Confusion in Mali after request for military help

-- Days have passed since Mali's interim government made a formal request to neighboring nations for military help to try to take back the country's north, which fell to Islamist rebels after a coup five months ago.

But in a bizarre twist, the Malian government is refusing to confirm to its own people that it has made the regional appeal. Confusion in the capital, Bamako, is growing and heightening the perception that the soldiers who led the March coup - but were then pressured into handing power back to civilians - are still calling the shots.

There has been no mention on state TV of the formal request to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). And four days after the request for military help was confirmed by France, and after reporters from several news organizations were leaked copies of the official document, presidential spokesman Diarra Diakite said he had nothing to say on the matter, and that he had not seen the request.

"I myself have not seen this request, and if I had I would have sent it out for publication in the press," Diarra told The Associated Press Friday. "Up to this moment, I haven't seen it and so please don't ask me, as I don't know anything about it."

A copy of the request dated Sept. 1, which was seen by AP, shows that Interim President Dioncounda Traore asked the West African regional bloc of 15 nations to provide five battalions to try to take back the north. Mali is also asking for air support to destroy rebel bases in their remote hideouts, as well as to gather intelligence.

Traore also asked for help in restructuring the Malian army, including training infantry and artillery units, and logistical support including de-mining equipment and water purification systems to be used in the field.

For months, the international community has been pressing Mali to make the formal request for military help so that regional leaders can ask the U.N. Security Council to send forces into the country. France and the United States have expressed deep concern about the north becoming a base for international terrorism. Two rebel groups control the immense territory, and both have ties to al-Qaida's affiliate in North Africa.

But Mali did not make the request, apparently because the soldiers who led the March 21 coup in the capital refused to accept a foreign force, fearing that it would curtail their influence.

The coup leader, Capt. Amadou Haya Sonogo, is supposed to have stepped aside, but many believe he still exerts influence. On Twitter this week, rumors spread that Sanogo is against the request for military help.

A civilian who was hired by the junta in April to help run the parallel government they had created inside their barracks told AP on Friday that the putchists had not been informed of Traore's request. The news of the request first reached the Kati barracks near Bamako, from where the coup was launched, via media reports, he said.

"The problem is how this information reached the men," said the official, who requested anonymity because the junta had not authorized him to speak to the press. "It came to us in this bizarre fashion - we heard about it when France confirmed it. So (the question is) ... why did the presidential palace not respond to this publicly? This is what is sowing disorder and confusion in the heads of people."

A military official close to the junta, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the interim president had made the request without the consent of the soldiers who led Mali's recent coup. He said that Sanogo was holding a high-level meeting at Kati on Friday in order to decide what to do next.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot confirmed, in an online briefing on Thursday, that Mali had made the request to the regional bloc. France called it "an indispensable step" which was needed for the Security Council to authorize a military operation in Mali.

On Sept. 26, world leaders will meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the issue of Mali and a possible intervention force, said the French official.

However, Malian officials gave mixed messages even after traveling to neighboring Ivory Coast to discuss the formal request with Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara, the current head of ECOWAS. The request for the military intervention seen by AP was addressed to Ouattara.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Baba Berthe, Traore's secretary general, said management of the situation in Mali was "beyond the capabilities" of Malian authorities.

"When a problem is a problem which is going beyond borders, the problem needs a solution from beyond borders," he said. "President Traore asked me to come to solicit the support of the sub-region, ECOWAS, and Cote d'Ivoire to handle this problem."

Asked about the possibility of a military campaign to reconquer the north, however, Berthe hedged and said that the situation is still in the "negotiation phase," and that any "military phase" would occur only after negotiations had failed. "The negotiation phase always precedes the military phase," he said, adding a military operation would "not be applicable" if negotiations were successful.

Source: http://www.modbee.com/2012/09/07/2362176/confusion-in-mali-after-request.html

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Plumbing Help For Bathroom Remodels

If you are doing a bathroom remodel, you need plumbing help. Having a plumber come into your home and help you with this remodeling project is critical. He or she can help you to avoid some of the most common problems associated with this area of the home. In fact, you may find that your bathroom project went much smoother when you used a professional to help with these concerns. What you may not realize is that even general contractors and handy do-it-yourselfers will turn to a professional to handle these types of concerns.

Shower and Tub Installation

If you plan to remove or update the shower or tub enclosures in your bathroom, the plumbing needs to be done properly. A small leak or a small gap can cause a significant amount of moisture concern behind the tiling and drywall. You may end up with mildew and mold build up. Even worse, you could damage the structural components under and behind these systems. That could mean big problems for your home. It is also a good idea to turn to these professionals for more modern installations. Some showers, for example, now include electrical components such as special lighting, radio systems, and high-powered jets. It is critical that each of these is programmed and flowing the right way.

Sewers and Drains

The drain lines coming from all components of the bath, including the toilet, sinks and shower area need to be properly put into place. When you are ripping out structures in a home, it is easy to jar something loose, and that could mean a problem down the road. Instead of getting your new flooring put into place and then realizing there is a problem, get help from a professional to begin with. It will just make your job easier later.

Water Conservation and Heating

Another reason to turn to a plumber when doing a bathroom remodel is when you want to install a system to reduce the energy consumption and water usage in this area. New systems can help to minimize the amount of water flow coming from any component in this space while still providing the steady stream you expect. You may also want to discuss the use of a tank-less heater installation, which could cut your energy bills down considerably. It takes the place of a standard water heater.

Anytime you are doing a bathroom remodel, realize the benefits of turning to a professional for plumbing help. You can get guidance on what your options are and you can ensure the job is done properly. That helps to make any investment you make a better one. Do not forgo getting this help at the start of your project or you will likely need it later on.

Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3544155

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Hadley Crater provides deep insight into Martian geology

ScienceDaily (Sep. 6, 2012) ? Recently engaged in providing support to the successful landing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover, ESA's Mars Express has now returned to its primary mission of studying the diverse geology and atmosphere of the 'Red Planet' from orbit.

Earlier this year, the spacecraft observed the 120 km wide Hadley Crater, providing a tantalising insight into the martian crust. The images show multiple subsequent impacts within the main crater wall, reaching depths of up to 2600 m below the surrounding surface.

This region imaged on 9 April 2012 by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on Mars Express shows the crater which lies to the west of the Al-Qahira Vallis in the transition zone between the old southern highlands and the younger northern lowlands.

Hadley is named after the British lawyer and meteorologist George Hadley (1685-1768) whose name was also given to the 'Hadley cell', a circulation system in Earth's atmosphere, which transports heat and moisture from the tropics up to higher latitudes.

The images show that Hadley Crater was struck multiple times by large asteroids and/or comets after its initial formation and subsequent infilling with lava and sediments.

Some of these later impacts have also been partly buried, with subtle hints of a number of crater rims to the west (top), and wrinkle ridges to the north (right side) of the main crater floor as shown in the first image at the top of the page.

Again, in the first image (top of the page), the southern (left) side, the crater appears shallower than the opposite side. This difference can be explained by an erosion process known as mass wasting. This is where surface material moves down a slope under the force of gravity.

Mass wasting can be initially started by a range of processes including earthquakes, erosion at the base of the slope, ice splitting the rocks or water being introduced into the slope material, In this case there is no clear indication which process caused it, or over what timescales this may have occurred.

Of particular interest to scientists studying the geology of Mars are the ejecta of the smaller craters within Hadley. Two of them, one to the west (top), and the deepest one in the middle of the first image, show evidence for volatiles, possibly water ice beneath the surface.

With the impact that forms the craters, this ice would mix with surrounding materials to form a kind of 'mud', which would then spread over the surface as ejecta.

Scientists believe these volatiles which were excavated by the impacts, may indicate the presence of ice to a depth of around hundreds of metres, this being the difference in depth between the surface and the depths of the two craters. This deep view into the martian crust within the walls of Hadley Crater provides scientists an insight into the history of Mars. A history which rovers like those currently on the Red Planet and others which follow will doubtless continue to investigate.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/nasa/~3/7i9Ds8rbznQ/120906191453.htm

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Talking Tuna During the Seafood Summit ? International Seafood ...

Posted by Susan Jackson
7 September 2012

This morning, I moderated a panel during the 10th annual Seafood Summit,?an event that brings together global representatives from the seafood industry and conservation community to discuss the path towards our shared goal: creating a seafood marketplace that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.

Hong Kong

Today?s panel looked at Key Fishery Improvement Projects for Tuna Sustainability, something ISSF knows quite a bit about.

Right now there are very few tuna fisheries certified as sustainable and the amount being produced would barely supply demand in a small European market. But that doesn?t mean the world needs to stop fishing, processing and consuming tuna. There is good work being done to improve tuna fisheries. Key projects and important advancements help the marketplace meet higher standards and recognize the value of evolving fisheries.

My colleague Jesse Marsh from WWF-US was on the panel to discuss the characteristics of a good fishery improvement project (FIP), something the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions has already begun to define. Some of the standards of a good FIP are a ?workplan with measureable indicators? as well as a ?system for tracking progress? and a ?scoping document completed by a third party experienced with applying the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fishery Assessment Methodology.?

Much of the focus on tuna sustainability is often directed toward purse seine fishing, responsible for roughly 60% of the world?s tuna catch. But pole and line tuna fisheries also have an opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable advancements. Researcher Bob Gillett, from Gillett Preston and Associates, also joined our panel to discuss the management of the baitfish resources that support pole and line fisheries. Bob recently completed a study for us titled The Management Of Tuna Baitfisheries: The Results Of A Global Study. He found that, ?Perhaps the only improvement that is broadly applicable across most baitfisheries concerns monitoring.?

Government leaders, vessel owners and retailers are all looking for the improved transparency that comes from enhanced monitoring and surveillance of fishing activities. Howard McElderry, an expert in electronic monitoring at Archipelago, discussed at sea trials being conducted onboard purse seine tuna vessels. While the results are preliminary, and there?s more work to be done, we?re much closer to cameras as observers than we were even 6 months ago.

The audience and speakers seemed to agree on one thing ? sustainable fisheries don?t pop up overnight. It takes hard work and commitment ? it simply won?t happen if you walk away. The good news is many of us refuse to turn our backs.

Source: http://iss-foundation.org/2012/09/07/talking-tuna-during-the-seafood-summit/

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Florida, Colorado Voter Purges Net Few Noncitizens, So Far

States using a federal immigration database to purge noncitizens from voter lists are starting to get results, which so far include few illegal voters.

In Florida, which was first to gain access to the database after fighting the federal government in court, an initial run of roughly 2,600 names has turned up "several" violators, according to a spokesman for Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner.

"We are seeing that there are definitely noncitizens on the voter rolls, but we're still very early in this review process," says Chris Cate. A much larger list of suspected noncitizens soon will be fed through the database, Cate says. The list will be an updated version culled from cross-checking voter rolls and driver's license data, a method that produced about 180,000 names last year.

?

Colorado, which along with Florida was initially denied access to the database, says that an automated check of more than 1,400 names has flagged 177 people as possible noncitizens. Colorado has asked the Department of Homeland Security, which maintains the database, to assign a person to verify their status.

"For the moment, we have no confirmed noncitizens, but I would expect that most of those people would come back as noncitizens," says Andrew Cole, a spokesman for Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler.

Colorado also sent letters questioning the citizenship of more than 3,800 registered voters. Cole says 482 people have responded with proof of citizenship, and letters to about 1,000 others were returned undelivered due to wrong addresses.

Florida obtained access to the database nearly a month ago, and Colorado starting using it two weeks ago.

Voter purges are among several election-related efforts that Republican-led states and the Obama administration continue to dispute in courtrooms across the nation.

Republicans say the purges and other restrictions, such as photo identification requirements for voters, are intended to prevent fraud. Democrats argue that the measures are designed to suppress turnout among minorities and others who tend to vote for Democratic candidates.

Some of the states with the most aggressively tightened election laws, such as Florida and Texas, also have the largest Latino populations.

The purges are under way in about a dozen states, all of which have Republican election officials. They are using the DHS database to distinguish between foreigners in the United States on visas, green cards or other permits, and those who have become naturalized citizens and now have the right to vote.

The database, known as the SAVE system, or Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, contains information about immigrants who are in the country legally.

The states have drawn criticism for using flawed methods that ensnare more eligible than ineligible voters. Voting rights groups say list purges this soon before an election could leave too little time to find and correct errors on the rolls.

On behalf of a Latino civic group and two naturalized citizens, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed suit against Florida, arguing that its use of the database must be approved by the federal government under the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voters.

The ACLU cites a Miami Herald report that found that nearly 60 percent of the people on Florida's suspected noncitizens list are Latinos (who make up 13 percent of Florida's active registered voters).

The Department of Justice, which took separate court action to unsuccessfully block Florida's purge program, has filed a "statement of interest" in the case supporting the ACLU's complaint.

Florida officials have denied that the purge targets minorities. The state has filed a motion for dismissal, arguing that its purge program provides due process to voters and was approved by the Justice Department years ago.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/05/160624313/florida-colorado-voter-purges-net-few-noncitizens-so-far?ft=1&f=139482413

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Self Promotion, Little Business Advertising and marketing, and your ...

If you really find this article helpful Give it a PLUS from below and help us to spread it.

The core premise of authentic self promotion is that showing up, serving, and thriving are interrelated. Promotion, or placing yourself forward, is a part of showing up and is vital to obtaining an effective business. Having a profitable company is vital to getting and sustaining an offer of service. In other words, you can?t serve should you usually do not care for organization.

Authenticity is the cornerstone of successful, sustainable self promotion since getting authentic draws on a renewable resource, i.e., your core values and strengths. Place it all with each other, and you have authentic promotion.

Authentic self promotion is grounded inside the conviction that you have one thing of exclusive worth to supply the world and that you are willing to find out how you can embody that offer, to show up and serve, and to thrive in the process.

Authentic self promotion reconciles values of service and integrity with all the tools and practices of powerful modest company advertising. Authentic promotion of one?s small enterprise rejects the simple dismissal of advertising and marketing and sales as shallow, manipulative, and inauthentic. Rather, authentic self promotion claims that marketing and sales are vehicles for producing enduring relationships and delivering substantial value. In the event you pick the path of authentic self promotion, you may learn that advertising your small organization successfully will challenge you to evolve continually as someone and as an expert.

Authenticity is intimately involved with creativity, evolution, and alter. It is closely allied using the notion of authorship, thus of owning and being accountable for one?s actions. Authenticity acknowledges that we?re always making or writing our life tales. Expressed in company, such authenticity will step as much as the challenge of generating strong, clear, valid provides to prospects that are probably to advantage from these offers.

When we do enterprise in an authentic style, we realize that we?ll be affected and even changed by the processes of undertaking organization. Authenticity is dynamic. Whenever you extend oneself authentically inside the world, you count on an authentic response ? a single that could touch you deeply and influence your future choices. You?ll find risks, then, in authenticity.

Egocentric organization practices, on the other hand, declare, ?I don?t require to answer to anyone. I have no intention of being changed or impacted by you as we do enterprise with each other. Either you like me or you do not. You?ll either learn me or you won?t.?

Typically this egocentricity is masked by a pseudo-authenticity, a single that pretends to stand for immutable values and unassailable principles but which is genuinely a declaration of self-absorption, ?My way or the highway.? A far better test for authenticity is regardless of whether or not we?re prepared to be affected by our transactions. The authentic expression of our deepest values and most closely held principles will constantly open us to the risk and blessings of new possibilities.

Authentic advertising and marketing and self promotion says, ?I?m right here to connect with you. I expect that we?ll both be changed inside the course of our relationship. I am prepared to learn you and myself in new techniques as we do enterprise. Come on down, let?s see what we are able to develop together.?

I propose that the quite right excesses and evils of some business practices can be countered in an effective way by independent pros and artists who use their corporations as a vehicle for showing up, serving, and thriving. It is about greater than making a living. Though, unless you do make a living, you may not be capable of express your gifts to the fullest.

Authentic self promotion is about trying on business and advertising and marketing practices and adapting them to fit your values, your resources, as well as your special gifts. It really is about obtaining sufficient integrity and courage to welcome the inevitable breakdowns as occasions for understanding and platforms for future results. As a way to be truly authentic ? in other words, to authenticate our values and our standards ? we must act within the world. We should show up to serve, and we need to stop pretending that commerce is one thing the negative guys do. In this way, we will shine a light on unfamiliar or inadequate practices for the sake of devising far better practices.

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Source: http://www.articlemuseum.com/self-promotion-little-business-advertising-and-marketing-and-your-core-values.htm

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