Dear President Hu: China must meet its global responsibilities

Welcome to the United States. China is a great and ancient civilization, and we are thrilled that your country has made so much progress in so many areas over past decades, that it has brought hundreds of millions out of dire poverty and done so much to promote global economic growth during the recent financial crisis.
At the same time, we are both painfully aware of the rising tensions between our two countries. Many people here in the United States are critical of some of China's actions: its perceived unfair business practices through its currency valuation, subsidies to local manufacturers and weak intellectual property protections, its seeming unwillingness to address nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran, its support of extremely abusive regimes, its rapid and opaque military buildup, and its more aggressive posture in the South and East China Seas, to name a few.
Chinese media have been equally critical of America and the West, asserting that we are unfairly blaming China for our own economic challenges and seeking to block China's growth.
Whatever our differences, one thing is absolutely clear. No major global challenge of the 21st century can be addressed without the active collaboration of our two countries.
As much as I respect you and your country, however, forgive me for saying in the spirit of honesty and friendship that we do not believe you are doing enough to promote the global common good. It is natural and healthy for a country to pursue its narrow national interests, but when a country becomes as rich and powerful as China, it must take on new global responsibilities or it ends up, intentionally or not, undermining the international system.

I know that China still has a great deal of poverty and must continue to grow to realize the aspirations of its very talented citizens. But if China continues to rise without sufficiently supporting an international system that helps everyone, many aspects of that system will collapse and we will all be worse off.
Call it the tragedy of the commons. If an overstretched America plays a lesser role in managing world affairs and no one else steps up, we're going to have a big mess that will harm us all.
I hope you won't mind my sharing a few ideas for what you, and China, can do.
It would really go a long way if you would make a major speech at the United Nations articulating your vision of the kind of world that China would like to see in the future, and what your country is willing to do to help build it. If you think that the U.S.-led system of the last six-plus decades has worked well for everyone but needs modifications, you can articulate your concerns and express what you feel should be done to address them. If, on the other hand, you believe that the post-war system is fundamentally flawed and should be replaced, why not describe your alternate vision of how the world should work and what China is willing to do to make it happen?
Of course, I can't promise that we'll like every one of your proposals. But let's have an open, honest, global debate about what the world should look like and who should do what to help make sure the system works for everyone.
Believe me when I say that Americans welcome the rise of China. In many ways it is the ultimate positive expression of the world America helped build out of the ashes of World War II. But we will only continue to feel this way if we believe that a stronger China will make the world safer and more secure.
The more that China can do its part to help build a more balanced global economy, respect intellectual property rights, halt the spread of nuclear weapons, foster military transparency, and strengthen international institutions, the more comfortable the American people and others around the world will be with China's rise.
Working together, our two countries can make the 21st century even more prosperous and secure than the second half of the 20th century has been. Let's use your visit to start a meaningful conversation about what each of us can do, alone and together, to bring this about.

Is India's New Face Of Beauty A Goddess?

neha dalvi

 

Indian women have been well known throughout the world for their mysterious beauty.
Pretty Indian model Neha Dalvi, who is being compared with former Miss World 1994 Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan, is one of India's most sought after beauties. After Nahi Dalvi’s photo spread in Saree showroom ads was released, she instantly became the one of the most sought after woman on Google. With her charming good looks and gorgeous elegance, Neha Dalvi is definitely able to win hearts of people from India and abroad.
Neha Dalvi was firstly known as a model when she was 6 years old. She later won several awards in various beauty contests in and out of Mumbai. Neha is now the favorite advertising face for a large number of cosmetics and clothing brands. She is also a talented actress of Bollywood Movies.
On her Facebook, which has more than 21000 fans, Neha's admirers shared on her page " Her beauty doesn’t need any award to prove itself. These contest can give chance to the spectators to admire Neha and also wish her may get ‘World Best Heart’ that’ll keep you happy forever. Its really not in need but just for formality ‘Best Of Luck’ for all the contests and her life". There is a brief sentence that perfectly describes her “ Neha Dalvi is very talented girl with beauty, passion, brain, confidence, attire, arrogance and attitude”

Underwater Site-Seeing

Diving on an archaeological site is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. Here are a few commonsense guidelines to make sure that both you and the site remain safe.
Choosing the right site is important--never dive on one that hasn't been opened officially to recreational divers or one that is above your skill level because of depth, visibility, or currents. Research the site and the period to which it dates, so you know what to expect, and always work with a well-established dive operator with guides who know the site well. If necessary, take advanced or specialized diving courses beforehand, which is especially important for wreck diving.
When you actually reach a site--either a wreck or an artifact scatter--dive carefully. Treat archaeological sites like coral reefs, where it is critical not to touch or remove anything or go digging around. Make sure your buoyancy and fin control are good. Also, dive tight, which means making sure your equipment, including your pressure gauge and backup regulator, don't drag beneath you, where they can cause damage or snag.
Most important, stay calm, have fun, and be sure to report anything unusual to your guide. You might actually make a discovery, and you'll definitely have great stories to tell on the surface.
Where to suit up:
Perhaps the best place to experience underwater archaeology is in one of the 13 National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS) around the country (sanctuaries.noaa.gov). Thunder Bay NMS in Lake Huron, Michigan, where shipwreck preservation is unusually good, offers a particularly rewarding experience. The 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail might be the best dive in the sanctuaries, featuring 13 ships that were grounded on reefs 80 miles south of the Florida Keys. Several sanctuaries on the West Coast are worth visiting as well. The Winfield Scott, a Gold Rush-era steamer, is in the waters of Channel Islands NMS. Over the years, the treacherous coastline at Monterey Bay NMS has caused at least 140 wrecks, some of which are diveable.

Buhari,The Nigeria Opposition Leader Confident of Victory

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega displays the timetable for the 2011 general elections during a news conference in Nigeria's federal capital Abuja (File Photo).

A former Nigerian military ruler told VOA the failure of the country’s material and physical security could go a long way to undermine the stability of the populous West African nation.
Retired General Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the presidential candidate for Nigeria’s main opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), said Nigerians should hold incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to his promise of ensuring a free and fair democratic election in April’s vote.
“What we are asking for is for (a) free and fair election. Mr. President (Jonathan) promised when he went there, to the United States, he promised the president of the United States that one of his top priorities is to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria, and we are holding him to that.”
Analyst say, despite a potential stiff challenge from the opposition, President Jonathan will win the presidential vote. Former General Buhari disagrees.
“Certainly, we can defeat the PDP. We are developing a coalition of the opposition parties to agree to go against the ruling party. What I said is that our problem is (a) free and fair election,” he said.
“If the law enforcement agencies, the police, the state security agencies and, very importantly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, that is INEC, conducted themselves according to the Electoral Act 2010, then there is no doubt the PDP will be defeated. We all know that,” added retired General Buhari.
Last Friday, Mr. Jonathan won the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nomination after defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with at least two-thirds of the total vote cast to lead the party in the April election.
Retired General Buhari, who ruled Nigeria from 1983 to 1984 under a military government, was unanimously confirmed by popular acclamation as the presidential candidate for the opposition CPC at their recent national convention.
This is Buhari’s third attempt to win the presidential election. He was defeated twice by Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and 2007.
The former military ruler said security of the nation should be paramount.
“The problem in Nigeria now is security. There is no physical security and, then, (there is) the problem of material security. There is so much corruption and indiscipline and, then, there is lack of employment because there is no infrastructure. There is no power, in spite of the money spent, and no good roads. And, there is no portable water in all the cities of the country, in spite of what the country realized in the last 12 years,” said retired General Buhari.
He also said that he stands a better chance to defeat President Jonathan in the upcoming vote.
Nigeria will hold elections for president, parliament, and state level races in April.

Western Zambian Province Said...

The minister for Zambia’s Western Province told VOA the situation in the region is calm following Friday’s deadly clashes between police and activists, who were demanding secession because they say the Zambian government has not done enough to respect some provisions of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
That agreement brought Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland together as one country at independence.
Richard Mwapela, provisional minister for the Western region said said Zambia is one country, and no one group has the right to secede.
“The situation in the western province is calm; it’s back to normal. People are able to do their businesses now. The shops are open. The police have managed to bring peace to the province; they have managed to make some arrests of the people who are trying to call for secession,” he said.
Mwapela would not comment directly on the Barotse Agreement except to describe the Barotseland Freedom Movement (BFM), a youth-driven pro-secession grouping, as comprising a few troublemakers.
“As far as I am concerned, I don’t know anything about (the) Barotse Agreement. So, it’s very difficult for me to comment on the Barotse Agreement. As a provisional minister, my role is to make sure there is law and order in the provinces and the rights of the people are protected, and that’s what we are doing,” Mwapela said.
He said Zambia is one country and no one group has the right to secede.
“This is one country; this is one Zambia; there is no right for anyone to call for any secession,” Mwapela said.
Mwapela defended the killing of a man by police during Friday’s clashes.
“The person who was shot wanted to set ablaze a filling station and we were going to lose lots of live. That’s why the police had to come in quickly and get rid of that person that wanted to set ablaze a filling station,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joshua Matali, manager of Radio Lyambeai in the western province, told VOA his station remains closed after it was ordered shut by police for airing a phone-in program on the Barotse Agreement.
“We collected views from members of the public and then we aired those views and, then, when that program was running for the second time, a repeat, it was after that the commissioner of police in Zambia came there. They smashed the door and got into the studio and got our computers and camera equipment,” Matali said.
Acting Zambian Information Minister Dora Siliya banned the Zambia media from airing phone-in programs on the Barotse Agreement. She said the ban is intended to maintain peace in the country.
Matali said he and his staff are surprised by the police move considering that Zambia is supposed to a democratic country where freedom of speech and of the press should reign.
Matali said he and his staff plan to meet Monday with representatives of the Media Institute of Southern Africa who, he said, are due in the western province.

Roadside Bombs in Afghanistan Kill 15 Civilians

Afghan officials say roadside bombs have destroyed two civilian vehicles in the country's north and south, killing at least 15 people.

In the deadliest attack, nine family members were killed Sunday when a roadside bomb blast hit their car as they traveled to a wedding in the northern province of Baghlan. The dead include six women, two men and a child.

In an earlier incident Saturday, a roadside bomb blast struck a minivan in the Sangin district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, killing six civilians and wounding three others.  Helmand is a major battleground in a campaign by NATO and Afghan forces to try to defeat a long-running insurgency by Taliban militants.

NATO said Sunday its forces killed "numerous insurgents" in an air strike in the previous 24 hours in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar. The coalition says it launched the raid after identifying the insurgents as an "imminent threat" to ground troops. 

Elsewhere, NATO says an air weapons team killed two insurgents in Helmand's Musa Qalah district as they hid inside a building and fired on an Afghan and NATO patrol.

In another incident, NATO says Afghan and coalition troops killed two insurgents and captured two others Saturday in an operation in the eastern province of Wardak. It says the troops were searching for a local Taliban leader when the militants fired on them in Wardak's Nerkh district.

NIGERIA VOTERS REGISTRATION

Large numbers of people are turning out to register to vote in Nigeria, but the registration drive is still having technical and organizational problems in its second day.
An aggressive television and radio campaign has motivated many people to come out to register, but laptop computers, cameras, and printers are reported to be malfunctioning at multiple locations.
Volunteers began signing up voters Saturday in 120,000 polling stations across Africa's most populous country. An estimated 70 million people are eligible to vote.
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, who will run as the ruling party's candidate in the April election, registered to vote on Saturday.
The ruling party has won every presidential election since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Mr. Jonathan became president in May when his predecessor, Umaru Yar'Adua, died three years into what was expected to be an eight-year presidency

Black Holes and Other Wonders Discovered by Backyard Astronomers

Amateur astronomer Gus Johnson didn't set out to witness what scientists say is the first ever observed birth of a black hole. But that's just what he did in 1979.  His discovery of Supernova 1979c was only the third supernova in another galaxy ever detected by an amateur. But it has become one of the most important and studied since.  Amateur astronomers have been making discoveries for at least 400 years, dating to Galileo's spotting of Jupiter's moons. The hobby helps professional scientists every day.
Johnson likes the quiet and he likes the dark.  But clouds and sub-zero temperatures are working against him as he stargazes near his home in Western Maryland.

"Well, Jupiter went behind a cloud so we have the moon," said Johnson.

Johnson has been stargazing for 50 years, and tonight he's invited some kids to join him.  He has a near photographic memory of hundreds of star positions and he loves to share what he knows.

"That planet has a diameter 11 times that of the Earth," he said.

Johnson is the maintenance man at Deep Creek's Lake Nature Center.  He's also an avid reader of Sky and Telescope magazine. In 1979, he was featured in the magazine - for discovering a supernova that scientists now believe is the newest and nearest black hole.

"When I came to M100 [galaxy]  there was this little star that for some reason caught my attention," said Johnson. "I don't know why, and later on when I checked the photograph it was not on the photograph and that proved to be the the Supernova1979c."

Was he pretty proud?

"Yes I was," he replied.  "And I am.  And thankful too because so few people actually get to discover things."


Backyard astronomers have been making discoveries for centuries dating back to Galileo, whom amateurs claim as one of their own. His degree was in art.  The famous Comet Hale-Bopp was discovered in 1995 by two amateurs, one of whom did not even own a telescope. He was using a friend's. And in 2007, volunteers in an online astronomy project discovered the "green pea" galaxies, so-named because they appear small and greenish in images.

Astrophysicist Kim Weaver was part of the NASA team that announced last month that Gus Johnson's supernova, or exploding star,  was likely the birth of a black hole, a region in space where nothing can escape, not even light.

"We want to watch how this system evolves and changes in its youthful stages from when it's first born to when it grows into a child and a teenager," said Weaver.

Scientists believe that black holes are born often in the universe. But to actually see it happen, well that's a story.

When Johnson spotted the star more than 30 years ago, he put out an alert, and telescopes including NASA'S powerful Chandra X-Ray Observatory have been watching it ever since.

We caught up with Weaver at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland where she works.

"This is what we think happens around a black hole, this ecreting material gets sucked into the orbit," she said.

She told us that while some astronomers dismiss the work of so-called citizen scientists, they do put thousands more eyes on the cosmos, which is a good thing.

"They don't have access to the large telescopes that professionals have access to but what they can do is they have the freedom to be able to use smaller telescopes any time they want to look all over the sky," said Weaver.

Professionals, Weaver says, tend to focus on smaller areas and on fainter objects further away.  Another problem:

"Professional astronomers have created tons and tons of data," she said. "There are not enough professionals to look at all those data."

That's where backyard astronomers come in.

"So this is the first telescope I ever got.  It's my favorite," said Caroline Moore.  Moore has has an observatory in her backyard, with top of the line telescopes that she and her father use to track the ever-shifting heavens above New York State.

Two years ago, at age 14, she made a major discovery, not with a telescope but with a computer, scanning hundreds of photos as part of an online search team.

"I discovered the least luminous supernova ever to be observed, and I am the youngest person ever to discover a supernova so it kind of makes it a double interesting thing," she said.

Moore says supernova hunting is competitive.

"Maybe you will find there is some kind of thing on another planet that will help you cure cancer and we won't know that if we don't take even the smallest steps in journeying outside our planet a bit," she said.

Back in Maryland, Gus Johnson observes fresh-fallen snow and an iced-over Deep Creek Lake.  There's something almost sad about his intense love of the environment, even with its fleeting nature.

But his discovery, that he holds onto.
Johnson wasn't looking for a supernova that night, it was entirely accidental.  But, now he looks for them.

"It's kind of the grand realities of existence," said Johnson. "The Earth and everything we know is such a minute part of the universe.  Watching the creation of God.  That is pretty spectacular stuff."

LADY LYNNE FIDDMONT

More than 50 years after the death of Billie Holiday, singers and musicians continue to pay tribute to the singer known the world over as “Lady Day.”  The latest Holiday celebration comes from jazz vocalist Lynne Fiddmont on her new album, “Lady.”

In the long line of lady jazz singers there was no one quite like Billie Holiday. Just ask vocalist Lynne Fiddmont, who says, “Most singers have tried to imitate her, but few have even come close.”

Lynne interprets the Billie Holiday catalog with an up-tempo mix of jazz, pop, and soul.  She explains that choosing the songs for her tribute album was simply a process of elimination.

“I listened to all the songs that I had of hers," she said.  "I collected them, collected her CDs, went through 30 seconds of each song and said, ‘Ok.’  I didn’t know ‘I Cover The Waterfront’ but I fell in love with it in the first 30 seconds.  So, if I fell in love with it in the first 30 seconds I put it on the list.”

Lynne Fiddmont caught the acting bug while growing up in St. Louis, Missouri.  She performed in local musicals before heading off to Boston University where she earned a degree in Public Relations.  After a short stint at the Berklee College of Music, Lynne moved to Los Angeles to work alongside some of the best in the business.  She sang background with everyone from Bill Withers and Phil Collins to Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder, as well as appearances on the Grammy Awards, MTV Music Awards, American Idol, and even at The White House.

"As a background singer, the trick is to learn fast and execute well,” she said.

Lynne was quick to learn the music of Billie Holiday and she executes it extremely well on “Lady.”  She says Holiday’s commanding stage presence was one of her greatest gifts.

“That is to me one of the genius aspects of her," she said. "The other aspect of her genius for me is her phrasing.  She didn’t think she had to sing it like everyone else.”

On  “Lady,” Lynne is joined by pianist Billy Childs, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Billy Kilson on one of Billie Holiday’s most memorable songs, “Lover Man.”

NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN ADDRESSES DELEGATES

Nigeria's president Jonathan addresses delegates during the primaries of the ruling People's Democratic Party in Abuja, 13 Jan 2011

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's victory in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party primary ends an informal agreement that rotated the party's presidential nominee between north and south.

That deal gave northern Nigerians another four years in office to complete what would have been the second term of the late president Umaru Musa Yar'adua. As a southerner, Mr. Jonathan challenged that arrangement eight months after coming to office following Mr. Yar'adua's death.
After watching all night as nearly 4,000 ballots were counted in Abuja's Eagle Square, Mr. Jonathan accepted the nomination just past dawn, calling for unity and paying tribute to party challengers Sarah Jibril and Atiku Abubakar, who he says fought gallantly.

"I want to welcome Mrs. Jibril and his excellency Alhaji Abubakar on board so that together we can build a Nigeria of our collective interest, a Nigeria where ideas guide our dreams for a greater nation," he said. "This is a time for the party to move forward in unity to bring this country under the PDP banner."

Former vice president Abubakar was Mr. Jonathan's biggest challenger as the consensus candidate of northern leaders who opposed breaking the regional power-sharing deal.

In his appeal to delegates before their vote, Mr. Abubakar said Mr. Jonathan's disregard for party agreements shows he can not be trusted.

"That is not the kind of person with whom you would entrust the fate of this country. Our word must be our bond. But my main opponent believes in doing things simply because it is convenient," Abubakar said. "He does not seem to care if the country is thrown into chaos and anarchy as long as he remains in power. This is dangerous."

Exaggeration is always part of politics. But Mr. Abubakar's savaging of the incumbent president appeared especially personal and shows the difficulty Mr. Jonathan may have in drawing northern support in the general election. Mr. Abubakar said the country is more divided now than it was when Mr. Jonathan came to office last year.

"We cannot afford to continue to tolerate this level of incompetence and indifference. In critical situations there seems to be no one in charge," he said.

Mr. Jonathan chose not to respond to Mr. Abubakar's attack and did not directly mention the power-sharing agreement, focusing instead on a platform of improving security and the economy while fighting corruption.

"This is more than a set of policies or new ideas. It is about all Nigerians joining hands to turn the page," he said. "Together all party members, activists, and people of Nigeria can work to win the forthcoming elections at all levels. I thank you, and God bless us all. PDP! PDP!"

The ruling party has won the last three presidential elections, so Mr. Jonathan is now the frontrunner for April's vote. He faces challenges from experienced politicians in several smaller parties and could see Mr. Abubakar again in the general election if the former vice president chooses to run as the nominee of a different party.

VOTERS REGISTRATION EXERCISE

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby reassures all Nigerians that the Voters Registration exercise scheduled for 15^th to 29^th January, 2011 remains firmly on course.
This reassurance is necessary against the backdrop of the theft of some Direct Data Capture machines at the Lagos airport.
A consignment of 20 machines was stolen on Tuesday, out of a total of 6,000 brought into the country by Zinox Technologies Ltd., the contractor. Sixteen of these have been recovered by Thursday afternoon, and security agents are working assiduously to recover the four outstanding and apprehend the culprits. Besides, there are adequate safety features to forestall any nefarious use of the stolen items; as such, the integrity of the electoral processes would not be compromised.
Furthermore, INEC has been assured of intensified safeguards against further breaches.
The Commission uses this opportunity to urge all eligible Nigerians to turn out for the planned voter registration in January, and to work with INEC for the attainment of free, fair and credible elections in 2011.  

President Jonathan wins Ruling Party Primary

Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party has selected President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate in April's presidential election.
In Thursday's party vote, Mr. Jonathan won 2,736 votes, compared to 805 for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Only one delegate voted for veteran politician Sarah Jibril.
On Friday, Mr. Jonathan accepted the nomination and appealed to Abubakar and Jibril to work with him in improving Nigeria. He said this is a time for the party to unify and bring the country under the PDP banner.
Abubakar, a Muslim from Nigeria's north, has criticized Mr. Jonathan who is a Christian from the south for breaking a traditional power-sharing agreement for the presidency.
The PDP customarily rotates the presidency between a northern Muslim and southern Christian every two terms. However, Mr. Jonathan became president in May when President Umaru Yar'Adua, a Muslim, died just three years into what was expected to be an eight-year presidency. That caused some division in the party about whether it should nominate a northerner or southerner for the April race

Nigerian Analyst Sees Close Contest in Ruling Party Primary

A Nigerian political analyst has told VOA the possibility exists for either Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to be chosen as the presidential candidate for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Tuesday, the PDP certified three candidates for Thursday's scheduled presidential primary.
President Goodluck Jonathan will compete against former vice president Atiku Abubakar and veteran politician Sarah Jibril to be the PDP’s candidate in the scheduled April election.
Professor Kabiru Mato, chair of the political science department at the University of Abuja, said the PDP made a wise decision in choosing President Jonathan and former Vice President Abubakar to compete in the primary.
“Given the nation’s political temperature, it would be unwise for the party to disqualify any of its contenders, especially the two most serious ones, among them the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan, and his challenger, Atiku Abubakar. So, I think it’s not an issue that came to anybody in Nigeria as a surprise,” he said.
Mato said both candidates stand a chance of being chosen as the PDP’s flag bearer during Thursday’s primary.
“Each of the two major candidates, in my view, has ample opportunity and chance of striking a major political victory, especially in the last hours leading up to the primary. So, the pendulum can go either way. I think it would depend to a great extent on what advantages the two major candidates would take in the minutes and hours leading up to the party primary,” Mato said.
He said both President Jonathan and former vice president Abubakar enjoy certain advantages.
“The first thing is that a candidate wins by enjoying a simple majority of votes. Basically, there are three aspirants, but only two of them are serious aspirants. What I think is very essential is the factor of incumbency, which I think President Jonathan might enjoy. But, also, another factor is regional sympathy and political sophistication, which Abubakar possesses. But certainly, each of the candidates has almost similar chances of taking the party’s ticket,” Mato said.
The PDP has a custom of rotating power between the mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south every two terms. Mr. Jonathan is from the south, but he became president when Umaru Yar'adua, a northern Muslim, died in office.
Some in Nigeria had protested Mr. Jonathan's candidacy. But, on Monday, a Nigerian court threw out a suit brought by three PDP members to try to stop Mr. Jonathan from running.
Mato said the rotating presidency issue could sway a number of northern votes in favor of Abubakar.
“That’s one of the factors that, in my view, could sway quite a number of northern votes toward Abubakar because, truly, the question of rotation and zoning of political offices, especially the presidency, has always been an integral part of the PDP constitution,” Mato said.
Mato said he hopes the PDP convention committee that would be running Thursday’s presidential primary election would be transparent.

NEWS

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Nigerian President Signs Off on Election Timetable

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signed an amended constitution Monday, cementing the legal framework for presidential, parliamentary and state governor elections in April.
Lawmakers initially passed an amendment bringing polls forward to January, but then voted to push them back again to April after the electoral commission said the timetable was too tight.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported that thousands of delegates across the country are set to cast their votes in the ruling party's presidential primary Thursday, kicking off a contest to run Africa's most populous nation. The People's Democratic Party primary will pit Mr. Jonathan against Atiku Abubakar, a former customs chief and vice president.
A Nigerian court Monday threw out a suit brought by three PDP members to try to stop Mr. Jonathan from running in the primaries. Judge Ishaq Bello of the Abuja High Court said the suit alleging that the incumbent president's candidacy breached party rules was premature and should be filed after the primaries.
PDP rules state that power should rotate between the mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south every two years. Mr. Jonathan is from the south.
Meanwhile, Nigerian officials said Monday that gunmen suspected to be part of a radical Muslim sect have attacked a church and killed a policeman in the country's northeast, just weeks after officers were assigned to protect churches in the region.
The Sunday night attack occurred in Maiduguri, where suspected sect members have carried out a series of killings in recent months, including Christmas Eve attacks on churches.
In the central Nigerian city of Jos, relative calm returned after a weekend of rioting in another area plagued by violence between Muslims and Christians. Police quelled a new outbreak of violence on Sunday after arsonists set homes on fire.
Security officials say religious violence killed 11 people in the region on Saturday. Eight people died when Christian youths attacked a vehicle carrying Muslim passengers. Three more died at a political rally that descended into violence.
At least 80 people died in Jos during a wave of Christmas Eve bombing attacks claimed by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram.
Nigerian authorities say the December 24 attacks were intended to inflame tensions between Muslims and Christians before April's presidential election.
Jos is the capital of Plateau State in Nigeria's volatile Middle Belt, where the mostly Muslim north meets the mainly Christian south. Thousands of people have died in violence in and around Jos over the past decade.

Spain's PM Rejects ETA Cease-Fire

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is rejecting ETA's permanent cease-fire, saying the armed Basque separatist group's only choice is to disband.

Mr. Zapatero told Spanish television Monday that ETA's offer is no good and that it must take much more forceful and definitive steps. He said there will be no talks with ETA, and he added that, there is no doubt the violence, in time, will stop.

ETA Monday declared what it calls a permanent cease-fire that it says can be internationally verified. The group said it is firmly committed to ending armed confrontation.

But it made no mention of disbanding or giving up its weapons.

ETA has killed more than 800 people in its four-decade campaign for Basque independence in northern Spain and southern France.

Spain, the European Union and the United States all consider ETA a terrorist group.

ETA has been weakened in recent months because of a stepped-up Spanish and French police crackdown and a loss of support by its outlawed political wing, Batasuna.

Batasuna is urging ETA to give up its weapons so the party can be allowed to take part in Basque regional elections.

ETA has declared other cease-fires in the past that did not last more than a few days or several months.

Obasanjo Making Mediation Attempt in Ivory Coast

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was in Ivory Coast Sunday, making a new effort to mediate the country's political crisis.
Officials familiar with the situation say Mr. Obasanjo arrived in the main city of Abidjan on Saturday and held separate talks with incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo and rival Alassane Ouattara.
The officials said more talks were planned for Sunday.
The international community recognizes Mr. Ouattara as the winner of November's presidential election, but Mr. Gbagbo insists that he won the vote and has refused to step down.
African leaders have held several meetings with the incumbent in hopes of convincing him to leave, so far without success.
The West African bloc ECOWAS has threatened to remove Mr. Gbagbo by force unless he cedes power to Mr. Ouattara.
Regional support for Mr. Ouattara weakened slightly Friday when Ghana's president, John Atta Mills, said his country is not taking sides in the standoff and will support any government in Ivory Coast.
Mr. Mills also said he does not support the use of military force to oust Mr. Gbagbo.
Pro-Gbagbo forces continue to keep Mr. Ouattara confined to the Abidjan hotel where he has been for about a month.

Ugandan Wins Africa Rural Connect Contest

Johnstone Baguma's idea focuses on strengthening the capacity of small-scale rural maize farmers in western Uganda

A Ugandan is the grand prize winner of the Africa Rural Connect contest organized last year by the National Peace Corps. Association to solicit ideas on ways to improve the lives of rural farmers in Africa.
Johnstone Baguma is founder and executive director of Toro Development Network, a community-based, non-governmental organization that promotes access to, and strategic use of, information communication technologies for development in western Uganda.
Baguma’s idea focused on strengthening the capacity of small-scale rural maize farmers, particularly on production for urban markets.
He told VOA his organization is grateful for the award which, he notes, will go a long way in helping farmers in western Uganda who, he said, have been exploited for a long time.
“As Toro Development Network, we are planning to continue with this project, especially hoping that farmers who are mainly involved in maize growing, how we can help them improve on their production, how they can be able to market their produce because they have been heavily exploited,” he said.
Baguma also hopes the $12,000 prize will enable his organization to further assist rural farmers manage their post-harvest losses, as well as connect them to prospective urban buyers.
He said his organization wants to use basic communication tools, such as mobile phones, to support rural development.
“We realize that, because of the lack of communication, there is a lot of lagging behind, especially in the agro-business sector, looking at issues of how production can be increased, looking at issues of marketing, farmers were being exploited because they couldn’t know different prices in different areas. So, we mainly focus on how we can promote (the) use of basic communication tools for these farmers. For example, we’re looking at mobile phones to be able to connect with different prospective buyers,” Baguma said.
Baguma said the Toro Development Network is also looking at the use of local FM radio stations in the region to help farmers share knowledge about production and how to market their produce.
He said his project is targeting maize farmers because the maize crop has a multiplier effect.
“The maize crop is a staple food in this region. By the same token, the maize crop is a cash crop. Farmers can actually be able to sell and expand on their income. So, we are looking at food security; we are also looking at expanding the economic status of our farmers,” he said.
Baguma said he hopes international development organizations would emulate the approach of the National Peace Corps. Association by asking for local public input before formulating any development strategy.
“That is very important; allow the people in the communities to express what they feel can work best for them, and I believe that, if this approach is adopted by a number of donor organizations, I think it would be a good approach to enable to realize more benefit,” Baguma said.
Molly Mattessich, manager of online initiatives for the National Peace Corps. Association, said her organization has been impressed by the quality of ideas coming from Africa.
“We think we’ve created a platform for people living in rural Africa to collaborate with Peace Corps. volunteers with different organizations from different countries to develop some of the best ideas. So, we are very proud of giving a voice to people who previously did not have a place to post their ideas,” Mattessich said.

Southern Sudan in Second Day of Independence Referendum

Polls opened Monday for the second day of southern Sudan's historic independence referendum. The week-long poll is expected to bring the region a step closer to becoming the world's newest country.
Voting in the landmark independence referendum began Sunday with witnesses reporting scenes of jubilation at polling centers and strong voter turnout.
The southern Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, cast his vote Sunday in the south's capital of Juba. Kiir said this is the “historic moment” southern Sudan's people have been waiting for.
Voting appears to be proceeding smoothly, though officials say clashes have erupted between Misseriya and Ngok Dinka tribesmen in the disputed oil-producing Abyei region. Tribal leaders say at least 23 people have died in the fighting in recent days.
U.S. President Barack Obama said Sunday the international community is determined that all parties in Sudan live up to their obligations.
The referendum is part of the 2005 peace deal that ended 21 years of war between Sudan's Muslim-majority north and the mainly Christian and animist south.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has pledged to accept the results and help the south regardless of the outcome.
Dignitaries from around the world, including former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and ex-U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan, are in Sudan to observe the vote.
The north and south still have to resolve a number of issues involving borders, water use, oil revenue and the fate of the Abyei region.
The U.N. Security Council has expressed “deep concern” about the lack of an agreement on Abyei. The region was supposed to hold a separate referendum Sunday to decide whether to join the north or south. But the referendum was put off because of disputes over who would be eligible to vote.