Monday, October 31, 2011

Japan intervenes in currency market to weaken yen (AP)

TOKYO ? The dollar jumped about 5 percent against the yen Monday after Japan intervened to weaken its currency, whose appreciation has threatened the country's tentative recovery from the tsunami disaster.

The dollar shot above 79 yen in late morning trading in Tokyo after earlier touching a post-World War II low of 75.32 yen ? a level that was battering Japan's vital exporters.

Finance Minister Jun Azumi said Japan was compelled to act because of the persistent "one-sided and speculative movement" in the yen's exchange rate, confirming he gave orders to sell yen and buy dollars at 10:25 a.m. local time.

"Whatever the market thinks, I will continue intervening thoroughly until I am satisfied," Azumi said. He declined to say the amount of yen the Japanese government had spent in the action.

The Japanese currency has steadily climbed this year because it has been viewed as a safe haven amid the European debt crisis. Its rise has been another blow to manufacturers as they struggle to recover from the March 11 tsunami, which damaged parts makers in the northern area of Tohoku. Recent floods in Thailand, where many Japanese exporters have set up factories, have also disrupted manufacturing.

In early afternoon trading in Tokyo, the dollar was holding steady at around 79.19 yen, but it remains to be seen how long an impact the intervention will have. The euro also got a boost, rising to nearly 110.85 yen from 107.15 yen earlier in the day.

Japan last intervened in August, but the effect was short-lived as traders continued to bid up the yen.

The intervention comes ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Cannes, France, on Thursday and Friday.

A strong yen erodes the overseas income of Japan's exporters such as Nintendo Co. and Toyota Corp.

Game maker Nintendo, which gets nearly 80 percent of its sales outside Japan, said last week that exchange rate losses totaled 52.4 billion yen ($689 million) during the half-year through September, and projected a net loss for the full year, partly because of the yen's appreciation.

Yuji Kameoka, director of the investment Information department at Daiwa Securities, predicted the intervention would be effective in keeping the dollar somewhere between 78 and 79 yen "for awhile."

___

Associated Press Writer Noriko Kitano contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111031/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_dollar

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Today the human population is 7 billion strong (Yahoo! News)

The world's population boomed at an exponential rate in the last century

While it's impossible to pin down exactly, October 31 marks the symbolic date that the human population passes the 7 billion mark. Since it's impossible to track dynamic population data on such an exact level, according to demographers at the United Nations Population Division, October 31 is the designated milestone.?The estimated date has a bit of leeway: Our race might have already exceeded the number a few months ago, or it could still be yet to come.

The number is notable for many reasons. Not only does it give us pause, highlighting world hunger and suggesting that we should conserve natural resources now more than ever, but the 7 billion mark indicates an alarmingly exponential trend in human population growth. Roughly half of the world's current population was added just in the last 40 years, and the planet has added 1 billion new inhabitants since 1999. For perspective, from the beginning of human history, our race hit the first 1 billion milestone in 1807. In the 1900s, breakthroughs in medicine led to increased longevity, and the human race was off on an exponential spike that shows no signs of flattening out. As population-dense urban centers balloon to unbelievable proportions, even the most basic resources like food and water become more challenging to distribute.

If you're interested in learning more about what the 7 billion means for our planet, National Geographic offers a companion app to its special year-long series on the milestone, pictured below. Download it and explore interactive charts, graphs, and galleries that illuminate just how the human race became 7 billion strong ? and what our future might look like if we remain on the same explosive track.

Population increases since 1960

[via USA Today, Los Angeles Times]

This article originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20111031/tc_yblog_technews/today-the-human-population-is-7-billion-strong

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Source: http://estateof.com/2011/10/30/how-to-get-an-immediate-vehicle-insurance-policies-quote-at-a-extremely-lower-cost/

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Stranded Qantas passengers await labor ruling (Reuters)

SYDNEY (Reuters) ? Tens of thousands of stranded Qantas Airways passengers are pinning their hopes on a government-appointed tribunal on Sunday ordering an end to the industrial action that grounded the Australian national carrier's entire fleet.

Qantas took the unprecedented step of grounding more than 100 aircraft around the world on Saturday, seeking to bring to a head a prolonged and increasingly bitter battle with its unions over pay, working conditions and plans to set two new airlines in Asia.

Qantas plans to cut 1,000 jobs and order $9 billion of new Airbus aircraft as part of a makeover to salvage its loss-making international business.

The marked escalation in the dispute angered the government and came as an embarrassment for Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was hosting a summit of Commonwealth leaders in the western city of Perth, 17 of them booked to fly out on Sunday with Qantas.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who estimated the "bold decision, an unbelievable decision" would cost the company A$20 million ($21.4 million) a day, said the special labor tribunal would have to terminate all industrial action before the airline could resume flying.

"We're hoping a determination is made today and that will give us certainty about what we can do and start planning to get the airline back in the air," Joyce told Australia's Sky News on Sunday.

If the Fair Work Australia tribunal ordered termination of industrial action on Sunday, Joyce indicated Qantas could be flying again on Monday.

Qantas and the unions would then have 21 days to negotiate a settlement before binding arbitration would be imposed. The hearing begins at 0300 GMT.

ANGRY RESPONSES

Executives faced angry shareholders and workers at a shareholders' meeting on Friday where the company said the labor dispute since September had caused a dive in forward bookings and was costing it A$15 million a week. The shareholders backed hefty pay rises to senior Qantas executives.

The Australian and International Pilots Association was flabbergasted at the move to ground the fleet, describing it as "brinkmanship in the extreme."

"Alan Joyce is holding a knife to the nation's throat," said Richard Woodward, vice-president of AIPA.

The action also sparked an angry response from Australia's Transport Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday.

"I'm extremely disappointed. What's more, I indicated very clearly to Mr Joyce that I was disturbed by the fact that we've had a number of discussions and at no stage has Mr Joyce indicated to me that this was an action under consideration," he said.

Qantas check-in desks across Australia were empty on Sunday morning as customers scrambled for alternative travel arrangements. Australian rival Virgin Blue said it was adding an extra 3,000 seats on its domestic network on Sunday to assist Qantas passengers.

Qantas's decision left many passengers venting their anger.

"To resolve this at the expense of paying customers on one of the biggest flying days in Australia is quite frankly ... bizarre, unwarranted and unfair to the loyal customers that Australia has," a businessman, who gave his name only as Barry, told Sky TV at Melbourne airport.

This weekend is one of Australia's busiest for travel, with tens of thousands traveling to the hugely popular Melbourne Cup horse race on Tuesday, dubbed "the race that stops the nation."

Qantas' Facebook page was inundated with angry passengers. "Stranded in Sydney Airport ... because QANTAS are useless idiots," wrote Lyn Haddon.

At London's Heathrow Airport, passengers stood in long queues looking up at departure boards showing canceled flights.

"(I'm) not very happy because it was the holiday of a lifetime for us and it cost us a lot of money," British passenger Steve Johnson said.

The dispute is the worst Qantas has faced since 2008, when industrial action by engineers cost it A$130 million ($133 million), local media reported.

Shares in the airline have fallen almost 40 percent this year, underperforming the 8 percent fall in the benchmark index.

(Additional reporting by Narayanan Somasundaram and Ed Davies in Sydney, Rebekah Kebede in Perth, James Grubel in Canberra, Kevin Lim in Singapore; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111029/bs_nm/us_qantas_grounding

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PFT: Week 8 picks: Eagles-Cowboys a tough call

Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia EaglesGetty Images

Last week, Rosenthal and I disagreed on three games.? He was right on two of them, and I now trail by seven for the season.

To make matters worse, I was a pathetic 7-6.? He was 8-5.

To make matters even worse, there?s a chance it gets worse this weekend, with another 13 games.? At least he can only increase his lead to nine games, since we disagree on only two of them:? Bengals-Seahawks and Cowboys-Eagles.

For the year, he?s 71-32 and I?m 64-39.

Read on to see who we?ve picked and specifically how we disagree.? Given the choice of photo for this item, it?s safe to say I?ll be singing Fly, Eagles! Fly! on Sunday night.

Cardinals at Ravens

Florio?s take:? The Ravens play well at home.? The Ravens don?t play well against bad teams.? The Ravens are playing at home.? The Ravens are playing a bad team.? But the Cardinals are really bad, and the Ravens have gotten a kick in the pants after losing to the Jaguars.

Florio?s pick:? Ravens 31, Cardinals 17.

Rosenthal?s take: The Steelers struggled in the second half against the Jaguars two weeks ago, and took out their aggression on the Cardinals in Arizona. The Ravens lost to the Jaguars Monday night, and can take it out on the Cardinals in Baltimore. Passing game problems magically disappear when teams play Arizona.

Rosenthal?s pick: Ravens 31, Cardinals 13.

Vikings at Panthers

Florio?s take:? The Panthers have made it through a rough stretch of their schedule, and they have a chance to enter the bye on a two-game winning streak.? The Vikings have never won in Charlotte, and it?s unlikely that they?ll change that on Sunday.

Florio?s pick:? Panthers 28, Vikings 20.

Rosenthal?s take: It?s not really fair to Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder, and Blaine Gabbert to be rookies the same year as Cam Newton. The Panthers quarterback is starting to mix better decisions with his weekly ?wow? plays. Newton just doesn?t play like a rookie. He really doesn?t play like anyone that came before him.

Rosenthal?s pick: Panthers 33, Vikings 23.

Jaguars at Texans

Florio?s take:? The best of a bad crop of early games, this one got much more interesting after the Jaguars stunned the Ravens on Monday night.? Tied 9-9 all-time, the Texans can put a stranglehold on the AFC South with a win, and the Jaguars can make it interesting with an upset.? The edge goes to the home team.

Florio?s pick:? Texans 27, Jaguars 20.

Rosenthal?s take: If defense really wins championships, the Jaguars could be contenders. But Jacksonville needs something more from Blaine Gabbert, and teams need more in the gameplan than not turning the ball over. The Texans have a pretty decent defense, not to mention a guy named Arian Foster and a great run-blocking line.

Rosenthal?s pick: Texans 23, Jaguars 13.

Dolphins at Giants

Florio?s take:? The Dolphins return to MetLife Stadium only 13 days after being steamrolled by the Jets.? It wouldn?t be a shock if the Giants stub their toe, given their performance against the Seahawks.? But, c?mon, they?re playing the Dolphins.? The Matt Moore/J.P. Losman-led Dolphins.? A Miami win would be an even bigger upset than Super Bowl XLII.

Florio?s pick:? Giants 24, Dolphins 7.

Rosenthal?s take: It sounds weird, but this is a ?must? win for the Giants. They can?t afford another bad home loss with the following schedule coming up: at Patriots, at 49ers, Eagles, at Saints, Packers, and at Cowboys.? Luckily, the Giants face a squad this week that seemingly approaches every game as a ?must? lose.

Rosenthal?s pick: Giants 28, Dolphins 10.

Saints at Rams

Florio?s take:? This week, Sean Payton will be able to eat a hot dog, some nachos, a soft pretzel, and a box of popcorn.

Florio?s pick:? Saints 42, Rams 14.

Rosenthal?s take: The Rams defense is most disappointing group in the league.? The pass rush vanished.? They are a mess at cornerback and special teamers starting at linebacker.? Free-agent pickup Quintin Mikell has struggled.? Only the Colts have given up more points than St. Louis, and that?s because of what the Saints just did to Indy.? The Rams will be last in points allowed after this one.

Rosenthal?s pick: Saints 41, Rams 20.

Colts at Titans

Florio?s take:? Four days ago, the Colts lost by 55 at New Orleans.? Two years ago, the Titans endured a 59-point blowout against the Patriots.? The Titans won their next game.? That?s where the similarities end.

Florio?s pick:? Titans 30, Colts 14.

Rosenthal?s take:? The Titans were outscored 79-14 the last two games.? The Colts were outscored 62-7 last week.? Something has to give here, so I?ll guess it?s the winless team staying winless.

Rosenthal?s pick: Titans 26, Colts 17.

Redskins at Bills

Florio?s take:? Another week, another Super Bowl rematch.? The last three (Bills-Giants, Steelers-Cardinals, Colts-Saints) resulted in the same outcome.? The trend will now be reversed, thanks to a rested Bills squad and a Redskins team that has been sliding back toward reality.

Florio?s pick:? Bills 34, Redskins 24.

Rosenthal?s take: The Bills defense may have finally found a passing attack they can stop.? Or perhaps John Beck found a defense he can make noise against.? Either way, the Bills are better equipped to win a shootout. Plus Ryan Fitzpatrick?s beard just belongs in Canada. (This is the hard-hitting analysis you come to PFT for.)

Rosenthal?s pick: Bills 31, Redskins 24.

Lions at Broncos

Florio?s take:? When a Christian is thrown to the Lions, sometimes the Christian wins.? But not yet.?? Though it?s tempting to predict an upset, the Lions can?t afford to run their losing streak to three, and the Broncos simply don?t have the horses to beat a team much better than the Dolphins.

Florio?s pick:? Lions 24, Broncos 14.

Rosenthal?s take:? The Lions offense hasn?t consistently sustained drives for weeks. The Broncos passing attack had two yards halfway through the fourth quarter last week before Tim Tebow recovered an onside kick and sacked Matt Moore in overtime, before Tebow kicked a 52-yard field goal.? In short:? Expect a defensive game, with Matthew Stafford providing the drama this time.

Rosenthal?s pick: Lions 17, Broncos 13.

Patriots at Steelers

Florio?s take:? Tom Brady, not Art Rooney, owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.? Yes, it?s that simple.

Florio?s pick:? Patriots 34, Steelers 20.

Rosenthal?s take: Is the Steelers defense dominant again or have they just fattened their stats on the Seahawks, Colts, Jaguars, and Cardinals? I?m not sure the answer makes a difference. Tom Brady has a habit of shredding the Steelers even when Pittsburgh?s defense is truly elite.

Rosenthal?s pick: Patriots 30, Steelers 24.

Bengals at Seahawks

Florio?s take:? It?s easy to write off the Seahawks in this one based on their performance (or whatever that thing should be called) in Cleveland.? But they?re a different team at home, and the Bengals? 4-2 start is a little deceiving.? So whether it?s Tarvaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst, the Seahawks and their 12th Man will continue their up-and-down season with a showing that will be enough to generate a win.

Florio?s pick:? Seahawks 20, Bengals 17.

Rosenthal?s take: If you liked Browns-Seahawks last week, you?re going to love this one.? Cedric Benson won?t be available.? Tarvaris Jackson might be, but Charlie Whitehurst?s effort last week guarantees the Seahawks crowd won?t be chanting for the backup anymore.? I?m picking the Bengals because I want to live in a world that Andy Dalton?s crew is in first place to start November.

Rosenthal?s pick: Bengals 10, Seahawks 7.

Browns at 49ers

Florio?s take:? Now that the 49ers have gotten through a difficult stretch to start the season with a 5-1 record and are emerging from a bye, it would be fitting to see them come up flat against the Browns, especially since it?s a homecoming game of sorts for team president Mike Holmgren.? Unlike the team led by Jim Harbaugh?s brother, John, the 49ers won?t play down to the level of the Browns, who while improving have a long way to go before they can be regarded as truly improved.

Florio?s pick:? 49ers 27, Browns 17.

Rosenthal?s take: The Browns are the worst 3-3 team possible, with Colt McCoy regressing by the week. They play an ugly brand of football, but that?s the kind of game the 49ers like.? San Francisco runs better than the Browns, and they defend better too.? The 49ers are a legit 5-1 team.? Make it 6-1.

Rosenthal?s pick: 49ers 22, Browns 13.

Cowboys at Eagles

Florio?s take:? The rested Eagles can?t completely shake controversy, thanks to the comments of cornerback Asante Samuel.? But the Eagles surely sense the opportunity to seize the division, and they can?t do it without beating the Cowboys.? Though Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will have cooked up a good plan for containing Mike Vick, Andy Reid has had two weeks to come up with a way for generating offense, presumably with heavy doses of LeSean McCoy.

Florio?s pick:? Eagles 30, Cowboys 24.

Rosenthal?s take:? The Eagles are a team of extremes.? They lead the league in rushing.? They lead the league in interceptions and turnovers.? They outgain their opponents by 100 yards-per-week, and find a way to lose.? Dallas knows how to blow fourth-quarter chances too, but they have something Philly does not:? One of the best defenses in the league.

Rosenthal?s pick: Cowboys 27, Eagles 21.

Chargers at Chiefs

Florio?s take:? Suddenly, the Chiefs have become the hottest team in the AFC West.? Just as suddenly, the Chargers seem to be falling apart.? After losing 31-0 in San Diego last year, the Chiefs played the Chargers close on the road in Week Three.? Now that the rivalry returns to Arrowhead Stadium, it?s time for the Chiefs to tighten up the top of the division.

Florio?s pick:? Chiefs 27, Chargers 21.

Rosenthal?s take:? The Chiefs have quietly survived Jamaal Charles? injury, ranking seventh in rushing yards.? The Chargers have quietly stunk defending the run, giving up exactly 162 yards to the Broncos and Jets the last two games. Put them together in Arrowhead, and there might be a three-way tie for the AFC West lead.

Rosenthal?s pick: Chiefs 26, Chargers 21.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/27/pfts-week-eight-picks/related

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Attack on NATO convoy kills 17 in Afghanistan (AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan ? A Taliban suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into an armored NATO bus Saturday on a busy thoroughfare in Kabul, killing 17 people, including a dozen Americans, in the deadliest strike against the U.S.-led coalition in the Afghan capital since the war began.

The blast occurred on the same day that a man wearing an Afghan army uniform killed three Australian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter in the south ? attacks that show the resiliency of the insurgency and are likely to raise new doubts about the unpopular 10-year-old war and the Western strategy of trying to talk peace with the Taliban.

A spokesman for the fundamentalist Islamic movement, which was ousted in the 2001 invasion for its affiliation with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack, saying the bomber had used 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of explosives.

The Taliban and related groups have staged more than a dozen major attacks in Kabul this year, including seven since June, in an apparent campaign to weaken confidence in the Afghan government as it prepares to take over its own security ahead of a 2014 deadline for the U.S. and other NATO countries to withdraw their troops or move them into support roles.

Underscoring the difficulties ahead, the brazen assault occurred just hours after top Afghan and Western officials met in the heart of Kabul to discuss the second phase of shifting security responsibilities to Afghan forces in all or part of 17 of the country's 34 provinces. Afghans already have the lead in the Afghan capital.

Heavy black smoke poured from the burning wreckage of an armored personnel carrier, known as a Rhino, in Kabul after the bomber struck. The bus had been sandwiched in the middle of a convoy of mine-resistant military vehicles when it was hit along a four-lane highway often used by foreign military trainers in the southwestern part of Kabul.

The landmark Darulaman Palace, the bombed-out seat of former Afghan kings, was the backdrop to the chaotic scene: Shrapnel, twisted pieces of metal and charred human remains littered the street.

U.S. soldiers wept as they pulled bodies from the debris, said Noor Ahmad, a witness at the scene. One coalition soldier was choking inside the burned bus, he said.

"The bottom half of his body was burned," Ahmad said.

NATO said five of its service members and eight civilian contractors working for the coalition died in the attack.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to release the information before a formal announcement, said all 13 were Americans. However, Lt. Col. Christian Lemay, a Canadian defense spokesman, told The Associated Press that one Canadian soldier was among the troops killed. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.

It was the deadliest single attack against the U.S.-led coalition across the country since the Taliban shot down a NATO helicopter on Aug. 6 in an eastern Afghan province, killing 30 U.S. troops, most elite Navy SEALs, and eight Afghans.

The Afghan Ministry of Interior said four Afghans, including two children, also died in Saturday's attack. Eight other Afghans, including two children, were wounded, said Kabir Amiri, head of Kabul hospitals.

In all, there were three attacks Saturday against NATO and Afghan forces across the country.

A teenage girl also blew herself up as she tried to attack an Afghan intelligence office in the capital of Kunar province, a hotbed of militancy in northeast Afghanistan along the Pakistan border, the coalition said. Abdul Sabor Allayar, deputy provincial police chief, said the guards outside the government's intelligence office in Asad Abad became suspicious and started shooting, at which point the bomber detonated her explosives, killing herself and wounding several intelligence employees.

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said officials were investigating whether the man who opened fire on a joint NATO-Afghan base in the restive southern Uruzgan province was an actual soldier or a militant in disguise.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said the attack occurred during a morning parade at a forward patrol base in southern Kandahar province, and the gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform was later killed. The discrepancy in the location of the attack could not immediately be clarified.

In Canberra, the Defense Department said three Australlian soldiers and their Afghan interpreter were killed in the attack, and seven Australian soldiers were wounded.

"It's a huge loss," said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker. "Our deepest sympathies go out to their comrades and families, but it will not deter us from our mission. It's a shock, but we will not let these guys win."

Just a day earlier, the Pentagon issued a progress report saying that the number of enemy-initiated attacks in Afghanistan was trending downward. Since May of this year, the monthly number of these attacks has been lower than the same month in 2010, something not seen since 2007, it said.

However, the Pentagon also noted that the insurgency's safe havens in Pakistan and the limited capacity of the Afghan government could jeopardize efforts to turn security gains on the battlefield, primarily in the south, into long-term stability in Afghanistan.

Saturday's attack broke a relative lull in the Afghan capital, which has experienced a number of attacks in recent years that are often blamed on the Haqqani network, an al-Qaida and Taliban-linked movement that operates out of Pakistan.

The most recent attack in Kabul was the Sept. 20 assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani by an insurgent who detonated a bomb hidden in his turban. The attacker was posing as a peace emissary coming to meet Rabbani, who was leading a government effort to broker peace with the Taliban.

That occurred about a week after teams of insurgents firing rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons struck at the U.S. Embassy, NATO headquarters and other buildings in the heart of Afghanistan's capital, leaving seven Afghans dead.

On Saturday, NATO and Afghan forces sealed off the blast area as fire trucks and ambulances, sirens blaring, rushed in. Coalition troops carried a badly burned body on a stretcher and several black body bags to two NATO helicopters that landed nearby to airlift casualties from the scene.

The Taliban identified the bomber as Abdul Rahman and said he was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV containing 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of explosives and targeting foreigners providing training for Afghan police. The Taliban, who frequently exaggerate casualty claims, said that 25 people were killed by the blast.

A similar attack occurred on the same road in May 2010 when a suicide bomber struck a NATO convoy, killing 18 people. Among the dead were five U.S. soldiers and a Canadian colonel.

___

Associated Press writers Tarek El-Tablawy in Kabul and Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111030/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

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Weakening Rina hits Cancun area as resorts empty (AP)

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico ? Tropical Storm Rina battered Mexico's Caribbean coast and the island of Cozumel with winds and rain Friday, as the navy forcibly evacuated some residents who refused to leave a low-lying island north of the storm.

Rina was a far cry from the Category 3 hurricane that some had feared would hit the resort-studded region and many tourists abandoned Cancun and the Riviera Maya ahead of its arrival. The storm was weakening further early Friday, with maximum sustained winds having decreased to near 50 mph (85 kph).

Playa de Carmen, a resort town across from Cozumel, was left without electricity and streets were largely empty as Rina swept the coast just 20 miles (30 kilometer) west of Cozumel with winds of about 60 mph (95 kph). The storm was moving north at about 7 mph (11 kph).

The Mexican Navy took mandatory evacuation orders so seriously that it sent boats to Holbox island, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of where the storm was expected to hit, to haul out by force about 80 residents who had refused to leave the island during an earlier evacuation of about 2,300 people.

At least eight cruise ships changed itineraries away from the storm's path.

Lines snaked from ticket counters in Cancun's crowded airport as airliners heading to Canada and Europe waited in pouring rain. State Tourism Director Juan Carlos Gonzalez Hernandez estimated 10,000 tourists had left by Wednesday night.

NASA cut short an undersea laboratory mission near Key Largo, Florida, bringing the crew back to land.

Schools were ordered closed in communities along the coast and on Cozumel in anticipation of the storm.

Ports also closed to navigation for recreational, fishing and small boats in the state of Quintana Roo, home to Cancun, and neighboring Yucatan state, while the island of Cozumel was closed to larger vessels, including the ferry that connects the island and Playa del Carmen.

But some decided to ride out the weakened Rina. Early Thursday in Playa del Carmen, tourists and residents strolled along the promenade and the beach Thursday under cloudy but not-yet-rainy weather. At the beach, lifeguards were placing red flags warning people not to swim.

"We would prefer to lie on the beach and get in the ocean, but right now all we can do is walk around and go shopping," said Vera Kohler, a 27-year-old tourist from Frankfurt, Germany, who arrived Wednesday and planned to stay in the area until Sunday.

Domenico Cianni, a retired restaurateur from Vancouver, Canada, said he also prepared for a hurricane by buying extra food and beer and putting shutters on the windows of his rental home. But after hearing Rina had been downgraded to a tropical storm he decided to join tourists in Playa del Carmen's pier.

"We were curious about what's happening. We wanted to be part of the action," Cianni said.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Caribbean coast from Punta Allen to San Felipe.

___

Associated Press writer Gabriel Alcocer in Cancun contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_re_us/tropical_weather

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Naked and drunk Moscow motorist crashes into 17 cars (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? A naked and drunk motorist sped through central Moscow Sunday, crashing into 17 cars before being stopped by police who chased him across a large part of the capital, state television said.

"When police made him open his door, it became clear he was completely naked," said state TV, showing lines of cars with shattered windscreens and battered sides.

Local media said the man, who appeared to be in his 40s, was from Moldova and showed a picture him grinning in the back seat of a police car.

State TV said preliminary tests showed the driver had an "abnormally high" level of alcohol in his system.

TV pictures showed distressed drivers with bloodied hands and faces sitting in their cars, but police said there were no serious injuries.

"The most dangerous part was when he almost hit a bus full of school children," police spokesman Gennady Bogachev told state TV, adding that four of the 17 vehicles were police cars.

(Reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman; Editing by Karolina Tagaris)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111030/wl_nm/us_russia_motorist_naked

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Syrian forces pound Homs after dozens killed (Reuters)

BEIRUT (Reuters) ? Syrian tanks pounded an old district in the city of Homs on Saturday and three people were killed, activists said, after one of the bloodiest days of the seven-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Activists and residents said Syrian forces shot dead 40 civilians on Friday when they fired on demonstrators calling for international protection from Assad's crackdown.

The Arab League and United Nations condemned the violence.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Assad must respond to demands for change with serious reform, "not repression and violence," and called for an immediate halt to military operations, his spokesman said.

One activist group said fierce fighting broke out in Homs on Friday night between dozens of army deserters and forces loyal to Assad. Seventeen soldiers were killed when the defectors attacked two security posts in the city, it said.

The report by the British-based Syrian Organization for Human Rights highlights the emerging element of armed insurgency alongside mainly peaceful street protests demanding an end to 41 years of Assad family rule.

The United Nations says 3,000 people, including nearly 200 children, have been killed in the unrest. Since the start of protests in March, Syrian authorities have blamed the violence on gunmen they say have killed 1,100 soldiers and police.

Syria has barred most international media, making it hard to verify accounts from activists and authorities.

But the resilience of the protesters, the determination of authorities to crush dissent and the growing ranks of defectors have combined to make Syria's turmoil one of the most intractable confrontations of this year's Arab uprisings.

The Syrian Observatory said three civilians were killed in Homs on Saturday morning, one shot by a sniper and two by machinegun fire between Assad's forces and defectors.

Residents said tanks fired anti-aircraft guns, which the military is using to hit ground targets, as well as machineguns in the old district of Bab Amro. Explosions and gunfire could also be heard in other neighborhoods, activists said.

ARAB DEMAND

Friday's violence prompted Arab ministers to issue their strongest call yet on Assad to end the killing of civilians.

The Arab League's committee on the Syrian crisis said it had sent an "urgent message ... to the Syrian government expressing its severe discontent over the continued killing of Syrian civilians."

The committee "expressed the hope that the Syrian government would take action to protect civilians." Arab ministers are due to meet Syrian officials on Sunday in Qatar to press for dialogue between the government and opposition.

A source at Syria's Foreign Ministry, quoted by state media, said the Arab League statement was "based on media lies" and urged the committee to "help restore stability in Syria instead of stirring sedition."

Opposition figures have said they could not sit down for talks with the government unless there was a halt to the killing of protesters, disappearances and mass arrests.

"Three days left, and we have 220 martyrs and counting," read a placard carried by protesters near Damascus on Friday.

"Yes to dialogue -- after the downfall of the regime," said another in Homs.

Across the country, demonstrators called for international protection. "A no-fly zone is a legitimate demand for Homs," read banners in the Khalidiya district of Homs.

NATO air forces played a central role in the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, but the Western alliance has shown no appetite to intervene in Syria.

Syria's opposition National Council has called for international protection. It has not explicitly requested military intervention, although street protesters have increasingly voiced that demand.

Assad has not used his air force against protesters and a no-fly zone would have little impact on the crackdown unless, as in Libya, pilots attacked his ground forces and military bases.

The anti-Assad protesters have been energized by Gaddafi's death last week and activists said the city of Hama saw some of the biggest protests since Assad sent tanks and troops in July to seize it back from opposition control.

Demonstrations were forced into the countryside by the military assault on cities three months ago. They remain widespread but have not matched the size of earlier protests.

Authorities organized big pro-Assad demonstrations this week, with tens of thousands rallying in Damascus and the eastern town of Hasaka on Wednesday, and more pouring on to streets of the Mediterranean city of Latakia on Thursday. School children and public employees were ordered to attend.

Syria, a majority Sunni Muslim nation of 20 million people, is dominated by Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.

Aware of potentially seismic geopolitical implications if Assad were to fall, leaders in the mostly Sunni Arab world have been cautious about criticizing the Syrian president as they struggle with domestic challenges to their own rule.

Sunni ascendancy in Syria could affect Israel and shake up regional alliances. Assad strengthened ties with Shi'ite Iran while also upholding his father's policy of avoiding conflict with Israel on the occupied Golan Heights frontier.

(Additional reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis in Amman; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111029/wl_nm/us_syria

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Watch: Obama: 'If Congress Won't Act, I Will' (ABC News)

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The Land of our Fathers.

All right I'm in need of a partner for something of a Medieval High-Fantasy plot, more of a character, that I've been putting together. Before I get very deep into the idea let me just say that I like to start of vague, I'm more interested in the characters than anything else. I've got an idea that will hang over the story like a cloak, but what happens under that cloak is up in the air, and open for outside idea's and change.

Moving on now to that cloak of an idea, the concept I've got is rather simple, in essence it's you typical grand adventure. The endless search for something lost, in this case the Land of the characters Fathers, a place found only in dreams and legends, mired in myth and ignorance. At the same time that their is a physical search there would also be some kind of spiritual/sacred search the characters are on, the search for meaning or understanding in their own lives. It will take the characters across the world they know, and into a new one, all the while leading them through the pathways of their own soul. They'll see their fair share of battle and misery in this journey, but I also expect they will see the beauty and fullness of life. Across seas and atop mountains in search of the land of their fathers.

Vague I know, but right now that's the point. I'm looking for a partner that wouldn't mind helping to feel in the empty space, because there's a lot of it. I'm not really all that particular on who the second character is to be honest. Do keep in mind though that this is a high fantasy so the options are rather open, my own character is one I've been weaving for a while now, and he's finally been fleshed out enough to get an Rp. Now I'm all for the characters having some tension between them, I prefer it actually, but they'll need to be able to stand the sight of one another in this adventure.

To that end I will explain that my character is a rather...somber, I think is the best word, individual. He's a mage, and a rather skilled one at that, and his strength lies in various fields of dark arts, more than a passing skill with entropic and necromantic energies. That said he's not a 'necromancer' , he doesn't have some single minded obsession with death. He's not all together proud of his own skills, but he was never given much of a choice and he refuses to waste it, he's haunted by his own magical aptitude, and it's take a toll on his body and spirit. All the while he's never had any clue as to where it came from, and it's that mystery that drives him one, hoping that if he can somehow find where his father came from he might find where his power came from and how to heal his body and soul. Haunted by power he controls, but doesn't understand; chased by memories of two lives, and one lover, long lost to him; and in need of answers to so many questions, not least of which is 'Who he really is?'. His search will be one that leads through dark planes, and pathways not walked by men, not even in their dreams. It will lead through a Kingdom steeped in darkness, forgotten by mortal men, and damned by those with longer memories.

So that's a basic idea of him, I've got a longer write up, but it's still in development, and I'll Pm it to anyone who show's interest. Now like I said, I need another character someone to get caught up in their own search, though for what is your own business. Also, let me explain about how I write and what I look for in my Rp's. My goal is to maintain a four paragraph minimum for regular posts, sometimes I go for more or, on occasion, less. My goal is always to try and draw out details and flesh out both the setting and my characters. I've been known for posts that measure anywhere between seven to ten paragraphs, and sometimes they've got a load of entirely unimportant detail. I'm more of introspective writer, meaning I'm much better at fleshing out my characters mind or how the setting reflects in His mind; however my talent with actual physical descriptions of setting is a little lax. I'll take a paragraph or two and describe the smell of sea salt and how it dredges up a particular childhood memory for my character. It's not always important but it's what I do. So obviously I don't ask for the same return, if you're not into needless detail no big deal, but it's still advanced and I ask for some decent return.

Also let me say right now that I don't care if Romance shows it's face in this, or any, of my Rp's. Especially if it doesn't fit the story or characters, and I certainly won't plan for it ahead of time. That said my own character will be male so I'd like to have a female partner/character. This is only because it brings two different mindsets to the table. However what you do with the character from there is really you're own business. I'll offer suggestions if they're asked for but otherwise I'll stay silent on that front. Obviously it'd be great if they can both get along well enough to travel together but a littler tension, romantic or otherwise, between them is always welcome, if not preferred. Keep in mind that I adhere to the idea of realistic fantasy, I won't add something that doesn't fit and I generally won't hold back with something that does. Language, Gore, and similarly "Mature" content are free game in the rp, so long as it fits.

So if anything I've posted snags anyone's interest feel free to shoot me a PM and we can go from there. Also I know the general information here is lacking, but like I said I'm an idea guy, and I need a partner before I can start really hammering out the details.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/YYtPtBnliHM/viewtopic.php

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Stanford Raises Cost of Science School Bid to $2.5 Billion

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Stanford is a leading contender in the Bloomberg administration?s competition to create a new school of applied sciences that officials hope will spur the growth of high-tech business in the city.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=d991e73d49dc3e0923e413759fe8eb32

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Euro deal leaves much to do on rescue fund, Greek debt (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? Euro zone leaders struck a last-minute deal to limit the damage from the currency bloc's debt crisis early on Thursday but are still far from finalizing plans to slash Greece's debt burden and strengthen their rescue fund.

After a summit in Brussels, governments announced an agreement under which private banks and insurers would accept 50 percent losses on their Greek debt holdings in the latest bid to reduce Athens' massive debt load to sustainable levels.

Reached after more than eight hours of hard-nosed negotiations between bankers, heads of state and the IMF, the deal also foresees a recapitalization of hard-hit European banks and a leveraging of the bloc's rescue fund, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), to give it firepower of 1.0 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion).

European stocks surged to a 12-week high and the euro shot above $1.40 to reach its top level against the dollar in seven weeks following the deal, which had appeared at risk due to deep differences between Berlin and Paris.

But key aspects of the deal, including the mechanics of boosting the EFSF and providing Greek debt relief, could take weeks to pin down, meaning the plan to rebuild confidence after two years of crisis could unravel over the details.

"I see the main risk is that we are left waiting too long again for the implementation of these agreements," European Central Bank policymaker Ewald Nowotny said on Thursday. "Speed is very important here," he told national broadcaster ORF.

Three months ago, euro zone leaders unveiled another agreement that was meant to draw a line under the debt woes that threaten to tear apart the 12-year old currency bloc. But they realized within weeks that it was inadequate given the depth of Greece's economic problems and the vulnerability of their banks.

The new deal aims to address these holes.

"ABSOLUTELY SUSTAINABLE"

Under it, the private sector agreed to voluntarily accept a nominal 50 percent cut in its bond investments to reduce Greece's debt burden by 100 billion euros, cutting its debts to 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, from 160 percent now.

The euro zone will offer "credit enhancements" or sweeteners to the private sector totaling 30 billion euros. The aim is to complete negotiations on the package by the end of the year, so Greece has a full, second financial aid program in place before 2012.

The value of that package, EU sources said, would be 130 billion euros -- up from 109 billion euros in the July deal.

"The debt is absolutely sustainable now," Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said in Brussels after the deal was struck. "Greece can settle its accounts from the past now, once and for all."

A top lawyer for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association said that because banks had agreed to accept the losses, the deal was unlikely to trigger a "credit event" under which default insurance contracts would be paid out.

In a bid to convince markets that they can prevent larger countries like Italy and Spain from being swept up by the crisis, euro zone leaders also agreed to scale up the EFSF, the 440 billion euro bailout fund they have already used to provide help to Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

Around 250 billion euros remaining in the fund will be leveraged 4-5 times, producing a headline figure of around 1.0 trillion euros, which will be deployed in a variety of ways.

The EFSF will be leveraged in two ways, either by offering insurance, or first-loss guarantees, to purchasers of euro zone debt in the primary market, or via a special purpose investment vehicle that will be set up in the coming weeks and which is aimed at attracting investment from China and Brazil.

The methods could be combined, giving the EFSF greater flexibility, the euro zone leaders said.

But EU finance ministers are not expected to agree on the nitty-gritty elements of how the scaled up EFSF will work until some time in November, with the exact date not fixed.

There is also concern about Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's commitment to implementing reforms seen as crucial for restoring confidence in the bloc's third largest economy.

Dogged by scandals, Berlusconi has promised to raise the retirement age to 67 by 2026 and attempt other reforms, but the EU is reserving judgment.

SARKOZY TO TALK TO HU

Japan and Canada welcomed the euro zone agreement. China's official Xinhua news agency said the outcome was "positive but filled with difficulties."

A spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry confirmed that President Hu Jintao would speak with French President Nicolas Sarkozy by phone later. An EU source told Reuters the conversation would center on Beijing's possible participation in the bailout fund.

Beijing has been a big buyer of bonds issued by the EFSF, which is triple-A rated by credit agencies.

As with the July 21 agreement, the concern is that Thursday's deal will only work if the fine print can be promptly agreed with the private sector, represented by the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

Charles Dallara, the managing director of the IIF, said those he represented were committed to making the deal work.

"We believe (bank take-up) is likely to be very, very high," Dallara said on Thursday. "All parties recognized not only that the future of Greece but also the future of Europe and the future of the world economy was at stake."

Josef Ackermann, chairman of the IIF and CEO of Germany's largest bank Deutsche Bank, described it as an "acceptable compromise."

Alongside the hit to the private sector, euro zone leaders agreed the banking sector needs recapitalizing to the tune of around 106 billion euros.

German sources told Reuters that four German lenders -- NordLB, LBBW, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank -- would be asked to shore up their capital. Three leading French banks ruled out the need for government help in meeting tougher capital requirements.

"While the headlines look good, the devil is in the details," said Damien Boey, equity strategist at Credit Swisse in Sydney. "We don't actually know how they are planning to increase the bail-out fund size from 440 billion euros to a trillion. On top of that, there are some questions as to whether one trillion euros in itself is enough."

There were corporate doubters, too. Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell said it planned to curb its investments in the European Union in future due to doubts about the bloc's chances of recovering from the crisis.

"Europe's macroeconomic position can only recover and the sovereign debt crisis can only be addressed through underlying economic growth," Simon Henry, chief financial officer, told reporters on a conference call on Thursday.

"We do not see the European Union creating the conditions for that, in fact quite the opposite," he said.

($1 = 0.724 Euros)

(Additional reporting by Julien Toyer, Jan Strupczewski, Yann Le Guernigou, David Brunnstrom, Robin Emmott, Harry Papachristou and John O'Donnell in Brussels, Annika Breidthardt and Sarah Marsh in Berlin, Daniel Flynn in Athens, Barry Moody in Rome, Tom Bergin in London; Writing by Noah Barkin, Luke Baker and Mike Peacock; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111027/bs_nm/us_eurozone

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Friday, October 28, 2011

5 movies that scared me as a kid (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Halloween's coming, but none of the manufactured spooks and ghouls of the holiday can compare with your earliest memories of being frightened at the movies. Those images that you saw on screen can stick with you for the rest of your life. And when you're a little kid, your imagination can ? and does ? take you anywhere, especially to some of the darker places you'd rather avoid.

Everyone's list is different, but here are the top five movies that scared the crap out of me when I was a little girl:

? "The Shining" (1980): I have no idea what my parents were thinking letting me see this movie ? and read the Stephen King novel that inspired it ? but it remains, in my opinion, the scariest movie ever made. A lot of that has to do with Stanley Kubrick's bold, startling visuals. A lot of that has to do with the unwanted psychic images that flash into young Danny's mind ? you're a kid, maybe that could happen to you, too. And then, of course, there's the notion of your father, the man you trust, losing his mind and turning on you and your mother. It didn't help that my dad looked vaguely like Jack Nicholson back then, and he'd stand in the doorway maniacally snarling, "Here's Daddy!" just to mess with me. Yeah. Good times.

? "The Exorcist" (1973): When you're young, before skepticism sets in and you're not quite questioning authority just yet, the threat of hell and the devil are very real and very pressing. And so the possibility of being possessed by the devil when you're a little girl is just petrifying. Part of what made "The Exorcist" so frightening back then was the buzz that surrounded it, the fact that everyone was frightened by it. It created such a mystique, and deservedly so. But the idea of that kind of loss of control, of being a young, vulnerable creature who's manipulated for pure evil ? and there's nothing you can do to prevent it ? well that can traumatize an innocent mind.

? "The Amityville Horror" (1979): Again, this is one of those what-were-my-parents-thinking? movies. I just remember seeing it on television, probably on ON-TV, with the little decoder box that you had to switch "on" to receive programming. We didn't have a basement ? we lived in a one-story, mid-century modern tract house in the San Fernando Valley ? so we didn't have a hidden well that was the passage to hell. But just the idea of it! All those tortured souls still haunting the place. And the blood dripping down the walls and the growling voice of the house, urging its new inhabitants: "Get out! Get out!" Once again, my dad would run around our own house mimicking that voice. But I'm totally over it now, which is great.

? "Fantasia" (1940): I'm sorry, the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence is still totally disturbing. I don't care how old you are. The menacing demon Chernabog on high on that dark night, summoning souls from their graves in a frenzied swirl, the skeletons flinging themselves into a fiery pit. And that Mussorgsky ? he didn't mess around. Also there's the whole "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment with Mickey Mouse, which is supposed to be lively and whimsical, but the idea of the mops and buckets thinking for themselves and wreaking havoc always freaked me out. Still does.

? "The Wizard of Oz" (1939): We all have fond memories of this movie from childhood, and anyone who knows me ? or has seen the "Movies That Made Us Critics" episode of the show I co-host, "Ebert Presents At the Movies" ? knows that this was an early influence on me and my lifelong love of film. But man, those flying monkeys were scary. I have vivid memories of hiding behind the coffee table, cowering at my mother's feet, every time they came on. And they came on a lot, because we had this videotaped ? on Beta! ? and we watched it all the time. Sure, the Wicked Witch of the West was frightening, but even then it was obvious how cartoonish she was. The flying monkeys, though ? you could imagine that really happening.

___

Think of any other examples? Share them with AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire through Twitter: http://twitter.com/christylemire.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111027/ap_en_mo/us_film_five_most

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RIM releases BBM SDK for WebWorks, injects some chatting flavor into your apps

This year's BlackBerry DevCon might have come and gone with nary a mention of BBM's flagrant promiscuity, but RIM did give us some other BBM news. The Canuck company's BBM Social Platform SDK is now up for general availability after recently hitting version 1.0. The release extends its venerable messaging protocol to WebWorks developers, allowing their wares to initiate chats and incorporate BBM statuses, avatars and personal messages from the service. Also on the docket is "application-to-application background communication," which we presume enables a smorgasbord of behind the scenes cross-application chattiness. Finally, Crackberry developers will be able to start file transfers over the protocol, including virally sharing apps between users. Sounds like the 'Berry of the future is gonna be much more reliant upon Waterloo's messaging platform, so let's just hope there aren't any more outages.

RIM releases BBM SDK for WebWorks, injects some chatting flavor into your apps originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pink Floyd member's son loses jail term appeal

(AP) ? Appeal court judges on Friday upheld the 16-month jail sentence given to the son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour for a violent rampage during student protests last year.

Charlie Gilmour was one of thousands who demonstrated in December against rising university tuition fees and was among a group that broke away from the main demonstration and attacked a convoy carrying Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla. At Gilmour's trial earlier this year, a judge said Gilmour had jumped on the hood of a Jaguar in the royal motorcade and thrown a garbage can at the car.

Gilmour also kicked a store window, stole the leg of a mannequin and was photographed hanging from a Union flag on the Cenotaph, a memorial to British war dead.

The 21-year-old Cambridge University student, who has been in jail since July, pleaded guilty to violent disorder but challenged the length of his sentence.

But three appeals judges said the sentence was neither "manifestly excessive (nor) wrong in principle."

"We do not believe that violence in this context and of the kind displayed by this defendant can normally be met by other than significant sentences of immediate custody even for those of otherwise good character," said one of the three, Anthony Hughes.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-28-Britain-Pink%20Floyd/id-8efb5b36824e4a19adacd4aca7b3d278

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Pressed by EU, Berlusconi reaches pension deal (AP)

MILAN ? Pressed hard by the EU, Premier Silvio Berlusconi averted a government collapse and reached a deal with allies on emergency growth measures in time for an EU summit on saving the euro.

Berlusconi and Northern League leader Umberto Bossi reached a compromise on raising Italy's retirement age in late-night parliament talks Tuesday ? a point of disagreement that had threatened Berlusconi's leadership. His majority in parliament needs the support of the Northern League.

Berlusconi will deliver a letter detailing the emergency measures to an EU summit later Wednesday. A spokesman said the contents are reserved for summit leaders, but Italian media reported the measures include new infrastructure spending, with a push for more private investment for strategic projects, the privatization of public entities and property and simplifying rules for companies.

Changes to Italy's pension scheme had become a major sticking point, with Bossi's party refusing to risk alienating its constituency of workers from the productive north.

Under the overnight deal, Italy will gradually raise the pension age for all workers to 67 by 2025, bringing it in line with European trends. Currently, Italian men retire at 65 along with women in the public sector but some women in the private sector retire earlier.

The 15-page letter also reportedly contains details of the euro54 billion ($75 billion) in austerity measures passed by lawmakers last month to balance Italy's budget by 2013.

The European Union had asked for measures, with a clear calendar for implementation, to promote growth, raise the pension age and simplify civil legal proceedings to encourage foreign investment

Outgoing Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi called the letter of intent "an important step ... but now it's time to implement the measures swiftly and concretely." Draghi, who takes over helm of the European Central Bank on Nov. 1, also urged Berlusconi's government to quickly activate the spending cuts and new taxes approved last month.

In Brussels, a spokesman for the European commission, Olivier Bailly, said the EU was "confident" it would have the letter by the end of the day.

Italy is seen as the next country at risk in the widening sovereign debt crisis, but with euro1.9 trillion ($2.6 trillion) in public debt, an Italian default would be disastrous for the global economy. The European Central Bank for months has been buying billions in Italian bonds to help keep borrowing costs down.

Nonetheless, Italy saw borrowing costs on short-term bonds spike Wednesday. The Italian Treasury sold euro8.5 billion ($11.83 billion) in six-month bonds at 3.53 percent, up sharply from last month's 3.071 percent, its highest level in three years. Yields on two-year bonds rose to 4.628 percent from 4.511.

A Berlusconi spokesman, meanwhile, brushed off reports that Berlusconi was preparing to resign. The left-leaning La Repubblica newspaper, one of Berlusconi's staunchest critics, reported that he had threatened to resign if no deal could be reached with the Northern League.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111026/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_italy_financial_crisis

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'We Need to Talk About Kevin' takes London prize (AP)

LONDON ? The beautiful, terrifying domestic drama "We Need to Talk About Kevin" won the London Film Festival's best-picture prize Wednesday.

Lynne Ramsay's film stars Tilda Swinton as a mother grappling with grief and guilt after her teenage son carries out a high-school massacre.

"Shakespeare in Love" director John Madden, who chaired the judging panel, called it "a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love."

The 55-year-old London festival introduced a best-film prize two years ago as part of a bid to boost its profile and compete with better-known events in Berlin, Venice and Toronto.

"Kevin" beat eight other finalists, including French silent movie "The Artist," Aleksandr Sokurov's Venice Film festival winner "Faust" and British director Steve McQueen's body- and soul-baring "Shame."

Nineteen-year-old actress Candese Reid was named best British newcomer for her role in gritty drama "Junkhearts," her first professional acting role.

Argentinean director Pablo Giorgelli won the festival's best first feature prize for his Latin American road movie "Las Acacias," which picked up the same award at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The best documentary trophy went to German auteur Werner Herzog for his death row portrait "Into the Abyss."

Actor Ralph Fiennes and director David Cronenberg received lifetime achievement awards during the black-tie ceremony at the 18th-century St. Luke's church in London.

Fiennes was awarded a British Film Institute Fellowship in recognition of "a singular career" that has blended arthouse dramas and mainstream hits.

Cronenberg, the director of "Videodrome," "The Fly" and "Crash," received the same honor for a body of films "exploring the darker impulses and inner lives of his characters."

Both men had films in the two-week festival of more than 300 features and shorts from 55 countries ? Fiennes' directorial debut "Coriolanus" and Cronenberg's psychoanalytic drama "A Dangerous Method."

The festival wraps up Thursday with a screening of Terence Davies' "Deep Blue Sea," starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston and Simon Russell Beale in an understated tale of thwarted romance.

___

Online:

London Film Festival: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111026/ap_en_mo/eu_britain_london_film_festival

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Cain Leads in Ohio (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Sprint Network Gets iPhone 4S Stress Test (NewsFactor)

Responding to reports of iPhone 4S speed issues, Sprint-Nextel said Wednesday that the performance of the phone on the carrier's nationwide network has been consistent with expectations.

"We are seeing a very low return rate for this device but we are watching the reports of speed issues very closely," Sprint said.

Sprint said its own benchmark tests have showed little to no performance difference between the iPhone models it now offers and those sold by rival carriers AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Nevertheless, Sprint said it saw opportunities to optimize performance -- specifically in high-network capacity areas.

"We see this as typical optimization work and do not have any specific area of concern," Sprint said in an e-mail statement. "We are listening to our customers and working closely with our partners at Apple to ensure optimal performance of iPhone devices on our network."

According to Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, the iPhone is well on its way to breaking the previous Sprint sales record held by the HTC EVO 4G, in terms of the percentage of device buyers who are additions to Sprint in the weeks following the launch. On the other hand, Sprint's avalanche of new iPhone subscribers is also a stress test for the carrier's network.

Worth Every Penny

The unavailability of Apple's iPhone from Sprint was the No. 1 reason why customers had switched from Sprint to another network in the past -- as well as why new customers were reluctant to try Sprint, Hesse said.

"Our early results of selling the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S have confirmed the iPhone's ability to attract new customers," Hesse told investors in a conference call Wednesday.

Sprint's iPhone deal with Apple will also provide a stress test with respect to the carrier's initial financial outlays. According to Sprint CFO Joseph Euteneuer, the cost of adding an iPhone customer to its network is roughly $200. The cost of adding an average non-iPhone customer is nearly 40 percent lower.

Still, Hesse believes Sprint's four-year iPhone contract with Apple -- which features a minimum commitment of $15.5 billion -- will prove to be worth every penny.

The customer lifetime value of an iPhone customer, Hesse said, is "at least 50 percent greater than in a typical smartphone user -- driven primarily by more efficient use of our network and lower churn."

Maximizing Profitability

Over the next four years, Sprint expects to reap huge rewards from its ability to offer the latest available iPhone models to its subscribers.

"We expect iPhone customers to be among our most profitable as the higher upfront acquisition costs are expected to be offset by longer customer tenure and lower support costs -- including data efficiency," Euteneuer told financial analysts.

Sprint undertook several measures during the third quarter to maximize the iPhone's profitability -- including the addition of a $10 surcharge to the network operator's popular unlimited data plans. Moreover, Sprint boosted the fees it charges subscribers for upgrades and early termination and bolstered its efforts to enforce existing network usage terms and conditions.

Sprint executives believe the new measures will generate an additional $1 billion to $1.2 billion from iPhone customers over the four year span of the carrier's deal with Apple. Moreover, the total value benefit from the iPhone deal for Sprint is expected to range $7 billion and $8 billion.

"As a result of the popularity of this device, we anticipate the iPhone could be 20 percent to 40 percent of our postpaid gross additions and upgrades," Euteneuer said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20111026/bs_nf/80763

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