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View and discuss the pictures and issues that caught our eyes. An Olympic victory, a painful homecoming, combat in Afghanistan and more striking images from around the world. Feb. 18: An eyewitness describes the airplane that hit an office building in Austin, Tx., appeared to be going full throttle before it hit between the first and second floor, leaving a gaping hole in the building. msnbc.com staff and news service reports AUSTIN, Texas - "If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt asking yourself, 'Why did this have to happen?' The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time." So began a lengthy, rambling anti-government Web message believed posted by a Texas man suspected of crashing his small plane into an office building housing IRS employees. The man, identified by federal law enforcement officials as Joseph Stack, 53, was a software engineer who had a long-running grudge with the Internal Revenue Service, whom he referred to in the screed as "thugs and plunderers." The Web message was dated Thursday and signed "Joe Stack (1956-2010)." Hours after posting it, Stack set fire to his home, drove to a municipal airport, got into his single-engine Piper Cherokee and deliberately crashed it into a multistory office building, authorities said. Stack was presumed to have died in the crash, federal law enforcement officials said. The Fire Department Thursday night said in a statement that it “has concluded its search of the building and located the remains of two victims. Identities have not been confirmed. AFD will have ongoing operations at the site throughout the night, putting out hot spots and watching for any fire flare-ups.” At least two people were seriously injured and a third person — a federal employee who worked in the building — was unaccounted for, fire officials said. The crash caused a raging fire that sent black smoke billowing from the seven-story Echelon Building. The fire was extinguished hours later. At an afternoon news conference, Austin police Chief Art Acevedo said the crash "appears to be an intentional act." "It would appear to be by a sole individual, and it appears this individual was targeting federal offices inside that building," Acevedo said. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said in a statement that the crash was "a cowardly act of domestic terrorism." The police chief, however, said he preferred to describe it as "a criminal act by a lone individual." The FBI was taking over the investigation. About 190 IRS employees work in the building, and IRS spokesman Richard C. Sanford the agency was trying to account for all of its workers. Violence 'the only answer' The pilot, listed in FAA and property records as Andrew Joseph Stack III of Austin and identified by law enforcement sources as Joseph Stack, apparently had a long-running dispute with the IRS. AP In a statement posted on the Web early Thursday morning, Joseph Stack appeared to blame the IRS for the loss of tens of thousands in savings and retirement money over the years. A long message posted on a Web site registered to Stack outlined a litany of problems with the IRS and said violence "is the only answer." The Web site was taken offline Thursday afternoon by the hosting company at the request of the FBI. Video Joe Stack's final act Feb. 18: As investigators and journalists raced to piece together a picture of the suspected pilot who crashed into a Texas building early Thursday, a story of growing frustration and rage emerged. NBC's Pete Williams reports. Nightly News A senior law enforcement official told NBC the saga began Thursday morning, when police received a domestic disturbance call at Stack's house, about six miles from the crash site. When they responded, they discovered that the man had lit a fire in his house and fled. They said he went to the Georgetown Municipal Airport, got into his small plane and took off. A short time later, the plane crashed into the office building about 30 miles away. Federal authorities said they did not know whether the man crashed the plane intentionally, though they said it was a distinct possibility, the official told NBC. House fire Elbert Hutchins, who lives one house away from Stack's home in a quiet, tree-lined middle-class neighborhood, said the house caught fire about 9:15 a.m. He said a woman and her teenage daughter drove up before firefighters arrived. "They both were very, very distraught," said Hutchins, a retiree who said he didn't know the family well. "'That's our house!' they cried 'That's our house!' " Red Cross spokeswoman Marty McKellips said the agency was treating two people who live in the house and that the family had no comment Thursday. McKellips said the family would “give information and answer questions” on Friday. The pilot of the plane belonging to Stack which took off from the airport in Georgetown didn't file a flight plan, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said. The Echelon Building is next to a major highway in north Austin, and the crash started fires on several floors of the hulking black building. Dozens of windows were blown out and vehicles traveling on a nearby highway paused to look. Thirteen people were treated at the scene and two people were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, Austin fire officials said. Their condition wasn't immediately known. Thao Nguyen / AP Authorities say Joseph Stack set fire to his home before crashing his plane. Pilot's background According to California Secretary of State records, Stack had a troubled business history, twice starting software companies that ultimately were suspended by the state's Franchise Tax Board. He started Software Systems Service Corp. in Lincoln, Calif., but that business license was suspended in 2004 for nonpayment of back taxes totaling $1,153, KCRA-TV in Sacramento reported. Another company, Prowless Engineering Inc. was suspended in 2000 for failure to file a 1994 tax return, according to KCRA. Stack listed himself as chief executive officer of both companies. According to records, Stack apparently moved to the Austin area around 2003 and ran Embedded Art, a small, independent software firm specializing in "process control and automation" and "complex software engineering development tasks." In his 3,200-word statement posted on the company's Web site early Thursday morning and later taken down, Stack appeared to blame the IRS for the loss of tens of thousands in savings and retirement money over the years. Administrative records show the Web site was registered to Joe Stack of San Marcos, Texas, in 2006. 'Unthinkable atrocities' Stack said his "nightmare" with the federal government dated to the early 1980s. In one passage, Stack writes: “That little lesson in patriotism cost me $40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0. It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country with an ideology that is based on a total and complete lie. It also made me realize, not only how naive I had been, but also the incredible stupidity of the American public; that they buy, hook, line, and sinker, the crap about their 'freedom' … and that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence and all that keeps happening in front of them.” He also wrote: "Why is it that a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities (and in the case of the GM executives, for scores of years) and when it's time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours? Toward the end, he wrote, “I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.” The IRS, CIA and FBI all have offices in the complex where the building that was struck is located, though it was not clear if they are all in the building that was hit. The IRS Web site said an office of its EP Team Audit Program is located in the building where the plane crashed. The group, known as EPTA, examines employee benefit plans with 2,500 or more participants, according to the Web site. The FBI said its office was not in the building. In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama was briefed on the crash. The Homeland Security Department was investigating all angles but the case does not appear to involve international terrorism, Gibbs said.

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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Print Share + 2nd Body Found In Plane-Crashed Texas IRS Building Lengthy Anti-Tax Diatribe On Alleged Pilot's Web Site May Give Authorities Clues Into Frame of Mind AUSTIN, Texas (CBS News) ― 1 of 2 Smoke billows from a building that houses IRS offices after a small plane crashed into it Feb. 18, 2010 in Austin, Texas. According to reports, the pilot, identified as Joseph A. Stack III, was killed in the crash. Jana Birchum/Getty Images 2 of 2 Smoke billows from a building that houses IRS offices after a small plane crashed into it Feb. 18, 2010 in Austin, Texas. According to reports, the pilot, identified as Joseph A. Stack III, was killed in the crash. Jana Birchum/Getty Images Close numSlides of totalImages Related Links CBS News Interactive: Eye On Air Safety Emergency crews have found a second body in the wreckage where a small plane smashed into an Austin office building.Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said late Thursday that authorities "have now accounted for everybody," but declined to discuss the identities of those found.Authorities said earlier that the pilot who crashed into the building was presumed dead and that one worker in the building had been missing.Authorities say Joseph A. Stack, a software engineer furious with the Internal Revenue Service, launched a suicide attack on the agency by crashing his small plane into the building that contains nearly 200 IRS employees.The crash set off a raging fire that sent workers running for their lives.Evidence of an intentional attack may be found in an apparent suicide note he left on his Web site - a lengthy diatribe that railed against taxes and the government and said violence "is the only answer." Authorities believe the note is real.Closing the note, Stack writes: "I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well."The note, dated February 18, 2010, is signed: "Joe Stack (1956-2010)."Despite the grim diary, Stack was even-tempered and unflappable, according to the manager of a band in which he used to play.A senior law enforcement official told CBS News that Stack died in the crash.While Department of Homeland Security official Matt Chandler told CBS News there was "no reason to believe" the crash was related to terrorist activity, the potential targeting of a government building bears at least passing resemblance to Timothy McVeigh's bombing of a federal office building in Oklahoma City in 1995.Before the incident, Stack is believed to have set fire to his home, a senior law enforcement official told CBS News. Austin Police also responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at Stack's residence earlier Thursday morning, involving an alleged fight with his wife.Stack later took off from Georgetown Municipal airport in a Piper Cherokee PA-28 at 9:40 a.m., a Federal Aviation Administration official told CBS News. He didn't file a flight plan, the official said.According to CBS affiliate KEYE in Austin, the Georgetown airport has since been evacuated and a bomb squad is on the scene.At least one person who worked in the building was unaccounted for and two people were hospitalized, said Austin Fire Department Division Chief Dawn Clopton. She did not have any information about the pilot. About 190 IRS employees work in the building, and IRS spokesman Richard C. Sanford the agency is trying to account for all employees.After the low-flying plane crashed into the building, flames shot out, windows exploded and workers scrambled to safety. Thick smoke billowed out of the second and third stories hours later as fire crews battled the blaze."It felt like a bomb blew off," said Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who was sitting at her desk in the building when the plane crashed. "The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran."IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said the agency is working with law enforcement agencies to investigate the events that led up to the crash."My thoughts and prayers go out to the dedicated employees of the IRS who work in the Austin building," Shulman said. "We will immediately begin doing whatever we can to help them during this difficult time."In a neighborhood about six miles from the crash site, a home listed as belonging to Stack was on fire earlier Thursday. Two law enforcement officials said Stack had apparently set fire to his home before the suicidal plane flight.Elbert Hutchins, who lives one house away from the house on a quiet, tree-lined middle class neighborhood, said the house caught fire about 9:15 a.m. He said a woman and her teenage daughter drove up to the house before firefighters arrived."They both were very, very distraught," said Hutchins, a retiree who said he didn't know the family well. "'That's our house!' they cried 'That's our house!' "Gerry Cullen, 66, was eating breakfast a restaurant across the street when the plane struck the building."The airplane hit and vanished in a fireball," said Cullen, a former flight instructor.Matt Farney, 39, who was in the parking lot of a nearby Home Depot, said he saw a low-flying small plane near some apartments and the office building just before it crashed."I figured he was going to buzz the apartments or he was showing off," Farney said. "It was insane. ... It didn't look like he was out of control or anything."Sitting at her desk in another building about a half-mile from the crash, Michelle Santibanez said she felt vibrations after the crash. She and her co-workers ran to the windows, where they saw a scene that reminded them of the Sept. 11, 2001 U.S. terror attacks, she said."It was the same kind of scenario with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying," said Santibanez, an accountant.National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said an investigator from the board's Dallas office has been dispatched to the scene of the accident to start an investigation. The FAA and NTSB officials said they had no information on whether the crash was intentional. The White House also said President Barack Obama was briefed about the crash.As a precaution, the Colorado-based North American Aerospace Defense Command launched two F-16 aircraft from Houston's Ellington Field, and is conducting an air patrol over the crash area.According to California Secretary of State records, Stack had a troubled business history, twice starting software companies in California that ultimately were suspended by the state's Franchise Tax Board.In 1985, he incorporated Prowess Engineering Inc. in Corona. It was suspended two years later. He started Software Systems Service Corp. in Lincoln in 1995 and that entity was suspended in 2001. Stack listed himself as chief executive officer of both companies. (© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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A software engineer furious with the Internal Revenue Service plowed his small plane into an office building housing nearly 200 federal tax employees after setting his home on fire Thursday, officials said. Enlarge By Jay Janner, AP Smoke billows from a seven-story building after a small private plane crashed into the building Thursday in Austin. AUSTIN — As it dove out of the sky toward an IRS field office Thursday morning, Joseph Stack's small single-engine Piper Dakota became a screaming 3,000-pound missile. "It was low, straight and fast," said Stuart Newberg, who was stopped at a traffic light when Stack's plane whizzed past before slamming into the offices that housed 190 IRS employees. Stack, a 53-year-old software engineer apparently enraged over tax issues, plowed the plane into the side of the building, triggering a massive fireball that engulfed the offices. He is presumed dead, and one other person in the building is believed to have been killed; 13 others were injured, two critically. Emergency crews recovered two bodies. Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck declined to discuss the identities of those found, but said authorities had now "accounted for everybody." The FBI said Stack is believed to have acted alone. But the plumes of black smoke triggered vivid memories of the 9/11 suicide hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people in 2001, and renewed fears that even a small plane can cause horrific damage in the wrong hands. "It's a vulnerability, a weakness we hope terrorists don't exploit," said Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Austin who is on the House Homeland Security Committee. A rambling letter that was part screed against the government and part suicide note appeared Thursday on a website registered to Stack. In the note, signed "Joe Stack (1956-2010)," he said he slowly came to the conclusion that "violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer." Three federal law enforcement sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is pending, said evidence authorities had gathered indicated that Stack had written the 3,000-word "manifesto." The writer of the letter complains that he is being unfairly targeted by the IRS and rages at accountants who prepared his taxes. "I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at 'big brother' while he strips my carcass," the letter says. "I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won't continue; I have just had enough." No warning at airport Stack, in recent years active as a bass guitarist with a honky-tonk Austin rock band, gave no indication that he was about to launch a deadly attack, according to many who knew him. Police said Thursday that something appeared to have set him off. Stack set fire to his family home Thursday morning, then headed to a small airport nearby. R.L. Quinn, owner of Awesome Aviation & Pilot Shop, said he saw Stack's distinctly painted plane around 9 a.m. yesterday morning as it left the area near his hangar. Quinn was driving a golf cart across the airport to drop off a letter. Aircraft normally have the right-of-way, but the pilot waited to let Quinn pass, he said. "I waved at him to say thank you," said Quinn, who knew Stack from seeing him occasionally around the airport. "He waved back." Twelve minutes later, the plane smashed into the Echelon I office building, near a busy highway intersection in northwest Austin and in sight of dozens of motorists. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo credited a fast response by rescue workers with saving the lives of several people in the building. Acevedo also said the low-flying plane may have been spotted by some of the office workers in the moments before impact. "Some folks might have seen this aircraft coming and yelled out some warnings," Acevedo said. 'A reasonable guy' Billy Eli, 47, an Austin singer and songwriter, said Stack played bass in his band from about 2005-08 and that he gave no indication of being violent. Stack was part of the band, described on its website as "gritty Texan bar-room country," for an album called Amped Out. Stack appears on the album cover wearing a cowboy hat and jeans. Eli described Stack as "a reasonable guy who liked quality musical instruments. He wasn't a quiet guy, but he was not boisterous. A middle-of-the-road guy. He knew a lot of stuff about a lot of different things. He liked electronics." Eli said he last spoke with Stack just before Christmas. "Today was the first I knew he was having any IRS issues," Eli said. Jim Hemphill, 49, an Austin attorney who played guitar in the band, said he also was shocked. "I never saw anything like this in Joe," Hemphill said. "But we weren't the kind of friends who would talk about personal or political things. We just played music together." Hemphill said he saw Stack for the last time about a month ago when he had dinner at Stack's home, along with his wife and stepdaughter. The 33-paragraph manifesto that the FBI believes Stack wrote is typed neatly with near-perfect grammar. It drips with cynicism, paranoia and narcissism. In it, the writer rails on greedy corporations, corrupt politicians and, as an apparent last straw, a self-serving accountant who allegedly botched Stack's tax returns and got him in trouble with the IRS. California tax records seem to parallel the letter. Two of Stack's businesses were suspended by state authorities in California for tax problems. The state's Franchise Tax Board suspended the license of Software System Service in 2004 because of $1,153 in unpaid corporate income taxes from 1996 and 2002. Four years earlier, it suspended Prowess Engineering because the company failed to file a 1994 tax return, board spokeswoman Denise Azini said. Although the targets of Stack's apparent rage vary in his final letter, the gripe is consistent: No one cared about him. The manifesto begins with an indictment of politicians who are "not the least bit interested in me or anything I have to say," and goes on to say that he had discovered that his accountant "was representing himself and not me." Stack harks back to financiers in the Great Depression who leaped from Wall Street skyscrapers after losing everything. "Now," he wrote, "the poor get to die for the mistakes. "I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different," the letter says. "I am finally ready to stop this insanity. "Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well." Small plane, big damage Even though Stack's plane — with a total weight of 3,000 pounds and a top speed of about 200 mph — is tiny compared with the large jets used by radical Islamic terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, it was capable of creating a significant explosion and fire, according to aviation accident investigators. The Dakota carries up to 77 gallons of fuel, according to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fact sheet on the plane. "That's enough for an enormous fire," said Steve Wallace, the former head of the FAA's accident investigation office. "And particularly if the pilot was deliberately trying to drive the plane into the building." McCaul, the area's congressman, agrees. "This little Piper caused devastating damage — it almost brought the entire building down," he said. McCaul added that he fears terrorists will see the damage Stack caused and plan copycat attacks. "I think it's been on the radar of al-Qaeda and others," he said of using private planes in terror attacks. "This just re-emphasizes the fact that it can be done, and they may attempt to do the same thing." When the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) proposed the first security regulations for private airplanes in late 2008, it exempted 150,000 small airplanes that it did not consider to be threats. The regulations, which are being revised, targeted 15,000 business jets that the TSA said could cause significant damage if terrorists were to pack one with explosives and fly it into a building. These jets "could be used effectively to commit a terrorist act," the TSA said in proposing background checks for people boarding private jets. That assertion was challenged last year by the Homeland Security Department's inspector general. Private aviation "does not present a serious homeland security vulnerability requiring TSA to increase regulatory oversight," Inspector General Richard Skinner said in a report. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano disputed the conclusion. Levin and Frank reported from Washington; Jayson from Austin. Contributing: Kevin Johnson in Vancouver, Brad Heath and Donna Leinwand in Washington. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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A Have more to add? News tip? Tell us AUSTIN -- In a rambling, obscenity-laced suicide note posted online, the pilot accused of flying his plane into an Austin office building Thursday takes aim at the IRS, religion, big business and even former President George W. Bush. A man identified as Joe Stack, 53, of Austin flew his small, single-engine airplane from a Georgetown airport to Austin about 25 miles away without filing a flight plan and crashed it into a seven-story office complex in northwest Austin, reports said. Officials also believe he set his own house ablaze. Two bodies were recovered in the debris, Austin fire officials said late Thursday. "I remember reading about the stock market crash before the 'great' depression and how there were wealthy bankers and businessmen jumping out of windows when they realized they screwed up and lost everything,” according to the online note, dated Feb. 18, 2010, and signed “Joe Stack, (1956-2010)." “Isn't it ironic how far we've come in 60 years in this country that they now know how to fix that little economic problem; they just steal from the middle class (who doesn't have any say in it, elections are a joke) to cover their asses and it's 'business-as-usual.' "Now when the wealthy f--- up, the poor get to die for the mistakes… isn't that a clever, tidy solution." Stack, who is presumed dead, described himself in the note as a software engineer and blamed the government, the IRS and accountants for his business problems. Violence, he wrote, "not only is the answer, it is the only answer." Flames poured out of windows and terrified workers fled the building after the crash. Emergency crews found a body in the building early Thursday night, but Police Chief Art Acevedo declined to say whether it was the pilot. Later Thursday, a second body was found in the wreckage. At least 13 people were injured, with two reported in critical condition. Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said late Thursday that authorities "have now accounted for everybody," but declined to discuss the identities of those found. Authorities said earlier that the pilot who crashed into the building was presumed dead and that one worker in the building had been missing. Thick black and gray smoke was billowing out of the second and third stories of the building Thursday as fire crews using ladder trucks and hoses battled the fire. Dozens of windows were blown out of the hulking black building, and vehicles traveling on a nearby highway paused to look. Quoting a federal official, CNN reported that the pilot had torched his home before taking off in the plane. Public records show the home was located in the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane. The airplane involved is a Piper PA-28-236 that is registered to Stack. The office building, described as the Echelon building, is in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard, according to Austin fire officials. The site, about six miles southwest of Stack's home in northwest Austin, is near U.S. 183 and MoPac. The crash occurred about 10 a.m. A federal official said two F-16 fighter jets were launched as a precaution after the crash, though a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said there is no reason to believe that terrorism was involved. President Obama was briefed on the crash. Initial reports were that the Austin field offices of the San Antonio FBI were in the building, but it was later learned that the FBI offices are in a nearby building. The building does contain offices of the Internal Revenue Service where about 190 people work, according to reports. In the online note, Stack says he lived in southern California, worked as a “contract software engineer,” and had been divorced and remarried. He says that he moved to Austin to try his luck but ended up finding no work. He even blames the FAA for costing him business by grounding air traffic after 9/11, preventing him from calling on clients. The note ends: "I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well." Firefighters received the crash report at about 9:56 a.m. and arrived on the scene within four minutes, authorities said. About 60 firefighters battled the blaze after the crash, said Buck, the Austin fire battalion chief. Crews were later pulled out of the building, Buck said. "It’s a pretty dangerous mission," he said. Buck said the building would be closed for quite awhile. An access road in front of the building also remained closed, Buck said. The building, in a heavily congested section of Austin, was still smoldering six hours later, with the worst of the damage on the second and third floors. The entire outside of the second floor was gone on the side of the building where the plane hit. Support beams were bent inward. Venetian blinds dangled from blown-out windows, and large sections of the exterior were blackened with soot. It was not immediately clear if any tax records were destroyed. Police Chief Acevedo said the person who was unaccounted for earlier was scheduled to be at work Thursday, but he had no other information. He noted, however, that initial reports that the pilot had stolen the plane were incorrect and he confirmed that the man owned it. Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who works in the Echelon building, said she was sitting at her desk when the plane crashed. "It felt like a bomb blew off. The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran," she said. Matt Farney, 39, who was in the parking lot of a nearby Home Depot, said he saw a low-flying private plane near some apartments and the office building just before it crashed. "I figured he was going to buzz the apartments or he was showing off," Farney said, adding that the plane dipped down. "It was a ball of flames that was high or higher than the apartments. It was surreal. It was insane. ... It didn't look like he was out of control or anything." Michelle Santibanez was sitting at her desk about a half-mile from the crash when she felt vibrations. She and her co-workers ran to the windows, where they saw a scene that reminded them of the 2001 terrorist attacks, she said. "It was the same kind of scenario with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying," said Santibanez, an accountant. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the agency was investigating but had no immediate information on the type of plane or how many people were on board. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson told The Associated Press that an investigator from the board's Dallas office has been dispatched to the scene of the accident to start an investigation. The FAA and NTSB officials said they had no information on whether the crash was intentional.

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement The pilot of a plane which crashed into an office block in Austin, Texas, left a note expressing his anger at federal tax authorities, police say. Police are linking the apparent suicide note left online to Joseph Andrew Stack, the man named as the pilot. The note criticised the Internal Revenue Service - based inside the office block and declared: "Violence is the only answer." Firefighters continue to search for one person who is still unaccounted for. 'Leaping flames' The single-engined Piper Cherokee plane hit the second floor of the seven-storey building at 0956 local time (1556GMT). It had taken off from nearby Georgetown airport in Texas, and did not file a flight plan, Lynn Lunsford of the Federal Aviation Administration said. Twisted metal and debris seemed to be the only thing left on some floors Heather Wills, from Austin, told the BBC that she was driving past when she saw the huge cloud of black smoke. "As I got nearer I could see flames leaping out of the building - the flames were two storeys high. I could hear the glass windows shattering from the heat. "My first thought was that it was a fire. The traffic was backed up all along the freeway." Around 190 IRS employees work in the office complex and some were forced to climb out of windows after the plane burst into flames. Two people were taken to hospital, but it is not clear if they were seriously injured. There has been no official statement on the status of the pilot. Grievance Police are also investigating whether Mr Stack set fire to his house before crashing the plane. The message on the website apparently registered to and signed by Mr Stack speaks of having problems with the IRS. "Well, Mr Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well," the note reads. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said there was no cause for concern and assured residents that it was an isolated incident. The White House said the crash did not appear to be an act of terrorism. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama had been briefed about the incident. The Department of Homeland Security was investigating the crash, he added. As a precaution, the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled two F-16 fighter jets from Houston, Texas, to patrol the area. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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2 dead after plane crashes into North Austin building Updated: 2/18/2010 9:04 PM By: Anna M. Gonzalez Timeline 9:18 a.m. - AFD receives call about a house fire on in the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane. 9:24 a.m. 9:40 a.m. - Plane departs Georgetown Airport 9:55 a.m. - Witnesses report seeing low-flying aircraft 9:56 a.m. – The same aircraft crashes and caused damage to 7 story structure A federal employee died when a plane crashed into a building in North Austin Thursday, police say. According to federal officials, the pilot of the plane started a house fire in North Austin before heading to the Georgetown Municipal Airport, getting into his plane and flying it into the Echelon Building 1 in the 9400 block of Research Blvd. The building houses 200 employees of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, including that agency’s criminal investigations division. The pilot is also presumed dead. EMS officials say 13 people were treated on the scene, suffering from heat-related injuries. Of those, two were critically injured and transported to the hospital. One person suffered second-degree burns across 25 percent of his back. He was transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The other suffered non-life threatening injuries due to smoke inhalation. Witness reports The FBI is asking all witnesses to share your account of what happened: 210-650-6196 (6197/6198/6199 or 6200) Meanwhile, witnesses at the house fire in the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane told News 8 Austin they feared the fire was intentionally set. Investigators have confirmed the house was owned by 53-year-old software engineer Andrew Joseph Stack. WATCH THE VIDEO Damage report AFD Battalion Chief Palmer Buck talks about the damage on the scene. Latest from the scene Officials delivered the latest news at a press conference at 4:45 p.m. Thursday. Recap of events News 8’s Bob Robuck reports from the scene. Stack's family was at home at the time of the fire and were able to escape unharmed. They are not commenting on the incident. Stack's family was at home at the time of the fire and were able to escape unharmed. They are not commenting on the incident. Authorities also found an anti-IRS note on EmbeddedArt.com, a site Stack owns. The note has since been removed. The site’s archive indicates Embedded Art was “a small independent software house, specializing in process control and automation." The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, a Piper Cherokee PA28, departed from Georgetown airport, about 20 miles north of Austin at about 9:40 a.m. The crash occurred about 30 minutes later and ignited a two-alarm fire. TxDOT cameras in the area showed fire and smoke coming from the building. Fire officials on the scene of the crash were worried the building would collapse as metal beams were reportedly breaking. Crews on the scene reported still seeing debris fly off the building an hour after the crash, and the fire was still burning on the inside of the building. The debris is believed to be from firefighters breaking glass windows to vent the building. News 8 crews in the field said debris from the crash hit a Lexus, shattering the car’s windshield. There is no word on injuries to the vehicle occupants. As of Thursday at 1 p.m., police have reopened the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 183. The southbound frontage road of 183 was still closed at 5 p.m. The St. Edwards University Professional Education Center is housed nearby the crash, according to Mischelle Diaz, information officer at St. Edwards University. Everyone was evacuated from the building after the crash. Initially it was reported the Austin Resident Agency Office of the FBI was housed in the building. However, the FBI’s offices are adjacent to the building. “It hit the building next door. All FBI personnel are safe. We are helping local police departments and fire to determine what happened. Nothing indicates we were targeted,” Erik Vasys with FBI in San Antonio said. The plane crash re-opened a wound for Austinites and awakened memories of 9/11. Click here for the story. Related Stories 2/18/10 Georgetown Municipal Airport reopens after scare 2/18/10 Neighbors of alleged pilot shocked, saddened Officials react to tragedy Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell: Today we suffered a tragic event in Austin. Our public safety first responders reacted quickly and efficiently and contained the fire as well as the incident. From the site of the crash it was apparent to me that the event could have resulted greater numbers of injured people. And, while we are lucky that the injury count is low, the thoughts and prayers of our community go out to the families involved. This incident is now fully contained. This is apparently an isolated incident and Austinites should feel safe to go about their daily lives. Gov. Rick Perry today issued the following statement regarding the plane crash in Austin: “In true Texas form, first responders and everyday citizens responded to today’s plane crash with selfless acts of heroism, securing the area, evacuating the building and controlling the fire, and are to be commended. My office continues to communicate with local, state and federal officials on this incident, which is currently an open criminal investigation. With details still emerging, it is important to refrain from speculation and let the law enforcement experts determine what exactly unfolded.” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman: Like most Americans, I am shocked by the tragic events that took place in Austin this morning. This incident is of deep concern to me. We are working with law-enforcement agencies to fully investigate the events that led up to this plane crash. My thoughts and prayers go out to the dedicated employees of the IRS who work in the Austin building. We will immediately begin doing whatever we can to help them during this difficult time. While this appears to be an isolated incident, the safety of our employees is my highest priority. We will continue to do whatever is needed to ensure our employees are safe. Email this Story to a Friend Printer Friendly Version Search TOP STORIES

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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by The Associated Press Posted on February 18, 2010 at 12:14 PM AUSTIN -- Investigators want to know if today's fiery crash of a small plane into an Austin building that houses the IRS -- was intentional. The Associated Press reports authorities are trying to determine if the pilot targeted the tax agency. Assistant Austin Fire Chief Harry Evans says one person is missing and two people were taken to a hospital. Their conditions and identities weren't immediately known. The crash sent workers fleeing as ceilings crumbled, windows shattered and flames shot out of the building. Thick black and gray smoke was billowing out of the second and third stories. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the pilot didn't file a flight plan. IRS worker Peggy Walker was at her desk when the plane crashed.

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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If you use an RSS reader, here is feed for The Blotter: XML . Learn more about RSS. Home > The Blotter > Archives > 2010 > February > 18 > Entry A small plane crashed into a Northwest Austin building that houses federal offices about 10 this morning, injuring several people and sparking a fire that sent plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said the crash, at the Echelon 1 building in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard, “appears to be an intentional act, appears to be by a sole individual, and it appears this individual was targeting federal offices inside that building.” The plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee PA-28-236 Dakota, took off from a Georgetown airport at 9:40 a.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said. A federal official confirmed for the Statesman that its tail number is registered to a plane owned by Andrew Joseph Stack, a private plane pilot whose nearby home was on fire at roughly the same time. The North Austin home was destroyed, but officials have not confirmed that the two incidents are connected. It is unclear who was piloting the plane when it crashed into the building, but an FBI agent said all indications are that Stack was piloting the plane. A note posted on a Web site registered to Stack suggested that Stack was disgruntled with the U.S. tax system. The Georgetown airport had been shut down and evacuated about 12:30 p.m., Georgetown police Lt. Todd Turbush said, though he did not have details on why. A dispatcher with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said emergency officials were investigating Stack’s car, which he had left at the airport. Flights there were to resume about about 5:15 p.m., said an official with the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center who did not wish to be named. Austin Fire Department Division Chief Dawn Clopton said that the FBI would be taking over the investigation. An FBI agent who declined to identify himself said the agency is investigating the incident as an assault on a federal officer. Officials said 13 people were treated at the scene, mostly with burns and heat-related injuries. Two were critically injured and transported to area hospitals. An IRS revenue collection agent who worked on the building’s second floor is missing, said Mark Menn, a 59-year-old field revenue agent who worked in the building. Menn declined to give the man’s name. Matilda Sanchez, spokeswoman for the Seton Family of Hospitals, said an injured man was admitted to University Medical Center Brackenridge in good condition with minor injuries and smoke inhalation. The man was later discharged. Sanchez said a second man was admitted in serious condition with burns, then transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. A second hospitalized patient was identified by the Texas Comptroller’s office one of its employees, 38-year-old Shane Hill. The comptroller’s office said Hill was at the Echelon building for work, but did not elaborate. “The thoughts and prayers of Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and her agency are with Shane Hill and his family,” the office said in a written statement. To see more on the condition of the patients, click here. Authorities have been unable to reach the crash impact site and do not yet know the condition of the pilot, Clopton said. “That is part of the building that is unstable,” she said. Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said that part of building has collapsed and some steel beams are bowed down. The pilot did not file a flight plan or, as far as FAA officials know at this time, have any other contact with the agency. Federal investigators said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Houston as a precaution, but were returned after initial details showed no terrorist connection to the crash. “At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to terrorist activity. We continue to gather more information, and are aware there is additional information about the pilot’s history,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. The Internal Revenue Service has offices in the Echelon building, including its civil enforcement and criminal investigations divisions, said Special Agent Michael Lemoine, a spokesman for the criminal investigations division. He said that some IRS offices are on the first floor, which Lemoine said was hit by the plane. William Winnie, an Internal Revenue Service agent, said he was in a training session on the third floor of the building when he saw a light-colored, single-engine plane coming at the building. “It looked like it was coming right in my window,” Winnie said. He said the plane veered down and to the left and crashed into the floors below. “I didn’t lose my footing, but it was enough to knock people who were sitting to the floor.” To read more witness accounts, click here. Mischelle Diaz, a spokeswoman for St. Edward’s University, said the plane hit next to a building where the university’s Professional Education Center provides software training and teaches some graduate students. She said the education center has been evacuated and that university officials were trying to confirm that students and instructors all got out safely. “We’re just desperately trying to get some information,” Diaz said. The American Red Cross of Central Texas will be providing food and water to the firefighters and investigators at the crash site, said spokeswoman Marty McKellips. Photos: Plane crashes into North Austin building Photos: Crews respond to North Austin house fire Video: Scene from the North Austin plane crash Photo: Claudia Grisales/American-Statesman a Get the latest crime reports in your neighborhood with the Statesman's Crime Tracker. Permalink |

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A photo of Joseph Andrew Stack, the plane's assumed pilot (circa 2006) A small plane crashed into a building, which was one of the Echelon office complex, in north Austin, Texas this morning at 09:56 local time (1456 UTC). Federal officials say the plane owner was Joseph Andrew Stack III; presumed to be the pilot who set his house on fire on the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane in north Austin an hour earlier. He then drove to Georgetown Municipal Airport, approximately 20 miles away, took off and then crashed his private plane into the Echelon complex. The Federal Aviation Authority indicated the light aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28, as did news reports and eye witnesses. The FAA said the plane had no flight plan and was under Visual Flight Rules. Mr. Stack committed suicide, and a suicide note has been located. Mr. Stack's suicide note mentions anti-government and anti-corporate ideals, as well as problems with the Internal Revenue Service and that he lost money in the Enron scandal. Although the incident was intentional, a Department of Homeland Security official said that terrorism is not suspected. The online host of the note, T35 Hosting, later removed it in its entirety after the FBI requested its censorship. However, ''Wikinews'' has preserved the full text of the letter. Image of the Echelon Building the day after the crash Austin Fire Department reported around 1100 local time (1600 UTC) that two people were transported to local hospitals and one was unaccounted for. One man was admitted at a local hospital under serious condition for smoke inhalation. The other man suffered from second-degree burns on 25% of his back and has been transported by helicopter to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio and is said to be in stable condition. The seven-story Echelon Building One is located on 9430 Research Boulevard and contains Internal Revenue Service offices. The Echelon building complex houses a number of federal offices, including Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Research Boulevard is the service road of U.S. Route 183. The incident has caused severe backups on both Research Boulevard and Route 183. A Piper 28, similar to the one involved in the crash A witness told ''The Austin Statesman'' that he saw the plane flying lower than usual, then it made a sharp turn and hit the building. An Austin County EMS official, James Shamard, said that smoke is visible from at least a mile from the crash site. Another official for the Austin Fire Department said that two persons who were working in the building are still unaccounted for. ''MSNBC'' reports that there was some form of domestic dispute between Mr. Stack and his wife before the incident. He then reportedly used gasoline to light his house on fire. When the fire department arrived, they rescued his wife and teenage daughter. According to Jerry Cullen, a pilot and former flight instructor who witnessed the crash, the plane was traveling at high speed at time of impact. __NOTOC__

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During Yahoo's Q4 earnings call, CEO Carol Bartz talked up the quality of the company's search offering?noting that consumer usage had "stabilized," and reminding naysayers that Microsoft's Live Search was a distant second in terms of query volume and market share. But there are signs that Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) is facing strong headwinds when it comes to paid search: ?While Q4 search revenues were up 11 percent year-over-year, they were down $2 million sequentially?Recent vendor reports found that Yahoo's lead over Microsoft in terms of advertiser share had narrowed to just 3 percent, an indication that Microsoft is picking up new advertisers and greater percentages of their budgets at a faster pace And according to Search Engine Land's Danny Sullivan, Yahoo has been making changes to advertisers' campaigns?including adjusting the keywords they bid on and creating ad copy?without the marketers' express consent. Some outspoken search pros say they've shut down their YSM accounts completely as a result, and others say they've shifted their budget to Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT). Sullivan says the main problem is that the campaign optimizations are opt-out?not opt-in?and the changes are driving up advertisers' costs without delivering a solid ROI. Yahoo posted an official response, arguing that the changes have only affected a small percentage of accounts, and that they're designed to benefit small-to-medium-sized advertisers that can't afford SEM support, in particular. Still, with Yahoo trying to revitalize its brand under Bartz, and fend off Microsoft as paid search competition, Sullivan notes the obvious: "Yahoo can't afford to alienate advertisers right now." Related Search Ad Update: Q4 A Mixed Bag In Terms Of Spending With Bartz On Board, Next Wave Of Speculation Rolls In

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Yahoo!'s headquarters in Sunnyvale, California Yahoo!'s Briefcase service is to be closed after ten years. The directory-cum-internet portal's Briefcase, which offers 30mb of online storage of files up to 5mb, is to be shut down on March 30. Data not retrieved before then will be deleted. Usage of the service has declined in recent years and has been superseded by other companies' offers. Google has plans for a GDrive service, whilst Microsoft's Live Mesh is now in beta. now has unlimited storage, as do paid accounts with the Yahoo!-owned photo- and video-sharing site . A spokesperson for Yahoo! said that "discontinuing the service will allow us to focus our efforts on more broadly used products". Yahoo has been losing market value since Microsoft's deal to buy the company fell through in May 2008 and the company has reduced staff. Yahoo! still dominates the market for display adverts but this market is shrinking against targeted search adverts, where Google dominates.

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Google Closes in on Yahoo's Leadership in Display Advertising Meanwhile, Marketers Don't Think the No. 2 Online Player Has Made Strides in Search, According to Poll NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Yahoo's business didn't crater in the fourth quarter -- good news for new CEO Carol Bartz. But the bad news: The No. 2 online player predicts first-quarter revenue will be down 10% as the recession starts to hit online-display-ad budgets in a bigger way. What's more, the display-ad advantage it commanded over its closest competitor, Google, is less formidable than it used to be. Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz Research firm Advertiser Perceptions shared with Advertising Age the results of its latest Advertiser Intelligence Report, a poll of 1,212 executives at agencies and marketers involved in online advertising. The results won't leave anyone at Yahoo sleeping well at night: Google is making inroads on the display-ad side and is now perceived to be Yahoo's equal in many key metrics -- yet Yahoo hasn't made commensurate gains in search. "Perceptions of Yahoo are strong and are improving, but what's surprising is how well Google's display efforts have succeeded in creating equally strong perceptions on Yahoo's turf," said Advertising Perceptions CEO Ken Pearl. "Since positive perceptions lead to increasing ad revenue, it will be interesting to see how the online-display market plays out over the next several months." Yahoo declined to comment on the poll. The data break down like this: Advertisers give Yahoo very high marks for the results of their ad campaigns and for the marketing services Yahoo provides. But in a survey conducted in November, Google bested Yahoo when it came to results advertisers felt they were getting from campaigns: Advertisers rated Yahoo 29% better than the average of the 150 online media companies in the survey, but Google rated 43% better. Customer service vs. user experience On marketing services, Yahoo is still preferred, rating 42% better than average, compared with 7% better than average for Google. But in terms of audience, advertisers perceive virtually no difference between display ads on Google and display ads on Yahoo. And in customer service, Google is beating Yahoo handily: Google rates 19% above the industry average compared with 9% above average for Yahoo, a sign that some of Google's hard work wooing agencies and marketers is paying off. Some perspective: For all its effort thus far, Google is still a nonplayer in display, and earns 99% of its revenue from search, while Yahoo dominates 33% of the $7.1 billion U.S. online-display market, according to eMarketer. It will take more than matching Yahoo in advertiser perception to close that gap. Also troubling for Yahoo: It is losing ground in search in the eyes of marketers. Google accounted for 73% of the revenue in the larger and faster-growing search-ad marketplace, compared with Yahoo's 13%, according to eMarketer. Yahoo's dominance in display is due in part to its scale and to its skill in providing marketing solutions to Madison Avenue. But Yahoo's year of turmoil, including a revolving door of ad execs in key verticals, came at just the time Google was putting the pedal through the floor. "[Yahoo's] lack of focus internally bled out and diminished their ability to solve their client's marketing problems," said Steve Kerho, VP-analytics at Omnicom interactive shop Organic. Keeping search Ironically, Mr. Kerho said he believes the best way for Yahoo to protect its display-ad business is to find a way to succeed in search. "When you look at how people consume media online, it's search and display. Their ability to give end-to-end solutions is hampered if they have to outsource part of that," he said. While it's early to know how Ms. Bartz intends to approach search, she indicated last week she's not inclined to part with it. "Search is a very valuable part of our business," she said. "Understanding the intent and goals of our users as they seek information online is extremely useful to our franchise in many ways." Ms. Bartz said she was eager to get to know Yahoo's sales force and "have a beer with them." Better make that a double, because 2009 could be the toughest they've had to face.

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Yahoo!'s headquarters in Sunnyvale, California Yahoo!'s Briefcase service is to be closed after ten years. The directory-cum-internet portal's Briefcase, which offers 30mb of online storage of files up to 5mb, is to be shut down on March 30. Data not retrieved before then will be deleted. Usage of the service has declined in recent years and has been superseded by other companies' offers. Google has plans for a GDrive service, whilst Microsoft's Live Mesh is now in beta. now has unlimited storage, as do paid accounts with the Yahoo!-owned photo- and video-sharing site . A spokesperson for Yahoo! said that "discontinuing the service will allow us to focus our efforts on more broadly used products". Yahoo has been losing market value since Microsoft's deal to buy the company fell through in May 2008 and the company has reduced staff. Yahoo! still dominates the market for display adverts but this market is shrinking against targeted search adverts, where Google dominates.

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- Yahoo's Briefcase online storage service, which soldiered on for almost 10 years with a distinctly Web 1.0 capacity of 30MB, is finally being shut down. Users of the free service, which lets people upload files as big as 5MB and organize them in folders, are being greeted by a message that says they have to download or delete their files by March 30. After that, the accounts will be closed and files deleted. Yahoo is discontinuing Briefcase because users outgrew it, Yahoo said in a statement. Other services, such as Yahoo Mail and Flickr, offer far greater storage capacity, and the use of Briefcase has fallen in recent years, the company said. The move will help it to focus on services that are more widely used, according to Yahoo. As it battles Google and Microsoft in the search arena and struggles to bring in more revenue from its array of other services, Yahoo is being driven toward tighter focus. The company announced layoffs last year and has seen its stock price plunge since a proposed acquisition by Microsoft fell apart in May 2008. Time may have passed Briefcase by, but the idea of Internet-based file storage is alive and well. Microsoft last year announced Live Mesh, a service now in beta testing that lets users store files online, keep them synchronized across mobile devices and PCs, and access them on the road. The free DropBox application offers similar capabilities. And Google is rumored to be near introducing an online storage service called GDrive.

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Yahoo!'s headquarters in Sunnyvale, California Yahoo!'s Briefcase service is to be closed after ten years. The directory-cum-internet portal's Briefcase, which offers 30mb of online storage of files up to 5mb, is to be shut down on March 30. Data not retrieved before then will be deleted. Usage of the service has declined in recent years and has been superseded by other companies' offers. Google has plans for a GDrive service, whilst Microsoft's Live Mesh is now in beta. now has unlimited storage, as do paid accounts with the Yahoo!-owned photo- and video-sharing site . A spokesperson for Yahoo! said that "discontinuing the service will allow us to focus our efforts on more broadly used products". Yahoo has been losing market value since Microsoft's deal to buy the company fell through in May 2008 and the company has reduced staff. Yahoo! still dominates the market for display adverts but this market is shrinking against targeted search adverts, where Google dominates.

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Yahoo Shutting Briefcase Yahoo will close an online storage service called Briefcase as the company sheds some operations. Briefcase, introduced almost 10 years ago, will shut March 30 and users must download or delete files by then, the company said on its Web site. Yahoo customers were already shifting to other services, such as its e-mail program or the Flickr photo site, to store files online, the company said. "Usage has been significantly declining over the years as users outgrew the need for Yahoo Briefcase and turned to offerings with much more storage and enhanced sharing capabilities," spokeswoman Kim Rubey said in an e-mailed statement. "Discontinuing the service will allow us to focus our efforts on more broadly used products." — Bloomberg News Adobe IPhone Flash elusive Adobe Systems faces a challenge in creating a version of its Flash video software for Apple's iPhone, CEO Shantanu Narayen said. "It's a hard technical challenge, and that's part of the reason Apple and Adobe are collaborating," Narayen said Friday in a Bloomberg Television interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "The onus is on us to deliver." Adobe's Flash, used to view online video and animation, is installed on 98 percent of the world's personal computers. While the software is on more than 800 million handsets, it isn't available on the iPhone. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said last March that Flash runs too slowly for the iPhone. Advertisement — Bloomberg News Tessera Wins patent review Tessera Technologies won a patent-infringement ruling in its bid to strike licensing agreements with Qualcomm and other chip makers for wireless devices. The U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday agreed to review a decision by one of its judges that Tessera's patents weren't infringed by the chip makers. The review will be completed by April. The case against Qualcomm, Motorola and four other companies was the first of three to be heard by the commission, which has the power to block imports of products that violate U.S. patents. San Jose-based Tessera's patents cover a way of making packaging to surround the chips so they are protected from damage and yet can be made smaller and faster. — Bloomberg News

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Yahoo!'s headquarters in Sunnyvale, California Yahoo!'s Briefcase service is to be closed after ten years. The directory-cum-internet portal's Briefcase, which offers 30mb of online storage of files up to 5mb, is to be shut down on March 30. Data not retrieved before then will be deleted. Usage of the service has declined in recent years and has been superseded by other companies' offers. Google has plans for a GDrive service, whilst Microsoft's Live Mesh is now in beta. now has unlimited storage, as do paid accounts with the Yahoo!-owned photo- and video-sharing site . A spokesperson for Yahoo! said that "discontinuing the service will allow us to focus our efforts on more broadly used products". Yahoo has been losing market value since Microsoft's deal to buy the company fell through in May 2008 and the company has reduced staff. Yahoo! still dominates the market for display adverts but this market is shrinking against targeted search adverts, where Google dominates.

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Search CBS News The Web • » Israeli Forces Bisect Gaza Strip As Troops Surround Gaza City, Death Toll Passes 500; U.N. Head Calls For End To Operation; Europe Pledges Aid E-Mail Story Print Story Sphere Share A A Text Size: A Continued 1 | 2 Thousands of Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopter gunships pushed deeper into Gaza Sunday, fighting militants at close range and surrounding the coastal territory's largest city in the first full day of an overwhelming ground offensive.Israel said it has inflicted a heavy blow against Hamas as it expands a weeklong offensive meant to stop rocket fire on southern Israel. But spiraling civilian casualties fueled an intensifying international outcry.Israel's ground forces moved in after nightfall Saturday following hours of intense, fiery artillery shelling to clear the way. Gaza will be Israel's graveyard, Hamas warned, but Israel said it lost just one soldier in the first day of ground combat, reports"Israeli soldiers are currently in combat operations in Gaza and we know that we will take casualties," said government spokesman Mark Regev. "We didn't enter this operation because we wanted to."They did it because they had to, said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at a cabinet meeting, to stop the barrage of Hamas rockets raining down on Israeli communities. But the rockets haven't stopped,reports. More than thirty fell on Israel on Sunday.Israeli soldiers continued to fight primarily in open areas in the launching zones used by Gaza's militants to send rockets raining down on Israeli cities. As the troops in three brigade-size formations moved in, residents of those Israeli cities began emerging from bomb shelters in hopes that the rocket fire would taper off.Backing up the troops, mobile artillery units fired shells that exploded in heavy veils of white smoke over Gaza's urban skyline. Tanks pushed south of Gaza City as deep as the abandoned Israeli settlement of Netzarim, which Israel left along with other Israeli communities when it pulled out of Gaza in 2005.That effectively cut off Gaza City, the territory's largest population center with some 400,000 residents, from the rest of Gaza to the south.Israel's military chief said Hamas fighters were trying to draw soldiers deeper into Gaza's sprawling, densely packed urban areas, where the military said Hamas was seeking protection behind civilians.Israeli forces have not yet entered urban areas, said Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu, the chief army spokesman. He warned, however, that the operation was not a "school trip" and would be long and demanding.The ground invasion presents Israel with the risk of being sucked into intense urban combat, with house-to-house fighting, sniper fire and booby-traps. Hamas is believed to have some 20,000 gunmen and has had time to prepare.To guard against hidden explosives, Israel's ground forces moved through fields and orchards with bomb-sniffing dogs.Since the ground assault began, 64 Palestinian civilians have been killed, said Dr. Moaiya Hassanain, a Health Ministry official.At one hospital, in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, medics carrying three injured children in their arms rushed them to treatment. One of the children had a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his head and covering his eyes.An Israeli shell also struck an ambulance in the town, killing one paramedic, said Marwan Abu Ras, a hospital administrator. The relief organization Oxfam, which said the ambulance belonged to a partner organization, al-Awda Hospital, confirmed the incident.An airstrike hit another ambulance belonging to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza City, killing three other paramedics, said medic Jamal Hawajiri. That ambulance crew was driving to a Hamas training site where there were reports of wounded. © MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Según el primer ministro israelí, Ehud Olmert, el ataque por tierra era inevitable. El ejército de Israel tuvo hoy su primera baja mortal en el noveno día de ataques a la Franja de Gaza. Ayer, la artillería hebrea inició la ofensiva terrestre, a la que el primer ministro, Ehud Olmert, calificó de "inevitable". Según Hamas, la organización islámica que controla la zona, hay 500 palestinos muertos. Las tropas –que atacan por mar, tierra y aire– dividieron en dos el territorio y rodean la ciudad más importante de la franja. El soldado falleció en el norte de la zona, en Yebalia. En cercanías del lugar, un ataque aéreo sobre una mezquita causó cinco muertos y diez heridos. Las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes (IDF por su sigla en inglés), manifestó que Hamas utilizaba mezquitas, instituciones públicas y hogares privados como bases de operaciones y arsenales. La cadena de televisión Al Jazeera informó que el militar muerto había sido capturado con un compañero. Asimismo, expuso que los habitantes del norte de la franja "huyeron despavoridos" debido a la presencia de tanques israelíes en la zona. El doctor Muawiya Hasenein declaró que, de las 500 víctimas, 87 son niños y hay 2.450 heridos. De acuerdo con el viceministro de Seguridad de Hamas, hay varios civiles muertos porque "Israel está disparando contra las casas y los mercados". Cinco palestinos, miembros de una misma familia, murieron cuando el automóvil en el que manejaban fue alcanzado por un obús de un tanque israelí ubicado en donde estaba la antigua colonia de Netzarim, al sur de la ciudad de Gaza. También perdió la vida el conductor de una ambulancia, debido a los disparos de tropas hebreas. El Gobierno israelí afirmó que "docenas de sus comandantes y cientos de terroristas murieron, se destruyeron arsenales y lugares de producción de armamento y se dañó la infraestructura de túneles utilizada para contrabando". Una nota de las Fuerzas Armadas hebreas expresa que "los residentes de Gaza no son el objetivo de la operación" y considera como "responsables de todos los daños a la población civil" a "aquellos que usan a los civiles, los ancianos, las mujeres y los niños como escudos humanos". No obstante, agrega que cualquier persona que esconda armas o a un terrorista en su vivienda será calificado de "terrorista". === Complicaciones para el acuerdo de paz === Representantes de la Unión Europea (UE) que intentan buscar un cese al fuego admitieron que enfrentan una difícil tarea para lograr un acuerdo. Mientras tanto, la Comisión Europea pidió a Israel que cree un corredor para poder enviar ayuda a la zona del conflicto. La UE planea enviar ayuda a los palestinos, pero una vez que el corredor esté listo. El primer ministro británico, Gordon Brown, dijo que el conflicto está en un "un momento muy peligroso". Además, el Papa Benedicto XVI condenó las "noticias dramáticas" y afirmó que la población es "víctima de nuevo del odio y la guerra". Mahmud Abbas, presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), le pedirá al mandatario francés, Nicolas Sarkozy, que presione a Israel para que frene la ofensiva.

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AGENCIAS / VÍDEOS: ATLAS. 05.01.2009 - 08:42h El ataque por tierra y aire de las fuerzas militares de Israel continúa en Gaza. Durante la madrugada de este lunes, los aviones hebreos han combardeado 130 objetivos en la franja de Gaza, según han confirmado el propio Ejército. Entre los objetivos se encuentra una mezquita, casas donde se almacenaba armamento y vehículos que transportaban armas y combatientes. Ataques contra mezquitas Cinco personas murieron y diez resultaron heridas en un nuevo ataque contra una mezquita en Yebalia, en el norte de Gaza, poco después de que el Ejercito israelí admitiera su primera baja mortal, que se registró en la misma área. Según testigos, fuerzas aéreas israelíes lanzaron varias cargas explosivas contra el templo musulmán, el segundo de esa localidad que sufre un bombardeo tras el que se produjo ayer en otra mezquita, que dejó once muertos. Una madre palestina y sus cuatro hijos han muerto en un bombardeo Además, una madre palestina y sus cuatro hijos han muerto en otro bombardeo aéreo israelí en en el marco de la invasión de la franja que ha dejado ya más de cuarenta palestinos muertos y unos 150 heridos, informaron fuentes médicas. El ataque tuvo lugar en el este de la ciudad de Gaza, donde las calles están desiertas, con decenas de edificios destruidos por los bombardeos, como la sede del Parlamento. La Franja dividida en dos Las fuerzas israelíes han cortado virtualmente la franja en dos, lo que impide el paso entre el norte y el sur de ese territorio, en el que viven al millón y medio de personas. La táctica de dividir el territorio, -de cuarenta kilómetros de largo por quince de ancho y donde viven millón y medio de personas-, tiene como finalidad cerrar las vías de comunicación y de aprovisionamiento de Hamás y otros grupos armados. Gran parte de los fallecidos por el ataque son civiles, "porque Israel está disparando contra las casas y los mercados", dijo a Efe en conversación telefónica desde Gaza Hasan Yalaf, viceministro de Sanidad de Hamás y director general del Hospital de Shifa. En la ciudad de Gaza sólo se oyen los aviones israelíes y el fuego de explosiones y disparos de artillería. La anunciada incursión comenzó el sábado. Una columna de tanques, acompañados de miles de soldados y helicópteros de combate, penetraron por el norte de la Franja de Gaza, cobrándose la vida de cincuenta milicianos de Hamás, según informan medios locales, y dejando heridos a 100 soldados israelíes, dos de ellos de gravedad. Además, según la cadena qatarí Al Yazira, dos soldados de Israel han sido capturados por sus milicianos y uno de ellos ha muerto, según ha confirmado Israel. Los habitantes del norte de Gaza huyeron despavoridos tras entrar esta noche en el área tanques israelíes según relata un testigo de la franja que contactó por teléfono desde Jerusalén. Los habitantes del norte Gaza huyeron despavoridos "En el antiguo asentamiento de Duvit han entrado tanques acompañados de bulldozer y han provocado que muchas personas se fueran de sus casas", explicó Alberto Arce, activista español que se encuentra en el campo de refugiados de Yabalia. Según Arce, la gente corrió hacia la avenida de Salahedin (la principal del campo), "cargada con mantas y bolsas de plástico". Esta misma tarde, testimonios en Gaza denunciaron disparos de artillería y fuertes explosiones. Se trata del primer ataque de estas características por primera vez desde el comienzo de la ofensiva contra Hamas el pasado 27 de diciembre. Varios días La incursión ha sido confirmada por Avital Leibovitch, portavoz militar israelí, que ha asegurado que el objetivo es tomar zonas desde las que se lanzan cohetes contra Israel. Fuentes del Ministerio de Defensa israelí citadas por el diario Haaretz indicaron previamente que unos 10.000 militares estaban preparados para cruzar la frontera e iniciar la invasión. El Gobierno israelí ha dicho que la operación durará varios días. De acuerdo con fuentes militares israelíes citadas por medios locales, la incursión será corta y masiva para cumplir pronto los objetivos y evitar un alto número de bajas. En una nota del Ejercito señala que "los residentes de Gaza no son el objetivo de la operación. Aquellos que usan a los civiles, los ancianos, las mujeres y los niños como escudos humanos son responsables de todos los daños a la población civil". Pero advierte que "cualquiera que esconda armas o a un terrorista en su casa será considerado un terrorista". El mayor daño a Israel Por su parte Hamás ha emitido un comunicado donde dice que Israel "pagará cara la invasión". En declaraciones a la televisión Al Arabiya, Mohammad Nazzal, portavoz de Hamás, ha asegurado que milicianos de Hamás han matado a varios soldados israelíes. Por otro lado, el jefe del Hizbulá, jeque Hassan Nasralá, instó a la resistencia palestina a causar el mayor mal posible a Israel. "Nuestros hermanos de la resistencia palestina saben como causar el mayor daño posible al enemigo israelí durante la confrontación terrestre, que les permitirá ganar la batalla", afirmó Nasralá, a través de una vídeoconferencia ante miles de sus seguidores. Nuevos ataques aéreos "Desde la frontera israelí que divisa la franja de Gaza hemos podido escuchar varios estruendos similares a los de un cañonazo. Han sido al menos tres". Según los testigos, los disparos de artillería han comenzado a registrarse a las 16.30 horas (15.30 hora española), y se han sentido en Beit Hanoun, Jabaliya, en el norte de la franja de Gaza, y en el sector de Jan Yunis, en el sur. Al menos once personas han muerto y decenas han resultado heridas al bombardear helicópteros Apache israelíes una mezquita en la localidad de Beit Lahiya, en el norte de Gaza, según informaron fuentes médicas palestinas. Con estas muertes el cómputo de víctimas de la ofensiva israelí supera los 500 fallecidos y 2.500 heridos. Este nuevo ataque se produce después de que el líder de Hamás en el exilio Jaled Meshal advirtiera a Israel de que el movimiento islámico está listo para resistir una hipotética invasión terrestre del Ejército israelí en Gaza. Además, ha dicho que la agresión podría provocar el secuestro de más soldados israelíes, según informa el periódico israelí Haaretz en su página web. "Si cometéis el acto estúpido de entrar en Gaza, quién sabe, podríamos tener un segundo o un tercer Shalit," ha dicho Meshal en referencia al soldado hebreo Gilad Shalit, quien fue secuestrado por milicianos en Gaza hace más de dos años. Hospitales a oscuras y ambulancias sin heridos Según Hasan Yalaf, director general del hospital Al Shifa y viceministro de Sanidad de Hamás, "Israel ha cortado el suministro eléctrico en toda la franja y Gaza entera está en completa oscuridad", lo que dificulta enormemente el funcionamiento de los hospitales - en su mayor parte desabastecidos- y la atención a los heridos. "Muchas de las ambulancias que salían a hacer servicios empezaron a regresar de vacío porque no podían llegar a los lugares donde tenían que atender a los heridos, ya que los impactos de los misiles han hecho agujeros inmensos en las calles que no les permiten avanzar", relató Yalaf. Las ambulancias no podían llegar a recoger a los heridos por el impacto de misiles en las calles Por su parte, el Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja (CICR) denunció que, por segundo día consecutivo, el Gobierno de Israel impidió la entrada a Gaza de uno de sus equipos médicos, pese a que había informado con anticipación de su llegada. El personal médico, dirigido por un cirujano de guerra, espera desde el pasado viernes la autorización para entrar a la Franja, que lleva una semana sometida a los bombardeos aéreos de Israel. La organización humanitaria señaló que el cruce de frontera de Erez entre Gaza e Israel fue abierto para otros trabajadores humanitarios y personas extranjeras que deseaban abandonar el territorio palestino. El equipo médico del CICR debe colaborar en el hospital de Shifa con operaciones quirúrgicas complejas a heridos por los bombardeos. El CICR, que ha permanecido en Gaza desde el inicio de las hostilidades, informó también de que los hospitales siguen reportando la llegada de nuevas víctimas, "incluidos niños".

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Según el primer ministro israelí, Ehud Olmert, el ataque por tierra era inevitable. El ejército de Israel tuvo hoy su primera baja mortal en el noveno día de ataques a la Franja de Gaza. Ayer, la artillería hebrea inició la ofensiva terrestre, a la que el primer ministro, Ehud Olmert, calificó de "inevitable". Según Hamas, la organización islámica que controla la zona, hay 500 palestinos muertos. Las tropas –que atacan por mar, tierra y aire– dividieron en dos el territorio y rodean la ciudad más importante de la franja. El soldado falleció en el norte de la zona, en Yebalia. En cercanías del lugar, un ataque aéreo sobre una mezquita causó cinco muertos y diez heridos. Las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes (IDF por su sigla en inglés), manifestó que Hamas utilizaba mezquitas, instituciones públicas y hogares privados como bases de operaciones y arsenales. La cadena de televisión Al Jazeera informó que el militar muerto había sido capturado con un compañero. Asimismo, expuso que los habitantes del norte de la franja "huyeron despavoridos" debido a la presencia de tanques israelíes en la zona. El doctor Muawiya Hasenein declaró que, de las 500 víctimas, 87 son niños y hay 2.450 heridos. De acuerdo con el viceministro de Seguridad de Hamas, hay varios civiles muertos porque "Israel está disparando contra las casas y los mercados". Cinco palestinos, miembros de una misma familia, murieron cuando el automóvil en el que manejaban fue alcanzado por un obús de un tanque israelí ubicado en donde estaba la antigua colonia de Netzarim, al sur de la ciudad de Gaza. También perdió la vida el conductor de una ambulancia, debido a los disparos de tropas hebreas. El Gobierno israelí afirmó que "docenas de sus comandantes y cientos de terroristas murieron, se destruyeron arsenales y lugares de producción de armamento y se dañó la infraestructura de túneles utilizada para contrabando". Una nota de las Fuerzas Armadas hebreas expresa que "los residentes de Gaza no son el objetivo de la operación" y considera como "responsables de todos los daños a la población civil" a "aquellos que usan a los civiles, los ancianos, las mujeres y los niños como escudos humanos". No obstante, agrega que cualquier persona que esconda armas o a un terrorista en su vivienda será calificado de "terrorista". === Complicaciones para el acuerdo de paz === Representantes de la Unión Europea (UE) que intentan buscar un cese al fuego admitieron que enfrentan una difícil tarea para lograr un acuerdo. Mientras tanto, la Comisión Europea pidió a Israel que cree un corredor para poder enviar ayuda a la zona del conflicto. La UE planea enviar ayuda a los palestinos, pero una vez que el corredor esté listo. El primer ministro británico, Gordon Brown, dijo que el conflicto está en un "un momento muy peligroso". Además, el Papa Benedicto XVI condenó las "noticias dramáticas" y afirmó que la población es "víctima de nuevo del odio y la guerra". Mahmud Abbas, presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), le pedirá al mandatario francés, Nicolas Sarkozy, que presione a Israel para que frene la ofensiva.

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By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops and tanks split the Gaza Strip and ringed its main city on Sunday in an offensive against Hamas that has killed 500 Palestinians, including a growing number of civilians. Israeli tanks poured shells and machinegun-fire into suspected militant positions and war planes struck as Hamas fighters fought back with mortars and rockets. Hamas kept up rocket attacks against southern Israel, defying efforts by the Middle East's most powerful army to achieve Israeli leaders' declared aim of removing the threat of cross-border salvoes. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a phone call that Israel would continue to allow in aid supplies to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Sarkozy arrives in Jerusalem on Monday to push for a truce. European Union foreign policy chiefs launched a mission to seek a ceasefire in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip but acknowledged they faced a difficult task. Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected the possibility of a ceasefire but said Israel did not intend to occupy Gaza. "We shall not accept the idea that Hamas will continue to fire and we shall declare a ceasefire. It does not make any sense," Peres told U.S. broadcaster ABC. At least 42 Palestinians, most of them civilians, were killed on Sunday as Israeli shells slammed into houses and Gaza's main shopping district, medical sources said. Israel has accused Hamas of using civilians in the Gaza Strip as "human shields," saying the Islamist group has been firing rockets at Israel from densely populated areas and storing weapons in homes and mosques. A foreign Red Crescent doctor said: "Civilians are being killed ... shells are severing people's legs, shrapnel is going into people's bodies and into people's homes, a lot of people are being cut down. Everyone is terrified." Medics said three Palestinian rescue workers were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday, raising to seven the total number of medical staff who have died in nine days of bloodshed. The Saturday night invasion of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip followed a week of Israeli bombardments from land, sea and air -- the most serious Israeli-Palestinian fighting in decades. Palestinians said soldiers moved deep into Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip and asked residents to leave their homes to avoid being hurt in the fighting. Some families sought refuge in U.N.-run schools in neighboring Beit Hanoun. Gaza medical officials said the total Palestinian death toll in Israel's "Operation Cast Lead" rose to 512. A U.N. agency said at least a quarter of the dead were civilians. A Palestinian human rights group put the figure at 40 percent. One Israeli soldier was killed and 32 were wounded in the ground offensive, Israel said. Four Israelis have been killed by the Hamas rocket strikes since December 27. Continued...

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Según el primer ministro israelí, Ehud Olmert, el ataque por tierra era inevitable. El ejército de Israel tuvo hoy su primera baja mortal en el noveno día de ataques a la Franja de Gaza. Ayer, la artillería hebrea inició la ofensiva terrestre, a la que el primer ministro, Ehud Olmert, calificó de "inevitable". Según Hamas, la organización islámica que controla la zona, hay 500 palestinos muertos. Las tropas –que atacan por mar, tierra y aire– dividieron en dos el territorio y rodean la ciudad más importante de la franja. El soldado falleció en el norte de la zona, en Yebalia. En cercanías del lugar, un ataque aéreo sobre una mezquita causó cinco muertos y diez heridos. Las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes (IDF por su sigla en inglés), manifestó que Hamas utilizaba mezquitas, instituciones públicas y hogares privados como bases de operaciones y arsenales. La cadena de televisión Al Jazeera informó que el militar muerto había sido capturado con un compañero. Asimismo, expuso que los habitantes del norte de la franja "huyeron despavoridos" debido a la presencia de tanques israelíes en la zona. El doctor Muawiya Hasenein declaró que, de las 500 víctimas, 87 son niños y hay 2.450 heridos. De acuerdo con el viceministro de Seguridad de Hamas, hay varios civiles muertos porque "Israel está disparando contra las casas y los mercados". Cinco palestinos, miembros de una misma familia, murieron cuando el automóvil en el que manejaban fue alcanzado por un obús de un tanque israelí ubicado en donde estaba la antigua colonia de Netzarim, al sur de la ciudad de Gaza. También perdió la vida el conductor de una ambulancia, debido a los disparos de tropas hebreas. El Gobierno israelí afirmó que "docenas de sus comandantes y cientos de terroristas murieron, se destruyeron arsenales y lugares de producción de armamento y se dañó la infraestructura de túneles utilizada para contrabando". Una nota de las Fuerzas Armadas hebreas expresa que "los residentes de Gaza no son el objetivo de la operación" y considera como "responsables de todos los daños a la población civil" a "aquellos que usan a los civiles, los ancianos, las mujeres y los niños como escudos humanos". No obstante, agrega que cualquier persona que esconda armas o a un terrorista en su vivienda será calificado de "terrorista". === Complicaciones para el acuerdo de paz === Representantes de la Unión Europea (UE) que intentan buscar un cese al fuego admitieron que enfrentan una difícil tarea para lograr un acuerdo. Mientras tanto, la Comisión Europea pidió a Israel que cree un corredor para poder enviar ayuda a la zona del conflicto. La UE planea enviar ayuda a los palestinos, pero una vez que el corredor esté listo. El primer ministro británico, Gordon Brown, dijo que el conflicto está en un "un momento muy peligroso". Además, el Papa Benedicto XVI condenó las "noticias dramáticas" y afirmó que la población es "víctima de nuevo del odio y la guerra". Mahmud Abbas, presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), le pedirá al mandatario francés, Nicolas Sarkozy, que presione a Israel para que frene la ofensiva.

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Tests on more than 365,000 people in England have shown that the antibody response to the virus that causes COVID-19 wanes over time. Led by Imperial College London, analysis of finger-prick tests carried out at home between 20 June and 28 September found that the number of people testing positive dropped by 26.5% across the study period, from almost 6% to 4.4%. Our study shows that over time there is a reduction in the proportion of people testing positive for antibodies. It remains unclear what level of immunity antibodies provide, or for how long this immunity lasts. Prof Paul Elliott study author, Imperial College London The downward trend was observed in all areas of the country and age groups, but not in health workers, which could indicate repeated or higher initial exposure to the virus, the authors suggest. The decline was largest in people aged 75 and above compared to younger people, and also in people with suspected rather than confirmed infection, indicating that the antibody response varies by age and with the severity of illness. People in London had the highest proportion of positive tests across the country, at around twice the national average. Health and care workers, ethnic minority groups, and those living in deprived areas and large households also had the greatest burden of past infection. These findings suggest that there may be a decline in the level of immunity in the population in the months following the first wave of the epidemic. These findings from the Real Time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) study are available in a pre-print report and will be submitted for peer-review. Professor Paul Elliott, director of the programme at Imperial, said: “Our study shows that over time there is a reduction in the proportion of people testing positive for antibodies. Testing positive for antibodies does not mean you are immune to COVID-19. It remains unclear what level of immunity antibodies provide, or for how long this immunity lasts. If someone tests positive for antibodies, they still need to follow national guidelines including social distancing measures, getting a swab test if they have symptoms and wearing face coverings where required.” Implications for immunity The REACT study is using finger-prick testing to detect coronavirus antibodies in the blood. When present these indicate that a person has been previously infected with the virus. The testing kits, called Lateral Flow Tests, detect antibodies above a particular concentration in the blood, and do not measure the amount of antibodies in a particular person. The tests are sent out to randomly-selected adult volunteers across the country to carry out at home. This very large study has shown that the proportion of people with detectable antibodies is falling over time. But we don’t yet know whether this will leave these people at risk of reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Prof Helen Ward study author, Imperial College London The latest report includes findings from three rounds of testing carried out over a three-month period. There were 17,576 positive results across all three rounds, around 30% of whom did not report any COVID-19 symptoms. After accounting for the accuracy of the test, confirmed by laboratory evaluation, and the country’s population characteristics, the study found that antibody prevalence declined from 6.0% to 4.8% and then 4.4% over the three months. This was found across all ages but the smallest drop was found in the youngest age group, aged 18-24, falling from 7.9% to 6.7% (14.9%), while the largest was found in the oldest group, aged 75 and above, declining from 3.3% to 2.0% (39%). Professor Helen Ward, one of the lead authors of the report said: “This very large study has shown that the proportion of people with detectable antibodies is falling over time. We don’t yet know whether this will leave these people at risk of reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, but it is essential that everyone continues to follow guidance to reduce the risk to themselves and others.” Prevalence across England All parts of the country showed a fall in prevalence, except the West Midlands which increased in round two and then declined in round three. London has maintained the highest prevalence of antibodies across the different rounds, with 9% testing positive in round three, compared with the South West which consistently had the smallest proportion. We rely on this kind of important research to inform our continued response to the disease, so we can continue to take the right action at the right time. Lord Bethell Health Minister The decline was largest in people who didn’t report a history of COVID-19, dropping by almost two-thirds (64.0%) between rounds one and three, compared to a decrease of 22.3% in people who had an infection confirmed by lab testing. Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “This study led by Imperial and Ipsos MORI is a critical piece of research, helping us to understand the nature of COVID-19 antibodies over time, and improve our understanding about the virus itself. We rely on this kind of important research to inform our continued response to the disease, so we can continue to take the right action at the right time. “It is also important that everyone knows what this means for them – this study will help in our fight against the virus, but testing positive for antibodies does not mean you are immune to COVID-19. “Regardless of the result of an antibody test, everyone must continue to comply with government guidelines including social distancing, self-isolating and getting a test if you have symptoms and always remember Hands, Face, Space.” Monitoring the coronavirus epidemic A separate arm of the REACT study is using at-home swab tests to monitor levels of current infection, involving more than 150,000 people each month. REACT has been commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, and is being carried out in partnership with Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Ipsos MORI. Kelly Beaver, Managing Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos MORI said: “Over 365,000 members of the public have volunteered to take part in this at home antibody study which involves a small fingerprick test. I’d like to thank all of those that took the time to participate in the study which provides another piece of information to help the Government manage the pandemic for us all.”

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Um estudo feito pelo sugere que há uma queda no nível de imunidade contra o com o passar do tempo. A constatação acontece após a análise de exames de sangue feitos entre 20 de junho e 28 de setembro. Segundo o estudo, ao longo deste tempo o número de pessoas que apresentaram anticorpos para caiu de 6 para 4,4%, o que significa um declínio de 26,5%. Os dados também mostraram que apenas os profissionais da saúde mantiveram a estabilidade nos anticorpos, o que indica "exposição repetida e maior ao vírus". O estudo, chamado ''Real Time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT)'' está disponível em versão '''' e ainda passará por uma "". '''O que é o preprint e a revisão por pares?''' O preprint (impressão prévia ou publicação prévia) é a publicação preliminar de uma pesquisa que ainda não tem o completo aval científico. O preprint é feito para que os autores avaliem os comentários e as reações iniciais sobre os resultados. Ele também garante a autoria do estudo, já que em caso de duplicidade, os direitos autorais pertencerão àquele que o publicou antes. Já a revisão por pares ou ''peer review'' é um método utilizado há séculos através do qual o relatório de um estudo (artigo) é revisto por um ou mais especialistas do mesmo escalão do autor. Estes revisores, geralmente anônimos para o autor do artigo, têm por objetivo sugerir revisões no trabalho analisado, contribuindo para a qualidade do estudo a ser publicado.

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Yemeni security forces have killed a regional al-Qaida leader during intensifying operations against the organisation in the wake of its failed Christmas Day bombing of a US airliner over Detroit, the government said today. Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi, governor of Shabwa province, said Abdullah Mehdar was killed overnight after being besieged in a house where he had been hiding. Mehdar was reportedly the leader of an al-Qaida cell in the al-Houta region, 600km east of Sana'a, the capital. Four men were detained but several others escaped into the nearby hills. Another senior al-Qaida commander was captured last week. Yemen insists it is capable of fighting al-Qaida on its own but needs more financial help, equipment and cooperation. "Our security agencies are capable of tackling terrorist threats," the foreign minister, Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi, told Reuters news agency, adding that anti-terrorism and coastguard units needed outside support in training, equipment and exchange of intelligence. "However, a security or military solution is not sufficient. So the international community has to pay more attention to the economic and development needs of Yemen," he added. Later this month the impoverished country in the Arabian peninsular and its many problems — poverty, rapid population growth and natural resource depletion — will be the subject of a one-day international conference in London, called by Gordon Brown in the aftermath of the attempt by the Nigerian student Omar Farouk Abumutallab to blow up a US airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day. President Barack Obama has ruled out sending in US troops but there is nervousness in Yemen that it is being identified in the west as a new front in the struggle against jihadi terror. Over the past few weeks the Yemeni government has sent reinforcements to some eastern provinces as it intensified its fight against al-Qaida, said by the Sana'a authorities to number some 200 to 300 members in the country. The US and Britain say they fear Yemen, a failing if not a failed state, is in danger of becoming a safe haven for the organisation after its virtual defeat in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, and as it faces increasing pressure in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Earlier, Yemen's interior ministry said that at least 15 Houthi rebels had been killed in clashes with tribesmen loyal to the government and in operations by security forces, as violence increased in the Sa'ada region, north of the capital. Saudi Arabia, fighting the Houthis in support of the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, claimed this week to have killed hundreds of them. The rebels have fought the government sporadically since 2004, complaining of social, economic and religious marginalisation. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, meanwhile attacked Riyadh for its support for the Yemeni government. "We were expecting that Saudi Arabian officials would act like a mentor and make peace between brothers, not enter the war and use bombs ... and machine guns against Muslims. "If only a small part of the weapons of Saudi Arabia were used on behalf of Gaza and against the Zionist regime (Israel), today there would be no sign of the Zionist regime in the region," Ahmadinejad said on state television. Yemen in turn has repeatedly accused Iran of backing the Houthis.

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Yemeni local al-Qaida leader Abdullah Mehdar has been killed in a raid of his home in the Shabwah province. Four more men were arrested at the alleged al-Houta-area cell commander's house while several more escaped. Shabwah Governor Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi told journalists that security forces had entered the Mehdar house and killed him on site. Abdullah Mehdar was added to Yemen's "List of the most wanted" by the Yemeni Interior Ministry earlier today. Military annalists say that other commanders of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula may be hiding in Shabwah. The group are the suspected perpetrators of the failed bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253.

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Local al-Qaida Leader Killed in Yemen Photo: AP The alleged leader of an al-Qaida cell was killed in the Yemeni province of Shabwa, after security forces raided the house he was hiding in, according to the provincial governor. Yemen recently began cracking down on al-Qaida operations in several eastern provinces. The governor of Yemen's eastern Shabwa province announced Wednesday that government security forces had killed a man they describe as the leader of a local al-Qaida cell, amid ongoing and intensive counter-terrorism operations. Governor Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi told journalists that Abdullah Mehdar was killed by government security forces after they laid siege to a house where he was hiding. Yemeni government TV reported that four alleged al-Qaida members were also arrested in the raid, which began Tuesday. The report said one security officer was killed when "al-Qaida tried to create a diversion, attacking security forces in another place." Editor-in-chief Hakim Almasmari of the Yemen Post newspaper says that the latest success by the Yemeni government is part of a series of ongoing attacks on al-Qaida targets. "Around 12 raids have happened in Sana'a on al-Qaida suspects over the last two days. In Shabwa, Abdallah Mehdar was killed because he did not surrender. He's not one of the top al-Qaida leaders but he is a member of al-Qaida. The good thing is that there were no civilian casualties reported for the attack," he said. Almasmari says that Yemeni security forces were given special anti-terrorism training by the United States and are experienced in such operations. "The national security army was trained by the U.S. for terrorist combating, so they were well trained. They attacked [Abdallah Mehdar's] house and he refused to surrender, but other al-Qaida members usually surrender to the government," he added. The French press agency, quoting local sources, indicated that 18 al-Qaida suspects escaped the government dragnet and fled to a nearby mountain. Yemeni TV, quoting military sources, warned local residents not to help al Qaida terrorists, but to help security forces in capturing them. Shabwa province governor al-Ahmadi told reporters Sunday that dozens of foreign al-Qaida fighters, including Egyptians and Saudis who have fled from Afghanistan are hiding in the mountains of Shabwa district. Yemen analysts say that Nasser al-Waheshi, leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, his deputy Saeed Ali al-Shehri, and Yemeni American Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki may be hiding in Shabwa.

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Yemeni local al-Qaida leader Abdullah Mehdar has been killed in a raid of his home in the Shabwah province. Four more men were arrested at the alleged al-Houta-area cell commander's house while several more escaped. Shabwah Governor Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi told journalists that security forces had entered the Mehdar house and killed him on site. Abdullah Mehdar was added to Yemen's "List of the most wanted" by the Yemeni Interior Ministry earlier today. Military annalists say that other commanders of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula may be hiding in Shabwah. The group are the suspected perpetrators of the failed bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253.

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El pasado jueves, un policía militar de asesinó con un disparo en la cabeza al Carlos Augusto Muniz Braga, de 30 años de edad y padre de cuatro hijos, durante una redada contra vendedores de y . De acuerdo a '''', el vendedor "insistía en intentar calmar los ánimos del policía que inmovilizaba a su colega de trabajo en las calles del barrio de Lapa, en São Paulo". Con una mano, el policía amenazaba con su pistola, mientras que con la otra, sostenía un . Cuando Muniz Braga trató de arrebatarle el aerosol, el policía le disparó. Muniz Braga alcanzó a caminar unos metros antes de caer muerto ante la mirada de su esposa, su hermana y varios curiosos. Algunas personas filmaron la escena con un , método que los ciudadanos brasileños han adoptado como defensa ante la . Por su parte, las autoridades mantuvieron por horas la versión de que en un enfrentamiento entre la policía y los vendedores, accidentalmente el oficial disparó su arma, por lo que fue acorralado y herido también de bala. Historia falsa, pues sólo sufrió unos arañazos. Las imágenes se difundieron rápidamente, por lo que se cambió la versión oficial y se arrestó al policía, acusado de matar a un meses atrás. La indignación surgió enseguida en el barrio de São Paulo; se registraron incidentes con otros vendedores y vecinos, el cierre de calles y la quema de basura, cabinas telefónicas y un autobús. La aseguró que se iniciará una investigación. La Policía Civil informó que haría lo propio. No obstante, los vendedores denunciaron los abusos de los que son víctimas desde hace años. , alcalde de la ciudad, calificó el hecho de "episodio aislado". Sin embargo, esto es algo habitual, pues de acuerdo a datos oficiales, entre enero y agosto de este año, los agentes del dieron muerte a 434 personas, lo que representa un incremento del 62% con respecto al 2013. En el velatorio, Claudine da Silva de 31 años y viuda de Braga, se lamentó de no cambiar a tiempo su vida: "La policía me había golpeado varias veces, incluso embarazada. La noche anterior a la muerte de mi amor nos prometimos que en diciembre dejaríamos las calle para poder parar de correr". Al día siguiente del falleciemiento, ningún vendedor ambulante trabajó en la zona en señal de .

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El jueves pasado, un policía militar de Sao Paulo, que integraba una redada contra vendedores de productos falsificados y DVD pirata mató de un disparo en la cabeza a Carlos Augusto Braga, un vendedor ambulante de 30 años y padre de cuatro hijos. La víctima trató de arrancar de las manos del policía un spray de pimienta mientras los agentes reducían a otro vendedor. El oficial, ya con el dedo el gatillo, simplemente, le descerrajó un tiro. Braga, herido de muerte, dio una decena de pasos y se desplomó en el suelo ante su mujer, su hermana y una multitud de curiosos. La escena puede describirse con detalle porque varias personas la filmaron con un teléfono móvil. Es así como los ciudadanos han aprendido a defenderse de la brutalidad e impunidad policial, un problema, hasta hace poco oculto, que se repite en Sao Paulo y en el resto Brasil. Si no hubiese sido por las imágenes grabadas, se habría impuesto la primera versión oficial, que las autoridades mantuvieron durante horas: hubo un enfrentamiento entre los vendedores y los agentes, el tiro fue accidental y el policía, acorralado, también resultó herido de bala. En realidad, apenas sufrió unos arañazos. Con el vídeo incendiando todas las redes sociales, la policía cambió de versión y envió a prisión al agente, acusado de la muerte hace unos meses de un mendigo. Los vendedores ambulantes del barrio, tras la muerte de su colega, denunciaron ante las cámaras los abusos que sufren desde hace años por parte de la policía militar y bloquearon las calles con barricadas en llamas. En plena hora punta, los agentes reaccionaron con amenazas y bombas de gas lacrimógeno en una zona conocida por su comercio. El alcalde de la ciudad, Fernando Haddad, del Partido de los Trabajadores de Dilma Rousseff, calificó la muerte del vendedor ambulante como un “episodio aislado”. Pero la violencia gratuita de la policía es habitual. Los especialistas y el sector más progresista de la población critican el comportamiento de una policía que aún conserva prácticas de la dictadura (1964-1985) y que no está entrenada para lidiar con situaciones cotidianas de tensión en la calle, como ha demostrado durante las protestas que agitan el país desde junio de 2013. Entre 2005 y 2009, la policía de Sao Paulo mató más de una persona por día, 2.045 víctimas, según un informe de la propia corporación. Ningún vendedor ambulante trabajó al día siguiente en la zona del incidente en señal de luto. Durante el velatorio, en una humilde sala muy lejos de los barrios de imponentes rascacielos de la ciudad, la viuda, Claudine da Silva de 31 años, lamentaba no haber tenido tiempo para cambiar de vida: “La policía me había golpeado varias veces, incluso embarazada. La noche anterior a la muerte de mi amor nos prometimos que en diciembre dejaríamos las calle para poder parar de correr”.

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El pasado jueves, un policía militar de asesinó con un disparo en la cabeza al Carlos Augusto Muniz Braga, de 30 años de edad y padre de cuatro hijos, durante una redada contra vendedores de y . De acuerdo a '''', el vendedor "insistía en intentar calmar los ánimos del policía que inmovilizaba a su colega de trabajo en las calles del barrio de Lapa, en São Paulo". Con una mano, el policía amenazaba con su pistola, mientras que con la otra, sostenía un . Cuando Muniz Braga trató de arrebatarle el aerosol, el policía le disparó. Muniz Braga alcanzó a caminar unos metros antes de caer muerto ante la mirada de su esposa, su hermana y varios curiosos. Algunas personas filmaron la escena con un , método que los ciudadanos brasileños han adoptado como defensa ante la . Por su parte, las autoridades mantuvieron por horas la versión de que en un enfrentamiento entre la policía y los vendedores, accidentalmente el oficial disparó su arma, por lo que fue acorralado y herido también de bala. Historia falsa, pues sólo sufrió unos arañazos. Las imágenes se difundieron rápidamente, por lo que se cambió la versión oficial y se arrestó al policía, acusado de matar a un meses atrás. La indignación surgió enseguida en el barrio de São Paulo; se registraron incidentes con otros vendedores y vecinos, el cierre de calles y la quema de basura, cabinas telefónicas y un autobús. La aseguró que se iniciará una investigación. La Policía Civil informó que haría lo propio. No obstante, los vendedores denunciaron los abusos de los que son víctimas desde hace años. , alcalde de la ciudad, calificó el hecho de "episodio aislado". Sin embargo, esto es algo habitual, pues de acuerdo a datos oficiales, entre enero y agosto de este año, los agentes del dieron muerte a 434 personas, lo que representa un incremento del 62% con respecto al 2013. En el velatorio, Claudine da Silva de 31 años y viuda de Braga, se lamentó de no cambiar a tiempo su vida: "La policía me había golpeado varias veces, incluso embarazada. La noche anterior a la muerte de mi amor nos prometimos que en diciembre dejaríamos las calle para poder parar de correr". Al día siguiente del falleciemiento, ningún vendedor ambulante trabajó en la zona en señal de .

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Scientists using a computer model of the typical European summer with no human influences (without global warming) have compared it to the same model with global warming included. They have concluded that human influence makes extremely warm summers (i.e. summers as warm as the 2003 heatwave) more than twice as likely. Commentators have suggested that in the future this may open the way for lawsuits against heavy polluters by persons whose livelihoods have been affected by adverse climate change. However, the report stesses that though it is in fact impossible to pin any specific extreme climate event on either global warming or natural climate variation, human activities increase the frequency of such events. The study is based upon climate activity during the last 50 years, which can only be replicated with computer models which include human forcing (CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs)). However, even within a warmer world the summer of 2003 was anomalously warm in Europe. Most simulations of 2003 climate produce cooler weather in Europe than what actually happened. It is not yet known if flaws in the models cause this difference, if the warmth of 2003 was part of a trend, or 2003 was merely unusually hot. If there will be a warming trend, a model predicts that such summers could become an event of 1-in-2 probability only by 2050. In the Americas, a series of sudden weather changes has been more frequent in the last 15 years since the discovery of the phenomenon knows as ''El Niño'', in which vast regions of North and South America suffered weather extremes ranging from high tides to extreme hail, rain and snowstorms during summer and winter seasons following extremely hot summers. There's still no scientific evidence that ''El Niño'' is directly influenced by human factors.

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2002 Satellite image of swollen Jamuna river flooding Bangladesh Catherine Brahic 3 December 2004 Source: SciDev.Net This week's issue of Nature features the first study to demonstrate a link between greenhouse gas emissions and an extreme weather event — in this case, the unusually high temperatures in Europe during the summer of 2003 that led to 14,000 deaths more than the seasonal average in France alone. In their paper, Peter Stott of the UK Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, and colleagues say they "estimate that it is very likely that human influence has at least doubled the risk" of extreme weather events, such as the European heat wave. While it is impossible to attribute a single meteorological event, such as a heat wave or a flood, to changes in the atmosphere, it is possible, using available computer models, to estimate whether human activities increase the risk of such events taking place. Stott and colleagues did just that. They used a computer model to compare the likelihood of the 2003 heat wave taking place with and without human activities, which in the model included greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers conclude that human activities at least doubled the chance of the heat wave taking place, and say they are 90 per cent sure this statement is accurate. Previously, other scientists had made similar but unquantified estimates. In a SciDev.Net editorial earlier this year, Saleemul Huq, director of the Climate Change Programme at the International Institute for Environment and Development, wrote, "It may be impossible to attribute [the 2004 floods in Bangladesh] to climate change". "But what can be said with certainty is that such events will occur with increasing frequency in the future, due to changes in the global climate system caused by greenhouse gas emissions attributable to human activities." Scientists are a long way from being able to determine exactly how far human activities were responsible for increasing the risk of severe floods in Bangladesh in 2004. However, says Stott, in theory the same methods that he and his colleagues used in their study could be applied to any weather event, anywhere in the world. PRECIS, a climate model based on the Hadley Centre's one, but able to be run on a personal computer, is just one of tools already being used in countries including Bhutan, Brazil and India to gain a better understanding of regional climate systems. Eventually, such information could lead to risk studies of regional weather events, like the one done by Stott and his colleagues. In accompanying article in Nature, Myles Allen, who supervised Stott's study, and UK lawyer Richard Lord write about the legal implications of the team's findings. "Although these ideas may seem far-fetched now," they write, "we could one day see Californian farmers suing member states of the European Union for authorising emissions that threatened the security of their water supplies." Stott agrees that following the same reasoning, farmers in Egypt might also one day sue European states for increasing the salinity of the water they use to water their crops. In fact, a group of environmental lawyers is already urging UNESCO to investigate the effects of climate change on three World Heritage Sites: the Belize Barrier Reef, and two national parks, one in the Andean and the other in the Himalayan mountain ranges. Pro Public, the environmental group leading the Himalayan campaign points out that in Nepal, it is not only the park that is endangered, but also the communities living beneath the swelling glacier lakes (see Melting glaciers threaten communities in South Asia). "The Nepalese are not responsible for what's happening there," said Prakash Sharma, executive director of Pro Public in an interview with BBC Online. "We might be a little bit responsible but I think [it is] the global phenomenon of climate change." Link to paper in Nature by Stott et al Link to article by Allen and Lord in Nature Link to BBC Online news story References: Nature 432, 551 (2004) / Nature 432, 610 (2004) Related SciDev.Net articles: Threat of devastating floods 'will double' by 2050 Haiti's lessons for managing the global environment Bangladesh floods: rich nations 'must share the blame' Related links: PRECIS Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research Photo Credit: NASA NASA Dossiers: Climate Change

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Scientists using a computer model of the typical European summer with no human influences (without global warming) have compared it to the same model with global warming included. They have concluded that human influence makes extremely warm summers (i.e. summers as warm as the 2003 heatwave) more than twice as likely. Commentators have suggested that in the future this may open the way for lawsuits against heavy polluters by persons whose livelihoods have been affected by adverse climate change. However, the report stesses that though it is in fact impossible to pin any specific extreme climate event on either global warming or natural climate variation, human activities increase the frequency of such events. The study is based upon climate activity during the last 50 years, which can only be replicated with computer models which include human forcing (CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs)). However, even within a warmer world the summer of 2003 was anomalously warm in Europe. Most simulations of 2003 climate produce cooler weather in Europe than what actually happened. It is not yet known if flaws in the models cause this difference, if the warmth of 2003 was part of a trend, or 2003 was merely unusually hot. If there will be a warming trend, a model predicts that such summers could become an event of 1-in-2 probability only by 2050. In the Americas, a series of sudden weather changes has been more frequent in the last 15 years since the discovery of the phenomenon knows as ''El Niño'', in which vast regions of North and South America suffered weather extremes ranging from high tides to extreme hail, rain and snowstorms during summer and winter seasons following extremely hot summers. There's still no scientific evidence that ''El Niño'' is directly influenced by human factors.

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an incomplete understanding of the climate system, an imperfect ability to transform our knowledge into accurate mathematical equations, the limited power of computers, the models' inability to reproduce important atmospheric phenomena, and inaccurate representations of the complex natural interconnections. These weaknesses combine to make GCM-based predictions too uncertain to be used as the bases for public policy responses related to future climate changes. The Limits of Human Knowledge. The world's best scientists have only an incomplete understanding of how the various atmospheric, land surface, oceanic and ice components interact. Even if their understanding of the climate system were perfect, scientists would still face challenges. Consider that while scientists do have a general idea of the complex interrelationships of the atmosphere and the oceans, expressing this knowledge mathematically is very difficult. The Limits of Computing Power. GCMs are limited in important ways. Global climate is produced through a variety of processes and interactions that operate on a wide range of scales, including molecular, regional, continental and global. Changes in climate occur from physical interactions that take place on any or all of these scales. The changes, and the resulting weather patterns, can occur nearly instantaneously or they can take decades or millenia to develop. Unfortunately, the computers and programs that run the GCMs are limited to gross representations of the geographic, geologic and atmospheric details that they use to run climate simulations. Thus, many small-scale features, such as a temporary but significant shift in the prevailing winds or unusually dry surface conditions due to increased evaporation from forest fires and high winds cannot be represented, even though they may significantly impact the local, regional, or even global climate. Indeed, GCMs can at best represent only a thumbnail sketch of the real world, with spatial resolutions no finer than regional areas a thousand miles square. Many topographical, geological, atmospheric and biological variations can occur within any contiguous thousand square miles. For instance, GCM's might average rainfall amounts and wind velocity over large diverse land surfaces which could include arid mountain plateaus, low-land deserts and temperate coastal rainforests. But, even modest topographic changes - for instance, a new housing development that paves over farmland and drains a wetland area - could render a model of land-surface interactions inaccurate. Resulting Model Breakdowns. Given the limitations noted, GCMs simply cannot reliably reproduce climate systems. Commonplace events like precipitation and the passage of typical weather fronts are difficult enough to depict; truly complex phenomena, such as, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes may be represented so poorly that they simply cannot be relied upon. El Niņo, La Niņa and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation are examples of complex climate patterns that are inadequately reproduced or completely absent in GCMs. In addition, global average temperature is measured by three different instruments - ground-based thermometers, weather balloons and global satellite observations - with each system covering a slightly different range of the earth's atmosphere. The data they provide is conflicting. Whereas, both the global satellite network and weather balloon observations show a modest cooling trend during the past 25 years, the ground-based thermometers show a modest warming of approximately 0.13 degrees Celsius per decade. The GCMs display two flaws related to measured global temperatures. First, they show global temperatures rising across all levels of the atmosphere, a finding not reflected in reality. [See figure.] Second, the lowest predicted global temperature measurement of the GCMs is nearly three times more than the temperature rise measured by ground-based thermometers. Thus, the GCMs do not reflect the temperature differences or the direction of temperature change within various levels of the atmosphere, nor do they show the actual amount of temperature change. Finally, GCMs ignore the interconnected nature of climate processes and how an inaccurate simulation of one introduces errors into every other related process. A simple model for precipitation involves scores of variables. But a single error, say in representing atmospheric moisture or deciding what mechanism is causing precipitation, will make the simulation "wrong." For example, precipitation requires moisture in the atmosphere and a mechanism to force it to condense (i.e., by forcing the air to rise over mountains, by surface heating, as a result of weather fronts or by cyclonic rotation). Any errors in representing either the atmospheric moisture content or the precipitation-causing mechanisms will produce an erroneous simulation. Thus, GCM simulations of precipitation will be affected by limitations in the representation and simulation of topography. Inaccuracies in simulating precipitation will, in turn, adversely affect the simulation of virtually every other climate variable. Condensation releases heat to the atmosphere and forms clouds, which reflect energy from the sun and trap heat from the earth's surface - and both sources of heat affect air temperature. This in turn affects winds, atmospheric pressure and atmospheric circulation. Since winds drive the upper currents of the ocean, the simulation of ocean circulation also is adversely affected. Additionally, inadequate simulations of precipitation lead to inaccurate assessments of soil moisture. Since vegetation also responds to precipitation, the entire representation of the biosphere becomes open to question. This is not to say that climate scientists lack skill or dedication; it is to reiterate the extraordinary difficulty of producing accurate climate models. More than just long-term average and seasonal variations go into estimating the extent of climate change. Climate change is likely to manifest itself in small regional fluctuations. Moreover, year-to-year variability is important. Much of the character of the earth's climate is in how it varies over time. GCMs that simulate essentially the same conditions year after year, as virtually all climate models do, miss an important aspect of the earth's climate. Thus GCMs' predictive powers must be evaluated in light of each model's ability to represent the global climate's holistic and variable nature. Although GCMs are not weather prediction models, climate is nevertheless an ensemble of weather events. The utility of a climate model is not in predicting whether it will rain in northern Florida on a certain afternoon. What is of interest is to determine the long-term probability that future precipitation will be significantly different - in frequency and/or intensity - from what it is today. Will the winter of 2048 be warmer or colder, wetter or drier than present conditions, and if so, by how much? If climate models cannot simulate processes known to drive daily weather patterns, to what degree can GCM's climate predictions be believed? Conclusion. Climate is to some degree a representation of the average of weather events that occur. If the frequency and locations of weather events are simulated inaccurately or not at all, the reliability of climate change prognostications is undermined. While GCMs cannot be expected to simulate future weather, they should be able to accurately depict the earth's present climate and vitality. Since they cannot, GCM predictions of climate change are statistical exercises with little bearing on reality. World leaders are making critical decisions based upon predictions of General Circulation Models or Global Climate Models (GCMs) that humans are causing global climate change or global warming. Global climate models attempt to describe the earth's climate and are used in variety of applications. These include the investigation of the possible causes of climate change and the simulation of past and future climates. But these models are limited in important ways, including:

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Scientists using a computer model of the typical European summer with no human influences (without global warming) have compared it to the same model with global warming included. They have concluded that human influence makes extremely warm summers (i.e. summers as warm as the 2003 heatwave) more than twice as likely. Commentators have suggested that in the future this may open the way for lawsuits against heavy polluters by persons whose livelihoods have been affected by adverse climate change. However, the report stesses that though it is in fact impossible to pin any specific extreme climate event on either global warming or natural climate variation, human activities increase the frequency of such events. The study is based upon climate activity during the last 50 years, which can only be replicated with computer models which include human forcing (CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs)). However, even within a warmer world the summer of 2003 was anomalously warm in Europe. Most simulations of 2003 climate produce cooler weather in Europe than what actually happened. It is not yet known if flaws in the models cause this difference, if the warmth of 2003 was part of a trend, or 2003 was merely unusually hot. If there will be a warming trend, a model predicts that such summers could become an event of 1-in-2 probability only by 2050. In the Americas, a series of sudden weather changes has been more frequent in the last 15 years since the discovery of the phenomenon knows as ''El Niño'', in which vast regions of North and South America suffered weather extremes ranging from high tides to extreme hail, rain and snowstorms during summer and winter seasons following extremely hot summers. There's still no scientific evidence that ''El Niño'' is directly influenced by human factors.

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Also see the archival list of the Essays on Science and Society. BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER: The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change Policy-makers and the media, particularly in the United States, frequently assert that climate science is highly uncertain. Some have used this as an argument against adopting strong measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, while discussing a major U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report on the risks of climate change, then-EPA administrator Christine Whitman argued, "As [the report] went through review, there was less consensus on the science and conclusions on climate change" (1). Some corporations whose revenues might be adversely affected by controls on carbon dioxide emissions have also alleged major uncertainties in the science (2). Such statements suggest that there might be substantive disagreement in the scientific community about the reality of anthropogenic climate change. This is not the case. The scientific consensus is clearly expressed in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environmental Programme, IPCC's purpose is to evaluate the state of climate science as a basis for informed policy action, primarily on the basis of peer-reviewed and published scientific literature (3). In its most recent assessment, IPCC states unequivocally that the consensus of scientific opinion is that Earth's climate is being affected by human activities: "Human activities ... are modifying the concentration of atmospheric constituents ... that absorb or scatter radiant energy. ... [M]ost of the observed warming over the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations" [p. 21 in (4)]. IPCC is not alone in its conclusions. In recent years, all major scientific bodies in the United States whose members' expertise bears directly on the matter have issued similar statements. For example, the National Academy of Sciences report, Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions, begins: "Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise" [p. 1 in (5)]. The report explicitly asks whether the IPCC assessment is a fair summary of professional scientific thinking, and answers yes: "The IPCC's conclusion that most of the observed warming of the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations accurately reflects the current thinking of the scientific community on this issue" [p. 3 in (5)]. Others agree. The American Meteorological Society (6), the American Geophysical Union (7), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) all have issued statements in recent years concluding that the evidence for human modification of climate is compelling (8). The drafting of such reports and statements involves many opportunities for comment, criticism, and revision, and it is not likely that they would diverge greatly from the opinions of the societies' members. Nevertheless, they might downplay legitimate dissenting opinions. That hypothesis was tested by analyzing 928 abstracts, published in refereed scientific journals between 1993 and 2003, and listed in the ISI database with the keywords "climate change" (9). The 928 papers were divided into six categories: explicit endorsement of the consensus position, evaluation of impacts, mitigation proposals, methods, paleoclimate analysis, and rejection of the consensus position. Of all the papers, 75% fell into the first three categories, either explicitly or implicitly accepting the consensus view; 25% dealt with methods or paleoclimate, taking no position on current anthropogenic climate change. Remarkably, none of the papers disagreed with the consensus position. Admittedly, authors evaluating impacts, developing methods, or studying paleoclimatic change might believe that current climate change is natural. However, none of these papers argued that point. This analysis shows that scientists publishing in the peer-reviewed literature agree with IPCC, the National Academy of Sciences, and the public statements of their professional societies. Politicians, economists, journalists, and others may have the impression of confusion, disagreement, or discord among climate scientists, but that impression is incorrect. The scientific consensus might, of course, be wrong. If the history of science teaches anything, it is humility, and no one can be faulted for failing to act on what is not known. But our grandchildren will surely blame us if they find that we understood the reality of anthropogenic climate change and failed to do anything about it. Many details about climate interactions are not well understood, and there are ample grounds for continued research to provide a better basis for understanding climate dynamics. The question of what to do about climate change is also still open. But there is a scientific consensus on the reality of anthropogenic climate change. Climate scientists have repeatedly tried to make this clear. It is time for the rest of us to listen. References and Notes

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Scientists using a computer model of the typical European summer with no human influences (without global warming) have compared it to the same model with global warming included. They have concluded that human influence makes extremely warm summers (i.e. summers as warm as the 2003 heatwave) more than twice as likely. Commentators have suggested that in the future this may open the way for lawsuits against heavy polluters by persons whose livelihoods have been affected by adverse climate change. However, the report stesses that though it is in fact impossible to pin any specific extreme climate event on either global warming or natural climate variation, human activities increase the frequency of such events. The study is based upon climate activity during the last 50 years, which can only be replicated with computer models which include human forcing (CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs)). However, even within a warmer world the summer of 2003 was anomalously warm in Europe. Most simulations of 2003 climate produce cooler weather in Europe than what actually happened. It is not yet known if flaws in the models cause this difference, if the warmth of 2003 was part of a trend, or 2003 was merely unusually hot. If there will be a warming trend, a model predicts that such summers could become an event of 1-in-2 probability only by 2050. In the Americas, a series of sudden weather changes has been more frequent in the last 15 years since the discovery of the phenomenon knows as ''El Niño'', in which vast regions of North and South America suffered weather extremes ranging from high tides to extreme hail, rain and snowstorms during summer and winter seasons following extremely hot summers. There's still no scientific evidence that ''El Niño'' is directly influenced by human factors.

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Story Highlights • Autopsy says one climber died of hypothermia • Sheriff acknowledges there's little hope of finding two other climbers alive • Family, friends take "farewell flight" over mountain • Another storm, packing freezing rain, moving into area Adjust font size: HOOD RIVER, Oregon (CNN) -- The effort to save two climbers still missing on Oregon's Mount Hood ended Wednesday, the search leaders glumly acknowledging that the mountain and the weather were too much to overcome. "Incidents on the mountain are very unforgiving," said Hood River County Sheriff Joe Wampler, one of the chief coordinators of the search. "This time of year, Mount Hood is a dangerous place to be, based on the weather conditions." "Right now we're going to let everyone go home for Christmas," he added. (Watch Wampler explain why the search was ending ) The missing men, Brian Hall, 37, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke, 36, started up the 11,293-foot mountain December 8 with a third man, Kelly James, 48, whose body was found in a snow cave on Sunday. An autopsy performed Wednesday on James' body showed that he died of hypothermia resulting from exposure to cold, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner's office. Dehydration may also have played a role, the office reported. "There were no disabling injuries" to James found in the autopsy or by X-ray, the medical examiner's statement said. Authorities have said they believed James may have dislocated his shoulder; it was unclear whether that would have been considered a "disabling injury." By the time James' body was found Sunday, he had been dead for several days, the medical examiner said. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Mount Hood and Hood River Valley until 2 a.m. Thursday, predicting mostly freezing rain around 6,000 feet and below, several feet of snow above that, high winds and low visibility. (Watch weather update ) Heavy snowfall, 100-mph winds and extreme cold thwarted searchers for several days after the men were reported missing during a snowstorm on December 11. "I know that these guys have put in 110 percent to find these climbers," said Deputy Sheriff Chris Guertin, who led the teams on the mountain. "They gave it everything they had." "I do feel that we did an excellent job with the resources we had and the information we had." Guertin said that while there was no longer any realistic hope of finding Hall and Cooke alive, he and his team would continue to watch the mountain for evidence. "We're going to be looking for any little clues we can find," Guertin said. Earlier in the day, Wampler had made one last search flight over the mountain in a Piper Cub, but bad weather forced him to return. He said the men's family members had been gracious and cooperative, and most realized the weather was too rough and agreed with the decision to call off the search. "They understand, they know," Wampler said. "These people are all outdoorsmen, so they know. ... "They weren't all ready to do this," he added, "but that's where we have to be the responsible ones for everyone else, and that's what we did." "Bottom line was they didn't want us putting any more people in harm's way," Wampler said. The Associated Press reported that a few friends and family members of the missing climbers had taken a "farewell flight" over the mountain Wednesday. Although he said the climbers "did everything right," Wampler cautioned those planning to scale a mountain -- or even to drive through a remote area -- to plan well. "Time of year has a lot to do with that," he said. "Never, ever, go anywhere and just plan on going someplace and not be prepared to spend some time out there, because you might get caught and you might have to stay there." CNN's Dan Simon, Sumi Das and Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.

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Mount Hood and Trillium Lake Officials working on finding the two missing climbers on Oregon's Mount Hood have sadly given up the search for the two men, Brian Hall (age 37) and Jerry Cooke (age 36). Over ten feet of snow has fallen on Mt. Hood since the search began, and "...weather conditions can be unforgiving this time of year" according to local sheriff Joe Wampler. Another man, Kelly James (age 48) was found earlier in a snow cave on the mountain. Results from tests and an autopsy showed that James had died of hypothermia, a condition which results from prolonged exposure to cold and wind. Authorities report that James may have dislocated his shoulder sometime during the climb. Sheriff Wampler was continually working on the case, although several volunteers had returned to their normal jobs and lives. When Wampler made the announcement, he added, "I feel good about what I did. I wanted to do what I could for the family. You start something you want to finish it."

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Le gouvernement du Canada annonce la fermeture pour une période indéterminée de son ambassade en Égypte, au Caire, en invoquant des raisons de sécurité. Depuis plusieurs jours, d'importantes foules d'opposants au président islamiste Mohamed Morsi manifestent dans les rues des grandes villes égyptiennes, alors que des partisans du président lui apportent leur soutien dans d'autres manifestations. Lundi, l'armée égyptienne a lancé au président Morsi un ultimatum de 48 heures, lui demandant de respecter les demandes du peuple, sinon, elle interviendrait pour mettre de l'avant une feuille de route politique et en assurer le respect. Cette prise de position fait toutefois craindre que l'armée ne décide de prendre le pouvoir, ce qui pourrait provoquer des affrontements violents avec les partisans armés des Frères musulmans qui appuient le président Morsi.

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Le a fermé son ambassade en pour une période indéterminée en invoquant des raisons de sécurité alors que les opposants et les partisans du président participent à des manifestations violentes dans les grandes villes égyptiennes dont .

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Ponadto trybunał nakazał państwu włoskiemu wypłatę kobiecie odszkodowania w wysokości 5 tysięcy euro za "straty moralne". Decyzja Trybunału w Strasburgu wywołała falę oburzenia większości polityków we Włoszech i ostrą reakcję minister oświaty, która przypomniała, że krzyż jest "symbolem tradycji" narodowej. Batalia mieszkającej koło Padwy Finki Soile Lautsi Albertin przeciwko obecności krzyży w szkole w miejscowości Abano Terme, gdzie chodziły jej dzieci, rozpoczęła się w 2002 roku. Poprosiła ona dyrekcję placówki oświatowej o zdjęcie krzyży w klasach. Następnie bez rezultatu usiłowała uzyskać taki nakaz we włoskich sądach. Po 7 latach rację przyznał jej trybunał w Strasburgu. Reprezentant włoskiego rządu przed trybunałem Nicola Lettieri zapowiedział odwołanie się od tego orzeczenia.

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'''Krzyże we włoskich szkołach naruszają „prawo rodziców do wychowania dzieci zgodnie z własnymi przekonaniami” oraz „wolność religijną uczniów” – zadecydował Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka w Strasburgu.''' Trybunał zajmował się tą sprawą na zgłoszenie pochodzącej z Finlandii obywatelki włoskiej, Soile Lautsi, pragnącej, aby jej dzieci otrzymały świecką edukację. Od 2002 roku próbowała przekonać dyrekcję szkoły w miejscowości Abano Terme do usunięcia krucyfiksów. Gdy ta odmówiła, zwróciła się do włoskich sądów, sprawę jednak przegrała. Ostatecznie skierowała się do Trybunału Praw Człowieka w Strasburgu. Trybunał zgodził się, że „przymusowe ukazywanie symbolu wybranego wyznania w budynku państwowym (...) ogranicza prawo rodziców do wychowania dzieci zgodnie z własnymi przekonaniami” oraz ogranicza „prawo dzieci, aby wierzyć lub nie wierzyć”. Państwo włoskie ma wypłacić Soile Lautsi 5000 euro odszkodowania za „straty moralne”. Nicola Lettieri, reprezentant włoskiego rządu przed trybunałem, zapowiedział odwołanie się od wyroku.

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Catholicism stopped being the state religion in Italy in 1984 The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy. It said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child's right to freedom of religion. The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education. The Vatican said it was shocked by the ruling, calling it "wrong and myopic" to exclude the crucifix from education. The ruling has sparked anger in the largely Catholic country, with one politician calling the move "shameful". The Strasbourg court found that: "The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions." It also restricted the "right of children to believe or not to believe", the seven judges ruling on the case said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency. European identity Mrs Lautsi complained to the European court that her children had to attend a public school in northern Italy that had crucifixes in every room. She was awarded 5,000 euros ($7,400; £4,500) in damages. Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi said the European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter, the Associated Press reported. The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions. Court ruling Read your views on the ruling "It seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe's identity, which was and remains essential." He told Italian TV: "The crucifix has always been a sign of God's love, unity and hospitality to all humanity. "It is unpleasant that it is considered a sign of division, exclusion or a restriction of freedom." 'Italian tradition' Many politicians in Italy have reacted angrily. Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition", and not a mark of Catholicism. One government minister called the ruling "shameful", while another said that Europe was forgetting its Christian heritage. The government says it will appeal against the decision. The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome says that it is customary in Italy to see crucifixes in public buildings, including schools, despite the constitution saying that there should be a separation of church and state. The law requiring crucifixes to be hung in schools dates back to the 1920s. Although a revised accord between the Vatican and the Italian government ended Catholicism's position as the state religion in 1984, the crucifix law has never been repealed. Some conservatives have already complained about schools dropping nativity plays to avoid upsetting Muslim children. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

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'''Krzyże we włoskich szkołach naruszają „prawo rodziców do wychowania dzieci zgodnie z własnymi przekonaniami” oraz „wolność religijną uczniów” – zadecydował Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka w Strasburgu.''' Trybunał zajmował się tą sprawą na zgłoszenie pochodzącej z Finlandii obywatelki włoskiej, Soile Lautsi, pragnącej, aby jej dzieci otrzymały świecką edukację. Od 2002 roku próbowała przekonać dyrekcję szkoły w miejscowości Abano Terme do usunięcia krucyfiksów. Gdy ta odmówiła, zwróciła się do włoskich sądów, sprawę jednak przegrała. Ostatecznie skierowała się do Trybunału Praw Człowieka w Strasburgu. Trybunał zgodził się, że „przymusowe ukazywanie symbolu wybranego wyznania w budynku państwowym (...) ogranicza prawo rodziców do wychowania dzieci zgodnie z własnymi przekonaniami” oraz ogranicza „prawo dzieci, aby wierzyć lub nie wierzyć”. Państwo włoskie ma wypłacić Soile Lautsi 5000 euro odszkodowania za „straty moralne”. Nicola Lettieri, reprezentant włoskiego rządu przed trybunałem, zapowiedział odwołanie się od wyroku.

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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement Thousands of protesters have gathered in the Thai capital Bangkok for what they call a "final battle" in a six-month campaign to oust the government. A similar protest in October left two people dead and nearly 500 wounded. Demonstrators gathered at Government House, where protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have set up camp since late August. They say the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is too close to ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. "I am confident in the strength of the people. We will definitely go to parliament," said anti-government leader Chamlong Srimuang. Local media said the march was set to go ahead early on Monday, ahead of a planned parliament meeting. Troops ready The last march aimed at preventing a parliament session on 7 October erupted into the worst street violence Bangkok had seen in 16 years, as police fired tear gas and clashed with rowdy PAD protesters. A spokesman for Mr Somchai said police had been ordered not to use tear gas or weapons this time, but insisted that the parliament meeting would go ahead as planned. The PAD group launched their anti-government campaign in May Officials said nearly 2,000 soldiers were on stand-by if the police needed help. The PAD is calling the march its "final battle" to oust the government, which it blames for a grenade attack last week that killed one person and wounded 23. Another grenade blast near their protest site wounded eight PAD security guards on Saturday. Mr Somchai has denied the government or its supporters are behind the blasts. Police have made no arrests so far. As anti-government supporters gathered for the demonstration, police said about 10,000 pro-Thaksin supporters had descended on a Buddhist temple just outside Bangkok to support the government. Leaders of that gathering said they had no intention of confronting the PAD. The PAD wants to replace Thailand's one-man, one-vote system with one in which some representatives are chosen by professions and social groups rather than the general electorate. The new government says it wants to start negotiations with the PAD. But it is also pushing ahead with controversial plans to amend the constitution - a key grievance of the protesters who see it as part of a plan to rehabilitate former PM Thaksin. Mr Thaksin, Mr Somchai's brother-in-law, was forced from office in a military coup in 2006 and remains in exile overseas. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

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Thailand's ongoing political crisis continues today with pro- and anti-government rallies being held. Meeting outside Bangkok, the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is holding one of their "Truth Today" talkshows at Suan Kaew Temple. In the anti-government camp, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are massing at the occupied Government House compound and calling their planned march on parliament their "final battle". In contrast to a confrontation with authorities which could last days, the pro-government UDD talk show and rally is expected to disperse this evening. Organisers and government party MPs have given assurances there are no plans to confront PAD demonstrators. Ensconced in the Government House compound since August, the PAD protesters' march on parliament was announced over this weekend following a grenade attack on Thursday that killed one and injured over 20. The yellow-shirted protesters assert that the People's Power Party (PPP) government lead by Somchai Wongsawat is too close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Protest leaders insist their planned siege of the parliament is intended to prevent discussion of legislation to amend the constitution. The PAD claim the amendments are intended to rehabilitate Thaksin and members of his outlawed Thai Rak Thai party who were banned from holding office. The Prime Minister has denied any plans to review this draft legislation, stating that the agenda is predominantly related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With two killed and over 500 injured in the last attempt to disrupt parliament, various hospitals and groups of medical staff are on standby, ready to treat any injured protesters. The October 7 protest at parliament saw police fire explosive tear gas rounds into the PAD crowd, causing death and loss of limbs. Following instructions from the Public Health Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, eleven hospitals have been told to be on alert.

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Political upheaval feared today The fate of the country hangs in the balance today in the face of another political upheaval that could lead to a bloodbath after the People's Alliance for Democracy vowed to launch an all-out effort to bring down the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and prevent charter amendment by laying siege to Parliament today in its "biggest and final" rally yet. The PAD announced its plan to move its protest from Government House to Parliament at a press conference yesterday after a three-hour meeting of its five core leaders at Ban Phra Arthit. Meanwhile, appointed Senator Ruangkrai Leekijwattana said Parlia-ment had put the Constitution amendment draft presented by Dr Weng Tochirakarn, a leader of the pro-government Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship, at the top of its agenda to be discussed from tomorrow despite House Speaker Chai Chidchob insisting last week that this wouldn't be so. He said the draft included clauses reducing the power of privy councillors, removing some independent agencies, whitewashing parties facing dissolution and giving amnesty to 111 former Thai Rak Thai Party executives. PAD leader Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang yesterday showed members of the press that Constitution amendment had been marked urgent on Parliament's agenda for today. Pipop Thongchai said the PAD intended to stop Parliament working in support of the Somchai government. He said both Parliament and the government had lost any mandate to run the country because they refused to take responsibility for the bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters on October 7. He accused the government of continuing to use violence through a series of deadly bomb attacks to deter people from joining the PAD protest. "If the people are afraid, the government will be able to prevent peaceful protests in the long run, and we will not be able to protect our country and the monarchy,'' he said. Sondhi Limthongkul said the latest bomb attack early yesterday that killed one person showed that the government was using undisciplined military officers to do its dirty work. "This is pressuring a peaceful gathering to use weapons in self-defence. Thai society will see a bloodbath. It is sad that military officers and police have taken part in this,'' he said. The five leaders refused to reveal how they planned to break into the Parliament compound. Chamlong insisted that the PAD must move on Parliament to ensure there was no charter amendment even after reporters told him that House Speaker Chai Chidchob had guaranteed that charter amendment would not be on the House agenda.

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Thailand's ongoing political crisis continues today with pro- and anti-government rallies being held. Meeting outside Bangkok, the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is holding one of their "Truth Today" talkshows at Suan Kaew Temple. In the anti-government camp, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are massing at the occupied Government House compound and calling their planned march on parliament their "final battle". In contrast to a confrontation with authorities which could last days, the pro-government UDD talk show and rally is expected to disperse this evening. Organisers and government party MPs have given assurances there are no plans to confront PAD demonstrators. Ensconced in the Government House compound since August, the PAD protesters' march on parliament was announced over this weekend following a grenade attack on Thursday that killed one and injured over 20. The yellow-shirted protesters assert that the People's Power Party (PPP) government lead by Somchai Wongsawat is too close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Protest leaders insist their planned siege of the parliament is intended to prevent discussion of legislation to amend the constitution. The PAD claim the amendments are intended to rehabilitate Thaksin and members of his outlawed Thai Rak Thai party who were banned from holding office. The Prime Minister has denied any plans to review this draft legislation, stating that the agenda is predominantly related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With two killed and over 500 injured in the last attempt to disrupt parliament, various hospitals and groups of medical staff are on standby, ready to treat any injured protesters. The October 7 protest at parliament saw police fire explosive tear gas rounds into the PAD crowd, causing death and loss of limbs. Following instructions from the Public Health Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, eleven hospitals have been told to be on alert.

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COUNTRY ON BRINK AGAIN Thaksin's phone-in "banned," for today How will Thailand emerge from week of biggest tension? Army chief Anupong will be key Threats of political violence decreased a little on Sunday with cancellation of an expected phone-in by ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra to his supporters at Suan Kaew Temple and the government mulling postponing tomorrow's parliamentary session to avoid confrontation with the People's Alliance for Democracy. With Army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda appointed to lead a special task force to monitor the PAD's activities, there is also hope there will not be a repeat of the October 7 violence that saw many PAD protesters killed and seriously injured by tear gas explosions. Anupong came out strongly against the police use of force after the incident, but the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat ignored his implicit call for its resignation. The pro-Thaksin gathering at the Suan Kaew Temple is expected to disperse in the evening, after abbot Phra Payom Kallayano vowed to "cut the power" if the "Truth Today" forum involved a satellite address by the former leader. The PAD, which aims to create its "final and decisive" rally in the wake of a bomb attack inside Government House last week that killed a protester, remains committed to besieging Parliament tomorrow. Exactly when the protesters inside Government House, joined by big numbers of their provincial allies today, will march to Parliament is not known, although PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said the march would take place tomorrow. If the PAD manages to surround Parliament, the siege may last a few days. How the country can avoid violence, therefore, relies much on Anupong, whose advice on which action the government should take will be crucial. Speaking from Peru, Prime Minister Somchai said he appointed Army Commander in Chief Gen Anupong to monitor the situation which became tense as anti-government protesters planned to march to the Parliament on Monday. Somchai was attending a summit meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, Peru. Somchai said, "Gen Anupong's committee will be in charge of monitoring the situation and give suggestions to authorities concerned on how to deal with the protesters." The panel was not assigned to crack down on the protesters, Somchai reiterated. Anupong's panel has duties to monitor the situation involving the protesters who vowed to conduct a mass rally on Sunday and march to block the Parliament on Monday. Since Anupong condemned the use of force on October 7, it's unlikely he would suggest drastic measures to deal with the PAD, observers believe. The PAD said it wanted to besiege Parliament to block any attempt to amend the Constitution to pave the way for Thaksin and his banned political associates to return to power. Somchai reiterated that the joint session between MPs and senators on Monday will not discuss the constitution amendment. The sessions will instead discuss laws concerning international trades and Asean which required the Parliament's ratification. However, calls are growing today for the government to postpone the parliamentary session, or at least change the venue of the meeting. The calls were backed by some government MPs.

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Thailand's ongoing political crisis continues today with pro- and anti-government rallies being held. Meeting outside Bangkok, the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is holding one of their "Truth Today" talkshows at Suan Kaew Temple. In the anti-government camp, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are massing at the occupied Government House compound and calling their planned march on parliament their "final battle". In contrast to a confrontation with authorities which could last days, the pro-government UDD talk show and rally is expected to disperse this evening. Organisers and government party MPs have given assurances there are no plans to confront PAD demonstrators. Ensconced in the Government House compound since August, the PAD protesters' march on parliament was announced over this weekend following a grenade attack on Thursday that killed one and injured over 20. The yellow-shirted protesters assert that the People's Power Party (PPP) government lead by Somchai Wongsawat is too close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Protest leaders insist their planned siege of the parliament is intended to prevent discussion of legislation to amend the constitution. The PAD claim the amendments are intended to rehabilitate Thaksin and members of his outlawed Thai Rak Thai party who were banned from holding office. The Prime Minister has denied any plans to review this draft legislation, stating that the agenda is predominantly related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With two killed and over 500 injured in the last attempt to disrupt parliament, various hospitals and groups of medical staff are on standby, ready to treat any injured protesters. The October 7 protest at parliament saw police fire explosive tear gas rounds into the PAD crowd, causing death and loss of limbs. Following instructions from the Public Health Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, eleven hospitals have been told to be on alert.

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BANGKOK, Nov 22 (TNA) -- More than 30 medical teams and 11 government hospitals in the Thai capital are on standby to provide emergency treatment to any wounded protesters of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) as the group will rally at Parliament on Sunday and Monday to express opposition to any consideration of constitutional amendments by the House. Public Health Minister Pol. Capt. Chalerm Yubamrung said he had ordered permanent secretary of Public Health Dr. Praj Boonyawongvirot to prepare some 30 emergency medical teams, comprising over 100 personnel, to be stationed at the rally site from early Saturday. Also, 11 government hospitals in Bangkok must be well prepared, having physicians, medical staff and patient beds available round-the-clock, Mr. Chalerm said. The urgent order was made out of concern that violence might occur -- like the October 7 incidents in which two persons were killed and nearly 500 others wounded when police fired teargas into the PAD protesters at Parliament. Dr. Praj, meanwhile, said he had instructed the officials of two emergency relief centres to coordinate with the assigned hospitals to delegate work if violence breaks out. Initially, officials of the emergency relief centres will work from Saturday morning through Monday. (TNA) General News : Last Update : 16:27:17 22 November 2008 (GMT+7:00)

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Thailand's ongoing political crisis continues today with pro- and anti-government rallies being held. Meeting outside Bangkok, the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is holding one of their "Truth Today" talkshows at Suan Kaew Temple. In the anti-government camp, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are massing at the occupied Government House compound and calling their planned march on parliament their "final battle". In contrast to a confrontation with authorities which could last days, the pro-government UDD talk show and rally is expected to disperse this evening. Organisers and government party MPs have given assurances there are no plans to confront PAD demonstrators. Ensconced in the Government House compound since August, the PAD protesters' march on parliament was announced over this weekend following a grenade attack on Thursday that killed one and injured over 20. The yellow-shirted protesters assert that the People's Power Party (PPP) government lead by Somchai Wongsawat is too close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Protest leaders insist their planned siege of the parliament is intended to prevent discussion of legislation to amend the constitution. The PAD claim the amendments are intended to rehabilitate Thaksin and members of his outlawed Thai Rak Thai party who were banned from holding office. The Prime Minister has denied any plans to review this draft legislation, stating that the agenda is predominantly related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With two killed and over 500 injured in the last attempt to disrupt parliament, various hospitals and groups of medical staff are on standby, ready to treat any injured protesters. The October 7 protest at parliament saw police fire explosive tear gas rounds into the PAD crowd, causing death and loss of limbs. Following instructions from the Public Health Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, eleven hospitals have been told to be on alert.

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Ein Weltstar ist von uns gegangen: Whitney Houston ist tot. Eine Sprecherin bestätigte den Tod der Sängerin mit den Worten: "Es ist unglücklicherweise wahr." Über die genauen Todesumstände machte sie zunächst keine Angaben. Inzwischen wurde jedoch bekannt, dass Houston tot in einem Hotel in Los Angeles aufgefunden wurde. Die Polizei hat Ermittlungen eingeleitet. Nach bisherigen Informationen ist die sechsfache Grammy-Preisträgerin am Samstagnachmittag (Ortszeit) leblos in einem Zimmer des Hotels "Beverly Hilton" im Stadtteil Beverly Hills aufgefunden worden. Der Nachrichtensender CNN meldet, sie sei von ihrem Leibwächter gefunden worden. Das Promiportal "TMZ" meldet unter Berufung auf Hotelangestellte, Houston habe in der Badewanne gelegen. Obwohl die verständigten Rettungskräfte sofort Wiederbelebungsmaßnahmen eingeleitet hätten, konnte nur nuch ihr Tod festgestellt werden, sagte ein Polizeisprecher. Der Todeszeitpunkt wird mit 15.55 Uhr Ortszeit angeben. Demnach starb die Sängerin kurz vor ein Uhr nachts deutscher Zeit. Spekulationen über Todesursache dauern an Über die Todesursache wird derzeit spekuliert. Hinweise auf ein Gewaltverbrechen gibt es aber nicht. "Wir untersuchen noch, aber offenkundige Hinweise auf Gewalteinwirkung gibt es nicht", teilte die Polizei mit. Ob die Sängerin möglicherweise durch eine Überdosis Drogen gestorben ist, bleibt vorerst unklar. "Wir konnten im ersten Moment keine Hinweise finden, wir stehen aber noch ganz am Anfang unserer Untersuchung", sagte ein Sprecher. Houston machte in den vergangenen Jahren immer wieder durch ihren Rauschgift- und Alkoholmissbrauch Schlagzeilen. Am vergangenen Donnerstagabend hatte sie in Los Angeles eine Party im Club "Tru Hollywood" besucht. Auf Fotos ist die Sängerin mit glasigen Augen und trübem Blick zu sehen. Augenzeugenberichten zufolge soll Houston aber kurz zum Mikrofon gegriffen und gesungen haben. Ein Video davon war kurzzeitig im Internet zu sehen, wurde aber inzwischen gelöscht. Am Samstagagabend sollte Houston an einer Vorveranstaltung zur 54. Grammy-Verleihung in Los Angeles teilnehmen. Ihr langjähriger Produzent Clive Davis hatte die Diva zu einer Gala eingeladen. Die Party, an der Stars wie Tony Bennett, Gladys Knight, Adam Lambert und Britney Spears teilnahmen, fand trotz der Todesnachricht von Houston wie geplant statt. Für die eigentliche Grammy-Veranstaltung, die heute Abend live im US-Fernsehen übertragen wird, gehen Insider von diversen Änderungen aus. Die Show solle zur Gedenkfeier für Houston umfunktioniert werden, heißt es. Jennifer Hudson wird ihr musikalisch die Ehre erweisen. Plante Houston erneut ein Comeback? Nach etlichen Entziehungskuren stand Houston zuletzt wieder für Dreharbeiten vor der Kamera. Das Remake zum Film "Sparkle" soll im August in den USA in den Kinos erscheinen. Darin spielt Houston eine Nebenrolle - ihr erstes Engagement seit dem Film "Rendezvous mit einem Engel" im Jahr 1996. Außerdem gab es Gerüchte, Houston solle Paula Abdul als Jurorin in der US-Castingshow "The X-Faktor" ersetzen. Ein Comeback als Sängerin hatte Houston im vergangenen Jahr vergeblich versucht. Bei ihrem Konzert in Berlin wurde sie von den Zuschauern ausgebuht. Trauer und Bestürzung weltweit Trotz ihrer Drogeneskapaden und etlichen gescheiterten Comebacks ist Houston unvergessen. Menschen in aller Welt reagierten bestürzt auf den Tod der Popdiva. Vor dem Hotel in Beverly Hills legten mehrere Fans spontan Blumen nieder. Auf sozialen Netzwerken wie "Facebook" und "Twitter" ließen sie ihrer Trauer freien Lauf. Die häufigste Botschaft, die dort in Anspielung an Houstons größten Hit "I will always love you" aus dem Film Bodyguard zu lesen war, lautete: "We will always love you". Prominente Kolleginnen und Kollegen haben sich nach der Todesnachricht ebenfalls zu Wort gemeldet. Popsängerin Mariah Carey sagte via Twitter. "Mein Herz ist gebrochen und ich weine nach dem schockierenden Tod meiner Freundin, der unvergleichlichen Ms. Whitney Houston." Komponist und Musikproduzent Quincy Jones würdigte Houston als einzigartige Sängerin. "Sie war ein echtes Original", sagte er CNN. Dolly Parton, die Houston größten Erfolgssong "I will always love you" geschrieben hat, sagte: "Mein Herz ist nur eines von Millionen, das durch den Tod von Whitney Houston gebrochen wurde. Ich kann aus tiefstem Herzen sagen: I will always love you."

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Whitney Houston im Jahr 1991 Die US-Amerikanische Sängerin und Schauspielerin Whitney Houston verstarb am Samstag (Ortsdatum) im Alter von 48 Jahren. Zuletzt gab eine Sprecherin Houstons bekannt, dass sich Houston aufgrund ihres massiven Alkohol- und Drogenproblems in einer Entzugsklinik befinde. Nach einem Bericht von CNN wurde die Soulsängerin in einem Hotel in Beverly Hills tot aufgefunden. Eine Sprecherin bestätigte den Tod der erfolgreichen Sängerin, Schauspielerin und Filmproduzentin mit den Worten: „Es ist unglücklicherweise wahr“. Ein Polizeisprecher: „Um 16.45 ist sie für tot erklärt worden, es gibt keinen Anlass, an einen kriminellen Hintergrund zu denken, die Untersuchung der Kriminalpolizei läuft noch“ (Todeszeitpunkt nach MEZ: Sonntag früh). Über 170 Millionen Tonträger von ihr wurden verkauft. Mit 200 Gold-, Platin-, Silber-, und Diamantschallplatten sowie sechs Grammys gehörte Whitney Houston zu den erfolgreichsten Sängerinnen ihrer Zeit.

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Rape more common than smoking in the US Author: Stephanie Kovalchik The United States is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence. New findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), a study launched by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010, report that nearly 1 in 5 women are estimated to have been the victims of rape, defined as unwanted completed or attempted sexual penetration, including victims who did not have the capacity to give consent (owing to intoxication, for example). In almost all cases, the perpetrator was someone the victim knew (91.9%) and more than half of the time was their own partner. Young adulthood was the period of highest risk for first sexual victimization. For 80% of female victims, first rape occurred before age 25; for 42%, before age 18. Although the lifetime prevalence of stalking was surprisingly less than the prevalence of non-consensual sexual contact, incidence estimates for the past year suggest that this trend could be changing as new communication technologies introduce new opportunities for sexual harassment. In 2010, the study estimates that 1.27 million American woman were raped--equivalent to one woman every 29 seconds--and 5.1 million were stalked--equivalent to one woman every 7 seconds. These are a few of the key findings from the first annual report of what will be an ongoing, nationally representative survey of sexual violence in the US. The NISVS will be a great resource to public health researchers. Using the data collected by the NISVS, investigators will be able to monitor national and state-specific trends in the prevalence of sexual violence and stalking for the first time, to characterize the type of individuals who are at the highest risk of being a victim or a perpetrator of a sexual crime (whether physical or psychological), and to investigate the health consequences of sexual victimization. The first NISVS report has already made national headlines because of the high prevalence of forced sex that was found. To give some perspective, the study's figures, if true, indicate that number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers. Skeptics might question whether such statistics could be for real. After all, some surveys have been made famous for getting it wrong, like the 1948 polls that were made the laughingstock of newly elected President Harry S. Truman after they predicted that Thomas E. Dewey would win the election. A survey that makes predictions risks being ridiculed (often very publicly) but it benefits from the opportunity of self-correction. Surveys that only intend to provide a snapshot of a population never get such feedback. As a consequence, the study designers can never know whether they have managed to avoid distortion. For survey research, coverage and response are the most important ingredients to getting an accurate picture of the population of interest. Surveys with good coverage give every member of the target population a chance to participate. Convenience samples, like polls conducted at shopping malls, are notoriously poor at coverage. When random digit dialing was introduced in the 1970s, it was a breakthrough for survey research because it largely solved the coverage problem. At that time, 90% of the US population had a landline telephone. So, with RDD and phone interviews, the question was no longer how to get a sample with good coverage for almost any region of the States but how to do it in a cost-effective way. With the increasing popularity of new communication technologies in the 21st centruy, there is a growing number of Americans who will never be reached through a landline. The challenge that cell phone use in particular poses for survey research has been a focus of the work of Paul J. Lavrakas, former Chief Research Methodologist for Nielsen and contributing author to Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology. In a Public Opinion Quarterly article summarizing the outcomes of several gatherings of expert panels between 2003 and 2008, Larakas and colleagues conclude that "...surveying persons reached on cell phone numbers in the United States currently is a very complex undertaking if one wants to do it 'right,' i.e. to do it legally, ethically, and in ways that optimally allocate one's finite resources to gather the highest quality data, and to analyze and interpret those data accurately.'' Though daunting, to avoid non-coverage bias, it is an undertaking that has to be faced. The Pew Research Center estimates that for 25% of current households the only phone service used is a mobile phone. The 2010 NISVS was a telephone survey. A strength of the design is that both landline and cell phones were included. Of the 16,507 completed interviews, 9,046 of the participants were on a cell phone and 7,461 were on a landline. Response is the more concerning piece of the NISVS methodology. Using the American Association for Public Opinion Research Response Rate 4 formula, response rate is defined as the number of fully and partially completed interviews over all eligible cases, which is the sum total of cases with completed interviews, refusals, non-contacts, other spoken language than that used for the survey, and a correction factor for cases of unknown eligibility. The NISVS response rate was an underwhelming 27.5%. The majority of non-response was due to non-contacts. Although this rate is actually better than average for national telephone surveys, it still raises that question of whether the experience of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence is different among those Americans in the 72.5% of the sample who were either away from their phone or who looked at the unknown number coming in and chose not to answer. If non-participation were a random event (a doubtful but much hoped for circumstance for survey researchers), then the NISVS participants would still provide a nationally representative sample of Americans. However, there is evidence that chance was not entirely indiscriminate when selecting the 27.5% of responders when one compares the NISVS sample and the US population on several socio-economic characteristics. In contrast to the US population, participants in the NISVS were more likely to have a college or advanced degree (36.4% versus 29.6%), more likely to be divorced (12.9% versus 10.3%), more likely to never have been married (30.2% and 26.1%), and more likely to have an annual household income that was below the federal poverty level (19.6% versus 12.1%). The NISVS has an important public health message but it is unclear to which public it applies.

en

On Friday, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) expanded its long-standing definition of rape to include men, and the rape of any gender by lack of consent — as opposed to physical coercion. The revised definition should ensure all rapes are recorded in crime statistics. Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said it was a "very, very important step." The new definition defines rape as: "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." Describing the changes to as "long overdue", said the revised definition of rape will, "help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice's commitment to standing with rape victims". The prior definition of rape — "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will" — was set by the FBI in 1927. In contrast, the revised definition drops the requirement that there be physical resistance, thus including crimes where the victim is unable to give consent because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or . The changes are primarily a revision to the Uniform Crime Reports system (UCR), and are not expected to impact prior cases or current prosecutions. Introducing no changes to current State or Federal law, the FBI expects the revised definition of rape will see victim numbers "more accurately reflected in national crime statistics". Close to the revised rape definition is a 2010 study by the (CDC), which included male rape and non-consensual sex; their figures indicate that, at some point in their lives, about 20% of women and 1.5% of men in the United States have been raped. Writing for '''', Stephanie Kovalchik says this report shows the US "is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence." Comparing with other CDC reports, she highlights "that the number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers." Joe Biden, with a history of advocating improved rape legislation, described the changes as "a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Whilst still in the Senate, Biden led efforts to implement legislative change — including authoring the . == Sources == * * * *

en

Rape more common than smoking in the US Author: Stephanie Kovalchik The United States is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence. New findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), a study launched by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010, report that nearly 1 in 5 women are estimated to have been the victims of rape, defined as unwanted completed or attempted sexual penetration, including victims who did not have the capacity to give consent (owing to intoxication, for example). In almost all cases, the perpetrator was someone the victim knew (91.9%) and more than half of the time was their own partner. Young adulthood was the period of highest risk for first sexual victimization. For 80% of female victims, first rape occurred before age 25; for 42%, before age 18. Although the lifetime prevalence of stalking was surprisingly less than the prevalence of non-consensual sexual contact, incidence estimates for the past year suggest that this trend could be changing as new communication technologies introduce new opportunities for sexual harassment. In 2010, the study estimates that 1.27 million American woman were raped--equivalent to one woman every 29 seconds--and 5.1 million were stalked--equivalent to one woman every 7 seconds. These are a few of the key findings from the first annual report of what will be an ongoing, nationally representative survey of sexual violence in the US. The NISVS will be a great resource to public health researchers. Using the data collected by the NISVS, investigators will be able to monitor national and state-specific trends in the prevalence of sexual violence and stalking for the first time, to characterize the type of individuals who are at the highest risk of being a victim or a perpetrator of a sexual crime (whether physical or psychological), and to investigate the health consequences of sexual victimization. The first NISVS report has already made national headlines because of the high prevalence of forced sex that was found. To give some perspective, the study's figures, if true, indicate that number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers. Skeptics might question whether such statistics could be for real. After all, some surveys have been made famous for getting it wrong, like the 1948 polls that were made the laughingstock of newly elected President Harry S. Truman after they predicted that Thomas E. Dewey would win the election. A survey that makes predictions risks being ridiculed (often very publicly) but it benefits from the opportunity of self-correction. Surveys that only intend to provide a snapshot of a population never get such feedback. As a consequence, the study designers can never know whether they have managed to avoid distortion. For survey research, coverage and response are the most important ingredients to getting an accurate picture of the population of interest. Surveys with good coverage give every member of the target population a chance to participate. Convenience samples, like polls conducted at shopping malls, are notoriously poor at coverage. When random digit dialing was introduced in the 1970s, it was a breakthrough for survey research because it largely solved the coverage problem. At that time, 90% of the US population had a landline telephone. So, with RDD and phone interviews, the question was no longer how to get a sample with good coverage for almost any region of the States but how to do it in a cost-effective way. With the increasing popularity of new communication technologies in the 21st centruy, there is a growing number of Americans who will never be reached through a landline. The challenge that cell phone use in particular poses for survey research has been a focus of the work of Paul J. Lavrakas, former Chief Research Methodologist for Nielsen and contributing author to Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology. In a Public Opinion Quarterly article summarizing the outcomes of several gatherings of expert panels between 2003 and 2008, Larakas and colleagues conclude that "...surveying persons reached on cell phone numbers in the United States currently is a very complex undertaking if one wants to do it 'right,' i.e. to do it legally, ethically, and in ways that optimally allocate one's finite resources to gather the highest quality data, and to analyze and interpret those data accurately.'' Though daunting, to avoid non-coverage bias, it is an undertaking that has to be faced. The Pew Research Center estimates that for 25% of current households the only phone service used is a mobile phone. The 2010 NISVS was a telephone survey. A strength of the design is that both landline and cell phones were included. Of the 16,507 completed interviews, 9,046 of the participants were on a cell phone and 7,461 were on a landline. Response is the more concerning piece of the NISVS methodology. Using the American Association for Public Opinion Research Response Rate 4 formula, response rate is defined as the number of fully and partially completed interviews over all eligible cases, which is the sum total of cases with completed interviews, refusals, non-contacts, other spoken language than that used for the survey, and a correction factor for cases of unknown eligibility. The NISVS response rate was an underwhelming 27.5%. The majority of non-response was due to non-contacts. Although this rate is actually better than average for national telephone surveys, it still raises that question of whether the experience of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence is different among those Americans in the 72.5% of the sample who were either away from their phone or who looked at the unknown number coming in and chose not to answer. If non-participation were a random event (a doubtful but much hoped for circumstance for survey researchers), then the NISVS participants would still provide a nationally representative sample of Americans. However, there is evidence that chance was not entirely indiscriminate when selecting the 27.5% of responders when one compares the NISVS sample and the US population on several socio-economic characteristics. In contrast to the US population, participants in the NISVS were more likely to have a college or advanced degree (36.4% versus 29.6%), more likely to be divorced (12.9% versus 10.3%), more likely to never have been married (30.2% and 26.1%), and more likely to have an annual household income that was below the federal poverty level (19.6% versus 12.1%). The NISVS has an important public health message but it is unclear to which public it applies.

en

On Friday, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) expanded its long-standing definition of rape to include men, and the rape of any gender by lack of consent — as opposed to physical coercion. The revised definition should ensure all rapes are recorded in crime statistics. Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said it was a "very, very important step." The new definition defines rape as: "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." Describing the changes to as "long overdue", said the revised definition of rape will, "help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice's commitment to standing with rape victims". The prior definition of rape — "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will" — was set by the FBI in 1927. In contrast, the revised definition drops the requirement that there be physical resistance, thus including crimes where the victim is unable to give consent because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or . The changes are primarily a revision to the Uniform Crime Reports system (UCR), and are not expected to impact prior cases or current prosecutions. Introducing no changes to current State or Federal law, the FBI expects the revised definition of rape will see victim numbers "more accurately reflected in national crime statistics". Close to the revised rape definition is a 2010 study by the (CDC), which included male rape and non-consensual sex; their figures indicate that, at some point in their lives, about 20% of women and 1.5% of men in the United States have been raped. Writing for '''', Stephanie Kovalchik says this report shows the US "is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence." Comparing with other CDC reports, she highlights "that the number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers." Joe Biden, with a history of advocating improved rape legislation, described the changes as "a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Whilst still in the Senate, Biden led efforts to implement legislative change — including authoring the . == Sources == * * * *

en

FBI scraps long-standing definition of rape to include men as victims Advocates hail move, could impact Jerry Sandusky case Men can now be victims of rape in the eye of the law. In a landmark decision that advocates say has been long overdue, the FBI has changed its definition of rape to include males. “This long-awaited change to the definition of rape is a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years,” said Vice President Joseph Biden in a statement Thursday. The new definition, as it appears on the FBI website, is: “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” Another important change: the removal of the word ‘forcibly’ from the bureau’s definition, which had been in place since 1927. Advocates for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence long decried the old standard as exclusionary and limited by its definition of “carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.” District attorneys will now have clearer avenues to prosecute those accused with forcing anal sex and/or oral sex upon another person or rape with an object. The issue of consent is addressed for the first time, since drug and alcohol intoxication are often present at the scene of reported crimes. The issue of men and rape has been thrown into the spotlight recently after former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky was accused of sex abuse of boys. Sandusky’s accusers would not be considered rape victims under the FBI’s old definition. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the new definition will lead to a clearer picture of sexual assault in America and rectify what advocates believe are woefully underreported statistics. The Criminal Justice Information Services Assistant Director David Cuthbertson said in a statement on the FBI website that the new definition “reflects the vast majority of state rape statutes,” and that the FBI “is confident that the number of victims of this heinous crime will be more accurately reflected in national crime statistics.”

en

On Friday, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) expanded its long-standing definition of rape to include men, and the rape of any gender by lack of consent — as opposed to physical coercion. The revised definition should ensure all rapes are recorded in crime statistics. Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said it was a "very, very important step." The new definition defines rape as: "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." Describing the changes to as "long overdue", said the revised definition of rape will, "help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice's commitment to standing with rape victims". The prior definition of rape — "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will" — was set by the FBI in 1927. In contrast, the revised definition drops the requirement that there be physical resistance, thus including crimes where the victim is unable to give consent because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or . The changes are primarily a revision to the Uniform Crime Reports system (UCR), and are not expected to impact prior cases or current prosecutions. Introducing no changes to current State or Federal law, the FBI expects the revised definition of rape will see victim numbers "more accurately reflected in national crime statistics". Close to the revised rape definition is a 2010 study by the (CDC), which included male rape and non-consensual sex; their figures indicate that, at some point in their lives, about 20% of women and 1.5% of men in the United States have been raped. Writing for '''', Stephanie Kovalchik says this report shows the US "is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence." Comparing with other CDC reports, she highlights "that the number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers." Joe Biden, with a history of advocating improved rape legislation, described the changes as "a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Whilst still in the Senate, Biden led efforts to implement legislative change — including authoring the . == Sources == * * * *

en

US redefines rape; adds men, others as victims WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Friday expanded the FBI's more than eight-decade-old definition of rape to count men as victims for the first time and to drop the requirement that victims must have physically resisted their attackers. The new definition will increase the number of people counted as rape victims in FBI statistics, but it will not change federal or state laws or alter charges or prosecutions. It's an important shift because lawmakers and policymakers use crime statistics to allocate money and other resources for prevention and victim assistance. The White House said the change was not motivated by the recent Penn State child sex-abuse scandal. Indeed, the expanded definition has been long awaited as many states and research groups made similar changes in their definitions of rape over recent decades. Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett called the change a "very, very important step." The issue got top-level White House attention starting last July, when Vice President Joe Biden raised it at a Cabinet meeting. Biden, author of the Violence Against Women Act when he was in the Senate, said the new definition is a victory for women and men "whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Calling rape a "devastating crime," the vice president said, "We can't solve it unless we know the full extent of it." Since 1929, the FBI has defined rape as the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will. The revised definition covers any gender of victim or attacker and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. Physical resistance is not required. The Justice Department said the new definition mirrors the majority of state rape statutes now on the books. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said all rape victims "should have access to the comprehensive services that will help them rebuild their lives." In November, Leahy introduced legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and provide an increased emphasis on efforts to stop sexual assault. "We've always had a broad definition of who is eligible for services, and the change could result in additional resources being made available for survivors of rape," said Linda McFarlane, deputy executive director of Just Detention International. The nonprofit human rights organization works to eliminate sexual abuse in prisons and other detention settings. Congress approved $592 million this year to address violence against women, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, under the Violence Against Women Act and Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Of that amount, $23 million goes to a sexual assault services program and $39 million to a rape prevention and education program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Obama administration had sought $777 million to combat violence against women. The change likely will result in big increases in the number of reported rapes, but it was not immediately clear how big. To take just one example of how the FBI totals will change, Chicago didn't report any rapes to the FBI for 2010 because its broad definition of the crime didn't match the FBI's narrow definition. The change has been sought by women's groups for more than a decade. The Women's Law Project, on behalf of more than 80 sexual assault coalitions and national organizations concerned about violence against women, wrote FBI Director Robert Mueller in 2001 that the narrow definition was based on gender-based stereotypes and requested it be changed then. Using the old definition, a total of 84,767 rapes were reported nationwide in 2010, according to the FBI's uniform crime report based on data from 18,000 law enforcement agencies. Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives, according to a 2010 survey by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which used a broader definition. Those figures were what framed much of the discussion, said Lynn Rosenthal, the White House adviser on violence against women. Rosenthal said discussions were under way long before the Penn State child sex-abuse scandal became public and that the scandal did not drive the policy change. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is charged with more than 50 counts of child sex abuse; Sandusky says he is innocent. Trust between police and the public is a vital ingredient in lower crime rates, and undercounting a crime like rape can undermine that trust, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit group that represents police departments across the country. The revised FBI definition says that rape is "the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object," without the consent of the victim. Also constituting rape under the new definition is "oral penetration by a sex organ of another person" without consent. Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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On Friday, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) expanded its long-standing definition of rape to include men, and the rape of any gender by lack of consent — as opposed to physical coercion. The revised definition should ensure all rapes are recorded in crime statistics. Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said it was a "very, very important step." The new definition defines rape as: "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." Describing the changes to as "long overdue", said the revised definition of rape will, "help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice's commitment to standing with rape victims". The prior definition of rape — "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will" — was set by the FBI in 1927. In contrast, the revised definition drops the requirement that there be physical resistance, thus including crimes where the victim is unable to give consent because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or . The changes are primarily a revision to the Uniform Crime Reports system (UCR), and are not expected to impact prior cases or current prosecutions. Introducing no changes to current State or Federal law, the FBI expects the revised definition of rape will see victim numbers "more accurately reflected in national crime statistics". Close to the revised rape definition is a 2010 study by the (CDC), which included male rape and non-consensual sex; their figures indicate that, at some point in their lives, about 20% of women and 1.5% of men in the United States have been raped. Writing for '''', Stephanie Kovalchik says this report shows the US "is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence." Comparing with other CDC reports, she highlights "that the number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers." Joe Biden, with a history of advocating improved rape legislation, described the changes as "a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Whilst still in the Senate, Biden led efforts to implement legislative change — including authoring the . == Sources == * * * *

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WASHINGTON—Attorney General Eric Holder today announced revisions to the Uniform Crime Report’s (UCR) definition of rape, which will lead to a more comprehensive statistical reporting of rape nationwide. The new definition is more inclusive, better reflects state criminal codes and focuses on the various forms of sexual penetration understood to be rape. The new definition of rape is: “The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” The definition is used by the FBI to collect information from local law enforcement agencies about reported rapes. “Rape is a devastating crime and we can’t solve it unless we know the full extent of it,” said Vice President Biden, a leader in the effort to end violence against women for over 20 years and author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. “This long-awaited change to the definition of rape is a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years.” “These long overdue updates to the definition of rape will help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice’s commitment to standing with rape victims,” Attorney General Holder said. “This new, more inclusive definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the scope and volume of these crimes.” “The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Advisory Policy Board recently recommended the adoption of a revised definition of rape within the Summary Reporting System of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program,” said David Cuthbertson, FBI Assistant Director, CJIS Division. “This definitional change was recently approved by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller. This change will give law enforcement the ability to report more complete rape offense data, as the new definition reflects the vast majority of state rape statutes. As we implement this change, the FBI is confident that the number of victims of this heinous crime will be more accurately reflected in national crime statistics.” The revised definition includes any gender of victim or perpetrator, and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity, including due to the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. The ability of the victim to give consent must be determined in accordance with state statute. Physical resistance from the victim is not required to demonstrate lack of consent. The new definition does not change federal or state criminal codes or impact charging and prosecution on the local level. “The revised definition of rape sends an important message to the broad range of rape victims that they are supported and to perpetrators that they will be held accountable,” said Justice Department Director of the Office on Violence Against Women Susan B. Carbon. “We are grateful for the dedicated work of all those involved in making and implementing the changes that reflect more accurately the devastating crime of rape.” The longstanding, narrow definition of forcible rape, first established in 1927, is “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.” It thus included only forcible male penile penetration of a female vagina and excluded oral and anal penetration; rape of males; penetration of the vagina and anus with an object or body part other than the penis; rape of females by females; and non-forcible rape. Police departments submit data on reported crimes and arrests to the UCR. The UCR data are reported nationally and used to measure and understand crime trends. In addition, the UCR program will also collect data based on the historical definition of rape, enabling law enforcement to track consistent trend data until the statistical differences between the old and new definitions are more fully understood. The revised definition of rape is within FBI’s UCR Summary Reporting System Program. The new definition is supported by leading law enforcement agencies and advocates and reflects the work of the FBI’s CJIS Advisory Policy Board. Click here to read a blog post from Director Carbon on the importance of the new definition of rape to our nation’s law enforcement, and for survivors of rape and their advocates. Click here to listen to the FBI’s podcast.

en

On Friday, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) expanded its long-standing definition of rape to include men, and the rape of any gender by lack of consent — as opposed to physical coercion. The revised definition should ensure all rapes are recorded in crime statistics. Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said it was a "very, very important step." The new definition defines rape as: "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." Describing the changes to as "long overdue", said the revised definition of rape will, "help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice's commitment to standing with rape victims". The prior definition of rape — "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will" — was set by the FBI in 1927. In contrast, the revised definition drops the requirement that there be physical resistance, thus including crimes where the victim is unable to give consent because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or . The changes are primarily a revision to the Uniform Crime Reports system (UCR), and are not expected to impact prior cases or current prosecutions. Introducing no changes to current State or Federal law, the FBI expects the revised definition of rape will see victim numbers "more accurately reflected in national crime statistics". Close to the revised rape definition is a 2010 study by the (CDC), which included male rape and non-consensual sex; their figures indicate that, at some point in their lives, about 20% of women and 1.5% of men in the United States have been raped. Writing for '''', Stephanie Kovalchik says this report shows the US "is experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence." Comparing with other CDC reports, she highlights "that the number of American women who have been raped is greater than the number who are current smokers." Joe Biden, with a history of advocating improved rape legislation, described the changes as "a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years." Whilst still in the Senate, Biden led efforts to implement legislative change — including authoring the . == Sources == * * * *

fr

ompus, eux aussi, aux techniques de communication, les entraîneurs des équipes de football ont tendance à jouer à cache-cache avec la presse. La veille de la rencontre entre l'Olympique lyonnais (OL) et le Real Madrid, comptant pour la 1re phase de la Ligue des champions (groupe F), Vanderlei Luxemburgo, l'entraîneur de Madrid, expliquait que Lyon était le favori. Dans le camp adverse, Gérard Houllier refusait de se prononcer, tout en laissant penser que les Madrilènes avaient, sur le papier, une prime à l'ancienneté. Il n'a pas semblé trop contrarié d'avoir eu tort : mardi 13 septembre, l'OL a battu le Real trois buts à zéro. ompus, eux aussi, aux techniques de communication, les entraîneurs des équipes de football ont tendance à jouer à cache-cache avec la presse. La veille de la rencontre entre l'Olympique lyonnais (OL) et le Real Madrid, comptant pour la 1phase de la Ligue des champions (groupe F), Vanderlei Luxemburgo, l'entraîneur de Madrid, expliquait que Lyon était le favori. Dans le camp adverse, Gérard Houllier refusait de se prononcer, tout en laissant penser que les Madrilènes avaient, sur le papier, une prime à l'ancienneté. Il n'a pas semblé trop contrarié d'avoir eu tort : mardi 13 septembre, l'OL a battu le Real trois buts à zéro. Bon début du tenant du titre, Liverpool L'équipe anglaise du FC Liverpool s'est s'imposée en Espagne sur le terrain du Betis Séville (2-1), mardi 13 septembre, lors de la 1re journée de la 1re phase de la Ligue des champions (groupe G). L'attaquant français de Liverpool, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, a ouvert le score dès la 2e minute. Il a été imité peu de temps après par l'Espagnol Luis Garcia (14e). L'équipe du Betis Séville, qualifiée en Ligue des champions grâce à sa victoire sur l'AS Monaco au 3e tour préliminaire (1-0, 2-2), a ensuite réduit le score en seconde période, d'un but d'Arturo Arzu (51e). Cette victoire permet à Liverpool de prendre la tête du groupe G, à égalité avec les Anglais de Chelsea, vainqueurs des Belges d'Anderlecht (1-0). [-] fermer LIGUE DES CHAMPIONS 1re phase, 1re journée Groupe E : Milan AC (Ita)-Fenerbahçe (Tur)3-1 Buts : Kakà (Milan AC, 18e et 87e), Alex (Fenerbahçe, 63e), Chevtchenko (Milan AC, 89e) PSV Eindhoven (Pbs)-Shalke 04 (All) 1-0 But : Vennegoor of Hesselink (33e) Groupe F : Lyon-Real Madrid (Esp)3-0 Buts : Carew (21e), Juninho (26e), Wiltord (31e) Olympiakos (Gre)-Rosenborg (Nor) 1-3 Buts : Lago (Rosenborg, c.s.c., 19e), Skjelbred (42e), Mavrogenidis (Olympiakos, c.s.c., 48e), Storflor (Rosenborg, 90e + 4) Groupe G : Chelsea (Ang)-Anderlecht (Bel)1-0 But : Lampard (19e) Betis Séville (Esp)-Liverpool (Ang) 1-2 Buts : Sinama-Pongolle (Liverpool, 2e), Luis Garcia (Liverpool, 14e), Arzu (Betis Séville, 51e) Groupe H : Glasgow Rangers (Eco)-FC Porto (Por) 3-2 Buts : Lovenkrands (Glasgow Rangers, 35e), Pepe (FC Porto, 47e, 72e), Prso (Glasgow Rangers, 59e), Kyrgiakos (Glasgow Rangers, 85e) Artmedia Bratislava (Slq)-Inter Milan (Ita) 0-1 But : Cruz (17e) [-] fermer Ces jeux de dupe reflètent aussi une forme de prudence. Ces deux entraîneurs chevronnés savent qu'à ce niveau de la compétition tout est possible, que les vieilles réputations peuvent s'écrouler comme un château de cartes, et les nouvelles se briser en un rien de temps. Parfois un match ne tient qu'à un fil, et le premier qui le coupera gagnera. Ces jeux de dupe reflètent aussi une forme de prudence. Ces deux entraîneurs chevronnés savent qu'à ce niveau de la compétition tout est possible, que les vieilles réputations peuvent s'écrouler comme un château de cartes, et les nouvelles se briser en un rien de temps. Parfois un match ne tient qu'à un fil, et le premier qui le coupera gagnera. Il en a été ainsi entre Lyon et Madrid. Le premier quart d'heure fut une guerre de positions, tendue, âpre, rugueuse, chaque équipe cherchant à marquer son territoire et les mollets de l'adversaire. Très vite, à la 4e et à la 8e minute de la partie, le Real eut l'occasion d'ouvrir le score, par deux coups francs tirés à la limite de la surface de réparation : les deux fois le ballon a fusé de peu à côté du poteau gauche de Grégory Coupet. Plus tard, Lyon a eu le sien : frappe de Juninho, tête de Carew, but (21e). Cinq minutes après, nouveau coup franc pour l'OL, à 35 mètres de la cage défendue par Iker Casillas. Juninho adore cette distance, le public de Gerland aussi, et les gardiens beaucoup moins : deux à zéro. "Nous avons raté nos deux coups francs, a constaté sobrement Vanderlei Luxemburgo, et les Lyonnais ont réussi les leurs." Tout est dit, ou presque. Le troisième but a ressemblé au jeu que l'OL développe depuis quelques années, une alternance de passes courtes et de subites accélérations : montée rapide d'Anthony Réveillère sur le côté gauche, centre impeccable pour Sylvain Wiltord, qui reprend de volée (31e). Les Galactiques sont à la rue. Peu avant la pause, ils concèdent un penalty. Mais Juninho le rate (40e). Au coup de sifflet marquant la fin de la première mi-temps, le même Juninho échange son maillot avec son jeune compatriote brésilien et désormais Madrilène Robinho, comme si la partie était terminée. Dans la tribune, un journaliste espagnol commence son article par "vulgar" (commun), un mot qui définit, selon lui, le jeu du Real. Pour lui aussi, le sort en est jeté. Le Real a-t-il été trop faible ou l'OL plus fort ? " Moi, a expliqué Gérard Houllier, j'ai vu une très bonne partie de football. Or, pour qu'une partie soit bonne, il faut deux bonnes équipes." " Les Lyonnais ont su faire preuve d'efficacité ", a quant à lui commenté Vanderlei Luxemburgo. La seconde mi-temps a surtout montré deux dynamiques, deux styles, deux philosophies. Lyon s'attendait à souffrir et a su résister, collectivement, sûrement au détriment du beau jeu. Mais Gérard Houllier le répète : " Les équipes qui ont gagné la Ligue des champions ne sont pas celles qui ont eu le monopole du ballon." Au cours de cette seconde période, Lyon a montré une force collective, une solidarité à toute épreuve, et son gardien un savoir-faire. Dans les airs ou à ras de terre, Grégory Coupet a fait étalage de son talent, de son assurance, de sa chance aussi. Une démonstration qui n'a pas dû échapper au sélectionneur de l'équipe de France, Raymond Domenech, à quelques semaines de la fin de la suspension de Fabien Barthez. " Nous avons su reproduire sur le terrain les consignes du tableau noir de notre entraîneur" , se félicitait Grégory Coupet. Dans ces quarante-cinq dernières minutes, l'équipe a montré du "talent" , selon le mot de Gérard Houllier. En face, le Real n'en manquait pas. Mais le déficit au tableau d'affichage a renvoyé ses individualités à leurs travers : les frappes lointaines et désespérées de Roberto Carlos, les magnifiques transversales de David Beckham butant sur la défense lyonnaise, les dribbles chaloupés inutiles d'un Robinho isolé, n'ont abouti à rien, sauf à provoquer nombre gestes de dépit ou d'énervement chez les Galactiques. A l'issue de cette rencontre au score sans appel, aucun des protagonistes n'a souhaité pourtant tirer des conclusions définitives. Les Madrilènes n'ont pas semblé atteints et les Lyonnais sont restés sereins. Ce n'était qu'un premier match et la Ligue des champions est une épreuve de longue haleine. En attendant, les 40 309 spectateurs du stade de Gerland redemandent des parties comme celle-là. Bruno Caussé Article paru dans l'édition du 15.09.05 '); --> '); -->

fr

L'Olympique Lyonnais a battu, à domicile (Stade Gerland) les ''Galactiques'' du Real de Madrid par trois buts à zéro (3-0 à la mi-temps). Les Lyonnais, donnés favoris par l'entraîneur brésilien du Real ont bien entamé la partie, contre des Espagnols parfois un peu passifs. Beckham et Roberto Carlos réussissent pourtant des coups francs qui passent juste à côté du cadre. Puis, Juninho frappe un coup franc dévié par la nouvelle recrue norvégienne John Carew : Iker Casillas ne peut que dévier le ballon dans le but (21). Peu après, Grégory Coupet le gardien lyonnais a eu besoin de beaucoup de chance pour rattraper une balle qu'il avait par mégarde offert à Raúl, l'attaquant madrilène. Peu après (26), Junniho réalise un magnifique coup franc tendu de plus de trente mètres sur lequel le gardien madrilène est démuni : 2-0. Et enfin, à la 31 minute, un enchaînement rapide sur l'aile droite aboutit à une reprise de volley de Wiltord, que Casillas ne peut encore qu'effleurer : 3-0. Pendant le reste de la première mi-temps et une grande partie de la seconde, Lyon se contente de défendre face à un Real qui se montre parfois dangereux, mais souvent passif. Les magnifiques passes de Beckham, les dribbles de Robinho et les tirs de Roberto Carlos ne feront pas vaciller la défense et l'excellent Coupet, et, à la 92 , l'arbitre siffle la fin du match. Grégory Coupet concluait : .

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AP is committed to reporting extensively on how the 2020 presidential election will work, explaining why results may be delayed and what it all means. We will be transparent in our coverage about what is happening before, during and after Election Day. With political reporters based in key states around the country – and reporters on the ground in all 50 states – AP is also looking hard at whether the pandemic, the economic crisis and the national reckoning over race has changed what people want from their government. Election coverage is offered in text, photos, video and live video.

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'''Resultados (99%) atualizados em 04h00min de 5 de novembro de 2020 (UTC) ''' Eleição para o Senado dos EUA em 2020: Virgínia Partido Candidato Votos Porcentagem 75px Mark Warner 2.383.190 55,7% 75px Daniel Gade 1.892.260 44,3%

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Obtener únicamente siete votos a favor, contra 33 de Toronto, 11 de Lima y uno nulo, privaron a Bogotá de ser sede de los Juegos Panamericanos de 2015. Los votos que estaban fijos en un comienzo se cambiaron al final y, para muchos, el dinero fue el que mandó en la elección. La incredulidad en la delegación colombiana fue total. Nadie esperaba terminar últimos en la elección y, mucho menos, con tan pocos puntos a favor. Los votos alcanzados indican que, aparte de Colombia que tenía doble voto, únicamente cinco países apoyaron su iniciativa. Al momento de entrar a hacer balances hay mucho para hablar. Primero, la gran influencia que Toronto y, por ende, Canadá, que tenía con las islas. Varias de ellas son de habla inglesa y en varios periodos de su historia se han visto influenciadas por los canadienses. Segundo, la altura. Empezando por los isleños, había muchos países que le temían a los más de 2.800 metros de Bogotá. Pero quizás lo más importante fue lo económico. Mientras Toronto, casi de inmediato, está lista para organizar las competencias, Bogotá ni siquiera ha empezado a expropiar los terrenos donde se construiría la Villa Panamericana. Igualmente, es bien sabido por todos, la Organización Panamericana tenía cierto nerviosismo, ya que no quiere repetir lo que hace pocos días sucedió con Guadalajara cuando los Juegos se vieron en peligro ante la imposibilidad de cumplir con el complejo habitacional. Así muchos no lo quieran admitir, las prebendas igualmente jugaron en contra de Bogotá. Desde antes de la elección se sabía que los canadienses estaban ofreciendo regalos a los presidentes de los demás Comités Olímpicos del área y, no cualquier dádiva, sino elementos electrónicos de alta tecnología, como los blackberry que recibieron de los canadienses, mientras que los colombianos solo dieron copias de Cien años de soledad de Gabriel García Márquez. Toronto, con plata e influencias, arrolló a todos. Y tiene Juegos.

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Toronto (Canadá) fue escogida como la sede de los Juegos Panamericanos de 2015 por 33 votos a favor, contra 11 de Lima (Perú), 7 de Bogotá (Colombia) y uno nulo. Los 52 votos corresponden a los comités olímpicos de los 42 países miembros de la Organización Deportiva Panamericana (ODEPA), diez de los cuales provienen de los países que han albergado previamente los juegos, que tienen voto doble. La votación se llevó a cabo en la ciudad que será sede en 2011, en la cual no ha empezado la construcción de la Villa Panamericana, mientras que Toronto ya está construyéndola. Ciudad de México fue la sede de los juegos en 1955 y 1975, y Winnipeg lo fue en 1967 y 1999. De esta manera, México y Canadá estarían convirtiéndose en los únicos países que, hasta ahora, han sido elegidos tres veces como sede de los juegos de verano.

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Juan Carlos G. Partida Corresponsal Periódico La Jornada Sábado 7 de noviembre de 2009, p. a18 Guadalajara, Jal., 6 de noviembre. La ciudad canadiense de Toronto fue seleccionada sede de los Juegos Panamericanos 2015, por encima de lugares como Lima, Perú, y Bogotá, Colombia, que también se postulaban para obtener la justa deportiva continental que en 2011 se organizará en Guadalajara. La decisión que tomaron los delegados de los 42 países miembros de la Organización Deportiva Panamericana (Odepa) fue abrumadora en favor de Toronto, que se llevó 33 de los 52 votos disponibles –los países que han sido sede panamericana tienen voto doble–, mientras Lima sumó 11 votos y Bogotá siete. Hubo también uno nulo.

es

Toronto (Canadá) fue escogida como la sede de los Juegos Panamericanos de 2015 por 33 votos a favor, contra 11 de Lima (Perú), 7 de Bogotá (Colombia) y uno nulo. Los 52 votos corresponden a los comités olímpicos de los 42 países miembros de la Organización Deportiva Panamericana (ODEPA), diez de los cuales provienen de los países que han albergado previamente los juegos, que tienen voto doble. La votación se llevó a cabo en la ciudad que será sede en 2011, en la cual no ha empezado la construcción de la Villa Panamericana, mientras que Toronto ya está construyéndola. Ciudad de México fue la sede de los juegos en 1955 y 1975, y Winnipeg lo fue en 1967 y 1999. De esta manera, México y Canadá estarían convirtiéndose en los únicos países que, hasta ahora, han sido elegidos tres veces como sede de los juegos de verano.

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Bombay. AP/baz. Die Anschläge auf voll besetzte Pendlerzüge in der indischen Wirtschaftsmetropole Bombay haben 190 Menschen das Leben ... Jerusalem/Beirut. AP/baz. An der Grenze zwischen Israel und dem Libanon sind am Mittwoch zwei israelische Soldaten von der Hisbollah-Miliz ... Frankfurt/Main. AP/baz. Der bisherige Assistenztrainer Joachim Löw wird Nachfolger des zurückgetretenen Fussball-Bundestrainers Jürgen ... Gossau-Ottikon. AP/baz. Ein Frontal-Crash zweier Autos hat am Dienstagnachmittag zum Horrorunfall auf der Forch-Autostrasse geführt. ... Zürich. Si/baz. Die guten Leistungen der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft drücken sich nun auch in der neuen FIFA-Weltrangliste aus. Das ... Bern. SDA/baz. Im Schweizer Luftraum ist es im vergangenen Jahr zu 75 Annäherungen von Flugzeugen gekommen. Die Zahl der so genannten ... Sion. SDA/baz. Ein 75-jähriger Belgier ist auf einer Wanderung in der Nähe der Staumauer Grande-Dixence tödlich verunglückt. Er wurde ... Köln. DPA/baz. Der japanische Autobauer Toyota ruft weltweit mehr als 380 000 Fahrzeuge der Luxus-Modelle Lexus RX in die Werkstätten ...

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Anfang August musste auf dem Madrider Flughafen der Start eines Airbus A340 der spanischen Fluggesellschaft Iberia abgebrochen werden. Die Linienmaschine befand sich bereits im Startanlauf auf der Rollbahn des Flughafens, als das automatische Überwachungssystem dem Piloten eine Überhitzung der Triebwerke angezeigt hatte. Daraufhin bremste der Pilot sofort und brach den Start ab. Durch das starke Abbremsen setzten Funken das Fahrwerk in Brand. Die Flughafenfeuerwehr konnte den Brand umgehend löschen. Der Airbus wollte ursprünglich nach Santiago de Chile fliegen. Bei dem Zwischenfall wurde niemand verletzt, die Passagiere kamen mit dem Schrecken davon.

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League Rules In the case of equality at any stage of the Season, positions at that stage of the season shall be determined firstly by the number of wins achieved and then on the basis of match points differential. A Club with a larger number of wins shall be placed higher than a Club with the same number of league points but fewer wins. If Clubs have equal league points and equal number of wins then a Club with a larger difference between match points "for" and match points "against" shall be placed higher in the Premiership League than a Club with a smaller difference between match points "for" and match points "against". Should two Clubs have the same number of league points and the same match points difference, the Club having scored more match points "for" shall be placed higher in the Premiership League than the Club having the lesser number of match points "for". If the above does not establish different Premiership League positions then the Club in the higher position shall be the Club that has achieved the higher aggregate match points scored by it in the same season against the other Club. If this still does not establish the position then the Club who has won the most matches, excluding its first Premiership League match of the season, then its second Premiership League match and so on, until it can be established which the higher placed Club is.

fr

Le championnat d'Angleterre de rugby à XV, dit , a disputé sa dix-huitième journée. Résultats complets de la 18 journée de Premiership '''Sale Sharks''' 14 – 13 Bath Rugby '''Gloucester RFC''' 15 – 14 London Welsh '''London Irish''' 26 – 6 Worcester Warriors London Wasps 24 – 26 '''Northampton Saints''' Exeter Rugby 9 – 12 '''Leicester Tigers''' '''Saracens''' 27 – 12 Harlequins Classement général du Premiership Class. Club Pts J G N P BO BD pp pc p± ep ec e± 1. 63 18 14 1 3 4 1 418 267 138 28 17 11 2. 58 18 12 1 5 4 4 409 274 151 40 20 20 3. 55 18 12 0 6 4 3 458 382 75 39 28 11 4. 54 18 12 0 6 4 2 396 354 26 40 26 14 5. 50 18 10 1 7 1 7 422 371 67 30 30 0 6. 47 18 9 0 9 4 7 438 413 26 40 38 2 7. 43 18 8 1 9 2 7 362 337 48 33 21 12 8. 42 18 8 1 9 3 5 414 359 50 39 33 6 9. 32 18 5 1 12 3 7 339 26 40 10. 28 18 6 0 12 1 3 353 25 43 11. 23 18 5 0 13 0 3 284 25 41 12. 23 18 4 0 14 0 7 312 20 48 + Source : Wikinews

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Click here to download this fixture list Time Competition Home Away Venue TV / Att Round 1 14:00 PR London Wasps v Harlequins Twickenham ESPN Preview 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks Sandy Park Preview 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Northampton Saints Kingsholm Preview 15:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Bath Rugby Sixways Preview 16:30 PR Saracens v London Irish Twickenham ESPN Preview 14:00 PR London Welsh v Leicester Tigers Kassam Stadium Sky Preview Round 2 19:45 PR Harlequins v London Welsh Twickenham Stoop More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v London Wasps Recreation Ground ESPN More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Irish v Gloucester Rugby Madejski Stadium More 16:30 PR Sale Sharks v Saracens Salford City Stadium ESPN More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs Franklin's Gardens Sky More Round 3 19:45 PR Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints Recreation Ground ESPN More 13:30 PR Worcester Warriors v Gloucester Rugby Sixways ESPN More 15:00 PR Harlequins v Sale Sharks Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR London Wasps v London Irish Adams Park More 15:30 PR Saracens v Leicester Tigers Wembley Stadium Sky More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs Kassam Stadium More Round 4 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v London Welsh Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR London Irish v Bath Rugby Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors Franklin's Gardens More 15:15 PR Gloucester Rugby v London Wasps Kingsholm Sky More 17:30 PR Leicester Tigers v Harlequins Welford Road ESPN More 14:15 PR Exeter Chiefs v Saracens Sandy Park ESPN More Round 5 19:45 PR Northampton Saints v London Wasps Franklin's Gardens ESPN More 20:00 PR Worcester Warriors v London Irish Sixways More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks Recreation Ground More 14:15 PR Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs Welford Road ESPN More 14:00 PR Harlequins v Saracens Twickenham Stoop Sky More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Gloucester Rugby Kassam Stadium More Round 6 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers Salford City Stadium Sky More 14:15 PR Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby Kingsholm ESPN More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins Sandy Park More 15:00 PR London Irish v Northampton Saints Madejski Stadium More 14:15 PR London Welsh v Saracens Kassam Stadium ESPN More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Worcester Warriors Adams Park More Round 7 20:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks Sixways More 14:30 PR Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs Recreation Ground Sky More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Saracens Franklin's Gardens More 16:45 PR Gloucester Rugby v Leicester Tigers Kingsholm Sky More 14:15 PR London Irish v Harlequins Madejski Stadium ESPN More 15:00 PR London Wasps v London Welsh Adams Park More Round 8 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v London Irish Salford City Stadium More 14:15 PR Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints Welford Road ESPN More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Worcester Warriors Sandy Park More 17:15 PR Harlequins v Gloucester Rugby Twickenham Stoop Sky More 14:15 PR Saracens v London Wasps Vicarage Road ESPN More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Bath Rugby Kassam Stadium More Round 9 20:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Saracens Sixways More 13:00 PR Northampton Saints v London Welsh Franklin's Gardens More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Harlequins Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Sale Sharks Kingsholm More 15:00 PR London Irish v Exeter Chiefs Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Leicester Tigers Adams Park More Round 10 19:45 PR Harlequins v Worcester Warriors Twickenham Stoop More 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v London Wasps Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Welsh v London Irish Kassam Stadium More 15:00 PR Saracens v Gloucester Rugby Vicarage Road More Round 11 20:00 PR Worcester Warriors v London Welsh Sixways More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Saracens Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Exeter Chiefs Kingsholm More 15:00 PR London Irish v Leicester Tigers Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Harlequins Franklin's Gardens More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Sale Sharks Adams Park More Round 12 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Worcester Warriors Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Bath Rugby Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Harlequins v London Irish Twickenham More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Welsh v London Wasps Kassam Stadium More 15:00 PR Saracens v Northampton Saints stadiummk More Round 13 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v London Irish Kingsholm More 15:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers Sixways More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Bath Rugby Adams Park More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Harlequins Kassam Stadium More 15:00 PR Saracens v Sale Sharks Vicarage Road More Round 14 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs Salford City Stadium More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Worcester Warriors Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Harlequins v London Wasps Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v London Welsh Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Irish v Saracens Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby Franklin's Gardens More Round 15 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v London Irish Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Harlequins v Leicester Tigers Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR Saracens v Exeter Chiefs Allianz Park More 15:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints Sixways More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Gloucester Rugby Adams Park More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Sale Sharks Kassam Stadium More Round 16 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Harlequins Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v London Welsh Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Worcester Warriors Kingsholm More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v Saracens Welford Road More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby Franklin's Gardens More 15:00 PR London Irish v London Wasps Madejski Stadium More Round 17 20:00 PR Worcester Warriors v London Wasps Sixways More 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Gloucester Rugby Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks Welford Road More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v London Irish Franklin's Gardens More 15:00 PR Saracens v London Welsh Allianz Park More Round 18 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v London Welsh Kingsholm More 15:00 PR London Irish v Worcester Warriors Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Northampton Saints Adams Park More 15:00 PR Saracens v Harlequins Allianz Park More Round 19 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v London Welsh Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins Kingsholm More 15:00 PR London Irish v Sale Sharks Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers Franklin's Gardens More 15:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Exeter Chiefs Sixways More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Saracens Adams Park More Round 20 20:00 PR Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v London Irish Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Harlequins v Bath Rugby Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v London Wasps Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Northampton Saints Kassam Stadium More 15:00 PR Saracens v Worcester Warriors Allianz Park More Round 21 14:15 PR Bath Rugby v Leicester Tigers Recreation Ground More 15:00 PR Gloucester Rugby v Saracens Kingsholm More 15:00 PR London Irish v London Welsh Madejski Stadium More 15:00 PR Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks Franklin's Gardens More 15:00 PR Worcester Warriors v Harlequins Sixways More 15:00 PR London Wasps v Exeter Chiefs Adams Park More Round 22 15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester Rugby Sandy Park More 15:00 PR Harlequins v Northampton Saints Twickenham Stoop More 15:00 PR Leicester Tigers v London Irish Welford Road More 15:00 PR London Welsh v Worcester Warriors Kassam Stadium More 15:00 PR Sale Sharks v London Wasps Salford City Stadium More 15:00 PR Saracens v Bath Rugby Allianz Park More AVIVA Premiership Rugby Semi Final PR-SF v TBA PR-SF v TBA AVIVA Premiership Rugby Final PR-F v Twickenham

fr

Le championnat d'Angleterre de rugby à XV, dit , a disputé sa dix-huitième journée. Résultats complets de la 18 journée de Premiership '''Sale Sharks''' 14 – 13 Bath Rugby '''Gloucester RFC''' 15 – 14 London Welsh '''London Irish''' 26 – 6 Worcester Warriors London Wasps 24 – 26 '''Northampton Saints''' Exeter Rugby 9 – 12 '''Leicester Tigers''' '''Saracens''' 27 – 12 Harlequins Classement général du Premiership Class. Club Pts J G N P BO BD pp pc p± ep ec e± 1. 63 18 14 1 3 4 1 418 267 138 28 17 11 2. 58 18 12 1 5 4 4 409 274 151 40 20 20 3. 55 18 12 0 6 4 3 458 382 75 39 28 11 4. 54 18 12 0 6 4 2 396 354 26 40 26 14 5. 50 18 10 1 7 1 7 422 371 67 30 30 0 6. 47 18 9 0 9 4 7 438 413 26 40 38 2 7. 43 18 8 1 9 2 7 362 337 48 33 21 12 8. 42 18 8 1 9 3 5 414 359 50 39 33 6 9. 32 18 5 1 12 3 7 339 26 40 10. 28 18 6 0 12 1 3 353 25 43 11. 23 18 5 0 13 0 3 284 25 41 12. 23 18 4 0 14 0 7 312 20 48 + Source : Wikinews

en

A combination image of booking photos show teachers convicted of sexual assaults (L-R) Nicole Dufault, Kathryn Ronk and Erica Ann Ginnetti in Essex County Department of Corrections, Michigan Department of Corrections, and Pennsylvania State Police photos respectively. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A "Saturday Night Live" skit about a male student having sex with his female high school teacher painted the relationship as every teen boy's dream, but drew a firestorm of criticism on social media. The reaction to the comedy sketch reflected a growing view among law enforcement and victims' advocacy groups that it is no laughing matter when a woman educator preys on her male students. In U.S. schools last year, almost 800 school employees were prosecuted for sexual assault, nearly a third of them women. The proportion of women facing charges seems to be higher than in years past, when female teachers often got a pass, said Terry Abbott, a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education, who tracked the cases. This year's numbers are already slightly ahead of last year with 26 cases of female school employees accused of inappropriate relationships with male students in January compared to 19 cases the previous January. Female educators who sexually abuse their students are facing tougher prosecution in part because there are more women police officers. There is also a greater awareness among prosecutors, judges and the general public that students who are victimized by an authority figure, regardless of gender, experience trauma with life-long consequences. "Law enforcement is increasingly feminized, and women are much less prone to the old attitude: 'Oh, this is just some kid who got lucky,'" said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center. "They recognize the issues involved and they go after women who violate the statutes." Depression, low-self esteem and difficulty maintaining future relationships are among the long-term consequences that male victims face, according to experts. Those problems are sometimes compounded by confusion and guilt over whether they are actually victims since their adolescent bodies involuntarily respond to physical contact. 'SEISMIC SHIFTS' Child abuse experts agree it appears female teachers are being prosecuted more vigorously than in the past. The crackdown is the result of "two seismic shifts," said Christopher Anderson, executive director of Male Survivor, the largest U.S. advocacy organization for male sex-crime victims. "One is a recognition that it does not matter who the perpetrator is or what the circumstances are. A teacher has absolutely no business engaging in sexual contact with a student," Anderson said. "The second is a shift in the culture where boys and their parents are feeling empowered to come forward to say that something has been done." In recent weeks, a Stamford, Connecticut high school English teacher, Danielle Watkins, 32, whose case was prosecuted by a female state's attorney, was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for having sex with an underage male student. In Michigan, a female judge sentenced Madison High Spanish teacher Kathryn Ronk, 30, to up to 15 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy, saying "the law does not recognize a double standard." In New Jersey, a female prosecutor said the most lenient plea deal she would offer Nicole Dufault, 35, a Columbia High School English teacher accused of sexual relationships with six teenage boys, was 15 years in prison. There are contrary examples, such as Pennsylvania's Erica Ann Ginnetti, 35, the Lower Moreland High School math teacher who had sex with a 17-year-old student and was sentenced to 30 days in jail by a male judge who said, "What young man would not jump on that candy?" That was after a female prosecutor reportedly said in court that the victim's senior year became a nightmare, his grades plunged and he still struggles with social interactions. But the Twitter furor ignited by the April "SNL" skit in which a male judge fist-bumps a boy who had sex with his "hot" teacher indicates how attitudes are changing. "Appalled by the #SNL sketch glorifying sexual abuse of a male student by female teacher. Sends the worst message &minimizes; real experiences," tweeted Heather Timmis @hnt108. An SNL spokesperson declined to comment. There is no central U.S. reporting system for tracking female teachers who prey on male students, according to federal education officials, but Abbott has been charting the crimes from news coverage. His research showed that female teachers far more often than male teachers use social media to lure students, creating an electronic "paper trail" that may aid prosecutions. School districts are increasingly moving to ban private social media contact between teachers and students, sometimes in an effort to prevent inappropriate relationships. "Social media enables the behavior to start," Abbott said. "There is no way that a teacher is going to walk up to a kid in the hallway and say, 'Hey, would you like to see a naked picture of me?' They won't do it. But they will do that on social media. It's like it erases what used to be that barrier." (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Scott Malone and Andrew Hay)

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Nach Auskunft von Terry Abbott, dem ehemaligen Personalchef des US-amerikanischen Bildungsministeriums, ist der Anteil der Frauen unter den rund 800 Lehrern, die 2014 wegen sexuellen Missbrauchs angeklagt wurden, auf ein Drittel gestiegen. Dieser Trend ist insgesamt zu beobachten. Einer Statistik des Justizministeriums zufolge waren 1994 nur ein Prozent aller Sex-Täter weiblich, 2004 waren es zehn Prozent. Die Bandbreite der Strafen für sexuellen Missbrauch durch Lehrer, bei dem überwiegend minderjährige Schüler und Studenten die Opfer waren, ist groß. Die Mathematiklehrerin einer High School, die mit einem 17-Jährigen Sex hatte, wurde zu 30 Tagen Gefängnis verurteilt. In anderen Fällen wurden Urteile bis zu 15 Jahren gefällt.

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Ihr wird sexueller Missbrauch Minderjähriger vorgeworfen – und dennoch erschien Lehrerin Brianne Altice (35) vor wenigen Tagen aufgedonnert wie eine Femme Fatale vor Gericht in Salt Lake City (US-Bundesstaat Utah): Knallrote Bluse, enger, schwarzer Rock, High-Heels. Mit vier Schülern soll sie mehrere Male Sex gehabt haben. Washington – Der Fall Brianne Altice zeigt: Das Klischee des mäßig attraktiven, männlichen Lehrers in den mittleren Jahren, der seinen Schülerinnen nachstellt, weil er bei Frauen nicht landen kann, entspricht nicht der Wirklichkeit. In den USA häufen sich die Fälle, in denen Sex-Beziehungen zwischen hübschen, jungen Lehrerinnen und ihren zumeist minderjährigen Schülern an die Öffentlichkeit gelangen. Aber warum vergreifen sich Frauen, nicht selten verheiratet und Mütter, an ihren Schutzbefohlenen? Sie missbrauchte einen Schüler – und wurde rückfällig! Ihr droht lebenslänglich Ihre Tattoos sollen die Sex-Lehrerin überführen Der Fall der Lehrerin Brianne Altice (35) erregt die Gemüter: Sie soll drei minderjährige Jungen verführt haben. Verraten sie ihre Tattoos? Prozess in Utah Sex-Lehrerin half Opfer bei den Hausaufgaben Schlechte Noten und Stress zu Hause: So erklärt ein Schüler (heute 18) die Affäre mit seiner ehemaligen Lehrerin Brianne Altice (35). Sie war auf Kaution frei Sex-Lehrerin (35) wird rückfällig Brianne Altice (35) wurde wegen einer Schüler-Affäre inhaftiert. Sie zahlte Kaution, kam frei – und suchte sich ihr nächstes Opfer. Experten wie dem New Yorker Psychotherapeut Richard Gartner zufolge, der das Buch „Beyond Betrayal: Taking Charge of Your Life after Boyhood Sexual Abuse“ geschrieben hat, würden drei Faktoren eine Rolle spielen, wenn Lehrerinnen sich ihren Schülern näherten: ► niedriges Selbstbewusstsein ► Machtphantasien ► die Chance, sich ein zweites Mal im Leben wie ein Highschool-Mädchen zu fühlen „Oft waren die Frauen nicht besonders beliebt in der Schule. Vielleicht sind einige von ihnen in diesem Entwicklungsstadium stehengeblieben“, sagte Gartner dem „Democrat & Chronicle“. Die amerikanische Psychotherapeutin und Beziehungsexpertin Wendy Walsh ist überzeugt, dass straffällige Lehrerinnen – oftmals selbst noch in ihren 20ern oder frühen 30ern – sich in der Schule tatsächlich wieder wie Teenager fühlten. „Damit soll das Verhalten dieser Frauen nicht entschuldigt werden. Aber sich den ganzen Tag in der Schule aufzuhalten, zwischen den verrückt spielenden Hormonen der Heranwachsenden – das hat einen Effekt“, sagte Walsh. Stark geschminkt, auffälliges Outfit: So trat Brianne Altice am 15. Januar in Utah vor Gericht auf. Zu den Vorwürfen, sie habe Sex mit mehreren Schülern gehabt, ließ sie sich bislang nicht ein Foto: AP/dpa Und: „Bei vielen Jungen im Teenageralter dreht sich alles um Sex. Dieser Umstand dient vielen der Frauen dazu, das Verbrechen vor sich selbst zu rechtfertigen. Es sei ja alles nicht so schlimm. In ihren Augen ist es oft sogar eine Art Geschenk für die Jungen. Auch deshalb kommt es oft zu Oralsex.“ Der Fall Sarah O'Neill (35): Die Lehrerin an einem christlichen Jungen-Internat im US-Bundesstaat Pennsylvania begann im Januar 2014 eine Affäre mit einem ihrer Schüler (16). Mindestens vier Mal kam es zu Oralsex – in zwei Hotels, im Auto der Lehrerin, in einem Park. Das Verhältnis flog auf, weil O'Neill die Liebesbriefe des Teenagers auf dem Drucker vergaß. Auch Liebe – oder das, was die Lehrerinnen für Liebe halten – spielt eine Rolle! Dr. James M. Pedigo ist Direktor des Joseph J. Peters Institute in Philadelphia und behandelt sowohl Sex-Täter als auch ihre Opfer. Er sagte „Philly.com“: „Die Frauen glauben, dass sie sich um die Jungen kümmern, mit denen sie Sex haben. Für sie ist es Liebe. Diesen Frauen kann man nur ganz schwer klarmachen, dass sie etwas Falsches tun. Sie wollen es einfach nicht enden lassen.“ Der Fall Mary Kay LeTourneau: 1996 überraschten Polizeibeamte in Kalifornien die Lehrerin (damals 34) und ihren Schüler Vili Fualaau (12) beim Sex in einem Auto. LeTourneau musste drei Monate ins Gefängnis, bekam in dieser Zeit eine Tochter von Fualaau. Danach trafen sich die beiden weiter, wieder wurde LeTourneau schwanger – und musste schließlich für siebeneinhalb Jahre in Haft. Nach ihrer Entlassung 2004 heirateten LeTourneau (damals 43) und Fualaau (damals 22). Aus der Lehrerin und ihrem ehemaligen Schüler wurde ein Ehepaar mit zwei Kindern: Mary Kay Letourneau und Villi Fualaau 2005 in ihrem Haus in Seattle Foto: AP „Jungen glauben oft, Sex mit der Lehrerin sei etwas Gutes“ Anders als Mädchen könnten Jungen oftmals nicht verstehen, dass sie spätestens nach dem Geschlechtsverkehr Opfer eines Verbrechens geworden sind, weiß Dr. James M. Pedigo. „Sie glauben, dass ihnen etwas Gutes widerfahren ist.“ Pedigo weiter: „Sie selbst und ihre Freunde halten die sexuelle Erfahrung mit einem Lehrkörper nicht selten für einen Erfolg. Ein zwölfjähriges Mädchen, das Sex mit einem Lehrer hat, sieht das hingegen ganz anders.“ Werden immer mehr US-Lehrerinnen zu einer Gefahr für ihre Schüler? US-Experten bezweifeln das. Dr. James M. Pedigo: „Erst seit ein paar Jahren spricht unsere Gesellschaft von sexuellem Missbrauch, wenn eine ältere Frau einen Jungen verführt. Früher sah das anders aus.“ Dafür sprechen Erhebungen des Justizministeriums der Vereinigten Staaten. Laut einer Studie waren 1994 lediglich ein Prozent aller Sex-Täter weiblich – weniger als 800 Personen. 1997 waren es bereits acht Prozent (6292 Frauen). 2004 stellte das FBI fest, dass Frauen für zehn Prozent aller in den USA begangenen Sex-Verbrechen verantwortlich sind. ► Dennoch: Lediglich zwei von 100 Sexualstraftätern seien Frauen, sagt Dr. Fred Berlin, Gründer eines Instituts an der John Hopkins Universität in Baltimore, die sexuelle Störungen erforscht. „In meiner Laufbahn habe ich mit mehreren Tausend Männern zu tun gehabt – aber weniger als 15 Frauen.“ Aber: Offizielle Zahlen für die gesamten USA liegen nicht vor! Wer sich über die Ausmaße sexueller Lehrer-Schüler-Beziehungen in Nordamerika informieren will, muss intensive Eigenrecherche betreiben – oder auf inoffizielle Statistiken zurückgreifen. 2006 sichteten Reporter der Nachrichtenagentur „AP“ sieben Monate lang Strafakten in allen 51 US-Bundesstaaten. Das Ergebnis: Im Zeitraum von 2001 bis 2005 wurden 2570 Lehrer, Direktoren und Schulpsychologen für sexuelle Vergehen bestraft – 80 Prozent ihrer Opfer sollen demnach Schüler gewesen sein! Sie lauern ihren Opfern im Klassenzimmer auf Schul-Skandale Die schlimmsten Sex-Lehrerinnen Immer wieder kommt es in den USA zu Sex-Skandalen zwischen Lehrerinnen und Schülern. Die schlimmsten Fälle lesen Sie hier. Welche Rolle spielen Smartphones und soziale Medien? „Wenn ein Lehrer früher mit einem Schüler außerhalb des Schulgeländes reden wollte, musste sie oder er das Kind zu Hause anrufen – und hatte dort meist ein Elternteil am Hörer. Dank der technologischen Neuerungen hat sich das komplett geändert. Jetzt sind Schüler rund um die Uhr persönlich erreichbar“, sagte Shane Crosby, ehemaliger Mitarbeiter des US-Bildungsministeriums, zum Nachrichten-Portal „PennLive.com“. In rund 30 Prozent aller Fälle, in denen es 2014 zu sexuellen Übergriffen auf Schüler durch Lehrer kam, sollen per Smartphone oder auf Facebook verschickte Nachrichten und Bilder eine Rolle gespielt haben, sagt Terry Abbott, ehemaliger Chef des US-Bildungsministeriums. Der Fall Lauren Harrington-Cooper (32): 2013 kam es zwischen der Englisch-Lehrerin aus Plymouth (US-Bundesstaat Massachusetts) und einem Schüler (damals 18) zu Oralsex und Geschlechtsverkehr. Zuvor hatte Harrington-Cooper der Schwester des Teenagers ihre Nummer zugesteckt, damit sie diese weiterreicht. Wie die „Daily Mail“ berichtete, soll sie ihrem Bruder ausgerichtet haben: „Sie sagte, sie findet dich heiß“. Das Verhältnis flog auf, nachdem die Eltern des Opfers die Sex-Texte entdeckt hatten. Harrington-Cooper kam ins Gefängnis, darf nie wieder unterrichten. Zwei neue Sex-Lehrer-Fälle in Alabama – jeden Monat! Zweifelhafter Ruhm für den US-Bundesstaat Alabama: Laut einer aktuellen Studie wurden dort 2014 – unter Berücksichtigung der Gesamtbevölkerung – die meisten strafbaren Lehrer-Schüler-Beziehungen gemeldet. In insgesamt 25 Fällen wurden Pädagogen des sexuellen Missbrauchs von Schülern beschuldigt oder sogar dafür verurteilt. Auf den weiteren Plätzen folgen Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi und Vermont. Terry Abbott und sein PR-Team sammelten über Monate Berichte aus allen verfügbaren Nachrichtenmedien und stellten schließlich eine Liste mit insgesamt 781 Vergehen in den USA zusammen. Was allerdings berücksichtig werden muss: Jeder US-Bundesstaat hat seine eigenen Gesetze – und die unterscheiden sich zum Teil enorm! In Alabama sind Beziehungen verboten, wenn der Schüler oder die Schülerin jünger als 19 ist. In Wyoming hingegen sind solche Verhältnisse erlaubt, wenn der Schüler oder die Schülerin älter als 16 ist und die Beziehung aus eigenem Antrieb heraus führt. Ein absolutes Verbot hingegen herrscht in Michigan: Dort sind alle Lehrer-Schüler-Verhältnisse untersagt, unabhängig vom Alter der Beteiligten. PS: Sind Sie bei Facebook? Werden Sie Fan von BILD.de-News!

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Nach Auskunft von Terry Abbott, dem ehemaligen Personalchef des US-amerikanischen Bildungsministeriums, ist der Anteil der Frauen unter den rund 800 Lehrern, die 2014 wegen sexuellen Missbrauchs angeklagt wurden, auf ein Drittel gestiegen. Dieser Trend ist insgesamt zu beobachten. Einer Statistik des Justizministeriums zufolge waren 1994 nur ein Prozent aller Sex-Täter weiblich, 2004 waren es zehn Prozent. Die Bandbreite der Strafen für sexuellen Missbrauch durch Lehrer, bei dem überwiegend minderjährige Schüler und Studenten die Opfer waren, ist groß. Die Mathematiklehrerin einer High School, die mit einem 17-Jährigen Sex hatte, wurde zu 30 Tagen Gefängnis verurteilt. In anderen Fällen wurden Urteile bis zu 15 Jahren gefällt.

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Mr Menezes was fleeing officers when he was shot eight times A passport stamp apparently giving him indefinite leave to remain "was not in use" on that date, added officials. Mr Menezes, 27, was shot at Stockwell Tube station by officers wrongly suspecting him of being linked to the London bombings. His body has been returned to Brazil to be buried in his home town of Gonzaga in the south-east. Home Office officials said they wished to end speculation over his immigration status but added it was not intended to influence any investigations. Scotland Yard has admitted he was not connected to the attacks and Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair has apologised to Mr Menezes' family. Burial planned On Thursday the Home Office said it wished to repeat the government's "deep regret at his tragic death". The department's statement said Mr Menezes arrived in the UK on 13 March 2002 and was granted entry for six months as a visitor. He applied for leave to remain as a student, which was approved and he was granted leave to remain until 30 June 2003. "We have no record of any further application or correspondence from Mr Menezes. "We have seen a copy of Mr Menezes' passport containing a stamp apparently giving him indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Protests in Brazil have included one in Mr Menezes' home town "On investigation, this stamp was not one that was in use by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the date given." The statement added: "This information is not intended in any way to prejudice or influence the independent investigation into the circumstances of Mr De Menezes' death, or any possible future proceedings." Officials said the information has been passed to the Brazilian government so his family could be informed. Mr Menezes will be buried on Friday. Manhunt continues Meanwhile a major police operation is under way on the UK's transport system, with officers on a precautionary high alert to reassure the public and deter would-be attackers. In other developments, nine men have been held by anti-terror police in Tooting, south London, following raids on two addresses on Thursday. It is not thought that any of the suspected bombers is among them. On Wednesday night three women were held in Stockwell, a few miles away, on suspicion of harbouring offenders. Police are continuing to question 21 July suspect Yasin Hassan Omar following his arrest in Birmingham, as the search for the other three suspects goes on. The 24-year-old who is suspected of the attempted bombing of a Victoria Line train, near Warren Street, is being questioned at London's high-security Paddington Green police station.

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The student visa of Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, had expired two-years ago, according to the British Home Office. Government officials state that he arrived in the UK on 13 March 2002 and was granted a six-month tourist visa and later applied for a student visa which was granted, allowing him to stay in the country until 30 June 2003. It is also suggested in the Home Office statement that the visa had a forged "indefinite leave to remain" stamp on it, saying that the style of the stamp was not in use at the time it was apparently meant to have been issued. This has led to speculation that this may be a reason why de Menezes — who was mistakenly believed to have terrorist connections — fled after being confronted by police (not in uniform) at Stockwell tube station. He was shot eight times by the police — seven times in the head and once in the shoulder. His family had said that they believed that de Menezes' visa had been renewed for an additional five-years. In the statement made by the Home Office spokeswoman, it was denied that the information released would influence the investigation, saying: "This information is not intended in any way to prejudice or influence the independent investigation into the circumstances of Mr De Menezes' death, or any possible future proceedings." The killing of de Menezes is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), standard procedure for fatal shootings. The body of Mr de Menezes was returned to Brazil on 27 July. He is to be buried today in his home town of Gonzaga in the state of Minas Gerais.

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El uso de este sitio web implica la aceptación de los Términos y Condiciones de COMUNICAN S.A. Todos los Derechos Reservados D.R.A. Prohibida su reproducción total o parcial,así como su traducción a cualquier idioma sin autorización escrita de su titular. Reproduction in whole or in part, or translation without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved 2013

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Hoy fue votado en plenaria del Senado de la República el proyecto de ley que buscaba legalizar el , o sea, entre personas del mismo sexo. En total, fueron 17 votos a favor y 51 en contra del proyecto, 12 abstenciones y 19 congresistas ausentes. Aunque los medios lo tacharon de una crónica de una muerte anunciada, pues desde la semana pasada los sondeos daban un no al proyecto, solo hoy llegó a votarse. El señaló que estuvo en desacuerdo con que las ponencias se convirtieran en una “batalla campal”, y señaló respecto al resultado de los votos que “es absolutamente normal y estaba cantada esta votación”. Entre los votantes en contra, destacó el controvertido . Según él, “era una votación esperada porque en Colombia el 80% de la población es heterosexual y el Congreso refleja esa situación”. En su ponencia durante la sesión llevada a cabo el día de ayer, afirmó que el sexo entre parejas homosexuales era únicamente con fines recreativos y que se opondría a la aprobación de la ley, pues esta estaba en contra del orden natural de las cosas. Por su parte, el también , autor del proyecto de ley, afirmó que el Congreso “no sirve para nada” y que el hundimiento del proyecto de ley muestra que el Senado es “cavernícola”, y que aunque tiene fachada de catedral es en realidad una pesebrera. Actualmente en Colombia, las parejas homosexuales pueden validar ante un notario uniones de hecho o uniones civiles, que aunque les concede ciertos derechos civiles, como afiliarse al sistema de salud o heredar, no constituyen un matrimonio, por lo cual no pueden, entre otras cosas, adoptar conjuntamente menores de edad. En lo que va corrido del mes, países como Francia, Nueva Zelanda y Uruguay han dado luz verde al matrimonio entre parejas homosexuales.

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El uso de este sitio web implica la aceptación de los Términos y Condiciones de COMUNICAN S.A. Todos los Derechos Reservados D.R.A. Prohibida su reproducción total o parcial,así como su traducción a cualquier idioma sin autorización escrita de su titular. Reproduction in whole or in part, or translation without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved 2013

es

Hoy fue votado en plenaria del Senado de la República el proyecto de ley que buscaba legalizar el , o sea, entre personas del mismo sexo. En total, fueron 17 votos a favor y 51 en contra del proyecto, 12 abstenciones y 19 congresistas ausentes. Aunque los medios lo tacharon de una crónica de una muerte anunciada, pues desde la semana pasada los sondeos daban un no al proyecto, solo hoy llegó a votarse. El señaló que estuvo en desacuerdo con que las ponencias se convirtieran en una “batalla campal”, y señaló respecto al resultado de los votos que “es absolutamente normal y estaba cantada esta votación”. Entre los votantes en contra, destacó el controvertido . Según él, “era una votación esperada porque en Colombia el 80% de la población es heterosexual y el Congreso refleja esa situación”. En su ponencia durante la sesión llevada a cabo el día de ayer, afirmó que el sexo entre parejas homosexuales era únicamente con fines recreativos y que se opondría a la aprobación de la ley, pues esta estaba en contra del orden natural de las cosas. Por su parte, el también , autor del proyecto de ley, afirmó que el Congreso “no sirve para nada” y que el hundimiento del proyecto de ley muestra que el Senado es “cavernícola”, y que aunque tiene fachada de catedral es en realidad una pesebrera. Actualmente en Colombia, las parejas homosexuales pueden validar ante un notario uniones de hecho o uniones civiles, que aunque les concede ciertos derechos civiles, como afiliarse al sistema de salud o heredar, no constituyen un matrimonio, por lo cual no pueden, entre otras cosas, adoptar conjuntamente menores de edad. En lo que va corrido del mes, países como Francia, Nueva Zelanda y Uruguay han dado luz verde al matrimonio entre parejas homosexuales.

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¿Cómo votó el Senado el hundimiento del proyecto de matrimonio igualitario? Caracol | Abril 24 de 2013 Publicidad Últimos Gráficos

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Hoy fue votado en plenaria del Senado de la República el proyecto de ley que buscaba legalizar el , o sea, entre personas del mismo sexo. En total, fueron 17 votos a favor y 51 en contra del proyecto, 12 abstenciones y 19 congresistas ausentes. Aunque los medios lo tacharon de una crónica de una muerte anunciada, pues desde la semana pasada los sondeos daban un no al proyecto, solo hoy llegó a votarse. El señaló que estuvo en desacuerdo con que las ponencias se convirtieran en una “batalla campal”, y señaló respecto al resultado de los votos que “es absolutamente normal y estaba cantada esta votación”. Entre los votantes en contra, destacó el controvertido . Según él, “era una votación esperada porque en Colombia el 80% de la población es heterosexual y el Congreso refleja esa situación”. En su ponencia durante la sesión llevada a cabo el día de ayer, afirmó que el sexo entre parejas homosexuales era únicamente con fines recreativos y que se opondría a la aprobación de la ley, pues esta estaba en contra del orden natural de las cosas. Por su parte, el también , autor del proyecto de ley, afirmó que el Congreso “no sirve para nada” y que el hundimiento del proyecto de ley muestra que el Senado es “cavernícola”, y que aunque tiene fachada de catedral es en realidad una pesebrera. Actualmente en Colombia, las parejas homosexuales pueden validar ante un notario uniones de hecho o uniones civiles, que aunque les concede ciertos derechos civiles, como afiliarse al sistema de salud o heredar, no constituyen un matrimonio, por lo cual no pueden, entre otras cosas, adoptar conjuntamente menores de edad. En lo que va corrido del mes, países como Francia, Nueva Zelanda y Uruguay han dado luz verde al matrimonio entre parejas homosexuales.

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El Congreso votó negativamente el polémico proyecto que buscaba legalizar en Colombia el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo. El proyecto de ley se hundió en la plenaria del Senado, al ser negado por 51 votos y sólo 17 votos a favor. Luego la presidencia de Senado rápidamente dio continuación a la agenda del día. Al cierre de la votación, algunos senadores que llegaron tarde, cerca de las 4:00 de la tarde cuando había sido citada a las dos de la tarde, como el conservador Jorge Hernando Pedraza, protestaron porque no pudieron sufragar. "El congreso es tan tonto, y a veces tan estúpido, que termina quitándose los derechos de legislar para que la Corte vuelva a legislar, porque la Corte sí conoce los postulados constitucionales. El Congreso parece que solo conoce de postulados de la Iglesia católica romana. Esto parece una fachada de catedral pero que en última es como una pesebrera", afirmó a su salida el senador Armando Benedetti. Benedetti aseguró que este hecho demostró que el Senado es “cavernícola”. “Este es un Congreso que ha demostrado que no existe, que no se representa ni así mismo, que es retardatario, que es del tercer mundo, porque mientras el del primer mundo como Francia estaban legislando sobre el tema, aquí nos queríamos parecer al del Congo y al de Uganda”. De opinión diferente fue el senador conservador Roberto Gerleín, quien había criticado duramente el proyecto, y consideró su hundimiento como algo que era esperado. “Las cosas permanecen como vienen, no hay esa alteración total del régimen civil, del régimen de derechos en este país, era una votación esperada, en Colombia el 80 por ciento de la población es heterosexual, el Congreso refleja esa situación, como una expresión democrática”, sostuvo. Entre tanto el senador y presidente del Partido Conservador, Efraín Cepeda, sostuvo que “la posición del partido fue rodear de garantías a las parejas del mismo sexo pero no aceptar el término matrimonio y el tema de la adopción”. El senador cristiano del movimiento Mira, Carlos Baena, declaró que “lo que hundió el proyecto fue el nombre que le quería dar a la unión, matrimonio, todo el tiempo se insistió en eso y polarizó la discusión”. Para el senador de la tendencia del progresismo, Camilo Romero, quien apoyó el proyecto, “aún hay una esperanza, es que nuestro nietos se van a reír de este episodio, por fortuna las sociedades van más avanzadas que este tipo de congresos, creo que ha sido triste, es el reconocimiento a la negación de las minorías”. A su turno el senador y entrante presidente de la corporación, Juan Fernando Cristo, sostuvo que lamentaba que se hubiera polarizado esta discusión como pasó. “Lo que no me pareció positivo ni para el Congreso ni para el país, es que nosotros que tenemos tanto factores de división, de polarización, de guerra interna, convirtamos esta en un debate sano en una batalla campal, hay que abordarlo con mayor serenidad, en el caso nuestro fuimos derrotados, pero me parece que es absolutamente normal y estaba cantada esta votación”. La lucha de la comunidad gay continúa En estos momentos varios manifestantes a favor del matrimonio igualitario piden a la comunidad gay que acudan a las notarías a exigir el matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo. Mientras los detractores afirman que están felices porque se respaldó "la familia" y al "electorado", afirman en la plaza. Cabe recordar que así fracase el proyecto podrá volver a ser presentado, según las leyes. Ahora, los promotores de la iniciativa tendrán que esperar al próximo período del legislativo para presentar de nuevo el proyecto de ley. Desde el principio del debate la Procuraduría General, se opuso a los matrimonios igualitarios y el Gobierno, en tanto, se ha alejó de la discusión. El partido Conservador y el partido de La U, acordaron no apoyar el proyecto y por esto la mayoría votó negativamente. Actualmente las parejas homosexuales en Colombia pueden registrar ante un notario las llamadas "uniones de hecho" o "uniones civiles", pero sin que ello constituya un matrimonio y disfruten de todos los derechos, incluida la adopción. Desde 2007 las parejas del mismo sexo, por decisión de la misma Corte Constitucional, pueden heredarse y afiliarse al sistema de salud y de pensiones. El proyecto fue presentado ante el Congreso porque el 26 de julio del 2011 la Corte Constitucional, dejó en manos de este la decisión de legislar sobre los matrimonios de parejas del mismo sexo. Aunque no hay cifras oficiales, grupos no gubernamentales como Colombia Diversa, que defiende los derechos de la comunidad de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transgéneros, calcula que al menos entre 8 por ciento y 10 por ciento de la población del país de unos 46 millones de personas es gay y al menos 300.000 colombianos forman parejas del mismo sexo.

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Hoy fue votado en plenaria del Senado de la República el proyecto de ley que buscaba legalizar el , o sea, entre personas del mismo sexo. En total, fueron 17 votos a favor y 51 en contra del proyecto, 12 abstenciones y 19 congresistas ausentes. Aunque los medios lo tacharon de una crónica de una muerte anunciada, pues desde la semana pasada los sondeos daban un no al proyecto, solo hoy llegó a votarse. El señaló que estuvo en desacuerdo con que las ponencias se convirtieran en una “batalla campal”, y señaló respecto al resultado de los votos que “es absolutamente normal y estaba cantada esta votación”. Entre los votantes en contra, destacó el controvertido . Según él, “era una votación esperada porque en Colombia el 80% de la población es heterosexual y el Congreso refleja esa situación”. En su ponencia durante la sesión llevada a cabo el día de ayer, afirmó que el sexo entre parejas homosexuales era únicamente con fines recreativos y que se opondría a la aprobación de la ley, pues esta estaba en contra del orden natural de las cosas. Por su parte, el también , autor del proyecto de ley, afirmó que el Congreso “no sirve para nada” y que el hundimiento del proyecto de ley muestra que el Senado es “cavernícola”, y que aunque tiene fachada de catedral es en realidad una pesebrera. Actualmente en Colombia, las parejas homosexuales pueden validar ante un notario uniones de hecho o uniones civiles, que aunque les concede ciertos derechos civiles, como afiliarse al sistema de salud o heredar, no constituyen un matrimonio, por lo cual no pueden, entre otras cosas, adoptar conjuntamente menores de edad. En lo que va corrido del mes, países como Francia, Nueva Zelanda y Uruguay han dado luz verde al matrimonio entre parejas homosexuales.

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Drug prevention posters are outside the airport in Accra Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya were stopped as they tried to board a plane at Accra airport on 2 July. The investigating team said the girls had told family they were going on a school trip to France. Instead, they went to Ghana for six days. If found guilty it is thought they could face at least 10 years in jail. The Foreign Office said the pair had appeared in court charged with possessing and attempting to export an illegal substance. The higher the court, the better it gets - there is corruption in the lower courts and police ranks but the government is very determined to fight against corruption Sabine Zanker Fair Trials Abroad Africa new front in drug war Have Your Say Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board officers working as part of Operation Westbridge with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) were said to have found the drugs in laptop bags carried by the girls. Two Ghanaian men apparently paid for their accommodation in Accra. The girls have told police the men gave them the laptop bags. Fair Trials Abroad (FTA) said one of the girls' family had contacted them and they were looking into the case. Sabine Zanker, of FTA, said cases such as these were usually dealt with fairly quickly in Ghana, which has a good legal system. She said: "The higher the court, the better it gets - there is corruption in the lower courts and police ranks but the government is very determined to fight against corruption". She added that the Ghanaian government was working with the UK on drugs cases. Operation Westbridge is designed to stop traffickers getting drugs into the UK and Europe through the West African country. British and Ghanaian customs officials have intercepted more than 200kg of cocaine between Accra and British airports since November. Interpol estimates more than a third of the cocaine arriving in Europe is trafficked through West Africa.

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Two 16-year-old British girls were arrested in Accra, Ghana earlier this month for apparently attempting to smuggle £300,000 worth of cocaine in laptop bags. Yasemin Vatansever, of Cypriot descent and Yatunde Diya of Nigerian descent were arrested as they attempted to board a British Airways flight from the Kotoka International Airport on July 2, 2007. The arrest was by the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board. They were alleged to be carrying 6.5 kg of drugs. They are currently in Ghana police custody and have been visited by British High Commission staff. The girls who are both students from Islington, north London, had left home after informing their families they were making a school trip to France. They are expected to be charged with "possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export drugs", for which they could be jailed for up to ten years if found guilty. The arrest is part of the Operation Westbridge project set up in November 2006 as a collaboration between the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board and HM Revenue and Customs of the UK. It is to curb the influx of drugs into Europe and the UK through West Africa which is now being used as a transit point from South America. The project involves the provision of technical and operational expertise to the Ghanaian teams and training in the use of specialist scanning equipment. Ghana is the first country in Africa to introduce such equipment.

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The Narcotics Control Board has confirmed the arrest of two British teenage girls at the Kotoka International Airport allegedly carrying £300,000 worth of cocaine in laptop bags. The two 16-year-olds, were arrested on July 2 as they were about to board a British Airways flight to London. They have been named as Yasemin Vatansever, a British citizen of Cypriot descent and Yatunde Diya, also a British citizen with Nigerian descent. The girls face provision charges of possessing narcotics without lawful authority and attempting to export narcotic drugs. They were allegedly found to be carrying 6.5kg of drugs. The Narcotic Board's Deputy Executive Secretary, Mark Ewunpomah told The Telegraph newspaper: "They were carrying drugs from Ghana to Britain. It was cocaine. It was in laptop bags. The laptops had been removed. They put 3 kg in each bag." He said the girls were expected to be formally charged with possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export drugs, for which the minimum sentence is 10 years. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said officers from the British Embassy have been supporting the two girls. She said: "Next of kin have been informed and we are providing full consular assistance." The arresting officers were part of Operation Westbridge, a project set up by Britain and Ghana to tackle drug smugglers using Accra airport as a gateway to Britain and the European mainland. The suspects are in police custody. Officials of the Narcotics Board have launched a hunt for two Ghanaian accomplices identified only as Kwame and Emmanuel who are said to be at large. An uncle of one of the girls, who is called Yasmin, told ITV News: "These girls have apparently had all their clothes taken away from them, and all they have is the set of clothes in which they got arrested. "They've not been given proper food, the British consulate have been helping out by giving them some food, but all they've been getting is water and biscuits. These girls are held with adults, other criminals, who are much older than them."

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Two 16-year-old British girls were arrested in Accra, Ghana earlier this month for apparently attempting to smuggle £300,000 worth of cocaine in laptop bags. Yasemin Vatansever, of Cypriot descent and Yatunde Diya of Nigerian descent were arrested as they attempted to board a British Airways flight from the Kotoka International Airport on July 2, 2007. The arrest was by the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board. They were alleged to be carrying 6.5 kg of drugs. They are currently in Ghana police custody and have been visited by British High Commission staff. The girls who are both students from Islington, north London, had left home after informing their families they were making a school trip to France. They are expected to be charged with "possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export drugs", for which they could be jailed for up to ten years if found guilty. The arrest is part of the Operation Westbridge project set up in November 2006 as a collaboration between the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board and HM Revenue and Customs of the UK. It is to curb the influx of drugs into Europe and the UK through West Africa which is now being used as a transit point from South America. The project involves the provision of technical and operational expertise to the Ghanaian teams and training in the use of specialist scanning equipment. Ghana is the first country in Africa to introduce such equipment.

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Two 16-year-old British girls who were allegedly carrying cocaine worth £300,000 have been "provisionally charged" at a court in Ghana, the Foreign Office confirmed tonight. The girls, from Islington, north London, were arrested 10 days ago at Accra airport by officers from the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board. They were allegedly carrying 6.5kg of cocaine as they tried to board a British Airways flight. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said officials from the British embassy had been supporting the two girls. "We are aware of the arrest of two British national minors on July 2 at Accra airport," the spokeswoman said. "Next of kin have been informed, and we are providing full consular assistance. We are unable to confirm any personal details due to their age." An HM Revenue and Customs spokeswoman told Guardian Unlimited that the girls had apparently been "recruited" by drugs smugglers in Britain, and had travelled to the west African country by themselves without their parents' knowledge. The drugs were allegedly found within their luggage. "They were given [bags] to carry and we do not know if they knew what was in them," the spokeswoman said. "They were recruited in Britain and travelled to Ghana. "It is unusual in that they are so young, but it is not unusual for British people to be bringing drugs into the country in this way." Ghana, along with other African countries, has become a key staging route for drugs from South America since authorities cracked down on long-established smuggling ports. More than £10m worth of drugs has been seized by Ghanaian or British officials from people travelling between the two countries in recent months. The girls, who have had an initial court hearing, could face jail sentences of up to 15 years if convicted. It was not clear whether British authorities would ask for leniency due to their age. An uncle of one of the girls said he was worried about them. The uncle, who was not named, told ITV News: "These girls have apparently had all their clothes taken away from them, and all they have is the set of clothes in which they got arrested. "They've not been given proper food. The British consulate have been helping out by giving them some food, but all they've been getting is water and biscuits. These girls are held with adults, other criminals, who are much older than them." Justice campaigners Fair Trials Abroad said they intended to take a keen interest in the case. The officials at Accra were taking part in Operation Westbridge, set up by UK customs in conjunction with the Ghanaian authorities to tackle the problem of drug smugglers using the airport as a gateway to the UK and Europe. Tony Walker, leading the operation for customs, said the alleged use of such young girls as couriers "vividly illustrates the ruthlessness of the criminal drug gangs involved in this traffic". "The dedication of UK and Ghanaian drug detection officers has prevented deadly Class A drugs from entering the UK," he added. "The Westbridge collaboration between Ghana and the UK is delivering real results in this and other cases by helping to protect both countries from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs." The operation - launched last November - sees customs officers providing technical and operational expertise, including training in the use of Foreign Office-funded scanning equipment, to the Ghanaian government. It follows the success of Operation Airbridge, a joint UK and Jamaican initiative to catch drug couriers with internal concealments of Class A drugs before they board planes from Jamaica. Customs officials believe that operation proved the value of working in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, with the number of "drug swallowers" detected at UK airports having travelled from Jamaica falling markedly. Drug runners are known to target vulnerable people, including women and children, to carry drugs across international borders. Known as mules, they carry the drugs in their luggage, taped to their bodies or concealed in clothing. Drugs can even be dissolved in drinks. Ghana was the first country in Africa to introduce high-tech scanning machines that are able to detect the faintest traces of cocaine and other substances. Sending the machines and officers to train and aid Ghanaian authorities in counter smuggling measures costs £250,000 a year, the customs spokeswoman said. The cost is being paid for by the FCO and Home Office. Customs officials are currently in discussion with other countries, including Nigeria, about establishing similar liaison schemes.

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Two 16-year-old British girls were arrested in Accra, Ghana earlier this month for apparently attempting to smuggle £300,000 worth of cocaine in laptop bags. Yasemin Vatansever, of Cypriot descent and Yatunde Diya of Nigerian descent were arrested as they attempted to board a British Airways flight from the Kotoka International Airport on July 2, 2007. The arrest was by the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board. They were alleged to be carrying 6.5 kg of drugs. They are currently in Ghana police custody and have been visited by British High Commission staff. The girls who are both students from Islington, north London, had left home after informing their families they were making a school trip to France. They are expected to be charged with "possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export drugs", for which they could be jailed for up to ten years if found guilty. The arrest is part of the Operation Westbridge project set up in November 2006 as a collaboration between the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board and HM Revenue and Customs of the UK. It is to curb the influx of drugs into Europe and the UK through West Africa which is now being used as a transit point from South America. The project involves the provision of technical and operational expertise to the Ghanaian teams and training in the use of specialist scanning equipment. Ghana is the first country in Africa to introduce such equipment.

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General News of Thursday, 12 July 2007 British teenagers arrested in Ghana over drugs Two 16-year-old girls from London were arrested in Ghana after being discovered with an estimated 300,000 pounds' worth (443,000 euros, 610,000 dollars) of cocaine, customs officials said Thursday. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs said in a statement that the teenagers, both college students, were detained at Accra Airport by Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board officers working on a joint British-Ghanaian project targeting drug smugglers. The head of the Operation Westbridge project, British customs officer Tony Walker, said: "The use of such young girls as couriers vividly illustrates the ruthlessness of the criminal drug gangs involved in this traffic. "The dedication of UK and Ghanaian drug detection officers has prevented deadly Class A drugs from entering the UK." The girls had been in the process of boarding a British Airways flight to London and were allegedly in possession of 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) of cocaine, HMRC said. A Foreign Office spokeswoman in London said British embassy officials had been called to support the girls. "We are aware of the arrest of two British national minors on July 2 at Accra airport," a spokeswoman said. "Next of kin have been informed and we are providing full consular assistance. We are unable to confirm any personal details due to their age." Operation Westbridge was launched in November 2006 to curb a rise in cocaine smuggling from Ghana. Britain provides technical and operational expertise to counterparts in Ghana, including training and use of scanning equipment. The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Annual Drug Report 2006 identified West Africa as a key staging post for drugs mules coming to Britain.

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Two 16-year-old British girls were arrested in Accra, Ghana earlier this month for apparently attempting to smuggle £300,000 worth of cocaine in laptop bags. Yasemin Vatansever, of Cypriot descent and Yatunde Diya of Nigerian descent were arrested as they attempted to board a British Airways flight from the Kotoka International Airport on July 2, 2007. The arrest was by the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board. They were alleged to be carrying 6.5 kg of drugs. They are currently in Ghana police custody and have been visited by British High Commission staff. The girls who are both students from Islington, north London, had left home after informing their families they were making a school trip to France. They are expected to be charged with "possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export drugs", for which they could be jailed for up to ten years if found guilty. The arrest is part of the Operation Westbridge project set up in November 2006 as a collaboration between the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Board and HM Revenue and Customs of the UK. It is to curb the influx of drugs into Europe and the UK through West Africa which is now being used as a transit point from South America. The project involves the provision of technical and operational expertise to the Ghanaian teams and training in the use of specialist scanning equipment. Ghana is the first country in Africa to introduce such equipment.

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United Nations, New York - The fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the United Nations official who investigated his killing made an impassioned plea for justice on Thursday, days before the first anniversary of his death. Hatice Cengiz, who was preparing to marry Khashoggi when he was killed in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year, complained that "no concrete action" had been taken since the incident to identify and prosecute his killers. "What is so sad for me is not seeing the punishment of the perpetrators," Cengiz told a small group of reporters through a Turkish interpreter. "Imagine that the entire world remains silent over Jamal's killing. This silence and inertia created huge disappointment on my side." At the time of his death, Khashoggi was a legal resident of the United States. UN rapporteur Agnes Callamard, who investigated the murder, urged Cengiz and others to be "patient and resilient", saying justice would only be won after a "long haul" given the current geopolitical climate. "Accountability is not delivered in 12 months, that's summary justice. True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," said Callamard. Callamard also dismissed a domestic trial of 11 suspects in Saudi Arabia as a sham, adding that "political, economic and symbolic pathways" should be pursued to isolate Riyadh diplomatically. The UN rapporteur urged the CIA to declassify its files on the killing, and for the FBI to open a criminal investigation. Meanwhile, she urged the G20 group of rich countries to move their November 2020 meeting, which is set to be in Riyadh. Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of Khashoggi, has expressed her frustration over the slow progress of the investigation on the killing in Istanbul in 2018 [File: Yves Herman/Reuters] Bin Salman's role in the killing Callamard added that if passed, the Saudi Arabia Human Rights and Accountability Act, currently being discussed in the US Congress, could also help identify Khashoggi's killers and make it hard for them to obtain US visas. Cengiz and Callamard spoke on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, hours after revelations in a new documentary that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, had accepted some degree of responsibility for the killing. In a trailer to a PBS documentary set to air next week, MBS said: "I get all the responsibility because it happened under my watch". However, Prince Mohammed did not admit to ordering the murder, saying he could not possibly monitor all "three million government employees" in the kingdom. Khashoggi, a US-based Washington Post columnist, visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get the papers he needed to marry Cengiz. He was allegedly killed while inside the consulate, and his body reportedly dismembered and removed from the building. His remains have not been found. The CIA assessed that MBS had ordered the killing. In June, Callamard issued a report that detailed a "deliberate, premeditated execution", and called for MBS and other top Saudi officials to be investigated. The killing sparked a global uproar, further tarnishing the young crown prince's image and undermining ambitious plans to improve the country's abysmal human rights record and diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons. Officials in Riyadh, who initially said Khashoggi had left the consulate unharmed, now say the journalist was killed in a rogue operation that did not involve the prince. In an upcoming document, Saudi Arabia's crown prince said he bears some responsibility for the death of Khashoggi, but did not admit to ordering the killing [File: Kazuhiro Nobig/Getty Images] Answering a question from Al Jazeera, Callamard said MBS's comment in the new documentary was "interesting" but that she "cannot take it at face value". "It does not point to any personal sense of responsibility. He has not apologised to Hatice yet, or the family members," said Callamard. Cengiz said the prince's comments displayed a "pure political manoeuvre". "By saying that everything happened under his watch, he's sending the world a message that he's more influential than the king of Saudi Arabia, and is the real head of the country," said Cengiz. "He's also distancing himself from the killing of Jamal, saying it happened under his watch but that he was not involved in the crime."

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On Thursday, Hatice Cengiz, fiancée of journalist , addressed reporters in New York, New York, calling for the killers of Khashoggi to be brought to justice. Cengiz traveled to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly which took place this week. Khashoggi was murdered last October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Hatice Cengiz is a Turkish national now living in London. The previous day, television broadcaster revealed that in December, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia accepted responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi but did not say he'd ordered it. Speaking to of PBS, he said, "It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch." The official position remained that operatives within the Saudi government committed the murder. According to Reuters and NBC, Mohammad bin Salman is the '''' Saudi ruler. Cengiz called Mohammad's admission a "political maneuver." She explained, "By confessing this, he's also distancing himself from the killing of Jamal ... He's saying that it happened under his watch but he means he is not involved in this crime." She credited news media with keeping the story alive. Speaking to ''NBC News'', she said, "His fellow journalists did their best that so no one could push this under the carpet ... But at the end of the day, all of these efforts did not persuade world leaders to sanction Saudi Arabia. That is so sad". "What is so sad for me", Cengiz said, "is not seeing the punishment of the perpetrators ... Imagine that the entire world remains silent over Jamal's killing. This silence and inertia created huge disappointment on my side." , a UN for the who had investigated the case, cautioned justice does not come swiftly. "True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," she said, asking Cengiz to be "patient and resilient." The CIA and other intelligence agencies reportedly believe the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's killing. Callamard encouraged the CIA to release the files from their investigation. A closed-door trial is underway in Saudi Arabia in which eleven individuals have been charged with the murder, however Callamard did not give it any credence. Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a columnist for ''The Washington Post'', and he lived in self-imposed exile in Virginia as a legal resident of the United States. He entered the consulate in Istanbul on October 2 2018, seeking documents allowing him to marry Turkish national Hatice Cengiz. He never came out. Saudi Arabia initially denied all claims that Khashoggi was slain, however, a UN report eventually concluded evidence supported his murder and dismemberment inside the consulate by Saudi agents. To date, his remains had not been recovered. == Sources == * * * * *

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Jamal Khashoggi's fiancée demands that Saudi Arabia be held accountable for his murder "It took me a long time to enter into mourning," Hatice Cengiz said. "After a long delay, I experienced this huge shock wave."

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On Thursday, Hatice Cengiz, fiancée of journalist , addressed reporters in New York, New York, calling for the killers of Khashoggi to be brought to justice. Cengiz traveled to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly which took place this week. Khashoggi was murdered last October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Hatice Cengiz is a Turkish national now living in London. The previous day, television broadcaster revealed that in December, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia accepted responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi but did not say he'd ordered it. Speaking to of PBS, he said, "It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch." The official position remained that operatives within the Saudi government committed the murder. According to Reuters and NBC, Mohammad bin Salman is the '''' Saudi ruler. Cengiz called Mohammad's admission a "political maneuver." She explained, "By confessing this, he's also distancing himself from the killing of Jamal ... He's saying that it happened under his watch but he means he is not involved in this crime." She credited news media with keeping the story alive. Speaking to ''NBC News'', she said, "His fellow journalists did their best that so no one could push this under the carpet ... But at the end of the day, all of these efforts did not persuade world leaders to sanction Saudi Arabia. That is so sad". "What is so sad for me", Cengiz said, "is not seeing the punishment of the perpetrators ... Imagine that the entire world remains silent over Jamal's killing. This silence and inertia created huge disappointment on my side." , a UN for the who had investigated the case, cautioned justice does not come swiftly. "True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," she said, asking Cengiz to be "patient and resilient." The CIA and other intelligence agencies reportedly believe the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's killing. Callamard encouraged the CIA to release the files from their investigation. A closed-door trial is underway in Saudi Arabia in which eleven individuals have been charged with the murder, however Callamard did not give it any credence. Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a columnist for ''The Washington Post'', and he lived in self-imposed exile in Virginia as a legal resident of the United States. He entered the consulate in Istanbul on October 2 2018, seeking documents allowing him to marry Turkish national Hatice Cengiz. He never came out. Saudi Arabia initially denied all claims that Khashoggi was slain, however, a UN report eventually concluded evidence supported his murder and dismemberment inside the consulate by Saudi agents. To date, his remains had not been recovered. == Sources == * * * * *

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RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said he bears responsibility for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year by Saudi operatives “because it happened under my watch,” according to a PBS documentary to be broadcast next week. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, September 18, 2019. Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, has not spoken publicly about the killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The CIA and some Western governments have said he ordered it, but Saudi officials say he had no role. The death sparked a global uproar, tarnishing the crown prince’s image and imperiling ambitious plans to diversify the economy of the world’s top oil exporter and open up cloistered Saudi society. He has not since visited the United States or Europe. “It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch,” he told PBS’ Martin Smith, according to a preview of a documentary, “The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,” set to air on Oct. 1, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Khashoggi’s death. After initial denials, the official Saudi narrative blamed the murder on rogue operatives. The public prosecutor said the then-deputy intelligence chief ordered the repatriation of Khashoggi, a royal insider who became an outspoken critic, but the lead negotiator ordered him killed after discussions for his return failed. Saud al-Qahtani, a former top royal adviser whom Reuters reported gave orders over Skype to the killers, briefed the hit team on Khashoggi’s activities before the operation, the prosecutor said. Asked how the killing could happen without him knowing about it, Smith quotes Prince Mohammed as saying: “We have 20 million people. We have 3 million government employees.” Smith asked whether the killers could have taken private government jets, to which the crown prince responded: “I have officials, ministers to follow things, and they’re responsible. They have the authority to do that.” Smith describes the December exchange, which apparently took place off camera, in the preview of the documentary. A senior U.S. administration official told Reuters in June the Trump administration was pressing Riyadh for “tangible progress” toward holding to account those behind the killing ahead. Eleven Saudi suspects have been put on trial in secretive proceedings but only a few hearings have been held. A U.N. report has called for Prince Mohammed and other senior Saudi officials to be investigated. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, where he was to receive papers ahead of his wedding. His body was reportedly dismembered and removed from the building, and his remains have not been found.

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On Thursday, Hatice Cengiz, fiancée of journalist , addressed reporters in New York, New York, calling for the killers of Khashoggi to be brought to justice. Cengiz traveled to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly which took place this week. Khashoggi was murdered last October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Hatice Cengiz is a Turkish national now living in London. The previous day, television broadcaster revealed that in December, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia accepted responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi but did not say he'd ordered it. Speaking to of PBS, he said, "It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch." The official position remained that operatives within the Saudi government committed the murder. According to Reuters and NBC, Mohammad bin Salman is the '''' Saudi ruler. Cengiz called Mohammad's admission a "political maneuver." She explained, "By confessing this, he's also distancing himself from the killing of Jamal ... He's saying that it happened under his watch but he means he is not involved in this crime." She credited news media with keeping the story alive. Speaking to ''NBC News'', she said, "His fellow journalists did their best that so no one could push this under the carpet ... But at the end of the day, all of these efforts did not persuade world leaders to sanction Saudi Arabia. That is so sad". "What is so sad for me", Cengiz said, "is not seeing the punishment of the perpetrators ... Imagine that the entire world remains silent over Jamal's killing. This silence and inertia created huge disappointment on my side." , a UN for the who had investigated the case, cautioned justice does not come swiftly. "True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," she said, asking Cengiz to be "patient and resilient." The CIA and other intelligence agencies reportedly believe the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's killing. Callamard encouraged the CIA to release the files from their investigation. A closed-door trial is underway in Saudi Arabia in which eleven individuals have been charged with the murder, however Callamard did not give it any credence. Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a columnist for ''The Washington Post'', and he lived in self-imposed exile in Virginia as a legal resident of the United States. He entered the consulate in Istanbul on October 2 2018, seeking documents allowing him to marry Turkish national Hatice Cengiz. He never came out. Saudi Arabia initially denied all claims that Khashoggi was slain, however, a UN report eventually concluded evidence supported his murder and dismemberment inside the consulate by Saudi agents. To date, his remains had not been recovered. == Sources == * * * * *

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Nearly one year ago, the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul shocked the world. Ever since, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been silent about his involvement in the operation, which the CIA concluded he ordered but the Saudis deny. Now, in a newly published conversation with FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith, the Saudi leader speaks out for the first time about his role in Khashoggi’s murder — telling Smith that the killing happened on his watch. “It happened under my watch,” the Saudi leader told Smith. “I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch.” But he insists that it was without his knowledge. The exchange is recounted in The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, FRONTLINE’s upcoming season premiere, which examines the Saudi leader’s rise, his rule, and his ties to the events surrounding Khashoggi’s murder. Weeks after Khashoggi’s death in October 2018, Prince Mohammed called the killing “heinous” and promised that it would be investigated. All the while, his government maintained that the leader had no knowledge of the “rogue operation.” Two months later, in December 2018, Smith tracked down the crown prince at an electric car race outside Riyadh. Smith pressed Prince Mohammed on how the murder could have happened without him knowing about it. “We have 20 million people. We have 3 million government employees,” Prince Mohammed responded. “And they can take one of your planes?” Smith asked, referring to the 15-person team said to have been behind Khashoggi’s death and dismemberment that flew in and out of Istanbul on jets owned by the Saudi government. “I have officials, ministers to follow things, and they’re responsible, they have the authority to do that,” Prince Mohammed said. The Saudi royal’s comments to Smith, who has been covering the Middle East for FRONTLINE for nearly two decades, are just one facet of new reporting featured in The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The documentary, which airs on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Khashoggi’s death, also includes never-before-seen FRONTLINE interview footage with Khashoggi that sheds new light on his transformation from a supporter of MBS to his critic. “I don’t want to be a dissident, but in the same time, I don’t want to go back home and be silent again,” the columnist told Smith months before his death. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia premieres Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST. Tune in or stream on PBS (check local listings), at PBS.org/frontline and on the PBS Video App.

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On Thursday, Hatice Cengiz, fiancée of journalist , addressed reporters in New York, New York, calling for the killers of Khashoggi to be brought to justice. Cengiz traveled to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly which took place this week. Khashoggi was murdered last October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Hatice Cengiz is a Turkish national now living in London. The previous day, television broadcaster revealed that in December, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia accepted responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi but did not say he'd ordered it. Speaking to of PBS, he said, "It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch." The official position remained that operatives within the Saudi government committed the murder. According to Reuters and NBC, Mohammad bin Salman is the '''' Saudi ruler. Cengiz called Mohammad's admission a "political maneuver." She explained, "By confessing this, he's also distancing himself from the killing of Jamal ... He's saying that it happened under his watch but he means he is not involved in this crime." She credited news media with keeping the story alive. Speaking to ''NBC News'', she said, "His fellow journalists did their best that so no one could push this under the carpet ... But at the end of the day, all of these efforts did not persuade world leaders to sanction Saudi Arabia. That is so sad". "What is so sad for me", Cengiz said, "is not seeing the punishment of the perpetrators ... Imagine that the entire world remains silent over Jamal's killing. This silence and inertia created huge disappointment on my side." , a UN for the who had investigated the case, cautioned justice does not come swiftly. "True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," she said, asking Cengiz to be "patient and resilient." The CIA and other intelligence agencies reportedly believe the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's killing. Callamard encouraged the CIA to release the files from their investigation. A closed-door trial is underway in Saudi Arabia in which eleven individuals have been charged with the murder, however Callamard did not give it any credence. Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a columnist for ''The Washington Post'', and he lived in self-imposed exile in Virginia as a legal resident of the United States. He entered the consulate in Istanbul on October 2 2018, seeking documents allowing him to marry Turkish national Hatice Cengiz. He never came out. Saudi Arabia initially denied all claims that Khashoggi was slain, however, a UN report eventually concluded evidence supported his murder and dismemberment inside the consulate by Saudi agents. To date, his remains had not been recovered. == Sources == * * * * *

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EPISODE 7. On a roulé avec un cycliste et un automobiliste dans Paris déconfiné Pour le retour de Biclou, la série vidéo du « Parisien », dédiée au vélo et dont la diffusion a été interrompue durant le confinement, nous vous proposons un numéro spécial sur la place que prend progressivement le vélo… sur celle de la voiture.

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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Scientologie - Une Française séquestrée en Sardaigne Crédit Photo : TF1-LCI Martine Boublil a été détenue plusieurs semaines dans une pièce remplie d'immondices. Elle pourrait être rapatriée en France dès la semaine prochaine. Elle avait été retrouvée demi-nue et dormant sur un matelas infesté de vermine, selon la police locale. - le 01/03/2008 - 16h19 Elle a été détenue dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables dans une maison de Sardaigne par des membres de l'église de Scientologie. Une Française de 48 ans, libérée fin janvier par la police italienne, va "être rapidement rapatriée en France", ont indiqué samedi des sources diplomatiques françaises à Rome. "Le Consulat de France à Rome suit cette affaire depuis le début en collaboration étroite avec les autorités italiennes et Martine Boublil sera rapidement rapatriée en France", ont affirmé ces sources. La police de Nuoro (centre-est de la Sardaigne), qui l'avait libéré, a précisé que Martine Boublil "était toujours hospitalisée mais qu'elle pourrait quitter la Sardaigne la semaine prochaine". La préfecture de Nuoro avait été alertée par un coup de téléphone faisant état d'appels à l'aide provenant d'une maison de campagne située sur le mont Ortobene, près de Nuoro. Quatre Français arrêtés puis libérés Les policiers avaient découvert le 21 janvier Martine Boublil, soeur de Claude Boublil, un important membre de l'église de Scientologie en France, enfermée dans une pièce remplie d'immondices. D'abord présentée comme d'origine tunisienne, elle avait été retrouvée demi-nue et dormant sur un matelas infesté de vermine, selon la police locale. Quatre Français, une femme et trois hommes, présentés comme des membres de la Scientologie et soupçonnés d'avoir retenu Martine Boublil contre son gré, avaient alors été arrêtés, avait indiqué à l'époque un porte-parole de la préfecture de police locale. Ces quatre personnes ont été libérées il y a dix jours et sont depuis rentrées en France, a-t-on précisé samedi de même source. (D'après agence) Vos réactions sur le sujet (susceptibles d'être publiées) > Réagir à cet article LIENS PUBLICITAIRES

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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ImprimerEnvoyer Secourue par la police italienne, Martine Boublil, une Française de 48 ans, a été séquestrée durant plusieurs semaines par des scientologues dans une maison isolée, en Sardaigne. Une affaire qui risque de relancer la polémique sur l'Eglise de scientologie Pour la Scientologie, l'affaire tombe au plus mal. Alors que la problématique sectaire revient au premier plan du débat public en France, et tandis que le ministère de l'Intérieur vient de rappeler aux préfets la plus grande vigilance à l'encontre de toute dérive, un drame vient remettre en cause les pratiques controversées de la Scientologie. Martine Boublil, 48 ans, ancienne scientologue et soeur de l'un des plus hauts gradés de la Scientologie en France, Claude Boublil, a été retrouvée fin janvier, en Sardaigne, après un mois et demi de séquestration dans des conditions sanitaires abominables. Cet enfermement de force, visiblement organisé par son frère, avait, d'après ses déclarations, commencé quatre mois plus tôt, sur le sol français. Hospitalisée depuis sa libération, elle doit être rapatriée en France mardi. Jean-Pierre Brard, député-maire PC et membre de la commission parlementaire de lutte contre les sectes, a alerté par courrier le ministère des Affaires étrangères il y a dix jours, lui demandant une « protection renforcée » de cette femme. La chancellerie et le ministère de l'Intérieur déclarent être « très attentifs » à l'affaire. Pour l'instant, c'est la justice italienne qui mène l'enquête. Elle a rendu leur liberté aux quatre scientologues après les avoir assignés à résidence sur le sol sarde pendant quelques jours. Si elle dépasse sa peur et d'éventuelles pressions, Martine Boublil peut porter plainte dès son retour en France. Si ce n'est pas le cas, la balle resterait dans le camp italien : sans une demande officielle de coopération franco-italienne, les autorités françaises avouent leur impuissance. Ce serait donner raison à la porte-parole de la Scientologie, Danièle Gounord, qui nous affirmait qu'« aucune procédure pénale n'était en cours en France » contre son organisation. Contactée hier, celle-ci nie toute implication de la Scientologie dans cette histoire et rétorque qu'il s'agit d'un « drame familial ». Pour Roger Gonnet, un ancien scientologue aujourd'hui chef de file de la lutte contre la Scientologie , ces méthodes sont au contraire « coutumières » de cette organisation. Il a rencontré hier, à l'Elysée, Emmanuelle Mignon, la directrice de cabinet de Nicolas Sarkozy, pour s'entretenir de ces questions. NUORO (SARDAIGNE), MERCREDI. Martine Boublil a été séquestrée durant un mois et demi au premier étage de cette maison. Elle a pu en sortir grâce à l'intervention de la police locale, prévenue par les voisins. (LP/AURELIE AUDUREAU.) Retour haut de page ImprimerEnvoyer

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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L’Église de scientologie affirme qu’elle n’a rien à voir dans la récente séquestration, en Italie, de la sœur d’un scientologue français de haut niveau. Mais cette détention correspond, point pour point, à un « traitement » de choc prévu par la sciento. « Bakchich » révèle le détail de ces pratiques. Un simple « drame familial » dans laquelle l’Église de scientologie n’aurait rien à voir. A en croire la porte parole de la secte, Danièle Gounord, c’est ainsi qu’il faudrait apprécier la séquestration pendant plusieurs semaines, en Sardaigne, de Martine Boublil, par trois scientologues, dont son propre frère Claude Boublil, aidés d’une quatrième comparse. Hélas pour elle, cette explication peut être battue en brèche. Bakchich est en mesure de le révéler, le calvaire enduré par la victime ressemble furieusement à un programme de "soins" très particulier que la secte réserve à certains de ses adeptes. Baptisé "Isolation Watch" - isolement et observation - ce programme est longuement commenté dans une thèse de doctorat en droit rédigée par un ancien fonctionnaire des renseignements généraux, spécialisé dans la lutte antisectes, Arnaud Palisson. Ce vilain juriste dresse une impressionnante liste de chefs d’accusation qui pourraient être retenus contre ceux qui utiliseraient une telle méthode : arrestation arbitraire, séquestration arbitraire… Tiens, on croyait pourtant que les techniques scientologues ne tendaient qu’au bonheur de l’humanité. Bien que remarqué par la faculté (mention très honorable avec félicitations du jury), ce travail a valu au policier d’être muté dans un autre service à la suite d’une protestation de l’Eglise de scientologie. Voilà ce que c’est que de ne pas comprendre que les disciples de Ron Hubbard, le fondateur de la secte, ne songent qu’à aider leur prochain. C’est un détail dans l’entretien que Martine Boublil a accordé à nos confrères du Parisien, samedi dernier, qui a mis Bakchich sur la voie du programme "Isolation Watch" La rescapée souligne l’étrange comportement de ses gardiens : « Ils ne m’adressaient pas un mot. Pour dire oui, ils clignaient des yeux, pour non, les laissaient ouverts. » Attitude qui n’a aucun sens. Sauf en scientologie. Ce mutisme est en effet au cœur du programme « Isolation Watch qu’un « bulletin technique » de la secte, autrement dit une circulaire interne, en date du 23 janvier 1974, détaille en ces termes : « En présence d’une personne en crise psychotique, isolez totalement cette personne, tous ses congénères étant à son égard complètement muselés (interdiction de lui parler) » Claude Boublil, un médecin pionnier de la scientologie en France Crise psychotique ! Justement, Martine Boublil confie au Parisien qu’elle a été internée en juin 2007 à la suite d’une dépression sévère. Son frère, Claude Boublil, médecin à la retraite, lui aurait cependant fait quitter l’hôpital pour la conduire en Sardaigne après une escale en Normandie puis le départemet de la Sarthe. Ce praticien n’est pas n’importe qui dans le petit monde de la scientologie. Claude Boublil est un des pionniers de la secte en France. Il en a d’ailleurs gravi tous les échelons puisqu’il est OT8, le plus haut degré délivré par la secte. Seuls une dizaine de Français ont atteint ce niveau. Accessoirement, Claude Boublil est également l’un des vingt scientologues poursuivis dans le cadre d’une instruction ouverte en 1983 à Paris pour escroquerie, extorsion de fonds et exercice illégal de la médecine. En octobre dernier, le juge en charge du dossier a rendu une ordonnance de non-lieu. Celle-ci fait aujourd’hui l’objet d’un appel des parties civiles devant la chambre de l’instruction. Pourquoi Claude, médecin, aurait-il soustrait sa sœur Martine aux soins dispensés par l’hôpital ? La doctrine de la secte permet, là encore, d’envisager une explication. Les scientologues tiennent les psychiatres pour les pires ennemis de l’humanité. Ils sont convaincus que les techniques de Ron Hubbard sont les seules à pouvoir soulager et guérir les patients souffrant de troubles psychiques. Les quatre personnes arrêtées en Sardaigne ont d’ailleurs déclaré aux policiers qu’elles avaient retenu Martine Boublil pour son bien. Bref, le bon docteur aura voulu, tout simplement, faire profiter sa chère soeur des pouvoirs thérapeutiques que l’enseignement de Ron Hubbard est censé procurer aux plus chevronnés de ses disciples. Une histoire d’amour, on vous dit. Le programme de la scientologie : « Personne ne doit parler à la personne » Mais de l’amour vache quand même. Car le programme « Isolation Watch » est des plus gratinés. La phase de rétention et de mutisme total prépare un endoctrinement progressif comme le précise une seconde circulaire de Ron Hubbard : « Durant son isolement, on administre à la personne un parfait programme d’introspection, échelonné en sessions de courtes durée, pour lui faire graduellement reprendre confiance. Entre les sessions, la règle du musellement est de rigueur. Personne ne doit parler à la personne ni à sa proximité »(1) Rassurons-nous, Ron Hubbard reste un grand humaniste. La circulaire prévoit que "Vient un moment ou le C/S – le « superviseur de cas », autrement dit le chef de l’opération – doit décider de relâcher la personne placée en isolement. » On respire. Mais, en scientologie, on ne s’en va pas comme ça. « Le C/S doit déterminer le niveau de responsabilité de la personne. Exemple : « Cher Joe, que peux-tu me garantir si on te laisse sortir d’isolation ? » Et il vaut mieux ne pas se tromper dans la réponse. Car « Si la réponse de la personne montre une irresponsabilité continue (…) le C/S doit informer la personne de son maintien en isolement et de la raison de ce maintien. »(1) Des fois que l’adepte penserait qu’on lui en veut… Et Ron Hubbard qui, décidément, a pensé à tout, détaille la marche à suivre : « Exemple : « Cher Joe, je suis désolé, mais il n’est pas encore question pour toi de sortir d’isolement. Tes actions ont menacé indirectement des centaines de personnes et directement six familles dont les maisons ont été incendiées. Tu n’as pas conscience des effets que tes actes peuvent avoir et tu ne te sens toujours concerné que par ton propre intérêt. Tu dois quelque peu haïr la race humaine ». (1) Qui a dit que les scientologues n’avaient pas le sens de la mesure ? Un député UMP a proposé la création d’une commission d’enquête Le député UMP Georges Fenech, a proposé samedi, la création d’une commission d’enquête parlementaire sur la scientologie. Martine Boublil, elle, a annoncé qu’elle entendait porter plainte contre ses ravisseurs dès qu’elle sera de retour à Paris. En France, l’enlèvement et la séquestration sont punis de 20 ans de réclusion criminelle. La justice pourrait être tentée de faire découvrir à certains scientologues les joies du silence et de l’enfermement. Ca ne peut pas faire de mal, d’après ce bon vieux Ron !

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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Scientologie: Un député veut une enquête Georges Fenech, député UMP du Rhône, a annoncé samedi dans un communiqué, son intention de demander une commission d'enquête parlementaire sur la Scientologie. Cette annonce interbvient après le témoignage d'une ancienne membre de l'organisation dans Le Parisien. Cette Française affirmait avoir été séquestrée pendant plusieurs semaines. Dans un communiqué, le vice-président du groupe parlementaire d'étude sur les sectes et membre du conseil dorientation de la Miviludes indique qu'il "déposera sur le bureau de l'Assemblée nationale une proposition de résolution tendant à la création d'une commission d'enquête parlementaire pour déterminer la nature réelle des activités de ce mouvement, son mode de fonctionnement, les sources de financement et d'une manière plus générale si l'organisation respecte les lois de la République Française".

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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L'église de Scientologie a été fondée en 1954 par Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), un auteur de science-fiction. Elle revendique des millions de membres dans 159 pays, dont des milliers en France où elle possède plusieurs structures régionales, en Anjou, en Auverge et et Ile-de-France notamment. Aux Etats-Unis, la Scientologie est considérée comme un religion. En France, elle a été classée dans la liste des mouvements sectaires établie par une commission parlementaire en 1995. Elle fonde son action sur la "dianétique", présentée comme une "science de la santé mentale" qui permettrait, selon son théoricien, d'accéder au bonheur en se purifiant des éléments mentaux négatifs. En France, les autorités reprochent à l'église de Scientologie des pratiques de "déstabilisation mentale". En 1995, sa première version avait été liquidée pour n'avoir pas payé ses impôts au fisc, qui lui refusait le statut d'Eglise. Elle règne sur un ensemble d'associations chargées de défendre les droits de l'Homme, les victimes de catastrophes, de réinsérer des toxicomanes, de lutter contre l'exclusion ou de dispenser des cours de soutien scolaire. Ses détracteurs l'accusent de se servir de ces activités pour attirer de nouveaux membres. La formation des membres leur coûte très cher et conduit certains à s'endetter. La justice française a eu plusieurs fois à examiner des affaires liées à ces sommes importantes versées par les adeptes, comme l'affaire, à Lyon, d'un adepte qui s'était suicidé après s'être lourdement endetté. En 1999, cinq scientologues ont été condamnés à Marseille pour escroquerie et en 2002, l'association scientologue d'Ile-de-France a été condamnée, avec son président, pour le fichage illicite d'anciens membres. En octobre 2007, une vingtaine de membres poursuivis à Paris pour "escroquerie et exercice illégal de la médecine" ont obtenu un non-lieu, au terme de vingt-cinq années de procédure.

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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Le député du Rhône Georges Fenech (UMP) a annoncé samedi 1er mars son intention de déposer une demande de commission d'enquête parlementaire sur la Scientologie après qu'une Française, ex-membre de l'organisation, ait raconté dans "Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui en France" avoir été séquestrée plusieurs semaines par des scientologues.Dans un communiqué, le vice-président du groupe parlementaire d'étude sur les sectes et membre du conseil d'orientation de la MIVILUDES indique qu'il "déposera sur le bureau de l' Assemblée Nationale une proposition de résolution tendant à la création d'une commission d'enquête parlementaire pour déterminer la nature réelle des activités de ce mouvement, son mode de fonctionnement, les sources de financement et d'une manière plus générale si l'organisation respecte les lois de la République Française"."La récente affaire mettant une nouvelle fois en cause l'église de Scientologie dont une victime française, Martine Boublil, vient de dénoncer les faits gravement attentatoires à sa liberté et à son intégrité physique, vient rappeler les dangers réels de cette organisation", ajoute-t-il.Dans une interview parue samedi, Martine Boublil, 48 ans, raconte comment elle a été retenue enfermée, notamment par l'un de ses frères, l'un des plus hauts gradés de la Scientologie en France, "en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, puis dans la Sarthe et enfin en Sardaigne", entre le mois d'août 2007 et la mi-janvier. Elle explique y avoir vécu "l'enfer", cloîtrée dans une chambre, dormant "sur une chaise" sans pouvoir se laver, tandis que les personnes chargées de la surveiller refusaient de lui parler.L'initiative de Georges Fenech suit de quelques jours la polémique déclenchée par les propos de la directrice de cabinet de Nicolas Sarkozy , Emmanuelle Mignon, qui avait affirmé qu'"en France, les sectes sont un non-problème" et qu'on pouvait "s'interroger" sur la Scientologie. "Ou bien c'est une dangereuse organisation et on l'interdit, ou alors ils ne représentent pas de menace particulière pour l'ordre public et ils ont le droit d'exister en paix", avait-elle déclaré dans une interview à l'hebdomadaire "VSD". Emmanuelle Mignon avait ensuite démenti avoir tenu ces propos. (avec AP)

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Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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«J'ai vécu l'enfer ...» Le Parisien - 1 mars 2008 [Texte intégral] MARTINE BOUBLIL, 48 ans, ex-membre de la Scientologie, photos Aurélie Audureau En état de choc après sa libération, Martine Boublil se reconstruit peu à peu. Aujourd'hui, elle attend avec impatience son retour en France, malgré sa peur d'y redevenir la proie de ses geôliers. Êtes-vous membre de l'Eglise de scientologie ? Martine Boublil. Plus depuis longtemps. J'y suis rentrée en 1978, j'avais 18 ans. J'ai toujours beaucoup aimé Claude, l'aîné de mes deux frères. Il a eu beaucoup d'influence sur moi. C'est lui qui m'a incitée à suivre un soi-disant «cours de communication». En fait c'était la scientologie. Sans tout comprendre, j'ai découvert une théorie qui me passionnait à l'époque. Puis je suis devenue superviseur de cours. J'ai appris à me servir de l'élec- tromètre (NDLR : un instrument électronique permettant de «selon les scientologuesde mesure l'état mental des individus ...» ), j'ai grimpé les échelons. Au bout de huit ans, je m'en suis éloignée. Pour quelles raisons ? Je me suis rendu assez vite compte que, derrière la théorie, les gens qui disent la servir ne sont pas honnêtes. Les dirigeants, je les connais bien, ne veulent au fond qu'une chose : l'argent et la puissance. Ils manipulent. Je l'ai dit tout haut, ça a gêné, je me suis plus ou moins fait virer. Mais par la suite, mon frère est devenu l'un des plus importants d'entre eux. Qu'avez-vous fait par la suite ? J'ai vécu en donnant des cours de soutien scolaire tout en gardant des liens avec des amis scientologues. Il y a quelques années, j'ai fait une grave dépression. Claude m'a reprise sous sa coupe. J'ai été hospitalisée une première fois, contre son avis, pendant cinq jours. Il m'en a fait sortir: les scientologues combattent la psychia- trie avec une vigueur absolue. Lorsque ma mère est morte, en juin 2007, mon second frère, Gilbert, qui est médecin lui aussi mais n'est pas scientologue, m'a à nouveau fait interner. En août, Claude, qui cette fois m'a enlevée de l'hôpital, m'a emmenée de force en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue. Puis dans la Sarthe, et enfin en Sardaigne. C'est à Nuoro, à partir de décembre, que mes conditions de vie ont été les pires. «Au début, je dormais assise sur une caisse» Qu'y avez-vous vécu ? L'enfer... (long silence) C'était bien organisé. Les deux jeunes me surveillaient (NDLR : Julien Q. et Rachid K.), parce que je ne devais pas sortir de ma chambre, au premier étage. Enfin, c'était une pièce dégoûtante, avec seulement un matelas par terre. Au début, je dormais assise sur une caisse. Les autres dormaient en bas, dans le salon. La femme (NDLR : Marie D.) s'occupait de l'intendance. Ils ne m'adressaient pas un mot. Pour dire oui, ils clignaient des yeux, pour non, les laissaient ouverts. Ils m'apportaient de la nourriture, essen- tiellement des «cordons bleus», matin, midi, soir, et des fruits. Pour faire mes besoins, j'avais une bassine. Pour vêtement, un tee-shirt. Je n'ai pas pu me laver non plus. Si je voulais sortir de ma chambre, on m'y repoussait violemment. Comment avez-vous fait pour vous sortir de cette situation ? La maison où j'étais détenue était mitoyenne d'une autre. Mi-janvier, avec un tube de rouge à lèvres qu'on m'avait laissé, j'ai écrit «SOS !» , «Aiuto !» (au secours en italien) sur une boîte vide, sur un vieux bout de journal. J'ai lancé mes messages dans le jardin des voisins, qui ne venaient dans cette maison que le week-end. C'est eux qui ont prévenu la police. Vos geôliers présumés avancent, pour justifier votre séquestration, qu'ils voulaient « vous aider » . Qu'en pensez-vous ? C'est faux! C'est pour mon bien qu'on m'a séquestrée ? Maltraitée au point de n'en plus pouvoir marcher ? Ces gens sont des menteurs, des escrocs. Dès que je rentre à Paris, et que je suis en sécurité, je porte plainte. Je veux que les gens qui m'ont fait du mal soient jugés. Propos recueillis par Anne-Cécile Juillet , pour Le Parisien DANIÈLE GOUNORD, porte-parole de l'Eglise de scientologie C'EST PEU DE DIRE que l'Eglise de scientologie, pourtant d'ordinaire si prompte à communiquer, se montre peu diserte sur cette affaire. Rencontré brièvement hier à son domicile parisien, Claude Boublil, frère aîné de Martine Boublil, n'a pas souhaité s'étendre sur le sujet. Affable, mais néanmoins pressé de mettre un terme à la conver- sation, le scientologue s'est borné à déclarer qu'il n'avait «rien à dire». La porte-parole de l'Eglise de scientologie en France, Danièle Gounord semble quelque peu embarrassée. «Il s'agit d'un drame familial. Cela concerne des individus d'une même famille, c'est un drame familial. Qu'est-ce que l'Eglise de scientologie à avoir avec cela ?» Nous avons pourtant eu accès à des documents attestant l'appartenance des quatre hommes au mouvement. Danièle Gounord admet du bout des lèvres «connaître un peu» l'un des frères. Claude Boublil, 65 ans, est effectivement l'un des pontes du mouvement à Paris. Danièle Gounord n'accorde par ailleurs aucun crédit au témoignage de la victime, «la soeur est démente. Elle perd la boule, m'a-t-on dit, non ? Cette femme est hospitalisée. Et puis vous savez, elle a dit tellement de choses». Et de conclure : «Pour le moment nous n'avons rien à dire. C'est un drame familial. Les deux frères ont essayé de faire au mieux. Ils ont tout fait pour que leur soeur se retrouve dans un environnement calme.» Remarque du Centre info-sectes Une condamnation en France de la scientologie peut mener à son interdiction. Souhaitons à cette victime un entourage qui puisse la protéger des pressions que la secte n'hésitera sans doute pas à exercer sur sa personne ou sur ses proches.

fr

Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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«J'ai vécu l'enfer ...» Le Parisien - 1 mars 2008 [Texte intégral] MARTINE BOUBLIL, 48 ans, ex-membre de la Scientologie, photos Aurélie Audureau En état de choc après sa libération, Martine Boublil se reconstruit peu à peu. Aujourd'hui, elle attend avec impatience son retour en France, malgré sa peur d'y redevenir la proie de ses geôliers. Êtes-vous membre de l'Eglise de scientologie ? Martine Boublil. Plus depuis longtemps. J'y suis rentrée en 1978, j'avais 18 ans. J'ai toujours beaucoup aimé Claude, l'aîné de mes deux frères. Il a eu beaucoup d'influence sur moi. C'est lui qui m'a incitée à suivre un soi-disant «cours de communication». En fait c'était la scientologie. Sans tout comprendre, j'ai découvert une théorie qui me passionnait à l'époque. Puis je suis devenue superviseur de cours. J'ai appris à me servir de l'élec- tromètre (NDLR : un instrument électronique permettant de «selon les scientologuesde mesure l'état mental des individus ...» ), j'ai grimpé les échelons. Au bout de huit ans, je m'en suis éloignée. Pour quelles raisons ? Je me suis rendu assez vite compte que, derrière la théorie, les gens qui disent la servir ne sont pas honnêtes. Les dirigeants, je les connais bien, ne veulent au fond qu'une chose : l'argent et la puissance. Ils manipulent. Je l'ai dit tout haut, ça a gêné, je me suis plus ou moins fait virer. Mais par la suite, mon frère est devenu l'un des plus importants d'entre eux. Qu'avez-vous fait par la suite ? J'ai vécu en donnant des cours de soutien scolaire tout en gardant des liens avec des amis scientologues. Il y a quelques années, j'ai fait une grave dépression. Claude m'a reprise sous sa coupe. J'ai été hospitalisée une première fois, contre son avis, pendant cinq jours. Il m'en a fait sortir: les scientologues combattent la psychia- trie avec une vigueur absolue. Lorsque ma mère est morte, en juin 2007, mon second frère, Gilbert, qui est médecin lui aussi mais n'est pas scientologue, m'a à nouveau fait interner. En août, Claude, qui cette fois m'a enlevée de l'hôpital, m'a emmenée de force en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue. Puis dans la Sarthe, et enfin en Sardaigne. C'est à Nuoro, à partir de décembre, que mes conditions de vie ont été les pires. «Au début, je dormais assise sur une caisse» Qu'y avez-vous vécu ? L'enfer... (long silence) C'était bien organisé. Les deux jeunes me surveillaient (NDLR : Julien Q. et Rachid K.), parce que je ne devais pas sortir de ma chambre, au premier étage. Enfin, c'était une pièce dégoûtante, avec seulement un matelas par terre. Au début, je dormais assise sur une caisse. Les autres dormaient en bas, dans le salon. La femme (NDLR : Marie D.) s'occupait de l'intendance. Ils ne m'adressaient pas un mot. Pour dire oui, ils clignaient des yeux, pour non, les laissaient ouverts. Ils m'apportaient de la nourriture, essen- tiellement des «cordons bleus», matin, midi, soir, et des fruits. Pour faire mes besoins, j'avais une bassine. Pour vêtement, un tee-shirt. Je n'ai pas pu me laver non plus. Si je voulais sortir de ma chambre, on m'y repoussait violemment. Comment avez-vous fait pour vous sortir de cette situation ? La maison où j'étais détenue était mitoyenne d'une autre. Mi-janvier, avec un tube de rouge à lèvres qu'on m'avait laissé, j'ai écrit «SOS !» , «Aiuto !» (au secours en italien) sur une boîte vide, sur un vieux bout de journal. J'ai lancé mes messages dans le jardin des voisins, qui ne venaient dans cette maison que le week-end. C'est eux qui ont prévenu la police. Vos geôliers présumés avancent, pour justifier votre séquestration, qu'ils voulaient « vous aider » . Qu'en pensez-vous ? C'est faux! C'est pour mon bien qu'on m'a séquestrée ? Maltraitée au point de n'en plus pouvoir marcher ? Ces gens sont des menteurs, des escrocs. Dès que je rentre à Paris, et que je suis en sécurité, je porte plainte. Je veux que les gens qui m'ont fait du mal soient jugés. Propos recueillis par Anne-Cécile Juillet , pour Le Parisien DANIÈLE GOUNORD, porte-parole de l'Eglise de scientologie C'EST PEU DE DIRE que l'Eglise de scientologie, pourtant d'ordinaire si prompte à communiquer, se montre peu diserte sur cette affaire. Rencontré brièvement hier à son domicile parisien, Claude Boublil, frère aîné de Martine Boublil, n'a pas souhaité s'étendre sur le sujet. Affable, mais néanmoins pressé de mettre un terme à la conver- sation, le scientologue s'est borné à déclarer qu'il n'avait «rien à dire». La porte-parole de l'Eglise de scientologie en France, Danièle Gounord semble quelque peu embarrassée. «Il s'agit d'un drame familial. Cela concerne des individus d'une même famille, c'est un drame familial. Qu'est-ce que l'Eglise de scientologie à avoir avec cela ?» Nous avons pourtant eu accès à des documents attestant l'appartenance des quatre hommes au mouvement. Danièle Gounord admet du bout des lèvres «connaître un peu» l'un des frères. Claude Boublil, 65 ans, est effectivement l'un des pontes du mouvement à Paris. Danièle Gounord n'accorde par ailleurs aucun crédit au témoignage de la victime, «la soeur est démente. Elle perd la boule, m'a-t-on dit, non ? Cette femme est hospitalisée. Et puis vous savez, elle a dit tellement de choses». Et de conclure : «Pour le moment nous n'avons rien à dire. C'est un drame familial. Les deux frères ont essayé de faire au mieux. Ils ont tout fait pour que leur soeur se retrouve dans un environnement calme.» Remarque du Centre info-sectes Une condamnation en France de la scientologie peut mener à son interdiction. Souhaitons à cette victime un entourage qui puisse la protéger des pressions que la secte n'hésitera sans doute pas à exercer sur sa personne ou sur ses proches.

fr

Les policiers italiens ont découvert, le 21 janvier dernier, une personne séquestrée depuis plusieurs semaines dans une maison en Sardaigne. L'intéressée, Martine Boublil, y était enfermée par son frère, Claude Boublil, un membre important de la Scientologie en France. Selon la police, Boublil, ancienne adepte de la secte, était mise au secret dans des conditions d'hygiène déplorables. Selon les premiers éléments obtenus par la presse, la pièce était remplie d'immondices, le matelas où elle dormait infesté de vermine. En outre, elle ne portait pour vêtement qu'un simple tee-shirt. D'abord sequestrée en Normandie, dans une maison qui appartient à un scientologue, elle a été ensuite détenue dans la Sarthe puis, enfin, emmenée en Sardaigne où elle fut retenue contre son gré pendant un mois et demi. Selon la diplomatie française, ''''. Ce n'est qu'après avoir été alertée par des voisins, que la police a pu mettre fin au calvaire. Quatre ressortissants français, dont le frère de la victime, chargés de la surveillance de l'intéressée, présentés également comme membres de la secte, ont été appréhendés par la police locale puis relâchées par la suite.

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15 stycznia (czwartek) w Warszawie odbędzie się debata poświęcona bilansowi dwudziestolecia transformacji ustrojowej w Polsce. Zaproszenie do udziału w dyskusji przyjęli: ceniony ekonomista, dr hab. Ryszard Bugaj , Piotr Ikonowicz z Nowej Lewicy oraz publicysta i pisarz Cezary Michalski . Portal lewicowo.pl objął imprezę swoim patronatem. Debata pod hasłem „Od Okrągłego Stołu do kryzysu finansowego. Dwudziestolecie neoliberalizmu w Polsce” odbędzie się w Centrum Prasowym Foksal (ul. Foksal 3/5), w sali A. Rozpoczęcie – o godz. 17.15. Spotkanie, które prowadzić będzie zastępca redaktora naczelnego Magazynu „Obywatel”, Michał Sobczyk, stanowić będzie wstęp do szerokiej dyskusji na temat ostatnich dwóch dekad historii Polski, która podjęta zostanie na łamach „Obywatela” nr 1/2009. Wstęp na debatę - wolny. Serdecznie zapraszamy! Wszelkie dodatkowe informacje o spotkaniu uzyskać można pisząc na adres sobczyk@obywatel.org.pl lub dzwoniąc pod numer 506 707 468.

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15 stycznia w Warszawie odbędzie się debata pod hasłem "Od Okrągłego Stołu do kryzysu finansowego. Dwudziestolecie neoliberalizmu w Polsce", będące próbą dokonania bilansu polskiej transformacji ustrojowej. Uczestnikami panelu zgodzili się zostać dr hab. Ryszard Bugaj, ekonomista, Piotr Ikonowicz, działacz radykalnej lewicy, oraz Cezary Michalski, pisarz i publicysta, komentator "Dziennika". Impreza, na którą wstęp jest wolny, odbędzie się w Centrum Prasowym Foksal przy ul. Foksal 3/5, w sali A. Rozpoczęcie – o godz. 17.15.

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By Mark Orlovac Masi got Italy off to the perfect with a try after just three minutes Italy: (16) 31 Tries: Masi 2, Mauro Bergamasco Cons: Bortolussi 2 Pens: Bortolussi 4 Portugal: (5) 5 Try: Penalva Italy warmed up for their crunch group game with Scotland with another disjointed victory over a determined and well-organised Portugal in Paris. The Azzurri got off to the perfect start, with Andrea Masi scoring early, but failed to cross again in the first half despite dominating possession. Portugal battled back and David Penalva scored a deserved try on 33 minutes. Italy slowly regrouped after the break and late tries from Mauro Bergamasco and Masi sealed an unconvincing win. Pierre Berbizier's side have started the World Cup slowly, with poor displays against New Zealand and Romania, but were expected to roll over minnows Portugal - a team ranked 13 places below Italy who had shipped 164 points in their opening two games. Penalva is mobbed after finishing off a fine move on 33 minutes And the Italians must have been thinking of matching the 83-0 scoreline they recorded against Portugal last year when Masi found a penetrating line to cut through the defence after three minutes. But Portugal were not going to roll over for anyone and played with the passion and grit they showed in their honourable defeats by Scotland and New Zealand. Italy's cause was not helped by the sin-binning of skipper Marco Bortolami for punching and despite having all of the territory, they struggled to find the incision to break open Portugal. Scrum-half Alessandro Troncon, becoming the first Italian to win 100 caps, won a penalty for his side with a charge on 16 minutes and David Bortolussi collected the three points. Bortolussi added further penalties on 17 and 29 minutes but Portugal started to play some rugby of their own. Replacement centre Diogo Gama played in Penalva who finished off a fine move to send the Parc des Princes crowd into raptures. 606: DEBATE Bortolussi increased Italy's lead on the stroke of half time but his side continued their error-strewn display after the break. The full-back made the score 19-5 on 63 minutes and the game was only truly safe when Bergamasco was bundled over after a rolling maul with seven minutes to go. The win was completed in the closing moments when Masi touched down after Roland de Marigny's deft chip but Italy may rue their failure to record a bonus point. "I think we are having problems both mentally and physically. We obviously experienced difficulties and the Portuguese team did everything in their power to make it difficult for us. "It's clear that we were not in a position to find the solutions in our attacking play, and that meant we aided the Portuguese defence. "We can see that this team is not in a position to play to its strengths and this is something we have to address." "This is the first time this team has played in front of 45,000 people and they are taking great steps forward. "We are learning all the time and now we have to make fewer mistakes against Romania. If we play against them like we have in the last three games, we are capable of winning." Italy: David Bortolussi; Pablo Canavosio, Gonzalo Canale, Andrea Masi, Matteo Pratichetti; Roland De Marigny, Alessandro Troncon; Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Marco Bortolami (capt), Sergio Parisse, Mauro Bergamasco, Manoa Vosawai. Replacements: Fabio Ongaro, Matias Aguero, Salvatore Perugini, Valerio Bernabo, Silvio Orlando, Paul Griffen, Ezio Galon. Portugal: Pedro Cabral; David Mateus, Federico Sousa, Diogo Mateus, Antonio Aguilar; Duarte Cardoso Pinto, Jose Pinto; Rui Cordeiro, Joao Correira, Ruben Spachuck, David Penalva, Goncalo Uva, Tiago Girao, Joao Uva, Vasco Uva (capt). Replacements: Juan Manuel More, Andre Silva, Duarte Figueiredo, Paulo Murinello, Luis Pissarra, Diogo Gama, Goncalo Foro.

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150px Italy have defeated Portugal 31-5 in Pool C of the 2007 Rugby World Cup at Parc des Princes, Paris, France. Andrea Masi opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a try for Italy. Despite controlling the game for much of the first half, Italy could not score any other tries before the interval but David Bortolussi kicked three penalties to extend their lead. Portugal never gave up and David Penalva scored a try in the 33rd minute, providing their only points of the match. Italy led 16-5 at half time but were matched by Portugal for much of the second half. However Bortolussi scored his fourth penalty of the match, followed by tries from Mauro Bergamasco and a second from Andrea Masi to wrap up the win for Italy. Currently third in Pool C with eight points, Italy face a tough match against second placed Scotland on 29 September. New Zealand lead the group with ten points, ahead of Scotland on points difference. Portugal are bottom of the group with no points, behind Romania with one.

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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement Chancellor Alistair Darling has set the stage for the general election with a Budget warning to voters not to put the recovery at risk by deserting Labour. He cut stamp duty for first-time home buyers - but unveiled a series of tax increases for the better-off. Mr Darling said Labour had been "right about the recovery" and cut by £11bn this year's forecast £178bn deficit. The Tories said Labour had made a "complete mess" of the economy and had "done nothing to clear it up". Tory leader David Cameron accused Mr Darling of stealing Tory policies on stamp duty and an extra tax on strong cider. And, taunting Gordon Brown, he said: "The biggest risk to the recovery is five more years of this prime minister." Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said both the chancellor and David Cameron were "in denial" about the scale of spending cuts needed and dismissed the budget as "a political dodge not an economic plan". "This isn't the preface to a new government but a footnote to 13 years of failure," he added. BBC Economics Editor Stephanie Flanders summed up Mr Darling's message as "it's bad, but not as bad as we thought - and not nearly as bad as it would have been under the Conservatives". Setting out the battle lines for the forthcoming election campaign, Mr Darling said: "The choice before the country now is whether to support those whose policies will suffocate our recovery and put our future at risk. "Or support a government which has been right about the recession, right about the recovery, and is right about supporting the people and business of this country to build a prosperous future." Mr Darling said stamp duty on homes sales up to £250,000 would be suspended for two years for first time buyers, paid for by an increase to 5% of the rate on £1m homes. This unfair fuel tax is another example of an uncaring, out of touch government. Elfin Llwyd Plaid Cymru Cameron: Labour's messed it up Darling in denial - Clegg The chancellor also unveiled a series of other measures aimed at clawing back tax from high earners - likely to go down well with Labour MPs fighting an election next month. He said he was freezing the inheritance tax threshold for another four years, in order to help pay for the costs of care for older people. He also announced the end of some personal tax allowances on those earning more than £150,000 and a cut in tax relief on pensions for those with incomes above £130,000 a year. He confirmed the government would stick to a 2.2% real terms rise on spending this year but warned spending cuts after 2011 would be the "toughest for decades". 'Toughest' But to cut earlier, as the Conservatives were demanding, would be both wrong and "dangerous" and would risk derailing the recovery, he said. "The task now is to bring down borrowing in a way which does not damage the recovery or the frontline services on which people depend," he said. "The challenge now is how we invest as a country to support the industries of the future and allow the talent of the British people to flourish." Mr Darling provoked roars of approval from Labour MPs when he announced a crackdown on tax evasion through new agreements with the governments of Dominica, Grenada and Belize - home of Tory "non dom" donor Lord Ashcroft. The Treasury is insisting all of the new spending measures are fully funded from existing budgets and not paid for by the £11bn less than expected borrowing. The stamp duty cut will cost the Treasury £230m in 2010-11 and £290m in 2011-12 to be funded by the introduction of a new higher stamp duty band of 5% on properties costing more than £1m from April next year. Mr Darling said he would stagger next month's scheduled increase in fuel duties - with the tax rising by a just a penny in April with another penny in October and the final instalment of 0.76p in January next year. But the most expensive measure in the Budget is a £600m pledge to increase the winter fuel allowance for pensioners for another year. Duty on beer, wine and spirits will increase as planned from midnight on Sunday, including 10% on cider, with further increases to come on high strength cider. Alcohol duties will also increase by 2% above inflation for two further years from 2013. Tobacco duty will increase from today by 1% above inflation and then increase by 2% in real terms each year until 2014. In a series of measures aimed at boosting business, Mr Darling said business rates will be cut for one year from October, meaning a tax reduction for over 500,000 firms in England, and said state-owned banks would be forced to lend more. He extended a six month job or training guarantee for under 24-year-olds to March 2012, and announced a one-off £270m fund to create 20,000 extra university places. Mr Darling said that stronger than expected tax receipts meant that government borrowing would be £167bn this year - £11bn down on the £178bn he predicted in the pre-Budget report in December. 'Right calls' He said that the debt would continue to fall faster than previously forecast - dropping to £74bn in 2014-15, down £8bn on his earlier prediction. The chancellor said he was standing by his forecast that the economy would grow by 1 to 1.5% this year although he slightly downgraded his prediction for next year to 3 to 3.5% compared to the 3.5% in the pre-Budget report. His forecast for the following years is unchanged. He also revealed that the £2bn proceeds of a bank bonus tax was more than three times what the Treasury forecast in his pre-Budget report. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. And he unveiled a guarantee to give everyone a basic bank account, giving up to a million more people access to bank accounts over the next five years. Some of the more controversial measures in the Budget may not make it into law before polling day, which could be just six weeks away. But the planned cut in stamp duty would probably stay in place whoever wins the election, as it is similar to existing Tory policy. He also outlined plans to boost future economic growth, with billions invested in digital jobs, broadband for all, high-speed rail and biotech industries, using money from existing budgets. Civil servant strike If the Conservatives win the election they will produce an "emergency Budget" within 50 days of taking office which could reverse many of Mr Darling's measures. The chancellor did not unveil any new tax increases, with the new 50% top rate of income tax expected to come into force from April and thresholds frozen. Giving its reaction to the Budget, the SNP said Mr Darling should have scrapped the fuel duty increase altogether, adding: "The Labour government have shown they would rather save face with the City than support Scotland's communities." Plaid Cymru's leader at Westminster, Elfyn Llwyd, said: "This unfair fuel tax is another example of an uncaring, out of touch government." Business groups broadly welcomed the measures aimed at boosting enterprise. CBI director general Richard Lambert said: "This was a clever, political budget. However, anxiety remains on how the deficit is going to be paid down, and the growth forecasts for 2011 and beyond are still on the optimistic side." Derek Simpson, joint leader of the Unite trade union, said: "The last Budget before the election shows leadership and responsibility during difficult times." Lord Pearson, leader of the UK Independence Party, said: "The three old discredited parties who are debating our economy have once again avoided the elephant in the room, in any discussion about our economy which is of course the cost of our European Union membership." Green Party leader Caroline Lucas welcomed Mr Darling's plan for a "green investment bank" but said overall the Budget was "a wasted opportunity to seriously put fairness at the heart of the agenda".

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Alistair Darling in 2006 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, today unveiled the country's final annual budget before the general election. The biggest announcements included abolishing stamp duty on homes under £250,000 for first-time buyers, whilst increasing it to 5% on homes over £1 million. In his statement to the House of Commons, the Chancellor claimed that the Labour government had made the right calls in countering the global recession, but warned that introducing cuts too early would jeopardise the recovery. Opposition leader David Cameron attacked the Budget, saying that the headline stamp duty plans were stolen from his own Conservative party. He criticised the amount of government debt, expected to be £167 billion this year, pointing out that it was more than every previous Labour government's borrowing added together. Cameron continued his call for spending cuts to decrease the deficit, saying it was time for a "radical change of direction". Darling however maintains that it is too soon. "I know there are some demanding immediate cuts to public spending," said the Chancellor to the Commons. "I believe such a policy would be both wrong and dangerous. To start cutting now risks derailing the recovery – which is already bringing down borrowing more rapidly than expected." This year's expected government debt is less than the £178 billion that was forecast in December 2009's pre-Budget report. There will be an estimated 2.2% real terms rise in government spending this year, and several spending announcements were made. However Darling warned that cuts will follow after 2011, and could be "the toughest for decades". The Conservatives have said that if they win the upcoming election, they will introduce an "emergency Budget" less than 50 days after taking office. Among the plans announced by the Chancellor today are a green investment bank to support renewable energy and low-carbon industries. This will have £2 billion, half raised by sale of government assets, including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and half raised from private investment. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds will also have to provide loans worth £94 billion to businesses, with small and medium sized companies receiving at least half of this. These companies will also have access to a new credit adjudicator to oversee banks' decisions on loans. There will be a sharp rise of 10% in tax on cider, with wine, beer and spirit duties rising at 2% above inflation as planned. These changes will occur from midnight on Sunday, and tax on alcohol is set to increase a further 2% for two years from 2013. The previously scheduled increase in fuel duty will still happen, but will now be staggered over a longer period. Other changes include a freeze of the threshold for inheritance tax for the next four-years, whilst higher winter fuel payments for pensioners will be maintained for another year.

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Alistair Darling today delivered a cautious pre-election budget, ruling out "shortsighted" spending cuts in favour of securing a strong economic recovery. In a sideswipe at the Conservatives, the chancellor told MPs today that immediate cuts to spending would be "wrong" since the economic recovery was still in its "infancy". And he delighted Labour backbenchers by using an increase in stamp duty for homes worth more than £1m to fund a rise in the tax threshold for less expensive properties. Darling, who had warned prior to the announcement that the budget would be a "sensible, workmanlike" package rather than a traditional pre-election giveaway, nonetheless unveiled policies worth a total of £1.4bn. Among the announcements were the following: • The stamp duty threshold will be doubled to £250,000, paid for by an increase to 5% for homes worth over £1m. • A new green investment bank will be introduced to stimulate billions of pounds of private finance for low-carbon industries such as offshore wind farms. • Next month's fuel duty increase will be staged; it will rise by 1p in April, followed by a further 1p rise in October and the remaining 1p in January next year. Plus £100m to repair potholed roads. • A guaranteed offer of jobs or training to young people under the age of 24 will be extended by a year to March 2012. • A £2.5bn one-off growth package to help small businesses and promote innovation and skills will be introduced. • The duty on cider will increase by 10% above inflation from midnight on Sunday. • Duty on beer, wine and spirits will increase as planned from midnight on Sunday. Alcohol duty will also increase by 2% above inflation for two further years from 2013. Darling told MPs that the decisions taken by the government in the recession had been "right" but the country still faced testing times as the recovery was still fragile. He said the budget deficit would not be as bad as expected: £167bn rather than the projected £178bn. But he cut his short-term growth forecasts. In a 58-minute budget statement short on new announcements, the chancellor held back from initiating spending cuts this year, insisting that the economy remained too weak to begin the process. "I know there are some demanding immediate cuts to public spending and I believe that such a policy would be both wrong and dangerous. I believe that to start cutting now risks derailing the recovery, which is already bringing down borrowing more rapidly than was expected. "To go faster in the face of uncertainty would mean taking a huge risk with people's jobs, incomes and our country's future and I'm not prepared to take that risk. We have worked too hard as a country to come through this recession to throw it away now." One of the few surprises in today's budget was a doubling of the threshold for stamp duty to £250,000 for first-time home-buyers. To the delight of many Labour backbenchers, Darling told MPs that the measure, which he expects to help nine in 10 first-time buyers, would be funded by increasing stamp duty on properties worth more than £1m. Other measures outlined today included ensuring 1 million people would be able to open bank accounts in the next five years, and a four-year freeze on the inheritance tax threshold. Darling told MPs that, thanks to stronger-than-expected tax receipts, government borrowing would be £167bn this year – £11bn down on the £178bn he predicted in the pre-budget report in December. UK debt would continue to fall faster than previously forecast – dropping to £74bn in 2014-15, down £8bn on his earlier prediction. Darling said he still believed the economy would grow by 1% to 1.5% this year. But he lowered his growth prediction for 2011 slightly to between 3% and 3.5%. On banks, Darling said that the Treasury had already received more than £8bn in fees and charges from banks. The one-off 50% tax on bankers' bonuses has raised £2bn, more than twice as much forecast. Darling told MPs: "When faced with the upheaval of the global recession, we made the right choices to support the economy, business and families." The setting up of a new green investment bank is a response to calls from the renewable energy industry and environmental campaigners to provide governmental support for private investment in the development of low-carbon industries. Darling told colleagues it would control £2bn in assets and "unlock billions more" from the private sector for green energy and transport development. Investment would focus in particular towards offshore wind energy, "where Britain is already the world leader", he said, with £60m going to develop ports which will be the site of turbine manufacturing. Half the £2bn would be raised from the sale of assets including the Channel Tunnel rail link, while the other half would come from private investment. The Conservative party last year outlined its plans to roll up different sources of government funding for the low-carbon sector into a single green investment bank to leverage private sector finance and fund new green start-up businesses. David Cameron responded to the budget announcement today by saying that Labour ought to be "ashamed" of the state of the nation's finances. Pointing out that £167bn is more than every Labour government in history added together had borrowed, Cameron said that the country needed a Tory government to "clean up the mess". He said that the centrepiece policy of raising the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 was borrowed from the Tories and all Labour could offer was "debt, waste and taxes". "This prime minister is going round telling everyone: 'Stick with me; stick with what you know.' That is the whole problem: this country is stuck with him." He went on: "It's like the captain of the Titanic saying, 'Let me command the lifeboats.' It's like Robert Maxwell saying, 'Let me reinvest your pension.' It's like Richard Nixon saying, 'I'm the man to clean up politics.' "Do you really expect the British public to turn round and say: 'Thank you for nearly bankrupting the economy'?" To Tory cheers, he said it was time for a "radical change of direction". "Britain doesn't need this prime minister and this chancellor; it needs new energy, new leadership and values to get this country going again. That is the argument we will take to the country, the moment this man runs out of time and calls that election." Cameron issued his broadside as a PoliticsHome poll showed that Labour's ratings on the economy had gone up since January. Then only 36% of respondents were willing to give Labour some or a lot of credit for their handling of the economy. Now that figure is up to 41%. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, accused the government of being in "denial" about the scale of cuts needed to put the country's finances back on a sound footing. "The prime minister may have wanted a giveaway budget, what we got was a given-up budget. This isn't the preface to a new government but a footnote to 13 years of failure. We need real change. We needed a budget that gave us honesty on spending and fairness on taxation. We got neither." He also attacked the Tories too for waging a "phoney war" about when to make cuts and claimed neither they nor the government had the "courage to come up with the details of the cuts we will need in the years ahead to tackle Britain's deficit". The TUC hailed a "measured" budget with a "real sense of social justice" that took no risks with the recovery. Brendan Barber, the general secretary of the umbrella union body, welcomed the extra jobs guarantee for young people, support for business and the green investment bank, which he said were important steps in rebalancing the economy away from finance. But he added: "We welcome the decision to maintain this year's planned increase in spending, but there are real concerns that cuts planned for future years will damage public services. Instead the chancellor should have put more emphasis on raising tax from those who benefitted most from the boom years, through a 'Robin Hood tax' on financial transactions and limits on tax breaks for the rich." The budget also received a qualified thumbs-up from the business sector. Miles Templeman, the director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "The chancellor's GDP forecasts are too optimistic and there is still no sign of a credible deficit reduction plan, but we certainly welcome the specific measures to support small and medium-sized businesses."

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Alistair Darling in 2006 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, today unveiled the country's final annual budget before the general election. The biggest announcements included abolishing stamp duty on homes under £250,000 for first-time buyers, whilst increasing it to 5% on homes over £1 million. In his statement to the House of Commons, the Chancellor claimed that the Labour government had made the right calls in countering the global recession, but warned that introducing cuts too early would jeopardise the recovery. Opposition leader David Cameron attacked the Budget, saying that the headline stamp duty plans were stolen from his own Conservative party. He criticised the amount of government debt, expected to be £167 billion this year, pointing out that it was more than every previous Labour government's borrowing added together. Cameron continued his call for spending cuts to decrease the deficit, saying it was time for a "radical change of direction". Darling however maintains that it is too soon. "I know there are some demanding immediate cuts to public spending," said the Chancellor to the Commons. "I believe such a policy would be both wrong and dangerous. To start cutting now risks derailing the recovery – which is already bringing down borrowing more rapidly than expected." This year's expected government debt is less than the £178 billion that was forecast in December 2009's pre-Budget report. There will be an estimated 2.2% real terms rise in government spending this year, and several spending announcements were made. However Darling warned that cuts will follow after 2011, and could be "the toughest for decades". The Conservatives have said that if they win the upcoming election, they will introduce an "emergency Budget" less than 50 days after taking office. Among the plans announced by the Chancellor today are a green investment bank to support renewable energy and low-carbon industries. This will have £2 billion, half raised by sale of government assets, including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and half raised from private investment. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds will also have to provide loans worth £94 billion to businesses, with small and medium sized companies receiving at least half of this. These companies will also have access to a new credit adjudicator to oversee banks' decisions on loans. There will be a sharp rise of 10% in tax on cider, with wine, beer and spirit duties rising at 2% above inflation as planned. These changes will occur from midnight on Sunday, and tax on alcohol is set to increase a further 2% for two years from 2013. The previously scheduled increase in fuel duty will still happen, but will now be staggered over a longer period. Other changes include a freeze of the threshold for inheritance tax for the next four-years, whilst higher winter fuel payments for pensioners will be maintained for another year.

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David Cameron today challenged his party to take a more optimistic approach to Europe as he vowed to fight to change Britain’s relationship from the inside and praised the “benefits” of EU membership. Hours after 100 Tory MPs demanded he legislate for a referendum because “the cost of membership is too high”, Mr Cameron told his party that greater engagement was important and claimed Britain is already winning key arguments. “For those of us who are practical Eurosceptics, who know there is a real benefit from being engaged but are frustrated by some of the ways the relationship works I see lots of reasons to say the argument is going in our direction,” he told a press conference concluding a two day summit in Brussels. “We know there are benefits from being engaged. I’m an optimist about getting this relationship right.” The remarks mark a sharply different tone and noticeably more gentle style of approach from December, when his failure to secure specific safeguards for the City led him to veto Britain’s participation in the fiscal treaty. Yesterday he rejected out of hand the requests for a referendum commitment from his party. “Some people just want to get out: ‘stop the bus I want to get off’”, he said. “I completely understand that but I don’t share that view, I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. “The problem with an in/out referen

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Alistair Darling in 2006 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, today unveiled the country's final annual budget before the general election. The biggest announcements included abolishing stamp duty on homes under £250,000 for first-time buyers, whilst increasing it to 5% on homes over £1 million. In his statement to the House of Commons, the Chancellor claimed that the Labour government had made the right calls in countering the global recession, but warned that introducing cuts too early would jeopardise the recovery. Opposition leader David Cameron attacked the Budget, saying that the headline stamp duty plans were stolen from his own Conservative party. He criticised the amount of government debt, expected to be £167 billion this year, pointing out that it was more than every previous Labour government's borrowing added together. Cameron continued his call for spending cuts to decrease the deficit, saying it was time for a "radical change of direction". Darling however maintains that it is too soon. "I know there are some demanding immediate cuts to public spending," said the Chancellor to the Commons. "I believe such a policy would be both wrong and dangerous. To start cutting now risks derailing the recovery – which is already bringing down borrowing more rapidly than expected." This year's expected government debt is less than the £178 billion that was forecast in December 2009's pre-Budget report. There will be an estimated 2.2% real terms rise in government spending this year, and several spending announcements were made. However Darling warned that cuts will follow after 2011, and could be "the toughest for decades". The Conservatives have said that if they win the upcoming election, they will introduce an "emergency Budget" less than 50 days after taking office. Among the plans announced by the Chancellor today are a green investment bank to support renewable energy and low-carbon industries. This will have £2 billion, half raised by sale of government assets, including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and half raised from private investment. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds will also have to provide loans worth £94 billion to businesses, with small and medium sized companies receiving at least half of this. These companies will also have access to a new credit adjudicator to oversee banks' decisions on loans. There will be a sharp rise of 10% in tax on cider, with wine, beer and spirit duties rising at 2% above inflation as planned. These changes will occur from midnight on Sunday, and tax on alcohol is set to increase a further 2% for two years from 2013. The previously scheduled increase in fuel duty will still happen, but will now be staggered over a longer period. Other changes include a freeze of the threshold for inheritance tax for the next four-years, whilst higher winter fuel payments for pensioners will be maintained for another year.

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For a year now, there have been many rumors why SuprNova.org was taken offline. Some have said that it was because of legal issues, some said it was because I sold out to eXeem project, or because I became a millionaire and did not want to bother with the site anymore, and the rumors go on. Today, on the exact day, when SuprNova.org went offline, I decided that it is time for everybody to know the truth and that it is time for me to stop pretending like nothing ever happened. On November 2004, I received a call from my ISP saying that all of my servers had been raided by the police. I received nothing from the police before or after the raid, nobody told me what was going on. In early December, Reuters did an article on me, and many Slovenian newspapers jumped on the story. So I ended up reading about myself in Slovenian newspapers. And right about that time, I had a feeling something was wrong. I do not really know what the feeling was or where it was coming from, but I decided it was time to take SuprNova.org offline. About a month later, after SuprNova.org had been taken offline, there was a door bell at 6:30 in the morning, saying it's the police. Actually I was not expecting anything anymore, since SuprNova.org had been taken offline long before that. They showed me a court order to search my place and they did so. They took as far as I remember, two of my computers and lots of documents. About a month or so later, I was called to the police, so that we or actually they, did a list of all the files that were on all of the computers that they took from my home and from the ISP. Another month later, I was called to the police for my hearing. I and my lawyer decided, we wouldnt answer any questions. After this was over, the police told us they will give this to the prosecutor and he will continue the procedure. My lawyer told me, that I should expect a letter from the prosecutor after the summer holidays. And that was true, nothing happened during the summer holidays and I had quite a wonderful time. Very relaxed. And just when I was hoping that the prosecutor would forget about my case I received another letter. When I received the paper, that I had to go pick up the envelope at the post, I became completely depressed and sad. But anyway, I went to the post and picked up the document. It was from the prosecutor, saying by the law blah blah and blah blah the denunciation against Andrej Preston has been dropped. And I received all the CD's and computers that they took from me. This happened on 18th October 2005. Since then nothing happened, and I hope it stays that way. This has been a huge pressure on me and I think it left some permanent marks on me. I hope none of you will ever have to go through something like this. What is written above is just a short story of everything that went on during last year. I also do not want to give out too much information, since it wouldn't be wise. Thanks to all of the friends that knew about this and supported me as much as they could! Its been a hard year for all of us. Links: The last letter that I have received Discuss the article in our forum

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Exactly one year since the popular Suprnova BitTorrent link site went offline, its founder, Andrej Preston (known as "Sloncek" to the Internet community), has spoken out about what happened on his website. After twelve months of speculation amongst former users and many sites popping up to try and take its place, Preston says "it is time for everybody to know the truth and that it is time for me to stop pretending like nothing ever happened". According to Preston his nightmare began in November, 2004 when he received a phonecall from his ISP stating that Preston's servers had just been raided. Preston claims that at this time he had no communication from the police. After reading about himself in various Slovenian newspapers in early December, Preston decided to take his suprnova.org site offline. At the same time another project Preston was involved in eXeem was touted as being the biggest thing to happen to file sharing. Preston claims that a month or so after his site went offline his home was raided by the police at 6:30 in the morning. Police seized two computers and documents. Preston was then called into the local police unit another month later for a hearing. Preston, on the advice of his lawyer decided he would not answer anything during the interview with the police. At the conclusion of the interview Preston was told that the matter would be handed over to the prosecutor. Preston recalls that on October 18, 2005 he received a notice to go to the post office and pick up another letter which he must sign for. Upon receiving the notice Preston says that he "became completely depressed and sad". Preston however was greeted with good news at the post office when he opened the letter and discovered that his matter had been dropped. He also received his computers and CDs back.

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Suprnova.org - One Year Later December 19, 2005 Thomas Mennecke Marking the one year anniversary of Suprnova.org's closure, Snarf-it.org has returned. After escaping the Netherlands due to the copyright enforcement pressures of Brein, Snarf-it.org has released a new version of its indexing site. Not to be outdone however, Suprnova.org's Sloncek, the former administrator of the massive indexing site, has issued an apparent "tell all" on the events surrounding December 19, 2004. In late November of 2004, news regarding an effort to decentralize the vulnerable BitTorrent trackers was underway. The effort would become known as eXeem, spearheaded by a name synonymous with BitTorrent - Suprnova.org. The initial excitement surrounding eXeem was impressive. It would marry the decentralized supernode indexing concept with the efficiency of the BitTorrent distribution protocol. With the vulnerabilities of centralized trackers eliminated, it was thought BitTorrent would become invincible. Unfortunately, eXeem did not live up to this promise. It was soon learned that eXeem would be shipped with Cydoor, a notorious piece of third party software. Although Cydoor had cleaned up its act considerably since its earlier days, the stigmatism associated with the adware product doomed eXeem before it was ever released. Torn apart by negative press, eXeem slowly disintegrated. Paralleling the introduction of eXeem was the closure of Suprnova.org. For reasons described as personal, on December 19, 2004, Suprnova.org no longer listed torrent files. "SuprNova.org was more like a hobby that took most of my free time away," Sloncek told Slyck.com. "Now with current situation, there’s too much pressure and I don’t have the time for it." Twelve days later on December 30, 2004, eXeem was publicly introduced. With the closure of Suprnova.org and the introduction of the adware application eXeem, the combination simply proved too coincidental and Sloncek was publicly labeled many things, perhaps most notably a "sell-out." Many felt he simply gave up on Suprnova.org to make a quick buck with eXeem. Sloncek remained quiet on the issue for the next year. Even when Suprnova.org was resurrected as a news and information site on September 14, 2005, virtually no mention was given to the events surrounding the demise of Suprnova.org. That is until now. On the anniversary of Suprnova.org’s demise, Sloncek has finally articulated the events surrounding that day. According to Sloncek, in November of 2004, his ISP informed him the Suprnova.org server had been raided by the police. As news began to spread internationally, Sloncek decided to take Suprnova.org offline in December. A month later, the police then proceeded to raid his home, confiscating documents and two computers. Remarkably, Sloncek states that despite the massive effort against him, the prosecution dropped all charges and returned his computers on October 18, 2005. While it’s refreshing to finally hear Sloncek's side of the story, three major issues remain. Primarily, it strikes many as odd that Sloncek would continue supporting eXeem, touted as “the next Suprnova”, if he was under serious copyright enforcement actions. “I knew that being a PR for some international company that dealt with P2P will not be a problem, since I’m not the owner and its not in my country,” Sloncek told Slyck.com. “And at that time, the program seemed promising." Another point of contention is his decision to continue working on a P2P project despite the turmoil. The mere suggestion of P2P is often directly associated with copyright infringement, which would appear to conflict with his legal situation. “Why work with P2P again? I love P2P and I made sure that being just a PR (not the owner or developer or anything else), will not be considered illegal.” Lastly, Sloncek cleared one last inconsistency. Although the Suprnova.org servers were raided in November, the site continued to function until December. How is such a feat possible? Directly after the raid, Sloncek purchased several servers in the Netherlands. This kept Suprnova.org operational until that fateful day in December. Although the loss of Suprnova.org was a blow to the BitTorrent community, it was soon surpassed by the multitude of other indexing sites, most notably ThePirateBay.org. A year later, answers for the curious are finally available. Running a high traffic BitTorrent site, one that was almost the very definition of BitTorrent, is no light burden. Considering the magnitude of the situation Sloncek faced, he did what was best for him. No on else from the BitTorrent community was going to help him, and he knew that. Whether he is telling the truth is irrelevant. His site gave millions the ability to share information on an unprecedented scale. To want any more from him would be, as Steve Jobs called the music industry, “greedy.” You can read Sloncek’s statement here. You can discuss this article here - 32 replies

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Exactly one year since the popular Suprnova BitTorrent link site went offline, its founder, Andrej Preston (known as "Sloncek" to the Internet community), has spoken out about what happened on his website. After twelve months of speculation amongst former users and many sites popping up to try and take its place, Preston says "it is time for everybody to know the truth and that it is time for me to stop pretending like nothing ever happened". According to Preston his nightmare began in November, 2004 when he received a phonecall from his ISP stating that Preston's servers had just been raided. Preston claims that at this time he had no communication from the police. After reading about himself in various Slovenian newspapers in early December, Preston decided to take his suprnova.org site offline. At the same time another project Preston was involved in eXeem was touted as being the biggest thing to happen to file sharing. Preston claims that a month or so after his site went offline his home was raided by the police at 6:30 in the morning. Police seized two computers and documents. Preston was then called into the local police unit another month later for a hearing. Preston, on the advice of his lawyer decided he would not answer anything during the interview with the police. At the conclusion of the interview Preston was told that the matter would be handed over to the prosecutor. Preston recalls that on October 18, 2005 he received a notice to go to the post office and pick up another letter which he must sign for. Upon receiving the notice Preston says that he "became completely depressed and sad". Preston however was greeted with good news at the post office when he opened the letter and discovered that his matter had been dropped. He also received his computers and CDs back.

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Politik In der Auseinandersetzung um den Verkauf eines Hotels in Delmenhorst hat die Stadt ihr Gebot auf maximal drei Millionen Euro erhöht. Sie will damit verhindern, dass der Neonazi-Anwalt Rieger die Immobilie erwirbt.

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Archivbild norwegischer Elchhund Die Bärenhunde aus Finnland, die den zur Zeit bekanntesten Braunbären JJ1 alias Bruno aufspüren sollen, sind am Samstag eingetroffen. Der Bär streift nunmehr seit Wochen durch das deutsch-österreichische Grenzgebiet, doch alle Versuche ihn einzufangen oder abzuschießen, sind bisher gescheitert. Von den finnischen Hunden verspricht man sich nun Erfolg. Die Hunde, die schon letzte Woche erwartet wurden, trafen mit leichter Verzögerung ein, da nach Angaben der Fluggesellschaft die Genehmigung für den Transport zu spät beantragt worden war. Nach ihrer Ankunft in München wurde ihnen dann zunächst eine Ruhepause gegönnt, da sie durch den Flug sehr aufgeregt waren. Es handelt sich um fünf Hunde, die zur Rasse der norwegischen beziehungsweise schwedischen Elchhunde gehören, wie sie in Finnland meist zur Elchjagd eingesetzt werden. Mit den Hunden kommen auch vier Begleiter. Sie sind für zwei Wochen engagiert, die Kosten von 25.000 Euro teilen sich dabei die Länder Bayern und Tirol. Die Hunde nahmen zum ersten Mal am Sonntag die Spur des Bären auf, doch sie mussten die Verfolgung abbrechen, als Jagdpächter in Tirol es untersagten, ihr Gelände ohne entsprechende Genehmigung zu betreten. Ein entsprechender Bescheid des zuständigen Landesrates, der den Bärenjägern uneingeschränkte Betretungsrechte einräumt, soll ein solches Missgeschick in Zukunft verhindern. Ein weiterer Einsatz der Hunde erfolgte Montagabend, als der Bär im Ahornboden im Karwendelgebirge in Tirol gesichtet wurde. Der Einsatz musste jedoch abgebrochen werden, da die Suche mit den Hunden in dem gebirgigen Gelände nachts zu gefährlich ist. Die Verfolgung wurde am Dienstagmorgen wieder aufgenommen, doch diesmal machte das Wetter einen Strich durch die Rechnung. Die finnischen Hunde sind keine große Hitze gewöhnt und so musste die Suche erneut abgebrochen werden, als es ihnen zu heiß wurde.

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Sie befinden sich in: Nachrichten Problembär "JJ1" ist nicht zu fassen Vier Bärenfänger-Hunde haben nun 14 Tage Zeit "Bruno" zu erwischen. Der Einsatz der Tiere soll rund 25.000 Euro kosten. "JJ1", alias "Bruno", bei einem seiner Streifzüge in Tirol. Hintergrund Stichwort: Karelischer BärenhundDie finnische Spitz-Rasse wurden speziell für die Jagd von großem Wild gezüchtet. Wie aus Bruno JJ1 wurdeDer seit Wochen im tirolerisch-bayrischen Grenzgebiet umherstreunende Problembär stammt aus Italien. Infografik Braunbären in ÖsterreichDie heimische Bärenpopulation besteht aus rund 20 Tieren. Abstimmung Was tun mit dem Bären?Der Braunbär treibt sich seit einigen Tagen wieder in Österreich herum. Nach rund zwei Dutzend erfolgloser Fangversuche wird sich nun eine finnische Bärenhundestaffel im Auftrag von Tirol und Bayern an die Fersen des Braunbären "JJ1", alias "Bruno", heften. Das seit Wochen durch Westösterreich und Bayern trottende Tier wurde zuletzt am Freitag zwischen Roppen und Sautens im Bezirk Imst gesichtet, teilte die zuständige Bezirkshauptmannschaft der APA mit. Ein Spaziergänger habe den Bären gesehen und dies der Polizei gemeldet. Aus etwa 150 Metern Entfernung habe der Mann beobachten können, wie "Bruno" einem Wildhasen den Kopf abgebissen hat. Den Hasen habe der Spaziergänger dann zur Polizei gebracht. "Wir haben den Jagdreferenten und die umliegenden Gemeinden benachrichtigt", sagte die Polizei in Ötz der APA. Die WWF- Bärenanwälte wollten - vorerst ohne Bärenfalle - die Sichtungsstelle begutachten. Bärenhunde: Probleme bei Einreise Die "Karelischen Bärenhunde" sollen laut Angaben des Landes Tirol am Wochenende eintreffen. Die Artenschutzorganisation WWF erklärte der APA, dass es Probleme mit der Einreise der vier Hunde gäbe. Die Tiere hätten laut der Fluggesellschaft schon früher angemeldet werden müssen. Das Eintreffen der hilfreichen Tiere könnte sich daher noch bis Anfang nächster Woche verzögern. Man hoffe aber auf eine baldige Lösung des Problems, sagte die WWF-Sprecherin. Aus der Abteilung für Landwirtschaftliches Schulwesen, Jagd und Fischerei hieß es, dass die vier Hunde eingesetzt werden können, wenn man ungefähr wisse, wo sich der Bär aufhalte. Nur dann können die Tiere nämlich die Spur des Bären aufnehmen. Die Hunde würden "Bruno" dann umkreisen, aber nicht anfallen. Mit einem Narkosegewehr werde man den Bären dann betäuben, so der Plan. Ein Abschuss sei nur in einer Notsituation erlaubt. Kosten: 25.000 Euro Der Einsatz der Hunde werde rund 25.000 Euro kosten, wobei die Kosten von Bayern und Tirol zusammen getragen werden. Die Bärenfänger wurden für einen Zeitraum von 14 Tagen beauftragt. In dieser Zeit hat Bayerns Umweltminister Werner Schnappauf die Abschussfreigabe für die bayerischen Revierinhaber aus Sicherheitsgründen ausgesetzt. Vor seiner Sichtung im Bezirk Imst war der Bär am Donnerstag in der Nähe von Scharnitz (Bezirk Innsbruck-Land) in einem Talkessel gesehen worden. Nach einer Alarmbenachrichtigung durch die Polizei habe man sich mit Bärenfallen sofort dorthin begeben- doch das Tier war schon wieder über alle Berge. "So nahe waren wir ihm noch nie!", hatte die WWF-Sprecherin erklärt. Artikel vom 09.06.2006, 16:33 | apa | bib

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Archivbild norwegischer Elchhund Die Bärenhunde aus Finnland, die den zur Zeit bekanntesten Braunbären JJ1 alias Bruno aufspüren sollen, sind am Samstag eingetroffen. Der Bär streift nunmehr seit Wochen durch das deutsch-österreichische Grenzgebiet, doch alle Versuche ihn einzufangen oder abzuschießen, sind bisher gescheitert. Von den finnischen Hunden verspricht man sich nun Erfolg. Die Hunde, die schon letzte Woche erwartet wurden, trafen mit leichter Verzögerung ein, da nach Angaben der Fluggesellschaft die Genehmigung für den Transport zu spät beantragt worden war. Nach ihrer Ankunft in München wurde ihnen dann zunächst eine Ruhepause gegönnt, da sie durch den Flug sehr aufgeregt waren. Es handelt sich um fünf Hunde, die zur Rasse der norwegischen beziehungsweise schwedischen Elchhunde gehören, wie sie in Finnland meist zur Elchjagd eingesetzt werden. Mit den Hunden kommen auch vier Begleiter. Sie sind für zwei Wochen engagiert, die Kosten von 25.000 Euro teilen sich dabei die Länder Bayern und Tirol. Die Hunde nahmen zum ersten Mal am Sonntag die Spur des Bären auf, doch sie mussten die Verfolgung abbrechen, als Jagdpächter in Tirol es untersagten, ihr Gelände ohne entsprechende Genehmigung zu betreten. Ein entsprechender Bescheid des zuständigen Landesrates, der den Bärenjägern uneingeschränkte Betretungsrechte einräumt, soll ein solches Missgeschick in Zukunft verhindern. Ein weiterer Einsatz der Hunde erfolgte Montagabend, als der Bär im Ahornboden im Karwendelgebirge in Tirol gesichtet wurde. Der Einsatz musste jedoch abgebrochen werden, da die Suche mit den Hunden in dem gebirgigen Gelände nachts zu gefährlich ist. Die Verfolgung wurde am Dienstagmorgen wieder aufgenommen, doch diesmal machte das Wetter einen Strich durch die Rechnung. Die finnischen Hunde sind keine große Hitze gewöhnt und so musste die Suche erneut abgebrochen werden, als es ihnen zu heiß wurde.

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Emelec cayó por un 1-0 frente al Deportivo Quito, cerrando su participación en la primera etapa del torneo ecuatoriano, en el encuentro disputado en el estadio Olímpico Atahualpa de Quito. Con un total de 46 puntos llegó al encuentro el Ballet Azul, mientras que los Chullas lograron sumar un total de 34 unidades, luego del gol anotado por Geovanny Caicedo a los 44 minutos. Un encuentro que no trajo mayores emociones durante su primer tiempo, es lo que se observó de lado y lado, aunque en un principio la iniciativa la pusieron los Chullas, pero no lograban llegar con algo para abrir el marcador. Del lado azul se observó que tomaron el encuentro como de puro trámite, ya que no mostraron emoción ni jugadas peligrosas en el área quiteña. El equipo Eléctrico perdió algunas oportunidades, como en la que Carlos Quiñónez aprovechó un error de Geovanny Caicedo, ingresando solo al área pero su remate salió desviado. Ya en los 44 minutos, las ganas de sumar puntos por parte del equipo Chulla dieron resultado, luego de un tiro libre de Mauricio Donoso que alcanzó a cabecear Geovanny Caicedo para marcar el 1-0 a favor del Deportivo Quito. Aunque los azules estaban perdiendo en los 45 iniciales, se defendieron bien, pero el error en su defensa logró el marcador en contra pero que no le quitó las ganas a los punteros. En el segundo tiempo, del lado Chulla, ingresó Marco Nazareno por Dixon Arroyo, mientras que en el Ballet no se realizaron cambios. En el complentario nuenvamente se observó la falta de ataques ofensivos, para marcar la paridad eléctrica o superioridad quiteña. Mauricio Donoso envió un excelente pase para Daniel Solano, pero éste no logró dominar el esférico, que se fue por la línea de fondo. El dominio sobre el balón de los Chullas quiteños fue total, mientras que los Azules se mostraron totalmente tranquilos a pesar de estar perdiendo el encuentro. Alineaciones: 1 Deportivo Quito: Bonard García; Geovanny Caicedo, Luis Checa, Luis Tenorio; Juan Carlos Paredes, Isaac Mina, Dixon Arroyo (Marco Antonio Nazareno 45 min.(TA 77 min.)), Oswaldo Minda, Luis Saritama (TA 23 min.), Mauricio Donoso (TA 33 min.)(TR 76 min.); Daniel Solano (Pedro Esterilla 58 min.). DT: Rubén Darío Insúa. 0 Emelec: Javier Klimowicz; Carlos Quiñónez (Bryan Pedro Carranza 81 min.), Luis Zambrano, Deison Méndez, Mariano Mina; Washington Vélez, Jean de la Rosa, Polo Wila (TA 21 min.)(Luis Antonio Seminario 88 min.), Enner Valencia; Fernando Gaibor (Francisco Hiroito Rendón 68 min. (TR 75 min.)), Silvano Estacio. DT: Jorge Sampaoli. Goles: Deportivo Quito: Geovanny Caicedo (44 min.) Árbitro: Tomás Alarcón. Estadio: Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito.

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Ayer quedó finalizada la actuación de los clubes de fútbol de Guayaquil en la primera etapa de la Copa Credife 2010. Para la edición de 2010 del campeonato ecuatoriano se contó con la participación de dos clubes guayaquileños de un total de doce: el Barcelona Sporting Club y el Club Sport Emelec. El modelo del campeonato consta de dos etapas con un sistema de todos contra todos (''sistema de liga''), más dos partidos por la final del torneo (''ida y vuelta'') con los ganadores de ambas etapas. En la última fecha correspondiente a la primera etapa del campeonato el Emelec, en calidad de visitante, disputó su cierre frente al Deportivo Quito, mientras que el Barcelona se enfrentó a la Universidad Católica como local. En el Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa el Deportivo Quito logró superar por la mínima diferencia (1-0) al Emelec con la anotación de Geovanny Caicedo al minuto 44. Sin embargo, a pesar de haber sido derrotado, el Emelec logró mantenerse en el primer lugar dentro de la tabla de posiciones de la primera etapa con lo cual obtiene uno de los dos pases a la final del campeonato, un cupo a la Copa Sudamericana 2010, y otro cupo a la Copa Libertadores 2011. Por otra parte el Barcelona, quien durante la mayor parte del torneo había liderado la tabla de posiciones, fue relegado debido a varias derrotas y empates en la últimas fechas lo cual le impidió continuar como "puntero". Barcelona en su partido de cierre de etapa recibió en el Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo a la Universidad Católica a la cual venció por goleada (5-1). Los goles a favor de Barcelona fueron de anotados por Noir (22'), Perlaza (55'), Juan Anangonó (60'; 91'), Oyola (72'); mientras que por la Universidad Católica descontó Lemos (31'). Barcelona también logró conseguir un cupo para la Copa Sudamericana de este año.

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Barcelona cerró su campaña goleando por 5-1 al equipo Camarata, en el estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha. El Ídolo del Astillero disputó su último encuentro en la presente temporada ante la Universidad Católica, logrando un certero 5-1, en el estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha. Del lado Torero se notó la presencia de Ricardo Noir, mientras que también se contó con la presencia de Daniel Viteri, no pudieron participar de este encuentro Jefferson Hurtado y Fernando Hidalgo por suspenciones. Mientras que el equipo Camarata no contó con la presencia de Cristian Hermosilla, Juan Aguinaga y Miguel Ibarra por lesiones. Primer Tiempo El encuentro inició con la iniciativa del equipo Camarata, ya Walter Iza en los cortos iniciales comenzó a llegar al área Torera, pero sus balonazos eran recibidos por Viteri. Publicidad En los 6 minutos, los católicos cobraron su primer tiro libre, desde media cancha, saliendo finalmente desviado, mientras que para Barcelona le llegó su oportunidad al mismo tiempo, errando en el lanzamiento. No se concretaban llegadas de peligro, pero los Camaratas querían su primer tanto, a pesar de que se cerraba la barrera amarilla. En los 15 minutos, Wlater Iza logró acomodarse por la derecha, remató peligrosamente pero su lanzamiento apenas rozó el poste izquierdo de Daniel Viteri. Ya en los 22 llegó el gol para Barcelona, aunque en un aparente autogol luego del tiro libre de Ricardo Noir, el balón tocó a José Luis Cortéz para finalmente ingresar a las redes. Durante los siguentes minutos, los Toreros bajaron la guardia, aunque del otro lado, los jugadores a pesar del gol, no bajaron su nivel. Y en los 31 minutos, Leandro Lemos llegó por la banda izquierda para lanzar un remate que logró ingresar en las redes amarillas, ubicando la paridad en el cotejo. A pesar de la igualdad, el equipo Torero no despertó durante los siguientes minutos del primer tiempo, dejando que ingresen peligrosamente en su área, el equipo Camarata. Segundo Tiempo En el complementario, los amarillos lograron cambiar dramáticamente el marcador. Publicidad El 2-1 a favor de los toreros llegó luego de un remate de Matías Oyola que llegó a la cabeza de José Luis Perlaza para enviar a 'Jubalini' directo a las redes católicas. El bajo ataque ofensivo de parte de la escuadra Torera, presentado durante la primera etapa quedó en el olvido, al llegar a los 60 minutos el tercer tanto mediante un cabezazo de Juan Anangonó luego de un tiro de esquina. Un encuentro que parecía estar del lado de los Camaratas se esfumó, luego del cuarto gol amarillo, mediante un remate de Matias Oyola, al recibir el pase de Luis Bolaños sobre los 72 minutos. Mientras que para cerrar con broche de oro, y con una certera goleada, en los 91 minutos, Luis Bolaños envió un excelente pase para Juan Anangonó, para que el atacante burlara la portería de Cristhian Mora, logrando el 5-1 final. Alineaciones: 5 Barcelona: Daniel Viteri, Omar de Jesús, José Perlaza, Henry León (TA 22 min.), Geovanny Nazareno, Matías Oyola (TR 88 min:), Denys Quiñónez (TA 40 min.) (Edinson Valdivieso 45 min.), Luis Garcés (Jonathan Montenegro 74 min.(TA 76 min.)), Luis Bolaños, Pablo Palacios (Juan Anangonó 45 min.), Ricardo Noir. DT: Juan Manuel Llop. 1 U. Católica: Cristhian Mora; Juan Triviño, José Luis Cortéz, Leonardo Soledispa (TA 19 min.)(Diego Betancourt ); Luis Lemos (TR 83 min.), Oscar Bagüí, Santiago Morales, Alex Bolaños (TA 58 min.), Hugo Vélez (Jesús Cristobal Alcívar 67 min.); Walter Iza (Jimmy Delgado 71 min.), Bayron Cano. DT: Patricio Lara. Goles: Barcelona: Ricardo Noir (22 min.), José Perlaza (55 min.), Juan Anangonó (60 min.)(91 min.), Matías Oyola (72 min.); U. Católica: Leandro Lemos (31 min.). Árbitro: José Luis Espinel. Estadio: Monumental Banco Pichincha, Guayaquil.

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Ayer quedó finalizada la actuación de los clubes de fútbol de Guayaquil en la primera etapa de la Copa Credife 2010. Para la edición de 2010 del campeonato ecuatoriano se contó con la participación de dos clubes guayaquileños de un total de doce: el Barcelona Sporting Club y el Club Sport Emelec. El modelo del campeonato consta de dos etapas con un sistema de todos contra todos (''sistema de liga''), más dos partidos por la final del torneo (''ida y vuelta'') con los ganadores de ambas etapas. En la última fecha correspondiente a la primera etapa del campeonato el Emelec, en calidad de visitante, disputó su cierre frente al Deportivo Quito, mientras que el Barcelona se enfrentó a la Universidad Católica como local. En el Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa el Deportivo Quito logró superar por la mínima diferencia (1-0) al Emelec con la anotación de Geovanny Caicedo al minuto 44. Sin embargo, a pesar de haber sido derrotado, el Emelec logró mantenerse en el primer lugar dentro de la tabla de posiciones de la primera etapa con lo cual obtiene uno de los dos pases a la final del campeonato, un cupo a la Copa Sudamericana 2010, y otro cupo a la Copa Libertadores 2011. Por otra parte el Barcelona, quien durante la mayor parte del torneo había liderado la tabla de posiciones, fue relegado debido a varias derrotas y empates en la últimas fechas lo cual le impidió continuar como "puntero". Barcelona en su partido de cierre de etapa recibió en el Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo a la Universidad Católica a la cual venció por goleada (5-1). Los goles a favor de Barcelona fueron de anotados por Noir (22'), Perlaza (55'), Juan Anangonó (60'; 91'), Oyola (72'); mientras que por la Universidad Católica descontó Lemos (31'). Barcelona también logró conseguir un cupo para la Copa Sudamericana de este año.

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'''Köln (Deutschland), 17.02.2005''' – Die Vergabe der Eintrittskarten für die Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2006 in Deutschland ist ins Visier deutscher Datenschützer geraten. Sie erklären das Vergabeprozedere für gesetzeswidrig und damit für unzulässig. Speziell der deutsche Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz, Peter Schaar, hat sich des Themas angenommen und die Vergabe öffentlich kritisiert. Schaar geht es dabei insbesondere um die Abfrage persönlicher Daten der Kartenbesteller. Im Internet werden bei dem Bestellvorgang Daten wie Staatsangehörigkeit, Geburtsdatum, Personalausweisnummer, Zuordnung als Fan zu einer Nation sowie ihre E-Mail-Adresse als zwingend notwendig angefordert. Auch das deutsche Innenministerium wurde von Schaar angegriffen. Ursache für die Abfrage der Daten sei eine Vorgabe des Bundesinnenministers, er habe die Sammlung bestimmter Daten angeregt. Bitten zur Korrektur dieses Verfahrens wurden bisher abgelehnt. Schaar hatte bereits Protest eingelegt und erhielt eine nicht befriedigende Antwort. Daraufhin ist Schaar an die Öffentlichkeit gegangen. Er sieht in dem momentanen Ablauf rechtlich einen Widerspruch zum Personalausweisgesetz. Ausserdem könnten die gespeicherten Daten zweckentfremdet und von Dritten, zum Beispiel der Werbeindustrie, wiederverwertet werden. == Themenverwandte Artikel == * Portal:Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft

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+++ Presseerklärung – 24.01.2005 +++ WM-Tickets: Reserviert für den gläsernen Fan „Zu Gast bei Freunden“ – so lautet die Einladung zur Weltmeisterschaft 2006 an Fußballfans in aller Welt. Tatsächlich ist aber nur ein ganz bestimmter Besucher gemeint - der gläserne Fan, stellt das „Bündnis Aktiver Fußball-Fans“ (BAFF) anlässlich der Pressekonferenz zur Ticketvergabe von FIFA und Organisationskomitee fest. Um die begehrten Eintrittskarten für Spiele der WM bestellen zu können, müssen Fans zuerst einen umfangreichen Fragenkatalog beantworten, der weit über das für den Bestellvorgang Nötige hinaus geht. Wem das Losglück schließlich Tickets beschert, wird zusätzlich zum Versuchskaninchen einer neuen Überwachungstechnologie, kritisiert das Fan-Bündnis. Obwohl bis heute, also rund eine Woche vor Verkaufsstart der Tickets, der genaue Inhalt des Fragebogens noch immer nicht bekannt gegeben wurde, ist dennoch davon auszugehen, dass dieser tief in die Privatsphäre reicht. Dabei gilt: Die Beantwortung der Fragen ist keineswegs freiwillig, denn keine Antworten bedeutet keine Karten! „Warum das schlichte Ersuchen nach Eintrittskarten Fragen zu Geburtsdatum, E-Mail-Adresse, Telefon- und Faxnummer oder gar Vereinszugehörigkeit rechtfertigen soll, will sich uns nicht erschließen“, fragt sich Jörg Höfer von BAFF. Hinzu kommt, dass völlig unklar ist, wer Zugang zu diesen Daten erhält. Das OK? Polizei und Innenministerium? Die FIFA und mit ihr die Werbepartner? Länder mit teilweise nur unzureichenden Datenschutzgesetzen? Man darf den beteiligten Unternehmen, seien es FIFA-Partner oder nationale Förderer, sicherlich ein vitales Interesse an diesen Daten unterstellen, mit denen sich mühelos Kundenprofile erstellen lassen. Nichts weist jedenfalls darauf hin, dass mit den personenbezogenen Daten entsprechend sensibel umgegangen wird. Jörg Höfer: „Wenn Fußballfans also nur die Wahl haben, teilweise sehr persönliche Daten preiszugeben, ohne zu wissen, wer darauf Zugriff hat, oder eben keine Tickets zu bekommen, wird die Verhältnismäßigkeit der Mittel nicht gewahrt und das Grundrecht auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung verletzt.“ Zusätzliche Brisanz erhält die Ticket-Problematik nach Ansicht von BAFF dadurch, dass die Eintrittskarten zur WM mit RFID-Chips (Radio Frequency IDentification) ausgestattet werden sollen. Auf diesen können verschiedenste Daten gespeichert und mit Hilfe von speziellen Lesegeräten berührungslos abgerufen werden. Zwar heißt es von Seiten der Veranstalter, dass der Chip nur aus „etwa zehn Zentimetern“ Entfernung zum Lesegerät aufgerufen werden kann und den reibungslosen Zugang zum Stadion ermöglichen soll. Technisch gesehen erlaubt die RFID-Technologie jedoch weitaus mehr: Mit entsprechend ausgestatteten und aufgestellten Lesegeräten lassen sich die Daten an verschiedenen Stellen abrufen und miteinander verknüpfen. „Dies geschieht, ohne dass der Ticketbesitzer etwas davon weiß, denn berührungslos heißt eben auch unbemerkt“, kritisiert BAFF. Auch gibt es keine Garantien, dass auf diesem Wege möglicherweise nicht auch Unbefugte an die auf dem Chip gespeicherten Daten gelangen können. Falls solche Tickets zusätzlich mit einer Zahlungsfunktion versehen werden sollten, wären künftig neben detaillierten Bewegungs- auch umfassende Kundenprofile von Fußballfans möglich. Damit wäre der gläserne und total überwachte Fan endlich Wirklichkeit, fürchtet BAFF. Den organisierten Fans will nicht einleuchten, wieso eine potentiell derart weitreichende und gefährliche Technologie unbedingt eingeführt werden soll, um bei der WM den Stadionzugang zu regeln. Die eindeutige Identifizierung der mit RFID-Chips versehenen Eintrittskarten soll die Sicherheit in den WM-Stadien erhöhen. Dabei handelt es sich jedoch um ein sehr umständliches Verfahren, denn ob der Karteninhaber auch tatsächlich der Karteneigentümer und damit zugangsberechtigt ist, muss letztlich doch wieder manuell anhand des Ausweises überprüft werden. Zudem existieren bereits funktionierende, auch elektronische Zugangssysteme, die weit weniger missbrauchsanfällig sind. Volker Stör, ebenfalls bei BAFF aktiv, findet daher: „Die Ankündigung, dass die auf RFID-Technologie beruhenden Systeme über das Turnier hinaus den Stadien erhalten bleiben sollen, klingt wie eine Drohung an die Fans der Bundesliga.“ Das Fan-Bündnis ist sich mit Daten- und Verbraucherschützern darin einig, dass RFID-Chips nicht eingesetzt werden dürfen, solange die Folgen nicht absehbar sind und der Missbrauch persönlicher Daten nicht ausgeschlossen werden kann: „Fußballfans dürfen nicht zu Versuchskaninchen für die Durchsetzung einer fragwürdigen Überwachungstechnologie werden.“ Wer sich dennoch ab dem 1. Februar um Karten für die Weltmeisterschaft bemühen will, dem ist zu empfehlen, zumindest der Weitergabe persönlicher Daten aus dem Fragebogen zu widersprechen. BAFF fordert das OK nachdrücklich auf, eine solche Widerspruchsmöglichkeit direkt im Bestellformular zu garantieren. Geschieht dies nicht, bliebe den Fans nur der schriftliche Widerspruch per Post. Das Bündnis Aktiver Fußball-Fans e.V. (BAFF) ist ein seit 1993 bestehender vereinsübergreifender Zusammenschluss von über 200 Fanclubs, -initiativen, -zeitungen, -projekten sowie Einzelmitgliedern. BAFF setzt sich ein für eine lebendige Fankultur mit sozialem Integrationswert, gegen Rassismus und Kommerzialisierung. – www.aktive-fans.de Kontakt: Johannes Stender, , E-Mail: suedwest@aktive-fans.de Matthias Bettag, , E-Mail: matze@egalwie.de Jörg Höfer, , E-Mail: basf@gmx.de

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'''Köln (Deutschland), 17.02.2005''' – Die Vergabe der Eintrittskarten für die Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2006 in Deutschland ist ins Visier deutscher Datenschützer geraten. Sie erklären das Vergabeprozedere für gesetzeswidrig und damit für unzulässig. Speziell der deutsche Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz, Peter Schaar, hat sich des Themas angenommen und die Vergabe öffentlich kritisiert. Schaar geht es dabei insbesondere um die Abfrage persönlicher Daten der Kartenbesteller. Im Internet werden bei dem Bestellvorgang Daten wie Staatsangehörigkeit, Geburtsdatum, Personalausweisnummer, Zuordnung als Fan zu einer Nation sowie ihre E-Mail-Adresse als zwingend notwendig angefordert. Auch das deutsche Innenministerium wurde von Schaar angegriffen. Ursache für die Abfrage der Daten sei eine Vorgabe des Bundesinnenministers, er habe die Sammlung bestimmter Daten angeregt. Bitten zur Korrektur dieses Verfahrens wurden bisher abgelehnt. Schaar hatte bereits Protest eingelegt und erhielt eine nicht befriedigende Antwort. Daraufhin ist Schaar an die Öffentlichkeit gegangen. Er sieht in dem momentanen Ablauf rechtlich einen Widerspruch zum Personalausweisgesetz. Ausserdem könnten die gespeicherten Daten zweckentfremdet und von Dritten, zum Beispiel der Werbeindustrie, wiederverwertet werden. == Themenverwandte Artikel == * Portal:Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft

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The private launch firm UP Aerospace has postponed the planned launch of its second rocket this month as it roots out the source of an in-flight glitch that doomed a September space shot. UP Aerospace officials initially hoped to launch their second unmanned suborbital SpaceLoft XL rocket – dubbed SL-2 – on Oct. 21, but opted to allow more time to completely investigate the failure of the booster’s flight debut last month. “The investigation is going very well,” UP Aerospace president Jerry Larson told SPACE.com, adding that the precise cause of the crash is close at hand. “We’re homing in on what I believe is the cause…we want to make sure that we finish the investigation properly and don’t leave any stone unturned.” Larson said UP Aerospace is now preparing to launch its next rocket by the end of the year. Like its predecessor, the next SpaceLoft XL rocket will lift off from New Mexico’s state-funded Spaceport America, near Upham – about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Las Cruces – in a remote area known for its low population density. “To successfully fly in 2006 is our goal,” Larson said. “We’re all extremely excited that we got the first launch off and it did well, but obviously we would have liked to make space. That was our ultimate goal.” Launch debut UP Aerospace’s 20-foot (six-meter) SpaceLoft XL rocket debuted on Sept. 25, when the booster shot from its rail launch pad only to wobble seconds after liftoff and come crashing back to Earth. The rocket – designed to carry 110-pound (50-kilogram) payloads to suborbital altitudes of up to 140 miles (225 kilometers) – reached a maximum height of about 40,000 feet (12,192 meters) before returning to Earth, according to past reports. The Sept. 25 launch marked the first-ever flight staged from Spaceport America. “There was no structural damage to the vehicle during the flight at all, nothing broke,” Larson said, adding that initial concerns that the rocket’s fins were damaged in flight proved unfounded once the wreckage was recovered. “The vehicle is strong enough to withstand a Mach 4 corkscrew.” It took UP Aerospace officials about one week to retrieve the SpaceLoft XL wreckage with the help of radar data from monitoring stations at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range. “If we did not have that radar data, it would have taken us much longer, if not made it almost impossible,” Larson said of the recovery effort and subsequent investigation. “They could see the oscillations of the motion and what was physically going on with the body during flight.” In addition to UP Aerospace’s investigation, Spaceport America officials have also formed an Anomaly Investigation Board to review the SpaceLoft XL’s crash. “We’ve got to get the Spaceport’s approval, and White Sands’ and the Federal Aviation Authorities,” Larson said, stressing that fixing the anomaly safely is vital for future SpaceLoft XL flights. “So there are a lot of players.” A good start Despite the Sept. 25 crash, Larson’s said UP Aerospace gained valuable suborbital launch experience that went far beyond that attained during dress rehearsals. “The launch crew performed flawlessly,” Larson said, adding that half of the flight’s ground personnel were Spaceport America officials, with the other half staffed by UP Aerospace. “It gives me hope that we’ll be able to launch multiple times in a day because it was so slick.” UP Aerospace is not alone in its rocky debut of a new launch vehicle. Earlier this year, El Segundo, California-based Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) launched its first privately-developed Falcon 1 rocket from a South Pacific atoll which failed just after liftoff. The first U.S attempt to orbit a satellite – the Navy’s Vanguard TV3 – failed two seconds after ignition on Dec. 6, 1957. “You can’t get into this business expecting things to be perfect,” Larson said. “For some of these launch vehicles and rockets, it’s all or nothing.” As the SpaceLoft XL crash investigation continues, Larson and other UP Aerospace officials plan to attend next week’s Wirefly X Prize Cup spaceflight exhibition in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they will display video of their first flight and discuss their plans for commercial suborbital spaceflight. “The X Prize Cup is certainly on that cutting edge,” Larson said. “I think that’s why it’s exciting to everybody. It’s not the status quo.”

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Das US-amerikanische Raumfahrtunternehmen UP Aerospace hat den zweiten Raketenflug ihrer Trägerrakete SpaceLoft („SL-2“), der für den 21. Oktober 2006 geplant war, auf einen noch unbekannten Termin verschoben. Zuerst sollen Ursache und Gründe für den misslungenen Erstflug vom 25. September 2006 exakt ermittelt werden, die laufenden Untersuchungen würden gut verlaufen. Gemäß Jerry Larson, dem Präsidenten der UP Aerospace, soll der Start nun gegen Ende dieses Jahres stattfinden.

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WASHINGTON -- During last year's presidential campaign, John F. Kerry was the candidate often portrayed as intellectual and complex, while George W. Bush was the populist who mangled his sentences. But newly released records show that Bush and Kerry had a virtually identical grade average at Yale University four decades ago. In 1999, The New Yorker published a transcript indicating that Bush had received a cumulative score of 77 for his first three years at Yale and a roughly similar average under a non-numerical rating system during his senior year. Kerry, who graduated two years before Bush, got a cumulative 76 for his four years, according to a transcript that Kerry sent to the Navy when he was applying for officer training school. He received four D's in his freshman year out of 10 courses, but improved his average in later years. The grade transcript, which Kerry has always declined to release, was included in his Navy record. During the campaign the Globe sought Kerry's naval records, but he refused to waive privacy restrictions for the full file. Late last month, Kerry gave the Navy permission to send the documents to the Globe. Kerry appeared to be responding to critics who suspected that there might be damaging information in the file about his activities in Vietnam. The military and medical records, however, appear identical to what Kerry has already released. This marks the first time Kerry's grades have been publicly reported. The transcript shows that Kerry's freshman-year average was 71. He scored a 61 in geology, a 63 and 68 in two history classes, and a 69 in political science. His top score was a 79, in another political science course. Another of his strongest efforts, a 77, came in French class. Under Yale's grading system in effect at the time, grades between 90 and 100 equaled an A, 80-89 a B, 70-79 a C, 60 to 69 a D, and anything below that was a failing grade. In addition to Kerry's four D's in his freshman year, he received one D in his sophomore year. He did not fail any courses. ''I always told my Dad that D stood for distinction," Kerry said yesterday in a written response to questions, noting that he has previously acknowledged that he spent a lot of time learning to fly instead of focusing on his studies. Kerry's weak grades came despite years of education at some of the world's most elite prep schools, ranging from Fessenden School in Massachusetts to St. Paul's School in New Hampshire. It is noteworthy, however, that Kerry received a high honor at Yale despite his mediocre grades: He was chosen to deliver his senior class oration, a testament to his reputation as a public speaker. He delivered a speech questioning the wisdom of the Vietnam War, in which he would soon see combat.

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John Kerry's Yale transcript was released as a part of his naval records late last month. A number of American news sources have drawn attention to the fact it shows that Kerry's grades were slightly lower than George W. Bush's. This is contrary to popular perception, which portrays Kerry as an "intellectual" and Bush as a "regular guy". Bush's transcript was published in 1999 by ''The New Yorker''. Kerry earned a 76 percent cumulative average during his four years at Yale, while Bush earned a 77 percent his first three years and a similar average his fourth year under a non-numerical grading system. Both Bush and Kerry began their memberships in Skull and Bones while at Yale.

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All through last year’s presidential race, Vietnam-era critics of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) charged that he was trying to hide something by refusing to authorize the public release of his entire military and medical file. On Tuesday, Kerry provided access to his complete records. The long-awaited documents contained no bombshells, and his enemies still were not satisfied. The 180-page sheaf of medal commendations, officer’s fitness reports and medical entries released under federal guidelines by Kerry’s Senate office provided a few new nuggets of information about his 1968 to 1969 stint as a Swift boat commander during the Vietnam War. There was one page from a January 1969 officer evaluation that appeared to back Kerry’s claims that he had been well-rated by his superiors. During the heat of the 2004 campaign, some members of a group of anti-Kerry Navy veterans suggested that the then-missing document might provide a damning assessment of his wartime role. Advertisement Kerry said in a statement Tuesday that he had provided “unprecedented access” to his military and medical records during the campaign “and now months after it ended.” In releasing the file, he said, “the facts speak for themselves and as these records prove, once again the right wing is wrong.” But Kerry’s reluctance to provide easy access to records that buttressed his war resume remains one of the more puzzling aspects of his campaign strategy. Pollsters and political scientists who have studied the race said that Kerry might have left himself vulnerable by reacting too slowly to criticism by pro-Bush veterans and their insistent calls for public access to all of his records. Kerry’s move to release the file now, observers said, could inoculate him from similar pressure if he decided to run again in 2008. “This would certainly help him keep his options open,” said William Benoit, a communications professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia who has analyzed the repairing of political images. Advertisement But a former Swift boat officer who led the Navy veterans’ bitter public campaign against Kerry demanded more Tuesday, saying that the file was incomplete. “We asked him to universally release his entire file, and what we’ve seen instead is a parceling out of incomplete records,” said John O’Neill, a Houston lawyer who was a founder of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The group last year mounted a well-bankrolled advertising campaign to undermine Kerry’s wartime pedigree. O’Neill expressed doubt that Kerry’s latest document release included material from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. But David Wade, a Kerry spokesman, said that the request to Navy Personnel Command to release documents extended to all government record repositories. In a phone interview from Houston, O’Neill said the Swift boat group was pressing for information about three unresolved controversies from the 2004 race: Kerry’s disputed contention that his Swift boat had entered Cambodian waters about December 1968; wording discrepancies among several versions of Kerry’s medal commendations; and a perceived lag between Kerry’s discharge from the Navy in 1970 and a later departure date in 1978. Advertisement “If he made a true universal release of his records and not through selective journalists, maybe we could get to the records that would answer some of these questions,” O’Neill said. “If there were orders, for example, that sent him to Cambodia, they should be in his file.” Navy archives are sometimes incomplete, and Kerry’s latest document release contained no new information on any of those controversies. But it did include the missing first page of a two-page evaluation from 1969. That document indicated that Kerry would have been selected for “accelerated promotion” and described him as “one of the top few” in his officer group -- the highest rank available. “No matter how much these dishonest partisans pretend otherwise, the truth is right there in black and white in fitness reports written by his commanding officers,” Wade said. A less flattering portrait of Kerry shows up in other documents in the file. Correspondence from Navy officials reveals that soon after leaving Vietnam, Kerry took pains to make sure that all his wartime commendations were documented in his military file. Advertisement “Subject officer advised ... that he has never received the citation or decoration for the Silver Star medal,” a Navy personnel officer wrote in a file notation in December 1969 -- nine months after Kerry had returned from Vietnam. Kerry’s reluctance last year to give unfettered access to his file may have provided Swift boat critics with a ready-made issue. But his political caution, Benoit said, was understandable. “He wanted to release it in the best light possible, and to do that, he has to keep control,” Benoit said. “Even if he had put it all out there for everyone to see, I’m not so sure the Swift boat people would have been any easier on him. By putting all the records out there now, at least he gives them one less argument to use against him next time.”

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John Kerry's Yale transcript was released as a part of his naval records late last month. A number of American news sources have drawn attention to the fact it shows that Kerry's grades were slightly lower than George W. Bush's. This is contrary to popular perception, which portrays Kerry as an "intellectual" and Bush as a "regular guy". Bush's transcript was published in 1999 by ''The New Yorker''. Kerry earned a 76 percent cumulative average during his four years at Yale, while Bush earned a 77 percent his first three years and a similar average his fourth year under a non-numerical grading system. Both Bush and Kerry began their memberships in Skull and Bones while at Yale.

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The Scourge of the Wristband If you’re looking for a way to remember your fondest memories of the Michael Jackson trial, have no fear. In support of the King of Pop, dedicated fans are buying (and selling) ghostly white wristbands engraved with the words “Truth.Justice.Michael.” The band that equates Michael with the principles of honesty and integrity has been so popular that it sold out. Fortunately, for those of you who still Beat It to MJ, a new bracelet has come along. The “MJJ=Innocent” band is a bold way of saying “Hey, I always bet on a dark horse.” Maybe you’re still on the fence about MJ. Luckily, Livestrong-style bracelets are now available for dozens of causes — charitable and otherwise. (See here and here.) For example, let everyone know you’re up on your pop culture with a “That’s Hot” pink band. From a distance you’ll be supporting breast cancer but up close your true devotion to The Simple Life will shine. Or perhaps instead of living strong you’d rather “LIVEPURE,” one in a series of religious bands. Now that trucker hats are out and support bands are in, you can sport a “Jesus is my homie” band, a “100% Catholic” band, or, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing, an “I Love Jesus, Jesus Loves Me” band. From “I Love Fishing” to “I Love Hunting,” there’s a countless number of bands to show your support for virtually everything unimportant. So live strong: let us all know that if it’s between Tsunami relief and “Red Sox Nation,” you’re sticking with Boston. (Paula Lehman) The Perfect Photo Op A couple of weeks ago, Laura Bush spent five days in the Middle East to promote peace and mend relations with our allies in the Arab world. In Alexandria, Egypt, she visited a girls’ school, Om El Kora, along with the wife of Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak. It was the perfect photo op and the First Lady shared hugs and smiles with sweet, Egyptian schoolchildren as she chatted about empowering women and the importance of education. (Some of the many pics from the visit.) Well, it turns out the school didn’t look that way before Laura came to town. A report from an Egyptian blogger: One week before the scheduled visit, the tattered school was painted anew, tidied up, and the sewage system was fixed. The dirty roads around the school were cleaned up and trees were miraculously planted all around the area. A sign in English was written to welcome the 2 first ladies. Oh, yea, one more thing. The kids weren’t quite right either: Nevertheless, the Alexandria education officials didn’t like how the Om el Qura school kids looked like. The girls were poor and wore dirty school uniforms. Instead of cleaning them out and distributing clean clothes that would have definitely drew a huge smile on their faces, the officials decided to replaced the kids with new kids brought from a language school. Oh, yea, one more thing. The kids weren’t quite right either: Problem solved! John Kerry: Not As Smart As You Thought If we had any doubt that John Kerry has the worst political instincts of the twenty-first century, the delayed release of his Yale transcripts closes the book. It turns out that Kerry’s grades were no better than Bush’s, and ­— depending how you spin it — ­even worse. Kerry’s average was 76, with a whopping four D’s in his freshman year, including two history classes, political science, and the cakewalk, known then as well as now, called geology. The erudite Bush, by contrast, received only one D in his four years. And note how clever the president has been to avoid trumpeting his academic achievements. Kerry, who allegedly looks French, was certainly thinking French when he under-marketed his Bart Simpson report card. Intellectuals are heroes in the land of the pomme frites, but over here in the land of freedom fries, we’re more attracted to Bernard Kerik than Bernard Henri-Levy. Why was he so damn insecure about his poor performance, and why didn’t he have the confidence to be in touch with his inner moron? Did he and his advisors think that he would actually lose votes if we knew that he served with less distinction at Yale than along the Bay Hap River? Imagine how our perception of him would have changed if we only knew. When he fielded those tough debate questions with such sure-footed fluency, we would have been won over by his climb from the bottom of the class. Yes, it’s okay to get smart, but less okay to be born smart ­unless you’re John Kennedy, and leaven it with wit and charm. Or Bill Clinton, who was able to connect on a profoundly emotional level. Think about us. The “For Dummies” series is a money-making machine. We worship at the altar of self-deprecation, particularly in our irony-infused, post-modern culture of coolness. P.T. Barnum famously said that nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people. It’s also true that nobody ever got elected over-estimating it. John Kerry, meet Adlai Stevenson. (Adam Hanft) Morning Roundup • British Prime Minister Tony Blair will ask President George Bush today to increase aid to Africa and spend more on the fight against global warming. The White House said it would give $674 million, money that is seen largely as a thank you to Blair for sticking with Bush during the Iraq war. At least the Africans will get something out of the war. [NY Times] • Pope Benedict XVI called gay marriage an expression of “anarchic freedom” in a speech in Rome yesterday. He also took swipes at divorce and artificial contraception, which the Pope called the “banalization of the human body.” That sound you hear is American Catholics slamming the church doors behind them. [Boston Globe] • General Motors will eliminate 25,000 jobs in the U.S. by 2008. The jobs cuts will save about $2.5 billion for shareholders, and save all those employees from having to go to work. Lucky them! GM did not announce which plants would close, so no one is safe right now. Gives people plenty to talk about on their lunch break. [AP] • Women in New York could face shorter restroom lines under a new building code that requires more women’s toilets in new bars, arenas, convention halls and movie theaters. For every one men’s toilet, there must be two women’s toilets. Farewell to the meat market line in crowded bars. This is good government at work people ­— uncross your legs and rejoice! [New York Daily News] New York 2012: No Chance In Hell With New York’s 2012 Olympic bid down the tubes, online bookies responded immediately by downgrading the Big Apple. PinnacleSports.com quickly issued a press release and although Paris remains in first place, New York is now dead last, a 30-1 long shot: Paris: 1/6 London: 13/2 Madrid: 27/1 New York: 30/1 Moscow: 25/1 Had New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, not tied the Olympic bid to a Westside stadium — there’s a bit of unused land in Queens and Brooklyn, we hear — perhaps Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s decision wouldn’t have crushed the city’s chances. Now with NYC effectively out the running, millions of New Yorkers will be spared horrific traffic jams on 100-degree summer days — but they also won’t be able to rent out their 250-square-foot apartments for $20,000 a week either. New York’s Olympic stadium plan rejected [CNN] Stadium Loss Is Win-Win [Forbes]

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John Kerry's Yale transcript was released as a part of his naval records late last month. A number of American news sources have drawn attention to the fact it shows that Kerry's grades were slightly lower than George W. Bush's. This is contrary to popular perception, which portrays Kerry as an "intellectual" and Bush as a "regular guy". Bush's transcript was published in 1999 by ''The New Yorker''. Kerry earned a 76 percent cumulative average during his four years at Yale, while Bush earned a 77 percent his first three years and a similar average his fourth year under a non-numerical grading system. Both Bush and Kerry began their memberships in Skull and Bones while at Yale.

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A full-patch Hells Angels member helped police infiltrate the downtown Toronto chapter and led to the seizure of their "flagship" clubhouse in a series of raids Wednesday, police said. "This is the second time the Hells Angels' criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own," OPP Det. Insp. Dan Redmond said at a news conference held Thursday in Mississauga, Ont. Under the dark of early morning, nearly 40 locations were raided by police across Ontario, as well as one location each in New Brunswick and British Columbia. Co-ordinating the dozens of raids across three time zones was a "mammoth task," said Redmond, with 400 officers involved. Of the raids, the most significant is considered the downtown Toronto clubhouse, which police seized and stripped of its signs Wednesday. Redmond called it the "flagship" of the Hells Angels in Ontario, if not the country. Nearly 170 charges were laid against 31 people, police said. No list of charges and names was released. Sixteen full-patch members are in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding on two. Redmond refused to specify whether any senior members had been arrested, saying only that they were "affected" and no longer have their "home" — the clubhouse. Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino called it a "good day" for police and warned biker gang members and their associates: "You can run but you can't hide and we will do all we can to bring you to justice." Seized were vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, though amounts were not specified. Representatives from all police levels spoke at the news conference, including RCMP, OPP and the Toronto police. Ontario has 16 Angels chapters, though not all are active, and about 200 full-patch members, police said.

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On Wednesday, approximately forty Hells Angels locations were raided by police in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Police arrested more than thirty people in the three provinces. New York City. The largest Hells Angels location in Canada, located in downtown Toronto on 498 Eastern Ave., was raided early Wednesday morning. Nearly sixteen members were arrested with two members still on the wanted list. Toronto Police removed the sign and are now investigating. They are currently planning a large crackdown on the Hells Angels in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Hopefully by now biker gangs and their associates are getting the message: we're here to shut you down. You can run but you can't hide, and we will do all that we can to bring you to justice," said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner (OPP) Julian Fantino. "I believe that we have to continue the attack on organized crime however it's manifested, and we owe the citizens of our community no less." "It's a good day for policing in Toronto, a good day for policing in Ontario." "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," OPP Inspector Dan Redmond said yesterday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." Nearly 170 charges were laid against thirty-one people, police said, though they provided no list of charges or names. Sixteen full-patch members are said to be in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding for another two. Police seized vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, but were not specific about the amounts. The Hells Angels is a large biker gang founded 1948 in Fontana, California and is estimated to have 1,800 members in 22 countries. Since they started many other biker gangs merged with them, due to the fact that the Hells Angels are larger. The Hells Angels have 500 members in Canada, thirty-four active chapters in Canada, sixteen in Ontario, seven in British Columbia, five in Quebec, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. A number of raids have been made since, with two in September and January 2006. A location on Sherwood Ave. in Scarborough, Ontario, and a house on Berard Court in Barrie, Ontario are under a restraining order as they may have drug related crimes. The Toronto chapter of Hells Angels, in the "Real Deal News" section of their website, alleged that the police were staging a show for the media and that the raids were overly dramatic to make Hells Angels look bad on television.

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On Wednesday, approximately forty Hells Angels locations were raided by police in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Police arrested more than thirty people in the three provinces. New York City. The largest Hells Angels location in Canada, located in downtown Toronto on 498 Eastern Ave., was raided early Wednesday morning. Nearly sixteen members were arrested with two members still on the wanted list. Toronto Police removed the sign and are now investigating. They are currently planning a large crackdown on the Hells Angels in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Hopefully by now biker gangs and their associates are getting the message: we're here to shut you down. You can run but you can't hide, and we will do all that we can to bring you to justice," said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner (OPP) Julian Fantino. "I believe that we have to continue the attack on organized crime however it's manifested, and we owe the citizens of our community no less." "It's a good day for policing in Toronto, a good day for policing in Ontario." "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," OPP Inspector Dan Redmond said yesterday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." Nearly 170 charges were laid against thirty-one people, police said, though they provided no list of charges or names. Sixteen full-patch members are said to be in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding for another two. Police seized vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, but were not specific about the amounts. The Hells Angels is a large biker gang founded 1948 in Fontana, California and is estimated to have 1,800 members in 22 countries. Since they started many other biker gangs merged with them, due to the fact that the Hells Angels are larger. The Hells Angels have 500 members in Canada, thirty-four active chapters in Canada, sixteen in Ontario, seven in British Columbia, five in Quebec, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. A number of raids have been made since, with two in September and January 2006. A location on Sherwood Ave. in Scarborough, Ontario, and a house on Berard Court in Barrie, Ontario are under a restraining order as they may have drug related crimes. The Toronto chapter of Hells Angels, in the "Real Deal News" section of their website, alleged that the police were staging a show for the media and that the raids were overly dramatic to make Hells Angels look bad on television.

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Three of the accused in court today. Security was tight outside the court today as the suspects were transported to the hearing. About $500,000 in vehicles, drugs, weapons and more than $500,000 in cash was seized by police. OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, April 5, 2007. View larger image Toronto Police remove a sign from the suspected Hells Angels clubhouse on Eastern Avenue in downtown Toronto on Wednesday, April 4, 2007. View larger image A police officer walks out of the Hells Angels clubhouse hours after an early morning raid in Toronto on Wednesday, April 4, 2007. (CP / Aaron Harris) Hells Angels suspects appear in court after raid CTV.ca News Staff More than a dozen alleged members of the Hells Angels appeared in a Toronto court today after a nation-wide raid netted hundreds of arrests on Wednesday. Heavily-armed officers stood on guard as the suspects were lead into the courtroom three at a time. Family members wept as they learned many of their relatives would be spending the Easter long weekend in jail awaiting bail hearings. However, several of the 31 Toronto-area men arrested have been released on bail for medical reasons, including kidney problems and sleep apnea. Lawyers for the accused were on hand and maintained their clients' innocence. "Well, he's not happy. He's a man who has worked his entire life. He's worked the same job the last 19 years and he would be working if he wasn't in jail today," Daniel Kayfetz, defence lawyer for one of the accused, said outside the courtroom on Thursday. "No, he's not guilty and he intends to plead not guilty and the matter will go before the court. Obviously nobody can be happy about being dragged into a large case like this," defence lawyer Allan Gold said of his high-profile client Don Peterson. In another twist to the investigation, a Niagara police officer has been charged with breach of trust for allegedly leaking police information to gang members. The officer has since been released on bail with the condition that he refrains from contacting any member of the Hells Angels organization. Earlier, a police press conference revealed an informant from within the Hells Angels organization aided police in the investigation. "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," Ontario Provincial Police Insp. Dan Redmond said Thursday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." The probe, dubbed Project Develop, culminated in a series of raids against the Hells Angels and affiliate gangs on Wednesday. The dramatic pre-dawn operation targeted clubhouses in Ontario, New Brunswick and British Columbia on Wednesday. Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino told reporters the arrests send a message to bikers. "We are here to shut you down. You can run, but you can't hide. And we will do all that we can, to bring you to justice," Fantino said. In Ontario alone, some 32 raids were carried out -- at least a dozen of those in Toronto. In total, 31 arrests were made and 169 charges laid in Ontario. Police said the raids dealt a significant blow to the organization's flagship chapter in Toronto, said to be the largest in the country. The Toronto Hells Angels clubhouse was seized as well as $500,000 in vehicles, drugs, weapons and more than $500,000 in cash. "This clubhouse has been used by the Hells Angels as almost a claim to that area. They've been advertising their presence quite blatantly," Toronto Police Deputy Chief Tony Warr said. "We felt it was necessary to send the message to the community that they were no longer there," said Warr, referring to the sign that was removed from the suspected clubhouse on Avenue in downtown Toronto on Wednesday. Raids were also carried out at clubhouses in Niagara Falls, Waterloo, Barrie, London, Hamilton, as well as Durham, Peel and York regions. In British Columbia and New Brunswick, RCMP spokesmen confirmed that outlaw motorcycle organizations, including the Hells Angels and the Bacchus Motorcycle Club, had been targeted as part of an ongoing investigation. A series of simultaneous raids launched by provincial police in September 2006 saw 500 officers involved in arresting 15 members of the Hells Angels. In January 2006, police made a series of arrests focused in Thunder Bay, Ont., in which a total of 27 Hell Angels and associates were charged. About 175 full-patch Hells Angels members -- of the 460 nationwide -- operate in Ontario. There are 34 chapters in Canada and 16 of them in Ontario. There are also seven chapters in British Columbia, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, one in Manitoba and five in Quebec. The arrests came nearly one year to the day that police found eight bodies of rival Bandidos gang members in a farmer's field in Shedden, Ont., just south of London, Ont. Eight people, including a former police officer from Winnipeg, were later charged in relation to the Shedden deaths. With a report from CTV's Chris Eby and files from The Canadian Press

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On Wednesday, approximately forty Hells Angels locations were raided by police in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Police arrested more than thirty people in the three provinces. New York City. The largest Hells Angels location in Canada, located in downtown Toronto on 498 Eastern Ave., was raided early Wednesday morning. Nearly sixteen members were arrested with two members still on the wanted list. Toronto Police removed the sign and are now investigating. They are currently planning a large crackdown on the Hells Angels in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Hopefully by now biker gangs and their associates are getting the message: we're here to shut you down. You can run but you can't hide, and we will do all that we can to bring you to justice," said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner (OPP) Julian Fantino. "I believe that we have to continue the attack on organized crime however it's manifested, and we owe the citizens of our community no less." "It's a good day for policing in Toronto, a good day for policing in Ontario." "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," OPP Inspector Dan Redmond said yesterday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." Nearly 170 charges were laid against thirty-one people, police said, though they provided no list of charges or names. Sixteen full-patch members are said to be in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding for another two. Police seized vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, but were not specific about the amounts. The Hells Angels is a large biker gang founded 1948 in Fontana, California and is estimated to have 1,800 members in 22 countries. Since they started many other biker gangs merged with them, due to the fact that the Hells Angels are larger. The Hells Angels have 500 members in Canada, thirty-four active chapters in Canada, sixteen in Ontario, seven in British Columbia, five in Quebec, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. A number of raids have been made since, with two in September and January 2006. A location on Sherwood Ave. in Scarborough, Ontario, and a house on Berard Court in Barrie, Ontario are under a restraining order as they may have drug related crimes. The Toronto chapter of Hells Angels, in the "Real Deal News" section of their website, alleged that the police were staging a show for the media and that the raids were overly dramatic to make Hells Angels look bad on television.

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A chicken farm in the hot zone labeled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Abbotsford, B.C. (CP/Richard Lam) Agriculture Minister Bob Speller announces kill of 19 million birds in B.C. OTTAWA (CP) - Agriculture Minister Bob Speller has ordered that 19 million chickens and turkeys be killed in the Fraser Valley of southern British Columbia to fight an outbreak of highly contagious avian flu. The federal governments "preoccupation is to stop the spread of this disease and to stamp it out," Speller said at an Ottawa news conference. It is hoped the cull will eliminate the virus in the province. Speller said the cull, which affects about 80 per cent of B.C. poultry producers, follows a recommendation from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The agency was under pressure to act after the contagion spread beyond a 10-kilometre hot zone created around the first affected farms in Abbotsford. Poultry producers have banded together, and Friday they proposed "a phased depopulation" of the entire Fraser Valley commercial flock, an idea backed by B.C. Agriculture Minister John van Dongen. About 400,000 birds had already been ordered slaughtered. Two workers who dealt with the birds caught mild forms of the H7 avian flu that is not considered a threat to humans. Both have recovered. H7 avian flu is not considered a threat to humans. Federal Agriculture Minister Bob Speller

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On Wednesday, approximately forty Hells Angels locations were raided by police in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Police arrested more than thirty people in the three provinces. New York City. The largest Hells Angels location in Canada, located in downtown Toronto on 498 Eastern Ave., was raided early Wednesday morning. Nearly sixteen members were arrested with two members still on the wanted list. Toronto Police removed the sign and are now investigating. They are currently planning a large crackdown on the Hells Angels in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Hopefully by now biker gangs and their associates are getting the message: we're here to shut you down. You can run but you can't hide, and we will do all that we can to bring you to justice," said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner (OPP) Julian Fantino. "I believe that we have to continue the attack on organized crime however it's manifested, and we owe the citizens of our community no less." "It's a good day for policing in Toronto, a good day for policing in Ontario." "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," OPP Inspector Dan Redmond said yesterday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." Nearly 170 charges were laid against thirty-one people, police said, though they provided no list of charges or names. Sixteen full-patch members are said to be in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding for another two. Police seized vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, but were not specific about the amounts. The Hells Angels is a large biker gang founded 1948 in Fontana, California and is estimated to have 1,800 members in 22 countries. Since they started many other biker gangs merged with them, due to the fact that the Hells Angels are larger. The Hells Angels have 500 members in Canada, thirty-four active chapters in Canada, sixteen in Ontario, seven in British Columbia, five in Quebec, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. A number of raids have been made since, with two in September and January 2006. A location on Sherwood Ave. in Scarborough, Ontario, and a house on Berard Court in Barrie, Ontario are under a restraining order as they may have drug related crimes. The Toronto chapter of Hells Angels, in the "Real Deal News" section of their website, alleged that the police were staging a show for the media and that the raids were overly dramatic to make Hells Angels look bad on television.

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Today's Headlines December 6th 2004 DALE BRAZAO AND JOHN DUNCANSON STAFF REPORTERS BOCA RATON, Fla.-A key witness in the Toronto police corruption scandal has left Canada to live here in a luxury home backing on to a private golf course, raising concerns in police circles that he will not return to testify. Daniel Contogiannis, a chiropractor and downtown pub owner, recently moved out of his Mississauga mansion and now resides in one of Florida's more affluent gated communities, surrounded by four private golf courses. Photo by DALE BRAZAO/TORONTO STAR Chiropractor Daniel Contogiannis, a key witness in Toronto’s police corruption scandal, has moved his family to a luxury community in Boca Raton, Fla. He cannot be compelled to return to Canada. Police Corruption Charges May Daniel Contogiannis, a chiropractor and downtown pub owner, recently moved out of his Mississauga mansion and now resides in one of Florida's more affluent gated communities, surrounded by four private golf courses. Contogiannis, who a friend calls "a victim" in the scandal, cannot be compelled to return to Canada and testify, legal experts say. Police fear that could compromise the crown's case. Court documents filed by an RCMP-led task force describe Contogiannis as a co-conspirator. Police sources claim he was involved, through his part ownership of Toronto's two Peel Pubs, in a shakedown scheme that targeted bars in the downtown Entertainment District. The heart of the allegations involves police officers demanding money to warn taverns about or protect them from liquor licence inspections. In one case, sources claim, $50,000 was paid out by bar owners to avoid inspections. Contogiannis, identified only by his initials in court documents, has not been charged with any crime. He is, however, scheduled to be a witness against the very officers to whom he and other bar owners are alleged to have paid protection money Go Up in Smoke Prime Minister lands in The Prime Minister of Canada was besieged with critism when he arrived in Coquitlim B. C. from Halifax this morning, wearing a huge fox fur hat. "I wore it at the request of the people of Halifax", the Prime Minister explained. "When I told them i was coming to Coquitlim, everyone I talked to said "Wear da fox hat" Your Morning Smile A drunken man walks into a biker bar, sits down at the bar and orders a drink. Looking around, he sees 3 men sitting at a corner table.He gets up, staggers to the table, leans over, looks the biggest, meanest, biker in the face and says"I went by your grandma's house today and I saw her in the hallway buck naked. Man, she is one fine looking woman!"The biker looks at him and doesn't say a word. His buddies are confused, because he is one mean biker and would fight at the drop of a hat.The drunk leans on the table again and says: "I got it on with your grandma and she is good, the best I ever had!"The biker's buddies are starting to get really mad but the biker still says nothing.The drunk leans on the table one more time and says, "I'll tell you something else, boy, your grandma liked it!" At this point the biker stands up, takes the drunk by the shoulders looks him square in the eyes and says,"Grandpa,....... Go home, you're drunk." Biker Violence Fear Unfounded Coquitlim Under Fire Click to read more

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On Wednesday, approximately forty Hells Angels locations were raided by police in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Police arrested more than thirty people in the three provinces. New York City. The largest Hells Angels location in Canada, located in downtown Toronto on 498 Eastern Ave., was raided early Wednesday morning. Nearly sixteen members were arrested with two members still on the wanted list. Toronto Police removed the sign and are now investigating. They are currently planning a large crackdown on the Hells Angels in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Hopefully by now biker gangs and their associates are getting the message: we're here to shut you down. You can run but you can't hide, and we will do all that we can to bring you to justice," said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner (OPP) Julian Fantino. "I believe that we have to continue the attack on organized crime however it's manifested, and we owe the citizens of our community no less." "It's a good day for policing in Toronto, a good day for policing in Ontario." "Project Develop was an 18-month investigation that utilized a full-patch Hells Angels member as a police agent to infiltrate the Toronto downtown chapter of the Hells Angels," OPP Inspector Dan Redmond said yesterday. "Hells Angels criminal activity has been exposed by one of their own." Nearly 170 charges were laid against thirty-one people, police said, though they provided no list of charges or names. Sixteen full-patch members are said to be in custody, with arrest warrants outstanding for another two. Police seized vehicles, drugs, weapons, property and real-estate, but were not specific about the amounts. The Hells Angels is a large biker gang founded 1948 in Fontana, California and is estimated to have 1,800 members in 22 countries. Since they started many other biker gangs merged with them, due to the fact that the Hells Angels are larger. The Hells Angels have 500 members in Canada, thirty-four active chapters in Canada, sixteen in Ontario, seven in British Columbia, five in Quebec, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. A number of raids have been made since, with two in September and January 2006. A location on Sherwood Ave. in Scarborough, Ontario, and a house on Berard Court in Barrie, Ontario are under a restraining order as they may have drug related crimes. The Toronto chapter of Hells Angels, in the "Real Deal News" section of their website, alleged that the police were staging a show for the media and that the raids were overly dramatic to make Hells Angels look bad on television.

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Publicidade Um atirador abriu fogo em uma sala de aula na universidade Northern Illinois (NIU), no Condado de DeKalb na tarde desta quarta-feira, ferindo várias pessoas, segundo a própria instituição. O suposto atirador morreu após o incidente, de acordo com a Polícia do Condado de DeKalb citada pelo jornal local "Chicago Sun Times". O hospital Kishwaukee Community em DeKalb declarou esperar por até 15 vítimas do tiroteio --incluindo três ou quatro com ferimentos na cabeça. Duas vítimas foram levadas de helicóptero ao hospital Rockford. Segundo a rede de TV CNN, 18 pessoas ficaram feridas. Roger Scott, xerife do Condado de DeKalb, disse que é possível que o atirador tenha cometido suicídio. Funcionários da universidade não deram detalhes sobre a extensão do tiroteio, mas disseram que alunos e professores estão em segurança. As aulas foram canceladas. "Houve um tiroteio no campus", disse Joe King, porta-voz da NIU. "Diversas pessoas foram levadas de ambulância. O campus de DeKalb está fechado." Um alerta no site da universidade afirma que há a possibilidade de um atirador estar no campus. "Vá a uma área segura e tome precauções até que esteja normalizado", diz a mensagem, postada às 15h20 (19h20 em Brasília). DeKalb fica a cerca de 105 km a oeste de Chicago. Tiroteios Um adolescente de 15 anos baleado na terça-feira (12) por um colega em uma escola da Califórnia (oeste), não resistiu e morreu na quarta, segundo a polícia. Lawrence King foi baleado em uma sala de informática do centro E.O. Green, onde estudava. Ele foi internado em estado grave no hospital St. John's Regional Medical Center. O agressor, um companheiro de turma de 14 anos, foi detido após o incidente. O colégio foi fechado pela polícia. Este foi o quinto ataque com arma de fogo nos Estados Unidos em uma semana, dos quais quatro ocorreram em escolas. Com Associated Press

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Northern Illinois University 5 mortos e 18 feridos por atirador em uma universidade nos Estados Unidos. Conforme informações da polícia, trata-se de um ex-aluno de sociologia da Northern Illinois University, em Delkab (a cerca de 100 quilômetros de ). Após ferir os alunos, o atirador matou-se. Todas as aulas foram suspensas hoje e a universidade está fechada. A identidade do atirador ainda não foi divulgada pela polícia.

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14/02/2008 - 22h24 Homem abre fogo em universidade de Illinois, mata ao menos 7 e se suicida da Redação Atualizado às 11h56 de sexta-feira (15) Um homem abriu fogo nesta quinta-feira no campus da Northern Illinois University, em DelKab (a cerca de 100 quilômetros de Chicago), matando ao menos sete pessoas. Em seguida, ele cometeu suicídio, segundo informações das agências de notícias. Quatro pessoas morreram no local, incluindo o atirador, e outras duas morreram mais tarde no hospital, segundo o reitor da universidade, John Peters. Ele disse ainda que ao menos 22 pessoas foram atingidas. Das vítimas, quatro eram mulheres. A página do centro de estudos informou que 17 pessoas haviam sido levadas para o hospital de Kishwaukee, seis delas em estado grave. Um porta-voz do hospital que atendeu os feridos disse que vários foram atingidos na cabeça e no peito. A universidade foi isolada e ainda não há previsão para sua reabertura. A identidade do atirador é conhecida, segundo a polícia que, no entanto, não a divulgou. No entanto, foi informado que o homem estava matriculado na universidade no ano passado, mas não era aluno da Northern Illinois atualmente. A polícia afirma que os motivos que o levaram a abrir fogo contra os estudantes ainda são desconhecidos. A segurança no campus havia sido reforçada em dezembro, quando uma ameaça foi encontrada na porta de um dos banheiros da universidade. Ela incluía insultos raciais e referências ao atentado ocorrido em abril do ano passado na universidade Virginia Tech, quando um atirador matou 32 alunos e depois cometeu suicídio. A mensagem dizia que um atentado ainda pior iria ocorrer. Testemunha Um estudante identificado apenas como John disse à emissora de rádio local WBBM que o atirador entrou em um auditório da universidade e começou a atirar com uma espingarda nos mais de 100 alunos que estavam no local. "Ele apontou para o meio da sala... e então foi até o professor", afirmou John. Dominique Broxton, 22, contou ao "Chicago Tribune" ter visto dois estudantes feridos da janela de seu dormitório. "A ambulância tirou dois alunos do chão do lado de fora do meu dormitório", disse. "Eu não os conheço. Eles pareciam ensangüentados. Onde estou agora há um monte de policiais, pelo menos uma dúzia. Há carros da polícia e caminhonetes em todo o lugar". Dominique descreveu a cena como caótica. "Vi muita confusão", afirmou. "Os alunos saíram correndo. As pessoas realmente não sabiam o que estava acontecendo. Existe um sistema interno de comunicação no dormitório. Alguém veio e disse que uma pessoa tinha sido presa. Eles disseram que haviam prendido o atirador e que devíamos permanecer calmos e não sair dos quartos. Estou no meu quarto agora", relatou a estudante. UOL Celular Acompanhe as notícias do UOL no seu celular. Saiba como: celular.uol.com.br ÍNDICE DE NOTÍCIAS IMPRIMIR ENVIAR COMUNICAR ERRO Shopping UOL ComputadoresDuo Core. Encontre aqui a partir de apenas R$ 905. Conversor TV DigitalAche aqui e pague em até 12x. É imperdível! Motorola A1200iSmartphone com câmera e MP3 em até 12x. Compre!

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Northern Illinois University 5 mortos e 18 feridos por atirador em uma universidade nos Estados Unidos. Conforme informações da polícia, trata-se de um ex-aluno de sociologia da Northern Illinois University, em Delkab (a cerca de 100 quilômetros de ). Após ferir os alunos, o atirador matou-se. Todas as aulas foram suspensas hoje e a universidade está fechada. A identidade do atirador ainda não foi divulgada pela polícia.

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15:30, 17.10.2009 CZESKI PREZYDENT PODPISZE TRAKTAT? Czy eurosceptyczny prezydent Czech Vaclav Klaus już niedługo podpisze Trakatat z Lizbony? Taka sugestia z jego strony padła w wywiadzie dla gazety "Lidove noviny". Czesi zgodni z Klausem Czesi stają murem za Vaclavem Klausem. Większość z nich popiera żądanie... czytaj więcej » Czesi stają murem za Vaclavem Klausem. Większość z nich popiera żądanie... Nie uważam, aby Traktat z Lizbony był rzeczą dobrą dla Europy, dla wolności Europy, dla Republiki Czeskiej. Jednakże pociąg jedzie już tak szybko i tak daleko, że wydaje mi się, iż nie będzie możliwe, aby go zatrzymać czy zawrócić, jakkolwiek bardzo byśmy tego chcieli. Vaclav Klaus Nie uważam, aby Traktat z Lizbony był rzeczą dobrą dla Europy, dla wolności Europy, dla Republiki Czeskiej. Jednakże pociąg jedzie już tak szybko i tak daleko, że wydaje mi się, iż nie będzie możliwe, aby go zatrzymać czy zawrócić, jakkolwiek bardzo byśmy tego chcieli. Czechy szukają wyjścia awaryjnego? Możliwe jest wyłączenie Czech z obowiązywania Karty Praw Podstawowych, bez... czytaj więcej » Możliwe jest wyłączenie Czech z obowiązywania Karty Praw Podstawowych, bez... Dwa zdania? "Żąda niemożliwego" Prezydent Czech Vaclav Klaus podpisze Traktat Lizboński, ale najpierw... czytaj więcej » Prezydent Czech Vaclav Klaus podpisze Traktat Lizboński, ale najpierw... - Nie uważam, aby Traktat z Lizbony był rzeczą dobrą dla Europy, dla wolności Europy, dla Republiki Czeskiej - powiedział czeskiemu dziennikowi Klaus. Dodał jednak: - Jednakże pociąg jedzie już tak szybko i tak daleko, że wydaje mi się, iż nie będzie możliwe, aby go zatrzymać czy zawrócić, jakkolwiek bardzo byśmy tego chcieli.Czechy to jedyne państwo w Unii Europejskiej, które nie ratyfikowało Traktatu z Lizbony. Dokument został już przyjęty przez tamtejszy parlament jednak brakuje podpisu prezydenta Klausa.A czeski przywódca raczej nie spieszy się z ratyfikacją. Uważa on bowiem, że Traktat z Lizbony stanowi próbę utworzenia europejskiego superpaństwa, które pozbawi poszczególne narody suwerenności.Prezydent Czech czeka obecnie na orzeczenie czeskiego Trybunału Konstytucyjnego w sprawie zgodności Traktatu z Konstytucją. Posiedzenie Trybunału odbędzie się 27 października.Jest jeszcze jeden problem: Klaus chciałby, by w Traktacie znalazły się pewne ustępstwa w stosunku do Czech, tak jak to miało miejsce w stosunku do Polski i Irlandii.Gwarancje dla Irlandii dotyczyły jej neutralności, podatków i prawa aborcyjnego. Z kolei Polska wyegzekwowała przyjęcie dodatkowego protokołu do Karty Praw Podstawowych, integralnej części Traktatu. Chodzi o to, by obywateli nie obejmowały postępowania przed Europejskim Trybunałem Praw Człowieka. Polski rząd uzasadniał taką decyzję tym, że nie chce, by trybunał w jakimkolwiek stopniu ingerował w prawne definicje rodziny, życia poczętego itp.Czeski prezydent chce uzupełnienia Traktatu przypisem, ograniczającym obowiązywanie Karty Praw Podstawowych wobec Republiki Czeskiej. Według Klausa, Karta mogłaby otworzyć drogę do sądowych wniosków o zwrot mienia pozostawionego przez wysiedlonych po wojnie Niemców sudeckich.Taki stan rzeczy budzi obawy, że przyjęcie ustępstw będzie wymagało ponownej ratyfikacji we wszystkich krajach UE.W wywiadzie dla "Lidovych novin" Klaus podkreślił jednak, że nie jest to jego celem. - Nigdy nie powiedziałem, że jest niezbędne, aby mój podpis musiał być ratyfikowany przez wszystkie kraje, wraz z całym Traktatem z Lizbony - przekonywał. - Podobnie nigdy nie powiedziałem, że gwarancje podobne do tych, które Komisja Europejska dała Irlandczykom, będą dla mnie niewystarczające - dodał.Pojawiły się też spekulacje, że Klaus z podpisaniem Traktatu czeka na wybory w Wielkiej Brytanii, tak aby będący w opozycji konserwatyści, którzy je prawdopodobnie wygrają, mogli przeprowadzić referendum i unieważnić ratyfikację Traktatu.Jednak w wywiadzie dla czeskiej gazety Klaus zdecydowanie nie zgodził się z tymi podejrzeniami. - Nie będę i nie mogę czekać na brytyjskie wybory. Musieliby je przeprowadzić w najbliższych dniach lub tygodniach - powiedział Klaus.kj/tr

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'''Vaclav Klaus nie jest już tak zagorzałym eurosceptykiem i wiele wskazuje na to, że wkrótce podpisze Traktat Lizboński.''' - ''Pociąg wiozący traktat jedzie tak szybko i dotarł już tak daleko, że nie może już być zatrzymany ani zawrócony, choćby nie wiem jak niektórzy z nas tego chcieli'' – powiedział Vaclav Klaus w wywiadzie dla dziennika „Lidove nowiny”. I chociaż prezydent Czech zapowiada, że Traktat podpisze, to nadal jest zdania, że jego przyjęcie „nie będzie oznaczać końca rozmów o swobodach obywatelskich państw członkowskich”. - Dyskusja nad wolnością i demokracją na Starym Kontynencie z pewnością będzie kontynuowana” – podkreślił.

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Prezydent Czech w końcu podpisze Traktat? Autor: Elżbieta Korzeniowska Vaclav Klaus nie jest już tak zagorzałym eurosceptykiem i wiele wskazuje na to, że wkrótce podpisze Traktat Lizboński.

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'''Vaclav Klaus nie jest już tak zagorzałym eurosceptykiem i wiele wskazuje na to, że wkrótce podpisze Traktat Lizboński.''' - ''Pociąg wiozący traktat jedzie tak szybko i dotarł już tak daleko, że nie może już być zatrzymany ani zawrócony, choćby nie wiem jak niektórzy z nas tego chcieli'' – powiedział Vaclav Klaus w wywiadzie dla dziennika „Lidove nowiny”. I chociaż prezydent Czech zapowiada, że Traktat podpisze, to nadal jest zdania, że jego przyjęcie „nie będzie oznaczać końca rozmów o swobodach obywatelskich państw członkowskich”. - Dyskusja nad wolnością i demokracją na Starym Kontynencie z pewnością będzie kontynuowana” – podkreślił.

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Remanié, amendé, amoindri, le projet de révision constitutionnelle, présenté mercredi 23 avril en conseil des ministres, n'en introduit pas moins des changements dans l'équilibre des pouvoirs. Le Conseil d'Etat ne s'y est pas trompé. Selon nos informations, il aurait contesté, dans son avis, des dispositions du texte qui induisent, selon plusieurs de ses membres, de profonds bouleversements des rapports entre le président, le gouvernement et le Parlement. Depuis sa campagne électorale, le président de la République défend cette réforme qui doit redonner du poids politique au Parlement, face à un président renforcé par le quinquennat et la pratique du pouvoir. Si ce texte est adopté, le gouvernement pourrait perdre certaines de ses prérogatives, qui font de la Ve République un régime parlementaire très encadré. Ce n'est plus le projet de loi présenté par le gouvernement mais la version du texte amendée par les commissions parlementaires qui serait examinée en séance publique. Ce n'est plus le gouvernement qui déterminerait à lui seul l'ordre du jour des assemblées. L'article 49-3 de la Constitution, qui permet l'adoption d'un projet de loi sans vote, ne serait plus une arme de dissuasion à usage illimité : seuls les projets de loi de finances, ainsi qu'un projet de loi par session, pourraient à l'avenir être concernés par ce passage en force gouvernemental qui lui permet d'engager sa responsabilité pour vaincre l'obstruction de l'opposition ou les réticences d'une majorité rebelle. "Notre texte va révolutionner la manière de gouverner", se félicite l'Elysée. "Cette révision va rendre encore plus difficile le gouvernement de la France et l'engagement des réformes", réplique un magistrat du Conseil d'Etat. DEUX MANDATS PRÉSIDENTIELS Autres gages donnés par le président à ce parlementarisme renaissant : la limitation à deux mandats de l'exercice présidentiel, l'encadrement du pouvoir de nomination du président par l'avis d'une commission constituée de membres des deux Assemblées, la garantie donnée aux membres du Parlement de retrouver leur siège en cours de mandat après un passage par des fonctions ministérielles. Ce projet de révision constitutionnelle, issu pour une part des propositions de la commission Balladur, rendues le 29 octobre, doit être adopté par les deux Assemblées, puis obtenir au Congrès - réunion de l'Assemblée nationale et du Sénat - la majorité des trois-cinquièmes. Pour atteindre ce seuil - que n'atteint pas à elle seule l'actuelle majorité -, il faudra, selon les calculs du gouvernement, convaincre une trentaine d'élus socialistes de s'abstenir sur le texte, seuls les suffrages exprimés étant pris en compte. Si le renforcement des pouvoirs du Parlement peut convaincre une partie des membres de l'opposition de s'abstenir, les sénateurs socialistes font de la réforme de leur collège électoral - pour mieux tenir compte de la population dans la représentation au Sénat des collectivités territoriales - un préalable non négociable à la discussion sur la révision. Le PS réclame également l'introduction d'une dose de proportionnelle dans l'élection des députés. Enfin, la possibilité pour le président de la République de prendre la parole devant les Assemblées ou le Congrès - instituée par le projet de révision constitutionnelle - constitue pour beaucoup un casus belli. "Il n'y a qu'à proposer au président de venir s'exprimer dans la salle des fêtes de l'Assemblée", suggère le député (UMP) Hervé Mariton, hostile aussi à l'entrée du président dans l'hémicycle.

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Le projet de révision constitutionnelle, présenté ce matin en conseil des ministres, reprend la quasi-totalité des propositions faites à l'automne dernier par le comité Balladur: ==== Fonctionnement du Parlement ==== *discussion en séance des projets adoptés en commission *instauration d'un ordre du jour partagé *discussion en séance d'un projet de loi au bout d'un mois après son dépôt *garantie donnée aux membres du Parlement de retrouver leur siège en cours de mandat après un passage par des fonctions ministérielles *l'article 49-3 de la Constitution, qui permet l'adoption d'un projet de loi sans vote, sera limité aux seuls projets de loi de finances, ainsi qu'à un projet de loi par session *possibilité pour le président de la République de prendre la parole devant les Assemblées ou le Congrès *réforme du collège électoral sénatorial pour améliorer la représentativité de la Haute assemblée ==== Limitation du pouvoir présidentiel ==== *limitation à deux mandats de l'exercice présidentiel *encadrement du pouvoir de nomination du président par l'avis d'une commission constituée de membres des deux Assemblées *abandon par le chef de l'État de la présidence du Conseil supérieur de la magistrature qui pourra être saisi par les justiciables ==== Politique étrangère ==== *suppression de l'article 88-5, modifié en 2005 sous la présidence de Jacques Chirac pour imposer l'organisation d'un référendum obligatoire avant tout nouvel élargissement de l'Union européenne: les prochains élargissements pourront être approuvés soit par référendum, soit par le Parlement *autorisation par le Parlement de la prolongation de toute intervention armée à l'étranger au-delà d'une durée de six mois ==== Droits des citoyens ==== *saisie possible, par toute personne s'estimant lésée par le fonctionnement d'un service public, d'un "Défenseur des droits des citoyens" *possibilité pour les justiciables, par une exception d'inconstitutionnalité, de contester devant le Conseil constitutionnel la conformité à la Constitution de lois déjà promulguées Ce projet de révision constitutionnelle doit être adopté par les deux Assemblées, puis obtenir au Congrès - réunion de l'Assemblée nationale et du Sénat - la majorité des trois-cinquièmes. Le gouvernement n'est pas assuré de réunir la majorité requise, l'UMP ne disposant pas à elle seule des trois cinquièmes nécessaires au Congrès. Pour atteindre ce seuil, il faudra convaincre une trentaine d'élus de l'opposition de s'abstenir sur le texte, seuls les suffrages exprimés étant pris en compte. Les sénateurs socialistes font de la réforme de leur collège électoral - pour mieux tenir compte de la population dans la représentation au Sénat des collectivités territoriales - un préalable non négociable à la discussion sur la révision. Les socialistes et les centristes, qu'ils appartiennent au MoDem ou au Nouveau centre, réclament l'introduction d'une dose de proportionnelle dans l'élection des députés.

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La réforme des institutions, adoptée mercredi matin en Conseil des ministres, a été lancée en juillet 2007 à Épinal par le chef de l'État, qui a affirmé vouloir «moderniser» la Ve République «sans tourner la page», et a souhaité un débat «ouvert à toutes les sensibilités». Cette révision constitutionnelle a pour but d'accroître le rôle et les prérogatives du Parlement, avec l'instauration d'un ordre du jour partagé, la discussion en séance des projets adoptés en commission, ou encore la limitation de l'usage de l'article 49-3, qui permet au gouvernement de faire adopter une loi sans vote. En contrepartie, le chef de l'État pourra s'exprimer devant le Parlement, probablement dans le cadre d'une réunion en Congrès des deux assemblées à Versailles. Résolument hostiles pendant des mois à cette disposition, les dirigeants socialistes sont en train d'évoluer sur la question (voir ci-dessous). Dans toute révision constitutionnelle, le diable se niche dans les détails. Le premier ministre François Fillon a donc prévu de relancer un cycle de consultations les 6 et 7 mai, avant l'examen du projet en première lecture à l'Assemblée dans la semaine du 19 mai. Bernard Accoyer, le président de l'Assemblée, estime que la réforme constitutionnelle «ne présente que des avantages pour le bon fonctionnement de nos institutions» et qu'«au sein de la majorité, il ne devrait pas y avoir de nombreux problèmes». Parmi les points délicats, figure la suppression de l'article 88-5, modifié en 2005 sous la présidence de Jacques Chirac pour imposer l'organisation d'un référendum obligatoire avant tout nouvel élargissement de l'Union européenne. Les députés UMP hostiles à l'entrée de la Turquie dans l'UE, dont Richard Mallié et Jacques Myard, craignent que le gouvernement ne soit tenté d'utiliser la voie parlementaire pour supprimer ce frein à l'adhésion de la Turquie. Jacques Myard a aussi «des interrogations» sur l'affaiblissement du rôle du premier ministre ou sur la limitation du 49-3. Le bipartisme inquiète le Nouveau Centre Les députés du Nouveau Centre, qui ont prévu la semaine prochaine deux réunions de travail avec leurs collègues centristes du Sénat pour «harmoniser leurs positions», disent «oui mais» à la réforme. «Il y a un vrai progrès concernant le rôle du Parlement, mais nous souhaitons avoir des garanties sur le pluralisme», explique François Sauvadet. Le président du groupe NC à l'Assemblée s'inquiète de voir figurer dans la Constitution «les concepts de majorité et d'opposition qui créeraient de fait le bipartisme». Alors que la révision ne concerne pas les modes de scrutin, les députés NC, favorables à une dose de proportionnelle, ont l'intention de demander que «le cadre constitutionnel permette le vote d'une loi organique à venir sur ce sujet». Une revendication qui n'a aucune chance d'aboutir, pas plus que celle qui interdirait à l'État de présenter un budget en déficit. Jean Arthuis, le président centriste de la commission des finances du Sénat, considère, lui, qu'il y a, sur cette révision constitutionnelle, «des questions de réglage mais pas de problème majeur».

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Le projet de révision constitutionnelle, présenté ce matin en conseil des ministres, reprend la quasi-totalité des propositions faites à l'automne dernier par le comité Balladur: ==== Fonctionnement du Parlement ==== *discussion en séance des projets adoptés en commission *instauration d'un ordre du jour partagé *discussion en séance d'un projet de loi au bout d'un mois après son dépôt *garantie donnée aux membres du Parlement de retrouver leur siège en cours de mandat après un passage par des fonctions ministérielles *l'article 49-3 de la Constitution, qui permet l'adoption d'un projet de loi sans vote, sera limité aux seuls projets de loi de finances, ainsi qu'à un projet de loi par session *possibilité pour le président de la République de prendre la parole devant les Assemblées ou le Congrès *réforme du collège électoral sénatorial pour améliorer la représentativité de la Haute assemblée ==== Limitation du pouvoir présidentiel ==== *limitation à deux mandats de l'exercice présidentiel *encadrement du pouvoir de nomination du président par l'avis d'une commission constituée de membres des deux Assemblées *abandon par le chef de l'État de la présidence du Conseil supérieur de la magistrature qui pourra être saisi par les justiciables ==== Politique étrangère ==== *suppression de l'article 88-5, modifié en 2005 sous la présidence de Jacques Chirac pour imposer l'organisation d'un référendum obligatoire avant tout nouvel élargissement de l'Union européenne: les prochains élargissements pourront être approuvés soit par référendum, soit par le Parlement *autorisation par le Parlement de la prolongation de toute intervention armée à l'étranger au-delà d'une durée de six mois ==== Droits des citoyens ==== *saisie possible, par toute personne s'estimant lésée par le fonctionnement d'un service public, d'un "Défenseur des droits des citoyens" *possibilité pour les justiciables, par une exception d'inconstitutionnalité, de contester devant le Conseil constitutionnel la conformité à la Constitution de lois déjà promulguées Ce projet de révision constitutionnelle doit être adopté par les deux Assemblées, puis obtenir au Congrès - réunion de l'Assemblée nationale et du Sénat - la majorité des trois-cinquièmes. Le gouvernement n'est pas assuré de réunir la majorité requise, l'UMP ne disposant pas à elle seule des trois cinquièmes nécessaires au Congrès. Pour atteindre ce seuil, il faudra convaincre une trentaine d'élus de l'opposition de s'abstenir sur le texte, seuls les suffrages exprimés étant pris en compte. Les sénateurs socialistes font de la réforme de leur collège électoral - pour mieux tenir compte de la population dans la représentation au Sénat des collectivités territoriales - un préalable non négociable à la discussion sur la révision. Les socialistes et les centristes, qu'ils appartiennent au MoDem ou au Nouveau centre, réclament l'introduction d'une dose de proportionnelle dans l'élection des députés.

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La consulta preguntará sobre el cambio de nombre al cerro Santa Lucía. El eventual cambio de nombre del cerro Santa Lucía a cerro Welén, debe aser ratificado por el concejo municipal de Santiago, según aclaró la alcaldesa del municipio, Carolina Tohá, esta mañana durante un simulacro de la consulta ciudadana que se realizará entre el 11 y el 19 de octubre y que incluye dentro de sus preguntas esta posibilidad. Tohá indicó que "esta ciudad tiene una historia previa a la colonia, que es cuando se le puso Santa Lucía al cerro, esta discusión se ha hecho para que el municipio visibilice su identidad indígena, para que se haga cargo de su historia indígena, que viene mucho antes de la colonia". La alcaldesa además agregó que este cambio sólo afectaría "al cerro, no está previsto cambiarle el nombre a la avenida por ejemplo, eso es otra cosa". En tanto, al referirse a la consulta sobre el cambio de horario de funcionamiento de las botillerías en toda la comuna, hasta las 23.00 horas durante la semana y las 00.00 horas los fines de semana, Tohá dijo que "la ley le entrega al concejo municipal la facultad para decidir el horario de funcionamiento de las botillerías. El entorno de la compra de alcohol genera mucho conflicto, porque la gente toma en la calle, hay peleas, y eso genera un clima complejo. Se debe buscar un horario que sea el mejor para los vecinos". LAS OTRAS PREGUNTAS La consulta, en total consta de seis preguntas, de las cuales cuatro son para los residentes de la comuna, las que se refieren a los vehículos mal estacionados, horario de cierre de las botillerías, retiro de la basura y reciclaje de los residuos. En tanto, las preguntas que podrán ser respondidas por los usuarios del municipio son sobre el cambio de nombre al cerro Santa Lucía y al uso de bolsas plásticas biodegradables en el comercio.

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La alcaldesa de anunció que en la próxima consulta pública de la comuna de Santiago Centro se incluirá una pregunta que buscará determinar si los santiaguinos desean cambiar el nombre al cerro que se encuentra la Alameda. , inspeccionó en terreno una simulación de la consulta ciudadana, que se desarrollará en la semana del 11 de octubre, e indicó a la prensa que la consulta ciudadana incluirá varias preguntas que los vecinos y población flotante de la comuna puedan votar para decidir varias materias relativas a la comuna. Una de las preguntas que ha suscitado algo de polémica es la propuesta de renombrar el a cerro Welén, cuyo origen de la palabra proviene del mapuche con el argumento que ese el nombre original del cerro y el nombre nuevo fue adoptado por los españoles al llegar al valle del . De ser apoyada por la ciudadanía, deberá ser ratificada por el concejo municipal donde hay visiones dividas del asunto, siendo los concejales de derecha que prefieren el nombre actual. Así mismo, también se consultará el horario máximo de funcionamiento de las botillerías de la comuna, proponiendo el cierre de los establecimientos a las 23.00 horas en día de semana y 00.00 en los fines de semana para evitar las riñas y el abuso del alcohol.

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Foto: Reproducción En referencia a la consulta ciudadana que efectuará la Municipalidad de Santiago, entre el 11 y el 19 de octubre, el concejal Ismael Calderón, expresó que entre las propuestas, apoya el cambio de nombre del Cerro Santa Lucía, pero rechaza la restricción horaria de funcionamiento de las botillerías. La consulta a los residentes de la comuna de Santiago, preguntará también aspectos tales como el uso de bolsas plásticas, el manejo de residuos domiciliarios o el retiro de vehículos mal estacionados con grúa. Calderón dijo que "es importante que nuestros vecinos tengan espacios para expresarse e incidir en la elaboración de las políticas públicas comunales. Eso contribuye a mejorar la calidad de las políticas y fortalece nuestra democracia". Sin embargo, cree que "la consulta puede ser perfeccionada y considera errada la forma en que se presentan algunas de las preguntas". "Por ejemplo, en el caso de la pregunta sobre el horario de cierre de las botillerías, sólo se presentan dos posibles respuestas ante un tema que está lleno de matices. Creo que esa pregunta se debió realizar de forma abierta o presentando más alternativas, para recoger de mejor manera las diversas posturas de nuestros vecinos", expresó el concejal socialista. Calderón se manifestó contrario a la restricción horaria de la venta de alcohol en las botillerías, en los términos que plantea la consulta, por considerar que los horarios que se establecen para el cierre de estos locales, específicamente el de los fines de semana y vísperas de festivos, traerán algunos problemas y externalidades negativas para la comuna. De obtener mayoría la opción que restringe el horario de funcionamiento, las botillerías podrán funcionar hasta las 23:00 horas de domingo a jueves, y hasta las 00:00 horas los viernes, sábados y vísperas de festivos, sin excepción en toda la comuna. En este sentido, Calderón expresó que "esta restricción para las botillerías, sobre todo en los fines de semana, ayudará a que prolifere la venta clandestina de alcohol y los Fono Copete, fuera de toda regulación y control. Además dicha medida impactará en forma negativa a los botilleros y sus familias, quienes en muchos casos son vecinos de nuestra comuna". Agregó que en este caso, "es mejor buscar un horario de cierre un poco más flexible, como el que actualmente tiene el Barrio Brasil para los fines de semana y vísperas de festivo, ya que de esa forma se logra proteger el trabajo de los botilleros, contener de cierto modo las externalidades negativas que se podrían presentar y se cumple de igual manera con el objetivo de reducir el horario de venta de alcohol", sentenció el concejal. Ismael Calderón se manifestó a favor del cambio de nombre del Cerro Santa Lucía a Cerro Welén, argumentando que "ese fue el nombre con el que nuestro pueblo originario llamaba al cerro mucho antes que nosotros lo conociéramos y que los mismos españoles llegaran a la ciudad. Volver a llamarlo Cerro Welén sería una forma de reivindicar y reconocer a nuestro pueblo mapuche, sobre todo en el contexto de gran conflicto que hoy vivimos por sus demandas históricas", expresó el concejal.

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La alcaldesa de anunció que en la próxima consulta pública de la comuna de Santiago Centro se incluirá una pregunta que buscará determinar si los santiaguinos desean cambiar el nombre al cerro que se encuentra la Alameda. , inspeccionó en terreno una simulación de la consulta ciudadana, que se desarrollará en la semana del 11 de octubre, e indicó a la prensa que la consulta ciudadana incluirá varias preguntas que los vecinos y población flotante de la comuna puedan votar para decidir varias materias relativas a la comuna. Una de las preguntas que ha suscitado algo de polémica es la propuesta de renombrar el a cerro Welén, cuyo origen de la palabra proviene del mapuche con el argumento que ese el nombre original del cerro y el nombre nuevo fue adoptado por los españoles al llegar al valle del . De ser apoyada por la ciudadanía, deberá ser ratificada por el concejo municipal donde hay visiones dividas del asunto, siendo los concejales de derecha que prefieren el nombre actual. Así mismo, también se consultará el horario máximo de funcionamiento de las botillerías de la comuna, proponiendo el cierre de los establecimientos a las 23.00 horas en día de semana y 00.00 en los fines de semana para evitar las riñas y el abuso del alcohol.

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Nach außen bezeugte man ihm Respekt, bis zuletzt. Der gegenwärtige Staatschef Indonesiens, Yudhoyono, weilte an Suharto Krankenbett, auch einer seiner Vorgänger, Abdurrahman Wahid. Wohl nicht gerade aus bewegtem Herzen, eher um sich davon zu überzeugen, ob der ehemalige Herrscher des größten Inselstaates der Welt, Hadji Mohammed Suharto, tatsächlich dabei sei, seinen Geist aufzugeben, oder damit fortfahre, sich auf dem Wege des ärztlichen Attests der Justiz zu entziehen, die seiner seit der erzwungenen Resignation vom Mai 1998 habhaft zu werden versucht. Jetzt ist Suharto tot – zumindest auf Erden muss er sich für nichts mehr verantworten. Weiterführende links Dabei hatte Indonesien unentwegt Verfahren gegen Suharto angestrengt. Auf Anweisung des Obersten Gerichtshofs beauftragte die Generalstaatsanwaltschaft bereits vor Jahren zwanzig Ärzte, die Verhandlungsfähigkeit Suhartos gutachtlich zu bewerten.Der Justiz ging es vor allem um zwei Dinge: zum einen die unerhörte Bereicherung der Familie Suharto in der 31-jährigen Amtszeit des Präsidenten seit 1967. Nach grober Rechnung geht es um nicht weniger als 73 Milliarden Dollar – in Form von (ausländischen) Konten, Unternehmensbeteiligungen, Grundbesitz, Preziosen und Kunstgegenständen. Wegen Anteilen daran wurden mehrere Familienmitglieder rechtskräftig verurteilt.Schwerwiegender und international relevant sind die Menschenrechtverletzungen der Armee unter den Generälen Suharto und Nasution gegenüber der chinesischen Minderheit während der Staatskrise von 1965/66 und bei der Eroberung des vormals portugiesischen Ost-Timor 1975/76. Schätzungen zufolge wurden bei den Massakern zwischen 500.000 und 1,2 Millionen Menschen getötet. Die Motive der Pogrome waren verschieden, die Beteiligung an ihnen reichte in alle Bevölkerungsgruppen, die zur Tat ermuntert wurden. Ausländische Berichte sprachen von den „schrecklichsten Massenmorden im 20. Jahrhundert“.

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Suharto Der ehemalige Machthaber Indonesiens, General Hadji Mohamed Suharto, ist im Alter von 86 Jahren an Organversagen verstorben. 1965 schlug Suharto den angeblichen Putsch der Kommunisten in Indonesien nieder. Mehrere hunderttausend angebliche oder tatsächliche Mitglieder der Kommunistischen Partei wurden danach hingerichtet. Von 1967 bis 1998 hatte er als Präsident den südostasiatischen Inselstaat geführt. In seine 31 Jahre lange Herrschaft fielen unter anderem die Invasion in Timor-Leste und die Unterdrückung der chinesischen Minderheit in Indonesien. Säuberungsaktionen und der Unterdrückung von Minderheiten und Freiheitsbewegungen fielen zwischen 500.000 und 1,2 Millionen Menschen zum Opfer. Gleichzeitig wird Suharto und seiner Familie Korruption vorgeworfen. Konten, Unternehmensbeteiligungen, Grundbesitz, Preziosen und Kunstgegenstände sollen einen Gesamtwert von 73 Milliarden US-Dollar haben. Mehrere Familienmitglieder wurden daher bereits verurteilt. Versuche, auch Suharto vor Gericht zu bringen, scheiterten an seinem Gesundheitszustand. Osttimors Präsident und Friedensnobelpreisträger José Ramos-Horta hatte bereits Mitte Januar, als sich das Ende Suhartos abzeichnete, seine Landsleute aufgefordert, Suharto zu vergeben: „Es ist für uns unmöglich, die Vergangenheit zu vergessen, aber Timor-Leste sollte ihm vergeben, bevor er stirbt. Ich bitte die Menschen für Suharto als den früheren Präsidenten Indonesiens zu beten.“