World Terrorism: News, History and Research Of A Changing World #9 Security Watch

BERNAMA ^ | June 19, 2007 | BERNAMA

[struwwelpeter]

http://www.svobodanews.ru/Article/2007/08/24/200708241740 20213.html

Relatives of terror act victims: “We don’t like official ceremonies”

Three years after the tragedy there is finally a monument on the site where wreckage of the Tu-154 fell to earth

By Olga Vakhonicheva, Radio Svoboda
August 24th, 2007

Just before the third anniversary of the terror acts, in which two passenger planes simultaneously exploded in the skies over Russia, a monument has been set up on the site of the destruction of one aircraft. For three years neither the authorities, nor Sibir airlines (who owned the Tu-154 that was flying the Moscow-Sochi route), made any attempts to do this. The humble memorial was set up using the resources of a private fund for assisting terrorism victims.

The memorial was placed near the village of Gluboky Kamensk in the Shakhtinsky region of the Rostov district, on the site where wreckage of the Tu-154 was found. It consists of two large stones, between which is a plaque with the names of the airline’s 46 dead passengers and crew. “Three months ago relatives of the dead contacted me,” says Marina Litvinovich, director of the Fund for Assistance to Victims of Terror Acts. “We discussed the model together. It seems to me that it’s very important that there be a memorial to the people who died in this terror act.”

“The monument on the site of the destruction of the Tu-154 was set up yesterday,” the widow of airline pilot Yuri Andryushchenko told a correspondent from Radio Svoboda. Every year on this day she comes to the site of the tragedy. According to her, these trips are not organized or paid for by anyone; people come at their own initiative – some wish to, and some do not. Relatives of the dead are mainly elderly. “Most of those whom I know lost their children,” says the pilot’s widow. “They are already at a difficult age and aren’t able to travel. So only a few people gather here.”

According to the widow, this morning representatives of the local administration were to lay flowers at the memorial. “But at 9 in the morning we didn’t go there,” she continues. “I don’t like to participate in official ceremonies. (I like to do things) quietly, without pomp. It’s been a long time already, and this is such a remote village, people struggle here to survive, they don’t have any use for memorials.”

In lawsuits brought by relatives of those killed in the terror acts, the airlines and insurance companies were able to prove that they hold no liability. Those who organized the terror acts have never been found, and an investigation by the prosecutor general has been suspended. Yuri Andryushchenko’s widow evaluates this to mean that the case is closed: “I read in the criminal-procedural codex that they will do something if there are new findings, but I understand that if there are no new findings in 3 years, then it’s unlikely that anything new will show up now.”

The pilot’s widow states that she was surprised to find out that the investigator in this case was also investigating several other crimes. “I’m, of course, a disinterested party,” she says. “But it seems to me that this is a serious crime, an organized act of terror, two airliners… I was simply very surprised. Either we don’t have enough manpower or we’ve got a lot of crime going on.” The widow continues: “Certainly, we are very offended by all of this. Certainly, we’d like for the guilty to be found, but no one has been found. No one is guilty. Maybe the organizers of these terror acts are so clever that our valiant agencies aren’t able to uncover their perfidious plans.”

Marina Litvinovich, the director of the Fund for Assistance to Victims of Terror Acts, recalls that right after the explosions of the two aircraft there were other large acts of terror: “An explosion in the Rizhskaya metro station followed this, later there was the terror act in Beslan. Certainly, the Beslan tragedy overshadowed the earlier terror acts. Investigations (into the blown up airliners) didn’t get to the heart of the matter. They punished the people who sold the tickets, but who were these shahidki (suicide martyrs)? They were never investigated, unfortunately.”

According to Marina Litvinovich, the head of the fund cooperates with victims and relatives of those who died in various terror acts – the seizure of hostages in Beslan and ‘Nord-Ost’, and the apartment building blasts in Volgodonsk. “We are trying to assist them firstly with regards to the investigations. Then there are certain tasks, such as setting up a memorial. It seems to me that this is a very important task.”

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ten Web Sites for Startup Businesses

Home

Samples

1. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) aids, counsels, and protects the interests of small businesses. Spend some time investigating all of the benefits offered by SBA. If you hope to sell products or services to the federal government, study the “Business Opportunities” page. If you, as the owner of the business, are a member of a recognized minority, check the 8(a) program. If your business is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (to find out, go to http://map.sba.gov/hubzone/init.asp#address ), check the HUB Zone Program. Both of these programs (and others) offer some competitive advantage in gaining federal contracts. http://www.sba.gov

2. The U.S. Small Business Administration Startup Guide serves as a roadmap
for starting a business, finding finances, doing business with the government, etc.
Learn how to start a business, choose the type of business organization, develop
a business plan, write a loan proposal, and learn about applicable government regulations. http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.html

3. The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) provides “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” This is the best source of confidential and free small business advice and training to help you build your business—from idea to start-up to success. The site offers a variety of free goodies — business plan and financial templates, financing guides, newsletters, online workshops, tips, IRS tax workshops, etc. http://www.score.org

4. Should your new business be a sole proprietorship? Or an S-Corporation? Or a C-Corporation? Or a Limited Liability Company? What are the ownership rules of each? What is the personal liability exposure of the owner in each case? How are income taxes calculated? First seek professional advice from your accountant and/or your attorney. Then visit this site. It will help you to decide whether to form a corporation or a limited liability company, and will, for a fee, prepare all of the paperwork necessary to implement your decision (and that fee will probably be less than your local attorney would charge). http://www.corporate.com

5. The Wall Street Journal Center for Entrepreneurs offers a site to help you research the market, secure financing, open a shop, hire employees and run the business. The site’s content comes from the powerful editorial resources of The Wall Street Journal, industry experts and StartupJournal’s editorial team. This site will help with business plans, trademark searches, startup books available for sale, etc. http://www.startupjournal.com

6. What common mistakes should you avoid when starting a new business? Concentrate on cash flow. Focus your mind on what you do (and what you don’t do). Keep a lid on overhead. Commit to self-education. Read the complete Entrepreneur Magazine article for details. http://www.entrepreneur.com

7. Inklings Media Company offers an array of written and graphic products for the business community. Inklings Media Company is a small, disabled veteran owned, HUB Zone business located in Talladega County, Alabama. If you need help with press releases, business plans, procedures, manuals, brochures, advertising, etc, visit this site. www.inklingsmedia.com

8. Running a business is an exciting challenge. And a tough challenge. If you hope to succeed, you MUST keep control of your finances. You MUST know where your money is coming from and where it is going to. So, how do you control your finances? First, seek advice from your accountant. You may choose to hire him to keep your books. Or you may choose to keep them yourself using some software package like QuickBooks. Packages like QuickBooks will allow you to enter your invoices, orders, and bills and remind you when they are due. It will fill in vendor information and print your checks. It will automatically track sales and expenses. http://quickbooks.intuit.com

9. If you are required to report employment taxes or give tax statements to employees or annuitants, you need an employer identification number (EIN). The EIN is a nine-digit number issued by the IRS. It is used to identify the tax accounts of employers and certain others who have no employees. You must use the EIN on all items you send to the Internal Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. You may apply for an EIN online. Do not use your social security number in place of an EIN. If you took over another employer’s business, do not use that employer’s EIN. Get your own. www.irs.gov/smallbiz

10. If you wish to do business with the federal government, you must register with the Central Contractor Registration System (CCR). The first step is to apply for a Dun & Bradstreet number (a DUNS number). This can be don online at www.dnb.com. The process of obtaining a DUNS number takes up to thirty days. D&B will also try to sell you some additional services. These are fine if you need them, but they are not necessary for obtaining the DUNS number. You will receive the DUNS number by email. After obtaining the DUNS number, you can register with the CCR at www.ccr.qov. After you register with the CCR, you must obtain a Trading Partner Identification number (TPIN). This can also be done online at www.bpn.qov/ccr email!. To obtain the TPIN, you must provide your DUNS number and your CCR confirmation number.
www.dnb.com
www.ccr.gov
www.bpn.gov/ccr_email

from:

http://www.inklingsmedia.com/Samples/toptenwebsites.htm

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Milford for this alert:

Explosives found at French campus

AN ELABORATE system of incendiary devices was discovered yesterday at
an international business school near Paris where the French
president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is to address business leaders next week.

Cleaning staff found the devices in a bathroom.

This article: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1345572007

Last updated: 24-Aug-07 01:23 BST

[nw_arizona_granny]

In lawsuits brought by relatives of those killed in the terror acts, the airlines and insurance companies were able to prove that they hold no liability. Those who organized the terror acts have never been found, and an investigation by the prosecutor general has been suspended. Yuri Andryushchenko’s widow evaluates this to mean that the case is closed: “I read in the criminal-procedural codex that they will do something if there are new findings, but I understand that if there are no new findings in 3 years, then it’s unlikely that anything new will show up now.”<<<<

How different from here. I find in many local news sites, reports of crimes 20 or 30 years old, being solved.

Interesting the 3 crimes, leading up to Beslan. As they often threaten 3, 5, or 7 different hits, in one statement.

I stop to read roadside monuments, so have to agree with putting this one up, makes sense to me.

Thanks for sharing this with us.

[nw_arizona_granny]

CK: “Dagestan Mothers” who protested against kidnappings stop hunger-strike

Caucasian Knot
23/8/2007

“Dagestan Mothers” who protested against kidnappings stop hunger-strike

Tonight, the women from the “Dagestan Mothers” Public Organization who
protested against kidnappings of their relatives have stopped their
hunger strike.

Svetlana Isaeva, one of the hunger-strikers, has informed, that it
happened after the women were visited by a delegation led by the State
Secretary of Dagestan Takibat Makhmudova and the head of the
Analytical Department under President of Dagestan Miyasat Muslimova,
the “Interfax” reports.

According to Ms Isaeva, on the last day the number of hunger-strikers
dropped down to two persons. Gulnara Rustamova and herself continued
the action at the office of “Dagestan Mothers” in Makhachkala, the
“Gazeta.Ru” writes.

http://eng.kavkaz.memo.ru/newstext/engnews/id/1195409.html

[nw_arizona_granny]

IOL: Gutseriyev’s son dies in crash

iol.co.za

Billionaire’s son dies in crash

August 24 2007

Moscow - The British-educated son of a Russian billionaire who is
facing heavy government pressure has been killed in a car crash in
Moscow, his family said.

Chingiskhan Gutseriyev, 21, was the son of Mikhail Gutseriyev, the
former head of oil firm Russneft.

He died on Wednesday and was buried in the family’s native region of
North Ossetia on Thursday in a Muslim ceremony attended by the
president of neighbouring Ingushetia. Russneft said he had died of a
brain haemorrhage following the crash.

The dead man’s father accused the Russian government in July of
“unprecedented bullying” after Russneft received back tax demands
totalling $800-million.

http://tinyurl.com/2ugrya

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/

[nw_arizona_granny]

Date: Fri 24 Aug 2007
Source: CDC MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2007; 56(33); 842-6 [edited]
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5633a2.htm?s_cid=mm5633a2_e

Norovirus activity: United States, 2006-2007

---

In late 2006, CDC [US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention] began
receiving requests from numerous state public health departments for
information about a perceived increase in the number of outbreaks of
acute gastroenteritis (AGE), especially those involving
person-to-person transmission in long-term—care facilities. No
national surveillance system exists for AGE outbreaks, including
those caused by norovirus, unless foodborne transmission is
suspected. In the absence of national surveillance data, CDC
attempted to better characterize the outbreaks of AGE by analyzing
information from the following sources: 1) detailed data on recent
AGE outbreaks in 3 of the states that had contacted CDC about a
possible increase (North Carolina, Wisconsin, and New York); 2)
emergency department (ED) syndromic surveillance data from Boston,
Massachusetts; 3) basic epidemiologic data on AGE outbreaks from a
CDC survey of state health departments; and 4) laboratory data from
CDC. The analysis suggests that a national increase has occurred in
the frequency of AGE outbreaks caused by norovirus (including fatal
cases in long-term—care facilities). In 2006, 2 new co circulating
GII.4 norovirus strains emerged nationwide and likely accounted for
this increase in activity. Improved national surveillance of
outbreaks, including those with person-to-person transmission;
development of accessible, affordable, and timely clinical tests; and
increased access to a norovirus strain sequencing database at CDC
will lead to more accurate assessment of the morbidity and mortality
associated with norovirus and more rapid identification of newly
emerging norovirus strains.

North Carolina

---

During January-December 2006, the North Carolina Division of Public
Health received 17 reports of outbreaks clinically and
epidemiologically consistent with norovirus infection* (1) among
residents of long-term—care facilities, compared with 6 in 2005 and
3 in 2004. Norovirus was confirmed by reverse
transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in all 12 outbreaks
for which stool specimens were available. A total of 573 residents
and 288 staff members were affected in the 17 outbreaks, and 36
patients required hospitalization. One patient aged 90 years died in
association with an AGE outbreak in a long-term—care facility after
experiencing loose stools, fever, and dehydration for 3 days;
gastrointestinal illness was recorded as the primary cause of death.
Outbreaks lasted from 2 to 35 days (median: 12 days). The largest
confirmed norovirus outbreak at a long-term—care facility affected
77 residents and 67 staff members.

Outbreaks were preceded by illness among food handlers in 4 of the 17
long-term—care facilities, suggesting that these outbreaks might
have been caused initially by foodborne transmission. At least 2
outbreaks were preceded by illness among staff members who also
worked at other long-term—care facilities with reported norovirus
outbreaks. Many long-term—care facilities used disinfectants that
had limited effectiveness against norovirus (such as, quaternary
ammonia compounds) during these outbreaks. Although all AGE and other
communicable disease outbreaks in North Carolina are reportable by
long-term—care facilities to health departments, in at least 4 of
the 17 outbreaks in 2006, health departments were notified of the
outbreaks by emergency medical personnel or residents’ family members
rather than directly by the facilities, suggesting incomplete
reporting of these outbreaks by long-term—care facilities in this
state.

Wisconsin

---

During 2006, the Wisconsin Division of Public Health received reports
of 106 AGE outbreaks, compared with 23 AGE outbreaks in 2005. Of the
2006 outbreaks, 87 (82 percent) were PCR-confirmed norovirus
outbreaks; 45 (78 percent) of 58 norovirus-confirmed, non-foodborne
outbreaks were in long-term—care facilities, compared with 3 (20
percent) of the 15 norovirus-confirmed, non-foodborne outbreaks in
2005.

The 45 outbreaks in long-term—care facilities reported in Wisconsin
in 2006 included 2071 clinical cases; 44 patients were hospitalized,
and 2 died. The primary causes of death were not reported. The
duration of outbreaks in long-term—care facilities ranged from 2 to
30 days (median: 11 days). Challenges in investigating these
outbreaks included delayed reporting and incomplete collection of
clinical data by long-term—care facilities.

New York

---

During 1 Oct 2006-31 Jan 2007, a total of 333 AGE outbreaks were
reported in New York, more than 4 times the number reported during
the same period in 2005-2006 (76 outbreaks). Of these 333 outbreaks,
272 (82 percent) occurred in long-term—care facilities and 26 (8
percent) in hospitals. Of 216 health-care facility outbreaks with
available data, a total of 7907 patients and 4317 staff members were
affected. Of these, 207 (2.6 percent) patients and 20 (0.5 percent)
staff members were hospitalized, and 16 deaths among patients with
AGE were reported; however the cause of death was not reported. In
October 2005, electronic reporting of outbreaks in health-care
facilities began in New York, which might have increased the
completeness of reporting from these facilities. However, the number
of outbreaks reported by traditional means (that is, fax machine or
telephone) increased 298 percent, from 42 during the 2005-2006 period
to 167 during the 2006-2007 period, suggesting a real increase in
incidence.

The New York State Department of Health does not routinely perform
viral testing at the state laboratory for all AGE outbreaks.
Therefore, of the 298 outbreaks that occurred in long-term—care
facilities, only 11 (4 percent) outbreaks had a laboratory-confirmed
etiology; 4 of these had laboratory confirmation of norovirus by
RT-PCR, and 7 had laboratory confirmation of non-viral etiologies.
The majority of outbreaks that did not have a laboratory-confirmed
etiology were clinically and epidemiologically consistent with
norovirus infection (1).

Boston, Massachusetts

---

During 1 Dec 2006-1 Apr 2007, 18 outbreaks characterized by acute
onset of vomiting and diarrhea were reported from colleges, day care
centers, and health-care facilities in Boston, Massachusetts,
affecting 1327 persons, compared with 2 such outbreaks during the
same period in 2005. Of the 2006-2007 outbreaks, 8 were attributed to
norovirus by RT-PCR testing of stool specimens.

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), which coordinates
syndromic surveillance in all 10 Boston hospital EDs, examined data
from the city’s EDs to determine whether an AGE increase had
occurred. These EDs submit demographic and chief complaint data to
BPHC every 24 hours. Chief complaints are grouped into syndromes and
analyzed for unusual activity. These data indicated citywide
increases in the number of ED visits for a gastrointestinal syndrome
defined as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea among all age groups during
5 Dec 2006-24 Mar 2007. During this 16-week period, ED visits
attributable to this gastrointestinal syndrome averaged 96 per day
(7.4 percent of all visits), compared with 74 visits per day (5.8
percent of all visits) during the same period in the previous year
(pl less than 0.001, by Pearson’s chi-square test).

United States

---

CDC solicited information from the health departments of all 50
states and the District of Columbia on the number of 1) AGE outbreaks
reported during October-December 2005 and October-December 2006, 2)
AGE outbreaks in long-term—care facilities, and 3) norovirus
outbreaks confirmed by PCR. Of the 40 states that responded, CDC
reviewed data from 24 states that reported at least 5 outbreaks in
both 2005 and 2006. [Tabulated in the original text.] These 24 states
reported a total of 1316 AGE outbreaks with onset during
October-December 2006; a median of 50 percent occurred in
long-term—care facilities, and a median of 26 percent had laboratory
confirmation of norovirus by RT-PCR. Of these 24 states, 22 (92
percent) reported an increase in the number of outbreaks compared
with the same period in 2005 (range of increase: 18 percent-800
percent). State officials reported that the majority of the outbreaks
with no laboratory confirmation of norovirus had epidemiologic and
clinical evidence suggestive of norovirus infection (1).

CDC laboratory surveillance

---

During 2006, the National Calicivirus Laboratory at CDC tested 761
stool specimens from 126 AGE outbreaks in the United States for
norovirus by RT-PCR (2). Outbreak settings included cruise ships (n
equal to 37), long-term—care facilities and assisted-living
facilities (n equal to 37), restaurants and catered events (n equal
to 13), hospitals and health-care centers (n equal to 7), colleges
and schools (n equal to 3), parties (n equal to 3), and other
settings (n equal to 3). Norovirus was confirmed in 114 (90 percent)
of these outbreaks, and 87 (76 percent) of these were associated with
2 new GII.4 norovirus variants (Minerva and Laurens) by partial
capsid gene-region sequencing (3). The Minerva strain was detected in
15 (60 percent) of 25 outbreaks during October-December 2006 on
cruise ships and in 8 states; during January-June 2007, the same
strain caused 66 (54 percent) of 122 outbreaks on cruise ships and in
19 states. The Laurens strain was detected in 10 (40 percent) of the
25 outbreaks during October-December 2006 and 33 (27 percent) of the
122 outbreaks during January-June 2007. The partial capsid sequences
of the Minerva and Laurens strains are identical to the GII.4 strains
(GII.4-2006a and GII.4-2006b) reported in 2006 in Europe (4).

[Reported by: P Jenkins, S Greene, JP Davis, MD, JR Archer, MS, D
Hoang-Johnson, Wisconsin Div of Public Health. M Quinn, MS, P Duncan,
G Johnson, BI Rosen, PhD, P Smith, MD, New York State Dept of Health.
V Reddy, MPH, New York City Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene. J
Schlegelmilch, MPH, J Pendarvis, MPH, M Donovan, JE Gunn, MPH, MA
Barry, MD, Boston Public Health Commission. M Davies, MD,
Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response;
J Vinje, PhD, M-A Widdowson, VetMB, Div of Viral Diseases, National
Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Z Moore, MD, JK
Schaffzin, MD, PhD, JE Tate, PhD, EIS officers, CDC]

MMWR editorial note

---

This report highlights widespread increased frequency of
norovirus-like illness outbreaks and ED visits during
October-December 2006 and January-June 2007. This increase was
associated with the emergence of 2 new co circulating strains of
norovirus GII.4. A previous increase in norovirus outbreaks in the
United States also was associated with the emergence of new strains
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5203a1.htm

7
Whether the increase in outbreaks is a result of increased
pathogenicity or transmissibility of new strains, lower immunity in
the population, or other factors is unclear. During late 2006 and
early 2007, increases in AGE outbreaks consistent with norovirus (1)
were reported by many state health departments. A high proportion of
specimens tested were positive for norovirus, which suggests that the
increase in AGE outbreaks was associated with norovirus infection.
The magnitude and consistency of increases in multiple states suggest
an actual increase rather than increased reporting resulting from
increased awareness of and testing for norovirus.

A large proportion of AGE outbreaks in 2006 occurred among residents
of long-term—care facilities, a population that has higher attack
rates from AGE than non-institutionalized populations (6). Illness
compatible with norovirus infection was the primary cause of death
recorded for a resident of a long-term—care facility in North
Carolina; in addition, 2 deaths in Wisconsin and 16 deaths in New
York were associated with AGE outbreaks in health-care facilities.
Norovirus infection as a confirmed cause of death has not been
reported previously in the United States. Additional investigation of
deaths associated with AGE outbreaks in health-care settings is
needed to better understand the role of norovirus.

Noroviruses are the most common cause of sporadic cases and outbreaks
of AGE (8). Transmission occurs via foodborne and person-to-person
routes as well as through contact with contaminated environmental
surfaces. The low infectious dose of norovirus (less than 10 viral
particles) required for transmission, in addition to the virus’s
environmental persistence and prolonged shedding after recovery,
coupled with the shared toilet facilities, close living quarters, and
immobile or incontinent residents in long-term—care facilities
predispose these facilities to prolonged outbreaks with high attack
rates http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5009a1.htm

9).
Control of norovirus outbreaks depends on consistent enforcement of
measures such as strict hand hygiene and use of effective
environmental disinfectants [see Box in original text] (10).

The findings in this report are subject to at least 2 limitations.
First, no national surveillance system exists for AGE or norovirus
outbreaks that are transmitted from person to person; reporting
methods and completeness of reporting vary substantially by state.
Thus, this report likely underestimates the number of norovirus
outbreaks and cannot accurately quantify the increase in frequency
from 2005 to 2006. Second, laboratory testing for norovirus is
limited to the state public health laboratories, and norovirus
testing is not routinely performed on all specimens from all AGE
outbreaks; the low number of outbreaks with norovirus confirmation
likely reflects this. During October-December 2006, only 29 percent
of all reported AGE outbreaks in 24 states had laboratory
confirmation of norovirus. States such as Wisconsin that routinely
test specimens from outbreaks determined that a high proportion were
attributable to norovirus.

In June 2006, the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists
passed a resolution stating that all AGE outbreaks should be
reportable nationally, regardless of mode of transmission (that is,
foodborne or person to person). This will be implemented in 2008
through the National Outbreak Reporting System. In addition to better
surveillance, specific protocols are needed to investigate the role
of norovirus in diarrheal deaths, particularly among older adults.
Development and application of new, easy-to-use norovirus assays for
routine clinical practice could better define the prevalence of
norovirus among persons with AGE who seek health-care services.
CaliciNet, a centralized database at CDC, is used to collect and
compare norovirus sequences to identify emergent strains, track more
virulent strains in real time, and determine the role of contaminated
foods in their emergence; this database soon will be widely
accessible to state and local health departments.

References

---

1. Turcios RM, Widdowson M-A, Sulka AC, et al: Reevaluation of
epidemiological criteria for identifying outbreaks of acute
gastroenteritis due to norovirus: United States, 1998-2000. Clin
Infect Dis 2006; 42:964-9.
2. Trujillo AA, McCaustland KA, Zheng DP, et al: Use of TaqMan
real-time reverse transcription-PCR for rapid detection,
quantification, and typing of norovirus. J Clin Microbiol 2006;
44:1405-12.
3. Vinje J, Hamidjaja RA, Sobsey MD: Development and application of a
capsid VP1 (region D) based reverse transcription PCR assay for
genotyping of genogroup I and II noroviruses. J Virol Methods 2004;
116:109-17.
4. Kroneman A, Vennema H, Harris J, et al: Increase in norovirus
activity reported in Europe. Euro Surveill 2006; 11:E061214.1.
5. Widdowson M-A, Cramer EH, Hadley L, et al: Outbreaks of acute
gastroenteritis on cruise ships and on land: identification of a
predominant circulating strain of norovirus-United States, 2002. J
Infect Dis 2004; 190:27-36.
6. Lopman BA, Reacher MH, Vipond IB, Sarangi J, Brown DW: Clinical
manifestations of norovirus gastroenteritis in health care settings.
Clin Infect Dis 2004; 39:318-24.
7. CDC. Norovirus activity-United States, 2002. MMWR 2003; 52:42-5.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5203a1.htm

8. Mead PS, Slutsker L, Dietz V. Food-related illness and death in
the United States. Emerg Infect Dis 1999; 5:607-25.
9. CDC. Norwalk-like viruses: public health consequences and outbreak
management. MMWR 2001;50(No. RR-9): 1-17.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5009a1.htm

10. CDC. Norovirus in healthcare facilities fact sheet. Atlanta, GA:
US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2006. Available at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/id_norovirusFS.html#

* AGE outbreaks are considered consistent with norovirus if all of
the following criteria are met: 1) vomiting in more than 50 percent
of affected persons, 2) mean or median incubation period of 24-48
hours, 3) mean or median illness duration of 12-60 hours, and 4) no
bacterial pathogens isolated from stool culture (1).

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[nw_arizona_granny]

Many reports to read about terror:

http://www.basicsproject.org/terrorism/reports_studies_testimonies.htm

http://www.basicsproject.org/terrorism/legislation_debate.htm

Guide to Wahhabis Organizations in North America:

http://www.basicsproject.org/reports/wahabbi_oragnziations_north_america.pdf

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Milford421:

Check MySpace.com for intel

PoliceOne Technology Tips
Thanks to Renee Taylor.
Check MySpace.com for intel Submit a Tip

Submitted by:
Officer Larrick Winslow, Ferndale (WA) PD

07/18/2007

Me and a department buddy always check www.MySpace.com for local
intel. You will find all sorts of things on their pages, such as
upcoming MIP parties, etc, but more importantly, you can gather
information on felonious activity. We recently gathered intel on who
is claiming gang affiliation.

On the street, we’d noticed several that several familiar youths had
begun wearing red. We checked on Myspace.com and, sure enough —
these same individuals were claiming Bloods, and most were holding
weapons such as sawed-off long guns!

They have also made the mistake of making statements on their pages
in regards to shooting rivals as well as law enforcement. This could
all be bravado, but now we can use this information to treat them as
possible armed suspects during our encounters.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Milford421 for this report:

NYC Taxi Drivers Threaten Sept. 5 Strike

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_235170645.html

Think about this one...
“The issue over a driver’s privacy is the driving issue in the
debate, with a driver’s location being tracked no matter where he or
she goes.”

Aug 24, 2007 9:40 am US/Eastern

NYC Taxi Drivers Threaten Sept. 5 Strike
Taxi Workers Alliance Members May Curb Cabs In GPS-Privacy Debate

Brendan Keefe
Reporting

(CBS) NEW YORK After this month’s transit meltdown, the last thing
commuters want to deal with is a taxi strike that could have
crippling effects on a city whose residents and tourists alike rely
on the Taxi and Limousine Commission. A scary reality, however, is
that such a strike could occur — and in less than two weeks.

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance — which accounts for more than
8,000 city drivers — is threatening to curb their cabs on Sept. 5
if the Taxi and Limousine Commission does not get rid of their GPS
system, which the union says invades a driver’s privacy.

Continued.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Iran’s Intervention in Iraq - Product of Historical Conflict Between Arabs and Persians

Special Dispatch-Iran/Jordan/Iraq
August 24, 2007
No. 1696

Jordanian Parliamentary Speaker: Iran’s Intervention in Iraq - Product
of
Historical Conflict Between Arabs and Persians

To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit:
http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD169607.

In a meeting with Kuwaiti journalists, Jordanian Parliamentary Speaker
‘Abd
Al-Hadi Al-Majali stated that Iran’s intervention in Iraq has nothing
to do
with either religion or with the Sunni-Shi’ite conflict, but that it
was
nationalistically motivated and part of an historical conflict between
the
Arabs and the Persians.

This statement reflects a shift from Jordan’s previous view of Iran’s
intervention in Iraq as part of the Sunni-Shi’ite conflict. In the
past,
Jordan’s King Abdullah had warned of the danger posed by the “Shi’ite
crescent,”(1) estimating that “the main problem would center around
Iraq,
where a terrible inter-Islamic conflict would erupt between the Sunnis
and the
Shi’ites.”(2)

This new Jordanian approach is in line with the Saudi position.
Although Saudi
Arabia considers the Iran-Iraq confrontation to be a sectarian clash
between
the Sunnis and the Shi’ites, it has been careful not to refer to it as
such
publicly, phrasing its harsh criticism of Iran in nationalist, rather
than
sectarian/religious, terms. Thus, for example, earlier this year, Saudi

Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal called on Iran “not to interfere in
Arab
affairs.”(3)

The following are excerpts from Al-Majali’s statements, as published in
the
Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai.

“...[Iran is] harboring plans to significantly weaken the [Arab]
identity.
What is happening in Iraq [today] has nothing to do with either the
Sunnis or
the Shi’ites. Iran’s intervention in Iraq is for nationalist reasons,
and not
in order to support the Shi’ites, as some claim. Hence I believe that
Arab
identity in Iraq is under threat.

“Iran’s current actions are the product of a historical conflict
between the
Arabs and the Persians. This conflict was renewed with great force
during the
eight-year Iran-Iraq war, whose grounds were nationalist, rather than
religious. Indeed, during that war, Iran murdered hundreds of thousands
of
Shi’ites and their families, a fact that stresses the national, rather
than
sectarian, aspect of the conflict. Similarly, what is going on in Iraq
today
is unrelated to religion...”

According to Al-Majali, there is a need for a unified Arab Islamic
framework
to preserve the Arab identity. He also stressed that Iran’s ability to
eradicate the Arab identity should not be underestimated.

As for the Iran-Hizbullah relationship, Al-Majali contended that
Hizbullah was
the foremost stronghold of Iran and its policy in the region, and that
Iran
was the one supplying it with money and weapons. The motive for this,
he said,
is that Hizbullah is Iran’s tool for attaining its interests, and not –
as
Iran and Nasrallah claim – for liberating Palestine.

Al-Majali went on to state that the conflict between Lebanon and Israel
had
come to an end, since Israel had conclusively and officially withdrawn
from
all Lebanese territories, in accordance with the international
resolutions. As
concerns the Shab’a Farms, he stated that Israel seized them not from
Lebanon
but from Syria... Al-Majali further stated that he did not believe that

Hizbullah would relinquish its military character even if the Shab’a
Farms
were liberated.(4)

Endnotes:
(1) http://ammannet.net, December 9, 2004.
(2) Middle East Quarterly (U.S.), Spring 2005.
(3) Le Figaro (France), January 24, 2007.
(4) Al-Rai (Kuwait), August 15, 2007.

*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent,
non-profit
organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East.
Copies
of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are

available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used
with
proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)

[nw_arizona_granny]

Daily Mail: Russian police arrest ‘Britons’ at air show

Russian police arrest ‘Britons’ at air show

24th August 2007

Russian police said they had detained three British citizens at an air
show outside Moscow in an area used by military aviation enterprises.

“They have been handed to representatives of the FSB, who are
investigating,” said a police spokesman, referring to Russia’s federal
security and intelligence service.

But a Foreign Office spokesman said: “Apparently they’re not British -
they’re English-speaking tourists and they were detained.”

She also believed they had been released.

The reported incident came after repeated Russian accusations of
British espionage.

Relations have been badly strained by the dispute over the radiation
poisoning death of former Russian security agent and Kremlin critic
Alexander Litvinenko in London last year.

Russia has refused to hand over the suspect named by British
prosecutors.

The International Aviation and Space Show opened on Tuesday at a
former secret military airfield.

It is an international trade fair showcasing Russia’s latest military
and civilian planes - and this year claimed to be Russia’s largest air
show in post-Soviet history.

At the start of the six-day show at Zhukovsky military airfield
President Vladimir Putin challenged Russian manufacturers to “more
actively enter” the world market for passenger and transport aircraft.

“The task stands before us of maintaining our leadership in the
production of military aviation technology.”

The Kremlin is determined to revive the heyday of Soviet aviation, and
the government - bolstered by oil and gas revenues - has invested in a
new S-400 missile defence system and enhanced its MiG and Sukhoi
fighter jets - all on exhibition at the show.

Nearly 800 companies from about 100 countries are participating in the
show. The largest foreign delegations are from China, Latin America
and Arab countries.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Milford421 for this update:

Update: Jail time for man who drove car into Glen Cove bar crowd

Jail time for man who drove car into Glen Cove bar crowd

Sayed El-Waraky, 20, a Virginia college student who drove his Jaguar
into a crowd after a Glen Cove bar altercation last summer was
sentenced to the maximum of 1 and 1/3 years to 4 years in prison
Tuesday.

BY SOPHIA CHANG | sophia.chang@newsday.com
12:34 PM EDT, August 21, 2007
Article tools
E-mail Share this
Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Spurl Yahoo Print
Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: A Virginia
college student who drove his Jaguar into a crowd after a Glen Cove
bar altercation last summer, critically injuring two men, was
sentenced to the maximum of 1 and 1/3 years to 4 years in prison
Tuesday for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an
accident.

Sayed El-Waraky, 20, a student at American University in Washington,
D.C. and resident of Vienna, Va., faces additional prison time if he
is convicted on two charges of assault related to the incident in an
upcoming trial next month.

During the sentencing in front of Nassau County Supreme Court
Justice Joseph Calabrese, the father of one of the victims spoke of
his son’s painful recovery since the June 2006 incident, and blasted
El-Waraky. “I just feel that you do not have any respect for the
laws of this country,” William Basdavanos, father of victim Sean
Basdavanos, told El-Waraky.

Related links
Sayed El-Waraky Photo
El-Waraky’s lawyer, Kevin Keating of Garden City, characterized the
night of the incident as being “far from a situation where people
were in control,” and said his client’s life had been irrevocably
damaged.

“This has had a significant impact on this young man,” Keating told
the court, noting that El-Waraky had been in Nassau County jail for
more than a year awaiting the conclusion of the trial.

In his sentencing, Calabrese remarked that El-Waraky had a “very
unusual mind-set” in not reporting the bar fight to authorities.

Instead “he got on top of the situation,” Calabrese said. “It’s a
question of taking matters into his own hands.”

More articles
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-lihit0822,0,4443791.story

[nw_arizona_granny]

MT: Critical Ingush News Site Under Fire

The Moscow Times
Friday, August 24, 2007. Issue 3728. Page 3.

Critical Ingush News Site Under Fire

By Alexander Osipovich

Staff Writer

Prosecutors said Thursday they have opened a criminal case against
Ingushetiya.ru, a web site known for its investigations of corruption
among Ingush authorities, for incitement of ethnic hatred.

The case stems from an article published on the site by Ingush
activist Khadzhimurat Kostoyev, Ingushetiya.ru said.

Magomed Yevloyev, director of Ingushetiya.ru, said authorities had
opened the case in response to the site’s muckraking journalism. “It
is 100 percent connected, in my opinion,” he said.

The case, which Moscow’s Kuntsevo District Prosecutor’s Office opened
July 30, results from a complaint by former North Ossetian leader
Alexander Dzasokhov, who now represents the republic in the Federation
Council, he said.

Dzasokhov complained to prosecutors that Kostoyev’s article violated
the law against inciting ethnic hatred, Yevloyev said. The article was
itself a response to an earlier article in a North Ossetian newspaper
about the disputed Prigorodny district that the web site said
“insulted the Ingush people.”

North Ossetia and Ingushetia fought a brief war over the district in
1992 and tensions have remained high ever since.

Yevloyev said the article in the North Ossetian newspaper “clearly
incited ethnic hatred,” but prosecutors had not taken any interest in
it. “It’s clear that they are taking a very one-sided position,” he
said.

A spokeswoman for Moscow city prosecutors said she could not comment
on the case. A statement by prosecutors about the case said the
investigation was ongoing, without providing details.

The case raised questions about press freedoms in the region, as
Yevloyev said he believed Ingush President Murat Zyazikov had offered
support to Dzasokhov’s initiative and was determined to shut down the
site, which has often been critical of him.

Phone calls to Zyazikov’s spokesman were not answered.

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2007/08/24/011.html

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

New Thread Over here....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1886546/posts

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

New Thread Over here....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1886546/posts

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

New Thread Over here....Ping one and all:)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1886546/posts

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1886545/posts

VEGAS BILLIONAIRE SELLS MGM STAKE TO DUBAI ROYAL FAMILY
Vegas Luxe Life with Robin Leach ^ | Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 am | Vegas Luxe Life with Robin Leach

Posted on 08/25/2007 2:22:10 PM PDT by Issaquahking

Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian and MGM’s Board of Directors are expected to announce today (WED) that certain members of the Royal Family of Dubai- a Mid-East oil-rich kingdom - are buying into MGM Mirage and its $7-billion City Center hotel-condo complex. My Wall Street sources are abuzz this morning saying the multi-billion dollar deals signal the next phase of corporate takeovers and foreign investment into the booming Vegas gaming and hospitality business.

Photo co: MGM

Kirkorian’s company, Tracinda that owns his share of MGM is reducing his stake from 54.15% to 51.65% in the transaction and Wall Street believes that Dubai World will ultimately buy all of Kerkorian’s stake in the future.

Bear Stearns Vegas watcher Joe Greff commented early this morning in a 4:55 a.m. email to his investors: “MGM’s stock closed last night (TUES) at $74.32. Dubai World will buy 14-million shares of MGM at $84 per share for a total of $1.2 billion in the open market and another $1.2 billion worth of shares directly from the company. Furthermore Dubai World will purchase a 50% share in MGM’s City Center project for just under $3-billion!”

Greff went on to say: “All in all, the deal will inject nearly $3.9B of cash into MGM. We believe this deal should be a positive for the stock, as it demonstrates value for the company and reduces development risk with selling half of City Center. Partnering with Dubai World should also help MGM penetrate international markets in which it currently does not have a presence. In addition, the deal immediately improves the company’s balance sheet, as it reduces leverage for other development deals, share buybacks, and/or special dividends.”

Greff has put a new price target of $95 on the stock before year-end. It is expected that all Vegas hotel stocks would rise at the Wall Street open this morning- and The Venetian opened hovering at the $100 mark just 5- days in advance of its grand gala opening of Sheldon Adelson’s new Cotai Strip megaplex in Macau. (See our Friday edition of Luxe Life for all the advance details of Sheldon’s superplan to bring his version of Venice to the Chinese colony when he opens his 2nd property there early next week).

The banker analyst concluded: “At this point, we do not foresee any regulatory issues with the deal.”

Its believed that MGM will use some of the proceeds from this deal for its planned partnership at the adjoining Circus Circus land block its assembled with Sol Kerzner who intends to build a version of his Bahamas resort, The Atlantis there. Ironically - or coincidentally- Kerzner has a resort in Dubai in partnership with certain members of the kingdom’s Royal Family. Some are speculating that he may well have played a role in this new mega-billion-dollar deal.