News Headlines (145) 4 February 2013

ONLINE TODAY

by VICE || VICE: Cute & Fluffy 

► Cute Pygmy Shetland Ponies ||  ►Cute Owls

ouch ... tell me how we could smell an overall impression? See the Pygmy Shetland Ponies. What's so funny? Their eyes? Legs? Tails? Mouth? Partially, nothing too fit to be regarded as funny. But in an integral part .... gosh, dahliiing .... I felt I wanted to kiss the horse's lips. Mmmmmmmmmuach.....

► Baby Sloth Sanctuary In Costa Rica || ► Peruvian Hairless Dogs



► Cute Alpacas || ► Cute Pygmy Goats



► Caring Friends Can Save the World - Feb. 1, 2013 — Craig Kielburger was only 12 years old when he travelled to India to see the plight of child laborers first hand. 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai took a stand against the Taliban with her campaign for women's education rights. Alongside these individuals, organizations like Teen Activist and Do Something rally teens to make a difference in their communities and beyond. 


► NEW YORK TIMES  :: Washington Post Joins List of News Media Hacked by the Chinese - By NICOLE PERLROTH. Published: February 1, 2013  ||  ► N.Y. Times hacked: How large is China's campaign to control, intimidate? The list of media outlets infiltrated by Chinese cyberspies doesn't end with The New York Times or Wall St. Journal, cybersecurity experts say. Anyone reporting on China is a potential target. - By Mark Clayton, Staff writer / February 1, 2013 || ► RUSSIA TODAY :: Anti-WikiLeaks hackers claim responsibility for DDoS attack on RT website  || ► BBC : 16 August 2012 Reuters hacked for third time with hoax al-Faisal death



► TODAY | Aired on November 07, 2012 -  How to avoid getting hacked, scammed online 




► Horsemeat scandal leaves Burger King facing a whopping backlash - Burger giant forced to take out adverts in the national press apologising for error as thousands of consumers complain on Facebook and Twitter - by Mark King and Jemma Buckley | Friday 1 February 2013 


► 'Bullet to the Head' star Sylvester Stallone says he wants additional gun control

  ► Gun Crazy USA. Published on Jan 31, 2013 by VICE :: After so many recent mass shootings, we decided to travel to Florida to see why so many Americans are stockpiling firearms. Weeks before the almost unfathomable mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, VICE editor-in-chief Rocco Castoro visited Florida to dive headfirst into its byzantine firearms laws and discover why his home state was the first in the nation to issue over one million concealed weapons permits. Through interviews and time on the range with veterans, law enforcement officials, and gun-store owners, VICE digs deep into the gun debate and uncovers many troubling revelations along the way. Oh, we also use a Craigslist-like site to arrange for the purchase of a handgun at 10 PM in the parking lot of a big-box hardware store. And it's all 100-percent legal. Welcome to Florida.



► Penelope Cruz pregnant, expecting baby No. 2 with Javier Bardem


► February 2, 2013 22:14 - My Bloody Valentine's website crashes after midnight launch of new album 'mbv' 


► Turkey says tests confirm leftist bombed U.S. embassy  ||  ► Turkey: US Embassy bomber had terror conviction - AP foreign, Sunday February 3 2013 ||  ► Turkey: Embassy Bombers Cling to Cold War Ideology - By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA Associated Press  February 2, 2013   ||  ► Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) 


► Missing New York mother  (Sarai Sierra) found dead near ancient walls in dangerous Istanbul neighborhood 'was drawn to site of her death by life-long passion for GRAFFITI,' husband says. PUBLISHED:  2 February 2013  || ► Search Continues for Missing Latina Mom - The husband of a New York City mother who went missing while vacationing in Istanbul last week is traveling to Turkey to try and find her. 





► Brazil's famous Carnival costumes: Made in China. Published on Feb 1, 2013 ::  Brazil's textile industry is under pressure from cheap Asian imports, especially from China. Now producers are demanding limits be set on imports. The Carnival, a symbol of Brazil around the world, isn't exempt from this globalisation. 

► Hollande receives rapturous welcome in Mali's Timbuktu. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: President Francois Hollande receives a rapturous welcome in Mali as he promises that France will stay as long as necessary to continue the fight against Islamist rebels in the country's north.  

► Israel's Netanyahu tasked with forming new coalition. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: President Shimon Peres tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a new government after talks with parties elected to Israel's new parliament. 

► Syrian TV claims to show aftermath of alleged Israeli attack. Published on Feb 3, 2013 ::  Syrian TV broadcasts images that it claims shows the aftermath of an overnight attack during the night of January 29-30, 2013. Syrian authorities have accused Israel of launching an air strike on a scientific research in Jamraya, near Damascus.

► Nepal's Maoists to hand leadership to independent PM. Published on Feb 3, 2013 ::  Nepal's Maoists vowed never to return to guerrilla warfare and offered to give up leadership to an independent prime minister to take the Himalayan nation towards democracy. 

► Anti-India protests in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Published on Feb 3, 2013 ::  Members of Pakistan's largest religious parties demonstrated on Sunday in the town of Chakothi close to the Line of Control (LoC) that separates Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.




► Report: Missing NYC Woman Found Dead in Turkey. Published on Feb 2, 2013 :: A New York City woman who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul was found dead on Saturday, and police detained 11 people for questioning in connection with the case, Turkey's state-run news agency said. (Feb. 2)  ||  ► Turkish Cops: Missing NY Woman Died of Head Blow. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: Turkish police say a New York City woman who went missing and was later found dead in Istanbul had suffered a fatal blow to the head. Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was to fly home. (Feb. 3)

► Photo Takes Aim at Obama Skeet Shooting Mystery. Published on Feb 2, 2013 :: Two days before President Barack Obama's first trip outside Washington to promote his gun-control proposals, the White House tried to settle a brewing mystery when it released a photo to back his claim to be a skeet shooter. (Feb 2) 

► Raw: Carnival Party for Dog Lovers in Rio. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: Hundreds of dogs wearing fancy dress costumes took part in a carnival block party in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Dog-owners brought their pets to Copacabana beach to take part in a special parade to unite dogs of all breeds, sizes and colors. (Feb. 3) 

► Raw: Anti-bullfighting Protest in Mexico. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: Hundreds of protesters covered themselves in fake blood and gathered in front of the Monument to the Revolution in Mexico City on Sunday to call for an end to bullfighting in Mexico. (Feb. 3)

► Rio Carnival goes to dogs at canine street party - By JENNY BARCHFIELD | Associated Press  

► Groundhog Day - Punxsutawney Phil, America's most famous groundhog, emerged from his burrow on Feb. 2 to the glare of cameras and the cheers of thousands of spectators and offered his annual weather prognostication: An early spring is coming. 

► Groundhog Day 2013: Will 'Punxsutawney Phil' See His Shadow? 



► Award-winning photos showcase beauty in science (PHOTOS) - The natural world is filled with gorgeous creatures, strange processes and mysterious structures hidden to the naked eye. The winners of the 2012 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, announced Jan. 31, make that beauty visible in stunning imagery revealed in photographs, interactive videos, simulations and even computer games.

► Where Not to Die In 2013

► The nation's most expensive home for sale: Crespi-Hicks estate, $135 million - By Jennifer Karmon | Spaces – Fri, Feb 1, 2013

► Finest Estate Home, Crespi Hicks Estate. Published on Jan 22, 2013  by SignificantHomes . Here is an architecturally significant home with one of the most important architectural pedigrees, on 25 acres, the largest estate property in the country, only eight miles from a downtown, arts district and airport. The original architect in 1939 was Maurice Fatio, voted New York's most popular architect in the 1920s, who designed estate homes in New York and Palm Beach for prominent families including the Vanderbilts and Huttons, and the renovation architect, Peter Marino, who is one of the nation's most accomplished architects, with projects across the country. The homeowners, along with Peter Marino, honored, and further refined, the powerful architecture and perfect proportions that Maurice Fatio was known for in New York and Palm Beach and are still celebrated today. This estate home features artisanship, materials and a site that cannot be replicated even if one had the resources and five or ten years to commit to a residential endeavor.

► 4 February 2013 - Should buyers of Lance Armstrong's books get a refund? | By Jon Kelly BBC News Magazine, Washington DC

► 4 February 2013 - Swiss love affair with rail turns sour  | By Imogen Foulkes BBC News, Switzerland  

► Russian judge resigns for apparently sleeping on the job. 1 February 2013 - A disciplinary panel of judges has approved the resignation of a Russian judge who apparently fell asleep during a court hearing. Yevgeny Makhno, a judge in the far-eastern town of Blagoveshchensk, tendered his resignation earlier this week after video clips of him were uploaded onto YouTube.

The footage, which was apparently filmed in August of 2012, shows Mr Makhno sitting in what looks like a court room with his eyes closed and his head slumped to one side. In another video, the judge appears to be engrossed in his mobile phone and sitting with his head drooping on his chest.  One clip was viewed over 75,000 times in just a few days. The videos were posted in January by Vladislav Nikitenko, a local activist and the legal aid of Andrey Nalyotov - whom Mr Makhno sentenced to five years in a penal colony for fraud. Mr Nikitenko has requested that Russia's Supreme Court rule on whether the sentence is legitimate if the judge "was not in control of the trial". He hopes the video will help to overturn Nalyotov's sentence, whose appeal is scheduled for February 14. Mr Makhno refutes the claims that he fell asleep at a hearing. Previously, an internal inspection at the Blagoveshchensk city court confirmed that it was Mr Makhno in the videos but said it had not found any proof that the judge had actually fallen asleep during the hearing.  Following the judges' decision to approve his resignation Mr Makhno will be able to be re-instated after retaking some exams.

► 4 February 2013 - Musicians caught up in Mexico's drug wars 

► 4 February 2013 - Is piracy a Mega problem for Hollywood? | By Alex Hudson BBC News

► 3 February 2013 - Thai whiskey tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi takes over Fraser and Neave | By Jonathan Head BBC News, Bangkok

► 4 February 2013 - Traces of war :: Capturing the last stand of the bunkers of World War II. The Last Stand - by Phil Coomes

► 31 January 2013 - Homing pigeon 'Bermuda Triangle' explained | By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC World Service 

► 3 February 2013  - Curiosity Mars rover hammers into rock |  By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent

The US space agency's Curiosity Mars rover uses its drill for the first time, hammering down briefly into a flat slab of rock on the floor of Gale Crater.
* Rover finally looks set to drill : 4 January 2013 - Mars rover finally looks set to drill | By Jonathan Amos 
* 'Black Beauty' new meteorite type 3 January 2013  - Mars meteorite 'Black Beauty' is in a class of its own | By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent
* Nasa to send new rover to Mars - 4 December 2012 :: Nasa to send new rover to Mars in 2020 | By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, San Francisco
* Explore the Red Planet

► Chief of Mardi Gras Indians gets ready for the big day. 4 February 2013  - Howard Miller is the Big Chief of the Creole Wild West Tribe. Like all Mardi Gras "Indians", he is not Native American. New Orleans "Indians" are black people who march in the Mardi Gras parade, wearing 100lb (45kg) dresses that they sew themselves throughout the year. In New Orleans, Louisiana, the so-called "second line" parades take place all through the year, mostly for funerals, weddings and block parties. Carnival parades, the "Krewe", liven up the entire month leading up to Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. But the "Indians" prepare all year to just come out on a single day - Mardi Gras - this year on 12 February. The "Indians" tradition is 200 years old and can be traced back to slavery, when Native Americans helped runaway slaves. The tradition is slowly disappearing, because of the relatively high costs of beads and feathers, and because many "Indians" left the city after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The "Indians" tribes were believed to put up violent fights against each other and later to fiercely compete for the "prettiest" costume. Chief Howard explains the true tradition has nothing to do with fights and competition. It is only a "spiritual expression of our real selves," he says. The BBC spent a day with the Big Chief, while he gets ready for the big day. | VIDEO Produced by Anna Bressanin, Images by Ilya Shnitser

► Syrian TV shows 'aftermath' footage, Israel implicitly admits to airstrike (VIDEO)

► Conservative MPs urge Cameron to delay gay marriage vote, citing re-election worries 

► Mass shootings kill far more than Muslim American terrorism – research 

► Iranian FM says Tehran to resume talks after nuclear equipment upsets Israel, US  

► Brian De Palma to RT: Iraq's even worse than Vietnam 

► 'American Sniper' down: Former US Navy SEAL killed at Texas shooting range 


► Reindeer Races (= Rangifer Tarandus = Caribou) : A Freezing Adventure (RT Documentary). Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: Khatastyr is a village hidden away in one of the harshest regions of Russia -- Yakutia. This film explores how tough life is for people who inhabit this part of the country. Humans here rely on the assistance of animals to survive the freezing temperatures of the Taiga. They provide not only food and warmth, but also a welcome distraction from the cold. This story shows how people brave Southern Yakutia's vast snowy expanse to gather together for Khatystyr's reindeer races.

► Inside Syria - Syrian conflict: Tensions beyond its borders. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: This week saw a stark reminder that while Syria remains locked in violent conflict within its borders, the country's place in the region's delicate balance of power may be just as fiercely contested by its neighbours. 

► Afghan government responds to torture charges. Published on Feb 3, 2013 :: The government of Hamid Karzai, Afghan president, has asked a commission to investigate recent UN allegations that the detention centres of the nation's spy agency regularly practices torture. The commission, including members of the National Directorate of Security and the Ministry of Interior, both implicated in the UN report released earlier this month, has been highly criticised by rights agencies. Accused of at least 14 abusive practices, including threats of rape, hanging prisoners by their arms for hours at a time and sleep deprivation, the NDS and MOI have both denied the charges against them. This is not however, the first time that NDS has faced charges of torture and forced confessions, reports released by the UN and Human Rights Watch last year, found similar results. Al Jazeera's Jennifer Glasse reports from Kabul, where she was given exclusive access to prisoners in an NDS facility.

Latest Headlines

■ SI: Baltimore 31, San Francisco 29 at Super Bowl
■ Taliban Peace Talks Flounder as Troops Draw Down 
■ Israel Hints at Responsibility for Syria Airstrike 
■ Another 2 Bodies Found in Mexico Oil Company Blast 
■ Kerry Makes Calls Abroad in First Weekend on Job 
■ Obama Says Boy Scouts Should Allow Gays as Members
■ Details Emerge About Man at Center of Ala. Standoff 
■ Girl Shot by Taliban Undergoes 2 Operations in U.K.
■ French Army Launches More Strikes in Northern Mali
■ CNN: No Charges over Chris Brown Fight 

► Super Bowl 2013: Scenes from the Superdome 

* New Orleans Struggles in the Super Bowl's Shadows 
* Power Outage Stops Super Bowl for 34 Minutes
* A History Of Super Bowl Halftime Shows 

► Chris Kyle, Author and Former Navy SEAL Sniper, Dies at 38

* Reports: Kyle Fatally Shot on Gun Range 
* Viewpoint: What Pygmies Can Teach Us About Childrearing
* Guns, Cities and a Chicago Teen's Untimely Death
* Beyoncé Rocks the Superdome, Reunites with Destiny's Child (PHOTOS) 

► WATCH: Puppy Bowl Kicks Off Its Ninth Season of Cute Overload 



► LIFE at the First Super Bowl: Rare Photos

► Massive Storm Rips Through the Southeast, Spinning Tornadoes in Tennessee and Georgia (PHOTOS) 

► Medical clinic workers struggle with burnout - Doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants at community clinics work long hours, treating multitudes of patients who often have more than one chronic illness. 

► President Obama urges Boy Scouts to admit gays 

► Reid predicts the Senate will pass immigration reform 


► 'Vikings' will be History's first scripted series March 13, 2012

Viking tribe
The myth their lives picture is still in debate. Viking depicted untreated, wearing horned helmets. Their dress style is still admired by many people, and are often characterized by the appearance of battle wounds.

And until now, I still found the movie and cartoons depicting the Vikings were ragged, dirty, rarely shower, with injured face was holding a large ax. Even their lifestyle is still continues to be replicated both in the fashion and entertainment media.

But in the view of some authors that I read do not describe it that way.  One of them is Louise Henriksen Kampe (a curator at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde), Peter Pentz (Viking weapons expert and curator of the National Museum of Denmark), published their opinions ScienceNordic, 29 July 2012, which stated that the Vikings were more clean from what we know today.

Kampe Louise Henriksen said that some archaeological discoveries revealed the presence of tweezers, comb, nail cleaner, buds and the toothpicks from the Viking Age. These instructions stated that cleanliness was -- at least -- meaningful to the Vikings.

Ibn Fadlan --- Arab ambassadors who met a group of Vikings in Volga --- describing them as the filthiest of God's creatures. The majority of Arabs are Muslims and obliging 'cleanliness' before prayer five times a day, while the Vikings may only shower once a week, but that does not mean that they do not clean themselves.

The scientists said that the Viking also liked the colors. Blue and red were popular colors throughout the Viking Age. In general, they all wore colorful clothes with patterns and sewing ribbons. Viking tribe also knew the luxuries such as silk, silver and gold thread. But only the elite had been able to use the exclusive fabrics imported from all over the world.

The Vikings often described using a horned helmet, but they did not actually wear it. At the end of the 19th century people started drawing Vikings wearing horned helmets because of the villain role wore a helmet in Wagner opera, popular in that day. In actual combat situations, the horn would not be very practical because it's easily trapped in various battle trap.  When in battle, the Vikings used an iron helmet to protect their heads, and armed with ordinary tools or swords and spears.

Researchers made estimates about the social position of a Viking based on the weapons brought to his grave. Small ax and a knife were the tools used by everyone, but the spear and sword were the only traditional weapons buried with the elite. The sword was associated with dignity completely different.

Viking tribe also used the arrows as traditional weapons. For protection they used round shields coated with leather. The shield was sometimes painted and decorated with simple patterns. Chain armor that protected the body could only be purchased for those who were able, not all Vikings used it.

In history, the Vikings had a neat beard. It was not enough to be clean but also the hair should be styled correctly. Males had long hairstyles and short hair at the back of the heads. Beards could be short or long, but always neat. This image described by the carving on Oseberg ship in Norway. Their hair was neatly manicured, elegant long whiskers, also neat beard.

There were also sources that corroborated the statement --- The Old English Anonymous letter --- when a man advised his brother to follow the practice of Anglo-Saxon and didn't not give up on Denmark fashion, with a shaved neck and eyes covered by hair fringe.

The men wore the same material with the women. The inner layer was usually composed of linen and woolen coats the outside. Viking men wore trousers and usually sewn in trousers style. Men usually wore the hats, while women can choose between the small caps and scarves.

From the year 1220 -- several centuries after the Vikings had damaged Britain -- John of Wallingford described Viking tribe as the neat tribe. They conquered all of the best cities in the country that caused many difficulties for the country's indigenous people.  According to tradition, those who used to comb their hair every day, requiring a shower every Saturday, to change clothes as often as possible could attract the attention of many people. In this way, they attracted the sympathy of a married woman, seducing the girls to be their mistress.
***
Read also :: Vikings and Native Americans  || PHOTOGRAPH by DAVID COVENTRY

(CZ-Lacalifusa020412)

2 PICTURES TODAY

A "Wingette" and an entourage member frolic as they parade into"Wingbowl 21" in Philadelphia, February 1, 2013. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer

Patron Girls attend The Maxim Party presented by Patron Tequila at Second Line Warehouse in New Orleans. Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images for Patron/AFP

News Headlines (143) 2 February 2013

ONLINE TODAY


 ► Samsung Mobile USA - El Plato Supreme. Published on Jan 31, 2013 by samsungmobileusa :: Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd are called in to pitch their ideas for Samsung's Big Game ad for The Next Big Thing, but they run into some hurdles.





► Marriage Reduces the Risk of Heart Attack in Both Men and Women and at All Ages. Jan. 31, 2013 — A large population-based study from Finland has shown that being unmarried increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal heart attack in both men and women whatever their age.

► Floating gold: Dog walker finds strange-smelling yellow rock on beach thought to be whale sick worth £100,000  

►
Tutus, tiaras and tiramisu: World's first Barbie restaurant opens - By Hiufu Wong, CNN |January 31, 2013



► Doubleact: New split image show Ashton Kutcher as an older Steve Jobs with receding hairline -By Daily Mail Reporter. PUBLISHED:  31 January 2013

► 'I've tried Botox... but never again': Nicole Kidman insists she's currently natural after giving the cosmetic procedure a go - By Kimberley Dadds | PUBLISHED:1 February 2013

► China Pollution: Cars Cause Major Air Problems In Chinese Cities - By LOUISE WATT 01/31/13  || in Asahi Shimbun - Air pollution from China reaches Japan, other parts of Asia  ||  Chen Guangbiao, Chinese millionaire fights pollution with thin air || Chen Guangbiao, Chinese Millionaire, Sells Canned Fresh Air To Combat Pollution (VIDEO) - The Huffington Post  By Dominique Mosbergen. Posted: 01/29/2013

► Factbox - Performance enhancing drugs used in sports | Thu Jan 17, 2013

► How Performance-enhancing Drugs Work - by Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. and Kevin P. Allen

■ Information and Resources : Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents



►
Lance Armstrong on Telling His Son the Truth - Oprah's Next Chapter - Oprah Winfrey Network.  Published on Jan 18, 2013 by OWN ::Lance Armstrong, a father of five, has been denying allegations that he doped for his 13-year-old son Luke's entire life. Watch as Lance shares the moment he knew he had to tell Luke the truth and tell him to stop defending his reputation online. How did Luke react? Find out now.




ON THIS DAY

► NNDb : Dmitri Mendeleev - A Russian chemist called Dmitri Mendeleev published a periodic table. 

► 1971: Sixty-six die in Scottish football disaster -  Sixty-six football supporters have been killed following a match between Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers at the Ibrox Park stadium in Glasgow. 

► February 2, 1940 in History - Event: Frank Sinatra's singing debut in Indianapolis, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra





► 'Pre-revolutionary' bells ring in changes for Notre Dame.  Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Nine bells measuring up to two metres in diameter have arrived in Paris to take their place in the towers of Notre Dame cathedral. The new bells, to be installed in this, the 850th anniversary year for Notre Dame, are deisgned to reproduce the sound the cathedral would have had before the French Revolution. 

► Norway's spine-tingling ice music festival. Published on Jan 31, 2013 ::  It's said the full moon can bring on unusual behaviour, and that certainly seems to be the case in Norway. For the last seven years, to mark the first full moon of the year, musicians from all over the world perform at a festival where all the instruments are made from ice and snow.

► Cambodians mass in capital to mourn former king.  Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Tens of thousands of Cambodians gather for the start of a lavish funeral for revered former king Norodom Sihanouk, who towered over six tumultuous decades in his nation's history.  ||  ► Huge crowds mourn Cambodia's beloved former king.

Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: A sea of mourners fills the streets of the Cambodian capital for a lavish funeral for revered former king Norodom Sihanouk, who towered over six tumultuous decades in his nation's history.

► No place like home for French in poor housing.  Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: A French housing charity has warned that single mothers are increasingly at risk as it identifies 3.5 million people across the country living in inadequate housing. 

► India's biggest art fair kicks off.  Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: The India Art Fair, the biggest event on South Asia's art calendar, opens in New Delhi drawing a record number of exhibitors despite a serious downturn in the Indian art market that has persisted since a price crash in 2008.

► A taste of Venezuelan chocolate...in Texas.  Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: When he lived in Venezuela, a cocoa-growing country, Stefano worked in the cement business. But he switched to chocolate when he moved to Texas, selling high-end delicacies that taste like home.

► New York's Grand Central celebrates 100 years.  Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Built in palatial Beaux Arts style, celebrated in movies, and narrowly saved from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, New York's Grand Central rail station turned 100 Friday. In honor of the its birthday, station shops and food outlets were charging 1913 prices, such as 10 cents for a shoeshine, six cents for a loaf of rye bread and a coffee for five cents. 




►
Biden: Terrorism Believed Behind Turkey Blast. Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Vice President Joe Biden says there are few details about the Friday morning blast at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. While in Munich, Biden acknowledged the counter terrorism cooperation between U.S. and Germany. (Feb. 1)

► Background checks could be gun control deal breaker - By NCC Staff | National Constitution Center 

► Longest Marriages - Who Knew? Videos :: What lessons can the world’s longest-married couples teach about love? Married 86 years, Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher never argued. Another tip? For a long-lasting marriage, don't cheat on your spouse.

►Women flocking to unlikely look. Japanese Snaggletooth Craze Spawns Dental Procedures, Girl Group - By Jessica Ferri



► 9 pretty date-night looks




► Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem Expecting Second Child: Reports - By Taryn Ryder

► Suzanne Somers Plans To Live To 110

► UN alarm at Mali army abuse claim

The UN anti-genocide envoy expresses alarm over reports of reprisal attacks by Malian troops, as France's Francois Hollande is due to visit Mali.
* 'Shadow war' looms
* Rise of Sahara's Islamist militants
* Mali crisis: Key players 
* Mali Islamist militants 'split' 

► Russia marks Stalingrad anniversary || 1 February 2013  -  In pictures: 70 years since Nazi Germany's defeat at Stalingrad

Russian President Vladimir Putin will lead tributes marking 70 years since the Battle of Stalingrad, seen as a turning point of World War II.
* Remembering the horrors of Stalingrad 
* No escape from history in Moscow

► Rocket loses satellite in Pacific - 1 February 2013 Sea Launch Zenit rocket with Intelsat spacecraft fails at launch - By Jonathan Amos, Science correspondent
A Ukrainian-Russian Zenit rocket carrying a US-made telecommunications satellite falls into the Pacific Ocean shortly after its launch.

► Leaked report: Peace envoy suggests Assad should go. 1 February 2013 - Talks scheduled for Saturday aimed at trying to end the civil war in Syria will see international powers meet with the opposition to discuss a political transition. Ahead of the meeting, in leaked comments from a UN security council briefing, peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi suggested President Assad must step down as part of the transition. The comments were part of a six-point plan laid out by the envoy as he prepares to join the US vice-president in Munich for the meetings with Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, President of the Syrian National Coalition.

Russia has denied reports that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend the talks.  The BBC's Lyse Doucet said Mr Brahimi had previously alluded to the idea of Assad stepping down. (VIDEO) 

► 2 February 2013 - 'Pork found' in Halal prison food&

The Ministry of Justice is suspending a firm supplying meat to prisons after tests found that it may have provided "Halal" products containing traces of pork DNA.
* Halal school dinner boycott call
* Curbs on religious slaughter urged
* When is halal meat not halal meat?

► 2 February 2013 -  Do you have the write stuff to be a novelist? | By Tim Bowler Business reporter

► 2 February 2013 -  Viewpoint: Has Zero Dark Thirty insulted Pakistan?

► 1 February 2013 - Is street politics the enemy of democracy in Egypt? | By Aleem Maqbool BBC News

► 2 February 2013 - Decoding facial hair in the Arab world

► 1 February 2013 - The best science and technology pictures of the week

► Mini guide to coastal Mauritius 

► 01 February 2013 - Changing lives and perceptions in Ubud   

Ubud Bali Indonesia is the location where I was for the first time fell in love with him, my first love. At the time he wore boots and a leather jacket, smiling sweetly (and too sweet at this time in my memory. I really miss you, dammit!) and he invited me to sit at his table. He ordered two bottles of dark beer. We went to a discotheque near "Topi Koki" restaurant in Legian. We went to his hotel then we were making out without taking off our underwears. He was a man with cold eyes. There's a scar on the tip of his right lip, a tattoo on his left thigh and needle marks on several parts of his body skin, and --- actually --- a very tender heart. Although he was a former drug user, but his love for me could make him leave his bad habits.

Ahh, ... can you see that? My mind always likes to wander when my physical is still always with my beloved fiancee; will always be our greatest baby. They both are two important men in my life: my fiance and my baby. And I should not have to ... tsk ... why am I like this?

► First Drive: Nissan Juke Nismo

► 1 February 2013 - Week in pictures: 26 January - 1 February 2013

► 31 January 2013 - Day in pictures

► 2 February 2013 - In Pictures: Hedgehog Hibernation Survey is launched

► 1 February 2013 - How owls swivel their heads |  By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News 

► Today's African Proverb :: "Look for a black goat while it is still daytime" - Sent by Ellis Gideon Gesah, Yerima Gassol, Taraba State, Nigeria

►
CrossTalk: Unforgetting Iraq (ft. Pepe Escobar). Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Even after the US occupation, Iraq continues to witness external intervention on an enormous scale. Is this what is driving the country towards becoming a failed state? Is the Maliki government contributing to Iraq's fragmentation? And why is Iraq currently out of the media spotlight, despite all the things happening there? CrossTalking with Pepe Escobar, Sami Ramadani and Meir Javedanfar.



► Iranian Oops: US may have broken own sanctions by buying Tehran's oil

► Heavily armed child soldiers fighting in Mali conflict – reports

► First-ever dive into mysterious 'Russian Loch Ness' in one of Earth's Poles of Cold (PHOTOS) 

► Obama's Russia visit unlikely before September - Pushkov

► Argentina rejects UK proposal to discuss Falklands with islanders 

► Death penalty for murdering journalists eyed in Russia

► Senator Menendez accused of soliciting underage prostitutes 

► Russian Foreign Ministry denies Syrian talks 

► 'I give God 10%, why do you get 18?' - pastor's message to waitress goes viral


► Super-zeppelin: Revolutionary airship may become cargo-carrying champion (VIDEO) 

► Tutu's Children - Episode 4: 'The baton has been passed'. Published on Feb 1, 2013 ::  It has been five months since 25 young Africans first pledged an oath to Archbishop Desmond Tutu to serve the needs of their countries. And in this final episode of the series, Tutu's Children are about to embark on their final three days of leadership coaching in London.  As their fellowship comes to an end, we ask if the young Africans have been transformed into great leaders.  And if we come across them over the coming months and years, what should we expect to see? (VIDEO)

► South2North - The politics of food. Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Are we all addicted to sugar? Are culture and health starting to clash? And why is obesity linked to low-income societies? In this episode of South2North, Redi Tlhabi is tackling the subject of food with guests: Professor Tim Noakes, who has many cardiologists and dieticians up in arms with his new high-fat diet; award-winning chef Dorah Sithole, who cooks up a storm in the studio; and writer Justice Malala, who explains the connection between culture, politics and what we put on our plates. (VIDEO)

► Viewfinder - Garbage Homes. Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: Ingrid Vaca Diez is on a mission to build better homes for the poor. With few funds and little support, she uses the only resource she can find in abundance - empty plastic bottles. Her own life in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, is one of relative comfort but she is shocked by the rising level of poverty she sees around her. Though completely self-taught, she designs and builds new homes using recycled plastic bottles filled with dirt as the "bricks". So far, she has built 10 of these homes. The people she is trying to help are rural, indigenous migrants, often living in single room, dirt floor shacks.

Ingrid picks her projects based on the urgency of a family's need. It is through her work that we will observe the broader social and economic problems facing the poor in Santa Cruz.(VIDEO)

►
Hollande to announce plans of Mali military hand over. Published on Feb 1, 2013 :: The French President, Francois Hollande is scheduled to visit Timbuktu on Saturday. He is expected to outline plans to hand over security to West African forces. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland reports from Timbuktu.

Latest Headlines

■ At Palace, Egypt Protesters, Police Clash 
■ Secret Service Chief to Step Down After 30 Years
■ Harvard: Dozens Disciplined Over Exam Cheating 
■ Dow Ends Above 14K for First Time Since 2007
■ 33 Die in Mexico Oil Company Office Building Blast
■ Clinton Formally Resigns as Secretary of State
■ X Games Permit to Undergo Scrutiny
■ Scott Brown Won't Run for Mass. Senate Seat
■ U.S. Calls Embassy Bombing in Turkey a Terror Attack
■ CNN: Protesters Attack Cairo Palace 

► Mali Offensive: What's France's Next Move?

By Bruce Crumley

* Does France's Surge in Mali Signal a Retreat? 
* War in Mali: France and African Allies Take on Islamist Militants

► Syria Strike Fallout: Why Israel Is Concerned 

* Patriot Missiles Arrive in Turkey: How They Affect the Syria Equation 

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► A Sea of Troubles: Asia Today Compared to Europe Before World War I

► Is Middle-Class Stagnation Really a Myth?

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* Everything You Need to Know About Super-Bowl Gambling

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► Pictures of the Week: January 25 – February 1 

► 100 Years: New York City’s Grand Central Terminal

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► Scott Brown won't seek Senate comeback 
► Energy Secretary Chu to step down
► Obama administration proposes contraception compromise 
► Senate Democrats huddle on gun measures
► A new plan for birth control coverage. The Obama administration proposes that employees of some religiously affiliated workplaces get contraceptive coverage through a separate, private insurance policy at no cost.
► Pictures-in-the-news

2 PICTURES TODAY

People cross a flooded area after heavy rain in Tabuk on January 30, 2013. (REUTERS/Mohamed Alhwaity)

News Headlines (142) 1 February 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Virtual Superpowers Encourage Real-World Empathy -  Jan. 30, 2013 — If you give people superpowers, will they use those abilities for good?

► Morrow Royal Pavilion In Henderson, Nevada Is Made Of 500,000 Beer Bottles (PHOTOS) - The Huffington Post. Posted: 01/30/2013||   ► DAILYMAIL - Welcome to the house of booze! Building is made of 500,000 recycled BEER BOTTLES discarded from casinos in Las Vegas - By Snejana Farberov.  PUBLISHED: 31 January 2013

► As firearm sales soar, Wal-Mart rations sale of ammunition - By Emily Jane Fox  | January 31, 201

► One Direction's Tearful Ghana Visit. One Direction have admitted they cried during their trip to poverty-stricken Ghana, where they filmed the music video for their Comic Relief charity single. 

► New Eric Clapton Album 'Old Sock' Due in March. Guitarist's 21st LP will feature Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood and more  ||  ► Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood + More to Guest on Eric Clapton's "Old Sock" || ► Eric Clapton Announces New Album "Old Soc" on His Own Label  || Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood + More to Guest on Eric Clapton's "Old Sock"  

►
Is Asia on cusp of space race? - By Ramy Inocencio, for CNN January 31, 2013  ||  SKorea: Satellite working normally, sending data 



► South Korean rocket launch successful. Jan. 30 - South Korea says its space rocket launch is successful, placing a scientific satellite into orbit. Sarah Sheffer reports.  South Korea says it has successfully launched a civilian rocket carrying a scientific satellite into space. The country has previously failed in two attempts in 2009 and 2010 to launch such a craft. More than 2,000 people gathered near the launch site to witness the rocket blasting off. A final judgement of the success of the launch is expected when the satellite makes the first communication with the ground on Thursday. South Korea already has satellites in space, but they were launched from other countries. The launch comes amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. After the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution to censure North Korea for a rocket launch in December, the rogue state issued a warning that it would perform nuclear tests aimed at the United States. Last week Pyongyang also declared a boycott of all dialogue aimed at ending its nuclear programme. North Korea's December launch showed it had the capacity to deliver a rocket that could potentially hit San Francisco, according to an intelligence assessment by South Korea.








► Notre-Dame de Paris. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Notre Dame de Paris is undergoing a make-over to mark 850 years since the first stone was laid at the famous French cathedral. On Thursday nine new replacement bells are due to arrive in Paris, where they will be on display for a month before being installed and ringing out for the first time on March 23. VIDEOGRAPHIC

► 'Stalingrad': Russian film goes 3D. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: As the world prepares to mark the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, some Russian film makers hope that a love story set against one of the bloodiest battles of the twentieth century, filmed in 3D, will give their film industry a welcome boost. (VIDEO) 

► Clinton gives last public speech as Secretary of State. Published on Jan 31, 2013 ::  In her last public speech as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton Thursday laid out a view of US global leadership for the 21st century. (VIDEO)






►
Parent: Ga. School Shooting 'Very Frightening'. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Anxious parents went to an Atlanta area middle school to check on their children after shots were fired in the courtyard. Police said a 14-year-old boy was shot in the back of the neck by another student. (Jan. 31) ||  ► Raw: Texas Police Investigate D.A.'s Shooting. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: An assistant district attorney was shot and killed Thursday morning near the North Texas courthouse where he worked. Authorities say they are searching his cases for clues about why he may have been targeted. (Jan. 31)

► Syria protests over Israel attack, warns of "surprise" - By Dominic Evans and Khaled Yacoub Oweis 

► Syria threatens to retaliate for Israeli airstrike - By BASSEM MROUE | Associated Press 

► Whatever's Happening Between Israel and Syria, It's Not Good - By Adam Clark Estes | The Atlantic Wire   ... 

► Iran says it will speed up nuclear program - By GEORGE JAHN | Associated Press

► Police: Teen shot by fellow student at Ga. school - By KATE BRUMBACK | Associated Press

► Anti-Wal-Mart labor groups agree to stop picketing the chain - By Jessica Wohl  

► China says 14 guilty of pollution protest violence - By DIDI TANG

► How China justifies its cyber attacks - By Marc Ambinder | The Week 

► Cameron makes unexpected visit to Libya - By CASSANDRA VINOGRAD 

►
Biological Twist: How Owls Spin Heads Around - By Douglas Main, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer | LiveScience.com 

► How Rock Pigeons Got Their Mullets - By Jeanna Bryner | LiveScience.com 

► San Diego Zoo Panda Diagnosed With 'Acute Cuteness' - By ABC News 

► 'Penguin Highway'  Video Captured by 21-Year-Old Traveler

► Applebee's fires waitress who posted receipt from pastor complaining about auto-tip -  By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News

► Photos of the Day - A roundup of today's best photos.

► Photo montages create mind-boggling buildings. Artist Jim Kazanjian has carefully combed through thousands of photographs to digitally resemble components into fantastical feats of architecture.

► 'Cool' photos of snow art. Here are some cool photos, literally. Simon Beck, originally an orienteering mapmaker, has turned his attention to creating gigantic artistic patterns in the snow--and photographing them. -- By Claudine Zap 

► Study says leafy greens top food poisoning source - By MIKE STOBBE | Associated Press –  Tue, Jan 29, 2013 


► Karl Lagerfeld Doesn't Care for Michelle Obama's Bangs - By Breanne L. Heldman  

► Beyoncé Knowles Sings Live at Super Bowl Press Conference; Explains Inauguration. Beyoncé admits she lips-sinched - By Taryn Ryder  

► The Most Famous (And Most Bankable) Legs of All Time 

► US warns Syria over 'arms supply' 

The US warns Syria not to transfer weapons to Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon, amid an international row over an Israeli strike in Syria.
* Analysis: Ramping up regional tension 
* Q&A: Israeli 'strike' on Syria 

► 31 January 2013 - Hijab for a day: Non-Muslim women who try the headscarf |  By Catrin Nye BBC Asian Network

► 1 February 2013 - Should people be off on Fridays?

► 1 February 2013  - Viewpoint: The 'invention illusion' means new rarely is new -  By Paul Martin Chief technology officer, Plextek

► 31 January 2013  - Is India facing a 'cultural emergency'? | by Soutik Biswas,  Delhi correspondent  


► 1 February 2013  - Mali's militants 'in disarray'

Three weeks of French targeted air strikes in northern Mali have left Islamist militants "in disarray", France's defence minister says.
* Timbuktu celebrates end of Islamist rule
* Pictures: Why Malians now love France ( What? Love? No! It is a pessimistic... ehehheee...) * 'Shadow war' looms
* Key players
*Treasure trove of African history

► 31 January 2013 - Witness describes Mali forces 'executing' students  - By Tim Whewell BBC Newsnight, Mali 

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius on Sunday January 20, 2013 announced that the Syrian opposition meeting will be held on January 28, 2013 in Paris. The meeting will be attended by representatives of the National Coalition supporters. He announced it at a time when its military forces invaded Mali and entering the war against Islam and the Muslims there, with the pretext of fighting terrorism.

French President Francois Holande has revealed "his crimes" against the Muslims there. He said, "French military intervention in Mali will continue, according to the demands of terrorism problem can be eliminated in the region."

He reveals hypocrisy by saying that France "does not strive to control Mali or add effects or seek trade or economic interests, because it's over. However, on the contrary, the French must be rushed to assist friendly countries, including the poorest countries in the world that for months or for years has been the victim of more dangerous terrorism.

Thus, Holande does not find anything that can cover the French imperialism policy --- that hate Islam and Muslims - except the false accusations of terrorism to restore control over an important part of Muslims in Mali,  which floating on a sea of ​​wealth as well as its brothers and sisters in the affected Africa.

With this intervention, then this West African country with a population of 15 million people is the eighth country bombed and people killed by the Western powers  after Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and the Philippines. And this does not include how much tyrants backed by Western powers in the region. This invasion further strengthen Western colonial war against the Islamic world.

In justifying this military offensive, France, Britain and other Western countries once again using the label to combat terrorism and protect the Mali people. To get the sympathy of Western society, the media have emphasized the aspect of "Islamists" from the opposition who want to enforce Islamic law. Terrorism becomes powerful label to justify any action from the West, even though it violates the international law of their own.

Invasion of France could also be a warning to other Islamic countries that want to establish an Islamic state, let alone the Caliphate. That the West would intervene to prevent the noble desire of Islam people. The wave of desire to establish an Islamic state applying Islamic law as a whole is indeed very alarming the West, especially seeing the current condition of Syria.

I can also smell the American and French competition in the invasion, it is very tight. Looks like France does not want to take off Mali from its grips,  after during this time it's really controlling the country. Meanwhile, the U.S. starts trying to instill its influence by supporting a military coup against President Amadou Toumani Toure, backed by France.

Mali becomes bound to America through military action.  The old political environment built by the French is difficult to master the new situations.  One possibility that can happen is ineffective participation in the new government under the American influence.

Mali is a country rich in minerals such as gold, phosphate, kaolin, bauxite, iron, uranium and many others. No wonder that Europe, especially France and the United States competing for Mali's natural resources. France needs Mali as uranium-producing countries in West Africa. Two-thirds of French electricity comes from nuclear power, requiring significant uranium imports of Niger's neighbors. As the third largest gold producer in Africa, Mali is also very tempting.

Oops! Do not forget, there's also China on the African continent.  eheheheee... China initiatives on the continent is considered by the United States as a threat to their interests and attempts to reduce the influence of the United States in the global world, including in Africa. Currently, China is a major trading country in Africa. China's foreign trade with other countries on Africa continent is said to have increased more than 16 times between 2000 and 2011. In 2011, the amount of trade between China and African countries have reached almost U.S. $ 106 billions, an amount that can not be achieved by the United States and its Western allies. Moreover China is a major exporter of weapons and military equipment to African countries.

In summary, the main purpose of Western interference through France in crisis in Mali is very clear namely to preserve the interests of the world's powerful nations in Africa. Western intervention in the crisis in Mali and Jihadist attacks in Algeria is actually the beginning to a new episode of the world countries mastery on African continent.. Maybe we will be able to see once again the process of struggle for Africa as when used in the folds of world history, but in a new form and full of dramatic and manipulation.
***
(CZ-lacalifusa030113)

► 30 January 2013 - Vegetarians 'cut heart risk by 32%' | By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News 

► Formula E: Electric cars enter the fast lane || ► Mazda prepares US diesel invasion

► Why not every tune strikes a chord

► Today's African Proverb : "He who never saw his mother while she was young thinks his father wasted the dowry" - A Maragoli proverb from Western Kenya sent by H Essendi, Southampton, UK

►
'Israeli air strike opens new front in Syria war'. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Syria claims Israel has carried out a deadly bombing raid on its territory, destroying a military research centre near Damascus. It denies claims the attack targeted a weapons convoy near the Lebanese border. It's the first time in decades that Israel has launched an attack on another state, NOT in response to military action. Israel and most Western powers are keeping silent on the incident, which has sparked condemnation from Russia. The Arab League has described Israel's strike on Syria as flagrant aggression and a glaring violation of the country's sovereignty. Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor of Pan-African News Wire, says the attack on Syria is all part of a plan to bring down the Assad government.  ||  ► 'Iran will defend Syria, US & Israel should take that seriously'. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Syria has filed an official complaint to the United Nations over an Israeli airstrike on a military research center near Damascus. The move followed a threat from Iran that Israel would face "serious consequences" for the attack. RT spoke to Prof. Seyed Mohammad Marandi - Iranian academic and political analyst. He says that Israel should be concerned about Iran's possible answer to the airstrike in Syria.



► Fifteen dead, scores injured as blast rocks Mexican state oil company's HQ (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

► North Korea imposes martial law, orders troops to 'be ready for war' - report

► Israel must remove all Jewish settlers from occupied West Bank - UN inquiry


►
Israel lobby attack-ad campaign targets Obama's Defense pick Hagel. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: The U.S. Senate is expected to grill one of president Obama's most controversial choices for a key job in his team. Chuck Hagel is likely to be quizzed on everything from relations with Israel and the Arab world to his view of women in the military, during his confirmation hearing to be the new Defense Secretary. RT's Gayane Chichyakyan explains why certain political groups are so against his nomination.  ||  ► 'Courageous Chuck Hagel in wrong job as Defense Secretary'. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: Though Washington tries to engineer Middle Eastern politics by influencing economies, Iran has never given in to such pressure, Middle East experts Hillary and Flynt Leverett told RT. Iran's concerns deserve fair consideration, they argue.



► 50 million cameras exposed to hackers due to massive security breach

► Poorest Americans could be fined under Obamacare 

► 'Stalin buses' to mark 70th anniversary of Battle of Stalingrad in Russia 

► Behind the scenes: Undercover shareholder pushes for transparency at Monsanto

► Nanny state? Moscow to monitor Russian orphans in US 

► Pakistan censors release of US drama about Osama bin Laden

by PressTVGlobalNews


► Pakistan to reveal truth about Bin Laden hunt. Published on Jan 5, 2013  :: It took Pakistan's high-level judicial commission more than one and half year to complete investigations into the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011. It was here where the US claimed it killed the world's most wanted man. The alleged presence of bin Laden in a town, just 60 miles from the capital Islamabad, had raised many questions at that time. The incident embarrassed Pakistani authorities for their ignorance of both bin Laden's reported presence in the country and the US raid.

Head of the commission has now submitted a 400 page report to the country's Prime Minister. However, the government has not yet decided to make the report public. Irrespective of the commission's findings, majority of the people in Pakistan still believe that the US raid was nothing but a cover up. Local media reports indicate that that commission's findings have cleared both civil and military authorities of any wrongdoing. Pakistan's Judicial Commission says it has made the report to answer questions regarding 2011 killing of former al-Qaeda leader by American commandos in Abbottabad. But many Pakistanis are skeptical of the report. || ► Real Story of Bin laden hunt with George Galloway. Published on Sep 10, 2012 :: Pentagon has threatened to sue a former Special Forces soldier who has written a book in which he dismisses the official account of Osama Bin Laden's killing. The book, No Easy Day, written by a Navy SEAL under the pen name Mark Owen, claims that Bin Laden was shot as he looked out of his door and as the soldiers ran up the stairs and not after he ducked back inside to grab a weapon as pentagon had claimed.

"The truth of course could be easily established but probably won't be. These soldiers were wearing head cams which of course captured all the action. Certainly President Obama and Hillary Clinton were able to watch it all live in the White House," said George Galloway. Meanwhile, Pakistan has expelled the foreign staff of the charity organization Save the Children, claiming that they had given cover in the CIA operation to kill Osama Bin Laden. On Thursday, a ceremony was held in an airbase in Germany to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of an attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics, which killed 11 of their athletes.


► With no way to process it, US will bury 70,000 tons of nuclear waste  

► Rand Paul to bring new fight against TSA

► Russia temporarily bans US meat imports

► UNESCO concerned by theft risk to Mali's cultural heritage

►
Destroying Malian Cultural Heritage in name of 'Pure Islam'. Published on Aug 23, 2012 by PBSNewsHour :: Many Malians harmoniously practice Islam alongside cultural traditions such as animism. But these Malians fear that they will be the first targeted as infidels by Islamic militants, who have already destroyed traditional Malian shrines. Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News reports.



► Mali: Cultural crimes uncovered as Timbuktu is secured . Published on Jan 29, 2013 by Euronews :: Malians may be celebrating the liberation of Timbuktu, however some could be mourning the loss of artefacts destroyed by the Islamist rebels as they fled the city.  Two hundred Malian soldiers alongside 1,000 French troops entered the city, named as an endangered world heritage site by UNESCO.

The fleeing militants destroyed the tomb of Saint Sidi Mahmoudou and set fire to mosques and the Ahmed Baba Institute, a library containing many historical documents. A librarian at the Ahmed Baba Institute described being told about the destruction:" 'We destroyed everything. We destroyed the mosque. We destroyed things that are more than 300, 400 years old,' they said, because their religion doesn't accept that (the artefacts)."

Timbuktu is home to some 20,000 manuscripts, some dating back as far as the 12th century. Militants destroyed some which had not been hidden away.  For now, the focus is on securing Timbuktu. British troops could form part of an EU military training mission in Mali or assist in training soldiers in the west African regional bloc ECOWAS. British Prime Minister David Cameron has sent a security advisor to meet with French President François Hollande to discuss a deployment.


► Mali 'bloody atrocities': Exclusive footage shows army's war crimes. Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: RT has managed to get exclusive footage of what's believed to be the atrocities committed by the Malian army in a town liberated from the Islamist rebels with the help of French forces. Information on civilian casualties in Mali has been notably scarce. We spoke to local journalist Gonzalo Wancha, who told us of the origins of the unsettling tape.

►
Inside Story Americas - What fuels the love for guns in the US? Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: There are nearly 300 million firearms in the US which is almost as many guns as there are people. It is in fact the most heavily armed country per capita in the world. In this first episode of our Inside Story Americas special series: Guns, culture and crime in the US, we look at why the debate over gun control is so polarised and travel to West Virginia - a place where shooting guns is a sport that has been passed down over generations - to find out what fuels the love for guns in this country.



►
Inside Story - US drones in Africa: Surveillance or strikes? Published on Jan 31, 2013 :: The US is opening up a new front against armed groups linked to al-Qaeda in Africa. And Niger is reported to have given permission for US drones to be based in its territory. Hillary Clinton, the outgoing US secretary of state, has said the US faces a serious threat from armed groups in the region.



► The Stream - Across the universe 

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► A Sea of Troubles: Asia Today Compared to Europe Before World War I

By Ishaan Tharoor
* Japan Boosts Defense Spending, More Or Less
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► Afghanistan: As the U.S. Moves Out, So Must Trash

* In Afghanistan, the U.S. Is in the Most Difficult of Moves

► Stop targeting Afghanistan's peace agenda: Karzai to foreigners. Published on Jan 30, 2013 by PressTVGlobalNews :: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has accused foreign countries plotting against countries peace agenda.


► Israel May Feel Need to Strike Syria Again 

* Syria Threatens Retaliation for Israeli Airstrike 

► Republicans Hammer Defense Nominee Chuck Hagel 

* Klein: John McCain's Testy Questioning of Chuck Hagel 

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► Architect-photographer Balthazar Korab | 1926-2013

► Lulled into a fog-induced limbo aboard an Indian train. Winter means vast shrouds of fog that slow rail travel to a crawl, making for hours-long delays. Instead of teeth-gnashing, there's tea and nattering. 

(I find her voice personified in her ballet. Both are equally beautiful. How are you today? Wonderful callous?)