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| 13 Feb 2012, Issue 3319 · USD: 1.48293 EUR: 1.95583 · Sofia: min -13°, max -2° Varna: min -6°, max 4° · |
| BUSINESS POLITICS WORLD SOCIETY SPORTS FORUM |
Whitney Houston Killed by Deadly Xanax-Alcohol Mix - Report
 Whitney
Houston, whose death shocked music celebrities and fans around the
world, may have died of a deadly combination between the sedative Xanax
and lots of alcohol.
read |
Bulgaria Says 'ACTA La Vista Baby!'
 Thousands
of people gathered in downtown Sofia Saturday to protest the
controversial international Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA.
read |
US Ambassador: No One Wants to Harm Beautiful Bulgaria
 The
US Ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, stresses that if he was a
Bulgarian, he would want to know if his country has shale gas deposits
and of what quality.
read |
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BULGARIA STILL WANTS TO JOIN EURO, HOLDS DEBT RULES SACRED
Bulgaria still wants to join the eurozone provided the bloc's members obey its rules on limiting debt, Traicho Traikov, Bulgaria's Economy Minister, said in an interview for German media. "Provided all other eurozone states stick to the debt rules in future...entry to the currency union remains a medium-term goal for us," Minister Traikov told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Bulgaria wants to join the bloc to help reduce financing costs for local companies, which currently pay interest rates of up to 10%, as well as for the government, Traikov said. But the minister warned that Bulgarians are likely to vehemently oppose supplying funds to aid wealthier nations through the European Stability Mechanism. "It is difficult to justify why Bulgaria should provide funds for a rescue facility that is needed by countries with a considerably richer population," he said. Pensions in Greece are five times as high as those in Bulgaria, the minister added. In 2011 Bulgaria's center-right government continued, even though with varying degrees of zeal, to pursue European integration and made clear that the single currency woes and doomsayers' warnings of a possible crack-up will not give it a pause. Minister Traikov has been one of the most ardent supporters of Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone. "I know now it's fashionable to predict the end of the monetary union, but I think common sense will still dominate and it is going to survive. Of course, in the end we want to be a part of it," Traicho Traikov, Bulgaria's Economy Minister, told CNBC on the first day of December. The government in Sofia has remained firmly opposed to the introduction of a single tax rate in the eurozone even as Germany has proposed greater fiscal integration in order to avoid a situation where prudent countries end up paying for the profligate. Bulgarians suffered for years in order to bring their economy in order and ensure that the country has low debt and a narrow budget deficit, he added. "It didn't fall from the sky overnight; we paid for it with years and years of austerity and fiscal discipline," Traikov said. The country has repeatedly changed the time frame for adopting the euro. Ambitiously scheduled initially for 2010, the country's entry into the eurozone was first set back for some time around 2012 with experts saying it is conditional on continued fiscal prudence and lower inflation. The center-right government, which swept to power in the summer of 2009, was very enthusiastic about adopting the single currency only to be forced to put off plans after the country's 2009 revised budget gap exceeded the three percent EU threshold. The failure of previous governments to take that step earlier is often attributed in Bulgaria to behind-the-curtain maneuvers by European officials - Eurozone President Juncker and European Central Bank President Trichet in particular – who allegedly created their own tools for managing the EU. Bulgaria is the poorest EU member state but tight fiscal policy helped it achieve one of the smallest debt to gross domestic product ratios in the European Union and a budget deficit of around the Maastricht-agreed 3% of GDP ceiling. Finance Minister Simeon Djankov's belt-tightening policy however has drawn criticism of creating the illusion of a healthy economy on the back of the people, who are three times poorer than the average EU citizen and are just getting poorer. Unlike the government's enthusiasm, public support for Bulgaria's eurozone membership was seriously dented in the second half of 2011 following the troubling developments in the monetary union. The Currency Board regime in which Bulgaria operates enjoys has proved to be one of the most trusted institutions. Bulgarians prefer to use the lev instead of switching to the euro, even though the local currency is pegged to the euro, analysts commented. According to them Europe is obviously falling short of providing Bulgarians with confidence that it can handle the crisis stemming from unsupportable debt loads in countries like Greece, Portugal and Ireland and the crisis in Italy. Indicatively the highest levels of support for adopting the single currency were seen as far back as in 2008-2009. 
MARGINAL BULGARIAN CONSERVATIVES VOW TO STOP ACTA Bulgaria's marginal conservative Law, Order and Justice (RZS) party has declared it will not support the potential ratification of the controversial ACTA trade agreement in the country's Parliament. In an official statement, RZS has described the requirement for Internet Service Providers to follow the users' activity as "cynical", predicting that " a net of virtual cops" will be created once the agreement is enforced. According to the party, ACTA has been supported by "individuals who are connected to the big international movie and music industry corporations, including their lobbyists in the state institutions." The left-wing oppositional Bulgarian Socialist Party is also expected to oppose ACTA's ratification in the Bulgarian Parliament. Thousands of people gathered in downtown Sofia Saturday to protest the controversial international Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA. Anywhere between 4000 and 8000 Bulgarians marched in the Bulgarian capital, led by a black sign reading: "АСТА LA VISTA, BABY!" Similar rallies took place in another 15-16 Bulgarian cities and in 150 cities across Europe Saturday. DANUBE FREEZE SHUTS BULGARIAN-ROMANIAN FERRIES The freezing of the Danube River has terminated the operation of several ferry boat lines connecting Bulgaria and Romania, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry announced late Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, the Bulgarian Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River announced that the river is 100% frozen from kilometer 386 to kilometer 375, which is near Bulgaria's Silistra. As of 5 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012, the floating ice reached between 60% and 90% in the rest of the Bulgarian section of the Danube. "We expect today the freeze of the Danube in the Bulgarian section to continue upstream," the Agency said. The authorities have shut temporarily the ferries between Bulgaria's Vidin and Romania's Calafat and between Bulgaria's Oryahovo and Romania's Beket. The freezing of the Danube River has been attributed both to the low temperatures and to its record low level since the summer of 2011; the river has thus frozen for the first time in 20 years. US ENERGY ENVOY IN BULGARIA ADMITS TO SHALE GAS CONCERNS Prices of gas in the US are 20% from those in Bulgaria, says US Energy Envoy for Eurasia Richard Morningstar, who was on an official visit to Sofia Thursday and Friday. In an exclusive interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, Morningstar points out that the much lower prices are attributed to the exploration of shale gas and that bonuses from it are huge. "I cannot promise that we will have the same results in Bulgaria, but if we can fully prevent risks for the environment, the issue must be examined in Bulgaria as well, which, as any other country, must know what it possesses and based on it, make a decision on extracting it or not," says he. The US envoy, however, admits that the methodology for extracting shale gas has created environmental concerns, stressing that the latter have been examined very seriously and with great attention in the US. Morningstar informs that his department had made a full review of the shale gas issues, and there is a final report of the Environmental Protection Agency whose publishing is forthcoming. "We believe that the technology had advanced enough so that environmental risks can be tamed," he explained. When asked to comment on statements of a French expert that there is only one method for extracting shale gas and that it is very dangerous, the Envoy replied that this was "the opinion of just one person." "There are many other experts, who will tell you that one must examine the specific situation, the particular location of the drills – for example how many layers there are, etc. The issue is complex – it is indeed crucial for each country, not just Bulgaria or the US, or countries in Europe, to conduct rational and scientific studies and then make the decision, which should not be the result of emotions," Morningstar told BNR. During her visit to Sofia last Sunday, US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced the Envoy's visit, saying the topic of the talks would be "ways to preserve the country's environment all while achieving energy independence." GOVT: BULGARIA'S ELECTRICITY BALANCE STABILIZES AS EXPORTS STOP Bulgaria's electricity balance has stabilized since the country stopped exporting electricity as of midnight on February 10, announced Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism Traicho Traikov. "By terminating the exports of electricity, Bulgaria benefitted with the stability of its own system," Traikov told Darik Radio Saturday. On February, Bulgaria's government discontinued all electricity exports in order to make up for the increased domestic electricity consumption caused by the freezing temperatures over the past couple of weeks. According to Traikov, Bulgaria's annual electricity exports equal 1000 MW but in early February the cold weather strained the country's energy capacity. A day earlier, on Friday, the Energy Minister did say that Bulgaria was not faced with an electricity shortage but that the termination of exports was a necessary measure. On Saturday Traikov commented that Bulgaria's energy system has not been built in a way facilitating the export of electricity. "We are actually exporting just what we have as production surpluses," he said. Bulgaria traditionally exports electricity to Greece and Macedonia; in 2011, electricity exports to Turkey were resumed after an 8-year pause. FRANCE'S DALKIA EYES SOFIA AILING HEATING UTILITY France's Dalkia International has confirmed its interest in acquiring Sofia heating utility, which is in tatters after being drained to the brink of bankruptcy. "We stepped on Bulgaria's market with the acquisition of the heating utility in the coastal city of Varna to get acquainted with the situation in this area. But we have never planned to stop there and are keen to develop many projects," said Reno Capris, CEO of Dalkia Bulgaria. He stressed that privatization of Toplofikatsiya Sofia is not the only option for cooperation and the company is willing to consider getting a concession too. Despite Dalkia serious interest in Sofia heating utility, no negotiations have been held so far. Dalkia International signed the agreement for the acquisition of 100% stake in Varna heating utility shortly after Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007. The French bidder emerged as preferred buyer with an offer of EUR 6.78 M for a total of 39,648 shares of Toplofikatsiya Varna EAD. Second came the offer of UK's ENER-G PL estimated at EUR 6,200,026. Dalkia also ran for the tender sale of 100% stake in Russe heating utility, northern Bulgaria, but was outbid by Slovenia's Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE). Prior to the local elections last year, opposing runners for the office of Sofia mayor agreed that the ailing and indebted Sofia heating utility should be municipality-owned as a guarantee that there won't be any problems. "This is a company that serves the citizens of Sofia, so it is proper for it to be municipality-owned," Sofia mayor Yordanka Fandakova, who was eventually reelected for a second term on the ticket of the ruling center-right GERB party, said in an interview for Darik radio. She stressed that the previous Socialist-led government almost forcefully took over the company from the municipality, after which it got it back but along with its huge debts and is now trying to put it back in shape. "We know that the company has to work a lot to regain the trust of its clients, but anyway it has to be owned by the municipality," she added. Meanwhile Vladimir Karolev, Sofia municipality council member from the centrist NDSV and failed runner for Sofia mayor on the ticket of his party, reiterated his opinion that the only solution to the utility problems is its privatization. According to him the company is technically speaking bankrupt because its short-term takings are smaller than its obligations. Heating utility Toplofikatsiya Sofia was transferred back to the municipality along with its debts, exceeding BGN 510 M, in the middle of 2010. Until 2008 Sofia municipality was a majority owner of the plant, while the economy ministry held a 42% stake. Toplofikatsiya Sofia returned to the government in 2008 when Bulgaria's largest municipality transferred a 58.2% stake in a bid to curb debts. Sofia mayor Yordanka Fandakova has repeatedly insisted that despite the poor state of the company, its transfer back to the municipality is the best option. Those who support her say that should the operations of Toplofikatsiya Sofia be suspended, the electricity grid of the country will be overburdened. Toplofikatsiya Sofia, which has been in the news for more than three years after it was found drained to the brink of bankruptcy, provides heating to about 400,000 households in the capital Sofia. Plans for its sale, considered to be one of the country's last big energy privatization deals, have all collapsed so far. US AMBASSADOR: NO ONE WANTS TO HARM BEAUTIFUL BULGARIA The US Ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, stresses that if he was a Bulgarian, he would want to know if his country has shale gas deposits and of what quality. The diplomat spoke in an interview for TV7, aired Saturday, and just on the heels of the visits of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and of US Energy Envoy for Eurasia Richard Morningstar to Sofia. One of the topics on the agenda of both talks was the recent moratorium on exploration of shale gas by the US company Chevron, imposed by the Bulgarian Parliament. Warlick believes that the issue had been addressed too emotionally in Bulgaria, leading to street protests that made local authorities change their mind on Chevron's activities. He stressed the need of a 100%-span discussion among the public in Bulgaria, before any final decision is made. The Ambassador was critical to Chevron, saying they arrived in Bulgaria somewhat unprepared and failed to offer enough information on shale gas to Bulgarians. "No one wants to harm the environment and Bulgaria is an extremely beautiful country. In any way, the company does not have intentions to begin exploring shale gas before 2015 – we are talking about a future period," the diplomat told the host. Warlick further voiced the opinion that Bulgaria has become a leader in Europe regarding nuclear energy. When asked about lifting the visa regime for Bulgarians traveling to the US, he replied that if it was to him to decide he would eliminate visas ASAP, but stressed that the Embassy is now issuing 10-year visas and assured that one day in the near future visas will become a thing of the past. 
BULGARIA MPS TO ENJOY HIGHER SALARIES AFTER STEALTHY MOVE Bulgarian lawmakers, who are best known for their infamous habit of playing truant, have increased their salaries, rather on the sly. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov froze last year the salaries of top politicians in Bulgaria at their levels from the end of 2009, despite the cabinet's decision to up the minimum monthly wage in Bulgaria in May, 2012 – from BGN 270 to BGN 290. Borisov backed his belt-tightening stance with the difficult situation globally and in Bulgaria. The imposed moratorium however expired at the end of the year. According to the Parliamentary Code, the salary of Members of the Parliament equals three times the average monthly salary in the country's public sector for the last month of the latest quarter. The average salary in December 2011 was BGN 853, according to latest data of the statistics office. That means that MPs, whose fixed salaries range between BGN 2 196 and BGN 2 259, will add an extra BGN 360 each month, regardless of the numerous bonuses they get. Borisov has a monthly wage of EUR 1 500, which he says is way less than the one of his western counterparts. Internet forums in Bulgaria are overflowing with indignation at the news mainly because local MPs are famous for non-attending parliamentary sessions. For almost a decade already the black list has been topped by the leader of the ethnic Movement for Rights and Freedoms Ahmed Dogan, who attended no more than ten parliamentary sessions over a period of four years. The current parliament, which held its first session at the beginning of July 2009 with the center-right GERB party making up 116 MPs in the 240-seat unicameral national assembly, vowed to put an end to the vicious job-skipping practice, but to no avail. Members of Bulgarian parliament have always had the habit of going after their private business instead of working in the plenary hall and obviously have no intention to shake it off. EVERY 3RD SMALL BULGARIAN DAM HAS FLAWED SAFETY VALVE One third of the small dams in Bulgaria have defective safety valves, the country's Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traicho Traikov has revealed. The flawed safety valves in question are either covered with concrete or obstructed in other ways, Traikov told reporters, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. However, the bigger dams that contain 55% of the regulated water volume in the country have been very well managed, the Minister has pointed out. The government decided to assign the control of all dams in Bulgaria to Traikov's Ministry after the disastrous flood last Monday in which a wall of a small dam burst near the southern village of Biser, claiming 10 lives. The greatest issue over the collapse of the Ivanovo dam in Southeastern Bulgaria, which killed 10 people in the villages of Biser and Madzharovo on February 6 emerged as to who was supposed to be responsible for the management of the dam wall – with the Defense Ministry and the Harmanli Municipality Mayor keeping up the argument over the issue. BULGARIA SAYS 'ACTA LA VISTA BABY!' Thousands of people gathered in downtown Sofia Saturday to protest the controversial international Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA. Anywhere between 4000 and 8000 Bulgarians marched in the Bulgarian capital, led by a black sign reading: "АСТА LA VISTA, BABY!" Most of the demonstrators are young people wearing the mask of Guy Fawkes, symbol of the global protest against ACTA. They are jumping and holding numerous signs such as "I Am Not a Terrorist!", "No to ACTA!", "Stop ACTA or We will!", "Sign ACTA – Lose the Elections!", "Basta to ACTA!" and others. People are also shouting slogans for internet freedom. The entire route of the march – from the National Palace of Culture through downtown Sofia to the square in front of the Parliament had been guarded by heavy police presence. Similar rallies are being organized in another 15-16 Bulgarian cities and in 150 cities across Europe Saturday. The Bulgarian Facebook "No to ACTA" group now has nearly 25 000 members and growing. BULGARIAN CHURCH LAUNCHES DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR FLOOD-DISTRESSED Bulgaria's Orthodox Church has joined the efforts to help the distressed citizens in the aftermath of last week's disastrous floods in the country. Donations are gathered in the temples of the Sofia bishopric. The campaign is overseen by Bishop Joan, vicar of the Sofia bishopric, with the blessing of Patriarch Maxim. Money, clothes and other necessities are being collected in Sofia's churches, the Focus news agency has informed. On January 06, the southern village of Biser, Harmanli municipality, was hit by massive flooding after the wall of the Ivanovo dam collapsed, claiming 10 victims. Svilengrad and a number of other villages in the region also got flooded after the Maritsa River' s left dike collapsed on Tueasday. Help has been received by Belgium, Indonesia and Romania, while tents are expected to arrive from Italy. The Bulgarian Red Cross has announced a bank account for money donations (in BGN). SOFIA SOVIET ARMY MONUMENT 'WEARS' ANTI-ACTA MASKS The soldiers of the monument of the Soviet Army in downtown Bulgaria capital Sofia "woke up" Saturday morning to new roles – as activists of the anti-ACTA movement. The Red Army soldiers have been painted overnight wearing the mask of Guy Fawkes, symbol of the global protest against ACTA. Bulgarian anti-ACTA activists have written in Facebook Saturday morning that "ACTA will impose censorship on both heroes from the present and the future." "When the past stands against the present, it means – we must save the future. Let's raise all together against ACTA," the Facebook slogan reads. International protests against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA, are expected in at least 150 cities across Europe Saturday. In Bulgaria protests, organized through the social network Facebook, will take place in 15 cities, starting at 11 am. Marches will be held in Bulgaria's largest cities of Varna, Plovdiv, Burgas, Gabrovo, Ruse, Haskovo, and Yambol, among others. In the capital Sofia, the rally begins in front of the National Palace of Culture and will end on the square in front of the building of the Parliament, where a meeting will be held. The march has imposed a number of traffic and parking restrictions along its route, the Sofia City Hall informs; they will be effective at least until 2 pm. In June 2011, a group of street artists painted the bronze figures of Soviet soldiers to represent various US pop culture characters, turning them into The Joker, Wolverine, Santa, Superman, Ronald McDonald, Captain America, Robin, and Wonder Woman, among others on June 18, it has been revealed. BULGARIA'S ANTARCTIC MISSION SURVIVORS BARELY MAKE IT TO CHILE Nine researches from Bulgaria's 20th Antarctic Expedition have managed to reach South America alive and well after suffering tremendous setbacks on their way back, announced Nikola Petkov, head of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute. Petkov has revealed that on Friday, after waiting for two days for a calmer ocean and weather, the crew of the Hesperides, Spain's main Antarctic support vessel, decided to pick up the nine Bulgarian scientists from the Livingston Island, where the Antarctic bases of both Bulgaria and Spain are located, in order to transfer them to the King George Island so that the Bulgarians could make it to their flight to South America. The first group of four Bulgarian scientists manages to reach the Spanish ship but the ruffled sea overturned the boat of the second group, which included the head of Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition Dr. Hristo Pimpirev. This is the first time in 19 years that the Bulgarian boat, the Zodiac, got overturned by the waves, Petkov explained, speaking on Radio Focus on Saturday. The Bulgarians just barely managed to swim back to the shore, while also saving the baggage with the research samples they had collected all throughout the brief Antarctica summer. They had to return to the base for three more hours before a second attempt to make it to the Spanish ship turned out successful. Late Friday night, the 9 Bulgarian scientists reached the Chilean port Punta Arenas on a Brazilian military flight, and are expected to arrive in Sofia on February 18, 2012, via Rio Galegos, Buenos Ayres, and Rome. Seven more Bulgarian scientists are still left at the St. Kliment Ohridski base on the Livingston Island; they will stay on till February 25 in order to conserve it for the Antarctica winter. ELDERLY BULGARIAN COUPLE DIES FROM TAILPIPE POISONING Two elderly people have been found dead in the village of Kanchevo, near the town of Kazanlak in central Bulgaria. Maria and Velichko Petkovi were found in the garage of their home Saturday morning by neighbors, who are reported in shock. Police are saying the most probable cause is suicide. The woman is 73 and the man is 74. They have put on their pajamas, placed a blanket under the exhaust pipe of their obsolete Lada automobile, turned the engine on, laid under the exhaust, covered with another blanket and suffocated to death. Clothes prepared for their funeral were found in one of the rooms inside the house, but no suicide note or any sign of violence. The couple is survived by one daughter, who works as a Customs agent. They also had a son, who had passed away about one year ago. Neighbors say they did not know of any serious illness of either of them. Police are investigating the case. BULGARIA BRACES FOR MORE SNOW, COLD Bulgaria's exceptionally cold and snowy winter weather is expected to continue on Sunday, as a number of regions have been alarmed for potential danger. Code Yellow has been announced for a total of 17 Bulgarian regions, the country's Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology has informed. In Northern Bulgaria, the slight danger is mainly due to the low temperatures. The regions of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Gabrovo and Lovech will also witness snowfalls. Code Yellow for heavy snowfalls has been announced in the Southern Bulgarian regions of Pernik, Sofia, Kyustendil and Smolyan. The Lyulin, Trakiya, Hemus and Maritsa highways have been reported wet. DANUBE RIVER FREEZES OVER BULGARIAâ��S SILISTRA The Bulgarian section of the Danube River completely froze over during the course of Friday night into Saturday. The data was reported by the Bulgarian Agency for Study and Maintenance of the Danube River. Saturday morning, the ice cover at the eastern Bulgarian Danube port of Silistra was 100% - the total freeze includes a 11-km-long section, from kilometer 386 to kilometer 375. The freeze is 90% near Svishtov, Ruse and Tutrakan, 60% near Vidin and Nikopol, and 40% near Lom and Oryahovo. The ice float is expected to expand further over the weekend. The Bulgarian Maritime Administration Agency has banned all navigation in the Bulgaria section of the river. The ferries from Oryahovo, Vidin and Silistra to Romania are halted as well. Truck traffic there is diverted to the Danube Bridge in Ruse. BULGARIA SEEKS FOREIGN EXPERT HELP FOR NEW JAIL PROJECT Bulgaria will invite foreign experts to help it create the project for its new jail, the country's Justice Minister Diana Kovacheva has announced. Little progress has been made in the project, since discussions have been mainly focused on finding the appropriate place where the jail should be built, Kovacheva explained in an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio. The assistance of foreign experts in the project's preparation would be vital, since the last time a jail was constructed in the Balkan country was in during the 60s and "no one remembers how it is done," the Justice Minister stated. Kovacheva did not exclude the possibility of a public-private partnership in the construction of the new jail. Until Bulgaria's new jail is built, the country will use Norwegian funds to repair its existing penitentiaries. BULGARIAN CUSTOMS BUST LATIN AMERICAN COCAINE AT SOFIA AIRPORT Bulgaria's Customs Agency has detained a total of 4.6 kg of cocaine in two separate drug shipments at Sofia International Airport, the institution announced. The first shipment of 4.5 kg of cocaine was found in two suitcases carried by a Bulgarian woman arriving from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She was detained for 72 hours; the cocaine shipment is estimated at 45 000 doses worth a total of EUR 2 M in retail prices. In a separate case, the customs agents at Sofia Airport captured a 100 gram shipment of cocaine in a parcel sent from Costa Rica. Upon receipt of the shipment, the police detained three Bulgarian citizens from the Southern city of Plovdiv which were the recipients. Bulgaria is known to have become a major European entry point for Latin American cocaine. BULGARIAN POLICE ROUND UP NEW DRUG DEALERS IN OPERATION 'HAMMER' Bulgaria's police have arrested four more drug dealers in a special operation codenamed "Hammer", after already nabbing a drug boss suspect, Stefan Bonev, aka Sako. Bonev was arrested at the start of the operation on Friday, together with several other men. Four of his aides aged between 37 and 22 were detained on Saturday, the Interior Ministry announced. Stefan Bonev, aka Sako, is under investigation on several counts, and is believed to be linked to crime boss Krasimir Marinov, aka the Big Margin. In searching the homes of the four new detainees, who had been wanted for some time, the police have confiscated small amounts of cocaine and drug dealing tools. Thus, the total number of detainees who have been left in the arrest for 72 hours under the Hammer operation has reached 11, the Interior said. IS RUSSIA BEHIND BULGARIAN ANTI-FRACKING PROTESTS? Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136586 WHITNEY HOUSTON KILLED BY DEADLY XANAX-ALCOHOL MIX - REPORT Whitney Houston, whose death shocked music celebrities and fans around the world, may have died of a deadly combination between the sedative Xanax and lots of alcohol. Family members of Whitney told celebrity website TMZ that the singer had a prescription for the drug, which is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression. Mixed with alcohol it can cause severe sedation, which could cause someone to fall asleep in a bathtub. The iconic American singer was found in the bathtub of a hotel room with prescription drugs nearby, TMZ said. Whitney's face was below the water and her legs were up like she had slid down the back of the tub, according to the report. There were no illegal drugs in the room, but a few bottles of pills, the website said, citing sources from the hotel and cops. Her friends reportedly said that she used to take Xanax before big shows to calm her nerves and perform better. Whitney Houston was said to have been found by one of her entourage in the bath and when she showed no signs of life they called the emergency services. Paramedics arriving on the scene at the Beverly Hilton Hotel tried to resuscitate her for 20 minutes but it did not work and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm. TMZ sources said there were no obvious signs of foul play, but the Beverley Hills police were carrying out a full investigation. Houston was due to appear at the LA gala of music's biggest occasion – the Grammy Awards – later tonight and had also been at rehearsals for the show, coaching singers Brandy and Monica. She was partying heavily and drank large amounts of alcohol before going back to her hotel room. It is believed she had been due to perform at the annual pre-Grammy party of her long-time mentor, record producer Clive Davis, at the Beverly Hilton, but was found hours before it began. STUNNED CELEBRITIES MOURN WHITNEY HOUSTON SUDDEN DEATH The sudden death of singer Whitney Houston at age 48 shocked fans and musicians all over the world. The outpouring of grief was immediate. Nearly all of the trends on Twitter worldwide were shortly associated with the singer's death: R.I.P Whitney Houston, #DearWhitney, #IWillAlwaysLoveYou, The Bodyguard, Bobby Brown and Wanna Dance With Somebody. "The first full hour after the news broke saw 2,481,652 tweets and retweets, peaking at 61,227 tweets at 5:23 p.m. (all times are PST)," according to Topsy.com, which indexes and ranks results based on the most influential conversations on social media "That is over a thousand tweets a second, not quite as much as during the Superbowl but still a lot." Christina Aguilera: "Whitney's voice was so special to me. Her notes soared to places most singers dream of reaching. She will be missed." Kelly Rowland: "I am beyond heartbroken. Whitney Houston was undoubtedly one of the greatest singers and performers of all time and such a huge influence on me." Mariah Carey: "Heartbroken and in tears ... My heartfelt condolences to Whitney's family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth." Smokey Robinson: "I've known Whitney since she was a little girl and I loved her. She was like family to me. I will miss her." Gloria Estefan: "Sending prayers of peace and solace to her family, friends & fans! Such a loss! Whitney was always so sweet to me! Was rooting for her through her struggles! Such a shame ... I'm truly saddened by this news!" Aretha Franklin: "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen." Simon Cowell: "You're going to remember where you were when you heard the news. It's that significant. She was undoubtedly one of the greatest superstars of all time. One of the greatest voices in our lifetime we're likely ever to hear. And to hear this news, it really, really, really upset me. It really has." Quincy Jones: "I am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney's passing. Ashford & Simpson first made me aware of Whitney when she was just 16, and I always regretted not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a talent beyond compare. I will miss her terribly." Paul Shaffer: "What a voice. What a beauty. What an actress. She had everything and she made us all feel so good when we heard her." Britney Spears: "I was the biggest fan of hers. She influenced me so much. She sent so much love out to the world and she was an inspiration for so many people, and we're there with her." Michelle Williams, of Destiny's Child: "Whitney was my musical hero ... the reason why I wanted to sing. I will never forget the voice." Bruno Mars: "This is terrible news. I'm sick to my stomach. Nobody sang like Whitney. I hate this feeling." Jessica Simpson: "I found my voice singing Whitney Houston's music. Today I lost my idol." Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records: "Whitney Houston was not only an amazing artist but also a beautiful person. She was so smart and her knowledge and appreciation for the musical art form was remarkable. Every time we would see each other, we always had wonderful conversations about life and the business." Cee-Lo Green: "R.I.P. Sister WHITNEY HOUSTON!!!!! We will always love you." Ricky Martin: "RIP Whitney Houston. Sending my love and deepest condolences to her family and friends. Fly Whitney Fly." Dolly Parton: "Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'" Marc Anthony: "I can't believe it ...Rest in Peace Whitney. Descanses." MALEV PINS REVIVAL HOPES ON RUSSIAN BANK Hungary's Malev airlines that stopped flying last week expects a USD 120 M stabilizing credit from the Russian Vnesheconombank (Bank for Foreign Economic Activity). If the Russian bank agrees to provide the credit, Malev could resume its flights from Budapest, ITAR-TASS informs. Vnesheconombank is currently a minority shareholder in the airline, owning 5% of its shares. ITAR-TASS has cited sources stating that there have been difficulties in the negotiation process, with meetings expected to be held in Moscow and Budapest next week. A Budapest court recently placed Malev under the control of a bankruptcy trustee, saying the airline could make payments only as essential to continue offering service. Malev became the second European carrier to halt flights in a week. Spanair, based in Barcelona, collapsed on January 27, stranding 23,000 passengers. 10 KILLED BY AVALANCHE IN KOSOVO, CHILD SAVED At least ten people died and another five are missing after an avalanche hit a mountain village in southern Kosovo. A five-year-old girl has been pulled alive from a house hours after it was hit by the avalanche. She was found buried under 10 metres (33 ft) of snow after officers heard her voice and a mobile phone ringing, an official said. Those who were found dead in the village of Restelica after Saturday's avalanche were two brothers and their families, a local official said. "No bigger tragedy has ever struck this region,'' Behar Ramadani was quoted as saying. The cold snap which started in Europe in late January has left scores dead - many of them homeless people. LIBYA DEMANDS SAADI GADDAFI EXTRADITION FROM NIGER Libyan authorities have called for the extradition of Saadi Gaddafi, one of the sons of late strongman Muammar Gaddafi, after his comments that "an uprising" was comning in Libya. On Friday, Saadi told Al Arabiya that he was in regular contact with people in Libya who were unhappy with the authorities who took over the leadership in the country after the ousting of his father. "Niger is currently giving a safe haven to Saadi, who said he has the money to lead an uprising in Libya," Transitional National Council spokesman Mohammed al-Harizy reacted in a statement, as cited by The Tripoli Post. "They (Niger authorities) should follow the Algerian government that prevented Gaddafi's daughter (Ayesha) from making statements or causing any trouble from their land," the spokesperson declared. While officials in Niger said that Gaddafi's comments violated a condition of his stay — not to engage in subversion against the Libyan authorities — they reiterated that he could not be handed over to a state where he could face execution. Since September, Saadi Gaddafi is wanted by Interpol for crimes he allegedly committed when he served as head of the Libyan football federation. He is said to have misappropriated property and engaged in "armed intimidation". IRAN VOWS 'MAJOR' NUCLEAR PROGRAM PROGRESS 'IN DAYS' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has promised that Tehran will soon reveal "major" progress in its disputed nuclear program. "Iran will announce in the next few days some very important and major nuclear achievements," Ahmadinejad said at a rally attended by tens of thousands of people to mark the 33rd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ahmadinejad's appearance at the Freedom Square rally was met by sustained cheers from demonstrators holding portraits of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and placards that read "Down With USA" and "Down With Israel." The rally, which took place at the foot of the snowy Alborz mountains, was also attended by Ismail Haniya, the head of the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza strip. A military helicopter swooped low over the crowd to scatter confetti after Ahmadinejad's arrival, RIA Novosti reported. Ahmadinejad was speaking amid increasing tensions over Iran's nuclear program, which Western countries and Israel suspect is aimed at the creation of atomic weapons. Iran says the program is designed solely for the production of civilian energy. The United States and European countries have recently tightened sanctions against Iran and the European Union will ban Iranian oil imports by July. Speculation has also been growing in recent weeks that Israel may launch an attack against Iran to counter what it describes as a major threat to its national security. The United States has also refused to rule out force. The U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was reported as saying earlier this month there was a strong possibility Israel could strike between April and June this year. Iran has warned it will respond militarily to any attack. It has also threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital Gulf shipping route. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told state television on Friday that Iran was "prepared" for the "worst case" scenario. "The Islamic Republic of Iran takes these threats seriously and we are prepared in every respect and have plans for the worst-case scenarios," Salehi said, as reported by Iran's English-language Press TV website. Ahmadinejad was defiant on Saturday, warning the West that it would never force Iran to succumb to pressure. "Study our history, our culture," he said. "I tell you openly, the Iranian nation will never give in to the language of force. The West and Israel think only of their own interests... but they must know their time will come," he said. Ahmadinejad also reiterated that Tehran was open to a revival of international talks on its nuclear program, but said that the West must "respect Iran's rights." "We have always been prepared to hold talks in a framework of equality ad mutual respect," he added. Iran says it has an inalienable right to nuclear energy and has refused to discuss uranium enrichment. Western powers say there is no point to talks without a discussion of the issue. Sanctions are already biting in Iran, with prices for basic food stuffs having doubled in recent weeks. But shopkeepers were unwilling to go on record about inflation. The demonstrators at Saturday's rally, many of whom had been bussed in for the event, appeared ready to make sacrifices for the sake of Iran's nuclear rights, reports say. Ahmadinejad denied on Saturday that sanctions were having a major effect, saying the economy was in good shape. Iran's Islamic Revolution Day saw clashes between police and opposition protesters in 2009 but there were no reports of disturbances Saturday. Email services on the eve and day of the rally were down across Tehran. The rally came just weeks before parliamentary elections, the first major polls in Iran since the disputed 2009 presidential vote at which Ahmadinejad secured a second term. Opposition figures claim the vote was rigged and eight months of protests ensued before a government crackdown finally put an end to the demonstrations. STRIKES MARK ONE YEAR SINCE MUBARAK OUSTER IN EGYPT Student activists held strikes in Egypt on Saturday to mark a year since they toppled long-time Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, leaving an increasingly unpopular and defiant military in charge. The call for strikes in universities and work places came after a series of protests pressuring the military to transfer power immediately to civilians, rather than wait for presidential elections later this year, international media note. Students from Egypt's main universities began protests at 8 am GMT, and others were expected to head to the iconic Tahrir Square - epicenter of the protests that toppled Mubarak. The call for strikes have so far seen only a modest response, but activists plan to hold further actions after Saturday's day-long strike. State television said transport workers will not be going on strike and the state-owned daily Al-Ahram headlined: "The people reject civil disobedience." The military, headed by Mubarak's long-time defence minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, has said it will deploy additional troops across the country in response to the call for a day of disobedience. On Friday, thousands of protesters snaked through Cairo's streets to bypass military cordons and reach the defence ministry, chanting: "Down with military rule!" In a statement read out on state television late on Friday, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said it would not bow to threats or plots against the state. "We will never yield to threats, and we will never give in to pressure," the SCAF said. "We tell you quite frankly that our dear Egypt faces plans aimed at striking at the heart of our revolution. "We are facing plots against the nation aiming to undermine the institutions of the Egyptian state, and to topple the state itself so that chaos reigns." The military, which has bloodily crushed several protests in the past year, has played on the widespread suspicion in Egypt of foreign conspiracies. Secular youth groups that spearheaded the revolt against Mubarak also took part in Saturday's strike. In a joint statement on Friday, the groups urged Egyptians "to support these strikes in order to end the unjust rule and build a nation in which justice, freedom and dignity prevail." The call for strikes and protests has divided the country's political forces, with the Muslim Brotherhood - the big winner in parliamentary elections - coming out against it. The military issued a similar warning saying on Friday that the nation was at "the most dangerous turning point on our road to liberty, democracy and social justice." Young activists who spearheaded the revolt against Mubarak believe the generals will try to exercise power through a pliant civilian government after presidential elections set to take place before the end of June. The activists say the military should hand power to parliament, elected over three rounds in November and December, or to a civilian council ahead of presidential elections. The SCAF statement said it was determined to transfer power to an elected civilian body. "We have kept the first promise and returned legislative power to the people's assembly," it said. "Presidential power will pass to the president of the republic after the election ending the period of transition, and your faithful army will revert to its original role." ONLINE RUMOR 'KILLS' NEW N KOREAN DICTATOR A unconfirmed rumor that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been assassinated in China has spread across social networks all over the world Friday into Saturday. According to BBC, the story apparently originated on Chinese microblog site Sina Weibo and was later picked up by Twitter users. The reports were also carried on at least two fake BBC Twitter accounts, which have since been closed. Analysts say the story, claiming he was killed by gunmen at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing, is highly implausible. Many of the tweets are also skeptical. Kim Jong-un took over leadership of the reclusive state after the death of his father Kim Jong-il at the end of December last year. By Friday night, Sina Weibo had more than 380 000 posts referencing the rumor, which became a trending topic on Twitter. No officials have commented on the rumor, and no reliable sources have given it any credence. Rumors of deaths of celebrities and world leaders commonly spread on social-media sites like Twitter, the latest being those of Hollywood stars Jackie Chan and Charlie Sheen. PROTEST ORGANIZER: ACTA DOESN'T DISTINGUISH COUNTERFEITING FROM SHARING Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136564 PROPHON CEO INA KILEVA: ACTA WOULD SAVE OVER 1 MILLION JOBS Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136565 |
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