Food that can raise coumadin levels

Saleh’s carrots and sticks fail to stop Yemen protests
Tens of thousands of people have again marched in cities across Yemen calling for an end to the president’s three-decade rule, in a clear rejection of his offer of a unity government. They also remembered the victims of previous demonstrations; at least two dozen dead during the first two weeks of protests. Read our news file “We swear that we won’t be scared no matter how many the president kills, how many he jails, how many he tortures. We will die as martyrs and go to paradise, and he will go to hell. Down with the president and this corrupt regime!” shouted Kamal, one of the protesters. In a speech at Sanaa University, President Ali Abdullah Saleh turned more vehemently on his supposed ally the US, accusing it and Israel of being behind the unrest. “The control room is in Tel Aviv which is plotting to destabilise the Arab world. The protesters are only copying what’s happened elsewhere. The control room is in Tel Aviv and it’s run by the White House,” he said. Washington quickly dismissed the accusation. Saleh said he would safeguard the nation’s security whatever the cost, as thousands of his supporters took to the capital’s streets. But neither his warnings nor his concessions seem to be deterring his opponents.

Carmakers outline Russian plans for tax breaks
Carmakers have been rushing to detail their plans to build in Russia before a deadline for tax incentives ran out. Volkswagen is to make VW and Skoda cars in a joint venture with local firm GAZ, while Ford announced an assembly and distribution venture with Russia’s Sollers. They have to agree to build three hundred thousand cars annually in Russia to get tax breaks on importing components. Fiat has also said it has submitted plans to build that many vehicles annually. They would be Fiat and Jeeps through its links to Chrysler. The tax incentives deadline was 28 February. Passenger-car sales are predicted to reach three million in Russia by 2014 .

Anti-Gaddafi forces parade through Tobruk
Some of the first professional images to come out of Libya appear to show anti-Gaddafi rebels in control of the eastern city of Tobruk. Soldiers said they no longer backed the Libyan leader and that the eastern region was out of his control. They have been operating checkpoints and denouncing Gaddafi. One general said he decided to switch sides after hearing the authorities had given orders to fire on civilians. Tobruk lies close to the Egyptian border. Thousands have been fleeing across the frontier to make it home to Egypt and escape the violence. In eastern Libya the military are now said to be mobilising to defend people against possible attack from Gaddafi’s forces. Accounts say his supporters have been shooting people and a munitions store in Tobruk was bombed.

European markets at close: 21.02.11
A roundup of the days markets data from euronews.net, brought to you as video on demand.

Euro zone growth pick-up fails to materialise
The euro zone economy ended last year with just stable growth. Gross domestic product in the 16 countries using the euro at the time grew0.3 percent from October to December, the same as in the third quarter, and GDP increased two percent year-on-year. Growth did not accelerate – as had been expected – because expansion in the three largest nations fell short of forecasts and Greece and Portugal’s economies contracted. The expected pick-up in growth did not occur as businesses ran down stocks in France, snow and cold hit construction in Germany and the Greek economy shrank sharply. However German data and a small rise in February’s ZEW sentiment indicator suggested the country’s economic recovery remained on track and was likely to broaden out, though a government economic advisor said this year’s growth rate might well be lower than expected. In France, the economy grew just 0.3 percent, half the forecast increase and the same level as in July-September, despite a rush to buy cars before a French scrappage subsidy scheme ended last year. Italian growth was also lower than expected, at just 0.1 percent. Data on Monday showed Portugal’s economy shrank 0.3 percent in the last quarter of 2010, reversing a third-quarter expansion. Greece’s recession deepened, with contraction of 1.4 percent from the third quarter against expectations of a 1.2 percent decline. The country’s central bank said the economy would shrink for a third straight year in 2011 with gross domestic product dropping at least three percent. Spain grew by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter after stagnating in the previous three months.

New York takes to the catwalk
All this week the fashion glitteratti are showing us what we should be wearing this autumn as New York Fashion Week kicks off. From punk, through classical to theatrical, the extravagant designs show little sign of the recession still affecting most of the world, although some designers have introduced more affordable ranges. Anyone who is anyone in fashion will be at New York’s Lincoln Center until February 17th.

More than 300 sex charges for Germany’s “Fritzl”
A man dubbed the “German Fritzl” has admitted fathering seven of his stepdaughter’s children but denied repeatedly raping her and two of his other children over more than 20 years. The 48-year-old known simply as Detlef S due to privacy laws, is on trial in the city of Koblenz charged with more than 300 cases of sexual abuse dating from 1987 to summer last year. He faces 15 years in prison. The case echoes that of Josef Fritzl, an Austrian man who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 after imprisoning his daughter in a purpose-built dungeon for 24 years. He fathered seven children by her and incinerated the body of one child, who died in confinement.

Shi’ite opposition leader returns to Bahrain
A hardline Shi’ite dissident has returned home to Bahrain from exile to join the burgeoning opposition to the island kingdom’s Sunni royal family. London-based Hassan Mushaimaa is the leader of the Haq movement. He was tried in his absence over an alleged coup plot but received a pardon as part of the ruling family’s concessions. “The talk about change and reforms should not be just patchy,” he said on his arrival at Manama. “We have to have real change or the people have to carry on (protesting). The demands are up to the people on the ground who died there and faced everything.” Pearl Square remains the focus of opposition protests. But today thousands marched on the former prime minister’s residence to call for the removal of a man who has been in his post for 40 years. This week, the government freed more than 300 people detained since a crackdown on Shi’ite unrest in August. The cabinet has also been reshuffled in another sop to the opposiition. But neither move appears likely to end widespread protests.

Haitians go to the polls to pick new president
In Haiti people are voting in the final round of the presidential election. The chaotic first round was marred by fraud allegations and unrest. The UN is helping to protect the 11 000 polling stations. There have been delays because some voters are turning up without the right papers enabling them to vote. The candidate who won the last round is former First Lady, Mirlande Maniget. At the age of 70, the university-educated law professor is hoping to become the country’s first female president. Up against her is political newcomer 50-year-old Michel Martelly, an energetic singer and entertainer. Sometimes known as “Sweet Micky”, he has a following among younger voters. One potential distraction for voters is the return on Saturday of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who has been in exile since 2004. Haiti is in dire need of strong leadership as it recovers from last year’s earthquake. Nearly a million people are still homeless.

Leaders meet to decide Libya military action
France says military action against Libya could begin within hours of a special international summit in Paris today. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will join the British and French leaders, and others from Arab countries. To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy The US says Libya has already violated the UN resolution imposing a no-fly zone and endorsing force to protect civilians. Numerous bases around the Mediterranean could be involved in air strikes. Attempting to head them off, Colonel Gaddafi’s government has declared a ceasefire and invited international observers. The French foreign minister, Alain Jupp?�, said: “We have to analyse the conditions of this ceasefire, it must be a ceasefire on the whole territory of Libya and not only on Benghazi, and we think that Libya must also comply with the whole resolution of the Security Council.” The UN resolution means attacks could be launched not only against Libya’s air bases and air force, but against ground forces and other military targets too if civilians continue being threatened. Those behind the moves at the UN are keen to get Arab nations involved. The French ambassador said the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had agreed to send planes and pilots. It is an international not a western operation, he added.