Category: World
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What is Obama reading?
The name of the book Obama is reading is called: The Post-American World, and it was written by a fellow Muslim. -
Bush, Blair found guilty of war crimes in Malaysia tribunal
Former US president George Bush and his former counterpart Tony Blair were found guilty of war crimes by The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal which held a four day hearing in the Malaysia.
The five panel tribunal unanimously decided that Bush and Blair committed genocide and crimes against peace and humanity when they invaded Iraq in 2003 in blatant violation of international law.
The judges ruled that war against Iraq by both the former heads of states was a flagrant abuse of law, act of aggression which amounted to a mass murder of the Iraqi people.
In their verdict, the judges said that the United States, under the leadership of Bush, forged documents to claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
They further said the findings of the tribunal be made available to members of the Rome Statute and the names of Bush and Blair be entered into a war crimes register.
Both Bush and Blair repeatedly said the so-called war against terror was targeted at terrorists.
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To no longer grow is a ‘blessing’ for world’s tallest man
Photo dated September 25, 2009 shows Sultan Kosen of Turkey named the tallest man in the world by the 2010 Guinness Book of Records, in Istanbul. Kosen, 29, at eight foot three (2.51 meters). PHOTO/ AFP
Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, at eight foot three (2.51 meters) the world’s tallest living man, says it’s “a blessing” he is no longer growing thanks to radiosurgery in the United States.
“I am honored and grateful for this life-saving surgery,” said Kosen, 29, via an email to AFP on Thursday from Guinness World Records in London, whose offices he visited the day before.
“Without my record-breaking status, I would never have had the opportunity to tell people about my condition,” he added. “It is a blessing.”
Nearly two years after gamma ray radiosurgery in the eastern state of Virgina, doctors confirmed this week that Kosen has overcome acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder that caused him to keep growing well into adulthood.
“He’s stopped growing, which is good,” neurosurgeon Jason Sheehan, who performed the non-invasive procedure that zapped the troublesome pituitary tumor within Kosen’s brain with extreme precision, told AFP.
“He will still have some medical therapy to deal with the excessive height he has achieved,” added Sheehan by telephone from the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville.
“However, it is hopeful that he will not have any additional challenges because of continued growth.”
Born into a farming family in southeastern Turkey, Kosen gained global renown in September 2009 when Guinness World Records declared him the tallest man in the world. He was then eight feet one inch (2.47 meters) tall.
Acromegaly typically results from a benign tumor in the pea-sized pituitary gland at the base of the brain. Such a tumor can result in the production of too much growth hormone, leading in turn to gigantism, or excessive growth.
Sheehan and his team treated Kosen’s tumor in August 2010 with a precisely targeted shot of extremely high frequency gamma rays, using a non-invasive radiosurgical device known as a Gamma Knife.
“While Mr Kosen is the tallest person, he is not unique,” Sheehan said. “In terms of pituitary disorders, acromegaly is one of the more common disorders you can have. Obviously, Sultan had an extreme case of it.”
Craig Glenday, editor in chief of Guinness World Records, said being a record holder had its benefits, “but none so important than the gift of essential medical treatment that would otherwise be beyond one’s means.”
“Guinness World Records is indebted to the University of Virginia for their kind and generous offers of help,” he added.
via HaveeruOnline – To no longer grow is a ‘blessing’ for world’s tallest man.
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The Europa Race is confirmed ; legs : Istanbul – Barcelona – Lisbon – La Rochelle
The Europa Race will indeed set sail from Istanbul on 5 May 2012. Under threat for a while, in the face of the Franco-Turk diplomatic controversy, the race is finally going ahead thanks to the combined willingness of the organiser, Olay Nautic, and IMOCA who have made sure that everything is in place so that this essential meeting is honoured in the event schedule.
On 16 February 2012, Cumali Varer (Olay Nautic) confirmed that he was having difficulty guaranteeing the organisation of the Europa Race, following the Franco-Turk controversy relating to the matter in Armenia. With the Constitutional Council declaring the bill inadmissible, Cumali Varer got back in touch with the IMOCA class at the end of February, stating that he was once more in a position to organise this tour of Europe.
In the meantime, the IMOCA class didn’t stand idle. Indeed, convinced of the need to maintain this event, the class’ committee got in touch with all the different teams so as to offer them an alternative scheme. Sticking with the race was an obvious step forward on a sporting level, added to which it was important to respect the commitments made with the racers’ partners. The aim of providing a solution which was as close as possible to the initial dates is what drove the thinking within the IMOCA class.
A Europa Race with two formats
In the end there will be three legs on the programme for the Europa Race. The first, from Istanbul to Barcelona, will see the crews adapting to what are always changeable conditions in the Mediterranean. After that, the fleet will pass through the Strait of Gibraltar bound for Portugal. At that stage there will be a switch in format for the final leg, which will be run in solo configuration as far as La Rochelle, a course spanning some 2,500 miles or so. This objective fulfils all the criteria for both the class and the organiser: enabling the sailors to get the measure of each other in race mode and single-handed configuration, prior to the start of the next Vendée Globe.
An international vocation
The Europa Race is a fantastic opportunity to confirm the IMOCA class’ willingness for internationalisation. Setting out from Istanbul, which sits astride Europe and Asia, the race will stop off in Barcelona, which is the major pole of development for offshore racing in Spain. The start and finish venue for the Barcelona World Race, the Catalan capital has been on a real drive for several years to encourage a sizeable contingent of Iberian sailors to take up single-handed racing. Meantime Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, is steeped in the history of the discovery of unknown lands, whilst La Rochelle remains one of the major hubs for offshore racing in France.
Seven crews have confirmed their desire to be at the start in Istanbul: Acciona, Banque Populaire, Cheminées Poujoulat, Groupe Bel, MACIF, Safran and Virbac-Paprec 3. Two other teams could join them. After a few jolts, the Europa Race will demonstrate the true extent of its appeal in a few weeks’ time.
Event media
via BYM Sailing & Sports News.
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Istanbul: Alessandra Ambrosio Phillips Satisoft Epilator
Photo Credit: WENN
Alessandra Ambrosio continues to supplement her Victoria’s Secret income while pregnant with second child with lucky bastard Jamie Mazur by hitting up the foreign markets to plug Phillips’ Satisoft Epilator. We particularly enjoyed her appearance in Madrid as she did a sexy pregnany chick dance on the TV show, El Hormiguero. Anyway, Istanbul seems to have been the destination of choice yesterday as both Ale and Adriana Lima were in town collecting a Non-Victoria’s Secret paycheck and looking hot in the process.
via Istanbul: Alessandra Ambrosio Phillips Satisoft Epilator | MoeJackson.com.
