News Headlines (134) 24 January 2013

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Cancun Mexico, Temptation Resort and Spa Cancun, Helicopter Tour. Uploaded on May 9, 2011 PaulSzottDMD  ||   ► CANCUN - MEXICO.  Uploaded on Jun 11, 2011 by JCVdude :: Cancun Mexico has a reputation as a party city with some of the biggest discos anywhere packed by thousands of vacationers year round. But Cancun is a lot more than just a party city. Beautiful beaches, golf courses and diverse activities like deep sea fishing and swimming with whale sharks. Mayan sites like Tulum and Chichen Itza are available as is Isla Majures and Contoy Island. (we have been to all see videos). From the unbelievable blue sea surrounding it to the lush mangroves and 5 star resorts, Cancun is whatever you want it to be.





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Authorities: Fight Led to Texas College Shooting. Published on Jan 22, 2013 :: A fight between two people led to a shooting at a Texas community college, where a maintenance man was caught in the crossfire and wounded, officials said. (Jan. 22) || ► TX College Shooting Witness: 9 or 10 Shots Fired. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: A witness to Tuesday's shooting on a Houston college campus says he heard about 9 or 10 shots fired. Student Chris Kelly says school officials ushered all of the students into the student center. (Jan. 23)



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TX Campus Shooting 'Boils Down to Stupidity'. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Texas authorities don't expect to file charges against a 25-year-old man who they say was involved in an argument that escalated into gunfire at Lone Star College. The two men who were arguing and a bystander were shot in the incident Tuesday. (Jan. 23)  ||  ► Fontana, Calif., Schools Get High-powered Rifles. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: The semiautomatic rifles recently shipped to school police in Fontana, Calif. look like they belong on a battlefield, not a school, but officials say the weapons could help stop a massacre like the one in Newtown, Conn. just weeks ago. (Jan. 23)



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LaPierre: Obama Casts NRA As 'Absolutists'. Published on Jan 22, 2013 ::  A top National Rife Association's official delivered a speech that was billed as a response to President Obama's inaugural address. Wayne LaPierre accused the President of using the word 'absolutist' to cast law-abiding gun owners as extremists. (Jan. 23)  || ► Romney Wooes Gun Group. Published on Apr 13, 2012 :: Mitt Romney is telling the nation's leading gun-owners' group he's a big supporter of Second Amendment rights, despite past backing for tough guns laws. (April 13)

My fiance always put  a small pillow in front of my monitor. So, according to him, if I suddenly annoyed watching the figure of a certain profile, I can vent my aggravation on two things: the pillow and computer screens. Then to advise me so he felt he had to be more wisely. Oh yeah? You think you are wise dahling? Yeah? Throw a pillow on the screen when I'm upset. Very well. I already did. But I'm still pissed. What if I'm gonna take this pillow, and I throw in a certain direction, ...  to your face, maybe?

► Hugs from the Obama 'Surprise' of White House Visitors - By Esther Zuckerman | The Atlantic Wire





  And here's Barack telling Bo to sit    
  And Michelle giving Bo a belly rub         And Bo in the middle of things    
► Transcript: Clinton Testifies On Benghazi - By ABC News

► Hillary Clinton's tearful moment on Benghazi: Will it help or hurt? While tears were once seen as political suicide, these days it's become a way to show genuineness and connect with the public. - By Liz Marlantes | Christian Science Monitor 

► WATCH LIVE: Hillary Clinton's Benghazi testimony - By The Week's Editorial Staff :

► Defiant Clinton Hears GOP Anger Over Benghazi. Published on Jan 23, 2013 by Associated Press :: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. Is taking quick steps to boost security at diplomatic posts worldwide, and fiercely fought back against GOP criticism about the administration's explanations for the Libya attack. (Jan. 23)



► Clinton faces continued criticism in afternoon Benghazi hearing - By Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News



► Benghazi hearings: Will Hillary Clinton's testimony impact her future? In a much anticipated appearance before Congress, Hillary Clinton testified Wednesday on the deadly attack on US diplomats in Benghazi, Libya. Sen. Rand Paul said he would have fired her. - By Howard LaFranchi | Christian Science Monitor 

► Hillary Clinton's Benghazi Testimony Will Be Her Last Act as Secretary of StateBy Dashiell Bennett | The Atlantic Wire 

 ► 10 Things You Want to Know About Hillary Clinton's Testimony — and 1 You Need to Know - By Matthew Cooper | National Journal 

► Hillary Clinton leaving world stage, but for how long? - By Steve Holland

► China rebukes Clinton for comments on disputed islets - Reuters – Mon, Jan 21, 2013

► North Korea to target U.S. with nuclear, rocket tests - By Ju-min Park and Choonsik Yoo | Reuters 

► Women in combat: Will they have to register for the draft? That may be a difficult question from a societal standpoint, but the answer is straightforward, according to a legal analysis. On Thursday, the Pentagon will lift its ban on women in combat. - By Anna Mulrine | Christian Science Monitor

► U.S. to lift ban on women in front-line combat jobs - By David Alexander and Phil Stewart  

► Russia warns Israel, West against attack on Iran

► Russia's Syria evacuation reflects doubts on Assad - By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV 

► Russia denies evacuation of 77 citizens from Syria is beginning of the end. Russia's actions regarding its citizens in Syria have been under close watch in the West, in hopes that it might signal an about-face from Syria's biggest foreign backer. - By Arthur Bright | Christian Science Monitor  

► Russia denies large Syria evacuation amid fighting - By BARBARA SURK and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

► France wary of domestic 'lone wolf' terrorism amid Mali ops. Experts say that it is unlikely that members of France's Malian community would commit terrorist acts. Rather, it is hard-to-track 'lone wolf' Islamists who are the largest threat. - By Bastien Inzaurralde | Christian Science Monitor 

 ► Can Mali use surge of patriotism to heal its political divides? Patriotism is surging in Mali with a military campaign to oust Islamist gunmen from the north. Whether the feeling lasts could be vital to the country’s future, say observers.  - By John Thorne | Christian Science Monitor :

► Mali Islamist group splits, faction leader wants talks - By David Lewis

► U.S., Africa say Mali action counters growing Islamist threat 

► Al-Qaida leader's brother condemns Mali operation - By MAGGIE MICHAEL

► Selfish, ignorant, dangerous: Europe's anger over Cameron speech - By Stephen Brown and Mark John

► 24 January 2013 - Burma learns how to protest - against Chinese investors -  By Lucy Ash BBC News, Monywa 

► 24 January 2013 - Lapid snubs 'anti-Netanyahu bloc'

Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party came second in the Israeli election, says he will not try to block a new coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
* Profile: Yair Lapid
* Analysis: Netanyahu's tough task 
* Israeli press mulls Netanyahu 'failure'
* Israel economy back on agenda after elections

► 24 January 2013 - Mali's army accused of abuses

Malian troops have carried out "summary executions" as they fight to recapture the Islamist-controlled north, a France-based rights group says.
* Rise of Sahara's Islamist militants
* BBC on front line - VIDEO
* Harding: Relief in Diabaly 
* Mali crisis: Key players

► 24 January 2013 - Russia explores old nuclear waste dumps in Arctic - By Laurence Peter

► The Polaroid genius who re-imagined the way we take photos. 23 January 2013 - In his new book, Instant: The Story of Polaroid, author Christopher Bonanos compares the company's dynamic founder, Edwin Land, with Apple's iconic inventor, Steve Jobs. According to Bonanos, it was Land who first mixed cutting-edge technology with beauty and design, resulting in wildly popular cameras like the iconic Polaroid SX-70. In this interview with the BBC, he profiles the pioneer of instant photography and chronicles the remarkable rise and ultimate fall of Polaroid itself.  Produced for the BBC by Leigh Paterson; edited by Bill McKenna. Sepia portraits of Land copyright Michael Cardinali, courtesy of the MIT Museum.  Other photographs courtesy of Bill Ray, Anne Bowerman, Polaroid, Marie Cosindas, Nan Lane Rudolph, Chuck Close and the Pace Gallery, Mark Sink, Ted Voss, Danny Kim, Bonnier Corporation, David Levinthal, Patrick Nagatani and the WestLicht Collection, Jamie Livingston, Christopher Bonanos, Bradley Laurent and The Impossible Project, Danny Kim and John Reuter.  VIDEO of Christopher Bononos by Sarah Frank.

► Becoming biohackers: The experiments begin 

► 24 January 2013  - Australia's wombats struggling to survive - By Georgina Kenyon Australia  

► World Economic Forum: What is Davos? 23 January 2013 - Global leaders, heads of industry and representatives of non-governmental organisations are gathering in Davos for the annual World Economic Forum. The 2013 event has the theme of "resilient dynamism". Simon Jack looks ahead at the agenda and asks whether the event can do any good. (VIDEO)  || NEWS - Davos 2013: Leaders fail to inspire trust  ||  DAVOS 2013 



► Davos 2013: Is the worst of the eurozone crisis over?

► 24 January 2013 - David Cameron to address Davos

Some business leaders warn that the prime minister's EU referendum proposal will hurt investment, but others back his move, as he heads to the Davos World Economic Forum.
* Flanders: Mr Cameron in Davos
* EU viewpoints on Cameron's Europe speech
* EU: Which cape are you wearing? - VIDEO
* Transcript: Cameron speech

► Impact discussion: Does Bollywood commodify women? 23 January 2013 - Following the gang rape and murder of a 23 year old student in Delhi the debate about the treatment of women has taken the centre stage. In fact protests are still taking place across the the country and many celebrities have weighed in on the debate. Mishal Husain examines how women are portrayed in Bollywood and asks whether the industry needs to change its ways. Mishal was joined on the Impact programme by the award-winning film actress and director Nandita Das and by the Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who won an Oscar last year. (VIDEO)

► 24 January 2013  - The light fantastic: Harnessing Nature's glow - By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website  :: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21144766

► 24 January 2013  - Venezuela oil deals: Poor nations worry about future - By Pablo Uchoa BBC Brasil, Washington :

► 24 January 2013 - The offal truth about American haggis - By Jon Kelly BBC News Magazine, Washington DC :

► 24 January 2013  - EU viewpoints on Cameron's Europe speech

► Quvenzhane Wallis: Youngest best actress Oscar nominee. 24 January 2013 - Quvenzhane Wallis, 9, is the youngest best actress nominee in Academy Awards history. The Beasts of the Southern Wild star is up against Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emmanuelle Riva and Naomi Watts. Talking Movies' Tom Brook reports.(VIDEO)

► 24 January 2013 - Female smoking death risk 'has soared' - By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News :

► 23 January 2013 - Alcohol-fuelled sleep 'less satisfying' -  By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

► Himalayas: Water towers of Asia

► Which countries deserve your money? :; http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20130122-which-countries-deserve-your-money

► 24 January 2013 - Undiscovered Basel

► The successful anti-gridlock scheme of Colombia  || Meet the Franken-mobiles  

► Lolcat art: Gallery hosts exhibition of cat phenomenon. 24 January 2013  - An exhibition has opened in London devoted to the online phenomenon of cats doing funny things, known as "lolcats". It is the first of its kind in Europe, according to organisers. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world create and share online these feline-inspired, often humorous, artistic creations. Websites have sprung up to cater to the "lolcat community", and members have even developed their own language: an approximation of how cats might sound if they spoke, according to those in the know. BBC News caught up with the exhibition's organiser Jenny Theolin; Kate Miltner, who has done graduate research on the Lolcats phenomenon; and two exhibiting artists: Lizzie Mary Cullen and James O'Connell, who are both also graphic designers by day. Lolcat: Teh Exhibishun (sic) runs from 23 January to 15 February at The Framers Gallery in central London. Artwork from the event is to be auctioned off to raise money for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. VIDEO Journalists: Dave Lee and Dougal Shaw

► 24 January 2013 - In Pictures: On the street in Leamington Spa

► 23 January 2013  - Day in pictures: 23 January 2013

► 24 January 2013  - In Pictures: Monitoring the world's largest manta rays

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Swimming with a Manta Ray- Shark Therapy - Big Sharks- BBC Wildlife. Uploaded on Oct 16, 2008 by BBCWorldwide :: Beautiful underwater film of diving with giants in shallow seas. Swimming with sharks takes a little convincing for this BBC wildlife documentary crew, but it's not longer before they start to feel completely comfortable in the world of the Manta Rays. Great animal video from BBC show 'Shark Therapy - Big Sharks'.



► Today's African Proverb :: "Kicking a frog will only help it leap forward " - A Shona proverb sent by Cleophas Gwakwara, in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Takudzwa Kufa, in the UK

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CrossTalk on Mali: Target Islam? Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Is the crisis in Mali turning into a war on Islam or is it merely a continuation of the West's 'War on Terror'? Does NATO have the right to decide the quality of democracy in any country, particularly Africa? What are the justifications for French military involvement in Mali? And what good will it bring? CrossTalking with Ayo Johnson, Daniel Pipes and Kelley Vlahos.



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'Bibi obsessed with Iran strike, Obama won't let it happen'. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Protecting Israel from the perceived threat of the Iranian nuclear programme is among Netanyahu's top priorities. He has advocated a military attack on Iran's facilities in the past. However, during his third term he'll have very little support for such an attack - according to Gideon Levy, a columnist at the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.



► Clinton testifies: 'Algerian terrorists got weapons from Libya'
  ► Uranium Rush: African resource grab behind Mali mission? Published on Jan 24, 2013 :: The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed the terrorists behind the recent deadly hostage-taking in Algeria got their weapons from Libya. The attack was staged in response to France's intervention in Mali. RT's Maria Finoshina looks at why French troops are there at all.



► Mali forces accused of myriad abuses in Western-backed fight 

► Aaron Swartz stopped SOPA, his persecution political - Kim Dotcom to RT

► Central banking with 'other people's gold': A $368bn treasure trove in Lower Manhattan (Op-Ed)

► Russia ready to develop relations with US - Lavrov

► North Korea plans new nuclear test, threatens to target US

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Bali mask enthusiast shares collection. Published on Jan 22, 2013 :: A man who has turned his home on the island of Bali into a museum for others to view his collection of masks hopes his collection will allow others to better understan Indonesian culture. Agustinus Prayitno has spent his life collecting masks from both Indonesia and other areas of the world. In this report he tells Al Jazeera his story.



► Inside Story - When mutiny came to Eritrea. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Was the latest challenge to President Isaias Afawerki's rule just a taste of things to come? Inside Story with presenter Shiulie Ghosh discusses with Abdurrahman Elsayyid, from the Eritrean National Democratic Forces - a pro-democracy network committed to the advocacy and promotion of human rights; Jason Mosley - an associate fellow for the Africa Programme at Chatham House; and Kwaku Nuamah, an assistant professor at the American University's School of International Service. (VIDEO)


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Al Jazeera World - Kill Him Silently: Part 1. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Al Jazeera World unveils the story behind Israeli secret service Mossad's bungled assassination attempt on Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal and the role the failed covert operation played in the rise of the Palestinian movement's rise to power.



► Fault Lines

■ Collapsing Auto Industry in Detroit. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: As the US auto-industry continues to teeter on the verge of collapse, Fault Lines visits Detroit - Motor City - which, understandably, is one of the hardest hit places by the downturn. But this is not the first time the Michigan city has faced hardship. Even before the financial crisis exploded, Detroit had the highest home foreclosure rate in the country. It also has highest unemployment rate of any major US city and in the auto sector alone, one in three jobs has vanished since the recession began. In Washington, president Barack Obama's auto task force is re-engineering the fates of General Motors and Chrysler, and the millions of people who depend on their survival. Avi Lewis meets the people who live with the consequences of the deals struck in the nation's capital. (VIDEO)

■ California is in crisis. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: The state is $24bn short of balancing its books this year - and it may run out of cash to pay its bills in a matter of weeks. It is a local story with global implications. California's economy is the largest in the US and the eighth largest in the world - as big as Brazil and three times the size of Saudi Arabia.  If California fails, the shock waves of this economic crisis will be felt around the globe. Enter the Hollywood action hero. In his final year as governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a radical plan. He is trying to balance the budget entirely by slashing government spending - mostly programmes for the poor. Millions of Californians would lose welfare and health care benefits, thousands of teachers and state workers would be fired. State prisoners would be dumped into county jails.  Avi Lewis travels to South Central Los Angeles to learn about the political causes and the human impact of shock therapy, California style - and gets a glimpse of how the next chapter of the global economic crisis is likely to unfold. (VIDEO)

■ Evangelism in the Military. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: The United States is a deeply religious country, over 90% believe in god and 80% believe in miracles. For the US military, dealing with its own religious identity has become an internal battle. Growing evidence points towards a rising influence of evangelical Christianity, and with two wars still raging in Muslim countries with significant religious overtones, there could be serious consequences for the US mission. Pentagon officials say incidents are isolated, aberrations occur, but others closely tied to the military and its religious leadership say a transformation is taking place with dire costs. On this weeks episode of Fault Lines, we look at the battle over the religious soul of the US military.  Also, we sit down with Brent Scowcroft, the National Security Advisor under Presidents Ford and George H.W. Bush. He gives Fault Lines a fresh take on the issue of religion in the military and how it is impacting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (VIDEO) 

■ US Admiral Michael Mullen. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: Josh Rushing goes one-on-one with Michael Mullen to find out what US military strategy looks like in the Obama era. What exactly is the US trying to achieve with its foreign wars? (VIDEO)

■ Town Hall Debate on Torture. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: This week on Fault Lines, Josh Rushing joins a panel of experts in front of a live studio audience for a town hall debate on torture. The panel includes: Lawrence Wilkerson, Michael Scheuer, Jumana Musa and Jim Moran. We ask what it will take to dismantle the Bush administration's legacy of torture and if those responsible will be held to account. (VIDEO)

■ Obama's New Strategy in Afghanistan. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: On Fault Lines, Josh Rushing embeds with US troops on the front lines of Obama's war and asks: What is the US trying to achieve in Afghanistan, and will it really make the US safer? (VIDEO) 

■ Newt Gingrich. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: At 65 years old and more than a decade out of office, Newt Gingrich remains one of the most powerful figures in Washington. As speaker of the House, he led the Republican party from the backbenches of US politics to national prominence in the mid-1990s. He ruthlessly attacked the Democrats on every major issue, drilling holes into the Clinton agenda while building support for his conservative brand. Today, with the Republican party struggling to regroup after a devastating defeat in the November elections, Gingrich is once again back in the spotlight. Avi Lewis goes one-on-one with the influential Republican and asks him if, having pulled off a political revolution once before, he is gearing up to do it again? (VIDEO)

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Clinton under fire over Benghazi attack. Published on Jan 23, 2013 :: A defiant US Secretary of State has faced tough questioning in Congress over security failings that led to the deaths of four Americans in an attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi. At one point Hillary Clinton fought back tears as she described meeting the families of the dead, who included the US ambassador to Libya. She angrily defended her department's record, blaming Congress for a lack of funding to protect US embassies around the world. Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports from Capitol Hill. 



► STREAM - All the single ladies 

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North Korea 'plans to conduct nuclear test'. Published on Jan 24, 2013 :: China has called for calm and restraint after North Korea said it will carry out further rocket launches and a nuclear test targeting the United States. Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the "relevant party" not to take any steps that would raise tensions. Pyongyang's announcement comes just days after the United Nations increased sanctions against North Korea, following a rocket launch last month. Harry Fawcett has the latest from Busan, South Korea.

Latest Headlines

■ Congress Charts New Collision Course over Deficit
■ Trial of Suspects in India Gang Rape Case Starts
■ Mali's Ansar Dine Splits Into 2
■ Bangladesh Fire Victims' Families Wait for Money 
■ Fontana, Calif., Schools Get High-Powered Rifles 
■ Vehicle Collision Sparks Mass Riot in Azerbaijan
■ U.S. Navy Ship Taking on Water on Philippine Reef
■ Mexican Court Frees Frenchwoman in Kidnapping Case
■ Va. University Lockdown Ends; Gun Report a Hoax
■ CNN: Kerry Faces Hearing for Sec of State

► After Successful Missile Launch, N Korea Threatens New Nuclear Test

By Austin Ramzy
* Pondering North Korea's Endgame 
* Defiant North Korea Fires Long-Range Rocket
* A New Look at North Korea (PHOTOS)

► U.K. Rethinks Ties to E.U.: Cameron Pledges Vote on Leaving Europe
        * Will Britain Exit the European Union?

► Afghanistan in Retrograde: America Prepares to Withdraw 

► Iran's Agenda: Why Tehran Plays Hard to Get on Nuclear Diplomacy

► Pentagon Chief Lifts Ban on Women in Combat 

► Meet Yair Lapid: The New Strongman of Israeli Politics 

► Clinton: U.S. Strengthening Embassy Security

► A Scion Rises in India: How Rahul Gandhi Can Turn into a Political Success

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■ Pay Up for a Good Seat on Southwest
■ Do Food Shows Need the Voice Treatment?
■ The Teen Who Beat Serena Williams 
■ Ancient Space Storm Struck Earth

► The Strange World of Basque Sports

► David Douglas Duncan: To Hell and Back (PHOTOS) 

► Chaos and Killing in Syria: Photos of a Slow-Motion Civil War (PHOTOS)

► Poll: GOP can woo Latino voters with shift on immigration

► Pentagon ends ban on women in combat

► Newly cleared, Gen. Allen to command NATO 

► U.S. court considers claim on art stolen by Nazis

► California bills target false 911 calls in 'swatting' cases. After a spate of phony reports of crimes at celebrities' homes, legislators from the Los Angeles area propose bills to increase penalties for making bogus reports to police. 

► Manti Te'o Hoax

* He isn't the only athlete fooled into fake relationship
* Te'o: Lied after learning about ruse
* Woman in photos calls plan 'twisted'
* Plaschke: It shouldn't go this far
* Teoing pokes fun at player 

► Behind the lens: Star trail time-lapse over Death Valley

► Pictures in the News | January 23, 2013 - Posted By: Marc Martin