Palestinians say no rush to join international court after U.N. vote

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Palestinians will not rush to sign up to the International Criminal Court if they win a U.N. status upgrade on Thursday, but warned that seeking action against Israel in the court would remain an option, said the Palestinian U.N. observer.

The Palestinians appear certain to earn approval in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for a status upgrade to "observer state" - similar to the Vatican's rank - from observer "entity." The move would implicitly recognize Palestinian statehood.

The change would allow the Palestinian territories to access bodies like the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which prosecutes people for genocide, war crimes and other major human rights violations, where it could complain about Israel.

"I don't believe that we are going to be rushing the second day to join everything related to the United Nations, including the ICC," Palestinian U.N. observer, Riyad Mansour, told a news conference at the United Nations on Tuesday.

But if Israel continued to violate international law, particularly by building settlements in the West Bank - territory Israel captured in a 1967 war - then Mansour said the Palestinians would consult with friends, including Europe, on "what should we do next to bring Israel into compliance?"

"We're not in the business of trying to prolong this conflict and settle scores," Mansour said. "But we are not fools nor dummies. If they don't move in that direction ... then all of us should be considering all other possible options in order to bring them into compliance."

Israel and the United States oppose the U.N. move by the Palestinians and have called on President Mahmoud Abbas to return to peace talks that collapsed in 2010 over the Israeli settlement construction. Abbas says he is ready for an unconditional resumption of talks after the U.N. upgrade.

In April, the ICC rejected a Palestinian request to examine alleged crimes in Gaza and the West Bank because the Palestinian territories were not a full U.N. member. But the Palestinian move on Tuesday to downplay their ICC aspirations appeared to be a bid to build European support ahead of the U.N. status vote.

France said on Tuesday it would support the Palestinians bid for U.N. non-member status, but the European vote at the United Nations is split. One senior diplomat said he expected between 11 and 16 European states to vote for the Palestinians, while the rest would be a mix of abstentions and no votes.

"When the question is asked, France will vote yes," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced in the French National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

WRONG TIME

After Israeli, British and U.S. diplomats unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Palestinians to drop their bid for a U.N. status upgrade, they then focused on trying to get the Palestinians to guarantee that they would forego complaining about Israel to the ICC. The Palestinians refused.

Israel is concerned the Palestinians could ask the ICC - which is not an official U.N. body - to prosecute its leaders.

Britain, which recently pushed European countries to abstain on the U.N. vote, has asked the Palestinians to forego joining the ICC in return for its vote. Britain's U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said London had not yet decided how to vote.

"We have made consistently clear that it is wrong for the Palestinians to bring this resolution to a vote at this time and that it isn't likely to be a helpful contribution to the peace process in the Middle East," he told reporters on Tuesday.

One envoy from a European country, as yet undecided on how it will vote, said the Palestinian comments on the ICC were "unlikely to be sufficient" to win broad European backing. "A vague promise not to go to the ICC won't cut it," he said.

Mansour said there were currently almost 60 co-sponsors of the Palestinian resolution and that he expected that to increase by the time it is put to a vote in the General Assembly.

"We tried very hard to win the largest number of European countries to vote in favor, we are delighted a certain number have declared their support for our draft resolution," he said.

European countries were split in voting for a successful Palestinian bid to join the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO in October 2011. The United States cut funding to UNESCO after it admitted the Palestinians as a full member.

The United States has suggested aid for the Palestinians - and possibly some funding for the United Nations - could also be at risk if the Palestinians win the U.N. upgrade. Israel has said it may cancel the Paris Protocol, a key economic accord it maintains with the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority.

A 1990s U.S. law prohibits American funds going to U.N. organizations that grant full membership to any group that does not have "internationally recognized attributes" of statehood. The Palestinians are not seeking U.N. membership.

The Palestinians launched their watered-down bid for recognition as an "observer state" after an attempt to gain full U.N. membership last year failed amid U.S. opposition in the U.N. Security Council.

(Additional reporting by Noah Browning and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, John Irish in Paris and Crispian Balmer in Jerusalem; Editing by Douglas Hamilton and Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/days-vote-france-backs-state-palestine-u-n-173911855.html

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Man and nature 3200 BC to the Middle Ages

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Tanja Pommerening
tpommere@uni-mainz.de
49-613-139-38348
Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz

German Research Foundation grants funding for a new Research Training Group at Mainz University

Starting in October 2013, the German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund a Research Training Group for twenty-four postgraduate students based at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). General theme of this PhD program is the concepts and ideas about man and nature. Its time span extends from the dawn of history (ca. 3200 BC) to the Middle Ages; possible relationships between concepts in cultures in contact in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and in ancient and medieval Europe will be studied. The DFG-funded Research Training Group is interested in establishing where and when similar beliefs and concepts relating to the creation of the world, nature and natural phenomena, man in health and disease originated, whether this happened independently, or if they were transmitted, even exchanged between early cultures. And how, and why, did they then change over time?

Under the direction of Professor Dr. Tanja Pommerening of the JGU Institute of Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, a number of scholars at Mainz University and from outside and abroad will be involved as supervisors and experts, covering the full range of humanities as well as science in the areas under study. Approaches will be multifaceted, starting with written evidence and extending to material culture and iconography. Within each of the participating disciplines, the common research aim will be to address questions concerning the universality versus the cultural specificity of concepts, their nature, their medial construction, and their development, i.e. mechanisms of transmission, formation, instrumentalization, etc. The impact of local, temporal, genre-related, iconographical, societal, or individual factors and of continuities and discontinuities will be assessed. The results will then be compared with the evidence in other cultures that are part of the program.

"An extensive program like ours involving a number of different cultures can only be envisaged with adequate support from a number of specialists available, as is the case in Mainz," Pommerening stresses. "Among our supervisors we count of course experts for ancient languages, experts for artifacts and iconography, and, if need be, scientists, who are part of our group, will be ready to advise us. Many different fields will thus intersect in our postgraduate program, providing excellent conditions for studying the way knowledge was acquired and passed on within various ancient cultures and between them. We envisage that there will be continuous interdisciplinary exchange involving supervisors and postgraduate students alike, creating opportunities for in-depth research and, in the case of our PhD candidates, for acquiring a range of qualifications at a high level that will be difficult to match." To facilitate comparison of different cultures and periods of history, topics chosen for theses will address identical or at least similar problems and be based on comparable approaches as varied as needed.

With its large number of disciplines concerning the study of the ancient world in particular, Mainz University will guarantee an excellent space for such a postgraduate program. There are four full professors in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, complemented by seven more in Classics and Ancient History, and another two in Byzantine Studies and Oriental Christianity, in addition to experts in Middle High German and Medical History. The considerable number of disciplines and scholars with overlapping interests at Mainz University furthers cross-pollination, and has led to internationally recognized research for some decades now. In this context, two international conferences organized in Mainz every year, i.e., the workshops for Ancient Medicine (Arbeitskreis Alte Medizin) and for Ancient Science and its Reception (Arbeitskreis Antike Naturwissenschaften und ihre Rezeption), are widely known and will provide further opportunities for the program's postgraduates in the role of conference participants, speakers, and organizers. The program is also linked to the Rmisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (RGZM) in Mainz with its important laboratories and infrastructure, to the Mainz ScienceCampus: Byzantium between Orient and Occident, the JGU Research Unit Historical Cultural Sciences, the JGU Research Center of Social and Cultural Mainz (SOCUM), and the JGU Konrad Weidemann Center.

The number and variety of fields that will, in some cases, collaborate in a major way for the first time comprises philologists, archaeologists, historians, cultural anthropologists, historians of science, and scientists a spectrum of expertise and skills not found in many places. In addition, a number of scholars abroad, for instance in the United States of America, Great Britain, France, and Belgium will be available for cooperation and as hosts to PhD students from Mainz.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Tanja Pommerening
tpommere@uni-mainz.de
49-613-139-38348
Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz

German Research Foundation grants funding for a new Research Training Group at Mainz University

Starting in October 2013, the German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund a Research Training Group for twenty-four postgraduate students based at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). General theme of this PhD program is the concepts and ideas about man and nature. Its time span extends from the dawn of history (ca. 3200 BC) to the Middle Ages; possible relationships between concepts in cultures in contact in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and in ancient and medieval Europe will be studied. The DFG-funded Research Training Group is interested in establishing where and when similar beliefs and concepts relating to the creation of the world, nature and natural phenomena, man in health and disease originated, whether this happened independently, or if they were transmitted, even exchanged between early cultures. And how, and why, did they then change over time?

Under the direction of Professor Dr. Tanja Pommerening of the JGU Institute of Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, a number of scholars at Mainz University and from outside and abroad will be involved as supervisors and experts, covering the full range of humanities as well as science in the areas under study. Approaches will be multifaceted, starting with written evidence and extending to material culture and iconography. Within each of the participating disciplines, the common research aim will be to address questions concerning the universality versus the cultural specificity of concepts, their nature, their medial construction, and their development, i.e. mechanisms of transmission, formation, instrumentalization, etc. The impact of local, temporal, genre-related, iconographical, societal, or individual factors and of continuities and discontinuities will be assessed. The results will then be compared with the evidence in other cultures that are part of the program.

"An extensive program like ours involving a number of different cultures can only be envisaged with adequate support from a number of specialists available, as is the case in Mainz," Pommerening stresses. "Among our supervisors we count of course experts for ancient languages, experts for artifacts and iconography, and, if need be, scientists, who are part of our group, will be ready to advise us. Many different fields will thus intersect in our postgraduate program, providing excellent conditions for studying the way knowledge was acquired and passed on within various ancient cultures and between them. We envisage that there will be continuous interdisciplinary exchange involving supervisors and postgraduate students alike, creating opportunities for in-depth research and, in the case of our PhD candidates, for acquiring a range of qualifications at a high level that will be difficult to match." To facilitate comparison of different cultures and periods of history, topics chosen for theses will address identical or at least similar problems and be based on comparable approaches as varied as needed.

With its large number of disciplines concerning the study of the ancient world in particular, Mainz University will guarantee an excellent space for such a postgraduate program. There are four full professors in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, complemented by seven more in Classics and Ancient History, and another two in Byzantine Studies and Oriental Christianity, in addition to experts in Middle High German and Medical History. The considerable number of disciplines and scholars with overlapping interests at Mainz University furthers cross-pollination, and has led to internationally recognized research for some decades now. In this context, two international conferences organized in Mainz every year, i.e., the workshops for Ancient Medicine (Arbeitskreis Alte Medizin) and for Ancient Science and its Reception (Arbeitskreis Antike Naturwissenschaften und ihre Rezeption), are widely known and will provide further opportunities for the program's postgraduates in the role of conference participants, speakers, and organizers. The program is also linked to the Rmisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (RGZM) in Mainz with its important laboratories and infrastructure, to the Mainz ScienceCampus: Byzantium between Orient and Occident, the JGU Research Unit Historical Cultural Sciences, the JGU Research Center of Social and Cultural Mainz (SOCUM), and the JGU Konrad Weidemann Center.

The number and variety of fields that will, in some cases, collaborate in a major way for the first time comprises philologists, archaeologists, historians, cultural anthropologists, historians of science, and scientists a spectrum of expertise and skills not found in many places. In addition, a number of scholars abroad, for instance in the United States of America, Great Britain, France, and Belgium will be available for cooperation and as hosts to PhD students from Mainz.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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/2012-11/jgum-man112712.php

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Travel insurance funds backup plans - Reservation Central - Sanibel ...

Travel insurance funds backup plans

November 26, 2012
Travel insurance funds backup plans
By Scott J. Wilson
Los Angeles Times



If you're spending a lot of money on a trip, consider buying travel insurance to protect yourself against the unexpected. Key things to know:

Typically, travel insurance reimburses you for such things as nonrefundable cruise deposits or airfares when weather, illness, natural disaster or terrorism cause your trip to be canceled or delayed. Plans differ slightly from one another, so be sure to read the fine print.

Some policies cover medical expenses incurred outside the U.S., and may pay for emergency evacuation in case of a serious injury or health problem. Some providers will not cover pre-existing medical conditions.

You can buy travel insurance through a travel agent, your tour company or sites such as InsureMyTrip.com, Squaremouth.com and QuoteWright.com. The cost typically is 4 percent to 8 percent of the trip's price. You may get a better rate if you buy a policy within 14 days of making the first deposit for your trip.

If you want the option to back out of your trip and get your money back at any time, some carriers offer "cancel for any reason" coverage at an extra cost. The price is around 10 percent of the trip's cost.

If you have a dispute with a travel insurance provider, consider contacting your credit card company, or the hotel or tour operator, and asking for a refund.

__________________________________________

Reservation Central provides travel insurance to all of our guests through TravelGuard. Get a quote and purchase your policy today to protect your upcoming Sanibel Island, Captiva Island or other Southwest Florida vacation at http://www.rescen.com/travel-insurance/
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121126/BIZ01/211260317#ixzz2DLCJ1XLi

Source: http://sanibelislandcaptivaisland.blogspot.com/2012/11/travel-insurance-funds-backup-plans.html

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The President of Lebanon gave an official dinner in honor of President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan

?

In honor of President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan, who are in the Republic of Lebanon of the official visit, the President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman last night gave an official dinner.

In his toast addressed to the President of Lebanon, his spouse, the President of the National Assembly, Prime Minister and all those present at the official dinner, Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude for the warm welcome on the hospitable soil of Lebanon - the country which is so dear to the hearts of the Armenians.

President Serzh Sargsyan spoke of the past of the two ancient, friendly nations, high-level political dialogue existing now between the reliable partners ? Armenia and Lebanon, as well as about the desire and readiness to further deepen and develop interstate multifaceted relations. The President of Armenia wished Lebanon and its people peace, prosperity and unwavering national unity.

?Relations of our two peoples come from the time immemorial, while Armenian presence in Lebanon is centuries-long. I believe it is not accidental that two hundred fifty years ago the first Armenian Catholic Catholicos, who was officially recognized by the Pope, established his residence here, in Lebanon. Armenians have brought their indispensable participation to the deliberation of Lebanon from the Ottoman Empire. During the World War I, the last leader of the autonomous Mount Lebanon was an ethnic Armenian, Ohannes Pasha Kuyumjian who was fighting to save the population of the region from the oppressions of the Young Turks. After his toppling and the autonomy's destruction, the Ottoman Empire launched a series of massacres in Lebanon.

It is my deepest conviction that the Armenian and Lebanese peoples are more than just friends. At the most difficult times in the history of the Armenian nation, Lebanon became a beacon of salvation for the thousands of Armenians who had been deprived of their homeland. How else, if not brotherly, can one describe our current relations?

Peaceful and creative existence of the Armenian diaspora of many thousands is the best proof of it. And naturally I am proud for my compatriots present in this hall. I am grateful to you, dear compatriots, for making us so recognizable, for upholding our prestige here, in Lebanon as well. It was here, in Lebanon that some of the largest Armenian spiritual, cultural and educational centers were formed, which play an important role in the preservation of the Armenian national identity in Spyurk. The Great House of Cilicia, Armenian Catholic Patriarchate, the only Armenian university abroad ? Haykazyan Universy and a large number of the Armenian spiritual, cultural and other values preserved and cherished in this land for centuries bond forever us and histories of our peoples,? President Serzh Sargyan said.

?

?

Source: http://www.president.am/en/press-release/item/2012/11/27/President-Serzh-Sargsyan-official-dinner-Lebanon-official-visit/

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lijansharma: kudals: molina anvil: Reference and Education: Proper ...

Becoming an electrician starts with getting the right schooling. One can start quite early, even in High School. Many vocational programs in secondary schools have an electrical program. Following High School graduation, one can enter a program at a college to further their learning. Community colleges often have excellent trades program, including electrical. In addition to their typical general education courses like math and English, students will take practical courses where they learn both the science behind the trade and also get to apply and learn new skills in hands-on work. If one desires to learn more about the scientific end of things, they can attend a four year college that offers advanced programs like electrical engineering or similar majors. Community colleges are great because they offer students practical experience.

One can also do some extra work on their own to increase their skills and education. It is a great idea to find an experienced individual who works in the field and get close to them. An experienced worker can offer electrician training in the form of an apprenticeship or might be able to hire a student to work for them. They can also share the pros and cons of the industry, as well as stories from on the job. This will give the young student a better idea of what daily life is like as an electrical worker, and help them decide if this is really the field that they want to devote their life to. Working with a professional can help one meet others in the field and perhaps potential future customers. The pro may also have some suggestions for training programs or courses that the aspiring electrician can take advantage of. They can serve as a reference for the student's resume.

Before one can be successful in industry, they must have to proper education and training. Fortunately, budding electrical workers have many options to help them reach their goals and better themselves.

Source: http://iscussnisa.blogspot.com/2012/11/proper-electrician-training-and.html

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Source: http://molina-anvil.blogspot.com/2012/11/reference-and-education-proper.html

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Source: http://beltran-liliane.blogspot.com/2012/11/lijansharma-kudals-molina-anvil.html

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4 Convicted In $154M Medical Insurance Fraud Scheme ? CBS Los ...

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) ? An Orange County jury Monday returned guilty verdicts for four people for their roles in a $154 million insurance fraud scheme.

KNX 1070?s Vytas Safronikas reports the defendants were accused of recruiting nearly 3,000 people nationwide to participate in unneeded medical tests in order to defraud insurance companies.

The alleged scheme revolved around employees and affiliates of Unity Outpatient Surgery Center in Buena Park, including the facility?s office manager, 66-year-old Rosalinda Rodriguez Landon; suspended attorney Roy Chester Dickson, 64; accountant Andrew Robert Harnen, 58; and administrator Dee Francis, 62.

The 24 guilty verdicts were reached last week, but Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals delayed the readings until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Deputy District Attorney Bill Overtoom said the defendants created shell corporations to avoid paying as much as $9.3 million in taxes.

Landon?s attorney, Roger Sheaks, said his client acted in good faith and did not intend to skirt any tax liability.

?There?s a provision in the law for a good faith defense in this case, and I believe the evidence supported that,? Sheaks said.

Francis is accused of failing to report $3.55 million in income, while Harnen did not report $4.97 million, according to Overtoom. Dickson was accused of not reporting $489,000.

A second phase of the case is expected to go to trial sometime next year.

(?2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

Source: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/26/4-convicted-in-154m-medical-insurance-fraud-scheme/

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Powerball Odds Are 1 In 175 Million: Here Are 15 Things That Are More Likely To Happen

The draw for the largest Powerball jackpot in history is set for Wednesday, November 28 and millions of Americans are flocking to gas stations and convenience stores for a chance to win the $425 million prize. But what are your actual chances of winning?

The odds of an individual ticket winning are estimated to be as low as 1 and 175 million. Before you run out to purchase your ticket, here's a look at 15 things that are more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot:

  • Picking a perfect NCAA bracket

    Odds: 13,460,000 to 1 (Deseret News)

  • Birthing identical quadruplets

    Odds: 13,000,000 to 1 (Time)

  • Becoming an astronaut

    Odds: 12,100,000 to 1 (Seattlepi)

  • Becoming president

    Odds: 10,000,000 to 1 (Daily Beast)

  • Dying by a hornet

    Odds: 6,100,000 to 1 (Seattlepi)

  • Dying from being left-handed

    Odds: 4,400,000 to 1 (Daily Beast)

  • Becoming a movie star

    Odds: 1,505,000 to 1 (Daily Beast)

  • Drowning in a bathtub

    Odds: 840,000 to 1 (Seattlepi)

  • Getting a royal flush in a first hand of poker

    Odds: 649,740 to 1 (Seattlepi)

  • Dating a supermodel

    Odds: 88,000 to 1 (Deseret News)

  • Being murdered

    Odds: 18,000 to 1 (Deseret News)

  • Dying in an asteroid apocalypse

    Odds: 12,500 to 1 (Daily Beast)

  • Finding a four leaf clover

    Odds: 10,000 to 1 (Deseret News)

  • Losing an appendage to a chainsaw

    Odds: 4,464 to 1 (Deseret News)

  • Writing a New York Times bestseller (if you?re an author)

    Odds: 220 to 1 (Time)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/powerball-odds-jackpot_n_2197886.html

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Bangladeshis protest after fire that killed 112

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? Thousands of Bangladeshi workers blocked the streets of a Dhaka suburb Monday, throwing stones at factories and smashing vehicles, as they demanded justice for 112 people killed in a garment-factory fire that highlighted unsafe conditions in an industry rushing to produce for major retailers around the world.

Some 200 factories were closed for the day after the protest erupted in Savar, the industrial zone where Saturday's deadly fire occurred. Protesters blocked a major highway.

The government announced that Tuesday will be a day of national mourning, with the national flag flying at half-mast in honor of the dead.

Investigators suspect that a short circuit caused the fire, said Maj. Mohammad Mahbub, fire department operations director. But he said it was not the fire itself but the lack of safety measures in the eight-story building that made it so deadly.

"Had there been at least one emergency exit through outside the factory, the casualties would have been much lower," Mahbub said. He said firefighters recovered at least 100 bodies from the factory, and 12 more people died at hospitals after jumping from the building to escape the fire.

Local media reported that up to 124 people were killed.

Mohammad Ripu, a survivor, said Monday that he tried to run out of the building when the fire alarm rang but was stopped.

"Managers told us, 'Nothing happened. The fire alarm had just gone out of order. Go back to work,'" Ripu said. "But we quickly understood that there was a fire. As we again ran for the exit point we found it locked from outside, and it was too late."

Ripu said he jumped from a second-floor window and suffered minor injuries.

Mahbub said the fire broke out on the ground floor, which was used as a warehouse, and spread quickly to the upper floors. He said many workers who retreated to the roof were rescued, but dozens of others were trapped; firefighters recovered 69 bodies from the second floor alone.

Many victims were burned beyond recognition. The bodies were laid out in rows at a school nearby. Many of them were handed over to families; unclaimed victims were taken to Dhaka Medical College for identification.

The garment-factory fire was Bangladesh's deadliest in recent memory, but such dangers have long been a fact of life as the industry has mushroomed to meet demand from major retailers around the world.

The factory is owned by Tazreen Fashions Ltd., a subsidiary of the Tuba Group. Neither Tazreen nor Tuba Group officials could be reached for comment.

The Tuba Group is a major Bangladeshi garment exporter whose clients include Wal-Mart, Carrefour and IKEA, according to its website. Its factories export garments to the U.S., Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, among other countries. The Tazreen factory, which opened in 2009 and employed about 1,700 people, made polo shirts, fleece jackets and T-shirts.

Tazreen was given a "high risk" safety rating after a May 16, 2011, audit conducted by an "ethical sourcing" assessor for Wal-Mart, according to a document posted on the Tuba Group's website. It did not specify what led to the rating.

Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Gardner said online documents indicating an orange or "high risk" assessment after the May 2011 inspection and a yellow or "medium risk" report after an inspection in August 2011 appeared to pertain to the factory. The August 2011 letter said Wal-Mart would conduct another inspection within one year.

Gardner said it was not clear if that inspection had been conducted or whether the factory was still making products for Wal-Mart. If a factory is rated "orange" three times in two years, Wal-Mart won't place any orders for one year. The May 2011 report was the first orange rating for the factory.

"Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this tragedy," the retailer said in a statement. "While we are trying to determine if the factory has a current relationship with Wal-Mart or one of our suppliers, fire safety is a critically important area of Wal-Mart's factory audit program and we have been working across the apparel industry to improve fire safety education and training in Bangladesh."

In its 2012 Global Responsibility report, Wal-Mart said it ceased working with 49 factories in Bangladesh in 2011 because of fire safety issues, and was working with its supplier factories to phase out production from buildings deemed high risk.

Bangladesh has some 4,000 garment factories, many without proper safety measures. The country annually earns about $20 billion from exports of garment products, mainly to the U.S. and Europe.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it would stand by the victims' families and offered 100,000 takas ($1,250) to each of the families of the dead. The association's acting president, Siddiqur Rahman, said on a talk show late Sunday that Tazreen's owner was to meet with group representatives on Monday.

"We will discuss what other things we can do for the families of the dead," Rahman said on Rtv, a private television station. "We are worried about what has happened. We hope to discuss everything in detail in that meeting."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bangladeshis-protest-fire-killed-112-060714993--finance.html

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NATO missiles not for Syria no-fly zone: Turkish military

ANKARA (Reuters) - NATO surface-to-air missiles due to be stationed near Turkey's border with Syria will only be used to protect Turkish territory and not to establish a no-fly zone within Syria, the Turkish military said on Monday.

Turkey riled Syria, Russia and Iran by requesting the NATO surface-to-air Patriot system, designed to intercept aircraft or missiles, last Wednesday after weeks of talks on how to shore up security on its 900-km (560-mile) border as the conflict in Syria deepens.

Syria, which called the move "provocative", and its allies including Russia and Iran oppose any development that they perceive could be a first step towards implementing a no-fly zone.

"The deployment of the air and missile defense system is only to counter an air or missile threat originating in Syria and is a measure entirely aimed at defense," the Turkish military said in a statement.

"That it will be used to form a no-fly zone or for an offensive operation is out of the question," it said.

Syrian rebels, despite seizing swathes of land, are almost defenseless against Syria's air force and have called for an internationally enforced no-fly zone, a measure that helped Libyan rebels overthrow Muammar Gaddafi last year.

On Monday, Syrian jets bombed the rebels' headquarters near the border, opposition activists in the area said.

Most foreign governments are loath to impose a no-fly zone for fear of getting dragged into the 20-month-old conflict.

A joint Turkish-NATO team will start work on Tuesday assessing where to station the missiles, how many would be needed and the number of foreign troops that would be sent to operate them, the statement said.

Within NATO, only the United States, the Netherlands and Germany possess Patriot missiles. The Netherlands has sent Patriots to Turkey twice before during both Gulf wars in 1991 and 2003.

Turkey is reluctant to be drawn into the fighting, but the proximity of Syrian bombing raids to its border is straining its nerves. It has repeatedly scrambled fighter jets along the frontier and responded in kind to stray Syrian shells that have crossed into its territory.

Turkey - a major backer of Syria's opposition - is worried about its neighbor's chemical weapons, the refugee crisis on its border, and what it says is Syrian support for Kurdish militants on its own soil.

(Writing by Jonathon Burch; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Hugh Lawson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nato-missiles-not-syria-no-fly-zone-turkish-105509519.html

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Hearst Lecture Series and Jewish Studies Program to Present New ...

?WHAT: The School of Journalism and Mass Communication?s 2012-2013 Hearst Distinguished Lecture Series will present ?We Aren?t One Anymore: Jews as a Wedge Issue in the 2012 Election,? a lecture by Samuel G. Freedman, professor at Columbia University?s Graduate School of Journalism and New York Times Religion columnist. Freedman, whose books include ?Jew vs. Jew,? will address how issues related to the Jewish community and Israel played out in the November 6 presidential election and what it means for the future.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Florida International University?s Biscayne Bay Campus, Wolfe University Center Ballroom, 3000 N.E. 151 Street, North Miami, FL 33181.

BACKGROUND: The lecture is organized by the FIU Jewish Studies Program with the support of the Hearst Distinguished Lecture Series, Scheck Hillel Community School, and the Office of the Vice Provost at FIU. It is co-sponsored by the student chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists, the Orthodox Union, the FIU School of International and Public Affairs, and the FIU Department of Religious Studies.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Heather Radi-Bermudez at 305-919-4411 or e-mail hradi@fiu.edu.

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Source: http://news.fiu.edu/2012/11/hearst-lecture-series-and-jewish-studies-program-to-present-new-york-times-columnist-freedman/48993?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hearst-lecture-series-and-jewish-studies-program-to-present-new-york-times-columnist-freedman

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