Nasa science boss in cash 'fight'

20 March 2012 Last updated at 22:53 GMT By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website, The Woodlands, Texas  John Grunsfeld took over the science chief post in January Nasa's science chief has told planetary scientists he is "in there fighting for you" after the swingeing cuts proposed to the robotic exploration budget.

Former astronaut John Grunsfeld was speaking at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.

He faced more than 1,000 researchers at a special session to explain the 21% cut to planetary science in President Obama's latest budget request for Nasa.

The decision forced the agency to pull out of joint Mars missions with Europe.

Mr Grunsfeld took over as science chief on 4 January this year, after the key budgetary decisions had already been made. He has previously admitted he was disappointed when he learned of the proposals for planetary science.

"The Nasa budget was really the result of some tough choices and national priorities," he told his audience.

"The fact that the Nasa's planetary budget took such a great hit was one of those tough priority settings," and added: "It was a strategic decision."

Where the James Webb telescope has benefited, planetary science has lost out

The planetary exploration budget funds robotic missions to other bodies in the Solar System, such as Mars, the Moon and the outer planets.

The proposal for the Financial Year 2013 reduced the planetary science budget from $1.5bn to $1.2bn. The cuts would, in the words of one scientist, plunge the field into its biggest crisis since the 1980s and is considered likely to lead to the loss of up to 2,000 hi-tech jobs.

Although planetary science was a loser in general, Mars exploration was singled out for particular cuts, receiving $360.8m, which amounts to a reduction of almost 40% from the FY2012 estimate.

This kind of funding drop precludes Nasa from starting new missions in this part of its portfolio.

After the speech, Mr Grunsfeld fielded a question from Jim Bell, a planetary scientist and current president of the Planetary Society, a space advocacy organisation in California.

Prof Bell, who was one of the lead investigators on the Mars rovers mission, implored Mr Grunsfeld and Nasa's director of planetary science Jim Green to "fight back" against the plans, even if "you lose your jobs" because, he said, "it's the right thing to do".

In response, Mr Grunsfeld recalled a time in 2004 when he had considered resigning from Nasa's astronaut corps over a decision not to save the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).

He said: "History repeats itself… I decided on 4 January not to flee - I'm in there fighting for you."

'Weak' community?

Dr Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, pressed Mr Grunsfeld on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The mission comes under a different budget at Nasa and represents the agency's successor to the HST. But it has already been delayed by several years and costs have ballooned by about $1.5bn.

Dr Sykes asked: "JWST went from $519m to $628m… it was about $100m that was contributed by the planetary science division to JWST. Is there a rationale for that level of contribution?"

The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) could be the last surface mission for a while

Mr Grunsfeld replied that it was not a valuable exercise to try to "trace the dollars" and that if different divisions of science at Nasa were to fight, "we all lose".

After the session Dr Sykes told me: "Budgets are a conservative process and if you have a flat pot of money and something goes up and something comes down… it's a conservative process."

He added: "There is a little question about what's the motivation, or the policy underpinning that - who knows?"

But at a community forum at the LPSC on Tuesday, scientist and author Andy Chaikin said the cuts had occurred because "the planetary community is seen in some circles as being weak".

He added that the plans would be "starving the pipeline that sustains education and research in planetary science".

Spreading the pain

Mr Grunsfeld said that it would have been a mistake to spread cuts equally across Nasa's science portfolio: "The one way you can make sure that Nasa's dollars are less efficient is to take operating missions and those in development and say, 'you were going to launch in 2016, but now you can't go until '17 or '18.

"For the agency that means it's going to cost $200-$300m more. Planetary science happened to be in a place where we had just launched [Mars Science Laboratory], we had just launched [the Juno mission to Jupiter] and they could take the hit and not create a situation where there was a mission well through development that was going to get cut and it would have cost hundreds of millions more."

However, one researcher told me: "That's like saying things are coming to an end."

Many scientists are angry that the proposals ride roughshod over the results of the Planetary Decadal Survey, which laid out a vision for future exploration based on the priorities of the planetary science community.

This identified the goal of returning samples from Mars as a science priority. Joining Europe on its ExoMars programme, which aims to send landers to Mars in 2016 and 2018, would have led down that road.

However, some at Nasa had been reluctant to commit to so many costly "flagship" missions with a foreign agency, and have now got their wish.

The FY2013 budget proposal shifts funds to human spaceflight and space technology, in line with the agency's major commitments going forward to fund the development of a huge new rocket and capsule system to take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and asteroids.

But at the community forum session here at the LPSC, Dr Laurie Leshin from Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center, said that it made no sense for Nasa to cut the scientists who were vital for supporting such missions, including allowing them to land safely at their destinations.

At the event, Prof Steve Squyres, who chaired the Planetary Decadal Survey, said the community had to put on a united front in order to fight the plans, not as scientists who studied Mars or outer planets, "but as space scientists".

Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter

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Nasa science boss in cash 'fight'

20 March 2012 Last updated at 22:53 GMT By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website, The Woodlands, Texas  John Grunsfeld took over the science chief post in January Nasa's science chief has told planetary scientists he is "in there fighting for you" after the swingeing cuts proposed to the robotic exploration budget.

Former astronaut John Grunsfeld was speaking at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.

He faced more than 1,000 researchers at a special session to explain the 21% cut to planetary science in President Obama's latest budget request for Nasa.

The decision forced the agency to pull out of joint Mars missions with Europe.

Mr Grunsfeld took over as science chief on 4 January this year, after the key budgetary decisions had already been made. He has previously admitted he was disappointed when he learned of the proposals for planetary science.

"The Nasa budget was really the result of some tough choices and national priorities," he told his audience.

"The fact that the Nasa's planetary budget took such a great hit was one of those tough priority settings," and added: "It was a strategic decision."

Where the James Webb telescope has benefited, planetary science has lost out

The planetary exploration budget funds robotic missions to other bodies in the Solar System, such as Mars, the Moon and the outer planets.

The proposal for the Financial Year 2013 reduced the planetary science budget from $1.5bn to $1.2bn. The cuts would, in the words of one scientist, plunge the field into its biggest crisis since the 1980s and is considered likely to lead to the loss of up to 2,000 hi-tech jobs.

Although planetary science was a loser in general, Mars exploration was singled out for particular cuts, receiving $360.8m, which amounts to a reduction of almost 40% from the FY2012 estimate.

This kind of funding drop precludes Nasa from starting new missions in this part of its portfolio.

After the speech, Mr Grunsfeld fielded a question from Jim Bell, a planetary scientist and current president of the Planetary Society, a space advocacy organisation in California.

Prof Bell, who was one of the lead investigators on the Mars rovers mission, implored Mr Grunsfeld and Nasa's director of planetary science Jim Green to "fight back" against the plans, even if "you lose your jobs" because, he said, "it's the right thing to do".

In response, Mr Grunsfeld recalled a time in 2004 when he had considered resigning from Nasa's astronaut corps over a decision not to save the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).

He said: "History repeats itself… I decided on 4 January not to flee - I'm in there fighting for you."

'Weak' community?

Dr Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, pressed Mr Grunsfeld on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The mission comes under a different budget at Nasa and represents the agency's successor to the HST. But it has already been delayed by several years and costs have ballooned by about $1.5bn.

Dr Sykes asked: "JWST went from $519m to $628m… it was about $100m that was contributed by the planetary science division to JWST. Is there a rationale for that level of contribution?"

The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) could be the last surface mission for a while

Mr Grunsfeld replied that it was not a valuable exercise to try to "trace the dollars" and that if different divisions of science at Nasa were to fight, "we all lose".

After the session Dr Sykes told me: "Budgets are a conservative process and if you have a flat pot of money and something goes up and something comes down… it's a conservative process."

He added: "There is a little question about what's the motivation, or the policy underpinning that - who knows?"

But at a community forum at the LPSC on Tuesday, scientist and author Andy Chaikin said the cuts had occurred because "the planetary community is seen in some circles as being weak".

He added that the plans would be "starving the pipeline that sustains education and research in planetary science".

Spreading the pain

Mr Grunsfeld said that it would have been a mistake to spread cuts equally across Nasa's science portfolio: "The one way you can make sure that Nasa's dollars are less efficient is to take operating missions and those in development and say, 'you were going to launch in 2016, but now you can't go until '17 or '18.

"For the agency that means it's going to cost $200-$300m more. Planetary science happened to be in a place where we had just launched [Mars Science Laboratory], we had just launched [the Juno mission to Jupiter] and they could take the hit and not create a situation where there was a mission well through development that was going to get cut and it would have cost hundreds of millions more."

However, one researcher told me: "That's like saying things are coming to an end."

Many scientists are angry that the proposals ride roughshod over the results of the Planetary Decadal Survey, which laid out a vision for future exploration based on the priorities of the planetary science community.

This identified the goal of returning samples from Mars as a science priority. Joining Europe on its ExoMars programme, which aims to send landers to Mars in 2016 and 2018, would have led down that road.

However, some at Nasa had been reluctant to commit to so many costly "flagship" missions with a foreign agency, and have now got their wish.

The FY2013 budget proposal shifts funds to human spaceflight and space technology, in line with the agency's major commitments going forward to fund the development of a huge new rocket and capsule system to take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and asteroids.

But at the community forum session here at the LPSC, Dr Laurie Leshin from Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center, said that it made no sense for Nasa to cut the scientists who were vital for supporting such missions, including allowing them to land safely at their destinations.

At the event, Prof Steve Squyres, who chaired the Planetary Decadal Survey, said the community had to put on a united front in order to fight the plans, not as scientists who studied Mars or outer planets, "but as space scientists".

Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter

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The fight for India's water supply

12 September 2011 Last updated at 23:02 GMT By Shilpa Kannan BBC News, Delhi The last drop: If ground water levels in rural Rajasthan do not improve, these women could be waiting a long time

Surrounded by the rocky Aravalli hills, Rajasthan is one of India's driest states. Despite good rains this year, water has always been an issue here.

But the problem now is that beneath the lush, green, irrigated fields of north-western India, the groundwater is fast disappearing.

In Neemrana, about 150km (95 miles) from Delhi, this has been made worse by human intervention.

Situated on the national highway, this area is part of the industrial development under the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor.

The highway is dotted with industries including many water intensive breweries and bottlers.

The state government water board has labelled the district as 'most critical' in terms of ground water, which means the average rate of depletion is more than 0.4m per year.

Irrigating the future

Farmers were first to be affected.

Amar Singh: "Without water, my children and grandchildren have no future on this farm"

Amar Singh's family has been in the business of farming for generations.

His piece of land in Neemrana in Rajasthan is the only source of livelihood for his family.

But as the ground water level decreases, it's becoming harder and harder to get a good yield.

Mr Singh, 65, is worried.

"Water is everything for us. But this is dry land… water is scarce here," he says.

"The water is disappearing so fast that there'll no farmers left. Without water, my children and grandchildren have no future on this farm."

Groundwater is India's lifeline. More than 80% of rural water supply and farm irrigation comes from water sources below the land.

Farmers have been forced to switch to drought-resistant crops like millet

This is water that accumulates in natural cavities and layers of rocks and clay under the ground. This is usually from excess rain water and other surface water that seeps through.

This accumulated water can be just below the surface or deep underground and requires strong motors to pump it up to the surface.

When it rains heavily, these aquifers deep below the ground get fed. The entire area depends on it - leaving farmers reliant on technology to water their crops.

Using sprinkler systems and drip irrigation techniques, the farmers have reduced their consumption of water.

Many here have also switched to more water-efficient crops such as millet and vegetables like garlic, onion, green chillies and okra.

As the sprinklers system comes to life, cool water is sprayed all around Singh's fields. He and his wife check the 1.8m-tall (6ft) millet to see if it is ready for harvest.

Business assistant

Farmers here are getting a helping hand from a local industry that is equally dependent on the resource.

Drip irrigation - using tubes like these - is one way of cutting water consumption

With a brewery in the area, SABMiller India has funded the construction of five water recharge dams. These prevent the excessive run-off of water and help natural water recharge.

Since their construction, the company estimates the local ground water levels have gone up by 17m (56ft).

The company conducted extensive studies in the area to map the water availability. They found that losses through evaporation and run-off are very high in the rocky terrain. Their report showed the shallow aquifer and many community wells were completely dry.

"We have had to spend close to a year in identifying what the shape and form of that structure ought to be," says Meenakshi Sharma, sustainability vice-president for SABMiller.

Meenakshi Sharma at one of the water recharge dams funded by SABMiller

"That has involved the use of satellite data, GPS technology, remote sensing technology and also interactions with the surrounding communities who in their wisdom have noticed the particular points where water doesn't run off but gets percolated down."

But breweries themselves are a water-intensive industry and critics say the company is part of the problem.

"Water is one of the key ingredients of brewing and that's our interest in it," says Ms Sharma.

"Looming scarcity of water in many parts of the world where we are present may actually be a potential business risk for us. In this region... it could be a risk to the livelihoods of small and marginal farmer holders as well."

Water shortage

Two-thirds of Rajasthan is desert and it faces recurring droughts.

Raging thirst: Water is becoming and increasingly scarce commodity in Rajasthan

The government says nearly half the state's ground water zones fall into the "dark" category, where more than 85% of the ground water is developed for use. Many are over-exploited, being 100% developed.

The Neemrana area is categorised as 'most critical' - levels are dropping on average 0.4m per year.

In 2009, a Nasa study said parts of India are on track for severe water shortages.

Nasa's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission discovered that in the country's north-west, the water table is falling by about 4cm (1.6in) per year.

The scientists said that while they don't know the absolute volume of water in the northern Indian aquifers, they found evidence that the "current rates of water extraction are not sustainable".

Before any group can invest in sustainability programs, they need detailed data about the water balance in the area.

The ancient rulers of Rajasthan used to build step wells like this to store water

So a team of agro-engineers has been employed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Other than science, they are also relying on ancient knowledge that the region is famous for.

A team led by 33-year-old Vishnu Bhagwat Kelkar studies local step wells in the area.

Historically to combat the scarcity of water, rulers of Rajasthan used to build elaborate step wells or bawaris.

These are structures that store water. But their unique feature is the steps that descend gradually, making access to water easy - even when levels are low.

Mr Kelkar says they study water-bearing formations, look at seasonal changes, monitor different wells in the area and test the water quality.

Vishnu Bhagwat Kelkar is finding out if the ancient step wells have things to teach us

"Once we do that we can map the flow of the water and identify the aquifers. This data helps us determine what is the quantity of water available to the population... and how best to use it."

But these efforts are only a drop in the bucket. With 50% of the villages having no source of protected drinking water, India is a severely water-stressed economy.

And as the scarcity increases, competing demands for water only grow.

The limits to the right to use groundwater were tested recently in the Coca-Cola case in Kerala.

In February 2011, the southern Indian state of Kerala passed a law that will allow people to seek compensation from soft-drink giant Coca-Cola.

Their plant at Plachimada was shut down more than six years ago following a protracted legal battle and a sustained campaign by civil rights groups.

A child waits to fill his water jar from a communal tap

Environmental campaigners had accused the company's bottling operation in Palakkad district of causing a severe water shortage in the area.

Coca-Cola's Indian subsidiary - Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) - strongly denied any wrongdoing.

At the time, the company in a statement said it was "disappointed" with the new legislation.

"This bill is devoid of facts, scientific data or any input from or consideration given to HCCB," it said.

While scarcity of water is a big reputational risk to companies, it is also a big financial risk to the entire community.

Environmentalists say efficient water management must be supported by stringent laws.

Dr N Janardhana Raju is an environmentalist at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.

Continue reading the main story

If over extraction carries on, there is a risk of land subsidence”

End Quote Dr N Janardhana Raju Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi He says in the corporate and agriculture sectors, there is a need "to prevent over-exploitation and to stop further drilling of bore wells".

"We also have to encourage local communities to harvest rain water. Then only we can maintain ground water levels. If over extraction carries on, there is a risk of land subsidence also.

"Ground water regulation is so weak. That's why we need to revise the regulations and go for much stricter laws."

India is the world's largest groundwater user in terms of volume pumped and number of users.

The government planning commission estimates demand will double by 2050.

Agriculture is still the single biggest consumer of water, with 83% of all water available being used for irrigation. And as this grows so does the 'water footprint' of the entire sector.

Women digging ditches for water storage

This footprint also applies to companies that depend on produce from the fields to make their products.

For example, the Water Footprint Network estimates that the global average water footprint of one 250ml glass of beer (from barley) is about 75 litres.

The group defines the water footprint of a product as the volume of freshwater used to make it through the various steps of the production chain.

People have not given up hope.

Digging trenches along the road, a group of women hope to collect precious drops of rainwater. Fill our pots with water, they pray to the gods.

Water-intensive industries have to work with local communities for effective water management.

But it is only going to get scarcer as the population grows and industrialisation intensifies.

If more is not done to save this precious commodity, both people and industry will be left thirsty.

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Man City fight back to earn draw

By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium Manchester City were held by Napoli on their Champions League debut Manchester City needed Aleksandar Kolarov's free-kick to rescue a point against Napoli as they suffered a frustrating night on their Champions League debut.

Roberto Mancini's men might have swept all before them in the Premier League this season but they found things a lot harder against the Italian side on their return to elite European football after a 43-year absence.

And it could have ended up being a memorable evening for City for the wrong reasons when Edinson Cavani finished off a swift counter-attack to give Napoli the lead after 69 minutes.

Kolarov spared his side's blushes with a wicked, curling strike into the corner of the net six minutes later but, with Bayern Munich and Villarreal to come, Group A is not going to get any easier.

With Mancini demanding a "fast start" from his men in his programme notes, expectations had been high before kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, bedecked in Champions League branding for the first time.

He almost got it when Samir Nasri fired a yard wide with a snapshot from the edge of the area while Edin Dzeko went closer still with an angled drive that beat Morgan De Sanctis but zipped past the post.

Napoli seemed happy to defend deep and looked to attack on the break and that tactic almost saw them break the deadlock after 18 minutes.

Vincent Kompany's mis-timed lunge left striker Ezequiel Lavezzi free to run into the area and curl a delicious shot against the bar with City keeper Joe Hart beaten.

City's best effort of the first half also came on the counter-attack, with Yaya Toure starting, and almost finishing a breathtaking move.

Toure intercepted on the edge of his own box and sprinted up field, feeding Sergio Aguero before meeting his return pass with a thumping shot against the bar.

Despite being on the wrong end of a couple of crunching tackles, Aguero continued to look lively but Napoli's back-line held firm and De Sanctis did well to push away a bouncing Kolarov free-kick when he was called into action.

Things continued in the same pattern after the interval, with City seeing more of the possession but Napoli threatening thanks to some intelligent counter attacking.

The Italian side went close again when Marek Hamsik arrived from midfield to meet a left-wing cross with a precise volley, but Kompany was on hand to hack off the line.

Continue reading the main story

Aleksandar Kolarov's free-kick was the first Manchester City goal in the European Cup since Tony Coleman netted the opening goal in a 2-1 defeat at Fenerbahçe in the first round of the 1968/1969 competition

That was City's second warning and they would quickly face a third when Pablo Zabaleta had to deflect a goal bound Hamsik shot over the bar.

By now, Napoli were in the ascendancy and got their reward when they took the lead with a superb breakaway goal

When Nasri gave the ball away cheaply, defender Christian Maggio surged forward and slipped Cavani clear to slot the ball under Hart.

Going behind brought more urgency to City's attacking play but initially they remained out of luck inside the area, with Aguero flicking Nasri's cross on to the bar.

That quickly changed, however, when Kolarov curled a precise free-kick over the wall and into the corner of the net.

There was still time for one final scare when Kompany's short backpass almost let Goran Pandev in, but Hart was off his line quickly to avert the danger and ensure City's bid to become the first side to win the Champions League on their debut did not begin with a damaging defeat.

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Champions League

Final Result Full Time 90:00+3:03 The final whistle goes and the game is over. 90:00+1:59 Drilled right-footed shot by Carlos Tevez. Salvatore Aronica gets a block in. Adam Johnson takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Camilo Zuniga makes a clearance. 88:45 Joe Hart takes the free kick. 88:45 Substitution Mario Alberto Santana replaces Marek Hamsik. 88:45 The assistant referee signals for offside against Blerim Dzemaili. 85:40 Carlos Tevez gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Salvatore Aronica. Gokhan Inler restarts play with the free kick. 84:40 Sergio Aguero produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right. 83:49 Blerim Dzemaili has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide right of the target. 82:49 Substitution Edinson Cavani leaves the field to be replaced by Goran Pandev. 82:49 Gnegneri Toure Yaya has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide left of the target. 82:00 Gareth Barry concedes a free kick for a foul on Edinson Cavani. Walter Gargano restarts play with the free kick. 80:30 Substitution Carlos Tevez replaces Edin Dzeko. 79:59 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Marek Hamsik. 78:35 Short corner worked by Adam Johnson, Adam Johnson takes a shot. Save by Morgan De Sanctis. 77:26 Edin Dzeko produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post. 74:49 Substitution Aleksandar Kolarov leaves the field to be replaced by Gael Clichy. 74:49 Substitution Adam Johnson comes on in place of Samir Nasri. 74:02 GOAL - Aleksandar Kolarov:Man City 1 - 1 Napoli Aleksandar Kolarov finds the net with a goal direct from the free kick from just outside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Man City 1-1 Napoli. 73:14 Pablo Zabaleta fouled by Gokhan Inler, the ref awards a free kick. 72:50 Sergio Aguero takes the chance to get an effort at goal. 71:28 Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Marek Hamsik goes wide of the right-hand upright. 70:46 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gnegneri Toure Yaya on Walter Gargano. Free kick taken by Morgan De Sanctis. 68:06 The assist for the goal came from Cristian Maggio. 68:06 GOAL - Edinson Cavani:Man City 0 - 1 Napoli Edinson Cavani fires in a goal from deep inside the penalty box low into the middle of the goal. Man City 0-1 Napoli. 65:56 Marek Hamsik takes a shot. Pablo Zabaleta gets a block in. Short corner taken by Marek Hamsik. Corner taken right-footed by Marek Hamsik from the right by-line, clearance made by Joleon Lescott. 63:31 Effort from outside the penalty box by Blerim Dzemaili goes wide right of the goal. 63:10 Gnegneri Toure Yaya challenges Camilo Zuniga unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Marek Hamsik. 61:52 Marek Hamsik decides to take a short corner. 60:59 Sergio Aguero is caught offside. Salvatore Aronica takes the free kick. 58:46 Foul by Sergio Aguero on Salvatore Aronica, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Salvatore Aronica. 58:18 Joleon Lescott restarts play with the free kick. 58:18 Booking Gokhan Inler receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour. 58:07 Gokhan Inler challenges Gnegneri Toure Yaya unfairly and gives away a free kick. 56:40 Substitution Blerim Dzemaili replaces Ezequiel Lavezzi. 56:40 Samir Nasri produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target. 55:46 Effort from 20 yards by Edin Dzeko. Save by Morgan De Sanctis. 55:19 Walter Gargano has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal. Correction - 52:22 Sergio Aguero has an effort at goal from 12 yards. Blocked by Paolo Cannavaro. Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Marek Hamsik from the left by-line, Joleon Lescott produces a header from inside the area that goes over the bar. 52:22 Shot by Sergio Aguero. Blocked by Paolo Cannavaro. Outswinging corner taken by Aleksandar Kolarov, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Joleon Lescott goes harmlessly over the crossbar. 51:16 Walter Gargano gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Pablo Zabaleta. Free kick taken by Gnegneri Toure Yaya. 49:24 Hugo Armando Campagnaro concedes a free kick for a foul on Edin Dzeko. Samir Nasri takes the free kick. 48:59 Volleyed right-footed shot by Marek Hamsik. Vincent Kompany manages to make a clearance. 48:29 Gareth Barry gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gokhan Inler. Direct free kick taken by Walter Gargano. 48:01 Gareth Barry takes a shot. Paolo Cannavaro gets a block in. 47:39 Foul by Gokhan Inler on Gnegneri Toure Yaya, free kick awarded. Gnegneri Toure Yaya takes the free kick. 45:23 Samir Nasri challenges Marek Hamsik unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Walter Gargano. 45:01 The referee gets the second half underway. Half Time 45:00+1:03 It is the end of the first-half. 42:33 Free kick taken by Samir Nasri. 42:33 Booking Salvatore Aronica receives a yellow card. 42:28 Salvatore Aronica concedes a free kick for a foul on Sergio Aguero. 41:38 Ezequiel Lavezzi takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Joleon Lescott. 40:00 Unfair challenge on David Silva by Salvatore Aronica results in a free kick. Gnegneri Toure Yaya has an effort direct from the free kick, Hugo Armando Campagnaro gets a block in. Samir Nasri takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Edinson Cavani makes a clearance. 38:23 Ezequiel Lavezzi challenges Pablo Zabaleta unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed by Aleksandar Kolarov, Morgan De Sanctis makes a save. Corner taken right-footed by Samir Nasri from the left by-line, Headed effort from inside the area by Joleon Lescott misses to the left of the goal. 37:15 Camilo Zuniga has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal. 36:57 David Silva has an effort at goal from 20 yards. Salvatore Aronica gets a block in. 33:59 Shot by Gnegneri Toure Yaya from inside the penalty area bounces off the post. 33:18 Ezequiel Lavezzi takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by Aleksandar Kolarov. Short corner worked by Ezequiel Lavezzi. 32:18 David Silva concedes a free kick for a foul on Camilo Zuniga. Morgan De Sanctis takes the free kick. 30:38 Free kick taken by Samir Nasri. 30:38 Booking Paolo Cannavaro goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour. 30:32 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paolo Cannavaro on Sergio Aguero. 28:52 Shot by David Silva. Salvatore Aronica gets a block in. 26:39 David Silva produces a curled left-footed shot from 18 yards. Blocked by Paolo Cannavaro. 22:58 Direct free kick taken by Morgan De Sanctis. 22:58 Booking Pablo Zabaleta is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour. 22:52 Foul by Pablo Zabaleta on Hugo Armando Campagnaro, free kick awarded. 22:04 Outswinging corner taken by Samir Nasri from the right by-line. 21:48 Aleksandar Kolarov delivers the ball. 21:01 Gokhan Inler has an effort at goal. Blocked by David Silva. 19:22 Ezequiel Lavezzi has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal. 18:15 Walter Gargano gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Edin Dzeko. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Samir Nasri, comfortable save by Morgan De Sanctis. 17:27 Ezequiel Lavezzi takes a short corner. 16:59 Ezequiel Lavezzi produces a curled right-footed shot from 18 yards. 14:06 Samir Nasri crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Morgan De Sanctis. 14:06 Booking The referee cautions Cristian Maggio for unsporting behaviour. 13:46 Free kick awarded for a foul by Cristian Maggio on David Silva. 12:36 Effort from the edge of the area by Edin Dzeko goes wide of the left-hand post. 11:23 Ezequiel Lavezzi fouled by Vincent Kompany, the ref awards a free kick. Gokhan Inler takes the direct free kick. 9:00 Edin Dzeko fouled by Gokhan Inler, the ref awards a free kick. David Silva produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick. Corner taken right-footed by Samir Nasri to the near post, Edin Dzeko takes a shot. Sergio Aguero takes a shot. Morgan De Sanctis makes a save. Short corner taken by Samir Nasri. 8:09 Edin Dzeko produces a right-footed shot from long range which goes wide right of the target. 6:22 Shot from long distance by Edinson Cavani misses to the right of the goal. 6:10 The ball is swung over by Pablo Zabaleta. 3:44 Samir Nasri takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post. 2:24 Samir Nasri has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal. 0:39 Gareth Barry concedes a free kick for a foul on Hugo Armando Campagnaro. Hugo Armando Campagnaro restarts play with the free kick. 0:00 The match gets underway. Live text and data provided by The Press Association.

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PhotoBlog: Tomatino food fight near Valencia, Spain

Heino Kalis / Reuters

Revellers throw tomatoes during the annual "Tomatina" (tomato fight) in the Mediterranean village of Bunol, near Valencia, August 31. The origin of the tomato fight is disputed - everyone in Bunol seems to have a favorite story - but most agree it started around 1940, in the early years of General Francisco Franco's dictatorship.

Heino Kalis / Reuters

A reveller is covered with tomato pulp after the annual "Tomatina" (tomato fight) in the Mediterranean village of Bunol, near Valencia August 31.

Heino Kalis / Reuters

A reveller on a truck throws tomatoes into the crowd during the annual Tomatino festival.

Alberto Saiz / AP

A reveler is pelted with tomatos during the tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Alberto Saiz / AP

A reveler throws tomato pulp during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 311. Bunol's town hall estimated more than 40,000 people, some from as far away as Japan and Australia, took up arms Wednesday and pelted each other with 120 tons of ripe tomatoes in the yearly food fight known as the 'Tomatina' now in its 66th year.

Manuel Bruque / EPA

A young man rests over a tomato covered ground during the Tomatina feast or 'tomato fight' in Bunol, Valencia, Spain, 31 August. 120 tons of tomatoes were thrown in the event.

 This looks like a lot of fun. Is it lunch-time yet?

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Gadhafi son vows fight to the death

TRIPOLI — A man claiming to be Moammar Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam vowed Wedneday to fight to the death and said nobody will surrender. He also said he was speaking from the suburbs outside Tripoli and insisted his father is fine.

"We must wage a campaign of attrition day and night until these lands are cleansed from these gangs and traitors," he said in a statement broadcast on the Syrian-owned Arrai satellite TV channel. "We assure people that we are standing fast and the commander is in good condition."

The broadcast came shortly after another statement by his brother, al-Saadi. Al-Saadi offered a softer tone, saying he's ready to mediate talks with the rebels in order to stop the bloodshed.

Al-Saadi said he had contacted a commander of the Libyan National Transitional Council in Tripoli with authorization from his father as part of efforts to stop the bloodshed in Libya, Al-Arabiya TV reported.

In NJ town, entire lives piled high on sidewalks Boehner rebuffs Obama; suggests new day Hospital garb harbors nasty bacteria, study says Town honors the fallen one last time Investors shouldn't put the Dramamine down Volunteers give back to Mount Rainier park Toyota, Honda facing tough new challenges Story: Abandoned Gadhafi homes reveal luxurious lifestyle

"We were talking about negotiations based on ending bloodshed,'' al-Saadi Gadhafi said referring to his telephone call with Abdel Hakim Belhadj, the chief of anti-Gadhafi forces in Tripoli, adding he was officially empowered to negotiate with the NTC.

"We acknowledge that they (the NTC) represent a legal party, but we are also the government and a legal negotiating party,'' he said.

The rebels, meanwhile, were pooling tips about Gadhafi's whereabouts from captured regime fighters and others, and believe he is most likely no longer in Tripoli, said Abdel Hakim Belhaj, the rebels' military chief in the capital.

Rebel forces have been advancing toward three regime strongholds: the town of Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown, as well as the towns of Bani Walid and Sabha, the latter hundreds of miles south of the capital of Tripoli.

Rebel forces arrested Gadhafi's foreign minister, Abdelati Obeidi, at his farm in Janzour, a suburb west of Tripoli, a Reuters correspondent reported.

Earlier Wednesday, Libyans delighted at Gadhafi's downfall celebrated the end of Ramadan feast, even though the ousted leader remains on the run and forces loyal to him are defying an ultimatum set by Libya's interim council.

Streaming before dawn, worshippers packed Tripoli's Martyrs' Square — the renamed Gadhafi-era Green Square — chanting "Allahu Akbar (God is greatest), Libya is free."

Fighters on rooftops guarded against any attack by Gadhafi loyalists and sniffer dogs checked cars. Even the interim interior minister, Ahmed Darat, was searched.

In festive mood, parents took photos of their children wearing new clothes for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that follows the Muslim Ramadan fasting month. Some waved flags of the Libyan monarchy that Gadhafi overthrew in a military coup 42 years ago.

"This is the most beautiful Eid and most beautiful day in 42 years," said Hatem Gureish, 31, a merchant from Tripoli. "Gadhafi made us hate our lives ... We come here to express our joy at the end of 42 years of repression and deprivation."

Secret files
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera English reported that files uncovered in Gadhafi’s intelligence headquarters suggest that a former official under President George W. Bush may have been trying to help Gadhafi weather the revolution.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal wrote that he visited the compound that houses Libya’s now-vacated intelligence headquarters and smuggled out some documents he came across.

Among them were what appeared to be minutes of an Aug. 2 meeting between David Welch, the former assistant secretary of state Bush, and two senior Libyan officials, Abubakr Alzleitny and Mohammed Ahmed Ismail, at a hotel in Cairo, according to Al-Jazeera.

Welch now works for Bechtel, a multinational American company with billion-dollar construction deals across the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported.

The document indicates that during the meeting, Welch advised Gadhafi's team on how to undermine Libya’s rebel movement and win the propaganda war, according to Al Jazeera.

"Any information related to al-Qaida or other terrorist extremist organizations should be found and given to the American administration but only via the intelligence agencies of either Israel, Egypt, Morocco, or Jordan… America will listen to them… It's better to receive this information as if it originated from those countries..." the document says, according to Al Jazeera.

The document also indicates that Welch advised Gadhafi's government to take advantage of the unrest in Syria: "The importance of taking advantage of the Syrian situation particularly regarding the double-standard policy adopted by Washington… the Syrians were never your friends and you would lose nothing from exploiting the situation there in order to embarrass the West."

According to the document, Welch promised to “convey everything to the American administration, the congress and other influential figures."

Al Jazeera said representatives of Welch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'It's as if I own the world'
Back on the streets of Tripoli, Fatima Mustafa, 28, a pregnant woman wearing a black chador, said: "This is a day of freedom, a day I cannot describe to you. It's as if I own the world. I'm glad I haven't given birth yet so my daughter can be born into a free Libya."

But the war is not over yet, with Gadhafi on the run and his loyalists defying an ultimatum set by Libya's National Transitional Council to surrender by Saturday or face attack.

Story: Tripoli divided as rebels jostle over power

The NTC has laid out a plan that will lead to democratic elections, monitored by the United Nations, within 18 months.

It will start with a "declaration of liberation," though NTC chairman Abdel Mustafa Jalil told reporters that the conditions for making such a declaration included Gadhafi's capture or death.

The general provisions of a "Constitutional Declaration" that has been made include:

Libya is a democratic, independent state with Tripoli its capital, Islam its religion, sharia, Islamic law as the main source of legislation and Arabic as its official language. The rights of minority groups and all sections of society are guaranteed. The state will establish a democratic political system based on political and party pluralism aiming for a peaceful, democratic transition of power. All Libyans are equal before the law and are not discriminated against because of religion, faith, language, wealth, gender, ancestry, political views, social status or tribal, group or family affiliation. The state guarantees freedom of opinion and expression, as well as freedom of the press and peaceful protests. The state guarantees the right to form political parties, societies and civil society organizations. The formation of secret or armed societies, or societies that do not comply with public order shall not be permitted.

"Our goal is to implement justice for everybody, including Gadhafi loyalists," Darat, the interior minister, said.

During the interim period, the NTC, made up of representatives of local councils who are chosen to reflect population density, will be the highest authority, the Constitutional Declaration says.

After "declaring liberation", the NTC will move to its headquarters in Tripoli and form a transitional government within 30 days.

Within 90 days of declaring liberation, the NTC will issue legislation for the election of a Public National Conference.

Story: Report: Gadhafi forces perched children on tanks to deter NATO attacks

Under the plan, the PNC will be elected within 240 days of the declaration of liberation and the NTC will be dissolved at the first meeting of the PNC.

A prime minister will then be appointed and the premier will nominate his government. The PNC will then approve a draft constitution and will put that to a referendum within 30 days.

If it is approved by a two-thirds majority, it will be ratified by the PNC. If it is rejected, it will be redrafted and another referendum will be held.

General elections will then be held "under the supervision of the national judiciary and to be monitored by the U.N. as well as international and regional organizations," according to the plan.

The newly elected legislature will then convene within 30 days. At its first meeting, the PNC will be dissolved and the new legislature will assume its duties.

"They (the NTC) are very seriously interested in assistance with policing to get the public security situation under control and gradually develop a democratically accountable public security force," Ian Martin, special U.N. envoy for post-conflict planning in Libya, said at the United Nations in New York.

"We don't now expect military observers to be requested," he said. "It's very clear that the Libyans want to avoid any kind of military deployment of the U.N. or others."

Uneasy truce with Gadhafi loyalists
However, the prospect of a peaceful, democratic Libya in 2012 or 2013 seemed a distant one Tuesday, as NATO planes bombed Gadhafi forces in his home town of Sirte and hit targets in the Bani Walid area, another Gadhafi stronghold 100 miles southeast of Tripoli.

Fighters pushing from east and west toward Sirte have paused, observing an effective truce. Anti-Gadhafi fighters have advanced to within 20 miles of Bani Walid.

Video: Inside the lavish HQ of Gadhafi’s daughter (on this page)

European Union sanctions against six Libyan ports, four oil companies and more than a dozen other entities could be lifted as soon as Friday, EU diplomats in Brussels said.

The EU's 27 governments reached a preliminary agreement on Wednesday to ease the restrictions on 28 Libyan entities and a final agreement was expected Thursday, diplomats said.

"The decision is to enter into force Friday," one EU diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In Martyrs' Square, people were mostly ebullient about the future, despite the loss of life and shortages of fuel, power and water.

"We mourn the dead. Thank God we got rid of the despot after 42 years," said Hatem Saleh, in his 20s. "We thank God we're liberated now, we're free. The tyrant is out, no more killing."

But some were fearful.

Nouri Hussein, 42, an engineer, said he was glad Gadhafi was gone, but feared the guns in the hands of unruly fighters.

"There is apprehension about what next. The rebels should not be blinded with the ecstasy of victory," he said.

Gadhafi son to surrender?
The commander, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, said al-Saadi first called him Tuesday and asked whether his safety could be guaranteed. "We told him 'Don't fear for your life. We will guarantee your rights as a human being, and will deal with you humanely,' said Belhaj, confirming a report on Al-Jazeera television. Belhaj added that al-Saadi would be turned over to Libyan legal authorities after his surrender.

If the offer is confirmed — the rebels have previously claimed to have captured Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam, who later turned up free — the surrender would give the rebels a significant boost as they try to consolidate their hold over the country with the longtime dictator and several sons and aides still at large.

Belhaj said Al-Saadi told him he had not killed anyone, and that "he was not against the people."

"I told him 'This is good. What is important for us is not to shed Libyan blood. For the members of the regime to surrender is the best way to do this,'" said Belhaj.

The commander said al-Saadi had called back Wednesday morning, but that he had missed the call. He said he knows al-Saadi's whereabouts, but prefers to negotiate a surrender. He gave no further details.

Reuters, msbc.com staff and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

© 2011 msnbc.com

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HAPPY YIPEE YEHEY'S NEW STAGE UP TO GIVE EB A BETTER FIGHT!

Starting September ABS-CBN's noontime program HYY will experience a new look with its high-tech brand new set aimed at giving Eat Bulaga a better fight! After several failed attempts to increase viewership, such as adding new hosts and changing of time slots, HYY will again try to lure viewers away from GMA-7 by presenting a new look with a multi-million studio. New segments are also expected in the imporved HYY this September with more exciting surprises at hand. Third player TV5 has also announced its intentions to join the noontime battle with its own daytime variety program.

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With Layton sick, NDP says will fight on (Reuters)

OTTAWA (Reuters) – The main opposition party in Canada, stunned by its leader's serious illness, elected an interim chief on Wednesday and dismissed speculation that the party could start to break up.

New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, who took the left-leaning party to its best ever performance in the May 2 election, announced on Monday he was stepping down temporarily to deal with a second bout of cancer.

Layton, who looked gravely ill, vowed to return for the resumption of Parliament on Sept 19. The party relies heavily on his charisma and experience and some political observers predict the NDP could struggle without him.

"These are terrible circumstances, no doubt about that," NDP president Brian Topp told reporters. "(We) don't celebrate what is happening here. But I think we've got the bench strength in this team to step forward and handle it."

NDP members of Parliament met in Ottawa on Wednesday and, after consulting with Layton by phone, nominated political newcomer Nycole Turmel to be interim leader. The party's leadership will officially confirm the choice on Thursday.

Turmel, in her late 60s, would not be a candidate if Layton failed to return and the party had to run a leadership race.

"She'll do a great job. More importantly we know she's just keeping the spot warm for Jack," Member of Parliament David Christopherson told reporters.

Despite such optimism, the party is already making clear that Layton could be off work longer than planned.

"If Jack Layton needs more time to recover, no one in the party will tell him he can't take that time," Topp said.

Party legislators, who said Layton looked to have successfully beaten off the prostate cancer that was diagnosed last year, acknowledged they were shocked by his new illness but said they remained upbeat.

A wave of so-called "Laytonmania" helped the NDP elect enough members of Parliament on May 2 to become the main opposition party for the first time.

"Jack himself has been so pivotal in building this team ... but we've learned from our leader and I think we will rise to the challenge of what we have to do," said Libby Davies, one of the party's two deputy leaders.

The other deputy leader is Thomas Mulcair, who is the favorite to eventually replace Layton.

The governing Conservatives -- who favor low taxes and a tough-on-crime approach -- won a majority of seats the House of Commons in the May 2 election and will not face reelection until October 2015.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Peter Galloway)

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