Hamas chief's Gaza visit poses challenge to Israel

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On the pros of nuclear power

We fund research on nuclear energy today - or tomorrow we might not be able to turn off the lights

"America is addicted to oil," said George W. Bush in 2006. W was particularly concerned by the United States, but the problem is truly global in nature. Course, we do not want the former president, he also says (in the same speech): "The Americans should not fear our economic future, because we intend to shape it" - two years before the economic downturn more mass observed since the 1930s.

But Bush was due in part to oil. No matter where you stand on climate change, the world at any given time and perhaps sooner than we think, will run out of oil. According to Hirsch report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy, peak oil has already occurred or is about to occur. "Peak oil" is nothing else but the world is at the peak of oil extraction from the ground, after which we will go into decline. If you are optimistic, peak oil is not soon. If you like the W and the Hirsch report, are not as optimistic, peak oil has happened or is about us and outside of some 20 years to see the effects.

short consequences of oil is much more than just not being able to drive your car to work or not be able to watch TV. Most of the hydrogen comes from the world oil cracking of useful things like motor octane or hydrogen for hydrogen storage, hydrogen for the maintenance of the global population of fertilizer fed. Hydrogen can also be produced by the decomposition of water, but it also requires energy - which often ultimately from a fossil fuel. If we are not ready when the world runs out of oil, bad things will happen.

What are the alternatives? There are many. Wind - but there must be wind, solar energy - but it should be sunny, hydro - but you need water. While many of these energy technologies are good in the short and medium term solutions often perfect local solution, what is the long term? What happens to the energy problem in general? What about nuclear? Until we develop new technologies, nuclear energy is currently the best alternative to oil.

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Europe in general and Germany in particular have fallen in love with nuclear power. Angela Merkel announced a plan in 2010 to phase out nuclear power by 2021 - which marks a complete change of current energy policy of Germany. The United States, on the other hand, seems to be again seduced by the idea. Barack Obama recently announced that the U.S. Department of Energy, with none other than Bill Gates philanthrocapitalist aim to increase the number of nuclear reactors in the United States by 2022.

nuclear energy often treated unfairly, in part for very good reasons. Waste to begin with. It is difficult to know what to do with nuclear waste. Takes forever to lose their radioactivity - all for the moment the only viable solution is to immobilize and store. This is not ideal for obvious reasons.

• nuclear accidents also get some press instead of fear - Chernobyl, Fukushima and Three Mile Island. Not that it was not a nuclear accident or industrial, they certainly were, but it's good to be a little careful of throwing the baby out with the bath water cooling. Nuclear accidents such as airplane crashes in our cultural mindset. Aircraft are usually one of the safest ways to travel, however, air accidents are hit the news for days at a time. I'm not saying that aviation accidents are tragic, they are, but also to die in a car accident - an event that occurs much more often.

In all these "disasters" some stupid mistakes and oversights were made relatively painful. As expected for nearly 18 hours to flood Fukushima Daiichi seawater to cool the reactor. Potential impacts on the environment seem quite large with Chernobyl, although it is debated whether this is solely the result of radiation. In the Three Mile Island crisis, nobody was hurt = even, which is not bad for an accident. In all cases, the Three Mile Island crisis should make us feel better about the overall safety of the reactor. Great Depression, nobody died. There is an excellent book that compares the environmental and health risks associated with nuclear reactors to other sectors - energy land by William Tucker, who says that most of the deaths are due to our conventional power plants to nuclear energy.

Despite the drawbacks, the benefits of nuclear energy should not be overlooked. No oil. Nuclear fuel produces no CO

. Nuclear power plants are relatively free of accidents. There are a lot of radioactive material around today. Nuclear fuel itself is not renewable, but breeders produce more fuel than they use. The disadvantages are few, such as storage and security problems are in fact
why

governments should fund research on nuclear energy. Research funding for the production of safer reactors and containment would be best to start, but government money has to be found "blue sky" research also nuclear. Baby Blue financing pushes scientists to find a way to split the atom in the first place. It is now time to find a way to get rid of radioactive waste safely. It is now time to put some serious money in nuclear research, because in 10 years may not be able to turn on the lights.
Sylvia McLain

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Blasphemy laws are darkening Pakistan's skies | Salman Hameed

a school for girls in Lahore "has been reduced to ashes and arrested the family of an astronomer, because this tool intolerance

Umair Asim met 15 years ago, after an interview I gave astronomy in Lahore, Pakistan. I was bombarded with questions about telescopes, astrophotography and the physics of stars. In the following years, completed a master's degree in astronomy and Asim has come to create a sophisticated observatory on the roof of his house.

But what really lights Asim is his passion for public education. During the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) in 2009, Asim helped lead and organize many public comments in Lahore, as well as in public schools in small towns and villages of Punjab. Wherever he went, he brought with him his telescope. During the AMA, was a rare sight to see Asim standing before an audience of 500 people, first by explaining the basic principles of astronomy and entertainment long lines of people - between the ages of eight 80 - to show the craters on the moon and the rings of Saturn.

not difficult to explain where his passion for public education comes. His parents settled School Girls' High Farooqi 34 years ago. Today, he is considered one of the major private schools in Lahore. Asim is also Deputy Director and I get emails from him when a student or school students take top positions in provincial tests.

October 31

But the school was burned by a mob who had heard he was accused of blasphemy. Laboratory equipment and computers were looted. Hundreds of books in the library - obviously with little use for the crowd - into the fire. Some have even tried to remove the marble tiles.

blasphemy charges are not related to astronomy. Instead, focus on a school teacher, Iftikhar Arfa. In the race to the start of the Eid, he accidentally missed a page to copy a task for the class. His mistake was merged line of the Prophet of Islam and the lines of a chapter on the beggars. The father of one of her class completed, and the discourse of blasphemy spread quickly.

Whatever it was an honest mistake. In the current climate, it's awfully easy to accuse someone of blasphemy in Pakistan. In fact, in this case, the fault has been extended school administrators, including Asim.

• Teacher accused has absconded and the police arrested the director of 77 years of school. It also happens to be the father of Asim and his call for bail was rejected by the court. Asim and the rest of his family are now in "preventive detention".
• would be easy to blame religion here. But this is not a battle between freethinkers and religious fanatics. Asim and his family are devout Muslims. Students begin the day with the name of God. Professor accused does not know, but it probably also belongs to a middle class family religion. Intentionally committing blasphemy against the prophet would be terrible for all participants.

Burning

school is probably a clash between the rise of the educated middle class and the kind of frustration, poor poor and uneducated. The success of the school and the resources - and also for the girls' school - that envy caused. The mistake by the teacher provided the pretext to use the blasphemy law to express their frustration.

The blasphemy law is devouring from within Pakistani society. It is a universal tool in the service of intolerance. It is often used against religious minorities, but Muslims also pay the price. The repeal of the law, unfortunately, is unlikely. Some critics of the law have been silenced by intimidation and violence, including the murder of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer in 2011.

Maybe the school will recover, and the damage will be covered by donations from interested persons. There were demonstrations against-. Two days after the fire at the school, about 2,000 women - most of the current and former students - gathered near the school, holding banners demanding the release of the capital and the reopening of the school

But what is the future of Asim, his family and the accused teacher? Loaded with emotions on blasphemy, once loaded, it is virtually impossible to always be safe when, even if the court gives its name. As the era of witch hunts in Europe, Pakistan is experiencing its dark phase.
If you're lucky, the accused teacher should be able to find shelter outside Pakistan. Asim father, who now slept on the floor of a prison cell, must deal with the fact that all the efforts that he and his wife have poured the last 34 years has disappeared.

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The Orphan of Zhao - review

Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon

Chinese classical

This production has already sparked controversy because three players on a cast of 17 are from East Asia. But even if there are serious questions about the situation of East Asian actors to deal with, it would be sad if it hid the fact that it is a recovery act theatrical impressive. Gregory Doran, as the new Head of CSR, has uncovered a tragedy that most of us do not know and given the fantastic production.

James Fenton has created a new version of a story that originated in China in the fourth century. He later became a famous revenge tragedy and gradually infiltrated the west. Voltaire wrote his own version in 1753 and the Irish dramatist Arthur Murphy, made another in 1759. Meanwhile in China, the legend continues to inspire operas, plays and movies as recent Sacrifice. Often described as the hamlet Chinese remember the parables of light Brecht, who probably borrowed some aspects of the creation of the Caucasian Chalk Circle.

So what is it? Revenge, loss, sacrifice. And even if his story may sound complex, in the version of Fenton magically becomes clear. A decadent emperor wantonly killing his own people with the help of a corrupt court. But one of his ministers, Zhao Dun, protested vehemently and pays with her life. Zhao wife, daughter of the Empress, shortly after giving birth to a son who is smuggled to safety by a country doctor. And when Herod as an edict calling into the slaughter of all newborn infants, it prevents the doctor says he knows where missing son of Zhao is hidden. The following is an orphaned baby to the exchange of survival.

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Theatre of the absurd: when accidents take over

We used to complain about interruptions unscripted - but sometimes the outside world can affect a game in the sense

In summer, just at the end of the devastating DruidMurphy A whistle notes in dark and light synthetic began to bleat to the front of the auditorium, dissipate anger on stage, encouraging seats. Another game killed by mobile phone.

Similarly, the performances were marked by broken heating systems, failing, CA customers chatty, texting spectators, and a well-dressed woman who looked as if she could not resist kicking my seat difficult - to say nothing of mishaps on stage. Each performance is, of course, a live event in real time, most often seen in a crowd rather than in the comfort of your couch alone. Therefore, the chance is constantly threatening the integrity of the event.

But what about the happy accident, disaster friendly scene or the sky or the seat is simply a game instead of Mars? I remembered that piece to attend the Panoply Performance Laboratory, an ambitious company continues to work to distill a group of sophisticated ideas by word and action. In a prequel rainy streets, joining the local bizarre animated opera. Horns honked, children gawped, and part of the public participation in a youth shouted: "What are you doing Simon Says?"

• But an hour later, he began to tire a little, looking like he was about to end and then passing. When there is a long pause, everyone seemed to cheer terrible fear, anticipate closing. While we were waiting, a baby (which was very good throughout) was released to his mother and got into the game space Then he sat down, stammered and began to beat her wrists together chubby. A minute later, an adult took the tail and soon everyone was laughing and applauding - a silly finish, soft and triumphant

Also, I saw a Broadway revival Dozy temporarily powered single helpless laughter and a much better actor when chivalrous man to my left and noticed my fatigue I had a handful of chocolate covered raisins. And I do not know how I would have done by Punchdrunk felt like a chivalrous kiss if others did not let me grab his arm around a little scary. (Mari, if you read just cling to strange men within the theater ... promise.)

both timely intervention is not human. I live in hope that the couple once lived experience raccoons outside Shakespeare Theatre Delacorte representation. In the same space, Romeo and Juliet were saved once by a cruel fate timely storm that canceled the last act. And a frequent companion to the theater happily recalls the sounds of thunder outside external dynamic scene in Lear broom and horse defecate remarkably apt in Die Walküre.

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Planet with four suns discovered by 'armchair astronomers'

Planet

considered six times the size of Earth called planet hunters after PH1 website used by two American volunteers

A planet with four suns was identified by two astronomers "chair".

The bright new world, nearly 5,000 light-years, is believed to be six times larger than the Earth. It revolves around a pair of stars and is in turn surrounded by a few seconds, which means four stars illuminate the night sky.

A handful of known planets orbiting binary star pairs, but the new finding is said to be unique.

"It is fascinating to try to imagine what it would be like to visit a planet with four suns in the sky, but this new world is to confuse astronomers - is not entirely clear how it formed in such a half occupied environment, "said Dr Chris Lintott of Oxford University.

• The planet was discovered by two American volunteers who use the site Planet hunters led by scientists, including Lintott. It allows visitors to identify the decline in production in stars, because the light is blocked by "transit" of the stars they orbit.

Jek Kian
, San Francisco, and Robert Gagliano, Cottonwood, Arizona, discovered the effect that the new planet passes in front of their suns.

A team of professional astronomers have confirmed your search using the Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The planet was named after the site of PH1 Planet hunters.

Arfon Dr. Smith, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and a member of the planet hunters team, said: "This is an amazing discovery, but what is even more exciting is that, with more data than currently add to planethunters. org for anyone to explore, do not know what our next chair Astronomers discover. "

Details of the discovery were presented Monday at the Division of Planetary Sciences in Reno, Nevada.

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Israeli jets fly mock raids over south Lebanon

Israeli warplanes swooped down low over