Tel Aviv named top gay city; Israeli city bumps out New York for best Pride City

Tel Aviv has topped New York to be named the best gay city in the world, in a recent survey conducted by American Airlines and GayCities.com.

The Israeli city was named City of the Year 2011 by GayCities readers and American Airlines customers, with a whopping 43 percent of the popular vote -- far outstripping those of the next closest city, New York, which secured 14 percent.

Other contenders including Toronto with seven percent, Sao Paulo with six percent and Madrid and London five percent each -- San Francisco, popularly known as the gay capital of the US, was nowhere to be seen, although it did receive top marks for its Pride carnival.

Runners up for the world's Best Pride City included Sao Paulo, Toronto, Amsterdam and Atlanta.

For the best gay nightlife, vacationers should head to New York, which topped London and Madrid to take the vote from night owls, while gastronomes should head to Paris, followed by New Orleans.

Those with a sharp sense of style will also feel most comfortable in New York, the survey suggested, with London and Rome in second and third place respectively for the Best Dressed City award.

Artificial meat grown in a lab could become a reality THIS year

By Damien Gayle

Scientists have figured out the riddle of growing meat in a laboratory and are now just working out how they can make it profitable, it has been claimed.

Some 30 teams around the world are working on growing meat in petri dishes, as investment and research talent is poured into a technology that could solve world hunger.

Produced in huge vats from muscle cells, the ‘meat without slaughter’ would be kinder to the environment than the real thing and reduce animal suffering.

Animal welfare group Peta have promised a $1million reward to any scientist who can prove chicken grown in a laboratory is commercially viable by 2016. 

And now a string of recent developments cited by Food Safety News indicate that 2012 could be the year a breakthrough is finally made in the development of in vitro meat.

Dr Mark Post, from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, has all but promised that meat will soon be grown in his lab.

His work is funded by the Dutch government, as well as an anonymous donation of 300,000 euros, but it is not eligible for the Peta prize as he is growing beef, not chicken.

In the U.S., meanwhile, the University of Missouri was given funding to take on Nicholas Genovese to work with R. Michael Roberts, their leading expert on stem stells and livestock.

Mr Genovese has already worked with Vladimir Mironov at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Mr Mironov has taken his research to Brazil, where the government is also pursuing in vitro meat research and development.

If an industrial process can be discovered, it is hoped that it would slash the price of test tube meat to less than that of real meat.

It remains to be seen, however, whether it will find favour with a public that likes to think of its chops, steaks and sausages as having their roots in nature, rather than in test-tubes.

And with the meaty texture of muscle being the most difficult element to recreate, it is likely that the first test-tube meat dishes would mimic processed meat products like burgers and sausages.

To make the meat, scientists take muscle cells from an animal and incubate them in a protein 'broth'.
This makes the microscopic cells multiply many times over, creating a sticky tissue with the consistency of an undercooked egg.

This ‘wasted muscle’ is then bulked up through the laboratory equivalent of exercise – it is anchored to Velcro and stretched.

Some researchers say that with the right starting material and conditions, just ten pork muscle cells could produce 50,000 tons of meat in two months.

Peta has said it decided to promote lab-grown meat because a lot of people 'cannot kick their meat addictions'.

The group's £1million prize will go to any researcher who can develop lab-grown chicken with the same taste and texture as the real thing, and sell at least 2,000lb of the stuff in 10 American states by early 2016.

Their evaluation process deadline is in June this year.

The cyborgs are coming! Living brains implanted with electronic chips to replace 'faulty' parts

By Rob Waugh

Faulty parts of living brains have been replaced by electronic chips, in an astonishing and controversial scientific breakthrough.

It's a move that has been anticipated many times in science fiction, with creatures such as The Terminator, a 'cyborg' hybrid of flesh and machinery.

But now, researchers at Tel Aviv University have successfully created circuits that can replace motor functions - such as blinking - and implanted them into brains. 

They hope the technology could in the future help people suffering from brain malfunctions such as Parkinson's disease - by replacing damaged or malfunctioning tissue with chips that perform the same function.

'Imagine there's a small area in the brain that is malfunctioning, and imagine that we understand the architecture of this damaged area,' said Professor Matti Mintz, a psychobiologist, speaking to the BBC.

'So we try to replicate this part of the brain with electronics.'

Mintz has already successfully implanted a robotic cerebellum into the skull of a rodent with brain damage, restoring its capacity for movement.

However, anti-vivisection campaigners have described the experiments as 'grotesque'.
The cerebellum is responsible for co-ordinating movement, says Mintz.

When wired to the brain, his 'robo-cerebellum' receives, interprets, and transmits sensory information from the brain stem, facilitating communication between the brain and the body.

To test this robotic interface between body and brain, the researchers taught a brain-damaged rat to blink whenever they sounded a particular tone.

The rat could only perform the behavior when its robotic cerebellum was functional.
According to the researcher, the chip is designed to mimic natural neuronal activity.

'It's a proof of the concept that we can record information from the brain, analyze it in a way similar to the biological network, and then return it to the brain,' says Prof. Mintz, who recently presented his research at the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence meeting in Cambridge, UK.

In the future, this robo-cerebellum could lead to electronic implants that replace damaged tissues in the human brain.

'This type of research raises enormous ethical concerns, let alone the poor animals whose lives are wasted on dubious and ego-driven experiments,' Jan Creamer, CEO of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, in an interview with the BBC.

Interview with ex-US envoy John Malott

Written by  Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Chronicle: 1. Firstly, the hottest Question in town still remains, why did Najib pull back from a conviction? Most Malaysians believe in a conspiracy but not an independent judiciary as BN has claimed. The story around town is that the judge had already written a conviction judgment and had to make do with a verbal acquittal that lasted all of 60 seconds. Do you see internal UMNO power play in this, was Najib fearful for his own legacy and how he will be remembered if he were to adopt a 'hardline' approach on this issue?

Malott: I don’t have a clue why the judge ruled the way he did. It really was surprising. There are so many well-documented reports of political interference and misuse of the judicial system.  For example, not just Anwar but also the case of Ramli Yusoff and the failure to seriously investigate and prosecute the deaths that  occurred at MACC. Earlier in the trial, this judge reversed his own decision on whether the DNA taken from the comb and towel that Anwar used in jail was admissible, and it seems clear there was pressure on him to do so. Otherwise, why would he reverse himself? But now he ruled in Anwar’s favor. It was a shock. As I said in my op-ed, the government might have decided that Anwar was a bigger threat to them in jail because he would be a rallying point for the opposition. We can all speculate, but only the judge knows why he did what he did.

Chronicle:  2. Perhaps the answer to (1) will have a bearing on this second Question. Do you think that the Najib administration will push for an appeal? If it does, what will it do to Najib's and the Malaysian government's reputation, the country's image to investors? Will the repercussions be deep and long-lasting given global corporate captains such as Richard Branson have already expressed exasperation and obvious disgust over the Anwar prosecution?

Malott: I think there will be a lot of pressure on Najib to appeal, coming from the hardliners in UMNO, who are afraid of what will happen if the opposition comes to power.  Gani Patail and the prosecutors also have lost face, so they might be inclined to want to appeal.  Some people might think that they can find a more compliant judge the next time. But the reaction not just from inside Malaysia but also from overseas will be strong if the government appeals and puts Anwar and his family through this again.

Chronicle: 3. Given your familiarity with the Malaysian political scene and its players, after decades of monitoring the situation, what do you personally think Najib will do? Will he push for an appeal and why?

Malott: Personally, I think that Najib does not want to appeal. But Najib has always been a very weak leader. He talks a good game, but as the saying goes, he doesn’t walk the talk. He is under a lot of pressure. So he might just remain silent and let it happen, saying that the decision is up to the prosecution. There have been other times like this, like when he said “it is up to the police” whether a demonstration can go forward. Are you in charge of your own government or not?

Chronicle: 4. If so, will it mean it's back to square One for Malaysia and Pakatan Rakyat? Also, what about Malaysian voters? Will it make them more inclined to boot out the BN? Or will it make them doubt Anwar again?

Malott: Somebody joked, never make predictions about the future. I don’t know what will happen. But I do think that 2012 will be the most important and also the most interesting time in Malaysia’s political history. That’s good for Malaysia Chronicle. You will have lots to write about !!

Chronicle: 5. From an outsider's view, what do you see happening inside Umno? It is famous for intrigue and infighting. Have trends or scenarios evolved that even outsiders can see clearly the divisions forming, with distinct groups or factions emerging? If yes, who do you reckon are the main players in Umno and what is their respective purpose?

Malott: I think it is clear that BN as a whole is no longer a strong political force. It is all about UMNO now. MCA and MIC have been emasculated and lost credibility with the Chinese and Indian communities. So the focus will turn to UMNO.  In some ways, the struggle inside UMNO will be more important than the struggle between UMNO and PR.  The hardliners, the right wing inside UMNO will become more vocal and anti-Najib. Mahathir, Muhyiddin, Hisham, Ibrahim Ali will all cause Najib even more trouble. Depending on how the political winds blow, some of the more moderates inside UMNO might decide to cross over, or be lukewarm in their support of UMNO, sit the election out and see what happens. Look at Sakmongol. He kept trying to get UMNO back on track, and now he has joined DAP.  It will be interesting to watch what  Ku Li says and does and whether he finally concludes that there is no hope for reform inside UMNO.

Chronicle: 6. GE-13 date is also another factor that may be affected by the acquittal. Some say the aquittal pushes GE-13 forward but others including DAP's Lim Kit Siang thinks it is no longer March but June 2012. There are others who even think it may be after the UMNO internal polls later this year - perhaps in early 2013? What do you think and why?

Malott: I think that elections are more likely sooner rather than later. The longer UMNO waits, the more problems will come out, the longer the opposition will have to organize and campaign.
Chronicle: 7. In your article 'Testing Malaysia's Promises', you mentioned electoral reforms and the dirtiest GE-13 ever with the possibility of a return to the strong-arm tactics of Dr Mahathir. Since the July 9 Bersih rally and the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on reforms, as someone who has been watching the Malaysian situation, do you think enough is being done to ensure clean elections and swiftly enough too?

Malott: I don’t think anything has been done yet. All talk, no action. The point is, these reforms need to be put in place before the general elections are held, or the results will not be credible.

Chronicle: 8. So far, the proposed use of indelible ink has been approved, but are there many other hurdles? Would you be satisfied with current achievements of the PSC and the electoral reforms it has agreed to implement? And why?

Malott: I think the most important reform of all is to make sure that RTM and Bernama, which are owned by all the people of Malaysia, are fair and balanced in their reporting. Right now they act like they belong to UMNO and not the Government. The restrictions on distribution of the opposition’s newspapers also should be removed. The ruling parties and the opposition should be treated the same. That is the only fair way.

Chronicle: 9. Anwar has long been a friend of yours. This acquittal has been a tremendous boost for him - personally, for his family and for his legitimacy as a leader of the country. If the Najib administration pursues an appeal, do you think public sentiment will desert Anwar?
Or do you think Anwar has already navigated a tricky corner and is now able to fully push the Pakatan Rakyat towards victory in GE-13. What are some of the benefits Anwar and Pakatan will reap from the acquittal and what will an appeal do to these?

Malott: It is true that my wife and I have become good friends with Anwar and Azizah, and I came to know all of his children so well during the time that they lived here in Washington DC. They are a wonderful family. But when I analyze Malaysian politics, I still wear my old diplomat’s hat and try to be observant and not let my personal feelings get in the way.

If the Government pursues an appeal against Anwar, it will strengthen the opposition in terms of public sentiment. It will tie up Anwar’s time in court, however, and make it harder for him to deal with issues inside the opposition and campaign, simply because he would have to deal with legal issues and sit in court all day.

I said that I do not like to make predictions, but I do believe that if electoral reforms are put in place, and the elections are fair, then the opposition most likely will come to power. They almost did it in 2008, with one hand tied behind their back. I say this as an analyst of Malaysian politics, and not because of any personal feelings.

Iran could launch Lockerbie-type terrorist attacks in retaliation at oil ban

* Iran probably won't blockade Straits of Hormuz, though, says expert

By Gavin Allen

Iran could launch a Lockerbie-style terrorist strike if it is hit with an international oil embargo, an academic warned last night.

Professor Paul Stevens, a senior research fellow at think-tank Chatham House, said it was ‘extremely unlikely’ Tehran would not retaliate against crippling sanctions.

However, he said he doubted it would carry out its threat to blockade the Straits of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, for fear of creating a ‘shooting war’ with the U.S.

Instead, Professor Stevens claimed that blocking oil exports to America and the EU would encourage hardliners inside the Islamic state to retaliate, adding: ‘There could even be a Lockerbie-type response from within Iran.’

The UK could face losing up to a half of its gas imports if Iran does carry through its threat to close a vital shipping route.

Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation against international sanctions imposed because of its nuclear development programme.

Closing the Strait would block a trade route through which 46 per cent of Britain's gas imports pass en route from Qatar, while 84 per cent of the UK's Liquefied Natural Gas imports use the same route.
According to the Department of Energy and Climate change, the imports through the strait represent 15 per cent of Britain's total gas supply.

The increasing stand-off in the Gulf has caused several spikes in oil prices in recent weeks and a former military chief has warned that Britain would have to weather the economic fall-out should the closure occur.

'I have no doubt at all that this would be the biggest problem for us,' Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy and security adviser to Gordon Brown, told the Financial Times.

Britain has increasingly relied on gas imports from Qatar since 2010 - increasing the supply by 67 per cent - with supply from Norway dropping 17 per cent and North Sea supplies shrinking.

From August to October last year, the most recent period for which the DECC has data, all the UK’s LNG imports – or 46 per cent of its total gas demand – came from Qatar.

In February 2011 Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, signed a three-year deal with Qatar for LNG supply over the next three years. There were also hints that a 10-year deal could be agreed.

Britain's gas supply is at risk because it buys from such a narrow pool of suppliers and there is no viable export alternative for Qatar than the Strait, which carries a fifth of the world’s oil and one-third of its LNG.

A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman said: 'We are aware of the importance of Hormuz, both in terms of oil and liquefied natural gas imports to the UK.

'We are therefore working across Whitehall on this issue. Relevant ministers have been briefed.
'We have a variety of potential gas suppliers and energy sources should we need to draw upon them, including pipelines to mainland Europe and Norway, and our own North Sea.

'The UK has access to a wide variety of gas sources and routes, including production from the UK Continental Shelf, imports from Norway and from the Continent, LNG from global markets and gas storage.

'In addition, at times of market tightness, mechanisms on the demand-side such as switching to coal in the power sector can be used to ensure demand and supply balance.'

Britain's gas supply has shifted increasingly towards LPG. It now accounts for around a fifth of UK supply and that reliance is expected to grow.

By 2015 the UK is forecast to import about two-thirds of its gas, rising to about 80 per cent in 2020.
Though a potential closure would have a very heavy impact on Britain's gas supplies it would have less of an impact on the UK's oil supply, with less than one per cent arriving by that route.

A 2008 report by Lehman Brothers listed the Strait as the world's top 'choke point' for oil supply.
There has been strong momentum for energy sanctions since the publishing of a U.N. watchdog report saying Iran appeared to have worked on designing an atom bomb. 
 
Western countries suspect Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons capability. Iran says it is only interested in nuclear technology for peaceful purposes such as generating electricity.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Sunday he was 'confident' the 27-member European Union would impose resounding sanctions on Iran's oil industry and possibly other sectors at an EU foreign ministers meeting on January 23.    

Mr Hague said: 'Our sanctions are part of trying to get Iran to change course and to enter negotiations and we should not be deterred from implementing those. We will continue to intensify our own sanctions and those of the European Union.'

The issue is also being clouded by Iran's upcoming presidential elections in March, which means the government in Tehran needs to be seen as acting strongly on these critical issues.