April 7, 2007

Happy Birthday, KTB

Drugs Are in the Water. Does It Matter? http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/science/earth/03water.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Residues of birth control pills, antidepressants, painkillers, shampoos and a host of other compounds are finding their way into the nation’s waterways, and they have public health and environmental officials in a regulatory quandary. On the one hand, there is no evidence the traces of the chemicals found so far are harmful to human beings. On the other hand, it would seem cavalier to ignore them. The pharmaceutical and personal care products, or P.P.C.P.’s, are being flushed into the nation’s rivers from sewage treatment plants or leaching into groundwater from septic systems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, researchers have found these substances, called "emerging contaminants," almost everywhere they have looked for them. Most experts say their discovery reflects better sensing technology as much as anything else. Still, as Hal Zenick of the agency’s office of research and development put it in an e-mail message, "there is uncertainty as to the risk to humans." In part, that is because the extent and consequences of human exposure to these compounds, especially in combination, are unknown," the Food and Drug Administration said in a review issued in 2005. And aging and increasingly medicated Americans are using more of these products than ever. In many cases, the compounds enter the water when people excrete them or wash them away in the shower. But some are flushed or washed down the drain when people discard outdated or unused drugs. Worries about water-borne chemicals flared last summer when researchers at the United States Geological Survey said they had discovered "intersex fish" in the Potomac River and its tributaries. The fish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, were male but nevertheless carried immature eggs. In a survey begun in 1999, the agency surveyed 139 streams around the country and found that 80 percent of samples contained residues of drugs like painkillers, hormones, blood pressure medicines or antibiotics. Researchers suspect that the volume of P.P.C.P.’s excreted into the nation’s surface water and groundwater is increasing. For one thing, per capita drug use is on the rise, not only with the introduction of new drugs but also with the use of existing drugs for new purposes and among new or expanding groups of patients, like children and aging baby boomers.

Row over Wolfowitz’s partner intensifies http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5a816ca4-e465-11db-bf06-000b5df10621.html
The dispute over the pay increase and promotion awarded to the partner of the World Bank president, Paul Wolfowitz, when she was seconded from the bank to the US State department intensified on Friday when both the then head of the board’s ethics committee and its then general counsel challenged the version of events put forward by bank officials. Ad Melkert, who chaired the committee and is now number two at the United Nations development programme, is said to be unhappy at the way bank officials characterised his role in the agreement over Shaha Riza, which news reports, unchallenged by the bank, say raised her salary to $193,000 (£98,000) free of tax. According to the bank staff association – which sent an e-mail to all employees this week demanding an explanation of how the agreement was reached – the Riza terms violated three specific bank rules. The bank’s board, which is made up of representatives of its shareholder governments, met in emergency session on Thursday afternoon to discuss the allegations and agreed to investigate them. The claim that Ms Riza received special treatment could hugely embarrass Mr Wolfowitz, who has championed the cause of good governance globally. The controversy has inflamed tensions between Mr Wolfowitz and staff at the bank’s headquarters in Washington and has the potential to ignite fresh conflict between him and the board and between the bank and the UNDP. Mr Wolfowitz declined to comment. Ms Riza did not respond to a request for comment.

Missile-Defense System Test Succeeds http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070407/D8OBH6PO0.html
The military shot down a Scud-type missile in this year's second successful test of a new technology meant to knock down ballistic missiles in their final minute of flight, the Missile Defense Agency said Friday. A ship off Kauai fired a target missile before 9 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time Thursday. Three minutes later, soldiers with the U.S. Army's 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade launched an interceptor missile from Kauai that destroyed the target over the Pacific, according to the agency. The military says it already can shoot down missiles in their last stage of flight by using Patriot anti-missile batteries. But the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system would be able to protect larger areas than the Patriot system because it intercepts targets at a higher altitude. The new system had its first successful test last year at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It had another successful test Jan. 27 at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. A September test at White Sands failed when the target missile failed after launch. The military also uses the Pacific Missile Range Facility to test Aegis technology that's designed to shoot down ballistic missiles midway through their flight.

Pelosi Defends Diplomatic Trip to Syria http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20070406_ap_pelosidefendsdiplomatictriptosyria.html
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, deflecting White House criticism of her trip to Syria, said Friday she thinks the mission helped President Bush because it showed the U.S. is unified against terrorism despite being divided over Iraq. Pelosi, D-Calif., met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus this week against Bush's wishes. Lawmakers frequently travel to the Middle East, and several Republicans were in the region at the same time as Pelosi. But as House speaker, Pelosi received the most attention. After meeting Wednesday with Syria's Assad, Pelosi said she had delivered a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Israel was ready for peace talks. Pelosi told reporters in the region that Assad had replied that "he's ready to engage in negotiations for peace with Israel." Olmert's office later issued a statement saying such talks could take place only if Syria stopped assisting terror groups. Pelosi said Friday she had paid no attention to the dustup back in the United States. She also said the delegation was not trying to cut deals between Syria and Israel but rather "assessing the ground truth" to inform spending decisions made by Congress.

McCain says he misspoke in upbeat Baghdad comments http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN0626497120070406
U.S. Senator John McCain said in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday he misspoke in his recent upbeat comments about security in Baghdad, where he traveled under heavy military protection. The Arizona senator, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, maintains progress has been made in the U.S.-led war in Iraq, according to comments to be aired on CBS' "60 Minutes." Excerpts were released on Friday. McCain said he regrets comments he made after a tour of Baghdad last Sunday, when he said he could see progress and the American people were not being told the "good news" about the war, according to excerpts of his comments and a press release provided by "60 Minutes." McCain had been upbeat about his drive from the Baghdad airport into the city and his visit to a market where multiple car bombings killed 71 people in February as signs of improved security.

U.S. says way found to transfer North Korea funds http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSWAT00725720070406
The United States has found a way to transfer frozen funds to North Korea and U.S. negotiator Chris Hill will leave for the region on Sunday to refocus attention on denuclearization, the State Department said on Friday. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States supported the release of the entire $25 million in funds held at Banco Delta Asia in Macau. A U.S. Treasury Department spokeswoman was more circumspect about the arrangements for a transfer, saying that North Korean parties needed to ensure the funds would be used for humanitarian purposes. The dispute over the transfer has held up implementation of a February 13 agreement by the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia, which gave North Korea 60 days to shut its nuclear facilities in return for energy aid. The funds have been frozen since 2005 after the Macau bank was designated by U.S. authorities as a "primary money-laundering concern." Delay over the release of the funds had led to growing pessimism that North Korea would meet an April 14 deadline to start closing its Yongbyon nuclear reactor -- a source of fissile material for atomic weapons.

China to take part in post-Kyoto talks - report http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUST244383._CH_.2400
China, the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, will take part in negotiations on a framework for limiting global warming after 2012, the daily Yomiuri Shimbun said on Saturday. On Friday, climate experts issued their starkest warning yet about the impact of global warming, which is widely blamed on emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. China, which could overtake the United States as the world's biggest carbon emitter within the year, is not part of the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, the main plan for capping greenhouse gas emissions, which is in effect up to 2012. Beijing has resisted calls for caps on its rapidly rising emissions, saying rising global temperatures are largely the result of fossil fuel use by industrialised nations and it has the right to seek the same level of prosperity that they enjoy.

Warming not behind hurricane activity: forecaster http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSB9043220070406
Natural changes in ocean currents are to blame for increased Atlantic hurricane activity in recent years, not man-made global warming as many scientists believe, hurricane forecaster William Gray said on Friday. "I think the whole human-induced greenhouse gas thing is a red herring," Gray said in a speech at the National Hurricane Conference. Gray, whose annual forecasts for the hurricane season are closely watched, said the Earth has warmed the past 30 years, but that it was due to fluctuations in ocean currents. He predicted a cooling off period would begin in five to 10 years as the currents change again. The Atlantic had destructive hurricane seasons in 2004, when four major hurricanes struck Florida, and 2005 when Katrina and Rita badly damaged the U.S. Gulf Coast. In 2005, there were a record 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes, but last year was much calmer with 10 tropical storms and five hurricanes. This year, Gray's forecasting team is predicting an active season with 17 named storms, nine of which will become hurricanes. Periods of intense Atlantic hurricane activity are not unusual and follow the change of a key Atlantic Ocean current that shifts every 30 years or so to bring warmer ocean waters that encourage hurricane formation, Gray said. The changing ocean current "goes back for hundreds of thousands of years," Gray said. "These are natural processes. We shouldn't blame them on humans and CO2." Gray said the Atlantic current appears to change because of a rise and fall in water salinity. The combative professor dismissed the work of scientific colleagues who have linked global warming and increased hurricane activity, saying they were simply seeking grant money.

AFL-CIO to target Verizon over CEO pay http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0625451420070407
The AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. union federation, is targeting Verizon Communications Inc. in a campaign against high executive pay, and will vote against the company's compensation committee at the company's May 3 annual meeting. Verizon Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg has earned more than $109 million in the past five years despite a total shareholder return of negative 5 percent, the AFL-CIO said on Thursday. Verizon defended Seidenberg's compensation. Seidenberg actually received less than half the figure cited by the union, since many of his options have not vested and may never vest. The AFL-CIO said its push against Verizon follows a "successful intervention" at Pfizer Inc. and Home Depot Inc. Critics of CEO pay have focused on a $198 million package given to former Pfizer CEO Hank McKinnell, and a $210 million pay package awarded to former Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli.

Captain Charged in Cruise Ship Sinking http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070407/D8OBRR4O2.html
The captain of a cruise ship that sank in the Aegean Sea was charged Saturday with negligence, a government official said. A Merchant Marine Ministry spokeswoman confirmed that a prosecutor charged the captain but said she could not confirm a report on state NET TV that five other officers also were charged. She spoke anonymously according to customary government policy. Two French passengers are missing after the Sea Diamond hit rocks and foundered Thursday near Santorini island. The rest of the 1,154 passengers and 391 crew were safely evacuated. If upheld in court, the charges carry a maximum five-year sentence.

U.S. Denies Iranian Claim of CIA Torture http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070407/D8OBRV8G0.html
An Iranian diplomat freed two months after being abducted in Iraq accused the CIA of torturing him during his detention, state television reported Saturday. The United States immediately denied any involvement in the Iranian's disappearance or release. Jalal Sharafi, who was freed on Tuesday, said the CIA questioned him about Iran's relations with Iraq and assistance to various Iraqi groups, according to state television. "Once they heard my response that Iran merely has official relations with the Iraqi government and officials, they intensified tortures and tortured me through different methods days and nights," he said. A U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the CIA vehemently denies any role in the capture or release of Sharafi. The official dismissed any claims of torture, saying "the CIA does not conduct or condone torture." State television said signs of torture were still visible on Sharafi, who is being treated at an Iranian hospital. Images of Sharafi were not shown.

China Issues New Rules on Transplants http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070407/D8OBM6780.html
China published new rules governing human organ transplants in its latest effort to clean up a business critics say has little regard for medical ethics. But the regulations were packed with shortcomings, a human rights group said Saturday, including a failure to address what it called the "crucial issue" of the procurement of organs from executed prisoners. The rules issued Friday by China's State Council, or Cabinet, include a ban on the sale of human organs for profit and on donations by people under 18, according to the text of the regulations published by the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily. Little information about China's lucrative transplant business is publicly available. Human rights groups have said many organs - including those transplanted into wealthy foreigners - come from executed prisoners who may not have given their permission. The official Xinhua News Agency said most organs used in transplants come from deceased Chinese citizens who had voluntarily donated. A senior health official said in November that most organs harvested from cadavers were from executed prisoners, with their prior consent, according to a China Daily newspaper report.

Indian Point Nuclear Plant Stable After Explosion http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_096112528.html
Investigators are working to determine the cause of Friday's explosion and fire on the grounds of the Indian Point nuclear energy center. The incident forced the shut down of the Indian Point 3 nuclear reactor, and caused plant owner Entergy Nuclear Northeast to issue a "notice of unusual event." Plant safety director Michael Slobodien said an electrical transformer exploded and caught fire near the reactor shortly after 11 a.m. "It's in an area outside the nuclear part of the plant," Slobodien told reporters. "The plant shut down safely and is under control. The transformer takes electricity from the reactor and feeds it to overhead power cables. It was protected by a sprinkler deluge system that automatically knocked down much of the fire, Slobodien said. Westchester County sent health workers to monitor air quality near the plant after the fire. The monitors detected no release of radiation, according to Tony Sutton, the county's Commissioner of Emergency Services. The fire marked the fourth time since July that Indian Point 3 was forced to shut down. Critics said the problems illustrated the need for an independent safety analysis of the entire plant.

Gonzales Aide Goodling Resigns http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OBBIL80&show_article=1
The top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales abruptly quit on Friday, almost two weeks after telling Congress she would not testify about her role in the firings of federal prosecutors. Asserting her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Monica M. Goodling had rejected demands for a private interview with a House committee investigating the firings. Goodling was senior counsel to Gonzales and was the department's White House liaison before she took a leave amid the uproar over the prosecutors' ousters. Goodling is at the center of the controversy because, as the bridge between the Justice Department and the White House, she may be best suited to explain how deeply Karl Rove and other members of President Bush's political team might have been involved in the firings. Congress also wants her to testify on Gonzales' role in light of his shifting explanations. Her resignation comes less than two weeks before Gonzales' own planned testimony to Congress, which may determine his fate as attorney general. Her lawyers have said such a hearing would be a perjury trap for her. They note allegations that Goodling misled Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty before he testified to Congress about the ousters, causing him to give an incomplete and possibly inaccurate account.

The trendy US gear that costs double over here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=446004&in_page_id=1770
Abercrombie & Fitch's first store in London has seen 45-minute queues for the changing rooms, while its staff are hand-picked for their good looks. But shoppers might not be quite so keen on the shop if they realised how much they were being ripped off. The decision by the company is part of a wider trend among global brands to treat Britain as a 'treasure island', delivering higher prices and profits. A similar tactic has been applied by other fashion firms such as Gap, although its UK mark-up is nothing like the figure shown by Abercrombie. Computer games console makers such as Sony with its PlayStation3, Nintendo with the Wii and Microsoft with its XBox are renowned for charging British consumers significantly more than other nations. Abecrombie & Fitch claimed it was simply following the trend set by other retailers. It said the higher prices reflected the increased cost of operating in this country, in terms of staff, property and business rates.

A feast for the eyes at subway stations http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-subway7apr07,0,3931078.story?coll=la-home-headlines
The MTA has TVs blasting ads at bus riders. It has ads wrapping around hundreds of buses. Now, in another attempt to generate cash, the transit agency has allowed the world's most popular burger chain to transform Metro Rail's biggest subway terminal into a massive ad campaign for the company's new Angus burger. The 7th Street/Metro Center station in downtown Los Angeles is plastered with huge pictures of the burger — on walls, ceilings, lining the columns. MTA argues that the ads bring in much-needed revenue, particularly at a time when it has proposed increasing fares. So far, the $3-billion-a-year agency has collected $146,000 from the advertising, which began appearing last month.

Did pol offer beer for votes? http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/330377,CST-NWS-vote06.article
Beers for votes -- that's the charge Alderman Vi Daley is leveling against challenger Michele Smith in the race for Chicago's tony 43rd Ward. A flier circulated by Smith's campaign for a party last Saturday at a West Armitage tavern advertised a $5 drink special for attendees holding early voting receipts. That constitutes vote-buying, a felony, said Daley, who has filed a complaint with the Cook County state's attorney's office. Not so fast, said Smith, a former federal prosecutor. While she admits it was a screw-up on the part of a well-intentioned young staffer, she insists she caught the mistake before anything illegal happened. The party went on, but no one was asked to show their voting stubs to buy drinks, she said. "We were just trying to have a party," Smith said. "We weren't trying to do anything else." The flap was triggered after several Lincoln Park residents shared the flier with Daley's camp, spokesman Tom Bowen said. Smith did not see the flier before it was released because "whenever it went out was a day or two after my mother died. I wasn't there." Two of Daley's staffers dropped by the party and, in affidavits filed this week with the state's attorney's office, said they saw two women ask about the drink special and show their early voting receipts. That couldn't have happened, Smith said. When she and her election attorney got wind of the plan late Friday, they e-mailed staff about the gaffe, instructing them not to ask partygoers for voting receipts. "We're embarrassed and we should be embarrassed," Means said. "It was a boneheaded idea."

Crash pads could be fire risk http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/330359,CST-NWS-pad06.article
Pilots and flight attendants will have to find a new place to "crash" during Midway Airport layovers. City Hall has lowered the boom on dozens of illegal "crash pads" around the Southwest Side airport. Crash pads -- as pilots themselves call them -- are homes, two- and three-flats that rent furnished rooms to pilots and flight attendants who live in other cities but fly in and out of Midway. Usually, airline workers pay for them out of their own pockets. Instead of paying nightly fees for hotel rooms, airline employees pay $100 to $150 a month for a bunk bed or convertible couch. Some crash pads reportedly house up to 20 people per floor, with living rooms converted into bedrooms. Others pack them in without making any changes. Sometimes, building owners even sell residential parking permits to crew members, depriving the city of parking fees at Midway. Now City Hall has crashed the party.Forty inspections were conducted over the last three months, resulting in 31 violations for illegally operating as "transitional shelters." The crackdown followed an anonymous tip from a Southwest Side resident. The tipster included addresses and owners of nearly two dozen crash pads. A Southwest Airlines pilot who lives in South Holland was identified as the owner of nine crash pads. He could not be reached for comment. Also enclosed were "solicitation fliers" for crash pads, purportedly with date stamps from the Southwest Inflight Services Department. The tipster claimed Southwest "promotes the use of crash pads and advertises them in crew lounges and orientation sessions." Southwest categorically denied that. Flight attendants have a "bulletin book" to communicate with each other about living arrangements. A landlord who rents rooms to pilots at her home in the 6100 block of South Keating says she won't be sad to see the end of these crash pads. The resident, who declined to provide her name, said pilots come into the neighborhood, buy up houses and fill them with dozens of renters.

Russia criticizes dissolution of Ukrainian parliament http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/06/content_5944473.htm
Russia's lower house of parliament on Friday lashed out at the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's decree dissolving the parliament, saying that it is only building up tensions in the country, Russian news agencies reported. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko issued an order on Monday to dissolve parliament and hold early elections on May 27. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and his ruling coalition in parliament have refused to accept the order. On Thursday Yanukovych called for international mediation to resolve the crisis.

Putin talks with Ukrainian president by phone on Ukraine crisis http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/07/content_5944524.htm
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko on Friday, discussing the crisis in Ukraine, the Kremlin press service said. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko issued an order on Monday to dissolve parliament and hold early elections on May 27. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and his ruling coalition in parliament have refused to accept the order. On Thursday Yanukovych called for international mediation to resolve the crisis.

Greece carries out preliminary probe on sinking ship http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/07/content_5944526.htm
Greek authorities are carrying out preliminary investigation on the Sea Diamond cruiser, which struck a reef half a mile off the Aegean island of Santorini and started listing till it finally sank early Friday morning. In his statement, the captain said that he was overconfident when the ship was entering the port, adding that he overestimated the capabilities of the ship when it approached the reef buoy. However, he said that up to the last moment he tried to avoid the collision but in vain. This was his maiden voyage as captain with the Sea Diamond. After its evacuation, the 20-year-old ship run by "Louis Hellenic-Cruises" anchored at Athinio coast but it finally sank at dawn on Holy Friday, when water flooded the engine room and decks No 2 and 3, resulting in increase of its list. It is reported that Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis is being continually briefed by Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefalogiannis and Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos on the case.

Study: Solar bursts cause GPS glitch http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/05/content_5936905.htm
The Global Positioning System (GPS) and other navigational systems were threatened by powerful solar flares last December, a panel of U.S. scientists revealed on Wednesday. The cause for concern was an unexpected solar radio burst on Dec. 6 that affected virtually every GPS receiver on the lighted half of Earth. Some receivers had a reduction in accuracy while others completely lost the ability to determine position. In addition to the GPS system, the December solar flare also affected satellites and induced unexpected currents in the electrical grid. Solar activity rises and falls in 11-year cycles, with the next peak expected in 2011.

Scientists decode genome of oral pathogen http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/07/content_5944521.htm
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have decoded the genome of a bacteria normally present in the healthy human mouth that can cause a deadly heart infection if it enters the bloodstream. The findings, which are reported in the April 2007 issue of the Journal of Bacteriology, enables scientists to better understand the organism, Streptococcus sanguinis, and develop new strategies for treatment and infection prevention. S. sanguinis, a type of bacteria that is naturally present in the mouth, is among a variety of microorganisms responsible for the formation of dental plaque. In general, S. sanguinis is harmless. However, if it enters the bloodstream, possibly through a minor cut or wound in the mouth, it can cause bacterial endocarditis, a serious and often lethal infection of the heart. Although it is not directly associated with tooth decay or gum disease, S. sanguinis is a prominent member of dental plaque.

Scientists are reviewing design of magnet after explosive 'pratfall' during test in Switzerland http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/330353,CST-NWS-fermi06.article
Fermilab took what director Pier Oddone called "a pratfall on the world stage" last week. It was during a test conducted in Switzerland on March 27. A part called a quadrupole magnet -- designed and built by Fermilab for the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland -- exploded. The supports that hold the magnet in place inside a cylinder of liquid helium snapped with a bang loud enough that safety officers thought everyone present should get their ears checked. The problem was in the design of the magnets, and it exists in all the quadrupole magnets supplied to the CERN laboratory. The Large Hadron Collider is a 16-mile circular tunnel beneath the CERN laboratory, which this year is expected to go online and take Fermilab's title of world's largest particle physics accelerator. In a letter this week in Fermilab Today, Oddone said the flaw was missed in design and also in four reviews carried out between 1998 and 2002. The incident could have implications for Fermilab's future. The U.S. Department of Energy-funded laboratory near Batavia is the U.S. government's choice to win the proposed International Linear Collider, a 20-mile-long particle accelerator that will be built in the next 10 years.

Baghdad nightlife peeps over parapet http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070406-063439-6570r
It is 9.30 pm. Last week the roads would have been empty, but not since Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki announced that the 8.00 pm to 6.00 am curfew was being relaxed by two hours at night and an hour in the morning. Chilling execution-style killings carried out by shadowy sectarian militias may be on the decline in Baghdad since Iraqi and US troops launched a massive security crackdown eight weeks ago. Shops are staying open longer. Families linger over fruits at street market stalls. Pavement braziers flicker through the night air, gently grilling Mazguf, fresh water carp and perhaps the only culinary specialty in Baghdad. Cooped up in a pressure cooker of strict evening curfews for more than a year, Iraqis play dominos and sip tea as kids queue for ice cream, lapping up an extra two hours before home time at 10 pm. At the concrete walls guarding the entrance into Karrada, once a wealthy Baghdad district of bustling shops and restaurants but today a shadow of its past glory, Iraqi soldiers continue to wave cars through the checkpoint. Operation Fardh Al Qanoon (Imposing Law) was launched February 14. By June, there will be around 90,000 Iraqi and US soldiers on the streets.

Iraq negotiates $500mn loan from World Bank http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070405-071252-9681r
Iraq is negotiating a $500-million loan from the World Bank to help reconstruct its war-torn economy, the prime minister's office said Thursday. The World Bank has remained active in Iraq but closed its permanent office in the country after one of its employees was killed in a truck bombing at the UN complex in Baghdad in August 2003. The bank has given loans to Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion, mainly for improving the country's dilapidated educational institutions.

U.S. Mideast policy fails - Iran's supreme leader http://en.rian.ru/world/20070406/63234530.html
U.S. policy in the Middle East has failed dismally, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday. He called on Muslims all over the world to stand up to the "arrogant powers" that are striving to ferment interethnic and communal discord among the followers of Islam. A senior aide to Iran's supreme leader said Thursday the U.K.'s intrusion into Iran's territorial waters was an attempt by the West to test the republic's defense capabilities. He said that Iran, like the Islamic world as a whole, "is not afraid of Western power...Muslims must know that they can stand up to the strongest enemies of Islam," he said.

Eritrea bans female circumcision http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070405-070526-5419r
Eritrea has banned the life-threatening practice of female circumcision, the Eritrean information ministry said in a statement. Anyone who requests, incites, or promotes female genital mutilation (FGM) will be punished with a fine and imprisonment, said a government statement posted on the Internet late Wednesday. Although opposed by the Eritrean government, FGM is widely carried out by women in their homes in both Muslim and Christian communities. Its supporters argue that it helps prevent promiscuous behavior. The ban, which came into force March 31, follows a campaign by the National Union of Eritrean Women, which says that 94 percent of Eritrean women have been circumcised. The painful and risky practice, which can range from the stitching up of young girls' vaginas to the excision of the clitoris, is widespread in many parts of Africa and the Middle East.

No gas cartel deal at Doha - Russian minister http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070406/63236349.html
Russia's energy minister said no gas cartel agreement should be expected at a forum of gas exporters in Doha Monday, and called for cooperation between all energy market participants. In late January, Iran proposed establishing an alliance in the gas sector similar to OPEC. President Vladimir Putin supported the idea, but other Russian officials and lawmakers were rather skeptical. The forum in Doha will gather representatives of Iran, Qatar, Russia, Venezuela and Algeria, which altogether control more than 70% of global natural gas reserves. Ahead of the forum, some consumer countries have expressed concerns that gas producers might form a conspiracy to set gas prices to their own advantage. Russia's reputation as a reliable energy supplier was badly damaged by energy rows with Ukraine and Belarus in January 2006 and 2007, which led to a brief suspension in gas and oil supplies to Europe.

Aeroflot will soon have a rival in Russia http://en.rian.ru/business/20070406/63221704.html
The Russian government will soon approve the establishment of a consolidated air carrier that will compete with flagship carrier Aeroflot. The holding will be based on the AirUnion alliance, which was created in 2005. The alliance currently comprises five regional airlines - Siberia's KrasAir, Omskavia and Sibaviatrans; Moscow's Domodedovo Airlines; and Samara, based in the Volga area. AirUnion has yet to become a single legal entity. A controlling stake (over 50%) in the new holding would belong to private shareholders. The government currently holds a 51% stake in KrasAir, 50% in Domodedovo Airlines, and 46.5% in Samara, while Omskavia and Sibaviatrans are private companies. Androsov said earlier the alliance, formed by merging state and private share portfolios, is designed to promote competition on the domestic market.

No U.S. attack on Iran, oil price hits $70 in expectation http://en.rian.ru/world/20070406/63202367.html
Washington did not launch air strikes against Iran early Friday despite recent media reports, but expectations of the attack have driven Brent price to $70 per barrel. Russian and foreign media have recently reported the U.S. could launch an operation, codenamed Bite, against Iran at 4:00 a.m. local time April 6. The operation was expected to deliver air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over a 12-hour period to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran's Defense Ministry declined to comment on possible U.S. strikes Thursday night, saying it was closed for Thursday and Friday, which are days off in the republic. Israel's DEBKAfile Web site quoted intelligence sources in Moscow in late March as saying a U.S. strike against Iranian nuclear sites had been scheduled for April 6 and aimed at setting Tehran's nuclear program back several years. The air strikes were expected to hit a uranium enrichment center in Natanz, about 1,000 miles from the Israeli border, a nuclear research center in Isfahan about 210 miles south of Tehran, a nearby heavy water plant in Arak, and military command centers. A source in Russian security structures quoted Russian intelligence March 30 as saying the U.S. Armed Forces had nearly completed preparations for a possible military operation against Iran, and would be ready to strike in early April. A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf. The USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed, U.S. Fifth Fleet Lieutenant-Commander Charlie Brown said March 21. Russia's leading business daily Kommersant said Friday Brent prices had soared to $70 per barrel, a record for the past seven months, in anticipation of the U.S. attack, despite the release of British sailors and marines detained by Iran on suspicion of trespassing.

Serbia will never endorse Kosovo's sovereignty - Tadic http://en.rian.ru/world/20070404/63105168.html
Serbia will never recognize the independence of its breakaway province of Kosovo, Serbian President Boris Tadic said Wednesday. On Tuesday, the UN Security Council discussed a plan on the status of Kosovo, which has a population of two million made up primarily of an ethnic Albanian majority and a 150,000-strong Serbian minority. Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since NATO's 78-day bombing campaign against the former Yugoslavia ended a war between Serb forces and Albanian separatists in 1999. The president said Serbia highly estimated Russia's position in principle, which he said respected not only the sovereignty of Serbia as a UN member but also protected international law and the interests of global order. Veto-wielding Russia has opposed the internationally backed plan, insisting that a decision on Kosovo should satisfy both Kosovar and Serbian authorities and that it must be reached through negotiations. When asked whether Serbia is ready for the possibility of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of its independence, Tadic said that such a decision would be dangerous for the whole world and its stability. "This would be a precedent that would entail an unpredictable process enabling any ethnic group in any country to demand independence," he said. Tadic's words echo Russia's position that granting Kosovo sovereignty would set a precedent for the breakaway regions in the former Soviet Union Moscow is believed to support - Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Moldova's Transdnestr.

Duma voices concern over NATO buildup near Russia's borders http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070406/63218216.html
Russia's lower house of parliament unanimously issued a statement Friday expressing concern over NATO military buildup near Russia's borders, accusing the alliance of blocking an updated version of Europe's main arms control treaty. "The consistent and unjustifiable obstruction of the adapted version of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty by the North Atlantic alliance's member states is creating conditions for uncontrolled military buildup near Russian borders, and [poses] a direct threat to the security and stability of the whole of Europe," the State Duma said in its statement. The CFE agreement was concluded in 1990 by the 22 members of NATO and the now defunct Warsaw Pact to enhance arms control in Europe. An updated version, elaborated to adapt the accord to post-Cold War realities, was signed by all the parties in 1999, but only four - Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan - have ratified it so far. The trans-Atlantic alliance has said its member nations will not ratify the adapted CFE until Russia withdraws its military bases from ex-Soviet republics, such as Georgia and Moldova. But Russian officials believe this is not the case, and argue that NATO countries are just using it as a pretext not to ratify the adapted treaty, which many in the West regard as a relic of the past. The Duma statement also spoke against U.S. plans to build national missile shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. It argued that the deployment of missile defense sites in Central Europe will trigger a new arms race and may even lead to a split in Europe. These plans call into question the possibility of meaningful cooperation in missile defense within the framework of the Russia-NATO Council, it said. Washington has said the planned defenses are not targeted at Russia, but are intended to protect U.S. and European security interests against a possible missile attack from "rogue states" such as Iran. But Moscow remains unconvinced.

Low-sulphur fuel available from June http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070407084658/Article/index_html Malaysia consumers will only get to use low-sulphur fuel in June or July as oil companies need to finish existing stock. Natural Resources and Environment said the regulations under the Environmental Quality Act for the supply and use of low-sulphur fuel were gazetted on April 1, but enforcement would be delayed until June or July. The oil companies have asked for three months to comply. They need to finish their current stock of oil and get new crude supplies. NRE "consider it a reasonable request," on the new fuel implementation. The fuel will comply with Euro II emissions standards, emitting less pollutants like sulphur dioxide which contributes to respiratory illnesses and acid rain. The new fuel will have 0.05 per cent sulphur content in both petrol and diesel, compared to the current 0.15 per cent in petrol and 0.3 per cent in diesel. The price of the new fuel is expected to remain the same as what consumers are currently paying.

Man answers call of nature and saves 100 http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070407073446/Article/index_html
One man’s urge to answer nature’s call saved 100 residents of Rumah Merikan ak Johnson from being buried alive in Banting Lingga, Sri Aman, on Thursday. Renjis Empati, 57, was walking to the toilet outside the longhouse at 2am when he saw his kitchen slowly collapsing. He then ran to the ruai (longhouse walkway) and shouted to warn residents of the 14-door longhouse and nine other homes. The farmer was left with the pair of shorts he was wearing and a shotgun he took from his house before the building collapsed. Residents of the longhouse treat Renjis like a hero now. Another victim, Limah Buma, 70, said it was "horrifying".

Suicide bid by girl averted http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070407074757/Article/index_html KUANTAN, Malaysia: The crying girl drew curious glances as she slowly climbed the stairs of the pedestrian bridge near Jaya Gading. On reaching the walkway, the 12-year-old stopped for a while, looking down at the heavy traffic on the four-lane Kuantan-Gambang road. Then she began to climb the railing to hurl herself off the bridge. What could have been a tragic suicide at 10am yesterday was averted when several bystanders managed to grab her and pull her down to safety. The girl, still in a state of distress, was then taken to her home nearby by several people who knew her family. A relative said the girl’s problems started several days ago when she was accused of stealing at school. A police spokesman said the case had been classified as a domestic problem.


Stop price war, cigarette companies told http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070407085116/Article/index_html Malaysia Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has given cigarette companies two weeks to stop the price war or the government will get involved. He told representatives of Philip Morris, JT International and British American Tobacco this in a meeting yesterday. "Of late, efforts by the government seem to be challenged by these companies. Some of them have drastically reduced the prices of certain brands of cigarettes...We are serious about this and want to resolve it once and for all," he said. Dr Chua said the price wars had rendered almost useless the government’s decision to impose high taxes on tobacco to reduce demand. He said certain measures were being considered by the ministry to further discourage the habit. Among the measures being considered by the ministry was to make it compulsory for cigarette manufacturers to include graphic images of health problems associated with smoking on at least 60 per cent of cigarette boxes.

Turtle to help experts learn http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070407085654/Article/index_html GEORGE TOWN Malaysia: Mutiara Kerachut, a 124kg green turtle, will help biologists learn more about her species. She was released into the sea at Pantai Kerachut off the Penang National Park with a satellite transmitter attached to her shell. State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow did the honours at 6.20pm yesterday. Penang Fisheries Department director Mohd Najib Ramli said this is the first time a transmitter has been attached to a turtle from here. "We hope to collect valuable information, such as migration patterns, growth and propagation of the turtles. This is the first time we are doing this," he said at a two-day Turtle Conservation Camp.

Porn star play shakes up Singapore http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070406-035952-5964r 251: Welcome to the Intimate Life of Annabel Chong opened to a full house Thursday, and all 14 performances of the 90-minute play at the swank, bayfront Esplanade arts center are already sold out. Annabel Chong - whose real name is Grace Quek - was born to middle-class teachers in the city-state, attended top schools, and was awarded a scholarship to read law in London. But shortly after, she moved to Los Angeles, CA, USA to enroll in a gender studies undergraduate program and there, her porn career began. She once had sex 251 times with 70 men in less than 10 hours, a marathon session chronicled in the 1995 US film The World's Biggest Gang Bang. 251 explains how Quek, an energetic teenager and devoted daughter of Christian parents, transformed into a porn legend and a broken woman. The play - interspersed with social commentaries and monologue - explores the turning points in Quek's life. She eventually ended her adult film career and now works as an IT consultant in the US. 25-year-old student Jason Tan was unimpressed. "What was disappointing was that it turned out to be a whole big political satire. I do not think anything Annabel did was political in any way," he said. Whatever the political implications, Huang said Quek's story had touched her.