Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Is historical claim behind the mystery group of (armed?) Filipinos in Borneo?

Malaysian troops are negotiating with about 100 men from the Philippines who have identified themselves as the 'royal army' of the Sulu Sultanate, which has a historic land claim to the area, say police.

By Simon Roughneen,?Correspondent / February 15, 2013

Malaysian policemen check a vehicle along the main road near Lahud Datu in Malaysia's eastern Sabah state Thursday. Malaysian security forces in Borneo surrounded armed intruders believed to be from the southern Philippines and sought to persuade them to leave peacefully Thursday, authorities said.

Bernama News Agency/AP

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It's around an hour by speedboat from Sulu in the southern Philippines to Sabah in the Malaysian part of Borneo, a route often plied by fishermen, traders, and migrants. The maritime route goes from what is the poorest part of the Philippines to eastern Malaysia, and many make the journey in search of work.

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But when on Tuesday around 100 men arrived in batches to ? and depending on what account you read ? camp out in, or occupy a village called Lahud Datu, it soon become clear these weren't the usual fishermen or migrant workers.

What exactly is going on is unclear, but it has both countries on high alert. Malaysian security forces have sealed off the village, which is 300 miles from Sabah's regional capital Kota Kinabalu, a two-hour flight from Malaysia's main city Kuala Lumpur.

On Thursday, Malaysia's Home Affairs Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said that Malaysian security forces had cornered the group, said to be armed. By Friday, however, the Sabah police chief was reportedly negotiating with the men, some of whom were claiming to be descendants of the Sultan of Sulu and therefore, they said, entitled to land in this part of Malaysia.

What is the Sultanate, anyway?

The sultanate, or the territory the sultan governed, existed from the late 15th century until the late 19th century, governing Muslims spanning parts of Sulu and northern Borneo.
??
Though the sultanate is not recognized anymore internationally as a governing entity, Malaysia still pays a token "rental fee" to the heirs of the last sultan.
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The claims could put the Philippines in an awkward position, embroiled in an unwanted territorial dispute, given that the men camped out in Lahud Datu are Filipino nationals.

Who are these men?

Though it?s unclear who this ?royal army? is, analysts are eyeing three southern Filipino militias. Militants from the southern Philippines have a history of crossing the narrow stretches of water to Borneo.
??
Some speculated at first that the groups' appearance had something to do with deadly clashes in early February between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Abu Sayyaf, two Muslim armed groups from Mindanao, in the southern part of the Philippines.
??
Some Filipino media reports suggested that at least some of the men who crossed the waters to Sabah are MNLF fighters. But that has not been confirmed.
??
The MNLF signed a peace deal with the Manila government in 1996, while the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a MNLF splinter, recently forged its own tentative peace agreement with the Filipino government (with the aid of Malaysia).
??
By far the smallest of the three groups, Abu Sayyaf opposes the agreements, as they grant autonomy to parts of Muslim Mindanao, because Abu Sayyaf has said it wants an Islamic state in the southern Philippines.
??
And Abu Sayyaf has been known to make the same crossing to Malaysia as these self-described descendants of the Sultan of Sulu, much more frequently than other groups, as they have been pursued on and off by the Filipino Army.
??
Abu Sayyaf has long been linked to Al Qaeda. It?s known for hosting the likes of Khalid Sheihk Mohammed, a central figure in the 9/11 attacks. And it is also known for taking 20 people, mainly tourists, hostage in 2000 in Malaysia.
??
These days, though, the group seems more like a criminal gang than a politically-motivated terror cell. It is currently holding, by some estimates, six foreign hostages who it likely wants to exchange for ransom, a money-making tactic used by Abu Sayyaf in the past.
??
MNLF leaders spun a recent attack on Abu Sayyaf as an attempt to crush the group, end such hostage-taking, and thus widen the appeal of the impoverished southern Philippines to tourism.
??
If this group of self described descendants are linked to either the MILF or MNLF, Manila will hardly be happy that groups with which it signed peace deals crossed to Malaysia and faced off with Malaysian soldiers. If they're linked to Abu Sayyaf, it would highlight the inability of US-trained Filipino troops to rein in the group.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/bqZeg8Tyb-I/Is-historical-claim-behind-the-mystery-group-of-armed-Filipinos-in-Borneo

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Litvinenko lawyer accuses UK, Russia of cover-up

LONDON (AP) ? A lawyer for the family of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko accused the British and Russian governments Tuesday of trying to stymie a long-delayed inquest into his poisoning death.

Litvinenko, a Russian intelligence agent turned Kremlin critic, died in London in November 2006 after drinking tea laced with the rare radioactive isotope polonium-210.

The allegations of a cover-up came at a London court hearing where British media organizations challenged a government bid to hold parts of the inquest in secret for security reasons. In Britain, inquests are held to determine the facts whenever someone dies violently, unexpectedly or in disputed circumstances.

Ben Emmerson, the lawyer for Litvinenko's widow Marina, said the government's quest for secrecy was delaying proceedings and suggested that foreign policy ? namely trade relations ? could be at the heart of the matter.

"We know nothing about why these applications are being made and we are dancing in the dark," he told coroner Robert Owen. "This is beginning to look like you're being steamrollered by two states acting in collaboration with each other."

Lawyers for Litvinenko's family say at the time of his death he was working for the British intelligence services, and Britain accuses two Russians of the killing. Moscow authorities have refused to extradite them for trial.

British government lawyer Neil Sheldon said "the disclosure of the material in question would pose a real risk to the public interest."

Emmerson ? who said the inquest is "shaping up to be a stain on British justice" ? called the government's arguments for secrecy absurd.

Alex Bailin, the lawyer representing prominent British media organizations, insisted at the very least the government must clarify what issues are at stake and what harm they could cause.

Failing to do so, he said, "would have the very serious effect of undermining the public's confidence in this inquest."

The inquest was due to start May 1. But Owen, the coroner, said Tuesday he was "becoming increasingly concerned that due to the complexity of the investigation which necessarily precedes the hearings, that may be a timetable to which it may not be possible to adhere."

The Litvinenko process has been delayed until now because, for a long time, officials thought there was a chance the Russian suspects could be prosecuted. But last year, it became clear that the U.K. would not be able to put the two suspects on trial.

Emmerson said Marina Litvinenko was "extremely disappointed" by the prospect of further delays.

"Not as disappointed as me," Owen said.

The hearing was adjourned until Wednesday.

___

Cassandra Vinograd can be reached at http://twitter.com/CassVinograd

___

Online: www.litvinenkoinquest.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/litvinenko-lawyer-accuses-uk-russia-cover-145651260.html

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Dog Sledding Holidays: What To Expect

If youve ever dreamed of exploring the Arctic, dog sledding holidays provide a fantastic way to do so. There are few experiences as exhilarating as being drawn across the snow on a sled pulled by a team of huskies, and few landscapes as pristine and enchanting as the ones youll traverse while doing so. To help you get in the right frame of mind for such a trip, read on.

What Youll See

The details of your surroundings will, of course, depend on where you choose to go for your dog sledding holidays, but all the potential destinations share an incredible natural beauty. There are the soaring mountains and gleaming lakes of the Yukon, where bears, moose and caribou roam, and pike and trout dart through the waters while hawks, bald eagles and golden eagles soar overhead. North America also offers a plethora of other great locations, from stunning forest scenery in Prince Albert National Park to the sweeping beauty of Algonquin Park. In Europe, the icy wonders and ancient traditions of Lapland await, as well as the icebergs and remote settlements of Greenland.

What Youll Learn

Learning new things is one of the joys of travel, and this is especially true in this case. While the sights that surround you as you make your way across the snow on dog sledding holidays are enough of a magical new experience in themselves, there is also wonder and new knowledge to be gained from the activity itself. Youll learn more about the abilities, personalities and needs of the dogs, which are in many cases Siberian Huskies, although other breeds such as the Alaskan Malamute and the Mahikan are used in some places; each breed will have its own unique but equally interesting characteristics. You might also learn about the history of dog sledding, which predates our era by thousands of years, and about the principles of mushing which comes from the French order traditionally given to the dogs to start moving: Marche!

How to Prepare

While those who have previously embarked on dog sledding holidays will likely agree that they are a fantastic experience from start to finish, it can not be denied that some preparation is necessary to meet the conditions that you will be experiencing. The destinations for such holidays are some of the worlds coldest, so knowing how to protect yourself from the elements is important. When packing, be sure to include plenty of warm clothes, as well as a weatherproof outer layer and good boots. Synthetic fabrics are better than cotton, which retains moisture and can make the wearer cold. Specialist equipment and advice will usually be provided by your holiday operator, but dont forget the smaller essentials such as sunglasses and sunscreen, as the snow can reflect a considerable amount of sunlight.

Philippa Westwood is Marketing Manager at Windows on the Wild, a specialist of wildlife watching tours and dog sledding holidays. Destinations include Canada, Lapland and Sweden where dog sledding holidays can take you on adventurous experiences across the world.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/-Dog-Sledding-Holidays--What-To-Expect/4455003

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How to enable and disable FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

How to enable and disable FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

While FaceTime is a great feature that can make conversations with loved ones and friends much more personal and interactive, there are times when it may not be appropriate or you don't want to be bothered with video calls. Whether you just have an aversion to video chatting and don't care much for it or you just need to disable it for a period of time, you can easily do so in just a few taps.

Here's how.

  1. Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on FaceTime.
  3. At the very top you'll see an option to turn FaceTime on and off. Tap the slider to turn it to the Off position.
  4. FaceTime will now be disabled and you won't receive any video calls on that specific device.

If you ever want to re-enable FaceTime, you can just pop back into settings and turn it on again.



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Watch Live: President to talk 'sequester' at meeting with governors

President Barack Obama on Monday is expected to implore the nation's governors to put pressure on Congress to avoid the sequester as Obama speaks to the nation's governors at the White House.

Members of the Obama administration, heads of federal agencies and others have been issuing severe warnings to Congress regarding the sequester-- $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts that will go into effect March 1 absent a budget. Warnings have been released threatening fewer responders to handle wildfires, reduced food safety inspection, less help for vulnerable Americans and on Friday, widespread flight delays and cancellations.

"Travelers should expect delays. Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco and others could experience delays up to 90 minutes during peak hours, because we have fewer controllers on staff. Delays in these major airports will ripple across the country," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters at Friday's White House press briefing after announcing that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans massive furloughs and closing air traffic control towers if the sequester goes into effect.

The White House on Sunday night released state-by-state reports detailing what they say would be "devastating" impacts on each state as a result of the sequester, but the topic of the sequester was notably absent from Obama's speech Sunday night to the governors, who are in town for the National Governors Association's (NGA) annual winter meeting.

Instead, the president at the White House dinner struck an appreciative tone, commending the governors for steering their states through tough times.

Democratic Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware, chair of the NGA, followed Obama's address Sunday night by emphasizing the absence of politics from the night's celebration. "On this one night it?s a relief -- politics doesn?t drive the conversation. We don?t speak of partisan issues or presidential aspirations," Markell said.

But Markell did note the sequester.

"One thing for sure is certain -- you don?t let issues fester. You get to deal with education and health care, and even the sequester," Markell said to laughter and applause from the audience.

Republicans such as Speaker John Boehner have publicly stated their opposition to the sequester, though others have threatened they are willing to let it go into effect.

Some Republicans over the weekend continued to accuse the administration of exaggerating the sequester's impact.

"They have plenty of flexibility in terms of discretion on how they spend money. There are easy ways to cut this money that the American people will never feel," Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said on Fox News Sunday.

The president is slated to address the governors at 11:05 a.m. ET from the White House State Dining Room. Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden are also scheduled to speak.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-expected-address-sequester-monday-meeting-governors-143539950--politics.html

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Nigella Lawson speaks her mind, minds her curves

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? America might not know what to make of a celebrity chef as comfortable quoting philosophers as corraling reality cooking show contestants.

And Nigella Lawson is completely at ease with that.

"Today, it's all about marketing and people want to know where to place you," Lawson said during an interview Saturday at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. "And I suppose I just don't care about that."

Lawson has carved a long culinary career by rejecting steroetypes and speaking her mind.

Most recently, she garnered attention for telling the producers of her latest television venture "The Taste" that they could not retouch images of her to reduce her belly.

It's not about vanity. It's about voice. And she wants hers heard ? or in the case of her curves, seen ? without layers of producers and editors and retouchers reinterpreting her message to viewers and readers.

"I don't need that to be mediated by any other person," she said. "To have your voice tampered with is a terrible thing. It has to be a genuine conversation with the reader."

That's why when Lawson writes cookbooks ? including her just released ode to Italian cooking, "Nigellissima" ? she sends them to the designer long before they go to her publisher. It's a way to preserve her vision for the book rather than have an editor decide how it should look.

It's also why she's comfortable dropping the names of British philosophers ? in this case Bertrand Russell ? in the introduction of her new book, the sort of high-faluten chatter that would end up chopped by most cookbook editors.

As for "The Taste" ? which Lawson shoots with fellow culinary free spirit Anthony Bourdain ? she has ideas for changing it a bit if there is a second season, including more cooking and eating by the teams who compete on the show.

"The producers probably don't want all my extra ideas, but I probably will give them the benefit of my ideas whether they want them or not," she said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigella-lawson-speaks-her-mind-minds-her-curves-211155193.html

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Pistorius' brother faces culpable homicide charge for 2008 car accident

Carl Pistorius, brother of Oscar Pistorius, currently faces a culpable homicide charge for a 2008 car accident in which a woman motorcyclist was killed. Olympic star Oscar Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder in the Feb. 14 shooting of his girlfriend.

By Raf Casert,?Associated Press / February 24, 2013

Carl Pistorius, (r.), and Henke Pistorius, the brother and father of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend attend Oscar's bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa Feb. 19. Carl Pistorius is facing a charge of culpable homicide for the death of a woman knocked down on her motorbike in 2008.

Themba Hadebe/AP/File

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The brother of Olympic star Oscar Pistorius is facing a culpable homicide charge for a 2008 road death, compounding problems for the family after the double-amputee runner was charged with premeditated murder in the Feb. 14 shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

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Lawyer Kenny Oldwage said in a statement that Carl had been involved in a car accident "in which a woman motorcyclist sadly lost her life." He said that "there is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court."

Carl Pistorius was already in court last Thursday, as his brother Oscar was facing a bail hearing, and will appear again at the end of next month.

Oscar Pistorius was released on bail Friday and his brother Carl was seen driving into the home of their uncle Arnold early Sunday in Waterkloof, an affluent suburb of Pretoria, the nation's capital, where Oscar is now staying.

The problems surrounding his older brother Carl are the latest twist in a case that has transfixed South Africa and much of the world. Sunday's revelation of the culpable homicide charge immediately created a stir.

"It's also doubly sad because it's involved with Oscar and his brother and all the family ? so they have double sort of trouble. So, not good," said Johannesburg resident Jim Plester.

Oldwage said that "Carl deeply regrets the accident" and that a blood test showed he was not drunk at the time. "It was a tragic road accident after the deceased collided with Carl's car."

He said the charges had initially been dropped, only to be reinstated later.

It was the second time the Pistorius case was weighed down by additional charges.

South African police appointed a new chief investigator last Thursday, replacing a veteran detective after unsettling revelations that the officer was charged with seven counts of attempted murder.

Oscar Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder, but the athlete says he killed his girlfriend accidentally, opening fire after mistaking her for an intruder in his home.

On Saturday, the family took steps to lower its profile on social media after someone hacked into the Twitter account of Carl. They cancelled all the social media sites for both Oscar's brother and his sister Aimee.

Carl has always been close to Oscar but was notably absent when their uncle Arnold, flanked by Oscar's sister Aimee, read out a first reaction to the shooting on Feb. 17, even though he was also on the premises.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/RjTtixO9CPM/Pistorius-brother-faces-culpable-homicide-charge-for-2008-car-accident

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NBA: Indiana 90, Detroit 72

Published: Feb. 23, 2013 at 11:45 PM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Indiana's George Hill and David West teamed up to score 34 points Saturday, hoisting the Pacers to a 90-72 victory over Detroit.

Hill put in 17 points while West provided 16, eight rebounds and four assists as Indiana completed a home-and-home sweep of the Pistons.

Paul George provided 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers, who got two points and two rebounds from Danny Granger in his season debut following a knee injury.

Detroit got 15 points from Will Bynum before he was tossed from the game in the fourth quarter for hitting the Pacers' Tyler Hansbrough in the groin.

Jose Calderon (13 points) and Greg Monroe (12, 12 rebounds) also reached double figures for the Pistons.

Source: http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2013/02/23/NBA-Indiana-90-Detroit-72/UPI-63441361681154/

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Flu Season Amplifies Calls for Paid Sick Leave (WSJ)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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EPA regulations a looming blow to Arizona economy

Higher electricity rates under new EPA regulations would have negative impact on Arizona's ability to attract and create new jobs, experts tell a group of state lawmakers.

By Evan Tracey,?American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) / February 22, 2013

This content provided by a Monitor sponsor. What's this?

The main plant facility at the Navajo Generating Station is seen from Lake Powell in Page, Ariz. The federal government is proposing new limits for pollution from the coal-fired power plant to reduce haze in places like the Grand Canyon. But the plant's owners say it could come with a price tag of more than $1 billion.

Ross D. Franklin/AP/File

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Last month?we mentioned a story?regarding the Navajo Generating Station that stated that EPA regulations that would require adding new emissions controls to the plant would cost $1.1 billion and would only marginally reduce the plants portion of haze in the area.

Skip to next paragraph Evan Tracey

Senior Vice President for Communications, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE)

Mr. Tracey oversees the strategy on how to communicate the importance of electricity from coal and the value of investments in clean coal technology. He has two decades of political, legislative and issue research experience and has provided strategic media analysis for a number of trade associations, foundations, Fortune 500 companies, political party committees, the national press, academic institutions, as well as hundreds of national, statewide and local political campaigns.

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It was?reported yesterday that Arizona?s?economy?could soon be feeling the effects of higher electricity rates under regulations recently announced by the EPA, a group of state lawmakers were told on Monday.

According to the?White Mountain Independent, ?In a rare joint committee hearing chaired by Senator Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), members of the Senate Government and Environment Committee and the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Representative Frank Pratt (R-Casa Grande) heard testimony from state air quality regulators, utility officials, a hospital executive, union representative, and the Director of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, all of whom agreed that new regulations announced by the EPA could have a significant, negative impact on Arizona?s economy and its ability to attract and create new jobs.?

?This is a non-partisan issue that has alarmed Republicans and Democrats alike,? Senator Griffin said. ?Regardless of how one feels about the EPA, there is nothing logical about requiring Arizona residents to pay a billion dollars for regulations that make virtually no improvement in visibility and have nothing to do with public health.?

This is just further evidence that the EPA continues to ignore the damage that its new regulations are causing to the U.S. economy and to states that depend on coal for jobs and affordable electricity.

The Monitor allows its sponsoring partners to connect directly with Monitor readers by including content on CSMonitor.com. Sponsored content is always clearly labeled?and is written, edited, and produced by the sponsor. Questions? E-mail us.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/wFFb43BNqew/EPA-regulations-a-looming-blow-to-Arizona-economy

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Poulter, Mahan on collision course at Match Play

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) ? Before the first shot of the Match Play Championship, and before the first snowfall, Hunter Mahan was asked for three players with the best reputation in match play.

Ian Poulter was on his list.

Now he gets to find out for himself.

Poulter again proved to be one tough customer Saturday when he beat Steve Stricker with one big putt after another, advancing to the semifinals and improving his record in match play around the world to 19-3-2 over the last four years.

Next up is Mahan, who is leaving his own mark at Dove Mountain. Mahan outlasted U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson in 18 holes, leaving him two wins away from joining Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners of this World Golf Championship. Not only has Mahan won every match he has played ? 11 in a row ? over the last two years, he now has gone 151 consecutive holes at the Match Play Championship without trailing.

Poulter is aiming for his second Match Play win in the last four years.

"I have so much respect for the guy and how he plays," Mahan said. "There's not one part of his game that really shines. He has a great short game and he's a great putter, but to me, his determination and his will is his greatest strength. He's never going to think he's out of a hole."

Not to be outdone, Matt Kuchar reached the semifinals for the second time in three years with steady play, rarely taking himself out of position. That proved way too much for Robert Garrigus, who was 4 down through 10 holes and didn't make it beyond the 16th green.

Kuchar will play Jason Day of Australia, who won a tight match against Graeme McDowell in 18 holes.

The biggest stars in golf might be long gone. In their place are two guys who might be the best in match play over the last few years.

"I know it's not the top four in the world, probably what everyone was hoping for," Mahan said. "But there's been a lot of great golf played, a lot of great shot, a lot of great putts. There's a lot of great players."

Along with a perfect singles record in the Ryder Cup, Poulter has won the WGC version of the Match Play Championship and the World Match Play Championship in Spain in 2011. He wasn't aware of his sterling record since 2010, nor did he sound terribly surprised.

"I'm pretty proud of it," he said. "Does it surprise me? I love match play."

That much is becoming abundantly clear. After he pulled away from Tim Clark of South Africa in the third round Saturday morning, he faced his toughest challenge yet in Stricker, who started his 46th birthday celebration by making eight birdies in a brilliantly played match against Scott Piercy in the third round.

Stricker holed a 30-foot putt on the final hole for the win, and then ran into someone who putted even better.

The match effectively turned on the third hole. After they traded birdies, Stricker stuffed his tee shot into 6 feet, while Poulter pulled his shot some 40 feet away above the ridge. Poulter wound up making the putt, and all Stricker could do was laugh. He missed his short birdie, and the momentum shifted for good.

Describing the big moment, it wasn't clear if Poulter was talking about his putt or driving through a roundabout in England.

"It was 40 feet, left-to-right, right-to-left, right-to-left again, hopefully slowing down on the ridge, taking a left-hand turn, down the slope and then chucking a little left to right at the end to drop it," Poulter said. "It was really nice."

Stricker didn't win another hole until he was 3 down at the turn, and while he made birdie on the 10th to pick up a little momentum, he gave it right back with a tee shot into the desert on the par-5 11th, leading to a bogey. Poulter won the next with a 20-foot birdie putt, and from there it was a matter of time.

Even the final hole showed Poulter's putting prowess.

Poulter was 3 up with three holes remaining when he missed the green to the right. Stricker came up short and chipped to about 3 feet. As Poulter was studying his chip, a fan near Poulter said, "Pick it up," and Stricker did just that.

"I think it was close enough, anyway, but for a split second, it was a little off-putting," Poulter said. "And I guess I had to hole a 12-footer to finish the match."

That he did, and now plays the defending champion.

Mahan hasn't lost any match around the world since Martin Kaymer beat him in the third round at Dove Mountain in 2011. He exacted a small piece of revenge by beating Kaymer in the third round. Mahan had to play only 43 holes to reach the quarterfinals.

But his match against Simpson was tough from the start, and it was the first time Mahan played the 18th hole in competition since his opening match a year ago.

Neither player led by more than one hole, and Mahan took the lead for good on the par-3 16th when Simpson missed a 10-foot par putt. Mahan had to make a 7-foot par putt on the 16th for his par and the lead, and the finished with pars.

Day fell two holes behind immediately against McDowell, and the turning point might have been the seventh. McDowell had a tough chip behind the green that he moved only a few inches and wound up making bogey. Day holed a 6-footer for par to square the match, and it was a see-saw match the rest of the way.

In the gallery with McDowell was Shane Lowry, the No. 64 seed to eliminated Rory McIlroy in the opening round. McDowell made three birdies in a five-hole stretch at the turn to build a comfortable lead and went on to win, 3 and 2.

His putter let him down against Day, however. He missed a 10-foot par putt on the 17th that gave Day the lead, and then missed a 15-foot putt from just off the green that would have extended the match.

Day became the first Australian to reach the semifinals since Geoff Ogilvy won in 2009, and it took a lot to get there. He beat the Masters champion (Bubba Watson) and a former U.S. Open champion (McDowell) on the same day.

"It's like playing on Sunday every day here," Day said.

He faces Kuchar, who lost to the eventual champion each of the last two years. Garrigus had said earlier in the week that he looked at his bracket and figured didn't see anyone he couldn't beat. He must have overlooked Kuchar, who birdied the ninth for a 3-up lead and never let Garrigus get close.

Poulter at No. 11 is the highest seed remaining. The other seeds are No. 21 (Kuchar), No. 23 (Mahan) and No. 41 (Day).

Given the nature of 18 holes of match play, and the fine line of talent in golf at the highest level, the seeds don't mean much in this tournament. Poulter and Mahan have shown that to be the case.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poulter-mahan-collision-course-match-play-004213906--spt.html

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Florida Housing Market Beats Winter Chill

Florida?s housing market continued its upswing into the new year, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors.

Statewide closed sales of existing single-family homes totaled 13,679 in January, up 11.7 percent year-over-year, the group reported. Meanwhile, pending sales?contracts signed but not yet completed or closed?for existing single-family homes rose 31 percent.

Prices also rose: The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in January was $145,000, up 12.4 percent over January 2012. In addition, sellers received an average of 92.2 percent of their original list price, according to Florida Realtors chief economist Dr. John Tuccillo, who added that he was ?particularly impressed with the rise in percentage of list price received by sellers.?

?This year started out strong for Florida?s housing market,? said Dean Asher, 2013 president of Florida Realtors. ?Home sales continue to rise, mortgage rates remain near historic lows and the inventory of for-sale homes is lower than it?s been in years.?

Asher added that the time it takes to sell a home is dropping; the median days a home spent on the market declined about 15 percent for both single-family homes and for townhome-condo properties.

However, he noted that ?overly restrictive credit requirements remain an obstacle for many potential buyers, who find it difficult to access affordable financing options.?

January was also sunny for the townhouse-condo market. According to Florida Realtors, a total of 6,670 units sold statewide, up 2 percent compared to January 2012. Pending sales for townhouse-condos increased 17 percent.

The statewide median price for townhouse-condo properties was $112,000, up 18 percent year-over-year.

According to Florida Realtors? data, January marked the 13th straight month that statewide median sales prices rose on a year-over-year basis for both single-family homes and townhouse-condo units.

The group also reported that the inventory for single-family homes stood at a 5.6 months? supply in January.

?This can encourage other potential sellers to come forward, thus easing the market?s inventory crunch,? Tuccillo noted. ?But, despite the progress of Florida?s housing market, it?s still being held back by the difficulty consumers have in accessing credit.?

Source: http://www.themreport.com/articles/florida-housing-market-beats-winter-chill-2013-02-21

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Feds Say Neo-Nazi With Guns Was Tracking Community Leaders

NBC News:

FBI agents recently warned community leaders in the Detroit area about a possible racist plot by a convicted felon and alleged neo-Nazi sympathizer who was arrested after he was discovered with an arsenal of assault rifles and other weapons, a law enforcement official tells NBC News.

?The FBI averted a catastrophe in this case, there?s no doubt about it,? Steven M. Dettelbach, the U.S. attorney in Cleveland, said in an interview.

Read the whole story at NBC News

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/22/feds-say-neo-nazi-with-guns_n_2741680.html

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Video: Herbalife Distributor Issue

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50895448/

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Biomarker may identify neuroblastomas with sensitivity to BET bromodomain inhibitors

Biomarker may identify neuroblastomas with sensitivity to BET bromodomain inhibitors [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jeremy Moore
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
215-446-7109
American Association for Cancer Research

PHILADELPHIA Neuroblastoma, the most common malignant tumor of early childhood, is frequently associated with the presence of MYCN amplification, a genetic biomarker associated with poor prognosis. Researchers have determined that tumors containing MYCN amplification are sensitive to a new class of drugs, BET bromodomain inhibitors.

The researchers made this discovery in a preclinical study, which was funded in part by a Stand Up To Cancer Innovative Research Grant and was published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"BET bromodomain inhibitors are a class of drugs that many researchers are hopeful may offer a new therapeutic option for treating patients with certain cancers," said Kimberly Stegmaier, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, Mass. "The challenge has been identifying biomarkers that can help direct clinical translation of these drugs by pinpointing those patients with the highest likelihood of response."

To identify genetic biomarkers of responsiveness to BET bromodomain inhibitors, Stegmaier and colleagues screened more than 600 cancer cell lines with known genetic characteristics for sensitivity to a prototypical BET bromodomain inhibitor.

Using this high-throughput, cell-based screening process, the researchers found that neuroblastoma cells in which the MYCN gene was amplified were sensitive to BET bromodomain inhibitors.

"Neuroblastoma is a devastating childhood cancer, and only a minority of children with high-risk disease will be cured with currently available treatments," Stegmaier said. "Prior research has shown that MYCN amplification is common in neuroblastoma, but it has been an elusive drug target."

To further validate their findings, the researchers tested a BET bromodomain inhibitor, from the laboratory of James E. Bradner, M.D., at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, using cultured MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines and three animal models of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Together, they found that the drug decreased levels of MYCN protein in cultured cells, and that this led to impaired cell growth and cell death. In each animal model, including a mouse model of neuroblastoma that is known to be resistant to many standard therapies, the drug was shown to have anti-tumor effects and to prolong survival.

"My Stand Up To Cancer grant, which focused on modulating difficult drug targets in childhood cancers, was instrumental to us being able to do this exciting work," Stegmaier said. "These types of studies are generally considered high-risk, particularly because they start with unbiased screening, and they are generally less likely to be supported by traditional sources of funding."

###

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @aacr #aacr
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

About the American Association for Cancer Research

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 34,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and cancer advocates residing in more than 90 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 20 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 17,000 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the scientific partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration and scientific oversight of team science and individual grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Biomarker may identify neuroblastomas with sensitivity to BET bromodomain inhibitors [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jeremy Moore
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
215-446-7109
American Association for Cancer Research

PHILADELPHIA Neuroblastoma, the most common malignant tumor of early childhood, is frequently associated with the presence of MYCN amplification, a genetic biomarker associated with poor prognosis. Researchers have determined that tumors containing MYCN amplification are sensitive to a new class of drugs, BET bromodomain inhibitors.

The researchers made this discovery in a preclinical study, which was funded in part by a Stand Up To Cancer Innovative Research Grant and was published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"BET bromodomain inhibitors are a class of drugs that many researchers are hopeful may offer a new therapeutic option for treating patients with certain cancers," said Kimberly Stegmaier, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, Mass. "The challenge has been identifying biomarkers that can help direct clinical translation of these drugs by pinpointing those patients with the highest likelihood of response."

To identify genetic biomarkers of responsiveness to BET bromodomain inhibitors, Stegmaier and colleagues screened more than 600 cancer cell lines with known genetic characteristics for sensitivity to a prototypical BET bromodomain inhibitor.

Using this high-throughput, cell-based screening process, the researchers found that neuroblastoma cells in which the MYCN gene was amplified were sensitive to BET bromodomain inhibitors.

"Neuroblastoma is a devastating childhood cancer, and only a minority of children with high-risk disease will be cured with currently available treatments," Stegmaier said. "Prior research has shown that MYCN amplification is common in neuroblastoma, but it has been an elusive drug target."

To further validate their findings, the researchers tested a BET bromodomain inhibitor, from the laboratory of James E. Bradner, M.D., at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, using cultured MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines and three animal models of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Together, they found that the drug decreased levels of MYCN protein in cultured cells, and that this led to impaired cell growth and cell death. In each animal model, including a mouse model of neuroblastoma that is known to be resistant to many standard therapies, the drug was shown to have anti-tumor effects and to prolong survival.

"My Stand Up To Cancer grant, which focused on modulating difficult drug targets in childhood cancers, was instrumental to us being able to do this exciting work," Stegmaier said. "These types of studies are generally considered high-risk, particularly because they start with unbiased screening, and they are generally less likely to be supported by traditional sources of funding."

###

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @aacr #aacr
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

About the American Association for Cancer Research

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 34,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and cancer advocates residing in more than 90 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 20 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 17,000 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the scientific partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration and scientific oversight of team science and individual grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/aafc-bmi021413.php

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Williamsburg Penthouse Gets Most Amazing NYC ... - AOL Real Estate

Williamsburg penthouse

@DouglasElliman smacked down the competition to be the winner of this week's #housepornthurs contest with this immaculate white penthouse in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. Those amazing views of the iconic Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan skyline would win anyone over! We do want to give props to the runner-up, @BrandonRSwanson. He pitched a totally rad hobbit-like dome home in Goleta, Calif., which got us really excited. Better luck next time!

Houseporn Thursday logoBack to our winner: Walls of glass line the 3,198-square-foot Williamsburg penthouse, and they also lead to a giant wraparound terrace. There, you'll feel like you're on top of the world (or at least the Big Apple) as you lounge and enjoy some of the most magnificent views that you can find in New York City. The loftlike space has a grand living and dining room with fireplace, three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. There's a separate wing for the master suite, which has a marbled, windowed bathroom dripping in luxury and two walk-in closets. Still not enough? Hopefully, the study with its own terrace and a powder room will sell you in these gorgeous digs.

If you're a bit of a socialite, then this place is in the perfect location. Some of Brooklyn's trendiest restaurants and high-end shops are just steps away. And for the commuter, convenience is key, and this place is close to subways and a 15-minute water taxi to Manhattan. The building has concierge service, glass elevators and a common roof deck.

See the listing for more details.

Find more homes for sale in Brooklyn, N.Y., or search listings in your area.

The #housepornthurs contest is a weekly Twitter conversation hosted by @aolrealestate. Tweet listings every Thursday to AOL Real Estate with the hashtag #housepornthurs for a chance to have one of your submissions featured as a House of the Day the following week.


See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email colin.croughan@teamaol.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to
calculate mortgage payments.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Find homes for rent in your area.

See celebrity real estate.

Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/02/21/williamsburg-penthouse-nyc-homes-for-sale/

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French special forces in Cameroon helping hostage probe

YAOUNDE (Reuters) - French special forces have arrived in northern Cameroon to help locate a French family who were kidnapped on Tuesday and moved to Nigeria, a local governor said on Wednesday.

The abduction of three adults and four children highlights the risk to French nationals and interests in Africa since Paris sent forces to Mali to oust Islamist rebels.

"French special forces came in yesterday from N'Djamena to help with the investigation. They left yesterday and came back today," Augustine Fonka Awa, governor of Cameroon's Far North Region, told Reuters by telephone.

He declined to say how many French military arrived from their regional base in Chad's capital, which is about 40 miles from where the French tourists were taken.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday evidence pointed to Nigerian Islamists Boko Haram, but there did not appear to be a direct link to France's intervention in Mali.

"We believe it's the Boko Haram group that carried out the kidnapping, but we don't know for sure. Unfortunately, terror breeds terror," Le Drian told France 2 television.

Asked to confirm or deny whether France had sent special forces, a spokesman at the Defense Ministry in Paris said only that their presence was an unfounded rumor.

"French gendarmes visited the site of the kidnapping yesterday in coordination with Cameroonian police to assess the situation and were protected by French military," he said.

Two Yaounde-based agents from the French DGSE foreign intelligence agency were dispatched to the kidnap zone to work with Cameroon's secret service and a French army helicopter was sent to help look for the hostages, French BFM TV reported without citing sources.

Joseph Dion Ngute, a junior minister at Cameroon's foreign ministry, told French television the kidnappers put the hostages on motorcycles and stole another car before heading to Nigeria.

"Our forces and the Nigerian forces were alerted, but before they reacted the kidnappers had vanished."

Security in the Dabanga area where they were taken, six miles from the Nigerian border, has been reinforced and "urgent measures" to locate the family put in place, he said.

POROUS BORDERS

It was the first case of foreigners being seized in the mostly Muslim north of Cameroon, a former French colony. But the region - like others in West and North Africa with typically porous borders - is considered within the operational sphere of Boko Haram and fellow Nigerian Islamist militants Ansaru.

The father of the family, which included children aged between 5 and 12, worked for utility GDF Suez and French television reported he was from a family of winemakers in the Burgundy region.

"It is expected that French forces will engage in resolving this issue from within Cameroonian borders, with the support of the Cameroon government," said Nadia Ahidjo of africapractice, an Africa-focused consulting firm.

Nigerian army spokesman Colonel Sagir Musa said "the armed forces were on alert ... ready to apprehend any criminal elements or terrorist that come into our areas."

France has about 6,000 nationals in Cameroon. It issued a travel warning on Tuesday advising its citizens not to travel to the extreme north and for those already there to leave.

Cameroon is a largely secular state where 70 percent are Christian. About 24 percent are Muslim and mainly live in the three northern regions of the country. Until now there have been no known links between with Islamists in northern Nigeria.

Boko Haram poses a big threat to stability in Nigeria, Africa's top oil-producing state. Western governments worry they could link up with other Islamist groups in the region.

France intervened in Mali last month after Islamists seized the north and pushed south towards the capital Bamako.

French-led forces have since driven the Islamists from north Mali towns into remote desert and mountains.

"It's these groups that are calling for the same fundamentalism, whether it's in Mali or in Somalia or in Nigeria. These groups threaten our security," Le Drian said.

French President Francois Hollande said the kidnappings would not stop France from pursuing its operation in Mali.

The kidnapping brought the number of French held hostage in isolated regions of west and north Africa to 15, including one abducted by Nigerian al Qaeda-linked Ansaru in December.

(Reporting by Bate Felix; Additional reporting by John Irish in Dakar, Alexandria Sage and Leigh Thomas in Paris and Joe Brock in Abuja; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/french-special-forces-cameroon-helping-hostage-probe-172837733.html

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Pistorius: Lover caught in tragedy or killer?

Olympian Oscar Pistorius, foreground, stands following his bail hearing, as his brother Carl, left, and father Henke, second from left, look on in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where his girlfriend was cowering after a shouting match on Valentine's Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said Tuesday as he charged the sports icon with premeditated murder. The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. (AP Photo)

Olympian Oscar Pistorius, foreground, stands following his bail hearing, as his brother Carl, left, and father Henke, second from left, look on in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where his girlfriend was cowering after a shouting match on Valentine's Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said Tuesday as he charged the sports icon with premeditated murder. The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. (AP Photo)

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius's father Henke Pistorius is comforted by a unidentified family member during the bail application at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius told a packed courtroom Tuesday that he shot his girlfriend to death by mistake, thinking she was a robber. The prosecutor called it premeditated murder. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius's brother Carl Pistorius, right, comforts sister Aimee, left, during the bail application at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, and with his father Henke Pistorius seen at top centre. Oscar Pistorius faces a bail hearing charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

A woman holds a photo of Reeva Steenkamp, as she leaves her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

Reeva Steenkamp's casket arrives ahead of her funeral ceremony in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? Oscar Pistorius portrayed himself as a lover caught in tragedy, wielding a pistol and frightened as he stood only on his stumps, then killed his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder on Valentine's Day.

Prosecutors, however, said the double-amputee Olympian committed premeditated murder, planning the slaying, then firing at Reeva Steenkamp as she cowered behind his locked bathroom door with no hope of escape.

"She couldn't go anywhere," Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told a packed courtroom Tuesday. "It must have been horrific."

Weeping uncontrollably, Pistorius listened as his words were read out in court by his attorney during the opening of a two-day bail hearing, his first public account of the events surrounding the shooting death of Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and reality TV star who had spoken out against violence against women.

"I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder, as I had no intention to kill my girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp," Pistorius said in the sworn affidavit. "I deny the aforesaid allegation in the strongest terms."

It was the first time that the prosecution and Pistorius provided details of their radically divergent accounts of the killing, which has shocked South Africans and fans worldwide, who idolized the 26-year-old track star known as the Blade Runner for overcoming his disability to compete in last summer's London Olympics.

Nel said Pistorius committed premeditated murder when he rose from his bed after a fight with Steenkamp, pulled on his prosthetic legs and walked about 20 feet from his bedroom to the locked toilet door and pumped it with four bullets, three of which hit the model.

That contradicted the runner's statement, read aloud by defense attorney Barry Roux, who described how the couple spent a quiet night together in the athlete's upscale home in a gated community in the capital of Pretoria, then went to sleep around 10 p.m.

Sometime before dawn, Pistorius said he awoke, and walking only on his stumps, pulled a fan in from an open balcony and closed it. That's when he said he heard a noise and became alarmed because the bathroom window, which had no security bars, was open and workers had left ladders nearby.

"It filled me with horror and fear," Pistorius said in the statement.

"I am acutely aware of violent crime being committed by intruders entering homes," he said. "I have received death threats before. I have also been a victim of violence and of burglaries before. For that reason I kept my firearm, a 9 mm Parabellum, underneath my bed when I went to bed at night."

Too frightened to turn on a light, Pistorius said, he pulled out his pistol and headed for the bathroom, believing Steenkamp was still asleep "in the pitch dark" of the bedroom.

"As I did not have my prosthetic legs on and felt extremely vulnerable, I knew I had to protect Reeva and myself," he said, adding that he shouted to Steenkamp to call the police as he fired at the closed toilet door.

It was then, Pistorius said, that he realized Steenkamp was not in bed.

He said he pulled on his prosthetic legs and tried to kick down the toilet door before finally giving up and bashing it in with a cricket bat. Inside, he said he found Steenkamp, slumped over but still alive. He said he lifted her bloodied body and carried her downstairs to seek medical help.

But it was too late. "She died in my arms," Pistorius said.

"We were deeply in love and I could not be happier," the athlete said. "I know she felt the same way. She had given me a present for Valentine's Day but asked me only to open it the next day."

Pistorius broke down in sobs repeatedly as his account was read, prompting Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair to call a recess at one point.

"Maintain your composure," the magistrate said. "You need to apply your mind here."

"Yes, my lordship," Pistorius replied, his voice quivering.

Nair adjourned the case until Wednesday without ruling on whether Pistorius would be granted bail. However, he said the gravity of the charge ? which carries a mandatory life sentence ? meant the athlete's lawyers must offer "exceptional" reasons for bail to be granted, making his release unlikely.

Roux, the defense attorney, said there was no evidence to substantiate a murder charge. "We submit it is not even murder. There is no concession this is a murder," he said.

The prosecutor disagreed.

"It is our respectful argument that 'pre-planning' or premeditation do not require months of planning," Nel said. "If ... I ready myself and walk a distance with the intention to kill someone, it is premeditated."

Hundreds of miles from the Magistrate's Court, a memorial service was held for Steenkamp in the south coast city of Port Elizabeth. Six pallbearers carried her coffin, draped with a white cloth and covered in white flowers, into the church for the private service and cremation.

Relatives recalled how the model with a law degree had campaigned against domestic violence and had planned to don black for a "Black Friday" protest in honor of a 17-year-old girl who was recently gang-raped and mutilated.

What "she stood for, and the abuse against women, unfortunately it's gone right around, and I think the Lord knows that statement is more powerful now," said her uncle, Mike Steenkamp.

South Africa has some of the world's worst rates of violence against women and the highest rate in the world of women killed by an intimate partner, according to a study by the Medical Research Council, which said at least three women are killed by a partner every day in the country of 50 million.

Since the shooting, several of Pistorius' sponsors have dropped him. On Tuesday, Clarins Group, which owns Thierry Mugler Perfumes, said it would withdraw all advertising featuring the Olympian. A cologne line with the company, called A(asterisk)Men, bears his image.

___

Associated Press writer Michelle Faul in Johannesburg and AP photographer Schalk van Zuydam in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Gerald Imray can be reached at www.twitter.com/geraldimrayAP.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-19-Pistorius-Shooting/id-e6c1d485ac954a0ebf1cccda4634e62f

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

News: Apple TV launches in India

iLounge writes, The India version of Apple?s web site is now showing a live page for Apple TV as the set-top box launches in the country. Various reports are listing slightly different prices in rupees for Apple TV, but it appears that the cost will be roughly $150. Apple TV can also be found in the iPod section of India?s online Apple Store, though there is currently no option to buy online. [via BGR India] ...

Continue reading News: Apple TV launches in India at iLounge

Source: http://machash.com/ilounge/54922/news-apple-tv-launches-in-india/

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Mindy McCready Shot Dog as Well as Herself; Was Addled By Drug Use, Depression in Final Days

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/mindy-mccready-shot-dog-as-well-as-herself-was-addled-by-drug-us/

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Tiger gets round with Obama, awaits Match Play

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) ? Three days after Tiger Woods played golf with President Barack Obama, his competition gets a little stiffer.

Woods opens the Match Play Championship on Wednesday against Charles Howell III, whom he last faced 16 years ago in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. Woods is a three-time winner of this tournament, but he has not advanced beyond the second round since he won in 2008.

As for playing golf with the president?

Woods says the president hit a few good shots and his game might get even better after his second term in office is over. Woods is famous for giving players nicknames, usually adding a "y'' to their last name. Asked what he called Obama during their round in Palm City, Fla., he replied, "Partner."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tiger-gets-round-obama-awaits-match-play-214948393--golf.html

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