Convicts cook for tourists on Italy island

Holiday makers arriving on the white sands of Pianosa island off western Italy are welcomed by hosts unlike any others, five prisoners still serving time who help manage a local hotel.

At first sight, there is little to set apart the island, one of seven in the Tuscan Archipelago, with its quaint port, schools of fish and waters as turquoise as those in the Indian Ocean around the Maldives.

The concrete wall of a high security prison attests to its past as a penal colony, where mafia bosses considered particularly dangerous were once sent before the prison closed in 1998.

But a handful of convicted criminals are back on Pianosa, earning their keep and rustling up food for tourists thanks to a program started in 2000 by a local cooperative called San Giacomo in conjunction with the prison on nearby Elba island.

"It's a really positive initiative. It allows these people to gradually re-integrate into society with a lot less trauma then if they were to leave prison from one day to the next," the cooperative's deputy head Brunello De Batte told AFP.
The inmates, each serving a long sentence for undisclosed crimes, have been given contracts to work as barmen, cooks, cleaners, waiters, even gift shop salesmen in the small, 12-room hotel with a bar and restaurant run by the cooperative.
Still considered prisoners, they cannot leave the island and are confined at night to special rooms.

Yet "over the years, I've seen these prisoners mature, take on responsibilities. They are completely changed compared to when they arrived. They have developed a sense of belonging to a group," he said.

Filippo, a 32-year-old Sicilian with piercing blue eyes now in his second year working on Pianosa, says the experience has given him a new sense of self-worth and something to work towards.

"Life has given me a second chance. I feel accepted by society once more," he said, though he added that it is not always easy to win people's trust.

"People are prejudiced and that's normal, but I try right away to switch their opinion," he said as he changed the sheets in the hotel bedrooms.

Pianosa today is a wildlife sanctuary but also draws visitors who remember it as the fictional setting for the World War II squadron trying to keep sane in Joseph Heller's satirical novel "Catch 22".

Only prisoners who have already served at least two-thirds of their sentence and shown exemplary behaviour can apply to take part in the programme on the island.

"I want to be able to show customers that I am normal. Just because you're a prisoner doesn't mean you have four arms. We are human, and everyone makes mistakes," he said.

At the port, holiday makers tuck into fresh fish caught in the island's pristine waters and prepared by the convicts .

"I think it's a great initiative. I had a fantastic pasta with red mullet last night," said a 30-something tourist named Benedetto, as he strolled with his baby son along the deserted dock.

Organisers consider the programme a success, notably in offering job training to inmates. There are no official statistics, but they said prisoners have found work upon release, including one now successfully employed as a mason.

The organisers, however, are struggling to keep all going. The tax allowances afforded to cooperatives like San Giacomo have been suspended as Italy fights to battle off the financial crisis.

There has also been a drop in the number of tourists coming to the island, as recession-hit holiday makers tighten their belts and stay at home. This forced the program last year to reduce the number of prisoners taking part from eight to five.

Filippo says he does not want to think about it going under and laughs off the prospect. "There is a risk that it will all go down the drain but if that happens I'll go rest a bit within the four walls of the prison," he said.

But De Batte refuses to give up, saying the San Giacomo group will not only carry on supporting the hotel and restaurant project but is hoping to open a full-fledged professional training centre for prisoners on Pianosa.

Sobbing Rihanna recalls confusion of Chris Brown beating

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A sobbing Rihanna has told Oprah Winfrey she felt protective of boyfriend Chris Brown after he beat her up more than three years ago and was concerned that everyone would think of him as a monster.

The "Umbrella" singer, in a rare emotional TV interview set to air on Sunday detailing her thoughts about the highly publicized 2009 assault, told Winfrey that the days and weeks after incident left her confused and ashamed.

"It was embarrassing, it was humiliating," Rihanna told Winfrey in the interview, excerpts of which were released on Thursday. "I lost my best friend. Everything I knew switched, switched in a night, and I couldn't control that.

"It was a weird, confusing space to be in. Because as angry as I was - as angry and hurt and betrayed - I just felt like he made that mistake because he needed help. And who's going to help him?

"Nobody's going to say he needs help. Everybody's going to say he's a monster, without looking at the source. And I was more concerned about him," she added.

Rihanna, now 24, was left battered and bruised from the beating by Brown in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards in February 2009. Brown, 19 at the time and a rising R&B singer, pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to five years probation, community service and domestic violence counseling.
He publicly apologized, but his career and public image took a dive. Brown's career has since recovered, and he won his first Grammy award earlier this year for the hit album "F.A.M.E".
Rihanna has rarely opened up emotionally in public about the events of that night.

Winfrey, who interviewed Rihanna in the singer's Barbados home, said in a promotion for Sunday's show that she had started with a fixed idea of Rihanna based on her provocative music videos and sexually charged lyrics, but her view quickly changed.

"I thought she was going to be kind of a badass, kind of a hard-edged rocker, pop woman. Nothing could have been further from the truth," Winfrey said.

Man accused of stealing marijuana from police station

A Pennsylvanian man allegedly stole a bag of marijuana because he couldn't resist the fragrance.

The 27-year-old allegedly pilfered pot that had been taken into the Charleroi Regional police department as evidence

David Allan Thompson, 27, allegedly pilfered pot that had been taken into the Charleroi Regional police department as evidence, the Observer-Reporter reported.

According to a police report, Thompson arrived at the station to inform an officer about an unspecified case. During their conversation, he followed the officer into a patrol room and snatched the bag of weed off the counter, the report said.

When an officer confronted Thompson outside the station, police said he handed over the bag and said, “I just couldn’t help myself. That bud smelled so good.”

The officers also found an marijuana pipe in Thompson’s pocket, police said.

He was arrested on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, tampering with or fabricating evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the Observer-Reporter reported.

Cat clue helps return lost camera to owner

A Melbourne woman has praised police for going that extra mile to return her lost digital camera.

Meredith Lamb, of Fawkner, lost the camera in July after a day out on the Mornington Peninsula with relatives and her young baby.

She filed a lost property report at the Fawkner police station, but never really expected to get the camera back.

A week later police called and said someone had found the camera and turned it in to police.

She says police were able to track her down by enlarging a photo of a tag on Ms Lamb s cat in one of the photos.

"One of our cats was sitting with our baby. His tag was showing my mobile phone number," she told ABC local radio.

"They ve enlarged the photo so that they could the mobile phone number clearly and then called me, off the tag of the cat in the photo.

"I was really quite touched, moved, that they would take that time and go to that effort."

Police were rewarded with some home-made rumballs.

Driver swerves to avoid moose, hits bear instead

Norway's rugged mountains are sparsely populated and full of wildlife

A Norwegian driver who swerved his car on a rural road to avoid running into a moose hit a bear instead, authorities said on Thursday.
The driver spotted the moose on a country road near Hanestad, 225 kilometers north of Oslo, around midnight on Wednesday, and tried to go around the animal, not realizing that a bear was also nearby.

"The driver had lost a bit of speed as he tried to avoid the moose before hitting the bear," said Svein Erik Bjorke of the local wildlife authority, who was out in the forest searching for the wounded animal.

"We are currently tracking the bear and we have found traces of blood indicating internal injuries," he said.

The driver escaped uninjured while his car suffered some damage.

Norway s rugged mountains are sparsely populated and full of wildlife. The country, nearly the size of Germany but home to just five million people, has around 100,000 moose and 150 brown bears, authorities said.

Disabled people outraged by Paralympics 'discriminatory' ticket rules

AFP Photo/Yasuyoshi Chiba

With just a few days before the start of the Paralympic Games in London a major scandal has erupted after it turned out that disabled parents will not be allowed to sit with their families while watching the games.

According to the 'discriminatory' rules only one accompanying adult could join wheelchair-users in the stands while children need to sit with at least one able-bodied adult. In other words, disabled people cannot be seated with their young children in the wheelchair area.

The ruling seemed nonsense for disabled mother-of-two Beth Davis-Hofbauer. The 32 year old launched a petition on Change.org which has been supported by more than 12,000 people.

“They wouldn't even allow me to pay full adult price for the children to sit on my lap. They said my kids, would have to sit somewhere else – which of course they could absolutely not,” the Daily Mail quotes her as saying.

“I felt non-human. It's because I'm in a wheel-chair. I cannot believe that at this event, which could inspire a new generation of athletes, has a discriminatory ticket policy. Quite apart from these practical considerations I want to share this special occasion with my family,” she also said.

Given her husband accompanies her, another adult would have to buy a ticket to sit with her children – something which made her scrap her Paralympic plans.

“We like to do things together, despite me being in a wheelchair,” she said.

Rt.com

Searching for $337 mln US lottery winner

The search is on for a 337 million dollar lottery winner in the United States. The jackpot-winning Powerball ticket was sold at a gas station in the town of Lapeer, north of Detroit.

The Michigan Lottery gleaned no immediate information about the buyer’s identity. This was the third biggest Powerball jackpot in the game’s history. The winner could take home a 241 million US dollar lump sum. The Michigan Lottery said the business will also get a 50, 000 US dollar bonus for selling the winning ticket.

(cntv.cn)

Chickenpox cases in US drop by 80pc in last decade

The biggest declines were seen in children ages 5 to 9, the CDC says.

Since the vaccine against chickenpox became available in the United States, the country is seeing a lot less of the disease.
 

Between 2000 and 2010, the incidence of chickenpox declined nearly 80 percent, from 43 cases per 100,000 people, to nine cases per 100,000 people, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report included information from 31 states.

In 2010, four people died from chickenpox, none of whom had been vaccinated.

The chickenpox vaccine was introduced in 1996, and for 10 years, just one dose of the vaccine was used. In 2006, children were recommended to receive two doses, one between ages 12 and 15 months, and a second between 4 and 6 years old.

The declines in chickenpox cases were greatest after the introduction of this second dose. Between 2000 and 2005, the incidence of chickenpox declined 43 percent, compared with 72 percent between 2006 and 2010.

Further declines in chickenpox are expected as more people get vaccinated with two doses, the CDC said.

Addiction to heroin, morphine can be blocked: research

Heroin and morphine addiction can be blocked, according to a research.

The new drug could be used to treat addicts, or to allow patients who need pain relief to use drugs without fear of addiction.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia worked with colleagues at the University of Colorado in the United States to pinpoint a key mechanism in the body s immune system that amplifies addiction to opioid drugs.

"Our studies have shown conclusively that we can block addiction via the immune system of the brain, without targeting the brain s wiring," said Mark Hutchinson from Adelaide s School of Medical Sciences.

"Both the central nervous system and the immune system play important roles in creating addiction, but our studies have shown we only need to block the immune response in the brain to prevent cravings for opioid drugs."

The results, to be published Thursday in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveal that laboratory studies showed that the drug known as plus-naloxone, which is not yet in clinical use, will selectively block the immune-addiction response.

The researchers said that opioid drugs such as morphine and heroin bind to immune receptors in the brain known as TLR4 which then act as amplifiers for addiction, ramping up the "reward" effect of drugs of abuse to a high degree.

The new drug automatically shuts this effect down, Hutchinson said.

"It really reduces the reward level down to the equivalent of food, sex, and hugs," he told AFP.

Professor Linda Watkins, from the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado, said the work fundamentally changed understanding about opioids, reward and addiction.

"We ve suspected for some years that TLR4 may be the key to blocking opioid addiction, but now we have the proof," she said in a statement.

The researchers believe the discovery could prove useful if plus-naloxone could become a co-formulated drug with morphine, to allow patients who need pain relief to take the drug without fear of addiction. 
 

SAM Daily Times: Stefan Aaron performs on the Great Wall

SAM Daily Times: Stefan Aaron performs on the Great Wall: German pianist Stefan Aaron hoisted his bright orange piano onto the Great Wall of China.  The 40-year-old musician climbed up t...

SAM Daily Times: Headline August18,2012/ "The Great Good World Citi...

SAM Daily Times: Headline August18,2012/ "The Great Good World Citi...: "THE GREAT GOOD WORLD CITIZEN : PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON" When this great American President finished his second term in office an...

Headline August18,2012/ "The Great Good World Citizen ..."

"THE GREAT GOOD WORLD CITIZEN :

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON"

When this great American President finished his second term in office and returned to private life, what coverage there was didn’t delve much beneath the surface. Most of the Americans and even the world at large, would have no reason to know, for instance, that while he was starting to draft his memoirs in 2002, Clinton had committed himself to medical treatment to millions and millions of people dying from AIDS in the underdeveloped world.

Most of the world, probably, didn’t even notice the announcement, a year later the William J. Clinton Foundation had negotiated agreements to drastically reduce the cost of HIV/AIDS drugs and diagnostics, --an achievement that is already saving hundreds and thousands of lives and promises to save many many million more. And until then nobody  –perhaps not even President Clinton himself – had yet understood the unprecedented aspirations of his life after the presidency.

A few moments later the announcer says simple, “Bill Clinton",

To the cool techno hum of Moby’s “Porcelain”- the forty second President of the United States ambles out from behind the set. The time is later afternoon and the place is the grand ballroom of Sheraton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The aura and ambiance is breathtaking. It looks and feels like an oversized television studio. Hundreds of men and women in dark suits are milling about, slowing seating themselves in rows facing a bright white stage accented with sky blue.

Everyone rises to give a standing applause and ovation, as he opens the three day conference of government leaders, business moguls, activists, and experts from around the world. They are all here to discuss global poverty, corruption, climate change and religious conflict. President Clinton is obviously delighted and in great form matching his role as host and impresario. He is soon joined on stage by Tony Blair, Condoleezza Rice, and the King of Jordan for a rambling and agreeable chat.

Prompted by Clinton, they talk about the Mideast peace process, terrorism, international trade, alternative energy, and nuclear proliferation, sounding like guests on a high minded chat show. Lurking not so inconspicuously in the reserved seats are current and former heads of state as well as rock legends and movie stars, and waiting for their turn to palaver with the former president are the Chief Executives of the world’s largest corporations.

With many thanks to !WOW! for this untiring efforts, stay tuned for this splendid post about a very caring person, he is also a great friend of students.

Good night and God bless!

SAM DAILY TIMES - the Voice of the Voiceless!

Cosmopolis (2012)

Cosmopolis is a 2012 drama film starring Robert Pattinson, directed by David Cronenberg. It is based on the novel of the same name by Don DeLillo. On May 25, 2012, the film premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, drawing mixed early critical reactions. The film was released in Canada on June 8, 2012, and is scheduled to have a limited release in the United States on August 17, 2012.

Plot: Billionaire Eric Packer (Pattinson) rides slowly across Manhattan in his limousine that he uses as his office while on his way to his preferred barber, even though there are traffic jams. The traffic jams are caused by a visit of the president of the United States and by the funeral of Eric's favourite musician, whose music he plays in one of his two private elevators. He has recently married. In the car and elsewhere, he has meetings with his wife, who does not want sex with him, to save energy that she needs for her work. Instead, he has sex with other women. In his car, while having a meeting, he has his doctor carry out his daily medical checkup; Eric worries about the doctor's finding that he has an asymmetrical prostate. After devastating currency speculation, he kills his bodyguard and follows a path of further self-destruction, including visiting his potential murderer and deliberately shooting himself in the hand.

Ashley Greene for DKNY Jeans fall campaign

Twilight actress Ashley Greene is starring in a new DKNY Jeans campaign shot by German photographer and director Peter Lindbergh.

Fans can turn to Pinterest to discover all the images from the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 campaign, also featuring German model Johannes Huebl.

It was announced back in October that the 24-year-old was the US label's latest face. She appeared in DKNY's Spring 2012 campaign, with previous modeling assignments including a commercial for SoBe beverages which appeared in the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and saw her don a body-painted bikini. In June last year the actress was named a brand ambassador for US beauty label Mark.

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy, #2) by Deborah Harkness

"Together we lifted our feet and stepped into the unknown"—the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Discovery of Witches

Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season.

Life gets golden for Olympic champs Douglas, Wieber

(Reuters) - When U.S. gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber captured gold at the London Olympics, each achieved a lifelong dream, but it was just the opening act for two teenagers who haven't ruled out the 2016 Rio Games or even careers in show business.

Wieber and Douglas, as part of the team dubbed the "Fierce Five," won the women's gymnastics team gold medal for the United States. Douglas also made history when she became the first African-American to take home a gold medal in the all-round individual competition.

The achievement catapulted Wieber, 17, and Douglas, 16, onto the world stage as instant celebrities. But both have their feet firmly on the ground -- and their eyes set on more competition.

"Rio 2016 is in the back of my mind and if all goes well, then I think you will be seeing more of me," Douglas told Reuters.

Wieber also plans to stick with gymnastics and keep competing to see where it takes her. As for the next Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, "It's definitely a possibility," she said.

In the meantime they are enjoying their celebrity.

They have inked endorsement deals, been made beauty ambassadors for Procter & Gamble, met pop stars and made a round of television appearances.

Douglas co-hosted "America's Got Talent."

"After a gymnastic career, I would like to study acting and maybe be a spokesperson or something like that, but I would have to consider that after my gymnastic career," she said.

DETERMINATION AND DEDICATION

Both girls sacrificed time with family and friends to pursue their dreams, and Douglas admitted to being homesick after moving away from her family to Iowa to work with a better coach.

"I remember thinking, I want to go to the mall and now I have to go to training. But now I look back, and definitely the hard work and dedication paid off," Douglas said. "Tough days are when champions are made."

Despite making history, Douglas said she didn't think about the pressure ahead of the Olympics or about winning. She just wanted to go out there, be great and seize the moment.

"I look back and now I can say I have no regrets. That's the worst pain, if you have regrets," she said. "We can all go with our chin held high and say we gave it our all."

Wieber agrees.

"Coming away from the Olympics with a gold medal is more than anyone could ask for," she said.

Both teens are excited about being role models for young girls and would urge them to follow their dreams.

"Always strive for your dreams and personal goals and never let anyone tell you that you can do it, because you can," said Douglas.

Luka Modric set for Real Madrid move

Real Madrid are close to finalising their protracted move for Spurs midfielder Luka Modric after increasing their offer to £30m.

The 26-year-old is expected to hold talks with Real officials in the coming days after the La Liga side revived a deal that had previously stalled.

Modric is expected to undergo a medical and agree terms in the next 48 hours.

Spurs are lining up replacements with Porto's Joao Moutinho but also Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila on the radar.

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas hopes to conclude the deal for Modric swiftly. "I think we will have a conclusion in the next couple of weeks," he said.

"He is still a Tottenham player but from what the chairman has told me talks are ongoing, they stalled a little bit two weeks ago, but they have picked up recently."

"Obviously we have outlined a couple of solutions (to replace Modric). We have made initial contact with a couple of clubs but I think before this situation is resolved we can't do anything because we already have a certain amount of players in that position."

Picasso's Child With A Dove in temporary export bar

Picasso painted the picture when he was
around 19

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has placed a temporary export bar on Picasso's Child With A Dove, in the hope that money can be raised to buy back the painting.

The export ban - which will remain in place until December - offers a last chance to keep the painting in the UK.

The work, which has been on public display in Britain since the 1970s, was sold privately earlier this year to an unknown foreign buyer.

It was believed to have been valued at around £50m ($79m).

The picture was sold by Christies auction house on behalf of the Aberconway family in Wales, who have owned the painting since 1947.

One of Picasso's early works - painted when he was around 19 - it is currently on loan to the National Galleries of Scotland.

Mr Vaizey's ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, administered by Arts Council England.

The Committee recommended that the export decision be deferred on the grounds that the painting was closely tied to the UK's history and national life.

It is also considered to be of outstanding aesthetic importance and highly pertinent to the study of Picasso's early works and his artistic development.

The Committee ruled that it fulfils all three of the Waverley Criteria required to justify an export bar.

"Child with a Dove is a much-loved painting whose iconic status; together with its long history in British collections... make it of outstanding importance to our national heritage," said committee member, Aidan Weston-Lewis.

-  BBC.co.uk

Apple lawyer faces 'smoking crack' jibe by patent judge

Judge Koh became frustrated when Apple's lawyer
suggested he could call 22 witnesses in four hours

The judge in a high profile US patent trial involving Apple and Samsung has said the iPhone maker's lawyer must be on drugs if he thought she would accept his list of potential witnesses.

William Lee had named 22 people he wanted to rebut testimony given by Samsung's choice of experts.

"Unless you're smoking crack you know these witnesses aren't going to be called" said Judge Lucy Koh.

Mr Lee replied: "Your honour, I'm not smoking crack. I can promise you that."

The clash, reported by the Verge news site, took place close to the end of the trial after Mr Lee presented a 75-page document detailing the witnesses.

The judge had previously made it clear she wanted closing arguments to be presented next week. She has given each side a maximum of 25 hours to make its case.

Of that time Apple has less than four hours of witness testimony remaining on its clock, and Mr Lee said he honestly believed he could cover all the people he had named within that period.

The move could potentially have made it harder for Samsung's legal team to prepare.

-  BBC.co.uk

Zebra virus kills polar bear in German zoo

Jerka died from a mystery brain virus

Zoos should be on the alert for viruses that can jump from one animal to another, threatening endangered species, say researchers.

The cause of an infection that killed a polar bear at a German zoo has been traced back to the zebra house, scientists report in Current Biology.

Two bears contracted the brain infection encephalitis, suffering seizures and frothing at the mouth.

One - a 20-year-old female, Jerka, died after little more than a week.

The other bear - a 16-year-old male, Lars, - was ill for several weeks but eventually recovered.

The team led by the Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin extracted DNA and RNA from a brain sample of the dead bear to discover which of many possible viruses caused the illness.

Gene sequencing suggested the culprit was a strain of herpes virus normally found in zebras.

Viruses spreading to unexpected hosts may threaten the conservation mission of zoos, they warn.

Most pathogens are adapted to one host but some can leap the species barrier.

Flu, for example, is thought to have moved between pigs, birds and humans during its evolution.

Yo-yo dieting doesn’t thwart weight loss efforts

Researchers say that yo-yo dieting does not thwart weight loss efforts.

A history of yo-yo dieting – the repetitive loss and regain of body weight, also called weight cycling – does not negatively affect metabolism or the ability to lose weight long term, according to researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Until now, the degree to which weight cycling may impact metabolism or thwart a person’s ability to lose weight in the long run has been unclear.

“A history of unsuccessful weight loss should not dissuade an individual from future attempts to shed pounds or diminish the role of a healthy diet and regular physical activity in successful weight management,” said the study’s senior author Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center``s Public Health Sciences Division.

The study was based on data from 439 overweight-to-obese, sedentary Seattle-area women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to one of four groups: reduced-calorie diet only, exercise only (mainly brisk walking), reduced-calorie diet plus exercise and a control group that received no intervention.

At the end of the yearlong study, participants on the diet-only and diet-plus-exercise arms lost an average of 10 percent of their starting weight, which was the goal of the intervention.

The analysis aimed to determine whether women with a history of moderate or severe weight cycling were at a disadvantage compared to non-weight-cyclers when it came to losing weight. Of the study participants overall, 18 percent (77 women) met the criteria for severe weight cycling (having reported losing 20 or more pounds on three or more occasions) and 24 percent (103 women) met the criteria for moderate weight cycling (having reported losing 10 or more pounds on three or more occasions).

Although severe weight cyclers were, on average, nearly 20 pounds heavier than non-cyclers at the start of the study, at the end of the study the researchers found no significant differences between those who yo-yo dieted and those who didn``t with regard to the ability to successfully participate in diet and/or exercise programs.

The cyclers also did not differ from the non-cyclers with regard to the impact of diet or diet-plus-exercise on weight loss, percentage of body fat and lean muscle mass gained or lost. Other physiological factors such as blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and blood concentrations of hormones such as leptin (which helps make one feel full) and adiponectin (which helps regulate glucose levels) also did not differ significantly among those whose weight fluctuated and those whose did not.

These finding may represent a first in the scientific community.

“To our knowledge, no previous studies have examined the effect of prior weight cycling on the body composition, metabolic and hormonal changes induced by a comprehensive lifestyle intervention in free-living women,” the researchers wrote.

The study was published online in the journal Metabolism.

Australia squad announced for World T20

Mike, Dave Hussey, Cameron White, Brad Hogg and Clint McKay included in the squad.

Australia Thursday named an experienced squad for the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka, which selectors said had an explosive batting line-up and depth in the bowling department.

George Bailey again captains the side, which is hoping to go one better than their runner-up finish to England in the 2010 final in the West Indies.

The squad boasts plenty of experience with brothers Mike and Dave Hussey, Cameron White, Brad Hogg and Clint McKay.

It also features ex-captain Cameron White, who will have the opportunity to re-establish himself at international level after strong performances in the Indian Premier League and England s domestic league.

National selector John Inverarity said the 15-man squad was the same one scheduled to play against Pakistan in the UAE ahead of the World Twenty20 from September 18 to October 7.

"A real strength of the squad is its flexibility and versatility. It s a well-balanced side that will provide the captain, George Bailey, with plenty of options in both the batting line-up and bowling possibilities," he said.

"The seam bowling has depth with Clint McKay, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitch Starc along with all-rounders Shane Watson and Dan Christian, and to a lesser extent Michael Hussey, who could be useful for an occasional over.

"Similarly there is depth in the spin bowling department with Brad Hogg, Xavier Doherty and also all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and David Hussey."

But he said it was the batting line-up that would be a worry for opposition teams.

"There is a great deal of explosive strike power in the batting line-up that could see Matthew Wade at six, Cameron White at seven and either Dan Christian or Glenn Maxwell at eight," he said.

"There is also a good blend of left and right-handers with David Warner, Michael Hussey and Wade likely to be in the top seven."

Australia s T20 campaign will start officially on September 19 in Colombo against Ireland, with the final scheduled for Sunday October 7.

Australia squad: George Bailey (capt), Dan Christian, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson (vc), Cameron White

Maruti Suzuki sacks 500 workers of Delhi plant

India's Maruti Suzuki Thursday sacked 500 workers after staff rioted at New Delhi plant.

India s top carmaker Maruti Suzuki said on Thursday that more than 500 workers had been sacked after staff rioted at a plant near New Delhi last month in violence that left one manager dead.

"Of the 1,500-odd regular workers, we have issued notices dispensing with their services to 500-odd so far," company chairman R.C. Bhargava told reporters.

During the riot on July 18, workers chased managers with iron rods and car parts, attacking them and torching equipment in unrest triggered by a row between an employee and a supervisor, according to witnesses.

A personnel manager, whose legs were broken, was unable to flee and burned to death in an office area. Nearly 100 other supervisors were injured.

Bhargava said that production, which was halted at the Manesar plant after the riot, would be partially re-started on August 21 with 200 anti-riot police on duty inside the factory.

"We have identified people who we believe were involved in the violence and we have lost confidence in these workers and they cannot be taken back," he said.

"We intend to start step by step. We need to see how the production goes, what the workers and manager (do) and how the whole thing builds up," he added.

"We believe these measures will create a safe environment and so we have decided to lift the lockout."

Maruti is majority-owned by Japan s Suzuki Motor which receives more than a quarter of its revenues from India.

The Indian unit, the country s largest carmaker by sales, has lost some $9 million a day from the plant shutdown, analysts calculate.

The plant has a history of industrial disputes but none as violent as the July riot which shocked corporate India. 

Stefan Aaron performs on the Great Wall

German pianist Stefan Aaron hoisted his bright orange piano onto the Great Wall of China. 

The 40-year-old musician climbed up the Great Wall at Juyongguan Pass, a mountain pass in Changping District 60 kilometers from downtown Beijing.

Aaron wrote a song about the planet s most visible Wonder of the World. "It s like a dream-come-true thing and look at the view here, I m speechless."

US drought intensifies in key farming states

Drought has worsened in key farming US states of Kansas and Nebraska.

The U.S. Drought Monitor said recent rains helped some farming states, but the land across the contiguous US aside from Alaska and Hawaii under some form of drought was at 61.8 percent as of Tuesday. That was a drop of less than 1 percent from the previous week.

Worries continue over rising food prices in the U.S. and around the world. The U.S. is by far the leading global corn producer and is the top producer of soybeans and wheat. All have been hit hard.

While Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said he is optimistic the U.S. would continue meeting global demand for grain, the United Nations has warned of rising food prices.
Effects go beyond the crops themselves.

Meat producers have been hurt by the rising cost of feed, and experts expect that prices of processed food on grocery store shelves will go up in coming months.

In Iowa, the nation s leader in corn production, the latest drought report said the land in extreme or exceptional drought the two worst classifications dropped 7 percentage points to 62.05 percent over the past week.

But the amount of Nebraska in exceptional drought jumped 19 percentage points to 22.5 percent. That number in Kansas rose from 38.6 percent last week to 63.3 percent now.

Students at 3 CEGEPs vote to end strike

It's back to school season for more Quebec students as three Montreal colleges voted to end the student strike and resume classes on Thursday.

CEGEP Bois-de-Boulogne, de Rosemont and Ahuntsic will all see students return as early as next week.

General assemblies showed positive turnouts. Students at Bois-de-Boulogne voted 493 against 23 to squash the strike. In Rosemont and Ahuntsic, students offered similar results.

Meanwhile, students at Lionel-Groulx, Montmorency and Saint-Jérôme colleges were back in their seats on Thursday morning, two days after announcing their return to class.

According to the more militant student association CLASSE, nearly 150 associations in 12 different universities had mandates for an unlimited general strike even after the adoption of special law Bill 78 last May.

Student associations in seven faculties supported the student strike. Among them were social sciences students at UQAM and social services students at Université de Montréal along with graduate students in Université de Sherbrooke's communications department — excluding the students on the Longueuil campus.

Nearly 10,000 students in associations connected to the CLASSE have voted to continue boycotting classes since the election writ dropped two weeks ago.

The university start-date is set for August 27, but many general assemblies have yet to vote.
Strike on August 22
Though students at Collège de Rosemont decided to return to class, the president of the student association said its members would be striking on the 22nd of every month.

Students at College de Valleyfield will vote next Tuesday on whether they will be skipping classes to protest on August 22. Students in Ahuntsic are also expected to hold a similar vote.


Majority of Quebec students back in class

Among the 11 college associations that have held general assemblies, only CEGEP du Vieux Montréal and CEGEP de Saint-Laurent have opted to continue the student boycott, but new votes could change the original results when the schools hold a second voting assembly.

CBC News

Chilean students arrested in Santiago schools

Chilean students have occupied several schools
across the country

Police in Chile have detained 139 people - most of them teenage students - who were occupying three schools in the capital, Santiago.

There were violent clashes as police moved into the buildings.

The occupation is part of continuing protests against the government's education policies.

Chilean students have held months of mass protests in the past year to demand free, high-quality public education for all.

The BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago says the action seems to mark a hardening of the government's stance towards the protest.

Elite schools

Student leader Camila Vallejo, who came into prominence in Chile during last year's protests, criticised the action.

"It is a direct assault on public education and on the chance to advance towards ending inequality in Chile," she said.

Police used water cannon to evict the students, who threw stones. They had been occupying the three secondary schools - Dario Salas, Miguel de Cervantes and Confederacion Suiza - for several days.

Other schools remain under the control of students.

"The use of force was necessary for the rule of law," said police chief Victor Tapia.

Government spokesman Andres Chadwick said he backed the order issued by the mayor of Santiago, Pablo Zalaquett, of evicting the students.

"We reject the violence of a small group of students who occupy those schools, often wearing balaclavas. Their sole purpose is to disrupting classes and normal life," said Mr Chadwick.

The campaign for educational reform is the biggest protest movement Chile has seen since the return to democracy in 1990.

Students say Chile's education system, usually seen as the best in Latin America, is profoundly unfair.

They say middle class students have access to some of the best schooling in Latin America, while the poor have to be content with under-funded state schools.

President Sebastian Pinera, Chile's first conservative leader for 20 years, announced earlier this year tax reforms aimed at raising money to help fund the country's education system.

His popularity dropped at the height of the students' protests last year.

-  BBC

Univ. of Ga. Students Protest Newspaper Changes

Students who work for a University of Georgia newspaper are protesting a decision they say gives control over stories to non-students.

Students at The Red & Black newspaper walked out Wednesday night after a non-student was named editorial director with final say on editorial content, The Athens Banner-Herald reported ( http://bit.ly/R3wpSw ).

The newspaper's editor-in-chief, UGA student Polina Marinova, was among staffers who walked out. It happened after Ed Morales, who had been the paper's editorial adviser, was given full editorial control of the newspaper, the students said.

Morales did not return messages Thursday from The Associated Press.

In a statement published online, The Red & Black's board of directors and Publisher Harry Montevideo said the newspaper will remain an independent student media organization and that adding professionals to the staff was part of an effort to provide a better product for readers and better training for student journalists.

Read More Here

Thousands of US immigrants file for right to work

US President Barack Obama's decision to grant temporary residency to undocumented migrants led thousands to apply for their right to stay in the country on Wednesday. Up to 1.7 million people could benefit from the scheme.

The Obama administration defends the measure as a practical step that will allow US immigration law enforcement to focus on attempting to deport people with criminal records.

The administration backs a more comprehensive immigration reform initiative – the so-called Dream Act – but the measure has failed to pass Congress because of opposition from Republicans, who brand it an "amnesty."

The government estimates that more than 800,000 people are currently eligible to apply. Outside experts however place the number at one million, with another 700,000 to become eligible when they reach the minimum age of 15.

Beneficiaries of the move – known as "Dreamers" after the act that was defeated in Congress – can get their deportation deferred for two years on a renewable basis and become eligible for temporary work permits.

Most of the estimated 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States are from Latin America.

Of the young "Dreamers," 68 percent come from Mexico; 13 percent from Canada, the Caribbean and central America; and seven percent from south America – meaning 88 percent are from the Americas, according to the non-partisan Immigration Policy Center.

Only eight percent come from Asia, two percent from Europe and two percent from other regions, according to IPC data.