Mayo Clinic releases book with action plan to help beat heart disease

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Traci Klein
newsbureau@mayo.edu
507-284-5005
Mayo Clinic

'Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life!' reveals innovative heart disease prevention and treatment plan

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Heart disease is the nation's No. 1 killer for both men and women. But what's most astonishing is that almost 80 percent of heart disease is preventable, and even small lifestyle changes can have a big impact.

Based on an innovative yet simple "Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8" program, Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! provides the latest, clinically proven information on heart disease prevention and a step-by-step quick-start plan that breaks through the clutter and helps people understand exactly where to focus:

• Eat 5 or more vegetables or fruits per day. It's not just the protective nutrients they supply, but also that you'll have less room for junk.
• Move 10 extra minutes each day. Recent studies show that a sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of heart attack as much as smoking does. It's as simple as standing instead of sitting as much as possible.
• Sleep at least 8 hours per day. Chronic sleep deprivation has devastating effects on your heart. It is not a luxury, it's a necessity.
• In addition, enjoy life. Discover what brings you joy and satisfaction. Your mental and emotional state influence heart health just as your genetic makeup and lifestyle habits can.

"As soon you pick up the book, you can start making a difference in your heart health," says Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Martha Grogan, M.D. medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! "And, it's easier than you might think. For example, moving even 10 minutes a day for someone who's been sedentary can reduce the risk for heart disease by 50 percent."

In this book, Dr. Grogan and a multi-disciplinary team of Mayo Clinic experts discuss key actions to jump-start heart health. The book also offers management strategies for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions; explains how the heart works and what can go wrong; and offers additional tools, tips and resources to overcome obstacles and support your heart disease prevention plan.

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Published by Time Home Entertainment, Inc., Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life! will be available online and in retail outlets nationwide on January 31, 2012. Mayo Clinic's proceeds from the book will support medical education and research at Mayo Clinic.

About Martha Grogan, M.D.

Martha Grogan, M.D. is the medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!, and a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Grogan has been the cardiovascular medical editor of the award-winning web site MayoClinic.com for almost a decade and has a special interest in health education for the general public. Dr. Grogan is a non-invasive cardiologist, specializing in echocardiography, heart failure, and adult congenital heart disease. She conducts clinical research, with a focus on cardiac amyloidosis, a rare disorder, and maintains a busy clinical practice which includes general cardiology. Dr. Grogan lectures widely on a variety of topics in clinical cardiology and is a medical educator at Mayo Clinic.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about/ and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Traci Klein
newsbureau@mayo.edu
507-284-5005
Mayo Clinic

'Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life!' reveals innovative heart disease prevention and treatment plan

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Heart disease is the nation's No. 1 killer for both men and women. But what's most astonishing is that almost 80 percent of heart disease is preventable, and even small lifestyle changes can have a big impact.

Based on an innovative yet simple "Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8" program, Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! provides the latest, clinically proven information on heart disease prevention and a step-by-step quick-start plan that breaks through the clutter and helps people understand exactly where to focus:

• Eat 5 or more vegetables or fruits per day. It's not just the protective nutrients they supply, but also that you'll have less room for junk.
• Move 10 extra minutes each day. Recent studies show that a sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of heart attack as much as smoking does. It's as simple as standing instead of sitting as much as possible.
• Sleep at least 8 hours per day. Chronic sleep deprivation has devastating effects on your heart. It is not a luxury, it's a necessity.
• In addition, enjoy life. Discover what brings you joy and satisfaction. Your mental and emotional state influence heart health just as your genetic makeup and lifestyle habits can.

"As soon you pick up the book, you can start making a difference in your heart health," says Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Martha Grogan, M.D. medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! "And, it's easier than you might think. For example, moving even 10 minutes a day for someone who's been sedentary can reduce the risk for heart disease by 50 percent."

In this book, Dr. Grogan and a multi-disciplinary team of Mayo Clinic experts discuss key actions to jump-start heart health. The book also offers management strategies for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions; explains how the heart works and what can go wrong; and offers additional tools, tips and resources to overcome obstacles and support your heart disease prevention plan.

###

Published by Time Home Entertainment, Inc., Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life! will be available online and in retail outlets nationwide on January 31, 2012. Mayo Clinic's proceeds from the book will support medical education and research at Mayo Clinic.

About Martha Grogan, M.D.

Martha Grogan, M.D. is the medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!, and a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Grogan has been the cardiovascular medical editor of the award-winning web site MayoClinic.com for almost a decade and has a special interest in health education for the general public. Dr. Grogan is a non-invasive cardiologist, specializing in echocardiography, heart failure, and adult congenital heart disease. She conducts clinical research, with a focus on cardiac amyloidosis, a rare disorder, and maintains a busy clinical practice which includes general cardiology. Dr. Grogan lectures widely on a variety of topics in clinical cardiology and is a medical educator at Mayo Clinic.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about/ and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/mc-mcr013012.php

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Protesters in Washington defiant as deadline passes (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Defiant anti-Wall Street protesters in Washington vowed to dig in on Monday as a police midday deadline for them to remove their belongings from two camps within sight of the White House passed without incident.

In its first challenge to the demonstrators, U.S. National Park Service said last week it would enforce a ban at noon against sleeping in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza, where "Occupy" protesters have camped out since October.

It ordered sleeping bags, pillows and other gear removed but said tents may remain as a protest symbol if flaps stayed open. Protesters at McPherson Square set up a huge tent off of a statue in the middle of the one-block square surrounded by office and government buildings - a makeshift "Tent of Dreams" to protest the order.

"The people united will never be defeated," participants chanted on Monday.

While similar "Occupy" protests against social and economic inequality in other U.S. cities have been shut down by police, the demonstrations in the capital have survived an unusually warm winter and a permissive approach by federal authorities reluctant to provoke confrontation.

Despite their small numbers, the Washington protesters enjoy outsized media attention because their camps are just blocks from President Barack Obama's official residence and one is next to K Street, a wide thoroughfare that is home to many lobbyists and is synonymous with corporate influence in the capital.

Fears of clashes mounted after police used a stun gun Sunday on one protester, who was later arrested. The deadline in Washington follows a new burst of unrest at "Occupy" protests in Oakland, California, over the weekend.

Some protesters interviewed pledged peaceful resistance.

"We're not going to fight but we're just going to make it difficult," said Jake Roszack, 22, from New York, who had built a barricade of spare wood, tents and cardboard, around his personal belongings and those of his friends.

More than 100 passersby, journalists and others gathered at McPherson Square to see what action authorities would take but the noon deadline passed without police intervention.

ARRESTS ON CASE-BY-CASE BASIS

A U.S. Park Police spokesman, David Schlosser, said arrests would be made on a case-by-case basis but that none had been made so far. "We're very pleased that we're getting some voluntary compliance," he said.

At McPherson Square, participants turned their tents and sleeping bags into symbols of protest using donated art supplies. One tent read, "We're still here." A sign on a bench read "Eviction?? Bring it!!"

Inspired by the Arab Spring, "Occupy" demonstrations began in New York City in September and spread across the United States and to other countries.

Protesters are targeting the growing income gap, corporate greed and what they see as unfair tax structure favoring the richest 1 percent of Americans. Protesters in Washington also cite other pet causes, including joblessness, big agriculture and the homeless, some of whom sleep in the park.

The U.S. capital, site of historic demonstrations over the decades, had so far done little to deter the protesters, drawing a rebuke from congressional Republicans who accuse the Obama administration of sympathizing with the groups and refusing to enforce park rules - a charge denied by park officials.

The National Park Service regulates both parks and forbids camping on federal land not designated as a campground.

The protests have also has irked local city officials who are concerned about squalor, rats and trash.

Protesters had issued multiple calls on Twitter for reinforcements from New York, Boston, Philadelphia and other cities, but so far no large groups had arrived.

The number of protesters in the Occupy DC camps fluctuates, but city officials estimate there are less than 100 in total.

The Occupy protests had faded over the last few weeks but flared anew on Saturday when violence broke out in Oakland, California and 400 demonstrators were arrested during a night of skirmishes with police. Oakland has become a flashpoint of the protests and the arrests there were one of the largest mass detentions since the movement began.

Obama has seized on the debate to call for higher taxes on the richest Americans and has made economic inequality a central theme of his administration and bid for re-election.

(Writing by Susan Heavey and Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Ross Colvin and Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/us_nm/us_usa_protests_washington

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U.S.A.! We're No. 1! Er ... rather, we used to be No. 1?

Americans are used to the U.S. being the leader, or a top-ranked nation, in many areas. But in a number of industries and businesses, the U.S. has lost that first place, usually to China. While some, such as coal production, may not come as a surprise, other industries the U.S. has lost the market leadership might. 24/7 Wall St. looked at a large number of manufacturing, agricultural and financial businesses to find those in which China has surpassed the U.S.

For several years, economists have said that China?s GDP growth indicates that its economy will pass that of the U.S. in the next two or three decades. China?s GDP is measured at about $6.5 trillion, now second in the world. America?s GDP is over $15.2 trillion, according to the International Monetary Fund. While China certainly has much catching up to do, the two countries? rate of GDP growth is also very different. Last year, China?s economy expanded at more than 9 percent. America?s GDP grew at a little better than 2 percent.

One reason that China continues to gain so rapidly on the U.S. is the high cost of American labor and manufacturing. In fact, U.S. manufacturing costs have risen so much that they are much higher than in any developed nation with factory capacity. This includes countries like China, Mexico and South Korea ? places the U.S. and Japanese companies often contract to do their factory work. The labor price advantage has helped China become the largest steel producer in the world. China is also first place in car manufacturing.

24/7 Wall St.: The most popular U.S. companies in China

Low labor costs are not the sole reason China has become the single largest provider of many goods. China?s 1.3 trillion citizens have become voracious consumers as workers in its manufacturing sector have grown the number of its middle class. China also has decided that it is often financially better to provide its own raw material for its factories? items like cotton ? than it is to import such items from overseas.

24/7 Wall St. examined the manufacturing, agricultural and financial businesses in which China has surpassed the U.S. China likely will become the world?s largest economy based on GDP. It certainly has shown that it has the capacity to advance on that position ? one large industry at a time.

1. Steel

• China production: 627 million metric tons in 2010
• U.S. production: 80 million metric tons in 2010
• U.S. position: 3rd

In 1973, the U.S. was the largest producer of steel, making more than 136 million metric tons of crude steel, according to the International Iron and Steel Institute. Up to that point, the U.S. had enjoyed many decades of industry dominance, centered around the city of Pittsburgh. The following year, U.S. production was overtaken by the USSR, which produced 136.2 million metric tons, compared with the U.S.?s 132.2 million. Today, however, completely different players dominate the steel market. In 2010, the world?s top producer of crude steel was China, which produced approximately 627 million metric tons. Japan was a distant second-largest producer with nearly 110 million metric tons. The U.S. was third, producing approximately 80 million.

2. Cotton

• China production: 7.3 million metric tons in 2011
• U.S. production: 3.4 million metric tons in 2011
• U.S. position: 3rd

In 2000, the U.S. produced 4.2 million metric tons of cotton ? the largest amount in the world. China was not far behind, producing 3.81 million metric tons. By 2008, however, China had not only surpassed the U.S., but made nearly double the U.S.?s production amount. China produced approximately 8.1 million metric tons to the U.S.?s 4.2 million. A year earlier, the U.S. lost its second spot among top cotton producers to India, thanks in part to technological breakthroughs in seed and production practices. Between 2011 and 2012, China produced 7.3 million metric tons, India produced 6 million and the U.S. was third, producing 3.4 million.

24/7 Wall St.: The 10 most-hated companies in America

3. Initial Public Offerings

• China production: $73 billion raised in 2011
• U.S. production: $30.7 billion raised in 2011
• U.S. position: 2nd

Even in the world of finance the U.S. is losing its dominance to China. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, ?the yearly average of U.S. IPOs has decreased from 27 percent (global share) in the 1990s to 12 percent in the 2000s.? And as the U.S.?s share of IPO proceeds decreased, China?s share increased. It is now the world leader in IPOs. In 2011, companies raised a total of $73 billion through IPOs in the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock markets. This is nearly double the amount raised in New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, according to Dealogic. The last time the U.S. raised the most in IPO funds globally was 2008.

4. Tobacco

• China production: 3 million metric tons in 2010
• U.S. production: 0.33 million metric tons in 2010
• U.S. position: 4th

Until 1976, the U.S. produced the largest share of the world?s tobacco. Today, the U.S. only produces 6 percent of the global output, according to Stephan Richter, editor-in-chief of The Globalist, in an interview by Marketplace. The most recent data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations places the U.S. as the fourth-largest producer of tobacco in the world. China is the largest, producing more than 3 million metric tons of the crop in 2010. The U.S. produced slightly more than 326,000 metric tons that year. The other larger producers are Brazil and India, in that order.

24/7 Wall St.: The best- and worst-run companies in the U.S.

5. Autos

• China production: 18.3 million autos in 2010
• U.S. production: 7.8 million autos in 2010
• U.S. position: 3rd

Automotive manufacturing is considered one of the U.S.?s most critical industries. But in recent years, other countries have surpassed the U.S., which is now the third-largest producer of autos in the world, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. The American auto industry nearly collapsed in 2008, requiring massive federal support for General Motors and Chrysler. By 2010, the U.S. manufactured 7.8 million cars and commercial vehicles. Japan, which is headquarters to major brands such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda, produced 9.6 million vehicles ? the second most ? although damage caused by the earthquake has hurt production in the country. China is the world?s largest carmaker, producing 18.3 million in 2010.

6. Beer Production

• China production: 443.8 million hectoliters in 2010
• U.S. production: 227.8 million hectoliters in 2010
• U.S. position: 2nd

The U.S. lost its top position even in beer production. In 2000, the U.S. beer industry was the greatest in the world, producing 232 million hectoliters, compared with China?s 220 million. One decade later, and China is in first place, generating 443.8 million hectoliters of beer, versus the U.S.?s 227.8 million. Not only does China have a population that is more than four times that of the U.S., but beer consumption in the country has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the World Health Organization, the average Chinese citizen drank about half a bottle of beer in 1961. By 2007, that amount had increased to 103 beers per year.

24/7 Wall St.: States losing the most jobs to China

7. High-Technology Exports

• China production: $348 billion in 2009
• U.S. production: $142 billion in 2009
• U.S. position: 2nd

High-technology exports are defined as ?products with high R&D intensity, such as in aerospace, computers, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments, and electrical machinery,? according to the World Bank. The U.S. remains home to the largest pharmaceutical industry in the world, and the rest of industries mentioned are also huge domestically. According to the World Bank, China began earning more from high-technology exports than the U.S. as recently as 2005. In 2009, Chinese high-technology exports were worth $348 billion. High-technology exports from the U.S. were worth a more modest $142 billion.

8. Coal Production

• China production: 3.24 billion short tons produced in 2010
• U.S. production: 985 million tons produced in 2010
• U.S. position: 2nd

America led the world in coal production up until 1984, and it is now a distant second to China. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the U.S. produced just under 1 billion tons of coal in 2010. China produced more than three times that amount, generating 3.2 billion short tons. There has been exponential growth in the Chinese energy infrastructure in the past decade. Since 2005, American coal production has decreased slightly, while Chinese production has increased by nearly 38 percent. Despite the U.S.?s decline in coal production, it is still the world?s second-largest producer, and combined, the two countries account for more than half of the world?s total coal production.

Copyright ? 2012 24/7 Wall St. Republished with permission.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46181723/ns/business-world_business/

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Despair, crackdowns breed more violence in Tibet (AP)

BEIJING ? A young man posts his photo with a leaflet demanding freedom for Tibet and telling Chinese police, come and get me. Protesters rise up to defend him, and demonstrations break out in two other Tibetan areas of western China to support the same cause.

Each time, police respond with bullets.

The three clashes, all in the past week, killed several Tibetans and injured dozens. They mark an escalation of a protest movement that for months expressed itself mainly through scattered individual self-immolations.

It's the result of growing desperation among Tibetans and a harsh crackdown by security forces that scholars and pro-Tibet activists contend only breeds more rage and despair.

That leaves authorities with the stark choice of either cracking down even harder or meeting Tibetan demands for greater freedom and a return of their Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama ? something Beijing has shown zero willingness to do.

"By not responding constructively when it was faced with peaceful one-person protests, the (Communist) party has created the conditions for violent, large-scale protests," said Robbie Barnett, head of modern Tibetan studies at New York's Columbia University.

This is the region's most violent period since 2008, when deadly rioting in Tibet's capital Lhasa spread to Tibetan areas in adjoining provinces. China responded by flooding the area with troops and closing Tibetan regions entirely to foreigners for about a year. Special permission is still required for non-Chinese visitors to Tibet, and the Himalayan region remains closed off entirely for the weeks surrounding the March 14 anniversary of the riots that left 22 people dead.

Video smuggled out by activists shows paramilitary troops equipped with assault rifles and armored cars making pre-dawn arrests. Huge convoys of heavily armored troops are seen driving along mountain roads and monks accused of sedition being frog-marched to waiting trucks.

For the past year, self-immolations have become a striking form of protest in the region. At least 16 monks, nuns and former clergy set themselves on fire after chanting for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

China, fiercely critical of the Dalai Lama, says Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, but many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time.

In a change from the individual protests, several thousand Tibetans marched to government offices Monday in Ganzi prefecture in Sichuan province. Police opened fire into the crowd, killing up to three people, witnesses and activist groups said.

On Tuesday, security forces opened fire on a crowd of protesters in another area of Ganzi, killing two Tibetans and wounding several more, according to the group Free Tibet.

On Thursday in southwestern Sichuan province's Aba prefecture, a youth named Tarpa posted a leaflet saying that self-immolations wouldn't stop until Tibet is free, the London-based International Campaign for Tibet said. He wrote his name on the leaflet and included a photo of himself, saying that Chinese authorities could come and arrest him if they wished, group spokeswoman Kate Saunders said in an email.

Security forces did so about two hours later. Area residents blocked their way, shouting slogans and warning of bigger protests if Tarpa wasn't released, Saunders said. Police then fired into the crowd, killing a a 20-year-old friend of Tarpa's, a student named Urgen, and wounding several others.

The incident, as with most reported clashes in Tibetan areas, could not be independently verified and exact numbers of casualties were unclear because of the heavy security presence and lack of access. The topic is so sensitive that even government-backed scholars claim ignorance of it and refuse to comment.

The government, however, acknowledged Tuesday's unrest, saying that a "mob" charged a police station and injured 14 officers, forcing police to open fire on them. The official Xinhua News Agency said police killed one rioter and injured another.

"The Chinese government will, as always, fight all crimes and be resolute in maintaining social order," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in comments on the incident.

The harsh response points to a deep anxiety about the self-immolations, said Youdon Aukatsang, a New Delhi-based member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile.

"They're worried that there is an underground movement in Tibet that is coming to the surface," she said.

Tibetan desperation has been fed both by the harsh crackdown ? security agents reportedly outnumber monks in some monasteries ? along with a deep fear that the Dalai Lama, probably the most potent symbol of Tibet's separate identity, will never return.

The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate handed his political powers to an elected assembly last year. That was intended to ensure the Tibetan cause would live on after him, but was met with considerable anxiety among many Tibetans who saw it as a sign he was giving up his role as leader of their struggle.

Dibyesh Anand, a Tibet expert at London's University of Westminster, said resistance to Chinese rule is likely to grow more fierce.

"Protests will get more radicalized since the Tibetans in the region see no concession, no offer of compromise, no flexibility coming from the government," he said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tibet_spiral_of_violence

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American Idol to President Obama & Al Green: Sing For Us!

If you haven't seen the video of President Obama singing Al Green at a fundraiser at New York City's legendary Apollo Theater last week, you need to.

No matter what you think of his views, the Prez proved with his riff on "Let's Stay Together" that he's got pipes! And we weren't the only ones impressed.

Friday, American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe Tweeted an official offer to the Commander in Chief that he can't refuse. Or at least he shouldn't:

Obama Sings Al Green

"@BarackObama we loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green."

Now that would be the DVR moment of the decade.

We're gonna guess that Obama will cite scheduling conflicts and pass, but if you think about it, what better way to win over voters in an election year?

Okay, perhaps a robust economy would be a bigger ballot box boost, but you get the idea. The guy's vocal chops are legit and deserve a wider audience.

President Obama in 2012?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/american-idol-to-president-obama-and-al-green-sing-for-us/

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Celebrity pot busts put tiny Texas county on map

FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2011 file photo, actor Armie Hammer poses for photographers after the Young Hollywood Panel during AFI FEST 2011 in Los Angeles. The town of Sierra Blanca, Texas, which is losing more and more residents every year, is attracting nationwide attention as a magnet for pot-toting celebrities who have been arrested for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town. Hammer was arrested Nov. 20, 2011, at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2011 file photo, actor Armie Hammer poses for photographers after the Young Hollywood Panel during AFI FEST 2011 in Los Angeles. The town of Sierra Blanca, Texas, which is losing more and more residents every year, is attracting nationwide attention as a magnet for pot-toting celebrities who have been arrested for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town. Hammer was arrested Nov. 20, 2011, at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas (AP) ? Nestled among the few remaining businesses that dot a rundown highway in this dusty West Texas town stands what's become a surprise destination for marijuana-toting celebrities: the Hudspeth County Jail.

Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and actor Armie Hammer have been among the thousands of people busted for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town in recent years, bringing a bit of notoriety to one of Texas' most sparsely populated counties.

"Once I was in Arizona, and when I said where I was from, they said, 'That's where Willie Nelson was busted,'" said Louise Barantley, manager at the Coyote Sunset souvenir shop in Sierra Blanca.

Hudspeth County cameos aren't only for outlaws: Action movie star Steven Seagal, who's already deputized in Louisiana and Arizona for his reality show "Steven Seagal Lawman" on A&E, has signed on to become a county officer.

Locals already have found ways to rub shoulders with their celebrity guests.

Deputies posed for pictures with Snoop Dogg after authorities said they found several joints on his bus earlier this month. When Nelson was busted here in 2010, the county's lead prosecutor suggested the singer settle his marijuana charges by performing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. Nelson paid a fine instead, but not before county commissioner Wayne West played one of his own songs for the country music legend.

West acknowledged he's a big fan of Nelson and wanted to capitalize on a golden chance to perform for such a noted "captive audience."

"Willie loved the song, he is a real outgoing individual" he added.

The once-thriving town of Sierra Blanca began to shrink to its current 1,000-person population after the construction of nearby Interstate 10 ? a main artery linking cities from California to Florida ? offered an easy way to bypass the community.

Now the highway is sending thousands of drug bust cases Sierra Blanca's way, courtesy of a Border Patrol checkpoint just outside of town where drug-sniffing dogs inspect more than 17,000 trucks, travelers ? and tour buses ? daily for whiffs of contraband that may have made its way inland from the border.

Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, younger brother of the musically inclined commissioner, said his office handled about 2,000 cases last year, most of them having to do with drugs seized at the checkpoint.

Border Patrol agents say people busted with small amounts of pot often say they have medical marijuana licenses from California, Arizona or New Mexico ? three states along I-10 that, unlike Texas, allow for medicinal pot prescriptions ? and claim to believe the licenses were valid nationwide.

Nelson's publicists declined to comment about the specifics of the singer's case. Representatives for Snoop Dogg, who will pay a fine and court costs after being cited for possession of marijuana paraphernalia, did not return several messages seeking comment.

County authorities have not yet decided whether to prosecute or issue a citation for Hammer, who starred in the 2010 film "The Social Network" and more recently played FBI's number two man in "J. Edgar" He was arrested in November on his way to his wife's bakery in San Antonio after authorities said they found marijuana-laced brownies and cookies. His attorney Kent Schaffer has called the case a "total non-issue."

Local officials say they're not on a celebrity witch hunt, but some residents are enjoying the publicity from the high-profile arrests. They say the once forgotten town of Sierra Blanca should take pride in not pandering to famous people caught breaking the law.

"We get attention because something is being done right," resident Adolfo Gonzalez said while shopping at a local convenience store. "It'd be worse if we'd let them go because they are celebrities."

That's not expected to change when Seagal comes to town. Sheriff West insists the "Under Siege" star hasn't indicated any plans to film his show here ? but the sheriff isn't ruling it out.

"If he wants to, we can do it but that's not what he said this was about," West said.

West's spokesman, Rusty Flemming, said Seagal will patrol the area and train colleagues in martial arts and weapons techniques. The actor is expected to arrive in Hudspeth County within months, once he's done filming a new movie in Canada.

Seagal's management agency did not return calls and emails seeking comment about his plans in Texas.

Commissioner West, meanwhile, is keeping his musical skills sharp ? just in case another performer pays a surprise visit to the county jail. The lead guitarist and vocalist of a local band, West said he regrets not having a chance to sing for Snoop Dogg, but wasn't sure if the rapper would have enjoyed the performance anyway.

"Our stuff is laid back," he said. "Mas o menos (more or less) country."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-28-Celebrity%20Checkpoint/id-71649437f03c435fbc612ea314f9866b

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Republican Santorum heads home as he lags in Florida (Reuters)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) ? Trailing in opinion polls, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum headed home to Pennsylvania on Friday for a short visit, effectively turning his back on the Florida primary that has become a two-man race between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

While Romney and Gingrich battle it out in Florida, Santorum is returning to attend a fundraiser, prepare his tax returns for release and hold a news conference in West Chester.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Friday showed Santorum on only 13 percent in Florida, way back in third place.

Santorum, a devout Catholic who has tried to position himself as the social conservative alternative to Romney, dismissed speculation he might quit after Florida.

"I will make an absolute statement; there hasn't been a discussion and not even approaching a discussion to discuss a discussion as to whether to get out of this race," he told CNN.

He plans to return to Florida on the weekend for final campaigning but he has been is unable to compete with Romney and Gingrich in spending on TV ads in the big Florida markets. Santorum is now looking beyond Tuesday's primary here.

"We're focused on Nevada and Colorado where we think there are more opportunities for us," he said on Thursday after giving a speech on "Faith, Family, and Freedom" to a group of about 200 college students at Florida State University. "We're going to stay in this race for the long haul."

WAITING FOR GINGRICH SLIP?

Asked if he was banking on a slip up by Gingrich to allow him to emerge as the alternative to Romney, Santorum said:

"The fact is that other candidates in the race have a lot of problems that make their candidacy less than optimal for the Republicans in this general election ... Lots of things are going to happen between now and August."

Though Santorum narrowly won the Iowa primary - the first contest in the state-by-state battle for the Republican presidential nomination to challenge President Barack Obama on November 6 - he has since faded as Gingrich has outperformed him in debates and tapped into support from social conservatives and the Tea Party faithful.

"Santorum appears to be doomed and his candidacy looks foolish, but if anybody could commit a colossal error in this race it's Gingrich - he likes to throw verbal hand grenades," said Ed Costantini, emeritus professor of political science at University of California, Davis.

Santorum has questioned the conservative credentials of his two main rivals, Gingrich and Romney, portraying them as flip-floppers and too conciliatory on fiscal and social issues.

Pam Olsen, the leader of the International House of Prayer, a Christian group in Tallahassee, said she was backing Santorum, the father of seven children, because his commitment to family values has never wavered.

"He's the right person at this time in history to get America back in the right direction," she said.

Santorum's stump speech often includes a fire-and-brimstone and angry criticism of what he regards as government policies that limit freedom.

For dramatic effect at Florida State University, Santorum threw a palm-sized book onto the floor to symbolize that the declaration of independence and the constitution were under attack by "modern, progressive, liberal" values that "will destroy America."

He also railed against courts for extending rights to special interest groups, apparently a reference to gay marriage and abortion.

(Editing by Alistair Bell)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/pl_nm/us_usa_campaign_santorum

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Syria plans local ceasefire with rebels: governor (Reuters)

IRBIN, Syria (Reuters) ? Syrian authorities are holding ceasefire talks with rebels who have seized some areas near Damascus, a local official said on Thursday, in a sign that a 10-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad has crept close to the capital.

Activists in the restive northeastern suburbs of Douma, Harasta and Irbin, some of which lie within eight km (five miles) of central Damascus, said they heard explosions from overnight clashes between security forces and insurgents.

Gunfire was close enough to be heard from central Damascus during the night.

"Many of them (in the opposition) have been misled. They will eventually come back to the right way," Hussein Makhlouf, governor of Damascus countryside, told Arab League monitors before they headed for Irbin on their first outing in a week.

"We have started a dialogue with them, including some armed groups that are controlling positions there," Makhlouf said.

He told the monitors that the authorities were using "the same approach as in Zabadani, so the same scenario will happen."

This month the military withdrew armored vehicles encircling the rebel-held town of Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon, after negotiating a truce with its defenders.

Arab observers stopped just outside Irbin, where a dozen soldiers stood guard. Beyond them a crowd of about 100 anti-Assad protesters shouted "Allahu akbar (God is great)."

The troops showed the monitors the body of a soldier and another person they said had been killed in the morning.

The Arab observers soon drove away from the tense scene and their next destination was not immediately clear.

MONITORS RESUME WORK

The monitors, now without 55 Gulf Arab colleagues withdrawn by their governments this week in protest at continued bloodshed, resumed work after a one-week gap during which the Arab League prolonged their mission by another month.

One monitor said he was confused about the extension. "The report has been written and the (League) decisions have been taken, so another month to do what? We are not sure," he said.

Syrian opposition groups have accused the observer mission, which deployed on December 26, of giving Assad diplomatic cover to pursue a crackdown on protesters and rebels in which more than 5,000 people have been killed since March, by a U.N. tally.

The Arab League called on Sunday for Assad to quit as part of a transition plan for which it is seeking U.N. support.

France and Britain have joined efforts at the United Nations to end Assad's rule, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country remained opposed to sanctions on Syria and reiterated its opposition to military intervention.

The Security Council could vote as early as next week on a Western-Arab draft resolution, council diplomats said.

In recent months, an insurgency by army deserters and other rebels has increasingly eclipsed peaceful protests against more than four decades of rule by the Assad family.

Activists said the army deployment and clashes in townships around Damascus were a response to insurgents' growing strength.

"The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has almost complete control of some areas of the Damascus countryside and some control in Douma and Harasta," an activist who gave his name as Hussein told Reuters by telephone from the suburb of Harasta.

Other activists in Douma, Harasta and Irbin said security forces had gathered in their towns after rebels retreated because they could not fight pitched battles with the army.

"Assad's army has armored vehicles and anti-aircraft guns while we only have rifles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs)," said an FSA fighter who calls himself Abu Thaer.

Activists said five people were wounded by army shelling on Wednesday night, but gave no details of rebel casualties.

RED CRESCENT OFFICIAL KILLED

In violence on Wednesday, the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in the northern town of Idlib was shot dead.

The opposition Local Coordinating Committees group said a total of 27 people had been killed, including six FSA fighters.

Fourteen members of the security forces were buried on Wednesday, the state news agency SANA said, describing them as martyrs killed by "armed terrorist groups" across the country. It also said five security men had been killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Apamea in Hama province.

Syrian authorities say insurgents have killed 2,000 soldiers and police since the anti-Assad revolt erupted in March.

Despite the mounting death toll, an ICRC official said the Syria unrest did not meet the group's definition of civil war.

"The threshold has not yet been passed to speak of an armed conflict," Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, head of ICRC operations for the Near and Middle East, told Reuters in Geneva.

The ICRC's legal criteria for civil war include an opposition that clearly controls territory and has a military structure with a clear chain of command.

The revolt in Syria was inspired by other uprisings that have toppled three autocratic Arab leaders over the past year and the bloodshed has battered Assad's standing in the world.

The Arab League has suspended Syria and called for Assad to hand over to his deputy, pending the formation of an unity government, constitutional and security reform, and elections.

(Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny in Damascus, Erika Solomon in Beirut and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/wl_nm/us_syria

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Ramiro Garcia Brings 'Grace' To 'American Idol'

Cortez Shaw, Kristine Osorio and Skylar Laine also make an impression on the judges during Texas auditions.
By Adam Graham

Ramiro Garcia auditions on "American Idol" Thursday
Photo: Michael Becker / FOX

The "American Idol" judges have mostly seen eye-to-eye (to eye) so far this season, with the majority of contestants being passed through to Hollywood or sent back home by unanimous vote. But on Thursday's (January 26) episode, we saw several disagreements between the judges, with Jennifer Lopez giving singers a passing grade while Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson flunked them. It was implied but not explicitly spelled out that the boys were voting on looks more than voices, angering Lopez to the point where she mock-stabbed Tyler in the head with a pen.

The dissension continued with contestant Linda Williams, whose version of Alicia Keys' "Fallin' " seemed shaky, though it was good enough — or her looks were — to earn "yes" votes from Tyler and Jackson.

"Wake up! Honestly, I feel like somebody slipped you something," Lopez told Jackson, as she could sense which way he was leaning. It wasn't enough to dissuade the Dawg, and after Williams was passed through to Hollywood, Lopez moaned to her fellow judges, "That was awful. That was awful!" Let the drama begin!

The latest episode did its best to ramp up the drama factor, taking a detour from the happy-go-lucky vibe that has purveyed over the first four episodes of the season. Even though the Galveston, Texas, auditions gave out 54 Golden Tickets — more than any other audition city so far this season — the show highlighted fewer of those winners than any other episode, instead introducing viewers to oddballs and wannabes, in keeping with years past. Is this the producers' way of reacting to the show's slipping ratings?

The night's warmest story belonged to 28-year-old Ramiro Garcia, a worship leader in Houston who was born without ears and was told he would grow up mute. After several surgeries, doctors discovered his ear canal ,and he taught himself to not only speak but to sing. His husky, smoky version of "Amazing Grace" was a standout. Tyler told him, "I like your insides" — a weird compliment, to be sure, but it was enough to give Garcia a pass through to Hollywood.

Another standout was 20-year-old Cortez Shaw of Garland, Texas, who put a warm R&B twist on Adele's "Someone Like You" and instantly won the favor of the judges, who implied they'd heard far too many botched versions of 2011's #1 sob song. Shaw said he grew up bouncing between his friends' homes while his single mother struggled with homelessness, but he put a positive spin on everything and came out ahead. And he's not lacking for confidence: "I'm gonna win 'American Idol,' " he said after earning his Golden Ticket to Hollywood. "OH MY GOD!"

Kristine Osorio also sang an Adele song — "One and Only" — and equally wowed the judges. The 28-year-old mother of three from Amarillo, Texas, was praised by Tyler for her upper register, and her slick hairdo and tattooed upper body give her a strong, unique look.

Also graduating through to Hollywood were 17-year-old Skylar Laine from Brandon, Mississippi, a deer-killin', ATV-ridin' country gal who was more than convincing singing Pistol Annies' "Hell on Heels," and Baylie Brown, a 21-year-old who made it through to Hollywood back in season six and return this year on the strength of her country-fried rendition of Bon Jovi's "Bed of Roses."

"American Idol" is back Wednesday to put a bird on it with a trip to Portland, Oregon.

What did you think of Thursday's "American Idol"? Let us know in the comments!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678012/american-idol-recap-auditions-ramiro-garcia.jhtml

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Somali captors move US hostage after SEAL raid (AP)

MOGADISHU, Somalia ? A group holding an American hostage in Somalia moved him at least three times in the day since U.S. Navy SEALs rescued an American and a Dane and killed their nine kidnappers, pirates said Thursday. The abductors said they would kill the hostage if they are attacked.

The high-profile rescue early Wednesday raised questions about whether the many other Western hostages held in Somalia have a greater chance at release ? or are in greater danger.

"If they try again we will all die all together," warned Hassan Abdi, a Somali pirate connected to the gang holding the American. "It's difficult to hold U.S. hostages, because it's a game of chance: die or get huge money. But we shall stick with our plans and will never release him until we get a ransom."

U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia early Wednesday and hiked to where captors were holding American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane. A shootout ensued and nine captors were killed. Buchanan, Thisted and the U.S. troops were all unharmed. The two aid workers had been kidnapped by gunmen in October while working on demining projects for the Danish Refugee Council.

Buchanan and Thisted on Thursday were at the U.S. Naval Air Base at Sigonella, Sicily as part of their reintegration process, undergoing more complete medical examinations and debriefing. Officials could not immediately say how long they would stay there before returning home.

The U.S. government said the raid was prompted by Buchanan's deteriorating health. An ailing Frenchwoman kidnapped by Somali gunmen died in captivity last year after not having access to her medication.

"Holding hostages in one place is unlikely now because we are the next target," Abdi said, referring to the raid in a phone conversation with The Associated Press. He expressed concern that the U.S. had pirate informants.

"It wasn't just a hit and run operation, but long planned with the help of insiders among us," Abdi said, noting the soldiers had struck at the time when the pirates were least on their guard.

The gang has moved an American kidnapped on Saturday in the northern Somali town of Galkayo three times in the last 24 hours, he said.

Other hostages held in Somalia include a British tourist and two Spanish aid workers seized in neighboring Kenya, a French military adviser and 155 sailors of various nationalities hijacked by pirates at sea.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders, known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, employed the two Spanish women. The group said it is pleased that Buchanan and Thisted were freed and that MSF is still seeking the liberation of its workers, Montserrat Serra and Blanca Theibaut. It hinted, though, that it views military raids as risky.

"MSF strongly favors the nonviolent resolution of such cases, as the use of force endangers the lives of the hostages and may result in the tragic loss of human lives," the group said. "We call upon the Somali population, especially the local authorities in control of the areas where the two are held, to do everything in their power to assist in their safe release."

It's not always clear what group is holding a captive in Somalia. Hostages have sometimes been sold from one gang to another. Captives can be held for long stretches: Two journalists from Canada and Australia were held for 15 months before being released in 2009, and the French military adviser has been missing for more than two years.

The security community is divided over whether the U.S. raid would make life more difficult for other captives, one Western official in Kenya said, or whether the killings of the nine captors might make pirates think twice about launching future operations. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

On Wednesday evening, hours after the U.S. military raid, the gang holding the American kidnapped on Saturday started circulating false rumors that they had executed him.

Another security official who has years of experience in the region said it is likely the men holding the American would move him onto a ship with other foreign hostages, because ships were easier to defend and planning rescue operations is more complicated when there are hostages from other countries involved.

The official also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. At least one pirate agreed with his analysis.

"I think land captivity is going to end now. Sea is much safer," pirate Mohamed Nur said by phone from the coastal town of Hobyo. "Even ships are not very safe but you can at least hit back and resist."

Americans have been captured by Somali pirate gangs before. In 2009, the cargo vessel Maersk Alabama was briefly hijacked before pirates took to the lifeboat with the ship's captain, who was rescued after Navy sharpshooters killed the pirates.

But in a sign that pirates are getting increasingly violent ? and perhaps jittery ? four Americans onboard a hijacked yacht were killed last February. It's still unclear why the hostages were shot. Two of the pirates had already boarded a U.S. warship shadowing the yacht.

Several senior pirates condemned Wednesday's U.S. raid, which was authorized by President Barack Obama, and at least one warned that any other U.S. hostages might suffer as a result.

"They send hit squads and kill all they want, so there is no way we will care for their people (hostages) while they are killing us. They will see the aftereffects and reap the results of their actions," said Bile Hussein, a Somali pirate commander.

A spokesman for Somalia's weak U.N.-backed government said the pirates had got what they deserved.

"Pirates have no place in our society," Abdirahman Omar Osman told AP. "This is a huge and unforgettable lesson for them."

___

Associated Press writers Jason Straziuso and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this report.

___

Follow Katharine Houreld at http://twitter.com/khoureld

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_re_af/af_somalia_raid

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Microsoft launches MSN UK for iPad

Microsoft has launched another app for the iPad, this time it is MSN UK. MSN UK is brings all the latest news, sport and entertainment from the UK right to your iPad.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/7GUk7WHFTkg/story01.htm

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Lessons in coral reef survival from deep time

Monday, January 23, 2012

Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems.

The complex relationship we see today between fishes and corals developed relatively recently in geological terms ? and is a major factor in shielding reef species from extinction, says Professor David Bellwood of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University.

"Our latest research provides strong evidence for a view that today's coral hotspots are both a refuge for old species and a cradle for new ones," said Peter Cowman, lead author of a recent report. "This is the first real inkling we've had that just protecting a large area of reef may not be enough ? you have to protect the right sorts of reef."

Early coral reefs, 300-400 million years ago were much simpler affairs than today's colourful and complex systems, Prof. Bellwood says. The fish were not specialised to live on or among corals ? either lacking jaws altogether, or else feeding on detritus on the seabed or preying on one another.

"By 200 million years ago we are starting to see fish with jaws capable of feeding on corals, but the real explosion in reef diversity doesn't occur till about 50 million years ago when we see fishes very like today's specialist coral feeders emerging."

It is the ever-increasing complexity of this relationship between corals and fishes over the last 20 or 30 million years that produces the wondrous diversity of today's reefs, he says. Each has become more critical to the survival of the other as their lives have become more interwoven.

"When people think of coral reefs, they usually think of the beautiful branching corals like staghorn (Acropora) ? well the evidence is now fairly clear that Acropora needs certain fish for it to flourish. But, it now appears that this may be a reciprocal relationship with Acropora being important for the evolution and survival of fishes on coral reefs. "

Unfortunately Acropora corals are highly vulnerable to external impacts like Crown-of-Thorns starfish, coral bleaching, climate change and ocean acidification. Their demise will have far reaching effects on the fishes which interact with them, such as damsels, butterfly fish, cardinals and wrasses.

"The study of the past tells us that reefs are all about relationships and, like a family, for them to survive those relationships need to remain strong," Peter Cowman said.

"In coming years it is probable reefs will be subject to relentless presses that may cause them to change fundamentally. Those with the best long-term prospects of survival will be the ones where the relationships between fish and corals are healthiest.

Both fish and corals managed somehow to survive the five great mass extinction events of the past, though they sustained massive loss of species. Over time these have left us with a world focus of reef biodiversity centered on the Coral Triangle region to Australia's north, which in turn helps recharge Australian coral reefs, especially in the west.

"The Coral Triangle is currently subject to intensifying human and ecosystem pressure. The latest work by Peter Cowman and Prof Bellwood suggests it is both a cradle for new species and a refuge in troubled times ? so it is vital that it remain intact.

"This isn't about saving individual species or particular reefs, it's about maintaining the basic relationships which ensure the survival of the whole," says Prof Bellwood.

"We've had a 'heads up' from the past that is giving us fresh insights into what is most important on reefs and why we must protect our precious reefs and fishes into the future."

###

Their paper "Coral reefs as drivers of cladogenesis: expanding coral reefs, cryptic extinction events, and the development of biodiversity hotspots" by Peter F. Cowman and David R. Bellwood was published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology 24: 2543-2562. DOI 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02391.x

ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies: http://www.coralcoe.org.au/

Thanks to ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116938/Lessons_in_coral_reef_survival_from_deep_time

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?Pretty Wild? Star Tess Taylor Arlington Busted For Felony Possession

“Pretty Wild” Star Tess Taylor Arlington Busted For Felony Possession

Model Tess Taylor, 22, who starred on the reality show “Pretty Wild” on E!, was taken into custody by police earlier this month for felony [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/ORcVr4dLeUs/

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UN rights chief says US must close Guantanamo (AP)

GENEVA ? The U.N. human rights chief says the U.S. government must close the Guantanamo Bay prison as President Barack Obama promised a year ago.

Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, says "the facility continues to exist and individuals remain arbitrarily detained ? indefinitely ? in clear breach of international law."

Obama pledged to shutter the U.S. Naval Base prison in Cuba in his annual address to Congress last year.

Pillay said Monday ? ahead of Obama's next annual speech Tuesday ? that she is deeply disappointed the U.S. government "has instead entrenched a system of arbitrary detention."

Pillay said she also is "disturbed at the failure to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations, including torture, that took place."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_re_eu/eu_un_guantanamo

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Balotelli lifts Man City

/

updated 3:59 p.m. ET Jan. 22, 2012

LONDON - Manchester City scored a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, leaving Manchester United its only likely rival for the Premier League title.

Third-place Tottenham rallied from 2-0 down to tie the score. But Jermain Defoe missed an injury-time chance for Tottenham and Mario Balotelli won the game for City with a penalty kick he earned himself.

Fouled by Tottenham's Ledley King, the Italy striker took a step, paused and shot past U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel to give City its 11th win from 11 home games.

City is eight points ahead of Tottenham. Defending champion United is three behind in second place after a 2-1 win at Arsenal.

"We created an amazing amount of chances and to only score two is a bit disappointing," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "We should have rammed home our advantage in the first half."

Antonio Valencia scored United's first goal and set up the winner over an Arsenal team that slipped 18 points behind City and five behind the final Champions League qualifying berth.

Arsenal is five points behind fourth-place Chelsea ? which drew 0-0 at Norwich on Saturday ? and 18 behind City. Newcastle trails Arsenal on goal difference after Clint Dempsey's hat trick gave Fulham a 5-2 win over the Magpies on Saturday.

___

MADRID (AP) ? Lionel Messi scored a rare header in his hat trick to lead Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Malaga, keeping the pressure on Spanish leader Real Madrid ahead of its game against Athletic Bilbao.

Messi started the rout in the 33rd minute and then added two more after Alexis Sanchez had doubled the lead at the start of the second half. The Argentine has a league-high 22 goals this season, one more than Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid will be trying to shake off its midweek loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, with its fierce rivals trailing by two points in the standings midway through the season.

"There is a long way to go, all the second half of the season, and we will keep pushing all the way," Messi said.

Barcelona will try to protect its 2-1 advantage over Madrid at Camp Nou on Wednesday, and coach Pep Guardiola seemed to have the second leg in mind. Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Carles Puyol were left on the bench.

Third-place Valencia slipped to a 1-1 draw at Osasuna after being reduced to 10 men and conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to Manuel "Lolo" Ortiz. Mallorca edged out Rayo Vallecano 1-0.

___

PARIS (AP) ? Lyon needed late goals to beat Lucon 2-0 and avoid a humiliating draw with an amateur opponent as the seven-time league champions reached the last 16 of the French Cup.

Bafetimbi Gomis pounced on a loose ball before firing into the top corner in the 75th minute. Lisandro Lopez sealed the win for the visitors in the last minute following a counterattack. The Argentine played a one-two with Alexandre Lacazette and slammed the ball into the roof of the net.

Valenciennes and Gazelec Ajaccio also advanced. Foued Kadir shone in Valenciennes' 3-1 win over 10-man Bastia with two goals and an assist while third-division Gazelec Ajaccio beat second-tier Troyes 1-0.

___

BERLIN (AP) ? Borussia Dortmund pulled even with Bayern Munich and Schalke at the top of the Bundesliga following a 5-1 rout at Hamburger SV in the first round after the winter break.

Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Blaszczykowski both scored twice to help Dortmund send Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink to his first league defeat after eight games unbeaten.

Dortmund climbed ahead of Schalke to second behind Bayern on goal difference, while Moenchengladbach is a point behind the top three.

Bayer Leverkusen beat Mainz 3-2 but squandered a two-goal lead Lars Bender before put the home team back in front with a header from a corner in the 70th.

"Lars saved us," Leverkusen forward Andre Schuerrle said. "Hopefully the win means the team will be left in peace."

Many Dortmund fans traveled to Hamburg but remained outside the stadium to protest the cost of tickets, which start at more than $24 for a standing ticket.

___

ROME (AP) ? AC Milan and Udinese won to keep it a rare three-way race for the Serie A title with Juventus at the Italian season's midpoint.

Milan won 3-0 at last-place Novara with two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and another from Robinho, while Pablo Armero and Antonio Di Natale scored to steer Udinese to a 2-1 victory over Catania.

Juventus, which beat Atalanta 2-0 Saturday, holds a one-point lead over Milan and is three points in front of Udinese, which has never finished higher than third.

For the most part, the Serie A title race has been a two-team affair in recent seasons, with Inter Milan winning five consecutive championships from 2006-10 and Milan taking the title last year.

In other matches, it was: Lecce 2, Chievo Verona 2; Palermo 5, Genoa 3; Siena 1, Napoli 1; and Cagliari 0, Fiorentina 0.

___

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? Dutch league leader AZ Alkmaar had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Ajax after conceding a late own-goal that kept it in first place by a point.

Simon Poulsen put the ball in his own net in the 75th minute after Rasmus Elm had given Alkmaar a 37th-minute lead from a free kick.

The gap at the top remained unchanged, with second-place PSV Eindhoven playing to a draw at Utrecht.

Also Sunday, Leroy George scored the only goal of the game to give NEC Nijmegen its first win at Vitesse since 1979.

On Saturday, former England coach Steve McClaren marked his Eredivisie return with a victory, his Twente club romping past RKC Waalwijk 5-0.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Balotelli lifts Man City

??Mario Balotelli scored a stoppage-time penalty kick Sunday to give first-place Manchester City a 3-2 victory over Premier League title rival Tottenham.

Mike Hewitt / Getty Images

Hat trick

Clint Dempsey became the first American to score a hat trick in England's Premier League, helping Fulham rally from a halftime deficit to rout Newcastle 5-2 Saturday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46085861/ns/sports-soccer/

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Ex-South Africa player stabbed to death in club

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:35 a.m. ET Jan. 21, 2012

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -Police say a footballer who played five times for South Africa was stabbed to death in a nightclub.

Jeffrey Ntuka was killed in the early hours of Saturday.

Michael Hughes, a representative of Ntuka's agent, Stella Africa, told football website Kickoff.com the player was killed in the central South African town of Kroonstad.

The 26-year-old defender had been in the squad of local giants Kaizer Chiefs for two years but was without a club this season after his contract with Supersport United expired.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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First American EPL hat trick

??Clint Dempsey became the first American to score a hat trick in England's Premier League, helping Fulham rally from a halftime deficit to rout Newcastle 5-2 Saturday.

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China driving schools teaching millions the art of war (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China is rapidly becoming a country on wheels and its crowded driving schools are racing to churn out licensed drivers as fast as cars roll off the assembly lines.

But judging by the daily smash-ups and blatant disregard for even basic traffic rules on China's roadways, quantity seems to have trumped quality at many schools.

China surpassed the United States in 2009 to become the world's largest auto market, and just as newly affluent Chinese are snapping up expensive cars in staggering numbers, driving schools are bursting at the seams.

"There are so many trainees because everyone wants a driving license," said Ren Xingzhou, an instructor at Fengshun Driving School in Beijing. "Driving used to be a profession in China -- now it's necessary living skill."

According to official data, China granted 22.69 million driving licenses in 2011 alone, bringing the total number of licensed drivers in the country to 236 million at the end of 2011.

But no amount of classroom work or simulated driving may prepare drivers for the roadways that more closely resemble slow-moving battle grounds than transportation arteries.

In 2010 alone, China reported 3.9 million road accidents that killed 65,225 people and injured 254,075. Lack of experience is often cited as a key reason behind the rocketing number of accidents.

In hopes of instilling some sense of order, Chinese law requires drivers to attend a driving school before passing a written test. As a result, thousands of driver training schools, charging as much as 8,000 yuan ($1,300), have mushroomed across Beijing, a city of about 20 million people that is already congested with some 5 million cars.

Fengshun driving school alone mints about 10,000 new drivers a year, running classes from 8 in the morning to 9 in the evening, seven days a week.

Applicants must pass three tests to obtain a license. The first part is classroom training to make drivers aware of traffic rules. As hundreds of trainees listen, an instructor explains a text book compiled by the traffic police.

A quiz of 100 questions follows, and trainees must provide correct answers to at least 90 before they can even get behind the wheel of the training vehicles.

"You don't have to be a genius to pass that as long as you read the book in the evening before the quiz," said a company clerk, who claimed he skipped all the classroom lessons apart from the first one when a fingerprint was required.

"ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS"

The second section -- the main part of the training that requires at least 54 hours -- is conducted on a paved proving ground that mimics actual roads and traffic signs but lacks all of the hazards that make actual driving a challenge.

Hundreds of meters from the school, one of the city's main roadways was packed with cars end-to-end on a recent winter day, a looming reminder to the school's drivers of the world they would enter upon graduation.

In each car -- mostly Volkswagens at the Fengshun school -- one instructor and one trainee sit side-by-side, practicing all the required skills, from parallel parking to driving through a 30-metre obstacle course of six yellow-painted sewer covers without touching any of them.

"It's absolutely ridiculous. These covers are symbols of roadblocks, but which road would be so terrible as to have so many roadblocks, and even if there are so many roadblocks, which driver would be so crazy trying to pass them?" asked Ren even as he put the students through the required exercise.

For trainees who pass the second test, including parking in the right position and starting the car on a steep slope, they will apply their new skills on public roads, where already-licensed drivers routinely make sudden lane changes without signaling, and where pedestrians unexpectedly dash across roadways wherever they see an opening.

Road training lasts for 10 hours where soon-to-be-drivers are often bullied and horrified by Beijing's infamously short-tempered drivers.

On a recent day, a young driver stopped and hurled curses to complain that one trainee's car was moving too slowly.

"If he dares to get out of his vehicle, I would definitely teach him a good lesson," retorted Wu Liansheng, the instructor in the training car.

Turning to his student drivers, Wu said: "Now remember, you don't cross the line into others, but if someone else crosses into yours, you must fight back."

It's enough to make one nostalgic for simpler days when millions got around on bicycle.

(Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oddlyenough/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/od_nm/us_china_driving

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