Despite launching a gun control agenda that threatens to disarm the American people, President Obama has signed a bill that would afford him armed Secret Service protection for life.
“The legislation, crafted by Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, rolls back a mid-1990s law that imposed a 10-year limit on Secret Service protection for former presidents. Bush would have been the first former commander in chief affected,” reports Yahoo News.
The new bill, which will cost American taxpayers millions of dollars, is a re-instatement of a 1965 law which will see presidents protected for life as well as their children up to age 16.
The irony of Obama seeking to surround himself with armed men for the rest of his life while simultaneously working to disarm the American people via a gun control agenda that is likely to be enforced via executive decree represents the height of hypocrisy.
But it’s not the first time that Obama has lauded the notion of responsible Americans using firearms to protect himself and his family while concurrently eviscerating that very same right for the American people.
During an ABC Nightline interview broadcast on December 26 yet recorded before the Sandy Hook shooting, Obama said one of the benefits of his re-election was the ability “to have men with guns around at all times,” in order to protect his daughters.
http://www.infowars.com/obama-signs-bill-giving-him-armed-protection-for-life/
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thanks Obama: Millions noticing paychecks lighter today, due to payroll tax hike
Gabriella Hoffman’s paycheck is a little lighter today, thanks to a payroll tax increase that is forcing millions of Americans to make the kind of tough budget cuts their representatives in Washington lawmakers seem unwilling to tackle.
Hoffman, a 21-year-old Virginian who works at a nonprofit, estimates her paycheck will be roughly $30 less this biweekly pay period, or about $780 annually, thanks to the end of a two-year cut on payroll taxes, which fund Social Security. The tax has risen back up to 6.2 percent from 4.2 percent, costing someone making $50,000 annually about $1,000 per year and a household with two high-paid workers up to $4,500.
“As a newly-graduated person, someone coming straight out of college, I don’t like the idea of having less money coming to me due to the selfish interests of people in Congress who don’t have any interest in reducing our financial problems,” Hoffman told FoxNews.com. “This is an impediment for future economic growth. It’s going to make it harder for young people like myself to get married, find a better job, you name it.”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/11/lighter-paychecks-to-hamper-many-americans-amid-uncertain-economic-times/?intcmp=HPBucket
Hoffman, a 21-year-old Virginian who works at a nonprofit, estimates her paycheck will be roughly $30 less this biweekly pay period, or about $780 annually, thanks to the end of a two-year cut on payroll taxes, which fund Social Security. The tax has risen back up to 6.2 percent from 4.2 percent, costing someone making $50,000 annually about $1,000 per year and a household with two high-paid workers up to $4,500.
“As a newly-graduated person, someone coming straight out of college, I don’t like the idea of having less money coming to me due to the selfish interests of people in Congress who don’t have any interest in reducing our financial problems,” Hoffman told FoxNews.com. “This is an impediment for future economic growth. It’s going to make it harder for young people like myself to get married, find a better job, you name it.”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/11/lighter-paychecks-to-hamper-many-americans-amid-uncertain-economic-times/?intcmp=HPBucket
I Was a Paid Internet Shill: How Shadowy Groups Manipulate Internet Opinion and Debate
CLN Editor’s Note: The type of propaganda strategy described in the article below occurs across a wide range of topics and is employed by various corporate, political, and governmental groups to promote a variety of agendas. It is called astroturfing, and it is far more common than most would imagine. This post is not about Israel. It is simply an illustration of the mechanics of how online debate is manipulated.
For more information on this important topic, see:
- Alcyone @CLN
I Was a Paid Internet Shill
By Ex-Shill, Above Top Secret
I am writing here to come out of the closet as a paid shill. For a little over six months, I was paid to spread disinformation and argue political points on the Internet. This site, ATS, was NOT one that I was assigned to post on, although other people in the same organization were paid to be here, and I assume they still walk among you. But more on this later.
I quit this job in the latter part of 2011, because I became disgusted with it, and with myself. I realized I couldn’t look myself in the mirror anymore. If this confession triggers some kind of retribution against me, so be it. Part of being a real man in this world is having real values that you stand up for, no matter what the consequences.
My story begins in early 2011. I had been out of work for almost a year after losing my last job in tech support. Increasingly desperate and despondent, I jumped at the chance when a former co-worker called me up and said she had a possible lead for me. “It is an unusual job, and one that requires secrecy. But the pay is good. And I know you are a good writer, so its something you are suited for.” (Writing has always been a hobby for me).
http://consciouslifenews.com/paid-internet-shill-shadowy-groups-manipulate-internet-opinion-debate/1147073/
Matt's thoughts:
The CC definitely has experience with engaging Internet shills, and can vouch that this does indeed take place. Some individuals simply have no morals.
For more information on this important topic, see:
- Alcyone @CLN
I Was a Paid Internet Shill
By Ex-Shill, Above Top Secret
I am writing here to come out of the closet as a paid shill. For a little over six months, I was paid to spread disinformation and argue political points on the Internet. This site, ATS, was NOT one that I was assigned to post on, although other people in the same organization were paid to be here, and I assume they still walk among you. But more on this later.
I quit this job in the latter part of 2011, because I became disgusted with it, and with myself. I realized I couldn’t look myself in the mirror anymore. If this confession triggers some kind of retribution against me, so be it. Part of being a real man in this world is having real values that you stand up for, no matter what the consequences.
My story begins in early 2011. I had been out of work for almost a year after losing my last job in tech support. Increasingly desperate and despondent, I jumped at the chance when a former co-worker called me up and said she had a possible lead for me. “It is an unusual job, and one that requires secrecy. But the pay is good. And I know you are a good writer, so its something you are suited for.” (Writing has always been a hobby for me).
http://consciouslifenews.com/paid-internet-shill-shadowy-groups-manipulate-internet-opinion-debate/1147073/
Matt's thoughts:
The CC definitely has experience with engaging Internet shills, and can vouch that this does indeed take place. Some individuals simply have no morals.
Why is Facebook charging $100 for messages?
In December, Facebook announced it would be testing this pay-to-message feature, but for a much lower fee of just $1. Even that was met with mixed reviews. But bloggers discovered the new fee when testing a message to the founder himself, Mark Zuckerberg. And the fee prompt can be replicated with other popular accounts. The fee seems to jump from $1 to $100 when the person you're messaging has a whole bunch of followers, or is a well-known public figure.
http://theweek.com/article/index/238684/why-is-facebook-charging-100-for-messages
Northern Ireland Protests: Bus Set On Fire
Officers were pelted with bombs, fireworks and other missiles in the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey, north of Belfast.
A bus was also set on fire during the disorder. Police deployed water cannon in a bid to restore calm.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036999/northern-ireland-protests-bus-set-on-fire
4.9 Magnitude Earthquake GUATEMALA - 11th January 2013
4.9
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 20:32:52 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 02:32:52 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
15.502°N, 91.630°W
Depth
229.3 km (142.5 miles)
Region
GUATEMALA
Distances
2 km (1 miles) SW of Todos Santos Cuchumatan, Guatemala
Ebola Strikes in Uganda Again
Reports from Uganda indicate that Ebola has struck again in the district of Mubende about 4hours from the capital Kampala.
A Mubende district health officer (DHO), Dr. Wilson Mubiru said two five-year-old children were admitted on Thursday night while vomiting blood – a symptom that was hurriedly linked to Ebola.
Earlier local reports had put the number of patients admitted at the hospital to four and that three had died on spot.
The hospitalised children are from different families.
http://en.igihe.com/news/ebola-strikes-in-uganda-again.html
A Mubende district health officer (DHO), Dr. Wilson Mubiru said two five-year-old children were admitted on Thursday night while vomiting blood – a symptom that was hurriedly linked to Ebola.
Earlier local reports had put the number of patients admitted at the hospital to four and that three had died on spot.
The hospitalised children are from different families.
http://en.igihe.com/news/ebola-strikes-in-uganda-again.html
Foreign fighters seek Islamic state after Assad
Huddled around a fire in a bombed-out building in Aleppo, foreign jihadists say they are fighting for a radical Islamic state in Syria - whether local rebels trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad like it or not.
Among their fellow revolutionaries and civilians, these foreigners draw both respect for their iron discipline and fear that if Assad falls, they may turn on former allies to complete the struggle for an Islamic caliphate.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-syria-jihadist-idUSBRE90A0XO20130111
Among their fellow revolutionaries and civilians, these foreigners draw both respect for their iron discipline and fear that if Assad falls, they may turn on former allies to complete the struggle for an Islamic caliphate.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-syria-jihadist-idUSBRE90A0XO20130111
Flu hits epidemic level: CDC
Influenza has officially reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with 7.3 percent of deaths last week caused by pneumonia and the flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.
That is just above the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent. Nine of the 10 U.S. regions had "elevated" flu activity, confirming that seasonal flu has spread across the country and reached high levels several weeks before the usual time of late January or February. The other region, the Southwest and California, had "normal" flu activity last week.
This year's flu vaccine is 62 percent effective, scientists reported on Friday in the CDC's weekly publication.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-usa-flu-idUSBRE9080WD20130111
Note: Without the Vaccine you also have a 50/50 chance of getting the Flu, Minus the side affects
That is just above the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent. Nine of the 10 U.S. regions had "elevated" flu activity, confirming that seasonal flu has spread across the country and reached high levels several weeks before the usual time of late January or February. The other region, the Southwest and California, had "normal" flu activity last week.
This year's flu vaccine is 62 percent effective, scientists reported on Friday in the CDC's weekly publication.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-usa-flu-idUSBRE9080WD20130111
Note: Without the Vaccine you also have a 50/50 chance of getting the Flu, Minus the side affects
Merkel Flies Into Cyprus to Consider Nation's Not-So-Small Debt Problem
German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined her European conservative counterparts at a resort in Cyprus for a meeting of the European People’s Party. For those in Cyprus, the event doubled as a rally for Nicos Anastasiades, the head of the DISY opposition, who aims to take the presidency after elections next month.
Looming in the background is the country’s bailout, the fifth bailout of a European Union member since the debt crisis broke out. Despite it’s size — at 18 billion euros ($24 billion) Cyprus is the third-smallest euro-area economy — the rescue package has proved a headache for EU leaders. Among other accusations, there’s concern that funds could end up backing illicit deposits in a country that’s become a favorite among wealthy Russians. The magnitude of the financial hole is daunting: it may be close to matching the size of Cyprus’s GDP — so helping out the banks could balloon the country’s outstanding debt. These debt levels raise the prospect of writedowns, which would hit bondholders and even depositors.
http://go.bloomberg.com/euro-crisis/2013-01-11/merkel-flies-into-cyprus-to-consider-nations-not-so-small-debt-problem/
Looming in the background is the country’s bailout, the fifth bailout of a European Union member since the debt crisis broke out. Despite it’s size — at 18 billion euros ($24 billion) Cyprus is the third-smallest euro-area economy — the rescue package has proved a headache for EU leaders. Among other accusations, there’s concern that funds could end up backing illicit deposits in a country that’s become a favorite among wealthy Russians. The magnitude of the financial hole is daunting: it may be close to matching the size of Cyprus’s GDP — so helping out the banks could balloon the country’s outstanding debt. These debt levels raise the prospect of writedowns, which would hit bondholders and even depositors.
http://go.bloomberg.com/euro-crisis/2013-01-11/merkel-flies-into-cyprus-to-consider-nations-not-so-small-debt-problem/
Gaza: Palestinian farmer 'killed by Israeli gunfire'
The Hamas-run health ministry said the 22-year-old man was hit by Israeli army fire near Jabaliya refugee camp.
An Israeli military spokeswoman told the BBC he had entered a "forbidden area" near the border fence, along with dozens of other Palestinians.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20986433
France confirms Mali intervention
President Francois Hollande says French troops are taking part in operations against Islamists in northern Mali.
French troops "have brought support this afternoon to Malian units to fight against terrorist elements", he said.
Armed groups, some linked to al-Qaeda, took control of northern Mali in April.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20991719
French troops "have brought support this afternoon to Malian units to fight against terrorist elements", he said.
Armed groups, some linked to al-Qaeda, took control of northern Mali in April.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20991719
Cameron's EU strategy falters as Merkel backtracks on treaty renegotiation
Amid growing German rhetoric against British Eurosceptics – including a warning that they are seeking to "blow up" the EU's single market – diplomatic sources said Angela Merkel was abandoning plans to call for a major revision of EU treaties.
The chancellor's move will come as a blow to the prime minister, who is expected to say in his long-awaited EU speech, due to be delivered in the Netherlands on 22 January, that he would use a major treaty revision to renegotiate the terms of British membership.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/11/cameron-merkel-eu-treaty
Syrian rebels: We're on our way to Assad
The Taftanaz air base in the northern Idlib province is considered the biggest field in the country's north for helicopters used to bomb rebel-held areas and deliver supplies to government troops.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4331373,00.html
France launches air strikes on Mali
French troops have begun military operations including air strikes in Mali to contain Islamist groups which are continuing to clash with the army in a fight for control of the desert north of the west African country.
François Hollande announced on Friday night that French armed forces had gone to the aid of Malian troops on the ground during the afternoon. The French president said Mali was facing a "terrorist aggression" of which "the whole world now knows its brutality and fanaticism".
The foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said France's air force carried out an air strike in Mali on Friday as it supported government forces.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/11/france-launches-airstrikes-on-mali
François Hollande announced on Friday night that French armed forces had gone to the aid of Malian troops on the ground during the afternoon. The French president said Mali was facing a "terrorist aggression" of which "the whole world now knows its brutality and fanaticism".
The foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said France's air force carried out an air strike in Mali on Friday as it supported government forces.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/11/france-launches-airstrikes-on-mali
At least 32 dead and 'dozens' more trapped as landslide wipes entire Chinese village off the map
Mud and rocks smothered 16 homes in Zhaojiagou village, in county of Zhenxiong this morning.
Rescuers have so far recovered 32 bodies and a further 46 have been reported missing according to state media sources.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260751/At-32-dead-dozens-trapped-landslide-wipes-entire-Chinese-village-map.html
Grandma scares off knife-wielding store robber...by pulling a gun
Pulling a knife on this brave grandmother almost proved fatal for a suspected armed robber.
Ernestine Aldana was working behind the counter of her convenience store in Milwaukee when the man, wearing a dark hat and grey top, appeared to threaten her with a knife before grabbing the cash register.
But in dramatic CCTV footage released by the police, he is soon seen sprinting to the door in terror after the 48-year-old pulled out a gun and pointed at him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260626/Grandma-scares-knife-wielding-store-robber--pulling-gun.html
Ernestine Aldana was working behind the counter of her convenience store in Milwaukee when the man, wearing a dark hat and grey top, appeared to threaten her with a knife before grabbing the cash register.
But in dramatic CCTV footage released by the police, he is soon seen sprinting to the door in terror after the 48-year-old pulled out a gun and pointed at him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260626/Grandma-scares-knife-wielding-store-robber--pulling-gun.html
Birmingham Double Stabbing, 2 Dead
Two men have died after a double stabbing in Birmingham city centre, West Midlands police have said.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036978/two-men-die-in-birmingham-double-stabbing
http://news.sky.com/story/1036978/two-men-die-in-birmingham-double-stabbing
Astronomers reveal they have found the biggest thing in the universe.....How did we miss that?
The large quasar group (LQG) is made up of quasars, galaxies from the early days of the universe.
This particular group is so large that it challenges modern cosmological theory, researchers said.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2260925/How-did-miss-Astronomers-reveal-biggest-thing-universe--say-4-BILLION-years-cross-travelling-speed-light.html
Thomas Quinlan kills himself two weeks after being charged with shooting dead his wife
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260757/Wealthy-businessman-commits-suicide-weeks-charged-shooting-dead-wife.html
Minority Report has arrived: Maryland and Pennsylvania using computers to predict future crimes
When police in Minority Report predicted who would commit crimes and stopped them before they did it, it was considered so futuristic, the film was set in 2054.
Now, however, law enforcers in two American states are using crime-prediction software to predict which freed prisoners are most likely to commit murder, and supervising them accordingly.
Instead of relying on parole officers to decide how much supervision inmates will need on the outside by looking at their records, the new system uses a computer algorithm to decide for them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260609/Maryland-Pennsylvania-using-Minority-Report-style-computers-predict-crimes-Washington-D-C-next.html
Now, however, law enforcers in two American states are using crime-prediction software to predict which freed prisoners are most likely to commit murder, and supervising them accordingly.
Instead of relying on parole officers to decide how much supervision inmates will need on the outside by looking at their records, the new system uses a computer algorithm to decide for them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260609/Maryland-Pennsylvania-using-Minority-Report-style-computers-predict-crimes-Washington-D-C-next.html
Fears grow UK economy is set for triple-dip recession after industrial output slumps in November
A leading think-tank today estimated Britain's output shrank by 0.3 per cent in the last quarter, which would mark an abrupt end to the UK's economic bounce back and set the country up for a third recession if 2013 starts with a contraction.
This followed 0.9 per cent growth in the third quarter, but the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) pointed out that the third-quarter GDP was artificially high as tickets for the Olympic Games were sold throughout 2011 and 2012, with all sales allocated to Q3.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2260747/Fears-grow-UK-economy-set-triple-dip-recession-industrial-output-slumps-November.html
This followed 0.9 per cent growth in the third quarter, but the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) pointed out that the third-quarter GDP was artificially high as tickets for the Olympic Games were sold throughout 2011 and 2012, with all sales allocated to Q3.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2260747/Fears-grow-UK-economy-set-triple-dip-recession-industrial-output-slumps-November.html
Jessops: All Stores Shut With 1,370 Job Cuts
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which was appointed to the group on Wednesday, said it would begin the process of shutting the network at the close of business today.
The administrators said further job losses are likely at the group's head office in Leicester.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036884/jessops-close-all-stores-1370-jobs-to-go
'Savile groomed the nation': Official police report into DJ's 60 years of abuse reveals that he raped 34 women and girls and sexually assaulted up to 450
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260589/Jimmy-Savile-scandal-Report-reveals-raped-34-women-girls-sexually-assaulted-450.html
Greek police beat up another ‘illegal immigrant’ who’s actually a tourist
Even after Greek police handcuffed him without giving cause, took his passport and beat him on three separate occasions as they dragged him to the station, South Korean tourist Hyun Young Jung insisted on being sympathetic. ”I can understand them asking me for ID and I even understand that there may have been a case to justify them hitting me in the first instance,” he told BBC News. “But why did they continue beating me after I was handcuffed?”
In August, Greece instituted a new law enforcement strategy, termed “Operation Xenios Zeus,” to detain and export illegal immigrants. It’s hard to qualify the program as a success. Of the 60,000 people detained, only 4,200 have ultimately been arrested. But it’s also produced shocking stories like Hyun Young Jung’s, of well-meaning tourists who come to spend money and are rewarded with detention and, sometimes, a beating.
Ironically, though the harsh anti-immigration law behind their treatment is purportedly meant to protect Greece’s economy, it could end up doing the opposite.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/01/10/greek-police-beat-up-another-illegal-immigrant-whos-actually-a-tourist/
In August, Greece instituted a new law enforcement strategy, termed “Operation Xenios Zeus,” to detain and export illegal immigrants. It’s hard to qualify the program as a success. Of the 60,000 people detained, only 4,200 have ultimately been arrested. But it’s also produced shocking stories like Hyun Young Jung’s, of well-meaning tourists who come to spend money and are rewarded with detention and, sometimes, a beating.
Ironically, though the harsh anti-immigration law behind their treatment is purportedly meant to protect Greece’s economy, it could end up doing the opposite.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/01/10/greek-police-beat-up-another-illegal-immigrant-whos-actually-a-tourist/
China sends fighters to counter Japanese aircraft
China's Ministry of National Defense on Friday denounced Japanese military aircraft disrupting the routine patrols of Chinese administrative aircraft.
At a press conference, an official with the ministry confirmed that China sent two J-10 fighters to the East China Sea after a Y-8 aircraft was closely followed by two Japanese F-15 fighters as it patrolled the southwest airspace of the East China Sea oil platform on Thursday.
The two J-10 fighters were sent to monitor the Japanese fighter jets tailing the Y-8 as well as another Japanese reconnaissance plane spotted in the same airspace, the official said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/11/c_132096805.htm
At a press conference, an official with the ministry confirmed that China sent two J-10 fighters to the East China Sea after a Y-8 aircraft was closely followed by two Japanese F-15 fighters as it patrolled the southwest airspace of the East China Sea oil platform on Thursday.
The two J-10 fighters were sent to monitor the Japanese fighter jets tailing the Y-8 as well as another Japanese reconnaissance plane spotted in the same airspace, the official said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/11/c_132096805.htm
Sydney 2012 : Why has norovirus been so bad this winter?
A new strain of norovirus may be the reason for the sharp rise in cases of the vomiting bug this winter.
The Health Protection Agency has done tests which show there is a new variant called Sydney 2012 which has become the dominant strain in England and Wales.
It spreads quickly because people are less immune to it.
More than a million people are thought to have had norovirus since the summer, that is 63% higher than this time last year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20982721
The Health Protection Agency has done tests which show there is a new variant called Sydney 2012 which has become the dominant strain in England and Wales.
It spreads quickly because people are less immune to it.
More than a million people are thought to have had norovirus since the summer, that is 63% higher than this time last year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20982721
Galaxy collision results in largest known spiral galaxy
The barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872, located some 212 million light-years from Earth, has been known to be among the largest stellar systems for over two decades. The full extent of its span was only discovered when a team of astronomers from Brazil, Chile and the US examined data from Nasa's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (Galex) telescope while looking for new star-forming regions.
When the team looked at the ultraviolet readings taken by Galex, they noticed a collection of hot young stars habiting a tidal dwarf galaxy on the northeastern arm of NGC 6872. From tip-to-tip of its spiral arms, NGC 6872 spans more than 522,000 light-years.
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-01/11/largest-spiral-galaxy
The murder of Kurdish activists on the streets of Paris is part of a much wider struggle for freedom
The assassinations of three Kurdish activists in Paris have all the necessary ingredients for a murderous political whodunnit. The victims were women, one of them a founding member of the PKK; they were shot in a room with no sign of forced entry; the clear implication being that the killer was someone they trusted, someone who was also confident enough to carry out such an attack in a Western European city.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, claimed this morning that the deaths were almost certainly the result of an internal feud over talks being held by his government with the PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. But the Kurdish organisation’s internal leader, Zubeyir Aydar, had little doubt it was the work of the ‘Deep State’, the shadowy network of military and officials in Turkey who are adamantly opposed to any concessions made to separatists. Other activists blamed Ankara’s intelligence service, MIT, for directly carrying out the hits.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-murder-of-kurdish-activists-on-the-streets-of-paris-is-part-of-a-much-wider-struggle-for-freedom-8448357.html
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, claimed this morning that the deaths were almost certainly the result of an internal feud over talks being held by his government with the PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. But the Kurdish organisation’s internal leader, Zubeyir Aydar, had little doubt it was the work of the ‘Deep State’, the shadowy network of military and officials in Turkey who are adamantly opposed to any concessions made to separatists. Other activists blamed Ankara’s intelligence service, MIT, for directly carrying out the hits.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-murder-of-kurdish-activists-on-the-streets-of-paris-is-part-of-a-much-wider-struggle-for-freedom-8448357.html
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO - 11th January 2013
5.1
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 16:30:44 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 10:30:44 AM at epicenter
Location
14.883°N, 92.611°W
Depth
90.4 km (56.2 miles)
Region
OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Distances
33 km (21 miles) SSW (207°) from Huixtla, Chiapas, Mexico
George Osborne to the EU: Change or Britain will leave
The Chancellor made the threat despite saying that he wants Britain to remain a member of the EU.
David Cameron is preparing to give a major speech about Britain’s future in Europe, which could pave the way for a referendum on EU membership.
Some Conservatives say Britain should leave the EU if other members do not agree to much looser membership.
Mr Osborne issued his threat to EU members in an interview with the German Die Welt newspaper published today.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9795800/George-Osborne-to-the-EU-Change-or-Britain-will-leave.html
David Cameron is preparing to give a major speech about Britain’s future in Europe, which could pave the way for a referendum on EU membership.
Some Conservatives say Britain should leave the EU if other members do not agree to much looser membership.
Mr Osborne issued his threat to EU members in an interview with the German Die Welt newspaper published today.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9795800/George-Osborne-to-the-EU-Change-or-Britain-will-leave.html
Rebels 'take control of key north Syria airbase'
Rebel are reported to have taken control of a strategic military airbase in north-western Syria after weeks of fierce fighting with government forces.
Online videos appeared to show rebels celebrating inside Taftanaz airport, alongside tanks and helicopters.
Helicopters based there have been used to attack rebel-held areas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20984142
Online videos appeared to show rebels celebrating inside Taftanaz airport, alongside tanks and helicopters.
Helicopters based there have been used to attack rebel-held areas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20984142
France Urges Citizens to Leave Mali
Reports out of Mali's capital, Bamako, say the Malian army has launched an operation to retake the central town of Konna, which Islamist fighters captured on Thursday.
Details on the operation are sketchy but witnesses reported seeing helicopters and planes landing late Thursday in the nearby city of Mopti.
http://www.voanews.com/content/france-to-decide-on-malis-aid-request/1581820.html
Lack of deal with Iran on nuclear talks alarms Russia
Russia expressed alarm on Friday that no date or venue had been agreed for a new round of talks between global powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Iran, which denies Western accusations it is seeking to develop a capability to make nuclear weapons, said last week it had agreed to resume talks in January with six powers.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday there was no final agreement on when or where a meeting would take place.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-nuclear-iran-talks-idUSBRE90A0LV20130111
Iran, which denies Western accusations it is seeking to develop a capability to make nuclear weapons, said last week it had agreed to resume talks in January with six powers.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday there was no final agreement on when or where a meeting would take place.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-nuclear-iran-talks-idUSBRE90A0LV20130111
Drugmakers report U.S. shortages of flu vaccine, Tamiflu
This year's early and potentially severe flu season has created shortages of the children's formulation of the leading treatment and most forms of the top-selling flu vaccine in the United States, according to their manufacturers.
Roche Holding AG told Reuters late on Wednesday that it had a shortage of the liquid formulation of Tamiflu, which is used mainly to slow down or stop the symptoms of the flu in children already infected with the virus.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/10/usa-flu-idUSL1E9CA9H820130110
This may not be such a Bad thing......
Feb 2012 - Flu Drug Tamiflu Proven Ineffective and Dangerous
By Dr. Mercola
In 2006 health agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva began warning of the imminent onset of an avian flu pandemic of lethal proportions.
The pandemic never materialized, but sales of Tamiflu, touted as effective in reducing complications of flu such as bronchitis and pneumonia, skyrocketed.
In 2009 it was again presented as the drug of choice to stave off swine flu.
Back in 2006, Dr. Tom Jefferson had issued an analysis concluding that the drug was effective.
But when another physician later pointed out that 8 of the 10 studies he had relied on were still unpublished, Jefferson decided to seek out the raw data -- only to find he was unable to do so.
According to the Los Angeles Times:
"After reanalyzing the raw data finally made available (they still don't have it all) ... there was no proof that Tamiflu reduced serious flu complications like pneumonia or death.
In short, it appears the pharmaceutical companies had been ... conning the public on matters of health..."
Interestingly, the author of this LA Times piece, David Finkelstein, actually sued Genentech Corp. (a U.S. affiliate of Hoffmann-La Roche that holds the marketing rights to Tamiflu) in small claims court for "alleged breach of contract by way of fraud" after he discovered these facts.
The Dangers of Tamiflu
Back in 2008, the FDA started reviewing reports of abnormal behavior and disturbing brain effects in more than 1,800 children who had taken Tamiflu. The symptoms included convulsions, delirium and delusions. In Japan, five deaths were reported in children under 16 as a result of such neurological or psychiatric problems. Seven adult deaths have also been attributed to Tamiflu, due to its neuropsychiatric effect.
According to a 2009 study, more than half of children taking Tamiflu experience side effects such as nausea and nightmares. Other more rare and bizarre side effects have also been reported, such as the case of a 19-year old British girl who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis and blindness after taking Tamiflu last year.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/07/recommended-tamiflu-has-flawed-results.aspx
Roche Holding AG told Reuters late on Wednesday that it had a shortage of the liquid formulation of Tamiflu, which is used mainly to slow down or stop the symptoms of the flu in children already infected with the virus.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/10/usa-flu-idUSL1E9CA9H820130110
This may not be such a Bad thing......
Feb 2012 - Flu Drug Tamiflu Proven Ineffective and Dangerous
By Dr. Mercola
In 2006 health agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva began warning of the imminent onset of an avian flu pandemic of lethal proportions.
The pandemic never materialized, but sales of Tamiflu, touted as effective in reducing complications of flu such as bronchitis and pneumonia, skyrocketed.
In 2009 it was again presented as the drug of choice to stave off swine flu.
Back in 2006, Dr. Tom Jefferson had issued an analysis concluding that the drug was effective.
But when another physician later pointed out that 8 of the 10 studies he had relied on were still unpublished, Jefferson decided to seek out the raw data -- only to find he was unable to do so.
According to the Los Angeles Times:
"After reanalyzing the raw data finally made available (they still don't have it all) ... there was no proof that Tamiflu reduced serious flu complications like pneumonia or death.
In short, it appears the pharmaceutical companies had been ... conning the public on matters of health..."
Interestingly, the author of this LA Times piece, David Finkelstein, actually sued Genentech Corp. (a U.S. affiliate of Hoffmann-La Roche that holds the marketing rights to Tamiflu) in small claims court for "alleged breach of contract by way of fraud" after he discovered these facts.
The Dangers of Tamiflu
Back in 2008, the FDA started reviewing reports of abnormal behavior and disturbing brain effects in more than 1,800 children who had taken Tamiflu. The symptoms included convulsions, delirium and delusions. In Japan, five deaths were reported in children under 16 as a result of such neurological or psychiatric problems. Seven adult deaths have also been attributed to Tamiflu, due to its neuropsychiatric effect.
According to a 2009 study, more than half of children taking Tamiflu experience side effects such as nausea and nightmares. Other more rare and bizarre side effects have also been reported, such as the case of a 19-year old British girl who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis and blindness after taking Tamiflu last year.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/07/recommended-tamiflu-has-flawed-results.aspx
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL ALASKA - 11th January 2013
4.1
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 14:59:54 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 05:59:54 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
62.501°N, 151.363°W
Depth
89.9 km (55.9 miles) set by location program
Region
CENTRAL ALASKA
Distances
35 km (22 miles) WNW (294°) from Petersville, AK
Panetta, Dempsey clear Pentagon desk of US military option for Syria: Proof that standing up to the United States is indeed possible
At a joint news conference Friday, Jan. 11, retiring Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs, Gen. Martin Dempsey, cleaned the Pentagon’s Syrian desk ready for incoming Secretary Chuck Hagel. Boiled down to essentials, their triple message was that Bashar Assad could not be stopped from using chemical weapons if he chose to do so, that securing the CW sites after Assad’s fall was the job of the “international community” and that no US ground troops would be sent to Syria.
Panetta and Dempsey essentially confirmed a fact first reported by debkafile in the third week of November: US naval, air and marine forces were withdrawn from Syrian offshore waters following the White House's decision to stay clear of military involvement in the Syrian conflict. After extending Syrian opposition forces diplomatic support for nearly two years, the Obama administration is dumping the Assad headache in the laps of Syria’s immediate neighbors, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, and casting the rebels adrift.
http://www.debka.com/article/22679/Panetta-Dempsey-clear-Pentagon-desk-of-US-military-option-for-Syria-
Panetta and Dempsey essentially confirmed a fact first reported by debkafile in the third week of November: US naval, air and marine forces were withdrawn from Syrian offshore waters following the White House's decision to stay clear of military involvement in the Syrian conflict. After extending Syrian opposition forces diplomatic support for nearly two years, the Obama administration is dumping the Assad headache in the laps of Syria’s immediate neighbors, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, and casting the rebels adrift.
http://www.debka.com/article/22679/Panetta-Dempsey-clear-Pentagon-desk-of-US-military-option-for-Syria-
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake CARLSBERG RIDGE - 11th January 2013
4.7
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 12:38:22 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 05:38:22 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
1.949°S, 68.194°E
Depth
9.8 km (6.1 miles)
Region
CARLSBERG RIDGE
Distances
564 km (350 miles) WSW of Hithadhoo, Maldives
Merkel says Cyprus aid talks to take time, German MPs uneasy
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she expected talks on a bailout deal for Cyprus to take time, while a senior member of her coalition said parliament was not yet ready to approve any financial aid.Cyprus, whose economic woes stem from its banks' heavy exposure to crisis-racked Greece, requested financial help from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund last June. It is not yet clear when the aid will be finalized.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/09/us-eurozone-cyprus-idUSBRE9080TF20130109
Twenty-Seven Flu-Related Deaths Now Reported In Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is now reporting 27 deaths in the state, including 23 that officials have been able to confirm as flu-related since Dec. 30. One of those deaths was Carly Christenson from St. Louis Park.
http://edenprairie.patch.com/articles/flu-deaths-in-minnesota-27-influenza
Syrian rebels say they've captured strategic military base
Syrian rebel fighters say they have captured a strategic northern military base used by the government to bomb opposition strongholds.
Rebel fighters and militants from various Islamic groups, including the jihadist al-Nusra Front, took part in the offensive, an opposition spokesman said Friday.
They say they've seized control of buildings, ammunition and military equipment at the base in Idlib province, signaling a major blow to President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/11/world/meast/syria-civil-war/
Rebel fighters and militants from various Islamic groups, including the jihadist al-Nusra Front, took part in the offensive, an opposition spokesman said Friday.
They say they've seized control of buildings, ammunition and military equipment at the base in Idlib province, signaling a major blow to President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/11/world/meast/syria-civil-war/
Mali crisis: France ready to stop rebels, says Hollande
France is ready to stop Islamist militants who control northern Mali if they continue their offensive, French President Francois Hollande has said.
However, Mr Hollande said France would only act under UN authorisation.
He was responding to a plea by Malian President Dioncounda Traore for help to counter a renewed rebel offensive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20986704
However, Mr Hollande said France would only act under UN authorisation.
He was responding to a plea by Malian President Dioncounda Traore for help to counter a renewed rebel offensive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20986704
Pakistan protests 'unacceptable' India violations
Pakistan said its soldiers were killed on Sunday and Thursday.
On Tuesday, India said two of its soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops and that one of them was beheaded in the disputed Himalayan region, which is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but ruled in part by each.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hPiVHABsgJ8CKXfSw2de-7jSv3iw?docId=CNG.bee7f66030502c446338ff7588fddff3.ab1
Death toll in Pakistan blasts rises to 122
The death toll in a string of devastating terrorist attacks in two restive Pakistani provinces today rose to 122 as authorities made special arrangements to airlift critically injured persons to the southern port city of Karachi for treatment.
A total of 88 people were killed in explosions that targeted a snooker club in a Shia-dominated neighbourhood of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, last night.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Death-toll-in-Pakistan-blasts-rises-to-122/articleshow/17982739.cms
A total of 88 people were killed in explosions that targeted a snooker club in a Shia-dominated neighbourhood of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, last night.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Death-toll-in-Pakistan-blasts-rises-to-122/articleshow/17982739.cms
Ivan Esack guilty of murdering wife in Ashford
Ivan Esack, 38, of Ashford, had admitted killing 33-year-old Natalie Esack, but said he was suffering from diminished responsibility.
The jury at Maidstone Crown Court convicted Esack of murder following a trial that lasted four weeks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-20974515
4.8 Magnitude Earthquake FIJI REGION - 11th January 2013
4.8
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 09:47:23 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 09:47:23 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
17.278°S, 177.385°W
Depth
388.5 km (241.4 miles)
Region
FIJI REGION
Distances
340 km (211 miles) SSE of Sigave, Wallis and Futuna
Brussels orders Google to change way it presents results
Google will be forced to change the way it presents search results in Europe or face sanctions from Brussels for unfairly manipulating its position as the world’s biggest internet search engine.
Last week US regulators gave Google the all-clear, but Mr Almunia, who is heading up a Brussels’ investigation into the matter, made it clear that he will take the opposite stance.
“We are still investigating, but my conviction is [Google is] diverting traffic,” he said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/9794429/Brussels-orders-Google-to-change-way-it-presents-results.html
Last week US regulators gave Google the all-clear, but Mr Almunia, who is heading up a Brussels’ investigation into the matter, made it clear that he will take the opposite stance.
“We are still investigating, but my conviction is [Google is] diverting traffic,” he said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/9794429/Brussels-orders-Google-to-change-way-it-presents-results.html
Google searches on ‘Hitler gun control’ spike
But according to research on Google Trends, web users interest in the history of Hitler and gun control has spiked since Democrats began demanding more restrictions on high capacity magazines and semi-automatic weapons.
In December the keywords “Hitler gun control” spiked to a 100 rating - the rating given to Google’s peak search volume since 2004.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/as-liberals-propose-more-gun-control-google-searches-on-hitler-gun-control-spike/article/2518139#.UO_gcW9E5_l
Renewed violence kills 19 in Kenya
Revenge attacks targeting a village in southeast Kenya killed 10 people Thursday, including women and children, the nation's Red Cross said.
The deaths occurred in Tana River district , the latest in a series of attacks in the area.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/10/world/africa/kenya-attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
The deaths occurred in Tana River district , the latest in a series of attacks in the area.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/10/world/africa/kenya-attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
5.0 Magnitude Earthquake ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION - 11th January 2013
5.0
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 09:10:15 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 02:40:15 PM at epicenter
Location
13.349°N, 92.383°E
Depth
34.2 km (21.3 miles)
Region
ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
Distances
191 km (119 miles) N (349°) from Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India
NRA slams Joe Biden after White House meeting and claims he is using post-Sandy Hook task force to 'attack the Second Amendment'
After emerging from the White House meeting with Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday, the NRA issued a statement slamming him for an 'attack' on the Second Amendment.
The gun rights group said: 'We were disappointed with how little this meeting had to do with keeping our children safe and how much it had to do with an agenda to attack the Second Amendment.
'While claiming that no policy proposals would be "prejudged", this Task Force spent most of its time on proposed restrictions on lawful firearms owners -- honest, taxpaying, hardworking Americans.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260232/National-Rifle-Association-meet-Joe-Biden-White-House-gun-control-talks.html
Wi-Fi enabled 'smart-gun': new gun to go on sale that turns ANYONE into a sharpshooter able to hit a target almost one-mile away
A controversial new Wi-Fi enabled 'smart-gun' equipped with a computerized scope that terrifyingly enables anyone to become a master marksman goes on sale at the beginning of next week.
Boasting three on-board processors and a precision guided firing system, the TrackingPoint rifle evaluates environmental factors such as wind speed and calculates the positions of moving targets with a claimed accuracy of almost a mile for novices.
Compensating for human error, looking through the futuristic laser rangefinder sight resembles the view a pilot has in a jet fighter cockpit and turns conventional bolt action rifles into deadly snipers - albeit at a cost of $17,000.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260586/Terrifying-new-gun-sale-turns-ANYONE-sharpshooter-able-hit-target-mile-away.html
Boasting three on-board processors and a precision guided firing system, the TrackingPoint rifle evaluates environmental factors such as wind speed and calculates the positions of moving targets with a claimed accuracy of almost a mile for novices.
Compensating for human error, looking through the futuristic laser rangefinder sight resembles the view a pilot has in a jet fighter cockpit and turns conventional bolt action rifles into deadly snipers - albeit at a cost of $17,000.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260586/Terrifying-new-gun-sale-turns-ANYONE-sharpshooter-able-hit-target-mile-away.html
India rape accused hunted victim, aimed to kill: police
Five men, along with a teenager who says he is under 18, gathered for dinner at a dwelling in a south Delhi slum on the evening of December 16 and there hatched the plot to find a target, according to the dossier given to court by the prosecution.
The accused "decided ahead of time" they would look for a woman and "intended to kill her", the police report claims.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-india-rape-charge-idUSBRE90A05G20130111
Southwest China landslide kills 18, dozens more buried
A landslide in southwestern China on Friday killed at least 18 people, including seven from one family, with more than two dozen others trapped, state media and local authorities said.
A total of 46 people were buried in the disaster in landslide-prone Yunnan province, 18 of whom were killed, the official Xinhua news agency said. The Zhenxiong county government gave the same death toll.
http://dawn.com/2013/01/11/southwest-china-landslide-kills-18-dozens-more-buried/
Fears ease over Cyclone Narelle's impact
FEARS about the potential impact of Cyclone Narelle on Western Australia's north are easing, although the category four storm is continuing to move closer.
According to the latest update from WA's Department of Fire and Emergency services, an all-clear was issued for Roebourne, Wickham, Point Samson, Karratha and Dampier in the state's far north.
A blue alert remains for people in or near the coastal and island communities from Mardie to Coral Bay including Onslow, Exmouth and Coral Bay.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/north-west-races-for-cyclone-narelle/story-fndo486p-1226551844127
According to the latest update from WA's Department of Fire and Emergency services, an all-clear was issued for Roebourne, Wickham, Point Samson, Karratha and Dampier in the state's far north.
A blue alert remains for people in or near the coastal and island communities from Mardie to Coral Bay including Onslow, Exmouth and Coral Bay.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/north-west-races-for-cyclone-narelle/story-fndo486p-1226551844127
Britain submerged in Europe is the last thing America should want
SIR – Has Philip Gordon, the US assistant secretary responsible for European affairs (“US urges Britain to remain in the EU”, report, January 10), lost his marbles?
Forcing Britain to stay in the EU would effectively eclipse British power and influence, and Washington would soon find itself talking to Baroness Ashton and her preposterous External Action Service.
Furthermore, Brussels won’t tolerate a continuation of the long and close Anglo-American intelligence partnership unless it can share in it. If the United States bullies Britain to stay in the EU, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency will pack their bags for home rather than divulge sensitive material to the French, Germans and Italians.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9794041/Britain-submerged-in-Europe-is-the-last-thing-America-should-want.html
Forcing Britain to stay in the EU would effectively eclipse British power and influence, and Washington would soon find itself talking to Baroness Ashton and her preposterous External Action Service.
Furthermore, Brussels won’t tolerate a continuation of the long and close Anglo-American intelligence partnership unless it can share in it. If the United States bullies Britain to stay in the EU, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency will pack their bags for home rather than divulge sensitive material to the French, Germans and Italians.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9794041/Britain-submerged-in-Europe-is-the-last-thing-America-should-want.html
Kurdish activists: Paris murders cast shadow over Turkish peace process
On a busy road near Gare du Nord station in Paris, sandwiched between a Bengali grocery and a mobile phone shop, the green door of number 147 rue Lafayette did not stand out. There was no plaque to advertise the first-floor office of the Kurdistan information centre, where three female Kurdish activists had met on Wednesday afternoon.
As their dead bodies were removed on stretchers on Thursday morning after what French authorities described as an execution-style killing, hundreds of Kurdish people gathered to demonstrate against what they called a sinister new chapter in a decades-long dirty war.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/10/kurdish-activists-assassination-peace-talks
As their dead bodies were removed on stretchers on Thursday morning after what French authorities described as an execution-style killing, hundreds of Kurdish people gathered to demonstrate against what they called a sinister new chapter in a decades-long dirty war.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/10/kurdish-activists-assassination-peace-talks
EU's Rehn rules out debt "haircut" for Cyprus
The European Union's top economic official Olli Rehn was quoted on Friday as ruling out a debt restructuring for euro zone member Cyprus, currently in talks with the EU and the IMF on a financial rescue package."A haircut is not an option for us," Rehn, the European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner, told the German business daily Handelsblatt in an interview.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-eurozone-cyprus-rehn-idUSBRE90A07K20130111
Turf war feared after Syrian rebel leader killed
The killing of a senior Islamist rebel commander near Syria's border with Turkey could indicate a turf war between armed groups that will hamper their struggle to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, sources told Reuters.
Thaer al-Waqqas, northern commander of al-Farouq Brigades, one of Syria's largest rebel groups, was shot dead at a rebel-held position in the town of Sermin, a few kilometres from Turkey, early on Wednesday morning, rebel sources said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-syria-crisis-assassination-idUSBRE90A07N20130111
Thaer al-Waqqas, northern commander of al-Farouq Brigades, one of Syria's largest rebel groups, was shot dead at a rebel-held position in the town of Sermin, a few kilometres from Turkey, early on Wednesday morning, rebel sources said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-syria-crisis-assassination-idUSBRE90A07N20130111
Hugo Chavez Rally Coach Crash, 11 Killed
At least 11 people have been killed and more than 75 injured when two buses crashed into a lorry in western Venezuela on their way to a rally in support of cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez.
Police said a fatal crash occurred on a highway in the western Venezuelan state of Zulia in the early hours of the morning.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036517/eleven-killed-in-hugo-chavez-rally-coach-crash
Police said a fatal crash occurred on a highway in the western Venezuelan state of Zulia in the early hours of the morning.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036517/eleven-killed-in-hugo-chavez-rally-coach-crash
Honda To Cut 800 Jobs In Swindon By Spring
Honda plans to cut 800 jobs at its Swindon plant, following "low demand" for its vehicles across Europe.
The carmaker's European vice president Ken Keir said the Japanese company remains "fully committed for the long-term" to its UK and European manufacturing operations.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036579/honda-to-cut-800-jobs-in-swindon-by-the-spring
The carmaker's European vice president Ken Keir said the Japanese company remains "fully committed for the long-term" to its UK and European manufacturing operations.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036579/honda-to-cut-800-jobs-in-swindon-by-the-spring
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF BALI, INDONESIA - 11th January 2013
4.4
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 07:47:46 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 03:47:46 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
9.502°S, 114.712°E
Depth
75.6 km (47.0 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF BALI, INDONESIA
Distances
86 km (53 miles) SSW of Kangin, Indonesia
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake OFF WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND - 11th January 2013
4.6
Date-Time
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 05:35:57 UTC
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 05:35:57 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
39.310°S, 173.690°E
Depth
11 km (6.8 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region
OFF WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, N.Z.
Distances
21 km (13 miles) NW of Opunake, New Zealand
Dreamliner Hit By FIFTH Fault This Week
A fifth Boeing Dreamliner fault has been discovered in as many days, raising more fears of the aircraft's safety.
Oil was discovered leaking from the left engine of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Friday.
An ANA spokeswoman said the leak was found after the domestic flight landed safely at Miyazaki airport in southern Japan.
It came on the same day another Japanese 787 suffered a cracked cockpit window while in flight on a domestic route.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036587/dreamliner-hit-by-fifth-fault-this-week
Oil was discovered leaking from the left engine of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Friday.
An ANA spokeswoman said the leak was found after the domestic flight landed safely at Miyazaki airport in southern Japan.
It came on the same day another Japanese 787 suffered a cracked cockpit window while in flight on a domestic route.
http://news.sky.com/story/1036587/dreamliner-hit-by-fifth-fault-this-week
India "concerned" about Boeing Dreamliner glitches: source
India is "concerned" about the recent glitches in Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner jets and is awaiting a safety report by the country's National Transportation Safety Board, a senior government official said on Friday.
The Dreamliner jet had three technical mishaps in as many days this month, including an electrical fire that caused severe damage to a plane. U.S. transportation authorities are launching a review of the Dreamliner, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-boeing-dreamliner-india-idUSBRE90A05820130111
The Dreamliner jet had three technical mishaps in as many days this month, including an electrical fire that caused severe damage to a plane. U.S. transportation authorities are launching a review of the Dreamliner, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-boeing-dreamliner-india-idUSBRE90A05820130111
Latest debt ceiling fix-it: IOUs
Edward Kleinbard, a tax and legal scholar, has offered up a contingency plan he thinks President Obama could adopt without causing a constitutional crisis if Congress pushes the country to the brink of default: Issue IOUs that can be sold and traded in private markets.
As everyone but Congress seems to understand, if the debt ceiling isn't raised soon, the government would no longer be permitted to borrow new money. That means it won't have enough funds to meet all its financial obligations in full and on time.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/01/10/news/economy/debt-ceiling/index.html?cnn=yes&hpt=hp_t3
U.S. mulls securing Syria's bioweapons
U.S. officials are discussing with Middle East governments the steps needed to ensure that Syria's chemical and biological weapons sites are secured when President Bashar al-Assad leaves office, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday.
"We're not talking about ground troops, but it depends on what ... happens in a transition," he told reporters.
Asked whether he had ruled out putting U.S. troops in Syria to secure such weapons, Panetta said: "You always have to keep the possibility that, if there is a peaceful transition and international organizations get involved, that they might ask for assistance in that situation. But in a hostile situation, we're not planning to ask for that."
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/10/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
"We're not talking about ground troops, but it depends on what ... happens in a transition," he told reporters.
Asked whether he had ruled out putting U.S. troops in Syria to secure such weapons, Panetta said: "You always have to keep the possibility that, if there is a peaceful transition and international organizations get involved, that they might ask for assistance in that situation. But in a hostile situation, we're not planning to ask for that."
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/10/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
James Tracy refuses to back down from Newtown massacre conspiracy theory as he is confronted by news cameras
The Florida college professor who is promoting conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook shooting refuses to stand down from his outrageous statements.
'I think that the entire country mourned about Sandy Hook and yet, once again, the investigation that journalistic institutions should have actually carried out never took place as far as I'm concerned,' James Tracy told a local television reporter on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old professor bases his outrageous allegations largely on the flurry of conflicting media reports that were made as news of the shooting was released throughout the tragic day.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260325/James-Tracy-Florida-professor-won-t-Newtown-massacre-conspiracy-theory.html
'I think that the entire country mourned about Sandy Hook and yet, once again, the investigation that journalistic institutions should have actually carried out never took place as far as I'm concerned,' James Tracy told a local television reporter on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old professor bases his outrageous allegations largely on the flurry of conflicting media reports that were made as news of the shooting was released throughout the tragic day.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260325/James-Tracy-Florida-professor-won-t-Newtown-massacre-conspiracy-theory.html
Jenni Rivera 'was involved with Mexican DRUG CARTELS before she died in plane crash'
Singer and reality star Jenni Rivera had ties to one of Mexico's most notorious drug cartels before she was killed last month in a plane crash, a shocking report has claimed.
A witness reportedly came forward with claims that the Mexican-American performer, known as 'La Diva de la Banda,' was connected to the Beltran-Leyva cartel, which is regarded as one of the country's most feared criminal syndicates.
The report by the Reforma newspaper also accused Rivera of performing at private events for the cartel and its one-time boss, Edgar 'La Barbie' Valdez, who was arrested in 2010.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260376/Jenni-Rivera-Explosive-report-claims-singer-involved-drug-cartels-death.html
A witness reportedly came forward with claims that the Mexican-American performer, known as 'La Diva de la Banda,' was connected to the Beltran-Leyva cartel, which is regarded as one of the country's most feared criminal syndicates.
The report by the Reforma newspaper also accused Rivera of performing at private events for the cartel and its one-time boss, Edgar 'La Barbie' Valdez, who was arrested in 2010.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260376/Jenni-Rivera-Explosive-report-claims-singer-involved-drug-cartels-death.html
'I didn't do it': Wife of $1m lottery winner killed by cyanide denies any part in murder as police reveal she DID NOT share his last meal
The wife of the $1m lottery winner who died of cyanide poisoning a day after collecting his jackpot today denied killing him - as a police source claims that she did not share his final meal.
Shabana Ansari frowned and told MailOnline: ‘No, certainly not’, when asked on Thursday if she was responsible for the death of Urooj Khan.
Meanwhile, a Chicago police source has claimed that she did not share his last dinner, the traditional Indian Kofta curry she prepared at their home in Chicago.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260280/EXCLUSIVE-Wife-daughter-lottery-winner-murdered-cyanide-DID-NOT-eat-final-meal.html
Shabana Ansari frowned and told MailOnline: ‘No, certainly not’, when asked on Thursday if she was responsible for the death of Urooj Khan.
Meanwhile, a Chicago police source has claimed that she did not share his last dinner, the traditional Indian Kofta curry she prepared at their home in Chicago.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260280/EXCLUSIVE-Wife-daughter-lottery-winner-murdered-cyanide-DID-NOT-eat-final-meal.html
