China to again close Tibet during sensitive period (AP)

BEIJING ? For a fifth straight year, China plans to close Tibet to foreign travelers during a sensitive period starting in mid-February, travel agents said Thursday.

Agent Yu Zhi of the Lhasa Youth Tourist Agency said Thursday the government's tourist administration in Tibet's capital had informed agents that foreign travelers would be banned from Feb. 20 to March 30.

Another agent with the China International Travel Agency in Lhasa, who wouldn't give her name, said she'd been told the ban would end March 20.

The periodic closure of the Himalayan region encompasses the Feb. 22-24 Tibetan new year festival of Losar as well as the anniversary of a deadly anti-government riot among Tibetans on March 14, 2008.

Tensions are especially high this year following the self-immolations of at least 16 Buddhist monks, nuns and other Tibetans. Most have chanted for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

While authorities have never explained the rational behind the annual closure, it's seen as a standard measure based on the assumption that outsiders could either inspire or witness renewed anti-government protests or other conflicts.

"We haven't seen a written notice, but it's the same as previous bans. We were not told about the reasons, but it's probably because of the Tibetan new year," said Yu, the Lhasa agent.

In addition to the coming closure of Tibet proper, traditionally Tibetan areas of Sichuan province and other parts of western China where most of the self-immolations have taken place have been closed to outsiders for months amid a massive security presence.

A clerk with the Lhasa Tourist Bureau denied there was a ban, but declined give her name. Chinese officials often issue orders regarding sensitive political issues only verbally to allow deniability and maintain the impression of control.

Although Chinese citizens are generally exempt from such closure orders, they have dented China's hopes to develop tourism into a major economic driver in one of the country's poorest regions. Many Tibetans resent Beijing's heavy-handed rule and large-scale migration of China's ethnic Han majority to the Himalayan region. While China claims Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tibet_closed

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Top Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke dies from injuries after accident

Ahead of the 2014 Olympic games,?Canadian freestyle skier?Sarah?Burke died on Thursday?from injuries sustained in a training accident in Utah last week, a family spokeswoman said.

Top Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke, seen as an early Olympic gold medal favorite ahead of the 2014 games, died on Thursday from injuries sustained in a training accident in Utah last week, a family spokeswoman said.

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Considered one of the leading half-pipe athletes in the world, the 29-year-old was airlifted to Salt Lake City last Tuesday after falling during a half-pipe run in Park City, Utah.

"Sarah passed away peacefully surrounded by those she loved. In accordance with Sarah's wishes, her organs and tissues were donated to save the lives of others," family spokeswoman Iris Yen said in a written statement released to Reuters.

Burke, who was married to fellow skier Rory Bushfield, had surgery last Wednesday at the University of Utah hospital.

Yen said Burke had been training for upcoming winter events at the time of the accident.

"Our hearts go out to Sarah's husband Rory and her entire family. It's difficult for us to imagine their pain and what they're going through," Peter Judge, chief executive of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, said in a statement.

"Sarah was certainly someone who lived life to the fullest and in doing so was a significant example to our community and far beyond," Judge said. "She will be greatly missed by all of us at the CFSA and the entire ski community."

Yen said Burke's family "was moved by the sincere and heartfelt sympathy expressed by people inspired by Sarah from all around the world." A public celebration of Burke's life would be held in the coming weeks, she added.

Burke reached the podium at every career World Cup start and is a four-time champion at the X-Games, according to the ski association.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/qwKKn6gOyFs/Top-Canadian-freestyle-skier-Sarah-Burke-dies-from-injuries-after-accident

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OPEC president Iraq wants Hormuz assurance from Iran (Reuters)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) ? Iraq's Oil Minister Abdul-Kareem Luaibi in his new role as president of OPEC said he will visit Iran on Thursday to discuss oil market stability and seek Tehran's assurances on the protection of waterways and oil supplies.

His comments on Wednesday follow recent threats from Tehran that it would stop oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on Iran's oil exports.

"I will go to Iran to encourage our brothers to express real and important assurances to the world that everyone is keen to protect the waterways and to protect the process of production and export of oil in the region," Luaibi said.

"Otherwise, anything less will affect the whole world and will affect the global economy," he said.

He said Iraq was against the use of oil in politics and that OPEC was keen to seek stability in oil production and prices.

Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz - the world's most important oil shipping route - have risen in recent weeks after Iran threatened to block it.

Producers Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates all use it to move crude to customers around the world.

The West is considering sanctions on Iranian oil exports over its disputed nuclear program. Iran has threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz if its exports are disrupted.

Asked if Iraq is worried that Iran will carry out its threat, Luaibi said: "The threats are not coming only from Iran. We have also European Union threats to ban Iranian exports and we will discuss both issues with the Iranians," Luaibi told reporters.

Iraq exports about 1.7 million barrels of crude per day from its Gulf oil terminals. Oil revenues fund about 95 percent of its government budget.

"Iraq is the best mediator in the region now as its regime has very close ties with Iran and has the ability to defuse the crisis," Baghdad-based oil analyst Hamza al-Jawahiri told Reuters.

Luaibi added that Iraq will begin test-pumping crude oil through its new single-point mooring (SPM) in the Gulf on January 25 and the terminal will be ready to receive vessels in February.

The opening of the terminal ultimately will add about 900,000 bpd to Iraq's export capacity. Two other SPMs will be brought online later in the year, Iraqi officials have said.

"We will start pumping with low quantities and this will increase gradually," Luaibi said.

(Writing by Patrick Markey; editing by Jason Neely)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/wl_nm/us_energy_iran_iraq

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Overcoming cancer drug resistance with nanoparticles

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Posted: Jan 19th, 2012

Overcoming cancer drug resistance with nanoparticles

(Nanowerk News) One of the ways in which cancer cells evade anticancer therapy is by producing a protein that pumps drugs out of the cell before these compounds can exert their cell-killing effects. A research team at Northwestern University has found that biocompatible iron oxide-titanium dioxide nanoparticles can bypass this pump and enable DNA-damaging anticancer drugs to reach the cell nucleus.

Gayle Woloschak, a member of the Northwestern University Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, led the research team that developed this nanoparticle. She and her collaborators reported their findings in the journal Cancer Research ("Nanocarriers Enhance Doxorubicin Uptake in Drug-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells").

The goal of this work was two-fold: identify a nanoparticle that would overcome pump-related drug resistance which could simultaneously serve as a tumor imaging agent. The researchers chose a nanoparticle with an iron oxide core surrounded by a titanium dioxide shell. The iron oxide core serves as a powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, while the titanium dioxide shell can bind to anticancer agents such as doxorubicin through a chemical bond that will break in the acidic conditions inside a cancer cell.

The investigators treated drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells with a doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticle and showed that the nanoparticle was readily transported into the cells. More importantly, the nanoparticles released their drug payload, enabling doxorubicin to reach the cell nucleus. Doxorubicin kills cells through a process that involves binding to DNA in the nucleus. When compared to doxorubicin alone, the resistant cells accumulated up to 6 times more drug then when administered using the nanoparticle-drug combination. Interestingly, the researchers found that when they co-administered even empty nanoparticles (no doxorubicin) with transferrin, a molecule involved in iron transport, they saw increased cell uptake of transferrin. This observation is important since many research groups are developing nanoparticles that incorporate transferrin on the surface to stimulate cell uptake. In this scenario, it could be beneficial to co-treat with this type of empty particle.

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Source: http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=24006.php

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Tigers bring in 8 players for spring semester; Group will take part in spring football

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CLEMSON, S.C. ? Clemson has added eight mid-year enrollees to its football team this semester.

All the players have attended classes and will take part in spring practice in March. The group includes four offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, a defensive back and a receiver, all-purpose athlete.

The offensive lineman include 6-foot-7 Isaiah Battle, who played last season at Fork Union Military. Battle, defensive back Travis Blanks and receiver Zac Brooks are considered four-star prospects by Rivals.com.

Defensive tackle Kevin Dodd from Greer was the final enrollee, attending class Wednesday.

College football signing day is Feb. 1. That's the first day high school prospects can officially sign with the college of their choice.

Source: http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/7c14132dca5f4b11a20944d702fc4f92/FBC--Clemson-Signees/

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Texas congressman latest named in Countrywide VIP probe

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012, 10:06 am

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, was the fourth House member named in a recent probe into the Countrywide VIP loan program.

Following a subpoena of Bank of America (BAC: 6.74 +4.01%), Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chair of the House oversight committee wrote a letter to the ethics committee in December, signaling four members were connected to the "Friends of Angelo" program and allegedly received cheaper home loans in exchange for policy influence.

California Republicans Howard McKeon and Elton Gallegly acknowledged earlier in the month they were two of the four, and Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., has been linked to the program. All four deny knowingly taking sweetened loan packages and said they would cooperate with the investigation.

A spokesperson for Sessions said in a statement Tuesday that the Texas representative specifically asked Countrywide not to extend him any special benefits on his mortgage.

"Everything about his experience suggests that his simple request was honored and that he was treated like every other customer," the spokesperson said. "Congressman Sessions welcomes providing any details requested by any House committee about this loan, which no longer exists."

This week, Issa will hold interviews with two Countrywide executives suspected of being involved with the program.

Write to Jon Prior.

Follow him on Twitter @JonAPrior.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/housingwire/uOVI/~3/GKIKfGSDCg0/texas-congressman-latest-named-in-countrywide-vip-probe

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Video: Matthews: Gingrich ?ought to be ashamed of himself?

Wahlberg says he'd have fought 9/11 hijackers

??"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did," the action star says. "There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'"

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46031505#46031505

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