NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates with automatic weapons seized a cargo ship off Africa's east coast and are holding its 26 crew members hostage, anti-piracy officials said Thursday.
The pirates captured the Panamanian-flagged MV Al Khaliq some 200 miles (320 kilometers) west of the Seychelles islands early Thursday, a statement from the European Union's anti-piracy task force said.
Noel Choong, who heads the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said the pirates attacked the Indian-managed ship with automatic weapons.
Choong said the hijacking demonstrated a new trend for Somali pirates: actively targeting vessels very far off the coast during clear weather. He said it was the third such hijacking in a week. Pirates hijacked a Singapore-flagged bulk container last Thursday and a Chinese cargo ship on Monday.
Choong said the latest attacks brought the number of attacks off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden to 178 this year, with 36 ships hijacked. He said pirates are holding seven ships and 165 crew members.
The EU task force, Operation Atalanta, said pirates also unsuccessfully attempted to hijack the Italian-flagged MV Jolly Rosso off the Kenyan coast on Thursday.
The Gulf of Aden is one of the busiest and most dangerous waterways in the world. Somalia has been ravaged by violence and anarchy since 1991 and piracy has flourished off its coast.
Somali pirates seized more than 40 vessels in 2008, pocketing an estimated $30 million in ransom.
October 2009
PHILADELPHIA – Eagles coach Andy Reid says linebacker Omar Gaither will have surgery on left foot and will miss the rest of the season.
Gaither suffered the injury during Sunday's loss to the Oakland Raiders.
He is the second Eagles middle linebacker to be lost for the season — Stewart Bradley was placed on injured reserve after tearing an ACL in a preseason scrimmage.
On Tuesday, the Eagles acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon from the St. Louis Rams. Witherspoon will start for the Eagles against Washington on Monday night.
THURSDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- New research provides
further insight into how a health-boosting compound found in red grapes
may help the body fend off type 2 diabetes.
But scientists have only seen the effect in mice who received
injections in the brain, and no evidence has emerged that consuming red
wine or other products made with grapes will alleviate the blood sugar
disease.
The findings do tell scientists about how the compound known as
resveratrol works on the brain, said senior study author Roberto
Coppari.
If scientists know that the brain is a "major player," then drug
companies working on related research "will focus on a drug that will
penetrate the brain," said Coppari, an assistant professor of internal
medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Scientists have been excited about resveratrol, which is found in red
grapes, red wine, pomegranates and some other foods, appears to extend the
life spans of mice, even those fed a high-fat diet. Resveratrol appears to
mimic the effects of severely restricting food intake, which helps a wide
variety of animals live longer, Coppari said.
"You can take the spider, fish, and almost every animal in the planet,
and give 70 percent of what the animal would normally eat, and you'll see
beneficial effects," he said. "Of course, calorie restriction is very
difficult to impose on people. You will feel hungry all the time."
In the new study, Coppari and colleagues looked at the effects of
resveratrol on diabetes, not life span. Previous research has suggested
that the compound helps the body fight off diabetes.
The researchers injected either resveratrol or a placebo into the
brains of diet-induced and diabetic mice and watched to see what
happened.
Over five weeks, insulin levels returned to half of normal levels in
the mice that got the resveratrol injections, even though they were on
high-fat diets. Researchers suspect resveratrol activated proteins in the
brain called sirtuins.
The insulin levels in the other mice went up, apparently because of
their diets.
So why not drink red wine to get the same effects? It won't work,
Coppari said, since the amount of resveratrol in red wine is too low. Then
there's the matter of the barrier between the bloodstream and the brain,
which keeps things out of the brain.
"Clearly, administration of drugs to patients directly into the brain
for chronic diseases is not feasible or realistic," said Lindsay Brown, of
the University of Queensland's department of physiology and pharmacology
in Australia.
"But this study may lead to the development of compounds that are more
effective in crossing from the blood to the brain than is resveratrol,"
said Brown.
The study, which was supported by the American Heart Association,
National Institutes of Health and American Diabetes Association, was
published online in advance of its print publication in the December issue
of the journal Endocrinology.
More information
Learn more about resveratrol from Oregon State University.
ANAHEIM, Calif. – CC Sabathia taps his beefy right hand on the wooden door of his clubhouse locker and grins. Not that the power pitcher who's on a playoff roll for the New York Yankees needs a lot of luck. Still, he's not taking any chances.
"I don't want to jinx anything or say anything I shouldn't, but I've been feeling pretty good," he said. "Hopefully, I'll just keep it going, keep it rolling, and we win the whole thing."
Sabathia's dominance in these playoffs has helped put the Yankees on the brink of reaching their first World Series since 2003. They took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven American League championship series into Thursday's night game against the Los Angeles Angels.
"That's why we got CC," Johnny Damon said. "To be a workhorse during the season, of course, but to shut down teams in the postseason."
Sabathia, who defeated the Angels in Games 1 and 4, would be in position to pitch Game 7 on four days' rest if necessary. But unless the Angels regain their offensive punch, it's more likely he'll be well-rested for the World Series opener next Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
That's when Sabathia could go against former Cleveland teammate Cliff Lee, who is slated to pitch Game 1 for his new team, the Philadelphia Phillies. They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 to clinch the NLCS on Wednesday night.
Sabathia was 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five playoff starts with Cleveland and Milwaukee before this season, but he's been superb this October, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.
The Yankees' left-hander yielded five hits and one run in eight innings while striking out five and walking two in Game 4 against the Angels, throwing 101 pitches on three days' rest. He retired the last eight batters he faced.
"I never had any doubt about me being able to perform on this stage and to pitch well late in October, but it seems like people did," Sabathia said. "But I feel great."
Sabathia's go-to pitch is his changeup, something the 6-foot-7, 290-pounder added to his repertoire when he reached the majors in 2001 with Cleveland and has perfected ever since.
"That was probably the biggest thing we had trouble adjusting to," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He threw it on off-counts and had great command of it."
Sabathia cost the Yankees $161 million to acquire, but he's been economical on the mound.
In Game 1 of the ALCS, he allowed four hits in eight innings, struck out seven and walked one, going to three-ball counts just twice.
Sabathia's four shutout innings to open Game 4 marked the first time in eight career postseason starts that he hasn't been scored upon in the first four innings.
"I don't think you can say enough what he's done so far in this series," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "One of the reasons he's able to amass so many innings is he doesn't throw a lot of pitches in seven or eight innings. He can give you that almost every time he goes out. Very seldom do you see him with 100 pitches in five innings."
Sabathia said joining the Yankees this season was made easier by the addition A.J. Burnett, who came from Toronto. They've combined with veteran Andy Pettitte to form a lethal three-man rotation.
"I came here and from day one, Andy has been a big help," Sabathia said. "I talk with A.J. about emotions, when you're feeling strong how to keep that and how to keep your delivery tight."
Burnett's on-field pie-throwing after games has loosened up his teammates. When he's not cutting up, he finds inspiration from following Sabathia in the rotation.
"It seems like every night he throws I give him a hug and say, `Man, you just inspired me to go tomorrow,'" Burnett said. "That's who he is. He's a horse. He throws eight innings every time out, and he sets the tone. We talked about it when we signed him, about being able to throw back-to-back, and it's been an honor. It makes you go harder."
Girardi presides over a clubhouse full of future Hall of Famers in his own low-key manner while marveling at Sabathia's ability to keep his composure no matter how high the stakes get in the postseason.
"Sometimes people get a little overanxious or hyped up," Girardi said. "I've not ever seen that during the season with CC. He's the same guy every day. That's one of the big pluses about him because it allows him to do his job every time."
Lighting is the deliberate application of light to achieve some aesthetic or practical effect. Lighting includes use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and natural illumination of interiors from daylight. Daylighting (through windows, skylights, etc.) is often used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings given its low cost. Artificial lighting represents a major component of energy consumption, accounting for a significant part of all energy consumed worldwide.
Artificial lighting is most commonly provided today by electric lights, but gas lighting, candles, or oil lamps were used in the past, and still are used in certain situations. Proper lighting can enhance task performance or aesthetics, while there can be energy wastage and adverse health effects of lighting. Indoor lighting is a form of fixture or furnishing, and a key part of interior design. Lighting can also be an intrinsic component of landscaping.
NEW YORK – Stung by a rash of blown calls in the playoffs, Major League Baseball is breaking tradition and sticking with only experienced umpires for the World Series.
Longtime crew chiefs Joe West, Dana DeMuth and Gerry Davis, along with Brian Gorman, Jeff Nelson and Mike Everitt will handle the games, three people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press this week.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
In 24 of the last 25 World Series, the six-man crew has included at least one umpire working the event for the first time — baseball likes to reward newer umpires, plus replenish the supply of umps with Series experience.
In each of the last two years, there were three new umps working the World Series.
CB Bucknor was in line to work the World Series for the first time this year. But he missed two calls in Game 1 of the division series between the Red Sox and Angels, damaging his chance to get picked, one of the three people said.
Umpiring mistakes caused anxious moments for MLB in the first two rounds: Phil Cuzzi's foul call on a drive by Joe Mauer that was fair by a foot, Jerry Meals' error on a ball that bounced off Chase Utley's leg, Dale Scott's miss on a pickoff and Tim McClelland's call on a tag play, among others.
These problems ramped up calls by fans for expanded use of instant replay. Loading up with veteran umpires, however, is no guarantee of getting it right. McClelland missed an obvious double play Tuesday night in the AL championship series between the Yankees and Angels.
West, DeMuth and Davis each have worked three World Series and have been major league umpires for more than 25 years. Gorman, Nelson and Everitt all have called one World Series, and have been on the big league staff for at least 11 years.
At least a pair of first-time World Series umpires have been on each of the last five crews. Starting in 1983, the only crew that did not include a World Series rookie was 1997.
World Series umpires are chosen from the pool of 24 umpires who work in the first round, with those two dozen picked on merit. ALCS and NLCS umpires aren't in play, because umps don't work in consecutive rounds of the postseason.
DENVER (Reuters) –
A Colorado father rejected suggestions on Friday that a search-and-rescue operation triggered by fears his son had floated away in a home-made balloon was an attention-seeking hoax.
"To have people say that, I think, is extremely pathetic," Richard Heene told ABC's "Good Morning America."
Local authorities said that while they did not believe the incident was a hoax they would seek to interview the family again.
Falcon Heene, 6, was found alive in the attic of his home on Thursday -- a happy ending after several hours during which he was thought to be in the silver flying saucer-shaped balloon watched live on television as it drifted over Colorado. When the craft landed, the boy was not inside, prompting fears he had fallen out.
Falcon -- whose brother had said that he had climbed inside the balloon before it became untethered -- said he had hidden in the attic over the garage because he was scared after his father scolded him earlier for having climbed into the ballon's utility compartment.
But later on Thursday, Falcon himself aroused suspicions when asked on CNN's "Larry King Live" why he stayed in hiding so long when people were calling his name. "You guys (his parents) said that we did this for the show," he said.
Richard Heene and his wife, Mayumi, and three sons have appeared on ABC television reality show "Wife Swap" in which families swap mothers to deal with family problems. Richard Heene said the balloon was part of an experiment by the family, who are keen on scientific experiments and storm-chasing.
The family, who live in Fort Collins, Colorado, has also posted videos on You Tube.
DOUBTS
"Absolutely not," Richard Keene told CNN, asked if it was all a publicity stunt. "I'm kind of appalled that after all the feelings that I went through, up and down, that you guys are trying to suggest something else, OK? I'm really appalled."
His wife added: "What we went through the whole day is real... I really thought we might have lost him."
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told "Good Morning America" that investigators initially believed that the family was telling the truth, based on their interviews and body language.
"They were completely convinced this was the real deal and not a hoax," he said. But Alderden said Falcon's comment on CNN had prompted questions.
"Certainly, that statement that was made last night on the interview raises the questions again," Alderden said. "We do intend to go back and try and re-interview the family."
The sheriff told Denver television station KUSA that "if this turns out to be a hoax ... certainly we would seek compensation" for the cost of yesterday's search and rescue efforts.
Heene was irritated at the suggestion he had been seeking publicity.
"I'm not selling anything. This is what we do all the time," he told "Good Morning America." "I don't have a can of beans I'm trying to promote. This is just another day in the life of what we do," he said of his science experiments.
(Writing by Frances Kerry, Editing by Sandra Maler)
