Can sanctions deter North Korea?


























Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military


Kim Jong Un and his military





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STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • N. Korea said Thursday it plans to carry out new nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches

  • It said they are part of new phase of confrontation with United States

  • George A. Lopez says North Korea's aim is to be recognized as a 'new nuclear nation by fait accompli'

  • The Security Council sanctions aim to deteriorate and disrupt N. Korea's programs, says Lopez




Editor's note: George A. Lopez holds the Hesburgh Chair in Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. He is a former member, UN Panel of Experts on DPRK.


Indiana, U.S. (CNN) -- North Korea has responded to new Security Council sanctions condemning its December 12 rocket launch with a declaration that it plans a third nuclear test and more missile launches. Politically, it has made unambiguous that its "aim" is its enemy, the United States.


In this rapid reaction to U.N. sanctions, the young government of Kim Jong Un underscores what Security Council members have long known anticipated from the DPRK. Their end-game is to create a vibrant, integrated missile and nuclear weapons program that will result - as in the cases of Pakistan and India - in their being recognized as a new nuclear nation by fait accompli.


Read more: North Korea says new nuclear test will be part of fight against U.S.


In light of DPRK defiance - and a soon to occur nuclear test - the Security Council's first set of sanctions on North Korea since 2009 may seem absurd and irrelevant. These sanctions will certainly not prevent a new DPRK nuclear test. Rather, the new sanctions resolution mobilizes regional neighbors and global actors to enforce sanctions that can weaken future DPRK programs and actions.










Read more: U.N. Security Council slams North Korea, expands sanctions


The utility, if not the necessity, of these Security Council sanctions are to deteriorate and disrupt the networks that sustain North Korea's programs. Chances of this degradation of DPRK capabilities have increased as the new sanctions both embolden and empower the member states who regularly observe - but do nothing about - suspicious vessels in their adjacent waterways.


The resolution provides new guidance to states regarding ship interdiction, cargo inspections, and the seizure and disposal of prohibited materials. Regarding nuclear and missile development the sanctions expand the list of material banned for trade to DPRK, including high tech, dual-use goods which might aid missile industries.


Read more: South Korean officials: North Korean rocket could hit U.S. mainland


These new measures provide a better structure for more effective sanctions, by naming new entities, such as a bank and trading companies, as well as individuals involved in the illicit financing of prohibited materials, to the sanctions list. To the surprise of many in the diplomatic community - the Council authorizes states to expose and confiscate North Korea's rather mobile "bulk cash." Such currency stocks have been used in many regions to facilitate purchases of luxury goods and other banned items that sustain the DPRK elites.


Finally, the Security Council frees the Sanctions Committee to act more independently and in a timely manner to add entities to the list of sanctioned actors when evidence shows them to be sanctions violators. This is an extensive hunting license for states in the region that can multiply the costs of sanctions to the DPRK over time.


Read more: North Korea's rocket launches cost $1.3 billion


Whatever their initial limitations, the new round of U.N. sanctions serve as a springboard to more robust measures by various regional and global powers which may lead back to serious negotiations with DPRK.


Despite its bluster and short-term action plan, Pyongyang recognizes that the wide space of operation for its policies it assumed it had a week ago, is now closed considerably. To get this kind of slap-down via this Security Council resolution - when the launch was a month ago - predicts that any nuke test or missile launch from Pyongyang will bring a new round of stronger and more targeted sanctions.


Read more: North Korea silences doubters, raises fears with rocket launch


Although dangerous - a new game is on regarding DPRK. Tougher U.N. measures imposed on the North generated a predictable response and likely new, prohibited action. While DPRK may be enraged, these sanctions have the P5 nations, most notably China, newly engaged. A forthcoming test or launch will no doubt increase tensions on both sides.


But this may be precisely the shock needed to restart the Six Party Talks. Without this institutional framework there is little chance of influencing DPRK actions. And in the meantime, the chances of greater degrading of DPRK capabilities via sanctions, are a sensible next best action.


Read more: Huge crowds gather in North Korean capital to celebrate rocket launch


The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of George A. Lopez.






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Fox orders futuristic cop drama pilot from J.J. Abrams, J.H. Wyman






LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Fox has given the green light to a police drama pilot from “Fringeexecutive producers J.H. Wyman and J.J. Abrams, the network said Friday.


Described as an “action-packed buddy cop show,” the untitled project takes place “in the near future, when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.”






Wyman is writing and executive-producing the one-hour drama project, along with Abrams.


Abrams’s Bad Robot Productions is producing in association with Warner Bros. Television. Bad Robot’s Bryan Burk is also executive-producing, with the company’s Kathy Lingg serving as co-executive producer.


Abrams, who’s been tapped to direct the maiden installment of the revived “Star Wars” movie franchise, sold a comedy pilot, “Adulting,” to Fox late last year. That project, a single-camera, half-hour comedy, is based on the Kelly Williams Brown book “Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 387 Easy(ish) Steps.”


“Fringe,” which was also on Fox, wrapped up its series run with a two-hour finale earlier this month.


TV News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Wall Street Week Ahead: Bears hibernate as stocks near record highs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks have been on a tear in January, moving major indexes within striking distance of all-time highs. The bearish case is a difficult one to make right now.


Earnings have exceeded expectations, the housing and labor markets have strengthened, lawmakers in Washington no longer seem to be the roadblock that they were for most of 2012, and money has returned to stock funds again.


The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> has gained 5.4 percent this year and closed above 1,500 - climbing to the spot where Wall Street strategists expected it to be by mid-year. The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> is 2.2 percent away from all-time highs reached in October 2007. The Dow ended Friday's session at 13,895.98, its highest close since October 31, 2007.


The S&P has risen for four straight weeks and eight consecutive sessions, the longest streak of days since 2004. On Friday, the benchmark S&P 500 ended at 1,502.96 - its first close above 1,500 in more than five years.


"Once we break above a resistance level at 1,510, we dramatically increase the probability that we break the highs of 2007," said Walter Zimmermann, technical analyst at United-ICAP, in Jersey City, New Jersey. "That may be the start of a rise that could take equities near 1,800 within the next few years."


The most recent Reuters poll of Wall Street strategists estimated the benchmark index would rise to 1,550 by year-end, a target that is 3.1 percent away from current levels. That would put the S&P 500 a stone's throw from the index's all-time intraday high of 1,576.09 reached on October 11, 2007.


The new year has brought a sharp increase in flows into U.S. equity mutual funds, and that has helped stocks rack up four straight weeks of gains, with strength in big- and small-caps alike.


That's not to say there aren't concerns. Economic growth has been steady, but not as strong as many had hoped. The household unemployment rate remains high at 7.8 percent. And more than 75 percent of the stocks in the S&P 500 are above their 26-week highs, suggesting the buying has come too far, too fast.


MUTUAL FUND INVESTORS COME BACK


All 10 S&P 500 industry sectors are higher in 2013, in part because of new money flowing into equity funds. Investors in U.S.-based funds committed $3.66 billion to stock mutual funds in the latest week, the third straight week of big gains for the funds, data from Thomson Reuters' Lipper service showed on Thursday.


Energy shares <.5sp10> lead the way with a gain of 6.6 percent, followed by industrials <.5sp20>, up 6.3 percent. Telecom <.5sp50>, a defensive play that underperforms in periods of growth, is the weakest sector - up 0.1 percent for the year.


More than 350 stocks hit new highs on Friday alone on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones Transportation Average <.djt> recently climbed to an all-time high, with stocks in this sector and other economic bellwethers posting strong gains almost daily.


"If you peel back the onion a little bit, you start to look at companies like Precision Castparts , Honeywell , 3M Co and Illinois Tool Works - these are big, broad-based industrial companies in the U.S. and they are all hitting new highs, and doing very well. That is the real story," said Mike Binger, portfolio manager at Gradient Investments, in Shoreview, Minnesota.


The gains have run across asset sizes as well. The S&P small-cap index <.spcy> has jumped 6.7 percent and the S&P mid-cap index <.mid> has shot up 7.5 percent so far this year.


Exchange-traded funds have seen year-to-date inflows of $15.6 billion, with fairly even flows across the small-, mid- and large-cap categories, according to Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at the ConvergEx Group, in New York.


"Investors aren't really differentiating among asset sizes. They just want broad equity exposure," Colas said.


The market has shown resilience to weak news. On Thursday, the S&P 500 held steady despite a 12 percent slide in shares of Apple after the iPhone and iPad maker's results. The tech giant is heavily weighted in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 <.ndx> and in the past, its drop has suffocated stocks' broader gains.


JOBS DATA MAY TEST THE RALLY


In the last few days, the ratio of stocks hitting new highs versus those hitting new lows on a daily basis has started to diminish - a potential sign that the rally is narrowing to fewer names - and could be running out of gas.


Investors have also cited sentiment surveys that indicate high levels of bullishness among newsletter writers, a contrarian indicator, and momentum indicators are starting to also suggest the rally has perhaps come too far.


The market's resilience could be tested next week with Friday's release of the January non-farm payrolls report. About 155,000 jobs are seen being added in the month and the unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 7.8 percent.


"Staying over 1,500 sends up a flag of profit taking," said Jerry Harris, president of asset management at Sterne Agee, in Birmingham, Alabama. "Since recent jobless claims have made us optimistic on payrolls, if that doesn't come through, it will be a real risk to the rally."


A number of marquee names will report earnings next week, including bellwether companies such as Caterpillar Inc , Amazon.com Inc , Ford Motor Co and Pfizer Inc .


On a historic basis, valuations remain relatively low - the S&P 500's current price-to-earnings ratio sits at 15.66, which is just a tad above the historic level of 15.


Worries about the U.S. stock market's recent strength do not mean the market is in a bubble. Investors clearly don't feel that way at the moment.


"We're seeing more interest in equities overall, and a lot of flows from bonds into stocks," said Paul Zemsky, who helps oversee $445 billion as the New York-based head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management. "We've been increasing our exposure to risky assets."


For the week, the Dow climbed 1.8 percent, the S&P 500 rose 1.1 percent and the Nasdaq advanced 0.5 percent.


(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Jan Paschal)



Read More..

Bankers, policymakers say Europe’s crisis not over






DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – International bankers and finance ministers warned on Saturday that Europe‘s crisis was not over even though the euro currency is now stabilized, it will take years to overcome economic malaise and mass unemployment in Europe.


After a private meeting of leading commercial bankers, government officials, central bankers and trade union officials, Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg told Reuters: “There is a clear divide between the financial markets, who think a lot of this is fixed, and the people in the real economy and particularly from our side as the governments.”






Unemployment in Europe would only fall from 11.8 to 11.7 percent this year, growth was stagnant, real wages were not rising in most countries and it would take countries such as Sweden and France years to reform their labor markets, he said.


“So it is very dangerous to declare that the crisis is over because that would undermine the crisis insight that we need to have among the companies, among the population, among the unions, to be able to go through this process,” Borg said.


Sweden is not a member of the 17-nation euro zone and Borg has been among the strongest critics of the bloc’s handling of its sovereign debt crisis since late 2009.


International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Deutsche Bank co-chief executive Anshu Jain, who co-chaired the closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, declined to speak to reporters.


Participants said the mood this year was far more relaxed than 12 months ago, when there was a sense of emergency about saving the single currency from break-up.


European Central Bank President Mario Draghi left Davos for home before the meeting and EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, who was in Davos, did not attend.


Lagarde said in a speech on Thursday it was vital for Europe, the United States and Japan to keep up the momentum for economic reform and put their public finances in order at an appropriate pace, without crushing growth.


Chinese central bank deputy governor Yi Gang, who attended the session, said he had voiced most concern about trade protectionism and the negative consequences of money-printing by the U.S., Japanese, British and other central banks.


“Protectionism is a big problem and also you see quantitative easing of developed economies is generating uncertainties in financial markets in terms of capital flow,” he told Reuters in an interview.


“There is too much liquidity, a glut of global liquidity. Competitive devaluation is certainly one aspect of that. If everybody is QE or super QE and you want to depreciate, what currency do you depreciate against?”


One senior European commercial banker, who declined to be identified, said financial market optimism that the risk of a break-up of the euro was over had gotten ahead of reality.


“The crisis is not over and the notion that tail risk is gone is a dangerous one,” the banker said.


The economic term “tail risk” refers to the possibility of an asset suddenly losing value due to a rare event.


Rehn told Reuters the conclusion of this year’s Davos meetings about the euro was “no tail risk, growing confidence, no complacency, stay the course”.


However, a larger-than-expected early repayment of cheap three-year loans by some euro zone banks to the European Central Bank on Friday fuelled sentiment that the worst of the single currency’s debt crisis is now over and markets are stabilizing.


Banks are expected to repay more than 130 billion euros of crisis loans to the European Central Bank next week in a sign that at least some parts of the financial system are returning to health.


The ECB made over 1 trillion euros in ultra-cheap three-year loans to banks in lending operations in December 2011 and February 2012, a process which ECB President Mario Draghi said had “avoided a major, major credit crunch”.


(Writing by Paul Taylor; editing by Jason Neely)


Business News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Every Dollar in Taxpayer Funding That the Provinces and Federal Government Gave to US Studio Films With Smoking Costs Canadians Healthcare $1.70 and Contributes to the Premature Death of Canadian






VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Jan. 26, 2013) - American Movies, Canadian film subsidies and provincial rating practices will kill 43,000 Canadian teens alive today and what Canadian governments can do about it.


Every dollar in taxpayer funding that provinces and federal government gave to US studio films with smoking costs Canada $ 1.70 in tobacco related medical costs and productivity loss. The World Health Organization has made specific recommendations that all parties to the global Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including Canada, to combat promotion of tobacco in motion pictures.






In Canada from one third to one half of high school aged became smokers because of their exposure to tobacco use on screen. If today’s adolescents were not exposed to on-screen smoking, we would prevent 43,000 premature deaths. 


From 2004 to 2009, an estimated $ 600 million in provincial and federal film production incentives have gone to fund US Studio films shot in Canada, mostly in British Columbia, Ontario and Ohio. An estimated $ 240 million of these public incentives funded US studio films with smoking that were classified as appropriate for children and adolescents. Support for changes in ratings include Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada, BC Healthy Living Alliance.


http://www.smoke-free.ca/pdf_1/2010/Tobaccovector.pdf


Marketwire News Archive – Yahoo! Finance




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Azarenka beats Li, defends Australian Open title


MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Victoria Azarenka had the bulk of the crowd against her. The fireworks were fizzling out, and when she looked over the net she saw Li Na crashing to the court and almost knocking herself out.


Considering the cascading criticism she'd encountered after her previous win, Azarenka didn't need the focus of the Australian Open final to be on another medical timeout.


So after defending her title with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the sixth-seeded Li in one of the most unusual finals ever at Melbourne Park, Azarenka understandably dropped her racket and cried tears of relief late Saturday night.


She heaved as she sobbed into a towel beside the court, before regaining her composure to collect the trophy.


"It isn't easy, that's for sure, but I knew what I had to do," the 23-year-old Belarusian said. "I had to stay calm. I had to stay positive. I just had to deal with the things that came onto me."


There were a lot of those things squeezed into the 2-hour, 40-minute match. Li, who was playing her second Australian Open final in three years, twisted her ankle and tumbled to the court in the second and third sets.


The second time was on the point immediately after a 10-minute delay for the Australia Day fireworks — a familiar fixture in downtown Melbourne on Jan. 26, but not usually coinciding with a final.


Li had been sitting in her chair during the break, while Azarenka jogged and swung her racket around before leaving the court to rub some liniment into her legs to keep warm.


The 30-year-old Chinese player had tumbled to the court after twisting her left ankle and had it taped after falling in the fifth game of the second set. Immediately after the fireworks ceased, and with smoke still in the air, she twisted the ankle again, fell and hit the back of her head on the hard court.


The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately by a tournament doctor and assessed for a concussion in another medical timeout before resuming the match.


"I think I was a little bit worried when I was falling," Li said, in her humorous, self-deprecating fashion. "Because two seconds I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black.


"So when the physio come, she was like, 'Focus on my finger.' I was laughing. I was thinking, 'This is tennis court, not like hospital.'"


Li's injury was obvious and attracted even more support for her from the 15,000-strong crowd.


Azarenka had generated some bad PR by taking a medical timeout after wasting five match points on her own serve in her semifinal win over American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday. She came back after the break and finished off Stephens in the next game, later telling an on-court interviewer that she "almost did the choke of the year."


She was accused of gamesmanship and manipulating the rules to get time to regain her composure against Stephens, but defended herself by saying she actually was having difficulty breathing because of a rib injury that needed to be fixed.


That explanation didn't convince everybody. So when she walked onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, there were some people who booed, and others who heckled her or mimicked the distinctive hooting sound she makes when she hits the ball.


"Unfortunately, you have to go through some rough patches to achieve great things," she said. "That's what makes it so special for me. I went through that, and I'm still able to kiss that beautiful trophy."


She didn't hold a grudge.


"I was expecting way worse, to be honest. What can you do? You just have to go out there and try to play tennis in the end of the day," she said. "It's a tennis match, tennis battle, final of the Australian Open. I was there to play that.


"The things what happened in the past, I did the best thing I could to explain, and it was left behind me already."


The match contained plenty of nervy moments and tension, and 16 service breaks — nine for Li. But it also produced plenty of winners and bravery on big points.


Azarenka will retain the No. 1 ranking she's mostly held since her first Grand Slam win in Melbourne last year.


Li moved into the top five and is heartened by a recent trend of Australian runner-ups winning the French Open. She accomplished that in 2011, as did Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Maria Sharapova (2012).


"I wish I can do the same this year, as well," Li said.


Later Saturday, Bob and Mike Bryan won their record 13th Grand Slam men's doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4.


Sunday's men's final features two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and U.S. Open winner Andy Murray. Djokovic is seeking to become the first man in the Open era to win three titles in a row in Australia.


Azarenka was planning a night of partying to celebrate her second major title, with her friend Redfoo and the Party Rock crew, and was hopeful of scoring some tickets to the men's final.


She said she needed to let her hair down after a draining two weeks and hoped that by being more open and frank in recent times she was clearing up any misconceptions the public had of her.


"When I came first on the tour I kind of was lost a little bit," he said. "I didn't know how to open up my personality. It's very difficult when you're alone. I was independent since I was, you know, 10 years old. It was a little bit scary and I wouldn't show my personality.


"So the (last) couple of years I learned how to open up to people and to share the moments. I wasn't really good before. I hope I got better. It's your judgment."


Read More..

Cantor CEO: 'Off the fiscal cliff we go'






Part of complete coverage on















By Ramy Inocencio, for CNN


January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1453 GMT (2253 HKT)









STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • "U.S. fiscal cliff still coming" in form of failure to raise debt ceiling - Cantor Fitzgerald CEO

  • More than 25% of CEOs feel world economy will get worse in 2013, says PwC survey

  • U.S. House of Representatives passed short-term debt ceiling increase Jan. 23

  • Lutnick: "Dumb lending" caused 2008 credit crisis




Hong Kong (CNN) -- The world thought the U.S. fiscal cliff deadline was December 31, but "the fiscal cliff is (still) coming", says Howard Lutnick, CEO of global financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.


"You're going to watch the U.S. do crazy, crazy things this year," Lutnick told CNN's Richard Quest at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "The Republican Party that was elected to control Congress... (is) going to cross their arms and they are not going to raise the debt ceiling ultimately unless they get severe spending cuts, and the Obama administration is not going to give it to them."


If Congress fails to act, the U.S. and the world economy will have a "dreadful" 2013, Lutnick said.


Following this week's PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of global CEO confidence, Lutnick appears to be one of the more than 25% who think the world economy is more likely to deteriorate in 2013.








Despite Lutnick's concerns, on January 23 the Republican-controlled House of Representatives did pass a bill that would allow the U.S. Treasury to borrow new money through mid-May. President Barack Obama has said he would not oppose the proposal if it reaches his desk, although he prefers a long-term debt ceiling increase.


Lutnick adds that to avoid a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis, regulators need to actually address issues that caused it.


"What caused the credit crisis was just dumb lending. When you lend money to people who can't pay you back, you go broke."


Looking ahead to 2013, Lutnick says the biggest risk to global growth is the U.S. hitting the debt ceiling -- whether in the short- or long-term.


"Off the fiscal cliff we go. We (the U.S.) are irrational and we are silly... we are dopey."












Part of complete coverage on







January 23, 2013 -- Updated 1308 GMT (2108 HKT)



Global policymakers, leading thinkers and key entrepreneurs are gathering in Davos. CNN brings you the latest news, views and musings live.







January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1508 GMT (2308 HKT)



Free trade, transparency and a crackdown on tax cheats will be at the heart of Britain's G8 presidency, Prime Minister David Cameron told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday as he set out his vision for a more competitive Europe.







January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1559 GMT (2359 HKT)



Walk the halls of Davos and you're bound to bump into celebrities, heads of state and even princes and princesses.







January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1155 GMT (1955 HKT)



While Prime Minister David Cameron's speech this week -- voicing his intent to let the British people vote on whether to stay in the European Union -- has caused concern on the continent, the mayor of London says it's all part of democracy.







January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1119 GMT (1919 HKT)



A top European Union official says there's no need for Britain to make threats to leave the union in order to reform its membership.







January 24, 2013 -- Updated 1937 GMT (0337 HKT)



Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga says his country will not negotiate with al Qaeda-linked Somali militants who have threatened to kill Kenyan hostages unless Nairobi releases all Muslims charged with terrorism.







January 24, 2013 -- Updated 1904 GMT (0304 HKT)



LeWeb founder Loic Le Meur is looking to "digital hippies" as a potential theme for his next conference.







January 25, 2013 -- Updated 1347 GMT (2147 HKT)



The head of Airbus says the European aviation giant will take care to learn from its own mistakes -- and rival Boeing's -- ahead of the launch of its new widebody A350 aircraft.







January 23, 2013 -- Updated 1040 GMT (1840 HKT)



As extreme weather events cost the global economy billions each year, the "neglected" risk of climate change seems to be rising to the top of the agenda, Andrew Steer writes.







January 23, 2013 -- Updated 1342 GMT (2142 HKT)



Economic empowerment offers a win-win scenario for Saudi Arabia and its women, Mounira Jamjoon writes.







January 23, 2013 -- Updated 1154 GMT (1954 HKT)



The recession in Europe is entering its fifth year and unemployment doesn't look like it will be returning to normal levels anytime soon.







January 22, 2013 -- Updated 1324 GMT (2124 HKT)



What has been made clear by current events and financial upheavals since 2008 is that the global economy has become truly that -- global.







January 21, 2013 -- Updated 1458 GMT (2258 HKT)



On July 1, 2013 the 27-nation European Union will become 28. But is the Adriatic country ready to join Europe's elite club?

















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‘Dallas’ returns with J.R. Ewing’s final schemes






NEW YORK (AP) — J.R. Ewing wouldn’t hesitate to cheat his fellow man. He also famously cheated death.


In the second-season finale of “Dallas” back in 1980, he was shot by an unknown assailant in his office and left for dead. But he recovered nicely, and the cliffhanger question that gripped the nation (Who shot J.R.?) was answered that November in an episode seen by 80 million viewers.






This time, J.R. won’t get off so easy. During the second season of TNT’s rebooted “Dallas,” J.R. cashes in his chips and goes to his reward … wherever that may be.


Meanwhile, viewers, however braced they are for J.R.’s demise, will have to reckon with the loss of arguably TV’s greatest villain, and bid farewell to the actor who portrayed him so indelibly and also cheated death for years. Larry Hagman, who died of cancer at 81 the day after Thanksgiving, was diagnosed in 1992 with cirrhosis of the liver from a life of heavy drinking and, three years later, when a malignant tumor was discovered on his liver, successfully underwent a transplant.


This double loss would be a burden for any show to bear. “Dallas,” returning at 9 p.m. EST Monday, comes fully loaded.


“I think viewers want closure,” said Linda Gray, who plays J.R.’s long-suffering ex-wife, Sue Ellen. “They want to mourn Larry Hagman and J.R. Ewing. They want to know they can grieve the fact he won’t be around.”


But all that comes later. With its two-hour season premiere, “Dallas” carries on in familiar fashion, with the expected two-timing, squabbles, a kidnapping revealed, a stolen identity and assorted other mischief.


And never fear: J.R., though visibly frail, continues his reign as a scheming oilman and rascally Ewing patriarch.


“I came over to deliver some muffins to the pretty little secretaries,” he announces on making an unannounced visit to Ewing Energies headquarters before he laments, “Who could have guessed so many would turn out to be MEN? Where’s the sport in THAT?”


In another scene, J.R. shares sly counsel with his son, John Ross, on double-crossing other members of the family: “Love, hate, jealousy: Mix ‘em up and they make a mean martini. And when we take over Ewing Energies, you’ll slake your thirst — with a twist!”


The new “Dallas,” which debuted last June, is stocked with a troupe of young regulars (including Josh Henderson, who plays John Ross), as well as veterans of the original CBS series, notably Gray and Patrick Duffy as J.R.’s ever-upright brother, Bobby. J.R. will appear in a minimum of five or as many as seven of the season’s episodes before he meets his fate.


After that, can “Dallas” survive the dual deaths of its central character and legendary star?


“Larry being gone doesn’t eliminate the influence of the character of J.R.,” Duffy pointed out. Who knows what land mines J.R. will have left behind? “We can find business deals he did or schemes he started that now are coming home to roost, and they can turn up for years to come.”


“Whatever will happen on the show, we will be talking about J.R. Ewing and he will have done things that have a ripple effect,” Gray agreed. “He will always be there.”


“There’s a lot of driving forces on the show — not just J.R.,” added “Dallas” executive producer Cynthia Cidre, who, interviewed by phone a couple of weeks ago, was parked outside a posh Dallas social club where the wake for J.R. was about to be filmed.


She said this season she tried to use Hagman sparingly.


“He was the most delightful man and a total professional,” she said, “but he wasn’t well and we didn’t want to overtax him.”


Now, with his passing, “we want to give J.R., and Larry, the proper send-off.”


But she insisted there had been no contingency plan for how to plot J.R.’s demise in the event Hagman died in mid-season.


“We didn’t have a Plan B, on purpose,” said Cidre. “We just knew that we had Larry, so let’s use him, let’s enjoy him, and if something happens, we’ll scramble and fix it. I had great faith in the writers’ room. We knew the day might come and what we would do then: Figure it out.”


That day came in late November when she got a call from Duffy. “He told me, ‘Larry’s in the hospital and it isn’t good. He’s saying goodbye.’ In 24 hours we had fixed one of the scripts. We had two more scripts that had to be adjusted, and then this episode we’re shooting now, the Goodbye Episode.”


Roughly 85 percent of the season’s story line remains intact, she said, supplemented by the death of J.R. and the mystery surrounding it: Who Killed J.R.?


“The mystery has all the machinations of a great J.R. business deal, as opposed to a whodunit,” said Duffy. “Cynthia constructed a really interesting plot, of which I know Bobby’s portion” — including whodunit — “but I don’t know other stuff.”


“We all know, up to a point,” Gray said. “But they’ve got secret pages that we’ve not seen.”


“I hope that we have come up with something really wonderful and enticing,” said Cidre, “and by the time you’re done watching episode 208, which I call the Funeral Episode, I hope you’re saying, ‘Omigod, I didn’t see that coming, and I can’t wait to watch the rest of the season.’”


The mystery, she said, will continue through episode 15, “with a giant, delightful, delicious climax in the season finale.”


To get there, shooting continues until April on the Dallas set, where, even two months after Hagman’s passing, “I’m lonely because my best friend isn’t there to play with,” Duffy said. “I was with him from 1978 until his final hours in the hospital. But I have no regrets. Every day I think of him and smile.”


“I keep expecting him to walk in the door,” Gray said. “He’s so missed. But his presence is everywhere!”


___


Online:


http://www.tntdrama.com


___


Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier


Entertainment News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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P&G earnings lift stocks; S&P set for 8-day win streak

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks advanced on Friday as Procter & Gamble's earnings offset softer-than-expected housing numbers and kept the Standard & Poor's 500 Index on track for its longest winning streak in more than eight years.


Procter & Gamble shares rose 3.7 percent to $73.04 and gave the biggest boost to both the Dow and S&P 500 after the world's top household products maker's quarterly profit soared past expectations. The company also raised its sales and earnings outlook for the fiscal year.


But the stock market's gains were curbed after economic data showed new U.S. single-family home sales fell in December, although expectations for a continued housing sector recovery remain intact. The PHLX housing sector index <.hgx> slipped 0.2 percent.


The benchmark S&P 500 index is up 5 percent so far in January. The equity market's strong start this year has been attributed to solid corporate results, an agreement in Washington to extend the government's borrowing power, encouraging signs from the global economy, and seasonal inflows into stocks.


Those factors helped the S&P 500 rally for a seventh day on Thursday to reach a five-year peak. But the index has struggled to convincingly climb above 1,500, a level it surpassed briefly on Thursday for the first time since December 2007 and momentarily topped again on Friday.


"We hit (1,500) yesterday, we've hit it today, it is going to take a little bit of work to get through it - it's a psychological resistance point," said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services, in Charlotte, Vermont.


"The housing numbers coming in a little weaker, you would have expected that with Hurricane Sandy and the fiscal cliff," Mendelsohn said. "With everything that was going on in December, you would expect a little weaker number. Maybe analysts were looking for a little too much out of that report."


If the S&P 500 rises for an eighth day on Friday, it will be its longest winning streak since late 2004, when it rallied for nine straight days.


The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 31.19 points, or 0.23 percent, to 13,856.52. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> advanced 3.48 points, or 0.23 percent, to 1,498.30. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> rose 13.05 points, or 0.41 percent, to 3,143.43.


Honeywell International Inc posted fourth-quarter earnings just above Wall Street's estimates, reflecting the diversified U.S. manufacturer's campaign to boost profit margins in the face of sluggish sales growth. Honeywell's stock shed 0.3 percent to $68.04.


The initial portion of earnings season has been encouraging relative to recent expectations. Overall, S&P 500 fourth-quarter earnings growth is on track for a 2.9 percent rise, up from the forecast of a 1.9 percent gain at the start of earnings season, but well below the 9.9 percent increase in an October 1 forecast.


Thomson Reuters data through Friday showed that of the 147 S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings, 68 percent exceeded expectations. Since 1994, 62 percent of companies have topped expectations, while the average over the past four quarters stands at 65 percent.


Microsoft Corp gained 1.2 percent to $27.95 after posting a quarterly profit that edged lower as Office software sales slowed ahead of a new launch, offsetting a solid but unspectacular start for its Windows 8 operating system.


Halliburton Co shares jumped 5 percent to $39.70 after the world's second-largest oilfield services company reported higher-than-expected earnings and sales for the fourth quarter. Strong international drilling activity offset a slowdown in onshore North America work, Halliburton said.


(Editing by Jan Paschal)



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Samsung leads in phone shipments







Samsung accounted for one in four of all mobile phones shipped worldwide last year, as its shipments rose nearly 20% to 396.5 million, a report says.






Apple’s phone shipments grew by 46% to a record 135.8 million mobile phones worldwide in 2012.


But Nokia’s global phone shipments fell by 20% from 417.1 million units in 2011 to 335.6 million.


Overall, total shipments grew by 2% annually to reach 1.6 billion units in 2012, according to Strategy Analytics.


Neil Shah, senior analyst at the research firm, said: “Ongoing macroeconomic challenges in mature markets like North America and Western Europe, tighter operator upgrade policies, and shifting consumer tastes” were among the reasons for the modest global growth figure.


He added: “Fuelled by robust demand for its popular Galaxy models, Samsung was the star performer, shipping a record 396.5 million mobile phones worldwide and capturing 25% market share to solidify its first-place lead.


“However, Samsung’s total volumes for the year fell just short of the 400-million threshold.”
























Global mobile handset shipments (2012)


CompanyUnits (millions)Market share

Source: Strategy Analytics



Samsung



396.5



25.2%



Nokia



335.6



21.3%



Apple



135.8



8.6%



ZTE



71.7



4.6%



Other



635.4



40.3%



Meanwhile Strategy Analytics said global smartphone shipments grew by 43% annually to a record 700 million units in last year.


Global smartphone shipments for the full year reached a record 700.1 million units in 2012, from 490.5 million units in 2011, but there were signs that shipments of smartphones began to mature in developed regions such as North America and Western Europe.


Continue reading the main story

Start Quote



In little over 24 hours we have seen results from three of the biggest players in smartphones – which may now be the world’s most important industry”



End Quote



Once again Samsung had the biggest market share, at 30% worldwide and extending its lead over Apple and Nokia.


The research comes as Samsung reported a 76% jump in profits for the last three months of 2012, helped by sales of its Galaxy smartphones.


Net income rose to a record 7.04tn won ($ 6.6bn; £4.2bn), up from 4.01tn won in the same period a year earlier, beating analysts’ expectations.


The Korean firm said its mobile profits more than doubled over the same period.


Last year, Samsung became the world’s biggest smartphone maker, overtaking Apple, its main rival in the sector.This week Apple also reported quarterly results, showing flat profits, unchanged from a year earlier at $ 13.1bn, and record quarterly revenue of $ 55bn.


But it was not enough to overcome disappointment over sales of the company’s new iPhone 5, as analysts said the firm was in danger of becoming a victim of its own success.


The firm said late on Wednesday it had sold more iPhones (47.8 million) and iPads (22.9 million) in the final three months of last year than in any previous quarter, but investors had expected more.


‘Emerging markets’


Continue reading the main story

Start Quote



This is an extremely competitive place, and it is difficult to see any… brands capturing the mid-market, which is so fragmented”



End Quote Mark Newman Informa


“If you look at Apple, their position of strength in the smartphone market has generally been in Europe and North America, ” said Mark Newman, head telecoms analyst at research firm Informa.


“A lot of their continued growth will be in emerging markets, in Bric countries such as Brazil, India and China. There has certainly been this feeling that Samsung is catching up up, and overtaking Apple in terms of sales.”


Meanwhile Nokia, the struggling Finnish mobile phone maker which once dominated the global mobile market, said on Thursday that it had swung back into profit in the last three months of 2012.


Pre-tax profit for the quarter was 375m euros (£316m), against a 974m-euro loss last year. Nokia said it sold 15.9 million smartphones in the quarter, down from 19.6 million a year earlier.


“We have seen Nokia hit rock bottom but there are now some gentle signs of a recovery,” said Mr Newman.


He said in that the smartphone marketplace Apple and Samsung currently occupied the top tier, with “many players vying for position in the mid-range marketplace,” including Nokia, and others such as LG, Motorola, HTC. and Sony.


“This is an extremely competitive place, and it is difficult to see any of these brands capturing the mid-market, which is so fragmented,” added Mr Newman.


He said at the bottom end of the smartphone market there was “pent-up demand” for a phone retailing at about 100 euros, and Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE were “making most of the running here”.


BBC News – Business





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Get Married in 2013 for GBP 2013 at the Leeds Marriott Hotel






LEEDS, ENGLAND–(Marketwire – Jan 25, 2013) –  Tailoring unique wedding packages to meet the needs of couples venturing off on a new life together, a premier choice among Leeds wedding venues is offering a sophisticated wedding package for just £2013 during 2013.


The stylish Leeds Marriott Hotel welcomes couples to share the start of their new life together amidst the elegance of its four-star accommodations with one of the most exciting hotel deals in Leeds and stands ready with a staff of highly trained professionals to help customize the event for a spectacular wedding celebration. From the moment couples first contact this Leeds City Centre hotel’s staff, they can expect only the finest service to ensure their wedding day will be tailor made to reflect their dreams and expectations so they can relax and enjoy their special day with family and friends.






The £2013 in 2013 wedding package includes:


  • Glass of Bucks Fizz on arrival

  • 3 course meal including tea and coffee

  • Glass of wine with meal

  • Glass of sparkling wine for the couple’s toast

  • Complimentary accommodation for the bride and groom on their wedding night

  • Top table flower arrangement and flowers for guest tables

  • Personalized menu cards and table plan

  • Children under 5 eat free of charge

  • Preferential accommodation rates for wedding guests

An impressive pick among Leeds hotel packages, the 2013 wedding deal allows couples to choose their venue from 7,556 square feet of flexible event space that includes the impressive Thomas Ambler Suite with banquet seating for up to 280 people and a function room overlooking the sleepy Trevelyan Square in the heart of the bustling Leeds City Centre.


With Marriott Certified wedding planners and skilled culinary professionals on hand to ensure every detail is perfectly executed, couples can rest easy knowing every event from the bridesmaids luncheon and rehearsal dinner to an elegant wedding reception or formal dinner and dance will exceed their expectations.


Wedding guests will be enthralled with the gracious accommodations, warm and friendly service and pampering on-site amenities, while enjoying close proximity to the train station, local shopping districts and attractions. As home to two exciting Leeds City Centre restaurants, guests will find exquisite dining at the Midtown Grill where quality steaks, chops and seafood are the specialty; and Halal Indian cuisine at the AM Kitchen & Bar.


For more information or to book a wedding, couples may call 01132 366 366.


About the Leeds Marriott Hotel


The Leeds Marriott Hotel provides its guests with opulent accommodations and exceptional service whether visiting the area for business or leisure. Fully equipped with expansive services, guests enjoy on-site dining options, business services and access to the hotel’s Leisure Club, where an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room and expansive fitness centre await. Relaxing services are also available at the adjacent Russell Eaton Lifestyle Salon and Spa in the midst of Leeds’ impressive Trevelyan Square.


Marketwire News Archive – Yahoo! Finance





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Murray edges Federer, reaches Australian final


MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Andy Murray has finally beaten Roger Federer at a Grand Slam.


The U.S. Open champion beat 17-time major winner Federer 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 Friday at the Australian Open, calling it a massive confidence boost as he attempts to win his second consecutive major.


Murray, who missed his chance to serve out the match at 6-5 in the fourth set, will play defending champion and top-seeded Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final. Djokovic cruised past David Ferrer in straight sets in just under 90 minutes — 2 1/2 hours less than Murray's semifinal.


Advantage Djokovic.


There was some controversy in that 12th game of the fourth set when Federer appeared to glare and say something to Murray when the Scotsman stopped momentarily behind the baseline during the rally.


Murray ignored it after winning the point, but conceded serve in that game and lost the ensuing tiebreaker before regrouping in the fifth set.


"I mean, it wasn't a big deal," Federer said. "We just looked at each other one time. That's OK, I think. We were just checking each other out for bit. That wasn't a big deal for me — I hope not for him."


While Murray came into the match with a 10-9 career advantage, Murray had never beaten Federer in their three previous meetings at a major — the finals of the 2008 U.S. Open, 2010 Australian Open and last year at Wimbledon.


"It's always tough against him, when he plays in Slams is when he plays his best tennis," Murray said. "When his back was against the wall at 6-5 and I was serving, he came up with some unbelievable shots. I just had to keep fighting."


Federer outplayed Murray at stages of the match, but the 25-year-old Scotsman appeared to have the legs and stamina over the 31-year-old Federer in the fifth set, including a service break to clinch the tense match.


"It's big. I never beat Roger in a Slam before. It definitely will help with the confidence," Murray said. "Just knowing you can win against those guys in big matches definitely helps."


Federer said he was playing catch-up all night.


"Definitely it was more of a chase," Federer said. "I think I had my chances a little bit. Obviously, you're going to go through a five-setter with some regrets. But overall, I think Andy was a bit better than I was tonight."


With a capacity crowd of 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena watching, including the Australian legend Laver himself, Federer opened the match serving and was in trouble early, losing a 28-rally point to set up break point for Murray. But Federer held the game with a stunning cross-court forehand that just looped over the net from the baseline.


Murray, who had not lost a set through five rounds at Melbourne Park this year, had the first service break — on his fourth break point — to lead 2-1. It came in unusually cool summer conditions in Melbourne — breezy and temperatures of only 60 degrees during most of the match.


The crowd was initially evenly split between Federer and Murray supporters — and at times, they were competing to be heard. At one point in the second set, a group of Murray fans wearing white shirts with blue letters spelling his nickname "Muzza" stood to chant Murray's name, while a group of Federer supporters with Swiss flags on their cheeks and shirts chanted Federer's name.


Earlier Friday, top-seeded Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy won the first title of 2013 at Melbourne Park, beating the unseeded Australian pair of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 for the women's doubles championship.


The 16-year-old Barty was attempting to become the youngest Grand Slam champion since Martina Hingis won the Australian Open singles title in 1997.


On Saturday, defending champion Victoria Azarenka plays sixth-seeded Li Na of China for the women's singles title. Li lost the Australian Open final to Kim Clijsters in 2011 two months before winning her first and only Grand Slam at the French Open.


"Last time was more exciting, (more) nervous because it was my first time to be in a final," Li said. "But I think this time (I'm) more calmed down, more cool."


Azarenka leads 5-4 in career matches, including the last four times they've played.


"I'm really hungry to defend my title," said Azarenka, who needs to beat Li to retain her No. 1 ranking. "I've put myself in the position to give it the best shot."


If Li win, Serena Williams will regain the No. 1 ranking.


Also on Saturday, American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan will play their fifth consecutive Australian Open doubles final and attempt to win their record 13th Grand Slam doubles championship. They'll play the Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling.


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Neanderthal cloning? Pure fantasy




A display of a reconstruction of a Neanderthal man and boy at the Museum for Prehistory in Eyzies-de-Tayac, France.




STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • Arthur Caplan: It would be unethical to try and clone a Neanderthal baby

  • Caplan: Downsides include a good chance of producing a baby that is seriously deformed

  • He says the future belongs to what we can do to genetically engineer and control microbes

  • Caplan: Microbes can make clean fuel, suck up carbon dioxide, clean fat out of arteries




Editor's note: Arthur Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty professor and director of the Division of Bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center.


(CNN) -- So now we know -- there won't be a Neanderthal moving into your neighborhood.


Despite a lot of frenzied attention to the intentionally provocative suggestion by a renowned Harvard scientist that new genetic technology makes it possible to splice together a complete set of Neanderthal genes, find an adventurous surrogate mother and use cloning to gin up a Neanderthal baby -- it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.


Nor should it. But there are plenty of other things in the works involving genetic engineering that do merit serious ethical discussion at the national and international levels.



Arthur Caplan

Arthur Caplan



Some thought that the Harvard scientist, George Church, was getting ready to put out an ad seeking volunteer surrogate moms to bear a 35,000-year-old, long-extinct Neanderthal baby. Church had to walk his comments back and note that he was just speculating, not incubating.



Still cloning carries so much mystery and Hollywood glamour thanks to movies such as "Jurassic Park," "The Boys From Brazil" and "Never Let Me Go" that a two-day eruption of the pros and cons of making Neanderthals ensued. That was not necessary. It would be unethical to try and clone a Neanderthal baby.




Why? Because there is no obvious reason to do so. There is no pressing need or remarkable benefit to undertaking such a project. At best it might shed some light on the biology and behavior of a distant ancestor. At worst it would be nothing more than the ultimate reality television show exploitation: An "Octomom"-like surrogate raises a caveman child -- tune in next week to see what her new boyfriend thinks when she tells him that there is a tiny addition in her life and he carries a small club and a tiny piece of flint to sleep with him.


The downsides of trying to clone a Neanderthal include a good chance of killing it, producing a baby that is seriously deformed, producing a baby that lacks immunity to infectious diseases and foods that we have gotten used to, an inability to know what environment to create to permit the child to flourish and a complete lack of understanding of what sort of behavior is "normal" or "appropriate" for such a long-extinct cousin hominid of ours.


When weighed against the risks and the harm that most likely would be done, it would take a mighty big guarantee of benefit to justify this cloning experiment. I am willing to venture that the possible benefit will never, ever reach the point where this list of horrible likely downsides could be overcome.


Even justifying trying to resurrect a woolly mammoth, or a mastodon, or the dodo bird or any other extinct animal gets ethically thorny. How many failures would be acceptable to get one viable mastodon? Where would the animal live? What would we feed it? Who would protect it from poachers, gawkers and treasure hunters? It is not so simple to take a long dead species, make enough of them so they don't die of isolation and lack of social stimulation and then find an environment that is close enough and safe enough compared with that which they once roamed.


In any event the most interesting aspects of genetic engineering do not involve making humans or Neanderthals or mammoths. They involve ginning up microbes to do things that we really need doing such as making clean fuel, sucking up carbon dioxide, cleaning fat out of our arteries, giving us a lot more immunity to nasty bacteria and viruses and helping us make plastics and chemicals more efficiently and cheaply.


In trying to make these kinds of microbes, you can kill all you want without fear of ethical condemnation. And if the new bug does not like the environment in which it has to exist to live well, that will be just too darn bad.


The ethical challenge of this kind of synthetic biology is that it can be used by bad guys for bad purposes. Biological weapons can be ginned up and microbes created that only infect people with certain genes that commonly associate with racial or ethnic groups.


Rather than worry about what will happen to real estate values should a new crop of "Flintstones" move in down the street, our public officials, religious groups and ethicists need to get serious about how much regulation the genetic engineering of microbes needs, how can we detect what terrorists might try to use, what sort of controls do we need to prevent accidents and who is going to pay if a bug turns out to cause more harm than good.


We love to think that the key to tomorrow lies in what humanity can be designed or empowered to do. Thus, the fascination with human cloning. In reality, at least for a long time to come, the future belongs to what we can do to design and control microbes. That is admittedly duller, but it is far better to follow a story that is true than one such as Neanderthal cloning that is pure, speculative fantasy.


Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter.


Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion.


The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Arthur Caplan.






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Charlie Brown voice actor pleads not guilty to threats, stalking






SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – The former child actor who was the voice of Charlie Brown in the 1960s “Peanuts” animated television specials pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges he threatened his girlfriend and a surgeon who carried out her breast enhancement surgery.


Peter Robbins, 56, from Oceanside, California, pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court to two counts of stalking and 10 counts of criminal threats. If convicted, he could face up to nine years in prison, Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth McClutchey said.






Robbins was arrested on Sunday on outstanding warrants by U.S. Customs officers at the San Ysidro port of entry as he returned to San Diego from Mexico. He remains in jail.


McClutchey said on December 31 Robbins threatened Dr. Lori Saltz, the plastic surgeon he paid to perform breast enhancement surgery on his girlfriend, Shawna Kern.


The prosecution also alleged Robbins left several threatening phone messages for Kern, saying in one, “You better hide Shawna, I’m coming for you … and I’m going to kill you.”


Robbins allegedly threatened to kill a police sergeant who arrested him on January 13 after he refused to pay a restaurant bill at the San Diego hotel where he was staying.


Robbins was released on $ 50,000 bond the following day and given a January 28 court date.


McClutchey urged Judge David Szumowski to keep Robbins’ bail set at $ 550,000 because Kern and Saltz believed Robbins was a “desperate man” and “had nothing to lose.”


Defense attorney Marc Kohnen said the bail was excessive because Robbins had no criminal record and had never been in trouble with the law.


Robbins was 9 years old in 1965 when he became the voice of the world-weary yet optimistic title character of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first of many animated TV specials based on the popular “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles Schulz.


With its jazz-inflected music score and a storyline involving Charlie Brown’s search for the true meaning of Christmas in a season corrupted by commercialism, it became a holiday TV classic.


The actor went on to voice Charlie Brown in “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “You’re In Love, Charlie Brown” and “A Boy Named Charlie Brown,” which aired in the 1960s. He was replaced in later versions of the animated specials.


(Reporting by Marty Graham; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Steve Gorman and Gunna Dickson)


TV News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Wall Street advances despite Apple decline


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow and S&P 500 advanced on Thursday, with the benchmark S&P index moving through the 1,500 level as solid economic data enabled investors to shrug off a steep decline in Apple shares.


Apple Inc dropped 10.1 percent to $462.17 after the technology giant missed Wall Street's revenue forecast for a third straight quarter as iPhone sales were poorer than expected, fanning fears its dominance of consumer electronics is slipping.


The drop wiped out roughly $50 billion in Apple's market capitalization to $435 billion, leaving the company vulnerable to losing its status as the most valuable U.S. company to second place ExxonMobil Corp, at $417 billion.


A trio of economic reports helped buoy the market, with data showing a decline in weekly jobless claims and an increase in manufacturing, while a gauge of future economic activity climbed.


"The S&P is up, that is a very important inflection point that a stock such as Apple can take a hit and the market can stay strong - that is because the U.S. economy is broadly getting stronger across the board," said Mike Binger, portfolio manager at Gradient Investment in Shoreview, Minnesota.


"Apple has been topping the headlines for the last three to four years. That phase is obviously past us and people are starting to talk about different stocks and they are gravitating towards different stocks."


The gains marked the first time the S&P 500 had risen above 1,500 since December 12, 2007 and put the index on pace for its seventh straight advance.


The advance for the S&P, and muted declines in the Nasdaq in spite of the decline in Apple, were viewed as a positive sign, as investors take encouragement from an improving global economy and move into stocks more closely tied to economic fortunes, such as industrials.


General Electric rose 1 percent to $22.16 and United Parcel Service gained 2 percent to $81.98. Of the 10 major S&P sectors, only technology, off 1.3 percent, was lower.


The Dow Jones industrial average gained 85.42 points, or 0.62 percent, to 13,864.75. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 5.69 points, or 0.38 percent, to 1,500.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 5.84 points, or 0.19 percent, to 3,147.83.


The domestic data was in sync with those overseas showing growth in Chinese manufacturing accelerated to a two-year high this month and a buoyant Germany took the euro zone economy a step closer to recovery.


Apple's disappointing results drew a round of price-target cuts from brokerages. At least 14 brokerages, including Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, cut their price target on the stock by $142 on average. Morgan Stanley removed the stock from its 'best ideas' list.


In contrast to Apple, Netflix Inc surprised Wall Street Wednesday with a quarterly profit after the video subscription service added nearly 4 million customers in the U.S. and abroad. Shares surged 36.9 percent to $141.36, its biggest percentage jump ever.


Diversified U.S. manufacturer 3M Co reported a 3.9 percent rise in profit, meeting expectations, on solid growth in sales of its wide array of products, which range from Post-It notes to films used in television screens. The shares edged up 0.2 percent to $99.66.


Corporate earnings have helped drive the recent stock market rally. Thomson Reuters data through early Thursday showed that of the 133 S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings, 66.9 percent have exceeded expectations, above the 65 percent average over the past four quarters.


(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Nick Zieminski)



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Hey Microsoft, Here’s Why Apple Still Gets the Girl








d3149  3Gduepif0T1UGY8H4yMDoxOm1qO387Kn Hey Microsoft, Heres Why Apple Still Gets the GirlPlay


If you want to understand the plight of Microsoft in a consumer product world dominated by Apple, all you need to do is watch “Pretty in Pink”. Senior correspondent Sam Grobart explains.










Businessweek.com — Top News





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Nonprofits Benefit From BMO Harris Bank’s Recycling Efforts






PHOENIX, AZ–(Marketwire – Jan 24, 2013) – “Getting new stuff is like receiving a surprise gift.” That’s what United Food Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, Rayna Palmer, had to say when she saw photos of all of the office and warehouse furniture BMO Harris Bank was offering to her at no cost.


Late last week, BMO Harris Bank notified numerous nonprofits throughout the Valley that they were giving away their reserve of extra desks, filing cabinets, tables, chairs, and office cubicles that had accumulated over the past several years. The resale value of all of the items exceeds hundreds of thousands of dollars.






The phones started ringing as soon as the email went out. The Wellness Community, United Food Bank, Phoenix Art Museum, and Junior Achievement were some of the earliest organizations to take advantage of the first-come-first-served freebies.


“I can’t tell you how much this means to United Food Bank. We make every effort to use our resources wisely, specifically getting food to the hungry; and sometimes we just do with what we have,” added Palmer. “These are wonderful items and will really help out all of the nonprofits who are able to take advantage of the generosity of BMO.” 


“Nonprofits often operate on a shoestring budget,” commented Jennifer Herrema, BMO Harris Bank Vice President of Community Affairs – Arizona “Their precious dollars are needed to carry out their mission. I am very pleased that we are able to provide them with useful items they could not otherwise afford.”


About BMO Harris Bank


Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank N.A. provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank(SM) is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with 1,600 branches, and a retail deposit base of approximately $ 180 billion.


Marketwire News Archive – Yahoo! Finance





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NCAA announces problems with Miami investigation


CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — The NCAA's probe of Miami's athletic compliance practices is ramping up again.


Only this time, the Hurricanes aren't exactly the subject of the inquiry.


In a bizarre twist, the college sports' governing body is being investigated after NCAA President Mark Emmert acknowledged on Wednesday "a very severe issue of improper conduct" by former investigators working the long, complex Miami case.


The NCAA said its investigation was based, at least in part, on information that it should not have had access to, the testimony of those who appeared under subpoena to be deposed in the bankruptcy case involving former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro, one of the most notorious Ponzi scheme architects in history.


The NCAA does not have subpoena power. Shapiro's attorney did, and used it — and apparently entered into some sort of contractual agreement with the NCAA, one that apparently either was not or should never have been approved.


"We cannot have the NCAA bringing forward an allegation ... that was collected by processes none of us could stand for," Emmert said. "We're going to move it as fast as possible, but we have to get this right."


Speaking Thursday from Providence, R.I. in a telephone interview, Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, told The Associated Press that she has done nothing wrong.


"The dubious party is not me. What I have done is 150 percent above board," Perez said.


Perez said she could not divulge the nature of whatever her contract status with the NCAA, though said she is planning to release a statement in the coming days after meeting with her own attorney.


"I am a victim of the enforcement staff," said Perez, who is a Miami graduate. "Me."


The revelations Wednesday mean the notice of allegations against Miami — the NCAA's findings of wrongdoing, a document that was nearly completed and was expected to be released by the end of this week — will be delayed for at least a few more weeks, if not longer. The long-term ramifications could be more damning for the NCAA, especially if the outside investigator they have commissioned to look into the mess finds more problems.


"As we have done since the beginning, we will continue to work with the NCAA and now with their outside investigator hoping for a swift resolution of the investigation and our case," Miami President Donna Shalala said.


Emmert said two depositions are involved in this allegation of improper conduct by former enforcement-office staffers. One of those two depositions was given Dec. 19, 2011, by former Miami equipment-room staffer Sean Allen — who has been linked to Shapiro and many of the allegations that he made against the university.


Among the questions Allen was asked in that deposition:


— "Did you ever witness Mr. Shapiro paying any money to any University of Miami football or basketball players?"


— "Would it be fair to say that Mr. Shapiro did, in fact, confer various financial benefits on the University of Miami Athletic Program and its players?"


— "Did you ever overhear any of the coaches or any other staff for the University of Miami providing Mr. Shapiro with inside information regarding, you know, the condition of any particular athlete for the purposes of Mr. Shapiro's gambling?"


It's unknown which of Allen's answers caught the NCAA investigators' attention.


What is known publicly now, and has been suspected by some for months, is that those investigators never should have known those questions were asked.


"How in the world can you get this far without it being recognized that this was an inappropriate way to proceed?" Emmert asked.


That's the question that the NCAA wants answered, and fast.


Emmert spoke angrily at times during a half-hour conference call to discuss the findings, in which he revealed that he briefed the NCAA's executive committee and the Division I board presidents with some information about the Miami matter. He said he developed a better understanding of what went on in the days that followed, which led to the hiring of Kenneth L. Wainstein of the firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP to conduct the external review of what happened.


Wainstein, Emmert said, will begin his probe on Thursday, with the NCAA hoping that he can finish within two weeks.


"We want to make sure that any evidence that's brought forward is appropriately collected and it has the integrity that we expect and demand," Emmert said.


It was part of a stunning day for Hurricane athletics: The 25th-ranked men's basketball team routed No. 1 Duke later Wednesday, 90-63.


Emmert said the NCAA was trying to find out why part of the investigation was based on depositions specific to the bankruptcy case against Shapiro, who will have to repay $82.7 million to his victims as part of his sentence. And the timing of this also is curious. Several people who were to be named in the NCAA's notice of allegations against Miami have been told that the document was in the final stages of preparation — and one person who spoke with the AP said at least one person who was to face a charge of wrongdoing was told the letter was scheduled for delivery to Miami on Tuesday.


Now it's anyone's guess when that will happen.


Emmert said the NCAA learned of the alleged misconduct, in part, through legal bills presented by Shapiro's attorney for work that was not properly approved by the organization's general counsel's office.


"One of the questions that has to be answered, unequivocally, is what was the nature of that contractual arrangement and what was all the activity that that individual was involved with," Emmert said. "There is some uncertainty about all of that and it's one of the first orders of business for the firm that we've hired to investigate."


The Hurricanes' athletic compliance practices have been probed by the NCAA for nearly two years. Allegations of wrongdoing involving Miami's football and men's basketball programs became widely known in August 2011 when Yahoo Sports published accusations brought by Shapiro, who is serving a 20-year term in federal prison for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme.


Miami has self-imposed two football postseason bans in response to the investigation. The Hurricanes also would have played in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game this past season, meaning they could have qualified for the Orange Bowl.


"In my two-and-a-half years I've certainly never seen anything like this, and don't want to see it again," Emmert said.


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