Sony debuts 3 new Cyber-shot cameras

Sony Electronics

Sony Cyber-shot TX200V in red

By Athima Chansanchai

In an attempt to stanch the flow of consumers leaving digital cameras for their phones to take photos, Sony released its first wave of ultra slim Cyber-shot point-and-shoots that feature 18 megapixel sensors that lessens the "noise" in low-lit scenes and auto-focuses faster.

In all, we'll see 12 models from Sony this spring, with these three coming out first: the?TX200V ($500), the?WX70 ($230) and the?WX50 ($200). All three will be in stores in March.

Sony Electronics

The TX200V, as you can see in the two above images, is billed as the cream of the crop in this deployment, with a glass-bodied waterproof, dust proof and freeze-proof?design that gives it a distinctly different look than the other Cyber-shots, an?18.2 megapixel "Exmor R" CMOS sensor (supposedly "the highest-resolution currently offered in point and shoot market") and the ability to snap stills while also recording full HD videos. As you can also tell from the image above, the 3.3-inch OLED touch screen takes up the entire back of the camera. It will come in silver, red and violet.

Sony's Kate Dugan admitted that despite the natural disasters in Japan that affected production and shipment of its digital cameras, "true decline" has set in for digital cameras, in which sales are down 20 percent, the first time losses have hit in the double digits. The exodus is most pronounced amongst entry level users, who have turned to their phones as their all-in-one must-have gadget.

Dugan said that meant Sony has to?focus on things phones can't achieve, such as "high optical zoom, low light shooting, full HD video." The way the company sees it, phones are fine to shoot food on the fly, but for "important moments should go to cameras."

You can see there are some problems with this, right? Anyone who has an iPhone or has seen pictures from the iPhone 4S knows that it is as high quality a camera, period, as you can get on entry level. And right now, there are already smartphones that shoot in 1080p full HD, such as the 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Razr.?

But seeing the slides on the enhanced low-lighting shooting does give us some pause that there are some advantages to standalone cameras (though again, the iPhone 4S's performance in low light is comparable).

Sony Electronics

Sony Cyber-shot WX70 in pink

Besides sharing the full HD shooting capability of the TX200V, the WX70 comes in at 16.2 megapixels with a?25mm equivalent lens with 5x optical zoom and a 10x virtual zoom, with a slightly smaller 3-inch LCD touch screen; the WX50 differs from it only in a smaller screen (2.7-inches) and its color choices (silver and black, vs. silver, black, pink, and violet).

All three models have the CMOS sensors, three-way image stabilization and picture effects that allow users to exercise some creativity as they shoot.?

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On Twitter, follow?Athima Chansanchai, who is also trying to keep her head above water in the?Google+?stream.

Source: http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10267566-sony-debuts-3-new-cyber-shot-cameras

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300 arrested in daylong Occupy Oakland protests (AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. ? Dozens of police maintained a late-night guard around City Hall following daylong protests that resulted in 300 arrests. Occupy Oakland demonstrators broke into the historic building and burned a U.S. flag, as officers earlier fired tear gas to disperse people throwing rocks and tearing down fencing at a convention center.

Saturday's protests ? the most turbulent since Oakland police forcefully dismantled an Occupy encampment in November ? came just days after the group said it planned to use a vacant building as a social center and political hub and threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

An exasperated Mayor Jean Quan, who faced heavy criticism for the police action last fall, called on the Occupy movement to "stop using Oakland as its playground."

"People in the community and people in the Occupy movement have to stop making excuses for this behavior," Quan said.

Protesters clashed with police throughout the day, at times throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers. And police responded by deploying smoke, tear gas and bean bag rounds, City Administrator Deanna Santanta said.

Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan said about 300 arrests were made.

"These demonstrators stated their intention was to provoke officers and engage in illegal activity and that's exactly what has occurred today," Santana said.

The group assembled outside City Hall late Saturday morning and marched through the streets, disrupting traffic as they threatened to take over the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center.

The protesters walked to the vacant convention center, where some started tearing down perimeter fencing and "destroying construction equipment" shortly before 3 p.m., police said.

Police said they issued a dispersal order and used smoke and tear gas after some protesters pelted them with bottles, rocks, burning flares and other objects.

The number of demonstrators swelled as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

A majority of the arrests came after police took scores of protesters into custody as they marched through the city's downtown, with some entering a YMCA building, said Sgt. Jeff Thomason, a police spokesman.

Quan said that at one point, many protesters forced their way into City Hall, where they burned flags, broke an electrical box and damaged several art structures, including a recycled art exhibit created by children.

She blamed the destruction on a small "very radical, violent" splinter group within Occupy Oakland.

"This is not a situation where we had a 1,000 peaceful people and a few violent people. If you look at what's happening today in terms of destructing property, throwing at and charging the police, it's almost like they are begging for attention and hoping that the police will make an error."

Dozens of officers surrounded City Hall, while others swept the inside of the building looking for protesters who had broken into the building, then ran out of the building with American flags before officers arrived.

The protest group issued an email criticizing police, saying "Occupy Oakland's building occupation, an act of constitutionally protected civil disobedience was disrupted by a brutal police response today."

Michael Davis, 32, who is originally from Ohio and was in the Occupy movement in Cincinnati, said Saturday was a very hectic day that originally started off calm but escalated when police began using "flash bangs, tear gas, smoke grenades and bean bags."

"What could've been handled differently is the way the Oakland police came at us," Davis said. "We were peaceful."

City leaders joined Quan in criticizing the protesters.

"City Hall is closed for the weekend. There is no excuse for behavior we've witnessed this evening," City Council President Larry Reid said during a news briefing Saturday.

Oakland Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente, echoed Reid's sentiments and said that what was going on amounts to "domestic terrorism."

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Quan was among the critics, but on Saturday, she seemed to have changed her tune.

"Our officers have been very measured," Quan said. "Were there some mistakes made? There may be. I would say the Oakland police and our allies, so far a small percentage of mistakes. "But quite frankly, a majority of protesters who were charging the police were clearly not being peaceful.

Earlier this month, a court-appointed monitor submitted a report to a federal judge that included "serious concerns" about the department's handling of the Occupy protests.

Jordan said late Saturday that he was in "close contact" with the federal monitor during the protests.

Quan added, "If the demonstrators think that because we are working more closely with the monitor now that we won't do what we have to do to uphold the law and try keep people safe in this city, they're wrong."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_oakland

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SUV hits light-rail train in Sacramento, killing 3 (AP)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. ? An SUV ignored flashing warning lights and veered around a rail crossing arm moments before it collided with a light-rail train, killing two adults and an 18-month-old boy in the vehicle, authorities said.

The only other person in the Nissan Pathfinder, a woman in her 30s, was hospitalized with serious injuries after Saturday's crash, said Niko King, assistant chief with the Sacramento Fire Department.

Six of the roughly 50 passengers on the light rail train suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital, he said.

King and a spokeswoman for the transit line said video from a camera at the crossing clearly shows the SUV driving around the crossing arm.

The collision, in a working class neighborhood south of downtown, occurred shortly after 4 p.m. and pushed the Pathfinder about 30 yards from the point of impact.

"All I heard was a big bang, and I saw a light-rail train heading south with a big truck smashed on it," said Ravin Pratab, 42, of Davis, whose car was among those waiting for the train at the rail crossing, on the opposite side of the tracks from the Pathfinder.

The train was going about 55 mph at the time, a typical speed for that location.

The light rail followed two Union Pacific freight trains, which use separate tracks, and the arms had remained down during the interval, said Alane Masui, spokeswoman for the Sacramento Regional Transit District.

"They were down after the UP trains and before the (light rail) train approached, so the crossing arms were properly working," she said.

She said the length of time between the freight trains clearing the intersection and the light rail train crossing it had not yet been determined and would be part of the investigation. Investigators also were reviewing video from a camera mounted on the light rail train.

Authorities did not release the identities of those in the Pathfinder or their relationship. A man and woman in the vehicle, both in their 40s, died at the scene while the toddler was pronounced dead at a hospital. Firefighters said one had been ejected.

The University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento would say only that the woman remained in serious condition late Saturday.

The light rail system carries an average of 50,000 passengers a day, with lines stretching from the state capital to its suburbs in the north, south and east.

Masui said there are four sets of tracks at the crossing ? two for freight and two for light rail so trains from both systems can run in either direction.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_us/us_suv_light_rail_crash

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Tiger Woods tied for lead in Abu Dhabi Championship

Tiger Woods fired a six-under par 66 Saturday. After three rounds, Tiger Woods is now tied with Britain's Robert Rock for the lead of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

?A host of pinpoint golf shots and a deadly touch with the putter helped Tiger Woods to move within sight of his first victory in a full-field event for more than two years at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Saturday.

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The former world No. 1 was kitted out in grey shirt and trousers but there was nothing grey about his game as he fired a sizzling six-under-par 66 to join Britain's Robert Rock (66) in a tie for the lead on 11-under 205.

Swede Peter Hanson returned the best round of the week, a 64, giving him a share of third place on 207 with world number three Rory McIlroy (68), fellow Briton Paul Lawrie (68) and Italian Francesco Molinari (66).

IN PICTURES: Tiger Woods through the years

There was a logjam at the top, with the leading 14 players separated by four shots.

?Woods, who ended a two-year title drought by winning last month's Chevron World Challenge limited-field event in California, refused to get carried away with his six-birdie display at the European Tour event.

"I was just kind of consistent today," the American said in understated fashion. "I didn't do a whole lot wrong and didn't do a whole lot right.

"I played methodically, just plotted my way round the golf course and the birdies just piled up."

With hardly any wind on another hot day at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, scoring improved and at one point there were eight players tied for the lead.

Woods went to the top of the leaderboard on his own by rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt at the 14th.

He kept his errors to a minimum throughout, a feature of his performances this week, and has now carded just two bogeys in 54 holes.

His distance control with his woods and irons evoked memories of the record 623 weeks he spent as world number one and his putting stroke was pure and positive.

The 25th-ranked Woods gave an ironic 'great shot' cry when he played a rare poor tee shot 60 feet right of the pin at the 15th but he managed to get down in two for his par three.

GLORIOUS APPROACH

The 36-year-old then finished his round with a flourish, shaping a glorious five-wood approach from left to right at the par-five 18th and safely two-putting from 60 feet to claim his sixth birdie of a flawless round.

With a plethora of players waiting to pounce on any slip, Woods knows he will have to be aggressive in Sunday's final round.

"There are so many guys up there I'm going to have to post a good number," he said. "It's not like I can just go round and shoot par."

Rock, who won his first tour event at last year's Italian Open, crammed five birdies into the last nine holes and the bearded Englishman was thrilled at the prospect of playing alongside Woods on the last day.

"I can't wait," said the 34-year-old, who was an unknown club professional nine years ago. "I might not get too many opportunities to do that."

Asked if he had ever imagined playing alongside one of golf's greatest players, he replied: "No, not in a million years. Not long ago I was working in a golf shop, selling Mars bars and watching him win majors on television.

"Tomorrow is going to be pretty cool. I'm just going to enjoy the opportunity."

McIlroy, who incurred a two-shot penalty for using his hand to brush away sand on the fringe of the ninth green on Friday, was involved in a lengthy rules discussion for the second day running.

The U.S. Open champion hit a wayward drive way right into the desert scrub at the 18th and had to ask the referee if he was allowed to aim further right for his next shot without going out of bounds.

McIlroy took an eventful route up the last hole but a par five kept him in touch with the leaders.

World number two Lee Westwood will look to make a last-day charge after shooting a 68 for 212 but top-ranked Luke Donald is out of title contention after sliding to a 73 for 216.

(Editing by Clare Fallon. To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

IN PICTURES: Tiger Woods through the years

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/jg-zHZ2zY54/Tiger-Woods-tied-for-lead-in-Abu-Dhabi-Championship

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Arquette to guest on 'Cougar Town' finale

Matt Sayles / AP

David Arquette will be joining Courteney Cox on "Cougar Town" for the season finale.

By Michael O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter

David Arquette is taking a trip to "Cougar Town."

ABC confirms to The Hollywood Reporter that the 40-year-old actor will appear alongside wife Courteney Cox (with whom he's been separated from since 2010) on the comedy's season three finale.

More from THR: Ryan Murphy's NBC comedy lands pilot order

Arquette already serves as executive producer of the series alongside Cox under their Coquette Productions banner.

According to TVLine, he'll play a hotel concierge in the season's 15th and final episode, who goes out of his way to help the cul-de-sac crew with anything and everything.

More from THR: 'Spartacus: Vengeance' Preview: 17 things to expect on season 2

"Cougar Town" just received its Feb. 14 premiere date after months of delays. It replaces the short-lived "Work It" on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.

Most recently, Arquette competed on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," placing fifth with partner Kym Johnson. He's previously acted alongside Cox in the "Scream" franchise and a 1996 episode of "Friends."

Are you looking forward to seeing the former pair together again on the small screen? Tell us what you think of this casting news on our Facebook page!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/27/10253276-david-arquette-to-join-courteney-cox-on-cougar-town-finale

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UNICEF says 384 children killed so far in Syria (Reuters)

GENEVA (Reuters) ? At least 384 children have been killed during Syria's 10-month uprising and virtually the same number have been jailed, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.

UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado told Reuters the figures were based on reports by human rights organizations which it judged to be credible.

"As of January 7, 384 children have been killed, most are boys. Some 380 children have been detained, some less than 14 years old," Rima Salah, acting UNICEF deputy executive director, told reporters in Geneva.

The agency receives information from human rights groups who review doctors and hospital reports, interview families of victims and gather witness testimony, Mercado said.

The previous death toll for children was 307, U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay said on December 2, denouncing what she called "ruthless repression" by Syrian forces.

In mid-December, the overall death toll stood at more than 5,000, including soldiers and those executed for refusing to shoot civilians, according to a U.N. figure compiled after cross-checking information from various groups.

But since then accurate reports have become more difficult to obtain, especially with parts of the town of Homs sealed off and with violence spreading, Pillay's spokesman said on Friday.

"It has gotten too difficult now to do sufficient verification to come up with a new estimate. We don't doubt for a second that many more people are being killed, but we're not really in a position to quantify it anymore," U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told Reuters.

Fighting erupted in Homs on Friday, a day after townspeople said Alawite militiamen killed 14 members of a Sunni Muslim family in one of Syria's worst sectarian attacks since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad flared in March.

UNICEF is concerned about the situation in Syria, which has a legal obligation to protect children and uphold their rights, Salah said, adding that the agency is in talks with authorities.

"When there are conflicts, it has a very, very negative impact on children. We know that children are in detention. As the President of Syria himself said, 50 percent of children do not go to school now.

"So we are working with the government of Syria and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent also to see how we can rehabilitate schools and send those children to school," she said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/ts_nm/us_syria_un_children

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Prince Fielder introduced by Detroit Tigers (AP)

DETROIT ? Saying "dreams come true," Prince Fielder was introduced Thursday by the Detroit Tigers.

Fielder appeared at a news conference at Comerica Park after finalizing a $214 million, nine-year contract, the fourth-largest deal in baseball history.

"This is awesome," Fielder said. "I just never thought this could happen."

With Detroit desperate to win its first World Series title since 1984, the big first baseman will combine with Miguel Cabrera to give the Tigers perhaps the most formidable Nos. 3-4 hitters in the major leagues. But with Cabrera shifting to third, it also will give Detroit a potentially troublesome defense at the infield corners.

Fielder was seated at a dais along with owner Mike Ilitch, manager Jim Leyland, GM Dave Dombrowski and agent Scott Boras.

Dombrowski called it "a very exciting time for this city" as Fielder was given his Tigers jersey.

Ilitch recalled how Prince Fielder used to hang around Tiger Stadium whether his father Cecil played for Detroit,

"He was marked to be a major league baseball player," Ilitch said.

Ilitch said discussions began after the Tigers learned that Victor Martinez will miss most or all of the season because of a knee injury sustained during offseason workouts.

Leyland said Brandon Inge, who is being displaced because of Fielder's arrival caused Cabrera's move to third, "isn't the happiest camper." Leyland also said he thought Cabrera was capable of handling defensive duties at third.

Fielder will earn $23 million in each of his first two years with Detroit, then will make $24 million annually in the final seven seasons of his $214 million, nine-year contract, according to terms obtained by The Associated Press.

That contrasts with Albert Pujols' backloaded $240 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, agreed to last month.

Pujols gets $12 million this year and $16 million in 2013, with the salary increasing to $23 million in 2014 and then rising $1 million annually.

Detroit announced the deal Thursday, and scheduled a news conference later in the day.

Fielder would get an additional $500,000 if he's the AL MVP, $200,000 if he's second through fifth and $100,000 if he's sixth through 10th. For each MVP he wins after the first, he would get $1 million.

He also would get $100,000 if he's an All-Star starter and $50,000 if he's a reserve, or alternatively $100,000 if he's a Baseball America or Sporting News postseason All-Star. He also would receive $100,000 for a Gold Glove, $100,000 for a Silver Slugger, $100,000 for the Hank Aaron Award, $150,000 for league championship series MVP and $200,000 for World Series MVP.

In addition, he gets a hotel suite on the road.

Fielder made $15.7 million in his final season with the Brewers. He had a $15.5 million base salary and earned $100,000 for finishing third in NL MVP voting, $50,000 for starting the All-Star game and $50,000 for a Silver Slugger award.

This is the fourth $200 million contract in baseball history, following Alex Rodriguez's $275 million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees, A-Rod's $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas and Pujols' agreement with the Angels.

Among current players, Fielder's $23.78 million average salary is behind only A-Rod ($27.5 million), Ryan Howard ($25 million), and Cliff Lee and Pujols ($24 million each).

___

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_tigers_fielder

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Oil industry sees China winning, West losing from Iran sanctions (Reuters)

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) ? As the European Union prepares to ban Iranian oil and the United States turns the screw on payments, oil executives and policymakers say China and Russia stand to gain the most and Western oil firms and consumers may emerge the biggest losers.

Iran will continue to sell much the same volume of oil - 2.6 million barrels per day or around 3 percent of world supply - but almost all of it will flow to China, they reason. And being pretty much Iran's only remaining customer, Beijing will be able to negotiate a much reduced price.

The EU will ban Iranian oil from July. The United States plans sanctions on Iran's central bank and possibly its shipping firm. European headquartered oil firms such as France's Total and Royal Dutch Shell have already abandoned Iranian oil purchases or are in the process of doing so.

Japan and South Korea have signaled they may reduce purchases of Iranian oil to comply with U.S. sanctions designed to put pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.

That leaves a growing number of buyers competing for alternative supplies. Inevitably attention has turned to Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest exporter and the only country that can quickly increase oil output and help the West avoid a price spike that would deal a severe economic blow.

The IMF said this week that crude oil prices could rise 20 to 30 percent if Iran were to retaliate by halting its oil exports altogether. Oil industry executives meeting in Davos said energy markets can afford to lose half of Iran's 2.6 million barrels per day. That would be roughly equivalent to supplies lost during Libya's civil war in 2011. They are confident Saudi Arabia will fill the gap.

"What we say is that oil is fungible. Iranian oil will still find its way into the market, to Asian markets, China and possibly at a lower price," a top Saudi source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"But if let's say 50 percent of Iranian oil is lost, we have spare capacity, we have the capacity to replace it as Libya has shown," he added.

The chief of Saudi state oil monopoly Saudi Aramco, Khalid al-Falih, moved from one bilateral meeting to the next during the World Economic Forum this week. Over the past month or so the kingdom has received requests for additional oil from the European Union, Japan and South Korea. The European Union and Turkey buy almost a third of Iranian oil exports with the rest going to China, Japan, South Korea, India and South Africa.

"As a regular conversation we talked about increased supplies. Saudi Aramco is always positive," Jun Arai, the head of Japan's Showa Shell, told Reuters.

Russia too stands to gain from Western sanctions on Iran. The world's biggest oil producer is well positioned to raise its market share in Europe, despite misgivings among some Europeans about relying too heavily on Russia for oil and gas. Payment disputes between Russia and neighboring Ukraine have in the past threatened transit gas supplies to Europe.

"I'm sure Moscow is watching the situation with big interest," said Jos? Sergio Gabrielli, chief executive of Brazil's Petrobras. Arkady Dvorkovich, the Kremlin's top economic aide, concurred that Russia stood to benefit from sanctions that were guaranteed to keep oil prices at least at current levels around $100 a barrel by his reckoning.

Showa Shell buys 100,000 barrels per day from Iran under a deal that expires in March and like other firms would be exposed to U.S. sanctions if not given a waiver under the latest ban on dealing with Iran's central bank. "We are waiting for guidance from the government," said Arai.

For Total the guidance has been clearer. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been one of the main advocates of tough sanctions. "We have already stopped (buying from Iran)," said Total's chief Christopher de Margerie. The firm was previously lifting 80,000-100,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Iran.

Peter Voser, chief executive at Royal Dutch Shell, said his company might take some time before suspending purchases, which market sources estimate at 100,000 barrels per day.

"We are a European company and therefore we are affected by the sanctions and we will obviously oblige and implement the sanctions. I need to study all the details in order to see how it goes forward," he said.

Apart from Total and Shell, Europe's biggest buyers of Iranian oil are Italian, Spanish and Greek companies.

CHEAP OIL

China has so far refrained from buying more Iranian crude but the perception in the industry and among diplomats is that the world's No.2 oil consumer will find it hard to resist buying unsold Iranian oil at a knockdown price.

"I think (the Iranian) oil will go somewhere else ... Iran may give a discount to make it easier and quicker but nothing will change," said De Margerie.

Robert Hormats, U.S. under secretary for economy, energy and agriculture, could not say with certainty that sanctions would reduce Iran's oil exports but he predicted more pain for the Iranian economy.

"You cannot predict what they (Iran) will do and how much they will discount their oil. But it will certainly cause more and more discomfort to the Iranian economy," he said, adding that China too had an interest in a 'constructive outcome'.

"No one has an interest in Iran continuing its non-peaceful nuclear program," he said. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes - electricity generation and medical equipment.

To maximize the impact of the sanctions, the U.S. will apply waivers very "selectively" and "responsibly," Hormats said. In addition, the U.S. administration is talking to Congress about extending sanctions to Iran's shipping fleet although the discussion is at an early stage, he added.

(Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Janet McBride)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/wl_nm/us_davos_iran_oil

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Video: First Read Minute

NBC's Domenico Montanaro discusses the highlights from the State of the Union and previews the newest Florida GOP Primary poll.

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Amanda Holden Gives Birth To Baby Girl After Delivery Scare

Amanda Holden Gives Birth To Baby Girl After Delivery Scare

“Britain’s Got Talent” judge Amanda Holden gave birth to a baby girl on Monday. Holden delivered baby Hollie Rose, who weighed in at 6lbs., 1oz, [...]

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Upbeat and on a roll, Obama showing some swagger (AP)

CHANDLER, Ariz. ? If President Barack Obama is showing some swagger, it shouldn't be a surprise.

His job approval ratings point to an uptick. The Navy SEAL unit that killed Osama bin Laden just pulled off a daring rescue that Obama authorized in Somalia. He's fresh off a big speech before Congress, and the Republicans who want his job are criticizing each other probably more than they are Obama.

As he hits the road for three days of travel to important political states, Obama is on a roll.

Feeling good, he even tried his hand at a bit of public crooning a few days ago, channeling the Rev. Al Green to a fundraising crowd at the Apollo Theater in New York and securing the highest of pop culture distinction: a ring tone.

It could be a fleeting moment for Obama. While the economy is improving with indicators trending positively, unemployment remains high at 8.5 percent and international debt crises and tensions could unravel the gains. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows signs of increasing optimism that the economy will improve with 37 percent saying it will get better in the next year, the highest level in that poll in more than a year.

For now, Obama is not hiding his upbeat demeanor.

Arriving in Iowa on Wednesday, he jogged, grinning, to a rope line of a couple of dozen supporters. He later expressed nostalgia for the days in 2007 when he was campaigning in Iowa, and he struck a defiant tone against congressional Republicans that was even sharper than the repudiation he offered Tuesday night in his State of the Union address.

"Our economy is getting stronger, and we've come too far to turn back now," he told workers and guests at a conveyor manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids. Speaking of Republicans, he said, "Their philosophy is simple: We're better off when everyone is left to fend for themselves and play by their own rules."

"Well, I am here to say they are wrong," he said.

In a stop later in the day in Arizona, Obama stripped off his jacket and joked about the warm weather to a crowd at an Intel chip plant, seeming to revel in being out on the stump.

He even mixed it up with the state's Republican governor, Jan Brewer, confronting her over how she depicted him in her book. Reporters witnessed the two in intense conversation after Brewer greeted Obama on the tarmac at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and Brewer later said it was over a passage in her book in which she describes Obama as lecturing her over immigration.

A White House official said Obama, who opposes Arizona's controversial immigration law, responded to an invitation from Brewer to meet with her by telling the governor he'd be glad to, but adding that Brewer had inaccurately described their last meeting in her book.

The spring in his step comes as polls show slight improvement in his job approval ratings. A Washington Post/ABC poll last week had him evenly split 48-48 on that question. A Gallup tracking poll has him even in recent surveys, compared with a few months ago when more disapproved than approved.

On the road through Friday, Obama will bask in the afterglow of his prime-time address and use the power of the presidency to compete for headlines with leading GOP White House hopefuls Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich as they knock heads ahead of the Jan. 31 Florida primary. He will try to promote a populist message of income equality that Obama's team believes can resonate with voters.

Underscoring the political subtext, four of the five states he will visit will hold Republican presidential caucuses or primaries within the next month. The two caucuses ? in Nevada and Colorado ? come within two weeks of his visit.

If 2011 began with overtures to Republicans and big business, 2012 is about operating on his own terms. He will challenge Congress to pass his initiatives, some of which he has tried before without success. For now, Obama is liberated. The thrust and parrying of governing has not picked up in Washington yet.

The road gives him an opportunity to goad congressional Republicans, believing he has been able to sway public opinion with his presidential megaphone before. He cites Washington's decision to extend, for two months, a payroll tax cut for workers. He's now seeking to extend it for the full year, and while there's little doubt that Congress eventually will agree, Obama prodded anyway.

"Your voices convinced Congress to extend this middle-class tax cut before," he said. "You remember there was little resistance there last year. I need your help to get them to do it again. Tell Congress to pass this tax cut without drama, without delay. No soap operas. Just get it done."

Political events are going his way as well.

Just as he stepped up his call for a minimum 30 percent tax rate for millionaires, Romney released his tax returns under pressure, revealing that he paid an effective tax rate of 14 percent. That not only underscored Romney's wealth, it also provided an argument for altering the nation's tax laws, a central element of Obama's re-election campaign.

Gingrich on Wednesday helped keep the focus on Romney's wealth, saying that the wealthy businessman lived in "a world of Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island accounts and automatically $20 million income for no work."

Romney and Gingrich have been forced to target each other in the GOP presidential contest, freeing Obama from the fray. For instance, Romney has ads in Florida and Nevada blaming the housing crisis on Gingrich and concludes that nothing would make Obama happier than Gingrich winning the nomination.

___

AP Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta in Washington and Associated Press writer Cristina Silva in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama

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Mary Mary's Erica Campbell gives birth to girl (AP)

NEW YORK ? Erica Campbell of the Grammy-winning sister duo Mary Mary has given birth to a new daughter.

Campbell's representative says Zaya Monique was born Tuesday. The baby weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

Erica and her sister Tina comprise the gospel duo.

It's the third child for Campbell and her husband, producer-songwriter Warryn Campbell. The singer said she was blessed by the baby's birth and said the family "couldn't be more happy than we are today."

Campbell will be taking a few weeks off, but she'll soon have to return to work. Mary Mary, known for hits like "Shackles" and "God in Me," have a self-titled reality show that debuts March 29 on We TV.

___

Online:

http://www.mary-mary.com/us/home

http://www.wetv.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_en_ot/us_people_mary_mary

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Mitt Romney Attempts To Soften Dream Act Stance, Says He'd Rely On 'Self-Deportation' (VIDEO)

Mitt Romney softened his position on the Dream Act during Monday night's debate, saying he would support legislation to provide legal status to some undocumented immigrants who want to join the military.

It's a statement he's made before, but was previously far more insistent that he would veto the Dream Act than show interest in passing part of it. Under the Dream Act, which has been around in some form for more than a decade, undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children would be allow to stay under strict conditions, including a clean criminal record and "good moral character," should they join the military or attend college for two years.

Adam Smith, one of the debate's moderators, asked Newt Gingrich whether he would veto the Dream Act if it came to his desk, pointing out that Romney and Rick Santorum have said they would without question kill the bill.

Gingrich said he would support part of the bill that would allow for legal status for those who joined the military -- a more centrist position that is more likely to appeal to Latino voters, who make up a large bloc of Florida voters and who largely support the Dream Act.

Romney, perhaps realizing that his statement on vetoing the Dream Act won't play as well in Florida as it might have in Iowa and South Carolina, chimed in.

"I'd just noted that's the same position that I have, and that's that I wouldn't sign the Dream Act as it currently exists, but I would sign the Dream Act if it were focused on military service," Romney said, interrupting Gingrich's answer.

Romney is attempting to toe the line on immigration issues. In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley, who campaigned for him, mentioned in every introduction that he would support the state's contested immigration law, which is designed to drive undocumented immigrants out of the U.S. He received an endorsement from Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state and a key architect of those state laws.

But Romney also touts endorsements from Florida Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, all of whom have publicly said they disagree with his views on the Dream Act.

His soft act on immigration didn't last long, though. Smith's next question to Romney was about his statements on driving undocumented immigrants out of the U.S. He has said both that he wouldn't round up the 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the country, but also that he would make them leave.

"The answer is self-deportation," Romney said. "People decide that they do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here.

Romney said that by cracking down on employers people would leave the U.S.

"Isn't that what we have now?" moderator Adam Smith interjected. "If somebody doesn't feel they have the opportunity in America, they can go back any time they want to."

Romney said under his system there would be a card that indicates who is here legally, and that card would be used for employment under the E-Verify system. If people could not find work, they would then go home -- essentially the same point he was making before Smith's question.

"If people don't get work here they're going to self-deport to a place where they can get work," Romney said.

Smith followed up with Rick Santorum, asking him whether "self-deportation" is a valid concept.

"It's happening now, people are going back now," Santorum said. "They can't find jobs because of the economy and the lack of economic opportunities."

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/23/mitt-romney_n_1225856.html

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CyanogenMod Android app store coming soon (Digital Trends)

The popular Android custom ROM known as CyanogenMod could soon benefit from its own application store, following the embracing of an idea suggested by one of the team members recently. Posting to his Google+ account, Koushik Dutta said an independent store would be a much-needed source of income for CyanogenMod, which is now active on more than a million Android phones.

But rather than offer the same old apps available through the official Android Market, the CyanogenMod store would be home to apps specifically suited to rooted Android phones, plus offer an outlet for those that have been refused access or have been removed from Google?s store.

For example, this would include applications that simplify the rooting process, games console emulators and apps that networks don?t approve of, such as those used for tethering. According to Dutta, the store would only contain legal apps, so shouldn?t provide safe-haven for apps removed from the Market due to security concerns.

The decision to open their own store comes after conversations with Amazon failed to progress to something meaningful. Originally, CyanogenMod toyed with the idea of bundling Amazon?s store with their custom ROM, in return for a cut of application revenue, but Amazon wouldn?t commit to a time frame.

Work has now begun of the CyanogenMod App Store, a name we?d assume won?t be attached to the final product, but it still looks to be early days judging by the screenshot.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

More from Digital Trends

DT pick: Best apps of the week

Amazon?s tablet will be named the Kindle Fire

Amazon schedules event for next week; is this its tablet unveiling?

WSJ: Amazon tablet due in October

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120123/tc_digitaltrends/cyanogenmodandroidappstorecomingsoon

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AUTOMOTIVE - AUTOS: Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Scores With ...

The big-dog collector cars hit the stage at Barrett-Jackson on Saturday, with a number of multi-million-dollar sales as superb classics and unique concepts thrilled the gigantic crowd in the main tent.

All told, eight cars ran into the millions of dollars. Through Saturday, total sales for the Scottsdale auction exceed $85 million, with 244 collector cars selling on Saturday alone for $43,884,730, exceeding the previous record set in 2007.

The rare and beautifully restored 1948 Tucker Torpedo is the highest seller of the Scottsdale auction at $2.65 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee. (Photo: Bob Golfen) Not surprisingly, the headline collector car of the Scottsdale auction, the 1948 Tucker Torpedo, became the top sale of the event with a resounding bid of $2.65 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee.

One of just 51 cars built in the short life of the Tucker car company, the gleaming-blue, rear-engine sedan with its signature triple headlights rolled onto stage with a round of applause from the massive auction crowd that didn?t stop until the Tucker was hammered ?sold? by auctioneer Spanky Assiter.

?The best Tucker in the world in my opinion,? Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis said of the car consigned from the Ron Pratte collection in Chandler, Ariz.

Another star of the Scottsdale auction, the 1947 Bentley Mark VI with its glorious Franay body, climbed quickly to a winning bid of $2.5 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee.

The Franay-bodied 1947 Bentley Mark VI won a top sale of $2.5 million. plus bidder fee. (Photo: Bob Golfen) Widely considered to be the most beautiful Bentley ever built, the auction car was also brought to the auction by Pratte, a Barrett-Jackson regular and renowned car enthusiast.

?An English chassis with a beautiful French coach on it,? auction CEO Craig Jackson said before the bidding. ?This has to be the most beautiful Bentley ever produced.?

The all-original 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing driven just over 4,000 miles was the first car of the evening to hit $2 million, before 10 percent bidder fee, which is a towering price for a steel (rather than alloy) Gullwing but not unexpected considering its pristine condition.

Next up was the exotic and extremely rare 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow, also from Don William?s Blackhawk Collection, that equaled the Gullwing sale at $2 million, before fee.

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-barrett-jackson-scores-with-million-dollar-saturday-sales/

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Video: Davos Talking Points

A preview of what's sure to be the topics of discussion at next week's World Economic Forum, with Richard Haass, Council on Foreign Relations president.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46076578/

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Carbon dioxide is 'driving fish crazy'

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes with serious consequences for their survival, an international scientific team has found.

Carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators, says Professor Phillip Munday of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University.

"For several years our team have been testing the performance of baby coral fishes in sea water containing higher levels of dissolved CO2 ? and it is now pretty clear that they sustain significant disruption to their central nervous system, which is likely to impair their chances of survival," Prof. Munday says.

In their latest paper, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, Prof. Munday and colleagues report world-first evidence that high CO2 levels in sea water disrupts a key brain receptor in fish, causing marked changes in their behaviour and sensory ability.

"We've found that elevated CO2 in the oceans can directly interfere with fish neurotransmitter functions, which poses a direct and previously unknown threat to sea life," Prof. Munday says.

Prof. Munday and his colleagues began by studying how baby clown and damsel fishes performed alongside their predators in CO2-enriched water. They found that, while the predators were somewhat affected, the baby fish suffered much higher rates of attrition.

"Our early work showed that the sense of smell of baby fish was harmed by higher CO2 in the water ? meaning they found it harder to locate a reef to settle on or detect the warning smell of a predator fish. But we suspected there was much more to it than the loss of ability to smell."

The team then examined whether fishes' sense of hearing ? used to locate and home in on reefs at night, and avoid them during the day ? was affected. "The answer is, yes it was. They were confused and no longer avoided reef sounds during the day. Being attracted to reefs during daylight would make them easy meat for predators."

Other work showed the fish also tended to lose their natural instinct to turn left or right ? an important factor in schooling behaviour which also makes them more vulnerable, as lone fish are easily eaten by predators.

"All this led us to suspect it wasn't simply damage to their individual senses that was going on ? but rather, that higher levels of carbon dioxide were affecting their whole central nervous system."

The team's latest research shows that high CO2 directly stimulates a receptor in the fish brain called GABA-A, leading to a reversal in its normal function and over-excitement of certain nerve signals.

While most animals with brains have GABA-A receptors, the team considers the effects of elevated CO2 are likely to be most felt by those living in water, as they have lower blood CO2 levels normally. The main impact is likely to be felt by some crustaceans and by most fishes, especially those which use a lot of oxygen.

Prof. Munday said that around 2.3 billion tonnes of human CO2 emissions dissolve into the world's oceans every year, causing changes in the chemical environment of the water in which fish and other species live.

"We've now established it isn't simply the acidification of the oceans that is causing disruption ? as is the case with shellfish and plankton with chalky skeletons ? but the actual dissolved CO2 itself is damaging the fishes' nervous systems."

The work shows that fish with high oxygen consumption are likely to be most affected, suggesting the effects of high CO2 may impair some species worse than others ? possibly including important species targeted by the world's fishing industries.

###

ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies: http://www.coralcoe.org.au/

Thanks to ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 73 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116913/Carbon_dioxide_is__driving_fish_crazy_

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Ambush on police truck in Syria kills 14 (AP)

BEIRUT ? At least 14 people were killed when multiple explosive devices struck a police truck transporting prisoners in a tense area of northwestern Syria on Saturday, the state-run news agency and an opposition group said.

The state news agency SANA blamed the attack on "terrorists" and said it occurred on the Idlib-Ariha highway, an area near the Turkish border that has witnessed intense fighting with army defectors recently.

Four bombs that went off in "two phases" hit the truck, and then attackers targeted an ambulance that arrived to assist the wounded, SANA reported.

Six policemen who were accompanying the prisoners were also wounded, some of them in critical condition, it said.

The British-based opposition activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, confirmed the incident Saturday and put the toll at 11 dead prisoners.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, director of the group, said the truck was hit by several roadside bombs, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but members of the so-called Free Syrian Army are known to be active in the area.

A Syria-based activist said the area has several army encampments and is full of roadside bombs planted to target army tanks passing by, adding that the truck carrying prisoners may not have been the intended target.

The activist spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The 10-month uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad has turned increasingly militarized and chaotic as more frustrated regime opponents and army defectors arm themselves and fight back against government forces.

The capital has seen three suicide bombings since late December which the government blamed on terrorist extremists.

(This version corrects toll reported by SANA to 14)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_syria

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Google Trims The Fat

Google has more than 40 core products, and hundreds depending on how you count them. Even with over 30,000 employees, that's a lot to support. In the name of refocusing, today the company announcedthat Picnik, Sky Map, Urchin, Needlebase, Google Message Continuity, and the Social Graph API are all headed for the deadpool, open source, or absorption into more central divisions.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/yR3-tQqGZEs/

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The iRig PRE: A New Microphone Interface For iOS Devices

Jeez, CES is barely over and already NAMM is upon us. Unfortunately, this blogger is not in Anaheim for that event, but to be honest, I am still reeling from the few days I spent at CES with Team TechCrunch. Instead, I'll happily watch the music industry event from a safe distance this year. I did however spy the iRig PRE while I was at CES but it was not yet ready for prime time.?It has been officially announced.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/4avNS9F6dIw/

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Text This To Me for Chrome Sends Links and Notes to Your Phone with a Single Click [Chrome Extensions]

Chrome: Text This To Me is a Chrome add-on that allows you to quickly send yourself SMS messages from your browser with links, notes, and other snippets of text with a single click. Whether you just want to send yourself a URL to open on your phone's browser, or you want to remind yourself to pick up the milk on the way home, Text This To Me gives you a quick way to do it without installing anything on your device.

If you don't have a smartphone or don't want to install an app on your phone for the few times you may need to send something to your phone from your browser, Text This To Me can be helpful. Once installed, just click the icon in your toolbar to send your message. You only have to enter your phone number once, and the add-on automatically adds the URL of the site you're on to your message. Add whatever text you'd like, and click send.

Text This To Me is no replacement for something more robust like previously mentioned Chrome to Phone or a platform that syncs notes to the cloud like Evernote or SpringPad, but it does make the process quick and easy without the need for an app on your phone, or even a smartphone at all.

Text This To Me | Chrome Web Store

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/BWYFr688Q1I/text-this-to-me-for-chrome-sends-links-and-notes-to-your-phone-with-a-single-click

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Netflix hit with class action suit over stock plunge (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Netflix's stock has suffered a much-publicized nosedive in recent months, and now a group of shareholders is hitting the subscription service with a class action suit.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the suit alleges that the home entertainment company gave false and misleading statements about its business practices and contracts with studios that propped up its share price.

Netflix executives sold 388,661 shares of their own Netflix stock while the stock was at a high, netting $90.2 million, according to the complaint.

"Later, when the defendants' prior misrepresentations and fraudulent conduct became apparent to the market, the price of Netflix common stock fell precipitously, as the prior artificial inflation came out of the price over time," the suit reads.

Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings, Chief Financial Officer David Wells, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, Chief Marketing Officer Leslie Kilgore, and Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt are named as defendants.

The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and attorney's fees.

A spokesman for Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did Darren Robbins, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

Before Netflix instituted a 60 percent price increase to its most popular subscription platform and launched an aborted plan to spin off its DVD-by-mail arm into a separate company called Qwikster, the company's stock was trading at $300. Despite abandoning the scheme to spin off its DVD business and apologizing to customers, Netflix announced that it had lost nearly 1 million subscribers during its most recent quarter.

Markets were closed for the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, but shares of the company were trading at $94.38 in after hours trading on Friday.

The lawsuit claims that Netflix knew that it had short-term contracts with the studios that provided it with films and television shows to stream. It also knew that those pacts would have to be renewed at a substantially higher cost, necessitating its price hike, according to the suit.

The suit claims that despite their public statements, Netflix executives knew that it would not meet its earnings forecasts, allowing them to sell shares at a high price.

(Pamela Chelin contributed to this report)

(Editing by Chris Michaud)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/tv_nm/us_netflix_lawsuit

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ZTE Tania arrives in the UK: a budget phone for budget buyers

ZTE's showing off its new global ambitions, the OEM-smartphone maker brought a party bus to London and asked Professor Green (everyone's favorite nasally-challenged Grime MC) to spread the word about the Tania. It's a modestly-kitted 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) Windows Phone, erm, phone, that's running Mango on a single-core 1GHz chip, 512MB of RAM and 4GB internal storage. 'Round back there's a five megapixel camera, but sadly nothing up top for impromptu video calling. It'll be available on contract on second-tier operators like Virgin Mobile, Brightpoint and Go Mobile for "around" the £10 - £20 per-month price range, but word on the street is that it'll be available to purchase for a none-too-painful £250 ($390).

Continue reading ZTE Tania arrives in the UK: a budget phone for budget buyers

ZTE Tania arrives in the UK: a budget phone for budget buyers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/175VMDUitwI/

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Ideal Pet Christmas Gifts from Ideas-4-Pets | Philippines Press ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Sue Lloyd, a co-partner of Ideas-4-Pets, commented: ?Christmastime is a time when we are all feeling generous, and pet lovers often spare a thought for their animal friends at this time of year by purchasing edible treats for them to enjoy. ...

Source: http://www.philippinespressrelease.com/business/ideal-pet-christmas-gifts-from-ideas-4-pets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ideal-pet-christmas-gifts-from-ideas-4-pets

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Police: Nigeria bomb suspect arrested, escapes (AP)

ABUJA, Nigeria ? The suspected mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic church in Nigeria escaped custody after being arrested in the country's capital, police acknowledged Tuesday ? an embarrassment for a nation struggling to contain increasingly bloody sectarian attacks by a radical Islamist sect.

Authorities said Kabiru Sokoto planned the bombing that killed 38 people at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, just outside Nigeria's capital Abuja. But his arrest at the mansion of a state governor in Abuja, and subsequent escape, raised more questions about the government's ability to stop the radical sect, known as Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for the church attack.

Federal police spokesman Olusola Amore said in statement that a local commissioner ordered Sokoto transferred to another police station in Abaji, just outside of Abuja and that the policemen escorting him were attacked by suspected sect gang members who freed him.

Commanders have suspended the local police commissioner and are investigating his actions, as well as those of the officers guarding Sokoto, Amore said.

Amore did not say whether there were injuries suffered in the attack. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

The statement did not address Sokoto's arrest occurring at the official compound of the Borno state governor in Abuja as widely reported in the media. Borno state, in Nigeria's arid and dusty northeast, is Boko Haram's spiritual home.

The Christmas Day bombing targeted target worshippers at a Catholic church as they were leaving Mass, witnesses said. It was one of several attacks that day that killed at least 42 people, drawing worldwide criticism and new attention to Boko Haram.

The sect has carried out increasingly sophisticated and bloody attacks in its campaign to implement strict Shariah law across Nigeria, a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the local Hausa language, is responsible for at least 510 killings last year alone, according to an Associated Press count.

So far this year, the group, that has warned it will kill Christians living in Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north, has been blamed for at least 74 killings. That has further inflamed religious and ethnic tensions in Nigeria, which has seen ethnic violence kill thousands in recent years.

Boko Haram also claimed responsibility an August suicide car bombing that targeted the U.N. headquarters in the capital, killing 25 people and wounding more than 100.

In a video released last week, Imam Abubakar Shekau a Boko Haram leader, said the government could not handle attacks by the group.

Though President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, has declared emergency rule in some regions, the sect is blamed for almost daily attacks.

Jonathan has said he believes the sect has infiltrated security agencies and government offices in the country, though he has offered no evidence to back up the claim.

On Tuesday, authorities blamed Boko Haram gunmen for killing seven people in three separate attacks. Gunmen shot dead two soldiers distributing food to other service members, Borno state police commissioner Simeone Midenda said.

Two others were killed Monday when gunmen invaded their homes, military field operation officer Col. Victor Ebhaleme said. In Damaturu in nearby Yobe state, gunmen from the sect shot and killed three more people from Chad on Monday, Yobe state police chief Tanko Lawan said.

___

Associated Press writer Njadvara Musa in Maiduguri, Nigeria contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_violence

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Spanish judge who charged Pinochet stands trial

FILE - In this May 19, 2010 file photo, Spanish Judge Baltazar Garzon leaves a hotel in Madrid. Garzon, once widely regarded as Spain's most prominent magistrate, goes on trial Tuesday Jan. 17, 2012 for allegedly ordering illegal wiretaps of conversations between jailed suspects and their lawyers in a corruption probe. A week later he appears in court to face charges he overstepped his authority in the Civil War case. He indicted late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on genocide charges and became an instant hero to many around the world. A decade later he launched a similar crimes-against-humanity probe over atrocities by the right-wing victors of Spain's Civil War. Now Judge Baltasar Garzon is finding himself in the dock. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

FILE - In this May 19, 2010 file photo, Spanish Judge Baltazar Garzon leaves a hotel in Madrid. Garzon, once widely regarded as Spain's most prominent magistrate, goes on trial Tuesday Jan. 17, 2012 for allegedly ordering illegal wiretaps of conversations between jailed suspects and their lawyers in a corruption probe. A week later he appears in court to face charges he overstepped his authority in the Civil War case. He indicted late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on genocide charges and became an instant hero to many around the world. A decade later he launched a similar crimes-against-humanity probe over atrocities by the right-wing victors of Spain's Civil War. Now Judge Baltasar Garzon is finding himself in the dock. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

FILE - In this April 15, 2010 file photo, Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon arrives at the Supreme Court in Madrid. Garzon, once widely regarded as Spain's most prominent magistrate, goes on trial Tuesday Jan. 17, 2012 for allegedly ordering illegal wiretaps of conversations between jailed suspects and their lawyers in a corruption probe. A week later he appears in court to face charges he overstepped his authority in the Civil War case. He indicted late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on genocide charges and became an instant hero to many around the world. A decade later he launched a similar crimes-against-humanity probe over atrocities by the right-wing victors of Spain's Civil War. Now Judge Baltasar Garzon is finding himself in the dock (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

MADRID (AP) ? The Spanish judge who became an international human rights hero by indicting former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet went on trial Tuesday over his handling of a domestic corruption probe in a case that could end his career.

Baltasar Garzon was to take the stand as a criminal defendant at Spain's Supreme Court. He is charged with overstepping his jurisdiction by ordering wiretaps of jailhouse conversations between three defendants and their lawyers.

The trial launches a grueling judicial ordeal for Garzon, who enjoys superstar status among rights groups for championing cross-border justice but has many political enemies at home.

Next week he faces another, bigger trial for probing right-wing atrocities during the 1936-1939 Spanish civil war. The crimes were covered by an amnesty passed in 1977 as Spain moved to restore democracy after decades of dictatorship under Gen. Francisco Franco, whose side won the war. Franco died in 1975. That trial is expected to take a month or more. Just three days have been set aside for the one that started Tuesday.

Some 50 supporters cheered outside as Garzon arrived at the ornate 18th-century palace that houses the Supreme Court. As he stood outside the chamber before the trial began, colleagues of his from the National Court ? from which he was suspended in 2010, over the civil war case ? hugged him, patted him on the back and kissed him on the cheek.

With his trademark slicked-back graying hair, the barrel-chested Garzon spoke with a hoarse voice, saying he was overcoming a cold and fever but was otherwise in good shape. "Fine, just fine," he told The Associated Press.

Later, as a seven-judge panel heard a clerk read out the charge and the background of the case, Garzon sat quietly with his lawyer, reading papers and taking notes.

The corruption case centers on a network of business people who are accused of paying off members of the conservative Popular Party ? now in power in the central government ? in exchange for lucrative government contracts in the Madrid and Valencia regions.

Spanish law allows the bugging of jailhouse conversations between terrorism suspects and their lawyers. But it is vague on non-terror cases, saying jailhouse wiretaps can be ordered by a judge if he or she believes the conversations will yield evidence germane to an investigation.

Garzon has argued that he ordered the wiretaps in 2008 because he thought people visiting the three suspects were acting as couriers to receive money-laundering instructions.

Lawyers for those three detainees argue that, since the law does not specifically allow for bugging of conversations between detainees and their lawyers in non-terror cases, Garzon acted illegally. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of removal from the bench for 17 years. He is now 56, and judges in Spain tend to retire at 70.

The case has been brought because of a complaint by those lawyers, even though prosecutors say Garzon did nothing wrong and should be acquitted. This is a quirk of Spanish penal law ? private citizens can seek to bring criminal charges against someone even if prosecutors disagree.

The same circumstances exist in the civil war case.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-17-EU-Spain-Judge-on-Trial/id-248feb54e87947748c410faaf83a38fe

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