Bahrain protests flare after activists sentenced

Bahraini protesters poured back to the streets Wednesday after a security court sentenced eight Shiite activists to life in prison in the latest blow by the Western-backed kingdom to cripple the biggest Arab Spring opposition movement in the Gulf.

The fast and angry reaction to the verdicts — the most significant display of unrest in weeks — underscored the volatility in the island nation after four months of unrest and raised questions about whether any credible pro-reform leaders will heed calls by the Sunni monarchy to open talks next week.

In size, Bahrain is little more than a speck off the coast of Saudi Arabia. But it draws in some of the region's major players: hosting the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and serving as a growing point of friction between Gulf powers Saudi Arabia and Iran.Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc.

Security forces used tear gas to drive back hundreds of Shiite marchers trying to reach a central square in the capital Manama, which was once the hub of their protests for greater rights. In other Shiite areas, protesters gathered in the streets but were held back by riot police. No injuries were reported.

Bahrain has allowed two major rallies this month by the main opposition party, but the confrontations Wednesday were among the biggest challenges to security forces since martial law-style rule was lifted June 1.

Shiites account for 70 percent of Bahrain's population of some 525,000, but claim they face systematic discrimination such as being barred from top government and political posts.

The protests — claiming at least 31 lives since February — have put U.S. officials in the difficult position of both denouncing the violence and standing by Bahrain's rulers and their call for dialogue. In response,buy landscape oil paintings online. opposition groups have increased demands that include an end to the political trials and withdrawal of a Saudi-led regional force helping prop up Bahrain's ruling family.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. was "concerned about the severity" of the sentences and the use of the military-linked security courts. He noted that President Barack Obama said in May that "such steps are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain's citizens."

"We continue to urge the Bahraini government to abide by its commitment to transparent judicial proceedings, conducted in full accordance with Bahrain's international legal obligations, and to create the conditions for a meaningful, inclusive and credible dialogue," he said.

Bahrain's government said in statement late Wednesday that the convicted activists were responsible for "bringing the country to the brink of total anarchy" with a wave of marches and sit-ins earlier this year.

"Today's sentencing sends a message that law and order will be preserved," the statement said, pledging to guard against "attempts to overthrow the regime."

The official Bahrain News Agency said those sentenced to life include prominent Shiite political figures Hassan Mushaima and Abdul Jalil al-Singace and rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. Mushaima returned from self-exile in London earlier this year after Bahrain's leaders promised to erase old charges of opposing the state.

Pro-reform activist Ibrahim Sharif — the only Sunni among the suspects — received five years in prison, while other sentences ranged from two to 15 years. The sentences can be appealed.

A leading opposition figure cast doubt on whether talks can get under way.we supply all kinds of oil painting reproduction,

"We should conduct the dialogue in an open atmosphere, not when people are being arrested,Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet," said Khalil al-Marzooq, who was among the 18 Shiite parliament members who staged a mass resignation to protest the crackdowns earlier this year.

The charges at the latest security court trial show the depths of the tensions. The activists were convicted of trying to overthrow Bahrain's 200-year-old monarchy and having links to "a terrorist organization abroad" — an obvious reference to claims that Iranian-backed Hezbollah is behind the unrest.

Eight received life sentences while 13 others received shorter prison terms apparently because they weren't considered leaders.

Bahrain's rulers fear that any Shiite gains in the country could open new footholds for influence by Shiite power Iran.

Shiite leaders in Bahrain repeatedly have denied any ties to Iran and accuse leaders of using the fears of Iranian string-pulling to wage crackdowns that have included hundreds of arrests and purges from jobs and universities.

Fourteen of the 21 convicted are in custody while the rest were sentenced in absentia by the security court, which uses military prosecutors and a military-civilian tribunal. Among the life sentences, however, all but one of the suspects was in Bahrain.

Sharif's wife, Farida Ghulam, said her husband cried out "Our people demand freedom" after the sentences were read.

Ghulam said al-Khawaja then shouted: "We will continue our struggle." His daughter, Zainab, was dragged from court by female guards after she yelled "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," said Ghulam.

The verdicts could also bring some direct diplomatic fallout. At least two of those sentenced to life also hold European passports: al-Khawaja, who is a Danish citizen, and Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad, who has Swedish citizenship.

The court has presided over a series of cases linked to the protests, including issuing two death sentences against men accused of killing police officers during the demonstrations. Earlier this month, it sentenced a 20-year-old woman to a year in prison for reading poetry critical of Bahrain's king.

Next week,Welcome to the official Facebook Page about Ripcurl. a trial is scheduled to resume for more than 30 doctors and nurses accused of supporting the protests. Some of the medical personnel claim they were abused while in custody.

Jail time piles up for addict

Dustin Joseph McGuire, 18,we supply all kinds of oil painting reproduction, who was scheduled to get out of jail Aug.buy landscape oil paintings online. 7 after his conditional sentence was revoked, had five more months added for two thefts and an assault recently.Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet,

Provincial court Judge William McCarroll was upset that McGuire stole $1,600 worth of video games from Blockbuster while he was out on the conditional sentence.

McGuire was also sentenced for stealing T-shirts from Movie Time in Lansdowne Plaza and obstructing a peace officer.Welcome to the official Facebook Page about Ripcurl.

McGuire, who has a drug problem, plans to go to Lonewater Farm when he is released, said duty counsel Margaret Gallagher.Has anyone done any research on making Plastic molding parts from scratch? McGuire was in the methadone drug treatment program at the time of the theft from Blockbuster but was still using drugs.

The seven stones of simpler living

When I was a kid, my parents would sometimes take us to a campground called Paradise Park. It was a little camp in the California foothills: a woodsy reserve dotted with old oak trees sloping down to a well-shaded river.

Most of the time, it wasn't much more than a stream. But its bed was thick with well-worn river stones, testimony to uncountable seasons of floods and the persuasive nature of water.

Over the centuries, the river had slowly carried away mountainsides, tumbling and cracking rock, reducing boulders into a rainbow of smooth, flat stones the size of a child's hand.

We'd spend hours picking through the best of them, finding the perfect rock to skip across the river. Invariably, we'd build little stacks of stones along the bank.

There's something deeply satisfying about stacking stones. It's a common motif in Zen gardens, which seek to create order out of nature's seeming chaos. In doing so, they highlight the harmony and balance of our place in the world.

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It's not difficult to find a lesson in the stones for those of us trying to simplify our sprawling lives. We've chosen seven from the riverbed for you today -- ideas that can help you live a lighter, healthier, more sustainable life. Stack them as you will.

1. Reduce your consumption

Anyone who thinks they can shop their way to greener living has been watching too much television. Sure, responsible consumerism matters.

Every purchase is a choice. But the key to simpler, greener living is pretty straightforward: consume less.

A simple way to cut back on unnecessary purchases is the one week rule. Unless you have a real show-stopper, write down the things you need and sit on them for seven days.

Stores are designed to encourage impulse spending, so staying away as much as possible is good news for your bank account. After a week, round up the items you still need and group them together with an eye toward combining as many trips as possible. T

hen stick to your list. While this all sounds very simple, you'll quickly realize how chaotic our spending habits can be -- and how much money you can save through better planning.

2. Reduce your waste stream

We call it garbage; other nations might call it wealth. There's no end to things we send to the landfill. Recycling helps, but the sheer volume of waste generated by the average household is overwhelming.

From obsolete electronics to that mason jar you casually tossed in the trash last night, we're flooding our landfills while robbing ourselves of things which might be put to another use.

Start by thinking twice when you purchase something: is whatever you're buying too heavily packaged? Do you need it all?

Think again before putting anything in a trash or recycling bin. Nobody expects you to become a packrat, but that jar could easily be repurposed as a water bottle or something to pack a snack.

Food scraps belong in the compost heap. Maybe that cardboard, too. For some idea starters on keeping things out of the bin, check out this helpful list from No Impact Man.

3. Trim your energy use

Energy prices have relaxed over the past few months as a direct result of the worldwide economic slowdown. But electricity, gasoline, natural gas and heating oil still represent a hefty portion of the average family budget.

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Unless you're fortunate enough to live in an area already invested in renewable energy, every unattended TV or flick of the light switch means you're burning fossil fuels. That means you're directly responsible for the air pollution and all the related consumables it took to bring that power to your wall impact socket.

Learn to weatherize; replace or retire inefficient appliances; consider more energy-efficient lighting; and rearrange your living spaces so they take better advantage of natural heat, lighting and cooling.

Switch things off and pocket the change. You'll probably enjoy the peace and quiet.

4. Prepare and grow your own food

If there's one lost art in the past decade or two, it's cooking real food. By "cooking," we don't mean warming up packaged food from the grocery store.

We're talking about preparing meals from fresh ingredients. That's how our parents and grandparents did it.

Admittedly, society has changed: with dual-income households and ever-expanding work schedules, it's easy to fall back on processed meals and fast foods. And that's a shame.

Making a meal -- whether it's just for yourself or a whole family -- is the one of the little rituals which forces us to slow down and be mindful of what we eat. It's also healthier, and an enormous money saver.

Not too handy in the kitchen? Take a class, or spend time cooking with someone you love. Real food needn't be complicated.

And consider growing some of what you consume. Even if you're not blessed with the space to plant a garden, you can grow a satisfying crop of herbs and vegetables in modest containers.

5. Reduce your reliance on automobiles

We love our cars. And why not? Virtually everything about modern living -- particularly in the United States -- assumes automobile transportation. Think how much blacktop and concrete there is within a hundred yards of you right now.

Our cities sprawl across what used to be countryside. Stores and businesses which make provision for bicycles and mass transit are the exception, and we feel inconvenienced if there's not plenty of parking within a few paces of wherever we travel.

Dust off that bicycle or grab a backpack and get walking. Perhaps you could start by taking our 10-mile pledge.

The more you leave your car parked, the more money you'll save and the healthier you'll feel. Start small, establish new habits, and you'll be surprised how much you can get done without burning a drop of gasoline.

6. Reduce your personal stress

It's not an accident that virtually every one of our "simplicity stones" has a meditative component. You have to make time to prepare food, choose walking over a car trip, or even make a proper shopping list.

This is a good thing, because it forces you to unburden yourself of something else. We are hopelessly overstimulated. Living a greener life is less about learning new things than letting go of the old.