15 year-old rape victim deserves flogging for separate crime of ...

Additional reporting by JJ Robinson

The religious Adhaalath Party (AP) has declared that the 15 year-old rape victim who was recently sentenced to 100 lashes and eight months of house arrest ?deserves the punishment?, as this is the penalty for fornication under Islamic Sharia.

The party, members of which largely dominate the Maldives? Ministry of Islamic Affairs, stated that the sentence of flogging had not been passed against the for being sexually abused by her stepfather, but rather for the consensual sex to which she had confessed to having on another occasion.

?The purpose of penalties like these in Islamic Sharia is to maintain order in society and to save it from sinful acts. It is not at all an act of violence. We must turn a deaf ear to the international organisations which are calling to abolish these penalties, labeling them degrading and inhumane acts or torture,? the statement read.

?No one has the right to criticise any penalties specified in Islam,? the party added.

Quoting verses from the Quran, the statement said that no citizen should be allowed to express ideas and opinions about a verdict made in accordance with the religion in a court of law in a 100 percent Muslim country.

The Adhaalath Party further cautioned that criticising issues like this would ?encourage enemies of Islam, create confusion among the general public and open up opportunities for people who aim to stop the practice of similar penalties commanded in Islam.?

?Furthermore, Allah has decreed that expressing disapproval of issues such as this contradicts with faith in Islam,? the statement continued, quoting more verses from the Quran.

?Allah has also commanded that we show no kindness when implementing these penalties.?

The party also stated that it was saddened by the physical and psychological abuse the girl had suffered at the hands of her parents, calling the state authorities to ensure they were given the punishments they were due as detailed in Islamic Sharia.

?If such sinful activities are to become this common, the society will break down and we may become deserving of divine wrath,? the Adhaalath Party stated.

Flogging amounts to degrading punishment or torture: UN

United Nations has expressed concern over the case of the 15 year-old being sentenced to flogging.

?The child is allegedly a victim of long-standing sexual abuse. Under international legal human rights obligations of Maldives, corporal punishment, including flogging, amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or even to torture,? read a statement issued by the UN in the Maldives.

? The approach to sexual abuse which has been adopted in numerous international human rights frameworks is that governments should implement prevention, prosecution of perpetrators, and protection measures to ensure that sexual abuse does not occur. Where it has occurred, governments should put in place measures for rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims.?

US ?deeply disturbed?

The US Embassy in Colombo said it was ?deeply disturbed? by the recent ruling, noting that the minor was ?also a victim of rape?.

?We call upon the Maldivian government to recognise that she must be protected rather than punished by authorities. We welcome President Waheed?s statement that his government ?will push for a review? of the decision. We urge the Maldivian judiciary to immediately drop all charges against the girl and for the Majlis to enact legislation that protects women and minors who have suffered sexual abuse.

?Promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world remains one of the greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is vital in all countries to ensure full democratic rights, regardless of culture,? the Embassy stated.

President ?saddened?

President Mohamed Waheed, who has previously insisted on the executive?s inability to interfere in judicial matters, stated on his official Twitter account yesterday: ?I am saddened by the sentence of flogging handed to a minor. Govt will push for review of this position.?

The government is currently pushing for re-election to the UN Human Rights Council and launched its campaign in Geneva today (February 28), spearheaded by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, daughter of former 30 year autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

In a statement today, the Foreign Ministry said the Maldives had prioritised its term in the Council ?by focusing on women and children?s rights and the rights of persons with disability, had been a vocal campaigner for the prevention of torture, and brought the issue of the right of all to live in a safe and clean environment to the forefront of the Council?s debate.?

In a second statement later today, the Foreign Ministry expressed ?deep concern by the prosecution and the Juvenile Court?s sentence to flog a 15 year-old girl on the charges of pre-marital sex.?

?Though the flogging will be deferred until the girl turns 18, the government believes she is the victim of sexual abuse and should be treated as such by the state and the society and therefore, her rights should be fully protected. The Government is of the view that the case merits appeal. The girl is under state care and the government will facilitate and supervise her appeal of the case, via the girl?s lawyer, to ensure that justice is done and her rights are protected,? the Ministry stated.

?The Juvenile Court?s verdict has brought home the critical and severe need to review existing mechanisms, especially legal framework, available for protecting the rights of the children in the Maldives. The government calls on all stakeholders to view cases of child abuse and child-sexual abuse through a human rights lens and to base each case on the best interest of the child.

?In view of the urgent attention required for protecting the rights of the children, the government has established a Committee to review the existing child protection mechanisms, particularly the legal mechanism, in view of the universally accepted norms and principles, and recommend to the state areas that require urgent changes,? the Ministry said.

Source: http://minivannews.com/politics/15-year-old-rape-victim-deserves-flogging-for-crime-of-fornication-adhaalath-party-53861

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US Army offers citizenship track for needed skills

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) ? Carolyne Chelulei came to the United States from Kenya on a student visa for a college education, but now the Army is offering her the chance to stay for good as a citizen.

The 23-year-old is one of several hundred immigrants whose specialized skills, either in languages or in their professional background, make them eligible for a Pentagon program that repays service in uniform with an accelerated path to citizenship.

"I am excited about it," Chelulei said while visiting in her recruiter's office. "I like helping people, and I think I will be a great asset to America, to the Army."

As debate swirls in Washington about changing the nation's policies on immigration, the Army is going ahead with offering some legal immigrants living temporarily in the U.S. a path to citizenship if they can fill certain critical jobs.

It is formally known by a mouthful of Pentagon-speak: Military Accession Vital to the National Interest, or MANVI. The Army began the program on a one-year trial basis in 2009, recruiting 789 soldiers with language skills and 143 health care professionals, said Maj. Carol Stahl, the Army program's manager in the Pentagon. Since the program re-opened at the end of September 2012, 451 linguists have enlisted in the Army with 28 different languages, as well as 19 dentists and three physicians, she said.

While immigrants have long chosen military service as a way to qualify for citizenship, the new program was developed to speed up the process for specialties the military needs during times of conflict. That makes it easier to bring in medical professionals as officers, a rank where non-citizens cannot serve, or to pursue security clearances that non-citizens would also not qualify for.

Immigrants who qualify and agree to serve for a variable number of years can get on a fast track to citizenship. The process can be completed within weeks of putting on a uniform if they meet the multiplicity of requirements, officials say. The program is being used primarily by the Army, the nation's largest service. Other service braches could, but aren't doing so at present, Stahl said.

All those in the program serve some combination of duty for eight years, Stahl said.

People who enlist like Cheluei must agree to serve four years in active duty, and then may serve an additional four years as part of the reserves. While usually considered an inactive status, people can be recalled to full-time duty, as happened during the Iraq conflict. Doctors, however, enter as officers. They may choose between three years of active duty or six years in the reserves, and then another two in the inactive reserves.

All have the option to make a career of the military if they choose and remain for 20 years to reach retirement if they have a good service record, Stahl said.

"There are many qualifications for this program," said Army recruiting spokesman Leslie Ann Sully. "It's not for everyone. The positions, and languages we are looking for, can change from time to time."

Chelulei, who attended the University of South Carolina Upstate on a cross country scholarship, has what the Army is looking for: a college degree, excellent English as well as two African languages, and the willingness to serve at least four years in uniform as a behavioral health specialist and psychiatrist's aide.

She also had been in the United States legally for more than two years, had excellent scores on her Army entry exams and passed all security checks.

Among other skills, the military is looking for linguists who can speak dozens of languages. They can range from Chinese to Czech, Albanian to Uzbek, as well as Persian Dari, Farsi, Arabic or Yoruba, spoken in western Africa.

Chelulei says her family spoke Kalenjin in her Kenyan hometown of Eldoret, and she learned English and Swahili in elementary and secondary school. She was recruited for her willingness to enter the health care field, not her languages. But to the Army, the fact she is trilingual is a plus.

In health care fields, the Army also is seeking dentists, psychiatrists, several types of physicians, nurses and clinical social workers.

Miami physician Marco Ladino Avellaneda was born in Bogota, Columbia, and came to the United States on a visa to study medicine. Now, he is a major in the Army Reserves and a kidney specialist at the veterans' Medical Center in downtown Miami.

After joining the Army Reserves, Ladino Avelleneda got his citizenship papers in a month instead of the 10 years he expected, he said in a telephone interview. And he just completed a four-month deployment to Kosovo.

"This is my country now," the now 35-year-old says of the U.S.

Margaret Stock, an immigration attorney in Anchorage, Alaska, helped draft the program several years ago for the Pentagon while serving as an Army Reservist. Having immigrants in uniform has been a standard for the U.S. military since the Revolution, she said.

"In the 1800s, about 60 percent of the troops were immigrants, primarily Irish," Stock said in a telephone interview.

The Army's program allows the military a way to fill critical jobs at a time when linguists or medical personnel need to be on call at any time around the world, Stock said.

The attorney said one side effect of the political gridlock in Washington over fixing the nation's immigration system is that talented people who have something to offer America "can't get green cards to work in this country, even if they have a high degree in education."

To become a citizen, Stock said, "they have to wait years and years and years" to work through the complex path to citizenship.

"Let's face it, the immigration system in our country is broken," said Stock. "By the time some of these people might be eligible for citizenship, they would be too old" to be eligible for the military.

Stahl and Sully both stressed that the program doesn't create any right to citizenship.

Under federal law, non-citizens who serve honorably in the military during times of combat may seek citizenship on an accelerated basis. The acceleration comes because many of the applicants are already highly educated and are able to complete their paperwork, tests, and interviews with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in a timely fashion, said Sully.

And those who enter the enlisted ranks must still go through basic training like any other soldiers. Doctors and many medical specialists enter the service as officers after completing weeks of officer training, Sully said.

Chelulei's recruiter, Sgt. Keawanyda Speaks, said she had to assure the African student-athlete that she would be able to do well in basic training, given her physical capabilities and stamina as a runner.

"I told her that if I could do it, she could do it," the 27-year-old sergeant said with a laugh.

Asked about the potential for women to be placed into combat situations during her service, Chelulei just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think it will be a problem," she said.

Immigrants who entered the United States illegally are not allowed into the program. Nor will the military help anyone outside the United States apply for a visa or enter the United States in order to enlist.

And if a soldier or Army officer doesn't complete their years of enlistment, their citizenship can be revoked.

"It's a way for the Army to increase our readiness," said Stahl.

---

Susanne M. Schafer can be reached on Twitter at

http://twitter.com/susannemarieap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-army-offers-citizenship-track-needed-skills-131307313.html

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Dr. Roach: Some breast cancer patients must watch soy intake

Dr. Roach: Some breast cancer patients must watch soy intake

Dr. Keith Roach

Dear Dr. Roach: Having been advised by oncologists to avoid all soy products in our diet (and taking an aromatase inhibitor to reduce the amount of estrogen produced by our bodies), several other estrogen receptor positive breast cancer patients and I have the following questions: How do phytoestrogens compare with estrogens produced by the body? Is soy the only food to avoid, or do other foods such as beans, nuts or coffee present a danger? Are all forms of soy equally detrimental? They seem to be everywhere (soy lecithin, soybean oil, soy protein, soy sauce, etc.). ? C.S.

Soy protein contains isoflavones, which act as weak estrogens in the body. Some studies have shown no adverse effects on breast cancer patients taking in large amounts of soy protein; however, you should continue to follow the advice of your oncologists. It?s possible that by taking in enough soy protein, you can get an elevated estrogen blood level. High blood estrogen levels are of concern in women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers, since the estrogen causes the cancers to grow.

Soy phytoestrogens are unique to soy: nuts and coffee do not have them. Similarly, since it?s the soy protein that is at issue, soy lecithin, a fat emulsifier, is not a problem. Soybean oil and soy sauce contain no protein and are also not a concern.

Dear Dr. Roach: I am 82 years old and have never had chickenpox. My physician wants me to get the chickenpox vaccine and then the shingles shot. I took my prescription to the health department, which is where I was supposed to get the chickenpox vaccine, but the nurses were reluctant to give it. Someone from disease control was supposed to call me, but so far I haven?t heard from them. My question is, if I haven?t had chickenpox, why do I need the vaccine just to take the shingles shot?

Everybody over 60 should have the vaccine for shingles, whether or not they have had chickenpox or shingles. In fact, the vaccine for shingles uses the same strain as the vaccine for chicken pox ? but the shingles vaccine is at least 14 times more potent. The American Council on Immunization Practices recommends just the shingles vaccine for people who have never had chickenpox. Just get the shingles vaccine.

DR. KEITH ROACH IS A SYNDICATED COLUMNIST WITH NORTH AMERICA SYNDICATE INC., P.O. BOX 536475, ORLANDO, FL 32853-6475.

Source: http://lubbockonline.com/health/2013-02-27/dr-roach-some-breast-cancer-patients-must-watch-soy-intake

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Utah liquor bill aims to take down 'Zion curtains'

Manager Dustin Humes fixes a drink in a small room which is out of the view of patrons at Vivace Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manager Dustin Humes fixes a drink in a small room which is out of the view of patrons at Vivace Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manager Lindsay Pitts makes a mojito in the bar which is beyond the view of patrons, in the kitchen of La Jolla Groves Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manager Dustin Humes inspects a wine glass in a small room which is out of the view of patrons at Vivace Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manager Dustin Humes holds wine bottles in a small room which is out of the view of patrons at Vivace Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manager Lindsay Pitts walks around the bar which is beyond the view of patrons in the kitchen of La Jolla Groves Restaurant Monday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are considering repealing a law that requires restaurants to mix alcoholic drinks out of view from patrons. Commonly known as ?Zion curtains,? the mandate went into effect for restaurants in 2010 as part of a compromise when lawmakers lifted a mandate for bars to operate as members-only social clubs. The rule does not apply to restaurants that opened before 2010. A House committee is expected to discuss the bill Wednesday. Restaurant owners and tourism officials say the law is unnecessary and hinders tourism. But some lawmakers say that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) ? Wine spritzers are a favorite at Rovali's near Salt Lake City. Behind the bar, in full view of patrons, waiters siphon soda and syrup into glasses of ice ? then they duck behind a fake olive tree and a barricade to add the chardonnay.

Utah's famously strict liquor laws forbid the restaurant from pouring alcohol in front of customers. The ban is based on the idea that the state should shield the mixing of cocktails and pouring of drinks from children. The so-called "Zion curtains" went up around the state as part of a compromise after lawmakers lifted a mandate in 2010 requiring bars to operate as members-only social clubs.

But this year, the curtains may be coming down.

Utah lawmakers are considering whether to repeal the requirement, a move that would ease restrictions and encourage new business. Right now, the requirement applies to restaurants that have been in operation for less than three years.

Doing away with the curtain would mark yet another small step by the state to relax its liquor laws.

Lawmakers have introduced a handful of pending bills this year that would ease Utah liquor regulations, including a measure allowing customers to order a drink before they order food and another to make more liquor licenses available to restaurants.

They are scheduled to discuss whether to do away with the curtains Wednesday; the measure has not yet been voted on by either chamber.

The Zion curtains have a long history in the state, and its nickname nods to Utah's legacy as home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The barriers first went up decades ago in the social clubs that existed before bars were legalized in 2009, unmistakable glass walls separating customers from bartenders.

Those who oppose the Zion curtains say the law forces restaurant owners to waste money and space on configurations to keep bartenders out of sight of patrons using barriers or strategically positioned service bars. Curtain opponents also say the law hinders tourism by annoying outsiders and reinforcing their perception of Utah as staunchly sober.

At Rovali's, an Italian restaurant in Ogden that opened in 2010, waiters explain the state's befuddling liquor laws to out-of-towners and, Montanez said, "you see the eye roll."

"That kind of stifles guests," he said. "They're a little rankled by these weird laws."

Some lawmakers warn that removing the mandate could encourage underage drinking and influence customers to drink too much.

The majority of Utah legislators and residents belong to the Mormon church, which teaches its members to abstain from alcohol.

"Alcohol is a drug," said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, who opposes the law. "It has social costs. We have DUIs. We have underage drinkers. We have problems that are caused by drinking."

Valentine said he would consider supporting the proposal if the state promised trade-offs such as bulking up police presence around restaurants and nearby roads, or a measure keeping children from entering restaurants serving liquor.

For restaurant owners moving into existing spaces, the law presents a nightmare, said Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden. Restaurants sometimes have to cut into floor space, he said, where more tables should be.

"It really just hampers the new guys, the little guys," Wilcox said. "A lot of these guys, too, they're not large operators. They've got one shop: 'This is my restaurant. My lifelong dream. I've invested everything into this.'"

At Rovali's, Montanez plays sommelier for guests who order wine service, setting off a presentation that underscores the patchwork nature of current laws. Montanez opens the wine at the table and invites guests to sniff the cork. If they purchase the bottle, he can pour and serve the bottle. If they order by the glass, however, he must slip away to pour the drink behind a partition.

"Everything we do is show," Montanez said, likening the visible pouring of drinks to a dessert cart.

The display of pastries and sweets bolsters dessert sales at the restaurant by about 15 percent, he said. In comparison, Montanez estimates that removing the curtain would boost wine sales by a similar margin.

"You can't get creative, that's for sure," he said of the partition. "You have to stick with the rules."

Melva Sine, president of the Utah Restaurant Association, said the curtain mandate confuses diners and raises eyebrows. Utah should impose one set of rules for all restaurants, regardless of their start date, Sine said.

"It lessens consumer confidence: What's the reason that you're doing this in the back room?" she said.

Sine rejects the notion that the visible flow of liquor would tempt youngsters to drink.

"We have got to stop feeling like everyone who drinks alcohol is doing something wrong," she said. "We all want people to go out and enjoy themselves and be responsible."

___

Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-27-Utah%20Liquor%20Laws/id-635954f8cdb3438a92bd5eed585b48e0

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Reminder: Spring into TEGRA Contest Ending Soon!

Quick reminder for all that the 'Spring into TEGRA' contest is ending real soon (March 1st at 11:59 PM EST). Be sure to check out the contest details below and submit your entry for a chance to win one of TWO HTC One X+ devices!*

To enter, simply follow these three steps:

1. Take a picture of yourself with your tired and worn out mobile device.
2. Head over to the official contest thread.
3. Post the picture, AND tell us why you absolutely NEED a new HTC One X+.

That's all there really is to it! Head over to the official contest thread and get your entry in. You never know… with a little luck and creativity (hint, hint!) you may end up with a brand new device at your front door.

* Contest closes on March 1, 2013, at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be selected shortly thereafter via PM and e-mail. ONE entry per person. Contest open to all Android Central members.

Good luck!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/aq7FFX8TDa4/story01.htm

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Two injured in shooting at Ohio temple

By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC News

Two people are injured and a suspect is in custody following a shooting in the parking lot of a Mormon temple in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday afternoon, NBC affiliate WCMH reported.

The shooting took place in the parking lot of the Columbus Ohio Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at about 4:45 p.m.

Columbus police told WCMH they have a male suspect in custody.

He and one of the victims were transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical but stable condition, according to WCMH.

A second victim was taken to Mount Carmel Hospital West also in critical but stable condition.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/26/17105967-two-injured-in-shooting-at-ohio-temple?lite

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U-M study challenges notion of using Herceptin only for HER2-positive breast cancer

Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System

Breast cancer stem cells express HER2, even in 'negative' tumors, study finds

ANN ARBOR, Mich. New research from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center finds that the protein HER2 plays a role even in breast cancers that would traditionally be categorized as HER2-negative and that the drug Herceptin, which targets HER2, may have an even greater role for treating breast cancer and preventing its spread.

About 20 percent of women with breast cancer have tumors labeled HER2-positive. And since the drug Herceptin has come on the scene, it has had a tremendous impact on survival for these women, particularly when it is given in the adjuvant setting, after surgery to remove the primary cancer. The new findings have potential implications for an additional 65 percent of women with breast cancer.

A recent study based on new analyses of old data found some tumors were incorrectly categorized as HER2-positive and as a result those women received adjuvant Herceptin. It turns out, they benefited as much from the treatment as woman with actual HER2-positive cancer.

"We now provide a molecular explanation for the surprising finding that adjuvant Herceptin benefited some women with HER2-negative breast cancer. If this is confirmed in clinical trials, it could alter our approach to breast cancer treatment," says study author Max S. Wicha, M.D., distinguished professor of oncology and director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center.

At this point, patients with HER2-negative breast cancer are not advised to take Herceptin.

The explanation is that HER2 is selectively expressed in the cancer stem cells of many HER2-negative breast tumors. Because the stem cells represent such a small number of cells in a tumor, the amount of HER2 is not high enough to meet the threshold for a HER2-positive cancer.

The researchers had previously shown HER2 plays an important role in cancer stem cells the small number of cells in a tumor that fuel its growth and spread. These cells represent 1 percent to 5 percent of all the cells in a tumor. They are resistant to current chemotherapy and radiation treatments but since they express HER2, they are effectively targeted by Herceptin.

Further, the researchers in this new study found that for tumors classified as HER2-negative, HER2 levels were higher in bone metastases compared to the primary breast tumor. Bone is the most frequent site to which breast cancer spreads.

The researchers administered Herceptin to mice with these bone lesions and found that it was most effective when given early, when tumors were small or mere "micrometastases." In these cases, Herceptin almost completely blocked the tumors from growing. When the drug was given later, after tumors were established, it had little effect.

"We have shown that the bone microenvironment induces HER2 expression in these tumors. If Herceptin can target bone micrometastases, then administering it to patients before metastases develop could help reduce tumor recurrence," says study author Hasan Korkaya, Ph.D., research assistant professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School.

The implications of this finding are that we need cancer treatments that target the small number of cancer stem cells in addition to traditional chemotherapies that eliminate the bulk tumor cells. This means that merely looking at whether a tumor shrinks is not good enough to determine whether the treatment will have long term benefit.

"This work has very significant implications for how we have developed adjuvant therapies. The idea of using drugs that cause tumors to shrink, which has been the accepted paradigm for developing therapies, is flawed. Our work suggests that adjuvant therapies will need to target the cancer stem cell population. Eliminating cancer stem cells by effective adjuvant therapies should prevent tumor recurrence, ultimately resulting in more cures," Wicha says.

###

A large randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is currently open at U-M and other sites across the country to address this question. Patients whose tumors are not considered HER2-positive by classic testing should not receive Herceptin outside of this trial. For information about the trial, call the U-M Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

Additional authors: Suthinee Ithimakin, Kathleen C. Day, Fayaz Malik, Qin Zen, Scott J. Dawsey, Tom F. Bersano-Begey, Ahmed A. Quraishi, Kathleen Woods Ignatoski, Stephanie Daignault, April Davis, Christopher L. Hall, Nallasivam Palanisamy, Amber N. Heath, Nader Tawakkol, Tahra K. Luther, Shawn G. Clouthier, Whitney A. Chadwick, Mark L. Day, Celina G. Kleer, Dafydd G. Thomas, Daniel F. Hayes

Funding: National Cancer Institute grants CA129765 and CA101860; Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Komen for the Cure; Taubman Institute at the University of Michigan; Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation of New York/QVC Presents Shoes-On-Sale; Stand Up to Cancer grant SU2C-AACR DT0409

Disclosure: Max Wicha has financial holdings in OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, receives support from Dompe and MedImmune and serves on the scientific advisory board of Veristem; Hasan Korkaya receives research support from MedImmune; Daniel Hayes has received research support from Pfizer, Novartis and Veridex and holds stock options for his role on the scientific advisory board for OncImmune.

Reference: Cancer Research, published online Feb. 26, 2013

Resources:

U-M Cancer AnswerLine, 800-865-1125
U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, www.mcancer.org
Clinical trials at U-M, www.UMClinicalStudies.org/cancer

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System

Breast cancer stem cells express HER2, even in 'negative' tumors, study finds

ANN ARBOR, Mich. New research from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center finds that the protein HER2 plays a role even in breast cancers that would traditionally be categorized as HER2-negative and that the drug Herceptin, which targets HER2, may have an even greater role for treating breast cancer and preventing its spread.

About 20 percent of women with breast cancer have tumors labeled HER2-positive. And since the drug Herceptin has come on the scene, it has had a tremendous impact on survival for these women, particularly when it is given in the adjuvant setting, after surgery to remove the primary cancer. The new findings have potential implications for an additional 65 percent of women with breast cancer.

A recent study based on new analyses of old data found some tumors were incorrectly categorized as HER2-positive and as a result those women received adjuvant Herceptin. It turns out, they benefited as much from the treatment as woman with actual HER2-positive cancer.

"We now provide a molecular explanation for the surprising finding that adjuvant Herceptin benefited some women with HER2-negative breast cancer. If this is confirmed in clinical trials, it could alter our approach to breast cancer treatment," says study author Max S. Wicha, M.D., distinguished professor of oncology and director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center.

At this point, patients with HER2-negative breast cancer are not advised to take Herceptin.

The explanation is that HER2 is selectively expressed in the cancer stem cells of many HER2-negative breast tumors. Because the stem cells represent such a small number of cells in a tumor, the amount of HER2 is not high enough to meet the threshold for a HER2-positive cancer.

The researchers had previously shown HER2 plays an important role in cancer stem cells the small number of cells in a tumor that fuel its growth and spread. These cells represent 1 percent to 5 percent of all the cells in a tumor. They are resistant to current chemotherapy and radiation treatments but since they express HER2, they are effectively targeted by Herceptin.

Further, the researchers in this new study found that for tumors classified as HER2-negative, HER2 levels were higher in bone metastases compared to the primary breast tumor. Bone is the most frequent site to which breast cancer spreads.

The researchers administered Herceptin to mice with these bone lesions and found that it was most effective when given early, when tumors were small or mere "micrometastases." In these cases, Herceptin almost completely blocked the tumors from growing. When the drug was given later, after tumors were established, it had little effect.

"We have shown that the bone microenvironment induces HER2 expression in these tumors. If Herceptin can target bone micrometastases, then administering it to patients before metastases develop could help reduce tumor recurrence," says study author Hasan Korkaya, Ph.D., research assistant professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School.

The implications of this finding are that we need cancer treatments that target the small number of cancer stem cells in addition to traditional chemotherapies that eliminate the bulk tumor cells. This means that merely looking at whether a tumor shrinks is not good enough to determine whether the treatment will have long term benefit.

"This work has very significant implications for how we have developed adjuvant therapies. The idea of using drugs that cause tumors to shrink, which has been the accepted paradigm for developing therapies, is flawed. Our work suggests that adjuvant therapies will need to target the cancer stem cell population. Eliminating cancer stem cells by effective adjuvant therapies should prevent tumor recurrence, ultimately resulting in more cures," Wicha says.

###

A large randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is currently open at U-M and other sites across the country to address this question. Patients whose tumors are not considered HER2-positive by classic testing should not receive Herceptin outside of this trial. For information about the trial, call the U-M Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

Additional authors: Suthinee Ithimakin, Kathleen C. Day, Fayaz Malik, Qin Zen, Scott J. Dawsey, Tom F. Bersano-Begey, Ahmed A. Quraishi, Kathleen Woods Ignatoski, Stephanie Daignault, April Davis, Christopher L. Hall, Nallasivam Palanisamy, Amber N. Heath, Nader Tawakkol, Tahra K. Luther, Shawn G. Clouthier, Whitney A. Chadwick, Mark L. Day, Celina G. Kleer, Dafydd G. Thomas, Daniel F. Hayes

Funding: National Cancer Institute grants CA129765 and CA101860; Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Komen for the Cure; Taubman Institute at the University of Michigan; Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation of New York/QVC Presents Shoes-On-Sale; Stand Up to Cancer grant SU2C-AACR DT0409

Disclosure: Max Wicha has financial holdings in OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, receives support from Dompe and MedImmune and serves on the scientific advisory board of Veristem; Hasan Korkaya receives research support from MedImmune; Daniel Hayes has received research support from Pfizer, Novartis and Veridex and holds stock options for his role on the scientific advisory board for OncImmune.

Reference: Cancer Research, published online Feb. 26, 2013

Resources:

U-M Cancer AnswerLine, 800-865-1125
U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, www.mcancer.org
Clinical trials at U-M, www.UMClinicalStudies.org/cancer

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uomh-usc022113.php

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LG reportedly hedges Android bet with webOS acquisition

LG

Try though it might, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) just can?t seem to kill Palm?s legacy. With Samsung (005930) dominating the Android market and Google (GOOG) getting ready to finally make serious use of its $12.5 billion Motorola buy, LG (066570) is seemingly looking to hedge its Android bet. CNET on Monday confirmed that LG has acquired the webOS source code along with??related documentation, engineering talent, and related webOS websites??from HP. The vendor reportedly only has plans to use the operating system on smart TVs, but as we?ve learned numerous times in the past, nothing is set in stone when it comes to webOS.

[More from BGR: Did Barnes & Noble just kill off Nook?]

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lg-reportedly-hedges-android-bet-webos-acquisition-144531019.html

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Small steps forward sought in Iran nuclear talks

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) ? Seeking even a small step forward in a yearslong dispute, negotiators from Iran and six world powers mulled options Tuesday for preserving Tehran's nuclear program while still trying to keep it from becoming an atomic arsenal.

It was the latest meeting in excruciatingly technical diplomatic discussions. Iran spent the day studying a new offer from the West to curb some tough international sanctions that have ravaged its economy in exchange for limiting its uranium enrichment and other activities that could be used to make weapons.

Talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, were due to continue for a second day Wednesday, but diplomats at the negotiations warned that a major breakthrough was unlikely.

Western negotiators say they have brought small, if significant, proposals that should prove tempting to Tehran, although they have declined to divulge any details.

"The Iranians went away to consider our proposal during the course of the afternoon and the evening," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading the negotiations. "There was a useful discussion on that proposal."

He said Iran is "in breach of their international obligations, therefore the onus is on them to begin the process of building confidence."

Mehdi Mohammadi, a member of the Iranian delegation, said Tehran will make an offer of its own to end the deadlock but is resisting some of the West's core demands.

The Obama administration is pushing for diplomacy to solve the impasse but has not ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

"Our proposal includes reciprocal measures that encourage Iran to make concrete steps," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in Berlin. "My hope is Iran will make its choice to move down the path to a diplomatic solution."

Israel has threatened it will use all means to stop Iran from being able to build a bomb, potentially as soon as this summer, raising the specter of a possible Mideast war. In Jerusalem, former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called Tuesday on the international community to take more "significant" steps to dislodge Iran from its nuclear program. Lieberman, who is acting head of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in Israeli's parliament, did not elaborate, but Israeli officials often hint at a possible military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Sanctions alone will not be enough to rein in those same extremists from their goal to achieve nuclear capabilities and the time has come to move toward steps that are much more significant than the talks and sanctions that we've seen to date," said Lieberman.

Lieberman resigned from his post as foreign minister in December amid legal troubles but remains a top political ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Off-and-on talks between Iran and the world powers ? the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany ? began after the six offered Tehran a series of incentives in 2006 exchange for a commitment from Tehran to stop enrichment and other activities that could be used to make weapons.

A senior U.S. official at the talks said some sanctions relief would be part of the offer to Iran but refused to elaborate. The official acknowledged reports earlier this month that sanctions would be eased to allow Iran's gold trade to progress, but would neither confirm nor deny they are included in the new relief offer, and spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic talks more candidly.

Before the talks began Tuesday, the Interfax news agency cited Russia's envoy as saying the easing of sanctions was possible only if Iran can assure the world that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes. China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said diplomacy offered the only route to resolve the dispute and called for all sides to show flexibility, calling the Iranian nuclear issue "very complicated and sensitive."

Members of the Chinese and Iranian delegations met at a bilateral session before the main talks got under way.

Interfax cited an unidentified Iranian delegation member as saying Iran might also hold one-on-one talks with Russia, but ruled out direct negotiations with the United States in Almaty.

Officials from both sides have set low expectations for a breakthrough in Almaty ? the first time the high-level negotiators have met since last June's meeting in Moscow that threatened to derail the delicate efforts.

While Mann acknowledged the Almaty talks would unlikely lead to a firm outcome, he insisted that it remained an important stepping stone toward a definitive solution.

"We're not interested in talks just for talk's sake. We're not here to talk, we're here to make concrete progress," Mann said.

The first session of talks were held in private at a hotel in Almaty and were deemed so sensitive that reporters were not allowed on the premises Tuesday save for a handful of TV cameras and photographers allowed to watch Ashton greet Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Tehran maintains it is enriching uranium only to make reactor fuel and medical isotopes, and insists it has a right to do so under international law. It has signaled it does not intend to stop, and U.N. nuclear inspectors last week confirmed Iran has begun a major upgrade of its program at the country's main uranium enrichment site.

Over the last eight months, the international community has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Iran, hoping they would be so painful that the Islamic republic's clerical regime would slow its nuclear program out of a moral obligation to its public. Negotiators now hope that easing some sanctions will make Tehran more agreeable to halting production of 20 percent enriched uranium ? the highest grade of enrichment that Iran has acknowledged and one that experts say could be turned into warhead grade in a matter of months.

World powers also want Iran to suspend enrichment in its underground Fordo nuclear facility, and to ship its stockpile of high-grade uranium out of the country.

Mohammadi said shuttering Fordo was "out of the question" and that Iran first wants the U.N. Security Council to withdraw all of the sanctions it has heaped on the nation.

Iran has been unimpressed with earlier offers by the powers to provide it with medical isotopes and lift sanctions on spare parts for civilian airliners, and new bargaining chips that Tehran sees as minor are likely to be snubbed as well.

Iran insists, as a starting point, that world powers must recognize the republic's right to enrich uranium.

___

Associated Press writers Charles Hutzler in Beijing, Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, George Jahn in Vienna and Matt Lee in Berlin contributed to this report.

Follow Lara Jakes on Twitter at https://twitter.com/larajakesAP and Peter Leonard at https://twitter.com/pete_leonard

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/small-steps-forward-sought-iran-nuclear-talks-171653913.html

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ASUS PadFone Infinity announced: 5-inch, 1080p display, Snapdragon 600 CPU and full HD tablet display (hands-on)

You may have heard a new PadFone was on the way -- it's not like ASUS has been dropping obvious hints or anything. In any case, surprise! ASUS just unveiled a new model, the PadFone Infinity. Like other PadFones, this is a handset that slips into a tablet-like dock, allowing you to make use of a bigger screen. This time, though, it ships with Android 4.2, and the display has grown from 4.7 inches to 5. The resolution is now 1080p (up from 720p), which comes out to 441 pixels per inch. Additionally, the tablet's 10.1-inch screen has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, up from 1,280 x 800 in the last-gen model. It's plenty bright, too, at 400 nits, but that's a slight step down from the last-gen model, which lit up to 500 nits.

What's more, the phone's gotten an upgrade on the inside: it now packs a quad-core, 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip with an Adreno 320 GPU, some of the freshest components Qualcomm has to offer at the moment. Also on-board, you get 2GB of RAM to help boost performance, with your choice of either 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. As far as connectivity, you're looking at EDGE, GPRS, GSM, WCDMA, LTE and DC-HSPA+, along with all the usual radios: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS and even GLONASS. According to an ASUS rep, the device uses a nano-SIM rather than micro-SIM. Around back, ASUS has added a 13-megapixel autofocusing camera with an LED flash, five-element, f/2.0 lens and burst shooting at eight fps. There's a front camera too, capped at 2MP, in case you want to do the occasional video chat. Meanwhile, a slightly bigger 2,400mAh battery promises up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, and up to 40 with the dock attached.

Like every other PadFone that's been released, this won't be available in the US, but the phone-and-dock combo will cost £799 / €999 when it goes on sale in Europe this April. The phone is also headed to Asia, though we don't have any more details. You'll also have your choice of colors, we hear: gray, gold and hot pink, if that's what you're into. Check out our hands-on gallery for a closer look.

Update: Hands-on photos and videos now added. You're welcome.

Gallery: ASUS PadFone Infinity hands-on

Gallery: ASUS PadFone Infinity

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/eq_SZQW1QhY/

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Firefox Smartphones Coming Soon - Business Insider

ZTE

ZTE Firefox OS smartphone

Mozilla today announced big progress with its new smartphone operating system.

We've been hearing dribbles and drabs about Firefox OS all year long. It will launch first in Europe but Mozilla also announced that Sprint has signed on.

That's the first U.S. carrier.

The European carriers will be selling it starting in mid-2013. Manufacturers of the phones so far include Alcatel, LG and ZTE, Huawei.

U.S. users can get their hands on the OS by installing it on an Android phone. Plus, a company called Geeksphone makes the device.

The Verge's Chris Ziegler, who was living blogging today's press conference at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, wasn't too impressed with the ZTE Open. He called it "an extremely low-end device."

Quality aside, this is an interesting experiment by Mozilla. This smartphone OS is built entirely from Web standards, like HTML5, and "free from the rules and restrictions of existing proprietary platforms," Mozilla says.

All told Mozilla announced 18 mobile operator partners in nine countries.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/firefox-smartphones-coming-soon-2013-2

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Editorial: Cal basketball coach Mike Montgomery should not have shoved Allen Cra...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/dailycal/posts/144258272404083

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War Threat Against Iran Increases as London's Puppets Hype Iran's "Nuclear Threat"

War Threat Against Iran Increases as London's Puppets Hype Iran's "Nuclear Threat"

With less than a week to go before the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council + Germany) meet with Iran in Kazakstan to discuss Tehran's nuclear program, a slew of attacks has been unleashed suggesting that Iran is speeding up its nuclear power program. Now that the terrorist-led regime-change policy in Syria has virtually run aground, a fresh effort is being launched by the London-inspired Saudi, Qatari, Israeli, and Western circles to point to the threat allegedly posed by Iran.

As an opener, in a confidential report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said 180 so-called IR-2m centrifuges and empty centrifuge casings had been hooked up at the plant near the central town of Natanz. That confidential report was immediately seized upon by both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the U.S. State Department. On Feb. 22, Reuters reported Netanyahu saying that Iran is closer today than ever before to obtaining the necessary enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb. He termed the IAEA confidential report "very grave," and said it proved that Iran is moving swiftly toward the red line he set out at the UN in September. He had said during that address that Iran must be stopped before it crosses that line, something he said at the time could happen as early as the spring.

In Washington, on the same day, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the installation "would be a further escalation and a continuing violation of Iran's obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and IAEA board resolutions." "So," she said, "it would mark yet another provocative step."

The IAEA confidential report also pointed out that Iran has almost completed installation of cooling and moderator-circuit piping in the heavy water plant near the town of Arak in Iran. Western nuclear analysts say this type of reactor could yield plutonium for nuclear arms if the spent fuel is reprocessed ? never mind the fact that the IAEA is tracing and accounting for every gram in realtime. "The Arak facility is a growing source of concern," said Mark Fitzpatrick, director of the non-proliferation and disarmament program of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think-tank.

Source: http://larouchepac.com/node/25601

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US Troops In Africa To Build A New Drone Base

The Drone War is expanding as al Qaeda surges across much of Africa. US troops have arrived in Niger in an expansion of the president's Drone War. The Drone War is the way the American left tries to fight conflicts overseas. Here's the story:

"President Obama announced Friday that about 100 U.S. troops have been deployed to the West African country of Niger, where defense officials said they are setting up a drone base to spy on al-Qaeda fighters in the Sahara.

It was the latest step by the Pentagon to increase its intelligence-gathering across Africa in response to what officials see as a rising threat from militant groups...

In response to the proliferation of extremist groups, the Pentagon has greatly expanded its base network for drones and other surveillance aircraft across Africa.

...In a letter to Congress, Obama said about 40 U.S. service members arrived in Niger on Wednesday, bringing the total number of troops based there to ?approximately? 100. He said the troops, which are armed for self-protection, would support a French-led military operation in neighboring Mali, where al-Qaeda fighters and other militants have carved out a refuge in a remote territory the size of Texas.

The base in Niger marks the opening of another far-flung U.S. military front against al-Qaeda and its affiliates, adding to drone combat missions in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia. The CIA is also conducting drone airstrikes against al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan and Yemen..."

Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...2a9_story.html

Source: http://www.politicalforum.com/latest-world-news/290900-us-troops-africa-build-new-drone-base-new-post.html

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Progressive Tax-Exempt Group?s Secret Plan to ?Eviscerate,? ?Cripple? GOP

Posted on | February 23, 2013 | 5 Comments

Blueprint NC is ?a nonprofit that coordinates the activities of liberal-leaning nonprofits? in North Carolina?and when this 501(c) group?s communications director Stephanie Bass forwarded a strategy memo to member organizations, she included a disclaimer:

?CONFIDENTIAL to Blueprint, so please be careful?? share with your boards and appropriate staff, but not the whole world.?

Oops.?The memo got?leaked to reporter Mark Binker at WRAL in Raleigh. The contents are quite disturbing and clearly partisan:

?The most effective way to mitigate the worst legislation is to weaken our opponents? ability to govern by crippling their leaders (McCrory, Tillis, Berger, etc?)? the memo reads, referring to the governor, House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger.
The memo goes on to describe a ?potential two-year vision? during which the groups would ?eviscerate the leadership and weaken their ability to govern.?

Matt Vespa at PJ Tatler has many more details on the shocking partisanship carried out by this tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) group.

Let me bring this a little closer to home for regular readers: Why do you think I?ve devoted so much coverage to Bill Schmalfeldt?s relentless harassment of Lee Stranahan?

Perhaps a?better question: Do you suppose Stranahan was randomly selected for this harassment? Can?t you see that Lee?s association with Breitbart.com is the motive for the attacks on him, and?isn?t it obvious that this is part of a much larger strategy by the Left to discredit, suppress or silence?conservative journalists?

Thanks to journalists like Mark Binker and Matt Vespa, we know how Blueprint NC orchestrated an?effort to ?cripple? and ?eviscerate? Republicans in North Carolina, but how many strategy memos like this ? how many conference calls and?private e-mails ? never leak out of their ?confidential? channels? And if the Left can shut down Lee Stranahan, what?s to stop them from shutting down Matt Binker or Matt Vespa or anyone else they decide to target?

People need to wake up to what?s really going on. The Left isn?t just trying to win elections and pass legislation. The Left has totalitarian ambitions to destroy all opposition and silence all dissent.

?

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheOtherMccain/~3/tgMlCgfzoEc/

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Conlon extends LA Opera contract through 2017-18

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? James Conlon has extended his contract as music director of the Los Angeles Opera through the 2017-18 season.

The 62-year-old's new deal was announced Wednesday. He was hired in 2004 to start with the 2006-07 season, and he extended previously in 2007 and 2010. His current agreement ran through the 2012-13 season.

Conlon has conducted 18 company premieres, 33 different operas at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and 190 main stage performances with the LA Opera.

He also has been music director of the Ravinia Festival outside Chicago since 2005 and of the Cincinnati May Festival since 1979.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/conlon-extends-la-opera-contract-2017-18-030145223.html

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How Pornography Addiction Works and Affects Your Life (Update: Or Not!)

For all the jokes, pornography addiction is a real and actual addiction. Really. Stop laughing. I'm serious. No, it's— Look. Porn works like any other addictive substance: It re-wires your brain in ways that make you need it, and probably proves harmful to the rest of your life. (See update below) More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Dg9-T0zb-rQ/how-pornography-addiction-works-and-affects-your-life

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Apple hit by hackers who targeted Facebook

BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc was recently attacked by hackers who infected Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure describing the widest known cyber attacks targeting Apple computers used by corporations.

Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers.

The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch attacks against Facebook , which the social network disclosed on Friday.

The malware was also employed in attacks against Mac computers used by "other companies," Apple said, without elaborating on the scale of the assault.

Twitter, which disclosed that it had been breached February 1 and that hackers might gave accessed some information on about 250,000 users, was hit in the same campaign, according to a person close to the investigation.

Another person briefed on the case said that hundreds of companies, including defense contractors, had been infected with the same malicious software. Though this person said that the malware could have originated from China, there was no proof.

"This is a new campaign. It's not like the other ones you read about where everyone can tell it's China," the first person said.

Investigations into the breaches are ongoing. It was not immediately clear when the attacks had begun, the extent to which the hackers had succeeded in stealing data from targeted systems, or whether all infected machines have been identified.

The malware was distributed at least in part through a site aimed at iPhone developers, which might still be infecting visitors who haven't disabled Java in their browser, the person close to the case said. There is a version that infects computers running Microsoft Windows as well.

Security firm F-Secure wrote that the attackers might have been trying to get access to the code for apps on smartphones, seeking a way to infect millions of end-users. It urged developers to check their source code for unintended changes.

Apple disclosed the breach as tensions are heating up over U.S. allegations that the Chinese military engages in cyber espionage on U.S. companies.

U.S. cyber security firm Mandiant reported over the weekend that it has uncovered evidence that the Chinese military is behind a slew of cyber attacks on U.S. businesses. The White House said it has repeatedly raised concerns about Chinese cyber theft with Beijing.

The breaches described by Apple mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Mac computers. Hackers have traditionally focused on attacking machines running the Windows operating system, though they have gradually turned their attention to Apple products over the past couple of years as the company gained market share over Microsoft Corp .

"This is the first really big attack on Macs," said the source, who declined to be identified because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. "Apple has more on its hands than the attack on itself."

Charlie Miller, a prominent expert on Apple security who is co-author of the Mac Hacker's Handbook, said the attacks show that criminal hackers are investing more time studying the Mac OS X operating system so they can attack Apple computers.

For example, he noted, hackers recently figured out a fairly sophisticated way to attack Macs by exploiting a flaw in Adobe Systems Inc's Flash software.

"The only thing that was making it safe before is that nobody bothered to attack it. That goes away if somebody bothers to attack it," Miller said.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Cyber security attacks have been on the rise. In last week's State of the Union address, U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order seeking better protection of the country's critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.

White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the Obama administration has repeatedly taken up its concerns about Chinese cyber theft with Beijing, including the country's military. There was no indication as to whether the group described by Mandiant was involved in the attacks described by Apple and Facebook.

An Apple spokesman declined to specify how many companies had been breached in the campaign targeting Macs, saying he could not elaborate further on the statement it provided.

"Apple has identified malware which infected a limited number of Mac systems through a vulnerability in the Java plug-in for browsers. The malware was employed in an attack against Apple and other companies, and was spread through a website for software developers," the statement said.

"We identified a small number of systems within Apple that were infected and isolated them from our network. There is no evidence that any data left Apple," it continued.

The statement said Apple was working closely with law enforcement to find the culprits, but the spokesman would not elaborate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment.

Apple said it plans to release a piece of software on Tuesday that customers can use to identify and repair Macs infected with the malware used in the attacks.

(Editing by Andre Grenon, Edwin Chan and Richard Chang)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-apple-hit-hackers-targeted-facebook-last-week-182005220.html

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