Home prices rise, seen helping economic recovery

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Home prices rose in February at their fastest rate in almost seven years, a fresh sign the housing market recovery will help counter the drag on the economy from government belt tightening.

The S&P/Case Shiller index of 20 metropolitan areas released on Tuesday showed single-family home prices rose 9.3 percent in February from a year earlier.

The data reinforces the view that rising home prices could make Americans feel better about spending this year, helping counter a hit to economic growth from tax hikes and government spending cuts.

"This will be a powerful positive fundamental not only for housing but presumably helpful for consumer spending as well," said Stephen Stanley an economist at Pierpont Securities in Stamford, Connecticut.

Another report showed U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in April as Americans felt better about the outlook for the economy and their income prospects.

The Conference Board, a private industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes rose to 68.1 from a revised 61.9 the previous month. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a reading of 60.8.

Still, there appears to be a growing risk that weakness in the labor market and broader economy could dial down the housing recovery's strength. Hiring slowed dramatically in March and economic growth was lackluster in the first quarter, raising fears the economy could struggle to cope with Washington's austerity drive.

Business activity in the U.S. Midwest unexpectedly contracted in April to its lowest level since September 2009 as a gauge of employment pulled back, another report showed.

The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago business barometer fell to 49, below the 50 mark that denotes contraction and falling short of economists' expectations for 52.5.

Other recent data has pointed to less steam building in the housing market, and the Commerce Department said on Tuesday that the U.S. home ownership rate slipped to 65.2 percent in the first quarter, a 17-year low.

Still, rising home prices could give construction firms more incentive to build new homes and increase inventories. A dearth of homes on the market has held back sales.

The S&P/Case Shiller index showed prices gained 1.2 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis from January, topping forecasts for a 0.9 percent gain.

Following a spectacular collapse that fueled the 2007-09 recession, the housing sector appears to have turned a corner and prices have been rising since February 2012.

MORE MONETARY STIMULUS AHEAD

U.S. stocks were about flat, although market players said the drop in Midwestern business activity weighed on sentiment. Yields on U.S. government debt were also little changed.

The data came as the Federal Reserve prepared to open a two-day meeting on monetary policy. A recent slew of weak U.S. growth data has raised expectations the Fed will keep its pace of bond buying at $85 billion a month throughout the year.

The Fed has kept overnight interest rates near zero since late 2008 and it has tripled its balance sheet to about $3 trillion through purchases of securities, which are aimed at pushing longer-term borrowing costs lower.

A separate report showed U.S. labor costs rose a modest 0.3 percent in the first quarter, pointing to a lack of inflationary pressures that could give the Fed space to continue its monetary stimulus.

Wages and salaries, which account for 70 percent of employment costs, increased 0.5 percent in the first quarter, and were up 1.6 percent in the 12 months through March, according to the report from the Labor Department.

Workers' benefits rose 0.1 percent during the quarter, the slowest pace since 1999. The data may have been distorted by an error found in benefits data for sales and office workers, but the department said the data error probably did not have a major impact.

(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington and Leah Schnurr in New York; Editing by Neil Stempleman and Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-prices-rise-seen-helping-economic-recovery-135754927.html

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Opening statements to begin in Jackson civil case

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 file photo, Michael Jackson follows his mother, Katherine Jackson, as they arrive for court on the opening day of his child molestation trial at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, Calif. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday April 29, 2013, in Katherine Jackson?s lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live over Michael?s 2009 death. Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate the doctor who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for the singer?s death, but the company denies all wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 file photo, Michael Jackson follows his mother, Katherine Jackson, as they arrive for court on the opening day of his child molestation trial at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, Calif. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday April 29, 2013, in Katherine Jackson?s lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live over Michael?s 2009 death. Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate the doctor who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for the singer?s death, but the company denies all wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE - In this April 27, 2011 file photo, Katherine Jackson poses for a portrait in Calabasas, Calif. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday April 29, 2013, in Jackson?s lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live over her son Michael?s 2009 death. Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate the doctor who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for the singer?s death, but the company denies all wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Michael Jackson's mother's allegations that the company promoting his comeback failed to properly investigate the doctor convicted in his death are at the center of a civil trial opening Monday.

Jurors will listen to remarks from attorneys who hope to frame the issues before testimony begins in the months-long trial.

Lawyers for concert giant AEG Live contend the company did nothing wrong and could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Jackson's death in June 2009 at age 50.

The case will focus on the last few months of Jackson's life and his overall health and financial history. Jurors will also hear evidence throughout the case about Conrad Murray, the former cardiologist convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter after giving him doses of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid.

Millions, and possibly billions, of dollars are at stake. Any award in the case will be determined by a jury of six men and six women who have agreed to hear the case, which may last 90 trial days.

Lawyers for Katherine Jackson and the singer's three children have said AEG failed to spot red flags about Murray's finances and created a conflict of interest for him between a major payday and maintaining the superstar's health.

Murray agreed to serve as Jackson's doctor for the planned series of "This Is It" comeback shows in London for $150,000 per month, but Jackson died before the superstar and AEG officials signed the agreement.

AEG contends it did not hire Murray, who had previously treated Jackson and who the singer requested serve as his physician.

Murray remains jailed and is appealing his conviction.

The trial will address issues about Jackson's health and finances that were not factors in Murray's criminal trial, and may also feature testimony from the singer's two oldest children. Stars such as Diana Ross, Spike Lee and Quincy Jones are also listed as potential witnesses, and several top AEG executives are expected to testify.

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-04-29-Jackson-AEG%20Suit/id-2f211c503ad04b2e9d5450c4b0302460

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Apple iPhoto (for iPhone)

It will come as no surprise that one of the slickest iPhone photo apps comes from the tech design leader: Apple. The company's iPhoto app for Mac OS X broke new ground in cool photo app interface features like skimmable gallery thumbnails and organizing your pictures in "Events." You get iPhoto for iPhone and for iPad with a single $4.99 purchase at the iTunes App Store. Of course, you can do a lot more with a tablet's bigger screen size, not to mention the much larger size and input capabilities of a desktop computer, but Apple nevertheless manages to make a lot of what makes iPhoto great available on its smallest screen.

The iOS version of iPhoto even adds a cool sharing feature you don't get on the desktop iPhoto app, the Photo Journals online Web photo galleries. It also takes advantage of iCloud Photo Streams, an extremely convenient way to get your photos to appear on all your Apple devices?and even on your Windows PC with iCloud installed.

Since it's what Apple calls a "universal" app, iPhoto for iOS works on the iPhone 4 and later, the iPod touch 4th generation and later, and the iPad 2 and later.

Interface
Nobody does interfaces as beautifully as Apple. Occasionally, the beauty and slickness of the interface design can actually make it less clear, until you get the hang of it.

iPhoto's remarkable user interface features multitouch gestures for photo correction, brushes for applying effects onto specific areas of a photo. Some nifty organization tools include the ability to identify similar photos with a double-tap, as well as to flag, favorite, or remove images. As with any good photo editor, iPhoto offers a simple button that takes you right back to your original image view.?

Interface
The home screen in iPhoto for iPhone looks different from that of the iPad version. Instead of the tablet's tabs, it shows five buttons across the bottom: Albums, Photos, Events, Journals, and Settings. The first shows your standard iPhone photo albums, including Camera Roll and Photo Stream. Tapping Photos displays a thumbnail grid all the photos on your device, and tapping on any of these opens a full view of the photo, with a filmstrip of the rest in the album sliding along the bottom of the screen?or along the left if you hold the phone in landscape view.

An "i" button shows info for the photo at hand, including any comments on Facebook or Flickr if you've previously shared it there. A Settings option lets you turn on Help overlay tooltips that explain exactly what each button does. One button at top right lets you quickly view the original image after any amount of edits.

You then tap the Edit button to start working on an individual image. This doesn't change the interface drastically, but just adds different buttons along the bottom, for Auto-Enhance, Rotate, Flag, Favorite, and Tag. But in front of all those is a suitcase button?representing your "toolkit" of photo-editing tools. These include Crop & Straighten, Exposure, Color, Brushes, and Effects. I would have preferred to see more than one Auto option, however, with different options separated out for brightness, color, and so on.

Basic Photo Adjustments
Adjusting your photo's exposure is handled in a way that's innovative for the touch interface: A bar along the bottom represents the image from its darkest to lightest tones, and you can either use controls on this bar or swipe up or down anywhere on the image to increase or decrease brightness, and right or left to do the same for contrast. It's sort of a histogram without the graph. The Apple-award-winning Snapseed for iPad uses a similar swiping approach, but both have the drawback of not letting you zoom while in this adjustment mode.

The artist's palette icon offers the four adjusters shown along the bottom?saturation, blue skies, greenery, warmth. ?Just swipe up or down to increase or decrease saturation and left and right to change hue. The tool is intelligent enough to adjust greenery if you start swiping on the grass, or warmth if you swipe on a person's skin. If you place your finger on sky blue, the option changes to darken or brighten the intensity of the sky?a nice trick.

A settings gear icons offer a healthy selection of white balance options?sun, clouds, shade, flash, face balance?or you can choose a neutral point in the image for a custom white balance. The face balance option can find a face in your photo and balance the rest of the photo based on that.

Cropping and straightening is also cleverly implemented. You can pinch and zoom within a set crop frame, or resize the frame with or without preserving aspect ratio. But neatest of all is the ability to level by holding the iPhone at an angle after tapping on the compass-like control below the photo. This takes advantage of the device's accelerometer. You can also just twist two fingers on the photo (the way most people will probably do it).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/GwNzFMQTseA/0,2817,2418225,00.asp

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#GenKnow Part Two | So Much to Smile About

As you may remember, earlier this year I took a quick trip to NYC to talk about women?s issues with an amazing group of fashion, lifestyle and health/fitness bloggers. While not strictly fashion related, there are a number of women?s/health issues I feel strongly about and I was happy to contribute to the important discussion (if you haven?t yet, you can read more about my health story here).

So I hope you?ll forgive the quick diversion! Essentially, what U by Kotex is trying to do is to start a discussion on how we can better educate and empower the next generation of girls to know more about their health/bodies. To help, they?ve partnered with Girls for a Change to start a program called Generation Know, which hopes to empower girls to create social change in their communities and ?transform the world.? Even Khloe Kardashian got in on the action!

While in New York, I participated in round table discussions and smaller interviews to touch on some of the issues and myths that exist and to share our stories and perspectives on various issues. The footage was then edited and clipped and put together in a few short videos. So many of the bloggers had really insightful, funny and thought-provoking things to say. And it was really interesting to learn more about the things they believed and hear stories about when myths and women?s health issues affected them! Hopefully through all of this, more young girls will know they have women and resources they can turn to for answers and support regardless of their situation. Check out one of the videos below, and if you are interested in more, I?ve listed out all the participating bloggers.

Erin from Girl Gone Veggie

Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point

Channing from Channing in the City

Clare from Fitting It All In

Danielle from The Style and Beauty Doctor

Janique from Her Goody Bag

Kat from TheeKatsMeoww

Lara from Pretty Connected

Melanie from O So Chic

Natalie from Fashionably Broke

Sherrell from Organic Beauty Vixen

Victoria from Fasshonaburu

U by Kotex Brand is committed to empowering girls to change the way the world?thinks about periods and vaginas through Generation Know, the first generation?of girls comfortable asking questions, gaining real knowledge and spreading?information about their health and bodies to others. To get the facts, learn how?to make a difference and get a free Generation Know bracelet to symbolize your?commitment, visit www.GenerationKnow.com. For every girl that joins, U by?Kotex brand will donate to Girls For A Change to continue to create change.

Disclosure:?Compensation was provided by U by Kotex? via Glam Media. The opinions?expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or?positions of U by Kotex?.

Source: http://somuchtosmileabout.com/2013/04/genknow-part-two/

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Upcoming Myrtle Beach area health events | Communities ...

GEORGETOWN

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Georgetown Memorial Hospital, but some take place at different locations. Call the numbers listed for more information or visit www.georgetownhospitalsystem.org.

Chronic kidney disease education | Varying schedule, varying locations in Horry and Georgetown counties. Free. 866-647-9396 or www.ultracare-dialysis.com/TOPS.

Health screenings | Finger-stick lipid profiles with blood sugar test: $20; diabetes screening-hemoglobin A1C: $15; blood sugar levels: $3. Free blood pressure screenings. 520-8579

??7:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, mall area, Georgetown Memorial Hospital

??7:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays, hallway by Same Day Surgery, Waccamaw Community Hospital.

??8:30-11:30 a.m. second Friday every other month, Waccamaw Community Care, 4310 Dick Pond Road, Myrtle Beach.

Obstetrics tour | 6 p.m. Tuesday, Waccamaw Community Hospital. Pre-registration required, 520-8490.

Regional health screening | 7:30-10:30 a.m. Friday, Forestbrook Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach. Screenings offered include cardiac risk assessment, $25; chemistry panel, $20; thyroid screening, $15; diabetes, $15; PSA for men, $15. Blood panel tests require a 10- to 12-hour fast. Registration packets are available at the information desks at Georgetown Memorial Hospital and Waccamaw Community Hospital.

Retired nurse tea | 3-4 p.m. May 6, private dining room, Georgetown Memorial Hospital. Email khazzard@georgetownhospitalsystem.org to register.

Candlelight vigil | 8 p.m. May 6, in front of Waccamaw Community Hospital and will honor the memory of nurses and blessing of the hands.

Retired nurse tea | 1-2 p.m. May 7, first-floor classroom, Waccamaw Community Hospital. Email jhashey@georgetownhospitalsystem.org to register.

Support groups

?? Young stroke survivors between ages 20 and 65 | 11:30 a.m. third Wednesday each month, first-floor classroom, Waccamaw Hospital or 5:30 p.m. education center, Georgetown Memorial Hospital. 655-2835 or visit www.YoungStroke.org

?? Mended Hearts | 6 p.m. last Tuesday of each month, Health Point Center for Health and Fitness, 12965 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island. Light supper provided. 685-3378 or rkeilen@mercyhospice.org

?? Bosom Buddies | 6-7 p.m. Monday, Wachesaw Conference Center, 4367 Riverwood Drive, Suite 160, Murrells Inlet. 237-8787

GRAND STRAND

Blood drives sponsored by American Red Cross are scheduled as follows. Call 839-4483 or 800-RED-CROSS.

??10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, in the parking lot, City Services Building, 921 Oak St., Myrtle Beach. 918-1114

??2-7 p.m. Monday, First Baptist Church, 6 N. Rosemary St., Andrews. 520-6564

??11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Horry County Complex, 1201 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach. 915-5293

??9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, St. James High School, 10800 S.C. 707, Murrells Inlet. 650-5600

??7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Red Cross Center, The Plaza at Carolina Forest, 3681 Renee Drive, Unit 4, Myrtle Beach.

??10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Waccamaw Community Hospital, 4367 Riverwood Drive, Murrells Inlet. 652-1135

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 7, Socastee High School, 4900 Socastee Blvd., Myrtle Beach. 293-2513

??10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 8, Horry County Office Complex, 1301 Second Ave., Conway. 915-5000

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 8, Carolina Forest Elementary School, 285 Carolina Forest Blvd., Myrtle Beach. 236-0001

??noon to 6 p.m. May 9, McLeod Loris, 3655 Mitchell St., Loris. 390-8327

??1:30-6:30 p.m. May 9, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 1251 21st Ave. 918-6002

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, North Myrtle Beach Aquatics and Fitness Center, 1100 Second Ave. S. 281-3743

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, Georgetown High School, 2250 Anthuan Maybank Drive. 546-8516

??10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11, Wal-Mart, 2709-A Church St., Conway. 796-1965

CONWAY

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Conway Medical Center, but some take place at the Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center. Call the numbers listed for more information or log on to www.conwaymedicalcenter.com.

Obstetrics tour | 2 p.m. every Sunday, The Birthplace, Conway Medical Center, 300 Singleton Ridge Road, Conway. 347-8108

Wellness Coaching with Robin Robinson | ongoing, Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center, 2369 Cypress Circle. $99. 347-1515

Mobile services | free screenings for blood pressure, finger-stick full lipid panel to include total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and blood sugar. Scheduled as follows:

??7:30-9:30 a.m. Monday, Quick Shop, 5100 Kates Bay Road, Conway.

??7:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Pee Dee Grocery, 9150 U.S. 701 S., Conway.

Wake Up Call | 5:15-6 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through May 15, Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center, 2369 Cypress Circle. $80 member; $120 non-members. 347-1515

Support groups

?? Parents Anonymous | 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday, Conway Medical Center. 448-5804

MYRTLE BEACH

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, but some take place at the YMCA on 62nd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach or at HealthFinders in Coastal Grand mall. Call the numbers listed for more information or log on to www.grandstrandmed.com.

Walk-in screenings | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, HealthFinders. $7 for cholesterol screening; $20 for lipid panel; $20 for A1C testing; blood pressure and weight screenings free. A 12-hour fast required for lipid profile. 692-4444

Ask the Pharmacist | 2-4 p.m. Fridays, HealthFinders. Bring your medication for review. One-on-one consults with a registered pharmacist. 692-4444

BLS CPR/AED classes | First Aid; Babysitter and Family Care Giving classes and certifications offered weekly by appointment. All instructors are AHA/ARC certified. K-Loc Healthy Kids, Inc., 1435 Cannon Road, Myrtle Beach. Classes available in Georgetown and North Myrtle Beach. Registration required. 467-0068.

Addiction counseling | Narconon. Call for free assessments or referrals, 877-413-3073 or www.drugsno.com.

Nar-Anon family group | 7 p.m. Sundays, Recovery Warehouse, 3116 Shetland Lane, unit 34, Myrtle Beach. 233-9017

Hatha Yoga class | 10-11 a.m. Fridays, HealthFinders. $8 per class. 692-4444

Prime of Life Yoga | 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, HealthFinders. $8 per class. 692-4444

Heartsaver CPR AED class | 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, HealthFinders. 692-4444 to register.

?Look Good Feel Better? for women in cancer treatment | 2-4 p.m. May 6, Coastal Cancer Center, 8121 Rourk St., Myrtle Beach. 800-227-2345, registration required.

Prepared Childbirth course | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center . $50. 692-4444 to register.

Prepared Childbirth course | 7 p.m. May 6, 13, 20, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. $50. 692-4444 to register.

Infant Care | 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 11, HealthFinders. Free. 692-4444 to register.

Breastfeeding | 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 11, HealthFinders. Free. 692-4444 to register.

Support groups

?? Rape Crisis Cente r | Individual counseling, support group, 24-hour hotline for victims of sexual assault. 448-3180 or 448-7273

?? Non-offending parents of child victims of sexual assault | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Conway. Visit www.victimtosurvivor.org or 448-3180.

?? Young stroke survivors between ages 20 to 65 | 11:30 a.m. fourth Friday each month, meeting room, Rotelli?s restaurant, U.S. 501, Conway. 655-2835 or visit www.YoungStroke.org.

?? Mended Hearts | 11:30 a.m. May 13, meeting room behind cafeteria, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, 809 82nd Parkway, Myrtle Beach. Lunch provided. 685-3378 or rkeilen@mercyhospice.org

?? The La Leche League | 10:30 a.m. Thursday, HealthFinders. 692-4444

?? Prostate | 6 p.m. Wednesday, HealthFinders. 692-4444

LORIS/NORTH MYRTLE BEACH

McLeod Health/Loris/Seacoast sponsors the following events, classes and meetings. The hospital system offers a physician referral line, 716-7527 or online at www.lorishealth.org.

Injury screenings | 8-11 a.m. every Monday, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center. 360-213-3620 or 281-3737 to schedule an appointment.

Zumba | 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 10 a.m. Monday (beginner?s Zumba), Center for Health and Fitness. Free for members; $5 for guest of members; $8 nonmembers. 716-7111

AARP Driver Safety course | 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Center for Health & Fitness. $12 for AARP member, $14 for non-member. 390-8326

Al-Anon meeting | 6:30-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday, A.A. Building, Route 17 S., Grissettown, N.C., across from Ocean Ridge. E-mail el-j-em@hotmail.com or just show up at the next meeting.

March for babies walking team | 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Pelican Stadium, 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach. 390-8326

Balance screenings | noon to 2 p.m. May 7, Myrtle Beach mall. Registration required, 390-8326.

Blood drive | 12:30-6:30 p.m. May 9, Center for Health & Fitness. Walk-ins welcome. Registration requested, 390-8326.

Community blood bank | 7:30 a.m. to noon, May 11, American Legion Post #503, 10277 Beach Drive (Rt. 179), Calabash, N.C. Refreshments served. To sign up, 910-575-5037.

Lymphedema screenings | 1-3 p.m. May 16, Center for Health & Fitness. Registration required, 390-8326.

The Child Forgotten | 6:30-7:30 p.m. May 23, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center. Registration requested, 390-8326.

Support groups

?? Fibromyalgia and Arthritis | 11 a.m. Wednesday, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center. 390-8326

?? Ostomy | 2 p.m. Sunday, McLeod Seacoast. 390-8326

?? Multiple Sclerosis | 6 p.m. May 14, Center for Health & Fitness. 390-8326

?? Diabetes | 10-11 a.m. May 31, McLeod Seacoast. 390-8326

Source: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/04/28/3460242/upcoming-myrtle-beach-area-health.html

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A French ?Oui? for Gay Marriage? Not So Fast (Powerlineblog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/302376454?client_source=feed&format=rss

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CA-NEWS Summary

Two police officers shot as Italian government sworn in

ROME (Reuters) - Two police officers were shot and wounded outside the Italian prime minister's office on Sunday as Enrico Letta's new government was being sworn in around a km (mile) away at the president's palace, RAI state television reported. One man was arrested at the scene of the shooting, a witness said, and it was initially unclear whether the attack was linked to the launch of the new government.

Analysis: Israeli credibility on line over Iran nuclear challenge

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel risks a loss of credibility over both its "red line" for Iran's nuclear program and its threat of military action, and its room for unilateral maneuver is shrinking. After years of veiled warnings that Israel might strike the Islamic Republic, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out an ultimatum at the United Nations last September.

Hope for survivors fades as Bangladesh building toll reaches 363

DHAKA (Reuters) - Hope for survivors under the rubble of a building that collapsed outside the capital of Bangladesh faded on Sunday, and with more than 900 people still counted as missing fears grew that the death toll could rise far beyond the latest figure of 363. Four people were pulled alive from the wreckage of the Rana Plaza, which housed several factories making low-cost garments for Western retailers, four days after the country's worst-ever industrial accident.

Gunmen surround Libyan foreign ministry to push demands

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Gunmen surrounded Libya's foreign ministry on Sunday to push demands that officials who had worked for deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi's government be banned from senior positions in the new administration. At least 20 pick-up trucks loaded with anti-aircraft guns blocked the roads while men armed with AK-47s and sniper rifles directed the traffic away from the building, witnesses said.

Algeria president in France for tests after minor stroke

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was transferred to France for medical tests on Saturday night after suffering a minor stroke, Algeria's official news agency said. Bouteflika, who has ruled over the North African oil and gas producer for more than a decade, had an "transient ischemic attack" or mini-stroke on Saturday but his condition was not serious, the APS agency said, quoting the prime minister.

Japan's Abe says "restoration of sovereignty day" signals hope

TOKYO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Sunday for a renewal of a "sense of hope and determination" in marking for the first time the restoration of Japan's post-war sovereignty, part of a drive to repair what conservatives consider dented national pride. Abe, who is riding a wave of popularity after being swept back into office in a landslide election last December, wants to revise the post-war, U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution and rewrite Japan's wartime history with a less apologetic tone.

France's foreign firepower threatened by budget cuts

CANJUERS ARMY BASE, DRAGUIGNAN, France (Reuters) - Explosions echo through a valley in southern France, sending up plumes of smoke as four Caesar self-propelled guns fire at distant targets in drills that mirror operations in Mali. It's a show of firepower organized by arms manufacturer Nexter to demonstrate the guns to the press and which underlines the role of the army in a conflict that has bolstered France's standing as a nation that can project military force. Yet the message may fall on deaf ears in Paris.

Europe austerity debate to test periphery political will

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Readers of Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper were confronted by an unexpected front page headline this week when the Irish Independent proclaimed the "End Of Austerity." In a country that began cutting spending and hiking taxes almost five years ago, well before the scale of the euro zone's debt crisis was evident, weary Irish voters have more interest than most in the fresh debate over Europe's cornerstone policy.

One year on, France's Hollande says will weather poll slump

PARIS (Reuters) - France's Francois Hollande said he was undeterred by a first year in power marked by economic slowdown and a record slump in his personal popularity, arguing his 5-year presidency would achieve results over time. In comments to correspondents from Reuters and Agence France Presse a week before the anniversary of his May 2012 election win over Nicolas Sarkozy, Hollande shrugged off polls showing his popularity rating around 25 percent, after the sharpest fall for any president in over half a century.

Gunshots fired near Italy prime minister's office, injuries

ROME (Reuters) - Gunshots were fired in front of the Italian prime minister's office in Rome on Saturday as the new government of Enrico Letta was being sworn in at the president's palace around a kilometer away, RAI state television reported. It said there were injuries and quoted a witness who said that she had heard at least eight shots fired.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-034827262.html

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Key Egyptian negotiator with IMF quits

By Paul Taylor

CAIRO (Reuters) - A key Egyptian negotiator with the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday he has resigned as first deputy finance minister, in a potential blow to Cairo's prospects of an early IMF deal.

Hany Kadry Dimian has been the crucial point man in Egypt's protracted and so far fruitless negotiations to obtain a $4.8 billion loan needed to help combat a severe economic crisis.

"The only comment I can make for the time being is that yes, my term ends on April 30 according to my resignation, which I submitted in December," Kadry told Reuters by telephone.

"My next move is not decided."

A senior technocrat appointed in 2007, Kadry survived five finance ministers in office since the 2011 uprising that overthrew former autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.

Kadry gave no explanation for his decision to quit, first reported on the Egyptian dissident Rebel Economy blog, saying he would say more on Tuesday.

A senior European diplomat said his departure was not a good omen for Egypt's hopes of wrapping up a deal on the long delayed IMF loan next month, as the government has said it aims to do.

Kadry was the one expert in the ministry who fully understood the IMF program and was able to deal with the global lender professionally, the diplomat said.

The daily El-Watan said on its website that Kadry had been under increasing pressure from the ruling Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, and in conflict with Abdallah Shehata, the FJP economic adviser to Finance Minister Al-Mursi Al-Sayed Hegazy.

Abdel Shakour Shalaan, Middle East representative on the IMF board, told Al Hayat television channel he hoped Egypt could complete the loan deal within four to five weeks.

"I hope it will be completed within a month or five weeks, the end of May or the beginning June," he said.

Separately, the head of Egypt's bourse, Mohamed Omran, told Prime Minister Hisham Kandil he would like to leave his position at the end of his term on July 1, the state news agency MENA reported, citing an unnamed official stock exchange source.

The report did not give a reason for Omran's request, but said he had told the prime minister in August he wanted to leave the post. Kandil had asked him to stay until the end of his term, MENA said.

(Additional reporting by Alexander Dziadosz; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by Jon Hemming and Stephen Powell)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/key-egyptian-negotiator-imf-quits-191627035.html

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AdvSecret.com How To Build Your Home Based Business ...

By Ivonne Hale

Being your own boss can give you tremendous freedom. You can structure your day based on your needs. Juggling tasks between home and work can build pressure so make sure you have a schedule and stick to it. This will keep you on track. If you start to feel overwhelmed, just stop and take a deep breath. Information is knowledge so make sure you research whatever you decide to pursue.

Choosing a path to start an online home based business can be exciting yet a frightening experience. It is very important to get as much information as possible before you start. Especially if you are leaving a full time job in which you get a steady paycheck.

Be creative with your ideas. It may not be easy at first but if you are consistant and don?t give up-you will succeed! Like any other business you set out to start, it takes work and dedication and the will to succeed not matter what you encounter.

There are many different online home based businesses. If you have some talents or passions then turn them into opportunities. For example, making gift baskets, event planning and even medical claims processing services can all be offered through the internet.

For more information about how to start an online home based business, check out the Money Site Labs Review. I?m sure you?ll like it!

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Source: http://www.advsecret.com/how-to-build-your-home-based-business/

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Markets close lower on weak U.S GDP data

The Toronto stock market closed lower today, with nearly all sectors down in response to lower-than-expected U.S. GDP numbers.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 109.31 points, or less than one per cent of its value, at 12,220.20 at the end of the trading day on Friday.

The base metals sector saw the largest decline of 2.05 per cent following a strong week for the metals, mining and gold.

Oil fell 64 cents to $93 a barrel in New York.

The loonie gained 0.38 of a cent to 98.34 cents US.

The drops followed reports from the U.S. government that its gross domestic product grew only 2.5 per cent in the first quarter of this year ? economists had expected a rate of as high as three per cent.

CIBC World Markets chief economist Avery Shenfeld said deep public sector cuts were responsible for the slower pace. "While this wasn't a weak quarter, it wasn't the bang up start to the year we had hoped for, and the signals from March suggested that we will only decelerate from here into the spring trimester," Shenfeld said.

Peter Morici, an economist and professor at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business, says that several factors, including as a surge of Chinese exports onto American storeshelves and weakening demand for U.S. products in recession-torn Europe, will contribute to the GDP slowdown. "Most forecasters expect growth to slow to less than two per cent in the second quarter and to remain below three per cent through the end of 2014," Morici said.

The New York Stock Exchange also closed down 18.96 points, or less than a quarter of one per cent, at 9,169.90, after several companies, including Amazon.com, released weak earnings. The online retailer reported net income declined in the first three months of the year even though revenue increased 22 per cent.

The NASDAQ fell 10.72 points to 3,279.26, while the the Dow Jones Industrial dipped slightly during the day, dropping about seven points, before before eventually moving up 11.75 points to sit at 14,712.55 at closing.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/markets-trade-lower-weak-u-gdp-data-173854384.html

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Drug maker Valeant in talks on $13 billion Actavis buy: source

(Reuters) - Canada's largest listed drug maker, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, is in talks to buy generic drugmaker Actavis Inc for more than $13 billion, a person familiar with the situation told Reuters on Friday night.

It is not clear how advanced the discussions are and a deal could still fall through, said the source, who declined to be identified because they are not allowed to speak to the media.

A Valeant spokeswoman declined to comment and an Actavis spokesman could not be reached for comment outside of business hours.

Valeant said in February it was in talks to make more acquisitions, and it remains open to discuss a potential "merger of equals."

Shares of Actavis, which has a market capitalization of $12.9 billion, have risen about 12 percent in the past three months.

Actavis, the third-largest global generic drugmaker, changed its name in January from Watson after buying Actavis as part of its strategy to expand in international markets and offer more specialty drugs.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the talks between the two companies on Friday.

(Reporting by Soyoung Kim, writing by Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/drug-maker-valeant-talks-13-billion-actavis-buy-131359421.html

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Group tied to old guard could gain in Iraq unrest

BAGHDAD (AP) ? As clashes this week raise fears of a destabilizing new eruption of sectarian fighting in Iraq, a shadowy militant group linked to the top fugitive from Saddam Hussein's regime could stand to gain by attracting new Sunni Muslim support.

The Army of the Men of the Naqshabandi Order depicts itself as a nationalist force defending Iraq's Sunni minority from Shiite rule and as an alternative to the extremist version of Islam championed by al-Qaida, whose branch here alienated many in the community during the height of the country's sectarian bloodshed in the middle of the last decade.

The Naqshabandi Army boasted online that it contributed to the wave of violence that followed a government crackdown Tuesday on a Sunni protest site in the town of Hawija. The deadly clash there prompted assaults by Sunni gunmen in a string of towns and cities, mainly in the north. The violence has claimed more than 170 lives.

In a posting on its website, the group urged its fighters to prepare to storm Baghdad to confront "with an iron fist ... the enemies of Arabism and Islam" ? a reference to the Shiite-led government that many Sunnis believe is too closely allied with neighboring Shiite powerhouse Iran. While it says foreign diplomats are not its target, it warned that those who ally themselves with the government can expect no mercy.

It's not just propaganda, say officials and analysts.

"The intelligence we have clearly indicates ? beyond any doubt ? that the Naqshabandi Army is involved in the recent clashes" in the north of the country, said Shiite lawmaker Hakim al-Zamili, who sits on parliament's security and defense committee.

He told The Associated Press that the group is thought to have a cache of small and medium-sized arms, and is continuing to carry out attacks against army positions. "They are intensifying efforts to recruit more people and gather more weapons," he said.

The group, believed to be made up largely of former officers and other former members of Saddam's regime, occasionally claims responsibility for attacks on government security forces. Estimates of its size range from 1,000 to five times that.

It takes its name from the Naqshabandi order of Sufism, Islam's mystical movement, which counts many followers in northern Iraq. The militant group touts its Sufi credentials, though it is unclear how many in its ranks are adherents to the spiritual order. But the Sufi claim helps differentiate it in the eyes of the Sunni public from al-Qaida in Iraq, whose radical version of Islam usually vilifies Sufis.

Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a former Saddam deputy who is the highest member of his inner circle still on the run, is believed to have a significant role in the Naqshabandi Army, which proudly touts Saddam-era symbols on its website.

Al-Douri was named as the head of a new insurgent coalition in 2007 called the Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation, in which the Naqshabandi Army is the main component. Al-Douri was the "king of clubs" in the deck of playing cards issued to help U.S. troops identify key members of Saddam's regime, but he disappeared with the regime's fall in 2003. He had not been seen in public until last year, when a man purporting to be him turned up in an online video wearing a Saddam-era military uniform and railing against Iraq's Shiite-led government.

Another video of him aired in January to rally Sunni protesters demonstrating against the government, promising them the support of "all the national and Islamic forces ... until (their) legitimate demands are achieved."

Sunnis formed the backbone of the insurgency after Saddam's fall. But they also were key to the downturn in violence after tribal leaders turned against al-Qaida in Iraq, angered over its killing of civilians.

The Naqshabandi Army is maneuvering to present itself as the Sunnis' champion.

Tuesday's bloodshed followed four months of largely peaceful protests staged by Iraq's Sunni minority against the government. They complain of discrimination and political marginalization under the Shiite-led government.

An organizer of protests in the western city of Fallujah, in the country's Sunni heartland, said fighters from the group had contacted the protesters months ago offering to protect their rallies. But the protesters turned them down, wanting to maintain their movement's peaceful image, said the organizer, who spoke on condition he be identified only by his nickname Abu Ahmed for fear of government reprisals.

But after the Hawija crackdown, the Naqshabandi Army renewed its offer of protection, and the protesters accepted, he said.

The group "told us that they are different from al-Qaida and they do not kill their fellow Sunnis. They said that their goal is to defend Sunnis and to fight pro-Iran Iraqis," he said. "Our protesters now need real armed protection."

The group this week took credit for several attacks in the post-Hawija unrest, including a mortar attack on security forces and the destruction of an army vehicle near Suleiman Beg, a small town north of Baghdad that was seized by gunmen Thursday. Security forces retook control of the town after the gunmen withdrew Friday.

It was also behind deadly clashes this week in the key northern city of Mosul, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Saad Maan Ibrahim said. The group is "trying to recruit more people and expand its operations to other Sunni provinces by taking advantage of current sectarian tensions," he said.

Michael Knights, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, described the group as patient and strategically focused with a fairly stringent recruitment process that draws heavily on former members of Saddam's elite Republican Guard.

"The big bang ? a resurgence of Sunni militancy in Iraq ? is exactly what JRTN has been trying to foment," he said, using the abbreviation of the group's full name in Arabic. "JRTN didn't create the conditions, but it's the organization that's best equipped to exploit it."

In January, uniformed members of the Naqshabandi Army appeared in an online video urging Iraqis to continue with the anti-government protests that began in December in many Sunni areas.

The U.S. Treasury Department froze the group's assets in 2009 after it carried out raids against U.S. and coalition forces using armor-penetrating grenades, rockets, and roadside bombs. Among the attacks was a strike on a coalition convoy in Hawija in August of that year.

The department said the group intends to overthrow the Iraqi government and reinstate rule by the Saddam-era Baath Party.

Iraqi analyst Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie predicted that the Naqshabandi Army as well as al-Qaida's Iraq arm will gain support following the Hawija crackdown.

"It's a dangerous situation," he said. "We have two paths ? to get a compromise solution, or to head to a new civil war."

Some Sunnis appear willing to turn to it if the sectarian violence spirals.

"We are against any outlawed armed groups," said Mohammed Youssef, a Mosul shop owner. "We do not want any Shiite-Sunni fighting, but if the Shiite armed groups move aggressively against Sunnis, then we will all support the Naqshabandi Army. It is different from al-Qaida."

___

Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed reporting.

___

Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at http://twitter.com/adamschreck

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/group-tied-old-guard-could-gain-iraq-unrest-073548562.html

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Hagel: Syria used chemical weapons

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ? U.S. intelligence has concluded "with some degree of varying confidence," that the Syrian government has used sarin gas as a weapon in its 2-year-old civil war, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday.

Hagel, speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi, said the White House has informed two senators by letter that, within the past day, "our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin."

"It violates every convention of warfare," Hagel said.

No information was made public on what quantity of chemical weapons might have been used, or when or what casualties might have resulted.

President Barack Obama has said the use of chemical weapons would be a "game-changer" in the U.S. position on intervening in the Syrian civil war, and the letter to Congress reiterates that the use or transfer of chemical weapons in Syria is a "red line for the United States." However, the letter also hints that a broad U.S. response is not imminent.

White House legislative director Miguel Rodriguez, who signed the letter, wrote that "because the president takes this issue so seriously, we have an obligation to fully investigate any and all evidence of chemical weapons use within Syria."

The letters went to Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.

The assessment, Rodriguez says, is based in part on "physiological samples."

He also said the U.S. believes that the use of chemical weapons "originated with the Assad regime." That is consistent with the Obama administration's assertion that the Syrian rebels do not have access to the country's stockpiles.

In Washington, McCain quoted from the letter the White House sent to several senators who had pressed the administration about Syria's possible use of chemical weapons.

"We just received a letter from the president in response to our question about whether Assad had used chemical weapons," McCain told reporters following a closed briefing with Secretary of State John Kerry on Syria and North Korea.

___

AP White House Correspondent Julie Pace and AP writer Donna Cassata contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-says-syria-used-chemical-weapons-155008837--politics.html

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Syrian rebels call on world to put words to action

This citizen journalism image taken on Thursday, April 25, 2013 and provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a wounded Syrian man holding his injured son after an air raid on the northwestern town of Saraqeb in the province of Idlib, Syria. The White House disclosure Thursday that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons still leaves the Obama administration stuck with a limited choice of military options to help the rebels oust President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN)

This citizen journalism image taken on Thursday, April 25, 2013 and provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a wounded Syrian man holding his injured son after an air raid on the northwestern town of Saraqeb in the province of Idlib, Syria. The White House disclosure Thursday that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons still leaves the Obama administration stuck with a limited choice of military options to help the rebels oust President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN)

This citizen journalism image taken on Thursday, April 25, 2013 and provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows members of the free Syrian Army preparing their weapons, in the neighborhood of al-Amerieh in Aleppo, Syria. The White House disclosure on Thursday that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons still leaves the Obama administration stuck with a limited choice of military options to help the rebels oust President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC)

This April 13, 2013 citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a doctor treating a woman injured in what rebels claim was a chemical attack in Aleppo, Syria. Two Syrian officials denied Friday, April 26, 2013 that government forces had used chemical weapons against rebels, Damascus' first response to U.S. assertions that it had. On Thursday, the White House and other top Obama administration officials said that U.S. intelligence had concluded with "varying degrees of confidence" that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons in its civil war.(AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC)

This citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows anti Syrian regime protesters holding banners and waving the Syrian revolutionary flags during a demonstration, in Aleppo, Syria, Friday, April 26, 2013. Araboc on banners read: "we call upon the Free Syrian Army brigades and the Mujahedeen to stop the military convoy in the city of al-Safira," left, and "all what Kerry has is the laughing cow cheese ."(AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC)

In this screen shot from amateur video provided by Ronahi TV, a man foams at the mouth and twitches while lying on a stretcher at a hospital in Syria. The video is consistent with AP reporting of an attack in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo on April 13, although it was not known if the symptoms resembled those triggered by a chemical weapons attack. A defense analyst who viewed the video of the victims lying on stretchers after the attack said that, while it was impossible to verify that a nerve agent caused their symptoms, they appeared to be the result of something other than traditional weaponry. (AP Photo/Ronahi TV) RONAHI TV IS A KURDISH NETWORK, IT IS NOT A RECOGNISED NEWS GATHERING ORGANISATION. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION OR AUTHENTICITY OF THIS MATERIAL

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian opposition groups called Friday for international action after the Obama administration said U.S. intelligence indicates President Bashar Assad's regime has used chemical weapons. The government likened the accusation to false U.S. claims of weapons of mass destruction used to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Washington's declaration was its strongest so far, although the administration said it was still working to pin down definitive proof ? holding back from saying Damascus had outright crossed what President Barack Obama has said would be a "red line" prompting tougher action.

The rebels accused regime forces of firing chemical agents on at least four occasions since December, killing 31 people in the worst of the attacks, and warned that world inaction would only encourage Assad to use them on a larger scale.

The Obama administration said Thursday that intelligence indicates government forces used the nerve gas sarin in two attacks.

The regime countered that it was the rebels who fired chemical weapons ? pointing to their capture of a chemical factory last year as proof of their ability to do so. On Friday, government officials repeated denials the military had used the weapons.

Both sides have used the issue to try to sway world opinion.

"The red line has been crossed, and this has now been documented by the international community. We hope the U.S. will abide by the red line set by Mr. Obama himself," Loay al-Mikdad, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, the umbrella group for rebel fighters, told The Associated Press.

"We need urgent action, otherwise Bashar Assad will not hesitate to use his entire chemical and unconventional weapons stockpile against the Syrian people," he said.

Most Assad opponents say the U.S. and its allies should now arm the rebels in response to regime use of chemical weapons, a step Washington has been reluctant to take for fear the weapons will end up in the hands of Islamic hard-liners. Some have urged international airstrikes against regime warplanes and rocket launchers that have wreaked havoc on rebel forces. Few, however, advocate direct international intervention on the ground.

At the White House, Obama said Friday that any use of chemical weapons by Syria would be a "game changer," though he cautioned the United States needs more evidence that Assad has used the deadly agents against his people.

He said the U.S., along with the United Nations, would seek to "gather evidence on the ground" in Syria to solidify intelligence assessments.

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Friday that the U.S. is "working to establish credible and corroborative facts to build on this intelligence assessment" and to definitively say "whether or not the president's red line has been crossed."

Asked about Syria's denials, he said that "if the regime has nothing to hide, they should let the U.N. investigators in immediately so we can get to the bottom of this."

Use of chemical weapons would bring a frightening wild-card element to Syria's 2-year-old civil war, which is estimated to have already killed more than 70,000 people. Throughout the conflict, civilian casualties have been heavy as regime forces batter rebel-held towns, neighborhoods and cities with artillery, rockets and warplanes.

Still, the chemical attacks the rebels claim the regime carried out, if confirmed, would appear to be relatively small-scale and localized.

Bilal Saab, director of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, North America, said if the regime is behind them, it may be trying to make detection as difficult as possible and to maintain plausible deniability.

"The government may also feel that the time for full-on use of chemical weapons has not come yet. It may also be indirectly communicating with Western powers and testing their resolve," he said.

If the rebels were using them as the regime claims, it would be a "strategic blunder," given how it would taint the movement, he said, adding that one possible scenario is that they were carried out by extremists within the rebel movement.

In December, after rebels seized control of a chlorine factory in Aleppo, the government warned the opposition might be planning a chemical attack to frame the regime. To back up its claims, the state-run SANA news agency pointed to videos posted on YouTube that purported to show regime opponents experimenting with poisons on mice and rabbits. The origin of the videos was not known.

It is not clear exactly how many people have died in alleged chemical attacks because of the scarcity of credible information. The Syrian government seals off areas it controls to journalists and outside observers, making details of the attacks extremely sketchy.

Al-Mikdad said the opposition has documented four attacks based on air and soil samples and the blood of victims, in addition to eyewitness accounts. He said the results have been shared with Western countries, though he declined to name them.

The deadliest was on the village of Khan al-Assal near the northern city of Aleppo, where at least 31 people were killed in March.

The village is controlled by the government, and the regime accused rebels of firing a missile carrying chemical agents.

The opposition contends it was regime fire. Aleppo-based activist Mohammed Saeed said the army appeared to have hit government troops by mistake, inflicting casualties among them and then blaming the opposition. Neither side has offered evidence to back their claims.

In another alleged chemical attack, a government air raid on April 13 on the contested Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo killed at least four people and wounded more than a dozen others. Activists say doctors treating the wounded said many showed symptoms of inhaling a toxic gas, including severe vomiting and irritation to the nose and eyes.

Eyewitnesses speaking in a video allegedly taken a day after the attack and posted online by activists reported that an explosion left several people unconscious and others reporting aches and dizziness.

"There was a smell, so we went out and I felt dizzy and my eyes turned red," a young boy said.

Another video showed several people on stretchers at a hospital, some twitching and foaming at the mouth and nose.

The videos were consistent with AP reporting of an attack in the area on April 13, although it was not known if the symptoms resembled those triggered by a chemical weapons attack.

A defense analyst who viewed the video of the victims lying on stretchers after the attack said that, while it was impossible to verify that a nerve agent caused their symptoms, they appeared to be the result of something other than traditional weaponry.

"What you're immediately struck by is this is not your normal ordnance ... that it seems of a different type," said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

"Now whether that automatically guarantees that it is a specific nerve agent, I wouldn't go so far as to say based on my knowledge. But it does have the effect, it does have the appearance of being something caused by something besides traditional explosives or penetrating metal," O'Hanlon said.

Activists reported two other alleged chemical attacks, including one in December in the central city of Homs in which they said six rebels died after inhaling white smoke pouring from shells fired on the area.

Videos of the aftermath of that attack showed men in hospital beds coughing and struggling to breathe as doctors placed oxygen masks on their faces.

"The smell was like hydrochloric acid. People started choking and I wasn't able to breath," a man identified as a rebel said in a video posted online after the attack by activists.

The video appeared genuine and corresponded to AP reporting of violence in Homs in December, although it was impossible to verify if the symptoms were triggered by a chemical weapons attack.

The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the group has documented the two attacks in Aleppo province, but did not have proof of the other two.

A Syrian government official denied the government carried out any chemical attacks, saying Assad's military "did not and will not use chemical weapons even if it had them." The army, he said, can reach any area in Syria it wants without them.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements.

A Syrian lawmaker, Sharif Shehadeh, echoed that assertion, saying the Syrian army "can win the war with traditional weapons" and has no need for chemical weapons.

Syria's official policy is to neither confirm nor deny it has chemical weapons.

Shehadeh likened the allegations to the false accusations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction that U.S. policymakers used to justify the 2003 invasion.

"What is being designed for Syria now is similar to what happened in Iraq," he said.

Following the Khan al-Assal attack, the government called for the United Nations to investigate alleged chemical weapons use by rebels.

Syria, however, has not allowed a team of experts into the country because it wants the investigation limited to the single Khan al-Assal incident, while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged "immediate and unfettered access" for an expanded investigation.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said Friday that U.N. disarmament chief Angela Kane wrote another letter to Syrian authorities on Thursday urging the government to grant access to the U.N. chemical weapons experts without conditions.

___

AP reporter Albert Aji contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Jim Hoft's Breaking Bombshell of the Day: Victim of Terrorism Visited by Michelle Obama! (Little green footballs)

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The perfect picnic | Life and style | The Guardian

Spicy chickpea eggs will liven up any picnic

A couple of weeks ago, as weak sunshine dribbled through gusty clouds, I?walked through a park at lunchtime. The grass, straggly and still damp after the long winter, was none the less playing host to numerous office workers, perched awkwardly on their coats, grimly enjoying an al fresco lunch. The British don't let a little thing like weather spoil a picnic. indeed, in hot Mediterranean climates, when everyone with any sense retreats indoors for lunch, you'll often find familiar-looking families happily taking their ease in the midday sun. nothing gets between us and the tupperware, not even sunstroke ? our commitment to the rug in defiance of all good sense is one of our most endearing national characteristics.

Happily, it looks like it's brightening up at last, but, although the sunshine does make everything taste nicer, there's no harm in seasoning proceedings with a pinch of expertise.

Pick your spot carefully

Delia Smith manages to make picnicking sound utterly joyless: "In French films," she writes in her Complete Cookery Course, "picnics are all about rivers and willow and punts. In Britain, the hot tarmac of the zoo car-park will do, or a patch of grass with four lanes of traffic on either side." Ah, the romance. If you can't find any hot tarmac, a beauty spot will work better. An American household manual from 1900 suggests ensuring a "reasonable freedom from tormenting insect life", but advises against settling in the shadow of some lofty peak, or famous cave, on the grounds that: "One does not feel too comfortable when banqueting in localities where Dame Nature has had her queer moods, and has left imprinted certain too observable evidences of her freakiness." That's my local park out then.

If you're just shouldering a few sandwiches and an Enid Blyton-esque rosy apple, then make straight for the hills, but those going all-out on catering should stick close to a friendly car park or railway station. In the event of uncertain skies, a canny picnicker will select a spot near a hospitable pub.

Travel light(ish)

Ideally, all picnics would be conducted around the capacious wicker baskets that Elizabeth David describes as having "an aura of lavish gallivantings and ancient Rolls-Royces". However,, unless you've got a vintage sports car to cart them about in, they are hopelessly impractical; better to go in what the 1908 New York Times Cookbook calls "light marching order".

Even if carrying it all in an old knapsack, real cutlery, plates and a jaunty woollen rug preferably with a waterproof back,are still a must for atmosphere. Corkscrews, bottle openers, wet wipes and a sharp knife are also useful. And mustard. You can't have a picnic without mustard.

Food and drink

Mrs Beeton suggests: "A joint of cold roast beef, a joint of cold boiled beef, 2 ribs of lamb, 2 shoulders of lamb, 4 roast fowls, 2 roast ducks, 1 ham, 1 tongue, 2 veal-and-ham pies, 2 pigeon pies, 6 medium-sized lobsters, 1 piece of collared calf's head ?" just for the meat course.

Thankfully, times have changed. Hilda Leyel, author of the magnificent 1936 work The Perfect Picnic, wisely observes that "the art of arranging meals is to choose dishes that are better cold than they would be hot". For her, this means cream of rabbit, spaghetti and truffle salad and devilled lamb with a nasturtium sauce. The modern reader should infer salads (indeed the Girls Own Paper of 1880 advises that 'a cucumber is indispensable! The picnic would not be a picnic if it were absent'), pies, cheeses and the like, but, as David says, keep things simple. "Foie gras and lobster patties ? seem to lose their fine lustre out of doors," she writes (and I sense you all nodding in agreement), before grandly conceding that "sandwiches, I rather like". Bear in mind probable temperatures: it's all very well serving pink champagne, lobster and caviar if you're Keith Floyd on a boat at the bottom of your garden, but if the food and drink is going to be sitting around, cider and a nice ripe brie will go down better.

David suggests "visiting the site of the intended picnic some days beforehand" to bury the champagne. I'm not sure I'd give White Lightning 10 minutes unattended round my way ? so if you can't keep white wine cool en route, choose something else. She suggests m?con or chianti, but I fear the art of drinking strong reds in the sun is a dying one. Frankly ale, cider ("many women like cider," Leyel helpfully observes) or good lemonade are better bets on a picnic, and, "if a liqueur is wanted, cherry brandy is a very appropriate one". Hear hear.

Perfect picnic recipes

These chicken pies are bursting with flavour

Chicken, chorizo and pepper pies

Veggie scotch eggs

Coconut and cardamom ice

Alcoholic lemonade

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/apr/24/the-perfect-picnic-felicity-cloake

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