News Headlines (420) 15 November 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Your cultural leanings are accentuated, thanks to your terrific personal energy today -- so get out there and hit up a gallery or make a splash at a concert or some other event. You can do this! Still feeling solid, practical and responsible, not to mention grounded? Good. Because considering what might tumble out of your mouth today, you're going to need a healthy dose of confidence. What's it going to be? Well, it's tough to say -- but it won't be something you or anyone around you could ever have predicted. Almost sounds like fun, doesn't it?



► FOXNEWS

■ 13 November 2013 : Francis Bacon painting sells for record $142.4M at auction
■ 14 November 2013 : Benghazi attackers knew location of ambassador's safe room: congressman

► NY DAILY NEWS 13 November 2013 : Andy Warhol painting sells for $105M, new record for artis

► CBC CA 13 November 2013 : Pink Star diamond sells for record $83M at auction  ||  ► NEWS SKY 14 November 2013 : Pink Star Diamond Sells For Record Price

► GUARDIAN 14 November 2013 : Police tried to spy on Cambridge students, secret footage shows

► NATIONAL POST 14 November 2013 : For just $916,000 you could buy a Maltese passport and a coveted life in the E.U.

► FILM & ANIMATIONS : Disney's Maleficent Official Teaser Trailer. Maleficent in theaters May 30, 2014. "Maleficent," the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the 1959 classic "Sleeping Beauty," reveals the events that hardened Maleficent's heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora. Published on Nov 13, 2013 by DisneyMovieTrailers



► FILM * ANIMATIONS : DIVERGENT - Trailer - Official [HD] - 2013. DIVERGENT is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a future where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Tris Prior (Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all Divergents, she must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late. Based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth. In theaters & IMAX March 21, 2014. Published on Nov 13, 2013 by SummitScreeningRoom



► NEWS & POLITICS : Wage Crisis - The USA's new underclass. Economic hardship in the world's biggest financial superpower. The squeezed American middle class has been at breaking point for some time. Now with politicians reluctant to raise the minimum wage and food stamps being cut, the social consequences could be devastating.

Mike Doyle's plummet into the ranks of America's working poor is dramatic. He was a Wall Street trader - then the GFC clobbered his hedge fund and now he's mixing drinks at night for $2.13 an hour. Every day he takes the dawn ferry to Manhattan to try - so far in vain - to resuscitate his financial career. "I think it's a real big issue now. Every family I know, all of these people have two jobs", he tells us. As renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz points out, he's far from being alone. "Most Americans have seen their incomes stagnate or fall since 2008. Median income of a full-time male worker today is lower than it was 40 years ago." Yet despite the grind, some refuse to give up, like young mother of one Tayzia Treadwell. She works as a security guard in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in America, while raising her child and studying at business college. "I want the good life that everyone dreams when you're in school and you draw the little house and the picket fence and a dog. I just want a happy ending." But without help it is difficult to see even those like Tayzia achieving their dreams. The land of opportunity? Not anymore.

ABC Australia - Published on Nov 4, 2013 by Journeyman Pictures



► NEWS & POLITICS : The Collapse of The American Dream Explained in Animation. We're doomed. pass it on. Uploaded on Jan 11, 2011 by doctordude




► NEWS & POLITIC : Russell Brandwagon, CIA Healthcare, Food Stamp Riots - New World Next Week. Published on Oct 31, 2013 by corbettreport



► NEWS & POLITIC : ObamaCare: What You're Not Being Told. Published on Oct 31, 2013 by StormCloudsGathering

► RENAN OZTURK // CINEMATOGRAPHER + DIRECTOR // REEL 2013

► WORLD WRAP : Russian militants fight in Syria, raise fears back home

► NSA chief says Snowden leaked up to 200,000 secret documents 

► Philippines In Ruins

* U.S. carrier starts Philippine relief 
* Video: Generators, tents, cars sent as aid 
* Bremmer: China's meager typhoon aid
* Slideshow: Scenes of destruction 
* Interactive: Before and after 
* Factbox: How to help survivors 

► Pink Star diamond auctioned for record $83 million
► New skyscraper opens on site of World Trade Center
► Philippines buries some dead as survivors beg for help
► D i a b e t e s
► Nasrallah vows Hezbollah will keep fighting in Syria war
► Indian cricket legend Tendulkar plays final Test match. Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar takes to the pitch for his 200th and final Test, bidding farewell to his adoring public and basking in tributes from fellow players, politicians and fans.
► Russia, Egypt in talks on military collaboration

► Brazil's best buttocks at Miss BumBum 2013 pageant. 25-year-old Dai Macelo was chosen among 15 finalists as the woman with the most beautiful buttocks in Brazil. Images and soundbites of the election of Miss BumBum 2013.  ***WARNING: Contains images of partial nudity-Viewer discretion advised.

I feel embarrassed when women feel proud because their bodies exploited for public satisfaction. "Why do they create the situation when the butt is more meaningful than the brain?" I asked myself.

Yesterday I saw a man aged about 23-24 years was walking naked on the side of the highway. Maybe he was a Schizophrenia sufferer, well ... I guessed at least he's a psychosis.

I felt sorry for him. His penis looked like something that had no humanity at all. He has lost his lofty contacts with reality, that's why he did not feel embarrassed. He kept walking with a blank stare. I surprised myself, "What's the difference between him today and a dog in another time which was also walking in the street without clothes?"

With a little hasty, at that time I concluded that the degree of human dignity was not determined from the ownership of genitals, but more on how we treated our genitals.

I wonder why you're smiling sweetly while showing off your body nakedness to the public? Do you intend to auction off your genitals as the most expensive jewelry in the world? Wow. Who do you think you are? Your sex tools are not the rarest thing, do not have a high selling value, because we, other women also have the same thing, but we do not want to show off our genitals because for us it is an exclusive item, exceeding the value of your presidential shoes, understand?

Well yeah, ... by the way, what is your true gender? In the current civilization, do not be upset if the men can also beat your sexy bodies with sexier bodies as a modern engineering technology, nyah nyah nyah!
***

► Miss France contestants make first public appearance

► Slow Trickle of Aid to the Philippines

► Policy Cancellations: Obama Will Allow Old Plans

► NEWS

■ Egypt's Sisi sees new defense cooperation with Russia
■ Egypt: Russia too important to be US substitute
■ FM: Egypt not replacing US with Russia as top ally
■ Egypt gives Russian dignitaries red carpet welcome

Oh, the latest Egypt? You think Morsi did not do it? Ah, as I recall, Mosri also did it. But why was Morsi mildly spicy to Syria? Thus, Russia's okay with the Egyptian military? Oh?

■ US gambling with Israel's security: minister
■ Israel strikes Gaza after Palestinian rocket fire
■ Israel warplanes strike Gaza after militant mortar fire
■ On war anniversary, Hamas holds major military rally
■ Sanctions easing can be reversed if Iran does not deliver: Obama
■ Obama urges U.S. lawmakers against further sanctions on Iran
■ Iran putting brakes on nuclear expansion under Rouhani: IAEA report
■ Israel says West discussed big sanctions cut with Iran
■ EU to re-impose Iran sanctions quashed by court
■ Hezbollah chief vows to continue fighting in Syria
■ Hezbollah will keep fighting in Syria war, says Nasrallah
■ Norway to send ships to Syria to ferry weapons out
■ Russia's Putin gets honorary taekwondo black belt
■ China says people sympathetic about Philippines, online criticism unrepresentative
■ Paul McCartney urges Putin to help free Greenpeace activists
■ North Korea denies aiding Syria in fight against rebels
■ Saudi migrant crackdown closes shops, raises fears
■ FBI: OK for Congress to talk to Benghazi survivors
■ Obama's healthcare 'fix' strictly political move
■ What Obama's health care announcement means
■ Cursed Jewels: Think twice before putting one of these jewels around your neck!
■ NASA Maps to Aid Super Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Relief

► HEALTH : Early Warning Signs of Diabetes: Are You at Risk?

► FINANCE

■ More Taxpayers Are Abandoning the U.S.
■ Bitcoin Couple Travels the World Using Virtual Cash

► TRAVEL

■ For spectacular holiday light shows, go here
■ Istanbul's cursed palace turned five-star hotel

■ Hawaii town tells state travel agency: Stop sending tourists here

► MOVIES : '12 Years a Slave' Underscores Scourge of Modern Slavery

► GRIND TV : Deep-sea clam, world's oldest creature, was 507 when captured by scientists

► MAGAZINE : Sibling bullying: 'I wished I hadn't been born'

► SCIENCE &  ENVIRONMENT

■ DNA hint of European origin for dogs
■ Quantum memory 'world record' smashed

► ANALYSIS : Return of the bear - How Russia is reasserting itself as a key Middle East arms supplier 

► HEALTH : 'Kangaroo care' key for premature babies

► FUTURE

■ The 'Very Large' Hadron Collider needs a better name

■ We must become a multi-planet species

Actually I wanted to say, "Really?", But then I felt my question was more voicing pessimism than optimism. So, I just read it -- such as reading -- with the same sensation as when I read, "Forbidden to pee on the moon."

I believe the great work comes from a great dream. So, do not stop dreaming the big dreams. (Dahling, if we can get there, can you erect on Pluto? Well, Pluto. Pluto?

► Today's African Proverb : "A lion does not turn around when a small dog barks"- Sent by David O Musita in Kenya

► RT in Gitmo: Is there end in sight for US 'Gulag' 12 years after opening?
► Kids too annoying? UK bill seeks to criminalize children's 'nuisance'
► Egypt seeks to bring friendship with Russia to 'Soviet level'
► Obama changes signature healthcare plan after public backlash
► Human rights court turns down Polish govt request to keep CIA jail hearing closed
► Putin calls Assad on Geneva-2, chemical weapons, persecution of Christians
► IAEA: Iran has not expanded nuclear facilities in last 3 months

► VIDEOS

■ New Wikileak: Trans-pacific trade deal revealed, dubbed anti-consumer for mega-corp bias
■ 'Gitmo 2': US mulls inmate rehabitation center in Yemen
■ Heroin Capital: Afghan opium sets global drug supply record
■ Israeli Imperative: 'No deal unless Iran dismantles nuclear capacity'
■ Truck trailer trashed in Sydney tunnel roof crash

► Inside Story : Russia and Egypt: Reviving old ties?

► SYRIA : Jihad for Beginners -  A growing number of western citizens are flocking to Syria to fight alongside extremist groups

► Never-Before-Seen Photos of JFK's Final Moments - View images taken just a few feet from John F. Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas the day he was assassinated.

* The Debunker Among the JFK Conspiracy Buffs
* Kennedy's Assassination: How LIFE Brought the Zapruder Film to Light

► CELEBRITIES : Confirmed: R2D2 Will Be In New Star Wars - Beep bloop be-doo tweeeee!

► SCIENCE : DNA reveals how wolves became our pet dogs

► LOCAL : Beach cities offer L.A. a cautionary tale on earthquakes - Santa Monica and Long Beach adopted strong regulations on retrofitting vulnerable buildings after the 1994 Northridge quake, but their resolve waned in passing years. 

► NATION : GAO criticizes TSA program to monitor passenger behavior

► JACKET COPY - BOOKS : Official wants to de-fund library, users should 'go back to Mexico'

* David Shoemaker's 'The Squared Circle' looks at wrestling's heavy toll
* Google wins against Authors Guild; Google Books suit dismissed

► ENTERTAINMENT - HEROCOMPLEX : PS4 first impressions: Sony's new console is sociable about gaming

► FRAMEWORK

■ Pictures in the News | Nov. 14, 2013
■ The Vincent Thomas Bridge turns 50

News Headlines (116) 5 January 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Gene Variant Linked to Active Personality Traits Also Linked to Human Longevity Jan. 3, 2013  

► Video of World's Shortest Escalator Goes Viral - By Melissa Knowles | Trending Now – Thu, Jan 3, 2013

► Published on Jan 2, 2013. :: Is located in Kawasaki, Japan. You can find it within ''More's department store'' located across the street from the JR Kawasaki train station!



► Ubuntu coming to smartphones 

► Adele's '21' scores again, beating Swift for 2012's top album

► London Fireworks 2013 with Music and Sound Bites of 2012 Mix - New Year Live - BBC One. Published on Dec 31, 2012 :: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone  | London's 2013 fireworks on New Year's Day. Track list:
01 Nero: Me and You
02 Willy Moon: Yeah Yeah
03 Dépêche Mode: Personal Jesus
04 The Clash: London Calling
05 ELO: Mr Blue Sky
06 Take That: Shine
07 Coldplay / Katy Perry: Paradise / Wide Awake Remix
08 Public Enemy: Harder Than You Think
09 NWA: Something 2 Dance 2
10 Sam & The Womp: Bom Bom Bom
11 Psy: Gangnam Style
12 Florence & The Machine: Spectrum (Say My Name) - Calvin Harris Remix
13 Queen: We Will Rock You
14 Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band: Sing
15 Ellie Goulding: Anything Could Happen
16 The Who: Won't Get Fooled Again
17 Dizzee Rascal: Bonkers
18 The Clash: Should I Stay Or Should I Go
19 One Direction: Live While We're Young
20 Swedish House Mafia / Tine Tempah: From Miami to Ibiza


►
Should new Congress mean new rules? Published on Jan 3, 2013 :: The latest Congress has been sworn in, and one of the most important aspects of what business actually gets done and when has to do with the rules. The House of Representatives votes on rules for Congress, but the upper chamber - the Senate - rarely ever does. Daniel Schuman of the Sunlight Foundation joins us for more. 



New Congress Ready to Fight

The fight between Democrats and Republicans are entering a new phase along with the inauguration of House of Representatives members and the U.S. Senate on Thursday (1/3) local time.

The 113th United States Congress composed of 12 senators and 84 members of new Parliament. The amount is slightly alter the power balance in the Senate and House of Representatives.

When compared with the previous generation, Democrats now have 201 members in the House or an increase of 10 members. The Republicans lost 8 seats to 234 members.

In the senate which includes 100 seats, Democrats still dominate with 55 members, an increase of 2 members when compared to the previous generation. The composition, according to Larry Sabato -- the Director of Political Studies Center, University of Virginia, USA -- will repeat the battle between the Democrats and the republic in Congress. "As fiscal cliff debate, both sides will engage in another tough fight. Each party will remain polarized. Quite clearly, the Republicans do not like President Obama personally," he said.

The condition is believed to be difficult for Obama when he files the draft law on firearms control to Congress by the end of this month. Just for the record, Obama vowed to fight the bill shortly after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 boys and 6 adults, last December.

Another issue that makes the Democrats and Republicans will wrestle is the debt ceiling and budget. As an illustration, the U.S. now has the biggest debt U.S. $ 16.4 trillion. The amount is equal to the limit set by the U.S. Congress. That the U.S. government may owe more, the ceiling should be raised. The problem is, Republicans -- who control the House -- insist will not raise the ceiling if Obama does not cut the budget significantly.

Senior Economist of JP Morgan Chase Bank, James Glassman estimated the debate in Congress would be held tight and focused on the need to cut government spending which burdening the budget. "The culprit is health care, government spending for federal health care. That is a matter of debate for several years, "he said.

Nevertheless, Obama refused to carry out the "horse trading" at the expense of health care for raising the debt ceiling. "If the Republicans think I will finalize the budget deficit reduction only through the budget cuts, it's not the way. Republicans try to sacrifice the budget cuts that will hurt senior citizens, students, and middle-class families, "Obama said. With a budget deficit of over U.S. $ 1 trillion, Obama warned Republicans not to scuttle the efforts of government, because the failure of raising the debt ceiling would be fatal. "The consequences for global economy would be dangerous, far worse than the impact of Fiscal Cliff," he said.

Meanwhile, John Boehner was able to maintain his position as House Speaker by voting. A total of 220 people supporting him, while 192 refused him. It is the smallest difference in the House Speaker election since 1997. This fact is the deal impact in Fiscal Cliff bill agreed at January 1, 2013. John Campbell, a Republican House member from California was disappointed with his party - which is famous for its antitax - approved the bill.
***
(CZ/AZ/D-fcusa13)





► Raw: Bear Gets Cake, Toy Walrus for 1st Birthday. Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: Polar bear Anori celebrated her first birthday at the Wuppertal Zoo in western Germany on Friday. The zoo gave her a cake and a walrus made out of cardboard to play with. (Jan. 4) :



► Pakistani Girl (Malala Yousafzai) Activist Released by UK Hospital. Published on Jan 4, 2013 ::  A teenage Pakistani girl shot in the head by the Taliban for promoting girls' education has been released from hospital. (Jan. 4)



►
Raw: Obama Takes Daughters Out for Shaved Ice. Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: President Obama took his daughters Sasha and Malia out for shaved ice on Thursday. The President rejoined his family on their vacation in Hawaii after Congress completed its deal on the fiscal cliff. (Jan. 4)  || ► Tropical Sno - How to make a perfect Shaved Ice using the Swan SI-100 Block Ice Shaver

► Detroit reports highest homicide rate in 20 years - By Ron Recinto | Yahoo! News 

► Colo. theater shooting kin reject movie invitation - Relatives of 9 killed in Colorado movie theater reject 'disgusting' invitation to reopening | By Dan Elliott and Colleen Slevin, Associated Press 

► Wounded ex-Rep. Giffords meets with Conn. families - By By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | Associated Press 

► Photo Shows Obama Hearing of Sandy Hook Shooting - By Z. Byron Wolf | ABC OTUS News

► Obama's Second Term May Be More Blessed Than Cursed - By Akhil Reed Amar, The Atlantic | National Journal

► Israel's ex-security chief says Netanyahu wavering and weak - By Dan Williams | Reuters 

► 7 Resolutions for a Better Planet - By Douglas Main, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer | LiveScience.com

► NASA's Curiosity rover finds 'flower' on surface of Mars

► 'Invisible' photographer Liu Bolin - Liu Bolin has a thing for hiding in plain sight. Known as the chameleon, the photographer has made a career out of painting himself into the photos he takes. It's an amazing skill, and it's on full display in his latest collection of images. With the help of his collaborators, Bolin's body vanishes into the background. Forget about Waldo. Where's Liu? 

► 5 January 2013  - Chavez 'can rule without oath' || VIDEO 

Venezuela's vice-president says Hugo Chavez can begin his new six-year term in office, even if he is too ill to be sworn-in on Thursday.
* Chavez inauguration puzzle
* World media consider life after Chavez 

► Sandy flood aid passes Congress

The US Congress passes an aid package for victims of "superstorm" Sandy days after an outcry from politicians in hard-hit areas over a delay in approval.
* Sandy aid bill 'bare minimum' - VIDEO
* Sandy: Ortley Beach struggles 
* Sandy triggers climate blame game 

► Marriage boost for Chinese couples on 'love you forever' day. 4 January 2013  -  The date 4 January 2013 when translated into Mandarin sounds similar to the phrase 'love you forever'. As a result, there has been a huge surge in the number of couples in China getting married in the hope that the auspicious date will bless their unions forever. Weiliang Nie Reports. (VIDEO)

* China wedding boom on 'lucky day'
* Sham marriages for Shanghai's gay community 

► 3 January 2013 - India bananas seek bigger share of global market By Parameswaran Sivaramakrishnan Producer, Tamil Service, BBC World Service

► Bardot threatens Russia move over elephants. 4 January 2013  - Former French film star Brigitte Bardot could be come a Russian citizen in a row over two sick zoo elephants. Ms Bardot has threatened to move abroad unless France stops the elephants, which suffer from tuberculosis, being put down. On Thursday, the actor Gerard Depardieu obtained a Russian passport following a tax row with the French government. The BBC's Samantha Barry reports (VIDEO)

* Bardot 'to seek Russia passport'
* Depardieu becomes Russian citizen

► Bid to restore Old Jakarta to former glory. 4 January 2013  - The Indonesian government is attempting to make its capital Jakarta more attractive by revitalising the city's old town, once the heart of Dutch colonial rule. It's hoped public-private finance deals can be struck to fund improvements in the area which has become dilapidated and dirty. Karishma Vaswani reports.(VIDEO)

► CrossTalk: Ciao CIA? Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: Is it time to disband the CIA and start from scratch? What accounts for so many failures surrounding the agency? Is it possible to have intelligence agencies more accountable to the public? And shouldn't the CIA be forced to justify the use of drones to Congress and the public? CrossTalking with Jacob Hornberger, Paul Schulte, and Lawrence Davidson. (VIDEO)

► Israel-Syria wall: Safeguard or 'apartheid'? Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: The walls around Israel are growing as the country's army builds a new physical barrier, this time on its border with Syria. The wall will reportedly begin in the southern part of the occupied Golan Heights, extending north from there. (VIDEO) 

► GRAPHIC VIDEO: Protester stabs himself in stomach in South Korea. Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: WARNING: Graphic video - A Japanese special envoy arrived in South Korea on Friday to continue talks aimed at improving diplomatic relations between the two countries. Shortly before the envoy's arrival at Gimpo International Airport a demonstration was held in which one man, Lim Chang-geun, mimicked hari-kiri by stabbing himself in the stomach. Relations between South Korea and Japan have been strained by a territorial dispute over rocky outcroppings that Korea calls Dokdo and Japan calls Takeshima and which both claim. "Before sending us an envoy, Japan should have apologized before the international community and South Korean people," said protester Oh Chun-do. "Without an apology the envoy means nothing." Japan's envoy, Fukushiro Nukaga, will meet with South Korea's incoming President Park Geun Hye.  (VIDEO) 


► S.Korea scared of Japan? Published on Aug 17, 2012 by YujiroTaniyama



►
Putin second to 'Nobody' on world's most powerful list. Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: International political thinktank Eurasia Group has ranked Russian President Vladimir Putin second on its list of the world's most powerful people. The first position is held by 'Nobody,' reflecting the perception of a world without a clear leader. The list, published by Foreign Policy magazine, ranks individuals' ability to singlehandedly "bring about change that significantly affects the lives and fortunes of large numbers of people."



► Putin second to 'Nobody' on world's most powerful list - thinktank

► Obama to pay US debt with trillion-dollar coins?

► Sandy victims mad as hell at Congress

► Pentagon bans gay sites

► Indian woman jumps from train to escape rape

►
Inside Story - Why do HIV cases keep rising in Russia? Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: he number of HIV cases in Russia is soaring and more people are dying from HIV/AIDS, with more than one million people living with HIV. So how does Russia plan to stem the rise in HIV? Guests: Tony Barnett, Dr Jens Lundgren.


►
Inside Story Americas - Has Bolivia's coca-growing scheme worked? Published on Jan 4, 2013 :: Bolivia's own regulations show promising signs of progress in controlling coca-leaf production. Was President Evo Morales right to kick out the US Drug Enforcement Administration? Guests: John Walsh, Eric Farnsworth, Sanho Tree.

Latest Headlines

■ Former U.S. Rep. Giffords Visits Newtown, Conn.
■ Saudi's Top Cleric Warns Against Mixing of Genders
■ Ex-Rep. Frank Asks Mass. Gov. to Name Him Senator
■ New Search Engine Tailors Its Results for Tablets
■ Syrian Warplanes Bomb Suburbs of the Capital
■ Congress to Vote on Superstorm Sandy Flood Aid
■ Venezuela's Chávez Fighting Severe Lung Infection 
■ Indian Court to Rule on Generic Drug Industry
■ Poll: Obesity's a Crisis but We Want Our Junk Food
■ School Offers Fresh Start for Sandy Hook Kids
■ Richardson: N Korea Trip is Private, Humanitarian
■ Fatah Party Stages First Rally in Gaza Since 2007
■ Afghan Militants Freed by Government
■ CNN: Blizzard Shuts Down Part of Texas Highway
■ CNN: U.S. Debt Rating at Risk

► Antitrust Deal: FTC's Restraint Is Google's Win

By Sam Gustin
* How the Best Tech Companies Treat Their Employees

► Should the Indian Gang Rape Victim Remain Anonymous?

* Viewpoint: Rape in India — A Result of Sex Selection? 

► Joe Klein: Why Barney Frank Shouldn't Be a Senator
► Mississippi River Could Close to Barge Traffic Within Days
► Our Personalities Are in Constant Flux, Even If We Think They're Not
► Obama's 'Alice in Wonderland' Veil of Secrecy 
► CNN: Defense Battles Social Media in Ohio Rape Case

Featured

■ All-Wet Meteorite Arrives from Mars
■ Beyond the Mouse and Keyboard
■ The Week's Best Political Cartoons 
■ Decoding Downton Abbey's DNA

► Pictures of the Week: December 28 – January 4 

► Photographer Spotlight: Michael Rougier

► After Newtown, School-Shooter Training for Teachers

► Obama expected to nominate Chuck Hagel as secretary of Defense

► It's official: Obama, Biden win second term

► Boehner promises Republicans he'll fight Obama over debt ceiling

► In his San Francisco digs, 'Sutro Sam' is living just as he otter

►
"Sutro Sam" Wild River Otter at Sutro Baths - San Francisco. Published on Oct 10, 2012 by AlchemicalNature  || ► Rare river OTTER spotted in San Francisco. Published on Jan 4, 2013 by sravantd


► Saving thousands of adoptable animals, one at a time

► Sahara rock appears to be first meteorite from Mars' crust

► Construction is complete on behemoth airship; first flight planned

► Dwarf galaxies around Andromeda pose questions for astronomers

► Awesome images from space

► B o n o b o s  may prefer sharing food with strangers over groupmates 

► Waola, Baby Bonobo. Published on Aug 2, 2012 by Bonobo DotOrg :: Michael Hurley, of Bonobo Conservation Initiative, discusses baby Waola. Waola, like many bonobos, was injured by a snare in the rainforest.



► Connecticut gun shows canceled after Newtown school shooting 

► At the Consumer Electronics Show, more glitz than gee whiz

► Gray wolf takes to California but is unlikely to find a mate here

► Growing mizuna, the new year greens

► Your New Year's resolutions, as demonstrated by cats [VIDEO]

► Pictures in the News - Jan. 4, 2013 

2 PICTURES TODAY

A zoo keeper holds a Bull frog during the annual stocktake at ZSL London Zoo in central London on January 3, 2013. ZSL London Zoo embarked on January 3 on their annual complete head-count of every animal at the zoo, which houses over 17,000 animals. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALL

US Marine Corps former minesweeper Mark Zambon, member of the team Race 2 Recovery, consisting of British and US soldiers who have suffered serious injuries in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years, enters a car in Lima on January 3, 2013, ahead of the 2013 Dakar Rally which this year will thunder through Peru, Argentina and Chile from January 5 to 20. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

News Headlines (114) 3 January 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Space Travel May Be Harmful to the Brain, Study Suggests; Prolonged Cosmic Radiation Exposure Could Hasten Alzheimer's

► Apple Is Already Testing The iPhone 6 - by Jay Yarow 

► Next-generation iPhone, iOS 7 discovered in website logs - By Brad Reed | BGR News

► China eyes April opening of world's largest building - Chengdu's New Century Global Centre is latest symbol of China's economic might and massive ambition | By CNN Travel staff 28 December, 2012 

► Hillary Clinton - The woman most admired by Americans 

► Naomi Watts: Playing Princess Diana was the hardest thing I've done -  By Eleanor Gower  PUBLISHED 5 December 2012 

► Leonardo DiCaprio's Bi-Continental New Year's Eve - By Richard Lawson | The Atlantic Wire

► Effect of fiscal cliff  to taxpayers  ||  Has the 'fiscal cliff' fight changed how Washington works?  ||  The Cliff is Dead. Long Live the Cliff.  ||  Debt Ceiling Doubt and Its Costs  ||  VIDEOS - Jeffrey Miron 

► 'World to be dominated by China-US connection'. Published on May 6, 2012 by RussiaToday :: China's rampant economic growth and political influence continues raising numerous questions about the outcomes of this growth. China expert and author John Naisbitt told RT that the world is soon to be dominated by US-China relations.




►
Odessa Girls - Ukraine. Published on Nov 8, 2012 by journeymanpictures :: With its seemingly endless supply of beautiful young, single women, Odessa, on the frontier of the ex-Soviet union, is fast becoming the seedy new tourist magnet for single American men of all ages.

"I'm already too old for the men here... Getting a man here is very competitive, because there are so few of them." In a city where women outnumber men almost five to four, Julia's situation is typical of many. Following an abusive marriage she signed up with one of the many local agencies that offer the chance to be paired up with hopefuls from abroad. Paying upwards of three and a half thousand dollars, men from across the globe travel to Odessa in the hope of meeting beautiful young women. But despite accusations of being little more than a legalised pimping service, clients such as Arthur, a 65 year-old veteran of six romance tours, have no qualms with the service they offer. "It's like purchasing a very nice used Cadillac," he explains. "I need to drive it before I make a decision about taking it home and putting it in my garage." But for the women who don't get picked it's frequently a case of disappointment and heartbreak. "It feels like we're goods in a market," explains Julia. "No one there looks inside our hearts."



►
Teenage Heroin Epidemic. Published on Jun 20, 2012 by VICE :: Swansea Love Story: An award-winning look at a generation lost to heroin, as told through the tragic love story of Amy and Cornelius.

In 2009, Swansea drug agencies reported a 180 percent rise in heroin use, and it's visible on the city's streets. Early one morning we meet a young, homeless couple named Amy and Cornelius in a city centre alley. As heroin-addicted alcoholics, they're smack in the middle of two of South Wales's most harrowing epidemics.




► Le Libre Penseur (Dr Salim Laïbi), Novembre 2012.  Published on Nov 23, 2012 ::  "La faillite du monde moderne". (VIDEO) 





► Clinton Leaves Hospital After Treatment for Clot. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been released from a New York hospital where she was treated for a blood clot in her head. (Jan. 2)  (VIDEO)


► Christie Blames Boehner for Sandy Aid Inaction. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is fuming over the House's decision to not hold a vote on Superstorm Sandy relief package. Christie said Wednesday that the only group to blame for decision is the House's GOP majority and Speaker John Boehner. (Jan. 2) (VIDEO)

► Rep. King Says Boehner Promises Sandy Aid Votes. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: Rep. Peter King says House Speaker John Boehner has promised votes to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy by Jan. 15. King says the speaker will schedule a vote Friday for $9 billion in flood insurance and another on Jan. 15 for $51 billion. (Jan. 2) (VIDEO) 

►
Sea Lion As Scientist: Animals Help Stop Decline. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: Seventy-five percent of Steller Sea Lions have vanished in the North Pacific. Now, a team of researchers near Vancouver, British Columbia, is working with trained sea lions to figure out why the population is in such steep decline. (Jan. 2)



► Obama: Deal Makes Tax Code More Fair. Published on Jan 1, 2013 ::  President Obama says the fiscal cliff deal makes the tax code more fair, while helping the US avoid falling back into recession. The President spoke after the House passed the bill Tuesday night. (Jan. 2) (VIDEO) 

► Obama Praises Deal, Says There's More to Be Done.  Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: President Obama is praising the bill that staves off the fiscal cliff tax hikes and spending cuts. The House of Representatives followed the Senate's lead, and passed the bill late Tuesday. (Jan. 2) (VIDEO) 

►
Raw: President Heading to Hawaii.  Published on Jan 1, 2013 :: President Obama is returning to Hawaii to resume his vacation. The President left the White House after the House of Representatives approved the deal to avert the fiscal cliff. (Jan. 2) || ► Raw: Obama Returns to Hawaii. Published on Jan 2, 2013 ::  President Barack Obama is back in Hawaii for vacation after a tense, end-of-the-new-year standoff with Congress over the fiscal cliff. (Jan. 2)

► McConnell: Fiscal cliff deal not great, but it shields Americans from tax hike - By Sen. Mitch McConnell, Special to Yahoo! News 

► 'Fiscal cliff' deal: What will it mean for you? Some aspects of the fiscal cliff deal are well-known – such as rising tax rates on the rich. But, actually, everyone will be paying more taxes. Here's a look at the deal's details. By Mark Trumbull | Christian Science Monitor  

► Budget deal leaves U.S. defense sector in limbo - By Jim Wolf and David Alexander 

► Obama Signs 'Fiscal Cliff' Bill With Autopen - By Mary Bruce | ABC OTUS News 

► Obama's Push for Immigration Reform Starts Now - By Adam Clark Estes | The Atlantic Wire

► How Obama won and lost in 'fiscal cliff' deal - President Obama would have looked incompetent if the nation had gone over the fiscal cliff. But now he faces three more cliffs early in 2013, and those could limit his scope. By Linda Feldmann | Christian Science Monitor 

► Obama begins second term facing pessimistic public: Poll 

► U.S. economy to row against austerity tide in 2013 - By Jason Lange 

► US still faces political fights on spending, debt -  By PAUL WISEMAN and CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER | Associated Press

► The new normal for politics - By Marc Ambinder | The Week :: http://news.yahoo.com/normal-politics-151200353.html  

► Congress' OK of fiscal cliff deal gives Obama a win, prevents GOP blame for tax boosts - By Alan Fram, The Associated Press

► 'Fiscal cliff' deal leaves everyone bruised, but some more so than others 

► How Much Should We Really Fear the Next Budget Fight? - By Michael Santoli | The Exchange

► Obama's Hawaii vacation: Day 1 - Associated Press

► Venezuela opposition: government not providing enough information about ailing Hugo Chavez - By Ian James, The Associated Press || Venezuela opposition: Chavez secrecy feeds rumors - By By IAN JAMES

► Mandela's recovery 'on track' at home: S.African government

► Yellow is the new red on China's roads - New traffic rule deems yellow the new red on China's rules, confusing and angering drivers | By Louise Watt, Associated Press 

► Grandma Delivers 1st New Year Baby - By Christina Lopez | ABC News Blogs

► Sun Rings In New Year with Solar Eruption - By SPACE.com Staff

► Never-Before-Seen Stage of Planet Birth Revealed - By Nola Taylor Redd | SPACE.com 

► 100 Billion Alien Planets Fill Our Milky Way Galaxy: Study - By SPACE.com Staff  

► Politics Is Key to Avoiding Global Warming Catastrophe - By Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer 

► Cities where homes are the most expensive -By Alexander E. M. Hess and Michael B. Sauter | 24/7 Wall St.com – Wed, Dec 12, 2012




► Lost Bicycle Swallowed by Wash. Tree - By Kevin Dolak | ABC News Blogs 

► Identical Twins in Ohio Give Birth Two Hours Apart - By Eliza Murphy | ABC News Blogs 

► Women Lose Half Their Weight: How They Did It - By ABC News | ABC News Blogs




► Bigger Tax Bite for Most Under Fiscal Pact - By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM and CATHERINE RAMPELL | New York Times


► 76 Year Old Circus Great Still Performing in Family Business

► Pakistan militant leader 'killed'

Senior Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir is killed by a US drone strike in the tribal area of north-western Pakistan, local security officials say.
* Inside Pakistan's drone country
* Afghan-Pakistan militant nexus 
* How do drones work?

► Delhi rape suspects to be charged

Five men are due to be charged in India with the murder of a 23-year-old student whose gang-rape on a Delhi bus sparked nationwide outrage.
* 'India has to change' - VIDEO
* Family remember 'brave' woman
* Rape victim whispered 'I'm sorry' - AUDIO
* Why are Indian women treated so badly? 
* 'Eve teasing' in India
* India's rulers 'too slow' over rape protests 

► 3 January 2013 - Five-a-day campaign: A partial success Michael Mosley From BBC Radio's You and Yours  ||  N u t r i t i o n  - BBC Health 

► 2 January 2013 - Banquet-loving Hong Kong grapples with mountain of food waste | By Katie Hunt Business reporter, BBC News, Hong Kong 

► 14 December 2012 - Why Japan's 'Fukushima 50' remain unknown | By Rupert Wingfield-Hayes BBC News, Tatsuno, Japan

► Hell-bent: Transcending pain in competitive yoga.  3 January 2013 -  For the millions of people who have made a new year's resolution to lose weight in 2013, yoga is an enticing option.But they are fooling themselves if they think it will be an easy route to a better body and a more relaxed mind. In a bid to lose 45lbs (20.4kg), Benjamin Lorr began attending super-heated Bikram yoga classes in Brooklyn, New York.It was the beginning of a sweaty two-year journey which he documented in his book "Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga".  The BBC attended a class at Bikram Lower East Side, one of Mr Lorr's favourite studios, and filmed him practising in his apartment with US Yoga gold medallist Courtney Mace.  Produced by Anna Bressanin; camera by Ilya Shnitser. (VIDEO) 

► 'Truth' demand over Chavez health 
Venezuela's opposition calls for an "objective" account of the health of President Chavez, who is said to be "stable but delicate" in hospital.

► 3 January 2013 -  North Korea: Bringing modern music to Pyongyang (Alexander Liebreich) 

► Münchner Kammerorchester in Pyongyang, DPRK, North Korea. Published on Nov 13, 2012 :: Münchner Kammerorchster performing Arirang with musicians of the Kim Won Gyun Academy, on 09.Nov. 2012, under the conductor Alexander Liebreich



► Playboy founder Hugh Hefner marries 'Playmate' Crystal Harris. 3 January 2013 - Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, has started 2013 as a married man once again. The 86-year-old exchanged vows with his "runaway bride" Crystal Harris at a private Playboy Mansion ceremony on New Year's Eve. The 26-year-old was "Playmate of the Month" in 2009 and previously broke off her engagement to Hefner in 2011, just days before they were due to be married. The couple's ages are separated by six decades. But Hefner has previously spoken about their prospects for a long life together. Alpa Patel reports. (VIDEO)

► 2 January 2013  - Weight is healthy' study criticised

► Tomorrow's world: A guide to the next 150 years

► The new 'Australian made'

► Award-winning dining in Hong Kong 

► Will Eurozone fare better in 2013?. 2 January 2013 - After a year of economic stagnation most people expect a tentative recovery in 2013. However, hopes for a prosperous new year look bleak across Europe and unemployment across the Eurozone could top 12%. Tighter government spending, higher taxes and unemployment will not just affect Europe's economic health could also have an impact across the globe.  Nigel Cassidy reports. (VIDEO)

* Eurozone crisis: Troubling year ahead 
* Merkel warns of tough times ahead
* Portuguese budget sent to court
* France: Treading troubled waters

►
What's Left To Cut? 'Greece sacrifice on Euro altar'.  Published on Nov 12, 2012 by RussiaToday :: Another year of pain looms for Greece as the country's Parliament approves an austerity budget which will force more biting cuts upon an already struggling population. It's been a pre-condition from international lenders who've been delaying another bailout cash injection for months now. Thousands of Greeks gathered outside Parliament to voice their opposition to next year's budget. It's approval follows another even more extensive austerity package, that sparked violent protests last week. For more on the story RT talks to joined by John Laughland, director of studies at the Institute of Democracy and cooperation in Paris.



► Today's African Proverb :: "The buttocks are like a married couple - though there is constant friction between them, they will still go to the grave together" - Sent by Mubita Lubinda, Lusaka, Zambia

► 'Fiscal cliff deal brings no relief to struggling Americans'. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a controversial bill, designed to prevent the country from potentially sliding back into recession. The fiscal cliff deal - passed earlier by the Senate - will prevent nationwide tax hikes and spending cuts from coming into force, at least for the time being (VIDEO) || NEWS - House approves 'fiscal cliff' deal 

► CrossTalk: 2013 Tea Leaves.  Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: What will happen in 2013? Can we expect any good news? Where is the Arab Spring headed this year? Will average American families see more prosperity? How will the Asia-Pacific region fare in 2013? And will this be a good year for Europe? CrossTalking with John Glaser, Anne-Elisabeth Moutet and Will Durst. (VIDEO) 

►
Verbal Camouflage: How US newspeak softens hard truths.  Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: The political forum is often the place where new words and phrases are invented to soften the hard truth. But as RT's Marina Portnaya asks, can the new vocabulary really distract public attention away from urgent issues?


► White House wins fight to keep drone killings of Americans secret

► US taxes to go up in 2013 regardless of 'fiscal cliff' deal

► Gun control legislation advances in Illinois state Senate 

► Free Syrian Army claims chemical weapons capability

► Step off the scales: New study says overweight people live longer

► Six-year-old suspended from school for pretend gunshot

► Israeli military preparing hospitals for chemical attacks – report

► Gaddafi millions: French judge hears shady details of Sarkozy's campaign funding

► Another tax exile? French electronic composer Jean Michel Jarre may move to London's 'Tech City' 

►
Jean-Michel Jarre: Les Concerts En Chine / Concert in China FULL ALBUM || Equinoxe 4

► US Congress passes 'fiscal cliff' deal. Published on Jan 1, 2013 :: The US House of Representatives has passed the "fiscal cliff" bill, ending a months-long dispute over the measure that averts tax hikes and spending cuts. After a day of deliberation, Republicans voted in favour of the Senate-approved bill on Tuesday evening. The legislation will now head to the White House for President Barack Obama to sign it into law. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington, D.C. (VIDEO)

► Economics expert discusses 'fiscal cliff'. Published on Jan 1, 2013 :: Steve Keen, a professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Western Sydney, talks to Al Jazeera about the impacts of the fiscal cliff. (VIDEO)

► President Obama reacts to 'fiscal cliff' deal. Published on Jan 1, 2013 :: President Obama says the deal raises taxes on the wealthiest two percent of Americans, while preventing a middle class tax hike that could have sent the economy "back in a recession." (VIDEO) 

►
Al Jazeera World - Camels in the Outback. Published on Jan 1, 2013 :: Wild camels in Australia are being culled because they are perceived to be an environmental problem and pests to farmers. Al Jazeera World goes to South Australia with Qatari businessman Ali Sultan Al Hajri to find a solution to mass killings.



► No longer silent. Published on Jan 2, 2013 :: We examine if the New Delhi gang rape tragedy is the tipping point that forces India to address violence against women. (VIDEO) 

►
Myanmar refugees refused entry to Thailand. Published on Jan 2, 2013 ::The UN refugee agency is urging the governments of South East Asia to take in Rohingya refugees. A group of people, who say they are from Myanmar, were found in a boat off the coast of Thailand. But they have been turned away. In the last year, about 13,000 people are thought to have left the Bay of Bengal in search of a better life. Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports.

Latest Headlines

■ Iraqi Authorities to Release 11 Woman Detainees 
■ Shooter Kills 3 People, Injures 2 in Swiss Village 
■ Icelandic Girl Fights for Right to Her Own Name
■ India Set for Murder, Rape Charges in Gang Attack
■ Pakistan: U.S. Drones Kill 13, Including Commander
■ India May Suspend Lawmakers Accused of Sex Crimes
■ Burma Military Admits Airstrikes Against Kachin 
■ Google Exec Chairman to Visit North Korea

■ 'Tennessee Waltz' Singer Patti Page Dies at 85 



■ Stocks Surge After Congress Passes Budget Deal 
■ Malala's Father Given Diplomatic Role in U.K.
■ Colo. Theater Shooting Lawyers Head Back to Court

► Syria's Rising Death Toll: The Darkness Before Dawn or a Sign of Stalemate?

By Tony Karon
* Assad Rolls the Dice: Is Winter Coming for Syria's Rebels?
* Syria's Agony Portrayed: Photographers Reflect on Most Potent Images

► Clinton Leaves Hospital After Treatment for Clot

* CNN: Will Clot Change Hillary Clinton's Future? (VIDEOS)

► Inside the Taliban's Bomb-Making Industry

► Fiscal Cliff Deal: Washington Puts Off the Tough Stuff

► Google Set to Dodge Federal Antitrust Lawsuit with FTC Deal: Report

► Under Pressure, Boehner Agrees to Sandy Aid Vote

* 'Absolutely Disgraceful': Christie, Others Hit Congress on Sandy Relief Inaction

► Hong Kong's Embattled Leader Faces More Protests


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► Celebrity portraits by The Times - Celebrity photos taken by Los Angeles Times photographers.

► Polar bear swimmers plunge into freezing water to celebrate New Year around the world

► F R A M E W O R K  - Pictures in the News | Jan. 2, 2013 - Posted By: Marc Martin

PHOTOS TODAY

A swimmer with his face painted as the flag of Scotland, reacts as he sits in the water during the New Year's Day Looney Dook swim at South Queensferry in Scotland January 1, 2013. REUTERS/David Moir

A woman walks with her child on the banks of the Yenisey River in air temperatures of about minus 30 degrees Celsius during winter outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk Jan. 2, 2013. REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin

Spectator boats in Sydney Harbour look on as New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on January 1, 2013. Sydney kicked off a wave of dazzling firework displays welcoming in 2013, from Dubai to Moscow and London, with long-isolated Yangon joining the global pyrotechnics for the first time. AFP PHOTO / Greg WOOD