Myanmar removes names from blacklist. What does it mean for reform?

Myanmar?s government has trimmed 2,082 names from its notorious blacklist, but ambiguity over the list and fighting in remote ethnic minority borderlands make some worried about the direction of reform.

By Simon Roughneen,?Correspondent / August 28, 2012

After announcing what observers describe as a reform-oriented cabinet reshuffle on Monday, Myanmar's government lifted a ban on more than 2,000 blacklisted exiled dissidents today.

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However, fresh fighting was reported Monday between the Myanmar army and the Kachin Independence Army in war-torn Kachin state, a resource-rich and mainly Christian-populated region in the north of Buddhist-majority Myanmar (Burma), adding an estimated 6,000 people to the some 75,000 already displaced by fighting since June 2011.

The removal of the names from the blacklist and the changes in cabinet have been welcomed as signs of more reform in Myanmar, now almost 18 months into a reform process under a nominally civilian government. However, fighting in remote ethnic minority borderlands and a lack of clarity about the blacklist relaxation makes some unsure about the overall direction of reforms.

"It is encouraging to learn some names are removed, but there needs to be transparency, to know whose names are on the list, whose names are being removed,? says Cheery Zahau, a human rights activist from Chin state in Myanmar's west.

More than 4,083 people are still blacklisted, according to the state newspaper?The New Light of Myanmar, and there is not yet a published list of names of those who can return to Myanmar and those who are still barred.

Myanmar's president, Thein Sein, has beckoned Myanmar exiles and economic migrants to return home, citing not only political reforms such as the freeing of political prisoners, but the need to reverse a debilitating brain drain in the long isolated country, which is among the poorest in Asia.

Ms. Zahau, a Christian Chin who lives in exile in Thailand along with more than 140,000 Myanmar war refugees and some 3 million migrant workers, says she hopes to return to her homeland.

?We all want to contribute back to our communities if the government's reforms allow us to do so,? she says.

Myanmar has not held a census since 1983, but estimates put the country's demographics at around 60 percent ethnic Burman, with the remainder divided between dozens of ethnic groups.

In another seeming contrast between top-level government reforms on one hand and continuing opaque rule of law on the other, the same day that nine changes to Myanmar's cabinet were announced, Myanmar's courts gave three Burmese United Nations workers jail sentences for their alleged role in June violence in western Rakhine state between local Buddhists and Muslims, which left around 100,000 people homeless.

According to a statement on Mr. Thein Sein's website late Tuesday, the three have been given presidential pardons, though it was not yet clear if they had been freed.

On Monday, UN spokesperson in Myanmar Aye Win said the UN was not informed of the trial in advance and the accused were refused lawyers. ?Well, we haven?t had access to these staff members,? he said.

While fighting continues in the Kachin state close to the Myanmar-China border, a tentative peace holds in the Karen state region between Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, and the border with northwest Thailand.

After the government unilaterally called off a scheduled third round of peace negotiations with the Karen National Union (KNU), which has fought the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's army, since the late 1940s, the KNU today said that the talks would take place on Sept. 3,? focusing on the relocation of Myanmar soldiers from the Karen region.

Khu Khu Ju of the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) says that for Karen people ?the cease-fire has made some improvements to their daily lives,? but adds that abuses such as forced labor, though decreasing, still occur.

Acording to a May 31 KHRG report, ?villagers have been able once again to farm their land, because after the cease-fire negotiations began between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Myanmar government, the Tatmadaw soldiers have had to observe a limited area of operation.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/UeSLZ0XLPTE/Myanmar-removes-names-from-blacklist.-What-does-it-mean-for-reform

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Tips On How to Stage Your Home For Sale | The Bellingham Real ...

Research shows that staged homes sell quicker. You don?t need to hire a professional stager, though; just get a second opinion of your work from a friend or your real estate agent with a good eye for how things look. Here are 10 self-staging tips:

1. Freshen the Paint.?Put a fresh coat of paint on walls and trim. Use neutral colors and think about painting the exterior too if you think it needs it.?

2. Fill Empty Wall Space.?Bare walls make your home feel cold. Put up framed artwork, mirrors or photography. Be creative ? hang plates, driftwood or interesting found objects!

3. Treat the TV like Art. A flat-screen TV on the wall can be a piece of art. Connect it to a DVD player or computer and play a silent slide show of scenes from nature. Remove TVs from bedrooms.

4. Furnish All Rooms. Buyers have trouble seeing themselves living in a space that?s empty. Don?t use a lot of furniture and avoid bold patterns. Add pillows and throws for pops of color.

5. Install Window Treatments.?Blank windows feel sterile. Put up a simple curtain rod and solid color drapes for a cozy feeling and a nicely framed view outside.

6. Tidy Up the Bookshelves. Get rid of clutter on shelves and remove book jackets to create a decorative focal point.

7. Add Flowers. Fresh-cut flowers and plants add life. Avoid using pastic flowers and trees? they look dated.

8. Make Bedrooms Gender-neutral. Keep colors neutral, with simple white bedding for a fresh look.

9. De-clutter everywhere. Remove personal items from rooms ? family photos, collectibles, mail, magazines, and toys. Tidy up closets. In the kitchen, take small appliances off counter tops; organize food and dishes in cupboards.

10. Keep Up the Yard.?Make sure your yard looks neat and well taken care of. Cut the grass before the buyer visits.

Thanks you Sidney Stonecypher at People?s Bank for passing these great home staging tips along to us. If you would like to have our opinion on staging your home feel free to give us a call at 1-888-713-3056 or email us at Info@JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com we would be happy to help!

For more information on Bellingham Real Estate or to search for homes in the Bellingham and Whatcom County area visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com, your one stop Bellingham real estate and community information resource!

Source: http://www.johnsonteamrealestate.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/28/tips-for-staging-your-home-for-sale/

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Romney camp tries to lower expectations for convention "bump"

ABOARD MITT ROMNEY'S CAMPAIGN PLANE (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's campaign tried on Tuesday to play down talk that he will receive the kind of significant bump in the polls that candidates traditionally enjoy after their party convention.

"I just think all bets are off about any kind of past performance being a predictor of the future," senior adviser Stuart Stevens told reporters on Romney's campaign plane headed for Tampa, Florida.

He cited the threat to the convention from bad weather, the late date in the campaign season in which conventions are now held and the fact that the Republicans' and Democrats' gatherings are being held back-to-back.

Romney dropped into the Republican event in Tampa to watch his wife Ann make a speech on Tuesday night. He will return on Thursday to make his closely watched acceptance speech and kick off the final stretch of his campaign to defeat President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

The two men are running very close in opinion polls.

"I think it's extraordinary we're going to the convention tied or with the lead," Stevens said. "I think if the election were held tomorrow, we'd win and win pretty easily."

The Romney campaign is aiming to present a more human side of its candidate in convention speeches to contrast with the Obama team's negative portrayal of Romney as an out-of-touch rich man.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Monday showed that Romney has work to do.

Obama far outstripped Romney on who is more eloquent by 51 percent to 21 percent. Obama also gets higher likability numbers, by 54 percent to 26 percent. But in bad news for Obama, three-quarters of Americans said the economy is on the wrong track.

Stevens said the momentum favors Romney because Obama has focused his efforts on attacking the Republican and not defending his record of the last three-and-a-half years.

"They've talked about everything but that, and that's why all of this effort they've had hasn't worked," Stevens said. "And they spent all this money and they've talked about all this stuff, and it just doesn't matter."

The Democratic convention where Obama will be officially nominated to seek re-election is scheduled for next week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

(Editing by Alistair Bell and Jim Loney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-camp-tries-lower-expectations-convention-bump-163312134.html

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10 SEO and Internet Marketing Resources You ... - Geek Business

The ?net is a cutthroat, ever-evolving landscape. Of course, if you?re an Internet marketer, then you know this fact better than anyone. You gotta change with the times or pack it up and go home. As far as resources go, you?re likely down with the drill: the big guns include forums like Webmaster World and Digital Point. Mammoth SEO sites such as SEOmoz and Search Engine Land are the industry standard.

Popular IM resources include such greats as Pat Flynn?s Smart Passive Income, and for domains and hosting, most people?s go-to choices are GoDaddy and HostGator, respectively.

All of these sites are great, and they?re fantastic resources, but sometimes the sound bites, products, and services they peddle leave something to be desired.

Something fresh.

That?s why we?ve compiled our personal top ten of up-and-comers to the IM scene that you should keep an eye out for in the months to come.

Evolving SEO

Dan Shure loves what he does. He?s a search marketing expert who heads up a little SEO firm in Massachusetts. His love of the SEO game has made his blog posts viral hits on Twitter, and he?ll likely make a name for himself in the industry very soon.

Follow Evolving SEO ? @Dan_Shure

PortalFront Hosting

PortalFront Hosting is the go-to hosted SharePoint provider. The company makes your cloud presence a virtually seamless affair. If you are at the point in your marketing career where you have people working under you, then productivity in SharePoint will greatly improve when you host with PortalFront ? plus, they?ll handle all the technical stuff so you can focus on running your business. Bonus!

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Moneytized

At first glance, Moneytized seems to be your standard IM/SEO hybrid blog, but upon closer examination, you?ll discover some real gems about traffic generation. The blog belongs to Angelos ?Angel? Papaioannidis, a 28-year-old Internet marketer from Greece.

The difference between Moneytized and the 1,345,872 other ?make money online? blogs out there today is the keyword and marketing tips this guy is willing to spill. I?ve read quite a few of these blogs in my day, and this blog is one of the few that imparted tips I?ll actually use on my own blog to up my traffic factor. Thank god.

Follow Moneytized ? @Moneytized

Geek Business

This marketing blog?s mantra is ?Helping Geeks Make Money on the Internet,? but the tips and tricks for making money online aren?t even in the same ballpark as your regular old ?comment on blogs? posts.

No, Geek Business takes things in a very different direction. It?s a marketing site with local flair ? there are posts teaching readers how to make brochures for their online businesses and tips for marketing Internet ventures locally. And that?s just the beginning.

Follow Geek Business ? @GeekBusiness

Gumroad

Okay, if you?re a marketer and you don?t know about Gumroad yet, fasten your seat belt. Essentially, the idea here is that you can sell anything you can share. The platform works by generating a shortlink that users can click on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sharing sites. Post your great ?thing? and your friends or followers can click and buy it. Once their payment goes through, Gumroad emails a secure link to your product.

Simple but brilliant. Think about it: if you just wrote a report about SEO and a big, engaged Twitter crowd is following you, you can tweet that baby out with a Gumroad link and sell it right then and there. I?d look out for Gumroad? they?re gonna be big.

Follow Gumroad ? @Gumroad

Marketing Zen

Sometimes it?s worthwhile to suck it up and hire experts. Marketing Zen is a PR/marketing firm that you can hire to drive more qualified traffic to your website. This really helps when you know you need traffic, but you?re too busy building your site or brand to take care of the marketing.

Follow Marketing Zen ? @Shama

Quiet Light Brokerage

The Web is a new kind of business model, just like Quiet Light Brokerage. The online company was founded in 2007 with a mission to help entrepreneurs, online business owners, and individuals figure out what their websites are worth.

This company is the real deal. Quiet Light takes a variety of market factors into consideration when coming up with a figure for your site ? for free. Then, if you need help selling, the company hooks you up with a massive network of buyers and a safe payment and site transfer arrangement. Good to know this resource is out there ? the Internet can be Wild West-esque at times, so having a brokerage in your back pocket can help secure your sale.

Follow Quiet Light Brokerage ? @Mark.Daoust

Scent Trail Marketing

Marty Smith?s blog about all things Internet marketing is pure poetry. The guy is no IM newbie ? he got his marketing chops back in ?99 when he ran an ecommerce store. This blog is very philosophical at times, but the information about the landscape of the Web and the nature of search marketing is definitely worth the read. In order to execute Internet marketing effectively on a day-to-day basis, it?s vital to have your head on straight ? and this guy can help you with just that.

Follow ScentTrail Marketing ? @ScentTrail

Ron Goldstein Marketing

Ron Goldstein is a Principal of Marketing Research and Education a local California outfit. He?s also a social media guru and a marketing book author two times over. Pretty impressive, eh?

Follow Ron ? @CNAThrive

Agent SEO

Jacob Stoops runs Agent SEO and he?s kind of a, um, goofball. That said, the guy knows his stuff. He?s a self-proclaimed SEO expert and blogger in Columbus, Ohio. He also works for a marketing firm. He couples his SEO wisdom with his love of mafia movies and comics, and imparts it all upon his readers with a heaping spoonful of good humor.

Follow Agent SEO ? @JacobStoops

Source: http://www.geekbusiness.com/2012/08/10-seo-and-internet-marketing-resources-you-need-to-watch/

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Match Making For Boomers: Heartache Archeology

Can ancient history teach us anything worth learning? Of course it can. We all know from personal experience that getting some time between you and your past will give you a fresh perspective on the meanings and motives behind the events and the people you encountered in days gone by. Really ancient history teaches us that however much times may change, the business of being human remains essentially the same.

So let me reveal to you a little bit of my own personal ancient history. I'd like to tell you about the very first time I got my heart broken. The young lady I fell for was named Patsy. Patsy Beam, I think. Or maybe it was Beem. I can't say; I can't recall the right way to spell Patsy's last name because we fell in love when we were in First Grade at Lovett Elementary, a public school on Chicago's far west side. The year? 1947.

It was the same year that the UFO crashed in Roswell. And the same year they formed the CIA. But those are a couple of other stories. Or are they?

Whatever. Patsy was an adorable little blond who took a fancy to me at the same time I fell for her in her little blue cap and jacket. I can't recall how things got started. But I do remember the climax: we attended different classrooms but would meet at every recess. Finally we found our way into a cleft in the school's walls that faced into the playground. There we stood in the shadows at the back of that cleft, and we hugged each other. We even talked about kissing, but neither of us felt like we were ready for that, so we didn't. And never did.

Just as well. Before the end of the school year, Patsy gave me a copy of a black and white photo of her in her jacket and cap. I kept it in my back pocket and carried it everywhere. By the time my summer vacation had half passed me by with no chance to meet Patsy, I wandered back to the playground and pulled out her picture. As I stared at it and tried to remember how she had felt in my arms, the photo dropped out of my fingers. A small gust of wind blew it into a well dug around the outside of a basement window set into the school's wall. Unfortunately for me, the well was deeper than my arms, and was protected from vandals by series of parallel iron bars embedded into the concrete. I couldn't reach it to recover it. My only consolation was that her photo had landed face up.

In the course of the rest of that summer, I went back to stare down into the window well. Summer rains and sunshine gradually caused the photo's image to fade. And that fall, my parents announced that they were sending me to a different, Catholic school where the nuns were more rigorous instructors. So I never saw Patsy again.

As silly as it may sound to you, I can remember thinking again about Patsy for years, even up to the time I was about to enter high school. I would wonder about what ever became of her, how she looked growing up, how she had physically changed at the same rate that I had. My pain at losing the chance to even say a final goodbye to Patsy faded within a few weeks into longing, which faded over months into loneliness, which finally gave way over the years to other distractions and finally passed into forgetfulness as other romances and heartaches took the place that Patsy had first introduced me to.

Just like Patsy's photo had changed into a bleached, barely clear image, my feelings for her finally faded to just a faint set of memories. Now, six decades later, struggle as I might, I can't for the life of me recall anything about Patsy, her appearance, features, or comments she'd made to me other than what I've told you about here. So, my most important lesson for you that's drawn from my own ancient history is simple: time heals. It even transmutes feelings. Now, instead of longing, I look back on my experiences with Patsy with a fondness and happy sense of simpler times.

But I still have retained some curiosity about her. No longings for closure remain. I'm not about to turn into a Facebook-based stalker. I'm totally happy to have found my soulmate for life. But if you should happen to know Patsy, please: give her my best, if for no other reason than a warm sentimentality. I think that's how all of our ancient but unhappy love affairs really should finally end.

Yours truly: Old Man Mike Riley

A dozen years ago, I wrote a book on recovering from lost loves. Two years later, the publishing giant Random House issued a new version, titled How to Heal a Broken Heart in 30 Days. Ever since then, this edition has stayed near the top of the sales rankings for books of its kind. Over one hundred thousand readers have used its counsel, in any of seven different language translations. Its persistent popularity led one Random House editor to call it "a minor classic." Now I want to share my newest insights and ideas, as well as your own ideas, in articles posted at my blogsite at rx4heartache.com.

Providing quality reviews, articles and writings on love, dating, relationships and marriage online.

Source: http://matchmakingforbloomers.blogspot.com/2012/08/heartache-archeology.html

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Syrian rebels claim to shoot down helicopter

This citizen journalism image made from video provided by Shaam News Network SNN and taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian military helicopter on fire and falling to the ground after it was apparently hit during fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, Syria. The helicopter?s downing comes amid a widening government offensive to recapture districts in Damascus and its suburbs that have fallen into rebel hands. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE

This citizen journalism image made from video provided by Shaam News Network SNN and taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian military helicopter on fire and falling to the ground after it was apparently hit during fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, Syria. The helicopter?s downing comes amid a widening government offensive to recapture districts in Damascus and its suburbs that have fallen into rebel hands. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network SNN, taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian military helicopter that caught fire and crashed after it was apparently hit during fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reported the chopper crash, said there was intense fighting between troops backed by helicopter gunships and rebels in the western Damascus neighborhood of Jobar. State media said the chopper crashed in al-Qaboun district, which is close to Jobar.(AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network SNN, taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, purports to show the site of a crashed Syrian military helicopter that was apparently hit during fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, Syria. The helicopter?s downing comes amid a widening government offensive to recapture districts in Damascus and its suburbs that have fallen into rebel hands. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, purports to show people killed by shabiha, pro-government militiamen, being buried in a mass grave in Daraya, Syria. According to activists' accounts, government forces retook the Damascus suburb of Daraya from rebel control three days ago and have since gone on a killing spree. Reports of the death toll range widely from more than 300 to as many as 600. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE

A Syrian girl, who fled her home with her family due to fighting between the Syrian army and the rebels, looks back while checking her laundry, as she and others take refuge at the Bab Al-Salameh border crossing, in hopes of entering one of the refugee camps in Turkey, near the Syrian town of Azaz, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Thousands of Syrians who have been displaced by the country's civil are struggling to find safe shelter while shelling and airstrikes by government forces continue. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

(AP) ? A Syrian military helicopter crashed in a ball of fire Monday after apparently being hit during clashes between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, activists said, in a sign of the fighters' growing abilities as they struggle to topple President Bashar Assad's regime.

A video posted on the Internet showed the chopper engulfed in flames and spinning out of control shortly before it hit the ground amid bursts of gunfire near a mosque. Rebels shout "Allahu Akbar!" or God is great, as the helicopter went down. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

In Paris, French President Francois Hollande ratcheted up the diplomatic pressure on the already isolated Assad regime, calling on the Syrian opposition to form a provisional government and saying France would recognize it once it was formed.

The announcement from Hollande ? believed to be the first of its kind ?also appeared to be an attempt to jolt Syria's deeply fragmented opposition into unity. But Syria's fractured opposition has been rife with infighting since the anti-Assad revolt broke out in March 2011, and it is far from clear whether it could cobble together a provisional administration anytime soon.

"France asks the Syrian opposition to form a provisional government ? inclusive and representative ? that can become the legitimate representative of the new Syria," Hollande said in a speech to France's ambassadors. "France will recognize the provisional government of Syria once it is formed."

Syria's lightly armed rebels have grown bolder and their tactics more sophisticated in recent months. There have been claims of fighters shooting down helicopter gunships in the past, though the government has never confirmed it.

With its forces stretched thin by fighting on multiple fronts, Assad's regime has increasingly turned to air power, unleashing both helicopters and fighter jets on the rebels.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which along with other activists reported the chopper crash, said there was intense fighting between troops backed by helicopter gunships and rebels in the western Damascus neighborhood of Jobar.

Syria's state-run news agency confirmed the crash in the district of al-Qaboun, which is near Jobar and a hotbed of Sunni Muslim rebels fighting to topple Assad. SANA gave no details about the cause of the crash in its one-line report, perhaps an implicit acknowledgement that it had been brought down by the rebels.

The opposition fighters are not known to have any answer to the regime's warplanes except anti-aircraft guns that they mostly use as an anti-personnel weapon. Last month, rebels claimed to have shot down a Russian-made MiG fighter, but the government blamed the crash on a technical malfunction.

The helicopter in the grainy video appeared to be a Russian-built Mi-8, or its similar but more powerful variant, the Mi-17. The easy-to-maintain, twin-turbine choppers are the most widely produced and exported helicopters in the world. The Mi-8, which can carry 24 troops, has been in Syrian air force service since the 1970s.

The military has for more than a month been fighting major battles against rebels in Damascus and its suburbs while engaged in what appears to be a stalemated fight in the north against rebels for control of Aleppo, the nation's largest city and commercial capital. The government has recently intensified its offensive to recapture districts in Damascus and its suburbs that have fallen into rebel hands.

Over the weekend, evidence mounted of mass killings by government forces in the Damascus suburb of Daraya.

Activists reported that regime forces went on a days-long killing spree after they seized Daraya from rebels Thursday. Reports of the death toll ranged from more than 300 to as many as 600. It was impossible to independently verify the numbers because of severe restrictions on media coverage of the conflict.

In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate, independent investigation into the killings. U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky also said the killings underscore the urgent need to move "from bloodshed to political dialogue" and the need to hold those responsible for "atrocities" accountable.

Video posted on the Internet by activists showed rows of bodies, many of them men with gunshot wounds to the head. During mass burials on Sunday, bodies were sprayed with water from hoses ? a substitute for the ritual washing prescribed by Islam in the face of so many dead. The gruesome images appeared to expose the lengths to which Assad's authoritarian regime was willing to go to put down the rebellion that broke out in March last year.

In the north, thousands of Syrians fleeing violence were stuck at the border with Turkey after Turkish authorities blocked access to any more refugees while they rushed to build more camps to accommodate the deluge.

The refugee crisis is just one of many examples of how the civil war is spilling across borders into neighboring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan ? all of which have seen a massive influx of Syrians.

A Turkish official said the refugees still stuck on the Syrian side will be allowed in "within a day or two" when a new camp near the border is ready. Another official said Turkey was also carrying out more stringent security checks on the refugees, adding to the delays in crossing.

Turkey fears that Kurdish rebels fighting for self-rule in southeast Turkey may be coming in through Syria. There are also concerns that foreign jihadists are moving in and out of Turkey to fight the Syrian regime. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of government rules that bar civil servants from speaking to the media without prior authorization.

The official Syrian News Agency, SANA, also reported that authorities released 378 people detained for participation in peaceful street protests. It said those freed were never involved in acts of violence, an indirect admission that scores of people were detained for simply taking part in peaceful anti-government protests.

Authorities have issued similar pardons in the past, a practice apparently designed to isolate the rebels and create the image of a compassionate regime.

Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa said Syria approved of an initiative Iran plans to present at a world gathering of nonaligned nations in Tehran later this week. Iran says it plans talks on a peace plan to end Syria's civil war, but hasn't provided any details.

Any Iranian initiative proposing dialogue between the government and the opposition would likely be a nonstarter because rebels refuse to talk to Assad and because of Tehran's close bonds with his regime.

Al-Sharaa, in a statement issued by his office, said the way to settle the conflict without preconditions is by "achieving a ceasefire by all parties and launching a national dialogue."

___

AP writers Jamey Keaten in Paris, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Slobadan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-27-Syria%206th%20Ld-Writethru/id-39a964047e264d09928ead82f37588b7

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Hamas scales back hopes of open Egypt border

In this Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010 file photo, a Palestinian smuggler moves refrigerators through a tunnel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip under the border in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer -- fellow members of the region's Muslim Brotherhood -- would swiftly turn the shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route, ending Gaza's five-year isolation from the world and making the tunnels obsolete. (AP Photo/Eyad Baba, File)

In this Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010 file photo, a Palestinian smuggler moves refrigerators through a tunnel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip under the border in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer -- fellow members of the region's Muslim Brotherhood -- would swiftly turn the shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route, ending Gaza's five-year isolation from the world and making the tunnels obsolete. (AP Photo/Eyad Baba, File)

In this Saturday, May 28, 2011 file photo, Palestinians smuggle goods used for construction through a tunnel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer -- fellow members of the region's Muslim Brotherhood -- would swiftly turn their shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route, ending Gaza's five-year isolation from the world and making the tunnels obsolete. (AP Photo /Eyad Baba, File)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012 photo, Palestinian Hamas border guards patrol the Egyptian Gaza border while an Egyptian bulldozer works on the demolition of a smuggling tunnel, as seen from Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer -- fellow members of the region's Muslim Brotherhood -- would swiftly turn the shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route, ending Gaza's five-year isolation from the world and making the tunnels obsolete. (AP Photo/Eyad Baba)

A Palestinian woman walks past a poster of Gaza's Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, left, and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in Gaza City, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer would swiftly turn their shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route. However, a senior Hamas official acknowledged that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi hasn't promised much and that it's time to scale back expectations of dramatic change. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

(AP) ? Business is down because of an Egyptian security clampdown, but smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border keep operating under the supervision of Gaza's Hamas rulers.

The militant Hamas had hoped the Islamists who took charge in Egypt this summer ? fellow members of the region's Muslim Brotherhood ? would swiftly turn the shared border crossing into a free-flowing trade route, ending Gaza's five-year isolation from the world and making the tunnels obsolete.

However, a senior Hamas official acknowledged that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi hasn't promised dramatic change, even as he tries to distance himself from the policy of his ousted predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, of keeping Gaza sealed.

"I think it's a mistake that some people expected a lot from the new political regime (in Egypt)," Ghazi Hamad, deputy foreign minister of Gaza and a key Hamas point man with Egypt, said in an interview this week. "Egypt is a big country and Gaza is not the only problem for Egypt."

Gaza became a bigger problem for Egypt after an Aug. 5 attack in which gunmen in the Sinai Peninsula, next to Gaza, killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. That raised new worries about the smuggling of weapons and militants through border tunnels, and Egypt is investigating whether the assailants had ties to Gaza.

Hamas denies anyone from Gaza was involved and said it is cooperating with the Egyptian investigation, but senior Hamas figures also complained about a subsequent Egyptian border clampdown.

Despite the Egyptian security sweep, Morsi has assured Hamas leaders Egypt wants a new border regime. Some in Hamas and even some Egyptian officials raised the idea of a free trade zone between Egypt and Gaza.

However, open cross-border trade could trigger unintended consequences. Stronger Gaza-Egypt ties would deepen Gaza's economic and political separation from the West Bank, located on the opposite side of Israel, and undercut already remote chances of melding the two areas into a Palestinian state.

Trade ties could also hurt Egypt's own attempts to broker a unity deal between Hamas and its main rival, West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. An open border to Egypt would boost Gaza's hobbled economy, strengthen Hamas and might make reconciliation even less desirable for the Islamic militants who balked in the past at giving Abbas a renewed say in Gaza for the sake of unity. Hamas seized the territory from Abbas by force in 2007.

Hamad, the Gaza official, said that because of such constraints, he expects Egypt to offer only limited improvements on the border for now, such as allowing more people to cross and sending more electricity and fuel. A Hamas delegation left for Cairo on Saturday to discuss such arrangements.

"They want to move step by step," he said of his Egyptian counterparts. "They move very carefully."

Last month, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood said Morsi will not lend a hand to suffocating Gaza, but was evasive when asked whether Egypt would allow regular trade.

In one hopeful sign for Gaza, the Rafah passenger terminal, Gaza's gate to Egypt and the world, will resume operating six days a week, starting Sunday, a Gaza border official and the Egyptian news agency MENA said. After the Sinai attack, Egypt had closed the terminal for several days, then allowed only limited movement.

In a next step, Hamas wants Egypt to keep Rafah open for 12 hours per day, up from eight now, to reduce what Gaza officials say is a backlog of 40,000 people wanting to cross. Hamas also wants Egypt to strike names from a blacklist of thousands of Gazans barred from entering Egypt. Hamad said Egypt promised to study the requests.

Amid the uncertainty, tunnels remain Gaza's safety net.

The underground passages ? usually several hundred meters (yards) long, with white tents marking their entry points ? served as Gaza's lifeline during the harshest days of the Israeli-Egyptian blockade after the Hamas takeover.

After Israel resumed shipping consumer goods to Gaza two years ago, tunnel operators shifted to building materials and other goods restricted by Israel.

Since the Sinai attack, Egypt has closed dozens of tunnel openings. But previous security crackdowns failed because smugglers recoup, and an Egyptian security official said he expected a similar outcome this time.

One Gaza smuggler said Egyptian troops sealed his tunnel immediately after the attack, and he was told by his partners in Egypt that far fewer smuggled goods are now reaching the border because of a heavy troop presence in Sinai.

At some point, the Egyptians will ease up and he'll try to reopen his tunnel, said the 41-year-old who, like others interviewed about tunnel operations spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions.

Hamas has turned the border zone into a bonded area with checkpoints, where it levies taxes on goods coming through. On a recent afternoon this week, trucks loaded with cement and gravel from Egypt stopped at a Hamas-run gate, paid their fees and headed into the border town of Rafah.

Underground travel between Gaza and Sinai, a lawless haven for militants and smugglers, is also continuing.

A 32-year-old Gaza man, who returned from medical treatment in Egypt several days before the Sinai attack, said sneaking under the border is "as easy as crossing the street." Travelers are vetted by Hamas security, walk for about five minutes through a short tunnel and pay $25 in fees, he said.

Since the Egyptian clampdown, only one of several passenger tunnels is operating, said a Gaza fish importer and frequent traveler. Returning to Gaza earlier this week, he was interrogated by Hamas security and had to pay $300 in bribes to Egyptian officers, triple the usual amount, he said.

Underground trade, with an estimated volume of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, has dropped by more than 50 percent since the Egyptian clampdown, said a Hamas security official.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that Gaza needs the tunnels until Egypt can offer trade above ground, but that Hamas promises to monitor closely who and what gets into Egypt. "When the (Rafah) terminal is opened for goods and passengers, these tunnels are going to be completely sealed," he said.

That may be a long way off.

Hamad said Egypt is concerned that full trade ties will deepen the Palestinian split and provide an opening for Israel to "unload" Gaza. Israel occupied Gaza for 38 years, until a withdrawal in 2005, and many in the international community still hold Israel partially responsible for Gaza because it controls access.

"We talk to them many times. We assure them that Gaza is part of the Palestinian homeland. Gaza is not part of Egypt," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City contributed reporting.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-08-26-Hamas-Egypt%20Expectations/id-150477ed7d85462a8be750556561630d

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Government charts course for agricultural growth on Island

nrmslogo_bc_icon.gif

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
2012AGRI0033-001223

Aug. 25, 2012

Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation
Island Coastal Economic Trust

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Government charts course for agricultural growth on Island

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COMOX With the release of the new Vancouver Island Coast Regional Agriculture Framework for Action, producers now have a valuable tool to help them take advantage of the many opportunities presented by the growing trend of buying local food.

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The government of B.C. and Island Coastal Economic Trust supported the development of the Agricultural Framework to assist the many regions that have identified agriculture as a priority to diversify their economies. The goal is to highlight common themes in local agricultural plans, inspire discussion around co-operative strategies, and provide recommendations to strengthen regional agricultural business development and co-operation across the region.

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The report covers Vancouver Island north of the Malahat and includes Powell River, the Sunshine Coast and the Upper Gulf Islands. It identifies significant growth opportunities for the industry, especially mid-sized farms with current revenues between $10,000 and $100,000.

It also highlights the potential to increase production by using more of the agricultural land base for food production, improving the land through irrigation and growing higher value crops.

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To assist local government and key stakeholders, the framework identifies specific, targeted actions to move regional agriculture planning forward. It supports the area agriculture plans of many local governments including Comox Valley, North Cowichan and the Cowichan Region, Powell River, Denman Island, Campbell River, Nanaimo and the Alberni Valley.

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Many of the reports recommendations are being addressed by work currently underway through the governments Agrifoods Strategy, including the commitment to build support for local foods, consumer education and sustainable farming.

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Partners in the project include the Island Coastal Economic Trust, Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.

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Quotes:

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Minister of Agriculture Don McRae

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There is tremendous potential for agricultural growth in the Vancouver Island Coast region. This report will help producers take advantage of those opportunities, which will build the regional economies, help families maintain their rural lifestyles and provide consumers with local products.

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Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell

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Agrifoods has been identified as a key growth sector in the BC Jobs Plan, and its clear from the report that the Island Coastal region can play a significant role in the future of economic development and job creation in B.C.

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Phil Kent, chair, Island Coastal Economic Trust

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ICET is pleased to be working with the Province to develop this report, which views the agriculture sector through an economic development lens. The framework will provide the region, key stakeholders and the trust with valuable tools to foster more resilient, sustainable and financially successful agriculture businesses, which in turn will play a greater role in diversifying our regional economy.

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Ian Christison, Morningside Farms

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The local governments, regional economic development and agriculture community have been working for more than a decade to ensure the sustainability of agriculture in this region. The aims and objectives of the framework mirror those actions identified in the various area plans.

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Quick Facts:

???????? The Vancouver Island Coast Regional Agriculture Framework for Action covers the Island Coastal Economic Trusts mandate area. It begins north of the Malahat and includes the Regional Districts of Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Alberni Clayoquot, Comox, Strathcona, Mount Waddington, Powell River, the Sunshine Coast and the Upper Gulf Islands.

???????? Farms in the Vancouver Island Coast region generate over $118 million in economic activity per year (2011).

???????? Island farmers produce a wide diversity of products including beef, poultry, berries, tree fruit, corn, hops, grapes and medicinal herbs.

???????? Many Island-grown foods are used on the island to create artisanal, value-added foods such as cheese, wine, cider and spirits, jams, sauces and honey.

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The recommendations in the report focus on:

???????? Strengthening farm organizations.

???????? Recruiting and supporting new farmers.

???????? Reducing operating costs.

???????? Improving access to and use of capital.

???????? Improving productivity of farmland.

???????? Maintaining and encouraging growth of forage-based livestock products.

???????? Expanding consumer education and outreach.

???????? Improving marketing of regional agricultural products.

???????? Improving access to the mass distribution system.

???????? Protecting the environment.

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Learn More:

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To view a copy of the Vancouver Island Coast Regional Agriculture Framework for Action: http://www.gov.bc.ca/jti/ (Click on Reports and Publications.)

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Media Contact:

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Robert Boelens

Communications

Ministry of Agriculture

250 882-2485

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Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect

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Source: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012AGRI0033-001223.htm

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