'The Blondies' cartel chief caught in Mexico City (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? Mexican federal police said Wednesday they detained one of the United States' most-wanted drug traffickers, Luis Rodriguez Olivera, at Mexico City's international airport.

U.S. authorities had offered a reward of up to $5 million for Rodriguez Olivera, who is known by the nickname "Blondie," according to Mexico's Public Safety Department.

Olivera and his brother Esteban are accused of smuggling tons of cocaine and methamphetamine into Europe and the U.S., mainly through Texas. Esteban was extradited to the United States in March.

Luis Rodriguez Olivera, 39, was indicted in U.S. federal court in 2009 on cocaine-smuggling conspiracy and related charges. The red-haired suspect was arrested Tuesday, officials said.

His gang, known as "The Blondies" formed temporary allegiances with bigger Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa cartel, the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, officials say. He is being held until a hearing on a U.S. extradition request.

Also Wednesday, Mexican authorities seized 120 metric tons of a precursor chemical used to make methamphetamines at the Pacific coast port of Lazaro Cardenas, the fifth such large shipment seized so far in December.

The Attorney General's Office said the shipment, like the previous four, came from China and was destined for Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala.

The chemical, which filled eight shipping containers, was identified as methylamine.

The latest bust brings to almost 675 metric tons the amount of meth precursors seized in Mexico in December, more than half of the entire amount ? 1,200 tons ? seized in Mexico in all of 2011.

Experts familiar with meth production call it a huge amount of raw material, noting that under some production methods, precursor chemicals can yield about half their weight in uncut meth.

Authorities said they seized 205 tons of the chemical at Lazaro Cardenas over several days in early December, and on Dec. 19 they announced the discovery of almost 100 metric tons. On Dec. 23, authorities announced the seizure of 229 metric tons of precursor chemicals at the port, and on Dec. 26 another 21 tons were found at another port.

Experts familiar with meth production call it a huge amount of raw material, noting that under some production methods, precursor chemicals can yield about half their weight in uncut meth.

Authorities have not said which cartels the shipments may have belonged to.

The port of Lazaro Cardenas is located in the home territory of the Knights Templar drug cartel, but the Sinaloa and Zetas cartels have been more active in Central America. Officials say the Sinaloa cartel in particular has moved into meth production on an industrial scale.

Mexico has busted a few huge meth laboratories, and traffickers could be looking for other locations to install production.

"When controls over precursors were strengthened in the United States, manufacture shifted to Mexico," according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime 2011 World Drug Report. "As Mexico has responded with strong counter-methamphetamine initiatives, manufacturing activities are increasingly reported from countries in Central and South America."

In Guatemala, National Police spokesman Donald Gonzalez said Puerto Quetzal has tightened controls after a period in which traffickers had moved shipments "with ease" at the terminal.

"Now it is more difficult for that to happen, because better control measures have been implemented," Gonzalez said.

The National Police have reported seizing 7,847 barrels of precursors so far in 2011, with 3,876 of those seized at Puerto Quetzal. No weight measure of those seizures was immediately available, but if those were standard shipping drums, which usually contain 55 gallons or 208 liters, that would suggest Guatemala's total seizures may have equaled or surpassed Mexico's.

___

Associated Press Writer Sonia Perez contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Russia scolds United States for human rights abuse (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? Russia sought to undermine the authority of the United States as a global judge of human rights on Wednesday with Moscow's first report to detail allegations of torture, phone tapping and abuse by the U.S. government.

Criticizing the United States for double standards, Russia said President Barack Obama had failed to shut the military prison at Guantanamo Bay and accused the White House of sheltering officials and CIA operatives from prosecution.

The Foreign Ministry's report "On the situation with human rights in a host of world states," follows China's example in highlighting U.S. failings in an attempt to counter U.S. State Department criticism of domestic human rights abuses.

"The situation in the United States is far from the ideals proclaimed by Washington," Russia's foreign ministry said in a 63-page report posted on its www.mid.ru Web site. "The main unresolved problem is the odious prison in Guantanamo Bay."

"The White House and the Justice Department shelter from prosecution CIA operatives and highly placed officials who are responsible for mass and flagrant breaches of human rights," it said.

Every year since 1976, the U.S. Department of State has published a detailed report on the state of human rights in the world, often with scathing analyses of abuses in China and Russia.

Washington scolded Russia for "governmental and societal human rights problems and abuses during the year" in its report published in April.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton angered Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this month by suggesting that Russia's parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair.

Russia's counter-report is unlikely to harm ties with its former Cold War foe, though Obama's attempt to forge more friendly ties with the Kremlin has cooled since Vladimir Putin said in September he planned to run in the March presidential election.

"These kinds of human rights reports can be a useful mechanism," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

"We certainly don't regard it as interference in our internal affairs when foreign governments, individuals or organizations comment on or criticize U.S. human rights practices."

Russia also criticized European Union countries for the treatment of religious minorities and Britain in particular for breaching human rights in the wake of August's riots.

The report focused on the United States and European countries, mentioning China only once and then in passing.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn; Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Matthew Jones)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/wl_nm/us_russia_usa_rights

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Iran navy chief says closing Gulf "really easy" (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Closing off the Gulf to oil tankers will be "easier than drinking a glass of water" for Iran if the Islamic state deems it necessary, state television reported on Wednesday, ratcheting up fears over the world's most important oil chokepoint.

"Closing the Strait of Hormuz for Iran's armed forces is really easy ... or as Iranians say it will be easier than drinking a glass of water," Iran's navy chief Habibollah Sayyari told Iran's English language Press TV.

"But right now, we don't need to shut it as we have the Sea of Oman under control and we can control the transit," said Sayyari, who is leading 10 days of exercises in the Strait.

Tension has increased between Iran and the West after EU foreign ministers decided three weeks ago to tighten sanctions on the world's No. 5 crude exporter over what the U.N. nuclear watchdog says is an attempt to design an atomic bomb, but left open the idea of an embargo on Iranian oil.

Iran, which says it is developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, warned on Tuesday it would stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf if sanctions were imposed on its crude exports.

The announcement over the possible closure of the only access channel for eight U.S.-aligned, Gulf Arab states to foreign markets, pushed up international oil prices on Tuesday although they slipped back on Wednesday in thin trade and as the market dismissed it as rhetoric.

"The threat by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz supported the oil market yesterday, but the effect is fading today as it will probably be empty threats as they cannot stop the flow for a longer period due to the amount of U.S. hardware in the area," said Thorbjoern bak Jensen, an oil analyst with Global Risk Management.

"WILL NOT YIELD"

The Strait of Hormuz is "the world's most important oil chokepoint," according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The State Department said there was an "element of bluster" in the threat, but underscored that the United States, whose warships patrol in the area, would support the free flow of oil.

It was not immediately clear what Sayyari meant by controlling the Sea of Oman, but the Iranian navy has been developing its presence in international waters since 2010 for counter-piracy operations and also to show off its naval power.

Iran's international isolation over its defiant nuclear stance is hurting the country's oil-dependent economy, but Iranian officials has shown no sign of willingness to compromise.

Iran dismisses the impact of these penalties, saying trade and other measures imposed since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the U.S.-backed shah have made the country stronger.

During a public speech in Iran's western province of Ilam on Wednesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad implied Tehran had no intention of changing course.

"We will not yield to pressure to abandon our rights ... The Iranian nation will not withdraw from its right (to nuclear technology) even one iota because of the pressures," said Ahmadinejad, whose firm nuclear stance has stoked many ordinary Iranians' sense of national dignity.

Some Iranian oil officials admitted have that foreign sanctions were hurting the key energy sector that was in desperate need of foreign investment.

Though four rounds of the U.N. sanctions do not forbid the purchase of Iranian oil, many international oil firms and trading companies have stopped trading with Iran.

"SHOWING TEETH"

So far, big trade partners of Tehran - Russia and China -have blocked a ban on Iran's oil exports at the United Nations.

Iran's arch-foes Israel and the United States have not ruled out military action if diplomacy and sanctions fail to rein in Iran's nuclear work.

The presence of U.S. naval forces in the Gulf to secure a free passage for oil has increased concerns over a possible military conflict if Iran tries to block the waterway.

Analysts say Tehran could retaliate against any military strike by launching hit-and-run attacks in the Gulf and by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

About 40 percent of all traded oil leaves the Gulf region through the strategic waterway.

An Iranian analyst who declined to be named said the leadership could not reach a compromise with the West over its nuclear activities as it "would harm its prestige among its core supporters."

"Iranian officials are showing their teeth to prevent a military strike," said the analyst.

"Closing off the Strait of Hormuz will harm Iran's economy that will be very dangerous for the establishment ahead of the parliamentary vote."

Iran will hold its parliamentary election in March, the first litmus test of the clerical establishment's popularity since the 2009 disputed presidential vote, that the opposition says was rigged to secure Ahmadinejad's re-election.

The vote was followed by eight months of anti-government street protests and created a deepening political rift among the hardline rulers.

With the opposition leaders under house arrest since February and the main reformist political parties banned since the vote, Iranian hardline rulers are concerned a low turnout would question the establishment's legitimacy.

Frustration is simmering among lower- and middle-class Iranians over Ahmadinejad's economic policies. Prices of most consumer goods have risen substantially and many Iranians struggle to make ends meet.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/wl_nm/us_iran_hormuz_closure

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Pakistan president vows defiance as crises mount (Reuters)

GARHI KHUDA BAKSH, Pakistan (Reuters) ? Pakistan's embattled but defiant President Asif Ali Zardari used the fourth anniversary of the death of his wife Benazir Bhutto to ensure supporters he would not resign in the face of numerous crises building around him.

Zardari, who became president after the former prime minister was killed in 2007 following her return from self-imposed exile, is facing perhaps the greatest threat to the government.

In a jab at the Supreme Court, which is considering an investigation into a memo asking the United States for help against the country's powerful military and which could implicate Zardari, he asked about the as yet unsolved case of his wife's assassination.

"People ask what happened to Benazir Bhutto's case," he said. "I ask (Chief Justice) Iftikhar Chaudhry: what happened to Benazir Bhutto's case?"

No one has yet been charged with her assassination at a huge rally outside Islamabad.

Police estimated Tuesday's crowd at more than 70,000.

Colorful banners sprouted from the throng, which spread out beneath the white, marble mausoleum that contains the bodies of Pakistan's most famous political family.

Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, Zardari appeared relaxed and healthy, likely calm rumors of his ill health.

He flew to Dubai on Dec 6 complaining of chest pains. Party members there told Reuters he had suffered a transient ischemic attack, a stroke-like attack that leaves no permanent brain damage. He returned on Dec 19.

Members of Zardari's Pakistan People's Party say opponents are working with the Supreme Court and the army to bring down the government.

The death anniversary came the same day the Supreme Court began deliberations on whether it could open its own investigation into the so-called "memogate" scandal.

It also came two days after cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan brought at least 100,000 people into the streets of Karachi in a rally that increases pressure the government and cements his standing as a political force.

The memogate hearing, which was adjourned without any decision, is likely to be front-page news on Wednesday, reflecting the intense interest in incremental developments in the crisis.

CALL FOR INVESTIGATION

It involves the publication an unsigned memo seeking Washington's help to rein in the military after U.S. forces found and killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May.

Pakistan's then ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, has been accused of writing the memo on behalf of the government. He denies involvement but has resigned pending an investigation.

Chief of Army Staff General Asfaq Kayani has called for an investigation into the memo, which has set off a flurry of speculation of a rift between the government and the army which has ruled Pakistan for almost half of its 64-year history.

The political crisis also comes as ties between the United States and Pakistan drop to their lowest point in decades following a NATO cross-border attack on Nov 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. A U.S. report on the incident blamed both sides for poor communications and bad maps.

The incident infuriated Pakistan's army, which is demanding an apology from President Barack Obama, and led to the closure of supply lines for coalition forces fighting in Afghanistan.

The army has denied planning to take power but Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has added to the intrigue and confusion.

Last week he surprised many by implicitly suggesting the military was a "state within a state" before reversing himself on Monday night and saying he was "happy" with Kayani and would not fire him or the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, as some media reports claimed.

Zardari "struck a defiant note, but refrained from attacking the military establishment," at the rally, said security analyst Imtiaz Gul. "This comes a day after Gilani also backed down, and based on that this smacks of some sort of 'backdown' on the part of the government."

Party members on the scene were upbeat.

"The army or the Supreme Court can do nothing to the government and our party," said Ali Gohar, 45, a PPP worker from the town of Sukkur who has come to pay homage to Bhutto.

"The PPP has the blood of martyrs in its foundations and we will support it as long as we live."

(Writing by Chris Allbritton; Additional reporting by Qasim Nauman and Faisal Aziz in ISLAMABAD; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111227/wl_nm/us_pakistan_politics

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FBI joins search for missing Indiana girl

FORT WAYNE, Ind.?? The FBI on Monday joined the search for a missing 9-year-old Indiana girl and agents are scouring a mobile home park that's also a haven for registered sex offenders.

Agents descended on the mobile home park where Aliahna Lemmon lived in Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne authorities plan to meet Monday afternoon to plan their next move after two straight days without a search for the girl, a sheriff's department spokesman said.

Aliahna went missing from a family friend's home on Friday.

About a half-dozen people in black windbreakers were at the mobile home park Monday. Several identified themselves as FBI agents.

Search dogs were seen at a nearby storage facility.

Aliahna and her sisters were staying at a family friend's nearby home because their mother had been sick with the flu and Aliahna's stepfather works at night and sleeps during the day, The Journal Gazette reported Monday.

Mike Plumadore, 39, told the newspaper Sunday that he left the three girls in his mobile home about 6 a.m. Friday and went to a gas station about a mile away to buy a cigar. Authorities have said the store's surveillance video shows him there about that time.

"I had deadbolted the door," he said. "When I got back, all the girls was here."

He said he smoked his cigar and went back to sleep, then woke up about 10 a.m. when Aliahna's mother called. After that call, he realized the door to the home was unlocked and that Aliahna was gone. He said Aliahna's sisters, both 6 years old, told him that Aliahna had left with her mom.

Plumadore said it wasn't until he talked with Aliahna's mom about 8:30 p.m. that they realized she was missing and police were notified.

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Aliahna's mother, Tarah Souders, 28, said miscommunication between the two of them caused the delay in determining that Aliahna had vanished.

"She's never wandered off," Souders said. "She's never done anything like this before."

But Aliahna does have a history of sleepwalking, even unlocking doors and going outside while sleeping, said her grandmother, Amber Story.

"I just hope that she's not suffering or in pain," Story said.

Registered sex offenders in the area
Souders said her daughter also has vision and hearing problems and suffers from attention deficit disorder and emotional problems.

In addition, Aliahna has post-traumatic stress disorder, The Journal Gazette reported.

The family believes Aliahna may have left Plumadore's home on her own. Fifteen registered sex offenders live at the Northway mobile home park, where Plumadore's home is, according to the Allen County's Sheriff's Department website.

Plumadore has three felony convictions for battery, auto theft, and forgery.

?I?m not an angel by any means,? he told The Gazette, but added, ?I don?t hurt children. I don?t hurt animals.?

Family members also said they have never seen him hurt anyone.

There are no suspects or persons of interest in the case, including Plumadore and the registered sex offenders in the mobile home park, authorities said, according to The Gazette. Plumadore and other family members have been interviewed.

The Associated Press and msnbc.com's Elizabeth Chuck contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45790781/ns/us_news-life/

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Justin Bieber Plays Generous Santa to Childhood BFF

We already know that Justin Bieber is an incredible boyfriend.

Turns out, he's a pretty awesome best friend, too.

Consider what Justin gave childhood BFF Ryan Butler: a Mustang convertible! The pal, who had a cameo in the video for "One Time," Tweeted a photo of the gift Monday night, along with the message: "Justin got me a present. #swag!!!"

As for Bieber? He's been chilling at home in Canada, as the superstar chimed in via Twitter on Christmas Eve: "spending time with family - feels really good."

He also presented fans with these two videos on Christmas Day. Granted, we'd rather have had a new car, but still.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/justin-bieber-plays-generous-santa-to-childhood-bff/

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watch New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns NBA Live Stream Dec. 26, 2011

GAME SUMMARY: ENJOY Watching the games between New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns Live Stream Games, the event will be held in US Airways Center game starts at exactly 9:00 PM ET on Dec. 26, 2011. Both teams will surely give us a tremendous, thrilling and heart breaking fight, Fight to win this match up.New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns have only mission, to win this game.

Matches details:

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VENUE: US Airways Center
TEAM: New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns live
DATE : Dec. 26, 2011
GAME START: 9:00 PM ET
COMPETITIONS: NBA Regular Season 2011/2012

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It is a very exciting and action packed match up between New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns . Enjoy watching and have fun in every game. New Orleans Hornets vs Phoenix Suns games live from home and support your favorite teams.

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Source: http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f9/watch-new-orleans-hornets-vs-phoenix-suns-nba-live-stream-dec-26-2011-a-83575-new/

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NBA preview: Wizards roster

1 Nick Young G

(Ned Dishman - NBAE/Getty Images) Age: 26 Years: 4 Height: 6-7 Weight: 210 Games: 64 PPG: 17.4 APG: 1.2 FG%: 44.1

College: Southern California

Acquired: Selected 16th overall in 2007 draft.

Strengths: Great one-on-one scorer who can catch and shoot or create off the dribble. Led team in scoring last season.

Weaknesses: Has tunnel vision on offense. Struggles to create scoring chances for others. Needs to develop better all-around game. Improved on-ball defense but remains mediocre.

2 John Wall G

(Nick Wass - Associated Press) Age: 21 Years: 1 Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 Games: 69 PPG: 16.4 APG: 8.3 FG%: 40.9

College: Kentucky

Acquired: No. 1 pick in 2010 draft.

Strengths:Explosive with blazing speed, tremendous leaping ability. Gets into lane with ease. Finishes strong. Unselfish floor general with superb vision.

Weaknesses:Lacks consistent jump shot. Aggressive style leaves him susceptible to injury. Gets careless with ball and is turnover prone.

6 Maurice Evans G

(John Minchillo - AP) Age: 33 Years: 8 Height:6-5 Weight: 220 Games: 73 PPG: 6.3 APG: 0.6 FG%: 41.7

College: Texas

Acquired: Via trade with Hawks in February 2011.

Strengths: Solid veteran with playoff experience and knowledge of game. Tenacious, aggressive defender who can knock down three-pointers.

Weaknesses:After working on CBA as union VP, needs to get back in shape. Limited offensively.

7 Andray Blatche F-C

(John McDonnell - THE WASHINGTON POST) Age: 26 Years: 6 Height: 6-11 Weight: 260 Games: 64 PPG: 16.8 RPG: 8.2 FG%: 44.5

High School: South Kent Prep (Conn.)

Acquired: Selected 49th overall in 2005 draft.

Strengths: Versatile, talented big man with quickness, agility, ballhandling skills and scoring ability.

Weaknesses: Struggles with conditioning. A poor post defender. Settles for jumpers too often.

8 Roger Mason Jr. G

Age: 31 Years: 7 Height: 6-5 Weight: 200 Games: 26 PPG: 2.9 APG: 0.8 FG%: 33.8

(Nick Wass - AP) College: Virginia

Acquired: Signed as free agent in December 2011.

Strengths:Veteran shooting guard provides perimeter shooting, professionalism, leadership.

Weaknesses: Field goal percentage declined past two seasons. Lacks quickness, which hurts on defense. Attempted just 10 free throws last season.

9 Rashard Lewis F
(Nick Wass - AP)

Age: 32 Years: 13 Height: 6-10 Weight: 230 Games: 57 PPG: 11.7 RPG: 5.1 FG%: 43.3

College: Alief Elsik (Texas)

Acquired: Via trade with Orlando in December 2010.

Strengths: Ex-all star has a high basketball IQ. Provides leadership. Can play both forward positions. Solid team defender. Stretches floor with ability to make three-pointers.

Weaknesses: Production has declined past three seasons. Had knee troubles last season.

13 Kevin Seraphin F

Age: 22 Years: 1 Height: 6-9 Weight: 275 Games: 58 PPG: 2.7 RPG: 2.6 FG%: 44.9

(Nick Wass - AP) Country: French Guiana

Acquired: Via trade with Chicago in June 2010.

Strengths: Physically imposing big man provides strength and sets solid screens. More confident after playing for French national team and in Spain.

Weaknesses: Remains very raw. Has awkward form on jump shot. Needs to develop greater instincts. Foul prone.

15 Jordan Crawford G

(Nick Wass - AP) Age: 23 Years: 1 Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 Games: 42 PPG: 11.7 APG: 2.8 FG%: 38.4

College: Xavier

Acquired: Via trade with Hawks in February 2011.

Strengths: Extremely confident. Not afraid to shoot. Can play either guard position. Has good court vision. Fearless competitor.

Weaknesses: Belief in his talents often leads to bad shots. Reliance on long jumpers results in poor percentage from the field. Can be a defensive liability.

21 Ronny Turiaf F

Age: 28 Years: 6 Height: 6-10 Weight: 249 Games: 64 PPG: 4.2 RPG: 3.2 FG%: 63.2

(Nick Wass - AP)

College: Gonzaga

Acquired: Via trade with Knicks in December 2011.

Strengths: High-energy player who adds intensity and hustle. An excellent shot-blocker despite being undersize. Good passer. Veteran presence for front line.

Weaknesses: Injury-prone. Lacks size. A poor rebounder despite his activity on both ends. With his fourth team in the past five years.

22 Shelvin Mack G

Age: 21 Years: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 215

College: Butler

Acquired: Selected 34th in 2011 draft.

(Nick Wass - AP) Strengths: Smart player who hails from good program. Knows how to win. Plays steady and under control. Can run pick-and-roll offense well.

Weaknesses: Doesn?t have overwhelming speed or quickness. Needs to become a better perimeter shooter.

24 Jan Vesely F

Age: 21 Years: R Height: 6-11 Weight: 240

Country: Czech Republic

Acquired: Selected sixth in 2011 draft.

Strengths: Athletic, high-energy player known for providing exciting dunks. Loves to score in transition. Runs the floor well. Excellent finisher.

(Nick Wass - AP) Weaknesses: Has been limited by hip injury. Needs to add strength and improve jumper. Poor ballhandler.

31 Chris Singleton F

(Nick Wass - AP) Age: 22 Years: R Height: 6-8 Weight: 230

College: Florida State

Acquired: Selected 18th in 2011 draft.

Strengths: Defensive specialist who can guard four positions. Rebounds well. Has excellent speed and lateral quickness. Tenacious competitor.

Weaknesses: Poor ballhandler. Cannot create scoring opportunities. Shoots poorly off the dribble.

34 JaVale McGee F

Age: 23 Years: 3 Height: 7-0 Weight: 237 Games: 79 PPG: 10.1 RPG: 8.0 FG%: 55.0

College: Nevada

Acquired: Selected 18th in the 2008 draft.

(Nick Wass - AP) Strengths: Supremely athletic big man. Incredible shot blocker. Runs the floor well. Regularly supplies highlight dunks. Has phenomenal size and length.

Weaknesses: Focus on shot-blocking leads to goaltends or poor position for rebounds. Often prefers style over substance.

35 Trevor Booker F

Age: 24 Years: 1 Height: 6-7 Weight: 240 Games: 65 PPG: 5.3 RPG: 3.9 FG%: 54.9

College: Clemson

Acquired: Via trade with Timberwolves in June 2010.

Strengths: Energetic player compensates for lack of height with hustle. Can change momentum with a block or tip dunk. Excels in low-post defense.

(Nick Wass - AP) Weaknesses: Lacks size to consistently play power forward, and poor outside shot affects his ability to play small forward.

55 Hamady Ndiaye C

Age: 24 Years: 1 Height: 7-0 Weight: 235 Games: 16 PPG: 0.9 RPG: 0.4 FG%: 80.0

College: Rutgers

Acquired: Via trade with Timberwolves in June 2010.

Strengths: Good shot blocker. Hard worker with positive attitude. Great teammate who lightens mood in locker room. Has steady learning curve.

Weaknesses: Still extremely
(Nick Wass - AP) raw. Limited offensively. Lacks a go-to move inside. Not a great rebounder despite size.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=26b4365979430e6b655bc8c01d97e925

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Reports: Doni admits fixing Serie B matches

Associated Press Sports

updated 6:32 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2011

CREMONA, Italy (AP) -Former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni has reportedly admitted helping to fix Serie B matches involving his team last season. He said he agreed to go along with the scam because his team was not supposed to lose.

Doni was among 16 people arrested across Italy on Monday in an ongoing investigation into match-fixing and illegal betting on games.

After five days of solitary confinement, Doni was permitted to meet with his lawyer Friday and was then questioned by prosecutors.

"Yes, I knew about the fix for Atalanta-Piacenza. I gave my approval and I bet," Doni is quoted as saying by Saturday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "I also tried to do the same thing for the match with Ascoli. But they were all personal initiatives, I'm not part of any organization. ... The club didn't know anything."

Atalanta beat Piacenza 3-0, while the Ascoli vs. Atalanta match finished 1-1. Details have not yet emerged as to precisely what Doni did in the fixed games.

In June, 16 people were arrested as part of the first wave of the inquiry, and Doni was then placed under investigation.

Doni said at the time that he was innocent but in August he was banned from football for 3 1/2 years by the Italian football federation's disciplinary committee, and Atalanta - which was promoted to Serie A for this season - was given a six-point penalty.

"I said yes to the fixes because Atalanta benefited," Doni said, according to the Gazzetta. "I would have never listened to anyone who offered me money to make my squad lose. I made a mistake and now I can't even look at myself in the mirror because it makes me think about all the pain I've caused my family and the fans.

"The relegation to Serie B hurt me and that's why I accepted these offers," Doni added. "By winning we were sure to be promoted."

The latest arrests come five years after another major match-fixing scandal - restricted to club and referee officials but not players - resulted in Juventus getting relegated to Serie B for a season, plus point penalties for Lazio, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Reggina in Serie A.

The prosecutors in Cremona, who are leading the current investigation, have detailed an extensive match-fixing ring stretching as far as Singapore and South America and that has allegedly been in operation for more than 10 years.

Three Serie A matches from last season are also under investigation: Brescia vs. Bari, Brescia vs. Lecce and Napoli vs. Sampdoria.

A phone call was reportedly intercepted between Doni and Ravenna goalkeeping coach Nicola Santoni - who was also arrested - in which the pair discuss tampering with Santoni's iPhone, which had been confiscated by police in June.

Doni was arrested on suspicion of attempting to destroy evidence. He was due to be released from prison Saturday, but will remain under house arrest.

Others arrested Monday include former Inter Milan and Roma player Luigi Sartor, former Serie B player Alessandro Zamperini and active players Carlo Gervasoni of Piacenza and Filippo Carobbio of Spezia.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Man United routs Wigan

Manchester United flourished as Manchester City floundered on Monday to wipe out its neighbor's lead in the Premier League title race.

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Chandler: What demons possess men to rush the playing field and attack athletes? And lately athlete-fan field interaction has taken a darker turn.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45720816/ns/sports-soccer/

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California condors rebound, with some human help

(CBS News)?

To see a California condor gliding 15,000 feet in the air is nothing short of spectacular -- riding thermal air currents, with a wingspan longer than a pickup truck. These bald-headed birds once ruled the western skies.

Their story took a tragic turn. But it isn't over yet, as CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports.

In the early 1980s, the number of California condors plummeted. After decades of poaching and environmental hazards like habitat loss, pollution, and lead poisoning, just 22 birds remained in the entire world.

Conservationists scrambled to protect them with breeding programs at the zoos in Los Angeles and San Diego. Scientists used puppets to raise condor chicks to keep them from growing attached to humans.

The breeding programs worked. And next year, the worldwide population of condors is set to soar past the 400 mark.

"We have saved the species genetically and demographically," said Michael Mace, curator of birds at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Mace has devoted most of his career at the San Diego zoo to protecting the California condor, releasing more than 100 into the wild. He's proud of the birds' progress, but warns, "The environment still has challenges. There are still pressures on the species."

Those pressures include power lines, like the ones stretching three miles up a rugged peak near the Northern California community of Big Sur. They bring power to an air traffic control radar system. But covered by coastal fog, the lines are difficult to see --- and have electrocuted three condors.

Kelly Sorenson tracks the condors in Big Sur, and says these power lines cut right through their flight path.

So Pacific Gas & Electric -- the company that owns the power lines -- took on a massive, three-month project to move the wires underground. Using helicopters, the utility brought in piping and removed 46 power poles.

The total cost: $4.2 million. It's one of the largest utility projects ever launched to protect an endangered species.

"I think we can all agree that to have our children see condors, and our children's children see condors in the wild is gonna be a great thing," said Mike Best of Pacific Gas & Electric's aviation protection program.

"Right now, we're in this race. We want to get the population up as fast as we possibly can," Sorenson said.

For now, there's one less obstacle in the way of the condors' recovery.

Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsGamecore/~3/nN0VRIHYBbw/

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Paul Forecast a "Race War" (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

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Gilani takes army head on

ISLAMABAD ? A panicked prime minister Thursday said plots were being drawn to send his government packing as he delivered an unprecedented tirade against the army, vowing not to bow to forces at work behind the scenes and denying the government was subservient to the military command.
Confirmation form beleaguered Yousuf Raza Gilani of fears about his government stood in stark contrast to his recent assertions that government and the armed forces were on same page on all the issues, including the memo scandal that is at the centre of the current political storm.
?I want to make it clear today that conspiracies are being hatched here to pack up the elected government,? Gilani told a gathering at the National Arts Gallery, without naming anyone. ?But we will continue to fight for the rights of people of Pakistan whether or not we remain in the government,? Gilani said, declaring himself the country?s longest serving premier, with 45 months on the job.
But heading off questions in parliament, he took aim at the army after the defence ministry told the Supreme Court ?it does not exercise any operational control? over the armed forces or ISI intelligence agency.
?If they say that they are not under the ministry of defence, then we should get out of this slavery, then this parliament has no importance, this system has no importance, then you are not sovereign,? he told lawmakers. ?Nobody is above the law, all the institutions are subservient to the parliament,? Gilani insisted.
?All the members of the parliament are elected representatives that?s why every institution is answerable to the parliament? If we can not protect the rights of the people then what business we have here (parliament)... If any institution says I am a state within state, it is not acceptable,? he said. ?We remained under Indian rule in the past... If we have to live as slaves, then there is no importance of this house. It would be wrong to say that these institutions (army and ISI) do not come under the ministry of defence,? he said.
Appearing to lose patience, he said the government had stood by the security services over a storm of American pressure over the Osama bin Laden killing, the November 26 Nato attack and the 2008 attacks on Mumbai. ?In OBL case, we also stood by the establishment. Though we had some differences but we supported them. After Mumbai attacks, we also supported them and even fired General (Mahmud) Durrani,? he said and added the nature of issues had changed from the tenure of General Musharraf and now the challenges were different.
?In the worst circumstances we doubled their salaries. They (army) have to be accountable to parliament? We are being asked by the judicial commission (examining the May 2 US raid that killed bin Laden raid and how the al-Qaeda leader lived in Pakistan undetected) about issuance of visas (to Americans). But I want to ask how was someone (bin Laden) living here for the past six years? On what type of visa was he living here? Why was security not taken care of, if he entered Pakistan without a visa??
This fiery speech by the prime minister at the assembly and his talking of conspiracies against his government clearly indicate that the government is in direct confrontation with the military establishment over the key issue of memogate scandal. It also shows that the impression which the government tried to create of Gen Kayani?s meeting with the PM and his phone call to President Zardari that all the differences have been largely removed was incorrect.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/today-headlines/~3/wwaefy_kYvU/Gilani-takes-army-head-on

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Despite reforms, young immigrants still in limbo (CNN)

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Simon vs. L.A.: 5 memorable 'X Factor' spats

With the "X Factor" finale around the corner, that means no more on-air squabbles to keep us entertained on Wednesday nights ? at least until Jan. 18 comes around. So before we say goodbye, let?s take a look back at one of the more heated battles of its inaugural season: Simon Cowell vs. L.A. Reid.

Both run record companies and have discovered and nurtured international stars, which makes them worthy adversaries, even if they do sit on the same side of the table. Cue: Survivor?s ?Eye of the Tiger? and read on for five of their more memorable spats:

1. Who can forget the war of words over Drew Ryniewicz? Have your pick: When she sang Coldplay?s ?Fix You,? Reid commented, "I don't know if that was a new song, or the same one from last week. He knocked the infamous ?chair? performance of ?Billie Jean? then accused her of singing old peoples? music when she performed 19-year-old Demi Lovato?s hit, ?Skyscraper.? Cowell lashed back, telling Reid: ?I'm sick to death of your pointless, stupid criticism."

VIDEO from THR: Simon reveals 'sexual tension' with Paula Abdul

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2.Cowell hasn?t been shy about sharing his opinion ofMarcus Canty, calling out his performance of ?A Song For You? as boring, stating plainly that he was ?not jumping out of my chair.? Reid told his contestant not to let Cowell get ?in your head.?

3.Although Reid finally gave Melanie Amaro props for her semifinals performance of ?Feeling Good? ("I know why you're the only female left ? because you're the greatest female to ever grace this stage," he told her), he?s called her performances ?predictable? on several occasions. To wit: After her rendition of Michael Jackson?s ?Man in the Mirror,? Reid opined, ?I didn?t find it that inventive.? ?He also called her performance of Whitney Houston?s? ?When You Believe? ?safe.? Cowell?s reaction? A mix of bemusement and indignation wrapped up in a scowl.

PHOTOS from THR: Get to know 'X Factor's' top 17 finalists

4. Reid was never a supporter of Simone Battle?s, but after she sang ?Just Be Good to Me? by the S.O.S. Band, he took the opportunity to go for Cowell?s throat. ?Everything was right except your choice in contestant,? he said. ?I still don?t get it. You must be really rich because clearly $5 million doesn?t mean much to you at all.?

Story: Simon: 'X Factor' judges don't always do job properly

5. When Michael Buble doppelganger Philip Lomax performed the ill-advised ?I?m a Believer,? Cowell was quick to call out Reid on his culpability: "It's like you're a race car driver, and L.A. put you through in a tractor,? Cowell mocked. ?L.A.: On this guy, you one hundred percent failed."

Which judge do you think delivered the sharper barbs? Share your thoughts on the Facebook page for our TV blog, The Clicker.

Copyright 2011 The Hollywood Reporter

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45754626/ns/today-entertainment/

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Doc wounded in Iraq speaks out about combat trauma (AP)

MILWAUKEE ? Dr. Ken Lee lives every day with reminders of a suicide car bombing: a crescent-shaped scar on his temple, thumbs that don't work correctly, constant headaches, and legs and arms that always feel like they're on fire.

The attack in Baghdad nearly killed the Wisconsin National Guard's chief medical officer, leaving him with a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder so severe that the slightest provocation sent him into a furniture-smashing rage ? even as he worked to diagnose and heal fellow veterans back home.

Lee eventually learned to live with his nightmares. Now as the last American troops leave Iraq, he's using his unique experience ? as a doctor, patient and combat veteran ? to wage a new battle to call attention to the effects of combat trauma that will be with veterans for years to come.

"I can tell my son that his dad was right in the middle of it," Lee said. "I was part of the process to make it better."

Lee, 46, emigrated from South Korea with his family when he was a child. After graduating from medical school in Milwaukee, he became a physician in the Wisconsin National Guard and landed a job with the Department of Veterans Affairs, working as a spinal cord specialist in Milwaukee.

He had just been promoted to head of spinal cord treatment when he got the call in November 2003 to head to Iraq. He left his wife and two young children and shipped out in command of Company B of the 118th Medical Battalion.

Lee treated high-value U.S. prisoners that included Saddam Hussein. He visited the deposed dictator twice to treat a sore wrist. Lee described Hussein as an educated, pleasant man who spoke decent English ? but probably understood more than he let on.

The worst moments came during the Fallujah offensive as exhausted medics tried to save badly wounded Marines.

"We're seeing death in front of us," he said. "We kept absorbing it until it wasn't healthy. Some stopped eating. Some cried. I would lock myself in my room. I couldn't get hold of this feeling of despair."

Then, in September 2004, Lee made the mistake that changed his life.

He was leading a convoy when he spotted soldiers removing a bomb up ahead. Rather than speeding around them, Lee felt safe enough to stop the vehicles, climb out and help guard the rear.

Suddenly, he heard the screech of rubber on pavement. A Buick was bearing down on them. As Lee raised his rifle, the driver detonated his explosives. An orange ball of flame rolled toward him in slow motion and knocked him backward under a car.

When Lee came to, the world was red. His head was split open, and blood was pouring into his eyes. Medics performed life-saving surgery.

During months of rehabilitation back in Washington, he thought about how medical teams could better detect PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, the wounds that have defined the Iraq War. Lee offered ideas to a group at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, suggesting that screening begin as soon as the first symptoms appeared.

When he finally returned home, nothing felt right. He sat alone while his wife went to work and children went to school. For one miserable year, little things like the sound of one of his kids dropping a toy enraged him. He often retreated to the basement, where at one point he smashed the family's extra dining set. He drank himself to sleep in hopes of blocking out nightmares.

But at work, he dealt with everyone else's problems with a smile, and he excelled. He became the Wisconsin National Guard's state surgeon in 2008.

At home, Lee was on the brink of divorce. One day, while playing with his 10-year-old daughter, she commented that he never smiled anymore. Lee cried.

"I just didn't want to believe I had" PTSD, he said. "Nobody does."

Since then, he has resolved to be happy. He started thinking of the day the bomb went off as his "alive day," the day he didn't die. He celebrated it with his family by going out to eat or doing some other fun activity. At work, he continued to spread the word about detecting PTSD and brain injuries.

The Defense Department estimates that nearly 213,000 military personnel have suffered traumatic brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2000.

An earlier report by the Rand Corp. estimated that 300,000 veterans of both conflicts suffered post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression. Less than half had sought treatment for PTSD over the preceding year, and nearly 60 percent of those reporting a probable brain injury weren't evaluated by a physician for one.

Army protocol requires soldiers returning from overseas to undergo a health assessment when they get back and again after they've been home for several months. Lee took that a step further in Wisconsin, sending medical teams to demobilization points to check on returning units as soon as they hit the ground.

"When you come home, it's hidden," said Lee, bespectacled with dark hair mowed into a crew-cut. "Why don't we do all these guys when they come back, instead of doing it when they walk into your office?"

He's also traveled the country lecturing on how combat trauma can be mental as well as physical, displaying photographs of his wounds and sharing his struggles.

As a spinal specialist, Lee doesn't treat PTSD or brain injuries directly, but he's earned a new level of respect from veterans. Many who aren't even his patients seek him out to talk.

Gus Sorenson of Sturtevant, Wis., lost the use of his legs in a 1970 car crash just days after returning from Vietnam. He has seen Lee for years and noticed a change after the doctor returned from Iraq.

"I think the word is `empathy,'" Sorenson said. "He was the patient. That experience helped the learning process. Other vets can relate to that."

Lee still can't remember appointments unless he emails them to himself. He can walk, but he has almost no feeling in his legs except a constant burning. His thumbs don't bend properly because the blast apparently jammed them against his rifle grips.

Sometimes he wakes up to find bloody spots on the sheets as tiny shards of shrapnel work their way out of his body. He's worried that his kids are still terrified of him, and he still suffers from flashbacks and nightmares.

Even after the U.S. withdrawal is complete, the U.S. will spend decades dealing with psychologically scarred veterans, Lee said.

"We have a product that comes back from war," he said. "We have to have a system to take care of it."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_us/us_iraq_wounded_doctor

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Report: N.Y.C., suburbs send more tax money upstate than they get back (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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US pleased with Russian shift on Syria (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration and at least one of its allies say they are pleased that Russia has decided to support U.N. Security Council action aimed at halting violence in Syria but won't support Russia's proposed resolution unless changes are made.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday that Russia's surprise introduction of a Security Council resolution on Syria was an "important step" and a sign of growing unity on the importance of opposing Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime's brutal crackdown on reformers.

"It's clear from the steps that Russia took that more and more of the international community is coming together as one to say to Syria and to the Assad regime that we can no longer tolerate the kind of killings that are going on, the kind of abuse of human rights that have gone on in Syria and that Assad needs to step down," Panetta told a news conference in Ankara, Turkey.

In Washington, the State Department called the Russian move "good news" but said the U.S. wouldn't vote for the resolution unless it distinguishes the actions of peaceful protesters from those of the government. In Paris, the French Foreign Ministry echoed that stance.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters that "the Russians have recognized that the U.N. Security Council can't be silent any longer and that we've got to use that organization to make clear that the violence needs to end."

But she stressed the administration has concerns about the draft. "We wouldn't be prepared to accept it as written, particularly because it appears to create a sense of parity between these peaceful protesters and the action of the regime, which has been extremely brutal and violent," she said.

The French Foreign Ministry said France was "ready to work with all its partners" on Syria "but underlines that the Russian text as it now stands has parts that are not acceptable."

"In particular, it's unacceptable to put on a par the repression of the Syrian regime and the resistance of the Syrian people. Every day thousands of people demonstrate peacefully and are victims of a bloody repression," it said.

The United Nations estimates that 5,000 people have been killed in violence since protests against the Assad regime started nine months ago.

Despite the severity of the situation, Russia, along with China, had opposed U.N. Security Council action on Syria.

But on Thursday, Russia surprised council members by introducing a draft resolution that "demands that all parties in Syria immediately stop any violence irrespective of where it comes from." The draft, however, does not mention sanctions, something that Western nations have been pushing.

Nuland said the U.S. wants to work with Russia, as well as with the Arab League, which has condemned the violence, to ensure that all concerns are addressed.

Despite the reservations, Nuland said the Russian move "begins a new process in New York that we very much welcome."

___

Baldor reported from Ankara. Jamey Keaten contributed to this report from Paris.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_russia_syria

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Video: A Christmas role reversal

>>> finally tonight, they say it's better to give than to receive, we can all take part in the many random acts of kindness we're heard about this holiday season . tonight we want to highlight kids making special delivery toss those in need. here's nbc's kevin tibbles. rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose

>> christmas can be a hard time of year for the elderly or disabled who have very little family.

>> buying a christmas present is out of the question because of their fixed economy and the way the economy is.

>> reporter: in racine, wisconsin, that's where the younger generation steps. in brightening up the holiday with their music, their gifts and smiles. all part of a program called "be a santa to a senior". trees are set up in local shops and decorated are ornaments containing requests from the needy. volunteers then buy the gifts, donate them, and they're all wrapped up, often by youngsters for a very special delivery . school kids and grownups then swoop in to deck the halls of local retirement communities with laughter and song.

>> how does it look?

>> it looks perfect on you.

>> reporter: each resident gets a present.

>> i'm so happy. very happy. thank you so much for everything.

>> a scarf, yeah.

>> reporter: locally the program will distribute 700 gifts this year. nation-wide, 1.5 million packages have been presented since 2004 . leaving the master gift giver himself very impressed.

>> all you hear is the bad stuff about the kids. right now you can see that there's so much good in this country.

>> what does christmas mean to you?

>> to be nice to people and give them presents.

>> i think it's marvelous that they care enough to come here.

>> what's the meaning of christmas ?

>> to make somebody else happy.

>> and that makes you happy inside, too?

>> yes.

>> reporter: and each visit comes gift wrapped in song. we wish you a merry christmas

>> reporter: kevin tibl tibbles, nbc news, racine, wisconsin.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45708949/

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Another Palestinian mosque torched in West Bank (AP)

RAMALLAH, West Bank ? Vandals set fire to another mosque in the West Bank on Thursday and defaced it with Hebrew graffiti. Suspicion fell on Jewish extremists widely assumed to be behind stepped-up violence against Palestinians and the Israeli military.

The governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghanam, said arsonists doused the mosque in the village of Burqa with gasoline, then set it afire.

The Hebrew words for "war" and "Mitzpe Yitzhar" were painted in red on a wall, and the Israeli military said carpets and chairs were burned.

Mitzpe Yitzhar is an unauthorized Jewish settlement outpost in the West Bank where Israeli security forces demolished two structures early Thursday.

In recent years, settlers have attacked Palestinian and Israeli military targets in retaliation for Israeli government operations they see as overly sympathetic to Palestinians.

The increasing frequency of the attacks, the sparse number of arrests and paucity of indictments have generated allegations that the Israeli government isn't acting forcefully enough against extremists after two years of violence.

On Wednesday, following an assault on an Israeli military base, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved measures to clamp down on extremists, including giving soldiers the authority to make arrests and to ban extremists from contentious areas.

(This version CORRECTS translation of graffiti in paragraph 3.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

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