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3.1.12

敘利亞天然氣管道遇襲

據敘利亞通訊社報道,一批恐怖分子當天襲擊了敘利亞中部地區的一條天然氣管道。

報道稱,襲擊者引爆了賴斯坦鎮附近的一條天然氣管道,並引發火災,但暫無人員傷亡報告。

據報道,遭襲的這條管道通往附近的兩座發電站。敘利亞通訊社援引敘石油和礦產部一名官員的話說,其中一座發電站在管道遭襲後已停止運作。

另據當地電力部門一名官員介紹,此次襲擊造成了短時間的電力供應緊張。

自去年3月敘利亞國內動亂以來,全國已有至少5處石油或天然氣管道成為恐怖分子的襲擊目標。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/敘利亞天然氣管道遇襲-143022554.html

伊警告美航母勿入霍爾木茲

伊朗軍方發出強烈警告稱,如果美國航母再次出現在霍爾木茲海峽附近,伊朗將採取行動。

伊朗陸軍總司令薩勒希3日對伊爾納通訊社表示,伊朗方面不準備重複這一警告。薩勒希說:「因為我們的軍演,敵人的航母已移到阿曼灣,我強調美國航母不再返回波斯灣」。

薩勒希沒有就航母的具體名字做出解釋,也未進一步說明如果假設中的美國航母再出現在波斯灣海域,伊朗究竟將採取何種措施。

伊朗1月2日結束了10天大規模海上軍事演習,在演習過程中展示各種新式裝備,試射導彈。伊朗表示,雖然無意「阻斷海峽航運」,但軍演旨在考察伊朗軍方封鎖重要石油運輸通道霍爾木茲海峽的能力。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊警告美航母勿入霍爾木茲-105215797.html

伊朗:美航母勿駛返波灣

(法新社德黑蘭3日電) 伊朗軍事將領今天表示,目前部署在中東的美國航空母艦不應駛返波斯灣的基地
,而且他們不會再警告第2遍。包括伊朗通訊社(IRNA)在內,數家媒體援引准將沙列西(Ataollah Salehi)的話報導:「我們勸告並主張,這艘軍艦不得駛返位於波斯灣的基地。」沙列西表示:「我們不打算重覆警告。」(譯者:中央社林亭儀)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊朗-美航母勿駛返波灣-120506907.html

驚人景象 20噸死魚滿佈挪威北海岸

【11:55】
超過20噸的死魚沖上挪威特羅姆斯郡(Nordreisa)一處海岸邊,魚隻層層相疊就樣地毯般鋪滿整片海岸。(法新社)
 
〔本報訊〕世界末日說再起?外電報導,在挪威特羅姆斯郡(Nordreisa)一處海岸邊,有民眾發現超過20噸死魚散落在海灘上,魚隻層層相疊、像地毯般鋪滿整片海岸。

當地居民喬革辛(Jan-Petter Jorgensen)在溜狗時發現這幕驚人的景象,他表示,人們說相似的事情也曾發生在80年代。他判斷,或許魚兒受困於缺氧環境而死於淡水中。

專家表示,這些魚可能在受掠食性魚類追捕後,受困於潮汐中,被海浪拍打上岸。不過也有一理論指出,這些魚可能受近日海上風暴影響被捲上岸,也有可能是受困於較淺的水中,或是受河流所流出的淡水影響而死亡。

海洋專家候斯特(Jens Christian Holst)表示,有許多因素均可能導致超過20萬噸的死於被海浪沖上岸。他希望能針對這些死魚的屍體做化驗,查明是否死於疾病。
http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/liveNews/news.php?no=587943&type=%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E

美國停止資助發展替代燃料乙醇

VOA 中文主頁
記者: 美國之音 | 華盛頓
2012年 1月 02日

2011年結束後,美國政府不再向生産乙醇燃料的公司提供資助。這一決定反映美國政壇上的一個重大變化。生産乙醇燃料的公司把玉米轉化成可供汽車使用的乙醇燃料。

2011年,乙醇燃料公司每生産3.8升乙醇就可獲得50美分的退稅補貼。美國政府2011年一共給乙醇燃料公司提供了60億美元的退稅補貼,而在2011年美國的政客們就政府的開支爭吵不休。

30多年的財政援助和對外國進口的乙醇徵收關稅的目的是加強替代燃料行業發展。支援者表示,美國自産的乙醇有助於減少美國對海外石油的依賴,同時降低汽車和卡車對空氣造成的污染。

多年來,資助乙醇生産在政治上一直被認為是比較保險的,原因是主要玉米出産州愛奧華州在總統競選的初期階段扮演重要角色。很多參選人為在大選初期階段不失去這個州的支援都承諾會支援乙醇燃料行業。

然而,給乙醇燃料行業提供退稅補貼和關稅措施耗資巨大,而且批評人士説,玉米生産過程中的污染要高於汽車使用乙醇燃料減少的尾氣污染。乙醇燃料行業得到的退稅補貼以及進口關稅措施因此在2011年終結束。


http://www.voafanti.com/gate/big5/www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120102-Ethanol-US-136537818.html

廣東二千雞死禽流感變種

踏入新的一年,禽流感對港人的威脅有增無減!廣東增城一個雞場日前出現2千多隻雞發病死亡,雞場全部2萬多隻活雞隨即遭全部撲殺。另外,深圳市疾控中心證實,早前在內地確診死於禽流感的司機,感染的病毒屬高致病性,並出現基因突變,相信病毒是源自野鳥,但不是人傳人的品種。有本港學者表示,病毒由禽類感染人類,已經顯示情況嚴重,呼籲市民不能掉以輕心。

據內地傳媒報道,廣東增城市新塘鎮簡村一個養雞場,出現2千多隻雞病發死亡,廣州市和增城市動物衞生監督所的獸醫技術人員採取樣本檢驗,目前已排除雞群染上禽流感等高度傳染性疾病。據廣州市農業部門通報,該場雞群死亡原因是出現禽白血病併發雞傳染性喉氣管炎,該病發生在家禽身上,不會感染人類。內地有關部門已將該雞場2.75萬隻雞全部撲殺,進行消毒措施,暫未發現異常情況。

至於深圳寶安區一名39歲巴士司機早前確診感染H5N1禽流感死亡,深圳市疾控中心與香港衞生防護中心就死者呼吸道樣本提取物,進行基因測序,結果發現樣本的甲型流感病毒H5基因,屬於種系「2.3.2.1」,跟早前在本港元朗拾獲死鳥的病毒基因相似,但與深圳在06年的人類禽流感病毒種系「2.3.4」略有不同,顯示病毒已出現基因突變。

死者病毒屬高致病性

深圳市疾控中心微生物檢驗科技術員吳春利表示,死者身上的病毒屬高致病性,未有顯示更強的傳播力,即使病毒出現變異,也是正常現象,相信宿主仍然是野鳥,不會人傳人,呼籲群眾不用恐慌。至於死者的感染源頭是否來自野鳥,吳春利說,仍待確定,疾控中心會繼續配合有關部門的研究工作。吳春利表示,今次的致命病毒,仍然可用金剛胺等藥物治療。

港大感染及傳染病中心總監何栢良表示,病毒出現基因突變並不罕見,在內地造成人類感染的病毒亦有5至6個品種,沒有證據顯示病毒會人傳人或大規模爆發,但由於病毒的死亡率仍達一半以上,即使有所謂的特效藥,例如特敏福及或金剛胺,都可能會因併發症而死亡,故呼籲市民不可以掉以輕心,處理冰鮮雞時要徹底清潔雙手,並須煮熟雞隻, 外出旅行要避免接觸活雞及野鳥。

本港食物安全中心發言人表示,由去年12月21日到前日中午為止,中心共抽取160個來自960隻雞的綜合樣本作禽流感化驗,當中已有結果的全都合格。另外,警方昨午接獲市民報案,於西貢萬年街近海傍發現一隻麻雀屍體,漁護署人員其後撿走雀屍檢驗。

都市日報: http://www.metrohk.com.hk/index.php?cmd=detail&id=178037

(有片)公佈: 新全球貨幣

2012年1月2日 5:32:24

Please spread far and wide. Feel free to embed, Digg, Tweet and Facebook.
A New Global Economic Restructuring
www.cmn.tv/news/new-world-currency/
Conscious Media Network has been approached by a representative of global leaders and financiers from 130 nations to broadcast a statement about a new global economic restructuring arising in 2012.
The statement will be delivered via a video-taped interview with a layperson on behalf of the consortium that has been working behind the scenes, on the problem of the unsustainable global economy for the past 8 years. The party who drafted this statement has stated, in response to conspiracy concerns, that “The usual suspects are not the suspects” and that the Global Elite also understand that the unsecured, digital money system has failed us all, including themselves.
This announcement is to serve as the introduction of a New Global Economic Structure that will begin surfacing in 2012. Those involved in this plan are calling it the “greatest humanitarian effort” in modern history. It will be for each of us to determine over time if this is a truthful statement.
CMN is serving as a neutral party for this broadcast and what it claims, as the economic consortium does not wish to break this news through mainstream media at this time. Please give this your serious attention, as it may be heralding a new way of conducting commerce on the planet that will effect us all well into our future. It will be through our understanding and acceptance that this will happen.
A portion of this plan does include a dissolution of debt in a carefully considered and planned way. The plan itself is paradigm shattering, and only hinted at in this video-taped statement.
There will be more to come throughout the year.

Read the announcement below:

Neither banks nor public authorities (or mainstream academics, for that matter) calculated the economy’s realistic ability to pay – that is, to pay without shrinking the economy. Through their media and think tanks, they have convinced populations that the way to get rich most rapidly is to borrow money to buy real estate, stocks and bonds rising in price – being inflated by bank credit – and to reverse the past century’s progressive taxation of wealth.
To put matters bluntly, the result has been junk economics. Its aim is to disable public checks and balances, shifting planning power into the hands of high finance on the claim that this is more efficient than public regulation. Government planning and taxation is accused of being “the road to serfdom,” as if “free markets” controlled by bankers given leeway to act recklessly is not planned by special interests in ways that are oligarchic, not democratic. Governments are told to pay bailout debts taken on not to defend countries in military warfare as in times past, but to benefit the wealthiest layer of the population by shifting its losses onto taxpayers.
The failure to take the wishes of voters into consideration leaves the resulting national debts on shaky ground politically and even legally. Debts imposed by fiat, by governments or foreign financial agencies in the face of strong popular opposition may be as tenuous as those of the Habsburgs and other despots in past epochs. Lacking popular validation, they may die with the regime that contracted them. New governments may act democratically to subordinate the banking and financial sector to serve the economy, not the other way around.
Credit:
MICHAEL HUDSON - a former Wall Street economist. A Distinguished Research Professor at University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC), he is the author of many books, including Super Imperialism: The Economic Strategy of American Empire (new ed., Pluto Press, 2002) and Trade, Development and Foreign Debt: A History of Theories of Polarization v. Convergence in the World

Taken from: www.counterpunch.org/2011/12/02/debt-slavery-%E2%80%93-why-it-destroyed-rome-why-it-will-destroy-us-unless-it%E2%80%99s-stopped/
Voluminous media reports of ongoing global economic carnage may lead one to take the view that our world does not understand the fundamentals of economics that ancient world leaders such as Hammurabi, Egyptian Pharoahs, and even Roman Emperors knew very well.
The truth is quite simply that debt based economies – money as debt with all its’ intrinsic inequality and poverty is eternally fated for destruction. Ancient despots were anything but humanitarians. Like all despots throughout history they were driven by self interest. But did they recognize at least that a fair economic system is in everyone’s best interest?
Given our dire economic circumstance it is forgivable that we little people despair and wring our hands. The prevailing view of the little people is that we are powerless to effect great change. We may feel that we have awoken only in enough time to spectate as world leaders stare uncomprehendingly at yet another inevitable global collapse.
It is not that world leaders or financial leaders and economists too numerous to even mention have failed to notice the collapse of the current financial system.
In this regard, refer to the comments of Sir Mervyn King, Governor the Bank of England, and the comments of Stephen Green as HSBC Chairman, and the comments of the Pope, and the very recent comments of President Barack Obama plus many, many others. All of these views are from the unique perspective of each individual but there is a common thread.
The comments of Stephen Green are of particular interest. Mr. Green remarks that Milton Friedman was completely wrong (profit only – nothing else matters) but Mr. Green is still compelled to support free market economics. He quotes Sir Winston Churchill who famously stated: “The market is the worst system of economic and social development – except for all the others that have been tried from time to time.”
So the thought is that although free market capitalism is the very worst system, nothing else works either. Socialism, capitalism, communism all fail. There are no credible working “isms” then. Churchill’s comments should be acknowledged by all of us.
So what can we do? Can we only create more debt and accelerate the decline? Are we all – governments, little individuals, and institutions powerless?
The solution is the creation of a new financial system that that is endowed with the most powerful economic tools the world has ever known. It is not an “ism”. It is commerce aimed at the creation of scalable affluence for the greatest number of people within a sustainable, asset backed “bubble up” global economy.
It is an institution for the purpose of providing benevolence for all of humanity, regardless of color, worldview or place on earth. All of this without the creation of debt and without causing harm to the interests of others, no matter if they are great or small.
Although it is known today only by a handful of people throughout the world it nevertheless exists within a mighty and powerful new system that has been created and managed by little people.
It has already begun with little people. Little people are the most powerful force on earth.
Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, states “of all the many ways of organizing banking the worst is the one we have today”
Link to article:
(www.positivemoney.org.uk/2010/10/mervyn-king-of-all-the-many-ways-of-organising-banking-the-worst-is-the-one-we-have-today/)
Extract from article on speech of Stephen Green:
American free market economics guru Milton Friedman was wrong to assert that companies should focus on shareholder value above all other considerations, HSBC Chairman Stephen Green declared.
Link to full article:
www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/7878097/Milton-Friedman-got-it-wrong-on-profit-being-the-only-aim-HSBC-chief-Green-argues.html
Extract of article from speech of Barack Obama in Kansas:
Now, just as there was in Teddy Roosevelt’s time, there is a certain crowd in Washington who, for the last few decades, have said, let’s respond to this economic challenge with the same old tune. “The market will take care of everything,” they tell us. If we just cut more regulations and cut more taxes – especially for the wealthy – our economy will grow stronger. Sure, they say, there will be winners and losers. But if the winners do really well, then jobs and prosperity will eventually trickle down to everybody else. And, they argue, even if prosperity doesn’t trickle down, well, that’s the price of liberty.
Now, it’s a simple theory. And we have to admit, it’s one that speaks to our rugged individualism and our healthy skepticism of too much government. That’s in America’s DNA. And that theory fits well on a bumper sticker. But here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked. It didn’t work when it was tried in the decade before the Great Depression. It’s not what led to the incredible postwar booms of the 50s and 60s. And it didn’t work when we tried it during the last decade. I mean, understand, it’s not as if we haven’t tried this theory.
Link to full text of speech:
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/07/full-text-barack-obama-speech
Extract of article concerning Pope’s 2009 encyclical urging an ethical financial system
“The economy needs ethics in order to function correctly not any ethics, but an ethics which is people centered,” the pope says.
“Above all, the intention to do good must not be considered incompatible with the effective capacity to produce goods,” the Associated Press quotes him saying. “Financiers must rediscover the genuinely ethical foundation of their activity so as to not abuse the sophisticated instruments which can serve to betray the interests of savers.”
Link to article:
www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=14970
Download the PDF
Via www.godlikeproductions.com/

德國的超級火山即將爆發?

2012年1月3日 0:02:35

Is a super-volcano just 390 miles from London about to erupt?

  • It's similar in size to Mount Pinatubo, which in 1991 gave us the biggest eruption of the 20th century
  • Billions of tons of ash and magma would be ejected
  • Southern England would be covered in ash
By Ted Thornhill
Last updated at 1:39 PM on 2nd January 2012
Dailymail
A sleeping super-volcano in Germany is showing worrying signs of waking up.
It's lurking just 390 miles away underneath the tranquil Laacher See lake near Bonn and is capable of ejecting billions of tons of magma.
This monster erupts every 10 to 12,000 years and last went off 12,900 years ago, so it could blow at any time.
 
Hidden menace: Laacher See looks tranquil, but beneath its waters lies a volcano that could devastate Europe
Hidden menace: Laacher See looks tranquil, but beneath its waters lies a volcano that could devastate Europe
 
Water deceptive sight: The lake was formed when the land collapsed following the last eruption at Laacher See
Water deceptive sight: The lake was formed when the land collapsed following the last eruption
 
Monster: The Laacher See volcano is similar in size to Mount Pinatubo, which caused a 0.5C drop in global temperatures when it erupted in 1991
Monster: The Laacher See volcano is similar in size to Mount Pinatubo, which caused a 0.5C drop in global temperatures when it erupted in 1991
It covered 620 square miles of land with ash and rocks and several small earthquakes in the region last year indicate that it could be awakening from its deep sleep.

Experts believe that if it did go off, it could lead to widespread devastation, mass evacuations and even short-term global cooling from the resulting ash cloud blocking the sun.
The effect on the UK is hard to predict but it’s possible that large parts of southern England could be covered ash.
 
If the Laacher See eruption is as powerful as the last one, volcanic material could land over 600 miles away
If the Laacher See eruption is as powerful as the last one, volcanic material could land over 600 miles away
It’s thought that the volcano is similar in size and power to Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, which blew in 1991 and became the biggest eruption of the 20th century.
It ejected 10 billion tons of magma, 20 billion tons of sulphur dioxide 16 cubic kilometres of ash and caused a 0.5C drop in global temperatures.
Volcanologists believe that the Laacher See volcano is still active as carbon dioxide is bubbling up to the lake’s surface, which indicates that the magma chamber below is 'degassing'.
VIDEO HERE
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1573/666/Is_A_Super-Volcano_In_Germany_About_To_Erupt.html
 

發表最新H5N1研究爭議後H5N1禽流感襲中國

2012年1月2日 21:48:52
Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

A Chinese man infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus died on Saturday, marking China’s first case of the disease in humans in 18 months.

The news comes just days after the United States government frantically acted to block the full publishing of research that successfully mutated the H5N1 virus to be highly contagious.

Killing around 60% of those infected, experts have consistently warned about the dangers of the bird flu virus and the potential bioterrism threat posed by the heavy mutation of the virus to be hyper-contagious.

While there has been no indication that this is a result of a weaponized strain of the virus, the affected man is reported to live in the Chinese city of Henzhen, a metropolis of 10 million people. In the event that the virus were to be weaponized, it could result in millions of deaths.

Amazingly, despite concerns over the study being released to the public, the World Health Organization (WHO) has actually stated that such research ‘must’ continue. The organization also failed to mention the fact that the full release could threaten millions of lives, stating that it “has risks.”

In response to the study potentially being released, the WHO stated:
While it is clear that conducting research to gain such knowledge must continue, it is also clear that certain research, and especially that which can generate more dangerous forms of the virus than those which already exist, has risks (emphasis added).
Some such research includes mutating and weaponizing the bird flu strain in order to create H5N1 bird flu vaccines. These vaccines will be created to ‘treat’ the 573 bird flu cases reported since 2003. Meanwhile, the results of such research actually threatens the lives of 60% of the entire globe based upon the projected death rate of the virus.

It is essential to boost your immune system in order to prevent all types of flu, not just bird or swine. In addition to generating or supplementing with enough vitamin D to slash your risk in half, you should avoid processed foods, eat a diet high in nutrient-dense foods, and drink half your body weight in ounces of purified water each day.

Explore More:
  1. Scientists Weaponize Deadly Bird Flu, Consider Releasing Results Necessary to Create Bioweapon
  2. Did the Alternative Media Force US Govt to Block Deadly Bird Flu Study?
  3. Officials Warn of Weaponized H5N1 Bird Flu Pandemic Amid Debate
  4. Mainstream Media to Begin Bird Flu Scare Regarding Bird and Fish Deaths
  5. False Pandemic? U.N. Warns of Bird Flu Resurgence
  6. Children May Be Given Death-Linked Anthrax Shots Under Bioterrorism Scare Trials
Please visit Natural Society for more great health news and vaccine information. 
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1573/338/H5N1_Bird_Flu_Strikes_China_Following_Bioterrorism_Study_Release_Controversy.html

孟山都的除草劑危害男性生育能力?

Sayer Ji, Contributing Writer
Activist Post

In a disturbing study published last month (Dec. 2011) in the Journal of Toxicology in Vitro, researchers found that Monsanto's popular "weed killer" known as Roundup, which has already been linked to over 25 adverse health effects, is also capable of interfering with and/or harming the male reproductive system.

Researchers tested Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, on mature rat testicular cells at a concentration range between 1 and 10,000 ppm, which they described as "the range in some human urine and in environment to agricultural levels." They found that within 1 to 48 hours of Roundup exposure testicular (Leydig) cells were damaged or killed.

What is more disturbing is that even at a lower, presumably "non toxic" concentration of 1 ppm of Roundup, or glyphosate by itself, testosterone concentrations were observed to decrease by 35%.

Keep in mind that 1 ppm of Roundup is an infinitesimal concentration. Distilled water, as a reference point, contains between 5-10 ppm of dissolved solids. How can such a small concentration of Roundup/glyphosate cause such a profound disruption of biological activity in testicular cells? The phenomenon is known as endocrine disruption.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the "synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for development, behavior, fertility, and maintenance of homeostasis (normal cell metabolism)," and are capable of interfering with hormonal health even in minute concentrations. Whereas a higher concentration of Roundup might result in immediate cell death, a much lower one can alter the hormonal and genetic expression of that cell, perhaps taking it down the path towards pathological dysfunction, or even cancer.


Ultimately, the problem with Roundup/glyphosate and endocrine disruption is not simply theoretical. Most of us in the industrialized world are already being exposed to significant concentrations in our air, rain, drinking water and food. Mass herbicide exposure is just one form of fall-out from what is perhaps the largest example of mass human experimentation ever conducted: the co-option of the global staple food production system by chemical and biotech companies. We did not give our consent to this experiment, nor were we fully informed it was happening to us.  Only through raising awareness will we be able to turn the tide against the ceaseless chemical and biological assault against our health represented by companies such as Monsanto and Dow AgroScience. Please consider taking positive action in the following two ways:

ACTION ALERT #1: Vote Down Dow's New 2,4 D Resistant GMO Corn
The US government has made available a petition, open to public commentary until Feb. 27th, 2012, which concerns Dow AgroScience’s application for non-regulated status for its 2,4 D resistant corn.  PLEASE voice your concerns today, and send a clear message that we will not accept further the wholesale deregulation of bioengineered foods and widespread application of dangerous systemic biocides (euphemistically and myopically called herbicides).

ACTION ALERT #2:  Support The California Anti-GMO Ballot Initiative
Learn about the California ballot initiative that will force GMO foods to be labeled. This is the front line of the struggle against the continued assault on human and environmental health by corporations like Monsanto.

Please visit GreenMedInfo to access their vast database of articles and the latest information in natural health.
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1574/311/Is_Monsantos_Herbicide_Harming_Male_Fertility.html

美國農業部批准另一類孟山都公司的基因改造大豆上市

2012年1月1日 21:12:02
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has again deregulated a genetically modified (GM) product made by the most hated company in the world, Monsanto. The approval gives the agricultural giant's Vistive Gold soybeans the green light for production within the United States and Canada.
Monsanto already has low-linolenic soybean oils on the market under its Vistive brand -- KFC and Kellogg's have both used Vistive to slash trans fats from their products -- but the company claims that its new generation traits confer "significantly extended fry life" and are more stable at high temperatures than either existing Vistive oils or conventional soybean oils. After all, this what a unhealthy populations striving for fresher and wholesome foods need...longer fry life?

According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, at least 70 percent of processed foods sold in U.S. supermarkets now contain genetically modified ingredients and 93 percent of soy grown on U.S. soil is genetically modified, with soybean oil found in a number of processed/fast foods.
The USDA deregulation of the MON 87705 trait means that field testing and seed production can take place in United States, under the usual guidelines for GM foods until export markets provide regulatory approvals, according to the company. The deregulation completes the regulatory process in the United States, and the trait has also been approved in Canada.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter of no objection the soybeans were generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in May 2010, enabling food makers to test the soy oil.
Critics suggest it's another reason to stay away from anything soy including products made with soy lecithin.

Genetically engineered soy contains high concentrations of plant toxicants. The presence of high levels of toxicants in the GM soy
represent thousands of plant biochemicals many of which have been shown to have toxic effects on animals.

In addition to the serious health risks associated with consuming genetically modified foods, soy poses another risk: hexane. Used in processing soy ingredients to make isolates and concentrates, whole soybeans are bathed in synthetic petroleum-based solvents including the neurotoxin and pollutant, hexane.

Most soy products block the production of thyroid hormone and reduce energy in the body by inhibiting tyrosine kinases, enzymes involved in the transfer of energy from one molecule to another. These enzymes drive cell division, memory consolidation, tissue repair, and blood vessel maintenance and regeneration.

Get Off The Soy Bandwagon And Make Sure It's Not An Ingredient In Any Foods You Eat
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1571/020/USDA_Approves_Another_Genetically_Modified_Soybean_Courtesy_of_Monsanto.html

伊朗宣布試射導彈成功

伊朗官方通訊社稱,該國今日進行海上演習期間,試射岸對海導彈成功。
該社引述海軍副司令穆薩維表示,在海上演習期間,試射岸對海Qader導彈成功,導彈可以摧毀波斯灣的預定目標。
穆薩維早前通過伊朗國家電視台稱:「今日我們將在演習中試射Qader和Nou兩種型號的導彈。」
(綜合)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊朗宣布試射導彈成功-073040504.html

教宗新年彌撒 籲教育新世代

(路透梵蒂岡1日電)教宗本篤十六世今天發表新年演說指出,人類面臨關鍵性挑戰,應該以正義與和平教育新世代,如此才能避免過往的暴力悲劇歷史重演。
今天也是教廷所訂的「世界和平日」。這是高齡84的本篤十六世(Pope Benedict XVI)第7度主持新年彌撒。數千信眾聚集在聖伯多祿大教堂,參加教宗主持的元旦彌撒。
教宗說,今年的主題是「以正義與和平教育青年」,人類經歷過兩次世界大戰,之後世界又發生大大小小的暴力衝突,教育青年應是每一個世代的重責大任。
教宗並指出,教育青年「認識真理、基本價值觀和美德,將為人類的未來帶來希望」。他強調,青年需要接受全面性教育,而這又需要社會積極推動正義與和平。
他指出,年輕人必須充分運用現代日新月異的通訊科技,來促進人類的和平共存、相互尊重、對話與了解。
教宗還說:「年輕一代基本上都擁有良善的心態,只是成長過程中所經歷的社會現實面,有可能讓他們產生負面的想法和行為,不願包容,甚至訴諸暴力。」中央社(翻譯)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/教宗新年彌撒-籲教育新世代-100700716.html

美大選年 軍售救失業兼助選情

(路透華盛頓1日電)中東國家頻頻採購美國戰機,可望成為疲弱不振的美國經濟的亮點,可能有助總統歐巴馬尋求連任。
美國最近數週宣布多起大型軍售案,包括對伊拉克、沙烏地阿拉伯和阿曼在內,洛克希德馬丁公司(Lockheed Martin Corp.)和波音公司(Boeing Co.)雨露均霑,分別延續F-16和F-15型戰機生產線。
美國國防部開支將大幅刪減,對外軍售料有所彌補。除非美國國會通過新的削減赤字方案,國防部在明年起至2021年期間還將追加削減5000億至6000億美元。
美國今年是總統大選年,預料國內經濟將會是選戰焦點,但經濟成長速度僅及降低8.6%失業率所需的一半,考驗尋求連任的歐巴馬。
歐巴馬政府上週宣布,已和沙國簽署創紀錄294億美元合約,出售波音公司生產的F-15戰機,讓美國先前各個軍售案規模相形見絀,同時對外軍售增加有利就業市場。
白宮發言人厄尼思特(Josh Earnest)指這項軍售案有助提升沙國在中東地區的空防能力,同時支持美國逾5萬個工作機會。
美國國務院政治與軍事助卿夏皮洛(AndrewShapiro)也說:「這不僅將支持航空業的工作機會,也有利我們的製造業基地和相關供應鏈,在在對於我們的國防產業永續不墜至關重要。」
洛克希德馬丁及其支持者已尋求推動美國同意對臺灣出售66架F-16C/D新型戰機,價值逾80億美元。中央社(翻譯)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/美大選年-軍售救失業兼助選情-091000281.html

死魚屍橫遍野

奈及利亞的邦加(Bonga)外海12月21日發生荷蘭皇家殼牌集團(Royal Dytch Shell)石油外洩事件後,歐羅畢利村(Orobiri)附近的大西洋沿岸31日出現一批死魚。奈及利亞村民1月1日說,沖上岸邊的石油是殼牌上個月的 裝載事件所致,但是殼牌否認。 中央社(翻譯)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/死魚屍橫遍野-154700216.html

瑪雅曆法專家﹕末日論是新世紀元旦

【明報專訊】「2012年世界末日」雖缺乏根據,但仍是不少人喜歡的話題。有瑪雅曆法專家特意趁新年澄清,今年12月21日僅是瑪雅曆法新周期開始,就像元旦,絕非末日,而是喜慶日子。
移 居加拿大23年的危地馬拉人、里賈納大學(University of Regina)傳理系教授兼瑪雅文明專家巴雷諾(Leonzo Barreno),曾獲瑪雅長老傳授曆法。他指出,末日論是對瑪雅「長曆」曆法的誤解。瑪雅長曆以5125年為一循環周期,當中包含13個各約400年的 小周期。現時的長曆周期是由公元前3113年開始,將於今年12月21日結束,新長曆周期隨即開始。巴雷諾稱,相傳瑪雅戰爭和造物之神Bolon Yokte會在第13個400年周期後回到人間,可能因此讓人產生末日的誤解。事實上新周期開始就像元旦,在瑪雅傳統上是喜慶日子。

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/瑪雅曆法專家-末日論是新世紀元旦-211751218.html

丹佛萬豪壞門鎖 房客大毆鬥

(綜合報道)(星島日報報道)美國丹佛市萬豪酒店(Denver Tech Center Marriott)的客房門鎖系統,在元旦日凌晨發生故障,許多參加除夕倒數狂歡活動返回酒店的房客,不得其門而入,部分人更在房門外大打出手,驚動警方到場。
元旦日凌晨故障
這間萬豪酒店總共有六百二十八間客房,全部使用門匙卡開門,但竟然在午夜時分發生故障。酒店經理阿特金斯說,不清楚門匙卡故障和年度轉換是否有關係。
房鎖從零時開始故障,一直到凌晨三時才修復。據報道,有一些人在跨年倒數派對上狂飲爛醉歸來,無法進房,因而在酒店走廊上嘔吐。還有客人一言不合,大打出手,驚動警方到場。
不過,事故中無人受到嚴重傷害。阿特金斯指其他萬豪酒店並沒有發生類似的門匙卡故障事故。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/丹佛萬豪壞門鎖-房客大毆鬥-220831023.html

美小鎮連續兩年跨年夜降大量雀屍

美國阿肯色州中部城鎮比比(Beebe)連續兩年在跨年夜落下大量黑鳥屍體,今年有多達5000隻鳥屍散落各條街道,十分詭異。

有科學家說,今次比比落黑鳥是因為當地有人放煙花迎接新年,導致雀鳥受驚下撞向住家、車輛、電線桿,甚至彼此相撞因而死亡。

警方說,當局是在上周六晚七時收到首宗街道有很多雀屍的報告,而當地當時正有居民大放煙花慶祝新年。

2010年跨年夜也發生類似事件,施放煙花期間有鳥隻從天空墜落。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/美小鎮連續兩年跨年夜降大量雀屍-080200750.html

澳洲腦炎恐爆發

【明報專訊】澳洲南部新南威爾士省的衛生部門警告,經蚊子傳播的墨萊溪谷腦炎(Murray Valley encephalitis,俗稱澳洲腦炎)可能爆發,當局最近從當地雞群發現有關病毒,人類亦可受感染。這種罕見疾病上次爆發是1970年代,可奪命。
當地衛生官員稱,這種病毒很少感染人類。它主要感染鳥類,卻可透過蚊子在鳥和人類間傳播,數十年才在南澳爆發一次。他說病者多數沒嚴重症狀,但少數感染者會出現頭痛、發熱、頸部僵硬、困倦等病徵,約1/3出現病徵的患者有死亡風險,另外1/3會出現長期的神經問題。
發燒痛症似登革熱 港罕見
傳 染病專家勞永樂醫生向本報表示,此症是澳洲的地區疾病,香港沒爆發過,在港出現的機會很低,他只處理過一名由澳洲到港的澳洲腦炎病人。他表示,澳洲腦炎病 徵跟登革熱相似,病者會出現發燒及痛症,最麻煩是出現持續多月的關節腫痛或關節炎,這有別於主要影響神經系統的日本腦炎。由於疾病是由病毒感染,服用抗生 素也沒有用,無藥可治,但過一段時間可自行痊癒。他說,吃雞不會感染,也不會人傳人。他建議市民春節到澳洲注意防蚊,外遊回港後發高燒應立即看醫生,並主 動通報外遊紀錄。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/澳洲腦炎恐爆發-211736318.html

梅鐸開微博 被批做騷 80歲忽投新媒體

【明報專訊】向來不屑互聯網的傳媒大亨梅鐸(Rupert Murdoch),甫踏入2012年即以全新態度擁抱新媒體,以80歲高齡加入潮流玩意寫微博,大談新年願望以至對美國總統選舉等。開網一日間,已贏得逾 4.3萬個追隨者。但也有評論認為,梅鐸今次只是搞公關騷,抗衡twitter用戶普遍對他的反感情緒。
梅鐸曾形容互聯網「充斥色情、盜竊 和黑客」,在2009年一場傳媒與科技年會上,甚至警告投資者說,投資twitter「要小心」,因為尚未能證明它能提供可持續收入。去年《世界新聞報》 引爆竊聽醜聞,有twitter群組甚至發起杯葛《世界新聞報》和梅鐸媒體的行動,令他大表反感。是以當微博用戶在大除夕發現這保守長者加入時,無不驚 訝。但twitter創辦人多爾西(Jack Dorsey)發文表示經過求證,證實是梅鐸本人開戶。
曾斥互聯網色情賊竇
梅 鐸以@rupertmurdoch開戶兩天,發表了17則微博,談書本、說電影、講政治,還講述個人活動等。梅鐸最先在twitter追隨的,是微博創辦 人多爾西、美國網上遊戲公司Zynga的創辦人兼總裁平卡斯(Mark Pincus),之後再增加了英國Amshold集團主席休洛(Lord Sugar)與Google創辦人佩奇(Larry Page)。
其帳戶頭兩則貼文都是談書,首先表示剛讀完由著名科普作家里德利 (Matt Ridley)所撰的《The Rational Optimist》,大讚是好書。接着他又指艾薩克森(Walter Isaacson)的《喬布斯傳》雖然有趣,但不公允,認為喬布斯的家人會不高興。當正在加勒比海度假的他,留言「明天就要上班」,休洛接口稱他還未放完 假,梅鐸說了句「或許英國人放太多假期破壞了國家!」
英國去年和今年的公眾假期只為9天,比香港的12天勞工假還要少。twitter用戶「Wendi_Deng」似乎覺得梅鐸失言,迅即留言道﹕「魯伯特,刪掉(這句話)!!」估計說此話者,正是梅鐸的43歲妻子鄧文迪。她在留言稱呼丈夫為「甜心」、「厚臉皮」。
被批籠絡網民公關騷
分 析認為梅鐸加入twitter,是想一洗「不屑互聯網」的外界形象。但也有評論認為,梅鐸開戶只屬公關伎倆,例如他發文大讚旗下霍士影業公司的兩齣電影, 認為佐治古尼所主演的《The Descendants》可以奪獎,又讚新上畫的《翻身動物園》是很好的合家歡電影。英國前副首相彭仕國(John Prescott)更給梅鐸留言稱,「歡迎加入twitter,我已在我的電話語音信箱,給你留了恭賀新禧的錄音」,暗諷梅鐸旗下媒體,被指竊聽電話留 言。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/梅鐸開微博-被批做騷-80歲忽投新媒體-211736381.html