MY GLOBE OF NEWS: December 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

Canadian's hero, in Iran hostage crisis dies

Canadian 'hero' in Iran hostage crisis dies John Sheardown, a Canadian immigration officer who helped shelter and smuggle sixAmerican diplomats out of Iran in 1980, has died, his son said Monday. He was 88. Sheardown had Alzheimer's and suffered from colon andprostate cancer, said Robin Sheardown, who described his father as his best friend. John Sheardown died Sundaynight at a hospital in Ottawa, Canada. "He was a very humble man and a real Canadian hero," his sontold CNN. John Sheardown playeda key role in what has become known as the"Canadian Caper," a covert operation by theCanadian government and the CIA to rescue six American diplomats who eluded capture during the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The episode was made famous again this year by the release of the hit movie "Argo," loosely based on the real-life drama. The film, however, left out Sheardown's contributions. Sheardown was an immigration officer at the Canadian Embassy in Tehran when students and militants stormed the U.S. Embassy there on November 4, 1979, taking more than 50 Americans hostage. Justhalf a dozen evaded capture. Sheardown and Ken Taylor, the Canadian ambassador to Iran, hidthose six envoys in their homes, protecting them until they could bespirited out of the country with Canadian passports in late January 1980. "John Sheardown remained a very humbleman, always willing to stay in the shadow of others, and the people of Windsor remain extremely proud of his diplomatic intervention and career accomplishments," read a proclamation that declared November 10, 2012, "John SheardownDay" in the city of Windsor, in Ontario, Canada. According to that proclamation, Sheardown, a Windsor native, was shot down while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World WarII. He worked with his country's customs and immigration department before joining Canada'sforeign service, it said.

Hillary Clinton was treated for blood-clot on her head

Hillary Clinton treated for clot in her head Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was treated with blood thinners on Monday at a New York hospital to help dissolve a blood clot in her head and doctors were confident she would make a full recovery. Clinton was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday due to the clot that was discovered during a follow-up exam related to a concussion she suffered this month, her spokesman, Philippe Reines, said. The clot was located in the vein between the brain and and the skull behind Clinton's right ear and did not result in any stroke or neurological damage, her doctors said in a statement. Clinton was treated withblood thinners to help dissolve the clot and would be released oncethe medication dose hadbeen established, they said. "In all other aspects of her recovery, the secretary is making excellent progress and we are confident she will make a full recovery. She is in good spirits, engaging with her doctors, her family, and her staff," Clinton's doctors said. Blood clots: 4 things you need to know Clinton, 65, was suffering from a stomach virus earlier this month when she fainted because of dehydration, causing the concussion. Blood clots "are clumps that occur when blood hardens from a liquid toa solid," according to the National Institutes for Health. Clots can form inside veins or arteries or even the heart, the NIHsays. "A blockage in thevein will usually cause fluid buildup and swelling," the NIH website says. Among the possible threats: Sometimes, a "clot can break loose and travel from one location in the body to another."

Hillary Clinton was treated for blood-clot on her head

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India file charges against suspect on gang rape

India files murder charges against suspects in brutal gang rape Indian authorities addedmurder charges Saturday for suspects in the brutal gang rape that led to the death of a 23-year-old woman and sent outraged protesters to the streets. The suspects already faced rape charges. Six people, including a minor and a bus driver,have been arrested in connection with the rape that occurred in New Delhi this month. Throngs of people have protested for days, demanding more protection for women and punishment for those behind the assault. The woman was airliftedto Singapore earlier this week after she wastreated for injuries in aNew Delhi hospital. Singapore doctors said she died "peacefully" early Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian embassy officials. The woman had been in"extremely critical condition" since her arrival Thursday and took a turn for the worse, said Dr. Kelvin Loh, chief executive officer at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain," Loh said."She was courageous infighting for her life for so long against the odds, but the trauma toher body was too severe for her to overcome." The victim's body was returned to India, where it was cremated Sunday in a private funeral, Home Ministry spokesman K.S. Dhatwalia said. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi expressed its condolences Saturday

Hillary Clinton recieves blood-clot treatment in hospital

Hillary Clinton receives blood-clot treatment Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was hospitalized Sunday after doctors discovered a blood clot during a follow-up exam related to a concussion she suffered this month, her spokesman said. She is expected to remain at New York Presbyterian Hospital for the next 48 hours so doctors can monitor her condition and treat her with anti-coagulants, said Philippe Reines, deputy assistant secretary of state. "Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associatedwith her concussion," Reines said. "They will determine if any furtheraction is required." Reines did not specify where the clot was discovered. Clinton, 65, was suffering from a stomach virus earlier this month when she fainted due to dehydration, causing the concussion. Clinton spent the holidays with her family last week after workingfrom home. She was scheduled to return to work at the State Department this week after being sidelined for the past three weeks. Her illnessforced her to bow out of testifying December 20 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the deadlyattack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Deputies Thomas Nides and Bill Burns appeared in her place. The medical setback comes as Clinton is wrapping up her busy tenure as secretary of state, during which she has logged more than 400 travel days and nearly a million miles. She plans to step down from the post if and when Sen. John Kerry -- President Barack Obama's choice to replace her -- is confirmed by the Senate. Read more: Hillary Clinton fast facts

100,000 could die in Syria next year

Envoy: 100,000 could die in Syria next year The stench of the burntbodies was so potent, Abu Jafar said, he couldsmell it from 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away. "It smells awful becausethe regime appears to have burnt so many bodies recently," the opposition activist said Sunday from the beleaguered city of Homs. "Some cars arrived thismorning and carried away dead bodies. We are not sure where." Jafar's account comes aday after what may be the deadliest day yet inSyria's 21-month civil war, according to opposition figures. Lakhdar Brahimi, the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy, gave a dire warning Sunday on the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria. "If nearly 50,000 peoplehave been killed in about two years, do notexpect just 25,000 people to die next year-- maybe 100,000 will die," he told reporters in Cairo. "The pace is increasing," he said. "A solution is still possible, but it is only getting more complicated every day,"Brahimi added. "Had we dealt more carefully with this conflict in 2011, it would have been much easier to resolve it. There is no question that it is much harder today."

100,000 could die in Syria next year

This sound good news for Central African Republic Peace talk

Central African Republic government officials, rebels to hold talks amid unrest Central African Republic rebels and government officials will meet early next week for talks, a minister said Saturday, after a spate of violence that has left the fate of the inland African nation in limbo. The upcoming discussions will be in Gabon, on Africa's western coast, said theCentral African Republic's Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization Josue Binoua. He did not specify the date when the discussions would begin. Central African Republic diplomatic adviser Honore Nzessiwe had indicated Thursday thatthe government was then trying to arrange a meeting with rebel leaders in Libreville, Gabon. The development comesas officials from various nations take steps to protect their citizens and interests inthe Central African Republic, amid fears of more violence. U.S. President Barack Obama wrote a letter Saturday to Congress informing them that about 50 U.S. troops were sent to Chad on Thursday "to support the evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel andU.S. citizens from the Central African Republic." "Although equipped for combat, this stand-by security force was deployed solely for the purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and property, if necessary," Obama wrote. The rebels were reported earlier this week to be about 190 miles from Bangui. But there's been a lull in rebel attacks in recent days, which Margaret Vogt, a special representative of the U.N. secretary-general,said might be evidence that they are respecting an earlier promise to halt their advance on the capital. The volatile situation -- which has spurred demonstrations in Bangui, the country's capital and largest city, urging foreign intervention amid concerns rebels could soon enter the city -- prompted government authorities to set an 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET) curfew Sunday, Binoua said. Already, the lingering unrest has prompted the United Nations to relocate dependents and nonessential staff from the country and the U.S. Embassy in Bangui to shut down operations. The U.S. State Department said Thursday -- the same day U.S. troops were sent to Chad -- its ambassador and diplomatic team left the capital, but that the United States is not cutting off diplomatic relations with the turbulent African nation. Read more: U.S. diplomats leave Central African Republic

This sound good news for Central African Republic Peace talk

NIGERIA GIST: PHOTO: Rihanna Nude Photos Emerges

Saturday, December 29, 2012

MY GLOBE OF NEWS: Russia mounting a bill on anti-US adorption of Russian childrens.

MY GLOBE OF NEWS: India's rape victim died in Singapore.

MY GLOBE OF NEWS: India's rape victim died in Singapore.: Doctor: Young woman gang-raped in India dies A 23-year-old Indian woman, whose gang rape aboard a bus in New Delhi spawned days of mass prot...

MY GLOBE OF NEWS: India's rape victim died in Singapore.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Russia mounting a bill on anti-US adorption of Russian childrens.

Russia's Putinsigns anti-U.S.adoption bill Aaron and Jenny Moyeralready consider a Russian orphan named Vitali as their own. But a controversial Russianlaw that bans the adoption of Russian children by U.S. families may keep the boy from his new home in the United States. The Moyers have photos of their visits with Vitali in Russia, and the adoption process was under way. "He's our son," Aaron Moyer said. "In our hearts, he is our son." Russian President Vladimir Putin may haveput an end to that whenhe signed the controversial measure Friday. The action could affect hundreds of American families seeking to adopt. Americans adopted close to 1,000 Russian children last year, according to U.S. State Department figures. Read more: Russia's lower house approves bill to ban U.S. adoption Though the number hasbeen dropping in recentyears, Russia remains the third most popular country for U.S. citizensto adopt, after China and Ethiopia. The U.S. State Department said it"deeply regrets" the new Russian law. "The Russian government's politically motivated decision will reduce adoption possibilities for childrenwho are now under institutional care," it said in a statement."We are further concerned about statements that adoptions already underway may be stopped and hope that the Russian government would allowthose children who have already met and bonded with their futureparent to finish the necessary legal procedures so that they can join their families." Jenny Moyer says she knows there is an orphan crisis in Russia,especially for children with special needs, an undertaking she is willing to accept. The boy she wants to adopt, Vitali, has Down syndrome.

Russia mounting a bill on anti-US adorption of Russian childrens.

Mandela is now at home, and relative want rumours of death to stop

Mandela is at home and alert, wants rumors about death to stop,relative says Former South African President Nelson Mandela, at home after a long hospital stay, is alert and playing with his grandchildren, his granddaughter Zaziwe Manaway told CNN exclusively Friday. Mandela, 94, is aware of social media rumors that he's close to death, Manaway said. Read more: Nelson Mandela discharged from the hospital "That is absolutely not true. My grandfather is well," she said. "It can be very, very hurtful for us to hear these messages out there in the social media that our grandfather is going to go home to die.It is insensitive." Mandela is revered in his country, CNN's Robyn Curnow writes, because he reminds South Africans of how far they have come. The former president embodies the South Africa that was promised in the electionof 1994, and many South Africans worry that their country no longer reflects the democratic ideals Mandela spent his life advocating. Fast facts about Mandela Manaway said she wants to appeal to people spreading rumors to stop, and to be more sensitive to the family and to Mandela, a global icon of peace and South Africa's defeat of apartheid. "My grandfather still wakes up in the morning (and) reads thenewspaper," the 35-year-old said. "So he is also aware of what is being said around him." Mandela was treated for an acute respiratory infection in 2011. He was hospitalized for a lung infection on December 8, and on December 15,he underwent surgery for removal of gallstones. Because Mandela is in his 90s, it's understandable that"once in a while, he needs medical care and medical attention," another granddaughter,33-year-old Swati Dlamini, told CNN. "And we're very grateful he's surrounded by thebest medical team. He's very well taken care of,and he's very comfortable, and he's very happy." On Wednesday, a spokesman for South African President Jacob Zuma told media that Mandela had been discharged from the hospital and would continue receiving treatment at his home inHoughton. He's received well wishes from around theglobe, his granddaughters said. "We'd just like to thankthe whole world for sending us messages and keeping us in their prayers," Manaway said. "We know that people worry and we know thatpeople are concerned," Dlamini said. "But, you know, we'd just like people to know that he's doing very well and he's in good spiritsand he's very cheerful." Mandela has not made apublic appearance sincethe 2010 World Cup hosted in his country. In2011, South Africans got a rare glimpse of him when he voted in local municipal elections at his home in Johannesburg. Mandela's life in pictures There's been secrecy surrounding his health. "He has every right to his privacy," Dlamini said. "As the family, we call on people and urge people to give us the privacy to deal with whatever we're going through as a family in private." "I think people need to remember that my grandfather played a huge role -- and not only him, many other South Africans played ahuge role -- to get us where we are now," she added. "My grandfather said this when he was resigning from public life -- it is now (up) to South Africans to take this country forward, that a legacy like his should be carried by as many people as possible." Dlamini said she is telling her children about their great-grandfather's life. He was the president from 1994 to 1999, making him the first president chosen in a democratic election and the country's first blackpresident. In his younger years, he fought against apartheid and was sentenced to life in prison for his activism. He spent 27 years behind bars and was released in 1990. Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. "He's always dedicated his life to the struggle,"Dlamini said. "For our children to be able to spend time with him now... they can sit on his lap and hear stories from him. It's great; something we didn't have growing up." On Mandela's birthday in July this year, formerU.S. President Bill Clinton reflected on the conversations the two have had. Mandela kepthis wife and daughter inmind, Clinton said. "He didn't call me a single time, not once, when he didn't ask about Hillary (Clinton) and Chelsea," Clinton said of their conversations during the time both were in office. "If it wasn't too late, he'd ask me to go get Chelsea, bring her to the phone, ask abouther homework." Clinton said the anti-apartheid icon never lost touch with his humanity. "I saw in him something that I try not to lose in myself, which is no matter how much responsibility you have," Clinton said, "heremembered you were aperson first."

India's rape victim died in Singapore.

Doctor: Young woman gang-raped in India dies A 23-year-old Indian woman, whose gang rape aboard a bus in New Delhi spawned days of mass protests across India, has died, according to a doctor who was treating her ata Singapore hospital. The patient "passed away peacefully" at 4:45 a.m. Saturday (3:45p.m. ET Friday), with her family and Indian officials at her side, Dr. Kelvin Loh, chief executive officer at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said in a statement. The woman had been in"extremely critical condition" since being admitted Thursday to the Singapore hospital, and Loh had said Fridaythat she'd "taken a turnfor the worse." "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain," Loh said."She was courageous infighting for her life for so long against the odds, but the trauma toher body was too severe for her to overcome." Authorities haven't released the name of the rape victim, but protesters are calling her Damini, which means"lightning" in Hindi. Read more: India gang-rape victim in Singapore for treatment; new protestshit New Delhi Her injuries were so severe that she spent days in intensive care, battling for her life, after the December 16 incident. Police said Saturday that she had recoveredenough to give a statement to a magistrate from her hospital bed the night before. But on Sunday, she underwent another surgery to wash out infection in her abdomen, her doctors said. Reported rape cases have increased drastically over the past 40 years -- from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206in 2011, according to official figures. New Delhi alone reported 572 rapes last year and more than 600 in 2012.

India's rape victim died in Singapore.

Islamist, harsh justice on the rise in Northern Mali

Islamists' Harsh Justice on Rise in Northern Mali 3 more images By ADAM NOSSITER Published: December 28, 2012 BAMAKO, Mali - Moctar Touréwas strapped to a chair, blindfolded, his right hand bound tight to the armrest with a rubber tube. A doctor came and administered a shot. Then Mr. Touré's own brother wielded a knife, the kind used to slaughter sheep, and methodically carried out the sentence. "I myself cut off my brother'shand," said Aliou Touré, a police chief in the Islamist-held north of this divided nation. "We had no choice but to practice the justice of God.Such amputations are designed to shock - residents are often summoned to watch - and even as the world makes plans to recapture northern Mali by force, the Islamists who control it show no qualms about carrying them out.

India gang-rape victim in parkistan for treatment as new protest hit new delhi

updated Dec 27, 2012 20:31 GMT India gang-rape victim in Singapore for treatment; new protests hit New Delhi The victim of a brutal gang rape that sparkedmassive protests in India arrived in Singapore for treatmentThursday morning. "The patient condition remains extremely critical as before," said Dr. Kelvin Loh, CEO of Mount Elizabeth Hospital. "Prior to coming to Singapore, she had three abdominal surgeries and cardiac arrests in India. Currently, we have a multidisciplinary team of specialists who are taking care of her and doing everything possible to stabilize hercondition." The 23-year-old woman spent days in intensive care after what police said was a rape and beating on December 16 on a moving bus in New Delhi. Widespread anger about the incident prompted massive anti-rape protests in the Indian capital over the weekend. Riot policesurrounded downtown streets as scores of protesters -- mostly students -- took to thestreets again Thursday. Elderly and middle-agedwomen also joined the march, which was blocked from moving into downtown New Delhi, the scene of furious protests over the weekend. Marching demonstratorscarried placards demanding fast-tracking of rape trials across the country and an emergency session of parliament to toughen laws related to sex attacks. New Delhi rape exposes the perils of being a woman in India "Commit or quit," read alarge banner. "Justice for women now." Protesters chanted slogans against the government and police for Sunday's crackdownon anti-rape demonstrations in New Delhi's government district. Hundreds of police had fanned across the areain riot gear well before the march. "Despite massive protests across Delhi and India, the government's assurances have been hollow and smack of tokenism," said Neha Kaul Mehra, a student participant. "Rather, theresponse -- the crackdown -- has beenfeudal." Read more: New Delhi police fire water cannonat India rape protest The Cabinet plans to set up a commission to look into the rape and suggest measures to improve women's safety. The commission has three months to submit its report to the government

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Nelson Mandela spending chrismas in hospital

Former South Africa President, Nelson Mandela, will be spending Christmas Day in hospital, the Presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said in Johannesburg. He said governmentreceived the confirmation from the doctors that Mandela would remain in the hospital during Christmas. The News Agency ofNigeria reports thatPresident Jacob Zuma had sent messages of well-wishes to the Mandela family and urged South African to keep him (Mandela) in their prayers. “We urge all South Africans to keep Tata uppermost in their thoughts at every place of worship or entertainment and also on Christmas Day, and throughoutthe festive season. “We also humbly invite all freedom-loving people around the world to pray for him. He is an ardent fighter and will recover from this episode with all our support,” Zuma said. He said Mandela was responding wellto treatment in a Pretoria hospital. NAN also reports that Mandela was admitted at a Pretoria Hospital on December 8, where he was diagnosed with a lung infection and underwent gallstone surgery.

South Korea got their first female president

South Korea Gets First Female President,Park Geun-Hye Posted by: daniel on December 20, 2012 in Worldnews Leave acomment Park Geun-hyethe daughter ofthe late dictator Park Chung-hee, has become South Korea’s first female president. Park, the 60-year-old leader of the conservative Saenuri Party, defeated 59-year-old liberal challenger Moon Jae-in — once jailed for opposing her father’s rule —by a margin of about 3.5%. onWednesday. “Park Geun-hye has made history. The keen contest that saw an unprecedented voter turnout of 75.8% can doany democracy proud,” VishnuPrakash, Indianambassador to South Korea, said after exit polls when a majority of the votes had been counted. Following her electoral victyory, she will now move back to the presidential residence where she lived as a childand served as de facto First Lady after her mother’s death.

South Korea got their first female president

Monday, December 24, 2012

UN. Peace envoy meet with Syrian president

U.N. peace envoy meets with Syrian president With the carnage in Syria showing no sign of abating, U.N. peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met Monday with Syria'spresident in hopes of making headway in ending the country's civil war. "We have exchanged opinions about the possible steps that can be taken in the future,"Brahimi told reporters after meeting with President Bashar al-Assad. Read more: Syria firing more Scud missiles, NATO says "The president spoke about his view regarding this situation.I also talked about the meetings I had abroad in several cities with various officials in the region and outside of the region. I also talkedabout what steps which I see appropriate to be taken to help the Syrianpeople to get out of thiscrisis," he said. "The situation in Syria remains worrying. We hope that all parties embrace the solution which the Syrian peoplewant and aspire to have." Monday's was the latestin several visits Brahimi has made to Damascus since August,when he was appointed joint U.N.-Arab League special envoy to Syria. Read more: Russia: Syria consolidates its chemical weapons In October, he brokereda cease-fire between the government and rebels, but it disintegrated within hours when heavy fighting erupted once again. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday denied media rumors that Moscow was sending commando units, air defense systems operators and military equipment to Syria, its longtime ally. "No decisions to send commandos on board Russian warships (to Syria) have been made," Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters in Moscow, according tothe state-run RIA Novosti news agency. He said Russia had not sent air defense systems operators to Syria either. "It's all nonsense ... and media speculation," Antonov said. Two landing ships that form part of Russia's Black Sea Fleet -- the Azov and the Nikolai Filchenkov -- were en route from Novorossiysk to the Syrian port of Tartus, where the Russian Navy has a maintenance base, RIA Novosti reported. The ships were carrying naval infantry units for protection during the voyage, it said. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Monday that Russia hasa plan to evacuate Russian citizens from Syria, if necessary, thenews agency reported. Opposition activists saymore than 4,000 civilians have been killed in the past two months. The bloodshed continued on Monday with at least 156 people, including 21 children, killed across the country, the opposition Local Coordination Committeesof Syria said. Read more: Opposition: More than 100 Syrians killed in bakery attack The dead include 15 killed in Talbiseh, a cityin Homs province, by airstrikes on a field hospital and bakery, according to the opposition group. Read more: Syrian rebels gaining ground in Aleppo, opposition says A day earlier, scores ofpeople were killed whenwarplanes bombed a bakery in the western village of Halfaya, opposition activists said Sunday. An activist who oversaw many of the burials said at least 109 people died. The hospitals could not handle all the wounded,Hassan Al-Rajb said. Read more: Patriot missiles a warning to Syria's al-Assad "There were dozens of dead thrown in the street," opposition activist Mahmoud Alawy said. "The residents were shocked and in a state of fear. It was chaotic." Videos posted on socialmedia showed the purported aftermath of the attack. Many bodieshad limbs apparently blown off, and others lay bloody in the streets and in rubble strewn over a sidewalk.Uniformed rebels from the Free Syrian Army and civilians scrambled to pull survivors from the wreckage. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency blamed "armed terroristgroups" for the attack on Halfaya and accusedthem of having shot footage of the incident and blamed the government for the attack. Read more: Syrian regime approaching collapse, NATO chief says Halfaya had lacked the ingredients for bread for about a week until Saturday, when an aid group delivered provisions, Alawy said. Hundreds of people lined up at the bakery Sunday. Alawy said the government has been shelling gatherings of people in recent days, since the Free Syrian Army liberated the townfrom Syrian governmentforces. British diplomat Alistair Burt said Monday he was "appalled" by what,if verified, "would be the most recent in a long line of human rights violations and abuses committed by the Syrian regime." Italy's foreign ministry issued its own statement saying"these horrific images offend human sensibilities and our concept of civilization." Many Syrians face shortages of food and other necessities as winter sets in. The United Nations estimates that more than 2.5 million people need humanitarian assistance. To address this crisis, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesmanBulent Arinc said the Turkish Council of Ministers would donate 37,000 tons of flour to Syria, effective immediately, the semi-official Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency reported.

UN. Peace envoy meet with Syrian president

The girl the Taliban wanted dead.

The girl the Taliban wanted dead The Pakistani teen blogger simply sought to get an education. Butshe became a symbol ofdefiance against militants, empowering young women worldwide. The story of Malala Yousufzai, 15, an outspoken critic of the Taliban, is full of contradictions. Tragic, yet triumphant. Unafraid, yet battling one of the world's most feared terror groups. An old soul, yet just a kid. For years, the young activist has been at odds with the Taliban over her education crusade. She has openly defied the group's teachings on educating girls and encouraged her peers to do the same. In an attempt to silence her, militants stormed her school van in October, barked out her name and put a bullet in her head. But the attack only amplified her voice and rallied a world of supporters to her side. CNN.com readers votedher as the second-mostintriguing person of 2012, days after she was short-listed for Time's Person of the Year. U.S. President Barack Obama came first in both lists. Most intriguing people of 2012 Constant threats Malala's global recognition has come with a price. While most girls her age relish their teen years, she is undergoing grueling treatment in Britain after the shooting. She lives under constant threats for going to school in the conservative Swat Valley region in northwest Pakistan, where women are repressed under the militants' strict interpretation of Islam. Despite the dangers, Malala blogged ferociously about her dream of learning without fear. She used television interviews, documentaries and tookto the streets to challenge the iron hand on women. She accused the Taliban of thriving on ignorance. "Where in the Quran does it say that girls should not be educated?" she asked last year. "I have the right to play. I have theright to sing. I have theright to go to market. I have the right to speakup." Her role as an activist led to the attack on the van carrying her and other girls home from school, two of whom were also hurt, but not as severely. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. "We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us," aTaliban spokesman later said. Slow recovery More than two months after the assassination attempt, Malala is still undergoing treatment. She went from an intensive care unit in Pakistan to a hospital inthe British city of Birmingham. Before she left home, she was unconscious. She now walks, writes and reads. After she regains her strength, she will undergo more surgeries. It is astounding that she suffered no major brain or nerve damage from the shooting, her doctors say. Photos: Malala and the women of Pakistan Her story of defiance has sparked marches worldwide demanding girls' education. It has inspired girls in far-flung areas, who relate to her because she is a child herself. World leaders have hailed the "Malala effect" that made younggirls even more determined to get an education. On November 10, the United Nations marked Malala Day to honor heradvocacy work. And her fight for education is not over yet. In a message this monththanking supporters, she told them not to make this about her. "People have actually supported a cause, not an individual," she said."Let's work together to educate girls around the world." In her continued commitment to education, she called onPakistani officials Friday to reverse a decision to name a school after her. She made the request over safety concerns for thestudents after the Taliban attacked the school. Before she intervened, students protested andtore down her pictures over the decision to name the school after her, saying the move put them at risk. 'A new heroine' Pakistani girls' education has long been hampered by widespread poverty and threats by hardlineIslamist groups. The United Nations estimates 32 million girls worldwide don't have access to an education. Roughly 10% of those live in Pakistan. "Pakistan has a new heroine and a new cause -- a girl's right to education," former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last month. "Malala's courage has awoken Pakistan's silent majority who are no longer prepared to tolerate the threats andintimidations of the Pakistan Taliban." Since Malala was 11, she has used her blog to encourage girls to goto school despite Taliban threats. Her focus led her homeland to award her its first National Peace Prize last year. In January 2009, militants took over her once-tranquil city in Swat Valley and ordered schools to stopeducating girls. She blogged about the Taliban's efforts to scare girls away from learning institutions. They raided homes to confiscate books, she said. Malala hid hers under her bed. "I was scared of being beheaded by the Taliban because of my passion for education," she said last year. Her fears almost came to fruition. After the shooting, militants vowed that if she survived, they would go after her again. They also threatened to kill journalists covering her story

The girl the Taliban wanted dead.

The US to start sending Army teams to about 35 Africa's countries due to the rise of terro treats.

New Pentagon effort will send Army teams to Africa as terror threat grows Dec 24, 2012 1:34 AM EST (page 1 of 7) View Entire Story A U.S. Army brigade will begin sending small teams into as many as 35 African nations early next year, part of an intensifying Pentagon effort to train countries to battle extremists and give the U.S. a ready and trained force to dispatch to Africa if crises requiring the U.S. military emerge. The teams will be limited to training and equipping efforts, and will not be permitted to conduct military operations without specific, additional approvals from thesecretary of defense. The sharper focus on Africa by the U.S. comes against a backdrop of widespread insurgent violence across North Africa, and as the African Union and other nations discuss military intervention in northern Mali. The terror threat from al-Qaida linked groups in Africa has been growing steadily, particularly with the rise of the extremist Islamist sect Boko Haram in Nigeria. Officials also believe that theSept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, which killed the ambassador and three other Americans, may have been carried out by those who had ties to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

Alart on volcano between Chile and Argentina border

Alert for volcano on Chile-Argentina border Chilean authorities on Sunday issued a red alert -- the most severe in their warningsystem -- that the Copahue Volcano, high in the Andes mountains on the border with Argentina, might be poised for a significant eruption. In a statement, Chile's Geological and Mining Service stressed that no mandatory evacuations have beenordered around the remote volcano, which lies about 280 kilometers southeast (175 miles) of Concepcion, though the closest roads to it are in Argentina. Even though the seismic activity suggests a minor eruption, the agency decided to raise the alert level because it could not rule out a major eruption. The service warned specifically about potentially dangerous mudslides within a 15-kilometer (9.3-mile) radius of the crater. Alto Biobio, a communityabout 60 kilometers (37miles) east of Copahue, is under the heightenedalert. The governor and emergency officials in Biobio province met Sunday afternoon to discuss possible scenarios, including establishing a plan in case a mass evacuationis deemed necessary. Seismic stations first detected increased activity Saturday, according to the Volcano Observatory ofthe Southern Andes, which is part of Chile's Geological and Mining Service. In addition, more gas than normal has been detected coming from the volcano. The black, ash-filled gas has soared as 1.5 kilometers (almost 1 mile) above Copahue and extended 13 kilometers (8 miles) out from it, toward the southeast. Known in South America as Volcan Copahue, thisvolcano formed about 500,000 years ago and contains a string of nine craters in this stretch of the Andes, according to the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program. Its summit is just less than3000 meters, or 9,830 feet, above sea level. Mild to moderate eruptions have been recorded here since the18th century, and somein the 20th century spewed volcanic rocks and chilled liquid sulfur fragments from its 300-meter wide crater lake, the Global Volcanism Program reports. After at least three eruptions during the 1990s, Copahue's last significant eruption occurred from July to October 2000. That incident caused damage, mudslides and spurred evacuations. Watch: Lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcanoflows into the Pacific

Alart on volcano between Chile and Argentina border

Sunday, December 23, 2012

America called this provocation while North Korea called it progress in long distance fighting.

Officials: North Korean rocket could hit U.S. The rocket launched earlier this month by North Korea had the capability to travel more than 6,000 miles, meaning this type of rocket could strike the United States, South Korean defense officialssaid. In remarks to reportersFriday, which were embargoed until Sunday, three officials with South Korea's defense ministry offered their observations about theDecember 12 launch based on a recovered oxidizer tank that had been part of one of the rocket's boosters. According to NASA, an oxidizer tank contains oxygen compounds thatallow rocket fuel to burn in the atmosphere and outside of it, in space. North Korean officials cheered what they hailed as a successful launch of a long-range rocket, which they said put a satellite in orbit. But the mission drew international condemnation, with many viewing it as cover for testing of ballistic missile technology, which the United Nations has forbidden Pyongyang from using. Timeline: North Korea's rocket-fueled obsession The South Korean military officials said theevidence they found helps show their nuclear-equipped rival's intent and progress in developing intercontinental ballistic missiles. Based on a simulation, the officials estimated the rocket can travel more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), meaning it could reach the U.S. mainland from North Korea. It cancarry a payload of about 500 to 600 kilograms (225 to 275 pounds). The oxidizer tank usedred fuming nitric acid, based on technology the officials said originated in the formerSoviet Union and can now be found in Iran. They said an Internet analysis suggests a technological connectionbetween North Korea and Iran, though there is no firm evidence thatany of the parts discovered thus far were imported from another country. The South Korean officials said the oxidizer tank appearedto be produced using rudimentary technology,suggesting it may have been made by hand. The rocket launch's success, after years offailed attempts, triggered worries among world leaders about nuclear weapons,Iran and the balance of power in the Pacific. U.S.Defense Secretary LeonPanetta called it a"clear provocation." Experts do not believe North Korea has a nuclear warhead small enough to fly on the kind of missile that Pyongyang has now proved it can send longdistance. But the launchdid allow the regime to flex its military and technological muscle on the world stage.

America called this provocation while North Korea called it progress in long distance fighting.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Syria has protect it chemical weapon

Russia: Syria protects its chemical weapons Syria has consolidated its chemical weapons into one of two locations from its usual places scattered acrossthe country, Russia's foreign minister said Saturday. The move comes as unrest in the country extends to nearly two years, with rebels making gains recently. NATO: Syrian forces firing more Scud missiles "As of right now... the [Syrian] government is doing all it can to safeguard those weapons," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, according to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. "We are following all leads concerning chemical weapons," the foreign minister said, adding that the consolidation was a measure to assuage fears that such weapons could end up in "the wrong hands," the agency reported. The Syrian civil war has claimed more than 40,000 lives and has seized the attention of world powers for months because of the relentless brutality and the specter of the Syrian government mulling the use of chemical weapons. Syria denies it has suchweapons and says it would not use them even if it did. Across Syria, 143 people were killed Saturday, the opposition Local Coordination Committeessaid, including 75 in Damascus and its suburbs. CNN could not independently verify those numbers. The powerful car bomb blew off the facade of nearby buildings and spilled debris as residents tried to assess the damage. State-run television blamed "terrorists" -- the term it uses for the rebels -- for the attack. The Syrian civil war started in March 2011 when a government crackdown on civilian demonstrators morphedinto a fight between theregime and rebels.

Who to be blame on India women rape problem

Why blame women for India's rape problem? Four years ago, a young female journalist driving home from workat 3 a.m. was shot deadin her car in India's capital, New Delhi. The state's chief minister, Sheila Dixit, a woman, remarked that the girl was returning home all by herself "at night in acity where people believe ... you know ... you should not be so adventurous." This week, a 23-year-old woman, accompaniedby a male friend, boarded a bus on a busy road in the capitalat 9 p.m., only to be brutally raped by a group of men. She was then savagely beaten, stripped and thrown onto the road. The girl and her friend, who was attacked for trying to protect her, were returning home after watching a movie. She is battling for life in hospital, according to her doctors. India's rising rape cases -- one every 22 minutes, according to the National Crime Records Bureau -- betray what is wrong with society. Millions of Indians continue to believe thatwomen invite trouble onthemselves by being careless. Mothers oftenchide daughters for wearing provocative clothing, in most cases a sleeveless garment or a pair of hip-huggingjeans. In cities such as New Delhi, easily the most-policed state in the country, few womenwill take public or private transport unescorted after nightfall. More than 600 rape cases have been reported in New Delhi alone this year, according to government records. Worse still, many more go unreported because a large number feel insecure about reporting rape or even sexual harassment to lawmakers, either because they are not taken seriously or because in several cases the protectors have turned perpetrators. Earlier this month, a girlwho was raped in her village by four men, was then allegedly raped by a police officer who was handling her case, according to medical examiners. She had to be rescued by a police team that raided the hotel where she was being held. Read: Indian girl seeks justice after gang rape The incident happened in Uttar Pradesh, which borders Delhi. Around the same time inPunjab, another northern state, an officer who was protecting his daughter against sexual harassment -- locally referred to as "Eve teasing" -- was shot dead in public view, allegedly by a local political party member who was troubling her. The truth is, when mostwomen report sexual harassment in India's cities, towns and villages, they are typically met with a shrug. Slowly, but firmly, the onus of remaining safe seems to have shifted to women, instead of beingshared by society and law-keepers. At a protest rally held in the city on Tuesday, when women waved placards saying: "Don't teach me what to wear, teach men not to rape,"it was meant as a wake-up call for society, for mothers and fathers, for law-keepers as well as lawmakers. Other posters saying: "Don't get raped," with words crossed out to read:"Don't rape," were a chilling reminder of how vulnerable and isolatedwomen feel in India. India's apparent nonchalance towards sexual harassment hasescalated into a major crisis. And we're not just talking about the odd sly remark or attempt to grope a woman but far more serious assaults. India's misplaced tolerance has helped this cascade into a brutal, violent menace

Who to be blame on India women rape problem

What next after this for Egypt, contination of strike or stability?

Unofficial results: Egypt approves referendum With nearly all of the vote counted, the referendum on Egypt's new draft constitution appeared to be victorious early Sunday, according to unofficial tallies by the Muslim Brotherhood andthe semi-official al-Ahram newspaper. The Muslim Brotherhoodsaid its "final results" show 64% of the vote infavor of the constitution and 36% against it. Al-Ahram posted a similar outcome on its website, saying it was based on 98% of the votes counted. The official outcome of the referendum is not expected to be announced until later Sunday

Police and protesters clash in a rape rally in India

Police, protesters clash at India rape rally Police in India blasted protesters with water cannon and tear gas Saturday as clashes broke out at a rally in New Delhi against rape,leaving scores of people drenched and angry. The demonstration was prompted by wide publicoutrage over what police said was the gang-rape and beating of a 23-year-old woman on a moving busin the capital last Sunday. Her injuries were so severe she spent daysin intensive care in a city hospital, battling for her life. Police said Saturday that she had recovered enough to give a statement to a magistrate from her hospital bed the previous evening. Dozens of police, some equipped with bamboo canes, flanked the water cannon as it blasted out on to the thousands of protesters assembled by New Delhi's historic India Gate. Some demonstrators attempted to break through the security barriers blocking access to the country's government district, parliament building and presidential palace. Others chanted, punched the air in defiance and waved banners as the police sought to disperse them from Raisina Hill, the seat of Indian power. "Hang them till death," read the placard of oneprotester seeking capital punishment for rape suspects. "Stop this shame," readanother. A third said,"Give them the same physical torture." Shouts of "We want justice" also rose above the large and diverse crowd, symbolizing a widely feltanger over attacks against women. Bannersproclaiming the same message were marked with a hangman's noose. Surviving rape: iReporters speak out One young woman protester, who said herleg was injured by a blow from a police baton, lamented what she called a failure of democracy in the country. "Today, I have seen democracy dying," she said. New Delhi's police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said up to 35 protesters and nearly 40 police personnel were injured. Thirty barricades were damaged in the course of the protest, he said, and police fired 125 tear gas shells. A number of vehicles were also damaged, he said. Saturday's furious protest was just the latest held across the country in the past week, where official data show that rape cases have jumped almost 875% over the past 40 years -- from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206in 2011. New Delhi alone reported 572 rapes lastyear and more than 600in 2012. Bhavyaa Sharma, a 19-year-old student at a leading women's college in the capital, told CNN how she fearsfor her safety when she leaves the campus.Sexual assaults on women in the city have horrified her and her female friends. "I feel vulnerable here," said Sharma, accompanied by her classmates. "I am very sure about it. Delhi is not safe for women." Opinion: Rapes show that Indian society needs a new attitude Six suspects, including the bus driver and a minor, have now been arrested in connection with Sunday's rape. As fury about the assault gathered pace, some Indian lawmakers even called for treatingrape as a capital crime. "We'll work collectively to see we make a law which is deterrent and preventive," said New Delhi's chief minister, Sheila Dikshit. India's Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde toldreporters Saturday thatthe government would work toward increasing punishment in "rarest of the rare" rape cases. But pressed on whetherthe administration wouldagree to demands for death by hanging in such instances, he said:"We'll have to see in what way it (the rape sentencing) can be enhanced." Shinde said the government was pushing for a speedy trial for the attack. Authorities are also taking a number of steps to improve security for women in New Delhi, particularly on public transport, he said. "(The) government shares the widespread concern and support that has been expressed throughout society for the girl who has so suffered. Government also respects the right of legitimate protest," he said. "At the same time, thereis need to exercise calm at this juncture and for everyone to work together to improve the safety and security environment." In the meantime, the victim has been promised the best possible medical care, Shinde said. A physician described the woman's condition Saturday as better thana day earlier, but said there was still a risk of infection. She is receiving psychological as well as medical care,he said. Read more: Indian girl seeks justice after gang rape

Police and protesters clash in a rape rally in India

An American citizen has been detain in North korea

North Korea Says It HasDetained an American Citizen By CHOE SANG-HUN Published: December 22, 2012 SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said on Friday that it had charged an American citizen detained there with committing "hostile acts against the republic," a crimepunishable by years in prison, at a time when the United States is pushing for new sanctions against the reclusive country for a recent rocket launching.The North's state-run Korean Central News Agencysaid that the American, identified as Bae Jun-ho, had entered the country on Nov. 3 through a port city near the Russian border. Human rights activists in South Korea said they believed Mr. Bae to be Kenneth Bae, 44, who they reported earlier this month was being held in the North.In recent years, North Koreahas detained several Americans, in some cases agreeing to free them only after high-profile Americans visited the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, to seek their release. Analysts have suspected North Korea's leaders of trying to use suchdetentions to counter Washington's diplomatic pressure over its nuclear and missile programs and force the United States to engage with them.

Asteriod to miss Earth in 2040, said NASA.

Asteroid to miss Earth in 2040, NASA says On a day when global doomsday predictions failed to pan out, NASA had more good news for the Earth: An asteroid feared to be on a collision course with our planet no longer poses a threat. Uncertainties about the orbit of the asteroid, known as 2011 AG5, previously allowed for a less than a 1% chanceit would hit the Earth in February 2040, NASA said. To narrow down the asteroid's future course, NASA put out a call for more observation. Astronomers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa took up the taskand managed to observe the asteroid over several days in October. "An analysis of the newdata conducted by NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shows that the risk of collision in 2040 has been eliminated," NASA declared Friday. The new observations, made with the Gemini 8-meter telescope in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, reduce the orbit uncertainties by more than a factor of 60. That means the Earth's position in February 2040 is not in range of the asteroid's possible future paths. The asteroid, which is 140 meters (460 feet) indiameter, will get no closer to Earth than 890,000 kilometers (553,000 miles), or more than twice the distance to the moon, NASA said. A collision with Earth would have released about 100 megatons of energy, several thousand times more powerful than the atomic bombs that ended World War II, according to the Gemini Observatory. Observing the asteroid wasn't easy, said DavidTholen, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy. The asteroid's position was very close to the sun, so astronomers had to observe it when the sky was dark. Tholen told CNN there was about a half-hour between when the asteroid got high enough in the sky for the telescope to point at it and before the skybecame too light to observe it. Because the astronomers were looking at the asteroid low in the sky, they were viewing it througha lot of atmosphere, which scattered some ofthe light and made the object fainter, he said. "The second effect is the turbulence of the atmosphere makes things fainter," Tholen said. "We had to keep trying over and over until we got one of those nights when the atmosphere was calm." Tholen and the team also discovered the asteroid is elongated, so that as it rotates, itsbrightness changes. That was another challenge for the astronomers: Because they didn't know the asteroid's rotation period, they didn't knowwhen it would wax and wane, and when it would grow too faint to see. "This object was changing its brightness by a factor of three or four -- it was just enormously variable," Tholen said. "It was hit and miss depending on which night you observed it." Many predicted the end of the world would comeFriday, the day on which a long phase in the ancient Mayan calendar came to an end. Some believe the day actually comes Sunday. Modern-day Mayans say the end of the calendar phase doesn't mean the end of the world -- just the end ofan era, and the start ofa new one

Asteriod to miss Earth in 2040, said NASA.

pennsylvania shooter got killed to by state troopers

4 dead, including shooter, in Pennsylvania A man killed two men and one woman Friday in central Pennsylvania,then died in a gunfight with state troopers, authorities said. The first report of shots fired "at multiple locations" in Frankstown Township came in a 911 call placed around 9 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. As state troopers converged on the area, someone in a truck -- going the opposite direction on a two-lane road -- fired at two marked patrol cars. The truck's driver continued driving and then "rammed ... head-on" into a different patrol car, Bivens said. He then got out of his vehicle and began firing at officers. State troopers returnedfire, eventually killing the truck's driver. Three state police members were hurt in the response. One was struck in the wrist by bullet fragments and in his chest -- which was protected by body armor -- by a bullet. Another trooper got glass fragments in his eyes and bullet fragments in his forehead. The third suffered minor injuries in the car accident with the shooter's truck. "It was a very violent attack," Bivens said, adding all three had been treated and released from a local hospital as of Friday evening. "As more details come out about the investigation, I think you'll see just how lucky they really were ... Someone was watching over them." By 10 a.m., the "active shooter situation" in Frankstown Township, about 7 miles southeastof Altoona and 100 miles east of Pittsburghwas under control, the Blair County Emergency Management Agency reported on its Facebook page. But the gruesome storywasn't over. After this episode played out, authorities discovered three slain people at three different locations. One woman was killed at Juniata Valley GospelChurch, one man was found dead in a residence, and another man was killed after getting into a car accident with the truck'sdriver, added Bivens. All three had been shot. "It is believed that the male subject committed three homicides before encountering the troopers," Trooper Jeffrey Petucci said. Their killing and the exchange of gunfire that led to the shooter's death occurred in "a relatively short duration of time," addedPetucci, and physically all within a 1.5-mile radius. Authorities have not identified the shooter or the victims. "I don't believe you're going to find any biological relationship between the (shooter) and the victims," Blair County District Attorney RichardConsiglio said, adding the three victims "were not immediate family" of one another. No explanation has been given for the bloodshed. "Some weapons" tied to the episode have been seized, though Bivens did not detail the type of firearms, how they had been obtained or how they were used Friday. "It is safe to say there was more than one weapon seized from thecrime scene," he said. By noon, the Blair County Emergency Agency said on Facebook, "There is nolonger a threat to residents and visitors to this area from this individual." A roadway -- Juniata Valley Road, between Geeseytown and Canoe Creek State Park -- was closed for the rest of the day Friday "as the Pennsylvania State Police process the crimescene along this route for evidence." In the wake of the shootings, a prayer service for the community was scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Geeseytown Lutheran Church in Frankstown Township.