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Development of the chimpanzee determined by the X factor

Monday, January 30, 2012

One of the most important questions for evolution researchers is how a species develops and adapts during the course of time. An analysis of the genes of twelve chimpanzees has now demonstrated that the chimpanzee X chromosome plays a very special role in the animal's development. The analysis was carried out by researchers at the Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, the Section of Bioinformatics, University of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Zoo and the sequencing centre at the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), China. The results have just been published online in the esteemed journal PNAS.

The background for evolution is found in our genome ? in DNA. Evolution is driven by mutations that create changes in the genome on an ongoing basis. These mutations are most often deleterious, but they are sometimes beneficial for bearers in the environment in which they live. Their survivability can be improved, which in turn increases the likelihood of having more offspring. These beneficial variants then increase in number until all the individuals in a species have the new variant. This process is called natural selection.

One X is enough

By sequencing all the genes in twelve chimpanzees from Central Africa, the researchers demonstrated that beneficial variants are accumulated on the X chromosome in particular.

Why does this chromosome behave in such a special way? The gender of the individual is determined by the X chromosome along with the Y chromosome. Males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes.

A new beneficial variant on one X chromosome in the female can 'hide itself' if it is not expressed as strongly as the old variant sitting on the other copy of the X chromosome. In this case, the new variant is called recessive, i.e. it is suppressed by the other more dominant gene. This means that a new beneficial recessive variant does not immediately provide a benefit for the females. On the other hand, the males only have one X chromosome and it is expressed immediately, thus enabling natural selection to 'catch sight' of it. This does not apply to the remaining twenty-two chromosomes in the genome, because both males and females have two copies of each of these.

One third are good changes

The researchers found that about a third of all the changes that have taken place on the X chromosome since humans and chimpanzees diverged approximately four to six million years ago have been beneficial for the chimpanzee. This is far from the case for the chimpanzee's remaining twenty-two chromosomes. The researchers therefore conclude that most of the new beneficial mutations must be recessive. This was already known regarding deleterious mutations on the X chromosome, e.g. colour blindness as a recessive trait and therefore only occurring in men. However, the new results show that this must also be the case for the more interesting beneficial mutations, i.e. those that develop a species over a period of time.

Disease leads to development

The new results make it probable that corresponding activity takes place in the human X chromosome. They also provide an explanation of previous studies in which it was observed that the X chromosome behaved strangely during the speciation process of humans and chimpanzees, in that it was considerably less variable than the remaining chromosomes. This lack of variation can be explained by the fact that natural selection, which actually eliminates variation, works stronger on the X chromosome than on the remaining chromosomes.

By closely studying all the chimpanzee genes, the researchers found examples of natural selection in the remaining chimpanzee chromosomes all being associated with genes that are important for the immune system, including a gene that gives partial resistance to HIV in humans. This indicates that diseases are one of the most important factors in the evolutionary development and adaptability of the chimpanzee.

###

Aarhus University: http://www.au.dk

Thanks to Aarhus University for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117179/Development_of_the_chimpanzee_determined_by_the_X_factor

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MasterCard reveals roadmap for our electronic payment future: EMV in, magnetic strips out

MasterCard reveals roadmap for EMV electronic payments It's been over fifteen years since MasterCard, Visa and Europay developed EMV technology to make your credit cards more secure, but it has yet to really catch on here in the US. However, MasterCard has created a master plan to help usher in the EMV era and sound the death knell for the magnetic strip. Why? The EMV infrastructure is far more fraud-resistant because each transaction is authenticated dynamically using cryptographic algorithms and a user-specific PIN. That's why MasterCard plans to help build out the EMV POS infrastructure by April of next year and have its secure e-payment system functioning at ATMs, online and with its myriad mobile payment options as well. For now, the nuts and bolts of how the credit card firm plans to bring its plan to fruition are few, but more details will be forthcoming, and there's a bit more info at the source and PR below.

Continue reading MasterCard reveals roadmap for our electronic payment future: EMV in, magnetic strips out

MasterCard reveals roadmap for our electronic payment future: EMV in, magnetic strips out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drug approved to treat cystic fibrosis' root cause (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The first drug that treats the root cause of cystic fibrosis won approval Tuesday, offering a life-changing treatment for a handful of patients with the deadly illness and broader hope for thousands more patients with the inherited disease.

About 30,000 Americans live with cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes sticky mucus buildup in the lungs and other organs, leading to infections, digestive problems and death in young adulthood. The typical life expectancy is about 37 years, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The Food and Drug approved Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Kalydeco for patients with a rare form of the disease that affects just 1,200 people in the U.S., about 4 percent of affected population nationwide. These patients have a protein defect that prevents their cells from properly absorbing and excreting salt and water. Studies of the drug showed it significantly improved lung function and reduced other symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

"Even though this drug isn't for the majority of people, it proves that you can look at the mistake in the genes and design a drug in a rational way that will fix the problem," said Dr. Drucy Borowitz of the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she directs the cystic fibrosis program.

The twice-a-day pill is among the first drugs designed to a correct a specific genetic defect. Its development characterizes both the promise and challenges of that approach. Scientists first identified the gene that causes cystic fibrosis in 1989, but it took more than two decades and more than $75 million in outside funding to develop a drug to treat the disease.

Borowitz enrolled several of her patients in the key study for Kalydeco, which showed that patients taking the drug increased their lung strength more than 10 percent when compared with patients taking a placebo. Patients also had fewer infections and gained nearly seven pounds on average, a significant amount for patients who typically have trouble retaining weight. All patients in the study continued taking older medications that help loosen mucus.

"Two weeks after using the drug my lung tests were above average for a healthy 15-year-old who didn't have cystic fibrosis," said Nick Mangano, 17, a Borowitz patient who has been taking the drug for two years. Before starting on Kalydeco, Mangano said he was hospitalized for lung infections five times in four years. Now he says he usually recovers from a cold within a week or two.

"I don't really need medicine for it anymore, it's totally different," said Mangano, who is considering leaving Buffalo for college next year ? a step he hadn't previously considered because of his dependence on his family and physicians.

Only a few decades ago, children with cystic fibrosis seldom survived elementary school. Today, thanks to earlier diagnosis and new focus on diet and physical therapy, 47 percent live to be 18 or older.

The FDA approved the drug for patients 6 years old and up, though Vertex is also planning to study the drug in patients as young as 2 years old. Researchers hope that by using the drug earlier they will be able to prevent permanent lung damage, which is the primary cause of death for cystic fibrosis patients.

Mangano and others with the so-called G551D mutation have a defective protein that fails to balance the flow of chloride and water across the cell wall, leading to the buildup of internal mucus. The vast majority of cystic fibrosis patients have a different genetic defect, in which the protein does not reach the cell wall. Vertex is developing another drug to try and address that problem. Study data for that drug is expected later this year.

Kalydeco is part of a growing number of new medicines that target rare genetic variations found in subgroups of patients. Last year Pfizer launched a new lung cancer drug called Xalkori, which targets cancer linked to a genetic mutation found in less than 7 percent of patients.

Vertex executives said Kalydeco would cost $294,000 for a year's supply, placing it among the most expensive prescription drugs sold in the U.S. Specialty drugmakers are known to charge $300,000 or more for drugs that treat very small groups of patients.

"The drug is priced for the value it will deliver to this very small group of patients," Vertex Executive Vice President Nancy Wysenski told analysts.

Wysenski said Vertex would provide the medicine for free to people with no insurance and household income of $150,000 or less. The company will also cover 30 percent of copay costs for select patients who have insurance.

The FDA approved the drug in approximately three months, half the time usually needed for high-priority drugs.

After scientists identified the genetic sequence that causes cystic fibrosis in 1989, many experts hoped the disease could be cured by replacing the gene with a normal one. However, attempts at so-called gene therapy proved unsuccessful, and researchers began looking for ways to correct the genetic defect.

"I think it took the field about a decade to realize we had to look for other options," said Paul Negulescu, vice president of research at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

In 1998, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation approached Aurora BioSciences, now part of Vertex, to help screen potential drug candidates for a cystic fibrosis drug. In 2000, the foundation awarded the company more than $45 million to study and commercialize an experimental drug for the disease, the largest grant of its kind by a nonprofit disease group. To date, Vertex has received over $75 million in research and development funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Vertex said it also spent hundreds of millions of dollars of its own money, though it did not specify the exact amount.

Cambridge, Mass.-based Vertex has only one other drug on the market, the hepatitis C drug Incivek, which launched last May.

Company shares rose $3.06, or 8.8 percent, to $37.80 in midday trading.

The most common side effects with Kalydeco include headache, stomach ache, rash diarrhea and dizziness.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_he_me/us_cystic_fibrosis_new_drug

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Gingrich Moon Base Plan Should Fail to Launch (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Newt Gingrich, campaigning for the GOP slot in this year's presidential election, has a new idea: colonize the moon. CNN reports the price tag for this idea could be more than $500 billion. Taking a look at Gingrich's concept it becomes apparent that this is a grandstanding move, impractical at best, and has no real merit other than grabbing headlines.

Gingrich fears Chinese space domination

Gingrich said it concerns him another nation, like China, might come to "dominate space." What is he afraid they are going to do, build a military base on the moon? Act out a scene from an Austin Powers movie and build a huge laser on it to fire at Earth? Does he think they will swarm over the surface of the moon and inhabit the entire surface of the moon?

If the Chinese want to build a moon base go ahead and let them. The closest analogy we have on Earth at the moment is the South Pole. No nation has rushed to swarm all over that land mass. Gingrich is fearful for no reason.

Gingrich says moon base programs will spark innovation

That's possible, but is it advisable? We already have hard-to-reach places right here on Earth where human bases of operation could be useful -- like on the ocean floor, where we might find oil reserves. Why not innovate ideas that can be used right on our own planet?

Big price, small base

The base in question might be big enough to house 10 people. You'd think a half-trillion-dollar price tag would buy something a little more useful. What real benefit would be gained by moving 10 people to the moon? It's not like the moon is a large brick of solid gold floating in orbit around Earth. We sure don't have the technology to turn the moon into a human-habitable planet -- and if we did how would ten people change the entire moon?

Gingrich is showboating, nothing more. The moon colony plan would be an expensive waste of taxpayer funds with no real benefit to recoup its cost. Focus on creating opportunity on this planet, Mr. Gingrich, before you worry about others.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120130/pl_ac/10904995_gingrich_moon_base_plan_should_fail_to_launch

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Pythons link to mammals decline

Burmese pythons, originally kept as pets, are the likely cause of a severe mammal decline in Florida's Everglades.

A team studied road surveys of mammals in the Everglades National Park before and after pythons became common.

Researchers found a strong link between the spread of pythons and drops in recorded sightings of racoons, rabbits, bobcats and other species.

In PNAS journal, they report that observations of several mammal species have declined by 90% or more.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

They are a new top predator in Everglades National Park - one that shouldn't be there?

End Quote Prof Michael E Dorcas Davidson College, North Carolina

The national park covers the southern 25% of the original Everglades - a region of subtropical wetlands that has been drained over the last century to reclaim it for human use.

As Burmese pythons have made it from captivity into the wild, the absence of natural predators has allowed populations to balloon. Intermittent sightings were recorded for 20 years before the snakes were recognised as being established across the Everglades in 2000.

The pythons are now established across thousands of sq km in southern Florida. Although there are no accurate figures for how many there are, the numbers removed from the Everglades reached nearly 400 in 2009 and has been increasing year-on-year (apart from a slight drop in 2010 due to a cold spell).

"Any snake population - you are only seeing a small fraction of the numbers that are actually out there," said said Michael Dorcas, one of the study's authors, from Davidson College in North Carolina.

He told BBC News: "They are a new top predator in Everglades National Park - one that shouldn't be there,"

"We have documented pythons eating alligators, we have also documented alligators eating pythons. It depends on who is biggest during the encounter."

Earlier this month, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that the US was poised to approve a ban on importing Burmese pythons. But some observers at the time remarked that the move was about 30 years too late.

Getting ambushed

Prof Dorcas and his colleagues looked at data on mammals found during roadkill surveys from 1993-1999, and on live and dead mammals encountered during nighttime road surveys from 1996-1997.

They then compared these results with similar data collected between 2003 and 2011, after the pythons were recognised as being established.

They found that observations of raccoons and opossums had dropped by about 99%. There had been a 94.1% fall in observations of white-tailed deer and an 87.5% decrease in sightings of bobcats.

No rabbits or foxes were seen during the more recent survey; rabbits were among the most common mammals in the roadkill survey between 1993 and 1999.

The majority of these species have been documented in the diet of pythons found in the Everglades National Park. Indeed, raccoons and oppossums often forage at the water's edge, where they are vulnerable to ambush by pythons.

Observations of rodents, coyotes and Florida panthers had increased slightly, but the overall number of sightings remained low.

The researchers also found that the declines in mammals coincided geographically with the spread of Burmese pythons. Mammal species are more common in areas where pythons have only been recently introduced, and are most abundant outside the snakes' current range.

Prof Dorcas said more research was needed to assess the impact of such large declines. But he added: "It's not unreasonable to assume that any time we have major declines in mammals like this it's going to have overall impacts on the ecosystem. Exactly what those are going to be, we don't know. But it's possible they could be fairly profound."

The ban on importing Burmese pythons has come after five years of debate and lobbying in Washington DC. Florida's Democrat Senator Bill Nelson was among those who campaigned for a ban, unravelling the skin of a 5m-long Everglades python at a 2009 Senate hearing to make his point.

But reptile breeders and collectors had disputed that the tropical snakes posed much risk beyond south Florida and argued that any ban would harm a multi-million dollar industry.

Although the ban is unlikely to have much impact in southern Florida, where the reptiles are already established, scientists say it could help prevent their spread to other suitable habitats in the US, such as southern Louisiana and south Texas.

Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-16791094

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2012 SAG Awards: What the Stars Wore! (omg!)

2012 SAG Awards: What the Stars Wore!

Ooh la la!

The Who's Who in television and movies joined their actor peers for the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in L.A. Sunday, and female stars from both the big and small screens dazzled out on the evening's red carpet.

GET ALL THE DETAILS ON WHAT THE STARS WORE AT THE 2012 SAG AWARDS

Glee's Lea Michele showed some leg in a sexy Versace gown with a hip-high slit, silver pointed-toe Casadei shows, Lorraine Schwartz jewels and a Fendi bag.

PHOTOS: The best and worst-dressed stars at the 2012 SAG Awards

The Help's Emma Stone ditched the evening's formal floor-length gown look and opted for a fun and flirty black strapless Alexander McQueen cocktail dress teamed with jewelry by Tiffany & Co.

Modern Family's Sofia Vergara dazzled in her go-to style: a custom, form-fitting Marchesa fishtail silk satin crepe gown. She paired the raspberry-colored number with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

PHOTOS: Sofia Vergara's stunning red carpet style

Click here to see what other stars including Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams wore on Sunday night.

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রবিবার, ২৯ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Egypt says it has ended US lobbyists' contract (AP)

CAIRO ? Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it has ended a contract with three Washington lobbying firms to cut expenses, denying reports that the American companies were the ones to terminate the contract.

The rupture occurred as Cairo faces criticism from Washington for banning at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country as part of an investigation into foreign-funded civil society organizations. Among those barred was Sam LaHood of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, who is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The ban sparked anger in the United States, and Washington warned on Tuesday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt's transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt's battered economy needs badly after a year of political and social unrest.

The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including the IRI and its sister organization, the National Democratic Institute, as well as several Egyptian organizations.

Both the IRI and the NDI, linked to the Republican and Democratic parties, monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.

The Egyptian investigation is closely linked with the political turmoil that has engulfed the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power after Mubarak's fall have accused "foreign hands" of being behind protests against their rule, and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

The December raids have drew sharp U.S. criticism, and President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, to emphasize "the role that these organizations can play in civil society," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry's statement was issued two days after Politico reported that former Republican Rep. Bob Livingston, former Democratic Rep. Toby Moffett and longtime lobbyist Tony Podesta ended their contract with the Egyptian government.

Livingston confirmed to Politico in an email that the three lobbyist firms have ended their contract.

"We hope that Egyptians continue to enjoy the deepening of democracy in their country, and that Egypt remains a strong, stable and vital ally of the United States," the three lobbyists said in a joint statement released on Saturday.

Politico reported earlier that the firms came under criticism after circulating talking points justifying Egyptian security forces' raids on a number of NGOs including American groups.

The lobbying firms could not be reached immediately for comment.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Egypt's Defense Ministry has arrived in New York, Egypt's state news agency reported.

MENA quoted military attache Gen. Mohammed el-Kishki as saying that the visit was aimed at discussing "cooperation between the two countries in military affairs."

Egypt's army, which took power after the February 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak, receives 1.3 billion dollars a year in U.S. foreign assistance.

The country's aid package has come under pressure by members of Congress who want assurances that Egypt will abide by a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and that the military rulers will respect democratic freedoms.

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

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Detroit Symphony offering series of free webcasts (AP)

DETROIT ? The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has launched a webcast player that will allow music lovers to enjoy an upcoming performance of Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4 and other concerts online for free in the comfort of their homes.

People in about 40 countries are expected to view Saturday's high-definition "Live from Orchestra Hall" webcast, and the orchestra expects its webcast series to surpass 30,000 views with this weekend's episode.

The orchestra said the webcast player will make online viewers feel as if they are sitting in Detroit's Orchestra Hall.

The Symphony said it is the only U.S. orchestra to offer a free series of webcasts, which are made possible through contributions from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Ford Motor Co. Fund.

The new viewing environment mimics the interior of Orchestra Hall, giving audiences across the world the same view as local music lovers.

The webcast player also features dimming controls so that viewers at home can control their own version of the house lights.

Audience members now will be able to view a full schedule of upcoming webcasts and add them their online calendars. Viewers also can tweet directly from the webcast player page and follow the feed in the same browser window, allowing audience members to interact with fellow concertgoers while watching the concert at the same time.

The piece being played at any moment will be highlighted on a live repertoire tracker, and live program notes will post below the viewing window with trivia about the piece and the artists.

The "Live From Orchestra Hall" series is one of three new digital initiatives the DSO is introducing this season. Also new to the orchestra's digital repertoire are DSO To Go, a free mobile app, and the Symphony's first downloadable, digital album produced in-house.

___

Online:

Detroit Symphony Orchestra: http://www.dso.org/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_hi_te/us_detroit_symphony_webcast_player

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FDA approves Pfizer's Inlyta for kidney cancer (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Pfizer's Inlyta drug for patients with advanced kidney cancer got the nod from U.S. regulators on Friday, boosting the company's plans to offset plunging Lipitor sales.

The Food and Drug Administration said the drug, known generically as axitinib, was effective at treating patients who did not respond to another drug for kidney cancer.

About 61,000 Americans were diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, and about one in five of them are expected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

About 20 percent to 30 percent of these patients have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis, Pfizer said.

Inlyta, which inhibits certain receptors that can influence tumor growth and progression of cancer, is one of several new drugs Pfizer is banking on to help replace lost revenue from its cholesterol fighter, Lipitor. The world's top-selling drug began facing generic competition late last year.

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov in Washington and Anand Basu in Bangalore)

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House lawmakers seek Google answers on privacy policy (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked Google Inc on Thursday to provide answers about recent changes to the search engine's privacy policy.

In a letter to Google Chief Executive Larry Page, the lawmakers said the company's announcement "raises questions about whether consumers can opt-out of the new data sharing system either globally or on a product-by-product basis."

(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bernard Orr)

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Azarenka into women's final at Australian Open (AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia ? Victoria Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam final and staked a claim for the No. 1 ranking when she beat defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.

The third-seeded Azarenka recovered her composure twice in periods when a resurgent Clijsters seemed to have the upper hand, breaking the veteran Belgian's serve three times in the third set to secure victory in only her second appearance in a major semifinal.

The 22-year-old Belarusian will play either Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova or 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova in the Saturday night final. Azarenka, Kvitova and Sharapova can all finish the tournament with the No. 1 ranking.

After a strong start, Azarenka's serve deserted her in the second set and Clijsters dictated play with her solid groundstrokes and some amazing defense.

But after getting the momentum back, it was Clijsters who blinked first in the third set, dropping serve in the second game and again in the fourth. She got two of those service games back, including one when she rallied from 40-0 down to win a game to get the score back to 4-3.

But Azarenka rallied immediately again, breaking serve. She got triple match point trying to serve out the match and, after a double-fault on her first, she clinched it on a Clijsters' error.

Azarenka threw her racket on the court and sank to her knees, bent over with her hands covering her face. Clijsters came around the net to congratulate her.

"I felt like my hand is about 200 kilograms and my body is about 1,000 and everything is shaking, but that feeling when you finally win is such a relief. My God I cannot believe it's over. I just want to cry," Azarenka said as she choked back tears, then buried her face in the towel.

"It was just trying to stay in the moment. Kim really took over the second set and I felt there was nothing I could do. I just tried to regroup."

Clijsters is a popular player in Australia, where she's widely known as "Aussie Kim." The four-time major winner had most of the backing from the crowd on the national holiday in what is likely to be her last Australian Open.

Azarenka held her nerve despite the crowd.

"I guess before you all thought I was a mental case. I was just young and emotional," she said in a courtside interview. "I'm really glad the way I fight, that's the most thing I'm really proud of. I fight for every ball."

The Sharapova-Kvitova semifinal was next match on Rod Laver Arena.

On Wednesday night, top-ranked Novak Djokovic held off No. 5 David Ferrer in a second-set tiebreaker and then raced through the third set for a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-1 win, setting up a rematch of last year's final against fourth-ranked Andy Murray and ensuring the 'Big 4' reached the semifinals for the third time in the last four majors.

With Nos. 2-4 already in the semis, Djokovic looked to be in trouble in the second set when he clutched at his left hamstring and had trouble breathing.

"No, I don't have any physical issues," Djokovic later said, playing down any health concerns. "I feel very fit and I feel mentally, as well, very fresh.

"It's just today I found it very difficult after a long time to breathe because I felt the whole day my nose was closed a little bit. I just wasn't able to get enough oxygen."

Murray beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 earlier Wednesday, while second-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer were already preparing for their semifinal showdown on Thursday, their 10th clash at a major but their first meeting at that stage of a Grand Slam since 2005.

Doubts about Djokovic's temperament surfaced after he won his first major at the 2008 Australian Open and didn't reach another final for 11 Grand Slam tournaments. In his first title defense in 2009, he struggled with breathing problems and the heat and had to retire from his quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick.

Trying again to defend the Australian title, and again in the quarterfinals, Djokovic was leading by a set and a break when he dropped serve against Ferrer.

At break point, he scrambled to hit a lob on his backhand and didn't even wait for it to land out before turning to face the back of the court, grabbing at the back of his left leg. He leaned over and rested his head on the top of his racket. Ferrer was back in contention.

At times Djokovic looked exhausted and sore at times in the second set, but he pulled through.

"In these conditions, at this stage of the tournament, when you're playing somebody like David ... your physical strength and endurance comes into question," Djokovic calmly explained of his on-court demeanor. "Actually I'm not concerned about that at all."

That may not be how Murray's new coach, Ivan Lendl, sees it. Lendl has been working with Murray this month, trying to help him break his Grand Slam title drought ? he has lost three major finals, including the last two in Australia.

He was doing some scouting Wednesday night at Rod Laver Arena, sitting about 15 rows behind the Djokovic group, surrounded by people waving Serbian flags. He couldn't have missed the sideways glances Djokovic sneaked at his support crew. Murray and Djokovic know each other well, but haven't been on the same side of a Grand Slam draw for a while.

Murray said he's growing in confidence because he's "just more used to being in this position."

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

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France honors 4 troops killed by Afghan soldier (AP)

PARIS ? President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday honored four French troops shot dead by an Afghan man, a killing that rattled France's commitment to a NATO-led war in Afghanistan unpopular among many French.

In a somber ceremony in the southeastern town of Varces, the French leader said the troops gunned down were victims of a Taliban rebel who had infiltrated a military base stationed jointly by French and Afghan forces.

"Four of our soldiers were shot in Afghanistan, victims of the most cowardly of crimes," he said in remarks aired on French TV. "While unarmed, they were slaughtered by a Taliban wearing the uniform of an ally's army."

He noted the French troops were there to train Afghan soldiers.

"We will not allow ourselves to be impressed by this barbarity ... that must strengthen us even more in our determination to work for peace," he added.

After Friday's shootings, Sarkozy ordered a halt to French training programs for the Afghan military and threatened to withdraw French forces earlier than first planned.

But top French officials in recent days have sought to dispel concerns abroad about a possible crack in the NATO-led alliance in Afghanistan and a hasty exit by France.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon told parliament Tuesday that France is keeping to plans to withdraw 600 troops this year ? in line with a previous schedule pegged in part to a gradual U.S.-led withdrawal by 2014.

France currently has about 3,600 troops in Afghanistan. France, the fourth-largest national contingent in the NATO-led force, has lost 92 troops since 2001. The total alliance death toll is nearly 2,560 ? mostly Americans.

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet, who traveled to Afghanistan right after the killings, is preparing a report for Sarkozy on what happened before the French leader specifies any new plans for the drawdown.

Sarkozy, who is facing a possible re-election bid this spring, is expected to publicize his decision on Friday after hosting Afghan President Hamid Karzai for a long-scheduled meeting in Paris.

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

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৬ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Netflix Streaming Margins Are 11 Percent, DVD Margins Are 52 Percent

netflix2If you look closely at Netflix's fourth quarter earnings, it will become clear why the company wanted to split its DVD and streaming businesses. This is the first quarter that the company is splitting out each business and reporting revenues, profits, and margins separately. While the streaming business is growing (adding 220 subscribers domestically in the quarter), and the DVD business sis shrinking (it lost 2.76 million subscribers domestically), it's margins are much worse than the legacy DVD business. The streaming business has an 11 percent profit margin, compared to a very healthy 52 percent margin for the DVD business.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/i_a4a2qilEc/

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Exclusive: Gates prods D.C. on aid (Politico)

Bill Gates, in his annual letter from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Tuesday night will make a full-throated appeal to policy makers - and voters - to continue to support effective aid that can lead to better lives. He believes we must build on the incredible progress in health and development, and not let excuses keep governments from helping the world's poorest. Now, more than ever, he says, we have a real opportunity to help people build self-sufficiency and overcome the need for aid. Also, not surprisingly for a man who made his fortune through innovation, he touts innovation as the key to improving the world.

His letter describes innovations in health (vaccines, AIDS drugs) and in agriculture (disease-resistant seeds) that have transformed people's lives. The full letter will be posted here at 7 p.m.

Continue Reading

An exclusive sneak peek for POLITICO readers:

?"Throughout my careers in software and philanthropy, . a recurring theme has been that innovation is the key to improving the world. . The world faces a clear choice.? If we invest relatively modest amounts, many more poor farmers will be able to feed their families.? If we don't, one in seven people will continue living needlessly on the edge of starvation. My annual letter this year is an argument for making the choice to keep on helping extremely poor people build self-sufficiency."

?"[S]o many partners share our vision of an equitable world and are willing to put money behind it, even in these tough times. When people know the kind of impact their generosity has, they are not only willing but eager to help."

?On the positive impact effective foreign aid has had on the world's poorest: "The relatively small amount of money invested in development has changed the future prospects of billions of people - and it can do the same for billions more - if we make the choice to continue investing in innovation. We will repeat that message over and over.because we are convinced that when people hear stories of the lives they've helped to improve, they want to do more, not less."

?"We can help poor farmers sustainably increase their productivity so they can feed themselves and their families. By doing so, they will contribute to global food security. But that will happen only if we prioritize agricultural innovation. . It is shocking, not to mention short-sighted and potentially dangerous - how little money is spent on agricultural research."

?On global health: "[T]he success of the polio eradication program in India and 90 other countries gives me confidence that we can triumph in these final challenging countries and end polio once and for all."

? "The cost of keeping a patient on AIDS drugs has been coming down, and it looks like getting it to $300 per patient per year should be achievable. That will mean every $300 that governments invest in the Global Fund will put another person on treatment for a year. Every $300 that's not forthcoming will represent a person taken off treatment. . I believe that if people understood the choice, they would ask their government to save more lives."
?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories0112_71880_html/44286106/SIG=11m1pet3m/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71880.html

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বুধবার, ২৫ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Paul Yeager: 2011: Second Coolest Year of Past 11

The official climate report has been issued by NOAA, and while 2011 was warmer than average globally, the year was the second coolest year of the relatively young 21st century.

In a separate release, NOAA updated the number of record-breaking billion-dollar-plus weather disasters from 12 to 14.

Two separate La Nina events -- one lingering through spring and a second beginning in the fall -- helped to keep global temperatures cooler than it would otherwise have been, according to NOAA scientists. Global temperatures were 1.0 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, making 2011 the 11th warmest year since records began (1880).

In the United States, 2011 was the 23rd warmest year on record, with near-normal precipitation. The precipitation stats are a little misleading since that represents an average of the two extremes of record-breaking precipitation in some areas from the Midwest and Northeast and record-breaking drought in parts of the South. This is something I talked about recently (Record-Breaking Warmth, Precipitation, and Drought Highlight 2011 Weather Extremes)

La Nina is a cooling of sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific that tends to have an overall cooling effect on global temperatures and influence global weather patterns.

2012-01-22-significant_weather_2011.gif

The weather patterns have included a plethora of dramatic weather events in recent months, and additional information has prompted NOAA to add two weather disasters to the already record-breaking number of 12 for the 2011 calendar year. The newly included disasters include the flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee in the Northeastern U.S. and parts of the mid-Atlantic region.

Lee followed closely on the hills of the devastating Hurricane Irene in early September.

Also added to the list was an outbreak of damaging thunderstorms and tornadoes in the Rockies and Midwest in July.

I expected that the number of billion-dollar weather disasters would be increased to 14, but I thought that it would have included the record-breaking October snowstorm in the Northeast and northern mid-Atlantic region. That storm has not -- at least as of yet -- been added to this official list.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-yeager/globe-not-as-warm-as-rece_b_1222199.html

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মঙ্গলবার, ২৪ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Oscar prospects span the century as noms near

FILE- In this file film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Jean Dujardin portrays George Valentin, left, and Berenice Bejo portrays Peppy Miller in a scene from "The Artist." (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, FILE)

FILE- In this file film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Jean Dujardin portrays George Valentin, left, and Berenice Bejo portrays Peppy Miller in a scene from "The Artist." (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, FILE)

FILE- In this file film publicity image released by Disney, Viola Davis is shown in a scene from "The Help." (AP Photo/Disney, Dale Robinette, FILE)

FILE- In this file image released by Fox Searchlight Films, George Clooney, left, and Shailene Woodley are shown in a scene from "The Descendants." (AP Photo/Fox Searchlight Films, Merie Wallace, FILE)

(AP) ? Prospective Academy Awards nominees have pretty much every decade of the last century covered, from the World War I epic "War Horse" through modern times with the family drama "The Descendants."

In between at Tuesday morning's nominations are such contenders as the 1920s and '30s tales "The Artist" and "Hugo," the 1950s movie-making story "My Week with Marilyn," the 1960s Deep South drama "The Help," the 1970s Cold War thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and the Margaret Thatcher chronicle "The Iron Lady," spanning decades from her youth in World War II through her 1980s and '90s career as Britain's prime minister.

The Oscar nominations will be announced by Jennifer Lawrence at a 10-minute, predawn ceremony at the headquarters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The best-picture prize on Oscar night could become a tussle between the top films at the Golden Globes: best drama recipient "The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a Hawaii father trying to keep his family together after a boating accident puts his wife in a coma; and best musical or comedy winner "The Artist," with Jean Dujardin as a silent-movie star whose career crumbles as talking pictures take over.

Clooney and Dujardin, who won the lead-actor Globes in their respective categories, are likely best-actor nominees at the Oscars.

Another performer with strong prospects is Globe dramatic actress winner Meryl Streep as Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." Two-time Oscar winner Streep would pad her record as the most-nominated actress, raising her total to 17 nominations, five more than Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, who are tied for second-place.

Also in the running: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as Mississippi maids in "The Help"; Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe and Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier in "My Week with Marilyn"; Leonardo DiCaprio as FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover in "J. Edgar"; Glenn Close as a woman masquerading as a male butler in "Albert Nobbs"; Brad Pitt as Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane in "Moneyball"; and Michael Fassbender as a sex addict in "Shame."

Winners of the 84th annual Oscars will be announced at a Feb. 26 ceremony aired live on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, with Billy Crystal returning as host for the first time in eight years.

The most-beloved Oscar host of the last two decades, Crystal agreed to lead the show for the ninth time after Eddie Murphy bowed out in support of his pal, filmmaker Brett Ratner, who quit as Oscar producer amid the uproar over a gay slur he uttered in front of an audience at a screening of his and Murphy's comedy "Tower Heist."

Crystal's return could bump up the TV ratings for the show, which have been on a general decline over the last couple of decades.

What usually results in big TV ratings, though, is a blockbuster such as eventual Oscar champs "Titanic" or "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in the thick of the best-picture contest. More fans tune in because they have a stake in the outcome.

But there are no colossal films such as that in the mix this time. "The Help" and best-picture longshot "Bridesmaids" are solid hits, both taking in about $170 million domestically, while "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is closing on the $100 million mark. So far, other best-picture prospects are well under that level, ranging from $75 million for "Moneyball" to $12 million for "The Artist."

___

David Germain reported from Park City, Utah.

___

Online:

http://www.oscars.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-24-Oscar%20Nominations/id-6cfe38b7ae42446da7c0ac304ba53c20

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Groundbreaking jazz manager John Levy dies at 99 (AP)

ALTADENA, California ? John Levy, the first prominent African-American personal manager in the jazz or pop music field, whose clients included Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis, has died at age 99.

Devra Hall Levy posted on his website that her husband died Friday in his sleep at his home in Altadena, California, less than three months before his 100th birthday.

An accomplished bassist, the New Orleans-born Levy performed with such jazz greats as Stuff Smith, Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner and Billy Taylor in the 1940s before joining pianist George Shearing's original quintet. In the early 1950s, he became Shearing's full-time manager and later went on to form his own management agency, John Levy Enterprises Inc.

Levy's client roster over the years included more than 85 artists, including Wilson, Lewis, Nat and Cannonball Adderley, Betty Carter, Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, Shirley Horn, Freddie Hubbard, Ahmad Jamal and Abbey Lincoln as well as comedian Arsenio Hall.

In 2006, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Levy as a Jazz Master, the nation's highest jazz honor.

___

Online:

http://www.lushlife.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_en_mu/us_obit_john_levy

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সোমবার, ২৩ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Financial infidelity: Take survey on money secrets

Getty Images stock

Are you hiding a money secret?

By Allison Linn

Maybe you snuck a latte in this morning even though you and your spouse swore off the coffee shop to save money.

Maybe you told your boyfriend those shoes you bought were on sale, when really you paid full price.

Or maybe you?re waiting for just the right moment to reveal to your fianc? that you have a $12,000 credit card bill hanging over your head.

Everyone knows financial issues can make or break a relationship, and yet we?re guessing few of us are completely honest with our spouse or partner when it comes to money.

TODAY.com and SELF magazine are partnering to find out the truth about money lies.

We want to hear from you: How much financial information do you have to share with your partner, and when? What is an acceptable little white lie, and when does not being upfront about finances constitute financial infidelity?

Click here to take our survey, and we?ll use the results in some upcoming stories.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10199900-financial-infidelity-take-our-survey-on-money-secrets-and-lies

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Top 12 best cars for the money

Consumer confidence may be rising, but it still makes sense to watch every penny ? especially with big purchases, like a new car. Although auto sales perked up in 2011, value is still the name of the game. U.S. News Best Cars spent months analyzing thousands of professional reviews, as well as reliability and safety data, to create the 2012 Best Cars for the Money Awards. Here are the 12 most highly praised low-cost, low-maintenance models for 2012:

- Jamie Page Deaton,?Contributor

1. Best subcompact ? Ford Fiesta

Subcompact cars are no longer the models you buy because you can?t afford anything better. Today?s small cars are safer than the tiny tin cans of yesteryear, and they have better performance. Car companies are also putting high-tech features like Bluetooth into small cars, so you can get one that?s nearly as well-equipped as a high-end car.

The 2012 Ford Fiesta is emblematic of this trend, and reviewers love its peppy urban performance, high-end feel, and extensive options list. Even though you can outfit it with Ford?s SYNC system, which allows you to use voice commands to control most of the interior systems, the Fiesta is no budget-buster. The Fiesta can get up to 40 miles per gallon (m.p.g.) on the highway and starts at just $13,200. It?s also a top safety pick for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an honor it earned for its strong crash-test performance.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/CLN8v9ezIko/Top-12-best-cars-for-the-money

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রবিবার, ২২ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Fewer layoffs, lower inflation give economy a lift (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The economy is off to a fast start in 2012.

The outlook for hiring has brightened as applications for unemployment benefits near a four-year low.

Adding to the optimism, inflation remains low, business travel is up and the home market is showing slight gains after three dismal years.

That's the picture sketched by a flurry of data Thursday. It followed other reports that show the economy began the year with vitality: Companies are hiring more, consumer confidence is up, more people are buying cars and factories are making more goods.

Even bank lending, which all but froze during the depths of the financial crisis, is on the rise.

Many economists caution that it's too early to conclude that the recovery is accelerating.

"There's no doubt that the economy is getting better; we just shouldn't get carried away," Mark Vitner, an economist at Wells Fargo, said. "We haven't shifted into a higher gear."

Despite six months of solid job growth, unemployment remains painfully high at 8.5 percent. And inflation-adjusted wages fell over the past year.

Housing is still slowing the economic recovery. And a recession in Europe would weaken growth in the United States and elsewhere.

Still, Thursday's reports were encouraging:

? Fewer people sought unemployment benefits last week than at any time in nearly four years. The seasonally adjusted drop was the steepest in more than six years. It reduced the week's total to just 352,000. The four-week average dropped to 379,000. When applications fall consistently below 375,000, it usually signals that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.

? Manufacturing expanded in the Northeast in January, according to surveys by the Federal Reserve banks of New York and Philadelphia. That followed a report from the Fed that factory output across the country surged in December by the most in a year.

? Inflation appears to be peaking after surging last year. Consumer prices were unchanged in December, in part because gas is cheaper. Lower inflation gives consumers more spending power. It also gives the Fed leeway to keep interest rates low to help the economy.

? Spending on business travel rose 7.6 percent last year, the Global Business Travel Association said last week. More business travel benefits companies like Southwest Airlines, which reported higher fourth-quarter net income and revenue.

? Union Pacific Corp., the nation's largest rail operator, says it transported more cars, oil, industrial parts and chemicals in the final quarter of 2011. CEO Jim Young says he expects the railroad's revenue to continue growing in 2012

? JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank, said its lending to businesses rose 12 percent in the October-December quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. Its lending to mid-size companies picked up. And at Bank of America, average loans to mid-size businesses grew 4 percent in the last three months of 2011. Tight credit has been a major reason why smaller businesses have been unable to expand and hire more.

The stock market has rallied in response to the news. The Dow Jones industrial average has reached its highest point since July.

A recovery hinges on strong job growth. Hiring was solid in the final six months of last year, capped by December's net increase of 200,000 jobs.

The job market still has a long way to go before it fully recovers from the damage of the Great Recession, which wiped out 8.7 million jobs. More than 13 million people remain unemployed. Millions more have given up looking for work and so are no longer counted as unemployed.

And wages aren't keeping up with inflation. Average inflation-adjusted hourly earnings dropped 0.9 percent last year.

Without more jobs and higher pay, consumers might have to cut back on spending. That would weigh down growth next year. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the economy.

In December, home builders ended their third straight year of dismal home construction. And 2011 was the worst on record for single-family home building.

Signs of improvement surfaced toward the end of the year, when builders started more single-family homes in each of the final three months of 2011.

And the average rate on the 30-year mortgage fell to a record low of 3.88 percent this week, according to Freddie Mac.

So far, low rates have done little to boost home sales. But a survey of homebuilders this week showed that builders are growing more optimistic about this year after seeing a rise in the number of people looking to buy.

"We expect further sustained gains in starts and permits over the next few months; a real recovery is getting started," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.

___

AP Real Estate Writer Derek Kravitz contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_bi_ge/us_economy

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শনিবার, ২১ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

China factories see sluggish start in 2012: HSBC PMI (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's factory activity likely fell for a third successive month in January, suggesting Beijing's pro-growth policies will remain in place despite early signs that the downward drift is slowing, a survey of purchasing managers showed on Friday.

The HSBC flash manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI), the earliest indicator of China's industrial activity, stood at 48.8 in January, a three-month high and a slight improvement on the 48.7 final reading of the December index.

Turnarounds in sub-indexes measuring new export orders, backlogs of work and stocks of finished goods were all signs of strengthening activity, though the overall reading stayed below the 50 level -- which demarcates expansion from contraction -- where it has languished for most of the last seven months.

New orders overall ticked to a three-month high, but failed by a narrow margin to get back above the 50 level.

Areas of concern for investors linger beside the bright spots though, with the overall output index signaling contraction at a faster rate in January than December -- a trend also reflected in the stocks and quantities of purchases.

"The most vulnerable firms are the all-important, highly externalized ones in the manufacturing sector -- especially the smaller firms, which the HSBC flash is weighted towards," Jeremy Stevens, China economist with Standard Bank in Beijing said.

"These smaller firms have long tentacles reaching deeply into the broader economy. The data confirms that many have been forced into lock-down mode, favoring cash preservation over revenue generation," he wrote in a note to clients.

Deteriorating demand from China's biggest trading partners in the European Union and the United States helped drag growth in the world's second-biggest economy down to its lowest in 2-1/2 years in the final quarter of 2011.

The new export orders sub-index, however, managed to bounce to 51.1 from a three-month low.

That followed a run of recent official data that showed a surprising uptick in industrial output growth to 12.8 percent in December 2011 from a year ago and a year-on-year 18.1 percent jump in retail sales.

But official data has also shown a fall in fixed asset investment growth and a further slowdown in the rate of property investment that has been a key driver of economic expansion.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japanese manufacturers remained pessimistic about business conditions for the second straight month in January amid Europe's debt crisis and the slowing global outlook, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.

But manufacturing sentiment is seen bottoming out over the next three months, according to the poll.

SLOWER GROWTH, POLICY ACTION

The PMI survey did nothing to turn Qu Hongbin, chief China economist at HSBC, from the view that more fine-tuning of economic policy should be expected from the Chinese government.

"The third consecutive below-50 reading of the manufacturing PMI suggested that growth is likely to moderate further," he said in a statement accompanying the index.

"Despite the upside surprise of industrial production growth in December, the ongoing slowdown of investment and exports implies more headwinds to growth and likely destocking pressures for manufacturers in the coming months. We expect more policy easing to stabilize growth," Qu said.

Economists forecast a fifth-successive quarter of slower Chinese GDP growth in the first three months of 2012, easing further from the 8.9 percent of Q4 2011. Many expect the year ahead to deliver the slowest overall growth in a decade.

The pullback in activity has fuelled expectations that the government will take more forceful measures to bolster growth and save jobs, beyond the so-called fine-tuning it began to implement in October, in the face of a festering European debt crisis and a sharp slowdown in the domestic property sector.

Beijing reduced the amount of cash that banks have to hold as reserves in November for the first time in three years in a bid to shore up cooling economic activity and maintain a steady supply of credit to companies and consumers.

That 50 basis point cut to 21 percent is forecast by economists to be followed by up to 200 bps more throughout the course of 2012, a Reuters poll showed on Thursday.

The January readings from the HSBC flash PMI -- based on up to 90 percent of total responses to a monthly survey -- are likely to have been muddied by the Lunar New Year holidays, which occur earlier than usual in 2012.

(Reporting by Nick Edwards; Editing by Ken Wills)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/bs_nm/us_china_economy_pmi

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?At Apple Everything Is A Secret?

Inside AppleLast year, the Steve Jobs biography was the best-selling book on Amazon. But there is another book about Apple coming out which isn't authorized that delves into the culture of secrecy at Apple. Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired?and Secretive?Company Really Works was written by Fortune senior editor at large Adam Lashinsky, based on a Fortune story he wrote last summer. (Lashinsky spoke with Andrew Keen on TCTV?Part 1 of that interview is up). The book details how Apple keeps its secrets by policing both internal and external leaks. Employees are kept in the dark about what their colleagues are doing and restricted where they can go on campus.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XCpyB9mviO8/

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শুক্রবার, ২০ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Obama set to reject Keystone oil pipeline: sources (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The Obama administration was poised on Wednesday to reject the Keystone crude oil pipeline, according to sources, a decision that would be welcomed by environmental groups but inflame the domestic energy industry.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters the administration could announce its rejection of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline late on Wednesday. But State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said later that it has not made a decision on the proposed pipeline.

TransCanada Corp. shares slid more than 3 percent after reports that rejection was imminent.

"We're expecting the pipeline to be rejected," the source said.

Rejection of the pipeline had been expected in Washington after Obama tried to delay the decision until 2013 but Congress forced his hand as part of a popular tax cut measure. Republican lawmakers have already begun work on a plan to let Congress circumvent the administration and give the project the go-ahead. [ID:nL1E8CBIA7]

State Department officials said TransCanada will be allowed to apply again for a permit if it identifies a new route for the pipeline through Nebraska. Critics of the pipeline have said a spill along this route could contaminate the aquifer. But a new route would mean substantial delays.

TransCanada's planned 1,700-mile pipeline has become a potent symbol in the battle over of the future of U.S. energy policy.

With environmental groups concerned about carbon emissions from oil sands production, the administration in November delayed a decision on a presidential permit for the project until 2013.

But lawmakers that support the project attached a measure to a tax-cut law passed at the end of last year that set a February deadline for a decision.

The administration has said it needs more time to consider alternative routes for the pipeline, which originally was planned to traverse sensitive habitats and a crucial water source in Nebraska.

CAUGHT IN MIDDLE

The pipeline has placed the Obama administration in the middle of a dispute between two key parts of its voting block: green groups who oppose the pipeline over concerns about climate change and some unions who back the project because of the jobs they believe it would create.

Supporters say the pipeline that would transport 830,000 barrel per day of crude to U.S. Gulf coast refineries would create thousands of jobs and is integral to U.S. energy security.

Environmentalists say the job-creation claims are inflated and warn that the pipeline would lock the nation into the use of carbon-intensive oil sands crude for years. They said their support for Obama's reelection campaign this year depended on his rejection of the pipeline.

The company in November agreed to find a new route away from the Sandhills and Ogallala aquifer in Nebraska.

TransCanada shares tumbled as word circulated of a rejection for the project the company has developed and promoted for more than three years. The stock was down more than 3 percent at C$40.91 on the Toronto Stock Exchange at midday.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said this week that Iran's threat to block shipping in the Strait of Hormuz pointed to why Washington should approve the project.

(Additional reporting By Roberta Rampton, Jeff Jones; Writing by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by David Gregorio and Russell Blinch)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/wl_canada_nm/canada_us_keystone_decision

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Andy Serkis Promises Smaug Will Be 'Extraordinary' In 'The Hobbit'

There really is nothing more delightful than an encounter with Andy Serkis. He is just so darn humble and nice, not to mention spectacularly talented. Our latest run-in with the "Tintin" and "Rise Of The Planet of the Apes" actor was at the Golden Globes which Serkis was attending in support of "Tintin," which took [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/18/andy-serkis-smaug-hobbit/

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Sarah Palin Would 'Vote For Newt' To Keep Primary Process Going (VIDEO)

Newt Gingrich's campaign is touting a Fox News appearance by former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, with the headline, "If I Were A South Carolinian, I Would Vote For Newt."

Palin did not really endorse Newt, but she did have nice words about his debate performance. She said she would vote for him if she were in South Carolina because it would keep the process going -- and prevent Mitt Romney from becoming the anointed nominee. From her appearance with Sean Hannity:

I do think that Newt is the one who won the debate, if you will, because Newt came out just like South Carolina's own Smokin' Joe Frazier. He came out there swinging, talking about work. Talking about jobs. Talking about work ethic. ...

If I were a South Carolinian -- and each one of these primaries and caucuses are different, Sean -- I want to see this thing continue because iron sharpens iron. Steel sharpens steel. These guys are getting better in their debates. ... If I had to vote in South Carolina, in order to keep this thing going, I'd vote for Newt. And I would want things to continue. More debates, more vetting of candidates. Because we know the mistake made in our country four years ago, with having a candidate that was not vetted to the degree he should have been.

WATCH VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THIS STORY (via Fox News)

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/sarah-palin-newt-gingrich_n_1212125.html

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