News Headlines (129) 18 January 2013

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► Healthy Diet for Rainy Season

► 15 Tips for Talking to Women And Attract Them Like Crazy

► Netherlands learns to go with the flow  - Monday, 16 March 2009

► Valuable warning of  Mississippi floods



► Obama extends presidential power in bypassing Congress on gun control

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The Black Death Documentary. Uploaded on Dec 10, 2011 :: The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have started in China, it travelled along the Silk Road and reached the Crimea by 1346. From there, probably carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships, it spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe. The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30--60 percent of Europe's population, reducing the world's population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in the 14th century. The aftermath of the plague created a series of religious, social and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history. It took 150 years for Europe's population to recover. The plague returned at various times, killing more people, until it left Europe in the 19th century.



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The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of The World by Niall Ferguson Epsd. 1-5 (Full Documentary). Uploaded on Nov 7, 2011



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World War 2/II in Colour / The Second World War in Colour [FULL FILM DOCUMENTARY]



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Declassified: Joseph Stalin. Uploaded on Feb 13, 2012



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The Truth About Communism. Uploaded on Apr 23, 2011



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BIG BIGGER BIGGEST ::  submarine. Published on Aug 2, 2012



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The Four Horsemen - Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. Published on Jan 9, 2013 by TheInformedAtheist




by VICE

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Africa's Moonshine Epidemic. Published on Nov 9, 2012 :: Ugandans are the hardest drinking Africans in the motherland, both in terms of per capita consumption and the hooch they choose to chug. Waregi, or "war gin," is what they call the local moonshine, and it makes the harshest Appalachian rotgut taste like freaking Bailey's. || ► Africa's Moonshine Epidemic: Preparing the Goat. Uploaded on Nov 9, 2012


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Garbage Island: An Ocean Full of Plastic (Part 1/3).  Published on Sep 6, 2012 ::Vice sails to the North Pacific Gyre, collecting point for all of the ocean's flotsam and home of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: a mythical, Texas-sized island made entirely of our trash. Come aboard as we take a cruise to the Northern Gyre in the Pacific Ocean, a spot where currents spin and cycle, churning up tons of plastic into a giant pool of chemical soup, flecked with bits and whole chunks of refuse that cannot biodegrade. Hosted by Thomas Morton . Originally aired in 2008 || ► Part 2/3 || Part 3/3



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Selling Weed Legally.  Published on Oct 11, 2012 :: We went to Otherside farms, one of California's premier medical marijuana shops. They showed us how they use pot to help patients cope with serious illnesses the natural way, all while dodging the feds.



► 40 Years of Complete Isolation. Published on Aug 15, 2012 :: Since 1965, Faustino Barrientos has lived alone on the shores lake O'Higgins' in a house built from the remains of a shipwrecked fishing vessel. He's a pastoralist, living mostly off the land and his livestock, with few modern amenities. His nearest neighbors are in Villa O'Higgins, a small community of several hundred people, 25 miles away, accessible only by a two-day horseback ride through rugged mountain animal paths. Every few years, Faustino makes this ride to sell his cattle in town.

Currently 81 years old, Faustino is reaching the end of his life, and his self-imposed isolation is being encroached upon by the forces of government, economy, and tourism. In December 2011, VICE went to document his lifestyle and speak with him about the changing face of Patagonia and the gaucho lifestyle. Originally released in 2011

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The Revelation of the Pyramids. Published on Apr 7, 2012 by DocumentaryPlus :: 2011 - The Revelation Of The Pyramids takes an in depth look into one of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Mystery has surrounded these epic structures for centuries with theories varying from the scientific to the bizarre. However with over thirty-seven years of in depth research taking in sites from China, Peru, Mexico and Egypt, one scientist has as at last managed first to understand and then to reveal what lies behind this greatest of archaeological mysteries: a message of paramount importance for all mankind, through time and space.



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National Geographic Megafactories Learjet. Published on Aug 17, 2012 :: Hand built at Learjet's massive factory in Kansas, the top of the range 60XR offers passengers fighter-jet performance combined with the latest in yacht style luxury.



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XM607 - Falklands' Most Daring Raid. Published on Mar 20, 2012 :: On 30 April 1982, the RAF launched a secret mission: to fly a Vulcan bomber to the Falkland Islands and bomb Port Stanley's runway, putting it out of action for Argentine fighter jets. The safety of the British Task Force depended on its success.

However, the RAF could only get a single plane - a crumbling, Cold War-era Vulcan - 8000 miles south to the Falklands, because just one bomber needed an aerial fleet of 13 Victor tanker planes to refuel it throughout the 16-hour round-trip. At the time it was the longest-range bombing mission in history.

From start to finish, the seemingly impossible mission was a comedy of errors, held together by pluck and ingenuity.

On the brink of being scrapped, only three of the ageing nuclear bombers could be fitted out for war, one to fly the mission and two in reserve. Crucial spare parts were scavenged from museums and scrap yards - one vital component had been serving as an ashtray in the Officers' Mess.

In just three weeks, the Vulcan crews had to learn air-to-air refuelling, which they hadn't done for 20 years, and conventional bombing, which they hadn't done for 10 years either.

The RAF scoured the country for Second World War iron bombs, and complex refuelling calculations were done the night before on a £5 pocket calculator.

With a plan stretched to the limit and the RAF's hopes riding on just one Vulcan, the mission was flown on a knife-edge: fraught with mechanical failures, unreliable navigation, electrical storms and lack of fuel.

Of the 21 bombs the Vulcan dropped, only one found its target. But it was enough to change the outcome of the war.

Astonishingly, this great feat has been downplayed into near obscurity by history, but this documentary brings it back to life, providing a thrilling and uncharacteristically upbeat account from the Falklands War: the Dambusters for the 1980s generation.






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Obama Unveils Sweeping Gun Plan. Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: President Obama has unveiled details of a sweeping new effort to curb gun violence, saying he owes it to victims of the Newtown school shooting massacre to stop the carnage. (Jan. 16) || ► Private Gun Sellers Concerned With New Checks. Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: Some gun owners are concerned about President Obama's new proposal to expand background checks to private sales, but others say there are some checks that are easy to implement. (Jan.17)



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Armstrong Admits Doping to Oprah. Published on Jan 17, 2013 ::Lance Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, reversing more than a decade of denial. (Jan. 17) || ► Looking Back at Lance Armstrong's Many Denials. Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: Years of speculation is about to end as the first part of Lance Armstrong's television interview with Oprah Winfrey is aired on Thursday night. Any admission of drug use by Armstrong will end more than a decade of denials. (Jan. 17)

Lance, you deserve to be forgiven. You are not a war criminal, corrupt or a murderer. For me, the most valuable thing of you is your honesty. When you stumble to a case stating you are guilty and in the end you realize that you are guilty, and you apologize and regret your actions, then your remorse is the most effective punishment than material compensation.

This story analogy inspires me on a love story, for example, ...in a love story, if my husband admitted that he had an affair with another woman, having a baby with another woman, and he apologized to me with all his heart and confessed all his cheating as a mistake, then according to you, what would I do? (Hmm ...... if you still love him, then you certainly can not leave him. But it seems like I see a tremendous opportunity for you will be looking for another man, Cisca! ehhehehe...)

► 44 Hopes for Obama's Second Inaugural Address - By Tracy Stientjes | Yahoo! Contributor Network 

► House Republican retreat gives GOP a chance at a fresh start 

► Opinions vary as Colorado movie theater reopens. Stark differences among Colorado shooting families as Aurora movie theater reopens - By p. Solomon Banda, Associated Press

► Venezuela's Chavez reportedly convalescing in secrecy at Cuba hospital famed for security - By Andrea Rodriguez, The Associated Press  

► Factbox: Military forces in Mali

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French troops head to northern Mali- Jan. 17. Columns of French tanks left Bamako for the rebel held north to help Malian soldiers battle Islamist fighters. Deborah Gembara reports. French troops are on the move to Segou. They left the capital in an armored column for the north where Malian forces are battling al Qaeda linked rebels, after a week of air strikes. Abdourahaman Bary, a resident of Konobougou, some 136 miles from Bamako. SOUNDBITE: Abdourahaman Bary, a villager from Konobougou saying: "It's thanks to the good God that we are still here. We are secure now. We see France here with a strong hand. We like that, it's God's hand." The French push northward into rebel controlled areas comes as West African forces arrived in Mali. About 100 troops from Togo arrived in Bamako, and were joining up with forces from Nigeria to reinforce French and Malian forces. || International workers taken hostage in Algeria.  Jan 16 - Islamist militants stormed a gas field in Algeria and claim to have taken more than 40 workers hostage --- in retaliation for French military action in Mali. Deborah Gembara reports.

Heavily armed gunmen stormed a gas field in Algeria and claimed to take a group of 41 international workers hostage. In Norway, Christian Bacher, executive vice president for Statoil. SOUNDBITEL Christian Bacher, executive vice president for Statoil saying (Norwegian "The intruders took control over the area after a relatively short time. This is big gas facility in the desert near the Libyan border and is jointly operated by Sonatrach, which is the Algerian state oil company, BP and Statoil," This man Mokhtar Belmokhtar, an Islamist militant affiliated with al Qaeda is believed to have led the raid. Three people were reportedly killed. The kidnapped include Japanese, British, Norweigian and French nationals as well as seven Americans. The reaction from Washington. SOUNDBITE: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKEWOMAN SAYING: "We condemn in strongest terms the algerian attack, closely monitoring the situation. The best info we have is that US citizens are among the hostages, not going to get into names, etc. The group responsible for the raid say it is in response to France's miliary involvement against Islamist militants in Mali. In Paris, President Francois Hollande. SOUNDBITE: French President Francois Hollande saying (French): "I am in constant contact with the Algerian authorities who are doing and will do what is needed. We are also in contact with heads of state and government of the countries concerned. All this is not without a connection -- as everyone will have understood -- to the operation that we are undertaking, France, but also the African countries and all those who are participating in what we call the 'MISMA' (International Mission to Support Mali), whose aim is for Mali to regain its territorial integrity as soon as possible." The attack in southern Algeria is raising fears that French military action in Mali could prompt further Islamist revenge attacks on Western targets.

► The U.S. Firearms Industry: Inside the Numbers - By Lauren Lyster
► Germany to bring home gold stored in US, France


  ► EPISODE 114: Billiards Techniques. Are you tired of just whacking pool balls around at random, and looking to step up your game a little? Billiards champion Tony Robles shows host Roger Hailes some Mansome tips on proper technique, as well as demonstrating a few wildly impressive trick shots.

► Are People Still Wearing Livestrong Bracelets?

► Our General Tso's Chicken is Tastier (and More Healthy) Than Any Takeout

► Wrangler Releases 'spa' Jeans that Claim to Moisturize and Reduce Cellulite 


► Child Rules Book Returned to Young Authors - By Katie Kindelan | ABC News Blogs



► Ian Fleming biopic to include Bond girls' real-life inspiration - By Meriah Doty | Movie Talk

► Hostages missing in Algeria raid 

A number of Islamist militants and their captives are missing in Algeria, following an army operation to free hostages at a gas facility.
* As it happened: Algeria siege
* Cameron: 'Prepare for bad news'  - VIDEO 
* Q&A: Hostage crisis
* Family 'elated' at hostage release - VIDEO
* Profile: Mokhtar Belmokhtar (Mr. Marlboro)

► Mali 'collateral damage' from Libya conflict, says Kofi Annan. 18 January 2013  - UK Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that Britain needs to prepare for the possibility of further bad news about the hostage crisis in Algeria. Islamist militants kidnapped dozens of Westerners, including Britons, at a gas plant in the Sahara on Wednesday. The al-Qaeda-linked militants had said they were holding 41 foreign nationals, believed to include British, Japanese, US and Norwegian nationals, in retaliation for French military intervention in neighbouring Mali. The Algerian military launched a raid to free the hostages, a number of whom escaped but one British hostage has been killed and further casualties. 

► 17 January 2013 - Syria: Islamist Nusra Front gives BBC exclusive interview

► US gun owners determined to defend their rights. 17 January 2013  - There are four times as many gun shops as there are McDonald's restaurants in the US. On Wednesday, US President Obama fired the first political shot in what is bound to be a tough battle with the powerful gun lobby. He must also deal with the fact that for some Americans, gun ownership is seen as a fundamental right. The BBC's Allan Little has been getting the view from Texas. (VIDEO)

► Armstrong says sorry for doping
Lance Armstrong admits using performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France wins. BBC Sport

* Lance Armstrong with Oprah

► Helen Hunt sex film The Sessions is 'far from porn'. 17 January 2013  -  Helen Hunt is nominated for an Oscar for her role as a sex surrogate in The Sessions.  She told the BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour about the the sex scenes in the film. (VIDEO) || FULL INTERVIEW

► Adoptive mothers: 'We just want to be united as a family'. 17 January 2013  - Two US women who recently adopted Russian orphans have spoken to the BBC of their heartache over changes to Russian law which have prevented them from taking the children out of the country. Rebecca Preece and Jeana Bonner are both mothers of children with Down's syndrome and have recently adopted Russian children who also have the condition. However changes to Russian adoption law that came into place in December 2012 have meant that parents who have already legally become parents to Russian orphans cannot get the documents required to take the children out of the country. Speaking on Thursday, Children's Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov looked to re-assure foreign adoptive parents saying that "all children who have received approval by the court will leave Russia for America" but Rebecca and Jeana still face a period of uncertainty. Interview by BBC Russian's Oleg Boldyrev (VIDEO) || NEWS - 11 January 2013 US adoptions of Russian children: Some to go ahead

► 18 January 2013 - Why Swiss cheese plants are full of holes | By Ella Davies Reporter, BBC Nature  

► 17 January 2013  - Australian amateur prospector finds massive gold nugget

► 18 January 2013  - The Nazis prisoners bugged by Germans | By Mario Cacciottolo BBC News 

► Zap! Pow! - The battle against sexism on sci-fi and fantasy book covers

► Apophis asteroid: Doomsday delayed… again 

► Nature's hidden patterns - why we can see the wood for the trees

► Riding Sri Lanka's new wave 

► New Mexico's alien nation 

► 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6

► Exporting yoga - The man who brought Eastern philosophy to the West :: Swami Vivekananda, the yoga missionary By Emily Buchanan BBC world affairs correspondent

► US will provide France airlift help, 'training' for Mali operation - reports

► Algerian siege: Hostage situation ends with scores of hostages and militants dead - reports

► Obama-Netanyahu row strains ties ahead of Israeli elections

► No Arab school on my watch – Israeli mayor

► Russia-US spar over "seized" Jewish documents 

► Russia-led military bloc offers cooperation with NATO

► Prosecutors defend charges against Aaron Swartz

► Rand Paul declares war on Obama's executive actions on gun control

► Cleric Qadri to RT: 'I’m here to empower the people of Pakistan'

► 'Mali a potential long-term, Afghanistan-like conflict for France'

► Crumbling levees threaten US with new Katrina

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Witness - Dr Sarmast's Music School. Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: In 2001, when the Taliban was toppled from power, Afghanistan's musical legacy was left in ruins. Music gradually came back onto the streets and into people's lives, but by 2009 there was still no orchestra capable of playing the Afghan national anthem. In that year, renowned musicologist Dr Ahmad Sarmast returned from exile in Australia, and the Ministry of Education charged him with establishing the first National Institute of Music (ANIM). 



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People &Power - My Enemy's Enemy. Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: In just a few weeks locals in the Andar district of Ghazni province kicked out the Taliban for their backyard, something NATO and the Afghan army had failed to do. If repeated across the country, this potent localism could shape Afghanistan's future.



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Inside Story Americas: Do Obama's gun law proposals go far enough? Published on Jan 17, 2013 :: December's mass shooting at a school in Newtown, Connecticut left 20 children and six teachers dead. It also ingnited a national debate about the country's relationship with guns. On Wednesday, President Obama unveiled a series of proposals including a ban on assault weapons, high capacity magazines and the introduction of more background checks on gun buyers. 



► Inside Story - What is fuelling Kenya's ethnic violence? Published on Jan 17, 2013 ::As more people are killed in ethnic violence in southeast Kenya, fears are being raised of further conflict in the run up to the March presidential election. Are politicians stirring up tribal rivalries for political gain? What is really fueling these clashes? Should politicians do more to stem the violence? And will there be more post-election violence? Inside Story, with presenter Shiulie Gosh, discusses with guests: Salim Lone, an advisor to Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and author on Kenyan affairs; Kipchumba Murkomen of the United Republican Party; and Michael Amoah, an Africa affairs analyst. (VIDEO) 

Latest Headlines

■ Syrian Pro-Regime Gunmen Kill More than 100
■ US Navy Ship Stuck on Coral Reef in Philippines
■ Greek Parliament Votes to Investigate Ex-minister
■ Accumulating Snow Starts to Fall Across Southeast
■ 'Dear Abby' Advice Columnist Dies at Age 94   'Dear Abby' Advice Columnist Dies at Age 94
■ Iran, IAEA End Talks, Agree to Meet Feb. 12
■ Maurice Sendak Collection Going to NYC Auction
■ Some Victims to Attend Ceremony at Colo. Theater
■ Obama to Nominate Acting ATF Head Jones to Lead Agency
■ Pakistani Government, Cleric Appear to Strike Deal 
■ Floods Paralyze Indonesian Capital; At Least 4 Die
■ U.S. Jobless Aid Applications Fall to 5-Year Low 
■ Bombs in Iraq Kill 22, Mostly Pilgrims
■ SI: Manti Te'o Interview Transcript 
■ CNN: Regulators Okay Insect-Based Flu Vaccine

► Lance Armstrong Admits Doping to Oprah: 'I'm a Flawed Character'

By AP / Jim Litke
* Why Lance Armstrong Is Finally Coming Clean
* Viewpoint: America Won't Forgive Lance Armstrong (for Now)
* Who Cares if Armstrong Is Sorry?

► Manti Te'o: 6 Questions About the 'Fake' Girlfriend That Has Football Reeling

* As Hawaii Frets Over Manti Te'o, Locals Remember a Devoted Father-Son Team
* Timeline: Four Years in the Life of Manti Te'o's 'Fake' Relationship

► Algeria: Army Rescues Hostages, Toll Unclear

► Ahead of Elections, Islamabad Struggles to Put Out Fires 

► Is the Dreamliner a Financial Nightmare for Boeing? 

* Obama Pushes for More Studies of Violent Video Games
* Pollution and Housing Top Agenda for Hong Kong's Embattled Leader

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► Exclusive: Magnum Emergency Fund Announces 2013 Grantees

► Picturing Misery: David Seymour's 'Children of Europe,' 1948

► Seeking to harness Obama's campaign resources for a second term

► Obama begins second term with job approval up

► Biden delivers preview of White House pitch on gun policies

► Background check system for guns deeply flawed 

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► Whole Foods CEO regrets comparing 'Obamacare' to fascism

► Virgin America to begin daily L.A.-Las Vegas flights in April

► Lance Armstrong admits drug use, bullying tactics

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► Pictures in the News | Jan. 17, 2013

► Pictures in the News | January 16, 2013 -  Posted By: Marc Martin 

Wengen, Switzerland — The sun sparkles in a clear blue sky as branches droop under the weight of ice and snow at the popular ski resort of Wengen.

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Activists of German animal protection organization 'Deutsches Tierschutzbuero' (German office for animal protection) hold a banner in front of the catwalk hall of the Berlin Fashion week, on January 16, 2013. The activists protests against the presentation of real fur during the Berlin Fashion Week that takes place from January 15 to 20, 2013. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

People look at the artwork "Cerf/Frec" by the artist Luc Dubosc on the Old Harbour on January 17, 2012 in Marseille during the Event "FunnyZoo" Marseille-Provence 2013 European Capital of Culture. The event marks the start of a year, leading to a cultural renaissance in France's second-largest metropolitan area. AFP PHOTO / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT


2 SONGS TODAY