London Riots: Defining Images of 2011

Some of the most powerful images of England in 2011 are of looters running from burning buildings as the August riots turned parts of London into a war zone.

Following the police shooting of suspected drug-dealer Mark Duggan, a peaceful protest march in Tottenham dissolved into a violent running battle with police.

Tottenham in north London lit the fuse for severe outbreaks of violence and disorder in Croydon, Brixton, Enfield, Clapham and Wood Green over four days. Rioting spread to Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and other conurbations.

When the dust settled, more than 100 homes had been destroyed along with dozens of businessess, adding up to around ?200 million in damaged property.

A series of police operations followed, with more than 3,000 people arrested and more than 1,000 charged with offences related to the disorder.

The press and public response following the unrest was divided, with many calling for harsher sentences for offenders along with calls for the police to be given more freedom to use force to control crowds.

Others claimed that the scale of the unrest pointed to a decline in relations between police and youth coupled with social exclusion, leading to deep-seated frustration that eventually erupted in violence.

Tottenham MP David Lammy, whose constituency was the trigger-point for some of the worst rioting in a generation, has warned that the social problems highlighted by the riots show no signs of improving. There are fears of fresh outbreaks in 2012.

"We need politicians of all political parties to attend to these issues or it could happen again," he told The Independent.?

"What we saw was not just a battle against the police: it was a battle within and across community,"

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/273932/20111229/london-riots-defining-images-2011.htm

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Beckham may sign new Galaxy deal

By Dan Roan
BBC sports news correspondent Beckham's LA Galaxy contract expires on 31 December

David Beckham is leaning towards extending his spell with Los Angeles Galaxy, BBC Sport understands.

The 36-year-old midfielder is still considering whether to stay in Major League Soccer, or accept an offer from Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain.

Archive - Beckham's redemption in 2002

The French club's interest in Beckham was revealed by BBC Sport in September.

But contrary to reports in France, no agreement has been finalised with PSG and LA Galaxy have now emerged as the favourites to win his signature.

The former England captain has been discussing the next stage of his career with his family and business partner Simon Fuller.

He could yet decide to join forces again with newly appointed PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti and sporting director Leonardo, having worked with both men at AC Milan during loan spells in 2009 and 2010.

Continue reading the main story

• 1993-2003: Manchester United
• 1995: Preston (loan)
• 2003-2007: Real Madrid
• 2007-date: Los Angeles Galaxy
• 2009 & 2010: AC Milan (two loan spells)

However, it is understood his wife Victoria and children feel settled in California and are happy to stay.

The wishes of his family are the priority for Beckham in any decision he reaches.

Beckham's contract with Galaxy expires on 31 December, but the club and MLS have now offered him one-year rolling deal that has made the player feel highly valued, and impressed his advisors.

The former Manchester United midfielder takes his commitment to the growth of football in the US very seriously.

Archive - Beckham sinks Ecuador in 2006 World Cup

Crucially, the new contract would also include dispensation for Beckham to be a part of the Great Britain football team at the 2012 London Olympics if selected.

PSG have been in negotiations with Fuller, but Leonardo admitted on Friday that the signing of Beckham "might not happen", casting further doubt on the move.

Beckham joined LA Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 and, after two loan spells in Milan, recently helped the Californian side to the MLS Cup with a 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport2/hi/football/16367775.stm

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The morning after: PlayStation Vita sales go cold during first full week in Japan

It's hard to set much store by early sales performance, particularly after the evergreen 3DS faced such a rocky road. Nevertheless, the Vita's latest stats do look disappointing for such a highly anticipated -- not to mention high-quality -- console: after shifting a remarkable 321,000 units during its first two days on sale in Japan, it could only muster 72,500 in the whole week between December 19th and Christmas Day. In comparison, the PS3 sold 76,000 units during the same period, while the 3DS rang up half a million. This doesn't necessarily reflect a lack of interest, however: there have been stock shortages, and it's also possible that buyers are waiting to make sure that all the launch bugs get cleaned up. As for us, our alarms remain firmly set for February 22nd.

The morning after: PlayStation Vita sales go cold during first full week in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/w00FzcG2nlY/

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Egypt police raid U.S.-backed pro-democracy groups (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egyptian prosecutors and police raided offices of 17 pro-democracy and human rights groups on Thursday - drawing criticism from the United States which hinted it could review its $1.3 billion in annual military aid.

The official MENA news agency said the groups had been searched in an investigation into foreign funding.

"The public prosecutor has searched 17 civil society organizations, local and foreign, as part of the foreign funding case," MENA cited the prosecutor's office as saying. "The search is based on evidence showing violation of Egyptian laws including not having permits."

Among groups targeted were the local offices of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI), a security source and employees at the organizations said.

The U.S. State Department said the raids were "inconsistent with the bilateral cooperation we have had over many years" and urged Egyptian authorities to immediately halt "harassment" of non-governmental organization staff.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland indicated to a news briefing that military aid could be difficult to push through Congress if the situation did not improve.

"We do have a number of new reporting and transparency requirements on funding to Egypt that we have to make to Congress," Nuland said. "The Egyptian government is well aware of that and it certainly needs to be aware of that in the context of how quickly this issue gets resolved."

Nuland said U.S. officials had been in touch with Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri and with Egypt's ambassador to Washington to underscore Washington's concern.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said it would summon Egypt's ambassador to Berlin on Friday after the raid targeted the German-based Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which is close to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats.

CRITICISM OF ARMY

Civil society groups, a driving force behind the protests that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February, have become increasingly vocal in criticizing what they call the army's heavy-handed tactics in dealing with street unrest.

"This is a campaign the military council has launched to defame and stigmatize activists, rights groups and the various forces that have participated in the making of the January 25 revolution," said 27 civil society groups in a joint statement.

The groups added that such a campaign was "unprecedented even in the era of Mubarak and aimed to cover the failures of the military council in its management of the transitional period."

The ruling generals have pledged to stand aside by mid-2012 but many democracy activists say the military is keen to preserve its privileges and broad business interests.

One analyst said the crackdown on civil society groups was an attempt to stymie the protest movement.

"Civil society groups and the media are the two pillars of a successful revolution, because they are radical in their demands. The military council launches intermittent attacks to contain them," said analyst and researcher Yasser Abdel Aziz.

The U.S. State Department comments followed stinging criticism by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the "systematic degradation" of women during protests in Cairo this month in which 17 people were killed.

Images of troops beating demonstrators as they lay on the ground brought thousands of Egyptians onto the streets in protest. The harsh treatment of women protesters attracted particular attention.

The National Democratic Institute (NDI)said in an e-mailed statement that the raid took place on its offices in Cairo, Alexandria and Assiut, from where police confiscated equipment and documents.

"Cracking down on organizations whose sole purpose is to support the democratic process during Egypt's historic transition sends a disturbing signal," NDI President Kenneth Wollack was quoted as saying.

One person working at NDI, who gave her name as Rawda, said: "They are grabbing all the papers and laptops."

A Reuters television reporter who approached the offices of the International Republican Institute (IRI) in central Cairo found the doors sealed shut with wax and saw several police vehicles driving away from the area.

The NDI and IRI, which are loosely associated with the U.S. Democratic and Republican political parties and receive U.S. government funding, say they take a neutral political stance, fostering democracy in Egypt by training members of nascent parties in democratic processes.

CAMPAIGN

Other groups that were raided included U.S.-based Freedom House and local groups set up to defend judicial independence, individual freedoms and democracy, according to the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights.

"This looks like a campaign against human rights defenders," said prominent Egyptian rights activist Negad al-Borai. He said similar campaigns happened during Mubarak's three-decade rule.

"For this to happen after what we call the 'revolution', I am astonished."

Egypt's military has vowed to investigate how pro-democracy and rights organizations are funded and has said repeatedly it will not tolerate foreign interference in the country's affairs.

Egyptian presidential hopeful and former U.N. nuclear watchdog head Mohamed ElBaradei said: "Human rights organizations are the icon of freedom ... Everyone will be watching closely any illegal attempts to distort them. The revolution will prevail."

(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Patrick Werr; Christian Ruettger in Berlin; and Andrew Quinn in Washington; Writing by Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111229/wl_nm/us_egypt_groups

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Swedish reporters sentenced to 11 yrs in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) ? A court in Ethiopia on Tuesday sentenced two Swedish journalists to 11 years in prison on charges of supporting terrorism after the two illegally entered the country with an ethnic Somali rebel group in a case that has been criticized by media rights groups.

Judge Shemsu Sirgaga ruled that the two freelance journalists ? Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye ? will serve "rigorous imprisonment" following their convictions last week.

Ethiopian troops had captured Persson and Schibbye six months ago during a clash with rebels in eastern Ethiopia's restive Somali region, a no-go area for reporters. Ethiopia considers the rebel group a terrorist organization, and it is very difficult for journalists to gain access to the region. Rights groups say that is so abuses there are not exposed.

The judge has accused the Ogaden National Liberation Front ? or ONLF ? of organizing the Swedes' journey starting in London. Outlawed groups in many countries frequently facilitate the travels of reporters in order to have their version of events told.

There was no visible reaction to the sentencing from the two journalists. The defendants' lawyers plan to hold a meeting at the Swedish Embassy later Tuesday to discuss the possibility of an appeal.

In Sweden, Foreign Ministry spokesman Anders Jorle called the sentencing expected but regrettable. He said Sweden has been in contact with the Ethiopian government over the court case "at a high level."

Their Swedish lawyer, Thomas Olsson, could not be immediately reached for comment but told national broadcaster SVT that the sentence was a disappointment, but that he and his clients had not yet decided if they would appeal.

"We will try to adjust to the new situation and help them as much as possible," he said, noting that an appeal can take up to two years and that the alternative would be for them to try to get pardoned.

"The latter means that they have to confess to these crimes and apologize, which of course is a hard thing to do when you regard yourself innocent. That's why an appeal is natural, but it's a tough decision. That's what Martin and Johan are up against in the coming 15 days," Olsson said.

Persson and Schibbye are both freelance contributors to the Sweden-based photojournalism agency Kontinent. Schibbye is also a writer. The two regularly had their work published in national newspapers in Sweden and Norway.

The pair said they had been gathering news about a Swedish oil company that is exploring Ethiopia's Somali region for oil. Sweden's foreign minister, Carl Bildt, was a member of the board of the company ? Lundin Petroleum ? between 2000 and 2006, and left the board when he was appointed foreign minister.

Persson and Schibbye have acknowledged that they entered Ethiopia illegally.

Jonas Nordling, chairman of The Swedish Union of Journalists, called Tuesday's sentencing "a setback for journalism, and it's a personal tragedy for Martin and Johan and their families. We will do all we can to support them."

"It's clear that it's a political sentence. A heavy responsibility now lies on the Swedish government to solve this on a political level," he said, noting that the freedom of the press must be protected and defended.

Swedish government officials have said that the two Swedes were on a "journalistic mission," and have pushed for the two to be freed.

The international community has closely followed the terror trial against the Swedes. Rights groups and diplomats say Ethiopia's anti-terrorism proclamation restricts freedom of expression and is used as a tool to crack down on dissent.

Amnesty International said it believes the two Swedes are "prisoners of conscience, prosecuted because of their legitimate work."

___

Associated Press reporter Louise Nordstrom in Stockholm contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-27-AF-Ethiopia-Journalists/id-5b5daa0b88de4eb3a9d8dc5bcbf91d5d

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Fashion Fail of 2011: LMFAO

Each week we bring you the most awful fashion mishaps that occur in the celebrity world. Throughout 2011 we have seen some pretty eye-gouging wardrobe choices, but there is one duo that stands out head and shoulders above the rest: LMFAO. I am willing to admit that their music has grown on me, but the ridiculous skin-tight pants, puffy, nappy hair, and black-rimmed glasses are worthy of some anti-nausea medicine. It looks like these two broke into David Lee Roth?s house and stole some of the old spandex he would wear in those 80?s music videos of Van Halen. So hopefully these guys wake up in 2012 with a better sense of fashion. Check back next week to see who the first victim of the new year will be. Your thoughts? Photos: www.wenn.com/Dominic Chan

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/pUFnmJyk38Y/

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Increased Variance in Germline Allele-Specific Expression of APC Associates With Colorectal Cancer

Curia MC et al. ? Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) have a larger variance in germline levels of allele?specific expression (ASE) in adenomatous polyposis coli than controls; large distances from the mean ASE were associated with risk for common forms of CRC.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5666482080&f=378

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Asia Markets: Japan stocks catch up with gains; Seoul drops

By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) ? Japanese stocks jumped on Monday to catch up with broad gains in global equity markets after Friday?s holiday, while Chinese shares fluctuated between gains and losses in choppy year-end trading.

2011: Year in review

2011 was a year of conflict, a year of tragedy, and for some a year of hope. Take a look back at the most important news and events of the year.

Japan?s Nikkei Stock Average /quotes/zigman/5986735 JP:NIK +1.23% climbed 1.1% in morning-session trade, aided by Friday?s strong finish on Wall Street and upbeat U.S. economic data.

?It appears concerns the U.S. housing market might deteriorate even further have receded and that a gradual recovery is becoming more likely,? Daiwa Research strategist Kazuhiro Miyake wrote in a note to clients.

Miyake said the stock market performance hinges on yen movements, and that while the yen might continue to appreciate over the long term, it could fall against the U.S. dollar in 2012 ?due to possible recovery in the U.S. economy.?

China?s Shanghai Composite /quotes/zigman/1859015 CN:000001 -0.28% ?was down 0.1% in choppy trading after moving in both directions. The index is still down more than 21% so far this year, including nearly 5.5% in losses suffered this month.

South Korea?s Kospi /quotes/zigman/1652118 KR:0100 -0.37% ?traded 0.6% lower, and Taiwan?s Taiex gave up 0.3%, reversing early gains.

Stock markets in Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore were among those closed for holidays.

Shares of machinery manufacturers and other exporters led the advance in Tokyo, with Fanuc Corp. /quotes/zigman/527618 FANUY +0.61% /quotes/zigman/192770 JP:6954 +2.88% ?rising 2.9%, and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. /quotes/zigman/198746 JP:6305 +1.40% /quotes/zigman/529196 HTCMY -3.16% ?gaining 1.9%.

The advance came after U.S. stocks extended their recent gains Friday, after Congress approved a tax-cut extension and as data showed an increase in November durable-goods orders. See report on U.S. durable-goods data.

Chinese financial and airline stocks were among the losers on concerns about a weakening economic momentum. Shares of China Construction Bank Corp. /quotes/zigman/1876229 CN:601939 -1.54% /quotes/zigman/529424 CICHY -1.54% ?fell 0.9%, and Citic Securities Co. /quotes/zigman/1868615 CN:600030 -1.42% dropped 1.5%, while China Southern Airlines Co. /quotes/zigman/186291/quotes/nls/znh ZNH +1.28% /quotes/zigman/1869073 CN:600029 -0.63% ?shed 0.6%.

Some resource sector stocks advanced after recent losses, with Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. /quotes/zigman/1866975 CN:600019 +0.62% ?rising 1%, while Minmetals Development Co. /quotes/zigman/1863450 CN:600058 +0.64% gained 1.3%.

Shipbuilidng and financial stocks led the decline in Seoul, with Shinhan Financial Group Co. /quotes/zigman/331649/quotes/nls/shg SHG +0.69% ?dropping 1.6% and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. /quotes/zigman/324630 DWOTF 0.00% ?falling 3.7%.

Daewoo Shipbuilding said Monday its new-orders target will be about $11 billion for the coming year after pulling in some $14.8 billion in orders this year. See report on Daewoo Shipbuilding targets for 2012.

/quotes/zigman/5986735

Volume: 0.00

Dec. 26, 2011 12:34p

/quotes/zigman/1859015

Volume: 23.84M

Dec. 26, 2011 11:30a

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Volume: 265.76M

Dec. 26, 2011 12:34p

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Volume: 92,928

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/quotes/zigman/192770

? 11,780.00

+330.00 +2.88%

Volume: 512,600

Dec. 26, 2011 12:34p

/quotes/zigman/198746

? 1,306.00

+18.00 +1.40%

Volume: 417,500

Dec. 26, 2011 12:34p

/quotes/zigman/529196

Volume: 700.00

Dec. 23, 2011 2:29p

/quotes/zigman/1876229

Volume: 15.81M

Dec. 26, 2011 11:39a

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Volume: 107,087

Dec. 23, 2011 3:55p

/quotes/zigman/1868615

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Dec. 26, 2011 11:39a

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Volume: 36,588

Dec. 23, 2011 4:04p

/quotes/zigman/1869073

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Dec. 26, 2011 11:39a

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Volume: 20.60M

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Volume: 28,999

Dec. 23, 2011 4:01p

Varahabhotla Phani Kumar is a reporter in MarketWatch's Hong Kong bureau.

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B6D579614-2F60-11E1-80DF-002128040CF6%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

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Over 65 million years North American mammal evolution has tracked with climate change

Over 65 million years North American mammal evolution has tracked with climate change

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

History often seems to happen in waves ? fashion and musical tastes turn over every decade and empires give way to new ones over centuries. A similar pattern characterizes the last 65 million years of natural history in North America, where a novel quantitative analysis has identified six distinct, consecutive waves of mammal species diversity, or "evolutionary faunas." What force of history determined the destiny of these groupings? The numbers say it was typically climate change.

"Although we've always known in a general way that mammals respond to climatic change over time, there has been controversy as to whether this can be demonstrated in a quantitative fashion," said Brown University evolutionary biology Professor Christine Janis. "We show that the rise and fall of these faunas is indeed correlated with climatic change ? the rise or fall of global paleotemperatures ? and also influenced by other more local perturbations such as immigration events."

Specifically, of the six waves of species diversity that Janis and her Spanish collaborators describe online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, four show statistically significant correlations with major changes in temperature. The two transitions that show a weaker but still apparent correlation with the pattern correspond to periods when mammals from other continents happened to invade in large numbers, said Janis, who is the paper's senior and second author.

Previous studies of the potential connection between climate change and mammal species evolution have counted total species diversity in the fossil record over similar time periods. But in this analysis, led by postdoctoral scholar Borja Figueirido, the scientists asked whether there were any patterns within the species diversity that might be significant. They were guided by a similar methodology pioneered in a study of "evolutionary faunas" in marine invertebrates by Janis' late husband Jack Sepkoski, who was a paleontologist at the University of Chicago.

What the authors found is six distinct and consecutive groupings of mammal species that shared a common rise, peak and decline in their numbers. For example, the "Paleocene fauna" had largely given way to the "early-middle Eocene fauna" by about 50 million years ago. Moreover, the authors found that these transfers of dominance correlated with temperature shifts, as reflected in data on past levels of atmospheric oxygen (determined from the isotopes in the fossilized remains of deep sea microorganisms).

By the numbers, the research showed correlations between species diversity and temperature change, but qualitatively, it also provided a narrative of how the traits of typical species within each wave made sense given the changes in vegetation that followed changes in climate. For example, after a warming episode about 20 million years in the early Miocene epoch, the dominant vegetation transitioned from woodland to a savannah-like grassland. It is no surprise, therefore, that many of the herbivores that comprised the accompanying "Miocene fauna" had high-crowned teeth that allowed them to eat the foods from those savannah sources.

To the extent that the study helps clarify scientists' understanding of evolution amid climate changes, it does not do so to the extent that they can make specific predictions about the future, Janis said. But it seems all the clearer that climate change has repeatedly had meaningful effect over millions of years.

"Such perturbations, related to anthropogenic climatic change, are currently challenging the fauna of the world today, emphasizing the importance of the fossil record for our understanding of how past events affected the history of faunal diversification and extinction, and hence how future climactic changes may continue to influence life on earth," the authors wrote in the paper.

###

Brown University: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau

Thanks to Brown University 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.

This press release has been viewed 70 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116324/Over____million_years_North_American_mammal_evolution_has_tracked_with_climate_change

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Bahrain says to drop free-speech cases after protests (Reuters)

DUBAI (Reuters) ? Bahrain said on Saturday it would drop charges against 343 people whose offences were linked to free speech, but the opposition said that was just a portion of those detained on such accusations during pro-democracy protests this year.

The Sunni-led Gulf kingdom, under pressure to improve its rights record to secure a U.S. arms deal, has said it would follow the recommendations of a state-appointed commission which found evidence of widespread abuse in the crackdown against the protests by majority Shi'ite Muslims.

The measure, part of a review of action by military courts set up after Bahrain announced martial law in March, applies to 43 cases and 343 defendants, public prosecutor Ali al-Buainain told the state news agency BNA.

"However, other cases will remain pending because they involve crimes of violence and sabotage against people and property," Buainain said.

An official at the largest Shi'ite opposition group, Wefaq, said about 85 percent of the cases it studied were linked to freedom of speech and assembly.

"Of the 1,200 cases we have reported about, 1,000 include charges such as illegal assembly, spreading false news and spreading hatred of the regime," Matar Matar, a former parliament member for Wefaq, told Reuters.

Matar also said the measure should allow those charged to seek compensation.

"These people were imprisoned and there was no justification for what happened to them. So there should be compensation and an investigation of those responsible," Matar said by telephone.

Bahrain is important to Western interests in the Middle East because it hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet and faces Shi'ite giant Iran on the other side of the Gulf. Iran has denied Bahraini government accusations that it had incited the protests.

Inspired by "Arab Spring" uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, thousands of mainly Shi'ite Bahrainis took to the streets in February and March demanding curbs on the power of the ruling Al-Khalifa family and an end to perceived discrimination.

The broader pro-democracy movement was suppressed with the help of military forces brought in from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But small, low-level protests have persisted on an almost daily basis.

(Reporting by Firouz Sedarat; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111224/wl_nm/us_bahrain_cases

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10,000 US troops leave Afghanistan as planned

WASHINGTON - The US military has withdrawn 10,000 troops from Afghanistan before a year-end deadline set by President Barack Obama, officers said Friday, the first step in a planned drawdown of combat forces through 2014.

The withdrawal left about 91,000 American troops on the ground in Afghanistan, spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told AFP.

Obama announced a surge of 33,000 forces in December 2009 to turn the tide in the war.

After declaring major progress against the Taliban insurgency, Obama has since promised to withdraw the reinforcements in two stages: 10,000 by the end of this year and another 23,000 by the end of next summer.

?They have met the first target of recovering 10,000 of the surge forces by the end of the year,? Speaks said.

US and coalition partners in Afghanistan plan to hand over security for the whole of the country to Afghan forces by the end of 2014, allowing the withdrawal of combat forces.

US administration officials and military commanders are debating the pace of further troop withdrawals in 2013 but have already suggested the Afghan mission will shift from direct combat to an advisory role next year.

Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/December/international_December930.xml&section=international

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How To: Download Android Apps and Games on your Android Tablet For FREE!

Acer, Amazon, android, Applications, Archos, Asus, download, downloads, FAQ, games, how to, Malata, Motorola, news, Nook, Samsung, Sony, Tablets, Toshiba | admin | December 15, 2011 8:59 pm

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You know what is really annoying? Buying an Android tablet only to find that there is no simple way to download application for it! Actually, even more annoying is having an Android tablet which features the Android Market, but only allows you to download those lack luster free apps!

If you have found yourself in this situation don?t worry, don?t throw your tablet down and stamp on it, and don?t throw your device in the local pond out of frustration (well you can if you have Fujitsu Arrows tablet).
What you should do is get a glass of your favorite beverage (mines a nice coffee if anyone is offering), fire up your tablet?s browser and take a look at our list of top Android market alternatives!

The stores and alternatives we have listed below don?t represent all the possible routes you can get apps on your Android device, so it you know of any other ways please feel free to add them to the comments section below.

Also, be aware that some of these market may not be as respectful to copyright laws as they should, and you could well end up illegally copied paid for applications for free! And you wouldn?t want that would you?.?

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Amazon App Store

The Amazon version of the Android store should be on your tablet regardless, as Amazon frequently offer cheaper prices than those found on Google?s version, with some paid for apps even offered for FREE for limited times!
To get the Amazon App Store on your device, head to the official Amazon App store page and follow their instructions.

Download the Amazon app store for Android

Pandaapp

This is my personal fave and has either a web based side or desktop client, which features all the top Android downloads including games!?Again you may find a lot of cracked or pirated apps here so download at your own risk.

Visit the Pandaapp website here.

Opera Mobile App Store

I didn?t even know Opera had their own version of the Android app store! But they do and it is fantastic! Like Amazon, the Opera Mobile App store frequently offers discounted applications with some huge savings.
The interface and overall look of the Opera store is very easy to flick through and operate too, it may even be easier to find apps here than it is on the official Google version!

Download the Opera Mobile App Store here.

MIUI.com

MIUI are the people who made headlines a few weeks ago with announcement of the Xiaomi Android smartphone.?There website has a forum where Xiaomi fans are able to download and share applications together, again be wary of malware.

Visit the MIUI forum here.

GetJar

While Opera and Amazon offer clean and easy ways to navigate and get your apps on your Android device, GetJar offers a less user friendly and more cluttered approach. However that?s not to say GetJar is difficult to use, it just could be a lot simpler.
Like the other alternative app stores on the list, GetJar offers users to search and download popular applications, but unlike some of the others, this store also has a lot of unique hacks and apps developed by budding designers.

Visit the GetJar site here.

Andappstore

Andappstore is visually very basic, but the plain looking UI doesn?t deter from the fact that this lightweight store can get apps on your tablet!
Andappstore also lacks in the content compared to other stores and you may find some of the games or applications you are looking for aren?t listed, but it?s well worth a look anyway.

Visit AndAppstore here.

Wandoujia

Touting itself as the ?iTunes of Android? Wandoujia is a PC desktop client which allows you to manage all the content on your Android tablet or phone. Music, movies, contacts and applications can all be backed up and rearranged through the client.
Best of all is that Wandoujia will search a database of 3rd party Android markets and allow you to download apps from them, it will even let you know when updates are available too!

Visit Wandoujia here.

Handango

Handango is absolutely jam packed with free of discounted applications! While free and discounted could also equal, low quality or even junk, the majority of app available from this browser based app store are actually pretty good!

Download Handangou Android store here.

OnlyAndroid Superstore

Only Android Superstore is actually ran by Mobihand, who in turn actually run alternative application stores for a multitude of mobile operating systems. To start downloading from the Only Android Superstore, you will need to download their app first, which is very clean and easy to navigate.

Download Only Android Superstore here.

GFan Forum

Not an App or client but an actual web forum where Android users can share and distribute applications. While you might be rubbing your hands together at the prospect of downloading some free pirated apps, be warned that some may be filled with malware.?You have been warned.

Visit the Gfan forum here.

Insyde Market

Insyde Market is a fairly new place to get your Android app fix. Due to the age of the your store you will be limited mostly to a choice of free apps, however they have just started to accept paid for apps from developers.

Download Insyde Market here.

Appoke

Appoke has one of the better looking interfaces from this list which make search and discovery all the enjoyable and user friendly.
Appoke allows you to either install their store directly to you Android device, or download from their website, but which ever you choose you may need to sign up for a user account.

Download the Appoke Android store here.

SlideME

SlideME was one of the first Android app store alternatives to launch, and as such has a rather full database of applications and games to choose from. Apps are listed by category and screen shots are provided so you get a good idea of what you are downloading.

Download the SlideME Android app store here.

YAAM Market

The YAAM market isn?t the most unique alternate store, but instead offers a solid simple way of getting applications on your device. Apps are grouped in to either ?Free? or ?Paid? with a further filter separating Apps, Games and Updates.

Download the YAAM Android market here.

Android OS Tablets

Another way to get games and applications on your non Android market supported devices is heading here to AndroidOS Tablets on a regular basis, or by subscribing to our RSS or Twitter feeds.
We often add download links for the most popular Android applications with simple easy to understand instructions for you to follow.

---

There are many more Android Store Alternatives!

Although we have only listed 15 alternative Android app markets here on our list, there are many many more available out there across the internet for you to choose, and we will add them to this list or to a new list as and when we come across them.

In the meantime, feel free to add your own alternative Android application store suggestions in the comments section below.

Source: http://www.androidostablets.com/2011/12/15-ways-install-android-apps-no-android-market/

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Baseball?s hot stove heats up with intriguing moves

MAJOR LEAGUES

Two significant moves reignited baseball?s hot stove after it had seemingly cooled in advance of the holiday weekend.

Gio Gonzalez, a left-handed starter for the Oakland Athletics who was a target of a number of teams this winter, was traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for four minor league prospects. It will be his fourth major league organization.

?It?s 99 percent done,? Gonzalez said on Thursday night. ?It?s pending a physical and I?m just waiting to hear from my agent.?

Also on Thursday, the St Louis Cardinals disclosed that they had come to terms on a two-year contract with outfielder Carlos Beltran, a free agent who played for the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants last season.

Gonzalez, 26, started 32 games for the A?s last season and finished 16-12 with a 3.12 earned run average, 10th in the American League. He drew the interest of numerous teams, including the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

Now, he will inject more talent into the National League East, which has become increasingly competitive in the last months with the aggressive moves by the Miami Marlins.

And the trade, to some extent, would seem to leave the Mets closer to the basement of the division.

Beltran, 34, spent more than six seasons with the Mets before being traded to the Giants in July. He batted .300 with a .385 on-base percentage last season. He hit 22 home runs and drove in 84 runs in what was widely viewed as a strong comeback season from the previous season, when he was sidelined a good portion of the year as he recuperated from knee surgery.

His arrival in St Louis will soften slightly the sting of Albert Pujols? departure to the Los Angeles Angels. The Cardinals can now place Beltran in right field and allow Lance Berkman to slide into the vacancy left by Pujols at first base.

The signing will also provide somewhat of a serendipitous twist, as Beltran will share a clubhouse with Adam Wainwright, who famously got Beltran to look at a called third strike to close out Game 7 of the NL Championship Series in 2006.

The Cardinals went on to win the World Series that October, while the Mets were sent into a spiral of disappointment that has continued to this day.

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535602/s/1b384a98/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Csport0Carchives0C20A110C120C240C20A0A352150A4/story01.htm

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Romney: Support proves momentum (Politico)

BERLIN, N.H. ? After the support ? but not an endorsement ? from George H.W. Bush on Thursday, Mitt Romney received a call from the former president while traveling between stops on his New Hampshire bus tour.

Romney said he spoke with the elder Bush for several minutes.

Continue Reading

?I am very encouraged of the support of President Bush for my campaign. Obviously, you can tell there is growing momentum for this effort in New Hampshire and across the country,? the former Massachusetts governor told reporters here.

Bush, who?s known Romney for years, told the Houston Chronicle, ?I think Romney is the best choice for us,? calling him ?the most electable.?

Bush told the Chronicle he was stopping short of an official endorsement ?for no particular reason.?

But that was good enough, Romney said.

?I had the opportunity to chat with the president this afternoon. I wished him a Merry Christmas and he did the same to me. I thanked him for his support, his leadership, his heroic life and his friendship,? Romney said. ?I must admit, this is much more important to me personally than even politically.?

Romney said he was taken by surprise by Bush?s support.

?I had no idea that was coming,? he added as he walked away, heading to knock on doors of Berlin homes.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1211_70796_html/43986723/SIG=11mlu1tfe/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70796.html

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OnStar ready to flaunt LTE Skype-enabled system on GM rides

Last year at CES, OnStar wasn't too shy about teasing its partnership with Verizon that would assist in bringing applications like YouTube, Wikipedia and Skype to your vehicle. At that point, though, it was just an idea. Fast forward to next year's iteration of the Consumer Electronics Show and that's turned into a reality. It's safe to say that Skyping-and-driving wouldn't be the best of ideas, but fortunately the system will keep you from making that mistake by only running when your car is immobile -- so don't make any plans to call your friends to tell them how fast you're going. Your kids, or other backseat passengers, won't be too worried since they'll be able to take full advantage of all the gimmicks; including the aforementioned, video streaming and the usual Angry Birds frolic. The in-car system is set to be shown on Volt and Cadillac models, and OnStar has said that there's more deets to be unveiled -- you'll just have to wait until we head to Vegas to find out.

OnStar ready to flaunt LTE Skype-enabled system on GM rides originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  MotorAuthority  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/onstar-ready-to-flaunt-lte-skype-enabled-system-on-gm-rides/

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Scientist gets 7-plus years for trade secret theft (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS ? A federal judge has sentenced a Chinese national scientist to more than seven years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegally sending trade secrets on a pesticide and a new food product to China and Germany.

Judge William Lawrence announced the sentence Wednesday for 46-year-old Kexue Huang, formerly of Carmel., Ind. He pleaded to one count of economic espionage to benefit the Chinese government and one count of theft of trade secrets.

Court records show Huang from 2007 to 2010 delivered trade secrets on an organic pesticide he helped develop at Dow AgroSciences in Indiana to people in Germany and China.

After joining Minnesota-based Cargill Inc. in 2008, Huang stole a key component to make a new food product and gave it to a university student in China.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_us/us_economic_espionage

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ACLU and 34 Organizations Urge Mayor to Stop Resisting Justice Department

The ACLU and 34 civil rights and community organizations are asking Mayor Mike McGinn to give up his defensive posture and cooperate with the US Department of Justice's demands to eradicate a pattern of excessive force in the Seattle Police Department.

"We are concerned that some of your public comments give the impression of a reluctance to embrace the recommendations of the report," their letter says. The letter apparently responds to Seattle Police Chief Diaz telling reporters hours after receiving the DOJ's 66-page report that he wanted to "see evidence" that his officers used excessive force in one out of five cases. "Let us see the numbers," Diaz defiantly said last Friday. Likewise, police labor union president Rich O'Neill issued a statement that afternoon that said changes to working conditions for officers must be hammered out "at the bargaining table."

The social justice groups, many of which joined the original request last December to begin the investigation, write: "Instead of focusing on re-evaluating the data, the City?s leadership should focus on finding solutions to well-documented problems that have developed over the years at the Seattle Police Department."

Mayor McGinn, for his part, said on Monday, "It is natural for people to see this as SPD vs. DOJ. But as mayor I don't have the luxury of looking at it that way. It is my responsibility to ensure public safety and a police force that addresses issues of excessive force and bias in policing."

He adds, "We're going to have to dig in to the DOJ's analysis."

As I write in this week's paper, some officials at city hall fear that the SPD and police union's resistance could result in an expensive federal lawsuit.

The ACLU's letter is after the jump.

December 21, 2011
Mayor Mike McGinn
City of Seattle
P.O. Box 94749
Seattle, WA 98124-4749

Dear Mayor McGinn,

The ACLU of Washington and the community organizations listed below request you make a strong public statement outlining your plans for addressing the very serious issues raised in the report by the United States Department of Justice stemming from its investigation of the Seattle Police Department, including implementation of the recommendations included in the report.

We agree with U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan that most Seattle police officers are good, dedicated public servants. However, the issues pinpointed by the DOJ?including excessive use of force, insufficient skills in de-escalating conflict, and lack of internal accountability?are longstanding problems. Organizations in the community have voiced concern about them for years.

The City?s leadership needs to set a tone indicating that it accepts the DOJ report?s recommendations. These were based on intensive discussions with police, City officials, and community members, and detailed analysis of records provided by the Seattle Police Department itself. We are concerned that some of your public comments give the impression of a reluctance to embrace the recommendations of the report. Instead of focusing on re-evaluating the data, the City?s leadership should focus on finding solutions to well-documented problems that have developed over the years at the Seattle Police Department.

Further, community stakeholders must be included in discussions about any solution to the problems identified by DOJ, including the conditions of a consent decree. The impact of any intended solution will be felt by all community members in Seattle, and it is critical that SPD and City leadership regain the trust of those community members. Only with them at the table can we create lasting and sustainable change where public safety and civil rights are both protected. The City of Seattle deserves no less.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director

ACLU of Washington

Estela Ortega, Executive Director
El Centro de la Raza

Merril Cousin, Executive Director
King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Robert Chang, Director, Fred T. Korematsu
Center for Law and Equality

Nicole Gaines, President
Loren Miller Bar Association

Fe Lopez, President-Elect
Latina/o Bar Association of Washington

Rev. Paul Benz, Policy Director
Faith Action Network

Rev. Harriett Walden, Executive Director
Mothers for Police Accountability

Dorry Elias-Garcia, Executive Director
Minority Executive Directors Coalition

Mary Nguyen, Co-Chair
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum ? Seattle

Andy Sachs, President
QLaw: GLBT Bar Association of Washington

Tim Harris, Executive Director
Real Change

Alison Eisinger, Executive Director
Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness

Jesus Rodriguez, Co-Chair
Trusted Advocates Association

Cindi Beech LaMar, Chair
Ndns for Justice

Floris Mikkelsen, Director
The Defender Association

Deborah Sioux Cano-Lee, Board President
Washington Indian Civil Rights Commission

Chris Stearns, Chairman
The Seattle Human Rights Commission

Jenine Grey, Executive Director
Chief Seattle Club

Magdaleno Rose-Avila, Executive Director
Community Health and Safety Committee

Susan Segall, Regional Director
American Friends Service Committee/Pacific Northwest

Millie A. Kennedy, President
Northwest Indian Bar Association

Diane Narasaki, Executive Director
Asian Counseling and Referral Service

Jorge L. Bar?n, Executive Director
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, MEDC Multiracial Task Force on Police Accountability

Pamela Masterman-Stearns, President
CANOES (City Native American Employees Association)

Cecile Hansen, Tribal Chairperson/DTS President
Duwamish Tribe on behalf of Duwamish Tribal Services

Dan Ford, Attorney
Columbia Legal Services

Jay "Westwind Wolf" Hollingsworth
John T. Williams Organizing Committee

S. Arsalan Bukhari, Executive Director
Council on American-Islamic Relations of Washington State

Pramila Jayapal, Executive Director
OneAmerica

Kerem Levitas, President
Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington

Source: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/12/21/aclu-and-34-organizations-urge-mayor-to-stop-resisting-justice-departments-recommendations-for-seattle-cops

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Mini Touch Golf Holiday Edition

Mini Touch Golf Holiday Edition

Developer: Try This Networks Inc.

Price: $1.99

* Supports the iPad natively in 1 universal binary!*

Celebrate Christmas and Hannukah with a brand spanking new edition of Mini Touch Golf. Putt your way through 18 holes, dodging candy canes, ice traps, and Christmas tree ornaments.

Touch the ball and pull back your finger to determine the power of your shot. Glide your finger in any direction to point the ball wherever you want. Lift your finger to release your shot, but don?t let the flying Santa distract you.

FEATURES
-Intuitive putting controls using the touch interface
-18 NEW holes of obstacle cover golf
-Practice any hole to improve your chances of making par

OUR OTHER GAMES:
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Source: http://appcrab.com/mini-touch-golf-holiday-edition/

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Esophageal Cancer: Facts and Figures (ContributorNetwork)

British journalist and author Christopher Hitchens died Thursday at 62 from complications of esophageal cancer. The well-known contributing editor of Vanity Fair magazine had been diagnosed in June 2010. Here are some key facts and figures about esophageal cancer.

* Men develop esophageal cancer four times more frequently than women and also have a higher mortality than women.

* Esophageal cancer ranks seventh as the cause of cancer deaths among men.

* This year in the United States, approximately 17,000 adults will receive a new diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

* Approximately 15,000 deaths will be attributed to esophageal cancer this year.

* The lifetime risk of esophageal cancer in the United States is estimated to be 1 in 125 for men and 1 in 400 for women.

* Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, choking while eating, indigestion, vomiting, persistent hiccups and hoarseness. Symptoms frequently do not appear in the early stages of esophageal cancer.

* The most common age for esophageal cancer to occur is between 45 and 70.

* Risk factors include drinking alcohol, chewing tobacco, obesity, drinking extremely hot liquids, bile reflux, GERD, smoking, Barrett's esophagus, radiation to the upper abdomen or chest, eating foods preserved in lye and eating too few fruits and vegetables.

* Endoscopy and barium swallow are usually done to make a diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

* Since symptoms do not usually occur until the later stages, treatment options carry a poor survival rate.

* Treatment may involve surgery and almost always involves chemotherapy and radiation combined.

* In the U.S., the five-year survival rate is 17 percent, excluding patients who die from other causes. For anyone with early stage esophageal cancer, the survival rates are higher.

* Esophageal cancer is much more prevalent in countries other than the U.S. For example in places such as northern China, India, Iran and southern Africa the rates are 10 to 100 times higher,

* Two types of esophageal cancer are the most common and are named after the cells at their point of origin. These include adenocarcinoma, which begins in the lower part of the esophagus and is the most common in western societies, and is caused most often by reflux and Barrett's esophagus. The second type is squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the middle and upper esophagus. This type is most often caused by smoking and alcohol use and is the most common worldwide.

* Squamous cell carcinoma occurs three times more often in blacks than whites, while adenocarcinoma is most prevalent in white males.

Margie Miklas is a critical-care nurse with more than 30 years' experience. She currently works in South Florida in a cardiovascular ICU with a specialty certification in cardiac surgery.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111216/hl_ac/10692349_esophageal_cancer_facts_and_figures

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Meteorite shockwaves trigger dust avalanches on Mars

Friday, December 16, 2011

When a meteorite careens toward the dusty surface of the Red Planet, it kicks up dust and can cause avalanching even before the rock from outer space hits the ground, a research team led by an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona has discovered.

"We expected that some of the streaks of dust that we see on slopes are caused by seismic shaking during impact," said Kaylan Burleigh, who led the research project. "We were surprised to find that it rather looks like shockwaves in the air trigger the avalanches even before the impact."

Because of Mars' thin atmosphere, which is 100 times less dense than Earth's, even small rocks that would burn up or break up before they could hit the ground here on Earth crash into the Martian surface relatively unimpeded.

Each year, about 20 fresh craters between 1 and 50 meters (3 to 165 feet) show up in images taken by the HiRISE camera on board NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, is operated by the UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and has been photographing the Martian surface since 2006, revealing features down to less than 1 meter in size.

For this study, the team zoomed in on a cluster of five large craters, which all formed in one impact event close to Mars' equator, about 825 kilometers (512 miles) south of the boundary scarp of Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in the solar system. Previous observations by the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter, which imaged Mars for nine years until 2006, showed that this cluster was blasted into the dusty surface between May 2004 and February 2006.

The results of the research, which Burleigh first took on as a freshman under former UA Regents Professor H. Jay Melosh, are published in the planetary science journal Icarus. Previous studies had looked at dark or light streaks on the Martian landscape interpreted as landslides, but none had tied such a large number of them to impacts.

The authors interpret the thousands of downhill-trending dark streaks on the flanks of ridges covering the area as dust avalanches caused by the impact. The largest crater in the cluster measures 22 meters, or 72 feet across and occupies roughly the area of a basketball court. Most likely, the cluster of craters formed as the meteorite broke up in the atmosphere, and the fragments hit the ground like a shotgun blast.

Narrow, relatively dark streaks varying from a few meters to about 50 meters in length scour the slopes around the impact site.

"The dark streaks represent the material exposed by the avalanches, as induced by the the airblast from the impact," Burleigh said. "I counted more than 100,000 avalanches and, after repeated counts and deleting duplicates, arrived at 64,948."

When Burleigh looked at the distribution of avalanches around the impact site, he realized their number decreased with distance in every direction, consistent with the idea that they were related to the impact event.

But it wasn't until he noticed a pair of peculiar surface features resembling a curved dagger, described as scimitars, extending from the central impact crater, that the way in which the impact caused the avalanches became evident.

"Those scimitars tipped us off that something other than seismic shaking must be causing the dust avalanches," Burleigh said.

As a meteor screams through the atmosphere at several times the speed of sound, it creates shockwaves in the air. Simulating the shockwaves generated by impacts on Martian soil with computer models, the team observed the exact pattern of scimitars they saw on their impact site.

"We think the interference among different pressure waves lifts up the dust and sets avalanches in motion. These interference regions, and the avalanches, occur in a reproducible pattern," Burleigh said. "We checked other impact sites and realized that when we see avalanches, we usually see two scimitars, not just one, and they both tend to be at a certain angle to each other. This pattern would be difficult to explain by seismic shaking."

In the absence of plate tectonic processes and water-caused erosion, the authors conclude that small impacts might be more important in shaping the Martian surface than previously thought.

"This is one part of a larger story about current surface activity on Mars, which we are realizing is very different than previously believed," said Alfred McEwen, principal investigator of the HiRISE project and one of the co-authors of the study. "We must understand how Mars works today before we can correctly interpret what may have happened when the climate was different, and before we can draw comparisons to Earth."

###

University of Arizona: http://uanews.org

Thanks to University of Arizona 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/116106/Meteorite_shockwaves_trigger_dust_avalanches_on_Mars

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