Yangon blast kills 17, injures 80: Myanmar police (Reuters)

YANGON (Reuters) ? At least 17 people died and 80 were injured in an early morning explosion at an industrial district on Thursday in an eastern suburb of Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, police said.

Earlier, witnesses had spoken of about 50 dead bodies after the 2 a.m. (1930 GMT Wednesday) blast in an industrial district of the country's commercial hub.

But a police officer said 12 men and five women had been confirmed dead as of 6 a.m. He said further deaths were expected.

Some witnesses said a fire had broken out at a chemical storage warehouse, causing an explosion that triggered several smaller blasts. Police said three firemen were among the dead.

Fire engines from all parts of Yangon were at the scene, witnesses said. Fire was reported to have spread to a nearby shipyard and factories.

Television pictures showed rescue teams carrying casualties on stretchers in the middle of the night around what appeared to be badly damaged buildings.

The shock from the loud explosion in the area was felt by many people in eastern and central Yangon.

Police would not comment on the cause of the disaster.

"There are many casualties. We are not in a position to give you further information. We are still looking into it," a second police officer from Mingalar Taungnyunt Township Police Station told Reuters.

Last Wednesday, December 21, a woman was killed and another injured when what was described as a bomb exploded in a public toilet near the main campus of Yangon University.

Bomb blasts are common in Myanmar, which has been torn by ethnic rebellions and armed struggle against successive governments since independence in 1948.

(Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Ron Popeski)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111229/wl_nm/us_myanmar_blast

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JeremiahOshan: I can't believe they allow bowl games to be played on arena football fields.

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Shell oil spill off Nigeria likely worst in decade (AP)

LAGOS, Nigeria ? An oil spill near the coast of Nigeria is likely the worst to hit those waters in a decade, a government official said Thursday, as slicks from the Royal Dutch Shell PLC spill approached the country's southern shoreline.

The slick from Shell's Bonga field has affected 115 miles (185 kilometers) of ocean near Nigeria's coast, Peter Idabor, who leads the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, told The Associated Press. Idabor said the slick continued to move toward the shore Thursday night, putting at risk birds, fish and other wildlife in the area.

Shell, the major oil producer in Nigeria, said Wednesday the spill likely occurred as workers tried to offload oil onto a waiting tanker. The company published photographs of the spill, showing a telltale rainbow sheen in the ocean, but said it believes that about 50 percent of the leaked oil has already evaporated.

The source of the leak has been plugged and experts from Britain were coming to help with the cleanup, Idabor said. Nigerian Navy ships also had been sent into the area to help control the spill, he said.

Shell estimates the Bonga spill likely was less than 40,000 barrels, or 1.68 million gallons. That's about the same amount of oil spilled offshore in 1998 at a Mobil field. The 1998 spill saw oil slicks extended for more than 100 miles (some 160 kilometers) to Lagos, the country's commercial capital.

"Since the Mobil spill, this is just about the most major one," Idabor said.

Nigerian authorities hope to use oil booms and chemicals to disperse or collect the spilled oil, Idabor said. In a statement, Shell said its Nigerian subsidiary already had sent ships out to the slick to use dispersant on the oil sheen. The company also said it would use infrared equipment to trace places where the sheen is the thickest.

However, the size of the spill may be even larger. SkyTruth, a nonprofit group based in West Virginia that uses satellite imagery to detect environmental problems, estimated the oil spill might stretch across roughly 350 square miles (920 square kilometers) of ocean ? three times what Nigerian authorities believe.

"The spill could be near the upper limit of what Shell has stated," John Amos, SkyTruth's founder and president, told the AP on Thursday. However, he said he needed more information to determine the spill's true scope.

Bonga sits about 75 miles (120 kilometers) off Nigeria's coast. It can produce about 200,000 barrels of oil and 150 million cubic feet of gas a day, according to Shell's Nigerian subsidiary. Production at the field, which Shell operates in partnership with Italy's Eni SpA, Exxon Mobil Corp., France's Total SA and the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., has been halted since the discovery of the spill.

Environmentalists blame Shell and other foreign oil firms for polluting the country's oil-rich Niger Delta. Some environmentalists say as much as 550 million gallons of oil poured into the delta during Shell's roughly 50 years of production in Nigeria ? a rate roughly comparable to one Exxon Valdez disaster per year. An estimated 11 million gallons was released during the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.

Shell in recent years has said most of the spills in the delta are caused by militant attacks or thieves tapping into pipelines to steal crude oil, which ends up sold into the black market or cooked into a crude diesel or kerosene. Company statistics kept by Shell show spills have dropped as militant attacks in the region subsided, though this single spill at Bonga roughly doubles the amount of oil spilled by Shell this year.

Apparently predicting interest in the spill would grow, Shell already had taken out Internet advertising Thursday on search engines, directing those searching for the spill to their website. Jonathan French, a Shell spokesman in London, said the advertising came in the "interests of full transparency" so people can read the company's updates on the spill.

Nigeria, an OPEC member nation producing about 2.4 million barrels of crude oil a day, is a top supplier to the U.S.

___

Online:

Royal Dutch Shell PLC: http://www.shell.com

Shell's Nigeria spill website: http://bit.ly/rqfnxi

SkyTruth: http://skytruth.org/

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_oil_spill

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Egypt rejects "interference" after Clinton remarks (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egypt said Wednesday it would not accept any interference in its internal affairs, following criticism by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of the way security forces dealt with women protesters.

In a speech Monday, Clinton criticized the actions of Egyptian security forces as showing "systematic degradation" of women that "disgraces the state," some of the strongest U.S. language used against Egypt's new rulers.

Footage showed Egyptian soldiers beating protesters with batons, often after they had fallen to the ground, in what activists described as a forcible attempt to clear a sit-in demanding a swifter transfer to civilian rule. Five days of clashes since Friday left at least 13 dead and hundreds wounded.

"Egypt does not accept any interference in its internal affairs," the state news agency quoted Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr as saying.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Amr Rushdi told Reuters Egypt held frequent talks with other countries about its transition from military to civilian rule, "to clarify the reality on the ground and the obstacles facing the country during this transitional phase."

A video of Egyptian soldiers dragging a woman protester on the ground by her black full-body veil, exposing her bra, then clubbing and kicking her, has sparked outrage. Thousands marched on Tahrir Square Tuesday to condemn the attacks.

Activists have called for a major protest Friday to demand an apology for the attacks on women.

The United States, which saw deposed leader Hosni Mubarak as a staunch ally, gives Cairo $1.3 billion a year in military aid, a commitment that began after Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel.

(Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Maha El Dahan; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111221/wl_nm/us_egypt_clinton

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No prosecution from Ariz. Fiesta Bowl ticket probe (AP)

PHOENIX ? An investigation into whether politicians violated gift and disclosure laws when they accepted free game tickets or trips from the Fiesta Bowl led a prosecutor to conclude Wednesday that a maze of state laws was so complex and contradictory that he cannot pursue charges.

Inconsistent rules, vague reporting mandates and a legal requirement that prosecutors prove a defendant "knowingly" violated the law were major factors in his decision, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said. In the end, there was not enough evidence to press charges against any of the 31 elected officials and three lobbyists who were investigated.

Montgomery said that for a successful prosecution, his office would have to prove that the officials and lobbyists knew when they filed required disclosure statements that "it was incomplete or false."

"I understand the `appearance of impropriety' argument, and how it can be reported," Montgomery said. "But there's a difference ... in what it looks like and what we can do as prosecutors."

Montgomery cited problems with records provided by the Fiesta Bowl, noting that many were too vague to stand up in court or directly contradicted reimbursement check records from legislators.

The decision removed a pall that has been cast over many lawmakers since April, when Montgomery began investigating whether politicians violated a law banning acceptance of free game tickets in most cases and failed to report receiving free trips or tickets.

Montgomery called on the Legislature to overhaul and consolidate reporting and gift laws for lobbyists and elected officials, toughen reporting requirements, ban gifts outright and make some violations a felony. He said changes were needed "in order for the public's expectation of open and honest government to be met."

Combining the laws into one simplified statute will help clear up confusion and help prosecutors if they need to pursue a case, he said.

He advocated the gift ban or, at the least, the allowance of only gifts of very low retail value. Under his recommendations, elected officials should accept "nothing ? you can accept a handshake and that's it," Montgomery said.

He said he wants a law to require quarterly financial reporting, up from the current yearly mandate, and an online system for easier compliance.

In addition to a possible felony charge for "knowing and intentional" violations, Montgomery wants clarifications that allow misdemeanor criminal or civil penalties for reckless reporting failures. He suggested that legislative staff attorneys be removed from their role advising lawmakers, to avoid any attorney-client privilege issues.

Federal authorities are separately investigating other aspects of the Fiesta Bowl scandal, including an alleged scheme to reimburse employees for political contributions. One former executive has been charged in that case.

The county attorney's probe was prompted by an internal bowl investigation into illegal political contributions and lavish spending by top bowl officials. Montgomery took over the case after the Arizona Attorney General's office declared a conflict of interest.

That internal probe, released in March, listed many current or former lawmakers as the recipients of game tickets or free trips. Many failed to report them on their disclosure reports. The Fiesta Bowl asked politicians who received more than $161,000 worth of free trips or game tickets to explain how they benefited the tax-exempt group, and implied it may seek repayment if the expenditures can't be justified. Some had already done so.

Montgomery investigated 28 current or former state lawmakers, three elected officials who are not legislators, and three prominent lobbyists. The politicians were split about evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

The 8-month probe involved going through 4,000 pages of documents that included nearly 10 years of financial disclosure statements, Montgomery said.

Senate President Steve Pierce, a Republican, referred inquiries to the spokesman for the chamber's Republicans, who was not immediately available. House Minority Leader Chad Campbell said in a statement that Democrats support the ethics reforms and gift bans that Montgomery outlined.

The county attorney said some lawmakers told his office that they accepted the trips as ambassadors of the state, not for personal benefit or enjoyment. Some disclosed them routinely, while others failed to do so until the scandal hit and then filed amended reports. Former state Senate President Russell Pearce typically disclosed all gifts, tickets and trips, but not the Fiesta Bowl trips, which Montgomery said could indicate the Republican legislator believed he did not have to report those items.

"There were some legislators who were angry that I was investigating them because they thought it was clear they had done nothing wrong," Montgomery said.

Topping the recipients were Pearce, who received more than $39,000 in tickets, trips and other freebies. From 2002 through 2009, Pearce went on VIP trips sponsored by the Fiesta Bowl to games in Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Pasadena, Boston and Dallas. Other top recipients were former Republican lawmaker Robert Blendu with $17,213, and Democratic state Sen. Linda Lopez with $16,877.

Longtime bowl President and CEO John Junker was fired after the internal investigation. On June 13, the bowl hired University of Arizona President Robert Shelton to lead the efforts to repair its reputation. The bowl's lawyer said it has been cooperating with local, state and federal investigations and made substantial changes to avoid a repeat.

The scandal at the Fiesta Bowl, which also hosts the national football championship every four years, put its role as one of the four top-tier bowl groups in jeopardy. But it avoided the worst sanctions ? the loss of the championship game and its NCAA license.

The Bowl Championship Series fined the Fiesta Bowl $1 million, and the NCAA placed it on probation for a year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111221/ap_on_sp_ot/us_fiesta_bowl_investigation

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North Korea's Tricky Succession—and Two More Holiday Hotspots to Watch

North Korea: Who's Controlling Those Nukes and Chemical Weapons?

After Kim Jong Il died this weekend, the South Korean military went into alert?and South Korean defense stocks rose 15 percent when the dictator's death was announced. South Korea's leaders, and investors, know that Stalinist regimes tend to have rocky transitions when their leaders die.

Perhaps the only good thing about a tyrant is that you know who is ultimately in charge?and with North Korea in particular, who has the authority to launch nuclear weapons. But the plan to pass the national control to Kim Jong Il's twenty-something son, Kim Jong Un, is fraught with peril. Despite South Korea's preparations and precautions, the most likely disaster scenario is North Korean factions tearing at each other, with military units choosing sides. This scenario becomes ghastly when considering the possible access to chemical and biological weapon stockpiles.

Look to China to keep that from happening. Its leaders are backing Kim Jon Un, but we'll see how far China's influence reaches with the military, the most important power bloc in North Korea. The newly crowned son's relationship with the military is uncertain, and with more than one of Kim Jong Il's relatives eyeing power, it's hard to say what the people with the big guns will do.

Syria: Trouble With Turkey

The story so far: The Assad regime in Syria used deadly force to quell domestic upheaval, which prompted army defectors to form the Free Syrian Army. The nexus of the antigovernment movement is the Turkey?Syria border, where tensions are flaring. The Syrian regime's snipers have been killing people fleeing across the border. A network of Free Syrian Army bases are sprinkled across the area?with safe houses on both sides of the border (Voice of America got to visit one).

If that's not bad enough, this conflict could easily spread. Syria has mobile Scud B missiles that can reach 190 miles, and as a reminder to the world, it tested one a couple of weeks ago. That puts large pieces of Iraq, Israel, and Turkey under direct threat. Plus, Turkey is a member of Nato, whose members states have been increasingly blunt about their desire to see the Assad regime go away.

And don't forget Syria's friends. Iran is the Assad family's reliable patron, and Russia is also in the mix?it stuck up for Syria, its Cold War ally, and blocked a United Nations resolution that threatened "targeted measures" against the Assad family. (Libya redux?) Even more interesting, Russian media report that Moscow delivered $300 million of supersonic antiship missiles to Syria; the deal was sealed in 2007 but deliveries were made ahead of schedule. And a battle group including the Russian missile cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is heading to the region for a two-month deployment in the Mediterranean.

Iraq: That Didn't Take Long

The U.S. has been gone for barely a week, and already the fissures that could lead to civil collapse in Iraq are emerging.

Days after the last American troops left the nation, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki issued an arrest warrant for his own vice president, Tariq Al-Hashemi, accusing Al-Hashemi of running hit squads that targeted government officials. That's an ugly incident, but its implications are worse. The prime minister is Shia, while the vice president is Sunni. A collapse of relations between the two factions dramatically increases the chance of a civil war. Keep an eye on the Sunni Awakening's reaction to the charges.

There are also Kurds involved: Al-Hashemi fled to the north of the country, to where the Kurds have set up a semiautonomous state called Kurdistan. The Kurds have their own military, and the vacated American military bases in the region have already been flashpoints of tension.

If Iraq collapses, you can expect to see plenty of fingers pointed at the White House for not leaving a small contingent of U.S. troops in the country to help keep a lid on the feuding.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/north-koreas-tricky-succession-and-two-more-holiday-hotspots-to-watch-6622031?src=rss

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Video: Test can help tailor breast cancer care

>>> over 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in this country alone. as you and your family may know all too well. another 50,000 get a diagnosis that is less clear, when they're told they have a precancerous condition. there are new findings tonight that could help clear up some of the confusion and help people make more informed decisions about their health care . our report tonight from our chief science correspondent robert bazell .

>> reporter: after a mammogram dorothy learned she had something called dcis.

>> you're going to tell me i have cancer and i have stage zero? and it's not real invasive cancer? i was not only fearful, i was confused.

>> what some people call a precursor to cancer.

>> reporter: a breast radiologist says dcis consists of cancer cells that are inside the milk ducts.

>> we take out a little bit of that tissue.

>> reporter: doctors cannot be sure if it will spread or can be treated with radiation or mastectomy.

>> there's a percentage that will never go on to develop invasive be cancer. but a certain percentage will go on to develop invasive cancer.

>> reporter: today's study finds that a genetic test can help with the decisions about how to treat these cases. it gives a indicating how high the risk is.

>> good news for women?

>> it's really huge news for women. it allows us to begin to make individualized treatment decisions.

>> reporter: the results are part of a big movement to use genetic markers to taylor treatment so every cancer patient gets the best possible care.

>> only one quarter of the patients need radiation.

>> now we can look and say, what is your specific risk ? are you in the three quarters that have a very low risk?

>> sometimes this will just stay in a woman's ducts for the rest of her life, and she'll never have a life threatening disease?

>> that's correct.

>> reporter: robert bazell , nbc news, san antonio .

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45575235/

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6 Chinese arrested for turtle catch in Philippines (AP)

MANILA, Philippines ? Six Chinese fishermen have been arrested in western Philippine waters for catching endangered sea turtles, officials said Sunday.

The fishermen, from China's southern island province of Hainan, were arrested Friday in waters off western Palawan province's Balabac township, said Maj. Niel Estrella, a Philippine military spokesman.

They are expected to be charged in court Monday for violating the Philippines' wildlife act and fisheries code provisions against catching endangered animals, said Adelina Villena, chief lawyer at the government's Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.

The fishermen's speedboat was intercepted by a joint team from the navy, coast guard and environment department.

Glenda Cadigal, a wildlife specialist at the Palawan Council, said the catch included 12 green sea turtles. Three turtles were alive and have been released, while nine were dead.

Villena said that if found guilty, the fishermen face a jail term of up to four years for violating the country's wildlife act, and up to 20 years for violating the fisheries code.

Estrella said the arresting team suspects that the Chinese fishermen's mother ship may have escaped when the speedboat was intercepted.

Palawan is the nearest Philippine province to the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei.

Endangered sea turtles are often caught for food and for use in traditional medicine.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111204/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_chinese_fishermen

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Stephens-Howling leads Cards past Cowboys in OT

Arizona Cardinals running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (36) rushes for the game-winning touchdown during overtime of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 19-13. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Cardinals running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (36) rushes for the game-winning touchdown during overtime of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 19-13. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey (5) misses a potential game-winning field goal attempt at the end of regulation during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. Bailey also missed a 53 yard field goal attempt in the first quarter. The Cardinals won 19-13 in overtime. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) shows his frustration after being sacked by Dallas Cowboys' Jay Ratliff (90) as Cowboys' Sean Lee (50) looks on during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) is tackled by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) ? Add another excruciating loss for the Dallas Cowboys in the desert.

LaRod Stephens-Howling caught a short pass from Kevin Kolb and zipped 52 yards for a touchdown in overtime to give the Arizona Cardinals a 19-13 victory Sunday, snapping the Cowboys' four-game winning streak.

It marked the third time since 2008 that the Cowboys have lost in Arizona in heartbreaking fashion. What made it worse was that Dallas should have won it, but the Cowboys called a timeout just before Dan Bailey's 49-yard field goal sailed through the uprights at the end of regulation.

Bailey's next try was short and to the left, sending the game to overtime. Bailey, who also missed a 53-yarder, came in with one miss all season.

Last Christmas, Arizona beat Dallas 27-26 on Jay Feely's 48-yard field goal with 5 seconds to play. In 2008, the Cardinals won in overtime 30-24 on a blocked punt.

Stephens-Howling dodged a host of would-be Cowboys tacklers to scamper in with the score. Kolb completed 16 of 25 passes for 247 yards in his first game in five weeks.

Tony Romo was 28 for 42 for 299 yards for the Cowboys.

Arizona (5-7), which has won four of five, beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season. The Cowboys (7-5) remained alone in first in the NFC East because the New York Giants (6-6) lost to undefeated Green Bay.

Each quarterback was sacked five times.

The Cardinals won the toss and got the ball for the first and only possession in overtime.

Kolb's 16-yard pass to Andre Roberts, who had six catches for 111 yards, advanced the ball to the Dallas 47, but a false start penalty moved it back to the Arizona 48.

On first-and-15, Kolb threw a short swing pass to the 5-foot-7 Stephens-Howling. The play easily got the first down, but the diminutive back stayed on his feet, avoided would-be tacklers and made a couple of nifty cuts en route to the end zone.

Kolb, out with turf toe and bruise on the side of his right foot since Oct. 30, was rusty early, but after halftime, he was 9 of 14 for 203 yards.

Bryant had eight catches for 86 yards but DeMarco Murray managed just 38 yards on 12 carries. Beanie Wells gained 67 yards on 20 attempts, including a 5-yard touchdown run.

Kolb directed a quick six-play, 79-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter to tie it at 13. The big plays were his passes of 40 and 22 yards to Andre Roberts. Wells' TD run up the middle tied it with 13:08 remaining.

The Cardinals had to punt from the end zone late in the game after Early Doucet dropped a third-down pass that would have given Arizona a first down. Bryant returned the punt to the 22, but an illegal block in the back penalty against Orlando Scandrick pushed it back to the Dallas 40. On third-and-11 from the Cardinals 46, Romo threw 15 yards to Bryant to the Arizona 31 as time slipped away. That set up Bailey's missed field goal.

As usual, there was a huge contingent of white-jerseyed Dallas fans, a fact apparent not only from the color of their apparel but from the loudness of the cheering when the Cowboys did something good.

But the team could not cash in on early opportunities.

The Cowboys were in Arizona territory six of the seven times they had the ball in the first half, yet led only 10-3 at the half.

On Dallas' second possession, Bailey tried a 53-yarder, his longest since coming to the NFL, but was wide right, just his second miss in 28 attempts this season. Later in the first half, Bailey's 50-yard attempt bounced off the right upright and through to tie it at 3.

Arizona, meanwhile, was mired in awful field position most of the first half.

An exception came after Dallas' missed field goal. The Cardinals got the ball on their 43. Kolb threw 15 yards to Roberts, then Stephens-Howling ran 15 yards to set Jay Feely's 48-yard field goal that put Arizona up 3-0 with 4:13 left in the third quarter.

Dallas finally got the game's first touchdown late in the first half. DeMarcus Ware's 15th sack of the season pinned the Cardinals at their own 2 and Bryant's 14-yard punt return put Dallas at Arizona's 33. Romo found Jason Witten over the middle for 28 yards to the Arizona 5, then Romo threw to a wide-open Bryant for the touchdown. That put Dallas up for good, 10-3 with 3:09 to go.

Each team mounted long drives that resulted in field goals in the third quarter.

Arizona took the second-half kickoff and went 74 yards in 12 plays. Kolb's 3-yard run made it fourth-and-goal inches from the goal line and the Cardinals were going to go for it, but a false start penalty on Brandon Keith moved the ball back to the 6, and Feely's 23-yarder cut it to 10-6.

Dallas followed with a 13-play, 65-yard drive. With the Cowboys having first down on the Arizona 17, Romo was sacked for the fourth time for a 7-yard loss. That led to Bailey's 37-yard field goal that boosted the lead to 13-6 with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-04-FBN-Cowboys-Cardinals/id-0152f7618a3e40ad9d4224dd0d1988f3

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McDonald's Creates a Light Version Of Its Fries For Their New Billboard [Advertising]

Instead of creating a healthier version for those hoping to indulge guilt-free, McDonald's' new billboard in downtown Chicago uses a set of focused spotlights to create what could be the world's most super-sized order of its famous french fries. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rdM4GD_KIdc/mcdonalds-creates-a-light-version-of-its-fries-for-their-new-billboard

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Hurricane-force Santa Ana winds: Another sign of global warming? (The Christian Science Monitor)

Los Angeles ? The unseasonably strong Santa Ana winds that have pounded southern California during the past two days have left hundreds of thousands of residents without power, not to mention closed schools and businesses. Many counties are on emergency footing and even Griffith Park, one of the nation?s largest urban parks, has closed as crews struggle to clear fallen trees and debris away from power lines and off roads. 

But the extreme winds ? the strongest in at least a decade ? have also raised the familiar question: Are they one more indication of global warming's larger trend toward extreme weather?

The answer is no. Mostly. 

IN PICTURES: Santa Ana winds

On one hand, most scientists agree that ?the extremity and magnitude of extreme weather events has been trending upwards over the past 60 years,? says John Plavan, CEO of EarthRisk Technologies, a San Diego firm that models weather-related risks for energy clients.  

Yet the same climate changes that are driving certain extreme weather events will also soften others, says David Easterling of the National Climatic Data Center, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Asheville, N.C.

The Santa Ana winds could be an example of that. The annual winds that sweep through southern California from November through April are caused by high-pressure systems sweeping cool air from the Great Basin southwest into the Los Angeles Basin. As the winds descend the San Gabriel Mountains, they heat rapidly, resulting in the hot, strong winds. 

But as climate changes raise temperatures in the Great Basin, the engine driving the Santa Anas could dissipate, ?leading to less extreme Santa Anas in the future.?

In another 25 to 50 years, those winds will significantly decline, says Dr. Easterling.

But he is quick to point out that other extreme events tied to climate change ? such as heat waves and precipitation ? will accelerate. ?If you are in a flood-plain area, more insurance down the line might not be a bad idea,? he adds.

Extreme weather events are an important signal bell for the rest of society, even if they're not tied to climate change, says Villanova University assistant professor of geography and the environment Keith Henderson.

?Extreme events naturally attract a lot of attention, especially from the public,? he writes in an e-mail. ?The impact of extreme events, both real and perceived, makes it important that we study climate variability as much as climate change. We need to better understand the frequency, intensity, and patterns of extremes to better understand how weather and climate affect society.?

The need for longer-term forecasting models is growing, adds Mr. Plavan. While forecasting specific events is difficult, using decades of previous years' data can help project probabilities. 

For instance, if experts can produce data that show a city is 40 percent more likely to have a major heat wave over a certain time frame, Plavan says, ?then the city can plan from a longer-range perspective, rather than doing the equivalent of buying a snow shovel no matter the cost when the heavy snow starts to fall.? 

IN PICTURES: Santa Ana winds

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20111202/ts_csm/432234

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Client Communications : LawBizBlog

Communication is the single most important issue to consider when keeping your clients happy. From the initial conversation with your receptionist until the case is closed, Ed explains what you need to do in order to ensure that the client is satisfied with your communications with them.

Source: http://www.lawbizblog.com/2011/12/articles/videos/client-communications/

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Britain orders Iran's diplomats to leave UK (AP)

LONDON ? Britain ordered all Iranian diplomats out of the U.K. within 48 hours and shuttered its ransacked embassy in Tehran on Wednesday, in a significant escalation of tensions between Iran and the West.

The ouster of the entire Iranian diplomatic corps deepens Iran's international isolation amid growing suspicions over its nuclear program. At least four other European countries also moved to reduce diplomatic contacts with Iran.

The British measures were announced by Foreign Secretary William Hague, who said Britain had withdrawn its entire diplomatic staff after angry mobs stormed the British Embassy compound and a diplomatic residence in Tehran, hauling down Union Jack flags, torching a vehicle and tossing looted documents through windows.

The hours-long assault Tuesday was reminiscent of the chaotic seizure of the U.S. Embassy in 1979. Protesters replaced the British flag with a banner in the name of a 7th-century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein, and one looter showed off a picture of Queen Elizabeth II apparently taken off a wall.

"The idea that the Iranian authorities could not have protected our embassy or that this assault could have taken place without some degree of regime consent is fanciful," Hague told lawmakers in the House of Commons.

The diplomatic fallout from the attack quickly spread to other Western countries with embassies in Iran. Norway announced it was temporarily closing its embassy as a precaution, and Germany, France and the Netherlands all recalled their ambassadors for consultations. Italy said it was considering such a recall.

Iran currently has 18 diplomats in Britain. About 24 British Embassy staff and dependents were based in Tehran.

The White House condemned the attacks and spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. backed Britain's ejection of Iranian diplomats.

European Union foreign ministers were to meet Thursday to consider possible new sanctions against Tehran.

France's budget minister, Valerie Pecresse, said the EU should consider a total embargo on Iranian oil or a freeze on Iranian central bank holdings. British officials said the U.K. would likely support new measures against Iran's energy sector.

Hague claimed those involved in Tuesday's attack were members of a student group allied with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's paramilitary Basij organization, which recruits heavily on university campuses.

"We should be clear from the outset that this is an organization controlled by elements of the Iranian regime," he said.

Hague told Parliament the private quarters of staff and Britain's ambassador were trashed in the attack and that diplomats' personal possessions were stolen.

"This is a breach of international responsibilities of which any nation should be ashamed," he said.

Some were alarmed by Hague's tough tone. David Miliband, Britain's former foreign secretary, said he hoped the robust words would not become "part of the very unwelcome drumbeat of war."

Iran's government has publicly expressed regret about the "unacceptable behavior" of the protesters, whose attacks began after anti-British demonstrations apparently authorized by authorities.

However, regime hard-liners have spoken out in support of the protesters, reflecting the deepening power struggle over which direction Iran might take in the future.

Mohammad Mohammadian, a representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praised the attackers, saying they had targeted the "epicenter of sedition."

Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the "wrath of (the protesters) resulted from several decades of domination-seeking behavior of Britain."

The expulsion of Iran's diplomats and the withdrawal of Britain's officials from Tehran intensifies a rift that had deepened dramatically in the past week after Britain joined the United States and European Union in imposing new economic sanctions on Iran. The punitive measures followed a U.N. report offering new evidence suggesting Iran may be developing nuclear weapons. On Sunday, Iran's parliament approved a bill to downgrade relations with Britain in retaliation.

The U.S. and many allies fear that Iran's nuclear program could eventually lead to nuclear weapons. Tehran insists it only seeks reactors for energy and fuel, but will not give up the technology to make its own nuclear fuel.

Tensions between Iran and the West were heightened in October when U.S. officials accused agents linked to Iran's Quds Force ? an elite wing of the powerful Revolutionary Guard ? of a role in an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the U.S.

Britain previously ordered Iran to remove its diplomats in 1989, when the two nations broke off ties over a fatwa, or religious edict, ordering Muslims to kill British author Salman Rushdie because his novel "The Satanic Verses" allegedly insulted Islam.

Iran's tensions with Britain date back to the 19th century, when the Persian monarchy gave huge industrial concessions to London, which later included significant control over Iran's oil industry. In 1953, Britain and the U.S. helped organize a coup that overthrew a nationalist prime minister and restored the pro-Western shah to power.

More recently, Iran was angered by Britain's decision to honor Rushdie with a knighthood in 2007, and over its involvement in Western scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program.

In March 2007, Iran detained 15 British sailors and marines for allegedly entering the country's territorial waters in the Gulf ? a claim Britain denies. The 15 were released after nearly two weeks in captivity.

___

Associated Press writers Brian Murphy in Dubai, Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Juergen Baetz in Frankfurt, Jamey Keaten in Paris and Frances D'Emilio in Rome, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111130/ap_on_bi_ge/iran_britain

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TSA probes profiling allegations in Honolulu

HONOLULU?? The Transportation Security Administration said Thursday that it is investigating allegations that screeners at Honolulu International Airport have targeted Mexican travelers for extra screening.

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The allegations "resulted in launching an immediate and thorough investigation of the behavior detection program at HNL," the TSA said in a statement, referring to Honolulu's airport code. "Pending the completion of the investigation, TSA also provided HNL Behavior Detection Officers refresher training to ensure the program is focused solely on identifying suspicious behaviors."

The statement was in response to a recent letter from U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. His Nov. 22 letter cited a report by Honolulu television station KITV, in which two TSA employees alleged that officers known as "Mexicutioners" targeted Mexican passengers in an attempt to appear productive to supervisors.

Thompson, D-Miss., said he wants a suspension of a program known as Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique, or SPOT, which involves officers trained in detecting behavior, such as facial expressions, of those who intend to do harm.

"TSA's behavior detection program in no way encourages or tolerates profiling," the agency's statement said. "Profiling is not an effective form of security and our security officers are trained to treat every passenger with dignity and respect."

Thompson gave the TSA until Dec. 16 to provide information including the agency's internal report on Honolulu's SPOT program. Among the information he requested are specific steps taken to address the racial profiling allegations at the Honolulu airport and a list of countries of origin for each foreign national arrested as a result of a referral from TSA behavior detection officers in Honolulu.

The TSA said it will respond directly to the congressman.

Honolulu airport is where dozens of employees were fired or suspended this year after an investigation found workers did not screen checked bags for explosives. It was the single largest personnel action for misconduct in the TSA's history.

The agency began an investigation at the end of 2010 after two Honolulu employees told officials that thousands of bags weren't checked properly or screened for traces of explosives. The probe, which included interviews with more than 100 employees, determined that some checked bags during one shift at the airport were not properly screened.

Thompson said the Honolulu allegations, along with media accounts in June of behavior detection officers at Newark Liberty International Airport targeting minority passengers, raise concerns about the "scientific validity" of the program. Behavior detection officers at Newark were retrained amid allegations they routinely targeted Mexican or Dominican passengers.

"These incidents and the failure of both training and supervision to prevent the practice of racial profiling are clear indications that more research, evaluation and testing must be completed before behavior detection can be successfully integrated at aviation security checkpoints," he wrote.

On Thursday, a group of 38 civil rights organizations led by the Sikh Coalition called for an independent audit of the TSA to determine whether the agency engages in racial profiling.

Their letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the groups, which include the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union, are "concerned that the latest reports from Hawaii and New Jersey represent the 'tip of the iceberg' and that TSA officers are engaged in a wider pattern or practice of profiling racial and religious minorities instead of focusing on actual criminal behavior."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45516426/ns/travel-news/

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Colombia: Rebels execute 4 captives; 1 found alive

Relatives of slain hostage Elkin Hernandez, at his family home in Bogota, Colombia, Saturday Nov. 26, 2011. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said that rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, killed four members of the security forces, including Hernandez, a police major kidnapped in 1998. All were found killed execution-style Saturday morning in the southern state of Caqueta after been held between 12 and 13 years. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

Relatives of slain hostage Elkin Hernandez, at his family home in Bogota, Colombia, Saturday Nov. 26, 2011. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said that rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, killed four members of the security forces, including Hernandez, a police major kidnapped in 1998. All were found killed execution-style Saturday morning in the southern state of Caqueta after been held between 12 and 13 years. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

Margarita Hernandez, sister of slain hostage Elkin Hernandez, speaks on the phone in front of her home in Bogota, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said that rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, killed four security force members who had been held as hostages during years, including Hernandez, a police major kidnapped in 1998. All were found killed execution-style Saturday morning in the southern state of Caqueta. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

Wearing a t-shirt with portraits of rebel hostages, Margarita Hernandez, sister of slain hostage Elkin Hernandez, holds her hands as she speaks to reporters in front of her home in Bogota, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said that rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, killed four security force members who had been held as hostages during years, including Hernandez, a police major kidnapped in 1998. All were found killed execution-style Saturday morning in the southern state of Caqueta. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

Colombia's Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon looks on after announcing the killing of four security force members held by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, in Bogota, Saturday Nov. 26, 2011. Pinzon said the bodies were found early morning during a military operation in the southern state of Caqueta, all killed execution-style, three with shots to the head and one with a shot to the back. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

Colombia's defense minister Juan Carlos Pinzon looks down after announcing the killing of four security force members held by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, in Bogota, Saturday Nov. 26, 2011. Pinzon said the bodies were found early morning during a military operation in the southern state of Caqueta, all killed execution-style, three with shots to the head and one with a shot to the back. Behing him is Air Force Gen. Tito Saul Pinilla. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez)

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) ? Colombia's main rebel group executed four of its longest-held captives during combat Saturday between guerrillas and soldiers searching for the men, the government said.

A fifth captive fled into the jungle and survived.

President Juan Manuel Santos called the killing of a soldier and three police officers "a crime against humanity" and dismissed any suggestions that Colombia's armed forces might be responsible.

"They were held hostage for between 12 and 13 years and wound up cruelly murdered," Santos said.

A senior Defense Ministry official told The Associated Press that government troops were not attempting to rescue the captives but rather trying to locate them based on intelligence indicating the rebels were holding them in the area. The official agreed to discuss the operation only if granted anonymity.

Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon initially announced the deaths, then said hours later that a fifth rebel prisoner, police Sgt. Luis Alberto Erazo, had survived. Erazo, 48, had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC for nearly 12 years.

Pinzon said troops had been in the area for 45 days chasing rebels and had intelligence the guerrillas might be holding police and soldiers as captives. No official explained how far the captives were being held from the area of combat. Pinzon did not take questions from reporters.

All four men were killed execution-style, three with shots to the head and one with two shots to the back, Santos told a community meeting in central Colombia.

Pinzon said the bodies were found together, with chains near them.

He said Erazo fled into the jungle chased by three rebels who threw grenades, wounding him slightly in the face. Erazo emerged from hiding after dusk when he heard chain saws cutting a clearing so helicopters could land, Pinzon added.

It is standing policy of the FARC to kill its prisoners to prevent their rescue. And the rebels frequently chain their captives.

The sister of one of the victims, 34-year-old police Maj. Elkin Hernandez, was angry with the government.

"The FARC are murderers for the manner in which they killed them, and the government is equally a murderer. They had the possibility to get them out of there, and they didn't," Margarita Hernandez told the AP.

Former Sen. Luis Eladio Perez, who was freed by the FARC in February 2008 after six years of captivity, told the AP he believed the four died in a failed rescue.

The bodies were found about 10 a.m. in the municipality of Solano in the southern state of Caqueta. Among them was the longest-held rebel captive, army Sgt. Maj. Jose Libio Martinez. He was seized by rebels Dec. 21, 1997, in an attack on a lonely southern mountain outpost called Patascoy.

The killings left the FARC in possession of about 16 security force members, which they consider to give them political leverage.

Martinez's son, who was in his mother's womb when his father was captured, pleaded with the FARC via Caracol radio to free them.

"We don't want any more dead. We don't want anymore children like me crying for their fathers," Johan Steven Martinez said.

The FARC took up arms in 1964 and are Latin America's last remaining rebel army. They have suffered a series of military setbacks and record desertions in recent years, crowned by the Nov. 4 combat death of their leader, Alfonso Cano.

His successor, Timoleon Jimenez, was named the following day and few analysts believe defeat is imminent for the rebels, who draw their strength from landless peasants in a country where land ownership is concentrated in a few hands. The FARC are believed to comprise about 9,000 fighters.

The drug trafficking-funded rebels have periodically freed security force members and politicians as goodwill gestures, stepping up releases in early 2007 with the intercession of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

But Santos, who was defense minister for four years before winning the presidency, has publicly refused to entertain peace overtures, saying the rebels must first show themselves willing by freeing all captives.

Analyst Ariel Avila of the Nuevo Arco Iris think tank said Saturday that the killings will give the government justification not to negotiate. "But the government won't get out of this without blame," he added.

On several occasions, the FARC has slain hostages when under military pressure, real or perceived.

In June 2007, FARC fighters killed 11 regional lawmakers they had kidnapped five years earlier, apparently under the mistaken belief they were under attack by government forces.

In 2003, rebels killed 10 captives, including a former defense minister and governor, during an attempted rescue when they heard approaching military helicopters.

The FARC suffered a major embarrassment in July 2008 when elite Colombian troops posing as international humanitarian workers rescued former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three U.S. military contractors and 11 others in a daring ruse.

Reached by the AP via email about the deaths of four men with whom she had for a time shared captivity, Betancourt said: "The truth is that the news has hit me hard. I'm in pain and don't wish to make any (further) comment."

Betancourt last year published "Even Silence Has An End," an eloquent recounting of her more than six years in captivity.

___

Associated Press writers Vivian Sequera, Camilo Hernandez and Cesar Garcia contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-26-LT-Colombia-Rebels/id-815b6c3292c8464993271f05f1c8cb81

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