Rebel gains in Syria embolden Lebanese Sunnis

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad?s increasingly tenuous hold on power is emboldening Sunnis in neighboring Lebanon to escalate their opposition to Hezbollah, the powerful militant Shiite movement and ally of Mr. Assad.

Lebanon has long been overshadowed by its larger neighbor to the east but with the Assad regime struggling for survival, many Lebanese Sunnis are sensing that the balance of power in the Levant is set to swing in their favor. If Assad and his minority Alawite sect are toppled from power, the majority Sunnis are likely to rule Syria and could cut support for Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah.

?Hezbollah wants to govern the whole country, but I can assure you that it will not happen because we have an Islamic revolution in Syria right now, and this will bring Hezbollah down,? says Sheikh Zakaria al-Masri, a Sunni cleric, addressing a rally in the southern city of Sidon on Sunday attended by some 1,500 Sunni opponents of Hezbollah. Sheikh Masri was a guest speaker at the event, which was organized by Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, a firebrand Salafist cleric from Sidon and outspoken critic of Hezbollah.

Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference? Take our quiz.

Still, Hezbollah is the most powerful political and military force in the country, stronger even than the Lebanese Army, and it has demonstrated a will in the past to resort to the use of arms domestically when it feels threatened. In May 2008, Hezbollah and its allies briefly took over Sunni neighborhoods of Beirut when the then Western-backed government attempted to shut down the party?s private communications network. The move sparked a week of fighting that brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

Some analysts worry that the combination of a weak moderate Sunni leadership in Lebanon, the rise of new radical leaders such as Sheikh Assir, and a sense of Sunni triumphalism as the Assad regime teeters will inflame Sunni-Shiite tensions even further. The analysts worry this could lead to clashes or even suicide bomb attacks in Hezbollah-supporting strongholds, invoking a harsh response from the Shiite organization.

SUNNI SUPPORT FOR REBELS

Most Sunnis in Lebanon support the Syrian opposition against Assad?s rule and some have even joined armed rebel groups to fight Syrian government forces. On Sunday, Syrian state television broadcast footage showing several bodies that it said were part of a group of 21 Lebanese Salafist fighters who fell into an ambush near the town of Tel Kalakh having slipped into Syria from Lebanon. The men were reportedly from Tripoli and other areas of north Lebanon.

Furthermore, Okab Saqr, a Lebanese member of Parliament who, despite being a Shiite, is a member of the mainly Sunni Future Movement headed by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, confirmed at the weekend that it was his voice heard on an audio recording released last week by a Lebanese television station in which he discusses an arms deal with a Free Syrian Army commander. For months rumors have circulated that Mr. Saqr was in Turkey helping provide arms and ammunition for the FSA, although he denied the accusation in a televised interview last month before the audio recordings were aired.

But Lebanese Sunnis are not alone in intervening in the Syrian civil war.

Hezbollah has been accused by the Syrian opposition and Western officials of dispatching fighters into Syria to assist regime forces crush the rebellion and to train Syrian troops and pro-regime Shabiha militiamen. Syria represents the geopolitical lynchpin connecting Hezbollah to its patron, Iran, collectively forming an ?axis of resistance? to challenge Israel and Western ambitions in the Middle East.

Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference? Take our quiz.

The collapse of the Assad regime will blunt Iran?s ability to exert influence in the Middle East and risks weakening Hezbollah in the long-term, especially if a moderate Sunni regime emerges in Damascus.

REBELS MAKING GAINS

After months of grinding stalemate between the Syrian Army and rebel forces, the latter has been gaining some ground in recent weeks, capturing military bases, securing much of the eastern edge of the country, and pushing deeper into Damascus from the eastern suburbs.

It is too early to predict with confidence the imminent demise of the Assad regime which continues to enjoy logistical support from Iran and the diplomatic backing of Russia, but the regime?s setbacks have created a heightened sense of anticipation that the tide may be turning in the favor of the Syrian opposition. That expectation is fueling increasing Sunni assertiveness against Hezbollah?s pervasive influence in Lebanon.

Sheikh Assir, the Sunni cleric, held his rally on Sunday to commemorate the deaths of two of his supporters last month in a clash in Sidon with members of Hezbollah. Hundreds of Sunnis from Sidon and other cities and towns across Lebanon gathered outside the Bilal bin Rabih mosque where Assir preaches on the outskirts of the city. Many of them were dressed in black and sported thick beards and shaved lips in the Salafist style. Black banners inscribed with ?There is no God but God? and flags of the rebel Free Syrian Army fluttered in the breeze as the crowd began marching down the hill toward the city center. ?Terrorist, terrorist, the Party of Satan is terrorist,? the crowd chanted playing on Hezbollah?s name which is Party of God in Arabic.

?We are against the Iranian project in Lebanon,? says one middle-aged man in broken English. ?Hezbollah has put his hand on all the Shiites and let Iran run Lebanon.?

But don?t rallies such as this with its strong anti-Shiite sentiment only worsen sectarian relations in Lebanon?

?Yes, the situation is going to get much worse between Sunnis and Shiites,? the man says. Another marcher overhears the conversation and breaks in.

?No we are not against the Shiites. We want to live in peace with the Shiites. We Sunnis are against Hizbushaitan [the Party of Satan] only,? he says.

Anti-Hezbollah rhetoric was also aired in Tripoli in north Lebanon on Sunday at an event commemorating the 40th day since the assassination of Wissam al-Hassan, a top intelligence chief who was close to Hariri?s Future Movement. In the wake of the car bomb assassination, the anti-Hezbollah March 14 parliamentary coalition called for the resignation of the government, which is dominated by Hezbollah and its allies.

Sunni opponents of Hezbollah have accused the Shiite party of Hassan?s death along with many of the other dozen assassinations, successful and failed, since 2004.

?We are facing a dangerous stage, a stage in which they [Hezbollah] will try to impose Iranian tutelage over Lebanon,? Ahmad Fatfat, a Sunni member of Parliament with the Future Movement, told the rally in Tripoli. ?But we say that they must realize that Hassan?s martyrdom has opened the battle for Lebanon?s martyrdom. Therefore, we fear only God. We will face them with a civilian resistance. As we have won over Assad in Lebanon, we will win over Iranian tutelage.?

Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference? Take our quiz.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rebel-gains-syria-embolden-lebanese-sunnis-160413255.html

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A Prominent Sport- Horse Racing Around Australia ? Recreation ...

Alongside Australian Rules football and Rugby is the third most popular spectator sport around australia. Since its official race in 1842, Horse Racing in Australia flourished. Originally popularized by the British as the Sport of Kings, Horse racing made its way from the UK to Australia throughout the early years of British settlement. The very first horses arrived in the shores of Australia in the past year 1788. The first horses coming in the country are that includes a stallion, a colt, a filly and four manes which grew in numbers within the 19th Century. Since then horse racing has become a huge part within the Australian culture. To the Australian people, the sport has had great recognition and a extremely important tradition for having been witnessed by the people for centuries. Today, the nation has the most racecourses in the world and second to have the most horses alongside US. Throughout the year, the Australian Racing Board administers races. Melbourne autumn racing carnival, and spring racing carnival, Sydney autumn and spring carnival, Brisbane winter racing carnival, Adelaide autumn racing carnival, Perth summer racing carnival and Tasmanian summer racing carnival would be the major races in the country. Melbourne spring racing carnival showcasing the Melbourne cup is the most famous and biggest.

The Melbourne cup first started as domestic sport and has become the most awaited even in horse racing every year. Horse Racing in Australia comes about weekly with the start of racing season every 1st of August each year and ends on the 30th of July. Race meetings are conducted by metropolitan, provincial and country race clubs. The race carnivals host not only domestic but also internationally famous races each year. Horse racing has continuously evolved and improved over the years. The impressive race tracks catering to these prestigious horse racing events is among the major improvements. Australia is also known for the best competitive jockeys in the world along with the best race tracks. Today, Australias beloved sport also distinguishes women jockeys and it has recognized some of the best women jockeys worldwide.

With Racing Horse referred to as a prominent sport also comes another important part of the race which is gambling. The excitement of the race is along with the profit making system of betting. Many Australians make a living out of love of the race, great knowledge and professional tips in betting on horse racing. Huge amount of money are at stake in the esteemed event yearly. Australia has become recognized worldwide with its top quality horse racing reputation.

Tags: horse racing in Australia, Racing Horse

This entry was posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2012 at 2:35 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://recreationandsports.deadale.com/uncategorized/a-prominent-sport-horse-racing-around-australia/

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Stock index futures signal early gains

PARIS (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.12 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.15 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.4 percent at 3.43 a.m. EST.

European stocks rose in morning trade, with resource-related shares buoyed by improving manufacturing data from China. <.eu/>

The final reading of HSBC's China manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Survey (PMI) rose to 50.5 in November from 49.5 in the previous month, the first time since October 2011 that it has topped the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.

HSBC's data followed a similar survey from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Saturday that showed the pace of growth in the manufacturing sector quickening. The official PMI rose to a seven-month high of 50.6 for November from 50.2 in October.

With barely a month left before they reach the "fiscal cliff" Republicans and Democrats remained far apart on Friday in talks to avoid the across-the-board tax hikes and spending cuts that threaten to throw the country back into recession.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner pushed Republicans on Sunday to offer specific ideas to cut the deficit, and predicted that they would agree to raise tax rates on the rich to obtain a year-end deal and avoid possible economic doom.

Three top Federal Reserve officials offered sharply different takes on Saturday on the U.S. central bank's unprecedented efforts to push down long-term borrowing costs, highlighting what may be some key themes at the Fed's upcoming policy-setting meeting.

Singapore Airlines said on Monday it was in talks with interested parties to sell its 49 percent stake in British carrier Virgin Atlantic, with sources revealing that Delta Air Lines Inc was among potential suitors.

Boeing Co and the union that represents its 23,000 engineers tentatively agreed to resume labor talks on Tuesday, after their negotiations on a new contract ended abruptly on Thursday.

News Corp is expected to name Robert Thomson, a close confidant of Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, to lead its new publishing company by the end of next week, according to sources familiar with News Corp's plans.

Bank of America Corp , the second largest U.S. bank, is holding off on plans for new checking-account fees that could have affected some 10 million customers by year's end, avoiding a possible repeat of last year's protests over consumer banking fees, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

U.S. gravel producer Martin Marietta Materials Inc will look to make a friendly offer to buy rival Vulcan Materials Co , rather than attempt another hostile takeover, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people close to the decision.

The S&P 500 wrapped up its fifth positive month in the last six on Friday, although it ended the day flat as politicians remain at odds about how to avoid the cliff.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> rose 3.76 points, or 0.03 percent, to 13,025.58 at the close. The S&P 500 <.spx> gained a mere 0.23 of a point, or 0.02 percent, to finish at 1,416.18. But the Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> dipped 1.79 points, or 0.06 percent, to end at 3,010.24.

(Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by John Stonestreet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-signal-early-gains-085811815--finance.html

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Hiring: Designer/Developer (NYC) (talking-points-memo)

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Egypt Supreme Constitutional Court Suspends Work Indefinitely

By Tamim Elyan and Tom Perry

CAIRO, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Protests by Islamists allied to President Mohamed Mursi forced Egypt's highest court to adjourn its work indefinitely on Sunday, intensifying a conflict between some of the country's top judges and the head of state.

The Supreme Constitutional Court said it would not convene until its judges could operate without "psychological and material pressure", saying protesters had stopped the judges from reaching the building.

Several hundred Mursi supporters had protested outside the court through the night ahead of a session expected to examine the legality of parliament's upper house and the assembly that drafted a new constitution, both of them Islamist-controlled.

The cases have cast a legal shadow over Mursi's efforts to chart a way out of a crisis ignited by a Nov. 22 decree that temporarily expanded his powers and led to nationwide protests.

The court's decision to suspend its activities appeared unlikely to have any immediate impact on Mursi's drive to get the new constitution passed in a national referendum on Dec. 15.

Three people have been killed and hundreds wounded in protests and counter-demonstrations over Mursi's decree.

At least 200,000 of Mursi's supporters attended a rally at Cairo University on Saturday. His opponents are staging an open-ended sit-in in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the cradle of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled him to power in a June election, hope to end the crisis by pushing through the new constitution hastily adopted by the drafting assembly on Friday. The next day the assembly handed the text to Mursi, who called the referendum and urged Egyptians to vote.

"The Muslim Brotherhood is determined to go ahead with its own plans regardless of everybody else. There is no compromise on the horizon," said Hassan Nafaa, a professor of political science at Cairo University.

Outside the Supreme Constitutional Court, Muslim Brotherhood supporters rallied behind the referendum date. "Yes to the constitution", declared a banner held aloft by one protester. Chants demanded the "purging of the judiciary".

The interior minister told the head of the court that the building was accessible and the protests were peaceful, according a statement from the ministry.

The protest reflected the deep suspicion harboured by Egypt's Islamists towards a court they see as a vestige of the Mubarak era. The same court ruled in June to dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood-led lower house of parliament.

Since then, several legal cases have challenged the legitimacy of the upper house of parliament and the 100-member constituent assembly that wrote the constitution.

Those against the upper house have focused on the legality of the law by which it was elected, while the constitutional assembly has faced a raft of court cases alleging that the way it was picked was illegal.

STOCK MARKET RALLIES

Mursi believes that securing approval for the new constitution in a popular referendum will bury all arguments on the legality of the constituent assembly, as well as controversy over the text it worked through the night to finish on Friday.

It will also override the Nov. 22 decree that prompted statements of concern from Western governments and a rebellion by sections of the judiciary that saw it as a threat to their role. The decree shielded Mursi from judicial oversight.

Judges supervise voting in Egypt, so Mursi now needs them to oversee the referendum. Vice President Mahmoud Mekky said on Sunday he was confident the judges would perform that role, though Mursi's critics in the judiciary may call for a boycott.

While the Islamists' critics, including representatives of the Christian minority, have accused the Brotherhood of trying to hijack the constitution, investors appear to have seen Mursi's moves as a harbinger of stability. They were also relieved that Saturday's mass Islamist protest went off calmly.

The main stock market index, which lost a tenth of its value in response to Mursi's Nov. 22 decree, rallied more than 2 percent when the market opened on Sunday.

"The events that took place through the weekend, from the approval of the final draft of the constitution and the president calling a referendum, gave some confidence to investors that political stability is on track," said Mohamed Radwan of Pharos Securities, an Egyptian brokerage.

But the political opposition, made up of leftist, liberal and socialist parties, have been infuriated by what they see as the Brotherhood's attempt to ram through a constitution that does not enjoy national consensus.

Mursi's opponents warn of deeper polarisation ahead.

"LET EVERYONE HAVE THEIR SAY"

Leading opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei said on Twitter that the "struggle will continue" over a draft constitution that "undermines basic freedoms".

Liberal figures, including former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, pulled out of the constituent assembly last month, as did Christian representatives.

The draft constitution contains Islamist-flavoured language which opponents say could be used to whittle away human rights and stifle criticism. It forbids blasphemy and "insults to any person", does not explicitly uphold women's rights and demands respect for "religion, traditions and family values".

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it protected some rights while undermining others.

The text limits presidents to two four-year terms, requires parliamentary approval for their choice of prime minister, and introduces some civilian oversight of the military - although not enough for critics. Mubarak ruled for three decades.

Mursi described it as a constitution that fulfilled the goals of the Jan. 25, 2011 revolution that ended Mubarak's rule. "Let everyone - those who agree and those who disagree - go to the referendum to have their say," he said.

The Islamists are gambling that they will be able to secure a "yes" vote by mobilising their core support base and many other Egyptians keen for an end to two years of turmoil that has taken a heavy toll on the economy.

Nafaa of Cairo University said the constitution would likely be approved by a slim majority. "But in this case, how can you run a country with a disputed constitution - a constitution not adopted by consensus?" he asked.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/02/egypt-supreme-constitutional-court-suspension_n_2226942.html

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College basketball coach Rick Majerus dead at 64

Rick Majerus (Getty Images)

Anyone who has followed college basketball the past few decades probably knows a good Rick Majerus story or two.

There was the time he promised to quit at Utah if false allegations that freshman Britton Johnson had used a racial slur during the 1998 NCAA tournament turned out to be true. Or the day in 2005 when while working as an ESPN analyst, he favorably compared footage of actress Ashley Judd at a Kentucky game to watching adult videos in his hotel room. Or the introductory press conference at Saint Louis in 2007 when the school president began his speech by explaining Majerus' last name meant "great" in Latin only to have the coach correct him, telling reporters, "I think it means sausage-eater."

Examples like those of Majerus' rollicking sense of humor and larger-than-life personality are one of many reasons he'll be missed in college basketball circles. The former Utah and Saint Louis coach died Saturday at age 64, barely three months after he took a leave of absence from his job as head coach of the Billikens citing heart issues and other health concerns.

Majerus' girlfriend confirmed the news of his death to USA Today on Saturday.

The legacy Majerus leaves is as multi-layered as his personality. He was a brilliant strategist, an off-the-cuff comedian, a devoted family man and a tragic figure who battled weight issues.

Majerus amassed a career record of 517-215, taking Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis to the NCAA tournament a total of 11 times and leading the 1998 Utes on an improbable run to the national title game. Along the way, he built a reputation as an Xs-and-Os mastermind, more comfortable turning a group of lightly recruited players into a formidable team than coaching at a "Cindy Crawford program" as he often referred to the North Carolinas and Dukes of the world.

Majerus might have accomplished even more in basketball were it not for health concerns caused by his weight issues and love of food.

In his first season at Utah in 1989, he underwent coronary bypass surgery six games into the season. He later left the Utah program in 2004 after being hospitalized again for heart problems earlier in the year.

When Majerus took a leave of absence at Saint Louis in August, the school initially did not rule out the possibility he would return to coach the Billikens for the 2013-14 season. As the weeks went by, however, and reports surfaced that Majerus' condition had worsened, it became clear that he had coached his final game.

What's especially tragic about Majerus' death is that he was vibrant and in good spirits this time a year ago.

With the death of his beloved mother behind him and no major health problems of his own, Majerus seemed rejuvenated last season. He was in great spirits as the Billikens cracked the top 25 for the first time in his tenure, made the NCAA tournament and even thumped Memphis before falling in the Round of 32.

During one press conference in Anaheim after Saint Louis had just defeated Villanova in the semifinals of the 76 Classic, a jovial Majerus hammed it up with reporters as though he didn't have a care in the world.

He bemoaned the lack of an authentic custard stand in Southern California. He told stories of his players white water rafting and cliff jumping in the Ottawa River. And he kidded that "there would have been the first tsunami ever in a river" if he had joined them.

Quips like that are one of the ways Majerus will be remembered. It's just extremely sad he won't be around to make a few more of them.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/rick-majerus-master-strategist-larger-life-personality-dies-030332642--ncaab.html

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Internet Security ? Securing Your Online Business with Internet ...

Write-up by Clinton C. Matthews

Securing Your On-line Business with World wide web Security

Nowadays, companies are using benefit of the Net to market and market their goods and solutions. It is now regarded as a necessity for organizations to integrate the Net in their operations in buy to successfully contend with other businesses and grow to be the greatest.

The World wide web gives many positive aspects in your company. It will provide a wider assortment of prospective clients and it also provides a wonderful way to market your products and companies. Integrating the Internet in your business will indicate improved earnings and reduced charge in all round advertising and marketing. It will also supply you with more prospective consumers throughout the world.

However, the Web also has its disadvantages. Because much more and more individuals are spending their funds in the Net by purchasing merchandise and services, they will also depart traces of their financial and private details in their computers. Simply because of this, there are fairly a amount of men and women who are also using edge of the World wide web to steal from other men and women.

Your enterprise will also be vulnerable to this type of crime. Even though the Net exposes your organization to the entire world in get to make far more money, it will also expose your online company to people and software package that aims on destroying your organization or steal cash from it.

This is why it is important for you to get an net security system for your online enterprise in purchase to shield you and your organization from malicious softwares and also from individuals who will want to get access to your company?s secrets and techniques and use it to steal from you.

These days, there are really a number of figures of Web security courses that you can get gain of in get to shield your company computer systems from adwares, spywares, spam and phishing emails, and also safeguard your enterprise from hackers.

Nonetheless, some of the World wide web security software accessible are also weak and can only supply bare minimum security for your computer systems. This is why you really should look for an Web security software program that can properly shield your laptop or computer from malicious software circulating the Internet these days.

You ought to think about purchasing an World wide web security software package plan that is intended especially for on the web businesses. There are very a couple of organizations that offer you great security for computer systems. Below are the factors you really should appear for in an Internet security program that you should set up in your laptop or computer:

? AntiVirus Plans ? Given that there are fairly a lot of viruses circulating the web right now, you really should look for an web security system that provides maximum protection against personal computer viruses. It should also have updateable virus definition attributes in buy to support your laptop or computer combat new pc viruses popping out in the World wide web daily.

? AntiSpam Software package ? Phishing and spam email messages are really hazardous. A excellent internet security software must have an antispam computer software to automatically detect spam and phishing emails and protect your pc from people who wishes to consider gain of your online business.

? Site Lock Functions ? Because your employees might have the urge to down load} issues in the Internet, your Internet security system really should give a site lock function to avert your employees from wandering all around the Web and unintentionally get} files with malicious plans.

? Anti Adware and Spyware ? Adwares and spywares can be bothersome popup adverts. When you accidentally just click on the popup advertisement, you will automatically install a spyware plan. This program is like surveillance gear that reviews to the particular person who designed the program about the actions you do in your computer.

These are some of the factors you really should seem for in an World wide web security plan. With this, you can be confident that your online business will be secured from hackers, identification thieves, viruses and other malicious software package.

Originally posted 2012-02-16 03:09:07.

Source: http://thecommonhoster.com/2012/11/30/internet-security-securing-your-online-business-with-internet-security/

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