In a year time 2,000 politicians increased their property

Politics is a very profitable business in Serbia. Employees at the Anti corruption agency are these days working almost around the clock to register thousands of politicians who increased their property last year for at least the annual average pay in the country. Until Friday the number of politicians who reported increase of property was 1,190 and since majority is waiting the last minute to fulfil this obligation, another 1,000 reports are being expected to arrive.

Source: http://english.blic.rs/News//7347/In-a-year-time-2000-politicians-increased-their-property

WikiLeaks Gabriel Agbonlahor Tuition fees Premier League Economic growth (GDP) Consumer spending

Paris Quartet Meeting for Lebanon is Postponed..

The expected French-Saudi-Turkish-Qatari consultation to be held in Paris to reach a solution to the Lebanese crisis has been postponed, the MTV Network declared.An-Nahar wrote on Sunday that the meeting of the Quartet was planned for today, on Sunday and that the French president Nicolas Sarkozy will join the negotiations.Although the MTV's report did not elaborate more information as for the reasons behind the postponement of the meeting, the daily paper announced that the quartet meeting in Paris might be postponed if the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs is incapable to attend.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Quartet-meeting-Paris-Lebanon-hn-1.htm

Manchester United England rugby union team St Petersburg Lee Cattermole Conservation Liza Minnelli

Twitter furious as Prior notice backfires on Guardian

Larry Ryan

What were you doing between half three and half five yesterday afternoon?

If you enjoy any kind of constructive or meaningful life, chances are you missed an intriguing sports journalism experiment; one that had newsrooms all over the world scrambling, sent Twitter into a frenzy and, ultimately, rather backfired on Guardian Newspapers.

It all kicked off when Guardian sports editor Ian Prior posted this Tweet around 3.30.

 

@ianprior: Major - and boy do I mean it - football exclusive coming up on guardian.co.uk sometime around 5.30.

 

As they probably still say in biology class, and maybe civics as well, it was the most natural thing in the world. Journo gets decent scoop, seeks to maximise the audience for it before somebody else gets wind of it. A virtual “Read all about it”. What it says about the future operations of newspapers that Guardian opted to go online with its exclusive rather than save it for this morning’s paper, we’ll leave for another day.

Anyway, so far, so not very exciting. But Prior, on the face of it at least, seems to have made two misjudgements.

Firstly, in a week that sent the two most high-profile figures in UK sports media packing, Prior probably placed the bar a little low on what might be considered a “major” football exclusive. Only “Rooney Joins Arsenal. Throws off Underpants” could possibly have lived up to the billing.

More importantly, Prior underestimated the power of Twitter and social media in general, a mistake the Egyptian government weren’t going to make today.

Prior’s own following on Twitter is around 7000 strong, not insignificant, but modest enough compared to the heavy hitters. Yet the story swept through the network in seconds, was retweeted thousands of times and the hashtag #guardianexclusive quickly became a worldwide trending topic.

Sports desks everywhere held a space for the upcoming story, the Irish Examiner among them. A BBC man tweeted admitting BBC Sport was “on the edge of our seats all afternoon”. Bloggers everywhere were busy piggybacking on the drama by making wild predictions. Man United to be sold was a popular one. Tevez gone to Chelsea. Lineker to Sky. As teasers go, it was incredibly successful pre-publicity.

But then, slightly after 5.30, the story came; and what a letdown it was.

“Inter Milan set to bid £40m for Gareth Bale in the summer.”

Had Bale been photographed lounging in Massimo Moratti’s jacuzzi having called in sick to ‘Arry, there might have been some merit in the story. But there were no quotes, no specifics and boy was the Twitter community unimpressed.

The backlash started politely enough:

@MDelaneyST 

That was disappointing

 

@JoeLeogue 

So...a club may bid for Bale...in the summer. That was a big pile of meh

 

@itsjamestapper 

Twaxi for @ianprior!

 

But it didn’t take long for the lunatics to enter the fray and the first suggestion that Prior would be better off dead arrived within fifteen minutes. Blushing sailors logged off everywhere as the Twitter timeline salted over with fruity language.

Some urged that Prior be sacked, others moved to organise a boycott. He began to lose followers in droves.

To his credit, the good-humoured, if chastened, Prior rather turned things round with his sanguine reaction to the fuss.

 

@ianprior 

Going to ring up Gray and Keys for a pint later. Then maybe drown a few kittens

 

Some of the attack dogs were called to heel. Many of the aggressors rather sheepishly admitted their overreaction.

 

@ihatesash 

Ok after over 2 hours i have calmed down and am #nowfollowing @ianprior. The news was exciting to him maybe bales his fav player

 

And of course on one level Prior’s story and teaser worked a treat for Guardian Online. The story was probably among the most clicked anywhere on the Web yesterday. It attracted more than a hundred comments within five minutes, albeit mainly disparaging ones.

But Guardian has ambitions beyond simply attracting cheap hits through speculative stories. Prior’s Tweet attracted such attention in the first place because there is a certain level of trust in the quality of Guardian’s output.

The irreverent and level-headed approach of Barry Glendenning, Paul Doyle, Sid Lowe, Sean Ingle and Prior himself has earned the site a reputation for deflating hype and sensible comment.

Last year Guardian launched Open Platform, making all its online content available for free to bloggers, websites and anybody who wants to reuse it. Obviously, there are rules; Guardian branding and advertising must stay with the articles, but it was an extraordinarily brave move in an era when other media organisations are moving to re-establish pay-walls.

The idea is that Guardian and its content will become part of the fabric of the Web and as its content trickles into all corners, so too does Guardian’s advertising network.

One dud story won’t harm those ambitions. Despite the warning from @maldini that “The internet has a long memory mate”, it doesn’t really.

 

Tweeters were soon ready to be excited again when @mirrorfootball boasted late last night they would have a big story online at midnight and on their back pages this morning. When the story arrived, Chelsea’s interest in Fernando Torres was greeted with much less scorn.

 

Perhaps Prior’s tactic will now become the norm with all stories trailed in advance on social media. But it won’t work if the stories used are as tame as this one. And it will never work unless journalists and marketers better gauge their audience.

 

 

 

 

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/Co4n77yJJn0/post.aspx

Private equity Argentina Manchester City Dmitry Medvedev State pensions Global climate talks

Man City accuse County of sexism during FA Cup match

MANCHESTER City will make an official complaint to Notts County after a sexism row allegedly blew up at their weekend match.

City have claimed their director of communications Vicky Kloss was denied access to the area around the dressing rooms at Meadow Lane because she is a woman. Notts County have denied this was the reason.

Ms Kloss was attempting to make contact with manager Roberto Mancini ahead of his TV interviews before the FA Cup tie when she was told by a steward she would not be allowed into the players' tunnel.

City are to send a formal letter of complaint to County chief executive Jim Rodwell for an explanation.

Notts County have denied the claims from City, insisting Kloss was not prevented from entering the area because of her gender, but because she did not have the right pass.

A County spokesman said: "It's nothing to do with her being a woman. She was trying to get into an area without the correct accreditation."

However, it has been established that Kloss' junior colleague, who is male, had been allowed to enter the same area five minutes earlier without being asked for a pass, which he did not have anyway.

The episode came just days after Richard Keys and Andy Gray engaged in their infamous criticism of assistant referee Sian Massey at the Wolves v Liverpool game.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503354/s/1247194c/l/0L0Sthisisnottingham0O0Cnews0CMan0ECity0Eaccuse0ECounty0Esexism0Ecup0Ematch0Carticle0E31626590Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

Beach holidays Australia cricket team Private equity Argentina Manchester City Dmitry Medvedev

Let's put the notion of an autumn start to the League where it belongs...in the bin

John Fogarty

THE GAA likes to regurgitate. Strike that, they don’t. They have no say in it. It’s a force of habit. It’s tradition, you see. Bring back what went before. Sure, it didn’t do us any harm then, did it? Served us well then so why shouldn’t it now?

Never mind there might have been a valid reason why it was done away with, the past is still seen as offering the best. There’s a motion on this year’s Congress Clár to resurrect the ritual of the All-Ireland winning minor captain giving an acceptance speech after it was stopped last year. Where’s the harm in saving a teenager from the onerous task of articulating the victory?

Then there was the mark, something which was brought in, defeated, then brought in again as an experimental rule to reward the art of high-fielding. Ultimately, it was counter-productive (and worryingly it could be back in time for next year’s league).

On the odd occasion, it works. The revival of the four divisional league structure. Good idea. Made sense. Why was it ever changed in the first place?

Restoration of the autumn league start? Bad idea. Bad, bad idea.

Roscommon club Elphin have put forward the motion calling for a return to October league starts, which has been endorsed by the county.

Chairman Michael Fahey last week explained: "The first few months are incredibly busy between National Leagues, third level and under-21 championships. It leaves very little room for club games, which is frustrating for a great many players.

"It's a problem in every county and Roscommon's view is that playing a few league games in October and November would prove very helpful in spring.”

Fahey’s heart is in the right place but why should the National League, the second biggest competition in the GAA, have to compromise for the sake of the college and under-21 teams? A real case of the tail wagging the dog if that were to materialise.

And, frankly, the idea that the move would give clubs more time earlier in the year is a myopic and retrograde one when the business end of club championships will still invariably be staged in October and November and clash with any autumn league fixtures.

The other argument Roscommon have highlighted is the lack of promotion the GAA suffers in the autumn months when club action is hardly a match for Heineken Cup and autumn international series rugby and Premier League soccer.

Those two other sports aren’t without their own fallow times of the year. July and most of August are vacant rugby months while barring a World Cup or European Championship soccer’s desert can extend from May to mid-August.

In fact, three rounds of National League fixtures in October and November when the circus has packed up and left the third weekend in September is hardly promotion. You’d reckon the Dublin County Board would find it painfully difficult to shift tickets for a pre-Christmas Croke Park double-header with Cork and Tipperary just a handful of weeks after the culmination of their exhaustive seasons and still in the midst of deserved celebrations.

No, there’s genuine excitement about the upcoming games at headquarters partly because it’s a new year and with that comes invigorated hope for the romantic Dubs and supporters across the country. Right now, everything is up for grabs because nobody else has got their mitts on it yet.

The GAA should not feel it has to compete with rugby and soccer at a time of year when it “hibernates”. The thing is the Association never sleeps. And this is the biggest misnomer about our national games – it’s not always about the county.

For some though, it is, but players have clubs to play for as well as feet to rest. Asking them to line out for their counties for two more months of the year when they are devoting more than enough – sometimes too much to the cause – would be downright irresponsible of the GAA.

Aside from the player welfare argument, what’s most preposterous about the autumn start is the manner in which it would undermine the National Leagues. Teams’ performances in October and November would be nothing like their displays February onwards.

Were the National League have started last October, it would hardly be surprising if Cork footballers and Tipperary’s hurlers were coming into the new year with zero points from three games. Would it be reflective of their attitude, their talents? Hardly. Flog a dead horse and you get a desperately poor race.

The National League has suffered enough ignominy without having to be split into two sections, which would play out as two completely different competitions.

Sponsors Allianz have warned they won’t accept it – and who could blame them? In fairness, they’ve put up with quite a lot over the years. League finals clashing with all-Irish Heineken Cup semi-finals, repeated rule changes... others would have walked.

Still, the league has endured and Allianz have rightly pointed out it has become less of a stepping stone and more of launch-pad to the championship (Cork were the fifth Division One winners in the last five campaigns to go on and do the double). Chop three games off the run-in to May and its gravitas is lost.

Just when they (and the majority of managers) were rightly looking forward to the 2011 running where there will be no rule changes, along comes this motion. We know where it’s coming from, we know it’s well-meant but it’s misdirected. A vote for it is a backward step.

 

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/hb517WV20kw/post.aspx

Slovakia Debit cards Publishing Gay and lesbian travel Asia Social care

Heard the one about the dead banker?

Financial institutions weren't amused by Vince Cable's bankers joke. So here's some more for them courtesy of G2

'What's the difference between a dead cat on the motorway and a dead banker on the motorway? There are skidmarks around the cat."

In an ideal world, business secretary Vince Cable would have got in trouble for the many illogical aspects of this age-old joke (why would a banker be walking on the motorway? Why would the skidmarks be "around" the cat if it is dead? Just saying!) but instead he was vilified by various financial institutions for the propriety of the gag rather than its ropey quality. Let's show some support for Cable, with an entire 90 seconds of weak stand-up devoted to bankers:

? A man is stuck in traffic. He asks a police officer about the hold-up and he replies: "The head of the Bank Of England is so depressed about the economy he's stopped his car and is threatening to douse himself with petrol and set himself on fire. So we're taking up a collection for him." The man asks: "How much have you got so far?" The policeman replies: "About 40 gallons, but a lot of people are still siphoning."

? A young banker decided to get his first tailor-made suit. As he tried it on, he reached down to put his hands in the pockets and to his surprise he found none. He mentioned this to the tailor who asked him, "You're a banker, right?" The young man answered, "Yes, I am." "Well, whoever heard of a banker with his hands in his own pockets?"

? What do you call 12 bankers at the bottom of the sea with their feet in cement blocks? A good start.

? A man visits his bank manager and says, "How do I start a small business?" The manager replies, "Start a large one and wait six months."

? Why don't sharks attack bankers? Professional courtesy.

? A London banker dies in poverty and so his local pub decides to raise funds for his funeral. One day a man walks into the pub and is asked to donate 20p for the fund. "What's it for?" he asks, and the landlord tells him. So he reaches into his pocket, hands him a �5 note and says, "Here, go and bury 25 of them."

? And finally: What's the problem with banker jokes? Bankers don't think they're funny, normal people don't think they're jokes.

• Financial sector
• Banks and building societies

Pete Cashmore

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2011/jan/30/jokes-about-bankers

Global terrorism Taxonomy Office for National Statistics West Ham United Extradition Christmas markets

Lebanon and Tunisia: Two Ousted Leaders.

Will social unrest spread and threaten other Mideast autocracies? Some dubbed it the ?Jasmine Revolution? out of an apparent need to romanticize all popular uprisings by tagging a color or symbol to it, as they did with Tunisia ?s national flower. Yet it felt decidedly out of place. This was no Western-backed revolt, where an American president issues lively calls for the people?s will to be respected. On the contrary, if the U.S., France or any of the Arab client states could have intervened to preserve the 23-year rule of Tunisian dictator Zain al-Abidine Ben Ali, they would have done so.�Simmering anger at skyrocketing food prices, inflation, unemployment, cronyism and corruption had boiled over and erupted into mass protests. But the Tunisian intifada started with one young man?s despair.�Muhammad Bouazizi was a 26-year old ex-student who resorted to street vending in order to support his family. Ben Ali?s thugs showed him no mercy even in that. Police confiscated his fruit and vegetable cart on the pretext he had no license, and beat and humiliated him when he had no money for a bribe.�He pled his case to authorities, to be allowed to push his wheelbarrow and eek out a meager existence, but to no avail. On Dec. 17, Bouazizi set himself on fire in front of municipal government headquarters where his case had been heard and dismissed. It was the literal and figurative speak that mobilized Tunisians into waves of demonstrations that swept Ben Ali all the way to Saudi Arabia .�Acts of self-immolation followed in Algeria and Egypt . Protests in Jordan over soaring prices and unemployment mirrored Tunisian grievances and led to calls for the entire government to resign. �Indeed, the question on everyone?s mind is whether the unrest will spread and threaten other Mideast autocracies and oligarchies, specifically Egypt and Algeria .������������������������������������������������������� This is unlikely in the short-term. Tunisia ?s uprising was unique in the way it had mobilized the middle class to join forces with trade unions and the poor to uproot the nepotism and corruption Ben Ali?s reign embodied. While this particular set of social conditions may not be generalizable to other Arab countries, his ouster did reaffirm?as the 1979 Iranian Revolution proved?the security-state?s fragility in comparison to the people?s wrath. It dispelled the myth, however, that all such rebellions are Islamist-inspired.�Just two days prior to Ben Ali?s hasty exit to Saudi Arabia , another Mideast leader lost power.�Although ?toppled? tends to connate violent overthrow, it was nonetheless used to describe the peaceful resignation of 11 opposition ministers from the cabinet of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, causing his government to deservedly collapse. Their resignations ostensibly came after Hariri refused to hold an urgent cabinet meeting to address the country?s response to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is expected to indict high-ranking Hezbollah officials in the February 2005 assassination of late premier Rafiq Hariri. The indictments were delivered sealed to the pre-trial judge Monday.�Hopes to resolve the impasse on how to deal with their fallout were placed in the long-touted ?Saudi-Syrian initiative.? Before the initiative was allowed to bear fruit, it was torpedoed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after she met with Hariri in New York . When he acquiesced and it became clear the deal was dead, the opposition ministers? resignation was a forgone conclusion. �President Michel Suleiman has temporarily delayed parliamentary consultations to name a new prime minister to give Turkish and Qatari mediation efforts a chance to forestall yet another crisis. Hezbollah and Michel Aoun?s Change and Reform parliamentary bloc have already said they will not support Hariri?s reappointment.�Further undermining the caretaker prime minister?s credibility, Lebanon?s New TV aired leaked audio tapes of a 2007 meeting between Hariri, pre-STL U.N. Deputy Chief investigator Gerhard Lehmann, Internal Security Forces head Col. Wissam al-Hassan (whose conspicuous absence the day Hariri was assassinated and his flimsy alibi raises troubling questions) and Muhammad Zuhair al-Siddiq.�Al-Siddiq is a known criminal and one of the ?false witnesses? who implicated Syria in Hariri?s murder with fabricated, now discredited testimony. The embarrassing tape shoots holes through Hariri?s claim he never had personal knowledge of al-Siddiq or anything to do with the false witnesses.�In a remarkable week, two Arab leaders were deposed.�One was a staunchly secular dictator who fled in disgrace to an ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia . He may loathe the religious atmosphere but once envied its security relations with the West. Ben Ali is now relegated to an apolitical life in Jeddah, the same city in which Idi Amin once took refuge.�The other, though not a dictator, sold out a formula for domestic and regional stability at his country?s expense. His political and sectarian agenda, at justice?s expense, will allow the STL?s politicized indictments to foment strife, conflict and enmity between Lebanese.�For making himself a party to that in his capacity as prime minister, the Lebanese should encourage Hariri, who holds Saudi citizenship, to take extended leave in the Kingdom as well.�Rannie Amiri is an independent Middle East commentator.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/129400365507404280.htm

Celebrity Arsenal Scotland Carlos Tevez Borrowing & debt Radio 1

Lebanon: Easy does it..

Abigail Fielding-Smith wrote in her blog on�"blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/" today, about Lebanon and its political crisis ?while all eyes are focused on the Tunisian Turmoil.In her article, Abigail reminded the readers that the Lebanese government that collapsed only a week ago, is an unfortunate move that might hit badly the Lebanese economy and warned, "Economic growth may slow and bring losses at the country?s banks."� The article also shed light on the Lebanese economy and assured that the Lebanese investors did not panic. ?Despite years of war and political tension,�Lebanon has produced a resilient economy and�prudent policies that have helped accumulate $30bn of foreign currency reserves, among the world?s largest on a per capita basis." Furthermore, the article asserted that the Lebanese reserves have established a cushion and a buffer against instability for years, and has currently allowed Lebanon to cope with the increase in demand for dollars, especially in recent days, after the fall of Saad Hariri?s government, last week, which has caused shares in Solidere, "the country?s largest publicly-traded company, to drop 8.2 per cent in one day."The writer added, "Lebanon?s economy is something of a special case. Its economy has evolved to cope with near-constant political turbulence; between 1975 and 1990 the country fought a vicious civil war, in 2006, it was pounded by Israeli warplanes, and between 2006 and 2008 the cabinet was not able to meet, due to political divisions."Most deposits are held by Diaspora Lebanese, who tend to have a robust approach to political shocks, even in the 2006 war, capital outflows amounted to no more than 5 per cent of the deposit base." Notwithstanding the above reasons, and�even if the political tension does not escalate into violence, ?the combination of potentially slower economic growth and market uncertainties may hurt the Lebanese financial industry." The writer added; "�(...) the crisis is not without economic consequences. The uncertainty will delay much needed infrastructure investment without which current growth economic rates will be unsustainable."?For the moment, Beirut?s bars and restaurants, which became increasingly empty during the political stand-off of 2006-2008, are still thronging with people doing what the Lebanese economy needs them to do, consuming. But with no sign of a resolution to the ongoing political crisis in sight , the national appetite for sushi looks set to be tested in the coming months.? With Tunisia in turmoil, the big question is what's next for the Arab world?Edited by Hala Najjar-(Tayyar.org English Staff)

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Lebanon-economy-2011-Hariri-tumbles-hn-1.htm

Poland Art Bulgaria Digital media United Kingdom North and Central America

General Aoun after meeting PM Mikati: No one can claim that we are followers of any sort or to any other state

General Michel Aoun met with Prime Minister designate Najib Mikati in his Rabieh residence on January 26, and made the following statement after the visit:Our meeting was a brief overview of the situation and the main discussions will happen tomorrow during the consultations.�Our meeting was positive since we nominated prime minister designate Mikati and this is the first time we ever nominate a prime minister who is constitutionally assigned to form a government.I would like today to comment on reports in the international press and some foreign reactions, especially American reactions, to the situation in Lebanon. These reactions are a mixture of threats and expectations. We act as an independent state and no one can claim that we are followers of any sort or to any other state. We are seeking everybody?s friendship: we are open to the West, we speak its language and we have made our studies in its schools. I, personally, have done military training in France, where I stayed 18 years, and the US. I have lived with the Americans and they are good people. But I don?t know why the US Administration keeps addressing us with an aggressive tone. What we aim for is to build a modern and clean state free of corruption, to boost our national unity, and to get rid of the rumors they have spread to come between the different components of the Lebanese social fabric. Despite all the rumors unfortunately spread by the media, we are capable of unity. We are not against our fellow Sunni countrymen, we are against a policy that we deem wrong, and tomorrow its mistakes will be revealed more and more. No one should judge us through rumors. Our national history and attitude bear witness to us and I have always repeated the motto of Michel Chiha: the ones who try to destroy a community are destroying Lebanon itself. Our priority is national unity and a policy that comprises all the players; if they don?t want to participate in power, they are free to do so. But the Sunni community will. �

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Michel-Aoun-mt-9593530.htm

Asia Social care Rape North Korea Petrol prices Local government

Beyond Hezbollah: What?s at Stake in Lebanon

From: Tracy Chamoun, Grandaughter of former Lebanese President Camille Chamoun (1952-1958) and daughter of assassinated Lebanese leader Dany Chamoun.Tracy is a published author. Her book ?Au Nom de Pere?, ?In the name of the Father? received the ?Prix Verite? for best work of non-fiction about the Lebanese civil war in 1992, in France. She is a peace advocate and a public speaker. She presently lives in Florida.To the Editor, New York Times.A comment in response to the article ?For Hezbollah, Claiming Victory Could Be Costly? -- New York Times, January 14, 2011.In regard to the recent collapse of the government in Lebanon, it should be noted that Hezbollah ministers were not the only ones to resign bringing about its dissolution. Christian ministers as part of the opposition also left their posts. It is important to realize that there is a general malaise tainting Lebanon at this time. The concept of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is at the root of this problem. Firstly, the UN tribunal is seen as being sponsored by Western forces, namely the United States and France, and therefore is perceived as a form of legal hegemony that irritates Lebanese sensitivities at their very core, having been a country occupied by various foreign nations throughout its short history of sporadic independence.In addition, the Special Tribunal has lost much of its credibility among the Lebanese people since its indictment of four popular Lebanese generals five years ago. These gentlemen were respected officers in the Lebanese army and their imprisonment and subsequent release for lack of evidence after a long incarceration has inflamed a sense of mistrust for any outcome derived from the findings of this tribunal and has left people thinking that its discoveries, as a result, will be politically directed.In addition, it must be realized that in September 2007, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon estimated that the tribunal would cost 120 USD million over three years and that the yearly budget will range between 50 and 65 Million Dollars. This by any standards seems excessive especially since the results after 5 years have been inconclusive, and certainly in the case of the generals, misdirected. This kind of expenditure, for a country whose per-capita income rarely exceeds $500 per month, will always be suspect.The Lebanese Judicial system, like any other, is the third arm of the government; The role of the Special Tribunal has completely invalidated its function and has also undermined the very mechanism of self regulation within the country. Self regulation is at the heart of any country?s sovereignty ? and Lebanese sovereignty is really what is at issue.Generally, there is a feeling among Lebanese of too much foreign meddling. The politicians who have staked their candidacies on foreign representation -- Saudi, Iranian, Syrian, or even American -- have added to the sense of fatality over the outcome of any decision or verdict that may affect their lives. Trust must be brought back in the Lebanese legal system and the process of adjudication and investigation returned to the Lebanese people. Foreign involvement will continue to inflame mistrust and will exacerbate feelings of political gamesmanship.I can testify to the validity of the Lebanese justice system. Although the trial of the assassination of my father Dany Chamoun, his wife Ingrid, and my two brothers in 1994 ? 1995 has often been distorted by propagandist efforts, I was present every day for two years during the trial proceedings and witnessed firsthand the integrity of the Lebanese Supreme Court. During that time, late Prime Minister Rafic Harriri completely supported the work of the Lebanese justice system. It is therefore ironic that the investigation of his assassination has been taken out of their hands.It is overly simplistic for the international media to make this recent collapse of the government only about Hezbollah. This is not about defending Hezbollah or supporting any of their tactics that could lead to the undermining of the nation, but it is about realizing the complexity of the Lebanese psyche and their struggle for independence both militarily and ideologically. For progress to be made, the atmosphere of powerlessness must be transformed and the ground for renewed of trust among the Lebanese community re-harnessed. Otherwise, the stalemate that is presently contaminating all progress will escalate into a conflagration that will have ripple effects on the whole region. The present crisis in Lebanon underscores the Lebanese people?s need for peace and autonomy in the regulation of their own internal affairs.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Tracy-Chamoun-mt-01238380.htm

Switzerland BBC UK security and terrorism Post-traumatic stress disorder New Orleans West Bromwich Albion

Boardwalk Empire, Spartacus, Treme?

So many channels, so many series? which are the ones worth watching? As Sky Atlantic launches, here are our favourite US shows

Blame it on HBO. Ever since they said yes to the idea of a TV show about a gangster with some serious maternal issues, we've been in the middle of a renaissance in US drama. Big budgets, big themes and the kind of acting that used to be reserved for the big screen. Now with Sky Atlantic offering us a UK version ? almost the entire HBO catalogue from Boardwalk Empire to Six Feet Under ? we thought it was time to have a look at the current crop of high-end dramas. There are more on the horizon ? Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova, Dustin Hoffman in Luck, gritty boxing drama Lights Out, "Sopranos with swords" Game Of Thrones ? but here we've chosen the dramas our writers are already enjoying. Some you'll know, some you won't and the rest we hope you'll be looking forward to ? whether they're on TV this week, out on DVD or available to download (you know, legally, from iTunes, of course).

Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi, who specialises in bug-eyed and jittery, wouldn't seem like automatic first choice to play a charismatic, corrupt politician with a string of mistresses and at least one foot firmly planted in the criminal underworld. But producer Martin Scorsese and writer Terence (Sopranos) Winter jumped at the chance to cast him as Nucky Johnson, kingpin of prohibition-era Atlantic City, in their vast violent period piece. He seems an even less likely romantic lead but his relationship with Kelly Macdonald is the emotional heart of a series where the blood flows like illegal booze from broken bottles.

Tue, 9pm, Sky Atlantic

Jonathan Bernstein

Breaking Bad

The early days of this show, when its chemistry teacher hero only had terminal cancer and only dabbled in cooking crystal meth to provide for his family now seem like a happy distant memory. In recent seasons, Walt (increasingly scarily portrayed by Bryan Cranston) has become every bit as ruthless and homicidal as the Mexican drug cartels who want his head. The consequences of Walt's career choice get grimmer as the series progresses. The family he tried to protect falls apart, while his dimwit dealer protege surpasses him in dead-eyed soullessness.

Season one: Wed, 10pm, FX; season two: Wed 11.55pm, Five USA; both on DVD

JB

Nurse Jackie

We've all overdosed on medical shows of late so your reluctance to swallow another one is understandable. But the others don't have Edie Falco (formerly Mrs Soprano) as a funny, drug-snorting, emotional cul-de-sac on legs. In scrubs. Female protagonists are mothers or career women; rarely gobby nurses with no ethics who punch strangers and sleep with horny pharmacists in exchange for Vicodin. And somehow you're still rooting for her. All the signs say, "Judge this woman" and yet Falco's careful portrayal makes you completely understand and sympathise with her. Neat trick.

Sat, 10.40pm, BBC2; Season one on DVD

Julia Raeside

Fringe

Fringe started off as a monster/mystery-of-the-week affair, like early X-Files. But with the subplot of a parallel universe gradually taking centre-stage (complete with villains operating in a still-intact World Trade Center under the guidance of Leonard Nimoy) it's become an infinitely more twisty affair with Anna Torv and John Noble among many characters appearing in dual versions

Season three returns 10 Feb, Sky 1; seasons one and two on DVD

Phelim O'Neill

The Vampire Diaries

Yes, snapping up a pre-Twilight series of Young Adult novels about the tortured romance between an brooding vampire and an unsullied high-school girl reeks of opportunism. But putting Scream creator Kevin Williamson in charge of the TV adaptation was a very bright idea. Even brighter was the casting of Ian Somerhalder as the brooding blood-sucker's self-amused brother who swigs scotch and snaps human necks while tossing off wry quips. The wordless yearning emo love stuff is unavoidable but Vampire Diaries is a faster, funnier, more entertaining alternative to the increasingly ponderous True Blood.

Tue, 9pm, ITV2; season one on DVD

JB

Mad Men

Do not be fooled by the good-looking cast. This bourbon-soaked tale of wealthy NYC advertising folk is smarter than The Sky At Night. The cast look like their own action toys, yes, but behind Jon Hamm's lantern jaw and Christina Hendricks's rollercoaster figure lies the complex tale of a man without identity and those who get hit by his emotional shrapnel. The attention to period detail is staggering, with every season underscored by the events of 1960s America. It does however have the unfortunate side-effect of making you want to drink and smoke like Dean Martin, which is of course terrible for your health.

Mon-Thu, 11.20pm, BBC2; seasons one to three on DVD, season four out on DVD in March

JNR

Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena

Blood And Sand was a crafty little show that dazzled/turned off viewers with opening episodes that consisted almost entirely of gory fighting and sweary shouting. However, they stealthily added elements like great performances (notably John Hannah and Lucy Lawless as the Roman gladiator owners) and a plot that hooked the attention and refused to let go until a stunningly emotive and brutal climax. Ill health forced series lead Andy Whitfield out and has seen the creation of this stopgap prequel before a recast full on second season arrives.

March, Sky 1

PO'N

The Walking Dead

In a TV world full of vampires it seems what we really wanted was zombies. With lead Andrew Lincoln (Egg from This Life) the most famous name for the UK audience, expectations weren't running too high for this comic book adaptation from Mad Men channel AMC. But with Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont running the show, this short six-episode zombie apocalypse hit hard (the undead attacks are as explicit as any horror movie) and hit big (it broke all kinds of US cable viewing records). The wait for the 13-episode second season is now officially unbearable.

Season one repeats, 23 Feb, FX; DVD out March; season two on TV on the autumn

PO'N

Ride-Along

In The Shield, writer Shawn Ryan created some really, really bad cops. In his new series (called The Chicago Code in the US), he redresses the balance. He really, really redresses it. Detective Jarek Wysocki is so strait-laced and above-board, he refuses to allow potential partners to utter so much as a syllable of profanity. Superintendent Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals) is such a zealot, she wants to rid Chicago of every bad cop, on-the-take-politician, and drug-dealing scumbag in the Windy City. But in case you were worried Shawn Ryan might have lost his touch, wait till you get to the climax of the first hour. May, Sky 1

JB

Justified

Elmore Leonard hasn't always been best served by live-action adaptations of his work. Timothy Olyphant hasn't always found the best vehicles for his flinty charisma. Justified goes a long to way righting both these wrongs. Initially, the cop-western hybrid seemed to consist of nothing but scenes of Olyphant's Marshal Raylan Givens mocking and then gunning down an entire community of villainous Kentucky yokels while remaining laconic under his big hat. But as the series found its footing, the Marshal lost his unflappability, especially when facing his most elusive adversary: his lying bastard of a father.

JB

Wed, 11pm, Five USA; season one out now on DVD. Season two will be on later in 2011

Sons Of Anarchy

Hamlet on Harley Davidsons. It's as simple (and as complex) as that. This is a show that proves characters don't need to be likable, just compelling and watchable. In dealing with the criminal antics of a motorbike gang in the far from sleepy Californian town of Charming, Sons presents a riveting family drama punctuated by extreme violence and heavily shouldered secrets. Hellboy's Ron Perlman leads the pack but even he's eclipsed by ex-Married With Children star Katey Sagal, who just won a Golden Globe for her den mother Gemma. Despite rival gangs and white supremacists, their worst enemy is always themselves.

PO'N

Wed, 10pm, Five USA; seasons one to three on DVD

Treme

If you don't go into this examination of post-Katrina New Orleans armed with the knowledge that it's David Simon's first TV series since The Wire, you stand a better chance of keeping profound disappointment at bay. By episode three of The Wire, the story was starting to take shape and the players on both sides were coming into focus. The same cannot be said of Treme ? which, to be fair, is a very different kind of show (also starring The Wire's Wendell Pierce and Clarke Peters). Treme moves leisurely and plotlessly through the lives of a selection of New Orleans locals. If you can stay awake, it may well prove rewarding.

JB

Fri 18 Feb, 10.15pm, Sky Atlantic

Friday Night Lights

It doesn't matter if you know anything about American high-school football. Friday Night Lights, based on the film based on the book, is a beautiful, heartfelt look at a small Texas town where time moves slowly and opportunities for advancement are scarce. ITV4 dropped it, so it's a DVD import if you want more.

Seasons one to four on DVD

JB

United States Of Tara

Has a show ever had Award Magnet emblazoned on it in more garish lettering than United States Of Tara? Created by Juno's Diablo Cody, and starring Toni Collette as a suburban housewife plagued by multiple personalities (sullen teen, a 1950s homemaker and a male redneck) US Of T was a dream playground for any actor. Collette won an Emmy and Golden Globe for the first season, but it still hasn't been picked up here.

Seasons one and two on DVD

JB

• Television

Julia Raeside

Jonathan Bernstein

Phelim O'Neill

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jan/29/best-of-us-drams

Mergers and acquisitions Doctor Who Allied Irish Banks Twitter La Liga Kevin Campbell

All the day's Money stories

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/all

Transfer window Consumer affairs Public sector cuts Andrew Cole Internet Allen Stanford

Blame Hillary, Not Hezbollah. The Well-Deserved Collapse of Lebanon's Government

By RANNIE AMIRI� -Wednesday?s timeline from the Lebanese news portal Naharnet.com read as follows:5:17 pm Agence France Presse: Prime Minister Saad Hariri went into talks with U.S. President Barack Obama at the moment that Opposition ministers resigned from the Lebanese government.5:32 pm Minister of State Adnan Sayyed Hussein announced in a statement his resignation from Cabinet.In that 15 minute span, President Obama went from meeting Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri to ex-Prime Minister Hariri. The unity government under his premiership had fallen, and deservedly so.Events had rapidly unfolded. Last weekend, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Hariri in New York. The visiting prime minister was holding consultations with Saudi Arabia?s King Abdullah, recuperating from recent back surgery there, on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon?s (STL) impending indictments.The STL is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the February 2005 assassination of late premier Rafiq Hariri despite evidence pointing to Israel?s complicity in the crime. Saad Hariri?s Western-backed ruling March 14 coalition backs the tribunal while the opposition March 8 coalition has called for its boycott. Hopes have been riding on a Saudi-Syrian, or ?S-S? initiative that would effectively mediate between the rival camps on how best to handle the STL?s imminent verdict. Syrian President Bashar Assad and King Abdullah, respective patrons of the March 8 and March 14 blocs, sought to broker a solution to both side?s satisfaction. Although details of the alleged initiative were not made public, speculations exists it may have entailed Hariri distancing himself from the STL decision in exchange for March 8 dropping its pursuit of charges against the ?false witnesses??those who initially fingered Syria for Hariri?s murder but whose testimony against Damascus was ultimately found to have been fabricated. Some of these witnesses are thought to be Hariri confidantes.Not long after Hariri had finished meeting with Clinton, opposition leader and Free Patriotic Movement head Michel Aoun declared Tuesday the S-S initiative was dead:?We thank the Saudi king and the Syrian president for the efforts they have exerted, although their initiative has ended with no results. The Hariri-led camp didn't respond to these efforts, that's why we've reached a dead end.?A statement released by the opposition said the endeavor ? ?� reached a dead end due to U.S. pressures and the other camp's compliance with these pressures, despite the fact that we had positively dealt with that initiative and provided it with chances of success.?Progressive Socialist Party head and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt remarked, ?Saad Hariri was on the brink of making a major concession as concerns the tribunal, but occult forces prevented him from doing so.? After meeting with the Maronite Patriarch on Wednesday, he said, ?dark forces intervened in the ongoing Syrian-Saudi talks and sidetracked this initiative from its original course.?According to Labor Minister Muhammad Fneish, the Saudi-Syrian effort was sabotaged by ?American intervention and the inability of the other side to overcome American pressure.? When asked why it ultimately failed, Fneish replied, ?Ask Mrs. Clinton.?The Obama administration and the U.S. State Department never wanted, nor would they have tolerated, an intra-Arab solution to Lebanon?s predicament. They ensured there would be no obstacle in the way of a discredited tribunal from issuing its findings based on doctored evidence, one that would sully Hezbollah?s reputation in Lebanon and throughout the Arab and Muslim world.When it became clear the S-S initiative and whatever promise it held had been quashed, opposition members called on Hariri to urgently convene a cabinet meeting by the following day (Wednesday) to address what the government?s position toward the STL would now be. The prime minister, still in New York, refused. Ten opposition ministers in his 30-member cabinet then proceeded to tender their resignations.Because the ?one-third-plus-one? formula mandates at least 11 resign before the cabinet can be dissolved, one more minister was needed. That came when Minister of State Adnan Sayyed Hussein?one of five ministers directly appointed by President Michel Suleiman?announced his resignation. With that, Hariri?s 14-month-old government fell. ?The grace period has ended, and the waiting stage that we lived through without any result has ended,? said Energy Minister Jibran Bassil. Saad Hariri rightly wants to see those who murdered his father and 22 others that fateful February day brought to justice. It is a wish shared by all Lebanese. But Hariri and his coalition allies could not put their political and sectarian biases aside long enough to see how badly compromised the STL had become; its subjective investigatory methods, its reliance on Israeli-infiltrated telecommunication data, its refusal to even entertain the notion that Tel Aviv could possibly be involved in the assassination despite plausible evidence procured against it (not to mention the military benefits it reaped from Rafiq Hariri?s killing).Although a compromise appeared at hand, one that would satisfy both coalitions and guarantee the nation?s well-being, Hariri was unwilling to overcome U.S. pressure. He allowed Secretary of State Clinton to veto overnight a plan that was months in the making.What Clinton?s action did make clear is that any outside solution will always be subject to such interference. It only reinforced calls for the Lebanese to assume control of their own affairs and reach an agreement a third party cannot abrogate. After meeting with Hariri, Clinton embarked on a tour of Persian Gulf countries, continuing the mission to promote division between Arab and Iranian, Sunni and Shia. When asked on Al-Arabiya television to comment on the situation in Lebanon, she said ?stability requires justice.? Ironically, a concept she tried to subvert and one Hariri never understood. ��

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Hilary-Clinton-mt-23569030.htm

TV ratings Lisa Allardice Hacking Climate change Madagascar Electronic music

What will the Big Society mean?

A MEETING is being held for people working in the voluntary and community sectors.

The St Ann's and Dales Voluntary and Community Sector Forum is on Friday February 25 at the Sycamore Centre on Hungerhill Road, in St Ann's.

Those who attend can meet Chris Leslie MP and raise issues or concerns with him.

Items on the agenda include an introduction to funding on offer from the Cooperative Bank, a talk on what the Big Society means for the voluntary and community sector, and an update on the current situation regarding community centres in the area.

There will be a bus provided from Sneinton and back for anyone who is interested in attending.

Food will be provided from noon and the meeting starts at 12.30pm.

Please contact Rachel Wicks on 0115 911 2380 if you would like to attend, or to book a place on the bus.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503354/s/123678f4/l/0L0Sthisisnottingham0O0Cnews0CBig0ESociety0Emean0Carticle0E31582510Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

Petrol prices Local government Alexander Litvinenko Comedy Manchester United Alliance & Leicester

Nahhas explains incident with Youssef Abdel Meneem

During a press conference held on Tuesday at his office in the Ministry, the care-taker of Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas dwelt on the incident with Executive Director of Operations and Maintenance Office, Youssef Abdel Meneem. He described the behavior of the latter as that of militiaman.The Minister described the incident as being minor, and accused Youssef of exaggerating the facts. Nahhas revealed gaps in current positions at the Office of Operation and Maintenance, due in part to officials who have reached retirement age or died. "As a result," he said, "I delegated this morning a technician engineer, Ghassan Nasser, as Chief Operating Officer. He went there and found the doors of his office closed. He then called me to inform me of the situation and at this point I gave the order to seek a maintenance crew to break down the door so that the appointed Director could reclaim his role freely."The Minister added, "During this time, I unfortunately found that the Director General Youssef Abdel Meneem had started a drama by disseminating news to the media stating that he was attacked and trapped in his office. The so-called Youssef Abdel Meneem even refused to appear before the cameras and play the game of victim in search of justice." Nahhas reassured everyone that Meneem was healthy and unharmed. Nahhas promised that severe legal action would be taken against Meneem.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/129399501181239080.htm

Cobham Motoring Xabi Alonso US healthcare Burlesque Television

Minor-league report: Columbus Clippers, Akron Aeros lose

The Clippers and Aeros both lose, while Kinston and Lake County come away winners.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Yankees 7, Clippers 5 RHP Yohan Pino (9-8, 5.60 ERA) allowed six runs on 13 hits and one walk in 4 innings as host Columbus lost an International League game Friday to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 2B Cord Phelps (.327) and SS Josh Rodriguez (.280) each had two hits, and CF Jose Constanza (.313) doubled, walked and scored two runs for the Clippers.

AA Akron Aeros

Senators 5, Aeros 1 RHP Alex White (7-7, 2.44) gave up four runs -- two earned -- in 51/3 innings as host Akron lost an Eastern League game against Harrisburg, Pa. LF Tim Fedroff (.278) homered and singled for the Aeros.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 6, Pelicans 4 RF Abner Abreu (.244) drove in two runs as Kinston won a Carolina League game over host Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 5, Hot Rods 3 RHP Jason Knapp (0.00) did not allow a hit in four innings during his first appearance for host Lake County, 3B Adam Abraham (.262) had a three-run double and SS Jason Frawley (.269) hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh as the Captains downed Bowling Green, Ky., in Midwest League play. Knapp struck out seven and walked two. Frawley went 3-for-3.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Muckdogs 6, Scrappers 4 RHP Alex Kaminsky (5-4, 2.79) allowed six runs in 2 innings as host Mahoning Valley lost to Batavia, N.Y., in New York-Penn League play. Scrappers' 2B Aaron Fields (.232) had a two-run triple.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Miners 7, Crushers 3 (10) Travis Risser allowed one run, three hits and two walks in seven innings, but Lake Erie lost a Frontier League game against visiting Southern Illinois.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/08/minor-league_report_columbus_c.html

Short breaks House prices Everton Wales Top 10s European banks

Poppy Montgomery - G?Day USA Los Angeles Black Tie Gala 1/22/11

Source: http://www.hollywoodrag.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/28315/

JS Bach Disability Tottenham Hotspur Marcus Bent Theatre Retirement planning

The Measure: Nicholas Kirkwood, Dunhill, Hercules and Love Affair, Boardwalk Empire | Fashion

Three cheers for Nicholas Kirkwood, Warehouse and Hercules And Love Affair. Boo hiss for nail art and Mad Men (it's all about Boardwalk Empire now, doncha know?)

Going up

Nicholas Kirkwood His first boutique is open, people. Leg it to Mount Street for a pair of London's finest shoes

Crystal decanters Downton. The King's Speech. Want

icholas Kirkwood His first boutique is open, people. Leg it to Mount Street for a pair of London's finest shoes

Crystal decanters Downton. The King's Speech. Want

Nicholas Kirkwood His first boutique is open, people. Leg it to Mount Street for a pair of London's finest shoes

Crystal decanters Downton. The King's Speech. Want

Whoop whoop Will be to 2011's texts and tweets what amazing was to 2010 and fabulous was to 2009

Dunhill Showing in London this season, Sir David Frost in the ad campaign and fantastic desert boots. High fives

Hercules And Love Affair Back! We've heard My House. We love

Warehouse Doing a very nice line in printed blouses this season. Do not miss

Going down

Martinis We're all about the Boardwalk Empire cocktails now, and will be toasting Tuesday's first episode with Prohibition lemonade (lemonade + whisky). Don who?

Flare foot The affliction caused by the swingy part of your trouser swallowing up your entire foot/shoe. Beware

Nail art The trend has come full circle and it's all about the just-buffed nail for spring. Good riddance. Cute and all, but who had time?

• Women's shoes
• Men's fashion
• Men's shoes
• Mad Men
• Television
• Drama
• Historical drama
• US television
• Fashion

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/29/nicholas-kirkwood-dunhill-boardwalk-empire

Eric Cantona Folk music US military Republicans Aston villa The far right

Loss to Erie SeaWolves eliminates Akron Aeros from postseason contention: Minor League Report

It's a bad day for the Cleveland Indians ... the big club loses in Seattle, and all of its minor league clubs lose as well.

View full sizePDIndians prospect Wes Hodges, currently playing in Class AAA Columbus.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Mud Hens 5, Clippers 3 Wes Hodges clubbed his 14th home run for Columbus, but the Clippers lost an International League game at home to Toledo. Zach McAllister (9-12) pitched six innings, giving up five runs -- all earned -- on nine hits and three walks.

Notes: Coupled with Louisville's victory over Indianapolis, the Clippers lead over the Bats in the International League West Division fell to a half game. The Clippers have at least clinched the wild-card spot.

AA Akron Aeros

SeaWolves 10, Aeros 5 Erie, Pa., scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh and doubled the score on Akron in an Eastern League game.

Notes: The loss eliminated Akron from the playoffs. The defending Eastern League champs will miss the postseason for the first time since 2004.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Keys 10, Indians 5 Kinston, N.C., starter T.J. House (6-10) gave up five runs (three earned) in six innings as host Frederick, Md., rolled to a victory.

A Lake County Captains

Loons 5, Captains 3 Lake County's Owen Dew (1-2) gave up two runs, both earned, in three innings of middle relief, and the Captains lost a Midwest League game to Great Lakes in Midland, Mich.

Notes: Starting Captains pitcher Brett Brach picked a runner off base in the first inning.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Jammers 6, Scrappers 3 Jamestown, N.Y., scored three in the first and never trailed in a New York-Penn League victory over Mahoning Valley in Niles, Ohio. Cole Cook (0-3) gave up four runs in 41/3 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 1, Kings 0 Lake Erie recorded its third walk-off victory in four nights, with a win over visiting Kalamazoo, Mich., in the Frontier League. Joel Collins knocked in the run with a bases-loaded infield hit.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/09/loss_to_erie_seawolves_elimina.html

Tromso Northern Ireland Guantánamo Bay The X Factor Short breaks House prices