Monday, November 28, 2011

Stonehenge new 'sun worship' find

Two previously undiscovered pits have been found at Stonehenge which point to it once being used as a place of sun worship before the stones were erected.

The pits are positioned on celestial alignment at the site and may have contained stones, posts or fires to mark the rising and setting of the sun.

An international archaeological survey team found the pits as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project.

The team is using geophysical imaging techniques to investigate the site.

The archaeologists from the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection in Vienna have been surveying the subsurface at the landmark since summer 2010.

Procession route

It is thought the pits, positioned within the Neolithic Cursus pathway, could have formed a procession route for ancient rituals celebrating the sun moving across the sky at the midsummer solstice.

A Cursus comprises of two parallel linear ditches with banks either side closed off at the end.

Also discovered was a gap in the northern side of the Cursus, which may have been an entrance and exit point for processions taking place within the pathway.

These discoveries hint that the site was already being used as an ancient centre of ritual prior to the stones being erected more than 5,000 years ago, the team said.

Archaeologist and project leader at Birmingham University, Professor Vince Gaffney, said: "This is the first time we have seen anything quite like this at Stonehenge and it provides a more sophisticated insight into how rituals may have taken place within the Cursus and the wider landscape."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15917921

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Pakistan retaliation leaves NATO drivers in limbo

Afghanistan-bound trucks carrying supplies for NATO forces parked as authorities close border at Torkham border post in Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Qazi Rauf)

Afghanistan-bound trucks carrying supplies for NATO forces parked as authorities close border at Torkham border post in Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Qazi Rauf)

Pakistan army soldiers carry coffin of Saturday's NATO attack victims for funeral in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

People offer funeral prayers of Saturday's NATO attack victims in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan army soldiers attend funeral ceremony of Saturday's NATO attack victims in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan army officers and civilians offer funeral prayers of Saturday's NATO attack victims, in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

(AP) ? Hundreds of trucks carrying supplies to U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan backed up at Pakistani border crossings Sunday, leaving them vulnerable to militant attack a day after Islamabad closed the frontier in retaliation for coalition airstrikes that allegedly killed 24 Pakistani troops.

As Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani attended the funerals of the victims, including a major, the U.S. sought to minimize the fallout from the crisis, which plunged Washington's already troubled relationship with Islamabad to an all-time low.

Pakistan also ordered the U.S. to vacate an air base that is used by American drones to target al-Qaida and Taliban militants in the country's tribal region along the Afghan border. The U.S. has relied heavily on drone strikes in the past few years, partly out of frustration with Pakistan's refusal to target militants using its territory to stage attacks against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

There are forces working against a total rupture in the relationship. Pakistan still relies on billions of dollars in American military and civilian aid, and the U.S. needs Islamabad's help to push Afghan insurgents to engage in peace talks.

But tensions could rise further if militants unleash attacks against the stranded trucks ferrying NATO supplies to Afghanistan.

Suspected militants destroyed around 150 trucks and injured drivers and police a year ago after Pakistan closed one of its Afghan border crossings to NATO supplies for about 10 days in retaliation for a U.S. helicopter attack that accidentally killed two Pakistani soldiers.

The situation could be more dire this time because Pakistan, outraged at the alleged NATO attack before dawn Saturday, has closed both its crossings. Nearly 300 trucks carrying coalition supplies are now backed up at Torkham in the northwest Khyber tribal area and Chaman in southwestern Baluchistan province. Last year, Pakistan only closed Torkham.

"We are worried," said driver Saeed Khan, speaking by telephone from the border terminal in Torkham. "This area is always vulnerable to attacks. Sometimes rockets are lobbed at us. Sometimes we are targeted by bombs."

Khan and hundreds of other drivers and their assistants barely slept Saturday night because they were worried about potential attacks, he said.

Some drivers said Pakistan had sent paramilitary troops to protect their convoys since the closures, but others were left without any additional protection. Even those who did receive troops did not feel safe.

"If there is an attack, what can five or six troops do? Nothing," said Niamatullah Khan, a fuel truck driver who was parked with 35 other vehicles at a restaurant about 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Chaman.

NATO ships nearly 50 percent of its non-lethal supplies to its troops in Afghanistan through Pakistan. The trucks are periodically targeted by suspected militants as they travel through the country, and their drivers are sometimes killed. NATO has said these attacks do not significantly impact its ability to keep its troops supplied.

An official closely involved with the Afghan war said there will likely be no immediate negative effect from Pakistan's decision to close its border crossings. NATO has built up a large stockpile of military and other supplies that could enable operations to continue at their current level for several months, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

NATO has reduced the amount of non-lethal supplies it ships through Pakistan from a high of around 80 percent by using routes through Central Asia. The northern logistics link could be expanded to make up for the Pakistani closure, but it would leave NATO heavily dependent on Russia at a time when ties with Moscow are increasingly strained.

Some critical supplies, including ammunition, are airlifted directly to Afghan air bases.

Pakistan eventually relented and reopened Torkham last year after the U.S. apologized. But the number of alleged casualties is much higher this time. The relationship between the two countries has also severely deteriorated over the past year, especially following the covert U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani garrison town in May. Islamabad was outraged because it wasn't told about the operation beforehand.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday that the alleged NATO attack negated all progress in improving the tattered alliance between the two countries.

She told Clinton in a phone call that the alleged NATO attack was unacceptable, showed complete disregard for human life and sparked rage within Pakistan, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani prime minister's office.

In addition to closing its border crossings, Pakistan gave the U.S. 15 days to vacate Shamsi Air Base in Baluchistan. The U.S. uses the base to service drones when they cannot return to their bases inside Afghanistan because of weather conditions or mechanical difficulty, U.S. and Pakistani officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The Pakistani army said Saturday that NATO helicopters and fighter jets carried out an "unprovoked" attack on two of its border posts in the Mohmand tribal area before dawn, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 13 others.

Pakistan held funerals for the soldiers Sunday at the army's headquarters in Peshawar, the most important city in the country's northwest. Mourners said prayers in front of caskets wrapped in green and white Pakistani flags.

A spokesman for NATO forces, Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, said Saturday that Afghan and coalition troops were operating in the border area of eastern Afghanistan when "a tactical situation" prompted them to call in close air support.

Afghan officials said Sunday that the call was made after Afghan soldiers came under fire. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the incident.

Jacobson told BBC television that it was "highly likely" that the airstrikes caused Pakistani casualties, but an investigation is being conducted to determine the details.

U.S. officials have expressed their sympathies over the incident and have promised to work closely with Pakistan as NATO carries out its investigation.

NATO's top official, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, offered his "deepest condolences" and said the coalition was committed to working with Pakistan to "avoid such tragedies in the future."

"We have a joint interest in the fight against cross-border terrorism and in ensuring that Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists," Rasmussen said in Brussels.

___

Abbot reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Abdul Sattar in Quetta, Pakistan, Matiullah Achakzai in Chaman, Deb Riechmann and Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-27-AS-Pakistan/id-01b820705be149e8b6d05d046d21aba7

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Australia to free some asylum seekers from centers (AP)

CANBERRA, Australia ? Australia on Friday loosened its highly charged policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers who arrive by boat, freeing 27 from overcrowded, prison-like conditions and estimating more than 100 would be released monthly.

The move was welcomed by human-rights groups. They have strongly criticized the 20-year-old policy as inhumane, though it remains popular among many Australians who regard the increasing boat arrivals as a major political issue.

About 3,800 people seeking to stay in Australia live in detention centers surrounded by razor wire, either waiting for their asylum claims to be assessed or appealing rejections. Children and their mothers are usually accommodated elsewhere.

The 27 men released Friday are Afghans and Sri Lankans who will live on temporary visas with family and friends in Australia while their refugee claims are assessed.

"This is the initial batch of bridging visas," Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told reporters. "We estimate that at least 100 bridging visas will be issued each month."

The number freed and how long the releases will continue will depend on the rate of future arrivals, he said. The department will choose those freed on visas based on the length of their detention, their behavior and the ability of family and friends to house them.

Asylum seekers ? mostly from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran and Iraq ? have been heading to Australia on rickety boats in greater numbers since August, when the High Court ruled that a government plan to deport hundreds of new arrivals to Malaysia was illegal.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard attempted to salvage the plan but shelved the revised legislation last month when it became clear Parliament would reject it.

The opposition, which opinion polls show is likely to win the next elections in 2013, said the government "has flung the door open to illegal boat arrivals on the eve of the monsoon season, the most dangerous time of year to travel."

"A government who claims to want to provide a deterrent on boat arrivals would never do this," opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said.

Amnesty International and the Australian Human Rights Commission, a government-appointed watchdog, were among the groups welcoming the new policy as a more humane way to treat people seeking protection.

"Australia has been alone among industrialized nations in subjecting asylum seekers who arrive without visas to detention for the entire period taken to determine their refugee status," said Paul Power, chief executive of the Refugee Council of Australia, a nongovernment advocacy group.

The mandatory detention regime has been widely criticized by rights groups as punitive and has been blamed for suicides and psychiatric problems among detainees.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111125/ap_on_re_as/as_australia_asylum_seekers

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Saturday, November 26, 2011

Good Reads: Karzai's loya jirga, Occupy Wall Street protests, and Putin's peace prize

At a traditional loya jirga meeting of elders, Afghan President Hamid Karzai makes the case for continued partnership with US, while a New York judge orders city officials to shut down Occupy Wall Street's tent city.

As horrible as they are, wars are the milestones of life. Historians spend lifetimes puzzling how we humans get into them, and political scientists create elaborate theories on how we can get out of them.

Skip to next paragraph

In Afghanistan, with the US drawdown of military forces underway, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called an extraordinary meeting of village and tribal elders called a ?loya jirga,? to chart the path forward for that rugged, mountainous, but utterly charming country.

The biggest issue, writes Alissa J. Rubin in The New York Times, is just what kind of relationship Afghanistan should have with its erstwhile protector, the United States. In many villages, US troops have long ago worn out their welcome, and Mr. Karzai?s government has openly suggested peace talks with the Taliban.

But at the loya jirga, Karzai told elders that the US could still have a role to play in rebuilding Afghanistan, although it would be a role dictated by the Afghan people?s own national interests.

?It?s O.K. that they are strong and rich and powerful, but we are lions. Weak and old and sick, a lion is still a lion, in the forest everyone avoids a lion even if it is old and sick and weak. A lion doesn?t like it if a stranger comes to his house, he doesn?t want his children taken by foreigners during the night, the lion doesn?t want parallel government structures. ?

Nice words, but here?s the irony. The loya jirga itself is kind of parallel government, unelected by the people, selected and invited by Karzai, which potentially undermines the authority of Afghanistan?s duly elected legislative institution, the parliament. Afghanistan has had loya jirgas longer than it has had parliamentary democracy, of course, and there is no indication that Karzai is deliberately making an end run around his critics in the Afghan Parliament.

But Scott Worden, a senior rule of law adviser at the US Institute of Peace, writes in Foreign Policy?why this particular gathering is one to watch, and watch carefully:

Given that the "Traditional Loya Jirga" lacks formal requirements to assume constitutional powers, its main authority is political. Therefore, its success will depend on whether President Karzai has chosen members that truly represent diverse constituencies and limit themselves to political outcomes. If instead the delegates are seen as exclusive of key interest groups and attempt to make legally binding decisions that could not be approved otherwise, this Loya Jirga will represent a significant setback for Afghan democracy and could foment greater conflict, rather than pushing forward the priority of peace.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/NbDBbMC7Xrc/Good-Reads-Karzai-s-loya-jirga-Occupy-Wall-Street-protests-and-Putin-s-peace-prize

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?1000 Virtual Item For Game Raises ?2 Million In 4 Days For Bigpoint

screenshot_4The free-to-play model, while disparaged by some developers as exploitative of players, has certainly proved itself over and over to be financially sustainable if done right. And although I myself have paid a buck or two for extra in-game content myself, I have always found it hard to believe that there are people out there who will sink scores, hundreds, or thousands of dollars into their online personae. No better proof of this than the news that's propagating today: German gaming company Bigpoint, which operates a few free-to-play games, has sold 2000 (and counting) items just in the last few days - for the whopping price of ?1000 each. Where is your horse armor now?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/zV3ncmb8L3E/

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Chris Rene Breaks Down The Beatles on The X Factor


Chris Rene is nothing if not original.

This X Factor finalist took to the stage last night and turned one of The Beatles' better known singles into an R&B track, breaking down "Let It Be" in a way most viewers had likely not heard before. He then transitioned into "Young Homie."

How did this unusual mash-up turn out? See for yourself:

Among other performances on The X Factor last night:

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/chris-rene-breaks-down-the-beatles-on-the-x-factor/

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Friday, November 25, 2011

Welcome to Austerityville

?Some of them go on unemployment,? says Jukowski. ?Some of them, like the police, keep their jobs because they merge with the county. Most of them are out on the street. In a city of 59,000, the issue of city jobs going away isn?t the major break[ing point]. It doesn?t help. But we?re a town that used to have an automotive industry. We had more money coming in than we knew what to do with, so we didn?t really have to be real serious about city government. People began to view city government as a job creator; a jobs bank, if you will. We tended to look at development projects, city government, everything as an opportunity to put local people to work, instead of as an opportunity to create infrastructure, provide services.?

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=38212483d0cf391d43aefc271c475a71

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

More tourists head to Caribbean but spend less

Two tourists sit in the sand on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

Two tourists sit in the sand on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

A tourist takes a photo of a cruise ship in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

Tourists look out from the pier near the cruise ship terminal in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

A tourist points to a visitor's map in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

A group of tourists sit in front of a cruise ship terminal in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011. The Caribbean anticipates another surge in visitors this winter, but officials warn that the amount the average tourist spends probably will decline. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

(AP) ? It's a good news-bad news deal for tourism in the sun-soaked Caribbean. Visits are surging but revenues are not keeping pace.

Analysts attribute the rising number of visitors to more cruise ships and flights to the region, and people taking trips they had postponed because of the economic crisis. But when they get to their destination, Caribbean officials say, tourists are spending less.

"The bodies are traveling, obviously, but the spending is clearly impacted," said Josef Forstmayr, president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Organization. "The larger destinations have it a little easier. They have more resources, they get better airlift, they have better products."

Caribbean countries such as the Bahamas, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic announced a record number of visitors last year. Caribbean tourism officials hope to surpass the more than 23 million visitors reported last year this winter season.

Registration for the Caribbean Marketplace, the region's largest marketing event that will be held in the Bahamas in late January and aims to create vacation packages, is up by nearly 50 percent compared with last year, Forstmayr said.

"We expect a strong winter," he said. "Overall bookings from all the islands are up from last year."

New routes announced by the airline JetBlue from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas and to St. Maarten also could bring additional visitors, said Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, executive director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association.

Anguilla, a speck of an island in the eastern Caribbean, saw a record double-digit increase in tourists last year.

The cruise ship industry also promises to draw in thousands of tourists this winter, said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief of CruiseCritic.com.

Last winter, cruise lines withdrew their ships from the Caribbean and placed them in the Mediterranean, hoping to attract a wealthy European market.

"That was a radical experiment, and it failed," Spencer Brown said. "So the ships are back in the Caribbean this year."

Puerto Rico, a cruise-ship hub, anticipates a 20 percent increase in visits, bolstered by the new arrival of the Celebrity Silhouette line that is expected to generate $3.6 million in revenue during the winter season, said Jose Perez-Riera, the U.S. territory's Commerce and Economic Development Secretary.

But industry officials say the rising number of visitors is not converting into increased revenue.

Spencer Brown noted that tourists are demanding cheaper prices and scrutinizing deals before buying anything.

"People are very quirky these days about value for money," she said. "They'll splurge for it, but it better be worth it."

Constance Knoll, 64, of St. Louis, Missouri, said she and her husband saved up for an upcoming Caribbean cruise, paying less than $3,000 for the weeklong trip in December.

But unlike many other tourists this winter, they agreed to not set a budget during the trip.

"When it's vacation, you don't have to think that way," she said. "If you want it, you can have it. Life is short. And we're in our 60s now, so life is even shorter."

The economic crisis forced people to postpone their vacations for a few years, and while demand for travel has risen, tourists will not be able to afford much, said Evridiki Tsounta, an economist with the International Monetary Fund.

Spending is tight amid the ongoing economic crisis, and tourists are cutting back on transportation, food and entertainment, said Winfield Griffith, research director for the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Visitors, especially repeat ones, are increasingly choosing to board public buses instead of hailing taxis to visit popular attractions, and they are buying food and liquor at supermarkets instead of eating out, he said.

They also are booking outings through small, local operators instead of relying on hotels or buying pricey packages, Griffith said.

They know the drill," he said. "In Barbados, for instance, you can pay $2 by public transport to go anywhere in the country. To go around the country by taxi would probably run you in the neighborhood of $150. That's a massive difference."

Last year, tourists across the Caribbean spent $22.3 billion, compared with a record $27 billion spent in 2007, said Sean Smith, statistics specialist with the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

The biggest drop in expenditures in the last decade was reported in 2002, with $18.9 billion spent, he said.

The IMF has encouraged the Caribbean to diversify and seek other tourism markets, especially in Latin America, where the economy has been rebounding, Tsounta said in a phone interview.

"Given that both the U.S. and the U.K. are not faring very well, and the outlook is not very rosy moving forward, it will be hard for things to revert quickly," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-11-23-CB-Caribbean-Tourism/id-1e06a4c2d7684f4299d6927e8f89849e

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Pakistan's envoy to U.S. quits in coup memo controversy (Reuters)

KABUL (Reuters) ? Pakistan's ambassador to the United States resigned on Tuesday, days after a Pakistani-American businessman said the envoy was behind a controversial memo that accused the Pakistani military of plotting a coup in May.

Envoy Husain Haqqani said on his Twitter account had sent his resignation to the prime minister. State television said his resignation had been accepted.

"I have much to contribute to building a new Pakistan free of bigotry & intolerance," Haqqani said on Twitter. "Will focus energies on that."

Haqqani's resignation follows a meeting with Pakistan President Asif Zardari, the nation's powerful army chief and its intelligence head.

A spokesman for the prime minister's office said Haqqani was asked to resign and there would be an investigation into the memo.

Haqqani is close to Zardari but estranged from Pakistan's military.

He became entangled in controversy after the appearance of a column in the Financial Times. In that column, businessman Mansoor Ijaz said he delivered a memo to the Pentagon containing a plea for U.S. help to stave off a military coup in the days after the May 2 U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

(Reporting by Chris Allbritton; Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/india/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111122/india_nm/india606685

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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Small plane crashes into mountain east of Phoenix

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (AP) ? A small twin-engine plane crashed into the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix on Wednesday night and there was no apparent sign of survivors, authorities said.

Rescue crews flown in by helicopter to reach the crash site in rugged terrain reported finding two debris field on fire, suggesting that the plane broke apart on impact, the Pinal County sheriff's office said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer says the Rockwell AC69 had just departed from Mesa's Falcon Field when it crashed about 40 miles east of downtown Phoenix. Authorities started getting calls reporting an explosion near the peak of a mountain at about 6:30 p.m.

It was unclear how many passengers were aboard the plane, which was registered to Ponderosa Aviation Inc. in Safford, Ariz. A man who answered the phone Wednesday night at Ponderosa Aviation declined to comment on the crash and refused to identify himself.

Calls to Falcon Field, which mostly serves small, private planes, weren't immediately returned.

Kenitzer said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board would be investigating the cause of the crash.

Rescue crews who arrived by helicopter reported finding 24-inch tires at the crash site, which would indicate a small twin-engine plane.

Pinal County sheriff's spokeswoman Angelique Graham said people who heard an explosion near the Flat Iron area close to Lost Dutchman State Park.

"People said it sounded like fireworks going off," Graham said.

Some witnesses told Phoenix-area television stations they heard a plane trying to rev its engines to climb higher before apparently hitting the mountains. The elevation is about 5,000 feet at the Superstition Mountains' highest point.

Video showed several fires burning on the mountainside, where heavy brush is common.

The region near Lost Dutchman State Park and the Superstition Wilderness is filled with steep canyons, soaring rocky outcroppings and cactus. Treasure hunters who frequent the area have been looking for the legendary Lost Dutchman mine for more than a century.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-23-Arizona%20Plane%20Crash/id-dc7bd30b5f9045b99befdc25470d9514

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UN: Greenhouse gases up 29 percent since 1750

Global warming gases in the world's atmosphere are rising, with concentrations up 29 percent since the start of the industrial era in 1750, the U.N. weather agency said Monday.

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Emissions of carbon dioxide, the most widespread greenhouse gas, were up 39 percent.

The new figures for 2010 from the World Meteorological Organization show that CO2 levels are now at 389 parts per million, up from about 280 parts per million 250 years ago. The levels are significant because the gases trap heat in the atmosphere.

WMO Deputy Secretary-General Jeremiah Lengoasa said CO2 emissions are to blame for about four-fifths of the rise.

He also noted the lag between what gets pumped into the atmosphere and its effect on climate.

"With this picture in mind, even if emissions were stopped overnight globally, the atmospheric concentrations would continue for decades because of the long lifetime of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," he said in a statement.

Negotiators from virtually all the world's nations will gather later this month in South Africa to try to agree on steps to head off the worst of the climate disruptions that researchers say will result if concentrations hit around 450 parts per million.

That could happen within several decades at the current rate, though some climate activists and vulnerable nations say the world has already passed what they consider the danger point of 350 parts per million and must somehow undo it.

The WMO said the increase of 2.3 parts per million in CO2 in the atmosphere between 2009 and 2010 shows an acceleration from the average 1.5 parts per million increase during the 1990s.

But there are seasonal fluctuations, too. During the summer growing season, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In winter, the concentration of C02 rises as vegetation and other biomass decompose.

Since 1750, WMO says, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have risen 39 percent, those of nitrous oxide have gone up 20 percent and concentrations of methane jumped 158 percent.

Its report Monday cites fossil fuel-burning, loss of forests that absorb CO2 and use of fertilizer as the main culprits.

Nitrogen-based fertilizers are the main source for nitrous oxide, which can trap almost 300 times as much heat as carbon dioxide. Those fertilizers have "profoundly affected the global nitrogen cycle," the report stated.

The impact of fertilizer use is so marked that more nitrous oxide is detected in the northern hemisphere, where more fertilizer is used, than in the south.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45387320/ns/us_news-environment/

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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Katy Perry Strips Down 'One That Got Away' At AMAs

After her set, Perry was presented with a special award for having five #1 singles on Teenage Dream.
By James Dinh


Katy Perry performs at the 2011 American Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images

In the past year, Katy Perry has pulled out some show-stopping performances, but the pop titan was all about simplicity when she performed an acoustic version of her latest single, "The One That Got Away" at the 2011 American Music Awards.

Standing on a circular platform, Perry appeared onstage before pink-tinged light beams that appropriately matched her hair. In place of the midtempo tune that is heating up radio airwaves, the singer stripped down the song as she played the guitar and was accompanied by her background band. Mrs. Russell Brand belted her way through the regretful love song while her set turned into a starry sky when the backdrop evolved into a screen of speckled stars.

Upon the conclusion of her number, the pop star was met with a standing ovation as well as a special award of achievement for scoring five #1 singles from Teenage Dream on Billboard's Hot 100, an achievement only equal to Michael Jackson and his 1987 Bad LP.

"Yay! Can I just say, thank you so much for letting me be a chameleon this year," the starlet screamed during her acceptance speech. "I'm very, very, very pleased, and I want to give thanks to my amazing record label, EMI and Capitol. ... I'm about to wrap up my California Dreams Tour, 122 dates, so I want to thank my band and all the people that came out to see me, and all of you guys, 'cause you're pretty cool too!"

This is just the latest treat Perry has offered fans in recent weeks. A little more than a week ago, she dropped the clip for the Dr. Luke and Max Martin-produced tune. The video, which was directed by Floria Sigismondi, takes viewers down memory lane as the pop star recalls her relationship with the one that got away.

Did you enjoy Katy's acoustic set? Sound off in the comments!

Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674725/katy-perry-amas.jhtml

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Lady Gaga, Britney, Taylor Swift, Beyonce Drop Concert DVDs

Four pop divas released concert specials on Monday — just in time for Black Friday!
By Jocelyn Vena


Taylor Swift
Photo: Getty Images

Music fans planning to burn off those post-Thanksgiving calories with some holiday shopping are in luck: Some of pop's biggest divas dropped live DVDs on Monday (November 21): Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears all have concert specials out, just in time for your Black Friday wish list. Here, MTV News breaks down the four releases (and one more to watch out for).

Taylor Swift
Just as Taylor wraps up her Speak Now Tour this week, the American Music Award winner is releasing "Speak Now World Tour - Live." The 18-song DVD features Swift performing some of her biggest tracks during that arena-filling trek. And if that's not enough Taylor, there's also a 16-song CD that fans can snatch up.

Beyoncé
Filmed over four shows in New York, weeks before B announced her pregnancy at the VMAs, the "Live at Roseland" DVD special shows the Queen B recounting some of the greatest moments of her career before launching into a nonstop live performance of her 4 album. It also includes behind-the-scenes footage that gives fans their first look at the wedding dress Beyoncé wore the day she married Jay-Z.

Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters a front row seat to her epic Monster Ball Tour. Filmed during stops at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the concert originally aired on HBO and earned the pop star an Emmy. The DVD also includes previously unseen material that didn't make the final cut on HBO. In addition, Gaga is releasing a new album, Born This Way - The Remix, today.

Britney Spears
After debuting her Femme Fatale live concert special on Epix earlier this month, Spears is releasing the spectacle on DVD this week for those who may have missed it. Full of costume changes, swirling dance numbers and a sexy lap dance, this special is perfect for the Brit enthusiast.

One to Pre-Order: Adele
A fifth diva will get into the game on Cyber Monday. On November 28, Adele drops her own concert special, "Live at the Royal Albert Hall." And given that it might be a while before the singer hits the road again (she's on the mend from throat surgery), the DVD will at least give fans a taste of Adele's live stage show.

Share your concert DVD shopping picks in the comments section!

Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674804/lady-gaga-beyonce-taylor-swift-britney-concert-dvd.jhtml

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Kris Humphries Pimping for Sector Watches

Kris Humphries didn’t make out with a big settlement due to the pre-nup agreement but he has announced a new venture worth $150,000 dollars. Kris has found some time on his hands with not having a new bride and not playing basketball due to the recent NBA lockout so he has founded his own new business venture. Kris held a press conference at New York City’s Trump SoHo hotel to announce his new endorsement deal with Sector watches. According to a source, Humphries’ Sector deal is worth $150,000. Kris stated that he was grateful to Sector for their support during this difficult time in his life. So what is the interest in Italian watches ? Kris states that he has always loved fashion and watches. He also expressed that he thought that Sector has some really great watches. Seems like a good reason to me. The good thing about Kardashian’s future ex-hubby’s new venture is that a portion of sales will go to his foundation that fights against childhood obesity. Most recently, Humphries had his marriage to the reality TV star Kim Kardashian annulled 72 days after the wedding took place. During this NBA lockout time, Kris continues to focus [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/l8PC95xjnHA/

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89% The Lion King (In 3D)

All Critics (91) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (10) | DVD (55)

Everyone, young and old, will find something to appreciate in this Shakespearean tale of a young lion discovering his rightful place in the world.

The story line is a Joseph Campbell hero-quest so stripped down to its basics as to become dull.

A computer-animated scene featuring a stampede of wildebeest is positively breathtaking.

The Lion King, more than any of the recent wave of Disney animated features, has the resonance to stand not just as a terrific cartoon but as an emotionally pungent movie.

The result is a step toward multiculturalism and ecological correctness, though not without a certain amount of confusion.

A crown jewel of modern Disney animation.

It's not hard to understand why The Lion King's good-vs.-evil adventure and high-spirited comic passages haven't lost their appeal. [Blu-ray]

It's an attractive film but altogether less interesting and more conventional than the Pixar productions that now dominate Disney's animated output.

"Hakuna Matata" would mean never having to be subjected to The Lion King ever again, much less having Simba's growing pains coming at your face in 3D.

It does exactly what it says on the tin.

Feel the love tonight. And see the colours, too.

Huge fun for the kids; some acceptable laughs for the adults.

The 3D technology adds some eye-popping moments but the best thing about this reissue is the chance for a new generation to see a modern classic on a cinema screen.

There are no gimmicks and the big emotional moments are almost entirely untouched.

However crass Disney's motivation may have been in rereleasing the film... it's cheering to see that... people still want to see great movies on a big screen with big sound...

Well worth another look, though it's a pity they're saving the newly made bloopers for the upcoming Blu-ray.

It didn't really need the 3D, but it's still a stunning, glorious family film, with the third dimension or otherwise.

While the core ideology behind The Lion King is extremely problematic and stands out even more today than it did in 1994, there is still much to admire about the film.

It's a wonderful treat to revisit and the 3-D is beautifully utilised, but it's perhaps not the classic that Disney purports it to be.

Art History stands out as one of Joe Swanberg's most visually and conceptually accomplished experiments.

Is the 3D version superior to the 2D version? No. Is the film still magnificent? Yes.

While "The Lion King" is one of the best Disney movies of all time, "The Lion King 3D" is a manipulative exploitation to bring paying parents back with their kids merely through the sexiness of today's 3D fad.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lion_king/

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Sunday, November 20, 2011

McDonald's drops egg supplier after cruelty footage

McDonald's will be looking for a new egg supplier for their McMuffins after Mercy For Animals released footage from an undercover investigation of animal cruelty at Sparboe Egg Farms, one of their suppliers.

After viewing the footage, McDonald's said in an issued statement that they would no longer be accepting their eggs from Spargoe, and said "the behavior on tape is disturbing and completely unacceptable."

(Warning: Video contains graphic images of animal cruelty. Watch with caution.)

"McDonald's expects all of our suppliers to meet our stringent requirements for delivering high quality food prepared in a humane and responsible manner," McDonald's Vice President of Sustainability Bob Langert, said in the statement.

The hidden-camera footage shows hens being crammed into wire cages, workers burning the beaks of young chicks without pain killers, live chicks thrown into plastic bags and workers tormenting the animals.

The president and owner of Sparboe issued a letter on the website saying they are launching an internal investigation and management changes have taken place. They said they have identified four employees involved in the activities, and they have been terminated.

MFA urged the McDonald's Corporation to end its use of eggs from hens in battery cages, and according to their website, there are no federal laws that provide protection for the birds at the factory farm or during slaughter.

Mercy For Animals is a national non-profit organization that works toward preventing cruelty to farm animals.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45358654/ns/business-retail/

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Egyptians rally to protest military 'dictatorship'

Over 50,000 Egyptian protesters flocked to Cairo's Tahrir Square Friday to pressure the military government to transfer power to elected civilian rule, after the cabinet tried to enshrine the army's role in a constitutional proposal.

The protesters sang religious chants before Friday prayers, while others handed out fliers demanding the withdrawal of the constitutional proposal and presidential elections be held no later than April 2012.

"Does the government want to humiliate the people? The people revolted against Mubarak and they will revolt against the constitution they want to impose on us," a member of an orthodox Islamic Salafi group cried out over loud speakers, to the cheers of thousands of protesters.

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"Down to military rule" and "No to making the army a state above the state" were some of the chants echoing across Tahrir Square.

Except for the preponderance of bearded men and veiled women typical of strict Islamists, the mass rally recalled the demonstrations in Tahrir Square during the 18-day bloody uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak on Feb. 18.

The rally was dominated by the country's most organized political group, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Story: Clashes along Egypt Christian march injure 29

It was called to protest a document floated by the government that declares the military the guardian of "constitutional legitimacy," suggesting the armed forces could have the final word on major policies.

The Brotherhood says the document reinforces "dictatorship," and has promised an escalation if it is not shelved.

Organizers said Friday's rally was an attempt to put "the revolution back on track."

Story: Egypt in uproar after blogger posts nude photos

Other groups such as the April 6 movement are demanding a timetable for the end of military rule that began after Mubarak was deposed.

A military source said on Friday that the army would hand power to a civilian government in 2012, without giving a exact date.

Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Silmi showed a constitutional draft to political groups earlier this month that would give the army exclusive authority over its internal affairs and budget.

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But negotiations over the plan between the government and Islamists and liberals have broken down, prompting political parties and democracy campaigners to protest.

"The protest ... is to reclaim power from the army and oppose Silmi's document," said Mohamed Fathi from the youth group the Front to Protect the Revolution.

In Tahrir Square, US not as hated anymore

Any extended protest by demonstrators camping in Tahrir Square could potentially destabilize preparations for a parliamentary vote due on November 28.

Political groups have demanded the military council announce a clear timetable for handing power over to an elected civilian government with a deadline for presidential elections no later than April 2012.

Salafi parties and movements who follow strict Islamic teachings were the earliest to galvanize support for the Friday protest, with the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of liberal parties following suit.

Thousands of Salafi protesters arrived in Cairo from different parts of the country, many waving flags and singing the national anthem while youth groups guarded entrances to the square to prevent thugs from slipping through.

"We came by bus from the Nile Delta. We have been called to come and show our refusal of army rule and support of civilian rule," said Mohamed Ali, a member of the Salafi Al-Asalah party.

In the port city of Alexandria, thousands of Islamists and youth groups also held a rally and planned to head to a military base in a show of protest against the army.

"We went down to demand change but they removed Mubarak and brought the Field Marshal," protesters in Alexandria chanted, referring to Mubarak's former defense minister who now heads the military council that is supposed to guide Egypt to democracy.

Thousands also gathered in the Northern Sinai and Upper Egypt regions to protest but they called for an Islamic state, not a civilian state, the demand of protesters in the capital and Alexandria.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45352471/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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APNewsBreak: Demi Moore to divorce Ashton Kutcher (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Demi Moore is ending her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, she told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Moore, 49, and Kutcher, 33, were wed in September 2005.

The couple's relationship became tabloid fodder in recent months as rumors swirled about Kutcher's alleged infidelity.

"It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation," she said in her statement to the AP.

The pair frequently used Twitter to communicate with each other as millions of fans followed along.

"I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi," Kutcher tweeted Thursday. "Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail."

Moore said in 2007 that her relationship with the star of "That `70s Show" and "Punk'd" ? who is 15 years younger than Moore ? "caught us both by surprise."

"If somebody would have said, `OK, here is the prediction: You're going to meet a man 25 years old and he's going to see being with you and having your three kids as a bonus,' I would have said, `Keep dreaming,'" Moore said in a 2007 interview with Vanity Fair. "I think it caught us both by surprise, and particularly him."

Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters ? Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle ? from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly. Moore and Kutcher were photographed socializing with Willis, and the couple attended Willis' wedding to model-actress Emma Heming in 2009.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.

Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" as is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve," set for release next month.

Kutcher's publicist did not immediately respond to an e-mail and phone call seeking comment. No divorce papers had been filed in Los Angeles Superior Court as of Thursday afternoon.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen is on Twitter. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/APsandy.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111118/ap_en_mo/us_people_moore_kutcher

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Friday, November 18, 2011

Study Links Stress To Breast Cancer ? CBS Chicago

Photo Of Mammography Room (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Photo Of Mammography Room (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

CHICAGO (CBS) ? Stressed out? You might want to get it in check. Chicago researchers say stress could be a new risk factor for breast cancer.

CBS 2?s Kristyn Hartman takes a look at the connection between breast cancer and stress and two other potential risk factors under the microscope.

For breast cancer survivor Cyd Paulsen, it?s the experiment of a lifetime ? one that could shine a light on breast cancer.

She had it and beat it, now she?s working to prevent it.

?The doctor said ?I?m so sorry to tell you that you have invasive ductal cancer,?? Paulsen said.

In one of three studies happening at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, doctors are studying a possible obesity gene. They?re learning that obesity or weight gain might make it more likely a woman will get breast cancer, or make treatment for cancer less effective.

?There seems to be a connection between obesity and breast cancer, especially in women that are already diagnosed with breast cancer,? said Dr. Virginia Kaklamani, an oncologist at Northwestern.

Ample evidence already suggests high fat foods are bad. Others, like fruits and vegetables, are protective.

?That whole cycle of what you ingest and what yoy get exposed to can have more consequences in your body than you think,? Dr. Ece Mutlu, an associate professor of gastroenterology at Rush University Medical Center.

Mutlu is leading the study Paulsen joined.

The focus at Rush is bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and their metabolic activity, which may lead to breast cancer.

?Many breast cells have receptors for these metabolites to be able to recognize them,? Mutlu said.

She said if doctors can prove certain bacteria lead to cancer, maybe someday they can treat the bacteria before it causes trouble in the breast.

Breast cancer survivor Patrice Short said her best advice to women who?ve been diagnosed with breast cancer is ?stay as stress-free as you possibly can.?

Short?s doctor says the same. At the University of Chicago, they?re studying the stress-breast connection.

?There is some evidence that, in fact, the response to stress and unrelenting stress produces a hormone that does increase the size of tumors,? said Dr. Suzanne Conzen, an associate professor at U of C. ?We are actively working on ways to block the stress response ? and that, we?re hoping, will be a new way of treating breast cancer.?

It might even be a way of preventing it. During her own treatment, Short found ways to chill out ? from support groups to water workouts.
She had good reason.

?My first grandchild was born three or four months prior to my diagnosis and I wanted to see her grow up,? she said.

Cyd Paulsen also showed off pictures of her four daughters ? her reason for getting into a study to identify new potential risk factors.

She said she knows how important it is. It?s only through research that we recently learned, for instance, that alcohol might increase the risk of breast cancer.

Source: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/11/15/study-links-stress-to-breast-cancer/

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Thursday, November 17, 2011

House panel moves to block Fannie, Freddie pay (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would crack down on the pay packages for executives at mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB) and Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB).

The bill would suspend 2011 compensation packages for executives at the two companies, which were taken over by the government in 2008, and instead have them paid based on a government pay scale.

(Reporting by Dave Clarke; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111115/bs_nm/us_financial_regulation_fanniehouse

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Oil price drops below $98 per barrel (AP)

NEW YORK ? The price of oil dropped below $98 per barrel Monday as investors continued to worry about Europe's debt problems.

Benchmark crude fell $1.45 to $97.54 per barrel in New York, while Brent crude, used to price many international varieties, lost $2.21 at $111.95 per barrel in London.

The European debt crisis has yanked oil prices up and down for the past few months as traders assess whether massive debt burdens in Greece and Italy will mean bank failures and perhaps another recession. An economic slowdown across the region would mean weaker demand for oil.

Both countries have named economists as prime ministers, hoping they will shepherd them from the brink of default. Yet high interest rates on Italian bonds indicate a lack of confidence in the economy, according to PFGBest analyst Phil Flynn.

No matter what those political leaders do, "the European economy is going to slow down," Flynn said.

U.S. stocks pulled back on Monday after last week's rally. The major indexes were down about 1 percent in midday trading.

Retail gasoline prices fell half a cent on Monday to a national average of about $3.42 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service.

In other energy trading, heating oil was flat at $3.17 per gallon, and gasoline futures lost 7 cents at $2.53 per gallon. Natural gas fell 10 cents to $3.49 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111114/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Selzer poll: Four-way tie in Iowa (Politico)

A survey from Bloomberg News ? taken by J. Ann Selzer, the pollster behind the Des Moines Register Iowa Poll ? shows a close battle for first place in the caucus state:

A Bloomberg News poll shows Cain at 20 percent, Paul at 19 percent, Romney at 18 percent and Gingrich at 17 percent among the likely attendees with the caucuses that start the nominating contests seven weeks away. ...

The poll reflects the race?s fluidity, with 60 percent of respondents saying they still could be persuaded to back someone other than their top choice, and 10 percent undecided. Paul?s support is more solidified than his rivals, while Cain?s is softer. All of the major contenders have issue challenges to address. ...

Continue Reading

Texas Governor Rick Perry and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, who both once were strong contenders in polls of the Republican race, have seen support plummet. Perry, who is running ads in Iowa, gets 7 percent support in the Bloomberg survey; Bachmann, who won the Iowa Straw Poll in August, is backed by 5 percent.

Those numbers confirm that the Newt phenomenon is real in Iowa (see the poll Maggie posted on this yesterday)?and underscore why Iowa's still a risky bet for Romney. He holds on to his share of the vote, pretty much no matter what, but it's apparently easier ? at?least at this point ??for the baggage-laden and gaffe-prone Gingrich to get close to the top than it is for Romney to lift his ceiling.

Paul's strong position is also worth waching: If other polls start to place him in the high teens in the early states, it'll show that he's drawing votes from beyond his libertarian activist base. And with the other Republican candidates as poorly organized in Iowa as they are, Paul's fervent corps of supporters could have an outsized impact in the caucuses.

His campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, told me last week that Paul views caucus states as his best opportunity to rack up delegates and give Romney a run for his money in the nomination fight.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1111_68376_html/43605962/SIG=11mu3plek/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68376.html

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Obama seeks deals, meets allies on world stage (AP)

HONOLULU ? President Barack Obama prodded the skeptical leaders of Russia and China for support in reining back Iran's nuclear ambitious, but without winning public endorsement from either man.

Neither Russian President Dmitry Medvedev nor Chinese President Hu Jintao publicly echoed Obama's push for solidarity over renewed concerns on Iran as Obama met separately on Saturday with each leader on the sidelines of a Pacific Rim economic summit here. Presiding over the gathering in his home state of Hawaii, Obama also sought to position the United States as a Pacific power determined to get more American jobs by tapping the potential of the Asia-Pacific.

For Obama, the first full day of a nine-day trip far from Washington mixed high-stakes foreign affairs diplomacy with a focus on U.S. jobs, the top domestic concern of voters who will decide next year whether to re-elect him. The president was to continue his economic advocacy Sunday at a series of meetings with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a diverse group of 21 nations representing growing markets and ever-more-important alliances for the U.S.

Obama announced the broad outlines of an agreement to create a transpacific trade zone encompassing the United States and eight other nations before going into meetings with Hu and Medvedev where he raised a new report from the U.N. atomic agency. The report asserted in the strongest terms to date that Iran is conducting secret work to develop nuclear arms.

Russia and China remain a roadblock to the United States in its push to tighten international sanctions on Iran. Both are veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council and have shown no sign the new report will change their stand.

Alongside Medvedev, Obama said the two "reaffirmed our intention to work to shape a common response" on Iran.

Shortly after, Obama joined Hu, in a run of back-to-back diplomacy with the heads of two allies that hold complicated and at times divisive relations with the United States. Obama said that he and the Chinese leader want to ensure that Iran abides by "international rules and norms."

Obama's comments were broad enough to portray a united front without yielding any clear indication of progress. Medvedev, for his part, was largely silent on Iran during his remarks, merely acknowledging that the subject was discussed. Hu did not mention Iran at all.

White House aides insisted later that Russia and China remain unified with the United States and other allies in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and that Obama, Hu and Medvedev had agreed to work on the next steps. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the new allegations about Iran's programs demand an international response.

"I think the Russians and the Chinese understand that," he said. "We're going to be working with them to formulate that response."

As the president held forth on the world stage, Republicans vying to compete against Obama for the presidency unleashed withering criticism in a debate in South Carolina. It was a rare moment in which foreign policy garnered attention in a campaign dominated by the flagging U.S. economy.

"If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon. And if you elect Mitt Romney, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," said Romney, a former Massachusetts governor.

Iran has insisted its nuclear work is in the peaceful pursuit of energy and research, not weaponry.

More broadly, Obama is seeking while in Hawaii to position the United States as a key player among economies that already account for 44 percent of world trade, a figure the administration believes will grow.

For businesses, Obama said, "this is where the action's going to be."

On the Pacific trade pact, Obama said details must still be worked out, but said the goal was to complete the deal by next year.

The eight countries joining the U.S. in the zone would be Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Obama also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda about Japan's interest in joining the trade bloc.

Obama will be in Honolulu through Tuesday, when he leaves for Australia before ending his trip in Indonesia.

___

AP White House Correspondent Ben Feller contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111113/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama

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