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শনিবার, ৩১ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১১
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শুক্রবার, ৩০ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১১
Raymond J. Learsy: Just In Time-Iran Threatens Closing Strait Of Hormuz To Oil Transit
Midst increased pressure from sanctions and now facing a voluntary embargo that would curtail their oil exports to a wide spectrum of their important crude oil customers such as the European Union, Japan, Korea, Iran is coming under massive economic pressure to desist from continuing its not so clandestine program of developing a nuclear arsenal. The economic situation in Iran is becoming increasingly acute evidenced by its plummeting currency vs. the value of the dollar and other currencies ("Iran Threatens To Choke Route Of Oil Shipments" New York Times" 12.28.11). Clearly the sanctions and the prospect of an oil embargo would have a crushing impact on a crumbling economy. Such, that Iran is now threatening retaliation.
The Iranian Government, through its Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, has now steadfastly proclaimed that "If they impose sanction's on Iran's oil exports than even one drop of oil cannot flow from the Strait of Hormuz." The Iranians have already had fleet maneuvers in and about the Strait of Hormuz, and seemingly the message is clear. Inhibit our oil exports and we will make passage of any oil through the Strait of Hormuz, perhaps the most important oil passageway in the world through which some 20% of the world's oil traffics, closed to all. If Iran succeeded, the world's economy would suffer grievously. Immediately in response to Rahimi's threats, the price of oil jumped near $2/bbl on Tuesday.
But the question becomes could they and would they really try or are the Iranians simply attempting to bestir an oil buying panic and raising fear of escalating oil prices and resulting economic disarray in world markets. In doing so they are challenging a long held policy objective subscribed to by many nations including the United States. Maintaining political stability and the free flow of oil to the global economy has been the overarching objective of U.S. foreign policy in the Persian Gulf for almost half a century. The U.S. Navy, together with an allied task force, has been one of the primary instruments of that policy, in both peace and war. To that end the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet alone has flotilla of near two score vessels including two aircraft carriers patrolling the Persian Gulf waters. Leaving no room for doubt, a spokesperson for the U.S. Fifth Fleet made it clear on Wednesday that it would not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait, by responding to the Iranian provocation, "Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated."
But something very important has come to pass. This Iranian regime has shown its true colors. Whether the Iranian's can presently close the Straits is not altogether the issue here. This time around the Iranian's may well back off in the face of superior and more sophisticated firepower. But, and here is the crux of the issue. Would they back off if their nuclear arsenal were in place, and would we be so sanguinely confident that they would desist or be ready to engage them in combat. And under those circumstances, what would our choices be? These current events underline the absolute urgency, given the presumed advanced stage of Iran's nuclear program, that all be done now that can be done, short of open hostilities, to achieve a modus vivendi resulting in a nuclear weapons free Iran, as the next time, with a nuclear bomb in hand, it may be too late and the Strait of Hormuz might well be blocked with the enormous economic destabilization that would result.
Here is a lesson, a set of circumstances that makes it clear we need muster all that can and needs to be done toward achieving energy independence and energy self reliance with utmost urgency
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Follow Raymond J. Learsy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raymondLearsy
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raymond-j-learsy/just-in-time-iran-threate_b_1173979.html
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Roethlisberger says he'll be on the field Sunday (AP)
PITTSBURGH ? Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn't want his sprained left ankle to keep him out of Pittsburgh's regular-season finale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
"As long as I can deal with pain, I'll be out there," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "I don't want to let the guys down, so I'll do what I can to be out there."
Roethlisberger, who sat out the Steelers' win last Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, fully participated in practice again Thursday. He said the ankle, sprained on Dec. 8 in Pittsburgh's last meeting with the Browns, was "a little sore." Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said he was "much more" confident in Roethlisberger's ability to play Sunday after watching his mobility improve in Thursday's practice.
Roethlisberger will play if he's healthy, Arians said.
"I want him out there but not at the risk of injuring himself," Arians said. "If he can't move around and get out of the way, there's no sense in getting him out there."
There's plenty at stake against the Browns as the Steelers (11-4) remain in the hunt for the AFC North championship. To win it, they need a win vs. Cleveland and hope the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
If Roethlisberger can't play, 37-year-old Charlie Batch, who threw for 208 yards in the Steelers' win over the Rams, is available.
Guard Doug Legursky (shoulder) and safety Troy Polamalu (knee) sat out for the second straight practice Thursday. Linebacker James Harrison, who sat out Wednesday's practice with a neck injury, and receiver Mike Wallace (ankle), who was limited in practice Wednesday, participated fully Thursday.
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'Synthetic' marijuana is problem for US military
In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, a poster warning of the effects of the drug known as 'spice' hangs on a wall at the Naval Hospital, in San Diego. The U.S. Navy has kicked out a record number of sailors and Marines this year for smoking synthetic marijuana and is seeing a dramatic jump in emergency room visits of its users, including some who babbled or hallucinated for eight days. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, a poster warning of the effects of the drug known as 'spice' hangs on a wall at the Naval Hospital, in San Diego. The U.S. Navy has kicked out a record number of sailors and Marines this year for smoking synthetic marijuana and is seeing a dramatic jump in emergency room visits of its users, including some who babbled or hallucinated for eight days. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
In this Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011 photo, Lt. Commander Donald Hurst, a fourth-year psychiatry resident at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, poses for a portrait at the hospital, in San Diego. The U.S. Navy has kicked out a record number of sailors and Marines this year for smoking synthetic marijuana and is seeing a dramatic jump in emergency room visits of its users, including some who babbled or hallucinated for eight days. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
SAN DIEGO (AP) ? U.S. troops are increasingly using an easy-to-get herbal mix called "Spice," which mimics a marijuana high and can bring on hallucinations that last for days.
The abuse of the drug has so alarmed military officials that they've launched an aggressive testing program that this year has led to the investigation of more than 1,100 suspected users, according to military figures.
So-called "synthetic" pot is readily available on the Internet and has become popular nationwide in recent years, but its use among troops and sailors has raised concerns among the Pentagon brass.
"You can just imagine the work that we do in a military environment," said Mark Ridley, deputy director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, adding, "you need to be in your right mind when you do a job. That's why the Navy has always taken a zero tolerance policy toward drugs."
Two years ago, only 29 Marines and sailors were investigated for Spice. This year, the number topped 700, the investigative service said. Those found guilty of using Spice are kicked out, although the Navy does not track the overall number of dismissals.
The Air Force has punished 497 airmen so far this year, compared to last year's 380, according to figures provided by the Pentagon. The Army does not track Spice investigations but says it has medically treated 119 soldiers for the synthetic drug in total.
Military officials emphasize those caught represent a tiny fraction of all service members and note none was in a leadership position or believed high while on duty.
Spice is made up of exotic plants from Asia like Blue Lotus and Bay Bean. Their leaves are coated with chemicals that mimic the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, but are five to 200 times more potent.
More than 40 states have banned some of its chemicals, prompting sellers to turn to the Internet, where it is marketed as incense or potpourri. In some states, Spice is sold at bars, smoke shops and convenience stores. The packets usually say the ingredients are not for human consumption but also tout them as "mood enhancing."
Service members preferred it because up until this year there was no way to detect it with urine tests. A test was developed after the Drug Enforcement Administration put a one-year emergency ban on five chemicals found in the drug.
Manufacturers are adapting to avoid detection, even on the new tests, and skirt new laws banning the main chemicals.
"It's a moving target," said Capt. J.A. "Cappy" Surette, spokesman for the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
The military can calibrate its equipment to test for those five banned chemicals "but underground chemists can keep altering the properties and make up to more than 100 permutations," Surette said.
Complicating their efforts further, there are more than 200 other chemicals used in the drug. They remain legal and their effects on the mind and body remain largely unknown, Navy doctors say.
A Clemson University created many of the chemicals for research purposes in 1990s. They were never tested on humans.
Civilian deaths have been reported and emergency crews have responded to calls of "hyper-excited" people doing things like tearing off their clothes and running down the street naked.
Navy investigators compare the drug to angel dust because no two batches are the same. Some may just feel a euphoric buzz, but others have suffered delusions lasting up to a week.
While the problem has surfaced in all branches of the military, the Navy has been the most aggressive in drawing attention to the problem.
It produced a video based on cases to warn sailors of the drug's dangers and publicized busts of crew members on some of its most-storied ships, including the USS Carl Vinson, from which Osama bin Laden's was dropped into the sea.
Two of the largest busts this year involved sailors in the San Diego-based U.S. Third Fleet, which announced last month that it planned to dismiss 28 sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
A month earlier, 64 sailors, including 49 from the Vinson, were accused of being involved in a Spice ring.
Many of the cases were discovered after one person was caught with the drug, prompting broader investigations.
Lt. Commander Donald Hurst, a fourth-year psychiatry resident at San Diego's Naval Medical Center, said the hospital is believed to have seen more cases than any other health facility in the country.
Doctors saw users experiencing bad reactions once a month, but now see them weekly. Users suffer everything from vomiting, elevated blood pressure and seizures to extreme agitation, anxiety and delusions.
Hurst said the behavior in many cases he witnessed at first seemed akin to schizophrenia. Usually within minutes, however, the person became completely lucid. Sometimes, the person goes in and out of such episodes for days.
He recalled one especially bizarre case of a sailor who came in with his sobbing wife.
"He stood their holding a sandwich in front of him with no clue as to what to do," he said. "He opened it up, looked at it, touched it. I took it and folded it over and then he took a bite out it. But then we had to tell him, 'you have to chew.'"
An hour later when Hurst went back to evaluate him, he was completely normal and worried about being in trouble.
"That's something you don't see with acute schizophrenic patients," he said. "Then we found out based on the numbers of people coming in like this, that OK there's a new drug out there."
Hurst decided to study 10 cases. Some also had smoked marijuana or drank alcohol, while others only smoked Spice.
Of the 10, nine had lost a sense of reality. Seven babbled incoherently. The symptoms for seven of them lasted four to eight days. Three are believed to now be schizophrenic. Hurst believed the drug may have triggered the symptoms in people with that genetic disposition. His findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in October.
He said there are countless questions that still need answering, including the drug's effects on people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or traumatic brain injuries.
What the research has confirmed, he said, is: "These are not drugs to mess with."
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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৯ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১১
Corruption in India: I was approached for a bribe
Our correspondent learns first-hand the mechanics of petty bribery in India. Meanwhile, corruption fighter Anna Hazare called off his hunger strike today.
As New Delhi gears up for New Year's celebrations, the police are rolling out roadblocks.
Skip to next paragraphIn the United States, roadblocks are a common way to check for drivers who have had one too many drinks on New Years, but for police in Delhi, these roadblocks often translate into "how much will they pay to get out of this?"
And if the fight over the current anticorruption bill in Parliament and the recent hunger strike by activist Anna Hazare are any indicators, the situation is not likely to improve any time soon without the help of hundreds of thousands of Indians?pushing back against the system of bribery where they can.
Mr. Hazare had inspired millions of Indians to protest against corruption this summer, and began a three-day hunger strike this week to press for tougher action against corruption in the country's bureaucracy. His fast aligned with the Indian Parliament negotiating an antigraft bill that would set up an ombudsman's office to investigate embezzling, influence peddling, and other forms of official theft.
However, both the hunger strike and bill have fallen short of their objectives. After a high fever and poor crowd turn out, Hazare called off it off a day early. A compromise bill was approved by Parliament?s lower house Tuesday, and is likely to pass the upper house Wednesday. If it does, it could establish an independent body at the central and state government levels to investigate charges of corruption.
But Hazare and other opposition groups say the bill is weak, and will do little to truly tackle the country?s corruption. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the agency, which is responsible for monitoring this bill, will not itself become corrupt.
According to Transparency International, 54 percent of Indians paid a bribe in the past year, and the organization ranked India 95 out of 183 countries in its Corruption Perception Index for 2011. Given these statistics, winning the daily battle of graft that has bled India of some $128 billion in the past decade is nothing short of herculean.
But a recent encounter with a Delhi traffic cop gave me a little insight into how ordinary citizens can start fighting.
On Christmas Eve, an Indian friend and I were parking, near a packed shopping area, when a cop looking for a little extra cash approached us. Our crime? The tinted windows on my friend?s car were too dark.
Being a hothead from the American South, I was irate as it was clear to me the cop was just looking for money.
However, my friend who is known for his prudence in these kinds of situations had a wiser approach. He simply told the policeman to give him the ticket. The cop paused, and then let him go.
When the cop walked away, I asked my friend why we got out of the ticket.
"You must understand the economics of bribery," he said. "It's Christmas Eve, the place is packed, and it?s high-time for making a quick buck. Every minute counts. In the time it would take him to write me a ticket, he could be making hundreds of rupees."
As India struggles to tackle corruption with new laws and key arrests, ordinary Indians like my friend can make a difference by understanding the system of bribery pushing back where they can.
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Lauren Scruggs' Friends Raise $10k for Her Recovery
'Tis the season for major acts of kindness, as model Lauren Scruggs recently discovered. Her friends took the concept of "the gift of giving" to the extreme when they raised $10,000 to help the recently injured 23-year-old pay for her medical bills.
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Best Weird Animal Photos 2011 (PHOTOS)
This orphaned cat -- named Kitler -- couldn't get adopted in July because the dark fur under her nose resembled the moustache of Nazi tyrant Adolf Hitler. Finding felines that bear a striking similarity to Der Fuhrer became a semi-popular internet meme with websites like "Cats That Look Like Hitler" popping up.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/27/best-weird-animal-photos-2011-_n_1151716.html
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বুধবার, ২৮ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১১
China to start work on world's highest airport
BEIJING?? China will start work on the world's highest airport next year, in Tibet's Nagqu county, state media said on Tuesday, which will be about 100 meters (328 ft) higher than the existing record holder in another part of the remote and restive region.
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Nagqu airport will be at an altitude of 4,436 meters (14,553 ft) above sea level, slightly higher than the airport in Qamdo town at 4,334 meters (14,219 ft), Xinhua news agency reported.
The airport will cost 1.8 billion yuan ($280 million) and is expected to open in three years, Xinhua added.
Tibet already has five civilian airports, at least two of which are only open for a few months of the year because of extreme weather which makes flying impossible the rest of the time.
China has embarked upon a multi-billion-dollar program in recent years to revamp old airports and build new ones, especially in the country's remote west, as a way of boosting the economy.
The government has also poured billions of dollars into Tibet, hoping to win hearts and minds in a region the Communist Party has run with an iron grip for six decades.
The government says that the new airports, roads and a railway to Tibet will promote development and help raise living standards.
But Tibet activists say the new links will speed up the pace of Chinese migration there and dilute Tibetan Buddhist culture.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Ed Lane)
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45794883/ns/travel-news/
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U.S. says China?s not a currency manipulator
By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) ? The Treasury Department on Tuesday said China was not a currency manipulator, a move that allows the White House to avoid the escalation of a trade dispute with China while escaping some of the fallout due to Congress?s being out of town.
In the long-delayed semiannual report to Congress on currencies, the Treasury Department cited the 7.5% appreciation in the yuan /quotes/zigman/4869230/sampled USDCNY -0.2588% ?vs. the dollar since June 2010, the decline in China?s current-account surplus, as well as China?s official commitments at global gatherings to move more rapidly toward exchange-rate flexibility.
/conga/story/misc/dc.html 184285Factoring in the higher rate of domestic inflation in China compared with the U.S.?s, the yuan has gained nearly 12% on the greenback in real terms since June 2010, when China took steps to allowing increased flexibility in its currency.
The agency noted that foreign-reserve accumulation likely slowed significantly in the fourth quarter due to cooling capital inflows and increased uncertainty about the global economy.
Still, Treasury said it will continue to ?closely monitor? the pace of yuan appreciation and press for policy changes that will yield greater exchange-rate flexibility, level the playing field, and support a shift in China toward domestic-demand-led growth.
The twice-a-year report traditionally represents a balancing act for the White House, for both Republican and Democratic administrations.
With a $245 billion trade surplus in goods with the U.S. through October, the Asian nation has few friends on Capitol Hill, neither among union-friendly Democrats nor Southern-state Republicans. The Senate passed a bill this year on a bipartisan vote that would make it easier to impose sanctions on China, but the House hasn?t taken the bill up. Read earlier story about China bill.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he?d brand China a manipulator on his first day in office.
At the same time, the government fears branding China a manipulator as that nation represents a fast-growing market for U.S. exports for companies including General Motors /quotes/zigman/1466682/quotes/nls/gm GM -2.00% ?and Caterpillar /quotes/zigman/221644/quotes/nls/cat CAT -0.76% , not to mention a source of cheap goods for the likes of Wal-Mart Stores /quotes/zigman/245476/quotes/nls/wmt WMT -0.27% . Labeling China a manipulator would not automatically trigger sanctions but would put the U.S. on the road toward doing so, which likely would invite countersanctions from China.
The U.S. would have to open negotiations with China if it called the country a manipulator, which it hasn?t done since 1994.
Photoilllustration juxtaposing 100 yuan banknote and $100 bill.Economists note that the exchange rate is hardly the only factor behind China?s massive trade imbalance with the U.S.
?Right now you have a situation where Chinese labor costs are one-tenth of the U.S. costs, [which] makes [even] Mexican labor look expensive,? said John Lonski, chief economist of Moody?s Analytics? capital-markets research group, in an interview with MarketWatch earlier this month.
?On top of that, you have to deal with how China?s workforce has become increasingly skilled while remaining relatively cheap and inexpensive.?
Meanwhile, China is taking its own steps to diversify away from the U.S. dollar and U.S. government securities. On Monday, China and Japan agreed to start direct trading of their currencies.
/quotes/zigman/4869230/sampled
Volume: 0.0000
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/quotes/zigman/1466682/quotes/nls/gm Volume: 5.81M
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/quotes/zigman/221644/quotes/nls/cat Volume: 3.15M
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Steve Goldstein is MarketWatch's Washington bureau chief.
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Anglican archbishop: Bonds, trust broken in UK (AP)
LONDON ? The summer riots in Britain and the financial crisis have broken bonds and abused trust in British society, the Archbishop of Canterbury said in his Christmas Day sermon.
Archbishop Rowan Williams appealed to those congregated at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday to learn lessons about "mutual obligation" from the events of the past year.
Citing the four days of U.K. riots and the current European debt crisis, the Archbishop said "the most pressing question" now facing Britain is "who and where we are as a society."
"Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost," he said. "Whether it is an urban rioter mindlessly burning down a small shop that serves his community, or a speculator turning his back on the question of who bears the ultimate cost for his acquisitive adventures in the virtual reality of today's financial world, the picture is of atoms spinning apart in the dark."
Williams, leader of the world's Anglicans, also quoted from the Book of Common Prayer in his sermon to say that if offenses are against one's neighbors, one should be ready to make restitution.
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মঙ্গলবার, ২৭ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১১
Nigerian blasts mar pope's Christmas peace appeal (AP)
VATICAN CITY ? Pope Benedict XVI issued pleas for peace to reign across the world during his traditional Christmas address Sunday, a call marred by Muslim extremists who bombed a Catholic church in Nigeria, striking after worshippers celebrated Mass.
The assault on the Catholic church left 35 dead in Madalla, near the Nigerian capital. A failed bombing also occurred near a church in the city of Jos, followed by a shooting that killed a police officer. The blast came a year after a series of Christmas Eve bombs in Jos claimed by Islamist militants killed 32.
Benedict didn't refer explicitly to the Nigerian bombings in his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, Latin for "to the city and to the world" in which he raises alarm about world hotspots. But in a statement, the Vatican called the attacks a sign of "cruelty and absurd, blind hatred" that shows no respect for human life.
Elsewhere, Christmas was celebrated with the typical joy of the season: In Cuba, Catholics had plenty to cheer as they prepared for Benedict's March arrival, the first visit by a pontiff to the Communist-run island since John Paul II's historic tour nearly 14 years ago.
"We have faith in God that we will be allowed to have this treat," said Rogelio Montes de Oca, 72, as he stood outside the Cathedral in Old Havana. "Not every country will have the chance to see him physically and receive his blessing."
And in the Holy Land, pilgrims and locals alike flocked to Jesus' traditional birthplace in numbers not seen since before the Palestinian uprising over a decade ago, despite lashing rains and wind.
"We wanted to be part of the action," said Don Moore, 41, a psychology professor from Berkeley, California, who came to Bethlehem with his family. "This is the place, this is where it all started. It doesn't get any more special than that."
The holy town of Bethlehem is no stranger to violence. Like the rest of the West Bank, it fell on hard times after the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation broke out in late 2000.
But as the violence has subsided, tourists have returned in large numbers. On Saturday, turnout for Christmas Eve festivities in Bethlehem was at its highest since the uprising began driving tourists away. An estimated 100,000 visitors streamed into Manger Square on Christmas Eve, up from 70,000 the previous year, according to the Israeli military's count.
The Holy Land and the entire Mideast were very much on Benedict's mind as he delivered his Christmas speech from the the sun-drenched loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. The 84-year-old pontiff appeared in fine form, just hours after celebrating a two-hour long Christmas Eve Mass that ended around midnight.
"May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood," Benedict said.
He said he hoped that the birth of Jesus, which Christmas celebrates, would send a message to all who need to be saved from hardships: that Israelis and the Palestinians would resume peace talks and that there would be an "end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed."
He called for international assistance for refugees from the Horn of Africa and flood victims in Thailand, among others, and urged greater political dialogue in Myanmar, and stability in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa's Great Lakes region, which includes Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.
After his speech, Benedict delivered Christmas greetings in 65 different languages, from Mongolian to Maori, Aramaic to Albanian, Tamil to Thai. He finished the list with Guarani and Latin, as the bells tolled from St. Peter's enormous bell towers.
In the piazza below, thousands of jubilant tourists and pilgrims, and hundreds of colorful Swiss Guards and Italian military bands mingled around the Vatican's giant Christmas tree and larger-than-life sized nativity scene.
In the U.K., the leader of the world's Anglicans, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said the summer riots in Britain and the financial crisis had abused trust in British society.
In his Christmas Day sermon, Rowan Williams appealed to those congregated at Canterbury Cathedral to learn lessons about "mutual obligation" from the events of the past year. He said Sunday that "the most pressing question" now facing Britain is "who and where we are as a society."
"Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost," he said.
Britain's royal family, meanwhile, celebrated Christmas with one notable absence. Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip remained hospitalized after having a coronary stent put in after doctors determined the heart pains that sent him to the hospital on Friday were caused by a blocked artery.
Elizabeth's annual Christmas message dealt with the theme of family. The message was recorded Dec. 9, before Philip went into the hospital.
Wearing a festive red dress, the Queen said that the importance of family was driven home by the marriages of two of her grandchildren this year. Elizabeth spoke of the strength family can provide during times of hardship and how friendships are often formed in difficult times.
She pointed to the Commonwealth nations as an example that family "does not necessarily mean blood relatives but often a description of a community."
And in the United States, members of the loose-knit hacking movement known as "Anonymous" claimed to have stolen a raft of e-mails and credit card data from U.S. security think tank Stratfor, promising a weeklong Christmas-inspired assault on targets including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, Goldman Sachs and MF Global.
The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on companies such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal, as well as others in the music industry and the Church of Scientology.
___
Jon Gambrell in Lagos, Nigeria, Dalia Nammari in Bethlehem, Paul Haven in Havana and Cassandra Vinograd in London contributed.
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U.S. mulling Yemen's Saleh travel request: official (Reuters)
HONOLULU (Reuters) ? The U.S. government would only allow Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to travel to the United States for "legitimate" medical treatment, and is now considering the request, a senior Obama administration official said on Monday.
The official said Saleh's office recently contacted the U.S. embassy in Sanaa to say the president plans to leave Yemen soon and wants to get specialized care in the United States related to injuries he sustained in a June assassination attempt that forced him into hospital in Saudi Arabia.
"The request for approval for President Saleh to travel to the United States is currently under consideration. The only reason that travel to the United States by President Saleh would be approved would be for legitimate medical treatment," the official said.
On Saturday, just hours after his forces killed nine people who had demanded he be tried for the killings of demonstrators over the past year, Saleh said he would leave for the United States and give way to a successor. He did not say when he would depart.
The Yemeni leader said he would undergo some medical tests but characterized his intended trip as one of temporary exile.
"I will go to the United States. Not for treatment, because I'm fine, but to get away from attention, cameras, and allow the unity government to prepare properly for elections," he said.
"I'll be there for several days, but I'll return because I won't leave my people and comrades who have been steadfast for 11 months," Saleh said.
Increasing bloodshed and political uncertainty in Yemen is a major concern to its neighbor Saudi Arabia and Saleh's former supporters in Washington, who worry the country's al Qaeda wing could gain control of key oil shipping routes in the chaos.
President Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism official John Brennan called Yemen's acting leader on Sunday to emphasize the need for Yemeni forces "to show maximum restraint" when dealing with demonstrations, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement issued in Hawaii where Obama is vacationing.
In his phone conversation with Yemeni Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Brennan also called for all sides in Yemen's political transition to avoid "provocative acts that could spur further violence."
Hadi told Brennan he has launched an investigation into the deaths and injuries that occurred and said he would do his utmost to prevent further bloodshed, Earnest said, adding both officials agreed it was important to stick to the transition path leading to the February 21, 2012, presidential election.
"Mr. Brennan told Vice President Hadi that the United States remains a strong and fervent supporter of the Yemeni people in their quest to realize their richly deserved aspirations for security, political stability, representative government, and economic prosperity," Earnest said.
Hadi on Sunday urged Saleh's foes and loyalists to commit to a truce.
(Reporting by Laura MacInnis; editing by Anthony Boadle)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111226/pl_nm/us_yemen_usa
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Retired US Marine killed in robbery in Philippines (AP)
MANILA, Philippines ? Police say a retired U.S. Marine living near the Philippine capital was bludgeoned to death by robbers who broke into home and stole his valuables on Christmas Eve.
Police said Monday that robbers used a metal pipe to kill 61-year-old James Thomas Kakara, who was alone in his house in the resort town of Tagaytay. His Filipino wife and her daughter had left to spend Christmas Eve with her family nearby. They found his body the following morning.
Police spokesman Agrimerf Cruz said the robbers took about $6,000, a cellphone and a laptop from the house.
Provincial police director John Bulalacao said the victim was a consultant for an American security agency and had lived in the Philippines for four years.
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Gube Curates Kid-Safe YouTube Videos for iOS [Ios Downloads]
iOS: Kids these days watch a lot of YouTube videos, and if you're worried about your child watching something inappropriate you can use the Gube app instead of handing them unrestricted access to YouTube. Gube curates thousands of educational and fun videos for your child in your choice of four age categories.
A few months ago we covered Kido'z, a similar type of app that can run on Android as well as Chrome and Firefox browsers. Now iOS users have a similar app that packs even more punch than Kido'z as there are more videos, each divided into infant, toddler, preschool, and grade school categories. Also Gube is a one-time cost of $3.99 rather than $4.99/month for the plus version of Kido'z.
My only criticism of the app is that it cannot lock the home button from being used, but that is more of a limitation of iOS than the app. You can always purchase Bubcaps to cover the home button before handing the phone to your child.
Gube is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch for $3.99 in the iTunes App Store.
Gube | iTunes App Store via Gube
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Man United won't overspend
By ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 7:00 a.m. ET Dec. 25, 2011
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -Despite the threat posed by Manchester City, Alex Ferguson insists he will resist calls for Manchester United to go on a spending spree in the January transfer window.
Going into Monday's Boxing Day matches, the defending champions are two points behind City, which has considerably outspent its neighbor in recent years and is now reaping the rewards as it sits at the top at Christmas for the first time since 1929.
Even though United has debts of around 460 million pounds ($718 million), Ferguson maintains that cash will be made available by the Glazer family, which owns the club.
"Contrary to what some people seem to be fixated about, money for a transfer is not a problem if I deem it necessary," Ferguson said.
The 69-year-old Scot delivered the message to fans in the matchday magazine for Monday's game against Wigan just weeks after United's surprise exit from the Champions League in the group stage.
"I am perfectly happy with the strength of our squad in terms of depth, quality and age range," Ferguson said. "I will not be swayed by the endless tweets and blogs urging the club to get busy in the transfer market next month. As far as I am concerned I am marching perfectly in step, true to my beliefs and principles.
"While recruiting some of the world's leading players can lift you into contention for honors, it doesn't necessarily take you all the way."
Winger Ashley Young this week joined an extensive injury list that includes center back Nemanja Vidic, midfielders Anderson and Tom Cleverley, and striker Michael Owen. Midfielder Darren Fletcher is also sidelined with a serious bowel disease with no date set for his return.
Any further injuries could yet persuade Ferguson to search for additions next month.
"Fortunes can fluctuate wildly - that's the football world," Ferguson said. "If a really top-class player became available, then we would go for him, or if we picked up any further serious injuries, it might be important to add to our squad."
City needs to shed players from its bloated squad - and payroll - in January to help the club comply with UEFA's new financial restrictions, so a repeat of the summer spending that included the 38 million pound (then $62 million) signing of Sergio Aguero is unlikely.
With 15 goals already this season, the Argentina striker has quickly established himself as City's most potent force.
"He is not tall but his strength is amazing," City manager Roberto Mancini said ahead of Monday's trip to West Bromwich Albion. "What is important at the moment is that he has improved our team."
Only Robin van Persie has scored more than Aguero in the Premier League this season, with the Arsenal striker on 16 goals compared to 13 for the City forward.
The Dutchman's goals have helped to haul Arsenal away from the relegation zone and back to within a point of the Champions League places.
Van Persie's goal in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa saw him equal Thierry Henry's Arsenal record of 34 goals in a calendar year. The striker needs three goals in the remaining two games of 2011 to beat Alan Shearer's Premier League record of 36.
"He's an exceptional player, but what is very important for us is that over Christmas we win our games," manager Arsene Wenger said.
Arsenal hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday and Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
With Arsenal just a point behind and Tottenham two points ahead, Chelsea will be looking to avoid a third consecutive draw on Monday when it hosts London neighbor Fulham, which was routed 5-0 by Manchester United on Wednesday.
"I'm not going to be thinking that because they lost to Man United it will be easy for us," Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge said. "Derbies are always difficult and they will want to bounce back against us."
Chelsea was held to a 1-1 draw on Thursday by Tottenham, which remains above its west London rival in third - its highest placing at Christmas since 1984 - ahead of Tuesday's match at Norwich.
Norwich is well clear of the relegation zone unlike the two other promoted sides - Swansea and QPR, who meet on Monday just four and two points clear from danger, respectively.
The bottom three is made up of teams from Lancashire. On Monday, bottom-place Blackburn is at Liverpool, 19th-place Bolton hosts Newcastle and Wigan is at Manchester United.
Also Monday, Everton goes to Sunderland and Stoke takes on Aston Villa.
---
Rob Harris can be reached at http://twitter.com/RobHarrisUK
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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More newsMan United won't overspend
Despite the threat posed by Manchester City, Alex Ferguson insists he will resist calls for Manchester United to go on a spending spree in the January transfer window.
FANatics
Chandler: What demons possess men to rush the playing field and attack athletes? And lately athlete-fan field interaction has taken a darker turn.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44031201/ns/sports-soccer/
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Nerf Guns Provide the Cutest Way to Pull Your Tooth [Video]
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NKorea pointing to heir's uncle playing key role
In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, by the Korea News Service, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, visits at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay respect to his father. At far left front is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, by the Korea News Service, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, visits at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay respect to his father. At far left front is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 image made from KRT television, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, with military officials, stand in front of his father's body displayed in a glass coffin, not in photo, at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea. At far left is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek . (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT
In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, Moon Hyung-jin, president of the Unification Church, second from right, carries a wreath with unidentified men to lay in front of a portrait of the late Kim Jong Il at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, North Koreans react as they pay their respect to late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Nampo, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Dec. 23, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, North Koreans pay respects to their late leader Kim Jong Il in front of his portrait in South Hwanghae province, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? North Korea on Sunday aired footage showing the uncle and key patron of anointed heir Kim Jong Un wearing a military uniform with a general's insignia ? a strong sign he'll play a crucial role in helping the young man take over power and uphold the "military-first" policy initiated by his late father, Kim Jong Il.
The footage on state television shows Jang Song Thaek in uniform as he pays respects before Kim Jong Il's body lying in state at Kumsusan Memorial Palace. Seoul's Unification Ministry says it's the first time Jang, usually seen in business suits, has been shown wearing a military uniform on state TV.
Little by little, North Korea is offering hints on the details of Kim Jong Un's rise and the future composition of his inner circle as millions continue to mourn for his father, who died just over a week ago. North Korea has also begun hailing Kim Jong Un as "supreme leader" of the 1.2-million strong military as it ramps up its campaign to install him as ruler.
"Let's become comrades of ... great comrade Kim Jong Un, the sun of the 21st century!" the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary carried Sunday by the official Korean Central News Agency.
The new title, a public show of support from top military leadership and the symbolic appearance of Jang in uniform send a strong signal that the nation will maintain Kim Jong Il's "military first" policy for the time being.
South Korean intelligence has reportedly predicted Kim Jong Un's aunt Kim Kyong Hui, a key Workers' Party official, and her husband Jang, who is a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, will play larger roles supporting the heir.
Jang and his wife have risen to the top of North Korea's political and military elite since the succession campaign began two years ago. Both 65, they also have the weight of seniority so important in a society that places a premium on age and alliances.
Kim Jong Un made a third visit Saturday to the palace where his father's body is lying in state ? this time as "supreme leader of the revolutionary armed forces" and accompanied by North Korea's top military brass, according to KCNA.
Earlier, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper urged Kim Jong Un to accept the top military post: "Comrade Kim Jong Un, please assume the supreme commandership, as wished by the people."
Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and was unveiled in September 2010 as his father's choice as successor, will be the third-generation Kim to rule the nation of 24 million. His father and grandfather led the country under different titles, and it remains unclear which other titles will be bestowed on the grandson.
Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea in 1948, retains the title of "eternal president" even after his death in 1994.
His son, Kim Jong Il, ruled the country in his capacity as chairman of the National Defense Commission while concurrently serving as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and general secretary of the Workers' Party.
Kim Jong Un was promoted to four-star general and appointed a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party. He had been expected to assume a number of other key posts while being groomed to succeed his father.
His father's death comes at a sensitive time for North Korea, which was in the middle of discussions with the U.S. on food aid and restarting talks to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program. Chronically short of food and suffering from a shortfall in basic staples after several harsh seasons, officials had been asking for help feeding its people even as North Koreans prepared for 2012 celebrations marking Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday.
North Korea has emphasized the Kim family legacy during the sped-up succession movement for Kim Jong Un. State media invoked Kim Il Sung in declaring the people's support for the next leader, comparing the occasion to Kim Jong Il's ascension to "supreme commander" exactly 20 years ago Saturday.
At the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Kim Jong Un and senior commanders paid silent tribute to Kim Jong Il, "praying for his immortality," KCNA said. The military also pledged its loyalty to Kim Jong Un, the report said.
"Let the whole army remain true to the leadership of Kim Jong Un over the army," KCNA reported ? a pledge reminiscent of those made when Kim Jong Il was named supreme commander.
The call to rally behind Kim Jong Un, dubbed the "Great Successor" in the wake of his father's death on Dec. 17 from a heart attack, comes amid displays of grief across North Korea. The official mourning period lasts until after Kim's funeral Wednesday and a memorial Thursday.
In Pyongyang, workers at beverage kiosks handed steaming cups of water to shivering mourners, including children bundled up in colorful, thick parkas. State media said Sunday the drinks were arranged at the instruction of Kim Jong Un, who ordered officials to take special measures to protect the health of mourners.
A throng of North Koreans climbed steps and placed flowers and wreaths in a neat row below a portrait of Kim Jong Il as solemn music filled the air and young uniformed soldiers, their heads shaved, bowed before his picture.
A sobbing Jong Myong Hui, a Pyongyang citizen taking a break from shoveling snow, told AP Television News that she came out voluntarily to "clear the way for Kim Jong Il's last journey."
Despite the grief, there are signs that the country is beginning to move on, with people going to work and "not giving way simply to sorrow," KCNA said. "They are getting over the demise of their leader, promoted by a strong will to closely rally around respected Comrade Kim Jong Un."
The Korean peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since the Koreas' 1950-53 conflict, but two groups from South Korea have permission from the South Korean government to visit the North to pay their respects, Unification Ministry spokesman Choi Boh-seon said Saturday in Seoul.
One group will be led by the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, who held a landmark summit with Kim Jong Il in 2000, and the other by the wife of a late businessman with ties to the North.
On Sunday, North Korea accused South Korea of blocking many other groups from visiting Pyongyang to pay respects, warning the action would trigger "unpredictable catastrophic consequences" in relations between the countries. An unidentified spokesman at the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification said North Korea will test how sincere South Korea is in its calls for improved ties with North Korea.
The spokesman's statement was carried by KCNA.
Seoul's Unification Ministry said it will allow only the two groups to visit the North.
___
Associated Press writers Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee contributed to this report. Follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/newsjean and twitter.com/APKlug.
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