Myanmar says it will put stability ahead of economy: report (Reuters)

SINGAPORE (Reuters) ? Myanmar President Thein Sein said his government was committed to political reform and would put the stability of the country ahead of economic development, Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The president, in Singapore for a three-day official visit that began on Sunday, has overseen dramatic reforms over the past few months, including the freeing of hundreds of political prisoners, a loosening of media controls and engagement with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the fight for democracy.

The government has also agreed to ceasefires with several ethnic rebel groups in the past three months and is holding talks with others, some of which have been fighting for autonomy for decades.

"The future of Myanmar lies in peace and stability, while economic development is a secondary priority for the country," Thein Sein said in an interview with the newspaper.

"We are already on the chosen path to democracy and we will continue. We are nurturing the system to have a flourishing democracy in the country," he said.

Thein Sein was part of the junta that stepped aside when a nominally civilian government took office last March. As the country has opened up to the outside world, ministers have started speaking more to the media.

The president indicated interest in developing trade in foreign currencies and stocks as part of economic reforms.

"At the moment we do not have the skills and expertise (in this area) and are seeking technical assistance from international financial institutions," he said.

Japan's Daiwa Securities is advising on how to develop the barely functioning stock exchange it helped set up in Myanmar in the 1990s. South Korean bourse operator Korea Exchange has held talks with the authorities on a separate bourse.

The International Monetary Fund is advising on currency reforms.

Singapore said on Monday it would help Myanmar train its people in areas such as economic planning and urban development.

The government has launched a number of initiatives to boost the economy, introducing tax breaks for foreign investors and announcing tax exemptions to help exports of commodities such as rice, beans, corn and rubber.

But the secretary-general of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, said on Tuesday that more needed to be done in order to enjoy the trade perks the grouping can offer.

"We make it clear Myanmar will not benefit from dynamism from ASEAN, all the connectivity with ASEAN and the rest of the world until Myanmar makes adjustment inside, make some changes, amendment in the law, in the foreign investment law, in the production system," Surin Pitsuwan told a news conference in Tokyo.

"We do not just look for resources, we do not just look for manpower, cheap labor... We also would like to share with them our own experiences. They can emulate what is right, they can avoid what we have done wrong. But Myanmar has certainly ASEAN to rely on."

(Reporting by Harry Suhartono; Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko in Tokyo; Editing by Martin Petty)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/wl_nm/us_myanmar_president

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Obama plays up auto industry success story (AP)

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama wears his decision to rescue General Motors and Chrysler three years ago as a badge of honor, a move to save jobs in an industry that helped create the backbone of the middle class more than a half-century ago.

For Obama, the auto bailout is a case study for his efforts to revive the economy and a potential point of contrast with Republican Mitt Romney, who opposed Obama's decision to pour billions of dollars into the auto companies. The president's campaign views the auto storyline as a potent argument against Romney, the son of a Detroit auto executive who later served as Michigan governor.

If Romney wins the GOP nomination, expect to hear a lot about the car industry.

"The American auto industry was on the verge of collapse. And some politicians were willing to let it just die. We said no," Obama told college students last week in Ann Arbor, Mich. "We believe in the workers of this state."

Obama was expected to visit the Washington Auto Show on Tuesday, giving him another forum to talk about GM and Chrysler, along with the administration's attention to manufacturers and efforts to boost fuel efficiency standards. The White House has taken every opportunity to highlight its efforts to rebuild the auto industry, pointing to GM's reemergence as the world's largest automaker and job growth and profitability in the U.S. auto industry.

As the industry was collapsing in the fall of 2008, the former Massachusetts governor predicted in a New York Times op-ed that if the companies received a federal bailout, "you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye." Romney said the companies should have undergone a "managed bankruptcy" that would have avoided a government bailout.

"Whether it was by President Bush or by President Obama, it was the wrong way to go," Romney said at a GOP presidential debate in Michigan in November. Romney said the nation has "capital markets and bankruptcy ? it works in the U.S. The idea of billions of dollars being wasted initially, then finally they adopted the managed bankruptcy. I was among others that said we ought to do that."

Both the Bush and Obama administrations found themselves in uncharted territory in the fall of 2008 and early 2009. GM and Chrysler were on the verge of collapse when Congress failed to approve emergency loans in late 2008. Bush stepped in and signed off on $17.4 billion in loans, requiring the companies to develop restructuring plans under Obama's watch.

The following spring, Obama pumped billions more into GM and Chrysler but forced concessions from industry stakeholders, enabling the companies to go through swift bankruptcies. Obama aides said billions in aid ? about $85 billion for the industry in total ? was necessary because capital markets were essentially frozen at the time, meaning there was no way for GM and Chrysler to fund their bankruptcies privately.

Without any private financing or government support, they argued, the companies would have been forced to liquidate.

Three years later, Obama is trying to turn the tough decision into a political advantage in Ohio and Michigan, which Obama carried in 2008 and where unemployment has fallen of late. During last week's State of the Union address, Obama said the auto industry had hired tens of thousands of workers, and he predicted the Detroit turnaround could take root elsewhere.

Yet Obama's poll numbers in places like Ohio and Michigan remain in dangerous territory, under 50 percent, and the auto industry argument carries some inherent risks.

A Quinnipiac University poll in Ohio released Jan. 18 found Obama locked in a virtual tie with Romney in a hypothetical matchup, with about half the voters disapproving of Obama's performance as president. A poll in Michigan released last week by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA found 48 percent supporting Obama and 40 percent backing Romney in a potential matchup.

Republicans say the bailout still remains unpopular and the government intervention was hardly a cure-all. "The industry was bailed out but a lot of people lost their jobs," said David Doyle, a Michigan-based Republican strategist.

In a nation still soured on bailouts, the government owns more than a quarter of GM. The Treasury Department estimates the government will lose more than $23 billion on the auto bailout: GM is trading at $24 a share, well below the $53-per-share mark needed for the government to recoup its investment in the company.

Romney, facing attacks from Democrats on his work at private equity firm Bain Capital, has tried to use the GM and Chrysler cases to insulate himself against charges his firm gutted companies and fired workers. "How did you do when you were running General Motors as the president?" Romney said in a December debate. "Gee, you closed down factories. You closed down dealerships. And he'll say, well I did that to save the business. Same thing with us, Mr. President."

Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and others say the decision, while unpopular, saved an estimated 1 million jobs throughout the Midwest and say the industry is coming back.

As a result of the restructuring, the companies can make money at far lower U.S. sales volumes than in the past. Industry analysts predict U.S. sales will grow by at least 1 million this year over last year's 12.8 million units as people replace aging cars and trucks. And North American operations at GM, Chrysler and Ford are thriving, boosting their companies' earnings ? all signs that Democrats say will make the difference in the Midwest.

"I don't know how any reasonable person can fail to acknowledge that this rescue plan worked and the country has benefited," said former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat.

___

AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_autos

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Mexico cops nab suspect in 75 drug cartel killings

Mexican army soldiers stand guard at a check point on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican army soldiers stand guard at a check point on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican army soldiers stand guard at a check point on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican army soldiers inspect a car at a check point on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican army soldiers stand guard at a check point on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican army soldiers patrol a road on the outskirts of Culiacan, northern Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Nationwide, some 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011, the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) ? Police in northern Mexico have captured an alleged member of the Zetas drug gang who confessed to killing at least 75 people, including many who were pulled off buses, authorities said Monday.

Enrique Elizondo Flores told investigators 36 of his victims were bus passengers traveling through the town of Cerralvo, near the border with Texas, said Nuevo Leon state security spokesman Jorge Domene.

Elizondo was detained Jan. 20 in the town of Salinas Victoria, but authorities delayed announcing his arrest so they could verify details of his confession, state Attorney General Adrian de la Garza said.

Domene said the 35-year-old suspect told investigators that he had been working in the area at least three years and that he was in charge of killing members of the rival Gulf drug cartel heading to the towns of Cerralvo and General Trevino.

Elizondo and other gunmen last January began pulling passengers off buses as they arrived at Cerralvo's bus station, Domene said. They are among at least 92 bus passengers the Zetas are accused of killing in three attacks in January and March 2011. Many the victims were originally from the central state of Guanajuato and had arrived in Cerralvo from the border city of Reynosa, Domene said.

Elizondo was known "for torturing, maiming and then killing his victims," Domene said.

Last year, authorities in the neighboring state of Tamaulipas unearthed 193 bodies from clandestine graves in the town of San Fernando. Security forces said they were led to the site by members of the Zetas who confessed to kidnapping and killing bus passengers traveling through the area.

The motive for the bus abductions remains unclear. Prosecutors have suggested the gang may be forcefully recruiting people to work for it or trying to kill rivals they suspected were aboard the buses.

Northeastern Mexico has been engulfed by a turf battle between the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas since they split in 2010.

More than 47,000 people have been killed nationwide since President Felipe Calderon launched a crackdown against drug traffickers in December 2006.

Global Financial Integrity, a program of the Center for International Policy, a Washington-based think tank, said Monday that its analysis found that $872 billion in proceeds from crime, corruption and money-laundering had flowed out of Mexico in the four decades from 1970 to 2010.

In the border city of Ciudad Juarez, police officers killed three men and detained a fourth Monday after being attacked at a gas station, authorities said.

The officers were refueling their patrol cars at a gas station a few blocks from the Zaragoza border crossing into El Paso, Texas, when they were attacked, a police statement said. The officers returned fire, killing three assailants, and they also seized two assault rifles, two handguns and a hand grenade, it said.

Last week, messages signed by the New Juarez drug cartel and left in several parts of the city claimed Police Chief Julian Leyzaola is favoring a rival cartel. It said that one officer would be killed daily if their members continue to be arrested. Five police officers have been killed since.

Leyzaola was not immediately available to comment on Monday's attack.

In a public appearance over the weekend, Mayor Hector Murguia said the recent string of attacks on law enforcement officers was a response from criminals affected by Leyzaola's work.

"Go downtown, there are no more brothels where drugs used to be sold," he said, referring to a police crackdown in downtown Juarez as part of the city's efforts to combat crime.

As a safety measure, police officers are now required to leave precincts wearing street clothes and are allowed to take their guns home. The city also is considering plans to rent hotels to quarter all the police force.

In 2009, then Police Chief Roberto Orduna quit after several police officers were killed and their bodies dumped along with messages saying more officers would be killed unless he resigned.

Leyzaola is no stranger to threats. Shortly after he was hired in 2011, the body of a tortured man was left in a street with a message to Leyzaola that read, "This is your first gift."

In April 2009, when he was police chief in western border city of Tijuana, drug traffickers took over police radio frequencies to say that if he didn't quit, many police officers would die.

A few days after, seven officers were killed in separate but coordinated attacks. Drug traffickers took over the police radio frequencies again to say their threat had been carried out.

___

Associated Press writer Juan Carlos Llorca in El Paso, Texas, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-30-LT-Drug-War-Mexico/id-5148d76da9f34b4da342566181df7dc1

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Brad Pitt to Kids: Do Not Google Brad Pitt!

Brad Pitt is well aware that an Internet search of his name yields hundreds of millions of results - not all of them positive and many full-on ridiculous.

Heck, you can learn all about how he got Angelina Jolie pregnant, how he's having an affair with Jennifer Aniston, and how he worried about Shiloh.

Most or all of which is untrue, of course ... which brings us to this quote:

"On all the kids' computers, we had our own names blocked," the actor told Germany's Bild in an interview. "They can't Google their mom and dad."

"I don't want to make myself dependent on what other people think."

Brad Pitt adds that he and Angelina Jolie aren't exactly searching for themselves either, for good reason. "We don't even notice all the noise," he said.

The same could be said for his stance on aging. Despite being just two years away from the big 5-0, the Moneyball star says he enjoys getting older.

"I love becoming an older man. Your thoughts get clearer."

Those thoughts may include a wedding in the works. The actor told The Hollywood Reporter - for real this time - that he would like to marry Angelina.

"It seems to mean more and more to our kids," he added.

Just don't expect them to find out via celeb gossip sites.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/brad-pitt-to-kids-do-not-google-brad-pitt/

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Ex UBS trader Adoboli denies fraud charges (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? The former UBS trader accused of unauthorized deals that cost the Swiss bank $2.3 billion pleaded not guilty to four fraud and false accounting charges in a London court on Monday.

Kweku Adoboli, 31, was charged in September in connection with one of the world's biggest cases of alleged "rogue trading."

The losses shook the Swiss bank, leading to the resignation of former chief executive Oswald Gruebel and a shake-up of its investment arm to cut its exposure to risk.

The trial is expected to shed light on the bank's management, traders and risk controls.

Adoboli, who faces a maximum 10-year jail sentence if found guilty, spoke only to confirm his name and reply "not guilty" to all the charges when they were read out to him at a packed Southwark Crown Court.

Judge Alistair McCreath remanded Adoboli in custody and set the start of the trial for September 3.

"An earlier trial would be simply not possible," he said.

Adoboli, the British-educated son of a retired United Nations official from Ghana, he was arrested in London on September 15 and charged a day later.

At his last hearing on December 20, his lawyers said he had changed legal teams because he was unhappy with the advice he had received. That meant he had been unable to enter a meaningful plea, his new defense lawyer Paul Garlick told the court at the time.

Adoboli, who worked as a director of exchange traded funds, spent Christmas in prison after the hearing was adjourned to give his lawyers more time to work on the case.

UBS said last September that unauthorized trading in its investment division lost the bank $2.3 billion pounds, rocking an industry already trying to cope with the euro zone debt crisis and a global slowdown.

The Swiss bank came close to collapse during the 2008 financial crisis because of its exposure to bad loans in the mortgage market. It cut thousands of jobs and received a state bailout.

The bank's recovery was then threatened by uncertainty over a deal between Switzerland and the U.S. government designed to clamp down on tax evasion.

(Reporting by Peter Griffiths; editing by Steve Addison)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/bs_nm/us_britain_adoboli

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EU leaders to agree on permanent bailout fund (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? EU leaders will sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone at a summit on Monday and are expected to agree on a balanced budget rule in national legislation, with unresolved problems in Greece casting a shadow on the discussions.

The summit - the 17th in two years as the EU battles to resolve its sovereign debt problems - is supposed to focus on creating jobs and growth, with leaders looking to shift the narrative away from politically unpopular budget austerity.

The summit is expected to announce that up to 20 billion euros ($26.4 billion) of unused funds from the EU's 2007-2013 budget will be redirected toward job creation, especially among the young, and will commit to freeing up bank lending to small- and medium-sized companies.

But discussions over the permanent rescue fund, a new 'fiscal treaty' and Greece will dominate the talks.

Negotiations between the Greek government and private bondholders over the restructuring of 200 billion euros of Greek debt made progress over the weekend, but are not expected to conclude before the summit begins at 9:00 a.m. EST.

Until there is a deal between Greece and its private bondholders, EU leaders cannot move forward with a second, 130 billion euro rescue program for Athens, which they originally agreed to at a summit last October.

Instead, they will sign a treaty creating the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a 500-billion-euro permanent bailout fund that is due to become operational in July, a year earlier than first planned. And they are likely to agree the terms of a 'fiscal treaty' tightening budget rules for those that sign up.

PERMANENT RESCUE FUND

The ESM will replace the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), a temporary fund that has been used to bail out Ireland and Portugal and will help in the second Greek package.

Leaders hope the ESM will boost defenses against the debt crisis, but many - including Italian premier Mario Monti, IMF chief Christine Lagarde and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - say it will only do so if its resources are combined with what remains in the EFSF, creating a super-fund of 750 billion euros ($1 trillion).

The International Monetary Fund says an agreement to increase the size of the euro zone 'firewall' will convince others to contribute more resources to the IMF, boosting its crisis-fighting abilities and improving market sentiment.

But Germany is opposed to such a step.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will not discuss the issue of the ESM/EFSF's ceiling until leaders meet for their next summit in March. In the meantime, financial markets will continue to fret that there may not be sufficient rescue funds available to help the likes of Italy and Spain if they run into renewed debt funding problems.

"There are certainly signals that Germany is willing to consider it and it is rather geared toward March from the German side," a senior euro zone official said.

The sticking point is German public opinion which is tired of bailing out the euro zone's financially less prudent. Instead, Merkel wants to see the EU - except Britain, which has rejected any such move - sign up to the fiscal treaty, including a balanced budget rule written into constitutions. Once that is done, the discussion about a bigger rescue fund can take place.

After nearly three years of crisis, some economists believe the combination of tighter budget rules, a bigger bailout fund and a commitment to broader structural reforms to boost EU productivity could help the region weather the storm.

"The fiscal compact and the ESM will shape a better future," said Carsten Brzeski, a euro zone economist at ING.

"Combined with ongoing austerity measures and structural reforms in peripheral countries, and, of course, with a lot of ECB action, the euro zone could master this stage of the crisis."

Economists say the pivotal act in recent months was the European Central Bank's flooding of the banking sector with cheap three-year money, a measure it will repeat next month.

GREEK DEAL?

While EU leaders are managing to put together pieces of legislation and financial barriers that might help them stave off a repeat of the debt crisis, immediate concerns - especially over Greece and potentially Portugal - remain.

By far the most pressing worry is the seven-month-long negotiation over private sector involvement in the second Greek rescue package. A deal in the coming days may help restore investor confidence, although Greece will still struggle to reduce its debts to 120 percent of GDP by 2020 as planned.

"If there is a deal, the heads of state and government can endorse it, welcome it and say that now it is up to Greece to agree to and deliver on reforms to get the second financing package," the euro zone official said.

Negotiators believe they have until mid-February to strike a deal. Failure to do so by then would likely force Greece to miss a 14.5 billion euro repayment on its debt due in mid-March.

Even if Athens can strike a deal with private bondholders to accept a 50 percent writedown on the nominal value of their bonds, it may still not be enough to close Greece's funding gap.

The IMF has suggested it may be necessary for public sector holders of Greek bonds - including the ECB and national central banks in the euro zone - to write off some of their holdings in order to close the gap.

Such a move would not necessarily involve the ECB or national central banks incurring losses, they would just be expected to forego any profit on the bonds they have bought.

But German ECB board member Joerg Asmussen told Reuters there was no possibility of the ECB taking part in the private-sector restructuring of Greece's debt.

(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski, editing by Mike Peacock)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/bs_nm/us_eu_summit

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Editorial: Google needs better user support in the Android Market

We see Google working hard to provide better support for Android developers, and that's a great thing.  We want developers for our platform of choice to be well taken care of so it's worth learning to code for Android and releasing great applications.  Google's not perfect in this regard, but they keep improving, and that's the only way to make it better.  But el Goog needs to start focusing a little more on user support.

Recently, I stumbled across an app in our forums that I wanted to try.  It's an Aquarium screen-saver type app for Google TV on my Logitech Revue.  I'm an Android nerd, and an aquarium nerd (we had jackets made), so I thought I would give it a try.  Just so happens that I ran into some Market issues, and was in some magical diabolical limbo where I had paid for the app, but couldn't download it or pay for it again.  It's not the first time we've heard about this happening -- the cofounder of doubleTwist just ran into it as well when trying to buy his own app -- and it's not even the first time we've seen it happen on the Revue.  There's a chance you've read about someone with similar issues on the Internet somewhere.  Unfortunately, it's a fairly common issue.  

So I did what any self-respecting Android user would do -- tried to hack it to make it work.  Wipe Market data, clear cache, even a reset of the device.  All with no luck.  I couldn't make the Market know I had paid so I could download, but it knew I had paid and wouldn't let me pay again.  All that was left to do was click the support link.  

Clicking the support link of course sends you to an online form to fill out.  Tell it some transaction details, describe the issue, and submit.  Then wait.  And wait.  And now it's been two weeks and still no response.  I get that they're busy, and that this is only a buck.  Not exactly high-priority stuff. But to leave a user hanging for two weeks waiting on any type of response is just poor customer service, plain and simple.  I'm fairly well versed in all things Android-ish, so I eventually contacted the developer with my transaction code.  But my mother isn't, and would have not known any way to resolve this little issue.  A little issue that leaves a big impression, and not a good one.  Google has shown that they want to take Android mainstream in a big way, and introduced a really user-friendly version with Ice Cream Sandwich.  now it's time they focus a little more on the little stuff.

That Aquarium app?  I got a copy to sideload after talking with the developer, and it kicks ass.  We'll be reviewing it soon but If you are looking for a beautiful app made specifically for Google TV, grab it and check it out.  

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Ef9X_ks4F90/story01.htm

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Egypt says it has ended US lobbyists' contract

An Egyptian woman reacts casting her ballot at a polling station in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Egyptians cast their ballots on Sunday for the upper house of parliament, a largely consultative body with limited powers. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

An Egyptian woman reacts casting her ballot at a polling station in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Egyptians cast their ballots on Sunday for the upper house of parliament, a largely consultative body with limited powers. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it has ended a contract with three Washington lobbying firms to cut expenses, denying reports that the Americans were the ones to sever the contract.

The rupture occurred as Cairo faces criticism from Washington for banning at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country as part of an investigation into foreign-funded civil society organizations. Among those barred was Sam LaHood of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, who is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The ban sparked anger in the United States, and Washington warned on Tuesday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt's transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt's battered economy needs badly after a year of political and social unrest.

The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including the IRI and its sister organization, the National Democratic Institute, as well as several Egyptian organizations.

Both the IRI and the NDI, linked to the Republican and Democratic parties, monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.

The Egyptian investigation is closely linked with the political turmoil that has engulfed the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power after Mubarak's fall have accused "foreign hands" of being behind protests against their rule, and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

The December raids have drew sharp U.S. criticism, and President Barack Obama has spoken by telephone with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, to emphasize "the role that these organizations can play in civil society," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Thursday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry's statement was issued two days after Politico reported that former Republican Rep. Bob Livingston, former Democratic Rep. Toby Moffett and longtime lobbyist Tony Podesta ended their contract with the Egyptian government.

The lobbyists confirmed in a statement Saturday that they were immediately terminating their four-year relationship with the Egyptian government.

"We hope that Egyptians continue to enjoy the deepening of democracy in their country, and that Egypt remains a strong, stable and vital ally of the United States," the three lobbyists said in a joint statement.

Politico reported earlier that the firms came under criticism after circulating talking points justifying Egyptian security forces' raids on a number of NGOs including American groups.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Egypt's Defense Ministry has arrived in New York, Egypt's state news agency reported.

MENA quoted military attache Gen. Mohammed el-Kishki as saying that the visit was aimed at discussing "cooperation between the two countries in military affairs."

Egypt's army, which took power after the February 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak, receives 1.3 billion dollars a year in U.S. foreign assistance.

The country's aid package has come under pressure by members of Congress who want assurances that Egypt will abide by a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and that the military rulers will respect democratic freedoms.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-29-Egypt-US/id-60588042fcbb4f53afb65e31b8331ce0

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Three dead, over 100 hurt, in Bangladesh violence (Reuters)

DHAKA (Reuters) ? Three people were killed and more than 100 injured on Sunday in clashes between Bangladeshi police and activists of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) trying to stage anti-government protests in defiance of a ban, witnesses said.

Two people were killed in Chandpur, southeast of the capital and another in a town further south as thousands of BNP workers took to the streets, chanting demands for the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government, witnesses said.

Mohammad Shahidullah, police superintendent of Chandpur, confirmed the two deaths there, at least one by gunshots.

"The situation is now under control but still very tense," he said by telephone.

Police on Saturday banned proposed demonstrations in the capital and other main cities by the BNP and its allies because of fear of violence, which intensified after Hasina's Awami League also called for a rally in the capital, Dhaka, on Sunday.

The two parties, which have been fierce rivals for years and will face off again in an election due next year, both announced plans for demonstrations on Monday.

"We are bracing for a tougher time ahead," said senior Dhaka police officer Benazir Ahmed.

Ahmed said security forces were also determined to thwart attempts by Islamist radicals to disrupt the peace.

The military said a coup attempt in December was mounted by serving and former army officers who have links with radical Islamists.

(Reporting by Anis Ahmed and Azad Majumder; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wl_nm/us_bangladesh_violence

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Exiting watchdog sees flaws in SEC's rulewriting (Reuters)

WASHINGTON, DC (Reuters) ? In his final act before departing the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, the agency's inspector general, David Kotz, criticized how the agency analyzes the economic impact of some of its Dodd-Frank rules.

Kotz's criticism, contained in a report, could have ramifications for the SEC, which has lost several court battles over the years because of flaws in how it demonstrates that the benefits of a rule outweigh its costs.

"We found that the extent of quantitative discussion of cost-benefit analyses varied among rulemakings," Kotz wrote in his report. "Based on our examination of several Dodd-Frank Act rulemakings, the review found that the SEC sometimes used multiple baselines in its cost-benefit analyses that were ambiguous or internally inconsistent."

Last year, U.S. business groups successfully convinced a federal appeals court to overturn one of the SEC's Dodd-Frank rules that aimed to empower shareholders to more easily nominate directors to corporate boards.

In rejecting the rule, the court said the agency failed to properly weigh the economic consequences.

Some of the business groups, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have since raised similar concerns with other rulemakings pending before the SEC.

Congress passed the Dodd-Frank act in 2010 to more closely police financial markets and institutions after the 2007-2009 financial crisis. The legislation gives the SEC responsibility to write roughly 100 new rules.

Although the SEC is not subject to an express statutory requirement to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of its rules, other laws do require the agency to consider the effects of its rules on capital formation, competition and efficiency.

In addition, the SEC must also follow federal rulemaking procedures, such as providing the public with an opportunity to comment on its proposals.

This is the second report Kotz has issued looking at the quality of the SEC's cost-benefit analysis.

Both reports were issued after certain members of the Senate Banking Committee, including ranking Republican Richard Shelby, voiced concerns about whether regulators were adequately examining the economic impact of Dodd-Frank rules.

To determine how well the SEC is faring, Kotz's office retained Albert Kyle, a finance professor at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, to help carry out the review.

Friday's report covered a sample of Dodd-Frank rulemakings, including a rule allowing shareholders a non-binding vote on compensation, several asset-backed securities rules and two proposals pertaining to the reporting of security-based swap data.

Kotz's report was critical of the agency in a number of areas.

In one instance, the report cites a memo in which former General Counsel David Becker gave his opinion that the SEC should do thorough cost-benefit analyses on rules that are not explicitly required by Congress.

Rules mandated by Congress, however, generally would not need the same level of cost-benefit research, the memo said.

The report suggested that the agency should reconsider these guidelines, or else it risks "not fulfilling the essential purposes of such analyses."

SEC management, in a written response to the report, disagreed with that point.

"We believe Professor Kyle's opinion fails to appreciate both the practical limitations on the scope of cost-benefit a regulator can conduct, and the distinct roles of Congress and administrative agencies," they said.

"We think it is entirely sensible ... for the staff to focus its attention and the commission's limited resources on matters that the commission has the authority to decide."

Kotz made other recommendations, including using a single consistent baseline in the cost-benefit analysis process and having economists provide more input.

SEC spokesman John Nester declined to comment beyond the SEC comments in the report.

(Reporting By Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Gary Hill)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/bs_nm/us_sec_inspector_general

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Spartacus, Episode 1: The Things That Made Us Go "Ew!" (omg!)

Run! Spartacus and his rebels are on the loose! In the Season 2 premiere of Spartacus: Vengeance, we see that no Roman is safe ? not even those spending their hard-earned coin at a brothel!

It's war between Spartacus' unwashed gang and the Romans, mainly Gaius Claudius Glaber and new pup Seppius, whom we foresee will be equally annoying and entertaining. Also, what's with the Folgers-ad-worthy banter and chemistry between him and his sister Seppia? Meanwhile, after the rebels go on a bordello killing spree, Crixus learns that his love Naevia is being sold from dominus to dominus as a sex slave. We also see Oenomaus running around incognito in a hooded robe, Lucretia has survived her abdomen wound but isn't quite sane, and Glaber is forcing his wife Ilythia to hang out in Capua while he seeks to defeat Spartacus.

Spartacus: What to expect in Season 2 (beyond the blood and bodies)

Let's check out this week's "Ew!" moments:

The Blood - Body count*: innumerable. In the opening battle, it was Agron brutally bashing one of the Roman's heads into a stone repeatedly that had us covering our eyes (and ears!). Later, Oenomaus makes short work with some men who attack him in an alley ? breaking one assailant's arm so that the bone sticks through the skin and then splitting another guy's abdomen from bottom to top, much as one would do with a human-sized haggis. There's plenty of naked bodies getting sliced and chopped up in the brothel massacre, but two rather disturbing highlights include one large Roman voyeur getting his throat impaled from behind and then Crixus using a ruthless interrogation tactic: wiggling his finger around in the slaver Trebius' fresh sword wound. Ouch!

The Bodies - Total scenes: 2.5. There's minor nudity scattered throughout the episode, and Ilythia gets hot and bothered flashing back to her masked tryst with Spartacus, while in reality, Spartacus is having unmasked relations with Mira. But really, this episode is all about the unique tour of the whorehouse, in which we see ladies and gents alike being manhandled and abused. Although there's plenty of sex, it's not really sexy considering these slaves can't fight back and Spartacus' men are splashing blood and entrails everywhere.

Liam McIntyre takes over as Spartacus' rebel with a cause

Best Line of the Week: From one of Spartacus' men: "You had me at whores."

*It should be noted that we may have to dispense with the body count this season now that it's open season on Romans and freed slaves alike. "I tried to [keep track] this season," series star Liam McIntyre told TVGuide.com in early January, "but because they're not in an arena where it's nice and tidy one-on-one, it's just ridiculously massive."

What did you think of the premiere? How do you like McIntyre as the new Spartacus? Which scenes disturbed you the most?

Also, check out our video interview:

Official: Yemen president in US for treatment

FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 file photo, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Yemen's President's office says Yemeni leader Saleh has arrived in London en route to the U.S. (AP Photo/Mohammed Hamoud, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 file photo, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Yemen's President's office says Yemeni leader Saleh has arrived in London en route to the U.S. (AP Photo/Mohammed Hamoud, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011 file image made from video, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks on Yemen State Television. Yemen's President's office says Yemeni leader Saleh has arrived in London on route to the US. (AP Photo/Yemen State TV, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The embattled president of Yemen arrived Saturday in the United States for medical treatment, according to a statement from the country's foreign press office.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived at an unspecified location in the United States after a journey that took him from Oman, through London.

His staff has said he is in the United States to be treated for burns suffered during an assassination attempt in June.

The one-line Yemeni statement said Saleh was in the US for a "short-term private medical visit."

After months of unrest, Saleh agreed in November to end his 33-year-rule of the Arabian state. His trip comes as Yemen prepares for an election on Feb. 21 to select his successor.

It is unclear how long he intends to remain in the U.S. In a speech before he left Yemen for Oman a week ago, he promised to return home before the election, but the U.S. and its allies have pressured Saleh to leave Yemen for good.

American officials don't wish him to settle in the U.S., however, over concerns that it would be seen as harboring an autocratic leader accused by many of his countrymen of using violence to remain in power. Opponents have accused him of trying to interfere in Yemen's new unity government, even after he supposedly relinquished authority two months ago. He spent three months previously in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, only to return to Yemen, prompting more protests.

Saleh's travel plans in the United States have not been disclosed for security reasons. It wasn't clear where he intended to stay while in the country, or where he would be receiving medical care.

He had been traveling on a chartered Emirates plane with a private doctor, several armed guards and relatives, according to an official in the Yemeni president's office who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the details.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London and Ahmed Al-Haj in Sanaa, Yemen contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-28-Yemen/id-ce7f5bf41c174047b2e1e2e269ee3eff

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U.S. citizen freed a week after kidnapping in Nigeria (Reuters)

YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) ? A U.S. citizen working for Marubeni Corp who was kidnapped in Nigeria's oil rich Niger Delta on January 20 has been released, police and the U.S. embassy said Friday.

Gunmen kidnapped the man last Friday in the southeastern town of Warri. They killed his driver and demanding a 50 million naira ($310,300) ransom, a security source said.

"The US citizen kidnapped a week ago has been released by his captors," Charles Muka, police spokesman for Delta state, said, identifying him as William Gregory, 50. "We are informed by the company he works for that no ransom was paid."

A spokeswoman in the U.S. embassy said: "I can confirm he was released, but can't comment further."

The Niger Delta, heartland of Africa's biggest oil and gas industry, is prone to bouts of unrest and riven by militant factions. Gangs use guns and speedboats to run criminal fiefdoms that profit from kidnapping, robbery and oil theft.

Militant activity decreased after an amnesty for several commanders in 2009, but the region remains volatile.

Gangs in the region usually kidnap for ransoms rather than for political or ideological reasons.

The German Foreign Ministry confirmed Friday that a German citizen had been kidnapped in northern Nigeria, where a violent Islamist sect is waging an insurgency against President Goodluck Jonathan's government.

(Reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa and Tim Cocks in Abuja; Writing by Tim Cocks Editing by Maria Golovnina)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/us_nm/us_nigeria_kidnap

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Laura Prudom: American Idol Recap: The 5 Most Memorable Auditions From Houston

"American Idol" touched down in Texas with all the subtlety of a shuttle launch. But for such a massive state, the talent seemed to be in short supply. Though the judges were set up in Galveston, the "Idol" circus was still calling Houston its hub, which seemed like an unnecessary clarification.

Between "Houston" and Aspen, the last two audition episodes have been far more reminiscent of the Idol of old -- a dearth of talent and far too many joke contestants taking up precious airtime. Perhaps Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler are partly to blame; from what we saw in Texas, the two male judges were sending home most of the accomplished singers in favor of the screechers and sob stories, who wound up through to Hollywood. And, unlike Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid during "The X Factor" auditions, Steven and Randy actually seemed to be biased against the pretty girls. Are they only picking contestants with a compelling story, and sending those from stable backgrounds home?

1. Cheyenne James/Linda Williams
Cheyenne James and Linda Williams best demonstrated the backwards bias of the two male judges. Cheyenne, a 17-year-old rock chick with a pair of lungs that could put many an "Idol" contender to shame, failed to impress Randy or Steven with her version of Pink's "Misery" (a song which, perhaps tellingly, features Steven Tyler). But Jennifer was practically vibrating with glee after her performance. "I don't think you've got it for this year's 'Idol,'" Steven told Cheyenne, prompting Jennifer's incredulous, "You're kidding, right? ... I thought you were amazing -- soulful, rich, I just loved it," she told the teen. Randy agreed that she didn't sound quite ready yet, which Jennifer thought was crazy, and she got somewhat emotional about having to send the poor girl home empty-handed. "Some of the people you've put through today, against her?" she scoffed.

Then came Linda Williams, the straw that broke Jenny from the Block's back. The 24-year-old bartender was obviously one of those kids who had been told over and over again that she was the next Mariah until she started believing her own hype. She was pitchy and self-indulgent, tossing in meaningless runs just to show that she could. The banshee impersonation didn't win her any points with Jennifer, who declared it "awful" as soon as she left the room, wondering out loud whether she was in the Twilight Zone as Steven insisted it was "beautiful." She won't make it past Hollywood, but Cheyenne probably could've gone further, which was as infuriating to me as it was to Jennifer.

2. Kristine Osorio
While it's probably inadvisable for people to spend their loans on plane tickets for the "Idol" auditions instead of necessary legal fees, I hope the gamble pays off for Kristine, a 28-year-old single mother of three. Since she's at the top end of the age limit (There's always "The X Factor" or "The Voice," Kristine!) this is her last chance at the big time, and she was determined to make it count. Her take on Adele's "One and Only" was raw, raspy and packed a powerful punch, something that was sorely needed in this lackluster batch of contestants. Thankfully, the judges were unanimous in their praise, with Steven lauding her "high warble" and the tenderness in her voice. I hope she's got a babysitter lined up for her kids, since she's on the way to Hollywood.

3. Ramiro Garcia
This medical miracle certainly gave us a memorable audition. Ramiro was born without ears, prompting doctors to predict that he would never be able to hear or speak. Thankfully, he's able to do both, as well as sing, although his voice wasn't nearly strong enough to carry him through to the finals. It's possible that the judges will give him a pass to the live show because of his story, but I think he'll quickly be culled in Hollywood week, since his raspy, heartfelt version of "Amazing Grace" didn't quite measure up to some of the voices we've heard so far. Still, it was pleasant to listen to and his story is inspirational. Compared to some of the duds we've been subjected to this week, he could be a Grammy winner.

4. Baylie Brown
After auditioning (and getting through to Hollywood) back in Season 6, Baylie is back and better than ever. Now 21, her voice has matured and her control was impeccable as she warbled through Bon Jovi's "Bed of Roses." Her voice has an intriguing country twang and Randy still remembered her, which probably worked in her favor. She got an easy three yeses as Randy declared her voice "significantly better" before sending her on her way with a golden ticket.

5. Skylar Laine
Since I'm bored of "Idol's" propensity for digging out the freaks in the crowd and mocking their weirdness (Aren't you grateful for your five minutes of fame, Phong Vu and Alejandro Cazares?), let's spotlight another talented singer. Skylar turned out to be a trigger-happy 17-year-old who shot a deer and had it mounted on her wall when she was 15, which is ... lovely, I guess? Aside from that dubious claim to fame, she was also a fairly passable singer, too, with a pleasant country tone and a range that's not quite Carrie Underwood, but has the potential to get there with some training. She mostly sounded like every other white female country singer we've ever heard, but it's been proven that such a skillset sells records, so her chances are probably good. "Hell on Heels" by Pistol Annies was perfectly suited to her voice, and the judges wasted no time in putting her through.

Who was your favorite contestant in Texas? Were you as underwhelmed by the talent as I was?

"American Idol" airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.

?

Follow Laura Prudom on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lauinLA

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-prudom/american-idol-recap-the-5_b_1235853.html

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France: Ex-head of breast implant firm charged (AP)

MARSEILLE, France ? French authorities have filed preliminary charges against the former head of a now-defunct company accused of supplying potentially faulty breast implants affecting thousands of women.

A judge in the southeastern city of Marseille placed Jean-Claude Mas, the founder and former chief of Poly Implant Prothese, under investigation for "involuntary injury," defense lawyer Yves Haddad said Friday.

Mas was released on euro100,000 ($130,000) bail after being arrested Thursday, and ordered by an investigating judge to stay in France and not meet with any other former PIP executives, Haddad said.

The suspect PIP implants have been removed from the marketplace in several countries in and beyond Europe amid fears that they could rupture and leak silicone into the body.

The preliminary charges mean investigating magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but give them more time to probe to decide whether to recommend it go to trial.

Mas, 72, was arrested at his residence in a Mediterranean coastal resort town as part of a judicial investigation into manslaughter and involuntary injury. PIP's former No. 2, Claude Couty, was also detained.

Police investigators searched the Mas residence and held him for questioning for seven hours before he was transferred to appear before investigating judge Annaick Le Goff at the Marseille courthouse.

Mas did not speak to reporters after being released on bail.

"Mr. Mas was finally able to express himself before the judge. He is relieved to have been able to do so," Haddad said. "The magistrate judged that for now there's no reason to charge him for manslaughter because for the moment, there's no sign of evidence of this crime."

"Calm must return to this case," he added.

On the sole charge of involuntary injury, Mas risks up to one year in prison if convicted. That isn't sufficient to allow Le Goff to order him held in custody before trial.

The arrests ended weeks of speculation about whether investigators would be able to assemble enough evidence to detain Mas ? whose location was known to authorities ? or any other possible suspects on legal grounds.

Mas had run PIP until the company was closed in March 2010.

France's Health Safety Agency has said the suspect implants ? just one type of implants made by PIP ? appear to be more rupture-prone than other types. Investigators say PIP sought to save money by using industrial silicone, whose potential health risks are not yet clear.

PIP's website said the company had exported to more than 60 countries and was one of the world's leading implant makers. The silicone-gel implants in question are not sold in the United States.

According to estimates by national authorities, more than 42,000 women in Britain received the implants, more than 30,000 in France, 9,000 in Australia and 4,000 in Italy. Nearly 25,000 of the implants were sold in Brazil.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_breast_implants

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This is getting nasty now

AP

Though the Cleveland Plain Dealer still has not acknowledged the move on its website (other than to finally remove his name and face from the roster), Tony Grossi no longer covers the Browns as a beat writer, following the accidental publication of a private Twitter message that called Browns owner Randy Lerner? (pictured) ?pathetic? and an ?irrelevant billionaire.?

Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis tells PFT that the Browns have no comment on the situation.

There?s still no evidence that the Browns pressured the Plain Dealer to make the move.? Per a source with knowledge of the situation, however, both Lerner and president Mike Holmgren refused to accept calls from Grossi after the message was posted and deleted.? We?re also told that a meeting occurred Wednesday between Plain Dealer publisher Terry Eggar and Holmgren.

The Plain Dealer has been nearly as silent as the Browns.? Managing editor Thom Fladung called the Kiley & Booms radio show on 92.3 The Fan this morning to explain the decision, and Fladung?s explanation was less than persuasive, in our opinion.

The decision to remove Grossi from the beat was driven by this ?determining factor? articulated by Fladung:? ?Don?t do something that affects your value as a journalist or the value of your newspaper or affects the perception of your value and the perception of that newspaper?s value.?

That?s a pretty broad ? and vague ? rule.? And that?s the kind of standard that gives a news organization the ability to do pretty much whatever it wants whenever it wants, because there?s pretty much always something to which someone can point as proof of ?something that affects your value as a journalist or the value of your newspaper or affects the perception of your value and the perception of that newspaper?s value.?

Making Fladung?s ?determining factor? even more confusing is the fact that he admitted that Grossi could have deliberately expressed a strong opinion about Lerner in a column published and printed in the Plain Dealer without conseqeuence.? ?Let?s say Tony had written that Randy Lerner?s lack of involvement with the Browns and their resulting disappointing records over the years has made him irrelevant as an owner, that?s defensible,? Fladung said.? ?That?s absolutely defensible.?

What?s indefensible is the failure of the Plain Dealer to acknowledge the fact that Grossi never intended to make the statements available for public view.? He fell victim to the subtle but significant differences between a ?direct message? (which is private) and a ?reply? (which is public) on Twitter.? It was an accident.? A mistake.

Let?s go back to the days of typewriters and shorthand, and let?s say that Grossi?s editor has two boxes on his desk.? One is for article submissions and one is for proposed topics.? And let?s say that Grossi scribbled out a scathing column about Lerner as a proposed topic, but Grossi accidentally put it in the box of actual submissions for print.

That?s the low-tech version of what happened here.? Grossi accidentally put his message in the wrong box.

So when Fladung says he ?felt very strongly? that the Twitter message ?was inappropriate and unprofessional and . . . it?s not the kind of opinion a journalist covering a beat can express,? Fladung presumes that Grossi actually intended to articulate that opinion to the world.? He didn?t.? It was inadvertently blurted out, like a temporary case of Twitter Tourette?s.

Some have suggested that the Twitter blunder provided the Plain Dealer with a vehicle for addressing pre-existing concerns regarding Grossi?s overall job performance.? Undercutting that theory was Fladung?s assertion during the radio interview that Grossi is a ?very good? and ?very successful? beat writer.

I?m continuing to write about this because it?s the kind of mistake that could happen to anyone, and everyone should be entitled to the benefit of the doubt in a case like this, especially when newspapers and other media companies want their writers to engage with the audience through various new technologies and platforms.? It also just ?feels? like an unjust result, whether because the Plain Dealer is being obtuse or because the Plain Dealer is cowering to the Browns or because the Browns are remaining deliberately silent in order to secure the preferred outcome of having Grossi removed from the beat.

Regardless, we?re disappointed in the Plain Dealer, in Fladung, in the Browns, in Lerner, and in Holmgren.? And we hope that one or more of them will snap out of it and do the right thing, or at least let the rest of us know in far more convincing fashion why they believe the right thing was done.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/26/irsay-calls-peyton-manning-a-politician/related/

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Peter, Paul and Mary bassist Dick Kniss dies at 74 (AP)

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. ? Dick Kniss, a bassist who performed for five decades with the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary and co-wrote the John Denver hit "Sunshine on My Shoulders," has died. He was 74.

Kniss died Wednesday of pulmonary disease at a hospital near their home in the Hudson Valley town of Saugerties, said his wife, Diane Kniss.

Kniss was born in Portland, Ore., and was an original member of Denver's 1970s band. He also played with jazz greats including Herbie Hancock and Woody Herman.

Active in the 1960s civil rights movement, Kniss performed at benefits for a range of causes and played during the first celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday.

Peter, Paul and Mary's Peter Yarrow said in a statement that Kniss was "our intrepid bass player for almost as long as we performed together.

"He was a dear and beloved part of our closest family circle and his bass playing was always a great fourth voice in our music as well as, conceptually, an original and delightfully surprising new statement added to our vocal arrangements," Yarrow said.

Visiting hours are set for 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Seamon-Wilsey Funeral Home in Saugerties, with a service at 2 p.m.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obits/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_en_mu/us_obit_kniss

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From Abkhaz to Zuni: The Language Collections of the University Library, thru Feb 17, 2012

From Abkhaz to Zuni: The Language Collections of the University Library

Exhibit - Artifacts | October?6, 2011 ? February?17, 2012?every?day?with exceptions | Moffitt Undergraduate Library, Elevator Lobby

(No event on these dates: November 11, 24, 25; December 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 2011; January 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 2012)

Sponsor: Library

This exhibit highlights the linguistic diversity of the UC Berkeley Library?s collections, a cornerstone of the world-class research for which the University is famous. The campus libraries include material in over 400 languages, representing a vast array of cultures and time periods.

Some of the highlights include a reproduction of the Bancroft Library's Codex Fernandez Leal, one of the oldest surviving documents of Indian America, about nine feet of which is displayed on the back of the security desk of Moffitt Library; a Swahili cookbook from the Biosciences Library's famed cookbook collection, and a delightful bilingual children's book from the Education/Psychology Library.

Open during operating hours of Moffitt Library. See our website for current hours.

Check the Exhibit blog for more information and virtual updates from the Library's collections.

Attendance restrictions: Anyone wishing to enter Moffitt Library must show a current UC ID, UC Berkeley Library Borrower's Card, or Stanford ID.

Event Contact: clee@library.berkeley.edu, 510-768-7899

Source: http://events.berkeley.edu/index.php/calendar/sn/library.html?event_ID=48817&date=2012-01-26

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Dan Kovalik: U.S. Fueling Human Rights Abuses in Colombia in Violation of Its Own Laws

As Noam Chomsky has often cautioned, when considering foreign relations, and especially military intervention, states should always heed the primary Hippocratic oath -- "First, do no harm." The U.S. has certainly disregarded this admonition with reckless abandon in Latin America, and Colombia is the foremost example of this, at least at the present time. Human Rights Watch appears to concur with this judgment.

Thus, Human Rights Watch (HRW) just released its annual human rights report on Colombia, and it is not pretty. The punch line of the report is most damning of the United States and its role in that country's abysmal practices -- undoubtedly, the very worst of this hemisphere.

As HRW concludes, after its litany of atrocities being committed by the Colombian state and its paramilitary (death squad) allies,

The U.S. remains the most influential foreign actor in Colombia. In 2011 it provided approximately US $562 million in aid, about 61 percent of which was military and police aid. Thirty percent of US military aid is subject to human rights conditions, which the US Department of State has not enforced. In September 2011 the State Department certified that Colombia was meeting human rights conditions.

In other words, the U.S. is acting in direct contravention of the Leahy Amendment, which forbids the funding of military units which fail to honor basic human rights norms. Sadly, the Leahy Amendment appears to be a dead letter.

HRW explains in detail that the human rights violations the U.S. is aiding and abetting in Colombia are indeed the worst imaginable. As HRW explains, in Colombia

paramilitary successor groups continue to grow, maintain extensive ties with public security force members and local officials, and commit widespread atrocities. There has also been ongoing violence against rights defenders, community leaders, and trade unionists.

According to the HRW report, the paramilitary death squads, whose power flows from "[t]oleration of the groups by public security forces," actively "engage in drug trafficking; actively recruit members, including children; and commit widespread abuses against civilians, including massacres, killings, rapes and other forms of sexual violence, threats and forced displacement." HRW notes that, "[i]n January 2011 Colombia's national police chief publicly stated that such groups are the largest source of violence in Colombia." This is a significant admission because the U.S., to justify its continued military support for Colombia, would have the public believe that it is the left-wing guerillas who are most responsible for the violence in Colombia. In fact, this is not true. Rather, it is the paramilitary death squads who bear this responsibility, and it is these death squads, allied as they are with the official Colombian security forces, which are being supported by the military aid the U.S. is sending to that country.

Moreover, while the U.S. attempts with a straight face to portray Colombia as a "democracy," contrasting this with countries such as Cuba or Venezuela which the U.S claims lack democratic values, the recent HRW report makes it clear that Colombia is not recognizable as a democracy in any real sense. Thus, HRW explains that

Candidates campaigning for the nationwide and local elections in October 2011 were also frequently killed amid reports of alleged links between candidates and armed groups. According to the Colombian NGO Mision de Observacion Electoral, 40 candidates were killed in 2011, representing a 48 percent increase in such crimes reported during the 2007 local elections.

If the murder of political candidates were not bad enough, HRW explains that there is "ongoing infiltration of the political system by paramilitaries and their successor groups. . . . Colombia's Ombudsman's Office reported that 119 municipalities faced a high risk of electoral violence or interference by paramilitary successor groups during the October 2011 local elections."

In addition, as HRW explains, the Colombian military has been guilty of more than 3,000 extrajudicial killings of civilians in what is known as the "false positive" scandal wherein "army personnel murdered civilians and reported them as combatants killed in action, apparently in response to pressure to boost body counts." This "pressure to boost body counts," moreover, is coming ultimately from the U.S. which is pursuing an aggressive anti-insurgency policy which rewards the Colombian military for its killing of guerillas.

Meanwhile, and of special concern to the labor movement in the U.S., HRW confirms that Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists with 28 unionists killed in 2011. And, this year has gotten off to a horrible start. Thus, in recent days, three (3) trade unionists have been killed in Colombia -- at least one (Victor Manuel Hilarion Palacios) by the Colombian armed forces themselves. In another instance, Mauricio Redondo, a leader of the USO union (the oil union of Colombia and that country's oldest union) was murdered along with his wife, leaving five children orphaned. Again, such killings do nothing to slow down U.S. aid to the Colombian regime.

Much is to be learned from the case of Colombia. For one, it puts a lie to the U.S.'s claim, often used to justify U.S. military intervention, of supporting democracy and human rights abroad. In the case of Colombia, the U.S. is indeed fueling massive human and labor rights abuses by supporting a regime that it is literally at war with its own people.

This brings us to the next and most important lesson -- violence is not working in Colombia to end the insurgency or to bring about positive change. And yet, it is violence that the U.S. is choosing to use ostensibly to advance such ends. Apparently, the U.S. (the proverbial hammer seeing nails everywhere) does so because violence has become the only tool the U.S. knows to solve problems, despite the fact that this violence almost invariably exacerbates these problems and indeed creates many others. It is clear that in Colombia the only viable solution for a lasting peace, and for real prosperity, is a negotiated settlement to the armed conflict. Tragically, it is such a settlement which the U.S. has refused to support over the years.

Indeed, as Colombia Reports explained, the U.S. has actually put out a call in recent days for countries throughout the region to step up concerted, violent assaults on the guerillas in Colombia. Meanwhile, as Colombia Reports also explained, it is Cuba which is hosting secret peace talks between insurgents and the Colombian government. As in the case of Haiti where the Cubans have sent doctors to fight cholera and the U.S. sent soldiers to fight the population, it is Cuba which is playing a positive, peaceful role in our hemisphere; not the U.S. This fact should be humbling to our leaders in the U.S. if they indeed know humility or shame.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-kovalik/colombia-human-rights_b_1228349.html

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CA-CANADA Summary (Reuters)

Canadian pipeline needs aboriginal consent: chief

OTTAWA (Reuters) ? Enbridge Inc's controversial plan to build a pipeline to the Pacific Coast from oil-rich Alberta requires the consent of aboriginal bands, some of whom staunchly oppose the project, Canada's top native leader said on Wednesday. The contention underlines the difficulties facing Enbridge as it tries to push through the C$5.5 billion ($5.4 billion) Northern Gateway project, which would cross land belonging to many Indian bands, or first nations, so the oil sands-derived crude could be shipped to Asia and California.

Clock ticking on possible Air Canada strike, lock-out

(Reuters) - Air Canada's refusal to extend a period of conciliated labor talks with its pilots' union raises the chance of a strike or lock-out at the country's biggest airline by as early as February. The 3,000-strong Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said on Tuesday the carrier had declined to extend labor contract negotiations that had been taking place under a conciliator appointed by the federal government.

Ontario finance minister sees targeted budget reforms

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ontario's spring budget will see targeted changes to the public sector, rather than cuts across all areas, the finance minister of Canada's most populous province said on Wednesday. "I categorically reject that we will do across the board cuts," Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said in an interview.

Canada education sector toughest job market

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Unemployed workers in Canada's educational services sector faced the toughest job market in the country in the July-September period, according to a new Statistics Canada report on Tuesday. For every 10 unemployed workers in education, there was just one vacancy, the agency's new data on job vacancies in the three-month period showed. The second worst sector was construction where the ratio was 5.1.

Canada's telecoms regulator appoints interim chief

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's telecoms and broadcasting regulator appointed Vice-Chairman Leonard Katz as its interim chairman on Wednesday as predecessor Konrad von Finckenstein's term ended. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said in a statement that Katz will exercise the chairman's powers until the federal cabinet appoints a permanent replacement for von Finckenstein.

Rwanda genocide suspect deported from Canada

KIGALI (Reuters) - A Rwandan man charged with crimes against humanity has been deported from Canada and is due to arrive in the central African country overnight, Rwanda's justice minister said on Tuesday. Leon Mugesera, who lost a 16-year battle to stay in Canada, will face charges of inciting murder, extermination and genocide.

Pilots say Air Canada quit talks; government disagrees

CALGARY/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Air Canada pilots said on Tuesday the airline had abandoned contract talks in the hope that Ottawa would step in to resolve the dispute, but the country's largest carrier said it was awaiting the union's response to its latest offer. Canadian Labour Minister Lisa Raitt also said talks had not broken down and the federally appointed conciliator remained in contact with both parties and was available to assist with negotiations.

Ottawa sees itself as protector of oil sands benefits

VANCOUVER/CALGARY (Reuters) - Canada's government has a responsibility to make sure people can take advantage of the economic benefits Alberta's massive oil deposits can generate, the country's energy minister said on Monday as he once again decried "radicals" bent on stopping Enbridge Inc's Northern Gateway oil pipeline. As about 50 protesters demonstrated noisily outside, Joe Oliver, minister of natural resources, said in Vancouver that "environmental and other radical groups" are indiscriminately opposing any and all large industrial projects and are using Canada's regulatory system as their main battleground.

Canadian minister blasts China ahead of PM's visit

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's foreign minister launched an outspoken attack on China's "abhorrent" treatment of religious minorities on Monday, just weeks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper goes to Beijing in a bid to sell more oil. John Baird's comments came as a major surprise, given Canada's right-of-center Conservative government has gradually toned down its attacks on Chinese human rights issues over the years in favor of boosting trade.

RIM shares bounce back after shuffle-related drop

TORONTO (Reuters) - Shares of Research In Motion rose 8.6 percent on Wednesday, rebounding after two days of declines on disappointment over the choice of an company insider as the BlackBerry maker's new chief executive. The jump followed a 8 percent swoon on Monday and a 3.5 percent drop on Tuesday. Over the weekend, RIM replaced co-chief executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie with Thorsten Heins, a four-year veteran of the struggling company.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/wl_canada_nm/canada_summary

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