Data from Fed bank chiefs show disparity in wealth (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The heads of the Federal Reserve's 12 regional banks have for the first time released financial disclosure data, which suggest a wide disparity in their wealth.

Richard Fisher, head of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, listed three real estate holdings each valued in excess of $1 million: a 176-acre Texas ranch, 311 undeveloped acres in Georgia and 2,076 acres in Montgomery City, Texas.

Esther George, who took over last year at the Kansas City Fed, disclosed that her most expensive asset, estimated between $250,000 to $500,000, was one-half ownership of a farm in St. Joseph, Mo.

The filings, like those for members of Congress, didn't list specific amounts for the assets, only ranges.

The regional banks released the documents after Bloomberg News filed a Freedom of Information Act request. The banks maintained that the information isn't covered by FOIA rules. On their websites, they said it was being released voluntarily, "to promote transparency and in response to media interest."

William Dudley, president of the New York Fed, listed holdings in excess of $1 million in inflation-protected Treasury bonds, a retirement fund and a Vanguard Treasury bond fund. Dudley was a top executive at Goldman Sachs before joining the Fed.

James Bullard, the president of the St. Louis Fed, listed no assets that he needed to report.

Beyond the range in their wealth, the regional bank presidents' assets are of varying degrees of complexity. Dudley's filing was 190 pages; George's was six. George has spent her career at the Kansas City Fed, starting as a bank examiner in 1982.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other members of the Fed's seven-member board in Washington are subject to disclosure requirements. These officials release annual financial statements. The Fed board members are nominated by the president and must be confirmed by the Senate.

Bernanke earns $199,700, the same as a Cabinet secretary. The other members of the Fed's board earn $179,700.

By contrast, the regional bank presidents are selected by the boards of the individual Fed banks, though they must be approved by the Fed board in Washington.

The regional bank chiefs aren't subject to the federal salary caps that apply to Bernanke and the other Fed board members. The regional banks' boards set their salaries.

All 12 bank presidents are paid more than Bernanke. The head of the New York Fed is the highest-paid official, earning more than $410,000.

According to the Fed's annual report, the lowest salary among the 12 regional bank presidents was $281,000 paid to Bullard.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_fed_regional_bank_disclosures

tigers tigers rangers nlcs nlcs josh beckett 999 plan

Gingrich, Romney and Paul Are Good, Bad and Ugly at Debate (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | The GOP debate Monday brought to a head some of the major issues and brought out strong reactions to the candidates. With the candidate pack reduced to five, each had more time to speak, self-promote and attack opponents. The debate also proved what a circus the political arena has become when the audience became such an active participant that it almost needed a podium of its own.

Newt Gingrich won big at the debate. Politico.com reports he received a standing ovation from the crowd. When Gingrich is on his game he is a formidable debate opponent and Monday night was a jewel to place in his debating crown. The amazing part is that he earned this debate advocating for child labor. It reflects poorly on the residents of South Carolina that the idea of forcing children to work as janitors excites them into a frenzy of applause.

Mitt Romney took a beating over his reluctance to release his tax returns. CBS News reports he kind of, sort of agreed to release his returns around April. You can see him stammer his way through his reply like Porky Pig on YouTube. I counted about a dozen "uh" moments in those few sentences as Romney appeared to go into some form of brain lock over the question.

Ron Paul found the audience much less receptive to him than those in Iowa and New Hampshire. The Washington Post reports Paul was "repeatedly booed" by the crowd for his positions on foreign policy, which includes bringing our troops home to defend the nation and cutting the military budget. Maybe there are so many South Carolina members of the armed services or so many bases there, or their Civil War history. The audience almost seemed ready to storm the stage and drag Paul off to be tarred and feathered.

With the South Carolina primary just a few days away there is still time for candidates to make a splash. If Romney pulls out another win, scoring an early nomination hat trick, it's likely he'll win the nomination to run against President Barack Obama. We'll know after the South Carolina primary if another candidate will become a competing front-runner by ending Romney's winning streak.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politicsopinion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120131/cm_ac/10846349_gingrich_romney_and_paul_are_good_bad_and_ugly_at_debate

jon bon jovi kim jong il died warren hellman survivor south pacific survivor south pacific house of wax survivor

Video: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/193029882?client_source=feed&format=rss

xmen first class warrior novak djokovic sarah mclachlan shakespeare bipolar symptoms qi

The Warrior Beat | Investing in UH football | UH football, University of ...

We all know someone who wants to let you know about a great investment. No obligations. Honest. Just a little of your time.

Punahou running back Steven Lakalaka and Kamehameha safety Taylor Taliulu listened, and yesterday both decided to invest in the Warrior plan. In doing so, they rescinded pledges to Pac-12 schools ? Lakalaka to UCLA, Taliulu to Washington State.

"Steven and I are really good friends," Taliulu said. "We were talking about it. We thought it would be cool to show everyone we're serious about Hawaii football. We can change this place around."

Taliulu had been set on going away. After completing his UH trip yesterday, he evaluated his offers.

"I felt home would be the best place for me to get a scholarship and try to be the best player I can be," Taliulu said. "I think coach Chow has a really good coaching staff. I feel I can gain the best knowledge from them."

Lakalaka expressed an interest in medicine. During his visit, Chow and assistant coach Keith Uperesa took Lakalaka to the John Burns Medical School. They met with professors and other students.

"That meant a lot," Lakalaka said.

The message: Many of the ?things on the mainland can be found in Hawaii.

Lakalaka and Taliulu then discussed their situation.

"We talked about USC and UCLA, and their traditions," Lakalaka said. "Somebody had to start it. We wanted to be part of starting a tradition."

* * * * *

Source: http://warriorbeat.staradvertiserblogs.com/2012/01/30/investing-in-uh-football/

bay area news lettuce recall lettuce recall zanesville ohio zanesville ohio light field camera world series game 1

Scorsese, Hazanavicius lead Directors Guild rolls

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2011 file photo, director Martin Scorsese arrives for the Royal Film Performance of "Hugo," in London. Scorsese was nominated Monday, Jan. 9, 2012 for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for "Hugo." (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, file)

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2011 file photo, director Martin Scorsese arrives for the Royal Film Performance of "Hugo," in London. Scorsese was nominated Monday, Jan. 9, 2012 for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for "Hugo." (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Directors Guild of America Awards regular Martin Scorsese and first-timer Michel Hazanavicius are the favorites as Hollywood's top filmmaker group prepares to hand out prizes.

Past winner Scorsese is nominated again for the guild's feature-film honor for his Paris adventure "Hugo," while Hazanavicius scored his first nomination for his silent-movie "The Artist."

Also in the running are Woody Allen for his romantic fantasy "Midnight in Paris"; David Fincher for his thriller "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; and Alexander Payne for his family drama "The Descendants."

The Directors Guild Awards are one of Hollywood's most accurate forecasts for who will win at the industry's top honors, the Academy Awards, which will be handed out Feb. 26. Only six times in the 63-year history of the guild awards has the winner failed to take home the Oscar for best director, and more often than not, the film winning the best director Oscar is voted best picture.

Fincher had been the favorite going into the Directors Guild ceremony last year for "The Social Network," but Tom Hooper came away the winner for "The King's Speech." Hooper went on to win the Oscar, too, and his film also earned best picture.

This time, Fincher's the odd man out at the Directors Guild show. The other four guild nominees made the best-director cut at Tuesday's Oscar nominations, but Fincher missed out. The fifth Oscar slot went to Terrence Malick for the family chronicle "The Tree of Life."

French filmmaker Hazanavicius, whose credits include the spy spoofs "OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies" and "OSS 117: Lost in Rio," had been a virtual unknown in Hollywood until "The Artist," his black-and-white throwback to early cinema that has been a favorite at earlier film honors.

"The Artist" won the Golden Globe for best musical or comedy and is considered a best-picture front-runner for the Oscars.

But Scorsese won the Globes' singular directing prize over Hazanavicius.

Unlike Hazanavicius, the other nominees all have competed for Directors Guild honors before. Scorsese earned his ninth and 10th guild nominations this season; besides feature-film, he's nominated for documentary directing for "George Harrison: Living in the Material World."

Scorsese is a past feature-film winner for 2006's "The Departed," as well as a TV drama winner a year ago for an episode of "Boardwalk Empire." The family film "Hugo" was a departure for Scorsese, known for dark crime tales, and the movie also was his first shot in 3-D.

Allen has been nominated five times and won for 1977's "Annie Hall." He had not been nominated since his 1989 "Crimes and Misdemeanors" but has been on a critical and commercial resurgence for "Midnight in Paris," his biggest hit in decades.

This was the third nomination for Fincher. Payne was nominated one time previously, for 2004's "Sideways."

Kelsey Grammer is the host for the guild ceremony, which is not televised. Awards presenters include Oscar nominees George Clooney ("The Descendants"), Michelle Williams ("My Week with Marilyn"), Gary Oldman ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"), Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo ("The Artist"), and Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain ("The Help").

___

Online:

http://www.dga.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-28-Directors%20Awards/id-144a4938554e4eb484a2458dba41c031

dakota fanning leann rimes casey anthony video diary joe johnson lamarcus aldridge jeremy renner sacramento kings

Santorum Cancels Sunday Events (TIME)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192811116?client_source=feed&format=rss

pro bowl 2012 roster torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 2012 senior bowl kevin martin mitch hedberg chuck series finale

US Embassy: US citizen kidnapped in Nigeria freed (AP)

LAGOS, Nigeria ? A U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has been freed after a week in captivity, the U.S. Embassy said.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean told The Associated Press on Friday that the man had been released after being kidnapped in Warri in Delta state on Jan. 20. MacLean declined to offer any other details, citing privacy rules. Delta state police spokesman Charles Muka said he had not been informed about the man's release, as his company refused to cooperate with local authorities.

The freed hostage was identified as William Gregory Ock, 50, of Bowdon, Georgia, by his sister, Dee Dee Patterson.

Patterson told the AP on Friday that the family had no details of his release.

"The only thing we know is that he is safe and he is in a secure location," Patterson said by telephone.

She had no information on when Ock would return home to Georgia.

It was not immediately clear whether a ransom had been paid to secure his release, though many companies working in the region carry kidnap insurance and simply pay a negotiated price to see their employees freed. Kidnappers had made contact with authorities previously and demanded a $333,000 ransom.

The attack Jan. 20 occurred outside a bank branch in Warri, one of the main cities in nation's Niger Delta, a region of mangroves and swamps where foreign oil companies pump 2.4 million barrels of crude oil a day. The gunmen attacked Ock as he came outside, shooting his police escort to death before abducting him, Muka said.

Investigators believe the gunmen trailed him for some time before the attack, Muka said.

Foreign firms have pumped oil out of the delta for more than 50 years. Despite the billions flowing into Nigeria's government, many in the delta remain desperately poor, living in polluted waters without access to proper medical care, education or work.

In 2006, militants started a wave of attacks targeting foreign oil companies, including bombing their pipelines, kidnapping their workers and fighting with security forces. That violence waned in 2009 with a government-sponsored amnesty program promising ex-fighters monthly payments and job training. However, few in the delta have seen the promised benefits and criminal gangs still roam the region, increasingly targeting middle-class Nigerians.

In 2011, there were five reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Nigeria, according to a recent U.S. State Department travel warning about the country. The most recent occurred in November when two U.S. citizens and a Mexican were kidnapped from a Chevron Corp. offshore oil field and held for about two weeks, the State Department said.

A German working in the city of Kano in north Nigeria was abducted Thursday by unknown gunmen, authorities have said.

___

Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_bi_ge/af_nigeria_oil_unrest

new hampshire primary results ron paul golden state warriors amanda bynes molly sims hostess brands nh primary

Altria 4Q profit falls 9 pct, CEO to retire (AP)

RICHMOND, Va. ? Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc. said Friday that its fourth-quarter profit fell about 9 percent on lease, legal and restructuring charges even as higher prices and gains from its smokeless tobacco products helped bolster its sales.

The owner of the nation's biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, also announced that CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk will retire in May following the company's annual shareholder meeting. Altria's board has selected Martin J. Barrington to replace him as CEO and chairman, and David R. Beran will serve as president and chief operating officer.

The company also disclosed that it has entered into an agreement with an affiliate of Fertin Pharma A/S to develop non-combustible nicotine-containing products. Several other tobacco companies have announced similar initiatives to seek cigarette alternatives as demand declines.

"Altria continues to focus on lower-risk products that appeal to adult tobacco consumers," Szymanczyk said in a conference call with investors.

Richmond, Va.-based Altria reported net income of $836 million, or 41 cents per share, for the three-month period ended Dec. 31, down from $919 million, or 44 cents a share, last year. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 50 cents per share, a penny above Wall Street expectations.

Revenue, excluding excise taxes, increased 5 percent to $4.34 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting $4.23 billion.

Its shares fell 52 cents to close at $28.14 Friday. Its shares have recovered from a 52-week low of $23.20 in early August and are 7.4 percent below their high for the past year of $30.40 set in mid-December.

Cigarettes volumes were flat at 33.7 billion cigarettes compared with a year ago as an increase of nearly 20 percent in its discount cigarette brands offset declines in its premium brands like Marlboro. Cigarette revenue excluding excise taxes rose 4 percent to $3.63 billion during the quarter on higher prices.

Altria said its top-selling Marlboro brand lost 0.7 points of market share to end up with 41.6 percent of the U.S. market. Marlboro volumes declined less than 1 percent. Its other brands, including Virginia Slims, Parliament and Basic, also lost market share.

The company has introduced several new products with the Marlboro brand, often with lower promotional pricing. They include special blends of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes to try to keep the brand growing and steal smokers from its competitors.

Altria still faces pressure in the current economy from less-expensive brands such as like Pall Mall from Reynolds American Inc. and Maverick from Lorillard Inc. Marlboro sold for an average of $5.73 per pack during the fourth quarter, compared with an average of $4.24 per pack for the cheapest brand.

Despite changes in market share driven by short-term increases in promotional activity, "Marlboro's underlying brand equity remains strong," Szymanczyk said.

Like other tobacco companies, Altria is focusing on cigarette alternatives ? such as cigars, snuff and chewing tobacco ? for future sales growth because the decline in cigarette smoking is expected to continue.

Volumes of its smokeless tobacco brands such as Copenhagen and Skoal increased about 10 percent. Excluding excise taxes, revenue from its smokeless tobacco business grew nearly 7 percent to $391 million on higher prices.

For the quarter, the company's smokeless tobacco brands had 55.5 percent of the market, which is tiny compared with cigarettes.

Volume for its Black & Mild cigars fell about 6 percent during the period. But revenue excluding excise taxes rose 26 percent to $90 million as it raised prices and spent less money promoting the brand.

Altria also owns a wine business and holds a voting stake in brewer SABMiller.

Altria has been forced to cut costs as tax hikes, smoking bans, health concerns and social stigma make the cigarette business tougher. During the third quarter, the company said it completed a multi-year cost savings program, exceeding its goal of reducing costs by $1.5 billion between 2007 and 2011 compared with 2006.

Last quarter the company rolled out a plan to cut $400 million in "cigarette-related infrastructure costs" by the end of 2013 in advance of anticipated cigarette volume declines. Altria said the restructuring charges in connection with the program totaled 7 cents per share in the fourth quarter.

For the full year, the company said it earned $3.39 billion, or $1.64 per share, in 2011 compared with $3.9 billion, or $1.87 per share, in the previous year. It said its adjusted earnings for the year were $2.05 per share.

Cigarette volumes for the year fell about 4 percent to 135.1 billion cigarettes, largely on declines from Altria's premium brands. Marlboro ended the year with a 42 percent share of the U.S. retail market, down 0.6 points from a year ago. Overall the company lost 0.8 points of market share to end up with 49 percent of the retail market.

Full-year smokeless tobacco volumes increased more than 1 percent to 734.6 million cans or packs, and cigar volumes were stable at 1.25 billion units.

Altria also said it forecast 2012 full-year adjusted earnings between $2.17 and $2.23 per share.

___

Michael Felberbaum can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MLFelberbaum.

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

dwts results vanessa paradis vanessa paradis when will ios 5 be released when will ios 5 be released ipod nano watch ipod nano watch

As Democrats shift to offense, Obama, Biden address House retreat (Washington Post)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192173331?client_source=feed&format=rss

va tech shooting 2011 cj wilson coriolanus coriolanus jon corzine v tech the three stooges

Somali captors move US hostage after SEAL raid (AP)

MOGADISHU, Somalia ? Pirates moved an American hostage at least three times in 24 hours and threatened Thursday to kill him after U.S. Navy SEALs rescued an American and a Dane in a bold, dark-of-night raid that raises questions about whether other Western captives are now in greater danger.

"If they try again, we will all die together," warned Hassan Abdi, a Somali pirate connected to the gang holding the American, who was kidnapped Saturday in northern Somalia.

"It's difficult to hold U.S. hostages, because it's a game of chance: die or get huge money. But we shall stick with our plans and will never release him until we get a ransom," Abdi said.

U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia early Wednesday and hiked to where captors were holding 32-year-old American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane. A shootout ensued and nine captors were killed. Buchanan, Thisted and the U.S. troops were all unharmed. The two aid workers had been kidnapped by gunmen in October while working on demining projects for the Danish Refugee Council.

Buchanan and Thisted were flown to the U.S. Naval Air Base at Sigonella on the Italian island of Sicily to undergo medical screenings and other evaluations before heading home, a U.S. defense official said. Buchanan's family was meeting her at the base, which is the hub of U.S. Navy air operations in the Mediterranean.

The U.S. government said the raid was prompted by Buchanan's deteriorating health. An ailing Frenchwoman kidnapped by Somali gunmen died in captivity last year after not having access to her medication.

In the aftermath of Wednesday's rescue, the gang holding the American kidnapped in the northern town of Galkayo have moved him three times, Abdi said.

"Holding hostages in one place is unlikely now because we are the next target," he told The Associated Press by telephone.

He also expressed concern that the U.S. has pirate informants.

"It wasn't just a hit-and-run operation, but long planned with the help of insiders among us," Abdi said, noting that the Americans struck at a time when the pirates were least on their guard.

U.S. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said U.S. officials have been in contact with the family of the latest American kidnapping victim.

"We are also working with our contacts in Kenya and in Somalia to try to get more information," Nuland told reporters in Washington.

"Obviously we condemn kidnapping of any kind and call for the immediate release of the victims ? any victims. We also would note that our travel warning for Somalia does caution U.S. citizens about the risk of travel."

Other hostages held in Somalia include a British tourist and two Spanish aid workers seized in neighboring Kenya, a French military adviser and 155 sailors of various nationalities hijacked by pirates at sea.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders, known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, employed the two Spanish women. The group said it was pleased that Buchanan and Thisted were freed and was seeking the release of its workers, Montserrat Serra and Blanca Theibaut. It hinted, though, that it views military raids as risky.

"MSF strongly favors the nonviolent resolution of such cases, as the use of force endangers the lives of the hostages and may result in the tragic loss of human lives," the group said. "We call upon the Somali population, especially the local authorities in control of the areas where the two are held, to do everything in their power to assist in their safe release."

It's not always clear what group is holding a captive in Somalia, and hostages have sometimes been sold from one gang to another. Captives can be held for long stretches: Two journalists from Canada and Australia were held for 15 months before being released in 2009, and the French military adviser has been missing for more than two years.

The security community is divided over whether the U.S. raid would make life more difficult for the other captives or whether the killings of the nine captors might make pirates think twice about launching future operations, a Western official in Kenya said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

On Wednesday evening, hours after the U.S. military raid, the gang holding the American hostage started circulating false rumors that they had executed him.

Another security official who has years of experience in the region said it was likely the men holding the American would move him onto a ship with other foreign hostages, because ships were easier to defend and planning rescue operations is more complicated when hostages from other countries are involved.

At least one pirate agreed with his analysis.

"I think land captivity is going to end now. Sea is much safer," pirate Mohamed Nur said by phone from the coastal town of Hobyo. "Even ships are not very safe, but you can at least hit back and resist."

Americans have been captured by Somali pirate gangs before. In 2009, the cargo vessel Maersk Alabama was briefly hijacked before pirates took to the lifeboat with the ship's captain, who was rescued after Navy sharpshooters killed the pirates.

But in a sign that pirates are getting increasingly violent ? and perhaps jittery ? four Americans onboard a hijacked yacht were killed last February. It's still unclear why the hostages were shot.

Several senior pirates condemned Wednesday's U.S. raid, which was authorized by President Barack Obama, and at least one warned that other U.S. hostages might suffer as a result.

"They send hit squads and kill all they want, so there is no way we will care for their (hostages) while they are killing us. They will see the aftereffects and reap the results of their actions," said Bile Hussein, a Somali pirate commander.

A spokesman for Somalia's U.N.-backed government said the pirates got what they deserved.

"Pirates have no place in our society," Abdirahman Omar Osman told the AP. "This is a huge and unforgettable lesson for them."

___

Associated Press writers Jason Straziuso and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi, Kenya, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow Katharine Houreld at http://twitter.com/khoureld

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

jerry sandusky toyota recall order of operations carrie underwood eric church sara evans lionel richie

APNewsBreak: Fifth arrest made in Megaupload case (AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand ? A U.S. official confirmed that a fifth person has been arrested in the Megaupload file-sharing case.

The U.S. Justice Department official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity because the case is still pending, said Dutch police have arrested Andrus Nomm, 32, a citizen of Estonia and a resident of both Turkey and Estonia.

Police in New Zealand last week arrested Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and three other Megaupload employees on U.S. accusations they facilitated millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content, costing copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue.

In all, U.S. authorities have charged seven men in the conspiracy case and are still seeking the arrest of the remaining two men.

Authorities in the U.S. are seeking to extradite the four men arrested in New Zealand and are also expected to seek Nomm's extradition.

On Wednesday, a judge in New Zealand denied Dotcom bail pending his first extradition hearing on Feb. 22, saying Dotcom poses a flight risk.

Dotcom, 38, insists he is innocent and poses no flight risk.

The judge is expected to make bail rulings on Dotcom's three colleagues later this week or early next week.

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

stevejobs stevejobs steve jobs commencement speech sarah palin espn body issue ijustine visionary

Michele Bachmann to run for House re-election (The Ticket)

Bachmann (Chris Carlson/AP)

You haven't seen the last of Michele Bachmann.

The Minnesota congresswoman confirmed in an interview Tuesday that she will run for re-election to her House district following her failed presidential bid.

"I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing a strong, powerful voice to Washington, D.C.," Bachmann told the Associated Press. The comments were the first public confirmation of Bachmann's plans since she?ended her presidential campaign Jan. 4 following a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses.

Last June, Bachmann announced plans to "suspend" her re-election campaign for a fourth term in Minnesota's 6th District as she pursued the presidency. Her uncertain status prompted Republican officials--including the state party--to keep would-be Republican contenders out of the race.

But potential challenger and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer told Yahoo News Wednesday that no one forced candidates to stay on the sidelines. Emmer said he and other would-be candidates are nothing but pleased by Bachmann's decision.

"I can speak for a lot of people that I know--we were all hopeful she was going to run again," Emmer said. "She's beloved in her district."

Emmer said he sent Bachmann a note Wednesday morning expressing his support.

"The overwhelming feeling within her district is people wanted her to run again," he said.

As a former presidential candidate who was already known for her fundraising prowess, Bachmann will be a formidable candidate this year even though she faces new constituents following 2010 census-mandated redistricting.

The filing deadline for the election is not until June and it remains to be seen if a major Democratic candidate will enter the race. Emmer noted that Democrats spent a significant amount unsuccessfully challenging Bachmann in 2010, before she entered the presidential arena.

Bachmann's announcement also rules out a potential challenge to Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar--a possibility which observers have continued to float despite Bachmann's lack of public interest in a Senate run.

Bachmann is not the first sitting lawmaker to keep her options open as she pursued the presidency.

In the last presidential election, two sitting members of Congress--Reps. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)--each competed for the presidency, failed, then ran successfully for House re-election. This time, Paul has stated he will not be running for House re-election.

Update 12:45 p.m. ET: Story updated to include Tom Emmer's comments.

Other popular Yahoo! News stories:

? In State of the Union, Obama warns of inequality

? Mitch Daniels: Obama divided America

? Yahoo! audience reacts: 63% say Obama made case for second term

Want more of our best political stories? Visit The Ticket or connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or add us on Tumblr.

Handy with a camera? Join our Election 2012 Flickr group to submit your photos of the campaign in action.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20120125/el_yblog_theticket/michele-bachmann-to-run-for-house-re-election

squirrel appreciation day 10 minute trainer billy beane shark tank kirkwood kathy griffin weather channel

Republicans eye highway bill as vehicle for Keystone (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? House of Representatives Republicans looking to force approval of the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline that was blocked last week by the Obama administration are considering attaching it to a massive highway bill, a key lawmaker said on Tuesday.

"It's not settled," said Representative Lee Terry, a senior Republican on the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. "But there seems to be some coalescence for an infrastructure bill."

The Republicans, searching for ways to resurrect the $7 billion project, also are not ruling out coupling it to a payroll tax bill that needs to get through Congress in February.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said on Tuesday he does not think a provision to speed approval of the pipeline belongs in the next payroll tax cut bill.

"If we want to wean ourselves from foreign oil, why would we allow a pipeline to be built of 1,700 miles to manufacture petroleum products to be shipped overseas? That's the purpose of this," Reid told reporters.

Terry said an infrastructure bill seems like a "marriage" for TransCanada's Keystone, which would sharply boost the flow of crude from Canada's oil sands to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.

Congressional Republicans have over the past year rejected ambitious Obama administration infrastructure proposals that were intended as job creators, citing cost concerns.

House Speaker John Boehner in November proposed a five-year plan to combine road and bridge spending with measures that would increase royalties from new offshore oil and gas drilling.

Parts of the plan, such has opening part of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, stand little chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

President Barack Obama said his administration denied TransCanada's application for the oil sands pipeline on January 18 because there was not enough time to review an alternate route that would avoid a sensitive aquifer in Nebraska within a 60-day window set by Congress.

Congressional Republicans had tried to force the administration into a quick decision after Obama delayed the project in November on the grounds that more study was needed.

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Liberals and environmental groups - who Obama does not want to antagonize as he seeks re-election on November 6 - have protested against the project because of the higher greenhouse gas emissions from mining Alberta's massive oils sands.

The administration will likely not reconsider the project until after the presidential election unless Congress can force Obama's hand.

The five-year, $260 billion infrastructure bill eyed by House Republicans is long-delayed legislation to fund highway, bridge and rail construction programs. Relevant committees plan to consider the measure next month.

Republicans feel their hand has been strengthened after a new legal analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that Congress has the constitutional right to legislate permits for cross-border oil pipelines like Keystone.

Attaching the bill to payroll tax cut legislation that needs to pass by the end of February has not been ruled out.

But Republican leaders may try to avoid a showdown on that bill after delays in December backfired.

Republicans in both the House and Senate are working on legislative language but getting a Keystone bill passed faces hurdles in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and also ultimately would need to be signed by Obama to become law.

The House has been considering language drafted by Terry, whose home state of Nebraska would host part of the pipeline. The language would shift the Keystone decision to the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates pipelines.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Terry's bill on Wednesday, which will signal further determination by Republicans to press ahead with the project that they say is needed to create jobs secure the country's energy security.

Using a slightly different approach, House Republican Ted Poe of Texas introduced a bill on Tuesday that would see Congress give the project a permit "directly and immediately."

Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, whose state needs the pipeline to move booming oil production from the Bakken shale reserve, is also working on language to push approval of the project.

(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and John Crawley; Editing by Will Dunham)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/pl_nm/us_usa_keystone_republicans

vernon davis starship troopers starship troopers nfl nfl cruise ship italy patriots broncos game

Redknapp trial: Transfer-bonus bank account hidden

By ROB HARRIS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 8:57 a.m. ET Jan. 24, 2012

LONDON (AP) - Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was accused in court Tuesday of concealing a "secret" offshore bank account from British tax authorities that was used for six years to stash $295,000 of transfer bonuses.

Redknapp, considered a favorite to become England manager after this year's European Championship, is standing trial with his former chairman at Portsmouth on tax evasion charges during their time working together at the south coast club.

"I don't fiddle anybody. I pay my tax," Redknapp said in a police interview read to the court.

According to prosecutor John Black, Redknapp claimed not to know how $295,000 from Portsmouth arrived in his Monaco bank account, despite flying to the principality in 2002 to open the "secret" account.

The payments have been described by Black as "off-record bonus" or a "bung," a British term used to mean a bribe.

But Redknapp denied taking a "bung" in a Feb. 2009 conversation with a journalist, according to a transcript read to London's Southwark Crown Court on the second day of the trial.

"It's nothing to do with a bung - it's paid by the chairman," Redknapp told a reporter with the now-defunct News of the World.

"If it was something dodgy I would have gone over there and brought it back in a brief case," Redknapp added.

Monaco was chosen because it has a "minimal taxation and a long history of banking secrecy," Black said Monday.

On Tuesday, Black cited Redknapp's "supposed ignorance of the circumstances of the opening, operation and ownership" of the account, which Britain's tax authority was only made aware of in 2008.

"Had Mr. Redknapp really forgotten that he had flown to Monaco to set up the account?" Black told the jury.

That disclosure to tax inspectors only came as a result of questions posed by a Premier League-led investigation into kickbacks and after Redknapp was arrested in November 2007.

The court heard Monday that Redknapp did not mention the account's existence between 2004 and 2006 when he was investigated by Britain's tax authority over his transfer dealings at West Ham, which he managed between 1994 and 2001. That probe was prompted by "concerns" over the 300,000 pound bonus Redknapp received from the sale of now-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand to Leeds from West Ham.

The charges in this case are that Mandaric paid $145,000 into Redknapp's Monaco bank account in May 2002, prompted by Peter Crouch's sale from Portsmouth to Aston Villa, and another $150,000 two years later to avoid paying income tax and national insurance.

The 64-year-old Redknapp managed Portsmouth, which is now in the second tier, between 2002 and 2004, and returned to Fratton Park in 2005 after a brief spell at its archrival Southampton before moving to Tottenham in 2008.

Redknapp's success at Tottenham has made him the leading contender to replace Fabio Capello as England coach after this year's European Championship. Spurs have qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Redknapp and are currently third in the Premier League.

Redknapp was portrayed by Black as a talented soccer manager, but also "a hardheaded businessman, with a financial acumen."

The 73-year-old Mandaric, a Serbian, is now chairman at third-tier club Sheffield Wednesday. Both Mandaric and Redknapp deny the two charges.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

More newsGiuseppe Cacace / AFP - Getty Images

Barca awaits Real Madrid again

Real Madrid probably will abandon its defensive strategy and go on the attack against Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Stefano Rellandini / Reuters

That's a reason?

AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng is hurt again, and his girlfriend says it's because they have sex "7-10 times a week." Oh.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46098543/ns/sports-soccer/

bcs rankings miguel cotto vs antonio margarito terminator salvation terminator salvation rockefeller center art basel 2011 art basel 2011

Investing on a Smaller Budget

Don?t let your small budget keep you from taking advantage of the wealth building power of investing.

At the end of last week, I published a guest post about investing on a smaller budget. Some of the ideas presented were interesting ? but considered risky. Additionally, some of them require that you use leverage in your efforts to begin investing on a small budget. I received a couple of emailed requests asking for more ?practical? approaches to investing on a smaller budget.

First of all, if you can, invest in a tax advantaged retirement account. This is one of the best ways to maximize your money, and help you save for the future, since you aren?t bogged down as much by taxes. If you are interested in investing beyond your retirement account, though, here are some of my ideas for taking your smaller budget, and using it to good account as you begin investing:

• Brokerage account: You can open an account with an online broker and begin investing with as little as $25 or $50. Most online brokerages have low account minimums, and you can invest a small amount of money each month. Make it automatic, with a direct debit from your checking account, and you will be investing each month without thinking about it. You can buy partial shares of individual stocks, as well as partial shares of index funds and ETFs.
• DRIPs: There are a number of companies that offer DRIPs, allowing you to make the most of your investment dollars. You can usually start with a relatively small amount of money, and you can usually purchase partial shares. Many companies will let you set up an automatic plan that draws from your account each month to purchase new shares. Plus, when dividends are paid out, your money is automatically reinvested in the stock, boosting your holdings and helping you build your wealth automatically, a little at a time.
• Treasury bonds: You can also use a small amount to start investing in Treasuries. You can open an account at Treasury Direct and purchase what many consider the safest investment around. Your returns will be lower, though, but you are likely to have a bit of a safety net.

These methods are less glamorous than investing in commodities or currencies, but they are considered less risky, and they don?t require a huge outlay of capital.

Increasing Your Investment

Of course, you shouldn?t keep your investment small over time. While it is important to get started with investing, you should also increase the amount you invest as your income increases. As you earn more money, increase what you are contributing. Don?t think that you are going to earn enough money to retire on if you stick with your original plan of investing $50 a month. That?s just not going to cut it. As your circumstances improve, you must take your investing up a notch. Just make sure to consider your asset allocation and rebalance occasionally to limit your risk, and improve your portfolio performance.

Image source: Agamitsudo via Wikimedia Commons

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Related posts:

1. Investment Options for a Smaller Budget
2. Does Your Spending Plan Include Investing?
3. Investing Roundup: Irrational Exuberance

Source: http://plantingmoneyseeds.com/investing-on-a-smaller-budget/

smokey robinson smokey robinson close encounters of the third kind pulmonary embolism meryl streep packages camila alves

Stephen Colbert, Herman Cain Stump For Votes in South Carolina

Newt, Schmewt. Mitt, Schmitt.

Herman Cain dropped out of the presidential race months ago, but that won't stop Stephen Colbert from rallying for him in advance of today's primary.

The Comedy Central host hit the campus of the College of Charleston Friday, joined by over 3,000 students, a marching band, cheerleaders, and Cain:

Stephen Colbert-Herman Cain Rally

Colbert, who toyed with running in the South Carolina GOP primary himself, was waylaid by the technicality of not getting his name on the ballot in time.

Cain, who abandoned his bid in the fall after a brief surge to the top of the polls, happens to still be on the ballot, so Colbert threw his support to Cain.

A gospel choir sang "This Little Light of Mine" before Colbert delivered an address at the "Rock Me Like a Herman Cain: South Cain-Olina Primary Rally."

"Do not sit down!" Colbert said. "There are no chairs. Partly for budgetary reasons, but mostly because I'll take a standing ovation any way I can get it."

He zinged the frontrunner as such: "The only difference between Mitt Romney and a statue of Mitt Romney is that the statue never changes in position."

Before introducing Cain, he also zinged Rick Santorum.

"A Her Man is not the same as a She Male," Colbert said, according to reports, adding. "I don't want to frighten any Rick Santorum supporters."

"I have believed in the message of Herman Cain for several days now. I want you to vote for Herman Cain because Herman Cain is me... and he possesses the one thing I don't think I possibly will ever have: a place on the South Carolina ballot."

Fight on, Stephen and Herman. Fight on.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/stephen-colbert-herman-cain-stump-for-votes-in-south-carolina/

facebook timeline kim jong il kim jong il vaclav havel vaclav havel kim jong ii dead snapdragon

HRW calls on West to end 'Arab exception' (AP)

CAIRO ? Popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world exposed biases by Western governments that supported Arab autocratic rulers for the sake of "stability" while turning a blind eye to their repressive policies, Human Rights Watch said Sunday.

The New-York based group urged democratic governments to adopt persistent and consistent support for peaceful protesters and to press both autocratic rulers and newly emerging democracies to avoid intolerance and seeking revenge.

"The events of the past year show that the forced silence of people living under autocrats should never have been mistaken for popular complacency," HRW's executive director Kenneth Roth said. "It is time to end the 'Arab exception.'"

The Arab Spring revolts began in Tunisia in late 2010 and quickly spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, deposing or challenging authoritarian rulers as citizens who long seemed incapable or unwilling to rise against decades of repression took to the streets in a stunning awakening.

In some ways, the unexpected uprisings amounted to a slap to the United States and other Western governments, which had supported autocratic regimes that served as bulwarks against Islamists hostile to the West and appeared to offer stability in a volatile region.

Western governments also have been accused of being selective in supporting the protesters, with NATO airstrikes proving key to the ouster of slain Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. Meanwhile, the West has stood largely on the sidelines amid continued crackdowns in Bahrain, Yemen and Syria.

"The people driving the Arab Spring deserve strong international support to realize their rights and to build genuine democracies," Roth said in the group's annual report, which covers some 90 countries. He added that the Arab world is in a "transformative moment," and it will not be an easy one.

Human Rights Watch pointed to five main issues that dominated the relationship between Western governments and their Arab autocratic friends: the threat of political Islam, the fight against terrorism, support for Israel, protection of the oil flow and cooperation in stemming immigration.

Even after the leaders of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia were toppled, Western governments remained hesitant to lean too hard on other shaky authoritarian leaders, the group said.

As an example, the watchdog group singled out the United States, saying it has been reluctant to "press Egypt's ruling military council to subject itself to elected civilian rule," nearly a year after the country's longtime leader was ousted following an 18-day uprising.

Roth acknowledged Western governments were re-evaluating their policies as new governments emerge in the region, but said changes have been selective.

"The West has not put Bahrain under pressure, and other monarchs, to carry out reforms," he told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of the report's release in Cairo.

The organization also blamed the Western hesitation in part on the ascendence of political Islam in most of the countries that witnessed the fall of their autocratic rulers like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia.

HRW urged the West to recognize that Islamists are the "majority preference," while keeping pressure on the emerging new governments to respect human rights, especially regarding women and religious minorities.

Roth was cautious when asked about concerns about potential human rights violations under Islamist rule, particularly in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood and ultraconservative Salafis won a majority of seats in the first post-Hosni Mubarak parliament.

He said the Muslim Brotherhood has been "saying the right things" but "we have to see how they govern and how they deal with women, religious minorities. These are the big questions."

The popular uprisings also have alarmed other repressive regimes such as China, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, where rulers were worried about facing similar fates. The group said China and Russia in particular acted "obstructionist," using their veto power at the U.N. security council to halt pressure on Syria to stop killings of protesters.

Saudi Arabia also continues to discriminate against its citizens and workers, according to HRW, which said 9 million women, 8 million foreign workers and 2 million Shiite citizens are either suppressed or lacking rights in the country.

"As we mark the first anniversary of the Arab Spring, we should stand firmly for the rights and aspirations of the individual over the spoils of the tyrant," Roth said.

Outside the Arab world, the last year has not witnessed significant progress in countries with poor human rights records, including China and North Korea, according to the report.

Corruption, poverty and repression still prevail in Equatorial Guinea, the tiny, oil-rich nation off the western coast of Africa, which has been ruled by Africa's longest-serving ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema since he seized power in a 1979 coup, the group said.

Eritrea continues to be governed by "one of the world's most repressive governments," and its citizens are subjected to torture, detentions, restrictions on freedom of speech, HRW said.

It also cited Colombia, saying armed conflict in the South American country has displaced millions while paramilitary groups with ties to the security apparatus are on the rise.

Cuba, HRW said, remains "the only country in Latin America that represses virtually all forms of political dissent."

The group also claimed that even member states of the European Union have violated human rights through restrictive asylum and migration policies.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_re_mi_ea/human_rights_report

sara evans lionel richie cma awards cma awards christmas tree tax cmas cmas

Video: President Obama Sings Al Green at the Apollo Theatre (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/188827382?client_source=feed&format=rss

pope joan pope joan extremely loud and incredibly close 10 minute trainer south carolina primary squirrel appreciation day billy beane

Inter full of optimism after emotional derby win

By ANDREW DAMPF

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 9:21 a.m. ET Jan. 19, 2012

ROME (AP) -Inter Milan is full of optimism following an emotional derby win over AC Milan that is helping the club forget its dismal start to the season.

With six consecutive victories, the Nerazzurri have climbed from 15 points behind to trail Serie A leader Juventus by six points approaching the season's midpoint.

Inter remains at the San Siro this weekend to face fourth-place Lazio, the squad that is only one point above it in the table.

"This is a squad that should be fighting for the title," Inter manager Claudio Ranieri said. "We've had an incredible run but we still haven't done anything. We've gotten back in the (Europa League) zone but we've got to get back in the Champions League places - because that's where Inter belongs. We're placing one brick at a time."

Speculation that Inter might sign Carlos Tevez from Manchester City has waned recently, since word that the Argentina international is close to a deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

"We've found a nice balance, and this kid who hasn't played for a long time, how much could he offer and how much could he take away?" Ranieri said.

Inter began the season by failing to win its opening three matches, leading the club to replace Gian Piero Gasperini with Ranieri, although the real problem appeared to be Samuel Eto'o's sudden departure to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in August.

Eto'o led Inter with 37 goals in all competitions last season.

After a disappointing season and a half, Diego Milito finally appears to have rediscovered the goalscoring touch that helped lead Inter to an unprecedented treble in 2010.

Milito's 54th-minute goal against Milan last weekend was his fourth in three games.

Also, key playmaker Wesley Sneijder has returned after missing more than two months with a right leg muscle injury.

"When I arrived everything was going wrong, but I've re-instilled in everyone the desire to battle and show that they're not finished," Ranieri said. "I've put everyone back into their natural positions and working with these guys is a real pleasure."

While Inter was hosting Genoa on Thursday for a spot in the Italian Cup quarterfinals, it's real focus now is on Lazio, which exceeded expectations in the first half of the season but then was routed 4-0 by Siena in its first match after the holiday break.

Lazio got back on track with a 2-0 win over Atalanta last weekend with an opening goal from Brazilian playmaker Hernanes and then Miroslav Klose's 10th league score of the season in stoppage time.

"After the vacation it's not unexpected to have a blackout because you're not used to certain rhythms," said Lazio coach Edy Reja, the oldest manager in the league at 66. "Let's hope that letdown we had is over now. ... We're going to Milan to win."

Juventus, which leads Milan by one point, visits Atalanta, while Milan plays at last-place Novara in a rematch of an Italian Cup game won 2-1 by the Rossoneri in extra time on Wednesday.

"We lost but we're still five points in front of Inter," Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said. "There are still a lot of matches remaining, so that game wasn't decisive."

Third-place Udinese, which is three points behind, hosts Catania.

Also this weekend, it's: Cagliari vs. Fiorentina; Roma vs. Cesena; Bologna vs. Parma; Lecce vs. Chievo Verona; Palermo vs. Genoa; and Siena vs. Napoli.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

More news

Mourinho's 'woeful Barca loss

??Another loss to Barcelona has piled pressure on Jose Mourinho, with support for the Real Madrid coach ebbing after another ill-tempered and ineffective display against its biggest rival.

Robert Cianflone / Getty Images

He's back

David Beckham has re-signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy, agreeing to a new two-year contract with the Major League Soccer club.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44225939/ns/sports-soccer/

stanley tucci stanley tucci x factor voting “do a barrel roll” oakland texas judge texas judge

Apple education event: Everything you need to know

The (now digital) ink has dried on Apple's education event, we've met the new apps, we've seen the new services, and we've gotten an idea of where Apple is heading when it comes to schools, textbooks, and learning.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/otSwdBpOBXU/story01.htm

sprint chris tucker phoenix jones danielle chiesi walter payton oneiric oneiric

Bangladesh military says it has foiled coup plot (AP)

DHAKA, Bangladesh ? The Bangladesh military said Thursday it foiled a plot by a group of hardline officers, their retired colleagues and Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The coup attempt underscored tension between Hasina's government and elements of the military that has lingered since a 2009 mutiny.

Brig. Gen. Muhammad Masud Razzaq told a news conference the military has specific evidence that up to 16 current and former Bangladeshi military officers "with extreme religious views" were involved in the "heinous conspiracy."

The plot was instigated by Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad, he added.

Two retired officers ? Lt. Col. Ehsan Yusuf and Maj. Zakir ? have been arrested, Razzaq said, but he did not say when. Authorities are also looking for another fugitive serving officer, Maj. Ziaul Haq, he said.

He said Haq fled his post after the arrest of Yusuf and Zakir.

In 2009, just two months after Hasina took office after sweeping a general election, Bangladesh border guards mutinied over complaints over pay, perks and promotion prospects. At least 74 military commanders were killed, many of them the commanders of the mutineers.

Military officials were furious with Hasina for not ordering an assault on the compound, but instead ending the standoff by offering an amnesty to the mutineers that was later rescinded.

Since then, the military has been pressing for an early trial of the mutineers. Hasina's government is trying more than 800 border guards on charges of killing, arson and looting in Dhaka. Hundreds who mutinied at locations outside the capital have been tried already and sentenced to prison.

It's not clear why the alleged coup participants are being described as religious fanatics. Hasina banned Islamic militant groups after taking office in 2009 and has warned in recent speeches that such groups are "conspiring against her elected government."

Bangladesh, a parliamentary democracy since 1990, has witnessed two presidents slain in military coups and 19 other failed coup attempts.

Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh, was assassinated in the country's first military coup in 1975.

Another coup in 1981 killed army general-turned-president Ziaur Rahman, husband of ex-prime minister and Hasina's main rival Khaleda Zia.

The country's last military ruler, Gen. Hussain Mohammad Ershad, was ousted in 1990 in a pro-democracy movement led jointly by Hasina and Zia.

(This version CORRECTS that Haq is not retired.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_as/as_bangladesh_coup_plot

muskingum county muskingum county barometer barometer intc cyclops cyclops

Mexico child-trafficking probe: 4 sexually abused (AP)

GUADALAJARA, Mexico ? A Mexican official says four of the 10 children seized as part of a child-trafficking probe involving Irish couples in western Mexico were sexually abused.

Jalisco state attorney general Tomas Coronado says a medical examination determined the abuse. He gave no other details.

Coronado told reporters Wednesday that 11 Irish couples are being questioned in the case. He said 15 Irish citizens have already spoken to investigators in the city of Guadalajara.

Authorities last week detained four women with children between two months and two years of age. A woman told police her sister-in-law was trying to sell one of her babies and "rent" the other one. Seven kids were seized from Irish couples.

Two men and seven women have been arrested in the case.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_child_trafficking

bears lions bears lions heavy d heavy d taser gun patriots vs jets adventureland

1300-Year-Old Flask Holds Mayan Tobacco Remains

60-Second Science | More Science

A chemical analysis found evidence of nicotine in a Mayan flask dating back to 700 AD. Sophie Bushwick reports.

January 17, 2012?|

More 60-Second Science

Subscribe via iTunes

People have used tobacco for well over a thousand years. And researchers recently found unique physical evidence of the ancient habit. They detected traces of tobacco in a 1300-year-old Mayan container. The work is in the journal Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. [Dmitri V. Zagorevski and Jennifer A. Loughmiller-Newman, The detection of nicotine in a Late Mayan period flask by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods]

Based on hieroglyphics and images of people smoking, archaeologists assumed that the Mayans used tobacco. In the hope of finding physical remains, the researchers examined the inside of a particular clay flask dating back to the year 700 AD. Analysis of the flask revealed the presence of nicotine, as well as a few products of nicotine oxidation.

The chemical analysis owes some of its success to a dirty container?because the inside of the flask was not cleaned, the nicotine residue remained uncontaminated. It also helped that the flask had a single purpose, and was not reused to hold multiple products. But the most important aid to this discovery was undoubtedly some Mayan writing on the container. Which roughly translated means: container for tobacco.

?Sophie Bushwick

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]?
?

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=5f912158ecf57cbf6a700d3756ea256c

verizon galaxy nexus lawrence lessig lawrence lessig time magazine person of the year 2011 time magazine person of the year 2011 good morning america new orleans jazz fest