World stocks muted ahead of US growth figures (AP)

BANGKOK ? World stocks faced multiple headwinds Friday after disappointing Japanese earnings, higher unemployment in Spain and weak U.S. home sales. Investors awaited quarterly growth figures from the U.S. later in the day.

Benchmark oil hovered below $100 per barrel while the dollar was lower against the euro and the yen.

European shares headed lower as the latest data from Spain, which already has the highest unemployment rate among the 17 nations that use the euro, showed more than 5 million people without jobs. The National Statistics Institute said the jobless rate shot up from 21.5 percent to 22.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.3 percent to 5,775.29. Germany's DAX was off 0.1 percent to 6,531.89 and France's CAC-40 lost 0.4 percent to 3,349.82. Wall Street appeared set to open in negative territory, with Dow Jones industrial futures down marginally to 12,679 and S&P 500 futures falling less than 0.1 percent at 1,214.50.

Asian stock markets closed mostly higher, ahead of the release of fourth quarter U.S. economic growth figures. Economists predict growth will strengthen to around 3 percent in the October-December quarter from about 2 percent in the third quarter. Analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong said the reading was expected to "look healthy."

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.1 percent to close at 8,841.22.

South Korea's Kospi rose 0.4 percent to 1,964.83. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.3 percent to 20,501.67, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4 percent to 4,288.40.

Attention was also focused on the resumption of talks to reach a deal on how Greece can avoid a catastrophic default on its debt. Greece and its bailout rescuers ? other countries that use the euro and the International Monetary Fund ? are asking private creditors to swap their Greek bonds for new ones with a lower value and interest rate.

The two sides have so far disagreed over what interest rate the new bonds should take.

In the U.S., stocks slipped Thursday after the government reported an unexpected drop in new home sales in December, capping the worst year for home sales since record-keeping began in 1963. But there were some bright spots. Orders to factories for long-lasting manufactured goods increased in December for the second straight month, and a key measure of business investment rose solidly.

Japanese exporters continued to be hit by a strong yen, which reduces the value of repatriated profits. Honda Motor Corp. slid 1.9 percent and Panasonic Corp. shed 2.3 percent. Fujitsu Ltd. plunged 3.5 percent.

Nintendo Corp., the Japanese gaming giant behind the Super Mario and Pokemon games, plummeted 4.1 percent, a day after it lowered its annual earnings forecast to a 65 billion yen ($844 million) loss. The company blamed the strong yen for much of the loss.

Japanese electronics company NEC Corp. plummeted 7.1 percent after announcing Thursday that it was slashing 10,000 jobs worldwide and would slide into the red for the full year.

Benchmark oil for March delivery was down 11 cents to $99.60 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents to finish at $99.70 per barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3107 from $1.3104 late Thursday in New York. The dollar fell to 77.05 yen from 77.49 yen.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/world_markets

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Dropped heart successfully transplanted in Mexico (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? A heart that was dropped on the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.

Dr. Jaime Saldivar says Erika Hernandez doesn't yet know that her new heart made national news when a medic stumbled and the plastic-wrapped heart tumbled out of a cooler onto the street two weeks ago.

Saldivar says it will be up to the family to tell her.

A rosy-cheeked Hernandez spoke briefly with reporters on Tuesday and thanked the donor's family, saying "I have no words to express how happy I am."

Hernandez was born with a congenital heart defect. She received the heart of a man who died in a car accident.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_heart_dropped

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Japan's first trade deficit since 1980 raises debt doubts (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Japan's first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years calls into question how much longer the country can rely on exports to help finance a huge public debt without having to turn to fickle foreign investors.

The aftermath of the March earthquake raised fuel import costs while slowing global growth and the yen's strength hit exports, data released on Wednesday showed, swinging the 2011 trade balance into deficit.

Few analysts expect Japan to immediately run a deficit in the current account, which includes trade and returns on the country's huge portfolio of investments abroad. A steady inflow of profits and capital gains from overseas still outweighs the trade deficit.

But the trade figures underscore a broader trend of Japan's declining global competitive edge and a rapidly ageing population, compounding the immediate problem of increased reliance on fuel imports due to the loss of nuclear power.

Only four of the country's 54 nuclear power reactors are running due to public safety fears following the March disaster.

"What it means is that the time when Japan runs out of savings -- 'Sayonara net creditor country' -- that point is coming closer," said Jesper Koll, head of equities research at JPMorgan in Japan.

"It means Japan becomes dependent on global savings to fund its deficit and either the currency weakens or interest rates rise."

That prospect could give added impetus to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's push to double Japan's 5 percent sales tax in two stages by October 2015 to fund the bulging social security costs of a fast-ageing society.

The biggest opposition party, although agreeing with the need for a higher levy, is threatening to block legislation in parliament's upper house in hopes of forcing a general election.

Japan logged a trade deficit of 2.49 trillion yen ($32 billion) for 2011, Ministry of Finance data showed, the first annual deficit since 1980, after the economy was hit by the shock of rising oil prices.

Were Japan to run a current account deficit, it would spell trouble because it would mean the country cannot finance its huge public debt -- already twice the size of its $5 trillion economy -- without overseas funds.

Japanese investors currently hold about 95 percent of Japan's government bonds, which lends some stability to an otherwise unsustainable debt burden.

Domestic buyers are less likely to dump debt at the first whiff of economic trouble, unlike foreign investors, as Europe's debt crisis has shown.

The trade data helped send the yen to a one-month low against the dollar and the euro on Wednesday.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Graphic on 2011 trade data http://link.reuters.com/mev26s

Dec trade balance http://link.reuters.com/vyq65s

Exports by destination http://link.reuters.com/far65s

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"HOLLOWING OUT," AGEING POPULATION

Total exports shrank 2.7 percent last year while imports surged 12.0 percent, reflecting reduced earnings from goods and services and higher spending on crude and fuel oil. Annual imports of liquefied natural gas hit a record high.

In a sign of the continuing pain from slowing global growth, exports fell 8.0 percent in December from a year earlier, roughly matching a median market forecast for a 7.9 percent drop, due partly to weak shipments of electronics parts.

Imports rose 8.1 percent in December from a year earlier, in line with a 8.0 percent annual gain expected, bringing the trade balance to a deficit of 205.1 billion yen, against 139.7 billion yen expected. It marked the third straight month of deficits.

Japan managed to sustain annual trade surpluses through the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s and the post-Lehman Brothers global recession that started in late 2008, which makes the 2011 dip into deficit all the more dramatic.

A generation ago, Japan was the world's export juggernaut, churning out a stream of innovative products from the likes of Sony and Toyota.

Much like China today, Japan's bulging trade surplus became a source of friction with the United States and other advanced economies, who pressed Tokyo to allow the yen to rise more rapidly in order to reduce the imbalance.

A 1985 agreement between Japan, the United States and Europe's big economies -- known as the Plaza Accord after the New York hotel where it was signed -- pushed the yen higher against the U.S. dollar.

Many economists argue that sowed the seeds of Japan's current debt woes. After the Plaza Accord, Japan's economy weakened and its central bank slashed interest rates, which contributed to a credit boom that eventually spawned a financial crisis and led to two decades of economic stagnation.

Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa said on Tuesday he did not expect trade deficits to become a pattern, and did not foresee the country's current account balance tipping into the red in the near future.

But Japan's days of logging huge trade surpluses may be over as it relies more on fuel imports and manufacturers move production offshore to cope with rising costs and a strong yen, a trend that may weaken the Japanese currency longer term.

A fast-ageing population also means a growing number of elderly Japanese will be running down their savings.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said the government wants to closely watch the trend of exports and imports.

"There are worries that the yen's strength is driving Japanese industry to go abroad," said Fujimura. "We have to create new industries ... implement comprehensive steps to boost growth. It is important to secure employment within the nation."

($1=77.71 yen)

(Additional writing by Leika Kihara; Editing by Linda Sieg and Emily Kaiser)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/ts_nm/us_japan_economy

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Cinedigm, New Video team up to buy indie films (Reuters)

PARK CITY, Utah, Jan 22 (TheWrap.com) ? Cinedigm Entertainment Group is teaming up with New Video to buy and distribute independent films, the two companies announced at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday.

As part of the joint venture, Cinedigm will handle the theatrical release of the movies. New Video will oversee the video-on-demand, digital distribution and home entertainment portion.

The move allows both companies to be a one-stop shop for moviemakers -- overseeing everything from their theatrical debuts to their digital streaming pacts.

"Theatrical continues to be the holy grail for filmmakers," Steve Savage, co-president of New Video, told TheWrap. "We didn't have theatrical, and they (Cinedigm) didn't have ancillary markets, so this was a perfect meeting of minds."

Cinedigm chairman and chief executive officer Chris McGurk said he hopes the company will be able to release one film a month. He hopes the move will position Cinedigm and New Video as a buyer on the level of Magnolia or Sony Pictures Classics.

"We're here at Sundance looking for quality films across all genres," McGurk said. "We're going to be offering a streamlined, cost-efficient and distinct distribution model that I think is going to be very attractive to filmmakers."

The agreement is effective immediately. McGurk said they hope to leave the festival with one or two acquisitions.

Last year, Cinedigm released 10 films, including a 3D Dave Matthews Band concert and the Sarah Palin documentary "Undefeated."

New Video is the largest aggregator of independent digital content worldwide, with Amazon, Apple's iTunes store, Hulu, Netflix and Walmart's Vudu serving as partners.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/media_nm/us_cinedigm

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HBT: Reinsdorf says Ozzie didn't quit on ChiSox

Ozzie Guillen threatened retaliation over the weekend for some recent comments by right-hander Jake Peavy which implied that he quit on the White Sox last September by stepping down as manager with two games remaining in the season.

Guillen hasn?t said anything on the matter since and it appears?White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is doing his best to ensure that the drama ends now.

Courtesy of CSNChicago.com, Reinsdorf released a statement earlier this evening saying that Guillen left the White Sox with his blessing.

?Regarding Ozzie Guillen?s departure as White Sox manager last September, I want to make it clear that he left with our organization?s blessing and at my urging. Ozzie told me he wanted to finish out the year, the Marlins really wanted him in Miami for the conclusion of the season, and I told him that he had no choice but to go given the excitement surrounding the opening of their new stadium and the unveiling of their new uniforms. Ozzie needed to be in Miami at the end of the season for the Marlins.

?We will always be grateful for the 21 seasons Ozzie spent in a White Sox uniform as a player and coach, especially his role in helping us win the 2005 World Series championship.? We wish him nothing but the best.?

That settles that. Sigh. I suppose Ozzie will have to ?kill people?s feelings? some other time.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/23/white-sox-chairman-jerry-reinsdorf-says-ozzie-guillen-didnt-quit-on-team/related/

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Kourtney & Kim Take New York Rekap: John Edward Contacts Their Dad, "Predicts" Kourt's Pregnancy

Just when you thought Kourtney & Kim Take New York could not get any more insulting to your intelligence ... meet celebrity medium John Edward, everyone!

Sunday night, Kim really wanted to find some closure regarding the death of her father, and convinced her sis to join her in what was a "moving" experience.

The idea that this BS isn't scripted is about as believable as O.J. fathering Khloe Kardashian. A psychic? Really? At least come up with quasi-realistic plots, E!

Anyway. Here's our weekly rekap, THG style!

Kris' sister, Kaela Humphries, is in town. Yes, Kris and Kaela. The names may have been the only reason E! kast Kris as Kim's husband initially. Plus 10.

Kim doesn't want Kaela to suspect anything's wrong. Plus 10. Kim's default expression is about as interesting as watching paint dry, so no issues there.

Oh, but wouldn't you know it, Kim feels like she needs guidance from her late father Robert Kardashian! And feels a psychic can contact him!! Minus 700.

Enter John Edward, who totally gets invaluable free advertising for this ridiculous stunt. Even the job description of "Celebrity Medium" is LOL-worthy.

"There's a lot that I've been going through, like emotionally and mentally, that I really think that I'll find comfort in connecting with my dad again." Minus 25 for a terrible job reading cue cards and attempting to sound spontaneous, Kim.

Kris thinks the idea is stupid. This is because Kris, for all his faults, is likely a real human being who does not believe every moment of one's life should be scripted, utterly humiliating nonsense. Plus 15, then Plus 10 more for storming out on her.

"There are definitely things that John Edward is saying that no one can possibly know," Kourtney says. Unless producers told him up front. Minus 20.

Edward asks if one of them is pregnant. Kourtney recently announced she is pregnant again with her second child. Dude totally called the fact that Scott Disick does not use condoms! Talk about clairvoyance! Plus 40.

After questions about her previous divorce (with Damon Thomas) hit a little close to home, Kim breaks down to her sister. Wahhh. It's hard being Kim!! Minus 60.

"I honestly feel like I can't do this anymore with Kris," Kim cries. "I don't want to be married anymore." Anymore? It's been like a month at this stage. Minus 100.

Really Kim? How would anyone be sympathetic toward your motives or values, or buy this "moment of clarity" for more than two seconds. Minus 100 more.

Minus 50 more for Kim being famous at all. She does nothing.

But Plus 500 right off the bat for the existence of Scott Disick.

Yes, the guy is probably a huge tool in real life. But his plot lines and comments on KKTNY are getting so ridiculous, you can't even try to take them seriously anymore - a breath of fresh air almost from boring Kim and her fake feelings.

This week's "story"? Scott pushes for the couple to go and get a portrait done of their family. Plus 75, because we can actually see that narcissist wanting one.

To get around Kourtney's aversion to photos, Scott asks for it to be painted. "It really makes me feel good," Scott says of Kourt agreeing. Aww you guys! Plus 10.

Plus 10 more because he likely says the same thing about all the unprotected sex she lets him have without proposing to her. Keep it klassy Kourt!

Scott gathes everyone to unveil the painting, which just so happens to feature Scott with unibrow, thanks to Kourt kollaborating with the painter on a little prank. Minus 35 because if they sat for a portrait, he'd have seen it.

"That's not a funny joke," Scott says. "This thing meant a lot to me." He's really getting good at delivering his lines with just the right amount of faux indignation. Plus 17.

Kris gives Kourtney advice! And it's not terrible! Plus 12.

Scott and Kourtney decide to do a photoshoot, with Kim acting as their photographer. Guaranteed most boring, expressionless pictures ever. Minus 20.

EPISODE TOTAL: -401. SEASON TOTAL: -4,255.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/kourtney-and-kim-take-new-york-rekap-john-edward-contacts-their/

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Sony VAIO series get minor processor refresh, Z series grabs LTE option on the way

Ahead of any possible Ultrabook announcements, Sony's looking to give its existing VAIO catalogue a (relatively underwhelming) shot in the arm with a bundle of hardware retweaks. The Z series looks to gain the most out of the Spring refresh, with a new off-white Carbon Fiber Silver color option set to be offered up alongside an optional LTE modem. The series also gets a processor step-up, with new Intel Core i5 and i7 options rounded off with the choice of SSD storage. Including the connectable drive, prices for the series refresh will start from $1,950. Meanwhile, both the S (13-inch, $800, 15-inch, $980)and E series will get a similar bump to Core i7 processors, with both the S and aforementioned Z series able to lock into an extended sheet battery accessory. If minor processor improvements, more battery options and LTE connectivity enough to fork over your cash, you can expect the revitalized units to arrive early next month.

Sony VAIO series get minor processor refresh, Z series grabs LTE option on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/WeznJduN1k8/

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Sunday Links: Republican Party Seppuku Edition (Theagitator)

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

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Revenge of the Return of the Giant Newt (Balloon Juice)

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African Union troops reach outskirts of Mogadishu

Somali women gather together in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Somali women gather together in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Women queue up to receive basic foodstuffs at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

A young girl stands by makeshift tents in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

A child walks away carrying a bowl of food after receiving it at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Children line up to receive a meal at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? Heavy fighting broke out in Somalia's capital on Friday as the African Union peacekeeping force encountered resistance as it pushed to Mogadishu's outskirts for the first time, the latest move in an offensive against Islamist insurgents.

Hundreds of residents fled a northern Mogadishu neighborhood after waking to the sound of mortars and gunfire. AU troops have largely pushed al-Shabab militants out of the city over the last year, but pockets of resistance remain.

Resident Abdirahman Ahmed said he was awakened by "noisy mortars" on Friday, said that al-Shabab fighters appeared to be moving back into the northern neighborhood of Heliwa.

"We want to flee now," he said, adding: "People are nervous."

Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, the spokesman for the AU force that is known as AMISOM, said Friday was the first time that AU forces moved outside of Mogadishu.

"We are moving out of the city now so we can defend the city from outside now. Our troops have captured strategic bases from al-Shabab," Ankunda said.

The nearly 10,000-strong AU force was confined in previous years to small slices of Mogadishu, but the push to expand their zones of control over the last year have been largely successful. The AU force is working side by side with Somali troops, but most of the gains have been made by the better trained and equipped troops from Uganda and Burundi.

Al-Shabab is also being pressured by Kenyan military forces in Somalia's south and Ethiopian forces in the west.

Militants continue to carry out suicide and roadside bomb attacks in Mogadishu. At least six bombs were found or exploded in the capital since Wednesday, including a blast on Thursday that killed six people.

Meanwhile, the AU force commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha, said that around 3,000 Somali troops had not received their wages for the past four months. The AU is supposed to pay them with money donated by Italy, but Mugisha said the Italians had not yet sent the cash. The delay in payment had caused some soldiers to desert their posts, he said.

"It will have an impact on morale," he said.

Around 7,000 other Somali soldiers are paid by the U.S. through a separate program.

Somalia hasn't had a functioning government in more than 20 years. The current transitional government, whose mandate ends in August, is paralyzed by political infighting. The U.N. is pressing government leaders to resolve their differences and expand the areas in the country the government provides services to.

Somalia has also been dealing with a famine the last six months that is estimated to have killed between 50,000 and 100,000 people. Friday was the six-month mark since the U.N. declared famine in Somalia on July 20.

___

Associated Press reporter Katharine Houreld contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-20-AF-Somalia/id-9518ed971d8a4ab3ba3b6d5104af4cd5

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Support for PIPA collapses in blackout aftermath (Yahoo! News)

18 U.S. Senators withdraw support of the controversial bill, but the fight isn't over

Yesterday's?internet blackout may have had some success changing minds and winning hearts in the nation's capital. In the?last 24 hours, a total of 18 U.S. senators have publicly withdrawn support of the controversial?Protect IP Act, better known as PIPA.

Though on the internet the issue has largely been bi-partisan, the recent withdrawl of support has largely come from Republicans. Many of the defections have been high-profile, including former PIPA co-sponsors?Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH),?Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL),?Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO),?Sen. John Boozman (R-AR),Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT),?Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), and?Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).

According to an informal?head count at opencongress.org, 33 senators currently stand in support of the bill, while 36 remain opposed. A total of 51 votes are needed to defeat this bill for sure; though the bill could be killed with as few as 40 votes if Senate Republicans decide to mount a filibuster. The PIPA legislation is still slated for a vote on January 24.

House Majority Leader Eric?Cantor announced Monday that PIPA's sister bill,?SOPA, would not be coming to a vote in the House after the?White House announced its opposition.

[Image credit:?laslzo-photo]

(Source)

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20120119/tc_yblog_technews/support-for-pipa-collapses-in-blackout-aftermath

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Forums: WiFi Sync issues, Interest in Apple iTV

With Apple’s education event not far off and an A5 jailbreak lingering, the forums have been a very busy place the past little while.? If you’re looking to discuss those

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/cLSoEl1TlFE/story01.htm

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Acid Android

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Acid walks across the heated wasteland, wondering how far away the city was. She knows that she is utterly alone, and she feels it deep in her gut. She knows she needs a team if there is any hope for her at all, but she sees no one for miles. Trying not to worry herself, she pulls her bag tighter around her back and keeps on. "You can do this." She says to herself.

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Charges expected for suspect in homeless deaths (AP)

YORBA LINDA, Calif. ? Prosecutors in California are expected to file formal murder charges against a Marine veteran in the stabbing killings of four homeless men.

After weeks of hunting for a serial killer preying on the vulnerable, police arrested Itzcoatl Ocampo on Friday. He was taken into custody when bystanders chased him down after a 64-year-old man was stabbed to death outside an Anaheim fast-food restaurant.

Prosecutors were planning a press conference Tuesday. Ocampo, 23, is expected to be charged with four counts of murder in the killings that began in northern Orange County in late December.

Authorities have provided no information on evidence against Ocampo, or a possible motive. But Anaheim Police Chief John Welter has said investigators are confident they have the man responsible for the string of murders.

Ocampo is being held in isolation at the central jail in Santa Ana for his own safety because of the notoriety of the case, according to Lt. Hal Brotheim, a spokesman with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Ocampo's father, Refugio Ocampo, said his son came back a changed man after he was deployed to Iraq in 2008. He said his son expressed disillusionment and became ever darker as he struggled to find his way as a civilian.

After he was discharged in 2010 and returned home, his parents separated. The same month, one of Itzcoatl Ocampo's friends, a corporal, was killed during combat in Afghanistan. His brother said Ocampo visited his friend's grave twice a week.

Like the men Ocampo is accused of preying on, his father is homeless.

His father lost his job and ended up living under a bridge before finding shelter in the cab of a broken-down big-rig he is helping repair.

Just days before he was arrested, Itzcoatl Ocampo visited his father, warning him of the danger of being on the streets and showing him a picture of one of the victims.

"He was very worried about me," Refugio Ocampo told The Associated Press. "I told him, `Don't worry. I'm a survivor. Nothing will happen to me.'"

Itzcoatl Ocampo lives with his mother, uncle, younger brother and sister in a rented house on a horse ranch surrounded by the sprawling suburbs of Yorba Linda. At the humble home, his mother, who speaks little English, tearfully brought her son's Marine Corps dress uniform out of a closet and showed unit photos, citations and medals from his military service.

The son followed a friend into the Marine Corps right out of high school in 2006 instead of going to college as his father had hoped.

His family described a physical condition Itzcoatl suffered in which his hands shook and he suffered headaches. Medical treatments helped until he started drinking heavily, they said.

A neighbor who is a Vietnam veteran and the father both tried to push Itzcoatl to get treatment at a Veterans hospital, but he refused. Refugio Ocampo said he wanted his son to get psychological treatment as well.

In addition to John Berry, James Patrick McGillivray, 53, was killed near a shopping center in Placentia on Dec. 20; Lloyd Middaugh, 42, was found near a riverbed trail in Anaheim on Dec. 28; and Paulus Smit, 57, was killed outside a Yorba Linda library on Dec. 30.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_us/us_homeless_homicides

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Clijsters, Li into 3rd round at Australian Open

Kim Clijsters of Belgium celebrates after winning over Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Kim Clijsters of Belgium celebrates after winning over Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Li Na of China returns a ball to Australia's Olivia Rogowska during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Li Na of China waves after winning over Australia's Olivia Rogowska during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the US waves to the crowd after defeating Austria's Tamira Paszek in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serena Williams of the US makes a forehand return to Austria's Tamira Paszek during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Defending champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round of the Australian Open and then showed just how much support she has at Rod Laver Arena by getting the crowd to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her younger sister.

Clijsters only needed 47 minutes to beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France 6-0, 6-1 on Wednesday, conceding just 10 points in the first set and showing no signs of a hip problem that forced her to retire during a semifinal against Daniela Hantuchova at a warmup tournament two weeks ago.

She will meet Hantuchova in the next round here, and has a potential rematch of the 2011 Australian Open final with Li Na in the fourth.

Eighth-ranked Mardy Fish became the first high seed on the men's side to lose, falling 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (6) to Colomnia's Alejandro Falla.

No. 7 Tomas Berdych advanced 6-1, 6-0, 7-6 (4) and Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany was leading 6-0, 4-0 when Spain's Pere Riba retired in their second-round match.

Taiwan's Yen-hsun Lu beat French qualifier Florent Serra in straight sets and No. 30 Kevin Anderson of South Africa beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Clijsters and No. 20 Hantuchova, a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 winner over Lesia Tsurenko, have been playing each other for years.

"When the injury happened, it happened against Daniela," Clijsters said. "She's been playing well this season so far.

"We both go back a long way ? we grew up playing under-14s together. Now almost 30 ? still battling it out."

This was Clijsters best run at a major since the last Australian Open ? she lost in the second round at the French Open and didn't play Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Li is also returning to form, going further than she has a Grand Slam tournament since her breakthrough win at the French Open. She next plays No. 26 Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain, who beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-1, 6-0.

Clijsters and Li had back-to-back matches in Rod Laver Arena. Li said she loved being back where she burst onto the global tennis scene last year. Clijsters, who earned the nickname "Aussie Kim" when she was dating Lleyton Hewitt earlier in her career, is still well loved in Melbourne.

In a post-match TV interview, she asked presenter Rennae Stubbs a favor, saying her brother-in-law phoned her from Belgium to ask if she could convince the crowd to sing a birthday song for Elke, Clijsters' younger sister.

The crowd oblidged, after Clijsters kicked it off.

Li took longer for her second-round win, saying it was harder than the scoreline suggested. She also has fond memories of Melbourne

Her form dipped after the French Open, with losses in the second round at Wimbledon and the first round at the U.S. Open, until she returned to Australia.

Coming off a run to the final at last week's Sydney International, Li was the first woman into the third round.

Li, who will be 30 next month and is seeded No. 5 at Melbourne Park, said she had great memories of the start of 2011.

"I'm feeling always good to come back to Rod Laver Arena," she said, reflecting on how her life had changed dramatically since last season started. "This year is much better than last year ? more fans come to watch me play, not only from China but all over the world."

Li's Chinese compatriot, 16th-seeded Peng Shuai, lost 6-2, 6-4 to Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic,

Serena Williams advanced to the second round in a match that finished after midnight, her ankle holding up to its first test since she sprained it in Brisbane two weeks ago. The only thing that bugged her, despite the 11:32 p.m. start on Tuesday, were the insects in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Tamira Paszek.

"I hate bugs more than you can imagine," Williams said. "Like, they kept jumping on me. Yuck!"

Between points, Williams picked up and moved or shooed away bugs that landed on court, and two that landed on her back. A big one gave her a fright, making her hop as she tried to stifle a screech.

"I'm going to request not to play at night anymore because I hate bugs, except for the final. I heard it's at night," Williams said. "I'll try to get used to them."

Two years after she won her last Australian Open title, Williams extended her winning streak to 15 matches at Melbourne Park in the season's first major tournament. She won titles in 2009 and 2010 but missed the chance to defend her title last year amid a prolonged injury layoff.

Williams was playing only her third match since losing the U.S. Open final to Sam Stosur last September, so she admitted being "a wee bit tight."

Stosur didn't make the second round. The U.S. Open champion lost 7-6 (2), 6-3 to No. 59-ranked Sorana Cirstea.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova won the last 12 consecutive games in a 6-2, 6-0 romp over Vera Dushevina of Russia, while No. 4-ranked Maria Sharapova won the first eight games of a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Gisela Dulko of Argentina.

Stosur is gone, but fans hung around to watch another Aussie hope. Hewitt, a two-time major winner and former Australian Open finalist, gave the night session crowd something to cheer when he beat Cedrik-Marcel Stebe of Germany 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, winning the last six games to overcome two service breaks in the last set.

Hewitt's win put him into a second-round match against old rival Andy Roddick, who easily defeated Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

Defending champion and top-ranked Novak Djokovic won the last 17 games to beat Paolo Lorenzi of Italy 6-2, 6-0, 6-0. Both the men he has beaten in Australian finals also advanced. Andy Murray, runner-up the last two years, defeated American teenager Ryan Harrison 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, beaten by Djokovic in the 2008 final, eliminated Denis Istomin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Rafael Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, and four-time winner Roger Federer were playing later Wednesday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-17-TEN-Australian-Open/id-e39f382a89fe437b9f5c433eb6330acf

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Steven Spielberg Talks Labor Of Love Project 'Smash' (omg!)

Steven Spielberg is bringing the ambitious behind-the-scenes-of-Broadway drama "Smash" to NBC and the television series really is a labor of love for the filmmaking legend.

"I came up with the idea for the series," Steven told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush at Sunday night's Golden Globes, where his movie, "The Adventures of Tintin," won Best Animated Feature.

PLAY IT NOW: 2012 Golden Globes Backstage: Steven Spielberg ?Totally Surprised? By ?Tintin? Win

"I'd been flogging it for about five years," Steven continued of "Smash." "It took [NBC's entertainment president] Bob Greenblatt to step forward, because he's done musical theater with '9 to 5.' He really responded to the material."

The legendary director and producer said that although he was behind the series, which stars Anjelica Huston, Debra Messing and former "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee, the NBC boss was the only one who realized the show had value.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Behind The Lens: Hollywood?s Directors

"I couldn't get anybody else to buy it. Bob stepped forward and took the show for NBC," Steven added. "So, I hired myself and my... two TV partners at DreamWorks Television... We then hired Theresa Rebeck to really create the show. She wrote a wonderful play called, 'The Understudy.' She had done a lot of writing for theater and I wanted theater. I wanted writers from theater to write about theater."

While the name Steven Spielberg can drum up fan interest in a project, he said he sometimes keeps his name from use in promotional materials for programs.

"Do you ever say, can you please take my name down?" Billy asked.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Lovely Ladies Of Primetime Television

"I do. I do. I limit the use of the name on all of the billboards out there when I'm doing television and I limit it was much as I possibly can because it just... I get tired of seeing my own name," he laughed.

But not with "Smash." The project proudly bares its top boss' name on the posters.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Katharine McPhee

"Smash" premieres on NBC Monday, February 6, at 10 PM ET/PT, and, beginning Monday, the pilot episode is available on NBC's Video on Demand partners, including its parent company, Comcast.

Starting January 23-February 6, the first episode of "Smash" will be available to stream on NBC.com and Hulu.

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_steven_spielberg_talks_labor_love_project_smash001221471/44199942/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/steven-spielberg-talks-labor-love-project-smash-001221471.html

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Why did boarding school grad join al-Qaida?

Moeed Abdul Salam didn't descend into radical Islam for lack of other options. He grew up in a well-off Texas household, attended a pricey boarding school and graduated from one of the state's most respected universities.

But the most unlikely thing about his recruitment was his family: Two generations had spent years promoting interfaith harmony and combating Muslim stereotypes in their hometown and even on national television.

Salam rejected his relatives' moderate faith and comfortable life, choosing instead a path that led him to work for al-Qaida. His odyssey ended late last year in a middle-of-the-night explosion in Pakistan. The 37-year-old father of four was dead after paramilitary troops stormed his apartment.

His Nov. 19 death went largely unnoticed in the U.S. and rated only limited attention in Pakistan. But the circumstances threatened to overshadow the work of an American family devoted to religious understanding.

Mom: 'Have to let go'
And his mysterious evolution presented a reminder of the attraction Pakistan still holds for Islamic militants, especially well-educated Westerners whose Internet and language skills make them useful converts for jihad.

"There are things that we don't want to happen but we have to accept, things that we don't want to know but we have to learn, and a loved one we can't live without but have to let go," Salam's mother, Hasna Shaheen Salam, wrote last month on her Facebook page.

The violence didn't stop after Salam died. Weeks after his death, fellow militants killed three soldiers with a roadside bomb to avenge the raid.

It is not clear to what extent Salam's family knew of his radicalism, but on his Facebook page the month before he died, he posted an image of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American al-Qaida leader who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen, beside a burning American flag.

He had also recently linked to a document praising al-Awlaki martyrdom and to a message urging Muslims to rejoice "in this time when you see the mujahideen all over the world victorious."

After his death, the Global Islamic Media Forum, a propaganda group for al-Qaida and its allies, hailed Salam as a martyr, explaining in an online posting that he had overseen a unit that produced propaganda in Urdu and other South Asian languages.

A senior U.S. counterterrorism official said Salam's role had expanded over the years beyond propaganda to being an operative. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

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The family, originally from Pakistan, immigrated to the U.S. decades ago. Salam's father was a pilot for a Saudi airline, and the family eventually settled in the Dallas suburb of Plano. Their cream-colored brick home, assessed at nearly $400,000, stands on a corner lot in a quiet, upper-class neighborhood.

Studied history
The family obtained American citizenship in 1986. Salam attended Suffield Academy in Connecticut, a private high school where tuition and board currently run $46,500. He graduated in 1992.

A classmate, Wadiya Wynn, of Laurel, Md., recalled that Salam played varsity golf, sang in an a cappella group and in the chamber choir, and that he hung out with a small group of "hippie-ish" friends.

She thought he was a mediocre student, but noted that just being admitted to Suffield was highly competitive.

Salam went on to study history at the University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 1996. His Facebook profile indicated he moved to Saudi Arabia by 2003 and began working as a translator, writer and editor for websites about Islam.

"Anyone can pick up a gun, but there aren't as many people who can code html and understand the use of proxies," said Evan Kohlmann, a senior partner a Flashpoint Global Partners, which tracks radical Muslim propaganda.

Salam, who had apparently been active in militant circles for as long as nine years, arrived three years ago in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, and became an important link between al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremists groups, according to an al-Qaida operative in Karachi who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is wanted by authorities.

'Open-minded'
Salam traveled to the tribal areas close to the Afghan border three or four times for meetings with senior al-Qaida and Taliban leaders, the operative said. He would handle money and logistics in the city and deliver instructions from other members of the network.

Back in the United States, Salam's mother is a prominent resident of Plano, where she is co-chairwoman of a city advisory group called the Plano Multicultural Outreach Roundtable, as well as a former president of the Texas Muslim Women's Foundation.

The founder of the latter group, Hind Jarrah, said Shaheen and her husband are too upset to speak with anyone.

"She's a committed American citizen. She's a hard worker," Jarrah said, calling her "one of the nicest, most committed, most open-minded" women she had ever met.

Salam's brother, Monem Salam, has traveled the country speaking about Islam, seeking to correct misconceptions following the 9/11 attacks. He works for Saturna Capital, where he manages funds that invest according to Islamic principles ? for example, in companies that do not profit from alcohol or pork. He recently moved from the company's Bellingham, Wash., headquarters to head its office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

After the 2001 attacks, he and his wife made a public-television documentary about his efforts as a Muslim man to obtain a pilot's license. They also wrote a column for The Bellingham Herald newspaper that answered readers' questions about Islam.

Both Salam's parents and his brother declined numerous interview requests from The Associated Press.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, dozens of U.S. citizens have been accused of participating in terrorism activities, including several prominent al-Qaida propagandists, such as al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, who was killed alongside him. Perhaps best known is Adam Gadahn, an al-Qaida spokesman believed to be in Pakistan.

'Children crying'
Of 46 cases of "homegrown terrorism" in the U.S. since 2001, 16 have a connection to Pakistan, according to a recent RAND Corporation study. Salam's background as college-educated and from a prosperous family isn't unusual among them.

Salam divorced his wife in October, but was contesting custody of their three sons and one daughter. The children were staying with him in the third-floor apartment when a squad of paramilitary troops known as Rangers arrived around 3:30 a.m.

Officers said they pushed through the flimsy door, and Salam killed himself with a grenade when he realized he was surrounded.

The Islamic media group and the al-Qaida contact in Karachi disputed that account, saying Salam was killed by the troops.

Through the windows, blood splatter and shrapnel marks were visible on the wall close to the dining table. There were boxes of unpacked luggage, a treadmill and two large stereo speakers. Residents said Moeed had only been living there for five days.

Neighbor Syed Mohammad Farooq was woken by an explosion. Minutes later, one of the troops asked him to go inside the apartment and see what had happened, he said.

"He was lying on the floor with blood pooling around him. One of his arms had been blown off. I couldn't look for long. He was moaning and seemed to be reciting verses from the Koran," he said. "I could hear the children crying, but I couldn't see them."

Hours later, Salam's wife and father-in-law, a lawyer in the city, came to collect the children from the apartment in Gulistane Jauhar, a middle-class area of Karachi, Farooq said. On the night he died, Salam led evening prayers at the small mosque on the ground floor of the apartment building.

"His Koranic recitation was very good," said Karim Baloch, who prayed behind him that night. "It was like that of an Arab."

Johnson reported from Bellingham, Wash., Brummitt reported from Islamabad, Pakistan. AP news researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report, along with reporters Ashraf Khan in Karachi, Pakistan; Zarar Khan in Islamabad; Adam Goldman in Washington; Danny Robbins and Linda Stewart Ball in Plano, Texas; and Paul Weber and Will Weissert in Austin, Texas.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46037238/ns/us_news-life/

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Top Official tells AP Kim Jong Un is ready to lead (AP)

PYONGYANG, North Korea ? A senior North Korean party official dismissed concerns about Kim Jong Un's readiness to lead, saying he spent years working closely with his late father and helped him make key policy decisions on the economy as well as military affairs.

In the first high-level interview with foreign journalists since Kim Jong Il's Dec. 17 death, Politburo member and Kim family confidante Yang Hyong Sop told The Associated Press that North Koreans were in good hands with their young new leader. He emphasized an unbroken continuity from father to son that suggests a continuation of Kim Jong Il's key policies.

"We suffered the greatest loss in the history of our nation as a result of the sudden, unexpected and tragic loss of the Great Leader Kim Jong Il," he said in the interview Monday at Mansudae Assembly Hall, seat of the North Korean legislative body.

"But still, we are not worried a bit," he added, "because we know that we are being led by Comrade Kim Jong Un, who is fully prepared to carry on the heritage created by the Great Gen. Kim Jong Il."

Daily life in this cold, somber capital has begun to return to normal one month after Kim's death, reportedly from a heart attack while riding on his private train.

The white mourning bouquets and massive portraits of the departed leader have been cleared from Pyongyang's main buildings and monuments. People are busy getting back to daily life, with children whizzing down icy slopes on wooden sleds and workers running to catch morning buses and trams as the Kim Jong Un ode "Footsteps" blares over loudspeakers.

Vast Kim Il Sung Square, where a sea of mourners converged after Kim's death, was ghostly quiet except for a few people who scurried quickly across the frigid plaza.

In recent weeks, as North Koreans filled the capital's streets with their emotive mourning and the government staged elaborate funeral proceedings, party and military officials moved quickly to install Kim's son as "supreme leader" of the people, party and military.

Kim Jong Un had been kept out of the public eye for most of his life before suddenly emerging as his father's heir only in September 2010. Though still in his 20s, he was quickly promoted to four-star general and named a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea.

But the new ruler's youth and quick ascension to power have raised questions in foreign capitals about how ready he is to inherit rule over this nation of 24 million with a nuclear program as well chronic trouble feeding all its people.

Yang said he had no concerns about Kim's ability to lead.

"The Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un had long assisted the Great General Kim Jong Il," he told AP. "It's not a secret that he has helped the great general in many different aspects ? not only in military affairs but also the economy and other areas as well."

A soft-spoken octogenarian who is vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and a standing member of the powerful Political Bureau of the party's Central Committee, Yang has long-standing ties with the Kim family that stretch back to his close alliance with the nation's founder, Kim Il Sung.

During a 2010 interview with Associated Press Television News in Pyongyang, he provided the first confirmation by a government official that Kim Jong Un would eventually become the nation's next leader.

"He knows what the exact intention of the Great Gen. Kim Jong Il was," he said Monday.

His comments this week indicated there would be little change to major policies laid out by Kim Jong Un's father in the three years before his death. Yang said the new leader was focused on a "knowledge-based" economy and looking at economic reforms enacted by other nations, including China.

The North has increasingly looked to China for guidance on how to revitalize its moribund economy, particularly as South Korea, Japan and other nations have frozen trade and aid to the North amid concerns about its nuclear ambitions.

Little is known about Kim Jong Un's background and experience, though North Koreans have been told he studied at Kim Il Sung Military University and was involved in military operations such as the November 2010 artillery attack on a South Korean island that killed four South Koreans.

Earlier this month, North Korea's state-run broadcaster aired a documentary about the new leader that began filling in some blanks prior to his public debut.

The footage shows him observing the April 2009 launch of a long-range rocket and quotes him threatening to wage war against any nation attempting to intercept the rocket, which North Korea claimed was carrying a communications satellite but the United States, South Korea and Japan say was really a test of its long-range missile technology.

It was the first indication of his involvement in that controversial launch.

Yet even if Kim Jong Un was playing a prominent behind-the-scenes role prior to 2010, his training period would have been much shorter than that of his Kim Jong Il, who spent 20 years working under his own father, Kim Il Sung.

After his father's death, Kim Jong Il observed a three-year mourning period before formally assuming leadership.

"Kim Jong Il had the benefit of time. He had 20 years to grow a cult of personality around him," said Cheong Seong-chang, an expert on North Korean affairs at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea. "Kim Jong Un had only two to three years at the most ... so authorities are now hurrying their propaganda efforts."

___

Associated Press writer Sam Kim contributed to this report from Seoul, South Korea. Follow AP's new Pyongyang Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee at twitter.com/newsjean and Chief Asia Photographer David Guttenfelder at twitter.com/dguttenfelder.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_kim_jong_un

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New Media Firm Hynes Communications Hires Senior VP, Expands ...

PORTSMOUTH, N.H., January 12, 2012? Hynes Communications, the nation?s leading new media public affairs agency headquartered in New Hampshire, announced it has hired two new team members and promoted a third. Leonardo Alcivar has accepted the role of Senior Vice President of Public Affairs; Andrew Clark joins the team as a Strategic Partner and Account Executive; and Amelia Chasse has been promoted to Senior Account Service Director.

Based in Boston, Alcivar will lead the agency?s Public Affairs department. In addition to developing and evaluating top-line strategy for meeting client deliverables, Alcivar will assume responsibility for online communications staff management and recruitment, and play a key role in the performance and profitability of the agency. Alcivar has been running national and statewide communications campaigns for more than ten years, most recently he served as Communications Director for Bill Brady?s gubernatorial campaign in Illinois, and consultant to the Republican Governors Association. In 2004?s successful re-election of President George W. Bush, Alcivar served the Republican National Committee as Press Secretary for the Republican National Convention in New York City, and later as Field Director in Miami, Florida. Alcivar began his career with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, first as Deputy Press Secretary to the Mayor, then as Director of Press Operations at the New York City Police Department. He subsequently served as a Manager of Public Affairs for Burson-Marsteller.

Clark is a social media specialist who will help Hynes clients assess the virtual landscape, reach target audiences online, and utilize rapid response strategies to help clients drive messages. A native of Southern California, Clark is currently pursuing his Master?s degree in media and public affairs at the George Washington University, where he also achieved his undergraduate degrees in political communication and public policy. Prior to accepting his role at Hynes, Clark previously worked at CRAFT | Media/Digital, Engage, and served in the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign war room. Writing as a conservative columnist for the G.W. Hatchet throughout his college tenure, he also has contributed pieces to Campaigns & Elections, Politics Daily, and The Daily Caller.

A veteran of political campaigns at the state and national levels, Chasse began working for Hynes during the summer of 2010 as an account executive serving clients across multiple industries and working collaboratively with the Hynes team in all phases of account management. Her ability to communicate with senior level clients and advanced-level writing skills and new media relations, earned her a promotion to Senior Account Director. In her new role she will be responsible for uncovering new media outlets and placement opportunities for Hynes clients and continually aid in improving the firm?s research, analysis, and reporting. Chasse is based at Hynes headquarter offices in New Hampshire.

About Hynes Communications
Hynes Communications is the nation?s premier agency focused on new media and online communications strategy for public affairs clients. Founded by Patrick Hynes and Paul Young in 2006, the Hynes team comprises the brightest minds and most successful operatives working in this space. Hynes serves a diverse group of clients ranging from candidates for national public office to major trade associations and corporations facing significant legislative and regulatory issues. Hynes offers a focused, aggressive approach to new media strategy, the foundation of which comes from our extensive experience, creativity and passion.

Source: http://www.hynescommunications.com/new-media-firm-hynes-communications-hires-senior-vp-expands-for-2012/

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