NFL News & Notes: Super Bowl XLVI, NFL Players On The Move - Jan 31,2013

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Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportsaddiction/2013/01/31/nfl-news-notes-super-bowl-xlvi-nfl-players-on-the-move

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UN Security Council to discuss peacekeepers for Mali

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council will soon begin discussing a possible United Nations peacekeeping force for Mali, an idea the world body had been uncomfortable with before France's recent military intervention, envoys said on Wednesday.

Last month, the 15-nation council approved an African-led force for Mali that likely would have been funded with voluntary contributions from U.N. member states and trained by the European Union. That force would not have begun operations until late this year against Islamist militants who took control of a vast region of northern Mali last year.

However, France's military intervention this month against the militants in the West African nation rendered that plan moot, diplomats said.

"There is increasing talk of moving straight to a U.N. peacekeeping operation," a senior Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Another diplomat and a U.N. official confirmed that, saying the discussions would begin within days.

It is an issue that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice first mentioned last week during a Security Council meeting. Other council members are now warming to the idea, the diplomats and U.N. officials said.

Deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force would require Security Council approval. Another option would be to send in an African Union force mandated by the council with logistical and other support from the United Nations, similar to the AU's Somalia mission.

Washington favors a U.N. mission rather than an AU force, diplomats said.

Details would have to be worked out but one idea floated was for a U.N. peacekeeping force of some 3,000 to 5,000 troops, diplomats said. They noted, however, that since the three-week-old conflict is continuing, it is still too early to deploy peacekeepers.

"There's no peace to keep yet," said one diplomat. "We're still in the peace-enforcement phase."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been uncomfortable with direct U.N. involvement in the proposed African-led operation, diplomats said, because it would have been an offensive combat mission - not peacekeeping.

But now that the French-backed Malian army has retaken most of the desert nation's cities, the possibility of deploying U.N. peacekeepers has become less remote, the envoys said.

They said a U.N. peacekeeping force would offer certain advantages over the African-led force approved by the council last month. Funding would be clear, it would be easier to monitor human rights compliance and the United Nations could choose which national contingents to use in the force.

Many of the African troops already in Mali supporting the French and Malian militaries could theoretically remain and become part of a U.N. peacekeeping force, one diplomat said.

It is an idea France would likely support. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Tuesday that Paris would favor a quick deployment of international monitors to Mali to ensure human rights are not abused.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-security-council-discuss-peacekeepers-mali-envoys-051017644.html

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Huge Chinese expo center planned for Cancun riles Mexican businesses, environmentalists

MEXICO CITY It?s a big dream: A massive complex near the resort of Cancun that would be the largest trading center for Chinese products in the Western Hemisphere.

The proposed complex would house 3,040 showrooms, divided among 14 industrial sectors and targeting wholesalers from across Latin America. Projections estimate that it would draw 1 million people a year to a resort that already is the most popular beach destination in the Western Hemisphere.

But just one month ahead of its expected groundbreaking, the $180 million Dragon Mart Cancun is drawing loud objections from an odd alliance of Mexican environmentalists, who worry about the predicted surge in visitors, and business interests, who fear competition from inexpensive Chinese imports.

?We categorically and overwhelmingly oppose the initiative to install a Dragon Mart on our national territory,? the Confederation of Industrial Chambers of Mexico, the nation?s largest industrial group, said in a statement last month.

The group said it was worried about China?s past practices of ?under invoicing, fake receipts, price subsidies, weak tax collection, almost null labor requirements and zero commitment to the environment.?

?The project may represent a beachhead for the massive arrival of Chinese products in conditions of unfair trade that may affect national industry and production chains,? the group added.

A business-supported think tank, the Center for Economic Studies of the Private Sector, said this week that it agreed with those concerns. It noted in a statement that China has chalked up 643 anti-dumping complaints through mid-2012, more than any other member of the World Trade Organization. Mexico has lodged 19 of those complaints.

It called on authorities to conduct ?a serious and urgent investigation? of the business plan of Dragon Mart Cancun to ensure that competition will be fair.

Already, the overseers of Dragon Mart Cancun have made concessions. For one, Juan Carlos Lopez, the director general of Dragon Mart Cancun, said the expo had decided to ban exhibits by Chinese sellers of shoes and clothing.

?These two industries are very sensitive in Mexico,? he said.

Another concession, Lopez said, is that the expo center will no longer be only for Chinese vendors but also for vendors from around the world.

On the same parcel as Dragon Mart Cancun will be warehousing and 722 villas where vendors may live.

?It?s not just for Chinese people. Anybody who leases a booth can lease a home,? Lopez said.

He said he expected 400 to 600 agents of mainland Chinese companies to work at Dragon Mart Cancun, part of the 8,550 direct and indirect jobs he said the project will generate.

If the project goes ahead as planned, it would follow the rough model of Dragon Mart Dubai, the first effort by Chinese business and industry to set up a massive showroom center abroad to promote Chinese products. Dragon Mart Dubai, which measures more than 1,300 yards from end to end, opened in 2004.

Dragon Mart Cancun will contain sectors that offer home appliances, communication equipment, lighting, household furnishings, jewelry, building materials, furniture, toys, machinery, medical equipment, auto parts, foodstuffs and general merchandise.

?Latin Americans, instead of going to China or Asia, or going to different international fairs or expositions, will go to Cancun,? Lopez said.

Lopez said the Chinese government has no stake in Dragon Mart Cancun. Rather, a Chinese entrepreneur, Hao Feng, who is also behind a third proposed Dragon Mart in Bahrain, holds a 10 percent stake through a Netherlands-based private company, Chinamex, he said. The other 90 percent of Dragon Mart Cancun is in the hands of Mexican investors from Merida and Monterrey, he said.

Chinamex considered a series of other cities for the Dragon Mart, including Los Angeles, Miami, Panama City and Sao Paulo, as well as other locations in Mexico, including Tijuana, according to promotional literature.

Cancun won because its airport has more international flights than any other in Latin America, Lopez said, and its world-class hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions also will draw buyers.

?It?s a nice place to go,? he said.

Moreover, the exposition center will broaden the regional focus from tourism: ?This is an opportunity to diversify the economy,? he said.

Most of the merchandise ordered through Dragon Mart Cancun will never come through the Yucatan Peninsula. Instead, it will be shipped directly to the port nearest the buyer, Lopez said. Volumes may be huge. Lopez said Dragon Mart Dubai last year traded the equivalent of 52,000 20-foot containers.

Environmental groups also have taken aim at Dragon Mart Cancun, which would sit on a 1,367 acre site about four miles from Cancun?s airport.

?There is environmental concern because it is nearly along the coast and only 3,400 meters (2.1 miles) from a protected area, the reefs of Puerto Morelos,? said Alejandra Serrano, a representative of the Mexican Center for Environmental Law.

Serrano said Dragon Mart Cancun has not been transparent about its long-term plans nor has it complied with zoning laws on protecting green areas.

Lopez responded that the project will have its own water treatment plant and will make extensive use of solar energy.

?We will not chop any vegetation, any trees. Zero,? Lopez said. ?There are very few projects in all of Mexico that are so green.?

Lopez said the project already has received the green light from the surrounding state of Quintana Roo and only awaits a building permit from the Benito Juarez municipality, which he expects next month.

The project should be completed by May 2014.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/30/3823088/huge-chinese-expo-center-planned.html

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20 believed dead in Kazakhstan plane crash

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) ? A passenger plane crashed Tuesday near Kazakhstan's principal city, Almaty, likely killing all 20 on board, Kazakhstan airline SCAT said.

Almaty and surrounding areas have been shrouded in fog for the last two days and the accident appears to have been caused by limited visibility.

A SCAT statement said 15 passengers and five crew members were aboard the plane.

Visibility was limited, forcing the plane to make a second approach to Almaty airport, the airline said.

The Emergency Services Ministry said rescue workers have been dispatched.

Details on the crash were sparse, including the kind of plane. SCAT's website shows it flies Boeing 757s and 737s along with the Yak-42 and the An-24.

Interfax news agency cited the Almaty province deputy governor Amandyk Batalov as identifying the aircraft as a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ200.

The Emergency Services Ministry said the plane, which it said was flying in from the northern city of Kokshetau, disappeared from radar around 13:13 p.m. local time (0713 GMT).

This is the second major aircraft accident recently in Kazakhstan. In December, 27 people died when an An-72 military plane crashed near the southern city of Shymkent during violent snowstorms.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/20-believed-dead-kazakhstan-plane-crash-091859516.html

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Seoul rattles sabre in currency war - Blogs - Financial Times

A new skirmish in the currency wars? South Korea is preparing to fight ?speculative? investors betting on the won, as the currency?s appreciation against the US dollar and the Japanese yen erodes Korean exporters? competitiveness.

The won has weakened against the dollar this year, losing 2 per cent. But that was after a 4.6 per cent gain in the last three months of 2012. Against the yen, which is crucial for Korean exporters, the won is up 3.4 per cent this year, following a 16 per cent gain in Q4 2012. No wonder Seoul is sabre-rattling.

On Wednesday the won eased 0.3 per cent to close at Won1,085.46 to the dollar after deputy finance minister Choi Jong-ku said the government was considering taxes on currency trading and bonds to curb hot money flows into Asia?s fourth-largest economy.

?The external environment and foreign exchange market movements since the fourth quarter of 2012 have created a considerably worrying situation,? Choi said in a prepared speech for a seminar.

He did not elaborate on the proposed taxation but said it would be similar to the so-called ?Tobin Tax? on short-term speculative foreign investment. Choi said the country was still opposed to imposing an outright levy on financial transactions but would consider similar measures if needed to fight speculators.

He said the government will tell state-run companies to refrain from borrowing abroad and will further tighten regulations on banks? currency derivatives trading to reduce volatility in the currency market.

The country tightened restrictions on currency forwards in 2010 and last year, with domestic banks now allowed to hold currency derivatives positions equivalent to only 30 per cent of equity while foreign bank branches can go up to 150 per cent of equity.

In addition to that, Seoul has introduced a set of capital control measures in recent years including taxing foreign investment in local bonds and imposing a levy on banks? offshore debt, in order to counter rapid capital inflows.

Government officials are wary over ?excessive? capital inflows, due to their bitter memory of the 1998 Asian financial crisis triggered by sudden capital flight. Concerns of the stronger won have intensified since the country?s exports unexpectedly fell for the first time in three months in December, down 5.5 per cent from a year earlier.

But analysts predict that it would be difficult to reverse the won?s strengthening with such measures because the Korean currency has been boosted by the country?s relatively strong economic fundamentals and widening trade surplus. However, most remain optimistic about the country?s export outlook, saying that Korean companies can withstand the stronger won thanks to their enhanced brands and product quality.

Data published on Wednesday showed the country?s industrial output unexpected rose 1 per cent in December from the previous month while its current account posted a $2.25bn monthly surplus.

Still, the stronger won remains a concern for the export-driven nation, which relies on external demand for half of its economic growth, especially as the won has appreciated sharply against the Japanese yen. Currency rates are becoming more unfavourable to Korean exporters, who directly compete with Japanese rivals in many sectors including electronics and autos.

Lee Sang-jae, an economist at Hyundai Securities, says that it is too early to be either optimistic or pessimistic about the country?s export outlook, noting that the country?s daily average exports this month remain steady, in line with the last quarter of 2012. He forecasts a 5 per cent annual growth in 2013 exports, following a 1.3 per cent fall last year, as the export recovery is expected to accelerate from the second quarter.

?But whether this forecast will be realised or not depends on the global economic recovery stemming from the US rebound, which could offset the worsening currency environment,? he notes. It is the global economic trend that counts the most for a small open economy like South Korea.

Related reading
S Korea: a dose of economic reality, beyondbrics
S Korea holds rates as economy tepidly recovers, beyondbrics
South Korea: In search of a new model, FT

Source: http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2013/01/30/seoul-rattles-its-sabre-in-currency-war/

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Gas leak proves fatal at Samsung chip plant in Korea

A maintenance contractor called out to fix a hydrofluoric acid leak at a Samsung plant has died in the hospital, according to Korean media. Four others were injured by the lethal gas but have reportedly been discharged. The factory in question is located within South Korea, which isn't known for the sort of lax safety standards that plague workers in China, but AsiaE reports the accident will nevertheless be investigated to find out if any laws were breached in the way the leak was handled, and if the killed contractor was wearing the right protective gear. For the sake of context, it's worth remembering that even state-of-the-art installations can be prone to accidents -- in 2011, for example, seven American workers were injured in an explosion at Intel's semiconductor fab in Arizona.

Filed under: Samsung

Comments

Via: The Verge, The Next Web

Source: AsiaE, Yonhap News, CriEnglish

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/28/samsung-gas-leak/

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Report: Pentagon to boost cybersecurity force fivefold

23 hrs.

Reuters

The Pentagon has approved a major expansion of its cybersecurity force to counter a growing threat of hacking and to conduct offensive operations against foreign foes, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officials.

The officials, who were not named because the plan is not yet public, said the move would increase the cybersecurity force fivefold, from 900 personnel to a total of 4,900 troops and civilians.

It said senior Pentagon officials made the decision late last year amid a string of attacks, including one that wiped out more than 30,000 computers at a Saudi Arabian state oil company.

The increase in personnel was requested by the head of the Defense Department's Cyber Command.

A Pentagon spokesman had no immediate comment, but said he was aware of the report in the Washington Post.

The plan, the paper said, calls for creating three types of force under the Cyber Command.

"National mission forces," would protect computer systems that undergird electrical grids and other kinds of infrastructure. "Combat mission forces," would help commanders abroad execute attacks or other offensive operations, while "cyber protection forces," would focus on protecting the Defense Department's own systems.

(Reporting by Sarah Lynch; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/report-pentagon-boost-cybersecurity-force-fivefold-1C8135108

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Tuaregs say they seized Mali towns from Islamists

SEVARE, Mali (AP) ? Tuareg fighters in northern Mali say they have seized control of the strategic city of Kidal and seven other northern towns from Islamist extremists.

The website of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad ? the Tuaregs' name for northern Mali ? made the claim Tuesday.

It was not possible to independently verify the Tuareg movement's claim. The Tuaregs' statement comes as French and Malian forces say they control the fabled desert city of Timbuktu.

The Tuareg group said it is "fully subscribed to the fight against terrorist organizations" and will work with French troops.

But it "categorically refuses" to allow the return to the north of the Malian army, which it accuses of summary executions of civilians.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-29-Mali-Fighting/id-0f2da1bf1f2241f085ca0351cc7d9f51

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Video: Curfew imposed as violence persists in Egypt

>>> now to the middle east , an angry egyptian president took to the air waves tonight to announce tough new measures aimed at ending the violence that has claimed at least 50 lifts the last three days. the violent protests in cairo and several other industries been the biggest challenge yet toz mohamed morsi's government. let's go to cairo for the latest.

>> reporter: it is mohamed morsi's biggest test as president of this country. on one hand, an increasing security vacuum across the country, on the other, a political crisis with the country's political parties . tonight, in an address to the nation, he delivered a strong warping. even burying the dead in egypt is now deadly. today in port sayyid, a day after 37 people were killed in protests, thousands walked to mourn them. the grief and prayer turned into fear and chaos. this amateur video , which we couldn't independently ver, if i reportsedly shows the moment the clashes with police turned deadly. meantime, as thousands mourned in port said, others fought in cairo , alexandria and suez. tonight, the country's embattled president, mohamed morsi, addressed the nation, declaring a state of emergency and imposing a curfew in the cities with the worst fighting. the country's powerful military is back on the street guarding government buildings recently attacked by protesters. and the military wants more power. today, the military requested the right to arrest civilians who break the law, this general said. two years ago, egypt 's street full of optimism and hope as united people toppled a dictator. today, stifling tear gas and plumes of smoke filled the air of a divided country. egypt 's police are struggling to cope with the protesters. they, too, have suffered losses and are angry. when the country's interior minister came today to pay his respects to fallen policemen, he was hackled by grieving colleagues and their families. and as it has for the past three days, night fall brought more violence. tonight, outside a luxury five-star cairo hotel . with a predictable-like precision, police charged the crowd, firing tear gas but minutes later, protesters returned, lobbing stones and setting fires to block roads. there are few words president morsi can say to calm these protesters. this man tells me that the president must resign and a new constitution must be written. another says only protests work with a regime that kills its people. president mohamed morsi has invited members of the leading opposition political forces tomorrow for emergency talks on the way out. many people are hoping there will be a breakthrough that could end the four days of deadly violence that have engulfed the country.

>> thank you.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50608968/

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Giving Thanks - Chronicles of a Psychic Medium

Learning how to Write a Gratitude Journal and Actively Keeping one.

I am doing many new things this year to achieve optimal health and perfect health. One of my new endeavors is to start a Gratitude Journal and every day write about something I am grateful for.

In the February issue of Good Housekeeping Janice Kaplan wrote a great article about the words ?Thank you? and also how to Write a Gratitude Journal.

The following is directly quoted from her article and are not my words/phrases and the like- Reference below:

Giving Thanks

How to Keep a Gratitude Journal

by Robert Emmons

?People who document what they?re thankful for reap a host of health an emotional benefits. Get started with these tips from Robert Emmons, Ph.D., adapted from UC Berkeley?s Greater Good website:

1. Commit to Happiness: Journaling is more effective if you first make the conscious decision to become more fulfilled and more grateful, research suggests. ?motivation to become happier plays a role.? Emmons explains.

2. Go for Depth over Breadth: Elaborating in detail about a particular thing for which you?re grateful- e.g., how thankful you are for your husbands repair of that broken faucet- carries more benefits than listing many things.

3. Make it Personal: Focus on people you?re grateful for, not things. And try subtraction, not just addition: Reflect on what your life would be like without certain blessings rather than just tallying up the good stuff.

4. Savor Surprises: Record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude. For inspiration, search ?community gratitude journal? at greatergood.berkeley.edu.

Reference:?Kaplan, J. (2013, February). 2 little words.. can change your life. new research shows why gratitude is a crucial tool for health and happiness.?Good Housekeeping,?256(2), 93-98.

Reference: Emmons, R. (2013, February). Giving Thanks, How to Keep a Gratitude Journal. Good Housekeeping, 256(2), 98.

Categories: Gratitude Journaling 2013 | Permalink.

Author: JessicaCaracciolo

My name is Jessica Caracciolo. From the age of 7 I started seeing and hearing spirits. I would hear them walking around my room, and knew of the man's description that lived in the attic. Being afraid to go to sleep at night was a growing trend at that age until I started trying to communicate with them. I used to leave a composition notebook in my bathroom with questions for them and a pen inside, hoping in the morning that they had written back. Much to my dismay they didn't. However, I have grown a lot: Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally and Physically and am now not just the spiritually gifted little girl that no one believed. I earned my Bachelors Degree in Psychology (Child Development, Research and Counseling) from Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA after needing surgery and having to transfer from Anna Maria College in Paxton MA. Health issues have been a long term battle for me, but being a medical intuitive it is easy to diagnose myself and make myself better, which I am greatly succeeding in these days. The best way to describe myself spiritually is that I am a person who is blessed with not only one spiritual gift but with almost all sensitivities. I am psychic (predict the future), medium (communicate with spirits), clairvoyant (clear seeing through third eye chakra), clairsentient (feel everything), empath (feel what others feel), clairalient (smelling), claircognizant (knowing), clairaudient (hearing), shaman, energy healer, Reiki practitioner, clairvoyant healer, aura healer, color healer, psychic surgeon, medical intuitive, paranormal investigator, intuitive counselor and intuitive. I predict, feel, and sense the weather and am starting to work with and research water. I am also considered an indigo child. Another way to describe myself would be extremely creative. I am a pianist, vocalist and a major craft artisan and artist. I feel my purpose in life is to use my spirituality, education and creativity to help others. If you want to communicate with me or receive a service please feel open to doing so. My goal is to offer affordable services and products so that anyone can receive guidance without having to redo their financial budget, especially with the insecurity in the economy.

Source: http://jessicacaracciolo.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/giving-thanks-how-to-keep-a-gratitude-journal-by-robert-emmons-janice-kaplan-from-good-housekeeping-magazine/

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French seal off Mali's Timbuktu, rebels torch library

GAO, Mali (Reuters) - French and Malian troops retook control of Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on Monday after Islamist rebel occupiers fled the ancient Sahara trading town and torched several buildings, including a library holding priceless manuscripts.

The United States and the European Union are backing a French-led intervention in Mali against al Qaeda-allied militants they fear could use the West African state's desert north as a springboard for international attacks.

The recovery of Timbuktu followed the swift capture by French and Malian forces at the weekend of Gao, another major town in Mali's north that had been occupied by the alliance of jihadist groups since last year.

The two-week-old mission by France in its former Sahel colony, at the request of Mali's government, has driven the Islamist rebels northwards out of towns into the desert and mountains.

Without a shot being fired, 1,000 French soldiers and paratroopers and 200 Malian troops seized Timbuktu airport and surrounded the town on the banks of the Niger River, looking to block the escape of insurgents.

In both Timbuktu and Gao, cheering crowds turned out to welcome the French and Malian troops.

A third town in Mali's vast desert north, Kidal, had remained in Islamist militant hands. But Malian Tuareg MNLA rebels, who are seeking autonomy for their northern region, said on Monday they had taken charge in Kidal after Islamist fighters abandoned it.

A diplomat in Bamako confirmed the MNLA takeover of Kidal.

A French military spokesman said the assault forces at Timbuktu were avoiding any fighting inside the city to protect the cultural treasures, mosques and religious shrines in what is considered a seat of Islamic learning.

But Timbuktu Mayor Ousmane Halle told Reuters departing Islamist gunmen had four days earlier set fire to the town's new Ahmed Baba Institute, which contained thousands of manuscripts.

UNESCO spokesman Roni Amelan said the Paris-based U.N. cultural agency was "horrified" by the news of the fire, but was awaiting a full assessment of the damage.

Ali Baba, a worker at the Ahmed Baba Institute, told Sky News in Timbuktu more than 3,000 manuscripts had been destroyed. "They are bandits. They have burned some manuscripts and also stole a lot of manuscripts which they took with them," he said.

Marie Rodet, an African history lecturer at Britain's School of Oriental and African Studies, said Timbuktu held one of the greatest libraries of Islamic manuscripts in the world.

"It's pure retaliation. They (the Islamist militant rebels) knew they were losing the battle and they hit where it really hurts," Rodet told Reuters. "These people are not interested in any intellectual debate. They are anti-intellectual."

ISLAMISTS "ALL FLED"

The Ahmed Baba Institute, one of several libraries and collections in Timbuktu containing fragile documents dating back to the 13th century, is named after a Timbuktu-born contemporary of William Shakespeare and houses more than 20,000 scholarly manuscripts. Some were stored in underground vaults.

The French and Malians have encountered no resistance so far in Timbuktu. But they will now have to comb through a labyrinth of ancient mosques, monuments, mud-brick homes and narrow alleyways to flush out any hiding fighters.

The Islamist forces comprise a loose alliance that groups Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) with Malian Islamist group Ansar Dine and AQIM splinter MUJWA.

They have retreated in the face of relentless French air strikes and superior firepower and are believed to be sheltering in the rugged Adrar des Ifoghas mountain range, north of Kidal.

The MNLA Tuareg rebels who say they now hold Kidal have offered to help the French-led offensive against the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamists. It was not clear, however, whether the French and Malians would steer their offensive further towards Kidal, or hold negotiations with the MNLA.

FRANCE: MALI "BEING LIBERATED"

The world was shocked by Timbuktu's capture in April by Tuareg fighters, whose separatist rebellion was later hijacked by Islamist radicals who imposed severe sharia (Islamic law).

Provoking international outrage, the Muslim militants - who follow a more radical Salafist brand of Islam - destroyed dozens of ancient shrines in Timbuktu sacred to Sufi Muslims, condemning them as idolatrous and un-Islamic.

They also imposed a strict form of Islamic law, or sharia, authorizing the stoning of adulterers and amputations for thieves, while forcing women to go veiled.

On Sunday, many women among the thousands of Gao residents who came out to celebrate the rebels' expulsion made a point of going unveiled. Other residents smoked cigarettes and played music to flout the bans previously imposed by the rebels.

Hundreds of troops from Niger and Chad have been brought to Gao to help secure the town.

"Little by little, Mali is being liberated," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told France 2 television.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris, French President Francois Hollande said French troops would take a step back once the job of retaking key towns was complete, and Malian and other African troops would take over the task of hunting the rebels.

"They are the ones who will go into the northern part, which we know is the most difficult because that's where the terrorists are hiding," Hollande said.

As the French and Malian troops thrust into northern Mali, African troops for a U.N.-backed continental intervention force for Mali, expected to number 7,700, are being flown into the country, despite severe delays and logistical problems.

Outgoing African Union Chairman President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin scolded AU states at a weekend summit in Addis Ababa for their slow response to assist Mali while former colonial power France took the lead in the military operation.

Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Niger and Chad are providing soldiers for the AFISMA force. Burundi and other nations have pledged to contribute.

AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra said these regional troops could play a useful "clean-up" role once the main military operations against the Islamist rebels end.

Speaking in Addis Ababa on Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. was "actively considering" helping the troop-contributing African countries with logistical support.

(Additional reporting by Richard Valdmanis in Sevare, Mali, Bate Felix and David Lewis in Dakar, Maria Golovina in London, Alexandria Sage, Vicky Buffery and Emmanuel Jarry in Paris, Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako, Abdoulaye Massalatchi in Niamey, Richard Lough and Aaron Masho in Addis Ababa; Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/malians-celebrate-french-led-forces-clear-timbuktu-091349664.html

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North Korean leader vows strong action

FILE - In this Sunday, April 15, 2012 file image made from KRT video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un applauds before giving his first public speech during a massive celebration marking the 100th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea's state news agency says leader Kim Jong Un has vowed at a meeting of top security and foreign officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures.", Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/KRT via AP video, FILE) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT

FILE - In this Sunday, April 15, 2012 file image made from KRT video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un applauds before giving his first public speech during a massive celebration marking the 100th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea's state news agency says leader Kim Jong Un has vowed at a meeting of top security and foreign officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures.", Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/KRT via AP video, FILE) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT

South Korean army soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence in Paju, South Korea, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Panmunjom, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

South Korean army soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Panmunjom, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

This Jan. 4, 2013 satellite image provided by GeoEye shows North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test facility. This and other recent satellite photos show North Korea could be almost ready to carry out its threat to conduct a nuclear test, a U.S. research institute said Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The images of the Punggye-ri site where nuclear tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009 reveal that over the past month roads have been kept clear of snow and that North Koreans may be sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated. But it remains difficult to discern North Korea's true intentions as a test would be conducted underground. The analysis was provided to The Associated Press by 38 North, the website of U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. (AP Photo/GeoEye Satellite Image)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.

The meeting of top officials led by Kim makes clear that he backs Pyongyang's defiant stance in protest of U.N. Security Council punishment for a December rocket launch. The dispatch in the official Korean Central News Agency did not say when the meeting took place.

Last week, the Security Council condemned North Korea's Dec. 12 launch of a long-range rocket as a violation of a ban against nuclear and missile activity. The council, including North Korea ally China, punished Pyongyang with more sanctions and ordered the regime to refrain from a nuclear test ? or face "significant action."

North Korea responded by rejecting the resolution and maintaining its right to launch a satellite into orbit as part of a peaceful civilian space program.

It also warned that it would keep developing rockets and testing nuclear devices to counter what it sees as U.S. hostility. A rare statement was issued Thursday by the powerful National Defense Commission, the top governing body led by Kim.

Kim's order for strong action and the recent series of strong statements indicate he intends to conduct a nuclear test in the near future to show "he is a young yet powerful leader both domestically and internationally," said Chin Hee-gwan, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Inje University.

North Korea cites a U.S. military threat in the region as a key reason behind its drive to build nuclear weapons. The two countries fought on opposite sides of the Korean War, which ended after three years in 1953 with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The U.S.-led U.N. Command mans the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, and Washington stations more than 28,000 troops in South Korea to protect its ally.

North Korea is estimated to have enough weaponized plutonium for four to eight bombs, according to American nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, who visited the country's nuclear complex northwest of Pyongyang in November 2010.

However, it is not known whether North Korean scientists have found a way to build nuclear warheads small enough to mount on a long-range missile.

Experts say regular tests are needed to perfect the technique, and another atomic test could take the country closer to its goal of building a warhead that can be mounted on a missile designed to strike the United States. North Korea has carried out two nuclear tests, in 2006 and 2009.

South Korean defense officials say North Korea is technically ready to conduct a nuclear test in a matter of days.

Satellite photos taken Wednesday show that over the past month, roads have been kept clear of snow and that North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.

Analysis of the images of the Punggye-ri site was provided Friday to The Associated Press by 38 North, the website of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Kim could order a nuclear test ahead of the Feb. 16th birthday of his late father and former leader Kim Jong Il to "create a festive mood," Chin predicted. Kim Jong Il died at age 69 in December 2011.

The U.S., South Korea and other countries have warned North Korea not to go ahead with a nuclear test, saying that would only deepen the country's international isolation.

After meeting with Chinese officials Friday, U.S. envoy for North Korea Glyn Davies said a nuclear test would set back efforts to restart regional talks on the North's nuclear disarmament.

North Korea has accused the U.S. and South Korea of leading the push for the U.N. Security Council resolution.

Sunday's KCNA dispatch said the U.N. punishment indicates U.S. hostility toward North Korea has reached its highest point. North Korea also warned South Korea on Friday of "strong physical countermeasures" if Seoul takes part in the U.N. sanctions.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-27-NKorea-Nuclear/id-297685c11b0a4e07a862f98cbd57f548

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North York Neck Pain Alleviated Naturally With Acupuncture Needles

North York acupuncture therapy could be a way of helping a body to rebalance itself. The process involves the manipulation of thin needles that are inserted into specific points in the body. These points correspond to acupuncture points identified through traditional Chinese medicine.

The reason for these specific locations is to help remedy any imbalances in the body. By using these super fine needles the acupuncturist is able to facilitate the way the energy flows through the body. This belief hinges on the the thought that energy can somehow be prevented from flowing freely around the body.

This truly is an ancient process, and its exact development isn?t really known. One explanation is that soldiers in being wounded by sharp pointed instruments in battle, and who went on to recover, found various ailments were better than before. It?s thought the original needles could?ve consisted of bone and stone, before being replaced with metal needles.

There really is not a lot of evidence as to how this method may work. There is probably even less known about why it may work, but some people do find it helpful. The exact points for the needles insertion are decided by the acupuncturist. They carefully question the person beforehand, and may also just observe while others will use a more hands on approach to feel for tender or sore spots.

They are quite likely to take a person?s pulse, and also to look at the tongue. It is something that is frequently based on intuition, philosophy and experience. The needles used tend to be made out of stainless steel and are extremely thin. Most are disposable, although some are reused after being thoroughly sterilized.

Shorter needles are used around the face and neck. Longer needles can be used in other ares. They are so skillfully inserted by North York acupuncture pros that most people will not be aware they are going in.

Acupuncture relieves neck and back pain naturally. You can get more information about a North York acupuncture professional at http://www.bayviewwellness.ca/ now.

Source: http://www.gynexin-reviews.net/blog/north-york-neck-pain-alleviated-naturally-with-acupuncture-needles/

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Video: Florio talks with new Jets GM Idzik about Revis

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/50593620#50593620

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Suicide bomber kills police in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? At least 12 people were killed in bombings around Afghanistan on Saturday, including 10 policemen who died when a suicide bomber driving a motorcycle blew himself up in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, officials said.

Kunduz provincial police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husseini said the policemen, including the head of the provincial counterterrorism department and the traffic police chief, were killed at an intersection in Kunduz city. He said 14 other policemen and five civilians were wounded in the explosion.

Saad Mukhtar, the head of the Kunduz health department, confirmed the death toll.

Earlier on Saturday, a remote-controlled bomb planted on a bicycle exploded, killing one police officer and one civilian in the eastern city of Ghazni. Provincial police chief, Gen. Zirawer Zahid, said another five people were wounded.

Suicide attacks by insurgents have become a near daily occurrence around Afghanistan.

On Friday, a suicide car bomber killed five civilians and wounded another 25 in a botched attempt to hit a convoy of NATO supply trucks in eastern Afghanistan. The bomber missed the convoy, which suffered no damage. The attack took place in Tagab district of eastern Kapisa province.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suicide-bomber-kills-police-afghanistan-144408484.html

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Nipro's Whitening Dental Care : DigInfo - sidneyvalajaga

DigInfo ? movie.diginfo.tv ? Nipro showed their new Poly-de-Clean-Gel whitening toothpaste, tablets and gum which use a natural condensed phosphate to white teeth. Other whitening toothpastes sometimes use harsh polishing agents which can wear away enamel and weaken teeth or foul tasting detergents which can cause ulcers in the mouth but this toothpaste uses only natural ingredients. The phosphates act immediately since they stick to the stain?s particles and remove them. They have been researching this product for about ten years and it will be released later this year.

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The WRONG Way To Get Rid Of A Blist....

I had one of those white canker sores you get in your mouth, and it was killing me. So I decided to remove it. The bad way.

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Source: http://sidneyvalajaga.blogspot.com/2013/01/nipro-whitening-dental-care-diginfo.html

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Iraqi troops kill 5 protesters during clash

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Iraqi troops killed five protesters on Friday when they opened fire at demonstrators angry at the troops for preventing them from attending an anti-government rally west of Baghdad, officials said.

Police officials said the soldiers started shooting after a group of protesters, who were on their way to a Sunni rally in Fallujah, started hurling stones at an army checkpoint at the entrance to the city. Twenty-three protesters also were wounded in the shooting, the officials said.

The rally in Fallujah, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Baghdad, is part of weekly Friday protests that erupted last month after the arrest of bodyguards assigned to Sunni Finance Minister Rafia al-Issawi. The demonstrators, from Iraq's Sunni minority, have been protesting what they see as unfair treatment by the government led by the Shiite majority.

Medics at a hospital in Fallujah confirmed Friday's casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Police said protesters set one army vehicle on fire, but Sunni cleric Mohammed al-Dulaimi urged the protesters to show self-restrain and avoid further friction with the soldiers.

Al-Dulaimi, who led the Friday prayers, accused Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government of adopting policies that could divide the country.

"I tell the prime minister that he should stop neglecting our demands and stop violating our rights. ... Otherwise, the volcano will erupt," he said.

Also in Fallujah, police said gunmen attacked an army checkpoint, killing two soldiers and prompting local authorities to impose a curfew in the city.

Fallujah lies in the heart of Iraq's western Anbar province, which has so far been the focus of the Sunni protests.

The rallies were largely free from violence until Friday, though at least two demonstrators were wounded last month when bodyguards and security forces protecting Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq opened fire to disperse angry crowds

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iraqi-troops-kill-5-protesters-during-clash-140645856.html

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NY Subway App's About Halfway There

Some of my earliest memories are of high school commuting days standing on railway platforms in biting cold weather, day after day, leather-soled shoes absorbing any body heat like an air-chilling coil in an air conditioner. I commuted to high school -- some years ago now -- back in the old country using a rickety, drafty, nationalized rail network. That was when the trains ran.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/27e4a552/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C771630Bhtml/story01.htm

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Chameleon pulsar baffles astronomers

Jan. 24, 2013 ? Using a satellite X-ray telescope combined with terrestrial radio telescopes the pulsar was found to flip on a roughly half-hour timescale between two extreme states; one dominated by X-ray pulses, the other by a highly-organised pattern of radio pulses.

The research was led by Professor Wim Hermsen from The Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the University of Amsterdam and will appear in the journal Science on the 25th January 2013.

Researchers from Jodrell Bank Observatory, as well as institutions around the world, used simultaneous observations with the X-ray satellite XMM-Newton and two radio telescopes; the LOw Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands and the Giant Meter Wave Telescope (GMRT) in India to reveal this so far unique behaviour.

Pulsars are small spinning stars that are about the size of a city, around 20 km in diameter. They emit oppositely directed beams of radiation from their magnetic poles. Just like a lighthouse, as the star spins and the beam sweeps repeatedly past Earth we see a brief flash.

Some pulsars produce radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including at X-ray and radio wavelengths. Despite being discovered more than 45 years ago the exact mechanism by which pulsars shine is still unknown.

It has been known for some time that some radio-emitting pulsars flip their behaviour between two (or even more) states, changing the pattern and intensity of their radio pulses. The moment of flip is both unpredictable and sudden. It is also known from satellite-borne telescopes that a handful of radio pulsars can also be detected at X-ray frequencies. However, the X-ray signal is so weak that nothing is known of its variability.

To find out if the X-rays could also flip the scientists studied a particular pulsar called PSR B0943+10, one of the first to be discovered. It has radio pulses which change in form and brightness every few hours with some of the changes happening within about a second.

Dr Ben Stappers from The University of Manchester's School of Physics and Astronomy said: "The behaviour of this pulsar is quite startling, it's as if it has two distinct personalities. As PSR B0943+10 is one of the few pulsars also known to emit X-rays, finding out how this higher energy radiation behaves as the radio changes could provide new insight into the nature of the emission process."

Since the source is a weak X-ray emitter, the team used the most sensitive X-ray telescope in existence, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton on board a spacecraft orbiting Earth. The observations took place over six separate sessions of about six hours in duration. To identify the exact moment of flip in the pulsar's radio behaviour the X-ray observations were tracked simultaneously with two of the largest radio telescopes in the world, LOFAR and the GMRT.

What the scientists found was that whilst the X-rays did indeed change their behaviour at the same time as the radio emission, as might have been expected, in the state where the radio signal is strong and organised the X-rays were weak, and when the radio emission switched to weak the X-rays got brighter.

Commenting on the study's findings the project leader Wim Hermsen says: "To our surprise we found that when the brightness of the radio emission halved, the X-ray emission brightened by a factor of two! Furthermore the intense X-rays have a very different character from those in the radio-bright state, since they seem to be thermal in origin and to pulse with the neutron star's rotation period."

Dr Stappers says this is an exciting discovery: "As well as brightening in the X-rays we discovered that the X-ray emission also shows pulses, something not seen when the radio emission is bright. This was the opposite of what we had expected. I've likened the changes in the pulsar to a chameleon. Like the animal the star changes in reaction to its environment, such as a change in temperature."

Geoff Wright from the University of Sussex adds: "Our observations strongly suggest that a temporary "hotspot" appears close to the pulsar's magnetic pole which switches on and off with the change of state. But why a pulsar should undergo such dramatic and unpredictable changes is completely unknown."

The next step for the researchers is to look at other objects which have similar behaviour to investigate what happens to the X-ray emission. Later this year there will be another round of simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of a second pulsar. These observations will include the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Manchester, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. W. Hermsen et al. Synchronous X-ray and Radio Mode Switches: A Rapid Global Transformation of the Pulsar Magnetosphere. Science, 2013; 339 (6118): 436 DOI: 10.1126/science.1230960

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/sCTrLOkQodw/130124150802.htm

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Under French pressure, key Mali rebel group splits

French soldiers patrol in armored vehicles, in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French soldiers patrol in armored vehicles, in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French soldiers patrol in armored vehicles, in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French soldiers look with binoculars in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A Malian soldier takes position in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French soldiers patrol in armored vehicles, in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The U.S. airlift of French forces to Mali to fight Islamic extremists is expected to go on for another two weeks, Pentagon officials said, as hundreds of African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal are now joining the French-led intervention. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

SAN, Mali (AP) ? Mali's rebel movement showed new signs of discord on Thursday in the wake of punishing French air strikes, with one wing of the Ansar Dine group now pledging to negotiate an end to the country's crisis and possibly even fight against its former comrades-in-arms.

France's air and land campaign that began two weeks ago to save Mali's embattled interim government has shaken up the military landscape and put the international spotlight on the former French colony. Mali's government was on a new political defensive, urging its soldiers to respect human rights after new allegations that they had carried out summary executions in zones of battle against the radical Islamists.

Three al-Qaida-linked extremist groups have controlled Mali's vast northeast for months, capitalizing on chaos that followed a coup d'etat in Mali's capital, Bamako, in March. But in a new sign of splintering, former Ansar Dine leader Alghabass Ag Intalla told the Associated Press on Thursday that he and his men were breaking off from Ansar Dine "so that we can be in control of our own fate."

"We are neither AQIM or MUJAO," he said of the other groups, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and the Movement for the Unity and Jihad in West Africa, known by its French-language acronym. "We are a group of people from the north of Mali who have a set of grievances that date back at least 50 years."

The comments suggested that at least some of Islamist fighters are searching for an exit in the wake of the French airstrikes. French radio RFI reported earlier Thursday that Intalla's new group will be called the Islamic Movement for the Azawad, a Tuareg term for northern Mali, and his men are willing to fight their former comrades-in-arms in Ansar Dine.

"We are not terrorists. We are ready to negotiate," Intalla told the AP.

Late last year, Ansar Dine held talks in neighboring Burkina Faso with Malian government representatives, and one of the sticking points was a disagreement over whether Malian law or Islamic Shariah law would be applied. Rebels have at times applied their interpretation of Shariah to carry out public executions, amputations, and whippings ? for infractions ranging from possessing cigarettes to women going out without headscarves.

Intalla suggested a new flexibility: "Shariah is our religion, we cannot renounce our religion. But whatever causes problems within it, we're willing to take a look at."

Intalla is an ethnic Tuareg.

On Jan. 19, the group said in a statement on a jihadist forum that "the people of northern Mali are prepared to sacrifice everything in order to live under Shariah-based governance," according to SITE Intelligence Group.

It also said that "it had no intention to take over the capital, Bamako, and push to the south, and that France used those allegations to justify its colonial ambitions," SITE said. The group also added that the fighters' withdrawal from Diabaly and Konna was "a strategic choice and was not forced upon them by the enemy, except in the case of protecting civilian lives and property."

An elected official from Kidal, who insisted on anonymity for fear of reprisal, told the AP Thursday that the split was a long time coming and reflected how Ansar Dine, which took over the northern city of Kidal, enlisted large numbers of fighters and coopted local authorities for economic and political reasons ? not ideological ones. Intalla, the heir to Kidal's traditional ruler, isn't believed to be a radical Muslim, he added.

Word of the new dissension within rebel ranks came as the government was confronting its own troubles: The most vocal allegations yet that its depleted army ? which was badly splintered and weakened during the coup d'etat ? had been responsible for human rights abuses along the battle zones separating the rebels in the north and government-controlled south.

"For several days information has come to use pointing to abuses committed on the ground that point to abuses that verge on human rights violations," the prime minister's office said in a statement. "The government reminds the army and security forces to show strict respect of human rights ... the government will see to the strict respect of these norms."

On Wednesday, a witness told the AP that Malian soldiers shot people accused of ties to the radical Islamists at a bus stop in Konna, along the dividing line, and threw their bodies into nearby wells around the time when the French campaign began. Also Wednesday, French human rights group FIDH accused Malian forces of dozens of "summary executions" in the area.

French President Francois Hollande authorized a military intervention two weeks ago and fighter jets have pounded rebel training camps, arms depots and bases. Since then, the Islamists appear to have fled from the cities, although they still remain firmly in control of much of northern Mali, likely using their desert bases and the area's natural topography, including cave systems in the Kidal region.

France was continuing to ramp up its presence. The French military said late Wednesday that 2,300 French troops are involved in code-named operation Serval, and the African contingent totals 1,500 soldiers in both Mali's capital, Bamako, and the capital of neighboring Niger, Niamey. France says it will stay as long as needed, but that it hopes African forces will eventually take the lead.

France ? Mali's former colonial ruler ? has received logistical help from Western allies including Britain, Germany, Denmark and the United States, but no Western troops have been committed to fighting alongside the French and Africans.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking Thursday about the Mali situation in Davos, Switzerland, said the military action needed to be supported by "an intelligent political response" to resolve the crisis in the longer term.

"The French are right to act in Mali and I back that action," he said, adding: "We need to address the poisonous narrative these terrorists feed on, close down the ungoverned space in which they thrive and deal with the grievances they use to garner support."

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Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten in Dakar, Senegal, Baba Ahmed in San, Mali, and Angela Charlton in Davos, Switzerland, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-24-Mali-Fighting/id-f89df44966194755af61ef4d4b002dac

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