Burke leads UM rally over Kansas, 87-85 in OT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? Trey Burke never doubted he could lead Michigan to its deepest NCAA tournament run since the Fab Five era.

Not after a scoreless first half. Not when the Wolverines trailed top-seeded Kansas by 14 with less than 7 minutes left ? or by 5 with 21 seconds left.

And definitely not when he got the ball in his hands and the seconds draining away.

Burke scored all 23 of his points in the second half and overtime, including a long, tying 3-pointer in the final moments of regulation as Michigan rallied to beat Kansas 87-85 in the South Regional semifinals Friday night.

"We never lost faith out there," Burke said. "We stuck it out together."

Ben McLemore had 20 points to lead the Jayhawks (31-6), who looked to be on their way to a third straight regional final before Michigan's improbable rally. Instead, they became the third No. 1 seed to fall in this tournament, joining Gonzaga and Indiana.

"Well, this will certainly go down as one of the toughest games that obviously we've been a part of and I've been a part of," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But props to Michigan for making all the plays late."

That's for sure.

The fourth-seeded Wolverines (29-7) were down five when Tim Hardaway Jr. missed a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left, but Glenn Robinson III won a scramble for the ball and hit a reverse layup to force Kansas to win the game at the free throw line.

The Jayhawks couldn't do it. Burke's tying shot ? he pulled up from well beyond the arc just left of the key ? came with 4.2 seconds left after Elijah Johnson missed a free throw and Michigan got the rebound.

Moments earlier, with 21 seconds remaining, Johnson had hit two from the line to keep the Kansas lead at five. Burke had scored on a layup to get Michigan back to within three.

"We never had the mindset that we were going to lose the game," Burke said. "When we were down 14, we knew anything could still happen. It's March, anything can happen."

Michigan went to back-to-back championship games a generation ago with the Fab Five led by Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose. But the folks in Ann Arbor will be talking for years about the shot by Burke under the huge video board Cowboys Stadium, just down the road from where Howard and Rose played their last game together with Ray Jackson and Jimmy King in a regional final loss to Arkansas in 1994.

The Wolverines will play Florida in the regional final Sunday. The third-seeded Gators beat 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast 62-50.

"Just to be able to get this program back to the Elite Eight, it feels good," Burke said. "But we want to go further."

The lead changed hands five times in overtime ? the first OT game of the tournament ? the last when Mitch McGary, who led Michigan with 25 points and 14 rebounds, hit a short jumper with Johnson in his face to put Michigan ahead 83-82.

The Jayhawks got a stop and had about 9 seconds to tie or win, but a jumbled possession ended with Naadir Tharpe missing a running jumper at the buzzer.

"We played like we were trying to hold onto something instead of just continuing to play," Johnson said.

Burke had eight points in the closing 14-4 run that tied the game, then gave Michigan its first lead since early with another long 3-pointer to make it 79-78 early in overtime. He hit a jumper on the next possession as well. After failing to score in the first 20 minutes, Burke ended his drought by scoring eight straight points early in the second half to momentarily cut the deficit to two.

"In the second half, coach told me to be more aggressive so I looked for my shot more," he said.

But Kansas restored a 10-point lead built on controlling the paint, this time with a 3-pointer and a tomahawk dunk on a breakaway by McLemore and a three-point play from Johnson.

Johnson, who picked up three fouls in just three minutes of playing time in the first half, gave Kansas its biggest lead at 68-54 with a 3-pointer from the corner with just under 7 minutes left.

Travis Releford had 16 points for the Jayhawks, while Jeff Withey had 12 points and eight rebounds.

McLemore didn't score again after going to the bench with his fourth foul with 8 minutes remaining.

"We had chance to seal the game, but we made some bonehead plays late," Releford said.

Kansas pushed out to a 10-point lead early by dominating around the basket. McLemore's first basket was the first outside the paint as the Jayhawks scored 34 of their 40 first-half points from inside while shooting 69 percent.

Withey put Kansas ahead 29-19 with a turnaround shot that had McGary shrugging at a teammate and saying, "I'm trying."

McGary wasn't having nearly as much trouble on the offensive end, leading the Wolverines with 11 points and five rebounds in the first half. He picked up where he left off in the third round against Virginia Commonwealth, when he had season highs of 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Michigan pulled within 40-34 at the half when Nik Stauskas hit a 3-pointer and had chance for a four-point play when McLemore bumped him on the shot. But he missed the free throw.

No matter. In the end, Burke was Fab-u-lous and the Wolverines are one win away from the Final Four.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/burke-leads-um-rally-over-kansas-87-85-024557238--spt.html

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South African official: Mandela better from pneumonia

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A South African official says Nelson Mandela is breathing "without difficulty" after having a procedure to clear fluid in his lung area that was caused by pneumonia.

South African presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said Saturday that 94-year-old Mandela that the fluid had been "tapped," allowing the former president to breathe more easily.

Maharaj described the fluid problem as a "pleural effusion."

He said Mandela is suffering from pneumonia, using a different term for his ailment. Officials have previously said Mandela, who was taken to a hospital on Wednesday night, has a recurring lung infection.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/safrican-official-mandela-better-pneumonia-122925761.html

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Samsung Galaxy S 4 for Verizon swings through the FCC

We weren't kidding about that influx of FCC filings: the Verizon edition of Samsung's Galaxy S 4, the SCH-i545, has passed through the US regulator's approval right on cue. The device on display ticks all the checkboxes we'd expect, including LTE on both Verizon's main 700MHz band and the carrier's recently acquired AWS frequencies. We also notice HSPA-based 3G, which suggests Big Red's GS4 won't be a paperweight when abroad. The filing just leaves AT&T and T-Mobile as the major stragglers in the US; at the current rate, though, they'll have little trouble getting clearance before they have to fulfill any future orders.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Verizon

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Source: FCC

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/coTyB819R2c/

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8 Random Celebrities Who Are Getting Google Glass

When Google started its Glass-giving spree, it picked out some odd picks. It got so bad that some of those offers got pulled. But you can bet these celebrity winners will get their copies. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zXdKudqVC20/8-random-celebrities-who-are-getting-google-glass

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Pope's foot-wash a final straw for traditionalists

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? Pope Francis has won over many hearts and minds with his simple style and focus on serving the world's poorest, but he has devastated traditionalist Catholics who adored his predecessor, Benedict XVI, for restoring much of the traditional pomp to the papacy.

Francis' decision to disregard church law and wash the feet of two girls ? a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic ? during a Holy Thursday ritual has become something of the final straw, evidence that Francis has little or no interest in one of the key priorities of Benedict's papacy: reviving the pre-Vatican II traditions of the Catholic Church.

One of the most-read traditionalist blogs, "Rorate Caeli," reacted to the foot-washing ceremony by declaring the death of Benedict's eight-year project to correct what he considered the botched interpretations of the Second Vatican Council's modernizing reforms.

"The official end of the reform of the reform ? by example," ''Rorate Caeli" lamented in its report on Francis' Holy Thursday ritual.

A like-minded commentator in Francis' native Argentina, Marcelo Gonzalez at International Catholic Panorama, reacted to Francis' election with this phrase: "The Horror." Gonzalez's beef? While serving as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, the then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio's efforts to revive the old Latin Mass so dear to Benedict and traditionalists were "non-existent."

Virtually everything he has done since being elected pope, every gesture, every decision, has rankled traditionalists in one way or another.

The night he was chosen pope, March 13, Francis emerged from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the ermine-rimmed red velvet cape, or mozzetta, used by popes past for official duties, wearing instead the simple white cassock of the papacy. The cape has since come to symbolize his rejection of the trappings of the papacy and to some degree the pontificate of Benedict XVI, since the German pontiff relished in resurrecting many of the liturgical vestments of his predecessors.

Francis also received the cardinals' pledges of obedience after his election not from a chair on a pedestal as popes normally do but rather standing, on their same level. For traditionalists who fondly recall the days when popes were carried on a sedan chair, that may have stung. In the days since, he has called for "intensified" dialogue with Islam ? a gesture that rubs traditionalists the wrong way because they view such a heavy focus on interfaith dialogue as a sign of religious relativism.

Francis may have rubbed salt into the wounds with his comments at the Good Friday procession at Rome's Colosseum, which re-enacts Jesus Christ's crucifixion, praising "the friendship of our Muslim brothers and sisters" during a prayer ceremony that recalled the suffering of Christians in the Middle East.

Francis also raised traditional eyebrows when he refused the golden pectoral cross offered to him right after his election by Monsignor Guido Marini, the Vatican's liturgy guru who under Benedict became the symbol of Benedict's effort to restore the Gregorian chant and heavy silk brocaded vestments of the pre-Vatican II liturgy to papal Masses.

Marini has gamely stayed by Francis' side as the new pope puts his own stamp on Vatican Masses with no-nonsense vestments and easy off-the-cuff homilies. But there is widespread expectation that Francis will soon name a new master of liturgical ceremonies more in line with his priorities of bringing the church and its message of love and service to ordinary people without the "high church" trappings of his predecessor.

There were certainly none of those trappings on display Thursday at the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention facility in Rome, where the 76-year-old Francis got down on his knees to wash and kiss the feet of 12 inmates, two of them women. The rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his 12 apostles during the Last Supper before his crucifixion, a sign of his love and service to them.

The church's liturgical law holds that only men can participate in the rite, given that Jesus' apostles were all male. Priests and bishops have routinely petitioned for exemptions to include women, but the law is clear.

Francis, however, is the church's chief lawmaker, so in theory he can do whatever he wants.

"The pope does not need anybody's permission to make exceptions to how ecclesiastical law relates to him," noted conservative columnist Jimmy Akin in the National Catholic Register. But Akin echoed concerns raised by canon lawyer Edward Peters, an adviser to the Vatican's high court, that Francis was setting a "questionable example" by simply ignoring the church's own rules.

"People naturally imitate their leader. That's the whole point behind Jesus washing the disciples' feet. He was explicitly and intentionally setting an example for them," he said. "Pope Francis knows that he is setting an example."

The inclusion of women in the rite is problematic for some because it could be seen as an opening of sorts to women's ordination. The Catholic Church restricts the priesthood to men, arguing that Jesus and his 12 apostles were male.

Francis is clearly opposed to women's ordination. But by washing the feet of women, he jolted traditionalists who for years have been unbending in insisting that the ritual is for men only and proudly holding up as evidence documentation from the Vatican's liturgy office saying so.

"If someone is washing the feet of any females ... he is in violation of the Holy Thursday rubrics," Peters wrote in a 2006 article that he reposted earlier this month on his blog.

In the face of the pope doing that very thing, Peters and many conservative and traditionalist commentators have found themselves trying to put the best face on a situation they clearly don't like yet can't do much about lest they be openly voicing dissent with the pope.

By Thursday evening, Peters was saying that Francis had merely "disregarded" the law ? not violated it.

The Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a traditionalist blogger who has never shied from picking fights with priests, bishops or cardinals when liturgical abuses are concerned, had to measure his comments when the purported abuser was the pope himself.

"Before liberals and traditionalists both have a spittle-flecked nutty, each for their own reasons, try to figure out what he is trying to do," Zuhlsdorf wrote in a conciliatory piece.

But, in characteristic form, he added: "What liberals forget in their present crowing is that even as Francis makes himself ? and the church ? more popular by projecting (a) compassionate image, he will simultaneously make it harder for them to criticize him when he reaffirms the doctrinal points they want him to overturn."

One of the key barometers of how traditionalists view Francis concerns his take on the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass. The Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that brought the church into the modern world, allowed the celebration of the Mass in the vernacular rather than Latin. In the decades that followed, the so-called Tridentine Rite fell out of use almost entirely.

Traditionalist Catholics who were attached to the old rite blame many of the ills afflicting the Catholic Church today ? a drop in priestly vocations, empty pews in Europe and beyond ? on the liturgical abuses that they say have proliferated with the celebration of the new form of Mass.

In a bid to reach out to them, Benedict in 2007 relaxed restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass. The move was aimed also at reconciling with a group of schismatic traditionalists, the Society of St. Pius X, who split from Rome precisely over the Vatican II reforms, in particular its call for Mass in the vernacular and outreach to other religions, especially Judaism and Islam.

Benedict took extraordinary measures to bring the society back under Rome's wing during his pontificate, but negotiations stalled.

The society has understandably reacted coolly to Francis' election, reminding the pope that his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, was told by Christ to go and "rebuild my church." For the society, that means rebuilding it in its own, pre-Vatican II vision.

The head of the society for South America, the Rev. Christian Bouchacourt, was less than generous in his assessment of Francis.

"He cultivates a militant humility, but can prove humiliating for the church," Bouchacourt said in a recent article, criticizing the "dilapidated" state of the clergy in Buenos Aires and the "disaster" of its seminary. "With him, we risk to see once again the Masses of Paul VI's pontificate, a far cry from Benedict XVI's efforts to restore to their honor the worthy liturgical ceremonies."

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/popes-foot-wash-final-straw-traditionalists-004235548.html

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Mass. Senate candidates spar over health care, abortion (cbsnews)

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

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Beyonce Drops Bun B 'I Been On' Remix With Houston's Hottest

Z-Ro, Scarface, Willie D, Slim Thug and Lil' Keke all join Bey on remix.
By Driadonna Roland

Beyonce Knowles
Photo: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704649/beyonce-i-been-on-remix.jhtml

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PFT: Did RGIII take veiled shot at Shanahan?

AP

When owners and teams treat football like a business, media and fans shrug.? When players do, it?s regarded as an affront to the integrity of the game.

It?s not fair, but that?s the way it is.? And Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer needs to brace himself for that reaction as he tries to force his way out of Oakland.

It?s obvious Palmer wants out.? Two years ago, he finagled his exit from Cincinnati by feigning retirement.? The strategy looked to be a failure until Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone and former Raiders coach Hue Jackson lost his damn mind, giving up a first-round pick and a second-round pick for a quarterback who isn?t the guy he used to be.

Now, Palmer is turning up his nose at $10 million from the Raiders, which sets the stage for the Raiders eventually to cut him ? and for Palmer to play for someone else.

As Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports explains it, Palmer wants to play for a contender, even if it means being a backup.? (Cough . . . Seahawks and Pete Carroll . . . cough.)? Of course, Palmer won?t get $10 million to be a backup, but his willingness to walk away from football in order to get out of Cincinnati proves that he?d be willing to walk away from $10 million in order to get a shot at winning.

Palmer?s posture also reflects a belief that, despite the hiring of G.M. Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen, Palmer doesn?t see the silver-and-black bus getting turned around in the immediate future.? Otherwise, he?d gladly take $10 million to stay put.

The problem is that the Raiders currently hold all the cards.? With no seven-figure trigger in Palmer?s deal, the $13 million doesn?t become fully guaranteed until Week One, which means the Raiders can cut him much later in the offseason, if they draft a quarterback early ? or if they eventually decide Terrelle Pryor can get the job done.? The only risk the Raiders are taking is that, if Palmer drops a dumbbell on his foot or pops an Achilles tendon in offseason conditioning drills or otherwise suffers a season-ending injury while on the clock, the Raiders will owe Palmer his full salary.

That could set the stage for a Steve McNair-style lockout.? Even without Palmer being barred from the building (which would violate the CBA), Palmer is making his second power play in two years.

When a team does it, we applaud.? Fair or not, Palmer should prepare for the jeers and the boos and the accusations of being a chronic quitter.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/27/some-see-rg3s-statement-as-a-shot-at-mike-shanahan/related/

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Reuters: Wal-Mart looking into crowd-sourcing online delivery

Walmart is considering the slightly insane sounding idea of using its in-store customers to deliver online orders to help it compete with bricks and mortar-less competitors like Amazon, according to Reuters. The big box outfit currently ships internet purchases out from just 25 of its stores, using the likes of FedEx to handle delivery, but plans to drastically increase that number going forward. In theory, customers could sign up for the chore and drop packages off to customers who are on their route home in exchange for a discount on their shopping bill. CEO Joel Anderson he could "see a path to where this is crowd-sourced," adding that "this is at the brain-storming stage, but it's possible in a year or two." Naturally, there's a gauntlet of insurance, theft, fraud and legal issues to be overcome -- along with the slightly skeevy idea of having a random stranger arrive with your packages.

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Source: Reuters

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/reuters-wal-mart-looking-into-crowd-sourcing-online-delivery/

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Features Of Payday Loans For Bad Credit Consumers | Banking ...

Before jumping into applying for funds, ensure that you conduct some analysis first. Having a fast loan coming from a direct lender is far more convenient than any other loans, these loan providers doesn?t have any brokers or agents that the lender must pay commission to, in this manner you will get lesser interest rates for any loans you have made and cheaper repayments. It is currently feasible for people with poor credit to obtain cash loan. We must review your choices, and how desirable each one is. There are several alternatives that you can take into account in applying for money whenever you have monetary needs; even those individuals with undesirable credit score can avail of payday loans offered by several lenders. You can easily face into one major dilemma with these kind of loans which is worst than ever before. This is because these loans entail high interest rates. The most popular desires that reminds consumers to obtain a cash loan from the private money lender may be financial institution fees. A property owner should always bear in mind that no matter what there plan is in their home renovations they must constantly prepare an alternative coverage for those surprising matters. Well, if you are now so pleased that your renovation plans are starting out, the next thing you recognize, you are needing more cash that is way out of your budget plan because there are lots of repairs needed to complete the renovation. You can choose to stop work and leave your remodeling not finished, or you can look at getting some quick cash through a fast loan.

Source: http://www.nuncnow.org/features-of-payday-loans-for-bad-credit-consumers

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Petraeus apology in first speech since leaving CIA

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? David Petraeus, who has remained largely in seclusion since being forced to resign as head of the CIA after the disclosure of an extramarital affair, returns to the public spotlight Tuesday with a speech and an apology before a group of military students and veterans.

Petraeus will deliver the keynote address to some 600 people at the University of Southern California's annual ROTC dinner.

The New York Times, which obtained an advance copy of the speech, said he will begin by acknowledging and apologizing for the affair, then will go on to discuss his future plans as a public advocate for veterans' and other causes.

"Needless to say, I join you keenly aware that I am regarded in a different light now than I was a year ago," The Times' quoted from Petraeus' speech.

"I am also keenly aware that the reason for my recent journey was my own doing," the text of his speech read. "So please allow me to begin my remarks this evening by reiterating how deeply I regret ? and apologize for ? the circumstances that led me to resign from the CIA and caused such pain for my family, friends and supporters."

The affair with the retired four-star general's biographer, Paula Broadwell, was discovered during an FBI investigation into emails she sent to another woman she viewed as a rival for his attention.

At the time, Petraeus told his staff he was guilty of "extremely poor judgment."

"Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours," he said.

The hero of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has since stayed out of the public spotlight. His lawyer Robert B. Barnett told The Times that Petraeus has spent much of that time with his family.

As the military leader credited with reshaping the nation's counterinsurgency strategy, turning the tide in the U.S. favor in both Iraq and Afghanistan and making the U.S. safer from terrorism, Petraeus would be expected to find a friendly audience at the ROTC dinner.

Where he goes from there is uncertain, but at least one expert in crisis communications expects that if his apology comes across as heartfelt and sincere, the public will indeed be seeing much more of him.

"America is a very forgiving nation," said Michael Levine who, among dozens of other celebrity clients, represented Michael Jackson during his first child molestation investigation.

"If he follows the path of humility, personal responsibility and contrition, I submit to you that he will be very successful in his ability to rehabilitate his image," he said.

Another longtime crisis communications expert, Howard Bragman, said Petraeus has handled the situation perfectly so far and he expects he'll continue to do so. He noted that unlike former President Bill Clinton, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards and other public figures caught in extramarital affairs, Petraeus didn't try to lie his way out of it, immediately took responsibility and moved on.

"I think the world is open to him now," said Bragman, vice chairman of the image-building company Reputation.com. "I think he can do whatever he wants. Realistically, he can even run for public office, although I don't think he'd want to because he can make more money privately."

Ahead of the speech, Petraeus drew lavish praise from USC's president, C. L. Max Nikias, who called him "arguably the most effective military commander since Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower."

"In our post 9/11 world, Gen. Petraeus' influence on our military is unmatched, and his contributions to the CIA are far-reaching," Nikias said. "

While at USC, Petraeus also planned to visit faculty and students at the Price School of Public Policy, which administers the ROTC program, and USC's School of Social Work, which trains social workers in how to best help veterans returning from war.

___

Associated Press writer Pauline Jelinek in Washington, D.C., contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/petraeus-making-first-speech-since-leaving-cia-121111954--politics.html

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OpenELEC 3.0 Linux distro gets official, supports 'more hardware than ever'

The OpenELEC Linux distro came out of beta with its official 3.0.0 version this week, and according to its makers nearly every part has been upgraded since the 2.0 release last year. This release of the media center package is based on XBMC 12.1 and as such includes its assortment of updates, as well as specific improvements for the Raspberry Pi, MC001 devices, Apple TV and AMD hardware. If you're on 2.0 you'll need to manually update to the new version, hit the source link for a full changelog and instructions on how to get it all working.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: OpenELEC.tv

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/5Hc1wPkW-BY/

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I-Mego Walker Junior

There's no shortage of noise-canceling headphones on the market currently, but there's a definite lack of quality, inexpensive options. At $139.99 (direct), I-Mego's Walker Junior (no association with the musician Junior Walker intended, it seems) is inexpensive and its noise canceling circuitry is decent. However, while it does an admirable job blocking out ambient noise, considering its price, its relative success in this realm is balanced by distortion issues at high volumes. The Walker Junior is designed well, with a removable cable and collapsible design, and is a reasonable budget option to consider if your top priority is noise cancellation and not audio performance.

Design
There's something edgy and almost futuristic about the design of the Walker Junior. The all-black, matte surface is graced by a white X on each earcup which, from a distance, looks almost as if it has been stitched into the surface.

The padded headband features a hinge at the center of the top panel?it folds in half at this point, and then hinges above the earpads allow it to fold down flat. This ergonomic design allows for easy storage and packing, and does so without sacrificing comfort?the Walker Junior stays comfortable over long listening sessions.

Unfortunately, the headphones use a AAA battery instead of a rechargeable one. The battery compartment, as well as the On/Off switch for the noise cancellation circuitry, is located on the right earcup, while the cable connects to the left.

The cable is removable, which adds some value to the headphones, as cables are often the culprit when a pair begins to malfunction?replacing a cable is far more affordable than replacing an otherwise functional headphone pair. There's no inline remote or microphone for mobile devices, but this is fairly standard for noise-canceling headphones.?

Also included: a ?-inch headphone jack adapter, an airplane jack adapter, a zip-up protective pouch which the headphone collapse and fold down into, and the aforementioned AAA battery and detachable cable.

Performance
On songs with deep bass, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the Walker Junior struggles at top volumes with distortion. These top volumes are too loud to listen to for long periods of time, however, and at high?but not maximum?levels, the distortion begins to disappear. At about 75 percent volume on an iPhone 4s, there was no distortion at all, and the sub-bass frequencies of the synth kick drums were delivered with plenty of low frequency presence. This was with the noise cancellation activated.

With the headphones in passive mode (the power switched to off), the headphones lose a significant bit of volume, as well as what feels like a little brightness. The same track from the Knife, however, does not distort at top volume in passive mode, and there is still a decent sense of low frequency response.

Tracks with less challenging low frequency content, like Bill Callahan's "Drover", still suffer from some far less noticeable distortion at top, unsafe listening levels, while at lower volumes, there's no hint of anything but clean audio. At these levels, with the noise cancellation engaged, the sound signature seems a bit muted, as if it could benefit from a bit of added brightness or crispness in the high-mids. Callahan's vocals are missing the treble edge that lends some gravel to his baritone delivery here. The lower frequencies are a bit more gracefully represented, with the drumming on this track receiving a nice bit of low-end thump, without things going overboard and the drums taking the focus away from the vocals.

Similar characteristics are highlighted by Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild." The kick drum loop that starts the song off, as well as the vocals, could all use a bit of high-mid edge to them, to add more definition to the mix. The sub-bass synth hits underneath the drum loop, however, as well as the sustain of kick drum, have a nice, round bass presence to them?nothing overwhelming, but a good level of power (at moderate volumes). Both the Callahan and the Jay-Z/Kanye West track would benefit from a slightly brighter, crisper presence from the high-mids and up. The mix is not muffled, but it does lean more to the lows and low-mids.

As for its noise cancellation performance, the Walker Junior does a good job of eliminating a fairly wide band of ambient noise, but like most noise cancellation circuitry in this price range, it also delivers this noise reduction with an audible high frequency hiss. It's not very loud, you won't hear it when you're playing music, and it sounds like very faint tape hiss, so it's nothing really that unpleasant. It's a sign, however, of lower quality noise reduction circuitry than you'll find, say, in a Bose QuietComfort 15.

If quality noise reduction?and no hiss when there's no music playing?is a top priority, the Bose QC15 is probably the way to go. However, unlike the Walker Junior, the QC15 cannot be used in passive mode, when the circuitry is turned off. If excellent sonic performance is your main priority, but you don't want to miss out on quality noise cancellation, the AKG K 490 NC remains a premium option?both pairs are pricier than the Walker Junior.

But that's just the issue: You're not going to find high quality noise cancellation paired with great audio performance for $140. If you can spend a little more, the?Logitech UE 6000 doesn't suffer from the same distortion issues and offers some serious bass response, and the in-ear Phiaton PS 20 NC offers strong audio performance?but you have to be okay with going the in-canal earphone route, rather than with headphones. For the price, the Walker Junior delivers solid noise cancellation, but it's not on-par with better pairs mentioned here, and in terms of audio performance, it's also outmatched. Its greatest assets are its price, its detachable cable, and the ability to use it in passive mode?but the distortion will be an understandable deal-breaker for some.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/nF5AB1Ktu4U/0,2817,2416825,00.asp

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Netherlands International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation | Site ...

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Clean electricity from bacteria? Researchers make breakthrough in race to create 'bio-batteries'

Mar. 25, 2013 ? Scientists at the University of East Anglia have made an important breakthrough in the quest to generate clean electricity from bacteria.

Findings published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) show that proteins on the surface of bacteria can produce an electric current by simply touching a mineral surface.

The research shows that it is possible for bacteria to lie directly on the surface of a metal or mineral and transfer electrical charge through their cell membranes. This means that it is possible to 'tether' bacteria directly to electrodes -- bringing scientists a step closer to creating efficient microbial fuel cells or 'bio-batteries'.

The team collaborated with researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington State in the US.?

Shewanella oneidensis is part of a family of marine bacteria. The research team created a synthetic version of this bacteria using just the proteins thought to shuttle the electrons from the inside of the microbe to the rock.

They inserted these proteins into the lipid layers of vesicles, which are small capsules of lipid membranes such as the ones that make up a bacterial membrane. Then they tested how well electrons travelled between an electron donor on the inside and an iron-bearing mineral on the outside.

Lead researcher Dr Tom Clarke from UEA's school of Biological Sciences said: "We knew that bacteria can transfer electricity into metals and minerals, and that the interaction depends on special proteins on the surface of the bacteria. But it was not been clear whether these proteins do this directly or indirectly though an unknown mediator in the environment.

"Our research shows that these proteins can directly 'touch' the mineral surface and produce an electric current, meaning that is possible for the bacteria to lie on the surface of a metal or mineral and conduct electricity through their cell membranes.

"This is the first time that we have been able to actually look at how the components of a bacterial cell membrane are able to interact with different substances, and understand how differences in metal and mineral interactions can occur on the surface of a cell.

"These bacteria show great potential as microbial fuel cells, where electricity can be generated from the breakdown of domestic or agricultural waste products.

"Another possibility is to use these bacteria as miniature factories on the surface of an electrode, where chemicals reactions take place inside the cell using electrical power supplied by the electrode through these proteins."

Biochemist Liang Shi of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory said: "We developed a unique system so we could mimic electron transfer like it happens in cells. The electron transfer rate we measured was unbelievably fast -- it was fast enough to support bacterial respiration."

The finding is also important for understanding how carbon works its way through the atmosphere, land and oceans.

"When organic matter is involved in reducing iron, it releases carbon dioxide and water. And when iron is used as an energy source, bacteria incorporate carbon dioxide into food. If we understand electron transfer, we can learn how bacteria controls the carbon cycle," said Shi.

The project was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the US Department of Energy.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of East Anglia.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Thomas A Clarke, Gaye White, Julea N Butt, David J Richardson, Zhri Shi, Liang Shi, Zheming Wang, Alice C Dohnalkova, Matthew J Marshall, James K Fredrickson and John M Zachara. Rapid electron exchange between surface-exposed bacterial cytochromes and Fe(III) minerals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, March 25, 2013

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/electricity/~3/C9b9oM-guKU/130325183900.htm

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Report: Sanctions may be speeding Iran's nuclear advancement

Even Iranian officials now admit that the US-led sanctions regime against Iran is damaging its economy.

But the pressure has failed in its primary aim: to slow Iran?s nuclear progress. That has become obvious to the US and European officials imposing crippling sanctions, as has the fact that sanctions may have even sped up Iran's nuclear advancement.

A report released today ? based on 30 in-depth interviews with Iranian officials, analysts, and businessmen ? explains that dilemma and Iran?s determined defiance to Western policymakers, who will conduct a fifth round of nuclear negotiations with Iran in Kazakhstan next week.

The report's conclusions provide a rare glimpse from high levels in Iran of how sanctions have and have not worked, which could directly affect decisions by Western nuclear negotiators, and a US Congress keen on adding more sanctions, but reluctant to offer enough sanctions relief to convince Iran to stop its most sensitive nuclear work.

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about Iran? Take our quiz to find out.

?It?s critical to understand how massive pain is being channeled and absorbed in Iran, because just sitting there expecting pain to deliver results is somewhat na?ve,? says co-author Trita Parsi, president of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council (NIAC), which produced the report.

?Putting pressure is just half of the equation; [US and European officials] have succeeded with that, undoubtedly the pain on Iran is immense,? says Mr. Parsi. ?But to channel the pain is a very, very different task.?

THE WRONG INCENTIVE?

Sanctions now include a European oil embargo, exclusion from the SWIFT international banking system that enables Iranian banks to transfer money, and US measures that target Iran?s central bank.

These measures have begun to bite, causing economic isolation and a precipitous fall in both oil revenues and the value of the Iranian currency. But Iran has still added thousands of centrifuges to enrich uranium, and deployed a more efficient, second-generation centrifuge model; stepped up uranium enrichment levels from 5 percent to 20 percent, which is technically not too far from weapons-grade; and moved its most sensitive work to a deeply buried site impregnable to air attack.

Those results so far indicate that pressure is not working, according to the NIAC report, because ?escalating sanctions as a [Western] bargaining chip also gives Iran the incentive to advance its program for the same reason.?

It also suggests that rethinking the scale of sanctions relief on offer may be necessary when the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany) sits down to nuclear talks with Iran next week, if they are to have any chance of success.

The NIAC study concludes that, ?it is highly unlikely that the regime will succumb to sanctions pressure ? [when] no proportionate sanctions relief is put on the table by the P5+1, and capitulation is seen as a greater threat to the regime?s survival than even a military confrontation with the United States.?

'NEVER GIVE IN AND NEVER GIVE UP'

Iran?s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week that Iran had turned ?threats into opportunities? and was emerging victorious despite the ?negative effects? of sanctions.

?They have announced that their goal is to cripple the Iranian nation and to bring it to its knees,? Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to a transcript on his website. ?Therefore, if our nation resists their pressure, stays vibrant, and achieves more advances, they will lose credibility.?

The US had been the ?enemy? and ?main center for designing machinations? against Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Khamenei said. ?The sanctions have had an effect, but they have not had the effect that they were after," he added.

Senior Iranians quoted in the NIAC report ? titled ?Never give in and never give up," in reference to the core regime ideology at play ? also explain how Iran?s unexpected reaction raises questions about the utility of sanctions.

The report states that "individuals close to the core of Iran's power structure are relishing the narrative of resistance" because although there is economic suffering, Iran ?is also gaining newfound respect on the international stage due to its refusal to succumb to Western pressure.?

A senior Iranian parliamentarian ?influential in the top layers of the regime? told NIAC that Iran?s resistance had even become a ?role model? for developing countries ? a view echoed by a number of other Iranian officials.

?Stark divisions among the Iranian elite are unmistakable,? notes the NIAC report. ?[But] if the testimony of elite insiders is to be believed, sanctions have helped strengthen cohesion rather than intensify rifts.?

One current Iranian official told the NIAC that Western governments expected Iran?s economy to collapse: ?Well, now they know that they have failed. If they continue this way, it will just strengthen Iran?s resolve to confront the West.?

Describing regime thinking, a former deputy foreign minister said, ?It was obvious to us that the sanctions pressure will increase and ? the main target was to weaken the regime, but that compelled us to stay strong, work together, and prove the Western strategy wrong.?

IRAN: 'NO BALANCE' IN CURRENT OFFERS

This is likely to be food for thought on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and among European Union officials, who have so far offered Iran only modest sanctions relief ? and none at all on oil or financial sanctions ? in exchange for capping its most sensitive nuclear work. Iranian sources have told the Monitor the current offer has "no balance."

The report's conclusions echo another detailed sanctions analysis from the International Crisis Group (ICG) in February.

?Compliance with Western demands, in Ayatollah Khamenei?s mind, likely will not result in alleviation of pressure? because it would project weakness, noted the ICG. ?Under this view, the [nuclear] deal, not its absence, could be the poison that brings down the Islamic Republic.?

The sanctions juggernaut against Iran ?illustrates the risk that, precisely due to their inability to secure their primary goal, sanctions may turn into an end in and of themselves,? reports the ICG. ?That such [economic] pain does not translate into the desired policy change becomes ? almost an afterthought.?

Many of the US sanctions can only be lifted or adjusted by Congress, which has shown little interest in giving Iran what some see as a ?reward? for its defiance.

?The key thing for the US is what are the sanctions that politically can be lifted without causing major mayhem or a backlash from Congress,? says NIAC?s Parsi, who co-authored the report with the Vienna-based Iranian economist Bijan Khajehpour and NIAC research director Reza Marashi.

?It is truly a litmus test for diplomacy, because if it ends up in a situation where the president is incapable of convincing Congress to play ball, and actually be helpful for diplomacy, rather than being unhelpful, then the US doesn?t have any cards to bring to the negotiating table,? adds Parsi.

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about Iran? Take our quiz to find out.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-sanctions-may-speeding-irans-nuclear-advancement-155105082.html

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Miffed Facebook IPO Victims to be Offered Settlement Dollars

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved a proposal to compensate brokerages who lost money as a result of the technical difficulties that surrounded Facebook Inc.'s May 2012 initial public offering (IPO).

The proposal, which was submitted by Nasdaq, a division of Nasdaq OMX Group Inc., is offering affected companies a total of US$62 million in settlement dollars.

Facebook's IPO was initially delayed by 30 minutes as a result of technical issues at the Nasdaq. When that occurred, a secondary system to get the trading moving was put into place by Nasdaq, which caused further delay.

When the Facebook stock then came down after its initial gain, some investors experienced significant monetary losses.

Facebook's IPO raised US$16 billion.

?

Article Tags:??nasdaq, facebook, result, offering, initial, proposal, technical,

Source: http://www.marketnews.ca/content/index/page?pid=13488

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Tip led to arrests in Ga. baby killing

A photo, toys and candles are placed at a makeshift memorial for slain 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in Brunswick, Ga., Saturday, March 23, 2013. Antonio was shot dead in his stroller on Thursday. (AP Photo/Florida Times-Union, Terry Dickson)

A photo, toys and candles are placed at a makeshift memorial for slain 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in Brunswick, Ga., Saturday, March 23, 2013. Antonio was shot dead in his stroller on Thursday. (AP Photo/Florida Times-Union, Terry Dickson)

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) ? Police in Georgia say an anonymous tip helped them make arrests in the shooting death of baby who was killed in a stroller.

The Brunswick Police Department said Sunday that they got a tip that someone was crouched in the back seat of a vehicle as it drove away from the shooting on Thursday. The Glynn County detective's division spent hours following up on the tip and eventually arrested a 14-year-old suspect. The boy's statements led them to take 17-year-old De'Marquise Elkins into custody.

Elkins is charged with murder in the death of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago. The baby's mother, Sherry West, said she was walking home when Elkins and a younger boy approached and asked her for money.

Elkins' family says he did not shoot the baby.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-24-Baby%20In%20Stroller%20Slain/id-023b4864b0754a4d8ee864c6befc2b6f

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West Virginia lawmaker wants to ban Google Glass while driving

A lawmaker from West Virginia named Gary G Howell wants to ban the use of Google Glass and similar products while driving. Howell is a Republican member of the West Virginia Legislature and believes that Google Glass and similar products pose a danger to drivers. He goes so far as to say that a driver using something like Google Glass while driving poses a similar risk, if not more significant risk to drivers than texting and driving.

Howell has proposed legislation that would issue heavy fines against drivers using Google Glass while they drive around the streets and highways in West Virginia. The first offense will cost drivers $100. Each additional offense will add an additional $100 to the original fine. That means a second offense will cost $200, a third offense $300, and so on.

Lawmakers believe that products like Google Glass pose great danger, especially to younger drivers. How will says if his legislation fails to become law, he believes that similar bills would be filed by other legislatures. Not everyone agrees with this legislation. Some believe that products like Google Glass could help reduce driver distraction in a method similar to how some vehicles with heads up displays allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

Odds are even if this legislation becomes law, it will have little effect on most people. Google Glass is expected to be very expensive at launch meaning few people will adopt the tech early on. However, years down the road when wearable computing devices are more common this legislation could impact a number of drivers.

[via SlashGear]

Source: http://androidcommunity.com/west-virginia-lawmaker-wants-to-ban-google-glass-while-driving-20130325/

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Southern Baptists expand north with church plants

In this Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 photo, Pastor Tom Cabral, of the Redemption Fellowship of Fall River, Mass., gathers loaves of bread, which he will distribute as part of a food pantry, at the former bar that now houses his church in Fall River. Four alleged crack dealers were down and bloodied in the building eight years ago, shot by a 19-year-old rival in a drug turf war. Today, kids meet there for Sunday school. The church is one dozens of churches the Southern Baptist Convention has planted around New England in the last decade. It's part of a multi-million dollar push by the nation's largest denomination into territory that's both skeptical of the south and increasingly indifferent to religion. Behind the bar organizing donations are Cabral's wife Deb, right, and church member Sue Williams. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

slideshow FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) ? Pastor Tom Cabral still tells people to meet him at "the bar," even though it's his church now. Locals best remember his worn building as a former sports bar where a 19-year-old once walked in and shot three suspected rival crack dealers.

Eight years later, the mirrored walls, parquet dance floor and bar remain. But the worst trouble may be found around the Sunday school table, where kids try to heed a handwritten list of rules including: "We will walk indoors, not run."

Redemption Fellowship of Fall River is one of dozens of churches the Southern Baptist Convention has planted around New England in the last decade with a multi-million dollar push into territory skeptical of the South and increasingly indifferent to religion.

Cabral seems unfazed. He's "indigenous," he explains, a native of nearby Somerset. He's so eager to share his faith that he regularly carries a wood cross asking, "Are You Ready?" to a traffic island in this southeastern Massachusetts city and evangelizes to anyone who rolls down their window.

"I really believe that God wants to change this city," he said.

Since 2002, the Southern Baptists have spent roughly $5 million to plant churches around the region, and have another $800,000 committed for this year, said Jim Wideman, executive director of the Baptist Convention of New England, the Southern Baptist's regional church-planting arm.

They've started 133 new churches in that time, a nearly 70 percent increase that brings their regional total to 325.

No denomination is investing as much in New England church planting, though Hartford Seminary professor Scott Thumma notes that attendance isn't growing as fast as the number of churches.

Thumma said the roughly 30,500 members the denomination had in New England 2010 is a 20 percent increase from a decade ago, according to the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. That growth is about the same as another religiously conservative group, the Assemblies of God, which hasn't emphasized church planting.

Thumma said Southern Baptists are drawing immigrants and new residents, but there's little proof they've reaching area lifers, including the large Roman Catholic population and increasing numbers of secularists.

"I don't see a third Great Awakening happening at the moment," Thumma said.

A Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life study last year found that since 2007, the Northeast had the largest percentage increase nationwide of people who describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated. Meanwhile, a 2012 Gallup poll indicates the six-state New England region hosts the country's five least religious states (Connecticut is No. 11).

Southern Baptists, the nation's largest Protestant group with about 16 million members, have been trying since the late 1950s to build a northern presence. But their vigorous, recent church-planting is part of a broader, denomination-wide emphasis at a time when overall membership is declining.

Wideman said research indicates that the unchurched are far more likely to be drawn to a new church than one that already exists. And multiple church plants in neighborhood-centric urban areas, though unlikely to draw huge numbers, aim to create enduring Southern Baptist communities, he said.

A similarity among the New England church plants is that none of their names include the words "Southern Baptist."

Thumma said it's a clear effort to avoid some of the stereotypes about Southerners, such as negative perceptions of their racial views or reputed "damn-us-all-to-hell" fundamentalism. It's not malicious, he said, but "they're church-planting by stealth."

Wideman said they never deny they're Southern Baptist, but if it's a barrier to sharing the faith, why broadcast it? The Southern Baptist Convention itself has acknowledged this problem by approving an optional alternative name last summer: Great Commission Baptists.

The main concern, Wideman said, is that Northerners will see the churches as excluding them. And he has a question for Southern friends who complain about the tactic: "How well do you think First Yankee Baptist Church would go over in Alabama?"

With a thick North Carolina accent, Lyandon Warren can't hide his roots. But in seven years planting churches in West Pawlet and Poultney, Vt., he finds showing a commitment to the local community is more important.

Many New Englanders have zero familiarity with the Bible, so you can't just throw open the doors of a new church and expect people to come in, he said. Instead, his group reached out with novel approaches like offering water and a diaper-changing station at a town-wide tag sale. In Norwich, Conn., Pastor Shaun Pillay's group volunteers for various tasks, from filling sand bags to snow shoveling. It creates a foothold and trust in the community, if not converts, he said.

"They say, 'We like what you do, but we don't like your God,'" Pillay said.

Persistence is critical, said Pillay and Warren, who emphasize showing up at the same place, at the same times, with the same Christian message, like Cabral with his cross at the Fall River intersection.

Cabral's consistency paid off with Angelique Vargas, who was so drunk she didn't remember the first three times she met her future pastor. But on a sober day, the 39-year-old was surprised when a stranger called her by name as she crossed the street. She listened to his message, Vargas said, "for the simple fact that he remembered me on my darkest day."

On a recent February afternoon, horns honked and a middle finger flew as Cabral walked the traffic island. Drivers also kept engaging him, trying to answer the question on his cross, which he'd explain meant, "Are you ready to face God when you die?" Cabral would share how he knew that he was, then hand out a card with a gospel message and his church's address.

"God bless you!" he'd call as the light changed. "I want you to go to heaven!"

Cabral's church has 35 members, barely enough to cast a decent shadow in the annex of larger Southern Baptist churches. But Cabral says he's not going anywhere. He says he wants to love people, give them a chance to let God change them and see how this church plant goes.

"It's like growing a garden," he said. "You've got to plant the seed, you've got to water it and you've got to be faithful."

Source: http://calhountimes.com/bookmark/22024252

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Cyprus talks to continue; no deal yet

People walk at the old city of capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians in Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for an international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People walk at the old city of capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians in Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for an international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People buy goods from a vegetable market, in central Nicosia, on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians in Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for and international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A man plays with his guitar as a woman passes at Ledras street in Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians in Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for an international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A elderly woman buys goods from a vegetable market, in central Nicosia, on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians in Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for and international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A woman drinks a coffee and smokes in the old city of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Politicians on Cyprus were racing Saturday to complete an alternative plan raising funds necessary for the country to qualify for an international bailout, with a potential bankruptcy just three days away. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Cyprus officials and international representatives ended torturous negotiation in the early hours of Sunday with no agreement on a plan to raise money the island nation needs to qualify for a bailout package. Talks are set to resume later Sunday in Brussels, but time is running out: Failure would mean Cyprus could declare bankruptcy in just two days and possibly have to exit the eurozone.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Finance Minister Michalis Sarris will travel to the Belgian capital early Sunday. A viable plan must be cemented before finance ministers from the 17 countries that use the euro currency meet in Brussels in the evening.

"Negotiations are at a very delicate phase," government spokesman Christos Stylianides said in a statement. "The situation is very difficult and the margins very limited."

Cyprus has been told it must raise 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) in order to secure 10 billion euros in rescue loans from other European countries that use the single currency, as well as from the IMF.

The IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission ? known as the troika ? will determine whether the plan that the Cypriots devise will meet the requirements for any international bailout package. Then, the plan is to be presented to the eurozone finance ministers for final approval.

The European Central Bank has said it will stop providing emergency funding to Cyprus' banks after Monday if no new plan is in place. Without its support, the banks would collapse on Tuesday, pushing the country toward bankruptcy and a potential exit from the 17-nation bloc that uses the euro currency.

"We recognize the progress now being made by the Cypriot government toward a solution which can pave the way for an agreement on a financial assistance program for Cyprus," European monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn said in Brussels. "Intensive work and contacts will continue in the coming hours."

In Brussels, Anastasiades will meet with IMF chief Christine Lagarde and other European officials before the crucial Eurogroup meeting.

The country's lawmakers soundly rejected an unpopular initial plan that would have seized up to 10 percent of people's bank accounts, and Cyprus is now seeking another way to raise the desperately needed money. But the idea of some sort of deposit grab returned to the fore after Cyprus' attempt to gain Russian financial aid failed.

Conflicting reports of progress emerged during the talks Saturday.

Late Saturday night, a finance ministry official said an accord was "very close," and would likely include a hefty tax of a fifth to a quarter of deposits over 100,000 euros at the country's troubled largest lender, Bank of Cyprus. But a banking official with knowledge of the talks said no deal was in the offing and wouldn't likely arrive before Sunday.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing and they were not authorized to release details.

According to a second finance ministry official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak about the negotiations, new laws may not be needed if negotiators opt for a "voluntary contribution" from Bank of Cyprus savings accounts above 100,000 euros, which is the insurance limit.

Another option being considered is smaller tax on all bank deposits above 100,000 euros.

Cyprus took significant steps toward cementing a new plan Friday night, when its lawmakers approved nine bills, including three crucial ones that will restructure ailing banks, restrict financial transactions in emergencies and set up a "solidarity fund" that will act as the vehicle for raising funds from investments and contributions.

The bank restructuring will include the country's troubled second largest lender, Laiki, which suffered heavy losses after being exposed to toxic Greek debt.

Cypriot banks have been shut this past week while the plan was being worked out, and are not due to reopen until Tuesday. Cash has been available through ATMs, but many run out quickly, and those machines for the troubled Laiki Bank are only dispensing 260 euros a day.

Thousands of angry bank employees afraid of losing their jobs marched through the center of Nicosia to the Finance Ministry and Parliament, some with placards around their necks reading: "No to the bankruptcy of Cyprus."

"We are protesting for our jobs, and jobs of all in Cyprus," bank employee Zoei Koiachi said.

Worried about her job after 36 years at Laiki, Eleni Koutsourdou said lawmakers should have approved the initial plan for the 10 percent deposit grab for the sake of protecting the financial sector. "It's unfair. They pocketed everything and we end up paying for it," she said.

The restructuring of Laiki and the sale of the toxic-asset laden Greek branches of Cypriot banks is expected to cut the amount the country needs to raise to about 3 billion euros instead of 5.8 billion euros, officials have said. Bank of Cyprus, which was also exposed to Greek debt, might also be involved in the restructuring.

____

Elena Becatoros in Nicosia contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-23-Cyprus-Financial%20Crisis/id-3b4f46e4a36f4f87ba852563c1ed511f

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CA-NEWS Summary

Obama brokers Israel-Turkey rapprochement

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel apologized to Turkey on Friday for killing nine Turkish citizens in a 2010 naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla and the two feuding U.S. allies agreed to normalize relations in a surprise breakthrough announced by U.S. President Barack Obama. The rapprochement could help regional coordination to contain spillover from the Syrian civil war and ease Israel's diplomatic isolation in the Middle East as it faces challenges posed by Iran's nuclear program.

Italy president asks Bersani to see if can form government

ROME (Reuters) - President Giorgio Napolitano asked center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani on Friday to assess whether he can win enough support in Italy's divided parliament to form a government and end the political deadlock left by elections last month. After two days of consultations with political leaders, Napolitano said he had given Bersani a mandate to talk to other parties and see if he can get the guaranteed support needed for a vote of confidence in both houses of parliament, where no single group has a workable majority.

France, Britain fail to win easing of Syria arms ban

DUBLIN (Reuters) - France and Britain failed to persuade the European Union to back their call to lift an arms embargo on Syrian rebels on Friday despite warning that President Bashar al-Assad could resort to using chemical weapons. Paris and London want to exempt Assad's opponents from an EU arms embargo, a step they believe would raise pressure on Assad to negotiate after two years of a civil war that has claimed 70,000 lives.

Analysis: Obama scores unexpected successes on Middle East trip

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama flew out of Israel in a duststorm on Friday, leaving behind a trail of symbolic gestures and fine oratory that should help preserve the status quo at a time of regional upheaval. In an unexpected diplomatic flourish, he also facilitated a surprise telephone call between the prime ministers of Israel and Turkey, putting two U.S. allies firmly on track to revive a once close relationship that had become badly frayed.

China to attend major U.S.-hosted naval exercises, but role limited

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's People's Liberation Army has accepted an invitation to participate for the first time in a major U.S.-hosted naval drill, but legal restrictions will limit its role to less sensitive exercises, like disaster relief, U.S. officials say. Beijing's agreement to join the drills being held next year comes at a moment of heightened tensions between China and U.S. ally Japan over disputed East China Sea islets, and unease in the United States about China's rapid military buildup and its cyber capabilities.

Chinese leader bolsters Russian ties on first foreign trip

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of relations with Russia as a counterweight to U.S. influence by visiting Moscow on his first foreign trip as president, and secured more oil to fuel China's growing economy. Although relations between Moscow and Beijing have rarely been smooth, they have improved in the past decade and Xi highlighted this by signing energy, trade and political deals on Friday to strengthen ties between them.

Central African Republic halts rebel column -source

BANGUI (Reuters) - A Central African Republic attack helicopter opened fire on rebels advancing on the capital on Friday, breaking up their column, a senior regional peacekeeping source said, days after a peace deal broke down in the mineral-rich nation. The source from a neighboring Central African power, who asked not to be named, said the helicopter strike had halted the Seleka insurgents - although no one from the rebels was available to comment and Central African Republic officials said fighting was continuing on the road to Bangui.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigns

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced his government's resignation on Friday after a cabinet dispute with Shi'ite group Hezbollah over preparations for a parliamentary election and extending the term of a senior security official. Mikati's announcement after a deadlocked ministerial meeting plunged Lebanon, already struggling to cope with a spillover of bloodshed and refugees from neighboring Syria, into fresh uncertainty three months before the planned election.

What's at stake in U.N. arms trade treaty negotiations?

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Members of the United Nations have been meeting at the world body's New York City headquarters this week for a final round of negotiations on what could become the first international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global conventional arms trade. The treaty drafting conference will continue until March 28. Following are questions and answers about the draft arms trade treaty.

Congolese warlord arrives at war crimes court jail

KIGALI (Reuters) - A Congolese warlord known as "the Terminator" who is accused of murder, rape and other atrocities arrived at the International Criminal Court's jail in the Netherlands early on Saturday, the court said. Bosco Ntaganda, who walked off the street and gave himself up at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali in a surprise move on Monday, was flown in a private jet from the Rwandan capital to The Hague after being handed over to the court's custody.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-201130697.html

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