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Fresh news
Paik Sun-yup, major South Korean war hero, dies at 99
Sat, 11 Jul 2020 02:27:43 GMT
EU chief proposes five billion euro Brexit emergency fund
EU Council president Charles Michel on Friday proposed setting up a five billion euro reserve fund for any unforeseen consequences of Brexit on bloc member states. "Brexit is challenging for all of us and that is why we propose a Brexit reserve of five billion euros (.7 billion)," said Michel as he unveiled his latest proposal for a long-term EU budget that will be debated by bloc leaders next week. Brexit with or without a agreement on future ties "will have consequences in Europe for the member states and that's why I think it's... necessary to ask the commission to prepare for a needs assessment by November 2021," he said.
Sat, 11 Jul 2020 00:01:51 GMT
Trump commutes longtime friend Roger Stone's prison sentence
President Donald Trump on Friday commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone, intervening in extraordinary fashion in a criminal case that was central to the Russia investigation and that concerned the president's own conduct. The move came just days before Stone was to begin serving a 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. The action, which Trump had foreshadowed in recent days, underscores the president's lingering rage over special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and is part of a continuing effort by the president and his administration to rewrite the narrative of a probe that has shadowed the White House from the outset.
Sat, 11 Jul 2020 00:01:21 GMT
Breast cancer: Zimbabwe woman's struggle to avoid mastectomy
A Zimbabwean woman is campaigning to get the machine fixed to avoid a mastectomy.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 23:29:11 GMT
11 people drowned at rocky beach in northern Egypt
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 23:22:40 GMT
UN encouraged experts may get to visit oil tanker off Yemen
The United Nations said Friday it is encouraged that a U.N. team may be able to visit an oil tanker loaded with 1.1 million barrels of crude oil that is moored off the coast of Yemen, posing a serious risk to Red Sea marine life, desalination plants and shipping. Houthi rebels, who control the area where the ship is moored, have denied U.N. inspectors access to the vessel.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 21:37:00 GMT
Mali protesters occupy national broadcaster
Police have fired shots to disperse protesters calling for President Keita to stand down.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 21:33:08 GMT
US appeals to proceed with 1st federal execution in 17 years
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 21:19:14 GMT
Sudan ratifies law criminalizing female genital mutilation
Sudan's ruling body ratified a law banning the widespread practice of female genital mutilation, the justice ministry announced Friday, handing the movement for women's rights in the African country a long-sought victory. The Sovereign Council passed a set of sweeping amendments to the country's criminal code late Thursday, including one that criminalized the deep-rooted practice. The draft law had been approved by the transitional government that came to power last year following the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:57:10 GMT
It's not just the presidency: Trump is changing the Congress
More than perhaps any president in modern history, Trump has been willing to ignore, defy and toy with the legislative branch, asserting power and breaking norms in ways his predecessors would hardly dare. Republicans shrug it off as Trump being Trump, leaving Democrats almost alone to object. Think of it as "the incredible shrinkage" of Congress, said historian Douglas Brinkley.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:45:34 GMT
REFILE-Pandemic exposes scientific rift over proving when germs are airborne
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:39:45 GMT
Church singing ban strikes sour note with California pastor
Crossroads Community Church Senior Pastor Jim Clark wants to keep his 1,500 parishioners safe during the coronavirus pandemic but he's drawing the line at a new California ban on singing or chanting at religious services. "I said enough's enough," Clark said. The California ban was one of a number of restrictions on indoor businesses and gatherings put in place last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom amid fast-rising virus cases and hospitalizations.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:49:00 GMT
WHO experts head to China to investigate origins of COVID-19
Two World Health Organization experts were heading to the Chinese capital on Friday to lay the groundwork for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. An animal health expert and an epidemiologist will meet Chinese counterparts in Beijing to work out logistics, places to visit and the participants for a WHO-led international mission, the U.N. organization said. A major issue will be to "look at whether or not it jumped from species to human, and what species it jumped from," WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris said at a briefing in Geneva.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:46:32 GMT
COVID hits dozens of Latin leaders, including presidents
The COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping through the leadership of Latin America, with two more presidents and powerful officials testing positive this week for the new coronavirus, adding a destabilizing new element to the region's public health and economic crises. In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro, 65, announced his illness Tuesday and is using it to publicly extol hydroxychloroquine, the unproven malaria drug that he's been promoting as a treatment for COVID-19, and now takes himself. Bolivian interim President Jeanine Añez, 53, made her own diagnosis public Thursday, throwing her already troubled political propects into further doubt.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:30:46 GMT
Trump undercuts health experts — again — in schools debate
The White House seating chart spoke volumes. When the president convened a roundtable this week on how to safely reopen schools with coronavirus cases rising, the seats surrounding him were filled with parents, teachers and top White House officials, including the first and second ladies. Intentional or not, it was a telling indication of the regard that President Donald Trump has for the government's top health professionals as he pushes the country to move past the coronavirus.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:15:56 GMT
Lawyer: Over 150 Minneapolis officers seeking disability
More than 150 Minneapolis police officers are filing work-related disability claims after the death of George Floyd and ensuing unrest, with about three-quarters citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departures, according to an attorney representing the officers. While Floyd's death in May and the unrest that followed are not the direct cause of many of the disability requests, attorney Ron Meuser said, those events and what Meuser called a lack of support from city leadership were a breaking point for many who had been struggling with PTSD from years on the job. "Following the George Floyd incident, unfortunately it became too much and as a result they were unable to, and are unable to, continue on and move forward," Meuser said.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:11:22 GMT
'I'm Sorry to Everyone': In Death, South Korean Mayor Is Tainted by Scandal
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 18:56:40 GMT
US court orders Iran to pay 9 mn over 1996 Saudi attack
A US judge has ordered Iran to pay another 9.1 million over a 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 US airmen, ruling again that Tehran bore responsibility. President Donald Trump's administration hailed the judgment, the latest over the attack against Iran, which denies involvement and refuses to pay. Saudi Hezbollah, a militant group from the conservative Sunni kingdom's Shiite minority, allegedly carried out the attack by driving an explosives-laden truck into the eight-story Khobar Towers complex where Western and Saudi forces were staying.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 18:34:54 GMT
Border authorities use pandemic powers to expel immigrants
The Honduran woman was nine months' pregnant and exhausted with stomach pain when the Border Patrol found her in the Southern California mountains with her longtime partner and their 9-year-old son. What happened next illustrates how difficult it has become to seek asylum in the United States during the coronavirus pandemic. Alexy, 32, and his son Samuel were whisked to the border in the wee hours of June 28 and returned to Mexico.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 17:53:58 GMT
Downing Street advertises for £135k data science 'skunkworks' chief in latest Cummings shake-up
Downing Street has placed an advert for £135,000 job to head up "skunkworks" in Number 10, in what appears the latest in Dominic Cummings' shake-up of Whitehall. The new job will be responsible for a new data science unit in Number 10, aimed to "transform" decision-making in government. A skunkworks is a term originating in America during WWII for a project developed by a small and loosely structured group focusing on radical innovation. The civil service advert says the role will involve leading a new "analytical unit known as '10ds" - which stands for "10 Data Science". It says: "The vision of 10ds is a skunkworks type organisation that builds innovative software to allow the PM to make data driven decisions and thereby transform government". Mr Cummings, the Prime Minister's chief aide, is known for his disdain for traditional civil servants. He has said his focus after Brexit will be the establishment of a British version of the US's Advanced Projects Research Agency (Arpa). He recently instructed government advisers to read a book on Superforecasting by Philip Tetlock, as well as High Output Management by Andrew Grove. While the salary for the new role is advertised as up to £135,000, "outstanding" candidates could get more. The advert says the "newly created role will be responsible for establishing No10's quantitative ability" as well as advising the Prime Minister. It says the job presents an opportunity to work "at the heart' of government. Applications close on July 27. Earlier this year Mr Cummings placed an advert for "data scientists, project managers, policy experts and assorted weirdos" to apply for Downing Street jobs. Mr Cummings used his personal blog to invite applications from "true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hell hole". In a much-publicised post, he said: "If you want to figure out what characters around Putin might do, or how international criminal gangs might exploit holes in our border security, you don't want more Oxbridge English graduates who chat about Lacan at dinner parties with TV producers and spread fake news about fake news." Shortly after the blog advert was posted, a new Downing Street adviser Andrew Sabisky quit following reports of his controversial comments on pregnancies, eugenics and race.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 16:59:59 GMT
Thomas spoke, Roberts ruled in unusual Supreme Court term
Justice Clarence Thomas spoke and Chief Justice John Roberts ruled. The Supreme Court's most unusual term featured victories for immigrants, abortion rights, LGBTQ workers and religious freedoms. The usually quiet Thomas' baritone was heard by the whole world when the coronavirus outbreak upended the court's traditional way of doing business.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 16:58:34 GMT
Lebanese hold raucous rally outside US Embassy in Beirut
Dozens of Lebanese protesters held a raucous anti-U.S. rally outside the fortified American Embassy in Beirut on Friday, denouncing what they said was Washington's interference in Lebanon's affairs while some chanted in support of the militant Hezbollah group. The crowd, made up of mostly men, hurled stones at riot police near the embassy, from which they were separated by layers of barbed wire. The protesters burned American flags and mock-up dollar bills, calling the U.S. the "mother of terrorism."
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 16:31:11 GMT
Trump threatens to pull tax exemption for schools, colleges
In his push to get schools and colleges to reopen this fall, President Donald Trump is again taking aim at their finances, this time threatening their tax-exempt status. Trump said on Twitter on Friday he was ordering the Treasury Department to re-examine the tax-exempt status of schools that he says provide "radical indoctrination" instead of education. "Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education," he tweeted.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 16:20:39 GMT
Kim Jong Un's sister says she doubts another U.S.-North Korea summit will happen this year
North Korea has insisted it is not interested in resuming nuclear talks with the U.S. as long as it continues to engage in behavior like extending sanctions.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 16:11:20 GMT
Serbia, Kosovo renew 'very difficult' dialogue
The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo on Friday held their first talks in 18 months on resolving one of Europe's most intractable territorial disputes, agreeing to a face-to-face meeting next week on the "very difficult" process. Serbia has refused to recognise Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence after the province broke away in the bloody 1998-99 war that was ended only by a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops. Kosovo's Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a video summit that was also joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:20:29 GMT
Startling New Report Reveals 90% Reduction in Christian Refugee Resettlement from Countries with Persecution
Resettlement for other religious minorities -- Jewish refugees from Iran, Yezidi refugees from Iraq, Muslim refugees from Burma and others -- are all also on track to end 2020 down more than 90% from 2015.The report drew responses from leaders within the largest streams of American Christianity, including from the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:00:00 GMT
Pompeo slams UN report on deadly US drone strike on Iranian
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized an independent U.N. human rights expert's report insisting a American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a "watershed" event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law. The report presented by Agnes Callamard to the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council on Thursday chronicled events around the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the legal implications of his killing as part of a broader look on the use of drone strikes.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 14:41:48 GMT
Comet streaking past Earth, providing spectacular show
A newly discovered comet is streaking past Earth, providing a stunning nighttime show after buzzing the sun and expanding its tail. Comet Neowise — the brightest comet visible from the Northern Hemisphere in a quarter-century — swept within Mercury's orbit a week ago. NASA's Neowise infrared space telescope discovered the comet in March.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 14:38:12 GMT
Lebanon 'spiralling out of control': UN rights chief
Lebanon's economic crisis is getting out of hand, the UN rights chief warned Friday, calling for urgent internal reforms coupled with international support to prevent further mayhem. Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the social fabric of the country was at risk as vulnerable populations are threatened with extreme poverty. "This situation is fast spiralling out of control, with many already destitute and facing starvation as a direct result of this crisis," she said in a statement.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 14:25:36 GMT
Indiana GOP ousts attorney general after groping allegations
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill's bid for reelection was scuttled Friday as he lost the Republican nomination following a monthlong suspension of his law license over allegations that he groped a state lawmaker and three other women during a party. Former U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita prevailed in mail-in voting by state convention delegates after a campaign among party activists that centered on whether the allegations against Hill left him vulnerable to defeat in the November election. Rokita defeated Hill with 52% of the vote in a third round of voting after two lesser-known candidates were eliminated in earlier rounds, state GOP Chairman Kyle Hupfer said.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 14:18:16 GMT
Iranian official issues denial after another mysterious blast reported in Tehran
Iranian state media reported a blast in western Tehran early Friday, the latest in a string of mysterious incidents to shake the country in recent weeks. However, a senior official in that part of the city later denied there had been an explosion. State broadcaster IRIB said power was cut in several western suburbs near where online reports said an explosion occurred. It gave no further information about the cause of the blast or whether there were casualties. The governor of Qod city, Leila Vaseghi, told semi-official Fars news agency there had been no explosion but acknowledged a power cut that lasted about five minutes. It was not immediately clear if the reported incident had taken place in Qod or in a different area of western Tehran, and residents contacted by Reuters in other parts of the city said they had heard no explosion. There are reportedly several military facilities in the area which could have been the target of sabotage. A series of fires and blasts have been reported near Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in recent weeks. Iranian officials have said many were caused by industrial accidents. A bright flash lit up the night sky over Tehran early on June 26, apparently coming from near the near Parchin military site. Fars news agency later said the fire was caused by "an industrial gas tank explosion" near a facility belonging to the defence ministry. A defence ministry spokesman told state TV that the fire was quickly controlled and there were no casualties. But after a similar unexplained fire at the Natanz nuclear plant in central Isfahan province on July 2, officials were forced to admit there had been significant damage to the country's primary uranium enrichment facility. A spokesman for the Supreme National Security Council of Iran said the "cause of the accident" at the centrifuge assembly plant had been identified, saying more information would be released at a later date "due to security considerations". The New York Times reported a Middle Eastern intelligence official and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander saying the Natanz incident was caused by an explosive. The head of Israeli intelligence, Yossi Cohen, was later accused of leaking information that Mossad planted a bomb that caused the damage. On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said Iran would retaliate if it were shown an international sabotage operation had caused the explosion in Natanz. "It is still too early to make any judgment on the main cause of the blast [in Natanz], and relevant security bodies are probing into every detail of the incident," Fars reported him as saying.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:59:04 GMT
Hospitals in Syria's rebel area reduce services amid virus
Hospitals in Syria's overcrowded opposition-held enclave are suspending non-emergency procedures and outpatient services following the detection of the first case of coronavirus, a leading doctor in the area said Friday. The first case of COVID-19, a doctor in the area, was reported on Thursday in Idlib province, the last opposition-held part of Syria in a sliver of land bordering Turkey. There have been major concerns of an outbreak in northwestern Syria, an area packed with more than 3 million people, many of them living in tents and encampments, and where health facilities have been devastated by Syria's long civil war.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:36:56 GMT
Turkey's president formally makes Hagia Sophia a mosque
The president of Turkey on Friday formally converted Istanbul's sixth-century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and declared it open for Muslim worship, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that had made the religious landmark a museum. The decision sparked deep dismay among Orthodox Christians. Originally a cathedral, Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque after Istanbul's conquest by the Ottoman Empire but had been a museum for the last 86 years, drawing millions of tourists annually.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:17:53 GMT
WHO's The Boss
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:02:12 GMT
Trump could still bounce back, but it looks less likely than ever
One, President Trump will inevitably claw his way back into contention, rallying Republicans who don't want to lose power and softening Joe Biden's support — a la what happened in the weeks after that disastrous "Access Hollywood" video in 2016. Or two, the numbers will either stay the same or even get worse for the GOP — since Trump is now the incumbent, not the challenger, amid a pandemic that has now killed almost 135,000 Americans and brought the U.S. unemployment rate into the double digits. It's that second scenario that should scare the heck out of GOP strategists: What if a majority of the electorate already has given up on Trump, like what happened to George W. Bush after Hurricane Katrina and Iraq, or Jimmy Carter after the Iran-hostage crisis?
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:02:00 GMT
Dutch government to take Russia to European court over MH17
The Dutch government is taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights for its alleged role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine six years ago, the foreign minister announced Friday. The move is intended to support individual cases being brought to the European court by relatives of some of the 298 people who were killed when a Buk surface-to-air missile fired from territory controlled by pro-Moscow Ukrainian rebels blew the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight out of the sky on July 17, 2014. "Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the government's highest priority," Foreign Minister Stef Blok said.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 12:41:54 GMT
Suicide of Egyptian activist Sarah Hegazi exposes the 'freedom and violence' of LGBTQ Muslims in exile
LGBTQ communities worldwide are mourning the death of 30-year-old Sarah Hegazi, a queer Egyptian activist who ended her life on June 14, 2020.Hegazi, who had been jailed for promoting what the Egyptian state called "sexual deviance" after raising a rainbow flag during a concert in Cairo in 2017, was released on bail three months after her arrest. Shortly afterwards, she she sought asylum in Canada. As the only queer woman among the 57 LGBTQ individuals arrested in the concert crackdown, Hegazi became prominent in queer activism circles in Egypt and beyond.In Canada, Hegazi escaped the violence of the Egyptian state but not, as she wrote in a 2018 essay, the post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and loneliness caused by her past. Like many queer and trans people living in exile, Hegazi felt rejected by her own people yet mourned the home she left behind. She yearned for the land that expelled her. In one Instagram post,from August 20, 2019, Hegazi wrote that she hoped her grandmother would be alive to greet her when she got home to Egypt. That reunion would never happen. Perpetual rejectionA queer suicide during Pride, a month dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ lives and resistance, is a painful thing to process, made harder by the coronavirus lockdown. For queer and trans Muslims in isolation, separated from their chosen communities in what may or may not be accepting family homes, mourning Hegazi's death has been a lonely, even secretive, process. As a queer Muslim, I feel Hegazi's death deeply. Back in 2012, I left my home country, Afghanistan, and later sought asylum in the U.S. Now, I live in the United States, but I don't truly belong anywhere. [Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]That alienation drives my academic research on how political violence and displacement intercede in the lives of LGBTQ Muslims. I recognize Hegazi's suicide as the tragic result of the discrimination and repudiation people like us face our entire lives. In her suicide note, Hegazi apologized for being "too weak to resist" the freedom of death. "To my siblings, I tried to make it, and I failed. To my friends, the experience is cruel…forgive me," she wrote. "To the world, you were cruel to a great extent, but I forgive." The cruelty Hegazi experienced is echoed by many of the 36 LGBTQ Muslims I interviewed for my current research project on queer and trans Muslims living as refugees in the United States. Most said they had been rejected by friends and family because of their sexuality or gender identity. However, many also chose to forgive, as Hegazi did. "We continue to love the family that abandons us," said Hamza, a 24-year-old Afghan refugee I interviewed in 2017 in Fremont, California. "We long for the home that pushes us into exile. We miss friends that wouldn't even attend our funerals."This rejection stems from homophobia, which is rooted in both the interpretation of religious texts and in the anti-LGBTQ laws of some Southwest Asian and North African countries with colonial histories. As a result, some queer and trans Muslims and Arabs eventually try to escape the countries that criminalize their gender identity and sexual orientation. While there are no statistics on how many LGBTQ Muslims are refugees, a 2019 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees report says ever more LGBTQ people are fleeing persecution worldwide. Unending danceQueer Muslim refugees who make it to Western countries may find that rejection has followed them in a new form: Islamophobia. Meanwhile, in LGBTQ communities, being Muslim and queer is seen as paradoxical. As a result, queer and trans Muslims in exile in the West become outsiders twice over."I was called a terrorist by a group of white gays in a bar in Washington, D.C," Abdullah, a 30-year-old Iraqi-American, told me in 2017. My interviews reveal that LBGTQ Muslim refugees are navigating two distinct and difficult spaces: the homophobia of their birthplaces and the Islamophobia in exile.Queer Muslim exiles cross these borders on a daily basis, and it's a complicated process. Their families are not merely a point of oppression, they tell me, nor is the queer community pure freedom. Rather, both environments pose certain constraints. Freedom and violence are an unending dance. Where do we belong?For Sarah Hegazi, the violence did not end with death. Homophobic cruelty continues on social media, with some commentators telling people not to pray for Hegazi because being queer and committing suicide are both "kabã'ir," or major sins, in strict interpretations of Islamic law.Hegazi's own last post on social media was on June 12, two days before her death. Under a photo of her lying peacefully on her back in lush grass, smiling to a blue sky, Hegazi wrote on Instagram that, "The sky is more beautiful than the earth. And I want the sky, not the earth."I have heard versions of Hegazi's pained laments before, in my own head. I have felt them in my own exiled body, lying in bed. For queer and trans Muslims and Arabs, belonging is but a dream. Mostly we are just trying to survive.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Deportation to Syria could mean death for women, children and LGBTQ refugees in Turkey * LGBTQ caravan migrants may have to 'prove' their gender or sexual identity at US borderAhmad Qais Munhazim does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 12:19:54 GMT
Hushpuppi's lawyer says FBI 'kidnapped' Nigerian Instagrammer from Dubai
"Hushpuppi", who posts about his extravagant lifestyle, is accused of multimillion-dollar fraud.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 10:59:26 GMT
Illegal ivory trade shrinks while pangolin trafficking booms, UN says
The illegal global ivory trade has decreased, but trafficking of pangolins is on the rise, a United Nations report into wildlife crime has revealed. The study, compiled using four years of data, showed that revenue from ivory trafficking peaked between 2011 and 2013. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said that national bans on selling ivory, particularly the ban enforced in China in 2017, have caused the global trade to fall. "The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 has some good news and some bad news," UNODC research chief Angela Me told Reuters. "We see some shrinking in some markets, particularly the ivory and the rhino (horn) market, but we actually see huge increases in other markets, like the market of illicit trafficking of pangolins, in European eels but also in tiger parts and also in rosewood." Pangolins are a reclusive, nocturnal mammal covered in scales. Their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine to promote blood circulation and reduce blood clots and there remains a large, legal market for this.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 10:57:39 GMT
Nikki Haley positions herself to lead the post-Trump Republican party
The ex-US ambassador to the UN is one of the few Trump officials to leave on good terms and has diligently built up a national profileNikki Haley has kept busy since leaving her post in the Trump administration as United States ambassador to the United Nations.A former governor of South Carolina, Haley is often mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate for either 2024 or 2028 – depending on whether Donald Trump wins re-election in November.There has even been speculation that Trump might switch out Vice-President Mike Pence for Haley as his running mate in the hopes of boosting his lagging approval numbers among the broader electorate, though there has been no strong evidence that that will happen.Either way she has positioned herself as a national leader within the Republican party.A rare woman of color in the party's senior ranks, she has been fundraising for Republican congressional candidates as well as in the Senate and gubernatorial arena. She has set up a non-profit organization to boost her policy priorities. She has continued to pen editorials on foreign policy. And she has retained a small, tightly knit orbit of advisers.Haley is one of the few high-ranking Republicans to leave the Trump administration on good terms. She has pledged to campaign aggressively for the president and has echoed some of the same arguments Trump has made on national topics such as cancel culture, defunding police forces and statue removal, although the tone and frequency between Trump and Haley vary dramatically. At other times she has kept her distance.After serving in the Trump administration, some top-level officials have receded from public life, taking jobs at thinktanks and other academic institutions or retiring outright. But former and current aides to Haley see her recent moves as a carefully executed plan to stay involved in key Republican policy circles and the national discourse."When she left the administration she told the president that she wanted to stay engaged and promote good public policy," said Tim Chapman, the executive director of Haley's Stand for America non-profit group, the primary vehicle for Haley's policy-related initiatives. "SFA is partly a platform for her to do that type of voice, to be engaged in public policy."Stand for America is composed of a small team of about six people, including Chapman. The team has a weekly Zoom call with Haley and Chapman spends much of his time coalition-building and working with outside groups and policymakers.Haley often weighs in on foreign policy or "Democrats' embrace of socialism" as she did in a February op-ed for the Wall Street Journal's editorial section. Warning about advancing socialism is a favorite topic for Haley and her organization. A recent mailer sent out to supporters asked them to participate in a "REFERENDUM ON SOCIALISM". The mailer went on to tick off some liberal policy proposals like free college tuition or the Green New Deal proposed by the Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez."We're going to stay focused on that because even though [presumptive Democratic presidential nominee] Joe Biden got the nomination we still think the energy in the party is with the Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren wing," Chapman said.Haley has fundraised for almost a dozen Republican Senate candidates, many of them in tough re-election races, and has been a special guest at Republican Governors Association (RGA) events. Last November, Haley authored a book, With All Due Respect, billed as "a first-hand perspective on major national and international matters". The book covers the end of her governorship as well as her time as ambassador.All this activity has generated speculation that Haley is taking a textbook approach to running for president. She has foreign policy experience through her time at the United Nations. She has executive and domestic policy experience through almost two terms as governor. "Nikki Haley's background as a governor and UN ambassador will make her formidable if she chooses to run in 2024," said Jon Thompson, a top Republican strategist and a former longtime communications director of the RGA."She has a strong résumé of actual governance and international experience, would likely appeal to female suburban voters who Republicans desperately need to attract to win future elections, and has a solid conservative record from her time as governor. Twenty-twenty-four is still a long way off, but she's making all the right moves now to be in a good position later."The knock on Haley is that she has been too calculating in her recent jobs. Democratic foreign policy officials said Haley delegated too much of the job of UN ambassador to her deputies and that all her speeches were political. In his recent book, Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton framed Haley as out of her depth and more focused on using her ambassadorship to raise her profile.Haley has surrounded herself with operatives who could lead a presidential campaign. The most commonly mentioned Republican strategist is Jon Lerner, who served as a deputy to Haley at the UN. Chapman previously ran the advocacy arm of the Heritage Foundation giving him strong ties to influential experts and groups within the Republican party.The option of running for president partially depends on whether Trump wins re-election."If the president's re-elected I think she'll keep doing what she's doing for two years and then start running in earnest," a former Haley aide said. "If Biden wins it'll actually make it a bit easier because then she can kind of pound away at Biden from the moment he's inaugurated and then turn that momentum into a presidential campaign."Haley has had to stamp out persistent speculation that she could rejoin the Trump administration as vice-president. The rumor is not out of the realms of possibility. In 2012 Barack Obama's re-election team looked at switching Biden with Hillary Clinton as the then president's running mate but that idea was ultimately nixed. For Trump, the hope with putting Haley on the ticket is that she could win over key constituencies Trump is losing.Some Republicans in the Trump campaign's orbit wondered if that was happening when the campaign team serving Pence was gutted. But Haley has repeatedly denied any cooperation or rivalry between her and Pence. In August she tweeted "enough of the false rumors. Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years. He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President. He has my complete support."If Trump loses, the Republican primary field for 2024 might get crowded. The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and Pence have all been mentioned as potential presidential candidates.When Haley and Pence were both governors their names were floating around as potential RGA vice-chair, recalled former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, who was then the sitting vice-chair and poised to take the chairmanship. Walker has strong ties to both Pence and Haley.Walker remembers that in 2016 Haley called him to ask about the vice-chairmanship. This was before it was clear Pence would be vice-president. Walker noted that Pence might also be interested in the vice-chairmanship. A day later Haley called Walker again saying, "I talked to Mike, he's fine." Haley ended up becoming vice-chair for a short time before leaving the governorship to become UN ambassador.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 10:00:14 GMT
Oxygen already runs low as COVID-19 surges in South Africa
The coronavirus storm has arrived in South Africa, but in the overflowing COVID-19 wards the sound is less of a roar than a rasp. Medical oxygen is already low in hospitals at the new epicenter of the outbreak, Gauteng province, home to the power centers of Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, visiting a hospital Friday, said authorities are working with industry to divert more oxygen their way.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:54:19 GMT
Britain committed to agree principles on Brexit deal in July talks
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:54:13 GMT
Serbia, Kosovo to resume talks but won't budge on key issues
Serbia and Kosovo agreed Friday to resume long-stalled negotiations on normalizing their strained relations, but both sides refused to budge on key issues in their dispute during video talks led by France and Germany. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held virtual preparatory talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti aiming to set up the first face-to-face meeting of the Balkans leaders since November 2018 under a European Union-backed dialogue process.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:51:15 GMT
WHO advance team on way to China to set up probe into virus origin
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:32:35 GMT
Digging in on rare earth, the next front in the US supply chain war with China
As US-China relations hit new lows, Washington is redoubling efforts to address a major Achilles' heel: its dependence on Beijing for rare earth elements " essential materials in various hi-tech products from smartphones and electric car batteries to Javelin missiles and F-35 fighter aircraft.China hawk Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, recently introduced a bill to spur US production of critical minerals, among the latest of several before Congress amid rising concern that China could leverage its dominance in economic and political negotiations."It's making people in Washington wake up and say this is not sustainable," said Martijn Rasser, a fellow at the Centre for a New American Security. "If China really is willing to restrict exports, we're in for a rough ride over the next few years."But China's strategic-metals grip is so strong and the challenges in competing against its state-led model so great that some estimate it could take over a decade to create a relatively secure US supply chain. The US has also made some significant missteps that haven't helped, critics say.Strategic concerns over rare earths mirror larger calls to reduce US dependence on China " spurred on by critical Covid-19 shortages of personal protective equipment " as President Donald Trump threatens to "completely decouple" the two massive economies."The rare metals issue is a microcosm of the broader trend," said Paul Haenle, chair at the Carnegie " Tsinghua Centre and a former China affairs director at the National Security Council. "The issue of rare earth exports is particularly important because it also represents national security concerns."While many in Washington agree on the importance of reducing reliance on China, debate rages over how to get there.Legislation, reports and proposals " including those laid out in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing late last month on critical minerals " range from subsidising production, strengthening alliances and increasing research to forging industry co-operatives, boosting recycling and mining in national parks, the Arctic and even outer space.Most legislation faces a tough near-term slog as Congress grapples with Covid-19, economic meltdown and protests over police shootings of African Americans in an election year.But rare earth provisions are included in both the House and Senate versions of the massive annual defence budget bill, a crucial law all but assured to pass, amid heightened suspicion of Beijing's objectives and Trump's "America first" policies."We have to find an economic message to counter the Chinese state," said a Republican senate staffer who was not authorised to speak publicly. "And rare earth is a big part of that."The rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California. Photo: MP Materials alt=The rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California. Photo: MP MaterialsThe Pentagon, wary of its dependence on Chinese supplies for its weapons systems, has outlined a four-phase plan to bolster US mineral supply chains, even as powerful senators push the military for "US sources and at US facilities".The issue also taps into two of Trump's pet themes " reviving extractive industries in the US and "reshoring" American jobs. Analysts believe that Trump's bizarre proposal last year to buy Greenland was tied to its large rare earth reserves."The fact that he can show up with a hard hat and a bulldozer, it's a great photo op," said Rasser.Rare earths " 17 elements with nearly unpronounceable names like gadolinium and praseodymium " are not particularly rare nor universally valuable, but they are difficult and expensive to refine.And critics say that the US has badly misplayed its hand.Among the largest and most promising US mining operations is California's Mountain Pass, the global leader until China started dominating in the late 1980s. After its 2015 bankruptcy, Washington rather inexplicably opened the door to Chinese investors.In 2017, the US government committee that reviews national security deals approved a US.5 million sale to MP Materials, an investment consortium including the co-chairman James Litinsky, a financier; some New York investors; and the Chinese state-controlled Shenghe Rare Earth Shareholding Company, which holds a 9.9 per cent stake."All alarm bells should have been ringing in Washington," said Thomas Kruemmer, director of Singapore-based Ginger International Trade & Investment, which specialises in strategic metals. "The Trump administration messed up."In an interview, Litinsky said that attention on MP's Chinese shareholders is misguided. "It's impossible to lift a US.7 billion chemical plant and mine and send it over to Beijing," he noted."Our mission as a company is to return the full rare earth supply chain to the United States of America."The MP Materials website touts a contract the Pentagon awarded it in April, although that award faces resistance after several senators strongly objected to the company's ties with China.Even without the Chinese stake in MP Materials, the US relies on China for some 78 per cent of the rare earth elements it uses. The Asian giant is also the global leader in processing " including Mountain Top's output, which is currently sold to China for refining."[Chinese] ownership is maybe 9.9 per cent. But in terms of MP's revenue, 100 per cent of their revenues are coming from the Chinese side," said Daniel McGroarty, an advisory board member with USA Rare Earth, which controls the Round Top Mountain mine in far west Texas.Kruemmer put it more colourfully: "If China doesn't buy Litinsky's stuff, he can stir it into his morning coffee."Trucks hauling ore from the rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California. Photo: Reuters alt=Trucks hauling ore from the rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California. Photo: ReutersChina's dominance in processing " which tends to create cancer-causing material and often radioactive waste as by-products " is bolstered by a reported 23,000 US patents pending or realised."People were more than happy to have China do all the dirty work," Rasser said. "But now China has control of the market."The global market for rare earth elements " including their use in permanent magnets found in MRI scanners, batteries and missile wings " is expected to grow rapidly as demand increases for renewable energy products like electric vehicles.Driving US policy and subsidies is concern that, if pushed, Beijing could block rare earth exports. Politicians and military strategists tend to see a greater risk of that happening, industry executives somewhat less so.But Beijing has flexed its rare earth muscle before. A decade ago, China halted exports to Japan for several weeks after a territorial dispute. Beijing subsequently claimed that those rare earth exports were restricted to help market stability and the environment.Last year, as the trade war accelerated, Chinese state media blared "Don't say we didn't warn you," amid threats to cut off rare earth exports, adding "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back." About the same time, President Xi Jinping visited a rare earth processing factory in Jiangxi province.Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit last year to a rare earth refinery in Jiangxi province spurred US officials to redouble efforts aimed at creating a domestic industry. Photo: Xinhua alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit last year to a rare earth refinery in Jiangxi province spurred US officials to redouble efforts aimed at creating a domestic industry. Photo: Xinhua"China tends to play this game far better than the United States does, but I think that was a misstep," said Pini Althaus, chief executive at USA Rare Earth. "All that was achieved by that visit by President Xi was to light a fire under the United States to say we have to do something ... It backfired."Even if Beijing doesn't play hardball, foreign customers face shortages as demand for rare earth expands in China, which already uses more than half the global annual output. And the nation's ambitious "Made in China 2025" blueprint is built on industries using rare earths and permanent magnets.Washington's sudden, belated response over an industry it once dominated underscores a US bias toward short-term profits and reactive fixes, analysts said, while China can take a more strategic approach befitting a state-directed economy overseen by a potential president for life."The Middle East has its oil, China has rare earths," paramount leader Deng Xiaoping noted in 1987 when visiting production facilities in Inner Mongolia.After China's 2010 strong-arm tactics against Japan, some in the West raised warnings but were soon drowned out by economics, a supply glut engineered by China and limited political will. "The Pentagon has built its entire advanced weapons on Chinese quicksand," military consultant James Kennedy wrote in a Defence One commentary in 2016.Mining groups, attracted by growing political tailwinds and the lure of Pentagon largesse, are struggling to build more "secure" rare earth supply chains, even as they acknowledge that US autonomy is a long way off. Althaus, of USA Rare Earth, said it will take the US "decades to get even close to where China is today".USA Rare Earth Chief Executive Pini Althaus said it would take the US "decades to get even close to where China is today". Photo: Handout alt=USA Rare Earth Chief Executive Pini Althaus said it would take the US "decades to get even close to where China is today". Photo: HandoutUSA Rare Earth announced last month that it had secured permit approval for a pilot processing plant in Colorado. Meanwhile, Mountain Pass plans to restart processing facilities that had been shuttered for financial reasons years ago.A US-Australia venture with ties to Malaysia has proposed a processing plant in Texas. And mining interests in Alaska and Wyoming are plugging their potential.But the sums in direct and indirect government subsidies required to build a full and viable US supply chain from ore to oxide are daunting, analysts say.Legislation backed by the Pentagon, which only consumes a small percentage of US rare earth elements, could see US.75 billion allocated for strategic minerals that are needed for munitions and missiles; US0 million for microelectronics; and no ceiling for hypersonic weapons."No sane private investor will get into this, unless there are all kinds of government guarantees," Kruemmer, of Ginger International, added. "There is no market economy-based solution to this."Analysts also underscore the commercial challenges, which include the need for massive amounts of private capital and years without cash flow.The Round Top Mountain mine in Texas. Photo: USA Rare Earth alt=The Round Top Mountain mine in Texas. Photo: USA Rare EarthOther obstacles include the economics of separating and refining rare earths, which tend to throw off massive amounts of low value by-products, some of which are toxic. Moreover, output in some US mines is of low concentration and many "proprietary" processing technologies face resistance from community groups and hi-tech customers."Western large-scale end users diligently nod their heads if some US senator condemns China's stranglehold on rare earths," although in truth they prefer to buy Chinese rare earths given its quality and competitive price, Kruemmer said. "They don't want to be forced to use untested domestic stuff."Even the idea of securing more rare earth material underscores the weak US hand. "What's the point of having a stockpile ... if you know you're going to have to send it to China?" the senate staffer asked. "China is the game."This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:30:00 GMT
Nile Dam row: Egypt and Ethiopia generate heat but no power
Egypt sees the dam as an existential threat, while Ethiopia sees it as an existential necessity.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:02:09 GMT
Israeli troops kill Palestinian accused of hurling firebombs
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 08:42:55 GMT
Exclusive: Japan may still build Aegis Ashore despite reports of cancellation, source says
Japan may still build Aegis Ashore missile defense systems to defend against attacks by North Korea and other regional rivals, including China, a source told Reuters just weeks after reports that the proposal had been killed. Japan's defense minister, Taro Kono, last month cancelled plans to build two Aegis Ashore sites, citing cost and concerns that falling booster stages from the interceptor missiles could drop on local residents. Japan, however, has not cancelled the billion contract for the defense system's radars, built by Lockheed Martin, and is mulling a technical assessment from the U.S. government that makes recommendations on using other sites that would eliminate the safety issues, said the source, who has direct knowledge of the process.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 08:19:45 GMT
AP EXPLAINS: Why India cases are rising to multiple peaks
In just three weeks, India went from the world's sixth worst-affected country by the coronavirus to the third, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during a stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. India has tallied 793,802 infections and more than 21,600 deaths, with cases doubling every three weeks.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 08:07:32 GMT
Foreign students weigh studying in person vs. losing visas
International students worried about a new immigration policy that could potentially cost them their visas say they feel stuck between being unnecessarily exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and being able to finish their studies in America. Students from countries as diverse as India, China and Brazil told The Associated Press they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week that international students must leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit this week to block the decision, and now California and Washington state are seeking injunctions against enforcing the new visa policy.
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 07:34:03 GMT
Guest Book
Created by Alexander Tsybulsky


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Jared Webb was the Modified feature winner.
By Don Cook
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Cowtown Speedway (Kennedale)
Sept. 11 (Saturday)
To view a video of the 9/11 Memorial Show, click on the video below:
To view a video of the Modified feature, click on the video below:
Bret Young was the RaceTX Limited Modified feature winner.
In one of the closest finishes of the season, Bret Young, #69, defeated Chase Brewer, #99, for the Race TX Limited Modifieds feature win. Kevin Green, #55, T.J. Green, #5d, and Keith Martin, #85, rounded out the top five.
Andy Hogan was the 600 Mini Sprints feature winner.
Andy Hogan, #3d, took the inside groove going into turns 1 and 2 to defeat Kevin Ramey, #7m, in the 600 Mini Sprints A-Main. Kevin Ramey lead most of the race, but with one-lap to go, Andy Hogan was able to get past him. Jeremy Hefler, #69, Daq Querry, #53, and Chase Brewer, #3c, were your top five finishers.
Chance Hull was the Restrictor Mini Sprints feature winner.
The Hull brothers, Chance, #7h, and Braden, #4h, took first and second in the Restrictor Mini Sprints feature. Garron Brimmer, #3g, Payton Williams, #22, and Reagan Reed, #7, were your top five.
Gary Smitherman was the Bombers feature winner.
Gary Smitherman, #74, took top honors in the Bomber A-Main. Chad Pearce, #82, "Fast" Eddie Phillips, #3, Tracy Baker, #22, and David Hodges, #24h, rounded out the top five.
Choice Lynch was the TWMA Wing Modifieds feature winner.
In the last Wing Modified race of the season, Choice Lynch, #34, was the feature winner. Nick Cooper, #77, Steve Barton, #31, Rick Peteet, #61, and #20m were your top five. For more information on the Texas Wing Modified Association, go to: www.ihwma.com
Gary Harris was the Dwarf Car feature winner.
Gary Harris, "Granny's Headache", #52, was the Lone Star Dwarf Car Club A-Main winner. Richard Brooker, #16, Sebie Davis, #51, Darwin Hamilton, #54, and Jason Bellows, #19, rounded out the top five. For more information on the Lone Star Car Club, go to: www.lsdcc.com
For OFFICIAL results and more information, go to: www.cowtownspeedway.com
To purchase track photos, contact Rudy at: www.rudygarciaphotos.smugmug.com
To view some photos of the race cars, click on the slideshow below:
To view some racing highlights of the feature races, click on the video below:

subset: commoncrawl


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DOUGLAS, Isle of Man – The Isle of Man TT is 37.73 miles of twisting, rolling, climbing public roads that make the Nürburgring Nordschleife look like a go kart track. So sinewy and numerous are its bends that it was once famously decreed "unlearnable," and its notoriously unforgiving nature is matched only by its prolific death toll.
From Glen Helen to Greeba Castle, the lack of runoff and nasty propensity for unplanned high-speed meetings with stone walls, lamp posts, store fronts and tree trunks makes death and dismemberment a rather binary affair on this island that's barely a 30-minute flight across the Irish Sea from Birmingham.
But here's something you might not know about the Isle of Man: While hundreds of racers have lost their lives in competition over the last century or so, exponentially more non-racers have met their makers during the two-week period in which rampant race culture takes over the otherwise sleepy bedroom island.
Last year alone, four civilian riders ended up in a body bag, many of them on "Mad Sunday," the day when the course is open to anyone with a pulse and a willingness to push the limits of their luck.
The starting grid just so happens to be conveniently flanked by a graveyard, but I've got cheerier things on my mind at the moment: Subaru, title sponsors of the TT, have persuaded the race organizers to allow journalists to negotiate the live course for the first time on four wheels. The powers that be must have a sense of adventure: When rally champion Mark Higgins was attempting to break the course record (which he eventually did) in a Subaru WRX STI last year, he had a monumental "moment" on Bray Hill. More specifically, Higgins started sliding sideways at 155 mph, steering and countersteering furiously before finally regaining control at about 110 mph, at which point he almost instantly accelerated back to warp speed.
We've just landed on the island along with four other American journalists, the sky is expectant with rain and the toll is at five civilian fatalities so far. Our van tour of the route later that day is stalled by an incident in which "human debris" awaits the usual rigmarole of accident investigation photographs, trajectory studies, and cleanup.
Testing a 200-horsepower sports car has never been so nerve-racking.
Though the subculture of motorcycle racing provides the underlying context for this trip, the official focus is the squat, curvaceous Subaru BRZ, an entry-level sports car that offers a dose of exceptionalism in this polarized age of crazy horsepower and obsessive fuel efficiency. It's cheap (around $25,000), rear-wheel-drive (you know, for enthusiasts), and despite being tuned tight as a drum, offers an eminently approachable driving experience from behind those HID headlights.
So when it's time to climb behind the wheel, this tiny 2+2 serves as a welcoming ride for the task at hand. Controls are close but intuitive, not intrusively aggressive like a bumper car's or chintzy like a boy racer's. Sure, there's some gratuitous plastic on the dash and a few cheapo materials here and there, but this is, for the most part, the sort of cabin that conveys the BRZ's driver-focused intentions with a sense of inherent honesty. The 2.0-liter boxer engine's mild exhaust note further pushes the point that this car comes in peace: it's here to help, not hurt, which is especially welcome on the Isle of Man.
I'm lined up at the starting grid and instructed on a multitude of items: Keep the car ahead of you in sight, but don't stick too close; enjoy the jump, but don't go too hard since the cars need to be preserved for the second wave of journalists; look out for decreasing radius turns, rough surfaces, general distractions, and pesky walls; on the mountain course, don't fixate on the dizzyingly beautiful view because it's easy to run wide and, since many of the stretches here lack guard rails, free-fall your way to the bottom. Oh, and have fun out there, guys!
The BRZ may pale when compared to "serious" sports cars pushing twice as much power to the pavement, but on these narrow, tree-lined roads it feels plenty fast. Within the first mile, hedgerows are blurring past and spectators – so close you could high-five them from the driver side window – take on a clone-stamped, videogame, hypercolor look. Interestingly, many are cheering our alien fleet of four-wheelers, while others, I hear later, were offended enough by the imposition at the motorcycle- and sidecar-exclusive event to express displeasure with outwardly stretched single digits.
Onward through a series of 90-degree corners arrayed with more race fans and the odd pub – some of whose doors and windows have literally been torn down in the past by motorcycles and riders – my passenger, Allan Whittaker, a retired rally co-driver with over 30 years of World Rally Car experience who's racked up plenty of accolades over the years, warns me about Ballagarey, a jump which has earned the nickname "Ballascary" due to its precipitous drop. Despite the warning, I enter the jump a little hot and feel the momentary buzz of weightlessness as the nose lifts and the front wheels slam into the tarmac, followed by the bottoming out rear wheels. ("I saw your undercarriage!" the driver behind me later relays. Oh my.)
Mile after mile of wild card corners makes me thankful to have scored an expert in the passenger seat who offers reassuringly specific instructions. When he announces, "Flat out until I tell you to slow down!" I have a moment of disbelief – perhaps because of the relative proximity of the wall, or the slight kinks that remain in the road, or due to my survival instinct, which tells me to let off the throttle so I don't fall off the side of the damn mountain.
But I persist with the gas and the BRZ charges ahead with a linear power delivery that softens as we approach 120 mph. It's just as well that I'm not pushing a bestial creature like a Corvette ZR-1 on this tight course, as 120 mph feels more like literally double that speed, due to the immediacy of the reference markers and catastrophic consequences to innocent bystanders should anything go south.
Once out of the towns, we finally reach the fabled mountain course, which is eerily devoid of drugstores, houses and pub facades, and lit with otherworldly sunlight that streams through the foliage and glints on the sea, which is visible past long stretches where race motorcycles routinely see blasts of speed over 200 mph. We're nowhere near the double century, but once again, my need for speed is abated; with the lead car setting the pace and so much at stake on these foreign roads, the headiness of the drive isn't undermined by the relatively terrestrial triple-digit velocity. And before we know it, we're being radioed to clear the course and pit our cars because we're holding up the start of the race.
Later, we take another lap and, appropriately enough, pause in the mountain course to scoop up a sidecar racer whose co-rider skidded off course and was airlifted away for medical attention. Our stowaway's spirits are good (presumably, his friend was whisked away as a matter of course), and tomorrow's forecast for light rain proves to be innocuous enough to allow us to spend more seat time in the BRZ along the island's rally stages and secondary roads.
Lithe, responsive, and pleasingly sharp, the newest Subaru, at least under these once-in-a-lifetime circumstances, proves to be the perfect tool for the job. It may have a lower center of gravity than a Ferrari, but it's got none of the whiley contrarianism or quirky, so-called character. Rather, it's a nimble, stiffly sprung little sprite of a car that offers enough tactile information to make the hairiest of excursions feel like nothing more than a spirited Sunday drive.
Not to tempt fate, but I'm starting to think that perhaps the drive would have been even more epic with a turbocharger under the hood.
CORRECTION: The original version of this article incorrectly cited fatality figures for 2011 and how those numbers are gathered. Those figures have been corrected. We regret the error.
Photos: Greg Jarem/SubaruGo Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


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Southern Star Engagement Ring with 1.08 Carat TW of Diamonds in 14ct Yellow & White Gold
$11,299 List Price $10,649 Member
DescriptionThe Southern Star diamond is uniquely cut to reveal an eight point star, eight hearts and eight arrows, symbolising triple good fortune. This 1.08 carat TW diamond engagement ring showcases a centre diamond surrounded with a glittering halo set in 14ct white & yellow gold. Exclusive to the Southern Star Collection.
Product Details
- Collection Southern Star Diamonds
- Total carat weight 1.05
- Centre carat weight 0.70
- Centre Diamond Clarity SI2
- Centre Diamond Colour K+
- Centre Diamond Cut Southern Star
- Centre Diamond Setting Prong/Claw
- Centre Diamond Certification Yes
- Sidestone Diamond Clarity SI1
- Sidestone Diamond Colour H+
- Sidestone Diamond Cut Round
- Sidestone Diamond Setting Prong/Claw
- Metal colour Yellow and White
- Metal content 14 Karat
- Engagement Style Halo
- Gemstone Diamond Set
- Lifetime Diamond Warranty Yes
Delivery & Returns
FREE standard shipping for all orders over $70. Orders under $70 will be charged a flat fee of $9.90.
Once your order has shipped, please allow 2-7 business days for delivery depending on your location. Orders requiring ring sizing take up to three (3) additional business days to complete.
If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you may return it online or in-store within 30 days of delivery for an exchange or full refund. Subject to meeting the requirements of our refund policy.
For more information, visit our FAQ page.
Find In Store


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Speaking of window shades put me in mind of Harper Valley PTA.
Thank God for Google so that I can figure out in a split second what your obscure (for me) reference means I am much less lucky in tracking down the original meaning of "midget revolting" though
Gravity-defying pants. ...
...I have to say that I find the entire tanga/thong concept revolting; an absolute failure of design for purpose. Yuck!...
Damn right, Rob! While in the past one needed to separate layers of underwear to get to the
You Know What, nowadays, one needs to separate the YKW to get to the underwear!
[...]Let's be brutally honest: the joy vanished when suspender belts became passé.[...]Rob C
Google search results:Suspender Belts: 114,000 resultsThong: 28,300,000 resultsStill prefer the suspender belts...Without entering unduly into technicalities, cheeky panties are probably a good compromise (by the way, 265000 google results) grouchomarx
I have to say that I find the entire tanga/thong concept revolting; an absolute failure of design for purpose. Yuck!
I am right there with you on this one. Flossing is something you're supposed to do for your teeth.
Anyway, that meant I had more time to waste at the alter of the computer, and I found this from brighter afternoons.Rob C
Bright seems to be an understatement Rob. Ethereal might be a better description.
You mean as in astronomy? Heavely bodies?Rob C
Still, as long as you enjoy what you can whilst it's there for you, you can do no more in this life.


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Immunohistochemical markers are monoclonal antibodies used to identify specific proteins in tissue sections. The antibody binds to the protein being assessed and a color reagent stains the protein, if in fact that protein is present in the tissue. The proteins that we search for indicate the differentiation of the tumor and help us to render a diagnosis. Identification of differentiation proteins is often required for tumors that cannot be readily classified on routine sections alone (e.g.: round cell tumors, spindle cell tumors).
We usually need to test for the presence of antibodies to the following proteins:


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In the Spring of 1813, exactly 200 years ago, war came to the upper Chesapeake Bay. The War of 1812, declared nearly a year before by President James Madison and followed by an ill-fated invasion of Canada, surely seemed far removed to many Marylanders. But rumors of war changed to all-too-real smoke and flame with the arrival of British forces commanded by Admiral Sir George Cockburn.
Cockburns orders were quite clearhe was to wreak havoc and punish Americans as part of an amphibious campaign that would eventually reach from Norfolk to Havre de Grace. The sight of a British flag soon struck fear in the hearts of Marylanders up and down the Chesapeake.
While the war would continue for months to come and lead to the burning of Washington, the battle of Baltimore and the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner and ultimately the British defeat at the Battle of New Orleans, Chesapeake Bay residents faced the worst of the British onslaught beginning in April 1813.
On Monday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m., join accomplished historian Mike Dixon for Spread the News: The War of 1812 on the Chesapeake, offering a look at how news and information was shared in an era before the instant communication we take for granted today.
Two centuries previously, the British campaign directly impacted Cecil County residents. Dixon will share anecdotes from local residents of the day, as well as details about the British rampages on the Sassafras River, Frenchtown, Elkton, Principio and Havre de Gracewhere much of the riverfront town was put to the torch despite the efforts of the heroic John ONeill.
Mr. Dixon will be exploring how reports of the British campaign spread like wildfire, causing panic in some quarters, and in others prompting the local militia to organize a defense. He will also share some of the new discoveries that have come to light about the location of the earthworks at Elk Landing, the local historic site that played a key role in the defense of Elkton or Head of Elk, as it was then called.
The times in these parts has been troublesome, wrote militia Captain Andrew Hall of the 30th Maryland Regiment that took part in the defense of Elkton. Our waters has been polluted with the English since last spring and is yet. Theyre blockading all our seaport towns which causes merchandise of all sorts to be very high on the 28th (of April) the British landed at Frenchtown two miles below Elkton and set it on fire, and consumed it to ashes and would have destroyed Elkton if they had not got cowed by the shot of one cannonball from a small battery thrown up at (Elk Landing).
The War 1812 is sometimes called the Second War of Independence or even the Forgotten War, although so much of the action took place almost in our backyards here in Cecil County. After this talk, youll know and appreciate far more about what the War of 1812 meant for those who lived in Cecil County two centuries before.
Registration is requested due to limited seating for this talk, so please call 410-996-1134 or click here to sign up.
Tags: cecil county history, cecil county local history, cecil county public library, Cecil County things to do, mike dixon elkton maryland, things to do in cecil county, war of 1812


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The question over his head is not a question about him at all. It's a question about his party - and that question is the same whether Romney wins or loses. The congressional Republicans have shown themselves a destructive and irrational force in American politics. But we won't reform the congressional GOP by re-electing President Obama. If anything, an Obama re-election will not only aggravate the extremism of the congressional GOP, but also empower them: an Obama re-election raises the odds in favor of big sixth-year sweep for the congressional GOP - and very possibly a seventh-year impeachment. A Romney election will at least discourage the congressional GOP from deliberately pushing the US into recession in 2013. Added bonus: a Romney presidency likely means that the congressional GOP will lose seats in 2014, as they deserve.
Kevin Drum calls Frum out:
But instead, Frum makes the most overt form of the surrendering-to-terrorists argument that I've seen yet. If Obama wins, congressional Republicans will go completely ape and destroy the country. They will deliberately tank the economy and then impeach the president. Therefore, we have to give into them and turf Obama out of office.
It's appalling that people are seriously making this argument. What's worse, it's the relatively sensible people who are making it. This is simply nuts. No country can survive with this attitude. If congressional Republicans are truly a destructive and irrational force in American politics—and God knows, I agree with Frum about that—the answer is to fight them, not to surrender to them. That way lies madness.
The problem is House Republicans are insane. The answer is to get rid of House Republicans.


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Duets is the fourth episode of Glee's second season and the twenty-sixth episode overall. It premiered on October 12, 2010.
When Puck is sent to juvenile detention, Sam is introduced to the New Directions as a pseudo replacement. As well as a new member being introduced, Will also introduces a duets assignment to the Glee Club, offering a meal at Breadstix for the winning team. Kurt has his eye on Sam as his duet partner, but Finn tries to prevent them from being partners, thinking back to Kurt's crush on him the year before. Finn and Rachel plan to throw the competition so that Sam can have a shot at winning. Mike has difficulty singing as Tina assists him to create an entertaining duet, while Quinn and Sam begin a romance.
The episode was directed by Eric Stoltz and was written by Ian Brennan.
Will sets a duet assignment, offering a meal at Breadstix for the winning duo. He announces that Puck has been sent to juvenile detention for stealing his mother's car and driving it through a convenience store window, then driving away with an ATM in tow. He then introduces new member, Sam. Kurt suspects that Sam is gay, a certain clue being his dyed hair which Kurt can spot a mile away, and asks him to be his duet partner. Though Sam agrees, club co-captain Finn talks them out of partnering up, fearing that Sam will be subject to bullying for having a male partner. Kurt ignores him at first as he is still angry with Finn for his homophobic comments in Theatricality, the twentieth episode of Season One. After talking to Burt, who agrees with Finn, Kurt decides to break his partnership with Sam. Finn sings Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Rachel, who suggests letting Sam win the competition to boost club morale, make him feel a winner which will ensure he stays in the group and thereby increase their chance of winning at Nationals.
Brittany and Santana make out on Brittany's bed, but when Brittany suggests they sing Melissa Etheridge's Come to My Window together, Santana then refuses and trivializes their relationship. Santana believes her best chance of winning is by partnering with Mercedes, and together they sing River Deep, Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner. Attempting to make Santana jealous, Brittany pairs up with Artie, who rejects his ex-girlfriend Tina when she asks him to duet with her. Kurt sings Le Jazz Hot by himself, after choosing not to sing with his previous duet partner Sam, stating that when you're different and special, it sometimes means that you're on your own. His outstanding performance gains him a standing ovation from his peers.
Tina and her new boyfriend Mike duet on Sing! from A Chorus Line. Artie loses his virginity to Brittany, but is later informed by a very jealous Santana that Brittany was using him for his voice and dissolves their partnership. Brittany apologizes, but Artie does not accept the apology and declines Brittany's invitation to Breadstix, so she sadly goes alone.
When Sam has a slushie thrown in his face by bullies, Quinn helps him to clean up. He asks her why she is still in Glee Club and she said those people were there for her last year. Later, he asks her to be his partner and tries to teach her the guitar-chords for their duet. He tries to kiss her, when they're looking into each-others eyes intensively. Quinn, still haunted by her mistakes of the previous year, is frightened to become involved with a guy and pulls away, telling him they cannot sing together. Later, Rachel connivingly persuades Quinn back into her partnership, by saying she wants a fair competition. Quinn agrees and tells Sam in the hallway they are duet partners. Rachel and Finn, dressed as a schoolgirl and a priest, respectively, in an intentionally offensive move, performs With You I'm Born Again, hoping to damage their own chance of winning the competition. Sam and Quinn sing Lucky. All of the club members vote for themselves, except Finn and Rachel, who vote for Sam and Quinn, ensuring that they win the competition. Over dinner at Breadstix, they form a friendship, and Quinn tells Sam that he should pay, as that is the proper thing for a gentleman to do on what has become their first date.
As the scene at Breadstix ends, Brittany is by herself, nosing a meatball across a plate ala Lady and the Tramp. Noticing that Kurt is lonely, Rachel tells him how much the club members value him and asks him to duet with her for fun. The episode ends with them singing the famous Judy Garland/Barbra Streisand mash-up of Happy Days Are Here Again and Get Happy in a content mood in front of the rest of New Directions.
|Song Title
|Original Artist
|Don't Go Breaking My Heart
|Elton John and Kiki Dee
|Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry
|River Deep, Mountain High
|Ike & Tina Turner
|Mercedes Jones and Santana Lopez
|Le Jazz Hot
|Cast of Victor/Victoria
|Kurt Hummel
|Cast of A Chorus Line
|Mike Chang and Tina Cohen-Chang
|Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
|Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans
|Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy
|Barbra Streisand/Judy Garland
|Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry
Unreleased Songs
- With You I'm Born Again by Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright. Sung by Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry
Guest Stars
- Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang
- Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans
- James Earl III as Azimio Adams
- Max Adler as Dave Karofsky
- Jean Sincere as Librarian
- Jonathan Wolf as Guy
- Kevin says his favorite dance was Mike Chang's in Sing!.
- Naya and Amber said their favorite number they've done together is River Deep, Mountain High.
- This episode was watched by 11.36 million viewers.
- When Mercedes votes, she spells Santana's name as "Satan" making reference to Santana's mean nature. This is done again in Prom Queen, in which Kurt actually calls Santana "Satan" before correcting himself ("Go with God, Satan! ...Santana.").
- Puck is absent in this episode, as he is in juvie.
- "Viewing Party", an episode of "The Office", which aired a month later, was centered around the characters gathering at the home of a co-worker to watch this episode; Kevin McHale had appeared on the show as a pizza boy in "Launch Party", where Michael - who at one point in "Viewing Party" states that "the invalid" is his favorite Glee character - keeps him hostage after he refuses to honor a coupon.
- The use of the term "scissoring" - a reference to a sexual position utilized by lesbian couples - marked a first in American network television, as well as the first time such a term had been used in a series with a wide family viewership. Its utterance garnered international media attention in publications such as the UK's Daily Mail.
- Chris Colfer said that Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy was the hardest song he ever had to lip-sync and they kept messing up the words during filming because many sentences are repeated only with different endings.
- When Santana and Artie are talking in the cafeteria, Dominic Barnes is seen behind them as a student at William McKinley High School. He currently portrays Trent, a member of the Dalton Academy Warblers.
- This is the third episode (after Throwdown and Home) in which two duets are sung by the same two people.
- When Brittany and Santana make out, Brittany says she wants to sing Melissa Etheridge's song, Come to My Window, which can be interpreted as a "coming out" song, featuring lyrics like: I don't care what they think, I don't care what they say, what do they know about this love anyway?.
- When Santana chastises Kurt about doing his duet on his own (Victor/Victoria), Santana says, "it's like vocal masturbation," you can hear Brittany say, "That's so funny!" But, due to how the show is edited, Santana looks disgusted at her own comment, is saying something else, and Brittany isn't talking at all.
- Artie tells Brittany that she never spoke to him, but in Preggers, Vitamin D, Sectionals, The Power of Madonna, Bad Reputation, Theatricality, and Journey she does.
- When Brittany lifts Artie from his chair and carries him to her bed, right before she puts him down, he is obviously lifting his feet to prevent them from bumping into the bedframe.
Artie: Am I about to lose my virginity?
Rachel: Hey, I have something I want to talk to you about.
He's on team gay. No straight boy does his hair to look like Linda Evangelista circa 1983.
When you're different... when you're special... sometimes you have to get used to being alone.
I was going to order us one really, really long piece of spaghetti, like in Lady and the Tramp. I've been practicing nudging the meatball across the table with my nose.
I'm making this a competition.
Watch and learn.
Brittany: I'm really into you.
We will be the undisputed top bitches at this school.
So freaking charming.
Kurt: You have issues with me being gay.


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Watch Lady Gaga's Emotional Speech at Gay Pride Rally [Video]
Lady Gaga made an appearance at the NYC Gay Pride Rally on Friday, June 28. It wasn't really a surprise, since we had heard about it the whole day leading up to her speech. But it was a welcomed return to the public eye. In addition to singing a lyrically amended version of the national anthem, Gaga gave a nearly 20-minute-long speech, referring to the gay community by the personal pronouns of "us," "we" and "our," further connecting herself to the group.
Mama Monster said she is happy to have been so warmly welcomed by the LGBT community throughout the course of her life and her career.
She thanked everyone who has come out of the closet for doing so, since they are the people that truly spurred on the change and helped bring about the death of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which allowed states to refuse to recognize gay marriages.
"I am here tonight for my heroes, to honor my heroes," Gaga declared. "Luckily, I have many to look up to and to look at tonight."
She joked that her Italian heritage showed its stronghold in her nose and that she had trouble finding a healthy sense of self and self-esteem as a teenager. But a particular crowd accepted her, which was that of the LGBT community.
She also stated she sees God in the gay community and thanked her heroes, including her hair stylist and one of her wardrobe minders, who are gay. She also stated the community is not a niche but a giant part of humanity as a whole and lead the crowd in a chant of "Enough is enough."
Mother Monster got emotional here and there, but she was typical Gaga. That is, she was passionate, sweet and warm.
Gaga looked adorbs in a strapless black pantsuit with a sweetheart neckline and wide legs, paired with an angled, white blonde bob. She also wore thin, black strip glasses of some sort.


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Trial of Gemcitabine/Carboplatin With or Without Iniparib (SAR240550) (a PARP1 Inhibitor) in Subjects With Previously Untreated Stage IV Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (ECLIPSE)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01082549
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : March 8, 2010
Last Update Posted : March 17, 2016
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
To evaluate the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced squamous cell lung cancer receiving the combination of gemcitabine/carboplatin either with or without Iniparib.
Based on data generated by BiPar/Sanofi, it is concluded that iniparib does not possess characteristics typical of the PARP inhibitor class. The exact mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated, however based on experiments on tumor cells performed in the laboratory, iniparib is a novel investigational anti-cancer agent that induces gamma-H2AX (a marker of DNA damage) in tumor cell lines, induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in tumor cell lines, and potentiates the cell cycle effects of DNA damaging modalities in tumor cell lines. Investigations into potential targets of iniparib and its metabolites are ongoing.
|Condition or disease
|Squamous Cell Lung Cancer
|Drug: gemcitabine/carboplatin Drug: gemcitabine/carboplatin plus Iniparib
|Phase 3
Expanded Access : An investigational treatment associated with this study is no longer available outside the clinical trial. More info ...
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|780 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Randomized Phase 3 Trial of Gemcitabine/Carboplatin With or Without Iniparib (SAR240550) (a PARP1 Inhibitor) in Subjects With Previously Untreated Stage IV Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
|Study Start Date :
|March 2010
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|April 2013
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|April 2013
|Active Comparator: gemcitabine/carboplatin
Drug: gemcitabine/carboplatin
|Experimental: gemcitabine/carboplatin plus Iniparib
Drug: gemcitabine/carboplatin plus Iniparib
- overall survival [ Time Frame: 12 months, 24 months ]
- progression free survival [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
Eligible patients must meet the following criteria to be enrolled in the study:
- Newly diagnosed, stage IV squamous cell lung cancer. This includes patients who present with disseminated metastases, and those with a malignant pleural or pericardial effusion (i.e., formerly stage IIIB in the 6th TNM staging system).
- Patients who have received prior adjuvant therapy for early-stage lung cancer are eligible if at least 12 months have elapsed from that treatment.
- Histologically confirmed squamous cell bronchogenic carcinoma. Patients whose tumors contain mixed non-small cell histologies are eligible, as long as squamous carcinoma is the predominant histology. Mixed tumors with small cell anaplastic elements are not eligible. Cytologic specimens obtained by brushings, washings, or needle aspiration of the defined lesion are acceptable.
- Patients with previous radiotherapy as definitive therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer are eligible, as long as the recurrence is outside the original radiation therapy port. Radiation therapy must have been completed >4 weeks prior to the initiation of study treatment. Patients who have received chemo/radiation for locally advanced NSCLC are not eligible. Patients who have received palliative radiation therapy for symptomatic metastases must have completed treatment >14 days prior the initiation of the study treatment.
- Presence of evaluable (measureable or non-measurable) disease.
- ECOG Performance Status of 0 or 1.
Laboratory values as follows:
- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >1,500/microL and platelets >100,000/microL (≤72 hours prior to initial treatment).
- Hemoglobin >9 g/dL (Note: Patients may be transfused or receive erythropoietin to maintain or exceed this level).
- Bilirubin < ULN.
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤2.5 times the upper limit of normal if no liver involvement or ≤5 times the upper limit of normal with liver involvement.
- Creatinine <2.0 mg/dL, or creatinine clearance >40 mL/min (as calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault method.
- Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test performed within 7 days prior to start of treatment. Women of childbearing potential or men with partners of childbearing potential must use effective birth control measures during treatment and at least 6 months after the last dose of the study treatment. If a woman becomes pregnant or suspects she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must agree to inform her treating physician immediately. Sexually active men must agree to use a medically acceptable form of birth control during treatment and at least 6 months after the last dose. If a female partner becomes pregnant during the course of the study the treating physician should be informed immediately.
- >18 years of age.
- Ability to understand the nature of this study, give written informed consent, and comply with study requirements.
- Patients entering this study must be willing to provide tissue from a previous tumor biopsy (if available) for correlative testing. An exception to this is when the national/local regulations prohibits some of the key activities of this research like the export of samples to third countries, storage of coded samples or global gene expression profiling without a pre-specified list of target genes. If tissue is not available, a patient will still be eligible for enrollment into the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior treatment with gemcitabine, carboplatin (except in the adjuvant setting), or Iniparib.
- Past or current history of neoplasm other than the entry diagnosis, with the exception of treated non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in-situ of any primary site, or invasive cancers treated definitively, with treatment ending >5 years previously and no evidence of recurrences.
A history of cardiac disease, as defined by:
- Malignant hypertension
- Unstable angina
- Congestive heart failure
- Myocardial infarction within the previous 6 months
- Symptomatic, unstable or uncontrolled, cardiac arrhythmias. Patients who have stable, rate-controlled atrial fibrillation are eligible for study enrollment.
- Active brain metastases. Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible, if (1) radiation therapy was completed at least 2 weeks prior to study entry; (2) follow-up scan shows no disease progression; and (3) patient does not require steroids.
- Women who are pregnant or lactating.
- Any serious, active infection (> Grade 2) at the time of treatment.
- A serious underlying medical condition that would impair the ability of the patient to receive protocol treatment.
- A major surgical procedure, or significant traumatic injury ≤28 days of beginning treatment, or anticipation of the need for major surgery during the course of the study.
- Uncontrolled or intercurrent illness including, that in the opinion of the investigator may increase the risks associated with study participation or administration of the investigational products, or that may interfere with the interpretation of the results.
- History of any medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory abnormality that, in the opinion of the investigator, may increase the risks associated with the study participation or administration of the investigational products, or that may interfere with the interpretation of the results.
- Known or suspected allergy/hypersensitivity to any agent given in the course of this trial.
The above information is not intended to contain all considerations relevant to a patient's potential participation in a clinical trial.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01082549
|Study Director:
|Clinical Sciences & Operations
|Responsible Party:
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
20090321 ( Other Identifier: Bipar code )
|First Posted:
|March 8, 2010 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|March 17, 2016
|Last Verified:
|February 2016
Patients with Previously Untreated Advanced Squamous Cell Lung Cancer
Lung Neoplasms
Respiratory Tract Neoplasms
Thoracic Neoplasms
Neoplasms by Site
Lung Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Antineoplastic Agents
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Enzyme Inhibitors
Immunosuppressive Agents
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors


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The Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute's Bionutrition Unit has been in existence at OHSU since 1976. Registered dietitians specializing in research (aka Bionutritionists/Bionuts) design diets, feed research participants, conduct body composition measurements, and investigate participant's usual diets using several different methodologies. Come find out what crème brulees, BOD PODs, and FFQs have to do with nutrition research and learn how the Bionutrition Unit can help improve your research study design. We'll have samples of two recipes developed by the Bionutrition Unit–Red Beet and White Bean Hummus and Nut & Seed Bars–for those in attendance, so come early for tasting!
Join Us!
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at 12 p.m.
Mac Hall, Room 1162
Please contact Julia Jordan with questions.


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Friday, December 16, 2016
Happy 70th birthday Benny!
Posted by ABBAFan456
Labels: ABBA, Benny, Happy Birthday, News
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text: Redshirts everywhere get their very own musical tribute in MJ Hibbett & The Validators' music video "Don't, Darren, Don't" off their concept album Dinosaur Planet (previously mentioned here). Rendered by Scary-Go-Round and Bad Machinery artist John Allison, Darren is an utterly dispensable police officer off to investigate some suspicious goings-on. But he's no more prepared for a team of cybernetically enhanced dinosaurs than any other character who dies 15 minutes into his or her movie. Poor Darren.