Bone fragments Blog: Crocodile casserole in the Miocene

The reason for the extinction of the miozänischen crocodile species was mainly the change in the waterways. "The uplift of the Andes changed the courses of rivers," explained the paleontologist Marcelo Sánchez of the University of Zurich, who led the international research team together with his colleague Torsten Scheyer: "So the Amazon drains today known not in the Caribbean but in the essentially cooler Atlantic. "

The topic of brain development in dinosaurs have Stephan Lautenschlager (University of Bristol) and Tom Huebner from the Lower Saxony State Museum Hanover made in the current issue of the "Journal of Evolutionary Biology". And meant here is not about the course of evolutionary history, but in the course of adolescence: Roughly speaking, they took the opportunity to look at the changes in the adolescent brain dinosaurs.

Therefore changed in the investigated dinosaurs not only the proportions. While elementary functions corresponded well already estimated at about three years of animals in which the adult is estimated twelve year old specimens, the researchers found some massive changes that are likely to be hung together with the growth in the changing metabolism and adaptation to environment and lifestyle. So they made a massive enlargement of the areas of the skull determined that served the perception and processing of odors – adjustments to "adult" tasks?

But what motivated our ancestors, sometimes to exert their heads and bring human culture and development in spurts but then perceptible progress? What was the engine of development?

Elections Rome, Franceschini asking votes for the companion: Cricket publish the sms

Michela Di Biase, a candidate with the PD in Rome ROME – "Dear Xxx, if you vote in Rome, I propose to give preference to Michela Di Biase, my partner, who is a candidate for city council? Darius. " Controversy on the web for the sms that Dario Franceschini, a former secretary of the Democratic Party, former leader of the House of the Democratic Party, the current Minister for Relations with Parliament the government Letta, would have sent in the last few rounds with some friends in relation to municipal elections in Rome . The message text via mobile phone was picked up and posted on the blog of Beppe Grillo, with the title: "Comrade Franceschini and his partner."

"NOTHING TO COMMENT"-L'sms – which had been reported in preview from "The Bag Carrier" – not denied by the individual: "There is nothing to comment. Elections are tough and I have to take preferences so do not understand what's so weird, "says Michela Di Biase, candidate for the board of Roma Capitale with the list Democratic Party, Democratic Party leader who is currently in the seventh Hall. The companion Franceschini, 32 years old, graduated in History of Art, and working in a public company – politically – has made its bones with the battles of district all'Alessandrino and Prenestino.

M5S: "KEEP ALL FAMILY" – with regard to the Minister's message that invites you to support it, it bounces "for a few days on the phones of a more or less limited circle of friends of Darius. To be precise, D. , "Writes Grillo. Which, says the post, "as if Italy's problems were not enough, must also worry about giving a hand to her companion candidate for city council of Rome." "Poor Darius. Not even a moment's rest. But you know – says the founder of M5S – all of us have family. "

This marriage is “only fair”

For Evelyn, the marriage is "only fair," she said with a tone too bright for not having suffered. "A restoration of rights which they had been deprived, she insists. We would never have had to pass this law because it is a basic constitutional right. " How can it not be "delighted" and "Enchanted," she repeats, since the wedding spend "a love story"? "Who wants something else for his children?" Still questions the mother of two great mothers and married daughters. She has never suffered, she said, determined to ignore the eyes of others to see only the happiness of his son. What has "damaged", she says, this is the fight Vincent and all homosexuals have had to fight to be recognized as other citizens. "My daughters have never had to confess that they were heterosexual, it is this difference that is shocking and that hurts. Vincent Bruno and love, that's all, it's as mundane as that. "

Stop IMU until September 16 for the IGC (for now) 250 million

Stop payment dell'Imu up to 16 settembrePer the IGC in derogation (for now) 250 million

At the start of the Council of Ministers for a few minutes, the fight against time to find the resources for social safety nets

SUSPENSION – The suspension of payment will cover the first house with its outbuildings (garages, basements, etc.). Excluding villas, castles, mansions and real estate and valuable. You do not pay the installment of June even for residential real estate granted to low-income families used as main residences, housing regularly awarded by autonomous institutes for public housing (IACP) or by local public housing with the same purpose of the IACP .

REFORM – The comprehensive reform of taxation on the house, we read in Article 2 of the decree contains a safeguard clause "must be implemented in compliance with the policy objectives set out in the document of economics and finance in 2013 as reported by the relevant parliamentary resolutions and In any case, in line with the commitments made by Italy in Europe. In case of no reform by the date of August 31, 2013 shall continue to apply the current rules and the deadline for payment of the first installment of its municipal buildings is deferred to September 16. "

COVERS FOR CIG – Community Funds, appropriations for training, a share of resources devoted to decontribution second level and selective cuts on Ministries. It would be this menu covers for the refinancing of the cig in derogation defined by the Ministry of Economy already last week, even if the distribution is changed. The difficulties in finding resources to refinance cig in derogation remain, so that currently only 250 million are certain proof and political agreement. A meeting between the Minister of Economy and Fabrizio Saccomanni fellow Labour Enrico Giovannini in the evening try to take stock and to raise the bar on the resources available. The decree will also contain programmatic guidelines for the comprehensive reform of the tax system on the house and local taxation, in particular the Tares, to be completed by August, 100 days, in fact, announced by Prime Minister Enrico Letta.

The state wants to reform its property policy

"We want to maintain the pace of sales to over 500 million per year for the next three years," he added, not to point out that "The State is also mobilized to free allowances in tense areas by granting discounts to encourage the construction of new housing. " Cazeneuve further stressed in a statement that followed a speech to the front of the Real Estate Council of State (CIE), the need for a better understanding, better management and optimization of real estate which "must involve all levels of government." He also announced a "strengthening the professionalization of the real estate function" on the quality of assessments and assignments, control programming and economic analysis.

"All the resources allocated to public housing should be better identified and documented to allow for enhanced sharing of skills, guaranteeing greater efficiency," he says adding that the reform will go through a strengthening the regional level. These measures aim to "transform property policy hitherto conceived as a simple support of public policy function, a real vector of public policies in the first place, mobilization of public land for housing" he concludes. A strategy of renegotiating leases will finally conducted by the State, when tenant in "providing for competitive bidding and ceilings of commitment authorizations," the minister said, adding that "nothing in Ile-de-France, we achieved 25% savings of 117 million euros in rents by renegotiating leases 48. "

FRANCE: Seven years in prison for the ringleader of pickpockets Hamidovic

The prosecution wanted exemplary sentences. The sentences imposed by the criminal court of Paris Wednesday, May 15 against the members of a network of pickpockets who prevailed in the Paris metro were well below requisitions. The clan chief, fehim Hamidovic, was sentenced to seven years in prison while the prosecutor had requested more than double. His wife, Behija, was sentenced to four years in prison while the prosecution asked for 12 years imprisonment. The couple, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, was charged with trafficking in human beings, conspiracy and incitement of minors to commit crimes. Fehim and Behija Hamidovic had already been sentenced to three and two years respectively in prison on similar charges by a court in Vienna in February 2007.

At the other end of the network prevailed fehim and Behija Hamidovic, collected in 2010 by the police in Italy, where they lived in great style in their plush villa in Rome. Every 15 days, their son went in the south of France where the daughters-and nieces of the couple came back to them are stolen from the Paris metro, but also in Madrid and Brussels.

Thomas Schaaf: The end of the Spielerverstehers

We do not know exactly what Thomas Schaaf has made on Wednesday morning. It is quite possible that he has set out habit in his official car and made their way. Toward Weser Stadium As absurd as it sounds, 14 years and three days, Thomas Schaaf spent on this way his morning. Now he no longer has to take that route. Or is no longer allowed. His club, SV Werder Bremen, separated – as it was called – by mutual agreement by the next senior coach of the Bundesliga.

On Saturday Schaaf and his team avoided relegation. On Monday and Tuesday, the club management and the coach had put together. On Tuesday, the coach of the team has adopted. For Clemens Fritz, who worked seven years with Schaaf, was "a moment that gets under your skin." On Wednesday morning at 10 30 clock gave Werder officially announced the separation, with immediate effect.

This extraordinary period began in May 1999, when rang on a Sunday evening at home Schaaf in Stuhr-Brinkum before the gates of the city the phone. The former vice president Klaus-Dieter Fischer was in the lead. The club had just finished the misunderstanding Felix Magath had to act. Werder stuck in a relegation battle. Schaaf, then youth coach, said to be spontaneous. Less because he believed thereby to establish itself as a Bundesliga coach. More from loyalty and gratitude towards the club, for whom he had played was eleven years old the first time. He said at the time the remarkable sentence: "Basically, I signed my resignation today."

Quiet and withdrawn – as once Franz Beckenbauer after the World Cup win in Rome – Schaaf step from the lawn of the Olympic Stadium, while around him jumped Bremer, dancing and drinks tipped over the head. Schaaf comforted the shaken wine cramps Ailton and created the image of the season when he filmed the tens of thousands of fans on the tarmac of the airport from the cockpit of Bremen Werder charter plane out. The day after the triumph, he was not in a TV studio, but for the netball tournament of his daughter.

Middle East: the military back to power?

The defeat suffered by the Islamists came to power in some countries of the Middle East in favor of the "Arab Spring" may bring the military in politics, says Mustafa al-Ani, an analyst at the Gulf Research Center. "In the event of total failure of the Islamists, the military could return to power under the pretext of saving the country," said al-Ani who attends meetings of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Marrakech. The expert did not rule out the return of the military to be supported by the population once it has definitely lost its illusions in the ability of Islamists to improve living conditions and to get the economy afloat. According to the researcher, the followers of radical Islam enjoyed great popularity when they were in opposition, but once in power, they may suffer a failure, as evidenced by the example of Egypt and Iraq. "Unlike previous regimes who were involved in corruption, Islamist lack of political experience and have no jurisdiction over the administration of the State," said Mr al-Ani in an interview with RIA Novosti. The absence of an ideological movement to rival political Islamism increases the likelihood of military accession to power, the expert believes. The "Arab revolutions" in countries of the Middle East and North Africa led to the fall of regimes are in power for decades. However, this is not the liberal forces – initiators of the "Arab Spring" – who took center stage, but the Islamists long kept away from politics. The outlook for Islamist regimes subject of the discussion that brings together researchers and Russian, Arab and Western politicians in the framework of the conference "Islam in politics: ideology or pragmatism." The conference – which takes place on 14 and 15 May in Marrakech (Morocco) – is organized by the Valdai Discussion Club. This club was established in 2004 by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, the Russian newspaper Moscow News, Russia Profile magazine. org and Russia in world politics. Originally created to allow foreigners to understand Russia, Valdai Club also organizes since 2009 the annual meetings of Russian and foreign experts on the Middle East.

UMP: Fillon and Cope have signed an agreement on the new statutes

The armistice signed between copéistes and fillonistes end of 2012, after months of conflict in the UMP, led Tuesday night on a peace agreement during a final meeting of the commission to revise the statutes which validated the principle of a primary before presidential elections. To end hostilities triggered by the controversial election to the presidency of the UMP, which had severely tarnished the party and their popularity, Jean-Francois Cope and Francois Fillon had signed on 18 December an agreement establishing a fragile peace between the two camps and providing for the modernization of their party status. The two men on Tuesday evening have reached an agreement on the new constitution, which will be "subject to the approval of the militants." The Rules Committee, they chair both, began its work on 11 February. According to the president of the UMP, "it happened in a very positive and constructive atmosphere. After several months of work, it has now reached on all matters that it was essential to address. " Same story on the side of François Fillon. "I confirm that just said Jean-Francois Cope. We now have laws in any case a draft constitution to be submitted to the approval of militants and perfectly matches the wish that mine was particularly following the election to the presidency of the UMP "18 last November, told the former prime minister. "We now need to implement these laws, call a high authority, forward to a device that is transparent and democratic," he added. First point of agreement: the establishment of the principle of open primary for the nomination of the candidate of the right and center supported by the UMP's presidential election. According to several caciques UMP party "was inspired by the Socialist primary." "This is a revolution right" is to be commended the UMP. As for the PS primary, voters must sign a "charter of values" and pay a small fee (not yet determined). According to Cope entourage to "exclude frivolous applications", a candidate must be supported by ten members of parliament (MPs, MEPs, senators) and a number of regional advisers, generals, mayors and councilors national party . Xavier Bertrand would have liked activists can also sponsor but François Fillon opposed. However, it is assumed that the application of outgoing President of the Republic is the "only scenario" in which there would be no primary. So if former President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to return in 2017, he will need, too, to submit to the primary in 2016. Other points of agreement: "The management of the organization and internal control of national elections by a High Authority whose composition will provide all guarantees of impartiality," Fillon said in a statement, "duty of neutrality leaders , managers and employees of the UMP in the national electoral process, "finally" the resignation of any member of the management team decides to run for the primary to ensure strict equality of means between candidates ". The deadline for the resignation has not been clarified. Other agreement: the procedure for the election of the President of the UMP. This will be elected for five years, while under the current statutes, this term Cope runs until 2015. Remains an important point to be addressed: the first of the agreement in December Cope and Fillon, which provided a new election for the presidency of the UMP in September. The two men must be found "in a few days to discuss" while many are in the party, the voices to forget this electoral event.

U.S. Marine in Sicily to defend Americans in Libya

Nearly 500 of the U.S. Marine rapid reaction force were transferred from Spain to the Sigonella air base in Sicily, to protect Americans living in Libya, said on Tuesday Rome daily La Repubblica. The paper stresses that this decision was taken after the attack Monday in Benghazi. A spokesman for the U.S. command said the quota transferred in Sicily mission was to intervene immediately in case of attack against the staff of diplomatic missions and other U.S. organizations in Libya, including for emergency evacuation . According to La Repubblica, the U.S. military presence in Sicily led to dissatisfaction of the people and the authorities of the island. In April, the United States conducted maneuvers near Palermo using helicopters and other military equipment, which caused panic in the local population and protests Sicilian officials. The newspaper also notes that many U.S. military installations deployed in Sicily are a source of irritation for pacifists and environmentalists. Thus, the implementation of the radar base in Niscemi MUOS caused a violent conflict between the command of this site and the local population. This conflict has already led to several clashes between protesters and police.