Amnesty International Bush arrest Africa

Amnesty International on Thursday urged Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia to arrest former US president George W. Bush for violating international torture laws, during his African tour this week.

Bush is touring the countries through to Monday to promote efforts to fight cervical and breast cancers, and Amnesty said the three nations have an obligation to arrest him under international law.

"All countries to which George W. Bush travels have an obligation to bring him to justice for his role in torture," said Amnesty's senior legal adviser Matt Pollard.

"International law requires that there be no safe haven for those responsible for torture; Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia must seize this opportunity to fulfil their obligations and end the impunity George W. Bush has so far enjoyed."

"Amnesty International recognizes the value of raising awareness about cervical and breast cancer in Africa, the stated aim of the visit, but this cannot lessen the damage to the fight against torture caused by allowing someone who has admitted to authorising water-boarding to travel without facing the consequences prescribed by law," the group said in a statement.

Amnesty made a similar appeal to Canada in October when Bush visited British Columbia for an economic summit.

The group claimed Bush authorised the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and "waterboarding" on detainees held in secret by the Central Intelligence Agency between 2002 and 2009.

Amnesty's case relies on the public record, US documents obtained through access to information requests, Bush's own memoir and a Red Cross report critical of the US's war on terror policies.

Amnesty cites several instances of alleged torture of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval facility, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, by the US military.

The cases include that of Zayn al Abidin Muhammed Husayn (known as Abu Zubaydah) and 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, both arrested in Pakistan. The two men were waterboarded a total of 266 times from 2002 to 2003, according to the CIA inspector general, cited by Amnesty.

Source: yahoo news

Top Hybrid Dogs List

Top Hybrid Dogs List

Top Hybrid Dogs List. Hybrid Dogs, Animal rights groups such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals discourage buying dogs as gifts. The word 'Hybrid', when referring to genetics means, the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock, especially the offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties, species, or races. In general the word means, 'something of mixed origin or composition.' Hybrid dogs, or designer dogs as some call them, are becoming quite popular. Below is a list of the most popular hybrid dogs. The best way to determine the traits of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. The Dog Breed Info Center(R) does not attempt to interpret the temperaments of each individual hybrid mix because the differences in the dogs, even within the same litter can vary greatly. If you do not feel the temperament of one of the purebreds in the mix is suited for your lifestyle, then that hybrid dog is not for you. Do not take a gamble that the puppy or dog will turn out like the other breed in the mix. Choosing a dog simply for its looks is a foolish way to choose a dog. Read the article on Designer Dogs for more info on these mixed breeds.
However, if you’ve decided (after careful consideration) to make good on the promise to bring a pooch into the family fold this holiday season, you can adopt a deserving mutt, or you might consider one of these hot-ticket “designer dogs.”

Beabull

These social butterflies are great with kids and other dogs, but can be hyper, making daily walks a must

Boxweiler

This crossbreed is known for its muscular stature and protective nature, making it an ideal watchdog.

Cavachon

You can expect gentle playfulness out of these fluffy little high-maintenance dogs.

Chiweenie

What this tiny mix lacks in size, it can more than make up for in volume, particularly when strangers approach.

Cockapoo

You can enjoy a long-lasting relationship with these easygoing, intelligent curly-haired cuties.

Dorkie

These pint-sized pooches aren’t the awkward wallflowers their name suggests; they like to make their presence known

Frengle

The floppy-eared Frengle’s a clown and a crowd-pleaser, with a penchant for raising a ruckus.

Labradoodle

One of the more publicized hybrid dogs — it has its own dictionary entry and board game piece — Labradoodles are prized for their intelligence.

Ori Pei

Underneath all those wrinkles is a friendly family dog that goes with the flow.

Pomchi

Pomchis can be divas and love the spotlight.

Puggle

The floppy-eared, frisky puggle has enjoyed quite a bit of the limelight in recent years; the breed was even a hot topic on prime-time news.

Schnoodle

These active, kid-friendly hybrids are known to make life easy on humans who are sneezy.

Yorkie Poo

Small and spunky, these mini mixed-breeds love to be a part of the family action.

Hungry herd Christmas tree farm

Hungry herd Christmas tree farm

Hungry herd Christmas tree farm. Hungry Deer Herd Wipes Out Christmas Tree Iowa Farm, Hungry deer have spotted the pines and firs used to make Christmas Trees on a farm in Iowa. The unexpected herd wiped out the entire field at Pine Acres near New Hampton.



“Just being able to see the people enjoy the season and have fun coming out and picking out their trees and the little kids running around. It’s a busy place out here, and it’s fun to watch everybody,” Pine Acres owner Jan Pacovsky said.

But this year, there’s no holiday cheer to spread. Just after Pine Acres closed for the season last year, deer took on the role of Christmas Grinches, nibbling up nearly the entire farm.

“They just sort of took over and bedded down in here. We have about eight acres here of trees. We figure between 10 and 12,000 trees that we’ve lost, which is probably between $75-80,000,” Pacovsky said.

Unfortunately for Pacovsky, no kind of crop insurance is available to help cover the loss. She’s just hoping now that the damage is done and the farm’s being opened up to some hunters, deer won’t be back anytime soon.

“We’re probably going to end up putting in a big fence around, not the whole farm, but around the area we have trees planted in and stuff so we can keep the deer out. And then we’ll be able to put gates in and open it up at Christmas time,” said Pacovsky.

A few lucky, loyal customers will be able to buy trees Pine Acres bought on the wholesale market, but everyone else will be pretty much out of luck, as the tree farm will sit empty until spring – when a new crop of Christmas trees can be planted. Pine Acres has been in business over 40 years.

The farm will feel the effects of its deer-eaten fields for several years to come because it will take at least five years to re-grow its Christmas tree crop.

Royals named Olympic ambassadors

Royals named Olympic ambassadors

Royals named Olympic ambassadors, British royals Prince William and Duchess Kate have been named Great Britain Olympic and Paralympic ambassadors to the 2012 games in London
LONDON: LONDON: Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton and brother Prince Harry will be official ambassadors to the 2012 London Olympic Games, royal officials said Thursday.

St. James’s Palace said that all three will play a leading role in “encouraging and inspiring the British public to rally behind the 900 Olympic and Paralympic athletes” competing for Britain.

They also will use their roles to encourage greater awareness of Olympic and Paralympic values, the palace said.

The royals join 27 British Olympians from previous games who were unveiled as 2012 ambassadors by the British Olympic Association earlier this year.

In a message released by the palace, William said he feels honored to have been chosen and that his entire family is looking forward to the games.

“London hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will inspire so many people — particularly the young — to be the best they can be,” he said.

The young royals will be opening the latest chapter in the monarchy’s longstanding ties to the games.

Queen Elizabeth II is patron of the British Olympic Association while Princess Anne — who competed in the 1976 Montreal games as an equestrian — is its president, a member of the International Olympic Committee and a member of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.

Anne’s daughter, Zara Phillips, is a world-class equestrienne who hopes to compete in the London 2012 games.

The London Olympics begin July 27 and end Aug. 12.

Kim Kardashian immigration watch list

Kim Kardashian placed on watch list

Kim Kardashian immigration watch list, Kim Kardashian placed on Australian Immigration Department watch list after breaching her visa applications three times. She's one of the world's most famous faces so we can only wonder what the hell Kardashian and her minders were thinking when she pretended to be a tourist on her Australian visit a month ago.

Reality star Kim Kardashian, 31, has been placed on an immigration department watch list Kardashian isn't banned, but her history may be taken into account when she applies for a visa.
The launch of the range at Hugo's in Kings Cross attracted worldwide headlines and coverage - and did not go unnoticed at the Department Of Immigration in Canberra.

We're told a subsequent investigation found her two previous visits - in 2007 and last year - were also for business purposes.
Any future Kardashian visits to Australia will now be heavily scrutinised.

The Immigration Department declined to comment on Kardashian directly - but did issue a read-between-the-lines statement to Confidential.

"For privacy reasons it would not be appropriate to discuss particular details of an individual because people who enter Australia must abide by the conditions of their visa," a spokeswoman told us.

"If people are undertaking work in Australia they need to be on an appropriate visa with work conditions attached."

But wait, there's more.

"If people do breach conditions of their visa, then the department can counsel them or cancel that person's visa ... and the department may record their breaches and immigration history.

"Their history would then be taken into account if they apply for another visa to enter Australia.

"The identities of such people are then put on to a Movement Alert List."

The X Factor' Recap: Thriller Wanted, 'X Factor' tribute to the King of Pop,

Love 'em or hate 'em (but we know you love 'em) one thing the Top 7 finalists achieved for sure this week, is they made the Jackson family and Michael Jackson fans quite proud. The proof is in the tweets! Take a look…

About the Michael Jackson theme…

@DMann0369: This is gonna be a HELL of a show tonight. Undeniable pressure for ALL contestants with Jackson family there! #XFACTORUSA

@ohhhfrancesca: @TheXFactorUSA what a great theme tonight! One of the most entertaining tributes towards MJ. I'm sure he's proud of all the contestants.

@hairgirl1966: @TheXFactorUSA God bless the Jackson family and a big thank you to them for sharing Michael with us! #Beatit

@amandajean9: That awkward moment when they forget the word 'family' RT @TMZ Michael Jackson's at X-Factor taping

@itsrozina: @TheXFactorUSA i'm so happy you're doing this Michael Jackson tribute. Paris, Prince, and Blanket are so beautiful :) RIP to the king.
Source: Xfactor usa

How to spot counterfeit money

How to spot counterfeit money

How to spot counterfeit money, There Are Some Different Way To The holidays and down economies are prime times for counterfeiters. Now the time to under stand it.......

Millions in fake currency
There's no shortage of cash circulating throughout the economy -- about $824 billion, according to a University of Wisconsin study. But a good chunk of that cash (how much?) may not be on the up and up.

Counterfeit currency is a problem that just won't go away, despite the increased use of credit (which cards are the best?) and debit cards and e-payment technologies. Whether it's a street hustler passing off bogus $10 bills or professional counterfeiters dealing in stacks of $50 and $100 bills, fake currency has the full attention of the U.S. Treasury Department, the FBI and the Secret Service. (Find out the penalties for counterfeiting.)

But, as the Secret Service points out, the American public has a significant role to play in uncovering counterfeit currency. Small-business owners and retail cashiers should be trained to examine and identify phony bills -- but the truth is that anyone can learn to spot a piece of counterfeit cash.

Following are some tips on how to get a handle on bogus bills. They're relatively easy to learn and can turn you into a sharp-eyed spotter of counterfeit currency.

Light it up
The Secret Service advises taking any questionable large bill and holding it up to bright lighting. If it's a good bill, you'll see a hologram on the face-up side of the bill. Ideally, both of the images should match up perfectly. Looking through the light should reveal a thin vertical strip that tells you more. In the photo here, a genuine $100 bill is held above a counterfeit one.

Look for changes in color
The U.S. Treasury offers this tip. Take any $10, $20 or $50 note and move it back and forth (ideally tilting it as you do). You should notice a number in the lower right-hand corner. If the bill's good, you should be able to see a shift in these colors.

Go ultraviolet
An easy way to tell if a bill is authentic is to hold it up to ultraviolet light. Each denomination glows in its own color. Find out what they are:


$5 bills
$10 bills
$20 bills
$50 bills
$100 bills


If the bill doesn't appear as described above, you're holding a phony one.

Play the numbers
An authentic bill has serial numbers that are cleanly spaced and printed in the same color ink as the Treasury Seal (photos). With a fake piece of currency, the numbers may not appear as evenly spaced and may have a color different from that of the Treasury Seal.

What to do
The U.S. Treasury has some advice if you encounter a phony bill:

1. Keep the bill in your possession but get a good description of who gave it to you and where. (How to describe a suspect.)

2. Write down the license or any other available identification number of the passer of the bill, if possible.

3. Contact your local police department or the Secret Service. (How to report fake money.)

4. Place the counterfeit bill in a safe packet or envelope.

5. Do not accuse or otherwise engage the bill passer. Leave that to the authorities.

If you own your own business or handle cash as part of your job, it's a smart move to buy an ultraviolet light (shop for one) or counterfeit detection devices (shop for one). Most business supply stores carry them; you can also buy them online.

Handling counterfeit cash isn't a game. If you suspect you possess a bad bill, take into account the person who gave it to you and call the authorities. Let the law enforcement professionals handle the rest.

Msn Money