Thursday, August 1, 2013

India wants peaceful relations with Pakistan

India Thursday extended an olive branch to its arch-rival Pakistan, saying it wants to develop "peaceful and cooperative relations" with the neighboring country, but in a "terror-free environment".
"It has always been India's policy to develop peaceful and cooperative relations with Pakistan. Naturally, this pre-supposes an environment free of violence and of terror," the newly appointed Indian External Affarirs Ministry Secretary Sujatha Singh told the media in the national capital.
India had suspended bilateral dialogue with Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which over 170 people were killed by 10 Pakistani militants who entered the country's financial capital through sea route from the port city of Karachi. However, the two countries resumed composite dialogue in 2011.
"Dialogue with Pakistan was resumed in 2011. Two rounds have been held since then and we will be picking up the threads. There is a new government in Pakistan now. We will be picking up the threads from where we left off with the old government," said the 59-year-old top diplomat, who took office for a fixed tenure of two years.
Singh, who was earlier Indian Ambassador to Germany and succeeded Ranjan Mathai, also spoke of her immediate priorities.
"My immediate priorities would be in our immediate neighborhood. That is where our immediate interest lies and that is where our most intent interactions are. Beyond that, it is important to strengthen relations with our strategic partners all over the world," she added.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/24hours-news/~3/VckUqJI6mqU/india-wants-peaceful-relations-with-pakistan

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

China's ruling party tells officials to quit it with the Versailles-like construction

As part of the president?s anti-corruption drive, Xi Jinping is banning the construction of opulent state buildings.

By Peter Ford,?Staff Writer / July 26, 2013

A man walks toward a newly built government office building in Fuyang city in eastern China's Anhui province, April 6, 2007. China's leaders have banned the construction of government buildings for five years as another step in a frugality drive that aims to calm public anger at corruption.

AP/File

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Tourists seeking a shortcut to some of the great buildings of the world need look no further than Yingquan.

Skip to next paragraph Peter Ford

Beijing Bureau Chief

Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.

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Yes, Yingquan, a spot on the map in southern China of which almost nobody has ever heard and which has nothing to recommend it to visitors ? except its municipal headquarters.

But what a headquarters! A grand flight of steps rises to a wide portico topped by a classical pediment (tick off the Pantheon in Rome.) On either side, above a towering colonnade, grey tiled mansard roofs stretch the length of the building (saves you going to the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.) And rising above it all, a dome that could have been lifted from the US Capitol.

Built in 2006 to the greater glory of the local Communist Party, this ostentatious piece of wedding cakery was the sort of thing the Chinese government had in mind this week when it banned the construction of any government building for the next five years.

The directive, the latest shot in President Xi Jinping?s frugality campaign, said that such buildings ? and there are many grandiose palaces in the most unimportant places ? have ?damaged the party and government spirit and affected the image of the party and government,? according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Chinese citizens have made no secret of their outrage at the waste of public money these mansions represent. Yingquan, for example, is a district of the city of Fuyang in Anhui Province, one of the poorest in China, where the average farmer?s income is less than $100 a month.

But that hasn?t stopped self-aggrandizing local officials from building themselves the most opulent of quarters. The city of Jinan, for example, capital of the eastern province of Shandong, boasts the largest government building in Asia, not much smaller than the Pentagon.

It cost $660 million, according to Xinhua.

The central government officials who issued the directive ? an unusual joint notice from the Communist Party Central Committee General Office and the State Council, the government top body ? are clearly wise to the tricks of their subordinates in the boondocks.

Not only are all new buildings banned, the instruction said, but neither can officials buy property, nor can they claim renovation or redevelopment as reasons to expand their offices.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/NBBwvJHz8UU/China-s-ruling-party-tells-officials-to-quit-it-with-the-Versailles-like-construction

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Monday, July 29, 2013

Verdict in Bradley Manning WikiLeaks case to be read on Tuesday

By Medina Roshan

(Reuters) - The verdict in the court-martial of Army Private First Class Bradley Manning, accused of the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history, will be read on Tuesday, the presiding judge said on Monday.

Manning, who is accused of spilling secrets to the WikiLeaks anti-secrecy website, is charged with 21 criminal counts, the most serious of which, aiding the enemy, carries a life sentence.

Judge Colonel Denise Lind, who presided over Manning's court-martial in Fort Meade, Maryland and began deliberations on Friday, said she plans to read the verdict at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The sentencing phase is slated to begin on Wednesday.

Manning's lawyers have maintained that he is a whistleblower, and not a traitor as the government claims. He wanted to provoke a broader debate on U.S. military and diplomatic policy out of concern for fellow Americans, the defense asserted.

Prosecutors said the 25-year-old intelligence analyst from Crescent, Oklahoma, aided the enemy by releasing more than 700,000 documents through WikiLeaks. They said the short, bespectacled Manning had betrayed the trust his nation put in him when he released documents on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Manning was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq. He chose a trial by a military judge, rather than a panel of military jurors.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/verdict-bradley-manning-wikileaks-case-read-tuesday-164216110.html

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Pulsating star sheds light on exoplanet

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Astronomers have devised a way to measure the internal properties of stars ?- a method that offers more accurate assessments of their orbiting planets.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/XgZdLiDPG6k/130729161520.htm

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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Don't blame Santa: Xbox and PlayStation supply probably won't meet demand ... again

Video games

2 hours ago

When it comes to shipping video game consoles to gamers on time, "I don't think the management of the supply chain is their core competency," R.W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian told NBC News.

Amazon

When it comes to shipping video game consoles to gamers on time, "I don't think the management of the supply chain is their core competency," R.W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian told NBC News.

We've all heard the story: the long lines of Apple fans lining up outside the store, breathlessly awaiting that first chance to get their hands on the new iPhone. But when it comes to video game consoles, the throngs of die-hard gamers are all the more feverish simply because the wait has been longer, the anticipation higher.

Despite the fact that the video game industry is now on its eighth generation of console hardware, it still seems like every new release of an Xbox or PlayStation is, on some level, a disaster. Pre-order quotas are quickly maxed out, and impatient gamers turn to eBay or (God forbid) Craigslist to pay an extra premium just to get their gadget of choice in time for the holiday season.

Even the Wii U, which Nintendo itself has admitted isn't selling all that well, faced supply setbacks when it launched last year. And it doesn't look like things are shaping up to be any different for the $499 Xbox One or the $399 PlayStation 4 ? both consoles received record-breaking pre-orders, and the gaming press has already started warning of possible shortages after Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian predicted as much in an interview with GameSpot.

Judging by the excitement for the consoles, the demand is clearly there. So why is meeting it with a proper supply so tricky? Sebastian told NBC News that with all the moving parts that Sony and Microsoft have to coordinate in time for a tight holiday release window, things get, well, "complex."

"There's a lot of gyration in the supply chain," Sebastian said. "It's hard to get everything together at the same time."

What, exactly, is "gyration in the supply chain"?
Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, explained. "The manufacturers have to plan production for two or three years out, so they tend to plan to make 10 (million) to 12 million consoles annually at the outset, and adjust upward or downward based on demand," Pachter told NBC News in an email. "They probably haven?t commenced manufacture yet, and will probably do so in mid-August ? notice we haven?t seen leaked pictures from the assembly line yet. That means around 1 million per month, and it takes time to ship to retail. We?ll probably get 2 ? 3 million of each globally at retail by year-end."

"If you think demand will exceed that figure, there will be a shortage," Pachter added. With major retailers like Best Buy, Amazon and GameStop vying for more launch units, "allocations are especially tough, because everyone wants as many as they can get."

Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games at economic research firm IHS Global Insight, agreed, adding that the international dimension of global launch only makes organizing the supply chain all the more difficult.

"All console companies aim to have a smooth launch with as few 'lumps' in the distribution chain as possible," Harding-Rolls wrote in an email to NBC News. "Distribution smoothness depends on a number of factors: amount of total inventory (how quickly factories can build products that don't fall apart), regional allocations (how many sales are expected across major sales territories) and sales channel negotiations (agreements with retail stores)."

When a product launches across multiple regions at the same time, he said, consumer electronics companies "are more likely to get 'lumpy' distribution which will lead to shortages within specific channels because it is a more complex go-to-market process." When a shortage occurs in one region or another, "the speed at which manufacturers can respond to squeezed supply depends on willingness to spend on quicker shipments and availability of additional product."

Jordan Selburn of IHS told NBC News that this kind of bottleneck dramatically hampered Sony's initial launch of the PlayStation 3 in 2006 because the console's Blu-ray was built with blue laser diodes, a "brand-new piece of tech that just ran into a shortage." This time around, however, Selburn says that the technology inside both of the next-gen systems isn't groundbreaking enough to make production as difficult or time-consuming.

"They're not encountering fundamental questions about: can it be built?" Selburn said of Sony and Microsoft. As a result, he thinks any real difference in initial sales will come down to how gamers react to software policies like Microsoft's controversial online requirements ? an issue that Selburn estimates gives Sony twice the demand for the PlayStation 4 than what Microsoft now has for the Xbox One.

The 'Apple effect'?
But that doesn't mean there won't still be impatient gamers this holiday season, Melissa Otto, an analyst at TIAA-CREF, told NBC News. While all the sound and fury about having to wait a few extra weeks for a console might frustrate the individual consumer, Otto said that, from a broader perspective, it's actually great marketing.

"I'm not sure it's something they struggle with," Otto said of console manufacturers supplying enough units. "I would argue that it's actually something they create. Whenever a new console cycle begins, these companies have a tendency to limit the supply to gauge the demand and create buzz. And then once the buzz starts and the momentum kicks up, the supply continues to be limited which magnifies the value of the actual product."

It's easy to see what Otto means. Neither Sony nor Microsoft would comment specifically about their current launch plans, but both companies told NBC News that demand for their respective consoles has been strong.

"Consumer reaction to PS4 has been phenomenal," a representative from Sony told NBC News in a statement. "We will try our best to meet all demand needs, but it?s very possible that demand will outstrip supply at launch." A spokesperson for Microsoft, meanwhile, wrote in an e-mailed statement that "we are pleased with the enthusiasm consumers have shown as Xbox One preorders are trending ahead of Xbox 360 during the same time period and have sold out at most major U.S. retailers."

Other analysts agreed with Otto's assessment that Sony and Microsoft might be aiming for what she called "the Apple effect" in their statements about demand outstripping supply. But Sebastian, who still estimates that Microsoft is better equipped to turn out as many as two times more Xbox One units than Sony is prepared to release of the PlayStation 4, said that the long life-cycle of these products has always made their launches a bit more bumbling.

"I don't think the management of the supply chain is their core competency," Sebastian said.

Yannick LeJacq is a contributing writer for NBC News who has also covered technology and games for Kill Screen, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic. You can follow him on Twitter at @YannickLeJacq and reach him by email at: Yannick.LeJacq@nbcuni.com.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2f39ef0a/sc/15/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cdont0Eblame0Esanta0Exbox0Eplaystation0Esupply0Eprobably0Ewont0Emeet0Edemand0E6C10A765763/story01.htm

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Deal of the Day: LGE Community Credit Union Mortgage Interest Rates at 3.250% APR

LGE community credit union

Choosing the right home loan is just as important as choosing the right house and right neighborhood ? it?s a long-term commitment that requires everything to be to a homeowner?s satisfaction. For those looking to live in Marietta, Ga., by choosing LGE Community Credit Union, mortgage interest rates will be low enough to keep that commitment affordable. The credit union currently offers a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 3.250%.

LGE Community Credit Union Mortgage Interest Rates: Terms and Conditions

For its 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, the credit union will disperse loan amounts ranging from $75,000 to $417,000 to qualifying members. Fixed-rate mortgages, unlike their adjustable counterparts, do not change with market conditions; therefore, if a LGE member locks into this 3.250% rate in 2013, it will remain at 3.250% until the loan ends in 2028, no matter if interest rates increase. Members who qualify for this rate must have a good credit standing.

About LGE Community Credit Union

LGE Community Credit Union is recognized for providing full-service, federally insured banking to more than 100,000 people in northwest Georgia, with better rates and lower fees than those typically found in a national bank. The credit union, which offers a full array of financial products, serves all residents of Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee and Fulton counties.

Find LGE Community Credit Union mortgage interest rates and other competitive loans here.

Other Terms and Conditions may apply. Additionally, interest rates are based on the institution?s online published rates and may have changed since this offer was posted. Please contact the financial institution for the most recent rate updates and to review the terms of the offer.

Source: http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/lge-community-credit-union-3-250-apr/

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Sony Incar Pemburu Gadget Menegah ke Atas

Surabaya - Pasar gadget yang semakin meriah membuat Sony Indonesia ingin ikut andil memenuhi kebutuhan gadget kelas menengah ke atas. Untuk itulah, Sony Center ke-23 dibuka di Tunjungan Plaza 4.

Melalui analisa konsumen yang dilakukan Sony, diketahui bahwa terdapat perbedaan dalam pola kebutuhan dan minat antara konsumen yang berkunjung ke satu lokasi Sony Center lainnya.

"Kami analisa pasar, ternyata segmentasi pengunjung di Tunjungan Plaza 4 ini adalah middle up. Jadi gerai kami ini kami khususkan untuk gadget, seperti laptop, smartphone, serta produk digital imaging kamera, handycam, DSLR," terang Region Manager Sony Indonesia Wilayah Timur, Rashid Salim kepada Detikcom.

Rashid menerangkan, gerai baru ini memang menyeleksi produk Sony yang ada di dalamnya. Konsep baru yang digunakan dimaksudkan memberikan perbedaan dengan Sony Centre yang sebelumnya, dimana semua produk Sony masuk di dalamnya.

Sementara itu, menjelang lebaran, Rashid mengklaim bahwa produk TV milik mereka menjadi favorit masyarakat.

"Untuk menjelang lebaran ini, TV paling laku, kenaikannya 15-20 persen dari hari biasa dibanding produk-produk lain," tandas Rashid.

(ash/ash)

Source: http://detik.feedsportal.com/c/33613/f/590267/s/2f3e726b/l/0Linet0Bdetik0N0Cread0C20A130C0A70C280C10A20A550C23164930C3190Csony0Eincar0Epemburu0Egadget0Emenegah0Eke0Eatas/story01.htm

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Gran Turismo Movie Is Real As Sony Confirms It

July 27, 2013 - Damian Antony Seeto -

gran turismo 6 for ps3

There was a rumor that a Gran Turismo movie was in development. Turns out it is true.

A Sony representative has confirmed with Joystiq that a Gran Turismo movie is ?being made?. They did not specify any further details on what the movie will be about.

The movie is supposed to cash-in on the popularity of the Gran Turismo franchise, and car movies in general. A Need for Speed movie is coming out next year while the Fast and Furious franchise is more popular than it was back in 2001.

Gran Turismo 6 will be out later this year for the PS3. Hopefully they can find a decent plot from a game that has none?

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Source: http://www.justpushstart.com/2013/07/gran-turismo-movie-is-real-as-sony-confirms-it/

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Hunter Mahan chooses his daughter's birth over golf

Hunter Mahan was leading the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament on Saturday. But then his wife went into labor. So, Hunter Mahan withdrew from the tournament.

By David Clark Scott,?Staff writer / July 27, 2013

Adios! Hunter Mahan waves after sinking a birdie putt on the 18th hole during the second round at the Canadian Open golf tournament in Oakville, Ontario. Mahan was leading the tournament on Saturday July 27, when he withdrew to attend the birth of his first child.

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

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Golf is a sport that emphasizes integrity.

Skip to next paragraph David Clark Scott

Online Director

David Clark Scott leads a small team at CSMonitor.com that?s part Skunkworks, part tech-training, part journalism.

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Players are expected to call penalties on themselves, even if no one is looking.

That's why it's fitting that Hunter Mahan ? who was leading the RBC Canadian Open after two rounds ?? withdrew to attend the birth of his daughter. Mahan did the right thing ? for himself, for golf, and for fathers everywhere.

That's not to say that it was an easy decision. Mahan hasn't won a PGA tournament this year. He finished in the top 10 in two recent big tournaments ? the US Open and the British Open Championship. Going into Saturday's third round, he was leading by two shots. And if he had won, Mahan would have pocketed a $1,008,000 winner's check.

How many new dad's would walk away from a $1 million pay day?

The baby wasn't due for a few weeks. But then his phone rang Saturday morning, while he was warming up on the practice range. His wife was in labor, her water had broken. He didn't hesitate. He politely left the tournament.

?I received exciting news a short time ago that my wife Kandi has gone into labor with our first child,? said Mahan. ?As a result, I have withdrawn from the RBC Canadian Open to return to Dallas. I would like to extend my very sincere gratitude and appreciation to RBC and the RBC Canadian Open.

"Kandi and I are thrilled about this addition to the Mahan family and we look forward to returning to the RBC Canadian Open in the coming years.?

Mahan is not the first golfer to face the challenge of fatherhood vs. work. As Yahoo Sports writer Jay Busbee wrote: "Back in 1999, Phil Mickelson famously wore a beeper during the U.S. Open. His daughter was born the day after Mickelson lost to Payne Stewart. More recently, Ross Fisher vowed to walk off the course at the 2009 British Open no matter what if he heard his wife was going into labor; he was just one stroke behind leader Tom Watson at the time."

And last fall, Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman caused a stir when he suggested that the birth of his child would take precedent over showing up for his job. It sparked conversations on talk radio and in social media about work and family priorities. Tillman said:

"[Football will] always be second or third in my life. That was a great lesson learned, to teach me that family ? when I?m done playing football ? my family will always be there for me.?

As The Christian Science Monitor reported at the time, "Tillman's announcement drew criticism from some sports columnists and fans. Sport radio talk show starkly framed the question: "If you only work 16 days a year, should you miss one for the birth of your child?"

Tillman's daughter was eventually born on a Monday, saving the NFL player and fans from any further controversy.

But Mahan's daughter Zoe arrived on a work day. As a father, it's unlikely Mahan will regret the decision to leave the golf tournament. And there are probably more than a few dads ? who missed the birth of their first child ? who would now gladly give a $1 million to be there.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/iJzqogH2n1U/Hunter-Mahan-chooses-his-daughter-s-birth-over-golf

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EU, China reach deal in solar panel trade dispute

China and the European Union reached a deal today to defuse a multi-billion euro dispute over Chinese solar panels that threatened a wider trade war.

After six weeks of talks, the EU?s trade chief and his Chinese counterpart sealed the deal over the telephone, setting a minimum price for panels from China near spot market prices.

European solar panel manufacturers had accused China of dumping about ?21 billion worth of solar panels in Europe last year at below the cost of production, putting European businesses out of business.

Europe planned to impose hefty tariffs from August 6th. But, wary of offending China?s leaders and losing business in the world?s second-largest economy, a majority of EU governments - led by Germany - opposed the plan, which led to the compromise deal.

?We found an amicable solution,? EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht said.

?I am satisfied with the offer of a price undertaking submitted by China?s solar panel exporters,? he said, referring to an agreement for a minimum price for China?s imports.

Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang welcomed the deal, hailing a ?positive and highly constructive outcome?.

An EU diplomatic source said the agreed price was 0.56 cents per watt, near the spot price for Chinese solar panels in July in Europe, according to solar exchange pvXchange.

That may not satisfy EU solar manufacturers who say the price still constitutes dumping, but China has sold solar panels at as low as 0.38 cents per watt in Europe, according to the European Commission, which handles trade issues for EU states.

Under the terms of the deal, China will also be allowed to meet about half Europe?s solar panel demand, if taken at last year?s levels. EU consumption was about 15 gigawatts in 2012, and China will be able to provide 7 gigawatts without being subject to tariffs under the deal, the EU source said.

Chinese solar panel production quadrupled between 2009 and 2011 to more than the world?s entire demand as it took advantage of a growing market for renewable energy in the face of concerns about climate change.

But the global financial crisis and ensuing euro zone crisis have forced European governments to withdraw generous subsidies for solar energy. That, along with Chinese imports pushing down prices, have sent many European solar companies into bankruptcy.

German group Conergy filed for insolvency this month.

But those concerns have become secondary to the much larger EU-China trade relationship at stake over the panels dispute.

The EU is China?s most important trading partner, while for the EU, China is second only to the United States. Chinese exports of goods to the union totalled ?290 billion last year, with ?144 billion going the other way.

Responding to the EU?s move to impose duties, China launched an anti-dumping inquiry into European wine sales, which may have led to exporters in France, as well as Spain and Italy, being hit with retaliatory duties.

EU and Chinese diplomats now expect that case to be dropped as a goodwill gesture, although officials declined to comment today.

Reuters

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Friday, July 26, 2013

Nathan (Nate) Salter: Race cars and old cars were his passion ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Nate Salter was a friend of mine and dozens - hell, thousands - of other people. He lived for auto racing and the old car hobby. He loved nothing more than talking about racing and cars and not far behind, in second place, ...

Source: http://thestar.blogs.com/autoracing/2013/07/nathan-nate-salter-race-cars-and-old-cars-were-his-passion.html

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

UA football player Patrick Onwuasor has been arraigned on drug and weapons charges.

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

Source: http://www.facebook.com/tucsonweekly/posts/10151724158699464

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Celgene raises full-year outlook on strong cancer drug sales

(Reuters) - Biotechnology firm Celgene Corp raised its full-year earnings forecast for the second time in three months after it reported a quarterly profit above analysts' estimates, as its cancer drugs, Revlimid and Abraxane, continued to post strong sales growth.

Celgene shares rose 4 percent to $142 in trading before the bell on Thursday.

The company said it now expects 2013 adjusted earnings of $5.80 to $5.90 per share, up from its prior view of $5.55 to $5.65 per share.

It expects sales of $6.2 billion, up from $6.0 billion forecast earlier.

Second-quarter net income rose to $478.1 million, or $1.11 per share, from $367.4 million, or 82 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, Celgene earned $1.52 per share.

Analysts on average expected a profit of $1.44 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Total revenue rose 17 percent to $1.60 billion, narrowly beating analysts' estimate of $1.54 billion.

Sales of the company's flagship blood cancer drug Revlimid, approved for use in multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma and a blood disorder, rose 13 percent to $1.05 billion, driven by market share gains.

Multiple myeloma is the second-most-commonly diagnosed blood cancer.

Revlimid has been in the news after Celgene said last week that it would stop a late-stage trial of the drug due to a higher number of deaths in leukemia patients taking the drug compared with those on another treatment.

Analysts, however, had said the trial closure would not affect their sales estimates for the drug that brought in sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

Sales of another big growth engine for Celgene, Abraxane, used to treat breast and lung cancer, rose 41 percent to $155 million, helped by its strong demand in the United States for use in lung cancer.

Celgene's new multiple myeloma treatment, Pomalyst, sold $66 million in its first full quarter of sales. The drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February and is expected to reach the billion-dollar sales mark by 2016.

Shares of Summit, New Jersey-based Celgene closed at $135.99 on the Nasdaq on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Esha Dey in Bangalore; Editing by Sreejiraj Eluvangal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/celgene-raises-full-outlook-strong-cancer-drug-sales-122723813.html

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Monday, July 22, 2013

ABC's O'Brian named Al-Jazeera America president

NEW YORK: Al-Jazeera America said Monday it will bring in a quartet of veteran U.S. television news executives, led by ABC's Kate O'Brian as president, to run the new cable news network and pinpointed Aug. 20 as the launch date.

Ehab Al Shahibi, executive director for international operations for Al-Jazeera and the man who has overseen development of the American outlet, is the interim chief executive officer.

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, formed in 1996, has expanded quickly around the world but struggled to gain access to U.S. cable and satellite systems. At the beginning of this year, it bought former Vice President Al Gore's Current TV, giving the company access to some 50 million homes initially, and began to set up a network specifically for the U.S. audience.

O'Brian has worked at ABC News for three decades, and since 2007 has been the network's senior vice president for news, leading its breaking news coverage.

"She is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist who fully understands what Americans want to see and hear when they watch the news," said Mostefa Souag, acting director general of the Al-Jazeera Media Network. "Kate has the vision, tenacity and integrity to ensure that Al-Jazeera America will quickly become the success we expect it to be."

Three other Americans who have extensive experience in television news, but aren't working there currently, will join Al-Jazeera as senior vice presidents.

David Doss, a producer for news shows at ABC and NBC News who had most recently been producing broadcasts for Anderson Cooper at CNN, will be in charge of news programming.

Marcy McGinnis, currently teaching journalism at Stony Brook University, will be responsible for news gathering, similar to a job she held at CBS News a decade ago.

Shannon High-Bassalik has run local news operations, worked at MSNBC and most recently produced CNN's morning news show before it was remodeled. She will be in charge of documentaries and programs.

Al-Jazeera has announced that a handful of familiar names to American viewers - Sheila MacVicar, Ali Velshi and Soledad O'Brien - will be doing on-air work for the network. The network also has said it will air a regular newsmagazine, "America Tonight," on weeknights.

O'Brian started work at ABC more than 30 years ago as an intern at "20/20." ABC News President Ben Sherwood wrote to his staff on Monday that "I will miss the sound of her voice, urgent and measured, calling in the middle of the night, when news is breaking somewhere around the world."

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Jul-22/224681-abcs-obrian-named-al-jazeera-america-president.ashx

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Brian Scalabrine Worked With First-Round Pick Kelly Olynyk in Draft Process, Journey from College to Celtics (Video)

Celtics first-round draft pick Kelly Olynyk is already turning some heads with his summer league play, and it may have something to do with Boston fan favorite, Brian Scalabrine.

The former Celtic helped out the new Celtic by working out with Olynyk before the draft, preparing him for his transition to the NBA and teaching the 7-footer some of the major differences that exist between college basketball and professional ball.

In Olynyk?s first taste of summer league action, the former Gonzaga center is averaging 19.5 points and 8 rebounds in five games.

Check out the above video to hear how grateful Olynyk was for Scal?s help.

Source: http://nesn.com/2013/07/brian-scalabrine-worked-with-first-round-pick-kelly-olynyk-in-draft-process-journey-from-college-to-celtics-video/

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A career round gives Mickelson a claret jug

Phil Mickelson of the United States celebrates after his final putt on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Phil Mickelson of the United States celebrates after his final putt on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Phil Mickelson of the United States holds up the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Phil Mickelson of the United States poses with his family after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Phil Mickelson of the United States kisses his wife Amy as they pose for a photo with their family after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Phil Mickelson of the United States gestures as he holds the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Muirfield, Scotland, Sunday July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

(AP) ? One of the greatest final rounds in a major. Two of the best shots he ever struck with a 3-wood. The third leg of the Grand Slam.

Phil Mickelson never imagined any of this happening at the British Open.

No wonder he never took his hand off the base of that silver claret jug as he talked about the best Sunday he ever had at a major. Five shots out of the lead, Mickelson blew past Tiger Woods, caught up to Lee Westwood and Masters champion Adam Scott, and won golf's oldest championship with the lowest final round in his 80 majors.

With four birdies over the last six holes, Mickelson closed with a 5-under 66 for a three-shot win over Henrik Stenson.

No longer is he mystified by links golf, and he has his name etched in that jug to prove it.

"This is such an accomplishment for me because I just never knew if I'd be able to develop the game to play links golf effectively," Mickelson said. "To play the best round arguably of my career, to putt better than I've ever putted, to shoot the round of my life ... it feels amazing to win the claret jug."

Introduced as the "champion golfer of the year," he held the oldest trophy in golf over his head to show it off to one side of the massive grandstand lining the 18th green at Muirfield, and then the other. An hour earlier, they gave the 43-year-old Mickelson the loudest ovation of the week as he walked up the final fairway.

He drained an 8-foot birdie putt and thrust his arms in the air, hugged caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay and whispered to him, "I did it." After signing for the lowest final round ever at Muirfield, Mickelson huddled with his wife and three children ? back from a quick holiday to Spain ? for a long embrace and waited for the others to finish.

Westwood, who started the day with a two-shot lead, fell behind for the first time all day with a bogey on the par-3 13th hole and never recovered, closing with a 75.

Scott took the outright lead with a 4-foot birdie on the 11th, and then closed as sloppily as he did last year when he threw away the Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. He made four straight bogeys starting at the 13th, and a final bogey on the 18th gave him a 72. At least he has a green jacket from the Master to console him.

Woods, in his best position to win a major since the crisis in his personal life, stumbled badly on his way to a 74 and was never a serious challenger.

"We know that he goes for broke, and if that's how he was feeling and pulling it off, he's got the ability to do that," Scott said about Mickelson. "And he's gone and won an Open easily. So every credit to him."

At the end of a rough-and-tumble week along the Firth of Forth, Mickelson was the only player under par at 3-under 283. In his four other majors ? three Masters and one PGA Championship ? he had never started the final round more than one shot behind.

"I don't care either way how I got this trophy ? I got it," Mickelson said. "And it just so happened to be with one of the best rounds of my career, which is really the way I've played my entire career. I've always tried to go out and get it. I don't want anybody to hand it to me. I want to go out and get it. And today, I did."

Westwood, whose only other 54-hole lead in a major ended with Mickelson winning the Masters, paid tribute to Lefty for what will go down as one of the great closing rounds in a major.

"When you birdie four of the last six of a round any day, that's good going," Westwood said. "With a decent breeze blowing and some tough flags out there, it's obviously a pretty good experience. When you do it in a major championship, it's an even better experience."

But this major? Phil Mickelson?

He had only contended twice in two decades at golf's oldest championship. One week after he won the Scottish Open in a playoff on the links-styled course of Castle Stuart, Mickelson was simply magical on the back nine of a brown, brittle Muirfield course that hasn't played this tough since 1966.

Tied for the lead, Mickelson smashed a 3-wood onto the green at the par-5 17th to about 25 feet for a two-putt birdie, and finished in style with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to match the lowest score of this championship.

"Those two 3-woods were the two best shots of the week, to get it on that green," Mickelson said. "As I was walking up to the green, that was when I realized that this is very much my championship in my control. And I was getting a little emotional. I had to kind of take a second to slow down my walk and try to regain composure."

Mickelson figured a par on the 18th would be tough for anyone to catch him. When the ball dropped in the center of the cup, he raised both arms in the air to celebrate his fifth career major, tying him with the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Byron Nelson.

"Best round I've ever seen him play," said his caddie, Jim "Bones" Mackay.

His final surge was right about the time Westwood and Scott began to fold.

Scott, trying to join an exclusive list of players who have won a green jacket and a claret jug in the same year, made a remarkable recovery from the dunes right of the par-3 13th hole, only to miss the 7-foot par putt. He took three putts for bogeys on the next two holes ? from long range on the 14th, and from 20 feet on the 15th ? and found a bunker on the next.

Westwood started to lose his grip on the jug with bogeys on the seventh and eighth, and failing to birdie the downwind, par-5 ninth. Presented with birdie chances early on the back nine, his putting stroke began to look tentative.

Westwood and Scott tied for third with Ian Poulter, who played a four-hole stretch in 5-under around the turn and closed with a 67. At 1-over 285, he canceled a flight home in case of a playoff. Moments later, with Mickelson pulling away, the outcome was clear.

Jack Nicklaus said on Twitter, "Phil's round was incredible. After his bad break on 16 and to then get up and down showed a lot of guts. And the two great shots at 17 ended the tournament."

Making this even sweeter for Mickelson is that just one month ago he lost out on yet another chance to win the U.S. Open, the missing link of a career Grand Slam. Mickelson twice made bogey with wedge in his hand on the back nine at Merion and had his record sixth runner-up finish.

Woods, Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen are the only players to win all four professional majors. Mickelson figured it would be the British Open that would hold him back. Now he has the jug, and he never took his hand off it during his press conference.

"I think that if I'm able to win the U.S. Open and complete the career Grand Slam, I think that that's the sign of the complete, great player," Mickelson said. "And I'm a leg away. And it's been a tough leg for me."

For now, Mickelson takes his place among an elite list of winners at Muirfield, which is considered the fairest of the links on the British Open rotation. All but two of the Open champions at Muirfield are in the World Hall of Fame. Mickelson is the only winner who already has been inducted.

It was the 43rd win of his PGA Tour career. The guy who once couldn't win the big one now has five majors in the last nine years. This one returns him to No. 2 in the world ranking for the first time in nearly three years.

Woods, meanwhile, now has gone 17 majors without winning, and that pursuit of Nicklaus and his benchmark of 18 majors ? Woods is stuck on 14 ? doesn't look any closer. He three-putted twice in four holes at the start of the round and looked like just another contender on this Sunday.

He attributed his poor day to not getting the right pace on the greens, which he said were progressively slower.

"I felt like I was really playing well today, actually the whole week, " said Woods, who has not broken 70 in the final round of his last seven majors. "I really hit so many good shots and really had control of my ball this week. As I said, it was just trying to get the speed, and I just didn't get it."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-07-21-GLF-British-Open/id-5a4f86545d28440c8b8d0d42366d79f0

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SLIDESHOW: Women in the pink to beat cancer at Cambridge?s Race for Life

21/07/13 Pictures from Race for Life on Parkers Piece, Cambridge. Picture by Keith Heppell

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The streets of Cambridge were flooded with pink as 7,000 women stepped out in the fight against cancer.

Charity Cancer Research UK was hoping to raise ?480,000 to fund ground-breaking research from today?s Race for Life, a women-only 5km event weaving its way around the city?s landmarks.

Among the participants were brave cancer patients who were determined to do their bit - for their own generation, and for those to come.

Sarah Greenwood, from Cherry Hinton, took part just days after undergoing a second course of chemotherapy for breast cancer.

The 42-year-old said: ?I really needed to this, I just decided to stand up, I don?t want to be brought down by this.

?I only signed up on Thursday because I didn?t think I would be up to it, having just had a second course of chemo, but I?ve raised ?400 so I?m really pleased.?

Sarah, who was joined by pal Kathy Dickinson, 42, from Newmarket, added: ?It?s great - I?m amazed by how many women come together in this way and the women I have meet have been brilliant, and so strong.?

Debbie Parry, from Melbourn, was supported by her daughter and friends as she ran the course - just after finishing chemotherapy for breast cancer, and two weeks before she undergoes a mastectomy.

The 52-year-old said: ?I had the diagnosis in February and started chemo on March 8, which finished on June 21.

?But I wanted to it because it?s great to see people come and support the Race for Life, it?s just brilliant.?

The event started on Parker?s Piece before weaving through the city, via King?s College, to Jesus Green.

Support came from the News as well as radio station Heart Cambridgeshire - whose breakfast show presenters Kev Lawrence and Ros Webb entertained the crowds before the start.

Many participants were running for friends and relatives who were fighting the disease - and in memory of others who had succumbed to it.

Tania Clark, 36, has been taking part in the event for an incredible 15 years on the trot, in memory of her dad John Clark.

The Cambridge man lost his battle against cancer 18 years ago, at the age of 56, and Tania, who grew up in the city but has since moved to Peterborough, said this was an important motivation.

Standing alongside friend Lisa Wilson, 36, from Huntingdon, she said: ?It?s to improve the care for everybody else so they can have the chance that my dad didn?t have.

?Every year there is a breakthrough and I feel we have come a long way in the last 18 years.?

Marjorie Brammer, from Sutton, was running in memory of her husband Derek, who died from liver cancer at the age of 75 last year.

She was joined by her granddaughter Gemma Crosby, 25, also from Sutton - who was not deterred by being five months pregnant, although she was planning to walk rather than run.

Marjorie, 74, said: ?It?s very emotional, but the atmosphere is so great.?

Also among the participants were medics and nurses at the forefront of the battle against cancer.

Student nurse Nancy McCarthy, 44, had been persuaded to travel up from London to take part by her daughter Olivia, aged 10.

She said: ?All the wards I?ve worked in have had cancer patients and they have been really inspirational.

?I can?t believe how many people took part, it?s enormous.?

Paula Young from Cancer Research UK described the event as ?amazing?.

She said: ?It was great to see thousands of women all coming together for the same reason, to beat cancer sooner.

?Now what we would like to do is ask everybody to return sponsorship money because without that we couldn?t do the amazing work we have been doing and that needs to continue.

?Although we are making huge progress, much more still needs to be done so that sponsorship money is vital.?

Get tomorrow?s News for a special 12-page pullout packed with inspiring stories and fantastic photos from today?s event.

Source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/SLIDESHOW-Women-in-the-pink-to-beat-cancer-at-Cambridges-Race-for-Life-20130721122653.htm

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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Pope Francis responded to a letter from Argentine President Cristina Fern?ndez d...

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/argentinanews/posts/579750978730932

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Unite union members accept Haddington Road deal

The Unite union has voted to accept the Haddington Road agreement.

The union, which represents around 6,000 workers, re-balloted its members on the deal, and it was approved by 82% of voters.

Jimmy Kelly from Unite said that the result will do little to improve the country's economic situation, but says members would be seriously disadvantaged if they do not sign up to the proposals.

Source: http://feeds.breakingnews.ie/~r/bnireland/~3/f5tISlHG5-Y/unite-union-members-accept-haddington-road-deal-601208.html

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Saturday, July 20, 2013

Recruit So Simple is the leading company which offers the ... - PR Fire

United Kingdom 20-07-2013. Recruit So Simple is the highly dedicated company which offers the generous services for the recruitment. The recruitment is not new as it is essential process for every business. Every type of business performs the recruitment process with using different sources. But in these days the recruitment software solutions are being a unique way which is applicable for everyone. No matter, what is the size or type of your business but these software solutions are perfect for different requirements. These are accessible through the internet and the online recruitment system allows you to make recruitment throughout the globe. The recruitment system doesn?t restrict you to access such software as you can make use of these systems anywhere and anytime. These enable you to choose an applicant from multiple applicant resumes and it is best way to choose anyone as per your requirement. The company is completely helpful for this concern as it handles your recruitment process including candidates, resumes and vacancies through the web browser or mobile device. The recruitment software solutions provided by company must suits to your needs and must enable you to locate best applicant throughout the globe. The recruitment system is being an essence for the progress of the business as the adequate applicants are able to perform their job in proficient manner. Whenever you need these software solutions then you can make access onto them. If you want to hire the professional and pertinent services for this concern then don?t feel hesitation as the Recruit So Simple is the premier company. For more info about company and its services simply log on: http://recruitsosimple.co.uk/

Source: http://www.prfire.co.uk/technology/recruit-so-simple-is-the-leading-company-which-offers-the-recruitment-software-solutions-142877?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=recruit-so-simple-is-the-leading-company-which-offers-the-recruitment-software-solutions

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Why Paid Surveys Exist | Vuth FM

Wonder why companies would spend on someone to complete their surveys? Wonder why they must pay visitors to do their surveys when others i did so it for nothing? And get you ever wondered how these surveys could do any good to these lenders? Well, your entire questions are about to be answered.
First of all, you need to understand why surveys exist. Surveys exist in order to gather data from people that use the products with the company that made the surveys. They may be done online the fact that was once carried out the traditional door-to-door survey way, but since the internet has become a great deal of an influence to folks Surveys for money became very popular. Surveys allowed companies to save lots of a higher price and expenditures time when it comes to gathering data which they can use as being a basis concerning how to improve their company.

But because these organizations do not get just as much completed surveys when they would?ve want to, they made a method to motivate website visitors to are able to answer their surveys: by paying them as they quite simply complete it. This that point on served as a means of incentive for folks. It was obviously a great way to entice individuals to answer their surveys, and they got the volume of data they needed enough to learn which regions of a few and services to increase.
What?s actually great about paid survey programs online is the fact the two of you benefit from it. Companies could save up money and also at duration there?re providing decent jobs to folks who are required it. Whilst some started as doing these surveys as a means of gaining extra revenue, it became something which made people build an income as a living in the long run. And features been providing jobs to opportunity seekers for many years now.
And because the primary reason for these particular paid surveys online for existing is perfect for the businesses to improve on a few, an effective will be able to take advantage of it too in the long run. Utilizing their feedback, the businesses would figure out where you should focus their improvements on. Many of the used by those businesses that offer services since they perform onto it immediately.
Companies on the flip side, benefit via cutting back on finding the data needed. Instead of starting from scratch and creating these experiments that could explain what is flawed on his or her products, they might just easily obtain the most reliable data off their customers themselves you should from that point. No doubt it is a lot less money to invest in setting aside money for many who answer their surveys in lieu of actually nowadays experiment that is going to take a longer timeframe in addition to a less accurate result.
Altogether, Paid Surveys are rather convenient and beneficial to everyone. As long as you know the ones are from legit companies and which ones count some time and funds they purchase from you, it will be possible to depend on these surveys becoming a main method of obtaining your living.

For more information about Legitimate paid online surveys visit our website.

This entry was posted in Story and tagged Paid, Surveys. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://vuthfm.com/why-paid-surveys-exist

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Friday, July 19, 2013

G20 backs fundamental rethink of corporate tax ... - Financial Post

The G20 backed a ?fundamental? rethink of the rules on taxing multinational corporations on Friday, taking aim at loopholes used by companies such as Apple and Google to avoid billions of dollars in taxes.

The group of leading economies released an action plan drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that said the existing system didn?t work, especially when it came to taxing companies that trade online.

?It is a major breakthrough and is at the heart of the social contract,? France?s finance minister, Pierre Moscovici, told a news conference on the sidelines of a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of 20 leading nations in Moscow.

?People and companies have to pay the taxes that are due, it?s the only way to operate in a fair and competitive society,? added British finance minister George Osborne.

Large budget deficits and public anger at inter-company structures designed to channel profits into tax havens have prodded governments to act.

Google, Apple and others say they follow the law wherever they operate and pay what tax is due, while tax specialists point out that companies have a duty to shareholders to organize their affairs in a tax-efficient way within the laws set by politicians.

Pascal Saint-Amans, Director of the OECD?s Centre for Tax Policy, said governments? frustration with companies? aggressive tax avoidance had created a ?once in a century? opportunity to overhaul the rules, which date back to the League of Nations in the 1930s.

Currently, tax systems respect inter-company contracts even if they evidently seek to shift profits out of countries where they are earned into low or no-tax jurisdictions. New rules will seek to put more emphasis on economic substance, the Paris-based think tank said.

?We clearly have reached the point where the governments don?t care any more about taboos, and they just say we cannot be bound by pure contractual arrangements. It?s not possible to only allocate the profit through only contractual arrangements,? Saint-Amans told reporters.

The OECD, which advises its mainly rich members on tax and economic policy, has two years to come up with specific measures that can be adopted internationally.

BUSINESS CONCERNED

Business lobby groups such as the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) and the Confederation of British Industry dispute that there is a broad problem with tax avoidance and say measures to address it could hit job creation, trade and innovation.

Yet groups representing smaller or domestically focused companies support the OECD project.

?EEF welcomes today?s report and urges the UK and the G20 generally to respond positively to its central recommendations,? said Steve Radley, Director of Policy at EEF, which represents many small and medium-sized British manufacturers.

Non-governmental organizations, especially those focused on development in poorer nations, welcomed the OECD?s recognition of the shortcomings in the international tax system and the commitment to take action, although some expressed skepticism that the project would be effective.

Saint-Amans noted that all OECD members including Switzerland, Ireland and the Netherlands, which have been described as tax havens by lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic, had backed the action plan.

The report identified a raft of loopholes used by companies in the technology, pharmaceutical and consumer goods sectors.

These include the practice of companies not creating tax residences or ?permanent establishments? in countries where they have major operations.

The OECD also criticized the corporate practice of designating units in tax havens as holders of group funds, patents or brands that can then be lent or licensed, for generous fees, to affiliates in countries where customers or factories are located.

International treaties designed to avoid double taxation of profits earned from cross-border activities but which have been used to avoid any taxation, are also under scrutiny. Saint-Amans said protocols to amend existing treaties could be developed to stop such ?double non-taxation?.

He added that representatives of OECD and G20 members who helped draft the plan had rejected a more radical idea favored by some non-governmental groups that would split multinationals? profits among the different countries where they operate, according to an agreed formula, with each country assessing its share of profit.

Such a system exists in the United States for the application of state taxes, but countries agreed it was too complex to adopt internationally.

Some countries had proposed a reform of corporate income tax whereby companies would be taxed where their customers were based, but the group did not accept this idea.

? Thomson Reuters 2013

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/07/19/g20-tax-reform/

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Jimmy Carter: Unchecked campaign contributions are 'legal bribery'

'It's accepted fact,'?Carter?said during a speech in Atlanta. 'It's legal bribery of candidates. And that repayment may be in the form of an ambassadorship...'

By Ray Henry,?Associated Press / July 18, 2013

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter discusses U.S. election reform at the Carter Center, July 17, in Atlanta. Carter gave the keynote remarks Wednesday along with Ambassador Janez Lenarcic of the Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

David Goldman/AP

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Former President?Jimmy?Carter?said Wednesday that unchecked political contributions are "legal bribery of candidates" and denounced a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made possible unlimited spending by outside groups, including corporations and labor unions.

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"It's accepted fact,"?Carter?said during a speech in Atlanta. "It's legal bribery of candidates. And that repayment may be in the form of an ambassadorship to someone who has raised three or four hundred thousand dollars to help a candidate get elected."

Carter?spoke at a forum where an agency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe released its report on last year's U.S. election. The U.S. government invited the European agency to observe the process.

He said the U.S. Supreme Court made a "very stupid" decision by removing limits on independent campaign spending by businesses and labor unions, which the court found was a constitutionally protected form of political speech. The Democrat said that he and his Republican opponents used public financing to run their general election campaigns in 1976 and 1980.

Carter?more generally criticized the amount of private contributions flowing into political campaigns.

"I would say that it's almost impossible for a candidate, like I was back in those early days or others even, to be considered seriously as a candidate to represent the Democratic or Republican parties as nominee if you can't raise $100 million or $200 million from contributors, many of whom know that they are making an investment in how they are going to be treated by the winner after the election is over,"?Carter?said.

Carter?said that while elections in the United States once set an example for the world, the country's reputation diminished in 2000 when the U.S. Supreme Court intervened in a Florida vote recount, effectively deciding the election in favor of Republican George W. Bush. He also criticized GOP-led state legislatures for changing polling hours in ways that?Carter?said were meant to frustrate likely Democratic voters.

The OSCE report found that:

? The 2012 election was administered professionally and the public generally viewed the outcome as legitimate;

? Voter identification rules vary across the states and have become politicized;

? Political spending by outside groups can be exempt from disclosure requirements, raising transparency concerns;

? Rules on vote recounts vary widely and are not always clearly defined, which could result in complaints.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/kzsDQL-PxoE/Jimmy-Carter-Unchecked-campaign-contributions-are-legal-bribery

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Dell vs. Icahn 'Boxing Match' Delayed Until Next ... - Yahoo! Finance

[unable to retrieve full-text content]From the blog Breakout: The boardroom battle over Dell (DELL) continues after this morning's shareholder meeting adjourned without a vote on the $24.4 billion buyout offer from founder & CEO Michael Dell. Activist investor ...

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/dell-vs-icahn-boxing-match-delayed-another-week-171056434.html

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Analysis: Ship seizure shows dire straits of Cuban military rather than threat

By David Adams

MIAMI (Reuters) - The seizure in Panama of a North Korean cargo ship carrying aging Cuban military hardware in need of repair is more a sign of hard times in Havana than of any sinister military threat, analysts say.

Although Cuba may have violated United Nations sanctions barring military trade with North Korea, the infraction could result in little more than a slap on the wrist as the Soviet-era weaponry appears unrelated to international concern over proliferation of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang.

"Based on what we know, the military impact seems to be negligible," said Philip Peters, a Cuba expert at the Virginia-based Cuban Research Center. "This material has nothing to do with the international community's core concern about North Korea, which is nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles."

The shipment included two anti-aircraft missile batteries, nine disassembled missiles, two MiG-21 aircraft, and 15 MiG engines, all Soviet-era military weaponry built in the middle of the last century.

The Cuban military was "using weapons and equipment of staggeringly old vintage" and the Pentagon had long since written off the island as a military threat, said Hal Klepak, professor of History and Strategy at the Royal Military College of Canada and author of a book on the Cuban military.

At the same time, Cuba's military doctrine was designed to deter any attack, and its defensive capacity was badly in need of an upgrade, he said.

"Nothing Cuba has, as the Pentagon has repeatedly made clear in its own analyses, constitutes a threat to the U.S. or other neighbors, but if Cuba cannot keep any limited air-defense capability in being at all, then it cannot convince anyone that its conquest would not be easy to achieve," he said.

In a 1998 report, the Pentagon concluded that the collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1991 had seriously eroded the size and power of Cuba's military, which was left posing "a negligible threat to the U.S. or surrounding countries."

The report said Cuba's army could no longer mount "effective operations" due to mothballed equipment, and it's air force had fewer than two dozen operation MiGs.

Despite the possible violation of U.N. sanctions, the Obama administration has reacted cautiously to the Panama seizure.

It went ahead on Wednesday with scheduled migration talks with Cuba, and rather than lash out at Havana, U.S. officials have taken a wait-and-see approach, saying they plan to speak to the Cubans about the incident once all the facts are known.

"HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE"

Cuba says the "obsolete" weapons were being sent back to North Korea for repair and has insisted it remains committed to international law and nuclear disarmament.

Klepak termed the MiG-21, which first flew in the 1950s, "hopelessly out of date," as were the anti-aircraft radar systems reportedly on the ship.

"Cuba cannot afford to buy anything newer and does not have repair facilities of its own for such needs. Thus if it is not to scrap, for example, the aircraft entirely, it must repair and potentially update them in some areas," he said.

Cuba's dire financial situation most likely led it to turn to North Korea, allowing Havana to enter a barter arrangement, perhaps for sugar, Klepak added, noting that the North Koreans had repaired similar weaponry in the past in exchange for food.

While Russia and China could repair the systems, or perhaps modernize them, they would only do so for cash, he said.

The surreptitious nature of the cargo, and the ship's route with its transponder switched off when it left the Panama Canal to collect the Cuban weapons, indicated that Cuba knew it was violating the U.N. sanctions, but was willing to take the risk of being caught, according to some analysts.

Despite official U.S. caution so far, the weapons shipment could hurt Havana's efforts to rekindle relations with Washington, given that Cuban-American members of Congress have already called for tougher action from the Obama administration.

"Weapons transfers from one communist regime to another hidden under sacks of sugar are not accidental occurrences, and reinforces the necessity that Cuba remain on the State Department's list of countries that sponsor state terrorism," U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

Peters called Cuba's action a political blunder. "Cuba deserves to be criticized for violating a U.N. resolution, but it's a long leap to then take this action and spin it into some big security threat emanating from Cuba because it just doesn't exist," he said.

"The Cuban military has never been an offensive threat to the United States and for the past 20 years it's been a shell of its former self."

(Additional reporting by Marc Frank in Havana; Editing by David Drunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-ship-seizure-shows-dire-straits-cuban-military-004652011.html

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