THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !!!

[kueytoc]

Ancelotti expects Terry back for Birmingham clash

November 15, 2010 02:12 AM

Carlo Ancelotti expects John Terry to be back for next weekend's trip to face Birmingham after the Chelsea captain missed the champions' shock 3-0 home defeat to Sunderland.

Terry was forced to withdraw the day before the game when he suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury that also meant he would miss England's midweek friendly with France.

The defender has suffered with this problem on a number of occasions already this season, but Chelsea manager Ancelotti insists this is not a matter for concern.

"John had control of this problem," Ancelotti said. "He never missed a training (session), but yesterday (Saturday) the pain was more, so he was not able to play. But I think he can play the next game.

"It is an injury, but he can control it. He has controlled it for 12 games. Hes doing good prevention, good treatment. Everything will be okay for him."

Ancelotti was forced to defend the quality of his squad in the wake of a defeat he conceded was the worst he has suffered since taking charge at Stamford Bridge.

The late withdrawal of Terry forced Ancelotti into a defensive reshuffle while the absence of Frank Lampard and Michael Essien left the Chelsea manager short of options in midfield.

Both departments looked weak against Steve Bruce's side, who secured a deserved victory thanks to a first half goal from Nedum Onuoha and second half efforts from Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck.

And with the Blues substitutes' bench made up largely of untried inexperienced youngsters, Ancelotti was unable to change the course of the game when Chelsea attempted to force their way back into contention.

The Italian admitted the performance was the worst since he took charge at Stamford Bridge but remains confident he has the strength in depth to sustain a challenge in all competitions.

"Sometimes we've had some players out in the past, some important players, and the team has played well," he said.

"Today was different. We were not able to play our football. This happens. I think the squad is strong enough, strong enough.

"But we maintain our position at the top of the table. We're not happy today because, above all, at home we have to play with a different mentality. I hope we come back early and in the right way."

The absence of Terry and fellow centre back Alex - who has a knee problem - meant Branislav Ivanovic and Paulo Ferreira were selected as a makeshift centre back pairing.

The duo were exposed, however, by Sunderland forwards Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck, forcing Ancelotti to defend his decision to opt for Ferreira ahead of Dutch youngster Jeffrey Bruma.

Ancelotti will now convene a meeting with his squad in a bid to get to the root cause of the poor performance.

"It was a surprise, a strange result," he said. "But the result is normal because we didn't play well. We didn't play a good game. Sunderland played a fantastic game with more fighting spirit and attitude, mentality.

"It's normal to lose the game if you don't show this kind of mentality. When things were okay four months ago, I said the difficulty would arrive. They have now, and we have to come back in our training sessions to stay more focused and play better than today."

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is already thinking ahead to the end of the season and the prospects of securing Welbeck and Onuoha on permanent deals.

Welbeck is on loan from Manchester United while defender Onuoha switched to the Stadium of Light on a season-long arrangements from Manchester City.

"Wed love them (to stay)," he said. "We've got them for a year, and we'll speak to the respective clubs nearer the time.

"They're exactly what we're looking for: young, energetic, desperate to play."

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Premier League - Sunderland thrash Chelsea

Sun, 14 Nov 18:03:00 2010

Sunderland produced one of the shocks of the Premier League season, thrashing Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Goals from Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck gave Steve Bruce's side a thoroughly deserved victory that was as comprehensive as it was unexpected.

It was Sunderland's first away win of the season, and Chelsea's first home defeat since Manchester City won 4-2 in February - their only reverse at Stamford Bridge last season.

A turbulent week ended in the worst possible fashion for Chelsea, who sacked assistant manager Ray Wilkins on Thursday, but to blame Wilkins's departure for the result would be disrespectful to a Sunderland team who performed magnificently.

Gyan and Welbeck were a constant, menacing presence up front, where they terrorised maskeshift central defensive duo Paulo Ferreira and Branislav Ivanovic.

John Terry unexpectedly missed out with a gluteal muscle injury which has also ruled him out of England's friendly against France, while Alex was also absent.

Welbeck brought a superb save from Cech with a powerful downward header from Onuoha's cross.

The resultant corner initially missed everyone, but when it was played back in, the ball passed between the legs of Gyan yards from goal.

Welbeck beat Ferreira to meet a Gyan through ball, but saw Cech save his left-foot shot on 38 minutes.

Then the on-loan Manchester United man sprinted beyond Ivanovic to chase a Boudewijn Zenden through ball, only to be cynically hauled down.

You could not wish for a clearer example of a player denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, yet referee Chris Foy lamentably chose only to show Ivanovic a yellow card.

Sunderland's sense of injustice provoked more attacks, as Cech produced a remarkable double save to deny Gyan, then Kieran Richardson, amazingly, with his feet.

But the visitors would not be denied, regaining possession and finding Onuoha, who embarked on a Messi-esque slalom past three opponents before placing a left-foot shot inside the right corner on 45 minutes. A stunning goal from the full-back.

The second period brought more of the same, and Sunderland were two up after another fine move.

Welbeck found Jordan Henderson, whose through ball allowed Gyan to place the ball past Cech into the Chelsea net.

Sunderland scored twice at Stamford Bridge last season. Unfortunately for them, they also conceded seven.

But the expected Chelsea onslaught never came. Ramires and Didier Drogba had gone close in the first half, and the Ivorian striker again looked the likeliest to hit back, without ever testing Craig Gordon.

The Blues seemed devoid of fight and imagination, as the absences of the injured Frank Lampard and suspended Michael Essien were felt in the middle of the park.

Henderson and Lee Cattermole exerted constant pressure in midfield for Sunderland while Titus Bramble and Michael Turner performed admirably at the back.

Welbeck's lively showing was rewarded three minutes from time when he scored the third goal after a staggering blunder by Ashley Cole.

Cole attempted a pass back from the left corner flag, but inadvertently set up Welbeck to sweep the ball past Cech.

Carlo Ancelotti's side saw their lead at the top of the Premier League trimmed to two points ahead of Arsenal, but the damage could have been worse as both Manchester clubs were held to draws on Saturday.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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Oil will run out 100 years before new fuels developed: Study

AFP - Tuesday, November 16

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The world will run out of oil around 100 years before replacement energy sources are available, if oil use and development of new fuels continue at the current pace, a US study warns.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC-Davis) used the current share prices of oil companies and alternative energy companies to predict when replacement fuels will be ready to fill the gap left when oil runs dry.

And the study's findings weren't very good for the oil-hungry world.

If the world's oil reserves were the 1.332 trillion barrels estimated in 2008 and oil consumption stood at 85.22 million barrels a day and growing yearly at 1.3 percent, oil would be depleted by 2041, says the study published online last week by Environmental Science and Technology.

But by plugging current stock market prices into a complex equation, UC-Davis engineering professor Debbie Niemeier and postdoctoral researcher Nataliya Malyshkina calculated that a viable alternative fuel to oil will not be available before the middle of next century.

The researchers analyzed the share prices of 25 oil companies quoted on US, European and Australian stock exchanges, and of 44 alternative energy companies that produce fuels such as ethanol or bio-diesel, or are developing fuel cells, batteries and propulsion systems aimed at replacing gasoline and diesel in vehicles of the future.

What they found is that the market capitalization, or total value of all stock shares, of traditional oil companies far outstripped that of the alternative energy companies.

That indicated to them that investors believe oil is going to do well in the near future and occupy a larger share of the energy market than alternative energy, said Malyshkina.

"To assess the time until a considerable fraction of oil is likely to be replaced by alternatives, we used advanced pricing equations to make sense of the large discrepancy between the market capitalization of traditional oil companies and the market capitalization of alternative-energy companies," she told AFP.

Their calculations show that there would not be a widely available replacement for oil-based fuels before 2140, which, even if the more optimistic date of 2054 for oil depletion is retained, would mean there could be a gap of around 90 years when it might be difficult to run a motor vehicle.

Nearly two-thirds of crude oil is used to produce gasoline and diesel to run vehicles, said Malyshkina.

The researchers' calculations were based on the theory that long-term investors are good predictors of when new technologies will become commonplace.

"Sophisticated investors tend to put considerable effort into collecting, processing and understanding information relevant to the future cash flows paid by securities," said Malyshkina.

"As a result, market forecasts of future events, representing consensus predictions of a large number of investors, tend to be relatively accurate."

Similar calculations have been used to accurately predict the outcome of elections and the results of sports events, Malyshkina said.

But all is not doom and gloom, says the study.

On the oil supply side, consumption could well decrease in future as more energy-saving measures are introduced and used by consumers, and new oil reserves could become available as extraction techniques improve.

On the alternative fuel side of the equation, the study did not look at nonprofits, government agencies and universities which are developing new fuels, because they are not quoted on the stock market.

And if governments announced new policy initiatives to promote alternative fuel development, share prices of alternative energy companies would rise, and the gap between the end of oil and the kick-in of alternative fuels would shrink.

[kueytoc]

SMRT vandal arrested in Switzerland

By Alicia Wong – November 16th, 2010

Swiss national Oliver Fricker, who flew home to Switzerland after he was released from Changi Prison, was arrested by Swiss police after he landed at Zurich Airport.

According to a Straits Times report, a Swiss police spokesman said Fricker is suspected of having vandalised several trains in Switzerland between 2002 and this year, causing damage of about 200,000 Swiss francs ($260,000).

He added that the vandalism on the Swiss trains had some similarities to that on the SMRT train which Fricker and an accomplice spray-painted in May.

The report added that the SMRT train was scrawled with the words ‘McKoy Banos’ – the signature tag of two ‘graffiti artists’ believed to have spray-painted trains around the world.

“We have registered this ‘McKoy’ tag several times on Swiss trains. We assume he was spray-painting with others. But we do not know those suspects,” said the spokesman.

The Swiss police had been in contact with the Singapore authorities, he added.

The Swiss police found that Fricker might be the man responsible for the spate of train vandalism cases only after he was arrested here in May.

Fricker is now being held in a prison in Zug and a judge is expected to decide if he should be released pending trial.

Under Swiss law, the former software consultant faces between one and five years in jail for vandalism.

The 32-year-old was released from prison on Monday morning after he completed less than five months of his seven months jail.

He received one-third remission for good behaviour. He had also been sentenced to three strokes of the cane for trespassing and vandalising an SMRT train in May.

Fricker and an alleged accomplice, Briton Dane Alexander Lloyd, 29, had cut a hole in the Changi depot fence, and entered to spray-paint the words “McKoy Banos” on a train. Lloyd is believed to have fled to Hong Kong.

According to ST, Fricker left the Changi Prison Complex at 8 am on Monday and was taken to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority building for repatriation procedures.

Fricker had been living in Singapore for the past 18 months, before his arrest. He was caught two days before he was to return to Switzerland.

The Swiss embassy told ST that a representative had visited Fricker occasionally while he was imprisoned and gave him consular assistance.

A spokesman for Switzerland-based company Comit, where Fricker worked, said the IT consultant remains contracted, without further elaboration.

The breach sparked concerns over the security of public transportation, and led to a Government-led review that is expected to be due before February, reported ST. The paper reported a fortnight ago that SMRT was calling for tenders for stronger fences, electronic surveillance and ‘smart’ fence systems that can detect intruders at its train depots.

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Taiwanese competitor disqualified at taekwondo

By MIN LEE,Associated Press - Wednesday, November 17

GUANGZHOU, China – In the first major judging controversy of the Asian Games, Yang Shu-chun of Taiwan was disqualified from the taekwondo competition Wednesday for using an illegal sensor on the heel of her shoes.

Yang Jin-suk, secretary general of the World Taekwondo Federation, told a media conference that officials noticed in a pre-match inspection that the 2008 Beijing Olympic competitor appeared to have one extra sensor on the heel of each shoe.

The judges told her not to use them in the under-49 kilogram division match, then disqualified her with 12 seconds left in the first round because they noticed she still had them on her shoes. Philippine referee Stephen Fernandez then stopped the fight.

The 25-year-old Taiwanese competitor was leading Thi Hau Vu of Vietnam 9-0, but Vu advanced to the quarterfinals.

The decision, which the secretary-general said was confirmed by a five-member games technical committee, left Yang Shu-chun and her coach in tears, and unwilling to leave the competition area.

"She was very well-known in the circuit. Why even bother to do anything like that?" the WTF secretary-general told The Associated Press.

"The fact of the matter is while she was out there competing, the sensors were discovered. That relates to the question of did she get that many points because of the sensors?"

Tai Hsia-ling, the minister of Taiwan's Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council who was in Guangzhou, disagreed with the situation.

"This is a very, very unfair statement," Tai said. "We will protest strongly again. We are very upset that he (the WTF) made a statement like that before the results of the investigation are out. It is very unfair to our athletes."

Taiwanese taekwondo competitor Huang Hsien-yung later went on to win gold in the under-46 class, and said she used her teammate's disqualification to motivate her.

"When I first found out, I thought 'how could that be?'" Huang said. "But I turned my grief into motivation."

Yang Jin-suk's announcement at Guangdong Stadium, venue of the taekwondo competition, was met with boos and chants from some of the Taiwanese media attending the event.

Yang Shu-chun, who was not immediately for comment, also competed at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

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Liverpool furious at Gerrard's injury for England

Reuters - Thursday, November 18

By Mike Collett

LONDON - England manager Fabio Capello came under heavy fire from Liverpool's fitness coach Darren Burgess Wednesday after Steven Gerrard was injured late in the friendly international against France at Wembley Stadium.

Burgess used the Twitter social networking site to call Capello's decision "amateurish," adding, "unbelievable from all associated with England and English FA with regard to SGs injury.

"Completely ignored agreement and past history. Completely amateurish and now we pay for their incompetence. Absolutely disgraceful."

His comments were on the site for 55 minutes before being deleted.

Capello, however defended his decision to keep Gerrard on the pitch until the 85th minute of England's 2-1 defeat by France.

Gerrard limped off with a hamstring injury that could keep him out for several weeks.

Liverpool's website said he would have a scan on the injury when he returned to their Melwood training ground Thursday.

Capello explained: "I told Liverpool he would play for an hour if possible. With Garry Barry and Rio Ferdinand's also injured we needed a senior player on the pitch. I'm upset about Gerrard."

"Liverpool asked if he could play one hour if it's possible. They can't decide how long a player plays with the national team. If it's possible, he'd have played an hour.

"I understand why they're upset and I'm also upset. The problem is that, when you play this game on a Wednesday after a lot of Premier League, Europa League or Champions League games, it's possible there might be an injury for a player."

EARLY EXIT

England were outplayed by France until the last few minutes of the match, and injuries to Gerrard, Barry and Ferdinand did not help lift the gloom at Wembley where thousands of fans deserted the stadium long before Gerrard's replacement Peter Crouch scored a late goal for Capello's side.

Ferdinand meanwhile admitted it was not a good performance by England, adding he came off as a precautionary measure because of a tight hamstring.

Although upset by the loss, Capello said it was important for him to see how debutants Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson fared along with left-back Kieran Gibbs, who won his second cap.

"It was important that some of the young players played at Wembley against a really good team, important for the future," said Capello.

"I'm optimistic for the future of the England national team -- when all the players are fit we have a really good team, but it's important the young players get experience.

"Every time in the past I read 'You have to put young players in' and now I have put young players in the team and we are talking about the result. They need experience."

Capello said he was delighted with Carroll's first senior appearance for England.

"I'm really happy for Carroll and his performance, he's a really good player for the future of England," added Capello. "We have found a good player and that's important."

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Tourists flock to Harry Potter grave

Wed 17 Nov 11:04 AM

A graveyard in Israel has become besieged by Harry Potter fans, after it was revealed a tombstone bears the same name as the teen wizard.

Private Harry Potter was a British soldier killed in 1939 after a battle with an armed band. He was 18, but is mistakenly marked down as 19 on the tombstone after lying about his age in a bid to enlist in the army.

A tour guide at the small Israeli town of Ramle said, "There is no connection with the Harry Potter we know from literature, but the name sells, the name is marketable."

The morbid interest began about five years ago, and its popularly has grown and grown after it was listed on a tourism website.

"It's a type of pilgrimage for some man whose name stands out. If you didn't say that Harry Potter was buried here, no one would come here," said Josef Peretz from Tel Aviv.

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' is released this Friday.

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Warning: This iPhone glitch allows others to bypass your passcode

Posted on 15 Nov 2010

STOMPer iPhonelover is concerned about a glitch with both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 models, which allows others to bypass your passcode, make any call from your phone and even view your photo album.

Initially, the STOMPer thought the glitch only affects the iPhone 4, but a test conducted by STOMP revealed that it affects the iPhone 3GS model as well.

Said the STOMPer in an email to STOMP:

"I was very upset when a friend was able to view my contacts due a problem with the iPhone 4.

"These are the steps to bypass your iPhone 4 passcode:

"Select the emergency call. Dial any number, and while it's dialling, quickly press the power button, and it will take you to the contact list.

STOMP found the same glitch when we made a test on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS models. The glitch allows anyone to gain access to your contact list and make any call they want using your iPhone.

The STOMPer went on further to say that by editing the photos of his contacts, his friend was also able to have access to his photos.

STOMP verified this with our own test. Using the iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS, users can gain access to the photo album on a locked iPhone simply by finding a contact with a photo and clicking on the 'edit' option to edit the photo.

The iPhone will then prompt the user to 'choose photo'. By clicking on that, the user can open up the photo album.

The STOMPer added:

"By editing, one is able to view my photos, even with my passcode turned on.

"I'm very sad that such a great phone has such a simple error.

"Apple has nothing on this. It took my friend 10 seconds to crack my phone data.

"Apple should warn people and fix this problem."

STOMP has found an online video demonstrating how you can bypass the passcode in your iPhone.

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Singaporean Student-Jonathan Wong Arrested For Child Pornography

by Nadira Begum

Child pornography videos, some featuring girls as young as six and some lasting longer than an hour, were found in the possession of a Ministry of Education (MOE) scholar studying in Britain.

Singaporean Jonathan Wong (picture), a third-year history major at the University of York, pleaded guilty on Monday to 17 charges of owning child pornography videos since July 2008.

Jonathan Wong, 23, could be facing more than a year in jail after the magistrate’s court in York decided that its maximum sentencing power of 12 months in prison was insufficient and committed him instead to the York Crown Court where he will be sentenced on Dec 13, the city’s The Press newspaper reported.

In reply to media queries, the ministry said that it was looking into the matter and added that it “will take the necessary disciplinary action against those (scholars) who have behaved inappropriately”.

The Press said Jonathan Wong’s offenses came to light after fellow students alerted the campus authorities about suspicious audio files being uploaded onto the university’s intranet.

After tracing the files to Jonathan Wong, the police confiscated his computer hard disk drive and found 50 videos – 25 of which were rated as “four” on the Copine scale.

(The Copine Scale is a rating system used in the United Kingdom to categorise the severity of child pornography. Level 4 is where “penetrative sexual activity between child(ren) and adult(s) is involved”)

On this scale used to rate the severity of child pornography, levels “four” and “five” constitute hardcore pornography.

The North Yorkshire police told MediaCorp yesterday that Wong was arrested on March 19, adding that he did not produce the videos but downloaded some of them from the Internet.

According to The Press, UK prosecutor Martin Butterworth told the court: “We are talking about girls as young as six. Of the movies, some of them are graphic, some of them have audio, some of them last more than an hour.”

Since the case surfaced in the local Chinese media and online, Singaporeans and those acquainted with Wong have berated him and expressed shock over his actions.

A Singaporean student at University of York, however, painted a different picture of him. Describing Wong as a “big brother”, he told MediaCorp: “Jonathan is a nice, generous and helpful person … He gave me medicine when I was sick and he cooked us meals.”

The 22-year-old, who said he has known Wong for over a year, added: “He does not like loud parties but prefers a quiet peaceful dinner with friends … I am disgusted by what he has done but I feel sorry for him too as a friend.”

A spokesman for the University of York declined comment, saying it would respond to MediaCorp’s queries only after court proceedings have been concluded. With additional reporting by Saifulbahri Ismail

Source:TodayOnline

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Pope says condoms acceptable 'in certain cases'

AFP - Sunday, November 21

BERLIN (AFP) - – Pope Benedict XVI says that condom use is acceptable "in certain cases", notably to reduce the risk of HIV infection, in a book due out Tuesday, apparently softening his once hardline stance.

In a series of interviews published in his native German, the 83-year-old Benedict is asked whether "the Catholic Church is not fundamentally against the use of condoms."

"It of course does not see it as a real and moral solution," the pope replies.

"In certain cases, where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection, it can nevertheless be a first step on the way to another, more humane sexuality," said the head of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

The new volume, entitled "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times", is based on 20 hours of interviews conducted by German journalist Peter Seewald.

Until now, the Vatican had prohibited the use of any form of contraception -- other than abstinence -- even as a guard against sexually transmitted disease.

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, welcomed Benedict's remarks as "a significant and positive step forward taken by the Vatican."

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe said in a statement: "The move recognizes that responsible sexual behaviour and the use of condoms have important roles in HIV prevention."

Benedict sparked international outcry in March 2009 on a visit to AIDS-ravaged Africa when he told reporters the disease was a tragedy "that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems."

To illustrate his apparent shift in position, Benedict offered the example of a male prostitute using a condom.

"There may be justified individual cases, for example when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be ... a first bit of responsibility, to re-develop the understanding that not everything is permitted and that one may not do everything one wishes," Benedict was quoted as saying.

"But it is not the proper way to deal with the horror of HIV infection."

Benedict reiterated that condom use alone would not solve the problem of HIV/AIDS. "More must happen," he said.

"Becoming simply fixated on the issue of condoms makes sexuality more banal and exactly this is the reason why so many people no longer find sexuality to be an expression of their love, but a type of self-administered drug."

Other than condoms, the book, set to be translated into 18 languages, addresses many other sensitive issues, including the paedophile priest scandals, celibacy and female ordination.

Concerning the paedophile scandal that has rocked Benedict's native Germany as well as other countries around the world, the pope said he was "deeply shocked" by it.

Benedict raised the possibility of a "sincere" dialogue with Islam, adding that a controversial speech he gave on the subject was an attempt at an academic discourse rather than a political lecture.

In a September 2006 speech in Regensburg in his native Bavaria, the pope provoked outrage among sections of the Muslim community for appearing to question the rational basis of Islam and associating it with violence.

Benedict also criticised a French law banning Muslim women from wearing full-face veils such as the burqa and the niqab in public.

"Some women do not wear the burqa entirely voluntarily and it is correct to talk of a violation against that woman. Of course one cannot agree with that," he said.

"But if they want to wear it voluntarily, I don't know why one must ban them.

The new book is the first collection of interviews with the pontiff since the then cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became pope in April 2005.

Seewald asked more than 90 questions on three major themes during conversations conducted July 26-31 at the pope's summer residence in the Italian town of Castel Gandolfo.

The pontiff also discusses the case of the Holocaust-denying bishop Roger Williamson, the danger of a schism in the Church and the possibility of a Vatican III Council on Church reforms, which has for now been put off.

A former communist, Seewald became Catholic after meeting Cardinal Ratzinger, with whom he produced two earlier volumes of interviews.

[kueytoc]

AIDS campaigners welcome pope condom U-Turn

AFP - Monday, November 22

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - – Campaigners against the spread of AIDS welcomed a u-turn by Pope Benedict XVI on the use of condoms Sunday, saying it marked a historic break with the past which would save lives.

In a series of interviews to appear in a book published this week, Benedict said that while the use of condoms should not be seen as a "moral solution", he stepped back from the Vatican's blanket ban on all forms of contraception.

"In certain cases, where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection, it can nevertheless be a first step on the way to another, more humane sexuality," said the head of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

Benedict sparked an international outcry in March 2009 on a visit to AIDS-ravaged Africa when he told reporters that the distribution of condoms could even aggravate the pandemic.

To illustrate his apparent shift in position, Benedict offered the example of a male prostitute using a condom.

"There may be justified individual cases, for example when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be ... a first bit of responsibility, to re-develop the understanding that not everything is permitted and that one may not do everything one wishes," Benedict was quoted as saying in the new book.

"But it is not the proper way to deal with the horror of HIV infection."

Benedict reiterated that condom use alone would not solve the problem of HIV/AIDS. "More must happen," he said.

"Becoming simply fixated on the issue of condoms makes sexuality more banal and exactly this is the reason why so many people no longer find sexuality to be an expression of their love, but a type of self-administered drug."

While some campaigners said that the pope's comments did not go anywhere near far enough, there was a general consensus that they would help in the fight against AIDS.

The head of the UN agency leading the international campaign against AIDS said Benedict's comments were a "significant and positive step forward".

"This move recognizes that responsible sexual behaviour and the use of condoms have important roles in HIV prevention," UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said in a statement.

Sidibe said he had held far reaching discussions with Vatican on HIV prevention issues in 2009.

"Together we can build a world with zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths," he added.

Franco Grillini, president of Italian gay rights group Arcigay, said the Vatican appeared to now acknowledge the harm caused by its previous stance.

"Finally! If the pope recognises, even if it's only in certain circumstances, the importance of using condoms, it means that he recognises having made mistakes in the past," said Grillini.

Daniele Capezzone, a spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom party, hailed what he called "a wise and sensible pronouncement".

"This seems to me to be both historic and positive," he added.

In France, one of the leaders of the Christians and AIDS association, also said it was a highly significant break with the past.

"The breach is now open and I totally accept what he has said," Gerard Guerin told AFP.

"Condoms must be allowed to halt the virus. They are not simply useful, they must be used."

In South Africa, where an estimated 5.7 million of the 48 million population are HIV positive, there was also a cautious welcome from the main anti-AIDS lobby but a warning that the pope needed to be much more unequivocal.

While calling his comments "a step in the right direction", Vuyiseka Dubula, general secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign, said they "still fall below what we expect" from the Church.

"We still don't agree with condom use only in certain circumstances. We think that the pope needs to do much better than that because his message can be misunderstood by his followers," said Dubula.

Veteran British gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell welcomed the move but said it did not go far enough.

"The pope's comments offer a scintilla of hope that the Church's dogma are open to change," he told Sky News.

"It has opened the possibility of male prostitutes using condoms as an act of responsibility but why cannot a husband and wife use a condom to protect themselves against the risk of infection?"

[kueytoc]

Birmingham's Bowyer stuns slumping Chelsea

AFP - Sunday, November 21

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) – Lee Bowyer's first goal of the season gave Birmingham a shock 1-0 victory over Chelsea here on Saturday to cast more doubts over the ability of Carlo Ancelotti's side to retain the Premier League title.

Less than a week after Ancelotti was left fuming at his team's lame capitulation against Sunderland, Chelsea's season reached a new low as they chalked up more unwanted records by recording their first run of three defeats in four league games since Russian owner Roman Abramovich rescued the club from former owner Ken Bates.

Chelsea last tasted defeat in two Premier League games on the spin when they lost the final two matches of the 2005-06 season having already claimed the title under Jose Mourinho.

Rather than stemming the nosebleed handed to them by Steve Bruce's side last Sunday, they spilt more blood in the title race at St Andrew's as Ben Foster underlined why Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes he can be England's goalkeeper for a decade to come.

Foster was criticised for his performance in the 2-1 defeat against France on Wednesday at Wembley, but he redeemed himself with the kind of outstanding performance that will leave Didier Drogba having sleepless nights trying to work out how he failed to score.

Not too many weeks ago few people were willing to offer an argument against Chelsea cruising to the defence of their title as Ancelotti's side averaged four goals per game.

Now they are fighting to stabilise their season.

The 3-0 defeat against Sunderland and the worst performance Ancelotti had witnessed since his arrival came at the end of a turbulent week and the controversial sacking of first team coach Ray Wilkins.

Wilkins' announcement that he intends to fight the decision will have only added to the sense of unrest off the field, while the catalogue of injuries to influential players like John Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien means questions are now being asked of Chelseas stability and strength in depth.

Ancelotti is too professional to publicly reveal what can only be interpreted as his sense of betrayal at the decision to sack Wilkins and appoint Michel Emenalo as his number two.

He had to keep his anger in check at the shocking way his team allowed Bowyer to open the scoring after they had wasted two excellent chances of their own.

No one tracked Bowyer's run from deep and he was all alone to sweep the ball past Peter Cech after Cameron Jerome headed Sebastian Larsson's cross into his path.

By that time Chelsea had already swept 80 yards in five passes, involving four players, only to see Drogba denied from the edge of the area by Foster, while Kalou had lacked the bravery to convert at the near post inside the opening minute.

Foster's save from Drogba was the start of a personal duel which reduced the Ivorian to disbelief in the opening 45 minutes, mostly from the wonderful one-handed save which kept out Drogba's header from six yards.

Kalou was denied by a fine sprawling save, when he thought he had rounded the goalkeeper in the area and somehow managed to head wide from eight yards, after Florent Malouda's cross.

Branislav Ivanovic's header appeared to be heading for the top corner until Foster intervened again with another smart reaction save as Birmingham threatened to drown under a blue tidal wave of attacks.

It has been 165 games and over four years since Chelsea last tossed away six points in succession, but the odds on them putting together another such run seems a long way off right now and their title is seriously under threat.

[kueytoc]

Liverpool back in their stride as Hammers nailed

AFP - Sunday, November 21

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom (AFP) – Glen Johnson, Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez each scored first-half goals as Liverpool coasted to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over West Ham at Anfield on Saturday.

Johnson prodded the hosts in front from a corner before Kuyt added a second from the spot after Danny Gabbidon was penalised for an obvious handball.

Rodriguez headed in a third for Roy Hodgson's side to put the game well beyond the east Londoners, who have now won just once in 14 English Premier League matches this season and are rooted to the bottom of the table.

The visitors have not won at Anfield since 1963 and supporters called for manager Avram Grant to be sacked as their team slipped to another miserable defeat.

Liverpool, who saw a six-match unbeaten run ended with a 2-0 defeat at Stoke last weekend, will now go into next Sunday's trip to Tottenham with renewed confidence.

Johnson marked his return to action with a quick response to the criticism he received from Hodgson last week.

The England defender was picked out by a Kuyt pass and broke into the area, staying on his feet despite a strong challenge from Herita Ilunga and sending a cross to the far post that was headed to safety by Lars Jacobsen.

The pressure from the hosts continued with David Ngog cutting in from the left and hitting a low shot that was turned away by goalkeeper Robert Green.

Argentina winger Rodriguez then missed with a powerful long-range drive with Liverpool keen to make a purposeful start.

Ngog continued to impress and withstood a foul from Gabbidon to slip a pass to Fernando Torres, whose shot flew wide of goal.

West Ham were continually cut apart and when Kuyt rolled Ngog into space and the Frenchman crossed, Torres was only denied by a block from Radoslav Kovac.

Then Green palmed over the bar from a drive from Raul Meireles.

But from the corner that followed, Johnson controlled on his chest and then fired past Green with a low shot for his first goal of the season, 18 minutes in.

Soon the advantage was doubled following more dreadful defending from West Ham.

No-one even attempted to clear Netherlands forward Kuyts bobbling cross, which ran all the way through to Torres.

The Spain striker attempted to lift the ball into the West Ham area only for Gabbidon to handle twice.

Even though Kuyt's 27th-minute penalty was far from convincing, Green dived the wrong way to take Liverpool two goals in front.

Carlton Cole finally threatened for the visitors, heading straight at goalkeeper Pepe Reina from a Luis Boa Morte cross.

But soon Liverpool made it three after Green made a low save from Torres.

West Ham failed to clear and Paul Konchesky's curling cross was glanced into the corner of the net by Rodriguez 38 minutes in.

Mark Noble drilled wide from distance as the visitors attempted some sort of response.

But Kovac pulled off another fine block from Ngog to keep the deficit at three goals.

And then Torres failed to hit the target with another effort from just outside the area.

Rodriguez then drove over the bar as the Reds continued to create openings whenever they tried.

Reina had an anxious moment when he was forced to tip over his bar from Frederic Piquionne.

Rodriguez just missed the far corner after breaking down the left and clipping an effort across goal and substitute Fabio Aurelio was also just off-target with a powerful shot from 25 yards.

[kueytoc]

Japan's justice minister resigns over gaffe

AFP - Monday, November 22

TOKYO (AFP) - – Japan's justice minister on Monday resigned after his quip that his job was easy sparked howls of outrage and threats of parliamentary stalling tactics from the conservative opposition.

Centre-left Prime Minister Naoto Kan -- whose media poll ratings have dived into the mid 20-percent range -- accepted the resignation of the minister, Minoru Yanagida, who had been on the job for just two months.

Yanagida, 56, sparked the storm when a week earlier he joked that "being justice minister is easy as I only have to remember two phrases, either of which I can use in parliament whenever I'm stuck for an answer".

He then told his local supporters in Hiroshima prefecture what those two phrases were: "I refrain from commenting on individual cases" and "I am acting appropriately based on the law and evidence."

The opposition conservative Liberal Democratic Party -- which was ousted last year after a half-century reign -- angrily lashed out at the remarks, saying they were insulting to the Diet legislature.

Its lawmakers had planned a non-binding but embarrassing censure motion Monday and, more worryingly for the government, had planned to block new economic stimulus measures in the upper house, reports said.

On Monday morning Yanagida offered his resignation to Kan, who accepted.

Yanagida suggested at a press conference that he didn't have much of a choice, after Kan had told him that "we have to definitely pass the supplementary budget as soon as possible".

"I knew that my careless remarks were an obstacle... so I expressed my willingness to resign after listening to the prime minister," Yanagida told a news conference after the meeting.

Speaking about his gaffe, he said: "Frankly, I was off-guard. It is my fault that I made a careless, joking remark like that, and I believe I should offer my heartfelt apology."

Yanagida became the first minister to step down since Kan reshuffled his cabinet in mid-September, shortly after his re-election as president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

Kan's right-hand man, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, said he would perform the duties of justice minister for the time being.

The incident is likely to fuel accusations of incompetence against the young DPJ government, which is already fending off criticism that it mishandled recent diplomatic rows with China and Russia.

The latest poll issued Monday by the Mainichi Shimbun daily said public support for Kan's cabinet had plunged to a new low of 26 percent, down a steep 23 points from the previous survey in October.

The cabinet's disapproval rating surged to 57 percent from 34 percent, according to the survey, which polled 1,591 households over the weekend.

Asked about Yanagida's comments, 71 percent of voters said he should resign.

[kueytoc]

'Naked' airport scanners may be 'dangerous'

AFP - Saturday, November 13

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Some US scientists warned the full-body, graphic-image X-ray scanners now being used to screen passengers and airline crews at airports around the country may be unsafe.

"They say the risk is minimal, but statistically someone is going to get skin cancer from these X-rays," Dr Michael Love, who runs an X-ray lab at the department of biophysics and biophysical chemistry at Johns Hopkins University school of medicine, told AFP.

"No exposure to X-ray is considered beneficial. We know X-rays are hazardous but we have a situation at the airports where people are so eager to fly that they will risk their lives in this manner," he said.

The possible health dangers posed by the scanners add to passengers' and airline crews' concerns about the devices, which have been dubbed "naked" scanners because of the graphic image they give of a person's body, genitalia and all.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began rolling out full-body scanners at US airports in 2007, but stepped up deployment of the devices this year when stimulus funding made it possible to buy another 450 of the advanced imaging technology scanners.

Some 315 "naked" scanners are currently in use at 65 US airports, according to the TSA.

Passengers and airline crew members, including pilots, are randomly selected to pass through the scanners. They have the option of refusing, but will then be subjected to what the TSA calls an "enhanced" manual search by an agent.

"People are not reacting well to these pat-downs," said a travel industry official, who asked not to be named.

Government officials have said that the scanners have been tested and meet safety standards.

But Captain David Bates, president of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents pilots at American Airlines, urged members to avoid the full-body scanner.

"No pilot at American Airlines should subject themselves to the needless privacy invasion and potential health risks caused by the body scanner," he said in a letter this month, which was obtained by AFP.

"Politely decline exposure and request alternative screening," even if "the enhanced pat-down is a demeaning experience," he said.

A group of scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) raised concerns about the "potential serious health risks" from the scanners in a letter sent to the White House Office of Science and Technology in April.

Biochemist John Sedat and his colleagues said in the letter that most of the energy from the scanners is delivered to the skin and underlying tissue.

"While the dose would be safe if it were distributed throughout the volume of the entire body, the dose to the skin may be dangerously high," they wrote.

The scientists say the X-rays could pose a risk to everyone from travelers over the age of 65 to pregnant women and their unborn babies, to HIV-positive travelers, cancer patients and men.

"Men's sexual organs are exposed to the X-rays. The skin is very thin there," Love explained.

The Office of Science and Technology responded this week to the scientists' letter, saying the scanners have been "tested extensively" by US government agencies and were found to meet safety standards.

But Sedat told AFP Friday: "We still don't know the beam intensity or other details of their classified system."

[kueytoc]

Mas Selamat stayed in brother’s flat to evade arrest

By Ion Danker – November 22nd, 2010

Mas Selamat Kastari, who escaped the massive island-wide manhunt for two days after his escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC), hid in his brother’s home in Tampines for a night on Feb 29, 2008, before escaping to Malaysia.

Two days after he escaped from WRDC, Mas Selamat took shelter at various public places, including forested areas before going to his brother Asmom’s flat to hide and get help from his niece, Nur Aini bte Asmom, whom he thought was home alone.

He had thought that his brother and his wife were staying in their Johor house, while Asmom’s son, Mahadir, was overseas.

Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, said in a Ministerial statement in Parliament, “Mas Selamat believed that it would be safe for him at Asmom’s house as only Nur Aini would be there and that she would render assistance to him.”

Asmom, his wife Aisah and daughter Nui Aini were jailed between three and 18 months for harbouring the terrorist after his escape. His niece, Nur Aini was sentenced to 18 months in jail, his brother, Asmom was given 12 months while his sister-in-law Aisah, three months’ jail. They were arrested and charged last Wednesday, on November 10.

Mas Selamat’s nephew, Mahadir, who had a lesser role in the matter, has been served a stern warning in lieu of prosecution.

Mr Shanmugam added that Nur Aini had persuaded her mother to allow Mas Selamat to enter the flat. Her mother had reservations about allowing Mas Selamat into the flat because his fugitive status had gone public and she knew that it was wrong to help him.

Nur Aini allowed him to use her bedroom, provided him food and water, and also helped him to destroy the clothes he wore to the flat, which included his WRDC-issued attire.

On 1 Mar 2008, before Mas Selamat left the flat, Nur Aini applied make-up on Mas Selamat and secured a tudung (headscarf) over his head so that he could disguise himself as a woman to evade detection and recapture. She also handed to him a map of Singapore that showed part of Malaysia.

Asmom gave him S$100 and RM100 to facilitate his escape from Singapore to Malaysia. He also gave Mas Selamat some traditional medicine which the latter kept in his backpack while Aisah gave him an EZ-link card and hair-net which he wore as part of his disguise, and some paracetamol.

Mr Shanmugam said the three had knowingly harboured Mas Selamat, an escaped prisoner of the State, whom they knew was the subject of a massive manhunt.

They deliberately withheld information when they were interviewed by the authorities on March 3, 2008.

It was only in October this year, after being confronted with the facts, that they admitted to what had happened.

Mr Shanmugam added that Asmom and his family’s decision to harbour Mas Selamat and provide him with material support that enabled him to escape to Malaysia was very wrong, illegal, and had grave security implications.

As to how Mas Selamat made his way to Asmom’s flat and how he subsequently made his way to Malaysia, Mr Shanmugam said the account given by Mas Selamat is still subject to verification.

Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, said he was very disappointed that Mas Selamat was aided by his family members after he escaped from WRDC.

In a statement, Dr Yaacob, who is Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said harbouring criminals is a very serious offence — more so when it involved a wanted fugitive who was a threat to the whole country — at a time when everyone was deeply concerned and actively looking out for him.

“I am disappointed because we know that Singaporeans from all backgrounds have come together since 2002 — the Malay/Muslim community very prominently — to keep the lid on the danger of terrorism.”

He added that the good work must continue at all levels to build understanding and confidence, and enhance safety and security for Singapore to emerge stronger from this episode as a society.

Mas Selamat is a hardened and dangerous terrorist, who has been involved in various plots by the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) to mount terrorist attacks in Singapore since the 1990s. He is operationally trained and has undergone training not once but twice in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.

Mas Selamat was caught in Johor on April 1, 2009 and held in a Malaysian prison until he was handed over to Singapore on Sept 24, 2010.

Yahoo! Fit-to-Post user Stella Jane commented, “The police should have first searched the relatives’ houses. Now, they are just playing the blame-game, which is rather childish. Though prominently the Malay-Muslim society has a bigger part to play… it’s a little bit hard to turn away family.”

[kueytoc]

Prepare for 'WAR OF THE WORLDS' soonzzz !

UPDATE: 1 S. Korean soldier killed as N. Korea fires artillery near western border

ANN - 2 hours 20 minutes ago

Seoul (The Korea Herald/ANN) - North Korea fired dozens of coastal artillery shells, some of which fell on the South's Yeonpyaong Island near the tense western inter-Korean border, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday.

"The North fired dozens of artillery rounds from its Gaemeori western coastal artillery base at 14:34 p.m. In response to the military provocations, we fired back dozens of rounds with K9 self-propelled howitzers," JCS spokesman Col. Lee Bung-woo told reporters.

In the artillery firing, one soldier was killed and four marine solider were seriously injured. The military was trying to evacuate civilians on the island near the border. Several civilians were reported to have suffered injuries.

The firing came as the South was carrying out a live-fire exercise in waters off the Bangnyeong Island and the Yeonpyeong Island as part of the annual nine-day Hoguk Exercise, aimed at enhancing inter-operability and defense capabilities against North Korea.

Regarding the Hoguk Exercise, the North sent a faxed message to the South in the morning, saying it would not "just sit back" while the South is carrying out the live-fire exercise, according to JCS officials.

"Our military has begun operating the crisis management system and strengthened a readiness posture in all military branches. We are fully and firmly prepared to respond to additional North Korean provocations," Lee said.

The JSC called on the North to immediately stop acts that ratchet up military tension on the peninsula and inter-Korean confrontations. "We will strongly respond to any further provocations from the North," the spokesman said.

The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae said it was looking into whether the North fired the artillery in reaction to the South Korean navy's 'Hoguk Exercise' near the island.

"North Korea wired a complaint this morning asking whether (the exercise) was an attack against the North," President Lee Myung-bak's spokesperson Kim Hee-jung said during a press briefing.

Lee held emergency meetings of his top aides and security related ministers in the afternoon.

The volley of artillery came as tensions have run high between the two Koreas following the March 26 sinking of the corvette Cheonan, which Seoul holds Pyongyang responsible for.

The Seoul-led multinational investigation team concluded in May that a North Korean midget submarine torpedoed the 1,200-ton corvette, killing 46 sailors. Pyongyang has persistently denied its involvement.

In August, the North fired some 130 coastal artillery shells into waters near the western inter-Korean maritime border. Some 10 coastal artillery shells landed in waters about 1-2 kilometers south of the Northern Limit Line off Bangnyeong Island.

The volley of the artillery fire came after the South Korean military finished its five-day maritime maneuvers in the West Sea, which were designed to enhance its defense capabilities against North Korean provocations.

The artillery firing came as a surprise as North Korea experts here largely anticipated that the communist state would seek to improve ties with its southern neighbor as it has been striving to solidify its second hereditary power succession.

The North has recently made it public that its leader Kim Jong-il's youngest son Jung-un is being groomed to succeed his ailing father. Jung-un has recently been made a four-star general and appointed as vice chairman of the ruling Worker's Party's Central Military Commission.

[kueytoc]

North Korea shells South in fiercest attack in decades

Reuters - 41 minutes ago

By Jeremy Laurence and Yoo Choonsik

SEOUL - North Korea on Tuesday fired dozens of artillery shells at a South Korean island, killing two soldiers and setting dozens of houses ablaze, in one of the heaviest attacks on its neighbour since the Korean War ended in 1953.

The attack comes as the reclusive state has been pressing regional powers to return to negotiations about its nuclear weapons programme and follows revelations at the weekend it is fast developing another source of material to make atomic bombs.

It also follows moves by iron leader Kim Jong-il to make his youngest son heir apparent to the family dynasty.

For decades, the Korean leadership has played a carefully calibrated game of provocations to win concessions from the international community and impress his own military. The risk is that the leadership transition has upset this balance and that events spin out of control.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who has pursued a hard line with the reclusive North since taking office nearly three years ago, said a response had to be firm following the attack on Yeonpyeong island, just 120 km west of Seoul.

The two Koreas are still technically at war -- the Korean War ended only with a truce -- and tension rose sharply early this year after Seoul accused the North of torpedoing one of its navy vessels, killing 46 sailors.

"Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN Television before the shelling ended after about an hour.

China, the impoverished North's only powerful ally, was careful to avoid taking sides, calling on both Koreas to "do more to contribute to peace."

"China hopes that the relevant parties will do more to contribute to peace and stability in the region ... it is imperative now to resume the six-party talks," a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Hong Lei, told reporters.

Those talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme -- involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States -- have long been on ice.

However, the reclusive North has more recently been pushing to resume the talks, which previously it has used to win massive aid in return for promises to end its weapons programme.

AT LEAST 200 SHELLS

YTN said at least 200 North Korean shells hit Yeonpyeong, which lies off the west coast of the divided peninsula near a disputed maritime border. Most landed on a military base there.

South Korea's military said two soldiers were killed in the attack, 17 were wounded and three civilians were also hurt. South Korean military returned the fire and sent a jet fighter to the area.

YTN showed pictures of plumes of smoke pouring from the island and quoted a witness as saying fires were burning out of control.

WON TUMBLES

News of the exchange of fire sent the won tumbling in offshore markets with the 1-month won down about four percent in NDF trading. U.S. 10-year Treasury futures rose and the Japanese yen fell.

It also rattled global markets, already unsettled by Ireland's debt problems and worries about riskier markets.

The South Korean central bank is holding an emergency meeting to assess the possible market impact of the shelling.

The attack comes just as a U.S. envoy is in Beijing on a tour of the region and is expected to ask China to use its influence to help tame North Korea.

Washington has branded the North a danger to the region and expressed concern Pyongyang would sell nuclear weapons technology to other states. It has said it was ready to return to talks but wants to see more commitment to denuclearisation by the North beforehand.

The White House condemned the attack, telling the North to halt its "belligerent action" and saying it was committed to defend the South.

It has about 28,000 troops in South Korea, their combined forces facing an estimated one million North Korean soldiers who make up one of the world's biggest standing armies.

"UNBELIEVABLE"

"It's unbelievable," said Zhu Feng, professor of international relations at Peking University. "Today's news proves that North Korea, under unprovoked conditions, shot these South Korean islands. It's reckless provocation. They want to make a big bang and force the negotiations back into their favour. It's the oldest trick."

The North depends heavily on China for economic and diplomatic support and its leader, Kim Jong-il, has visited China twice this year, in part to gain backing for the anointment of his son as heir.

Those ties have become a sore-point with Washington after reports that North Korea appears to have made big steps towards enriching uranium, possibly using technology that passed through or even originated in China.

China has urged returning to the nuclear disarmament negotiations but has also fended off calls from the U.S. and its regional allies to use its vital food and energy aid to North Korea as a lever.

[kueytoc]

Two dead as N.Korea fires artillery on South

AFP - 29 minutes ago

SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a South Korean island on Tuesday, killing two people, setting homes ablaze and triggering an exchange of fire as the South's military went on top alert.

In what appeared to be one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 war, South Korean troops fired back with cannon, the government convened in an underground war room and "multiple" air force jets scrambled.

North Korea's official media, however, accused South Korea of firing first.

The firing came after North Korea's disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment plant -- a second potential way of building a nuclear bomb -- which is causing serious alarm for the United States and its allies.

It also comes as North Korea prepares for an eventual dynastic succession from Kim Jong-Il to his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un. The expected transfer is fuelling speculation about the regime's military and nuclear intentions.

The White House said it "strongly condemns" the artillery attack on the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong, and said it was "firmly committed to the defence" of its staunch military ally Seoul.

Some 50 shells landed on Yeonpyeong near the tense Yellow Sea border, damaging dozens of houses and sending plumes of thick smoke into the air, YTN television reported.

Two South Korean marines -- part of a contingent based permanently on the frontline island -- were killed, the military said.

Five marines were seriously hurt in the artillery barrage and 10 suffered minor injuries, while three civilians were also hurt.

"A Class-A military alert issued for battle situations was imposed immediately after shelling began," a military spokesman told AFP.

Sporadic firing by each side continued for over an hour before dying out, the military said.

The shelling began at 2:34 pm (0534 GMT) after the North sent several messages protesting about South Korean naval, air force and army training exercises being staged close to the border, a presidential spokesman said.

"Flashes along with a thunderous sound were seen here and there across our villages and up to 10 houses were engulfed in flames," said Woo Soo-Woo, 62, a guesthouse owner on the island. Scene: Islanders tell of terror as N.Korean shells land

The shooting started bushfires at several places in the hills, he told AFP by phone after fleeing the island by ferry for the mainland port of Incheon.

Yeonpyeong lies just south of the border declared by UN forces after the war, but north of the sea border declared by Pyongyang. The Yellow Sea border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and last November. History: Clashes between North and South Korea

Tensions have been acute since the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which Seoul says was the result of a North Korean torpedo attack. Pyongyang has rejected the charge.

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak convened an emergency meeting of ministers and national security advisers in an underground war room, a presidential spokesman said.

Lee urged the officials "to prevent further escalation", but his office also warned that South Korea would "sternly retaliate" for any further provocations.

Inter-Korean talks scheduled for Thursday, aimed at arranging further reunions of families separated by the war, have been delayed indefinitely, Seoul's unification ministry said.

"This is an intentional provocation to heighten cross-border tensions," Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-Hyun told AFP.

"The North made a series of gestures but there has been no response from South Korea and the United States. It is now using its brinkmanship aimed at forcing Seoul and Washington to take action and agree to dialogue."

Kim said the North would try to use the clash to promote solidarity among its people during the leadership succession.

"It is also sending a strong message to the United States and the international community that the peninsula urgently needs a peace regime."

US special envoy Stephen Bosworth was headed to China Tuesday to seek its help in curbing North Korea's new nuclear project, revealed to US experts who described a sophisticated programme to enrich uranium.

China, North Korea's sole major ally and economic prop, expressed concern over the cross-border firing, and appealed for stalled six-party nuclear talks to resume. Reaction: China concern over Korean shelling

Russia also warned against an escalation of tensions on the divided peninsula, while Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordered his ministers to prepare for "any unexpected event".

[kueytoc]

FEATURE: Quick money lures young Indonesian girls into prostitution

ANN - 10 minutes ago

Jakarta (The Jakarta Post/ANN) - She is only 17 years old, but the amount of money she earns in a month is much more than most of her peers. Cindy (not her real name) said she could make 30 million rupiah (US$3,300) a month.

But Cindy is not a singer who had a breakthrough in a television talent show. She is a high-end prostitute who has only been in the business for a year.

"I initially got into the business because I needed to repay my father's money he had given me. I used the money for drugs instead of paying his car installments," Cindy told The Jakarta Post in her rented room in a crowded neighborhood in West Jakarta.

"I was confused and I thought that by becoming a prostitute I could get money quickly," Cindy said.

Cindy's first client was a general manager at a large company in her hometown of Lampung, she said.

But what she thought would be a one-time act to pay off her debt turned into a full-time job.

She does not expect to quit the trade anytime soon. Cindy said she charged 2 million rupiah (US$224) per client per trick, a significant amount for her regular clients who range from businessmen to political big-wigs.

One of her clients was a government minister, she said.

If you think poverty is what drove Cindy to prostitution, think again. Cindy had a middle-class upbringing.

Her father is a contractor and two of her uncles are high-ranking police officers - one is a top official at the National Police.

Her grandfather runs one of the biggest hotels in her hometown, she said. "My grandfather is also the patron of most of the police officers," she said.

Cindy said it was her grandfather's clout that saved her when she landed in hot water.

"My father is a drug user. He frequently has trouble with the police, but my grandfather or my uncles have always been there for him," she said.

With such a troubled past, Cindy thought prostitution was the best way to rebel against her father.

In spite of her good income, Cindy said she did not know where all the money went.

She is always strapped for cash by the end of the month. "I don't know where all the money goes, but maybe that's because I use it for drugs to use with my friends," she said.

Cindy said she also gave money to her mother, who has a strained relationship with her father.

Sagita (not her real name), another high-end prostitute, lives in the same boarding house as Cindy.

Sagita has been in the business for eight years, and said she charges her clients between 3 and 4 million rupiah per trick.

Sagita doesn't have a history like Cindy's.

Now 28 years old, she said she used to work in marketing at a karaoke bar in Surabaya, East Java.

"Then I saw that a female escort had an easier time. I decided to leave my position and apply to be an escort," Sagita said.

She enjoys being a prostitute as she gets easy money to pay for her lavish lifestyle, she said.

She never does drugs, she added. "Sometimes I think this is a filthy job, but the money is good," Sagita said.

She makes an average of 15 million rupiah a month. Sagita said her clients included some of the country's powerful politicians.

"I once went out with a legislator from an Islamist party. While we were at it, he said he needed to pray. It felt weird to have him praying by my side," Sagita said.

For both Cindy and Sagita, they rely on word-of-mouth to advertise their services. "I usually give a 10 percent commission for each transaction if friends or former clients get me new clients," Sagita said.

University of Indonesia sociologist Imam Prasodjo said prostitutes like Cindy and Sagita, who come from middle-class backgrounds, were looking to fulfill more than just their basic needs.

"Some people need to meet more than just basic needs to be satisfied. For those people, going to expensive restaurants and having new clothes is important. So they look for other ways to meet those needs," he said.

[kueytoc]

Former ACS (I) principal found guilty of ‘inappropriate behaviour’

By Alicia Wong – November 23rd, 2010

Former Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) principal Dr Ong Teck Chin has been found to have behaved inappropriately towards a male teacher, an investigation panel at the school revealed.

In a statement released on Monday, the ACS board of governors and ACS (I) board of management said Dr Ong “has conducted himself in an inappropriate manner and his conduct has fallen short of the standards expected of a principal”.

While it did not elaborate on the inappropriate behaviour, the two-paragraph statement said, “Dr Ong deeply regrets his actions and has apologised”, reported The Straits Times (ST).

Dr Ong’s behaviour first came to light last month, when the male teacher, Mark Richie Tan, made a complaint to the school’s board.

Dr Ong, 61, resigned around the same time, citing health problems. His last day will be next Tuesday, ahead of his intended six months notice, after a mutual agreement with the school.

The yet-to-be appointed principal will step in from January.

Last September, Mr Tan was promoted after a new position, director in principal’s office, was created for him.

Mr Tan said Dr Ong had behaved inappropriately when the two were sharing a hotel room during an overseas trip to recruit foreign students. The pair used to travel frequently on such trips.

The biology teacher claimed to have requested to return to teaching repeatedly but was turned down.

He later resigned and lodged a complaint with the board of governors. He has since retracted his resignation and is now back teaching at ACS (I).

The findings received mixed responses.

Parent Daniel Ong, 52, told ST he still believes in Dr Ong: “I have no qualms, no doubts about him at all.”

But another parent, who declined to be named, said she was “glad the board has come out with its findings and is not trying to shield Dr Ong”.

“How could such behaviour have gone on for so long and no one complained? I hope the board will select the next principal carefully,” she urged.

[kueytoc]

Premier League - Wilkins takes legal advice

Sat, 20 Nov 09:26:00 2010

Ray Wilkins has claimed he was the victim of "undoubtedly unfair dismissal" from Chelsea and is taking legal advice in an attempt to reach "an amicable solution".

Wilkins abruptly left his role of first-team coach with the Premier League champions last week after being told his contract would not be renewed.

The questions over what happened behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge will now only intensify as Wilkins spoke for the first time since his departure from the club.

"I am very disappointed that the board decided that I had no further contribution to make at Chelsea Football Club which has played such a huge part in my life," said Wilkins in the statement released by the League Managers Association.

"Since rejoining the club, I am extremely proud to have assisted in Chelsea's recent successes.

"I enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the staff, players and the supporters and I now wish them all the very best for the future.

"The LMA's legal advisors are assisting me in obtaining answers to a number of questions arising from my undoubtedly unfair dismissal, and all efforts are being made to reach an amicable solution.

"I therefore will be making no further comment at this stage."

Wilkins, 54, began his playing career at Chelsea when he made his league debut in 1973, before he went on to play for Manchester United, Milan and Rangers, also winning 84 England caps.

He returned to the club's coaching staff in 2008 under former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, and worked as assistant to Dutchman Guus Hiddink during his short reign, continuing that role when Ancelotti became manager.

Wilkins helped lead Chelsea to last season's Premier League and FA Cup double in partnership with the Italian.

Eurosport / PA Sport

[kueytoc]

Premier League - Paper Round: Ancelotti to quit Chelsea

Mon, 22 Nov 08:51:00 2010

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to quit his job as manager of Chelsea, according to reports in Monday's newspapers.

"Carlos on the brink", screams the Daily Express, reporting that the Italian is outraged at both his general lack of control and his annoyance at how his assistant Ray Wilkins was shown the door. The handling of the severance package for former England midfielder Wilkins has apparently only made things worse.

The Express adds that Ancelotti has consulted the League Managers' Association for advice over what to do if he quits, with several bookmakers already having suspended betting on the 51-year-old to be the next Premier League manager to leave his job.

The broadsheets are all over the story as well, with the Guardian reporting that the club have "rubbished" rumours that Ancelotti could quit - though the Daily Telegraph claim that Roman Abramovich's close relationship with new Blues assistant Michael Emenalo has "fatally undermined" Ancelotti's authority at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are apparently not the only London club with friction emanating from the assistant manager's job: The Sun reports that there is a "growing rift" at West Ham between Avram Grant's number two Zeljko Petrovic and the playing staff.

Apparently the coach's "training methods and 'arrogant' personality' are at the heart of the problem, with an 'insider' claiming that, "to a man the players don't like him," but adding that the problems at Upton Park run much deeper. "The place is unhappy from top to bottom," the source added. "Petrovic is just one of the problems in the mix of things."

Not much transfer gossip this morning, though the Daily Mirror claims Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier is trying to sign David Wheater from Middlesbrough this January for £1.2 million - the bargain-basement price being on account of Wheater's contract running out at the end of the season.

And finally, England's 2018 World Cup bid team look set to "do a Fergie" and refuse all cooperation with the BBC, according to the Daily Mail. The men responsible for bringing the football tournament back to these shores are furious at the Beeb for their plans to air a Panorama episode looking into the cash-for-votes scandal that has rocked FIFA - and they will vote with their feet by refusing to give media opportunities (including a one-to-one interview with bid ambassador David Beckham) to the national broadcaster.

Paper Round knows as well as anybody how much guff and nonsense makes it into the British media under the banner of sports news. But in this situation the media is performing perhaps its most useful function - that of unearthing corruption in the corridors of power - and it seems shameful that anybody should try to block or punish honest reporting.

Eurosport

[kueytoc]

Premier League - Ancelotti: I'm not leaving Chelsea

Mon, 22 Nov 13:46:00 2010

Carlo Ancelotti insists he remains in charge of Chelsea and has denied he ever considered his position as coach over the weekend.

The Blues have hit a rough patch in the league, with three defeats in four matches seeing Manchester United catch them at the top of the table.

And Monday's papers carried widespread rumours that the 51-year-old was on the verge of quitting, claiming that he had been upset by the handling of Ray Wilkins's exit from the club, and adding that Ancelotti had spoken to the League Managers' Association about his position.

But the Italian has rubbished any suggestion that he had offered his resignation, and has now claimed that he wants to stay with the club until the end of his current deal - and beyond.

"I don't know if it's enough to clarify my position to close these rumours and speculation," said Ancelotti.

"These rumours are totally untrue. I don't know why they came out. I didn't speak with the LMA.

"They called me (on Sunday night) when I was at home, quiet, to find out what was happening.

"These rumours are totally untrue. I have my contract until 2012, here, in this club. I've said a lot of times that I'd like to stay here.

"I love not just this club, but these players. I have a lot of confidence in these players, in this squad, so there's no reason to change my ideas.

"I don't know if this is enough to speak about all this. I think that when the team don't reach the right results, obviously the coach is under pressure.

"Obviously I am under pressure because I'd like Chelsea to win every game, but just this. I am focused on my job to make us play better than we are at this moment. Just this.

"There was (on Sunday night) an LMA dinner with the coaches and they wanted to know about these rumours. I said to them that this is totally untrue. I read in the papers that I called them. That's untrue. I didn't call anybody.

"My position in the club is very clear. I am the coach and I have to train my players to maintain the team, the club, at the best level. Now, this moment is not so good on the pitch and we have to do better there.

"Obviously I understand very well because I had a lot of occasions like this in my career. The coach is in trouble when the team doesn't produce results, but this is my life. I like my life.

"I'm not disappointed about this. I'm disappointed because Chelsea have lost three in four games, and this is not good: for me, the players, the club, for my job. We want to do better there."

PA Sport

[kueytoc]

Premier League - From U12s girls coach to Chelsea assistant

Tue, 23 Nov 12:53:00 2010

New Chelsea's assistant manager Michael Emenalo's previous coaching job was as the trainer of an U12 girls team in America.

The Nigerian was promoted to the number two spot at Stamford Bridge after the controversial dismissal of Ray Wilkins, who has since launched a claim of unfair dismissal against the English champions.

Emenalo was originally brought to Chelsea in 2007 as chief scout by then manager Avram Grant and was signed from the Tucson Soccer Academy in Arizona where he was in charge of the '96 girls side (equivalent of U12s).

His only other previous coaching experience was a year as a volunteer coach at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg.

Charlie Kendrick, a colleague of Emenalo in Tucson, admits his academy was lucky to have Emenalo coaching their 11-year-old girls.

"As soon as we heard people of their experience at such high levels were around, we took the opportunity to have them work with our kids. We could not miss that chance," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"We do not really have a soccer culture in America. So maybe people at the time did not realise how lucky they were to have someone of his calibre working with their children.

"Maybe now they see that he has got such a big job, they will. Those of us who worked with him are all rooting for him. If anyone deserves success, it's Michael."

As a player Emenalo had spells in the United States, Belgium, Germany, and a brief time with Notts County in England before finishing his career with Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel who were managed by Grant at the time.

The 45-year-old was also a member of the Nigerian squad at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.

Wilkins meanwhile, began his career at Chelsea and made 179 appearances before joining Manchester United in 1979. He also had spells with Milan and Rangers and won 84 caps for England.