Study finds brain responds to mobile signals
In 2009 the United Nations said around four-billion people had a mobile phone, that is more than half the world’s population.
Now a new study from the American National Institute of Health shows mobile phones can produce a noticeable reaction in the brain that researchers are trying to understand.
Adele’s new album
Adele’s latest album 21 has already hit number 1 in several European countries; now it is out in the US.?�Despite the north Londoner’s runaway success, the album’s theme was born out of failure: the break-up with her boyfriend.
Egyptian constitution suspended
Egypt’s ruling military council has suspended the constitution. On state television a spokesman said a committee will be formed to draft a new constitution for the country. The council will stay in power for 6 months, or until elections are held.
The same cabinet appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak will oversee the transition. Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq says the main priority is to restore security, and the economy.
“Our internal economic position is solid and cohesive”, he said. “We have enough reserves in the coming period and our situation is comforting, very comforting.”
But he also warned that if instability continues, there may be some obstacles.
The stock market has remained closed since the beginning of the uprising, and the Finance Minister says latest forecasts indicate Egypt’s economic growth slowing to between 3.5 and 4 per cent in the coming financial year.
That’s still higher than most western countries but lower than the 6 per cent that had been forecast before the revolution.
Gaddafi ‘personally ordered’ Lockerbie bombing
The Lockerbie bombing was ordered personally by Colonel Gaddafi, according to quotes attributed to Libya’s ex-justice minister who resigned recently in protest at the clampdown on anti-government demonstrators.
270 people were killed when the Pan Am flight exploded over the Scottish town on its way to New York.
In an interview with Expressen, a Swedish tabloid newspaper, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil is quoted as saying he has proof that Gaddafi gave the order. The paper did not say what the proof was.
“The information that’s coming out today is the smoking gun that we’ve been waiting for for 23 years,” said Bert Ammerman, the brother of a passenger killed on board. “It’s now out in the open. A justice minister has clearly stated that Gaddafi ordered the bombing of Pan Am 103. That is an act of war. Finally an American administration can’t hide behind the rhetoric any longer. They must respond, they must react. President Obama, what are you going to do?”
The former minister reportedly said that Gaddafi gave the order to Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only man convicted of the bombing. He returned to Libya in 2009 after being freed from jail in Scotland on compassionate grounds.
Suffering from cancer, it was said that he was about to die.
He is still alive.
Immigrant boat turned away from Lampedusa
Residents on the small Italian island of Lampedusa have prevented a boat carrying 116 immigrants from landing.
Each time the vessel, thought to have come from Tunisia, tried to come ashore the demonstrators blocked it.
Italian officials say since mid-January nearly 10,000 immigrants – more than last year’s total – have made the 110-kilometre journey. Lampedusa lies closer to the African coast than to Sicily.
The Libyan conflict has brought fears of a further exodus.
The island’s mayor says more boats have been spotted and has warned of a possible shortage of drinking water.
Some 3000 immigrants are housed in a centre designed to take 850.
Arrivals are shipped to the Italian mainland, but the boats keep coming, causing tension on the island and between Rome and the EU.
Syrian forces attack and kill six protesters
At least six people are believed killed after Syrian forces fired on protesters near a mosque in the southern city of Deraa.
One of those killed is said to have been a doctor who went to help the victims in the attack.
Protesters had erected tents in the grounds of the Omari mosque saying they would remain there until their demands for reform were met.
Syria has seen six days of unprecedented unrest in which a total of ten civilians have now died at the hands of the country’s military.
President Bashar al-Assad is facing his biggest ever challenge to his 11-year rule.
As head of the ruling Baath Party, activists have targeted the organisation’s buildings as symbols of oppression and corruption.
Despite promises of reform, Assad refuses to end 48 years of emergency rule or allow political opposition.
Protests continue in North Africa and Middle East
Friday prayers turned into Friday protests in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
In Yemen, tens of thousands of demonstrators once more took to the streets to press calls for the president to step down. The people want an end to Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 32-year rule.
Their message is clear. Saleh has promised to go after elections in 2013 but the demonstrators want him out now.
The protests in Yemen were inspired by the earlier uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
One month on, in Cairo, people are still on the streets, demanding that ministers appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak step down. Their solidarity for other uprisings across the region is clear.
There has also been another day of protests in Bahrain. Two separate marches converged at the Pearl Roundabout, joined this time by many women.
Bahrain’s Sunni rulers have offered to hold talks with Shi’ite opposition groups to try and smooth over the antagonism. But the opposition appears split over its aims and has been slow to reply.
EU court bans gender linked insurance policies
The European Court of Justice has ruled there should be no more sex discrimination in insurance policies.
It said insurance companies cannot take gender into account when setting premiums and paying out benefits from annuities and retirement savings or for accident cover.
The decision by Europe’s top court could increase the costs of women’s accident insurance and boost their retirement income from annuities. It could also make men worse off.
A new EU directive, with major implications for the insurance sector, will now come into effect from 21 December 2012.
The transitional period would allow EU member states to decide what action to take on domestic laws and give companies a chance to adjust and find ways to mitigate the knock-on effect.
Insurance analysts say the ruling could boost women’s retirement income by up to 10 percent.
Insurers currently pay retired men who have purchased an annuity more than women, on the basis that on average they die younger — on average three years earlier.
Ending the gender disparity in annuities will affect insurers like Britain’s Legal and General and Prudential, France’s Axa and Allianz of Germany.
World food prices hit record – again
Global food prices hit a record high in February – not helped by fresh oil price spikes and stockpiling in some countries.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Food Price Index hit its second straight record and is now well past the peaks seen in 2008 when prices sparked riots in several
countries.
Cereals, dairy and meat are all rising – US wheat prices have surged 60 percent in the past year.
FAO economist Abdolreza Abbassian said global food prices are likely to remain close to record highs until the condition of the latest harvest is known.
He added that jumps in the oil price – now at a two and a half year high – could have a bigger impact on grain markets.
“Until we know about new crops, that means waiting at least until April, our view is don’t expect any major corrections in these high prices, expect even more volatility now that oil has joined the crowd,” Abbassian said.
He warned that stockpiling by some major grain importers “beyond country’s normal needs” seeking to head off political unrest and secure supplies on domestic markets, has been adding uncertainty and volatility to the markets.
The FAO index, which measures monthly price changes for a food basket composed of cereals, oilseeds, dairy, meat and sugar, averaged 236 points in February, the record in real and nominal terms, up 2.2 percent from January’s record and rising for the eighth month in a row.
Daimler turnaround disappoints
Mixed news from Germany’s Daimler as its profit rebounded but was less than expected.
Fourth-quarter earnings in 2010 before interest and tax – the figures analysts focus on most – came in at just under 1.6 billion euros, lower than the forecast of just over two billion.
For all of 2010 net profit was 4.5 billion euros, compared with a 2.6 billion euro loss in 2009.
Chief executive Dieter Zetsche said Daimler managed an excellent comeback last year and he credited strong demand from China as well as a recovery in car and truck sales in Europe and the US.
He pointed out that Mercedes S, E and C class models were market leaders in their segments and last year the company introduced half a dozen new models.
Daimler explained away the below forecast earnings by saying it boosted research and development spending last year by over 14 percent to almost five billion euros, focusing on “fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly technology.”
But its upbeat outlook failing to reassure investors and the shares fell 4.4 percent.
Official guided tours begin of Chernobyl
Official guided tours have begun of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, closed since the catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986. Tourists can also visit the nearby deserted city of Pripyat. Pregnant women are not allowed on the tours, nor is anyone under 18. Tours have been available before, but these are the first sanctioned by Ukraine’s government.
Angry scenes in Iran’s Parliament after protests
There have been angry scenes in the Iranian Parliament as members took to the floor to condemn anti-government protests at the weekend.
State television showed parliamentarians calling for the opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mossavi and Mahdi Karroubi to face trial.
Both have been under house arrest for a week after asking for permission to protest.
There was chaos yesterday as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central Tehran.
At least one person was killed in the unrest, which was prompted by recent events in Egypt. On Tuesday, an Iranian MP said that two people had been killed in the latest protests.
“Down with Khamenei”, they chanted, referring to Iran’s Supreme leader, the Ayatollah.
From the international community, there is support:
“What we see happening in Iran is a testament to the courage of the Iranian people and an indictment of the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime. A regime which, over the last three weeks, has constantly hailed what went on in Egypt and now, when given the opportunity to afford their own people the same rights as they called for on behalf of the Egyptian people, once again illustrate their true nature,” was the reaction from US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
The EU has added its voice, urging Tehran to respect citizens’ right to demonstrate.
This is the first time Iranians have taken to the streets since the crackdown on post-election protests in 2009, in which at least 30 people died.
Egyptian PM Shafiq steps down
Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has resigned and been replaced by the former Transport Minister Essam Sharraf.
Shafiq was appointed by deposed president Hosni Mubarak as a concession to opposition protesters in the final days before he stepped down in mid February.
But the move was insufficient for the Muslim Brotherhood and other political groups who wanted a clean break from the Mubarak regime, with which Shafiq had been closely associated.
Germany says ready to back Portugal
Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has signalled Berlin’s readiness to support Portugal if it can’t sell raise money by selling bonds to investor in the financial markets.
His comments, in a newspaper interview, came as it was reported the EU is increasingly concerned about Portugal and believe that Lisbon will have to ask for a bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund by April.
Speaking to Japan’s Nikkei business daily, Schaeuble said Germany has pledged to demonstrate a sense of solidarity and it must prevent problems from spreading to Spain.
He suggested Berlin would not object to further aid for debt-laden euro-zone members provided they agreed to structural reforms such as cutting spending.
Portugal is so far managing to fund its debt but the cost of borrowing is now close to or at record highs and is becoming increasingly punitive.
The EU has discussed a rescue plan for Portugal but it is dependent on Lisbon asking for the aid and making the request to both the EU and IMF. Portugal remains adamantly opposed to asking for assistance.
Second daring RAF rescue mission to Libya
Oil workers rescued by an audacious British military mission to the Libyan desert have been speaking about their experience.
The Royal Air Force flew three Hercules transport planes from Malta to the remote eastern desert on a second rescue mission without Libyan authorisation.
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Elite special forces troops were on board. The Ministry of Defence said one of the planes was hit by small arms fire. Twenty Britons were among the 150 people rescued.
Australian oil worker Brian Walker said: ‘We started walking out Monday night. It hasn’t been a good week. In the back of a dump truck for a couple of days. A thousand kilometres in a bus to get back to where we started from. Then the RAF got us out. It was great.”
British authorities had become concerned about the workers who said food and water were running out.
Malta has set up a coordination centre at the foreign ministry in the capital Valletta.
A member of staff there said: ‘We’re receiving a number of calls from people located in the desert. We keep them informed of flights that are going to pick them up from the facilities. Most of them are supervisors so until they have all their staff safe they will not move.’
More than 100,000 people have fled the unrest in Libya according to United Nations estimates. Eight thousand of them went to Malta with the majority arriving by sea.
EU mulls Libya sanctions
The EU has been criticised for its handling of the Libyan revolt. Some accuse Europe of being too slow in speaking out against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s violent crackdown on demonstrators.
However, the 27 EU nations on Wednesday raised the possibility of imposing sanctions on the Gaddafi regime.
There are three options under consideration: freezing Libyan assets; an EU travel ban; and/or an arms embargo. Some EU countries have already suspended deliveries of weapons to Libya.
On Tuesday, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced the suspension of negotiations on bilateral relations with the North African country.
An estimated 100,000 people from EU countries will be evacuated from Libya before sanctions bite amid fear for their safety. The majority of them are employees of European companies that have invested heavily in Libya, mostly in oil and gas. Libya exports around 85 percent of its oil to Europe, mainly France, Germany and Italy.
Several EU governments fear serious consequences for their economies if sanctions are applied too soon. Italy sources 10 percent of its natural gas needs and 12 percent of oil from Libya, which remains one of its most important trading partners.
Coalition launches further air strikes over Libya
?�Allied warplanes have launched further air strikes on Muammar Gaddafi’s forces for a fourth day, notably in western Libya. ?�The coalition?�has confirmed artillery and tanks besieging the rebel-held town of Misrata were targeted.?�?�Despite some condemnation of the West’s intervention, military chiefs have defended their role.?�?�?�Senior US military chief officer Peg Klein said: “Some of those cities still have tanks advancing on them to attack the Libyan people. We are authorised, and the President made the nexus between the Security Council resolution and what he considers our legal mandate to attack those tanks. And so that is the type of target that our strike aircraft will go after.”?�Many of the American air strikes are being launched from ships in the Mediterranean. ?�Despite that, Washington?�has made it clear it wants to take a back seat in the military mission and is calling on other members of the coalition to?�take?�operational command.?�?�
Army tells Egyptians: ‘Get back to work’
Egypt’s military rulers on Monday called upon disgruntled workers to stop striking and return to their jobs.
Employees in a number of key sectors want better pay and conditions.
The country’s economy ground to a halt during demonstrations that toppled former president, Hosni Mubarak.
In a statement on state television, military spokesman General Mohsen el-Fangari said strikes and disputes would threaten Egypt’s security and damage its economy.
He called on all citizens, professionals and labour unions to be responsible at this crucial time.
Egypt’s stock exchange has been shut since January 27 because of the political unrest.
Banks are not expected to reopen until Wednesday.
The tourism sector, which accounts for six percent of GDP, has also been hit by a drop in revenues.
Palestinian new cabinet shake-up
Western-backed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is forming a new government to prepare for elections later this year.
The complete reshuffle is being interpreted as an attempt by President Mahmoud Abbas to show he is open to change, against the backdrop of the political upheaval in Egypt and Tunisia.
On Saturday, his Fatah administration said it would call legislative and presidential elections by September.
One analyst, Hani Al Masri, said: “It is obvious that the Palestinian leadership is taking steps to soften the outcome of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, with regard to the Palestinians. The new situation is completely different, and must be dealt with differently: the policies, methods and people.”
The Hamas party rulers of the Gaza Strip (since 2007) say they will not take part in or recognise the ballot organised by the Palestinian Authority in charge of the West Bank.
Abbas’s inability to negotiate an independent Palestinian state with Israel has further undermined his position.
Chinese police clampdown on anti-government protests
Despite their efforts to block information spreading about the Arab uprisings, anti-government protests have erupted in several cities. But an emphatic show of force by police in Shanghai quickly ended the protest.
It was a similar story in downtown Beijing where lines of police checked passers-by and warned away demonstrators.
A rash of detentions and censorship of online discussions have shown that the Communist Party is concerned about any challenge to its rule.
Residents in Hong Kong, however, enjoy a little more freedom. Some inspired by the so-called Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia took to the streets. Police soon ended the demonstration.
A call for protests a week ago brought out few people. But dozens of dissidents and human rights activists have reportedly been detained or warned to avoid any action which risks social stability.
