baton-rounds-fired-at-rioters

Alex Jones vs. Piers Morgan: "1776 Will Commence Again If You Try To Take Our Firearms"

You will notice the usual propaganda / psychological tactics be used against Alex Jones in order to diminish his (fantastic) argument:

1) Reduce the issue to a few emotional bite-sized events that most unthinking people will take as encapsulating the entire argument.

2) Deflect true, finely detailed statistics with broad, misleading or carefully selected statistics.

3) Immediately attempt to quench the passion used to deliver the argument.

4) Use directing statistics / questions as a bludgeon and repeat them until the opponent is browbeaten into answering them out exasperation.

5) Attempt to disrupt connections between important issues (re: SSRIs and Gun Crime) so as to prevent a broader counter-argument from forming.

6) When the previous 5 tactics fail, resort to character defamation by utilizing the previous 5 strategies in an unrelated argument, especially a highly emotional argument most of the sleeping masses will not understand and immediately reject the opponent's stance on.

Read more here

Keith Ratliff: Manager of FPSRussia found murdered in recent spate of deaths / policing actions against pro-gun individuals

Keith Ratliff, the manager of FPS Russia, the 3rd most popular youtube channel was found dead yesterday, tied up to a chair and shot in the back of the head.

The radio and media at large isn’t mentioning the exact details, however this is a very important thing. FPS Russia is a driving force in the pro-gun movement concerning youth. The videos published are very pro-gun, and reach literally millions of impressionable youth showing them that firearms just aren’t for people in movies or video games.

From the details, it was not a robbery turned murder. His guns were still left in the house. So, why was he murdered mob style?

This represents a second well known player in the firearms industry to be killed in the past week. Only a few days ago, John Novseke was killed in a somewhat mysterious car crash.

http://libertyandsuch.com/manager-of-fpsrussia-found-murdered/

UPDATE:

Keith (now deceased) and Kyle (the actual FPS host) are co-owners of FPS Industries Global LLC, an American firearms manufacturer and tester. Please recall the earlier story about the Bank of America seizing the funds of another similar American firearms seller earlier today. Connect the dots, enlightened ladies and gentlemen. It's happening.

Matt's plea:
So few people believe me. So few people take me seriously when I say to them, "You will literally need your guns one day to fight people who will imprison you without blinking, and kill you without a thought. This isn't a movie. This is real." This is no longer even a debate, but a choice between life and death. Any individual still in possession of a gun needs to acquire the testicular fortitude to use it, and soon, against other human beings bent on doing harm and evil. Having a gun isn't enough. Knowing how to use it isn't enough. Posting on web pages about how incredible your collection is, and how opposed you are to tyranny isn't enough. You know where the line is, and you need to start preparing for its crossing. Any individuals still thinking that guns are unnecessary have doomed themselves. When the situation arises that you need to use a firearms in a time of war -- even civil war -- it's too late. If you don't believe me when I say this, reality will ultimately prove to you that my warnings carried a grain of truth. Voices from Auschwitz cry for guns they were prevented from owning. Voices of the bodies by the side of the road in our own times cry out similarly. God help those who are not armed, with both steel and in spirit.

Too much too young: Children glued to TV and computer screens at increased risk of cancer and obesity

With the sort of technology now available, children are spending more time in front of a screen than ever.

And experts warn that even if youngsters get daily exercise, the increasing hours sat watching TV, playing computer games or surfing the internet could put them at a much higher risk of getting cancer in adult life.

Doctors fear long spells of inactivity while glued to a screen may lead to childhood obesity and the associated health dangers.

And they are now calling on parents to restrict the amount of time kids watch telly or play computer games to less than two hours a day and delay the age they start allowing toddlers to become viewers.

Experts have long been concerned about inactive children and obesity, but the World Cancer Research Fund has issued a fresh warning over kids who exercise and still turn to games and the TV.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/cancer-and-obesity-risk-warning-of-sitting-1523980

Matt's thoughts:
Truth. However, there is something equally sneaky about this. Notice how Internet usage has been lumped in? Of course, people play so many video games and go on facebook so often that they turn into potatoes. Then again, time away from the Internet is time away from communication and research and learning and enlightenment. All other media is completely controlled, all save the Internet. Sport is one of the primary tools of dictatorship, because it centralizes, gets people away from intellectually productive pursuits, and gets the masses focused and cheering for irrelevant causes (such as a "team") and focusing on idols. Sure, exercise is great, but exercising the mind is even better. Always read between the lines.

Amazing mindreader reveals his gift...

Matt's thoughts:
Don't be fooled. This isn't about guys in masks stealing your credit card. It's about the government mining data for control and command of the population. Keep facebooking to an absolute minimum, and share your personal details with no one. Stay analogue as much as possible. Trust few, question all.

Oil tanker collides with San Francisco Bay bridge, no oil apparently spilled

An empty oil tanker struck a tower of the San Francisco Bay Bridge on Monday but did not appear to spill any oil into the bay, the U.S. Coast Guard and California state officials said.

The 750-foot-long "Overseas Reymar," sailing under a Marshall Islands flag, was leaving the bay amid heavy fog on Monday morning when its starboard hull scraped one of the towers supporting the Bay Bridge.

Officials played down the incident, which occurred about 5 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge, where the San Francisco Bay opens into the Pacific Ocean.

There were no injuries reported, according to officials.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/08/us-usa-tanker-bridge-idUSBRE9060T920130108

Fire has broken out at a nuclear reactor, the Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor, in Southern Sydney, Australia

A fire has broken out in an electrical substation building at the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney's south.

Fire crews are attending the scene.

A Fire Brigade spokesman says smoke has been reported in two rooms.
The fire is believed to have been started by an electrical failure.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/full-coverage/australian-bushfires/a/-/article/15782913/fire-burning-at-lucas-heights-nuclear-reactor/

Mass Killing of Camels in the Australian Outback: Is there a better way to handle the situation?

Camels were brought to Australia from Pakistan and India by the British to help with exploration and load-carrying in the mid-1800s. Given the Australian outback's vast, arid landscape, camels were the only animals strong enough for the job. But by the early 1900s, there were trucks and trains to do this work, and camels were no longer useful. So the South Australian government ruled that they be destroyed. This was unthinkable for the Asian camel herders. They disobeyed the order, and set the animals loose in the outback. Today's Australian camels are the great, great grandchildren of the animals that helped explore and establish modern Australia. There are 1.2 million camels in the Australian outback – the largest wild camel population in the world. The Australian government sees them as an environmental problem and pests to farmers. They say the camels compete with livestock, destroy property and raid small towns looking for water. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2012/12/20121226115848287535.html

Are the Los Roques islands the new Bermuda Triangle?

The as-yet-unexplained disappearance last Friday of the plane carrying six passengers and crew, including Italian fashion mogul Vittorio Missoni, has prompted some to blame the "Los Roques curse".

The label has been attached to a series of mysterious plane crashes and "vanishings" over the past decade or so between the Caribbean archipelago of Los Roques and the Venezuelan capital Caracas, 140km to the south. Inevitably, comparisons have been made with the infamous Bermuda Triangle, the area between Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico that has long had a reputation for unexplained disappearances of ships and planes.

To date, no wreckage of Missoni's plane has been located since it took off from Los Roques for Caracas. A hotel owner on the islands said he last saw the plane – a twin-engine BN-2 Islander built in 1968 – entering a bank of clouds. Meanwhile, the Missoni family said it was not ruling out the possibility that the plane had been hijacked by local drug smugglers. Venezuela's civil aviation authority said the aircraft's last recorded position was 18km south of the Los Roques.

Since the mid-90s, there have been at least 15 reported incidents in which small aircraft have either crashed, disappeared or declared emergencies while travelling through the area. In 2008, 14 people were killed when a plane making the same journey as Missoni's crashed into the sea. No wreckage was ever found and only one body was recovered.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/shortcuts/2013/jan/07/los-roques-the-new-bermuda-triangle

Bank of America Freezes Gun Manufacturer's Account, Company Owner Claims, "Because we don't like the fact you sell guns"

Bank of America has reportedly frozen the account of gun manufacturer American Spirit Arms, according to its owner, Joe Sirochman.

In a Facebook post dated December 29, Sirochman wrote the following:

“My name is Joe Sirochman owner of American Spirit Arms...our Web site orders have jumped 500 percent causing our Web site e-commerce processing larger deposits to Bank of America. So they decided to hold the deposits for further review.

“After countless hours on the phone with Bank of America, I finally got a manager in the right department that told me the reason that the deposits were on hold for further review -- her exact words were -- ‘We believe you should not be selling guns and parts on the Internet.’”(emphasis added)

http://cnsnews.com/blog/gregory-gwyn-williams-jr/bank-america-freezes-gun-manufacturers-account-company-owner-claims 

Matt's thoughts:
It begins.

James Holmes Looked 'Out Of It'

The student accused of a shooting which left 12 dead and dozens wounded at a Batman film screening appeared "out of it" when he was arrested.

Prosecutors have begun outlining the case against James Holmes, who is accused of opening fire during a showing of The Dark Knight Rises in the Denver suburb of Aurora.

The week-long preliminary hearing in Centennial, Colorado, will determine whether there is enough evidence to put him on trial on more than 160 counts of murder, attempted murder and firearms offences.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034261/aurora-shooting-suspect-james-holmes-in-court

Australia: CATASTROPHIC FIRE ALERTS AS HEATWAVE HITS

New South Wales residents are being warned to prepare for possibly the worst fire threat in the state's history today, with conditions in some areas rated as "catastrophic".

A total state-wide fire ban is in effect, with a catastrophic rating in place for the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Ranges. Many other areas are expecting extreme danger levels.

Temperatures are expected to soar above 40 degrees Celsius in most parts of the state today, including in Sydney.

Fire crews across Victoria are also on high alert, with a large fire burning in the state's south-west, and severe fire danger weather forecast for parts of the state.

NSW information line: 1800 679 737

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/15780785/live-catastrophic-fire-alerts-as-heatwave-hits/

UFO Hovers Over Mexican Neighborhood

Alex Jones Detained By TSA

Radio talk show host and ardent Homeland Security critic Alex Jones was detained by the TSA at Austin-Bergstrom airport earlier today and threatened with arrest for refusing to take his shoes off at a security checkpoint.

Traveling to New York to appear on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Jones had already showed his ID as he approached the metal detector. Jones and colleague Rob Dew noticed that a large number of people across all age ranges were not removing their shoes as they walked through the metal detector. The x-ray body scanners were not in use.

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/01/alex-jones-detained-by-tsa-2530424.html

Destination Terror: Bloody chaos in Syria attracts foreign jihadists

China & Japan: War Inevitable?

National Geographic : CIA Secret Experiments

Woman Rescued From Icy Ohio River

Dutch Patriot missiles head for Turkey's Syria border

Madrid doctors launch fresh protest at crisis reforms

Ariz. Sheriff Aims to Put Armed Posse at Schools

Adam Lanza wore EAR PLUGS during massacre

The earplugs were still in his ears when police found his body, which they considered strange - that he would be worried about his hearing when he intended to commit suicide.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258208/Sandy-Hook-school-shooting-Did-Adam-Lanza-target-teacher-Lauren-Rousseau.html

Defiant Obama nominates 'anti-Israel' Chuck Hagel as Pentagon chief and dares critics to block Vietnam veteran 'who bears scars and the shrapnel of war fought in our name'

Barack Obama today nominated Chuck Hagel as Pentagon chief, daring Republicans to block a decorated Vietnam veteran who 'bears the scars and the shrapnel of battles he fought in our name'.

The nomination will trigger a fresh battle - that over his nomination in the United States Senate, where a number of Democrats are openly sceptical about the former Republican senator following his comments about 'the Jewish lobby' and opposition to 'an openly, aggressively gay' nominee as ambassador to Luxembourg.

Obama's choice of the former two-term senator for Nebraska, revealed by congressional Democratic aides on Sunday, is likely to set up a gruelling confirmation fight in the Senate over whether Hagel supports key U.S. ally Israel after he previously called for negotiations with the Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257987/Congressional-aide-says-Obama-Senator-Hagel-defense-secretary.html

Mystery of the triple impact craters spotted on the surface of the moon

Scientists have revealed a series of three mysterious impact craters on the surface of the Moon.

Dubbed the 'three amigos' by experts operating the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera which took the images, experts believe the craters formed within minutes of each other - but have no idea how.

They believe the bizarre arrangement may have been caused by a meteorite or comet breaking up - or three separate impacts occuring in a unique coincidence.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2258417/The-lunar-amigos-Mystery-bizarre-impact-craters-spotted-surface-moon.html

Mystery as American drone is found floating off the coast of the Philippines... 1,000 miles away from the nearest U.S. base

A U.S. naval drone has been found floating off the coast of the Philippines - hundreds of miles away from the nearest American military base.

The fishermen who found the 10ft orange device originally reported that it could have been a bomb, prompting local officials to send munitions experts out into the sea.

But when it was determined to be safe, the unmanned aerial vehicle was taken into the care of the Filipino navy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258572/Mystery-American-drone-floating-coast-Philippines--1-000-miles-away-nearest-U-S-base.html

Fears of European biker gang turf war as new 'outlaw' groups arrive from U.S. in bid to control illegal drugs market

Violent biker gangs from Australia, Canada and the US have arrived in Europe prompting fears of a battle for organised crime markets throughout the continent.

Britain has been warned that turf wars could break out as 'Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs' fight for control over the drugs, weapons and human trafficking criminal markets.

The European Union's law enforcement agency has now warned of a repeat of the 1990s biker wars that left at least 11 dead.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258270/Violent-biker-gangs-arriving-Europe-prompt-fresh-fears-new-turf-war.html

A slap on the wrist for hardened criminals: Record number of serial offenders let off with warnings

More than 26,000 repeat offenders were given a caution or verbal warning instead of being taken before the court, figures from the Ministry of Justice have revealed.

The figures, for the year up to June 2012, include up to 4,500 criminals with more than 15 previous offences on their criminal record.

This means 4.9 per cent of all adult offenders escaped with a caution, the highest proportion on record and more than twice the 2.2 per cent recorded a decade ago, reported the Daily Telegraph.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258332/A-slap-wrist-hardened-criminals-Record-number-serial-offenders-let-warnings.html

Florian Graf: Champ apologises for turning gun towards himself in 'blackout' moment

German biathlete Florian Graf has apologised for his 'blackout' moment in which he turned his highly sensitive small-bore rifle into his own face during a World Cup race in Oberhof, Germany at the weekend.

Graf was disqualified following the incident, which was captured on television cameras, in which he paused between shots on the shooting range to blow moisture from the barrel of his weapon.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2258411/Shooter-Florian-Graf-apologises-turning-gun-blackout-moment-World-Cup-race.html

NSW FACES 'WORST EVER' FIRE DANGER DAY

New South Wales residents are being warned to prepare for one of the most serious fire threats in the state's history today, with conditions in some areas rated as "catastrophic".

A total state-wide fire ban has been issued for Tuesday, with a catastrophic rating in place for the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Ranges.

Many other areas are expecting extreme danger levels.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/full-coverage/australian-bushfires/a/-/article/15776338/nsw-faces-worst-ever-fire-danger-day/

Giant squid captured on film by Japanese Film Crew

Pope warns that selfish individuals are deliberately abusing the Human Rights Act to get what they want

Benedict XVI suggested that a false culture of human rights had gripped the West and that it was threatening the weakest and most vulnerable people.

• Benedict XVI claims a false culture of human rights has gripped the West
• He argues the rights to freedom of conscience and religion are being eroded
• Pope made the remarks in his annual address to foreign ambassadors to the Holy See – including Nigel Baker, the British Ambassador
• Comes after revelations that nearly 4,000 foreign criminals in the UK are using the Human Rights Act to avoid deportation

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258410/Pope-warns-selfish-individuals-deliberately-abusing-Human-Rights-Act-want.html

PC knocked unconscious by gang of ten youths - one as young as 14 - in 'disgraceful' street attack

A police officer was attacked and knocked unconscious in the street when he approached a gang of youths.

The PC was on patrol in Preston, Lancashire, when he went to speak to a group of ten youths when he was hit from behind and knocked to the ground.

A member of the public alerted his colleagues shortly after the assault on Saturday and he was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where he later regained consciousness.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258286/Disgraceful-attack-PC-knocked-unconscious-gang-youths.html

'The threat to the euro is over': EU chief Barroso claims single currency will not implode

The threat against the survival of the euro has been overcome, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said today.

'I think we can say that the existential threat against the euro has essentially been overcome,' Mr Barroso told a conference in his native Portugal.

'In 2013 the question won't be if the euro will, or will not implode.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258446/EU-chief-Jose-Manuel-Barroso-claims-euro-implode.html

That's nuts! Three fire engines sent to rescue tiny SQUIRREL from pond after it fell out of tree

It must have been a quiet day at the Watford fire station yesterday as a team of seven firefighters turned out to rescue a hapless squirrel stranded on reeds in the middle of a town pond.

The firefighters arrived in three fire engines after a member of the public called to say the squirrel was stuck.

The squirrel could not climb back up the steep concrete walls and had taken refuge on a small island of rocks in the high street pond in Watford, Hertfordshire yesterday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258432/Three-engines-sent-rescue-tiny-SQUIRREL-Watford-pond-fell-tree.html

Norovirus: Patients treated in hospital car parks as norovirus continues to wreak havoc across the country

More than 100 ambulance patients had to wait to be admitted to
hospital as staff struggled to cope with demand due to winter sickness bugs.

Hospitals say they have been so overwhelmed by people suffering from
sickness bugs that paramedics were forced to care for 999 patients and
ambulances stacked up outside hospitals.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2258546/Norovirus-Patients-treated-hospital-car-parks-winter-sickness-bug-continues-wreak-havoc.html

Why India is not safe for solo women: Georgia Arlott recounts her gap year travels around India, during which sexual harassment was a constant problem.

It was in the second month of my gap year in India that I learned to get aggressive. It certainly didn’t come naturally.

Like most happy teenagers, my three friends and I left our all-girls school full of optimism and eager to please. But from the very first day in the vivid, colourful and thrilling country of India, wandering hands were a constant problem for all of us.

Giddily piling into rickshaws, I was the first to discover that sitting in the front seat means that many drivers will look for the ‘radio’ between your thighs. Hands were slipped underneath our trousers while we watched a fireworks display. Holi, the festival of colour in which people throw paint at each other was a free-for-all for Indian men intent on daubing the front of our shirts with coloured powders. The list goes on.

For most British women, sexual assault - casual or otherwise - is a blessed rarity, but the problems that exist in India have been sharply brought into focus by the appalling recent case in Delhi.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9784991/Delhi-gang-rape-why-India-is-not-safe-for-solo-women.html

Jyoti Singh Pandey Blamed for her attack by Indian guru Asaram Bapu

Asaram Bapu said that Jyoti Singh Pandey, whose fate has drawn the sympathy of the world and been treated as a national tragedy within India, was 'as guilty as her rapists'. He added that she should have been more friendly to her attackers if she wanted to preserve her own life. Politicians and web users have reacted with fury to the 71-year-old guru's comments.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258422/Fury-Indian-guru-blames-Jyoti-Singh-Pandey-vicious-gang-attack-killed-her.html

His sick, evil and ignorant comments came as 5 of the 6 attackers appeared in Court for the Murder of Jyoti Singh Pandey

Sara Ege jailed for life after beating her 7 year old son to death for failing to learn the Koran by heart

A mother has been jailed for life after beating her son to death for failing to learn the Koran by heart and then burning his body to hide the evidence.

Sara Ege, 33, collapsed as the sentence was delivered at Cardiff Crown Court and had to be helped, trembling and sobbing, from the dock.

Ege had been praised as a "brilliant mother" to seven-year-old Yaseen but was convicted of his murder by a jury at the same court last month.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034500/mother-jailed-for-murdering-son-over-koran

Derek Shrout Arrested Over US School Explosion Threats

A 17-year-old student has been accused of planning to use homemade explosives to attack his school.

Derek Shrout, who attends Russell County High School in Seale, eastern Alabama, was due to appear in court in Russell County on assault charges.

The teenager was detained last Friday after a teacher found a diary the boy had left in a classroom.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034531/teen-held-over-us-school-explosion-threats

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 7th January 2013

Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Monday, January 07, 2013 at 13:53:49 UTC
Monday, January 07, 2013 at 10:53:49 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
37.817°N, 142.356°E
Depth
48.3 km (30.0 miles)
Region
OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
107 km (66 miles) SE of Ishinomaki, Japan

N.Korea 'Seeks German Help to Open Economy'

North Korea is preparing to open up its economy with help from German experts, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported Saturday.

The daily said Pyongyang is secretly seeking advice from German economists and lawyers to come up with new economic policies and attract foreign investment.

According to the advisors from leading German universities, North Korea is currently devising investment laws and already has finalized a master plan with the goal of opening up by the end of 2013.

One unnamed economist on the team told the paper that North Korea does not want to follow the Chinese-style model, which draws foreign investors to special economic zones. "Rather, they are interested in the Vietnamese model, in which specific companies were chosen as recipients of investments," the source said.

But he warned the issue is far from concluded. "The military in North Korea will not want to give up power," he said, adding that resistance from the powerful army will be difficult to overcome.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/01/07/2013010701314.html

Russians divided over Depardieu citizenship

Missioni search efforts continue

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake WESTERN TURKEY - 7th January 2013

Magnitude ML 4.0
Region WESTERN TURKEY
Date time 2013-01-07 11:40:44.0 UTC
Location 38.74 N ; 27.52 E
Depth 11 km
Distances 4 km W Saruhanli, Turkey

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake CATAMARCA, ARGENTINA - 7th January 2013

Magnitude ML 4.5
Region CATAMARCA, ARGENTINA
Date time 2013-01-07 10:19:32.0 UTC
Location 27.96 S ; 67.19 W
Depth 162 km
Distances 149 km W Catamarca, Argentina

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake COQUIMBO, CHILE - 7th January 2013

Magnitude ML 4.1
Region COQUIMBO, CHILE
Date time 2013-01-07 08:13:36.0 UTC
Location 29.56 S ; 71.04 W
Depth 36 km
Distances 43 km NE La serena, Chile

Do you want David Cameron to remain PM until 2020?

Do you want Cameron to remain PM until 2020?
8%	Yes
92%	No

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2013/jan/06/david-cameron-prime-minister-2020

Bahrain top court upholds sentences against uprising leaders

Bahrain's highest court upheld prison sentences against 13 leaders of the 2011 uprising on Monday, a defence lawyer said, a ruling that could stir up further unrest in the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state.

The case has drawn international criticism from rights groups and come under scrutiny from U.S. officials keen for acquittals to help restore calm in a country it counts as a regional ally against Iran.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/01/07/uk-bahrain-leaders-idUKBRE90604920130107

Stuart Hall Denies Child Sex Abuse Charges

Veteran BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has appeared in court to plead not guilty to the sexual abuse of three girls.

The 83-year-old former It's A Knockout star gave his full name as James Stuart Hall when he was called before the bench for the brief hearing at Preston Magistrates' Court.

Hall was asked by the clerk of the court if he understood that he faced three separate charges of indecent assault and if he wanted to enter a plea.

He replied: "Yes I do. Not guilty to all three charges."

http://news.sky.com/story/1034395/stuart-hall-denies-child-sex-abuse-charges

'Cameron's Falklands buzz seeks to distract public from domestic woes'

Anti-government Protest in Bangladesh

Syria: Insurgents Murder Civilian Motorists in Deir Ezzor (05/01/13)

Truck crashes into icy pond in Minnesota

Syria's Assad wants foreign countries to stop funding rebels

China newspaper journalists stage rare strike

Journalists at a major Chinese paper, Southern Weekly, have gone on strike in a rare protest against censorship.

The row was sparked last week when the paper's New Year message calling for reform was changed by propaganda officials.

Staff wrote two letters calling for the provincial propaganda chief to step down. Another row then erupted over control of the paper's microblog.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20929826

Syria conflict: Iran backs Assad speech

Here’s more on Iran’s reaction to Bashar al-Assad’s televised address to Syrians yesterday. Ali Akbar Salehi, the Iranian foreign minister, said:

"This plan rejects violence and terrorism and any foreign interference in the country and outlines a future for the country ... through a comprehensive political process."

He urged world and regional powers to support attempts to end the crisis through a “Syrian solution”.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2013/jan/07/syria-conflict-iran-backs-assad-speech

Shanghai Market Fire: Six People Killed

Six people have been killed after a fire tore through a wholesale market in Shanghai.

The blaze broke out at around 8.30pm on Sunday, but firefighters were unable to control it for several hours.

Rescuers are still searching for casualties inside the gutted market, located in the city's Pudong district.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034307/shanghai-market-fire-kills-six-people

Depardieu shows off new Russian passport......as he turns his back on the Wonderful EU

You know things are getting bad when a European chooses to get a Russian Citizenship

Assad "peace plan" dismissed by Turkey, opposition

Schmidt, Richardson travel to N Korea

Exclusion drives CAR revolt, France steps back

The French dubbed it the neglected "Cinderella" of their African colonial empire; modern observers have called it a "phantom state".

Landlocked, isolated and poverty stricken despite reserves of gold, timber, uranium and gemstone quality diamonds, Central African Republic has been racked by rural rebellions for more than a decade.

In the latest flare-up, loosely-allied insurgents, demanding an end to years of exclusion from government, closed in on the capital Bangui over Christmas and the New Year, forcing President Francois Bozize to agree to talks about his future.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/07/us-car-rebels-factors-idUSBRE90606F20130107

Doom scenario far-fetched but euro gloom to deepen

It would be fair to say that U.S. hedge-fund manager Kyle Bass does not expect the explosion in global debt in recent years to turn out well.

"This ends through war," Bass, the founder of Hayman Capital Management in Dallas, said. "I don't know who's going to fight who, but I'm fairly certain that in the next few years you will see wars erupt, and not just small ones," he told a recent conference.

But while many investors have, like Bass, bet heavily on chaotic sovereign default in countries such as Greece, three years of dogged diplomacy in Europe have so far wrong-footed the doomsayers.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/07/us-eurozone-idUSBRE90603N20130107

U.S. nuclear lab removes Chinese tech over security fears

A leading U.S. nuclear weapons laboratory recently discovered its computer systems contained some Chinese-made network switches and replaced at least two components because of national security concerns, a document shows.

A letter from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, dated November 5, 2012, states that the research facility had installed devices made by H3C Technologies Co, based in Hangzhou, China, according to a copy seen by Reuters. H3C began as a joint venture between China's Huawei Technologies Co and 3Com Corp, a U.S. tech firm, and was once called Huawei-3Com. Hewlett Packard Co acquired the firm in 2010.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/07/us-huawei-alamos-idUSBRE90608B20130107

Prime Minister Medvedev reveals extraterrestrials secrets in Russian MIB documentary

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s off-air comments that Russian Presidents are given a secret file about extraterrestrials living among us created much media interest. Most news reports claimed that Medvedev was simply joking. His apparent reference to the Men In Black movie as a source of information on a super secret agency that monitors extraterrestrials on Earth was commonly cited as key evidence that he was in fact joking. The reasoning is that no political leader would refer reporters to a comedy to clarify national policy. It has now emerged that Medvedev was not referring to the Men in Black comedy after all, but to a recent Russian television documentary titled “Men in Black” that reveals many details about an extensive cover up of extraterrestrial life visiting Earth.

After completing an on-air interview with five television reporters on December 7, 2012, Prime Minister Medvedev continued to respond to reporters and made some off-air comments without realizing that the microphone was still on. He was then asked by one reporter if “the president is handed secret files on aliens when he receives the briefcase needed to activate Russia’s nuclear arsenal,” Medvedev responded:

Along with the briefcase with nuclear codes, the president of the country is given a special ‘top secret’ folder. This folder in its entirety contains information about aliens who visited our planet…


http://beforeitsnews.com/paranormal/2013/01/russian-pm-not-joking-extraterrestrials-live-among-us-according-to-mib-documentary-2-2446608.html

Police Chief's Warning To Belfast Rioters

Northern Ireland's police chief has said loyalist violence over the flying of the Union flag in Belfast will be firmly dealt with for as long as necessary after a fourth night of rioting.

Matt Baggott's warning came just hours before fresh disturbances erupted in the east of the city, with police once again coming under attack.

A mob hurled steel barriers, bricks, fireworks and bottles at officers patrolling Castlereagh Street.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034234/police-chiefs-warning-to-belfast-rioters

Costa Concordia: 'Stupid' Tourists Rescued

Coastguards have criticised five German cruise ship passengers who hired an inflatable boat to get a close-up look of the wrecked Costa Concordia liner.

The group, including two children, had to be rescued after their tiny boat was swamped by waves, whipped up by storm force winds. All were suffering from the effects of the cold.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034333/costa-concordia-stupid-tourists-rescued

India Gang Rape: Five In Court Amid Tight Security

Noisy protests have led to the first court appearance by five men accused of gang raping a medical student to be heard behind closed doors.

The magistrate presiding over the case, Namrita Aggarwal, said: "The court has become jam-packed. It has become impossible for this court to conduct proceedings."

The hearing had been delayed by rowdy protests by some lawyers denouncing other advocates who have stepped forward to defend the accused and police were called in to restore order.

The defendants have been named as Ram Singh, Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta.

http://news.sky.com/story/1034263/five-accused-of-gang-rape-appear-in-court

Barack Obama’s $7 million Hawaii vacation is an insult to America’s struggling middle class

$16.4 trillion – that’s the latest figure for America’s massive national debt. Nearly $6 trillion of this debt was racked up in the first term of the Obama presidency – a 50 percent increase. It is horrifying to imagine what the debt will be when Obama leaves the White House in 2016, unless Congress has the willpower to stand in the way.

Meanwhile, as the world’s superpower is literally drowning in debt, President Obama is basking in the warmth of the beaches of Hawaii, at an exclusive resort way beyond the financial reach of most Americans. The president pays the cost of his own family’s accommodations, but there are a large number of associated costs which are paid from the public purse.

http://www.pakalertpress.com/2013/01/06/barack-obamas-7-million-hawaii-vacation-is-an-insult-to-americas-struggling-middle-class/

Family Farmers to Travel to Washington, D.C. to Take on Monsanto

Dozens of family farmers, Plaintiffs in the landmark lawsuit Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al v. Monsanto, will travel from across America to Washington, D.C. next week to take on Monsanto and demand the right to farm. They will attend the January 10th Oral Argument in the Appeal of Dismissal to be aired before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. A Citizen’s Assembly in support of family farmers at 10am in Lafayette Square will coincide with the beginning of the Oral Argument inside the court room.

http://www.pakalertpress.com/2013/01/06/family-farmers-to-travel-to-washington-d-c-to-take-on-monsanto/

Australians To US- Don't Give Up Your Guns

FIRE CREWS SENT TO DEFEND HOMES IN VICTORIA'S SOUTH-WEST

Firefighters have been sent to defend homes in Victoria's south-west as a wind change sends a large blaze towards small communities.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has issued an emergency warning for Drik Drik, which is in the path of the fire that is burning in remote bushland near Portland.

The CFA is warning the fire could put lives and property at risk, and people should follow their bushfire survival plans.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/full-coverage/australian-bushfires/a/-/article/15775676/fire-crews-monitor-wind-change-on-south-west-fire/

Australia D-Day: NEW SOUTH WALES FACES 'WORST EVER' FIRE DANGER DAY

A total state-wide fire ban will be imposed in New South Wales from midnight as authorities prepare for temperatures to soar above 40 degrees.

The fire danger in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and southern ranges is expected to be catastrophic, with many other areas expecting extreme danger levels.

National parks, reserves and state forests across the state will be closed and anyone in parks should immediate prepare to vacate camping areas.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/latest/a/-/latest/15776338/nsw-faces-worst-ever-fire-danger-day/

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake TAIWAN REGION - 7th January 2013

Magnitude
5.2
Date-Time
Monday, January 07, 2013 at 06:49:07 UTC
Monday, January 07, 2013 at 02:49:07 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
24.535°N, 122.913°E
Depth
73.3 km (45.5 miles)
Region
TAIWAN REGION
Distances
108 km (67 miles) E (94°) from Su-ao, Taiwan

Mystery of half-charred body of naked woman found on New York beach

The half-charred body of a naked woman has been discovered on a secluded New York City beach.

The body was reported to police at 7.15am on Sunday by a hiker who was walking through the Marine Park nature preserve in Brooklyn.

Detectives are trying to determine what befell the woman and whether she was murdered.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258250/Mystery-half-charred-body-naked-woman-New-York-beach.html

'They're starting to seriously worry': Aides growing increasingly concerned about low turnout at Obama inauguration

Crowds may have flocked to the National Mall to see President Obama make history in 2009, but the team behind the president's 2013 inauguration bash later this month are bracing themselves for a ton of empty seats.

The ceremony that Washington will stage in a few weeks won't be the historic affair it was in 2009, when nearly 2 million people flocked to the Capitol o watch Obama take the oath of office.

This time, District of Columbia officials expect between 600,000 and 800,000 people for Obama's public swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, January 21.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258011/Theyre-starting-seriously-worry-Concern-growing-low-turnout-Obama-inauguration.html

Sonny Archuleta who left three dead in latest Aurora shooting lost his own brother to gun violence only a year ago

The second gunman to open fire in Aurora, Colorado in so many months has been identified by neighbors as 33-year-old Sonny Archuleta.

The gunman shot dead three people yesterday at a house near the cinema where another lone shooter gunned down 12 people at a screening of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in July.

Archuleta’s MySpace and Twitter pages reveal that he was deeply religious and lost his brother Pat to gun violence only last year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258008/Sonny-Archuleta-Gunman-left-dead-latest-Aurora-shooting-lost-brother-gun-violence.html

Hitler novel tops German chart: Comic novel follows the Nazi leader as he falls asleep in 1945 and wakes up in 2011

A comic novel about Adolf Hitler falling asleep in 1945 and waking up in Berlin in 2011 has stormed to the top of the bestseller lists in Germany.

Some 250,000 copies of Timur Vermes’ Er Ist Wieder Da, translated as He’s Back, have been sold, along with 75,000 audiobooks.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258178/Hitler-novel-tops-German-chart-Comic-novel-follows-Nazi-leader-falls-asleep-1945-wakes-2011.html

Enough illegal migrants to fill THREE cities the size of Newcastle: Home Office reports that 863,000 are living in the UK

Britain is hosting enough illegal immigrants to fill three cities the size of Newcastle, according to border officials.

A Home Office report says an estimated 70 per cent of the 863,000 illegal migrants are living in London.

The study also reveals that 10,000 foreigners who had no legal right to live in Britain have been granted permission to stay under the so-called 14-year rule.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258216/Enough-illegal-migrants-cities-size-Newcastle-863-000-UK-study-finds.html

Deport first, ask questions later: 'Fed up' Cameron reveals plans to remove terror suspects before they launch appeals

Terror suspects could face a new system of being deported before they get the chance to hold a full appeal, David Cameron revealed yesterday.

The Prime Minister said he was ‘fed up’ with the likes of hate-preacher Abu Qatada using a string of human rights appeals to remain in the UK.

Mr Cameron went on: ‘That’s why I’m keen to move to a policy where we deport first, and suspects can appeal later.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258243/Deport-ask-questions-later-Fed-Cameron-reveals-plans-remove-terror-suspects-launch-appeals.html