After deaths in Detroit, Backpage.com advertising comes under scrutiny

Several women found dead in Detroit over the weekend had profiles on Backpage.com, a website offering escort services. The website has received attention before for a potential connection to illegal activity.

Four women in Detroit were found dead in two car trunks Sunday. Their connection to a website offering escort services is reviving an ongoing debate about the right of online media outlets to host advertising that many say enables criminal activity.

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On Tuesday, Detroit police officials said they were pursuing warrants for Internet and cellphone records linked to the women. Three had profiles on Backpage.com, a controversial free classified service owned by Village Voice Media, which operates 13 weekly newspapers across the United States.

Steve Suskin, an attorney for Village Voice Media, confirmed in a statement that the police investigation involves advertising on Backpage.com. Village Voice Media is cooperating with police, Mr. Suskin also said.

However, this is not the first time that Backpage.com has been scrutinized for a connection to illegal activity ? in particular, the sex trafficking of minors.

In August, 46 state attorneys general in the US sent Village Voice Media a letter requesting that it remove adult-services advertising from the website. ?While Backpage.com professes to have undertaken efforts to limit advertisements for prostitution on its website, particularly those soliciting sex with children, such efforts have proven ineffective,? the letter read.

The attorneys general report that, over three years, they tracked more than 50 instances of charges filed that involved the trafficking minors on the website.

A month after the letter was sent, a coalition of clergy published a full-page ad in The New York Times requesting that Village Voice Media remove such advertising to prevent ?compromising the lives of our nation?s boys and girls.?

Village Voice Media insists it has cooperated fully with law enforcement to prevent sex trafficking and says it is one of many sites that host adult advertising. The core of its argument is free speech: ?Neither government officials nor God?s advocates can dictate such arbitrary control of business or speech,? it said in a statement.

Websites like Backpage.com are protected under Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996, says Joe Obenberger, an attorney in Chicago who specializes in adult entertainment law. That act protects online operators from criminal wrongdoing even if the advertising they host promotes prostitution or other illegal acts, such as advertising under which housing discrimination is present.

In several instances, federal courts have upheld the law despite police concerns about safety. One notable example: an October 2009 decision in Chicago that struck down an attempt by Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart to hold Craigslist responsible for 156 prostitution arrests linked to postings on that website.

The Internet, Mr. Obenberger says, is no different from the phone company or other telecommunications services in that it is not responsible for how people use the technology.

?If people were liable for all the bad things the Internet was used for, criminally or civilly, it would be foolhardy for people to invest [in it], and the Internet would not grow,? he says.

What protects online sites like Backpage.com is that ?for there to be a crime involving speech, there must be a close proximity between the speech and the criminal activity,? Obenberger says. Advertising for prostitution does not qualify under this standard, he says.

Backpage.com represents 30 to 35 percent of Village Voice Media?s annual revenue, reports The New York Times. The company benefited when Craigslist voluntarily removed its adult-services advertising in September 2010, after pressure from law-enforcement authorities.

According to the Advanced Interactive Media Group, which tracks interactive media and classified revenue, Backpage.com generated $2.1 million in revenue in November, a 16.7 percent increase from the same month one year prior. The website received 2.9 million unique visitors in November, an 11 percent jump from the previous year.

The website accounts for two-thirds of all prostitution advertising on the Web, according to Advanced Interactive Media, which defines prostitution advertising as that for escorts and body rubs.

Human rights advocates say that Village Voice Media has a responsibility to protect minors and that that their free-speech argument is not enough.

?If I tried to sell crack online through Backpage, the Village Voice would not stand up and say this is about the First Amendment,? Malika Saada Saar of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights in Washington told The Daily Beast in October. ?It?s convenient and politically easy for them to frame this as a free-speech issue, and it?s not.?

Others point out that online advertising creates records of transactions that can help law enforcement. The removal of such advertising might cause the trade to go underground, which would make it harder to protect vulnerable workers from coercion.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/vzNMh5Jtwo4/After-deaths-in-Detroit-Backpage.com-advertising-comes-under-scrutiny

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Survey: Home prices down in most major US cities

In this Dec. 20, 2011 photo, a carpenter works on a roof of a home in Happy Valley, Ore. U.S. home prices fell in most major cities for the second straight month, further evidence that the housing recovery will be bumpy. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

In this Dec. 20, 2011 photo, a carpenter works on a roof of a home in Happy Valley, Ore. U.S. home prices fell in most major cities for the second straight month, further evidence that the housing recovery will be bumpy. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

This Dec. 20, 2011 photo, shows a new home for sale in Winter Garden, Fla. U.S. home prices fell in most major cities for the second straight month, further evidence that the housing recovery will be bumpy. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. home prices fell in most major cities for the second straight month, further evidence that the housing recovery will be bumpy and weigh on the broader economy in 2012.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday showed prices dropped in October from September in 19 of the 20 cities tracked.

The decline reflects the typical fall slowdown after the peak buying season. Prices had risen modestly in April through August in at least half of the cities tracked.

Still, home prices have fallen roughly 32 percent nationwide since the housing bubble burst five years ago and are back to 2003 levels, according to the index.

Prices are even lower in hard-hit areas, such as Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Washington, New York, Los Angeles and San Diego have seen the smallest declines.

Home values remain depressed despite some modest progress in the housing market.

Residential construction is likely to add to U.S. economic growth in 2011, the first time that has happened in four years. That's mainly because apartments are being built almost twice as fast as two years ago ? reflecting a surge in renting and weaker home sales.

The Case-Shiller index measures prices for roughly half of all U.S. homes. Prices are compared with those in January 2000 and the index is based on a three-month moving average. The monthly data are not seasonally adjusted.

Atlanta, Detroit and Minneapolis posted the biggest monthly declines. Prices in Atlanta and Las Vegas fell to their lowest points since the housing crisis began. Prices rose in Phoenix after three straight monthly declines.

David M. Blitzer, chairman of S&P's index committee, said steep price drops in cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Minneapolis were particularly worrisome because their gains earlier this season were so strong.

"Atlanta and the Midwest are regions that really stand out in terms of recent relative weakness," Blitzer said. "These markets were some of the strongest during the spring/summer buying season."

Americans are reluctant to purchase a home more than two years after the recession officially ended. High unemployment and weak job growth have deterred many would-be buyers. Even the lowest mortgage rates in history haven't been enough to lift sales.

Some people can't qualify for loans or meet higher down payment requirements. Many with good credit and stable jobs are holding off because they fear that prices will keep falling.

Sales of previously occupied homes are barely ahead of 2008's dismal figures ? the worst in 13 years. And sales of new homes this year will likely be the worst since the government began keeping records a half century ago.

Prices are likely to fall further once banks resume millions of foreclosures. They have been delayed because of a yearlong government investigation into mortgage lending practices.

Foreclosures and short sales ? when a lender accepts less for a home than what is owed on a mortgage ? are selling at an average discount of 20 percent.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-27-Home%20Prices/id-942064cb42c24fcba3e86d7da46e6039

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Rob Sachs: Making Our Holiday Card List, Checking It Twice...

This year my wife and I got out ahead of the game and took our "holiday card picture" back in November. This was extremely helpful since it eliminated last year's stress of scrambling through a year's worth of photos to find a decent one. (The winning pic required some clever cropping.) With our photo ready to go, the format chosen, (thanks to tiny prints) we were ready to lick, stamp, and mail. The only thing left to do was to review "The List."

Originally our holiday card mailing list was a derivation of our wedding invite list; we figured the folks interested in watching us exchange vows would appreciate seeing the fruits of our union on annual basis. But after a few years I started throwing in work colleagues and people who were good "connections" for one reason or another. Soon the list was growing unwieldy, the tradition was getting out of hand, not too mention expensive. We had to pair down and assess, do we really need to send THIS person a card? For some advice on how to proceed I talked to my friend and Sachs holiday card recipient Sarah Maizes. Sarah also happens to write the popular blog "Mommy Lite" and is author of the book Got Milf? She told me if folks don't get a holiday card from her it's because of one of three reasons:

1) I don't have your address.
2) I don't know you well enough to send you something without looking like a stalker.
3) I just don't like you that much any more.

Sarah says her big litmus test is whether or not she really cared to get a card back. She recounted a story of a friend whom she had a falling out with and yet still sent her card (she believes accidentally, since it was sent on a printed address label). Sarah said receiving the card actually caused her stress and pain. Yuck!

So in consideration of the feelings of both our feelings and the feelings of our recipients, my wife and I came up with three additional criteria for knocking someone off our list:

1) Sending you a card feels like we're trying too hard to maintain a relationship that's let's admit it isn't really there anymore.
2) We're buddies, but you don't have kids and we know you don't have too much interest in being reminded that we do.
3) The surprised reaction you gave us last year when you received our card made us realize we were reaching a little too far.

So the cards are out and our consciences clear. As for those people in my life that fall into that space between pal and acquaintance, they may be off "The List" but they can always be my "friend" on Facebook...

?

?

?

Follow Rob Sachs on Twitter: www.twitter.com/robsachs

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-sachs/making-our-holiday-card-l_b_1166374.html

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Burned Chinese orphan meets new family, will get surgery in L.A.

?A 9-year-old girl who was abandoned on a Chinese street as a toddler with severe burn injuries arrived in Los Angeles on Friday evening to meet her new adoptive family and receive treatment from the Grossman Burn Foundation.

Karen Ying Ling of Fullerton told KTLA-TV at the airport that when she looked into her new daughter's eyes and they saw each other, she "just knew" that it was right and that the girl "was supposed to be our daughter."

The burns left Cami Ai Liu disfigured when she was 2 years old; her face had blended with her chest, making it impossible for her to close her mouth or chew properly. And now, the scar tissue is beginning to pull and tear her skin around her eyes, said Carol Horvitz, executive director of the?Children's Burn Foundation.

She will soon undergo reconstructive surgery for her burn scars, Horvitz said.

It's been a yearlong effort to bring the girl to the U.S. Liu was discovered at an orphanage home in Maoming, China. Karen and Doug Ying Ling first offered to be the girl's host family in the U.S. while she received reconstructive surgery, but those efforts stalled when the Chinese government denied the girl's medical visa.

The couple then offered to adopt the girl.

"And now she's got a new family forever," Horvitz said.

ALSO:

Gunfire during Air Jordan sale at mall results in arrest

Catholic church in San Francisco disinvites gay ministers

Man who sexually assaulted chihuahua gets 10-year sentence

-- Ruben Vives

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/wObe7NMuZ7M/burned-chinese-orphan-meets-new-family-will-get-surgery-in-la.html

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Jodie Marsh Posts Naked Pictures On Twitter On Her Birthday

Warning: You're about to see Ms Marsh in all her glory.

Most people spend their birthday unwrapping presents from others.

However, Jodie has spent her special day unveiling herself.

Jodie Marsh has posed naked in Twitter pics for her birthdayThe TV personality's bodybuilder bod is on show to all of her 55,200 Twitter followers, after she posted the snaps for all to see on her account page.

Jodie, who turns 33 today, started posting the pics, adding a cheeky message with each one, including: "Wooohooo it's my birthday!!! Thanks for all the birthday messages everyone :-) I'm putting the naughty pics back up at 9am ;-) x x x

"Oi oi nakedness. What a way to start my birthday. Haha :-) x x x"

Many happy returns from all at Sky Living Online, JodesShe posted more pictures of her straddling a motorcycle, tweeting: "Me naked on my Harley x x", before announcing, "There. That's my present to all of you. Now what have you got me? Haha ;-) x x x x"

Well really Jodie, we can't imagine what we could buy the girl who has everything. You've got a body you're obviously extremely proud of, a group of pals who will happily strip off to show their support and a truckload of fans who do nothing but spend their days following your every move.

A bottle of Baileys just isn't going to cut it, is it?

While we try to work out what to send Jodie on her special day, have a look at more of her nuddy pics in our gallery below.

By Victoria Joy

---

Are you a fan of Jodie? Join the discussion on the Sky Living Facebook page, tweet us @SkyLivingOnline or sign up to our daily newsletter.

Source: http://skyliving.sky.com/news-gossip/jodie-posts-nude-net-pics

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Forces loyal to Yemen's regime attack protesters (AP)

SANAA, Yemen ? Yemen's powerful Republican Guard forces are firing rifles and using tear gas and water cannons to attack a march by 100,000 protesters demanding the president be put on trial.

The forces are commanded by President Ali Abdullah Saleh's son and attacked the protesters as they converged on the capital after a four-day march from a southern city.

One of the organizers, Abdel Nasser al-Kamali, says 30 people were injured in Saturday's attack. He says tens of thousands of other regime opponents from inside the capital joined the demonstration.

Participants in what has been dubbed the March of Life followed a 170-mile (270-kilometer) route from the city of Taiz, a center of the opposition.

They object to a deal under which Saleh would step down in return for immunity from prosecution.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? Yemeni troops defied orders to withdraw from the streets of the capital by a Saturday deadline, signaling trouble for a deal meant to ease the president from power and end months of protests.

The powerful Republican Guard force led by President Ali Abdullah Saleh's son and the Central Security forces led by his nephew could still be seen throughout the city on Saturday, after the deadline passed. As a result, anti-Saleh forces from a renegade army battalion as well as armed tribesmen opposed to the president have also stayed put.

The deal signed last month by Saleh and several opposition parties is aimed at bringing an end to the authoritarian ruler's 33 years in power.

Street protesters, however, are refusing to end rallies because they object to part of the deal granting Saleh immunity from prosecution over the killings of demonstrators in the uprising, which began in February.

Thousands of protesters demanding justice for the hundreds of people killed in the regime's crackdown were to converge on the capital later Saturday after a four-day march from the southern city of Taiz, a center of the opposition.

Participants in what has been dubbed the March of Life followed a 170-mile (270-kilometer) route.

The lengthy march, a first in the 10 months of demonstrations, aimed to pressure a new national unity government and parliament to reject the immunity deal for Saleh.

Yemen's parliament convened Saturday for the first time since opposition and independent lawmakers suspended their participation in March to protest the crackdown. Lawmakers were to discuss the program of the new national unity government, headed by veteran independent politician Mohammed Basindwa.

On Dec. 7, Basindwa said the government will focus on providing public services to the people, including electricity, water, fuel and basic commodities together with restoring security and stability.

Services and security have been in short supply during the unrest in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world.

However, the presence in the country of Saleh, his sons, family members and loyalists who still hold key positions could pose a challenge to the new administration.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111224/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_yemen

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FAA chief on leave after drunken driving arrest

This handout provided by Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office shows FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday and U.S. officials said his employment is under review following his arrest for drunken driving in suburban Northern Virginia. (AP Photo/Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office)

This handout provided by Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office shows FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday and U.S. officials said his employment is under review following his arrest for drunken driving in suburban Northern Virginia. (AP Photo/Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday as Department of Transportation officials decide how to handle Babbitt's weekend arrest on charges of drunken driving in suburban northern Virginia.

DOT officials are in "discussions with legal counsel about Administrator Babbitt's employment status," said a statement released by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's office Monday afternoon.

The Federal Aviation Administration is part of the Transportation Department. Babbitt is about halfway through a five-year term.

Babbitt, 65, was charged with driving while intoxicated after a patrol officer spotted him driving on the wrong side of the street and pulled him over about 10:30 p.m. EST Saturday in Fairfax City, Va., police in the Washington, D.C., suburb said.

Babbitt, who lives in nearby Reston, Va., was the only occupant in the vehicle, the statement said. Police said he cooperated and was released on his own recognizance.

Babbitt apparently delayed telling administration officials about the arrest. White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama and Transportation Department officials learned of the arrest Monday afternoon, about an hour before a 1:30 p.m. EST statement was released saying Babbitt had been placed on leave at his request.

Separately, Fairfax City police issued a statement on the arrest to the media at about noon Monday. They refused to disclose the results of Babbitt's blood alcohol test. The legal limit is .08.

LaHood has aggressively campaigned against drunken driving, and is working with police agencies and safety advocates on an annual holiday crack down on drinking and driving later this month. Safety advocates credit LaHood with doing more to raise the visibility of human factors in highway safety ? including drunken driving, drivers distracted by cell phone use, and parents who fail to buckle in their children ? than any previous transportation secretary.

Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will serve as acting administrator, the DOT statement said. In recent months Huerta has been leading the FAA's troubled NextGen effort to transition from an air traffic control system based on World War II-era radar technology to one based on satellite technology.

Babbitt was a former airline captain and internationally recognized expert in aviation and labor relations when Obama tapped him in 2009 to head the FAA, which has nearly 40,000 employees. He was a pilot for the now-defunct Eastern Airlines for 25 years, and had served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association. As head of ALPA in 1990s, he championed the "one level of safety" initiative implemented in 1995 to improve safety standards across the airline industry.

Babbitt's nomination in 2009 was warmly received by both industry officials and airline unions. His easy manner and insider's knowledge of the airline industry generated respect in Congress, where he regularly testified on safety issues and in support of NextGen.

Babbitt took over at the FAA when the agency was still reeling from the exposure of widespread safety gaps in the regional airline industry. The problems were revealed by a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the February 2009 crash of a regional airliner near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people.

Babbitt and LaHood promised to immediately implement a series of safety initiatives. At Babbitt's urging airlines adopted a series of voluntary safety measures. But safety advocates say voluntary measures aren't enough. The FAA under Babbitt has also initiated several efforts to craft major new safety regulations, ranging from preventing pilot fatigue to boosting experience levels and training of airline pilots.

But several of those efforts have stalled as industry opponents lobbied White House officials against the proposed regulations, saying they would cost too much or be too burdensome.

The biggest crisis of Babbitt's FAA tenure occurred last spring when nine air traffic controllers were allegedly caught sleeping on the job or where unresponsive to radio calls while on duty over a period of several weeks. The head of FAA's Air Traffic Organization was forced to resign during the ensuing uproar.

As FAA's top official, Babbitt has the final say in disciplinary proceedings involving controllers who violate the agency's drug and alcohol regulations.

___

Barakat reported from Fairfax, Va.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-05-FAA%20Chief-Drunken%20Driving/id-38f4bd2574934980b294c65035e09d2d

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Will Donald Trump Revive Birtherism? (Prospect)

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Romney promises to "earn it" in New Hampshire (Reuters)

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney flexed his campaign's organizational muscle in the key early voting state of New Hampshire on Saturday, unleashing hundreds of volunteers to knock on doors and make phone calls on his behalf.

Standing before a poster reading "Earn It," Romney said his campaign has already placed 200,000 phone calls in the state of 1.3 million people, and planned to call an additional 12,000 potential voters today.

Romney, former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, has held a wide lead in most polls of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary of the 2012 presidential contest on Jan 10.

But in a survey taken November 28, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich pulled to within 10 percentage points of Romney following an important newspaper endorsement.

Gingrich has added advisers in New Hampshire recently, but his grass-roots apparatus there pales next to that of Romney, whose volunteers aimed to "knock on 5,000 doors ... and put together 10,000 yard signs" on Saturday alone.

Romney continued to draw contrasts with Gingrich, who has soared to the top of many national Republican polls.

Gingrich could benefit from the suspension of businessman Herman Cain's campaign on Saturday after weeks of allegations about sexual impropriety.

Romney, who has had an uneasy relationship with the conservative Tea Party that has been the core of Cain's support, made an appeal for the group's backing by highlighting his background in the private sector.

"Speaker Gingrich is a fine person but he's spent his life in Washington," said Romney. "That doesn't exactly line up with the Tea Partiers. I think when things are said and done I'll have good support from the Tea Party and hopefully the majority of their support."

Among those coming out to knock on doors for Romney was David Swett of Concord, who said he voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 but was backs the Republican, despite disagreeing with him on issues such as abortion.

"I've been a Democrat for 20 years but I think the country's in trouble," Swett said, praising Romney's leadership as Massachusetts governor and as head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. "Gingrich is too far to the right."

(Reporting by Jason McLure; Editing by Ros Krasny and Eric Walsh)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111203/pl_nm/us_usa_campaign_romney

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Jon Corzine, Obama ?Partner? and Campaign Financier, Subpoenaed on MF Global Collapse (ABC News)

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Russia vote watchdog head detained before election (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? The head of an independent Russian election watchdog was detained for 12 hours at a Moscow airport Saturday as part of attempts to stop it monitoring Sunday's vote for a new parliament, the group's lawyer said.

Golos leader Liliya Shibanova was held by customs officers at Sheremetyevo airport after returning from a trip abroad on the eve of the election, in which Vladimir Putin's United Russia is likely to have its huge parliamentary majority reduced.

The Western-funded group's lawyer, Ramid Akhmetgaliyev, told Reuters the customs officers copied contents of her laptop computer and Golos deputy head Grigory Melkonyants said her laptop had been confiscated.

Hours earlier, the United States had expressed concern about "what appears to be a pattern of harassment" of Golos, which has aired reports of alleged violations in Russian elections.

A Moscow court ruled late Friday that Golos had violated a ban on the publication of opinion poll results within five days of the election to the State Duma lower house.

During the campaign, Prime Minister Putin has accused foreign countries of meddling in the preparations for the election -- and for a March presidential election he is expected to win -- by funding organizations in Russia.

"The pressure on Golos and its leaders (is) an attempt to block their activities involving independent public monitoring of the election," Akhmetgaliyev said.

Akhmetgaliyev said customs authorities had no legal right to examine or copy the contents of Shibanova's computer and had violated her rights by preventing him seeing her during her detention.

"They told me that they had information that I was supposedly bringing some sort of dangerous software across the border," Shibanova told Ekho Moskvy radio.

Akhmetgaliyev also disputed the court decision, which came with a 30,000-rouble ($970) fine. He said Golos had published allegations of campaign violations, not opinion poll results.

U.S. President Barack Obama's administration expressed concern Friday about the court ruling.

"The Obama administration is concerned with today's decision by a Moscow court regarding ... Golos, as well as what appears to be a pattern of harassment directed against this organization," a White House spokesman said in a statement.

Before the court hearing, Moscow city prosecutors said they were investigating Golos over a complaint by lawmakers objecting to its foreign financing and urging it to stop vote monitoring.

Golos, a non-profit organization founded in 2000, has a hotline for electoral violation allegations and an interactive map showing reported violations.

It openly says its funding comes entirely from Europe and the United States and that this helps it remain objective.

PUTIN CRITICISES WESTERN MEDDLING

During his 2000-2008 presidency, Putin repeatedly accused the West of seeking to weaken Russia and of meddling in its affairs, including by funding non-governmental organizations meant to strengthen democracy.

Formally launching his bid to return to the Kremlin next year by accepting United Russia's nomination at a party congress last Sunday, Putin reiterated these accusations last month.

He said "representatives of some foreign countries are gathering those they are paying money to, so-called grant recipients, to instruct them and assign work in order to influence the election campaign themselves."

He said any such activity was a "wasted effort" because Russians would reject foreign-funded politicians, comparing them to Judas, the traitor of Jesus in the bible.

Critics in Russia and the West accuse Putin of curtailing democracy through a series of electoral reforms during his presidency, which coincided with an oil-fueled economic boom.

His announcement of plans to swap jobs with President Dmitry Medevedev upset some Russians who saw it as a back-room deal agreed with no regard for voters. Putin, 59, could be in power until 2024 if he wins the maximum two more terms as president.

United Russia, which has dominated the Duma since 2003, is expected to retain a clear majority in the chamber though the two-thirds that allow it to pass constitutional changes without opposition support may prove out of reach.

Many voters say they expect the party's result to be boosted by vote rigging and favorable coverage by traditional media. A liberal party led by former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and two allies is barred from even taking part.

The biggest gainers could be the Communist Party, which is likely to remain the second biggest force 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Zhirinovsky's nationalist LDPR also hopes to gain votes from United Russia.

$1 = 30.8947 Russian roubles)

(Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111203/wl_nm/us_russia_election

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Nissan demonstrates Leaf-powered Smart House, we go hands-on

Back in August, Nissan shared its vision of making its Leaf EV a secondary power source for houses, be it for emergency power outage or for powering lodges in the countryside. Here at the Tokyo Motor Show, we got to see a Smart House that demonstrates just that. To supply the electricity from the Leaf, Nissan uses a power control system box that can supply up to 6kW of power -- plenty of juice for this structure, which consumes about 1 to 2kW for its lights, fan, TV, clock, mini fridge and air conditioner. As for battery life, a Leaf can keep a typical Japanese household powered for about two days, and customers can pick up this power control system in around end of March next year (the retail version will be about half the size of the one pictured). Nissan also said potentially the Smart House can supply excess electricity back to the grid, though this isn't yet possible in Japan due to the lack of such service, which is understandable given the natural disasters earlier this year.

Additionally, it turns out that the Smart House can also power itself during sunny days using its solar panels on the top, and any remaining electricity is used to charge up the Leaf; so effectively the car is acting as a mobile battery for the house. But what if it's cloudy and the Leaf is out and about? Well, the fuel cells inside the Smart House's belly will keep your party going, so there's really nothing to worry about as long as you keep an eye on your propane level. Head past the break to watch Nissan's Shinsuke Suzuki switch the house off and on for us.

Gallery: Nissan Leaf Smart House hands-on

Continue reading Nissan demonstrates Leaf-powered Smart House, we go hands-on

Nissan demonstrates Leaf-powered Smart House, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Concern grows for US man kidnapped in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD?? Concern was growing Friday for the safety of American development expert Warren Weinstein, who was kidnapped from home in Pakistan in August.

Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri said in an audio recording issued on Islamist websites late Thursday that his organization had captured "this man who has had an active part in American aid to Pakistan since the seventies."

However, sources told NBC News on Friday that there were strong indications that Weinstein, 70, had been passed to a dreaded faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

They said he was presently in the custody of militants led by Commander Tariq Afridi, operating in the gun-manufacturing, semi-autonomous tribal region of Darra Adamkhel.

It is the same militant group that kidnapped a Polish engineer, Piotr Stancza, from Attock area of Punjab province on Sept. 28, 2009. Stancza was later executed after their demands for money and a release of prisoners were not met by the government.

Some sources said that Weinstein was kidnapped by another group and later sold to Afridi, NBC News reported.

Ruthless
He is considered the most ruthless among his militant colleagues and is known for his harsh policies.

In the al-Qaida Internet statement, Zawahri said the group's demands for Weinstein's release included the release of all those held by the United States at the Guantanamo detention center and all others imprisoned for ties to al-Qaida or the Taliban. The statement was translated by the SITE group, which says it monitors the "jihadist threat."

He also demanded an end to air strikes by the United States and its allies against militants in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia and Gaza.

Zawahri specifically demanded the release of high-profile militants including Ramzi Yousef, imprisoned in the United States for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, serving a life sentence for plotting to attack the U.N. headquarters and other New York City landmarks.

"Your problem is not with us but with (President Barack) Obama. We have raised fair demands. ... So continue to pressure Obama, if you want your relative to be handed back," Zawahri said, addressing Weinstein's family, according to SITE.

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The audio recording, which was issued on Islamist websites, also said that a senior al-Qaida leader based in Pakistan known as Attiyatullah had been killed in a U.S. air strike in August.

"Just as the Americans detain all whom they suspect of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban, even remotely, we detained this man who has had an active part in American aid to Pakistan since the seventies," Zawahiri added.

Video: Al-Qaida: We?ve kidnapped an American (on this page)

He said that Attiyatullah, a Libyan militant whose real name was Jamal Ibrahim Ashtiwi al-Misrati, escaped a first air strike but was killed along with his son Issam in a second bombing on August 23.

"He was martyred, may God have mercy on him ... by bombing by a crusader spy plane," Zawahri said.

'We remain concerned'
The U.S. State Department is aware of the statement and continues to work with Pakistani authorities leading the investigation, a spokeswoman said.

Weinstein had been working on a project in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas where Pakistani troops have been battling Islamist insurgents for years.

"We remain concerned for Mr. Weinstein's safety and well-being," said Joanne Moore, spokeswoman for the State Department.

Story: 'Enough is enough': Grieving Pakistan questions its role in US war on terror

The government had been in contact with Weinstein's family in the United States, she said.

"U.S. officials, including the FBI, are assisting in the Pakistani-led investigation," she said, declining to give additional information on the case due to privacy considerations.

"The United States condemns kidnappings of any kind and we call for the immediate release of the individual and the prosecution of those responsible," Moore said.

Zawahri succeeded Osama bin Laden after he was killed in an operation by U.S. forces in Pakistan in May after a decade-long worldwide hunt.

NBC News and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45521349/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

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The Raid on the British Embassy in Iran Raid Was Merely an Occupy Protest (The Atlantic Wire)

In today's tour of the Middle East, Iran finds its own Occupy movement, Israel sends a message about dating to American expats and a mystery explosion remains.... mysterious. Let's begin the Propaganda Parade.

Related: Israel Is Forever Just About to Bomb Iran

Iran Finally Has Its Own Occupy Movement

What do you call a group of students breaking in to a foreign embassy, hurling Molotov cocktails and torching vehicles? If you're Britain and it's your embassy in Iran, you call it "utterly unacceptable and we condemn it." But if you're Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, it's an Occupy movement!

Related: Rick Santorum Formally Joins the 2012 Race

Today, tensions ran high between Britain and Iran as students stormed Britain's embassy in Tehran and the country's?Mehr News Agency reported that six people had been taken hostage. Thankfully, it appears the embassy staff is safe. (The Mehr report was later removed and a UK source?tells Reuters that no British diplomats were taken hostage.) Covering the riots like a spontaneous student movement, Fars has dubbed it the "Occupy Embassy Protests" in on its website. Like Occupy Wall Street? Really?

Related: Did Israel Blow Up an Iranian Missile Base?

Related: Take The Botched Iranian Assassination Attempt Seriously

Skepticism over the way state media covered the riots arose immediately. "Not saying Iranian govt behind UK embassy attack, but state photog just happened to be there & upload some great shots," tweeted The Atlantic's Robert Mackey pointed out "there is no evidence of gas in any of the video from state television or the many photographs published by Fars." See state television footage from the protest below:

Related: Ahmadinejad Says 'Bombs Are for Retarded People'

Israel Tells Expats the Downsides of Dating Americans

Israel's Ministry of Immigration Absorption has begun a campaigning explaining to Israeli expats that "marrying American Jews can make Israelis lose their sense of identity." One of the ads,?which is shown in this report from The Jewish Channel's?Steven Weiss,???shows an Israeli expat whose Jewish boyfriend doesn't understand why she won't party and have fun on Israel's annual day of remembrance for fallen soldiers. The ad says in Hebrew "They will always remain Israelis; their partners won't always understand what this means."

According to Weiss, the campaign is an effort to get some of the estimated 2 million Israeli expats living in the U.S. to move back to their homeland. Another ad shows a Jewish girl in the U.S. video chatting with her grandparents in Israel. When the grandparents ask her what holiday she's celebrating the girl says "Christmas," triggering a troubled look from the grandparents.

Iran's Mystery Explosion

Not to pick on Iran but it's been a target-rich environment for the Propaganda Parade. In a fine addition to the hall of fame of botched propaganda by authoritarian regimes, Fars sent the international media for a loop yesterday after reporting?on a "huge explosion" near a suspected nuke site in Iran illustrated with the photo to the left.

Main problem? That photo is actually from an explosion in Kashmir in October, as Twitter user removed the entire article from its website. Unfortunately, it's still not any clearer what actually happened Monday in Iran, though the suspicion is that the country was trying to tamp down the idea that its nuclear facilities were the target of a sabotage attack. As reports in British and Israeli media citing locals from the target city Isfahan attest, an explosion seems to have taken place. The circumstances of that explosion are unclear.

"While some sources told news agencies there had been a blast on military facilities, others said there had been a fireball at a petrol station," reported The Telegraph's foreign affairs correspondent Damien McElroy. "The reports immediately prompted speculation that Iran had suffered another sabotage attack, just two weeks after a blast at a missile base gave rise to similar suspicions." According to Isfahan residents, the blast came in the early afternoon. The town's deputy governor was quoted in Fars saying the explosion could be heard across the town but he then spoke to another semi-official state news agency saying "I have heard no sound whatsoever in Isfahan." The provincial governor said the explosion did not originate from the city's nuclear facilities. "An explosion has happened in Isfahan relates to a military exercise in one part of the city and is not particularly any problem," he said. While there are many open-ended questions about the conflicting reports, a reader e-mails The New York TImes' Brian Stelter with a possible explanation for the misused photo. ?That photo is used as a stock photo on Fars website, they?re known for?doing that on breaking news.? Maybe it's time to license some new explosion photos? Follow Yahoo! News on , become a fan on Facebook

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20111129/wl_atlantic/raidbritishembassyiranraidwasmerelyoccupyprotest45534

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