It’s been an extra-bloody 24 hours in Mexico this weekend, with more than 40 people killed in three cities in Zeta drug-cartel-related violence on Friday night and yesterday, reports the AP . At least 20 were killed in a bar in Monterrey late Friday when at least two gunmen launched an…
Continue reading …“Thank You & Goodbye,” reads the final headline of the News of the World , closing in the wake of a disastrous phone-hacking scandal . For the newspaper’s final edition, 5 million copies were printed, twice its usual run, with money from sales slated for charity. “For Rupert Murdoch, it’s a bitter…
Continue reading …The United States is yanking about $800 million of its annual $2 billion in military aid to Pakistan, in an effort to force Pakistan to step up its anti-terrorism fight as relations between the two nations continue to deteriorate, reports the New York Times . Programs affected include $300 million to…
Continue reading …Saturn Storm Captured By Spacecraft: Stunning Images Show Storm Eight Times The Size Of Earth (PHOTOS)
July 10, 2011 No Comment
This storm on Saturn is bigger than you can possibly imagine. According to NASA, it’s actually eight times the surface area of Earth. It is the biggest storm ever observed on the planet, and is at least 500 times bigger than any other storm observed by the Cassini spacecraft that orbits the ringed planet. It seems the beast of a storm is as destructive as it is large. From NASA: The storm is about 500 times larger than the biggest storm previously seen by Cassini during several months from 2009 to 2010. Scientists studied the sounds of the new storm’s lightning strikes and analyzed images taken between December 2010 and February 2011. Data from Cassini’s radio and plasma wave science instrument showed the lightning flash rate as much as 10 times more frequent than during other storms monitored since Cassini’s arrival to Saturn in 2004. The data appear in a paper published this week in the journal Nature. Scientists are excited by the storm because it provides further insight into the weather patterns of the planet. Apparently this occurrence shows just how much the change of seasons can affect the planet’s major weather. Scroll down for stunning images from NASA. The Storm (via NASA): As the storm moves (via NASA): False-color images showing intensity (via NASA):
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You are not ready for what you’re about to see. I’m at a loss for words over this… I’ve simply never before seen a video game achieve this level of storytelling, action, emotion, realism, and show-me-something-I’ve-never-seen-before ingenuity. It’s utterly jaw-dropping. The fifteen-minute BioShock Infinite demo you’re about to watch is the same demo that was shown to members of the media at E3 — the… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Forever Geek Discovery Date : 09/07/2011 05:19 Number of articles : 3
Continue reading …You are not ready for what you’re about to see. I’m at a loss for words over this… I’ve simply never before seen a video game achieve this level of storytelling, action, emotion, realism, and show-me-something-I’ve-never-seen-before ingenuity. It’s utterly jaw-dropping. The fifteen-minute BioShock Infinite demo you’re about to watch is the same demo that was shown to members of the media at E3 — the… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Forever Geek Discovery Date : 09/07/2011 05:19 Number of articles : 3
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Interim leader’s speech fails to convince protesters blocking off Cairo bureaucratic headquarters and road to Suez canal Protests have brought Egypt’s administrative and commercial nerve centres to a standstill , as government attempts to stem a growing wave of opposition to military rule succeeded only in galvanising demonstrators further. The interim prime minister, Essam Sharaf, took to the airwaves late on Saturday pledging to “meet the people’s demands”, following mass rallies across the country in which Egyptians accused the ruling council of army generals of betraying the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak this year . In a short and strained address to the nation, Sharaf said all police officers accused of killing protesters would be stopped from working, and promised that the trials of former Mubarak ministers and other regime officials would proceed “as soon as possible”. He insisted that social and economic problems would be reviewed by the army-appointed transitional cabinet. But activists dismissed the announcement as empty rhetoric and claimed it contained nothing substantive. “His speech sounded like one of these tricks of the old government,” Sherif, an engineer in his late 20s, told local news website Ahram Online. “If this government is unable to take serious steps, it should resign.” Several thousand people flocked to Cairo’s Tahrir Square after Sharaf’s speech. Anti-government activists have taken control of the roads there and an open-ended sit-in began on Friday. By Sunday morning, access to the Mugamma – a giant concrete building on one side of the square that serves as the bureaucratic heart of the Egyptian state – had been blocked off, with some employees reportedly joining the protests. In Suez, another focal point for political unrest, the families of some of those killed in the anti-Mubarak uprising helped protesters cut off the main highway between Cairo and Sokhna port, the main transit point for goods entering and leaving the Suez canal. The canal has also been targeted by strikes and protests in recent days, although officials insisted that international maritime traffic remained unaffected. Sharaf – a popular choice among revolutionaries when he was first appointed interim prime minister in March – has repeatedly claimed that he draws his legitimacy from Tahrir, and said again on Saturday that “the people” were the only sovereign power in Egypt. But analysts believe that the army generals have given him little control over policy and personnel decisions, and in recent weeks the 59-year-old has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in public. Egyptian newspapers used their Sunday editions to highlight the widening gap between the supreme council of the armed forces, which assumed power in the aftermath of Mubarak’s overthrow and has promised democratic elections before the end of the year, and large sections of the general public who believe that the pace of reform is too slow. “Protesters: Sharaf’s decisions are not enough — Calls for hunger strikes and civil disobedience,” stated the front-page headline in state-owned al-Ahram, the country’s biggest-selling daily. Al-Tahrir, a new Egyptian paper that emerged out of the revolution, splashed with a smiling photo of the country’s de facto leader, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, under the words “The Marshall doesn’t respond.” Activists have called for another round of mass demonstrations on Tuesday. Egypt Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Africa Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Interim leader’s speech fails to convince protesters blocking off Cairo bureaucratic headquarters and road to Suez canal Protests have brought Egypt’s administrative and commercial nerve centres to a standstill , as government attempts to stem a growing wave of opposition to military rule succeeded only in galvanising demonstrators further. The interim prime minister, Essam Sharaf, took to the airwaves late on Saturday pledging to “meet the people’s demands”, following mass rallies across the country in which Egyptians accused the ruling council of army generals of betraying the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak this year . In a short and strained address to the nation, Sharaf said all police officers accused of killing protesters would be stopped from working, and promised that the trials of former Mubarak ministers and other regime officials would proceed “as soon as possible”. He insisted that social and economic problems would be reviewed by the army-appointed transitional cabinet. But activists dismissed the announcement as empty rhetoric and claimed it contained nothing substantive. “His speech sounded like one of these tricks of the old government,” Sherif, an engineer in his late 20s, told local news website Ahram Online. “If this government is unable to take serious steps, it should resign.” Several thousand people flocked to Cairo’s Tahrir Square after Sharaf’s speech. Anti-government activists have taken control of the roads there and an open-ended sit-in began on Friday. By Sunday morning, access to the Mugamma – a giant concrete building on one side of the square that serves as the bureaucratic heart of the Egyptian state – had been blocked off, with some employees reportedly joining the protests. In Suez, another focal point for political unrest, the families of some of those killed in the anti-Mubarak uprising helped protesters cut off the main highway between Cairo and Sokhna port, the main transit point for goods entering and leaving the Suez canal. The canal has also been targeted by strikes and protests in recent days, although officials insisted that international maritime traffic remained unaffected. Sharaf – a popular choice among revolutionaries when he was first appointed interim prime minister in March – has repeatedly claimed that he draws his legitimacy from Tahrir, and said again on Saturday that “the people” were the only sovereign power in Egypt. But analysts believe that the army generals have given him little control over policy and personnel decisions, and in recent weeks the 59-year-old has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in public. Egyptian newspapers used their Sunday editions to highlight the widening gap between the supreme council of the armed forces, which assumed power in the aftermath of Mubarak’s overthrow and has promised democratic elections before the end of the year, and large sections of the general public who believe that the pace of reform is too slow. “Protesters: Sharaf’s decisions are not enough — Calls for hunger strikes and civil disobedience,” stated the front-page headline in state-owned al-Ahram, the country’s biggest-selling daily. Al-Tahrir, a new Egyptian paper that emerged out of the revolution, splashed with a smiling photo of the country’s de facto leader, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, under the words “The Marshall doesn’t respond.” Activists have called for another round of mass demonstrations on Tuesday. Egypt Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Africa Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk
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Increasing numbers of schools encouraging pupils to submit forms as early as September, says Mary Curnock Cook Teenagers are applying to universities several months too early, the head of the university admissions service has said, signalling a potential overhaul of the system. Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of Ucas, said many teenagers were applying to institutions to which they had “no intention” of going and had not yet visited because of pressure to complete their application forms at the start of their final year at school. Applicants should send their forms by mid-January to start their degrees in the autumn, but Curnock Cook said increasing numbers of schools encouraged pupils to submit the forms as early as September. Preliminary findings of a Ucas review into the admissions process showed that applicants were applying “earlier and earlier” and that many later changed their minds after they applied, Curnock Cook told the Guardian. Ucas will report the full findings in the autumn. “Giving people the opportunity to make choices later might be a helpful development,” she said. “A couple of terms might make a difference and give people the opportunity to make their choices later. Most visit the universities after they have applied and lots change their minds. Our research shows lots put names on their forms that they have no intention of going to.” Her comments could pave the way for a system in which students apply to university only when they have their final A-level grades. At the moment, teenagers apply with predicted grades. However, such a change would not be for a few years and would mean that exams were moved forward, shortening the school year. The government’s white paper on higher education, published last month, stated that ministers were considering moving to this system, which it said could bring “significant” benefits. Applicants are encouraged to designate one university as their top choice and another as their “insurance”. However, Curnock Cook said, there was considerable misunderstanding among schools and pupils, with the review showing that 40% of insurance choices were for universities that demanded the same or higher grades than applicants’ top choices. She said Ucas was looking into whether it could “design something better”. Curnock Cook said applicants who were “at the lower end of the high ability group” were narrowing their chances by only applying to top-20 universities. “It is not a good strategy for them to put all their eggs in one basket,” she said. “Sixth-form advisers need to make these things much clearer.” On Monday universities will hear whether a quango has approved their targets to improve their mix of low-income and other students from under-represented groups. Universities that want to charge tuition fees of more than £6,000 a year from autumn 2012 have to have these targets approved by the Office for Fair Access (Offa). It will publish each university’s “access agreement” later this week. University administration Higher education Students Colleges Jessica Shepherd guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Increasing numbers of schools encouraging pupils to submit forms as early as September, says Mary Curnock Cook Teenagers are applying to universities several months too early, the head of the university admissions service has said, signalling a potential overhaul of the system. Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of Ucas, said many teenagers were applying to institutions to which they had “no intention” of going and had not yet visited because of pressure to complete their application forms at the start of their final year at school. Applicants should send their forms by mid-January to start their degrees in the autumn, but Curnock Cook said increasing numbers of schools encouraged pupils to submit the forms as early as September. Preliminary findings of a Ucas review into the admissions process showed that applicants were applying “earlier and earlier” and that many later changed their minds after they applied, Curnock Cook told the Guardian. Ucas will report the full findings in the autumn. “Giving people the opportunity to make choices later might be a helpful development,” she said. “A couple of terms might make a difference and give people the opportunity to make their choices later. Most visit the universities after they have applied and lots change their minds. Our research shows lots put names on their forms that they have no intention of going to.” Her comments could pave the way for a system in which students apply to university only when they have their final A-level grades. At the moment, teenagers apply with predicted grades. However, such a change would not be for a few years and would mean that exams were moved forward, shortening the school year. The government’s white paper on higher education, published last month, stated that ministers were considering moving to this system, which it said could bring “significant” benefits. Applicants are encouraged to designate one university as their top choice and another as their “insurance”. However, Curnock Cook said, there was considerable misunderstanding among schools and pupils, with the review showing that 40% of insurance choices were for universities that demanded the same or higher grades than applicants’ top choices. She said Ucas was looking into whether it could “design something better”. Curnock Cook said applicants who were “at the lower end of the high ability group” were narrowing their chances by only applying to top-20 universities. “It is not a good strategy for them to put all their eggs in one basket,” she said. “Sixth-form advisers need to make these things much clearer.” On Monday universities will hear whether a quango has approved their targets to improve their mix of low-income and other students from under-represented groups. Universities that want to charge tuition fees of more than £6,000 a year from autumn 2012 have to have these targets approved by the Office for Fair Access (Offa). It will publish each university’s “access agreement” later this week. University administration Higher education Students Colleges Jessica Shepherd guardian.co.uk
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