Jason Mraz tops Myanmar anti-trafficking concert

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz mixed entertainment with education to become the first world-class entertainer in decades to perform in Myanmar, with a concert to raise awareness of human trafficking.

Mraz's 2008 hit "I'm Yours" was the finale for Sunday night's concert before a crowd of about 50,000 people at the base of the famous hilltop Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, the country's biggest city.

Local artists, including a hip-hop singer, also played at the event organized by the anti-trafficking media group MTV EXIT ? for "End Exploitation and Trafficking" ?in cooperation with U.S. and Australian government aid agencies and the anti-slavery organization Walk Free.

Myanmar is emerging from decades of isolation under a reformist elected government that took office last year after almost five decades of military rule. It has been one of the region's poorest countries, and its bad human rights record made it the target of political and economic sanctions by Western nations.

But democratic reforms initiated by President Thein Sein have led to the lifting of most sanctions, and the country is hopeful of a political and economic revival. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy opposition leader, was released from house arrest in late 2010 and won a seat in parliament last April.

Mraz called his top-billed appearance at the concert a "tremendous honor."

"I think the country is, at this time, downloading lots of new information from all around the world," he said. "I've always wanted my music to be here, (for) hope and celebration, peace, love and happiness. And so I'm delighted that my music can be a part of this big download that Myanmar is experiencing right now."

Organizers said Mraz was the first international artist to perform at an open-air, mass public concert in Myanmar. Jazz artists Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Charlie Byrd visited the country under U.S. government sponsorship in the 1970s, when it was still called Burma, but played at much smaller venues.

Many in the crowd queued for two hours before being admitted to the concert site. Yangon native Sann Oo, 31, wearing a white T-shirt with a sketch of Mraz, said he was pleased that Mraz had come and that there would be a broadcast of the event.

"His visit can promote the image of Myanmar, because people outside have been seeing the country as an insecure place, and poor," he said. "Now they can see how we look like from the concert. It also opens the potential for more concerts by foreign artists."

Mraz has a history of involvement with human rights and other social causes.

But there was some criticism of his visit by campaigners for Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya community, which has been the target of ethnic-based violence this year that has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes into makeshift refugee camps. They feel Myanmar's government has been complicit in the discrimination, and that Mraz's visit provides it cover with the image of being a defender of human rights.

Mraz said he was aware of the issue, but that if he didn't come to do the concert because someone else had asked him to protest another problem, then that would not help tackle the exploitation and human trafficking issue.

"I understand that there is a lot of wrongdoing in this world," he said. "Today I'm here for this."

Walk Free used the occasion of Sunday's concert to launch a campaign calling on the world's major corporations "to work together to end modern slavery by identifying, eradicating and preventing forced labor in their operations and supply chains." They are seeking to have the companies make a "zero tolerance for slavery pledge" by the end of March next year.

"While many think of slavery as a relic of history, experts estimate that there are currently 20.9 million people living under threat of violence, abuse and harsh penalties," the Australia-based group said in a statement. "Within this massive number, the majority of people - more than 14.2 million - are in a forced labor situation, used to source raw materials, and create products in sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and domestic work."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jason-mraz-tops-myanmar-anti-trafficking-concert-175448791.html

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Brazil Court Suspends Congress Vote On Oil Royalties Bill Veto

BRASILIA - Brazil's supreme court Monday issued an injunction suspending a planned congressional vote this week to override a veto by President Dilma Rousseff on a bill that would broadly distribute royalty revenues from oil production to states all around the country.

Brazil's congress was scheduled to hold the vote Tuesday evening.

Supreme Court justice Luiz Fux granted the injunction after representatives from oil-producing states requested the suspension.

"This was a correct decision by the supreme court," said congressman Alessandro Molon of Rio de Janeiro state following the injunction. "It re-establishes constitutional rules."

In reaction, however, Senate president Jose Sarney said the senate planned to file an appeal in favor of the vote, and expected a court opinion on the matter before Brazil's congress begins a year-end recess Friday.

In the suit against the vote, Mr. Molon and other representatives from Brazil's oil-producing states alleged that the override would violate congressional procedure, as the veto would be considered ahead of 3,000 other vetoes awaiting deliberation in congress.

Leaders in Brazil's congress last week scheduled the vote after representatives from 24 non-oil-producing states gathered enough signatures to request the veto override.

Brazil's oil-producing states say they stand to lose billions of dollars in revenues in coming years if the veto is overturned.

Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

Source: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/122873/Brazil_Court_Suspends_Congress_Vote_On_Oil_Royalties_Bill_Veto?rss=true

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North Koreans mourn Kim Jong Il 1 year later

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? North Koreans across the country stopped in their tracks at midday Monday to silently honor former ruler Kim Jong Il, whose death one year ago swept his untested 20-something son to power.

Pyongyang construction workers took off their yellow hard hats and bowed at the waist as sirens wailed across the city for three minutes. The son, Kim Jong Un, presided over a solemn ceremony to reopen the sprawling granite mausoleum where his father's embalmed remains will lie in state near those of his grandfather, the nation's founder Kim Il Sung.

Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered in the frigid plaza outside the renovated hall where Kim Jong Il's body was to go on public display later Monday. Lined with snow-tinged firs, the square has been turned into a park at Kim Jong Un's orders and his father's portrait installed on the building's fa?ade alongside that of Kim Il Sung.

The elder Kim died last Dec. 17 from a heart attack while traveling on his train. His death was famously followed by scenes of North Koreans dramatically wailing in the streets of Pyongyang, and of his pudgy young son leading ranks of uniformed and gray-haired officials through a series of funeral and mourning rites.

The mood in the capital was decidedly more upbeat a year later, with some of the euphoria carrying over from last week's successful launch of a rocket carrying a satellite named for one of Kim Jong Il's many titles, Kwangmyongsong, or "Lode Star," a nickname given to him at birth according to the official lore.

Speaking outside the mausoleum, renamed the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the military's top political officer, Choe Ryong Hae, said North Korea should be proud of the satellite, calling it a show of strength to the world.

Much of the rest of the world, however, was swift in condemning the launch, which was seen by the United States and other nations as a thinly disguised cover for testing missile technology that could someday be used for a nuclear warhead.

The test, which potentially violates a United Nations ban on North Korean missile activity, underlined Kim Jong Un's determination to continue carrying out his father's hardline policies even if they draw international condemnation.

Some outside experts worry that Pyongyang's next move will be to press ahead with a nuclear test in the coming weeks, a necessary next step toward building a warhead small enough to be carried by a long-range missile.

Despite inviting further isolation for his impoverished nation and the threat of stiffer sanctions, Kim Jong Un won national prestige and clout by going ahead with the rocket launch.

At a memorial service on Sunday, North Korea's top leadership not only eulogized Kim Jong Il, but also praised his son. Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea's parliament, called the launch a "shining victory" and an emblem of the promise that lies ahead with Kim Jong Un in power.

The rocket's success also fits neatly into the narrative of Kim Jong Il's death. Even before he died, the father had laid the groundwork for his son to inherit a government focused on science, technology and improving the economy. And his pursuit of nuclear weapons and the policy of putting the military ahead of all other national concerns have also carried into Kim Jong Un's reign.

In a sign of the rocket launch's importance, Kim Jong Un invited the scientists in charge of it to attend the mourning rites in Pyongyang, according to state media.

The reopening of the mausoleum on the first anniversary of the leader's death also follows tradition. Kumsusan, the palace where his father, Kim Il Sung, served as president, was reopened as a mausoleum on the first anniversary of his death in 1994.

___

Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report from Seoul, South Korea. Follow AP's bureau chief for Pyongyang and Seoul at www.twitter.com/newsjean.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/north-koreans-mourn-kim-jong-il-1-later-051338493.html

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Is their web design pricing way too quality to generally be authentic? From the society of word wide web style and design, low priced equates to very poor superior. Quality-cutting steps include:
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1. Internet Hosting Critiques An Exquisite Option To Analyze A Hosting Company
2. Low-Cost Web Hosting Methods To Search Out Cheap Internet Hosting Within Your Funds
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4. Internet Hosting Coupon And Their Makes Use Of
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Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/enterprise-internet-hosting-made-easy-with-top-web-hosting-firm/

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Study details brain damage triggered by mini-strokes

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A new study appearing today in the Journal of Neuroscience details for the first time how "mini-strokes" cause prolonged periods of brain damage and result in cognitive impairment. These strokes, which are often imperceptible, are common in older adults and are believed to contribute to dementia.

"Our research indicates that neurons are being lost as a result of delayed processes following a mini-strokes that may differ fundamentally from those of acute ischemic events," said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., the lead author of the study and professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). "This observation suggests that the therapeutic window to protect cells after these tiny strokes may extend to days and weeks after the initial injury."

The prevalence of mini-strokes, or microinfarcts, has only been recently appreciated because common imaging techniques, such as MRI, are typically not sensitive enough to detect these microscopic injuries.

Similar to severe ischemic strokes, mini-strokes are caused when blood flow is blocked to a small area of the brain, usually by particle that travelled there from another part of the body. But unlike acute ischemic strokes ? which bring about immediate symptoms such as numbness, blurry vision, and slurred speech ? mini-strokes usually pass without notice. However, it is increasingly appreciated that these smaller strokes have a lasting impact on neurological function.

Microinfarcts are far more common than previously understood; it is believed that about 50 percent of individuals over the age of 60 have experienced at least one mini-stroke. Studies have also correlated the presence of mini-strokes with the symptoms of dementia. An estimated 55 percent of individuals with mild dementia and upwards of 70 percent of individuals with more severe symptoms show evidence of past mini-strokes. This association has led researchers to believe that these mini-strokes may be key contributors to age-related cognitive decline and dementia.

Nedergaard and her colleagues were the first to develop an animal model in which the complex progression and, ultimately, the cognitive impact of mini-strokes could be observed. Her team found that, in most instances, these strokes result in a prolonged period of damage to the brain.

A small fraction of these microinfarcts unfold in a manner similar to acute strokes; cell death is immediate and the brain quickly seals off the site of the stroke and begins to "digest" the damaged tissue. However, the researchers also identified a second and far more common form of mini-stroke ? which they labeled incomplete lesions ? where the cell death can drag on for several weeks.

"In most microinfarcts the injury is incomplete," said Nedergaard. "There is no scar tissue to separate the stroke site from the rest of the brain and the cells that would normally support the neurons may not function properly. As a result, the neurons at the site continue to slowly die like a smoldering fire. This suggests that, unlike acute ischemic strokes where the cell death occurs in the first 24 hours, there is a longer period in which we can medically intervene and stop the neuronal death that results from mini-strokes."

The researchers then attempted to determine the cognitive impact of microinfarcts. Mice who were victims of mini-strokes underwent a series of experiments during which they had to recall objects or respond to certain audio cues. The researchers observed that the mice with mini-strokes were far more likely to fail these tasks ? suggesting neurological impairment ? compared to healthy mice.

###

University of Rochester Medical Center: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu

Thanks to University of Rochester Medical Center for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125912/Study_details_brain_damage_triggered_by_mini_strokes

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Scientists call for Turing pardon

14 December 2012 Last updated at 04:21 ET

Some of Britain's leading scientists have called on the government to grant a posthumous pardon to Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing.

Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 after acknowledging a sexual relationship with a man.

Professor Stephen Hawking, Astronomer Royal Lord Rees and the Royal Society's Sir Paul Nurse are among 11 signatories to a letter in the Daily Telegraph.

They urge David Cameron to "formally forgive this British hero".

The scientists said: "We write in support of a posthumous pardon for Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the modern era.

"He led the team of Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park, which most historians agree shortened the Second World War.

"Yet successive governments seem incapable of forgiving his conviction for the then crime of being a homosexual, which led to his suicide, aged 41."

Denying that it would set a precedent, they added: "It is time his reputation was unblemished."

The others who signed the letter are Lord Currie of Marylebone, Lord Grade of Yarmouth, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Lord Sharkey, Lord Smith of Finsbury, Baroness Trumpington, Sir Timothy Gowers of Cambridge University and the Science Museum's Dr Douglas Gurr.

Homosexuality was illegal at the time of the mathematician's conviction.

Turing was part of the team at Bletchley Park that cracked the Nazi Enigma code, vital to the allied war effort. He is now widely recognised as a computing pioneer.

However, at the time of his death - which an inquest recorded as suicide - he was virtually unknown to the public. His work at Bletchley Park was kept secret until 1974.

The government rejected a call to pardon Turing in February, when it was presented with an online petition with more than 23,000 signatures.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20722581#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Brent slips toward $109 on higher US stockpile, fiscal concerns

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent crude slipped toward $109 a barrel on Thursday, on rising oil stockpiles and weaker fuel demand in the United States, while fears that the world's largest economy might miss a deadline for next year's budget kept bulls in check.

Deadlocked talks to avert a "fiscal cliff" of steep tax hikes and budget cuts in the United States returned to investors' focus after announcements by the U.S. Federal Reserve of more monetary stimulus buoyed global markets.

Sharp differences on the 2013 budget persisted between Congressional Republicans and the White House on Wednesday, when negotiators warned the showdown could drag on past Christmas.

Brent crude fell in the first of four sessions and was down 22 cents to $109.28 a barrel by 0611 GMT while U.S. crude was at $86.55, down 22 cents. The January Brent contract expires on Friday.

"The fiscal cliff continues to be a concern and we've got negative data out of the United States in terms of oil inventories," said Natalie Rampono, a commodities analyst at ANZ in Melbourne.

U.S. crude inventories rose last week against expectations of a fall while gasoline and distillates stockpiles jumped more than expected. The jump in fuel stocks came despite a pull-back in refinery output and steady import levels.

"Supply is still very high in the United States and the high distillates stocks indicates demand is pretty weak, although it should be strong at this time of the year," Rampono said.

Demand will be sluggish through 2013 as economic expansion stays tepid and crude supply levels comfortable, which could ease price pressure on consumers, the International Energy Agency said.

Global oil demand would grow 865,000 barrels per day in 2013 to hit 90.5 million bpd, the IEA said.

In Vienna, OPEC ministers agreed to retain the producer group's 30-million barrel-a-day output target and meet next on May 31.

The target is higher than what is required from OPEC to meet demand next year, some market observers say, but the excess supply has been useful in cushioning the impact on prices from a sharp drop in Iranian oil exports this year.

"The supply is getting a bit tighter in the Middle East because demand is improving in Asia," Rampono said, adding that new refineries coming online in China next year would increase crude imports by the world's second largest oil consumer.

For oil products, U.S. heating oil and gasoline futures slipped on Thursday after sharp gains the previous day following a fire at Motiva's refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, the largest in the United States.

The joint venture between Shell and Saudi Aramco aborted a restart of its 350,000 barrel per day (bpd) crude unit after a fractured pipe caused a fire.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/brent-slips-toward-109-higher-us-stockpile-fiscal-062727256--finance.html

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