Genetic breakthrough for brain cancer in children

ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2012) ? An international research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) has made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future. The researchers identified two genetic mutations responsible for up to 40 per cent of glioblastomas in children -- a fatal cancer of the brain that is unresponsive to chemo and radiotherapy treatment. The mutations were found to be involved in DNA regulation, which could explain the resistance to traditional treatments, and may have significant implications on the treatment of other cancers.

The study was published this week in the journal Nature.

Using the knowledge and advanced technology of the team from the McGill University and G?nome Qu?bec Innovation Centre, the researchers identified two mutations in an important gene known as the histone H3.3. This gene, one of the guardians of our genetic heritage, is key in modulating the expression of our genes. "These mutations prevent the cells from differentiating normally and help protect the genetic information of the tumor, making it less sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy," says Dr. Nada Jabado, hematologist-oncologist at The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and principal investigator of the study.

"This research helps explain the ineffectiveness of conventional treatments against cancer in children and adolescents -- we've been failing to hit the right spot," says Dr. Jabado, who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University. "It is clear now that glioblastoma in children is due to different molecular mechanisms than those in adults, and should not be treated in the same way. Importantly, we now know where to start focusing our efforts and treatments instead of working in the dark."

Inappropriate regulation of this gene has been observed in other cancers such as colon, pancreatic, lymphoma, leukemia and pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, and future research could therefore reveal improved treatments for these diseases. "What is significant here is that for the first time in humans we have identified a mutation in one of the most important genes that regulates and protects our genetic information. This is the irrefutable proof that our genome, if modified, can lead to cancer and probably other diseases. What genomics has shown us today is only the beginning," says Dr. Jabado.

"G?nome Qu?bec is proud to have contributed to a project whose results will make a significant impact on the treatment of pediatric glioblastoma," underlines Marc Le Page, President and CEO of G?nome Qu?bec. "The outstanding contribution of experts in genomics and new sequencing technologies, made by the McGill University and G?nome Qu?bec Innovation Centre and as part of Dr. Jabado's project, is further proof that genomics has become essential for development and innovation in medical research. I wish to acknowledge the excellence of the teams involved in this study and the model of interdisciplinary collaboration that was implemented."

"Personalized medicine has amazing potential for many areas of health care, including infection, rare diseases and cancer. Researchers, like this team, play a vital role in translating discoveries into improved patient care," says Dr. Morag Park, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research. "Through research advancements like this, there is now greater emphasis on using genetic information to make medical decisions. We congratulate Dr. Jabado and her team on these results."

Brain tumours are the primary cause of death for children with cancer in Europe and North America. The diagnosis of glioblastoma in a child or adolescent remains a death sentence and about 200 children in Canada die every year of this cancer. Most children will die within the two years of their diagnosis regardless of treatment.

This work was supported by the Cole Foundation, and was funded in part by Genome Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) with co-funding from Genome BC, G?nome Qu?bec, CIHR-ICR (Institute for Cancer Research) and C17, through the Genome Canada/CIHR joint ATID Competition (project title: The Canadian Paediatric Cancer Genome Consortium: Translating next generation sequencing technologies into improved therapies for high-risk childhood cancer.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by McGill University Health Centre.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Jeremy Schwartzentruber, Andrey Korshunov, Xiao-Yang Liu, David T. W. Jones, Elke Pfaff, Karine Jacob, Dominik Sturm, Adam M. Fontebasso, Dong-Anh Khuong Quang, Martje T?njes, Volker Hovestadt, Steffen Albrecht, Marcel Kool, Andre Nantel, Carolin Konermann, Anders Lindroth, Natalie J?ger, Tobias Rausch, Marina Ryzhova, Jan O. Korbel, Thomas Hielscher, Peter Hauser, Miklos Garami, Almos Klekner, Laszlo Bognar, Martin Ebinger, Martin U. Schuhmann, Wolfram Scheurlen, Arnulf Pekrun, Michael C. Fr?hwald, Wolfgang Roggendorf, Christoph Kramm, Matthias D?rken, Jeffrey Atkinson, Pierre Lepage, Alexandre Montpetit, Magdalena Zakrzewska, Krzystof Zakrzewski, Pawel P. Liberski, Zhifeng Dong, Peter Siegel, Andreas E. Kulozik, Marc Zapatka, Abhijit Guha, David Malkin, J?rg Felsberg, Guido Reifenberger, Andreas von Deimling, Koichi Ichimura, V. Peter Collins, Hendrik Witt, Till Milde, Olaf Witt, Cindy Zhang, Pedro Castelo-Branco, Peter Lichter, Damien Faury, Uri Tabori, Christoph Plass, Jacek Majewski, Stefan M. Pfister, Nada Jabado. Driver mutations in histone H3.3 and chromatin remodelling genes in paediatric glioblastoma. Nature, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nature10833

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130102522.htm

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Taylor Lautner drops out of "Stretch Armstrong" film (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? The big-screen adaptation of the flexible toy Stretch Armstrong will finally make its way to the big screen thanks to a new partnership between Hasbro and Relativity Media.

However, "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner will no longer be headlining the project due to scheduling conflicts, an individual with knowledge of the project confirmed to TheWrap.

A new cast will be announced shortly.

Lautner has stumbled in launching a post-"Twilight" career. The teen pin-up's recent bid for stardom, last fall's "Abduction," disappointed at the box office, grossing $82 million worldwide on a $35 million budget.

Lautner will next appear in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2" and is in pre-production on "Incarceron."

"Stretch Armstrong" was originally in development at Universal, which was eyeing a 2012 release for the film. Lautner was on tap to earn a reported $7.5 million for the movie. He had cleared his dance card to fit the big-budget project into his schedule, dropping out of the superhero film "Max Steel" and the extreme flying story "Northern Lights."

Relativity will be the domestic distributor and will release the film internationally. The film is targeted for an April 11, 2014 release date.

The film will be produced by Relativity's CEO Ryan Kavanaugh ("The Fighter"), Hasbro President and CEO Brian Goldner ("Transformers") and Bennett Schneir, senior vice president and managing director, motion pictures ("Battleship"). Relativity Co-President Tucker Tooley ("Immortals") will serve as executive producer.

"Stretch Armstrong" will draw its inspiration from the action hero figure first launched by Hasbro in 1976 and re-launched in the 90's. The original "Stretch" could be stretched over and over and always returned back to his original size.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/people_nm/us_taylorlautner

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Syria troops battle to retake Damascus suburbs (Reuters)

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) ? Around 2,000 Syrian troops backed by tanks launched an assault to retake Damascus suburbs from rebels on Sunday, activists said, a day after the Arab League suspended its monitoring mission in Syria because of worsening violence.

They said 19 civilians and rebel fighters were killed as the soldiers in armoured personnel carriers moved in at dawn, along with at least 50 tanks and other armoured vehicles.

The forces of President Bashar al-Assad pushed into the Ghouta area on the eastern edge of Damascus to take part in an offensive in the suburbs of Saqba, Hammouriya and Kfar Batna.

Tanks advanced into the centre of Saqba and Kfar Batna, the activists said, in a move to flush out fighters who had taken over districts less than eight km (five miles) from Assad's centre of power.

"It's urban war. There are bodies in the street," said one activist, speaking from Kfar Batna. Activists said 14 civilians and five insurgents from the rebel Free Syrian Army were killed there and in other suburbs.

Residents of central Damascus, which has remained relatively calm throughout Syria's 10-month crisis, reported seeing soldiers and police deployed around main squares to prevent unrest spreading into the heart of the capital.

The escalating bloodshed prompted the Arab League to suspend the work of its monitors on Saturday. Arab foreign ministers, who have urged Assad to step down and make way for a government of national unity, will discuss the crisis on February 5.

Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby left for New York where he will brief representatives of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to seek support for an Arab peace plan that calls on Assad to step aside after months of protests.

He will be joined by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, whose country heads the League's committee charged with overseeing Syria.

Speaking shortly before he left Cairo on Sunday, Elaraby said he hoped to overcome resistance from Beijing and Moscow over endorsing the Arab proposals. "There are contacts with China and Russia on this issue," he said.

A Syrian government official was quoted by state media as saying Damascus was surprised by the Arab League decision to suspend monitoring, which would "put pressure on (Security Council) deliberations with the aim of calling for foreign intervention and encouraging armed groups to increase violence."

Assad blames the violence on foreign-backed militants.

ARMY DEATHS

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a total of 41 civilian deaths across Syria on Sunday, including 14 in Homs province and 12 in the city of Hama. Thirty-one soldiers and members of the security forces were also killed, most of them in two attacks by army deserters in the northern province of Idlib, it said.

State news agency SANA reported the military funerals of 28 soldiers and police on Saturday and another 23 on Sunday.

Faced with mass demonstrations against his rule, Assad launched a military crackdown to subdue the protests. Growing numbers of army deserters and gunmen have joined the demonstrators, increasing instability in the country of 23 million people at the heart of the Middle East.

The insurgency has been gradually approaching the capital, whose suburbs, a series of mainly conservative Sunni Muslim towns bordering old gardens and farmland, known as the al-Ghouta, are home to the bulk of Damascus's population.

One activist reported heavy shelling in the suburb of Saqba, and said the army was facing stiff opposition from rebels.

Another, who identified himself as Raid, said mosques had been turned into field hospitals and were appealing for blood supplies. "They cut off the electricity. Petrol stations are empty and the army is preventing people from leaving to get fuel for generators or heating," he said.

The Damascus suburbs have seen large demonstrations demanding the removal of Assad, a member of the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam that has dominated the mostly Sunni Muslim country for the last five decades.

TOWN BESIEGED

In Rankous, 30 km (20 miles) north of Damascus by the Lebanese border, Assad's forces have killed at least 33 people in recent days in an attack to dislodge army defectors and insurgents, activists and residents said on Sunday.

Rankous, a mountain town of 25,000 people, has been under tank fire since Wednesday, when several thousand troops laid siege to it, they said.

France, which has been leading calls for stronger international action on Syria, said the Arab League decision highlighted the need to act.

"France vigorously condemns the dramatic escalation of violence in Syria, which has led the Arab League to suspend its observers' mission in Syria," the Foreign Ministry said.

"Dozens of Syrian civilians have been killed in the past days by the savage repression taken by the Syrian regime ... Those responsible for these barbarous acts must answer to their crimes," it said.

The Arab League mission was sent in at the end of last year to observe Syria's implementation of the peace plan, which failed to end the fighting. Gulf states withdrew monitors last week, saying the team could not stop the violence.

The United Nations said in December more than 5,000 people had been killed in the protests and crackdown. Syria says more than 2,000 security force members have been killed by militants.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council discussed a European-Arab draft resolution aimed at halting the bloodshed. Britain and France said they hoped to put it to a vote next week.

Russia joined China in vetoing a previous Western draft resolution in October, and has said it wants a Syrian-led political process, not "an Arab League-imposed outcome" or Libyan-style "regime change."

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

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SAG Awards Fashion Face-Off: Emma Stone vs. Michelle Williams

They are young. They are talented. And they will be posing on the red carpets of awards ceremonies for many, many more years to come.

We're talking about Emma Stone and Michelle Williams, of course, both of whom looked dashing at last night's SAG Awards. The former starred in almost every movie that came out last year, but is most talked about these days for her role in The Help; while Williams is an Oscar contender for her portrayal in My Week with Marilyn.

We're huge fans of each, but only one can earn the title of THG Fashion Face-Off winner. Study their looks at the event and cast your all-important vote now:

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/sag-awards-fashion-face-off-emma-stone-vs-michelle-williams/

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Tiger Woods shoots 66 to share lead in Abu Dhabi (AP)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates ? Tiger Woods shot a 6-under 66 Saturday to grab a share of the lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the latest sign that the 14-time major winner is returning to form after ending a two-year victory drought.

There wasn't a lot of fist pumping from Woods, who traded drama for consistency in racking up six birdies in a bogey-free round.

It was a memorable performance by the American, mostly for his ability to hit the fairways, tame the par 5s and sink clutch putts ? including a six-footer for birdie on the final hole.

"It just seemed like I didn't do a lot of things right but I didn't do a lot of things wrong today, it was just very consistent," Woods said. "You know, made a couple putts here and there ... I stayed away from trouble and tried to keep the ball towards the fat side of some of these pins and I think I did a pretty good job."

Woods moved to 11 under for the tournament and is tied with newcomer Robert Rock, who birdied his final two holes to earn the 117th-ranked Englishman a first-ever pairing with Woods for Sunday's finale.

Rory McIlroy (68), Peter Hanson (64), Francesco Molinari (66) and Paul Lawrie (68) were two shots back, with George Coetzee (65), James Kingston (67), overnight leader Thorbjorn Olesen (71) and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (69) all a shot further back.

Woods is attempting to follow his season-ending victory at the Chevron World Challenge with another win here. He was two shots off the pace after the second round but started climbing the leaderboard Saturday with an opening birdie, followed by another on No. 7.

He stepped up his game on the back nine and grabbed a share of the lead after he narrowly missed an eagle putt on the 10th and settled for birdie. He briefly took the outright lead with a birdie on 14.

The crowd of several hundred cheered every birdie, with some yelling "Tiger's back."

Woods refused to talk about his victory chances, acknowledging too many players remain within striking distance.

"There's a ton of guys with a chance to win," Woods said. "You know, we have not separated ourselves from the field. The field is very bunched. I need to go out there and put together a solid round of golf, and I can't go out there and shoot even par and expect to win. I've got to go out there and go get it."

Rock, who got his first European Tour win last year in Italy in a playoff with Sergio Garcia, admitted he was star-struck at the prospect of teeing off alongside Woods, calling him "the best guy I've ever seen play golf."

The 34-year-old journeyman is relishing the chance to go head-to-head with one of golf's all-time greats.

"There's quite a lot of people out there (today) obviously following Tiger in the group in front of us. Hopefully we've got the same amount of people watching tomorrow, and we'll see how I cope with it," Rock said. "I just want to experience it. How many chances I'll get to do that, it's not clear."

Rock was one of several players who challenged Woods for the lead after overnight leader Olesen fell back.

Lawrie, the 1999 British Open champion, showed some of the form he displayed at the Dubai World Championship in December, where he finished second. He made birdie on 10 and 11 to tie Woods for the lead, fell back with bogeys on 14 and 17 and then recovered to birdie the 18th.

Molinari and Hanson also bounced back from opening round 74s to move into contention. Molinari had five birdies on his back nine, while the 47th-ranked Swede had eight birdies in his round ? including three on the last five holes ? in a bogey-free round to finish with the lowest score of the day.

"It was one of those days where you have the best job in the world," Hanson said. "Struck it nice, made four easy birdies on the par 5s and then a few more, and it felt pretty easy somehow."

U.S. Open champion McIlroy also is still in the mix, a day after he had two double bogeys, including on the 9th when he was penalized for brushing away sand in front of his ball. He only had one bogey to go with five birdies Saturday, but the 22-year-old Northern Irishman was forced to scramble several times to save par, including on the 18th when an errant drive went into nearby rocks and almost into a pond.

"I definitely felt today was a lot better than yesterday," McIlroy said. "I felt like I hit the ball a lot better. I feel that I made a couple of loose swings off the tee and obviously one on the last, and a couple others, but it's getting there. So hopefully I can just keep that going tomorrow and maybe get off to a fast start and put pressure on the guys in front of me."

Top-ranked Luke Donald (73) is 11 shots behind Woods, with No. 2-ranked Lee Westwood (68) seven off the lead.

___

Follow Michael Casey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mcasey1

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_sp_go_su/glf_abu_dhabi_championship

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Gingrich wants panel to look at in vitro clinics (AP)

LUTZ, Fla. ? Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich called Sunday for a commission to study the ethical issues relating to in vitro fertilization clinics, where infertile women receive treatment to get pregnant and large numbers of embryos are created.

"If you have in vitro fertilization you are creating life. And therefore we should look seriously at what should the rules be for clinics that do that because they're creating life," said Gingrich, who opposes abortion and says life begins at conception.

Gingrich, who is campaigning for votes in Tuesday's Florida primary, did not expand on his proposal for a commission. His remarks seemed to open the possibility of a larger federal role over IVF clinics across the country than currently exists.

Standing outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, where he had attended Sunday worship services, Gingrich also said he opposes the use of leftover embryos for stem cell research, which advocates say offers the hope of treatments or even cures for a variety of diseases.

The issue of stem cell research has become politically charged over the past decade, as scientific technique has advanced.

Former President George W. Bush, who opposed abortion rights, signed an executive order in 2001 that said federal funds could be used for stem cell research only on lines that were already in existence, which scientists subsequently said had been compromised.

President Barack Obama, who supports abortion rights, jettisoned Bush's restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research after taking office.

In vitro fertilization involves creating an embryo outside a woman's body, then implanting it inside the womb. Excess embryos may be stored at the clinic, discarded, used for research or made available to other couples. A study nearly a decade ago estimated there were as many as 400,000 in existence.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_el_pr/us_gingrich_embryos

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Arab League halts observer mission in Syria

This citizen journalism image provide by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and released early Friday Jan. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian man, right, mourning over the dead body of his son, who was shot by the Syrian forces, in Idlib province, Syria, on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012. A "terrifying massacre" in the restive Syrian city of Homs has killed more than 30 people, including small children, in a barrage of mortar fire and attacks by armed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, activists said Friday. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

This citizen journalism image provide by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and released early Friday Jan. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian man, right, mourning over the dead body of his son, who was shot by the Syrian forces, in Idlib province, Syria, on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012. A "terrifying massacre" in the restive Syrian city of Homs has killed more than 30 people, including small children, in a barrage of mortar fire and attacks by armed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, activists said Friday. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

This citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and released on Friday Jan. 27, 2012, purports to show the bodies of five Syrian children wrapped in plastic bags, with signs in Arabic identifying them by name. Activists say the children were killed in a shelling attack by Syrian forces, in the Karm el-Zaytoun neighborhood of Homs, Syria, on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012 A "terrifying massacre" in the restive Syrian city of Homs has killed more than 30 people, including small children, in a barrage of mortar fire and attacks by armed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, activists said Friday. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO EDITORIAL USE ONLY

An anti-Syrian regime protester, gestures during a demonstration against Syrian President Bashar Assad, at Khalidya area in Homs province, central Syria, on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Syrian troops stormed a flashpoint suburb of Damascus on Thursday, rounding people up in house-to-house raids and clashing with army defectors, activists said, as the 10-month-old uprising inches ever closer to the capital. (AP Photo)

Syrian army defectors stand guard on a rooftop to secure an anti-Syrian regime protest in the Deir Baghlaba area in Homs province, central Syria, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Armed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad barraged residential buildings with mortars and machine-gun fire, killing at least 30 people, including a family of women and children during a day of sectarian killings and kidnappings in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, activists said Friday. (AP Photo)

Syrian army defectors secure a street near an anti-Syrian regime protest in the Deir Baghlaba area of Homs province, central Syria, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Armed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad barraged residential buildings with mortars and machine-gun fire, killing at least 30 people, including a family of women and children during a day of sectarian killings and kidnappings in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, activists said Friday. (AP Photo)

BEIRUT (AP) ? The Arab League halted its observer mission to Syria on Saturday, sharply criticizing the regime of President Bashar Assad for escalating violence in recent days that has killed nearly 100 people across the country.

The rising bloodshed has added urgency to new attempts by Arab and Western countries to find a resolution to the 10 months of violence that according to the United Nations has killed at least 5,400 people as Assad seeks to crush persistent protests demanding an end to his rule.

But the initiatives continue to face two major obstacles: Damascus' rejection of an Arab peace plan which it says impinges on its sovereignty, and Russia's willingness to use its U.N. Security Council veto to protect Syria from sanctions.

Syrian government forces clashed with anti-regime army defectors across the country on Saturday. At least 20 were reported killed in the clashes and other violence. The new deaths come after two days of bloody turmoil killed at least 74 people, including small children.

The clashes have been the most intense near the tightly-controlled capital since the uprising began in March.

The month-old Arab observer mission in Syria has come under widespread criticism for failing to bring a halt to the regime's crackdown. Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia pulled out of the mission Tuesday, asking the U.N. Security Council to intervene.

League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said in a statement that after discussions with Arab foreign ministers, the organization decided to halt the observers' work immediately because of the increasing violence, until the League's council can meet to decide the mission's fate.

He blamed Damascus for the spike in bloodshed, saying the regime has "resorted to escalating the military option in complete violation of (its) commitments" to end the crackdown, Elaraby said. He said the victims of the violence have been "innocent citizens," in an implicit rejection of Syria's claims that it is fighting "terrorists."

Elaraby's deputy, Ahmed Ben Heli, told reporters that the around 100 observers will remain in Damascus while their mission is "reevaluated."

Ben Heli suggested the observers could resume their work later. Asked if the mission would be withdrawn, he said the halt was "forced by events" and aimed to ensure the observers' safety, but he spoke of a possible "new map" of places where the teams would visit, and said the mission would wait to see what new personnel and logistical help the League would give it.

Elaraby and the prime minister of Qatar were set to leave for New York on Sunday to seek U.N. support for the latest Arab plan to end Syria's crisis. The plan calls for a two-month transition to a unity government, with Assad giving his vice president full powers to work with the proposed government.

Syria has rejected the proposal, saying it violates its sovereignty. Elaraby had previously been due to travel Saturday, but his trip was pushed back to Sunday with no explanation.

The U.N. Security Council began closed-door negotiations Friday on a new Arab-European draft resolution aimed at resolving the crisis, but Russia's envoy said he could not back the current language as it stands.

Any resolution faces strong opposition from China and Russia, and both nations have veto power. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the text introduced by new Arab Security Council member Morocco has "red lines" for Moscow, but he's willing to "engage" with the resolution's sponsors.

Churkin said those lines include any indication of sanctions, including an arms embargo. "We need to concentrate on establishing political dialogue," he said.

Arab League chief Elaraby has been holding talks with Russia's foreign minister over the crisis ahead of the visit to the U.N., Ben Heli said.

In the bloodiest incident reported on Saturday, Syria's state-run news agency SANA said "terrorists" ambushed a bus carrying army officers near the tense Damascus suburb of Douma, killing seven of them.

Although Damascus has been relatively quiet since the uprising began, its suburbs have witnessed intense anti-regime protests and army defectors have become more visible and active in the past few months.

Syrian opposition groups had no immediate reports on the ambush in Douma, but the Local Coordination Councils activist network said government troops were attacking several other Damascus suburbs ? Kfar Batna, Saqba, Jisreen and Arbeen ? using tanks and armored personnel carriers. It added that defectors were fighting advancing troops.

In the eastern oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour, an oil pipeline took a direct hit and caught fire as government troops shelled a town, activists said.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the LCC said the early morning shelling of the town of Qoriah killed at least one person and set the pipeline on fire.

Syria's state-run media blamed anti-government "terrorists" for the attack, saying the fire was extinguished four hours later. It said the pipeline carried crude oil from al-Omar field to a station in the area.

SANA also reported that Syrian troops prevented gunmen from crossing from neighboring Turkey into the northwestern province of Idlib. SANA said a Syrian soldier was wounded while many of the infiltrators were either killed or wounded, adding that the rest returned to Turkey.

The Free Syrian Army force of anti-regime military defectors is based in Turkey, and its fighters frequently try to cross into Syria through the mountainous border area in the northwest.

The LCC and the Observatory also reported intense fighting between troops and defectors in the town of Rastan near the restive central city of Homs.

The observatory said at least 34 people, including 15 civilians, three defectors and 16 troops were killed across the country in Saturday's violence while the LCC said 20 died, half of them in the central province of Homs, which has been one of the areas hardest hit by government crackdowns.

___

Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Cairo, and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report.

___

Bassem Mroue can be reached on twitter at http://twitter.com/bmroue

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-28-ML-Syria/id-50b970f8dd534678b4975174a1870f5b

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Bucs hire Rutgers' Greg Schiano as new coach (AP)

TAMPA, Fla. ? The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners ? much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.

The 45-year-old former Scarlet Knights coach was hired Thursday, more than three weeks after the Bucs fired Raheem Morris following a 4-12 finish.

The team scheduled a press conference for Friday to introduce Schiano, who inherits a team that allowed the most points in the NFL this season.

"Coach Schiano is a bright, meticulous teacher who knows how to get the most out of his players," general manager Mark Dominik said. "He built and ran a pro-style program at Rutgers, and he's a defensive-minded coach whose teams have always been characterized by toughness and a physical style of play."

Schiano was at Rutgers for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstocks to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.

The Scarlet Knights appointed offensive line coach Kyle Flood as interim head coach while the school searches for Schiano's replacement.

The Bucs fired Morris on Jan. 2 after Tampa Bay lost 10 straight to end the season, most of them by double-digit margins. The collapse following a promising 4-2 start came only a year after the NFL's youngest team went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

The Glazer family that owns the team interviewed at least 10 candidates for the opening, including Oregon's Chip Kelly, who was offered the position before turning it down earlier this week.

The Bucs also talked to former NFL head coaches Mike Sherman, Brad Childress and Marty Schottenheimer; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski; Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray; Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer; Green Bay quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who accepted the head coaching opening with the Miami Dolphins.

An 11th known candidate, ex-Dallas Cowboys coach and current Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, canceled a scheduled interview with the Bucs that would have taken place while the Texans were in the playoffs.

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said the club was thrilled to entrust the team's rebuilding project to Schiano.

"During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but coach Schiano surely distinguished himself," Glazer said. "From his leadership skills to his considerable track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."

It's not the first exhaustive search the Glazers have conducted for a coach.

The Bucs pursued Steve Spurrier before hiring Tony Dungy in 1996, then tried to lure Bill Parcells and Steve Mariucci to Tampa Bay before trading two first-round draft picks, as well as a pair of second-rounders and $8 million cash to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Jon Gruden after the 2001 season.

Gruden led the Bucs to their only Super Bowl title the following season, but Tampa Bay hasn't won a playoff game since. The Glazers fired him three weeks after the Bucs lost the final four games of 2008 to miss the playoffs, and promoted Morris as his successor.

Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris, who served as his own defensive coordinator. The Bucs allowed a franchise-record 494 points in 2011, including 31 of more in seven of the last eight games.

In addition to fixing a defense that's been rebuilt over the past two drafts, getting young quarterback Josh Freeman back on track will be a priority this offseason.

Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, his second year in the league and his first as a full-time starter. The 24-year-old passed for 16 TDs vs. 22 interceptions this season.

The timing of the move could put Rutgers in a bind with national signing day less than a week away. This is a pivotal time in the recruiting process, with coaches locking up commitments from high school prospects who make those agreements official by signing national letters of intent starting Wednesday.

Schiano's contract with Rutgers runs through 2016 and pays him around $2.35 million per year.

He played linebacker at Bucknell, but never in the NFL. His first big break in coaching came at Penn State, where Joe Paterno hired him to coach defensive backs in 1991. He was at Penn State through 1995, before being hired by the Bears.

Because of his success at Rutgers, there had often been speculation for years about Schiano possibly replacing Paterno when the Hall of Famer was done coaching. But when Penn State was looking for a replacement after firing Paterno amid a child sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former longtime assistants, the school hired Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

Schiano has been courted by several other colleges during his time at Rutgers, most notably Miami in 2006 and Michigan in 2007.

"I've had several opportunities over the years and none of them felt right," Schiano told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., as he left Rutgers' football facility Thursday night "This time, this one felt right."

Schiano's first four seasons at Rutgers produced losing seasons, but the program he took over was practically at rock bottom in major college football. Before he was hired, the Scarlet Knights played in only one bowl game in their history.

Schiano brought structure and discipline to a program that sorely lacked both on every level. Not only has Rutgers become a consistent winner in the Big East, but the Scarlet Knights have regularly been among the top teams in the country when it comes to graduating players. He also encouraged the school to secure funding for multimillion dollar upgrades to Rutgers' facilities, including a major stadium renovation.

In 2005, Rutgers went 7-5 and the next season the Scarlet Knights were 11-2. They played in six bowls under Schiano, winning five, including a victory over Iowa state in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap a 9-4 season in 2011.

___

AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_buccaneers_schiano

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Economy grew modest 2.8 pct. in Q4, best in 2011 (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The U.S. economy grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the final three months of last year, the fastest growth in 2011.

Americans spent more on cars and trucks, and companies built up their stockpiles. But growth in the October-December quarter ? and all of last year ? was held back by the biggest annual government spending cuts in four decades.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy grew just 1.7 percent last year, roughly half of the growth in 2010 and the worst since the recession.

Most economists expect businesses to ease up on restocking in the first three months of the year. That should slow first-quarter growth. And consumers may cut back on spending if their wages continue to lag inflation.

In the final three months of last year, consumer spending grew at a 2 percent annual rate. That's up modestly from the third quarter.

Much of the growth was powered by a 14.8 percent surge in sales of autos and other long-lasting manufactured goods.

Incomes, which have been weak all year because of high unemployment, grew at a modest 0.8 percent rate. That followed two straight quarters of declining incomes.

Consumer spending is important because it makes up 70 percent of economic activity.

Spending by government at all levels fell at an annual rate of 4.6 percent in the fourth quarter and 2.1 percent for the year ? the biggest decline since 1971.

Sweeping federal defense cuts at the beginning and end of 2011 were a major factor.

Richard DeKaiser, a senior economist at Parthenon Group, expects just 2 percent annual growth in the January-March quarter. But Kaiser says that should be the weakest quarter. He expects the economy to gain strength in each quarter and grow 2.6 percent for the entire year.

Other data show the economy ended 2011 on a strong note. Companies invested more in equipment and machinery in December. The unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent last month ? the lowest level in nearly three years ? after the sixth straight month of solid hiring.

People are buying more cars, and consumer confidence is rising. Even the depressed housing market has shown enough improvement to make some economists predict a turnaround has begun.

Still, many economists worry that a recession in Europe could dampen demand for U.S. manufactured goods, which would slow growth. And without more jobs and better pay, consumer spending is likely to stagnate.

The Federal Reserve signaled this week that a full recovery could take at least three more years. In response, it said it would probably not increase its benchmark interest rate until late 2014 at the earliest ? a year and a half later than it had previously said.

The central bank also slightly reduced its outlook for growth this year, from as much as 2.9 percent forecast in November down to 2.7 percent. The Fed sees unemployment falling as low as 8.2 percent this year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/us_economy

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Bulletins Live ? Communications Specialist / Marketing Consultant

By

Friday, January 27, 2012

British Sugar, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Associated British Foods (ABF) is the leading supplier of sugar to the UK market. Producing an extensive range of sugar products, we deliver excellent taste, flavour and functionality and are represented in the leading brands of international food, drink and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The scale and nature of our operations mean that behind every product of the total assurance of food safety product traceability, security of supply and a commitment to product innovation. We maintain our marketing leading position by anticipating and meeting the needs of our customers.

We currently have a new and exciting position for a Communications Specialist to join our communications team in Peterborough. You will be responsible for the design and delivery of internal and external communications for the Commercial, Operations, TOPSOIL and LimeX business areas and support the Corporate Communications Manager.

This challenging role requires the development, creation, design and evaluation of relevant communications collateral and the preparation of presentations and scripts, and you will ensure that all British Sugar materials give a consistent message and uphold our brand and reputation.

With a creative and analytical approach to tasks, you will use your experience and established communications background to produce and maintain highly effective communication plans across a number of channels. With the ability to identify and manage issues, you will strive for continuous improvement though creative solutions. Coupled with your extensive communications experience you will have the ability to create and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders and be able to communicate effectively at all levels with both internal and external parties.

Educated to degree level or equivalent in Communications or related discipline, the ideal candidate will be fully computer literate, particularly familiar with the Microsoft Suite and Lotus Notes.

For more information on the role please contact Jehan Williams on 01943 467766. To apply, click the APPLY ONLINE button.

Source: http://www.bulletinslive.com/?p=2067

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Netgear NeoTV NTV550

We've come a long way in home entertainment products. HDTVs and Blu-ray players now often come with streaming media services, the ability to play media files over USB drives, and even built-in Wi-Fi. If you want to access those services with an older HDTV, the Roku LT ($49.99, 4 stars) can be found for just $50, and the Western Digital WD TV Live Hub ($199.99, 4 stars) offers both a ton of storage and plenty of online services. The Netgear NeoTV NTV 550 tries to offer a similar service, but at $199.99 (list) with no storage, no Wi-Fi, and no Netflix, it falls short as a media hub.

The NeoTV does let you access both local drives and networked devices and play movies, music, and pictures from them, but onboard storage or a better service selection would better justify this device, which effectively does little more than many HDTVs and Blu-ray players with USB ports and DLNA networking. If you have a huge library of media on your networked computer, USB hard drive, eSATA hard drive, or NAS, it can be a worthwhile way to get your content to your HDTV (that is, if you can run an Ethernet cable or spend extra on a Wi-Fi adapter). But if you just want to access a few files over a network or with a USB key, it's too much.

Performance
At first glance, the NTV550 looks like a router, measuring a flat 1.4 by 8.5 by 5.7 inches and weighing just 15 ounces. The front panel holds a Power button, a USB port, and an SD card slot. There's another USB port, an HDMI output, component outputs, a 3.5mm A/V output, an optical audio output, and eSATA and Ethernet ports around back. With no integrated Wi-Fi, you'll need to get Netgear's WNCE2001 wireless adapter for another $80 if you want to use it on your local network without running a cable to your router.

The 8.4-inch remote could easily be mistaken for a Blu-ray player's remote. It has a number pad, direction pad, playback controls, and even four color buttons that double for Video, Music, Photo, and Web buttons. It sits comfortably in the hand and is thoughtfully laid out, though the number pad is puzzling for a device that doesn't access channels.

A multitool of file playback, the NeoTV supports over a dozen video file containers and codecs, including H.264, AVCHD, multiple MPEG-4 types, and DVD ISO and VOB files. It can handle plenty of audio files, too, including MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV, and any digital video or audio media that uses Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS 2.0+, DTS HD, or DTS HD MA for up to 7.1-channel surround sound output. It also supports multiple subtitle file formats for movies and can show JPEG, BMP, PNG, and TIFF image files. All of these files can be loaded through an SD card, a USB or eSATA drive, or a networked computer or hard drive, and the device can automatically scan those connected devices to catalog all the media it can play.

Online Services
Despite its impressive file support and local network abilities, the NTV550 is slim on online content offerings. It can access YouTube and a handful of news video feeds and Internet radio stations, but there's no Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, Amazon Instant Video, or any of the other commonly used streaming media services online. The NTV550 might let you watch nearly any video file on your local network, but if you want to use Netflix and other streaming video, you're going to need an HDTV or Blu-ray player with those services.?

When you connect a USB or eSATA drive or insert an SD card, you can scan it and any other connected devices for media and let the NTV550 catalog all photos, videos, and sound files together. Depending on how large the drive is and how many files and folders of any kind are on it, this can take a while. Once cataloged, they can be viewed in neatly arranged lists of genre, artist, and other categories. Like all systems that use metadata, this can result in holes and duplicate genres in your lists, and if your movies don't have any metadata you'll have to browse the catalog like a file manager.

In my tests, the NTV550 handled media files well with only one small hiccup. It played various videos encoded in DivX, AVI, WMV, and even MKV formats. The only issue was an MKV video with dual audio encoded for multiple language tracks, which played silently despite trying both tracks, which the player detected and could be chosen through the Audio menu. Interestingly, it handled subtitles flawlessly. If you have a movie file on your computer, the device can probably play it, and if it can't, you can convert the file to a similar format it can play.

The Netgear NeoTV NTV550 is a nice idea for marrying your PC content with your HDTV, but its high price and lack of online services and Wi-Fi keep it from earning a recommendation. It does exactly what Netgear says it does, but when most decent HDTVs and Blu-ray players can already play files from USB drives and support DLNA for playing files over a network, $200 is too much for a product that still forces you to run a cable. The Editors' Choice Western Digital WD TV Live Hub also lacks built-in Wi-Fi, but it comes with 1TB of storage so you can still keep a big chunk of your media on the box instead of strewn across your home network, and it has more online services, making it a much better media hub for your HDTV. If you want to save money and get built-in Wi-Fi, grab the Apple TV ($99, 4 stars) and put your media on iTunes.

More Media Hub & Receiver reviews:

??? Netgear NeoTV NTV550
??? Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player (NSZ-GT1)
??? Roku LT
??? Grace Digital Victoria Nostalgic Internet Radio
??? Bigstream
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/BPJAAjQUexg/0,2817,2398953,00.asp

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Will Beyonce Join The Ranks Of Celebrity Mommy Moguls?

Mommy Mogul Kimora Lee Simmons and experts discuss the balance between motherhood and business.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyoncé and Jay-Z
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Now that Beyoncé has added a new job to her resume, mom, there's a slew of potential new projects the pop-star mogul might add to her ever-growing empire. Gwen Stefani, Madonna and Victoria Beckham are just a sampling of pop stars who have managed to write a whole new chapter into their careers thanks to motherhood.

These celebs have expanded their personal brands to include children's clothing lines, books, songs and movies and have even revitalized themselves in their image as super-glam supermoms. As Beyoncé looks to the future and her role as Blue Ivy's mama, mommy mogul Kimora Lee Simmons and Christopher Gavigan, who works with Jessica Alba on her Honest brand, talked to MTV News about the balance between parenthood and the business world.

"I always tell people I'm not the glamorous Hollywood mom," said Simmons, who continues to expand her own fashion brand to include Shinto Clinical skincare line. "I'm not the kind of celebrity that lives in the spotlight. I'm famous from work that I do. I've always been in the business and raised my family in the business so it's like a second nature for me. I think that's the key is striking a balance. For me it's always about prioritizing."

What's Simmon's advice for new celeb moms looking to follow her lead? "I think it's about choosing what you want and going after that. Do the best you can, but you don't have to be Superwoman."

And Simmons isn't the only Hollywood A-lister trying to do it all. Alba launched Honest with Gavigan to give moms a place to find eco-friendly products for their babies. "Jessica is like every other mom. Every other mom is a major multi-tasker," Gavigan said of working with the star. "Jessica was very in line with everyone, the average mom and dad out there."

"Find what you're passionate about and go do that," he advised to any future mom moguls. "You articulate that in a brand or in a way you feel from a business perspective that you feel you get your focus articulated in some meaningful or special way. A lot of it is partnerships and leveraging the greatest assets of each other."

With all that advice in mind, some celebrity experts weighed in on what B just might do now that she is a mom. "I think it's going to come very naturally for Beyoncé to emerge as this celebrity mom, just given all the current existing brand extensions she has," said David Caplan, who has worked at Star and People magazines. "Having a child will give her legitimacy, obviously, to the moms, and clearly there's lots and lots of money to be had there. So, I think you will see her lend her hand in the baby arena, whether it's her brand extensions intentionally or just emerging as some sort of Hollywood celebrity mom icon, which happens sometimes with these celebrity mothers.

"Whether or not it's intentional or not, I think she's definitely going to emerge as a celebrity mother icon," he continued. "And I'm sure she'll take advantage of that and invest in her brand."

A suggestion from another expert fits right in line with the first move her hubby, Jay-Z, made when he dropped his track "Glory" just says after Blue's birth, which features his baby girl. "I think that this is a woman that has tried terribly hard to keep her private life private," HuffPost celebrity columnist Rob Shuter said. "I think it'll be the same with her baby. I can't imagine her doing a Bethenny Frankel move."

How do you think motherhood will affect Beyoncé's career? Share your thoughts below!

Related Videos

• All About Beyonce And Jay-Z's New Arrival

Related Artists

• Beyoncé
• Jay-Z

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677997/beyonce-motherhood-business.jhtml

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Cortexa's ZE Home Controller: recreate Demon Seed for a fraction of the cost

Your home is the next frontier for gadgeteers across the world and Cortexa's leading the way by releasing a new kit that'll turn your house into Proteus IV in a matter of minutes. The EZ Home Automation Ready Controller can manage lighting, security cameras and thermostats from the comfort of its Flash-based (aww) web-interface or iOS app. It's also retailing an EZ-Wave Starter package with ten dimmers, thermostat, energy monitor, controller and two lamp modules for quick fitting. You'll also be able to save on energy bills, cutting your power down when you're out and about or by setting custom actions for those lightbulb-left-on-moments. Cortexa's building a HTML5 interface as well as support for Hal and Lutron-based systems, which are due to arrive in "a few weeks." The starter kit will set you back $1,800, while remote access costs $50 a year (or $5 a month). After the break we've got PR for everyone who wants to really freak out the kid you paid to come house-sit when you're on vacation.

[Thanks, Jesse]

Continue reading Cortexa's ZE Home Controller: recreate Demon Seed for a fraction of the cost

Cortexa's ZE Home Controller: recreate Demon Seed for a fraction of the cost originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/cortexa-s-ze-home-controller-recreate-demon-seed-for-a-fraction/

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Celeb birthdays for the week of Jan. 29-Feb. 4 (omg!)

Jan. 29: Actor-singer Noel Harrison is 78. Actress Katharine Ross is 72. Actor Tom Selleck is 67. Singer Bettye LaVette is 66. Actor Marc Singer is 64. Actress Ann Jillian is 62. Drummer Tommy Ramone of The Ramones is 60. Drummer Louie Perez of Los Lobos is 59. Singer Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band is 59. Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey is 58. Country singer Irlene Mandrell is 56. Actress Diane Delano ("The Ellen Show," ''Northern Exposure") is 55. Actress Judy Norton Taylor ("The Waltons") is 54. Guitarist Johnny Spampinato (NRBQ) is 53. Drummer David Baynton-Power of James is 51. Bassist Eddie Jackson of Queensryche is 51. Actor Nicholas Turturro is 50. Singer-guitarist Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera is 48. Director-actor Ed Burns is 44. Actress Heather Graham is 42. Actor Sharif Atkins is 37. Actress Sara Gilbert is 37. Actor Andrew Keegan ("Party of Five") is 33. Guitarist Jonny Lang is 31.

Jan. 30: Actor Gene Hackman is 82. Actress Tammy Grimes is 78. Actress Vanessa Redgrave is 75. Country singer Jeanne Pruett is 75. Country singer Norma Jean is 74. Singer Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship is 70. Horn player William King of The Commodores is 63. Musician Phil Collins is 61. Actor Charles S. Dutton ("Roc") is 61. Comedian Brett Butler ("Grace Under Fire") is 54. Singer Jody Watley is 53. Country singer Tammy Cochran is 40. Actor Christian Bale is 38. Singer Josh Kelley is 32. Actor Wilmer Valderrama is 32. Actor Jake Thomas ("Lizzie McGuire," ''AI") is 22.

Jan. 31: Actress Carol Channing is 91. Actor Stuart Margolin ("The Rockford Files") is 72. Actress Jessica Walter ("Arrested Development") is 71. Actor Glynn Turman ("The Wire," ''A Different World") is 66. Singer Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band is 61. Singer Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols is 56. Actor Anthony LaPaglia is 53. Actress Kelly Lynch is 53. Singer-guitarist Lloyd Cole is 51. Guitarist Jeff Hanneman of Slayer is 48. Bassist Al Jaworski of Jesus Jones is 46. Actress Minnie Driver is 42. Actress Portia de Rossi is 39. Actress Kerry Washington ("Ray") is 35. Singer Justin Timberlake is 31.

Feb. 1: Actor Stuart Whitman is 84. Actor-comedian Garrett Morris is 75. Singer Don Everly of The Everly Brothers is 75. Singer Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show is 75. Actor Sherman Hemsley is 74. Jazz pianist Joe Sample is 73. Bluegrass singer Del McCoury is 73. Actor-writer-director Terry Jones (Monty Python) is 70. Guitarist Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is 62. Actor-writer-producer Billy Mumy ("Lost in Space") is 58. Singer Exene Cervenka of X is 56. Keyboardist Dwayne Dupuy of Ricochet is 47. Actress Sherilyn Fenn is 47. Singer Lisa Marie Presley is 44. Comedian Pauly Shore is 44. Drummer Patrick Wilson of Weezer is 43. Actor Michael C. Hall is 41. Rapper Big Boi of Outkast is 37. TV personality Lauren Conrad is 26.

Feb. 2: Actress Elaine Stritch is 87. Actor Robert Mandan ("Soap," ''Three's a Crowd") is 80. Comedian Tom Smothers is 75. Singer Graham Nash is 70. Actor Bo Hopkins is 70. Singer Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers is 66. TV chef Ina Garten ("Barefoot Contessa") is 64. Actor Brent Spiner ("Star Trek: The Next Generation") is 63. Bassist Ross Valory of Journey is 63. Model Christie Brinkley is 58. Actor Michael Talbott ("Miami Vice") is 57. Actress Kim Zimmer ("Guiding Light") is 57. Bassist Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots is 46. Actress Jennifer Westfeldt ("Kissing Jessica Stein") is 42. Rapper T-Mo (Goodie Mob) is 40. Actress Marissa Jaret Winokur is 39. Singer Shakira is 35.

Feb. 3: Comedian Shelley Berman is 87. Actress Blythe Danner is 69. Singer Dennis Edwards (The Temptations) is 69. Guitarist Dave Davies of The Kinks is 65. Singer Melanie is 65. Actress Morgan Fairchild is 62. Actor Nathan Lane is 56. Guitarist Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth is 56. Actor Thomas Calabro ("Melrose Place") is 53. Actress Michele Greene ("L.A. Law") is 50. Country singer Matraca Berg is 48. Actress Maura Tierney ("ER," ''NewsRadio") is 47. Singer Daddy Yankee is 36. Singer Jessica Harp (The Wreckers) is 30. Rapper Sean Kingston is 22.

Feb. 4: Actor Conrad Bain ("Diff'rent Strokes") is 89. Comedian David Brenner is 76. Actor Gary Conway ("Burke's Law") is 76. Drummer John Steel of The Animals is 71. Singer Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension is 68. Singer Alice Cooper is 64. Actor Michael Beck is 63. Actress Lisa Eichhorn is 60. Singer Tim Booth of James is 52. Country singer Clint Black is 50. Guitarist Noodles of The Offspring is 49. Country bassist Dave Buchanan of Yankee Grey is 46. Bassist Rick Burch of Jimmy Eat World is 37. Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 37. Rapper Cam'ron is 36. Singer Gavin DeGraw is 35.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_celeb_birthdays_week_jan29_feb_4_060214720/44309930/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/celeb-birthdays-week-jan-29-feb-4-060214720.html

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Obama challenges: Shrink gap between rich, poor

President Barack Obama gestures while giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listen at rear. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama gestures while giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listen at rear. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Declaring the American dream under siege, President Barack Obama delivered a populist challenge Tuesday night to shrink the gap between rich and poor, promising to tax the wealthy more and help jobless Americans get work and hang onto their homes. Seeking re-election and needing results, the president invited Republicans to join him but warned, "I intend to fight."

In an emphatic State of the Union address, Obama said ensuring a fair shot for all Americans is "the defining issue of our time." He said the economy is finally recovering from a deep and painful recession and he will fight any effort to return to policies that brought it low.

"We've come too far to turn back now," he declared.

Obama outlined a vastly different vision for fixing the country than the one pressed by the Republicans confronting him in Congress and fighting to take his job in the November election. He pleaded for an active government that ensures economic fairness for everyone, just as his opponents demand that the government back off and let the free market rule.

Obama offered steps to help students afford college, a plan for more struggling homeowners to refinance their homes and tax cuts for manufacturers. He threw in politically appealing references to accountability, including warning universities they will lose federal aid if they don't stop tuition from soaring.

Standing in front of a divided Congress, with bleak hope this election year for much of his legislative agenda, Obama spoke with voters in mind.

"We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by," Obama said. "Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules."

A rare wave of unity splashed over the House chamber at the start. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, survivor of an assassination attempt one year ago, received sustained applause from her peers and cheers of "Gabby, Gabby, Gabby." She blew a kiss to the podium. Obama embraced her.

Lawmakers leapt to their feet when Obama said near the start of his speech that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, killed by a raid authorized by the president, will no longer threaten America.

At the core of Obama's address was the improving but deeply wounded economy ? the matter still driving Americans' anxiety and the one likely to determine the next presidency.

"The state of our union is getting stronger," Obama said, calibrating his words as millions remain unemployed. Implicit in his declaration that the American dream is "within our reach" was the recognition that, after three years of an Obama presidency, the country is not there yet.

He spoke of restoring basic goals: owning a home, earning enough to raise a family, putting a little money away for retirement.

"We can do this," Obama said. "I know we can." He said Americans are convinced that "Washington is broken," but he also said it wasn't too late to cooperate on important matters.

Republicans were not impressed. They applauded infrequently, though they did cheer when the president quoted "Republican Abraham Lincoln" as saying: "That government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves ? and no more."

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, offering the formal GOP response, called Obama's policies "pro-poverty" and his tactics divisive.

"No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others," Daniels said after the president's address.

In a signature swipe at the nation's growing income gap, Obama called for a new minimum tax rate of at least 30 percent on anyone making over $1 million. Many millionaires ? including one of his chief rivals, Republican Mitt Romney ? pay a rate less than that because they get most of their income from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate.

"Now you can call this class warfare all you want," Obama said, responding to a frequent criticism from the GOP presidential field. "But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense."

Obama calls this the "Buffett rule," named for billionaire Warren Buffett, who has said it's unfair that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does. Emphasizing the point, Buffett's secretary, Debbie Bosanek, attended the address in first lady Michelle Obama's box.

Obama underlined every proposal with the idea that hard work and responsibility still count. He was targeting independent voters who helped seal his election in 2008 and the frustrated masses in a nation pessimistic about its course.

In a flag-waving defense of American power and influence abroad, Obama said the U.S. will safeguard its own security "against those who threaten our citizens, our friends and our interests." On Iran, he said that while all options are on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon ? an implied threat to use military force ? "a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible."

With Congress almost universally held in low regard, Obama went after an easy target in calling for reforms to keep legislators from engaging in insider trading and holding them to the same conflict-of-interest standards as those that apply to the executive branch.

With the foreclosure crisis on ongoing sore spot despite a number of administration housing initiatives over the past three years, Obama proposed a new program to allow homeowners with privately held mortgages to refinance at lower interest rates. Administration officials offered few details but estimated savings at $3,000 a year for average borrowers.

Obama proposed steps to crack down on fraud in the financial sector and mortgage industry, with a Financial Crimes Unit to monitor bankers and financial service professionals, and a separate special unit of federal prosecutors and state attorneys general to expand investigations into abusive lending that led to the housing crisis.

At a time of tight federal budgets and heavy national debt, Obama found a ready source of money to finance his ideas: He proposed to devote half of the money no longer being spent on the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan to "do some nation-building right here at home," to help create more jobs and increase competitiveness. The other half, he said, would go to help pay down the national debt.

Obama also offered a defense of regulations that protect the American consumer ? regulations often criticized by Republicans as job-killing obstacles.

"Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same," Obama said. "It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody."

Obama will follow up Tuesday night's address with a three-day tour of five states key to his re-election bid. On Wednesday he'll visit Iowa and Arizona to promote ideas to boost American manufacturing; on Thursday in Nevada and Colorado he'll discuss energy, and in Michigan on Friday he'll talk about college affordability, education and training.

Polling shows Americans are divided about Obama's overall job performance but unsatisfied with his handling of the economy.

The speech Tuesday night comes just one week before the Florida Republican primary that could help set the trajectory for the rest of the race.

Romney, caught up in a tight contest with a resurgent Newt Gingrich, commented in advance to Obama's speech.

"Tonight will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three years ? and the failed leadership of one man," Romney said from Florida.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-24-US-State-of-the-Union/id-9800bfa261ae45b4a32c91c30e0af989

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Several dead after landslide hits Papua New Guinea (AP)

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea ? Rescuers were pulling bodies from the debris of a landslide that struck mountainous central Papua New Guinea, a disaster official said Wednesday, with reports saying as many as 60 people were dead or missing.

The full extent of the damage to villages hit by Tuesday's landslide was not immediately known, said Martin Mose, the director of the South Pacific island nation's National Disaster Center.

"I just received reports that several bodies have been recovered," Mose told The Associated Press. He said he was waiting for officials at the scene ? near the town of Mendi ? to provide him with the exact number.

Local media reported that 40 bodies had been recovered and 20 people were still missing.

Local lawmaker Francis Potape told Radio Australia's indigenous language service that the landslide completely covered two villages while people slept.

"There are people buried underneath and a number of them are, from what I have heard, children," The National newspaper quoted Potape as saying.

Reports said the destruction extended more than one mile (two kilometers), leaving roads to villages cut off.

Three National Disaster Center officials were being flown by helicopter to Mendi on Wednesday to join police at the disaster site.

The Post Courier newspaper reported that Prime Minister Peter O'Neill would fly to the state later Wednesday.

(This version CORRECTS spelling of Mose's last name.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_as/as_papua_new_guinea_landslide

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Costa Concordia wreck: What we know a week later

Many details have emerged about what happened before and after the Costa Concordia ran aground on Jan. 13, but it's still unclear what the captain was doing much of that time.

A week after the Costa Concordia sank in shallow water two hours into a holiday cruise, transfixing the world, attention is now focused on the behavior of the captain before and after the ship hit a rock formation at 9:40 p.m.

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What began as a serious tragedy off the Tuscan island of Giglio may now have some serious tabloid elements to the story.

New questions involve the role of a 25-year old blonde Moldovan, a Filipino cook, the captain?s alcohol intake, a dinner ordered after the collision, and the captain?s moves after the ship ran aground, leaving a 160-foot gash in the hull.

Captain Francesco Schettino seems to have been attentive to Domnica Cemortan, alternately described as a hostess and a dancer, for much of the evening before, during, and after the ship hit the rock, possibly dining with her as late as 10:30 p.m. The two were also together as late as midnight, according to Ms. Cemortan, at a lifeboat station, where he ordered her to leave the semi-submerged ship.

What was clarified this week: After charting an alternate course to?sail closer to Giglio Island ? a course that Costa Cruises?denies it authorized?? Schettino told investigators he ?turned too late? to avoid rocks that some maritime experts say are uncharted but do show up on other nautical charts. In?one animated mapping?using nautical GPS positioning of the Concordia, the back half of the ship is shown grazing what is described as an exposed rock.

Transcripts of radio conversations between the Coast Guard and Schettino confirm that he left the ship while hundreds of passengers were still onboard.?

In upcoming days, an accurate timeline may emerge of Schettino?s precise movements?between the restaurant and the bridge?as well as who he called and consulted?? facts that are still murky and confused right now.?The details have serious legal implications and consequences for insurance and recovery of the $450 million ultra-modern vessel. ?

Today rescue workers said the 117,000 ton Concordia is shifting on the ocean floor by 1.5 centimeters an hour, delaying additional rescue efforts and attempts at removing the oil onboard. Relatives of the 11 dead and 21 still missing are arriving from Peru, India, and European nations.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/xD92pfHInBs/Costa-Concordia-wreck-What-we-know-a-week-later

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The New Yorker's dissection of the 'Obama memos': 5 takeaways (The Week)

New York ? Reporter Ryan Lizza is out with a "monster" 11,000-word investigation into hundreds of pages of secret White House memos. A look at the highlights

When Barack Obama entered the White House in 2009, he really believed that bipartisanship was viable in Washington, that he could overcome 40 years of increasingly bitter division between Republicans and Democrats, and that American politics is played "between the 40-yard lines," says Ryan Lizza in?The New Yorker. Now, Lizza's review of hundreds of previously unreleased internal White House documents details Obama's rude awakening, and how he gave up his audacious hopes of transforming Washington in favor of getting things done as a "post-post-partisan" president. Here, five takeaways from Lizza's "monster" 11,000-word look at "the Obama memos":

1. The stimulus was too small ? by design
Lizza's big score is a December 2008 memo from Larry Summers and Obama's other top economic advisers, says Ezra Klein at?The Washington Post. The 57-page memo (which Lizza posted in full) "contains the economic team's first thoughts on almost everything the White House would go on to do," from the $787 billion stimulus package to health care reform. The memo acknowledged that the economy faced a $2 trillion hole, but suggested a stimulus no larger than $890 billion. That's because the government could only manage "about $225 billion of actual spending on priority investments" in the short term; less-stimulative components like tax cuts and aid to states offered diminishing returns; "an excessive recovery package could spook markets or the public and be counterproductive"; and Obama could ask Congress for more stimulus later if needed. They really got that last bit wrong, and grossly underestimated the depth of the financial crisis, says Derek Thompson at?The Atlantic. But there's still "quite a lot that Summers and his team got right" in their "rich and complicated report."

SEE MORE: Obama's recess appointments: Unconstitutional?

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2. Obama wanted a "moon shot" in the stimulus
After reading Summers' memo, Obama didn't push for a $1 trillion stimulus. But he still wanted something "bold and iconic" in the package, says Lizza: An "inspiring 'moon shot' initiative, such as building a national 'smart grid.'" Obama's economic team shot the idea down, arguing that large initiatives were too expensive and too long-term to jolt the economy. Instead, Obama requested $20 billion for high-speed trains. Two years later after Obama gave up on his "metaphorical moon-shot idea," he agreed to cut his predecessor's NASA Constellation project, designed to return astronauts to the moon, and America's "actual moon-shot program was dead, too."

3. He really, really wanted GOP support for health care reform
When Obama arrived in Washington, his idea of forming a centrist coalition didn't seem far-fetched ? "after all, the pillars of his agenda seemed to enjoy bipartisan support," says Lizza. His health care reform plan, for example, "had been designed and employed by a Republican governor, Mitt Romney." The memos show Obama so gung-ho "to secure Republican cooperation and support" that he backed GOP-favored ideas like tort reform and scrapped good "initiatives like the public option, end-of-life counseling, and a host of other provisions that Republicans found repugnant," says Igor Volsky at?ThinkProgress. He learned too late that Republicans would oppose any idea to keep Obama from scoring a big win.

SEE MORE: It's time for Eric Holder to resign

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4. The White House pivoted to austerity out of political consideration
By late 2009, after a year of Tea Party agitation and slipping polls, Obama's political team urged him to start talking up a "new era of responsibility." They advised that his upcoming State of the Union address was "an opportune moment to pivot to themes of restraining government spending." After the bank bailout, auto bailout, and stimulus, Obama's political team thought it "better to channel the anti-government winds than to fight them." So Obama froze non-defense federal spending and formed a presidential deficit-reduction commission, "learning the same lesson of many previous occupants of the Oval Office: He didn't have the power that one might think he had," says Lizza.

5. Obama is wary of the right-wing media
The president rejected at least one idea ? paying federal employees to participate in a pilot program to study the most effective health care treatments ? because it "could prove a target for Fox News," says ThinkProgress' Volsky. Obama liked the low-cost, high-reward idea, but was swayed by his political advisers, whose argument was summarized in a memo from Obama's secretary: The plan "is not politically viable," in part because "it could easily be caricatured by the right-wing press." In an almost apologetic memo to the plan's authors, Obama wrote, "Unfortunately I think the political guys are right about how it would be characterized. Let's go back at it in future years, when the temperature on health care and the economy has gone down."

SEE MORE: William Daley's resignation: Will it help Obama?

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20120124/cm_theweek/223611

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