Saturday, December 31, 2011

Mitch Talbot, Luis Valbuena lead Columbus Clippers past Indianapolis: Minor League Report

Also, St. Edward graduate Alex Lavisky has three hits, including a double and home run, in Mahoning Valley's loss to Auburn, N.Y.

mitch talbot.JPGView full sizeMitch Talbot, shown earlier this season with the Indians, had a strong outing Wednesday night for the Class AAA Clippers.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 2, Indians 1 RH Mitch Talbot (2-2, 4.45) threw seven shutout innings and SS Luis Valbuena (.300) doubled, scored a run and drove in another as Columbus won the International League game in Indianapolis.

Talbot allowed four hits and two walks while striking out eight. RH Josh Judy (3.31) worked around two walks in the ninth to earn his 22nd save.

RF Travis Buck (.269) had three hits for Columbus.

AA Akron Aeros

Baysox 7, Aeros 3 Akron LH Matt Packer (7-12, 4.36) got banged around for six runs in six innings and host Bowie (Md.) won the Eastern League game.

Packer coughed up nine hits and three walks.

1B Raul Padron (.232) led the Aeros with two hits.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Keys 6, Indians 2 1B Justin Toole (.262) had four hits and CF Tyler Holt (.260) had three but Kinston dropped the Carolina League game in Frederick, Md.

LH T.J. House (6-12, 5.31) started for Kinston and gave up three runs (all earned) on eight hits and one walk. He struck out seven.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Doubledays 6, Scrappers 5 St. Edward grad Alex Lavisky (.210) had three hits, including a double and his fifth homer of the season, but Mahoning Valley lost the New York-Penn League game in 10 innings to Auburn (N.Y.) in Niles, Ohio.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 7, Slammers 3 SS Andrew Davis (.336) and 1B Jason Taylor homered to lead Lake Erie to the Frontier League win in Joliet, Ill.

Davis' 12th homer of the season, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, broke a 3-3 tie.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/mitch_talbot_luis_valbuena_lea.html

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Welcome to Jerusalem - city of ice

When we think of the Israeli climate, warm weather almost always comes to mind. But next year will see a celebration in Jerusalem that marks the exact opposite.

The city will be the site of an international ice festival in March and April. Among the attractions on offer will be ice versions of the Kotel, the Shrine of the Book and David's Citadel, with visitors entering the exhibition site through a frozen homage to the Jaffa Gate.

Construction is set to begin in the new year on an ice bar, an ice concert hall and even an ice rink for Israelis to test their skating skills.

The festival will be located at the city's old train station compound.

Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem, said the festival joined an impressive roster of events that have already taken p la ce in the city, including the Opera Festival, the Arts and Crafts Fair and the Festival of Light.

"The cultural revolution in Jerusalem will break new records this year," he said.

The exhibition will be run at a temperature of 10 degrees below zero - but there is still hope that it could bring about a thaw in Arab-Israeli relations.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/strange-true/61210/welcome-jerusalem-city-ice

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Welcome to Jerusalem - city of ice

When we think of the Israeli climate, warm weather almost always comes to mind. But next year will see a celebration in Jerusalem that marks the exact opposite.

The city will be the site of an international ice festival in March and April. Among the attractions on offer will be ice versions of the Kotel, the Shrine of the Book and David's Citadel, with visitors entering the exhibition site through a frozen homage to the Jaffa Gate.

Construction is set to begin in the new year on an ice bar, an ice concert hall and even an ice rink for Israelis to test their skating skills.

The festival will be located at the city's old train station compound.

Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem, said the festival joined an impressive roster of events that have already taken p la ce in the city, including the Opera Festival, the Arts and Crafts Fair and the Festival of Light.

"The cultural revolution in Jerusalem will break new records this year," he said.

The exhibition will be run at a temperature of 10 degrees below zero - but there is still hope that it could bring about a thaw in Arab-Israeli relations.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/strange-true/61210/welcome-jerusalem-city-ice

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Predictions in good shape for the business end of the season

With the exception of one, all my pre-season MSFL predictions are well-placed to challenge for honours in 2012. I currently have one team in first place, one in second, two in third and one in fourth. Remember, it's a marathon not a sprint.

Hendon United A, my tip for the Premier Division, sit proudly on top of the table. Boosted by summer signings Danny Kon, Ben Lauffer and Motti Colman, they have the look and feel of champions. David Garbacz's troops have won seven out of eight and the treble is still on.

Hotshot Kon has made a huge impact since joining from Los Blancos. He currently tops the Premier goal charts with nine strikes while defender Josh Lipman and playmaker Greg Corin have been in imperious form in a team that has conceded just five times in nine league matches.

Chigwell Athletic have had a decent first half of the season but they cannot afford any more slip-ups in Division One. Glenn Michaels has been in red-hot form with 12 league goals but it's Redbridge B who have been setting the pace in what has turned into a four-horse race.

Stirling Kay's men have been a revelation this season, with Dan Orgel and Mark Zealander scoring for fun, but they face the tougher run-in and there is still a chance that Chigwell's experience will see them through.

The old guard of Daniel Castle, Lee Hyams, Russell Brill and Paul Lenchner have the quality to ensure Richard Slater's troops stay the distance.

Glenthorne United A have been overshadowed by Camden Park in Division Two so far, but I expect them to kick-on in the new year. In Bradley Grant, they have one of the best young keepers in the league while player-manager Dan Lipman continues to pop up with important goals.

Camden have surprised many people this season. Josh Marks' men boast one of only two unbeaten records in the league.

With Glenthorne B, UJIA and Shirley Park raising the bar in Division Three, Neasden C face a real battle if they are to prove me right. I tipped them for glory on the basis that they have a top keeper in Ed Bloom and the versatile Adam Levene will help keep things tight at the back, while player-manager Louis Taylor will contribute a regular supply of goals.

Bloom has since moved on to FC Team but it's the return of Fabio Revieccio to Glenthorne that has really hurt their chances as the Thornes are starting to pull clear. Co-managed by Sam Rosenthal and Craig Sandford, they have won 10 on the spin and there are not many teams in the division who can live with them.

The Division Four title race looks set to go to the wire. SPEC FC have done well to stay in the mix given their injury problems. With keeper Michael Rhodes and Elliot Wallis suffering season-ending injuries, Laurence Conway's team finished 2011 in style with a hat-trick of wins, inspired by the brilliance of captain Ashley Burns, Marc Hecht and midfield maestro Ricky Lawrence. It's turning out to be the most competitive division, with Athletic Bilbaum, Raiders C and Brady B also in contention.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/sport/caros-column/61174/predictions-good-shape-business-end-season

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Faces and Places: 30th December 2011

Source: http://www.thejc.com/galleries/faces-and-places/faces-and-places-30th-december-2011

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Beau Mills' walk-off single propels Columbus over Norfolk in 13: Minor-league report

Aeros finally score, but can't top Erie; Wilmington shuts down Kinston; sloppy defense undoes Lake County; Scrappers duo shuts out Aberdeen; Roberts sharp in Crushers' win.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 6, Tides 5 (13): Beau Mills' bases-loaded, pinch-hit single with none out in the bottom of the 13th scored Shelley Duncan for host Columbus against Norfolk (Va.).

Duncan led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Tides catcher John Hester. 1B Nick Johnson (.210) and 3B Jared Goedert (.209) were intentionally walked by Josh Rupe to load the bases before Mills (.167), recently promoted from Akron, came through with the walk-off hit.

2B Cord Phelps (.294), LF Jerad Head (.280) and Goedert homered for the Clippers. LH Nick Hagadone (4-1, 3.71 ERA) earned the victory with three innings of scoreless relief.

AA Akron Aeros

SeaWolves 5, Aeros 1: Akron C Michel Hernandez (.480) broke the host Aeros' 26-inning scoreless streak with a run-scoring single, but the Aeros lost the finale of a four-game series against Erie (Pa.). The Aeros (55-54) lost three of four to the SeaWolves (51-57) and lost the season series.

LH T.J. McFarland (7-6, 4.09) took the loss for Akron. He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Blue Rocks 5, Indians 2: RH Brett Brach (6-8, 3.34) allowed three runs -- two earned-- in seven innings, but Kinston lost in Wilmington, Del. SS Casey Frawley (.206) and LF Jordan Casas (.500) each had two hits for the K-Tribe.

A Lake County Captains

Lugnuts 10, Captains 6: LF Brian Heere (.267) had three hits, including a three-run double, but Lake County could not overcome four errors and nine walks as host Lansing (Mich.) triumphed. The loss snapped a six-game win streak for the Captains.

The Lugnuts took a 6-0 lead, but Heere's bases-clearing shot to right-center got Lake County to within 7-5 in the fifth inning. A sacrifice fly by CF Luigi Rodriguez (.300) in the sixth plated RF Carlos Moncrief (.245) to cut the margin to one before Lansing pulled away.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 1, IronBirds 0: CF Cody Elliott's eighth-inning sacrifice fly scored 2B Todd Hankins, and LH Danny Jimenez and RH Cody Allen combined for a six-hit shutout of host Aberdeen (Md.). Jimenez (2.79) allowed six hits and one walk in 6 innings. He struck out two. Allen (3-1, 2.27) struck out three in 21/3 perfect innings of relief.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 4, Wild Things 1: RH Josh Roberts (7-4) tossed six scoreless innings as host Lake Erie downed Washington (Pa.).

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/07/beau_mills_walk-off_single_pro.html

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Book club aims for a new chapter in Jewish-Arab relations

The Middle East conflict is not known for inspiring polite literary conversation. But among the piles of history books, novels and biographies in Joseph's Bookstore in north London, a bookish crowd is discussing Arab-Israeli relations, through the words of Muslim and Jewish authors.

For most of the members of the Arab-Israeli Book Club, run in partnership with the Jewish Community Centre, politics comes secondary to a love of literature.

Huddled on plastic chairs, the participants are discussing two novellas about the birth of the state of Israel - Israeli writer S Yizhar's Khirbet Khizeh, and Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani's Men in the Sun.

The book club is run by Roehampton University lecturer Ariel Kahn and the Palestinian novelist, Samir El-Youssef, who was born in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon. The pair met at an event run by PEN, the organisation that champions writers' freedom.

"We were quite keen to share our passion for literature from these countries, to set up a dialogue," says Kahn. "The first book we did, Arabesques, was the first book by an Arab writer written in Hebrew. It's very literary, very sophisticated.

"We're not just doing Amos Oz. We're very keen to push people into unchartered waters and show them how many different voices there are."

The club comprises students, teachers and retirees along with journalists and businessmen. Around 40 people were at the gathering at Joseph's Bookstore. But the reality is that the audience is probably not as mixed as the organisers would like. The north London location and the promotion by the JCC means the audience is very much Jewish-dominated.

The bookstore's owner, Michael Joseph, agrees that a variety of venues might attract a more diverse audience. "There's a bookshop on the Edgware Road which does the same kind of thing. That would be interesting to explore," he says.

Kahn points out that "one aspect of the book club is about educating different sectors of the Jewish community, and we draw a wide demographic. And as we have got to know one another better, the dialogue between Samir and myself has grown more engaged and nuanced."

In part to reach a wider audience, regular participant, journalist Chris Cox, has set up a blog about the club, and has received enquiries from the Middle East about the discussions.

One of the Palestinian participants at Joseph's Bookstore is film student Ismail al-Qaisi. "More Jewish people attend than Arabs but that, I guess, is because the two cultures live in very separate geographical areas and possibly do not have the chance to mix," he says. "It would be a great idea if more Arabs could participate, because that would open the debate fully."

The JCC's Rachel Mars says that a more diverse membership is the next step. "We want this to be a genuine dialogue."

But El Youssef says he is happy with the core membership as it is. "I'm not troubled by it, to be honest. I'm interested in people talking about literature. If you do have a very mixed audience, then it will be much more a political discussion. I prefer that the people who come love books. It's important to discover common ground. When you talk about Palestine and Israel, people assume you disagree about everything. Some of the regulars are really interested in literature. They read Hebrew, Arabic. People bring something to the discussion, from their own experiences."

Andrew Munck, 28, is an enthusiastic participant in the evening's discussion. "I think Jews sometimes feel uncomfortable discussing the conflict - we need a space where it seems OK to talk about it," he says. "That's what's really going on here."

Source: http://www.thejc.com/arts/books/61198/book-club-aims-a-new-chapter-jewish-arab-relations

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Western Daily Press published Brad Davis: Bath Rugby will handle the pressure against London...

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It's a no-hitter (again!): Joliet's Andrew Moss stymies Lake Erie Crushers, 10-1 -- Minor-league report

Columbus manages just one hit in loss to Syracuse; Trenton's early runs top Akron; Holt has three hits in Kinston defeat; Wetmore's six hitless innings lead Lake County, Lavisky's fourth homer helps fuel Scrappers win.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Slammers 10, Crushers 1: Joliet's Andrew Moss (3-3, 3.67) no-hit Lake Erie in the Frontier League game in Avon.

The 24-year-old Moss walked six, struck out seven and has a 4-3 record in nine starts for the Slammers.

“That might have been the ugliest no-hitter of all time,” a happy Moss said. “I walked six guys, hit one, but we were able to get the job done and get the win. My defense was amazing and its always easier to pitch when your offense scores 10 runs.”

Moss walked the bases loaded in the seventh and gave up a run on a sacrifice fly by Jason Taylor. He retired the first 11 batters he faced, getting some help from center fielder Bobby Leeper when he made a diving catch in the first inning to take a hit away. In the sixth, shortstop Brad Netzel made a leaping catch of a line drive.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Chiefs 2, Clippers 0: On the day its major-league affiliate was held hitless and one day after Justin Germano pitched a perfect game for the Clippers, Columbus was held to one hit and lost an International League game Wednesday in Syracuse, N.Y.

DH Beau Mills (.188) had the Clippers' hit. RH Jeanmar Gomez (10-4, 2.34) pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits. He walked none and struck out six.

AA Akron Aeros

Thunder 5, Aeros 1: Trenton (N.J.) roughed up Akron starter Joe Gardner (7-8, 4.99) and won the Eastern League game at Canal Park.

Gardner, a righty, gave up five earned runs on 10 hits in 51/3 innings. 3B Kyle Bellows (.227) hit his second homer of the season for Akron.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Dash 7, Indians 3: LF Tyler Holt (.264) had three hits and stole his 24th base of the season, but the K-Tribe lost the Carolina League game in Winston-Salem, N.C.

RH Marty Popham (4-1, 3.88) started and allowed six earned runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out six.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 9, Hot Rods 4: LH Kirk Wetmore (2-0, 6.38) threw six hitless innings, SS Ronny Rodriguez (.241) hit his eighth homer of the season and 2B Nick Bartolone (.219) had three hits and scored three times as Lake County beat Bowling Green (Ky.) in a Midwest League game in Eastlake.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 5, Spinners 3: Catcher and St. Ed grad Alex Lavisky (.204) hit his fourth homer of the season and scored two runs and RH Rob Nixon (3-3, 4.19) threw five innings of one-run ball to lead Mahoning Valley to the New York-Penn League win over Lowell (Mass.) in Niles, Ohio.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/07/clippers_held_to_one_hit_in_lo.html

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Kinston takes 13-inning triumph over Salem: Minor-league report

Akron rally not enough against Manchester; Lake County falls in 11 innings; Scrappers nipped by Brooklyn; Crushers' 10-game win streak snapped by Evansville.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 9, Red Sox 7: Kinston scored two in the top of the 13th inning to win a Carolina League game in Salem, Va. The Indians' late rally appeared to stall when Jeremie Tice was picked off third, but a single by Doug Pickens loaded the bases and the K-Tribe scored runs on a wild pitch and Roberto Perez sacrifice fly. Kyle Landis (8-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the win.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 11, Red Wings 7: Tim Fedroff drove in five runs with three hits and a bases-loaded walk and visiting Columbus used a six-run sixth inning to overcome an early deficit against Rochester. Third baseman Jared Goedert had five hits, drove in two runs and scored three times for the Clippers. Zach Putnam picked up his eighth save with two innings of shutout relief.

Mitch Talbot started for Columbus, but gave up six hits and six runs in two innings of work.

Notes: Rightfielder Jerad Head leads the Clippers with 22 home runs and 66 RBI. He's hitting .282. Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez leads the staff with a 10-5 record. He has a 2.45 ERA. He has started 19 games for the Clippers and turned in two complete games. Right-hander Josh Judy leads the team with 18 saves. He has struck out 55 batters in 44 innings and has a 3.63 ERA.

AA Akron Aeros

Fisher Cats 5, Aeros 3: Akron rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth inning but couldn't overcome a five-run deficit as they lost an Eastern League game at Manchester, N.H. Right-hander Austin Adams (9-9) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in six innings.

Note: Akron was 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

A Lake County Captains

Dragons 2, Captains 1: Billy Hamilton scored all the way from first base when Drew Poulk singled and Luigi Rodriguez bobbled the ball in center field and host Dayton defeated Lake County in 11 innings in a Midwest League game. The Captains scored in the first inning when Ronny Rodriguez doubled in Luigi Rodriguez. Kyle Petter (2-3) pitched the final 2 innings for Lake County and took the loss.

Notes: Right-hander Clayton Ehlert leads the Captains' bullpen with 14 saves. He has a 1.62 ERA in 34 games. He has pitched 441/3 innings.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Cyclones 2, Scrappers 1: A two-out single by second baseman Todd Hankins in the fourth inning was the only scoring that host Mahoning Valley could muster in a New York-Penn League loss to Brooklyn (N.Y.). Ramon Cespedes (0-1) was the loser. He gave up one run and two hits in two innings of relief.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Otters 12, Crushers 7: Lake County's franchise record 10-game winning streak was snapped with a loss in a Frontier League game in Evansville, Ind. The Otters pounded out 17 hits.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/kinston_takes_13-inning_triump.html

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South Wales Evening Post published Gaze up at the stars

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Padua hockey team defeated in overtime against Shaker

A third period comeback by Paduas hockey team was enough to send its contest with Shaker Heights into overtime, but a power play goal by the Raiders proved the difference, as Shaker won last Fridays contest by a score of 4-3.

Source: http://blog.cleveland.com/parmasunpost/2011/12/padua_hockey_team_defeated_in.html

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Clippers, Aeros and Kinston Indians all shut out: Minor League Report

The Lake County Captains and Mahoning Valley Scrappers manage to get victories.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Chiefs 3, Clippers 0 Four Syracuse (N.Y.) pitchers held Columbus to five hits and the visiting Clippers lost the International League game.

Joe Martinez (6-5, 4.17) started and threw 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander gave up three earned runs on 12 hits. He walked none and fanned two. RH Chen Lee (0.52) finished the game with 2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.

CF Tim Fedroff (.280) had two hits for the Clippers.

AA Akron Aeros

SeaWolves 1, Aeros 0 LH Matt Packer (4-10, 4.53) allowed an unearned run in 8 innings and look the loss as Erie (Pa.) shut out the Aeros at Canal Park.

Packer allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out six.

Aeros C Matt McBride (.297) had two hits, including his 24th double of the season.

Advanced A

Kinston Indians

Blue Rocks 4, Indians 0 Kinston had two singles and two errors and lost the Carolina League game in Wilmington, Del.

LH Mike Rayl (0-1, 5.40) took the loss in his first start for Kinston since being promoted from Class A Lake County, where he was 5-5 with a 2.83 ERA.

Rayl pitched five innings Friday, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk. He struck out four and gave up one home run, a three-run shot in the first inning.

DH Jesus Aguilar (.333), also a recent call-up from Lake County, and RF Tyler Cannon (.253) had the K-Tribe's hits.

Aguilar batted .292 with 19 homers and 69 RBI this season for the Captains.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 9, Hot Rods 7 SS Ronny Rodriguez (.246) was a homer shy of hitting for the cycle and drove in two runs to help Lake County win the Midwest League game over visiting Bowling Green (Ky.)

C Moises Montero (.151) had two RBI and CF Luigi Rodriguez (.500) had two doubles and two RBI in his Captains debut.

RH Michael Goodnight (4.50) started and gave up five runs (all earned) on seven hits, including two home runs.

Dale Dickerson (2-1, 2.02) relieved Goodnight and got the win. The right-hander allowed one unearned run in two innings.

A Mahoning Vy. Scrappers

Scrappers 8, Spinners 4 St. Ed grad Alex Lavisky (.205) had two hits, including a double, and 1B Jerrud Sabourin (.184) drove in two runs as Mahoning Valley beat Lowell (Mass.) in a New York-Penn League in Niles, Ohio.

Independent

Lake Erie Crushers

Jammers 4, Crushers 1 Joliet (Ill.) completed a three-game sweep of Lake Erie in Avon.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/07/clippers_aeros_and_kinston_ind.html

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Russian nuclear submarine blaze injures nine after crew remain inside

President orders inquiry into fire on board vessel docked in Arctic but officials play down any fears of radiation leak

The Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, has ordered an investigation after a nuclear submarine caught fire during repairs in the Arctic, injuring at least nine people.

The blaze, believed to have been started by a welding lamp igniting rubbish and wooden scaffolding next to the craft, raged for nine hours at a shipyard in the Murmansk region. Up to 30 crew members remained inside the submarine, although it was unclear if they were trapped.

Russian officials were quick to announce there had been no radiation leak from the nuclear sub, named Yekaterinburg, after the flames were extinguished. Conflicting reports said between nine and sixteen people were treated for smoke inhalation. Bellona, a respected Norwegian NGO which monitors Russia's nuclear fleet, said the number of casualties may have been higher.

Friday's fire was the second blow for Russia's military this week after it emerged a blogger had published photographs of a night visit to a secret rocket engine factory near Moscow. It is also the latest in a string of accidents to befall Russia's fleet of nuclear submarines in recent years, the most notorious being the explosion that sent the Kursk to the bottom of the Barents Sea in 2000, killing all 118 crew on board. A K-159 submarine sank in the same waters three years later with the loss of nine men, and 20 people died after the leak of a fire suppressant gas on a K-152 Nerpa off Russia's Pacific coast in 2008.

The K-84 Yekaterinburg, launched in 1984, is normally equipped with up to 16 missiles and 12 torpedoes. It was reportedly unarmed and in dry dock when the fire started Friday afternoon and spread to the rubber shell around the craft. About 400 emergency workers struggled to contain the blaze using helicopters and tug boats, partially submerging the vessel in order to put it out.

The 18,200-tonne, 167-metre Yekaterinburg was reportedly used twice this year to successfully test-fire the Sineva ballistic missile, also known by its Nato designation Skiff.

Igor Konashenkov, a defence ministry spokesman, said the Yekaterinburg's reactor was out of operation at the time of the accident, which happened at the Roslyakovo dock, one of the main port's for Russia's northern fleet, situated about 900 miles north of Moscow close to the city of Murmansk. "There is no danger of a radioactive leak," he said.

Prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the accident. Medvedev ordered deputy prime ministers Dmitry Rogozin and Igor Sechin to examine the causes of the fire and ensure the craft is restored.

The fire will embarrass Medvedev, who this year approved �400bn of arms spending to 2020.

The desolate region around Murmansk contains the biggest concentration of old nuclear reactors in the world and, since the cold war ended, has become the world's atomic dustbin. Murmansk is home to the old Soviet Union's northern fleet of nuclear submarines, many of Russia's atom-powered icebreakers and several 40-year-old civil reactors.

Alexander Ruzankin, head of economic development for the Murmansk region, says it has around 200 working nuclear reactors and 20,000 separate stores of waste, ranging from containers full of radioactive water to decrepit buildings full of fuel rods.

Nearly 20% of the world's reactors and nuclear fuel is concentrated in the region. A few obsolete nuclear submarines are decommissioned each year with the help of US and Norwegian aid, but the nuclear legacy is growing as Germany and former Soviet states send their radioactive research reactors and nuclear waste there for decommissioning and eventual shipment to the Urals.

Many of the stores are in a dangerous condition and are leaking water and radioactive substances into the soil and water.


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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/30/russia-nuclear-submarine-fire-arctic

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Valbuena's walk-off HR is latest late-inning magic for Clippers: Minor-league report

Bellows drives in a pair in Aeros win, Popham struggles for Kinston, Montero's homer not enough for Captains, Scrappers falter late to Yankees, Lake Erie wins at Florence.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 5, Tides 4: SS Luis Valbuena (.309) slugged a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the Clippers completed a four-game sweep of Norfolk (Va.), with the last three on walk-off hits. Valbuena was 4-for-4 with a walk in the International League game at Columbus. The homer was his 13th.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 3, Thunder 2: Akron third baseman Kyle Bellows had two hits and two RBI to lead Akron to an Eastern League victory at Trenton, N.J. Bellows, who has 34 RBI on the year, also stole his fourth base of the season.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Pelicans 5, Indians 3: Marty Popham (4-2) gave up six hits and five earned runs in six innings, and Kinston, N.C., lost a home game to Myrtle Beach, S.C., in the Carolina League.

A Lake County Captains

Loons 4, Captains 3: Great Lakes scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and defeated Lake County in a Midwest League game. C Moises Montero hit his second homer for the Captains, a solo shot in the sixth.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Yankees 7, Scrappers 4: Mahoning Valley gave up three runs in the eighth inning and lost a New York-Penn league game to Staten Island, N.Y., in Niles.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 4, Freedom 3: Florence, Ky., stranded a runner at third three times over the final four innings, and visiting Lake Erie won the Frontier League game.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/valbuenas_walk-off_hr_is_lates.html

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Cord Phelps' effort can't prevent loss for Columbus Clippers: Minor League Report

The Class AA Akron Aeros and Class A Lake County Captains also lose, but the Class A Kinston Indians get a victory over the Potomac Nationals.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Red Sox 5, Clippers 2 SS Cord Phelps (.301) doubled twice, singled and knocked in a run, but Columbus lost an International League game in Pawtucket, R.I. Clippers RH Jeanmar Gomez (10-6, 2.46 ERA) allowed five runs -- two earned -- in seven innings. CF Tim Fedroff (.268), DH Nick Johnson (.211) and 2B Argenis Reyes (.300) each had two hits for Columbus. Johnson knocked in the other run.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Pawtucket, 3B Jared Goedert (.257) was 22-for-55 (.400) with four home runs in his last 18 games....OF Chad Huffman (.247) was looking to start another streak, after having his 25-game on-base streak snapped on Tuesday and his 13-game hitting streak ended on Monday. Huffman was 23-of-43 (.535) with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs and 12 RBI during the hitting streak....OF Jeread Head (.285) was 19-for-60 (.317) with seven homers and 17 RBI in his last 14 games....LH reliever Nick Hagadone (4-2, four saves, 3.32) was 2-1 with two saves and a 1.69 ERA in his last 14 games, striking out 26 and walking four in 21 1/3 innings....RH reliever Chen Lee (3-0, 1.08) had struck out 36, walked seven and allowed 17 hits in 25 innings with the Clippers. Lee was a combined 5-1 with a 1.95 ERA for Columbus and Akron this season, fanning 92 and walking 18 in 64 2/3 innings, while holding hitters to a .197 batting average, including just two home runs....RH Corey Kluber (7-8, 5.61) is third in the International League with 126 strikeouts (in 134 2/3 innings) after his gem on Tuesday night, when he pitched 6 2/3 hitless, scoreless innings and struck out 11, with five walks, to get the win as the Clippers defeated Pawtucket, 5-2.

AA Akron Aeros

Senators 5, Aeros 3 SS Juan Diaz (.253), 1B Raul Padron (.243) and RF Ben Copeland (.276) homered, but host Akron lost to Harrisburg, Pa. LH T.J. McFarland (9-7, 3.87) gave up four runs in six innings.

Notes: Going into his start in Wednesday night’s game against Harrisburg, LH T.J. McFarland was 9-6 with a 3.75 ERA overall, but in his last 10 starts, had been 7-1 with a 2.31 ERA. During that stretch, McFarland had not allowed a home run in 62 1/3 innings, holding batters to a .233 average while striking out 50 and walking 19....LH reliever Eric Berger (2-0, 2.53) had pitched 17 1/3 scoreless innings n his last nine games, fanning 20, walking four and giving up nine hits....RH reliever Adam Miller (1-3, one save, 5.85), a former first-round Indians’ draft pick attempting a comeback after missing nearly three seasons with finger surgeries, had pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his last three games, striking out two while giving up three hits and two walks....RH Austin Adams (9-9, 4.00) is 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA in his last seven starts....Going into Wednesday night’s game, 3B Kyle Bellows (.234) was 9-for-27 (.333) with one homer and one double in his last eight games....OF Ben Copeland (.269) was 10-for-34 (.294) with two homers and two doubles in his last nine games.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 2, Nationals 1 LH Francisco Jimenez (3.51) allowed one run in 4 innings, and RH Nickolas Sarianides (3.18) got the win with three innings of scoreless relief as host Kinston topped Potomac, Va., in Carolina League play. RH Preston Guilmet (1.73) retired the four batters he faced for his 32nd save.

Notes: OF Anthony Gallas, from Strongsville High School and Kent State, was placed on the Kinston disabled list on Monday. The right-handed hitter has not played since being hit on the hand by a pitch on July 31. Gallas started the season at Lake County, where he hit .314 in 207 at bats. At the time of his promotion to Kinston, Gallas was leading the Midwest League with 24 doubles. He also hit six home runs and had 21 RBI for the Captains. With Kinston, Gallas is hitting .203 in 128 at bats, with 10 doubles, two homers and 21 RBI. Before going 0-for-5 in his last two games, Gallas was 10-for-29 (.345) with six doubles and eight RBI in his previous eight games....Going into Wednesday night’s game against Potomac, OF Tyler Holt (.259) was 6-for-13 (.462) with two doubles, five runs, four walks and four stolen bases in his last four games. He was second in the Carolina League with 69 walks and third with 30 stolen bases (in 35 attempts)....OF Jordan Casas (.288) was on a nine-game hitting streak, going 11-for-39 (.282) with one triple, four RBI and four runs....3B Adam Abraham (.249) was 12-for-39 (.308) with three doubles, seven RBI, six runs and seven walks in his last 10 games....RH reliever Toru Murata (1-2, two saves, 2.27) has not allowed a run in his last 17 2/3 innings. Overall, in 35 2/3 innings, he has struck out 47, walked nine and held batters to a .179 average and one home run....RH reliever Preston Guilmet (1-1, 1.78) was second in the league with 31 saves. In 50 2/3 innings, he had struck out 52, walked nine and held hitters to a .205 batting average....RH Clayton Cook (8-8, 3.86) is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts, fanning 16 in 18 innings....LH Francisco Jimenez (3-2, 3.66) has allowed one run — unearned — on seven hits in his last 10 2/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts and seven walks. Jimenez has made starts in his last two games, after pitching in relief in 19 of his previous 20 games.

A Lake County Captains

Silver Hawks 6, Captains 5 Raywilly Gomez singled home Niko Gallego with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead South Bend, Ind., over Lake County. It was the ninth walk-off loss for the Captains this year. SS Ronny Rodriguez (.249) doubled, singled and drove in a run for Lake County.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at South Bend (Ind.), the Captains had lost 12 of their last 15 games. They had scored 1.87 runs per game....RH reliever Cody Allen had two of the wins. He was 2-0 in three appearances with the Captains, pitching eight scoreless innings, while striking out 12 and giving up three walks and seven hits. Allen was promoted from Mahoning Valley, where he was 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 14 games, fanning 42 and walking nine in 33 2/3 innings, while holding batters to a .183 average and one home run....Going into Wenesday night’s game, IF Ronny Rodriguez (.247) was 7-for-22 (.318) with four doubles, one triple and three stolen bases in his last six games....IF Nick Bartolone (.220) was 7-for-23 (.304) with one double in his last seven games....3B Giovanny Urshela (.242) was 9-for-31 (.290) with two doubles in his last nine games.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 5, Lake Monsters 1 RF Bryson Myles (.290) had a two-run single, and SS Tony Wolters (.302) and CF Cody Elliott (.244) each drove in a run as Mahoning Valley topped host Vermont.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Vermont, catcher Alex Lavisky — a 2010 Lakewood St. Edward High School graduate who was drafted in the eighth round by the Indians that June — was 5-for-18 (.278) with three doubles and four RBI in his last five games. Lavisky is hitting .204 in 196 at bats for the Scrappers, with 13 doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI. He began the season with the Lake County Captains, hitting .207 in 184 at bats with 10 doubles, eight homers and 24 RBI....2B Todd Hankins (.271) was 10-for-34 (.294) with four doubles, one triple, nine RBI and eight runs in his last 10 games....SS Tony Wolters (.305) was 9-for-29 (.310) with one double and three stolen bases in his last seven games....Catcher Jake Lowery (.254) was 7-for-26 (.269) with four doubles, eight walks, five RBI and five runs in his last eight games, and was second in the New York-Penn League with 37 walks....RH reliever Enosil Tejeda (2-2, nine saves, 3.67) had struck out 47 and walked 14 in 27 innings, holding batters to a .190 average and no home runs....RH Joseph Colon (4-2, 3.32) was 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his last eight games (seven starts), fanning 30, walking 12 and allowing 31 hits in 41 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Beach Bums 5, Crushers 4 (11) Travis Risser (2-5) took the loss as Lake Erie lost in 11 innings in Traverse City, Mich.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Traverse City (Mich.), IF Andrew Davis (.338) was hitting .433 (67-for-157) in his last 39 games, with 16 doubles, three triples, five homers and 38 RBI. He was also on a 10-game hitting streak, going 20-for-39 (.513) with four doubles, two homers and 13 RBI....IF Jason Taylor (.290) was 17-for-36 (.472) with six doubles, one triple, three homers, 11 RBI, 10 runs and five stolen bases in five attempts in his last 11 games....RH reliever Chris Allen (1-2, two saves, 1.57) had pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in his last six games, with seven strikeouts.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/minor_league_notes_trends_for_1.html

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Gilad Shalit

Within hours of the news breaking that a deal has been done to secure the release of Gilad Shalit, the debate about whether it is proper to exchange hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for the sake of one Israeli soldier has re-erupted.

Israel has always held to the tenet that it will do anything and pay a very high price for its citizens, something it has demonstrated over and over again. Those who have suffered at the hands of terrorists are, understandably, unhappy about the swap: a former rabbi in the IDF has warned today that those who are being released will slide back into their old haunts and habits immediately, the better to wreak further havoc on Israel.

I was very struck by the comment on one website in which someone wrote that he did not know how the Shalit family would live with themselves when the next inevitable act of terrorism was committed by someone who had been released so that their son could be free. But who can judge the Shalit family in that way? Who can imagine the pain and suffering undergone by the family in the last five years? And who among us can comprehend the lonely, frightening situation of Gilad himself, never knowing if the next knock on the door was someone coming to kill him?

There is no right and wrong answer to this agony, except to be grateful that Gilad Shalit's long nightmare may indeed be coming to an end. May such a nightmare not be repeated by any other Israeli soldier.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/jenni-frazer/gilad-shalit

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North Korea warns the world: no change in policy under Kim Jong-un

Defence commission sends uncompromising message to 'foolish politicians including the puppet forces in South Korea'

Hopes for a new era of engagement with North Korea have faded after the country's powerful defence commission warned the world not to expect a change in policy under its new leader, Kim Jong-un.

The announcement broadcast by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday, effectively dashed hopes that Kim might be ready to engage with South Korea and the wider international community.

In comments attributed to the national defence commission, the agency said "foolish politicians" should expect no change in policy and threatened South Korea's conservative president, Lee Myung-bak, with a "sea of fire".

"We declare solemnly and confidently that foolish politicians around the world, including the puppet forces in South Korea, that they should not expect any changes from us," the commission said.

It reserved its strongest criticism for Lee's refusal to allow ordinary South Koreans to pay their respects to the former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who died a fortnight ago. Only a former first lady and the chairwoman of the Hyundai group, whose husbands had strong ties to the North, were permitted to travel to Pyongyang to view Kim's body.

Lee, who has ditched the "sunshine policy" of engagement pioneered by Kim Dae-jung in the late 1990s, ended unconditional aid to the North in 2008. Pyongyang, the commission said, would "refuse forever to engage with traitor Lee Myung-bak and his group".

It added: "The world shall clearly see how the millions of our soldiers and people, who united firmly round great leader comrade Kim Jong-un to transform sorrow into courage and tears into strength, will achieve the final victory.

"The sea of bloody tears from our military and people will follow the puppet regime until the end. The tears will turn into a sea of revengeful fire that burns everything."

Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University in Seoul, said the statement did not necessarily mean that Pyongyang was averse to reform.

"It is raising the stakes in case the South wants better relations so Pyongyang can extract greater concessions," Koh told Associated Press, adding that it was "too early to say the North is dashing hopes for reforms".

The North frequently issues statements heavy with bellicose rhetoric, but the commission's statement, coming a day after the country named Kim Jong-un its "Supreme Leader," bodes ill for the prospects of multiparty talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

The North is known to have the material needed to build nuclear weapons. Earlier this week a US expert said he believed the regime was one or two years away from mounting a warhead on a medium-range missile.

The US will attempt to calm fears of regional instability when the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, Kurt Campbell, travels to Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo early next month to discuss the global response to the new regime.

The US and South Korean defence chiefs on Thursday reiterated their commitment to stability on the Korean peninsula.

The Pentagon said that the two countries "shared the view that peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is our overarching priority and agreed to maintain close co-operation and co-ordination in the weeks and months ahead".

Cross-border ties deteriorated dramatically last year after the North shelled Yeonpyeong island, a South Korean territory close to the countries' maritime border in the Yellow Sea. North Korea has also been blamed for the 2010 torpedo attack on the Cheonan, a South Korean naval vessel, in which 46 sailors died.

North and South Korea signed a truce, but not a peace treaty after their 1950-53 conflict and remain technically at war, separated by a heavily fortified border.


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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/30/north-korea-policy-change-kim-jong-un

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Shimon Peres rained out of his home

Severe rain has left the Israeli president unable to stay in his home.

Shimon Peres will move to a flat in Jerusalem for four months while repairs are carried out to his official presidential residence, Beit Hanasi.

His spokeswoman, Ayelet Frish, said a rainstorm had flooded the dining room and other parts of the house, and also caused damage to the building's wiring.

Mr Peres will be able to conduct some business in his residence but meetings will also have to host guests in his temporary home ? which looks over the walls of Jerusalem's Old City.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/news/israel-news/61197/shimon-peres-rained-out-his-home

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North Korea warns the world: no change in policy under Kim Jong-un

Defence commission sends uncompromising message to 'foolish politicians including the puppet forces in South Korea'

Hopes for a new era of engagement with North Korea have faded after the country's powerful defence commission warned the world not to expect a change in policy under its new leader, Kim Jong-un.

The announcement broadcast by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday, effectively dashed hopes that Kim might be ready to engage with South Korea and the wider international community.

In comments attributed to the national defence commission, the agency said "foolish politicians" should expect no change in policy and threatened South Korea's conservative president, Lee Myung-bak, with a "sea of fire".

"We declare solemnly and confidently that foolish politicians around the world, including the puppet forces in South Korea, that they should not expect any changes from us," the commission said.

It reserved its strongest criticism for Lee's refusal to allow ordinary South Koreans to pay their respects to the former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who died a fortnight ago. Only a former first lady and the chairwoman of the Hyundai group, whose husbands had strong ties to the North, were permitted to travel to Pyongyang to view Kim's body.

Lee, who has ditched the "sunshine policy" of engagement pioneered by Kim Dae-jung in the late 1990s, ended unconditional aid to the North in 2008. Pyongyang, the commission said, would "refuse forever to engage with traitor Lee Myung-bak and his group".

It added: "The world shall clearly see how the millions of our soldiers and people, who united firmly round great leader comrade Kim Jong-un to transform sorrow into courage and tears into strength, will achieve the final victory.

"The sea of bloody tears from our military and people will follow the puppet regime until the end. The tears will turn into a sea of revengeful fire that burns everything."

Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University in Seoul, said the statement did not necessarily mean that Pyongyang was averse to reform.

"It is raising the stakes in case the South wants better relations so Pyongyang can extract greater concessions," Koh told Associated Press, adding that it was "too early to say the North is dashing hopes for reforms".

The North frequently issues statements heavy with bellicose rhetoric, but the commission's statement, coming a day after the country named Kim Jong-un its "Supreme Leader," bodes ill for the prospects of multiparty talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

The North is known to have the material needed to build nuclear weapons. Earlier this week a US expert said he believed the regime was one or two years away from mounting a warhead on a medium-range missile.

The US will attempt to calm fears of regional instability when the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, Kurt Campbell, travels to Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo early next month to discuss the global response to the new regime.

The US and South Korean defence chiefs on Thursday reiterated their commitment to stability on the Korean peninsula.

The Pentagon said that the two countries "shared the view that peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is our overarching priority and agreed to maintain close co-operation and co-ordination in the weeks and months ahead".

Cross-border ties deteriorated dramatically last year after the North shelled Yeonpyeong island, a South Korean territory close to the countries' maritime border in the Yellow Sea. North Korea has also been blamed for the 2010 torpedo attack on the Cheonan, a South Korean naval vessel, in which 46 sailors died.

North and South Korea signed a truce, but not a peace treaty after their 1950-53 conflict and remain technically at war, separated by a heavily fortified border.


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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/30/north-korea-policy-change-kim-jong-un

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From Oxford to Ramallah

An unexpected spanner has been thrown into the intention of Ramallah to seek recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN later this month. A leading Oxford academic and legal expert has warned that, by pushing ahead with their bid for recognition of a Palestinian state, the PLO leadership may well hazard any right of Palestinians to return to what is now Israel and disenfranchise every Palestinian living outside the area currently under the control of the Palestine Authority.

Professor S Goodwin-Gill, a barrister and senior research fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, in an opinion requested by a member of the Palestine National Council, a sort of Palestinian inner cabinet, has cautioned that:?Until such a time as a final settlement is agreed, the putative State of Palestine will have no territory over which it exercises effective sovereignty, its borders will be indeterminate or disputed, its population, actual and potential, undetermined and many of them continuing to live under occupation or in States of refuge.

?While it may be an observer State in the United Nations, it will fall short of meeting the internationally agreed criteria of statehood, with serious implications for Palestinians at large, particularly as concerns the popular representation of those not currently present in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.?

Professor Goodwin-Gill, in his conclusion to an opinion which is already exercising international lawyers in Europe, the US and the Middle East, says that ?current moves to secure recognition of statehood do not appear to reflect fully the role of the Palestinian people as a principal party in the resolution of the situation in the Middle East.

?The interests of the Palestinian people are at risk of prejudice and fragmentation, unless steps are taken to ensure and maintain their representation through the Palestinian Liberation Organization, until such time as there is in place a State competent and fully able to assume these responsibilities towards the people at large.?

In short, replace the PLO, which is now taken internationally to represent the Palestinian people wherever they may reside, with a Palestinian state without borders and state power, and you have yielded your right to speak on behalf of those Palestinians living outside the area controlled by the PLO, a recognised legal entity.

The next few days may show where the UN bid is going. if anywhere. But given that lawyers are deeply involved....

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/geoffrey-paul/from-oxford-ramallah

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European Summary: Fair through Iberia - Rain in central Europe, Dec 30 - 06:04

Rain through central Europe but fair for Iberia Friday Good spells of sunshine across Portugal and Spain today. There will be cloud and rain affecting western and northern parts of France with the winds increasing here. More cloud and some spots of rain through the Low Countries and into Germany and Poland. Sunny spells and scattered showers over Italy. More cloud and showers for Greece and southern Turkey, some of the showers heavy at times. Cloud and some spots of rain over Romania and Bulgaria. Low pressure over Finland bringing cloud and outbreaks of rain. Breezy with cloud and rain through Finland and the Baltic States. Cold with some wintry showers across Norway and Denmark as well as Sweden.

New Year's Eve A fair day through Portugal and Spain with good spells of sunshine to come here. Cloud and some rain affects the northwest of Italy with more rain and heavy showers troubling southeastern parts of the Mediterranean through Greece and Turkey. An area of cloud and rain will be spreading through France and the Low Countries, eventually reaching Germany. Poland is going to be brighter with some sunny spells, and this sunshine will be affecting Hungary and Austria too after fog has cleared. To the north the Baltic States will have some snow showers, and these will be affecting Finland too. For Sweden the day will be dry with some sunshine in the south, whilst cloud and rain arrive in western Sweden.


Source: http://feeds.weatheronline.co.uk/~r/weatheronline/~3/TqNXjgcp6Zs/reports

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Thoughts on Gilad Shalit's release

When Gilad Shalit was captured, most of us didn't have Facebook. There was no Twitter, no iPhone and certainly no iPad.

Barack Obama was still a relatively unknown freshman senator from Illinois and Tony Blair was running this country. The economy hadn't collapsed just yet, Osama bin Laden was nowhere to be found. Newspaper websites were free to browse. The West Wing was still on air in Britain.

While Gilad was in captivity - with almost no word from Hamas about his welfare - his peers were moving on with their lives. They were finishing their army service, going off to see the world. They were starting their studies, falling in love, perhaps even having children.

But still, Gilad Shalit was not home.

Objectively speaking, the prisoner swap deal Israel has accepted is lunacy. More than 1,000 prisoners - a number of whom were serving life sentences for brutal and bloody terrorist atrocities - for one man?

But as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday, "Israel doesn't abandon its soldiers." It's a basic principle of Israeli society and it's not about pride, it's about serving the people as the people serve the country.

Gilad may be one individual in a country full of fresh-faced soldiers. But that's the point.

He was no mighty fighter off to face his enemies. He was a 19-year-old doing his duty and he could have been any fresh-faced soldier. He could have been any Israeli teenager, male or female.

Is it logical for Israel to sacrifice so much for one soldier? With so much at stake? Of course not. Is it right? Absolutely.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/jennifer-lipman/thoughts-gilad-shalits-release

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Donnie Webb's sac fly helps Akron avoid sweep by New Hampshire: Minor-league report

T.J. House loses 11th game as Kinston falls; Lake County swept in twinbill; Lake Erie nipped at Evansville; Columbus and Mahoning Valley rained out.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 2, Fisher Cats 1: Donnie Webb broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly as Akron avoided a three-game sweep at Eastern League foe New Hampshire. Lefty pitcher Matt Packer (6-11) pitched eight innings, allowing one earned run on three hits in eight innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Red Sox 10, Indians 3: Left-hander T.J. House (6-11) surrendered three runs in five innings and absorbed the loss as Kinston (N.C.) lost a Carolina League game in Salem, Va. House gave up eight hits and walked four. Second baseman Casey Frawley hit his 11th home run of the year for the K-Tribe, a bases-empty shot in the ninth.

A Lake County Captains

Dragons 9-7, Captains 2-1: Dayton beat visiting Lake County twice Sunday. The Dragons' 7-1 victory followed the completion of a game suspended by rain in Eastlake on Aug. 9. The Captains' lone run in the second game came in the top of the seventh and final inning on a ground out by Aaron Fields that scored LeVon Washington. The opener picked up in the top of the fourth with Dayton leading, 2-0. Although not the losing pitcher, Joey Mahalic gave up six hits and five runs -- four earned -- in four innings of relief Sunday.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Otters 7, Crushers 6: Lake Erie lost its second straight Frontier League game in Evansville, Ind., after having won 10 in a row. Evansville out-hit Lake Erie, 11-8.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers vs. Red Wings, ppd.: Columbus' International League game at Rochester, N.Y., was rained out. A doubleheader in Rochester is scheduled Monday at 5:05 p.m.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers vs. Cyclones, ppd.: The New York-Penn League game between Brooklyn (N.Y.) and Mahoning Valley in Niles was rained out. No makeup date was announced.

Notes: Outfielder Jordan Smith leads the Scrappers in hitting with a .335 average. He has 61 hits in 182 at-bats. With 25 walks, his on-base percentage is .430.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/donnie_webbs_sac_fly_helps_akr.html

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Antidepressant use in England soars

? Prescriptions rise by more than a quarter in three years
? Depression costing economy nearly �11bn a year
? Financial uncertainty thought to be factor

The use of antidepressants has risen by more than a quarter in England in just three years, amid fears that more people are suffering from depression due to the economic crisis.

The number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased by 28% from 34m in 2007-08 to 43.4m in 2010-11, according to the NHS information centre.

Depression is also costing the economy nearly �11bn a year in lost earnings, NHS care and drug prescriptions.

Research by the House of Commons found the cost to the NHS of treating the illness is more than �520m a year.

People who are unable to work due to depression lose �8.97bn of potential earnings a year, while the loss of earnings from suicide is put at �1.47bn.

Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat MP who commissioned the research, told the Independent: "Failure to tackle depression hurts us all. It makes a misery of the lives of sufferers, costs the NHS in time and medication, and hampers business by forcing some people out of work."

Prescriptions for anti-anxiety drugs rose from just over 6m to 6.5m in the same period, an 8% jump, while prescriptions for sleeping pills rose 3% from around 9.9m to 10.2m.

The research found the north-west had the highest antidepressant use in 2010-11, with 7.2m prescriptions dispensed.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind, said the tough economic times may have contributed to more people experiencing depression, but improved public awareness may also mean more people are seeking help.

"It's important to remember that antidepressants can be a lifeline for some people which enable them to manage their mental health problems," he said.

Emer O'Neill, chief executive of Depression Alliance, said: "These uncertain economic times are linked to an increase in the number of people with the illness."


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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/30/antidepressant-use-england-soars

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Western Daily Press commented Nicky will not be frozen out, says McInnes

Article

Source: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/McInnes-pledges-support-Maynard/story-14259806-detail/story.html

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Justin Germano fires perfect game as Columbus tops Syracuse: Minor-league report

Akron can't overcome early deficit vs. Trenton; Kinston's Brach struggles in loss; Crushers lose in 11 innings.



germano-mug-tribe-second.jpgView full sizeJustin Germano pitched just the fifth perfect game in International League history, and the first ever for the Clippers.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 3, Chiefs 0: Justin Germano (1-2) pitched a perfect game for Columbus, as the Clippers won at Syracuse, N.Y., in an International League game. Germano, a 6-2 right-hander, struck out seven in facing the minimum of 27 batters. He threw 95 pitches, and 69 were strikes.

In the bottom of the ninth, Germano retired Jhonatan Solano on a fly ball to center fielder Tim Fedroff, and then Jeff Frazier on a fly ball to left fielder Jerad Head. He finished with a flourish, fanning Corey Brown looking.

Fedroff slugged a double and triple and drove in two runs.

Notes: Germano, 28, pitched the first perfect game in Clippers history and the first thrown in the International League since 2003. It is the sixth no-hitter in Clippers history. Germano's ERA is 3.65 in 441/3 innings.

He has been used as a starter and reliever, and Tuesday's gem was his first complete game of the season. He has three saves. A native of Pasadena, Calif., he signed a minor-league contract with the Indians on March 24, 2010. He has appeared with the Indians this season in relief, compiling an 0-1 record in nine appearances, with a 5.68 ERA in 12 innings.



AA Akron Aeros

Thunder 4, Aeros 3: Akron rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth, but lost an Eastern League game at Canal Park to Trenton, N.J. Akron starter T. J. McFarland (7-5), was the starter and losing pitcher. He struck out six in five innings, and gave up three runs, but just one earned.

Notes: Akron was 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Dash 9, Indians 2: Kinston, N.C., starter Brett Brach (6-7) gave up eight runs (seven earned) and nine hits in 5 innings, as the K-Tribe lost a Carolina League game at Winston-Salem, N.C.

A Lake County Captains

The Captains were off on Tuesday.

Notes: First baseman Jesus Aguilar has swung a potent bat. He leads the team with 68 RBI and 19 home runs, and is hitting .292 in 346 at-bats. Four pitchers lead the Captains in victories: Cole Cook (5-10), Michael Goodnight (5-9), Mike Rayl (5-5) and J.D. Reichenbach (5-1).

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

The Scrappers were off on Tuesday.

Notes: Outfielder Jordan Smith leads Mahoning Valley with a .344 batting average, with 44 hits in 128 at-bats. With 16 walks, his on-base percentage is .430.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Wild Things 5, Crushers 4 (11): Robert Wendzicki (0-2), surrendered a solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, and Lake Erie lost a Frontier League game in Washington, Pa.

Notes: The Wild Things avoided a three-game sweep. Lake Erie collected 36 hits in the three games.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/07/justin_germano_fires_perfect_g.html

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Minor league notes on players at Columbus, Akron, Kinston, Lake County, Mahoning Valley and Lake Erie

Clippers' Jared Goedert continues his strong August hitting. Updates on local players Anthony Gallas with Kinston and Alex Lavisky with Mahoning Valley.

MINOR LEAGUE NOTES

AAA Columbus Clippers

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game against Buffalo, 3B Jared Goedert (.262) was 7-for-19 (.368) with three home runs and a double in his last five games. In his last 24 games, Goedert was 29-for-78 (.372) with seven homers in his last 24 games. Goedert began the season on the disabled list with a right abdominal strain. After slugging three home runs and two doubles in 29 at bats to get his season going at Akron, Goedert started slowly with the Clippers, but now has 14 doubles and 11 homers for them in 233 at bats. Goedert, 26 and a right-handed hitter, was a ninth-round pick by the Indians out of Kansas State in the 2006 draft. Last season at Akron, he hit .325 with 14 doubles and seven homers in 163 at bats, before being promoted to Columbus, where he hit .261 with 23 doubles, one triple and 20 homers in 318 at bats....OF Tim Fedroff (.265) was 13-for-35 (.371) with four doubles, six RBI, six runs and five walks in his last nine games....2B Cord Phelps (.295) was 9-for-33 (.273) with four doubles, one triple and one home run in his last eight games....IF Argenis Reyes (.308) was 11-for-31 (.355) with two doubles and four RBI in his last nine games....LH reliever Nick Hagadone (4-2, four saves, 3.30) was 2-1 with two saves and a 1.85 ERA in his last 16 games. In 24 1/3 innings, he had struck out 31 and walked five....RH Paolo Espino (1-1, 5.31) was 1-0 with a 1.53 ERA in his last seven games — including two starts — striking out 16 while allowing four walks and 13 hits in 17 2/3 innings.

AA Akron Aeros

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game at Bowie, the Aeros were 5-for-59 (.085) with one run scored in their last two games, both losses....SS Juan Diaz (.255) was 9-for-28 (.321) with a home run in his last seven games....LH starter Matt Packer (7-11, 4.18) was leading the Eastern League with 148 2/3 innings pitched. Packer is 5-3 with a 2.00 ERA in his last nine games, striking out 60, walking 10 and allowing 55 hits in 67 1/3 innings. He pitched at least seven innings in eight of the nine starts. Packer has been named the Indians Minor League Player of the Week for last week, as he won both of his starts, allowing one run (earned, 0.56 ERA) on eight hits and two walks in 16 innings, with 16 strikeouts. Packer pitched eight innings in each start....RH closer Cory Burns’ (2-4, 2.29) team-record 31 saves were 11 more than any other pitcher in the Eastern League. He had pitched nine scoreless innings in his last eight games, earning four saves. Overall, Burns had struck out 57, walked 11 and held batters to a .217 average with three homers in 51 innings....RH reliever Tyler Sturdevant (3-1, two saves, 3.00) was 1-0 with two saves and a 1.72 ERA in 15 2/3 innings over his last nine games, fanning 20 while giving up 10 hits and four walks....RH reliever Bryan Price (2-3, 3.07) had pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and one walk with three strikeouts, in his last five games....RH reliever Bryce Stowell (0-1, 2.61) has struck out 16, walked six and given up seven hits in 10 1/3 innings (eight games) with the Aeros.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game at Fredrick, RH reliever Toru Murata (2-2, two saves, 1.99) had pitched 22 2/3 straight scoreless innings. Overall, Murata had struck out 50, walked 10 and held batters to a .190 average, including one home run, in 40 2/3 innings....RH closer Preston Guilmet (1-1, 1.66) was leading the Carolina League with 33 saves. In 54 1/3 innings, he had struck out 56, walked nine and held batters to a .198 average. In his last nine games, Guilmet had pitched 11 scoreless innings and earned seven saves....RH reliever Kyle Landis (8-1, two saves, 1.91) was 0-1 in his last two games, striking out 10 but giving up five runs in four innings. Prior to those two games, Landis was 8-0 with two saves and an 0.94 ERA in 38 1/3 innings, fanning 40 while holding opponents to 21 hits, including one homer, and seven walks....LH Francisco Jimenez (3-3, 3.43) was 0-1 with a 1.25 ERA in his last six games — including starts in his last four games — with 27 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings....1B Jesus Aguilar (.233) was 5-for-13 (.385) with three home runs and seven RBI in his last three games....3B Adam Abraham (.252) was 6-for-15 (.400) with four doubles and two stolen bases in his last three games....OF Jordan Casas (.291) was 12-for-34 (.353) with two doubles, one triple, six RBI and five runs in his last nine games.... OF Anthony Gallas, from Strongsville High School and Kent State, returned to action on Sunday, going 1-for-3. The right-handed hitter had not played since being hit on the hand by a pitch on July 31. Gallas started the season at Lake County, where he hit .314 in 207 at bats. At the time of his promotion to Kinston, Gallas was leading the Midwest League with 24 doubles. He also hit six home runs and had 21 RBI for the Captains. With Kinston, Gallas is hitting .206 in 131 at bats, with 10 doubles, two homers and 21 RBI. Before going 0-for-5 in the two games prior to his injury, Gallas was 10-for-29 (.345) with six doubles and eight RBI in his previous eight games.

A Lake County Captains

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game against Fort Wayne, SS Ronny Rodriguez (.254) was 13-for-36 (.361) with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, six RBI, four walks and three stolen bases in his last 10 games....OF Luigi Rodriguez (.281) was 13-for-41 (.317) with two doubles in his last 10 games....OF Brian Heere (.260) was 7-for-22 (.318) with two doubles, one homer and five walks in his last seven games....SS Nick Bartolone (.225) was 9-for-30 (.300) with three doubles and a triple in his last nine games....RH reliever Cody Allen was 2-0 and had pitched 13 scoreless innings in five appearances with the Captains, striking out 20 and giving up four walks and nine hits. Allen was promoted from Mahoning Valley, where he was 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 14 games, fanning 42 and walking nine in 33 2/3 innings, while holding batters to a .183 average and one home run....RH closer Clayton Ehlert (1-2, 14 saves, 1.62) had pitched 10 scoreless innings and earned four saves in his last eight games, giving up five hits and a walk while fanning four....LH J.D. Reichenbach (7-1, 3.23) was 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA in his last seven games — the last four of those as a starter. He had struck out 19, walked five and allowed 31 hits in 29 2/3 innings....RH Dale Dickerson (2-2, three saves, 2.24) was 0-1 with one save and a 1.88 ERA in his last eight games, fanning 13 while allowing 10 hits and eight walks in 14 1/3 innings.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game against Auburn, catcher Alex Lavisky — a 2010 Lakewood St. Edward High School graduate who was drafted in the eighth round by the Indians that June — was hitting .205 in 215 at bats for the Scrappers, with 14 doubles, four home runs and 20 RBI. He began the season with the Lake County Captains, hitting .207 in 184 at bats with 10 doubles, eight homers and 24 RBI....OF Bryson Myles (.300) was on a six-game hitting streak, going 8-for-21 (.381) with three doubles, five RBI, four runs, five walks and two stolen bases. He had 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts overall....OF Jordan Smith (.335) was 10-for-26 (.385) with one double, seven runs, four RBI and eight walks in his last nine games....SS Tony Wolters (.303) was 14-for-47 (.298) with two doubles and three stolen bases in his last 12 games....RH reliever Enosil Tejeda (2-2, nine saves, 3.54) had struck out 49 and walked 14 in 28 innings, holding batters to a .184 average and no home runs....LH Danny Jimenez (3-3, 2.52) is 2-2 with a 1.72 ERA in his last six starts, fanning 21, walking nine and allowing 28 hits in 31 1/3 innings....RH Joseph Colon (4-3, 3.38) is 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in his last nine games (eight starts), fanning 33, walking 16 and allowing 34 hits in 45 1/3 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Notes: Going into Tuesday night’s game at Joliet, IF Andrew Davis (.336) was hitting .415 (73-for-176) in his last 44 games, with 19 doubles, three triples, six homers and 45 RBI....IF Jason Taylor (.290) was 23-for-57 (.404) with eight doubles, one triple, three homers, 15 RBI, 11 runs and six stolen bases in seven attempts in his last 16 games....Catcher Brian Erie was hitting .379 (25-for-66) with three doubles and 13 RBI in 17 games with the Crushers....Catcher Kyle Shaffer (.219) was 7-for-23 (.304) with one homer, one double, four RBI and four runs in his last seven games....The Crushers are getting excellent relief pitching from five right-handers: Ruben Flores (2-3, 17 saves, 2.57, 66 strikeouts in 49 innings, allowing 27 hits); Chris Allen (2-2, two saves, 1.69); Kelyn Schellenberg (3-2, three saves, 1.85); Paul Daniels (5-1, 2.32); Travis Risser (2-5, six saves, 3.33)....RH Thomas Campbell is 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA in eight games (seven starts) with the Crushers, allowing just 21 hits in 39 2/3 innings.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/minor_league_notes_on_players.html

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