News Headlines (97) 17 December 2012

What's on my mind today
■ The U.S. likes to meddle in the affairs of terrorism in other countries, while in its own country it is incompetent to deal with terrorism.
■ The Americans attitude --who tend to view war as a patriotic valor, not cruelty -- is very whiny if they now seem weak because of this tragedy. Are you aware, America? It is an act of terror! And the terror is happening because of the weakness of your rules in terms of  the guns ownnership.
■ A lot of crazy people in America.
■ America is not a safe country to live forever. Many terrorists living there.
■ If all people (young and old, children-adult, sane-insane) are free to own a gun, then now be prepared only on two things: who will die first? Me or you? We have the same chance to fire the bullet. You Ready? I'm ready? Ok, here we go! Eh, you do not need to cry if you die first, because we both have guns.
■ Every person who lives in the U.S. can be potential terrorists for others, because each person can freely kill anyone deemed as an enemy, by using guns.
■ And the U.S. is still with its mighty busy looking for terrorists in other countries, ... ehehhe.. why do not you keep the security conditions in your own country, America? ehehee....

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Michael Moore - Bowling For Columbine (2002) FULL LENGTH DOCUMENTARY

► Obama in Newtown: 'We can't tolerate this anymore' - By Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News
► President Obama Speaks at Newtown, Conn. Shooting Vigil: Full Speech
► Memorials honor Newtown victims 
► 'Les Miserables' premieres in NYC - Highlights from "Les Miserables" New York premiere at Ziegfeld Theater on December 10, 2012 in New York City.

► 17 December 2012 - Obama: US must protect children || VIDEO - President Obama in Newtown: Speech in full

(Not only children, but I'm also going berserk if our grandmother or our grandfather or our elderly are not protected from the misuse of guns. Every person has the right to stay alive and live in safety. And somebody has abused the using of guns and has eliminated the rights of other people's lives as victims in the shooting? Ah, come on, ask yourself, America! Is that you? A bearer of human rights? Including the person's right to live in adequate security as promised by the state?)

President Obama says the US must do more to protect children, at a vigil for the 26 victims of the shootings at a Connecticut elementary school. 281
* Grieving town hears Obama
* Mardell: Powerful pledge 
* Obama: 'Tragedies must end' -VIDEO
* Can gun laws be changed?
* Victims of the shooting
* How it happened
* Profile of suspect

► 17 December 2012 - Chavez party extends poll wins 

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's Socialist Party widens its control of state governorships, winning 20 of 23 races, results from Sunday's election show.
* Venezuela faces up to Chavez succession

► 16 December 2012  - Libya orders borders in south closed

Libya's parliament closes southern borders to try to stem the flow of illegal migrants and goods.
* Unfinished business
* Disarming the militas 

► Bethlehem Christmas tree lit up. 16 December 2012  - The Christmas lights have been switched on in Manger Square in Bethlehem. The tree has been decorated with 45,000 lights and 6,500 baubles.(VIDEO)

► 17 December 2012  -  In pictures: Pilgrims arrive for India's Kumbh Mela

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Hindus visit the Ganges for spiritual cleansing. Uploaded on Jan 14, 2010 by AlJazeeraEnglish. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims have braved a winter chill by taking a dip in the Ganges River. The ritual, which is celebrated every three years and rotates to four different Indian cities, carries one of the world's largest religious congregations. In the first part of the Kumbh Mela or Pitcher Festival, Hindus gather in the city of Haridwar, located in the northern Himalayas. They believe the ritual bath washes away all sins and more than 50 million devotees from India and abroad are expected to arrive for a spiritual cleansing over the next few weeks. Al Jazeera's Prerna Suri reports. - Jan 14, 2012

( Ahh ...I breathe a sigh of relief when I am on your page, RT.  At least you do not regale me only with tears (tears made ​​in U.S.A.? Eeh .. I mean guns ...)

► Ahmadinejad 'shuns' Turkey after Iran's top brass warns against Patriots 

► Global powers will keep pouring oil on the fire in Syria - Hezbollah

► Sandy gunman might have planned bigger massacre ( Is he a kind of suicide bomber? Opps... I mean suicide shooter, eh? Shh, Shut up! Then wake up, Cisca ... we are not in Pakistan or Afghanistan. The young man  is just a little psycho, but he's not a jihadist. What Jihadist? Jihadist from the U.S.? Nope, just a lunatic. A young terrorist.)

► Libya declares emergency law in southern regions 

► Secretary Clinton won;t testify before Senate on Benghazi attack

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Japan election: Nationalist fervour on the rise. Published on Dec 15, 2012 :: Voting in Japan's general election is under way. Polls predict the conservative Liberal Democratic Party will be returned to power. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his Democratic Party of Japan have faced widespread discontent over their handling of the economy and last year's tsunami and nuclear disaster. A territorial dispute with Beijing over islands in the South China Sea has also fuelled nationalist fervour. And as Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reports, that has played into the hands of the opposition. || ► Analyst: Japanese voters 'are not enthusiastic'. Published on Dec 15, 2012 :: Voting has begun in Japanese parliamentary elections that will likely put the once-dominant conservatives back in power after a three-year break amid widespread voter dismay with the current ruling Democrats. Tobias Harris, an expert on Japanese politics and a former fellow at the University of Tokyo, has told Al Jazeera that the voters are not particularly enthusiastic about the choices they face in the election.

(ehhh .. there is a cool guy. Hmmm... Japanese? His chin's shape .... mmmm ... (What else, Cisca?)  Ehehehe...

.. This is a right-wing resurgence in Japan. Abe desire to build the Japan's strength in the realm of military risky to make Japan will weaken in the economic domain. "My question is, "Does Japan want to keep as a superpower or are they quite satisfied with the status of second-class?"

If Japan will be under the control of Shinzo Abe, then the consequence is Japan will be more assertive, especially to China. Because Abe is a hawkish. He is a politician who adopts a hard-line policy and militaristic.
***

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Counting the Cost - Big banks, big criminals? Published on Dec 16, 2012 :: As HSBC has been fined $1.92bn - the largest fine in banking history, we ask if a fine is enough. William Black, a former US federal regulator certainly thinks so. He talks to Counting the Cost about fines, regulations and HSBC's reputation. Counting the Cost also looks at unions in the US state of Michigan - fuming after a new law hits their financial and political power. Plus, Africa's first budget airline takes off - but will it last? Counting the Cost is joined by Ed Winter, the CEO of Fastjet, to discuss Africa's first low-cost airline and the future of African air travel.



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Defiant N Korea marks death of 'Dear Leader'. Published on Dec 16, 2012 :: North Korea is marking the first anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong Il. The Workers Party hailed last week's rocket launch as his son Kim Jong Un's gift to the late Dear Leader. Al Jazeera's Harry Fawcett looks back at the younger Kim's year in power.


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Inside Story - Can the ANC fix South Africa's problems? Published on Dec 17, 2012 :: South Africa's ruling party has been weakened by internal divisions and allegations of corruption against its current leader, Jacob Zuma. Can the African National Congress regain its ground, and how? Guests: Keith Khoza, Mmusi Maimane, Martin Plaut.



► Depardieu says au revoir to France. Published on Dec 16, 2012 :: One of France's most famous actors is giving up his citizenship and is moving to Belgium. Gerard Depardieu is handing back his passport because of tax increases on the wealthy, imposed by the Socialist government of Francoise Hollande. Al Jazeera's Richard Martin reports. (VIDEO)

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Bangladesh youth prepare to vote. Published on Dec 16, 2012 :: Bangladesh has had a year of political turmoil and people say they have lost faith in their leaders. Elections are expected to be held by the end of next year, but it has already been a source of public debate and unrest. Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reports from Tangail in Northern Bangladesh || ► Opposition parties hold rallies in Bangladesh. Published on Dec 9, 2012 :: Opposition parties in Bangladesh have called for nationwide protests after clashes with police in the capital Dhaka. At least two people have been killed and dozens have been arrested during demonstrations calling for reinstatement of care-taker government to oversee next general elections. Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reports from Dhaka.



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Bangladesh's invisible people. Uploaded on Dec 16, 2011 :: Bangladesh has marked 40 years since proclaiming its independence from Pakistan after a nine-month war. Up to a million Urdu speaking Muslims emigrated from India to what was then known as East Pakistan. They were caught up in the fighting - and to this day, many still remain in refugee camps. Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reports from the capital, Dhaka.

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► 'We Will Have to Change':  A President Comforts Newtown, While Challenging the Nation

* Full Video: Obama Speaks to Prayer Vigil
* Heartbreak: Officials Release Info on Victims 
* A City in Mourning: The View Inside Newtown
* Investigation: Gunman Had 'Hundreds' More Rounds
* A Parent's Dilemma: How to Talk to Kids About Newtown
* Teacher Training: Should It Include Counterterrorism?
* Mass Murder: Why Are Schools Such a Common Target?
* The Gunman: Mother Kept Trials of Home Life Hidden
* A Newtown Pro-Gun Organization Keeps Silent

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► LIFE in 2012: The Year in 12 Galleries 

► Connecticut shooter would 'just shut down' in high school 

By Los Angeles Times Staff - Adam Lanza was prone to "episodes" of withdrawal, even in the tech club he enjoyed, says a former advisor. He began taking college classes at 16.
* Mother: How do I tell him his friends are dead?
* Obama tells Conn. mourners: 'We can't tolerate this'  ||  T r a n s c r i p t 
For victims of L.A. Jewish center attack, shooting renews their pain
* Skelton: Time to act against gun violence

► While gun-rights groups lay low, gun-control advocate is inspired 
► Sen. Feinstein to introduce gun-control bill next year
► Hillary Clinton faints, suffers concussion, recuperating at home
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► A collection that identifies California as a world apart

► Bird lover laments loss of her ravens and crows