Exclusive Certificate Beltagy

Directed the Alexandria Criminal Court advisers first question to Dr. Mohamed Beltagy Secretary General of Freedom and Justice Party and a member of the Constitutional Committee of the Constitution.


The text of his testimony as follows:


What do you know about the defendant, "Sabry Helmy Nknuch"?


There were no eyes it until this moment, has not met him personally, but I as an administrator in public affairs and an Egyptian citizen, participants within the figures revolution of January 25, I was following the events passed after the revolution, was repeated name Sabry Helmy Nknuch the ears of some members called me and told me about his relationship or possible relationship to groups of thugs involved in crises homeland after the revolution in the events of Maspero and Mohamed Mahmoud and the Council of Ministers.


He went on, "and when it occurred the massacre of Port Said, which claimed the lives of 75 Egyptian, sought to stop these events I and a group of parliamentarians, we found that the shooting is from inside the elements of the two parties, which found that the elements of engagement unintended between elements exist between the parties, so I did call Mr. Major Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of the Interior at the time, and asked to meet him urgently important, and urgently, even received paid off from Maj. Gen. Ahmed Gamal Eddin director of public security at the time. "


He continues, "I met with Mr. Major General Mohamed Ibrahim, Mr. Ahmed Gamal Eddin and Adm. Ahmed Helmi, director of security this year and sat with them and I told them what I said earlier."


The comment, saying "I told them that clashes permanent perimeter and interior ministry unintended thugs penetrate the ranks of interior troops and rebel ranks, and therefore will not work any ways to solve only identify the elements of thugs, and I told them that the map of thugs in Egypt known to the Ministry of the Interior, فأجابا can not at this time access to a particular ".


Then I asked Mr. Ahmed Gamal El Din direct question: What do you know about "Helmy Sabry Nknuch"?, Sovereignty replied that he "thugs resource at the country level."


, And I told him if you must answer three questions, to the expense of working and provides thugs?, What its relationship to previous crises?, And why did not reach your hands him despite your information he thugs resource at the country level?.


Leroy "said Lee will not infer the current address, although he is entitled based us and known to us Balkenj Mariot, and ended the interview on Friday, February 3, 2012 and all my knowledge of the accused Sabry Helmy Nknuch."

"Nknuch" from inside the cage threatens "Beltagy", saying: I will not let go

Saw Alexandria Criminal Court Thursday morning bickering between the accused Sabry Nknuch in case possession of a weapon without a permit and drug and facilitating prostitution, and Mohamed El-Beltagy Council member former dissolved and leading Brotherhood member, following the adjournment of the first session and testifying, where raging Nknuch and rebelled in the dock and tried to destroy him and get out of itechoing words offensive to Biltaji, saying to him: "not Hsaipk".

As build up the defense on the presence of a number of lawyers with the witness, and accused them of friction with them, while the witness, he may not bring the defense its behalf, as Schauer compatriots accused Sabry Nknuch the dock and accused the media of bias and lack of objectivity after he turned around Beltagy after testify.

The girl who cut her hair inside the metro "stuck with her ​​hair cut" in an interview with Al-Masri Al-Youm

Maggie melad Fayez, requesting the second intermediate grade, 13 years old, sitting beside her hair cut during an exclusive interview with Al-Masri Al-Youm in her home, 7 November 2012. Girl's family filed a complaint against the veiled lady has cut hair MAGGI subway inside the vehicle while she went to school, in retaliation because of friction between them inside the vehicle.

Saudi civil defense investigates fire in abandoned Mecca hotel

Eyewitnesses were quoted by Saudi media as saying that the cause was a gas cylinder inside the hotel, located in Mecca's Um Al-Joud neighborhood

New Kuwaiti parliament to review disputed electoral rule

Kuwait’s Emir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said the government will not falter in face of threats challenging the country’s security.

Prince Mohammed bin Nayef named Saudi interior minister

King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, of Saudi Arabia, has appointed veteran assistant minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as minister of interior, the state media reported on Monday.

The appointment of Prince Mohammed came after his half-brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz asked to be “relieved” from the position.

“Prince Ahmed is relieved of his position as interior minister at his own request and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is appointed,” according to a royal decree carried on the Saudi Press Agency.

Prince Mohammed is the son of Prince Nayef, who served as the kingdom’s interior minister for decades until he died in June, and was replaced by Prince Ahmed, who was his deputy.

He is seen by Western countries as having spearheaded Saudi efforts to crush al-Qaeda in the kingdom.

Obama ranks 10 in list of top athletic U.S. presidents

 the spirit of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, Yahoo’s Post Game sports blog created a list of top 10 athletic presidents, with criteria ranging from physical strength, toughness and endurance, and other yardsticks. 

Coming in at 10th place is current President Barack Obama. Aside basketball, Obama also plays golf and fits in cardio training sessions as part of his sports routine.

In ninth place, the United States 28th president, Woodrow Wilson was an avid baseball player throughout high school and college. He also cycled and played golf, too.

Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, comes in at eighth place. The running enthusiast installed a treadmill on board the Air Force One.

Ronald Reagan is number seven, according to Post Game. The 40th U.S. president and former actor, was a lifeguard during his teen years, and captain of his college swim team. He also played football and basketball during high school.

Assassinated president John F. Kennedy comes in sixth place. He was part of the Harvard swim team and football team. He also played golf, tennis, and basketball.

A founding father of the America, George Washington is number five. He was considered the best horse rider during his time. Aside his equestrian skills, Washington also played javelin and rock-throwing.

In fourth place is Teddy Roosevelt, who took a punch or ten throughout his life. He participated in boxing, martial arts and wrestling. If that wasn’t enough to knock the wind out of his sails, this presidential athlete also hunted, rowed, played tennis and football.

George Bush Sr. is number three on the list. He was captain of the Yale baseball team and was the starting basemen. He led the team to the first two College World Series games. Aside baseball, Bush Sr. was a combat Navy pilot, a tennis and golf player. He also enjoys fishing.

34th president Dwight Eisenhower is runner up on the list, having dabbled in boxing and played fullback and line back in the army football team. He also played golf and baseball.

And in first place – Gerald Ford. He played on various football teams and won two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles while playing for Michigan College’s team. In the 1930s, Ford received contracts from Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers of Wisconsin. 

Football contracts weren’t as high-paying as the current NFL back in the day, so Ford pursued law studies at Yale. His involvement in sports didn’t stop there as he coached the boxing team and participated with the football team.

The Final Stretch: Obama, Romney gunning for Election Night victory

National opinion polls show Obama and Romney in a virtual dead heat, although the Democratic incumbent has a slight advantage in several vital swing states. 

Stem cell op may 'restore sperm'

Boys left infertile by childhood cancer treatment may one day be able to produce healthy sperm by using stored stem cells, monkey research suggests.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can kill tumours and the cells which make sperm.

A study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, extracted sperm-producing stem cells before cancer treatment and later placed them back into the monkey.

Sperm which could fertilise an egg were produced, which experts labelled a "milestone" in research.

Most men who have cancer treatment which could affect their fertility can choose to freeze sperm before their treatment starts. This is not an option for patients who have not yet gone through puberty.

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These are issues we still must work through, but this study does show us the concept is feasible”

Dr Kyle Orwig
Researcher
BBC Health: Fertility guide
However, they do have the spermatogonial stem cells which would start to produce sperm in their teenage years.

The researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute took samples of the stem cells from macaques and stored them in a freezer.

The monkeys were then given a chemotherapy drug.

Their own stem cells were implanted back where they came from after the course of chemotherapy had ended. Nine out of 12 adult monkeys and three out of five prepubescent monkeys were later able to produce sperm again.

Separate experiments showed eggs could be fertilised with sperm produced after the procedure.

'Feasible'

Dr Kyle Orwig, from the department of obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine at Pitt School of Medicine, said: "This study demonstrates that spermatogonial stem cells from higher primates can be frozen and thawed without losing their activity, and that they can be transplanted to produce functional sperm that are able to fertilise eggs and give rise to early embryos."

He said there were still many challenges before this could be used in people: "Should we re-introduce the spermatogonial cells as soon as treatment is over, or wait until the patient is considered cured of his disease, or when he is ready to start a family? How do we eliminate the risk of cancer recurrence if we give back untreated cells that might include cancer cells?

"These are issues we still must work through, but this study does show us the concept is feasible."

Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC that the idea had been discussed repeatedly but "experiments have never come close to suggesting it might work in humans".

However, he said: "This report is a very useful step forward and clearly shows that the science of spermatogonial stem cells transplantation might one day work for humans. And, although the authors report relatively low efficiency so far, in the context of someone who does not have any banked sperm to fall back on, these odds are probably very encouraging to make this kind of approach worthwhile."

He also highlighted safety concern saying: "It would be a disaster to give the cancer back to someone because cancer cells are lurking in the transplant.

"But also we need to make sure that the genetics of sperm produced from transplanted spermatogonial stem cells is correct and leads to the birth of healthy offspring which themselves give rise to healthy grandchildren and great grandchildren."

Pierre Fouchet, a researcher at the CEA Institute of Cellular and Molecular Radiobiology in France, said the results: "Constitute a milestone in the field of reproduction and generate hope for restoring fertility in survivors of childhood cancer."

However, he said advances in fertility research needed "intense debate" about the social consequences.

Heartbeat 'could power pacemaker

A device which could harness energy from a beating heart can produce enough electricity to keep a pacemaker running, according to US researchers.

Repeated operations are currently needed to replace batteries in pacemakers.

Tests suggested the device could produce 10 times the amount of energy needed.

The British Heart Foundation said clinical trials were needed to show it would be safe for patients.

Piezoelectric materials generate an electric charge when their shape is changed. They are used in some microphones to convert vibrations into an electrical signal.

Researchers at the University of Michigan are trying to use the movement of the heart as a source of electricity.

In tests designed to simulate a range of heartbeats, enough electricity was generated to power a pacemaker. The designers now want to test the device on a real heart and build it into a commercial pacemaker.

Dr Amin Karami told a meeting of the American Heart Association that pacemaker batteries needed to be replaced approximately every seven years.

"Many of the patients are children who live with pacemakers for many years. You can imagine how many operations they are spared if this new technology is implemented."

Prof Peter Weissberg, the medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Advancing technology over recent years has meant people with pacemakers need to change their battery less often. This device could be another step forward along this path.

"If researchers can refine the technology and it proves robust in clinical trials, it would further reduce the need for battery changes."

Rwandans kill DR Congo soldier

Rwanda has accused soldiers from Democratic Republic of Congo of "provocation" after a group crossed the border, leading to clashes along the volatile area.

One of the Congolese soldiers was shot dead, while a Rwandan was wounded in the exchange of fire, a Rwandan military spokesman said.

A Congolese spokesman said the clash came after the Congolese soldiers crossed the border to buy beer.

Rwanda denies backing DR Congo rebels.

But some donors have cut aid to Rwanda over UN allegations that it gives weapons and funds to the M23 rebels.

Some 500,000 people have fled their homes in eastern DR Congo since April, when the M23 group took up arms.

The BBC's Jean-Claude Mwambutsa in Rwanda says this is the first direct clash between the two countries' armies since 2001.

He says with the international spotlight on both Kigali and Kinshasa, it is unlikely that this incident will lead to a new war.

Rwandan military spokesman Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita said soldiers from DR Congo's armed forces (FARDC) had crossed the border on a reconnaissance mission, reports Reuters news agency.

"This is a provocative act of the FARDC. They want to draw Rwanda into their internal problems but Rwanda has always said we will not escalate the problem," he said.

Congolese army spokesman Col Olivier Hamuli said a Rwandan soldier had also been killed but this was denied by Brig Gen Nzabamwita, reports the AFP news agency.

The clash is said to have occurred near Kibumba, 13km (8 miles) north of the Congolese city of Goma.

Rwanda is widely seen as having backed armed groups in eastern DR Congo as a way of tackling Hutu fighters who fled there after the 1994 genocide.

Both Rwanda and the M23 rebels, now known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, are led by ethnic Tutsis.

Rwanda twice invaded its much larger neighbour during the 1990s, when it was accused of looting eastern DR Congo's rich mineral resources.

Copts face change with faith in new pope

It was a remarkable ceremony. The ancient liturgy of morning service at St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo was the setting for an even more extraordinary ritual.

A young boy was chosen, brought forward to the alter, then blindfolded. He then picked one of three pieces of paper from a jar. The paper was shown to the congregation. On it was the name of Bishop Tawadros, who will be the new Coptic pope. The congregation broke into spontaneous applause.

It might seem a strange way to choose a new leader for Egypt's eight to ten million Coptic Christians - and many more worldwide.

Yet Copts believe this is the way the hand of God was revealed. That is the view of Youssef Sidhom, editor of the Coptic Watani newspaper:

"We end up presenting three to heaven, and we ask heaven to choose one of them," he explained.

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The new pope is a 60-year-old bishop. He has studied in Britain, and worked in Egypt and abroad. He's even run a medicine factory, so he is a man of wide experience, and an accomplished administrator.

Yet no-one believes he will bring radical change to this deeply conservative church. One commentator told me the only change introduced to the church in recent years was to bring in chairs, a mercy as services can last four or five hours.

Change and tradition
The ancient liturgy is still performed in the Coptic language, little understood by most Egyptians.

Bahrain bomb blasts kill two foreign workers

Two foreign workers have been killed and a third seriously injured by bomb blasts in Bahrain, officials say.

Police said there were five explosions caused by home-made devices in two areas of the capital Manama on Monday.

One of the men died at the scene when he kicked a device in Gudaibiya. The second died in hospital after being injured by an explosion near a cinema.

A third explosion in Adliya injured another man working as a cleaner. Officials said the victims were Asian.

Their nationalities are not known, but the biggest expatriate communities in Bahrain are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi.

According to the 2010 census, there are more than 660,000 foreign nationals living in Bahrain - the vast majority of whom are described as Asian - out of a total population of 1,235,000.

The head of Capital Governorate Police urged all residents of Bahrain not to touch strange objects and to notify the authorities if they saw one.

An investigation into who caused the blasts, which the official Bahrain News Agency described as an "act of terrorism", is under way.

Last month, a policeman was killed by a bomb explosion while on patrol during an anti-government protest in the village of al-Akr. Another later died of burns he suffered after being hit by a Molotov cocktail in April.

Twitter sentences
Bahrain has been wracked by unrest since demonstrators took to the streets of Manama in February 2011, demanding more democracy and an end to what they said was discrimination against the majority Shia Muslim community by the Sunni royal family.

At least 60 people, including several police officers, have been killed, and thousands injured and jailed, since the uprising began in February 2011. The opposition puts the death toll at 80, a figure the authorities dispute.

Last week, the interior ministry announced a ban on all rallies and public gatherings, prompting condemnation from human rights groups.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifah said "repeated abuse" of the rights to freedom of speech and expression could no longer be accepted.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the ban "could aggravate the situation in the country" and urged the government "to lift them without delay", while the US State Department said it was "deeply concerned".

On Wednesday, foreign ministers from the Gulf Co-operation Council are scheduled to meet in Bahrain to discuss regional issues, including the unrest in Bahrain and Kuwait, where opposition supporters have been protesting against the emir's changes to the electoral law.

Bahrain's King Hamad brought in troops from neighbouring Sunni GCC states to restore order and crush dissent in March 2011.

In a separate development on Monday, a court in Manama handed down prison sentences to another two online activists accused of "defaming" the king in comments posted on Twitter.

One defendant was given a four-month sentence while the other was given one month. Their names have not been released.

They were among four people arrested last month on the same charges. Appearing in court on 22 October, they all denied any wrongdoing.

A third activist was imprisoned for six months by the court on Friday, while a verdict in the case of the fourth is expected later this month.

Trouble signs in Iowa for Romney?

The Romney campaign and the candidate himself woke up here this morning to a headline plastered across the front page of the Des Moines Register that could hardly have been less hospitable.

"Final Stretch in Iowa: Edge to Obama," it says, atop a story about a Register poll that has President Obama up by five points in a state Mitt Romney hoped to turn.

With the race in a dead heat and time ticking away, Romney arrived in Des Moines last night for an early morning rally, before heading off for events today in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida.

In Iowa, he's hoping to build on support he's gotten recently from surprising corners, including the Des Moines Register, which endorsed him last week--the first Republican presidential candidate it has backed in 40 years.

This morning at the Des Monies Convention Center, more than 4,000 people cheered Romney on as he spoke in big, sweeping language about America's greatness and promise.

"We're Americans! We can do anything!" he exhorted, as the crowd spontaneously started chanting, "two more days! Two more days!"

The crowd, as crowds do in these rallies, clearly believes. Two of the women I spoke with afterward say there's a new enthusiasm in Iowa for Romney. They talked about the debate, how people were proud of his performance and are tuning out the negative ads.

Romney: Obama cares "more about a liberal agenda" than economy Campaign 2012: complete coverage

But the problem for Romney is that kind of anecdotal evidence, delivered by committed supporters who bothered to go to a Sunday morning rally, is not reflected in today's poll, which has the president leading 47 to 42 percent over Romney.

Now you can argue with the poll--and plenty are this morning. After all, the weekend before the election four years ago, the Register poll had then-Senator Obama beating John McCain by 17 points. He instead won by nine.

"Obama's not going to win by five," a GOP strategist told me at this morning's rally. "It is going to be close--less than 10,000 votes."

Note that adviser is not predicting Romney will win--or lose--only that it will be close. That's what their internal polls say here--a dead heat.

Romney needs Iowa because it would lessen the pressure on him to win Ohio, which has remained tough for him to crack. That's largely because he was targeted throughout the summer with negative ads skewering him as a rich and heartless corporate raider--and one who would turn his back on the auto industry, to boot.

He was able to change some of those impressions with his performance in the first debate--but not all of them. And some of that is reflected in the Iowa poll.

There's been no positive movement for Romney since the newspaper's poll in September, when the president led by four. And on nearly every measure--the economy, leadership, honesty, trustworthiness--they give the nod to Mr. Obama.

Moreover, the poll says voters here are more optimistic and increasingly believe the country is on the right track--which may be a reflection of Iowa's improving economic picture. Unemployment is now at 5.2 percent--below the national average of 7.9 percent.

Romney prevails on two qualities: reducing the deficit and best at uniting Republicans and Democrats. The latter is not insignificant, and Romney has been pushing a message of bipartisanship that seems to be resonating.

But is it enough? As the crowd this morning reminds us, we'll know in two more days.

Juventus' unbeaten run Inter-cepted

A brace from Diego Milito (L) inspired Inter to a massive win over Serie A leaders Juventus [GALLO/GETTY] Inter Milan ended Juventus' 49-match unbeaten streak in Serie A with a 3-1 comeback win over their bitter rivals in 'Italy's derby' on Saturday and moved within one point of the lead. For their ninth consecutive victory in all competitions, Inter also had to overcome questionable refereeing. Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal put Juventus ahead after just 18 seconds, but replays clearly showed that Kwadwo Asamoah provided the cross while offside. In the 12th minute, a goal from Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio was annulled for another questionable offside call, this time with replays indecisive. "We had a lot of courage to play like this in this stadium. Nobody had ever done that before" Inter Milan's Diego Milito However, Inter eventually equalised with a penalty from Diego Milito in the 59th after Claudio Marchisio tugged the Argentine's jersey. Milito scored the winner by firing in a rebound in the 75th. As Juve pressed forward for an equaliser, Palacio scored Inter's third in the 90th, finishing off a counterattack with a pass from Japan fullback Yuto Nagatomo. Juventus had not lost in the Italian league since being beaten by Parma 1-0 in the penultimate match of the 2010-11 season. The Bianconeri were unbeaten last season en route to the title. AC Milan hold the record unbeaten streak at 58 matches, set from 1991 to 1993. "The first goal was offside, but after that goal we reacted well and had a great match," Milito said. "We had a lot of courage to play like this in this stadium. Nobody had ever done that before." 'Own road' Juventus Stadium opened last season and this marked the Bianconeri's first loss there. "We're following our own road," Milito said. "We've still got an extraordinary squad ahead of us and I'm sure they won't give up until the end. We've just got to try and keep winning and then we'll see what happens at the end." "I just spoke with the president (Silvio Berlusconi) and we both said the same thing, 'We seemed like Milan tonight.'" Milan club vice president Adriano Galliani Earlier, AC Milan moved into the top half of the table with a 5-1 rout of Chievo Verona, boosting manager Massimiliano Allegri's chances of holding onto his job. Urby Emanuelsson opened the scoring for Milan in the 16th minute at the San Siro and while Sergio Pellissier equalised for Chievo two minutes later, the Rossoneri got two more goals from Riccardo Montolivo and Bojan Krkic before halftime. Stephen El Shaarawy added another in the 75th for his league-leading eighth goal of the season, and Giampaolo Pazzini found the target in added time. Milan moved into a tie for seventh place with Roma and Cagliari, 14 points behind Juventus. "I think Milan is back," club vice president Adriano Galliani said. "I just spoke with the president (Silvio Berlusconi) and we both said the same thing, 'We seemed like Milan tonight.' He really liked Bojan and he told me to compliment the coach. "We're a bit calmer now with the seven points from the last three matches, which have given us a bit of a jump. We've got a squad that can't not finish in the top places." Milan lost five of their opening eight matches and Allegri has been fending off speculation that he could be fired for several weeks. This week, Milan needed two late goals to rally for a 2-2 draw at Palermo. "Any other club in our situation would have changed coaches," Galliani said. "I've got a great relationship with Allegri."

NHL and union make progress, will meet again soon

In a promising step toward ending the eight-week NHL lockout, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr said a long private session at an undisclosed site that ran past midnight Saturday was positive and that more meetings are planned this week.
"We had a series of meetings over the course of the day and had a good, frank discussion on the most important issues separating us," Daly said Sunday. "We plan to meet again early in the week."
A few hours later, Fehr responded: "I agree with what Bill said. Hopefully, we can continue the dialogue, expand the group and make steady progress."
The tone was far more cordial than after previous sessions, when each side accused the other of misrepresenting proposals involving two key elements: how to honor existing contracts and eventually reach a 50-50 split of league revenue. The players had been receiving 57 percent under the previous collective-bargaining agreement, which expired Sept. 15.
Union leaders conducted a conference call Sunday to brief players on the developments. It is unclear who will attend the next meeting and when it will take place. RDS, the Canadian French-language channel, reported Sunday that the talks will be in New York.
A total of 326 games have been canceled through November, as well as the popular and lucrative Jan. 1 Winter Classic between Detroit and Toronto in Ann Arbor, Mich., which was scrapped Friday.
Before Friday, the league estimated revenue losses of more than $330 million; players have missed two paychecks. If there is an agreement in time for a shortened season to begin Dec. 1, the players will have missed four paydays. It is expected that a week would be needed to allow players to return from overseas and to stage training camps.

Man with bionic leg climbs Willis Tower, tallest skyscraper in U.S.

CHICAGO - The metal on Zac Vawter bionic leg gleamed as he climbed 103 floors of Chicago's iconic Willis Tower, becoming the first person ever to complete the task wearing a mind-controlled prosthetic limb.
Vawter, who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, put the smart limb on public display for the first time during an annual stair-climbing charity event called "SkyRise Chicago" hosted by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where he is receiving treatment.
"Everything went great," said Vawter at the event's end. "The prosthetic leg did its part, and I did my part."
The robotic leg is designed to respond to electrical impulses from muscles in his hamstring. When Vawter thought about climbing the stairs, the motors, belts and chains in his leg synchronized the movements of its ankle and knee.
The computerized prosthetic limb, like something one might see in a sci-fi film, weighs about 10 pounds and holds two motors.
Bionic — or thought-controlled — prosthetic arms have been available for a few years, thanks to pioneering work done at the Rehabilitation Institute. Knowing leg amputees outnumbering people who've lost arms and hands, the Chicago researchers are focusing more on lower limbs. If a bionic hand fails, a person drops a glass of water. If a bionic leg fails, a person falls down stairs.
This event was a research project for us, said Joanne Smith, the Rehabilitation Institute's CEO.
"We were testing the leg under extreme conditions. Very few patients who will use the leg in the future will be using it for this purpose. From that perspective, its performance was beyond measure," Smith added.
To prepare for his pioneering climb, Vawter said, he practiced on a small escalator at a gym, while researchers spent months adjusting the technical aspects of the leg to ensure that it would respond to his thoughts.
When Vawter goes home to Yelm, Wash., where he lives with his wife and two children, the experimental leg will stay behind in Chicago. Researchers will continue to refine its steering. Taking it to the market is still years away.
"We've come a long way, but we have a long way to go," said lead researcher Levi Hargrove of the institute's Center for Bionic Medicine. "We need to make rock solid devices, more than a research prototype."
The $8 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and involves Vanderbilt University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Rhode Island and the University of New Brunswick.
"A lot of people say that losing a leg is like losing a loved one," said Vawter. "You go through a grieving process. You and establish a new normal in your life and move on. Today was a big event. It's just neat to be a part of the research and be a part of RIC."
Nearly, 3,000 climbers participated in the annual charity event, called SkyRise Chicago. Participants climbed about 2,100 steps to the Willis Tower's SkyDeck level to raise money for the institute's rehabilitation care and research. 

Wild dogs kill 2-year-old boy at Pa. zoo exhibit

PITTSBURGH - A mother's attempt to give her two-year-old son a better view of wild African dogs turned into a "horrific" tragedy at the Pittsburgh Zoo after the boy fell into the exhibit and was killed by a pack of the animals as relatives and bystanders looked on.
Lt. Kevin Kraus of the Pittsburgh police said the attack happened at about 11:45 a.m. Sunday after the mother picked the child up and put him on top of a railing at the edge of a viewing deck. "Almost immediately after that he lost his balance, fell down off the railing into the pit, and he was immediately attacked by 11 dogs," Kraus said. "It was very horrific."
It's not yet clear whether the boy died from the fall or the attack, said Barbara Baker, president of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Zoo officials at first estimated the boy fell 14 feet, but police said it was 11. It's not clear which is correct.
Authorities said that zoo staff and then police responded "within minutes" but visitors described that time as being filled with screams for help. Zookeepers called off some of the dogs, and seven of them immediately went to a back building. Three more eventually were drawn away from the child, but the last dog was aggressive and police had to shoot the animal.
Experts said the death is highly unusual.
Steve Feldman, a spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, said no one he's spoken to can recall any deaths of children at an accredited zoo over the last 40 years or more. Feldman said the Pittsburgh Zoo successfully completed its 5-year review in September, which means it meets or exceeds all safety standards.
Authorities didn't release the name of the boy or his mother, but say she is 34 years old and lives in Pleasant Hills, just outside Pittsburgh. The boy's father arrived on the scene soon after the accident, police said.
The zoo was immediately closed, and it was not clear when it will reopen, authorities said.
The so-called painted dogs are about as big as medium-sized domestic dogs, and 37 to 80 pounds, according to the zoo. They have large, rounded ears and dark brown circles around their eyes and are considered endangered.
The attack happened in a 1.5 acre exhibit called the Painted Dog Bush Camp that's part of a larger open area where elephants, lions and other animals can be seen. Visitors walk onto a deck that is glassed on the sides, but open in front where the roughly four-foot railing is located.
In May, some of the dogs crawled under a fence and escaped into a part of the exhibit that's usually closed. The zoo was on lockdown for about an hour as a precaution.
Past fatal attacks at have prompted zoos around the nation to review safety features of their exhibits. In 2007 a tiger jumped over a wall at the San Francisco zoo, killing one visitor and wounding two others. Authorities first said the wall was 18 feet high, but a review found it was just 12 ½ feet.
In September a man jumped off an elevated viewing train at the Bronx Zoo in New York and was severely mauled by tigers.
Kraus said there was nothing to prevent visitors to the painted dog exhibit from jumping into the exhibit area.
Police and the Allegheny County medical examiner's office are investigating, and they haven't yet interviewed the mother or father, who are receiving grief counseling.
Baker said the zoo, which has never had a visitor death, will also investigate. She said no decision has been made yet on the future of the exhibit.

A robot for small, midsize manufacturers

Work wanted: willing to do light parts-handling for $4 an hour for 40 hours or more weekly. Overtime wages not required. Health care, 401(k) plan, vacation, sick leave and other benefits need not be provided.
If you're thinking the job candidate is a member of the oppressed working class in China or a Third World country, think again.
It's Baxter, an American-made robot launched recently,...

Working at home may make you miss the office

Nearly every office dweller fantasizes about the joys of working from home: Dressing in PJs instead of suits. Eating from the fridge and not the vending machine. Listening to birds chirp instead of the boss bark.
But superstorm Sandy has created legions of people who can't wait to get back to the office.
They include parents who have struggled to juggle conference calls while their kids...

Top Docs: Choosing a primary care physician

Peggy O'Donnell, a Lynbrook nurse practitioner, knows a thing or two about picking a good primary care physician.

O'Donnell works for a doctor affiliated with South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside. She cares for more than 100 patients a week, doing work once reserved for doctors - prescribing medicine, diagnosing illnesses and administering physicals.

And O'Donnell insists that..

Daylight saving tips for babies and kids

                                                                 

While many people are excited about gaining an hour of sleep when we “fall back” for daylight saving time this weekend, some parents may be cringing that their little ones will be up an hour earlier.
Sure, it's only 60 minutes, but as any parent can attest, routines and sleep schedules are important for babies -- and mom and dad, too.
Here, Dr. Harvey Karp, a nationally renowned pediatrician...

                                                                    

Bureau: LI farms largely escape Sandy's wrath

Most of Long Island's farmers suffered relatively little damage from superstorm Sandy, either because their crops had already been harvested or because the lack of heavy rain kept their fields from flooding, according to a survey by the Long Island Farm Bureau.
"People have no idea how much of a bullet we dodged by not getting heavy rain," said Joseph M. Gergela III, executive director of

New trial in Vatican scandal offers insider look

VATICAN CITY - The trial this week of a Vatican computer whiz over his alleged role in an embarrassing scandal of filched confidential papal documents is offering a chance for an insider glimpse at the Holy See's security workings.
Among those expected to testify in the trial, which begins on Monday in a Vatican City tribunal, are the pope's top bodyguard, a commander of the legendary Swiss Guards and a Vatican security official connected to an Italian company with expertise in detecting eavesdropping devices.
Also on the witness list is Paolo Gabriele, Benedict's former butler who is serving an 18-month prison sentence at the Vatican. It will be Gabriele's first opportunity for public comment since the Holy See tribunal convicted him last month of stealing the pontiff's private letters and leaking them to an Italian journalist in one of the worst breaches of Vatican security in recent memory.
The leaks exposed infighting among Vatican bureaucrats, intrigue and allegations of corruption.
Claudio Sciarpelletti, a 48-year-old computer programming analyst in the powerful office of Secretariat of State, was originally supposed to be tried with Gabriele earlier this fall. But his lawyer succeeded in having his client tried separately. Sciarpelletti is charged with aiding and abetting Gabriele.
The judge at the first trial, Giuseppe Dalla Torre, will also conduct Sciarpelletti's trial.
Lawyer Gianluca Benedetti has said that his client is innocent and insisted that there were no confidential documents in a sealed envelope that Vatican police said was found in Sciarpelletti's desk. The envelope, according to the indictment, was marked "Personal P. Gabriele."
Vatican prosecutors had originally sought indictment of Sciarpelletti on charges of revealing secrets and grand theft. But a Vatican judge denied that request, ordering trial only on the lesser charge of aiding and abetting.
As in Gabriele's trial, no video, audio or still camera coverage is allowed for this latest trial. A pool of reporters is permitted to follow the trial inside the courtroom and will later brief fellow journalists accredited with the Holy See's press room.
Sciarpelletti's office was searched in late May, shortly after Gabriele's arrest, and the computer expert spent a night in a Vatican holding cell, only to be quickly released.
For months, the Vatican had insisted that Gabriele was the only suspect in the probe, even though Sciarpelletti, an Italian citizen, had been arrested and questioned. Sciarpelletti's brief jailing became known only when the indictment came down in August.
Vatican officials have never explained why they hadn't revealed Sciarpelletti's alleged involvement earlier. They have alleged that he played a minor role in the case.
The indictment request said Vatican police described Sciarpelletti as being "contradictory and reticent" when questioned. The alleged discrepancies included Sciarpelletti's descriptions of how well he knew Gabriele and whether the former butler had given him the envelope.
Among other witnesses expected to be called is a monsignor who is the nephew of a veteran Vatican diplomat now serving as papal ambassador to the United States. The veteran diplomat, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, had been No. 2 administrator of the Vatican city-state until being posted in Washington earlier this year.
According to one of the letters allegedly spirited out of the Vatican by Gabriele, Vigano had begged Benedict not to be transferred after exposing corruption in the awarding of Vatican contracts that cost the Holy See millions.

                                                                        

More than a dozen school districts closed Monday

School districts across Long Island, struggling with a range of storm-related challenges, were wrestling with whether to open Monday.

More than 20 school districts decided to remain closed both Monday and Tuesday. (See list below.)

Schools in the hardest-hit areas of Nassau County, including East Rockaway, Island Park and Long Beach, will be closed for the entire week, according to those...

LIPA: More help on way as Sandy outages under 300,000

Another 1,600 workers are due to arrive Monday and Tuesday to help LIPA restore power to tens of thousands of customers without electricity one week after superstorm Sandy, according to the utility.

LIPA Sunday said the number of customers without power dipped for the first time since Sandy struck a week ago to fewer than 300,000, but utility officials, under fire from politicians, are bracing...

US set for final campaigning day

US presidential rivals Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are approaching the final day of their election battle in a frantic fight for swing state votes.

Mr Obama is scheduled to appear in Madison, Wisconsin, accompanied by Bruce Springsteen, before going on to Iowa and Ohio.

Mr Romney is due in Florida - where polls suggest he is ahead - in Virginia, New Hampshire and Ohio.

Analysts say the election will come down to a handful of swing states.

Mr Obama and Mr Romney are running almost neck-and-neck in national polls, but polls of many key battlegrounds show Mr Obama narrowly ahead.

However, neither camp is exuding absolute confidence, the BBC's North America editor Mark Mardell reports.

The campaign has been most intense in Ohio, which no Republican has ever lost and still made it to the White House

The pair spent Sunday addressing crowds across the country, with Mr Romney speaking in Pennsylvania, a state his aides insist he can now win on Tuesday.

Mr Obama held rallies in New Hampshire and Florida and carried on to Ohio and Colorado in the evening.

In Florida, Democrats have filed a legal case demanding an extension of time available for early voting, citing unprecedented demand.

In Ohio, Republican election officials will go to court on Monday to defend an 11th-hour directive to local election officials.

Last month, a federal appeals court reinstated early voting on the last three days before Tuesday's election.

The ruling overturned a state law saying early voting should end on the Friday before the election, making an exception only for voters living overseas and for military personnel, who tend to favour Republican candidates.

Critics say this potentially favours the Obama camp.

Race 'tightening'

A final poll published on Sunday by Ohio's Columbus Dispatch gave Mr Obama a 2% lead - 50% to 48% - over his rival, within the margin of error.

Both candidates visited the Buckeye State on Sunday, with Mr Romney telling crowds in Cleveland that Mr Obama has failed in his pledge to be a "post-partisan" president and criticising his record.

"He's been divisive, blaming, attacking, dividing and - by the way - it's not only Republicans that he refused to listen to, he also refused to listen to independent voices."

Later on Sunday, he spoke in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, his first visit there in the final stages of the campaign. Democrats say the Romney team's last-minute decision to campaign in the state is a sign of desperation, but polls do show a tightening race.

"The people of America understand we're taking back the White House because we're going to win Pennsylvania," Mr Romney told the crowd in Morrisville.

Mr Obama made another appearance in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Stevie Wonder opened a huge evening rally.

Earlier in the day at a rally in Concord, New Hampshire, Mr Obama said: "We have come too far to turn back now."

He said he would work across party lines to break the political gridlock in Washington, but would not compromise on priorities such as healthcare and college financial aid.

Activists have been stepping up efforts across the crucial swing states.

In Wisconsin, student volunteers have been putting in 14-hour days in an effort to deliver the state for Mr Obama, the BBC's Paul Adams reports from Madison

An opinion poll on Sunday for ABC News and the Washington Post put the two candidates at 48%, with even voters who term themselves independents split evenly on 46%.

Mr Romney remains favoured among whites, seniors and evangelical Christians; Mr Obama among women, non-whites and young adults.

The president also remains slightly ahead in most of the nine-or-so swing states that will determine the election.

Opinion polls published on Saturday showed him well-placed in Iowa, Nevada and Ohio, but most remain within the polls' own margins of error.