euphonious ramona: June 2013

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Former Duluth Little League Coach Charged with Child Sex Crimes

June 27, 2013 Updated Jun 27, 2013 at 6:43 PM CDT

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- A former Duluth little league and basketball coach is facing felony sex crime charges following an investigation that began late last year over suspected child pornography.

47-year-old Peter Jay Olson has been charged with criminal sexual conduct, possession of child pornography, and use of a minor in a sexual performance.

According to the criminal complaint, Olson was working for the Salvation Army in November 2012 when they hired a consultant to investigate him based on suspicion of child pornography.

The complaint states that authorities executed a search warrant at Olson's home and found a thumb drive allegedly containing images of Olson and a young boy nude and engaged in sexual contact.

Olson was interviewed by police and initially denied having any possession of pornographic images or sexual contact with children.

In a later interview, Olson admitted to police that the photographs were taken at his hunting shack.

He also admitted to engaging in oral sex with the victim numerous times between the summer of 2010 and 2011, both at his home and at the Salvation Army.

Olson knew the victim and his family through the Salvation Army and was also the victim's baseball coach.

Bail was set at $400,000.

Olson is expected to be back in court on July 17.

Organizers with the Lake Park Little League issued the following statement:
"Lake Park Little League is both shocked and deeply saddened by today's allegations. We offer our sympathy and support for any victims.

Lake Park Little League places the highest emphasis on player safety, while allowing our players to develop sports and team skills. Committed and dedicated kids, parents,and volunteers take great pride in the long and successful history of Lake Park youth baseball. We will work diligently to continue that tradition.

Mr. Olson resigned from Lake Park on June 6, 2013. No reasons were given. His resignation was accepted. Until the time of Mr. Olson's arrest on June 25th, we were unaware of any allegations against him.

Annual background checks are completed for all coaches using Little League International recommended procedures. No violations have ever been reported through this process in regards to Mr. Olson.

Out of respect for the legal process, and more importantly, out of respect for the families and children who may have directly suffered, the Lake Park Board of Directors has taken the position that all efforts will be made to protect the privacy of any victims involved. The bravery of those who cooperated with law enforcement should be held in the highest regard.

In the interests of justice and of the safety of children everywhere, such cooperation should be encouraged. As a result, no attempts to disseminate information which may identify any minor children involved will be condoned absent the express consent of the families involved.

We as individuals must take responsibility for the fact that the accumulation of rumors and speculation can only add to the pain of the families involved.

In furtherance of those considerations, should the Board receive any media inquiries, Eric Beyer has agreed to act as our public spokesperson on the issue. Communication between the Board and member families shall remain unchanged.

Please respect what the families involved must be going through, and respect the time involved for the legal process to run its course."

Posted to the web by Gabrielle Ware
rmarnati@kbjr.com

Source: http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/home/Former-Duluth-Little-League-Coach-Charged-with-Child-Sex-Crimes--213358411.html

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Diagnosis of Cancer after a Diagnosis of Tuberculosis

Several studies have found an association between tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer - though it's still not certain if TB is a cause of lung cancer. A new study set out to see if TB is associated with an increased risk of other cancers as well.

Researchers looked at people who were diagnosed with TB in Taiwan and compared these people to those without tuberculosis. Overall, those who were diagnosed with TB were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer. The results were broken down as follows:

For men in the first year after a TB diagnosis there were increased rates of head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, and Hodgkin's disease.
For men after the first year there were increased rates of liver, biliary, lung and bladder cancers.
For women, there were increased rates of leukemia, esophageal cancer, and lung cancer in the first year.
For women following the first year after a diagnosis of TB, there was an increased rate of leukemia.

Does this mean TB causes cancer?

There is some evidence that supports this. Chronic inflammation leading to DNA damage may play a role in the development of lung cancer. But there are many other variables. It's important to note that association doesn't mean causation. People eat more ice cream in the summer and there are more people who drown in the summer. But this doesn't mean that ice cream causes drowning.

What should be the take home message be?

For those who have been diagnosed with TB, doctors should be aware of this correlation, especially if patients have symptoms suggestive of cancer. For those with TB, having this awareness is a reminder to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and to see your doctor if you have any concern.

Read more about the connection between lung cancer and TB, how lung cancer may be misdiagnosed as TB, and how TB may affect those living with cancer:

Photo: A.D.A.M. Medical Encycopedia

_Source:

_{Kuo, S. et al. Association between tuberculosis infections and non-pulmonary malignancies: a nationwide population-based study. British Journal of Cancer. 2013 May 7. (Epub ahead of print).}

Source: http://lungcancer.about.com/b/2013/06/29/diagnosis-of-cancer-after-a-diagnosis-of-tuberculosis.htm

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Coming Up on 'This Week': Exclusive with WikiLeaks' Julian Assange (ABC News)

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Iran, Shiites' protector - sometimes

The savage beating to death this week of four Shiite Muslims by a Sunni mob in Egypt set off a predictable chain reaction in Iran, which has long cast itself as the protector of Shiites around the world.

Iran condemned the Cairo killings and ?any act of extremism and violence which contradicts Islam,? and called upon ?the sensible and revolutionary Egyptian nation, through its prudent leaders [to] exercise vigilance vis-?-vis plots to foment discord among various schools of Islam.?

A prominent Shiite cleric in Iran?s religious center of Qom went further, speaking about an ?anti-Shia project in Egypt [which has] caused the intensification of sectarian [violence], emergence of crimes and legalization of bloodshed.?

But even though Iran has stepped up the rhetoric, it has done little else ? evidence that the Islamic Republic?s willingness and ability to intervene on behalf of embattled fellow Shiites depends more on strategic than religious calculations, analysts say.

RECOMMENDED: Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference? Take our quiz.

The Cairo killings come amid an escalation of sectarian tensions between the two main denominations all over, especially in Syria. That divide presents a dilemma for Iran, which has always presented its 1979 Islamic revolution as a pan-Islamic model for Sunnis and Shiites alike.

For example, although Iran?s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is officially referred to as the ?Leader of the World?s Shia," in a 2008 speech he says, ?Even those who were not Shia Muslims were attracted to the Islamic revolution. Millions of our Sunni brothers in Arab, African, and Asian countries were attracted to the Islamic revolution, and this [1979 revolution] was a blow to the enemies.?

PLAYING INTO WESTERN HANDS

?Iran?s response to this massacre in Egypt is quite typical of how it has approached sectarian division,? says Roxane Farmanfarmaian, who teaches politics and international relations at Cambridge University in Britain.

?Iran has consistently stated that Muslims must act and stand together, and that any division or conflict between the Sunni and Shia only plays into Western hands that think of Islam as violent,? says Ms. Farmanfarmaian. ?It will support Shia when it?s geopolitically important and useful, but it has to have that extra dimension before it supports Shia per se.?

Mr. Morsi has condemned the killing of Shiites as a ?heinous crime.? And the country?s leading Sunni religious establishment, Al-Azhar, said the killings were against Islam and urged the ?harshest punishment.? But Morsi ? the Muslim Brotherhood president who will mark one year as Egypt?s first democratically elected president on June 30 ? is also accused of giving free rein to fundamentalist Sunnis known as Salafists, who consider Shiites heretics.

SPILLING OVER FROM THE SYRIAN WAR

Many of the most troublesome sectarian tensions today are spilling over from the Syrian war, afflicting Lebanon and Iraq. Iran?s critics accuse it of deepening those divisions with its support of the Syrian government, even though fellow Syria allies Russia and China have no pro-Shiite agenda.

Speaking in April, Khamenei sought to minimize the split. He said that the Assad regime is not Shiite (although its Alawite roots are a Shiite sect), nor are its opponents Sunni, even though ?Western propaganda and dependent regional media? try to depict it that way.

Yet even the fighters themselves have increasingly described their battle as a sectarian fight. As Iran and Hezbollah (with Russia) have enabled Assad?s forces to make recent military gains, the Sunni states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Jordan (with the US and Europe) have bolstered support for the opposition.

NEW RISKS

Iranian leaders have long recognized that specific talk from them about defending Islam?s minority Shiites does not go over well with majority Sunnis, and adds stress to religious faultlines that date back 14 centuries.

And in apparent recognition of the new risks of sectarian hatred spiraling out of control, Iran?s President-elect Hassan Rohani has stated that a top priority after he is sworn in will be mending relations with Saudi Arabia. He took similar conciliatory steps a decade ago as the head of Iran?s Supreme National Security Council.

The pragmatism in Iran's selective support of fellow Shiites can be found in Bahrain, the tiny Persian Gulf sheikhdom where Shiites began pro-democracy protests in early 2011. Iran did nothing to prevent Saudi Arabia from sending military forces to bolster the government as it crushed the protests.

Such signals from Tehran means Iran ?is not going to go out on a limb for Shia per se, it?s going to go out on a limb for unity,? says Farmanfarmaian. ?When it comes down to being ?Shia vs. political expediency,? as in the case of Bahrain, [Iran] certainly sees no reason to show up on those beaches and get into a war.?

In March 2011, Khamenei said: ?Do not make [Bahrain ] a Sunni and Shia issue; this would be the biggest favor ? for the enemies of the Islamic nation?. There exists no Sunni-Shia conflict.?

Then last February, Khamenei explained the result: ?The rulers of Bahrain claimed that Iran is involved in the events of Bahrain. This is a lie. No, we are not involved,? he said. ?If we had interfered, the conditions would have been different in Bahrain.?

RECOMMENDED: Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference? Take our quiz.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Pakistan extends refugee status for Afghans

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? The United Nations says Pakistan has extended refugee status for over a million Afghans living in the country. It was set to expire June 30.

The U.N.'s refugee agency said Friday Pakistan agreed to extend their status while it comes up with a new policy.

Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees dating back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan three decades ago. There are 1.6 million in Pakistan. Many Pakistanis have become frustrated with the length of time the Afghans have stayed and want them to leave.

Pakistan has said it will not forcibly evict Afghans. However, revoking their refugee status would encourage people to return to Afghanistan.

Refugee status allows Afghans to get a government ID card that they use for everyday activities like banking or registering for school.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-extends-refugee-status-afghans-060448915.html

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Understanding The Benefits Of Green Coffee Bean Extract

You will save your dollars, but it will take longer to see the savings. So precisely what happens for green coffee beans to end up being the aromatic, oily, dark brown pinto beans that are simply just ground and brewed to generate a walk? If you prefer roasted and as being a particular kind of roasting, such as French roast, it is possible to still get a pretty good deal on specialty coffee beans in bulk if you shop around.

Green beans extract have now grown being pretty popular after it had been featured on the Dr Oz tv show in 2012. If you select coffee delivery, then you certainly should think about asking others to get coffee too. It's a 'fat burner' and yes it was recommended by Doctor Oz!

Want to appear healthy and fit? Yet dry hulling methods develop a lower quality product. The first thing you may become aware around this coffeemaker is its trendy stylish design.

Roasting pinto beans is a hugely transformative process, involving endothermic and exothermic processes (heating and the release of heat), resulting chemical reactions, and drastic physical changes. It is simply filled with natural ingredients that have been proven to give plenty of benefits towards the body including allowing you to lose weight faster than in case you werent while using product. Yes, but the actual amount needed to become consumed in order to receive the anti-cancer benefits by humans is unknown.

By the end from the study, the test subjects averaged a 10.5 % loss in weight without a alternation in diet or exercise habits. D., who led your research, pointed out that type 2 diabetes, the most typical form of diabetes, is surely an increasing global medical condition. If we understand a shop's goal/brand, then it can be easier to determine what precisely the venue is advertising and why we might be more inclined to visit one shop over another.

green coffee beans

However, in order to get the most effective deal, you need to buy coffee beans wholesale, and not in small quantities. Actually, in a lot of different ways, it's indeed good for have Grind and Brew coffee maker within the household. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant?

And there's usually a second oven meant to clean the air of each of the pollutants, which adds for the gas used along with the CO2 emissions. Green coffee bean extract. Espresso roasting - After fourteen minutes of heating, each of the sugars in the beans are burned and caramelized. Green pinto beans: unroasted coffees (the freshest pinto beans available).

It has been proven to inhibit tumor growth which will help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that will lead to atherosclerosis. What studies did reveal is that about 90% of people in the age of 35 lose enough muscle every year burning off one more 4 pounds of excess fat. Shade grown beans are unique because they're not hybrids, which are sun-dependent, and so they do not use advanced agricultural production methods.

About the Author:
Tory is the name he loves to be called with but he does not such as when people use his full name.
For many years he's been living in Minnesota. As a man what he actually suches as is baseball and now he is trying to make money with it. Invoicing is his career and he will not alter it anytime soon.Let me inroduce myself, my name is Vivan but I do not such as when individuals utilize my full name. My day job is a workplace manager and it's something I actually appreciate.
My husband doesn't like it the way I do but what I actually like doing is kites and I would never ever provide it up. Kansas is our birth place and I enjoy every day living here.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Understanding-The-Benefits-Of-Green-Coffee-Bean-Extract/5186082

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Phoenix, Las Vegas bake in scorching heat

PHOENIX (AP) ? A blazing heat wave expected to send the mercury soaring to nearly 120 degrees in Phoenix and Las Vegas over the weekend settled across the West on Friday, threatening to ground airliners and raising fears that pets will get burned on the scalding pavement.

The heat was so punishing that rangers took up positions at trailheads at Lake Mead in Nevada to persuade people not to hike. Zookeepers in Phoenix hosed down the elephants and fed tigers frozen fish snacks. And tourists at California's Death Valley took photos of the harsh landscape and a thermometer that read 121.

The mercury there was expected to reach nearly 130 through the weekend ? just short of the 134-degree reading from a century ago that stands as the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.

"You have to take a picture of something like this. Otherwise no one will believe you," said Laura McAlpine, visiting Death Valley from Scotland on Friday.

The heat is not expected to break until Monday or Tuesday.

The scorching weather presented problems for airlines because high temperatures can make it more difficult for planes to take off. Hot air reduces lift and also can diminish engine performance. Planes taking off in the heat may need longer runways or may have to shed weight by carrying less fuel or cargo.

Smaller jets and propeller planes are more likely to be affected than bigger airliners that are better equipped for extreme temperatures.

However, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport officials reported no such heat-related problems with any flights by Friday evening.

The National Weather Service said Phoenix reached 116 on Friday, two degrees short of the expected high, in part because of a light layer of smoke from wildfires in neighboring New Mexico that shielded the blazing sun. Las Vegas still was expecting near record highs over the weekend approaching 116 degrees while Phoenix was forecast to hit nearly 120. The record in Phoenix is 122.

Temperatures are also expected to soar across Utah and into Wyoming and Idaho, with triple-digit heat forecast for the Boise area. Cities in Washington state that are better known for cool, rainy weather should break the 90s next week.

"This is the hottest time of the year, but the temperatures that we'll be looking at for Friday through Sunday, they'll be toward the top," said National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O'Malley. "It's going to be baking hot across much of the entire West."

The heat is the result of a high-pressure system brought on by a shift in the jet stream, the high-altitude air current that dictates weather patterns. The jet stream has been more erratic in the past few years.

Health officials warned people to be extremely careful when venturing outdoors. The risks include not only dehydration and heat stroke but burns from the concrete and asphalt. Dogs can suffer burns and blisters on their paws by walking on scorching pavement.

"You will see people who go out walking with their dog at noon or in the middle of the day and don't bring enough water and it gets tragic pretty quickly," said Bretta Nelson, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society. "You just don't want to find out the hard way."

Cooling stations were set up to shelter the homeless as well as elderly people who can't afford to run their air conditioners. In Phoenix, Joe Arpaio, the famously hard-nosed sheriff who runs a tent jail, planned to distribute ice cream and cold towels to inmates this weekend.

Officials said personnel were added to the Border Patrol search-and-rescue unit because of the danger to people trying to slip across the Mexican border. At least seven people have been found dead in the last week in Arizona after falling victim to the brutal desert heat.

In June 1990, when Phoenix hit 122 degrees, airlines were forced to cease flights for several hours because of a lack of data from the manufacturers on how the aircraft would operate in such extreme heat.

US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher said the airline now knows that its Boeings can fly at up to 126 degrees, and its Airbus fleet can operate at up to 127.

While the heat in Las Vegas is expected to peak on Sunday, it's unlikely to sideline the first round of the four-week Bikini Invitational tournament.

"I feel sorry for those poor girls having to strut themselves in 115 degrees, but there's $100,000 up for grabs," said Hard Rock casino spokeswoman Abigail Miller. "I think the girls are willing to make the sacrifice."

___

Carlson contributed in Death Valley, Calif. Also contributing were Robert Jablon in Los Angeles, Julie Jacobson and Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas, Michelle Price in Salt Lake City, Cristina Silva and Bob Christie in Phoenix and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/phoenix-las-vegas-bake-scorching-heat-202602575.html

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Fiat 500e electric car 'sold out' in California

The market for electric cars in California is doing well, according to Fiat's US chief, who said the Fiat 500e electric car has sold out in California.

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran,?Guest blogger / June 27, 2013

The 2013 Fiat 500e, an electric model of the Fiat 500, was first introduced in California. Fiat may rollout additional 500e vehicles in other states that use California's emission standards.

Chrysler/AP/File

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Fiat has never hidden the fact that its 500e electric car had been developed primarily for compliance reasons, thus there was little surprise when it was announced that sales would be limited to the state of California, at least, initially.

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The website focuses on the auto industry?s future, the evolution of cars beyond fossil fuels, and the green movement's relevance to car shoppers today. For more stories on green cars, click here.

Two dead in Egypt clashes as Mursi readies speech

By Alastair Macdonald and Yasmine Saleh

CAIRO (Reuters) - Two people were killed and dozens injured in street fighting on Wednesday north of Cairo between supporters and opponents of Egypt's Islamist president, hours before Mohamed Mursi was to address the nation.

With Egypt gripped by fears of a showdown between Islamists and their opponents, security sources said 90 people wounded in the city of Mansoura after hundreds of men were involved in rock-throwing street skirmishes. Witnesses heard gunfire and state television showed a man in hospital with birdshot wounds.

Similar outbursts of violence, often prompted by one side or the other staging rallies, have hit towns across the country in recent days. At least two men died last weekend. The opposition plans mass protests this weekend, calling for Mursi to resign.

He shows no sign of doing that and is expected to blame the deadlock that has aggravated an economic crisis on resistance from those loyal to his ousted predecessor Hosni Mubarak.

The army has warned politicians it could effectively take charge again if they fail to reconcile. Some in the anti-Mursi camp might welcome that, but Islamists say they would fight any "coup" against Egypt's first freely elected leader.

Fears of a violent stand-off in the streets between Mursi's Islamist supporters and a broad coalition of the disaffected have led people to stock up on food. Long lines of cars outside fuel stations have snarled roads in Cairo and other cities.

Mursi, who marks his first year in office on Sunday, has given little hint of the contents of a speech due to start after 9:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) at a Cairo hall before an invited audience. Aides have indicated he will defend familiar positions, though there has been speculation he might also reshuffle his cabinet.

Some observers fear Egypt may be about to erupt again, two years after the revolution that toppled Mubarak. Politics are polarized between Mursi's disciplined Muslim Brotherhood and disparate opponents who have lost a series of elections.

The deadlock has contributed to a deepening economic crisis and the government is running out of cash.

Liberal critics worry about Islamist rule - a coalition of local human rights groups accused Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood on Wednesday of crimes rivaling Mubarak's and of setting up a "religious, totalitarian state". But many Egyptians are simply frustrated by falling living standards and fear chaos.

After the violence in Mansoura, state television put the number of injured at 160 and said rival factions were on the streets of other nearby towns in the Nile Delta as night fell. Crowds were also gathering in Cairo, in separate locations.

Lining up at a bank machine in downtown Cairo, IT trainer Amgad al-Fishawi, 40, said he feared cash could be hard to find in the coming days and echoed the resignation felt by many at the deadlock: "Mursi won't promise too much," he said. "Nobody's paying attention. The people don't expect anything from him."

ARMY ALERT

The army is held in high regard by Egyptians, especially since it pushed aside Mubarak following the 2011 uprising. Its chief issued a warning on Sunday, urging compromise while also defending the legitimacy of Mursi's election.

One senior Western diplomat in Cairo said the army might try to impose a solution, especially if the political deadlock turns violent: "The margin for a political solution is definitely very narrow," he said. "If (violence) crosses a certain threshold, the role of the army might become by default more proactive."

Islamists, oppressed for decades, fear a return of military rule and hardliners warn of a fight if the generals intervene. They accuse Mubarak-era institutions, including courts, state media, police and civil service, of working to undermine Mursi.

An officer in one of Egypt's internal security agencies told Reuters this week that the country needed to be "cleansed" of the Islamists who he described as terrorists.

The army, still heavily funded by Washington as it was under Mubarak, and Western governments have been urging Mursi to bridge differences with his non-Islamist opponents. He says he has tried. They say he and his Muslim Brotherhood, along with harder line allies, are trying to monopolies the state.

Mursi says a petition demanding he quit - which liberal organizers say has 15 million signatures - is undemocratic. In that, he has support from Islamists, who have staged shows of strength in recent days and plan a major Cairo rally on Friday.

Nationwide opposition rallies are due to start on Sunday but could begin earlier.

LOW EXPECTATIONS

"This demonstration is spontaneous and comes from the Egyptian people. We hope that it will bring the government ultimately to a place where the reforms are effected and choices that need to be made about the economy are implemented," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia.

"We will obviously hope that it will not produce violence and be a moment of catalyzing positive change for Egypt itself."

The opposition has low expectations of the speech which Mursi appears to be planning to make before a partisan crowd.

After dark, thousands gathered on Cairo's Tahrir Square, cradle of the 2011 uprising, and in the centre of the second city Alexandria to listen to what the president says.

Liberal coalition spokesman Khaled Dawoud likened Mursi's address to increasingly desperate speeches made by Mubarak during the revolt. He added: "It's too late for any possible measures, short of early elections, to stop the demonstrations."

At the International Crisis Group, Egypt analyst Yasser El-Shimy said he still doubted the army wanted, or would try, to take control and was more likely to push parties to compromise.

"What is going to be a game changer," he said, "is whether the violence is so massive or out of control that the government is unable to function - which might be a scenario that some are hoping for in order to prompt the military to intervene."

(Reporting by Shaimaa Fayed, Patrick Werr, Asmaa Alsharif, Tom Perry, Maggie Fick, Yasmine Saleh, Omar Fahmy, Alastair Macdonald, Alexander Dziadosz and Shadia Nasralla in Cairo; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Peter Graff)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mursi-move-egypt-protests-loom-104238636.html

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Pacifica shark attacks kayak. Man inside escapes unharmed.

Pacifica shark attacks a man's kayak in waters just south of San Francisco Tuesday. The kayaker was able to escape and returned to shore without injury, according to Pacifica police.?Most?shark?attacks off California shores occur between July and November, when the predators are drawn by seals and sea lions.

By Associated Press / June 26, 2013

Waves pound a wall near buildings in Pacifica, Calif., in this file photo. A kayaker escaped a shark attack in waters just south of San Francisco Wednesday.

Paul Sakuma/AP/File

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Police say a?shark?bit a kayak in waters just south of San Francisco, but the man inside it escaped unharmed.

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Pacifica?police Capt. Joe Spanheimer says the man was fishing from a kayak shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday offPacifica?State Beach.

Spanheimer tells the San Francisco Chronicle (bit.ly/15DZuYc) that an unknown species of?shark?swam up to the fisherman, bit his kayak then briefly circled around it before swimming away. The kayaker returned to shore without injury.

Police say swimmers and surfers rarely go to the area where the incident occurred, but signs would be posted on the beach warning people about the?shark?run-in.

Most?shark?attacks off California shores occur between July and November, when the predators are drawn by seals and sea lions.

___

Information from: San Francisco Chronicle,?http://www.sfgate.com

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ICxVPxp4qWk/Pacifica-shark-attacks-kayak.-Man-inside-escapes-unharmed

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The executed: A glance at 10 key Texas executions

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) ? Texas is approaching its 500th lethal injection since the Supreme Court in 1976 cleared the way to resume executions in the United States. The execution total in Texas is by far the largest in the country. Here are eight noteworthy executions since that ruling:

? Dec. 7, 1982: Charlie Brooks, No. 1, the first Texas inmate executed after the Supreme Court in 1976 reinstated the death penalty. Brooks also was the first U.S. prisoner to die by lethal injection. He abducted and killed a Fort Worth car lot employee during a test drive.

? Dec. 13, 1988: Raymond Landry, No. 29, whose execution was interrupted when a needle containing the lethal chemicals popped out of his arm. Prison technicians re-inserted it and Landry died. It was the first of two such needle "blowouts" in the death chamber. Landry was condemned for the fatal shooting of Kosmas Prittis, a Houston restaurant owner, during a robbery.

? Feb. 9, 1996: Leo Jenkins, No. 105, whose execution was the first in Texas where relatives or friends of the murder victims in the case were allowed to witness the punishment. Victims' rights supporters had pushed for the change after earlier executions in Texas allowed only friends or relatives of the prisoner to be present. Jenkins was convicted of killing Mark Kelley and his sister, Kara Voss, during a robbery at their family-owned pawn shop in Houston. Their parents were among those watching Jenkins die.

? Feb. 3, 1998: Karla Tucker, No. 145, the first woman executed in Texas since the Civil War. Tucker's born-again-Christian conversion and persuasive TV interviews sparked debate over whether her redemption should justify commuting her sentence to life. Tucker was convicted of using a pickax to kill Jerry Lynn Dean during a burglary of his Houston apartment. A woman with Dean also was killed. On a tape recording played at her trial, Tucker said she had an orgasm each time she swung the ax into their bodies.

? Nov. 17, 1998: Kenneth McDuff, No. 161, who was on death row in 1968 when the Supreme Court halted executions. His sentence was commuted to life and he was later paroled. A free man, McDuff was arrested for the abduction-murder of Melissa Ann Northrup of Waco and sentenced to death again. At the time of his execution, he was believed to be the only prisoner who was paroled from death row only to be returned there for another killing.

? March 14, 2000: Ponchai Wilkerson, No. 210, who stunned prison officials when, after declining to make a final statement, he spit out a handcuff key he had hidden in his mouth. Wilkerson had been convicted of the fatal shooting of a Houston jewelry store employee, Chung Myong Yi, during a robbery.

? June 22, 2000: Gary Graham, No. 222, whose loud claims of innocence and racism brought robed Ku Klux Klansmen and gun-toting Black Panthers to Huntsville. The two groups had a tense stand-off while Texas state troopers in riot gear watched. Graham ranted at length in the death chamber that he was being lynched. He had been convicted of killing an Arizona man, Bobby Lambert, during a robbery outside a Houston supermarket.

? Feb. 17, 2004: Cameron Todd Willingham, No. 320, whose arson-murder case became more famous after his death when a new investigation cast doubt on the arson evidence that led to his conviction. Willingham maintained his innocence and berated his ex-wife in an obscenity-filled final statement. He was convicted of the deaths of his three young daughters, Amber, 2, and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron.

? June 27, 2006: Angel Resendiz, No. 368, a drifter known as the "Railroad Killer." Resendiz earned a spot on the FBI's Most Wanted list as he hopped aboard freight trains and committed indiscriminate and particularly gruesome killings in places near railroad tracks. He was convicted in the death of Claudia Benton, a Houston-area physician attacked at her home.

? July 18, 2012: Yokamon Hearn, No. 483, the first Texas prisoner given a single dose of pentobarbital as the lethal injection drug. Drugs used in the previous three-drug process became unavailable after manufacturers bowed to pressure from death penalty opponents. The change in reaction among inmates given the single drug has been negligible. Hearn was convicted of the fatal abduction and robbery of Frank Meziere during a carjacking in Dallas County.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/executed-glance-10-key-texas-executions-182532298.html

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Heavyweights Matt Mitrione, Brendan Schaub exchange nasty insults on Twitter

UFC heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Brendan Schaub were once teammates on "The Ultimate Fighter." Since they both have backgrounds in football, that common ground would make for a good friendship, right? Well, not so much. They are fighting at UFC on Fox 8, and they exchanged some nasty insults on Twitter on Monday night.

Here's a sampling of what they had to say each other:

Planned parenthood should stop giving out birth control & start giving out copies of @BrendanSchaub 's 15 min. dry humping of Lavar Johnson

? Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 25, 2013

@mattmitrione my man remember when you pissed your pants on TUF and you said fighting wasn't for you. I do and Well it still isn't.

? Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) June 25, 2013

@mattmitrione I didn't ask to fight you. Your being disciplined remember? Well.. joe silva thought of a terrible match up for you.

? Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) June 25, 2013

Someone asked me if @BrendanSchaub is married. Seriously? I saw his Jiu Jitsu match. How you gonna get married when you refuse to engage?

? Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 25, 2013

It got uglier, as they used language we're not fond of around here, as well as insults involving Mitrione's wife and comparing Schaub's looks to an actor with Down's Syndrome. The discipline Schaub is speaking of is Mitrione's short suspension for his comments about trans fighter Fallon Fox.

It's still a month out until they face off in the cage. Does this sort of trash talk make the fight more interesting to you? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/heavyweights-matt-mitrione-brendan-schaub-exchange-nasty-insults-171136080.html

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McCaughey: Immigration Bill 'Corrupt' & 'Full of Bribes'

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Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2dc24f45/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C5230A1614/story01.htm

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett Trying for Baby No. 2

"I couldn't be more ready, and Hank couldn't be more ready. Our souls have connected, even Little Hank's. Little Hank keeps saying to us, 'I want a brother and a sister,'" the reality star says.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/w0MMey5EY0g/

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Ten thousandth near-Earth object discovered in space

June 25, 2013 ? More than 10,000 asteroids and comets that can pass near Earth have now been discovered. The 10,000th near-Earth object, asteroid 2013 MZ5, was first detected on the night of June 18, 2013, by the Pan-STARRS-1 telescope, located on the 10,000-foot (convert) summit of the Haleakala crater on Maui. Managed by the University of Hawaii, the PanSTARRS survey receives NASA funding.

Ninety-eight percent of all near-Earth objects discovered were first detected by NASA-supported surveys.

"Finding 10,000 near-Earth objects is a significant milestone," said Lindley Johnson, program executive for NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington. "But there are at least 10 times that many more to be found before we can be assured we will have found any and all that could impact and do significant harm to the citizens of Earth." During Johnson's decade-long tenure, 76 percent of the NEO discoveries have been made.

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets that can approach the Earth's orbital distance to within about 28 million miles (45 million kilometers). They range in size from as small as a few feet to as large as 25 miles (41 kilometers) for the largest near-Earth asteroid, 1036 Ganymed.

Asteroid 2013 MZ5 is approximately 1,000 feet (300 meters) across. Its orbit is well understood and will not approach close enough to Earth to be considered potentially hazardous.

"The first near-Earth object was discovered in 1898," said Don Yeomans, long-time manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Over the next hundred years, only about 500 had been found. But then, with the advent of NASA's NEO Observations program in 1998, we've been racking them up ever since. And with new, more capable systems coming on line, we are learning even more about where the NEOs are currently in our solar system, and where they will be in the future."

Of the 10,000 discoveries, roughly 10 percent are larger than six-tenths of a mile (one kilometer) in size -- roughly the size that could produce global consequences should one impact the Earth. However, the NASA NEOO program has found that none of these larger NEOs currently pose an impact threat and probably only a few dozen more of these large NEOs remain undiscovered.

The vast majority of NEOs are smaller than one kilometer, with the number of objects of a particular size increasing as their sizes decrease. For example, there are expected to be about 15,000 NEOs that are about one-and-half football fields in size (460 feet, or 140 meters), and more than a million that are about one-third a football field in size (100 feet, or 30 meters). A NEO hitting Earth would need to be about 100 feet (30 meters) or larger to cause significant devastation in populated areas. Almost 30 percent of the 460-foot-sized NEOs have been found, but less than 1 percent of the 100-foot-sized NEOs have been detected.

When it originated, the NASA-instituted Near-Earth Object Observations Program provided support to search programs run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory (LINEAR); the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NEAT); the University of Arizona (Spacewatch, and later Catalina Sky Survey) and the Lowell Observatory (LONEOS). All these search teams report their observations to the Minor Planet Center, the central node where all observations from observatories worldwide are correlated with objects, and they are given unique designations and their orbits are calculated.

"When I began surveying for asteroids and comets in 1992, a near-Earth object discovery was a rare event," said Tim Spahr, director of the Minor Planet Center. "These days we average three NEO discoveries a day, and each month the Minor Planet Center receives hundreds of thousands of observations on asteroids, including those in the main-belt. The work done by the NASA surveys, and the other international professional and amateur astronomers, to discover and track NEOs is really remarkable."

Within a dozen years, the program achieved its goal of discovering 90 percent of near-Earth objects larger than 3,300 feet (1 kilometer) in size. In December 2005, NASA was directed by Congress to extend the search to find and catalog 90 percent of the NEOs larger than 500 feet (140 meters) in size. When this goal is achieved, the risk of an unwarned future Earth impact will be reduced to a level of only one percent when compared to pre-survey risk levels. This reduces the risk to human populations, because once an NEO threat is known well in advance, the object could be deflected with current space technologies.

Currently, the major NEO discovery teams are the Catalina Sky Survey, the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS survey and the LINEAR survey. The current discovery rate of NEOs is about 1,000 per year.

NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations Program manages and funds the search for, study of and monitoring of asteroids and comets whose orbits periodically bring them close to Earth. The Minor Planet Center is funded by NASA and hosted by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA. JPL manages the Near-Earth Object Program Office for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. More information about asteroids and near-Earth objects is available at: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch and via Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/asteroidwatch .

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/YH3ceC95U68/130625112104.htm

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Can you live in America just buying 'made in the USA'?

Top Line

After a manufacturing plant closed down in his hometown of Ravenswood, W.Va., resulting in 650 people losing their jobs, Josh Miller began to wonder what was really made in America anymore.

He decided to set out on a 30-day road trip across the United States in search of answers for how to revive American manufacturing - all the while trying to survive on only goods and products stamped with ?Made in USA.?

?I really thought that I could take this opportunity to give the Made in America movement and these folks a voice,? said Miller, who documented his trip in a film, ?Made in the USA: The 30 Day Journey.?

Miller told Top Line that the Made in America movement isn?t so much about trying to get people to buy only American-made products that might be more expensive than foreign-made ones, but it?s about finding solutions to lower the prices of American-made products.

?I think there are a lot of policies that we can push to help allow our businesses here in America to help reduce costs and lower the prices,? Miller said. ?We need to put policies in place that allow us to outcompete the world, and that's what this film was about.?

While Miller hopes that Congress and the president will act to help American businesses become more competitive, his producer, Ron Newcomb, added that they also want to see less government regulation.

?They need to also get out of the way, if you will, and let Americans to do what they do best, thrive in a business environment,? Newcomb said, referring to the federal government.

But perhaps the most effective and immediate solution to create more manufacturing jobs in the United States, Miller and Newcomb said, is for the American consumer to demand it.

??It's a business aspect too,? Miller said. ?If the consumers create that demand, the businesses will meet that demand. Request it, demand it, and it will come back and jobs will come back.?

For more of the interview with Miller and Newcomb, and to hear how they say you can live by the principles of the Made in America movement without being a purist, check out this episode of Top Line.

ABC's Eric Wray, Freda Kahen Kashi, Chris Carlson, Tom D?Annibale, and Bob Bramson contributed to this episode.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/made-usa-journey-behind-label-112854639.html

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Monday, June 24, 2013

"Vegan Sellout List" Publicizes, Shames, and Threatens Former Vegans

FIRST PERSON | When I was vegan, I kept my choices mostly to myself, but I was pretty open about one opinion: Militant vegans are the worst enemies of veganism. Notorious groups like PETA and the seemingly ubiquitous "preachy vegan" seem to be everywhere, and they, of course, get a lot more attention than the many vegans who just don't talk that much about their diets. Nothing hammered that opinion in more than seeing myself on a website called "The Vegan Sellout List," which is very rapidly gaining popularity among the militant-vegan crowd.

The Vegan Sellout List features my name, photo, city, and state, and calls me an "Ethical vegan turned unethical carnivore." Linking to an article I wrote five years ago, titled "My Recovery from Veganism" -- in which I express full support of vegan lifestyles but explain that veganism became something of an eating disorder for me and made me very ill -- the Vegan Sellout List offers the following "shameful" information about me: "Craved cow flesh during her pregnancy and went for it. The ones who are insecure about their decision always talk about it the most."

I'm guilty as charged, but I thought the wording was funny, since I don't "talk about it" much at all. In fact, I think that if you polled my friends and family members, only one or two people would recall that I've eaten red meat at all in my adult life (although I'm hiding nothing and am ashamed of nothing). I make no apologies for making the decisions that were best for my body, my mental health, and my then-unborn child. If the purpose of the website was to make me feel ashamed and guilty, it failed miserably at doing so.

In fact, I'd be a saint if the worst thing I ever did in my life was give into a steak craving when I was pregnant with my daughter. I'm actually kind of flattered that the folks behind the Vegan Sellout List think I'm such a good person that the steak I ate more than six years ago is still weighing heavily on my conscience, or that publicly admonishing me for it will make me feel hurt or guilty.

This begs the question: Why is anyone on a mission to collect the names and information of people who tried to be vegan but ultimately didn't maintain the lifestyle? According to the site's authors, the mission is to be "our answer to the epidemic of vegan sellouts -- those who are aware of the suffering caused by meat, dairy, egg, fur, and leather production, yet choose to look away while the animals suffer."

I suppose this is the reason that so many people view veganism as a cult. There are people who view the vegan lifestyle as something you are never allowed to leave. Those of us who do leave this "cult" are sentenced to have our full names, photos, and contact information published publicly in a not-too-subtle implied threat.

I posted a polite response to the Vegan Sellout List, explaining that I'm fully supportive of veganism but believe that the website is counterproductive because it reinforces vegan stereotypes and frightens people into believing that they should never even try veganism because they'll be threatened and publicly admonished should they choose to "go back." My comment was deleted within minutes. I have to admit that I feel genuinely sorry for the people who run this website. It must be a truly miserable existence to spend so much time tracking down, attacking, and censoring anyone whose lifestyle choices aren't identical to your own.

Juniper Russo is a freelance writer, health enthusiast, and dedicated mom living in the southeastern U.S.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vegan-sellout-list-publicizes-shames-threatens-former-vegans-223000340.html

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something beautiful: our weekend 'staycation'

It was a gorgeous weekend in Georgia...hot, but not unbearably so...and it actually managed to stop raining for a few days, so we tried to make the most of the weekend and spend as little of it indoors as possible. For as much as I don't like to sweat,? I sure do love spending all day long out in the sun on the weekends. Which means that by all accounts, this was a great weekend.

Saturday morning we rolled out of bed in a timely fashion and made our way out to The Sandbar to spend the afternoon kayaking down the Broad River. We've kayaked the Broad each of the last two summers, but both of those years we were in the midst of a deep and long-lasting, Code Red, Level 10 (ok, I made that part up) drought. Meaning that there was barely any water in the river and we basically had to walk 5 miles dragging our kayaks behind us. It took forever and it was a whole lot of exercise. But THIS YEAR, thanks to days upon weeks of rain, we are officially OUT of the drought and the rivers are FULL! Everyone I know who's gone kayaking this year raves about how awesome it is getting to actually FLOAT the whole time, and how it's way more fun that previous years. So obviously we needed to get on it, and the time is now...before the rivers dry up again! Don't delay...row today. Something like that.

You know how sometimes smart people do dumb things? Well here's Exhibit A from my personal experience this weekend. I decided to take my iPhone kayaking with me. In a (non-waterproof) Otter Box. But I put it in a Ziplock bag for protection, which is obviously brilliant. Or...not. I don't know what I was thinking. I definitely wasn't thinking about GOING OVER RAPIDS and GETTING DUMPED OUT OF MY KAYAK...along with all of my possessions. I need pictures! I'll take my phone!...was about all I thought of. Not smart. Big shout-out to God for keeping me (and my phone) safely in the kayak the whole trip. Please try to picture me each time I approached a rocky section/rapid, wrapping my Ziplock-bagged phone in my tank top, squeezing them between my knees, praying that my knees didn't flail apart as I tried to keep my balance over the rapid...sheesh. I think it took a few years off my life, but at least I got some fun pictures. And I won't be repeating that idiot move in the future. Trust me.?
Other than phone-related stress, it was a wonderful and fairly easy ride down the river. We stopped to swim a bit and watched lots of turtles getting suntans. Afterwards we were starving, so we stopped for Mexican at a hole-in-the-wall and had some amazing puposas (me) and tortas (Matt). I swear that Athens (and surrounding small towns) has some of the best Mexican (and Salvadorean) food in the world. And I've actually been to Mexico a few times, so obviously I'm an expert. Boom.
After arriving home, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and fact that we were already sweaty and gross and knock out some other sweaty/gross chores: mowing and washing our car. It was a very productive afternoon.

Sunday after church we decided it was time to make a big purchase we've been debating all summer: the inflatable pool for the backyard. Since all of you were wholeheartedly supporting this purchase, it made it pretty easy to convince Matt that it was a great idea. And then we found a $22 pool at Aldi and it was a done deal. We even sprung $5 to get a pump to blow it up. I know...we're high rollers.

After a tasty lunch on the grill, we spent a relaxing afternoon in our backyard resort.

Pretty much the only thing missing was a waiter bringing us drinks. Oh, and water over 6 inches deep. See, our preferred location (see how nice it looks from my bedroom window?) wasn't exactly what you'd call level. I figured this would not be a problem. I didn't mind if it was deeper on one side. We'll call it the 'deep end' and be done with it! Unfortunately, that's not how it works in the world of inflatable pools. What happens is the 'deep end' caves in and your water dumps out everywhere. Who knew? So after enjoying the pool for about 30 minutes in that location, we had to empty it, move it to the far back of the yard where it's a bit more level (and way more visible from the road/neighbors' houses) and start over.

It's not in as pretty an area now, but at least the sides aren't collapsing, so I guess we'll call it a win. After we were done swimming (hahaha) we decided to fashion a pool cover out of a plastic dropcloth, Ziplock baggies filled with rocks, and duct tape. It was pretty brilliant, if you ask me, and very effective. So now our pool won't get grass, leaves, and bugs in it. And it'll be all ready for us to cool off in after work (and working out)! I can hardly wait to embark on this new life of leisure...a home swimming pool...whatever luxuries will befall us next??!

We patted ourselves on the back for being 'adventurous' two weekends in a row (last weekend biking the Augusta Canal)...it makes you feel like you didn't totally waste your days, you know? Matt called our weekend a 'staycation,' since we did fun and relaxing things while basically staying at home. I thought that was a pretty fair assessment! We're looking forward to ANOTHER fun outdoor adventure next weekend for our anniversary!! Apparently we're hitting up every single fun outdoor thing in the state...if you're familiar with Georgia outdoor attractions (with an emphasis on FUN and SEMI-ACTIVE), feel free to recommend any we're missing!! Have a happy Monday!

Source: http://mattyerika.blogspot.com/2013/06/our-weekend-staycation.html

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Google's Waze acquisition catches FTC's investigative eyes

Google officially acquired the crowd-sourced mapping and traffic app Waze earlier this month, but the $1.1 billion deal is hitting a last-minute jam. The search giant has confirmed with Reuters that the Federal Trade Commission recently opened an antitrust investigation into the purchase, even though Waze will mostly operate independently. According to the New York Post, Google didn't file a review with the FTC because Waze makes less than $70 million annually, which is below the bar for an "automatic review." Reuters notes that the FTC can put a magnifying glass to any closed deals at its discretion, namely to ensure there was no prior intent simply to stifle competition. These latest happenings might make for a temporary roadblock between the integration of certain data between Waze and Maps, notes the Post -- assuming the deal indeed gets an okay from The Man. Either way, we'd imagine concessions will be made if needed, as Google's no a stranger to these types of proceedings.

Filed under: GPS, Transportation, Software

Comments

Source: Reuters, New York Post

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/22/google-waze-acquistion-ftc-antitrust/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Activists report shelling north of Syria's capital

This image made from amateur video released by Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows smoke rises in Damascus, Syria, Friday, June 21, 2013. The commander of Syria's rebels confirms they have received new weapons, giving his forces more power in battles against government troops and Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon. Gen. Salim Idris refused to say in an interview with Al-Jazeera TV Friday where the weapons came from. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

This image made from amateur video released by Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a Syrian rebel firing his weapon in Damascus, Syria, Friday, June 21, 2013. The commander of Syria's rebels confirms they have received new weapons, giving his forces more power in battles against government troops and Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon. Gen. Salim Idris refused to say in an interview with Al-Jazeera TV Friday where the weapons came from. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Activists say Syrian government forces have intensified a military offensive against rebel strongholds north of the capital Damascus.

The heavy shelling on many fronts appears to be an attempt to cut links between districts under rebel control.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on an extensive network of activists in Syria, said Saturday the shelling of the district of Qaboun has killed three children, including two from the same family, since Friday. They say it also caused structural damage and started fires. Activists from Qaboun posted on Facebook that government forces deployed additional tanks outside the neighborhood, and the bombardment had brought buildings down.

The Observatory said one rebel fighter was killed in nearby Barzeh, where rebels pushed back against a government attempt to storm the neighborhood.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-22-ML-Syria/id-5eb8638afb78447fbb09de92a8d93c26

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Snowden in a 'safe place' as U.S. prepares to seek extradition

By Tabassum Zakaria and Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has filed espionage charges against Edward Snowden, a former U.S. National Security Agency contractor who admitted revealing secret surveillance programs to media outlets, according to a court document made public on Friday.

The charges are the government's first step in what could be a long legal battle to return Snowden from Hong Kong, where he is believed to be in hiding, and try him in a U.S. court. A Hong Kong newspaper said he was under police protection, but the territory's authorities declined to comment.

Snowden was charged with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorized person, said the criminal complaint, which was dated June 14.

The latter two offenses fall under the U.S. Espionage Act and carry penalties of fines and up to 10 years in prison.

A single page of the complaint was unsealed on Friday. An accompanying affidavit remained under seal.

Two U.S. sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was preparing to seek Snowden's extradition from Hong Kong, which is part of China but has wide-ranging autonomy, including an independent judiciary.

The Washington Post, which first reported the criminal complaint earlier on Friday, said the United States had asked Hong Kong to detain Snowden on a provisional arrest warrant.

Hong Kong's Chinese-language Apple Daily quoted police sources as saying that anti-terrorism officers had contacted Snowden, arranged a safe house for him and provided protection. However, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) said Snowden was not in police protection but was in a "safe place" in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Police Commissioner Andy Tsang declined to comment other than to say Hong Kong would deal with the case in accordance with the law.

Snowden earlier this month admitted leaking secrets about classified U.S. surveillance programs, creating a public uproar. Supporters say he is a whistleblower, while critics call him a criminal and perhaps even a traitor.

He disclosed documents detailing U.S. telephone and Internet surveillance efforts to the Washington Post and Britain's Guardian newspaper.

On Saturday, Hong Kong's SCMP said Snowden had divulged information to the newspaper showing how computers in Hong Kong and China had been targeted.

The SCMP said documents and statements by Snowden show the NSA program had hacked major Chinese telecoms companies to access text messages, attacked China's top Tsinghua University, and hacked the Hong Kong headquarters of Pacnet, which has an extensive fiber optic submarine network.

The criminal complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, where Snowden's former employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, is located.

That judicial district has seen a number of high-profile prosecutions, including the spy case against former FBI agent Robert Hanssen and the case of al Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui. Both were convicted.

'ACTIVE EXTRADITION RELATIONSHIP'

Documents leaked by Snowden revealed that the NSA has access to vast amounts of Internet data such as emails, chat rooms and video from large companies such as Facebook and Google, under a government program known as Prism.

They also showed that the government had worked through the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to gather so-called metadata - such as the time, duration and telephone numbers called - on all calls carried by service providers such as Verizon.

President Barack Obama and his intelligence chiefs have vigorously defended the programs, saying they are regulated by law and that Congress was notified. They say the programs have been used to thwart militant plots and do not target Americans' personal lives.

U.S. federal prosecutors, by filing a criminal complaint, lay claim to a legal basis to make an extradition request of the authorities in Hong Kong, the Post reported. The prosecutors now have 60 days to file an indictment and can then take steps to secure Snowden's extradition from Hong Kong for a criminal trial in the United States, the newspaper reported.

The United States and Hong Kong have "excellent cooperation" and as a result of agreements, "there is an active extradition relationship between Hong Kong and the United States," a U.S. law enforcement official told Reuters.

Since the United States and Hong Kong signed an extradition treaty in 1998, scores of Americans have been sent back home to face trial. However, the process can take years, lawyers say.

Under Hong Kong's extradition process, a request would first go to Hong Kong's chief executive. A magistrate would issue a formal warrant for Snowden's arrest if the chief executive agrees the case should proceed.

Simon Young, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the first charge of theft against Snowden might find an equivalent charge in Hong Kong, needed to allow extradition proceedings to move forward, but the unauthorized communication and willful communication charges may be sticking points that lead to litigation and dispute in the courts.

What ever the Hong Kong courts decide could be vetoed by the territory's leader or Beijing on foreign affairs or defense grounds.

An Icelandic businessman linked to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said on Thursday he had readied a private plane in China to fly Snowden to Iceland if Iceland's government would grant asylum.

Iceland refused on Friday to say whether it would grant asylum to Snowden.

(Additional reporting by James Pomfret, Venus Wu and Grace Li in HONG KONG; Editing by Warren Strobel, Peter Cooney and Neil Fullick)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-files-espionage-charges-against-snowden-over-leaks-015108216.html

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