Tripoli, Libya (IRIN) – Mistrust of Libya’s interim administration is likely to deter tens of thousands of revolutionary fighters from complying with a massive new demobilization plan, according to analysts and former rebels. “There is no full trust in the government,” said Adel AbdElmajid Zoubi, 28, who fought in the coastal town of Misrata, besieged for months by troops loyal to former leader Muammar Gaddafi. He spoke to IRIN on 27 December, having just returned from a protest demanding the government cleanse public institutions of remnants of the old regime. He said he was disappointed the new government did not appear to prioritize revolutionaries and said he would not hand over his weapons until after elections – [...] Continue Reading…
From rice to shrimps and ginger — adapting to saltwater intrusion
December 29th, 2011 
admin Hanoi, Vietnam (IRIN) – Rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s fertile Mekong Delta are forcing farmers and development agencies to rethink how livelihoods can be maintained, using methods such as agricultural genetics, changing crop varieties and simple farming fixes. With support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in March 2011 launched a four-year project to introduce the flood-tolerant SUB1 gene and Saltol, a salt-tolerant gene, to Vietnamese rice varieties. Transferring the genetic information – a process known as introgression – is expected to take three years. Because the genes are being introduced to rice currently grown in Vietnam, farmers will not need to learn new farming practices. [...] Continue Reading…
Chrysler to revive Dodge Dart as its new small car
December 25th, 2011 admin Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – Chrysler’s Dodge Dart has found new life as a smart car. Chrysler Group LLC said its new smart car, the first vehicle to feature Fiat SpA technology, will be called the Dodge Dart. The vehicle, currently in production, will be highlighted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The debut of the new Dart will mark the first small-car offering from Chrysler in more than a decade. The car will also allow Fiat to increases its stake in Chrysler to 58.3 percent once the smart car is certified by the government as delivering 30 miles per gallon. The Dart [...] Continue Reading…
Saab files for bankruptcy after Chinese deal fails
December 21st, 2011 admin Matthew Borghese – AHN News Contributor
Trollhattan, Sweden (AHN) – Swedish carmaker Saab is filing for bankruptcy after a deal to infuse Chinese funds fell through over technology licensing objections from American shareholders. The Chinese deal was the last hope for Saab, which has suspended work at its main factory and has failed to pay employees. Saab CEO Victor Muller personally filed the bankruptcy papers and admitted it was “the darkest day in my career, probably in the history of Saab.” “But we had no other alternatives,” Muller explained. Saab was in talks with Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co. Ltd. (Youngman) and a bank in China about an equity interest in in Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan). However, [...] Continue Reading…
Nationwide strike paralyses life across Nepal
December 19th, 2011 admin Anil Giri – AHN News Correspondent
Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) – A nationwide strike called by Nepal’s main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), after its youth leader was killed in a prison brawl paralyzed the normal life across the nation on Monday. Transportation has come to a halt and entire market areas, academic institutions and industries have been shut down by the strike. Thousands of NC party members scattered throughout major cities and highways protesting the death of their leader. They also vented ire against the government for not declaring their murdered youth leader a martyr and not fulfilling other demands forwarded by the party. General strike is a common phenomenon in Nepal, a tool to take forward [...] Continue Reading…
Israel faces housing bubble – or bust, OECD warns
December 13th, 2011 admin The Media Line Staff
Jerusalem, Israel David Rosenberg (The Medi – Home prices – an anxious subject for both Israeli consumers and policy makers as they first raced higher and then suddenly started to sink – remain a threat to the economy, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warned on Monday. Although the price rises have eased as the government has clamped down on mortgage lending, Israel is by no means out of the hole yet, the Paris-based organization said in a report. Israel faces a twin risk of prices spiraling upward to bubble levels, if current measures don’t bring about long-term stability, or conversely dropping sharply. “There is still a risk that a soft landing [...] Continue Reading…
Johnson, Manning guide Tennessee past DePaul
December 13th, 2011 admin AHN Sports Staff
New York, NY, United States (AHN Sports) – Glory Johnson scored 16 points and Alicia Manning racked up a double-double, spearheading the Tennessee Lady Volunteers to an 84-61 victory over the DePaul Blue Demons Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. Johnson shot 6-for-13 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line to lead the Vols offense. Johnson also grabbed 8 boards while Manning chalked up 12 points and 12 boards. The win was highlighted by Tennessee coach Pat Summit receiving the Maggie Dixon Courage award. Despite DePaul’s good field goal shooting, Tennessee controlled the game early on and had a 41-29 lead at the half. The Blue Demons cut the deficit to [...] Continue Reading…
Top FAA official resigns after drunk driving arrest
December 7th, 2011 admin AHN News Staff
Washington, DC, United States (NewsBahn) – The head of the Federal Aviation Administration resigned Tuesday afternoon, three days after being arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Randy Babbitt said in his letter of resignation that his time as administrator of the FAA had been “an absolute honor and the highlight of my professional career.” He added that he was stepping down because “I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done…by my colleagues.” Babbitt was arrested Saturday night in Northern Virginia after an officer saw him driving on the wrong side of the highway. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Babbitt’s boss, did not learn of the arrest until [...] Continue Reading…
Gospel Trail Puts Tourists on Path of Jesus
December 5th, 2011 admin The Media Line Staff
Tel Kinrot, Israel (The Media Line) – Cresting the summit of Tel Kinrot, the blue-grey waters of the Sea of Galilee come into view. It has been a steady climb for Ramon Contras, a devout Christian from El Paso, Texas, but he says he feels the spirit of the Lord behind him. “I feel very happy to be walking on the steps that Jesus walked,” Contras told The Media Line. “I always remember that Jesus Christ walked all around here and he never got tired, you know, and everything he did we’re supposed to do.” Contras is one of the first Christian pilgrims to hike the newly inaugurated Gospel Trail, which meanders across the [...] Continue Reading…
No money to implement new AIDS prevention strategies
December 1st, 2011 admin Kampala, Uganda (IRIN) – Uganda is keen to implement new policies to put more people on life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) treatment sooner, as recent scientific breakthroughs indicate would be much more beneficial, but officials say the country’s poor financial outlook means there is little chance of this. “We have drafted policies for treatment as prevention, but we simply don’t have the money to implement them,” said Zainab Akol, HIV program manager in the Ministry of Health. Studies have shown that putting people on ARVs earlier significantly reduces their risk of transmitting the virus to sexual partners. The HPTN 052 study found that earlier initiation of HIV treatment led to a 96 percent reduction in HIV transmission to the [...] Continue Reading…
