Researchers indentify a cell-permeable peptide that inhibits hepatitis C

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a cell-permeable peptide that inhibits a hepatitis C virus protein and blocks viral replication, which can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis.

This finding by Dr. Samuel French, an assistant professor of pathology and senior author of the study, builds on previous work by the French laboratory that identified two cellular proteins that are important factors in hepatitis C virus infection.

French and his team initially set out to identify the cellular factors involved in hepatitis C replication and, using mass spectrometry, found that heat shock proteins (HSPs) 40 and 70 were important for viral infection. HSP70 was previously known to be involved, but HSP40 was linked for the first time to hepatitis C infection, French said. They further showed that the natural compound Quercetin, which inhibits the synthesis of these proteins, significantly inhibits viral infection in tissue culture.

In this study, published Jan. 30, 2012 in the peer-reviewed journal Hepatology, French and his team demonstrated that the viral non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) directly binds to HSP70 and mapped the site of the NS5A/HSP70 complex on NS5A. While HSP70 was previously shown to bind NS5A in cells, a direct NS5A/HSP70 interaction and complex formation was established in this study. In an effort to stop this interaction, they tested peptides that might inhibit HSP70.

"This is important because we've developed a small peptide that binds to that site and blocks the interaction between the proteins that is important for viral replication," French said. "This is another, potentially highly efficacious way to block replication of hepatitis C."

An estimated 160 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C and the conventional treatments ? interferon and ribavirin ? can have significant side effects. A new drug targeting cellular proteins rather than viral proteins would be a valuable addition to the treatment arsenal, French said.

"We were surprised that this peptide works this well," French said. "While its mechanism is different, the activity of this peptide is comparable to other newly developed anti-virals."

The study, done in tissue culture, shows that the peptide gains entry into the cell easily and blocks the cascade of cellular events that allows the virus to replicate, French said. Blocking the HSP70 protein rather than a viral protein also reduces the chance of patients with the hepatitis C virus developing resistance to the peptide.

"There's no direct pressure on the virus, so it is less likely to mutate and develop resistance," French said. "The goal is to achieve a sustained response, essentially a cure, meaning there is no more virus replication. There are a lot of drugs coming out now that are designed to stop hepatitis C replication, but resistance is still an issue. About 10 to 20 percent of patients on the new drugs become resistant. This new peptide may help combat resistance."

Going forward, French and his team are testing variants of the newly discovered peptide to see if they can develop one with an even higher affinity and can decrease the size of the peptide to improve cellular penetration and liver targeting. The new and improved peptides will be tested in animal models.

This peptide "may be a candidate for hepatitis C therapy," the study states. "Considering the potency of the peptide in suppressing viral translation levels, treatment with this peptide may significantly improve the efficacy of conventional treatments in patients who become resistant to conventional therapies."

###

University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences: http://www.uclahealth.org/

Thanks to University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117208/Researchers_indentify_a_cell_permeable_peptide_that_inhibits_hepatitis_C

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?Liking? Facebook?s IPO could be problematic

Paul Sakuma / AP

The Facebook logo is displayed outside of Facebook's new headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif.

By Martha C. White

The buzz over Facebook?s forthcoming IPO has been propelled at least in part?by retail investors hoping for a piece of the social media giant?s predicted $75 billion to $100 billion valuation.

But when the company?s stock eventually hits trading floors, Facebook fans who want to get in on the company?s initial public offering?are likely to feel as left out as the Winklevoss twins.

Google?s 2004 IPO was conducted via a complicated auction process intended to level the playing field between big trading firms and the little guys. Absent such an arrangement, the advantage tends to go to the players with the most trading volume and money.

By the time your average online brokerage customer can get his or her hands on a stock like Facebook, it?s probably going to already be on an upward trajectory. And those investors hoping to buy on a dip should think twice.

Last year?s spate of tech IPOs saw the stock of companies such as LinkedIn and Zynga put on an initial bounce before stabilizing. However, the hype surrounding Facebook?s IPO has been building for so long that the stock price could stay elevated for longer than other recently debuted tech stocks, analysts say.

?The pool of small investors is so big, I think it?s going to support the stock for a while,? said Sam Hamadeh, founder and CEO of research company PrivCo.

Another issue for potential investors is the meteoric rise in valuation estimates for Facebook since its founding.

In 2005, the company was estimated to be worth $100 million. While the current valuation range has actually dropped a bit since some analysts suggested the company could be worth more than $100 billion, a more modest $75 billion valuation is still ?very aggressive,? said?Hamadeh.

Estimates for Facebook?s true value vary. Gian Fulgoni, co-founder of digital analytics company comScore, was bullish on the company in a CNBC interview Monday, suggesting it could generate $6 billion in revenue this year. (Hamadeh estimates Facebook had revenues of $3.8 billion in 2011.)?

In an event in Dallas over the weekend, Facebook?s COO Sheryl Sandberg talked about creating communities through social technology. If the company wants to fulfill its promise to shareholders it would do better to focus on its relationships with advertisers, said Nate Elliott, an analyst at Forrester Research.

?They need to get better at using the data they have,? he said. ?They have to help the marketers who are spending there [to] improve the performance of the money they?re spending.?

Large companies in particular, Elliott said, are going to start demanding better returns on their advertising dollars.

To that end, Elliott suggested that Facebook could build or buy an ad platform with part of the $10 billion it hopes to net in an IPO. It also will have to pay more to recruit and retain top talent, since it won?t have pre-IPO options to woo employees.

Retail investors who don?t have the patience to wait could seek out a mutual fund specializing in IPOs, but think of it as a lottery ticket, not your retirement plan, Hamadeh cautioned.

?The track record for IPOs is not a great one,? he pointed out. The idea of an IPO market is to invest in a company?s potential while it?s still in its infancy. In the case of Facebook, Hamadeh said, its valuation already assumes five to tenfold growth.

?It could be dead money for the next five years until it catches up with that valuation,? he said.

In other words, retail investors hoping to cash in on the social media juggernaut will have to learn patience one way or another.

Will you invest in Facebook? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.?

CNBC's Jon Fortt explains who is set to win and lose from the Facebook IPO.

?

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10271517-liking-facebooks-ipo-could-be-problematic-for-retail-investors

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BlueGlass Interactive Acquires Digital Agency Voltier Digital

Internet marketing agency?BlueGlass Interactive?has just acquired Voltier Digital, a digital agency specializing in content marketing, infographic creation and data visualization. Voltier, whose clients include eBay, CEO.com, Fanhattan, WellHome, COLOURlovers.com, Greatist, and others, will be relocating its entire six person team to BlueGlass's Tampa offices immediately. In addition, Voltier's three founders, Dan Tynski, Nicholas Santillo and Chris Tynski, will hold senior roles on BlueGlass' production and marketing teams. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/m7VMkV46oi8/

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Worn-out machines as leading indicator (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Delivery trucks wear out, computers break down, software becomes outdated -- and finally businesses have to start investing in new equipment. Companies that want to remain competitive have to start spending again as an economy slowly recovers.

Four years after the downturn began, the replacement cycle shows signs of kicking into a higher gear in the United States even among small businesses, and it could give an unexpected boost to growth and employment this year.

That assumes no further shocks to the world economy caused by the euro zone debt crisis.

Greece and its bankers have yet to agree on chopping the country's debt load to 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, something the International Monetary Fund is demanding in return for the bailout money Greece needs to avoid a default in March.

But capital spending alone is insufficient to drive a U.S. recovery that will be strong enough to quickly lift employment as consumer demand is still limited by heavy debt loads.

In the United States, large corporations have already dug into huge cash piles to upgrade plant and equipment, adding incrementally to an economy that grew by 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

Now small businesses, which drive about half of U.S. economic growth and a big chunk of job creation, are increasing their spending on equipment, too, an important precursor to stronger hiring.

But the U.S. jobs report for January, due on Friday, is unlikely to show marked improvement in the labor market after strong gains in December.

Economists surveyed by Reuters forecast 150,000 new jobs in January against 200,000 the prior month. Some investment banks also warn the 8.5 percent unemployment rate could tick up as signs of a gradual firming of the economy encourages more people to return to the labor force.

Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said small businesses could start hiring more aggressively as the year progresses.

In the last economic cycle, they contributed about two-thirds of the jobs growth, and when they hang out the "help wanted" signs, they can be a powerful source of employment.

"Dollar for dollar in GDP terms, they generate two jobs for every one generated by a large corporation," Shepherdson said.

For the early signs of this small business revival, Shepherdson points to two factors: access to credit has improved markedly as shown by a surge in banks' commercial and industrial lending, and an index of capital expenditure intentions, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business, is climbing.

The NFIB in December reported that capital outlays had increased for three straight months, the first solid improvement in three years. Owners planning capital investments in the next three to six months also rose to a 40-month high.

NFIB policy analyst Holly Wade said anecdotally she hears of more businesspeople talking of increasing their budgets.

"They have stretched out their machinery and equipment and would have normally invested in replacement, but they were waiting as long as possible. Now they are starting to see better sales and earnings, and they are more comfortable investing some of those dollars in capex," she said.

"In the next three to six months, it wouldn't be surprising to see the same rate of growth in capital outlays we have seen recently," she said.

A similar pattern is evident in the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's Business Outlook Survey. In January the index for capital expenditure plans for the next six months more than doubled to a reading of 22.9 from 10.8. And the U.S. Commerce Department's durable goods report for December showed capital goods orders outside of defense and aircraft rose by 2.9 percent.

Industrial conglomerate Honeywell International IncN> is one of the big companies expanding, although overall corporations give a mixed outlook for their plans.

"We're looking to spend $100 to $150 million more in capital on a year over year basis. Some that is going into facility upgrades, some of that is going into technology centers," Honeywell's chief financial officer, Dave Anderson, said with the release of the company's earnings last week.

"Don't look for it to be a driving force for recovery, but capital spending will continue to be a supportive factor," said Ellen Zentner, economist at Nomura Securities.

U.S. car and truck sales, due on Wednesday, are getting a boost from businesses replacing worn out models. They are seen holding at the 13.5 million annual rate in January.

The Institute of Supply Management, an industry group, will also release its U.S. manufacturing index on Wednesday; it is seen rising to 54.5 in January from 53.9.

(Reporting By Stella Dawson; additional reporting by Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/software/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/bs_nm/us_global_economy_weekahead

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teletekwire ? Etisalat Chief Corporate Communications Officer ...

Ali Al Ahmed, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Etisalat, has been elected as the Vice President ? UAE of the International Public Relations Association ? Gulf Chapter (IPRA-GC). He is mandated with driving the organisation?s growth in the UAE, with a focus on strengthening industry partnerships and further enhancing IPRA-GC?s profile in the country.

Mr. Faisal Al Zahrani, President of IPRA-GC, said: ?We are pleased to have on board Ali Al Ahmed, a veteran communications professional who brings strong insights of the industry across the board. IPRA-GC will benefit greatly from his experience of shaping and leading Etisalat?s communications strategy.?

Mr Ali Al Ahmed commented: ?IPRA-GC has played a key role in promoting dialogue and industry partnerships. The organisation?s focus on promoting the standards of the industry and bringing in global best practices will help in further driving the growth of the communications industry in the region, which has strong potential for further development. I am honoured to serve on the Board of IPRA-GC as Vice President of UAE.?

As Etisalat UAE?s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Al Ahmed is responsible for ensuring an effective integration of the corporation?s business units with its communications campaigns. He also provides strategic input for positioning the brand and its identity, with a consistent focus on a uniformed implementation through multiple channels of media.? Prior to this role, Al Ahmed held the position of Etisalat Group Chief Strategy Officer where he served for two years and was responsible for identifying new growth opportunities and the development of effective business models.

Ali Al Ahmed?s appointment has come at a crucial time when the IPRA-GC is organizing and hosting the 20^th Public Relations World Congress (PRWC), for the first time in the Middle East, from March 13 to 15 in Dubai, under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world?s most influential professional association for senior international public relations executives, organises the PRWC which is a biennial event that brings together global PR professionals to brainstorm on the latest trends and challenges in the communications industry.

More than 500 delegates from across the world are expected to attend the Congress to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Dubai. The theme for the event is ?From the Arab Street to Wall Street: Communications in the Age of Dialogue?.

Source: http://teletekwire.com/?p=5573

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Suspect shown by Mexico cops says he beat Canadian (AP)

CULIACAN, Mexico ? A man charged with brutally beating a Canadian tourist at a luxury beach hotel told reporters Saturday that he tried to hold the woman in an elevator and punched her several times in the face when she cried for help.

Police presented Jose Ramon Acosta Quintero, 28, to local and foreign journalists in the Pacific port city of Mazatlan, where the attack on Sheila Nabb of Calgary, Alberta, occurred in the early hours of Jan. 20.

He was arrested Friday and charged with attempted murder. Prosecutors have said investigators were led to Acosta by a hotel security video that showed him leaving the elevator where Nabb was attacked.

Sinaloa State Prosecutor Marco Antonio Higuera Gomez said Saturday that Acosta was drinking in local bars and had taken cocaine with a Canadian friend when they decided to go to one of the large tourist hotels where bars operate 24 hours. He said Acosta frequents those hotels and sometimes goes by the name "Ray."

Flanked by police, Acosta spoke in fluent English as he answered a few questions from foreign reporters. He said he entered the hotel from the back beach doorway and was taking an elevator up to the roof when the doors opened and Nabb got in. They talked and then he put his hand on the door, he said, to prevent her from leaving so they could keep talking.

"She got afraid when I didn't let her out and she started yelling, 'He won't let me out,'" Acosta said. "I got afraid also, because she's a North American and I'm Mexican and I wasn't supposed to be in the hotel."

He said he covered her mouth as she continued to yell for help.

"Then I hit her four or five times in the face with my fist and then I left," said Acosta, who swallowed nervously as he talked.

Nabb's husband was in their hotel room at the time of the attack and she was found lying in the elevator and bleeding heavily.

She was flown to Canada, and Canadian media have reported that she remains hospitalized with major injuries to her face and jaw.

"Yeah, I did it. I did, but it wasn't planned or anything like that," Acosta said in a soft voice. "I didn't try to abuse her, or I didn't try to kill her or anything or rob her."

Acosta said police had shown him a security camera video of him leaving the elevator, but he denied it showed him kicking Nabb. He said that possibly he was using his foot to move her hand out of the door so it would close.

Higuera has said Acosta had Nabb's blood on his shoes when he was arrested.

"I'm sorry and I hope that she recovers," Acosta said before being led away by police. "I've seen the papers. Her face was bad."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_canadian_attacked

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Allen West being redistricted out of existence in effort led by Romney ...

The establishment is fighting back, alright.

This has not received a lot of national attention, but the Republican legislature in Florida is about to push through a plan which puts Allen West at serious risk, and the person leading the effort is one of Mitt Romney?s spokemen.? As reported by The Shark Tank:

After last night?s [Jan. 26] Republican Presidential debate, the candidates? respective spinmeisters made their cases to the media as to why their guy won the debate.? One of Governor Mitt Romney?s spokesmen was Florida Representative Will Weatherford, and during the course of his remarks in the ?Spin Room?, he shed a very dim light on the ongoing redistricting process in the Florida Legislature?.

West?s congressional district inexplicably sheds the most out support as compared to all other incumbent Republican and Democrat Congressman. A few weeks back we quoted an unnamed legislator saying that, ?Allen West was screwed?, a statement which was originally made about made five months before the purposed maps were made public, leading insiders to believe that the fix was in against Allen West.? But in light of Weatherford?s comment, it is increasingly clear that this is a fait accompli.

According to Weatherford, those preliminary maps will not change- at the most, any additional changes would be minimal, and those changes would not make any appreciable difference from the preliminary maps.? In addition, Weatherford stated that a deal was struck between him, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, and Senator Don Gaetz to finalize these maps and push them through as soon as possible.

Weatherford tried to hide behind a need to comply with federal law, but that?s obviously a dodge since there could have been many ways to comply yet not sacrifice West:

A website, SaveAllenWest, had been set up, but it appears to be too late.

One of the rising stars of the Tea Party is about to be sacrificed by?the Republican establishment in Florida, led by someone spinning for Mitt Romney.

Don?t say you weren?t warned.

?

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/allen-west-being-redistricted-out-of-existence-in-effort-led-by-romney-florida-spokesman/

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Iraq officials: Baghdad bomb blast kills 1 (AP)

BAGHDAD ? A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol in southeastern Baghdad killed one person on Sunday, officials said. The attack came two days after a blast in the same area claimed the lives of 33 people.

The bomb in Baghdad's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Zafaraniyah wounded nine others, police said. A police vehicle and a civilian car were damaged by the explosion, they added.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualties.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

On Friday, a suicide car bomber struck a Shiite funeral procession in Zafaraniyah. Many Iraqis suspect al-Qaida militants of engineering a recent series of attacks on Shiites to provoke a counterattack by Shiite militias, and rekindle widespread sectarian conflict now that U.S. troops have left Iraq.

Al-Qaida and other Sunni extremist groups are also thought to be exploiting sectarian tensions in the wake of a political crisis which erupted last month, after authorities in the Shiite-dominated government issued an arrest warrant against the Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi on terrorism charges.

In protest, the Sunni-backed bloc has been boycotting parliament and Cabinet sessions.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

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Etta James remembered as triumphant trailblazer (AP)

GARDENA, Calif. ? Etta James was remembered at a service Saturday attended by hundreds of friends, family and fans as a woman who triumphed against all odds to break down cultural and musical barriers in a style that was unfailingly honest.

The Rev. Al Sharpton eulogized James in a rousing speech, describing her remarkable rise from poverty and pain to become a woman whose music became an enduring anthem for weddings and commercials.

Perhaps most famously, President Barack Obama and the first lady shared their first inaugural ball dance to a version of the song sung by Beyonce. Sharpton on Saturday opened his remarks by reading a statement from the president.

"Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and her contributions to our nation's musical heritage," Obama's statement read.

The Grammy-winning singer died Jan. 20 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She had retreated from public life in recent years, but on Saturday her legacy was on display as mourners of all ages and races converged on the City of Refuge church in Gardena, south of downtown Los Angeles.

Among the stars performing tributes to James were Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera, who told the gathering that she has included "At Last" in every concert she's performed as a tribute to her musical inspiration.

Wonder performed three songs, including "Shelter In the Rain" and a harmonica solo. James' rose-draped casket was on display, surrounded by wreaths and floral arrangements and pictures of the singer.

Sharpton, who met James when he was an up-and-coming preacher, credited her with helping break down racial barriers through her music.

"She was able to get us on the same rhythms and humming the same ballads and understanding each other's melodies way before we could even use the same hotels," Sharpton said.

He said James' fame and influence would have been unthinkable to a woman with James' background ? growing up in a broken home during segregation and at times battling her own demons.

"The genius of Etta James is she flipped the script," Sharpton said, alluding to her struggles with addiction, which she eventually overcame.

"She waited until she turned her pain into power," he said, adding that it turned her story away from being a tragic one into one of triumph.

"You beat `em Etta," Sharpton said in concluding his eulogy. "At last. At last. At last!"

The assembly roared to their feet, and would again stand to applaud performances by Wonder and Aguilera, who filled the sanctuary with their voices.

"Out of all the singers that I've ever heard, she was the one that cut right to my soul and spoke to me," Aguilera said before her performance.

Throughout the service, a portrait of James as a woman who beat the odds in pursuit of her dreams repeatedly emerged.

"Etta is special to me and for me, because she represents the life, the triumphs, the tribulations of a lot of black women all over this world," said U.S. Rep Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

"It does not matter who sang `At Last' before or after Etta. It does not matter when it was sung, or where it was sung. `At Last' was branded by Etta, the raunchy diva ? that's her signature and we will always remember her."

James won four Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement honor and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. In her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate, soulful singing voice.

She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Her 1967 album, "Tell Mama," became one of the most highly regarded soul albums of all time, a mix of rock and gospel music.

She rebounded from a heroin addiction to see her career surge after performing the national anthem at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She won her first Grammy Award a decade later, and two more in 2003 and 2004.

James is survived by her husband of 42 years, Artis Mills and two sons, Donto and Sametto James.

"Mom, I love you," Donto James said during brief remarks. "When I get to the gates, can you please be there for me?"

___

Follow Anthony McCartney at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_en_mu/us_etta_james_funeral

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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 Friday.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean told The Associated Press 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, Ga., 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/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/af_nigeria_oil_unrest

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EU rejects call for control over Greek budget (AP)

BRUSSELS ? The European Union's executive body is rejecting calls from Germany to establish a eurozone budget commissioner who would directly control tax and spending decisions in debt-ridden Greece.

The European Commission said Saturday that "executive tasks must remain the full responsibility of the Greek government, which is accountable before its citizens and its institutions."

The Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund already have unprecedented powers over Greek spending, after negotiating with Athens stringent austerity measures and economic reforms in return for a first, multi-billion euro bailout.

They are reviewing implementation of these measures and discussing a second bailout.

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

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Video: World's Second Most Hated Currency

Forget the euro, traders pile into bearish bets on the yen. Despite economic woes, the yen hovers near historic highs, with CNBC's Melissa Lee and the Money In Motion traders. Is the yen ready to crack?

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46169608/

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theGrio: Haitian team offers country hope

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - When the New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, it was the culmination of a five-year turnaround that saw the one-time NFL laughingstock become the face of a region devastated by the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history. In Haiti, where they are still recovering from the devastating earthquake that literally flattened the island nation, any signs of hope come from a different kind of football.

Haiti's women's soccer team defeated Cuba 3-0 on Monday night in their final game at the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament. The victory was the first ever for the Haitians in the final round of qualifying but due to their two losses in the previous games of the tournament to Costa Rica and host Canada, the team failed to qualified for the Olympics.

"They've changed my life in more ways than I could ever explain," said defender Kimberly Boulos, who scored a goal in Monday's win. Boulos, whose Haitian-born grandfather John "Frenchy" Boulos is in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, is from Crofton, N.Y. and played her college soccer at the University of South Carolina.

"Amidst everything they were the most spirited people I'd met in my entire life. They were living in tents and had lost family members. The vibe that was around was just incredible."

Boulos joined the team in 2010 after hearing about the country's soccer plight after the quake and wanted to help. She was asked by coach Roland Luxieux to join the team.

The quake, a 7.0 monster that struck on Jan. 12, 2010, wreaked havoc that dwarfed Hurricane Katrina and surpassed the death toll of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunamis. It destroyed most of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, killed an estimated 300,000 people, injured another 300,000, and left over one million people homeless.

One of the buildings destroyed by the quake was the home office of the Haitian Football Federation, or F?d?ration Ha?tienne de Football. The entire building was flattened during the disaster and it killed 32 of the Federation's employees, including women's coach Jean-Yves Labaze.

One of the survivors was the Federation's president was Dr. Yves Jean-Bart who now oversees the rebuilding of the game in Haiti. The country had to start from square one in terms of its favorite sport.

"Our national headquarters collapsed in just a few seconds," Jean-Bart told CNN. "Of the 50 people present at the time of the earthquake, one dozen were injured and 32 found dead. We also lost inventories of national equipment; the federation's archives were not recovered.

"Our trophies, the awards we have received throughout the history of the federation, pictures of witnesses of our glorious years were not found in the rubble. It was a complete disaster."

FIFA, the worldwide governing body of soccer, donated $3.2 million to the Haitian relief efforts and helped rebuild the infrastructure of Haitian soccer. Haiti's home stadium -- Stade Sylvio Cator -- was damaged during the quake and had become the site of a tent city that housed thousands of Haitians for over a year following the earthquake.

Source: http://www.thegrio.com/sports/haiti-womens-soccer-team-offers-country-rare-hope.php

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bielik_tim: Ohio State Football Recruiting: The Position Best Helped by the 2012 Class | Bleacher Report http://t.co/uzWrLxlE via @bleacherreport

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Colgate ups prices at home; first attempt in years (AP)

NEW YORK ? Colgate-Palmolive, stung by higher costs, saw fourth-quarter net income decline more than 5 percent but said Thursday that it had raised prices in North America for the first time in two and a half years.

Raising prices has been risky for consumer products companies like Colgate, with cash-strapped consumers more ready than ever to drop even their favorite brands to save a few cents. Paychecks are already stretched thin and the government's most recent data on jobs, also released Thursday, show that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week

In recent months, Colgate has taken a pricing strategy that's differed from some of its competitors: It's been raising prices in fast-growing Latin America, where customers seem willing to stomach the higher costs, but lowering prices in North America through discounts and other promotions.

There are signs that the economy is healing, but raising prices in North America has been something that Colgate, until recently, has been unwilling to try.

Since the third quarter of 2009, Colgate has consistently cut North American prices, by an average of 1.5 percent to 4.5 percent each quarter. It has apparently snapped that trend, saying Thursday that it raised North American prices by 0.5 percent in the latest quarter.

That may be because the company thinks it can, or that it must, or perhaps a little bit of both. But Colgate is aggressively seeking to protect market share, even if it has to spend to do it.

"As we enter 2012, macroeconomic conditions and foreign exchange volatility are an increasing challenge," said President and CEO Ian Cook. "Despite that, we are planning to improve our worldwide market shares and volume growth with increased advertising."

For the quarter, Colgate made $590 million, or $1.21 per share. That was down from $624 million, or $1.24 per share, last year.

Excluding one-time expenses like putting cost-saving plans into place and other charges, Colgate earned $1.30 per share. That beat the $1.29 that Wall Street had been looking for, according to a poll by FactSet.

Revenue was $4.17 billion, up from $3.98 billion during the same period last year.

For the year, revenue increased 7.5 percent and net income rose 10 percent.

Shares of Colgate-Palmolive Co. rose more than 2 percent, or $2.04, to $91.48 in early trading.

The decision to try to recoup its margins comes during a fragile time for the U.S. economy.

The jobs data released Thursday show more people sought unemployment benefits. However, the overall trends point to a recovering job market. At least 100,000 jobs have been added for six straight months and the unemployment rate has declined to 8.5 percent, its lowest in almost three years.

But it's not a healthy number yet and the government also released data Thursday showing that fewer people bought new homes in December, sealing 2011 as the worst year for new home sales on record.

Colgate does have something of a buffer against hard times. Many customers will stick to things like name-brand toothpaste when money is tight, even if they do trade down in other products.

Overall, Colgate raised prices 3 percent, which helped fuel a 5 percent increase in revenue. But at the same time, the company recorded a 9 percent increase in the cost of making and transporting its goods. As Colgate paid more for raw materials, profit margins fell 1.7 percentage points.

The company has slashed some expenses to try to offset those costs.

"Our continued sharp focus on cost-saving programs in all areas of the business enabled us to achieve full year gross profit margin at the high end of our forecasted range, while also lowering overheads as a percentage of sales," Cook said.

And Colgate is increasingly relying on foreign markets to fuel growth. Of Colgate's four main geographic regions, North America accounts for the smallest portion and it is where revenue grew the slowest. Latin America grew the fastest, and made up the biggest portion of revenue.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_earns_colgate

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Latest Details On Demi Moore: Doing Whip-Its Before Seizure? (VIDEO)

Latest Details On Demi Moore: Doing Whip-Its Before Seizure? (VIDEO)

There are more details out on actress Demi Moore‘s recent hospitalization, with sources revealing “whip-its” are to blame. Seriously, whip-its? That certainly doesn’t seem like [...]

Latest Details On Demi Moore: Doing Whip-Its Before Seizure? (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

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Candidates pay homage to Hispanic leaders, Rubio

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? The GOP presidential candidates say they'd involve a number of top Hispanic GOP office holders in their Cabinet ? and three say they're particularly impressed with Florida's Sen. Marco Rubio.

Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney all name-checked Rubio, the Florida senator elected in 2010. He is a tea party favorite and widely viewed as a potential vice presidential nominee.

Gingrich is implying he would look hard at Rubio as his vice presidential nominee. Santorum and Romney both mentioned Rubio as a top Hispanic leader.

The candidates also mentioned New Mexico Gov. Barbara Martinez and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval among other prominent Hispanic leaders.

Their responses came after a question on what Hispanic leaders they would involve in their Cabinet.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-26-GOP-Debate-Hispanic%20Leaders/id-9122918b32b04d5da36d895b02924950

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Gates injects $750M in troubled Global Fund

Bill Gates poses next to a cut out of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to promote the Global Fund's 10th anniversary at the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Gates announced a US dollar 750 million contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

Bill Gates poses next to a cut out of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to promote the Global Fund's 10th anniversary at the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Gates announced a US dollar 750 million contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, right, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, coordinating minister for economy and minister of finance of Nigeria, left, attend a plenary session at the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The overarching theme of the meeting, which will take place from Jan. 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks during a plenary session at the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The overarching theme of the meeting, which will take place from Jan. 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) ? Bill Gates pledged $750 million on Thursday to fight three killer diseases and rescue a beleaguered health fund whose financial losses have cost it donor support.

The Microsoft founder said he is lending his "credibility" to the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by making the donation through a promissory note so the fund "can immediately use the money and save lives."

Gates' announcement at the World Economic Forum ? a magnet for the world's business and political elites who pushed for the fund's creation ? was part of an orchestrated attempt by the fund to galvanize donors on its 10th anniversary.

"These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world's poorest," Gates told reporters.

He downplayed the $23 billion fund's reported losses of tens of millions of dollars to corruption, misuse and undocumented spending that were highlighted in Associated Press stories, and said it is "disappointing" to see how people have focused on a "small misuse of funds."

A donor backlash over AP reports about poor financial monitoring and the fund's losses uncovered by its own internal watchdog, the inspector general's office, prompted the organization last year to cancel more than $1 billion in planned new spending mainly to expand existing programs. The fund's executive director, Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, this week also announced his resignation.

"The internal checks and balances have worked in every case," Gates said. But, he added, "If you're going to do business in Africa, you're going to have some losses."

The public-private fund has helped change the fortunes of many of the world's poor through its prevention and treatment programs among 150 countries, Gates said.

The fund says it has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and given 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria over its 10-year existence. It says it also has helped prevent 1.3 million pregnant women from passing on HIV to their babies, cared for 5.6 million orphans and kept 7.7 million others alive.

"It's a breathtaking achievement," U2 rock star Bono said in a compilation of fund supporters' statements from the fund Thursday.

A former Japanese prime minister, Naoto Kan, told the news conference that his nation has contributed $1.3 billion to the fund. Kan also said the fund's "transparency" must be maintained ? which includes auditors and investigators in the inspector general's office uncovering and publicizing its own losses ? as the fund goes through a series of reforms launched last year after the AP stories.

"The European debt crisis is shaking the world economy, which in turn seriously affects the fortunes of the Global Fund. But it doesn't mean the significance of the Global Fund is less," Kan said. "The corruption exists. It's regrettable, but that's reality."

Global Fund board Chairman Simon Bland said the fund is "transforming the way we do business" by streamlining the organization and will continue to "hold ourselves accountable" for what it spends.

"There will be no shying away from that transparency," Bland said.

Bland told AP he has hired the London accounting firm RSM Tenon Group to look into internal fund allegations that Kazatchkine, a French immunologist, improperly allocated several million dollars of fund money to benefit charity activities of France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and firms run by her close friend.

Bland said the firm has produced a confidential report that he intends to make public which lends little support to the allegations. France is the second-largest contributor to the fund behind the United States, and Bruni-Sarkozy serves as one of its ambassadors.

Kazatchkine, who has been at odds with the inspector general's office that has been uncovering the losses, resigned after the board decided to create a position of general manager to chart a new direction. The position was among a series of recommendations by a high-level panel created to address the problems raised in AP articles.

"I believe it is untenable that there are two heads in an organization and that's why I decided to leave," he told AP.

Kazatchkine said the Global Fund "can't be more transparent than we have been."

"We're by far the most transparent organization in development," he said at Davos. "Fighting corruption, yes, of course, and I have repeatedly said zero tolerance for corruption. Yet we also have to recognize that this business is not without risk. And risk, or the sense of risk, can also paralyze action."

___

Frank Jordans contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-26-EU-Davos-Forum-AIDS-Fund/id-161de23bd4c5497b9245050544e77397

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Joan Rivers Hits The Water Pipe On An All-New ?Joan and Melissa?

On Tuesday, January 31 episode of Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best? (9PM ET/PT), Melissa’s chaotic house is about to get a little too crowded when her boyfriend’s parents come for a visit. Joan shows the “in-laws” Hollywood as only Joan Rivers can – with a VIP tour of Madame Toussaud’s wax museum and an [...]

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Take care of business - NFL.com Blogs

Published: January 25th, 2012 | Tags: Super Bowl, Antrel Rolle, Eli Manning, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XLII

Eli Manning isn?t a big talker, but when he does have something to say, his Giants teammates listen.

On Tuesday, Manning implored the Giants to take care of personal business early so they
can focus on preparing to play the New England Patriots in the
super sequel in Indianapolis on Feb. 5.

?I just told them a little bit how to prepare for this,? said
Manning, one of 15 Giants who played in the Super Bowl XLII win over
New England (he was the game?s MVP). ?Just handle your business with tickets and get that
stuff done, and just a few things on the mindset of this week. We
have to have great preparation. Prepare this week like you are
playing the game this week.?

Safety Antrel Rolle was receptive.

?He doesn?t say much and when he says something, he means it,?
Rolle said, according to The Associated Press. ?It?s about business and that?s basically what the
message was about. We?ve got to go out there and take care of
business. Everything else is for the spectators. Everything else is
for your family and for your friends. We?re going out there to take
care of business.?

Posted in: Super Bowl ?|

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Source: http://blogs.nfl.com/2012/01/25/manning-to-giants-take-care-of-business/

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Boeing 2012 earnings to be hit by pension expense (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Wednesday that a pension expense larger than Wall Street had anticipated would weigh on its 2012 earnings, but it handed investors good news with expectations for increased commercial aircraft deliveries this year.

The world's largest aerospace and defense company said the expense would amount to 83 cents per share, and it forecast earnings, including the expense, of $4.05 to $4.25 per share on revenue of $78 billion to $80 billion.

Analysts, on average, had expected 2012 earnings of $4.96 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Boeing gave the outlook as part of its fourth-quarter earnings report, which showed higher-than-expected profit on the strength of its commercial airplane deliveries.

"People had been expecting the pension expense was going to go up, but the amount of the increase was more than I was looking for," said Kenneth Herbert, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. "I was looking for something in the range of 50 cents."

Shares of Boeing, a component of the Dow Jones industrial average, were up 0.47 percent at $75.72, after an earlier decline that took its shares to $72.85.

"It's too early for me to say if it's another incremental expense in 2013," Herbert said.

Boeing said the pension expense was partly due to lower interest rates on its pension fund investments over the last two years.

"SOLID OPERATING QUARTER"

Boeing reported fourth-quarter net profit of $1.4 billion, or $1.84 per share, compared with $1.2 billion, or $1.56 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding a favorable tax settlement of 52 cents per share, the company earned $1.31 per share, beating an average Wall Street forecast of $1.01, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company, which competes with Airbus (EAD.PA) for orders, said revenue had risen to $19.6 billion compared with $16.6 billion.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Robert Stallard said in a research note that Boeing had a "solid operating quarter" driven by good margins on its commercial and defense sides.

Revenue for its commercial planes division increased by 31 percent to $10.7 billion. Boeing delivered 477 planes last year, up from 462 in 2010. The company gets paid for airplanes at delivery.

Boeing predicted that it would deliver 585 to 600 commercial airplanes in 2012, more than the 570 Airbus has said it expects to deliver this year. Boeing said that its forecast included an expected 70 to 85 deliveries, half of which will be 787 aircraft and the rest 747-8s.

Revenue for its defense, space and security business rose 4 percent to $8.5 billion.

The company, which boasted an order backlog worth $356 billion, splits its operations between commercial airplanes and defense programs. The defense side of Boeing's business is grappling with government spending constraints, but Boeing said it expects greater spending in international markets.

"We enter 2012 with renewed momentum," Chief Executive Jim McNerney said in a statement. "Our priorities for the year are to continue with disciplined increases in production rates for our commercial airplane customers," he said.

LOFTY GOALS

The company lost the 2011 commercial airplane order race to Airbus. Boeing orders, adjusted for cancellations, totaled 805, compared with 1,419 for Airbus.

Boeing has pledged to strike back in 2012 with sales of its revamped narrowbody, the 737 MAX, which features a new, fuel-efficient engine. The plane is due to enter service in 2017.

Boeing won its first firm orders for the MAX in December as part of a $19 billion deal with Southwest Airlines (LUV.N). The company said it had more than 1,000 orders and commitments for the MAX at the end of 2011, and said that could reach 1,500 by the end of 2012.

The MAX competes with the Airbus A320neo, which also has a new engine. Airbus overtook Boeing in the global passenger jet market in 2003.

Boeing is working to increase production rates on its commercial airplane programs, including the 787 Dreamliner, its new, long-delayed, carbon-composite aircraft. The first delivery of the Dreamliner was made in September after three years of delays.

The company wants to produce 10 787s per month by the end of 2013.

Aviation industry experts have said the target is too ambitious , but Boeing is standing by it.

"I think as each week passes, each month passes, my confidence does grow," McNerney told analysts on a conference call. "These ramp-ups are always difficult and it has our attention."

(Reporting By Kyle Peterson; editing by John Wallace.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/bs_nm/us_boeing

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Johnny Depp's girlfriend: We're not splitting

Getty Images

Vanessa Paradis says she and Johnny Depp aren't splitting up.

By Us Weekly

Don't believe la rumeur!

Vanessa Paradis has broken her silence about a recent magazine cover story claiming she and Johnny Depp were living separate lives on separate continents after nearly 14 years and two kids (Lily-Rose, 12, and Jack, 9) together.

PHOTOS: Stars who haven't wed -- yet!

The French singer-actress, 39, finally slammed the breakup rumor on Wednesday while promoting her new film "Cafe de Flore" on French TV show "Grand Journal."

"Yes it's false?-- of course it's false!"

"People say we are buying houses in the middle of nowhere, or that we have 52 houses in France," the star said of rampant rumors about life with Depp, 48. "All [of those rumors are] not too serious, but this latest one is a rumor which could cause a lot of harm to my family and my children."

PHOTOS: Johnny's shocking quote from 2011

?"These magazines end up in the fireplace or the toilet," she added of the recent cover story.

Dating since 1998, Depp and Paradis have never wed. "I'd be so scared of ruining her last name. She's got such a good last name," Depp joked back in 2010.

PHOTOS: Eeek! Johnny's bloody horror movie beginning

?"I never found myself needing that piece of paper," the "Rum Diaries" star explained. "Marriage is really from soul to soul, heart to heart. You don't need somebody to say, okay you're married."

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10234774-johnny-depps-girlfriend-were-not-splitting

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Yemen's leader allowed to come to US (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration will allow Yemen's outgoing president to come to the U.S. temporarily for medical treatment, a move aimed at easing the political transition in Yemen, a key counterterrorism partner.

A senior administration official said Ali Abdullah Saleh would travel to New York this week, and probably stay in the U.S. until no later than the end of February. U.S. officials believe Saleh's exit from Yemen could lower the risk of disruptions in the lead-up to presidential elections planned there on Feb. 21.

A presidential spokesman in Yemen said Saleh had left the capital of Sanaa earlier Sunday on a jet headed for the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman. An official close to Saleh, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the trip, said the president would undergo medical exams in Oman before heading to the U.S.

The U.S. official did not say whether Saleh planned to return to Yemen, Oman or elsewhere after finishing his treatment in the U.S. The official was not authorized to discuss details about Saleh and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Yemeni embassy in Washington said Saleh planned to return home in February to attend a swearing-in ceremony for the country's newly elected president.

The mercurial Saleh, who ruled Yemen for more than three decades, agreed to transfer power to his vice president late last year in exchange for immunity from prosecution. He had faced months of protests calling for his ouster, to which the Yemeni government responded with a bloody crackdown, leaving hundreds of protesters dead and sparking wider violence in the capital with rival militia.

Even after agreeing to leave power, Saleh continued to wield his influence behind the scenes, and U.S. officials believed getting him out of Yemen was necessary in order to ensure the February elections took place. The U.S. also worried about instability in a nation grappling with growing extremism, including the dangerous al-Qaida branch known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Still, Saleh's request last month for a U.S. visa put the Obama administration in the awkward position of either having to bar a friendly president from U.S. soil or risking appearing to harbor an autocrat with blood on his hands.

As U.S. officials weighed Saleh's request, they sought assurances that he would not seek political asylum or any type of permanent relocation in the U.S.

"We wanted to make sure that there was an understanding that it would be for medical purposes and that's what it is for," John Brennan, President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said Sunday.

Saleh was badly burned and wounded during a June rocket attack on his compound in Yemen. He sought medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia for three months. American officials had hoped he would remain there, but the Yemeni leader returned and violence worsened anew.

Protesters and human rights groups have criticized Saleh's immunity clause and insisted he stand trial for his alleged role in protester deaths.

Brennan said there was a divide in Yemen over Saleh's future, with some Yemenis supporting Saleh's decision to seek medical treatment in the U.S. In the short-term, he said, it was imperative to ensure that the February elections take place.

"We thought it was important, given where Yemen is right now as far as moving forward with its political transition, to do what we can to support the government and the elections that are scheduled for the 21st of February, and that seems to be on track," he said.

Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is expected to be rubber-stamped as the country's new leader in the elections, in which he is expected to be the only candidate.

Brennan spoke with Hadi on Sunday, and told him the U.S. was encouraged by his leadership during a difficult period of transition. With fresh demonstrations likely in the weeks leading up to the elections, Brennan urged Hadi to ensure that Yemeni security forces exercise restraint.

The Obama administration's approval of Saleh's visa brought back memories from three decades ago, when President Jimmy Carter allowed the exiled shah of Iran into the U.S. for medical treatment. The decision contributed to rapidly worsening relations between Washington and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's revolution in Tehran, with Iranian students occupying the U.S. Embassy in Iran a month later.

Fifty-two American hostages were held for 444 days in response to Carter's refusal to send the shah back to Iran for trial.

___

Associated Press writers Ahmed al-Haj and Ben Hubbard in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_yemen

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I Just Banned Jesus Diaz [Announcements]

Last night, during a heated discussion in a post about Google, Jesus called someone a cocksucker. Then he did it again. Then he said something I don't really understand about tits. It's a clear violation of our commenting policy. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-39Blv78D_o/i-just-banned-jesus-diaz

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Motor insurance on Rental fees | Insurance Medical Coverage

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 at 4:12 pm ?

In terms of automobile insurance, there are some contains you possibly can get into. The legal papers are intricate and intensely challenging have an understanding of, and that?s if you ever have even some time to read them. To tell the truth that almost all people don?t read insurance policy deals then there is an important facts shortage in terms of individuals along with the contents of their insurance agreements.

Among the list of difficulty with this info opening is that often it can cause squandered cash. Whenever you are renting an automobile you are required exactly what insurance you wish. Your choices usually are to look at probably none, which costs next to nothing, or you could protect responsibility insurance coverage, which should fee about $ten per day. Then you?ve a range of choices to take care of the local rental cat by itself, costs is actually changes from business to business and region to region. The full coverage option, including the liability, passengers, as well as the rental-car normally, pertains to about Usd20 to Money35 a day. Many people truly don?t determine what selection they should be having.

Liability

The liability insurance coverage is the only real insurance you are necessary for regulation to get. Every one of the others are discretionary. That?s the most important issue to remember when you?re for the local rental workplace, as well as total selling price on your two-1 week holiday getaway car or truck is immediately accumulated and assend. The opposite point to be aware of is that often many times, you will be protected, to varying degrees by the current motor insurance. You need to look at insurance cover to make sure, however, for almost all motorists, they will have liability insurance plan due to their unique auto insurance, and will also carry over on the rental car.

It?s however, less likely that total or extensive insurance plan will carry over from a very own auto insurance. Simply because thorough insurance is assessed depending on the importance of your vehicle. Providers don?t strive to be ready where they arranged your insurance policy determined by your say, Dollar17,000 vehicle, then pay out if you accident a Buck30,500 local rental. Which means your insurance plan will declare that only liability insurance is presented if you let.

Credit Card Deal with

Might even require no insurance cover in the lease organization however. It is because numerous creditors, including both working permit and Master card, present this insurance cover in the event you buy the rental and among their playing cards. That is a important selling point of applying a credit card and mustn?t be wasted. Just as before make sure you seek advice from your debit card professional whatever they cover, but almost everything, if the private insurance cover protects legal responsibility, along with your credit-based card handles the rental car, why pay out a couple of hundred $ $ $ $ with regard to added insurance cover when you?re currently coated?

In case you are doubtful about your insurance policies, it is having said that to look at the lease company?s policy, in particular culpability.

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Source: http://insurancemedicalcoverage.com/motor-insurance-on-rental-fees.html

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