Senegal opposition urges more "resistance" after riots (Reuters)

DAKAR (Reuters) ? Senegal's opposition called on Saturday for more "resistance" against President Abdoulaye Wade, after a night of riots over his plans to run for a third term in elections next month.

Local media reported that one policeman was killed during the riots, in which protesters threw rocks, overturned cars and burned tyres and security forces fired tear gas, raising worries of growing instability in West Africa's most peaceful nation.

Calm had returned to the capital Dakar by morning and security boosted around the presidential palace. Truckloads of police in full riot gear patrolled the city, armed with tear gas grenade launchers, according to a Reuters witness.

"We are asking the people to remain alert and to resist Abdoulaye Wade," Abdoul Aziz Diop, the spokesman for opposition activist movement M23 told Reuters by telephone Saturday. "If Wade tries to impose himself on us ... we will resist."

He said that opposition figures and activist leaders were meeting Saturday to discuss their next steps.

The clashes came after Senegal's top legal body late on Friday night validated the candidacy of 85-year-old Wade and 13 rivals for the February 26 vote, but turned down the presidential bid of world music star Youssou N'Dour, saying he did not have the required 10,000 signatures of support.

Wade's rivals say the constitution sets an upper limit of two terms on the president. But Wade, who came to power in 2000 and was re-elected in 2007, has argued his first term pre-dated the 2001 amendment establishing the limit.

Wade appeared on state television late Friday and made an appeal for calm, promising elections would be free and fair.

"Stop these displays of petulance which will lead to nothing," he said. "The electoral campaign will be open. There will be no restrictions on freedom."

Senegal is the only country in mainland West Africa to have not had a coup since the end of the colonial era. February's poll, and a possible run-off a few weeks later, are seen as a test of social cohesion in the predominantly Muslim country.

Critics say that Wade, who spent 26 years in opposition to Socialist rule, has done nothing during his 12 years in power to alleviate poverty in a country where formal employment is scarce, and has dragged his heels on tackling official graft.

Wade points to spending on education and infrastructure projects such as roadbuilding as proof of progress toward turning Senegal into an emerging market country and a trade hub.

His candidacy has raised eyebrows abroad. The senior U.S. State Department official for Africa, William Fitzgerald, told French RFI radio that Wade's candidacy was "a bit regrettable."

Rival presidential hopeful Amsatou Sow Sidibe called on Wade to withdraw his candidacy voluntarily. "Peace and tranquility in Senegal depends on it," she told Reuters by telephone.

Local television said one policeman died from head injuries after clashes in the capital Dakar late Friday, but this could not be independently confirmed. Reuters reporters saw youths set fire to tyres and overturn cars.

One witness said a police station in the central town of Kaolack had been ransacked, while state radio said the local headquarters of Wade's liberal PDS had been burned down. Street protests were also reported in the towns of Thies and Mbour.

(Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Rosalind Russell)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/wl_nm/us_senegal_election

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Topless protesters detained at Davos forum (AP)

DAVOS, Switzerland ? Three topless Ukrainian protesters were detained Saturday while trying to break into an invitation-only gathering of international CEOs and political leaders to call attention to the needs of the world's poor.

After a complicated journey to reach the heavily guarded Swiss resort town of Davos, the women arrived at the entrance to the congress center where the World Economic Forum takes place every year.

With temperatures around freezing in the snow-filled town, they took off their tops and climbed a fence before being detained. "Crisis! Made in Davos," read one message painted across a protester's torso, while others held banners that said "Poor, because of you" and "Gangsters party in Davos."

Davos police spokesman Thomas Hobi said the three women were taken to the police station and their papers were checked. They were told that they weren't allowed to demonstrate, and will be released later, he said.

The activists are from the group Femen, which has become popular in Ukraine for staging small, half-naked protests to highlight a range of issues including oppression of political opposition. They have also conducted protests in some other countries.

"We came here to Switzerland to Davos to explain position of all poor people of the world, to explain that we are poor because of these rich people who now sit in the building," said protester Inna Schewcenko.

Protesters from the Occupy movement that started with protests against practices on Wall Street held a separate demonstration in Davos on Saturday. A small group of protesters are camped in igloos in Davos to call for more help for the needy.

About 40 protesters from the Occupy movement gathered in front of the town hall. Some held placards with slogans such as "If voting would change anything, it would be illegal" and "Don't let them decide for you, Occupy WEF." The event has been peaceful.

A member of the Occupy camp was invited to speak at a special event outside the Forum on Friday night discussing the future of capitalism attended by British opposition leader Ed Miliband.

Soon after the panel discussion began, some activists in the audience jumped up and started chanting slogans, and the protester panelist walked off the stage.

Other members of the audience told the activists to "shut up" and arguments disrupted the panel for about 20 minutes. The discussion then resumed, without the Occupy panelist.

___

Anja Niedringhaus and Paolo Santalucia contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_davos_forum_protests

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Macworld Is Weird Now [Video]

I love Macworld Expo. I've gone more years than I haven't out of the last dozen. But for most of those years, Apple was presenting. That's changed. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/eAcktiFCUig/macworld-is-weird-now

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KDE 4.8 released, wants to sashay its way into your computer

Sure, it might not have the marketing flair, nor mindshare of another Linux-based project we know, but that doesn't mean the folks behind KDE haven't been feverishly polishing their take on the perfect desktop environment. That dedication has resulted in version 4.8, which brings forth a bevy of tweaks big and small. Those upgrading will be treated to more layouts in Plasma Workspaces, a new display engine and file-manager, as well as redesigned power management settings. Also on the docket are refinements that improve stability and performance, including groundwork to enable more touch-friendly UIs in the future. Sounds like a win-win to us, so why are you still reading? More info awaits at the source.

KDE 4.8 released, wants to sashay its way into your computer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/b2AgLyZjpG8/

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Nokia plans board of directors refresh, chairman to step down

Following on from today's mixed bag of Nokia financials, the Espoo-based company will see some changes on its directorial board, after its Annual General Meeting in a few months. As forecast last year, non-executive chairman Jorma Ollila joined Nokia in 1985 and has been on the board through Nokia's explosive growth into the world's biggest handset manufacturer -- and its more recent troubles. He will leave the board alongside more recent members Bengt Holmström and Per Karlsson, while existing board memeber Risto Siilasmaa is currently pegged to take the helm once the new board of directors is formed. New candidates earmarked for the board include Bruce Brown, of Procter and Gamble, Mårten Mickos, CEO of Eucalyptus Systems and independent corporate advisor Elizabeth Nelson. The whole Nokia nitty-gritty awaits at the source below.

Continue reading Nokia plans board of directors refresh, chairman to step down

Nokia plans board of directors refresh, chairman to step down originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-aides to Wisconsin governor charged with misconduct (Reuters)

MADISON, Wis (Reuters) ? Two former aides to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker were charged on Thursday with political fundraising on public time in a move that could give fresh ammunition to critics seeking to unseat him over controversial curbs on public sector bargaining imposed last year.

The charges against the women, both aides to Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive, stemmed from a probe into allegations of misconduct in public office as well as political solicitation by public officials and employees, according to the criminal complaint.

The investigation found that a private e-mail network had been set up and run out of Walker's office in 2010 to communicate campaign and government-related information to "select individuals," Milwaukee County district attorney John Chisholm's office said in a statement.

The charges, against former deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch and former executive assistant Darlene Wink, are the latest to involve former staffers close to the first-term Republican governor.

Earlier this month, another former deputy chief of staff to Walker was charged with fraud, accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from a fund for families of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The charges against the former aides follow a fierce partisan battle in the state last year in which Republican lawmakers successfully pushed through controversial measures to curb the collective bargaining power of public sector workers.

A spokeswoman for a Walker campaign group, Friends of Scott Walker, said the policy at the county executive's office under Walker was that employees could not use county "time or resources to conduct any political activity."

"Scott Walker expected everyone to follow the law and made that clear publicly and privately," the spokeswoman, Ciara Matthews, said. Walker's office did not immediately respond to a voicemail and e-mail requesting comment.

ILLEGAL FUNDRAISING ALLEGATIONS

The charges come as opponents of Walker who are seeking to unseat him submitted petitions with more than a million signatures last week to force a recall, far more than needed. Democrats have yet to settle on an opponent to face Walker in any recall, and he retains a strong base.

Organizers are also seeking to recall four Republican state Senators, including Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.

Officials at the state's Government Accountability Board are working to verify the petitions, which could trigger special elections in the late spring or early summer.

The illegal fundraising charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at Walker's Milwaukee offices on November 1, 2010 -- just a day before Walker beat Democrat Tom Barrett in the race to replace outgoing Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle.

On the laptop of Rindfleisch, Walker's then-deputy chief of staff, authorities found what they said were hundreds of e-mails and instant messages showing Rindfleisch raising money for Brett Davis, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor favored by the Walker campaign, while she was being paid by Milwaukee taxpayers, the criminal complaint said.

In one instant message chat with a friend in January 2010, Rindfleisch confides that "really half of what I'm doing" on the clock was related to the Davis campaign.

Rindfleisch, 43, has been charged with four felony counts of misconduct in public office. Each charge carries a maximum term of 3-1/2 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

Wink, a former executive assistant in the county executive's office, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation for engaging in fundraising for Walker while in a county building and using county equipment, prosecutors said.

The charges against Wink, 62, carry a maximum six months in prison and up to a $1,000 fine.

Wink was accused of working on a 42nd birthday party and fundraiser for Walker's gubernatorial campaign in 2009, timed for a year before the November 2010 election. The fundraiser was canceled due to a scheduling conflict, but replaced by a holiday fundraiser also arranged by Wink partly on government time.

Wink also prepared Republican political press releases, discussed phone banks and ordered political merchandise for sale at events including the Republican Convention and State Fair while at work in the executive's office, prosecutors said.

(Reporting by Jeff Mayers, Brendan O'Brien, David Bailey and James B. Kelleher; Writing by James B. Kelleher and David Bailey. Editing by Paul Thomasch and Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/us_nm/us_crime_wisconsin_walker_aides

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Dotcom: 'Come for coffee, don't forget the cocaine.'

COATESVILLE, New Zealand?? Kim Dotcom, the founder of file-sharing site Megaupload.com who faces a lengthy jail term in the United States if convicted of racketeering, money laundering and Internet piracy, seems to have a mischievous sense of humor.

Shortly after arriving in New Zealand in 2010 and moving into a sprawling luxury estate near Auckland, Dotcom emailed a neighbor who had raised questions about his character, having previously been convicted as a hacker in Germany.

The email was addressed to the local Neighborhood Watch, a community group aimed at stopping crime in the Coatesville area, a nouveau riche community of hobby farms and wealthy city workers.

"First of all, let me assure you that having a criminal neighbor like me comes with benefits," Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, wrote in the email, which was sent to Reuters by neighbor France Komoroske.

"1. Our newly opened local money laundering facility can help you with your tax fraud optimization. 2. Our network of international insiders can provide you with valuable stock tips. 3. My close personal relations with other (far worse) criminals can help you whenever you have to deal with a nasty neighbor," Dotcom quipped in the email, which Reuters has not been able to corroborate.

Komoroske said the email startled her family.

But Dotcom did try to allay his neighbor's concerns.

"In all seriousness: My wife, two kids and myself love New Zealand and 'We come in peace'," he wrote.

"Fifteen years ago I was a hacker and 10 years ago I was convicted for insider trading. Hardly the kind of crimes you need to start a witch hunt for.

"Since then I have been a good boy, my criminal records have been cleared, and I created a successful Internet company that employs 100+ people," he added.

Dotcom then asked his neighbor to choose.

"Now you can make a choice: 1: Call Interpol, the CIA, and the Queen of England and try to get me on the next plane out of New Zealand. 2: Sit back, relax and give me a chance to do good for New Zealand and possibly the neighborhood."

Doctom then invited his neighbor over for coffee, adding "... and don't forget to bring the cocaine (joke). All the best, Kim."

Komoroske said she replied to Dotcom, saying, "We'd love to come over for coffee. How's tomorrow?"

But the invitation was never taken up, after Dotcom demanded Komoroske bring another neighbor, calling the two of them "leaders of the Coatesville Inquisition movement."

Reuters was unable to contact Dotcom, who is in custody, and an email to his lawyer was not answered.

Other neighbors spoken to by Reuters said Doctom lived almost a reclusive life in his rented 30-acre estate, occasionally seen driving on the local winding roads, but getting his entourage to organize any jobs on the property.

A New Zealand judge on Wednesday ordered Dotcom ? who stands 6-feeet, 6-inches tall and weighs more than 285 lbs ? to be held in custody for another month, saying the suspected Internet pirate posed a significant flight risk.

Dotcom, a German national also known as Kim Tim Jim Vestor, faces a February 22 hearing of an extradition application by the United States.

Prosecutors say Dotcom was the ringleader of a group that netted $175 million by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorization.

His lawyers say his company, megaupload.com, simply offered online storage, and that he will fight extradition.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46129325/ns/technology_and_science-security/

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Sevigny and Webber to star in Jarmusch film (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Chloe Sevigny and Mark Webber have been attached to star in "Panarea," a drama about a young married couple with intimacy issues who vacation on an Italian island where their relationship is tested.

Adam Mansbach wrote the screenplay. Adam Bhala Lough is directing. Jim Jarmusch is executive producing.

Webber is especially in-demand lately. The actor, who played Stephen Stills in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," has three premieres at the Sundance Film Festival -- "The End of Love," "Save the Date" and "For a Good Time, Call ..."

In "Panarea," Webber plays Paul, an American who is married to Sevigny's character, the headstrong Swedish Linnea.

Mangusta Productions' Sol Tryon and Giancarlo Canavesio are producing with Mike S. Ryan.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/media_nm/us_chloesevigny

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Aretha Franklin calls off her wedding (AP)

NEW YORK ? Aretha Franklin won't be getting fitted for a wedding gown after all: She's called off her engagement. A statement released Monday by her representative said Franklin's wedding to Willie Wilkerson wasn't going to happen.

"Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time," Franklin said. "We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it. We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends."

Franklin, 69, announced shortly after New Year's Day that she was getting married. In an interview with The Associated Press, the jovial Queen of Soul talked about getting fitted for gowns by designers including Vera Wang and Donna Karan, and said she hoped for a summer wedding in either Miami or the Hamptons on Long Island, N.Y.

Franklin said Wilkerson was the one for her and that the relationship was particularly strong because they had been friends first.

"We're very compatible, and he supports me and I support him a lot, and he has given me specialized attention that I don't think I've received from anyone else," she said.

It's unclear if the pair are still romantically involved.

___

Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's music editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_en_mu/us_people_aretha_franklin

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Angelina Jolie Reportedly Snubs Stacy Keibler

Their significant others may be the best of friends, but it sound like Angelina Jolie isn't making an overtures of friendship toward Stacy Keibler. Despite the well-publicized bromance between Brad Pitt and George Clooney, a recent private jet trip from Los Angeles to the Palm Springs Film Festival was anything but friendly between the men's two leading ladies.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/angelina-jolie-reportedly-snubs-stacy-keibler-private-jet-trip/1-a-421553?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aangelina-jolie-reportedly-snubs-stacy-keibler-private-jet-trip-421553

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Italian divers find body in cruise ship corridor

An Italian fireman descends from an helicopter to the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

An Italian fireman descends from an helicopter to the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

A woman checks if her clothes are dry as the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia is seen in background, off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain, Capt. Francesco Schettino, who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

The grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia lays off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

An Italian Coast Guard boat patrols the area around the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

Fuel spilling experts work on the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The cruise captain who grounded the Costa Concordia off the Tuscan coast with 4,200 people on board did not relay correct information either to the company or crew after the ship hit rocks, the cruise ship owner's CEO said as the search resumed for 21 missing passengers. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

ROME (AP) ? The body of a woman wearing a life vest was recovered by Italian coast guard divers Saturday from a narrow underwater corridor of the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia, raising the death toll to 12 in the week-old accident that has sent some light fuel spilling into the Mediterranean off Tuscany.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro told The Associated Press that the victim was found during a particularly risky inspection of an evacuation staging point at the ship's rear.

"The corridor was very narrow, and the divers' lines risked snagging" on objects in the passageway, Nicastro said. To permit the coast guard divers to get into the area, Italian navy divers had preceded them, setting off charges to blast holes for easier entrance and exit, he said.

The woman's nationality and identity were not immediately known.

Before the corpse was found, 21 people were listed as missing. One of the women on the list is a Peruvian crew member, the others are passengers.

Three bodies were found in the waters near the ship in the first hours after the accident' since then the rest of the victims have all been found inside the Concordia, apparently unable to get off the ship during a chaotic evacuation via lifeboats and later by helicopters. Some survivors jumped off and swam to safety.

The Concordia hit a reef and ran aground on Jan. 14, while passengers dined, about two hours after the ship had set sail from the port of Civitavecchia on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Costa Crociere has said the captain had deviated without permission from the vessels in an apparent maneuver to sail close to Giglio, a Tuscan island, to impress passengers aboard.

Search and rescue efforts for survivors and bodies have meant that an operation to remove heavy fuel in the Concordia's tanks hasn't yet begun, although specialized equipment has been standing by for days.

On Saturday, light fuel, apparently from machinery aboard the capsized Costa Concordia, was detected near the ship.

But Nicastro said there was no indication that any of the nearly 500,000 gallons (2,200 metric tons) of heavy fuel oil has leaked from the ship's double-bottomed tanks. He said the leaked substance appears to be diesel, which is used to fuel rescue boats and dinghies and as a lubricant for ship machinery.

There are 185 tons of diesel and lubricants on board the crippled vessel, which is lying on its side just outside Giglio's port. Nicastro described the light fuel's presence in the sea as "very light, very superficial" and appearing to be under control.

Although attention has been concentrated on the heavy fuel oil in the tanks, "we must not forget that on that ship there are oils, solvents, detergents, everything that a city of 4,000 people needs," Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy's civil protection agency, told reporters in Giglio.

Gabrielli, who is leading rescue, search and anti-pollution efforts for the Concordia, was referring to the roughly 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew who were aboard the cruise liner when it ran into the reef, and then, with sea water rushing into a 70-meter (230-foot) gash in its hull, listed and finally fell onto its side.

Considering all the substances aboard the Concordia, "contamination of the environment, ladies and gentlemen, already occurred" when the cruise liner capsized, Gabrielli told a news conference.

Vessels equipped with machinery to suck out the light fuel oil were in the area, officials told Italian TV.

Earlier on Saturday, crews removed oil-absorbing booms used to prevent environmental damage in case of a leak. Originally white, the booms were grayish.

Divers resumed their search of the wreckage Saturday after data indicated the cruise ship had stabilized in the sea off Tuscany. Italian news reports said that the divers were also trying to locate the captain's safe, in case it might contain documentation useful to the criminal probe.

The Italian captain, Francesco Schettino, is under house arrest for investigation of alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all were evacuated. Schettino insists he helped coordinate the evacuation from Giglio's docks after leaving the ship when the Concordia lurched to one side.

The search had been suspended Friday after the Concordia shifted, prompting fears the ship could roll off a rocky ledge of sea bed and plunge deeper into the sea. An abrupt shift could also cause a leak in the Concordia's fuel tanks, polluting the pristine waters around Giglio, part of a seven-island Tuscan archipelago.

___

Colleen Barry reported from Milan. Andrea Foa contributed from Giglio.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-21-EU-Italy-Cruise-Aground/id-991415847f9941c9a972054197cb22bc

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Senate GOP's next move awaited in nominations spat (AP)

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama's appointments to two key agencies during the Senate's year-end break ensures that GOP senators will return to work Monday in an angry and fighting mood.

Less clear is what those furious Republicans will do to retaliate against Obama's "bring it on" end run around the Senate's role in confirming nominees to major jobs.

While Republicans contemplate their next step, recess appointee Richard Cordray is running a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the National Labor Relations Board, with three temporary members, is now at full strength with a Democratic majority.

Obama left more than70 other nominees in limbo, well aware that Republicans could use Senate rules to block some or all of them.

The White House justified the appointments on grounds that Republicans were holding up the nominations to paralyze the two agencies. The consumer protection agency was established under the 2010 Wall Street reform law, which requires the bureau to have a director in order to begin policing financial products such as mortgages, checking accounts, credit cards and payday loans.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the five-member NLRB must have a three-member quorum to issue regulations or decide major cases in union-employer disputes.

Several agencies contacted by The Associated Press, including banking regulators, said they were conducting their normal business despite vacancies at the top. In some cases, nominees are serving in acting capacities.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., at full strength, has five board members. The regulation of failed banks "is unaffected," said spokesman Andrew Gray. "The three-member board has been able to make decisions without a problem." Cordray's appointment gives it a fourth member.

The Comptroller of the Currency, run by an acting chief, has kept up its regular examinations of banks. The Federal Trade Commission, operating with four board members instead of five, has had no difficulties. "This agency is not a partisan combat agency," said spokesman Peter Kaplan. "Almost all the votes are unanimous and consensus driven."

Republicans have pledged retaliation for Obama's recess appointments, but haven't indicated what it might be.

"The Senate will need to take action to check and balance President Obama's blatant attempt to circumvent the Senate and the Constitution, a claim of presidential power that the Bush Administration refused to make," said Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican who is his party's top member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Grassley wouldn't go further, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky hasn't tipped his hand after charging that Obama had "arrogantly circumvented the American people." Before the Senate left for its break in December, McConnell blocked Senate approval of more than 60 pending nominees because Obama wouldn't commit to making no recess appointments.

Republicans have to consider whether their actions, especially any decision to block all nominees, might play into Obama's hands.

Obama has adopted an election-year theme of "we can't wait" for Republicans to act on nominations and major proposals like his latest jobs plan. Republicans have to consider how their argument that the president is violating Constitutional checks and balances plays against Obama's stump speeches characterizing them as obstructionists.

Senate historian Donald Ritchie said the minority party has retaliated in the past for recess appointments by holding up specific nominees. "I'm not aware of any situations where no nominations were accepted," he said. The normal practice is for the two party leaders to negotiate which nominations get votes.

During the break, Republicans forced the Senate to convene for usually less than a minute once every few days to argue that there was no recess and that Obama therefore couldn't bypass the Senate's authority to confirm top officials. The administration said this was a sham, and has released a Justice Department opinion backing up the legality of the appointments.

Obama considers the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau a signature achievement of his first term. Republicans have been vehemently opposed to the bureau's setup. They argued the agency needed a bipartisan board instead of a director and should have to justify its budget to Congress instead of drawing its funding from the independent Federal Reserve.

Cordray is expected to get several sharp questions from Republicans when he testifies Tuesday before a House Oversight and Government Reform panel.

The NLRB has been a target of Republicans and business groups. Last year, the agency accused Boeing of illegally retaliating against union workers who had struck its plants in Washington state by opening a new production line at its non-union plant in South Carolina. Boeing denied the charge and the case has since been settled, but Republican anger over it and a string of union-friendly decisions from the board last year hasn't abated.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_bi_ge/us_nominations_spat

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Facebook wants to dominate communications (Jack Bog's Blog)

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McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Ros? 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakit? - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Miles run year to date: 15
At this date last year: 6
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269

Source: http://bojack.org/2012/01/facebook_wants_to_dominate_com.html

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Factors Shaping Gingrich???s South Carolina Primary Win (ContributorNetwork)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich pulled off a convincing win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday. Gingrich received 40.4 percent of the votes, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney got 27.8 percent, as reported by the New York Times. The primary leaves some interesting takeaways to ponder, including factors that influenced Gingrich's victory.

* South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Romney early, but it apparently didn't have an impact, for she's losing popularity, too, according to Politico.

* Even though the southern state suffered through heavy precipitation Saturday, The State reported around 600,000 voters turned out, which bested the turnouts for 2008 and 2000. In total, South Carolina has about 3 million registered voters.

* CNSNews.com reported a Public Policy Polling survey and it showed Gingrich had a 54 percent favorable rating among likely GOP primary voters compared to a 37 percent unfavorable rating. Gingrich's attacks on the media seem to jell with the voters there, too, for only 14 percent of these people favor the media, compared to 77 percent who don't.

* The Detroit Free Press cited McClatchy-Tribune's reporting that super PAC and GOP presidential hopefuls' ad spending in "The Palmetto State" totaled some $12 million.

* According to CBS News exit polling, 64 percent of voters said the debates (with Gingrich getting standing ovations the previous two spectacles), influenced their vote, as opposed to 34 percent who didn't, according to CBS News' Political Hotsheet.

* According to the New York Times, Romney only won three counties, including the counties where the cities of Charleston and Columbia are. Gingrich won all the other counties.

* FoxNews.com reported one notable state endorsement Gingrich got came from the Rev. Bill Monroe, a highly esteemed religious leader, which helped the former House speaker win the evangelical vote easily per Fox News exit polls.

* The Associated Press reported early Sunday that Gingrich will take at least 23 of the state's 25 delegates, while Romney is the only candidate who has any chance of getting the other two delegates. Final results are expected to take at least a week to be completed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120122/pl_ac/10867891_factors_shaping_gingrichs_south_carolina_primary_win

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Wall Street gains on banks, pullback seen (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, putting the S&P on track for its third straight advance after earnings from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley lifted financials and strong demand at European bond auctions eased concerns over Europe.

Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) climbed 4.6 percent to $7.11 and was the top boost to both the benchmark S&P and the Dow Industrials. The bank swung to a fourth-quarter profit, helped by one-time items and lower expenses for bad loans. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) reported a quarterly loss that was narrower than expected, sending shares up 4.5 percent to $18.13.

With Wednesday's forecast-topping earnings from Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N), results from the three big financials lessened some concerns about the sector's exposure in debt-strained Europe.

Some analysts would not be surprised by a pullback in the S&P 500 from highs not seen since last July, especially after recent weak results from JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and Citigroup Inc (C.N).

"No question we've seen some encouraging news with earnings and Europe, but the question is whether we're getting ahead of fundamentals," said Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist at Key Private Bank in Cleveland, Ohio.

"Clearly things have improved, but it remains to be seen if there really has been a turn, or if this is just a January thaw ahead of more winter storms," McCain said. "There are still a lot of parts of the world with significant problems and concerning trends."

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was up 15.89 points, or 0.13 percent, at 12,594.84. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) added 4.99 points, or 0.38 percent, at 1,313.03. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) gained 20.39 points, or 0.74 percent, at 2,790.10.

Financial shares have rallied since the start of the year. The S&P financial index (.GSPF) is up 8 percent for 2012, helping to push the S&P 500 up more than 4 percent. The financial index was up 0.7 percent for the session.

In a sign of optimism about Europe, Spain and France both drew strong demand at government debt auctions.

The Nasdaq got a boost from eBay Inc (EBAY.O), which reported better-than-expected results after the close on Wednesday. The stock was up 4.2 percent to $31.63.

After the close, quarterly reports are due from technology bellwethers Google Inc (GOOG.O), International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N), Intel Corp (INTC.O) as well as Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O).

Transportation stocks moved higher after Union Pacific Corp (UNP.N) reported higher quarterly profit and revenue that beat estimates. Union Pacific was up 3 percent to $113.05, while the Dow Jones Transportation Average (.DJT) gained 1.8 percent.

The number of Americans filing for new jobless benefits dropped to a near four-year low last week and factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic expanded, suggesting the economy maintained its momentum early in the year.

However, housing starts dipped, indicating the sector was still a ways from strengthening.

(Reporting By Ryan Vlastelica; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

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Video: Bair: Time to Break Up the Big Banks

Sheila Bair, former FDIC chair, discusses the Volcker Rule; the FDIC's stress test plan; and why, she believes it's time to break up the "too big to fail" banks.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46076458/

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Much of Asia expects birth jump in Year of Dragon (AP)

TAIPEI, Taiwan ? Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, but you wouldn't know that from visiting the obstetrics department at Taiwan Adventist Hospital. The hallways were abuzz this week with dozens of women lined up for ultrasound checks and other appointments with obstetricians.

It's not just a baby boom. It's a dragon baby boom.

The Year of the Dragon begins Monday, and the Chinese believe that babies born in this iteration of the 12-year Zodiac cycle are gifted with prodigious quantities of luck and strength. In ancient times the dragon was a symbol reserved for the Chinese emperor, and it is considered to be an extremely auspicious sign.

"We haven't had a scene like this in years," said hospital official Hung Tzu-chu.

A second child had not been in the plans for Austin Tseng, a 32-year-old office worker, but she said at the hospital in downtown Tapei that she is eagerly awaiting the birth.

"I had thought one child was enough, but then comes the Year of the Dragon and I'm happy to have another one," Tseng said after an ultrasound check on her 20-week-old fetus.

Officials expect a baby boom not only in China and Taiwan, but in other Asian countries and territories that observe the New Year festival, including Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau.

Most have extremely low birth rates, reflecting a preference among young couples in these prosperous or rapidly developing societies to choose quality of life and career advancement over the responsibilities of child rearing.

But this Year of the Dragon looks to be breaking the mold. A poll in Hong Kong showed that 70 percent of couples there wanted children born under the dragon sign, while South Korea, Vietnam and China all report similar enthusiasm about dragon-year childbearing.

In Taiwan, Year of the Dragon childbearing fever is in full swing, with local banks selling silver and gold coins engraved with the dragon symbol. Bank officials believe that many are buying them for their own yet-to-be born dragon year babies or for those of expecting friends and relatives.

In the past, "many women wanted to keep their quality of life and thought child-rearing was too much of a burden to bear," said Wu Mei-ying, an interior ministry official charged with child care. "But with people all around them talking about bearing dragon sons and daughters, they are suddenly caught up in the baby craze."

The Year of the Dragon comes as a godsend for Taiwanese officials, who for the past decade have been trying to increase the island's low fertility rate: less than one child for every Taiwanese woman of childbearing age in 2010. In the 1950s, when Taiwan was a primarily agricultural society, women gave birth to an average of seven children.

The Year of the Dragon has long proved to be an impetus for births. In 2000, the last dragon year, the rate increased to 1.7 children per Taiwanese woman of childbearing age from 1.5 the previous year.

Taiwan has tried to encourage families with cash incentives that while well intentioned, appear to do little to dent the cost of education and other child rearing outlays. Besides a $100 monthly child care stipend, a Taiwanese woman can receive $330 from the government for delivering her first baby, double that for the second and triple for the third.

Interior Minister Chiang Yi-hua thinks that government encouragement can help boost the birthrate to 1.2 babies per fertile woman not only in the Year of the Dragon, but well beyond.

Wu, the interior ministry official, shares that view, noting that last year, the number of Taiwanese marriages shot up 19 percent, apparently paced by the belief that the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China ? Taiwan's official name ? was a favorable omen for long lasting and happy marriages.

"Coming on the heel of the centenary, the Year of the Dragon may encourage newlyweds to have babies soon," she said.

Chu Hong-min, a 30-year-old accountant, is five months pregnant and eagerly awaiting a dragon daughter to keep her 2-year-old son company.

But she also worries the incipient baby boom means her yet-to-be-born daughter will face tougher competition than usual.

"Many of my friends and colleagues are either expecting or plan to get pregnant this year," she said. "We really have to try harder to make the children do well at school."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_as/as_taiwan_dragon_babies

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Slow response to East Africa hunger 'cost lives'

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ? Thousands of people, more than half of them children, died needlessly and millions of dollars were wasted because the international community did not respond to early warnings of an impending famine in East Africa, aid agencies said Wednesday, even as they warned of a new hunger crisis in West Africa.

Most rich donor nations waited until East Africa's crisis was in full swing before donating a substantial amount of money, said a report by Oxfam and Save the Children. A food shortage was predicted as early as August 2010, but most donors did not respond until famine was declared in parts of Somalia in July 2011.

The report, written by two prominent aid groups, even blamed aid agencies, saying they were too slow to scale up their response.

"We all bear responsibility for this dangerous delay that cost lives in East Africa and need to learn the lessons of the late response," said Oxfam head Barbara Stocking.

One Kenyan economist, though, said it would have been difficult to prevent the famine in south-central Somalia, which is mostly controlled by militants from al-Shabab, an insurgent group that has greatly limited the work that aid agencies can do in the region.

"I don't think the solution to famine is just sending money in good time," said economist James Shikwati. "It also needs policy changes. Look at Somalia. (Even) if you have all the money in your pocket and all the grain in your store, unless al-Shabab allows you to access their areas then people there are still going to starve."

Kenya and Ethiopia also suffered from the drought, but the famine hit hardest in areas of Somalia suffering from a toxic mixture of drought, war and high taxes levied by armed groups.

The aid agencies in the report said many donors wanted to first see proof that there was a humanitarian catastrophe. That caused a funding shortfall that delayed a large-scale response to the crisis by around six months.

Now, there are clear signs that there is an impending hunger crisis in West Africa, said Save the Children's head Justin Forsyth. The report said that a food crisis in the West African region known as the Sahel is being driven by drought and high food prices. The report says agencies should put into practice there what has been learned in the Somalia crisis.

A recent Save the Children assessment in Niger shows families in the worst-hit areas are already struggling with around one-third less food, money and fuel than is necessary to survive.

The report says the delays in East Africa caused thousands of deaths and increased costs for aid agencies. The British government estimates that between 50,000 and 100,000 people have died from the famine, mostly Somalis. Ethiopia and Kenya were also affected but aid agencies were able to work more easily there than in war-ravaged Somalia.

More than half of those who died are believed to be children. The U.N. says 250,000 Somalis are still at risk of starvation and more than 13 million people need aid.

"The earlier you respond, the more you get for your money," said Oxfam's regional spokesman Alun McDonald.

"We've done a lot of water trucking. It's the last resort," he said. "It's a very expensive and inefficient way of delivering water."

Friday will mark six months since the U.N. declared famine in Somalia.

"It's much more cost-effective to invest early on," he said, in things like dams, reservoirs, and boreholes.

Trucking just over a gallon (5 liters) of water per day per person to 80,000 people in Ethiopia costs more than $3 million for five months, the report said, compared to $900,000 to prepare water sources in the same area for an oncoming drought.

The report also said it costs three times as much to restock a herd in northern Kenya than to keep it alive through supplementary feeding.

"The world knows an emergency is coming but ignores it until confronted with TV pictures of desperately malnourished children," said Forsyth.

The World Food Program says that even though the worst of the crisis appears to be over, hundreds of thousands of people will still need food aid in coming months to survive, because their livestock have died and crops have not yet grown.

Earlier this week, food donated by Cargill, the Minnesota-based producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products, was delivered to communities in need in Kenya. Cargill donated 10,000 metric tons of rice to World Food Program USA to be distributed in the Horn of Africa.

The group said the donation ? the largest ever food donation to WFP USA ? would feed nearly 1 million people for a month.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-18-East%20Africa-Famine/id-01e70bc292b143da8a37b9265bba80b7

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The Glee Project to Return for Second Season (omg!)

The Glee Project will return for a second season, Oxygen announced Tuesday.

The reality competition series features 14 contenders trying to score a guest role on the Fox series Glee. Season 1 co-winners Damian McGinty and Samuel Larsen were each awarded a seven-episode arc, and runners-up Lindsay Pearce and Alex Newell also were given guest appearances.

VIDEO: Glee's Dot-Marie Jones calls her Coach Beiste role an overwhelming dream come true

"The Glee Project is a special show that has tapped into a desire in our culture to watch people go for and achieve their dreams," Oxygen President Jason Klarman said.

The show averaged some 1.19 million viewers last summer and gained attention for its social/multiplatform success.

Executive producer Ryan Murphy will return to join casting director Robert Ulrich, choreographer and Glee co-producer Zach Woodlee and vocal coach Nikki Anders as judges. It's slated to premiere sometime in the summer.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_glee_project_return_second_season191100407/44208078/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/glee-project-return-second-season-191100407.html

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95% Pina

All Critics (58) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (55) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)

"Pina"is the best possible tribute to Bausch, and to adventurous image-making.

I watched the film in a sort of reverie.

Whether you're familiar with Pina Bausch's work or not, the new film "Pina" is a knockout.

So this is what 3-D is capable of when used for art rather than the commerce of hiking ticket prices and repurposing cartoons!

Pina is, in every way, a moving experience.

It should appeal to dance mavens, and to folks who have no idea what a pas de deux is.

An exhilarating experience, both in its celebration of Bausch's groundbreaking work and in the thrilling way that Wenders captures it on camera.

It's not an overview of Bausch's career or a statement on her art, but a celebration of her work and the dancers who bring it to life.

This is a stunning film, a glorious homage to modern dance and one of its premier authors and the best justification of 3D technology to date.

With a breakout use of 3D for artistic rather than solely commercial blockbuster purposes, German director Wim Wenders gives extraordinary life to the work of choreographer Pina Bausch.

From the hauntingly beautiful to the scary, Pina Bausch's post-modern dance sparkles in 3D.

It's an enchanting film, one that makes you feel you are missing something dear if you don't dance or appreciate it as an art form.

An often exhilarating, lively, magical and breathtaking experience of Pina Bausch's art.

A welcome departure from the by-the-numbers fossilization in today's documentary deluge.

Thanks to 3D technology it's dance film quite unlike any other, which was filmmaker Wim Wenders' intention, and it's a transporting experience for the uninitiated and the cognoscenti alike.

...filmmaking as glorious music.

An amazing and appealing 3D documentary by the inimitable Wim Wenders on the innovative dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch.

More Critic Reviews

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pina_3d/

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Gucci's Poetically Fallen Angels (Fashion Wire Daily)

Milan ? Poetry is not traditionally the best paid of trades, though poets were certainly dressed as the chicest of success stories in the fall 2012 menswear collection of Gucci, staged Monday, Jan. 16, in Milan.

The collection was a masterful display of Gucci craftsmanship and artisan skills from the subtly decayed paisley fabric velvet weekend bags to some brilliantly made boots - composed of lacquered leather with reptile inserts and trim.

"I wanted something decadent, just like a 19th century poet," said Gucci creative director Frida Giannini backstage after this path-breaking take on men's fashion.

The collections in Milan have also been all about a renewed obsession with fur, ideal considering that temperatures in the Italian fashion capital have fallen below zero every night of the season. The standout Gucci look was an ideally dramatic car coat - beaver on the outside, astrakhan in the interior.

Another key Milan trend is faux muddied materials - in Gucci's case these came in faded paisley pants and jackets, or in some really excellent romantic rocker shearling bomber jackets. The designer's choice of a finale was also telling - dandy tuxedos made in darkest velvet or dramatic pony skin, the latter laser cut into jacquard paisley patterns. Gucci will always be a major accessories destination, and Giannini got them right, and just the right side revolutionary, with travel bags in an antique map patterns, or enlarged doctor's briefcases in vernis crocodile.

Moreover, the tormented dark souls of the poets were echoed in the depth of night color palette. Gucci for fall 2012 is all about deep burgundy, earthy green and an almost smeared gray.

"I wanted decadent, fallen angles - chic yet effortless," added Giannini, mentioning Oscar Wilde and the indulgent aristocracy that populated Luchino Visconti movies.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/fashion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/fwd/20120116/en_fashion_fwd/guccispoeticallyfallenangels

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LL Cool J Hosting The Grammys!

LL Cool J Hosting The Grammys!

Veteran rapper LL Cool J has been named the official host of the 2012 Grammy Awards. The star has hosted the live Grammy nominations show [...]

LL Cool J Hosting The Grammys! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/01/18/ll-cool-j-hosting-the-grammys/

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Wall Street set to open higher on China data (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Stocks were set to open higher on Tuesday as Chinese data fueled the belief the government may move to stimulate growth, overshadowing recent credit downgrades in Europe and a mixed bag of bank earnings.

China's economy grew slightly more than expected but at the weakest pace in 2-1/2 years, suggesting the government may try to boost growth in the near term by tweaking monetary policy.

"Expectations are always a little irrational when it comes to China because of the track record we've seen. It's definitely supportive (for the market) and the fact of the matter is they are still the engine of growth," said Peter Kenny, managing director at Knight Capital in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Citigroup was off 3.3 percent to $29.72 in premarket trade after its quarterly earnings missed expectations, while Wells Fargo advanced 1.3 percent to $29.99 after its profit topped estimates by a penny.

Investors appeared set to shrug off a cut in the credit rating of the euro zone's rescue fund by Standard & Poor's by one notch, apparently relieved the downgrade was not more severe. The move comes after Friday's widely expected downgrade of a number of euro zone countries.

"It was just a question of when it was going to happen so it wasn't a surprise, it wasn't unexpected and that would explain why it was not disruptive," said Kenny.

S&P 500 futures rose 8.9 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures climbed 79 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 18 points.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York State showed growth picked up in January, rising to the highest level in nine months, keeping in line with the trend of modest improvement in U.S. economic data.

Carnival Corp (CCL.N) slumped 15.9 percent to $28.82 in premarket trade after its Italian unit, Costa Crociere, attempted to locate missing passengers after its cruise liner capsized. Fellow cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL.N) lost 7.3 percent to $26.60.

France's EDF SA (EDF.PA) agreed to drop its opposition to power group Exelon Corp's (EXC.N) purchase of Constellation Energy Group Inc (CEG.N) after reaching a deal to protect the operating independence of a nuclear joint venture with Constellation. Exelon rose 1.4 percent to $40.30 in premarket.

AIA Group Ltd (1299.HK), Asia's No. 3 insurer that is about one-third owned by American International Group Inc (AIG.N), may bid for the $6 billion Asian insurance operations of ING Groep (ING.AS), sources said.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

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European court: Cleric can't be deported from UK (AP)

LONDON ? An extremist cleric described as one of Europe's leading al-Qaida operatives should not be deported to Jordan to face trial because of the risk evidence obtained through torture would be used against him, Europe's highest court ruled Tuesday.

After a six-year legal battle, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that deporting Abu Qatada from Britain ? where he is in prison custody ? would "give rise to a flagrant denial of justice."

Abu Qatada ? whose real name is Omar Mahmoud Mohammed Othman ? is an extremist Muslim preacher from Jordan who has been described in both Spanish and British courts as a leading al-Qaida figure in Europe.

A Palestinian-Jordanian citizen, Abu Qatada arrived in Britain in 1993 and was detained in 2002 under anti-terrorism laws which at the time allowed suspected terrorists to be held in jail without charge.

Though Abu Qatada was released in 2005, when the unpopular law was overturned, he was kept under surveillance and arrested again within months, to be held pending his deportation to face terrorism charges in Jordan.

While living in Britain, he was convicted in his absence in Jordan of terrorist offenses related to two alleged bomb plots.

Although Abu Qatada has never faced criminal charges in Britain, authorities in the U.K. have accused him of advising militants and raising money for terrorist attacks. He "is a leading spiritual advisor with extensive links to, and influence over, extreme Islamists in the U.K. and overseas," prosecutors told a British court in 2007.

Britain's Home Secretary Theresa May said the U.K. would consider appealing the European court's decision. It has a three-month window in which to make any appeal, the court said.

"I am disappointed that the court has made this ruling," May said in a statement. "This is not the end of the road, and we will now consider all the legal options available to us."

Abu Qatada will remain held in British prison custody while a decision is made, she said.

May has not specified what Britain would do if it loses any appeal, though it is likely Abu Qatada would be freed from prison and monitored under a surveillance program which requires those suspected of involvement in terorrism ? but not charged with any crime ? to abide by a curfew and wear an electronic anklet.

Britain's Special Immigration Appeals Commission has previously been told Abu Qatada was also suspected of links to a bomb plot in Strasbourg, France, and to the raising of funds for terrorism in Chechnya.

In their ruling, the European judges based in Strasbourg said they did not accept Abu Qatada's claims that he would face ill treatment or torture at the hands of Jordanian authorities if sent there for trial, citing recent agreements between Jordan and the U.K.

But the judges warned that evidence in his case had been obtained by torturing his co-accused.

"The court found that torture was widespread in Jordan, as was the use of torture evidence by the Jordanian courts," the ruling said. "In relation to each of the two terrorist conspiracies ... the evidence of his involvement had been obtained by torturing one of his co-defendants."

Judges said evidence obtained through torture was illegal under international law and was also unreliable. The ruling said "there was a high probability that the incriminating evidence would be admitted ... and that it would be of considerable, perhaps decisive, importance."

Britain's highest court had ruled in 2009 that Abu Qatada should be deported to Jordan, despite fears over his potential mistreatment.

Human rights group Liberty urged the British government to make efforts to have Abu Qatada prosecuted in Britain.

"The court found that torture and evidence obtained that way is widespread in" Jordan, Shami Chakrabarti, the group's director, said in a statement. "So it is clear that, if Abu Qatada is to be tried for terrorism, this should happen in a British court without further delay."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_radical_preacher

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