Google exec 'missing' amid Egypt protests

Google's head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa has gone missing after joining protests against the Egyptian government, according to report citing the exec's brother.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Wael Ghonim – who joined Google in late 2008 – has not been heard from since Friday at 6pm.

It should be noted, however, the Egyptian government has restricted internet and cell phone access within the country.

Ghonim attended Cairo University and the American University in Cairo, according to his LinkedIn page. And at Google, the page says, he was charged with "driving the growth of Google B2C/B2B products across MENA" and "evangelizing the Internet in the region, and help growing the Arabic content".

Earlier this month, Ghonim tweeted that he was traveled to Qatar for an "internet freedom forum" hosted by Al Jazeera, and last week, in a post to the microblogging site, he said he was joining the Egyptian protests against the wishes of some close to him. "Despite all the warnings I got from my relative and friends, I'll be there on #Jan25 protests. Anyone going to be in Gam'et Dewal protest?" the post reads.

"The Egyptian government started to take really stupid actions that will result in nothing but encouraging more people to protest," he said on January 26. "A government that is scared from #Facebook and #Twitter should govern a city in Farmville but not a country like #Egypt".

His tweets stopped the next day, just after he urged readers to pray for Egypt. "Very worried as it seems that government is planning a war crime tomorrow against people," he said. "We are all ready to die".

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the company told the WSJ: "We care deeply about the safety of our employees."

Separately, with Egypt in mind, the company has unveiled a service that lets people tweet via a voice connection. Anyone can tweet simply by leaving a voice mail at one of these international numbers: +16504194196 or +390662207294 or +97316199855. No internet connection is required, and the service will automatically add the hash tag "#egypt".

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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/31/google_exec_missing_in_egypt/

Oil Drops From Two-Year High as Investors Sell After Prices Soar

Oil dropped from a two-year high in New York as signs of slowing economic growth in China prompted traders to sell contracts after the biggest two-day rally since May. Brent crude traded above $100 a barrel for a second day.

Oil rose 7.7 percent in the two days through yesterday as civil unrest in Egypt raised concern supplies through the Suez Canal may be disrupted. Futures pared some of those gains today after manufacturing growth in China, the world’s biggest energy user, slowed in January. U.S. stockpiles probably climbed for a third week, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Brent’s premium to New York crude narrowed for a third day.

“Not a lot of people are thinking that crude oil will keep this level for a long time,” said Ken Hasegawa, a commodity derivative sales manager at broker Newedge in Tokyo. “The market was softened earlier by profit-taking.”

Crude for March delivery dropped as much as 36 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $91.83 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $91.94 a barrel at 10:35 a.m. in Singapore. Yesterday, prices surged to $92.19, the highest settlement since Oct. 3, 2008. Futures advanced 0.9 percent in January and 24 percent over the past year.

Brent for March settlement dropped as much as 73 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $100.28 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. It traded at $101.73 yesterday on an intraday basis, the highest since Sept. 29, 2008.

China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 52.9 from 53.9 in December, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said in a statement on its website. That was less than the median estimate of 53.5 in a Bloomberg News survey of 11 economists.

An Energy Department report tomorrow may show that U.S. crude oil inventories climbed by 2.5 million barrels last week from 340.6 million, according to the median of 11 analyst estimates in a Bloomberg News survey.


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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-01/oil-drops-from-two-year-high-as-investors-sell-after-rally-on-egypt-unrest.html

South Korea says North summit possible if talks go well

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday held out the possibility of a leaders' summit with rival North Korea if planned inter-Korean dialogue goes well, saying he had high hopes for their first talks in months.

The two Koreas have agreed to discuss November's attack by the North on a southern island and an attack in March on a South Korean naval vessel which Seoul has blamed on the North, helping to ease tension on the peninsula and opening the way for the possible resumption of six-party aid-for-disarmament talks.

The two attacks killed 50 people.

Seoul has suggested preliminary military talks take place at the Panmunjom truce village on February 11. The talks are meant to set the agenda for a more senior meeting, possibly at ministerial level.

The South has also proposed separate political talks to gauge Pyongyangy's sincerity about denuclearisation, the key component of stalled aid-for-disarmament talks which the North walked out of two years ago.

The North has yet to respond to the proposal for bilateral nuclear talks.

"I don't deny it," Lee said when asked during a live television interview if progress at upcoming talks could possibly lead to a summit between the rival Koreas' leaders. "We can have a summit if needed."

Lee cut off a decade of unconditional aid to the North when he took office in 2008, angering Pyongyang, and demanded the isolated neighbour end its nuclear programmes if it wanted Seoul to get back to commercial exchange and giving aid.

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http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE7100L720110201

US Aid to Egypt Depends on Events

U.S. officials say there are no plans to cut off aid to Egypt. But they caution that aid will be reviewed as events unfold, indicating that the Egyptian government's actions going forward might jeopardize U.S. assistance. The bulk of USAID and State Department aid to Egypt goes toward security spending. A State Department official said Monday that the United States makes no apologies for helping to bolster Egypt's security.

As the crisis in Egypt continues, so, too, do questions about whether the United States will use its financial leverage in the country.

According to U.S. government figures, the State Department and USAID provided $1.5 billion in assistance to Egypt last year. The budget request for 2011 is about the same.

State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters at the State Department that the United States does not want to see a particular outcome in Cairo, but a process that gives Egyptians the ability to determine their own government. He said there are no plans to cut funding to Egypt.

"We continue to provide assistance to Egypt. Based on what we see today, we don't envision taking any immediate action," said P.J. Crowley. "But as [White House Press Secretary] Robert Gibbs said Friday, as events unfold, we, of course, will continue to review our aid."

Washington has repeatedly called on the Egyptian government to allow for peaceful protests. But more than 125 people have died during crackdowns on demonstrations in the past week. Crowley indicated that such violence might jeopardize U.S. assistance and said that American funding comes with stipulations.

"If aid is used in a way that is contrary to our laws, our policies and our values, you know, we'll make adjustments as we need to," he said.

The bulk of U.S. assistance to Egypt is for security.

"We do provide assistance to Egypt, and some of that assistance is in the form of security assistance, and we make no apologies for that," said the U.S. State Department spokesman.

And Crowley said U.S. aid to Egypt has been beneficial to the region.
"Our relationship has been a stabilizing one," he said. "Certainly, the relationship between Egypt and the United States and the support that we, together with others, have provided have been a stabilizing force across the region. Egypt has been a strong supporter of the pursuit of peace in the Middle East."

Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979 - Israel's first with an Arab nation - and Egypt has played a role in mediating Mideast peace efforts.

But analyst Tawfik Hamid of the Washington-based Potomac Institute for Policy Studies says the Egyptian attitudes in the future depend on the way the United States deals with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Hamid says the Egyptian people would continue to support U.S. policies in the Middle East on one condition.

"When they know that America is behind the people and behind the military against Mubarak, this can make America the most beloved nation in the eyes of Egyptians," said Hamid. "But if America lets them down with Mubarak, I don't think the problem will end and the country will be lost."

The Egyptian military has vowed not to use force against demonstrators. But analysts say it is unclear whether the military will defy or even remove Mr. Mubarak from office.

Meanwhile, State Department Spokesman Crowley said a former U.S. ambassador to Egypt, Frank Wisner, is in Cairo, not as an official envoy but as a private citizen. But Crowley added that Wisner has long-standing relationships with Egyptian leaders and is in a position to reiterate U.S. policy and to report back to officials in Washington.

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http://www.voanews.com/english/news/US-Aid-to-Egypt-Depends-on-Events--114983219.html

I want more majors: Djokovic

Novak Djokovic belted out Serbian folk songs in an all-in party after clinching the Australian Open, but shrugged off a poor night's sleep to focus on more glory on the clay courts of Roland Garros.

"We brought two Serbian guys who played our traditional music for two hours ... We went out of the changing room at 2AM. That's all I remember," said a glassy-eyed Djokovic of celebrations at Melbourne Park after his stunning straight-sets victory over Briton Andy Murray.

"I was carrying myself plus my bags and the trophy," he told a small group of reporters on Monday.

"I was handling myself under the circumstances quite good ... I could not really sleep because I was still under the great impression of winning a title, so it was hard because of the excitement."

Wearing jeans and a polo shirt on a sweltering day, the lanky 23-year-old looked a little worse for wear as he sat next to the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at the MCG.

He perked up enough to gush about having hit his stride after fighting years of doubt as a 'one-slam wonder' since taking his first major title at Melbourne Park in 2008.

"It's been a period of ups and downs for me the last three years ... I haven't had that consistency and self-belief that I've needed to," he said.

"Right now and the last six months, I feel that I've reached that stage that I believe that I can really win it.

"In last two months I'm probably playing the best tennis of my life and I cannot ask for a better start to the season. To be able to win the grand slam gives you a lot of confidence."

Djokovic set up his title with a semi-final trouncing of Roger Federer, and his domination of Murray has fuelled talk of a new grand slam triumvirate, with the Serbian tipped to share more of the majors spoils with the Swiss master and Spaniard Rafa Nadal.

While flattered, the Belgrade-born baseliner says he still needs to prove himself on all surfaces to feel comfortable about the compliment.

"If the people want to call me a part of the big three, then that's great," he said.

"I have big respect for Federer and Nadal, they are great examples of champions on and off the court in every sense.

"If I want to become the best player in the world, I will have to win more grand slams," added Djokovic, who has never surpassed the semi-finals at Roland Garros or Wimbledon.

"But yes, my goal you can say is (not only) to do well on clay, but to do my best result on Roland Garros."

After beating Murray under the floodlights at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic dedicated his victory to Serbia, drawing roars of approval from rows of countrymen clad in red, white and blue in the stands.

Djokovic, who led Serbia to an emotional victory in the Davis Cup over France in December, grew up through the Balkan wars that ravaged the country and says the bitter times continue to spur him on as a player.

"We've been growing up through two wars. When you turn around and analyse what you have been through, you appreciate some things more in your life and you know what your values are," he said.

"Of course everybody loves their country. I don't love my country more than you love yours, but in my case it's a more special feeling because we've been through something different.

"So to be able to help those people who I know how much they've suffered - and they still suffer because of some problems - it's our obligation in some way to give support and present as best we can."

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/31/3126004.htm?site=sport&section=tennis

Iran to execute record numbers in 2011—rights groups

NEW YORK, United States—Iran, which set off a diplomatic storm by hanging a Dutch-Iranian woman, is on target to execute a record number of over 1,000 people this year, rights groups said Sunday.

And the execution of Zahra Bahrami is just the latest case of a "serious lack of transparency" in Iran's growing use of capital punishment, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

The Netherlands froze contacts with Iran following Saturday's execution.

Many groups say Iran has the highest per capita execution rate in the world.

In 2009, the last year for which complete statistics are available, Iran executed at least 388 people and was second only to China in how many people it put to death, according to Amnesty International.

Rights groups believe there was a sharp rise in 2010 and with Bahrami's death, HRW now estimates that at least 74 prisoners have been executed since January 1. An AFP toll based on Iranian media reports found at least 66.

"At the current rate, authorities will easily have executed more than 1,000 prisoners before 2011 draws to a close," HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said.

HRW's Middle East researcher Faraz Sanei denounced "the Iranian judiciary's serious lack of transparency surrounding the execution of individuals convicted of crimes carrying the death penalty."

The group said her execution and others highlight "a deepening of the human rights crisis that gripped the country following the disputed June 2009 presidential election" that secured a second term for hawkish President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Bahrami, a Dutch-naturalized Iranian, was detained after anti-government protests in Tehran in December 2009. She was later charged and found guilty of narcotics offenses.

The woman said she was tortured into confessing and denied the charges, according to her family and rights groups.

Her daughter, quoted by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, said neither the family nor Bahrami's lawyer had been officially informed of the hanging.

"Shouldn’t they have informed her family and lawyer before executing her? We should have gone to see her before her execution," said Banafsheh Nayebpour. "Is it so easy—that my mother is no longer in this world? Did I not have any right to see her before her execution?"

A growing number of people are being charged and executed for what HRW calls the "vague" charge of "moharebeh," or enmity against God—the original charge against Bahrami.

HRW said at least 13 people have now been executed since November 2009 on these charges following what it called "flawed trials in revolutionary courts."

On January 24, Iran carried out the first executions of political activists—Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad Ali Hajaghaei—detained in street protests after the 2009 election. Both were accused of "moharebeh," according to HRW.


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http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20110131-317630/Iran-to-execute-record-numbers-in-2011rights-groups

Climber falls 1,000 feet down Highlands mountain and lives

A CLIMBER who survived a 1,000ft tumble down a mountain yesterday joked that he’d had worse injuries shaving.

Adam Potter, 36, bounced off three rocky outcrops as he fell down a nearly-vertical cliff in the Scottish Highlands.

Then rescuers ignored him because when they spotted him he was standing on his feet, reading a map.

Amazingly, Adam, who fell from the summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor, still plans to climb Mount Everest later this year. He said: “I just slipped. Speed built up really fast and every time I tried to slow myself I went over a cliff edge.

“Then I would land on a slopier bit and try to lose speed and then go over another cliff and so on.

“I had almost lost all my speed, when I saw I was about to go over one more cliff, and I thought that might have been the end.”

Knocked unconscious, Adam woke and started to read his map which is when the chopper rescue crew arrived – and flew on.

Lt Tim Barke said: “We spotted a man at the bottom and thought t couldn’t be him, as he was on his feet reading a map.” Finally believing that he was their man, they winched him to safety.

Lt Barke added: “He must have he fell, almost flying.” He is lucky to be alive. It’s hard to believe someone could fall that distance and been able to stand up.”

Speaking from Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, Adam who was with his girlfriend Kate Berry, 30, said: “The only thought as I fell was ‘this is going to muck up my Everest trip.’

“My back is broken in three places but not the places that put you in a wheelchair. And my face is a bit mucked up, but I’ve had worse shaving.”

Read more:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/01/31/climber-falls-1-000-feet-down-highlands-mountain-and-lives-115875-22887540/#ixzz1CaP34OBK

Pakistan: Mass Protest Demands Hanging Of American Diplomat

15,000 people yesterday took to the streets of Lahore many demanding the hanging of a United States diplomat.

A Consular employee appeared before a Lahore court last week, after being charged with the murder of two Pakistani men. The judge order that the man be detained in prison for 6 days until a full inquiry into the incident can be carried out by Police.

While the Pakistani government named the employee detained was Raymond Davis, the US State Department have stated that this information is incorrect.

On January 29, the United States stated that the detaining of the employee was illegal, and demanded the release of the official as he had claimed diplomatic immunity. In response thousands of Pakistanis took to the streets.

From documents it appears that the American had withdrawn money from an ATM in the capital of Pakistan, Lahore. As he drove away two men on a motorbike, both armed with pistols, attempted to block the car.

In self defense the American shot both men, a third, innocent bystander was also killed after another consular vehicle attempted to intervene.

The Pakistani Government is caught in an impossible balancing act between placating Islamist groups against the interests of the United States.

Yet it appears that the government have no intention of releasing the American after Interior Minister Rehman Malik, told parliament that "I will never abet a criminal."

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http://www.cultureclashdaily.com/page1111409.php

Federer: This is not the end

Roger Federer has faced up to relinquishing the last grand slam title in his possession and insisted "it's not the end in any way".

The Swiss was beaten 7-6 (7/3) 7-5 6-4 by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and is now without one of the game's four major trophies for the first time since 2003.

"It's not the end in any way. It's a start for many other tournaments after this," Federer said.

"Sure it is disappointing and it hurts at this moment. I wish I could have won here for a fifth time but it wasn't possible."

When it was put to him that his and Rafael Nadal's failure to reach the final was the first time that has happened at a major since here in 2008, Federer snapped: "They say that very quickly.

"Let's talk again in six months' time."

The world number two played well but he simply ran into a Djokovic who was on top of his game.

The Serb was stronger from the back of the court, singling out the Federer backhand for particular attention, and strong on serve which is an area which has improved beyond recognition in recent months.

Federer added: "I thought he played a great match.

"I didn't think I played badly myself and it was a match played at a very high intensity for a long period of time. We had long, tough rallies and played at a very high speed."

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iMuwbAWxCyzyeoVksfXaV36x8Zsg?docId=N0399801296141830827A

Crowded ferry burns in Indonesia; at least 11 dead

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A crowded ferry caught fire in Indonesia early Friday, killing at least 11 people and sending panicked passengers jumping into the sea, officials said. Nearly 200 people were injured, some critically.

Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the Transportation Ministry, said the fire broke out at around 3 a.m., soon after the ferry left Merak port on Java island for neighboring Sumatra.

Five rescue ships rushed to the scene.

By late morning, they had carried 427 people to safety, said Wiratno, another ministry official, adding that no one else appeared to be trapped inside.

Footage on MetroTV showed plumes of black clouds shooting from the ferry, which was also carrying dozens of cars and trucks packed with cargo.

Some survivors said the blaze was sparked by a truck driver who threw his cigarette butt onto the ground.

Roland, a doctor at one of several hospitals treating victims, said 11 bodies had been recovered.

An Indonesian newspaper showed an image of the ferry with its topsides burned as a tugboat sprayed water on it.

The Sunda Strait lies between Java and Sumatra. Merak is on Java just west of Jakarta.

Ferries are a main source of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago nation with more than 17,000 islands and 235 million people.

Accidents are common due to overcrowding and poor safety standards.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41303466/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Mandela's Hospital Stay Sparks Speculation

JOHANNESBURG—Former South African President Nelson Mandela's night in the hospital has reignited speculation about his health, illustrating his pull over a country where he helped end white-minority rule and usher in a new democratic beginning.

The 92-year-old antiapartheid activist was admitted Wednesday to a Johannesburg hospital and was still there Thursday for tests, according to his foundation. His stay drew a stream of well-wishers and provoked official jabs at the South African media for covering it so intensely.



Students at a school near the Johannesburg hospital where Nelson Mandela is undergoing tests wish him well on Thursday.


The Nelson Mandela Foundation, his official charity, called the tests "routine." It added that Mr. Mandela was in "no danger and is in good spirits." The African National Congress, the party that was once banned in South Africa and later helped Mr. Mandela win the 1994 presidential elections, appealed to the media to refrain from "unfounded and unwarranted speculation." South Africa's current president, Jacob Zuma, who was in Davos, Switzerland, attending the World Economic Forum, asked that Mr. Mandela's family be given "space to support him in privacy."

Yet the official statements did nothing to deter journalists from gathering outside the Milpark Hospital, where Mr. Mandela was staying. They awaited fresh updates and recorded the relatives and high-level visitors who came to see him. The media attention annoyed some ANC leaders.

"We don't understand it," said the ANC's national spokesman, Jackson Mthembu. "We have said he's not gravely ill."

In July, Mr. Mandela made a rare appearance at the final match of the soccer World Cup, circling the field in a golf cart with his wife, Graça Machel. Mr. Mandela stepped down as president in 1999 and the increasingly frail former leader has stayed largely out of the public view in recent years.

Mr. Mandela isn't the only aging African leader whose health is closely followed. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 86 years old, has been dogged by rumors that he is seriously ill with cancer. Mr. Mugabe this week dismissed the latest round of reports that he had gone to Malaysia for prostate surgery. In fact, Mr. Mugabe said, he was in Singapore on vacation.

"Those are the lies they always put across from year to year," said Mr. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe for three decades but now is part of a shaky "unity" government. "Now it's something you expect each time I go on leave."

Unlike the Zimbabwean president, Mr. Mandela is no longer in power. The amount of media attention his hospital visit has received, therefore, far outweighs any lingering political influence, according to Steven Friedman, director for the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Johannesburg.

"People are concerned and they hope he gets better. But if he doesn't, South Africa won't stop working," Mr. Friedman said.

Known across South Africa simply as Madiba, an honorary name given to members of his clan, Mr. Mandela spent a quarter-century imprisoned by the apartheid government in South Africa. His emergence from prison in 1990 precipitated political changes that would bring blacks to the ballot box and bring down a government that segregated citizens based on skin color.

Under Mr. Mandela, the ANC gained and held power; the media was freed; and foreign sanctions aimed at pressuring the apartheid government were lifted, allowing South Africa to re-engage with the world. Yet the anti-apartheid icon was unable to solve some of South Africa's most stubborn problems. The nation continues to struggle with huge wealth gaps, violent crime and high unemployment.

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704268104576108032358460352.html

ICC Cricket World Cup: Eden Gardens Fiasco

India dismayed by Eden Gardens fiasco

ICC's decision to drop Eden Gardens as the venue for the India-England game has been greeted with utter dismay in India.

Eden Gardens could not deliver on time, failing to meet the deadlines for renovations to the stadium. It hardly went down well with the ICC inspectors, who declared a venue change for the February 27 match between India and England.

"We were all looking forward to this match. We were dying to see a renovated Eden Gardens which was already looking so beautiful," former India batsman Arun Lal, now a commentator, said.

"Every cricket fan, every Kolkatan will be devastated by this."

Nearly 100,000 people screaming at the top of their voices make Eden Gardens one of the most atmospheric cricket grounds in the world.

"Is there no chance of this decision being reversed? I am just hoping that they can reconcile," Lal said.

Former India opening batsman Chetan Chauhan shared the view.

"I would suggest to the ICC and the Indian board that the Eden Gardens should be given another opportunity," Chauhan said.

"They should be given about 7-10 days. The game is on Feb 27 and there is still a lot of time.

"If they don't give them one more chance, I think they will deny a great centre and cricket-loving people the opportunity of watching a high-profile ICC Cricket World Cup match."

Eden Gardens, which hosted the 1987 World Cup final, will stage three other matches on March 15, 18 and 20, none of which feature the home side.

A furious Madan Lal, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, said the organisers should be taken to task.

"One question is why was the stadium not ready?," he said.

"Once a deadline was given, they should have completed the work before that deadline.

"It's not about the venue but about the people who have lost everything now."

Former ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya heads the Cricket Association of Bengal, which is based at Eden Gardens.

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http://www.espnstar.com/cricket/icc-cricket-world-cup/news/detail/item571997/India-dismayed-by-Eden-Gardens-fiasco/

Abbott to cut 1,000 county jobs

ABBOTT PARK — Abbott Laboratories said Wednesday it would eliminate 1,900 employees — including 1,000 in Lake County — in marketing and manufacturing positions over the next five years.

The layoffs, which represent about 2 percent of the company’s global work force of 90,000 and 6 percent of its U.S. workers, are expected to save Abbott nearly $300 million annually over the coming years. Abbott employs around 13,000 workers in Lake County.

Abbott blamed the cuts on new fees and pricing pressures associated with the health reform law and a “challenging regulatory environment” at the Food and Drug Administration, which approves new drugs.

Abbott has steadily increased its revenue year after year, even as most of its pharmaceutical peers have watched sales fall as patents on blockbuster drugs expire. And while the company’s multibillion dollar, anti-inflammatory drug Humira continued to deliver in the latest quarter, Abbott has stumbled in efforts to develop new therapies.

Last week the company halted research on a next-generation psoriasis drug after the FDA indicated additional clinical trials would be needed to win approval. It also pulled its diet drug Meridia from the market in October because of heart risks, only one month after it recalled millions of containers of its best-selling Similac baby formula because of possible contamination from insect parts.

Abbott shares fell $1.21, or 2.52 percent, to $46.75 in Wednesday trading.

Despite the announced job cuts, the company continued to deliver double-digit earnings and profit growth in the fourth quarter. Looking ahead to 2011, Abbott predicts earnings growth between 9 and 11 percent, between $4.54 and $4.64 per share in 2011.

In the fourth quarter, the company said it earned $1.4 billion, or 92 cents per share, down from $1.54 billion, or 98 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding costs related to the acquisition of Solvay Pharmaceuticals and Piramel Healthcare Solutions, along with a partnership, Abbott said it earned $1.30 per share. Revenue rose 13 percent to $9.97 billion.

Pharmaceutical sales drove revenue during the quarter, rising 23 percent to $5.94 billion. The company’s rheumatoid arthritis and immune disorder drug Humira led the way with a 15.4 percent boost in sales to $1.88 billion.

Meanwhile, nutritional product sales fell 1 percent to $1.43 billion while diagnostic product sales rose 5 percent to $1.02 billion and vascular product sales rose 14 percent to $822 million.

For the full year, the company earned $4.63 billion, or $2.96 per share, down from $5.75 billion, or $3.69 per share, in 2009. Revenue rose 14 percent to $35.17 billion from $30.77 billion.

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http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/3504657-418/story.html

Zuckerberg's Facebook page hacked

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's fan page was hacked Tuesday -- a high-profile breach on a site that constantly faces scrutiny about its handling of its members' private data.

The message that appeared on Zuckerberg's page under his name read: "Let the hacking begin: If Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way? Why not transform Facebook into a 'social business' the way Nobel Price winner Muhammad Yunus described it? http://bit.ly/fs6rT3 What do you think? #hackercup2011″

The message received more than 1,800 "likes" before it was removed from the page. Facebook's representatives have not returned calls seeking comment.

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http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/sns-cnn-zuckerberg-facebook-page-hacked,0,4370718.story

Injured Nadal aims for quick recovery

MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal is looking to put behind him the despair of missing a cherished 'Rafa Slam' and recover from his Australian Open injury setback to again rule men's tennis.

The world number one was in tears late in his injury-ruined quarterfinal on Wednesday with Spanish friend David Ferrer as he realised his quest for a fourth straight non-calendar year Grand Slam victory was over.

Although he refused to dwell on the injury out of respect for Ferrer's unexpectedly easy 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory, he told Spanish reporters that he may have torn a muscle during the match.

Nadal sought a medical timeout after a fiercely-contested second game of the match when his serve was broken following a marathon 22 points.

When he reappeared on Rod Laver Arena his upper left thigh was bandaged and there were reports that he had a hamstring injury.

But Nadal gave away few details at his post-match news conference, out of deference for close friend Ferrer who now faces a semifinal with last year's runner-up Andy Murray on Friday.

By a quirk of fate, Nadal also pulled out of last year's quarterfinal with Murray with knee trouble on the same Australia Day national holiday in his only other injury retirement at a Grand Slam.

Although the severity of his injury is not known, Nadal faced questions last year about his playing future when the knee tendinitis kept him off the tour until March.

He went on to string together the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns and came to Melbourne looking to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to own all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.

An emotional Nadal was able to put a positive slant on his latest problem, after last year's astonishing run when he became the youngest player in the Open era at 24 to complete a career Grand Slam.

"Last year I had a fantastic year," Nadal said. "Last year in the beginning I had problems, too, and finally it was the best season of my career.

"I think is almost impossible to repeat that. I had really good moments and at the same time some really negative moments.

"So this is one of bad ones, one of the negative moments. That's part of the sport. I think I am a very lucky sportsman to have what has happened in my career.

"And I have to accept the fantastic moments that I've had during the years the same way as when I have problems.

"If I am ready to accept both the highs and lows as the same, then I am going to be able to come back and play my best tennis again."

Nadal has entered the Indian Wells tournament in California from March 7-20 along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

But straight after his match Nadal said he was not sure when he would next appear on the ATP Tour.

"I don't know yet. I have to think a little bit about everything and we will see what's going on in the next weeks," he said.

Nadal said he hated injury retirements and had sour memories of his Australia Day pull-out at last year's Australian Open.

"I hate the retirements. I did it here last year. I hate that moment. I didn't want to repeat that," he said.

Read more:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Injured-Nadal-aims-for-quick-recovery/articleshow/7369764.cms#ixzz1CCkulcVL

Colombia coal mine blast kills 20, regulator says

An explosion at a small underground coal mine in northeast Colombia killed 20 workers on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest accident to hit Latin America's mining industry.

Colombia is the world's No. 5 coal exporter, with an industry dominated by major players with open-pit mines. But some smaller mines in the Andean nation are dug underground where methane gas buildups can cause accidents.

The mining regulator Ingeominas said the latest blast, in Norte de Santander province, was probably caused by methane gas and preliminary figures showed 20 fatalities.

"They've just told me there are 20 dead and six wounded," Marisa Fernandez of Ingeominas told Reuters by telephone.

Colombia's Red Cross said that eight bodies had been recovered so far along with six injured, adding that there was little chance of the remaining 12 or so miners being alive.

"I hope (God) favors me with another type of job to support my family, not this kind of mining in a murderous mine," an unnamed miner told a local television station.

Other miners, one on the verge of tears, said they feared all their colleagues were dead. Local media reported there had been other deadly blasts at the same mine in the past.

Rescuers continued searching for survivors.

The explosion was the latest in a series of mine accidents in South America, including a collapse in Chile in August that buried 33 workers until they were rescued to international jubilation after two months underground.

Colombia said that Chile was going to send a group of rescuers to help, while the government said it had shut the La Preciosa mine.

In June, a blast killed 70 miners in Colombia and, in November, nine people died at two small coal mines in the central Colombian province of Cundinamarca.

Despite the recent run of accidents, conditions for workers in Latin America's mines have improved radically in recent decades from the nightmarish conditions of past centuries after Spanish conquistadors began a hunt for gold.

The modern-day industry has helped fuel an economic boom in some nations, including Colombia, where mining is one of the main generators of foreign exchange.

Read more

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70P4GP20110127

Nadal ramps up form ahead of quarters

MELBOURNE: World number one Rafael Nadal sent out a warning to his rivals that he's back in business ahead of Wednesday's Australian Open quarterfinal with David Ferrer.

Nadal, bidding for a fourth straight major title to complete a non-calendar year 'Rafa Slam', tagged Monday's straight-sets win over Marin Cilic in the fourth round as his best in the tournament and declared he was healthy.

That's all foreboding news for compatriot and seventh seed Ferrer for their quarterfinal, which guarantees a Spaniard will play in the semifinals.

In Wednesday's other quarter, last year's finalist Andy Murray has an intriguing match-up with Ukrainian giant-killer Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Nadal had been troubled by a virus he picked up in Doha on his way to Australia but there was no sign of his massive sweating in the previous match as he ratcheted up his level against last year's semifinalist Cilic.

"I feel I played my best match by far at this year's Open. I think it was a very good match for me and a very important victory," Nadal said. "I was able to play with high intensity, very good rhythm, playing more inside the court."

Nadal has a 11-3 record over Ferrer, who beat the world number one twice in 2007, including a four-set fourth round victory at the US Open.

"We know each other well. We've played each other a lot of times. I think he's a fantastic player for many years so I have all respect for him," Nadal said.

"I know it's going to be a really difficult match."

It will be Nadal's fifth successive Australian Open quarterfinal and he is in the midst of a 25-match Grand Slam winning streak, his longest, but four off the record run of 29 held by Rod Laver.

The winner will play either British fifth seed Murray or 46th-ranked Dolgopolov in the top-half semifinal.

Murray, who was shattered by his defeat in last year's final by Roger Federer after holding five set points in a marathon third-set tiebreaker, said he was ready for the big matches of the tournament.

"I feel good. The matches are definitely going to get tougher," he said.

"I've been moving well. I'm hitting the ball the best I've have done since the early matches, but it's going to get much tougher. I'm ready for that mentally."

Murray is bidding to win Britain's first male Grand Slam since 1936 and was impressive in losing just five games to Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the round of 16.

Murray, who has yet to drop a set in his four matches at this year's Open, is undefeated in seven matches so far this season.

He is expecting a testing quarterfinal against Dolgopolov, who dumped Swedish fourth seed and two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling out in the fourth round.

"He's got a very unorthodox game, very different to most of the guys on the tour and he's starting to put everything together," he said.

"He's playing well, taking chances and he has a game that can make you play strange shots or not play that well."

Read more:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Nadal-ramps-up-form-ahead-of-quarters/articleshow/7358066.cms#ixzz1C14iMS5V

35 dead in blast at busiest Moscow airport

MOSCOW — A suicide bomber carrying a suitcase walked into Moscow's busiest airport and set off a huge explosion Monday, killing 35 people and wounding 180.

The international arrivals terminal at Domodedovo Airport was engulfed by smoke and splattered with body parts after the mid-afternoon terror attack sprayed shrapnel, screws and ball bearings at passengers and workers. Hundreds of people were in the loosely guarded area at the time.

President Dmitry Medvedev immediately ordered authorities to beef up security at Moscow's two other commercial airports and other key transport facilities. He also canceled plans to fly out Tuesday to Davos, Switzerland, where he was going to promote Russia as a safe, profitable investment haven to world business leaders.

"Attempts were being made to identify" the suspected male suicide bomber, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said, adding that the attacker appeared to have been wearing the explosives in a belt. The bomb was packed with metal objects to cause maximum damage, according to law enforcement authorities.

Two unconfirmed media reports out of Russia suggested that security services were tipped off to a terrorist attack on a Moscow airport in advance of Monday's bombing and had suspects in their sights.

The U.K.'s Telegraph quoted a source from Russian-language site Lifenews.ru as saying authorities knew of a planned attack a week ago.

"A tip-off with a warning that something was being prepared appeared one week before the explosion," the Lifenews.ru source said according to the Telegraph. "Even the place, by the customs, was named."

A law enforcement source told RIA Novosti news service that the security services were seeking three suspects who were able to gain access to the airport, witness the explosion, then leave.

The latest attack on the Russian capital also called into question Russia's ability to safely host major international sports events like the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2018 World Cup. It was the second time in seven years that terrorists had hit the Domodedovo Airport: In 2004, suicide bombers penetrated the lax security there, killing 90 people as they blew up two planes.

Large-scale battles in Chechnya ended years ago, following two devastating wars between Russia and the republic's separatists, but Islamic militants have continued to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks. Most of the attacks have been in Chechnya and other predominantly Muslim provinces in the southern Caucasus region, but some have targeted Moscow, including its subways, buses and trains.

In Washington, President Barack Obama condemned the "outrageous act of terrorism" and offered any assistance Russia might want. Those comments were echoed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who spoke with Medvedev and assured him of his complete support.

The Emergencies Ministry said 35 people were killed, 86 hospitalized with injuries and 94 were given medical treatment. Two Britons were among the dead, Markin said.

The Russkaya aya Sluzhba Novostei radio station cited a traveler, identified as Viktor, as saying he heard a loud bang while he was waiting for a car outside the terminal.

"There was an explosion, a bang. Then I saw a policeman covered in fragments of flesh and all bloody. He was shouting 'I've survived! I've survived!'" he told the radio station.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41231668/ns/world_news-europe/

Attack shows 'major security loophole' at airports

'Security loophole'

"This is a major security loophole," said Philip Baum, editor of Aviation Security International.

"The industry has missed the bigger picture and instead got on with addressing the last-known risk, not the risk to come. We are always reactive."

A suicide bomber killed at least 35 people in the international arrivals hall at Domodedovo, Russia's busiest airport, state TV said, in an attack on the capital that bore the hallmarks of militants fighting for an Islamist state in the North Caucasus region.

Chris Yates, an independent British aviation security consultant, said he had been arguing for years that airport security had been neglected in the rush to stop terrorists getting onto planes.

"Many airports are wide open to anyone walking in and blowing themselves up. It's as simple as that," he said.

Some of the post-Sept 11 airport measures such as body scanners and intensive frisking spawn long queues, which in themselves offer a tempting readymade target for an on-ground militant attack, counter-terrorism specialists say.

The post-Sept 11 dash for more aviation security also missed the point that militants change their tactics constantly to stay a step ahead of authorities, so heightening in-flight security was always going to be an incomplete tactic, they argue.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41238598/ns/world_news-europe/

Palestinians Offered to Give Up Parts of East Jerusalem, Al-Jazeera Says

Palestinian negotiators had agreed to give up claims to parts of east Jerusalem and swap some Jewish settlements in the West Bank for territory within Israel in 2008 talks, according to classified documents.

Al-Jazeera television said it had been given access to thousands of pages of memos, e-mails and minutes of private meetings that show Palestinian negotiators were also prepared to make concessions on the right of return for Palestinian refugees and detail the level of security cooperation with Israel. Al- Jazeera didn’t say how it obtained the correspondence, which covered the period from 1999 to 2010.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat called the reports “unfounded, twisted and taken out of context” in a telephone interview with Bloomberg News. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that he didn’t “know where al-Jazeera got secret things from,” according to Egypt’s state-run Middle East News Agency.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in September after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a 10-month partial construction freeze in West Bank settlements. Abbas has refused to negotiate as long as the building continues.



U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley said on Twitter late yesterday that the U.S. was reviewing what he called “the alleged Palestinian documents released” and said he “cannot vouch for their veracity.”

Peace Treaty

Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev declined to comment. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the documents show there’s no way for Israel to reach a comprehensive peace treaty with the Palestinians.

“Even the Olmert government didn’t reach an arrangement despite their far-reaching concessions,” Lieberman said in an interview with Israel Radio, referring to former prime minister Ehud Olmert.

Lieberman who heads the second-largest party in Netanyahu’s coalition, has said it may take “a few decades” to establish the trust needed for a permanent peace settlement. Netanyahu, who took office in 2009, has distanced himself from some of Lieberman’s positions.

The spokesman for the Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the documents were “clear evidence that the Palestinian Authority colluded with the occupation and it reflects its role in eliminating the just Palestinian cause.” Sami Abu Zuhri commented in an e-mailed statement.

Full Control

Hamas seized full control of Gaza in 2007 ending a partnership government with the Palestinian Authority after winning parliamentary elections a year earlier. Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and Israel, refuses to recognize Israel or any agreements signed with it.

“Hamas is already using this material to incite against the Palestinian Authority,” Mkhaimar Abusada, a political scientist at Gaza City’s al-Azhar University, said by phone. “That’s going to inflame a lot of people in Gaza, but I don’t think it’s going to hurt them with their supporters.”

The documents showed that Erakat and his team agreed in 2008 to allow Israel to keep most of the neighborhoods it has built in east Jerusalem. It also showed the team agreeing to exchange some settlements near Bethlehem for other territory.

Holiest Site

According to al-Jazeera, the Palestinians were also willing to hand over Haram al-Sharif, Islam’s third holiest site, to international control. The compound is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of the ancient temple destroyed by Romans.

The area lies in east Jerusalem, sought by Palestinians as the capital of a state. Israel captured the area in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move never internationally recognized.

“We have already said that we have accepted the principle of land swaps, but this is totally out of context,” Erakat said.

Jonathan Spyer, a political scientist at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, said “the fallout could actually be useful on the international stage because it makes the Palestinians look more flexible than Israel.” He spoke in a telephone interview.

Read More

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-24/al-jazeera-report-of-palestinian-concessions-is-unfounded-erakat-says.html

Argentina woman survives 23-storey hotel fall

The aftermath of the fall was captured by a passer-by with a mobile phone

A young woman has survived after falling from the 23rd floor of a hotel in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.

Her fall was broken by a taxi, whose driver got out moments before the impact crushed the roof and shattered the windscreen.

Eyewitness said the woman had climbed over a safety barrier and leapt from a restaurant at the top of the Hotel Crown Plaza Panamericano.

She was taken to intensive care for treatment for multiple injuries.

The woman, who has not been named, is reported to be an Argentine in her 20s.

The taxi driver, named by local media as Miguel, said he got out of his vehicle just before the impact after noticing a policeman looking up.

"I got out of the car a second before. If I had not got out, I would have been killed," he told Radio 10.

"I was only 10 metres from the impact. It made a terrible noise," he added.

The Hotel Crown Plaza Panamericano overlooks the Obelisk, one of the best known landmarks in Buenos Aires.


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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12270609

Tunisia police fire tear gas at protesters

Tunisian police have fired tear gas at protesters who were demanding the removal of all allies of former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The protesters had defied an overnight curfew to gather outside the offices of Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi - one of the men they want to quit.

Meanwhile, two politicians close to Mr Ben Ali have been detained.

Former adviser Abdelaziz bin Dhia and ex-Interior Minister Abdallah Qallal are under house arrest, reports say.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12265096

World's Highest Restaurant Opens in Dubai

The world’s tallest building is now the site of the world’s highest restaurant above the ground.

A fine dining establishment called At.mosphere has opened on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai at a height of 1,350 feet.

The eatery is just three feet lower to the ground than the observation deck of the Willis Tower in Chicago, but perhaps more astonishing is that it is not even half way up the 2,717-foot tower, leaving open the possibility that its claim to fame will be short-lived.

The previous record holder was the 360 restaurant in the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada which is situated at a height of 1,151 feet.

The food at At.mosphere is described by its owners as eclectic European, and the menu has prices to match the restaurant’s lofty perch. A cup of coffee costs $8.

Read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/01/23/worlds-highest-restaurant-opens-dubai/#ixzz1BwWYGxyU

Sleeping next to pets could be harmful, study says

Sleeping alongside your pets can make you sick.

It's rare, but it happens. That's why good hygiene means keeping Fluffy and Spot next to the bed, not on it, two experts in animal-human disease transmission say in a forthcoming paper.

More than 60% of American households have a pet, and depending on the survey, 14% to 62% let their dogs and cats sleep with them. That can be dangerous, says Bruno Chomel, a professor at the University of California-Davis school of veterinary medicine.

"There are private places in the household, and I think our pets should not go beyond next to the bed," Chomel says. "Having a stuffed animal in your bed is fine, not a real one."

Chomel and co-author Ben Sun, chief veterinarian with the California Department of Public Health, did an extensive search of medical journals and turned up a hair-raising list of possible pathogens.

There's plague (yes, bubonic plague, i.e. the Black Death); chagas disease, which can cause life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders; and cat-scratch disease, which can also come from being licked by infected cats.

Though many people love getting licked or planting a kiss on a pet, it may not be such a good idea, the authors say.

The researchers found several cases of various infections transmitted this way.

"The risk is rare, but when it occurs it can be very nasty, and especially in immuno-compromised people and the very young," says Chomel, who specializes in zoonoses, the study of disease transmission between animals and humans.

Larry Kornegay, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, called the article "pretty balanced." These cases are "uncommon if not rare," but even so, pet owners should use common sense to reduce risks.

Washing hands after playing with pets and regular veterinary wellness visits are key, says Kornegay, who practices in Houston.

In general, he says, "the benefits of having a pet, whether or not you sleep with it, far outweigh the negatives, which are quite uncommon."

The paper, in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, won't be out for a week, but Chomel says his e-mail box is already filling up with people who disagree with it.

"They tell me they've slept with their pets for years and they never got sick," he says.

Read More

http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/pets/2011-01-24-Petsleeping24_ST_N.htm?csp=ylf

No time to lose in the Middle East peace process

The Jewish settlement of Hashmonaim, dating from the mid 1980s, in the West Bank.


During the last two years, Israelis and Palestinians have not marked an inch of progress towards the hoped for two-state solution. It is high time the international community mobilised serious efforts in that direction.

Israelis and Palestinians spent years negotiating the intertwined core issues of Jerusalem, the holy sites, the refugees, territory, borders and settlements, and security. I believe that we know what a final agreement will ultimately look like. Since President Clinton's parameters were laid down in December 2000, every political initiative to ending the conflict has led to the same fundamental solutions. The recent leak of Palestinian documents proves it.

It seems that there has never been a shortage in ideas, plans and initiatives. Moreover, the convergences between the parties throughout this period have been apparently more substantive than publicly revealed to date.

In Israel, time is running out for those who want to secure a Jewish and democratic state within recognised boundaries alongside a demilitarised Palestinian state. True, polls consistently demonstrate that Israelis overwhelmingly support the two-state solution. But this majority has not been heard politically. Israelis are starting to realise that, and are getting their act together to change this discourse. They say: we are proud to be Israeli, Jewish and Zionist, and refuse to apologise for it. We would like to secure this identity for generations – and, for that purpose, a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel is imperative.

In the absence of a capable leadership in the Middle East, a series of conditions should be considered by the US and its allies in this endeavor in order to reverse the course of the process for the benefit of all parties concerned.

First, there is a need to combine the bilateral approach with a regional one, thus establishing a supportive Arab coalition for a possible Israeli-Palestinian agreement, and providing further opportunities for negotiations and trade-offs. To the detriment of the PLO, Israel's interlocutor since Oslo in 1993, Gaza is governed by Iranian-backed Hamas, a brutal terrorist organisation, dedicated to the destruction of Israel. It is only under a regional framework that the Gaza timebomb could possibly be addressed. The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative represents a significant and strategic shift in the Arab League's approach to resolving the dispute. It should serve as a basis for further negotiations.

Second, it is crucial to win the individual and collective hearts and minds of the peoples in the region. We need to prepare the ground ahead of time for tough decisions to be taken towards peaceful co-existence. It is essential gradually to change the public's mindset by creating a new vocabulary, a fresh discourse, even if that means tackling what were once taboos. Until today, little thought was given to the preparation of public opinion. Media coverage focused on what the respective parties are likely to be giving up, rather than on the benefits of peace. And so mutual hostility continued unchecked.

Third, the architecture of the Oslo process must be reframed. It seems essential to change the "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" paradigm of Camp David, Taba and Annapolis – into "what has been agreed should be implemented". Such an approach would open the way for an agreement on boundaries, security, statehood and the economy. Subsequently, the negotiations over Jerusalem and the refugees will continue in a state-to-state fashion.

Fourth, seeking the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be based anymore on falsified grounds, distorted truths and double standards vis-à-vis Israel, thus encouraging anti-Israel terrorism. Pursuing Israeli settlement relocation, within a final territorial agreement, should follow 1967 United Nations security council resolution 242. The resolution was drawn up by Lord Caradon, UK representative at the UN who stated:

"We didn't say there should be a withdrawal to the [19]'67 line; we did not put the 'the' in, we did not say all the territories, deliberately … We did not say that the '67 boundaries must be forever; it would be insanity."

The British foreign secretary at the time, George Brown, said:

"I have been asked over and over again to clarify, modify or improve the wording, but I do not intend to do that … Before we submitted it to the council, we showed it to the Arab leaders. The proposal said 'Israel will withdraw from territories that were occupied', and not from 'the' territories, which means that Israel will not withdraw from all territories."

And finally, tangible coordination on the ground should be promoted, enabling the bottom-up progress to sustain a political dialogue. Since 2007, we have seen in the West Bank a genuine Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation. In that climate, self-interest starts to supersede mistrust between the parties, as has been demonstrated in steady economic growth, rapid institutional development and improved welfare.

It is essential that President Obama should find without delay a mechanism to resume negotiations between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Yes, all three face a different set of domestic problems, but the US president should insist on maintaining a rigid negotiation framework with a binding agenda from which the parties cannot be allowed to depart. There is a reasonable chance of reaching a partial agreement on territory, security and the establishment of the Palestinian state within the president's remaining effective term.

The two-state solution is not only in the interest of Israel: it is clearly in the interest of the United States, Europe and the moderate Arab world to enhance global peace and stability.

Read More

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/25/palestine-papers-two-state-solution