Clashes mar slain Tunisian leader's mass funeral

Police and mourners clashed at the funeral of secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid, whose assassination has plunged Tunisia deeper into political crisis. NBCNews.com's Alex Witt reports.

By Tarek Amara and Alistair Lyon, Reuters

TUNIS, Tunisia -- Police and mourners clashed at the mass funeral on Friday of secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid, whose assassination has plunged Tunisia deeper into political crisis.

Braving chilly rain, at least 50,000 people turned out to honor Belaid in his home district of Jebel al-Jaloud in the capital, chanting anti-Islamist and anti-government slogans.

It was Tunisia's biggest funeral since the death of Habib Bourguiba, independence leader and first president, in 2000.

Violence erupted near the cemetery as police fired teargas at demonstrators who threw stones and set cars ablaze. Police also used teargas against protesters near the Interior Ministry, a frequent flashpoint for clashes in the Tunisian capital.

Tunisia, cradle of the Arab Spring uprisings, is riven by tensions between dominant Islamists and their secular opponents, and by frustration at the lack of social and economic progress since President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in January 2011.

Belaid's assassination has shocked a country that had hitherto experienced a relatively peaceful political transition.

"The people want a new revolution," shouted mourners in Tunis, who also sang the national anthem.

Crowds surged around an open army truck carrying Belaid's coffin, draped in a red and white Tunisian flag, as it traveled to the leafy Jallaz cemetery, as a security forces helicopter flew overhead.

EPA

Tunisian protesters run from teargas fired by police during protests Friday against the killing of opposition politician Chokri Belaid. Belaid's funeral drew tens of thousands of mourners and Tunis seethed with anger.

"Belaid, rest in peace, we will continue the struggle," mourners chanted, holding portraits of the politician killed near his home on Wednesday by a gunman who fled on a motorcycle.

Some demonstrators denounced Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the ruling Islamist Ennahda party. "Ghannouchi, assassin, criminal," they chanted. "Tunisia is free, terrorism out."

Police fired teargas to disperse anti-government protesters throwing stones and gasoline bombs in the southern mining town of Gafsa, a stronghold of support for Belaid, witnesses said.

Crowds there had chanted "The people want the fall of the regime," a slogan first used against Ben Ali.

Cradle of revolt
In Sidi Bouzid, the southern town where the revolt against the ousted strongman began, about 10,000 marched to mourn Belaid and shout slogans against Ennahda and the government.

Banks, factories and some shops were closed in Tunis and other cities in response to a strike called by unions in protest at Belaid's killing, but buses were running normally.

Tunis Air suspended all its flights because of the strikes, a spokesman for the national airline said. Airport sources in Cairo said EgyptAir had canceled two flights to Tunisia after staff at Tunis airport joined the general strike.

Anis Mili / Reuters

Soldiers help mourners carry the coffin of slain opposition leader Chokri Belaid during his funeral procession Friday in Tunis, Tunisia.

After Belaid's assassination, Prime Minister Hamdi Jebali, an Islamist, said he would dissolve the government and form a cabinet of technocrats to rule until elections could be held.

But his own Ennahda party and its secular coalition partners complained they had not been consulted, casting doubt over the status of the government and compounding political uncertainty.

No one has claimed responsibility for the killing of Belaid, a lawyer and secular opposition figure.

His family have blamed Ennahda but the party has denied any hand in the shooting. Crowds have attacked several Ennahda party offices in Tunis and other cities in the past two days.

"Hope still exists in Tunisia," Fatma Saidan, a noted Tunisian actor, told Reuters at Belaid's funeral. "We will continue to struggle against extremism and political violence."

While Belaid had only a modest political following, his criticism of Ennahda policies spoke for many Tunisians who fear religious radicals are bent on snuffing out freedoms won in the first of the revolts that rippled through the Arab world.

Secular groups have accused the Islamist-led government of a lax response to attacks by ultra-orthodox Salafi Islamists on cinemas, theaters and bars in recent months.

Related:

PhotoBlog:?Mourning amid the teargas in Tunisia

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/08/16898546-clashes-erupt-as-huge-crowds-gather-for-funeral-of-tunisian-opposition-leader?lite

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Video: Drone strikes memo raises more questions

>>> as andrea pointed out, it was our own michael isikoff 's exclusive reporting that revealed the obama administration's ground rules governing its use of drones. place the topic in conversation, michael was in that hearing today and is with us from capitol hill tonight. the question, mike, how much more did we learn about the president's drone policy?

>> reporter: is brian, if anybody felt we were going to learn more about targeted killings and drones today, they were disappointed in some respects. brennan said less today than he has already acknowledged in public speeches. i was listening very closely. the whole hearing. the word "drones" never left his lips. the big questions raised by that white paper are what are the standards upon which americans who are suspected of being al qaeda leaders can be targeted for killings. what constitutes an imminent threat? who gets to decide whether the secret intelligence is sound enough and whether there is any review. presumably, the memo that president obama let senators read this morning would answer some of those questions. but the memo remains classified, so the senators couldn't even ask any questions about it. a number of them, senator wyden, senator feinstein, did press brennan to be more open, and perhaps his most memorable line, he said i want to optimize transparency, but at the same time, i want to optimize secrecy. tonight, brian, secrecy won out.

>> government speaking for having it both ways. our national investigative correspondent, michael isikoff , who has led the way on reporting on this topic this week.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50737774/

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Is Your Website Tablet Friendly? - Stellar Blue Web Design LLC

In our blog post, Tablets, the Next Big Thing, we talked about how the future of tablets, and how marketers need to keep an eye on how consumers are using tablets to view sites.? But simply having a mobile site for tablets isn?t enough.? With tablet?s becoming more and more popular in e-commerce, it?s very important that tablet functionality on your website is fully optimized. Here are just a few suggestions to make sure your customer is satisfied when visiting your site through a tablet.

Are you fast enough?

In today?s market, consumers don?t want to wait to make purchases, and time is of the essence.? Having a site that is easy to use, easy to access, and is fast, is very important to make sure customers not only stay on the website, but also make a purchase, or go from being a lead to a customer. In the retail market, where many companies are competing for consumers? dollars, it?s even more important to make transactions smooth. To speed up your site, try to keep it simple. Having too much fluff that makes the site cool, can actually slow down how fast tablet users can access the site.

Touch-Friendly

Believe it or not, some functions that make accessing your site on a desktop can make it very difficult for a tablet user to navigate through your site.? Functions such as drop-down menus which work great on many desktops, can be frustrating for tablet users. Not pressing on these buttons hard enough can make the drop down menu not work. You also want to make sure buttons are easy to click on and big enough for all users. If a link is too small, or close to other links, it can be difficult for users click on the correct link. The last thing you want is a customer who is frustrated because they cannot get to the right link.

Less Typing = Better Experience

Typing on a computer is much easier and faster than a tablet. Consumers don?t want to spend time typing out long words or phrases in order to navigate your website. The less you have to type to navigate your website, the more likely the customer makes a purchase.? By having search functions bring up suggested search options when users start to type, you?re making the experience much faster and smoother as well.

Stay Informed

It?s important as a marketer to continue to monitor how users use all facets of your website, whether that?s through a desktop, tablet, or phone. Companies that are constantly adapting to the changing landscape of e-commerce will be the companies that get consistent conversion rates of leads to customers. ?Staying up to date on those changes will help keep companies relevant, and keep their websites user-friendly.

To find out more about tablets , and how businesses can effectively use them check out our Responsive Design section or Register for our next workshop on tablets to get hands-on training!

Source: http://www.stellarbluewebdesign.com/php/blog/index.php/2013/02/tablet-friendly/

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Fisker Automotive and Captain Planet Foundation raffle off Karma ...

Fisker Automotive is raffling off a two-year lease of one of its Karma luxury plug-in hybrids to benefit the Captain Planet Foundation?s small grants program. The Foundation funds projects that promote environmental education and solutions to environmental issues.

A $500 raffle ticket buys a chance to win a two-year Karma lease. Only 200 tickets will be sold, so the odds are much better than winning the lottery and buying one of the hybrids, which cost over $100,000 each, that way. Tickets are on sale until April 15, and 50 have already been sold. They can be purchased through the Captain Planet Foundation?s website.

The Captain Planet Foundation claims to have funded over 1,500 projects that have increased recycling, started education programs for children, and helped to maintain sensitive areas like rivers, streams, and wetlands. Anyone who grew up watching the Captain Planet cartoon will have a burst of nostalgia when they see the Foundation?s grant categories: Wind, Fire, Earth, Water, and Heart.

If Captain Planet needed a car, he would probably get a Karma. This ?electric vehicle, extended range? (EV-ER) is powered by a 20.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack hooked to two electric motors. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine kicks in when the batteries lose their charge.

The Karma has a 50-mile electric-only driving range, and an EPA fuel economy rating of 54 MPGe. It can also do 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 125 mph.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/captain-planet-foundation-and-fisker-automotive-team-up-to-fund-environmental-awareness/

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South Africans called to action on raped teenager

A teddy bear is placed on a windowsill at the Teddy Bear Clinic, where abused children are treated, in Johannesburg, Friday, Feb. 9, 2013. In a country where one in four women are raped and where months-old babies and 94-year-old grandmothers are sexually assaulted, citizens are demanding action after a teenager was gang-raped, sliced open from her stomach to her genitals, and left for dead on a construction site last week. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A teddy bear is placed on a windowsill at the Teddy Bear Clinic, where abused children are treated, in Johannesburg, Friday, Feb. 9, 2013. In a country where one in four women are raped and where months-old babies and 94-year-old grandmothers are sexually assaulted, citizens are demanding action after a teenager was gang-raped, sliced open from her stomach to her genitals, and left for dead on a construction site last week. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

Soft toys are placed on a windowsill at the Teddy Bear Clinic, where abused children are treated, in Johannesburg, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. In a country where one in four women are raped and where months-old babies and 94-year-old grandmothers are sexually assaulted, citizens are demanding action after a teenager was gang-raped, sliced open from her stomach to her genitals, and left for dead on a construction site last week. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

Soft toys are stacked in a room at the Teddy Bear Clinic, where abused children are treated, in Johannesburg, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. In a country where one in four women are raped and where months-old babies and 94-year-old grandmothers are sexually assaulted, citizens are demanding action after a teenager was gang-raped, sliced open from her stomach to her genitals, and left for dead on a construction site last week. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? The chime sounds every four minutes on the radio station, reminding listeners that statistically yet another child or woman in South Africa is being raped.

It's also a call to action for citizens outraged over the gang-rape of a teenager who was mutilated ? her body carved open from her stomach to her genitals ? and left for dead on a construction site. While India agonizes with its high prevalence of rape because of a fatal attack on a young woman on a bus, South Africans are now becoming galvanized by the attack on the teenager in a small town. Civil society and governments in both countries are saying this must stop.

The injuries to the 17-year-old were so horrific that nurses in the operating theater, where doctors tried in vain to save her life, are undergoing trauma counseling.

The chimes on Talk Radio 702 are part of a campaign urging South Africans to identify perpetrators of rape that has become endemic. One in four females is raped here according to several studies, from months-old babies to 94-year-old grandmothers.

The Citizen newspaper published an editorial calling for citizens to take collective responsibility in the fight against sexual crimes.

"Somehow, somewhere there must be a tipping point where society is so convulsed by a collective anger over rape that we begin to turn the tide against this terrible scourge," the newspaper said. "Each of us needs to ask what we can do to stop this awful trend. And then we must act accordingly. You can help."

The Star newspaper's editor Makhudu Sefara ran a front-page editorial saying "Stand up. Speak out. Help us turn this evil around once and for all."

And at a busy intersection near Johannesburg's Sandton City, dozens of young men and women wearing black and red waved placards saying "Stop rape."

South Africans appear to be inspired by the mass demonstrations in India that protest a culture of sexual violence and revulsion over the gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus who died of internal injuries from a metal bar. India, with a population of 1.2 billion people, had 24,206 rapes reported in 2011. South Africa, population 50 million, reported 2.5 times that number of rapes last year.

Opposition politician Lindiwe Mazibuko described "a silent war against the children and women of this country ... We live in a deeply patriarchal and injured society where the rights of women are not respected."

She said she would request a national dialogue on the crisis.

President Jacob Zuma, who was acquitted on charges of raping the daughter of a family friend in 2005, said Thursday "that government would never rest until the perpetrators and all those who rape and abuse women and children, are meted with the maximum justice that the law allows."

For Professor Rachel Jewkes, , a doctor heading the Women's Research Unit of South Africa's Medical Research Council who has studied sexual violence here for 20 years, much more is needed.

"I'm jolly pleased to hear that even Jacob Zuma has belatedly come in, but we need to remember that actually women are raped and actually die from their injuries from rape almost every day in South Africa, and we need to make sure that the very, very profound sense of horror and outrage that people feel now is translated into something concrete."

Shaheda Omar, clinical director of Johannesburg's Teddy Bear Clinic for child victims of abuse, said: "We've had huge outcries in the past then things just fall through the cracks again, but I think there's a stronger sense of solidarity now."

Omar has worked with child victims for 28 years and suffers trauma spasms and headaches as a result. She said the government needs to enact "stringent measures, actions having consequences and perpetrators being brought to book to deter others."

Organizations that have been working with rape survivors plan a mass outdoor meeting next week in Johannesburg, she said.

Some South Africans, imbued with a chauvinism that believes men have a right to sex, do not even understand what constitutes rape, according to some who called in to radio stations.

Jewkes said a study she conducted in 2009 showed 62 percent of surveyed boys over age 11 believed that forcing someone to have sex was not an act of violence. One-third said girls enjoy being raped. Jewkes' study had 37 percent of surveyed men saying they had raped a woman or child, and 75 percent admitting they first raped a teenager. All the men came from Gauteng, South Africa's most populated province.

The 17-year-old raped last Saturday in Bredasdorp, a Western Cape town known for its giant protea flowers, lived long enough to identify a former 22-year-old boyfriend as one of her attackers. Police took him into custody. On Thursday they arrested a 21-year-old suspect and on Friday a 23-year-old. All are to appear in court Monday. According to media reports, the teen was attacked by five men.

The maximum sentence for rape in South Africa is life in prison. But official statistics show less than 10 percent of reported sexual crimes result in a successful prosecution, making many reluctant to report rape.

---

On the Net:

Talk Radio 702, www.702.co.za

Teddy Bear Clinic, http://www.ttbc.org.za/whoweare.html

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-08-South%20Africa-Rape/id-f7c7e771d83246d19bd1f642ab9c1195

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Calif. great white sharks get protections for now

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? The most feared predator in the ocean received new protections today when a California commission decided the great white shark should be studied as a potential endangered species.

The Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to advance the candidacy of the shark, which means during a one-year study review it will receive the same protections it would if it were listed as endangered.

"The status review will give us better information on the white shark population off the West Coast and threats to its survival. That will give us the ability to make an informed decision about whether or not to list the white shark as endangered under California law," said newly elected commission president Michael Sutton.

Great white sharks are internationally protected and already can't be targeted for catch, but California's move would take protection one step further. During the review, the sharks will receive even more safeguards, and the immediate effect will be a ban on incidental takes by net fishermen, who opposed the review.

"The population is not dwindling. We're seeing more encounters all the time," said Andrew Rasmussen, who gillnet fishes for sea bass off the coast of Santa Barbara and argued against new protections. He said he catches about one juvenile shark in his nets every two to three years, and many are tagged alive and released.

Another impact will be at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where an open oceans exhibit often features a great white shark. Chris Harrold, director of conservation research, told the commission that the aquarium had decided against exhibiting a great white during the review.

"We hope any decision you make will allow for ongoing research," he said.

Scientists have not been able to get an accurate count of great white sharks worldwide, but the petition from the conservation organization Oceana and two other groups was aimed at a subspecies that lives along the California coast.

"We are thrilled," said Ashley Blacow, Pacific policy director for Oceana. "California continues to be a leader in ocean conservation."

A study two years ago by UC-Davis, Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station and others estimated the population at around 220, though little else is known about their breeding and migration habits. Other studies have put the number at 350, and state researchers hope to get a better estimate during the review process.

In the meantime, researchers and gillnet fishermen will have to apply to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for permits to tag or accidentally capture a shark, which will hold up fishing along the California coast, at least temporarily.

"As of candidacy, incidental take is illegal," said Adriana Shea, deputy executive director of the commission.

The staff of the Department of Fish and Wildlife had recommended the petition move forward. Another proponent was Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, who was the author of last year's successful bill to ban shark finning.

"The loss of an apex predator can have devastating ecosystem consequences," he told the commission.

Great white sharks became universally feared after one was featured in the movie "Jaws" terrorizing beachgoers in a New England town. They make the news when they attack swimmers, and a California surfer died from a white shark attack off the coast of Santa Barbara County in October. Another fatal attack occurred two years prior in the same area.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/calif-great-white-sharks-protections-now-010918915.html

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Tips For Moving Away To College : Mom Knows It All. ? PR Friendly ...

I?ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. My oldest is a junior in high school now. After graduating high school he will hopefully go to college. At the present time he?s thinking he?d like to go to college with his girlfriend, halfway across the country. While I have no idea if that will come to be, I?m glad he?s considering college. But, it?s gotten me thinking about him growing up and becoming an adult, which makes me a little sad. Time has passed so quickly, I don?t even know where it?s gone. It seems like just yesterday he was pushing his cars around the floor, today he?s learning to drive in my car. If you?ve got a teen going off to college, or if you?re an adult heading off to school yourself, here are some tips that Emma shared with me.

College: Moving on Up, and Away

Moving to a new area for college can be a stressful experience if you don?t take care of things beforehand. Besides the obvious fact that you have to pack up and move away from your comfort zone, you also need to get adjusted to your new surroundings. Here are seven helpful tips that can help make your moving experience more enjoyable:

#1: Begin Sorting: When you?re moving to a new area, you should leave the clutter behind. So before you start packing, sort through all your stuff to remove the unnecessary items, then give them away to family, friends, or local charities.

#2: Set Up Your Services: Before the moving day, make sure you call the water, electric and cable companies so that you have all the services when you arrive. It just makes the whole moving experience smoother.

#3: Make the Most Out of Your Schedule: One good thing about college is the fact that you?ve got flexible scheduling. So if you?ve got the option to move mid-week then do so. This way, you can do it all on your own pace, and also spend less on moving trucks since it?s not the weekend.

#4: Wait to Buy: If you?re someone who plans ahead, it can be tempting to buy every little (or big) thing before you make the big move. However, research has shown that it?s better to wait until after you?re settled in, to then go purchase what is necessary to maximize the space.

#5: Avoid Paying for Packing Materials: Before you swipe the plastic to buy costly packing materials to keep your possessions safe, take a note of what you already have around. Wrap your valuables up with t-shirts, pillows and dish towels to save room and money.

#6: Find Out About Self Storage: Let?s say you?re on your way to the University of Miami, but you aren?t sure about the new dorm room or apartment yet. What should you do you with all your stuff? If you don?t have any free options, check out self storage options in the area and better prepared.

#7: Inquire About Student Discounts: With your college tuition draining your bank account, why not take advantage of your ?student? status? Whether it?s about buying a new couch or for packing supplies, you may be eligible for a student discount ? there?s no harm in asking.

The tips that we discussed above may sound simple, but after you apply them you?ll see how much of a difference they make to your overall moving experience. Good luck!

Source: http://www.valmg.com/index.php/2013/tips-for-moving-away-to-college/

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