Ready to face no-confidence motion if opposition moves it, Karnataka CM Shettar says

BANGALORE/DAVANAGERE: Asserting that his government still enjoyed a majority even after 13 BJP MLAs announced their resignation, Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar said on Sunday he is ready to face a no-confidence motion, if the opposition moves it.

"I have majority. There is no threat to the government. I am ready to face a no-confidence motion if the opposition moves it," he told reporters at Honnali, 60 km away from Davanagere in the presence of excise minister MP Renukacharya, a staunch Yedyurappa loyalist.

Shettar said he would be leaving for Delhi on Sunday to meet newly-elected BJP president Rajnat Singh.

The Shettar government's very survival is at stake after 13 MLAs loyal to Karnataka Janata Party chief and former BJP strongman BS Yeddyurappa announced their decision to quit assembly membership.

Their bid to submit their resignations to speaker KG Bopaiah on January 23 was in vain as he was not in station, an issue over which they cried foul and petitioned governor HR Bhardwaj to whom they submitted copies of resignation letters.

Bhardwaj had stated on Saturday that the Shettar government still enjoyed a majority and as leader of the BJP legislature party, it was left left to him to take action on the issue of resignation by 13 MLAs.

Bopaiah, who is in Madikeri, will return to the city on Monday.

Sources in the KJP said that apart from the 13 MLAs who are ready to quit their assembly membership, eight more are likely to join them.

But BJP leaders are engaged in hectic parleys to prevent them from resigning.

The BJP wants to ensure that the budget session starting from February 4 passess off without any trouble.

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Pictures: The Story Behind Sun Dogs, Penitent Ice, and More

Photograph by Art Wolfe, Getty Images

If you want the beauty of winter without having to brave the bone-chilling temperatures blasting much of the United States this week, snuggle into a soft blanket, grab a warm beverage, and curl up with some of these natural frozen wonders.

Nieve penitente, or penitent snow, are collections of spires that resemble robed monks—or penitents. They are flattened columns of snow wider at the base than at the tip and can range in height from 3 to 20 feet (1 to 6 meters). The picture above shows the phenomenon in central Chile. (See pictures of the patterns in snow and ice.)

Nieve penitente tend to form in shallow valleys where the snow is deep and the sun doesn't shine at too steep an angle, said Kenneth Libbrecht, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena who studies ice crystal formation.

As the snow melts, dirt gets mixed in with the runoff and collects in little pools here and there, he said. Since the dirt is darker in color than the surrounding snow, the dirty areas melt faster "and you end up digging these pits," explained Libbrecht.

"They tend to form at high altitude," he said. But other than that, no one really knows the exact conditions that are needed to form penitent snow.

"They're fairly strong," Libbrecht said. "People have found [the spires] difficult to hike through."

Jane J. Lee

Published January 25, 2013

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Squatter, Bank of America Battle for $2.5M Mansion













Bank of America is taking a Florida man to court after he attempted to use an antiquated state law to legally take possession of a $2.5 million mansion that is currently owned by the bank.


Andre "Loki" Barbosa has lived in a five-bedroom Boca Raton, Fla., waterside property since July, and police have reportedly been unable to remove him.


The Brazilian national, 23, who reportedly refers to himself as "Loki Boy," cites Florida's "adverse possession" law, in which a party may acquire title from another by openly occupying their land and paying real property tax for at least seven years.


The house is listed as being owned by Bank of America as of July 2012, and that an adverse possession was filed in July. After Bank of America foreclosed on the property last year, the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office was notified that Barbosa would be moving in, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.


The Sun-Sentinel reported that he posted a notice in the front window of the house naming him as a "living beneficiary to the Divine Estate being superior of commerce and usury."
On Facebook, a man named Andre Barbosa calls the property "Templo de Kamisamar."


After Barbosa gained national attention for his brazen attempt, Bank of America filed an injunction on Jan. 23 to evict Barbosa and eight unidentified occupants.










In the civil complaint, Bank of America said Barbosa and other tenants "unlawfully entered the property" and "refused to permit the Plaintiff agents entry, use, and possession of its property." In addition to eviction, Bank of America is asking for $15,000 in damages to be paid to cover attorney's expenses.


Police were called Dec. 26 to the home but did not remove Barbosa, according to the Sentinel. Barbosa reportedly presented authorities with the adverse possession paperwork at the time.


Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Southern Povery Law Center, says police officers may be disinclined to take action even if they are presented with paperwork that is invalid.


"A police officer walks up to someone who is claiming a house now belongs to him, without any basis at all, is handed a big sheaf of documents, which are incomprehensible," Potok said. "I think very often the officers ultimately feel that they're forced to go back to headquarters and try to figure out what's going on before they can actually toss someone in the slammer."


A neighbor of the Boca property, who asked not be named, told ABCNews.com that he entered the empty home just before Christmas to find four people inside, one of whom said the group is establishing an embassy for their mission, and that families would be moving in and out of the property. Barbosa was also among them.


The neighbor said he believes that Barbosa is a "patsy."


"This young guy is caught up in this thing," the neighbor said. "I think it's going on on a bigger scale."


Barbosa could not be reached for comment.


The neighbor said that although the lights have been turned on at the house, the water has not, adding that this makes it clear it is not a permanent residence. The neighbor also said the form posted in the window is "total gibberish," which indicated that the house is an embassy, and that those who enter must present two forms of identification, and respect the rights of its indigenous people.


"I think it's a group of people that see an opportunity to get some money from the bank," the neighbor said. "If they're going to hold the house ransom, then the bank is going to have to go through an eviction process.


"They're taking advantage of banks, where the right hand doesn't know where the left hand is," the neighbor said. "They can't clap."



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Court says Obama exceeded authority in making appointments



A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit flatly rejected the Obama administration’s rationale for appointing three members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) while the Senate was on a holiday break.


Chief Judge David B. Sentelle sharply criticized the administration’s interpretation of when recess appointments may be made, saying it would give the president “free rein to appoint his desired nominees at any time he pleases, whether that time be a weekend, lunch, or even when the Senate is in session and he is merely displeased with its inaction.” He added, “This cannot be the law.”

The issue seems certain to end up before the Supreme Court, which ultimately could clarify a president’s authority to fill his administration and appoint federal judges when a minority of the Senate blocks consideration of his choices.

Although recess appointments have been made throughout the nation’s history, they have been more commonly made by modern presidents who face partisan opposition that has made it hard for nominees to even receive a vote in the Senate.

Additionally, Friday’s decision casts doubt on hundreds of decisions the NLRB has made in the past year, ranging from enforcement of collective-bargaining agreements to rulings on the rights of workers to use social media.

The ruling also raises questions about the recess appointment of former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to head the fledgling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and about the actions taken by the agency during his tenure, including major new rules governing the mortgage industry. Obama named Cordray at the same time as the NLRB nominees, and his appointment is the subject of a separate lawsuit in D.C. federal court.

The White House criticized the court ruling. “The decision is novel and unprecedented, and it contradicts 150 years of practice by Democratic and Republican administrations,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Friday. “We respectfully but strongly disagree with the ruling.”

Presidents from both parties have made hundreds of recess appointments when the Senate has failed to act on nominations. Ronald Reagan holds the record with 243. Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, made 105, and it was during his term that Senate Democrats began holding pro-forma sessions, some lasting less than a minute, when the Senate went on break. They contended that that kept the Senate in session and did not allow Bush to make recess appointments.

Republicans took up the practice when Obama was elected. But Obama decided to challenge it in January 2012, when the Senate was on a 20-day holiday but holding pro-forma sessions every three business days to block presidential action.

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Tennis: Azarenka beats Li in dramatic Australian final






MELBOURNE: Victoria Azarenka won an incident-packed final against an injury-hit Li Na to successfully defend her Australian Open title and retain the world number one ranking on Saturday.

After a scrappy match marked by boos for Azarenka, a break for Australia Day fireworks and two painful falls for China's Li, the Belarusian top seed dissolved in tears after sealing the 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.

Li required two medical timeouts, when she twice twisted her left ankle and also banged her head on the court, in a match also interrupted for nine minutes at a crucial stage by the fireworks.

Azarenka overcame a pro-Li crowd that was clearly unimpressed by her controversial medical timeout in the semi-finals, which she took after blowing five match points.

It was a gutsy effort from the 23-year-old as she came back from a set down and sealed it on her first match point in 2hr 40min to clinch her second Grand Slam title.

Azarenka became only the fourth active player to hold two or more majors, behind Serena Williams with 15, Venus Williams with seven, Maria Sharapova with four and Svetlana Kuznetsova with two.

- AFP/al



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Telangana issue: US cautions its citizens about developments in Andhra Pradesh

HYDERABAD: Agitations related to the demand for separate Telangana state have prompted the US state department to caution its citizens in Hyderabad to be careful till February 4.

A statement issued by the consulate general of USA here said there could be also demonstrations/protests on the arrest of Owaisi brothers of MIM, that may lead to disturbances.

Following a statement by Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde last month that the decision on Telangana would be taken within a month, political parties and civil society groups opposing or supporting the statehood have stepped up their activities in Andhra Pradesh.

"Multiple events associated with upcoming religious and national holidays, a possible decision on the Telangana statehood issue, and recent arrests of local political leaders may result in large gatherings or demonstrations throughout the city through to February 4, 2013. These events could potentially lead to civil disturbances, traffic congestion, and bandhs (strikes) that disrupt routine services," the Consulate statement said.

"Please avoid the areas where demonstrations are occurring and exercise caution if within the vicinity of any large gatherings. Please stay current with media coverage of local events, be aware of your surroundings, and practise personal security awareness at all times," it advised.

The latest update on the US state department's website also highlighted Telangana issue. "Until the issue is resolved definitively, there may continue to be tension, especially in the Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh," it said.

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Pictures: The Story Behind Sun Dogs, Penitent Ice, and More

Photograph by Art Wolfe, Getty Images

If you want the beauty of winter without having to brave the bone-chilling temperatures blasting much of the United States this week, snuggle into a soft blanket, grab a warm beverage, and curl up with some of these natural frozen wonders.

Nieve penitente, or penitent snow, are collections of spires that resemble robed monks—or penitents. They are flattened columns of snow wider at the base than at the tip and can range in height from 3 to 20 feet (1 to 6 meters). The picture above shows the phenomenon in central Chile. (See pictures of the patterns in snow and ice.)

Nieve penitente tend to form in shallow valleys where the snow is deep and the sun doesn't shine at too steep an angle, said Kenneth Libbrecht, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena who studies ice crystal formation.

As the snow melts, dirt gets mixed in with the runoff and collects in little pools here and there, he said. Since the dirt is darker in color than the surrounding snow, the dirty areas melt faster "and you end up digging these pits," explained Libbrecht.

"They tend to form at high altitude," he said. But other than that, no one really knows the exact conditions that are needed to form penitent snow.

"They're fairly strong," Libbrecht said. "People have found [the spires] difficult to hike through."

Jane J. Lee

Published January 25, 2013

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WH, Senators to Begin Push on Immigration Reform












The White House and a bipartisan group of senators next week plan to begin their efforts to push for comprehensive immigration reform.


President Barack Obama will make an announcement on immigration during a Tuesday trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, the White House said on Friday. The Senate group is expected make their plans public around the same time, the Associated Press reported.


See Also: Where Do Labor Unions Stand on Immigration?


For Obama, immigration reform is a campaign promise that has remained unfulfilled from his first White House run in 2008. During his 2012 re-election campaign, the president vowed to renew his effort to overhaul the nation's immigration system. It has long been expected that Obama would roll out his plans shortly after his inauguration.


The president's trip to Las Vegas is designed "to redouble the administration's efforts to work with Congress to fix the broken immigration system this year," the White House said.


Ever since November's election, in which Latino voters turned out in record numbers, Republicans and Democrats have expressed a desire to work on immigration reform. Obama has long supported a bill that would make many of the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants without criminal records eligible to apply for an earned pathway to citizenship, which includes paying fines and learning English.






Charles Dharapak/AP Photo







But the debate over a pathway to citizenship is expected to be contentious. Other flashpoints in an immigration reform push could include a guest-worker program, workplace enforcement efforts, border security, and immigration backlogs.


In a statement, the White House said that "any legislation must include a path to earned citizenship."


Ahead of his immigration push next week, Obama met today with a group of lawmakers from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), including chairman Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas) , Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), and CHC Immigration Task Force Chair Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), the latter's office said. CHC members are expected to play a pivotal role in the debate.


"The president is the quarterback and he will direct the team, call the play, and be pivotal if we succeed. I am very optimistic based on conversations with Republicans in the House and Senate that we will do more than just talk about the immigration issue this year," Gutierrez said in a statement following the CHC meeting with Obama. "The president putting his full weight and attention behind getting a bill signed into law is tremendously helpful. We need the president and the American people all putting pressure on the Congress to act because nothing happens in the Capitol without people pushing from the outside."


A bipartisan group of eight senators, which includes Menendez, has also begun talks on drafting an immigration bill and will play an integral part in the process of passing a bill through Congress. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been participating in talks with others senators, has also unveiled his own outline for an immigration proposal.


The group of senators have reportedly eyed Friday as the date when they'll unveil their separate proposal, according to the Washington Post.



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NUS names water research facility in honour of Dutchman






SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore has named its water research facility the van Kleef Centre. This is to honour Dutchman Karel Willem Benjamin van Kleef, who lived in Singapore in the 19th and early 20th century.

He bequeathed his fortune to build the Van Kleef Aquarium, which was demolished in 1996.

The research facility was named in conjunction with a visit by the Queen of Netherlands.

Queen Beatrix was accompanied by members of the royal family, Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, as well as foreign affairs and foreign trade ministers.

They visited the Aquatic Science Centre, where researchers showcased research work on urban water management and water sensitive urban design.

Ambassador-at-Large Professor Tommy Koh was one of the guests. Prof Koh said it was important for Singaporeans to remember and honour foreign friends who had been good to Singapore.

He said: "I want them to remember that this is a foreign friend of Singapore who loved our country so much that he bequeathed his fortune to us, and also to remember the aquarium which has disappeared.

"Because for two generations of Singaporeans, it was the only aquarium in Singapore, and we all went there. We loved the aquarium and it made an impact on some people."

-CNA/ac



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875 police personnel awarded on Republic Day; CRPF tops list

NEW DELHI: A total of 875 police and para-military personnel have been decorated by the President for gallantry and outstanding services on Republic Day eve with CRPF topping the list.

Constable Daler Singh (posthumous) from Jammu and Kashmir is the lone recipient of the President's Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) this time, a Home Ministry statement said today.

Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) has been awarded to 115 personnel, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service to 88 officials and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 671 personnel.

"37 personnel have been awarded Correctional Service Medals- President's Correctional Service Medals for Distinguished Service to five, Correctional Service Medals for Meritorious Service to 29 and President's Correctional Service Medal for Gallantry to three persons," the statement said.

The CRPF-- country's lead force for conducting anti-Naxal operations, has emerged as the lead organisation with 95 medals under all categories.

The force also got a maximum of 32 gallantry medals, majority of them in anti-Maoist operations domain.

Personnel of Jammu and Kashmir police have been awarded 21 President's medals for gallantry.

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