Thursday 11 April 2013

13 people killed in shooting spree in Serbia

VELIKA IVANCA, Serbia (AP) ? A 60-year-old veteran gunned down 13 people in a pre-dawn, house-to-house rampage Tuesday in Serbia, killing his mother, his son and a two-year-old cousin before shooting himself and his wife, police and hospital officials said.

The man, identified as Ljubisa Bogdanovic, used a handgun in the shooting spree at five houses in Velika Ivanca, a village 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Belgrade, emergency hospital spokeswoman Nada Macura said.

Twelve people were killed immediately between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. and one person died in a Belgrade hospital, Serbian police chief Milorad Veljovic said. The man and his wife were both severely injured by the shootings and another person was also injured, Macura said.

"Most of the victims were shot while they were asleep," Veljovic told reporters. "The most harrowing scene discovered by police was the dead bodies of a young mother and her two-year-old son."

He said the motive for the killings was unclear.

Although such shootings are relatively rare in Serbia, weapons are readily available, mostly from the 1990s wars in the Balkans. Media reports said the suspect had a license for the handgun.

Residents said the man first killed his son and his mother before leaving his house and then began shooting his neighbors. They expressed shock, describing the suspect as a nice quiet man living in one of a dozen modest homes that make up this village set on a lush green hill covered with fruit trees.

"He knocked on the doors and as they were opened he just fired a shot," said resident Radovan Radosavljevic. "He was a good neighbor and anyone would open their doors to him. I don't know what happened."

Neighbors said an entire five-member family was shot dead in one house, including the small boy who was the suspected killer's cousin.

Milovan Kostadinovic said the suspect was confronted by police while en route to Kostadinovic's house.

"If they didn't stop him, he would have wiped us all out," Kostadinovic said, standing in front of his two-story, red tile- roofed house. "He shot himself when police stopped him."

The suspect had lost his job last year and fought as a Serb soldier in the war in Croatia in 1992, the police chief said. Villagers said Bogdanovic fought in Vukovar, the eastern Croatian town that was destroyed in a massive Serbian-led army offensive ? the scene of the worst bloodshed during Croatia's 1991-95 war for independence.

Serbian police officers guard houses in the village of Velika Ivanca, Serbia, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. A 60-year-old man gunned down 13 people, including a baby, in a house-to-house rampage in the ... more? Serbian police officers guard houses in the village of Velika Ivanca, Serbia, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. A 60-year-old man gunned down 13 people, including a baby, in a house-to-house rampage in the quiet village on Tuesday before trying to kill himself and his wife, police and hospital officials said. Belgrade emergency hospital spokeswoman Nada Macura said the man, identified only as Ljubisa B., used a handgun in the shooting spree at five houses. The dead included six women. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) less? ?

Macura, the hospital spokeswoman, said the shooter had no known history of mental illness. Stanica Kostadinovic, another neighbor, said the man's father had hanged himself when he was a young boy and his uncle had a history of mental illness.

Doctors said later Tuesday that the suspect's condition was critical but his wife was able to communicate with hospital staff.

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said the killings showed that the government must pay more attention to gun control laws and other social problems facing the Balkan nation, which is still reeling from the 1990s wars.

The Serbian government held an emergency session Tuesday and was expected to proclaim a day of national mourning.

Police blocked off the village while forensic teams and investigators in white protective robes took evidence from homes where the shootings took place.

Serbia's last big shooting spree occurred in 2007, when a 39-year-old man gunned down nine people and injured two others in the eastern village of Jabukovac.

__

Sabina Niksic contributed from Bosnia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/13-people-killed-shooting-spree-serbia-065629795.html

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Fukushima radioactive water 'leak'

A fresh suspected leak of radioactive water has been detected at Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, its operator says.

The contaminated water may have leaked into the ground from one of the plant's storage tanks, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) said.

The nuclear plant has suffered two power failures in the past month.

Separately, the International Atomic Energy Agency said it would visit the plant to conduct a review.

If confirmed, the leak at the underground storage pool would be the third leak discovered at the plant since Saturday.

The underground tanks store radioactive water that have been used in the plant's cooling systems.

'Tremendous worry'

The suspected leak was detected at the plant's number one pool, the destination for contaminated water from the number two pool, which was also leaking. The transfer has now been stopped.

"We understand that we have caused tremendous worry to the people of Fukushima and the wider public and we apologise for that," Tepco spokesman Masayuki Ono told reporters.

Tepco said that while water may have leaked into the ground, it did not believe the water had reached the sea.

It was "currently investigating the cause and countermeasures", said the company in a statement.

Meanwhile, the IAEA said it would send a team of experts to the site of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant from 15 to 22 April to review the government's decommissioning plans for the plant.

The visit had been requested by the Japanese government, the IAEA added.

In the past month, Fukushima nuclear plant has experienced two power outages that shut down some of its cooling systems for spent fuel ponds.

On 11 March 2011, an earthquake and tsunami crippled the plant. Waves knocked out cooling systems for the reactors, leading to meltdowns at three of them.

Engineers have since stabilised the plant but years of work lie ahead to fully contain the disaster and tackle its effects.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22079370#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Wednesday 10 April 2013

Zynga's Gaming Partner Bwin Spins Off Payments Platform Kalixa To Better Target The $1.3T E-Commerce Market

kalixa logoBwin, the online gaming giant that is powering Zynga's first foray into real-money gambling, in the UK, today is spinning off its payments platform Kalixa. In turn, Kalixa is launching new mobile and online wallet products to further its concept of being a one-stop shop for those seeking an e-commerce solution. The move is a sign of how companies are digging in further to tap revenues in the fast-growing world of e-commerce, which passed sales of $1 trillion for the first time last year and is projected to hit $1.3 trillion in 2013.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/dyv2bGVaYJw/

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Stocks gain; Dow hits fresh high

Stocks eased off their session highs but finished in positive territory for the second day Tuesday. The Dow touched a fresh intraday high and the S&P 500 traded within 2 points of its all-time peak.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average held modest gains after rallying to hit a fresh all-time high at 14,716.46, buoyed by Microsoft and Intel.

Interestingly, the blue-chip index has yet to log a three-day losing streak this year. The last time the Dow went this far into a year without a losing streak of that length was 1976. The Dow ended that year with a 18 percent rally.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also held their gains. If the S&P 500 ends higher, it could mark the end of the "alternation streaks" for the index. The S&P 500 has alternated between gains and losses for the past 14 sessions for the first time ever.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, slid below 13.

Among key S&P sectors, materials rallied, while utilities slid.

Alcoa struggled for direction after the aluminum producer reported an increase in quarterly profit as performance in its alumina and primary metals segments improved despite a tough market, but revenue fell slightly short of estimates. Still Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld told CNBC that he remains "relatively optimistic" that 2013 will be better than 2012 and continues to project 7 percent global demand growth in aluminum.

Alcoa unofficially kicks off this quarter's earnings season, which is expected to be fairly weak.

(Read More: Earnings Season Could Bring 'April Anxiety')

For the first quarter, earnings growth is expected to gain by just 1.6 percent, compared to 6.2 percent last quarter, according to Thomson Reuters. The negative warnings are higher than usual?with 108 negative revisions for S&P 500 companies. Compared to the 23 positive revisions, it is the worst pace in 12 years, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Banking giants JPMorgan and Wells Fargo are slated to post earnings on Friday.

(Read More: Earnings Season Arrives as Data Flash Warning Signs)

First Solar skyrocketed nearly 50 percent after the solar company announced it expects 2013 earnings of between $4 a share and $4.50 a share and revenue of between $3.8 billion and $4 billion, exceeding current Thomson Reuters expectations for $3.51 a share on sales of $3.12 billion. Rivals including Suntech Power and LDK Solar also soared.

Herbalife dipped after being halted for nearly two hours following news that KPMG resigned as auditor for the nutrition, weight management and skin-care products company, according to the New York Times.

Skechers rose after the footwear retailer also announced the resignation of KPMG as its lead auditor. In a statement, Skechers said that the resignation was "due to misconduct by KPMG's lead audit engagement partner on the Skechers account." Shares were briefly halted earlier.

(Read More: Once Shunned, Funds Now Ally With Activist Investors)

JCPenney slumped to lead the S&P 500 laggards after the company said former CEO Myron Ullman will return as the retailer's chief after Ron Johnson was ousted by the board. Ullman will an annual base salary of $1 million. Adding to woes, the company's sales are down more than 10 percent so far in the first quarter versus a year ago, according to Dow Jones.

(Read More: Cramer: Ullman 'Right Choice' for JCP, but 'I Worry')

Disney slipped slightly as the conglomerate readies to lay off 150 people this week, according to sources close to the situation. The job cuts will be predominately in home entertainment, as the company adjusts to industry-wide declines in DVD sales.

Traders will be looking out for clues about the future of quantitative easingthis week, with the Federal Reserve set to release minutes from its last meeting on Wednesday. There are also several appearances by Fed officials this week, including anti-inflation hawk Jeffrey Lacker and Atlanta Federal Reserve President Dennis Lockhart on Tuesday.

(Read More: Pimco's Bill Gross: Beware of 'Monetary Red Bull')

U.S. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke overnight on Monday at an Atlanta Fed conference. In a speech that did not directly touch on monetary policy, Bernanke hinted at why the central bank continues to pursue ultra-easy monetary policy.

"The economy is significantly stronger than it was four years ago, although conditions are clearly still far from where we would all like them to be," he said.

Meanwhile, St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard told CNBC that he'd be willing to reduce the central bank's massive bond-buying program in "small increments."

The government auctioned $32 billion in 3-year notes at a high yield of 0.342 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 3.24.

On the economic front, wholesale inventories logged its biggest decline since September 2011 in February, according to the Commerce Department. Meanwhile, the National Federation of Independent Business reported that business confidence fell again in March.

In Europe, industrial production in the U.K. rose by more than expected in February, diminishing the risk the economy slipped back into recession in the first quarter of 2013.

(Read More: In Effort to 'Rebalance,' Europe Sticks to Austerity)

Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew pushed for a growth rather than an austerity agenda during the first day of his two-day visit to Europe. Speaking in Brussels, Lew said that the U.S. had an "immense stake in Europe's health and stability" and called on Europe to boost demand.

China's annual consumer inflation eased to 2.1 percent in March from February's 3.2 percent while producer price deflation deepened, data showed on Tuesday, leaving policymakers room to keep monetary conditions easy and nurture a nascent recovery.

?By CNBC's JeeYeon Park (Follow JeeYeon on Twitter: @JeeYeonParkCNBC)

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a864be9/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cstocks0Egain0Edow0Ehits0Efresh0Ehigh0E1C9279170A/story01.htm

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Tuesday 9 April 2013

Rwanda?s Genocide Not Forgotten (Voice Of America)

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Engadget Giveaway: win one of two Amped Wireless router bundles!

Engadget Giveaway win one of two Amped Wireless router bundles!

Chances are avid readers of our site will recognize the Amped Wireless name, because the company pushes out products like routers and range extenders as if they're candy. We're always big fans of new stuff, and Amped is ready to throw some your way. We have two bundles of prizes to hand out, each one containing a R20000G dual-band WiFi router ($140 value), SR20000G Range Extender ($150 value) and Amped's brand new REC10 Compact Range Extender ($80 value) announced just a week ago. The whole set will likely hook you up with WiFi coverage not only throughout your home but your backyard as well -- heck, you may even be able to enjoy a signal at your neighbor's place. It's definitely worth heading below to submit your entry, and we wish you the best of luck!

Note: Please enter using the widget below, as comments are no longer valid methods of entry. The widget only requires your name and email address so we know how to get in touch with you if you win (your information is not given out to third parties), but you will have an option to receive an additional entry by following us on Twitter if you so desire.

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Monday 8 April 2013

Do Green Improvements Improve The Resale Value Of Your Home ...

Do Green Improvements Improve The Resale Value Of Your Home?


Most of us see our homes not just as a place to live and grow, but as a value, an investment. Many homeowners attend to that idea of investment by making various kinds of improvements or modifications to the home with the hopes that it will yield a higher resale value for the home; and lately, with so much emphasis in the culture placed on green living, many homeowners are starting to make green improvements to their homes with the hopes that, like many other improvements, these green amendments will improve the resale value of the home. But, are they right? Will green improvements really improve the resale value of your home? Let?s take a look.

For many years, the industry-standard model for home improvements that most-positively affect your home?s resale value were the bathrooms and the kitchen. The idea that spending money on improving the kitchen and bathrooms will yield higher resale values is still widely utilized by homeowners as well as builders for the simple fact that it is mostly true. Most successful home improvements (and by successful we mean improvements that lead to ROI) are built around the concept of utility and functionality rather than decoration or aesthetics; a kitchen with good cabinets, cooking space and appliances are much more likely to succeed than installing a 2-story fountain or tiling the entirety of the bathroom in salmon-colored tiles flown in from Greece or Italy. This is because while everyone?s aesthetics are different, we all have the same utilitarian needs, and it?s those features that cater to those needs that push the value of a house.

This idea of utility improvements can work very well for certain green improvements as green improvements are almost always about utility instead of aesthetics. Installing low-flow toilets, for example, is a great home improvement as it?s an improvement in one of your target rooms and one that can save big bucks on the energy bill over time. Moreover, many green improvements can positively affect your home?s resale value if they have the potential to lower costs (after the purchase, of course) down the road. That said, some of the best green improvements you can make include installing energy-efficient windows and doors or making sure the home is properly insulated. As we?re still in the midst of an economic depression, many home buyers are likely going to be much more amenable and interested in just about any aspect of the home that could save money?without requiring too much of a lifestyle change (for instance, outdoor, rainwater showers?while economical?are very unlikely to generate much interest on the market).

Unfortunately, as green home improvements and LEED certification are a newer phenomenon, and at a time when real estate is low to begin with, much of the data is lacking on just how successful green improvements can be to resale values. According to the Washington Post, a study conducted by the Earth Advantage Institute in Portland, Oregon found that new homes with energy certifications sold for 8 percent higher than those homes without the certification and older homes who?ve met the certification requirements sold for 30-percent higher (articles.washingtonpost.com). Even though the data is from a small section of the country, those numbers should be inspiring to those looking to do some green improvements on their home, the data taken as a synecdoche of where the rest of the country might be going.

Installing photovoltaic solar panels can be an expensive improvement, but with the amount of government subsidies, many of the PV installations added value to the house at approximately 97 percent of the improvement?s costs. While certainly not a small endeavor, that recoupment should be very enticing to homeowners. Similarly, replacing water heaters with tank-less heaters can save on water and energy but can also require new gas lines, which, depending on the size of the house, can be just as expensive as a traditional water heater.

When planning your green improvements, consider projects that will lower utility expenses without breaking the bank. You might also want to make your decisions based around the market area of your home. Don?t risk bringing up the value of your house too much if the surrounding properties?aren?t?of a similar persuasion. Green improvements to doors, windows and plumbing are relatively cheaper and will usually have positive results in resale terms; you?ll have to decide for yourself, or by consulting with a realtor, to determine if your house warrants some of the more expensive improvements.


Source: http://www.greenwerkspro.com/do-green-improvements-improve-the-resale-value-of-your-home/

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Inbee Park takes 3-shot lead in Kraft Nabisco

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) ? Inbee Park's 7-iron tee shot Saturday on the 168-yard 17th hole turned to left on a perfect line at the back-left pin, landed softly and rolled to 2? feet for yet another birdie in the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

The 24-year-old South Korean player, three strokes ahead with a round left in the first major championship of the year, admitted it wasn't quite the way she planned it after watching playing partner Lizette Salas' ball sail too far left and into a bunker.

"It was actually a little bit of a mis-shot," Park said. "I aimed a little more right, but I slightly pulled it and it ended up perfect."

Bogey-free in her last 22 holes at Mission Hills, Park shot her second straight 5-under 67 in tricky wind conditions to reach 12 under.

"I feel really good about my swing and the stroke at the moment," Park said. "I feel really comfortable around this golf course, too. That helps. Three good rounds, and I just need another one tomorrow. ... I was really used to the wind after yesterday, because we had a really similar wind. It was a lot easier to judge today."

She's in position for her second major title and second victory of the year. She won the 2008 U.S. Women's Open and added her fourth LPGA Tour title in February in Thailand when Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a triple bogey to blow a two-stroke lead.

"This one would mean a lot," Park said. "It's just been a tournament I always wanted to win and, with the special ceremony jumping in the water, everybody just wants to do that."

Salas, a stroke behind Park entering the round, had a 69 to remain second.

"I've just got to stay patient and just trust my putter and just keep it simple," Salas said "I'm just going to stick to my game plan. I can't control what she does. I can only control my swing thoughts and my routine."

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, the tournament winner in 2000 and 2006, was five strokes back at 6 under along with Suzann Pettersen, Angela Stanford, Jessica Korda, Karine Icher and Pornanong Phatlum. Stanford had a 66, the best round of the tournament. Webb and Pettersen shot 67, Korda and Icher 68, and Phatlum 70.

Park matched Salas with a birdie on the par-4 opening hole and got to 9 under with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth. Park stretched her advantage to two strokes with another 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 10th, then nearly holed her 9-iron approach on the par-4 12th, leaving only 2? feet for another birdie that pushed the lead to three.

Salas pulled within two with a birdie on the par-4 13th, and Park countered with the birdie on 17. Park saved par on 17 after hitting into the bunker, then missed a chance to get closer on the par-5 18th when her 6-foot birdie attempt slid by to the right.

"I wasn't hitting the ball as well as the first two days, but I kept putting myself in good position, hit some good shots out of the rough, and hit a great bunker shot on 17 to get up and down for par," Salas said. "Obviously, you want to end with a birdie, and it didn't quite drop. Overall, pretty good day considering I didn't hit the ball well."

The 23-year-old Salas grew up west of Los Angeles in Azusa, where her father is the head mechanic at a golf course, and was a four-time All-America selection at the University of Southern California.

"I feed off the crowd and, to have my fans out here, my family here, it just helps me stay calm," Salas said. "I'm playing in my backyard, so I can't ask for anything more than that."

Stanford rebounded with the 66 after opening with rounds of 70 and 74.

"I've kind of been fighting it all week and I kind of found a thought that worked the rest of the day," Stanford said. "I made the turn and started hitting some good shots."

Pettersen, playing on her 32nd birthday, birdied the final four holes. She had a share of the first-round lead after a 68, then dropped back with a 75 on Friday.

"I probably should have had six straight birdies coming in," said Pettersen, a three-time runner-up in the event. "I've given myself a chance for tomorrow."

The 38-year-old Webb won the last of her 38 tour titles in 2011.

"I'm just glad I gave myself a chance," Webb said. "If we can get some breeze going tomorrow, I think that'll make it interesting."

Korda, the 20-year-old daughter of former tennis star Petr Korda, is spending time with her family for the first time since January.

"It's really nice," said Korda, the Women's Australian Open winner last year. "My brother and sister got so big. It was really nice to see everybody. I miss my dad's humor and my mom's calmness, and she did my laundry last night, so it was kind of nice."

Michelle Wie had a 73 to drop to 1 under. She has broken 70 only once in 17 rounds this season and is using an unorthodox putting stance with her torso bent parallel to the ground,

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis was 1 under after a 71.

"Coming into the week my swing didn't feel great and I was kind of hoping I would figure things out by now, but I just haven't," said Lewis, the 2011 champion.

She has struggled after winning consecutive events this year in Singapore and Phoenix to take the top spot in the world from Yani Tseng.

DIVOTS: The second-ranked Tseng was even par after a 69. She won the 2010 tournament and finished second in 2011 and third last year. ... Lydia Ko, the 15-year-old New Zealand amateur who won the Canadian Women's Open last August to become the youngest LPGA Tour champion, shot a 71 to reach 1 over. ... Natalie Gulbis was 2 over after a 72 in her return from malaria.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/inbee-park-takes-3-shot-lead-kraft-nabisco-005122255--spt.html

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American Idol Power Poll: The Super 6

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/american-idol-power-poll-the-super-6/

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First magic mushroom depression trial hits stumbling block

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's first clinical trial designed to explore using a hallucinogen from magic mushrooms to treat people with depression has stalled because of British and European rules on the use of illegal drugs in research.

David Nutt, president of the British Neuroscience Association and professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, said he had been granted an ethical green light and funding for the trial, but regulations were blocking it.

"We live in a world of insanity in terms of regulating drugs," he told a neuroscience conference in London on Sunday.

He has previously conducted small experiments on healthy volunteers and found that psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, has the potential to alleviate severe forms of depression in people who don't respond to other treatments.

Following these promising early results he was awarded a 550,000 pounds ($844,000) grant from the UK's Medical Research Council to conduct a full clinical trial in patients.

But psilocybin is illegal in Britain, and under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances it is classified as a Schedule 1 drug - one that has a high potential for abuse and no recognized medical use.

This, Nutt explained, means scientists need a special license to use magic mushrooms for trials in Britain, and the manufacture of a synthetic form of psilocybin for use in patients is tightly controlled by European Union regulations.

Together, this has meant he has so far been unable to find a company able to make and supply the drug for his trial, he said.

"Finding companies who could manufacture the drug and who are prepared to go through the regulatory hoops to get the license, which can take up to a year and triple the price, is proving very difficult," he said.

Nutt said regulatory authorities have a "primitive, old-fashioned attitude that Schedule 1 drugs could never have therapeutic potential", despite the fact that his research and the work done by other teams suggests such drugs may help treat some patients with psychiatric disorders.

Psilocybin - or "magic" - mushrooms grow naturally around the world and have been widely used since ancient times for religious rites and also for recreation.

Researchers in the United States have seen positive results in trials using MDMA, a pure form of the party drug ecstasy, in treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

"What we are trying to do is to tap into the reservoir of under-researched illegal drugs to see if we can find new and beneficial uses for them in people whose lives are often severely affected by illnesses such as depression," Nutt said.

The proposed trial would involve 60 patients with depression who have failed two previous treatments.

During two or three controlled sessions with a therapist, half would be given a synthetic form of psilocybin, and the other 30 a placebo. They would have guided talking therapy to explore negative thinking and issues troubling them, and doctors would follow them up for at least a year.

Nutt secured ethical approval for the trial in March.

In previous research, Nutt found that when healthy volunteers were injected with psilocybin, the drug switched off a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known to be overactive in people with depression.

"Even in normal people, the more that part of the brain was switched off under the influence of the drug, the better they felt two weeks later. So there was a relationship between that transient switching off of the brain circuit and their subsequent mood,", he said. "This is the basis on which we want to run the trial."

(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Richard Meares)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-magic-mushroom-depression-trial-hits-stumbling-block-231805511.html

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Sunday 7 April 2013

Kerry Seeks Speedy Fix for Turkish-Israeli Ties

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Turkish leaders Sunday to speedily restore full diplomatic relations with Israel, two American allies the U.S. sees as anchors of stability in a Middle East wracked by Syria's civil war, Arab Spring political upheavals and the potential threat posed by Iran's nuclear program.

Turkey, however, demanded that Israel end all "embargoes" against the Palestinians first.

In Istanbul on the first leg of a 10-day overseas trip, Kerry met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu with the aim of firming up the rapprochement between Turkey and Israel that President Barack Obama kick-started during a visit to the Jewish state last month.

Kerry met later Sunday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan before traveling on to Israel.

"We would like to see this relationship that is important to stability in the Middle East and critical to the peace process ... get back on track in its full measure," Kerry told reporters at a joint news conference with Davutoglu. He said that meant promises of "compensation be fulfilled, ambassadors be returned and that full relationship be embraced."

The two nations were once close partners, but the relationship plummeted in 2010 after an Israeli raid on a flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip. Eight Turks and a Turkish-American died.

Before leaving Israel two weeks ago, Obama arranged a telephone conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Erdogan. Netanyahu apologized for the incident, and compensation talks are expected to begin this week.

But Davutoglu suggested that full normalization of ties would probably take some time.

"There is an offense that has been committed and there needs to be accountability," Davutoglu said. He signaled that Turkey would pursue a "careful" advance toward a complete restoration of relations, with compensation and an end to Israeli trade restrictions on the Gaza Strip as the stumbling blocks.

"All of the embargoes should be eliminated once and for all," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

Fixing the Turkish-Israeli relationship has been a long-sought goal of the Obama administration, and the U.S. desperately wants significant progress by the time Erdogan visits the White House in mid-May.

The Turks have reveled somewhat in what they view as a diplomatic victory, with billboards in Ankara celebrating Netanyahu's apology and praising Erdogan for bringing pride to his country. Perhaps seeking to buffer his leverage further, Erdogan signaled shortly after the call that he was in no hurry to finalize the deal and pledged to visit the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory soon.

From a U.S. strategic sense, cooperation between the American allies has only become more important as Syria's two-year conflict has grown ever deadlier. More than 70,000 people have died in the war, according to the United Nations, but the U.S. fears it could get even worse ? by spilling into neighboring countries or through chemical weapons being used. Both potential scenarios have prompted intense contingency planning among Washington and its regional partners, Israel and Turkey included.

Kerry, who noted his twice-weekly telephone chats with Davutoglu, spoke of shared U.S. and Turkish efforts to support Syria's opposition coalition. The opposition has suffered from poor coordination between its political leadership and the military factions leading the fight against the Assad regime, and from intense infighting among those who seek to guide the amorphous movement's overall strategy.

Turkey has gone further than the U.S. in its assistance, accepting some 180,000 Syrians as refugees and sending advanced weaponry to rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar Assad. The U.S. is only providing non-lethal aid to the rebels in the form of meals, medical kits and training.

Kerry praised Turkey for its generosity toward refugees and commitment to keeping its borders open, an issue of growing U.S. concern as the outflow of Syrians stretches the capacities of neighboring countries to accommodate them.

"The United States and Turkey will continue cooperating toward the shared goal of a peaceful transition in Syria," he said.

Although given short shrift at the news conference, a U.S. official stressed ahead of Kerry's meetings that he would also urge the Turks to remain cautious over the contentious issue of Iraqi oil.

Turkey wants to import oil directly from Iraq's autonomous Kurds in the north, a step that would enrage the central government in Baghdad and one the U.S. opposes. Washington doesn't want the riches of Iraq to bring the country back to sectarian warfare and has urged that any export arrangement get the Iraqi government's blessing.

The secretary of state is flying later Sunday to Israel, his third trip there in the span of two weeks. He'll meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday night, followed by Netanyahu and other senior Israeli and Palestinian officials Monday as part of a fresh American bid to unlock the long-stalled Middle East peace process.

Conversations in Israel will also cover shared U.S. and Israeli concerns over Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and other world powers met the Islamic republic in Kazakhstan for another round of negotiations, but no breakthrough was announced on a proposed deal that would see international sanctions on Iran eased if Tehran convinces the world it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Kerry said the "door is still open" for a negotiated agreement, but that the onus was on the Iranians.

"If you have a peaceful program for nuclear power, as a number of nations do, it's not hard to prove that," he said. "They have chosen not to live up to the international requirements and standards with respect to verification of their program."

The other stops on his trip are Britain, South Korea, China and Japan. He returns to Washington on April 15.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-seeks-speedy-fix-turkish-israeli-ties-101612020.html

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Mika|?|May 22|Pennsylvania| INTJ
I'm a registered Bibliophile. Hide yo books from me, especially the young ones.
I have an unnatural love for American History. I personify states because I love them so much. No it's not hetalia, bakas.
I'm also incredibly awkward, but people still like me and I sometimes wonder why.
||Things I post frequently||
Assassin's Creed, Boardwalk Empire, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and History stuffs
I will post NSFW stuff from time to time, just so you know.

Source: http://kosmonaunt.tumblr.com/post/47259355186

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App Developers Are Scared Facebook Home Will ... - Business Insider

Screenshot

Facebook Home on two Android phones.

?

If Facebook's new "Home" phone system becomes popular, it could be a huge threat to independent app developers whose products are downloaded in the Google Play app store.

That's because Home essentially functions as a phone operating and organizing system, and users will have to click through an extra layer of Facebook stuff to get to the apps section of their phones.

Any extra layer of stuff can vastly reduce the number of users who open apps or discover new ones.

By amazing coincidence, one of Facebook's most powerful ad products is its mobile app install ad format, which app developers use to promote their apps in people's Facebook news feeds.

Could it be that Facebook wants app developers, and the users they target, to go through Facebook for app discovery?

Messaging apps are most directly threatened, because Facebook Home allows people to continue texting each other even while other things ? the web, maps, etc. ? are running in the background.

Android apps that don't integrate with Facebook's application programming interface (API) could also face doom if Home becomes popular on Android, according to Venture Beat:

It?s gorgeous and comes with tons of innovative new features, but it just might be the death knell for developers whose Android apps don?t integrate with any of Facebook?s APIs.

Who could save them?

Facebook, of course! According to Android Authority, Facebook said:

With Home, people can immediately access your app content from their News Feed once they turn on their phone. We also make it easy for people to engage with your content as they can simply double tap to like a post and comment right from cover feed.

Sure, all that could happen. But if developers really want to make sure that everyone on Facebook knows about their apps, then there's only one real way to achieve that: Facebook mobile app install ads.

Disclosure: The author owns Facebook stock.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/app-developers-are-scared-facebook-home-will-bury-their-stuff-2013-4

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Ohio State junior Thomas declares for NBA Draft

Ohio State junior Deshaun Thomas is leaving Columbus.

Thomas averaged 19.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season and led the Buckeyes to face Wichita State in the Elite Eight. Several NBA executives have told CBSSports.com that the 6-foot-7 forward will likely be taken in the end of the first round or early in the second round.

"My three years at Ohio State have been the best years of my life,? Thomas said in a statement. ?I have grown tremendously as an individual and as a basketball player. I intend to return to finish my degree, but I believe that now is the best opportunity to pursue my dream and begin my career as a professional basketball player. I will always be a Buckeye and am blessed to be a part of the Ohio State University family."

Thomas finishes his career as the No. 9 scorer in the history of the program with 1,630 points.


Eye on College Basketball is managed by our esteemed college hoops troubadours: Matt Norlander, Jeff Borzello, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Parrish. Follow Eye on College Basketball on Twitter.

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" } //console.log(customStrings.signIn); callFBApi = function() { var accessToken; var uid; CBSi.injectJS('//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1', 'facebook-jssdk'); FB.init({ appId : '297742330311988', oauth : true }); FB.login(function(response) { if (response.authResponse) { uid = response.authResponse.userID; accessToken = response.authResponse.accessToken; //CBSi.log("== FB APP DATA ==", response); FB.api('/me', function(social) { //CBSi.log("== FB USER DATA ==", social); log_in_socially(social.name, social.username, 'fb'); }); } }); }; log_in_socially = function(dn, userid, site) { $.ajax({ url: "/data/common/livefyre/lf_social_login", dataType: 'json', data: { lfdn: dn, lfuser: userid, ssite: site } }).done(function(profile) { //CBSi.log("== Social Login ==",profile,site); if (profile.error) { //CBSi.log("Social login failed with error: ", profile); return null; } else { document.cookie = "lf_social_login="+ profile.socialsess +"; expires=0; path=/"; profile.socialsess = '1'; userObj = profile; lf_user_profile = profile; doLivefyreAuth(profile); } }); }; callTwitterApi = function() { window.open('/common/livefyre/V3/via_twitter','twitterOauth','width=600,height=500,menu=0,status=0'); }; function doLivefyreAuth(cval) { //console.log("== Attempting LF Login ==",cval); var isLoggedIn = 1; if (cval) { try { fyre.conv.login(cval.token); } catch (e) { isLoggedIn = 0; } } if (cval.socialsess == 1){ change_avatars(); } } changeDOM = function() { // DOM hacks. Change the UI for the dropdown box //console.log("== Running Dom Hacks =="); if (isLoggedIn == 1){ //console.log("== Checking Match =="); if (hasProfile == 0) { CBSi.log("== adding get comment link =="); // They need a screen name //$('.lf_auth_section a.lf_user_loggedout').html('Get a Screen Name to Comment').addClass('loginLink'); $('.fyre .fyre-user-loggedout').hide(); $('#getScreenName').show(); var screenNameContent = 'Get a Screen Name to Comment'; $('#getScreenName').html(screenNameContent); } else { if (typeof userObj.profile.profile_url != 'undefined'){ if (userObj.profile.profile_url) { //CBSi.log("== adding login profile links =="); $('.fyre .fyre-box-wrapper a.fyre-user-profile-link').attr('href',userObj.profile.profile_url); $('li.fyre-edit-profile-link').html('Edit Profile'); } } } } changedDom = 1; //console.log("== finished dom hacks =="); }; function updateCommentCounts(element,count){ //CBSi.log("== updating comment counts =="); if (count == 1){ $(element).html('' + count + ' ??| ?Comment'); $(element).show(); $('.commentsCountLabel').html('comment'); } else{ $(element).html('' + count + ' ??| ?Comments'); $(element).show(); $('.commentsCountLabel').html('comments'); } $('.commentsCount').html(count); } function removeLfError(){ $('#cbsLfError').remove(); } var authDelegate = new fyre.conv.RemoteAuthDelegate(); authDelegate.login = function (handlers){ if (isLoggedIn Please log in above to post a comment.'); handlers.failure(); } else{ removeLfError(); handlers.success(); } }; function updateAuthorLinks(){ $('.fyre-comment-username').each(function() { $(this).click(function() { window.location.href = $(this).attr('href'); }); }); $('.fyre-comment-author').each(function() { $(this).click(function() { window.location.href = $(this).attr('href'); }); }); } function updateOneLineComments(){ //console.log("Checking Comments"); $(".fyre-comment-wrapper").each(function() { if ($(this).find(".fyre-comment").css('display') != 'none'){ var commentText = $(this).find(".fyre-comment").html(); if (commentText != null){ var loopCtr = 0; // for IE8 while ( (commentText .indexOf("

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Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=0ba1160c500e91b785d96890d66df4a1

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California senator Dianne Feinstein believes the government could legislate the...

California senator Dianne Feinstein believes the government could legislate the sale violent games in US if the industry doesn?t cut back on violence in its games. Speaking in San Francisco this week, Feinstein said if something isn?t done soon, ?

Source: http://www.facebook.com/VG247/posts/509294505774941

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Friday 5 April 2013

Volunteers make prom special for Alaska students (Providence Journal)

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

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Illegal Pets in California | KTXL FOX40

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://fox40.com/2013/04/04/illegal-pets-in-california/

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Community leaders voice anger over Puerto Rican Day parade changes

Conjuring up a history of feeling marginalized in Chicago, Puerto Rican community leaders and veteran activists Thursday voiced their anger over a decision not to hold the Puerto Rican Day parade in Grant Park this year.

Since the 1960s, the parade has served as a cultural touchstone for the region's roughly 1.4 million Puerto Ricans, a community that through the years has been displaced from several neighborhoods and is now trying to remain a vital part of the rapidly changing Humboldt Park and West Town neighborhoods.

Faced with financial problems, the Puerto Rican Parade Committee of Chicago announced this week that the downtown parade would be too expensive. The announcement kicked off debate over the merits of a downtown parade versus less-costly local celebrations, a discussion that special events organizers said other ethnic groups also face.

The parade committee said joining with organizers of a Puerto Rican Day parade that has been held on Division Street since 1966 will lead to a better turnout and help local businesses. This year's event is scheduled for June 15.

At a news conference Thursday that turned into a small rally, former parade committee leaders contended that the move undercuts the broader triumphs of Puerto Ricans in Chicago, which include a notable political presence in City Hall, Springfield and in Congress.

"Just like the Irish have their parades and the Italians have their parades downtown, and other ethnic groups have their parades downtown, we want our parade downtown, don't we?" Efrain Malave, who served as parade committee president about 10 years ago, asked a cheering crowd.

Malave and other former committee leaders have been at odds with the current leadership. They have filed a lawsuit against the parade committee in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging that the committee's current president, Angel Medina, mismanaged funds and circumvented a bylaw-mandated election last September, a move that has kept him in control.

The lawsuit seeks to oust Medina and force an accounting of roughly $600,000 spent by the parade committee.

Medina did not respond to requests for comment. Jackie Baez, administrative director for the parade committee, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

However, she argued that the decision to move the parade back to Humboldt Park makes the most sense.

"We moved the parade to Division Street because it's too costly to hold it downtown, and it doesn't really profit our community," said Baez, estimating that last year's parade cost roughly $40,000. "Moving the parade here to Division Street will benefit our local business owners."

Because of high parking fees and other inconveniences, the downtown parade's attendance has dwindled over the years, she added.

"We used to get close to (250,000) or 300,000 people," she said. "We didn't get that; not even half last year."

The debate mirrors those in other ethnic groups that want to celebrate their heritage in a downtown parade but, with the sluggish economy, are wracked by financial problems, said Hank Zemola, CEO of Chicago Special Events Management, which is coordinating this year's Division Street parade and has helped stage the Mexican Independence Day parade and other events.

"For so many years, these (community organization) budgets ran with such freedom, and the oversight wasn't good and the city underwrote a lot of the expenses," Zemola said. "There's now no state, federal or city grants to help underwrite this stuff."

Medina's wife, Carmen Martinez, said she tried to help. The owner of a popular records store on Division Street, she lent her husband's organization close to $200,000, Martinez said.

"I'm not putting in any more of my money," she said. "If there's someone else who wants to give $46,000, we'll put the parade downtown again. But I don't think anyone will do that."

aolivo@tribune.com

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-puerto-rican-parade-20130405,0,5927078.story?track=rss

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Thursday 4 April 2013

Kate Gosselin Twitter Stalker: Exposed! Really Sorry!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/kate-gosselin-twitter-stalker-exposed-really-sorry/

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Connecticut Gun Law: How It Compares To New York, Colorado Laws

Connecticut's new gun control law, a response to the December massacre in Newtown that the governor signed into law Thursday, is among the strongest in the country. Here is a look at how its measures compare to laws passed this year in Colorado and New York:

___

AMMUNITION MAGAZINES

Connecticut bans the sale or purchase of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The law allows people to keep high-capacity magazines they already own if they're registered with the state by Jan. 1 but limits their use to the home and a shooting range.

New York restricted ammunition magazines to seven bullets and gave current owners of higher-capacity magazines a year to sell them out of state. Colorado banned ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

___

ASSAULT WEAPONS BANS

Connecticut expanded its assault weapons ban, adding more than 100 types of weapons in addition to those that have more than one banned military-style feature.

New York also expanded its assault weapons ban. Colorado did not pass an assault weapons ban.

___

BACKGROUND CHECKS

Connecticut requires universal criminal background checks for the sale of all guns, a measure that took effect immediately to close a loophole in private sales of rifles and shotguns. Background checks are also required to buy ammunition and magazines.

Colorado expanded background checks to private and online gun sales but did not require them to buy ammunition. New York expanded background checks to private gun sales and became the first state to require background checks to buy bullets.

___

DANGEROUS WEAPON OFFENDER REGISTRY

Connecticut created what officials called the first statewide dangerous weapon offender registry in the nation. Individuals who have been convicted of any of 40 weapons offenses must register with the state for five years after their release.

___

MENTAL ILLNESS

People involuntarily committed by court order to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities within five years are not allowed to possess a gun, up from one year under previous Connecticut law.

New York required mental health professionals to tell state authorities if a patient threatens to use a gun illegally.

___

FIREARMS STORAGE

Connecticut expanded the legal duty to securely store a firearm to cover situations where a resident of the premises poses a risk of personal injury to themselves or others.

New York requires locked storage of guns if you live with someone prohibited from them because of a crime, commitment to a mental institution or court protection order and made the unsafe storage of assault weapons a misdemeanor.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/04/connecticut-gun-law-newtown_n_3014699.html

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