Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/302635682?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Thursday, May 2, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Storming ministries, Libya's militias put pressure
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) ? Gunmen swooped in on trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns and surrounded Libya's Justice Ministry on Tuesday, cutting off roads and forcing employees out of the building in the latest instance of powerful militiamen showing their muscle to press their demands on how Libya should be run more than a year after Moammar Gadhafi's ouster.
Over the past three days, militiamen stormed the headquarters of the Interior Ministry and state-run TV and besieged the Foreign Ministry while publicly calling for the removal of Gadhafi-era officials from government posts and the passage of the so-called "isolation law," which would bar from political life anyone who held any position ?even minor? under the ousted autocrat's regime.
However, analysts and democracy advocates believe militiamen are using the isolation law as a way to get rid of Prime Minister Ali Zidan, who has vowed to restore the authority of the state and disband the armed groups that have become a power unto themselves in Libya. Many of the militias have an Islamist ideology, while Zidan is seen as more secular and liberal.
"In essence this is power struggle between liberals and Islamists. This is a very dangerous turn that could force Zidan to step down," said political analyst Saad al-Arial. "Each wants to push the other aside, and the way to do so is in parliament and in the street."
Zidan is backed by the Alliance of National Forces, a bloc that holds the biggest number of seats in parliament and is led by Mahmoud Jibril, a liberal-leaning figure who served as the opposition's prime minister during the civil war that eventually led to Gadhafi's ouster and death in the autumn of 2011.
With the oil-rich North African nation still trying to write a constitution and chart its post-Gadhafi path, the alliance has been locked in a power struggle with Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
The isolation law has become a significant battleground in the rivalry. An initial version of the law presented to the parliament, known as the General National Congress, would have been an entire ruling class from politics, even figures who had minor posts or left the government decades before the uprising against Gadhafi began in early 2011. Among those who could be affected are the congress head Mohammed el-Megarif, who was ambassador to India before defecting to the opposition in 1980; Zidan, who was a diplomat until he defected at about the same time; and Jibril, who was once an aide to Gadhafi's son.
A new version of the bill, posted on the congress' official Facebook page Monday, included a new article that gives parliament powers to exempt some figures from the law in apparent attempt to prevent removal of key figures.
"This law is made by the Islamists to get rid of Zidan and his group," said al-Arial.
The head of the Brotherhood's Justice and Construction Party, Mohammed Sawan, insisted on Monday that the final version of the law "will not have any exceptions and no one will be exempted."
He told The Associated Press that talks were ongoing among all factions in parliament on the bill. He denounced the use of arms in protests connected to the law but said, "The parliament has been slow in issuing the isolation law, and there are ministry officials and ambassadors who served under Gadhafi. So protesters are demanding them to leave."
The militias are rooted in the armed brigades that arose during the civil war to fight Gadhafi's army. But since his fall, they have mushroomed in numbers and strength, operating as local powers and often as outright gangs, though they claim "revolutionary" credentials. They often run their own prisons, detaining those they consider old regime supporters or criminals.
On Tuesday, militiamen sealed off the roads to the Justice Ministry in the capital Tripoli with their gun-mounted trucks and surrounded the building. Some of the gunmen stormed inside and ordered employees to leave. They sprayed graffiti reading, "Yes to isolation of (Gadhafi) loyalists." At the same time, a group of civilians marched on the parliament building, calling for the isolation law to be passed.
Activists said the gunmen targeted the Justice Ministry after Salah al-Marghan, the minister, gave a deadline for militias to hand over detainees they are holding to the state by June.
On Sunday, about 200 armed men surrounded the Foreign Ministry building with their gun trucks, demanding a new foreign minister, the removal of ambassadors who served under Gadhafi and the closure of Libya's embassy in Moscow, which they accuse of supporting Gadhafi's regime.
Also this week, gunmen stormed the Interior Ministry, which oversees police, and forced employees out. The men charge that the ministry is not paying them their salaries, according to an official in the ministry who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal. Other militiamen broke into the main state-run al-Wataniya TV channel, forcing its employees out and halting live shows, pressing their demands for the removal of Gadhafi-era officials at the station.
"These groups don't speak for the Libyans and their will," said longtime rights advocate Hassan al-Amin, now in self-exile in London after resigning as head of human rights committee in parliament upon threats from militia. "Libyans want the political isolation in principle but through legitimate channels."
"These groups hijacked the legitimate demands of the Libyan people and want to exploit it for their interest," he said in a video clip posted on the Libya al-Mostakbal news website, which he heads.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya urged all parties to "join the country's democratic transition," in a statement issued on Tuesday.
"UNSMIL urges all Libyans to adhere to constructive dialogue to resolve their differences in accordance with the principles of democracy as the way forward to achieving the goals of the revolution," it said.
The militias' moves over the past days forced parliament to suspend its sessions until May 5 ? delaying its consideration on the isolation law and its debate over the process for writing a constitution. Libya had no constitution under Gadhafi and was instead ruled by his political manifesto, the Green Book. Before Gadhafi's coup in 1969, Libya was a constitutional monarchy with a parliament, constitution and king. Many Libyans are calling for return of the old constitution.
The state relies heavily on militias to serve as security forces since the police and military remain a shambles. The government pays the salaries of tens of thousands of militiamen, though that has done nothing to put them under the state's authority. They often act as renegades with their own agenda, enforcing their own rule over neighborhoods or towns, engaging in kidnappings and extortion and sparking gun battles with rival militias. Some have hardline Islamist ideologies and have become notorious for imposing Islamic law restrictions.
A researcher for Amnesty International, Cornor Fortune, said Zidan's government has shown "real political will to rein in the power of armed militias and put an end to rampant human rights abuses still plaguing the country."
But, he noted in a recent blog post, "the running joke made by many people we met in Libya is that the only way to get protection from abuses by a militia is to seek the help of another militia."
___
Michael reported from Cairo.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/storming-ministries-libyas-militias-put-pressure-194927445.html
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Dems have edge in sprint to Mass. special election
U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey shakes hands with a supporter in Boston, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 as he celebrates winning the Democratic primary for the special U.S. Senate election. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey shakes hands with a supporter in Boston, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 as he celebrates winning the Democratic primary for the special U.S. Senate election. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Gabriel Gomez, center, gives a thumbs up as he takes to the stage next to his daughter Olivia, 13, left, before addressing an audience with a victory speech at a watch party, in Cohasset, Mass., Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Gomez won his primary bid for the Republican nomination to contest a U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican hopefuls Michael Sullivan and Dan Winslow. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey reacts with his wife, Susan Blumenthal, in Boston, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 as he celebrates winning the Democratic primary for the special U.S. Senate election. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Gabriel Gomez, left, kisses his wife, Sarah, as he takes to the stage before addressing an audience with a victory speech at a watch party, in Cohasset, Mass., Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Gomez won his primary bid for the Republican nomination to contest a U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican hopefuls Michael Sullivan and Dan Winslow. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Gabriel Gomez, right, points toward the audience as he takes the stage with his daughters Olivia, 13, left, Antonia, 10, second from left, and wife Sarah, behind, before addressing an audience with a victory speech at a watch party in Cohasset, Mass., Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Gomez won his primary bid for the Republican nomination to contest a U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican hopefuls Michael Sullivan and Dan Winslow. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
BOSTON (AP) ? National Republicans cheered former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez's Massachusetts primary victory, but Democratic Congressman Ed Markey enjoys tremendous advantages in the special election to replace former U.S. Sen. John Kerry.
Tuesday's primary elections set up an eight-week sprint to the June 25 election.
In Markey, the race pits a longtime liberal politician known for environmental advocacy against Gomez, a fresh-faced social moderate with a distinguished biography and untested political skills. On paper, it looks like a competitive contest, but Republicans quietly concede that Markey is the strong favorite in a state where only around 11 percent of voters are registered Republicans.
"As we've shown before in the state, anything can happen in a special election," said Republican strategist Ron Kaufman, Massachusetts' national committeeman.
Indeed, little-known Republican state Sen. Scott Brown stunned Democrats in his 2010 special election U.S. Senate victory in a contest that became a referendum on Obama's healthcare overhaul. So far, at least, this race has drawn little national interest, even before being overshadowed by the Boston Marathon bombings.
And unlike the last special election, this one will have little bearing on the immediate balance of power in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats have an effective 55-45 majority.
But Massachusetts Democratic party leaders promised they would not repeat the mistakes of the last special contest, when they largely took success for granted.
"We have absolutely learned a lesson. As long as I'm around, we will never leave primary day thinking we're all set," Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman John Walsh said Tuesday, vowing an aggressive grassroots strategy to rally Democrats across the state behind Markey.
Gomez, 47, won a three-way primary against former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and state Rep. Daniel Winslow. Markey, 66, a member of Congress for the last 36 years, defeated fellow U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch on the Democratic side.
"This election, ladies and gentleman, will not be easy," Markey said in his primary victory speech, suggesting that national Republicans were prepared to "move mountains of money to buy this election."
Gomez, meanwhile, painted Markey as a longtime Washington insider in a speech that included moments of Spanish. He said he was playing Little League Baseball when Markey was first elected to Congress.
In many ways, Gomez fits the profile of a new brand of politician that Republican leaders are looking for. The Republican National Committee released a report in March calling for better minority outreach and more inclusive tones on immigration and social issues.
Gomez is the son of Columbian immigrants and speaks fluent Spanish. He supports gay marriage, but says it should be decided state by state. He personally opposes abortion, citing his Catholic faith, but hasn't advocated overturning Roe v. Wade.
Over more than three decades in Congress, Markey quietly built a legislative portfolio that included work on energy, telecommunication, national security and the environment. When oil began spilling into the Gulf of Mexico following an offshore explosion, Markey pushed to make live video footage of the spill available.
The Democrat begins the race with a significant financial advantage. He led all other candidates in fundraising and had won the backing early on of Kerry and a large segment of the Democratic establishment.
Gomez, who launched a career in private equity after leaving the military, has already loaned his campaign at least $600,000.
He has the backing of a so-called super PAC that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money. Eric Fehrnstrom, previously a top aide to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, advises the outside group, known as the Committee for a Better Massachusetts.
A handful of Romney's team is playing key roles on Gomez' campaign.
Still, some Republicans in Washington are quietly pessimistic about the race because of the political realities of Massachusetts, where Democrats enjoy a 1-million-voter registration advantage. Unaffiliated voters make up almost 53 percent of the electorate.
Republicans also concede that Gomez isn't always comfortable in the spotlight. Save for an unsuccessful bid for town selectman, he has never run for political office.
"If you're looking for an experienced, slick talking politician, I'm definitely not your guy," Gomez told supporters Tuesday night. "If you are looking for an independent voice, a new kind of Republican, take a look at our campaign and I'd welcome your support."
Markey suggested the race could have national implications. "This campaign is about standing up to the special interests and the extreme tea party Republicans who want to stop progress and send our country in the wrong direction," he said. "I am ready for that fight."
__
Associated Press writers Steve LeBlanc and Bob Salsberg contributed to this report.
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Online gambling now ?officially? offered in US ? Nevada kicks things off
New Jersey advocates of online poker used to picture the state becoming the first in the country to offer such gambling in clearly legal fashion.
But while the Garden State now has such a law, it?s still up to six months or so away from dealing the first virtual hand.
That will leave them in 3rd place, behind Delaware which will launch this summer ? and Nevada, which is launching? today.
UltimatePoker.com is offering its first games at noon ET. The company is a subsidiary of Station Casinos LLC and the exclusive online gaming partner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
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Researchers look to mathematics, nature, to understand the immune system and its role in cancer
May 1, 2013 ? Can the patterns in tree branches or the meandering bends in a river provide clues that could lead to better cancer therapies? According to a new study from Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, these self-similar, repeating patterns in nature known as fractals help scientists better understand how the immune system is organized and may one day be used to help improve stem cell transplant outcomes in leukemia patients by predicting the probability of transplant complications.
Recently published in the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, the study led by Amir Toor, M.D., found a fractal pattern in the T cell repertoire of 10 unrelated stem cell transplant donors and recipients. T cells are a family of immune system cells that keep the body healthy by identifying and launching attacks against pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or cancer. T cells have small receptors that recognize antigens, which are proteins on the surface of foreign cells. Once T cells encounter a foreign cell, the antigen fits into the T cell's receptor like a key in a lock and the T cell's deadly arsenal is unleashed on the threat. Once activated, T cells divide into many clones with receptors designed to recognize and guard against that specific pathogen. Over the course of a person's life, he will develop millions of these clonal families, which make up his T cell repertoire and protect him against the many threats that exist in his unique environment.
"The technological advancements of high throughput sequencing have only recently allowed scientists to sequence the genetic material responsible for T cell repertoire. At first glance, the data looks like a chaotic jumble of information," says Toor, a hematologist in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program and researcher in the Developmental Therapeutics program at VCU Massey Cancer Center. "However, if you study a person's T cell repertoire by analyzing the DNA segments responsible for the various types of T cell receptors, you begin to notice a fractal pattern based on segment usage." Toor and his team are hopeful that this information will give them clues that will help them better understand the recovery of immune function following stem cell transplantation and possibly predict complications such as graft-versus-host disease in transplant recipients.
Much like a child can assemble Lego blocks to create a range of different models, humans have evolved a highly efficient process by which a short span of the genome called the T cell receptor locus rearranges gene fragments to create a multitude of different T cell receptor families. In this process, DNA segments known as variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) segments are rearranged to create the millions of T cell receptor families, or clones, that the body uses to combat disease. Similar to how the branching pattern of a tree is faithfully replicated from the trunk all the way to its farthest branches, T cells have families that are created from DNA segments branching out from one another to form a shield that provides protection from diseases.
Toor's team looked at the frequency of T cell clones bearing different V, D and J segments in stem cell transplant donors and recipients following stem cell transplantation. Using a circular diagram designed by researcher Jeremy Meier, B.S., to better visualize the arrangement of the different DNA segments, the team observed a similar fractal order in the T cell receptor families of the donors. This order was even apparent in donors of different ethnicities living on different continents. In patients who had received a stem cell transplant, Toor found that this pattern was disrupted and the patients displayed a lower level of complexity in their T cell receptor repertoire at three months after transplant, followed by a modest improvement when a full year had elapsed after transplantation.
"Attempting to restore the fractal order of a patient's T cell receptor repertoire by optimizing the stem cell transplant process could serve as a valuable therapeutic target," says Toor. "Additionally, our findings lend an insight into nature, such that even in complex biological systems bereft of physical form, mathematically determined organization is observed."
Toor and his colleagues plan to continue using high throughput sequencing of patients' T cell receptors to learn more about how the immune system recovers following stem cell transplantation. The team hopes this will give them valuable information about the effectiveness of future stem cell transplant and immunotherapy clinical trials developed in their clinic.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Virginia Commonwealth University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Jeremy Meier, Catherine Roberts, Kassi Avent, Allison Hazlett, Jennifer Berrie, Kyle Payne, David Hamm, Cindy Desmarais, Catherine Sanders, Kevin T. Hogan, Kellie J. Archer, Masoud H. Manjili, Amir A. Toor. Fractal Organization of the Human T Cell Repertoire in Health and after Stem Cell Transplantation. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 2013; 19 (3): 366 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2012.12.004
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/sfhajT0buVY/130501091849.htm
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Eavesdropping 2.0: Samsung, Intel and Telefonica invest in voice recognition tech that anticipates your every need
Human-machine interaction -- the term sounds so clinical, yet it's the most important relationship we need to foster in the 21st century. Which is why the venture arms of Samsung, Intel and Spanish telco Telefonica have sunk considerable funding into Expect Labs' voice recognition software, an investment the trio announced earlier today. The startup's prescient tech, known as the Anticipatory Computing Engine (or ACE, zing!), aims to guesstimate a user's actions or information needs by listening in on and analyzing real-time conversations. It's understandable if the prospect creeps you out -- it should -- but the end goal isn't to invade a user's privacy (though the data mined would be significant), it's to anticipate and assist.
That three major corporations with stakes in computing, mobile and home electronics would want to proactively invest in Expect Labs' tech is a no-brainer. Apple, Samsung and Google all already offer voice navigation services (to varying degrees of success) on smartphones and the potential for current smart TVs (defined by their internet connectedness) to get smarter and change channels or record programs independently would do well by their slack-jawed worshippers. What's more, practical applications for ACE aren't some far-off prospect; the tech could easily make its way into Samsung's next Galaxy S flagship. And then every other machine in your life not long after...
Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Home Entertainment, Software, Samsung, Intel
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Expect Labs
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/z-BvdV2XEVo/
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Yukon Humane Society $90K in debt
The Yukon Humane Society board of directors took a major step Monday night towards resolving its financial crisis.
The board voted to accept its latest financial statements showing the society and the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter went $90,000 into debt over the last nine months.
?That's the first step towards trying to make some money again and paying off some of the debts that have been acquired,? said Hoby Irwin, the new president of the society.
?Most of the people have been pretty good about knowing what our problems are and our commitment is to pay it all back."
Irwin said acknowledging the debt and presenting audited financial statements to the Yukon Government should allow the society to regain its status as a non-profit organization.
He said that will mean the society can resume fundraising with regular bingos and qualify for government grants.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2013/04/30/north-yukon-humane-society-debt.html?cmp=rss
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