четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.

Elected mayor for Bath?

Not every one of Tony Blair's enthusiasms was a bad idea, butelected mayors in every city would probably not be good. London isan exception, because its elected mayor is effectively the presidentof a fair-sized country, both in terms of population and wealth.

Stan Frith (Letters, June 26) wrote about an incestuous selectionprocess by Bath's Lib Dems with Tim Ball following in the footstepsof his wife and Lib Dem Cllr Sharon Ball as the new Mayor of …

Lula allows GM plants to be grown in Brazil

When Luiz Inacio (Lula) da Silva was elected president of Brazil in 2002, hopes were high that the longtime radical leftist would prove to be a strong ally of both the poor and the environment. Since then, however, his government has backed away from progressive reforms and embraced many aspects of market-driven neoliberalism.

Lula's latest backtracking was on the …

Protected habitat proposed for sea otter in Alaska

A federal agency proposed nearly 6,000 square miles (15,540 square kilometers) of southwest Alaska shoreline be protected habitat for a threatened population of northern sea otters.

About 90 percent of northern sea otters live in coastal Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands population was declared threatened three years ago under the Endangered Species Act.

About 40,000 northern sea otters exist today, less than half 1970s estimates. The reasons for the decline are not known, but increasing predation by killer whales is suspected.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal issued Tuesday would designate nearshore waters in southwest Alaska as …

среда, 14 марта 2012 г.

$3 billion offer in oil feud // Pennzoil, Texaco group agree on plan

HOUSTON Pennzoil and a committee representing stockholders inTexaco have agreed to settle the legal feud between the oil companiesfor $3 billion in cash, a Pennzoil spokesman said.

The proposal, which still must be approved by Texaco creditors,a federal judge and Texaco shareholders, will be filed next week withthe federal bankruptcy court in White Plains, N.Y.

Texaco and two financial subsidiaries filed for protection underChapter 11 of the bankruptcy code in April to avoid having to post asecurity bond equal to the $10.3 billion damage judgment against itby Pennzoil for improperly interfering in a merger between Pennzoiland Getty Oil Co.

Texaco's …

Lottery

Here are the winning numbers drawn Saturday:

WEST VIRGINIA Daily 3: 445 Daily 4: 9691

OHIO Day Pick 3: 826 Pick 4: 1141 Evening Pick 3: 442 Pick 4: 6745Lot O Play: 17-62-63-88-94 Rolling Cash 5: 3-10-30-35-39

KENTUCKY Midday Pick 3: 634 Pick 4: 3903 Evening …

Yahoo Executives Defend Role in Arrest

Two top Yahoo Inc. officials on Tuesday defended their company's role in the jailing of a Chinese journalist but ran into withering congressional criticism over information Yahoo gave the Chinese government about the man's online activities.

"Yahoo claims that this is just one big misunderstanding. Let me be clear _ this was no misunderstanding," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos, D-Calif., said as his panel's hearing got under way. "This was inexcusably negligent behavior at best, and deliberately deceptive behavior at worst."

He angrily urged Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang and General Counsel Michael Callahan to …

Truck and Bus Dispatcher

Truck and Bus Dispatcher

Education and Training High school and on-the job training

Salary Median—$30,920 per year

Employment Outlook Good

Definition and Nature of the Work

Truck and bus dispatchers coordinate the movements of trucks and buses entering and leaving terminals. Truck dispatchers assign drivers to trucks and make sure they have the correct freight-charge bills for their loads. Bus dispatchers assign drivers to buses and ensure that the buses move out of the terminals on schedule.

Both truck and bus dispatchers stay in touch with drivers on the road, communicating by phone, computer, or two-way radio. …

Rieter Reports Weaker Demand

The Rieter Group has revised its expectations downward for the current financial year in light of the fact that the markets for textile machinery in particular are developing less favorably than previously expected. There are also signs of a more severe downturn in vehicle production in Rieter' s main markets. Based on current exchange rates, Rieter now foresees a significant decline in sales and a decrease in operating margins.

In contrast to record figures for orders received, sales and operating earnings in 2007, demand has been weakening since the fourth …

Tracinda plans tender offer for 20 million Ford Motor shares at $8.50 apiece

Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's company says it plans to make a cash offer of $8.50 per share for up to 20 million shares of Ford Motor Co.

The offer price represents a 13.3 percent premium over Ford's closing price on Friday.

Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. now owns 100 million Ford shares, or 4.7 percent of the outstanding stock. When the offer is completed, …

Did suburban sprawl make our bodies sprawl? With neighborhoods built for cars, walking gets short shrift

Why don't Americans walk anywhere?

Old answer: They're lazy.

New answer: They can't.

There is no sidewalk outside the front door, school is 5 milesaway, and there's a six-lane highway between home and thesupermarket.

A number of public health experts believe the way neighborhoodsare built is to blame for Americans' physical inactivity--and theresulting obesity epidemic.

The public health concern is a new slant on the issue of suburbansprawl. These health experts bring a deep-pocketed force of privatefoundations and public agencies into discussions about whatneighborhoods should look like.

And the argument over whether suburbs are bad for …

MWC executive reaffirms Zimbabwe assembly

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

The next worldwide assembly of Mennonites and Brethren in Christ will be held in Zimbabwe in August 2003. The Mennonite World Conference Executive Committee reaffirmed that decision during its annual meeting here August 2-6.

"After enjoying the hospitality and fellowship of the Brethren in Christ, after experiencing the situation on the ground, after listening to the voices of God's people in Africa, the MWC Executive Committee is convinced that God is indeed calling the worldwide Mennonite and Brethren in Christ family to convene in Bulawayo next year," said the executive.

Some people, particularly in North America and Europe, have questioned …

Douglas ex loses bid to revive NY suit against him

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Douglas' ex-wife has lost a bid to revive her quest for half his "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" earnings in a New York court, ending the latest episode in a bitter sequel to their multimillion-dollar divorce.

A Manhattan judge reiterated in a ruling Thursday that the cash clash belongs in California, where the couple divorced in 2000 after 23 years together. Cooper threw out Diandra Douglas's suit for the same reasons in November, but she asked him to reconsider.

"This court adheres to its original decision holding that the California court has exclusive jurisdiction over this dispute" since a provision in their divorce deal says so, state Supreme …

Dusty Baker Meets With Cubs GM Jim Hendry

HOUSTON - Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker met with general manager Jim Hendry on Wednesday and felt "comfortable" about his job status amid reports Hendry was considering staff changes during the All-Star break.

The Cubs lost 10 of their last 12 games and were 30-53 heading into the finale of a three-game series in Houston.

Baker was confident he would be given the chance to rescue the season.

"We need to win, that's no secret," Baker said. "Yeah, I feel comfortable. A lot of other people don't feel comfortable, but I feel comfortable."

Hendry told the Chicago Tribune he would use the upcoming All-Star break to decide if he needed to overhaul the staff.

"I'm evaluating everything," he told the newspaper. "You're getting ready to go into a month where you have to evaluate what you have and who you, for sure, think is going to get better and you want to keep, and in some cases, maybe move some guys. You want to give everyone a fair chance to succeed."

Early injuries to Derrek Lee, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have contributed to the Cubs' struggles. But the Cubs have scored the fewest runs of any NL team and have the second-highest ERA.

"We're all frustrated. It's all our faults," Baker said. "We're not exactly tearing it up in any department. We've just got to do a better job, that's all."

вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.

Zimbabwe opposition to get majority in Cabinet

Zimbabwe's opposition will get more Cabinet posts than President Robert Mugabe's party in the long-sought unity government, state radio reported Sunday.

It said the Cabinet under a power-sharing deal brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki will have 31 members; 16 from the opposition and 15 from Mugabe's party.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the opposition have begun discussing the appointments before the ceremonial signing on Monday of a deal reached after weeks of negotiations that followed widely discredited elections, the radio said.

Under a media blackout on the talks, no details were immediately available on Cabinet appointments, but the opposition has demanded control of the police while agreeing to Mugabe retaining control of the military.

Both the police and military have been blamed for state-orchestrated violence and torture of Mugabe's opponents.

ZANU-PF, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai and the smaller opposition grouping of Arthur Mutambara met in Harare on Saturday to work on Cabinet appointments before a meeting of Mugabe's politburo, his party's top policy body, the radio said.

The 30-member politburo "endorsed" the power-sharing agreement that was announced Thursday, the radio said.

Attorney David Coltart, an opposition lawmaker, said in a message to his supporters the first task lying ahead was for the Harare parliament to pass a constitutional amendment forming a new power-sharing government enabling the administration to urgently start work.

The new government will keep Mugabe as president with greatly reduced powers along with two largely ceremonial vice presidents drawn from ZANU-PF. Tsvangirai becomes prime minister with two opposition deputies, Coltart said.

"Although he (Tsvangirai) does not have absolute power he does have substantial power," he said. "This is undoubtedly historic but we still have a long and treacherous road to travel."

Virtually all of the Cabinet ministers to be appointed by the opposition "have at some stage in the last nine years been brutalized on the instructions of those they will now have to work with," said Coltart.

Mugabe is still to chair the Cabinet, with Tsvangirai to sit as vice chair. But the opposition leader heads a Council of Ministers that will supervise the work of the Cabinet, Coltart said.

"Zimbabwe remains highly polarized and it will take statesmanship on all sides to make this work," he said.

The compromise over the dual roles of Mugabe and Tsvangirai broke a deadlock that threatened to collapse the power sharing talks that began in June. It reflects the votes cast for their different parties in March 29 elections. In parliamentary voting, ZANU-PF garnered slightly more votes but not the most parliament seats.

In presidential polling, Tsvangirai did not win enough votes to avoid a runoff against Mugabe. An onslaught of state-sponsored violence against Tsvangirai's supporters led him to drop out of the presidential runoff and Mugabe was declared the overwhelming winner of the second vote widely denounced as a sham.

Long-simmering and bitter differences between the two sides and the nation's worsening economic collapse are expected to put the power-sharing deal under massive pressure.

Hours before the accord was announced, Mugabe told a meeting of fiercely loyal tribal chiefs he would never allow the opposition "to govern this country."

Mugabe, 84 and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, and Tsvangirai, 56, are seen to have been forced into the deal by economic pressures.

Zimbabwe has by far the world's highest official inflation of 11 million percent, though independent financial institutions put real inflation closer to 40 million percent and rising daily.

Chronic shortages of local currency led the central bank last week to announce it would be legal to trade in foreign currency and use it to buy scarce food and basic household goods _ "U.S. dollarizing" the economy _ a move it had repeatedly ruled out.

Western nations poised to send in urgently needed aid and investment have expressed wariness over whether to back Mugabe's continued place in decision making. They accuse him of holding onto power through violence and fraud and ruining the economy following the often violent seizures he ordered of thousands of white-owned commercial farms, the backbone of the agriculture-based economy, in 2000.

Forsman's Failure At 12 a Watershed

AUGUSTA, Ga. Dan Forsman had closed to within a shot of the leadin his first final round at the Masters.

Coming off a spectacular sand save at the 11th hole, Forsman waspumped up by a rousing ovation as he reached the tee on the par-312th Sunday.

And then it happened.

"I knew my first shot was in the water as soon as I hit it,"said the 6-4 Forsman, in his 10th season on the PGA Tour.

"The ovation was spine-tingling, more than I can explain. Ittouched me so strongly.

"You've got to deal with those emotions, and I didn't. I musthave asked my caddie for the yardage 15 times."

Playing partner Lanny Wadkins fired his tee shot at the pin andhad no problems. That gave Forsman encouragement for his 7-iron teeshot, but didn't help his result.

Not only did his tee shot go in Rae's Creek, but so did hisnext shot.

He took a drop 100 yards from the green on the 155-yard holeand took a full swing with a sand wedge. This time the ball hit thebank before rolling into the drink.

"I was trying to minimize my error with the second one," hesaid, "but I took a bad drop.

"The ball landed in the drop mark. I tried to spin the ball, beaggressive. That was my biggest error."

Forsman emerged from the hole with a quadruple-bogey seven, histitle chances over.

Just a week ago Forsman rented a video that profiled AugustaNational's No. 12. He watched tapes of Larry Nelson, Sandy Lyle,Seve Ballesteros and Tom Kite getting wet in the Masters.

"This time I was living it myself, and it was painful," Forsmansaid. "It's kind of embarrassing. You're playing well. You're inthe hunt. You're a professional. That's the hardest part. I hope Inever have to do that again."

Forsman regrouped, making birdies on the next two holes. Hefinished with a 73 and tied for seventh, which assures him aninvitation to next year's Masters.

"What I've got to remember is that I achieved all my goalswhen I came here," Forsman said. "I wanted to make the cut, makethe top 24 and be in contention on the back nine.

"I learned a lot about myself. I'm disappointed, but whowould have expected Dan Forsman to win the Masters coming into thisweek?"

Not even Forsman, who eventually was able to joke about hismisfortune.

"I wish I had a mulligan," he said. "Next year I'll lay upshort of the water."

Another Black Eye

For the third winter in a row, CBS News has given the collision repair industry a black eye through incomplete reporting on its evening newscasts.The most recent piece aired on Feb. 11 during the "Eye on America" segment of the news and was revisited the following morning during the network's "Early Show."The coverage focused on the ongoing litigation brought by the California Attorney General against Caliber Collision Centers, which is based on an investigation by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). You can read about the details of the broadcast, and the reaction from industry members, in our front-page news story, "CBS News story on insurer-owned shops criticized as 'sensational'. "

One can't help but suspect this is the latest entry in the public relations offensive by the BAR. Unfortunately, the impact of the highly sensationalized broadcast will be felt far beyond the borders of California.

This is not the first attempt by CBS to examine the collision repair business. In early February 2002, the network detailed the BARs fraud investigation work and included a video clip of Warren Samm, a chief investigator for the BAR stating that in "90 percent of the cases I do, I uncover some amount of fraud."

Later that year, in December, CBS again produced a segment that featured the BARs investigative efforts on fraud. In that piece, CBS detailed improper repairs discovered by the BAR and implied that shops not only act fraudulently far too frequently, but that insurance companies are complicit in this fraud against consumers through their direct repair programs. An Allstate PRO shop had repaired the vehicle CBS chose to highlight in the piece after a referral from the insurer.

Unlike the two previous CBS News segments that focused on the issue of fraud and the BAR's ongoing investigation against collision repairers in the state, this segment quickly blew past the issue of fraud and focused upon the issue of insurance company ownership of collision repair facilities. Because Caliber has received investments from insurers, the segue from fraud to insurance company ownership was a natural for the show's producer.

For viewers who are part of the collision repair industry, the televised report was nothing more than old, but troubling news. Actually, the promos that ran before the segment were far more concerning for many repairers. Those in the general public who viewed the CBS report will certainly have more reasons not to trust a body shop or an insurance company when it comes time to repair accident damage.

The lone bright spot in the coverage was the interview with Ron Pyle, president of the Automotive Service Association (ASA), on the "Early Show," which detailed collision repair issues for consumers, including what they need to know when choosing a repair facility. In the segment the previous evening, PyIe had explained ASA's motivation behind its support of legislation limiting insurance company ownership of repair facilities. Proponents of this legislation have a valuable video clip to show legislators whom, they hope, will support restrictions on insurance company ownership of shops.

Interestingly, the most glaring omission was any mention of the results of the BAR's study that was concluded last fall, owhich was mentioned in the previous CBS News segments. Perhaps the criticism of the BAR's methodology has had an impact-at least on CBS.

Currently, the repair industry in California is anxiously awaiting the findings of the legislatures Sunset Review of the BAR. Many hope that the industry's concerns regarding the efficacy and operation of the BAR will be heeded to improve both the regulatory environment for businesses and real consumer protection. California repairers need to make their concerns known to legislators, and they need the support of the broader industry.

[Sidebar]

Those in the general public who viewed the CBS report will certainly have more reasons not to trust a body shop or an insurance company when it comes time to repair accident damage.

[Author Affiliation]

Russell Thrall III

Editor in Chief

Russell Thrall III

Editor in Chief

russ@thrall3.com

Rollins, Hamels lead Phillies into World Series

The losingest team in pro sports history was soaked in champagne and whooping it up Wednesday night. Next stop for these Philadelphia Phillies: the World Series.

Jimmy Rollins got them rollin' with a leadoff home run, Cole Hamels pitched his third gem of the playoffs and Philadelphia beat the bumbling Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 to win the NL championship series 4-1 for its first pennant since 1993.

"After hearing about the '93 team over and over and over again, we finally have a chance to make our mark," Rollins said. "This was an organization that I felt when I got here I wanted to try to change. And I had my opportunity to. You know, we had been used to losing."

Now, the Phillies will go for their second World Series title beginning next Wednesday night at Tampa Bay or Boston. The Rays lead the Red Sox 3-1 in the ALCS, which resumes Thursday night at Fenway Park.

Last year, the Phillies became the first professional team to lose 10,000 games. This season, the ball is bouncing their way.

The NL East champions, who didn't clinch a playoff berth until the final weekend of the season, took advantage of three errors by shortstop Rafael Furcal in the fifth inning and shrugged off another homer by Manny Ramirez.

Brad Lidge closed it out for the Phillies, who won their lone championship in 1980 by beating Kansas City in six games. They also reached the World Series in 1915, 1950, 1983 and 1993, when they lost to Toronto in six games on Joe Carter's ninth-inning homer off Mitch Williams.

Now they're headed back, carrying the hopes of a championship-starved city that hasn't had a title to celebrate since the NBA's 76ers won it all in 1983.

"This is for the city for Philadelphia," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We have one more step, one big step _ then we're going to make a grand parade."

You can bet your last cheesesteak, Broad Street is primed for a party. And those Philly fans, who always expect failure, can relax _ at least for a week.

"These guys are going crazy right now," slugger Ryan Howard said. "I can only imagine how it is in Philadelphia."

Back home, jubilant Phillies fans poured into the city streets, jumping on cars and celebrating.

Ramirez homered in the sixth to end Hamels' shutout bid in what might have been his final game with the Dodgers. The slugging left fielder, who hit .520 with four homers, 10 RBIs and 11 walks in eight playoff games, can become a free agent after the World Series. He batted .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 regular-season games for the Dodgers after being acquired July 31 from Boston.

On the bench, Joe Torre came up short in the postseason again. He won four World Series in his first five years as manager of the New York Yankees from 1996-2000, but hasn't won one since. This was his first year as the Dodgers' skipper after 12 with the Yankees.

"I was proud to be their manager," Torre said. "This was an up-and-down year. I think they learned a lot. They learned to come together. This game tonight got a little ugly in the middle with the defense, but they never stopped plugging away. And that's what John Wooden taught me a long time ago, that it's not always the club that wins that you're proudest of. And I certainly was satisfied with what I saw here."

For Manuel, it was an emotional night. His 87-year-old mother died Friday, shortly before the Phillies won 8-5 in Game 2.

"I guarantee you my mom's watching right now," he said after Wednesday's victory.

Rollins, last year's NL MVP who dropped off considerably this year, also hit a leadoff homer in the first-round clincher at Milwaukee.

"This is definitely the first step," he said. "We've taken a lot of steps, but this is definitely the biggest step and the first step in the right direction. We've just to go out there and find a way to win four more."

Hamels, the series MVP, limited the Dodgers to five hits in seven innings. The 24-year-old lefty has allowed three runs in 22 innings during the postseason, with two wins over Los Angeles and another over the Brewers in the first round. He'll have ample rest to pitch Game 1 of the World Series.

"We were able to enjoy this moment," Hamels said. "To get an award like this is something surreal."

Ryan Madson worked a scoreless eighth and Lidge blanked Los Angeles in the ninth.

Ramirez is one of several high-profile free agents who might have played their final game for the Dodgers, along with Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Casey Blake, Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux.

Furcal, who missed 125 games with back problems this year before being activated in late September, tied a postseason record by committing three errors in the fifth, leading to two unearned runs.

"It's very frustrating the last game of the series at home to play like that," Furcal said. "It's very disappointing to me."

In the first, Rollins drove a full-count pitch from loser Chad Billingsley over the right-center fence. The switch-hitter came to the plate with only two hits in 17 at-bats in the series.

"They lived by the homer and they died by the homer," Torre said. "They got us this time. That was huge."

Billingsley walked Rollins, who stole second, and Chase Utley in the third before Howard and Pat Burrell hit RBI singles with two outs to make it 3-0. Chan Ho Park relieved with the bases loaded and worked out of trouble.

Billingsley, 6-0 with a 1.60 ERA in his last seven regular-season starts at home, lasted just 2 2-3 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander, who went 16-10 with a 3.14 ERA this season, gave up a career-high eight runs in 2 1-3 innings in Game 2, won by the Phillies 8-5.

The Phillies made it 5-0 in the fifth against Maddux thanks to the errors by Furcal. The first two came on one play, when he booted Burrell's potential inning-ending double-play grounder and then threw the ball away, allowing one run to score. The second came when Furcal made another throwing error on Carlos Ruiz's two-out grounder, drawing boos from the disappointed Dodger Stadium crowd of 56,800.

The only other player to commit three errors in one inning in the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was Dodgers center fielder Willie Davis, who did so in the fifth inning of Game 2 in the 1966 World Series against Baltimore.

The crowd came alive in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff single by Blake when Hall of Famer Tom Lasorda, who managed the Dodgers from 1977-96, stood near the team's dugout waving a white towel, with the image shown on the video board. Matt Kemp followed with a single, but rookie Blake DeWitt grounded into his second double play of the game and Kent struck out as a pinch hitter.

Ramirez hit a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth, but Russell Martin took a called third strike to end the inning.

Hamels walked Kemp and pinch-hitter Garciaparra with two outs in the seventh before throwing a called third strike past Kent _ the last of his 104 pitches.

Notes:@ The 81-year-old Lasorda, now a member of the Dodgers' front office, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. His granddaughter, Emily, threw one as well. ... Ramirez has at least one RBI in nine straight LCS games. ... Including the playoffs, the Phillies are 86-0 when leading after eight innings.

Italy expels only fraction of foreigners initially announced over Romanian Gypsy case

Leading Italian politicians responded swiftly, decisively _ and controversially _ to the brutal murder of a navy officer's wife allegedly by a Romanian Gypsy: They announced 20,000 foreigners would be expelled from Rome alone.

But in contrast to the headline-grabbing pledges, just 210 foreigners have been ordered expelled from Italy so far under an emergency decree approved Nov. 1.

Across the spectrum, politicians sought to calm public outrage over Giovanna Reggiani's murder with bold deportation proclamations that prompted critics to charge that Italy was leading a witchhunt against foreigners.

Conservative opposition leader Gianfranco Fini has been one of the more strident voices in favor of mass deportations. But the call has also been taken up by Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, the center-left's choice to succeed Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

Many Italians have been alarmed over a perceived influx of Romanians since the poor eastern European nation entered the European Union on Jan. 1, giving its citizens instant legal entry to Italy.

Romanians have long come to Italy to look for work, largely because they speak a Romance language similar to Italian. A minority are Gypsies who live in ramshackle camps at the edge of major cities _ and their reputation as criminals has spread to the entire Romanian population.

Veltroni said 75 percent of arrests in Rome last year involved Romanians. That was an exaggeration: His office later clarified that Romanians comprised half the foreigners arrested in the capital from January to May this year.

Equally exaggerated appears to have been the number of people Italian leaders said they were prepared to expel.

While politicians have been grabbing the spotlight with promises of ridding Italian cities of street crime, government officials _ led by Interior Minister Giuliano Amato _ have taken a more prudent approach to enforcing the measure.

Amato met Wednesday with law officials carrying out the expulsions and emphasized that mass expulsions would violate European norms, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Amato noted that the measures had already had a deterrent effect, with "numerous voluntary repatriations and less influx."

While the deportation scheme sent shudders throughout Europe and its legality was immediately questioned, EU officials said there are statutes that give Italy the right to declare emergency measures to kick out EU citizens deemed a threat to public safety.

Rather than restore public confidence, the measures have fanned ethnic tensions.

Gypsy camps have been razed and Romanians have been beaten up on the streets. The acclaimed Romanian actress Laura Vasiliu, in Turin to work on a film, said police came to her hotel room to investigate a child trafficking case; they left when they concluded she was not the person they were seeking.

"The situation for Romanians is very tense. Some are afraid to go out on the streets or to work," said Italy's Romanian association president, Eugen Terteleac.

Others, he said, are considering returning to Romania for good.

"It has become a game of numbers," said Oliviero Forti, the immigration expert for the Italian chapter of the Catholic charity Caritas. "The country does have security issues. But we don't believe that a severe intervention like expulsions is a solution."

Amato has urged "targeted expulsions" to avoid abuses.

Of the 210 ordered expulsions, 90 percent have been Romanian citizens, mostly from the cities of Bologna, Naples, Rome and Genoa, according to Interior Ministry figures on Tuesday. Most have already left the country but about 30 were being held in temporary centers pending deportation.

The decree does not carry specific criteria on what constitutes a threat and it is up to local police to make the call. Most of those rounded up have been repeat and violent offenders.

Romanians comprise one of Italy's largest ethnic groups, with 560,000 registered officially, or about 1 percent of the population.

The association of Romanians in Italy says the actual number of Romanians is closer to 1.5 million, not including Romanian Gypsies. That takes into account those who entered the country illegally, working off the books as caretakers, house cleaners or janitors.

Italy's Romanian immigrants are generally highly educated _ with nearly two-thirds holding a high school or university diploma compared with one-third of Italians, according to Caritas.

Terteleac dismissed the idea there has been an influx of Romanians since EU entry, saying the number has remained steady.

"Since Jan. 1, many feel free to go back and forth to Romania, since they no longer need a visa," he said.

But that newfound freedom evaporated with the expulsions.

___

Associated Press correspondent Marta Falconi contributed to this report from Rome.

TALKING POINTS

TALK: The British pro" mised the Arabs independence In Palestine In the Hussein-McMahon correspondence over nearly 100 years ago."

POINT. The central figure in the Arab nationalist movement at the time of World War I was Hussein ibn 'AU, who was appointed by the Turkish Committee of Union and Progress to the position of Sherif [governor j of Mecca in 1908.

As Sherif, Hussein was responsible for the custody of Islam's shrines in the Hejaz and, consequently, was recognized as one of the Muslims' spiritual leaders.

In July 1915, Hussein sent a letter to Sir Henry McMahon, the High Commissioner for Egypt, informing him of the terms for Arab participation in the war against the Turks.

The letters between Hussein and McMahon that followed during 1915-16 outlined the areas that Britain was prepared to cede to the Arabs. But the Hussein-McMahon correspondence conspicuously fails to mention Palestine.

The British argued that the omission had been intentional, thereby justifying their refusal to grant the Arabs independence in Palestine after the war (George Kirk, A Short History of the Middle East. NY: Frederick Praeger Publishers, 1964, p. 314).

Explained MacMahon:

"I feel it my duty to state, and I do so definitely and emphatically, that it was not intended by me in giving this pledge to King Hussein to include Palestine in the area in which Arab independence was promised. I also had every reason to believe at the time that the fact that Palestine was not included in my pledge was well understood by King Hussein (London Times, July 23, 1937).

Nevertheless, the Arabs held then, as now, that the letters constituted a promise of independence for the Arabs.

By permission from Myths and Facts - A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, by Mitchell G. Bard.

Submarine at air crash scene to hunt black boxes

A French nuclear submarine reached the crash zone of Air France Flight 447 on Wednesday to join the search for the plane's black boxes, which may be the key to determining what brought the Airbus down in the sea off Brazil with 228 people on board.

The attack sub Emeraude plans to trawl 13 square miles (35 square kilometers) a day, using sonar to try to pick up the boxes' acoustic beacons or "pingers," French armed forces spokesman Christophe Prazuck said Wednesday.

It's a race against time, because the beacons will start to fade 30 days after the May 31 crash. If the boxes are spotted, the Emeraude will work with the mini-sub Nautile, which can descend to the ocean floor and was a key part of the search for the Titanic.

"There are big uncertainties about the accident site, the ocean floor is rugged ... so it's going to be very difficult," Prazuck told France-Info radio. "It's going to be very complicated and we're going to need a lot of luck" to find the black boxes.

The French submarines will be aided by two U.S. underwater audio devices capable of picking up signals even at a depth of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters).

U.S. Air Force Col. Willie Berges, commander of the American military forces supporting the search operation, said the first of two U.S. towed pinger locators is being loaded onto a search ship Wednesday in the northern city of Natal.

He said the Dutch ship contracted by French investigators will head out tomorrow and arrive in the search area by Sunday.

The listening devices will be slowly towed in a grid pattern while a 10-person team aboard the vessel watches monitors receiving signals from the locators.

Berges said the second ship is expected to arrive at the port city this weekend.

A total of 41 bodies have been recovered so far from the scene of the crash, about 400 miles (640 kilometers) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast. The remains are being flown daily to Recife, where investigators hope to identify them and uncover clues into the crash based on the victims' injuries.

Prazuck told Associated Press Television News that a French frigate, the Ventose, had already gathered 130 pieces of debris, big and small. The debris was being cleaned of salt and was to be taken to an undisclosed location for further analysis, he said.

Without key information from the Airbus A330's missing data recorders, investigators have focused on the possibility that external speed monitors _ Pitot tubes _ iced over and gave false readings to the plane's computers as it flew into thunderstorms.

Airlines around the world have begun replacing Pitot tubes on their aircraft. And the European Aviation Safety Agency, responsible for the certification of Airbus planes, said it was "analyzing data with a view to issuing mandatory corrective action" following reports about the possible malfunctioning of the Pitot tubes. But it also said the A330 and other Airbus aircraft are safe to operate.

The Pitot monitors had not yet been replaced on the A330 that was destroyed en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

The agency issued a precautionary bulletin Tuesday reminding operators of the correct procedure if speed indications are unreliable or missing.

"We are aware of issues with this in the past, but at no time were they classified as safety-critical," said Daniel Hoeltgen, the agency's spokesman.

An important part of the investigation relies on a burst of 24 automatic messages the plane sent during the last minutes of the flight. The signals showed the plane's autopilot was not on, officials said, but it was not clear if the autopilot had been switched off by the pilots or had stopped working due to conflicting airspeed readings.

The L-shaped metal Pitot tubes jut from the wing or fuselage of a plane, and are usually heated to prevent icing. The pressure of air entering the tubes lets internal sensors measure the speed and angle of flight. A malfunctioning tube could mislead computers controlling the plane to dangerously accelerate or decelerate.

Air France said it began replacing the tubes on its A330 and A340 jets in May after pilots reported several incidents of icing leading to a loss of airspeed data, and that it had already replaced the Pitots in smaller A320 jets after similar problems were reported.

"What we know is that other planes that have experienced incorrect airspeed indications have had the same Pitots. And airplanes with the new Pitot tubes have never had such problems," said Air France pilot Eric Derivry, a spokesman for the SNPL pilots union.

On Tuesday, the airline assured its pilots that none of its A330s or A340s would fly without at least two of the new instruments, and that all Air France A330s and A340s will have all three Pitots replaced by July. Brazil's air force said it is replacing them for the president's jet.

About 70 airlines operate some 600 A330 planes similar to the doomed Air France jet, and the Pitots being replaced are made by France's Thales Group.

From Germany, more confirmation came Wednesday about rough weather over the Atlantic along the same route as the Air France crash. Lufthansa confirmed a report in Stern magazine that a passenger was injured when a Sao Paulo-to-Frankfurt flight hit turbulence off the Brazilian coast two days before the Air France crash.

"One can generally expect turbulence on this route," Lufthansa spokesman Michael Lamberty said Wednesday.

In an apparently unrelated incident, a smaller model Airbus A320 experienced undisclosed engine trouble shortly after taking off Wednesday from the Canary Islands and was forced to make an emergency landing, Spain's national airport authority AENA said.

The Spanish Iberworld airliner was headed from Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria to Oslo, Norway, AENA spokeswoman Karen Martel said from the island. No one was hurt and the plane was in the air about 10 minutes, she told The Associated Press.

The passengers were taken off the plane and the company planned to put them on a different one bound for Oslo at midday, Martel said.

___

Associated Press writer Marco Sibaja reported from Recife and Emma Vandore from Paris. Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Alan Clendenning in Sao Paulo, Bradley Brooks in Rio de Janeiro, David Rising in Berlin and Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as well as Charlotte Coulon of Associated Press Television News in Paris.

Movie critic Ebert in serious but stable condition after surgery

Film critic Roger Ebert, who has battled cancer in recent years, was in serious but stable condition Sunday following an emergency operation to repair complications from a previous cancer surgery.

Ebert, famous for his "thumbs up" (good) or "thumbs down" (bad) critiques, was expected to recover, his family said Sunday evening.

"I am pleased to report that the doctors say Roger is stable and responding well to the recent surgery," his wife, Chaz Ebert, said in a statement. "Roger and I are so grateful for your prayers and support but please give the big guy the space and time needed to recover until he is ready to use those thumbs again."

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper - co-host of the Ebert and Roeper movie review show - told the paper that Ebert's vital signs appeared to be good after the procedure.

"Roger is a fighter, and I have every confidence and hope that he has thousands of movie reviews ahead of him," Roeper said.

Ebeit had surgery June 16 to remove a cancerous growth on his salivary gland. He told Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder at the time that the condition was not life threatening and he expected to recover.

Around 8 p.m. Saturday, a blood vessel burst near the site of the operation, the Sun-Times reported Sunday on its Web site. A Northwestern Memorial Hospital spokeswoman declined to comment Sunday afternoon.

The 64-year-old has undergone cancer surgery three times before _ once in 2002 to remove a malignant tumor on his thyroid gland and twice on his salivary gland the next year.

Ebert has been a film critic at the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967. He won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 1975, the same year he teamed up with Gene Siskel of the rival Chicago Tribune to launch their moviereview show. Siskel died in 1999.

On the Net: http://tvplex.go.com/buenavist a/ebertandroeper/

понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.

Group Blames Thai Army in Cleric's Death

An international rights watchdog said Wednesday that the death and apparent torture of a Muslim cleric in Thai military custody illustrates the army's mistreatment of Muslims in Thailand's restive south.

Human Rights Watch said Yapa Koseng, a 56-year-old Muslim prayer leader, was arrested March 19 for suspected involvement in bombings blamed on insurgents in the southern province of Narathiwat, and two days later relatives who went to visit him were told he had died.

Yapa's body was "covered with bruises and burn marks, and his ribs were fractured," the New York-based rights group said in a statement, citing accounts from family members.

Army spokesman Col. Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Wednesday that an investigation into Yapa's death was under way, but initial examinations indicated he "died from epilepsy."

He said any officers found responsible for the death would face legal action.

"The army will not cover up any wrongdoing if officers are found guilty of misconduct," he said, adding however that nobody appeared to be guilty.

Yapa's daughter, Nomee Kaseng, told The Associated Press that her father was a healthy man without "any known medical condition."

He had been detained in a police truck along with his son, Arming Koseng, she said.

Nomee said he was taken out of the truck to be interrogated three times before he died, citing her 29-year-old brother, who remained under detention at a military camp.

"He asked that they take our father to the hospital but they wouldn't," Nomee said. "Father died in my brother's lap."

Muslims have long complained of mistreatment and discrimination in Thailand's south, where an insurgency has claimed more than 2,900 lives since 2004. Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist country.

"Muslims in southern Thailand live in fear of the army storming in to take their men away to be tortured," said Brad Adams, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The army is fighting an insurgency, but that doesn't mean soldiers can abuse people."

Human Rights Watch said it "is deeply concerned about the sincerity" of army pledges that an impartial investigation into the cleric's death will be carried out.

Yapa's family was told that forensic experts had conducted an autopsy but they were not allowed to see the report, Human Rights Watch said.

Drive-by shootings and bombings occur almost daily in Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani provinces, the only Muslim-majority areas in Thailand.

Iran tries 2 people charged with spying for Israel

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran says it has tried two suspects on charges of spying for Israel.

Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi told state radio Tuesday that the two were accused of filming sensitive military sites, traveling to places that are off-limits to the public and receiving money from Israel.

Dowlatabadi says the two were detained in 2009. The trial began Saturday.

He says they confessed to the charges, but he provided no other details and did not identify the suspects. A second session in the case will be held later.

Iran occasionally announces the detention of people accused of working for foreign intelligence services, especially those of Israel and the United States. Iran considers Israel to be its archenemy.

Convention Cities Ready Bids for '04

Like the Democrats, Republican officials will have to balance competing interests, including availability of hotel space, whether the city has enough facilities to host the convention and the security that goes with it, and whether the Electoral College votes of the host city's state are in play.

Democrats: Looking for the Right Spot

In deciding what city should host their party's 2004 convention, Democratic National Committee officials must juggle competing interests, including the host city's financial strength and the party's Electoral College prospects in that state.

After initially considering nearly a dozen potential host cities, DNC officials have winnowed the list down to four: New York, Miami, Boston and Detroit. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, and what factor proves decisive will not be known until after the November 2002 midterm elections. At that time a DNC advisory panel will formally suggest a host city; the choice will ultimately be made by DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe.

Like the Olympics, playing host puts a city in the spotlight, but can also be cost prohibitive. The DNC's minimal qualifications for hosting the convention scared off a number of cities at the start of the selection process. The host must be able to accommodate 50,000 or more visitors, which includes 17,000 to 20,000 hotel rooms. In addition, there must be enough office space to host thousands of convention staff members, said DNC Communications Director Maria Cardona.

And of course the city must have an adequate arena to hold the four-day convention, which is likely to take place in late summer. The Republicans plan to hold their convention from Aug. 30-Sept. 2. The Democrats are looking at a slew of dates before then, and have considered the possibility of holding theirs at the same time, to deflect attention from the renomination of President Bush.

In deciding whether to pursue a bid to host the Democratic convention, cities must take into account what are expected to be substantial security costs. Already a major cost consideration before Sept. 11, several cities dropped their bids when it became apparent security could be extremely expensive.

"Cities are balancing security with big boost in tourism," Cardona said.

These and other factors helped eliminate cities who the DNC invited to submit bids but didn't make the final cut, or decided to drop out of the running: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Pittsburgh.

DNC officials are visiting the four final cities this summer to evaluate possibilities. Each city is playing up its own local credentials.

Miami-Dade County's application offers the use of more than 25,000 hotel rooms. Possible convention venues are the Coconut Grove Exhibition Center and the Miami Beach Convention Center

This is the county's second consecutive attempt to play host to the event, after making an unsuccessful bid in 2000. The 1972 Democratic and Republican conventions were held in Miami Beach.

A Miami selection offers the Democrats a major symbolic advantage: a constant, fourday, nationally televised reminder of the contested 2000 Florida presidential results. Party strategists hope to use the contentious fiveweek Gore vs. Bush post-election battle as a way to motivate the Democratic base in 2004.

Boston, too, is stressing its existing facilities in its bid to persuade members of the DNC advisory committee. Boston's 103-page bid was accompanied by appendices and other supporting documents, such as floor plans for the FleetCenter, where the convention would be held. Julie Burns, deputy chief of staff for Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino (D), said the city has more than 25,000 hotel rooms, many close to the arena where the convention would take place.

"We believe we have the most attractive package," Burns said. "We have more than enough hotel rooms within walking distance of the FleetCenter."

In Detroit's bid, city officials are stressing gains made in a revival of downtown, which they contend would be extended if their city hosted the Democratic convention.

Detroit's official bid promotes itself as "a city that embraces the core values of the Democratic Party... cosmopolitan... a city built by immigrants... a city with a strong union presence... a city with an entrepreneurial spirit and a dedicated workforce that produces the best America has to offer."

The city also touts its available space to hold the convention and what it calls friendly accommodations. "A combination of the Cobo Conference and Exhibition Center and Joe Louis Arena offers a venue located on the Detroit River with an international view of Windsor, Ontario," the bid says.

In Boston, Menino's office estimates that hosting the Democratic convention would produce $150 million in revenue for the local economy. Officials with New York, Miami and Detroit cite similar estimates.

"For tourism it is a boost," said the DNC's Cardona.

Figures provided by the DNC indicate host cities do experience a strong economic upswing: $70 million for Atlanta in 1988, $104 million for New York in 1992, $130 million for Chicago in 1996 and $147 million for Los Angeles in 2000.

Despite New York's overwhelmingly Democratic orientation, its bid committee offered a seemingly lesser package than the Republicans received. In the city bid presented to the DNC, from a committee headed by prominent businessman Jonathan Tisch and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, New York offered only 17,371 hotels rooms - about 4,000 less than offered the Republicans - and no in-kind security gifts. That would mean Democrats would have to pay for local police staffing. Like the Republicans, Democrats are promised the 17,924 seats of Madison Square Garden.

Joe Andrew, co-chair of the DNC's site advisory Committee, said such plans are still fluid and not finalized. Andrew also dismissed reports that DNC Chairman McAuliffe wanted the convention held in a city with a Democratic mayor. New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is a Republican.

"That's not a consideration," Andrew said. "We are not dismissing the city. New York is a true finalist."

The sheer cost of building or maintaining facilities has proved too much for some cities. Among cities where costs were a factor in not bidding was Pittsburgh, which said it could not afford to pay the estimated $350 million for a new convention center.

The politics of the Electoral College are almost certain to play a role in the selection process. Two of the cities, Miami and Detroit, represent swing states Florida and Michigan, respectively - that are key elements to Democrats' strategy for winning the White House in 2004. But there also are advantages to hosting the convention in reliably Democratic states, such as New York or Massachusetts, because that could help turn out the party "base" of support on election day.

"Boston and New York are great Democratic cities," said the DNC's Cardona.

Republicans: Finding a Coronation Location

The 2004 Republican National Convention is planned to be a coronation for the renomination of President Bush, and GOP officials have a wealth of choices in deciding what city should play host to the politically important event.

Like the Democrats, Republican officials will have to balance competing interests, including availability of hotel space, whether the city has enough facilities to host the convention and the security that goes with it, and whether the Electoral College votes of the host city's state are in play.

Only one potential GOP choice overlaps with the list of Democratic finalists: New York. Tampa-St. Petersburg and New Orleans are also vying for the GOP nod.

Originally, 24 cities were interested in hosting the convention. But that number fell by nearly 80 percent when only five cities were willing to make formal bids. Boston and Miami made bids, but eventually withdrew or were ruled out by the RNC. Eight cities made bids in 2000. Like the original Democratic list, a number of cities bowed out because of security costs and other factors.

After reviewing the proposals, members of a Republican National Committee site selection committee will visit the cities to see the accommodations, said RNC spokesman Kevin Sheridan. A recommendation will be announced in November or December, and the RNC is scheduled to vote on it at a meeting in January 2003. The White House will have a key say in the selection of the convention site.

Members of the site selection committee will be taking a hard look at the candidates before then. The cities competing to host the convention must show that their community has an adequate public arena and sufficient hotel rooms to accommodate the thousands of people who will attend. The cities also must show a willingness to solicit local sponsors who will contribute money or in-kind services to the convention.

The New York convention committee includes prominent politicians and wealthy businessmen, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), Credit Suisse First Boston banker Jack Hennessey, and Chelsea Piers founder Roland Belts.

New York's committee presented the largest-scale bid of the three competitors, offering the RNC some of the city's most eminent venues and security. In a flashy, media-driven presentation, the city guaranteed 22,025 hotel rooms and $20 million of New York Police Department security.

Tampa's bid committee is stressing the city would be far less expensive for convention participants than New York - hotel rooms would likely be half as expensive, according to local officials and businessmen.

Tampa Mayor Dick Greco has raised the prospect of guests staying on cruise ships tied near the Ice Palace, which would host the convention itself.

Tampa convention boosters says the city has at least 20,000 high-quality hotel rooms and 2,000 suites available.

"We have everything you could possibly think of," said Paul Catoe, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A preliminary estimate done by a professor at Florida State University showed that the national convention could bring between $200 million and $500 million to the local economy.

In its convention bid, New Orleans is stressing its existing facilities, where the event would be held, starting with the Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints. The city has 20,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Superdome, said Bill Hines, chairman of Metro Vision, an economic development agency in the New Orleans region.

Press and security operations - both very large - would be held at the new New Orleans Arena. Starting in fall 2002, that building will be the home of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets, which just relocated from Charlotte.

City officials are also touting what they call a business-friendly environment, as exemplified by New Orleans' new mayor, Ray Nagin. That's important because funding for the convention would come from a publicprivate partnership between local and state government and private industry.

"We're trying to reformat our image as a sound place to do business," Hines said.

New Orleans has another big draw: track record. As host of the 1988 GOP convention - which launched a winning ticket in that year's election - delegates, journalists and party leaders alike raved about the town's legendary hospitality, food and nightlife.

In a choosing a city to host the Republican convention, there are non-financial considerations as well. Catoe, heading the TampaSt. Petersburg bid, said RNC officials should take note of the political significance of Florida, which turned out to be the linchpin of Bush's 2000 victory over Al Gore. Holding a convention in Florida could help rally the all-important GOP base, Catoe said."We think that Florida is an important state to the Democrats and Republicans," he said. "It's kind of a bellwether."

Reaching out to a host state's voters is a site selection factor, party strategists admit. While New York will not likely be in the Republican column in November, 2004 - unless, of course, President Bush is re-elected with a Reagan-style landslide that sweeps even normally Democratic strongholds both Louisiana, and especially Florida, are potential swing states that could use the nudge.

Bulgaria mulls nuclear reactor plan amid gas halt

Bulgaria's economy minister said Monday the country had the right to try to overcome a gas crisis by restarting nuclear reactors mothballed two years ago.

The aging two 440-megawatt reactors at the Kozlodui plant were shut down as part of a deal to allow Bulgaria to join the EU in 2007. Economy Minister Peter Dimitrov said a clause in the country's EU accession treaty allowed them to be restarted in the event of a crisis.

The minister said Bulgarian businesses are losing euro7 million ($9.2 million) a day because of a dispute between Russia and Ukraine that cut off Russian gas shipments to Europe for nearly two weeks. The country said previously it would speak with the EU before making a decision on restarting them.

Recognition and management of atlanto-occipital dislocation: Improving survival from an often fatal condition

Objective: To provide an overview of atlanto-occipital dislocation and associated occipital condyle fractures so as to alert physicians to this rare injury and potentially improve patient outcome. The pertinent anatomy, mechanism of injury, clinical and radiologic evaluation and the management of these rare injuries are discussed in an attempt to alert physicians to this type of injury and to improve outcome. Data sources: The data were obtained from a MEDLINE search of the English literature from 1966 to 1999 and the experience of 4 spine surgeons at a quaternary care acute spinal cord injury unit. Study selection: Detailed anatomic and epidemiologically sound radiology studies were identified and analyzed. Only small retrospective studies or case series were available in the literature. Data extraction: Valid anatomic, biomechanical and radiologic evaluation was extracted from studies. Clinical data came from limited studies and expert opinion. Data synthesis: Early diagnosis is essential and is facilitated by a detailed clinical examination and strict adherence to an imaging algorithm that includes CT and MRI scanning. When the dislocation is identified, timely gentle reduction and prompt stabilization throuigh nonoperative or operative means is found to optimize patient outcome. Conclusions: Atlanto-occipital dislocation should be suspected in any patient involved in a high speed motor vehicle or pedestrian collision. Once suspected, proper imaging and appropriate management of these once fatal injuries can improve survival and neurologic outcome.

Objectif : Presenter un apercu de la dislocation de l'articulation occipito-atlofdienne et des fractures connexes du condyle occipital de faqon a prevenir les medecins de l'existence de ce traumatisme rare et a ameliorer peut-etre le resultat pour les patients. On aborde l'anatomie pertinente, le mecanisme du traumatisme, 1'evaluation radiologique et la prise en charge de ces traumatismes rates afin d'essayer de prevenir les medecins de l'existence de ce type de traumatisme et d'ameliorer les resultats. Sources de donnees : Les donnees proviennent d'une recherche effectuee dans MEDLINE et portant sur des publications parues en anglais de 1966 ii 1999 et de l'experience de quatre chirurgiens specialistes de la colonne vertebrate a une unite de soins actifs quaternaires et de traumatologie de la moelle epiniere. Selection des etudes : On a trouve et analyse des etudes anatomiques et radiologiques detainees et solides sur le plan epidemiologique. Seines des etudes retrospectives ou des series de cas d'envergure limitee etaient disponibles dans les publications. Extraction des donnees : On a extrait des etudes des donnees valides devaluation anatomique, biomecanique et radiologique. Les donnees cliniques provenaient d'etudes d'envergure limitee et d'avis d'experts. Synthese des donnees : Il est essentiel de poser un diagnostic rapide, qui sera facilite par un examen clinique detaille et l'observation rigoureuse d'un algorithme d'imagerie qui inclut une analyse tomodensitometrique et par IRM. Lorsque la dislocation est definie, une reduction douce opportune et la stabilisation rapide par des moyens non operatoires ou operatoires optimisent le resultat pour le patient. Conclusions: 11 faudrait soupconner une dislocation de l'articulation occipito-atloidienne chez tout patient victime d'un accident de la circulation survenu a grande vitesse ou d'une collision vehicule-pieton. Lorsqu'on soupconne ce probleme, des techniques appropriees d'imagerie et une prise en charge appropri&e de ces traumatismes autrefois mortels peuvent ameliorer la survie et le resultat neurologique.

Traumatic injuries to the occipito-cervical junction have the reputation of being rare and usually fatal. However, these injuries are being diagnosed and treated more frequently, with satisfactory neurologic and functional outcomes. Therefore, early diagnosis of occipitocervical dissociation has become increasingly important. As improved techniques of resuscitation and immobilization at the injury scene result in patients presenting to the emergency physician or surgeon with intact or incomplete neurologic status, failing to make a timely diagnosis may result in catastrophic morbidity and mortality.

Despite the complex functional anatomy between the occiput and the Cl vertebra, there are 2 general injury patterns that occur in this area, atlanto-occipital dislocations (AODs) and occipital condyle fractures. The most severe injury is an AOD. Occipital condyle fractures, on the other hand, appear less serious but can be found in association with severe injuries of the atlanto-occipital complex.1-4 In this review, we will discuss the mechanism, clinical features, diagnostic imaging and management of these rare occipitocervical injuries.

Atlanto-occipital dislocation

Historically AOD was described in reports of autopsy findings, but improved prehospital and emergency room assessment and care have made AOD an emerging clinical entity. Early autopsy studies reported a 6% to 8% incidence of AOD in trauma fatalities. More recently, autopsy studies and clinical case reports have shown that either this incidence has increased or AOD is more diligently sought. AOD is now estimated to cause 8% to 35% of motor vehicle fatalities and almost 10% of fatal cervical spine injuries.1,2,4-6 The cause of death in most postmortem studies is acute neurogenic shock with neurologic respiratory dysfunction. Many injuries involve pontomedullary brain stem and mid-brain laceration.4

With improved resuscitation, immobilization and imaging techniques as well as increased awareness, there are now over 100 reported survivors in the literature, with approximately 20% being neurologically normal, 10% having cranial nerve deficits, 34% hemiparesis or hemiplegia and 38% high quadriplegia or quadraparesis. Surprisingly, only 24% of patients with AOD had clinical evidence of a closed head injury.7 Other injuries associated with AOD include major facial trauma, mandible fractures, infant airbag injuries and high-energy chest trauma.4,8 Injuries characteristically involve a high-energy mechanism, commonly motor vehicle or motor vehicle pedestrian crashes.6

One of the most significant findings in recent clinical case studies is that the diagnosis of AOD is often delayed or not made in patients who present neurologically intact or have a variety of incomplete neurologic syndromes; this, despite a history including several risk factors. Patients who present with normal neurologic status or an incomplete neurologic injury are at risk for neurologic deterioration, reported to occur in 36% of patients with AOD. The cause is inadequate immobilization of the cervical spine in the course of further diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.7 This preventable morbidity, and the frequent mortality that accompanies it, demands a high level of diagnostic vigilance, particularly because of the increasing prevalence of this injury pattern. The history and physical examination are often limited. Therefore, fastidious attention to detail and a high level of suspicion will enhance the pretest likelihood of identifying this injury and thus dramatically improve the sensitivity of imaging modalities chosen.

Osseous anatomy

The foramen magnum is a large opening in the occipital bone at the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes. The anterior rim of the foramen magnum is called the basion, and the posterior rim is called the opisthion. Two occipital condyles are situated on the inferior surface of the occipital bone along the anterior lateral edge of the foramen magnum.

The first cervical vertebra supports "the globe of the head" and thus is called the atlas. The atlas is a ring of bone with an anterior and posterior arch and 2 large lateral masses. The concave superior surface of the lateral masses articulates with the occipital condyles, allowing the head to flex and extend. The inferior aspect of the lateral masses is concave and oval. It articulates with the flat convex superior facet of C2, which allows rotation of Cl on C2. The atlas has no vertebral body or spinous process. Functionally, it acts like a bony meniscus between the occiput and C2.

The axis, or C2, is a more conventional vertebra, having a body, lamina and spinous process. It has a superior bony projection from the body, called the odontoid process or dens. The axis pivots or rotates around the odontoid process. The articular processes of the axis are in different planes. The convex superior facets are anterior along the odontoid, allowing rotation. The inferior facets of the axis are posterior and obliquely oriented, similar to the lower cervical facet joints.

Ligamentous anatomy

The morphologic characteristics of the craniocervical articulations accounts for the wide range in neck motion. The internal cranial cervical ligaments include the tectorial membranes, the transverse ligaments, and the alar and apical ligaments. The internal cranial cervical ligaments provide significant biomechanical stability.9," The tectorial membrane and the transverse ligament are located posterior to the dens, limiting anterior atlantoaxial translation. The tectorial membrane is the cranial continuation of the posterior longitudinal ligament. It is a thin, flat ligament that attaches to the foramen magnum anteriorly, and acts to limit extension of the occiput on the axis. Conversely, flexion is limited by impingement of the anterior arch of the atlas on the basion. The transverse ligament attaches to the lateral masses of the atlas medially. The alar ligaments run obliquely, from the tip of the dens to the inner aspect of the occipital condyles. These 2 strong bands limit lateral flexion and rotation. On lateral flexion, the contralateral alar ligament tightens, limiting flexion. With moderate cervical rotation, the ipsilateral alar ligament tightens initially, then shortens and winds around the dens on extreme rotation, allowing the contralateral ligament to tighten and limit further rotation. The tectorial membrane and alar ligament also restrict distraction of the occiput on Cl or Cl on C2. The apical ligament is a vestigial structure located between the tip of the dens and the anterior midpoint of the foramen magnum.

The external cranial cervical ligaments include the ligamentum nuchae, ligamentous flavum, and the anterior and posterior atlantooccipital membranes, as well as the atlantoaxial membrane. They have little effect on stability.

Neurologic anatomy

Incomplete neurologic syndromes may result from trauma to the medulla, upper spinal cord, cranial nerves and upper cervical nerve roots. The transition from lower brain stem to spinal cord results in a spectrum of neurologic injuries, often involving both structures due to a combination of direct mechanical compression, contusion, laceration, and traction or impaired blood supply, or both. Despite a favourable cord:canal ratio in this region, severe instability predisposes these patients to neurologic injury. Vital centres in the medulla responsible for controlling circulation and respiration may account for the high percentage of fatal injuries. Injury to the brain stem may result in decerebrate posturing. Patients who receive aggressive resuscitation at the injury scene with intubation and ventilation may survive a brain-stem injury.

Vertebrobasilar insufficiency or cerebral or cerebellar infarcts may contribute to the neurologic deficit." The carotid, vertebral and anterior spinal arteries are all at risk and can be solely responsible or contribute to many of the neurologic sequelae that occur with this injury. Intimal tears, dissections, thrombosis and subsequent emboli, or complete disruption can occur. A unilateral vertebral injury may cause a clinical syndrome of cerebellar dysmetria or ataxia, ipsilateral cranial nerve V, IX, X and XI deficit, contralateral loss of pain and temperature, and ipsilateral Horner's syndrome (Wallenberg's syndrome).

Traumatic spinal cord injury can result in either complete or incomplete cord lesions. One of the more unique incomplete neurologic injury patterns is that of Bell's cruciate paralysis. Cruciate paralysis is characterized by midline dysfunction of the cephalad portion of the pyramidal decussation. This results in paralysis of the upper extremity with minimal or no lower extremity involvement. The upper extremity motor fibres decussate in a more cephalad and medial position, whereas lower extremity motor fibres decussate in the medulla in a more caudal and lateral position.

Dysfunction of cranial nerves V through XII has also been reported with injuries at the craniovertebral junction. The nucleus of cranial nerve V extends distally in the spinal cord to the level of the C2 vertebra and can be injured along its course. Other cranial nerves course through susceptible foramen, such as the hypoglossal (XII) nerve, which passes through a canal in the occipital condyle where it may be injured by fractures of the base of the skull or condyle. Cranial nerves IX, X and XI are commonly injured, possibly due to their course through the jugular foramen where they may be tethered. The upper cervical nerve roots must be carefully assessed as they can be stretched or avulsed, and their dysfunction may be misinterpreted as a brachial plexus injury.

Mechanism of injury

Occipitocervical instability is caused by high-energy deceleration forces that must overcome the immense dynamic stability provided by the muscular and ligamentous stabilizers of the region. There is a spectrum of injury that includes undisplaced, subluxated and dislocated atlanto-occipital joints. The dislocation or subluxation is usually multidirectional; therefore, no one consistent mechanism exists. Distraction with hyperextension-flexion appears to be the most likely force, often in combination with rotation.2',','2 If the examiner is able to determine the mechanism of injury from an assessment of the history, physical examination and imaging studies, this may guide treatment and facilitate avoidance of inappropriate interventions (i.e., traction).

Imaging

Imaging studies play a pivotal role in the diagnosis and appropriate management of patients with AOD. Despite numerous radiographic criteria and the advent of sophisticated imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it remains essential for the clinician to have a clear understanding of the unique bony and ligamentous anatomy of this region to effectively diagnose and manage these patients. Although AOD may be overtly obvious on plain films with severe dislocation, these patients usually die; in survivors, the radiographic diagnosis is often more subtle.

Imaging studies in survivors are often difficult to obtain due to associated injuries and unstable respiratory and hemodynamic status. Despite this, clinicians must follow cervical spine precautions and carefully proceed using an imaging algorithm (Fig. 1) in order to expeditiously identify an occipitocervical spine injury when it is present.

Plain radiographs

Standard anteroposterior, lateral and open-mouth odontoid views are the routine screening radiographs. Careful scrutiny for upper cervical soft-tissue swelling, bone and motion segment relationships will often lead to a preliminary diagnosis. Paravertebral soft-tissue swelling is an important sign but not highly sensitive. More dramatic findings such as free air in the retropharyngeal space, indicating a posterior pharyngeal wall or tracheal disruption would enhance the likelihood of AOD.',',"," The assessment of bony relationships begins with the occipitoatlantal joints, both on the lateral and open-mouth odontoid films. The general orientation of the basion (the anterior margin of the foramen magnum at the inferior tip of the clivus) with the odontoid process and the relationship of the opisthion (posterior margin of the foramen magnum) to the spinal laminar line provide general alignment guidelines. More specific radiographic criteria have included Powers' ratio, the X-line, Wackenheim's clival fine and the Wholey method. Because of the variable anatomy, inconsistencies in imaging quality and intrinsic shortcomings these parameters are neither reliable nor valid and therefore are not recommended.15,16

The Harris method of detecting AOD derives from a radiographic analysis of 400 adults wherein the basion-axial interval (BAI) and basion-dental interval (BDI) were both determined to be less than 12 mm in normal adults.15 This method is independent of x-ray technique, rotation, tilt, flexion and extension, and appears valid and reliable for determining both normal and abnormal relationships of the atlanto-occipital junction (Fig. 2). Although it has not undergone thorough epidemiologic scrutiny for diagnostic tests, it is easy to remember and currently the best radiographic criterion available. The BDI, measured from the tip of the dens to the basion, should be less than 12 mm and the BAI, measured from the basion to a vertical extension of the posterior cortex of the axis (posterior axis line), should be between 0 and 12 mm. A large value for the BAI suggests anterior displacement (Fig. 3) and a negative value raises the possibility of posterior displacement.

Computed tomography

For many years CT has remained the standard radiologic technique for fractures and dislocations in the craniocervical region. CT with 1.5-mm cuts and reformatting in both the coronal and sagittal planes provides detailed visualization of the bony relationships and congruency of the atlanto-occipital joints.17 A CT scan of the head may demonstrate cranialcervical junction subarachnoid hemorrhage4,8 or avulsion fractures of the occipital condyles,1,2,18-20 both of which are associated with atlanto-occipital dissociation, and raises the suspicion of severe craniocervical ligamentous injury (Fig. 4). CT with intravenous contrast can also aid in the diagnosis of vascular injuries, particularly the highly susceptible vertebral arteries.21 The limitation of CT in its ability to diagnose ligamentous injuries has been overcome by the detailed soft-tissue imaging available with MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging

MRI is emerging as a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis of atlantooccipital trauma. MRI is unsurpassed in evaluating ligamentous and neural structures. New sequencing techniques have allowed better visualization of bone, vascular structures and acute hemorrhage. These numerous advantages, along with the need to obtain a timely diagnosis, strongly support MRI as the standard for the evaluation of trauma to the occipitocervical region.

Specifically, T^sub 1^-weighted images demonstrate high signal in fat that normally surrounds the odontoid apex and anterior foramen magnum.22,23 Intermediate to low signal in this region may suggest hemorrhage or edema, indicating possible disruption of neighbouring tectoral, anterior longitudinal, atlanto-occipital membrane and alar ligaments.24 Edema around joint capsules can also be visualized.24 Imaging of the individual ligaments can be accomplished with specific new sequences and image planes; however, the different signal intensities and homogeneity of normal ligaments with standard sequences limits interpretation in some cases.23

T^sub 2^-weighted images or varied sequences can demonstrate signal change within the spinal cord and brain stem. Measurement of the cervicomedullary angle (normal 135deg-175deg) can be performed accurately. When this is abnormal (<135deg) it has been correlated with neurologic dysfunction.22 Vascular abnormalities and acute hemorrhage, particularly venous bleeding, can also be seen.24 Despite the MRI's impressive capabilities, it remains very dependent on software, hardware and the operator. Similarly, more work must be done on correlating pathoanatomy with signal characteristics before optimal levels of sensitivity and specificity are obtained. For the present, MRI is an integral part of the imaging armamentarium and is extremely helpful in better defining suspected injuries of the craniovertebral junction.

Classification and management

principles

As with all traumatic spinal disorders 3 fundamental issues are considered:; patient factors, stability of the spinal column, and the presence and severity of neurologic injury. The rarity of AOD prevents any clinical trials from effectively evaluating the classification and treatment. Most patients who survive this injury require appropriate assessment and treatment with timely rigid stabilization to prevent neurologic deterioration and to facilitate nursing care. Patients with significant neurologic impairment may benefit from stabilization from occiput to C4 or C5 to provide stability to the head and neck and improve seating in a wheelchair.

Stability is often difficult to assess due to the potential for neurologic injury if any provocative tests (i.e., traction test, flexion-extension views) are used. Therefore, reliance is placed on clinical examination and static imaging studies. A spectrum of displacement occurs with atlanto-occipital dissociation. For example, a high-energy injury mechanism combined with severe neurologic injury, joint subluxation and signal change within the ligament complexes suggests instability. This is especially true if the alar ligaments and tectoral membrane, 2 of the stronger stabilizing structures, are damaged.25,26 Mid-substance tears of these ligaments may be seen on MRI, and avulsion of the alar ligament from the occipital condyle may be inferred from CT images. Pure dislocation leaves little doubt as to a severe capsular ligamentous disruption and grossly unstable injury. When there are associated injuries to C1 or C2, the risk of instability increases.

Neurologic status is determined from careful clinical evaluation and indirectly from interpretation of MRI spinal cord imaging.

Treatment

AOD patients are often multitraumatized and frequently suffer concomitant neurologic injury. Strict adherence to advanced trauma and life support (ATLS) principles and the treatment of life-threatening injuries is always a priority. Traction, if applied early without sufficient appreciation of the pattern of instability, may lead to further displacement and iatrogenic neurologic injury or worsening.12,27 Sandbags and a hard collar, on the other hand, are less likely to lead to further instability and will provide some splinting as further diagnostic testing is performed. Once AOD is diagnosed, the initial treatment is directed at safely achieving a reduction of the subluxed or dislocated elements and maintaining alignment in a reduced position. Minimal increments of controlled traction may be necessary to achieve a safe closed reduction; however, just as frequently axial compression is required to reduce distracted or translated vertebral segments.12 These manoeuvres must be performed with careful monitoring of vital signs and neurologic status, fluoroscopic imaging and minimal application of force. Reduction, when there is neurologic deficit, should be performed as soon as possible as this is often the most expeditious technique of indirectly decompressing the neurologic structures.

Definitive stabilization and maintenance of alignment may be achieved through the use of orthotics or surgical stabilization. Patient factors such as the presence of associated injuries, size and weight, nursing concerns, functional expectations, and others must be considered. Early rigid internal fixation is recommended in the multitraumatized patient as it has been shown to improve outcome by facilitating mobilization. The patient with a mandible fracture will not tolerate a brace, which rests on the mandible, and thus may be better treated with surgical stabilization. If subluxation is minimal or absent, the injury may be relatively stable and can be treated with an orthosis and careful monitoring. Only the halo-thoracic vest affords stability to this region. The Minerva and other types of cervical orthosis are not recommended for stabilization of the occipitocervical region.

The presence of a significant neurologic injury is highly suggestive of an underlying unstable bony or ligamentous injury. The neurologic insult may occur secondary to direct spinal cord compression, resulting from subluxation or dislocation with or without fractures. MRI, initially obtained to evaluate the severity and location of the neurologic insult may provide evidence of ligament injury, which may suggest mechanical instability. Ligament injuries do not heal well in the spine and when the predominant injury is ligamentous without significant bony fracturing, rigid surgical stabilization is recommended to prevent further neurologic injury and facilitate rehabilitation .28

Successful results have been reported when the surgical goal has been to obtain an occiput to C2 fusion.28 This has been achieved using a spectrum of techniques including the use of onlay autogenous bone grafts, various interspinous and occipital wires and graft constructs, internal fixation with sublaminar wires fixed to pre-bent rods or pins, and screwplate constructs (Fig. 5). The specific pathoanatomy of the patient, resource availability, surgeon preference and surgeon experience all play a role in the chosen technique. Depending on the rigidity of the internal stabilization and the functional demands of the patient, the surgeon may supplement the surgical stabilization with varying degrees of external immobilization including traction, halo-thoracic vest or a removable orthosis. Fusion across the occiput to C2 complex significantly limits cervical rotation and flexion-extension. In the patient with a high lesion spinal cord injury, this loss of motion may improve head and neck positioning in the sitting position. As with any fusion, fastidious attention to proper grafting technique and the use of autogenous bone will optimize the radiographic success rate of the fusion. Our preferred technique provides rigid internal fixation and limits the need for external bracing (Fig. 6).

Outcome

Once the fusion is solid, biomechanical studies suggest the patient's sagittal range of motion will be reduced by 23deg, rotation by 50deg and lateral flexion by 8deg.29 If the patient is neurologically intact, the outcome would be similar to that for other conditions requiring fusion across the occipito-cervical junction. With a neurologic deficit, the prognosis is more difficult to predict. Patients having a complete high lesion spinal cord injury will be dependent on ventilatory support but may live in the community with portable home ventilators. For incomplete lesions, the patient's progress and outcome may be quite remarkable, thus the importance of a careful neurologic examination, particularly the perianal examination, at the time of the patient's initial presentation.

In summary, atlanto-occipital dissociations are rare but must always be suspected in the multitraumatized patient with a compatible mechanism of injury and head or facial trauma. Strict maintenance of cervical spine precautions and adherence to an imaging algorithm is imperative. In the presence of an occipitocervical injury the goal is to preserve or improve neurologic status by timely reduction and then to provide stabilization through nonoperative or operative means, depending on the degree of instability, the severity of neurologic injury and the patient's general status.

Occipital condyle fractures

Many of the anatomic and biomechanical concepts already discussed apply to occipital condyle fractures. These injuries are rarely diagnosed, most likely due to a low incidence and a tendency of these injuries to go unrecognized as the majority have a relatively benign course. The true incidence is unknown, but in a study of 21 patients with blunt craniocervical trauma, 19% had occipital condyle fractures.30 There is a strong association with contiguous and noncontiguous spinal fractures, especially of the axis and atlas.

Occipital condyle fractures are usually unilateral and often isolated. They can be associated with head injury and facial fractures. Unlike AODs, these fractures can occur with both low- and high-energy trauma. The most common mechanism of injury is an axial load with or without a shear, rotation or lateral flexion force,31 Depending on the mechanism and force of the injury, the occipital condyle fracture can occur in isolation or as part of a more complex atlanto-occipital dissociation.'

Clinical features

Patients with occipital condyle fractures present with a spectrum of symptoms. An isolated low-energy fracture may present with suboccipital neck pain, decreased range of motion or spasmodic torticollis, whereas a high-force event causing multiple trauma presents similarly to AODs.32,33 Careful attention must be paid to spinal cord, cranial nerve and upper cervical nerve root function. Vascular injuries resulting in vertebrobasilar symptoms must also be suspected.33

Imaging

Initial screening lateral and openmouth odontoid radiographs will often miss occipital condyle fractures because of the overlying complex facial bone anatomy. Retropharyngeal or pre-vertebral soft-tissue swelling and occipital condyle joint asymmetry may be seen. The study of choice for condyle fractures is fine cut (1 mm) CT with coronal and sagittal reformatting, which provides excellent bone and joint detail.33 Small fragments in the region of the condyle suggest ligamentous avulsion and potential instability. Lateral subluxation of the occiput-C1 joint less than 11 mm is not associated with instability,33 In the setting of closed head injury or multitraumatized patients in whom the history and physical examination are limited, the routine CT of the head should include bone window cuts through the occipital Cl complex. The findings on a standard head CT are not sufficiently detailed to classify these injuries and determine appropriate treatment, so the fine-cut CT protocol should be used if a fracture is suspected. If clinical suspicion is high, MRI may be indicated to assess the integrity of the ligamentous and capsular anatomy.

Although the occipitocervical joint is a mobile synovial joint that transmits significant load through a range of motion, symptoms of posttraumatic osteoarthritis have not been reported. These symptoms, however, may be camouflaged by the commonly associated head injury, contiguous cervical spine fracture or may be attributed to cervical soft-tissue strain.

Treatment

If an occipital condyle fracture is associated with AOD, treatment of the AOD should take precedence to ensure stability of the atlanto-occipital joint as already mentioned. With isolated occipital condyle fractures good results have been achieved with external immobilization with orthotics or a halo-thoracic vest.34

[Reference]

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[Author Affiliation]

Charles G. Fisher, MD, MHSc;* John C.L. Sun, MD;^ Marcel Dvorak, MD*

[Author Affiliation]

From the *Department of Orthopedics and ^Division of Neurosurgery, Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Accepted for publication Oct. 2,2000.

orrespondence to: Dr. Charles G. Fisher, D605 Heather Pavilion, 2733 Heather St., Vancouver BC V5Z 3,15; fox 604 875-5858, cfisher@vanhosp.bc.co