Missing Boat with 5 Americans Found in Philippines

Searchers from the Philippine coast guard found five missing Americans on board a sailboat that was reported missing en route from Guam. All were in good health, officials said Sunday.

A search ship guided by a spotter plane located the 38-foot (11-meter) catamaran The Pineapple after it was spotted off the southern island of Dinagat, coast guard chief Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo said. The rescuers were escorting the vessel to its original destination on central Cebu island, he said.

"They apparently had engine trouble while in rough seas," Tamayo told The Associated Press, adding that he was awaiting other details.

The sailboat left Guam on Jan. 6 on a trip that normally would take seven to 10 days, officials said. Relatives of the Americans contacted the U.S. Coast Guard when it had not reached its destination by Jan. 18, they said. The U.S. Coast Guard then asked the Philippines to help in the search.

Guam, a U.S. territory, is about 1,400 miles (2,290 kilometers) east of Cebu, where heavy rains and rough seas have been reported in recent weeks.

"They're all in fine health," Tamayo said of the four men and a woman on board the boat, including a Filipino-American in the U.S. Air Force. Their identities and hometowns have not been released by the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

A Philippine coast guard plane spotted the sailboat on Saturday but could not identify the vessel due to poor visibility. The plane returned after the weather cleared Sunday and confirmed it was the missing boat, Tamayo said.

A video taken from a search plane showed four of the Americans on top of the white-hulled catamaran, one apparently waving, as a rubber boat with coast guard personnel approached.

U.S. authorities were informed of the discovery and have been in touch with Philippine officials to provide help to the Americans, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said.

Many Philippine provinces, particularly in the east, have experienced rough seas amid unusually heavy rains since late December. At least 68 people have died and 26 others remain missing from the stormy weather set off by a cold front.

The coast guard rescued 260 of 277 people aboard nearly a dozen boats that sank, overturned or ran into trouble last week due to the inclement weather. Fifteen remain missing while two drowned, the officials said.

source: Fox News


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/23/missing-boat-americans-philippines/#ixzz1BzGZC1lA

Federal Spending: The Things that Count

Elementary school kids always have fun making up hyperbolic, fictitious names for gigantic numbers that bewilder them.
A zillion. A gajillion. A kabillion.
Maybe those kids aren't being histrionic.
Those numbers won't sound so outlandish if the federal debt keeps exploding at its current rate and no one reigns in entitlement spending.
In the next week, anyone who pays any attention to American government is going to get a crash-course in just how much Washington spends, how deep the U.S. is in the hole, how creative government accounting is and how stark the future could look.
It begins with a potential showdown between President Obama and Congressional Democrats pitted against conservative Republicans. Many of these GOP lawmakers just arrived in Washington with marching orders from the heartland to slice and dice spending faster than the sous chef on a Ginsu knife commercial. The main event comes Tuesday night as President Obama delivers his State of the Union message and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) delivers the official Republican response.
A gifted orator, Mr. Obama enjoys the advantage of the most powerful weapon in the president's toolbox: the bully pulpit before a Joint Session of Congress, broadcast live, coast-to-coast.

Republicans counter President Obama with Ryan, a green eyeshade Jedi Master who understands the intricacies of federal spending, the budget and tax policy better than almost anyone on Capitol Hill.
This is going to get ugly. And if the public really wants Washington to balance the books, it could prove to be very painful.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I didn't realize how bad it was."
That was the sentiment of one freshman Republican House member, determined to make a difference, but who didn't want to be identified. The refrain is growing among other freshmen who arrived on the scene, bound to cleave government spending but realizing just how messy the fiscal house is.
"I can't believe how long it takes to do things," echoed another freshman Republican, who served for years in state government. And this Washington newcomer wasn't referring to the United States Senate. He was talking about the budget and spending processes in the House.
Today on the House floor, Republicans embark on an effort to chop spending down to 2008 levels. 2008 is an important milepost for the GOP. It signaled the end of the Bush Administration and immediately preceded the $787 billion stimulus package. For two years, Republicans have slung the stimulus law around the necks of Democrats like an albatross. They argue the measure generated few jobs and was emblematic of the Democrats' "big government" approach to problems. Last fall, Republicans saddled dozens of Democrats with attack ads, reminding voters exactly who backed the stimulus.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) says he'll soon engineer "the largest series of spending cuts in the history of Congress."
But this is a long and tedious process. And while the decibel meters will start pegging into the red over the rhetoric generated at the State of the Union address, the rubber will truly start to hit the road at two important dates: March 4 and March 31.
March 4 is when the current, temporary spending bill running the government expires. It's a relic left over from the Democrats' control of the House. Both sides agreed to punt the issue to March after lawmakers and President Obama failed to settle on a spending plan before the midterm elections.
March 31 is believed to be the earliest date when the amount of debt the government incurs could nudge a self-imposed fiscal canopy. This is known as the "debt limit" or "debt ceiling." And people will hear a lot about this over the next several months.
Republicans say they are adverse to increasing the debt threshold without implementing serious spending cuts. And that's why conservatives like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Scott Garrett (R-NJ) unveiled a plan to carve $2.5 trillion in federal spending by 2021.
These ideas terrify Democrats.
"We still have just over nine percent unemployment and we're going to hurt people who've already been hurt if we rush into this," said Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), who added that the DeMint-Jordan-Garrett blueprint "is going to bite us."
$2.5 trillion is significant. But remember, the DeMint-Jordan-Garrett proposal wouldn't fully prune the government tree for a decade. The U.S. Treasury has currently issued about $14 trillion in debt now. And the statuary debt ceiling hovers around $14.3 trillion. So something has to happen fast.
Of course, people want to know what happens if the U.S. fails to raise the debt limit. If Congress doesn't act, it could have to shutter some government services or cease Social Security payments.
And if the U.S. defaults on its debt, that could send financial markets spiraling into tailspins not seen since the Great Depression.
This is where it's important to begin talking about the dirtiest secret in Washington.
All of that debt we've discussed falls under the moniker "discretionary spending." It means just that: the government has the discretion to spend it or not. It involves everything from the Army's purchase of tanks to paying rangers in the national parks. And guess what? Everything listed under "discretionary" spending is a drop in the bucket compared to what the government coughs up each year in "non-discretionary" spending, which isn't counted against the debt nor the debt limit.
Of course, everyone's first reaction is that ALL federal outlays are discretionary. Congress and the president DO have discretion in what they spend and don't spend. But years ago, everyone agreed to take entitlements, such as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare OFF-budget. In other words, they don't count AT ALL against the $14.3 trillion figure the government is on a collision course with. In fact, about TWO-THIRDS of all government spending goes toward entitlements.
The Congressional Budget Office predicts that Medicare and Medicaid "will be the most important determinant of long-term trends in federal spending." And if nothing is done, the Heritage Foundation estimates that entitlement spending could devour all federal revenues by 2052.
Commentators and pols have warned of this looming debacle since the 1980s. Paul Ryan is just the latest in a long line of deficit hawks to come along to plead with his colleagues to fix the problem.
In May, 2008, Ryan developed the "Roadmap for America's Future," a comprehensive plan designed to wrestle with this crushing "off-budget" debt and entitlements. In the roadmap, Ryan unveiled ways to give workers under the age of 55 opportunities to convert their money in thrift savings plans and methods to fully fund Medicare.
This is where electoral politics enters the fray.
Of course, everyone knows that messing with Social Security and now Medicare and Medicaid is the third rail of politics. And if Republicans are serious about altering entitlements, Democrats are more than happy to lower the boom on them.
"House Republicans are doubling down on plans to gamble Social Security in the stock market and eliminating Medicare," said Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).Privately, senior House Republicans concede this is where the problem lies for them. They truly want to eliminate spending. But they also know entitlement reform is potentially radioactive. Even if that's where the lion's share of the spending comes from. Off budget.
Meantime, Democrats lean akimbo on the fence, just daring Republicans to discuss snipping granny's Social Security or Medicaid. Democrats know full well they can structure devastating political ads to run against vulnerable GOP freshmen in the fall of 2012.
"It's like we're the dog that finally caught the car," said one Republican House aide. "And you know what happened to the dog."
Which is why there will be much gnashing of teeth over discretionary spending in the coming days, those quaint programs that lawmakers can do something about.
They'll talk about cutting $1.4 billion for NASA. Which is still less than one percent of the federal budget. At least the part that's counted.
There will be chatter about public broadcasting, for which the government is only on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. And there are plans to euthanize high speed rail and mass transit programs.
Every little bit counts of course.
When Albert Einstein taught at Princeton, visitors to his office were first greeted by a sign that used to hang on his door.
"Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted, counts," the sign read.
And when it comes to federal spending and entitlements, few are counting the things that count.

Source: FoxNews
Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/24/federal-spending-things-count#ixzz1ByFvFSml

Scots government bid to overturn US haggis ban

A US government delegation has been invited to Scotland in a bid to overturn its 40-year ban on haggis.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead's invitation comes two days ahead of Burns Night, when suppers are held in honour of poet Robert Burns.

Imported haggis was banned by the US because its food standards agency prohibits sheep lungs in food products.

Mr Lochhead raised the issue with the US last year but said he was still hopeful that imports would resume.

Traditional Scottish haggis, which is made with a sheep's heart, liver and lungs, had faced a double barrier after America's ban on offal in the wake of the BSE outbreak in 1989.

However, the US ban on British meat products has since been relaxed.

Mr Lochhead said the US was a "potentially lucrative market" that could be worth "millions" to Scottish haggis producers.

'Many fans'

He added: "We want to capitalise on the diaspora of Scots in the US and many of them would enjoy the opportunity to indulge in authentic Scottish haggis to accompany their neeps and tatties on Burns night.

"Scotland's produce is amongst the best in the world and I've asked US Department of Agriculture officials to come here to see for themselves the high standards we have in animal health and processing.

"This will help them realise that our haggis is produced to the highest standards and that it's time to allow imports to resume."

Edinburgh-based haggis producers, Macsween, said the impact of any decision to reverse the US ban would be enormous.

Director Jo Macsween added: "In our experience, American visitors love our haggis when they taste it while in Scotland and it would be lovely if they could not only be permitted to take some home with them at the end of their stay here, but purchase it in America too.

"Of course, we would love to do business in America as we know we have so many fans there."

Source : CNN

American TV importing wit, talent from UK

Call it the Britishification of American Television – as prime time ratings remains in decline among most US television outlets, corporate executives are crossing the pond to cast talent and clone creativity.

In the heart of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, beats the pulse of Britain.

It’s called “A Salt and Battery.” A small fish and chip where the staff spouts sarcastic slang and customers are treated to recipes and products imported from the UK.

“When you walk through the door, you walk out of New York and into England,” said Mat Ainfield, the manager of "A Salt and Battery.”

These days, when Americans turn on their TV’s, it’s as though England has come to them.

Recently, Britain’s funnyman Ricky Gervais, hosted the Golden Globes for a second year in a row, drawing an audience of nearly 17-million.

Former UK tabloid editor and talent show judge, Piers Morgan, debuted his new show on CNN.Morgan took over for American news veteran Larry King.

By the looks of things, US media has had a change of appetite, feasting on talent and sharp tongue belonging to America’s former colonial masters.

“British TV culture is much faster, much wittier, it’s much in many ways more scripted in literary, Whereas, America is predictable. American TV executives have always looked to England for cleaver repertoire, and People like Piers Morgan fit the bill,” said Danny Schechter, a former CNN producer & Media Analyst.

When it comes to TV drama, the yanks are importing narrative inspiration from the Brits.

This week the US debuted remakes of two acclaimed British series.

MTV cloned “Skins,” the story of under parented minors who abuse drugs and explore each other in a way that would cause heart attacks at Nickelodeon.

Showtime stole “Shameless,” the story of a welfare dependent family headed by an unapologetic alcoholic.

However, in real life, mocking American actors can create a national gasp. Gervais was criticized for taking jokes too far during the award ceremony.

So while Americans happily consume Britain’s iconic fish and chips, question is, will Mother England’s infamously sarcasm and political incorrectness be as easy to swallow?

2018 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko are to sign a declaration on Russia's official status as host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Sunday.

FIFA will officially hand over responsibility to Russia for one of the world's greatest sporting events.

The signing ceremony is being held in St. Petersburg, where FIFA’s head arrived on January 21.

The president of the Russian Football Union, Sergei Fursenko, and the CEO of Russia’s 2018 bid, Alexei Sorokin, are also taking part in the ceremony.

Russia won the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup on December 2 in Zurich in a difficult competition with the other bidders, including England, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.

Russia put forward a very strong and inspiring bid, supported by impassioned speeches by Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, captain of the Russian national team Andrey Arshavin and First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.

Giving Russia the chance to host the World Cup is the continuation of Joseph Blatter’s mission of making football a truly world game. Mr. Blatter is the first FIFA President to take the World Cup to Africa.

However, in order to fulfill all the promises Russia has made, a lot of hard work remains to be done. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has already ordered the creation of an organizing committee for preparing and holding the World Cup.

“We would like to use the experience we have already gained in preparing for the Sochi winter Olympics in 2014,” Putin said. “We have been working closely together with the International Olympic Committee on this, and we have built up a very constructive business relationship with them.”

Russia already has some top-quality stadiums, such as Luzhniki in Moscow and the nearly finished Zenit Stadium in St. Petersburg.

Around $6 billion has been allocated to build new stadiums, but much more money will have to be ploughed in to get the country’s transport system ready to handle the hundreds of thousands of fans who will travel to Russia.

“I'm very pleased that the Russian government is playing a direct role in organizing the World Cup,” Blatter said Saturday. “I can assure you that we will work together very closely on this joint venture.”

Russia is planning to host the championship in 13 cities, located in the European part of the country, so the area where the World Cup will be held is quite spread out.

Now Russia is also hoping to win the 2018 tournament. Joseph S. Blatter mentioned at a news conference on Saturday that Russian football has developed greatly over the past few years – meaning the surprise success of the Russian national team at the European Cup in 2008. Back then, Russia reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in its history

Star power in South Sudan

Hollywood actor George Clooney attends the first day of voting ceremonies for the independence referendum on January 9, 2011, in the southern Sudanese city of Juba. South Sudan is participating in an independence referendum following a historic 2005 peace treaty that brought to an end decades of civil war between the Arab north and predominantly Christian and animist south. Photograph: Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

48 hours in Damascu

DAMASCUS - The ancient capital of Syria, in the words of Syrian film director Nabil al-Maleh, is one of the last cities on the planet where most problems are solved with a smile. Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most from a short stay in a city of culture, conquest and intrigue.

FRIDAY

6 p.m. Ignore new districts and head to the old city. The decaying grandeur is guaranteed to grow on you, although several Arab courtyard houses with carved wooden ceilings, stone-inlaid ornaments and citrus trees have been restored and converted into boutique hotels. Beit Zaman is a tastefully restored structure with reasonable rates (http://beit-zaman.com).

The 17th century Beit al-Mamlouka (www.almamlouka.com) near Bab Tuma was among the first to be converted into a hotel and has a cosy bar, while Talisman (www.hoteltalisman.net) in the Jewish quarter raised eyebrows by building a swimming pool in the main courtyard. For an exquisite example of Damascene architecture, visit the Danish Institute (http://www.damaskus.dk/index.php?id=2) but beware that opening hours are tight.

9 p.m. Hungry? Laila's (+963119456) opposite the 8th century Umayyad Mosque has a magnificent view of one of Islam's holiest sites. Entrees, such as eggplant fatte, are typically Damascene. Made from broken bread, garlic, yoghurt and butter, fatte is not for the fainthearted.

Cherry kebab on the menu comes from the northern city of Aleppo, whose rivalry with Damascus is historic. Other options are the Illiyeh restaurant in Qeimariyeh quarter. Halabi (+963113391000) at the Four Seasons is pricey but the Aleppan food there is good.

11 p.m. Check out the nightlife. Marmar in Bab Tuma blasts Arab and Western tunes and owner Munther Kubba likes to mix with the crowd. An Arabic band plays at Laterna on May 29 Street. Piano Bar in Bab Sharqi has Karaoke every night. For a late drink try Oxygen in Qeimariyeh, which gained a bit of local notoriety for throwing out the U.S. consul a few years ago.

1 a.m. If you still have the energy, take a cab to Qasioun mountain for a view of the lit city below. Stalls on the uppermost roads sell coffee and grilled corn. Ahla Taleh restaurant has the best view, but prices carry a premium.

SATURDAY

9 a.m. After a hedonistic night, culture is due. Grab a houmous and meat breakfast at Sham Palace hotel, which should provide enough energy for the tour ahead.

10 a.m. There is no better place to start than the National Museum. Syria was the crossroads of the ancient world and the museum's collection spans pre-history, the Bronze Age sites of Ugarit and Mari, the Roman Empire and the trading oasis of Palmyra, as well as Islamic art. Don't miss the Palmyran tomb or the Dora Europes synagogue, which was transferred from its original site on the shores of the Euphrates.

12 p.m. Cross the street to Takiya Suliemaniyah, designed by the famed Ottoman architect Sinan, and bask in the tranquil simplicity of the mosque's black and white facade. The site is being renovated so entry may be tricky. Stroll through the military museum and craft market to find the obligatory gifts for the folks back home.

1.00 p.m. Lunchtime, but you may want to make it quick since there is a lot more to see. Isthtar at the intersection of Qishleh and Straight Street has sidewalk tables and serves very cold beer. Turkish coffee is made with the right dose of sugar, at Havana Cafe near Youssef al-Azmeh square, where Syria's late President Hafez al-Assad, plotted his 1970 coup.

3 p.m. We're back in the old city and the Umayyad Mosque is a must. Its dome, rebuilt after a 19th century fire, looks like a German military helmet. Two heads are thought to be buried inside -- John the Baptist and Imam Hussein, the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, who was killed by a rival Muslim force in the 680 A.D. battle of Kerbala in Iraq.

Next door is the tomb of Saladin, who liberated Jerusalem from the crusaders. A coffin donated by Kaiser Wilhelm was never used and sits next to the original. For magnificent Islamic architecture, visit the tomb of the Mamluk Sultan Baibars, who defeated the Mongols.

5 p.m. Negotiate your way into the Damascus citadel, which was the seat of government for successive rulers who invaded the city. The citadel was closed to the public for almost 1,000 years, but is now semi-open. See where Saladin lived and check out the traces of Mongol arrowheads on the double walls. A French mason captured during the crusades spent his captivity here making stones, some of which still bear his signature.

7 p.m. No trip to Damascus is complete without handmade ice cream with Arabic gum and pistachio from the 1898 landmark shop of Bikdash in Hamidiyeh souk. Damascene sweets are renowned and Samiramis (www.samiramispastries.com) in the Shalan district can barely keep up with demand.

For famous Aleppan pistachios try al-Birakdar al-Asel on Straight street. Stretch your legs at al-Nofara cafe, next to the Umayyad mosque, which is popular with tourists and Damascenes alike. A tradition of fresh juice lives on in Damascus and Abu Ahmad next door squeezes a huge orange juice glass for about 25 U.S. cents.

9 p.m. A bath is in order. Hammam Nureddine Zinki in Asrounieh is the oldest bath open to the public. A scrub followed by tea at Hammam Bakri in Bab Tuma is relaxing.

10 p.m. For dinner, try Narenj (+963 11 5413444) opposite the Meiramiyeh church.

11.00 More nightlife, and this time it is the Zee Bar at Umayyad Hotel on Brazil Street. The music is loud, the crowd has its share of nouveaux riches and the level of hedonism is high.

1 a.m. After clubbing in summer time do what Damascenes do. Have cactus fruit at the late night stalls on Maliki square and do not hesitate to eat the seeds.

SUNDAY

9 a.m. It is your last day in Damascus with plenty left to see, but don't panic. Grab a zatar mankoshe, an olive oil and thyme mix pie, from any bakery and head out.

10 a.m. No tour is complete without seeing the local houses up close. Among the most impressive is the home of Syrian statesman Khaled al-Azem, who died in exile in Lebanon in 1960s.

Azem's house, now a government document centre, survived the razing of the historic district of Souq Saroujeh. Pay the small fee and see how Syrian aristocracy lived. Foreign nationals have been moving into the old city and helping to rescue it from collapse. Knock and many will gladly show you the inside of their homes.

1 p.m. Lunch at Beit Jabri, for an unassuming atmosphere, or at Elissar in Bab Tuma. For Turkish cuisine -- Damascus was a favourite city of the Ottomans -- try Marmara (+963113333573) in Abu Rummaneh outside the old city.

3 p.m. From now on it is time to shop 'til you drop. Damascene dealers boast what they describe as the most interesting collection of antique carpets and rugs this side of Persia.

Yasser (+963115423229) near Nofara specialises in kilims from the Kurdish area of Ifrin in northern Syria, which were on the cover of Hali, the international carpet magazine, last year. Issam al-Laham (+963112224147) off Hamidiyeh Souk is one of the city's seasoned dealers.

Samir & Khaldoun (+963115445718) in Qeimariyeh are sharp and friendly. For antiques, try Abu Jassem (+963 933 302063) who operates out of an apartment in Rukn al-Din district. A few shops in souk al-Khayatine say that they still sell original Damascene cloth, including Hishan Jawdat akl-Nukta (+963112218287).

Whether it is hand-made is debatable. The Khan (http://antiquekhan.com/) on Straight Street has textiles and does its own scented soap, while Anat near Bab Sharki (http://www.anat-sy.org/) has intricate material and has been a force in reviving Syria's textile tradition.

7 p.m. Catch up on Syrian art before leaving. The treasures of Syria have been skyrocketing in price, with criticism flying that an artificial market has been born. Al-Khoury (+963115440204) on Straight street has more affordable works, and not many galleries can beat Kozah (www.kozah.com) for the setting. For the latest exhibitions check out the Damascus Cultural Diary (+963955210929, diary@meica.org for copies).

Stolen daughter finds mom 23 years later: reports

NEW YORK - Twenty three years after being snatched from a hospital crib, a New York woman has discovered her real mother.

New York tabloid reports on Thursday pictured a beaming Carlina White with her real parents at the end of an extraordinary journey.

White was just 19 days old when she was abducted from a Harlem hospital to be raised in Connecticut by a woman claiming to be her mother, the Daily News reported.

Throughout her childhood, White had doubts, the New York Post reported. She was beaten by her so-called mother, a drug user.

Then, around Christmas time, she called a hotline at the National Center for Missing Children, saying simply: "I feel like I don't know who I am."

Investigators soon matched her to the unsolved 1987 case and, after a DNA test, she and her real family were reunited.

"I'm overwhelmed. I'm just happy. It's like a movie. It's all brand new to me," she told the News.

In West Bank, work to save stunning mosaic

JERICHO - Near the ancient West Bank town of Jericho, Swiss architect Peter Zumthor is creating a masterpiece of his own in a bid to save the Middle East's biggest mosaic.

Recruited by the Palestinian Authority and UNESCO, the 67-year-old has developed a unique shelter that should both protect the stunning mosaics inside Hisham's Palace and keep them accessible to tourists.

The proposed "House of the Mosaics" was designed to shield the multi-coloured, intricate pieces from the elements, while showcasing one of the richest archaelogical sites in the Palestinian territories.

Zumthor, the 2009 winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, began working on the Hisham's Palace project in 2006. He refers to it as more of an "emotional reconstruction" than a traditional restoration.

"The idea is to recreate the original atmosphere of a leisure city," he said, "to make the shelter a landmark of Jericho."

The West Bank city is believed to be some 10,000 years old and is considered one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.

The ruins of Hisham's Place, built during the Ummayad empire, stand on 60 hectares in Khirbat al-Mafjar, west of the Jordan Valley and 260 metres (850 feet) below sea level.

The site was discovered in 1873, but the first excavations took place in the 1930s, when British archaeologist Robert W. Hamilton began work there during the British mandate in Palestine.

The winter palace is representative of early Islamic architecture, with several residential floors, a courtyard with a portico, a mosque, a fountain and a steam room modelled on Roman baths.

The site was long believed to have been built during the reign of Ummayad caliph Hisham bin Abd al-Malik, between 724 and 743 AD, but experts now believe his nephew and successor al-Walid II built the palace.

Al-Walid II lived in the structure but it was never completed and an earthquake destroyed much of it in 749. Preserving what remains, including its spectacular mosaics, is an urgent matter in the eyes of UNESCO.

"This conservation project is a priority for UNESCO," Louise Haxthausen, director of UNESCO's Ramallah office, told AFP, adding that "Hisham's Palace has all the potential for becoming a World Heritage Site."

The palace is famed for its mosaics, including the incredible "Tree of Life," which depicts the mythical tree with two deer grazing peacefully on one side of it, while a third deer is attacked by a lion on the other side.

Elsewhere on the site, the open-air Great Bath Room boasts a massive mosaic that covers 850 square metres and is the best-preserved floor mosaic in the Middle East and the most well-known in the world, according to experts.

Its interwoven geometric designs are today covered in a layer of sand that provides a temporary screen against the elements.

But Zumthor, who is famed for his religious and cultural buildings, plans to create a more durable structure to shield the site from damaging sun rays, rain and sandstorms.

The proposed "House of the Mosaics" would consist of a lattice of Lebanese cedar beams resting on 16 pillars of reinforced concrete.

Standing 18 metres (59 feet) tall, the structure would be covered with a white fabric to allow natural light to filter in, while also providing for ventilation of the site.

The design also envisages walkways suspended about 3.5 metres (11 feet) over the mosaic, allowing visitors to view it without causing damage, as well as two gardens around the site by French landscaper Gilles Clement.

The total cost of the project is estimated at 10-15 million dollars, including four million to be spent over the next two years, according to UNESCO. Actual construction is projected to begin in 2013.

The Palestinian Authority's ministry of tourism and antiquities calls the project the most significant cultural investment underway in the Palestinian territories today.

A refurbished site could attract crowds of tourists to the site, but those involved in the "House of the Mosaics" project hope it can also serve as a model for the preservation of other archaeological sites.

Obama, entourage showered with Saudi gifts: report

WASHINGTON - In his first year as US president, Barack Obama, his family and administration members were showered with more than 300,000 dollars in gifts from Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

The Federal Register reported Tuesday that King Abdullah gave some 34,500 dollars worth of presents to Obama, some 146,200 dollars worth to First Lady Michelle Obama and 7,275 dollars worth to their children Malia and Sasha.

The monarch offered a total of 108,245 dollars worth of gifts to White House staff, presents valued at 23,400 dollars to a senior US diplomatic interpreter and gifts estimated at 12,000 dollars to the US charge d'affaires in Riyadh.

Among the gifts Obama received from Abdullah were a "large desert scene on a green veined marble base featuring figurines of gold palm trees and camels" and a large brass and glass clock by Jaeger-LeCoultre, according to the register.

The Saudi king gave the First Lady a ruby and diamond jewelry set worth 132,000 dollars as well as a pearl necklace with a value of 14,200 dollars, according to the register.

Their children also received jewelry worth thousands of dollars in addition to books and DVDs.

Another generous foreign dignitary was Ernestina Naadu Mills, Ghana's first lady, who gave Michelle Obama a Backes and Strauss "Black Star of Ghana" watch, "crafted in 18 karat gold with diamonds and leather," the register said.

It was valued at 48,000 dollars.

Chinese President Hu Jintao gave Obama "a framed and matted fine silk embroidery depicting a portrait study of the First Family" that was valued at 20,000 dollars, according to the register.

Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of then prime minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan, gave Michelle Obama a pearl necklace valued at 9,700 dollars.

Obama got a bronze statue of a girl releasing a flock of doves valued at 8,000 dollars from Israeli President Shimon Peres.

All the presents go to the National Archives as US law bars any US government official from receiving a present from a foreign government.

Obama and others accepted the gifts because "non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and US government," according to the register

Major 7.2 earthquake hits SW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - A major 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked a remote area of southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, shaking many parts of the country and causing tremors as far away as India and the United Arab Emirates.

The quake was centered in Baluchistan province, the country's most sparsely populated area, said the United States Geological Service, occurring at 1:30 a.m. local time at a depth of some 50 miles (84 kilometers.

Its epicenter was in a remote area some 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, said chief Pakistani meteorologist Arif Mahmood, not far from the Afghan border.

The closest town to the epicenter was Dalbandin, with a population around 15,000 people, and is so remote that the nearby Chagai hills were the site of Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests.

There was no word on damage in Dalbandin. But another town close to the epicenter, Karan, suffered no major damage, said Fateh Bangar, Karan's deputy commissioner. The town was some 45 miles (70 kilometers) from the epicenter, he said.

Nasir Baluch, a police officer in Karan, said several mud houses collapsed or were damaged in an area outside the town called Mashkil. There was no immediate word on casualties, but the area is sparsely populated, he said.

There was no major damage in Quetta either, but the quake caused widespread panic in the city, said residents.

Local TV reports said the quake was felt throughout several other provinces as well. Many residents in the country's largest city, Karachi, ran out into the streets once the quake started, said the reports.

Karachi resident Mohammad Zubair said he was watching a cricket match on TV when his bed began to shake.

"I jumped out of bed realizing it was an earthquake," said the 28-year-old. "My mom started reciting verses from the Quran, and we rushed outside."

Tremors lasting at least 20 seconds were also felt as far away as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and in India's capital, New Delhi.

Earthquakes often rattle the region. A magnitude 7.6 quake on Oct. 8, 2005, killed about 80,000 people in northwestern Pakistan and Kashmir and left more than 3 million homeless

Wha's Going on in Tunisia??

Following a month of largely leaderless popular protests against the government, Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country on Friday. Fouad Mebazaa, the speaker of parliament, was sworn in the following day as interim president, and new elections are due within 60 days.

What were the protests about?

They were sparked by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate in December. The man set himself on fire in front of a government building in the town of Sidi Bouzid after police confiscated his fruit cart, saying he was selling without a permit, according to Amnesty International. He died January 4 from his injuries.

The event tore the lid off what appears to have been long-simmering fury at Ben Ali and his associates. Tunisians accuse the ruling circle of rampant corruption and nepotism. Recent diplomatic cables from the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia obtained by WikiLeaks revealed growing disquiet with the government -- especially over nepotism.

How violent have the protests been?
At least 21 people died in protests before Ben Ali fled, according to the government. Local unions put the figure at more than 50.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, citing reports, said the protests had been peaceful and that security forces used excessive force.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi on Thursday declined to answer a CNN question about whether live ammunition or snipers were used against demonstrators, saying those matters will be part of an investigation into the conduct of the security forces.

Source: CNN

Risk of disease grows as flooding deaths increase in Brazil

Nova Friburgo, Brazil (CNN) -- The death toll from devastating flooding in Brazil continued to rise Sunday, surpassing 600, the government said.
There were at least 631 deaths reported in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, northeast of the city of Rio.
Most of the deaths were reported in the cities of Nova Friburgo and Teresopolis, with 287 and 269 fatalities, respectively. In the nearby town of Petropolis there were 56 dead, and 19 in Sumidouro, the state's health and civil defense department reported.
Officials in that office also warned residents of the risk of waterborne diseases. Several thousand vaccines against tetanus and diphtheria have been distributed, they said.
Rescuers have not been able to reach some hard-hit areas and many more people are feared dead. The rain is predicted to continue for several days in areas already submerged in water or slathered with mud.
Members of the army entered parts of Teresopolis and were able to rescue 110 families.

Thousands of families are still living on mountain slopes or on riverbanks and face extreme risk of being washed away. One resident described the disaster as a tsunami that fell from the sky.
In a statement, Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral said he had a panic attack when he was traveling to Nova Friburgo and saw the devastated mountainside.
Outside a makeshift morgue in Teresopolis, a crowd of people waited for their turn to identify loved ones.
Marco Antonio Siqueira Costa said that a few days ago was the last time he saw his brother, sister-in-law and niece before mud buried their house.
"I think that last meeting was God's way of granting us a farewell," he said.
Residents in the city donned masks and helped clean streets or deliver first aid. Others combed the city, searching desperately for missing loved ones.
Red Cross volunteer Maria Helena de Jesus was helping with first aid.
"You have to almost have a heart of stone," she said. "It was very difficult."
Teresopolis Mayor Jorge Mario Sedlacek declared his city a natural disaster area.
President Dilma Rousseff flew over flood-affected areas last week and landed in Friburgo, the agency said. The floods are her first test as president.
She trudged through mud to talk to residents in a neighborhood where four of seven firefighters trying to rescue people had been buried under mud. The other three were pulled out alive.
"We are going to take firm action" to help the devastated areas, said Rousseff.
Brazilian authorities have been criticized for a lack of disaster planning and allowing people to build homes in areas known to become treacherous in the rainy season.
They are under increasing pressure to show a strong response. Brazil is scheduled to host the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympics.

Rain has affected neighboring Sao Paulo as well, killing 24 people there, authorities said.

Apple's Steve Jobs takes medical leave again

CNN) -- For the second time in two years, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is taking leave of absence from the company because of a medical condition, according to a letter Jobs sent to Apple employees.
"At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company," Jobs says in the letter.
Tim Cook will take control of the company in Jobs' absence. Jobs says he has "great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011."
Jobs' letter continues: "I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy."
Jobs, who is a pancreatic cancer survivor, has a history of medical problems and took a 6-month leave of absence in 2009, during which time he had a liver transplant.
The tech luminary is revered by Apple fans as a design-minded leader.
His health has triggered all sorts of questions in the tech sector, such as whether Apple will be able to produce innovative products without him, and how his health will affect Apple's stock.

Apple, the world's largest tech company and maker of the popular iPhone and iPad, is set to release an earnings report on Tuesday

Two U.S. soldiers die in Afghanistan

(CNN) -- The Pentagon has announced the deaths of two U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan last week.
Sgt. Zainah Creamer, 28, of Texarkana, Texas died January 12 in Kandahar province when insurgents attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device.

Maj. Evan Mooldyk, 47, of Ranch Murieto, California, also died Jan. 12 in Khowst province in a non-combat related incident.

Chinese President Hu to Meet With President Obama

When President Hu meets with President Obama this week, it will be the first time the leaders meet as representatives of the two largest economies in the world.
And you can be pretty sure that the visit will look very different from Hu's last visit in 2006, when he was given lunch instead of a state dinner.
It is impossible to ignore the fact that the balance of power has shifted in this relationship in the last few years, with China's growth surging in the double digits as the U.S. grapples with high unemployment, sluggish growth and an expensive war in Afghanistan.
The question is whether in light of this shift, China is growing more strident in dealing with the U.S. and in pursuing its national interests.
On the surface, it would appear so.
Last year, the world saw a China that was increasingly assertive in dealing with tensions with Japan in the South China Sea.

It saw a China that refused to condemn North Korea after civilians were killed in an attack on Yeonpeong Island. And it saw a China that brazenly tested a stealth fighter jet as the U.S. defense secretary stood next to its president.
At a forum on US-China relations Friday, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai did not deny that China's "national strength" has increased enormously and that China is more confident with its growing role on the world stage.
But he reminded the audience that while China has grown, it is still way behind the U.S. and he was emphatic that "China will never seek hegemony," evidence perhaps that the Communist Party is continuing to practice Deng Xiaoping's policy of humility and harmony in China's dealings with the U.S.
Last week's J-20 test, and the fact that China's president appeared to know nothing about it, threw out another wild card, what Secretary Gates categorized as the possibility of "a disconnect" between China's civilian and military leadership. If true, this could have troubling implications for US-Sino relations.
As Fareed Zakaria writes in Time magazine, "The Chinese military… seems to consider the US as China's sworn enemy and to believe that a conflict between Beijing and Washington is inevitable."
Source: ABC news

Muslim summer camps open for children of all religions

Several mosques in Central Russia's Republic of Tatarstan are offering children of all religions the chance to spend their holidays in Muslim summer camps. Clerics say the move is aimed at reviving traditional spiritual values and promoting tolerance amon
Iman is one of the summer Islamic children's camps that have opened in Tatarstan over the past few years.
Girls live separately from boys in the camp. The customs are those followed in Muslim society: girls clean the table themselves, and after meals comes a prayer.
It's only been two years since an Islamic children's camp opened in the city of Zainsk. Prior to this, boys and girls had to spend summer months in neighbouring towns. Now there's no doubt, what their top choice is.
“If a camp is far away, we get homesick. And here in Iman – everything is close – we go home every day and come back in the morning,” says Ksenia Popova, the camp resident.
“It's my fifth year in a camp. I like it. I used to go to Nizhnekamsk, but I like it here best. I've got more friends in Zainsk than anywhere else and it's much more interesting here,” says Adilya Salikhova, another resident of the camp.
The number of children who would like to stay in the camp has increased since the previous year. But, despite the growing popularity, there are also some problems. The lack of teachers is one of them. The authorities have to invite specialists from other towns. The Arabic teacher, Gulnar Kashapova, lives 70 KM away from Zainsk. Her efforts seem to be paying off.
“I've already learnt to read the suras – different chapters of the Koran. In our lessons we also learn how to read traditional Muslim prayers and many other things as well,” Adilya Salikhova notes.
What is so special about Iman and many other similar camps across the Republic is that it hosts children from families of different nationalities and religions. One of the reasons why their parents' wish them come here is, probably, the opportunity to see the world from a different and a particular angle.