US awaits release of 3 students held in Egypt

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011 file image from Egyptian state television, three American students are displayed to the camera by Egyptian authorities following their arrest during protests in Cairo, where an Egyptian official said they were throwing firebombs at security forces. A spokeswoman for the American University in Cairo identified the students as Luke Gates, a 21-year-old Indiana University student from Bloomington, Ind.; Derrik Sweeney, a 19-year-old Georgetown University student from Jefferson City, Mo.; and Gregory Porter, a 19 year-old Drexel University student from Glenside, Pa. An official says an Egyptian court has ordered release of 3 US students arrested during Cairo unrest.(AP Photo/ Egyptian TV, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011 file image from Egyptian state television, three American students are displayed to the camera by Egyptian authorities following their arrest during protests in Cairo, where an Egyptian official said they were throwing firebombs at security forces. A spokeswoman for the American University in Cairo identified the students as Luke Gates, a 21-year-old Indiana University student from Bloomington, Ind.; Derrik Sweeney, a 19-year-old Georgetown University student from Jefferson City, Mo.; and Gregory Porter, a 19 year-old Drexel University student from Glenside, Pa. An official says an Egyptian court has ordered release of 3 US students arrested during Cairo unrest.(AP Photo/ Egyptian TV, File)

(AP) ? Family and friends of three American students arrested during a protest in Cairo waited anxiously Friday for news that they had been released from police custody.

Derrik Sweeney, Luke Gates and Gregory Porter, who attend the American University in Cairo, were arrested on the roof of a university building near Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square on Sunday. Officials accused them of throwing firebombs at security forces fighting with protesters.

A court in Egypt ordered the release of the students, a lawyer in Philadelphia confirmed Thursday.

Attorney Theodore Simon, who represents Porter, a 19-year-old student at Drexel University in Philadelphia, said he spoke by phone with Porter, describing the student's demeanor as "calm and measured, demonstrating a maturity well beyond his 19 years."

"He was extremely thankful and appreciative for our efforts and the unconditional support of his mother and father," Simon said.

Porter is from Glenside, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.

Sweeney's mother, Joy Sweeney, said she is "absolutely elated" at the news of her 19-year-old son's release.

"I can't wait to give him a huge hug and tell him how much I love him," she said, adding that the news of the court order was the best Thanksgiving gift.

The 21-year-old Gates is a student at Indiana University.

His parents released a statement Thursday through the school, saying they were "extremely happy" to hear that their son would soon be released.

"This has been a difficult situation, and while we are disappointed that he will be held a few days longer to complete administrative procedures related to his release, we're confident he will be home soon," Bill and Sharon Gates wrote.

The State Department released a statement saying it was trying to independently confirm the reports of the students' release.

Earlier Thursday, Egypt officials said the Abdeen Court in Cairo had ordered their release. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media. They did not say when the students would be released.

Joy Sweeney said she wasn't sure when her son, a student at Georgetown University, would be returning to their home in Jefferson City, Mo.

"If he can find his passport (then he'll leave) tomorrow, if not, it won't be until Monday," she said.

She said the U.S. consul general in Egypt, Roberto Powers, recommended that her son leave Egypt as soon as possible.

"He also conveyed that that was what Derrik had conveyed to him that he wanted to do. He was enjoying his experience but (was) ready to be done with it," Sweeney said.

Derrik Sweeney interned for U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., earlier this year. Luetkemeyer's spokesman Paul Sloca, said the congressman is "extremely pleased that he's safe and coming home, especially on Thanksgiving."

Sweeney said she had not prepared for a Thanksgiving celebration, although a friend had taken her some food. She said the idea of a Thanksgiving feast had seemed "absolutely irrelevant" before the news of her son's pending freedom.

Asked what she thought her son would take away from his arrest, Sweeney said she thought he would make something useful of it.

"I'm sure that he'll put a life-lesson learning experience into a positive story," Sweeney said. "He's a writer, he will write about this experience."

___

Associated Press reporter Ed Donahue in Washington contributed to this report. Maggie Michael reported from Cairo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-25-Egypt-American%20Students/id-1a065a98544c4b30a8a9d0396b1d1196

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102,000 cupcakes! Small bakery burned by Groupon

A bakery owner was forced to make 102,000 cupcakes after being swamped by customers taking up her cut-price Groupon offer, according to reports Tuesday.

Rachel Brown offered a 75 percent discount on 12 cupcakes, which normally cost $40 (?26), the BBC reported.

However, Brown under-estimated the popularity of the deal and was unable to cope when 8,500 people signed up for the $10 (?6.50) bargain.

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Brown's Need a Cake bakery, which employs eight staff in Reading, U.K., had to bring in temporary workers through an employment agency to fulfil the orders, at a cost of $19,500 (?12,500) ? wiping out her profits for the year.

She also lost between $2.90 (?2.50) and $4.70 (?3) on each batch she sold, the BBC reported.

"Without doubt, it was my worst ever business decision," she told the BBC. "We had thousands of orders pouring in that really we hadn't expected to have. A much larger company would have difficulty coping."

Story: Groupon raises $700 million in massive IPO

Chicago-based Groupon sells Internet coupons for everything from spa treatments to cosmetic surgery.

Firms sign up in the hope of getting new repeat customers out of the initial deal or selling additional goods to shoppers during their first visit.

Groupon went public earlier this month at $20 a share, valuing the business at $13 billion ? the highest since Google's IPO in 2004.

Story: Groupon shares surge but concerns linger

Brown, who has run the business for 25 years, was quoted in the Daily Telegraph saying: "We take pride in making cakes of exceptional quality but I had to bring in agency staff on top of my usual staff, who had nowhere near the same skills. I was very worried about standards dropping and hated the thought of letting anybody down.

"My poor staff were having to slog away at all hours ? one of them even came in at 3 a.m. because she couldn't sleep for worry," she told the newspaper. "We are still working to make up the lost money and will not be doing this again."

Heather Dickinson, international communications director for Groupon, told the BBC there was no limit to the number of vouchers that could be sold.

"We approach each business with a tailored, individual approach based on the prior history of similar deals," she said, adding the company had been in "constant contact" with Need a Cake.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45398235/ns/world_news-europe/

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LogMeIn Ignition (for Android)

LogMeIn Ignition for Android is a remote control app for accessing PCs and Macs from Android devices (support for tablets was recently introduced).? The software works very well?aside from a minor glitch when the app momentarily froze on me?providing not only remote control over machines, but audio streaming, light video streaming and a secured connection, all from your Android handset.

All of that remote goodness will cost you though, big time, at least when it comes to a mobile app?$30. That price might seem like a frivolous waste of money for those who only need to connect to home or the occasional work machine, since there are free and low costs apps available for about a buck, such as Jump Desktop, which can provide basic remote connectivity. However, for those who need reliable remote access, advanced features or may need to administer a server time-to-time from an Android device?it's a worthy investment.

Install
The app is available from LogMeIn's website. You can get it by scanning a QR code on the site or by simply downloading it from the Android Market.

During the install process, the app prompts for several needed permissions to the device such as modifying/deleting the SD card, access to the Internet, viewing the network state and read access to the system log files. The fact the permissions part of the install is automated is a time-saver. I have installed apps on my Android device only to have them not run, displaying a host of error messages, typically because of permissions issues.

Setup
Setting up LogMeIn begins with creating a free account on LogMeIn's website. Next, you have to download and install the LogMeIn client software on any computer you wish to remotely access from an Android device.? The client software to download is LogMeIn Free or Pro. Both are simple point-and-click installations. I easily installed LogMeIn Free on both a Windows 7 laptop and a Windows Server 2008 R2 box.

When you install LogMeIn host software on a PC or Mac you are adding that computer to your LogMeIn account. Entering the same LogMeIn account username and password on both the host machine and the Android device, creates a secure connection between the hosts and the Android device.

Businesses needing to remotely install hosts to a multitude of PC or Mac clients would have to upgrade to LogMeIn Central which supports mass deployment.

Usage
After installing the client on the hosts and logging in with the account information on the host machines and on the app, I fired up LogMeIn on my Droid 2. I immediately saw the computer names of the machines with the host software installed. They were listed under a? pre-configured "Default " group listing.

To remotely connect to a host, users must enter in that machine's login credentials. Thankfully, you can check a box to store those credentials, although that may not be a bright idea for high-security machines.

The polish of LogMeIn Ingnition is apparent when compared to a cheaper remote access app like Jump Desktop. With Jump Desktop, I found the documentation on how to navigate the touch screen when remotely connected to a host did not jibe with how the actual navigation worked with some gestures.

LogMeIn, in contrast, displays several hints just before connecting to a host: "pinch to zoom in and out," "one finger to pan," "double-click and slide to drag," and so on. The instructions were spot on for working within my host connection. Re-sizing screens, zooming, double-clicks and right-clicks all responded well in my remote sessions, although at one point, while connected to my Windows 7 host, the LogMeIn app froze and stopped responding to my touch gestures.

Another great feature of LogMeIn lacking in other remote apps targeted more to consumers is the ability to throw a Ctrl-Alt-Del command to a host. This is really handy, especially when remotely connecting to servers; you may want to switch user accounts without having to reboot the entire server.? You can also perform a remote Alt-Tab for quick switching between apps.

Text copy and paste between host and device is supported, although selecting an area of text to copy in a remote session requires an abnormal level of touch precision and heaps of patience. I find it far easier to use the right-click context menu to perform a "Select All" from the host's app and then paste into my device's app and deleting any unwanted text after pasting.? Copying and pasting images and files between host and device are currently not supported.

LogMeIn Ignition's Audio streaming works very well. I was able to stream music files stored on my laptop to my Droid 2. It's possible to stream video as well, although unless both the device and host are connected to high-speed broadband, probably not worth the effort due to latency issues.

The various settings options such as controlling network speed, screen resolution, sound quality and keyboard locking gives users a way to customize remote sessions according to needs and like. One really important setting is configuring the app to always prompt before exiting a session, saving a user from accidently logging off and having to re-login all over again.

Another LogMeIn Hit
LogMeIn Ignition for Android delivers a secured and robust remote access experience from an Android device. The version for Android still needs to play catch-up with the version for iPad, which supports offline local file access. However, with the wide array of Android devices it's not surprising that such a feature might be easier to develop for a uniform platform like the iPad and might take some time to get to work on all of the Android offerings.

Still, LogMeIn Ignition is one of the best remote access solutions for Android and clearly the choice for professional use. If you only need simple access to home machines, the $30 price may not make it worth a download from Android Market. However, those requiring safe, reliable access from Android devices, in particular, access to business machines, would be well served by this app.

More Android Mobile App Reviews:??? LogMeIn Ignition (for Android)??? Google Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich"??? Jump Desktop??? Abukai Expenses??? Logitech Harmony Link?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/gxKiB-JaFXM/0,2817,2396781,00.asp

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Great Lakes fish feed on invading shrimp

ScienceDaily (Nov. 22, 2011) ? The latest invader of the Great Lakes -- Hemimysis anomala, or more commonly the bloody red shrimp after its bright red spots -- may become a new food source for fish, allaying concerns about how it will impact native fish populations.

"Forecasting how an invader will affect the growth and production of a specific native fish species is very relevant to conservation groups and government agencies hoping to conserve those fish," says Biology graduate student Mike Yuille.

Mr. Yuille is the lead author of a study that suggests for the first time that several native fish species have incorporated the bloody red shrimp into their diet over a multi-seasonal period.

In addition to using traditional stomach content analyses, researchers measured the carbon and nitrogen signatures of muscle tissues of three potential Hemimysis predators (round goby, yellow perch, and alewife) to get a long-term picture of eating habits. All three predators exhibited increased nitrogen or carbon signatures, suggesting they had been feeding on prey with signatures very similar to Hemimysis. The team found these signatures in sites with dense populations of bloody red shrimp.

Like zebra mussels, Hemimysis anomala is native to the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. It probably arrived in the Great Lakes through the ballast water of transoceanic ship. In 2006 it was discovered in Lake Michigan and has now been found in all of the Great Lakes except Lake Superior.

Mr. Yuille co-authored the research with Queen's associate professor Shelley Arnott, Linda Campbell, and Timothy Johnson at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' Glenora Fisheries Station in Picton.

These findings will be published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Xu5dyHxhYU4/111122143358.htm

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Show the Right Hustle on Small Business Saturday

It seems we like to name everything lately. So, if you didn?t know, the Saturday after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday is now Small Business Saturday.? I was asked to write a post on promos and campaigns small businesses can run to capitalize on the special day, but something else is on my mind today.

megaphone

I?ve been traveling a bunch lately, speaking at a ton of different events from San Diego to Atlanta to Chicago. As I fat-finger this post on my iPhone, I?m on a plane headed for Toronto. The reason I tell you this is because I just had a simple, yet profound experience during a layover in Philadelphia.

I had a few minutes to grab a bite to eat in between flights. As I surveyed my options in the terminal I noticed two restaurants, side-by-side, with drastic differences. One had a long line and the other had none. For that reason alone I decided to get in the long line. I figured the locals must know where the good food is.

After 30 seconds I realized why Eat At Joe?s had a huge line and next door they sat, waiting. Hustle. The right kind of hustle.? That?s it. That was the secret. There was man behind the counter working the crowd. Every time someone would walk by he would shout out ?Philly cheese steaks here! Don?t go home, don?t leave Philly without one.? His energy was contagious. People lined up at his command.

I began to wonder. We often get caught up in the latest tactics. We search high and low for the hottest tools. We get amped on our amazing technology. We?re connected day and night trying to make our businesses go. We?re hustling. But is it the right hustle?

All the SEO in the world doesn?t do any good, inbound marketing is a waste, and the latest email marketing trick is in vain if we don?t ask for the business.? One wise man, speaking to parents, said ?No other successes can compensate for failure in the home.?? I also believe that for business owners, no other successes can compensate for failure to sell.

It might make you uncomfortable. It might make some of your prospects uncomfortable. But in the end, nothing can substitute for asking for the sale. We can keep ourselves busy, really busy, thinking we?re hustling and therefore the business should grow. But sometimes we avoid the right kind of hustle ? asking for the business.

Why do we avoid it?? It?s hard.? It?s taxing.? When people say no, it hurts.? We hate rejection.? We want success.? But the avoidance of rejection causes us to miss out on success.? The avoidance is illogical.? When we sell successfully, it feels great.? The bills get paid.? It creates a euphoric high.? But for many people, the fear is greater than the reward.? So, we stay busy with less important things, convincing ourselves that we?re doing meaningful work.

Here are a few tips for getting serious about sales hustle:

  • Focus on your higher purpose. You?re not selling just to make a buck.? You have a product or service that makes a difference in people?s lives.? Don?t let another person pass you by without the opportunity to improve their life with your product or service.
  • Turn it into a game. Keep track of how many times you ask for the business in one day. Try to beat that number the next day.? Keep track of how many accept versus reject. Try to improve your conversion.
  • Find an accountability partner. If you?re having trouble actually doing it, find someone who will hold your feet to the fire and ask you on a daily basis how your progress is coming.? If you have no one who will do this for you, comment on this post ? I?ll check in with you regularly (and publicly).
  • Practice. If you feel uncomfortable saying the words, practice.? Sit in front of a mirror and say them to yourself over and over and over until they sound natural.? Then practice with a friend.? Practice until the words come out with 100 percent confidence. Nothing wavering.

So, on Small Business Saturday, whether you?re taking the day off or out there hustling, make a commitment to get back to the basics and ask for the business. It will probably do more good for your business than anything else.

As I picked up my order and walked away from Eat At Joe?s, I noticed a passer-by standing in between the two restaurants, reviewing the menus, trying to decide. I smiled as the man from behind the counter boomed:

?Hey man, you?re on the wrong side of the rope. Get over here and get you a Philly cheese steak.?

The man promptly obeyed. One more customer ? just because he asked. He hustled the right kind of hustle.? What about you?


Image from Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock

About the Author

Tyler Garns Tyler Garns, Director of Marketing for Infusionsoft, has over 10 years of experience in the field and is a recognized expert in Internet marketing. Tyler focuses on building the Infusionsoft brand via marketing, communications and social media. Tyler blogs at the Infusionsoft Blog.

Connect with Tyler Garns:

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Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/11/right-hustle-small-business-saturday.html

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UN envoy: Yemen leader to sign power-transfer deal (AP)

SANAA, Yemen ? Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh plans to sign a deal Wednesday in the Saudi capital that could mean the end of his 33-year rule, the U.N. envoy to Yemen said.

Saleh's signature on the Gulf-brokered accord ? if he goes through with it ? would start a new chapter in the nine-month popular uprising that has shaken the Arab world's poorest country. Since January, tens of thousands of Yemenis have protested in cities and towns across the nation, calling for democracy and the fall of Saleh's regime.

The uprising has led to a countrywide security collapse, with armed tribesmen battling security forces in different regions and al-Qaida-linked militants stepping up operations in the country's restive south.

For months, the U.S. and other world powers have tried to get Saleh to agree to a proposal sponsored by Yemen's powerful Gulf Arab allies to end the crisis.

Speaking to reporters in the Yemeni capital Wednesday, the U.N. Secretary General's special envoy to Yemen, Jamal bin Omar, said opposition and ruling parties agreed on a mechanism to carry out the plan and that Saleh would sign the deal at a ceremony in the Saudi capital Riyadh later in the day.

"The agreement is an important step for the people of Yemen to solve the political crisis in the country and move their country toward a better future," bin Omar said.

The plan calls for a power transfer to Saleh's vice president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, within 30 days and early presidential elections with in 90 days of the signing. It also calls for a two-year transition period in which a national unity government will amend the constitution, work to restore security and hold a national dialogue on the country's future.

The deal gives Saleh immunity from prosecution ? contradicting one key demand of Yemen's opposition protesters.

Saleh has repeatedly agreed to sign the deal, only to back away at the last minute. This time, though, a signing appeared more likely since Saleh flew to Saudi Arabia early Wednesday before the announcement was made.

Yemeni state TV reported on Saleh's arrival in Riyadh and said Gulf Arab representatives who sponsored the agreement and European and American envoys would also attend the signing.

The U.N. envoy, bin Omar, praised Yemen's youth, saying the young people had "created the momentum" for change in the country and encouraging all "to invest in this historic opportunity."

Still, Saleh's signing is unlikely to appease the protesters on the streets who demand more sweeping political changes and who say Yemeni opposition parties that have approved the deal have been compromised by their longtime dealings with Saleh.

Saleh has clung to power despite the 9-month-old uprising, daily mass protests calling for his ouster and a June assassination attempt that left him badly wounded and forced him to travel to Saudi Arabia for more than three months of hospital treatment.

The unarmed protesters have held their ground with remarkable resilience, flocking to the streets of Sanaa and other Yemeni cities and towns to demand reforms and braving a violent crackdown by government forces that has killed hundreds.

But their uprising, inspired by other Arab revolts in the region that saw longtime rulers of Egypt and Tunisia go, has at times been hijacked by Yemen's two traditional powers ? the tribes and the military ? further deepening the country's turmoil.

Breakaway military units and tribal fighters have been battling in Sanaa with troops loyal to Saleh, in fighting that has escalated in recent months.

Security is particularly bad in southern Yemen, where al-Qaida militants ? from one of the world's most active branches of the terror network ? have taken control of entire towns, using the turmoil to strengthen their position.

An impoverished nation of some 25 million people, Yemen is of strategic value to the United States and its Gulf Arab allies, particularly Saudi Arabia. It sits close to the major Gulf oil fields and overlooks key shipping lanes in the Red and Arabian seas.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111123/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_yemen

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In Baltimore, Mapping The World Of Addiction

Addicts' movements around Baltimore are mapped onto images like this, showing levels of violence in each neighborhood.  Other maps track things like visible drug use and vacant housing-- all factors that may contribute to an addict's decision to use drugs. Dr. Debra Furr-Holden/Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Addicts' movements around Baltimore are mapped onto images like this, showing levels of violence in each neighborhood. Other maps track things like visible drug use and vacant housing? all factors that may contribute to an addict's decision to use drugs.

In East Baltimore, not far from rows of abandoned homes and empty warehouses, there's a space-age high rise housing an unusual methadone clinic.

"People come here and participate in studies, and in return they get treatment," Dr. Kenzie Preston tells Laura Sullivan, host of weekends on All Things Considered.

The lab is part of the National Institutes of Health. Preston, who heads research at the lab, and her colleagues provide methadone and drug testing to addicts who come here. Unlike other rehab programs, addicts don't get thrown out if they relapse. That's because researchers want to study those relapses and what makes them happen.

Preston says the 80 participants in her current study carry something very important: a smartphone that's programmed to let them track when they crave drugs, and when they use.

The phones are also set to beep randomly three times a day, and ask a series of questions: Where are you? What are you doing? How are you feeling?

"We want to know the events surrounding that," Preston says. "We're really interested what's triggering drug use, relapse."

The phones are partially disabled to reduce their street value, but associate scientist David Epstein says they don't have a problem with phones being lost or stolen.

"We tell them, if you lose or break one of these, we'll replace it and that's fine," he says. "But if you lose or break a second one, we're going to detox you from the methadone and you can't be in the study anymore. And we hardly ever have to do that. People know that they'd rather stay with us."

The point of the study is to understand why, at the precise moment, an addict decides to use. Epstein says if you ask someone about a relapse after the fact, he or she is going to have trouble recalling it accurately.

"People, whether it's someone who's addicted to drugs or anyone else in the world, make up stories that sort of explain their behavior," he says. "But if you could've been monitoring them in real time, you would see that things didn't happen quite the way they remembered."

Epstein says it's not lying, it's just the way the brain works. The smartphones enable researchers to capture that data in real time.

There's another component to the study: Along with the smartphones, addicts carry GPS loggers, about the size of a pager, that track their movements.

That means Epstein and his colleagues can follow on a map as an addict is sober for weeks, but one day after visiting a particular house or block, that person breaks down and relapses.

Knowing where addicts are when they use ? or even when they're just thinking about using ? gives researchers information about the kinds of places that make addicts want to use drugs. That's where Dr. Debra Furr-Holden comes in.

She's the head of the Drug Investigations, Violence and Environmental Studies lab at Johns Hopkins University. She and her team canvass Baltimore, block by block, looking for clues ? such as discarded vial caps ? about the character of each neighborhood.

"Oftentimes when people purchase heroin, they will flip the cap off the top between where they purchase and where they're using," she says. "And then we consider those to be the bread crumbs."

Abandoned houses, makeshift memorials to murder victims, visible evidence of drug use ? these are all things Furr-Holden catalogues. Then, she turns that data into maps of Baltimore's neighborhoods.

Combining Furr-Holden's maps with the GPS data about addicts' movements could produce unique insights into how those neighborhoods affect people moving through them.

And, says Epstein, it could lead to new treatments, possibly using the smartphones.

"A sort of clinician in your pocket," he says. "You can give them on the spot feedback... and that does seem helpful."

For example, if an addict reports that he's in a high drug-use neighborhood and feeling stressed, the smart phone can flash a reassuring message: Most cravings only last 20 minutes. Hang in there.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/11/20/142554574/in-baltimore-mapping-the-world-of-addiction?ft=1&f=1007

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S.Africa: Top politician faces bribery accusations (AP)

JOHANNESBURG ? South African media say they've uncovered evidence that supports corruption allegations against a leading anti-apartheid activist who served on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela.

Mac Maharaj, who now serves as President Jacob Zuma's spokesman, vigorously denied the accusations Tuesday, saying at a news conference: "I have not been involved in any bribery, I have not been involved in any corruption."

The Sunday Times reported it has documents showing money was funneled from a French company to Maharaj's wife. Maharaj was the former transport minister, and the French company involved later benefited from a transport ministry contract.

He said prosecutors investigated and did not charge him. Mthunzi Mhaga, spokesman for national prosecutors, confirmed to The Associated Press Tuesday that the case was closed.

Maharaj has long been among the ANC's leading members. He was prominent in the negotiations that led to South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994 and served as minister of transport under Mandela.

He was imprisoned on Robben Island from 1964 to 1976, and was close to Mandela, helping smuggle out the manuscript that would become the basis of Mandela's memoirs, "Long Walk to Freedom."

Another Johannesburg weekly, the Mail & Guardian, said in its latest edition that after Maharaj threatened legal action, it held back on a report on the case based on a deposition he made to investigators seven years ago.

Maharaj said his deposition should not have been made public, and that he had asked police to investigate whether the Mail & Guardian broke any laws to obtain it.

Mail & Guardian editors say they believe they had the right to publish information that "raises serious questions about the conduct of the man who speaks on behalf of the president," but added that in the face of Maharaj's objections, the newspaper was seeking authorization from prosecutors to report on the deposition.

The reports come after a series of disclosures of government corruption in South Africa. Maharaj spoke to reporters the same day his African National Congress party pushed a state secrets bill through parliament that critics say could make it difficult to expose official corruption.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_on_re_af/af_south_africa_corruption

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Penn St. taps ex-FBI director for investigation

Former FBI director Louis Freeh, speaks after it was announced by Ken Frazier, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, that Freeh will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former FBI director Louis Freeh, speaks after it was announced by Ken Frazier, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, that Freeh will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Ken Frazier, right, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, speaks during a press availability to announce former FBI director Louis Freeh, left, will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former FBI director Louis Freeh, left, answers questions as Ron Tomalis, vice chairman of the Penn State special committee, center, and Ken Frazier, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, stand nearby during a press availability to announce Freeh will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former FBI director Louis Freeh, pauses while speaking after it was announced by Ken Frazier, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, that Freeh will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Ken Frazier, chairman of the Penn State University special committee, speaks during a press availability to announce former FBI director Louis Freeh will lead an independent investigation into allegations of child abuse by a former Penn State employee, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP) ? Former FBI director Louis Freeh, tapped to lead Penn State's investigation into the child sex abuse allegations against a former assistant football coach, said his inquiry will go as far back as 1975, a much longer period than a grand jury report issued earlier this month.

Freeh was named Monday to oversee the university board of trustees' internal investigation into the abuse allegations that ultimately led to the ouster of longtime football coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier.

Freeh said his goal was to conduct a comprehensive, fair and quick review. His team of former FBI agents, federal prosecutors and others has already begun the process of reading the grand jury report and looking at records.

"We will immediately report any evidence of criminality to law enforcement authorities," said Freeh, who has no direct connection to Penn State.

Penn State has faced criticism since announcing that its internal investigation would be led by two university trustees, Merck pharmaceutical company CEO Kenneth Frazier and state Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis.

Faculty members on Friday called for an independent investigation of how the university handled abuse allegations, and the faculty senate endorsed a resolution asking for an independent investigation.

In announcing Freeh's appointment, Frazier stressed the former FBI director's independence. Freeh will be empowered to investigate employees up to and including the board of trustees itself, Frazier said.

"No one is above scrutiny," Frazier said. "He has complete rein to follow any lead, to look into every corner of the university to get to the bottom of what happened and then to make recommendations that will help ensure that it never happens again."

Freeh said he had been assured there would be "no favoritism." He called that assurance "the main condition of my engagement."

Former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of molesting eight boys over a 15-year period beginning in the mid-1990s. Authorities say some assaults happened on campus and were reported to administrators but not to police.

Authorities say Sandusky, who retired from Penn State in 1999, met the children through The Second Mile, a youth charity that he started in 1977. By going back as far as 1975, Freeh's investigation would cover the entire time The Second Mile has existed and 24 of the 30 years that Sandusky worked at Penn State.

Amid the scandal, Penn State's trustees ousted Spanier and Paterno. The trustees said Spanier and Paterno failed to act after a graduate assistant claimed he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a young boy in a campus shower in 2002.

Paterno, who has the most wins of any major college football coach, has conceded he should have done more. Spanier has said he would have reported a crime if he had suspected one had been committed.

Sandusky has said he is innocent. He has acknowledged he showered with boys but said he never molested them.

Former school administrators Tim Curley ? who is on administrative leave ? and Gary Schultz are charged with not properly alerting authorities to suspected abuse and with perjury. They maintain their innocence.

Freeh founded an investigation firm, Freeh Group International Solutions, after leading the FBI from 1993 to 2001. He previously served six years as a special agent.

After his time at the FBI, Freeh also did work for credit card giant MBNA, which has business relationships with Penn State and its alumni association. But a spokeswoman for Freeh's investigation said in a statement that it would not compromise the probe. The statement said Freeh has "no previous personal connection to Penn State" and had no role in negotiating MBNA's longstanding business deal with the school.

Freeh's law firm was hired to look into the bribery case involving FIFA's presidential election. Soccer's governing body banned candidate Mohamed bin Hammam for life for bribing voters. The ruling body also banned 11 Caribbean soccer leaders and disciplined others in the corruption scandal.

Freeh said he spoke with Attorney General Linda Kelly on Sunday night and was determined not to interfere with the ongoing criminal case. A spokesman for Kelly said she was aware of the Penn State trustees' special committee but declined to comment on it.

Gov. Tom Corbett called Freeh's selection "a good one," noting his familiarity with grand juries and the role of prosecutors.

Rod Erickson, Penn State's new president, also lauded the selection. He vowed complete cooperation and said Freeh's findings "will prompt immediate actions for which I will remain responsible."

Freeh will report to a special committee comprised of six university trustees; Dan Hagen, chair of the university's faculty senate; Rodney Hughes, a doctoral student in higher education at Penn State; and retired Air Force Col. and astronaut Guion Bluford, a 1964 Penn State graduate.

Officials also announced that anyone who has information related to the probe can contact investigators at a telephone hotline ? 855-290-3382 ? and a special email, PSUhelp(at)freehgroup.com.

Meanwhile, Penn State police have referred a report of an indecent assault at an outdoor swimming pool building to the attorney general's office.

A police log noted the report referred to an incident that occurred between June 1, 2000, and Aug. 30, 2000. The report was made to campus police Wednesday and was noted on Thursday's police log.

When asked if the report was related to allegations against Sandusky, Penn State Police Chief Tyrone Parham said Monday: "We can never describe anything related to a victim or suspect."

State open records laws don't require Penn State to release the full police report.

A state lawmaker who represents the State College area said he was sponsoring a bill that would reverse the exemption ? which applies to Penn State and three other universities that rely heavily on state funding but are independently run.

Rep. Kerry Benninghoff said a "more open climate" might prevent future scandals.

___

Associated Press writers Genaro C. Armas in State College, Pa.; Marc Levy and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pa.; and Fred Lief in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-21-US-Penn-State-Abuse/id-8dfb79ba264a4e39a75e20c5dd611451

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