[An Nahar] A Vietnamese man's attempt to smuggle tropical fish into New Zealand in his pants floundered when he tried to get through customs with his pockets dripping water, officials said Friday.
The man arrived at Auckland airport from Australia this week and officials suspected something was fishy because liquid was seeping from the bulging pockets of his cargo pants, the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) said.
The man initially said he was carrying water from the plane because he was thirsty but a subsequent grilling uncovered the presence of the fish, the MPI said.
It said the man had seven fish, all an unidentified species of cichlid, secreted away in two plastic bags in his pockets. He told officers he was bringing them to New Zealand for a friend.
MPI spokesman Craig Hughes said the man will face charges under the Biosecurity Act, which carries maximum penalties of five years' jail or a NZ$100,000 (U.S.$78,000) fine.
"This appears to be a deliberate attempt to smuggle fish into the country without any consideration of the biosecurity risk involved," he said in a statement.
"That's something we take very seriously."
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[An Nahar] Elephants lumber across a manicured pitch as riders wielding extra-long handled mallets chase a small white ball in the tropical heat. Welcome to polo -- Thai style.
About a dozen teams from around the world, including former New Zealand All Blacks rugby players and transgender beauty queens, are competing in the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin.
Even polo professionals taking part in the annual event say the pachyderm version is far harder than they are used to.
"The horses naturally move much quicker. The elephants don't actually trot which was a surprise," said Steve Thompson, owner of the Polo Academy in Dubai.
"We thought they'd run a little bit but they just walk very fast and as a result the gait that they use makes it quite unstable, so your hand-to-eye coordination is quite affected on the approach to the ball and of course it is much higher."
The tournament has come in for criticism from animal rights activists, who say elephants in captivity are often mistreated.
"Thailand should be focused on protecting these majestic animals in nature, not exploiting them for a fleeting moment of human amusement," said Ben Williamson of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
But the people behind the polo tournament insist the animals -- who spend the rest of the year working in tourist resors -- are well cared for during the event.
"They have a proper vet check up. They are fed. We look after them," said King's Cup organizer Tim Boda.
"If any of these elephants were not in the right condition, or not happy to play, they would be immediately retired. They stay with us for a week, basically a spa holiday in Hua Hin."
The King's Cup -- which raises money for elephant projects across Thailand -- runs until Saturday.
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[APNEWS.MYWAY] Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will officiate at a same-sex wedding this weekend in what is believed to be a first for a member of the nation's highest court.
Ginsburg will officiate Saturday at the marriage of Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser and John Roberts, a government economist.
"Michael Kaiser is a friend and someone I much admire," Ginsburg said in a written statement Friday. "That is why I am officiating at his wedding."
The private ceremony will take place at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a national memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The 80-year-old Ginsburg, an opera lover, is a frequent guest at the center.
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So called 'blind justice' smiling at the rainbow once again. Who knew ?
[ONLINE.WSJ] Buckyballs was the hottest office game on the market. Then regulators banned it. Now the government wants to ruin the CEO who fought back.
Posted by: Fred ||
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I felt a huge desire for BuckyBalls, but went to the source and found this. Shattered I looked further. Going to buy nao.
[IDMN.DALLASNEWS] Home bakers tasted victory two years ago when the Texas Cottage Food Law made their businesses legal.
A set of revisions that take effect Sunday will sweeten the deal by expanding the list of places where home bakers can peddle their treats.
Under the updated law, cottage food producers can sell their goods at farmers markets, farm stands, fairs and festivals. Current rules require sales to take place exclusively at the baker's house.
"Most of us do custom work, so we just don't have people walking off the street to our homes," said Denise DelVecchio of Midlothian, a home baker who campaigned for the changes. "So we have a limited opportunity to market our business."
But as the farmers market season draws to a close, many home bakers will probably have to wait until next year to pitch their wares.
Several North Texas farmers markets are approaching the changes with caution.
The private operators of Dallas Farmers Market and Cowtown Farmers Market in Fort Worth have not discussed the law yet, representatives said. However, jam maker Kendra Myers of Fort Worth posted on a Facebook page for Texas home bakers that Cowtown Farmers Market had recently turned down her food because it's homemade.
Nonprofit organizers of farmers markets in White Rock, McKinney and Frisco said they are seeking guidance from their local health departments about the law's impact.
The Heritage Guild of Collin County, which runs the Historic McKinney Farmers Market, has questions about liability regarding products that have not been inspected, executive director Cindy Johnson said.
State law requires home bakers to label their goods as not inspected. Information about allergens and the name and address of the business also must be included.
While Historic McKinney Farmers Market supports the law, it also wants to avoid problems with customers, Johnson said.
"If we can find a way that we feel protects everyone, we'll definitely have some of those vendors in our spring market," she said.
Coppell Farmers Market will accept applications from home bakers, who will undergo the same process as other vendors, a spokeswoman said.
Others are finding business with churches. One of them is Jennifer Evans, who bakes cookies at her home west of Forth Worth. This fall, she will sell her sweets at the Victory Family Church craft fair in Burleson.
"It shows small businesses in Texas that there are opportunities," Evans said about the law.
EXPANDED MENU
For home bakers, an expanded menu under the amended law is the icing on the cake. The list includes candy, coated and uncoated nuts, fruit and nut butters, granola, roasted coffee and other items.
Goods that require temperature control, such as cream or custard pies, are still forbidden.
Legislators also folded in some new requirements.
Food must be packaged to avoid contamination, except for bulky items like wedding cakes.
And beginning Jan. 1, cottage food producers must have completed an accredited food handler course. Some online courses cost about $10.
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[An Nahar] Congolese rebels on Saturday warned that they would battle to retake control in the country's troubled east if the government refused to halt its military offensive and begin negotiations.
The statement came a day after the M23 rebels -- a group of army mutineers -- announced a retreat from their positions following heavy fighting with the Congolese army which is backed by U.N. troops.
The rebels said their decision for a 'unilateral ceasefire' and withdrawal was aimed at "creating a favorable climate" for a "political solution to the crisis".
However, women are made to be loved, not understood... they warned that they were not prepared to wait long for the government to reciprocate.
"We demand that the Congolese government return soon to the negotiating table to find a political solution to the crisis," Bertrand Bisimwa, the political president of the M23 rebels, said in the statement.
"If the Congolese government pushes on with the military option to the detriment to the Kampala (peace) talks, our armed forces reserve the right to retake control" of positions just outside Goma.
Army front man Olivier Hamuli told Agence La Belle France Presse however that the rebels "did not withdraw, they were taken apart".
Both the army and Congolese authorities have confirmed that they have regained control of Kibumba from the rebels, and have pushed the M23 out of the area located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Goma.
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[Bangla Daily Star] Angry villagers yesterday beat four alleged robbers to death at different places of Hatiya upazila in Noakhali.
Locals caught the robbers while they were trying to flee from their hideouts as police have launched a special drive against criminals in the coastal area.
The dead are Ashraf, 35, chief of the infamous "Ashraf Bahini", his accomplice Kefayet Ullah, and two others, Osman and Sarwar, police said.
On Friday, two alleged robbers were lynched in the upazila. One was beaten to death while the other was killed in a "shootout" with police.
Meanwhile, ...back at the fist fight, Jake ducked another roundhouse, then parried with his left, then with his right, finally with his chin... police yesterday tossed in the slammer Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! 15 alleged robbers and recovered a light gun, three guns and 20 flares during the raid, said Noakhali Police Superintendent Anisur Rahman.
Ashraf, son of Asil Kerani of Mohammadpur village of the upazila, hid in the house of one of his sisters in Maijchara area on Friday night to escape arrest.
On information, locals besieged the house around 4:00am, said Anisur, quoting villagers.
Sensing trouble, Ashraf tried to flee the scene, but locals caught him after a good chase, the police officer said.
They then gave Ashraf a good beating, killing him on the spot, he added.
Ashraf was accused in at least 10 cases, including abduction, robbery and extortion, filed with different cop shoppes, said Khorshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Hatiya Police Station.
Kefayet Ullah, an accomplice of Ashraf, was killed in a mass beating in Kadira Sluice Gate area around 12:00 noon.
Two other alleged robbers -- Osman and Sarwar -- were lynched in Mohammadpur area around 2:30pm.
Police recovered the bodies and sent them to Noakhali Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsies.
Anisur said the drive against the robbers would continue until the area is free of criminals.
In 2003, more than 60 alleged robbers were reportedly killed in a similar pattern at Subarnachar upazila in the district.
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[Bangla Daily Star] A leader of Jubo League, a pro-Awami League youth body, was stabbed to death in the capital's Pallabi area yesterday morning.
Deceased Shah Ali Rocky, 28, vice-president of a Jubo League unit under ward-92, was a jhut (garment wastage) trader.
According to primary investigation, Rocky might have been killed due to an internal feud in Jubo League over jhut trading, said sources in the police.
They said two groups -- one led by the local lawmaker and the other by a top Jubo League (Dhaka North) leader -- were involved in jhut business in the area. Rocky belonged to the lawmaker's group.
Eyewitnesses said five miscreants had indiscriminately stabbed Rocky on road-4 in Mirpur-7, about 100 metres from the victim's house, around 10:30am. A lot of people had witnessed the killing.
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[An Nahar] Three founders of Femen said Saturday they had left Ukraine in fear for their lives after police discovered weapons in their Kiev offices that the feminist group says were planted.
Alexandra Shevchenko, Anna Hutsol and Yana Zhdanova "have fled Ukraine fearing for their lives and for their liberty" and would "continue their activities in Europe", said a statement on the group's website.
The three women decided to leave after Ukrainian police called them in for questioning on Friday, the statement said.
The group, known for its topless political protests, is facing a criminal investigation after police said they confiscated a TT handgun and a grenade from its offices in central Kiev on Tuesday.
Hutsol insisted the group did not have any weapons and suggested they could have been planted in the office while the activists were away.
The Ukrainian authorities have had Femen in their sights for some time. On Wednesday the group said it was moving out of its Kiev offices "for security reasons", alleging official wiretapping.
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Fremen? I thought they were all still on Arakis.
[Dawn] Three people were maimed and nine shops damaged due to a blast on Friday at the second floor of a three-storey plaza on Gulberg's Main Boulevard.The loud kaboom was heard in a radius of one kilometre, passersby said.
A bomb disposable squad, forensic experts and senior police officials visited the site. Some traders suspected that explosives were planted by snuffies and insisted on a thorough investigation, saying that as the plaza was owned by a police brass hat, anti-state elements might have targeted it. The police, however, ruled out terrorism calling it a 'gas blast'.
The police inquiries said the incident took place an hour before the inauguration of a new restaurant constructed on the second floor of the 'Mall 94'. The police said the huge blast had caused structural damage to nine shops in the plaza.
The roof of the second floor of the plaza and its boundary walls collapsed and the windowpanes of nearby buildings got shattered due to the impact of the blast.
Rescue 1122 officials said three people, including a security guard, suffered multiple injuries as shards hit them.
An official of the Rescue 1122 said the blast occurred in the kitchen of the restaurant and apparently it was a boiler blast.
Model Town Division SP (Operations) Tariq Aziz said gas leakage and accumulation at the blast site was the main cause of the incident.
"The blast had left a dangerous structural damage to the entire Mall 94", the SP said adding that the centre of the blast was the restaurant," he said.
When asked about the owner of the plaza, the SP expressed his ignorance.
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[An Nahar] An Indian court found a teenager guilty on Saturday over the fatal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi, a crime that sparked revulsion and angry protests in the country, an official said.
"He has been held guilty for rape and murder and sentenced to three years subject to review," Anil Sharma, the chief investigating officer in the case, told news hounds outside the court in the capital, announcing the first verdict in the case.
The teenager, who was 17 at the time of the attack, was given the maximum penalty allowed after being tried as a juvenile, and the three years will include the time he has already spent in jug.
The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died of internal injuries after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar allegedly by six men on the night of December 16. Her male companion was also beaten up before both were thrown from the bus.
The attack brought simmering anger about endemic sex crime in India to the boil, and sparked weeks of sometimes violent street protests in the country.
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[An Nahar] Nervous nibbles alone do not explain the weight that people tend to gain when they give up smoking, Swiss researchers said Thursday, turning the spotlight instead on a bacterial shift in the intestines.
Studies have shown that quitting smoking leads to an average weight gain of four to five kilograms (nine to 11 pounds) in the first year.
But according to researchers at Zurich University Hospital, former smokers who bulk up may not be eating more than before they kissed their cigarettes goodbye.
Noting that even people who cut back on calorie intake after quitting smoking tend to gain weight, Professor Gerhard Rogler said he and his colleagues had discovered another potential explanation: a change in the composition of the intestinal flora among smokers who kick the habit.
Their study, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and published in peer-reviewed scientific journal PLoS One, found that when a person stops smoking, the diversity of bacterial strains in their intestines shifts. It more resembles the gut flora found in people with obesity.
Both recent non-smokers and obese people tend to have more of two bacteria types, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, Rogler told Agence France Presse.
These germs are believed to use energy more efficiently and break down otherwise indigestible fibers -- and as a result, more of what the person eats is transformed into fat rather than excreted as waste.
The researchers studied the genetic profile of intestinal bacteria found in faecal samples provided by 20 volunteers over nine weeks.
The participants comprised five non-smokers, five smokers and 10 people who had quit smoking one week after the study began.
Little difference was seen in the bacterial biodiversity among the persistent smokers and non-smokers.
But among those who had just given up smoking, there was a clear shift towards more Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, the study showed.
Over the study period, the people who had quit smoking also gained an average of 2.2 kilos (4.8 pounds), even though they insisted that their eating and drinking habits were unchanged.
"Under the same living conditions, they gained weight after the cessation of smoking, and they showed a change in the microbiota," Rogler said.
While researchers have yet to prove a clear connection between the two developments, he pointed out that a number of other studies have also showed a link between intestinal bacteria and weight gain.
On Wednesday, a study published in the journal Nature found that individuals with low bacterial "richness" in their intestines were more prone to obesity and associated diseases such as diabetes, heart and cholesterol problems. Six bacterial species appear to play a key role in promoting this diversity.
Rogler said that more research was needed to answer the many questions that arise from such discoveries.
But he said it was clear we should pay more attention to how the environment influences gut functions.
"Nobody believed the people who stopped smoking and said they weren't eating more but still gained weight. Perhaps we simply should be more willing to believe what people tell us," he said.
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Hmmm, it sems that a pill containing all the bacteria needed to maintain weight is needed.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[An Nahar] A Vietnamese man's attempt to smuggle tropical fish into New Zealand in his pants floundered when he tried to get through customs with his pockets dripping water, officials said Friday.
[APNEWS.MYWAY] Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will officiate at a same-sex wedding this weekend in what is believed to be a first for a member of the nation's highest court.
[IDMN.DALLASNEWS] Home bakers tasted victory two years ago when the Texas Cottage Food Law made their businesses legal.
[An Nahar] Congolese rebels on Saturday warned that they would battle to retake control in the country's troubled east if the government refused to halt its military offensive and begin negotiations.
[Dawn] Three people 
[An Nahar] An Indian court found a teenager guilty on Saturday over the fatal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi, a crime that sparked revulsion and angry protests in the country, an official said.
